“The…ah…last tenant left it.”
Roman’s hands move to my hips and he turns me around so quickly I squeak out a surprised gasp. The reflection in front of me is mortifying. I’m completely naked, no make-up, hair a wet tangle, and Roman is a dark, beautiful man who is still fully clothed. I shift my arm to cover my chest, but Roman’s hands are there first, cupping my breasts while he leaves a trail of hot, damp kisses along my jaw and down my throat. My head rolls back against his shoulder, and I shiver, the feeling of his mouth and fingers setting off fireworks everywhere they touch. The embarrassment of a moment before is gone.
I arch my back, my hips rolling against Roman’s hard dick. He bites down on my shoulder, his tongue lapping at the spot a moment later. His fingers tease my nipple while his other hand slides down my stomach, but I turn to face him.
Roman frowns down at me, then licks his lips like he’s chasing the taste of me.
“I want to touch you.” My fingers fumble at his fly, while his trace a line up my waist and across my back.
My breath hitches as I work his jeans and boxers down his hips. Roman hisses in a breath as his cock springs free, heavy and hard. His fingers drag through my hair, and he presses a kiss to the juncture between my neck and shoulder, making me arch into him. I wrap my hand around the length of him, shivering at the raw groan he unleashes against my skin. I move my hand, sliding it down and back up. Roman lifts his head from my shoulder to look down at where my hand is working his cock. I stare too, mesmerized by the sight of his twitching abs and flexing muscles.
Roman’s hand fists in my hair and he kisses me hard and deep while I stroke him. He groans against my lips, his hips rocking into my hand. His hand presses against my stomach and slips between my legs.
“Fuck,” Roman groans, his head dropping to my shoulder again. I’m so wet my thighs are coated. Two fingers carefully slide inside. Roman’s mouth is everywhere: on my shoulder, neck, jaw, capturing my mouth in another deadly kiss.
He works his fingers in and out, sliding them out to circle my clit until my knees are trembling. For a moment, I forget that my hand is wrapped around his dick. I stroke from base to tip. Roman pulls his mouth from mine, tipping his head back with a long groan.
“You’re going to make me come.”
“Good.” I laugh, but it quickly turns to a gasp when his fingers slide back inside and his thumb presses against my clit.
Roman’s free arm wraps around my waist, holding me up when my hips start jerking. I squeeze his cock, and hold on to his shoulder with my other hand. My nails dig into his skin, and he comes, his orgasm hot on my hand.
“Fuck. You’re perfect,” Roman growls into my ear.
Right then, I imagine what it would feel like to have him saying that to me while I’m on my back and he’s buried deepinside me. To have him fucking me with wild abandon. I cry out, my orgasm shredding through me. For a moment, it feels like I’m outside of my body, floating in a sea of complete pleasure. Then I’m earthbound once again and it’s even better. Every inch of my skin hums with satisfaction and my magic buzzes with a pulsing warmth in my chest.
It takes a few minutes for reality to set back in. I’m naked in my living room, in front of my giant mirror. Roman’s pants are halfway down his ass, and I need another shower. He picks up my towel, handing it to me before he pulls up his pants.
“This is the worst timing, but my brother is waiting for me outside.”
I cringe and wonder how long he’s been out there.
Roman takes a step back only to come right back to me. He presses a kiss to my lips before walking away. Just before he leaves, he calls over his shoulder. “Try not to get in any more trouble, Jo.” Roman uses the nickname my friends call me, and I sink against the wall, wondering how I’m going to survive whatever the hell we’re doing here.
20
JOSEPHINE
Pain pulses from my fingers with every pass of my hands down Debra McSweeny’s back. She’s a regular customer who comes in once a week. Some of my clients have chronic pain–bad backs, a bum hip–but Mrs. McSweeny just likes the energy she gets from my healing. She’s one of my mother’s friends and her personality is nearly as pleasant.
“Are you even using your magic?” How the woman can sound belittling when she is face down in a pillow is a mystery.
“Yes.” I manage to keep a neutral tone as I send another burst of healing energy into her. My head throbs, and my joints ache. Debra is my third appointment today, and it will only get worse as the day goes on.
“And that’s our time. There’s no rush. Get dressed at your leisure.” I use the quiet tone that the dim room and soft spa music demands. The second I shut the door, I shake out my hands and roll my shoulders. The worst of the pain recedes now that I’m not touching Debra, but the lingering ache remains. It’s almost noon and I have another client booked in five minutes.My mother doesn’t even like to give me time to pee during the day.
I fortify myself with a deep inhale and head out into the lobby. Jade, the receptionist, is painting her fingernails. She’s my mother’s lackey. If I take too long in the bathroom between appointments, Jade tattles on me. She always wears her dark hair half up, in a slicked back ponytail. Her eyes are never without her winged eyeliner which, honestly, looks absolutely ridiculous. I never wear make-up to work, though, so who am I to talk?
“Your noon appointment had to reschedule.” Jade pops her gum and paints a stripe down her pinkie nail. She doesn’t look up at me. “Mrs. Delvaux is gone for the day, so I wasn’t sure who to call to offer up the slot.” She says it with a sneer.
I try hard not to smile.
That canceled appointment means I’ve got nearly two hours of free time. Normally, my mother would hurriedly reschedule someone else for the open time slot, but she’s not here. I’m sure I’ll get hell for it when she finds out, but that’s tomorrow’s problem. I know the perfect way to use this free time. I slink out of the lobby, not bothering to say goodbye to Jade.
The staff room is thankfully empty as I grab my coat. Exiting out the back door to the alley where we throw our garbage allows me to escape without having to explain where I’m going.
It only takes a few minutes to reach our coven house. It sits in direct view of Briar Hollows Bridge, where my friends and I made a wish just a few weeks ago. Ironically, the Tenebris coven house is directly opposite the Lumen house. I gaze across the river at the classical revival-style home with columns that rival the White House. I’ve never noticed how oddly similar the two buildings look. It’s as if one coven built their headquarters, and the other said,you’re not so originaland erected its twin across the river.
