Night Games (26 page)

Ally closed her eyes at the touch of his erection between her legs. Even though he still held her arms above her head, and the sweater still blocked her sight, she wanted a more intense blackness so she could concentrate every part of her being on the only sense that mattered now. Touch.

“Worth more?” He laughed softly. “You're a woman who doesn't want to please a man, who doesn't realize that in pleasing she'll gain pleasure. Your master must teach you this lesson. Are you worth more?”

She felt the slide of his erection between her legs. Back and forth. A rhythm she quickly picked up as she thrust against him, wanting
closer contact where closer contact wasn't possible.

“Your master paid for you. He can do what he wants.” His voice dropped to a soft murmur. “And he wants to do many things.”

His lips closed over her nipple at the same time he released her hands. It didn't matter. She couldn't have moved if a whole army of spirits had marched past them.

He teased her nipple with his tongue, then nipped gently. She moaned into the sweater even as his mouth tormented. Everything blurred as his mouth closed over her other nipple. Pleasure built as he kissed a path over her stomach, kneaded her buttocks with hands that shook.

Air. She had to have air. Ally pulled the sweater off her head in time to see him drop to his knees. No thought was involved, only instinct, as she spread her legs wider and tangled her fingers in his long hair.

He clasped her bottom, then pulled her to him. He put his mouth on her, warm, wet, searching. His tongue found the spot that was the center of her personal universe at this never-to-be-repeated moment.

No scream of pleasure could do justice to the sensation, so she gripped his hair more tightly, anchoring herself to earth, as the spasms shook her.

And even as the waves of sensation washed over her, slowly receded, leaving her so weak that she sank to her knees, she knew that this wasn't
it.

He'd given pleasure, but taken none. There'd be another time, the
right
time for it, when he'd join her. Almost fearful, she lifted her gaze to his eyes, then relaxed. These weren't the eyes of the man in her reality experience. This man's eyes were heated with emotion, hot desire. He didn't have his game face on tonight.

But it wasn't right that she'd done all the enjoying. “I want to—”

Reading her intent, he shook his head. “There'll be another time.” His gaze drifted to the great hall. “My time.” He glanced back at her and smiled.

“You're really fixated on your gypsy fantasy. You're a stubborn man, Brian Byrne. Do you always get what you want?” Surprised, she paused.
Stubborn.
A character flaw. If she were really searching for the perfect mate, he wouldn't qualify.

“I
never
get what I want.”

She followed his gaze down to where his arousal rose hard, strong. It triggered a twinge that indicated her body would be eager again as soon as it caught its breath. Meanwhile, she'd allow herself one touch. One touch to hold her over. Reaching down, she slid her fingers along the length of him, felt his deep shudder, his iron control. She wanted to test his control. Soon.

“But I will, babe. Count on it.” His words were a harsh whisper.

Overconfidence. Another flaw. The scary part was that she didn't care. She wanted every inch
of his imperfect self. Her body wasn't discriminating, and her mind was growing less so by the minute. Maybe perfection was overrated.

Besides, why should she worry about his lack of perfection, when she was clearly far from perfect herself. She was greedy, self-indulgent, impulsive, shameless—

Brian interrupted Ally's cataloging of her questionable character traits by standing, then helping her to her feet. She stood docilely as he handed her bra to her, pulled up her panties and jeans, then pulled her sweater over her head.

She fastened her jeans and shoved her bra into a pocket as she watched him try to fasten his own jeans. He winced. She felt a totally inappropriate twinge of pride that he was still hard for her. Was that pathetic, or what? Other people took pride in things like curing disease and building better rockets. She took pride in making a man hard. No, not
a
man.
This
man. There was an important truth in that distinction. She'd think about it later.

“I think we have a visitor.” Brian's voice was low, alert.

“What?” She turned, expecting to see Katy or the Old One.

A dark horse stood watching them. Sleek-muscled and the color of the night, the horse turned its head to stare at the field where their horse rested hip shot. The horse's long wild mane blew in the wind that had gradually picked up.

Ally took a fearful step closer to Brian, and he wrapped his arm around her waist as the horse turned its gaze back to them. It watched them with glowing yellow eyes for what must have been only moments, but seemed forever.

Finally, it turned away and galloped toward Ally's horse on silent hooves.

“Ohmigod! The pooka. Katy has to see it.” Ally raced toward the wagon. Standing outside, she shouted. “Katy. The pooka!”

Katy pulled open the wagon door and peeked outside. “Where?”

“There . . .” Ally turned to the field. She saw nothing but their horse . . . and an open gate. The pooka had done his mischief and was gone.

Katy frowned at her. “I don't like to be fooled. I haven't seen one darn fairy or ghost on this trip. I'd better see one soon.” She took a closer look at Ally, then smiled. “Seems like your bra slipped off when you weren't looking.” She went back inside.

Ally exhaled sharply. Damn. She looked up toward the castle. Brian had gone to his shelter. He was the cause of all her emotional turmoil, and now she was seeing pookas.

Alone she stared into the night, and somehow wasn't surprised when she saw the pooka standing on the other side of the wagon. Its yellow eyes mocked her.

“Oh, shut up.” She climbed onto the wagon and went inside.

 

 

 

 

Ally rubbed her eyes while figuratively scratching her head. What the heck had happened last night? She glanced out at the pale morning light, then took a sip of her coffee. Neither action inspired her.

Last night she'd stood naked in front of fairies and any wandering ghosts who cared to stand around and watch. Oh, and pookas. She couldn't forget her pooka.

Ally enjoyed sex. Even sex with Dave had been okay. Not great, but okay.
Ordinary.
She was an ordinary woman. She usually had sex in darkened bedrooms, not because her body embarrassed her, but because ordinary people did it in ordinary places.

Last night? How would she describe herself? How about totally out of control? Not a hint of
pink anywhere on her bare body. Blushing hadn't been an option.

She'd explained away her reaction during the reality experience.
That
woman wasn't anyone she knew. The sensual massage gone wrong? No excuse, but at least she'd done it in an enclosed space.

Last night had simply been . . . Wow! Why this reaction to Brian? She didn't have a clue. Hmm. Cap's potions? Ally smiled. She'd forgotten about those potions. Good. Someone else to blame. Her conscience was clear.

“If you didn't stay up so late writing that book, you wouldn't be half asleep in the morning.” Katy was putting things away, getting the wagon ready for their trek to the Cliffs of Moher. “Too bad this wagon doesn't have headlights. We could've gone at night, seen tons of spirits.”

“Right.” Thank heavens for no lights.

“When're you going to let me see your book?”

“Soon.” Never. This couldn't be the book she'd send to her editor. It was too personal, too much about emotions, not enough about the sex Mavis wanted. It was too much about Brian, not the faceless one-night stand her editor would expect. She couldn't seem to stop writing about what she felt inside when she was supposed to be writing about surface sensations.

“I'll get the horse ready.” Ally put her empty cup in the sink, grabbed her clothes, and left the wagon. Luckily, no one was around as she headed for the bathroom.

When she came out, she found Brian already busy with the horse. He turned to gaze at her. How did he do that? Just a glance, and poof, she was standing in her emotional birthday suit.

“You look tired.” She fiddled with the harness.

His smile was rueful. “Couldn't sleep last night. Troubling thoughts.” His gaze turned intense. “It's your fault, babe.”

Ally felt a lot better. Misery really needed company to be fulfilling.

An irritated hiss warned Ally they weren't alone. The Old One sat on a nearby wall, and she wasn't a happy cat.

Brian smiled. “The Boss doesn't feel she should be shut out of this trip. She thinks it's her right to go wherever she wants.” His smiled widened. “I tried to sneak past her, but she'd sprawled herself across my doorway.” He offered an aside. “The Boss likes to protect her investments against marauding night visitors.”

Katy had left the wagon and wandered over to listen.

“Anyway, I stepped on her tail. I don't know what she called me, but I'm pretty sure it had two syllables.” He shrugged. “She's here, and she wants to go with us.”

“I'll talk to her.” Katy's militant expression didn't bode well for a calm discussion as she walked over to the wall.

Ally focused on Brian. “I'll drive.” She'd definitely try to convince him to ride inside the
wagon with Katy. If cell-phone use while driving impaired concentration, she didn't even want to think what Brian Byrne beside her might do. The police would arrest her for driving while under the influence of the most intoxicating male in the universe. How dangerous would
that
be? “Keep me company?” So much for definite tries.

“Interfering old biddy!”

Ally frowned. Every interfering old biddy within ten miles would hear Katy.

“Wouldn't ride anywhere else, sweetheart.” He gave the expected response as he stroked the horse's neck.

Ally followed the motion and recalled the slide of his fingers across her skin, felt the prickle of goose bumps along the remembered path.

But just as she had yesterday, Ally sensed an underlying emotion, a tension that had nothing to do with his words. She didn't have time to analyze that hunch, though. They had to get moving before all the noise woke Cap and Jupe.

She paused to listen to the assorted feline screams, growls, and mad-as-hell spitting noises. She sighed. “This will
not
help us sneak away unnoticed.”

Unexpectedly, the
calm
discussion ended and Katy rejoined them. “Let's get moving fast. I think she's going to wake the others.”

Uh-oh. The Old One was headed for Jupe's shelter in bounding leaps.

As one, Ally, Brian, and Katy clambered onto the wagon.

Brian settled himself close to Ally as she guided the horse down the path to the main road.

Katy hovered in the doorway. “I'll go inside and read that book of yours on Irish fairies, Ally. If there's one of those merrows around, I want to know all about her.” She started to close the door behind her, then paused. “Oh, remind me to thank Cap for bringing that thermos of coffee over real early this morning. With everything going on, I wouldn't have had time to fix any before we left.” She glanced at Brian. “There's some left. Would you like a cup?”

“No. He doesn't want any.” Ally hoped she didn't look as frantic as she felt. “It was awful coffee. Bitter. Yuck.”
Calm down.
Logic said that all her reactions to Brian couldn't be potion induced. But logic wasn't on her menu this morning. Ally
wanted
to believe Cap's potions were the culprits because the alternative would plunk responsibility for her actions, her feelings, directly on her own slumping shoulders. And she
wouldn't
fall for someone like Brian, a man she'd have to share every Monday night while the universe watched.

Katy cast her a curious stare. “Tasted great to me. Made me feel all tingly and perky. Bet Brian would like to feel that way.”

“Thanks, but I'll pass.”

Katy nodded and closed the door behind her.

Ally's relief was short-lived.

Brian moved even closer. Now
she
felt all tingly and perky. Wow! If this was potion-induced, it
was good. She'd have to tell Cap to go commercial with the recipe. There wouldn't be a droopy sex drive anywhere on Earth.

Ally was as far over as she could go without leaping from the wagon. She considered that option for a moment, then dismissed it. He'd only stop the wagon and scrape her off the road.

“Look at all the empty seat you have. Maybe you should use it. I'm feeling a little scrunched here.” She cast him a glance she hoped said,
I am not responding to your body, nana nana.

His wolfish grin didn't reach his eyes. “I want to get as close to you as I can—” his smile disappeared—“while I tell you about my childhood.” He didn't move away.

“Okay, let's get this out in the open. What's with this sudden need to tell me about your childhood?” She would have crossed her arms over her chest if she hadn't been holding the reins.

He narrowed his gaze. “Don't you remember? Cap was giving you some helpful hints. I think it went like, get Brian to open up about his childhood and you'll have him. Lucky for me, Jupe heard you.” Anger and something more gleamed in his eyes. “So I'm making it easy for you, babe.”

“Jupe heard
Cap.
He didn't hear me say anything. And we all know what a disinterested party Cap is.” Now she remembered. The rustling sounds.

Brian's anger horrified her, but it also intrigued her. Women must want to get to him on
an hourly basis, so why all the anger over what he thought
she
had done? A thought worth exploring.