Stolen Skye (Book One, The Skye Trilogy) (26 page)

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Is that a challenge?”
He trailed his hand down my side and placed it under my knee, bending my leg wider across him. “Do you feel how much I still want you?”

I nodded twice, unable to speak.
With his lead, I rolled onto my back and lay waiting for him, wondering what he was going to do.

Finn leaned in to kiss me, hovering over me once more.
He licked my lips apart with his tongue and probed deeper. I felt my need for him rekindle. He smiled at me before moving his skilled mouth to my breasts, nipping them until they were engorged with longing. His hot mouth drifted lower, canvassing my ribs and stomach. It tickled deliciously, causing vibrations deep within me. He shifted lower on the bed, and while his hand grazed back and forth across my stomach, he began kissing and biting the inside of my thighs. I opened my legs wider to make room for him as he settled between them.

Slowly, both of his hands shifted under my hips and brought me down to meet his mouth.
His hot tongue flicked across me and I bolted up, shocked by the intimacy and the warmth of it. He raised his head and gazed at me, smiling.

“Let me, please.
” His voice was layered in need and sex and I couldn’t resist it, even if I had wanted to. He nuzzled closer, his breath and lips warm against me. I didn’t know what to expect, but as goose bumps formed on the surface of my skin, I gave myself over to him. He felt the resistance drain from by body and began at once, claiming every inch of me with his soft tongue. I put my hand over my eyes, trying to calm my nerves from the surprise of it, and the odd sensations it was causing. He chose a spot and began rolling his tongue over it lightly. An intense hum ran through me as he continued slowly, removing one of his arms from under my hip and bringing his hand between my legs. As I felt the burning desire caused by his mouth and an intense ache grow within me, his fingers were there, filling me, plunging deep and slowly pulling out until I thought I might scream from need.

“Finn, please.”
I barely recognized my breathy plea. He pulled himself up and sheathed himself completely within me, moving fast against my throbbing heat. I opened my legs wide and wrapped them around him, urging him deeper. I wanted all of him and moved my hips against him, riding the wave of desire he had caused with his amazing mouth.

He watched me as I dug my nails into his back, pulling my chest up to press into him.
I moved my hips faster with a new angle and felt my own release rise and rocket out of me, stronger than the first. I held onto him, gasping, unable to slow my hips as they pulsed against him during my final moments. He followed me with his own shattering release, causing us each to collapse onto each other, breathing heavily. We lay there exhausted, entwined blissfully together. After several deep breaths, I felt him withdraw from me and lay back on the bed, pulling me against him.

“I’m never leaving this room.”
He put his arm over his eyes, but I could see the wide smile of satisfaction across his face as he struggled to even out his own breathing. I didn’t have any words yet to respond with. As he traced his fingers down my back, I kissed him lazily, feeling completely unhinged. After one more long kiss, we nestled together. I felt the blanket go over me, and, as my pulse finally returned to normal, I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Chapter
21. Awkward

The ringing of the phone woke me.
It was my 9 AM wakeup call. I tried to shake off the lingering sleepiness as I rolled onto my back, throwing the pillow I was holding to the side. The night before came vividly back to me and I sat up quickly, searching the room. I was alone. The bedding was in poor condition, untucked and askew, but there was no other trace of him other than the smile I couldn’t stop smiling.

I walked over to the bathroom, feeling some soreness in my hips.
I remembered how wantonly they had moved on their own and blushed. My hair and whole appearance was as wild as the bed covers. My cheeks and chin were flaming red from Finn’s passionate kisses. I felt almost transformed, wondering excitedly when I could steal him away later in the day.

Slowly, as I started the shower, concern took hold and squeezed.
Where was he, first of all? I didn’t have a lot of experience in morning after protocol, but it felt odd to be alone after such a night. Ari’s one request of me came back as well. It seemed all would agree that I was turning out to be an incredibly unreliable fake assistant. He didn’t have a real right to tell me who I could and couldn’t sleep with, but it was probably in Finn’s best interest to have kept the intimacy out of our relationship for a bit longer. Well, that ship had sailed.

However, maybe sleeping with me wasn’t as big of a deal as I thought?
After all, he was gone. Following a hot shower, which I spent having a heated discussion with myself, I dressed for breakfast, anxious to see what the next thirty minutes were going to look like. I was the last to arrive to the lobby. Finn stood leaning against the wall, removed from the others. Bounce rushed me and came in for a close hug. As I hugged her back, I searched Finn’s face for any feelings that echoed my own. As if in response, he smiled, looking like he was going to burst with happiness. I felt a tingling wave splash through me.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”
Bounce did nothing to hide her enthusiasm. Raven and Brinks moved in, welcoming me as well. Ari was just past them, at the restaurant entrance, staring across the lobby at Finn with keen interest. After a moment, we joined him and took our seats. At breakfast, they all wanted to hear about my holiday and how Ari managed with my family. Ari smiled during most of the conversation as I filled them in on his sudden appearance and my mother’s high hopes. Finn, sitting close beside me, had said little so far, but I was very aware of his breathing, of him in general. It was actually difficult to keep focus on the conversation. Finn had already told them about Kelly and my bruising. While they each considered the possibilities I had pondered before, I excused myself to go to the bathroom, seeking a moment of solitude.

While washing my hands, I took a couple deep breaths to steady my nerves.
He must be affected by last night as well, with the smile and sitting so close to me. I was being silly to worry about him losing interest, though I couldn’t stop myself. He, by his own admission, had been a user of women. It hadn’t come up last night, but it was very much on my mind at the moment.

As I walked out of the bathroom, a familiar hand took mine and pulled me around the corner.
Before I could say anything, Finn kissed me, reminding me of how much I had longed for him the night before. His hands drifted down my back, pulling me closer against him.

After briefly allowing ourselves far too much public display, I pulled my face back to regard him more closely.
“I thought I’d been with you, but when morning came I figured it was a dream.” I smiled up at him, still reeling from the kiss and the feel of him pressed against me so intimately.

“A good dream, to be sure.
Good enough to wake the neighbors, I imagine.” He smiled back, softly kissing the edge of my somewhat raw chin. Another minute passed as he found my neck, gently tracing his lips up the length of it to my earlobe. My breathing staggered shamefully.

“Where did you go?”
I tried to be casual, but even I could hear a trace of pout in my voice.

“I gathered you’d prefer we keep this between us for now.
I left before dawn. I couldn’t be seen skulking in the hallway. I was going to wake you, but you were sleeping hard.”

“Yes, please.
Just between us. Ari says you’re going to need to focus.” I tried to straighten as much as he would let me. Someone could turn the corner any second.

“Agreed, but my focus is most certainly compromised.
You may as well tell him we can’t possibly succeed.” He started laughing at my concerned expression.

“But, he told me not to ‘distract’ you.”
I tried to get him to take me seriously.

“Well then
, you, Evelyn, have failed magnificently.” He kissed me tenderly before letting me go. He needed to go to his room for his wallet. I straightened my hair and returned to my seat. They were still discussing how I may have ended up bruised and without my money.

Raven was mostly interested in her part in the story.
“Whatever the reason, I certainly didn’t hit you. I was far away. But, if I did box with you, you’d remember it, memory loss or not.” She shook her head, dismissing what I had told Kelly.

To end the discussion, I add
ed, “I know it’ll come back to me. For now, I’m just going to enjoy the city and help however I can.” Soon Finn returned. He was much more animated now, which made it easier for me to concentrate on the rest of the group.

When we were through with breakfast, Ari said, “Today, I need to spend some time with Finn and Raven.
Bounce, why don’t you take Evelyn sightseeing while you find us the vehicles? Brinks, perhaps you can get those things on the list?” Ari dialed a number on his cell and strode away from the table after signing the bill. Brinks and Raven waved goodbye to us and followed him.

“Bounce, you sure you can do without me?”
Finn looked eager to assist.

“Never, but Ari needs you more.
We’ll be fine.” She smiled at his willingness to help.

“Take good care of Evelyn.
The streets of Paris are even more dangerous than London. Little girls everywhere,” he joked. He told me goodbye with a wink and walked off toward the others. I didn’t want to part with him, but it would be good to have a distraction from my thoughts. I couldn’t remember feeling so blissfully aware of another person, so eager to be alone with them. I had never been in love, and though I knew that Finn and I weren’t there yet, it was hard not to consider after the night we’d shared. As Bounce and I walked out onto the Paris streets, the possibility of him was all around me.

Bounce looked me up and down as we waited for a cab.
“You look happy today.” She smiled her sweet smile and I couldn’t stop my own from getting bigger.

“It’s Paris.
Isn’t the quote ‘everything’s beauty, calm, voluptuousness and luxury’? How could you not be happy here? It’s all those things. Though, I imagine, if you are a Parisian, you see it much differently.” I was definitely in romantic danger, already moved to poetry. Bounce continued to smile as she followed me into the cab.

“10 Place Etienne Pernet, please.” Bounce gave our destination to the driver.

“What are we doing now?”

“You and I are buying a used motorcycle, a much easier way to get around the city.
Then, I thought we might go over to Montmartre and be tourists, do some shopping. It’s a little chilly, but the sun is shining today. What do you say?”

“Will we be riding the motorcycle?”
I preferred cabs to being on the back of Bounce’s scooter. I could only guess at my terror on anything more powerful.

“Yes, that was the idea.
You can close your eyes, you’ll be fine. I’ll even let you pick out your own helmet.”

After several minutes we arrived at the dealership.
Here was no beauty or voluptuousness, but Bounce assured me she could get a good price and there was another vehicle she was quietly going to take a look at. I took the hint and stayed silent during her negotiation.

“I think the 2008 Honda CBR will work.
May I take a test drive around the block?” Bounce had chosen a huge silver and black cycle listed at 3,000 Euros.

“Of course, Mademoiselle.
Let me have someone bring it around the front, I will meet you there.” Luc, our salesperson, had become quite gallant after Bounce let it purposely slip that she was paying in cash. He took a set of keys off a board of hanging hooks and strolled to the back lot.

“Evelyn, go get us two cups of water from the dispenser.
Spill one if someone is coming.” I followed where she pointed and did as I was told, unsure of the reason. As I held the tab down to let the water run, I watched her take another set of keys off the board and press one into an Altoid tin. Then, she placed the keys back on the board in their proper place, all before anyone came into view. I returned to her a little perplexed. She thanked me and drank her water casually.

“Here you go.
Here’s a helmet to protect your lovely head.” Luc returned and continued to suck up to her as she stepped outside.

“Evelyn, I’ll just be a minute.
Wait here.” Bounce mounted the huge bike expertly and secured her black helmet. With a roar, she was off. I sat in one of the plastic chairs just inside and perused a worn French magazine.

“There are few things sexier than a woman on a bike.”
Luc stood mesmerized as he watched Bounce through the windows. Since he had his back to me, I didn’t bother to comment. “You will be riding as well, no?” He turned to me in anticipation of my answer.

“Yes, if she purchases it, we’ll need two helmets,” I responded casually.

“Ah, the two of you will make for quite the show,” he laughed, causing his oily black hair to flap against his forehead.
Thankfully, soon I heard a familiar roar from the curb. Bounce was back. She strolled inside, helmet in hand.

“Perfect.
I’ll take it.” Luc led her back into his office and shortly we were weaving through the Paris streets, my red helmet secure on my head as I held tightly onto Bounce. The bike was larger than her scooter and she wasn’t able to maneuver it as nimbly. This caused our commute through the crowded streets to be much slower than London, so I wasn’t as panicked as I thought I would be. Past parks the size of city blocks and busy traffic circles, we turned onto Rue du Norvins.

In the shadow of the Basilique du Sacré Coeur, she backed into a parking space and we set out to explore.
The impressive, white Roman Catholic Church stood tall against the winter sky layered in varying shades of sunshine and gray. It was surreally beautiful, and we took it in from all sides as we merged with the other admirers of Montmartre. Despite the cold temperatures, people of all nationalities were walking slowly with their purchases, taking in the very Parisian vibe. Bounce and I began stepping in and out of small shops, looking for nothing in particular. After she bought herself a purple scarf and gloves, softening her all black ensemble complete with leather biker jacket, we made our way to the nearest coffee shop. We sat on the patio to watch the passersby, thankful for the plastic flaps that protected patrons from the wind.

“So, you and Finn, huh?”
Bounce zeroed in on the one thing I wanted to avoid discussing.

“What are you talking about?”
I laughed, paying extremely close attention to my café au lait.

“Evelyn, there are two things you need to know about me.
First, I am very perceptive. Second, I have the hotel room next to you.” She grinned over her cup. I had no way of denying it after that. I recalled his name on my lips more than once during our intimacies. With no other choice, I allowed myself to smile back at her, happy to be able to share with her in particular.

“I don’t know what to say.
Please don’t tell anyone. Ari didn’t really think this was a good idea, and, well, I couldn’t take everyone knowing right now.”

“Relax, I won’t tell a soul.
I don’t need to ask how it was. Are you as happy as you look?”

“I am happy.
In this moment, right now, I’m very happy. I can’t pretend to know what I’m doing, but it feels good to give into it, whatever it is.” We laughed together and drank our coffee. She didn’t push for details as she already seemed to be aware of them, which caused me to cringe out of embarrassment. “What I’m doing, do you think it’s a bad idea?”

“With Finn?
No, I love him to death. Don’t worry about Ari, he was probably just being cautious,” Bounce advised.

“I
’d just hate for him to find out right now, we were getting along in Boston. I don’t want him to think I’m irresponsible.”

“Well, he must have known this might happen.
He can’t be completely against it if you’re here.”

“Listen, do you think Ari’s behavior is odd?
Coming to Boston, the necklace, bringing me here. Finn was commenting on how much he has changed in the last month.”

“No, it’s like him to find a solution and carry it out.
What necklace?”

“The one from Harrods.
He gave it to me on Christmas Eve.” I searched her face for any recognition; surely she was who told him about it.