Belle Fury: Manhatten Ten, Book 3 (9 page)

Belle yoga’d and practiced during the days and hung with me at night. We made out on the couch, dry-humping like teenagers, breathing each other in as long as we could until one of us exploded something or flipped the coffee table. Then we’d chat, comparing Georgia and Washington and trying to decide whose childhood was more messed up. She usually beat me on that, and I wished I could take away her bad memories. I was on the verge of taking a vacation day to go South and tell off her parents face-to-face.

Belle found me in the elevator or my office, and our hands and lips got more adventurous, but we kept the clothes on. I counted the seconds until that changed. At least I got some work done. It got easier to combat the suck, knowing Belle would be there when I left the office, and I never knew when she’d drop in for a “visit.”

By Friday morning, I was so wound up I almost hopped in on her in the shower, but I only got as far as gripping the doorknob. If things got out of control—and they always would with Belle—neither of us were trying to be naked around that much shattered glass.

I was sipping coffee when she breezed through in another one of her flowing semi-see-through outfits.

“Morning.” She poured herself a cup.

“You headed down?”
 

“Yeah. I’m close to really getting it under control.”

I downed the rest of my coffee. It was great for Belle—even more amazing considering the short time she’d had her powers—and it showed the crazy effort she was putting in. That didn’t make it great news. Belle had a penthouse ready to go upstairs, but she didn’t have to stay if she didn’t want. She had every right to leave and try to salvage her dance career…

I didn’t want her to.
 

Selfish, dude. Selfish.

“You mind if I tag along?” I’d popped in to check on her but hadn’t tested her as much as I should. If she was that close to control, I had to be the judge.
You can always say she’s not ready…

“Sure.”

We headed down in companionable silence. Or maybe our coffee hadn’t kicked in yet.

The stadium was too big to be crowded, but Belle was slowly moving in more equipment. Her barre stood near the wall along with her piles of slippers. The things didn’t seem to last her long.

“I’m going to warm up for a bit.” Belle flexed her ankle, drawing my gaze up that killer leg.

“I’ll hang in the booth for a while.” I left her to it and hit the stairs.
 

This time I got the system booted, but I didn’t need the computer for e-mail. I cued up the sound system and some e-radio. Once Belle finished what I’d come to recognize as her warm-up, I flicked on the speakers.

We were going to test her powers right.

Belle

Feedback spiked on the sound system.
Sound system
. And I’d been dancing with my iPod all week.

The music blasted, and it was the last thing I would’ve expected.
 

A waltz.

Ryan strode down the steps. “Think you’re ready for this?”

My pulse thrummed. With him? I wasn’t close to ready. “I need heels for ballroom.”
 

“Consider it a handicap. Otherwise you’ll dance me in circles.”

“You won’t step on my feet?”

“No promises.” He lifted his arms and I moved to meet him, joining our arms.

My body tingled as we waited for the beat to begin. He squeezed my hand.
 

One. Two. Three.

Ryan led like a pro. With his body contact, I sensed where he wanted me to go and we whirled like a pair of ballroom champs.

The pressure between our bodies built all delicious. Ryan’s posture stayed straight and supple, shoulders back, hands proper. I wished the one on my shoulder blade would stray a bit…

Lord, it felt good. To dance, and to dance with Ryan.

My powers weren’t about letting me have a good time.
 

The energy built more slowly than it did with hip-hop or ballet, but our strong dual steps created powerful waves. Ryan’s lightning crackled, channeling my energy or burning it away. We whirled, our powers ebbing and flowing to the beat of the music.

His electricity surrounded him like a scarlet halo. My energy coursed at him, and if he were a normal guy, I would’ve sent him flying across the room.
 

I’d shred a normal partner.
 

And that was it.

The song trailed off. Another started, but my feet wouldn’t move a step.

I could dance down here, alone in the stadium, but never again with a company, in front of a crowd. I’d feared this all week, but I couldn’t pretend anymore.

“Never again, huh?” My arms drooped.

Ryan wrapped me tight. “It’s not the end.”

“Damn sure feels like it.” The career part was done, and that was all I’d lived for. Dance was the one thing in my life I’d always known was worth it. It was my gift to share with the world and probably the only redeeming thing I had. Now?

“You can dance with me.” Ryan’s voice rumbled against me.

With everything falling away, Ryan was the rock I had left. I was either going to hit him or kiss him, and if I went the second way, I knew myself well enough to know I wouldn’t be able to let go. Not this time.

Maybe he moved first.

Our bodies crushed together in a flash of heat. All mouths and tongues and hands. Ryan’s touch burned away the despair. I wrapped myself around him.

“Here?” He broke our kiss, voice breathy.

Our powers crackled together, but there was nothing to destroy in the stadium. Why wait any longer?

“Here.”

Ryan pressed me against the wall and fingers slipped between us. He kissed my earlobes as he pushed my panties aside.

The pad of his finger hovered just above the place I wanted it. I arched against him, but he wouldn’t oblige.

We weren’t playing the teasing game this time. I yanked his belt buckle away and practically tore away his pants. The boxer briefs parted. I gripped him. Hard.

Ryan sucked in a breath. “Belle…”

More gently, I stroked the length of him. He was ready. “Don’t make me wait.”

He groaned. In one movement Ryan lifted me against the wall. He sucked at my collarbone as he tore just enough of the clothes out of our way. I gripped his back. God, he turned me on. Undressing would take too long. No more waiting.

Maybe he was the last man I’d dance with. Maybe I could be okay with that.

He worked his fingers against me as he pushed inside, already wearing protection. “Too fast?”

Too slow.

I couldn’t speak the words, so my body talked for me. I looped my arms around Ryan’s neck and kissed him.

He pushed deeper, forcing me back against the wall, but it was the furthest thing from pain. “Ryan…”

I gasped. He pulled back and pushed again. Again.

Again.

And all the way.

Neither of us could last like this. My toes curled. “Fast.” I wanted anything Ryan could make me feel.

“Belle.” He said my name as he thrust. “Belle. Belle.” Every time, with my name a thing of beauty on his lips. I melted into him, and the power built.

As we both climbed for the edge, a cloud of lightning crackled around us. All that power cut away everything else, until the world was only Ryan and me. Nothing else existed.

The pleasure built and our powers surged. Lights exploded. The building shook. “God…”

How could anything feel so good?

I screamed into the lightning. Ryan called my name one last time.

We came together. It felt so right a shiver danced down my spine.
Scary good.

Ryan shuddered against me and I wilted. If he hadn’t held me up, I would’ve collapsed into a puddle.

“That wasn’t how I wanted our first time…” He eased me back to my feet but kept me in his arms. His lips pressed against mine, tender, but still full of the heat we’d shared. “But I’ll take it.”

“Me too.” I sagged against him. If I stayed with Ryan, I could forget the real world and live in this fantasy forever. It was worth a try.

Ryan kissed my forehead. “Sure you’re okay?”

“So much better than before.” Over his shoulder, I caught a glimpse of the ceiling cameras. “Except maybe you’d better delete those video feeds.”

He grinned. “Already took care of it.”

Of course he did. What initiative. “Then you go back to work and think of me all alone in your steamy shower.”

“So much for a productive afternoon.”

We straightened our clothes and Ryan took my hand on the way into the elevator. I’d never been a hand-holder. If I was being honest, I’d never been with a guy that I wanted to be so close to. Men were a distraction. They were good for exactly what Ryan and I had just done, and then they usually got out of my way. None of my past relationships could compare to this. Ryan wasn’t volunteering to go, and not only was I not pushing him away, I doubted I’d be able to let him go. I leaned against him as the elevator ticked upward. Ryan idly finger-combed my hair where it touched his shoulder.
 

No part of me wanted to leave him. As the door dinged, he leaned in for a kiss. Just a taste of soft lips as his hand caressed my cheek. “See you later.”

It wasn’t even a question.

Somehow I made it back to his apartment. In the shower, I replayed every moment we’d shared. The stolen kisses and flirtations.
 

When I pictured what I wanted in life, I’d never factored in dating a superhero.
 

I liked being with Ryan, but the rest of my future was still a huge blank. I’d had hopes that maybe I could control myself enough to dance again on a limited basis, but now that pair work was out? What show could I do that I wouldn’t hurt someone?

Something. Maybe a circus. Or a solo show on a really, really big, solid stage. I’d make lemonade and all that.
 

After I blew out my hair and found some clothes, I ended up on the roof. Yoga was helping so much, I thought of it as a peace place.

I leaned against the rail in Ivory’s spot, staring out over the city. It definitely didn’t belong to me.

“You okay there?”

The voice belonged to a bombshell. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, big-busted and small-waisted. Stunning. She was the kind of woman I would’ve hated if not for all that hot sex I’d just had. As long as she didn’t go after Ryan, no hate.

“Distracted. You’re…?”

“Jenny.” She offered a hand.

Oh.
This
was the infamous chicklet who’d tempted Tank away from New York. Couldn’t say I blamed him.

“You’re back for the wedding?” I leaned against the railing and Jenny joined me.

“Yup.” She pushed her hair out of her face. “You going?”

“I was invited. I still don’t know the gang very well.”

“Thank God for that.” Jenny’s smile warmed her eyes. I hadn’t realized how tense she was. “They don’t trust me. Not that I blame them for being pissed. Anyway, it’s nice to see a face that doesn’t instantly hate me.”

Ouch
. Hoped she wasn’t reading my mind. “What was your power again?”

She gave a wry chuckle. “All the powers? I’m trying to cool it, though. The laser beams and hell portals make a girl a little ragged.”

“So you can do whatever you want?” Now I was going to be jealous of her powers, too.

“Nobody told you about me?”

“Not the details.” Especially the important ones. Hell portals were pretty need-to-know.

“You know they call me Temptress?”

I nodded. I’d picked up the name, at least.

“I worked vigilante-style for a few years. My powers are the best way to bring villains or turned heroes—whoever—to trial without as much fuss as one of the hero crews would make. I do a lot of seducing and neutralizing so the bad guys get a fair trial.”

My spine tingled. “Neutralize? How?”

“A little kiss.” Jenny put a finger to her lips. “I can take anybody’s powers into me and I can mostly use them, but they play hell with my system. Weren’t meant for me and all that.” Her brow furrowed. “What?”

I trembled. “You could take my powers away?”

“That wouldn’t be the best thing.” Jenny folded her arms. “They’re part of you.”

“But you could.” It was like being doused with glacier water. Here I’d been playing house, thinking about book clubs, content as anything as long as I could be with Ryan.
 

Ryan, who told me flat out that I couldn’t get rid of my powers. He knew exactly what Jenny could do.

So why didn’t he tell me?

“I want you to take them away.”

“I’m not exactly shopping for new ones,” Jenny said. “Maybe. Let’s talk it out with Tank and Ruin first.”

“If that’s what we need to do.” Like a chat would change my mind. I could be back to
Giselle
tonight. Was it even playing? Was the Opera House repaired? I hadn’t let myself think about the specifics, but dance was on the menu again.