Crimson (3 page)

“You brought your motorcycle?” she asked.

He glanced at the bike then back at her. “Yeah.”

“I can’t ride that in this dress! Everyone will see…well,
everything
.”

Crimson couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Look, sweet thing, you just climb on back and hang onto me. No one will dare say a word about you or stare too long, not if they know what’s good for them. One cross word and I’ll lay them out cold.”

“I’m not sure if I should be thrilled that you’re willing to stand up for me or horrified that you’re threatening bodily harm to everyone.”

“Go with thrilled.”

She eyed the bike again. “You really think I can ride that thing in this dress and these heels?”

“I do.”

Her shoulders seemed to droop a little. “All right. Let’s get this over with. I don’t suppose I could convince you to pick me up in the truck, could I?”

Crimson swung a leg over the seat, then helped Holly on behind him. As he pulled her hands around his body and settled them across his belt buckle, he glanced at her over his shoulder.

“I suppose I could be convinced to do that, but I have to admit you feel mighty fine pressed against my back like that.”

“You’re such a flirt,” she muttered.

“I’d offer you a helmet, but I don’t have one,” he said. “If I’d thought about it, I’d have borrowed one for you. I know it’s dangerous for a human to ride without one, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Just go slow.”

He nodded, then started the engine. The bike roared to life and a moment later, they were pulling out of the apartment parking lot and onto the street. Crimson stuck to the side streets with a lower speed limit and less traffic, not wanting to take a chance with his mate’s safety.
Mate?
His bear rumbled in his head. Well, hell. He knew she was important to him, and thought she might belong to him, but his bear was getting rather insistent that she was theirs. Once the beast made up his mind, Crimson knew he would find no rest until Holly was in his arms every night. Now he just had to convince her that’s where she belonged.

At Laguna’s, he helped her off the bike, killed the engine, and followed her inside. She paused inside the door and turned to face him.

“Are you staying?” she asked. “I thought you were just dropping me off.”

“I wanted to see you safely inside. I may come by later with some of the crew to have dinner though.” He smiled. “I’ll tell them to seat us in your section, then I’ll return at midnight to pick you up.”

She smiled and nodded. Crimson fought an inner battle that he finally lost, as he leaned closer and brushed his lips across her cheek. He breathed her in, his beast roaring to the surface, wanting to claim their mate. Before anyone could notice his lengthened canines, he bid Holly goodbye and beat a hasty retreat to the parking lot. Dinner wouldn’t come soon enough.

Chapter Three

Holly reached up and touched her cheek. A thrill had run through her as Crimson’s lips had brushed against her cheek, and now, hours later, she was still reliving the moment. She’d gotten through the day in a haze, barely able to focus on the task at hand. When dinner had arrived, and Crimson had walked through the door, she’d forced herself to wait patiently for him to be seated in her section. Her first response had been to run to him and throw herself into his arms, but she kept the urge in check.

She was acting like a love struck schoolgirl. And all because of a silly little kiss on the cheek! The sad thing was that his brief goodbye kiss, even though it was chaste, was probably the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for Holly. Her ex-boyfriend had thought grabbing his crotch and telling her to suck him off was romantic, and she didn’t have experience outside of Jeff. He’d been an ass, but she’d been blinded by…well, stupidity. He’d shown her a little attention and suddenly she’d thought he’d hung the moon.

That thought stopped her in her tracks. Was she doing the same thing with Crimson? Holly gave herself a mental shake. No, of course she wasn’t acting the same way. For one thing, there was no contest between who was the better man. Crimson had seen her safely home then left when she’d asked him to. He’d tried to fix her car, then offered her a ride to work when he couldn’t. And that kiss? It might have been enough to stick with her all day, but it wasn’t like he’d bent her over his arm and shoved his tongue down her throat.

Not that she would have complained if he had. After she’d gone to bed last night, she’d mentally slapped herself for sending Crimson away without seeing just how hot things would get between them. She hoped she’d have a chance to rectify that mistake tonight. Sure, she’d invited him to stay for pizza, but she was hoping he might want to stick around until morning, maybe test out how comfy her bed was.

“Holly!” Her boss snapped her name and she jerked her head around in his direction. “You’re off the clock as of now. You can’t focus for shit tonight. Three tables have been waiting on drinks while you daydream. Get your act together or don’t bother coming in tomorrow.”

She bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, untied her apron, cashed out her tips, then pulled her cell from her purse, only to stop when she realized she didn’t have Crimson’s number. She knew the M.C. hung out at that clubhouse on the edge of town, but she couldn’t remember the name of it.

“Need something?” Marcy asked, snapping her gum. “You look a little lost.”

“Someone was supposed to give me a ride home, but I don’t know his number.”

Marcy smiled. “You mean that hunk of man who couldn’t keep his eyes off you earlier? I don’t have his number, but one of his buddies slipped me a number when I walked past their table.” She pulled out a napkin and showed it to Holly. “Don’t see why you can’t use it to reach your man.”

Digger 555-4372

Holly dialed the number and waited for the shifter to answer. At least, she assumed he was a shifter.

“Digger,” a gruff voice answered.

“Um, this is Holly at Laguna Paradise. I was hoping you might help me reach Crimson. He didn’t leave his number with me and my shift ended early.”

“Sure thing, doll. Hang on.”

She heard the scrape of a chair and then some muffled voices.

“This is Crimson.”

“It’s Holly. I was told to clock out early and I need a ride home. I wasn’t sure if you were busy now.”

“Stay put and I’ll be right there. Are we still on for pizza or are you too tired?”

She smiled. “I’m not too tired.”

“Give me ten minutes.”

Before she could respond, he disconnected the call. Holly decided to wait on the porch of Laguna’s. It was a pretty night out and she didn’t see any reason for Crimson to get out of the truck to come find her, assuming he remembered to bring it and not the bike. Riding on the bike had been a thrill, but she’d much prefer to do it again in jeans and appropriate footwear.

She saw his truck pull into the parking lot and she hurried down the steps to meet him. Before he had a chance to turn off the engine, she pulled open the passenger door and climbed inside. He grinned at her as she closed the door.

“You eager to head home?” he asked. “Or are you just really happy to see me?”

“Maybe a bit of both.”

His grin widened. “That a fact? Then I guess I better hurry up and get you home. Why don’t you let me call in our pizza order while we’re on the way, that way we won’t have to wait too long.”

“All right. I’ll eat anything but mushrooms, olives, or anchovies.”

“I can live without those things.”

He winked at her then scrolled through his phone directory until he found the number he was looking for. As he pulled out onto the street, he placed an order for two large pizzas, some soda, and two orders of breadsticks. Holly wasn’t sure if someone was joining them or if the bear was just starving, because she certainly couldn’t put away that much food!

At her apartment, she shooed him over to the couch and assured him she’d be right out. Now that she was off work, she wanted to wash the smoke from her skin and put on something comfortable. As she was washing her hair, she heard the door open and a shadow loomed in the doorway outside of the frosted shower door.

“Need help scrubbing your back?”

Did she dare?

“And if I said yes?”

There was a low growl and she watched as he ripped his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. “Honey, I hope like hell that wasn’t a joke and was a genuine offer. But if you’re going to take back the words, now is the time to do it.”

Her heart thudded in her chest. “No, I meant them. There isn’t a lot of room in here though.”

“Since I plan to get as close to you as possible, that isn’t a problem.”

She watched through the glass as he stripped out of his clothes and boots, her heart racing in her chest at the thought of seeing him naked, of getting to run her hands over his skin. Even better, the thought of sex! It had been so damn long, and truthfully, she’d never enjoyed it, but something told her it would be different with Crimson. She’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted him.

He opened the shower door and stepped inside, not even trying to hide the fact his cock was hard and erect. Holly was torn between wanting to cover her oversized body and wanting to wrap her hands around that rather impressive cock. Her curiosity won out and she reached for him, her fingers sliding up the length of him before wrapping around his hard shaft.

Crimson groaned and flexed his hips, fucking her hand.

“Jesus, Holly. You’re going to make me come before I even get a chance to touch you. That’s hardly fair.”

I have that much power over him?
She looked up into his eyes and saw the truth of his words. She’d never had anyone want her that much before.

“Why don’t you let me do a little exploring of my own, before you end this little adventure before it even begins?”

Holly smiled, stroked him twice more, then released him and took a step back. He followed, placing his hands on her hips and bringing their bodies close. She watched as his eyes glowed a golden brown, so different from his usual gray-blue, and then he was kissing her. His tongue stroked hers as he pulled her body closer. Holly melted against him and couldn’t stop the purr of happiness as he cupped her ass and rubbed his hard cock against her.

Holly pulled away first. “I won’t lie. I want you, badly.”

“But?”

“I’ve never had a one-night stand before.”

Crimson growled. “There isn’t going to be one now either. When I said I wanted you, Holly, I didn’t mean just for tonight. I didn’t intend for us to just have one date and one night of passion. I want you in my bed, in my arms, every damn night for the rest of my life, but I know that’s moving too fast for you. You’re human and don’t understand the feelings a shifter has when he finds his mate.”

“Mate?” she squeaked.

“Forget I mentioned that word. Right now, we’re just a man and a woman who are sexually attracted to one another. I don’t want you to feel like you don’t have a choice but to be with me. That isn’t what mates are about. Get to know me, and then decide for yourself if you want to keep me around.”

Her heart melted a little at his words. He could have pushed the issue, just laid claim to her without her permission, but he was giving her the space he knew she needed, and she felt herself fall for him a little more.

“One day at a time,” she said, then brushed her lips against his again.

“Yes. One day at a time. God, baby, please tell me you want this. I’ll back away and get out of the shower right now, but I want you so damn bad I ache.”

“I want you too,” she admitted softly.

Crimson’s hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs stroking her sensitive nipples. Her core pulsed with need and she squeezed her thighs together.

“None of that,” Crimson said, slipping his hand down her body and tapping against her thigh. “Open up, sweetheart. If you need someone to take the ache away, I’m more than happy to oblige.”

Holly felt her cheeks flush as she slowly spread her thighs. His long fingers stroked the seam of her pussy and a shiver raked her body. He spread her lips and she felt the light stroking become bolder as he sought her clit, applying just enough pressure to make her keen with longing and need. Holly grasped his shoulders to stay standing. Her knees buckled from the pleasure zinging through her body at his expert touch.

He nuzzled her ear. “Does that feel good, baby?”

Holly nodded, unable to form words. She’d never felt anything like it before, not even by her own hand. Her body tightened and strained for release, reaching for something more. She’d made herself come before, but this was way more intense than anything she’d experienced in the past. Holly had a feeling that Crimson was going to ruin her for anyone else, including her own five fingers.

“Come for me, angel. Give me that cream.”

It was as if his words triggered her orgasm. She cried out as she collapsed against him, her head reeling as she blinked the stars from her eyes. She’d come harder than she ever had, but it didn’t feel like enough; it felt like there was still something missing. And she knew exactly what it was…

“I need you,” she said, her hands still clutching at his shoulders. “I need more, Crimson. I need to feel you inside me.”

He groaned at her words and turned her toward the shower wall. Holly braced her hands against the tile and thrust her ass back toward him, giving it a little wiggle as incentive. She felt his hands cup her hips as his cock slid back and forth against her wet slit. Holly spread her legs a little more, hoping he would take her and quit playing.

As he breached her, slowly sinking into her channel, she couldn’t hold back the moan that sprang to her lips. Crimson was big all over, but damn, did he feel amazing! She felt incredibly full, but it was the best feeling in the world. He took his time, using slow, deep thrusts to drive her passion higher. Holly’s fingers and toes curled against the tile of the shower.

“I won’t break,” she assured him. “I can feel you holding back.”

“I want to make it good for you.”