Fixing Justice (23 page)

As witnesses, he and Victoria had an unexpected part to play when Stavros invited them to share their feelings. Or he thought that was what the Greek man said. His thick accent made it hard to catch every word, but it seemed like he wanted them to help consecrate the new union, so when he instructed them all to join hands, Drae and Victoria did so without hesitation.

A long prayer followed but with all the champagne he’d had, Drae didn’t really try to follow along. By then, all that mattered was how turned on he was from the simple act of keeping Victoria’s hand clasped in his. When it was all said and done, there was a new Mister and Missus to congratulate and even more champagne to drink in celebration. The assistant melted away and after a bit, a stack of papers got signed. It was all kind of a blur.

Garry and Shawn bade a fond farewell to their new friends, with the two ladies whispering in a conspiratorial way for a long moment before the happy bride pulled Victoria into a bear hug that ended in a waterfall of happy tears. Drae was content to sling his arm about her shoulders as the newlyweds hopped in a car arranged by the invisible assistant, and waved them off with a shout of good cheer. It was impossible not to smile.

“Well, milady, what say we call a cab and stagger back to the hotel?”

Victoria turned and looked at him. Stepping close, she rose on her toes and grabbed him by the lapels. “Only if you promise to make love to me once we get there,” she muttered before running her tongue along his shocked mouth. He kissed her like a madman, standing on a street corner in Las Vegas, while people walked on by and cars sped past them.

“Done,” he said in answer to her request as he waved a cab over and hastily scooted her across the backseat. Watching her backside shimmy to make room for him, he knew if he made it to the hotel before losing his sanity, it would be a miracle.

Victoria was quite proud of how calmly she walked through the hotel lobby. She’d begged Draegyn to make love to her and although it may have been the champagne doing part of the talking, she meant every word. It had been the most wonderful evening. He’d been an attentive and charming companion and surprised her by also being a fabulous dancer. Remembering how wonderful it felt to be in his arms as they swayed to the music made her senses tingle.

From the moment they slid into the cab, he’d been in charge of her hand. She liked the way he grabbed hold and refused to let go. When they arrived back at the hotel and she’d been pulled from the backseat, he’d raised her hand to his lips and placed a wet kiss upon her knuckles. Gasping, she looked into his face and saw the smoky shadowed eyes of a man struggling to keep control of himself. She didn’t pretend not to know what those looks meant.

They weren’t talking. After what she’d asked of him, no further words were necessary. Or possible for that matter. Not until they were somewhere private at least. She wouldn’t have been able to hold a conversation anyway, not while her heart thumped and her nipples scraped against the material of her dress. She had no idea what was coming next and the anticipation was making her crazy. Feigning an air of nonchalance as they stepped into the crowded elevator had been a Herculean task. When she felt his thumb moving back and forth across the palm of the hand, her knees nearly buckled.

No man had ever affected her this strongly. For all her smarts, Tori never truly believed that such primal, basic need was in any way real. Oh sure, it was what she fantasized about when reading her romance books but never expected to find a real hero who would make her senses go all muzzy. The way Draegyn did. She couldn’t wait to be alone with him. To find out if what they’d shared this morning had been a one-off or a preview of more to come.

Come
. Now there was a word that had new meaning. When he’d taunted her earlier with the bold declaration that not only had gotten her to come but scream at the same time, she’d found his choice of words titillating. There was something about the way he talked that got her blood pumping. She knew he’d be even more direct and demanding with her if he knew how much it turned her on. She hadn’t been offended when he talked about fucking her. The way he’d reacted in the aftermath of the wild, rough sex that exploded between them this morning told her he didn’t mean it in a vulgar way. He’d been well and truly horrified by his demanding actions. She still hadn’t been able to make him see that she’d been with him at every step. He could call it fucking all he wanted. Two sides of the same coin, as far as she was concerned.

As the elevator made its stops along the ascent to their suite, Drae plotted out how he wanted to proceed. Victoria asking him to make love to her had opened floodgates of erotic potential in his mind. One thing he knew for sure was that after the frenzied wildness from earlier, he intended to employ a slow down plan this time. He wanted so much more from her than just sex. This was the part that surprised him the most. How much he wanted to be around her. Talk to her. Maybe, wind her up a little and then enjoy the fireworks. He wanted to watch her doing ordinary things, because he liked the way she frowned and pouted when something made her pause. Suddenly, climbing inside her head to discover what she liked, what her favorite color was, which sports teams she rooted for, all those unique details had meaning to him. For the first time,
ever
.

As the elevator stopped to let out another person, she crowded closer to give some room for the exit, laying her hand in the center of his chest. That small movement had an instant effect on his sex. For all the quiet, everyday things he wanted from her, there was also this. A blazing inferno of red-hot lust that turned his cock hard enough to cut diamonds. She did that to him with a simple touch, a shy smile.

Every thought he had was new emotional territory for him. His view of relationships had been deeply damaged once he understood how corrupt his parents’ picture-perfect society union was. From that time on, he’d believed marriage was a sham, a social convention that was all for show. He doubted the faithfulness of nearly every couple he knew and thought romance was nothing more than posturing. Until a brown-eyed beauty reached into his heart. The way his thoughts wandered to Victoria every chance they got was turning a lifetime of cynicism to dust.

Watching the lights on the elevator panel flick upwards as they neared their floor, Drae felt uncharacteristically nervous. There was an honesty in the way they communicated. She lacked the artifice he’d found in many women and spoke what was on her mind, even if it was harsh or critical. He was discovering a freedom in that, a feeling that he didn’t have to live up to a reputation or be someone he wasn’t. She liked it honest, blunt, hard, and dirty. What more could he ask for?

He still held her hand as they stepped from the elevator. Drae was fascinated by the sound of her heels tapping along the floor, and the way she felt at his side. Even her footsteps sounded small, dainty, and feminine. The knowledge that he would protect this woman with his life turned his world upside down and scared the shit out of him.

The moment they entered the suite, he heard her gasp as the first thing they saw was a huge floral arrangement set in the middle of the living room next to a magnum of champagne chilling in an ornate silver bucket. As they drew closer she laughed and gestured to an enormous platter covered in chocolates, tropical fruits and gourmet pastries.

“Chocolate!” she giggled “Get out of my way, mister!” Drae laughed when she dove straight in, plucking a small chocolate truffle from the center and popping it in her mouth. “”Ehrmygawd”, or something like that came out as she licked her lips. He picked up a small envelope nestled in the flowers and saw that the whole thing, the chocolate, flowers and champagne, was a thank you from the newlyweds.

“The bride and groom send their love and thanks.”

“Awww, how sweet,” she said in that soft, gentle voice she used when something really touched her.

The champagne fit into his plans perfectly, making Drae silently note to thank Garry at the first opportunity for the gesture. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “Hey. How ‘bout some champagne? Let’s toast to the happy couple.”

“Oh, I’d love some!” she laughed, going to stand by the expanse of windows that looked down the glittering strip. “It’s so oddly beautiful, all the lights. Don’t you think?”

He handed her a flute of champagne, gently tapped his glass to hers, and then turned to look at the view. “I’ve never really thought about it.” He skimmed the sight before him, taking a sip or two, then turned his gaze on her. “You, standing here, with a million lights twinkling all around. Now that’s beautiful.”

She turned a bright mega-watt smile on him; made all the more gorgeous by the faint pink flush that spread across her perfectly sculpted cheekbones. He tried to swallow back the thickness in his throat. Something in her eyes let him know that she wanted him to kiss her. Yeah, he was going to kiss her and do a whole lot more

But right now, keeping her guessing and waiting was more fun. By the time they were naked in bed, and he rolled her underneath him, he wanted Victoria mindless and desperate with longing.

He followed her back into the living room enough paces behind to give him an awesome fucking view of her cute little derrière swaying as she walked away in those mind-melting high heels. As if her toned legs weren’t temptation on their own, when the ‘come fuck me’ shoes were added, he had a hard time keeping his hands off her.

“M
mmm
, chocolate covered strawberries. Want one?” she asked, gripping one of the big berries by the stem and holding it out to him.

He grinned. “Ladies first.”

She bent to place her flute on the table giving Drae another quick flash of her lace covered thighs. He wondered what color panties, if any, she had on. Laughing at him she shrugged. “Your loss, darlin’,” she sang in delightful faux southern twang. “Once I get started, there may not be any left for you!” She put the lush red berry in her mouth and bit off the chocolate-covered tip, in what Drae would swear was slow motion. Watching her lips pucker open for the fruit was sensual torture. Closing her eyes in enjoyment, he nearly blacked out when her tongue swept along her lips gathering the juicy sweetness. Next, she repeated the pucker, only this time she sank her teeth into the juicy delicacy and neatly snapped off the stem. Once again he heard her murmur “Ehrmygawd,” as she reached for a napkin to wipe her sticky fingers.

Another strawberry went the same way as the first while Drae watched, enthralled. He was a guy, so imagining that pucker and those lips opening for his hard cock was a no-brainer. He wouldn’t be human if that wasn’t the first thing he thought of. But after the second strawberry, with the excitement gathering in his groin, he started to imagine something else quite different for those strawberries.

Tori was high. Maybe literally. They’d both had enough champagne over the past few hours to qualify, but she knew her euphoria was also because of the gorgeous, sexy, exciting man that she’d propositioned. He was so damn handsome that it almost hurt to look at him, but look at him she did. The man wore a suit better than any runway model and she rather thought they looked kind of nice together this evening. She loved her dress mostly because of a peplum that gave her modest curves a saucy boost and the way the sheer overlay emphasized the seductive curve of the sweetheart bodice. It was short and sexy, but not too much.

Being the only daughter of an unabashed southern beauty queen who knew how to work the pageant circuit like nobody’s business, Tori had learned the art of walking in high heels at a very young age. Being a tomboy never stopped her from the pleasures of playing dress up, especially in some of her mom’s fancy gowns. Crossing her legs, she sighed at the shoes she had on. She liked footwear, who didn’t? The impossibly high black suede heels were a decadent indulgence she’d purchased during a round of retail therapy after she’d returned to the states. This was the first time she’d worn them, and they hadn’t disappointed.

Men might say they didn’t notice such things but she’d caught the gleam in Draegyn’s eyes when his gaze had lingered on her shoes and then taken the slow route up to her eyes. When he’d pulled her into his arms on the dance floor, the added inches helped them mold together in a perfect fit.