Jezebel (32 page)

“
Then
what the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, getting right up
in her face. Even though her palm itched to slap the cigar out of
his mouth, Celeste greeted his reticence with a steely resolve. This
jerk had nothing to do with her and Shane so she refused to let him
run her off.

“
I’m
looking for Shane Brennan.”

“
I know who you’re
looking for, toots.” His gaze raked over her in a way that made
her feel dirty. “He ain’t here.”

Dirty
looks aside, Celeste wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. “When
was the last time you saw him?”

“
Earlier today.”

So he hadn’t left
town. Celeste’s heart soared and then tumbled at the news. “Can
you tell me how I can get in touch with him? Maybe I can have his
address.”

The
man’s gaze drifted to the loading dock door. “Not
possible. He’d have my dick in a sling if I did.”

What was he trying to hide?
Was Shane with another woman?

Celeste
didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but she wasn’t born
on Monday. She’d played this game of Hide and Seek with
countless men. Now with the shoe on the other foot, she wished she
could go back and apologize to every single one.

“
Peter, do me a
favor,” the curmudgeon barked, catching the kid off guard,
making him drop his broom. “Escort this lady outta here and
lock the door behind her.”

He’d
dismissed her, the old coot. Head held high and not waiting on her
escort, Celeste marched back the way she came with the boy struggling
to keep up.

“
Excuse me, miss.”

“
What?”
Celeste didn’t mean to bite the kid’s head off, but she
wasn’t feeling rather amicable at the moment.

“
Are you a friend of a
Shane’s?”

Wary, Celeste eyed the kid.
Was he asking out of curiosity or simply twisting the knife. “Yes,
I am. What’s it to you?”

“
If you want to talk
to Shane, he’s around back.”

Elated, Celeste moved to go
back through the gym.

“
Not that way,”
he said, grabbing her arm. “Go through the alley.”

“
The
alley?” Skeptical, Celeste hesitated. “If this is a
trick, kid, I’m coming back in here and tap dancing all over
your behind.”

Moments
later, Celeste was freezing and feeling completely duped. There was
no Shane or no one else for that matter. Nothing but an old green bus
with shamrocks painted in the windows.

Celeste’s eyes
narrowed. The last time she was here there were men’s clothes
hanging from a clothes line.

Following
an overriding suspicion, she walked around to the passenger entrance.
The door was decorated with a pastoral scene and even an impish
Leprechaun holding a pot of gold. Comical in nature, the painting was
done by an artist of considerable talent.

“
You
got to be kidding me,” she whispered as goose bumps ran down
her arms.

Even
though all the clues pointed to the obvious, Celeste hesitated on the
threshold. What if he was inside with another woman? What if he’d
cut ties and never wanted to see her again?

“
Don’t do this.
You’ve come this far, now see it through.” Celeste raised
her hand and knocked.

“
Go away, Ollie! I
don’t need you mooning over me.” His voice sounded
gruffer than usually like a hand running over sandpaper.

All the same, it caused her
body to tremble. Her heart swelled with anticipation and probably
something more. Instead of knocking, Celeste pushed on the door and
a wave of heat wrapped around her, pulling her in.

“
Ollie, I told you I
didn’t want—”

Celeste didn’t notice
he’d stopped talking. She was too busy soaking up the place.
Besides the driver’s seat the interior no longer looked like a
bus.

Buffed
to a high shine, wood floors ran the length of the space. All the
seats had been removed and replaced with several living spaces.
There was a cozy sitting area with built–in bookshelves, a
brown leather sofa and two club chairs upholstered in the ugliest
green tweed she’d ever seen.

Just beyond that was a small
galley kitchen with an ice box, a sink, and enough counter space to
cook a meal. There was also a cast iron stove separating the kitchen
from the sleeping quarters. Currently lit, the oven made the place
surprisingly cozy.

“
Come to see the bum.”

Celeste blushed. She wasn’t
the only one who’d remembered her snobby reaction to the green
monster that day.

“
Pardon me if I don’t
get up. You weren’t invited.” Leaning over the side of
what appeared to be a bed, Shane didn’t look happy to see her.
Of course, it didn’t make her turn tail and run.

She walked toward him and he
leaned back against the bus’ bulwark, his hands resting on his
knees. Partially hidden by the cast iron stove, she could only make
out the lower half of his body and the top of his head.

“
What are you doing
here?” he grumbled.

“
I
missed you at dinner the other night.” Even to her own ears,
her explanation sounded frivolous.

He rewarded her efforts with
a derisive chuckle. Shane snorted. “My sincerest apologies now
go home.”

His words hurt, but she kept
walking toward him.

“
Where have you been?
I couldn’t beat you off with a stick then you up and
disappeared.”

He ran his hair through his
hair, rumpling it. “Go home, Celeste. You shouldn’t be
here.”

“
You don’t
really want me to leave,” she said, even though his cold
reception chipped away at her resolve.

Met with silence, Celeste
picked up a foot stool and brought it over to the side of the bed.
She took her time unbuttoning her coat and removing her gloves,
buying herself some time and building her courage.

“
Did
you stay away on purpose?” With her heart beating double time,
she sat down primly, folding her hands in her lap.

“
Yes.” Spoken so
softly, yet clear as a bell.

“
I see,” she
said, blinking back tears and before they spilled, she moved to
stand. “Then I am d.…”

The lid of Shane’s
left eye was at half-mast. In the process of healing, his face was no
longer black and blue, but a yellowish-green and a deep gash ran
along his bottom lip.

Celeste fell on him. Afraid
to touch him, less she hurt him, her hands hovered near his face.

As if sensing her dilemma,
he slipped his hand around her wrists and pulled her close. His
palms felt warm and firm beneath her fingertips.

“
Who did this to you?”

“
Tried to make things
right between us.”

Confused, Celeste frowned.
“What could you possibly do to make things better? I’ve
never met a man more noble than you.” Ever so gently, she
cupped his face. “You’re kind, smart, forgiving and—”

Before she could finish, he
wrapped his arms around her and then rolled her under him. His thigh
slid between hers, settling against her sex.

Attired in only a pair of
off-white long johns, he might as well have been naked. He felt so
warm and hard against her, her body immediately responded. Her
nipples knotted and an ache throbbed in her womb.

She groaned when he lowered
himself on his elbows, his lips just inches from hers. She shivered
in anticipation, her heart swelling with emotion.

“
You barely know me,”
he murmured huskily. His warm breath fanned across her cheek, making
her head swim with all kinds of erotic delights.

“
I know enough.”

Not waiting for him to take
the initiative, Celeste kissed him. Her mouth moved over his. For
what seemed like eternity he did not reciprocate, remaining immobile
above her.

“
We shouldn’t.”
She felt him pull away. In an act of desperation, she used her
weight to roll him onto his back.

“
But we will,”
she said, coming up on her knees, straddling him. She reached around
and started unbuttoning her dress. Once undone, she pulled at her
dress until it pooled around her hips.

For long moments Shane made
no move towards her. Celeste’s heart raced. She could feel
his desire. It enveloped them, making the air heavy.

“
Say it,” he
said thickly.

Celeste smiled, knowing his
meaning.

“
I want you.”
She took his hands, placed them over his head, entwining their
fingers. “And you want me,” she said, grinding her sex
into him. Even without his participation, she was wet and ready.

In need of more contact, she
pressed her body to his. Her nipples rubbed against the fabric of
his underwear and she shuddered.

“
Don’t do this,
Celeste.” She lowered her head to kiss him on the lips. She
traced the contours, memorizing their fullness and texture.

The kiss was slow, the kind
of kiss one enjoyed on long summer days in the country under a
moonlit sky. He moaned against her lips and Celeste smiled.
Triumphant, her hands slowly traveled down his body, unbuttoning his
underwear as she went.

“
Don’tdon’tdon’tdon’t,”
he chanted in vain as she unbuttoned his pants. Even through his
protests, he gripped her hips and rubbed his erection against her.

Celeste ignored his words,
opting to follow his body instead. Her hands dipped inside his pants,
finding him erect. Secure in her affect over him, she stroked him.

She kissed him again, her
tongue slipping between his lips. Even though she was on the edge of
losing control, the slow easy rhythm of her hand matched her tongue.
She wanted to inflame him, to dispel further protests.

At some point a change came
over him. His lips moved under hers, softly at first, then more
insistent. One hand traveled down her body, the other grazed the
back of her neck, caressing it, making her body tingle all over.

Celeste smiled in triumph.
Responding to her kisses sealed both their fates.

“
So soft, so perfect,”
he rasped as his palm caressed her shoulder, then slid lower to palm
her breast. His thumb brushed her nipple and she gasped. “Made
to be touched, caressed.”

Quickly, expertly, he
removed her dress, pushing it down over her hips and thighs. Like
minded, Celeste made quick work of his underwear. The process wasn’t
easy. His lips, teeth and exploring had all come into play and were
turning her brain into mush.

Fortunately, he took over
and deposited her beneath him. His long body slid over hers and she
wrapped her legs around his buttocks just as he entered her, filled
her.

“
I want to fuck you
good and hard.” His gaze met hers and she realized he was
holding back.

“
What are you waiting
for?”

He positioned himself and
thrust home. He moved slow and easy, pushing halfway in then pulling
partway out. With each stroke, her sex quivered and tightened around
him.

“
Look at us,” he
growled, his gaze locked on where they were joined. “Watch me
take what’s mine.”

Celeste did as commanded,
watching him pump in and out of her dark curls. For long, long
moments the only thing that could be heard was their heavy breathing.
As his thrusts became deeper, she met him thrust for thrust, her
hands locked around his neck, exerting enough pressure to keep him
close.

With what seemed like no end
in sight, he drove into her. Deeper and deeper, he stroked,
increasing his tempo, thrusts more and more demanding.

“
So perfect,” he
growled, rotating his hips and grinding against her. Celeste’s
eyelids fluttered closed. She was so close, she could taste it, feel
it in her bones like pressure in a corked bottle of champagne.

She held on, fought for
control, wanting to prolong this moment. She wanted to ride the crest
with him. But when he pumped his hips, entering her with short
repeated thrusts, her restraint slipped.

“
Shane,” she
cried out, the first spasm rocking her.

“
Let
go.” He placed two fingers on her clit, working her until her
vision clouded and broke apart.

CHAPTER
TWENTY FOUR

“
I have to go.”
Celeste whispered close to his ear.

Blinking away sleep, Shane
rolled over. Not ready to let her go, he wrapped his arm around her
hip, keeping her there.

“
I won’t keep
you,” he said when she tensed. “Just promise me you’ll
come back.” Shane sat up and trailed kisses down her neck,
sweetening the request.

“
I promise,” she
panted in short order. He hadn’t realized he’d held his
breath while awaiting her answer until he exhaled. Relieved, he
brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. He couldn’t
get enough of touching her.