Seducing Celestine (12 page)

That felt awfully nice to the girly side of Celestine.

“We had our moments. Usually strained and coldly calm. I am fairly sure I loved my parents but I never felt they were really at ease with each other. There was just this general lack of interest that just shone through. And that seemed to flow to Grace and myself. Unfortunately that hasn’t changed even in adulthood.”

“Would you like it to?”

“You know I tried with Grace, though probably not hard enough.” Celestine remembered the surprise on Grace’s face when she had turned up one year with a birthday present on her birthday. They had both just felt awkward. “I don’t know how to be a sister. Besides, we were all just complete opposites.” Celestine vividly remembered the wild hair pulling, name-calling fights she and Grace had had. That had just progressed into the cold politeness of adulthood. It was not Grace’s fault. It was not her fault. It was just some genetic quirk that did not allow any of the Holt family to really get on with each other as a normal family did. No one in her family seemed to handle love very well. So they choose instead to avoid it. Hence the confusion of what she felt for Nick. Did she have the ability to love someone? Or would she end up like her parents? Coldly indifferent to her partner.

Nick shook his head sadly. He could not imagine not having a close relationship with his family. But it explained a lot to him about the woman at his side.

“And what about Grace? Are you going to try again with her?”

Celestine blew out a frustrated sigh.

“I don’t know. I doubt it. I really don’t think anything can bring us together now. We’re just too uneasy with each other.” Celestine wanted to get off this topic. It was uncomfortable. Her eyes moved along the boardwalk, following the colorfully dressed holiday makers. She felt bland in her borrowed oversized sweats. She stopped suddenly.

“Un-frigging-believable!” Celestine hissed as her hands clenched tightly at her side.

“What?” The soft mood was most definitely broken. Nick looked in the direction of Celestine’s angry gaze.

“That woman!” Celestine jabbed her finger in the direction of a blonde in tiny white shorts and a yellow tank top. “It’s Julia Bailey!” She looked at Nick’s confused expression. “My ratfink ex-roommate. I have been searching for her for months.” Celestine tore off in the direction that Julia was taking, “Julia!” Celestine yelled out loudly, not caring who heard her. She was determined to catch up to her big fake-boobed quarry.

The surprise in Julia Bailey’s eyes at seeing Celestine was quickly masked as she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Celestine Holt, how are you?” Julia asked, her eyes locking on the gorgeous man beside her ex-friend.

Celestine snorted derisively.

“Don’t pretend you care, Julia.” Celestine felt Nick’s hand gently descend onto her arm. Was it in support or was he worried she was going to inflict bodily harm on Julia?

“What’s wrong, Celestine?” Julia had the look of a woman who knew only too well what was wrong.

Celestine pushed up the sleeves of the oversized top ready for battle.

“Oh gee, where to begin, Julia? Let’s see, you stole my television, stereo, jewelry and credit cards. Then you proceeded to rack up enormous debts under my name because you are a lying, thieving cow. Does that cover it all?”

“Oh,” Julia responded quietly. The woman was trapped and she knew it.

“Yes, that is the inadequate half-assed response I would expect from you, Julia.”

Nick watched the two women silently. This wasn’t his fight. He would help if she asked but until then he would stand back, watch and admire the way Celestine handled herself. The woman was fearless.

“I’m sorry, Celestine, I just hit a bad patch and I didn’t think you’d mind helping me out,” Julia said, as if this excused her actions.

Celestine barked out a harsh laugh.

“What a load of crap. If you are in trouble you ask, you don’t take and screw up someone’s life.”

“Yes, of course, you’re right. I’ll write you a check right now to cover anything I owe you.” Julia reached into her shoulder bag to do just that.

Celestine had been stung by Julia’s rubber checks before.

“Thanks, but I prefer and must insist on cash when it comes to you.”

“That’s not very trusting, Celestine,” Julia replied coolly.

“Fancy me not trusting you? How shocking,” Celestine murmured cynically. To be honest she was skeptical about getting anything back that Julia had stolen but it never hurt to try.

“I don’t have cash on me at the moment…”

“Of course you don’t, Julia. What a shocker that is.”

Julia looked at her thoughtfully.

“Are you still living at Everton Park? I can come by and drop the money off to you. I swear I will,” she insisted, sounding like she might mean it.

“Yes I am. And may I say your promise instantly puts my mind at rest—not.” Celestine also gave Nick’s address to Julia who wrote it diligently down and then left them, promising to return some of Celestine’s money.

“Do you think Julia will give you back the money?”

“No and they’re fake.”

“What?” Nick asked, looking puzzled.

“Her breasts. You were staring at them.”

“It was hard not to. But yours are so much better, baby.”

“And that, luckily for you, is the correct answer.”

Nick’s hand caught hers.

“So you’re staying with me?”

“For the moment.”

Chapter Seven

“Let’s see, I now own Park Place so that means you owe me,” Celestine calculated the vast sum of Monopoly money Nick Swan had to fork over to her, “two thousand dollars.” She gleefully held out her hand to accept the vivid orange play money. “Damn shame this is not real money.” It had been a day since the visit to Caloundra and they had spent some enjoyable, non-sexual moments together. It had been nice and relaxing. Clearly they could be together without having sex.

“Well, I’m broke now,” Nick informed her in mock disgust.

“I can’t help it if you suck at this game.”

“No, I don’t suck. You cheat.”

“So?” Celestine responded not the slightest bit guilty about some of her Monopoly-playing maneuvers. The aim was to win. There was nothing specifically in the rules that said you could not cheat and if there was it was probably in fine print and no one read that. “You still owe me five hundred dollars.”

Nick held out his empty hands.

“I am strapped for cash. But I can pay you in another way.” He pushed the board aside and pounced on Celestine before she had time to react.

“What the…” Celestine was suddenly on her back with Nick between her legs pushing up her skirt and pulling down her panties.

“You have to stop wearing underwear, baby.” Nick flung the panties over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Dumb question for a woman whose legs were up in the air and spread wide open. As Nick’s tongue licked the deep cleft between her legs Celestine shrieked. To be honest she did not care what other things he planned to do as long as he did not stop what he was doing at that moment.

“I’m paying you back in kind and I’m expecting change.” Nick slowly slid his tongue in and out of her body, pulling out to flick her clit every so often to make Celestine squeal.

“I have to make sure I play Monopoly with you more often. You’re a fantastic loser.” She panted as she tried to fight back the orgasm that burning deep and uncontrollably inside her. She wanted Nick to be inside her when she came. Celestine reached forward trying to pull him toward her.

“What do you want, baby? Do you want to come?” Nick licked her ruthlessly.

“I’m going to come in your mouth.”

“So?” Nick murmured as he continued tonguing her clit. His fingers slid deep inside her, thrusting in and out, urging her to come.

Celestine hesitated no more. She screamed as the pleasure hit her, her vaginal muscles instantly clenching around his fingers.

“Damn, you are good, moonlight man,” Celestine panted as she slowly came back to earth.

Nick pulled Celestine onto her knees and gently pushed her until she was leaning up against a nearby chair. He unzipped his trousers and freed his erect, impatient cock.

“I want to be inside you now, baby.”

“Permission to enter granted.” Celestine spread her knees wider and shoved her ass back to receive Nick. Her fingers were good but his cock was so much better. She sighed as he sank deep into her body.

Nick thrust slowly and steadily in and out of her body, allowing all but the tip off his cock to break contact with her tight wet entrance.

“Oh, Nick…please…harder…” Celestine was instantly rewarded as she felt him slam hard into her body, his balls slapping against her ass.

“Put your hands between your legs. I want you to feel how well we fit together.”

Celestine could feel their joining and it made her even hotter.

“Come for me now, baby,” Nick demanded on a growl as his own hands covered hers.

Celestine pushed back hard against Nick to make sure she had every inch of his cock inside her as she came. She felt him come at the same moment she did.

As the tremors of their coming slowly subsided, Nick kissed the back of her neck tenderly.

“I believe that was worth five hundred dollars.”

“And then some…” Although her knees hurt, Celestine did not want to move from having Nick still inside her. “I think… What was that?” Celestine tilted her head to listen. “Did you hear that sound? What could that be?” It sounded as though a person was moving around outside.

“I have no idea but I’m going to find out.” Nick pulled out of Celestine. It sounded like it was someone outside, on his private property at night. That was not on. Nick hasty zipped up his trousers and pulled Celestine to her feet.

“I’ll go with you.”

“You have no pants on, baby.” He looked at the red, damp curls of her pussy, wishing that had not been so rudely interrupted.

“I thought you like me without pants?”

Nick kissed her lingeringly as his hands played with the curls between her legs.

“I do but I’m not about to share you with some intruder outside. Stay put. I won’t be long.”

How long was long? Was it okay to be impatient after ten minutes? Celestine thought so. Besides, she had her skirt and underwear back on so as far as she was concerned she had waited long enough. She went outside looking for Nick.

“This had better not be some weird joke, Nick Swan.” Even though the outside security light instantly came on, it seemed awfully dark to Celestine. She called out, trying to sound confident but feeling anything but. She was no weak-kneed wimp but she also wasn’t someone who thought wandering around in the dark a smart move either.

Suddenly there was a sound to her right as a figure sprang up in the darkness. Celestine yelped in fright as it darted off away from her. What the hell was going on? She was pretty sure she had not scared whoever that was away. What the hell was going on?

“Nick!” Celestine yelled loudly, wondering where he was. Celestine heard a low groan. “Bloody hell.” She ran in the direction of the groan and found Nick on the ground lying beside her car. She dropped to her knees, her heart pounding frantically. There was just enough light to see the blood in his hair and he was lying awfully still.

“Oh, Nick, please speak to me,” Celestine urged frantically as she cradled him in his arms. She rained frantic kisses on his face and lips as if they would somehow restore him to her. She could not possibly lose him now. Not when she was at the point of no return with her feelings for him. Celestine kissed his lips softly, feeling a slight return response from him.

“Did you just kiss me?” Nick asked, his voice groggy as he tried to focus on her.

Celestine ignored the question.

“What the hell happened?”

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

“I didn’t see any truck but I did see someone.” Celestine felt the relief surge through her on hearing his voice.

“So what about that kiss? It seemed awfully desperate to me.” Nick tried to sit up but sank back wearily into Celestine’s arms.

“You’re delirious,” Celestine responded softly as if it was highly unlikely she would have kissed him. She looked again at the blood in his hair. The wound was gently seeping bright red blood. Celestine pulled a clean handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it gently to the wound. She had to get help.

“And you’d take advantage of that fact to kiss me?”

It was the first time she had made the first move and they both knew it.

“You could have waited until I was fully awake.”

“Then you would have taken advantage of me.”

“But you like it when I do, baby.”

Yeah, she did. And what had just happened to Nick made her very aware of what else she liked about the man.

“I was concerned about you. I was checking to see if you were alive.”

“By kissing me?”

“Haven’t you heard of the kiss of life?” Celestine remembered the cell phone Nick always carried in his hip pocket. She reached into the warmth of his pocket, feeling him squirm as she pushed her hand in to get the phone. She felt his cock instantly tighten at her touch. Unbelievable. The man had been injured but he was ready for sex.

“I like how you show concern… While your hand is there…”

Celestine squeezed his cock gently then retreated with the phone in her hand.

“Dream on. You’re in no condition to be having sex with me, moonlight man,” Celestine told him with a chuckle as she managed to pull the phone out. “I’m calling an ambulance.”

———

“Oh good God…” Celestine groaned in discomfort as all her muscles protested as she tried to sit up straight in the chair she had been sprawled awkwardly in. When had she fallen asleep? All she could remember was Nick had been attacked, that they were now at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and he had stayed overnight for observation. Okay then, so why was she still there? That was the tricky part. Realistically, Celestine told herself she had no way to get home as she had not thought to bring her purse with her when they left in the ambulance. Added to that, she felt responsible for what happened to him. If he had not been protecting her, he would not have been attacked. Yes, that was it. Celestine stayed at his bedside because she needed to make sure Nick was okay. That sounded logical to her. If she kept to that line of reasoning she would be fine. She didn’t want him thinking there was more to her staying than there was.