Beyond Temptation

CHAPTER FIVE



The meal with Brom passed in engaging conversation and much laughing. Avery enjoyed the flirtatious conversation. When they returned to the inn, Avery helped herself from the vehicle. Brom handed the keys to an attendant. As they ascended the steps, he took her hand into his much larger one.



“I bribed the entrepreneurs to give me the room next to yours,” he confessed.



Avery flushed and kept her face downward as they walked upstairs. As they halted in front of their rooms, she briefly peeked at him. Brom’s beauty no longer intimidated her as it had at first. He represented all the things she’d girlishly fantasized about in her earlier years. As they halted outside of her room, he put a finger under her chin and urged her to look up at him.



“I am just next door, so why don’t you come in for a few minutes?”



Avery’s belly fluttered like mad. “That’s probably not a good idea.”



He smiled boyishly. “It works quite well for me.”



He said ‘well’ more as ‘weel’ and it charmed her terribly. Flushed and vulnerable, she blurted, “I expect you to be a gentleman.”



The white, pirate’s smile did not reassure her, though his words did. He prefaced his reply with a very Scottish sound. “Ach, darlin’. I would not press you so soon.”



Avery knew she would most likely regret it. However, she replied, “Then consider yourself my host.”



Brom’s finger left her chin and he kept her hand in his as he unlocked the door to his room. She walked with him inside, smelling his scent in the space and reacting on a primitive level. Laid out much the same as her own, the room boasted shades of green and gold. She blushed, thinking how it echoed his coloring.



“I always have booze,” he said, releasing her hand. “What’s your poison?”



Savoring her recklessness, she returned, “What do you have?”



Brom walked to a small refrigerator, clearly not belonging to the inn. “Cold, I have beer. Room temp, I have Glenfiddich and brandy.”



She hesitated. “Brandy.”



Brom poured them each a brandy into small snifters. He walked to her, long arm outstretched in offering. She plucked it from his hand, avoiding touching him. “Thank you.”



“My pleasure.”



Avery attempted to ignore his immense appeal. Walking to a lady’s chair, she seated herself. Brom remained upon his feet. After a few awkward moments trying not to look at him in the lamplight, she said, “You told me you came here for a vacation. Tell me what from.”



Brom sipped his libation, his big hand engulfing the snifter. “You know what I do.”



She gave that some thought. “Does that mean you suffered an injury?”



He seemed to study her. “Will that influence your opinion of me? Win me some female sympathy?”



Avery tried to ignore his charm. “Just tell me.”



Brom dropped to a squat before her, snifter cradled in hand. His brilliant green eyes held hers captive. “I went to the Giza Strip with a businessman unpopular there.” His gaze moved over her. “A hit attempt went down. Brought him out. I took a bullet.”



“That burr comes out when we’re alone,” she observed, charmed.



He smiled, white and roguish. “Because you bring out the romantic in me.”



Avery reminded herself that any association between them would have to remain temporary. They resided on separate continents. Besides that, she could not understand his interest in her. In an attempt to change the subject, she said, “How did the ‘client’ make out?”



Brom did not answer at once. “Same as every other. Alive and unharmed.”



She sipped brandy. The fumes rose up through her head in a warm wave. “The gentleman does have pirate in him.”



He swallowed some of his beverage. “Pirate?”



Avery flushed. “You have this air about you.”



He saluted her with his snifter. “Credit to you for seeing it.” He chuckled. “Deep down, I suppose my character suspect.”



She studied him with her writer’s estimation. “Your character isn’t suspect. It’s your,” she blushed hotly, “sexuality.”



Brom smiled, slow and white. His dimples bracketed his tempting mouth. “Flattered, darlin’.”



She took a draw from the snifter and almost fanned herself from the heat. The silence stretched between them and her gaze repeatedly returned to him. Lamplight poured over him in the most fascinating manner. It made his hair into dark, liquid gold, burnished his already tanned skin.



Brom set aside his brandy, then did the same with hers. Paralyzed with anticipation, she watched him sink forward to his knees from a squat. He reached very slowly to cradle her face in his big hands.



Avery’s breath rushed out, and her heart kicked behind her ribs. “What are you doing?”



Brom leaned into her, his big body and delicious smell warming her. “I want to taste you.”



Terrified and titillated, she whispered, “I’m scared.”



His warm, firm lips touched hers and the world shattered. She whimpered. His sweet, damp mouth dominated hers. She gasped, then groaned as he gripped her bottom in his hands and pulled her toward him.



Avery attempted to fight, then sighed into his hard body. His tongue tempted her own. At first, she tried to hide. Then desire won out and she let him have his way. The kiss continued until she realized she hugged his neck as if attempting to save herself from drowning.



He rumbled low in his chest, lips lifting fractionally. “I could eat you alive.”



Logical thought niggled. If this went further, he might learn her shameful secret. “Brom, please.”



His mouth returned to hers. He sucked her lower lip, stroking the sensitive inside. Releasing her, he murmured, “Please what?”



Avery pushed at his hard chest. “Let me go.”



Brom released her to lean back upon his heels. She could see the confusion in his eyes. “I know you enjoy me,” he murmured. “Why won’t you let me keep kissing you?”



If she told him the truth, he’d consider her some kind of freak and lose interest. Or worse yet, only want her for the novelty of taking a thirty-one year old virgin. She hated the idea of either. “It’s just too fast,” Avery answered somewhat truthfully. “I barely know you.”



He seemed to assess her. “I can give you a physician certified clean bill of health.”



Avery accepted the certainty that she remained so far outside the game this had not occurred. “I cannot move forward without that.”



Brom’s very handsome face softened. “Darlin’, I know from your innocence you’re safe. But, I would like it in writing.”



Avery crossed her arms. “Perhaps we should adjourn.”



Brom regarded her with heavy intent. “This is new to you.”



Avery felt naked. She stood. “I think I’ll call it a night.”



Brom rose and held out his hand. “Honor me with the privilege of walking you to your room.”



Accepting his hand, she replied, “Thanks, Brom.”



#



Malec paced restlessly in his chamber. He’d established a link with Avery and knew she had spent the evening with a man.



It vexed him. Made him consider taking control of her mind and having his way at once.



That vexed him more. He did not need telepathic possession to get a woman under his hand.



A half an hour later he let himself into her room through the unfastened window.



Malec crossed the room in a hover, conscious of preventing his boots from leaving tracks. At the bed’s edge, he lowered himself to sit. He took control of her mind at once, keeping her asleep but responsive. Feeling angered at his own lack of patience, he stripped off her oversized pajamas. His cock went marble hard staring at her body, and at her hair spread over the pillow. Malec leaned down and brought his mouth to hers. She whimpered and white hot lust swept him like a wave of fire. Beyond all but minimal restraint, he pushed down her white cami bra and cupped her breast in his hand.



Her nipple drew into a tight peak against his palm. It nearly made him run mad with desire. He lifted his head to move lower, he squeezed the undercurve of her breast, gaze fastened on the darkly flushed nipple. He longed to tease it with his tongue.



Malec knew it would torment him, all the same, he nudged her thighs apart and pulled her panties aside to see her. Just a little wedge of straight fine hair crested her pubic bone and did not spread lower. He could see that intoxicating flesh had just begun to part in arousal.



Wracked by sexual and vampiric hunger, he dared bring his face within inches. The sweet scent of her carried the aroma of female passion. He closed his eyes and allowed his lips to just brush over her outer labia. It felt like lightning in his hard cock.



Snarling at his frustration and need, he departed as he had arrived.



#



Avery passed a miserable night. She suffered odd flashes of guilt for what she knew not. Then, the following morning she took her things, walked down to the bathroom and attended herself.



Afterward, she returned to find an envelope tacked to her door. Opening it, she withdrew a piece of heavy paper with a watermark she recognized.



Please continue your research at my home this evening.

MdB



Avery’s heart jerked behind her ribs. Disjointed recollections of an intensely sexual dream about him returned in a sudden assault. She recalled the smell of him in her dream, the feel of his hand on her breast, his mouth …



Brom’s door opened and he walked out, direct gaze snapping to hers. “Morning, Avery.” He checked the halls, presumably to assure privacy. Voice lowered, he added, “I thought about you all night.”



Avery’s face flushed. “Good morning.” Her hand shook a little as she locked the door with its old-fashioned key. “I don’t mean to brush you off, but Rupert’s expecting me.” At least she hadn’t totally lied.



She rushed down the hall, determined to avoid him.