Deep IsThe Night: Haunted Souls Read online

  Still cautious, she said, “How long can you keep this elevator stopped?”

  “As long as I need to.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He sighed. “I hear the mistrust in your voice. You want to know everything about me? We’ve got all night to talk and plan and discover.”

  She turned toward him, momentarily breaking his hold. “Who says I’m going to be with you all night?”

  His cocky mouth turned up a little, a sardonic grin that ran across his lips, then vanished. “If you’re truthful with yourself, you know we don’t have time to waste. This isn’t about long-term negotiations. It’s about now. About what we feel and what we have to do to save this town.” He pulled back and looked down on her. “You can spend a lifetime denying your feelings for someone.”

  “Sexual feelings aren’t necessarily emotional,” she said in last defense.

  “They can be.”

  She hadn’t expected him to say that. Not this man with enough testosterone to make most males look like all-time wimps. With curiosity and trepidation she took a step in a direction she never thought she would. “Are you saying you want to have sex with me because you have feelings for me? Because if all you want is some woman to screw, I’m not the one.”

  New emotion gathered in his eyes, one akin to frustration. It almost overthrew the continual saturation of need in his gaze. “My coupling with a woman is never just screwing.”

  “So you’re saying you’ve got to be emotionally involved to make love to her?” She knew she sounded skeptical, but she couldn’t deny his statement seemed flawed. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  “You don’t believe me because most of the men you’ve known can fuck a woman without caring for her. It’s difficult for me to make love to a woman I don’t have feelings for. It’s always been that way.”

  She laughed softly. “Right. You’ve never made love to a woman without having feelings for her?”

  “I didn’t say that. I said it’s very difficult for me.”

  A long pause settled between them, and she could tell he wouldn’t be the first to speak. “Is there another motivation driving you, Ronan?”

  Surprise and admiration skittered across his face. “You could say that. Let’s say for now that the ancient one took something from me long ago. Something precious and irreplaceable. I want revenge.”

  Unreasonable jealousy did a cartwheel through Clarissa, stunning her into silence. Disconcerted, she couldn’t believe the feeling was real. Circumstances and confusion must be a part of her envy. Being this man’s center of attention did funny things to a woman. She couldn’t be thinking straight.

  “Was this something precious a woman?” she asked.

  “Again, very perceptive.”

  Remembering the blonde she’d seen him cradling in her visions, she spoke without thinking. “Are you the type of man who would kill for love?”

  Ronan’s face hardened, all trace of desire disappearing. “If you’re thinking what I think—”

  “Did you kill the blonde woman because the ancient one wanted her?”

  The fire in his eyes turned an interesting shade of crimson, adding to the darkness of his iris.

  “The ancient one murdered her.” His voice went rusty, and for one glimmer she saw moisture in his eyes along with overwhelming hurt. “He murdered the woman I loved with all my heart.”

  An ache centered in her soul, one filled with regret and sorrow for his loss. She slid her hands upward over his powerful shoulders. She cupped his face and felt the prickly, all male texture of his beard. “Oh, Ronan. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring back bad memories.”

  His gaze stayed centered on her for a long time, as if he assessed her credibility, her genuine concern. “You believed I murdered her when you first had the vision, didn’t you?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t know what to believe.”

  She released his face, but his hands caught hers and he gathered them in his palms. Big and strong, his hands warmed hers. “Understandable. I was a stranger and you had no reason to trust me.”

  Glad he’d accepted her apology, she sighed and smiled. “Okay, now we have that settled, don’t you think you should get this elevator started?”

  Mental pain left his face, replaced by unquestionable male interest. “Not quite yet.”

  “But—”

  “You haven’t finished telling me your fantasies.”

  “Like I said, I’m too busy to think about sex right now.”

  He smiled. “Oh, I think right now is a perfect time.”

  “Ronan…”

  “What about elevators? Have you ever wanted to fuck in an elevator?”

  Heat warmed her face. With any other man his suggestion would have offended. Instead, the temperature simmering in her loins increased, turning into a scarcely banked inferno.

  “Have you ever done it up against a wall?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “In a car?”

  “No.”

  “Tell me what you need. What you’ve always wanted,” he whispered huskily. “And I’ll make it come true.”

  Skeptical, she slipped her hands from his and started to pace the elevator. “No man can do that no matter how handsome he is.”

  A brash grin parted his lips. “You think I’m handsome?”

  Okay, she could be honest. “I think you’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. There. Does that gratify you?”

  He leaned back against one wall and crossed his arms. Wonder touched his eyes. “A woman’s never told me that before.”

  “You’re kidding me?” She walked toward him, amazement overtaking her caution as she came closer to him. “Are all the women in Ireland blind?”

  “I usually scare women. At least initially.”

  She could understand that. He’d certainly frightened her the first time she’d met him. “Even when you’re rescuing them from harm?”

  “Even then.”

  “Then they must be insane.”

  She meant it from the bottom of her heart. She couldn’t be afraid of this man any more with the powerful need roaring inside her.

  More than pure sexual necessity welled within her whenever she saw him. Dawning awareness made her pause, made her pay attention to emotions coursing through her. Treacherous or not, mysterious or not, he’d kept her from harm on two occasions and he’d opened a gate inside she’d denied too long. She could spend the next fifty years pretending she felt no attraction to him, and that her heart didn’t melt at the sight of the big Irishman.

  But God help her, she did have a strong reaction to him. The way he looked at her, touched her, talked to her made Clarissa a jumble of roiling passion. She felt agelessness within him, a wisdom coiled in among the bubbling attraction. His enigmatic nature made her want to know more. Ronan Kieran tasted like chocolate truffles, a sinful dessert impossible to resist and keeping her in danger of wanting more.

  He uncrossed his arms and left his position against the wall. She couldn’t help it; she moved as well. As they walked toward each other, everything paused in time for her but the continual flow and surge of yearning she felt.

  “Clarissa,” he said softly as he stood close, his gaze holding hers.

  Without hesitation or leading up to a slow pass, he plunged in and took the kiss building between them since they’d arrived at the hotel. With gentle persistence his lips demanded a response, and she gave it. Easing into his arms, she allowed his embrace. He plunged both hands into her hair. Kiss after kiss, he bestowed everything she needed, just as he’d promised moments ago. As Ronan’s powerful arms cradled her in intoxicating heat, she felt a prevailing desire to assent to any demand he made upon her body.

  She craved.

  She wanted.

  Feel it, Clarissa.

  His voice tantalized her mind as he kissed her, as his tongue caressed hers. Give in to the desire. Imagine again how it’ll feel when I’m sliding deep inside your tight, hot cha
nnel. Imagine me staying there, feeling your wetness and tightness holding me.

  As he slipped the erotic thoughts into her mind, she knew what they had together would be extraordinary. Heat leapt, desire flaming as she twined her arms around his neck. Her will dissolved as her heart thundered, and her breathing quickened. She absorbed the sensation of his wide, hard chest through his open coat. Cold leather could do nothing to hide his powerful muscles. She knew the tantalizing erotic fantasy he’d planted in her mind in the tunnel under the crypt would pale in comparison to what they experienced next.

  She didn’t care where the hell they were or if someone opened those elevator doors right now and found them kissing.

  Because that’s what she wanted to do.

  Immediately.

  God, yes. His words, groaned softly into her mind, fired her libido into gear.

  When they broke the kiss he wrestled his coat off in three quick moves she could barely see. He let the coat drop.

  She blinked. “Wow. Can you…um…?”

  He cupped her face gently. “What?”

  “Make love that fast? I mean when you’re…” Her face flamed. She couldn’t say it.

  Instead of answering verbally, he kissed her again. Then his mind whispered to hers. When I’m inside a woman I can fuck her as long as she wants it. As hard or as deep or as shallow as she needs. I can keep her hot and moist and make her want me so high up inside her she’ll never stop coming.

  She shivered and moaned softly at his arrogant and erotic words. She ached, mad with rising passion as her nipples tightened. Her breath rasped in her throat as she took the kiss away from him and thrust her tongue in his mouth. He tasted mint-fresh and delicious. She wanted to lick him up, search every corner of his mouth, his body until no mystery remained. With yearning she plunged her fingers into his hair and enjoyed the soft texture. Silk spun and thick, his gorgeous hair seemed to curl around her fingers with a mind of its own, capturing her as sure as his seductive persuasion enticed her to leave common sense behind.

  With a quick move he turned them and pressed her up against an elevator wall. His cock pressed against her stomach and she arched against it. His fingers inched up her sweater to caress her as his kiss went on and on. She gasped into his mouth as he flicked open her front clasp bra and cupped her left breast.

  As he shoved up the sweater and took in her breasts, his big hand encompassed and held. “Ambrosia. You’re all the nectar I need.”

  Reverently his gaze caressed her breast, and under that hot attention her nipple hardened even more. She waited, anticipating his tongue and lips and fingers showing her the way to paradise. Instead he kissed her.

  A few moments later he’d unzipped her jeans and yanked them and her panties down past her thighs.

  Startled, she jerked in his embrace. The man had done it again, taking her off guard with his lightning movements whenever he saw fit to share them. His lips touched the side of her neck. He licked the erogenous zone between her shoulder and neck, his tongue a fiery spark against her equally hot skin. The sweet, insistent pressure of his hand under her breast made her nipples ache for attention. He brushed his thumb over her nipple. She gasped in startled pleasure. Capturing the aroused nipple between thumb and forefinger, he tugged.

  As he tormented her breast, he slid his hand down her belly and through her pubic hair. She felt vulnerable and raw. Exposed to the last degree.

  Open to me.

  She did as told, and he tested gently. He circled her wet, aching labia and the exquisite feeling made her tremble. Probing, he plied her wet folds with tender attention. Tightness coiled in her belly, a fervent hunger. She leaned her head back against the wall and sighed with ecstasy as he fingered her swollen clit. She moaned softly. As he circled and rubbed, her wetness made the friction oh so right. It felt so good she couldn’t keep still, and she moved her hips.

  His lips skirted her mouth, brushing across her flesh to her chin, then to her neck where his voice came dark and deep as his breathing deepened, control close to breaking. “That’s it, Clarissa. Now.”

  She clutched at his shoulders and held on for dear life. She whimpered with an irresistible desire to have him inside her when she climaxed. “Ronan.”

  One more brush over her sensitive clit and she fired into orgasm. Ecstatic fire invaded her loins as he pushed two fingers deep into her cunt. He rubbed and stroked inside her, working his fingers back and forth as she clenched around him, drawing the climax out for an eternity of pleasure.

  As she came down from the hard orgasm, she shivered and buried her face against his chest. The scent of sex was all around them. She whimpered as he removed his fingers.

  Feeling lightheaded and yet aroused, she wanted to give him everything he’d given her with such rapid success. While she’d never been bold in sexual relationships before, she wanted to satisfy Ronan. A flush spread over his cheekbones. He smiled, self-assured looking and pleased. She’d lost her composure so swiftly and she wanted to make him lose control.

  She reached between them and touched his cock through his blue jeans. His eyes closed and his head tilted back as he sucked in a breath.

  “Clarissa,” he whispered.

  Pleased at his reaction, she allowed her touch to glide over a large, very hard erection. How would it feel inside her? Would he even fit? Shyness came out of nowhere and ambushed her. She jerked her hand back.

  He grinned and opened his eyes. A feral grin touched his mouth. “Oh, I’ll fit all right.” Before she could react to his statement, he reached between them and unfastened his pants. “Touch me.”

  Heat blazed across her face, but she wanted to explore him so much. She palmed his cock through his black briefs and then slipped inside to draw it out. She’d had two lovers before, but they’d been average men. Ronan’s sizable erection was big and beautiful. She’d always thought some erections looked intimidating and ugly, but Ronan’s gorgeous cock made her want him inside with a fierce ache. Long, thick, and tightly engorged, his flesh felt smooth and hot under her touch. She drew her hand up from the base to tip, base to tip, base to tip. Her rhythm stayed slow and sure, using pre-cum to slick the surface. With each stroke he moaned softly, the sound growing with each upward movement. And with each glide of skin over skin she felt her response heighten.

  Then something devastating popped into her mind. She removed her touch.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, his eyes glazed with passion and a yellow glow.

  Feeling dazed and wanting, she said, “We don’t have birth control, and I don’t really know you—”

  “It’s all right.” He kissed her forehead. “I can’t have children and I can’t have disease. Trust me. I’ll take care of you.”

  There was that word again. Trust.

  But as she looked into those flame-filled eyes, the out-of-this-world unreality hit her again and she didn’t care about anything but having him buried in her. The ache inside demanded immediate fulfillment.

  He smiled. Yes. Now.

  The emergency phone rang and Clarissa almost jumped out of her skin.

  “Feck,” he said through gritted teeth.

  Breathless, she laughed. “I thought you could hold this elevator indefinitely.”

  “I can.” He grabbed the phone and answered gruffly. “Hello?” Seconds later he said in a less rough voice. “No, we’re fine. Yes.”

  He closed his eyes and tipped his head back. He took a deep breath and a long shiver ran through him. When he opened his eyes, the elevator creaked and started to ascend.

  “It seems to be working now,” he said into the phone. “Thank you.”

  He frowned and hung up.

  Surprised, she asked, “Why did you start the elevator?”

  “As much as I want you, I didn’t think holding up the elevator any longer was fair.”

  This man was worried about fair? She never would have guessed when it came to full on, raging sexual hormones, that Ronan would yield to anyone or a
nything. She didn’t know whether to feel angry at the interruption or relieved, but his expression guaranteed the animal inside him couldn’t be appeased by anything but sex.

  “I haven’t shown you anything yet, Clarissa. If you think I’m an animal, just wait until we get into your room. Then you’ll know the meaning of the word.”

  He frowned and proceeded to stuff his huge erection back into his pants. Within less than a blink of time he’d put himself back together, including his long coat. She realized with a jolt that her shoes and coat lay in the corner. Frantically she pulled her pants back up and refastened them, then grabbed her boots and put them on.

  Therein, as Shakespeare once espoused, lays the rub. She’d known him barely two days and she had almost performed full sex with him in the elevator. A forbidden shiver of excitement mixed with her shame. When she drove into this town the other day she never would have expected she’d be lusting after a man and ready to do the two-backed beast with him without hesitation. But here she was, contemplating making love and trying to decide whether she should change the game plan and run instead.

  She’d just picked her coat up from the floor when the elevator doors opened and they stepped into an empty hall. Thankful they were alone she headed down the hall toward her room, Ronan in tow.

  When she unlocked her door and stepped through, she felt a whoosh of wind. She turned on the light and almost cried out when she saw Ronan standing in front of her. He glanced past her and she heard the door behind her lock by itself.

  A little irritated, she asked, “Are you doing these parlor tricks for a reason?”

  “Yes. Because now you know some of the things I can do, I don’t have to hide it from you.”

  She paused, aware of a dawning understanding. She decided to feel a little ashamed. What must it be like to hide your abilities for fear of what others would say or do? When she glanced at him again, though, she couldn’t think of how different he might be. Instead she felt his strong personality, his high intelligence, and the attraction she couldn’t shake. A jolt of sexual electricity rammed her, as if he’d touched a live wire to her body and kept the hum going in a steady stream. Trying to distract herself from the jumpy feeling, she put her hat, gloves, and coat on a modest chair by the desk.