Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(46)

"Yes," she whispered, even though he'd said nothing aloud. "Yes, I want...I want..."

Then she noticed that the music had changed from the slow ballad to an enthusiastically sung version of Rick James's "Super Freak," and they were the only two people not gyrating to the funk.

"You want?" he asked.

She wanted him. Pea almost blurted it, that she wanted to taste him and know him and love him. What the hell had gotten into her? Totally disconcerted, Pea stuttered, "I...um...want to...to...to go to the ladies' room," she finished in a rush. "Will you wait for me?"

"Always." He lifted her hand, which he was already holding, turned it over, closed his eyes and pressed his lips against her skin.

The touch of his lips made a sweet, slick sensation tingle all the way from her palm to her crotch. A couple dressed as sixties flower children, complete with masks painted in psychedelic peace signs, did the bump right into them, shattering the bubble of intimacy Pea felt. Reluctantly she pulled her hand from his.

"I'll be right back."

Feeling a little lightheaded, Pea maneuvered her way through the crowd to the burgundy curtained entrance to the ladies' room. There were two parts to the restaurant's ladies' restroom area. A series of stalls were found down a short hall, directly to the right of the entrance to the lounge. In front of the entrance there was a room that was more of a makeup check and hair rearrange area. It was a twenties' style powder room, with a marble counter and sink and a great mirror. Pea dashed into the room and closed the door. She leaned against the counter, staring at herself in the gilt-framed mirror. A beautiful stranger looked back at her from beneath a sparkling mask.

"Who am I becoming?"

The knob on the door jangled and she turned the water on hastily, pulling one of the towelettes from the dispenser.

"I'll be out in a second," she said, turning off the water and trying not to sound as breathless and out of sorts as she felt.

The door continued to open, and she turned to give the intruding woman a disapproving frown. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, locking it. They stared at each other.

"I wanted to be alone with you," he said. Then he shook his head in obvious frustration. "No, that's not right. I needed to be alone with you."

Pea knew she should ask him to leave. Or shove past him. Or threaten to scream. But when she regained the ability to speak, her traitorous voice didn't demand that he do any of those things. Instead she heard herself saying, "Would you do something for me?"

"Anything within my power."

"Take off your mask."

He untied the black velvet ribbon that held the half mask to his face and let it fall to the floor. Pea didn't speak. She simply reached up and untied her own mask, letting it, too, flutter out of her fingers. Then she studied his face.

He wasn't traditionally handsome, like Griffin, which didn't mean that he wouldn't turn heads and cause women to send him inviting, lingering looks. His face was strong and well made. His cheekbones were high and his jaw square. His nose was almost hawkish and that mixed with his thick, black hair and dark eyes gave him a definite bad boy look. And his mouth...Pea's eyes got caught there...his mouth was full and sensual. Then she lifted her eyes to meet his again, and in the way he was looking at her she saw a whole new world waiting for her there - with this man who was such a familiar stranger.

"If I don't touch you again soon I think I may go mad," he said. Pea didn't think; she just responded. "Then touch me."

He closed the space between them so quickly her breath caught in her throat and she automatically jerked back from him a little.

He froze, his hands already lifted as if to pull her close.

"Please, don't ever fear me. I couldn't bear it if you feared me."

Those eyes again...they captured her and she could see the pain and the honesty in his words.

"I'm not afraid of you. It's just that you're so big." Nervously she laughed a little.

"I'm sorry I'm not smaller."

She lifted one hand and let it rest on his chest. "Don't be sorry. I didn't say I didn't like it."

Surprised, she felt him tremble under her touch, and that small reaction sent an answering spark of hot desire through her body. Staring into his bottomless black eyes she whispered, "Kiss me...."

He bent and possessed her with his mouth. There was nothing hesitant or tender about his kiss. It was all heat and desire and heady, overwhelming passion. Her arms went up around him and she answered his need with her own. His heat and his taste engulfed her, calling to mind leaping flames and the slow burn of a fire being fed and fed and fed.

They strained against each other. To Pea it felt like he was trying to press himself into her skin.

"Yes," she said against his questing mouth. "Yes, closer."

He moaned and lifted her off her feet to set her on top of the marble counter. Then his moan turned into a rumbling growl when she slid her long bare legs around his hips and pulled his hard c**k against her wet core.

"Closer," she repeated, and gasped as his rough hands skimmed up the outside of her thighs, lifting the thin silk of her draping robes around the top of her hips. His hands slid between her and the cool marble of the counter to cup her butt.