Hook Up (6 page)

She crossed her arms and the movement plumped her breasts above the neckline of her top.
What the hell is that thing? How does it stay up? How does it come off?
He itched to get his hands on the closures.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Bringing you coffee.” As he set her mocha on the counter, he saw an empty cup with chocolate residue on the bottom. “But I see you’ve had your fix today. My instincts were right on, but I guess I’m a little late.”

“I’d say that about covers our situation.” She slid onto the stool behind the counter and crossed her legs. The band of smooth white skin between the top of her fishnet stocking and her miniscule skirt made him dizzy.

He swallowed hard, forcing his eyes back to her face. “What’s with all the black and leather? I don’t remember you as a goth girl.”

She smiled, tilting her head back to gaze at him through half-shut eyes. The long line of her neck made his mouth water. “People change, Ryan.” The way she said his name sang through him. “I’m more comfortable this way. It fits the whole psychic image, and frees me up to do what I do best.”

“What do you do best?” he asked, even though he already knew—make love like an angel, haunt a man’s dreams, set the standard so high that no other woman would ever measure up.

She shrugged. “I help people. I know what my clients want, what they need. I give them the good advice they would give themselves, if they only knew what to say.”

“How do you do it? I don’t remember you being psychic.”

She laughed. “We spent one night together, Ryan. I didn’t tell you all my secrets. Did you tell me all yours?” Her voice held no more than mild curiosity, but something about her blasé attitude didn’t ring true. Maybe it was the faint sheen of sweat on her forehead and upper lip. The tightness in her jaw. The way her heel twitched against the leg of the stool.

He leaned on the counter. “You tell me.” They were eye to eye, her sitting on the stool, him leaning forward. “Even if I did, I have more secrets now. Better secrets. Want to try to guess them?”

She shook her head. “I can’t read minds. Only emotions.”

She could read his emotions? Did she know he wanted to walk around the counter and stand behind her, brace her body with his and drop his face into the long, pale curve of her neck? From this distance, he could just catch the edge of her spicy perfume. It wasn’t enough. Couldn’t they drop the bullshit and have this conversation naked? Somewhere comfortable? Where she couldn’t run away for at least a week?

She swayed on the stool. “And I don’t have to guess how you feel right now. I can’t get away from it.” She took a deep breath and blew it out loudly. “Enough with the lust, Ryan. You’re giving me a headache.”

Surprise jerked him upright. “That is certainly not my intention.”

“Yes, I understand that. But we aren’t teenagers anymore.” Her indulgent smile made his hackles rise. She had moved on. She’d made that clear, but he still felt like she owed him an explanation.

“I have some questions for you.” He crossed his arms. He had assumed she was cleverly tapping a niche market with the whole sensual psychic gig. Was it possible she was telling the truth? If so, he had nothing to hide.

She jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry, but I have a client at four-thirty. I don’t have time to chat.”

“Actually, you do.” He pointed at the appointment book on the counter. “I booked your last slot.”

She grabbed the book and flipped it open. “Marvin Gaye?” Her voice held disbelief and fury.

“I couldn’t resist.” He took a sip of his cappuccino, now cool enough to drink. “Isn’t that what you peddle? Sexual healing? I’ve needed a dose of that for ten years. Bring it on, Crystal. I’m waiting.”

Crystal gaped at him. He was waiting? How about her, waiting for that phone call that never came? He had a lot of nerve. Why hadn’t she checked the appointment book? Then she would have known something was bogus. Unfortunately, Beth had come in for a vibrator consult, and she hadn’t given another thought to her four-thirty client, her
fake
client who had just toasted her carefully constructed shield.
Damn it.
She was going to kill Destiny for setting her up like this.

Crystal struggled to control her physical response to his surface emotions, but it was a losing battle. Her pulse was a dull thud in her ears. Her throat was dry. Her breasts were swollen, as well as other vital areas of her body. Hell no, she wasn’t going to read him. There was no way she would willingly dig deeper. A shiver ran through her. She had to get him out of here. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

“I have an appointment.”

She shrugged. “I don’t accept every client. Nothing personal.” But it was personal and they both knew it. She stepped out from behind the counter and gestured around the store. “Why don’t you take a look around before you leave? Maybe you’ll find something that can solve your problems.”

“I’m not leaving.”

She ignored him. “Our vibrators are state-of-the-art. Buy one for your girlfriend. She’ll love it.” Damn it, she sounded like she was fishing.

“No girlfriend.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, striving to sound disinterested. “In that case, we do sell several inventive devices that could help you out until you meet someone new.”

His teeth flashed white against his perfect tan. “I already checked out the merchandise when I made my appointment this morning. I want my half hour, Crystal.”

“No.” Her voice wavered, broke. Shit.

He stepped toward her. “We both know this isn’t finished between us.”

She held her ground. “We were finished when you flew back to California ten years ago. I haven’t thought about you in years.” She was thankful he couldn’t feel
her
emotions. She was broadcasting
liar, liar, pants on fire
.

His sharp thrust of anger enabled her to focus. Anger she could handle. Anger was easy. She gave him a slow smile of anticipation. “In fact, guys aren’t really my thing anymore.”

“You’re celibate?” His shock was uniquely satisfying.

“Nope. I like women,” she said.

He burst out laughing.

She frowned. “No, really. I’ve got a date for the reception tonight. You can meet her.”

His breath puffed in short gasps. “Oh, man, do you expect that to be a deterrent? That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re a lesbian?”

“Not exactly.” She crossed her arms, bristling. “But I date women.”

He grinned. “Crystal, you can change your name and you can wear all the black leather you want, but you can’t change what you are. You like sex.”

“You’re right, I do. I get plenty of it.”

“You like sex with a man.”

“Give me a break.” She rolled her eyes. “Sex is sex, Ryan. Love is love. The rest is just anatomy. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Nope, I don’t have a clue, but I do know what I remember. You like to be taken. Fucked. Entered with more than fingers and plastic. I don’t think that’s something you just give up. Don’t you miss it?”

His quick switch from helpless laughter to focused desire caught her off-guard. For a split second, she rode the wave of his emotions, joined them.
Oh, yes.
She could barely think she missed it so much.

She struggled, fought it down. “No,” she said finally. “I don’t. I’m in control of my life. I help my clients get control of theirs. I don’t miss anything.”

He gestured at the rainbow of vibrators lining the back wall of the sex shop. “All of those cannot replace sex.”

“I’d say that depends on your definition of sex.” She arched her back and lifted the heavy weight of her hair from her neck, stopping the gesture just before her breasts popped out of the top of her leather demi-bustier. “I don’t have any complaints.”

His dark eyes followed her motion with appreciation. “So how long has it been?”

She put her hands on her hips. “None of your business.”

“Are we talking months or years? Forgive me for being so nosy, but this is fascinating. Seriously? No men?”

“No men,” she repeated.

He cocked his head to the side. “That doesn’t stop me from being attracted to you.”

“Too bad,” she scoffed. “Just because you get a hard-on for a girl doesn’t mean she wants to sleep with you.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t feel the buzz between us?”

Like a raging, swirling cloud of killer bees.
She shook her head. “Nope.” She hoped he wouldn’t notice she was pressed up against the counter for support.

“Really?” he asked, closing the distance between them with one step. “So the fact that I can see your heart beating under your skin means nothing?” He trailed warm fingers across her chest and gently tapped the spot over her heart. His gaze held her motionless. “Your pupils are dilated. You’re holding your breath.”

Her mouth fell open and breath whistled into her lungs. He dipped closer and she swayed, keenly aware of the heat scenting the air between them.

One devilish eyebrow disappeared beneath the lock of sun-kissed hair on his forehead. “You’ll have to forgive my confusion. Usually when I get those signals, it’s a green light. You’re sure you aren’t attracted to me at all?” His voice held hope and the dark edge of desire.

“Positive.”

“Prove it.” His smile was a dare. “Kiss me.”

She shook her head. No way. She wasn’t falling for that.

“Just once. A simple little kiss. If it doesn’t turn you on, then you can go back to your girlfriends and your vibrators. I’ll never bother you again. But if it does turn you on…”

She felt his determination advance toward her like an invisible army. He wasn’t going to let this go without a fight, and the hysterical impulse to leap behind the counter and brandish the stool at him like a lion tamer crossed her mind. Could she survive one
simple
kiss? One night with him had ripped her wide open and hot-wired her emotions to the world around her. For her, there was nothing simple about kissing him, but he didn’t know that. Maybe if she played it right, all those emotions pouring out of him, the ones that were using her as a punching bag, would disappear. Would he leave her alone if she could convince him she wasn’t attracted to him?

Crystal lifted her chin defiantly. “One kiss,” she said, throwing everything she had into her shield. “And then you go.”

Ryan pulled her body flush against his own, one arm a hard curve around her waist, the other a band across her back. He fit her like a puzzle piece, edges matching, curves lined up. There was no gap between them.

Crystal’s head began to buzz. She swallowed convulsively.

His arms gentled into a seductive caress and his lips settled over hers, whisper-soft as they sought a response. She had expected an onslaught of lust, not tenderness. Oh, shit, she couldn’t handle sweetness, not when his lips reminded her of what it was like to be skin-on-skin on a hot summer night with no walls, no barriers and nothing to hide.

His mouth opened, coaxed her lips apart, and his tongue touched hers, retreated.

She held her arms behind her and dug her long nails viciously into her palms, hoping the pain would keep her focused on her shield. Instead, it added to her awareness of the sharp ache between her thighs. She shifted her feet, lifted one stiletto heel and brought it down squarely on her instep.

As she shifted, his hands caught hers, drew them up to his shoulders as he lifted her onto the counter, never losing contact with her mouth. He stepped between her thighs. Her skirt was so short it provided no barrier and she could feel his erection pressing against her panties. Her wet panties. Oh God, she was losing this battle. Did he know?

His lips flirted with hers, moving softly, cleverly over her mouth. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and abandon herself to the desire thrumming between them, but then he would never leave her alone. It was important that he leave her alone. He slid one hand behind her neck, angled her head and stroked into her mouth, moving against her in a rhythm she had never forgotten. She answered back, twisting her hips.

His moan was a low throb of satisfaction, barely audible, more felt than heard. Need rushed from her pelvis to her chest then dropped back down to land in a heavy pool between her thighs. Ryan traced the line of her garter until his hand met the junction of hip and leg. His thumb edged beneath the elastic of her underwear. A whimper broke free from her throat as her hips arched toward his hand.

Dimly, she heard the sound of the bell tinkling on the front door.

Ryan raised his head. His eyes were glazed, hot, as he pulled her forward.

Crystal pressed closer to him, riding the long line of his body. Her feet hit the floor and she stiffened, startled.

He stepped back. “Save a dance for me tonight.”

Chapter Five

Mark and Alisa had spared no expense for their reception. She and Bonita were the only two people ignoring the lavish buffet and enjoying the summer sunset on the secluded patio of the posh country club. Or, rather, Bonita was enjoying it. She was also getting a kick out of Crystal’s acute embarrassment. The other guests were inside admiring the ice sculptures, chocolate fountain, martini luge, carving stations and six-tier wedding cake. More than a few were surreptitiously slipping wedding favors into their pockets. Alisa must have spent hours tying grosgrain ribbons on the individually wrapped, neon-colored, jelly-stretch cock rings.