How to Seduce an Angel in 10 Days (24 page)

Her mouth opened, but instead of saying no, she whispered, “Yes.”

Oh, hell, what had she done? She couldn’t do this; she couldn’t saddle him with a wife he couldn’t touch. Tally knew he’d push and push until they had sex and then she’d kill him and—Stardust squeezed her so hard every last thought was smooshed up and out of her head.

She was lightheaded, dizzy, terrified, and gloriously happy.

Tally’s whole body went numb when Stardust slipped the garnet–and-diamond ring off her own finger and handed it to Falcon, who in turn put it on Tally’s hand.

“It was my mother’s and her mother’s before her. It was always meant for you.” Stardust kissed her cheek. “You’re marrying the whole family, you know.”

“I know, Mama Stardust.”

“We’ll start planning tomorrow,” she said, obviously decided.

“No, Mama. Give Tally a few days. She’s still settling in to her new job, aren’t you?” Falcon said, running interference.

She nodded dumbly.

“Fine.” Stardust turned her attention to Hawk expectantly. He kept chewing. “Don’t you have something to say to the girl?”

The girl in question put down her chicken leg. “Yes, Hawk. Don’t you have something to say?”

“No, not really. Except maybe I’ll be glad when our son is born, so you’ll stop putting your cold feet on my ass in the middle of the night.”

She flung her chicken wing at him, her missile crashing into his forehead. Tally and Middy both looked at each other simultaneously and added a little magickal kick to that leg, knocking him back in his chair and over.

“You’re in trouble now, buddy.” Dred nodded. “Middy tried to kill me with a cranberry bullet she shot out of her nose into my eye on our first date. You may as well give up and marry her.”

His girlfriend got up and stomped out of the room, Stardust on her heels.

“It was really shitty of you to put me on the spot like that,” she whispered in Falcon’s ear.

“Yeah, it was so horrible to tell my family that I love you. It was so horrible to ask you to spend your life with me. Yep, I’m an asshole,” he said happily.

“You know what I mean.”

“I will use anything in my arsenal to keep you, Tally. It took me long enough to see what was right in front of my face. I’ll utilize kidnapping, bribery, peer pressure, my mother, anything at my disposal. I love you.”

“I kept trying to get away from you because I love you, idiot. But you know what? You deserve anything you got coming for this little stunt.”

“Good, I’m glad you see it that way. Because you know what I got coming?”

“A horrible, grisly death at the hands of the woman you love?” Tally retorted.

“No, baby. You.” His hand crept up her thigh.

She gasped and slapped his hand away. “Stop it.”

“Surrender and be happy. We’ll work everything out later. I swear.”

He was right. She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. Maybe they wouldn’t be able to be together. That was more than possible, it was likely, but he loved her. Everyone at that table loved her and she loved them.

This was her family.

She was home.

So, for the moment, she’d let herself wish, she’d let herself dream, and she’d have just a little faith.

In Love.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

A Bad Idea or Happily Ever After?

T
ally was sure that out of all of the bad ideas she’d ever jumped into with both feet, this was probably the worst. She’d let Falcon talk her into this and she still wasn’t sure how he’d done it. That man could talk a demon into buying a space heater.

It helped that she loved him more than Godiva.

The beach house was still her safety net, so they’d decided to try their first experiment there. With Death in residence, if he was willing.

Which was more than a little weird and not simply because he was Tally’s ex-boyfriend. He’d know what they were doing. Of course, they’d been to tons of parties together where everyone was having sex everywhere—Academy parties were just like that. But Tristan had said he still loved her, so Tally didn’t really want to ask him to keep an eye on the outcome of their experiment.

She had no other choice though. She had to make sure if things went poorly that Falcon would be okay—it was either this, or nothing.

Tally paced back and forth, waiting for Tristan to appear after she summoned him.

When he finally did, Tally was so happy to see him that she flung herself against him for a hug.

“Whoa, did you change your mind? Finally kick Falcon to the curb?” He laughed and hugged her back.

“No. I have to ask you a favor. It’s sort of a favor to trump all other favors.”

“Bringing back the dead isn’t a good idea. You have to know that. Your mother was in a lot of pain.”

She shook her head. “It’s not my mother. I want to make sure Falcon doesn’t die.”

“He’s a Crown Prince of Heaven. He believes in Love, obviously. His job is secure. He’s not going to die.” He released her.

Tally swallowed hard and blushed. “No, when we . . . um.”

“When you . . . um . . . what?” he prodded.

“You know.”

“I don’t. You have to tell me. I’m not psychic.” Tristan rolled his eyes.

“You just want to embarrass me.”

“I swear, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Tally.” He held up his hands, as if to show her he wasn’t hiding anything.

She exhaled heavily. “When we have sex, Tristan. I don’t want my fiancé to die when we have sex. Is that clear enough for you?”

“Oh. Since you’re Lust now. I see. Well, you’re planning on doing this soon, right? He’s still not on the docket to be reaped. And I can tell you, I check daily.” He winked at her.

“Not funny.”

“So, was that it? I do have some things to do other than sit here and talk about the woman I love banging someone else.”

“Shut up. You don’t love me.”

“I do, Tally. But maybe I’m not
in
love with you. And you’re right, I love to needle the shit out of Falcon Cherrywood. It just makes my day brighter somehow.”

“What I want is for you to sit here, to be within emergency response distance, in case.”

“While you have sex?” Tristan arched a brow. “Are you kidding me? I’m never going to let him forget it.”

“Nope. That’s something else. You can never, ever hold this against him. See, it’s not Falcon who wants you here. It’s me. I won’t condemn him to a life with a woman he can’t have sex with.”

Tristan searched her face for a long moment before responding. “Yes, Tally. I’ll do that for you. But I gotta say, I think you’re both going to be fine. He told me something that I think you need to keep in mind because it’s true on so many levels. Death can never stop Love.” He swiped his finger over her nose as he would a child’s. “If you tell him I admitted that, you’ll think Middy’s cat litter curse is Hex 101.”

“Thank you, Tristan.”

“I’m not going to say ‘anytime,’ because I am never doing this again. I trust you’re ready now?”

Tally bit her lip and nodded.

“Get your ass in gear then.” He flopped on the couch. “No tantric shit, either. I’ve got stuff to do. If it works out, you guys can do that on your own time. Got me?”

“Yeah, Tristan. I do.”

She scurried up the stairs and told Falcon she was ready. Tally lay down on the bed to wait for him. She felt like a virgin sacrifice, lying there on the bed. In any other circumstances, she would have found the analogy hysterically funny because Tally was about as far from virgin as one could get on this side of prostitute.

It will be okay, we love him.
The voice was soft and distant now, its separateness fading a little more every day.

Its word choice was comforting, but no, it wasn’t
its
word choice, it was
her
word choice. The lamia was part of her, now and forever. Tally couldn’t believe Falcon accepted that. He still wanted to make love to her, knowing what horrible fate possibly awaited him.

“You don’t hurt me when I hold you. Why should sex be any different?” he’d said last night, after he’d maneuvered her into bed with the age old “just wanna hold you.” To his credit, he’d done as he’d promised and only held her.

Yes, he’d held her while he stroked her back, kissed her with such passion and intensity, he’d made her burn. Tally ached for him, for his touch. It was casual, the caress of his fingers down her arms, over her hip and her leg, but she wanted more.

She’d been pleading between his kisses for more, but he’d refused. It wasn’t that he was afraid, or didn’t want to. He’d said it was because he’d promised her. Damn the man and his sense of right and wrong.

She realized now it had been to prove something to her, to her and the thing that had become a part of her. He was a man of his word. He wouldn’t try to force anything, or demand anything that wasn’t given.

He’d also made her promise while she was desperately grinding herself against him that she’d let him try to make love to her today. She’d promised, and she was a creature of her word as well. It was just further proof Cupid was a sneaky bastard.

“Why are you covered up to your chin?” Falcon interrupted her thoughts as he came into the bedroom.

“I’m feeling shy.” Tally blushed.

“You don’t need to hide from me.”

“I’m scared, Falcon. I don’t want to hurt you,” Tally said.

“I trust you. If something happens, it’s only temporary. We’ll try again.” He made it sound so easy.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“No,” Falcon said as he pulled the sheet back and exposed her bare skin to his roving gaze. “Like I said, I love all of you, Tally. Sure, there might be some new challenges, but we’ll work through them.” He moistened his lips. “All night if we have to.”

Tally’s skin grew warm where he looked at her and the heat suffused her body when she thought about what exactly working though it all night would entail. Her slit ached with desire and the lamia was strangely silent. She didn’t know whether to be thankful or to panic.

“Do you trust me?” Falcon asked as he brushed his knuckles across the top of her thigh.

She shivered at the sensation and had to fight the urge to spread her thighs for him at that moment. Tally still wasn’t sure they were doing the right thing. She nodded; she did trust him.

“And I trust you, so trust yourself.” Falcon’s caress slid nearer to the origin of the throbbing ache.

He splayed his fingers over her lower belly, the heat from his hand like a brand on her skin. Falcon leaned down and took her mouth, his tongue tracing her lips and the tips of her teeth. His erection was pressing into her thigh and Tally was thrilled to discover he meant every word he’d said. If he was afraid, he wouldn’t be so ready to be inside her.

She drew her legs up and relaxed her thighs so her knees were slightly parted, a tentative invitation. Yet, he didn’t move his hand. He continued to kiss her and stroke her hair as he had the night before.

Tally tried to shift, to urge his hand down, but he was frustratingly stubborn. He kissed where her pulse thrummed like a hummingbird on her neck, her collarbone, the valley between her breasts, and she arched her back, pushing herself toward his mouth. He complied and took the tight bud of one nipple into the hot cavern of his mouth. As he sucked and nipped at the sensitive flesh, each act flared sensation from deep in her belly to her clit.

Still his fingers made no move to descend, but he pushed a leather-clad knee between her thighs. Goddess, but the man was sin personified in his leather pants and no shirt. If he’d had his guns strapped to his thighs, she might have come right then and there.

He moved to the other nipple, licking and sucking while using the hand that wasn’t on her abdomen to continue his attentions to her breasts. She loved to look down and see his dark head bent over her flesh, and run her hands over the wide expanse of his back as he pleasured her. She tugged the leather lower on his hips, but he moved down her body and pressed his lips to her inner thigh.

She felt exposed and vulnerable—frightened, but he’d stirred a need in her too hot to be denied and Tally made no protest when he slipped his tongue inside her. He worked her clit with his thumb in a motion that slowly increased in intensity.

He licked her slit like he was savoring an exotic fruit, making sure not to lose a drop of ambrosia. He sucked her labia minor into his mouth and eased his tongue between them. She sighed as she gave over to mounting pleasure.

She was wet for him, but she felt something new. He was exploring her slit just as he had her mouth, with the same sure confidence. It was divine! Her hips jerked, prompting her to push up to meet his caress in an involuntary movement.

His weight on top of her was a welcome pressure; skin on skin—she opened for him and drew him inside her body. He pushed deep inside with one sure stroke and he stopped moving, his eyes closed.

She thought for one horrible moment that something had happened, but the look on his face was sheer bliss. Tally tightened carefully to pull him deeper inside her. This felt new to her and she realized she’d merged completely with the lamia. It had never experienced this, not for pleasure.

It was wondrous and wild, all of the things she’d never known. Tally felt her love for Falcon well up like a spring and fill her alongside the ecstasy. She hadn’t known she could have both.

His hands circled her waist and he shifted her to get his forearm beneath them, angling her for maximum penetration.

And something else she loved, he wasn’t asking her if she was okay. He really wasn’t afraid. She hadn’t been ready to believe it, even when he was hard for her. It wasn’t until he’d entered her that his words became real. That in itself was an aphrodisiac and it meant she could stop being afraid as well. She could surrender and ride the waves of delight he’d loosed.

His hand slipped between them again to continue stroking her clitoris, his fingers keeping time with his hips as he thrust into her. Falcon rolled them over mid-thrust so she was riding him. It was her favorite position because his cock hit a place inside her that was so good, it was almost pain. She liked to tease him this way, too, to slide her slit up his shaft and sink back down the hard length until he was buried to the hilt. When she rocked her hips forward, she could push her nipples past his lips.

Tally pulled away and turned so her knees were braced behind his shoulders and she could suck his cock while he licked her clit. She bobbed down the length of his shaft and tasted herself on him. She loved the taste of their mixed fluids on her lips—it made her feel naughty and very good all at the same time. She used her tongue to lave at the velvety tip, moving faster in response to Falcon when he took her clit between his teeth and tugged softly.

His hands were moving up her thighs and cupped her ass to hold her where he wanted her; to expose her hidden flesh to his eyes and mouth. He didn’t use his fingers as he had before; it was only his tongue. She felt a hot rush between her thighs and he moaned, his cock jerking in response.

Tally took it in her mouth again and wrapped her hand around the shaft, moving up and down slowly. The faster his tongue flicked, the slower she moved her hand. He’d told her he liked to come after she did. He liked to feel her spasming around his cock, and loved how wet she was.

She cried out as his tongue pushed her over the edge and, as she came, he lifted her easily and moved her down the bed. Falcon entered her from behind and held her up on her hands and knees while her orgasm rampaged through her.

Tally bit down and tensed as the crescendo didn’t explode and ebb, but exploded again and again with his every thrust. Falcon eased her forward and grazed his teeth along her earlobe and the tender part of her shoulder. He marked her like an animal and the lamia accepted him as her mate.

His breath was harsh against the shell of her ear and the break in his rhythm signaled he was ready to come. She pushed back and clenched around him to hold him inside her when he would have withdrawn to stave off his orgasm.

He spilled inside her and after he was spent, Falcon pulled her into his arms.

“Are you okay?” she asked tentatively, looking deep into his eyes.

“What did you think was going to happen?”

“We both know the answer to that.”

He laughed. “Sweetheart, I gave you a part of me, but I’m still whole.”

“You never doubted, not for one minute?” Tally asked as she laid her head on his shoulder and traced nonsense symbols over his skin with her forefinger.

“Not for a second.”

“I think you just wanted the street cred,” Tally teased.

“What do I need street cred for?”

“You’ve got to do something to make up for your pink wings.”

“I think I’m good with them, actually. Hades offered to make them red or black, but he said it would change how I taste to you.”

“Don’t tell me—licorice?” Tally wrinkled her nose.

“Yeah, or cherry Twizzlers. What good are black wings if you won’t make out with me?” Falcon said in all seriousness.