Read Online No Return: A Contemporary Phantom Tale by Christine Pope - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christine Pope
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sipped at his now-lukewarm cup of espresso, and wished that the evening would never end.
But, as with all things, of course it did. Christine brought him his bill, but at least now she seemed to have recovered herself enough to meet his eyes and smile.
“Thank you for coming this evening—”
Of course he couldn’t tell her that he’d give up all his useless millions just to hold her again. “This has been a memorable Halloween,” he replied instead, and was amused to see the quick blush rise in her cheeks.
“Yes, it has,” she said, and looked as if she wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by a drunken hail from the next table over.
“Waitress—hey—another round over here!”
She turned, distracted, and he took the opportunity to drop five hundred-dollar bills on the table and sweep himself away outside before she could notice. The air outside was cold and smelled damp, bringing with it the unmistakable scent of wet asphalt. It had obviously rained hard during the hours he had spent inside the restaurant, but now the pavement was merely slick with rainwater, the sky mottled with hard-driven clouds that were charcoal-gray against black.
The valet brought his S-Class around promptly, obviously giving him preferential treatment even though several other people had been out there waiting for their cars before Erik had arrived. He tipped the young man—obviously another college student—with a twenty before taking the wheel and driving off into the night.
He had actually learned to drive at a fairly early age, although it had been Ennis, who had taught him, certainly not his own father. Erik enjoyed the isolation he could experience behind the tinted windows of his car, and although he never drove during the daytime, he liked to take the car out at night, when he could drive through the meandering roads that crossed the arroyo and feel as if he were somehow part of the world, if even for only a short time.
Tonight was no different. Tonight, if anything, he felt more kindly disposed toward the human race than he had in a long time. He had spoken with her, seen her face with his own eyes—even, incredible as it seemed, held her in his arms. And she had not recoiled—if anything, he could sense her attraction to him, even though she tried to hide it, even though he knew even now she was probably telling herself that it was just a silly response, that she was truly only interested in Randall.
Well, she could tell herself anything she wanted. He had held her, felt her breathing quicken as he touched her, and he knew that, deep down, she had wanted him.
That, of course, would make things much easier. Possibly she would be resistant at first, but he felt certain that once she understood everything he had to offer her, she would surrender to him completely. After all, her current life had so little to give her, and he was willing to lay the world at her feet, in exchange for so little. Such a small thing, really.
All he wanted was her heart.
Chapter 6
In the darkness I could feel the heat of his body next to mine, the strength of his hands as he cupped my face in his fingers and brought his mouth against my lips. His lips were warm and strong, and I felt myself open willingly to him to let his tongue explore my mouth. There was no strangeness, no hesitation as I lay back against the pillows, felt his strong yet sensitive fingers move over my body, cupping my breasts through the thin material of my nightgown. I moaned, arching my back to press myself more closely against him.
His voice was the merest whisper in the black night. “Christine....”
My only response was a soft moan. Then I could feel his hand moving lower, pushing my nightgown aside, touching me where I had never let a man touch before. But somehow this seemed right. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation. His fingers caressed my most intimate places and I moaned again, abandoning myself to the waves of pleasure that
But, as with all things, of course it did. Christine brought him his bill, but at least now she seemed to have recovered herself enough to meet his eyes and smile.
“Thank you for coming this evening—”
Of course he couldn’t tell her that he’d give up all his useless millions just to hold her again. “This has been a memorable Halloween,” he replied instead, and was amused to see the quick blush rise in her cheeks.
“Yes, it has,” she said, and looked as if she wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by a drunken hail from the next table over.
“Waitress—hey—another round over here!”
She turned, distracted, and he took the opportunity to drop five hundred-dollar bills on the table and sweep himself away outside before she could notice. The air outside was cold and smelled damp, bringing with it the unmistakable scent of wet asphalt. It had obviously rained hard during the hours he had spent inside the restaurant, but now the pavement was merely slick with rainwater, the sky mottled with hard-driven clouds that were charcoal-gray against black.
The valet brought his S-Class around promptly, obviously giving him preferential treatment even though several other people had been out there waiting for their cars before Erik had arrived. He tipped the young man—obviously another college student—with a twenty before taking the wheel and driving off into the night.
He had actually learned to drive at a fairly early age, although it had been Ennis, who had taught him, certainly not his own father. Erik enjoyed the isolation he could experience behind the tinted windows of his car, and although he never drove during the daytime, he liked to take the car out at night, when he could drive through the meandering roads that crossed the arroyo and feel as if he were somehow part of the world, if even for only a short time.
Tonight was no different. Tonight, if anything, he felt more kindly disposed toward the human race than he had in a long time. He had spoken with her, seen her face with his own eyes—even, incredible as it seemed, held her in his arms. And she had not recoiled—if anything, he could sense her attraction to him, even though she tried to hide it, even though he knew even now she was probably telling herself that it was just a silly response, that she was truly only interested in Randall.
Well, she could tell herself anything she wanted. He had held her, felt her breathing quicken as he touched her, and he knew that, deep down, she had wanted him.
That, of course, would make things much easier. Possibly she would be resistant at first, but he felt certain that once she understood everything he had to offer her, she would surrender to him completely. After all, her current life had so little to give her, and he was willing to lay the world at her feet, in exchange for so little. Such a small thing, really.
All he wanted was her heart.
Chapter 6
In the darkness I could feel the heat of his body next to mine, the strength of his hands as he cupped my face in his fingers and brought his mouth against my lips. His lips were warm and strong, and I felt myself open willingly to him to let his tongue explore my mouth. There was no strangeness, no hesitation as I lay back against the pillows, felt his strong yet sensitive fingers move over my body, cupping my breasts through the thin material of my nightgown. I moaned, arching my back to press myself more closely against him.
His voice was the merest whisper in the black night. “Christine....”
My only response was a soft moan. Then I could feel his hand moving lower, pushing my nightgown aside, touching me where I had never let a man touch before. But somehow this seemed right. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation. His fingers caressed my most intimate places and I moaned again, abandoning myself to the waves of pleasure that
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