New Year's Kiss Read online

  “Did no one like him?”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes. “He’s fine. He’s just dull as dishwater. But these guys—” She tipped her head toward the ballroom. “They look like they want to eat you alive and use the bones for soup.”

  Taylor drew back and stuck out her tongue. “Eww. Nice analogy.”

  “It’s the truth. Especially the dark-haired one. I would not want to get between him and a piece of raw meat.”

  Taylor laughed. Sure she’d recognized the power in Mikhel and Zach but she’d never felt threatened by it. “Don’t worry. They’re just friends,” she said though she hated to confess. She’d enjoyed the prestige of being the woman with two hot dates. “After Chic bailed on me, they didn’t want me sitting home alone.” She squeezed Rebecca’s hand, trying to soothe her friend’s obvious concern. “I’m sure at the end of the night, I’ll get a peck on the cheek from each of them and I’ll be put in a cab and sent home. No being eaten alive.” Too bad.

  Rebecca nodded but she didn’t look like she believed Taylor. “You have your cell with you?”

  Taylor held up her purse. “Right here.”

  “Good. Call me if anything weird happens. And call me in the morning. Or better yet, come back for brunch. Jesse and I are doing the hotel brunch thing as part of the room package.” She winked. “Then we can talk about everyone and how drunk they got.”

  “I will be there.”

  That seemed to comfort Rebecca a little bit.

  “Come on. I have a feeling I’d better get you back to your dates before they start prowling the halls in search of you.”

  “I can’t see either of them ‘prowling’ and besides, now I really do have to go to the bathroom.”

  * * * * *

  Taylor got back to her table just as they called for everyone to sit down for dinner.

  Mikhel held out her chair and she sat down. Zach plucked her napkin off the table and draped it across her lap, his fingers brushing against her thigh. That drew a glare from Mikhel and for a moment she thought she heard an animal growl.

  All three froze in position, then slowly Zach lifted his hand and the spell broke. Taylor relaxed, at least somewhat. Maybe there was some kind of jealousy, competition thing going on between Zach and Mikhel.

  Dinner arrived, giving her something to think about besides the strange tension that had briefly invaded their group. The meal was delicious, as she’d expected it to be. Mikhel and Zach’s meals were different from everyone else’s. Instead of the delicately flavored chicken, they had steak, rare steak. Zach offered her a taste but she declined. He laughed when she said she didn’t like her food still mooing.

  By the time dessert was cleared away and the band started playing, her head was buzzing from several glasses of good wine and the sensual energy given off by her dates. She didn’t know if they even intended to do it but damn, just being seated between them, she was flushed and tense. Her legs were squeezed tight together, trying to ease some of the sexual ache that had built.

  As they talked, she glanced at both men, watching their mouths, thinking about how their lips would feel on hers, on her body, between her legs. And her lips on them.

  A lull in the conversation gave her mind a chance to create a delicious fantasy. Zach licking her, long and strong between her legs. His sexual lips feasting on her pussy. And Mikhel…Mikhel would be in her mouth, thick and hard, his hands holding her head as he slowly pumped his cock between her lips. A hollow ache filled her stomach and she tried to force the dream away. What was she thinking? Admittedly her fantasies had included both men but individually. Never together. Until now her fantasies had been decidedly vanilla. But tonight a whole realm of possibilities presented themselves.

  “Would you care to dance?” Zach’s question interrupted her dip into dream world and she looked up, momentarily distracted.

  Dance with Zach. Her heated body warmed even more at the idea. Her nipples tingled, pressing against the slick lining of her gown and it was all she could do not to groan. Instead she swallowed deeply and nodded.

  “I’d love to.” If this was the only chance she was going to have to put her body against his, she was going to take it. She stood and looked at Mikhel, feeling like she was abandoning him. “If you…”

  He tapped his knee. Drat, she’d forgotten about his ankle. “No dancing for me tonight but you go with Zach. I’ll be here waiting.”

  Feeling strangely like he’d just given her permission to dance, she accepted Zach’s hand and let him guide her onto the dance floor.

  Zach was a great dancer, his body instinctively moving to the slow sensuous beat of the music. They talked and danced until the song ended. The beat sped up on the next number but Zach didn’t seem inclined to stay. He led her back to the table and into her chair.

  “I’ll be back,” he said, nodding to Mikhel and walking away.

  “Having fun?”

  “Yes.” Taylor smiled up at Mikhel and felt the air around them change. He was watching her with those wicked eyes. So blue they often looked like ice but tonight they seemed to burn. She even had the fanciful notion that they flashed red. “Thank you again for arranging this.”

  “Better than Dick Clark?” Mikhel curled a finger around a strand of her hair that had escaped the up-do she’d chosen. He wasn’t actually touching her but she felt the caress across her skin. She took a deep breath—pleased to see his eyes dip down to her cleavage—and tried to focus on answering him.

  “Much better.” She’d meant the words to come out teasing but the strange breathlessness was making it difficult to speak without sounding seductive. And all he’d done was look at her and touch her hair. What would happen if he actually put his hand on her body?

  They fell into a low, easy conversation that ended when the music changed and Zach appeared.

  “Shall we dance?”

  And so it went. One song with Zach on the dance floor, the next with Mikhel at the table. It didn’t take her long to pick up the pattern.

  Or notice that the songs she danced with Zach were slow and seductive, music that just called for two bodies to rub against each other. Each song he moved her subtly closer until the dance turned into a slow moving embrace.

  And Mikhel was drawing her closer as well. Each time Zach returned her to the table, her chair had moved, nearer to Mikhel, a little deeper into the shadows, until they were almost cut off from the rest of the room. They still talked but the conversations felt intent and sexual. He’d progressed from the light touch to her hair to stroking her arm and the back of her hand. The almost shy caresses were a complete contradiction to the power she felt around him. Like he was holding himself back. Or stalking her, seducing her before he pounced.

  Mikhel and Zach. Her mind swirled with the possibilities. It was like they both wanted her. Like they were “courting” her. It was such a strangely archaic word but it seemed to fit. Zach was fun, intent on teasing her, making her laugh.

  Mikhel was dark and serious, talking to her in that low sexual voice that made her want to crawl into his lap to be held.

  And her body was reacting to both men. Her skin was tingling, her pussy twitched with the undeniable need to be filled. She licked her lips, suddenly desperate for the taste of one of them.

  “I believe this is my dance.” Zach appeared beside her chair and offered his hand. Though his reluctance was obvious, Mikhel sat back, withdrawing a bit to give her room to leave.

  On the dance floor, Zach eased her into his arms. Bodies swayed around them, the slow, dreamy music perfect for lovers. He pulled her close, his hands resting at the top of her butt, his palms warm against her naked back.

  “God, you feel good,” he whispered, his lips against her ear. He rubbed his hands up her back and pressed her even closer. She didn’t resist, wanting to feel him, her nipples aching with the need for more pressure. Her hips swayed with his, making brushing contacts with his erection. The light touches sent shivers down her spine. Ooh, she wanted mor
e of that. As if he heard her, his hands tightened on her hips and he slowed their bodies, pulling her up against him until his cock snuggled into the V of her thighs.

  Breathless, she lifted her eyes. The same wicked red she thought she’d seen in Mikhel’s gaze was there…and then it was gone. But the heat lingered and Taylor wanted to feel it, feel those lips on her body.

  Slowly Zach bent down and placed his lips on hers. The first kiss was light and gentle, teasing her with the promise of his mouth. Every oral fantasy she’d had about Zach came rushing back as he flicked his tongue across her upper lip, subtly tasting her and asking for entrance. She opened her mouth, wanting to feel him, taste him. And he was there, easing his tongue between her lips, still slow, more exploring than conquering, as if he didn’t want to miss one bit of the experience. God, she’d never felt more savored in her life.

  His hand slid up her back, cupping her neck as he turned her, opening her for a deep caress. Their tongues twisted together as he slowly pulsed his hips against hers, subtly moving his cock along her slit. Oh it felt so good. And she wanted more.

  In the far distance, she heard the music change and moaned, knowing Zach would pull back.

  With a final stroke of his tongue, he did just that. Taylor gasped, missing the feel of his mouth on hers, wanting more.

  “The song’s over. I have to take you back.”

  The reminder that Mikhel was waiting for them jolted her out of the pre-orgasmic stupor that just one of Zach’s kisses could cause. Goodness, what would it be like if he made love to her?

  With Zach’s hand on her back, he nudged her toward the edge of the dance floor.

  “Hmm, he’s pissed,” he said softly.

  Taylor glanced at Mikhel and saw what Zach saw. Mikhel hadn’t moved and he wasn’t watching them. But one finger was tapping a hard pounding rhythm on the table.

  “Why?” she asked though she knew the answer.

  “Because I got to taste you first.”

  Chapter Three

  Triumph rang through Zach’s statement, confusing Taylor all the more. But then he looked down at her and there was only kindness and lust in his eyes. “It’ll be okay,” he promised though she wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about. “Come on. We don’t want him to get more upset.” She couldn’t decide if Zach was pleased or irritated by Mikhel’s reaction.

  But he hurried her back, leaving her near the table. She noticed he didn’t walk her all the way to her chair, almost as if he knew it was dangerous to get too close to Mikhel.

  She walked the last few feet alone, her knees wobbling as she sat down. Mikhel was upset but she didn’t feel in danger. She felt excited. The kiss with Zach had been wonderful and sexual.

  Now, sitting beside Mikhel, she looked at the tight, powerful shape of his body and knew he was barely containing all that energy. The anger at seeing Zach kiss her had brought it to the surface. It was all there waiting for her to release.

  The sexual feeling Zach had started increased. Just looking at Mikhel, his stern face and the flat line of his mouth made her want to lean over and kiss him, tell him she wanted him. She had the strangest desire to crawl on top of him and apologize for letting Zach touch her first. There was no way she could apologize for kissing Zach. It had been too delicious.

  And she wanted more. She wanted Mikhel. Where Zach was subtle and skilled—Mikhel was energy and strength.

  But she didn’t know what to do. What to say.

  She sat, silently waiting. After a full minute of tension, Mikhel turned to look at her. The fire in his eyes made her lean back. A low growl rumbled from his chest, as if warning her not to pull away from him. She gulped and sat forward, moving closer to him. Some of the tension eased from his body as her shoulder brushed his.

  “Did you enjoy him?”

  Her pussy fluttered at Mikhel’s harsh question and she looked up at him, immediately captured by his gaze.

  “What?”

  “Did you enjoy his mouth on yours? His taste?”

  She swallowed, not sure how to answer. She wanted to look away but the compulsion to stay was too strong.

  “Yes,” she finally replied. She had to. Zach’s mouth had felt wonderful against hers, soft and sensual. Seductive. She licked her lips and stared at Mikhel’s mouth. Where Zach had been tempting, Mikhel would command, conquer. And heaven help her, she wanted that too. Wanted to feel that power. She blushed, just thinking about it. What was happening to her?

  Gathering her courage, she watched Mikhel to see how her answer had affected him. His lips were tight and his nostrils flaring, like an animal warning others to stay away from his kill. Part of her reacted to the innate threat but she knew he would never hurt her. He wanted her.

  She leaned forward and placed her mouth against his, needing to soothe the wounded animal inside. His lips remained passive for only a moment and then he kissed her, slow and sensual, tightly restrained power as he turned his head and molded their lips together. Needing to offer herself to him, Taylor opened her mouth, using her tongue much the way Zach had to tempt Mikhel to come inside her.

  She opened her eyes and saw him watching her, the heat from his stare almost turning his eyes red. He opened his mouth and plunged his tongue between her lips. She groaned. This was it—that barely masked power she’d sensed in him. She sucked on his tongue, savoring his groan, thrilled that she’d pleased him. But he wouldn’t let her lead for long. He seized control of the kiss and Taylor had no choice but to accept the powerful, commanding strokes. His masculine taste—and a lingering hint of chocolate mousse—overwhelmed her and she wanted more. Wanted to drown in the delicious flavor.

  Heat crept up her thigh and Taylor moaned. Her sensation-clouded brain recognized Mikhel’s hand on her thigh, beneath her skirt and moving higher. The fact that they were in public, tongue kissing and with his hand under her dress tried to insinuate itself in her brain but she couldn’t resist his touch. God, if he stripped the dress off her completely and fucked her on the floor she would have let him. That thought alone pulled her back from the kiss.

  “Mikhel—”

  “No one can see us and you owe me this.”

  For letting Zach kiss her. She shivered at the banked anger in his words. Mikhel stayed near but didn’t kiss her. He watched her. Watched as he moved his hand farther up her leg. Feminine instinct urged her to squeeze her legs shut—to block out the intruder—but something more powerful came through her body and she eased her knees apart, granting him the access.

  “Very good.” His compliment sent a rush of moisture through her pussy. God, that voice. He could probably talk her to orgasm. His fingers skimmed up the inside of her thigh, his hand completely hidden beneath the flowing material of her skirt. He stroked a single digit up the centerline of her panties and Taylor couldn’t hide her gasp. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed. The rest of the world was focused elsewhere.

  “No one is watching us.” He eased closer, putting his other arm around her back. Taylor moved with him, letting her shoulder rest against his chest. “That’s it, baby. Now lift up. Let me have these.” He hooked his finger into the crotch of her underwear and tugged. Her body seemed to be his to command. Using the chair and his shoulder as support, she lifted her butt. Mikhel pulled and the silky material slid away, leaving her naked. “Good girl.” His words were a tickling caress to her clit. “Now, let me touch you.”

  Trying to look casual in case anyone was watching, Taylor kept her legs open as Mikhel eased his hand back between her thighs. “That’s it, baby. Let me in.” His fingers traced the crease between her thigh and her sex, moving higher, teasing her pussy lips with seductive caresses. So tempting but not quite enough. “So hot. Did dancing with Zach make you hot?”

  “Yes.”

  “You like the feel of his body against yours?” His finger pushed deeper, sliding through her slit and teasing the opening to her pussy. “Tell me.”

  Taylor couldn’t resist the command
in his voice. “Yes.”

  “But I’m going to be the one who fucks you.”

  As he spoke, he pushed his finger into her cunt, suppressing a groan as the tight walls closed around him. Her eyes widened and Mikhel knew he was pushing too hard, possibly scaring her away, but he couldn’t stop. Something drove him on. He pumped his finger inside her as he placed his mouth on hers. Slow, go slow. The wolf inside him howled its displeasure. With the full moon so close, the animal was strong and hungry. It sensed the power that flowed through Mikhel’s veins and wanted the female.

  The music changed and from the corner of his eye, he saw Zach approach. Mikhel’s lips pulled back in an instinctive snarl, protecting what belonged to him. Zach stayed back, no doubt seeing how close Mikhel was to losing control.

  It was time to let Zach have her.

  But the wolf wouldn’t let him.

  Mikhel stared at Zach, daring him to interrupt, knowing he could see Mikhel’s hand under Taylor’s dress. Between her legs. He slid his thumb across her clit, loving the breathless gasp as he stroked her. He pumped his finger inside her cunt, wanting Zach to see that his finger was fucking this pussy they both wanted. “You’re so tight, baby,” he whispered, dismissing Zach and placing a biting kiss on her lips. “You need to be fucked good and hard.”

  Taylor’s eyelids fluttered and he knew he’d shocked her. Wait until I slide into you, baby. Then you’ll know what I mean.

  “My dance,” Zach said, his voice cold and brusque. Mikhel didn’t move. Every animal instinct in him demanded that he crush Zach, remove the threat to his female, but a quick look into Taylor’s eyes brought him down. She was hungry for what he could give her but there was a hint of fear as well.

  “Sorry, baby,” Mikhel whispered. “Next time.” Regretfully, but feeling the draw of the human convention, Mikhel eased his hand from beneath her skirt. The scent of her pussy wafted through the air as he bared his fingers. Zach’s body tensed and he growled. The wolf inside Mikhel rose to the challenge, snarling inside his mind. He was Alpha. He was the leader and if he wanted the female, he would take her.