Proud to Serve Her(11)

A shiver washed through her at his easy grin.

“So you were a Marine….”

“No, ma’am. I am a Marine. I’m just not on active duty.” He picked up his wine glass and she mirrored him, barely aware of the waitress stealing away their plates and replacing them with a platter of steak and steamed vegetables. The scents creeping up from the plates set her mouth to watering and her stomach cheered.

Unless she planned to spend eight hours on the treadmill the next day, she’d never burn off so many calories.

“Thank you, Mindy.” He never lifted his gaze from Helena’s and her cheeks began to ache from smiling, the muscles of her face locked in a permanent grin.

“Yes, thank you.” She managed a quick glance at the waitress who winked and slipped away as quietly as she’d come. The parting curtain revealed dimmer lighting beyond and the haunting blues of a lone jazz horn.

“Oooh, you have live musicians, too.” Her heart did a little fist pump. She’d had one case take her to the French Quarter a year before, just a week after her birthday and a street musician’s performance brought her to tears. She’d never heard such a mournful, beautiful sound before.

“Yes, ma’am. Would you like me to tell you about your dinner?”

“You can tell me anything you want. I’m completely in your hands.” Apprehensive desire knotted in her belly. It was the single, most provocative thing she’d ever said to a man and the intensity flaring in his blue eyes told her he’d received the message, loud and clear.

“Completely?” he asked, setting the wine glass to the side and plucking hers from her nerveless fingers.

“Completely.”

Tingles followed the brush of his skin on hers and she held her breath. “Will you let me feed you?”

“Haven’t you been doing that already?” The one-two punch of her heart against her ribs sounded so loud in her own ears.

“Yes, but I want to give you the full experience. I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed…let me feed your soul, one bite at a time.”

Heat flamed between her thighs and her panties dampened. Not quite trusting her voice and not altogether certain it was the best idea, she nodded slowly.

He traced his fingers across the palm of her hand. “Close your eyes.”

She gazed at him for a long moment, burning an imprint in her mind of his intense expression, earnest gaze. Clenching her fingers into her napkin, she closed her eyes.

“How is your palate?” The words shivered through her, and he abandoned her palm to stroke her cheek. She hoped he never stopped.

“I don’t know. I think it’s…I think it’s okay. Everything has tasted wonderful.”

“Let’s see.” His breath whispered against her lips, the warmth of him washing over her face. Her eyelids fluttered, but a brush of his fingers kept them closed.

The first touch of his lips on hers and she forgot to breathe. His lips were soft, warm and her mouth opened in a silent O. Her thoughts fogged. Electricity raced down her spine. His tongue rubbed against hers, an invitation. She forgot to think altogether.





Chapter Four





Her mouth opened willingly beneath Damon’s. What began as a provocative tease, escalated to explosive passion. She kissed with an almost shy, abandon that rang a chord deep inside him. He forgot about the food, teasing her palate, and the game of seduction. The earthy, rich, sweet scent of her filled him. Need raged through him and his pants tightened a notch. The desire to take it slow and explore warred with the want to strip off all their barriers and claim her right there on the table.

Her head fell back and he smiled and coaxed her tongue back against his own lips, sucking sweetly and delighting at her first tentative thrust against his teeth. Cradling her face between his hands, he drew lazy, slow circles with his thumbs against her cheeks. He wanted her boldness. He wanted her to demand. Hell, he wanted to answer those demands.

Inch by inch, her body shifted in the chair, turning in toward him until a length of her bare leg brushed against his pants and the fire he teased roared to life. A low moan seemed to roll up from her belly and then her hands were in his hair, nails lightly scraping against his scalp. The push-pull thrust of their kiss dropped a live grenade of lust in his belly, detonating until his cock swelled painfully.

Her shudders dragged him back from the decadence of her lips. Breaking the kiss, he glided his fingers along her arms, and tugged her fingers away from his hair until he could cradle both of her hands in his. Her eyelashes fluttered open revealing glazed passion in her eyes. No trace of nervousness remained in her expression. Her sexy, sweet swollen lips—plumped from one, sinfully delicious kiss—quirked into a grin.