Unexpected Sting by Viola Grace (good romance books to read TXT) 📗

the camera files this afternoon. Are youfollowing me?”

“What? No! I don’t even know whoyou are.” She scowled. She would learn quickly who he was, butright now, she was clueless.

“Why were you in Crioss?”

“Animal shelter getting deaththreats. I sorted it.”

“Daymar city.”

“Stalked socialite. I sortedit.”

“Yeringer?”

“A child was involved. That oneis mostly finished but up before the courts, so I can’t expound on it.”

His eyes widened. “Right. So, itis just coincidence.”

“Why were you at all thoseplaces?”

“I am in acquisitions forTwilight’s company. I find companies in distress that we can takeover and restructure.”

“And you need a neck like a bullto do that part of your job?”

His dark bronze skin and blondehair barely contained a body that looked like it wanted to blow.His dark suit was a miracle of engineering. He obviously spent alot of time on his appearance or hired people to do it for him.

“Well, it has been nice to meetyou and all, but can you return me to the Twilight’s house? Once the elf union has been lockedin, we need to reclaim Nessa. Again.”

He slowly started to walk aroundher. “You aren’t nervous about being here with me?”

“Dude, I don’t even know who youare. Why would I be nervous?”

“Well, you are physically at adisadvantage.”

“You believe that if it givesyou comfort.” She watched him pace slowly into her field of view,but she noted that he was a projection. She steppedsideways, and his arm swept through theplace she had been standing. “Aww... too slow.”

He followed through, and she jumped back again. “You are surprisinglyspry for a nearly naked woman.”

“Oh, when we are naked is whenwe are fastest. We aren’t weighed down. The question is why are youtrying to grab me?”

“I would like to hold you for amoment.”

She cocked her head. “Ask.”

He paused. “Seriously?”

“Yup. Ask. Use yourbig-boy words.”

He smiled. “But it isn’ttradition. The tradition is that I capture one of the bride’s partyand ransom a kiss from her.”

“Or sex.”

He blinked. “What?”

She smiled. “The dark elves werealways pushing for sex. We were briefed before the party today. Youaren’t quite a dark elf, and you aredefinitely a magic user as well as being of supernaturalbloodlines.”

He looked amused. “How do youguess that?”

She walked up to him and put herhands on her hips. “I just had a funny feeling.” She looked all theway up, and it was a nearly seven-foottrip before she met his gaze. “Either you are non-human, or yourmom is still walking funny.”

He bent and gripped her waist,lifting her until she was even with his face. She smiled. “So,which ransom are you asking for? If the answer isn’t a kiss, youare getting kicked, and I will flash mycleavage at cars until someone gives me a ride home.”

He looked down at said cleavageand then said, “I am asking for a kiss. No time limit. I willreturn you to the mansion.”

She nodded. “So, I suppose I amthe one paying.” Stinger leaned toward him and braced her hands onhis shoulders. She leaned in, and justbefore she made contact, she asked,“What’s your name?”

“Arthur.”

“Nice to meet you, Arthur.” Sheleaned the rest of the way in and brushedher lips along his, teasing him with her tongue until he parted hislips and his tongue politely flicked forward. She was in remarkablylittle contact with him aside from the kiss, and part of her was frustrated.

She pulled him closer to her anddeepened the kiss. He pulled her toward him and wrapped his armsaround her, and that was what she wanted. Heat started to ripplethrough her in a slow wave as his participation in the kiss becamemore insistent.

One arm pinned her to his chest,and the other slid into her damp hair and cradled the back of herhead. His tongue stroked in and out slowly, withdrawing andstarting again.

She moaned, and they continued making out for several minutesuntil she leaned back and panted.

Arthur leaned toward her.“More.”

He was so polite that she leanedin, and they started again.

When she started wondering abouthow bad it would be to renegotiate the ransom for sex, she pushedaway, her chest heaving. “Take me back.”

He blinked, dazed. “What?”

She stroked his cheek. “Take meback to the Twilight mansion. The ransom has been paid.”

He let out a sound that wasreminiscent of a landslide meeting a whirlwind. “Right. I have toput you back.”

She smiled. “But total applausefor holding me up this long. I am not used to feeling dainty.”

He blinked and looked down. “Youare just right.”

“Um, okay. I still need to getback to the mansion.”

“You need to get away fromme.”

“That, too.” She chuckled. “Youare doing funny things to my self-control. I need to getaway—change my surroundings.”

He stroked her cheek, mimickingwhat she had done to him. “What are you?”

She chuckled. “Father’s speciesis unknown. Unlike Nessa’s parents, my mother couldn’t find myfather after they had gotten me started.”

“You are related to thebride?”

“Second cousins, I think. I havenever been able to figure that out. Our mothers are cousins.” Itwas odd to be having this conversation while being dangled againsthis chest.

He cocked his head. “Will you begoing to the gym tomorrow?”

She chuckled. “No. It is goingto be all wedding stuff. Based on the hotel room, I am guessingthat you aren’t going to be in town long?” She paused. “And that you are not planning on holding onto methe entire time?”

He smiled. “That does seem likean excellent use of my time.”

“Well, I can’t help out at thewedding dressed like this, so I am going to say hard pass.”

“Speaking of hard...”

“Just because a guy gets anerection doesn’t entitle him to do anything with it, just likeseeing you working out didn’t entitle Peggy to jump you.”

He blinked. “How did youknow?”

“I have met Peggy and seen herin action.” She sighed. “She probably gave you a blow job near thelocker room.”

He was genuinely surprised. “Shetried. I had a meeting.”

That gave her pause. “You hadwill against Peggy?”

He looked wary. “Is that sounusual?”

“Yeah. It totally is. She’s asuccubus, so once she latcheson, she’s really hard to dislodge.”

“You speak from experience?” Hewas chuckling.

“Totally. She isn’tfussy, and I have a certain allure towomen who like women.”

He chuckled. “How did you escapefrom her clutches?”

She blinked and cocked her head.“Who says I did? We reached