Imprisoned by Desire Read online

  “With you?”

  The words were out of my mouth before I had time to think about them, but they were exactly what I wanted.

  Cass didn’t answer right away and I had a momentary flash of panic that I’d stepped across that line from sexy to needy.

  Then he smiled and led me to the bathroom.

  “Oh my God, Cass. This is amazing.”

  The room was nearly as large as his bedroom and looked exactly like an ancient Roman bath.

  The floors and walls were a rich cream surface that looked like concrete inset with a beautiful mosaic of a bright sun in the center of the floor. Stepping into the room, I noticed that, instead of being cold, the floor was warm beneath my feet.

  Then I turned to the left and gawked at the gorgeous sunken tub that took up nearly a third of the room. It looked as if it’d been imported straight from ancient Rome via a time portal.

  Also made of concrete, the recirculating tub was built to hold at least four people and had three steps leading down into the clear water. Running my fingers along the raised lip, I marveled at the smooth-as-silk texture of the concrete.

  A constant stream of water fell from a wall-mounted round plaque depicting what looked like an ancient god. Steam rose, making the air moist and warm. I faintly detected the hum of a fan somewhere in the domed ceiling.

  Next to the tub stood a shower area with a curved wall, partially separating it from the rest of the room.

  On the wall to the right of the entrance was a double sink, the taps simple copper levers that would release water to flow down a slide and into the bowl.

  Behind the door to my right in a small alcove was a modern porcelain toilet, the only fixture in the room that looked out of place.

  Cass walked to the tub, bending to touch the water, giving me a perfect shot of his perfect ass. Desire fell on me like a wave of heat. I wanted him again—as many times as I could have him.

  Jesus, I was obsessed. Crazy obsessed like…like my mother.

  Okay, take a deep breath. Tonight is not the night to go there.

  “Sara, you okay?”

  Another deep breath then I nodded. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Cass stared at me for a few seconds, those dark eyes assessing but not cold. Despite his hard features, he didn’t look scary, though I imagined he might to others.

  When he held out his hand, I didn’t think twice about taking it. I let him lead me into the hot water, not scalding but more than warm. The perfect temperature for a good soak.

  I sat on the ledge, the water surrounding me up to my shoulders. Cass sank onto the opposite end of the bench and leaned back against the wall.

  “This is paradise,” I murmured, closing my eyes before the look on Cass’s face made my too warm to stay in the water. “I’d spend most of my time at home in this tub. You have to tell me the name of your designer. I want one of these.”

  “Then I guess you’ll have to invite me over some time to take measurements. But you’re welcome here whenever you’d like.”

  My eyes popped open to look at him. “You designed this?”

  A smile played around the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, as a matter of fact I did.”

  “You do beautiful work, Mr. Graziano. It reminds me of a Roman bathhouse. Is that where you got the idea?”

  He shrugged. “My ancestors are from Italy.” As if that explained everything. “I like to create things on paper and see them come to life. Helps keep my stress levels down.”

  Wow, a true Renaissance man. “So what else do you do for fun, Cass— What is that short for anyway?”

  He didn’t answer either question right away, simply continued staring at me. What was the big deal about his name? Or was that not his real name? What did I really know about this guy anyway? What—

  “It’s Cassian. My parents are into family names. I like to read mysteries, watch The Daily Show and play basketball with my brothers, because I usually beat the pants off them. What about you? What do you do when you’re not working for your uncle?”

  Was that censure in his voice when he mentioned my uncle or was I being paranoid? “Cassian, huh? That sounds really…old. Like ancient Roman.”

  He nodded, that half-smile flirting with his lips again. “It’s Etruscan actually. And you didn’t answer my question. What do you do with your free time, Sara?”

  My stomach fluttered whenever he said my name. “I read a lot, romance mostly, and I like to do yoga. It helps me de-stress. My uncle converted one of the rooms into a studio for me.”

  “Did you teach yourself?”

  “No, I took a few semesters for my phys-ed credits in college and continued on my own afterward. I really don’t have the time to go to a class. I never know when I’m going to be free. And I love being able to roll out of bed in the morning and walk across the hall to my studio.”

  “Convenient. Your uncle must dote on you.”

  Well, I couldn’t deny that, but why did Cass sound less than thrilled about it? “I suppose so.”

  “Having met you, I understand why.”

  The compliment baffled me. How was I supposed to respond to that? The man seemed too good to be true—and way too yummy to sit so far away from. I wanted to touch him. I’d been careful to keep my eyes above water level the entire time they’d been sitting in here but, in my peripheral vision, I could see his skin gleaming in the water.

  I let my gaze drop to his wet shoulders, my eyes tracing water droplets. Cass had the most beautiful shoulders I’d ever seen. Not too muscled and perfectly proportioned. The same was true of his arms, which he had draped over the sides of the tub. Firm and muscled, capable of lifting me without effort.

  His chest was a work of art all on its own and I couldn’t stop myself from reaching for him. When I was close enough to touch him, I shifted my gaze to his eyes and fell into the fiery depths of his desire.

  Chapter Five

  Cass

  I felt something crack apart in my chest when Sara looked at me.

  She was an open book, her pale green eyes shining with the same rampant desire I felt for her.

  I realized I was sunk—and not just in the water.

  Whatever I’d planned, whatever I’d wanted to use this woman for, it wasn’t going to happen. I couldn’t do it, couldn’t use her like that—because I’d finally found the woman I’d been searching for all these years. My woman, the one I’d willingly tie myself to for all eternity, to be blood-bound. At this moment, I’d gladly cut myself and her and mingle their blood so their souls would be tied forever.

  How did I know she was the one? Hell if I could figure that out. I just knew.

  As if Sara sensed my momentary distraction, she stopped just before reaching me. But whatever she saw in my expression must’ve convinced her to cup my face in her hands and lay her mouth on mine.

  Her soft lips tasted sweet and, dear Goddess, I could kiss her for hours and never get enough of her.

  But she was still too far away, even though only inches separated them. Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I brought her naked body fully against mine, groaning at the contact. Before, on the bed, I’d purposefully kept my distance. Some functioning part of my brain must’ve realized what was happening and had tried to keep my mission intact.

  Well, things had changed. The seduction had changed.

  This woman was mine and I wasn’t going to let a little thing like my former plan to use her against her uncle come back to bite me.

  Now, I needed to make her fall in love with me, convince her that I was her mate for life, not just a one-night stand.

  I didn’t have my brother Nino’s bassadone spell woven into my genes to make women want me. Nino had always considered the spell a curse but Cass, in my misguided youth, had wondered what it’d be like to have women fall all over me.

  That ability would come in handy now as I tried to put everything I felt into my kiss. I knew I wasn’t unpleasant to women, some had even fallen in love with me bef
ore. But I’d never felt the same.

  Now…now would probably be a good time to stop thinking and just kiss Sara.

  With my hands splayed across her back, I pulled her even tighter against me, her small breasts flush against my chest. Lowering one hand to her ass, I pressed her forward the last few centimeters until her mound nestled against my erection.

  She moaned into my mouth at the contact and I drew her breath into my body like a charmed potion. My already-throbbing cock pounded with lust. The water surrounding them felt like silk, caressing their skin, sensitizing everywhere it touched.

  Sara’s legs parted and landed on either side of my thighs on the ledge, spreading her wide, leaving her open for me. Her hips started a slow slide, grinding her mound up and down my shaft.

  She continued to kiss me, her hands slipping into the hair at the nape of my neck, winding in the curls made unruly by the humidity in the air. She tugged on them, a tiny pain that added fuel to the fire in my groin…and brought me back to my senses for a few brief seconds. I’d almost forgotten about my ears.

  Too long and pointed to be mistaken merely as odd, they were the only part of my body that revealed my secret—that I wasn’t the human I appeared to be.

  I was Fata, a descendant of a magical Etruscan race. My people came from the mountains and forests of ancient Etruria where they’d lived alongside the Gods and Goddesses.

  Today the Fata either blended with the humans or they lived in seclusion. Cass’s family had chosen centuries ago to blend. It’d become second nature to hide my ears. If I forgot and slicked back my wet hair or let Sara get to close, I couldn’t be sure how she’d react.

  I needed time to ease her into my world, to make sure she realized I would never hurt her.

  Molding one hand to her breast, I played with her nipple until it formed a stiff peak then I did the same to the other. Her breasts were small but responsive. With every caress, I felt her make an answering motion with her lower body, pressing against my erection in maddeningly short strokes. I stopped myself from pulling her against me, didn’t try to contain her. Resting my arms on the rim of the tub, I gave her the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

  It seemed all she wanted to do was torment me. She continued to kiss me, her mouth hot, her tongue silky as it dueled with mine. I tensed for a brief second as her hands released my hair, fearing she might stroke my ears, but she moved them down my neck and onto my shoulders. Her fingers smoothed down to my elbows then back up again, the slow wet friction of skin on skin making my balls tighten even more.

  From my shoulders, she moved to my back, lightly scraping her short nails down my spine and over my ass then back up. She did this circuit a few more times until I thought I’d go crazy. Then she moved her hands to my front, scratching down my stomach to just above the root of my cock, careful not to touch anything I was dying for her to touch.

  Groaning, I released her mouth to draw in a deep breath. “Sara…”

  She moved her mouth to the curve of my neck and shoulder and took a nip out of the skin. Her nails scraped back up my stomach again. “Yes?”

  I shuddered like a horse under the whip. “Use those on my cock.”

  She licked a path across my collarbone. “I didn’t hear you say please.

  “Please, Sara. Please use your nails on my cock.”

  She smiled against my neck, her lips brushing against my skin. “I like the way you beg.”

  Without warning, her hands wrapped around my cock and balls. My head fell back against the rim of the tub as she gave me exactly what I’d asked for. Her nails teased the sensitive skin of my shaft, making flashes of light spark behind my closed eyelids. My orgasm built momentum as she scraped, my nerve endings tingling as if I’d been jolted by a live current.

  She continued her torment until I could no longer keep still. When my hips thrust forward, she released me—but only for the second it took for her to move her hips into place and take me inside her body.

  She settled on me with a sigh, her sex so wet she slid down to the hilt with little resistance. The sensation took them both by surprise, because they gasped in unison.

  Wrapping her arms around my shoulders, she rested her head against my neck and didn’t move. I felt the tiny fluctuations of her sheath around my cock, taking it even further inside her body, signaling her oncoming orgasm.

  I didn’t know how long they sat like that, unmoving but for her inner contractions. I didn’t realize I’d started to sweat with the effort to hold still and absorb every sensation without taking over, until a bead of moisture made its way down the side of my face.

  My hands gripped the tub rim even tighter and I consciously eased off when I felt the concrete nearly give way beneath my fingers.

  I lifted my head and nuzzled my nose into her hair, laying a kiss on her head. “Sara?”

  “I’m on the pill.” Her soft breath teased my neck, making my skin break out in goose bumps and my cock throb.

  “And I’m safe. I swear. Make love to me, Sara.”

  It was her turn to shudder and I knew I’d chosen the right words. The exact right words, because this was no longer about sex.

  She didn’t bother to say anything, just shifted her hips into a lazy rhythm. With my heart pounding and my blood boiling, I let her take me, holding off my climax through sheer determination.

  The sweet torture became a test of wills—who held out the longest. Since I refused to come until she did and she didn’t seem in any hurry to do so, I finally raised my head and pulled her mouth down to my.

  It was the spark she needed to push her over the edge. She moaned against my lips, opened her mouth to let my tongue in and ground her lower body against mine faster. That was all it took to break her self-discipline, to make her come. Her sheath contracted so strongly, her whole body shook with the effort.

  In a rush, I came, too, buried so deeply inside her. The thought that someday she might have my child gripped me with the same sense of rightness I’d had when I’d realized she was mine.

  To hell with going slow.

  She wasn’t leaving.

  Chapter Six

  Sara

  I wasn’t quite sure how we got from the tub back to his bed, or when that happened. But the next time I opened my eyes, sunshine flooded the room from the windows at the front of the house.

  Cass slouched in an overstuffed leather chair next to the bed, half dressed in a pair of worn jeans—staring at me with his head propped on one hand.

  “Hi.” His voice had that wonderful gravelly quality that made my hormones sit up and dance.

  I smiled, stretched and watched his eyes follow my movement. “Good morning. At least I hope it’s still morning.”

  “It is. Saturday morning.”

  I couldn’t decipher his expression. It was almost blank and I wondered if I’d overstayed my welcome. Sitting up, I kept the bedsheet tight around my chest, which was ridiculous considering what they’d been doing last night.

  “Well, I guess I should—”

  “Stay the weekend.”

  My mouth shut with a snap and I blinked at him for a few seconds. He looked so damn serious, as if he were asking me something much more…interesting.

  “I—”

  “Stay. I wa— I’d like you to.”

  He looked so intense his gaze glued to mine, so I couldn’t look away.

  “You don’t have plans for this weekend?”

  He shook his head. “None I can’t change. Stay. Please.”

  A fierce happiness took root and I couldn’t help but grin.

  Cass was out of the chair and kissing me before I could say a word. He laid his lips on mine hard and fast then he pulled back and smiled, a full-blown grin that made my heart melt.

  “Good. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll get some breakfast together. Unless you want to get some more sleep?”

  He was so close I could see how dark his eyes truly were. With his hands planted on either side of my body,
his chest only inches from my own, he filled the space around me so all I could see or smell or breathe was him.

  I definitely didn’t want to go back to sleep.

  The second I thought that, his breathing pattern changed. I heard him take shorter, shallower breaths and I swore I felt heat rise off his body.

  “I’m not really that tired.” I stared into his eyes. “And I’m not really that hungry.”

  His gaze narrowed. “Then what do you want, Sara?”

  “You.”

  “Good choice.” He kissed me again.

  Chapter Seven

  Cass

  “Nino, we need to talk.”

  My brother grumbled something under his breath but the phone line crackled and I didn’t have the patience to figure out what he’d said.

  “I’m gonna transport you here. I don’t want to leave her alone.”

  “Cass, whoa, wait a minute. What the hell are you talking about?” My younger brother was suddenly very alert.

  “I need to talk to you right now so I’m going to transport you. Is Ellie there?”

  “No, she’s with her dad—”

  “Good. Hold on.”

  “Wait—”

  I couldn’t wait and I didn’t want to have this talk over the landline. Though the line was magically warded against eavesdropping, tapping and government surveillance, the operator who handled all calls on this system was known to butt in with her own opinions every now and then. And I was in no mood for interference.

  I closed my eyes, visualized my brother and chanted the spell that would shift Tonio from wherever I was to where I wanted him to be—which was right here.

  “Vaffanculo, Cass. You really piss me off when you do that.”

  Opening my eyes, I had the most ridiculous feeling of relief when I saw my younger brother rematerialize in my den at the back of the house.

  Nino’s familiar face was set in angry lines as he looked down on me by a few inches. Though Nino was thinner, he was stronger, at least physically. Magically, I was light-years ahead.