CHAPTER TWELVE
Rowan tastes even better than the cherry sucker.
I can’t get enough of his sweetness, burrowing into the damp patch on his jeans with a hungry whimper. They’re black, and tight, and hug his lean muscles like a dream, but it’s the taste that’s so addictive, the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. It sizzles on my tongue, a warmth spreading through my chest to rival the ache between my thighs.
“Can you take them off?” I ask, tugging at the denim. “I want to taste you with nothing between us.”
The groan that rips out of him makes my toes curl. “Sweetheart, I want that more than anything. But I think your heat is coming on fast. As much as I want your mouth on me, we should head for the hotel while we still can.”
There’s no hiding my pout, and he smiles as he leans down, cupping my face for a soft, lingering kiss. It steals my breath and makes my heart flutter, but it also stirs my insides with a heated spoon. I don’t just want his jeans off; I want him as naked as his little nesting doll. Then I want to kiss and lick him all over, tasting every secret space until I can burrow inside him, drunk on his sweetness, and drowning in his slick…
I blink, my face burning as I realize how loudly I’m panting. “I think I’m losing my mind.”
“You’re just entering the haze,” he says as he swipes his thumbs over my hot cheeks. “It’s normal, just maybe a little quicker than expected.”
I don’t know what the haze is, except that it seems to be stealing my last, struggling scraps of reason. Every brush of my skin against Rowan’s is like another spark on a hungry fire, and I’m not sure if I want to smother it or let it rage out of control. “Okay. And you really think we should go to the hotel?”
A part of me is hoping he says no, especially with him stretched out above me like a plate of grilled cheese. I wrinkle my nose at the thought, adjusting the image to that beautiful cake in his cookbook – the one with the gooey filling that glowed like a crimson river. That’s how I imagine Rowan’s slick will taste. Decadent, creamy, and even sweeter than the marshmallows in a hot chocolate.
“Yeah, this place is good for shopping, but the security is better at the hotel.” He unfolds his elegant limbs and draws me to my feet, his arm going around me in a way I’m starting to obsess about. After all those years of being poked and prodded, you’d think I’d hate being touched, but this is different. Rowan isn’t trying to get something from me; he’s just offering his body for me to use, any way I need.
And I need him in lots of ways. The flare of heat between my thighs makes my knees weak, and I clutch his chest as he picks up the fruit platter, handfeeding me pieces of fruit. It’s a nice distraction, the grapes popping on my tongue and the strawberries fat and sweet. Rowan smiles as I gobble them down, feeding himself in between my appreciative moans. I shiver when he chooses a chunk of pineapple, the tart fruit sweetened by his fingers as I lick away the juice. The urge to suck them into my mouth is overpowering, and I look up at him with hooded eyes. “I need you, Rowan.”
“I know, sweetheart. Just let me grab that box and we can go.”
“I can help you with that, Mr. Vale.” I don’t know if the owner was watching us or listening at the door, and I don’t care. If she’s here, it means I don’t have to let go of Rowan as he says, “We’ll take the box and the brochure.” His warm, bright eyes dip back to me. “If you see anything you want, Maggie will get it delivered to the hotel.”
The woman nods and gives me a kind smile, sweeping ahead of us with the mysterious box in her hands. “It’s not going to be too much?” I ask as we follow. The hallway alone is more elegant than anything I’ve ever seen, and I think again of Rowan’s trailer. It was beautiful as well, but on a much smaller scale. Is he rich, or just getting by? I don’t know how to tell, and I bite my lip, wishing I could contribute more. “I want to pay for some of this, but I don’t have any money right now…”
“It’s okay. Maggie gives me an industry discount.” He squeezes my arm in reassurance, and when Maggie hands the box off to Kennedy, I step forward and give the older woman a quick hug. She makes a surprised sound, but she smells enough like Dex for me to cling a little longer, and eventually her arms tighten around me.
“You’ll be fine,” she murmurs in my ear. “There are no better hands to be in for your heat than Mr. Vale’s.”
Safe hands that don’t seem to mind my clinginess, even joining me under the protective tarp for the ride to the hotel. Rowan complains a bit about the plastic smell – which is way better than a slick suit, to be honest – but he doesn’t seem to notice it as much when he presses his nose against my neck. By the time Kennedy has parked in an undercover parking garage, Rowan’s pupils are blown wide and there’s a red mark on my throat that throbs with my heartbeat.
“Well, looks like we made it in the nick of time,” Kennedy snorts, handing Rowan the black box so she can drag the suitcase out of the trunk. I can feel her sharp eyes assessing me, and I try not to drool on her brother as he wraps his arm back around my waist. “They’ve asked us to take the service entrance,” she adds, directing us past rows of trucks and vans to an elevator. As we step inside, the sour stink of old scent sweat is heavy in the air, and I realize we’ve been sent this way because of my heat. Keeping me apart from other guests, given that I’m one second away from climbing Rowan like a tree.
He twitches under my grip, glaring around at the scuffed walls. “If this is the reception we get, maybe we should’ve stayed at the Emporium.”
“No, this is safer, I promise.” Kennedy ushers us out into a carpeted hallway, and while it smells a little better, it’s not nearly as good as the side of Rowan’s neck. “These are pack suites,” she goes on, hustling us to the end of the hall. “Each has its own entrance, and there’s extra security once you get inside.”
I nod, and Kennedy swipes a keycard over a panel. The door opens with a soft hiss, and we step into a small foyer with just a flower arrangement on a side table to greet us. There’s another door, this time with a keypad, and Kennedy enters a code before we can pass through. Some of the tension goes out of me at these extra security measures, but then I forget about them all together as I take in the view.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the setting sun, and I stare in wonder at the city I never knew I was a part of. I mean, I always assumed there was something outside The Serenity Center, if only because my alpha had to live somewhere. But I never expected so many buildings, or the lush forest, or the ring of mountains in the distance, like the spine of some snow-dusted dragon…
Rowan comes up behind me, his arms encircling my waist. “Have you seen this view before?”
“No, I… What are they called?”
“The mountains? They’re the Rockies.”
I can tell by the hitch in his voice that I should know this, and I bite my lip. “I don’t remember seeing them. Maybe once, before…”
“Well, we can go visit sometime. There are great hiking trails, and we could camp, or hire a cabin. Do you like the sound of that?” The thought is both enticing and overwhelming at the same time, and I turn and bury my face in his chest. “It’s okay,” he murmurs, stroking my hair. “All you have to focus on right now is you. Want to come see the rest of the suite?”
I nod, and he leads me around the room, pointing out the features, some of which are familiar, but some that go right over my head. When I start to feel flustered, I focus on the furnishings, like the dark, glossy floorboards, the colorful prints on the walls, and the exposed roof beams. In the bedroom, the last rays of the setting sun bleed through a domed roof above a huge, circular bed. Cushions in blue and green hues cover the surface, and the forest print on the comforter matches the woodland scene on the silk wallpaper. I turn in a slow circle, entranced. “It’s almost like we’re in the treetops.”
“That’s why they call it the Eyrie. Because each room is built around a nest, but only the penthouse suites have a skylight.” I’ve tipped my head back to look at the first stars of the evening, but when I glance back at him, he’s watching my face, a hint of anxiety in his scent. “Do you like it?”
“Rowan, it’s too beautiful for words.”
How can I tell him it’s as perfect as his cookbook, more like a picture than anything I ever expected to live inside? It’s luxury on a level I never knew existed, and I clench my thighs so the slick I can feel trickling down them doesn’t make a mess on the spotless floor.
“Wait until you see the bathroom…” A buzzing sound has Kennedy pulling her phone from her pocket and Rowan pauses, his scent thickening. “What is it?”
“Looks like we’ve located Dex.” My heart leaps, but as Kennedy reads something on the screen, her lips twitch into a thin line. “Unless you need anything else right now, I’ll go pick him up.”
Rowan gives a soft cough. “You’re leaving?”
Kennedy arches one of her imposing brows. “You don’t need me here, and it’s best if I do the pickup personally.”
There’s an edge to her voice that worries me, and I surge forward, my heart thumping so hard I can hear it in my ears. “Can’t we all go?”
Kennedy gives me a careful look. “Your friend was about to walk into one of the Carrillo clubs downtown. His plan was to confront them about you, but one of my guys got to him first and convinced him to wait until he talked to me.”
“But shouldn’t I be there? He might not trust you.”
Kennedy doesn’t seem to take offence, pointing out the window at a distant section of the city. “He’s right in the heart of the gang’s territory. I can slip in quietly, but your scent would be a red flag to every alpha in a ten-mile radius.” She steps forward and grips my shoulder, an anchor in my spinning world. “Trust me to collect him and bring him straight back here to you.”
I gulp, wanting to lean into her strength so much, but terrifying images of flying bullets and broken necks are playing through my head. “But he’s safe? They didn’t hurt him?”
“From what I’ve heard, he was armed, but he never got close enough to use it. This is a lucky break, Diana. If I extract him now, they’ll never know he was there.”
“Then go,” I urge her, but as she starts towards the door, I grab her arm. “If he needs more convincing, just tell him his mermaid is waiting for him.”
It’s hard to settle after Kennedy leaves the room. Rowan draws me down to a sofa in the sunken lounge, and I sink into the brown leather, which is as soft as butter under my palms. But when I feel a stray trickle of slick seep out, I leap to my feet, my face burning. “I need a slick suit, Rowan!”
Sadness fills his gaze, his hands gentle as they clasp mine. “We need to have an honest talk, okay? Can you sit down for that?”
I eye the sofa regretfully. “Not if I’m going to make a mess on all these pretty things.”
With a sigh, Rowan draws me down onto his lap. His jeans are already damp, so I don’t feel as bad about sitting there, and I practically purr when he starts running his fingers through my hair. “Sweetheart, you’re the prettiest thing in here. Everything else is replaceable. But even if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter. You’re an omega in heat, which means you’re expected to get a little messy. And these rooms, they’re built to take that.” I look dubiously at the elegant furnishings, and he directs my face back to his with a finger under my chin. “Do you want to see what an omega in heat looks like?”
“You mean one of your films?”
His eyes widen, and he quickly licks his lips. “Don’t you want to see what it’s like for a female omega?”
“No.” The thought actually makes me frown, and I wind my arms around his neck, breathing in his scent. Ever since we came into the suite, it’s thickened into a heady, creamy cookie cloud and I have to remind myself not to bite him. “I want to see you , Rowan.”
“Okay, but it’s from a while ago.” He takes out his phone, while also picking up a remote and turning on the screen on the wall. “I don’t do group scenes any more, and I’m now exclusively a top. Not that I didn’t top from the bottom, but this was back when people wanted me in a more traditional omega role…” His voice trails off and he clears his throat as he connects his phone to the screen. When the logo of Sultry Studios pops up, accompanied by slow, sensual music, I almost ask him to turn it off, but in the next instant an image has me sucking in a heated breath. A young Rowan is lying on a round bed, his mostly naked body slick with sweat as he stares longingly out an open window. He’s breathing fast, and I can’t tell if it’s pleasure or pain that makes him fist the bedsheets, his hips moving in restless circles.
“Now, the thing to remember is that porn rhymes with corn,” Rowan tells me, that hint of anxiety back in his scent. “None of my films have ever won any awards for the plot.”
“Hm-hmmm.” I’m not sure what he’s trying to tell me, but I’m too distracted by the version of Rowan on the screen to work it out. A weak breeze stirs the gauzy drapes, and he gives a deep sigh as he fans himself with one hand while plucking at the waistband of his boxers with the other. He murmurs something about needing his alphas to hurry home before he explodes, and the real-life Rowan mutters into the back of my neck, “The dialogue isn’t exactly Shakespeare, either.”
“Shh,” I tell him, twisting around until I’m facing the screen. “I don’t want to miss anything.”
He clicks his tongue, but sits quietly while I watch his younger self squirm and pant on the bed. It’s a much simpler room than the one we’re in, with cheap wooden furniture and pale, rough walls. There are only a couple of cushions on the bed, and a plain comforter in dark blue is stretched beneath him. It’s the richest color in the room next to Rowan himself, who’s all caramel skin and bright, copper hair. There are spots of color on his cheekbones and his eyes are hooded, but I can see the hazel highlights peeking through his thick lashes. When he licks his lips, his mouth is so red, it reminds me of that crimson river gleaming in the middle of the chocolate cake.
As the breeze flutters his hair, his hand slips into his boxers, which are white and sculpted over his groin. I watch his fingers twist and flex under the thin cotton, my heart beating faster as his gaze snaps from the window to the door. Heavy footsteps sound off camera, and he rises onto his knees, his hand still cupping himself. “Thank God you’re here!” he exclaims in a breathless cry. “I thought I was going to have to take care of myself.”
Three men enter the room, all slicked with sweat and breathing hard. “Never, little berry. We ran as soon as we smelled you.”
I have to swallow to unglue my tongue from my teeth. “Berry?”
“Ugh.” I feel his head tip forward, his lips brushing my shoulder. “It’s a play on my name. And other things not worth mentioning…”
I make a mental note to follow up on that later, because the largest of the three men strides right up to the bed and thrusts his thumb into Rowan’s mouth. He sucks it as if it’s cherry-flavored candy, and the alpha slides a gloved hand over his head, petting his hair. The black leather looks intimidating against his soft, golden locks, but Rowan sucks harder, his eyes glassy as he stares at the alpha. “Good little berry. Have you got yourself nice and wet for us?”
The other alphas crowd around the bed, but not so close I can’t see what they’re doing. One has a shaved head and is wearing blue jeans with a white hard hat, a metal toolbox in his hand, while the other one has short , dark hair and is in some kind of uniform. It takes me a moment to place the big boots and the helmet tucked under his arm. “Did he just come from a fire?”
Rowan snorts. “Yep. Just wait for all the fire hose jokes.”
I smile, but I’m distracted by the biggest alpha, the slick between my thighs starting to soak through my pants. “Who’s the one in black?”
“The leather daddy?” Rowan’s hands are on my waist, but he moves restlessly under me, like he’s trying to get comfortable. “Uh, I think his name is Samson, because of his hair. Why? Do you like that look?”
I nod, thinking of Kane. He wore a coat just like Samson’s vest and had the thick hair and wild beard to match the alpha on the screen. I can’t help but imagine that it’s Kane with his thighs wrapped in leather, and I squirm, heat blooming in my core. “Did he ever take you for a raw ride on a V-twin Softail under a full moon?”
Rowan makes a choking sound behind me, but his arms squeeze me tight as he leans forward to look in my face. “Sweetheart, are you missing your alpha?” I nod, trying to hold in the tears that have pushed their way to the surface, but he sees them and brushes his fingers over my cheek. “Of course you are. It was a stupid question. But I promise that as soon as Kennedy gets back with Dex, she’ll go out and track Kane down.”
“Really?”
“My sister has eyes and ears everywhere,” he replies, giving me a soft smile. “And since most heats last for about three days, there’s plenty of time for him to come join you.”
“Three days?” I try to imagine feeling like this – hot, and achy, and as if my skin is going to burst into stardust at any moment – for three whole days . It’s both exciting and terrifying, and I clutch him harder. “And you’ll stay with me, too?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“Then I’ll stay right here.” He glances at the screen, and I realize he’s paused the film. “Why don’t I show you what’s in the box while this plays in the background?”
Rowan starts the film again, the alphas swarming over him like hungry bears on a honey pot, and I can’t see how I’ll possibly concentrate on the box until he directs me to lift the lid. The inside is divided up into sections, the satin-lined compartments filled with a treasure trove of pretty, curious things. “Have you seen any of this before?”
I shake my head, looking everywhere at once. “I don't think so. What do they do?”
“Different things for different needs.” I can hear the anticipation in his voice, but he doesn’t reach into the box, his lips skimming the side of my throat until I shiver. “But they only exist to give you comfort or pleasure. Take those fur cuffs, for instance. They go over your wrist, giving you the sense of being restrained, but you can also brush them up and down your body. Do you want to try them?”
I’m already taking them out of the box, my fingers tracing along the cool metal chain to one of the soft black cuffs. I brush it against my damp cheek and Rowan makes a humming sound. “Omegas in heat are highly sensitive, but they’re also territorial.” He pulls the cuff apart, showing me the hooks and loops under the fur that latch together, then wraps it gently around my wrist. When he gives the other cuff a little tug, something jerks deep in my core, and I have to swallow a moan. “Want me to wear this one?” I nod, and he wraps it around his wrist, stroking his cuff up and down my arm. I imagine it’s like rubbing up against a cat, and prickles of pleasure draw a purr to my lips. “You like that, sweetheart?”
“A lot.”
“You look pretty in fur.” He gives his end a sharp tug and my mouth falls open, like he’s hooked me in the chest. “Omegas like to keep their mates close, so they can use them whenever they want.”
I sigh, my eyes fluttering shut as I soak up the sensations. There’s the softness of the fur and the reassuring clink of the metal chain, but there’s also Rowan’s warm thighs under me and the sound of his voice coming from the screen. He’s panting and moaning, and when I turn to look, I shiver at the way the big alpha licks the slick from his trembling thighs.
“You like leather too, don’t you, sweetheart?” Rowan’s voice has dipped low, his words like a caress as they feather over my ear. “Why don’t you take out that collar and have a closer look?”
I squirm, so eager to grab it, I almost slide onto the floor. But Rowan jerks his wrist and the chain pulls tight, keeping me grounded on his lap. “You can wear it yourself, or put it on your partner,” his silky voice says in my ear. “Some omegas like to know their partners won’t leave them during their heat. Others just like the feeling of ownership and control.” I lick my lips, looking hopefully at Rowan. “You want me to put it on?”
“Please.”
He gives me a slow, dreamy smile. “You don’t need to tie me down to keep me here, but I’ll wear it if it makes you happy.”
I smile back, and he shows me how to buckle him into the slim circle of leather. His skin feels like warm caramel under my hands as I test the fit. There’s a silver ring at the front, just below the masculine bulge in his throat, and he hooks another chain onto it, handing me the leather loop on the end. “All yours,” he grins, and I give a gentle tug, goosebumps pebbling my skin at the way it looks around his creamy neck.
I want to lean in and lick the bulge of his throat, maybe taste the leather imprint against his skin, but I force my attention back to the box. “What’s that?” I ask, pointing to a spongy-looking bag covered in white mesh.
“It’s a heat and ice pad.” He grabs the bag and shakes it until it glows with a pale blue light. “It’s temperature controlled. Squeeze for heat, shake for ice. Some omegas wear it in their underwear when they’re in the glow, or drape it across their necks when they’re feeling chilled. Want to try?”
I nod, and he skims the cold bag over my chest, letting it brush against my hard nipples. I shiver at the contrasting sensation against my heated flesh and decide to keep it close at hand. I’m not sure how much hotter I’m going to get, but I like the icy tingles working down my spine.
“These are more for your personal pleasure,” he says, pointing to another section of the box that has a row of items in different colors and sizes. I’m not sure what they do, but he chooses a bright pink one with a flared head. On the screen, the man with the hard hat has taken something similar out of his toolbox and is running the tip down Rowan’s back. He’s on his hands and knees, and his head drops forward as the device dips into the crevice between his cheeks. It works in slow, teasing circles, and as a shudder rolls through Rowan’s body, my thighs clench in a strange mix of sympathy and envy.
“This is a top-tier vibrator,” the real-life Rowan says, flicking a button so the device hums in his hand. “Silicone, and self-lubing, for a smoother fit. It has different settings, but we can start with the lowest one.”
I watch, entranced, until he presses the tip of the vibrator to my thigh. It buzzes over my skin in a disturbingly familiar way, and I leap off his lap, moving so fast I almost trip over the leash. As I stagger back, he stares up at me with worried eyes. “Are you okay?”
“The slick suit…” I pant, my thigh still trembling from the touch. I try to wipe it away, but it feels like it’s wormed its way under my skin, and I shudder. “It – it vibrates just like that.”
“Oh, fuck. I should’ve thought...” He quickly turns the device off and shoves it under the sofa, out of sight. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, we won’t play with that anymore.”
“Promise?”
“From the bottom of my heart. This is only fun if you’re enjoying it.” His mouth pulls down, and he tucks a finger between his collar and throat. “And you’re the one in control, remember?”
I don’t like the guilty look in his eyes, but I’m too nervous to sit back on his lap. Instead, I lean over the box, asking him to tell me about the other items. The names are all intriguing - pleasure wand, crystal egg, suction beads – but I go still as he points to an alpha ring. Like the vibrator, it’s made from a soft plastic, but it’s a deeper, duskier color. Just looking at it makes my throat feel tight. “Can we try that?”
A blush climbs Rowan’s cheeks as he takes it out of the box. “This is a… fake alpha knot.”
I lean closer, the tightness in my throat matched by a flutter in my belly. “I loved Kane’s knot.”
A smirk pulls at Rowan’s mouth. “I’m glad you did. But this isn’t for alphas, sweetheart. It swells like their knots, but it’s made of silicone instead of muscle… See?”
He presses the ring into my hand, wrapping my fingers around it and gently pumping until it grows bigger than my palm. “It feels good.” I look into his eyes, getting lost in their hazel fire. “Can omegas wear them?”
“Uh, yeah. As long as they have the equipment, I mean.”
He waves at his lap, and I file away the word: equipment. Rowan’s equipment is straining against the front of his jeans and smells so good, my stomach gives a hungry clench. “Would you wear it for me?”
The golden-green flames in his eyes spark brighter, his scent swirling around me in a sweet mist. “Of course, sweetheart. But if you want, we can wait for your beta to arrive…”
I frown. Does he think I’m just asking him to be with me so I won’t be alone? “I want you to wear it, Rowan. I want to take your knot, like you’re taking his.”
I point towards the screen, where the younger version of Rowan is now riding his alpha. It’s the one with the wild hair and beard, and while he’s lost his leather vest, he’s still wearing his big black boots. Rowan undulates over him like a molten candle in a soft breeze, and I shiver as a deeper, hotter flame ignites between my thighs. “I want that . Will you give it to me, Rowan?”