Chapter 28
Cece grabbed one of the blankets on the couch and draped it over her lap. She studied the vibrator sitting beside her on the cushion, her cheeks flushing hot.
After Monroe had performed the barrier spell, she and Briggs had a quick dinner, and then she went upstairs to have a hot bath.
Partly to warm up and partly because she needed some alone time to decompress.
It wasn’t as relaxing as she’d hoped. Her conversation with her grandfather played on repeat through her head, and as much as she knew it probably wasn’t true, she couldn’t help but hope that he was right.
Maybe it wasn’t her father’s family trying to kill her. Not that it sounded like her grandmother and uncle wanted much to do with her, but it would be nice to have a relationship with Werner. And maybe with time, his wife and son would want to meet her too.
She sighed, resting her head on the back of the couch and staring up at the ceiling as a burning log popped loudly in the fireplace.
She needed to keep her head out of the clouds, as her Aunt Sylvia would say, and remember that, as nice as Werner seemed to be, she really knew nothing about him.
She’d always been a bit on the naive side, and without her Aunt Sylvia or Elora here to look out for her, it was nice to have Briggs on her side.
Even if he was a little over the top about keeping her safe.
Her gaze fell to the vibrator again. She had no idea if Briggs was still into watching her or not, but that hadn’t stopped her from bringing it downstairs after her bath. She could hear Briggs in the kitchen when she came down the stairs, his low voice a comfort as he spoke to someone on the phone.
Despite what ultimately had been a long and strange day, she couldn’t get the sound of Briggs’s voice out of her head, the heated way he’d looked at her when he said he wanted to watch her masturbate.
Even now, just remembering that moment in his truck brought heat to her belly and wetness to her core. God, she wanted him so much.
Her magic was spiking in her veins, and she took a deep breath as the plants on the bookshelf made a rustling sound and the vines grew a little longer.
“You control the magic, Cece,” she murmured to herself.
She heard Briggs’s footsteps in the hallway, and her nerves immediately overshadowed her lust. She shoved the vibrator under the blanket and plastered a smile on her face when Briggs joined her in the living room.
“Hi there!”
Shit, her voice was too loud.
Briggs stared at her before inhaling. “Why are you nervous?”
“I’m not,” she said.
He just gave her a look before dropping onto the sectional beside her. He left less room than he normally did, his thigh was nearly touching hers, and a fresh beat of lust rocketed through her body. He wore navy sweatpants and a thin t-shirt that clung to his chest.
“Sorry, I was on the phone with my sister,” he said.
“You don’t have to apologize for that.”
“Technically, I’m working,” he said.
She frowned. “You can still talk to your family. You don’t think that upsets me, do you?”
“I don’t want you to think you’re not a priority. In the past, I’ve been accused of putting my family first over everything and… everyone.”
“Family is important,” she said. “And I’m not a person who needs to be the center of attention.”
“I know,” he said.
“Is your sister okay?”
He nodded. “Yes. My parents’ thirtieth anniversary is soon, and she needs my help with some of the party planning stuff.”
“Thirty years, wow,” Cece said. “It’s great that you’re having a party for them. Is it in Wellington?”
He nodded and, despite the trepidation already starting in her belly at the thought of being apart from him, she said, “You must be excited to go home again.”
He just shrugged before saying, “How was your bath?”
“Good,” she said. “I’m finally feeling warm. Thanks for building up the fire while I was having my bath.”
“You’re welcome.” His gaze dipped to her chest, and another beat of lust washed over her.
After her bath, she’d put on one of her dozen pairs of flannel pajamas, but now she wished she’d been smart enough to wear that one silk chemise she owned. She might not be wearing a bra or underwear, but no man alive found flannel pajamas attractive.
As if he read her mind, Briggs said, “I like your pajamas, little witch.”
Her giggle was nervous and high-pitched. “Yeah, right. Because flannel pajamas are super sexy.”
“Everything you wear is sexy.” His voice had gone low, and when he made that soft growl, every nerve ending in her body felt like it had been hit by lightning.
“Briggs,” she whispered, clutching the blanket.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Sorry, Cece. I know it’s been a long day for you, and I shouldn’t be hoping that you still wanted…”
He took another deep breath. “It’s getting late and we should probably -”
“I still want to!” she blurted, her voice too loud again.
He opened his eyes, his gaze hot enough to set her bones on fire. “Are you sure, little witch?”
“Yes.” She groped under the blanket and withdrew her vibrator. “I brought this downstairs.”
His smile was slow and sexy, and holy crap, was it possible for her to spontaneously combust just from a look?
Feeling nervous and unsure, she said, “But I don’t know… I mean, I don’t think I can start using it without something to, um…”
“Turn you on?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I wish I could kiss you, Briggs.”
“Me too, baby,” he said.
They stared at each other, the air charged with their mutual need, before Briggs’s sexy smile grew, and he moved a little closer to her on the couch. “Will you show me your gorgeous breasts, little witch?”
She swallowed hard, her heart banging wildly against her ribcage, but she set the vibrator on her lap and reached for the buttons on her pajama top. Her gaze never leaving Briggs, she unbuttoned them, but then hesitated.
The self-doubt creeping in disappeared when Briggs, his voice hoarse with longing, said, “Show me, baby.”
She shrugged out of her shirt, dropping it on the floor beside the couch, and resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest.
“Fuck,” Briggs breathed, his gaze on her breasts.
She giggled self-consciously, and he smiled at her before his eyes dropped to her breasts again. “So beautiful, baby.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Are your pretty nipples sensitive?” he asked.
She nodded, and his nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “Touch them.”
Hoping she didn’t look dumb, Cece cupped her breasts. Maybe if she pretended Briggs wasn’t here, she wouldn’t feel so self-conscious. She closed her eyes, but popped them open immediately when Briggs growled.
“No, baby. Look at me while you touch those pretty tits.”
Hot sparks of need exploded in her belly, and she caught her breath at the look of pure lust on Briggs’s face as he stared at her breasts.
She couldn’t remember the last time a man had looked at her with that level of desire.
Hell, she didn’t think it had ever happened.
Her nervousness faded away, and confidence took its place.
Briggs wanted her. He thought she was beautiful, and watching her touch herself turned him on. That was more than obvious.
She traced circles around her nipples with her thumbs before rubbing them. They hardened, and Briggs growled his approval, leaning forward until she could feel his warm breath washing over them. They tightened even more at the feel of his breath, and she moaned quietly, her back arching a little.
“That’s good, baby,” he praised. “Can you pinch them for me?”
She pinched them lightly, gasping his name when he growled again.
“Good,” he repeated. “Keep going.”
For long minutes, she teased her nipples, tugging and pinching, rolling them between her fingers, until their soft pink turned a deep rose colour and each gentle pull felt like a direct line of hot need to her pussy.
“Briggs,” she moaned. “I need more.”
“Lie on your back, baby.” He took the vibrator from her lap before she could, holding it in one big hand as he tugged the blanket from her lap.
She lay on her back, propping one of the sofa pillows under her head.
Her skin glowed in the firelight, and she felt as gorgeous as Briggs said when his gaze roamed over her hungrily.
“Take off your pants,” he demanded.
She lifted her hips, shoving her pajama bottoms down. Briggs grabbed her pant legs as they slid past her feet and helped yank them off, tossing them on the floor.
Her nerves made a sudden reappearance, and she kept her legs raised and tightly closed, her toes digging into the couch cushions. Briggs’s hands hovered above her knees, and Cece’s breath caught in her throat.
He was going to touch her, and not only would she feel the intoxicating pull of her magic, but he would give her an amazing orgasm that would probably change her damn life. Instead, showing a restraint that she could only admire, Briggs pulled his hands away.
His voice a low rasp, he said, “Open your legs, baby.”
“Briggs, I…”
“Open them.”
Her legs were parting before his growling demand finished. Cool air washed over her throbbing pussy, and her entire body shuddered when Briggs made another growl. His blue eyes now rimmed in dark brown, he said, “Wider, little witch.”
She let her legs drop open, her breath coming in soft pants as Briggs’s hot gaze lowered to her pussy. He devoured her with his gaze, a growl escaping him with every breath he took.
“Perfect, pretty cunt,” he muttered almost to himself, and her pussy throbbed as hot desire washed over her. Careful to keep his body from touching her legs, he leaned closer, his head between her thighs and inhaled deeply.
“You smell so fucking good, my mate,” he rumbled, one big hand gripping the back of the couch until his knuckles whitened.
“Briggs,” she moaned. “Touch me.”
“I can’t, baby,” he said, regret thick in his voice. “But I want you to touch that pretty pussy for me.”