Fated
Chapter 1
His long fingers twitched against mine as he fought not to touch me. He didn't move as I straddled his hips and let my breasts graze seductively against his cool chest. At any time he could have easily broken away from my tentative hold. He remained still, his jaw tight as my lips brushed against the corner of his mouth.
"Please. I want to do this," I begged, gently squeezing his hands and slowly nibbling my teeth against the soft skin of his neck.
His low growl of approval vibrated against me as my lips blazed a trail down his throat and across his collarbone. I released his hands and placed them beside his legs, giving him a look that warned him to keep them there. He sat motionless, still watching every move I made with his piercing blue eyes.
Moving to stand between his legs, I leaned over to palm his thighs and whispered quietly against his ear. "Lean back."
He moved his hands and braced them behind him. I traced my eyes over every inch of his long hard body, sweeping across his sculpted chest, down his finely muscled arms and finally stopping to rest on his toned abdomen.
He was magnificent. And he was completely mine.
Sinking to my knees, I swirled my tongue over his hip and dragged my lips across his stomach, gently kissing the head of his cock.
"Josephine," he groaned.
My eyes flickered up, watching as his blond head fell back against his shoulders and his fingers dug into the covers behind him. His broad chest was heaving with panting breaths. Drunk with power, I licked my lips and sank my mouth down over his cock, my hands still gripping his thighs.
His hips involuntarily thrust against me as my lips moved over him, pulling him deeper and faster inside of my mouth. I groaned around him as I felt him twitch against my lips.
"Nog! Enough!" He growled deeply through gritted teeth. "Vackra, I do not want to come this way."
Releasing him with a light pop, I let him fall from my mouth. Pushing lightly against his chest and forcing him back against the bed, I crawled slowly up the length of his body. Every inch of our skin was touching as I pressed against him. "Do you want to be inside of me when you come?"
He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. "Yes."
"Do you want to make me come too?" I asked, nuzzling my nose against his cheek.
"Josephine...."
"Answer me. Do you want to touch me?" I brushed my lips against his as I spoke. His mouth parted and his tongue flickered out to lick across his lower lip. I knew all too well what that tongue was capable of and I'd had enough of trying to control him. I wanted to lose myself in him and everything he had to offer.
"More than I can tell you. Jag vill begrava min kuk i dig. Jag vill att du ber f?r mig att sluta," He muttered softly as he switched to speak in his native tongue.
Instead of kissing me, he opened his mind to me, revealing exactly what he wanted to do in explicit detail. He wanted to devour every part of me, bury himself inside of me until I screamed his name and begged for him to stop.
"Don't just show me what you want to do to me with your mind. Do it," I whispered in challenge.
His large hands blurred to cup each side of my face, capturing my mouth in a kiss that was as raw and unapologetic as it was seductive. In a blur, he had flipped me on my back on the bed, his pale body looming over me.
"Josie!" I heard my name being called from a distance. The offending voice wasn't his, it was garbled and distorted. Choosing to ignore it, I focused back on him. My lips sought his again, his smile brief as our lips reconnected, wet and filled with need.
I felt a hand grasp my shoulder, slightly shaking me. He began to disappear around me, fading away before my eyes. I already mourned the loss of his mouth against mine and my skin cried out for him.
"Josie, wake up." The insistent voice was back and was much clearer this time.
"No, come back. Don't leave me," I murmured, frantically grasping at his fading form.
"I will see you again soon, vackra." With those parting words, he completely disappeared.
My eyes flew open and I sat straight up with a strangled gasp and I felt as if my heart was going to pound out of my chest. Running my hands through my hair, my eyes darted around the room in search of him. I was disappointed to see my neighbor sitting on the edge of my bed, her face twisted in concern as she watched me hesitantly.
"Josie, you scared the crap outta me. Are you okay?" Georgia asked quietly. She leaned over to place her hand on my trembling arm.
"Uh, yeah. Give me a sec," I stammered. I rubbed my face with my hands and tried to sort out my jumbled thoughts. I'd dreamed of him again. He was a beautiful, perfect fragment of my imagination.
When my head cleared, I focused my attention back on Georgia. She was still watching me nervously from her perch at the end of my bed.
"What are you doing here?" I snapped at her. She flinched at my tone and I felt horrible that I was taking my frustration out on her. I wasn't used to having such vivid dreams. Especially the kind I'd been having lately. "Shit, I didn't mean to snap. I'm still not awake."
"Pfft, I've had worse. You should meet my sister." She waved me off and her face relaxed into a smile. "I was stopping by to see if you wanted to go out tonight. Anna called me earlier and she wants to meet us at the Echo Beach Club. I think she misses us."
Georgia Turner was a fellow American who had relocated to live in Bali to run a local charity, a fireball of a woman from the state of Louisiana. She was in her late thirties, a tall brunette with dark blue eyes. She had a light southern drawl to her speech and was blessed with a wicked sense of humor. She was also extremely perceptive and had an uncanny way of seeing through you with her sharp, observant eyes.
"Georgia, I don't know-" I began, tucking a piece of my long, reddish-blond hair behind my ear. It was a waste of time arguing with her because Georgia didn't take no for an answer. I could already feel the smugness emanating from her. She knew she'd won and I knew I'd be going out tonight.
"No if's, ands or buts," Georgia said as she cut me off. She turned smoothly on her heel and headed down the hallway. "Now get your behind into gear before I need to kick it." I watched Georgia's ponytail bobbing as she bounced away.
"And I'll be back at eight. Be ready," She yelled over her shoulder as if an afterthought.
Glancing at my watch, I let out a groan when I noticed it was already almost seven. I guess it was time to get my ass into gear since Georgia wouldn't be late.
***
Humming to myself, I dabbed on lip gloss and pivoted in the mirror, giving my tight black wrap dress and wedge sandals a silent nod of approval. I walked down the hall into the living room and plopped down on the couch to wait for Georgia. Closing my eyes, I took in a calming breath, concentrating on getting my mental shields in place. It had been a while since I'd been in a crowd of people and unless I was prepared, it was going to be a long night for me.
I avoided going out a lot because of my 'gift'. And most days my 'gift' of being a psychic empath seemed to be more of a curse than a blessing. It gave me a front row seat to see the intimate details into the lives of strangers and their emotions. I told very few people about my abilities. I'd learned the hard way that most people either viewed me as a shiny new toy to play with or chose to avoid me at all costs.
"Josie!" Georgia's irritated voice brought me back to reality, snapping me out of my musings. "I've been knocking for two minutes. C'mon already, Anna's waiting for us. Let's roll, girl."
Startled by her loud arrival, I'd been so focused on shielding that I hadn't heard Georgia knocking or been able to see her arrive. She was hard to block, her future and emotions almost screamed out for my attention. I had to stay on guard with Georgia. It would only take one small slip on my part for her to figure out my abilities.
"Sorry, Georgia. I'm just out of it today," I said. I reached over to grab my purse and tried my best to push down my guilty conscience, offering her a small smile of apology.
"We can chat in the car. I didn't work this long getting ready to stand around in your house. C'mon," Georgia teased as she swept her arm down her body. Georgia's hair hung down her back in a sleek, shiny sheet and her hot pink, silk mini-dress left little to the imagination. She was what Americans termed 'a cougar.' She happily flaunted her sexuality and viewed men as an entertaining challenge. Once she'd had her fun, she moved on to the next. There were days that I envied her nonchalance when it came to men and relationships.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered as I followed Georgia outside to her car, getting in the passenger seat and reaching behind me to grab the seat belt. I was still struggling to fasten it when she gunned the engine and roared down my driveway. Georgia drove like she was chasing the last living man on earth or the last bottle of wine on the island. Or both.
"Josie, are you excited about tonight?" Georgia asked. I shot her a look out of the corner of my eye and smiled as I watched her bounce in the seat excitedly. "I just know tonight is going to be a night to remember. Something big is going to happen, Josie. I can feel it!"
"And what makes tonight so special?" I questioned. I found it ironic that this was coming from the non-psychic cougar that made this same prediction every time we went out. And to date, nothing exciting had ever happened.
"I can't put my finger on it, Josie. Maybe we can find you a man tonight. You've been here way too long with no lovin'," Georgia drawled, glancing over at me with a wicked smile before focusing back on the road.
"Georgia, you know I don't date. Men and I aren't a good mix," I huffed, folding my arms across my chest. It wasn't a lie, I didn't date. I avoided men and had given up on the idea of having a relationship a long time ago. It was yet another perk of being a psychic empath.
"Who said anything about dating? I'm merely suggesting that you have a little fun with no strings attached," Georgia replied lightly. "You're gorgeous, Josie. You could have any man you wanted."
Georgia's words were ironic. I didn't consider myself 'gorgeous' but I was pretty. My long hair was reddish-blond and wavy and I was curvy in all the right places. I'd never had any problem attracting the unwanted attention of men. I just didn't want it.
"Whatever. Keep dreaming, cougar," I replied. I mentally started the countdown until she started her tirade. 3, 2...
"I told you that I'm much too young to be a cougar. I'm a puma." Georgia raised an eyebrow and quickly shot me a dirty look. "Stop trying to change the subject, Josie. I'm just worried about you, sweetie. You seem so lonely."
Hot tears pricked at the back of my eyes as I focused out the window for a moment. "I'm fine, Georgia. Honest."
"That's where I beg to differ. You've been here for a year and Anna and I are your only friends. You don't date, you spend days alone writing and doing yoga. It's not good to shut yourself off from everything."
Georgia had taken it upon herself to be my unofficial foster mom after she found out I'd been orphaned. My adoptive parents had both died in a car accident four years ago, leaving me with no family. I'd searched extensively for my birth parents but I'd hit a dead end when I found the records had been sealed.
"I've managed to make it 28 years being a loner, Georgia. Let's change the subject, please," I said crossly.
"You're in luck, sweetheart. We're here," Georgia said as she pulled into a parking spot near the front of the restaurant. We were walking towards the door when she turned to look at me mischievously. "Josie, let's talk about that fling I think you need to have before we go in."
"Georgia. Let's have dinner, some drinks and some fun," I said sharply, cutting her off before she started giving me more relationship advice. I gave her a small shove through the heavy wood doors of the restaurant. "That's more than enough for me."
"Spoiled sport." Georgia pouted as her eyes scanned the room. She spotted Anna across the restaurant, waiting for us at a table that was close to the bar and had a fantastic view of the beach. Georgia waved her arm wildly to catch her attention and we crossed the restaurant to join her.
"Anna!" Georgia squealed, leaning over and pulling her up into a tight hug. Anna rolled her eyes at me over Georgia's shoulder as she halfheartedly hugged her back.
"Georgia, I keep forgetting how demure you are," Anna deadpanned. I coughed and focused on a piece of non-existent piece of lint on my dress so I didn't laugh at the obvious sarcasm in her voice.
Anna Wilson was a tiny, vivacious woman in her early thirties. She had a tumble of shoulder length brown curls, clever brown eyes and had zero tolerance for bullshit. She was a successful realtor in Bali, also a fellow American that originally hailed from the east coast. Anna was the one friend here that knew of my ability and had accepted me with a shoulder shrug and never mentioned it again.
"Come here and give me a hug, bitch," Anna laughed, extracting herself from Georgia's embrace to tug me in for a brief hug. "Don't get any ideas about the two of us just because I'm happy to see you."
Laughing at Anna's snark, we sat down at the table and I grabbed a menu. As I flipped through the pages, I felt like someone was intently watching our table. Quickly glancing around the restaurant, I lowered my shields to focus on the crowd. I was instantly bombarded with emotions that ranged from desire, happiness, and angst. Unable to find anyone that had plans on approaching our table, I raised my shields back into place and blamed my nerves on the busy crowd.
The conversation was light and fun, partially due to numerous glasses of wine I consumed during dinner. I felt myself start to relax when I realized my shields were better than I thought they would be. Was the alcohol making me brave or was I underestimating myself? I had a feeling it was the alcohol.
We'd just finished dinner when a DJ started playing music in the bar area. Georgia and Anna pleaded and tried to drag me onto the dance floor with them. I quickly waved them off and motioned to the patio across the room. I walked slowly to the door and stepped out onto the patio, glancing back over my shoulder to watch Georgia as she swayed in time to the music with a dark haired man, not wasting any time in snagging herself a dance partner. Anna was sitting at the bar, deep in conversation with the bartender. I slipped out the door, happy that I wouldn't be missed for a few minutes since they were both occupied.
Smiling to myself, I stepped carefully down the stairs to the beach below and watched as the waves crashed onto the beach. I was actually glad that I'd let Georgia talk me into coming out tonight. There was really no chance I could have convinced Georgia I didn't want to anyway. She would have stomped in, dressing and physically hauling me out if necessary. I let out a loud laugh at the mental image, the sound echoing through the balmy night air.
"May I ask what is so funny?"
Startled by the deep, smooth accented voice, I whirled around to see a man swaggering towards me. He was well over six feet tall and solidly built with blond, Nordic good looks. His face was finely sculpted, with sparkling eyes blue like the ocean. I had the strangest feeling of deja vu wash over me as I stared at him. He looked exactly like the man from my dreams.
It couldn't be possible.
"N-nothing really," I stuttered, my breath coming out in a shudder. "It's sort of an inside joke about my friends inside."
"Ah. A joke." The blond man moved to stand close enough to me so that our arms were touching. I'd obviously had too much wine to drink, since I could have sworn there was some sort of spark that passed between us when our skin brushed against each other. I absently rubbed my fingers over my arm, wondering if I'd finally lost my mind or if this was just another dream that I'd be waking up from soon.
Let's face it, men that looked like he did just didn't just appear on a beach and approach me every day. In fact, the only time I'd ever seen a man that looked like him was in my dreams. I could feel my heart start to race when I started to notice the similarities between him and my fantasy man. They shared the same blond hair and chiseled face with skin that almost glowed iridescently. He was almost too perfect to be real, a work of impossible masculine beauty.
I was way out of my league with him. Hell, we weren't even in the same ballpark.
Unsure how to proceed, I lowered my shield to try to see his future or feel his emotions and gasped when I couldn't do either. He was a void, his presence a gentle hum in my mind. The hair raised on the back of my neck as my brain worked overtime trying to figure out why I couldn't read him.
His deep voice brought me out of my thoughts as he extended his large hand to me, inclining his head slightly. "I should introduce myself. I am Stefan Lifsten. And you are?"
Hesitantly I placed my much smaller hand in his and immediately noticed the cool, silky hardness of his skin. I was startled at the electricity that jolted between us when his large hand enveloped mine. Shivers of excitement shot through my body and a slow, long forgotten burn ignited between my legs. I wasn't sure if it was a good sign that the simple touch of his hand made my panties want to disappear into the night.
"I'm Josephine Anderson. Everyone calls me Josie but you can call me whatever you want....." I said nervously, my cheeks burning with embarrassment at my mindless chatter. I could now add verbal diarrhea to my mental checklist of the many reasons why I knew this man was out of my league.
"Josephine. It is my pleasure to meet you." Stefan lowered his mouth to my hand and brushed it lightly with his lips. My skin throbbed where his mouth had touched my skin, a sensation I'd never experienced before. I drew in a shaky breath and glanced in the direction of the bar. I was trying to focus on the faint sounds of music to calm down before I made a bigger idiot out of myself.
"Would you like go inside and dance with me, Josephine?" Stefan asked. A beautiful smile slowly broke across his face, causing fine lines to crinkle around his eyes.
Stunned into silence by his question, my lips parted in surprise as I stared back at him. Dance?!? He wants to dance with me? Would my poor body be able to handle it if I was wrapped in his arms, or would I just spontaneously combust from the sensation? I didn't know for sure, but it was a chance I was willing to take.
"Sure." I nodded anxiously. Inwardly groaning at my lack of conversational skills, his compelling presence had reduced me to either nervous babbling or to one answer responses.
"Shall we go?" Stefan asked. He placed his large hand on my lower back and gently nudged me towards the steps that led back into the bar. We slowly climbed them together, the music getting louder as we approached the patio. He opened the door for me and I blinked as we reentered the darkened bar area, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light after the darkness of the beach.
"Let me get you a drink before I take you up on the dance you promised me," Stefan said and waggled his eyebrows. He led me towards the bar and pulled out a stool for me. "What would you like?"
A few dirty thoughts of what I'd like to do to him crossed my mind as I sat down, swiveling on the stool to face him. "A glass of red wine sounds great."
When he stepped away and motioned for the bartender, I was finally able to get a good look at him as he leaned across the bar to order my drink. His hair was golden blond and thick with long layers that swept across his forehead. He had high cheekbones and his brows arched over expressive sea blue eyes. His square jaw was strong with a slight cleft in his chin. The black t-shirt he was wearing strained tightly against his broad chest, hugging the lean muscles of his long arms. His faded jeans rode low on his narrow hips and clung to his long, powerful legs.
I watched as he slowly turned and sauntered back towards me, a wry grin on his face. He placed my glass of wine in front of me and sat down. His large frame made the bar stool look much too small and his long legs stretched to brush against mine. Swallowing the groan that threatened to escape, I gingerly picked up the glass and took a large drink of wine.
"Thanks. You're not drinking anything?"
He chuckled and leaned closer to me. His sparkling eyes flickered over my face and he swallowed tightly. "No, I am fine for now."
My fingers tapped nervously against the polished wood of the bar and I was surprised when Stefan's large hand covered mine, weaving our fingers together. Our eyes met with a force that made me feel like I was burning alive from the inside out. He smiled and reached over to push a curl away from my face, his long fingers brushing down the side of my face in a gentle caress that left my skin tingling.
"Josie!"
I broke away from his gaze and watched with apprehension as Georgia and Anna made their way over to us across the crowded bar, their eyes both widening in shock as they took in my companion at the bar.
Georgia raised both eyebrows at me. "We were just getting ready to look for you. I can see you've been busy."
Anna moved to stand by Georgia with a drink in her hand, her eyes boldly sweeping over Stefan with obvious appreciation. She gave me an exaggerated nod, winking in approval. She leaned towards me and attempted to whisper, her loud voice carrying so that it was audible over the music. "Good catch, Josie."
Mortified, my eyes darted to Stefan's face to gauge his reaction. His mouth was arranged in a smug smirk and he seemed unaffected by their stares and comments, his eyes softening as they met mine. He raised an eyebrow slightly, jutting his chin towards Anna and Georgia to remind me that we weren't alone.
"Uh, yeah. Georgia and Anna, this is Stefan Lifsten. Stefan, these are my friends Georgia and Anna," I managed a feeble introduction. My stomach churned uneasily as I glanced between Stefan and my friends.
"It is my pleasure to meet you both." Stefan stood and inclined his blond head slightly in greeting. He was still holding my hand tightly and his cool grip was strangely reassuring. Georgia narrowed her eyes and peered at our joined hands, her head swiveling to look at Anna in disbelief. Anna gave her a confused shrug and busied herself with her drink.
Georgia's head spun back around and refocused her attention on me, a forced smile on her face. She glanced at her watch and stared at me pointedly. "Are you ready to go Josie? It's getting late."
Stefan cleared his throat loudly, drawing Georgia's attention to him. "If it is acceptable to Josephine, I would like to spend some time alone with her. I will make sure she gets home safely."
Georgia's eyes narrowed as she stared at him with irritation. His eyebrow raised in amused contempt as he held her gaze, causing Georgia to huff and look away nervously. I could count on one hand the times I'd seen someone able to ruffle Georgia and he'd managed to accomplish it with a simple, albeit powerful stare.
It didn't take long for her to recover. "Josephine?!?" Georgia questioned sarcastically. "Josie, it's up to you. I can hang out..."
"Georgia Turner," Anna said, using her free hand to slap her arm in annoyance.
Waving Georgia and Anna off, I interrupted them both off before they had the chance to say anything else. "No, it's fine. Stefan can get me home or I can call a cab."
"Are you sure?" Georgia asked leerily. I let out an unladylike snort at Georgia's hypocrisy. She'd been encouraging me to not only meet a man, but have a fling with one earlier in the evening. Had I missed something?
"Georgia, she will be fine with me. You can come check on her tomorrow," Stefan said. His voice resonated with a quiet force and his lips curved into a small smile that didn't reach his eyes as he spoke to her.
Georgia appraised us both silently, her lips set in a thin line. "Fine. I'll call you tomorrow." She jabbed her finger into his muscular chest, her voice threatening. "Touch a hair on her head without her permission and you have me to deal with. Got it, pretty boy?"
Stefan grinned, apparently amused by Georgia's grandiose threats. "Point taken. Good evening, Anna. And to you as well, Georgia Turner."
I watched with relief as Georgia and Anna collected their purses and both waved a hurried goodbye to me. My relief quickly faded into anxiety as I realized I was alone with this devastatingly handsome man and I had no idea what to do.
"Josephine, you owe me a dance, yes?"
Without waiting for an answer, Stefan tugged me smoothly off the stool and onto the dance floor just as a slow song began to flood the room. He wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me against his chest. The top of my head barely touched the edge of his shoulder as we moved slowly together, my curves fitting perfectly against the contours of his lean body. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and felt the hardness of his muscles rippling under his skin with each movement he made. This felt so familiar, like I'd been in his embrace before.
I was lulled into a dreamlike daze as we danced. One of his hands gently traced lazy patterns along my back while the other splayed around my waist. Closing my eyes against his chest, I nuzzled my nose against him and breathed in the musky smell of his skin: spicy sandalwood, the ocean and something that was just inherently masculine.
I unconsciously pressed myself closer against him and moaned when I felt the hardness of his arousal pressing against me through his jeans. Peeking at his face through my eyelashes, I was awestruck by his beauty and the emotion that had softened his face. Wrapped in his arms, I wondered if this is what if felt like to be normal. Not one emotion or premonition flooded my mind and being in his embrace made everyone else blissfully silent.
The song faded out and Stefan reluctantly pulled away, the back of his fingers caressing my cheek delicately. His voice was seductive and lilting when he spoke. "I think it is time I took you home."
Nodding, I began walking towards our abandoned table and reached to pick up my purse. "Oh, right. I'm sure you have other things to do and it's getting late. If it's too..." My words faded out when I spun around to find myself face to face with the broad expanse of his chest. I had to fight the urge not to run my hands over the muscles visible underneath his shirt.
Chuckling softly, he leaned down slightly and his cool breath tickled my ear as he whispered to me. "I was hoping you would invite me to your house so we could talk more."
The sensible voice in my head was telling me to say no. However, my impatient body and heart had a mind of their own and the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "Come on, Romeo. Let's go to my house."
"Romeo?!?" Stefan parroted, a look of arrogance flashing across his handsome face. He ran a large hand through his hair and his free hand slipped into the front pocket of his jeans.
"I like it, so let's just go with it," I retorted playfully, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the restaurant with him following obediently behind me. I could imagine how absurd it looked to see me tugging this hulking giant of a man out behind me like a naughty child.
He gently removed his hand from mine and moved it to press against the small of my back as he led me across the parking lot to his car. It was a sleek and black with heavily tinted windows, expensive and meticulously taken care of. He opened the door gallantly for me and I lowered myself into the leather seat, feeling the heat of his eyes as they traveled the length of my legs. I cleared my throat and glanced up at him to let him know I'd caught him staring. His mouth quirked into a tiny smile as he closed the door and walked quickly around the car. He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine in one smooth motion.
"Where are we going, Josephine?" Stefan asked, his voice loud in the confined space of the car. I glanced at him and blinked for a moment. It hadn't hit me until now that I was inviting this man back to my home to 'talk'. I had an idea that my version of talking and his version were two different things.
"Go right out of the parking lot, my house is about three miles down the road on the left. 28124," I replied quietly, watching as he made short work of backing out of the parking space and pulling quickly onto the main road.
My eyes roamed over the interior of the car. It was all leather and had every gadget available. It wasn't the typical car you'd see in Canggu. "Your car is beautiful. It's much nicer than my jeep."
"It is an Audi TT. I spare no expense when it comes to vehicles." Stefan shrugged offhandedly.
He hummed as he drove along and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. I used the time to study his profile in the darkness, the lines of his face harsh in the light from the dashboard. He would occasionally glance over at me and smile tightly, almost appearing to be nervous. I felt compelled to reach for his hand across the console, lacing my fingers with his. He released a deep sigh of relief and our contact filled the car with a quiet energy. We drove along in a comfortable silence and I lost myself in the quietness of his presence.
Feeling the car slowing, I glanced out the windshield to see Stefan making the turn into my driveway. He drove slowly over the gravel and came to a stop next to my jeep. He smoothly exited the car, closing the door behind him. I was reaching for the door handle when I realized that Stefan already had the car door open with his large hand extended to me. I could only stare at him blankly for a moment, wondering how he managed to move around the car so fast.
Placing my hand in his, he gently pulled me from the car. I led him up the steps to my villa, and pulled my hand away to unlock and open the door. I walked in and turned to look at him as he stood in the open doorway. He gave me a smile that sent my pulse racing and caused a wave of desire to course through me. I motioned for him to come inside while attempting to get my raging hormones under control.
"Come in. Can I get you something to drink. Water, tea?" Or me, I added silently. Switching on a lamp, I watched as Stefan made himself at home on my couch and stretched his long legs out in front of him.
"Nothing. Thank you, Josephine." Stefan smiled slowly and his lips parted to display his dazzling display of straight, white teeth. He stretched his long arms across the back of the couch, his blue eyes sparkling devilishly. I couldn't help but pause to admire him, thinking to myself that he looked like he belonged there.
Shaking my head, I dropped my purse on the table by the door along with my keys. I stood silently for a moment with my arms crossed under my chest. I slowly let my shields down to see if I could get any vision or emotion from him now that we were completely alone. I closed my eyes and cringed as I waited for the onslaught of both to rush into my mind. All I was greeted with was blackness, a gentle hum and the quietness of the house.
What is he?
When I opened my eyes, I noticed that Stefan was silently observing me. His handsome face darkened with intensity and I felt a gentle pressure push against my mind, as if he was trying to communicate with me. Frowning slightly, he looked at me with uncertainty and the pressure disappeared. Apparently I was as perplexing to him as he was to me. I could almost see the highly-oiled wheels of his mind calculating his next move.
He slowly rose to his feet and crossed the room to stand in front of me, his hands lightly running down the length of my arms. I shivered involuntarily from the pleasure of his touch against my skin. "Are you okay, Josephine?"
I was anything but 'okay'. The touch of his hands and sound of his voice was causing my senses to spin and I was frustrated that I couldn't read him. It left me feeling vulnerable, unsettled and extremely turned on.
I blinked a few times, remembering that he'd asked me a question that required an answer.
"Yes, I'm just..." I began hesitantly as I turned my head to look up into the blue ocean of his eyes. I was desperately searching for the right words but his piercing stare was making it impossible for me to think clearly.
"Overwhelmed?" Stefan answered for me, his breathing unsteady. "I can see it in your eyes. There is no such thing as coincidence, Josephine. We were supposed to meet tonight."
"We were supposed to meet?" I asked quietly. I was frozen in place, amazed by the sincerity and emotion in his voice.
"I suppose some would call it fate." Stefan ran the back of his fingers over my cheek and down the length of my neck, his eyes smoldering as they followed the path of his hand. "You are not what I expected. You are more."
"More?" I repeated slowly. My hand moved on its own accord to trace the lines of his lips with my fingertips. I wanted, no, I needed to touch him to see if this was just another dream. I had to reassure myself that he was real. His lips were soft and I felt and watched his mouth curve into a smile under my gentle touch.
All he needed to do was kiss me and my flimsy self-control would snap in relief from the pressure.
Without another word, his head lowered and his lips collided with mine. His large hands pulled me tightly against him, molding us together. His fingers sensuously moved up my back, finally stopping to lightly fist in my hair. My body melted in his arms and my hands became busy working their way underneath the back of his shirt, relishing in the cool hardness of his body. His tongue begged for entrance into my mouth and I parted my lips to him, our tongues meeting and battling for control.
His hands drifted down to impatiently tug on the tie to my wrap dress and I moaned into his mouth as it fell open. His long fingers lingered against my skin as he pushed it over my shoulders. Stefan's lips left mine for a moment, long enough for his hooded eyes to wander slowly and deliberately over my nearly naked body.
"Beautiful," he murmured thickly, reclaiming my lips in a brief kiss. "Where is your bedroom?"
"Down the hallway, Stefan," I breathed in response.
He swept me up into his arms and my legs instinctively wrapped around his narrow waist. His hands cupped my ass as he quickly carried me into my bedroom, softly placing me in the middle of the bed. Stefan stood motionless above me as his eyes possessively raked over my body. He was almost feline in nature, his posture predatory.
"Stefan, take off your clothes. Please," I whispered impatiently. I couldn't wait to see him naked since he was close to perfection fully clothed.
He leered at me for a moment and raised an eyebrow in response to my request. He knew he had me exactly where he wanted me: nearly naked on my bed and writhing in need for him.
And he was totally in control.
"As you wish." His voice was deep as he pulled his shirt over his head swiftly and let it drop carelessly on the floor. His large hands unbuttoned his jeans and his fingers moved slowly as they lowered the zipper. He pushed them over his hips and let the denim fall around his feet. He stood gloriously naked in front of me and my eyes shamelessly moved over his broad chest, down the planes of his finely muscled stomach to finally linger on the impressive length of his long cock. If I had any doubt of his arousal before, I certainly didn't now. He was hard and his cock was almost begging for me to touch him.
"Do you like what you see, Josephine?"
I didn't answer him. Instead, I crawled across the bed and raised up on my knees to rest my trembling hands against his chest. My palms were flat as they slid down his lean torso and wrapped around his hardened shaft. Leaning down to kiss his chest, I laved my tongue from his nipple to his collarbone and savored the spicy taste of his skin. I slowly ran my nose against his neck and stopped to run my tongue over the shell of his ear. His hands grasped my face and dragged my lips back to his, capturing my mouth in a kiss that was all-consuming. My hands increased their speed in response to him, gently stroking the entire length of his cock from base to tip.
When he wrenched his mouth away, I didn't resist as his hands roughly pushed me to my back again. He slowly inched his way onto the bed, his mouth and hands trailing up my stomach to caress the curve of my breast. He pressed against me at the same time his wet mouth circled one of my nipples. He sucked hard and lifted his hips away when I tried to grind against him. His teeth nibbled across my shoulder and against my throat until his lips met mine, his mouth demanding and greedy.
Stefan's fingers drifted over the front of my panties, my hips bucking against his hand as they moved across the hot wetness that had soaked through the fabric. My head arched back against the bed as his mouth lowered to nip at my exposed neck.
"So impatient. " He continued to brush his mouth over my throat and neck, alternating between kissing and licking my skin. One of my hands moved between us to stroke the length of his cock again. I moaned loudly when I felt the satiny hardness jerk in response to my touch.
A low growl escaped his chest as his large hand grasped my face. His thumb gently stroked across my cheekbone before he kissed me with more force than he had before. He pulled my tongue deeper into his mouth as his other hand inched down my stomach to roughly grip my hip. His fingers wrapped around the side of my panties and he impatiently ripped the fabric away with a quick snap of his wrist, his hands stroking the outside of my wet pussy. My breathing was coming in ragged pants, growing louder each time his fingers grazed against my swollen clit.
He lifted his lips from mine to kiss his way back down to my sensitive breasts, rolling his tongue around each nipple until they hardened into tight peaks.
"You have no idea how desirable you are. Or how long I have waited to see you like this," Stefan whispered. His mouth resumed its path down my body at a remarkably slow pace. His lips drifted down my stomach and continued their descent until he made his way down to my hips. His large hands grasped the inside of my thighs, pressing them open as wide as possible. His tongue darted out to lick across his lower lip when he saw my wet sex completely open and ready for him. He expertly maneuvered his broad shoulders between my legs.
"Fucking beautiful," Stefan whispered, placing an open mouthed kiss against my clit. His lips moved to kiss the inside of each thigh all the way to the crease on the side of my folds, tracing his tongue along the same path. He took one long lick from my entrance to return to my clit, swirling his tongue hungrily around it.
"Josephine," he murmured against me softly. My eyes flickered to focus on him and his blue eyes were watching me, hooded and dark. I arched against him, moaning from the combination of his eyes watching me and the feeling of his talented mouth against me. My hands frantically grasped at the covers and my head thrashed against the pillow.
He had unlocked a part inside of me that was ravenous and starving to simply feel.
I don't think a coherent word escaped my lips as his mouth ravaged me. He let me writhe under his ministrations. My hips bucked against his face, pulling him in closer as his tongue dove into me without any mercy. He used both of his thumbs to hold me open and to press against my clit. He replaced his tongue with two of his long fingers, slowly sliding them inside of me.
"I do not know if I can stop," Stefan moaned against me, his fingers rhythmically curling up against my slick walls. I instinctively clenched around them, encouraging him to continue.
"Don't stop," I replied brokenly. "Ever. Please."
He hesitated for a moment and I couldn't help but notice a brief glimmer of emotion flicker across his face. His movements were sensual as he pressed his body against mine, slipping one of his hands between us to guide his hard cock into me at an almost agonizingly slow pace, giving me time to adjust to his size.
When he was fully sheathed inside of me, he stopped for a moment. He pulled back and plunged back in, his thrusts shallow.
"Stefan, I need you to fuck me.. I can't..I need you," I begged hoarsely and clutched desperately at his arms. I felt desire clawing at me, hot and sharp. My hips bucked uncontrollably against him, willing him to move faster and deeper.
I watched in amazement as he slowly lost control before my eyes. His darkened blue eyes dilated until they were almost black and he moved at almost inhuman speed to shackle my wrists in his hands. He withdrew his cock completely, only to slam back inside of me as he growled with desperation. He repeated the motion until I unashamedly begged him for more. I dragged my legs back and slightly tilted my hips, pulling him in deeper to meet each of his hard thrusts. I groaned as he slowed his pace down, fully burying himself completely inside of my wet sex.
"Du kommer att vara d?d f?r mig," he mumbled against my neck as he maintained his slow, powerful strokes inside of me. I could feel myself slowly coming apart at the seams, one thread at a time.
"Stefan...I need to come," I begged. The voice coming out of my mouth didn't sound like my own. It sounded raw, brazen and demanding.
He released my wrists and my hands instinctively reached up to grab his hair, dragging his face down to reclaim his lips with my own, my tongue pushing forcefully inside of his mouth. The speed and intensity of his thrusts increased, his cool skin sliding against the slickness of my flushed body. I cried out against his mouth and begged for release. My back rose off the bed as I began to slowly clench around his cock, waves of ecstasy flowing through me.
"Come for me, Josephine," Stefan murmured against my lips. His hand moved between us to circle my clit as I tumbled over the edge, my inner walls contracting around him as I shuddered underneath him.
His cock twitched and he released deep inside of me, a guttural cry escaping his lips. "Knulla det. Jag kommer!" His head fell back against his shoulders as his orgasm overtook him.
He raised his head slowly and lowered his trembling mouth to mine, his lips gentle. "Det var otroligt. Du ?r en gudinna."
He rolled to my side and rested his head lightly against my shoulder. His body curved around mine, our breathing ragged. I was slowly starting to regain my senses and I turned my head slightly to stare into his eyes, my fingers absently stroking his silky hair. He smiled at me lazily, his face relaxed and euphoric.
"You need to tell me what you said. My brain doesn't have Google Translate," I managed to murmur weakly, my spent body was filled with an amazing sense of completeness I'd never felt before. I shifted to my side to place my head on his chest, curling up against him. I expected to hear his heart hammering in his chest like my own, but his chest was silent against my face.
Flooded with panic, I struggled to sit up. How could he have no heart beat? It wasn't possible. My mind was filled with anxiety and confusion as I desperately tried to come up with an explanation that made sense.
"Josephine," Stefan said. His hand wrapped gently around my arm, keeping me in place.
"What are you?" I sputtered, my own heart racing even faster. I placed a tentative, shaking hand over his chest, hoping that I'd been mistaken and I'd feel the steady strum of his heart underneath my hand.
I felt nothing except his cool, velvety skin against my fingers. My eyes searched his and I could tell by the expression on his face that I wasn't going to like his answer.
"Josephine, I did not want you to find out this way." He looked away for a moment, focusing on the wall. His blue eyes were somber and his shoulders were tense when he finally looked back to me. "I am a vampire."
"Please. I want to do this," I begged, gently squeezing his hands and slowly nibbling my teeth against the soft skin of his neck.
His low growl of approval vibrated against me as my lips blazed a trail down his throat and across his collarbone. I released his hands and placed them beside his legs, giving him a look that warned him to keep them there. He sat motionless, still watching every move I made with his piercing blue eyes.
Moving to stand between his legs, I leaned over to palm his thighs and whispered quietly against his ear. "Lean back."
He moved his hands and braced them behind him. I traced my eyes over every inch of his long hard body, sweeping across his sculpted chest, down his finely muscled arms and finally stopping to rest on his toned abdomen.
He was magnificent. And he was completely mine.
Sinking to my knees, I swirled my tongue over his hip and dragged my lips across his stomach, gently kissing the head of his cock.
"Josephine," he groaned.
My eyes flickered up, watching as his blond head fell back against his shoulders and his fingers dug into the covers behind him. His broad chest was heaving with panting breaths. Drunk with power, I licked my lips and sank my mouth down over his cock, my hands still gripping his thighs.
His hips involuntarily thrust against me as my lips moved over him, pulling him deeper and faster inside of my mouth. I groaned around him as I felt him twitch against my lips.
"Nog! Enough!" He growled deeply through gritted teeth. "Vackra, I do not want to come this way."
Releasing him with a light pop, I let him fall from my mouth. Pushing lightly against his chest and forcing him back against the bed, I crawled slowly up the length of his body. Every inch of our skin was touching as I pressed against him. "Do you want to be inside of me when you come?"
He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. "Yes."
"Do you want to make me come too?" I asked, nuzzling my nose against his cheek.
"Josephine...."
"Answer me. Do you want to touch me?" I brushed my lips against his as I spoke. His mouth parted and his tongue flickered out to lick across his lower lip. I knew all too well what that tongue was capable of and I'd had enough of trying to control him. I wanted to lose myself in him and everything he had to offer.
"More than I can tell you. Jag vill begrava min kuk i dig. Jag vill att du ber f?r mig att sluta," He muttered softly as he switched to speak in his native tongue.
Instead of kissing me, he opened his mind to me, revealing exactly what he wanted to do in explicit detail. He wanted to devour every part of me, bury himself inside of me until I screamed his name and begged for him to stop.
"Don't just show me what you want to do to me with your mind. Do it," I whispered in challenge.
His large hands blurred to cup each side of my face, capturing my mouth in a kiss that was as raw and unapologetic as it was seductive. In a blur, he had flipped me on my back on the bed, his pale body looming over me.
"Josie!" I heard my name being called from a distance. The offending voice wasn't his, it was garbled and distorted. Choosing to ignore it, I focused back on him. My lips sought his again, his smile brief as our lips reconnected, wet and filled with need.
I felt a hand grasp my shoulder, slightly shaking me. He began to disappear around me, fading away before my eyes. I already mourned the loss of his mouth against mine and my skin cried out for him.
"Josie, wake up." The insistent voice was back and was much clearer this time.
"No, come back. Don't leave me," I murmured, frantically grasping at his fading form.
"I will see you again soon, vackra." With those parting words, he completely disappeared.
My eyes flew open and I sat straight up with a strangled gasp and I felt as if my heart was going to pound out of my chest. Running my hands through my hair, my eyes darted around the room in search of him. I was disappointed to see my neighbor sitting on the edge of my bed, her face twisted in concern as she watched me hesitantly.
"Josie, you scared the crap outta me. Are you okay?" Georgia asked quietly. She leaned over to place her hand on my trembling arm.
"Uh, yeah. Give me a sec," I stammered. I rubbed my face with my hands and tried to sort out my jumbled thoughts. I'd dreamed of him again. He was a beautiful, perfect fragment of my imagination.
When my head cleared, I focused my attention back on Georgia. She was still watching me nervously from her perch at the end of my bed.
"What are you doing here?" I snapped at her. She flinched at my tone and I felt horrible that I was taking my frustration out on her. I wasn't used to having such vivid dreams. Especially the kind I'd been having lately. "Shit, I didn't mean to snap. I'm still not awake."
"Pfft, I've had worse. You should meet my sister." She waved me off and her face relaxed into a smile. "I was stopping by to see if you wanted to go out tonight. Anna called me earlier and she wants to meet us at the Echo Beach Club. I think she misses us."
Georgia Turner was a fellow American who had relocated to live in Bali to run a local charity, a fireball of a woman from the state of Louisiana. She was in her late thirties, a tall brunette with dark blue eyes. She had a light southern drawl to her speech and was blessed with a wicked sense of humor. She was also extremely perceptive and had an uncanny way of seeing through you with her sharp, observant eyes.
"Georgia, I don't know-" I began, tucking a piece of my long, reddish-blond hair behind my ear. It was a waste of time arguing with her because Georgia didn't take no for an answer. I could already feel the smugness emanating from her. She knew she'd won and I knew I'd be going out tonight.
"No if's, ands or buts," Georgia said as she cut me off. She turned smoothly on her heel and headed down the hallway. "Now get your behind into gear before I need to kick it." I watched Georgia's ponytail bobbing as she bounced away.
"And I'll be back at eight. Be ready," She yelled over her shoulder as if an afterthought.
Glancing at my watch, I let out a groan when I noticed it was already almost seven. I guess it was time to get my ass into gear since Georgia wouldn't be late.
***
Humming to myself, I dabbed on lip gloss and pivoted in the mirror, giving my tight black wrap dress and wedge sandals a silent nod of approval. I walked down the hall into the living room and plopped down on the couch to wait for Georgia. Closing my eyes, I took in a calming breath, concentrating on getting my mental shields in place. It had been a while since I'd been in a crowd of people and unless I was prepared, it was going to be a long night for me.
I avoided going out a lot because of my 'gift'. And most days my 'gift' of being a psychic empath seemed to be more of a curse than a blessing. It gave me a front row seat to see the intimate details into the lives of strangers and their emotions. I told very few people about my abilities. I'd learned the hard way that most people either viewed me as a shiny new toy to play with or chose to avoid me at all costs.
"Josie!" Georgia's irritated voice brought me back to reality, snapping me out of my musings. "I've been knocking for two minutes. C'mon already, Anna's waiting for us. Let's roll, girl."
Startled by her loud arrival, I'd been so focused on shielding that I hadn't heard Georgia knocking or been able to see her arrive. She was hard to block, her future and emotions almost screamed out for my attention. I had to stay on guard with Georgia. It would only take one small slip on my part for her to figure out my abilities.
"Sorry, Georgia. I'm just out of it today," I said. I reached over to grab my purse and tried my best to push down my guilty conscience, offering her a small smile of apology.
"We can chat in the car. I didn't work this long getting ready to stand around in your house. C'mon," Georgia teased as she swept her arm down her body. Georgia's hair hung down her back in a sleek, shiny sheet and her hot pink, silk mini-dress left little to the imagination. She was what Americans termed 'a cougar.' She happily flaunted her sexuality and viewed men as an entertaining challenge. Once she'd had her fun, she moved on to the next. There were days that I envied her nonchalance when it came to men and relationships.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered as I followed Georgia outside to her car, getting in the passenger seat and reaching behind me to grab the seat belt. I was still struggling to fasten it when she gunned the engine and roared down my driveway. Georgia drove like she was chasing the last living man on earth or the last bottle of wine on the island. Or both.
"Josie, are you excited about tonight?" Georgia asked. I shot her a look out of the corner of my eye and smiled as I watched her bounce in the seat excitedly. "I just know tonight is going to be a night to remember. Something big is going to happen, Josie. I can feel it!"
"And what makes tonight so special?" I questioned. I found it ironic that this was coming from the non-psychic cougar that made this same prediction every time we went out. And to date, nothing exciting had ever happened.
"I can't put my finger on it, Josie. Maybe we can find you a man tonight. You've been here way too long with no lovin'," Georgia drawled, glancing over at me with a wicked smile before focusing back on the road.
"Georgia, you know I don't date. Men and I aren't a good mix," I huffed, folding my arms across my chest. It wasn't a lie, I didn't date. I avoided men and had given up on the idea of having a relationship a long time ago. It was yet another perk of being a psychic empath.
"Who said anything about dating? I'm merely suggesting that you have a little fun with no strings attached," Georgia replied lightly. "You're gorgeous, Josie. You could have any man you wanted."
Georgia's words were ironic. I didn't consider myself 'gorgeous' but I was pretty. My long hair was reddish-blond and wavy and I was curvy in all the right places. I'd never had any problem attracting the unwanted attention of men. I just didn't want it.
"Whatever. Keep dreaming, cougar," I replied. I mentally started the countdown until she started her tirade. 3, 2...
"I told you that I'm much too young to be a cougar. I'm a puma." Georgia raised an eyebrow and quickly shot me a dirty look. "Stop trying to change the subject, Josie. I'm just worried about you, sweetie. You seem so lonely."
Hot tears pricked at the back of my eyes as I focused out the window for a moment. "I'm fine, Georgia. Honest."
"That's where I beg to differ. You've been here for a year and Anna and I are your only friends. You don't date, you spend days alone writing and doing yoga. It's not good to shut yourself off from everything."
Georgia had taken it upon herself to be my unofficial foster mom after she found out I'd been orphaned. My adoptive parents had both died in a car accident four years ago, leaving me with no family. I'd searched extensively for my birth parents but I'd hit a dead end when I found the records had been sealed.
"I've managed to make it 28 years being a loner, Georgia. Let's change the subject, please," I said crossly.
"You're in luck, sweetheart. We're here," Georgia said as she pulled into a parking spot near the front of the restaurant. We were walking towards the door when she turned to look at me mischievously. "Josie, let's talk about that fling I think you need to have before we go in."
"Georgia. Let's have dinner, some drinks and some fun," I said sharply, cutting her off before she started giving me more relationship advice. I gave her a small shove through the heavy wood doors of the restaurant. "That's more than enough for me."
"Spoiled sport." Georgia pouted as her eyes scanned the room. She spotted Anna across the restaurant, waiting for us at a table that was close to the bar and had a fantastic view of the beach. Georgia waved her arm wildly to catch her attention and we crossed the restaurant to join her.
"Anna!" Georgia squealed, leaning over and pulling her up into a tight hug. Anna rolled her eyes at me over Georgia's shoulder as she halfheartedly hugged her back.
"Georgia, I keep forgetting how demure you are," Anna deadpanned. I coughed and focused on a piece of non-existent piece of lint on my dress so I didn't laugh at the obvious sarcasm in her voice.
Anna Wilson was a tiny, vivacious woman in her early thirties. She had a tumble of shoulder length brown curls, clever brown eyes and had zero tolerance for bullshit. She was a successful realtor in Bali, also a fellow American that originally hailed from the east coast. Anna was the one friend here that knew of my ability and had accepted me with a shoulder shrug and never mentioned it again.
"Come here and give me a hug, bitch," Anna laughed, extracting herself from Georgia's embrace to tug me in for a brief hug. "Don't get any ideas about the two of us just because I'm happy to see you."
Laughing at Anna's snark, we sat down at the table and I grabbed a menu. As I flipped through the pages, I felt like someone was intently watching our table. Quickly glancing around the restaurant, I lowered my shields to focus on the crowd. I was instantly bombarded with emotions that ranged from desire, happiness, and angst. Unable to find anyone that had plans on approaching our table, I raised my shields back into place and blamed my nerves on the busy crowd.
The conversation was light and fun, partially due to numerous glasses of wine I consumed during dinner. I felt myself start to relax when I realized my shields were better than I thought they would be. Was the alcohol making me brave or was I underestimating myself? I had a feeling it was the alcohol.
We'd just finished dinner when a DJ started playing music in the bar area. Georgia and Anna pleaded and tried to drag me onto the dance floor with them. I quickly waved them off and motioned to the patio across the room. I walked slowly to the door and stepped out onto the patio, glancing back over my shoulder to watch Georgia as she swayed in time to the music with a dark haired man, not wasting any time in snagging herself a dance partner. Anna was sitting at the bar, deep in conversation with the bartender. I slipped out the door, happy that I wouldn't be missed for a few minutes since they were both occupied.
Smiling to myself, I stepped carefully down the stairs to the beach below and watched as the waves crashed onto the beach. I was actually glad that I'd let Georgia talk me into coming out tonight. There was really no chance I could have convinced Georgia I didn't want to anyway. She would have stomped in, dressing and physically hauling me out if necessary. I let out a loud laugh at the mental image, the sound echoing through the balmy night air.
"May I ask what is so funny?"
Startled by the deep, smooth accented voice, I whirled around to see a man swaggering towards me. He was well over six feet tall and solidly built with blond, Nordic good looks. His face was finely sculpted, with sparkling eyes blue like the ocean. I had the strangest feeling of deja vu wash over me as I stared at him. He looked exactly like the man from my dreams.
It couldn't be possible.
"N-nothing really," I stuttered, my breath coming out in a shudder. "It's sort of an inside joke about my friends inside."
"Ah. A joke." The blond man moved to stand close enough to me so that our arms were touching. I'd obviously had too much wine to drink, since I could have sworn there was some sort of spark that passed between us when our skin brushed against each other. I absently rubbed my fingers over my arm, wondering if I'd finally lost my mind or if this was just another dream that I'd be waking up from soon.
Let's face it, men that looked like he did just didn't just appear on a beach and approach me every day. In fact, the only time I'd ever seen a man that looked like him was in my dreams. I could feel my heart start to race when I started to notice the similarities between him and my fantasy man. They shared the same blond hair and chiseled face with skin that almost glowed iridescently. He was almost too perfect to be real, a work of impossible masculine beauty.
I was way out of my league with him. Hell, we weren't even in the same ballpark.
Unsure how to proceed, I lowered my shield to try to see his future or feel his emotions and gasped when I couldn't do either. He was a void, his presence a gentle hum in my mind. The hair raised on the back of my neck as my brain worked overtime trying to figure out why I couldn't read him.
His deep voice brought me out of my thoughts as he extended his large hand to me, inclining his head slightly. "I should introduce myself. I am Stefan Lifsten. And you are?"
Hesitantly I placed my much smaller hand in his and immediately noticed the cool, silky hardness of his skin. I was startled at the electricity that jolted between us when his large hand enveloped mine. Shivers of excitement shot through my body and a slow, long forgotten burn ignited between my legs. I wasn't sure if it was a good sign that the simple touch of his hand made my panties want to disappear into the night.
"I'm Josephine Anderson. Everyone calls me Josie but you can call me whatever you want....." I said nervously, my cheeks burning with embarrassment at my mindless chatter. I could now add verbal diarrhea to my mental checklist of the many reasons why I knew this man was out of my league.
"Josephine. It is my pleasure to meet you." Stefan lowered his mouth to my hand and brushed it lightly with his lips. My skin throbbed where his mouth had touched my skin, a sensation I'd never experienced before. I drew in a shaky breath and glanced in the direction of the bar. I was trying to focus on the faint sounds of music to calm down before I made a bigger idiot out of myself.
"Would you like go inside and dance with me, Josephine?" Stefan asked. A beautiful smile slowly broke across his face, causing fine lines to crinkle around his eyes.
Stunned into silence by his question, my lips parted in surprise as I stared back at him. Dance?!? He wants to dance with me? Would my poor body be able to handle it if I was wrapped in his arms, or would I just spontaneously combust from the sensation? I didn't know for sure, but it was a chance I was willing to take.
"Sure." I nodded anxiously. Inwardly groaning at my lack of conversational skills, his compelling presence had reduced me to either nervous babbling or to one answer responses.
"Shall we go?" Stefan asked. He placed his large hand on my lower back and gently nudged me towards the steps that led back into the bar. We slowly climbed them together, the music getting louder as we approached the patio. He opened the door for me and I blinked as we reentered the darkened bar area, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light after the darkness of the beach.
"Let me get you a drink before I take you up on the dance you promised me," Stefan said and waggled his eyebrows. He led me towards the bar and pulled out a stool for me. "What would you like?"
A few dirty thoughts of what I'd like to do to him crossed my mind as I sat down, swiveling on the stool to face him. "A glass of red wine sounds great."
When he stepped away and motioned for the bartender, I was finally able to get a good look at him as he leaned across the bar to order my drink. His hair was golden blond and thick with long layers that swept across his forehead. He had high cheekbones and his brows arched over expressive sea blue eyes. His square jaw was strong with a slight cleft in his chin. The black t-shirt he was wearing strained tightly against his broad chest, hugging the lean muscles of his long arms. His faded jeans rode low on his narrow hips and clung to his long, powerful legs.
I watched as he slowly turned and sauntered back towards me, a wry grin on his face. He placed my glass of wine in front of me and sat down. His large frame made the bar stool look much too small and his long legs stretched to brush against mine. Swallowing the groan that threatened to escape, I gingerly picked up the glass and took a large drink of wine.
"Thanks. You're not drinking anything?"
He chuckled and leaned closer to me. His sparkling eyes flickered over my face and he swallowed tightly. "No, I am fine for now."
My fingers tapped nervously against the polished wood of the bar and I was surprised when Stefan's large hand covered mine, weaving our fingers together. Our eyes met with a force that made me feel like I was burning alive from the inside out. He smiled and reached over to push a curl away from my face, his long fingers brushing down the side of my face in a gentle caress that left my skin tingling.
"Josie!"
I broke away from his gaze and watched with apprehension as Georgia and Anna made their way over to us across the crowded bar, their eyes both widening in shock as they took in my companion at the bar.
Georgia raised both eyebrows at me. "We were just getting ready to look for you. I can see you've been busy."
Anna moved to stand by Georgia with a drink in her hand, her eyes boldly sweeping over Stefan with obvious appreciation. She gave me an exaggerated nod, winking in approval. She leaned towards me and attempted to whisper, her loud voice carrying so that it was audible over the music. "Good catch, Josie."
Mortified, my eyes darted to Stefan's face to gauge his reaction. His mouth was arranged in a smug smirk and he seemed unaffected by their stares and comments, his eyes softening as they met mine. He raised an eyebrow slightly, jutting his chin towards Anna and Georgia to remind me that we weren't alone.
"Uh, yeah. Georgia and Anna, this is Stefan Lifsten. Stefan, these are my friends Georgia and Anna," I managed a feeble introduction. My stomach churned uneasily as I glanced between Stefan and my friends.
"It is my pleasure to meet you both." Stefan stood and inclined his blond head slightly in greeting. He was still holding my hand tightly and his cool grip was strangely reassuring. Georgia narrowed her eyes and peered at our joined hands, her head swiveling to look at Anna in disbelief. Anna gave her a confused shrug and busied herself with her drink.
Georgia's head spun back around and refocused her attention on me, a forced smile on her face. She glanced at her watch and stared at me pointedly. "Are you ready to go Josie? It's getting late."
Stefan cleared his throat loudly, drawing Georgia's attention to him. "If it is acceptable to Josephine, I would like to spend some time alone with her. I will make sure she gets home safely."
Georgia's eyes narrowed as she stared at him with irritation. His eyebrow raised in amused contempt as he held her gaze, causing Georgia to huff and look away nervously. I could count on one hand the times I'd seen someone able to ruffle Georgia and he'd managed to accomplish it with a simple, albeit powerful stare.
It didn't take long for her to recover. "Josephine?!?" Georgia questioned sarcastically. "Josie, it's up to you. I can hang out..."
"Georgia Turner," Anna said, using her free hand to slap her arm in annoyance.
Waving Georgia and Anna off, I interrupted them both off before they had the chance to say anything else. "No, it's fine. Stefan can get me home or I can call a cab."
"Are you sure?" Georgia asked leerily. I let out an unladylike snort at Georgia's hypocrisy. She'd been encouraging me to not only meet a man, but have a fling with one earlier in the evening. Had I missed something?
"Georgia, she will be fine with me. You can come check on her tomorrow," Stefan said. His voice resonated with a quiet force and his lips curved into a small smile that didn't reach his eyes as he spoke to her.
Georgia appraised us both silently, her lips set in a thin line. "Fine. I'll call you tomorrow." She jabbed her finger into his muscular chest, her voice threatening. "Touch a hair on her head without her permission and you have me to deal with. Got it, pretty boy?"
Stefan grinned, apparently amused by Georgia's grandiose threats. "Point taken. Good evening, Anna. And to you as well, Georgia Turner."
I watched with relief as Georgia and Anna collected their purses and both waved a hurried goodbye to me. My relief quickly faded into anxiety as I realized I was alone with this devastatingly handsome man and I had no idea what to do.
"Josephine, you owe me a dance, yes?"
Without waiting for an answer, Stefan tugged me smoothly off the stool and onto the dance floor just as a slow song began to flood the room. He wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me against his chest. The top of my head barely touched the edge of his shoulder as we moved slowly together, my curves fitting perfectly against the contours of his lean body. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and felt the hardness of his muscles rippling under his skin with each movement he made. This felt so familiar, like I'd been in his embrace before.
I was lulled into a dreamlike daze as we danced. One of his hands gently traced lazy patterns along my back while the other splayed around my waist. Closing my eyes against his chest, I nuzzled my nose against him and breathed in the musky smell of his skin: spicy sandalwood, the ocean and something that was just inherently masculine.
I unconsciously pressed myself closer against him and moaned when I felt the hardness of his arousal pressing against me through his jeans. Peeking at his face through my eyelashes, I was awestruck by his beauty and the emotion that had softened his face. Wrapped in his arms, I wondered if this is what if felt like to be normal. Not one emotion or premonition flooded my mind and being in his embrace made everyone else blissfully silent.
The song faded out and Stefan reluctantly pulled away, the back of his fingers caressing my cheek delicately. His voice was seductive and lilting when he spoke. "I think it is time I took you home."
Nodding, I began walking towards our abandoned table and reached to pick up my purse. "Oh, right. I'm sure you have other things to do and it's getting late. If it's too..." My words faded out when I spun around to find myself face to face with the broad expanse of his chest. I had to fight the urge not to run my hands over the muscles visible underneath his shirt.
Chuckling softly, he leaned down slightly and his cool breath tickled my ear as he whispered to me. "I was hoping you would invite me to your house so we could talk more."
The sensible voice in my head was telling me to say no. However, my impatient body and heart had a mind of their own and the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "Come on, Romeo. Let's go to my house."
"Romeo?!?" Stefan parroted, a look of arrogance flashing across his handsome face. He ran a large hand through his hair and his free hand slipped into the front pocket of his jeans.
"I like it, so let's just go with it," I retorted playfully, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the restaurant with him following obediently behind me. I could imagine how absurd it looked to see me tugging this hulking giant of a man out behind me like a naughty child.
He gently removed his hand from mine and moved it to press against the small of my back as he led me across the parking lot to his car. It was a sleek and black with heavily tinted windows, expensive and meticulously taken care of. He opened the door gallantly for me and I lowered myself into the leather seat, feeling the heat of his eyes as they traveled the length of my legs. I cleared my throat and glanced up at him to let him know I'd caught him staring. His mouth quirked into a tiny smile as he closed the door and walked quickly around the car. He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine in one smooth motion.
"Where are we going, Josephine?" Stefan asked, his voice loud in the confined space of the car. I glanced at him and blinked for a moment. It hadn't hit me until now that I was inviting this man back to my home to 'talk'. I had an idea that my version of talking and his version were two different things.
"Go right out of the parking lot, my house is about three miles down the road on the left. 28124," I replied quietly, watching as he made short work of backing out of the parking space and pulling quickly onto the main road.
My eyes roamed over the interior of the car. It was all leather and had every gadget available. It wasn't the typical car you'd see in Canggu. "Your car is beautiful. It's much nicer than my jeep."
"It is an Audi TT. I spare no expense when it comes to vehicles." Stefan shrugged offhandedly.
He hummed as he drove along and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. I used the time to study his profile in the darkness, the lines of his face harsh in the light from the dashboard. He would occasionally glance over at me and smile tightly, almost appearing to be nervous. I felt compelled to reach for his hand across the console, lacing my fingers with his. He released a deep sigh of relief and our contact filled the car with a quiet energy. We drove along in a comfortable silence and I lost myself in the quietness of his presence.
Feeling the car slowing, I glanced out the windshield to see Stefan making the turn into my driveway. He drove slowly over the gravel and came to a stop next to my jeep. He smoothly exited the car, closing the door behind him. I was reaching for the door handle when I realized that Stefan already had the car door open with his large hand extended to me. I could only stare at him blankly for a moment, wondering how he managed to move around the car so fast.
Placing my hand in his, he gently pulled me from the car. I led him up the steps to my villa, and pulled my hand away to unlock and open the door. I walked in and turned to look at him as he stood in the open doorway. He gave me a smile that sent my pulse racing and caused a wave of desire to course through me. I motioned for him to come inside while attempting to get my raging hormones under control.
"Come in. Can I get you something to drink. Water, tea?" Or me, I added silently. Switching on a lamp, I watched as Stefan made himself at home on my couch and stretched his long legs out in front of him.
"Nothing. Thank you, Josephine." Stefan smiled slowly and his lips parted to display his dazzling display of straight, white teeth. He stretched his long arms across the back of the couch, his blue eyes sparkling devilishly. I couldn't help but pause to admire him, thinking to myself that he looked like he belonged there.
Shaking my head, I dropped my purse on the table by the door along with my keys. I stood silently for a moment with my arms crossed under my chest. I slowly let my shields down to see if I could get any vision or emotion from him now that we were completely alone. I closed my eyes and cringed as I waited for the onslaught of both to rush into my mind. All I was greeted with was blackness, a gentle hum and the quietness of the house.
What is he?
When I opened my eyes, I noticed that Stefan was silently observing me. His handsome face darkened with intensity and I felt a gentle pressure push against my mind, as if he was trying to communicate with me. Frowning slightly, he looked at me with uncertainty and the pressure disappeared. Apparently I was as perplexing to him as he was to me. I could almost see the highly-oiled wheels of his mind calculating his next move.
He slowly rose to his feet and crossed the room to stand in front of me, his hands lightly running down the length of my arms. I shivered involuntarily from the pleasure of his touch against my skin. "Are you okay, Josephine?"
I was anything but 'okay'. The touch of his hands and sound of his voice was causing my senses to spin and I was frustrated that I couldn't read him. It left me feeling vulnerable, unsettled and extremely turned on.
I blinked a few times, remembering that he'd asked me a question that required an answer.
"Yes, I'm just..." I began hesitantly as I turned my head to look up into the blue ocean of his eyes. I was desperately searching for the right words but his piercing stare was making it impossible for me to think clearly.
"Overwhelmed?" Stefan answered for me, his breathing unsteady. "I can see it in your eyes. There is no such thing as coincidence, Josephine. We were supposed to meet tonight."
"We were supposed to meet?" I asked quietly. I was frozen in place, amazed by the sincerity and emotion in his voice.
"I suppose some would call it fate." Stefan ran the back of his fingers over my cheek and down the length of my neck, his eyes smoldering as they followed the path of his hand. "You are not what I expected. You are more."
"More?" I repeated slowly. My hand moved on its own accord to trace the lines of his lips with my fingertips. I wanted, no, I needed to touch him to see if this was just another dream. I had to reassure myself that he was real. His lips were soft and I felt and watched his mouth curve into a smile under my gentle touch.
All he needed to do was kiss me and my flimsy self-control would snap in relief from the pressure.
Without another word, his head lowered and his lips collided with mine. His large hands pulled me tightly against him, molding us together. His fingers sensuously moved up my back, finally stopping to lightly fist in my hair. My body melted in his arms and my hands became busy working their way underneath the back of his shirt, relishing in the cool hardness of his body. His tongue begged for entrance into my mouth and I parted my lips to him, our tongues meeting and battling for control.
His hands drifted down to impatiently tug on the tie to my wrap dress and I moaned into his mouth as it fell open. His long fingers lingered against my skin as he pushed it over my shoulders. Stefan's lips left mine for a moment, long enough for his hooded eyes to wander slowly and deliberately over my nearly naked body.
"Beautiful," he murmured thickly, reclaiming my lips in a brief kiss. "Where is your bedroom?"
"Down the hallway, Stefan," I breathed in response.
He swept me up into his arms and my legs instinctively wrapped around his narrow waist. His hands cupped my ass as he quickly carried me into my bedroom, softly placing me in the middle of the bed. Stefan stood motionless above me as his eyes possessively raked over my body. He was almost feline in nature, his posture predatory.
"Stefan, take off your clothes. Please," I whispered impatiently. I couldn't wait to see him naked since he was close to perfection fully clothed.
He leered at me for a moment and raised an eyebrow in response to my request. He knew he had me exactly where he wanted me: nearly naked on my bed and writhing in need for him.
And he was totally in control.
"As you wish." His voice was deep as he pulled his shirt over his head swiftly and let it drop carelessly on the floor. His large hands unbuttoned his jeans and his fingers moved slowly as they lowered the zipper. He pushed them over his hips and let the denim fall around his feet. He stood gloriously naked in front of me and my eyes shamelessly moved over his broad chest, down the planes of his finely muscled stomach to finally linger on the impressive length of his long cock. If I had any doubt of his arousal before, I certainly didn't now. He was hard and his cock was almost begging for me to touch him.
"Do you like what you see, Josephine?"
I didn't answer him. Instead, I crawled across the bed and raised up on my knees to rest my trembling hands against his chest. My palms were flat as they slid down his lean torso and wrapped around his hardened shaft. Leaning down to kiss his chest, I laved my tongue from his nipple to his collarbone and savored the spicy taste of his skin. I slowly ran my nose against his neck and stopped to run my tongue over the shell of his ear. His hands grasped my face and dragged my lips back to his, capturing my mouth in a kiss that was all-consuming. My hands increased their speed in response to him, gently stroking the entire length of his cock from base to tip.
When he wrenched his mouth away, I didn't resist as his hands roughly pushed me to my back again. He slowly inched his way onto the bed, his mouth and hands trailing up my stomach to caress the curve of my breast. He pressed against me at the same time his wet mouth circled one of my nipples. He sucked hard and lifted his hips away when I tried to grind against him. His teeth nibbled across my shoulder and against my throat until his lips met mine, his mouth demanding and greedy.
Stefan's fingers drifted over the front of my panties, my hips bucking against his hand as they moved across the hot wetness that had soaked through the fabric. My head arched back against the bed as his mouth lowered to nip at my exposed neck.
"So impatient. " He continued to brush his mouth over my throat and neck, alternating between kissing and licking my skin. One of my hands moved between us to stroke the length of his cock again. I moaned loudly when I felt the satiny hardness jerk in response to my touch.
A low growl escaped his chest as his large hand grasped my face. His thumb gently stroked across my cheekbone before he kissed me with more force than he had before. He pulled my tongue deeper into his mouth as his other hand inched down my stomach to roughly grip my hip. His fingers wrapped around the side of my panties and he impatiently ripped the fabric away with a quick snap of his wrist, his hands stroking the outside of my wet pussy. My breathing was coming in ragged pants, growing louder each time his fingers grazed against my swollen clit.
He lifted his lips from mine to kiss his way back down to my sensitive breasts, rolling his tongue around each nipple until they hardened into tight peaks.
"You have no idea how desirable you are. Or how long I have waited to see you like this," Stefan whispered. His mouth resumed its path down my body at a remarkably slow pace. His lips drifted down my stomach and continued their descent until he made his way down to my hips. His large hands grasped the inside of my thighs, pressing them open as wide as possible. His tongue darted out to lick across his lower lip when he saw my wet sex completely open and ready for him. He expertly maneuvered his broad shoulders between my legs.
"Fucking beautiful," Stefan whispered, placing an open mouthed kiss against my clit. His lips moved to kiss the inside of each thigh all the way to the crease on the side of my folds, tracing his tongue along the same path. He took one long lick from my entrance to return to my clit, swirling his tongue hungrily around it.
"Josephine," he murmured against me softly. My eyes flickered to focus on him and his blue eyes were watching me, hooded and dark. I arched against him, moaning from the combination of his eyes watching me and the feeling of his talented mouth against me. My hands frantically grasped at the covers and my head thrashed against the pillow.
He had unlocked a part inside of me that was ravenous and starving to simply feel.
I don't think a coherent word escaped my lips as his mouth ravaged me. He let me writhe under his ministrations. My hips bucked against his face, pulling him in closer as his tongue dove into me without any mercy. He used both of his thumbs to hold me open and to press against my clit. He replaced his tongue with two of his long fingers, slowly sliding them inside of me.
"I do not know if I can stop," Stefan moaned against me, his fingers rhythmically curling up against my slick walls. I instinctively clenched around them, encouraging him to continue.
"Don't stop," I replied brokenly. "Ever. Please."
He hesitated for a moment and I couldn't help but notice a brief glimmer of emotion flicker across his face. His movements were sensual as he pressed his body against mine, slipping one of his hands between us to guide his hard cock into me at an almost agonizingly slow pace, giving me time to adjust to his size.
When he was fully sheathed inside of me, he stopped for a moment. He pulled back and plunged back in, his thrusts shallow.
"Stefan, I need you to fuck me.. I can't..I need you," I begged hoarsely and clutched desperately at his arms. I felt desire clawing at me, hot and sharp. My hips bucked uncontrollably against him, willing him to move faster and deeper.
I watched in amazement as he slowly lost control before my eyes. His darkened blue eyes dilated until they were almost black and he moved at almost inhuman speed to shackle my wrists in his hands. He withdrew his cock completely, only to slam back inside of me as he growled with desperation. He repeated the motion until I unashamedly begged him for more. I dragged my legs back and slightly tilted my hips, pulling him in deeper to meet each of his hard thrusts. I groaned as he slowed his pace down, fully burying himself completely inside of my wet sex.
"Du kommer att vara d?d f?r mig," he mumbled against my neck as he maintained his slow, powerful strokes inside of me. I could feel myself slowly coming apart at the seams, one thread at a time.
"Stefan...I need to come," I begged. The voice coming out of my mouth didn't sound like my own. It sounded raw, brazen and demanding.
He released my wrists and my hands instinctively reached up to grab his hair, dragging his face down to reclaim his lips with my own, my tongue pushing forcefully inside of his mouth. The speed and intensity of his thrusts increased, his cool skin sliding against the slickness of my flushed body. I cried out against his mouth and begged for release. My back rose off the bed as I began to slowly clench around his cock, waves of ecstasy flowing through me.
"Come for me, Josephine," Stefan murmured against my lips. His hand moved between us to circle my clit as I tumbled over the edge, my inner walls contracting around him as I shuddered underneath him.
His cock twitched and he released deep inside of me, a guttural cry escaping his lips. "Knulla det. Jag kommer!" His head fell back against his shoulders as his orgasm overtook him.
He raised his head slowly and lowered his trembling mouth to mine, his lips gentle. "Det var otroligt. Du ?r en gudinna."
He rolled to my side and rested his head lightly against my shoulder. His body curved around mine, our breathing ragged. I was slowly starting to regain my senses and I turned my head slightly to stare into his eyes, my fingers absently stroking his silky hair. He smiled at me lazily, his face relaxed and euphoric.
"You need to tell me what you said. My brain doesn't have Google Translate," I managed to murmur weakly, my spent body was filled with an amazing sense of completeness I'd never felt before. I shifted to my side to place my head on his chest, curling up against him. I expected to hear his heart hammering in his chest like my own, but his chest was silent against my face.
Flooded with panic, I struggled to sit up. How could he have no heart beat? It wasn't possible. My mind was filled with anxiety and confusion as I desperately tried to come up with an explanation that made sense.
"Josephine," Stefan said. His hand wrapped gently around my arm, keeping me in place.
"What are you?" I sputtered, my own heart racing even faster. I placed a tentative, shaking hand over his chest, hoping that I'd been mistaken and I'd feel the steady strum of his heart underneath my hand.
I felt nothing except his cool, velvety skin against my fingers. My eyes searched his and I could tell by the expression on his face that I wasn't going to like his answer.
"Josephine, I did not want you to find out this way." He looked away for a moment, focusing on the wall. His blue eyes were somber and his shoulders were tense when he finally looked back to me. "I am a vampire."
