Linc Read online

  Her nostrils flared and her pulse increased. His sexual control wavered.

  “How long since a man held you in his arms, cupped your breasts and made love to them?” He paused and leaned close to her ear. “Made love to you.”

  She whimpered. A small sound that shot from her throat to his cock. It jerked painfully and he wanted it in her.

  “I want to strip you bare, Chaya.”

  He drew back and stared into her eyes. Hers were no longer sharp but hazy with desire. Her mouth moved but no sound emerged. He embraced the opportunity, control rapidly decaying, and covered her lips with his.

  Soft and pliant, she opened beneath him like a flower unfurled to welcome morning’s rays. His blood sang as the control he’d held onto since first spying her dissipated. With a low growl that reverberated from his gut, he caught her around the waist and lifted her straight up from the chair. The move allowed him to feel all of her curves along his physique.

  Hungrily, Linc tore at her mouth, desperate for it all. He backed them against a wall and devoured her, sweeping his tongue through her mouth, searching. Seeking. Conquering.

  Chaya responded fully. Her body arched into his, her tongue danced with his and her hands tore at his shoulders through the sweatshirt he wore. He didn’t even hesitate, just blinked away their clothes. Her skin felt flushed but then so did his.

  Slower.

  The word barely registered with him. So far gone was he in his craze to have this woman that he was taking her like an animal. His thick cock teased the entrance to her pussy, her wetness coating the head as he hesitated. Chaya had a leg hooked around him and her hand curved around his shaft.

  He groaned in delirious pleasure. Something as simple as her touch could turn him into a pile of mush.

  “Protection,” she whispered, desperation in her tone.

  “Taken care of,” he said. He sheathed his cock and embedded himself to the hilt inside Chaya.

  “Ahhh!” she cried, her back bowed, pressing her breasts closer to him.

  Chaya was tight around him. Blessedly tight. Her body adjusted and cradled him inside her moist heat. She dug her nails into his flesh. Linc gave in to the primitive urges hounding him and took her mouth with desperate fierceness, mimicking with his tongue the penetrating strokes he delivered to her core. Chaya kept up with him, her mewls and cries encouraging him. Legs wrapped tightly around his waist, she took all he had to give and seemed to ask for more.

  Time had no meaning. Nothing did but her. She came all over his thrusting cock again and again until he could hold out no longer. A loud roar erupted from him as he gave his finishing stroke and released his seed.

  Still buried deep inside her, Linc looked down. Her eyes had that sleepy, contented look. Her lips were kiss-swollen and parted as she panted in sharp, short breaths. Chaya shivered and shook beneath him as her body expressed its exhaustion.

  He cupped her face in one hand, tipped her head up and placed one final, tender kiss to her lips, then blinked.

  She was gone.

  Chapter Two

  Chaya stirred and moaned softly. She ached. Not in a bad way—no, in a most wonderful way. For a moment she lay under her thick comforter and just enjoyed the warm glow around her. Then her eyes flew open and she bolted upright in bed.

  “Danny!”

  Jumping from the cocoon she’d been in, she barely noticed she was completely naked, grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed, and headed for the door, only to stop with her hand on the handle. She remembered now. He was with Willie Chambers and his family for the day.

  “Then what am I doing in bed?” She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was afternoon. “I’ve been sleeping all morning?”

  Then he flashed before her eyes. She ran a hand over her face and groaned. Memories of being taken up against his office wall made her skin prickle and her breath come more sharply.

  “Maybe it was a dream,” she murmured to herself as she returned to her bed and started to make it—words she knew to be a lie even as she spoke them. No way in creation could it have been a dream.

  So how had she got back home? The last thing she remembered was Linc’s office. Not leaving there, not driving home, and surely not undressing and climbing into bed. Moving stiffly, she headed for the bathroom and took a hot shower, the pounding spray easing her aches a bit.

  Cleaning herself, she did her best not to envision Linc’s strong hands touching her. How they’d felt on her breasts and hips as he’d powered deep inside her. Her legs shook as wave after wave of longing hit her and she had to brace herself against the wall to remain upright. Shaky and slightly out of breath, she finished her shower and dried off before dressing.

  Chaya tidied up her house and when the time came to leave for her job at the diner she felt more rested than usual.

  The place was bustling with the usual Sunday crowd. She waved at Tom before she got to work washing dishes. At one point she looked over her shoulder, expecting to see Linc standing there, for she’d felt the same shiver she normally got when he was there, watching her. But only her co-workers were there.

  The busboy had made it in to work, so there was no need for her to leave and help out there—a fact she had mixed feelings about. Part of her wanted to see if Linc was there, while another part was embarrassed by her lack of control with him.

  What was I thinking, doing that with Danny’s coach? He must think I’m… How am I going to face him again?

  Hell, even now thinking about it made her feel flushed and wanting. Beneath her shirt and apron her nipples tightened to taut points, rubbing tantalisingly against her bra. Moisture gathered between her legs as her body readied itself for another round with Linc.

  This didn’t make sense. She ground her jaw and did her best to focus on work, but not even the steam or rebounding water from the power washer could totally distract her from the pleasure she’d experienced that morning.

  In an office no less. At the arena.

  Mentally chastising herself, she wondered when she’d turned into a wanton. There had been other dates and one other relationship since it had become just her and Danny. The others had merely been nice. But this…Linc…he made her crave things she’d never thought of before.

  She jumped at the darkly decadent chuckle in her head and glanced furtively around, but again it was just her at the sinks.

  I’m losing it. I’ve officially become wonky.

  The rest of her shift didn’t make her feel any better about herself. She imagined she felt his touch. Caressing the back of her neck. Pressed up against her, teasing her intimate folds.

  Hell, she damn near came, standing there against the stainless steel sinks. Her nerves were shot when her shift finally ended. Waving to her co-workers, Chaya strode outside and headed for her vehicle.

  Two steps away from it, a tall figure stepped from around the hood. So smoothly and so suddenly did he appear that it was as though he’d materialised out of thin air. She gasped and instinctively took a step backwards. Then it dawned on her who it was.

  Linc.

  Her heart pounded erratically in her chest and she felt an overwhelming urge to run into his arms. Blinking rapidly, she took a deep breath, ignoring his masculine scent.

  “You scared me,” she said, gathering her courage to move forward again.

  “I wanted to see you.”

  No apology for scaring the bejeezus out of her, just a simple statement, as if that explained it all away.

  ‘I want you again.’

  The words, smooth and rich, echoed through her head and she jerked around to see if perhaps he’d moved close enough to whisper in her ear. He hadn’t moved, although his eyes had followed her progress to the door of her SUV.

  “What?”

  Linc didn’t say a word. His gaze seemed to burn in the low lighting of the back lot. She turned away, suddenly aware of how her body was reacting to being in such close proximity to this man. He looked as dangerously sexy as he had when
she’d seen him earlier that day. And, as it had been the first time he’d come into her life, her reaction was powerful and immediate.

  She could see him watching her through the reflection in her window. He carried himself with a posture that screamed arrogance and self-confidence. Not like some men, who made it offensive—no, with him it was…old-world charm.

  Yes, that’s what it was. Like a man who’d come from money and expected people to treat him in a certain way. It didn’t matter that he stood behind her in jeans, shirt and a leather jacket, with black boots on his feet—she imagined his manner would still be the same if he wore a tuxedo.

  Lowering her gaze from his reflection, she opened the door and tossed her purse in. The warmth at her back told her he’d moved. She clenched one hand to keep from reaching behind her to touch him.

  Touch me. I’d like that. So would you. The silvered words, laced with endless promises of passion, floated through her mind.

  Her throat was so dry that she had to swallow a few times before she turned towards him and stared up at his face, hoping he couldn’t read her nervousness. “Is there something I can do for you, Mr Dixon?” she asked.

  Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, he reached out with one arm and braced his gloved palm on the frame of her open door. Blocking her in. She stared at his lashes as he blinked. Long, thick and curved, they gave him an air of sensuality she’d never encountered before.

  “Linc.”

  It was her turn to blink. “Beg pardon?”

  He leaned closer. “You smell like a bouquet of flowers.” She shivered as he inhaled along her neck, making her internal temperature skyrocket. “Acacia. I’ve not smelt this since the time it used to grow in abundance along the Nile.”

  His words threw her for a moment. It was a scent she had to order, since it wasn’t all that common. But when had he been to Africa and seen the acacia trees growing along the Nile?

  “You’ve been to Africa?”

  His eyes glinted in the dome light. “Yes.”

  She smiled wistfully. “I’d like to go there someday.”

  “We will.”

  We?

  She didn’t voice her question, preferring not to think about why he would be speaking for them both. Hell, there wasn’t even a ‘them’. She’d just made a mistake and slept with her son’s coach.

  ‘Not a mistake, Chaya.’

  She stumbled back, hitting the seat. “I… I have to go,” she babbled.

  I’m losing it.

  She managed to climb into her seat, but he stopped her from shutting the door. Her hand was on the handle, but unless she could somehow pull it hard enough to evaporate the man in its way, he wasn’t going anywhere. And neither was she. She trembled as she started the engine.

  “Why are you running?”

  Dragging her gaze from his, she focused out the windshield and buckled her seatbelt.

  “I barely know you, Mr Dixon. If you will excuse me, I need to get home.”

  “Linc.” This time his voice had an edge to it.

  So, Mr Cool n’ Calm does have a breaking point.

  She released the door and tugged on the edge of her shirt, squared her shoulders, and met his eyes. “Mr Dixon.”

  He lifted one masculine brow, but held her gaze.

  ‘You shouldn’t challenge me, I will win.’

  Chaya ignored the voice in her head. After all, it had to have been her imagination. Right?

  “I have things to do, so if you don’t mind…” She trailed off, expecting him to get the message and move his fine ass out of her way so she could leave.

  He captured her chin in two of his fingers, holding her immobile. “You will cease running from me and you will call me Linc.” His words flowed like heated cordial and gave her the same tingle as if she’d drunk some, warming her from the inside out.

  Even so, she shook her head and batted his hand away. “I’m not yours to order around, Mr Dixon. Regardless of how it looks to you, I just got off work and would like to get home.”

  He took her hand and kissed each fingertip, never relinquishing his visual hold on her. When he reached her thumb, he nipped the tip and she almost whimpered with longing.

  “Good night, Chaya,” he said, stepping back and closing the door for her.

  Her clit throbbed and she fought not to shift on the seat. Without looking back, she drove away, knowing if she stayed there would be a repeat of this morning. She still wasn’t sure it hadn’t been a figment of her imagination.

  ‘That was not your imagination. If you like I can show you again.’ That same deep voice spoke in her mind.

  It caused much the same reaction that being in Linc’s presence did; heightened sexual awareness—of him and her own body. She forced it out of her mind. If she accepted it, then she would have to face the fact that she was losing her sanity.

  When she entered her home and closed the door behind her, she was assaulted by a warm brush against her back and her nose was filled with the same rich, earthy musk she got from Linc. That alone was enough to set her back on high alert and almost make her give in to the lust clouding her.

  With a round of curses she never would have said if her son had been at home, she headed to the shower and hopefully some relief.

  * * * *

  Linc prowled through her house as she showered. The draw to her was stronger than he’d imagined it would be. His mind filled with visions of her standing under the pulsing water, the droplets streaming over her bare skin. Her nipples would be beaded.

  He licked his lips, longing to draw those tips into his hungry mouth. His palms itched to cup her breasts’ heavy weight. He wanted to back her up against the shower wall and impale her on his thick cock. Thrust deep and unload inside her.

  “Shit,” he bit off, rubbing his straining and aching shaft.

  Hands back in his pockets, he perused her small living room. The colours were cool, blues and greens—it reminded him of the sea and offered comfort. He moved to a shelf and stared at the photos propped there. Mainly of her and Danny.

  There weren’t many knick-knacks, but the place had a homey feel to it. One he liked. On silent feet, he strode back down the short hall of her ranch house and found her bedroom. He stood inside the lit room.

  Earth tones. His gaze locked onto the queen-sized platform bed with its patchwork comforter in browns and creams.

  The shower shut off and he half turned towards the door. It took him less than a second to cloak his presence.

  His body reacted almost violently when she emerged from the steamy bathroom clad in nothing but a short silk robe. The deep pink colour offset the mocha hue of her skin to amazing effect.

  His cock stirred again and he almost materialised before her and carried her to the bed. Instead, he remained rooted to the spot as she sat on her bed and began to rub lotion onto her legs. The fragrance was the same as that he’d smelt on her previously. Acacia.

  The scent brought back memories of times long past, when pharaohs had been rowed up and down the Nile. Sitting next to Ra as they watched the pristine waters ripple past the barge. He remembered the throngs of people worshipping the other gods or partaking in celebrations. The powerful scents of the incenses as they burned along with visions of the other offerings.

  He watched her run her hands over her smooth calves, rubbing the lotion into her skin. Skin he knew was as soft as rose petals.

  She moved her hands up and down, her short unpolished nails shining from the cream as she massaged up over each thigh. Each pass of her palms seemed to hit him in his groin. He wanted her touch on him. The recollection of those legs wrapped around his waist made him groan.

  Her head snapped up and her eyes focused on the spot where he stood. Could she see him? In all his years, he’d never been seen when hiding in plain sight as he was now. But something told him she knew she was no longer alone.

  He held his breath as Chaya rose from the bed and approached his corner. Her hips swayed seduc
tively beneath the burnished silk.

  “Christ, I’m going insane,” Chaya muttered.

  She paced back and forth before him, tantalising him. With each step she took the short skirt of the robe moved, exposing the firm globes of her ass. She shoved a hand over her short damp hair, spiking it up in parts. It made her look entirely adorable…and fuckable.

  Chaya lifted her arms over her head, the robe rising even higher.

  Yes. Definitely fuckable.

  He barely contained the next growl, which raced up his throat when her robe slid down to pool in a pile of pink silk around her ankles. She strode, naked, to her chest of drawers and pulled out a pair of lacy boy shorts.

  Who would have guessed that prim Chaya liked lacy undergarments? He watched her draw the panties up her legs. The pale purple material hugged her ass. A pair of pale blue lounge pants and a grey tank top followed.

  Need, powerful and raw, coursed through him and he left before he took her. As badly as he wanted her, he could see how exhausted she was. This feeling emerging within him gave him pause. It was strong and intense.

  Unnerving.

  He materialised at his own home and strode through to the sunken tub. Once submerged, he sighed and allowed his thoughts to drift back to his woman.

  Yes, his.

  He who was considered ‘father of the gods’. One of the eight who constituted the Ogdoad. A deity without temples, he had mainly had existed in anonymity. Which was fine, but the fact that Chaya seemed content to ignore the link between them was not.

  Chaya.

  A woman who touched the basest part of him. With a groan of surrender to the craving that had been hounding him ever since he’d sampled the delicacy of Chaya. The quickie in his office hadn’t even begun to touch the amount of time he wanted to spend on her. With her. Inside her.

  With a curse, he rose from the heated pool and strode, naked, to his bed. Sinking down upon the massive mattress, he curved his hand around his erect cock. He closed his eyes and fantasised that it was Chaya gripping his shaft. That it was her slender fingers holding him and stroking him.