Broken Dawn Read online

  “No. I was born with a different gift.”

  “What’s yours?”

  He stared at her for a long moment, unspeaking.

  “What are you doing?” Dread pooled in her belly. “You aren’t reading my mind, are you?” Was he telepathic? Please don’t let him be telepathic! Because she had woven a hell of a lot of sexual fantasies around him over the years. And if he could read minds, then he knew—

  “No. I don’t have that ability.” He smiled. “I was just procrastinating.”

  “Why?”

  He squeezed her hand. “Could I maybe share my gift with you another time? You already have a lot to process. And it’s been a long day.”

  She also hadn’t reacted very well to his having superhuman speed and felt like crap for the hurt she’d seen flash in his amber gaze when she’d taken that fearful step back from him. “You think it’s going to freak me out, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” The word emerged a resigned growl.

  And Kayla realized his hold on her hand had tightened, as though he feared she would jerk hers away and make a run for it.

  She studied his face. A lot of anxiety resided in his handsome features.

  He was afraid she would turn away from him. The longer she held his hand, the more certain she became of it until she could almost feel his dread herself. I didn’t want to lose you, he’d admitted, implying he had feelings for her. And he seemed to fear he would lose her now if his gift—whatever it might be—scared the hell out of her.

  “Okay,” she conceded, the need to make him feel better overpowering her curiosity.

  “Okay what?” he asked.

  “You can tell me another day.”

  Relief softened his features and loosened his shoulders. “Thank you.”

  Offering him a tentative smile, she shrugged. “It’s the least I can do. I’m still alive because you and your friends saved me.”

  “You might have survived without our intervention.” Reaching up with his free hand, every movement slow as if he expected her to bolt, he brushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear, the light touch leaving little tingles in its wake. He cupped her cheek in his big palm. “But I couldn’t take the chance you wouldn’t. And I couldn’t bear to see you in pain.”

  This time her heart hammered against her ribs for a reason other than fear. “You risked a lot, saving me, didn’t you? You risked a lot just explaining all of this.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re trusting me not to tell anyone.”

  “I am.”

  Reaching up, she cupped his jaw, now stubbled with a five-o’clock shadow. “I won’t betray your trust, Nick. I promise.” Sudden impulse drove her to lean up and press a brief kiss to his lips. “Thank you for saving me.”

  His eyes brightened. The hand on her cheek moved, sliding around to cup the back of her neck. His gaze dropped to her lips.

  Her pulse quickened.

  Drawing her toward him, he dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers.

  Chapter Five

  Kayla’s pulse stuttered.

  Nick was gentle at first, as though he expected her to pull away.

  When she didn’t, he increased the pressure and teased her lips with the tip of his tongue. As soon as she parted them, he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue inside to stroke hers.

  She barely managed to bite back a moan. Curling her hand around the nape of his neck, Kayla buried her fingers in his short, soft-as-silk hair. Damn, he could kiss! Her body went up in flames as her mind blanked. She tightened her hold when his loosened, afraid he intended to pull away. But he didn’t. Instead, he lifted her effortlessly and settled her across his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

  Her breath shortened as he continued to tease and torment her with his tongue. She didn’t think she had ever in her life been so turned on by a kiss. She would pass it off as a reaction to her close brush with death, but knew it was simply because this was Nick kissing her. She had fantasized about him for so long. And the reality was even better than the fantasies.

  Dragging his lips from hers, he buried his face in her neck. His arms tightened around her almost to the point of pain.

  Frowning, wanting those lips on hers again, she hugged him back. “Nick?”

  “You scared the hell out of me today,” he murmured, his deep voice hoarse.

  Her heart turned over. He would only have such a reaction if he cared about her. How had she not realized that before? “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Just let me hold you a minute.”

  Smiling, she snuggled against him and ordered her libido to simmer the hell down. “I didn’t realize you cared,” she said tentatively.

  “I do.” His warm breath fanned her neck. “I’ve cared for a long time now.”

  She bit her lip. “I thought you and Eliana were a couple.”

  He shook his head slightly. “She’s just a friend.” His hold loosened as he leaned back slightly, placing just enough distance between them to look down at her. “That’s all she’s ever been, Kayla. I asked her to start coming around when I noticed Becca had developed a crush on me.”

  Kayla wrinkled her nose. “You knew about that?” Becca would be mortified.

  “Yes.” His lips turned up in a sheepish smile. “I admit I found it particularly disconcerting because I had such a crush on her mother.”

  Her breath caught. “You really do care about me?”

  “I really do.”

  “Does Eliana know?”

  “Yes. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but when we’re working together and she asks about you, she refers to you as the missus because she knows how crazy I am about you.”

  There was just no stopping the big grin that stretched her lips. “Really?”

  He nodded.

  “Why didn’t you ever tell me? Or ask me out?” He didn’t seem like the shy, silent type. And he sure as hell wasn’t shy when it came to kissing. This man did not lack confidence. “Oh.” A possible explanation dawned. “Was it because you’re different?”

  He nodded. “That’s it in a nutshell. Although Becca’s crush complicated things, too, for a while.”

  “I guess it’s not easy sharing a secret this big.”

  “Particularly since it isn’t just my secret. Sharing it endangers all those like me, whom I consider friends and family.”

  It shouldn’t hurt that he had been unwilling to trust her, that he thought it risky, but it did. “I wouldn’t betray you, Nick.”

  “I didn’t believe you would.” No doubt or hesitation colored his words. “But Seth is always warning us that history is destined to repeat itself. And one of my friends…” He grimaced. “Well, Roland isn’t really a friend. He’s too antisocial. So I’ll just say one of my work colleagues told his fiancée what he was a long time ago and she and her family tried to kill him.”

  “Shit.”

  “Exactly. But you’re different, too, Kayla. That’s the other thing I need to tell you. You’re a gifted one.”

  She frowned. “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are. I didn’t know it until Seth told me today. He’s the oldest and most powerful among us. And I trust him implicitly. If Seth says you’re a gifted one, then you are.”

  “You’re saying I have advanced DNA?”

  “Yes. Becca does, too, since she’s your daughter. I can take you to the network and have them test your DNA if you’d like. But I’m certain it will confirm it.”

  “I don’t have any gifts.”

  “Often—because their DNA has been so diluted from thousands of years of their ancestors intermarrying with ordinary humans—the gifted ones born in recent decades possess gifts that are so mild they don’t even realize they have them. Another friend of mine—Richart—married a gifted one who comes from a long line of healers. But Jenna can’t heal with a touch like Seth. Her body just bears greater regenerative capabilities than that of ordina
ry humans so she didn’t get sick. Ever. Not so much as a cold. And Bastien married a gifted one who has psychic abilities that are so minor they resemble mere intuition. You likely have a gift that is just subtle enough that you overlooked it or dismissed it as something else.”

  So immortals sometimes married gifted ones?

  She bit her lip. Why had her mind immediately zeroed in on that instead of the notion that she might have some special gift she’d never noticed before?

  A yawn caught her off guard. Kayla hastily covered her mouth. She had suffered so many adrenaline spikes in the past few hours that she hadn’t noticed the fatigue pummeling her. “Sorry about that.”

  He smiled. “It’s okay. It’s been a long day full of trauma and shocks.”

  How had she never noticed the affection that tinted his smile when he spoke to her? And why was it so hard for her to wrap her mind around the idea that Nick cared about her? Had her asshole ex messed her up so much mentally that she could no longer recognize or believe it when a man was genuinely interested in her?

  “Why don’t you rest for a bit?” he suggested softly.

  “I’d rather sit on your lap,” she responded without thinking. Her eyes widened. “Crap. I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

  He laughed. “Yes.”

  Heat flooded her face. “Maybe I should lie down. My inner filter seems to be missing.”

  Grinning, he tightened his hold. “Don’t look so embarrassed. Honestly, I like having you on my lap and would much rather neither one of us move a muscle.” He winced. “No. Damn it. I don’t want to lie and that’s only partially true. I do like having you on my lap. But I can think of quite a few muscles I’d like us to move if I keep you here.”

  She laughed.

  “And now you’re blushing even more.” His smile turned chagrined. “My inner filter appears to be missing as well. I blame you for scaring me so badly and keeping me from sleeping this morning.”

  “You didn’t sleep this morning?” She had thought they’d both fallen asleep during the movie.

  “No. I enjoyed having you curled up against me so much that I only dozed a time or two.”

  Warmth spread through her chest as she shook her head. “I had no idea you were even interested in me in that way. You never even hinted.”

  “Then I must be a fantastic fucking actor, because I’ve wanted you for years.”

  It boggled the mind.

  “Does that offend you?” he asked hesitantly.

  “No.” Dropping her gaze, she stared at the strong, tanned column of his neck and bit her lip. “I’ve wanted you for years, too.”

  He groaned and tightened his hold. “You shouldn’t have told me that.”

  She risked a glance up. The amber light in his eyes was brighter than ever. “I admit I even tried to spark some interest in you by wearing something that I thought would draw your attention and then checking the mail when I knew you’d be leaving for work.”

  “What would you wear?” he asked, his voice deepening in a way that sent arousal slithering through her.

  “A tank top and shorts. A shirt that was lower cut than usual. I even wore a dress once.” Which was something she never did since she worked at home. “But you never seemed to notice.”

  “I noticed.”

  She shook her head. “No, you didn’t. You always just smiled, said hi, chatted for a minute, then turned away.”

  “I had to turn away.” Releasing her, he motioned to his face. “My damn eyes would always start to glow. And even if they didn’t, I would’ve still had to turn away so you wouldn’t notice how hard you made me and think me a total perv.”

  She grinned. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  She cupped his face and studied his eyes. “So your eyes glow when you’re turned on?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is that why they’re glowing now?”

  “Yes.” When she offered no further comment, his brow furrowed. “What are you thinking?”

  She decided to be honest. “I’m thinking about all the muscles I’d like to move right now, beginning with my leg muscles so I can do this.” Shifting, she rose to her knees, slung a leg across him, and straddled his lap.

  He hissed in a breath. Sliding his hands down to grip her hips, he drew her toward him until her core made contact with his hard cock, the cloth of their pants the only thing that separated them.

  Pleasure shot through her, loosing a moan.

  His hold tightened as he ducked his head and pressed his lips to her neck just beneath her ear.

  A sensual shiver shook her, driving her to grind against his hard length. Just once. And ohhhhhh, how amazing it felt.

  Nick drew back enough to press his forehead to hers and released a ragged breath. “You’re killing me, Kayla.”

  “Why?” Was that breathy voice hers?

  “Because I desperately want to follow through on this but don’t know how much time we have before Becca and Eliana get here.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh crap.” He might as well have dumped a bucket of ice water on her. “You’re right. It probably wouldn’t be good if we were naked and humping like bunnies when they came in.”

  He laughed, some of the intensity leaving his face as he shook his head. “This is going to be fun, isn’t it?”

  She smiled. “What is?”

  “You and me.”

  Excitement skittered through her. “Is there going to be a you and me?”

  “If I have anything to say about it? Hell yes.”

  She didn’t know if it was his answer, his hard cock pressing against her, or the affection in his eyes, but she suddenly felt so giddy her head spun. “Good.”

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Why don’t you try to get some rest before Becca gets here? I have a feeling she isn’t going to let you out of her sight for a while.”

  “Only if you rest with me. You haven’t slept all night.” Or day. Nick often worked nights and slept during the day.

  Kicking off his boots, he scooted back until he reclined against the pillows and extended an arm.

  Smiling, she stretched out beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. “What should I tell Becca when she gets here?”

  “That your injuries weren’t as bad as they thought. A broken arm. A concussion. Some soreness and bruising. But you’ll recover in no time.” He curled his arm around her and cuddled her closer.

  Eager to comply, Kayla turned onto her side and rested her casted arm on his rock-hard abs. Dragging one leg up, she draped it across his thighs.

  Arousal remained a slow burn. The longer she touched him, the higher the flames grew.

  Rubbing her cheek against one of his muscled pecs, she drew in his scent and wanted nothing more than to slide over on top of him and rock against him until they both came.

  Well. Actually there was one thing she wanted more: to get naked with him and explore all those hard muscles of his while he drove his hard cock deep inside her.

  “How soon did you say they would get here?” she asked, imagining him taking her fast and hard in what would undoubtedly be the best quickie of her life.

  “Too soon,” he grumbled, his heart thudding beneath her ear.

  “Damn.” She couldn’t seem to calm her body down enough to fall asleep. Nor could she turn her mind away from contemplating all the ways they could make each other come now that she knew Nick was attracted to her. “I haven’t dated anyone since my divorce. I guess it would freak Becca out if she walked in here and found your face in my lap or me down on my knees with your cock in my mouth.”

  “Fuck, Kayla.” Every muscle in his body went rigid. Then he rolled toward her, not stopping until she was on her back and he loomed over her. He shoved a muscled thigh between hers, parting them and making room for himself. Then, his eyes as bright as the damned sun, he ducked his head and claimed her lips, devouring her and stoking the flames until she moaned and arched up against him.

  Yes. Th
is was what she wanted, what she needed. It had been soooooo long since any man had touched her. And Nick wasn’t just any man. He was the one who frequented all of her illicit sexual fantasies.

  She moaned a protest when his lips left hers and trailed kisses across her cheek to her ear. His warm breath sent more sensual shivers through her that seemed to go straight to her core before he raised his head and stared down at her.

  She fisted her hands in his shirt and tried to drag him back down so she could taste those oh-so-talented lips of his again, feel his tongue slide against hers.

  But he refused to budge. “I want to see your face.”

  She shook her head, her mind too fogged with lust to comprehend.

  He rested a big hand on her stomach. His fingers curled around the fabric of her shirt and drew it up. Then those long, warm fingers splayed on her bare stomach and slipped beneath the waistband of her scrub pants.

  She sucked in a breath. She wore no underwear. Hers must have been removed at the hospital.

  Anticipation gripped her as he combed his fingers through the hair on her mound and found her clit.

  Her breath released in a whoosh, followed by a moan as he explored further.

  “You’re so wet for me,” he rumbled.

  Kayla could only nod, her pulse off the charts as he stroked her.

  He slipped a long finger inside her. Then another, stretching her, thrusting in and out. So good.

  His thumb, slick from her arousal, settled against her clit.

  “Remember that preternatural speed I mentioned?” he murmured, his voice a husky growl that worked her as efficiently as his fingers.

  She nodded, incapable of speech.

  Suddenly his thumb moved… fast… stimulating her like a fucking vibrator. His fingers did, too.

  Fire raced through her, the pleasure so great her eyes rolled back in her head. Closing them, she cried out as the most intense orgasm she had experienced in years ripped through her. She bucked against his hand, her inner muscles clamping down around his fingers, squeezing and releasing for what seemed like forever as the pleasure went on and on until she collapsed into a breathless heap beneath him.

  Nick withdrew his fingers and slipped his hand out of her pants.