Desiree Holt

“That looks like it belongs on you.” The voice was deep and warm like honey.

Meredith turned her head and found herself pressed full length against the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. Dark hair brushed the collar of his shirt and thick lashes framed whiskey-colored eyes. His tanned face, more rugged than handsome, had deep grooves etched into the sharp planes and a sharp scent drifted past her nose. Pulses throbbed instantly in her breasts and her cunt.

“Oh!” Her breath felt trapped in her lungs. “Thank you.”

She tried to move slightly away but his body enveloped her, keeping her in place. She knew she should feel threatened but instead she only felt turned on. The heat from his body was like a cloud of air around her and she could feel the thickness of his cock just touching her buttocks.

He must have gestured to a sales clerk, because in a moment the case was unlocked and the pendant lay displayed in its glory on the counter.

“Allow me.” He lifted it with long, slender fingers and fastened it around her neck.

As his hands fell away they brushed across her breasts, so briefly she wondered if in fact she’d imagined it. His fingertips lifted her chin and moved her head so she was looking into the mirror on the counter. The pendant glowed as if it was alive.

“I knew it,” he said, his hands resting on her shoulders. “It matches your eyes perfectly.” He bent his head so his lips were almost touching her ear. “Do you know in ancient times emeralds were coveted for their magical powers? They were believed to heighten sexual desire in women.”

Liquid dampened her panties and her nipples tightened. What was she doing here with this stranger, his voice slowly seducing her? She touched the little tree, running her fingertips over the miniscule stones, hardly aware that he was paying the clerk. Her eyes widened as he pocketed the receipt.

“I can’t let you buy this for me. It’s way too expensive. I don’t even know your name.”

“Connor.”

The smile undid her again.

“Oh. Well. Hello, Connor. Nice to meet you. And I still can’t allow you to pay for this.”

“But I just did.” He pressed his mouth to her ear again, his breath a sensuous feather against her skin. “And I have a pound of that fudge you were looking at so covetously. If you tell me your name, I might share it with you.”

“M-Meredith.” Oh, way to go. Tell your name to a perfect stranger. Be smart for a change and run as fast as you can. But her feet wouldn’t move.

“All right, Meredith.” He took her hand in his large, warm one and tugged her toward the door. “Why don’t we go find a place to indulge ourselves in this forbidden pleasure.” He smiled down at her. “Or any other one that comes to mind.”

She let him lead her outside, images of forbidden thrills dancing in her head. God, this was so unlike her. She had no idea what she was doing with him, let alone any man after her last disaster. But a feeling of recklessness gripped her and as he tucked her into his car she thought, Why the hell not?

“You know the Egyptians were the main provider of emeralds to the world for centuries,” he told her as they pulled away from the village. “Men gifted their women with them to help seduce them more easily.”

“Is that what you’re doing?” Her voice was shaky. “Seducing me?”

“Would you mind if I did?” His voice was like warm honey.

She didn’t know what to say, nor could she make words come out if she did. When his hand, which rested on her thigh, moved slightly higher, rational thought disappeared. His touch was magic, calling forth instant response from her body. His fingertips nestled in the crease between thigh and hip, sending tendrils of heat dancing along her skin. Moisture dripped from her pussy at the intimacy of his touch and tiny flutters pulsed in her vagina.

What’s happening to me?