"Interesting you should say that. I felt a connection between you two as soon as I walked in the room tonight."
That knowledge would probably help him later on, provided he needed some Storm family assistance in getting Shannon to see the light.
After they danced, Angelina directed him to several of the key business people in New Orleans and introduced him. She stayed by his side, joined shortly thereafter by Galen. Max spent the better part of an hour with them both, impressed with their business acumen and their inherent ability to make their customers feel like old friends.
For the next several hours he'd met just about every important business contact, and had spent time with both Logan and Aidan, doing a little promotion of the hotel/casino as well as talking about the public relations program.
He liked this family. A lot. They were close knit but friendly enough to open themselves up to a stranger like him. Reminded him a lot of his own family.
During the entire evening, Shannon had kept her distance from him, a fact that apparently was not lost on Angelina as they watched Shannon dancing with her father again.
"She's avoiding you."
"So I see."
"You're not going to let her get away with that, are you?"
"Not very likely. She and I have unfinished business this evening."
Angelina grinned and nodded. "Good. Take me over to my husband."
He swept Angelina in his arms and moved casually toward Galen and Shannon.
"She won't be easy, you know."
Max laughed. "I think I already knew that."
"She's headstrong."
"I like that. But so am I. I want an equal, Angelina, not a meek woman. And Shannon is definitely not meek."
"Agreed. You two will have to fight it out, then. But I feel something deep within you, Max. Something elemental and powerful. You know of our magic, and I know of yours."
Once again, she surprised him. "You know what I am?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course."
"And you don't object?"
Angelina shook her head. "There are all types of people in the world. Some have no magic within them at all. Then there are others, like you and me, who are different, possessing powers that the average person has no knowledge of. As I told you before, as long as you don't harm my daughter and your intent is honorable, I have no objection to what you are. A merger of Storm and Devlin magic could be very potent."
"That it could." A new admiration for the strength of the Storm family filled Max with hope for the future. He felt a lot less lonely in this strange new place.
"Now I'm going to return you to Shannon, who, by the way, is currently shooting daggers at you. I'm certain she thinks you and I are plotting against her."
"Aren't we?" he replied with a grin, dancing her over to her husband and daughter.
Her eyes widened and she threw her head back and laughed, then patted Max on the cheek. "You're a charmer, Max Devlin."
"And you're a lovely woman, Angelina."
"Merci. Ah, there's my gorgeous husband." Angelina moved gracefully from Max's to Galen's arms, then pushed Shannon toward Max. "Ma belle fille, go dance with Max so he doesn't feel all alone."
Sauntering quickly away, Angelina and Galen left Shannon standing in front of him.
A very unhappy looking Shannon. She started to turn away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her against his chest, then weaved her into the throng of dancers.
"I don't care to dance any more," she said, gritting her teeth through a smile.
"Oh, but we had just gotten to the good part earlier when we were interrupted by your parents." He spotted the balcony and maneuvered them closer to the double doors.
"You mean the part where I drive my knee up between your legs and crush your balls?"
"Nah, not that part. The part where I sweep you out onto the balcony for a little alone time."
Before she could offer a protest, he had moved through the open balcony doors.
The night was breathtaking, like the woman in his arms. Sultry, steamy, filled with magic and passion. Her hair gleamed in the partial moonlight, her skin taking on a pearl-like glow.
"I'm going back inside." She turned, but he held tight to her wrist.
"Stay here with me."
"We're not here to play, Max. I have work to do." Anger tightened her features. But she didn't tug at his hand again.
"You've worked long enough. Now it's time to relax a bit."
"Does 'no' just not fit into your vocabulary?"
"Not where you're concerned. Besides, you don't really want to say no. You want to say yes, but you're afraid."
She wrenched her arm away and turned toward the balcony, gazing out onto the busy street below. Okay, they were making headway. She hadn't gone inside yet.
"Psychoanalyzing me now?"
"Not at all. I just sense your emotions."
Despite the heat, a cold wind swept over them. Shannon's hair blew back in the stiff breeze, yet she didn't budge nor appear to be cold.
"Don't assume to know how I feel, Max."
Max stood firm despite Shannon's attempt to freeze him. "Let me tell you exactly how you feel, Shannon. You're angry because you can't control me like you've controlled other men in your life. You're angry at yourself because you feel something for me that you don't want to, and it scares you."
When he stepped closer, the wind howled fiercely, the temperature dropping by degrees. She'd put up a barrier, or was trying to. But he'd never been one to let anything keep him from a goal. Undaunted, he stopped behind her, reaching for her arms. Instead of grabbing her, he caressed her from her shoulders to her wrist. She shuddered, but didn't turn around.
"You're wrong. That's not how I feel."
"Deny it all you like, but there's a connection between us."
"That's my mother talking."
"Your mother and I agree, then. There's something that ties us together, Shannon."
"That's all bullshit. Nobody tells me what I should feel or for whom."
"I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. You already feel this way; you're just trying to deny it. I'm curious as to why."
"I don't want you."
He turned her around, trying to be gentle, but his patience was wearing thin. He wanted her. His cock was raging, the primal instinct to mate overpowering his normal common sense. The urge to slam her against the brick wall behind them, lift her skirt and drive his cock in hard and deep grew stronger by the minute. If they didn't leave this party and soon, that's exactly what he would be doing.
Ignoring her denial, he swept his hand over her hair, shuddering at the silken feel of the strands as he threaded his fingers through them. She opened her mouth to speak, but he'd had enough of arguing. Instinct told him to follow through on his deepest desire, and right now his deepest desire was trying her damnedest to get away from him.
That he wouldn't allow, so he followed his instinct. He backed her up against the wall then drove his mouth down over hers, silencing anything she might've said. His tongue invaded, his lips coaxing hers to respond.
He tried to be gentle. God knows, he tried hard, but lust had taken over, the need to possess stronger than the desire to take things slowly.
Expecting a fight, he was surprised when she whimpered and met his thrusting tongue with equal fervor, her body drawing closer to his. He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him, her full breasts pressed against his chest.
The wind died down, replaced instead by a simmering heat that made him want to strip them both naked right there on the balcony.
Not a bad idea at that.
No, there were people inside. Passion warred with logic. He had to get them out of there, had to find a way to get off this balcony and head to the hotel.
To his suite, where he could undress her slowly, savor every moment of this first time.
Who was he kidding?
"Aw, fuck it," he grumbled against her lips.
Shannon tore her mouth from his and met his gaze. "My thoughts exactly."
Chapter Six
Shannon knew she would regret this later. But later was...later. Right now, all she could think of was Max.
He buried his face in her neck, his tongue licking along the delicate skin. She dug her nails into his shoulder and held him in place, never wanting the delicious sensations to end. His low, guttural growls drove her crazy. Delirious with passion, she didn't even care they were on the balcony and that nearly everyone she knew stood only a few feet inside.
Screw it. She wanted this. Summoning up a blast of wind, she directed it at the doors and they blew closed. For good measure, she summoned another strong gust to scoot the wrought-iron loveseat snug against the doorway.
That should take care of anyone wanting to wander outside. As far as the people below, they'd never see. Shrouded in darkness and tucked against the wall, a large potted palm provided enough coverage to assure them privacy.
Hell, this was New Orleans, and they were smack in the middle of the French Quarter. People wouldn't bat an eyelash at a couple engaged in a little outdoor passion anyway.
Max lifted his head and looked at the door and loveseat, then at her. "You do that?"
"What if I did?"
He grinned, his teeth gleaming bright white against his tan face. "Great idea."
His smile died and he grasped the back of her neck, drawing her mouth to his. He licked her lips, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue, then diving inside.
A mix of emotions clouded her judgment. She shouldn't want this. Impulsive behavior was so unlike her, and yet she felt as if she'd been pulled into a vortex and was powerless to stop the raging storm.
Keeping a tight leash on her powers was going to be difficult if Max continued to sweep his hands possessively over her body. Like a man in desperate search of something, he gripped her arms, his fingers traveling down and over her hips, clenching and unclenching his fingers against her flesh.
When he raised the back of her dress and palmed her buttocks, flames of burning desire licked at her skin He was hot. She was even hotter. And more than ready for whatever he had in mind.
His touch wasn't gentle and exploratory. Barely leashed passion burned inside him, threatening to consume them both.
An insane sense of urgency enveloped her and she knew that sex with Max would be combustible. She prayed for the strength to keep the hurricane at bay.
"Too many clothes," he murmured, bending down to lick the swell of her breasts rising above the top of her dress. She threaded her fingers in his hair and held tight as his tongue snaked into the valley of her cleavage.
With a savage tug he pulled the bodice of the dress down, baring her breasts. He kissed each globe, laving her nipples with his tongue. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep from shrieking as tight pleasure coiled deep within her. He tugged on the aching buds, just as he had in her dream fantasy.
He devoured her breasts, taking as much of them into his mouth as would fit, and wrapping his hand around the rest. Moaning loudly, she closed her eyes tight and just went with the flow of incredible sensations.
When he'd had his fill of tasting her, he dropped to his knees and she opened her eyes, feeling a breeze between her thighs as he lifted her dress.
Max leaned in and pressed his mouth against her panties, his hot breath tantalizing her with the promise of what would come next.
But surely not out here. He wanted to fuck her, that much she knew. But this?
"Max, stop." The words came out like a sensual plea rather than a command to cease. She was powerless against his onslaught, barely able to breathe, let alone carry on a conversation.
"No," he mumbled. "Need to taste you."
"Later."
"Now!"
Her legs shook with the force of her desire as Max spread them apart, then tugged roughly at her panties. The feel of the lacy silk thong scraping her legs was more tantalizing than anything she'd ever experienced. Max helped balance her as she stepped out of them. He tucked the scrap of black fabric into his coat pocket.
The knowledge she was fully naked under her dress, that her breasts were bared to someone who might see, both mortified and aroused her.
But nothing was more enticing than seeing Max on his knees before her, lifting up the hem of her dress and staring at her sex.
When his gaze met hers, his eyes were pools of dark desire, his lashes like the darkest night and those strange yellow flecks in his eyes were glowing.
"I love the way you smell," he whispered. "Like sweet honeysuckle mixed with the unmistakable scent of sex. I'm going to eat you until you scream for me, Shannon. And then I'm going to fuck you until you scream again. And I don't give a damn who hears it."
She shuddered her next breath, unable to respond. Not that he expected her to, because he leaned in and pressed his lips against her clit, then licked her.
Shannon couldn't withhold the gasp that escaped her lips. Nor the whimper that followed when his exquisite tongue traced every contour of her pussy, diving between the folds of her slit to lap up the juices seeping freely there.
This was nothing like what she was used to when it came to sex. Max had been right. She had controlled the men she'd been intimate with before. Maybe she'd purposely attracted men she knew she could dominate.
But deep down inside, she'd never been satisfied with a man who took his orders from her. In business, she was in charge. In the bedroom, she wanted a man to master her.
Max Devlin would never be dominated by anyone, man or woman. That she already knew. It was a strange thought to be having while he worshipped between her legs, but even this act showed his control over her, because she was quickly losing any she'd had. Or thought she'd had. She hadn't been able to control a damn thing since the moment she'd met him.
She tangled her fingers into his hair when he lifted one of her legs and placed it over his shoulder, then spread her wider, opening her sex to him. He slipped two fingers inside her wet cunt and thrust hard. Biting down on her lower lip to keep the cries at bay, she panted instead, overcome with sensations of blinding heat and a sweet ache that built fast and furious within her.
He covered her clit with his lips and sucked, drawing out the mewling sounds that couldn't possibly be coming from her throat, nor the guttural groans that made her sound like a desperate bitch in heat.
But damn if he didn't make her want, make her need this magical moment when he completely overpowered her and took her to a place she'd never been.
A part of her fought against giving up that last thread of control. It became a battle then. Her holding back, wanting to prolong the inevitable, and him taking her completely over until she couldn't help but surrender to his special magic.
She felt the tightening, the spiraling between her legs and deep into her core as he fucked her with his fingers, licking the length of her. When he removed one finger from her pussy and slid it gently into her anus, she gave up everything to him.
Despite the fact they were outside where all could hear, despite the fact her entire family lurked mere feet away from them, she screamed as her climax washed over her, trying to keep the wailing cries tucked inside, but unable to do so.
Her powers let loose too, a maelstrom of wind swirling around them, nearly lifting her off the ground.
She fought to manage it all as she rode out the torrential orgasm, finally succeeding in calming the wind as the last of the quakes inside her resided. But she was afraid she couldn't stand on her own.
Fortunately, she didn't have to. Max rose and stared at her. He didn't speak, just gazed at her with eyes that were so hot and filled with desire that she felt the flames lick to life inside her again. She heard the rustling of his zipper, but before she could reach out and grasp his cock he drove into her, thrusting hard and deep in one quick motion.
He was huge. Long and thick, he could barely fit it all inside her. She'd never taken a shaft this big,
never thought she could. But her juices poured over them both, her lubrication and prior orgasm allowing him easy access into her willing cunt.
She cried out at the intensely pleasurable sensation of being completely filled.
This time, though, Max covered her cries with his mouth. She tasted her pleasure on his lips and tongue and suckled, taking in his groans with an eagerness that surprised her. When he lifted her and cradled her buttocks in his hands, she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and held onto his shoulders, not wanting him to pull away from her.
Not yet. Already she felt the tightening, shocked to find that he could bring her so close again, so quickly after she'd just come.
No words were exchanged, only whimpers and moans and a primitive language that had nothing to do with normal speech. Yet she understood Max's desperate need, because she felt it herself, needed him to take her, to come inside her, to brand her as his.
Later, she'd think about the ramifications of what they were doing. Now, she only knew she wanted whatever he gave her, accepting it gladly. If she could find the words, she'd beg him for it.
As long as he didn't let go, he could have whatever he wanted from her.
His thrusts became harder, faster, his cock rubbing against the sensitive nub of her clit and shooting electrical sparks that made her shudder. She felt him reach deep inside her, stroking her high and deep, touching all the parts of her with intense pleasure.
When the exquisite pulses started, he pulled his mouth away and locked his gaze to hers.
"Look at me, Shannon. I want to watch you when you come on my cock."
He moved his hips back, then forward, grinding against her inflamed clit. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut, this intimacy more than she could bear.
"Look at me, dammit," he said, desperation tingeing his voice.
She did, watching as his eyes began to glow a golden yellow. His jaw was clenched, sweat beading on his brow as he moved furiously within her.
Clenching his arms, she held tight as the first spasms overcame her. Yet she kept her focus on his face, watching his features tighten. He opened his mouth and let out a howl as he shuddered, his hot come shooting high and deep inside her. She couldn't hold back, her own climax pouring over him, yet he continued to ride her, pushing for more than she was capable of giving.