Freeing the Beast: Taming the Beast, Book 1 Read online

  The passenger door swung open.

  Holy…

  The muggy breeze ruffled Becca’s hair. The lights in the parking lot skimmed its reddish color, deepening the passionate tint, making it beyond provocative.

  Eric opened his door. He gawked at her dress. Liquid gold couldn’t have fit her better. The top molded itself to her sumptuous breasts. The skirt clung to her hips and thighs. The hem lifted with the gentle wind.

  Using both hands, Becca held her skirt down just as Marilyn Monroe had done with hers in that famous photograph from The Seven Year Itch.

  Becca said something to Zoe, then pulled her purse’s dainty chain over her shoulder and headed toward the restaurant. Zoe gave her death-mobile a shitload of gas, burning rubber on her way out. Undoubtedly, she wasn’t pleased with tonight’s events.

  Aroused and possessed by something he didn’t understand, Eric moved through the lot toward Becca and caught up just as she’d reached the stairs leading to the front door.

  She looked at his arm slipped around her waist, then lifted her face to his. Gone was the dramatic makeup, leaving only Becca.

  Softness, heat, desire flared in her beautiful eyes. Surrender too.

  She touched his cheek. An invitation Eric couldn’t resist.

  Easing her into him, he fitted his mouth to hers.

  Chapter Seven

  Becca sagged against Eric, completely lost in his mouth and caress, any resistance she might have had light-years away. He tasted better than she recalled, his kiss straight from her most romantic and wanton fantasies.

  Countless times, Becca had dreamt of a moment like this. A guy—no, her guy—greeting her with unrestrained passion, stark lust and aching tenderness. The best emotion of all. It was in the gentle pressure of Eric’s lips. How carefully he held her. His hunger barely controlled.

  On a rugged groan, he pulled her closer, his tongue dipping into her mouth, exploring it with a mixture of reverence and need that said he wanted her. She mattered.

  For now.

  Was it enough?

  To a woman starved for a simple caress, validation that she was attractive and worthy, a basic human need, it was the greatest high of all. More dangerous than the most potent and addictive drug.

  This isn’t real. It’s not even a date. It will end.

  Her mind agreed. Her battered heart said “Fuck it. Don’t deny me this or him.” Becca wreathed her arm over Eric’s shoulder, pressing her fingertips into his muscular back. She returned his kiss without guile, stripped of all artifice and protection, leaving her more naked and vulnerable than she’d been in the treatment room.

  They moved in a slow circle, each of them trying to get closer, deeper. The sounds they made were uninhibited, foolish and enchanting at the same time.

  He growled. She whimpered.

  Someone applauded.

  Eric didn’t seem to notice or care. Becca didn’t either, until several whistles pierced the relative quiet, hurting her ears. What the hell? She finally pulled her mouth free. Panting, she turned.

  Three couples stood behind them, wanting to get past to the restaurant. All of them were young. The women beamed. The guys continued to applaud and whistle as they took Becca in briefly, then nodded or winked at Eric, approving of how he’d already scored.

  Becca blushed, which was silly. It wasn’t embarrassment she felt, but so much happiness she wanted to squeal.

  Smiling, Eric eased her away from the stairs and gestured the group toward the building.

  The prettiest girl, a brunette sexy enough to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader or a server in a Hooters restaurant, stopped at Eric’s side and cooed, “Bad boy. You behave now.”

  Slowly, she drew her tongue over her ruby lips.

  Becca wanted to bite her.

  With his arm firmly around her waist, Eric kept Becca from attacking and spoke to Ms. Nympho. “Not a chance.”

  He snuggled his cheek against Becca’s. Stunned at his public possessiveness, she rested her palm on his chest, claiming him too.

  The girl smiled sympathetically, her expression saying she didn’t buy any of it. Given her face and bod, she wasn’t a stranger to her physical gifts. She took her date’s hand and led him into the restaurant as she might a trained seal even though he was almost prettier than she was.

  For once, Becca didn’t envy a woman like that. She smiled as Eric rested his forehead against her temple. He murmured, “Hi.”

  His breath warmed her as few things had. He smelled so wonderful—clean and masculine—all Becca could think of was licking every inch of his body, marking him with her scent. Like a cat.

  She was definitely losing it, and they’d only been together for a few minutes. No telling what a couple of hours would lead to.

  Uh-uh. That was too awesome and scary to consider. She’d promised herself this wouldn’t be anything more than a test run. Preparing him for other women. Beautiful and built babes.

  He rubbed the tip of his nose against her cheek.

  She lost all her breath on a wanting sigh. “Hey.”

  “Did I say how amazing you look?”

  If he had, Becca didn’t recall. She’d been too focused on his tongue, loving it. “I don’t see how you could have noticed. Your eyes have been closed.” She purred, “Bad boy.”

  He chuckled at her comment. “Let’s see if we can change that.” He took her hands and held them out so he could study her.

  Becca’s face burned at his unexpected scrutiny. It took all of her will to act confident at what he’d think and say. Too many times, she’d been made fun of. Hardening herself against everyone’s judgment, she’d taken to dressing unconventionally, telling herself she no longer cared what others thought of her behavior, looks or clothes.

  Right now, it was monumentally important that he approved. Becca wasn’t ashamed of how she felt. It was honest. Who she was. Exactly what Constance had advised her to be.

  Eric’s glazed expression said he found no fault with her. “Wow. You’re gorgeous.”

  Becca nearly laughed. He had her beat by a mile. The man was right out of GQ, casual but elegant in his beige sports coat, espresso-colored pants, and cream shirt.

  She turned her wrists, wanting to be free. He held onto her for a moment more before letting go.

  To prove his dominance? To show her another glimpse of his newly released beast?

  Before she could figure it out, Eric smiled. It reached his eyes and stroked her soul. Becca moved into him, wanting another kiss. Knowing how unwise that would be, she settled on straightening his brown-and-tan striped tie, then thumbed her lipstick from the corner of his mouth.

  He licked her finger.

  If it hadn’t been uncool or maybe weird, she would have tasted the faint moisture he’d left on it. She should have offered her hand so he could lead her into the restaurant like a lovesick pet, but moving wasn’t something Becca could do.

  He didn’t sprint up the steps either.

  They stared at each other while the world went by. Tires whooshed over the asphalt. Brakes squealed as the traffic light blinked from yellow to red. Laughter rang out in the distance, what sounded like a group of young men.

  A classical Italian opera, with a woman wailing her guts out, joined the other sounds, along with loud throat clearing.

  Someone else wanted to pass? Crap. Becca looked over.

  A chunky man with a wide face and balding head leaned out the restaurant’s front door. “Ah, so there you are Er—”

  He stopped abruptly, bunched his shoulders and talked through his teeth. “There you are, Er-ic. Thought you weren’t coming. You’re late.”

  Eric turned into Becca and whispered, “That’s Uncle Desi. Unfortunately, my real uncle.”

  She spoke as softly as he had. “You poor man. I see the resemblance.”
/>   Eric smacked her butt.

  Becca grinned at his playfulness, which she’d rarely experienced with other men. Luckily for him, Uncle Desi hadn’t seen what he’d done. She whispered, “Doesn’t like you much, does he?”

  “He doesn’t like that I changed my name and refuse to come near a stupid arrow.”

  “What?”

  Eric ignored Becca’s question. With his hand on the small of her back, he directed her up the stairs. “Uncle Desi. Sorry for being late. Our table’s ready, right?”

  He blocked the door. “Don’t I get to meet your date?”

  An older female voice called from inside, “Desi—where’d you go? We need you.”

  “Don’t move,” he warned Eric and closed the door on them.

  “He seems nice,” Becca lied. “But kind of disturbed.”

  “That’s just his personality. He’s obnoxious, but no danger to himself or others.”

  She struggled not to laugh. “I meant, he seems upset about me being here. You didn’t tell him I’m part witch, did you?” Becca hesitated then pressed on. “Maybe you should assure him this is a test run for the real thing. It might calm him down.”

  Eric stared at her, indignation flaring in his eyes.

  “What?” she asked.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wrought-iron railing. As far from her as he could get, unless he went back down the stairs. “He doesn’t know you’re part witch. He enjoys humiliating me. He’ll probably haul out my baby pictures before our meal is over. I shouldn’t have brought you here, but you chose Italian, and since this is the best place for…”

  Becca stopped listening. She tried to imagine Eric as an infant. Naked yet innocent. As he wound down, she smiled. “I’d like to see your pictures.”

  His face went redder than her hair. “I don’t think so.”

  “I bet you were adorable.”

  He rolled his eyes as if she were a cretin. Really out of character for someone who was generally too nice. Or had been, before drinking those potions.

  Moving closer, Becca rested her fingers on his tie. “How are you feeling?”

  “Feeling?”

  “Yeah. What’s going on inside of you?”

  He looked as though she’d accused him of premature ejaculation. “Nothing.”

  “Come on,” she coaxed, wanting to know if the potion was helping or hurting. As far as she was concerned, it had turned her inside out. He was tender and commanding, funny and hotter than hell. Becca wanted him more with each passing second even though she knew how dangerous it was to her heart. The other females out there hadn’t a clue what they were in for. “Tell me.”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “Sure I do.”

  “Fine. I feel like this.” He slipped his hand beneath her hair and cupped the back of her head.

  Becca made a sound she’d never heard before. Part surprise. Part elation. Her body thrummed with desire. She expected him to kiss her.

  He drew her closer, taking in her features, lingering on her mouth. His lips parted in what appeared to be unbridled lust and wonder. Totally crazy, Becca knew. His behavior had to be from the potion. She should have been disappointed. Excitement and anticipation kept her from it.

  Eric ran his thumb over her skull, sending ripples of delight straight down Becca’s spine to her pussy. No one had to tell her she was wet and getting damper by the minute. Her pulse pounded against her throat. She tried to swallow, but couldn’t.

  “And this,” he murmured, faint and distracted.

  He tilted his head and brought his mouth to hers in a kiss unlike the few others they’d shared. This one was slow, deep, achingly sensuous. Skilled beyond belief, holding so much hope and promise, Becca’s knees gave out. Just in time, she slipped her arms around his neck and held on, pushing his tongue aside with her own, wanting what these few minutes would bring. His bold desire for her. All of it fueled by his new personality, the potion, but Becca couldn’t bring herself to care about that reality. She’d had so little of this in her—

  “Eros, please,” Uncle Desi scolded. “Control yourself.”

  Becca ignored the old guy. So did Eric. He let Becca kiss him for a few more seconds and didn’t play dead during it. He pulled her closer, held her tighter against his massive erection.

  No matter how many years passed, she’d always remember the feel of that hard column of flesh and his mouth on hers. Just as her dad and mom recalled the first time they kissed. Two days after he’d rescued her on that deserted road.

  Desi muttered something that didn’t sound good.

  Not wanting to cause a serious family rift, Becca pulled her mouth free of Eric’s, then rested her forehead against his and pulled in as much air as she could.

  He didn’t wait until she’d calmed down before he turned her around. “Uncle Desi, this is Becca Salt. Becca, this is my Uncle Desi.”

  Desi took her hand in both of his, burying it in his meaty palms, squeezing her fingers gently. “Nice to meet you. I want to apologize for Eros—Eric.” He mumbled something beneath his breath then threw Eric a look that said his nephew was acting like a pig. Turning back to her, he softened his expression. “He’s usually so polite. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

  Becca did and it killed the wonder of the last few moments. This isn’t real. Remember that. She sighed. “It’s all right. This is just—”

  “Our first date,” Eric interrupted before she could tell Desi the truth.

  “And you think it’s gonna cool down from here?” His frown said Eric was nuts. He inclined his bulky head toward Becca. “Look at her.” He offered a sweet smile and kissed her fingertips. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Becca was beginning to understand where Eric had gotten some of his charm.

  “Come on.” Desi folded her arm over his. “Let me show you to your table.”

  She looked over.

  Eric stared at her gold heels, her calves, thighs and ass, as if they were also on the menu tonight.

  So maybe the potion hadn’t worn off completely. Could be it had a time-release mechanism similar to Contact cold capsules?

  Eric had no other way to explain his disregard for propriety, in front of his straitlaced uncle no less. Never had Eric gone at the other women he’d brought here as he had at Becca.

  Even now, he couldn’t look at her enough, delighting in how Becca’s dress slid over the backs of her legs. Its shimmery movements resembled water reflecting countless golden flames.

  Her back was a smooth expanse of flawless skin and an exceptionally kissable spine. Her sweet ass the stuff of guys’ dreams that made waking up the worst sort of torture.

  Every time she glanced over, Eric had to stiffen his legs or risk falling to the floor.

  She smiled tentatively, but softly too.

  Careful, baby. Another look like that and Eric didn’t know what he’d do. Oh yeah, he did. He’d take her right here, right now, in front of Desi, his aunt, all these people, and Jupiter too, if he was watching from his castle in the sky.

  Putting his lust to good use, Eric beat Desi to Becca’s chair and offered his hand.

  She curled her fingers around his.

  He’d never felt more powerful or weak. Once she sat, Eric kissed her fingertips without thinking, just going with the flow.

  Becca stared at her hand as Eric sank into his chair and spread his legs wide, giving his nads and cock a chance to relax, to breathe.

  Desi rocked on his heels, studying both of them.

  Eric went from harder-than-steel to flaccid in a second. “Thanks for the table,” he offered before his uncle could say anything embarrassing or bad. “You can send our server over whenever you want.”

  “I’m your server tonight, so you behave.” Desi turned to Becca. “I’m bringi
ng you our finest house wine and tonight’s special. Delizioso.” With the flair of an Italian chef, he kissed his fingertips, then bent slightly from the waist. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

  She smiled.

  A little unnaturally, Eric thought. As though her thong had dug into all the wrong places, which made him wonder if she’d worn one tonight. He hadn’t seen any panty lines.

  “I don’t mind at all,” she said, answering Desi. “That’s very sweet of you. Thanks.”

  “She’s a gem,” he told Eric as though he was too dense to notice. To her, he murmured, “Be right back, bella signora.”

  He backed away from her as though he just couldn’t stop staring.

  At Becca’s confused expression, Eric said, “He never acts like that. Never. I can’t remember him calling my aunt beautiful lady.”

  She smiled. “Is that what he called me? He is nice.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s a mean prick at times, but honest to a fault. You are beautiful.”

  A flush stained her chest, throat and face. She seemed torn between laughing and crying. Why, what had he said?

  She put her purse to the side. “You don’t want him to know about you taking the potion, do you?”

  So they were back to that. “None of his business. I’m fully grown.”

  Becca’s attention dropped to his belt, the prize below it that the table hid from her. “How are you feeling?”

  Horny as hell. Frustrated as shit. Wanting…what? Everything? Maybe. Eric didn’t know. He didn’t want to think. Hell, feeling was using up all of his energy. “I thought I already answered that outside when we kissed.”

  Her lips were still slightly bruised and swollen from his passion.

  She went blurry for a second, as though recalling their good time, then blinked, regaining her composure. “I meant, are there any unexpected effects?”

  That’s not what she’d meant at all. “Nothing I wasn’t able to handle.”

  “Like what?” She made a face and leaned away. “Tell me.”

  What did she expect to hear? That he’d screwed every woman at his apartment complex and in the restaurant’s parking lot before he’d finally attacked her? “I simply shaved my palms and tongue before I came here.”