ZenithRising Read online

  “Words.” His fingers and thumb went back to the steady stroking.

  She took a deep breath as she met his gaze. He was obviously having fun making her crazy. Later she would get him back but now she just wanted him to do that thing again. “You don’t have to touch me to get me hot. I look at you and I think of sex. I hear you talk and I think of sex. I close my eyes and I see you naked and hard and all I can think about is being fucked by you. Now, do that again.”

  He obeyed, making her moan aloud before upping his game. He replaced his thumb with his mouth, making love to her whole pussy with his tongue and teeth and lips. His fingers repeatedly curled and scissored inside her, driving her a little crazier with every stroke. She didn’t know what he was doing to her but her whole body felt like a sex organ, swelling and pulsing and ready to explode. “Please,” she managed to whisper and again he obeyed.

  His tongue focused on her clit, running up and down over the sensitized nub. Suddenly he gave it a nip and a hard suck as his fingers pressed against the other side of her vaginal wall.

  She cried aloud as her climax broke free and racked her body with wave after wave of pleasure.

  A cloud of passion still surrounded her as he helped her step into the tub and sit on the edge. She was totally sated yet seeing his beautiful cock stretched to its limits cleared the fog from her mind. “Are we finally going to get to play in the water?”

  He grinned at her. “Not yet. I have something else in mind.”

  She watched him quickly wash the sand off his feet and calves then kneel in front of her. Rather than giving her feet an equally quick wash, his wet hands moved gracefully over her toes, the arches, heels, ankles and up her calves. When not a single grain of sand was left, he placed her right foot on his taut thigh and soaped up his hands. Starting at her knee, he massaged her calf muscles with his sudsy fingers then rinsed the soap off.

  Her first thought was that it didn’t seem fair for him to have given her such incredible sexual satisfaction plus give her a massage but it felt too good to stop him. When he added more soap to his hands and started on her foot she decided being a little selfish wouldn’t be so terrible.

  Then she saw his cock twitch and a bead of pre-cum surfaced. Hadn’t he said something about liking her feet? The expression on his face as he watched his own hands massaging her foot was definitely more than admiring. He really liked her feet. And as he traced each toe with his finger as though it was a work of art that he was privileged to touch, she was torn between bewilderment and fascination. When he gave extra attention to a spot on the inside of her heel, she decided she also really liked what he was doing.

  He rinsed the soap off the well-loved foot and moved his attention to her other leg. Following a similar pattern, he started on her calf and massaged his way down over the top of her foot to her toes, played with each one then worked his magic on the arch and heel. She couldn’t help but notice that what he was doing for her was keeping him in a full state of arousal.

  What was more amazing was how her own body was reacting to his service. Each time he pressed and rotated his thumb on a certain spot on her inner foot she felt a response in her womb as though there was a direct, almost threadlike connection. Besides that she was being slowly aroused by his arousal and could finally see why he had wanted to watch her masturbate.

  He was making love to her feet. And it was one of the most erotic things she had ever seen.

  When he rinsed the soap off this time, she slid her foot along his inner thigh, past his sex and stroked the valley between his cheeks with her big toe. His reactive shiver let her know what she was doing was more than okay. She eased her foot back, tickling his balls with her toes along the way then scraped the nails up and down the length of his shaft.

  He held her foot still against his cock, closed his eyes and went rigid for several seconds. She wanted to please him but wasn’t sure what to do next so she remained unmoving as well. A few heartbeats later he seemed to have regained control. Releasing her foot, he stood and helped her out of the tub. Again she waited quietly as he dried her feet with the greatest care.

  Before rising he placed a tongue-swirling kiss on her clitoris that sent her simmering arousal soaring again. She let him lead her back to the bed and pose her as he wished—on her back, knees bent, feet planted on his upper chest with him kneeling between her thighs. The head of his penis nudged her clit then rode down to her opening and back up again and her body instantly sent more lubrication to assist him with his entry.

  As the tip of his erection eased into her, he captured one of her feet in each of his hands and brought one to his face. His lips closed over the big toe as his hips thrust forward, burying his cock deep in her vagina. The look of ecstasy on his face suggested he was about to climax, but a moment later he plunged into her again, somehow harder and deeper than ever before.

  She was completely at his mercy, impaled in place as he ferociously fucked her cunt, and there was nowhere else she would rather be. Each time he sucked one of her toes, he pressed the sensitive spot beneath her ankles and a hot spear of pleasure shot down her legs to her clit. The sensations were rocking her so strongly she felt as though she had levitated off the bed. It was strange and a little scary and she wanted it to go on forever.

  Suddenly he rammed his hips forward and froze with a near painful groan and she felt the throbbing of his climax as strongly as though it were her own. But it wasn’t. She was still hanging on the cliff, vibrating in anticipation. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to calm herself, to no avail.

  Then he smiled and flexed his still-rigid cock and she knew everything would be all right.

  He gently kissed the arch of one foot then the other and placed them at his sides. Without leaving her body he stretched out above her, eased his penis almost out then plunged forward again. In a heartbeat he resumed the frenzied pounding into her pussy, rubbing her clit with the base of his cock, harder, faster, harder, faster, until she cried out with a release more explosive than she’d ever imagined possible.

  From far, far away she heard him say “thank you” but she fell asleep before she could ask what he was thanking her for. Sometime later she felt him move away from her and get out of bed. She had a fleeting thought of how nice it was to be with someone who didn’t insist she change her routine to match his. And then she returned to her cozy cocoon of slumber where a dream was waiting to take her away.

  “Watch your step now. It can get mighty slippery down here.” Reynard lowered the torch so that it illuminated the narrow pathway in front of her.

  The descent into the cave had not been as steep as she would have thought but now it suddenly changed to a severe downward slope with only an occasional outcropping of crystals to stop her from sliding. The rock walls seemed to be closer now as well. She hoped her curiosity hadn’t led her into a situation that had no exit.

  “How much farther?” she asked her guide once the ground leveled out again. When Reynard turned back to her she noticed his head was that of a red fox with eyes that flashed with golden flames but his voice confirmed it was still him.

  “That depends on which path you choose next. Each has something of interest but you cannot follow all three. Only one will get you out in time. Another will seduce you with its mysteries but they are not yours to solve. But the third is the most dangerous of all for it will use your own fears to seduce you into abandoning your quest. If you do not choose well, the life you are here to save will be lost forever…as will yours.”

  He waved the torch and she could see the three paths he spoke of. They looked identical and she was reminded of the three nature trails.

  “But how will I know which is—” Reynard was gone and the torch was in her own hand. Why would he bring her this far and not help her choose? “At least you could have given me some sort of clue!” she shouted in frustration.

  Though the fox did not reappear, she heard his voice. “The answer is knocking at your door…”
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br />   Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

  It took Maggie several seconds to realize she was hearing actual knocking at the bungalow door. “Just a moment,” she yelled and scrambled for her robe. The dream continued to cloud her mind as she made her way to the door. Reynard had said the answer was knocking at her door.

  She shook the cobwebs from her brain and opened the door to find a bellman and Shannon, the Irish maid, standing behind her housekeeping cart. The bellman handed her an ivory envelope with a palm tree logo embossed in gold above the name of the hotel. It was similar enough to the embroidery on her robe to draw the man’s attention but he kept his thoughts to himself. The front of the envelope was addressed in elegant script to Mr. and Mrs. Noah Nash.

  “One moment please,” she said to the bellman then asked Shannon to follow her inside while she found a quarter to give to the man. His smile suggested she had guessed right about the appropriate tip amount.

  She quickly opened the envelope to confirm that it was the expected invitation to the evening’s affair. Then she turned her attention to the maid, who was once again holding a stack of linens in front of her stomach. “I’m sorry about the sand everywhere. If you wouldn’t mind starting in here, I’ll be dressed and out of your way in a few minutes.”

  Shannon bobbed her head. “As you wish, ma’am.”

  Maggie’s mind was suddenly racing. Wherever Noah was she hoped he stayed away a bit longer. This was the perfect opportunity for some girl-talk with Shannon and his appearance could put a quick end to it. As she quickly washed, brushed her teeth and dressed, Maggie thought about the strange dream and wondered if there was a real message in it. After all, they had been transported to the Roaring Twenties. Anything was possible.

  It was rational to assume two of the three choices were Robert Davenport and Shannon O’Toole. But the third choice mentioned didn’t sound like the unidentified weeping woman. The fox had said something about her fears. It sounded personal, internal. If the answer had been knocking at her door when she awoke, it was still a mystery to her. The maid was definitely in the running as the one they were to save.

  Suddenly she realized Reynard had actually said the word save though originally he had been vague about fixing something. She felt a shiver of confirmation. They were here to save someone’s life. Right now. Robert Davenport had to be the mystery that was not theirs to solve.

  So who did the bellman and the invitation represent? Maybe the bellman was Shannon’s lover. Or maybe someone at tonight’s party was a killer? She remembered her strong reaction to the photos of the engaged couple in the newspaper and was again filled with the certainty they or their parents were involved in whatever was about to happen. There were still far too many possibilities. She needed to talk it out with Noah.

  When she came out of the bathroom, Shannon was hurriedly changing the bed linens. “You work so hard,” Maggie said in an attempt to open a conversation.

  “Thank ye, ma’am. ‘Tis a good job I have.”

  “When are you due?” The question was out of her mouth before she realized how shocking it would be to the girl.

  The poor maid’s face turned white then flushed hot pink. “I…I don’t know what ye mean.”

  Shannon looked like she was about to run. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s hardly noticeable but I, uh, I have a sense about these things. Maybe it’s because I just found out I’m expecting.” She stuck out her stomach and rubbed it. And hoped she wouldn’t be struck down for lying. It was apparently the right thing to say because Shannon relaxed a little.

  “Please, ma’am. Ye mustn’t say anything ta anyone. I would be sent away for sure. And I have no place to go for some months.”

  Maggie frowned and walked over to the maid. “That’s terrible. You shouldn’t be fired for getting pregnant. And why would you have no place to go? Where is the baby’s father?”

  Shannon’s freckled cheeks flushed again. “’Tis my shame ta say I haven’t seen him for more than a month. Since I told him about the babe.” She went back to her task without looking at Maggie again.

  So the bellman was off the list. Maggie’s heart went out to the girl. She was just a child. With the troubles of a grown woman. And it sounded like she had no one to turn to. Maggie sensed she had learned all she could for the moment. “I’m sorry, Shannon. I promise I won’t reveal your secret.”

  “Thank ye, ma’am,” the maid mumbled without turning around.

  Maggie sighed and headed out to find Noah, invitation in hand. As luck would have it, no sooner did she step on the wooden walkway than she saw him rising to his feet in the shallower part of the ocean. He looked like a beautiful Greek god crowned by the morning sun. As he shook his head from side to side, droplets of sparkling water flew off his dark hair.

  She loved his hair.

  As he pushed his way to shore, his firm, near-naked body was revealed inch by sexy inch.

  She really loved his body.

  The first thing he did when he reached dry sand was bend down and pick up a seashell.

  She really, really loved the way he appreciated little things.

  Rather than wave or call to him she decided to simply enjoy the show. He went over to a water faucet with a bucket under it, filled it and rinsed the salt off himself then accepted a towel from an attentive cabana boy. Her hands itched with the desire to perform that service for him. She sighed. There was no help for it.

  She was totally, irrevocably in love with Noah Nash.

  Suddenly he stopped toweling his firmly muscled legs, turned toward her and grinned. As though he had heard her thoughts.

  It took her a heartbeat to smile and wave. She was certain he had no psychic abilities but if he did, that grin seemed to say he liked what she was thinking. But since the world they were in was so…ephemeral, it was foolish to think their feelings were anything but fleeting. A shiver ran through her and she forced her mind back to the reason she’d come looking for Noah.

  She waited while he donned a white cotton robe, also provided by the attendant. He walked toward her, grin broadening the closer he got.

  He gave her a quick hug and kiss then tucked her arm under his as they started strolling. “If I’d known you were getting up so soon I would have waited.”

  “I had visitors.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Did any of them bring you your coffee?”

  She laughed. “No, but one of them did come bearing a gift.” She handed him the invitation.

  He smiled. “Toldya so. Now we just have to hope you were right about the seating arrangements.” Without further discussion he guided her to an umbrella-covered table at the outdoor café. He waited until a waiter had taken their breakfast orders before getting back to her comment. “You said visitors, plural.”

  Maggie quickly related her talk with Shannon. “I couldn’t help but remember the original story about her being despondent enough to take her own life. She was clearly sad and frightened about the future but I didn’t get the feeling she would take her own life, let alone her baby’s.”

  “And I remember you saying she wore a crucifix. An Irish Catholic committing suicide really goes against the grain. Her being pregnant out of wedlock is bad but I’m pretty sure killing the baby gets her a ticket straight to hell. But there was also the doctor’s report that was ignored. Bruises around her neck definitely suggest foul play.” He combed his fingers through his hair. “If the baby’s father is out of the picture and she’s accepted the fate of a single mother, why would someone kill her?”

  Maggie noticed the waiter’s curious look as he served their coffee and pressed her finger to her lips to remind Noah to lower his voice. She leaned forward and spoke quietly. “Maybe it has nothing to do with her pregnancy. Maybe she witnesses something or overhears a plot to do something illegal. If I remember my history, plenty of gangsters spent time in south Florida.”

  “I like your thinking so far. Go on.”

  “A lot of important p
eople will be in the ballroom tonight. With the father of the groom being a politician, the odds of a shady deal going on in a back room seem pretty high.”

  He winked at her. “You’re thinking of the wedding scene in The Godfather.”

  She chuckled. “Not intentionally but it fits. The problem is how can the two of us eavesdrop on the engaged couple and their parents and look for secret meetings behind the scenes. I mean, it’s not like either one of us is a trained detective.”

  “You forgot to mention Davenport.”

  “No I didn’t. We’re not here for him. His mystery is for someone else to solve.” She saw the question in his eyes before he expressed it. “I’ll explain later.”

  “Okay. Close your eyes,” Noah said abruptly. “Take a deep breath and as you exhale imagine yourself erasing all the thoughts bouncing around in your head.” He waited for her to follow his instructions. “Now, without forcing anything, ask who we should watch most closely for a clue to our mystery.”

  She saw the fox’s flashing eyes, thought of the hints he’d given in her dream then one word popped onto her blank screen. She opened her eyes and said, “Shannon.”

  He looked at her curiously. “The maid? That doesn’t make sense. She shouldn’t be anywhere near the party.”

  “Hey, I just did what you told me. I never claimed to have any special gift.”

  He stroked her cheek. “You are the gift, Maggie. Among lots of other paranormal things I’ve researched, I’ve learned a lot about meditation and self-hypnosis. Basically it’s just a way of bringing out an answer that’s buried inside your subconscious. There has to be a reason you came up with Shannon rather than one of the partygoers.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I think I better give you that explanation now after all. I had a very weird dream this morning.”

  Noah hung on every word she said. Though he recognized the importance of her dream information, he would have been just as attentive if she was reading from a phone book page. He couldn’t explain it. He didn’t even want to try. He was completely bewitched by the magical creature in front of him. A psychologist might say the cause was the unusual situation they were in but he knew the foundation of his enchantment was his longstanding crush on her. Having her satisfy every lustful fantasy he’d ever had ensured his adoration going forward. But to discover she possessed the enhanced mental abilities he had tried to cultivate for so long, well, that cinched it for him. He could never go back to a life without her in it.