I Bet You're Fae

Chapter Seven:

Ian

When the car rolled to a stop outside the art museum I felt a little less tense. Asking Grayson to drive us was a bad idea. I felt uncomfortable the entire three-hour drive with him listening to our conversation, though he did chime in now and then. It should have felt like three old friends getting along for a short road trip of sorts, but it felt more like Grayson was horning in on my attempts to woo Lanie. Not that he was much of a threat. Lanie seemed enthralled with me in spite of Grayson's charm. The only reason I asked him to drive was so Lanie and I could have more time to talk without distractions.

"Here we are folks. I'm going to leave the car for you and hop a cab to the airport." Grayson pulled into a parking spot and put the car in park. The plan was for him to head home and leave us in peace, which I was never happier to enact. I booked a hotel room in case Lanie was open to it, but I didn't want to pressure her.

I slid out of the car on my side as soon as Grayson did. He handed me the keys and I shut the door while Lanie gathered her things, and I laid into him with a harsh whisper I hoped she didn't hear.

"What the hell are you doing, Gray? I'm on a date with the woman and you seem to be flirting with her." I hastily grabbed the key from him and glowered, and he backed up a step with both hands raised in defense, palms splayed out toward me.

"Woah, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm being myself." Grayson really was nothing but a player. Born to money with heaps in the bank, he had better things to do than pretend to be my driver. The man was so fucking rich he could have given me his driver for the night and hired a different one to crate him around. But he knew I didn't have that sort of cash lying around, and when I mentioned wanting a driver, he insisted. Strangely so too, as if he not only had nothing better to do--which I knew was not true--but that he wanted to be around Lanie again.

"Look, I know you're literally the definition of a 'player' but she's off limits. Got it?" It wouldn't have been the first time Grayson moved in on a woman I was interested in, though he'd never been so brazened as to do so while I was actively dating her--and never while I was on an actual date.

"Sheesh, it's cool, buddy." He patted my chest and winked at me and I could have smacked his hand away. His college-age immaturity and playboy tactics were so beneath him. This was the last time I asked him for help with anything regarding Lanie.

I walked around the back of the car and opened the door for my beautiful date and she stepped out. Her long dark hair hung around her shoulders, ringlets curling around the straps of her dress. She wore something more casual this time--a lavender sundress and white strappy sandals, but around her neck hung a silver locket. And her makeup had been done differently, only a touch of mascara and a hint of lip gloss. I liked it very much. It was very much what I assumed she looked like when she dressed herself instead of borrowing things from friends.

"What?" she said, smiling.

"I can't get over how beautiful you are. I don't even think I need to go in there and see the art. I could stand here looking at you all night."

Lanie rolled her eyes at me and chuckled as she looped a hand around my bicep and I shut the car door. A quick glance in Grayson's direction revealed he was heading across the parking lot far away from us, and for that I was glad. Clearly my lecture after the first date and the passes he made at her during dinner hadn't hit the mark. I hoped tonight's rebuke put him in his place. I'd hate to lose a friend over something so stupid. He should know better.

"Well you're just being silly now." She pressed her other hand to my forearm and leaned her head on my shoulder. Her purse dangled from her shoulder between us, creating a buffer I wanted to remove immediately, but I didn't have the heart to move her away for a second, even if it meant being closer to her afterward.

"I only speak the truth, Ms. Gray. You are stunning."

We floated toward the museum entrance and I hoped that my choice of exhibits was a good one. I never went all out for dates with other women, not like this. I'd maybe have taken them to a show or a club where we'd go dancing, but I never let them into my personal space or things I held close to my heart. Lanie was the first I'd ever taken up the mountain, and she was the first I'd ever driven three hours one way to tour a museum with.

Grayson questioned my choice of date and I told him it was for her, that she loved this sort of thing. Based on the little research I'd done of her--snooping on her social media to find out what she was talking about--I knew the Gullah Geechee people were on her heart, more so than the sea turtles and revitalizing the marshlands. Deep down though, I loved art. And I loved enjoying art with people who loved art.

"Woah," she gasped when we walked through the doors and the curator handed us brochures about the exhibit. She looked up at me with surprise. "You planned this yourself?"

I chuckled and nodded at the curator and took the extended brochures as I handed him our pre-purchased tickets. "I didn't plan the exhibit, no. But I did find it and plan this evening. I hope you enjoy it. I've been meaning to see it and this is the last weekend on exhibit here in Wilmington."

"Oh my god, Ian." Lanie's voice was almost a whimper, so full of emotion that I knew I hit the nail on the head. Then the hammer hit me. Guilt flooded me, making my gut churn. She was really impressed and wooed by this and of course my mind would remind me that the reason I'd asked her on that first date was to prove to Ward that I could make her fall in love with me. "This is so romantic."

Never in my life would I have said taking my date to a museum to view a cultural exhibit would be romantic but Lanie Gray wasn't a normal date. And that thought made me cringe again. I wasn't here because of the bet. I was here because I genuinely liked her and my conscience wouldn't let me rest. If I told her about the bet she'd hate me and it would be off. Ward would never give me the money. If I didn't tell her, things would evolve naturally and Ward would owe me big time, but I'd have to live with this guilt the rest of my life. Not to mention what would happen if Ward told Lanie or she found out some other way.

"You okay?" she asked and I stiffened.

"Yeah, just thinking how big of a dork you are." I joked hoping she would understand that I did, in fact, think this was romantic too. If someone had done this for me I'd have flipped.

"Oh my god, Ian. Who's the dork? You took me hiking on date two and then smeared your sweat all over me when you kissed me." Her jibe came with a jab to the ribs and I chuckled. It was enough to get me out of my head so we could enjoy this date.

"Admit it. You loved that part. You couldn't wait to get my sweaty body all over yours." Snickering ensued as we passed through the double doors into the first exhibit room and we fell into a natural conversation of banter and joking.

The entire exhibit was incredible. I had heard of the Gullah people of the low country but I hadn't done a lot of investigating, though it was something that generally piqued my interest. Each relic or artifact we stopped to look at came with a detailed explanation written on a plaque, but we didn't need them. Lanie could have curated this exhibit herself. She knew so much, and she wasn't afraid to gush over them with compliments and random facts. I loved watching her face light up, so much so that I got swept away in the moment and when no one was looking, I kissed her.

Her lips were soft and supple, just as I remembered, but this time there was a familiarity to the kiss, a tenderness of vulnerability toward me. When I pulled away and looked down into her eyes I saw desire too, but it wasn't just sexual. She looked at me like I was genuinely someone she cared about and wanted to be with.

"Now we have a very long drive home, Mr. Gregory. I'm not sure we should be starting something like this now."

I hooked an arm around her waist and started toward the final room full of exhibits. This one chalk full of paintings and drawings done by Gullah Geechee artists. Her body against mine felt so amazing I didn't even wait any longer to surprise her. I had planned to ask her when we were leaving but the moment felt right.

"I, uh..." I cleared my throat of the nerves and continued. "I actually booked us a hotel room if you're interested in staying here. There is a great little coffee shop on Main Street where we can get croissants for breakfast." Holding her tightly against my hip I grinned at her and watched her cheeks blush and her lips grow dark with arousal.

"And you think I'm just going to put out, just like that?" Her playful tone had my body on edge in a matter of seconds.

"I could drive you back to the lab to look at bugs under a microscope, but I have a feeling you'll stay with me if I ask nicely." My heart raced. Gone were any thoughts about the bet or Ward. In my mind Lanie and I were two souls finding each other and I wanted to find so much more than just her soul.

"Is that an invitation?"

I pulled her into a dark corner, behind a pillar where no one could see us and pinned her against the wall with my hands and hips. "No but this is. Please let me take you to my hotel room and delicately undress you until every curve of your perfect ivory skin is exposed to my sight. Then let me feast on your salty sweet juices until you're trembling beneath me and calling out my name, and then let me do that again and again until we're both so exhausted we collapse and sleep until noon."

I held my breath as her jaw dropped, hoping I hadn't overdone it. Her eyes glazed over with lust and then her chest rose and fell faster. She was socially awkward on a normal night, but this long pause was just ridiculous. I couldn't stop a nervous smile from spreading on my face.

"Well?"

"Where do I sign up for that?" Lanie breathed out in one of the most arousing sentences I'd heard in months. Oh fuck, this night was going to be incredible.

Chapter Eight:

Lanie

Ian never even had to ask me to this hotel room. I never intended to stay at a hotel but it sure beat a three-hour car ride with dripping panties. The man was so damn hot and sweet I was putty in his hands as soon as we walked into the museum and now in the hotel room I couldn't keep my hands off of him.

"My god, I can't take it anymore," I purred as I undressed him. The mere sight of his naked chest made me moan with need. The man wasn't just kind and sweet, he was ripped. His chest was the work of art, not that exhibit we saw tonight. I couldn't wait to feel him inside of me.

He pulled my dress up and over my head in one fluid motion, revealing my lace underwear and matching bra. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Naughty girl, are we?" he teased, running a finger down my chest. I shuddered as his finger met the waistband of my panties and dipped beneath it, but no farther than an inch. He ran his finger around the waistband to my hip where he gripped me.

"Don't tease me now, Ian." My moan was met with another kiss then another and his lips moved away from my mouth.

He kissed my neck while I closed my eyes, moaning softly as his expert fingers traced along the outline of my bra and then he cupped my breasts through the lace. "I've been waiting for this," he groaned into my ear as he roughly caressed them, causing me to bite my lip to stifle a moan. His hips were grinding, pushing his pelvis against my core in a rhythmic movement. I lifted a leg and wrapped it around his as he stepped out of his slacks, leaving them in a pile at our feet.

"I've been dying for this too," I breathed, my hands running through his hair and down his back. He was so warm and hard with muscle, a delicious contrast to my quivering softness.

"You have no idea..." he whispered into my ear, his voice husky, breath hot against my neck. He gently guided me towards the bed and laid me down on top of it, never once breaking contact with my skin. His hands roamed up and down my legs as he kissed his way down my abdomen - removing my panties with a swift jerk.

"God, I bet you taste so good," he growled against my thigh as he spread my legs apart. I whimpered as his tongue flicking at the juncture between my thighs, dipping once before retreating. "So good," he repeated, this time his voice was a hoarse whisper.

Ian's hands gripped my thighs as he continued to tease me with his tongue and I couldn't keep the moans inside any longer.

"Ian!" I cried out, my back arching off the bed. "Oh, God, please!"

Ian chuckled against my damp center, drawing louder moans as my hips rose off the bed. Slowly, he teased me further by licking upward in delicate strokes along my folds until he reached my clit. He circled it with his tongue, then gave it a soft flick before moving away again. It was torture and even when I tangled my fingers in his hair and pulled him back down toward me, he only chuckled. His hot breath dusted my sensitive parts and I whimpered.

"Fuck, don't tease me. Make me come."

Ian chuckled again before burying his face between my legs once more, lavishly lapping at my core. I gripped the sheets tighter, arching my back off the bed, as he suckled and nipped at my swollen button. This time, there was no slow build up. The orgasm crashed viciously through me like a freight train, and I screamed his name as my body shuddered and spasmed beneath him. Every nerve in my body was alight, every inch of skin alive with sensation as he drove me to ecstasy. And he never let up. His tongue continued to pleasure me even as my body calmed. He devoured my juices and let his stubble scrape my skin almost raw.

I lay there gasping for air, my entire body trembling with aftershocks of pleasure, when Ian climbed on top of me. His eyes were burning with need and desire as he sheathed himself inside me with one long sure stroke. I moaned loudly at the sensation of him filling me so completely, our bodies joined as one in this carnal act.

"You feel so good," he panted and his hips pumped up and down. I lifted my legs to lock my heels behind his hips and he brought his lips down to meet mine in a wet kiss. I tasted myself on his tongue, sweet and salty just as he described me earlier, and though I wanted to get lost in this moment, my mind went the opposite direction.

"Condom," I moaned, clawing at his skin not wanting him to leave me for a second but knowing he had to.

Ian cursed, but he withdrew from my heat and fumbled through the pile of clothing on the floor. He sheathed himself with the condom and then once again went to please me with his mouth. I was lost, completely overwhelmed by the sensation of his stubble against my core and his fingers inside me. This time it was so much more intense. I clenched my pussy and gritted my teeth. I was close to the brink again when he pulled away.

"I need you so fucking bad, Lanie," he growled before reclaiming my lips in a bruising kiss.

With one strong yet gentle thrust, he buried himself back inside me. I cried out as he filled me completely, stretching me in ways that had my toes curling. His hips moved more insistently now, his breathing ragged as our bodies slapped together and the bed creaked under our weight. It was primal and animalistic, and I moaned louder with each thrust.

"You're so tight," he gasped in between thrusts.

I could only whimper in response, my entire being focused on the sensations coursing through my body. Sweat rolled down our faces as our bodies moved frantically against one another.

"I'm going to come," I panted, my orgasm building at the base of my spine, coiling tighter and tighter.

"God, babe, you feel amazing." he groaned. His grip on my hips tightened and he pounded into me harder, sending me over the edge. My entire body shuddered and spasmed around him as a mind-blowing orgasm ripped through me.

"Ian!" I screamed his name as waves of pleasure crashed over me like the fiercest of storms.

"Fuck, Lanie," he grunted, his own release hot and primal as he spilled himself into the condom. Panting, he collapsed onto my trembling body, his heart pounding in time with mine.

His weight pressed me into the bed but I didn't mind. I draped my arms over his back even as he nuzzled into the crook of my neck and kissed me lightly. We were both damp with sweat, now exhausted from exertion. My eyelids were heavy and sleep pulled at them, but we hadn't even eaten dinner yet.

Never in my wildest dreams had I had such incredible sex. I'd had some good experiences, but nothing topped this. Ian Gregory was godlike in his skill and all I could think about was doing that again and again. I traced lazy circles on his back with my finger until he rolled off of me, pulling out and disposing of the condom in the trash bin next to the bedside table before rolling back over to hold me. I turned to face him and let his arms pull me in.

"Why did we wait so long to do that?" he asked, kissing the top of my shoulder.

"Because I'm socially awkward. I've had my heart broken far too many times to count, and I move slowly." Being vulnerable with him felt natural now, especially after all of that.

"Well yes, you're very socially awkward," he said and I could hear the smile through which he said it. It made me smile too. "But I'm sorry you've had your heart broken. I will do my best to never do that to you, even if this doesn't turn into a long-term thing."

"Promise?" I asked as I twirled one of his chest hairs on my finger. I asked because I just couldn't go through what I'd been through in the past. I needed some reassurance that he was an honorable man.

He didn't respond immediately, almost as if he had to thoughtful produce a truthful statement. I wasn't sure if I liked that he was thinking about his answer first or if that made me nervous.

Ian pulled back and cupped my cheek, making me look up at him. "I give you my word, Lanie Gray, that I will never ever break your heart on purpose." And with that I curled back into him. I didn't know if it was just his own personal history that made him seem too serious for the moment or if I was reading something into it, but he looked like his heart broke when he said that.

I just hope he meant it.

Chapter Nine:

Ian

The evening with Lanie at the art exhibit was incredible, but followed by the scorching sex--I had no words. I still felt the ghost sensations of her hands on my body as I marched into Ward's office four days later after much thought and a lot of soul searching. He looked up at me with a stupid grin and a half-smirk.

"Here to tell me you give up already?" Ward sat back at his desk and crimped his blue pen between his incisors. He looked stupid but I didn't tell him that. The people he worked with deserved to have at least something to laugh at him for.

"Hardly," I admitted, strutting right up to his turn-of-the-century mahogany desk. The old beast of a piece of furniture had cost him a pretty penny, but he was used to throwing those around especially if it meant having what he wanted. No doubt he wanted to see me fail. There was no other reason for him to wager such a stupid amount of money on such a dumb bet.

I parked in the leather armchair opposite his desk and unbuttoned my suit cat as I crossed one leg over the other and he looked at me curiously. His eyebrows peaked in the middle and he took the pen out of his mouth and dropped it on the desk.

"You've done it already?" he asked, as if any man on earth was humanly capable of getting a woman to fall in love with him in under three weeks. I'd admit that many men had scored on the first date, but I ventured to believe those types of relationships didn't last long, at least mine hadn't.