Alec and I left behind Nashville and all the bad reminders of my attack. Needless to say, we had created some new memories that trumped anything else. We flew into New Orleans for the second stop on our book signing tour. Since the Wicked Fantasies Book Festival didn't officially begin for another day and a half, we pretty much locked ourselves in my hotel room to see if we could create the same magic we had in Nashville.
The necessity of sustenance to replete our drained bodies coaxed us out of bed the next morning. We showered together, bringing a whole new meaning to the process. There was something incredibly sexy about a man's soapy hands skating smoothly around every curve of your body. Repaying the favor was even better. Feeling lethargic and relaxed, I flopped down on the bed, wrapped in a towel. I tried luring Alec to join me, but his stomach was threatening mutiny. Plus, he was anxious to explore the city since I had never been to New Orleans. He said he would give me the expert tour. Begrudgingly, I allowed him to drag me up to my feet so I could get dressed. After twenty minutes and one last longing look at the comfort of the room, we left to head downstairs.
"I think I've created a nympho," Alec teased as we stepped into the empty elevator.
"Pssh. I think I've always been one. You just helped release the beast. Does that disturb you?"
He tugged me into his arms. "Not on your life. If anything, it makes me want you more." He lowered his voice to a deep, seductive whisper. "I want to touch every inch of you, letting my fingers lead the way before my mouth follows the same path." His mouth moved across my neck and up to my earlobe where he nipped gently. "I want to take you every way possible and make you beg for more," he growled lightly before his mouth took mine.
His actions sent a shudder of pleasure rippling from my head to my toes. "You better stop or the only part of the city you're going to see is the view from the room," I said, pulling away.
"Babe, you have no idea what's coming. We're going to turn our tour of the city into a giant foreplay session." He trailed his hand across my chest, making my hardened nipples tingle beneath my lacy bra. I snatched his hand, pulling it tightly against my bosom.
"Careful. You think because I'm new to this I don't know how to play?" I slid my hand down to his crotch, rubbing him until he became rock hard under his jeans. "You want me to take this right here, right now?" He watched me intently as I began lowering myself to my knees, reaching for the clasp of his jeans.
"Too late," I said, standing when the elevator dinged, signaling our arrival at the lobby. I breezed through the doors when they opened, leaving Alec to walk awkwardly past a group of women waiting to get on.
Alec caught up with me outside the hotel before I could reach the three shallow steps that led to the sidewalk. "Touché," he said, lacing his fingers through mine. "Obviously you've got game. Who would have thought?" I threw my head back, laughing.
The air outside in New Orleans was thick and muggy. Alec tucked me under the crook of his arm as we made our way along uneven streets that were littered with tourists. Having never been to New Orleans, the city was different than what I had envisioned. It had been almost nine years since Hurricane Katrina and everywhere you looked there was still evidence of the storm's destruction and damage that still had not been repaired. I remembered being in middle school when the storm hit and watching the coverage on TV with my parents. I felt so sorry for the people the news stations would show who had lost everything they owned.
Alec laughed, seeing the sour expression on my face as we sidestepped a pothole filled with murky water. "Why do you keep wrinkling your nose?"
"Because it's stinky here," I whispered so I wouldn't offend any of the locals.
"That's because it's pretty much a party town. There are nicer areas. Bourbon Street here is just a whole different experience," he said as an attendant standing outside a strip club tried to entice us inside with the offer that ladies got in for half price.
"Oh lord," I muttered, scooting closer to Alec, who chuckled again.
"You don't want to go check it out?" I could tell by his tone that he was teasing, but he placed a soft kiss on my cheek to leave no doubt. I shivered with delight. I'd discovered during the past couple of days that Alec was a hands-on kind of guy. He was always finding excuses to touch or kiss me. I liked it more than I probably should have. He made me feel wanted and desirable. Hell, even irresistible. Being with him was a heady experience. Women openly admired him as we strolled down the street, but he didn't seem to notice. Or at least he didn't let on. He appeared to only have eyes for me.
"Do you want to see some boobs?"
My question obviously took him by surprise because he nearly fell down laughing as he clapped his hands.
I stopped and crossed my arms across my chest. "What?" I knew my question was direct, but I was curious whether he was into places like strip clubs.
"Did you really just ask me if I wanted to see some boobs?" He could barely choke out his words. "You should work as an attendant outside one of the clubs. That's a great line to get people inside," he said, practically coming to tears from laughing so hard.
"Whatever," I said, turning my back and walking away.
"Hang on," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder to stop me. He spun me around, but looking me in the eyes only made him start laughing again. "Wait, don't leave." He shook his head to collect himself. "Okay, seriously now." His eyes fell to my chest before meeting mine. "Only yours, sweetheart. Only yours."
That was how the day went. Well, not the laughing-at-my-expense part. We flirted and touched, driving each other mad with thoughts and innuendos. Somewhere along the way, we even managed to take in the ambiance of our surroundings. After Bourbon Street, I stopped focusing on the sour smells and general lack of cleanliness and began to appreciate the actual beauty of the city that was steeped in tradition and culture. We sampled local delicacies, liking each one more than the last. My favorite culinary delight was the beignet from Cafe Du Monde. It was like a pastry from heaven. The dough was so light and fresh it melted in my mouth. I became instantly addicted, so Alec ordered extra so we could take them back to the room.
Near the end of our exploration, we stumbled upon one of the old parks in the heart of the city where a couple stood, exchanging vows in front of a minster and a couple dozen friends and family. The colors in the sky had just begun to change in the pre-dusk hour when the sun wasn't quite as hot and a mild breeze cut into the humidity. Two peacocks strutted across the grass without fear, their brilliant feathers fanned out behind them. Combined with the backdrop of the historic architecture of the surrounding buildings, the scene was absolutely picturesque and became my favorite moment of the day.
"Oh no. You're one of those girls who is a total sucker for weddings," Alec whispered, seeing the starry-eyed look in my eyes.
I shook my head, scrunching up my nose distastefully as he slid an arm around my waist. "Not at all. I'm a romantic at heart, but I can totally do without the hoopla of an actual wedding ceremony. I've been a bridesmaid twice, and after witnessing the pre-wedding mayhem, I would rather elope."
"And she surprises me again," Alec said, kissing the top of my head.
"It's the peacocks. I'm a bit obsessed with them," I said, pointing to the majestic birds that had migrated to the bushes. "I've always thought they were beautiful, but I was researching them for Wicked Lovely, and I was instantly hooked by their symbolism."
"Really? So, what do they symbolize?"
"It's fascinating. A lot of religions believe the peacock is a symbol of immortality, while others believe it symbolizes new beginnings. The idea of immortality has always fascinated me, but I actually used the new beginning symbolism in Wicked Lovely."