Chapter Three
Claudia tried to keep her head in the game as she focused on getting the girls in and out on time because even though it was a gentleman’s club, they still prided themselves on being able to have at least some semblance of order around here. Generally, they were laid back and easy going, so aside from knowing when your cue was, that’s really all you had to know.
It was pretty simple, but sometimes the ladies were so caught up watching each other or gossiping, so they miss their cue. That’s where Claudia or Madame Sauri came in.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Chastity sidled up to Claudia and looked out at the audience having already finished her part in the show.
“I think they’d cost you a lot more than that,” Claudia responded, very dryly.
Chastity took her hand and slipped something in it. Claudia looked down in surprise only to find a 100 dollar crumbled up note.
“What’s this?” Claudia asked, amusement lacing her tone.
“It’s the thing called money. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. It’s a piece of paper that coined the term monetary value. It has no real use except its baffling ability to make people kill over.”
Claudia cocked her head to the side as she pretended to consider. “I have heard of it, yes. It sounds familiar. It also has high rates in some countries, and low rates in others?”
Chastity snapped her fingers. “Bingo, you’ve got it. You can be taught.”
Claudia shook her head in amusement. “Seriously, though. What’s this for, Chas?”
“One of the patrons just kept tossing them at me and hollering as if I were some kind of circus animal. I barely tossed a glance his way, but I figured I’d get something out of it.”
Claudia raised an eyebrow. “He just tossed a bunch of one hundred dollar bills at you?”
“I’m pretty sure he even asked if I’d marry him.”
“What a romantic proposal. Very well thought out,” Claudia mentioned sarcastically as she handed Chastity the money back. “Well, as much as I appreciate being in on this whole plan of yours to seize the opportunity whatever it might be, I think I’ll pass.”
Chastity frowned. “Come on, Clo. You work too hard, and you’re not even having any fun. I know you enjoy being on that stage because you used to dance back in college, but you hate the way those men fawn all over you. At least the rest of us have something going for us.”
“I’ve got stuff going for me,” Claudia said defensively as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Books and drooling over fictional character do not fall under the category of going for you.”
A laugh escaped Claudia’s lips, unbidden. “Touché. However, I wasn’t just talking about that. You know that I’ve been saving up to get out of here. Someday, I’m going to do just that.”
“Yeah, you’ve been saying that for 3 years now, Clo. Sometimes, I can’t figure out if you’re hiding from something you want, or running away from something you’re afraid to want.”
Claudia let her hands fall to her sides, knowing that you couldn’t really get anything past Chastity. She was very shrewd and analytical. “Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters, sweetie.” Chastity eyed her sympathetically. “It’s not a crime to want to be happy, to strive for it, to even go after it on occasion. We are human after all.”
“I know,” Claudia said quietly as she stared at a fixed point on the wall. “It’s just not that simple for me. You know that.”
“I know that you wish you could change the past, but none of us really can. All we can do is make the best of the hand we’ve been dealt, and if we’re lucky enough, be able to change our stars.”
Claudia gave her a small smile. “If only we could. I don’t know, Chas. I used to believe that. Now, I just keep my head low, and hope life doesn’t throw any punches my way that I can’t handle.”
Chastity leaned over to get a hug and squeezed tight. “If life starts punching you, punch back. I know you’re made of sterner stuff.”
She pulled back and gave Claudia a wink. “Besides, with that ass.”
Chastity pretended to wolf whistle. Claudia smirked and did a little twirl. “Think it’ll make them fall on their knees?”
“Girl, they won’t even know what hit them,” Chastity replied, as an ear splitting grin made its way to her face.
“And that’s my cue to get going. Everyone’s meeting up afterward for dinner at Charlie’s, right?”
“You got it. I’ll see you there, Clo.”
Claudia sighed as she dragged herself towards the costume room and wondered what kind of outfit they’d put her in today. They pretty much came up with the weirdest outfits sometimes. On rare occasions, there were themes here and there. Sometimes racy themes, sometimes geeky, but almost always skimpy.
They rarely went for the classy approach unless it was someone they knew could pull it off. Tonight, much to her surprise, they put her in something classy. It was a figure hugging gold colored dress that fit her like a glove.
It had a plunging V-neck, and it was a little bit above her knees. It was definitely made to show off. The fabric was so soft, Claudia couldn’t help touching every few minutes after they put it on her.
She was a bit nervous going on stage dressed like that, but she took a deep breath, steadied her breathing and went onto the stage.
As soon as she stepped onto the stage, the lights were dimmed, and all the lights in the club went off. A single spotlight shone on her, and she waited for the music to begin. After anxiously awaiting her track, Claudia caught the eye of the stage manager back stage who was frantically waving at her.
She managed to read his lips and find out that there was a technical difficulty that they were working on getting solved. Claudia knew that she could either let this moment get to her, and it could affect the whole show, or she could smile and wing it like a pro.
She counted backwards from ten in her head until she felt a sense of calm radiate throughout her body and calm her erratic heartbeat. She began to laugh and joke with some of the patrons until some of the confused looks on their faces dissipated, and they began to believe that this was actually part of the plan. That she was doing some sort of routine act that would be followed by music.
They had no idea she thought sardonically to herself as she continued the ruse. Thankfully, the music came back in, and she got back into what she was doing, but not before she caught Archer Paisley’s eye.
He was sitting close to the front, and he was keeping a close watch on her, but that wasn’t what caught her eye. What caught her eye is the fact that he seemed to be completely aware of the glitch that had occurred. He was watching her with an amused smirk tugging on the corner of his lips, his eyes sparkling mischievously, and his arms crossed over his chest in a nonchalant manner as if he dared her to say or do anything that he couldn’t predict.
Claudia wanted to wipe that smug smirk clean off his face, but she knew that it probably wasn’t a good idea. She forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand as she got through her routine with a flourish. She didn’t usually add a twirl to the end of her show considering it was mostly hip hop with a dash of contemporary dancing, but she felt that the move went with the dress, so she spread her arms and let the dress billow around her as the men hooted and hollered.
Claudia had the satisfaction of seeing Archer look grim, and a little miffed. She grinned, blew the audience a kiss, and went backstage where she was greeted with warm applause from her fellow peers.
***
“I’ll meet you there, okay, Chas? I’m finishing up here!” Claudia called out as she looked around for her ballet flats which she could’ve sworn she left somewhere in the vicinity.
“No problem,” Chastity called back, and she heard the sounds of their laughter receding as they left the building. She sighed as she let her gaze travel all over the room, frustrated at being unable to find such a small thing. She dropped to the floor, got on her hands and knees and began to search for it underneath the chairs and clothes.
“Now there’s a sight I could get used to.”
Claudia cursed as she shot up and ended up hitting her head on one of the nearby shelves. She scowled as she began to rub the sore spot on top of her head as her blurry vision tried to make out who said that.
There stood Archer Paisley in the flesh. Looking amused with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, his tie hanging askew, his hair looking he’d raked his fingers through it, and his blue eyes smoldering, tearing a hole in the side of her head.
Claudia stood up with as much dignity as she could muster and dusted off her clothes before she let her eyes slowly trail up and meet his. “What are you doing back here? You’re not allowed to be back here.”
“You are if you know exactly who to bribe, or how to get past them.”
A flood of anger shot through Claudia at their security personnel’s flippancy. They couldn’t let just anyone back here, and they knew it. Their blatant lack of disregard for women’s safety made them a liability, and she had half a mind to go over there right now, and let them have it, but first, she had to deal with the rather large, devilishly handsome problem at hand.
“Yes, well, regardless of how you got here, you need to leave.”
Archer tossed his jacket on one of the chairs and gave her a pleasant smile. “Now, why would I do that when I’ve got a lovely view right here?”
“Mr. Paisley, as I’ve already told you, you aren’t supposed to be here, and we’ve been through this before.”
Archer stepped forward and stood in front of her. “Been over what before?”
“This,” she gestured making a sweeping hand gesture, “between us. Whatever you think exists between us. Nothing exists between us.”
Archer stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Are you sure about that?”
Claudia nodded her head empathetically. “I’m positive.”
“Now, Claudia, I know that you’re smarter than that. If nothing was going on between us then why does my presence unnerve you so?”
Claudia snorted. “It doesn’t unnerve me, what makes you think it does?”
Archer looked thoughtful as he eyed her speculatively. “The fact that you took a step back just now, that you can barely make eye contact with me for more than a few seconds, and that you can’t stand to be alone with me for more than a handful of minutes.”
Claudia turned her gaze on him. “Is that why you think I do that? Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Paisley. I don’t do any of those things because you affect me. I do them to avoid spending time with you.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Claudia narrowed her eyes into slits. “As Rhett Butler would say, ‘Frankly, my dear. I don’t give a damn.’”
Archer stared at her with an unfathomable expression for a minute or two before his face broke out into a smile, and he let out a whoop as he slapped his leg.
“I know you were feisty, but damn, I had no idea you had this much fire, Claudia.”
Claudia bristled with barely concealed annoyance. “Look, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I hardly think your comments are appropriate.”
One eyebrow shot up in amusement. “You think complementing you on your spark is inappropriate?”
Claudia made a dismissive hand gesture. “It’s not the fire thing I’m talking about specifically, it’s what it represents.”
A smile twitched on the edge of his lips. “And what exactly does it represent?”
“Your desire to get into my pants.”
Archer began to laugh, a deep throaty chuckle that sent shivers up and down her spine. Claudia told herself to get a grip considering who this man was, but she couldn’t help that she loved the sound of his laugh.
“Well, now. I must say, the honesty is very refreshing.”
“No point in beating around the bush, is there?”
“Indeed.” He looked thoughtful for a moment before he shook his head. “I won’t deny that it is a part of my plan.” He perused her thoroughly making her feel more vulnerable than if she was standing in front of him, stark naked. She wondered at the effect he seemed to have on a lot of women, and she wondered if he knew and secretly used it to his advantage.
“However, that isn’t my whole plan.”
Claudia titled her head to the side. “Are you planning on luring me into one of your dungeons and have your wicked way with me?”
Archer grinned. “That was part of the plan, yeah. Discovering the wanton woman who hides beneath that carefully composed façade.”
Claudia straightened her back and looked him directly in the eye trying to pretend that the color of his eyes didn’t just make her want to drown in a pool of silver. “Yes, well, sometimes plan are ruined much to our dismay.”
He gazed back, and apparently, he liked what he saw because he gave her a 1000 Watt smile. “That can easily be fixed.”
Claudia gave him a blank look. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Archer took a step forward, and before she knew what he was doing, he had his hand on top of hers and was stroking it gently with the pad of his thumb.
Claudia glanced down at their intertwined hands and frowned. “I won’t be persuaded, Mr. Paisley. So, whatever it is you think you’re going to accomplish, you’re wasting your time.”
Archer gave her a slow indulgent smile. “Yeah, I know you’d like to convince yourself of that, but I’m just not buying it.”
“Frankly, I don’t care whether or not you do.”
Archer tugged on her hand, so that she stumbled forward. “I think you care. You care very much what I buy especially if it’s you.”
Claudia laughed dismissively. “You’re fooling yourself. I don’t care. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d release my hand.”
Archer stared at her for a moment before he stopped what he was doing. Claudia couldn’t help the stab of disappointment that flashed through her, so she tried to ignore it by pulling her hand away and letting it lay limply at her side.
“What are you so afraid of, Claudia?” He tried to get her to make eye contact with him, but she resolutely refused afraid of what her twin pools of hazel would reveal to him, and how he might somehow be able to see right through her like she always thought he could.
“I don’t fear much, Mr. Paisley. Bankruptcy as businesses mostly do, and occasionally faulty plumbing or architecture, but other than that, I think my list is fairly small,” she said, very slowly, and very calmly.
Archer studied her very carefully before he let out a long whistle. “Somebody really did a number on you, didn’t they? I don’t know what they did to you, but it’s high time you moved past it, I think. Also, don’t you think it’s high time you dropped the whole Mr. Paisley act and actually used my real name?”
A flash of annoyance crossed her face. “It’s not an act. This is how we treat patrons here, and using your first name would be intimate, which is something we aren’t.”
“Not if I can help it,” he murmured as he took a huge step forward. Surprised, Claudia stumbled backward. “Would you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?” he asked innocently, a little too innocently for her to believe that he wasn’t doing it deliberately. His hand reached up and undid the first button on his shirt sleeve.
Claudia pointed between them. “Trying to start something between us.”
Archer took another step forward till he had Claudia backed into a corner. “If I were trying to start something between us, you’d know, Claudia. I wouldn’t be so subtle. I’m not the man who will hide behind pretenses and play games. I’m very clear and direct about what I want.”
“Okay.” She breathed trying not to let his presence affect her, but the smell of his heady perfume was wafting into her nostrils and making butterflies erupt in her stomach.
“Do you know what I want, Claudia?” he asked in a very controlled voice.
Claudia allowed her eyes to look into his eyes. “What?”
“I want you.”
She sucked in a harsh breath. “You can’t want me.”
“Why? Because you work here, and turn down all the offers that have been made for reasons people don’t understand and can only guess about.”
She looked surprised before he continued. “I’m not saying I’m a knight in shining armor, Claudia. I’ve probably got more dark than light in me, but what I won’t do is lie to you. You already know that I have very specific needs, and I think that you can fulfill them.”
Claudia opened her mouth to protest, but Archer brought his finger up to her lips. “I know you’re about to argue, so I’m just going to say this then you can talk. I want to dominate you, Claudia. I want to see you writhe underneath me, panting for more. I want to see you in all kinds of naughty positions just waiting for me to eat you up, or bring you to your knees, and I think you want it too.”
Claudia swallowed audibly. “What makes you think I want it?” Her voice sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. “It just sounds like you’re projecting.”
“Projecting? That’s big talk, Claudia. You sure you want to go down that road?”
Claudia moved her head so that his fingers fell. “You’re projecting your desires onto me. It’s as simple as that.”
Archer began to trail his fingers over her arms, lightly. “I’m not projecting anything. If you want to tell yourself that to keep hiding behind this titanium wall you’ve built up, that’s up to you. That’s not the case though.”
Claudia’s eyes narrowed into slits. “You think you know me so well, don’t you? Well, you don’t.”
“Ah, but I do,” he said pleasantly as if they were talking about the weather. “I know that you are fiercely independent, that you have a fire that burns deep down in your soul, and I know that you know a lot more than the other virgins around here. You haven’t been with a guy, but you know enough which makes me think that you actually came close a time or two. How am I doing so far?”
Claudia stared for a beat. “That’s actually -” she trailed off. “Well, that proves nothing.”
“That’s because I’m right, aren’t I?”
Claudia shrugged. “Doesn’t matter if you are. It doesn’t change anything.”
His fingers moved from her arms to her neck, and a smattering of goose bumps began to break out across her skin. “That’s where you’re wrong, my dear. It does matter, and it does change things. To seduce a woman like you, you have to appeal to her mind first, and secretly, I think that you like that I’m able to read you so well.”
Claudia shook her head. “No, I don’t, and frankly, I find your lack of respect for personal space annoying.”
Archer cocked his head to the side. “If that were actually true, you’d have pushed me away and called the buffoons you guys hired as bodyguards. They might have let me slip past, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t come to your aid if you yelled for help, and as I’ve already proven, I can keep my hands to myself.”
“Somehow, I don’t find that entirely too convincing right now,” she commented, very dryly as his fingers hovered over the pulse on her neck.
“Right now, I’m not trying to be convincing. At least, not that in that respect. What I am trying to convince you of how however is to give me a chance. I can show you pleasure in ways you’ve never even dreamed of, Claudia. If you just surrender.”
Claudia swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Why should I?”
“Because deep down, you know you want to. Not even that deep down otherwise you would’ve pushed me away by now. Your mouth says one thing, but your body says something completely different.”
Archer’s fingers skirted over her breasts, lightly flicking her nipples on the way causing her to jerk in response. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you might have convinced your mind that you should stay as far away from me as you possibly can, but I don’t think your body has gotten the message. The goose bumps, and the way your pulse skipped a beat just now backs up my case.”
Claudia’s tongue darted out to lick her lips. “That proves nothing.”
Archer’s eyes darkened as he watched her tongue. “It proves a lot. God, the things that tongue could do given the right outlet.”
Claudia flushed as she tucked her tongue back into her mouth. “Archer, I—"
“Say it again.”
Claudia gave him a confused look. “What?”
“Say my name again,” Archer clarified as his fingers came back up to her breasts and lay atop them.
“Archer,” she breathed as she unconsciously pushed herself forward. Her brain was screaming at her to get out, to push him away, to literally do anything but stand there and be a prey to this man, but there was an equally strong part of her that told her to relax and enjoy this. It’s not like this could go wrong like all the other times.
“I want to hear you moan my name, Claudia. And scream it. And chant it.” He buried his face in her neck and sighed as he breathed deeply.
Claudia’s hands came up and grabbed a fistful of his shirt sleeve as she tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. “Archer, we shouldn’t.”
Archer stilled. “Don’t tell me that you don’t want this, Claudia. I can feel that you do. Everything in you is responding to me. Why are you denying it so much?”
Claudia sighed. “Because you don’t know the truth about me. I am like poison. I destroy everything I touch, and I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”
Archer kissed her neck. “I don’t think you are poison, but in any case, I have a darkness in me too, Claudia. Let’s give into the darkness together. It would be so easy. We’ll give in just enough to satisfy our most primal desires, but we’d still pull each other out.”
She ran her hands along the smooth plains of his back. “I can’t.”
“Can’t, or won’t?” he murmured into her neck as he began to nip it.
Claudia gasped as he pulled back his lips and bit her neck. “Either, both. I don’t know.”
Archer pulled back and gazed at her. “I’ll wear you down eventually, Claudia.” He brought his fingers up to her lips, and her mouth parted as he traced the outer part of her lips. He licked his lips as he looked at her.
***
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” She responded very unconvincingly.
One eyebrow shot up. “Well, I think I like my odds.”
He ducked his head and leaned forward, so that his mouth was mere centimeters from hers. His breath intermingled with hers, and Claudia realized that she actually wanted him to kiss her. She had never been more afraid nor more excited about a kiss in her whole life.
Every nerve in her body tensed as she waited to feel those lips on hers, but nothing happened. Seconds ticked by, and he just stood there, keeping very still. Only his hands were roaming up and down her body, leaving a trail of heat that had all her hot and bothered in its wake.
She made eye contact with him, and was surprised to find that he was smirking as he watched her. She raised an eyebrow as she realized she knew what he was doing. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What is that I’m doing?” he said, his voice tinged with lust.
“You’re trying to get me to take the first step.”
His deep throaty chuckle sent shots of desire zigzagging throughout her body. “Beauty and brains. You really are the whole package.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not going to work.”
“It’s working already.”
Claudia snorted. “You are delusional.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is confidence.” He swooped down and captured her lips with his. Claudia was shocked at first, surprise flooding her body, but his firm lips on hers made her want to respond. She sighed as she melted against him and began to move her lips against his.
He moaned as he tangled his hands in her hair and angled her head, so that he could have better access. She lay her hand on his shoulders and began to run them up and down his back until she felt him tremble beneath her fingers. He made low noises inside of her mouth and began to push her backward until her legs hit the front of the couch.
She toppled backward, and Archer maintained eye contact as he lowered himself on top of her. He used his leg to nudge her legs aside, and he positioned himself, so he was in between them. He began to suck on her bottom lip until Claudia parted her lips and allowed his tongue to plunge into her mouth.
He tasted like peppermint and tobacco, and she let her tongue explore the inside of his mouth, thoroughly enjoying the taste of his lips pressed against hers. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and began to tug on it until it turned a deep shade of red.
“Your lips, I could taste them all day long, and I can’t wait to have them all over me as well.”
He groaned as he nuzzled her neck and began to lap it up. His fingers all over her chest and back down to her legs, tracing the soles of her feet, the length of her legs, and the curve of her thighs then back up until she could feel was the delicious heat coursing through her.
His hands traveled back up to her breasts, and he cupped them over the fabric of her shirt. Claudia moaned and pressed herself against him as she wrapped one leg around his waist and squeezed. She could feel Archer smile against her neck as he began to bite it gently. She was sure it was going to leave a mark at some point, but Claudia didn’t care.
She didn’t even care that she was just telling him off earlier. She couldn’t seem to find the part of her that warned the girls to keep their distance because he was a player. She couldn’t even seem to find that part of her that found him arrogant and overbearing.
All she saw, felt, or tasted was this raw, sexual masculine energy that had her entire body feeling like it was made of jelly. She pressed herself against him and began to trail her fingers over the smooth planes of his back. She felt an inner sort of thrill at the way he was responding to her touch.
Archer’s hands moved down over the slope of her breasts and towards the edge of her shirt. It hovered there for a second before his hand snaked underneath her shirt and moved up, so that he was cupping her over her bra. Claudia sucked in a breath as he began to lower the straps of her bra and fiddle with her nipples.
He knew exactly how to twist and pinch, so that the tip was erect. He went through the motion with one breast then his hand moved on to the other one. He stopped for a second and pulled his head back. He gazed at her quietly for a moment before he began to slip his shirt off.
He tossed it to the side of the room, and Claudia allowed her eyes to feast on muscles she dared only let herself day dream about. He was as well defined as she thought he would be. With toned muscles that she wanted to run her fingers through, and a patch of hair that led down to his happy trail.
She placed her hand on his chest and allowed it to trail all over, relishing the feeling of his taut muscles beneath her fingers. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his chest, parting her lips slightly, so that he could feel her hot breath gliding over his skin. He responded by tightening his hold over her head and letting out a small sound that was somewhere between a moan and a growl.
She let her lips trail up until they were hovering over the pressure point in his neck. She parted her lips, allowed her tongue to dart out and lick his neck then she closed her lips and pressed them firmly there. She felt his pulse skip a beat, and she smiled against his neck as she pulled back.
Archer was watching her with an unfathomable expression, his silver eyes a million shades darker. “I knew I’d love how those lips felt. You are already a natural, Claudia.”
“However, I think we should spice things up a bit.”
Before she knew what he was doing, he had whipped out a blindfold. He reached down for her hand and placed it on top of her head before he leaned down and did the same with the other one. He tied the blindfold around both her hands so that she couldn’t move them.
The blindfold was made of silk, so it actually felt good against her skin, but Claudia felt an odd rush go through her at the thought of being completely at his mercy. She’d never have admitted it to anyone, but she actually wanted to submit to him, and see exactly what he would do to her.
He let his hands trail over her stomach before he began to pull on the edge of her shirt. He lifted it up over her head till he got it off, and he tossed it to the other side of the room. Archer allowed himself a moment to gaze at her appreciatively. “You really are a stunning woman, Claudia. I cannot believe I get to see this. That blue bra is definitely sexy, I love the way it shows off those delectable breasts of yours.”
Claudia felt herself blush under his scrutiny. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to open her mouth and say something witty or sexy, or maybe even both. But, she was afraid that if she opened her mouth right now, all that would come out is a bunch of nonsense proceeded by her asking him to take her right then and there. She swallowed at the thought as Archer began to play with her breasts again.
His hands went behind her back and began to undo the clasp of her bra. Her breasts sprang forward, erect and proud, and he grinned at them as he took one breast between his lips and began to suck.
Claudia began to moan as she pushed herself forward. Archer brought one hand up to rest atop her bound arms, and the other began to rub her furiously down there. He began to bite on the nipple hard enough to elicit some pain, but not so hard that it actually hurt. He kissed the tip of her nipples when he was done then he moved onto the next one and began to do the same.
Claudia felt red hot desire coursing through her, and she began to buck her hips against his, suddenly feeling like there were too many layers between them, and not nearly enough friction.
“Somebody is impatient.” He chuckled as he pulled back to look at her.
“Of course I am,” she said, her voice sounding hoarse and husky and loaded with lust.
“That’s hot as hell,” he replied as he ground against her hips giving her some much-needed friction. Claudia’s eyes rolled to the back of her head she wrapped both legs around his waist and bucked.
She could feel the surprise radiate through Archer, but he tried not to show it as he ground back. Claudia’s fingers trailed over his back, over the curves until it landed on his ass, and she squeezed hard. She let her fingers trail back up until she dug her nails into his back.
Archer began to breathe hard against her. “Damn it, Claudia. You’re going to make me lose control very fast, if you keep doing that.”
“Who says that’s a bad thing?” she said throatily as she twisted her hips just a little. She felt Archer’s moan vibrate against her body as he ground against her.
Suddenly, Claudia’s phone rang. They both grew very still as she stared at her purse on the other side of the room and contemplated whether or not she should get it. Archer’s gaze met hers, and he gave her a slow smirk.
Her phone stopped ringing a while later, and they both breathed deeply before Archer crashed his lips against hers. He began rubbing her once more until she had to wrench her lips away from his just to be able to breathe.
Her phone rang again, so they pulled apart, and Archer shot it a dirty look across the room. Claudia huffed as she sat up. “I should probably get that.”
She gently pushed him off as she walked over to the other side of the room and answered the phone. Reality came crashing back as she heard Chastity’s voice on the other end asking her where she was.
“I’m sorry, Chas. I got caught up with um -” She eyed Archer who was sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, devouring her with his eyes. “Work,” she finished lamely.
“Well, come on. Don’t take too long. We’re waiting for you.”
“I’ll be there soon.” She hung up and stood there for a second, allowing the air to enter her lungs as she ran her hands through her hair. Self-consciously she brought her hands up to her breasts and covered them. “I should probably go.”
She heard a shifting on the couch. “Should or want to go?”
Her eyes snapped up to meet Archer’s. “It’s probably best if I do go.”
Archer strolled towards her lazily. “Why is that?”
“Archer,” She laughed nervously as she shook her hair out. “You know why. Don’t make me say it. We got caught up back there, and it was great, but—“
“Don’t do that.” Archer shook his head as he stood in front of her.
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Do what?”
“Attempt to write it off as another sexcapade just like that.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “I wasn’t trying to, but I wasn’t under any illusions, Archer.”
“Neither was I,” he said casually, his gaze smoldering as he began casually strolling towards her. Claudia wanted to take a step backward, or maybe she wanted to take a step forward. She couldn’t even tell. There was even a part of her that was telling her to run. As if Archer was some kind of predator, and she was a prey.
Except she was the willing kind, and that not only made it so much harder for her, but it also made it so much easier for him. It wasn’t typical at all, but it was what was happening.
She thought about sidestepping around him, but she realized she couldn’t. He was a big man, and rather burly, so there was that to take into account. But it was also the fact that even if she ran away from how she felt about him, she wouldn’t have anywhere to go. This was place was her home.
“You need to move,” she said firmly.
Archer raised an eyebrow and crossed his arm over his chest. “Why should I?”
Claudia let her eyes meet his, defiantly. “Archer, you’re only making this harder on yourself. You need to move because as I said repeatedly, nothing can happen between us. Also, my friends are waiting for me, so I should be going.”
“Something did happen between us.” He pointed as he uncrossed his arms, his muscles flexing in the process causing Claudia to momentarily stare and forget why she was arguing against this in the first place.
“I’m not denying that it did. I’m simply saying that it can’t happen again.”
“Are you going to spew forth that crap about how you can’t be near anyone again?”
Claudia’s eyes flashed dangerously. “It’s not crap. Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t make it any less true. It’s my truth, my beliefs, and you don’t get to invalidate that.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m not trying to invalidate it. I’m trying to make you see reason.”
They stood in front of each other, breathing heavily, the tension in the room was so thick, and you could cut through it with a butter knife. They were both in the middle of a staring match, neither one willing to be the first one to break.
Finally, Archer turned his gaze away, the frustration rippling off of him in waves as his mouth pressed into a thin line. “This isn’t over, Claudia, and you know it. You will be the one to ask me to kiss you next time, you’ll see.”
Claudia crossed her arms over her chest. “I doubt it.”
She knew that he was probably right though. Her heart was already hammering in her chest at the mere thought of it, and she didn’t if she’d be able to handle being around him now that she’d gotten a taste of him, but she knew that she had to at least try.
Archer bent over the couch and began to slip on his shirt. He picked up her shirt and bra and tossed it to her from across the room without even looking at her. Claudia’s hand snapped up and caught them mid-air, and she began to put them back on, all the while wondering if she’d made a big mistake.
Besides her belief that she lost everyone she cared about, she really had no convincing reason not to do this. Realistically, he wasn’t asking her to care about him nor him her. He was just asking her to give in to her carnal desires and enjoy it, so he could enjoy her too. In retrospect, it didn’t sound like such a bad idea especially if it meant she could break the loop she was stuck in.
Before she had any chance to consider it further, Archer had turned his back on her and walked straight out without even saying bye. She flinched as she heard the door slam shut behind him, the sound resonating throughout that empty hall. She sighed as she ran her hands through her hair, picked up her purse and headed out the door.