Chapter 15
Kathryn
I should have known he’d been lying to me the whole time. I had enough experience with liars to know what they sounded like, the kind of excuses they made. Alexander! That wasn’t even his name! If he’d lied about his name, he’d probably lied about everything else, too.
I wondered what it was he really did at the nightclub, and I wondered why he bothered working at the Purple Dragon. Was it to go slumming and pick up chicks? He probably had a girlfriend, just like Crystal had guessed. Why had I let myself fall for the charade again?
It was a great thing I hadn’t had a chance to break up with Christian yet! Here I was, deep into a relationship with a good, trustworthy man who was falling in love with me, and I’d turned my back on him to go after the mysterious bad boy who couldn’t tell the truth to save his life. Typical, I supposed, and as I got out of the cab and thrust a wad of money at the driver in front of my house, I wanted to break something. I wanted to kick the rocks in the gravel and tear leaves off the bushes.
I stormed up the stairs, fought with the lock because I was too angry to get the key in on the first try, and slammed the door behind me when I was finally inside. Crystal was working, so I had the place to myself, and I heated up a mug of coffee as I stomped around, not caring if the neighbors downstairs were disturbed or not.
I flopped down on the couch to stew in my own misery, hating Alexander – or Zane, or whatever his name was – for fooling me, especially after I’d shared my past with him and the trauma it had caused. What kind of jerk would continue down that road, knowing that the woman he pursued had been treated with such disrespect before? I wondered now if he was one of those guys who could only feel satisfied if he thought he’d broken a woman’s confidence.
I finished my first mug of coffee and got up to heat a second when there was a knock at the door, and I scowled. Who was bothering me now? Granted, no one knew the mood I was in, but if Christian had decided to pay a surprise visit, or Crystal had forgotten her key, I was going to be incredibly irritated.
I flung the door open, and irritated didn’t begin to describe the absolute rage that went through me. I opened my mouth to tell him to get the hell away from me, but Alexander-Zane-somebody held up his hands in surrender. “Wait, Kathryn, don’t shut the door yet. Let me explain.”
I didn’t need an explanation about anything. The man was a two-faced, lying jerk, and I didn’t need the drama. “Why should I? You’ve obviously lied to me from the start. Should I give you a chance to come up with a new story?”
He nodded. “I deserve that. And I’m sorry. But give me a chance here, okay? You sort of came out of nowhere, and I didn’t know how to react. I told you, I haven’t dated in years, and I obviously made some pretty big mistakes here. Let me correct them. Let me be honest with you. I haven’t felt like this about anyone in a very long time, and I can’t let you walk away without at least trying to settle things and apologize.”
I hesitated. He claimed to have feelings for me, and that made my heart start beating wildly. But I needed safety and security, the things Christian had to offer. The man in front of me was full of lies and deceit and mystery.
Mystery. That was really the kicker, wasn’t it? If he told me the truth this time, could I forgive him? I wanted to think so because he was intriguing and sexy and…
I wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. I thought back to Jarrett. Even when I’d caught him in the act, he tried to lie, telling me it was a one-time thing. I’d started to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I could see the desperate attempt to calm me down in his eyes, and I knew he was lying again. If Alexander-Zane lied again, I would sense it. I had to, for my own benefit.
But I also had to give him the chance, because try as I might, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. And I couldn’t be with Christian if I had this question mark of a man on the brain all the time. Taking a deep breath and hoping I didn’t regret it, I opened the door wider and stepped back to let him in. I waited as he entered and closed and locked the door behind him, realizing he’d just stepped beyond the boundary I’d set for Christian. My nerves were on edge, and I led him over to the kitchen table, refusing to let us settle into the couch.
“I’m heating up coffee, but it looks like I need a new pot anyway. You want some?” I asked, trying to be a good hostess, even though I eyed him with suspicion and didn’t think he’d be staying long. What could he have to tell me that would make this okay?
I toiled in the kitchen while I waited for the new pot to brew, and in my nervous need to keep busy in the silence, I ended up opening a bag of trail mix, pouring it in a bowl, and putting it in the center of the table. I hadn’t really eaten my dinner, though I’d had far more to drink than I should have and needed something to settle my stomach. I opened the fridge and found nothing worth eating at the moment, and then I peered in the freezer.
“I’m making a frozen pizza. You want some?” Why I was offering him everything in my house, I didn’t know. But it took away my nervous energy and kept me from boxing his ears.
“I could eat some.” His answer was short, and I could tell he was more anxious than I was.
I closed the freezer with the pizza on the counter and turned on the oven to preheat. Finally, the coffee was done, and I poured two mugs, setting the creamer and sweetener on the table with the trail mix.
I took the seat across from him, sipped the hot coffee, and stared expectantly at him, waiting for him to start talking. He took a sip, set the cup down, and looked down at his hands. It was the first time I’d ever seen him look humble, as far as I could remember.
He cleared his throat twice, and I thought of Crystal’s unfiltered comment about it. She was right, he did it a lot, and I decided it had to be a nervous habit. If I hadn’t been so angry and impatient, I would have laughed.
“My name is Alexander Bradley, but a lot of people call me Zane. It’s a nickname, short for Zander, which is short for Alexander. I don’t remember when I started using it, mostly because a lot of people also still call me Alexander.”
I supposed I could buy that. “So, why did you introduce yourself as Alexander? You could have used Zane, or at least said to call you Zane. You could have even told me later. Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “You seemed to like Alexander. And like I said, a lot of people call me that anyway. Everyone at the Purple Dragon does. No one there ever calls me Zane.” He took a deep breath, and I prepared for more revelations.
Dropping his head again, he shook it, and he heaved a weary sigh as he looked back up at me. I suddenly felt cold, and I wrapped my hands around my mug, gulping at the coffee to warm my bones.
I tensed as he began, “I’m not a greeter or a promotor or a bartender at the Machine. I own the club.”
I blinked at him several times, not quite sure I had heard him right. I knew I was gaping, but I couldn’t help it.
He scrubbed a hand over his face and said, “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Yes, you should have.” I tried to swallow the information. “Why didn’t you?”
He stood and started pacing back and forth across the living room. “I’ve had really bad luck in the past with that, Kathryn. You’re a good person with pure motives, I can tell, but most women aren’t like that. I had to know that you were into me and not the money. Too many women have come after me for the money, and I really liked you. I couldn’t take the chance that you were another gold digger.”
I was on my feet, angry and offended. “Are you kidding me? Is that really what you think of me?”
“No, I don’t. But think about it, Kathryn.” His voice and face were pleading with me. “I didn’t know you. I was attracted to you, and then you opened your mouth, and I was completely floored. I couldn’t believe someone could be so beautiful and intelligent and genuine.” He clenched his jaw and released it. “It’s been years. I don’t date anymore, and I certainly haven’t felt so strongly about anyone in a very long time. It would have broken me to think that you might only want me for the money and popularity that come with owning a nightclub.”
I shook my head, still seething, and I folded my arms over my chest. “Okay, Alexander. Zane,” I corrected. The name felt strange on my tongue, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth, even if it did fit him and his enigmatic presence much better than a more ordinary name like Alexander.
I shook off the thought and gripped my rage tight in my chest. “Let’s just say that you had a right to lie to me to verify that I wasn’t some money hungry woman trying to latch onto a rich guy. What about now? After coming to see you at the club per your request, where you virtually ignored me? And after I met you in the park today, ventured out away from the crowd and kissed you? All of this without knowing that you had money! Are you still worried about it?”
I felt out of control, my emotions wild and confused. I wanted to believe everything he said, especially the part about feeling more for me than he had for anyone else in a long time. But the accusations hurt, almost as much as if he’d cheated on me. I had never been one to want or need fortunes, and I’d told him already the meager beginnings I’d had. .
“No! Kathryn, all of that has been amazing.” He came over to me, touched my arms, and I felt some of my tension release. He drew them away from where I hugged myself defensively, running his hands down them until he had my fingers laced with his. It warmed me, and I let him hold them as he spoke again, softer this time. “I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention to you when you came to the club. There was a lot going on that night, and now you understand why I was so distracted. It’s not a good excuse, but it’s the absolute truth. And I enjoyed today more than you could ever know.”
I gazed up at him, looking for signs of deception, and I saw nothing but sincere regret. He continued, “I want to be with you. I know you don’t have ulterior motives, and I can feel something brewing between us that’s powerful, more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt with anyone. And I’m sorry I wasn’t more up front with you, but I’m still glad I know for a fact who you are as a person and don’t have to wonder.”
Something about his vulnerability had my anger churning into something else. It was just as strong and passionate, but it flipped upside down and became desire. He had been attractive to me when he’d been an anomaly. Now, knowing the truth, he was even more attractive. And that was topped off with how desperately he’d wanted to test the waters first. I didn’t feel good about Zane lying to me, and I really hated that he would question my motives. But I understood his reasons, and it actually made me feel special that he would work so hard to make sure whatever happened between us would be pure. Our hands were still linked, and before I could stop myself, I used that leverage to pull him to me. I pushed up on my toes and pressed my lips to his.
He tensed for a moment, and then he kissed me back full force. I dropped his hands and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him deeper into it, and he captured my face in his hands, tilting my head back for better access. His tongue twisted and tangled with mine, and I drank him in, my body on fire for him, and I started moving toward the couch, my steps awkwardly pushing him backward until I felt the bump that meant the back of his knees had hit the furniture.
I pushed again, and he sat down hard. Breaking the kiss made me moan and shiver at the loss of his body heat against me. I quickly crawled onto him, straddling his lap and connecting with him again. His hands were everywhere – on my chest and back and in my hair – all at once, and I was panting with my excitement. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this aroused. I knew I should move this to my bedroom but couldn’t find the patience as I started tearing at his shirt.
Just as anxious and desperate, he helped me get it off, and then he gathered the skirt of my dress. I lifted my arms and let him yank it over my head. His mouth was on one nipple instantly as he threw the dress to the side, and I threw my head back in ecstasy as he suckled at it, pinching the other with his finger and thumb.
I could feel his arousal growing with the swelling erection beneath me, long and hard and thick as it strained against his jeans. I had no idea what time to expect Crystal home, but at this point, I didn’t think I’d even notice if she walked in on us. I was too caught up in the moment, too aroused, to care about anything but the sensations coursing through my body.
Zane grabbed me by the waist and turned me onto my back on the couch and leaned over me in one single, smooth motion. As soon as I caught my breath, I reached for his fly brazenly, and once I’d unzipped it, I drew his cock out, circling it with my fingers and applying the slightest pressure as I stroked him up and down. He was hard as a rock, but the skin stretched taut over him was soft. He hissed as I massaged him, and he attacked my lips again with fervor. I could taste his desire now, and I funneled mine right back to him.
He snaked a hand into my panties, and as his fingers found my wet center, I moaned. A shudder went through my body, the first wave of pleasure rolling over me gently, though still intense. I arched my back, pressing against his hand and begging wordlessly for more. He didn’t disappoint, finding my nub with his thumb and stroking, rolling, flicking, until I came harder.
I felt him slide my panties off while I was in the midst of my ecstasy, and when I looked back at him, he had shed his clothes as well. His body was perfect, his hips narrow and chest broad, his legs thick from more than just working on his feet. And his skin tone was a dark olive, natural rather than tanned. I could have stared at him all day every day, pinned to my wall, and never gotten tired of his godlike physique.
Now, though, it heated me beyond boiling, and I felt like my blood turned to steam in my veins. I was lighter than air but ready to explode as he lowered himself between my legs. I pressed my heels to the small of his back, urging him forward, and when he thrust into my core, the rapture was unprecedented.
Fireworks sprayed in front of my eyes while the edges of my vision blackened, as if I was going to pass out. I clawed at his back, but he didn’t stop. He pressed on, and then he slid out and did it again. I cried out, screaming wordlessly, and he gave a sinister smile, probably reveling in the power he had over me in that moment.
I wrapped my arms tighter around him, wanting our bodies to meld into one and almost fearing any space coming between us. I couldn’t stand the thought of any part of my body separated from him, and I lifted my hips with each thrust he made, taking him in deeper and at an angle that drove me wild.
My body reacted in kind, the throes of passion making me shiver and convulse. His lips and teeth brushed and scraped at my neck, my throat, my ear, and I scratched his back, gripped his shoulders, dug my heels in just to stay grounded. But that didn’t last. Zane grunted with a painful sound, and his motions grew rougher. I knew what to expect – I wasn’t new to this, even if it had been a while.
But his explosion still caught me off guard with its violence, and I soared into the clouds, leaving reality and the world far below. I writhed and whimpered and shrieked, feeling the pulsing of his completion, and even when he calmed, my inner walls throbbed and pressed around him.
I laid there under him, feeling his chest heave against mine, my heartbeat in sync with his, and I smiled my satisfaction as my eyelids fluttered closed. My limbs were heavy, and I couldn’t seem to move in the afterglow. But inside, the fire was finally doused, and I couldn’t remember a time when my sexual appetite had truly been so satisfied before.
I didn’t push him off until I could feel his pulse slow, and he finally pushed up with his hands enough so he could look down at me. “Am I crushing you?”
I shook my head lazily, more like rolling it back and forth on the couch beneath me, and that made me laugh. “No, you’re not. I’m sunken into the couch cushions, and I couldn’t care less. You feel good.” But then I thought about it and made the effort to lift my head a couple of inches to gaze at the door. I frowned. “However, I don’t know when my roommate’s coming home, so we might want to take this to the bedroom.”
He waggled his eyebrows at me. “So, as good as this was, we’re not done?”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, the sound rumbling pleasantly from deep in my chest. I was giddy, truly happy, and for the first time in as far back as I could think at the moment, I didn’t feel empty inside. I didn’t feel like I was settling for something that might be in my best interest but didn’t interest me at all. I felt like I was back in college and didn’t have any fear freezing like a shield around my heart.
I gazed up at him in awe and disbelief. This was happening so fast, and yet, it just felt right. An hour ago, I would have told him no, but now, I wanted him to stay, and I wanted more of him. I might have been satisfied, but that didn’t mean I would turn down an opportunity for more. “No, we’re not done. If you stay the night.”
“I think I can handle that,” he said, and then frowned. “I have one condition, though.” He worked to get up, and I felt chilled the minute he slid off me. As he pulled his jeans on, I waited for the kicker. He winked and nodded toward the kitchen. “I want that pizza for sure, and we should take the trail mix with us.”
I laughed and nodded my agreement as I searched the room for my dress, which had landed over by the door…and on top of one of the arrangements of lilies. “I’ll get right on it. And I’ll fill my big thermos with coffee, too. I can’t function without it.”
He was dressed, and I carried my dress and panties into my bedroom, coming back out in my silk robe to get the pizza in the oven. I was definitely looking forward to the night together.