Club Prive Complete Series Box Set: Alpha Billionaire Romance by Parker, M. S. (1)

Club Privé Book 1

By M.S. Parker

 

 

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 M.S. Parker

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Chapter 1

 

“Hey, Carrie, check it out. Hot guy coming in at three o’clock,” Krissy whispered as she elbowed me. The music in the stylish sports bar blasted from the speakers, but not so loud that we couldn’t carry on a conversation.

All four of us zoomed in on a guy who had just sat down at the end of the bar, thirty feet across the room from us. He looked to be in his late twenties, sporting dark hair and wearing stylish yet casual clothes.

It was Friday late afternoon and the place was almost empty, as the happy hour had just started. A few couples and groups dotted the scenery, raising glasses to celebrate the end of another weary workweek. I was here with my three best friends Krissy, Leslie and Dena. The four of us worked at the Law Office of Webster and Steinberg, one of New York City's premier firms, and after working our asses off all week, we deserved to have a bit of fun.

And that guy was definitely fun.

“Umm, he is hot. I like his shirt,” I replied.

“His shirt?” Leslie echoed as she tossed her bright red curls over her shoulder. “What the heck is wrong with you, girl? I’m sure what’s under the shirt is a hell of a lot more interesting. Maybe you should go talk to him, Carrie. Find out where he bought that cool shirt.” Leslie snorted a laugh and a couple sitting two tables over looked at her. She was always the loud one.

“Ha ha, very funny,” I said. “No way am I going to talk to him. I don’t have time to get involved with a guy, even someone who is hot like that…Oh shit! He’s looking right this way.” I dropped my head down, pretending that the sugar-rimmed Lemon Drop martini sitting in front of me was the essence of my life.

“Don’t be shy, girl,” Krissy urged. “He’s totally checking you out. You have to go talk to him.”

I shook my head. “He is not. For all I know, he is probably gay, married or engaged.”

It was true that I had no time for a guy in my life. My full often-over-eight-hour workday, along with studying at night for my Master’s degree, stole every waking second. I couldn’t remember the last time I was on a date or went to the movies. The thought stopped me. When was the last time? I remembered now. It was back in Alabama, when I'd gone home over Christmas. Greg had taken me out. More from pity than anything else, I was sure. We had been best friends since high school and going out together on an actual date was awkward. More than awkward. We swore never to try that again. I was just thankful we hadn’t slept together. Sex was even further back for me. Like over a year back. I hadn't slept with anyone since...I thought hard...last spring. A week before I'd caught my asshole now-ex-boyfriend, Gale, in bed with his next-door neighbor Delia. Wow. It had been a long time.

“I’m sure he is not gay…or married,” Krissy said, drawing my attention away from my thoughts. “I don’t see a ring on his finger and my gaydar has never failed me. But, there is only one way to find out for sure.” She shot a mischievous look around the table. “Let’s play a little game.”

I sighed. Krissy and her games. She always suggested or made up party games, and somehow I would always end up the loser. Some things hadn't changed since that first day as a freshman when I was assigned to share a room with the brash, intense girl from Chicago. Six years later, and Krissy Jensen and I still shared a place together, a nice but small apartment in Manhattan.

“I have a better idea,” I said. “Let’s not.”

“Don’t be such a bore, Carrie,” Krissy said. “Here’s what we do. Anyone got pen and paper?”

Krissy was persistent and usually got her way. According to her equally intimidating mother, Krissy had always been stubborn, and ever since she was a kid, she had the unique ability to make everyone follow her lead, unlike me. I had never been popular, and sure as hell never had the ability or confidence to get anyone to follow my lead.

“Here you go, Kris,” Dena said, brushing her white-blond bangs out of her face. She was petite, the smallest of us. With her pixie haircut, she looked more like a junior high student than one of the most ruthless legal minds I’d ever encountered. Her quiet nature just made more people underestimate her.

She was also the most organized of the four of us. Prepared as usual, she handed Krissy a small leather-covered notebook and a black pen. Krissy ripped out a piece of paper and tore it into four equal pieces. She then drew a heart on one of the pieces, crumpled them all into little balls and mixed them up on the table.

“So here’s how we are going to play. We each take a ball and the one who picks up the heart has to approach Mr. Hot Guy over there and get his phone number. Okay?”

It was a silly game, but the martinis had started to work their magic and made everything seem fuzzy and fun. We all nodded in agreement. Even my reluctance had faded to the back of my mind.

“What’s the reward for collecting the number, besides getting a chance with Mr. Hunk?” Leslie asked and smirked, nodding in the direction of the bar. Her green eyes were glowing, and I didn't think it was just from the alcohol.

“Hmm, how about...if the winner gets his number, all her drinks are paid for, but if not, she has to buy all our drinks.” Krissy looked pleased with herself.

“All right, sounds good. Let’s do this,” I said. “I just want to get this over and done with.” Actually, I wanted it done before my buzz wore off and I remembered what a bad idea this was.

We each picked a ball of paper. Surprise, surprise. When I unfolded my piece, I was staring at the dreaded heart.

“I knew it,” I said with a sigh. “I always lose in these stupid games.”

“What do you mean, lose? You won, girl. Now, go get your prize,” Krissy was almost bursting with laughter. She loved it. Always pushing me out of my comfort zone. She'd been doing that since freshman year when she'd taken me to my first frat party and gotten me passing-out drunk. I still didn’t understand why she brought me. She was gorgeous, with those big dark eyes and thick black hair, and the life of any party. I was the definition of a buzz-kill.

I set my jaw. Not today, I decided. No buzz-kill. I was going to do this. I picked up my martini and emptied the glass in one big gulp. I squared my shoulders and rose from my seat as Krissy cheered me on.

“Go get him, hon.”

I shot her a sharp look, picked up the notepad and pen, and zeroed in on the mission at hand.

As I approached the hunky guy sitting alone on a rustic dark stool, I felt a twinge in the pit in my stomach. What had I just agreed to? Getting a second look at him didn’t help curb my anxiety. Up close he looked even hotter than from back in the seat. Dark hair, curled in front, almost covered his deep blue eyes. His skin was tan, but looked healthy and smooth, more natural than from time spent in the sun. And speaking of healthy…No fries on his diet. He was tall and fit, noticeable even from his seated position. As I stepped closer I could see that the rich outlines of his shoulders strained against the fabric of his shirt. He had the physique and tone of one of those guys from fitness magazines with eight percent body fat and abs so tight and firm that you could bounce on them like a trampoline.

What was I doing? This guy was way out of my league. I glanced back at my friends and they all made shooing gestures, urging me on.

He was typing on his phone with his left side facing towards me as I came up next to him. Standing so close to him made my cheeks heat up.

I wanted to return to my seat, but facing the evil stares from my so-called friends made me reconsider. I’d agreed and now I had to go through with it. If I didn't, I’d never hear the end of it. Besides, it was just a quick conversation. How bad could it be?

Nervously, I moistened my dry lips. “Excuse me. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

The incredibly hot guy turned around in his seat, and when he faced me, his mouth curved into a devastating smile. “Depends on what the favor is, I guess, although it will be pretty hard to resist helping someone as stunning as you.”

I giggled, and immediately blamed the alcohol. I didn’t giggle. I was an adult. A college graduate paralegal on her way to a law degree and becoming a lawyer. Yet, here I was, fidgeting like a schoolgirl with a crush. Even his voice was sexy as hell.

“Well, see my girlfriends over there?” I gestured over my shoulder, but didn't turn to look at them, afraid I’d lose my nerve if I did. “They are a bunch of crazy idiots who dared me to come over here to get your phone number. In fact, if I don’t come back with it, they are going to make me pay for all their drinks.”

“All their drinks? Wow, that doesn’t seem fair,” he said, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

“I know, right? Story of my life. Listen, you don’t have to give me your real number. Any fake number will do nicely.” The words came out of me in a rush. I handed him the pen and notepad. He reached out and his hand brushed against mine. His skin felt soft and warm, and a tingling sensation shot through my body.

Damn, he was hot. And what the hell was that rush I just felt?

“Are you always this direct and commanding?” he asked as he wrote down a name and some digits.

“Only when I’m on a mission. Time is too short to procrastinate.” I mentally kicked myself. What was I blathering on about? I sounded like an idiot.

He chuckled and his smile broadened. “I agree. Always happy to help a damsel in distress.”

“Thank you so much. I owe you one.” Again, a mental kick. Where was the quick wit and sharp tongue that had gotten me rave reviews by my law professors?

“Indeed.” He handed me the notepad with yet another beautiful smile. When I grabbed on to it, he held it tight for just a second longer. “I hope I get to collect the favor one day,” he said, gazing at me with a faint twinkle in the depths of his deep blue eyes. After what seemed like forever, he finally let go of the notepad.

The blood rushed to my cheeks even more intensely than before, and I spun around without saying another word and hurried back to my seat.

With an audible sigh I slid into my chair, as the girls stared at me curiously with their mouths half open.

“What? You ladies haven’t ordered me another drink yet?” I asked as I showed them the notepad with the ten digits. Krissy snatched it out of my hand.

“His name is Gavin? Hmm, it’s probably a fake number,” she said. Annoyed, she pulled out her iPhone, keyed in the numbers and pressed enter.

We all glanced over in the direction of Gavin, who now lifted his phone and held it up against his ear.

“…Hello.” His voice echoed over Krissy's phone.

Krissy quickly disconnected the call and looked at me. I tried to hide my shock with a grin.

“So, where is my drink? I’d like another Lemon Drop.”

“Good for you,” she said with a smirk. “When are you going to call him?”

My face fell. “I’m not. That wasn’t part of the deal.”

Something about my tone must’ve made Krissy realize that this wasn’t the time to keep pushing, because she got me another drink and didn’t say anything else about calling Gavin.

The new drink started to calm my nerves. I couldn’t help but keep glancing over Gavin’s way to snap more mental images of the delicious eye candy. He wasn’t sitting by himself anymore. An older guy, in his mid-forties, was now engaged in deep conversation with him. Could this be his boss? He looked like a CEO in his expensive tailored suit and five-hundred-dollar shoes. He was quite good-looking for a man of his age, with a slender body. His profile spoke of power and ageless strength. His sharp, dark eyes said he was as intelligent as he appeared. Very likely his boss.

The bar was now crowded with people, some of them dressed in business attire, others in the dress casual of many workplace Fridays. Cool people and inexpensive drinks were the norm here, making Huggins a popular after-work stop, especially for Friday happy hour. In many places around Midtown, drinks would go as high as eighteen bucks apiece, so the nine-dollar happy hour martinis here were a steal in comparison.

“Hey, snap out of it, girl,” Krissy said as she interrupted my little daydream. “Are you coming with me or what?”

“Coming with you where? What are you doing?”

“I said that I needed to get my nails done before we go out tonight.”

“Sorry, I can’t go out tonight. I have to work on my paper. It’s due in three weeks.”

“You never go out. I can’t believe you are just going to sit home on a Friday night after being hit on by the hottest guy in town.”

“Stop it, Kris. There is more to life than going out every weekend and besides, I came here, didn’t I? See, I go out.” I ignored the fact that it was actually on our way home and the appetizers I'd been snacking on would be my entire evening meal. “Also, he wasn’t hitting on me. I was hitting on him, remember?”

Krissy had finished her Master’s Degree last year. Due to a family crisis two years ago, I’d gotten a year behind her. Hence the reason I was still slogging through my classwork while she could party every weekend.

I glanced over to the bar to get another look at Gavin but he was gone. I’d never noticed that he left. Dammit.

So much for that. He hadn’t even made an attempt to speak to me again before he left the bar. Whatever. It wasn’t like I was ever going to meet him again. Sure, I had his number, but no way was I going to call him. Not only was it not suited for me as a woman to call up a man and ask for a date, but he probably just gave me the number to help me win the bet. Not because he had any real interest in me or was attracted to me. Why would he be? Guys like that always had Victoria’s Secret models hanging on their broad shoulders, fulfilling their every desire. Not that I saw myself as ugly, but I was the kind of woman who was generally overlooked. Long curls framing a cute but forgettable face. Brown eyes the color of dark chocolate, pretty enough, but not the kind that seared into a man's memory. Even my build was average. Not thin, but not really curvy either. My chest wasn't small, but it was far from large enough to attract attention. Like I said. Average.

With one swift move, I picked up the notepad from the table, tore out the page he had written on and crumpled up the paper.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Leslie exclaimed.

“I’m not keeping that.” I threw the paper ball in her direction. “Here, you can have it.”

“Thanks, I will,” Leslie said, smiling as she uncrumpled the paper and stashed it into her purse.

It was time to call it a day. My drink was almost empty and, if I didn’t get started on my paper, I'd be a nervous wreck by the end of the weekend. That was never a good way to start the workweek.

Despite objections from Krissy, I bid my friends goodbye and headed for the street to hail a cab.

After giving the cabbie directions to my apartment building, I let my thoughts go where they wanted. I couldn’t get the exhilarating incident out of my mind. I wished that Gavin had somehow said goodbye before he left. But maybe that had been difficult for him because his boss was with him. No matter what, there had been something mysterious and exciting about Gavin that was hard to pinpoint.

I sank down deeper in my seat and imagined his breathtaking eyes staring right at me. Had it been foolish of me to give Leslie his number? How would I know if he was interested unless I took a risk? I was willing to bet that Leslie would take that risk, though with her looks and curves, it wasn’t much of a risk. Guys never turned her down, even guys as gorgeous as Gavin.

New York was a big city with over eight million people. Even if we both lived here for the rest of our lives, it would be unlikely for us to ever run across each other’s path again. Unless, of course, we both one day happened to be back at Huggins Bar and Grill for yet another happy hour. I made a mental note to come back next Friday. Just in case.

 

Chapter 2

 

As long as I could remember, I’d wanted to be an attorney of law and, finally, at age twenty-four, I was close to my goal. For almost a year now I had been working as a paralegal in the Law Office of Webster and Steinberg while finishing up my last year in law school. I needed the income to help pay for the tuition. Unlike many of my fellow students, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, and scholarships only went so far. Now that I was close to graduating – hopefully by the end of the semester – it also likely meant I’d be saying goodbye to the firm, unless they decided to offer me a position.

I’d enjoyed working at Webster and Steinberg. The office had old-world charm with oak panels, dark colors and a scent of musk and leather that filled the offices and hallways. My boss, Mimi Styles, was a brilliant divorce lawyer, and I was assigned as her personal file clerk and paralegal. I liked my job, even though it was mostly repetitious secretary work such as sorting case files, but once in a while I was asked to help with case research. Despite the fact that working as a paralegal was nowhere as exciting as what was seen in popular TV shows, it did give me the opportunity to study and experience the job as an attorney in real life, instead of just learning theory from the books. Maybe the added experience would put me at the front of the line when it was time to approach a firm to apply for a position as an attorney.

“Carrie, where are the notes for the Howard Weiss case?” Mimi stood in front of my desk looking completely desperate.

“They’re almost ready, Ms. Styles.”

“Well, please hurry. The meeting starts in less than an hour and I want to go over the case once more before it starts.”

“Absolutely. I’ll bring them to your office in ten minutes,” I said, trying to hide my panic at being behind schedule.

I knew that the meeting was very important to Mimi, as it was the introductory meeting with a new and very powerful client, Howard Weiss. He was a true real estate mogul, but not just any real estate mogul. In fact, he owned some of the biggest office buildings in Manhattan, and had a net worth in the billions. He was also about to become single. The reason he was coming here today was to discuss his upcoming divorce. If Mimi got this case, it would be huge for the firm.

This morning had not started out well at all, much too hectic for my liking. First, I’d overslept. I had worked on my college paper until three in the morning, and then my alarm hadn’t gone off. A short power shutdown in the building had reset the clock sitting on the bedside table next to my bed, and of course, I hadn’t used my phone, even though I’d constantly told myself that it was smarter to have two alarms rather than just one. So instead of my usual eight-thirty arrival at the office, I had run in to work all flustered, ninety minutes late, which was not at all like me. I prided myself on always being very punctual, almost to a point where my coworkers could set their watches after my arrival.

I was able to finish the notes, collect all the research and organize it rather quickly. There were definitely some benefits to being organized, and I was smiling as I walked into Mimi’s office and handed her the file.

“Thanks, Carrie,” Mimi said with a sigh of relief. “Listen, I need you in the meeting taking notes, so don’t go too far, okay?”

“No problem. Actually, I’ll go get the conference room ready now,” I replied, eager to make up for being late.

I stepped into the large conference room and started preparing for the meeting. As I placed notepads and pens in front of each seat and set the table with coffee cups along with little plates for the butter cookies, my mind drifted back to last weekend. Krissy had been harassing me nonstop for refusing to go with her to a club for the third weekend in a row.

“You are becoming like a Mormon,” she had said mockingly. “You need to relax and get your mind off those stupid books once in a while.”

I knew she was right, but every time I’d tried taking a break from studying I felt guilty. I was the first in my family to ever finish college, so the pressure was in the back of my mind all the time. In reality, I doubted anyone would notice if I got an A- instead of an A+ on a test, but my personality was the type that insisted on giving a hundred and ten percent, nothing less.

I finished setting up for the meeting just as Mimi entered the room. Usually, she was the calmest person I knew, but today she was all over the place.

“How do I look?” Mimi asked and looked straight at me.

Surprised by her unusual question, I was dumbfounded for a second. “You look great,” I finally replied, thankful that it was the truth.

Mimi actually looked better than usual. Her outfit was sexier than her standard skirt or pants suit, and she was wearing more makeup. “Thanks. I can’t believe I’m actually a little nervous about this meeting. Oh well, I’m sure it will be fine.”

There was a knock on the door, and Mimi’s secretary, Elise, entered the room. “Howard Weiss is here,” she announced.

I was busy shuffling through the file, so I didn’t look up when Mr. Weiss entered and said in a deep voice, “Good to see you again, Ms. Styles. This is my friend and consultant, Gavin Manning.”

The mention of the name Gavin made me stop everything I was doing. It was as if an electric shock had just gone through my body, and when I looked up I was staring directly into the same deep blue eyes that I hadn’t been able to get out of my mind. He didn’t seem as surprised to see me as I was seeing him, but he remained quiet. I assumed that he didn’t want anyone to know that we had already met before. Explaining how we’d met would be a bit embarrassing, and I appreciated the discretion.

“Good to meet you, Mr. Manning,” Mimi said. “This is Carrie Summers, my paralegal. Please sit down and let’s get started.”

My mind was running like wildfire. I couldn’t believe that Gavin Manning was here. And to make matters even more bizarre, Howard Weiss was the same guy who had been in a deep conversation with Gavin at the bar.

Was it a coincidence? It had to be, right?

I quickly gathered myself, and as the meeting went along, I did everything I could to avoid eye contact with Gavin, focusing on jotting down notes from what was discussed. Instead of giving in to my desire to look at him, I turned my attention to his boss and, hopefully our future client, Howard Weiss.

He was an impressive figure. Tall and in great shape for a man in his forties. Up close, he was even more handsome than I remembered from the bar. He reminded me of a strong, old-fashioned leading man straight out of a classic movie. It was obvious that Mimi was affected by him. She acted very different from her usual demeanor. Could it be that she was nervous about representing such a powerful client, or was there a more passionate reason? I was betting on the latter and permitted myself a small smile. Good for her.

After almost an hour, the meeting was coming to an end, and as soon as Howard Weiss and Gavin had left the conference room, I quickly gathered the notes. Before leaving, I turned to Mimi to ask her the one question that had been pressing on my mind ever since Gavin had entered the room.

“Ms. Styles, sorry for asking, but how did this meeting come about? Did you know Howard Weiss from anywhere?”

“Funny you should ask,” she said. “I have no idea how he found me, but I’m glad he did. Seriously, this could be the biggest case of my life.”

“It’s pretty amazing. When did he set it up?” I hoped I sounded more casual to her than I did to myself.

Mimi shuffled the pages in her calendar. “Hm…it was booked Monday. His secretary called and arranged it. Why?”

“It’s just…I’ve seen both of them before. Last Friday at Huggins Bar and Grill, at the happy hour. I even talked to Gavin for a brief moment, but I never mentioned where I worked. I hope it’s not—”

“Oh. I’m sure that’s a coincidence, Carrie,” she interrupted. She gave me a sharp look. “Tell me this isn’t going to affect your ability to help me with this. Because I don’t want to jeopardize my chances of getting this case.” Her mouth spread into a thin-lipped smile.

“No, of course not,” I said firmly. “Nothing happened between us, and I’m committed one hundred percent to you and this case. Always, Ms. Styles.”

“Wonderful.” The smile widened and warmed. “I’m glad you’re here to help. One day, you’ll become an excellent attorney, Carrie.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m just grateful to be here.”

I left the room with my papers in hand and walked towards my desk, ready to start putting the notes together into a presentable format. To my surprise, I saw someone waiting for me.

“How did you know this was my desk?” I asked as my eyes met Gavin’s and a shiver ran through me.

“The lovely lady over there told me,” he said, pointing towards Leslie, who was following the conversation from her cubicle.

She raised her eyebrows at me, her eyes darting to Gavin and back again.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I murmured. I glared at her and she grinned. I turned my attention to Gavin. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m helping out my friend Howard, obv—”

“No, I mean, why are you standing here in front of my desk waiting for me?”

Gavin smiled. “I came here to collect.”

“Collect what?” I was puzzled for a moment, then I remembered. “Oh, I get it. You want your favor.”

“Exactly,” he chuckled. “How about going out for lunch with me and we’ll call it even?”

As he stood there with a cocky smile, I couldn’t quite figure out if he was coming on to me or if this was part of a game for him. Usually, I was good at reading people. Gavin, however, threw me.

“I had a feeling that I’d regret that promise.” I sighed. Might as well bite the bullet and get this over with. “All right, let’s do it. So where are you taking me? I only get an hour for lunch.”

“I know just the place. Are you ready now?”

“I need to file this, so give me ten minutes and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

“Wonderful. See you in a bit.”

As I walked towards the file room, my mind was running wild with questions. It had to be a coincidence, right? I mean, how could he have known where I worked? He didn’t know anything about me. Not really. And stranger things had happened. I couldn’t think of any off the top of my head, but I was sure that they had.

It only took me a few minutes to file the notes but, not wanting to seem too eager, I waited a little over ten minutes before leaving. As I rode down in the stainless steel elevator to meet Gavin, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I glanced at my reflection. My hair was a mess, my face flushed. I seriously needed to pull myself together.

As an aspiring attorney, I was supposed to be calm and collected. Not acting like a high school girl about to go on my first date. I smoothed down my hair, and I felt the elevator slowly brake down to a stop. Hopefully, the color would fade from my cheeks quickly.

As I exited the elevator, I spotted him right away. He was waiting for me in the lavish high-tech lobby of the Goethe House building where the Webster and Steinberg office was located.

Now I was actually glad that I’d been late this morning. In my hurry getting ready, I had picked the first thing in my closet, which just happened to be my beige dot-laced Kensie skirt with a black top instead of my usual long pants suit. Paired with a set of Jennifer Lopez heels, the miniskirt made my legs look longer than they were and the top showed off my curves perfectly.

I appreciated that when I noticed the beginning of a smile tipping the corners of Gavin’s mouth as he watched me walk towards him.

“I wasn’t sure you were still coming.”

“I’m sorry for the wait. I had to double-check the notes from the meeting. I’m meticulous like that,” I said.

“Well, as long as you will still allow me to entertain you for a full hour, you’re forgiven.” He turned up his smile a notch and offered me his hand. “Let’s officially meet. My name is Gavin Manning.”

I shook his hand in a businesslike manner. “I know. I’m Carrie Summers.” His smile was infectious. I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Damn, he was sexy.

As we were no longer in the meeting, I gave in to my previous desire to give him a thorough look. He was wearing a well-fitted gray shirt with collar, and dark tight jeans that didn’t leave much to the imagination, tucked into a pair of black Calvin Klein boots; I could only imagine how hot he would be, naked, on top of my bed. Even when standing in front of me now, fully clothed, he was sexier than any other man I had ever met.

I had to do something to keep myself from voicing my admiration. “So tell me, why are you taking me out for lunch, and how did you end up in my office? Was it a coincidence, or are you stalking me?” I looked up to meet his gaze as we walked towards Stella’s, a nice New York deli two blocks down the street from my office. He was taller than I remembered. Even with me in high heels, he was towering over me by a head. He laid his arm over my shoulders in a gesture that seemed natural, almost casual.

“You don’t hold back the questions, do you?” he chuckled, seemingly unaware that his touch had sent my heart into palpitations.

“Well, I am studying to be an attorney. Asking questions is part of the job description,” I replied while removing his arm. His touch made it hard to think straight.

“An attorney? Impressive.” He nodded. “It’ll suit you well. I can already tell you’ll be a sharp and dangerous opponent in a trial court.”

“Will you stop avoiding the questions, Mr. Manning, and just answer me, please.” I exaggerated the tone of my voice as if I were interrogating him in a courtroom.

“All in good time, Ms. Summers.” He laughed again. “But now that you are pressing so hard, I do have a confession to make. Ever since I met you last week, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. You never called me back,” he said in a sad voice. “I was very disappointed.”

“I never thought you wanted me to call. After all, I assumed you were just being polite and helping out a ‘damsel in distress,’” I countered, using his own words against him.

“Hmm…I did say the damsel in distress line, didn’t I?” He gave me a charmingly sheepish grin. “Can you believe what I dork I am? Dishing out clichés like that?”

I tugged the hair behind my ear. “I actually thought it was kind of sweet. A little lame perhaps, but also sweet. But you still haven’t answered how you ended up at my job. At least tell me that much.” I was so caught up in our conversation that I hadn’t noticed we were now standing in front of the deli.

“What do you know? We’re here.” Gavin smiled down at me. “Let’s get a table and I’ll tell you everything over lunch.”

Like a gentleman, he held the door open for me, and a few minutes later, we were sitting comfortably in a small booth, perusing the humongous lunch menus. Stella’s was an old-fashioned deli, typical of something seen in the movies. It was bright and colorful, and the end wall featured a floor-to-ceiling wall painting of the Brooklyn Bridge. I loved it.

“You don’t sound like you grew up around here,” he said, looking up from behind the menu.

I could sense a genuine interest in his eyes, and it almost made me want to squirm. “Nope. Alabama. I guess I can’t hide my roots. It’s not easy getting rid of a Southern drawl.” It was my turn to chuckle.

“I think it sounds cute.” The warmth of his smile echoed in his voice.

“Thank you.” There was something almost hypnotic about him. The smooth tone in his voice and the Nordic blue of his eyes were dragging me in deeper. I felt the need to change the direction of the conversation before I lost control of the situation. Part of me wanted to jump over the table, rip open those almost too-tight jeans and...I cringed at the place my mind was taking me. I blamed it on how long it had been since I’d gotten laid.

The waiter arrived and we both ordered a salad. Gavin also suggested a bottle of Chardonnay to go with our meals.

When I started to protest, he said, “Listen, I originate from Sweden, and in many places in Europe it’s normal to have a glass of wine with lunch. Besides, we can’t make a real toast with ice tea.”

Truth was, I could use a glass to loosen my nerves a bit, and I knew the lawyers at the firm often had a glass of wine with their business lunches. And this could be considered a business lunch, after all. “Sure, why not? Let’s do it.”

Minutes later, we were toasting to casual encounters.

“So, did you grow up in Sweden then?” I asked.

“Not really. I was born there. My mom is Swedish, and I actually lived there for a few years as a baby. My dad was working for the US embassy in Stockholm. That’s where they met and fell in love. A couple of years after I was born we moved here to New York.”

We continued our casual talk, swapping stories of our very different childhoods, but staying away from anything too personal or anything about our first meeting. The place was busy for lunch, but finally the food arrived, bringing a pause to our conversation. As I was picking at my chicken salad, I studied his set face. His teeth were even and white, but something about them suggested they were all natural. He had a ruggedness and vital power around him that titillated me as his gaze traveled over my face and searched my eyes.

“Thank you so much for joining me for lunch,” he said as he poured more wine into our glasses. “I was hoping to get a chance to see you again.”

I extended my hand to stop him from filling my glass to the brim. “Gavin, I’m really enjoying this, but I have to get back to work soon. You still haven’t told me how you ended up at my job today.” It was time to get to the things I really wanted to know.

“Trust me, I’m not stalking you, but I did go through a couple of hoops to make sure I would get a chance to meet you again.” He was wearing that cocky smile of his again.

“Oh really?” I said, raising my eyebrows. “How did you find out where I work?”

His grin widened. “That’s kind of what I do for a living. Part of my job is gathering information about people.”

“So you’re some sort of a detective?” I asked curiously. He certainly didn’t look like the typical detective, but since I had never actually met a real-life detective before, maybe this was what they looked like. I could see the amusement in his eyes.

“Not exactly,” he chuckled, the sound going straight through me. “I’m more of a consultant, I would say. My clients hire me to attend to their needs. Making sure they get what they desire without drawing attention to themselves. That requires gathering information of various sorts.”

“I see.” I nodded, not much wiser on the exact nature of his profession. “So tell me, what sort of information did you gather to find out where I work?”

“It wasn’t that difficult, actually. I felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye, so I went back to Huggins Bar and Grill, but by the time I returned, you and your friends were already gone. Luckily the waiter remembered you all. In fact, he said he had dated one of your friends briefly and that you all worked for a divorce lawyer. Since my friend, Howard Weiss, is going through a divorce I called him up and suggested that he made an appointment with your boss. He owed me a favor, so I collected.”

“Wow, everybody owes you favors, it seems.” I cracked a smile. “So you’re the reason Mimi might represent the biggest client of her life?”

“I guess you could say that,” Gavin replied. “Howard seemed quite impressed, by the way. I think he might like your boss.”

“That would be great for Mimi, but I still don’t understand why you went through all that trouble just to ask me out for lunch. Is getting dates really that difficult for you?” I teased.

“You’re funny,” he chuckled. “Truth is, you intrigued me last time, and I wanted to find out more about you. See if you really are different from the typical New York single girl.”

“Then tell me, what’s your verdict?” I asked. My heart was pounding and I was torn over whether or not I wanted to hear his answer. “Am I still intriguing to you?”

“Absolutely,” he said without hesitation. “Very intriguing.” He gently took hold of my hand across the table, and his touch made the heat rise to my cheeks as my pulse pounded. “In fact, I would be honored if you would go out with me for dinner tonight. There are still so many things about you I’m dying to know.”

It killed me that I had to say this. “Gavin, I’m flattered, and as much as I really want to get to know you better as well, I…I can’t. Between my job and my studies, I just don’t have time to date right now.” I could sense his disappointment as he settled back in his seat, withdrawing his hand. The animation briefly left his face. “I’m really sorry,” I continued. And, boy, was I. He didn’t look like he’d just be a good roll in the hay. He looked like the kind of guy who could make me see stars and fireworks, and all those other clichés that meant amazing sex.

His brows drew together in an agonized expression, but then he offered me a smile. “Let me at least take you to lunch again another day. You gotta eat, right?”

That smile of his was so irresistible. “Maybe next week,” I said reluctantly. I knew it wasn’t a good idea, but how could I say no to that smile?

“How about Monday?” he suggested. “I have a meeting just down the street from you and can pick you up about the same time as today.”

I nodded as I rose to my feet. “Okay, but promise me to lay off the stalking now.”

He chuckled. “You have my word, Carrie.”

To my relief, he kept our conversation casual as we walked back to the office. I’d been worried that things would be awkward after I’d turned him down for a date, but he seemed to take it in stride. He wanted to know what my favorite parts of New York were. Did I like museums? Art galleries? He seemed disappointed when I said I never had the time to really go.

Before I knew it, we were back and it was time for me to head upstairs. We stood in front of the doors for a moment, a tension growing between us in the silence. I wasn’t sure how we were supposed to end this. Did we shake hands? Hug? Just say our good-byes?

Finally, I had to do something or I’d be late. “Thanks for lunch,” I said.

“You’re very welcome.” His voice was soft.

“And I guess I’ll see you again on Monday.”

He nodded.

Before he could say anything else, I turned around and briskly walked inside. To my dismay, none of the elevators were ready. I pushed the button and tapped my foot as I waited. I didn’t want to wait because waiting meant I had time to think. And thinking meant that I’d start wondering how the good-bye would’ve gone if I’d accepted his date. Would he have kissed my cheek? Pressed his hands over mine in one of those gentlemanly gestures that never really existed outside of movies?

Why had I said no? I was ahead on my paper, and I needed to eat, as he had pointed out. What would the harm be in going to dinner with him? What was the worst that could happen? I’d have a horrible time and realize that it had been a bad idea? Or maybe it’d be worse if I had a good time and realized that I wanted something more? Would that really be so horrible?

“Screw it,” I muttered. I hurried back towards the street. As I stepped outside, I looked both ways, searching the crowd for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I pulled my phone out of my purse to call him, but remembered I’d given his number to Leslie. I pondered if I should ask her to give it back, but knew I would never hear the end of it if I tried.

I put my phone away and headed back inside. I would wait and see if he was interested enough to keep pursuing me. Let him work for it.

 

Chapter 3

 

“Hey, something about you looks different. Did you get laid?” Krissy was studying my face over her bowl of cereal for nearly a full minute before coming up with her question. It was Saturday morning and for once she was up early enough for us to have breakfast together. She was still in her pajamas—cute boy shorts and a camisole—and her hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, but she was still gorgeous.

“What?” I was understandably startled by her question. “You’re funny. How would I have gotten laid? It’s been over a year since my last date. I’m lucky to make a date with myself.”

“Wow, it’s been that long? We need to get you laid, girl. We’re going out tonight, no matter what you say. I won’t take no for an answer.” Krissy dropped her spoon with a serious expression on her face.

I sighed. “Wish I could go out. A fun night in town. I feel like I’ve been working and studying nonstop the last few months.”

“That’s probably because you have been working and studying nonstop the last six months or more,” Krissy said. “It’s not healthy, you know. A girl needs a break once in a while.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” I glanced down at myself and frowned. “Do I really look different?”

Krissy scanned me up and down, her eyes narrow as she focused. “I don’t know…something’s different about you. You look skinnier. Did you lose weight?”

“I guess I have lost a couple of pounds. I haven’t had much appetite lately.”

“Be careful. Don’t lose too much weight. I mean, you look great now, but I don’t want you to become one of those anorexic women who break like a matchstick in the wind.” Her words were vaguely teasing, but I could hear the undercurrent of genuine worry.

“Don’t worry. That will never happen.” I smiled. “So where are you going tonight?”

“Only the most exclusive event of the year.” Krissy squealed with excitement, her somber mood forgotten. “You absolutely must go with me, Carrie, no excuses.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, but it had been a long time since I’d had an actual night out. Could it really hurt to have a little bit of fun? Getting Gavin’s number had reminded me that I still could make a connection with a guy. And maybe a “connection” was what I needed to clear my head for the insane amount of work I had to do. I was definitely feeling like I was on the edge of burning out.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go out,” I agreed with a heavy sigh, as if it was the hardest thing I could do. No need to let Krissy know just how much I needed this. Any hint and she’d start pestering me to join her every weekend, and that would definitely not work.

“No, we’re not just going out,” Krissy corrected dramatically. “We are going to the opening of one of the hottest clubs in the city. Everyone is talking about it, and everyone is going to be there!”

I rolled my eyes at the intensity of her words. “I get it.” I loved her like a sister, but she could be such a drama queen sometimes. “Now, if I’m going to party with you tonight, I have to finish some work first.”

Krissy rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything. That was good. I really did have an essay to write, and if I procrastinated, I’d never be able to enjoy myself at all that evening.

After having spent most of the morning and afternoon sweating over my assignment, I was relieved when I heard Krissy call out from the other side of my door.

“You better get ready soon. We’re leaving in an hour.”

I realized I had no idea what to wear. Sorting through my closet didn’t help. My work clothes had pretty much overtaken anything that might have been even the slightest bit dressy. Had it really been that long since I’d gone anywhere but to the office and work-related events?

I picked out a short black skirt, and paired it with a simple white blouse. It wasn’t anything special, but at least I didn’t look like a complete bore. When I walked out of my room, Krissy was waiting to greet me. She was dressed in a green ribbon. At least that was what it looked like. The material wound over the most intimate areas of Krissy’s body, leaving little to the imagination, and its rich color stood out boldly against her tanned skin.

“Wow,” I said, raising my eyebrows. That was new.

“Ugh,” Krissy replied as she looked over the outfit that I had chosen. “Did you think we were going to the library?” she asked and canted her head to the side curiously.

“No,” I snapped. “Just because I’m not wearing something that looks like it was used to tie the box the dress came in—”

“Look, Carrie, this is an opening of a new club. I was invited by one of the investors. You can’t just walk in there looking like this. Someone might think you’re one of the bartenders!” She paused, then added, “Or, honestly, someone’s chaperone, because I think even the bartenders would be dressed hotter than that.”

I frowned as her gaze raked critically over my clothes. I would be the first to admit that it wasn’t the nicest outfit I’d ever worn. I guess I’d gotten out of the habit of picking out hot styles, and into the habit of spotting the best sales on professional suits.

“Is it that bad?” I asked. Had my fashion sense really taken that much of a dive? I’d never been quite as on top of things as Krissy, I admitted, but I had the feeling this was beyond that.

“Oh no, not really,” Krissy said in a kind tone. “It’s much, much worse.” She shook her head, a giggle escaping as she grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into her room, toward her closet.

“Oh Krissy, I don’t know—” I started to say when she pulled out a tiny dark blue dress. It had thin straps over the shoulders, a V-neck and a form-fitting style that led down into a very short hemline. It looked more like a shirt than a dress.

“Put it on,” Krissy demanded. “Or I’m going find some ribbon for you, too.”

“Do you think it will fit?” I frowned. I was fairly slender, but the dress looked so very tiny. How’m I supposed to wear this thing, I thought as I took it from her.

“The tighter the better,” Krissy smirked. “Now hurry up or we’re going to be late.”

I groaned, but carried the dress to my room to change. If I had to do some sort of embarrassing wiggles to get into it, I didn’t want an audience. It was a wise decision. It was so tight that the only way I was going to get out of this again was to have it cut or peeled from my body. I even had to break out my only thong to prevent a panty line. The dress was short too. It almost didn’t cover the tops of my thigh-highs, and I had a feeling I was going to spend most of the night making sure I didn’t flash my underwear at people. I twisted my haphazard curls up behind my head and applied my usual minimal amount of makeup. After a moment’s hesitation, I added some eyeliner to make my eyes seem larger, and a hint of mascara. When I stepped hesitantly out Krissy greeted me with applause.

“Gorgeous!” she declared, and then gave a mock frown. “Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. With you looking like that, who’s going to be looking at me?”

I grinned and gave her a hug, moving gingerly so that the dress didn’t unexpectedly rip. I hoped it was more durable than it looked. “Let’s get going because I have to get up earl—”

“No!” Krissy interrupted firmly. “Tonight you’re all mine. We’re going to the hottest new club in town so don’t even think about calling it an early night.” She looked at me with her sternest expression.

“Okay, okay. I won’t. I promise. Tonight I’m all yours.” I couldn’t help but laugh as we almost stumbled down the stairs in our high heels. Yeah, a girls’ night out with the objective of meeting cute guys was sounding better and better.

 

Chapter 4

 

By the time we reached the club, I couldn’t wait to just have some fun with no work, no studying, no pressure or expectations. Just drinking and dancing, maybe some flirting. That was probably why, when we walked towards the front of Club Privé, I was disappointed to see the line was huge. A good two to three hundred people were standing along the sidewalk, all dressed at least as flashy as Krissy was, and all looking eagerly towards the doors. None of them seemed even remotely close to leaving, though I judged it would be hours before those at the back of the line got anywhere near the front.

“Krissy, come on, let’s just go somewhere else,” I said. “Standing in line half the night isn’t exactly my idea of a great night out.”

“No.” Krissy shook her head and I saw the stubborn glint in her eyes.

I sighed. When Krissy looked like that, it was usually pointless to argue. I was strong-willed, and she made me look like a wimp when she got something into her head. Nevertheless, I tried again. “You want to have a good time? This,” I gestured at the line, “doesn’t look like a good time. Let’s just go to another club, get some drinks, find hot guys to dance with and forget about this place.”

“Hell no.”

Krissy grabbed my arm and dragged me past the line to the front, where a rather large doorman loomed. I could feel my cheeks heating up as the people waiting stared at us. Some were glaring, annoyed that we were even trying to cut, while others appeared amused, expectant expressions on their faces clearly saying that they were just waiting to watch us get sent to the end of the line, metaphorical tails between our legs.

“Excuse me,” Krissy said.

The doorman looked down at her, his face blank. He crossed his arms over his massive chest, giving her no response.

Undaunted, she continued. “I believe we’re on your VIP list.”

VIP list? I gave her a puzzled look. Had she been serious about an invite from an investor?

“Name.” The doorman sounded bored, as if he’d heard that line a million times.

“Krissy Jensen.” She motioned to me. “And I should have a plus one.”

The doorman looked down at his clipboard. For a moment, I thought Krissy was bluffing and we were going to be told to get lost. Then, the doorman nodded. “Krissy Jensen, plus one.” He stepped to the side, his wide body blocking the rest of the line while allowing us in front of him. “Enjoy your evening, ladies.”

Automatically, I thanked the doorman as Krissy and I passed. Southern manners never die, no matter how many years you spend up North. You can take the girl out of the South...

As Krissy and I stepped inside, the opulence of the place hit me hard enough to make my jaw drop. This was like nothing I’d ever seen before and, judging by the similar gob-smacked expression on Krissy’s face, she was having a similar reaction. We moved off to the side almost automatically, needing a moment to absorb everything.

The club had marble floors. No joke. I’m talking white marble that looked like it belonged in a mansion, not a club. And the crazy thing was, the floors weren’t the most mind-blowing part. In the center of the club was a huge pool surrounded by women looking like they’d been directly imported from the Playboy Mansion. The skimpy dresses and bikinis they wore as they lounged around the pool barely left anything to the imagination. Suddenly, my skin-tight dress with the plunging neckline and almost too-short hemline seemed almost nun-like. Even Krissy’s ribbon-dress was starting to look modest.

When I finally managed to tear my disbelieving eyes away from the women, I saw the rest of the club was just as impressive. Elegant booths lined one wall, and across was an elevated upper area with a bar and tables, all very expensive-looking. At the far end of the club was the dance floor with an elevated DJ stage. The music was good, now that I listened to it. There was the right mix of a beat and an actual melody. Danceable without being harsh on the ears. I liked it.

It only took a minute for me to process the grandeur, and then Krissy was taking my hand and leading me towards the bar. That was good. I needed a drink.

As insane as the line was outside the club, things weren’t too bad inside. Krissy and I made our way through the crowd with greater ease than we’d experienced in some other clubs. There was room to breathe here, for which I was grateful. I didn’t mind people, but a body-to-body press all night was not my idea of fun. We reached the bar without the usual elbow jostling and Krissy signaled for the bartender. He looked like something out of Playgirl. Apparently it wasn’t just the straight male patrons whose tastes were being catered to. The bartender gave us both a charming smile before asking what we wanted to drink.

“Two Lemon Drop martinis, please.” Krissy returned the smile as she ordered for both of us.

That was our go-to drink back in the day when we used to go out together. Every once in a while, we’d branch off to something else, but we always started with the Lemon Drops.

“Forty-six dollars,” the bartender said as he slid the drinks over to us a minute later.

I looked over at Krissy. Before either of us could say anything, a male voice spoke up from behind us.

“That’s all right, Kenny. I’ve got this.”

Krissy and I turned to thank our mysterious benefactor. He looked like he was in his early forties, maybe mid-forties, with salt-and-pepper hair and a nice smile. He was attractive, but in a place like this where half the people looked like they’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine, he didn’t stand out.

“Jeff!” Krissy threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

For a moment, I couldn’t place the name, but then it hit me. Jeff, the man Krissy had met last weekend. The investor who’d told her about the club. He must’ve been the guy who’d put our names on the VIP list.

“Carrie, this is Jeff Fenster. Jeff, this is my roommate and best friend, Carrie Summers.” Krissy pulled back from the hug but kept her hand on Jeff’s arm, a possessive gesture I recognized immediately. Krissy liked this guy and was making sure everyone else around knew that she’d staked her claim.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I kept the smile just friendly enough not to be insulting. I wouldn’t have flirted with him even if Krissy didn’t like him, but I wanted to make sure there was no mistake. He wasn’t my type. Even as I thought it, I couldn’t help but think of dark hair, and the kind of blue eyes a girl could drown in. That was definitely my type.

“Likewise.” Jeff smiled at me, but it was as platonic as mine had been. That was good. The last thing I needed was the guy Krissy was crushing on to be hitting on me.

“This place is amazing!” Krissy said, leaning closer than necessary.

“Do you own it?” I asked.

Jeff grinned, making me put his age back down in his early forties. “I wish.” He ordered a drink of his own, then continued talking to me. “I just have a small investment in the club. That’s what I do. I’m an investor.” He looked around. “Looks like this one was definitely one of my better ones.”

Yeah, I thought as I took a sip of my drink. That would explain Krissy’s attraction. Her type was usually younger, bulkier, and blond. She wasn’t shallow, but she didn’t usually go for depth when it came to her relationships, since they were mostly about sex and fun. Jeff’s being a nice guy might’ve gotten him a hug and a peck on the cheek, but it wasn’t enough for her to make a visible claim. Money, however, would most likely make him appealing enough for her to consider something more.

“Whose idea was the pool?” Krissy asked. Her hand had moved from his arm to his upper shoulder, almost on his chest, and she was leaning against him.

I almost rolled my eyes. I loved my friend, but subtlety wasn’t her strong suit. Then again, when she wanted something, she went after it, so I couldn’t really condemn her for it. There were times I wished I could be a little more like that instead of so self-conscious that I doubted good-looking men wanted me.

“It wasn’t mine,” Jeff admitted. “The owner came to me with the entire floor plan already mapped out. It was genius.”

“It is,” Krissy agreed. She glanced at me, then at the dance floor, and I knew what she was asking. I gave her a slight nod. Who was I to stand in her way? She smiled and took Jeff’s hand. “Let’s dance.”

She didn’t give him time to respond before she, in typical Krissy fashion, dragged him down the stairs and onto the dance floor. I watched them for a while, enjoying the fact that my friend was having fun. Not that I wasn’t happy to be here myself. I had a delicious drink, the music was good and the club beautiful. While it might’ve been nice to get some male attention of my own, this wasn’t half-bad.

“Bartender, another Apple Martini for the lady.”

The drunken slur next to me caught my attention. A man had taken up Krissy’s seat and he was leaning towards me, leering in a way that made me feel like I needed to take a shower. I gave him a polite smile. “That’s quite all right,” I said. I didn’t like being rude, not when the guy was obviously wasted. “I’m fine.”

He poked a finger towards my near-empty glass. “I saw your drink was almost empty, so I figured you’d like another. Apple Martini, right?”

I sighed. Apparently he was going to be a bit more persistent. “Sorry, no, that’s not what I’m drinking. And it’s okay. I don’t want another one.”

“Sure you do, sweet thing.” He leaned close enough for me to smell the Scotch wafting off of him.

I resisted the urge to back up. It wasn’t in my nature to show weakness. But, it also wasn’t in my nature to be rude without a true cause. “I’m going to be leaving soon, so there’s no point in wasting a drink.”

“But you just got here, baby. I saw when you and your sexy girlfriend came in a few minutes ago.” He ran his eyes over me and my skin crawled.

I really didn’t want to know what he’d been thinking about when he saw Krissy and me walk in together. “I’m sorry, but—”

“Don’t be such a tease,” he said. “You can’t hint at the goods and not expect to have to give a little.”

The moment he put his hand on my thigh, politeness went out the window. I jumped up and back, forgetting that I had the last of my drink in my hand. I was reminded immediately as the drink spilled down the front of my dress. Well, not my dress, but Krissy’s dress. I rarely lost my temper, but when I did, look out.

“Dammit! Look what you did!” I had to force myself to set the glass down on the bar instead of slamming it like I wanted to. “What were you thinking, putting your hand on my leg? I don’t know you.”

“Come on, baby.” He stood, reaching out as if he were going to touch me again. “It’s no big deal. Let’s say you and I go someplace and I can help you clean up.”

I could feel my hand curling into a fist. If he touched me again, I was going to punch him, consequences be damned.

“There you are, babe.”

I froze. I knew that voice, but it couldn’t be real. It had to be just a figment of my imagination. I turned slowly towards it and saw that I wasn’t imagining things. Or, if I was, it was the most vivid hallucination of all time. Gavin stood there, looking more delectable than ever, and smiling at me in a warm way that made things deep in my stomach twist. This was the second time he had shown up unexpectedly, but tonight his timing couldn’t be more perfect.

 

Chapter 5

 

“Sorry I’m late.” He looked sheepish, which just made him more adorable than ever. “Worst boyfriend ever, I know.”

Boyfriend? I gaped at him. What the hell was he trying to pull?

“Boyfriend?” The drunk echoed my thought. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

I snapped my mouth shut and tore my eyes away from Gavin to look back at the man who’d been hitting on me. He, too, was staring at Gavin, but the look on his face was one of contrition rather than awe.

He continued to stammer, this time directing his statements to me. “I’m so sorry, miss. I had no idea he was your boyfriend. Let me pay for the dress.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gavin said, moving until he was standing right next to me. “Just get out of here. And make sure you take a cab. You’re too wasted to drive.”

“Yes. Right. Good.”

The man stumbled away, leaving me and Gavin alone. Or, as alone as two people could be in a packed club. Now that the incident was over, I looked up at Gavin, questions flooding my mind. What was he doing here? Was he seriously stalking me? I’d joked about it before, but Gavin being here had to be more than coincidence, didn’t it?

“Looks like I’m making quite the habit of saving you.” Gavin grinned down at me.

That was enough to spark the leftover bit of my temper. I wasn’t actually angry, but it was enough to make me snap back. “I was doing just fine on my own.”

Gavin raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond to my statement. Instead, he said, “How about I get us a drink and a table while you clean up that amazing dress you’re wearing?”

I nodded mutely, the idea of drinks with Gavin overriding everything else. Well, everything but him calling the dress amazing. I made a mental note to thank Krissy and then headed to the bathroom.

With the music muffled and the air decidedly cooler, it was much easier to think. I cleaned the dress as best I could and hoped that the material wouldn’t be ruined. I’d pay for the dry cleaning, of course, but now that Gavin was here, I wasn’t sure I wanted to use staining the dress as an excuse to leave early. I splashed some water on my face, grateful for my waterproof makeup, and then did a quick touch-up. I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to see whatever it was that fascinated Gavin. I didn’t get it. Guys that looked like him could have any woman he wanted. Why was he pursuing me?

I closed my eyes and his image floated up behind my eyelids. I hadn’t consciously registered anything but his face and eyes, but now my subconscious brought the full image forward and demanded that I pay the attention it was due. He was wearing jeans again, dark gray ones, and they hugged all of the right places. His shirt was a fitted tee, the color making his eyes pop, the style showing off every curve of his muscles. He’d left his hair wild and wavy, making me wonder if that’s how it looked when he first woke up.

That thought brought a slew of new ideas with it and they bombarded me, one after the other in bright, hot flashes.

Gavin slowly stripping off his clothes, revealing golden skin over a defined torso, then moving to his jeans, teasing me before finally revealing what I want to see.

His mouth and hands running over every inch of my body, leaving me burning.

Taking him in my hand, my fingers exploring his velvet soft skin even as I lower my head to taste him for the first time.

His body above mine as he enters me.

My back arching as he fills me, stretching me.

I forced my eyes open. God, it really has been too long…

Those were all very nice thoughts, but I had to go back out there and be able to hold a polite conversation with the man. I couldn’t do that if I kept going. I was already wet, my entire body throbbing with desire. I needed to get my mind under control or I was going to embarrass myself. I took several deep breaths and started thinking of random things, anything that would dull the arousal coursing through me.

Work. Piles and piles of papers to read.

No, work just made me think of Howard Weiss’s case, which brought me back to Gavin.

School. The paper I had due.

Yes, that was better.

I began to run through the case law I was citing, bringing up each specific point that would support my thesis. When I finally felt like my libido’d had enough of a cooling-down period, I pushed work aside and headed back out to join Gavin for a drink.

I paused by the bar to scan the tables for Gavin. He must’ve been looking for me too because our eyes met and he jerked his head, motioning for me to join him. I was halfway to the table when I saw that he wasn’t alone. Krissy and her friend, Jeff, were sitting there as well. Fortunately, I also spotted the magnum bottle of Bollinger champagne in the center of the table. That was good. I had a feeling I was going to need more than my half a Lemon Drop to get through this night.

“Carrie!” Krissy beamed at me as I slid into the seat Gavin pulled out for me. Her face was glowing, though I suspected it wasn’t all from her exertions on the dance floor. I recognized the gleam in her eye as she pointedly looked from me to Gavin and back again.

“Did you have fun dancing?” I asked before she could say anything else.

“Your friend here is an amazing dancer,” Jeff said. “I could barely keep up.”

“You did just fine,” Krissy said, running her hand over Jeff’s upper arm.

“What about you, Carrie?” Gavin asked. “Can you dance?”

I shrugged. “I’m not bad.”

“Not bad?” Krissy echoed my words. She snorted a laugh. “She can dance circles around me. When she’s loose enough to do it, that is.”

“Really?” Gavin poured the champagne into glasses all around. “Then I guess I’m going to have to get you to loosen up, because I’d really like to see you dance.”

“Not gonna happen.” I shook my head as I reached for my glass. I gulped down a quarter of it at once, sighing as I felt it go through me. That was what I’d needed.

“We’ll see about that.” Gavin grinned at me and I felt it going through me like a punch to the gut.

It should’ve been illegal for someone who was already that good-looking to have that kind of smile.

“So, Gavin, I’m guessing Carrie didn’t call you to tell you to meet her here.” Krissy turned her attention from Jeff, though her body positioning suggested she had her hand on his leg beneath the table.

I knew that move. It was how she reassured the guy she was with while she talked to another one. At least with this one, I knew she wasn’t interested in Gavin. She was far more interested in getting me into bed with him. Not that I could say I wasn’t thinking about the exact same thing.

“No,” he said with another charming smile, this one directed at Krissy. It lacked the edge of the one I’d gotten and that made my insides squirm pleasurably. “Your friend here seems to like playing hard to get.”

Krissy leaned forward and spoke in a conspiratorially loud whisper, “She might be a little easier to get tonight.” She winked at Gavin, then smirked at me.

I drained my glass and instantly felt the alcohol fuzz my brain, the feeling pleasant and welcome. I was still in control, but I could feel the hard lines that kept me in check starting to soften and blur.

“You know what?” I announced. “Maybe I do want to dance.” My stomach knotted, but the nerves weren’t as powerful as my desire to do something a little crazy. I’d come here to let loose, and it was probably better to do this now than after I’d had a few more drinks and lost my coordination.

Gavin held out a hand and I took it, my skin tingling as our palms slid across each other’s. Krissy took Jeff’s hand and the four of us headed for the dance floor. I had an idea forming in my mind, but wasn’t sure I had the guts to pull it off without another drink. Then I saw how the other women were looking at him, and glaring at me, as we danced. I hadn’t done this since sophomore year of college when Krissy had dragged me to another frat party, but I knew she’d be game. After all, she was the one who usually encouraged me to get a little wild.

I turned so that my back was to Gavin, my body lightly brushed against his in time to the pulsing music. I caught Krissy’s eye and crooked my finger at her. She looked puzzled for only a split second before her eyes lit up. She knew what I wanted to do. She mimicked my position, slowly drawing herself and Jeff closer until she and I were facing each other.

“Seriously?”

I saw her say the word, but couldn’t hear it. I nodded. I could feel anxiety wanting to take over, but I was still buzzed enough to keep it at bay. I reached out and she did the same. We began to dance together, our bodies moving in sync even though it had been years since we’d done this. A quick glance over her shoulder told me that Jeff was definitely enjoying the show. I just hoped Gavin was too. Krissy and I swayed and twisted, our fingers skimming over each other’s arms, twining together before moving back down. Although most men would probably think otherwise, there’d never been any sort of sexual attraction between the two of us, but when we danced, there was an energy to it that electrified the air around us.

We danced through two songs before we broke apart. The applause startled us both. Apparently Gavin and Jeff hadn’t been the only ones watching. A small crowd of guys had gathered and were now whistling and shouting compliments as the next song began. My cheeks began to burn, but my nerves had vanished.

Krissy and Jeff headed back to the table and I started to follow. Gavin caught my hand and spun me around so I was facing him. He held my gaze for several seconds, and I was sure he was going to kiss me. Instead, he took a step back, his eyes smoldering. Without a word, he led me back to the table where Krissy and Jeff were waiting. They’d already poured us all refills.

I lost count of how many glasses I drank after we started on the second bottle, but I knew it was more than I had consumed in a long time because I was feeling my usual inhibitions slipping away. That wasn’t really a bad thing, I reasoned. I’d come here to have a great time. Work-focused Carrie had a brain that worked overtime, analyzing and over-thinking everything. I’d be worrying about school and work and whether or not I should go home with someone. Now, I was just thinking about how charismatic and funny Gavin was, how I could listen to his deep, sensual voice and never get bored.

I imagined that he’d be able to make anything sound sexy. He had one of those voices. I wondered what it would be like to hear him say my name under different circumstances. Would his voice get deeper, rougher, when filled with passion? Just the thought of it sent a bolt of arousal through me. What would his moan be like? Did he just make noises or was he a talker? What kind of things would he say? Would it be sweet, maybe just a hint of dirt, or would he be one of those men who would whisper all sorts of delicious filth into my ear, telling me all of the things he wanted to do to me?

I shivered. Did he want to do the same things to me that I wanted to do to him? What would he do, I wondered, if I started to undress him right here in the club? Tear his shirt off, leaving it hanging in two halves while I licked every inch of his torso. Reach for his pants and unzip them slowly, run my tongue over my lips so there’d be no doubt in his mind what I was going to do once I had him.

Before my fantasy could go any further, Krissy’s voice cut into my thoughts. “Hey, Carrie, I’m gonna take off with Jeff. Are you going to be all right getting home by yourself?”

I blinked at her, her words taking a moment to register. “Sure. I’ll be fine.” The words slurred a bit. Maybe I was drunker than I’d thought. “Go on,” I insisted. “Get out of here, you two lovebirds.”

Krissy didn’t look convinced. I reached for the glass of water that I hadn’t seen before. When I gulped down half of it, she looked a little more relaxed, but still not like she felt entirely comfortable leaving me here.

“Don’t worry, Krissy,” Gavin said. “I’ll take the party girl home.”

Krissy looked at me and I nodded. I might’ve been tipsy, but I still had the presence of mind to know what I wanted, and I wanted to be left alone with Gavin. She nodded, then turned a stern gaze to Gavin.

“Anything happens to her, I’m holding you responsible,” she said. “And, trust me, you don’t want to piss me off.”

Gavin held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “I believe you.”

She still waited another thirty seconds before finally letting Jeff lead her away, his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. Oh, yeah, she was definitely getting some tonight. I almost giggled, but caught myself. I tended to get a bit silly when I drank too much and I didn’t want that to ruin the mood. If things didn’t go my way tonight, I was going to explode.

As soon as Krissy and Jeff disappeared from sight, I turned towards Gavin. He was watching me, his expression saying he was trying to figure out just how drunk I was. He needed to know that it was okay to move forward. I leaned close to him and put my lips against his left ear. “You know, ever since I saw you in the bar that afternoon, I’ve been fantasizing about doing something.”

“Doing what?” His voice was soft.

“This.” I moved so that we were face to face. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and then I was leaning forward so that our mouths touched for the first time.

It was like an electric jolt going through my entire body, waking me up from a spell I hadn’t known I’d been under. I could still feel the effects of the alcohol, but all that was dimmer now. The rest of the world was gray. Gavin and I were sharp, clear. I parted my lips, darting my tongue out to trace his bottom lip, then pulled back. I needed to gauge his reaction.

His eyes had darkened to the color of a summer night’s sky, that almost-purple shade right before the stars came out. His lips curved up into a wicked smile that made things in my stomach tighten. “What a coincidence. I’ve been thinking the exact same thing.” He lowered his head, then paused with his lips just centimeters from mine. His voice was serious as he asked, “I need to know how—”

“Drunk I am?” I finished his sentence. “Enough to know that driving’s not a good idea, but that this definitely is.”

The words were barely out of my mouth before he was closing the gap between us. His arms went around my waist, his hand sliding up my back to the bare place between my shoulderblades. I wrapped my arms around his neck, bending them so that I could get a hand in the hair at the base of his neck. It was just as soft as I’d imagined it would be. I tilted my head, parting my lips to grant his tongue access. He pulled me closer until our chests were pressed together and I was on the edge of my seat, in danger of falling. As his tongue explored my mouth, his hands shifted, one moving to the base of my skull, cupping the back of my head as if he needed to hold me in place. The other dropped lower, coming to rest at the spot where the small of my back met the very top of my ass.

I wanted more. I ran my hands over his back, feeling his muscles beneath the thin material of his shirt. I wanted to see them, feel his skin against mine. I pressed my thighs together as the very center of me throbbed in anticipation.

Gavin tore his mouth away, resting his forehead against mine. “Maybe I better take you home now.”

I could hear the reluctance in his voice, his ragged breathing telling me exactly what he wanted. He wanted this, but his offer to take me home was my out. I could go and invite him up, or just go up alone. Whatever happened, it would be my choice. There was just one little problem with that idea.

“That sounds like a good plan,” I said, my voice just as breathless as his. I slid my hand between us and placed it on his chest. His heart thudded against my palm. “Only, I’m not sure I can wait that long.”

Gavin caught his breath, moving back so that he could meet my eyes. He kept his gaze on my face as the hand on my head moved down, sliding slowly around my side. I couldn’t hold back the moan as his thumb brushed against the side of my breast. Heat seared across my skin, following his hand as it trailed over my stomach and down to my thigh. He stopped there, fingers splayed across the upper part of my leg so that they were right at the crease of my hip and, if I hadn’t been wearing a skirt, his thumb would’ve been dangerously close to something very intimate.

My lips were parted, breath puffing in and out in time with my racing heart. I wanted him to touch me so badly. I’d never fully understood the word craved until that very moment. It was like every cell in my body ached and I knew that there was only one thing that could relieve me.

“You know,” he said. “They do have a private room upstairs.”

“What kind of room?” The question came out before I’d realized I was going to ask it.

His fingers flexed on my leg and my already damp panties grew wetter when he said, “The kind of room that has a lock on the door. I could give you a tour.”

Hell yes. I practically jumped to my feet. “I’d like that tour right now, please.” I grabbed his hand as he stood. “Show me the way.”

He bent his head so that his lips brushed against the shell of my ear. “My pleasure,” he practically purred the words.

He led me towards the back of the platform and around a corner, where I saw an elevator. I could barely stand still, anticipation flooding through me. What little patience I’d had was slowly vanishing. We stepped inside and, as soon as the doors closed behind us, Gavin was hitting the stop button and spinning me so that my back was against the wall and his body was pressed against mine. Apparently I wasn’t the only one with impatience issues.

I couldn’t breathe as his mouth and hands ravaged my body, feeling every inch of me over my clothes. His lips and teeth worried at the skin at the base of my neck where throat met shoulder and I tilted my head, wanting him to mark me, to give me some proof tomorrow that this whole thing wasn’t just some drunken hallucination. His hands cupped my breasts and I moaned. If it felt this good with a layer of fabric between us, how much better would it feel bare? I ran my hands down his back, hesitating at the base of his spine. When his hands moved from my breasts to my hips, then around to my ass, I dropped my hands lower, finally getting them to the muscular cheeks that I’d been fantasizing about.

Gavin pulled the lower half of my body against his, grinding his pelvis against me so that I could feel him, hard and hot.

“Oh shit,” I groaned the word, imagining just what was under those tight jeans. I flexed my hands and he made a sound that was an awful lot like a growl, then pulled away.

He slapped the button that started the elevator and then looked back at me, his pupils so wide that only a sliver of blue could be seen around them. “We need to get to the room or I’m going to take you right here.”

The ache between my legs didn’t think that sounded like such a bad idea, but my head, fuzzy as it was, had the idea that it would be better to get to a room. We’d be able to take our time. Even though the thought of quick and hard satisfaction was appealing, I knew that when I looked back on this, I’d be grateful I savored every moment.

Gavin took my hand when the doors opened and led me down the hallway. I saw two other doors in the short corridor, both marked “Office/Employees Only” and then a door at the very end. It didn’t have any signs on it, just a place for a key card.

“Are you sure this is okay?” I glanced behind me at the other two doors. This looked more like a place for management, not two horny patrons.

Gavin pulled a key card from his pocket and held it up between two fingers. “Membership has its privileges.”

Oh. He was a member. That was interesting.

He slid the card through the slot and, a moment later, the lock clicked and he opened the door.

 

Chapter 6

 

I followed him into the dark room, then blinked as he switched on a light. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden change, and then I stared. As lavish as the downstairs of the club was, I hadn’t been expecting something equally as luxurious here. When he’d said a room, I’d honestly just thought it’d be a bed with, hopefully, clean sheets, some place for a quick fuck.

This was definitely not like I’d imagined at all. It was so much better.

First off, the room was huge. I mean like almost as big as my apartment huge. It was a suite with a small kitchenette to my right; a glass-encased shower and what I assumed was a private toilet—the only private area in the whole room. The back wall had a series of chests and wardrobes, which, judging by the wood and intricate carving, had each cost more than my car. Against the other wall was a couch flanked by two plush armchairs, all facing the most prominent piece of furniture in the room, the one that I’d saved for last.

It was the biggest bed I’d ever seen. Orgy-sized. The word popped into my head and I had to stifle a nervous giggle. Yeah, that seemed like it was more accurate. I had a feeling that mattress could hold probably five or six people comfortably. It wasn’t a canopy bed exactly, but the posts did curve inward to meet above the center of the bed. All anyone would have to do would be to drape material over it and the entire bed would be hidden from sight.

“What do you think?” Gavin asked, his voice low, almost uncertain.

I looked over at him and desire twisted my stomach. I wouldn’t have cared if it was just a single bed shoved into a tiny room. Between how long it had been and the appeal of the man next to me, I was ready to explode. Still, the room deserved admiration.

“It’s gorgeous,” I said with a smile.

Gavin grinned and kicked off his shoes. “Glad you like it.”

I followed his example and took off my heels. My feet sighed in appreciation as they sank into the plush, crimson carpet. I didn’t take off my stockings. I wanted Gavin to do that.

“Watch this.” Gavin reached behind him and pushed a button.

The regular overhead light switched off and the room was filled with what looked like the effects of a disco ball. I raised an eyebrow.

“Oops,” he said, a sheepish expression on his face. “Wrong one.” He pushed another button and cheesy porn-sounding music started playing.

I put my hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle. Gavin frowned and began pushing more buttons, resulting in the music switching from R&B to country to something I could’ve sworn I’d heard on some science fiction show, before finally stopping on a soft, delicate instrumental. He then attempted to get rid of the disco light, only to run through a strobe light, black light—which revealed the room to be spotless, to my relief—and eventually, a dim, warm glow that almost felt like the light from a fire.

I would’ve thought the laughter would kill the mood, but it didn’t; it just shifted it from something so intense that it almost scared me, to something more like what I’d been looking for. Something casual and fun. That’s all this was supposed to be.

“I’m going to assume this means you haven’t spent much time in this room.” I tried to keep my tone joking so he didn’t hear how grateful I was for that. I didn’t like the idea that he’d brought other women up here. Granted, the club had just opened, but that didn’t mean the members hadn’t “tested” the room before.

“Nope.” He held out his hand to me and I took it, our fingers lightly touching as we walked towards the bed. “You’re the only one.”

I liked that he hadn’t said I was the first. First implied there would be others. I reminded myself again that I wasn’t looking for a relationship, just a good lay.

“First things first,” Gavin said as he stood in front of me. His expression was serious. He reached for me and I caught my breath, wondering what he was going to do.

To my surprise, he reached behind my head and pulled out the two pins that had been holding my hair in place. My curls tumbled over my shoulders, brushing across my bare back as they fell to almost my waist.

“Much better,” he breathed. “From the moment I saw you, I’ve been dreaming about seeing your hair spread out across my pillow.” Before I could respond, his hands cupped my face and he bent his head to capture my mouth in a fierce kiss. This wasn’t like before, downstairs when it had been the heat and fire of newness, or even in the elevator. This was need and hunger, and a promise of good things to come.

We fell back onto the bed, Gavin turning us so that we landed on our sides rather than him on top of me. That just wasn’t going to cut it. I hooked one leg around his waist, ignoring how it rucked my dress up, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and started to roll over. It took him a moment to realize what I was trying to do, then he complied, shifting so that he was resting on me, but that all of his weight wasn’t pressing against me.

As our tongues twisted together, I ran my hands down his back and grabbed the hem of his t-shirt. I started to tug on it and he broke our kiss, looking down at me with an amused expression on his face.

“It’s gotta go,” I said.

He sat up on his knees as I propped myself on my elbows. I didn’t want to miss a moment of this. Slowly, teasingly, he pulled the shirt over his head, revealing a physique even better than I’d imagined.

His skin was a golden tan, so even that I doubted it was from the sun. My stomach twisted. That meant he’d be that delicious shade all over. No tan lines. His muscles were as defined as I’d thought they’d be, just enough softness to them that his skin didn’t look stretched tight. His stomach was flat, with abs that looked like they’d been cut from stone. He didn’t have any hair on his chest, which I liked, but a thin, dark trail of curls led from his belly button straight south to disappear beneath the jeans that hung low enough on his hips that I could see the tops of those deep v-grooves that I loved.

“Beautiful.” The word just slipped out and I pulled my gaze away from his chest to look at his face to see if my comment bothered him. Some guys didn’t like that word being used to describe them. Gavin’s smile assured me he didn’t mind.

He reached down and picked me up, startling an embarrassing squeak out of me. With a chuckle he tossed me towards the head of the bed. As I bounced down, my hand hit something. I looked over. There was a small rectangle with what looked like one of those slide buttons that were used to control settings from low to high.

“What does this do?” I pushed it to low without waiting for an answer.

Immediately, the bed began to vibrate. I gasped as the sensation went all the way through me. “Wow.” I spread my arms wide, as if I could catch more that way.

“Glad you like it.” Gavin grinned at me, a slightly wicked glint in his eyes. He reached over and pushed the button higher.

“Oh shit!”

He laughed and turned it up even more.

I made a strangled sound. Now it wasn’t just humming along my nerves. It was making every cell in my body vibrate. My eyes flew open as my body finally registered all of the liquid I’d consumed in the past few hours. The ludicrousness of the situation made a laugh bubble up inside of me. “Stop!” I was either going to have an orgasm or pee myself. Maybe both if he kept this up. I rolled over and off of the bed. “Bathroom.”

I could hear Gavin laughing at me as I ran to the stall. A couple minutes later, void of most of the alcohol I’d drank, I emerged from the bathroom. Gavin was sitting on the edge of the bed, an amused expression on his face. I glared at him as I washed my hands.

“You wouldn’t be laughing if I hadn’t made it to the bathroom.”

He shrugged, but kept smiling. “You started it.”

He had a point. Now, I thought, it was time for me to have a bit of fun. I turned around and looked over my shoulder at him. “Help me?”

Instantly, amusement turned to desire and he was on his feet. He stood behind me as I raised my arm to show the zipper that ran down my side. I turned my face forward as he began to lower the zipper, the sound loud in my ears. Once it was undone, I put my arm down, intending to slip the dress off myself, but then his hands were on my shoulders. He nudged my hair out of the way and pressed his lips against the top of my shoulder as he slid the straps of the dress down my arms. He peeled the clingy material off, revealing the black lace thong and matching strapless bra I’d been wearing beneath. When I stepped out of the dress, I turned, my stomach knotting as I prepared to see his reaction to me in nothing but my underwear and thigh-high stockings.

“Fuck.” The word was rough, as if it came from some other part of him.

I resisted the urge to cover myself, my self-consciousness returning as I was slowly sobering. Instead, I forced myself to smile and say what was in my head rather than censoring myself. “Your turn.”

He didn’t take his eyes off of me as he undid his jeans and pulled them off, an impressive feat, I had to admit. He wore a pair of boxer briefs that were even tighter than the jeans and my mouth went dry when I saw the bulge at the front of them. He hooked his thumbs in his waistband, paused for a moment, then lowered those as well.

I would’ve echoed his previous sentiment if my brain had been able to form a coherent word. As it was, all I could do was stare, mouth hanging open. If he’d been proportionally built, that would’ve been impressive enough, but that wasn’t the case. He was big. Not so insanely huge that I was scared this wasn’t going to work, but big enough that I knew he was going to reach places inside me that had never been reached before. And he wasn’t just long either. He was thick, curved just right, his base surrounded by a thin tangle of dark curls, enough to let me know he didn’t shave, but that this was just his body type. His balls were perfectly shaped, not too small or too big. Then he winked and did a silly little turn and let me see the rest of him. His ass was tight, again, the perfect size. He wasn’t one of those guys whose legs ran straight into his back, but he didn’t have one of those big butts either. Just above his cheeks, at the base of his spine, were two little dimples that I had the sudden urge to lick. His back was broad, just as muscled as it had felt. Across the top of his back, just below where it would’ve been seen when he was clothed, was a tattoo of a pair of angel wings that spread across his shoulder blades. Between them was a pair of initials and a date. I didn’t have the chance to make out the letters before he was facing me again.

“I figured you’d showed me yours.” He grinned at me.

My tattoo was much smaller than his, a small lily on my right shoulder blade. Lily had been my grandmother’s name. I’d gotten the tattoo in her memory after she’d died five years ago. Grandma Lily would’ve definitely approved of Gavin. In fact, she probably would’ve told me to get on with it and ride him like a pony.

I started to chuckle, but then Gavin’s arms were around my waist, his skin hot against mine, his cock hard against my hip. He pressed his lips against mine, opening my mouth with his tongue. He spun us back around and onto the bed, pressing himself down on me for just a moment before rolling back on his heels.

“What’s wrong?” My head was spinning from the kiss and I couldn’t figure out why he’d stopped.

“Nothing’s wrong.” His smile spoke of something deep and heated. “I just want to enjoy every inch of you.”

His words sparked the fire that had been smoldering inside of me, making it burst into full-fledged flames. He moved so that he was next to me and began trailing his fingertips over every inch of exposed skin. He watched my face, taking in each minute expression as I reacted to his touch.

I wasn’t the kind of girl who’d had dozens of lovers, but I wasn’t a virgin or prude either. Since I’d lost my virginity at seventeen, I’d had four lovers, the last of whom had been over a year ago, and a result of my shortest, and most disastrous, relationship. Unlike Krissy, I didn’t usually do the whole one-night stand thing. It just wasn’t me. Then again, I’d never wanted a man the way I wanted Gavin.

And I’d never had my body respond to anyone the way it did to him.

He hadn’t even touched anything that my underwear was covering, and my skin was already humming, the fire inside me stoking the pressure growing in my belly. I hadn’t realized that I’d closed my eyes until they popped open when he stopped. He was moving down to my feet. For a moment, I couldn’t figure out why, then he reached for the tops of my stockings. His fingers brushed close to my inner thigh and I shivered. He didn’t say a word as he slowly rolled the stocking down. As he tossed it to the floor, he bent his head and pressed his lips against my calf before turning to my other leg. Once those were off he moved back up to my side.

“I’d thought about leaving those on,” he said. His voice was low, caressing my body as his hands had done. “Feeling them against my skin when you wrapped your legs around my waist.”

I swallowed hard.

“But then I realized that I wanted to see you, completely naked, every inch of you exposed.” His hand slid over my ribs to the front of my bra. “Next time, maybe.”

His fingers released the hook at the front of my bra, but he didn’t look. Instead, he kept his eyes locked with mine. He pushed the material off my left breast first, his hand moving over the mound with deliberateness. I moaned as his fingers found my nipple and teased at it. He lingered for only a few moments, then slid across to the other breast, leaving my bra parted on either side of me. Only after that did he look down. I had a moment to fear that he wouldn’t like what he saw. I wasn’t built like those women downstairs by the pool. Then I saw the lust on his face and the worry went away.

“Exquisite.” He lowered his head and I had a moment to realize what he was going to do before the wet heat of his mouth was surrounding my nipple.

I moaned, louder than before. My eyes started to close, but I forced them to stay open. I wanted to watch. His hair brushed against my sensitive skin as he sucked on the hardening flesh, each draw sending a jolt of pleasure straight down to my core. His mouth and hands worked together on my breasts, sucking and rolling and tugging until I was whimpering, writhing beneath him. I could feel my body struggling towards a climax that was just out of its reach.

Just when I was at the point where I was going to start begging, he sat up. I let out a sound of pure frustration that would’ve been funny if my situation hadn’t been so dire. He hooked his finger around my chin and turned my face towards his. Our eyes met and he held me there as a hand slid down my stomach.

The moment his fingers slipped under the elastic, I knew what he was going to do and I spread my legs to give him easier access. The action was so wanton, so not me, but with him, I didn’t care. All I knew was that I wanted him so badly that I felt like I might explode if he didn’t take me.

I made a sound as his middle two fingers delved between my folds. With the ease of someone who knew what they were doing, he found the sensitive bundle of nerves that had been swelling with his previous ministrations.

It came so quickly that it caught me off guard.

Just a few passes with his fingers and my body was shaking. I cried out, my back arching as his fingers worked me through my first non-self-induced orgasm in over a year. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over me. After what felt like an eternity, he slid his hand out from under my panties and I collapsed back onto the bed, panting, my body tingling with afterglow.

 

Chapter 7

 

I looked over at Gavin, my breath coming in pants that sounded harsh to my ears. I’d never had a man be able to make me climax just from his hands, and certainly never that fast. Either I’d been way more aroused than I’d thought, or he was an exceptionally skilled lover. I was hoping for the latter.

As much as I’d enjoyed what we’d just done, I thought about how brazen I’d been. That wasn’t like me at all. When it came to business and the law, I had no problem being forward, but sex was something else. Even my flirting was generally light. Not tonight though. No, I’d thrown myself at this man whom I found so attractive. I must’ve seemed like some stupid sorority girl. I started to turn my face away.

“Hey.” Gavin gently brought me back. His gaze searched my face for a moment and he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. “Don’t worry.” He pulled me against his chest. “We’re both adults who know what we want. There’s no shame in that.”

He pressed his lips against the top of my head and I found myself relaxing into him. He was right. I hadn’t done anything wrong. It wasn’t like he was a married man or my boss. Okay, I admitted, he was working for my boss’s client, but that wasn’t really a breach of ethics. We were both consenting adults. And he’d responded, so I knew he’d been enjoying this too.

Suddenly I realized what I hadn’t before. Gavin was still hard. I rolled over to face him.

“You didn’t come.” I put my hands on his chest.

He smiled at me. “I was kinda hoping you’d offer to help me out with that.” His smiled disappeared as he grew serious. “But only if you want to.”

Was he kidding? I’d never forgive myself if I left him like that after the amazing orgasm he’d given me. Besides, I’d been dreaming about that beautiful piece of flesh since the first time I’d seen him, before I’d even known what he’d looked like naked.

I gave his shoulder a gentle push and he rolled onto his back, his eyes bright.

“My turn,” I said.

I started with his chest, running my palms across the hard plains of his stomach, skimming them over his nipples. I knew that a lot of men didn’t get anything out of this, but I just had to try it. I lowered my head and flicked my tongue over his nipple. The flesh wrinkled and hardened almost instantly. When I started to suck on it, Gavin’s chest heaved. I scraped my teeth over it and he moaned. I took that as a sign of approval and moved to the other one.

“Carrie.”

I shivered as he said my name, his voice rough with desire. I released his nipple after giving it one last little nip and then began to kiss and lick my way down his abs. He swore when I dipped my tongue into his belly button and then I was there, at my prize.

There was no way I was going to get all of him into my mouth, but I knew a few tricks. I may’ve only had a few lovers, but I’d learned a lot from them. I stretched out on the bed, flipped my hair to one side so Gavin could watch if he wanted to, and then got to work.

I started with my tongue, licking all around him, from root to head, alternating between using the flat of my tongue and its tip. His flavor was as spicy and masculine as his smell, and it exploded across my taste buds. I wrapped one hand around his base and dropped the other one between his legs to cup his balls. The skin was even softer there than around his swollen shaft and I caressed it, smiling as his hips bucked.

I took him in my mouth then, as far as I could, using my hand to work what I couldn’t reach. I swirled my tongue around him, careful to keep my teeth away from the sensitive flesh. After a few minutes, I began to suck, hollowing my cheeks out as I bobbed my head.

My breasts were pressed against his thigh and I felt the muscles starting to tremble and knew he was close. Before he could get there, I felt his hand on my head, coaxing me back. His shaft fell from my lips, shiny and nearly purple with his need for release.

“Not yet,” he said.

I could see the strain on his face.

“That’s not where I want to be when I come.”

Oh. My stomach flipped and my core throbbed. Oh, yes. I definitely wanted that too.

He held out a hand and I took it, letting him lead me back up the bed to his side. I was ready, but there was one thing I needed to say before we went any further. And I was going to kick myself for not coming prepared if he didn’t have anything either.

“Do you have protection?” I asked, mentally crossing my fingers.

A pleased expression crossed Gavin’s face and I took that as a yes. Part of me wondered if he’d been waiting to see if I’d ask or if I were so desperate for sex I’d follow his lead no matter what it was.

He climbed off of the bed and I watched, appreciating the view, as he walked over to one of the wardrobes against the back wall. He opened a drawer, rummaged a moment, then returned with a box of XL condoms. Idly, I wondered how many of the club’s members could actually use that particular size, but I didn’t comment on that; instead, a quip popped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“A whole box? Feeling a bit...cocky, are we?” I smirked at my word choice.

Gavin’s eyes darkened back to that night-sky blue-black as he tossed the box towards the head of the bed. “You have no idea.”

My stomach fluttered as he crawled onto the bed. He moved with a natural grace and ease, something that I’d never managed to master off of the dance floor. Krissy always said it was because I was too self-conscious.

He knelt at my feet and reached for my waist. My body hummed in anticipation. He was going to take off my panties and then I was finally going to feel that magnificent piece of manhood inside me. I started to reach for the box of condoms to get one out for him, not wanting to waste a single moment.

“Wait,” he said.

I looked up at him, puzzled.

He hooked his fingers under the elastic of my underwear and smiled down at me, his expression full of heat. “Not just yet.”

I really hoped that meant what I thought it meant.

He slowly slid my panties down my legs, keeping his eyes on my face as he did so. When they were free, he started to toss them aside, then paused. He glanced at the material he’d crumpled in his hand and then returned his gaze to me, a mixed expression of smugness and amusement on his face.

“What?” I couldn’t figure out what was funny about this situation.

“They’re soaked.”

Oh. I felt heat rising to my cheeks and turned my head away.

“Hey.” Gavin was suddenly right there above me, one hand balancing him as the other turned my face back so that he could look at me. “I think it’s hot that your body responded to me that way.”

He leaned down, his body staying above mine, not touching. His lips brushed against mine, a kiss that would’ve been considered chaste had the circumstances been different. When he pushed himself up and back again, his eyes were bright.

“Now,” he said. “What do you say we get back to the business at hand?” One corner of his mouth tipped up in a half-smile.

I nodded as his hands slid over my hips and thighs, down to my calves, before his long fingers wrapped around my ankles. With a slowness that could only be deliberate, he pulled my legs apart, exposing me to his gaze. It took all of my self-control not to close my legs. I’d had men finger me and go down on me before, but it was generally with the lights off. Even when it had been in the light, none of them had studied me the way Gavin was. It was almost too personal, too intimate.

He stretched out on the bed, positioning himself between my legs. Without raising his eyes, he said, “Beautiful.”

I flushed, this time from a combination of embarrassment and pleasure. I didn’t have much body hair, so I didn’t bother to shave down there. The thin layer of curls I did have were fine and soft, barely more than the hair on my arms. Despite what Krissy insisted all men wanted, I’d never had a lover complain that I wasn’t completely bare. I’d just been hoping Gavin would be the same. Judging by the lust on his face, he didn’t mind.

He bent his head and I braced myself, but he surprised me by a gentle kiss at the top of my slit. His eyes flicked up to my face, those impossibly thick lashes making the look even more heated than it was.

“If at any point you want me to stop, just say the word.”

Was he kidding? If he didn’t do something soon, I was going to follow the advice Grandma Lily would’ve given and roll him over and take matters into my own hands.

Before I could say anything, however, Gavin was lowering his head and proving that he was just as skilled with his tongue as he was with his fingers. I cried out as he kissed my core as deeply as he’d kissed my mouth. His tongue ran over every inch of me, circling around that still-swollen bundle of nerves until I was nearly growling with frustration. Only then did he take my clit into his mouth.

Heat spilled over my skin like molten lava, burning, consuming, coating my body until I was one quivering mass. Still, he didn’t stop. He continued with the suction until stars began to spark in front of my eyes and my body danced that line between too-much and right-there. Then his lips were gone and I sagged back against the bed, unsure if I was relieved or disappointed. The confusion didn’t last long because he wasn’t done. He began to lick at my opening and then I felt the tip of a finger. I shivered as he slid the digit inside me. It had been too long since I’d had anything but my own fingers there, and then only rarely, and never as deep.

“Yes,” I hissed the word as my eyes closed.

Gavin worked his finger in and out slowly for a few moments before adding a second finger. A moan fell from my lips as he gently stretched me, preparing me for what was coming next. His fingers felt so good, their pleasant friction adding to the little shivers of pleasure I was getting from his tongue still caressing my sensitive flesh. Then he curled his fingers and electricity shot through me.

My back arched, my mouth opening. Every nerve in my body was on fire. I knew what he’d done, but my brain couldn’t process it, too overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through me. I shook as my second orgasm washed over me. I was dimly aware of his fingers sliding out of me, but it didn’t matter as I rode the wave of ecstasy to the peak and back down again.

When I could, I opened my eyes and saw Gavin kneeling between my legs, a condom wrapper in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Holy shit,” I gasped. “So that’s what a g-spot orgasm feels like.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Seriously?” An expression near to horror came over his face. “Please tell me you’re not a virgin.”

I shook my head and he looked relieved. “I’ve had a few lovers, and they could get me off, but never like that.”

He regarded me curiously. “How many?”

“You really want to ask me that now?” I stared at him.

He grinned. “Hey, I needed to calm myself down or this would be over way too fast.” He ripped the wrapper open with his teeth. “And I fully intend to make you come at least one more time tonight.”

I didn’t have a response to that. Partly because I wasn’t really sure how to respond, but also partly because I was too busy watching him roll the condom over his cock and thinking about how that was going to feel inside me. I didn’t even try to hide that I was watching. I just wanted him.

Something about my expression must have told Gavin how I was feeling, or he was tired of foreplay too, because he was suddenly there, his body hovering over mine. He was propped up on his arms, keeping us from touching, but I could feel the energy crackling between us.

“If you want to stop, please say it now.” His voice held a note of something I couldn’t place. “Because I think it’ll kill me if you say it later.”

He was giving me another out, even though it would be painful for him, and was even saying that no matter when I said stop, he would. Wow. My estimation of Gavin grew.

I reached up and put my palm on his cheek, a tender gesture in the middle of an encounter that I didn’t want to be anything but sex. Still, I did it. “I might explode if you don’t keep going.”

He held my gaze for a moment, then the spell was broken and we were back to just sex. He reached down between us and I felt the head of him at my opening. I spread my legs wider and reminded myself to relax. I was wet and he’d stretched me a bit, but he was big enough that it’d be a tight fit, no matter how much I’d been prepared.

“Tell me if I hurt you.”

The way he said it told me he understood that no matter how much society insisted that bigger was better, care needed to be taken with a man as well-endowed as he was. I nodded in agreement and then he was entering me.

I caught my breath as he slowly slid inside. I’d almost forgotten what that initial penetration was like, the way a new lover’s body felt invading mine. How my body stretched to mold itself around him, as if deciding to accept him inch by inch, waiting to see if we fit together. The way it felt to be full in an entirely new way.

And this was definitely new.

I was panting by the time he was halfway inside and I gripped his forearms, feeling the muscles there flexing as he fought his body’s natural urge to just bury itself in the heat of my channel. Another two inches and he was as deep as anyone had ever been. My last lover hadn’t been a slouch in the size department, a little over average at seven inches, but Gavin still had a couple of inches to go before he’d be all the way in, and I wasn’t sure I could take it. Not because it would hurt, but I didn’t know if my brain and body could process any more.

As he slid another inch forward, my body bent up towards his, the hard bullet points of my nipples rubbing against his chest. A whimper escaped me and Gavin looked down in concern. He frowned and started to pull back. I reached down and grabbed his ass, digging my nails into the firm flesh. He wasn’t getting away that easily. I pulled on him, trying to draw him back.

I didn’t know if I caught him off guard or if my action was enough to shatter his resolve, but he stopped his backward movement and surged forward, driving the rest of him into me with one swift motion.

The sound that came from me was one I hadn’t known I could make. My head fell back, my body rigid. It was too much. I was too full. He was touching every part of me. Then he was moving, withdrawing and leaving me empty.

“Please, please.” I was aware that I was begging, but I didn’t care. I just wanted him inside me again.

I didn’t need to worry. He stopped halfway out, then pushed forward again. I shuddered, my moan filling the air. He felt so good. I ran my hands up his back, reveling in the feel of the muscles rippling beneath his skin. Part of me wanted him to keep the slow, steady pace he was working, but a more primal part wanted something completely different. Something I had a feeling Gavin wanted too, but was hesitant about expressing it. I could feel it in the restrained strength of his body. He just needed to know that it was okay. More than okay. It was what I wanted.

“Harder,” I whispered.

His eyes widened. “Carrie,” he started to say.

“Please, Gavin. I want you to fuck me. Hard. Fast.” I couldn’t believe the words were coming out of my mouth, but I didn’t try to stop them. For once, I was going to get what I wanted from my lover without worrying about the consequences. I gripped the hair at the base of his neck. “Make me feel it.”

Gavin bent his head and kissed me then, his full length sheathed inside me, his body pressed against mine. His lips were bruising against mine, teeth pushing against soft skin, tongue shoving into my mouth. It was a plundering, a taking. He fed on my mouth even as one of his hands ran up my side to wrap around my breast.

When he broke the kiss, I could see a different kind of fire in his eyes, one that said I was about to get exactly what I’d said I wanted. He took a moment to pull my nipple into his mouth, sucking hard on the sensitive flesh until I was writhing, or at least attempting to. His body had me pinned to the bed.

“Now,” he said as he raised himself up onto his hands. “Let’s see about that hard and fast request.”

He drew his hips back, then snapped them forward. I wailed as he hit something inside me that made me see stars. Before I could recover, he was going again, each stroke just as deep as the first. Over and over he thrust into me, never granting me respite as he propelled me towards the precipice of pleasure. He rolled his hips, rubbing against my g-spot, and my muscles began to quiver. My climax was approaching rapidly, and it was going to be a big one.

“Almost there.” I could barely get the words out. “So close.”

Gavin nodded, an expression of intense concentration on his face. Only then did I realize he was still holding back, forcing his body to please me first.

I brushed my thumb over his lips. “With me?”

He groaned and stretched his body over mine. The change of angle pressed the base of his cock against my clit and I could feel the fire inside me becoming an inferno. I wrapped my arms around him as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I whispered in his ear. “Come with me.”

I felt his teeth scrape over the soft skin of my throat as his hips jerked, his thick shaft putting new pressure on my g-spot, and that was it. I started to scream and then his mouth was there, swallowing the sound even as I felt him pulse inside me. Our bodies trembled together, our pleasure shared. Electricity flowed over and around and through us, binding us together with an ecstasy I’d never known before.

We barely had enough strength to roll apart. He tossed the condom on the floor and grabbed the blanket, pulling it over both of us. I was already half-asleep, exhausted from drink and sex and the late hour. He wrapped an arm around me and I snuggled back against his chest. I felt his lips brush my temple and then I slipped under.

 

Chapter 8

 

The rich aroma of coffee drew me from a deep sleep and I chased it towards wakefulness. Before I could open my eyes, my head began to throb. Right. Lots of alcohol last night. I searched my memory for more. I remembered Krissy dragging me to a club. Seeing Gavin there. Dancing. Kissing Gavin.

Adrenaline flooded through my body, jerking me the rest of the way awake. Gavin. I’d had sex with Gavin last night. Mind-blowing, toe-curling, feel-it-in-my-bones sex. I could feel the aches in my body that only came after a night of fun. They were much more pleasant than the pounding in my head. At least I wasn’t nauseous.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

Gavin’s voice cut through the pain, surprisingly not making it hurt more. I opened my eyes, fully expecting to wince at bright light. Instead, the room had a dull glow that seemed perfectly manufactured for a morning-after hangover. There, standing beside the bed, was an image to make my aching head completely worth it. Gavin had put his jeans on again, but wasn’t wearing a shirt. And I was pretty sure he wasn’t wearing anything under his jeans this time either. The thought made my stomach tighten.

“Here.” Gavin handed me a glass of water and a couple aspirin.

I sat up and swallowed them gratefully. Only after I did that did I notice that Gavin’s eyes had dropped. I looked down.

“Shit!” I grabbed the sheet and pulled it up over my breasts, heat flooding my face.

“Don’t do that on my account.” Gavin’s voice was amused, but there was a more serious expression in his eyes. “I always appreciate the body of a beautiful woman, especially when it means I can remember what it was like touching her.”

I pressed my thighs together as arousal spiked in me. The memory of his touch ghosted over me.

Gavin took a step back, as if the distance would help him collect himself. “I made you coffee.” He gestured towards the table where two steaming mugs sat. “I didn’t know how you’d want it, so I got out a little bit of everything.”

Coffee sounded really good, but I wasn’t about to get up naked. I looked around, unsure if I should try to get that dress back on. As if he’d read my mind, Gavin reached down and picked up the shirt he’d been wearing last night. He handed it to me, then headed for the table, keeping his back to me.

I pulled the shirt over my head. It wasn’t a long one, but it was enough to cover the essentials. I stood. Barely. The hem of the shirt just brushed the bottom of my ass. I glanced down at my panties, and had a quick internal debate about whether or not it was worth putting them on. Ultimately, I decided against it. In this instance, comfort was better than modesty.

I looked around as I walked over to the table. The room looked just as grandiose as it had the night before, but now the reality of it hit me. I was in a members-only room above a club. A room where patrons could take people to have sex. I ran a hand over my head and scowled as I felt the tangled mass of curls. It was going to take me forever to brush them out.

“Everything okay?” Gavin asked.

“I don’t think we should be hanging around, drinking coffee,” I said as I sat down, perching on the edge of the chair so that I wasn’t putting bare skin on expensive wood. Still, I reached for the cup. I wasn’t about to let good coffee go to waste. I added just a bit of sugar and took a sip. Ahh. That was good.

“It’s okay,” Gavin said. “I’m friends with the owner. As long as no one else reserved it, we can stay all day if we want.”

I had to admit, the idea of spending an entire day here with Gavin was appealing. More than appealing actually. I could feel myself getting wet at the thought of hours upon uninterrupted hours with that body. I really needed to get my thoughts off of what Gavin and I could do with a day here.

A question from last night popped into my head and I blurted out the answer without thinking. “Four.”

Gavin looked startled. “What?”

I blushed, but refused to backpedal. He’d asked and I wanted him to know. I wanted him to know more about me and I wanted to know more about him. “You asked me last night how many lovers I’d had. The answer’s four.”

I watched his face, curious to know his reaction to my admission. How someone reacted to the answer to that question was very telling. Krissy and I were the same age, within just a few months of each other, and she thought I was practically a nun. Her number was somewhere around twenty-five, or more accurately, it had been the last time we’d talked about it six months ago. I was betting she was pushing thirty now.

“Four.” His expression was unreadable.

“Before last night,” I said. On impulse, I added, “And they were all long-term relationships, only one shorter than a year.”

Now I saw surprise flit across his face. I wondered if that was because I hadn’t done the whole hook-up thing before or because I’d broken my MO with him. I didn’t ask about that though. Instead, I turned his question back to him. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Don’t you think it’s only fair?” I countered. I took another drink of my coffee, feeling the caffeine spreading through me, speeding the relief of the medicine I’d taken.

He stood, giving me a half-smile that was just shy of being too smug. “Probably less than you’d guess.”

“Oh really?” I picked up on his teasing tone, watching as he walked towards me. “How can you be sure I’d guess a high number?”

He stood in front of me, looking down as I turned towards him. “I am good in bed.”

I raised an eyebrow. “That sure of yourself, are you?”

He reached down and, before I could realize what he was going to do, he’d picked me up and set me on the table. Now we were almost eye-to-eye.

“I had a great time last night. Didn’t you?”

His tone was still cocky, but I could hear a faint undercurrent of something that sounded a lot like insecurity. Ignoring the fact that I wasn’t wearing anything under his shirt, I spread my legs, grabbing the waistband of his jeans and yanking him towards me. I ran my hands up his sides and around to his chest, surprising myself with my boldness. There was something about him that brought it out in me.

“I did,” I said. My palms skimmed over his nipples and he made a sound in the back of his throat that sent a rush of wetness straight south.

His hands slid up my legs and I saw his eyes widen as he realized I hadn’t put my panties back on. He moved his hands around so his thumbs were on the insides of my thighs, just barely brushing against my lower lips.

“You’re wet.” His voice was hoarse.

I nodded. He took his hands from me, keeping his eyes fixed on my face. I heard the sound of a zipper and couldn’t resist flicking my eyes down to confirm my suspicions that he was bare beneath his jeans. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a condom. I looked back up at him and saw the question on his face. I nodded again.

He didn’t give me time to think about what was going to happen. He ripped open the packet, slid on the condom and grabbed my hips. He entered me with one hard thrust and I cried out, falling back on the table. Dimly, I was aware that I’d knocked both cups of coffee to the tile floor, but I didn’t care. My brain was scrambling to process the overload of sensation that my body was feeling.

Gavin slammed into me, over and over again, showing none of the hesitation he’d had the night before, and I keened as he drove me towards a climax. The curve of him was rubbing against my g-spot with every stroke, and my unstimulated clit throbbed with its need for attention. It didn’t matter though. This was no slow burn or buildup. This was going to be a quick, brutal explosion, and I wanted it. I grabbed onto his wrists, digging my nails into his flesh hard enough that it had to hurt. His grip on my hips tightened until I was sure I would have bruises.

“Come on, baby. Come for me,” he spoke through gritted teeth, and I knew he was close.

I was close, hovering on the edge, each thrust into my body taking me near, but not enough to tip me over. I released one of his wrists, and slid my hand under the shirt I was wearing, pushing the material up as I took my nipple between my finger and thumb. A light pinch was all I needed, and I was coming.

I cried out my pleasure as Gavin gave one final jerk of his hips, and buried himself completely inside me. He arched himself over me, the muscles in his legs and ass flexing as he came. He rested his head on my chest, turning his face to press a kiss to the side of my bared breast.

We stayed like that for only a minute or so, then he was standing and pulling out. He pulled off the condom and did his pants up again as I climbed off the table and pulled the shirt down as far as it would go again.

“Don’t worry about the mess,” Gavin said before I could bend down to pick up the cups. “The cleaning crew will take care of it. Trust me, they’ve seen worse.”

I nodded. An awkwardness that hadn’t been there before was settling in the air. Last night, we’d fallen asleep right after sex. Now, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to act. I walked back to the bed, intending to pick up my clothes and figure out what I was going to wear on my walk of shame home.

I was trying to bend over without flashing Gavin when something caught my eye. I leaned over, reaching out to the base of the post at the head of the bed. It was a leather strap with a buckle. I looked at the other end of the bed and saw the same thing half-hidden next to the mattress.

“Gavin?” I had to know if what I suspected was accurate. “Is this for what I think it’s for?”

Gavin walked over to see what I was referencing. “Of course,” he answered. “What else would it be?”

What the hell had I gotten myself into? I raked my fingers through my hair, wincing as a finger snagged on a curl.

“Carrie,” Gavin said softly. “You do know that this is also a private adult club, right?”

My answer must’ve been written on my face because he looked both amused and sympathetic.

“I’m sorry. I thought you knew,” he said. “Twice a week only members are allowed in the club. That’s why it has a room like this, to make sure its members’ wishes and desires are satisfied.”

I had two choices. I could give in and completely freak out, or I could shove down the panic fluttering in my stomach and satisfy my curiosity.

I chose option number two.

I walked over to the far wall and opened one of the chests. I heard Gavin walk up behind me but didn’t look back at him. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the contents of the chest. There were ball gags and nipple clamps – things that I only recognized from some cop shows I watched where the killer was into this kind of thing. Also in the chest were dozens of things that I didn’t recognize and wasn’t sure I wanted to know what they were used for.

“Wow.”

Gavin reached past me and closed the chest. “I don’t think we need those just yet.”

My head snapped around, my eyes wide.

He laughed and I scowled. That wasn’t funny.

He reached for the door on the wardrobe and opened it. “Just kidding.” He reached inside and pulled out a large dildo. Okay, it wasn’t large. It was fucking huge. It made Gavin’s cock look average-sized.

He grinned at me. “You mean to tell me that you’ve never used anything like this?”

“No.” I shook my head. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I didn’t even use a regular-sized one. “And put that back. You could seriously hurt someone with that thing.”

He winked. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

I smacked him on his bare shoulder, the sound of my flesh against his making it sound much worse than it was. His skin barely turned pink.

“Hey, that could be part of it, too.” He rubbed the spot where I’d hit him.

“You wish,” I retorted. My stomach was twisting in a different way now, a combination of desire and fear. What kinds of things were Gavin really into? He was a member of the club after all.

I didn’t have a chance to answer the question because, at that moment, Gavin reached out and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me against him. He lowered his head and covered my mouth with his. I closed my eyes, opening my mouth and running out my tongue to meet his. They twisted together, chasing each other back and forth until we finally had to break apart, gasping for air.

“When can I see you again?” he asked.

My head was spinning. I needed to think. I took a step back, ignoring my body’s protest. “Soon,” I said. “Call me.”

I grabbed my dress and headed for the bathroom.

“I don’t even have your number,” Gavin called after me.

“Oh, I’m sure with your detective skills, you can easily find out,” I teased.

I caught a glimpse of Gavin’s expression before I closed the door, but I couldn’t read it. He really was mysterious.

 

Chapter 9

 

Gavin pulled his car—an expensive but not overly flashy two-door—up to the curb in front of the Mid-Town apartment building where Krissy and I lived. I was wearing my dress again and feeling much more like the frumpy morning-after conquest than I had back at the club. The atmosphere between Gavin and me had been thick with sexual tension the entire ride over, as if it was taking all of his willpower not to park the car and fuck me again. I couldn’t honestly say the thought hadn’t crossed my mind either. I needed to be away from him so I could think clearly.

“You’re still not going to give me your number, are you?” Gavin broke the silence as I reached for the door handle.

I grinned at him. “Nope. I want you to work for it.” I didn’t wait for him to reply. I climbed out of the car and headed into the building.

As I walked up the front stairs, the reality of the situation hit me. What was I going to tell Krissy? How much of the truth would I tell her? That I’d slept with Gavin or that it had been at the club, which wasn’t just another club but also a private sex club? Would I tell her about just last night or that Gavin and I’d had a quickie on the kitchen table before I came home? The questions went round and round in my head as I climbed the two flights of stairs that took me to the third floor.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked into the apartment. Krissy wasn’t here. I walked across the tiny living room/kitchen to the hallway, shaking my head at the mess in the kitchen. Krissy hadn’t cleaned up last night, as usual. I loved my best friend, but she wasn’t the neatest of roommates. Case in point, that’s how I knew she wasn’t home even though I hadn’t checked her bedroom or the bathroom. If she’d come in last night or early this morning, she would’ve stripped the moment she came in and left her dress in a pile next to the front door. She spent most of her time at home walking around in her underwear.

I undressed quickly and tossed Krissy’s dress into my dry-cleaning pile. I’d considered showering at the club, but I was afraid that if I got into that glass shower with nowhere to hide, Gavin would join me for another round and I’d never get home. I showered quickly and pulled on my robe. Clothes seemed like too much of an effort at the moment. I considered going into my bedroom and lying down, but I was starting to feel guilty for going out rather than studying, so I plopped myself down on the couch and opened up my textbook. It didn’t take long before my eyelids felt heavy.

The next thing I knew, I felt someone staring at me. I opened my eyes, blinking against the late morning sun streaming in through the window. Krissy was sitting in the chair across from me, her lips twitching in a way that I knew meant she was trying not to laugh.

“Wow,” she said. “You look like you had a fun night.”

If she thought that, she should’ve seen me before I showered. I pushed myself into a sitting position, pulling my robe closed more tightly around me. I hadn’t thought to check before and now I wondered if Gavin had left some sort of mark on me. It wouldn’t be the first time in my life I’d had a hickey, but it would be the most embarrassing since I’d probably end up seeing him at work.

“You’re finally home,” I said. I rubbed my hands over my eyes. “Yeah, my night was okay...” I paused. I couldn’t lie to her. “No, I take that back. It was amazing, but also the strangest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Krissy leaned forward, the expression on her face clearly saying that she was expecting details of my mysterious one-night fling. I gave them to her, starting with the first kiss right after she and Jeff had left and ending with finding the sex toys. When I’d gotten to the morning sex, I’d dropped my eyes to my hands and now I looked up.

To my surprise, Krissy didn’t look smug that I’d finally gotten laid, or amused about the sex toys. Instead, there was a serious, troubled expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately. “Did something happen with you and Jeff last night?”

Krissy was quiet, seemingly searching for words, which worried me. She was never at a loss for words. “Jeff and I went back to his place,” she started. Her fingers twisted together. “And we had sex. It was fine. Not earth-shattering, but not bad either. The whole time, though, there was something bugging me. I didn’t figure it out until I woke up this morning. His place was small and plain. It looked more like our apartment than something that some rich investor should own. I knew then that something was wrong. I thought he was married and this was the place he brought his side pieces. You know me,” she said. “I don’t do married men.”

I nodded. Krissy may have slept with a lot of men, but she had rules about whom, and anyone in a relationship was immediately vetoed. Her parents’ marriage had broken up because of an affair.

“So,” she continued. “Jeff was still asleep, and I started snooping. I found his laptop and figured if he had pictures of his family, that’d be a good place to start. When I opened it, there was a work memo right there on the screen. Jeff isn’t an investor at Club Privé, he’s an employee.”

“Oh, Krissy, I’m sorry,” I started to say.

She shook her head. “That’s not the worst part.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. I knew Krissy. She would’ve been more pissed that Jeff had lied than anything else, but if that wasn’t the worst of it, whatever was coming next had to be big.

“I woke him up and confronted him. I don’t know if I was just that scary or he was just that weak, but he admitted everything.”

I was willing to bet that Jeff was weak, but even if he wasn’t, I had a feeling he would’ve caved. Krissy could be quite frightening when she wanted to be.

“Jeff told me that his boss, the owner of the club, had asked him to follow me a week ago.”

I put my hand over my mouth, horrified.

“He followed me to that other club last weekend and pretended to be this big shot. Bought me lots of drinks and then invited me to last night’s opening.” Her jaw worked for a moment before she said the last bit. “And he told me to make sure I brought my roommate.”

An icy hand closed around my heart, and I could barely breathe. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to get Krissy and me to Club Privé last night. But which one of us was the target? Had Jeff insisted that she should bring me along to make Krissy feel safe, or was all of this because of me? And if it was the latter, what did this club owner want with me?

“If Jeff doesn’t own the club, who does?” I could barely get the words out and they were little more than a whisper. “Krissy, who is behind all this?”

Krissy’s dark eyes flashed. “Who do you think, Carrie? It’s Gavin. He owns the club. He ordered Jeff to follow me.”

I stared at her, waiting to feel something. Shock. Horror. Anger. Grief. Instead, I was numb. Completely and utterly numb. I couldn’t feel anything. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t put together a complete thought.

Memories of last night swirled in my brain. Every touch, every caress. It had all been a part of his plan. But what plan? Had he just wanted to get me into bed? Why? What did it mean?

As I was struggling to process everything, my phone rang. I picked it up automatically. “Hello?”

“Hey, there, beautiful.”

I nearly dropped my phone.

“I missed you and just had to hear your voice, so I did my detective thing and found your number.”

I opened my mouth, knowing I had to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. What was I supposed to say? Gavin was waiting for me to answer. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and the lawyer part of me came forward.

 

End of Book 1