Forty
The Penthouses of All Penthouses
Lake had expected to get off the elevator with the other men on the real casino first floor, but when Vincent hadn’t moved, she had no clue where they were going.
Some people had gotten on the elevator right before it closed and clicked some buttons to random floors of the hotel. She did manage to see a few of them, particularly the men, give them a look. She figured that was why Vincent had remained in front of her.
As the elevator closed and started going up again, she felt his fingertips begin brushing the top of her thigh in a soft, up and down motion. The feeling of being on top of him, dancing as his hand had gotten so close to her femininity returned. It was such a tender and soothing touch, which made it all the more erotic for her, especially since she was in a very confined space with total strangers.
Unable to think about anything except how good his hand felt right then, she touched his hand over her thigh then traveled up his arm to his bicep, pulling him slightly closer to her.
Vincent gave her thigh a light squeeze before he returned to the motion, that time slightly higher.
Lake rested her forehead onto the back of his shoulder as she continued to hold his arm, wanting to get closer to him. I was right; we have reached our boiling point.
She heard the elevator close again right before he pulled her from the back and then pushed her against the wall by the buttons. She watched him punch in the code to the top, wondering how in the world she hadn’t noticed anyone getting off.
Her chest began to heavily rise and fall when Vincent’s attention returned to her. She had seen that look in his eye when she had been dancing on top of him.
Vincent’s hand went up to trace her full bottom lip with his thumb. “All I have wanted to do is kiss you since the moment I pulled my mouth off yours the first time, baby.”
Me, too, was her only thought as his lips finally came crashing down on hers. He greedily sucked at her bottom lip while he held her chin up for him to access her mouth completely.
Lake’s lips melted against his, letting him explore her mouth as if it was the first time. His tongue expertly parted her lips, and she found herself opening wider for him. When he caught her tongue, she moaned against his lips as he sucked it into his mouth. It was everything she remembered and more.
She reached up and grabbed his hair, wanting him closer and trying to deepen the kiss, but Vincent suddenly pulled away, running a hand through his hair to smooth the back down where she had roughed it up. Then the elevator door slid open and he took her hand, pulling her out of the elevator without a word.
Lake could have sworn she was having déjà vu as she was pretty sure that was how their first kiss had gone. She didn’t understand what she kept doing wrong. She thought wanting to touch him and kiss him back was how it was supposed to go but every time she did, he ended the kiss abruptly.
Wiping the moisture on her lips away, she couldn’t help feeling a little hurt. I’m obviously a terrible kisser.
She was quickly pulled out of her haze from the fact that he didn’t like kissing her with the realization that they were on the top floor. She had no idea why he was taking her to Dante’s office. Her confusion only increased when he pulled her down the right hall instead of going straight toward the office. At that moment, she had no clue where they were going.
Nerves began to set in when he went to the second to last door on the left side of the hall. She watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a hotel key card.
She bit her lip. “Um, why are we going in here?”
Vincent slid the card into the slot until the light flashed green. Then he opened the door and dragged her inside the darkly lit room.
She jumped when the door slammed shut behind her. “Vincent, w-where are we?” she whispered.
Looking around, she could barely make anything out, but her attention was drawn to a huge glass wall, which looked out over the night city. It was breathtaking.
When the lights flew on she blinked, adjusting to the brightness, and her mouth dropped open as she took in the huge space. Walking farther into the place, she knew it had to be the penthouses of all penthouses.
It was a very dark space. The walls were black along with mostly everything else. There were only hints of dark grays and silvers that came from various mirrored things. It was warm yet cool, inviting yet structured, and contemporary yet Victorian, all while being dark with no light. She never would have dreamed she would have liked something so obscure and free from anything bright, but she found it completely inviting and appealing.
Her hand ran over a black fur pillow, which sat on a huge, leather sectional. “This is your place, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Lake looked back at him. “How long have you had it?”
He shrugged. “For a few months or so. I finished it just a little before graduation.”
Right before we saw each other again.
She didn’t know what had happened in those months after they had first kissed but whatever it was, she didn’t think the lightness in him came out very often during it. The dark side of Vincent mostly had its say in designing his place; however, she could see the few touches of his good side. Looking around, someone would think the two sides fought each other. However, they didn’t; they complimented each other and made the place one.
Looking back at him, she knew he was waiting for her approval as he stood in his blood-stained, white shirt.
“It’s perfect, Vincent.” Just like you.
Maybe she was crazy and demented for thinking that, but the way he always treated her made it easy for her to justify her feelings.
Lake walked toward him and the closer she came, the more tortured he looked.
“I need a shower.” He started unbuttoning his bloody shirt as he walked away when she got about a foot from him.
She stared at him blankly as he went up the glass stairs. The feelings of hurt and confusion returned, and she wrapped his jacket around her tighter in an attempt to hug herself. She didn’t understand what she was doing wrong, and the feelings she was getting from him were so mixed, only increasing her confusion.
He had flirted with her non-stop for a whole month, and just a short while before, he had basically forced her to perform a lap dance. Then, after months and months, they kissed in the elevator, only for him to reprove her by pulling away when she tried to kiss him back and pull him closer.
She had to admit that she wanted him so badly, and she knew he wanted her, too. She didn’t know how much longer she could take him pulling away from her, though.
Lake was getting sick at herself for how much her body wanted his after merely thinking about him unbuttoning the shirt riddled with bloodstains.
I’m just as insane.