by M. S. Parker
I arched into his touch, our mouths parting. His lips trailed fire down my throat, pausing every so often to shower a bit of extra attention. Not so much that I'd have to worry about covering it up, but enough to know that's what he wanted to do. When his mouth reached my breasts, I buried my fingers in his hair, loving the long, silky strands.
“Don’t ever cut your hair,” I whispered.
I wanted to close my eyes as he lavished attention on first one breast, then the other, but I wanted to watch him more. He looked up at me, his eyes darkening with each gasp and moan. Then his fingers were hooking around the elastic of my panties and they were sliding down my legs. They caught on my right ankle, but neither of us paid any attention. I was too busy watching him kiss his way down my stomach.
He sighed as his fingers slid between my folds, parting them and making way for his tongue. He licked one long stripe, making me fall back on my elbows.
“I've been dreaming about this,” he said, glancing up at me. “Making love to you this way.”
He hooked my legs over his shoulders and stretched his hands on either side of me so that our fingers locked. This time, when he buried his face between my legs, I called out his name. My fingers tightened around his as his lips and tongue went to work. Pleasure washed over me as his talented mouth sent every nerve singing. But it was when he looked at me from under those thick lashes that everything else faded away. I could see into the depths of his soul and something inside me reached out to something inside him.
As a child, I'd always been a romantic, believing in true love and happily ever after. Life had quickly taught me that those things didn't exist. When I'd first hooked up with Reed, I'd felt those parts of me wanting to come back, but I'd thought his betrayal had killed the last of any real romantic notions. Now, I found they hadn't been killed, but rather had just been dormant these past few months. I knew there'd be work and it wouldn't be easy, but in that moment, I knew I'd found my soul mate.
My orgasm burst over me as the realization hit me and I cried out, my back arching, hips rising, sex clenching around his tongue. He held me, kept me grounded as I came, and then his hands were on my hips, moving me further onto the bed. I heard a familiar ripping sound, and then he was stretching out over me, his cock nudging at my still quivering core.
“I love you,” I said, reaching up to press my palm against the side of his face.
The smile that spread across his face brought tears to my eyes. “I love you, too.” He brushed a stray hair off of my cheek, then leaned down to kiss it.
I raised my hips even as he surged forward and we came together in one firm thrust. His mouth covered mine, swallowing the half-scream that came from the sudden, nearly painful stretching. The feeling of being too full didn't stop me though. I began to move against him, with him, our bodies falling into an instant rhythm, the kind of dance that said we'd been partners for years.
He pressed against all the right parts of me and, as his hand slid over my hip and down my thigh to my knee, I knew we had been made for each other. He pulled my leg up and I keened as the change in position drove him even deeper than he'd been before. He was a part of me, connected in every way a person could be.
The room was hot, in stark contrast to the weather outside, and our bodies glistened with sweat. Our labored breathing mixed with the sounds of flesh coming together, punctuated by the pleasurable moans that escaped between kisses. It was just us, here in this room. The world outside didn't exist. Nothing and no one beyond the two of us. Time ceased to matter. We could've been there, riding the edge of passion, for minutes, hours or years. All I knew was that when it crashed over us, I didn't know if we could survive.
And then it was there, rushing, covering us with a flood of pleasure so intense I saw stars flash in front of my eyes and across his beautiful face. I heard Julien call my name and I was vaguely aware I was digging my nails into his back, but I couldn't get my muscles to obey me and release him, so I held him more tightly and rode it out.
Afterwards, our bodies lay entwined, trembling, and I wondered if either of us would have the strength to cover us with a blanket before we fell asleep. I put my arm across his stomach and pressed against him, not wanting to sink into oblivion. I knew it was irrational, but the last time I'd fallen asleep with him; he'd freaked out and run the next morning.
“I'm not going anywhere,” he murmured as he pulled me more tightly against his side. “Not this time. You're stuck with me.”
I kissed his chest. “Stop reading my mind.”
I was still smiling over our unusual connection when I drifted off.
When I woke the next morning, he was gone. My hand went to the place where he'd been and found the sheets still warm. Before I could panic, he spoke, his soft voice coming from behind me.
“You've got to see this.”
I rolled over and saw him standing at his window. I wrapped a sheet around me as I climbed out of bed. He was fortunate that the window was high enough to prevent anyone from seeing that he was naked, but I had to cover myself. As I reached his side, he took a step back and pulled me in front of him, his arms curling around my waist.
I gasped. I didn't need to worry about anyone seeing us in the window; there was no one to see us. The entire city was covered with white. The streets of Fishtown were buried under several feet of snow. It was clean and white, pristine.
“The news is saying everything's shut down for the day,” he said as he kissed the top of my head. “No one's supposed to be out unless it's an emergency.”
“So,” I said slowly, leaning back into his warmth. “What you're saying is, I'm stuck here for who knows how long.”
“Seems like it.” He nuzzled my ear. “Oh, what will we do to pass the time?”
I reached behind me and found my prize already starting to swell. He gasped as I took him in hand. “I can think of a few things.”
We laughed and he nuzzled me, the heat of his breath against my neck. “I can think of dozens.”
As we returned to bed, the laughter shifted and became something equally as joyful. We didn't rush and we didn't second-guess. We had the day and we were going to make the most of it. Tomorrow would come and we'd face whatever it brought, but for right now, we were going to enjoy today.
Chapter 10
As the first day of summer passed, I realized I'd been back in Philadelphia for almost a full year. Sometimes, it seemed like just yesterday that I'd returned for my high school reunion and my life had been turned upside-down. Or should I say, right-side-up. Other times, the memories of those days were so distant that they seemed like they'd happened to someone else. The one thing that never changed was that I was happier now than I'd been since my mom had gotten sick. Things weren't perfect, of course, but life was good.
Julien and I didn't spend much time with the high society types, but we were around enough, along with Anastascia, to keep up on the latest news. News such as the speedy dissolution of Britni and Reed's marriage, and her quick recovery with the heir to the McCord fortune. They announced their engagement at the beginning of June with plans for a spring wedding next year. I wondered if this was another business transaction, especially after Anastascia said she'd seen Britni's fiancé frequenting a couple of gay bars in the city, but I didn't dwell on it. That marriage wasn't my business.
The one aspect of Britni's family that was my business, however, ended up with a neat and tidy resolution. Brock was two months into an eighteen-month sentence for assault and would then be on probation for another three years with mandatory counseling and no alcohol. He probably would've gotten a lot worse if he'd gone to trial, but his victim preferred the plea over having to take the stand. I didn't really blame her. I could understand what she was going through. I would've testified if I'd been called, but I hadn't been looking forward to sharing everything with complete strangers. We'd heard rumors that the Michaels family had settled with the victim in the civil case as well, paying her medical bills on top of
a nice chunk of money. I hoped she would be able to go somewhere new to rebuild her life.
It hadn't been just the Michaels who had kept me and Julien’s relationship from being the headline society news. Reed had left for Europe a week after he and I had talked, and two weeks later, Rebecca had been named head of the marketing department, Reed’s old position. Within three months, she'd messed it up so much that the shareholders had stepped in and forced Rebecca out to save the rest of the company. The Stirlings had been furious, but that had been small compared to what had happened next. Less than a month after Rebecca's humiliating departure from her family's company, she'd been caught in a compromising position with a married man. And not just any married man, but the father of one of her high society friends. From what Anastascia had heard, Rebecca reputation was beyond tarnished. Yeah, karma could be a real bitch.
As for Reed, he was still in Europe. He'd sent me a picture of him in front of the Eiffel Tower back in April and had told me he was doing well. He said he was grateful I'd had the guts to do what he couldn't. Julien had heard that Reed's parents were trying to get him to come back and run the rest of the family business after the Rebecca disaster, but Reed was hardly taking their calls. I was happy to see he was sticking with his decision to be his own man. I really did wish him all the best.
After all, it was thanks to him that I was currently standing backstage in one of Philadelphia's most beautiful theaters, getting ready to take part in my first official production. Granted, it was only the chorus line for a new version of Phantom of the Opera, but it was still a part I'd been personal chosen to play. This wasn't some sort of recital for the dancers from Madam Emilana's. This was a legitimate production, with auditions and casting.
My time at Madam Emilana's was going better than I ever dreamed. I hadn't been able to perform in The Nutcracker thanks to my ankle, but she'd set up a private audition for me with her friend. After getting cast as a chorus girl, I started my individual lessons with her in January. We decided to move away from a ballet focus into more modern styles of dance as I realized where I wanted to go. At her suggestion, I'd begun taking voice and acting lessons with a goal of being on Broadway—not just as a background dancer but as one of the stars. The producer of Phantom had already promised me at least a few auditions for his future shows. After this past week of rehearsals, he'd taken me aside and said he wanted me to try out for a lead in an original piece he was working on.
I took a deep breath and cleared my head. I couldn't afford to be thinking of all that, not when I had a show to perform right here, right now.
The music began and my body took over. I followed the other girls out onto the stage, smiling at the bright lights and the audience I couldn't see. Somewhere in that audience, I knew, was Julien. Anastascia was there too, probably sitting next to my boyfriend chatting about her crush on the young man who played Raoul. I danced for them, the people who'd supported me through everything. I danced for Reed and the kids from the wrong sides of the tracks who would also benefit from the grant he'd set up. I danced for my mom, who'd sacrificed so much but had never gotten to see my dream become real.
By the time intermission came, I knew with absolute certainty that this was what I wanted to do with my life. It had been an idea—a dream—before, but now I knew I wanted it to be a reality. It wouldn't be easy, but I felt certain I could do it, especially with Julien and Anastascia in my corner. When I went back onstage in the second act, it was with a new purpose, to show everyone in the audience what I could do.
After the curtain call, I headed toward the dressing room with the rest of the chorus girls only to be stopped by the producer.
“You were amazing!” he gushed. “Absolutely mesmerizing!”
“Thank you.” My face was flushed with gratitude.
“My understudy for Meg just informed me that she's pregnant.”
Pregnant? I held my breath.
“Her doctor told her that she's high-risk and not allowed to dance.” He handed me a script. “I want you to be the new understudy.”
I stared at him. Meg wasn't a leading role, but she was a supporting character and had a song with the lead. “I-I...” Words failed me.
“I'll take that as a yes and a thank you.”
“Yes!” I blurted out. “And thank you!”
He beamed at me. “Excellent! We'll discuss more details on Monday during rehearsal. Enjoy the rest of your night.”
I was practically walking on air as I made my way through the chaotic backstage, smiling and exchanging compliments as I went. I barely registered a single face until I saw him standing outside the dressing room door.
Julien set the large bouquet of white roses down on a nearby chair as he embraced me, holding me tight.
“You were amazing,” he said. “I couldn’t take my eyes of you.”
His hands slid over the rough lace of my costume, heat blazing through the thin fabric. I shivered.
“Thank you.” I kissed his cheek. “And the roses are beautiful.”
He released me and reached into his pocket. “And they're not your only gift.”
I wasn't sure which I wanted to do first, share my news or open the present. Then I saw the way Julien's eyes were shining and decided the gift would come first. It was a small, flat box without any writing to tell me where it was from. I was still trying to decide if it was earrings or a necklace when I opened and saw it was neither.
A key.
I looked up at him, puzzled. I already had a key to his loft; he'd told me to keep his extra one when he'd asked me to run back to pick up something for a dinner at Anastascia's.
“A key to your loft?”
He picked up the key and showed me the ribbon he had tied through it.
I read the words written on the bit of lace. “'To my heart and our home.'” I stared at the words. “'Our'?”
“I want you to move in with me.” He tucked a few escaping tendrils of hair behind my ear. “I don't like us having to figure out whose place we're going to or thinking about whether or not we're spending the night. I want us to be together all the time. I want a home. With you.”
Tears welled in my eyes and I couldn't speak around the lump in my throat. He looked at me expectantly, wanting an answer I couldn't voice. Sometimes words aren’t necessary and I did the next best thing. I threw my arms around him and pressed my lips against his. The tears spilled over as we kissed and I could taste the salt on my tongue, but it wasn't bitter. These were tears of joy. After years of never knowing where I belonged, I finally had a home. My heart swelled with love and I moved my mouth to his ear.
“Take me home.”
He smiled down at me. “Gladly.”
- The End -
What’s next? Coming in November:
** Casual Encounter **
My wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Instead, my heart was shattered into a million pieces.
When twenty-five year-old Aubree Gamble is left at the altar by her boyfriend of four years, she isn't sure where she's suppose to go from there.
Her friends try to help, suggesting everything from hiring a professional to setting her up on blind dates, telling her she needs a casual encounter to move on, forget all about her past love.
As things are about to go very wrong, a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue and Aubree thinks that he could be the one person who can help heal her broken heart. What she doesn't know is that her handsome hero isn't exactly the white knight she imagines.
Don't miss the first installment in the Casual Encounter series by best selling author M.S. Parker, coming November 10th.
Newsletter: – Click here to get an email as soon as my next book is available.
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FREE BOOK: Don’t forget to check out my other book series, Chasing Perfection and Club Prive, featuring Carrie and Krissy from when they lived in New York City. Right now book 1 of Club Prive is
free at most vendors online. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/clubprive1
Acknowledgement
First, I would like to thank all of my readers. Without you, my books would not exist. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.
A big “thanks” goes out to all my Facebook fans, street team, beta readers, and advanced reviewers. You are a HUGE part of the success of my series.
I have to thank my PA, Shannon Hunt. Without you my life would be a complete and utter mess. Also a big thank you goes out to my editor Lynette and my wonderful cover designer, Sinisa. You make my ideas and writing look so good.
About The Author
M. S. Parker is a USA Today Bestselling author and the author of the Erotic Romance series, Club Privè and Chasing Perfection.
Living in Southern California, she enjoys sitting by the pool with her laptop writing on her next spicy romance.
Growing up all she wanted to be was a dancer, actor or author. So far only the latter has come true but M. S. Parker hasn’t retired her dancing shoes just yet. She is still waiting for the call for her to appear on Dancing With The Stars.
When M. S. isn't writing, she can usually be found reading– oops, scratch that! She is always writing. ☺
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Title Page
Book Description
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Acknowledgement