Criminal Temptation : Enemies to Lovers Romance (Love in Unexpected Places Book 1)

by Ella Arden

  “I’m going in through the front,” I tell him. “Wait at least five minutes before following. I’ll check out the situation and meet you at the bar.”

  I turn to leave, knowing I have to just move before nerves turn my legs to jelly, but Blake catches my arm, his hand a hot brand on my skin.

  “Rose…” He’s looking at me intensely, a dark lock of hair falling across his forehead. “Be careful.”

  My mouth is dry, my stomach quivering. “You too.”

  He lets me go, giving me one last nod before turning back to his car.

  Making my way around the front of the building, I walk right up to the bouncer, ignoring the dirty looks I get from people in line. “I’m with Wilcox.”

  The bouncer immediately steps aside to let me in.

  Inside, the club is sweltering hot, multicolored lights swinging around dizzily and the air shaking with the pulse of the bass. The Black Spade is known for its exceptional DJ, good drinks, and dark corners that hide everything.

  I keep to the edge of the dance floor, scanning the top balconies lazily. Spotting Wilcox’s entourage of bodyguards is easy enough and I slowly climb the stairs to join him.

  “Do you have the goods?” he asks as I approach, never bothering with a greeting.

  I grin at him, trying to keep it from turning into a grimace as I notice the copious amounts of sweat soaking his shirt. “When have I ever let you down?”

  Wilcox snorts, watching greedily as I open my clutch and pull out the jewelry, placing it on the table.

  “Banks will be pleased,” is all he says, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. I’m always sent off until the meeting starts, usually grabbing a drink and preparing myself.

  Making my way back onto the floor, I spot Blake at the bar, looking surprisingly comfortable as he sips a drink and scans the floor. I sit next to him, placing my arms on the bar.

  “Buy me a drink,” I say out of the side of my mouth without looking at him, hoping he can hear me over the music.

  He acts like he just notices me, then leans over, placing a possessive hand on my lower back. “Let me buy you a drink,” he tells me, waving over the bartender.

  I order a beer, noticing his raised eyebrow. “What? I’m a girl of simple pleasures.”

  He chuckles, a low sound that makes my stomach twist hotly. “I have to admit, I’m surprised.”

  I grin at him, taking a sip of my cold beer, lips lingering on the smooth rim. “So…come here often?”

  Tingles shoot down my spine as his hand shifts slightly, resting just above the curve of my ass. “First time actually. But I have a feeling it’s going to be a memorable visit.”

  The playful smirk curling at his lips makes me feel dizzy. For a second, I let myself think that I could fall in love with him.

  “Wilcox has the jewelry,” I tell him quickly, trying to focus on what I’m here for. “Banks is set to arrive anytime. We’re on the top right balcony.”

  Glancing up, I see two of Wilcox’s goons watching me closely from the stairs. Their eyes are glued on me, expressions blank and giving nothing away.

  I lean in, resting a hand on Blake’s firm thigh, feeling him tense up underneath me. “We’re being watched,” I murmur. “Come dance with me.”

  He immediately stands and offers me his hand, pulling me into the surging mass of bodies. The second we find a clear spot, I pull myself close to him, moving to the beat of the music. Wrapping his hands around my waist, he pulls me flush against his solid body.

  “Who’s watching us?” he growls into my ear, fingers digging into me as I move my hips against him.

  I spin around, pulling his hands up to place one on my waist, the other just below my breasts, holding me to him as I tilt my head back to access his neck. “Just Wilcox’s men,” I breathe in his ear. “Two on the far stairwell, in black. Wilcox always keeps eyes on me while I’m here.”

  He twists a hand in my hair, easing my head back further. To anyone around us, it probably looks like he’s kissing my throat. Sweating bodies gyrate around us, the heavy beat of the music pounding in my blood. “He must know you’re prone to running away.”

  Asshole.

  In response, I turn and nip at his neck. His hands tighten around me, pulling me roughly against him as he grinds his obvious erection against my ass. I can’t hold back a moan that thankfully gets swallowed up by all the noise.

  Or, at least, I thought it did.

  “Don’t moan like that,” he rasps, and fuck, I can feel him slowly rubbing his cock against me. “You don’t know what it does to me.”

  “I think I have an idea.” I wiggle my hips, feeling a smirk settle on my face.

  Without warning, he spins me back around to face him, his eyes black in the low lighting.

  “You need to stop,” he growls lowly, breath ghosting over my ear and I bite my lip to hold back another moan. I can’t help it. He’s so sexy and the tension between us has been driving me crazy. I’ve never had anything like it before, the electric connection I feel to him. It makes me ignore all the warning signals firing in my brain.

  I grab onto his firm shoulders, stand on my tiptoes, and pressed my lips against his neck, sucking hotly at the skin there. He groans, throat vibrating under my mouth as I lick a wet stripe up to his ear.

  His hands gripped the back of my bare thighs, fingers pressing tightly enough to leave marks.

  “I want you,” Blake growls. “Have since I first saw you.”

  His admission sets me ablaze. I’m terrified of how much I’m feeling. It’s more than just attraction, more than just lust. I want him inside me, I want him to fuck me, then I want to kiss him for hours and learn all there is to know about him. I want to go home with him and never leave.

  Right this second though, I just want him to touch me.

  His eyes take on a knowing gleam as one palm flattens against my skin, sliding around my front and slipping beneath the hem of my dress. My breath catches and my legs separate slightly.

  A single, thick finger presses against my center through my underwear and I can’t help but shudder. Blake’s lips part he looks at me.Then he moves his finger slightly, rubbing at the wet, lacy fabric, a hungry look on his face.

  He circles my clit slowly and I let out a stuttering breath, my hands still on his shoulders as I lean into him. My nipples are tight and aching, straining against the front of my dress.

  “Yes,” I moan into his shoulder, knowing he won’t be able to make out the muffled sound. But he does understand my hips rocking against his hand, urging him on with my body. Finally, finally, he’s touching me like I want.

  The slow circles speed up, tight, quick movements that have me shaking under him. His breath is hot against my bare skin, his hard cock pressing into the softness of my stomach. His finger slides under the edge of my panties, parting my slick center with one swift movement.

  I lean back, needing to see his face, to tell him to take me off the dance floor and into one of those dark corners. But a flicker of movement on the balcony catches my eye and I freeze.

  The buyer, Banks—unmistakable by his flaming ginger hair and sleek black suit—is pacing down the length of the balcony, scanning the crowd with a displeased expression on his face. I know that he’s looking for me.

  I grab Blake’s wrist tightly, and he immediately pulls his hand away from my underwear. The need to explain rises in me, but I don’t have time. I have a job to do, something I’d let myself forget for a minute.

  “I have to go,” I say loudly, straightening my dress. “The buyer is the redhead, my seller the heavyset man. Don’t get me killed.”

  I made myself stride away before he could respond, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder at him. If I look into his eyes, I might not be able to go.

  Up on the balcony, I join Wilcox at his table, plastering a cool, unconcerned look on my face. He opens his mouth, no doubt to berate me, but Banks comes around the corner, eyes zeroed in on me.

  “
Who was that man?” he asks immediately, his voice deceptively soft. “The one you were dancing with.”

  Shit. I arch an eyebrow, aiming for a bored tone as I reply. “Just some guy who bought me a drink. A little too handsy for my liking.”

  His narrowed eyes stay on me just long enough that the little hairs on the back of my neck prickle, before he finally turns away.

  “Be more careful next time. I don’t like other people touching my things.”

  The warning and possessive tone in his voice is unmistakable. I bow my head submissively as I resist the urge to pick up a glass off the table and smash it into his face. I feel a surge of gratitude when I think of Blake and his plan. I really don’t know how much longer I could have kept this up.

  Banks settles into his seat, dark leather creaking beneath him. “Well, what did you bring me this time?”

  Wilcox slides the jewelry across the table, sitting back to watch as our buyer picks it up with greedy fingers, studying each piece one at a time.

  It takes all of my concentration to not look around and see if I can spot Blake watching the meeting. All he needs is to see the exchange of goods and money, and I mentally will Banks to move a little quicker.

  On cue, he sets them down with a sigh of satisfaction. “Exquisite, as always. Where did you find this girl, Wilcox?”

  My seller waves his hand in a dismissive manner. “I just heard talk of her and knew she was interested in work. Her record is impeccable.”

  Banks makes a thoughtful sound, turning to me. His eyes are unblinking, expression giving nothing away, a snake poised to strike. “Interesting, considering that I’ve never heard your name before.”

  I match his gaze, my fingers digging into the side of her chair. “I prefer to keep a low profile until it suits me not to. Keeps unwanted attention away from me.”

  He gives me a slimy smile before turning back to Wilcox. “I’ll take them all and I’ll pay a ten percent bonus if you give me your thief for the night.”

  Both men turn to look at me.

  “I’m not for sale,” I try to say calmly.

  “Done,” Wilcox says at the same time.

  I watch in disbelief as Banks passes over an envelope of money, then pulls out his wallet to withdraw another stack. He slips the jewelry into his jacket then stands.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I tell him, shaking in my seat. “Wilcox doesn’t own me.”

  Wilcox glowers at me from across the table but Banks just smiles, looking completely unconcerned with my refusal.

  “You have two options; you can allow me to escort you to my car and we can interact like civilized people. Or, I can summon my guards from outside and have them force you out of here at gunpoint and lock you in the truck. The choice is yours.”

  Where the fuck is Blake?

  I don’t have a choice so I stand on unsteady legs and join him. The smile he gives me makes my skin crawl.

  “A pleasure doing business with you, as always,” he tells Wilcox.

  My blood is pounding in my ears as he leads me down the stairs and to the hallway that goes to the rear entrance. Why hasn’t Blake come yet? What if Banks got me in his car?

  No. I’ll fight before I go anywhere with him.

  I see a bar leaning by the back door, probably for when they close it up at night, and get ready to grab it. If I hit him hard enough, I should be able to—

  Out of nowhere, Banks is tackled from behind.

  I jolt back in surprise, a scream catching in my throat when I see it’s Blake. He’s taller and broader than Banks and with a few well aimed punches, Blake has him out cold and handcuffed.

  “Are you okay?” he demands, eyes devouring me.

  I nod, my heart still racing. “He has some guards outside, and they’ve probably got guns.”

  “My team already showed up and grabbed them. Wilcox should be in cuffs by now too.”

  Team? I didn’t know anyone else would be here. Apparently, Blake hadn’t trusted me enough to tell me.

  I try not to let that hurt.

  The back door opens and a cop comes in once he sees the handcuffed Banks on the floor. He talks to Blake quietly for a minute, then calls for another officer to help him haul Banks to their cruiser.

  Blake turns back to me and I’m inexplicably nervous. This is all over now, the man who holds the key to Peter’s freedom is going to be behind bars, and I can go home. But…

  “You’re free to go now,” Blake tells me, face unreadable. “As I promised, your record will be wiped clean but if I hear anything about you breaking into anymore places, I’ll find you.”

  He makes it sound like he wants me to leave but I don’t move.

  “That’s it?”

  “What do you mean?”

  I swallow heavily. “I mean…after all this, you aren’t even going to escort me home?”

  Our eyes meet and I know I’m an idiot. I’ve already caught feelings, I can tell from the way my heart is pounding and my whole body is hot. I should just cut things off now. Less pain and less regret that way.

  He nods slowly. “The guys can handle it from here, I guess. Let me give you a ride home.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  BLAKE

  This is a really bad idea. I know it, and yet I still follow Rose up to her apartment.

  She closes the door softly behind me and leans against it, her brown eyes so wide and her chest flushed.

  “Thank you for the escort, Detective.” She steps closer.

  Fucking hell, what am I doing? How did I let her get under my skin and into my heart like this? I’m such an idiot.

  But I have to touch her. Everything in me wants to make her mine.

  “You said you wanted me,” she says. “Is that still true?”

  She has no idea. But she’s about to find out.

  I close the distance between us and take her into my arms, kissing her before she can do more than gasp.

  Her mouth is hot, her lips soft and sweet, and I never want to stop kissing her.

  Her hands fist in my shirt to pull me closer and she’s moaning into me, opening her mouth so I can fully taste her. The slick slide of her tongue against mine makes my cock impossibly harder.

  I kiss her with the weeks worth of frustration I’ve got built up inside of me, weeks of chasing her around while she just gave me glimpses of her pink smirk and tight skirts. Weeks of teasing, and these last few days of torture once I finally had her in my grasp.

  Rose gives as good as she gets though, fighting against every plunge of my tongue into her sweet mouth with her own licks, trembling against me as she whimpers, fingers twisting in my shirt to press against me as tightly as she can.

  This woman was made for me. I know it.

  I press her back against the door and get my hand back under her little black dress, wasting no time shoving her underwear to the side. Her wet heat welcomes me back, slick beneath my fingers.

  “You’re so wet for me,” I groan, in disbelief that this goddess of a woman wants me.

  She leans her head back against the door, thrusting her hips against my hand. “Deduce that one all by yourself, Detective?” she teases breathlessly.

  I can’t help but let out a laugh. Where has she been all my life?

  Her moans fill my apartment as I slide one finger into her, then another. She’s so wet and tight, and so responsive. I have to taste her.

  I drop to my knees and she whimpers when I lift one of her legs over my shoulder. Her pussy is pink and wet and perfect and I want her to orgasm around my tongue. I’ve been thinking about how she tastes for days and now I’ll get to find out.

  I lean in and lick the length of her wetness with one flat, broad stroke of my tongue.

  Rose cries out and grabs a handful of my hair, panting my name. “Blake, god, Blake, don’t stop, please—”

  I pull her closer, fingers pressing into the soft, smooth flesh of her thighs. She tastes so sweet on my tongue and still so tight when I press
two fingers back into her slick entrance. Her back arches and she rolls her hips forward to take my digits deeper as I suck at her clit.

  It’s less than a minute before she lets out a string of curses, filthy words falling beautifully from her lips as she comes undone around me. I don’t let up, curling my fingers to brush the sweet spot and ravaging her clit with my mouth as she tightens and shakes.

  I can only imagine how good she’ll feel orgasming around my cock.

  When she’s nearly limp above me, I stand and pull her into my arms. The bedroom is just down the hall and I don’t want to take her against the door. She deserves better than that.

  “That was amazing,” she tells me between kisses, her hands going to the buttons of my shirt. “I want you inside of me.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  We’re naked by the time I get her to my bed and I nearly stop breathing at the sight of her. Her soft curves and long legs, her perky tits topped with hard, pink nipples, and the wetness between her thighs make me want to worship her.

  I settle on palming her satin soft tits, taking one of her nipples in my mouth. She moans in approval as I lick and suck at her skin and a second later, I feel her hand around my erect cock.

  Fuck, she's going to make me come with just a few timid strokes if she isn’t careful.

  When she smears the bead of precome around the sensitive head of my dick, all of my breath leaves my body. “Fuck, Rose—” I manage to get out, her hand so hot around me. “I need to be inside of you.”

  She gives me her signature smirk. “What are you waiting for?”

  “I don’t know if I have a—”

  She cuts me off with a scorching kiss. “I’m clean. I want to feel all of you. I want you to come inside of me.”

  She’s going to be the death of me.

  I line my cock up, part her folds, and push into her slowly, one hot, wet, tight inch at a time. She takes me so well, lifting her hips slightly and moaning loudly as I fill her, no sign of discomfort on her face.