The bar slowly fills. Once the lights dim and a fire siren sounds, apparently announcing the star DJ, I stand and signal to pay our tab.
“Dude, you want to leave now? Things are just starting to heat up.”
A glance at my watch reveals it’s past ten thirty.
“Yup, it’s been a long week. I’m heading out.”
Wherever Heather went, she probably won’t be home for several hours. Would it be lame if I sat in her lobby and read ‘til she got home? Yes, it would look pathetic.
The smell of her skin is enough to drive me wild. I’d wait all night to wrap myself around her and hold her close.
“Hey,” Marcus says, breaking into my pussy-whipped musings. “Isn’t that Heather out there on the dance floor?”
My head darts around and I strain my eyes through the strobe-light punctuated dimness. Damn, I can hardly see a thing. I swear it was brighter just ten minutes ago. “Where?”
“Isn’t that her in the black pants dancing with the guy in the blue shirt?”
I step past Marcus, closer to the dance floor for a better view. Sure enough, there’s my Heather, dancing with a seductive hip-gyrating move against some guy.
My blood boils as the man rests a hand on her slim, leather clad hip. Leather? Since when does Heather wear leather?
“Damn, she’s looking hot. Did you know she was going to be here tonight?”
I shoot a murderous look at my co-worker. “No, jackass. If I did I wouldn’t have been sitting here with you this whole time.”
Marcus drapes a hand over his wounded heart. “Thanks, asshole. Nice to know where I stand with you.”
I smirk his way and flash him the bird. “She’s a gorgeous woman. You’re a guy. Do the math.”
Marcus nudges me as her dancing partner rests a second hand on her hips, slowly drawing her closer to the front of his pants. “Think you might want to cut in before he’s buying her breakfast.”
Unwilling to respond and show my intense anger over a man touching her, I keep my mouth shut and move toward the dance floor.
Heather disengages the man’s hands from her hips and steps back on her own. Good girl. I won’t have to castrate him. She smiles the beguiling half- smile that I love and wags a finger at him in admonishment. Her dance partner raises his hands in mock surrender and smiles back at her, as if to show he’s harmless.
Harmless, my ass. I know his kind. Hell, I started out being his kind over six years ago. Dancing my way between the legs of any able bodied woman who’d have me.
Heather turns back to her friends and the man moves on to another woman, appearing to give my girlfriend space for the moment.
Girlfriend? Do I even have the right to call her that? In my mind she’s so much more. In my heart she’s what I’ve been looking for…but in my head I’m painfully aware we haven’t been together all that long. Technically, she could hook up with someone and I’d have no reason to get mad.
No reason? How about the fact you’re sleeping with her? Isn’t that reason enough?
Determined to shut up the slightly-buzzed troublemaker in my head, I step onto the dance floor, eyeing my prey. I weave carefully through the gyrating bodies, ignoring the grasping hands of scantily clad women as I move toward Heather. Finally, I’m standing behind her, staring in disbelief at the sight of her tight little ass encased in leather.
Holy shit, she’s fucking hot. I think I see leather straps crisscrossing her bare skin below the hem of her short jacket. Her friend, Carla, catches sight of me first. Her eyes pop wide and I put a finger over my lips in the hopes of quieting her. She nods, a devilish grin spreading across her face before she turns away.
I step close and fit myself along Heather’s firm backside, snuggling her pert ass against the front of my pants. She’s wearing the red heels I bought her and it lines up her bottom with my cock perfectly. She stiffens and steps a few inches away. I slide one hand over her hip and dip two fingers into the front pocket of her leather pants.
“What the…?” she trails off when she looks back and sees it’s me behind her.
“Hello, beautiful. Fancy meeting you here.”
“Tony!” She pulls away my hand and turns to face me, a smile on her upturned mouth. “What are you doing here?”
I gesture to my suit. “Worked late, had dinner out, then drinks here—Marcus said there was some special DJ event going on.” I look around the packed dance floor. “Guess this is it.”
She snuggles close, wraps her arms around my neck and leans in to speak in my ear. “I’m here with friends. It’s supposed to be a ‘no guys’ night.”
I snort and run my hands down to cup her ass and pull her toward my stiffening cock. “Yeah, and that guy I saw you dancing with doesn’t count?”
Heat burns in her eyes when she feels my growing erection. “Are you jealous, Tony?”
In all fairness, she did rebuff the guy on her own, and I have no reason to be jealous. But I am. I have to fight the overwhelming desire to haul him outside and pound his face into the brick. “Maybe a little,” I admit.
She circles her hips to the current blasting song, driving all pretense of dancing right out of my head. The tightness in my groin feels exquisite. If I could claim her here in front of all these people, I would. Instead, I lean in and nibble on her ear. “What you do to me, woman. You’re driving me crazy. You know that don’t you?”
A surprised expression crosses her features. “No more than you do to me, mister,” she hides her reaction with a confident smirk, but I saw it nonetheless.
In a sudden flash of clarity, I realize she needs this. For whatever reason, this glorious woman needs this night out to feel good about herself and to feel desired. The world may not see the confidant woman I experience in private, but she’s in there. Fighting her personal demons to emerge whole.
“It’s hot in here,” I say in a flash of inspiration, reaching for the lapels of her tiny black jacket, determined to let this glorious bird fly. “Let me hold this for you.”
“No, I…,” she trails off as I slip the coat from her shoulders, revealing her pale skin. Once the black fabric skims down her arms, the full beauty of her sexy top comes into view.
“You look stunning.” I let desire shine in my eyes.
The cockiness I’ve grown to love sparks to life and she steps back, thrusting one hip. “Wait ‘til you see the back.” She executes a one-eighty, pulling her black tousled curls over one shoulder to give me the full effect. Wide bands of leather cinch her waist and draw my eye to the big bow in the middle of her back.
My fingers itch to run over her curves and grasp her hips tightly. A muscle jumps in my cheek and I feel an answering pull in my aching cock.
In a flash, she turns again, tossing her hair back to cascade down her spine. “Close your mouth, Tony. You might catch flies.”
I shut my mouth, damned if she wasn’t right. I was gapping like a slack-jawed local. Passion burns in my gut like a low-fuse bomb. My hand reaches out to grab her, the dancers around us and the pounding music fading into oblivion. Nothing matters but drawing her to me and locking my lips over hers.
She squeaks in delight at whatever she sees on my face, and after a teasing moment succumbs to desire and folds into my embrace. I grind my mouth down on hers, uncaring if I’m creating a scene in the middle of the dance floor. This woman is mine and I want the world to know it.
She pulls back, breaking off our kiss before I can deepen it further. She bites her lower lip, a war of emotions playing across her features. “Can you wait ‘til later? I don’t want to blow off my friends.”
A primal urge inside me wants to scream, but the rational part of my brain still functions. The buzz of alcohol sings through my body and an hour of letting it calm down might be for the best. I clench my jaw tightly and nod, fighting the instinctual urge to drag her out of this meat market by her arm.
“I’ll grab a table over there.” I nod my head to indicate a vacant table within view of
the dance floor.
She smiles, a shy, beautiful little grin, as if she’s pleased I plan on sticking around. As I make my way off the floor, I spot Mr. Grabby Hands. He noticed our interaction and glares at me. He breaks his gaze first and scans the crowd for new prey.
Message received. He should leave Heather alone the rest of the night.
I signal for a waitress and order water. She nods and scurries off. The location I picked offers a terrific view of Heather and her friends, allowing me to spot any troublemakers before they approach. Apparently the glower I have on my face is enough to do the trick because the women are left to dance in peace for quite a while.
Eventually Marcus makes his way to me. Rat bastard. I’d hoped he left. He silently saddles up to my left and checks out the dancers on the packed floor.
My water arrives and the waitress perks up when I hand her a ten-dollar tip for the free water.
“Can I get you anything, sir?” she asks Marcus.
“Jack on the rocks.”
I raise an eyebrow at his choice of drink. The waitress leaves. “Going for the hard stuff?”
“I’m trying to shock my system into figuring out what the fuck is going on.”
I stiffen, not sure I want this conversation to continue. I don’t respond, hoping he’ll let my actions on the dance floor lie.
“You really like this one, don’t you?”
Dammit. I knew the arrogant prick couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
Tension tightens my jaw and I bite out my next words. “What of it?”
“If you hadn’t been removed from the buyout I’d have recommended you recuse yourself. If you’re seriously involved with her, it’s a major conflict of interest.”
I should have known. Always comes back to the almighty dollar with him, no matter how you cut it.
A new man approaches Heather. Smooth Latin looks and gyrating hips that make him look like he’s a professional dancer. My stomach clenches and I take a gulp of water to calm it.
Bad idea. I feel like yakking it back up. I set the glass aside.
Marcus waves a hand in front of my face, temporarily breaking the death ray I was shooting at the Latin guy.
I look at my colleague, annoyance coloring my face. “There’s more to life than work, man. Leave me alone.”
The Latin guy gravitates between Heather and Katrina and tension eases out of my gut.
“Holy shit! Do you hear yourself? You’re ready to mess up the career you’ve built over a piece of ass?”
Red clouds my vision and my fists clench at my sides. “One deal is not my whole career, and Heather is not a piece of ass. You call her that again and I’ll put my fist through your pretty dental work.”
“Look at yourself! You’re ready to rip apart any man who approaches her. She’s dancing in a nightclub, for Christ’s sake. Men are going to want to dance with her.”
Logically, I know he’s right. And I thought I had it covered, but when Heather breaks from her friends and weaves through the crowd, away from me, panic forms in my chest. By the looks of it, she’s heading to the bathroom, but the number of male heads that turn to watch her progression has me fearing for her safety.
Without a word to Marcus, I leave, angling around the dance floor to intercept her. My progress is hindered by a large group clustered around a table, forcing me to detour deeper into the bar to make my way around. By the time I get to the hallway leading to the restrooms, she’s gone.
I notice the Latin guy standing near a band poster, pretending to be absorbed in reading it. Asshole. What am I, stupid? I bet he’s waiting to talk to her when she emerges.
Not to be outdone by some smooth talking barfly, I advance down the hall and wait for her outside the ladies room. I’m perfectly aware my behavior is abnormal for me. I’m not going to stand here like some girly chick and analyze it. I’m accepting that I want to haul Heather out of here by her hair, and do my best to resist it.
In a few minutes she pulls open the door and steps into the hall. “Tony?”
Without thinking, I grab her and pin her to the wall, covering her smaller frame with my broader one. Softly I run a hand down her arm to twine my fingers with hers. I press forward with my hips and a small gasp escapes her.
“Do you have any idea what watching you dance is doing to me?”
She shakes her head slightly and stares into my eyes. I lean in and capture her mouth, branding her with my heat through our lips. My erection springs back to full mast and I hear a roaring in my ears as the blood pumps to my groin.
I pour my pent up frustrations into the kiss, silently pleading with her to understand how twisted up inside I feel. My left hand slides through her hair and fists, releasing some of the passion coiling in my muscles with action. The tug on her skull surprises her and her mouth opens to comment. Whatever she was about to say is locked inside as I tug harder, lifting her chin.
The exposed flesh of her neck calls to me and I assault the dewy skin with a shower of kisses, growing firmer and longer with each one as I progress.
She moans and her hips thrust off the wall to meet mine. I make my way up to her ear, nibbling her earlobe for a moment before I speak. “I want the world to know you’re mine. I want every man out there to know you’re taken.”
A gasp of surprise sounds from her. “But—”
“No buts.” I kiss her again, this time with more tenderness as I release the punishing grip on her hair. “And you know what else I really want to do right now?”
“What?” Desire makes her voice tremble.
“I want to tell you to get down on your knees.”
Chapter Seventeen
Heather
My heart pounds, feeling like it’s ready to rip its way past my ribs and fall onto the floor. The look on Tony’s face is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. Barely-leashed desire wars for dominance over the cool, collected man dressed in a suit.
The idea that I’m the one who’s wound him up feels like a jolt of the most powerful drug through my system.
“Do you now?” I hear myself say, in a soft sexual purr. “And what would I be doing on my knees?” I take my free hand and run it down his stomach, dipping lower to cup his engorged length through his slacks. “Would you be spanking me or commanding me to take you in my mouth?”
A shudder runs through his muscular frame and I feel giddy. Giddy with the power of my sexuality.
A harsh breath pushes out of him, fanning my cheek. “I’d have you start with your mouth.”
Even though he’s pleasured me many times with his mouth, I haven’t had a chance to return the favor. Anticipation pumps through my veins at the thought of teasing him beyond what he can handle.
I stroke his cock and whisper back, “I’d like that.” His shaft lurches in his pants.
Why am I still in this bar? I’ve spent most of the night with Carla and she’s here with other friends. Would I be a total bitch if I bailed? I don’t think so. Decision made, I push away from the wall, moving Tony at the same time.
“Let’s get out of here.”
The heat and painful longing in his expression is all the response I need. He manages a nod and we weave through the crowd to the dance floor, hand in hand. I wave to get Carla’s attention. After a few tries she spots me with Tony. I motion that we’re leaving and she gives me a thumbs up.
A smile creases my face as we turn to leave. I’m relieved Carla isn’t pissed and ecstatic to have a revved-up Tony. The sheer animal magnetism pouring off him is a heady experience. I’ll be lucky not to pull him into an alleyway on the way home and ravish him on the spot.
As fortune would have it, a cab stands outside, the previous passenger still leaning in the window to pay. Tony snags it when the man finishes and we head to his place since it’s closer.
Unlike where I live, his building borders Central Park. The elaborate foyer and impeccably dressed employees make this place more like a hotel than an apartment building.
Tony
sees my face and says, “It’s not my unit. It belongs to Apollo. Nice, eh?”
I walk across the polished marble, inset with an intricate design in the center of the room, and mutter, “The understatement of the year.”
We ride to his floor, Tony restlessly shifting his weight from side to side the entire time. I try to smother a smile, not wanting him to think I’m amused at his heightened passion.
One warm palm slides down to cup my bottom, caressing the curve accentuated by the leather. His inquisitive fingers trace the middle seam down, until he’s pressing against my heated core. My breathing changes and soon the smile is wiped right off my smug face.
I jump when the door dings open, now just as eager as Tony to get inside. He fumbles with the keys and finally opens the door. The lights click on and I get the vague impression of a large space with an open floor plan done in neutral tones. Before I have a chance to see more, the door slams and I hear the rasp of a zipper behind me.
Tony stands fully dressed, leaning against the wall, with his thick shaft cradled in one hand. “Heather, are you ready to get down on your knees?”
His voice sounds strained and commanding at the same time.
I comply, sinking to the polished marble foyer at his feet. Heat flares to life in my middle, surprising me that I’m enjoying him in control as much as when I was. I toss my hair back over both shoulders and coyly look up at him through thick lashes. “What would you like me to do?”
Last night was incredible. I teased Tony to the point of no return, right next to the front door. His orgasm was so explosive, he called out my name and yelled, a rough and guttural sound that sent shivers down my spine.
We spent the rest of the night making love as if we’d been separated for a year. Tony whispered to me before he fell asleep, mumbling about how he wanted no doubt left in my mind that I was his. He also wrung a promise out of me in mid-coitus—a promise to see him every night during this merger, no matter how late I worked.
Vanilla On Top Page 16