Where I Need To Be

by Jamie Hollins

  The man tapped quickly on the keyboard in front of him. “And you must be Ms. McKenna?”

  “Yes.” Heat crept into her cheeks.

  That’s right. My name is McKenna, and his name is Foley. We’re not married. We’re just sleeping together.

  There was no reason for her to feel guilty about meeting a man in a hotel, but for some reason, she did. There were a million different reasons she could be staying in a room with a man who didn’t share her last name. The man behind the desk, who smiled so politely as he checked her in, probably saw thousands of similar situations.

  She frowned when an unsettling thought popped into her head. How many times had Niall made a hotel reservation with a woman who didn’t share his last name?

  She raised her eyes and met the unassuming gaze of the man across the desk.

  God, what if this man thinks I’m staying here to have an affair?

  Before she could do something stupid like profess her innocence, he held out her room keys. “Do you need assistance with your bags, Ms. McKenna?”

  “Ah, no thank you.”

  It’s just one bag. For one night. So I can have sex with a man who isn’t married. And neither am I, by the way!

  Her paranoia was on the tip of her tongue, ready to spill from her lips like a faucet. She managed to take a deep breath and smiled instead.

  She hurried to the elevators and hit the button. The doors immediately opened, and she stepped inside, stabbing the button for the eleventh floor. Up and up she went quietly staring at her reflection in the shiny doors of the empty elevator. Once she arrived at her floor, she stepped out into the well-lit hallway and followed the enormously long carpet runner all the way to the end. She double-checked the room number the front desk attendant had noted and looked back at the door in front of her.

  James had reserved a corner unit. It was more than likely a junior suite. Maybe even club level.

  Unlocking the door and pushing inside, her mouth dropped open. She walked the length of the gorgeous room. Tall windows lined two walls, overlooking the bustling city streets below. A massive king-size bed adorned one wall, and a stunning bathroom with granite countertops, a deep soaking tub, and a large walk-in shower was nestled in the corner. A perfectly appointed sitting area was situated next to the far wall of windows.

  Megan ran her fingers over the plush comforter. This room must be at least six hundred dollars a night. It was absolutely gorgeous, but she would have been just as happy with a standard room.

  Suddenly, she didn’t care so much about what other people thought or possible judgements that they might have. She was a grown woman, and she wasn’t doing anything wrong by spending the night with a man who just so happened to make her insides turn to goo with one sexy smile. He’d gone to a lot of trouble and expense to make her happy and to ensure that they’d have a lovely evening, so the least she could do was stop worrying.

  After taking her coat off and setting her overnight bag on the desk chair, she looked out over the Chicago cityscape. Everyone was in a hurry, people crossing the street, cars jockeying for position. She looked across to the next block and saw people still in their offices, their lights blazing in the darkening night.

  Downtown used to be her playground. Even though she’d lived in the suburbs, she’d come downtown a few times a week for some function or another. She’d rarely stayed in their penthouse suite that was less than a mile away from where she stood. Megan had much preferred the peace and quiet of their house in Kenilworth.

  The city still looked the same, but it felt foreign somehow. Like it knew she didn’t belong here anymore. She didn’t miss it. It now felt too busy for her, like a live wire she didn’t want to touch.

  Only three hours before their dinner reservation. She had no idea where James planned to take her, but she could use a shower since she’d taken the cab straight from work to the hotel.

  Digging out a pair of black panties and bra from her overnight bag and laying out a simple black dress, she decided that she was long overdue for a bath. Baths were a luxury she hadn’t indulged in in quite some time.

  While Megan filled the tub, she put her make-up bag on the bathroom counter. She pulled her hair up into a high bun and undressed. The water was hot against her chilled skin, but she didn’t mind at all. Slowly, she lowered herself into the tub until the water reached just underneath her collarbone.

  Blissful.

  She ran her hands down her thighs and over her knees, pulling them back into her chest. She sat there for a moment, letting her body adjust to the scalding temperature of the water. Her skin flushed pink, and sweat started to bead on her forehead. She leaned back against the edge of the tub, stretching out her legs and letting her arms go limp.

  She wasn’t sure if she’d dozed off or if the bath had just been so heavenly that time moved faster than usual, but when she glanced at her cell phone on the side of the tub, she immediately sat forward, sending water sloshing back and forth.

  It was half past six!

  Megan jumped out of the soaking tub and quickly dried herself with one of the oversized plush towels. She had intended to wash her hair, but there was no time for that now.

  After quickly washing her face, she slipped on her bra and panties. The dainty set was one she’d always liked. The soft lace made her feel feminine and delicate, while the dark hue always made her think she carried a sexy little secret around with her underneath her clothing.

  She needed to put on some makeup but decided to get into her dress first before James arrived. After hanging the towel back up on the drying rack, she threw on the white robe that hung next to the shower. She slid the opaque glass bathroom door open and padded down the short hallway lined with windows.

  When she rounded the corner, she halted with a gasp. James sat on the end of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. His head was turned in her direction as he took her in with those penetrating dark eyes. The warm, dim lighting of the room made the strong lines of his face look razor-sharp. His hair had been trimmed since she’d seen him last, short on the sides and longer on top.

  As he rose to his full height, his gaze remained steady on her. Dressed in gray trousers and a white buttoned shirt, he’d never looked so exquisite. The man could wear a suit, or at least half of one. Instead of a tie, he left his top two buttons undone, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to mid-forearm.

  Megan realized she was staring with her mouth open.

  James looked tall and masculine, in every sense of the word. He’d recently shaved the stubble from his square jaw, making his dark hair and dark eyes stand out even more than they already had. He was dangerously handsome, and the intense expression on his face made her knees shake with anticipation of what was to come.

  She then remembered she was standing in a huge, puffy robe with her hair pulled up in a messy knot on top of her head, and she had no makeup on.

  Shit.

  He sauntered forward, stopping directly in front of her. His dark-chocolate eyes studied her face, roamed down her neck, skimmed her chest, and locked onto the cloth belt fastened around her waist.

  With one hand, he tugged on the end of the belt. The robe fell open, revealing her bare skin and black lace. Megan was silent. She watched his face as he perused her body and listened to her heartbeat roaring in her ears.

  Tilting his head to the side, he gently pushed the robe off her shoulders. The heavy fabric fell to the floor with a rustling whoosh. Still, she said nothing as his eyes traced down every curve of her torso and every inch of her legs. Scanning back up her body, they halted on her face. He reached forward and gently pulled the hair tie from her hair. The strands fell around her shoulders and down her back, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin.

  James slowly stepped away from her and pulled the drapes shut. Her body was vibrating with excitement, and when he came back to stand in front of her, she nearly whimpered. So far he’d only been looking, and she needed him to start touching. She desperatel
y needed to feel his hands on her skin, but she resisted the urge to reach for him.

  His quiet chuckle shattered the silence in the room. Running his finger along the thin waistband of her lace panties, he said, “I must be the goddamn luckiest man on earth.”

  His voice was low and hoarse, like it took some effort for him to speak. Megan knew the feeling. She closed her eyes as she felt the scorching trail left behind by his fingers. The slight touch over the fine hair on her lower abdomen made her shiver.

  Instinctively, she tried to press into him. He gripped her hips and started walking her backwards.

  Opening her eyes, she sucked in a breath when she saw the intensity in his gaze. It held her hostage, and she couldn’t look away. When her back came up against the wall, she mewed in relief as their bodies finally met.

  His lips came down hard on hers, swallowing a moan she couldn’t hold in. His mouth was firm and hungry. His kiss hard and demanding. He tasted cold and hot at the same time, like spearmint. His callused hands gripped her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He sucked hard on her lower lip and she whimpered, loving the fiery tingles radiating inside of her.

  He released her lip and pressed his tongue against the underside of her jaw. He followed the soft lick with a sharp bite.

  “Sweetheart, we’re gonna miss our reservation,” he growled, licking and biting down her neck. “We’ll order room service later.”

  Megan nodded absently, closing her eyes as she concentrated on the feel of his hot mouth against the skin at her collarbone. At that moment, the only thing she was hungry for was him.

  James hooked his fingers in the sides of her panties and pulled them down her thighs. She stepped out of them as she watched him sink to his knees. The flutter in her stomach almost paralyzed her. She knew where this was going, and she had no intentions of stopping it.

  It had been a really long time since she’d done this. Niall had hated oral sex, or at least the giving part. But the few times they’d tried it early on in their relationship, she’d loved it—both receiving and giving.

  She released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as he ran his rough hands up the backs of her legs. He peeked up her nearly naked body and locked eyes with her. Applying pressure behind one knee, he hooked her leg over his shoulder. She was breathing so hard she should have been worried about hyperventilating.

  The fierce hunger in his gaze as he opened her with his thumbs made her heart stop. But before she could react, his mouth was on her. His tongue licked along the opening of her folds.

  Megan let her head fall against the wall as her eyes rolled back. His tongue pushed against her, hot and wet. And when he latched his mouth onto her sensitive bundle of nerves, her hands flattened against the wall, grasping for something to hang on to. She heard him growl as she settled her fingers in his short hair.

  He licked and sucked; he plunged his tongue inside of her, tasting her arousal. She was barely staying upright on one leg, and it was all she could do to hang on.

  “James,” she whispered breathlessly, rocking her hips against his mouth.

  She wanted more, she wanted less. She wanted him to suck harder and plunge deeper, yet her body trembled from the contact.

  She didn’t dare look down, to watch him as he feasted on her. To watch as he licked and lapped at the most sensitive and private part of her. She didn’t dare because watching him would be enough to send her over the edge, and she never wanted this to end.

  “Goddamn, you taste good,” he groaned against her.

  A swirling cloud was starting to churn in her head. A spark glowed brighter and brighter at the base of her spine with every sweep of his tongue or brush of his teeth. Megan moaned without thought. She said unintelligible things that she would have no recollection of later. Yet her body rocked and arched into his touch, needing more.

  But when he closed his mouth on her clit again, the ember smoldering inside of her caught flame. Her orgasm rocketed through her nerves like an explosion. Her breathless cry rang in her ears as she felt her legs convulse.

  Wave after wave pushed against her as James slowed his devastating attentions. She vaguely felt his hands slide up over her hips and then she was weightless in his arms. The cold, soft duvet pressed against her backside as a warm, heavy weight covered her.

  James stroked her cheek until her breathing evened out. When she finally opened her eyes, he was watching her with silent satisfaction, his face just inches away.

  Although her body felt boneless and weak, she was nowhere close to satisfied. He’d just coaxed the most amazing orgasm from her, and she wanted more.

  She gently rubbed her hand across his hard chest, up over his shoulder to the back of his head. And when she pulled him down to her, he didn’t resist. She could taste herself on his lips, and as he moved his tongue against hers, she could still feel phantom kisses between her thighs.

  Patiently at first, Megan started to unbutton his shirt. He lifted slightly to pull it off his shoulders, followed immediately by his white undershirt. More urgently now, her hands went to the waistband of his dress pants, and she undid the clasp. He raised his hips, and she helped him push his trousers down, taking his boxer briefs with them.

  When his body returned to hers, she shuddered from the heat. His erection prodded against her upper thigh, an urgent reminder of her emptiness. He was warm and smooth and so hard, and she immediately opened to cradle him between her legs.

  James reached over to the nightstand and snagged a condom he must have placed there earlier. But before he could roll it on, she pushed at his chest, toppling him. Foreplay was a part of sex she’d forgotten even existed. Her body was primed and ready to go, but the anticipation of what was to come was almost as blissful as the actual act of sex.

  Lying back against the pillows, James had hunger swimming in his expression as he pierced her with his eyes. The feeling of being in control was foreign, and Megan was grateful to James for allowing her to hold the reins. Grabbing the condom from his fingers, she flung her leg over his hips to straddle him.

  “Allow me,” she purred as she ripped the condom packet open.

  The look of surprise on his face made her smile. She liked playing the vixen.

  ###

  The urge to flip Megan to her back, sheathe himself with the condom, and plunge into her was almost overpowering his patience. The only reason he was waiting was because he sensed she could use a little bit of control right now. Not just right now in this minute but in her life overall.

  And besides, it was a win-win situation. He’d taken the edge off by fucking her with his tongue. He could delay his gratification a little bit longer.

  After toeing off his shoes, he shuffled his legs to work his pants free from his ankles. All the while, his eyes never left Megan.

  She was straddled over him like a fierce warrior princess. Raised up on her knees, her golden hair flowing around her shoulders, her face in shadow.

  He spread his fingers and skimmed them up her bare stomach. He knew the calluses on his hands felt rough against her skin, but he couldn’t help but touch her. Smooth, creamy skin the color of porcelain with a shallow indention at her naval. When he reached the thin, lacy fabric of her bra, he palmed her breasts and squeezed.

  Megan stopped fiddling with the condom packet for a split second to arch her back into his touch. He sat forward, his fingers quickly releasing the clasp at the back of her bra, before settling back against the pillows. His nostrils flared and saliva flooded his mouth at the sight of her.

  Fuck, she had the body of a swimsuit model. Long and lean torso with round, firm breasts. He pinched her hardened nipples, loving her quick intake of breath as he rolled them between his thumbs and forefingers.

  They’d been together two weeks earlier, and he couldn’t forget these dark rose beauties. Reluctantly, he released one nipple and slipped his hand between her legs. She cursed softly, letting her head fall back as he entered her with one finger.r />
  He pumped slowly. Her mound was nearly bare, with only a small trimmed patch of hair at the top of her sex. It had tickled his nose when he’d gone down on her. The tangy, sweet taste of her was still on his tongue, and just the thought of it made his erection swell.

  He could watch the pleasure roll over her face for hours. Her mouth so full and swollen from his kisses, her cheeks painted pink from her earlier orgasm. Watching her as he played between her legs was like watching an erotic movie.

  Her slender hand encircled his shaft, pulling his heavy erection off his stomach and placing the condom at the head of his cock. She licked her lips before raising her hazy eyes to his. Indecision swirled in her gaze, and he had an idea of what she was thinking.

  “Sweetheart,” he breathed, “you can taste me later. Right now you need to roll that condom on.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip as she rolled the condom down his length. Fuck, he liked her mouth. It might just be his favorite part about her. But then there were her legs, and she did have a stunning pair of tits. Hell, he couldn’t decide. He’d think about all that later.

  Her timid hands were warm, and he stifled a groan that worked its way up his throat as she slowly worked the rubber ring down. Positioning him at her entrance, she pressed one hand into the bed beside his head and locked eyes with him.

  Those crystal blue bedroom eyes were hungry, and they closed when she slid down over his tip.

  “Baby, open your eyes,” he demanded.

  Breath rushed out of her as she complied, and he watched her face go slack as she lowered herself inch by inch until she was fully seated on his lap. He had to work at keeping his own eyes open because the feel of her hot, wet tightness was debilitating.

  The last time they’d fucked, he’d taken her from behind. He’d watched as he’d entered her over and over, had heard her cries of pleasure as her head hung down between her shoulders.

  This time, he looked right into her soul as he filled her, Megan’s glorious body held rigid on top of him. He saw the pleasure in her features, mixed with conflict. He saw the uncertainty and her guilt fight with her impatience and her greed.