“Yeah,” I said with a wink and a grin. “I’m Mr. Bank’s long-time escort, a high dollar call girl.”
Angela stared. “Noooo,” she breathed. “You’re kidding, right?”
I burst out laughing. “Of course I’m kidding,” I shot back. Rolling my eyes, I pressed the cold tap on the sink and began rinsing my skirt in the icy water. “I’m a guest of Chase’s. Chase Bradenton. He wants to hire me to intern at Banks, and said this would be a good way for me to meet everyone and see if it would be a good fit.”
Angela’s light brown eyes widened. “Wow,” she said. “That’s almost as good.” She stepped closer and expertly began rubbing the silk against itself. I watched as the water turned a light pink from the wine and then swirled down the marble drain. “I mean, Chase is just awesome. I only met him a few weeks ago, but he’s incredible. I think he really could sell ocean front property in Arizona.”
An exemplary salesman. And you would do well to remember it, Chastity.
“That’s what I’ve heard,” I replied. Angela reached down and wrung out my skirt again, then smoothed it in her hands. “Hey, thanks. You’re good at that.”
You know those people you meet and immediately feel a connection? As if you’d known each other for years. I felt it with Angela.
“I’m awkward,” Angela replied with a frown. “I have to be good at getting stains out. This should be good, but you’ll want to iron it, of course. I am so excited about working together.” Angela leaned in closer. “Chase has already told me all about you, and I can’t wait.”
I blinked, and my heart started pounding a staccato rhythm in my chest. Exactly what had Chase told everyone about me? “He has?”
“Oh, yeah,” Angela said. She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “And we’re going to be best friends, I can already tell!” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “I was just dying without anyone to have lunch with. And we can even go shopping together after work. But I don’t have a lot of money like their full-time employees. I mean…”
I laughed. “I know exactly what you mean. Hey, I’m a starving college student myself. Just so you know in advance, I’m not really that great at shopping. My roommate’s the one who found me this dress.”
Angela laughed. “After a week of working at Banks, you’ll be good at shopping.” She leaned in close. “Don’t let anyone hear you repeat this, but the women there are so catty. You can’t trust anyone.” Angela straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest. “Except for me, obviously. And Charlie. She’s a cool chick.”
Chapter Eight
Chase
By the time Chastity came back from the bathroom, I was on pins and needles. From the moment I’d picked her up, I hadn’t been able to contain my thirst. Her body, that black silk dress. The way her eyes flashed at me, then gazed demurely down at the floor like she didn’t think she could handle me. Maybe she couldn’t, even though every single cell in my body screamed that she could.
Deep down, I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to handle her. Every time I thought about our little chat on the phone, my cock throbbed between my legs. I hadn’t even wanted to talk to her then, but she’d somehow worked some kind of goddamn sexy-voiced magic over me. And now the little minx stood at my side, a grin stretching her gorgeous mouth.
“Sorry,” Chastity said with a giggle. She took a sip of champagne and tottered slightly on her feet. “I got lost. It’s huge inside this ballroom.”
“I doubt that,” I replied wondering what the hell had really happened to cause the annoying delay. “Are you alright?”
Chastity nodded. “Oh, yeah,” she said. She gulped the rest of her champagne back. “Look, Chase, you were right. About me working with you. I mean,” she paused and blushed. Stammered. In my line of work, I normally found it annoying as fuck. Not tonight. It seemed everything Chastity did. Every word that stuttered past her lush lips turned me as horny as a goat on Viagra. “Not working with you. But working for Banks Realty. I think that’s the right idea.”
I smirked. Hmm…the fly was already caught in the web. Now, all I had to do was numb it with my venom and have my wicked way.
“I knew you’d come around. You’re certainly excited about the prospect now. I’m glad to see it since it’s obviously a win-win.”
Chastity nodded and took another long draught of champagne, turning it up until the last drop was gone. She grinned big and I wondered how much she’d already had. She looked like a lightweight so I’d have to take care of her. She leaned close and her sweet perfume wafted over me. Jesus god, I thought, struggling to maintain my balance.
She smells like honey and strawberries, and forgive me, Universe, I wanna rip off that damned dress, bend her over the portable bar and pound into her until I explode inside her.
The music grew louder, and Chastity began swaying back and forth to the rhythm, sipping her champagne every few seconds. I glanced at her with amusement – she was so innocent compared to everyone else in the room, and yet I had a feeling that she knew more about the way men and women worked than most people. Maybe even including me. Street smarts couldn’t be underestimated.
“Hey,” Chastity said. She grabbed my arm and leaned in. Every single inch of my skin she touched tingled with electricity. “I met a friend in the bathroom. Angela. She’s good people. Meeting her had a lot to do with my decision to accept.”
I stared at her. “I don’t know anyone named Angela.” Frowning, I looked deeply into her eyes. Who the hell is she talking about? I closed my eyes and racked my brain, trying to remember if I’d slept with anyone named Angela in the past few weeks. I groaned, clapping a hand to my forehead. There had been a girl a couple of months ago, a stage five clinger I’d had to threaten to extricate from my life. It had finally taken a five-figure payoff to get her to buzz off.
“No,” Chastity replied. Her body pressed against mine and my rock-hard cock protested by twitching in my dress pants when I realized she wasn’t wearing a bra under that slippery black silk. “Your intern. She said you already told her about me.” Chastity had somehow gotten another glass of champagne and sipped, moving and swaying to the music, her eyes half-closed. I just stood in confusion and admired the view. Banks had multiple interns, but I thought I knew them all by name. “She said she couldn’t wait to work together.”
Angela. Finally, it clicked in my brain. Angela, that mousy little intern who had almost caught me jacking off to Chastity. Angela, the little brownnoser who couldn’t stop trailing Nolan and me around like we were the popular high school jocks.
“I didn’t tell her anything about you,” I said, reaching out a hand to steady her. It was all I could do to keep it from trailing down her arm to land on the side-swell of her full breast. “She’s just my intern, that’s all. I’ve barely even talked to her.”
Chastity smiled – a kind of sexual, secret smile. I wonder if she wore that same look after she came. “Whatever,” she said, closing her eyes, draining her glass. “We should dance, Chase. It feels so good to move my body to the beat of the music.”
I’d like you to move your body to the beat of my hand between your legs.
I glanced around the room, suddenly finding the whole event distasteful. I was finally alone with the girl I wanted more than any other in years, except we were surrounded by dozens of other people. Friends and family of Nolan had swept him and Charlie away, and I knew the bar was only going to get more crowded with each passing second.
“I’ve got a better idea. Let’s go for a drive,” I whispered into Chastity’s ear. Up close, the scent of honey and strawberries overwhelmed me. The blood pounded in my ears as I wrapped my fingers around Chastity’s arm and guided her toward the door. She almost fell – twice – but we managed to make it to the entrance.
“Are you ashamed of me? Because I had too much champagne? I’m not used to drinking it or walking in such tall shoes at the same time.” Chastity turned on her heel and stared right into my eyes, her voice thick with alcohol a
nd I realized then how impaired she really was. She wavered for a second, threatening to plant her delectable ass on the floor of the bar. “Is that it? Is that why we’re leaving? I knew it. I knew this wasn’t real. Just some joke where the rich guy jacks around the poor girl.”
What the fuck was she talking about?
I pursed my lips and gave her elbow a little shake as I leaned close. “I want to leave so we can be alone,” I purred into Chastity’s ear. “I can’t stand seeing you around all these people without being able to put my hands on you. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless, you’re not attracted to me?”
The way Chastity shook in response to my whisper was almost enough to make me come in my pants. She wrapped her arms around my neck, hauling her perfect, curvy body next to mine. When I felt her stiff nipples through the thin silk of the dress, I clenched my hands into fists. If I didn’t get her in the car right now, Chase Bradenton was going to be facing his third or fourth public indecency charge.
Like it was my fault I got caught fucking some girl on the beach in Cancun on spring break. Or in that alley behind Uncle Boons. It didn’t matter anymore – I was with Chastity, and my desire threatened to rage out of control. I had to touch her. I had to taste her.
I had to fuck her senseless.
Diego waited by the car. He eyed me with surprise as I guided Chastity toward the rear of the limo, but didn’t say anything. As he opened the door, Chastity tumbled inside, flashing her perfect ass toward me and the rest of the street.
I stepped in behind as Chastity flopped onto the leather seat. She reached down with one hand and began plucking at the straps of her shoes. When I saw how she struggled, I pulled her feet in my lap and delicately unfastened the buckles, sliding the heels off her feet. Hmm. Bright red toenail polish. Holding Chastity’s bare feet in my lap sent another painful shock of lust through my body, and I licked my lips as she struggled to sit up on the leather bench.
“You don’t like me,” Chastity slurred. Her eyes were half-closed and her hair hung in front of her face, hiding her features. Aside from the drunkenness, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen such an intoxicating woman. But this wasn’t some cheap, loose socialite. This was a do-gooder. Someone I respected in spite of our short acquaintance. Someone working hard to put herself through school and create a better life than the one she’d been dealt. A stab of guilt sliced through the desire.
“I do like you,” I said. “Very much, in fact.” I wrapped an arm around Chastity’s shoulders, but she shrugged me off, sliding down onto the floor of the limo as Diego pulled away from the curb.
Chastity shook her head. “You don’t like me,” she said, her voice flat. Emotionless. Not the Chastity I’d already come to admire. “You haven’t even tried to kiss me yet.” She licked her lips and stared straight at me. “Don’t you want to kiss me, Chase?”
I stifled a groan. Her phone sex operator voice had come out, and I felt like I was going to burst in my Valentino slacks. I shifted in the seat, but the buttery leather felt like steel against my ass.
“Don’t you want to kiss me?” Chastity pouted. “Touch me?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “But you’re drunk right now, and I don’t think–”
“Then kiss me,” Chastity purred. She crawled closer and hauled herself into my lap. As her silk-covered ass slid over my crotch, I groaned loudly and dug my fingers into her fleshy thighs.
“Chastity, now isn’t…”
“Kiss me,” she interrupted. She leaned closer, and I could smell champagne rising off her breath. “Kiss me, Chase. Show me that I’m more to you than some cheap whore who gets geezers off all day every day.” She closed her eyes and sighed, then ran a hand down the front of her dress. As her fingers grazed her nipples through the black silk, I felt a torrent of sexual desire flood my body.
“Don’t you ever say that about yourself again!” I snapped. “You are about the furthest thing from a whore I’ve ever seen. We can continue this conversation when you’re sober.”
“Chase,” Chastity moaned. “Oh, Chase, I want you so badly. Look how I’m touching myself. I want you,” she growled, reminiscent of our first ever conversation.
The limo swung around a curve, and I was forced to hold her tighter against me so she didn’t slide off my lap, only a thin layer of merino wool and silk separating our bodies. Our faces were inches apart. I could smell the lingering champagne and wine on her breath. Mixed with the strawberry-and-honey scent of her body, it was enough to make me explode. I couldn’t hold back any longer. What would one little taste hurt? I had restraint. I leaned in.
The kiss was like nothing I’d ever experienced. As our lips pressed together in a torrent of heat, I groaned with rampant need into Chastity’s open, pliant mouth. Her warm tongue twirled softly against mine. Electrons swarmed between our bodies and her arms snaked around my neck, pulling me closer.
The feel of her body through the thin silk was incredible, and I ran my hands down her back, squeezing her luscious, heart-shaped ass. Chastity shivered and wriggled on my lap, driving me into a frenzy of passion and desire. As my tongue caressed hers, she suddenly pulled away and leaped off my lap.
“I’m sorry, Chase,” she moaned. “This was a mistake. I have to go. I have to go now!”
“Chastity, don’t do it,” I groaned loudly. “Please, don’t leave like this, we can talk about the kiss. We can talk about the internship. You’re in no position to leave this car.”
Chastity grabbed onto the handle of the door and dragged herself away from me. She wasn’t answering, and every passing second converted my infernal lust into a torrent of anger and anxiety. The limo slowed for a red light and without consulting me or Diego, Chastity threw the door open.
She was fucking going to do this to me again.
“Chastity, wait!”
She opened her mouth and shoved her tangles of dirty blonde hair out of her face. Her expression a perfect storm of panic, horror, and regret. It broke my heart. All I wanted to do was pull her back toward me, stroke that messy hair, and tell her that I thought she was perfect. Even when she was sloppy drunk, even when she was totally messed up. I still thought she was adorable – as perfect as she had been that day in the elevator where she’d first smiled at me.
But the sound of her vomiting was enough to squash that urge.
Chapter Nine
Chastity
“Shit,” I groaned, rolling over in bed and burying my head under the pillow. An infernal racket paraded through my head – like someone had loosed a party full of frat boys into my brain – and even blinking hurt. Actually, everything hurt. My hands hurt. My body hurt. Even my hair hurt.
My black silk Chloé didn’t make much of a nightgown. Good thing I hadn’t splurged on retail. I rolled my eyes as I saw the fabric covered with infinite creases. So much for the perfect dress. And so much for the perfect night.
And so much for the perfect man.
Every time I thought about what happened at the Waldorf Astoria, I burned with shame. I’d fucked up the best opportunity of my life because I couldn’t hold my champagne. I’d never been more disgusted with myself.
“Hey, Chas,” Trina called, sticking her head through my door. “You up?”
I opened one eye and nodded.
“Something came for you.” She disappeared for a second. When she returned, she was carrying the biggest gift basket I’d ever seen.
“Holy smokes,” I breathed, so stunned by the sight that I almost forgot about the pounding jackhammer in my brain. My fingertips flew to my temples to stop the throbbing. “What is this?”
Trina shrugged. She smiled at me, catlike. “I don’t know,” she said coyly. “A gift from Prince Charming, I think. You didn’t put out in the limo, did you?”
I blinked as I shook my head, then reached for the basket and pulled it toward me. My heart melted as soon as I saw the contents. Various bottles of medicine, a few jugs of Pedialyte, Gatorade, a DVD of Sex and the City
. Everything was covered in rose petals, and the light scent wafted up toward me. Even a teddy bear rested in the floral cocoon.
“There’s a note,” I breathed, plucking a folded slip of paper from the basket, sealed with a sticker. When I opened it, I felt my breath catch in my throat.
You had a crazy night, gorgeous. But Diego and I made sure you got safely inside your apartment. Wish I could keep you company in bed today, but that will have to be revisited at a later date. This stuff will have to make up for my lack of presence. I’ll call you later.
-C
I swallowed and blushed. “It’s from Chase,” I confessed. “I-I had way, way too much to drink last night. Oh, Trina! I don’t remember everything. What if I’ve blown it? My chance at the internship with Banks?”
Trina raised her eyebrow. “Oh. One other thing. There was some weird call for you earlier – someone called and then stayed on the line, breathing like a creeper. They kept calling, so I disconnected the line. There’s absolutely no way those desperate geezers from your work could ever get a hold of our land line, is there?”
“Maybe it was Chase.”
Trina shook her head. “They didn’t say anything, but I doubt someone as smooth as Chase would resort to playing games like that. This was a first-class pervert.”
“It’s probably nothing,” I said, but felt a shiver of something close to fear crawl up my spine. I shook it off. “Wrong number or something. I need to take a shower. I stink so bad I can’t even stand myself.”
In the shower, I soaped my body carefully, massaging the sore skin. I’d somehow fallen asleep with my neck at a weird angle, and the pain had just begun to fade under the hot water. My head swarmed with thoughts of Chase. All kinds of delicious, inappropriate thoughts.
Stop it, Chastity. He just felt sorry for you, that’s all. You’re never going to see him again, and you know it.
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