Blackout: A Romance Anthology

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  I was quiet, absorbing the implications of what he said. I didn’t know what the best thing to do was, but I certainly didn’t want to stay down here amongst everyone, feeling slightly panicked.

  “Do we have any other options?”

  “Do you have your purse?” he asked.

  “Of course. Is there anything important you need from the room?”

  I felt him shake his head. “I travel light. I only have clothes and my laptop. Aside from my clothes, everything else is right here,” he explained, lifting a slender, secured briefcase. “I have a friend who lives here in Las Vegas. I won’t be able to get word to him, but he runs security for many of the casinos here. I know he has offices and an apartment on the bottom floor across the street. We can go there. Whether he’s there or not, I know he won’t care if we are. I’ll feel better about that until we know what’s going on. We have a long way to go if we try to go upstairs.”

  “Let’s go then,” I said.

  We were speaking quietly, low enough not to be heard by those around us. When I paused, I could hear similar conversations around us. Most of the ground floors of the casinos were occupied with businesses. It was a sheer stroke of luck Jacob had a friend who had space on the lower floor nearby.

  He moved swiftly, startling me when he dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine. I didn’t know what he meant it to be, but I leaned into his kiss, needing the contact. It was electric—the feel of his mouth searing hot before he drew back.

  “Okay, let’s go,” he said quickly. He held his briefcase tightly in one hand with his other hand curled around my hip. With a gentle pressure, he guided me through the crowds and down a single flight of stairs where we exited onto the street. It was just as crowded out here as it was inside, with people milling about and speculating about what had happened.

  Jacob was single-minded, guiding me with a firm press through the crowds. Although my anxiety eased slightly once I encountered Jacob, my heart was still pounding and a sense of unease rippled through me. The coaxing pressure of his hand kept moving me forward with him as we made our way through the crowd.

  I savored the sense of protectiveness cloaked around us with his presence. I didn’t have a clear sense of time, but I knew we hadn’t gone far. It felt like it took longer than it should’ve, but then, we were moving in the shadowy, smudgy darkness with people all around as the collective concern multiplied.

  “Right here,” he murmured, leaning down toward my ear as he guided us to a doorway.

  Although there were people all around us, everyone appeared to be going somewhere. Jacob stopped right in front of what appeared to be a service entrance, and we stood for several minutes. He leaned down again, speaking into my ear, the gruff sound of his voice sending a prickle of goose bumps over my skin.

  “Gonna wait a few minutes before we go in. I don’t want to draw attention.”

  He had one hand resting against the hard surface of the building wall, and the other still curled around my waist, pulling me into the shelter of his embrace.

  “How are we going to get in?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

  “It’s run remotely. I’m assuming everything has failed because of the power outage. I have a backup key.”

  “You do?”

  I could feel his lips curve against the side of my neck from where he was bent low, his cheek brushing against mine. “I do. Darren’s a good friend, and we’ve worked together on a number of projects. That’s who I met with today. I’ll get us in here, and we’ll figure it out from there.”

  Jacob stayed quiet, lifting his head, his alert gaze scanning the area around us. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and I could see the press of people nearby on the sidewalks. During a moment when someone was calling from across the street and giving an update on the generator situation for a hotel, Jacob swiftly opened the door and had us inside in a matter of seconds.

  Unlike everywhere else we’d been, this did not appear to be a casino hallway.

  The voices from outside were muted in here.

  Jacob led me down a hallway as my eyes adjusted to the deeper darkness in this area. Stopping in front of a door, he knocked sharply, with his other arm still wrapped around my waist. As unsettled as I felt given our current situation, I was somehow certain that everything would be fine as long as I stayed with Jacob.

  Several quiet beats passed, and Jacob knocked again, calling softly, “Darren. If you’re in there, it’s Jacob.”

  After another moment, I heard footsteps and the door opened. Jacob escorted us in quickly and closed the door, locking it behind him.

  CHAPTER 7

  Ellie

  “This is Ellie McNamara,” Jacob said quickly.

  “Jacob, I hoped you had enough sense to come over here,” a man said. I could barely make out the man until he held up his cell phone, tapping a button to illuminate the screen. “Still got plenty of battery power,” he said with a smile, then looked at me. “You must be Aidan McNamara’s sister.”

  “I am. How do you know Aidan?” I asked.

  Darren flashed a smile. He was quite handsome. As best I could make out in the small light cast from his cell phone, he had sharp features, twinkling eyes, and dark hair flecked with silver.

  “Darren Greene,” he offered with a nod. “I know your brother because I work in security too. Nice to meet you.” He glanced back to Jacob. “Glad you found your way here. I’m thinking it’s not good to be on the top floor of anywhere right now. Far as I can tell, everything is down except emergency lighting.”

  “Any idea why?” Jacob asked.

  “Whatever it is, they sabotaged the generators too. Possibly a hacker, but I don’t know. You got here just in time. I’m leaving to head home. Our condo’s a few blocks away, but Sarah and Dee are there. You two can hang here as long as you need to.”

  “You sure?” Jacob asked.

  “Absolutely. I came back here after our meeting to check on a few things before I went home. You can lock up behind me, and the place is yours. The offices are here, but there’s a suite in the back. If this goes on through the night, there’s a small kitchenette and a bed. Can’t promise I’ve kept it too well-stocked, but you won’t starve tonight,” Darren said with a low chuckle. “You’re welcome to come with me to my place.”

  Jacob shook his head. “Nah. You go be with your family. At least here, when the power comes on, if you don’t mind, I’ll use your systems to do a little digging.”

  Darren nodded. “Of course. I’m headed out.” He clapped Jacob on the shoulder as he left and quickly slipped out the door, which Jacob bolted behind him.

  Jacob’s hand fell away from my waist during this exchange. I hadn’t realized I missed the heat of his touch until I felt his palm between my shoulder blades again, sliding down my spine to rest in the curve of my lower back.

  “Come on, no sense in staying here in the offices.”

  I was acutely aware of his warm touch as I walked with him down a hallway to another door. I considered how much I took light for granted. It felt as if I were absorbing every space in increments.

  The office area had been a bit louder. When we stepped through the next door, my feet shifted from the click of hard tile to soft carpeting, my low heels sinking into it.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” he murmured as his hand fell away from me.

  “Why does he have this suite in his offices?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “This is where he started his security business, and he used to live here, handling everything on-site. That was before he got married.”

  “Oh. Well, that makes sense,” I said. I stood there, uncertain what to do. We were alone in the darkness with nothing to distract us.

  “Do you need anything to drink?” he asked, as I heard his footfalls shift from the muted sound on the carpet to a louder step on what I presumed was tile.

  “Do you think he has water?” I asked, following the sound of Jacob’s voi
ce across the room, my eyes gradually adjusting to the level of darkness in here.

  “I’m sure he has water. In fact, there’s a water cooler right here.”

  Jacob opened a cabinet, pulling out two glasses. “He’s also got wine. And whiskey,” he added with a chuckle.

  “I’ll just take the water for now.”

  With my eyes fully adjusted, I stepped to his side as he filled two glasses with water and handed one to me.

  “This way to the couch.” Jacob’s hand rested against my hip as he angled us in another direction.

  My eyes made out a sectional, and I sank down onto it with a sigh. Kicking my sandals off, I curled my feet under my knees and sipped my water. “This is weird,” I finally said.

  Jacob sat down beside me, and I felt more than saw him look in my direction. “That it is,” he replied.

  “So, you think it’s on purpose?” I asked.

  “That’s my best guess since the generators aren’t working.”

  I chewed the corner of my lip. I could finally see Jacob’s eyes in the darkness. Desire chased through me. It felt out of place, but then, I supposed it wasn’t, considering that one kiss last night in the elevator currently ranked as the hottest kiss I’d ever experienced. I imagined Jacob was quite accustomed to women wanting him. While my mind protested I would simply be lining up with all the rest, it didn’t change the depth of my body’s response to him.

  “What should we do?” I heard myself asking. In the smudgy shades of darkness, I could feel the heat of his gaze on me. “Do you even remember what time it was when the power went off?”

  “It was around six because that was about when I got back to the hotel and tried to find you.”

  I suppose I should’ve felt uncomfortable. I certainly didn’t know Jacob very well. The only thing unsettling me in his presence was the background concern about what had caused the blackout. Well that, and the desire I couldn’t seem to keep a lid on. It spun through my veins—a hot, liquid need. And here he was, a billionaire and so handsome, it almost hurt to look at him. For that, the darkness made me grateful. I didn’t need to let my self-consciousness get the best of me.

  I took a sip of my water and considered perhaps I should take him up on having some whiskey or wine. It might settle my nerves. I felt jumpy at his nearness and too needy for my own sanity.

  I never thought much about how the distractions of modern life were simply that—distractions. In the quiet night, there was nothing to take my attention away.

  “I meant to take you out another night on the town. I’m guessing that won’t be the case tonight,” he commented.

  Glancing over and wrestling with the magnetic pull toward him, I made what was probably a reckless decision. For whatever reason, Jacob seemed to want me too, if his kiss in the elevator last night represented anything. In this city, so removed from my own life, and on this night, when all other distractions were gone for the moment, I might as well take something for myself.

  Whether I should or not, I trusted Jacob. I knew Aidan trusted him, so by extension, I did as well. Of course, I would have to extract his promise that Aidan would never know about this.

  That is, if Jacob let me have my way.

  Ever since my messy breakup with Wayne, Aidan had been more protective than usual. He was—with good reason, in my opinion—disgusted by Wayne’s actions. But he was also angry with Cheryl. I didn’t need my brother having any kind of opinion about me snatching one impulsive night for myself.

  With my pulse humming along at high speed, I set my water down on the coffee table, having found it by feel when I came over to the sofa. Angling toward Jacob, I asked, “So, tell me, can you make me a promise?”

  There was a weighted pause before he answered slowly, “I’d like to say yes, but I don’t know what you’re going to ask me to promise.”

  “Why did you kiss me last night?”

  I felt his thigh against my knee as he moved slightly. The brushing touch sent a hot shiver through me.

  “Because I wanted to,” he said bluntly.

  I felt as if I were watching myself from a distance. My confidence was coming in fitful starts. I knew what I felt between us, and I recognized it as pure desire. Yet, my confidence in general was rather banged up. Even though I could see Wayne for who he was and intellectually tell myself I deserved better, knowing that and believing it at my core was challenging.

  My heart was pounding so hard I could feel the rush of blood in my ears. “Do you want more?” I asked, my voice raspy.

  It showed how unsophisticated I was at this that I hadn’t even expected to ask that question. It simply slipped out, almost forcefully, my words a little shaky.

  There was another heavy silence. It felt almost electric, the way the air did right before a thunderstorm—loaded and waiting to unleash.

  There were maybe inches between us where we sat on the couch. Jacob leaned forward, setting his glass of water on the table. The soft clink of the glass against what I assumed was a wooden surface was loud in the quiet room.

  Leaning back, he angled to face me, lifting a hand and trailing his fingers through the ends of my hair where it fell down around my shoulders. The touch was subtle. He didn’t even touch my skin, yet I felt it everywhere, sensation skittering through me like glittery sparks.

  “Of course I want more, Ellie,” he said, his tone low and intent.

  “Then, let’s have one night. But here’s what I want you to promise. You can’t tell Aidan about it.”

  If I thought the air felt electric before, now it was fairly vibrating. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see sparks firing in the air between us.

  Jacob was quiet long enough that doubts started bouncing around in my mind, little pings in the pulse of recklessness that had falsely inflated my confidence.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” I said quickly, my words catching in my throat.

  I leaned back, almost scrambling away from him on the couch, but he reached out, his hand catching my elbow and holding me still. “No, it’s not that. It’s not as if I would call Aidan and tell him anything. But if he were to ask me, I can’t promise I would feel comfortable lying to him. I don’t see why he would ask, but you never know.”

  I caught my bottom lip in my teeth, chewing it slightly. I wished it wasn’t so dark, so I could see more than shadows and hints of Jacob’s expression.

  “Oh. I don’t see what reason Aidan would have to ask you,” I finally said.

  “I suppose not,” he replied quietly. “Whether it’s sensible or not, I like you more than I should.” A thrill shot through me at his words. Somehow, I desperately wanted to know if he felt the same desire I did.

  Jacob was quiet for a few beats before he shifted closer to me, immediately erasing the distance I had created moments earlier. He was that kind of man who made you feel both overpowered and entirely protected, all at once.

  With my personal life in shambles when it came to men, this desire was like a forbidden drink I couldn’t resist. In fact, I wanted to gulp it down and get drunk on it. With everything spinning into this strange evening—with the power going out and unease an undercurrent under everything—losing myself in this almost seemed the safest thing to do.

  “I can promise I certainly won’t bring it up with him,” Jacob said softly, his words falling into the darkness. Then, he laced his fingers in my hair as he slid his hand up to cup my nape. I meant to say something, but I didn’t have a chance. I didn’t care either.

  His lips brushed across mine again, the sensation electric with the subtle, teasing touch. He dusted kisses at each corner of my lips and then his tongue swept across the seam. I sighed. He fit his mouth over mine, my sigh getting lost in our kiss.

  CHAPTER 8

  Jacob

  Ellie tasted like honey and smelled like strawberries. Never in my life had I thought that subtle scent would turn me on, and yet, it was suddenly an aphrodisiac.

  The subtly sweet smell tug
ged at me, pulling me deeper and deeper into the flames flickering around us. Ellie made me crazy. Her bold request that I make her a promise—bold, not because she preferred to keep her brother out of this, but because I sensed considering a night with a man like me wasn’t something she did often. If ever.

  That was intoxicating to me. I wasn’t accustomed to a woman tugging at me like this with a desire that ran so deep it may be reckless.

  Ellie sighed into our kiss as I dove into the warm sweetness of her mouth. Every sound was heightened by the silence around us. Cloaked in shadows and darkness, and alone amidst the rumble around us, the blackout made it feel as if everything we did was a moment out of time. It was a space where all rules were suspended. A space where whatever happened would remain sparkling and almost surreal.

  Ellie’s tongue slicked against mine. I shifted closer to her. Everywhere she touched me—her hand sliding up around my neck, her knee nudging against my thigh as she angled toward me, her lips moving under mine—every point was electric and sent sparks shooting through me.

  With lust lashing at me, its force was so potent I felt driven, pulled directly into the undertow of it, the force of it undeniable. I felt rushed and didn’t want to rush at all. I wanted to savor this.

  Because Ellie was everything—her shyness wrapped up in her innate sultriness was beyond alluring. I wanted her with a ferocity that was entirely unfamiliar to me. I was accustomed to appreciating women. When it came to sex, I always made sure I took care of anyone I was with, controlling the tempo, the crescendo, and finding my own release only after that.

  This experience of feeling caught up and tossed asunder by a desire so fierce I could barely keep hold of it was unsettling. And yet, it felt so damn good. The feel of her mouth against mine, the hint of what was to come with her breast pressing against my forearm. I needed her closer. Now.