Twenty Times Tempted: A Sexy Contemporary Romance Collection
Page 198
As her finger hovered above the message, she eyed the words Mr. O. Mike hadn’t just sent her a text. He’d sent five within the last ten minutes. After the one he sent over the weekend, she could only imagine what the new ones would say.
He was pissed, had been pissed since he woke up Saturday morning and discovered she’d left his apartment. She hadn’t noticed the message he’d sent later that night. Theo had occupied her time and attention.
Mike played the part of a concerned guy well, but it didn’t sit well with her. It felt fake. He never texted her before to ask where she was or why she hadn’t spent the night. Of course, she’d never snuck out of his apartment the way she had last Friday. They hadn’t spoken since and she wasn’t certain they would anytime soon.
Allowing her curiosity to have free reign, she tapped the message and opened their conversation. After scrolling past the new messages to the last one she read, she counted twelve total. In the last week, he’d texted at least once a day, twice on Thursday. Add the five he’d sent today and she had a grand total of bullshit.
The tone of the messages varied. A few were asking if she was okay. A couple more asked if he did something wrong. Another was his work schedule. When she noticed his hours for today, she read it again. The second glance confirmed the first. He was off work.
Mike rarely took off Fridays. Other than Saturday, it was his biggest tip day. He easily made five hundred dollars, sometimes more if the right band performed.
She’d considered going to see him after work. Of course, she hadn’t planned on working this late. It was probably just as well. She couldn’t handle his mood swings and she sure as hell didn’t want to cuddle. Not with him…
After debating on reading the text from today, she gave in and began scanning each one, but only because she wanted to know why he wasn’t scheduled to work.
Hey, darling. I’m starting to think you fell off the face of the earth. Where are you?
I’m still racking my brain, trying to figure out why you’re ignoring me. It’s been a week… What’s up, girl?
Cass… Come on, sugar. Just let me know if you’re okay. Please? I’m on the verge of calling hospitals to see if you’ve been admitted. Text me.
So, the hospitals haven’t seen you, but neither have I. Did you see my schedule? I’m off today. Jimmy needs the extra hours. The owner hates paying overtime. Hit me up and maybe we can hang. Would love to see you.
Okay… Guess you have other plans. Will you please tell me if you’re okay? That’s it. No other expectations. Later, doll ~
Releasing a deep breath, she placed the phone inside her purse then pulled the straps over her shoulder. She’d text him from home or wherever she went once she left the office. It was time to unwind and let the weekend begin.
Another glimpse of the clock on the wall reminded her how late she’d worked. The custodian would arrive in an hour to start his shift, and he was a true southern gent, one that could talk for hours. The sooner she left, the better chance she had at not getting held up by one of his long-winded conversations.
There were no clients to keep her here like the other times she’d worked over. Josh left hours ago, as had everyone but Theo. He had to be gone by now. She’d check to make sure then take the back exit to her car.
Once she logged out of her computer and scooted her chair under her desk, she hit the light switch on her way out. She treaded through the hall past a few recording rooms until she reached Studio C. The door stood ajar and a slight tapping noise drifted from room.
She crept around the door and peeked inside. Theo was slumped back in a chair, banging a pen against the table. He stared toward the sound booth, but at what she wasn’t sure.
Something about him seemed off. He was so invested in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed her, even when she entered the room. The past week hadn’t been easy on him. They’d spoken a few times, but he spent most of his time here. Maybe he was avoiding her so she wouldn’t bring up the way he kissed her on Tuesday.
If that were the case, he was right to avoid her because she had plenty of questions. Was kissing her his way of paying her back for doing the same to him on Saturday? He’d mentioned her kiss when they met at the coffee shop. Yet unlike her, he took things a step further. He’d slipped his tongue inside her mouth and rolled it with hers…
Heat erupted in her cheeks as her body tingled. Her nipples hardened at the thought, but the memory was too sweet not to remember. It made her more curious about Theo. If his mouth could make her quiver, she couldn’t imagine what his cock would do.
And the more inquisitive she grew, the more limits she wanted to push.
Chapter Fifteen
The desire pooling inside Cassie grew insatiable. She inched further inside the studio, doing her best to ignore the ache deep in her core, but the repetitious throbbing seemed to increase the longer she observed Theo. If she didn’t gain his attention soon, she would do something stupid, like jump in his lap and rip apart his shirt.
Keep your shit together, girl.
She repeated the phrase a few more times, forcing herself to think about more than his body. She needed to know why he was still here. The attraction she felt didn’t stem from lust alone. She genuinely cared about him.
They were friends, old friends who were so much alike they could have been twins. He may have carried a bad boy reputation, but she’d seen a side of him that others hadn’t. He cared about people, especially Jonah.
When the pen ceased its tapping, she realized she’d been gawking at him for far too long. He shifted forward and dropped his elbows to his knees. The moment he lowered his face against his palms, she placed her purse on the floor and crept closer. Whatever was wrong, she had to know now.
“Hey.” She kept her voice soft so she wouldn’t startle him. His back straightened then he dropped his hands.
“Hey. I didn’t know you were still here.”
“Likewise. What has you here so late?”
He glanced at the pen and paper beside him. “Inspiration hit. I’ve been writing songs. I have enough to finish my album. What about you? Why are you still here?”
“I had a few things to finish. It’s been a crazy week.”
“Yeah,” he grunted. “I know what you mean.”
She inched closer, brushing her hip against the edge of the table until she reached him. “What’s wrong, Theo?”
He gazed up. “What makes you think something is wrong?”
“Because,” she leaned closer and examined his face, “you don’t have that normal spark in your eye.”
The corner of his mouth lifted, then he nodded. “Jonah’s been busting my balls all week to finish the demo. The music his contact provided isn’t… my style.”
“What do you mean?”
“It sounds like something geared toward a bunch of teenage girls. I’ve been trying to tweak it enough to fit the band, but I can’t focus.”
“Why not?”
He shook his head and glared in the direction of the sound booth. “I don’t know. Boredom. The lyrics suck.”
It was more than crappy music upsetting him, but she didn’t pry for answers. If he wanted to go into detail, she’d listen. The vibes he emitted said he’d rather not.
A moment later, he rose to his feet and pushed the chair back to the wall. “So, enough depressing shit. Are you ready to put our plan into action tomorrow?”
“I am. Ally hasn’t returned my text about where she and I are meeting, but the night isn’t over. She’s a late night texter.”
“Good… I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to hanging with you again. Saturday was fun. It’s too bad we couldn’t have hung out last Friday.”
“Funny you should mention that.” She hesitated as he lifted his guitar from the floor and placed it inside its case. “I actually came back to the club once Ally was tucked into bed.”
Theo closed the case and pivoted toward her. “You did?”
“Sur
e did. I’d planned on finding you so we could chat more, but I spotted you leaving through the back door. Your evening appeared to be full already.”
His brows kinked as if he were confused, then relaxed a few seconds later. “Well, sugar, you kinda ditched me. A couple fans wanted to hang out, so the guys and I followed them to another bar.”
A twinge of jealousy grew in Cassie, but she didn’t let it show. She had no right to be jealous of anyone he spent time with. They weren’t dating and she’d spent part of that same night with Mike. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling.
Theo gathered the papers on the desk and tapped them against the top as he kept talking. “Honestly, we parted ways around one-thirty. I ended up at Jonah’s suite, playing cards with him, Allen, and Jesse until three a.m.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Theo. All I wanted is for you to know that I did return. Things happen.”
“You’re right, and we saw each other on Saturday. Now we have tomorrow too.”
Indeed they did, and the closer it grew to tomorrow, the more anxious she grew to see what would happen.
“I assume Jonah is on board with everything?”
Theo continued cleaning up his mess. He didn’t look her way when he replied, “Cass, you should know this by now. I could tell Jonah he was meeting Ally five seconds before she arrived and he’d be on board. That’s why we’re doing this, hot stuff.”
Part of her wanted to call his bluff, but she couldn’t. She was too busy watching him remove his shirt. His muscles rippled as he grabbed the sides and pulled it over his head. After he wadded it into a ball, he tossed it into a black bag under the table and retrieved another.
Though his personality was the same, the one thing about him that had changed was his body. The muscles entrancing her were twice the size she remembered. There were more of them too. Guess he’d been busy in the gym while he was in New Orleans. The proof had her biting her lip the longer she stared.
She swept her eyes over each groove separating his abs. Wasn’t she about to ask him something? No… Or did she mean yes? It was hard to concentrate on anything but him. Her mind wasn’t the only thing he consumed. The mere sight of him had her body reacting. She grew wetter the longer she watched him.
Once he slipped the new shirt over his head and chest, he met her gaze. He didn’t hide the grin that formed shortly after. When his cheeks dimpled, hers burned like a cherry red poker. Reality was such a brutal bitch, and her reality showed in the curl of his lips. He knew she was checking him out.
As if his ego wasn’t big enough…
The trance she was under broke. She turned toward the table and pressed against the edge. A few deep breaths helped her regain her bearings, including the question she wanted to ask.
“Are you sure Jonah is okay with this? I don’t want to do anything to hurt Ally. It was hard enough convincing her to go out.”
She noticed him in her peripheral as he walked in her direction. “Are you doubting me, sugar?”
“Not at all.” Her heartbeat increased when he stopped just behind her. She couldn’t look at him, not without losing herself inside those bright blue eyes. “I’m only trying to protect Ally. She needs a good guy after the last jerk she dated. If there’s any chance I’m wrong and Jonah isn’t that guy, I need to know.”
“Trust me, Cassie. Jonah is in love with Ally. Nothing will change his feelings. Can you say the same for her? Is she ready to date again?”
Cassie nodded. She couldn’t say anything else without lying. Ally never said she wasn’t ready to date, but she never said she was either. It was the same regarding their date tomorrow. Ally hadn’t declined the invitation or returned Cassie’s text to set up plans.
Part of her wanted to confess that Ally hadn’t made up her mind, but Theo stepped beside her. “I get the impression you don’t like Ally’s ex. Why is that?”
“He’s a self-centered, twat waffle who never put Ally first. I’m talking Class A asshole. The guy is a douche.”
He chuckled softly. “Wow. You really dislike him.”
“Yep. Guys like him are the reason I remain single. True love only exists for a few people. The rest of us just deal with life and move on.”
She didn’t miss the way Theo thinned his lips or the way his gaze fell to the ground. He backed away out of her sight, but she kept focused on the table.
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” His voice took on a more serious tone and sounded closer than before. The warmth of his body heated her back when he leaned into her. She froze under his touch, but the heat radiating between them chipped away at her resolve.
She turned her head to peer over her shoulder. Theo’s face hovered just above it. The bold scent of his cologne filled her nose. She allowed it to overtake her senses. When his lips crooked, her body ignited.
“Women don’t deserve to be mistreated.” He trailed his fingers up her thigh. “They deserve to be caressed”—he continued over her hip, to her stomach, making it quiver—“and touched”—his hand worked under her skirt, down to her panties as he pressed his fingers to her clit—“and worshipped…”
The heat of his mouth tickled her skin as he nipped her neck. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and swirled his fingers. She couldn’t keep from moaning or leaning back into his chest.
Her breath quickened.
He worked his fingers faster and brushed his lips against her ear. “Have you ever had that, Cassie? Have you ever had a guy worship everything about you?”
The raspy sound of his voice made her knees weak. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything but shake her head and fight against the delicious sensation he was evoking. God, she wanted him.
When she noticed him breathing harder, she found the strength to turn around and break free of his embrace. He lowered his hands beside him, giving her the opportunity to escape, but she remained in front of him. “What about you, Theo? Have you ever worshipped a girl that much?”
His throat wobbled. He nodded slowly then dipped his head lower, whispering, “Only once.”
Her body shifted as he cupped her ass and jerked her forward. His breath beat against her cheek then disappeared when he covered her lips with his.
Nothing else existed. There was only Theo, his lips, his tongue, his hands… He squeezed her ass tighter and lifted her atop the table. She was too caught up in the moment to protest. The way his body warmed her inner thighs felt too good to refuse
Everything was on fire.
She gripped his arms when he scooted her to the edge of the table. His kiss grew more desperate. So did his hands. They pulled at her body and clothes as he rocked his hips into hers.
Sweet sins of the South! Was he going to fuck her right here? She could only hope. It’s not like someone would see them. They were the only people in the building. Nothing stood in their way. After a week full of flirting and kissing, her curiosity was about to be settled.
Theo’s hands slipped higher. He lifted her skirt to her waist then spread her legs wider. She complied. The anticipation of what was next built in her belly. She whimpered against his lips the instant he pushed her panties aside and teased her clit with his thumb.
A jolt surged through her body. It left one hell of a tingle and thousands of goose bumps in its wake. The intensity increased when his fingers slipped inside her. As wet as she was, they glided in and out with ease. She wished it were his cock.
Fuck, she needed him inside her…
He didn’t oblige. Instead, he went to his knees. As she watched him sink, she leaned her hands behind her back and supported her weight. Labored breaths had her chest heaving. It did even more when Theo replaced his thumb with his tongue.
He flicked it over her clit. Her head fell back and she moaned louder. When he did it again, her eyes fluttered shut. She rocked her hips up, desperate to feel more. This time, he gave her what she wanted. He thrust his fingers as fast as he swirled his tongue.
Her legs shook.
When he sucked her clit between his lips and licked harder, her head spun. She fisted his hair in hopes of grounding herself, yet it didn’t help. The ache deepened within her. The more it grew, the more she wiggled her hips.
Blue eyes shot up from hooded lids. She couldn’t breathe, or speak, or think. All she could do was feel—the deep thrust of his fingers, the rapid flick of his tongue, the way she tightened around him.
The purest bliss washed over her like a tidal wave. “Oh, God. Theo…”
Her voice was gritty, guttural. She didn’t silence her cries, couldn’t have if she wanted to. Something inside her exploded. Her body shuddered as wave after wave of exquisite pleasure engulfed her.
Theo flicked his tongue even faster. He stared at her as she came hard on his mouth. When he groaned against her, the vibrations sent her over the edge. She contracted around his fingers and squeezed her legs around his head.
The orgasm seemed to last forever. Maybe it was because they hadn’t stopped staring at each other. Every time he looked at her she fell under his spell. The more attention he gave her, the more she wanted.
When her orgasm finally waned, Theo withdrew his fingers and face from between her legs. As he stood before her, she lowered her gaze to his crotch. Every inch of him pressed against his jeans. She waited patiently for him to release his cock and plow into her. Her anticipation grew the more he stood silently. What was he waiting for?
Instead of lowering his jeans, he caressed her leg before he walked away. It didn’t lessen her confusion. Was he finished? He’d taken the time to please her, not himself. She wanted the chance to reciprocate.
Theo found a box of tissues on a nearby shelf and wiped his hands and mouth. When he returned, he helped her back to her feet and lowered her skirt. He didn’t move away once she gained her balance. His hands remained on her hips as he studied every inch of her. Then, he flashed her a devious smile.