Arrested Pleasure

by Holli Winters

  "Feeling better?" Gabe's soft breath feathered across her cheek. He continued to lead her smoothly around the dance floor.

  "Mmm . . . yes," She half murmured, not bothering to open her eyes. "Too bad we aren't alone . . . ."

  His body shook as he chuckled. "Or what? You'd ravish my body?" Clearly his thoughts were the same as hers. Wicked, erotic, and shameless.

  Saved from responding by a ripple of noise from the foyer, Cassie lifted her head. The music stopped, and moments later so did the dancers. They turned around, and Cassie caught a glimpse of a mass of white material and camera bulbs flashing.

  Junie and her groom had arrived.

  Gabe led Cassie back to their table. Everyone clapped as the bride and groom made their grand tour around the room. Well wishes were shouted and glasses of champagne toasted them. With her broad smile and beautiful dress, Junie looked radiant.

  "Cassie!" Junie's blue eyes lit up when she spotted her. "I'm glad you came."

  Cassie murmured a sincere greeting while her cousin hugged her. "I couldn't have missed the wedding for the world. Congrats."

  "Thanks." Junie gazed at the man by Cassie's side. "Your date?"

  A flush rose in her face. Everyone acted like it was a big deal she brought a man to the wedding. "Yes. Junie, meet Gabe."

  "A pleasure to meet you," Gabe replied, giving Junie a quick peck on the cheek.

  "You look beautiful today."

  "Thank you." Her cousin glanced sideways at Cassie. "You have a winner, cuz."

  Then she continued on around the room.

  "I think the one who's the winner is me," Gabe whispered in her ear as he pulled her closer to his side. She smiled up at him. They'd both won in discovering each other.

  After settling into a table near the front of the room, Junie's father motioned for the band to start playing again. Waiters served food throughout the restaurant.

  Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves.

  "Want to dance some more?" Gabe asked her.

  "Actually, as good as that sounds, I'm starving. I didn't get any lunch."

  Her mother heard their exchange and leaned over. "The Chicken Divan is delicious. Oh, and try the stuffed mushrooms." Nola lifted her fork and took another bite, giving Cassie an encouraging nod.

  Plates were quickly filled and drinks replenished. As she settled back down to eat, Cassie was mildly relieved to see her father was deep in conversation with a relative at another table. At least they wouldn't have to put up with his interrogation of Gabe.

  "You two looked fantastic on the dance floor," Annie commented. "I wish Tim didn't have two left feet." The man in question snorted and shook his head, but his eyes spoke of the love he had for his wife.

  "Just takes practice," Gabe informed her. "If you want, I can show you a few moves."

  "Oh, that would be sweet of you." Annie glanced at Cassie. "You don't mind if I steal your date for a few minutes?"

  "Sure, no problem." Cassie grinned at the man in question. "Just don't tucker him out too much. I have plans for more dancing." She smiled as she watched him extend a hand to Annie and lead her onto the dance floor.

  "I'm glad you met him, sis." Tim's gaze idly followed their movements, a grin flickering on his mouth.

  "Me, too." Cassie sighed and picked at her food.

  "What's wrong?"

  She looked up. Her mother had joined her father at Junie's parents' table, and they were all engrossed in a deep conversation. Tim and Cassie sat alone.

  "I just have things going on in my life. With my business." She stabbed at an olive on her plate. "I do like Gabe, but I'm not sure I can get involved with someone right now."

  "Your massage place?"

  She nodded.

  "Anything we can do? I know dad and mom would help."

  "No! I'd rather solve my problems on my own. However—" She stared out at the dance floor as Gabe dipped a laughing Annie lower. He appeared relaxed and at ease no matter what he did. "I worry that I'll have to relocate to another part of town where the rent is higher. If I do move, I may also lose my customer base. I can't get involved in a relationship right now while my business is in turmoil." She sighed again and pushed her plate away, no longer hungry.

  "Cassie, we'll help. Annie and I will in a heartbeat."

  "I know. But—" The music stopped and Gabe and Annie began to head back to the table. "I want to solve the issue on my own. Thanks anyway."

  Annie plopped into her seat next to Tim. "Cassie, you lucky girl! He's a fabulous dancer."

  Gabe flashed a grin. "I think she keeps me around for more than dancing." The men and Annie started laughing, while Cassie blushed.

  "He's good for a few things." Cassie poked him in the ribs, and he dropped a quick kiss on her lips before taking a sip of his drink.

  "You were having a nice brother to sister chat?"

  She glanced at Tim, who'd draped his arm casually around his wife's shoulders.

  They were engrossed in a conversation.

  "Yeah, pretty good. We just chatted about this and that." Cassie gave a half-smile.

  "Tim's a good sounding board." She stole a quick glance to where her parents sat. "My folks can be too sometimes."

  "You're lucky."

  "Thanks."

  Gabe took a bite of his chicken and the subject at the table turned to travel and other general things. But at the back of her mind, Cassie wondered if she should ask her parents to bail her out so she could plan a possible future with Gabe.

  * * * * *

  Laughter from the happy couple penetrated through Cassie's thoughts. She was on a desert island with Gabe—and he'd just removed her bikini top with his teeth—

  when the sound of Junie's giggle popped her dream.

  Safely secure in Gabe's arms once more as they sauntered around the dance floor, she sighed in pure enjoyment. Junie and Rodney had taken the ceremonial first dance and others soon followed suit. The reception continued smoothly, and her family finally stopped asking Gabe when he'd make an honest woman of Cassie.

  "Nice party," he whispered next to her ear.

  She nodded without replying, too busy noticing that her nipples had begun to tighten at the contact of his breath against her neck. Her body ached for his intimate touch. Aware of the hard length of Gabe's cock beneath his pants brushing against her belly through her dress, she wished for some alone time. Wet heat radiated in the flesh between her legs. He didn't help things as his fingers tantalized her hip, feathering out to cup her ass. She moaned and turned her head against his shoulder to stare out at the water. Although now early evening, the hanging sun gave the river a silvery sheen.

  "How long do you think the party will last?" She sensed he wanted the same as she did. To be alone.

  Cassie lifted her head and glanced around. Her parents sat outside chatting with a distant cousin, while Annie stood on the fringe of the dance floor trying to show Tim some dance moves she'd learned earlier. Cassie smiled at the picture they made.

  "We probably need to stay until the cake is cut and then we can leave." She tipped her head back. "Why? Are you ready to go now?"

  He responded by pulling her closer and pressing her belly into his groin. His penis felt hard and thick. "Just a little part of me is getting anxious."

  Cassie gave a little mewing sound and closed her eyes. She squeezed her legs.

  Yes, she wanted to get out of here, but she suspected her parents would urge them to stay for the cake cutting. She got used to their disapproval growing up, but she wanted the day to be perfect with Gabe by her side. Top of the list was no arguing with Patrick and Nola.

  Cassie's head buzzed with desire. Checking around the room, she spotted a door.

  She'd been in the restaurant a couple of times and knew it had a banquet room, though it was not in use today. The reception had taken over the main restaurant. An idea began to form in her head.

  "Come on, follow me." She grabbed his hand and led him through the throng of
party revelers.

  "Where're we going?"

  "You'll find out." Testing the doorknob, she bit back a cry of delight to discover the handle unlocked. Gently, she opened the door and peered inside.

  "What's in here?" Gabe asked behind her.

  "Banquet rooms. I thought we might, um, get a little quiet time in here."

  She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one paid any attention. Then she pulled him inside and shut the door behind them. Silence. She didn't turn on any lights.

  A four-by-two skylight above provided some illumination. The hallway was semi-dark.

  This would be perfect. What she had in mind didn't require light. The thick walls muted the music from the other room. With Gabe at her back, she felt her way down the wall.

  If she remembered correctly, the restaurant had two large rooms and a smaller one for banquets. They could be opened up and used as one big room. She hoped that wasn't the case today, as she wanted to use the smaller room.

  They came to an entryway and Cassie quietly opened the door, taking a chance that this would be the room she wanted. "This'll do."

  She turned around to face him. Gabe fumbled for a light switch, but she stopped him and flipped it back off. "No, I want to kiss you in the dark."

  "Ah, you're a wicked woman," he commented before he leaned down to kiss her.

  His mouth tasted good on her lips. Champagne, chocolate éclairs—and sin.

  "I didn't think I'd last until they cut the cake."

  He chuckled. "I almost regretted agreeing to come. Being around you today reminded me how much I wanted to spend the whole day with you." His erection prodded her stomach despite two layers of fabric separating them. "All day."

  "Oh, yeah, me too." She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him, opening her mouth and hotly sucking in his tongue. Flames of desire soared between them.

  "Oh, baby, you taste good," he murmured against her lips. His hand snagged the strap of her camisole top she'd worn to match her flowery dress. He pulled the strap down until it lay loose, exposing the top of her breasts. She wore a strapless pink bra, but the sheer fabric provided little coverage. Gabe's lips dipped under the cup of her bra and laved the top of one breast. Her nipple responded, the nub hardening under his wet ministrations and the dampness between her legs building.

  She let him back her up until something hard impeded from behind. But nothing was as hard as the feel of Gabe's rock-solid frame molding her body.

  "My family has been good today, but I'm afraid"—she gasped as he tugged down the camisole and bra to expose her breasts to the cool air of the room—"I . . . was afraid they'd . . . ."

  Her words were lost as he latched his mouth onto her breast and began to suckle.

  Good God, her body jerked with the sudden need that soared through it.

  His hands moved to her buttocks and began kneading. She could feel his cock hard and thick. She needed to remove the barrier of clothes between them. Her need out control, she reached down until she found tab of his zipper.

  "What . . . the—?" Gabe muttered. He chuckled as her hand ran down the length of him. "Ah, sweetheart, you're gonna kill me yet."

  She smiled even though she knew he probably couldn't see her face. "Only returning the favor."

  He chuckled again and returned to her breasts. His hot tongue lapped at a hardened nub, and a jolt of electricity speared Cassie. She groaned and would have lost herself in the sensations wrapping around her, but she had her own agenda in mind.

  Slowly, she lowered his zipper. He felt solid and hot beneath her fingers. Luckily he hadn't worn a belt today. As the metal parted, he tented out to greet her. Dipping her hand underneath his briefs, she freed him. Her soft hand grasped his heated length, and she lightly ran her hand up to the tip. A silky wetness met her touch, and she ran the pad of her finger across the tip, swirling around the head of his penis.

  He groaned in response and stopped suckling her breasts. She sensed she had his immediate attention right now and took advantage. She slid her hands into his briefs and tugged them down along with his pants. Dropping to her knees, she contemplated her actions. She couldn't make out his cock in the darkness, but the heat emanated from his body.

  "Cassie—" His voice groaned even as his cock pulsed against her hand.

  Anticipation rose between them.

  A cheer echoed from the room next door. Muffled voices floated to her, and Cassie assumed this meant Junie and Rodney had cut the cake. She supposed her mother and father wondered where they'd gone. She might use the excuse she'd been busy showing Gabe around.

  As she leaned her head closer, she smelled the essence of him. Sexual heat licked as the flames rose inside her. She had to taste him. Licking her lips, she moved closer, and her tongue encountered something hard. She twirled her tongue around his shaft.

  Salty. Warm. And incredibly good.

  He moaned above her, and she took that as an invitation to plunder even more.

  With her mouth, she felt around in the dimness until she reached the head of his penis.

  With his hands, Gabe held her head in place. He wanted it as much as she did.

  "Oh . . . this is incredible. I can't see you. Now I know how a blind person must feel," she told him. She licked his tip.

  "Ah, yeah." He twitched beneath her. "Do you . . . ah . . . suppose they're missing

  . . . ah . . . us out there?" he finally dragged out.

  She tilted her head and listened. Voices trickled in from the other side of the walls and the music had resumed. "I think they're busy and quite frankly, I don't care."

  She took him fully into her mouth.

  "Damn, Cassie, you're killing me," he muttered as his body stiffened and his member grew harder beneath her touch.

  She ignored his mild protest and took him in as deep as she could. The sensation was of eating a Popsicle, only this tasted warm and salty. He seemed to get bigger as the seconds ticked on. Releasing him for a moment caused a suction-like effect. She dipped her tongue underneath his cock and licked her way to the root.

  "Cassie—" He groaned loudly into the room. "I need to be inside you now."

  "No. I need to finish this," she told him.

  "I can't—"

  "Yes, you can." And she engulfed him with her mouth again.

  He seemed to abandon his protests and soon only silence filled the room except for her sucking sounds and his grunts of pleasure.

  Time stood still as Cassie eagerly took to the task of finishing off Gabe.

  Somewhere in the distance, a door opened and footsteps padded gently, but Cassie paid them no heed.

  "Cassie, I'm coming!" Gabe groaned. Against her mouth, he seemed to grow bigger and harder. His body suddenly stiffened and, with a rush, he came hard in her mouth.

  As his body quaked for several moments, she drank his essence and sucked him dry. Long seconds passed while his body's spasms subsided, and she finally collapsed to the floor and laid her head against the wall. She didn't know how he still stood after that.

  As if on cue, his legs gave way, and he joined her on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. The intoxicating smell of sex hung in the air.

  "God, you're magnificent," he told her.

  "Mmm . . . ." Cassie's eyes closed, and she smiled to the dark room. "I wish we could stay here all night."

  He sighed. "Yeah, me too." He shifted slightly. "I supposed we should pull ourselves together and make an appearance before your family posse comes looking for us."

  "Oh, yeah. I think the reception might be coming to a close because I heard—"

  They froze at the sudden rattle of the doorknob.

  Cassie dragged her camisole back up and scrambled to her feet. To hell with the bra. She didn't have time. Beside her, Gabe also rose to his feet to pull his clothes together.

  The door opened, throwing some natural light into the darkened room. Cassie watched in alarm as a hand fumbled with the light switch.
Fingers finally found its target and harsh light flooded the room just as two people tumbled in with their arms locked around each other in a tight kiss. They fell in a heap at Cassie and Gabe's feet.

  "Oh!" Cassie yelped.

  "What the—"

  The couple on the floor screamed and confusion reigned in the room for several seconds as they rolled around, caught in the tulle of the woman's enormous gown.

  Cassie sent a quick glance to Gabe, thankful he'd zipped up his pants . . . just barely. She stepped in front of him and looked down at the couple entangled in white satin and lace. Cassie shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

  "Junie and Rodney, couldn't you have at least waited until the honeymoon started?"

  Chapter Twelve

  Gabe cursed and slammed down the phone for what seemed the tenth time.

  Another fruitless day spent trying to track down the men who'd filed complaints against Casa de Massage.

  "I take it no luck? Again."

  He glanced at his partner standing in the door with two cups of steaming coffee in his hand. Chaz had made some calls and gotten nowhere either. These men either didn't exist or planned to lay low for a few days.

  "Nope. Nothing. I finally located the owner of the apartment building where Frank Schwartzman supposedly lives. The manager's never heard of the guy." Gabe ran his hand through his hair. "Damn. I wish we could just close the case on the evidence—

  or rather, the lack of evidence—we have, but the boss says we've too many complaints to let this go."

  Chaz laid Gabe's coffee down on the desk. "I tend to agree with you. Something fishy's going on, and we need to approach this with caution."

  "I think some asshole is playing with Cassie's reputation, and I have a hunch it's something to do with her business problems."

  "Has she discussed anything with you?"

  "Not really. And when I bring up the matter up, she clamps her mouth shut and says it's her problem. I guess I should level with her about what's going on, but dammit, I'm not sure what is going on." Gabe threw his pen down and shook his head. He'd spent most of the day in perpetual frustration.