by Amanda Bretz
“How can you be so sure he’s straight?” Corina asked him with mock skepticism then sipped her champagne.
“I just know. It’s a gift, sis,” Anderson said with a wink.
Corina rolled her eyes then downed the remaining contents of her fluted glass in one unladylike gulp. Twisting the stem between two fingers, she let her gaze linger on Zach. She admired the way the tuxedo blazer hugged his wide shoulders and muscular chest. As though sensing her stare, Zach turned toward her. His eyes met hers and seemed to penetrate to her core. A slow smile spread across his lips, his dimples appearing. The muscles in her stomach clenched in response.
A woman speaking over the PA system broke the moment between them. Zach, who had been standing near the bottom of the stage, slipped behind a curtained area where, she assumed, the other bachelors were waiting to be brought out for bidding. Once Zach was out of her sight, Corina shifted her attention toward the emcee on the stage.
“Okay, ladies. Let’s loosen those purse strings. It’s time for our bachelor auction to begin.”
A series of high-pitched hoots and catcalls broke out from the estrogen-pumped crowd.
As if on cue, waiters came around once again with trays of champagne flutes, plying people with alcohol to aid in the women’s bids. Deciding to play it low-key and enjoy the show, Corina and Anderson watched from a back corner as each stud strutted his stuff on the stage in an attempt to collect as much money for the cause as they could. To pass the time, she sipped her drink and appreciatively took in each bachelor’s runway walk and the frenzied bidding among the women, who were now rowdy thanks to the liberal flow of the complimentary libations.
One by one, each man was sold to the highest bidder. Her patience and her nerves were nearly worn thin by the time, as luck would have it, Zach was announced as the final bachelor. Corina grabbed another glass of champagne and let the sweet, acidic bubbly slide quickly down her throat. Her palms began to sweat when she saw Zach take the stage.
“Oh, baby!” Anderson said. He watched Zach mosey up to the end of the catwalk. “That man is walking sex.” Anderson ground his hips seductively toward Corina.
The bidding started almost as soon as Zach had finished his sensual strut. Dollar amounts were being shouted out almost faster than the auctioneer could keep up with them.
Propelled by alcohol and the frenzied atmosphere, Corina took a step forward. Before she knew what was happening, she heard herself somewhat drunkenly shout, “Two thousand five hundred!”
The heat of shame crept across her face under Anderson’s skeptical blue-eyed gaze. He said nothing but shook his head and gave her a knowing smile. Corina turned her attention back to the auctioneer on stage and her heartbeat accelerated when another woman near the front outbid her.
“Six thousand!” Corina shouted over the din.
“Damn, somebody’s determined to get her man,” her brother said.
However, Corina barely heard his teasing remark. She held her breath as she listened to the auctioneer count backward from three then enthusiastically announce that Zach had been sold to her for the outrageous sum. She’d done it. She’d bought her sexy delivery man.
Now what? she wondered.
Chapter Two
“So, what do you have in store for me, Corina?” Zach asked and tightened his hold on her hip.
The two were dancing together at the charity ball following the auction. He hadn’t left Corina’s side since she’d stepped forward to claim her prize after bidding on him.
“What if I said I haven’t decided yet?” Corina asked. She knew all the bubbly she’d drunk had something to do with her saucy answer.
Zach merely smirked and raised an eyebrow at her reply. The song came to an end and they stopped moving briefly in the silence while they waited for the next melody to start. In that moment, Zach held her still in his arms and locked his gaze on her. A shiver traveled down her spine. In an attempt to make the situation less sexually charged, she brought up their impending outing.
“So, about our date, do you enjoy spending time outdoors?”
“Yes, I love the outdoors. Just what do you have in mind?” he pressed again.
“With a body like yours, I figured you had to get a lot of fresh air and exercise.” When the words tumbled out, Corina placed a hand over her lips as though to ensure she didn’t say anything else embarrassing. Alcohol had caused the filter on her mouth to cease working completely.
“I mean…never mind. Back to our date. I’ve planned a simple picnic lunch at Forest Park. And afterward, I thought we could walk around, visit the museums,” she said.
“That sounds fun. But, you get me all day, you know? Since you’ve planned lunch, why don’t I plan dinner?”
“Okay. Are you going to give me a hint about what we’re doing for dinner?” Corina asked while waiting for the band to introduce the next song.
“Nope,” he said simply as he swept her into his arms again.
The musicians played a slower number, and Zach pulled her closer.
“You know, technically our date Saturday won’t be our first.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we chatted during the calendar shoot, so that was our ice-breaker. Then I rang your bell,” he said and bobbed his eyebrows up and down. “And I met your dog. That’s a pretty serious step. Then tonight, this is practically our third date.”
“And everyone knows what happens on the third date,” Corina said around a giggle that ended with a hiccup.
She’d really had too much to drink. She looked up into Zach’s eyes and noticed the dark irises seemed to glitter like onyx. He narrowed his gaze at her. Now she’d gone and done it. She must have embarrassed him with her blathering.
“Of course I know what most people do on the third date. But, sometimes you meet someone and the connection is there and you just can’t wait that long,” he purred.
He ran his hand along the ample curve of her hip and settled his fingertips at the top of her ass. His electrifying caress caused a bloom of desire to unfurl inside her. The tips of her nipples hardened and tingled from the intimate position of his hands. She leaned even closer to him, loving the feel of his solid chest as it pressed against her breasts. She repositioned her hips, her thigh to grazing his pelvic region. When she felt the rigid length of his cock touch her leg, her pulse leaped and her sex clenched in response.
Corina brought her gaze up to his and read the blatant sexual look on his face. God help her, she wanted to rip his clothes off and jump him right in the middle of the dance floor at the sophisticated event. She rolled her lips inward as she thought about placing that big, thick cock in her mouth. She wanted to feel the friction of its smooth head gliding across her tongue. She pictured the way his slim hips and plump ass would look while he pumped into her mouth. Unable to help herself, a soft moan escaped her throat, the fantasy playing out in her mind.
His fingertips dug into the meaty flesh of her hip, and she knew his mind had to be traveling down a similar path. Zach gave her a slow, almost imperceptible nod. Corina was panting for breath, but it had nothing to do with the sexy dance she’d just shared with him. She decided to take the lead and show Mr Out of My League an evening he wouldn’t soon forget. She turned her head to the side and placed her mouth beside Zach’s ear.
“Follow my lead,” she told him then released herself from his grasp.
Scanning the crowd for Anderson, she found him at a table occupied by a few of the night’s bachelors and their bidders. Anderson’s arms flailed in an animated way in front of him. She knew he was regaling people with a wild story. She was thankful for that, because she didn’t want her brother to see what she was about to do next.
Corina excused her way through the throng of guests on the crowded dance floor then snaked between a series of tables to get to the back of the enormous banquet room. As casually as she could, she looked over her shoulder to ensure Zach was keeping up with her. He was. The roar of rushing bl
ood reverberated in her ears above the music and gaiety of her surroundings.
She slipped into a dimly lit hallway then through a door to a tiny closet used for storage. She’d been the photographer at a wedding at this banquet hall years ago and still remembered the layout. Inside the small space there were extra folding chairs, tables and other supplies. Zach was close behind her and crossed the threshold of the closet seconds after her. She’d barely had time to shut and lock the door before he had his hands all over her body. He leaned toward her and, using his powerful chest, wedged her there between him and the door. His mouth, warm and insisting, found hers and he plowed all ten of his fingers into her hair as he kissed her.
Too turned on to care about her mussed appearance or the fact that she’d spent an hour creating the glamorous waved hairstyle, Corina moaned in response and ground her breasts against him. He growled and tilted her head back further. His kiss became even more passionate and erotic as he plunged his tongue into her mouth over and over.
She ran her hands over his shirt, vest and tuxedo jacket. She wanted to rip the finery off his body and expose his chiseled form. He ended their kiss abruptly and pulled back to look her in the eyes.
As if reading her mind, Zach said, “God, I’d love nothing more than to tear that dress off your delicious body.”
He thought her body was delicious? The notion made her giddy and even hornier. “As much as I’d love that, this dress does have a zipper. It’s right here, you see,” she said, pointing to the zipper hidden in a seam along the left side.
“That will take too much time,” Zach said while edging the hem of her dress up her leg. “We’ll have to be quick and neat,” he added, almost as an afterthought. Once he’d bunched the heavy-beaded material of the gown, he knelt in front of her.
“God, those are hot,” he told her and ran his fingertips over the top of her thigh-high stockings. He placed a soft kiss where the silky nylons met her smooth flesh.
Corina arched her back when his hot, wet mouth on her skin. She used his hands, which were wrapped around the back of her legs, for support. He moved his fingers up and gripped her bare ass, hard.
“Oh, my God, you’re wearing a thong,” he said around a groan. He pulled the flimsy piece of material down her hips. “You’re so beautiful, and not just here,” Zach told her and brushed his fingertips along her folds.
Her clit throbbed in response to his words and his fingers. She leaned her head on the door when she felt his fingers explore her wet depths. His touch was slow and light. It was as though he were testing her. Teasing her. Corina wanted and needed more. She began writhing against his hand, craving release. He must have sensed her urgency, because he used the pad of his thumb to touch the hard pearl of flesh at the top of her sex. He circled the slippery bud in a deliberate stroke that caused her to cry out.
“Please,” she begged softly. She was dying to moan, but she couldn’t risk the two of them getting caught. “Zach…”
“Please, what?” He released his hold on her throbbing, wet flesh. Standing to his full height again, he slipped her thong in the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. “Tell me what you need, Corina,” he challenged as he stared into her eyes.
“This,” she whispered and reached for the waistband of his trousers.
With deft fingers, she lowered the zipper and freed his cock from its rigid confines. His erection filled her hand with its heavy weight while the silky flesh caressed her skin. She used her thumb to stroke the wide crest and released a purr of satisfaction when she found the moisture-laden tip.
Zach’s mouth claimed hers again and he used his tongue to probe the deep recesses of her mouth. She smoothed her fingers along the length of his cock as he once again gathered the heavy-beaded material around her waist. When her bottom half was exposed, he wasted no time. Lifting her leg, he wrapped her limb around his hips and drew her closer to him. Corina released her hold on his erection. She decided to let go of what remained of her inhibitions and let Zach take control.
He pressed her into the solid support of the door and tilted her ass upward. He entered her with one fluid motion. Corina arched her neck and bit her lip to keep from crying out in pleasure. The immense crown of his cock stroked her insides while his expert fingers explored her clit. She ground her pelvis on his and matched him thrust for thrust.
The whispers from the heavy fabric of their clothing as their bodies ground together were the only sounds in the small room. Knowing that the wooden door was the one barrier between them and the crowd was an intense turn-on. Corina’s blood pumped faster with the realization that at any moment they could get caught.
When her orgasm hit it was hard, fast and intense. Corina gripped Zach’s ass through the rough material of his trousers and buried her face in his neck, muffling her cries of pleasure. A shudder traveled through Zach’s large form and his arms shook slightly as he tightened his grip on her. His hot seed flooded her inner walls. He hissed between clenched teeth, his breath a moist stream against her neck. They held each other while panting and trying to catch their breaths. He leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.
Slowly, they disentangled themselves from each other’s grasp. When Zach removed his semi-hard cock from her body, the magnitude of what had just occurred hit her. She didn’t know whether to blame it on the alcohol or her hormones, but she’d wanted their tryst to happen. She’d initiated it. Unsure what had come over her, Corina couldn’t meet his eyes. She’d never had such a blatantly sexual escapade in a public place before, nor had she ever given herself over to a man so quickly. She smoothed her dress over her hips then patted her hair into place. She needed out. Now.
“If you’ll excuse me, Zach, I need to run to the restroom.” Corina spun on her heel, gripped the doorknob then bolted out the door before he could say anything in return.
It wasn’t until she was in the ladies’ room that she realized he’d kept her panties.
“Shit,” she muttered at her rumpled reflection in the mirror.
* * * *
“Damn, honey. A quickie with Mr Walking Sex and you’re going commando in your evening gown? Bad ass.”
Anderson took the news that she and Zach had hooked up at the benefit about as well as Corina had expected.
“Don’t remind me,” she said, her face growing warmer. Ready to leap from the car before it even came to a stop, she reached for the door handle the moment Anderson pulled his sleek sports car into her driveway. She couldn’t wait to get inside, kick off her high heels and scrub the makeup from her face. She even considered burning the green evening gown. Could she ever wear the garment again without thinking about this disastrous night?
“How am I supposed to face him? I can’t go on that date. He must think I’m some kind of—”
“Hot, sexual woman who’s not afraid to go after what she wants?”
“That’s not even close to what I was about to say.”
“I know, honey, but you don’t think like a man. If he doesn’t have the sense to call you or want to see you again after tonight, then fuck him. Oh, wait, you already did that,” Anderson said, giving her a saucy wink.
When would she learn to keep some things to herself? Anderson would never let her live this evening down. Unfortunately, she had to wallow in her worry for the next two days. She hoped she could summon the restraint to make it through her date with Zach without acting like an animal in heat.
Chapter Three
Corina tossed the last of the items into the wicker picnic basket and gathered her purse and sunglasses.
“I’ll see you later, Pris. Be a good girl,” she said to the basset and rubbed the pooch behind her long, droopy ears.
Corina placed the picnic basket in the backseat of her small SUV, then hopped in and revved the engine to life. It was a beautiful spring day, she realized, depressing the button that opened the moon roof. Despite the butterflies in her stomach, she smiled to herself, thankful that the weather had decided to c
ooperate with her plans for the day. Corina pressed on the accelerator and merged with the fast-moving traffic on the interstate. She was on her way to pick Zach up for their date and her mind wandered during the short drive to his house. How would he react to seeing her again? How would she respond to seeing him?
The last time they’d seen each other, she’d run away immediately after their hot, secret escapade. Despite the pep talk that Anderson had given her, Corina still felt as though Zach would treat her differently on their date. She wondered if he would act distant or if he’d be just as charming and flirty as he had on all their previous encounters. If he did act coldly toward her, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d slept with a man too soon and he lost interest once he’d gotten what he wanted from her. Corina resolved that if Zach did behave like an ass, she’d grit her teeth, smile and get through with the date she’d planned. Or maybe he’d make some flimsy excuse and weasel out of the whole thing, relieving her of any awkward interactions altogether.
“Quit overthinking it,” she muttered and pulled into the parking lot of Zach’s building. She gave herself a quick once-over in the rear-view mirror.
She hopped out of her vehicle then walked toward the large three-story brick building. When she entered the lobby, she used the electronic intercom system to buzz Zach’s apartment. Upon hearing the deep timbre of his voice come through the speaker, she jumped.
“Corina? I’ll be right down.”
As she waited for his arrival, she turned her back to the entryway and studied some of the architectural details of the ancient building’s interior. She took in the patina on the faces of the brass doors on the mailboxes and the crown molding on the ceiling. Corina spun at the sound of the heavy wooden door as it swung open. Zach entered the lobby looking sexy as always in faded jeans and an olive-green shirt. She couldn’t help but notice the way the hue set off his tan complexion and complemented his hair and eye color. He looked down into her face and smiled sexily.