The Waiting Room
by
Annabel Lucas
No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictionally. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Copyright © (2020)
Annabel Lucas
WWD - Forever grateful we walk this journey together.
Contents
CHAPTER 1
Breadcrumbs
CHAPTER 2
Bathroom
CHAPTER 3
The Course
CHAPTER 4
Excursion
CHAPTER 5
Unveiled
CHAPTER 6
Update
CHAPTER 7
Confession
CHAPTER 8
Dream
CHAPTER 1
Breadcrumbs
T heir late-night entrance into the four-day weekend with Ryan's top clients had gone exceptionally well. If the late-night dinner was an indication of how things were going to turn out, the deal would be closed well before their Vegas weekend was over.
"Please, call me Tess." She’d said. The woman was flawless. Her face framed by blond hair that fell to her shoulders like silk. As she leaned in, Shane got a better view of Tess; her plunging neckline revealed her lovely breasts. She was striking, no doubt. Shane had first noticed when Ryan introduced them, but now with her so close, Shane felt a bit intoxicated.
Maybe it was because she was a bit intoxicated.
Shane blinked in disbelief, her smile as disarming as Tess'. Shane was no amateur. "Tess," she repeated as she took the woman's hand in both of hers. It was a personable and genuine move. "So nice to meet you tonight."
"Ryan." Tess leaned into him, and he kissed her cheek. "See you tomorrow." The exchange breathed familiarity. Shane took a deep breath and observed her new acquaintances. The men exchanged handshakes that lead to strong hugs as they said good night. Tess received hugs from all the men. The members of the group were all family, with the exception of Anthony, the owner of Harvest and Tess's new love interest; and he seemed to blend in beautifully. Shane and Ryan collected their luggage and departed in search of their hotel rooms as the group waved them off.
Ryan leaned into her. His tie hung loose around his neck; the starched collar of his shirt left undone. Jesus, that was a good look for him.
Not ready to reveal her recent revelation that Elizabeth was Tess. Shane took a deep breath, "I thought that went well." He gave her a sidelong glance. "I know we came down here to revive the deal, but honestly, Ry, they love you.” He laughed. His ice-blue eyes warmed to her, like they always did, crinkling at the edges. “They do.” She insisted.
“I grew up with them. It’s just been a while since we’ve all been together. It all comes back so quickly.” Ryan and the boys had worked in the vineyards together.
Ryan led the way toward the bank of elevators that would lead them to their hotel suites. For the last few hours, his hands had hovered around her, careful not to touch. Now, his hand resumed its movement with unhindered ease, because no one was watching. The Vegas crowd provided safe cover for their indiscretion.
Shane took a last glance at the hotel lobby, it was crawling with hotel patrons, and gamblers. An escalator climbed into the sky, it led to endless shopping, dining, Starbucks, and the casino. Vegas baby. Thank God they were going the other direction, away from the nightlife. She wanted quiet and sleep. She could tell the ability to be anonymous among strangers brought him comfort. His comfort grew as they left the meeting behind and running exactly the opposite of Shane’s feelings. Her newfound discovery fresh in her mind. Call me, Tess.
At the foot of the elevator, the bellman asked to see their room keys. Shane fumbled for hers, digging in her purse. It wasn’t where she’d left it. The more her fingers moved through her purse, the more disconnected her actions felt from her brain. It didn’t matter, Ryan was on it. He slipped his room key from his wallet and led her into the empty elevator. As the doors closed, he pulled her into his arms. Shane resisted for a moment before allowing herself to be gathered up and kissed by his soft lips. His hands moved over her as he released the tension in her body.
She slid away when the elevator stopped, and the doors opened for no one on the 15th floor. She repeated the same on the 17th floor when a group of twenty-somethings entered primed for a night out. She craved his touch, and at the same time, wanted none of it. He slid his arm around her, caressing the curve of her waist. He sought the skin underneath her silky blouse. She felt his fingers graze her skin, and brush against the tender flesh of her belly just above the waistline of her tailored pants. She pulled away as they reached the 26th floor. She’d temporarily given up looking for her keycard, and now she needed it. They stepped off the elevator and moved slowly down the hall. Shane resumed the search, trying to visualize the keycard in her hand and recall where she’d tucked it.
“Shanie,” Ryan was close, his breath against her skin, saying her name. She was drunk and not listening. All her attention focused on the retrieval of the key.
“Honey here, this is my room. Shanie, stay with me.”
She closed her eyes. The world spun. She was jet-lagged, drunk, and too tired. “I’ll need it for the morning.”
"I know." He was nodded, hands-on her again, pulling her closer. She could smell the wine on his breath and taste it on his lips. “I’ll go down and get another one in the morning if we can’t find it. Okay?” He placed his lips on hers.
No longer believing she’d retrieve the key, but unable to agree just yet, she didn’t answer.
"Okay?" He coaxed, verbally, and physically leading her through the door into his room. Her mind resisted, warning bells sounding in her head. Tess. Elizabeth was Tess. The information he had not shared in his explanation of the family ties. What more was there to know?
Still, she wanted him to coax and touch her. She wanted his lips on hers more than she wanted the explanation. She kissed him back. Tasting him and letting him lead as he moved them into the hotel room, closing the door behind.
His fingers moved skillfully down her blouse, unbuttoning the buttons. Her shirt slid from her shoulders. She did not know how her fingers moved with the same skill to help him remove his tie and dress shirt. She felt the starched cotton against her nearly bare skin, dressed now only in bra and panties. He crawled into bed and held up the fresh sheets, an invitation. Shane moved into him, wanting his body heat to warm her.
Kisses. Caresses. That was what she could give. No words. She had no words for him, and he did not need words now. Shane found comfort in his body as he wrapped around her; and was only moments behind him as his breathing slowed and deepened in sleep. Shane closed her eyes and found Tess waiting for her for a moment before she slipped into her own dreamless sleep. Tess, everyone’s golden girl and her beautiful tawny eyes.
***
Shane woke before the sound of the alarm and slipped out of bed. Clad in only her panties and bra, she walked into the darkness of the bathroom to relieve herself. She shivered as she sank onto the toilet. Through the night, the air conditioner continued to pump out icy air. It was freezing. Shane wrapped her arms around herself. She found a little relief from the cold as she walked back across the hotel room, her feet moving across carpet instead of the chilled tile.
Shane wanted to see the view. She moved to the window, to find
the world beyond the drapes. The sight caught her by surprise, as her breath was caught in her throat. It was breathtaking. The sun had begun its climb into the sky, spilling all shades of pink and orange across the cityscape and the desert beyond. She was beginning to see why everyone loved Vegas.
The black-out curtains slipped from her fingers. Shane turned in the dark and bumped into the side table and lamp. The lamp wobbled for a moment and was still. She held her breath, waiting to see if the sound would disturb his slumber. She hadn’t intended to wake him. The blankets draped over him rose and fell with his steady breathing. Shane knew how warm it would be under those covers, tucked against him. She glanced at her watch, quarter to five.
The bed called to her, inviting her in. She pushed the thought away and settled on the edge of the bed, reaching for her phone. She tapped her fingers against the screen to check the calendar.
Today was a big day. Golf outing. While they were gone, Shane planned to do some research and review Ryan’s PowerPoint in preparation for their afternoon meeting. Today’s lunch meeting was the big pitch. After lunch, they would all get a little downtime, then a lovely dinner out.
Shane shivered, the arctic air-conditioned air settling around her. With a last glance at Ryan and the bed, she opted for a shower instead of a cuddle. Shane moved across the darkened room and stripped off her bra and panties as she made her way to the bathroom, leaving him a trail of breadcrumbs. She snapped on the light, leaving the door open a little, to cast a thin golden ray of light in the darkness—bread crumbs.
Shane reached into the shower and turned it on- full blast, full heat. She sat naked on the edge of the tub, waiting patiently for steam to surround her. She should have been thinking about the deal, rehearsing her part of the presentation. Instead, her thoughts kept turning to Tess.
She certainly meant something to Ryan. In their conversations to date, she was Elizabeth, never Tess. She was always Elizabeth and now standing in the same room with her, Tess. Just like the postcards with the lovely feminine handwriting.
“Come home.”
Curiosity tickled like an itch she couldn’t reach. Shane liked to be in the know; she wanted the details, all the details. The correspondence on the postcards between Tess and Ryan felt so familiar. Shane shook her head, trying to understand and offer him some space. The man had no idea that she was aware of what appeared to be a deeper connection. It wasn’t his fault she’d spilled his mail and came across the personal correspondence from Tess.
The steam from the shower filled the room while she pondered. It surrounded her, warming her skin and soothing her dry throat. Shane pulled back the curtain and stepped into the shower, no longer able to see her reflection through the blurred mirror.
The water poured on her, fighting through her curls over her shoulders. She bowed into it, letting her hair fall, making a curtain in front of her face. She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the heat and the noise of the water hitting tile.
She was curious, no doubt. Tess had it together; beautiful, bright, and successful. Shane spent the last few days researching a family business that appeared to be passed down for generations from the firstborn male to the next. For all intents and purposes, Tess had risen to the leadership position now and had them eating out of the palm of her hand. She was undoubtedly the family darling, Tess with her tawny eyes and golden hair. Shane shook her head again, to stop the spinning thoughts. This woman was their client, their focus. Her history with Ryan was not.
Shane shifted under the water; her shoulders tingled from the pounding water. Shane dipped her face under the downpour and pushed her hair out of her face. The water washed away sleep and yesterday’s journey. She felt her muscles begin to loosen. The heat and the water sent tension down the drain. She pooled the hotel’s sweet-smelling shampoo in her palm, taking a generous portion to lather into her now straight curls. She stepped out of the tub to lather her hair.
Honestly, the “Pairing” between Harvest and Vino was brilliant. It would connect delicious wine and decadent food. This deal would be the first of many, Shane could envision it now. This trip was filled with new experiences, her first time in Vegas, and she couldn’t wait to see the vineyards tomorrow. She ducked her head under the flow of the shower to wash away the bubbles.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear him come in, but she sensed him. Alerted to his presence by the cold air as it slipped into the shower with him and the connection they shared.
Shane turned into him, eyes closed, her head still under the water while she washed the last of the shampoo away. He met her under the shower-water, his mouth on hers. With her eyes still closed, she reached for him pulling him in. Shane giggled as her feet left the ground. Intoxicated by his hands and the way he touched her.
He was everywhere, and now she was pulling him in. Her hands in his hair, pulling him, she kissed him through the giggle, his desire more potent than happiness. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his hands on her thighs. She held on to him with her strength, giving his hands the freedom to glide over her wet skin, exploring the curves and bends of her body into the dark and secret places he liked to touch. His hands explored the tender flesh in the hollow of her thighs, where her legs met the curve of her ass, sending tingles through her. Heart beating faster, she lost herself to his kiss and those squeezing hands, kneading and pulling her flesh apart. His fingers grazed her lips while he kissed her under the shower's spray. Breathless and wanting, Ryan opened his eyes to gauge the distance between where they stood and the shower. He then turned around so they could stand directly under the showerhead. He seemed to sink into the pleasure of her kiss, his upturned face in the warm water’s flow- all taste and tongue. Shane spilled shampoo into her hand and let the slippery liquid slide through her fingers into his hair.
She rubbed his head while she kissed him, subtle shifts causing her perky nipples to press against his chest as she moved. Bubbles ran down his shoulders, over his chest, and between them until he succumbed to the pleasure of her hands rubbing tension and fatigue out of his muscles.
Ryan let her slide down until her feet touched the floor. She did not stop there, she slid down the length of him with her hands sliding down his back as her fingers curled into the curve of his ass, and her knees hit the floor.
Kneeling, she slid her hands over his legs, exploring the taut muscles in his calves and thighs. Shane licked her lips; her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she looked up into his eyes. He gazed down at her. Hands cupped at his sides. Wanting but not taking. He waited.
He would not move into her mouth and take control of her, even if he wanted to. She made him wait a moment longer. She took him in with her eyes, roaming over his well-muscled chest, and flat belly. She love the way his narrow waist tapered into his hips, and the beauty of his thick hard cock like a soldier standing at attention before her.
Shane curled her fingers around his thickness, grasping the base of his cock. She felt more than she heard him draw in breath. Her desire deepening, she caressed him under the water’s flow, washing away what was left of the bubbles. He was barely breathing now.
He pleased her. She wanted to take him into her mouth and relieve him of all that tension, while still making him wait. He stood under the flow of water with his cock so hard, he could barely stand the need. She breathed out a stream of warm air across the tip of his head. She rose on her knees, preparing to take him in, and a small bottle on the floor of the shower caught her eye. Amongst the hotel shampoo and conditioner was a third bottle containing massage oil. The maid that left it in the shower deserved a big tip. A big tip
Reaching for the bottle of oil, Shane unscrewed the cap. Looking up into his eyes, she rubbed her hands together, coating her palms and fingers with the slippery liquid. Shane caressed him as her fingers moved over his legs and ass, squeezing those delicious cheeks in her fingers as he had done to hers.
CHAPTER 2
Bathroom
H is muscles tight
ened as she pulled him forward and took him into her mouth. Just a little, just a taste, she wanted a taste. Her lips slid over his head, her tongue tasting and enjoying him. She wrapped her lips around him, and pulled him closer, moving down his length and taking him in. His cock was big. She took him in slowly letting her throat open to him. She let his need build, moving her hands over his hips. The man was solid muscle. Shane wrapped her fingers around the base and began working him up and down at a pace that would match pouring honey. God bless that little maid and her massage oil.
Ryan groaned. The sound of his distinct pleasure echoing off the bathroom walls pleased her more than she could have said. He moved his fingers into her hair, a tender gesture. Again, it occurred to her, he would not take control of her in this moment. He was filled with desire and waiting for her to lead. His hand moved slightly, and she felt his fingertips on her face. He caressed her jawline and the hollow of her throat. She moaned softly. The sound reverberated into the cock she held so nicely in her lips. Moving her hand and lips together, she rose on her knees to take him deeper. She was squeezing and pumping, taking her time. She let his pleasure climb, sliding her lips further and further down his dick until she felt him connect with the back of her throat. Her eyes burned, and she focused on opening to him entirely. His hands rested on her head, with a gentle coaxing pressure.
He was breathing hard as he had begun to shake. Shane let her right hand find its way down to his base and applied pressure, squeezing the climax back. Oh, no, baby. You will not come.
She didn't need to say the words. Her hands told him her desire. She held him there, drawing him out of her mouth and letting his climax back-down. With her left hand, she caressed his balls. High tight balls, filled with desire, drawn up into his body. Shane worked him with her fingers, she squeezed him again. Holding his dick tightly in the ring of her thumb and index finger, she applied gentle pressure and squeezed his balls with her left hand. He groaned. Shane licked the tip of his cock, tasting a drop of his pleasure before she took him deep again. His breathing quickened as she squeezed, increasing her pressure and taking him deeper- tease and denial. Shane’s fingers slicked with the oil curled over the tip of his cock and stroked it. He was breathing heavily now.
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