Sweet Seduction

by Anthology

  Aubrey’s gaze darted toward Lex. “Lex, this is Bradley Cavanaugh. He’s the son of the incumbent mayor, my dad’s opponent. Bradley, this is my friend Lex.”

  Lex exchanged terse nods with him, not in the mood to make nice.

  The waiter slipped in and dropped off Aubrey’s drink and the appetizer. Bradley's attention slid to the table, alighting on the glass, and then he turned back to Aubrey, the quirk in his expression like a shark scenting blood in the water. “Martini, huh?"

  Her eyes narrowed in warning.

  But of course this asshole wasn't going to leave the jibe at the subtle stage. "I thought you didn’t believe in drinking because of, well, you know.”

  “I thought you didn’t believe in being a dick, but apparently, people change.”

  Lex snorted and almost inhaled his swallow of beer. He coughed to hide his smile.

  Bradley’s mouth pressed into a tight line. “I won’t take that personally. Clearly, you’re drunk off your self-righteous ass. Glad your dad is always talking about his family's strong values. Does he know his daughter left a Families Against Drunk Driving event to go out and get hammered?”

  “Hey,” Lex stood, towering over the guy, and pressed his fingers into the jerk’s chest, ready to shove him on his ass if it came down to it. “That’s enough, little man. Say one more word to her, and you'll get a new definition for what it means to be hammered.”

  Bradley’s lips spread into a cocky smile, and he stepped back putting his hands up in front of him. “Hey, no worries, guy. I just wanted to say hi to an old friend.”

  Aubrey rose, swaying ever so slightly. “Go to hell, Bradley.” She linked arms with Lex. “We were about to leave anyway. The crowd has gotten decidedly less appealing.”

  Lex tossed a few bills on the table and grabbed Aubrey's elbow, ready to get her away from this prick. But as he guided her toward the door, she stumbled in her heels. Lex tried to keep her steady, but her momentum worked against him, propelling her backward. She landed on her butt with an ungraceful thud, and all heads turned in their direction.

  “Dammit,” she said reaching out to her foot. She pulled off her shoe and frowned at the heel of her pump, which was bent at an unnatural angle. “These are my best black shoes.”

  Lex put a hand under her arm and helped her to a stand. “Come on, babe. I’ll get you another pair of shoes. Let’s get out of here.”

  He glanced over his shoulder and saw Bradley grinning. Little shithead. It took everything Lex had not to stalk back toward the guy and punch that smarminess right off his face. But he knew that it would only make things worse for Aubrey if he made a scene, so he simply turned and led Aubrey outside.

  Despite the tense exchange they'd just been through, Aubrey laughed as the limo pulled away from the club. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

  She bent over and slipped off her other shoe, her breasts threatening to spill out the top of her dress. Despite the anger still running through his blood, Lex couldn't help but feel the tug of lust as he took in the lush view. His hands itched to reach out and run along the curves, to feel the heat of her against his palm.

  “Don’t sweat it,” he said, shifting in his seat.

  She wiggled the toes of her left foot, which were sticking out of her stockings. “These are ruined, too. Oh, well.”

  She straightened her legs and tugged at the pantyhose, sliding them down.

  His mouth suddenly forgot how to make spit. He coughed. “Um, we aren’t far from your house. Don’t you want to wait to do that?”

  She finished removing the stockings then balled them in her hand.

  “What? Were you hoping to take them off for me?” She gave a smile worthy of a halo. “And who said I wanted to go home?”

  He wiped his hand along the back of his neck where droplets of sweat had formed. “I’m not buying you any more drinks. You’ll be sick as hell in the morning, and you’ll blame me.”

  “I’m not talking about more drinks, Lex. I’m talking about going to your hotel.” She tossed the wad of pantyhose onto the floor and slid next to him on the seat. “Isn’t that what you wanted the night of the concert when you invited me backstage? For me to come with you?”

  She cocked her head in challenge.

  Every muscle in his body coiled and tensed. Yes, that was exactly what he’d wanted, what he still wanted. But not like this. Each word stuck in his throat as he forced out the protest. “Aubrey, your chemical makeup is about thirty percent vodka right now. You’re not thinking straight.”

  “You’re wrong,” she said, putting her finger under his chin and turning him to look at her. Her eyes were sharp, determined, and wickedly beautiful. “This is the clearest thinking I’ve done in years. I’m not that drunk. You want me, and I want you. Simple logic, right? No ties, no feelings, just a little fun. Be my fling, Lex. I promise I won’t expect you to call me in the morning.”

  He groaned and let his head fall against the seat. His hands flexed and dug into the leather. “The universe has a sick fucking sense of humor. I can’t even tell you how badly I want to rip that dress off and take you right here.”

  She kneeled and moved her leg across his lap until she was straddling him, her dress bunching up around the outsides of her thighs. “Then take me, Lex. Right here.”

  Her throaty tone indicated a challenge, not a request. He had heard women say the dirtiest, most pornographic things to him in the past—things that could have made Hugh Hefner do a double take—but he couldn’t remember anything ever sounding sexier than the simple statement she'd uttered. Ms. Proper, the girl who worried about grass stains on her shorts and about maintaining professionalism at all costs, was asking, no, demanding for him to fuck her. All the blood in his body flooded into his dick, switching his operating system from conscious thought to autopilot. He twined his fingers into her hair and dragged her mouth down to his.

  She kissed him back as if she would die without his breath—taking and giving in equal measure. Her hands grappled with the buttons of his dress shirt, pulling and yanking at the fabric like a woman possessed. Once she had the top three buttons undone, she moved her mouth down, kissing the cords of his neck. Never in his wildest imaginings would he have pictured Aubrey taking the lead. He was a guy who liked the control, who did the seducing. But Aubrey was halfway down his chest now and moving lower without fear, and he couldn't find it in himself to stop her. Lex banged his fist against the privacy window, and Robbie started to lower it.

  “Take us to the hotel. Service entrance,” Lex said.

  “We’re almost at her house.”

  “Hotel, now,” he barked, trying to hold in a gasp of pleasure that gathered at the back of his throat.

  “You got it.” A low chuckle escaped Robbie as he raised the screen.

  Lex grabbed Aubrey’s head and gently guided her back to his mouth. “I wasn’t done with this part.”

  He took her bottom lip between his teeth, gently nibbling and tasting the salt of her martini olives. Then he went in for another kiss. She wound her fingers around his neck and rocked her hips ever so slightly against his growing erection. Fingers of electricity shot through his body, alerting every nerve to stand to attention. Their kiss swallowed the guttural sound that escaped his throat.

  His hands slid up the tops of her legs, caressing bare skin, and then inched the bottom of her dress higher. With his thumbs he made feather-light circles against the buttery softness of her inner thighs, moving ever so close to where they met.

  She drew away from their kiss and buried her head in the curve of his neck. “Please.”

  “Tell me what you want,” he said, his voice low and dark.

  “Touch me, Lex,” she said with an ache in her voice that matched the aching need he felt in his chest. Fuck.

  He moved his right hand farther up her inner thigh, letting his hand find the sweet heat of her. Burning hot, slick with desire, and like silk against his palm. His cock pressed hard against his fly, the n
eed almost blinding in its intensity.

  Aubrey shifted against his hand, urging him forward, offering herself to him. It took every ounce of strength for him to not unbutton his pants and slide into her. He wanted to feel her heat tight around him, to be consumed by her. But not yet. She deserved better than a quick fuck in the back of a limo. She deserved savoring. He ran his thumb along her crease and found her clit, a swollen button begging for attention. He massaged it and slipped a finger inside the hot clasp of her pussy. Aubrey moaned into his neck—the sweetly erotic sound making his whole body tighten. He could feel her chest rising and falling with short, quick breaths. She was so on edge, so close to shattering already, like she hadn’t been touched this way in far too long. He couldn’t wait to hear it, to feel her come around his fingers and let herself go.

  The car stopped. Lex heard Robbie shutting his door. Ten steps, maybe, and Robbie would be opening their door to let them out. He pressed his lips close to her ear as she rocked against his touch. “We’re at the hotel, gorgeous.”

  “Oh, God, please don’t stop.”

  Robbie jiggled the door handle and then knocked on the window. “We’re here, boss.”

  “Give us a minute,” Lex called.

  Robbie didn’t question him, and Lex put his focus fully back on Aubrey. He slid a second finger into her, the tight clench of her body around him its own kind of torture. Her sexy scent filled his senses, and he wished they had more time. He’d spread her out on the seat and taste every inch of her, feel her come against his mouth. But he knew they were on borrowed time already.

  “Lex…” she moaned, her head tilted back, her throat exposed.

  “Come for me, baby,” he said, a commanding tone slipping into his voice. “Take what you need.”

  “Your driver…”

  “Is waiting outside the door, probably listening. You care?”

  She pressed her forehead to his, her body rocking against his touch without shame now. “No.”

  “Good, let him hear you, gorgeous.” Lex used his other hand to tug down the neckline of her dress and her breasts spilled out. He lowered his head and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking and laving as he pumped his fingers into her.

  He could feel her tense around him, her whole body going rigid for one beautiful second before she cried out and fell into the oblivion. Lex didn’t let up, loving the utter abandon in the noises she was making. He may die from the need to be inside her, but he’d die happy, hearing this put together woman absolutely fall apart under his touch.

  When she was reduced to a gasping, panting rag doll in his arms, he backed off and worked to right her dress. She seemed completely okay with letting him piece her back together, and after giving himself his own minute to get his very obvious erection to stand down, he opened the door.

  As discreetly as possible, Lex led Aubrey through the hotel’s side door and to a service elevator. Luckily, the hotel’s staff members knew how to treat VIP guests. After initial glances, they averted their eyes and made no comment to the rock star helping a barefoot, wobbly-kneed chick through their corridors. He found the benign neglect disturbing on many levels but convenient for his current situation.

  When they reached his floor, he stuck his head out the elevator like a cop checking for bad guys. The hallway was empty except for a room service tray sitting outside of one of the doors.

  “We’re good,” he said and smiled at Aubrey.

  “No, we’re great.”

  He laughed. “Come on.”

  He took her elbow and steered her down the hallway, the thick carpet converting their steps into muffled thumps. As they neared the end of the corridor, he heard a distinct click behind him. He turned.

  Jared stuck his head out of his door. “Lex? Where've you been? Pete was looking for you.”

  Lex groaned. “I was out. Now I’m going to bed.”

  Jared’s gaze slid over to Aubrey, who was standing behind Lex. His lips lifted into a slow, knowing smile. “With our reporter?”

  “Dude, seriously, go to bed,” he warned.

  Jared’s grin grew wider. He gave a little wave. “Goodnight, Aubrey.”

  She stepped up next to Lex and slid her arm around his waist, nonplussed. “Goodnight, Jared.”

  Jared disappeared and clicked his door shut. But the brief interruption and Aubrey's reaction had been as effective as a bomb going off in Lex's lust-fogged mind. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, reality sinking into his bones.

  "What's wrong?" Aubrey asked, concern coloring her voice.

  “You’re drunk,” he said, stating what he had tried to convince himself out of in the limo.

  “What?”

  He turned to her with a sigh and his hands on her shoulders. “The Aubrey I know would’ve been horrified that another band member saw us going to my room together.”

  “Maybe you never saw the real Aubrey.”

  He lifted the corner of his mouth. “Or maybe I’m seeing three martinis.”

  Her shoulders sagged beneath his hands.

  “Babe, let’s get you into bed. You probably won’t remember any of this in the morning, anyway.”

  She frowned. “You’re turning me down?”

  He gazed at her—flushed and mussed and pantyless—an invitation for no strings attached sex wrapped up in a black satin bow. His whole body ached, begging him to take advantage of the situation. He leaned past her and inserted his card key in the door. “Yes, I’m turning you down. For now. But if you still want to jump my bones in the morning, I’m all yours.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind,” she promised.

  “Great.” But he knew she would. He had let himself lose control with her while she was wasted. She would wake up one of two ways: completely oblivious to what had happened or painfully aware and hating him for it. He didn’t know which would be worse.

  CHAPTER 9

  Aubrey squinted in the piercing light and pulled the covers over her face with a groan. Had a herd of elephants trampled across her head? Or maybe someone had hit her with a bat. She rolled over and tried to open her eyes again. The glow of the morning sun filtered through the white bedspread like knives to her eyeballs. God, why did she feel so bad?

  She froze, rewinding her thoughts. Wait. A white bedspread? Her bed didn’t have a down comforter. She threw the blanket off, shielding her eyes with her arm, and peered around the room. Panic seeped in. Nothing was familiar. Where the hell was she he? He gaze snagged on the reflection in the mirror on the other side of the room.

  “Oh, good Lord.” Her hair resembled a Pekinese’s, and she was wearing a Led Zeppelin t-shirt. Not hers. She ran her hands over her face. “Fantastic.”

  She eased out of the bed, yanked the curtains closed, and then pressed her back against them. The room spun for a moment. She swallowed hard trying to fight off the wave of nausea.

  The red numbers on the clock blinked, announcing that it was a few minutes past seven. She ran her hands through her knotted hair. How long had she been sleeping? More importantly, what had she been doing before she fell asleep? The bed was in shambles, her cocktail dress lay in a heap on a nearby chair, and she was wearing men’s boxer shorts with no panties underneath. Those clues when added to her wicked headache didn’t paint a flattering picture.

  She took a deep breath and padded to the closed bedroom door. Moving as slowly as possible, she turned the lever handle until the lock released with a muted thunk. Through the door, there was an adjoining living room decorated in soft creams and chocolate browns. Lex lay sprawled on the main couch, his face relaxed in slumber. He had unbuttoned his shirt and slipped off his shoes, but was otherwise dressed. Relief and disappointment hit Aubrey at the same time.

  Hotel stationary littered the coffee table and a guitar was perched against the arm of the couch near Lex’s feet. She tiptoed closer and picked up one of the sheets of paper. Short lines of poetry, no, song lyrics, covered the front and back. She squinted trying to decipher hi
s jagged handwriting. Take me. Use me. Drain me dry. I can numb your pain. Don’t hide behind your lie.

  She sank into the love seat as the memories of the previous night crashed into her. Her asking Lex to help her forget, climbing on top of him and begging him to take her, his hands caressing her. Him with his fingers buried deep inside her as he gave her an orgasm loud enough to make her scream.

  “Fucking hell,” she breathed, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. She had thrown herself at him in the most embarrassing way possible—drunk and desperate. How goddamned humiliating.

  Lex stirred and stretched his limbs like a cat, yawning. Aubrey dropped the sheet of stationary onto the table. He rolled onto his side, his eyes widening at the sight of her.

  “Oh, hey,” he said in a graveled, sleep-heavy voice—a sound that had her skin tingling, remembering his touch, the way his mouth had felt on hers. He propped himself up on his elbow. “How long have you been up?”

  His tousled hair and lazy grin were almost too much for her frazzled hormones. How unfair that he looked so damn sexy fresh from sleep when she looked like a she’d been thrown into a blender and poured out. She forced a weak smile. “Not long, I didn’t mean to wake you. Sorry.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “No worries. I’ve had years of practice surviving on little sleep. How are you feeling?”

  She groaned. "Like someone aimed a nail gun at my head and pulled the trigger a couple hundred times."

  His chest bounced in a soft chuckle. “That good, huh?”

  “I guess I really went for it last night,” she said, heat rising to her cheeks. “I mean, with the alcohol.”

  “You could say that,” he said in a measured tone.

  She looked down at her outfit, twisting the hem of his shirt in her fingers. “Um, so what exactly happened?”

  A resigned look passed over his face. “You don’t remember?”

  She dropped her gaze and pulled a throw pillow onto her lap. Pretending not to remember what had happened would be easier than discussing what actually had. “Not much after Bradley talked to us at the bar.”