by Cassia Leo
The whole mood between us changed and the dead weight hanging in the air kept my lips zipped up tight.
“What. No junk about your junk?”
I shook my head.
“Wow, I even handed you that one on a silver platter. You’re gettin’ slack in your old age.”
“Right.” Staring at my food, I shrugged and muttered, “Thanks for the compliment about my ravioli. Glad you liked it, Lex.”
She beamed when I looked up at her. “I did. More so because of the added salt.” She winked. “Got any dessert for me?”
“Nothing you’d find appetizing.”
“Bummer. You know how I love chocolate-covered bananas and other yummy sweets like that.”
Shit.
“See ya.” She wiggled her fingers.
“Yeah. See ya.”
As she left with her plate, I sat there, gutted, and alone with the painful visual she planted.
When the kitchen door off the garage slammed shut, I snatched the glass she left behind and slowly ran the pad of my thumb over the crescent print of her raspberry lipstick. I bit my lip for a moment and whispered, “Damn.”
I liked her being some irresponsible nitwit. I did not like her shelling out her last dimes for some kid with cancer. I did not like her sacrificing her last spring break and working through half of it. All that responsible shit only made her sexier and contrasted her sharply against a pretty-faced, cheating whore who dropped me for a fucking foot doctor and who’d absolutely cringe at a bald head and frail frame, never mind organize a benefit for said little tyke.
Man, I sure know how to pick ’em. What the hell’s wrong with me! I can have any damn woman in the world. But … I was totally, stupidly itching for that one.
***
CHAPTER THREE
Alexa
My friend Kate, who’s usually in a financial crunch because she shops ’til she drops or runs dry, was unsurprisingly home too. So I begged her to meet me at the bar inside the dance club Hopscotch for a major guy hunt. I definitely needed an adventurous, steamy night in a jacuzzi to get my idiot mind off of Danny. Where the hell did that simmering burn for him even come from? I mean, I probably would’ve ripped my clothes off right there in the kitchen earlier if he’d asked, which is insane. I hate it when he orders me around. Even more, I hate it when he’s right.
The red plaid walls, combined with the whirling white and blue lights, made me dizzy as soon as I walked in. I don’t think the designer considered the décor with the action.
Noticing like a smack to the face that the common attire had become more revealing with bolder colors or black leather since I’d last been here, my dress, though short and sexy, and blond hair pulled tightly back in a smooth ponytail, stood out as absolutely virginal. Damn. I looked like a librarian or something.
Kate was appropriately dressed in a skimpy, hot pink dress with a wide black belt and boots climbing up her thighs. Her long black hair looked sleek and shiny all down, but parted to the front, framing her ample boobs.
As she was still looking around for me, I quickly jerked my hair elastic out and shook my locks to at least give myself a freer look since I’d clearly flubbed on my outfit. Now improved a little, I waved and she smiled when she spotted me.
“Hi-eee,” she screeched. “God, I’m so glad you’re back. I thought this week was gonna suck ass.”
“Yeah, me too. At least we can aim for some hot fun together. Wanna see if we can snag a few guys for some salacious jacuzzi action at Hot Springs?”
“Mmm, great idea. Bring a suit?”
“Nope,” I said playfully.
“Aww, sounds perfect to me. You’ve gotten wilder since Christmas? Absolutely love that. I’m tired of being bad all alone. It’s so much more fun with a partner in crime.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been thirsting for some steamy action,” I said, looking around.
“Meeee too. Our craving for debauchery matches for once. We are going to have a killer week. Killer.”
“Damn straight, lover.” I ordered a Malibu Breeze and she requested an apple martini.
We sat on stools at the bar, waiting for our drinks.
“What happened to that dude you were dating?” she asked, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She twisted in her seat, checking out the available merch. “What’s his name? Kirk?”
After setting her cocktail glass down, the bartender began mixing my drink.
“Yeah. It was short-lived. We broke up, and I’m a free bird now. It’s weird, but he just wasn’t that into sex. We had it, but barely. I think he might’ve been a closet gay. He’s not stereotypical at all, so it maybe threw off my radar? I don’t know. It was just … weird. I’ve never met a guy like him. So now, having been in the Sahara for months, I’m hungry-as-fuck to get fucked.” I thanked and tipped the bartender, Stan, and relished the sweet coconut rum in my enhanced juice as soon as it was set in front of me. I moaned, loving it.
She tilted her glass to her lips and took a quick sip. “Right. He must’ve been gay. Who wouldn’t wanna screw your brains out, night after night? If I swung girl, you know I’d be all over you, mauling your hot tits.”
“I know. That’s what I’m sayin’. Check out these puppies.” I grabbed my boobs for a second and then realized I was in public, but then totally didn’t care. “They practically sparkle.” I laughed. “Are you free Tuesday night too? Danny’s got this thing.”
“God,” she groaned and sucked her teeth, “what thing? A barbeque? Or an orgy?” She set her cheek on her balled up fist. “Whoever knows with that guy. If it’s an orgy, then, yes, I am definitely in.”
“You would be. Well, it sort of is a barbeque.” I cringed. “Kind of. Sorry for the lameness. He’s got some gig at Smitty’s Smokehouse, and he wants me to go.”
She spewed martini and slapped her lips when she heard where it was.
Some spray hit my arm, and I rubbed it off with a loud laugh breaking out of my gut. “That was exactly my reaction, minus the shower.”
“Smitty’s? Oh my god. That’s so … wow. I don’t even know what to say to that. I didn’t realize they were that pathetic and desperate. Maybe I’ll go. I suppose.” She laughed. “You loathe Itchy Fringe though. Why do ya want to go anyway?”
“He said they’ve taken a different lyrical turn, so I’m curious to hear what and how.”
“Different? Huh. I hope that means it’s even dirtier than ever. Yum.”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I have no idea. They’re already back to indie, which is a death sentence. If it’s any dirtier, it won’t get air play, not even at the colleges, which they desperately need.”
“I don’t give a crap about the radio, only my tongue-famished jewel. Although, honestly, their song Sparking Friction, can make me come all by itself. I don’t even have to touch myself. It’s the hottest goddamn thing I’ve ever heard. Danny’s breaths? Uuuhh, my lord. I melt like a popsicle in the summer sun just thinking about them. Damn. Sounds like he recorded himself fucking someone.”
I waved my hands and cringed. “Yeah, yeah, um, can we not talk about Danny deep-diving for pink gold please? I really don’t want or need the visual.”
“Yeah, I get it. I’m just … saying, it’s hot. Speaking of the kinky devils,” she pointed, “Manly Matty’s taken an unexpected interest in us. Look.” She pointed with a flexing index finger while sipping her drink and giving me a wink.
I gasped. “What? He has?” I looked over my shoulder, and a few seconds later, he winked at me. I shrugged and lent my attention back to Kate, with a shiver of strangeness slithering down my back. “Weird. Maybe he’s got the hots for you. He does look pretty riveted and I know it’s not on me.”
“Me? Ha. Yeah, I don’t think so, chickie.” Smiling, she ran her fingers across her breastbone, then gave Matty a flirtatious wave. “Too bad his hot arms are covered up in that bum-deal dress shirt. The sex scenes he has going on underneath are so damn delicious and biteable. Ada
m and Eve and some arm-humping dragon or something like that. Yum.”
I nodded. “Yeah. He’s got the sexiest ink I’ve ever seen, that’s for sure. Temptation. Corruption. Carnality. Hmm, kinda sounds like music I might’ve heard.”
She laughed. “Well, I happen to love IF’s ‘drool’ as you call it.”
“Don’t most women? I’m the weird one out.” When I perused the bar for someone far more attainable than Matty, I spotted Jed, one of Danny’s bodyguards looking our way too. “What the...” I whipped my gaze back to Matty and he was still eye-locked on us, then I looked at Jed again and ground my jaw. What the heck! Fuming mad, I spun off my stool and stormed over to Matty, fists clenched. “Why the hell are you and Jed here? Did Danny sic you on us? We can fend for ourselves, thank you very much! I can be as wild as I want. He has no say in what I do. He needs to butt out of my life! I’m serious.”
He crossed his beefy arms and shook his head. His long blond hair whisked his shoulders. “No, it’s not you Danny’s worried about.”
I turned my head at Kate’s voice. “Is it me?” She slapped her sternum and looked around. “That’s crazy. Afraid I’m gonna corrupt her or something? She’s the one who wants to score some naked jacuzzi action.”
“Really?” Matty, seemingly flustered and taken aback for a moment, shook his head to return to his reason for being here, surely. “No, no, nothing like that. That psycho stalker’s still after Danny, and she keeps getting nastier and scarier in her threats. Jed almost caught her last time, when she broke in, but she slipped off the estate and evaded police.”
“Wait! She broke in?” I cried. “He didn’t tell me that!”
“He probably didn’t wanna freak you out. He’s increased security on IF, but he said he wasn’t expecting you back until May. Like it or not, you fine ladies are stuck with it too.” Matty nodded. “He worries she might know you’re back and lash out.”
“Lash out at his sister?” Kate cried. “But … that’s crazy.”
“I am not his sister!” I insisted.
They both gave me the sneer of crazy.
I shrugged. “Well … I’m not.”
“Yeah, all right,” Kate said. “Whatever. Define your relationship however you want. That’s not the point. Matty, what does this bitch have to do with us and our night out? It’s a busy club. What could go possibly wrong? Lex and I will probably chill together some more this week. Is Danny gonna have guard dogs on us for our entire break? That’s not even right or fun or fair.”
“Exactly.” I said. “This is my last spring break, Matty.”
“Better than your last night.”
I glared at him with my head tilted and scoffed. “Must you be so morose? How’d you even find me anyway? You follow me?”
“Not exactly. Danny told me and Jed where you were.”
“Wait, but...” I looked over my shoulders then bored holes into my small purse. “He’s tracking me? Are you effing kidding me? That jerk! That’s a total invasion of my privacy. I can do whatever the hell I want and he needs to get his damn nose out of my business.”
“He cares! And this is no joke. Did you not hear what I said?” Matty cried.
“Yeah, I heard you perfectly fine. But you can tell Danny to back off. He can kiss my ass.” I blushed, picturing it for real, with his hot tongue running over me and his mouth, sucking. Shit. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “Um, we’re gonna have fun and hopefully some hot sex, and that’s that, dammit. I have pepper spray, and Kate’s a black belt in Kung Fu and Karate, so we are ready to rumble if need be. We can take care of ourselves.”
Matty smirked and looked at Kate with a lifted eyebrow. “Black belt? How sexy, hot thing. Wanna spar some time?” His wink was a sizzler.
“Sure, but only if it’s naked,” she said without missing a beat. She laughed when her own boldness ignited curiosity in his eyes. “Or … we can skip all that crap and you can just let me rub my oiled-up tits all over panty-melting arms. I’d be equally cool with that.” She smiled wide and playfully.
He liked that. A lot. His lip curled up over his teeth on one side and a breath of laughter shot out of his nostrils. “Sounds like a plan, sweetheart. Lex has my number. Let’s hook up.” He shook his head, like he needed to break out of a deep trance. “Okay, Alexa, we’ll back off. A bit. For now. So you can dance or whatever.” Matty raised his hand to get Jed’s attention. “But you two need to behave.”
“Behave? What are we, kids?” I said. “You sound just like Danny.”
“Aww, what’s the fun in being good girls?” Kate mewed. “We love being bad. So, so bad.”
Kate and I looked at each other with a shared wink.
“What she said. Bad like this.” I grabbed Kate’s head and we laughed as we engaged in a sensual French kiss. When we were done, we looked back at him, laughing at his blush.
Matty cleared his throat and yanked on his belted waste-band. “Cut it out. That is indeed naughty and you know it. Be good.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Stay away from us though. If you ruin my chance to get some, I will be livid, and you don’t want to piss me off.” I waved behind my back as we left him.
“I’m sure I wouldn’t,” he called out.
Laughing, we returned to our drinks at the bar.
We drank and talked for a while, then hopped onto the floor to dance.
“Hey, maybe that faux-lesbo trick’ll get us some real man action,” Kate said. “Ya think?”
“Maybe. Let’s go for it.” I pulled her against my body and we wiggled and writhed together.
She backhanded my arm and screeched in my ear. “Eek. Do you think Matty’ll really pick up if I call? Like, you don’t think he wasn’t just saying that to spare me embarrassment, do you?”
“No, I think he’ll pick up. You two would blaze together.”
“God, can you imagined getting fucked with those hot arms wrapped around you? Mmmm.”
“No, I’ve never thought about getting fucked by Matty.” Danny, on the other hand.
Our slinky dancing and grinding against each other did indeed yank over a handful of guys like moths to a flame. We danced with them, which was a blast.
Almost instantly, I connected with one in particular, with a shaved head and glasses. He had a sweet smile and awesome moves.
I smiled as he ran his hands over my curves and molded my flesh to his in a sensual grind.
I looked over at Kate and she was having just as much fun as I was, giggling into a guy’s ear.
I flipped all my attention back to my partner. I became so steamed up and heady, I truly wanted to screw this guy’s brains out, not because I wanted him per se, but because I wanted Danny and hoped to kill the stupid burning lust raging inside me.
I crossed my arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth.
He passed his tongue through my parted lips and pressed palms against my butt to mash me against his building erection. I smiled and moaned in delight. This was fun.
We tumbled into a hallway, clutching each other hungrily, as we made out in a wild rush of ecstasy. Suddenly, uh ... I was … um, getting … so tired and lost and delirious in our kiss. I broke off him to catch my breath and regain my senses, but he was not finished and pulled me back into his vicious frenzy that was starting to far outpace mine.
I thought this would make me forget all about Danny, because this guy was a cutie pie and an amazing kisser, but Danny was all I could think about. I imagined him doing everything this guy was doing but was so aware that he wasn’t.
The guy was moving too fast. He rushed his hand up my thighs and under my dress, fingers slipping into my underwear.
No, I totally changed my mind. I didn’t want this. Not one bit. But … I was getting so sleepy and dizzy in the hallway, like, like, I was turning to mist or my limbs didn’t have the ability to hold me up anymore. Although reviled at what he was doing, I held onto Baldie tightly so I seriously wouldn’t spill to the wood floor.<
br />
As he fingered me brutally and ransacked my mouth, I shook my head to shake him off and chomped down on his tongue because he wouldn’t stop or let me go.
He pulled back and smacked my jaw so hard my eyes watered and I let out a broken screech.
“Stop,” I cried. “I don’t...”
He called me a fucking tease and said something about liking it rough. He spun me around, pushing my cheek against the wall with a clamp on my hair.
“Ow. Oh god. No. Please let me go!” My head felt foggy and heavy and my bones just … melted like hot wax. What was happening to me?
Mist I indeed became, floating away, as well as down, down.
I heard Jed yell and he yanked the freak off of me, thank God.
Just as I began wilting to the floor at the lack of support, Matty, I think Matty, uh, yes, he smelled so goddamn sexy up close, scooped me up in his crudely beautiful arms so I wouldn’t entirely dissolve and disappear.
***
CHAPTER FOUR
Danny
Pacing in front of the tall windows in my turret library, I checked the clock on the mantel for the umpteenth time. It was almost 4 a.m. Fucking hours already!
I huffed when Matty’s riff finally came out of my phone. “What the hell! What’s going on? I’ve been goin’ outta my mind. Did she get admitted or what?”
“No, she’s in a bed in the E.R. They’re not giving her a room. She was definitely roofied like I thought. She just came to and is very groggy and confused and doesn’t remember what happened. Her friend Kate’s with her now. Kate’s fine. She wasn’t drugged at all. Police already made an arrest.”
“Shit. Do you think that bitch orchestrated this? I wouldn’t put it past her.” As my neck tingled, I peered out the window, looking both directions.
“Uh, I have no idea, man. Seemed like this guy wanted some action and Alexa was looking pretty sweet and tasty. I think he was aiming to seal the deal.”
“Shut the hell up.” I was fumingly jealous, imagining any other dude tasting what I felt belonged to me. The words, ‘She’s mine,’ sprouted up like a time-lapsed tree in my whole being with an ear-splitting roar. But she wasn’t mine. She wasn’t. Not even close. “Should I come? Even though I don’t want our association to make....”