To-Do Him List

by Denise Marie

  His phone beeped with an incoming text. He glanced at the screen, typed out a quick reply, and put the phone back in his pocket. An uncomfortable shiver traveled up her spine in reaction to his posture in the seat—relaxed, yet cryptic. She straightened her back and pressed her foot on the gas pedal with a little more clout, resisting the urge to ask.

  “Drew. Asked how our date is going. We’re a little late. He and the guys are waiting back at the hotel for us, and the next part of this evening.”

  With her eyebrow raised, she glared at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders and let his sly gaze drift toward the oncoming traffic. Surprises she loved, being teased about them beforehand, not so much. She huffed and returned her focus back to the road. Not to appear too desperate, she casually pressed the button to lower the window an inch. God, it was hot.

  ****

  A cool blast of air hit them the second the door swooshed open at the hotel. She squeezed his hand to stop his march, and exhaled. The heat created in the car not long ago lingered on their skin.

  “The guys are up in Drew’s room. We better go get them or we will never make it in time. Do you need anything from our room?”

  She used her finger to trace lines up and down his arm and smiled up at him. “Not if Drew doesn’t mind my using his bathroom to freshen up. What exactly are we late for?”

  He shook his head and chuckled, tucked his arm around her back and gave her a gentle shove ahead of him. He didn’t want to cave. Gorgeous women had that effect on him. “He won’t mind, and, I’m not telling.”

  She sauntered in front of him, exaggerating the motion of her hips like a seductress; he liked it. The curves of her body showed through the thin satin material and for a second he fisted his hands, maybe they could forego the planned evening and stay in bed. “You know I plan to fuck you again, Ms. Chambers, so this display will only seal the deal, not sway me.”

  She spun so fast on one heel to scan the room for anyone who may have heard his brash words she staggered. A blush formed on her skin and embarrassment rose in her eyes. He fell for her even more. She hit the button to call the elevator several times and glared at him over her shoulder.

  He stalked toward her slowly, hands in his pockets with a devilish grin. “I don’t care who knows I’ve fucked you or that I’ll do it again, many times.”

  When the doors opened, she rushed in and took out her embarrassment on the button again. He held out his hand, halted the door, and stepped in. The ding sounded and both of them swayed when it accelerated to the next floor. The motion sent her off balance; she lost the fight to maintain her pointed, angered stance.

  She growled and extended her hand to the wall beside her for support. He continued toward her and she retreated, as far as the tiny space allowed. He placed his hands to the wall on either side of her head, caged her in, and consumed her with his possessive stare. She shifted her legs. The tension in her gaze weakened, unable to hide the fact their combined arousals dripped from her body.

  “Can you still feel me? Is my cum dripping down your leg?”

  She closed her eyes and forced an inhaled breath.

  “Cole. Your words embarrass me and turn me on at the same time. It’s a rush that’s new to me.” Her gaze fell to his chest. “Yes, I can still feel you, and if I don’t clean up soon I will have to change my dress.”

  He kissed her forehead, squeezed her hand, and ushered her out of the elevator. For the first time, he understood why his dad told him to do whatever it takes to hold onto the woman you love.

  Male cheers echoed from Drew’s room as they neared. A tall blonde strolled out with a blush, and a not so innocent spark in her eye. He tightened his grip on Isabelle’s hand, and nodded with polite acknowledgement as the young woman passed. Her reaction, to glance back over her shoulder and threaten the woman’s backside with a glare, impressed him.

  He squeezed her hand to get her attention, assured her with a silent shake of his head that she was the only woman in his eyes. The one woman they’d all like to stay, not leave.

  He held his hand out, suggested she go first through the wide open door. As her stiff hand unwound from its vulnerable grip, Drew strolled out of the bathroom naked. He dried his chest with a towel, wandered over to the bed, and got dressed without a second glance. Like her presence was no different from Brett and Zander, who lounged in the chairs on the other side of the bed.

  “Holy shit.” She let go of his hand and closed the distance between her and Drew. “May I?”

  Drew looked back over his shoulder, gave his most self-assured nod and mouthed the words, oh yeah.

  He laughed and gave him the finger.

  “Help yourself, darlin’.” Drew purred.

  She leaned down to get a better view of his tattoo, a dragon. Common knowledge since he would sometimes perform with his shirt off. What the fans didn’t see was how far down, and where, on his body it molded. It started up at his left shoulder, curved along his lower back to the front of his hip and all the way around his upper right thigh. Cole remembered the several appointments and many hours it took to finish all the vibrant detail.

  She kept her distance. Cole leaned his shoulder against the wall. What would her comfort level be? When she crouched down even more and traced its path with her fingertip, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and bit the inside of his cheek. He could trust them, but this brought back memories he buried a long time ago.

  She read the script along the end of the dragons’ tail. “The will to live will always outweigh the ability to die. That’s beautiful.”

  Drew glance his way, shrugged. “You can tell her later, not now.”

  He dipped his head with compassion, understood the time wasn’t right. She raised her gaze at both men but didn’t ask.

  “The bathroom is free now.” He couldn’t help the bite in his words; she hadn’t done anything wrong. She hurried to close the door behind her without a word. He stared at the door and dropped his head back to the wall with a thud, forced his muscles and his once-broken heart to chill the fuck out.

  “She’s not Alexis, Cole. Nor am I a jackass.”

  He left the room to wait out in the hall.

  ****

  The limo ride to the venue flew by, thank God. He double-checked his watch many times and used the phone to call up to the driver, insisted he find a faster route. They were very late. She’d mentioned how quiet the floor was back at the hotel, and reminded him he hadn’t given the guys the necessary lecture to keep it a secret. He glared at them before they could respond, and they all strolled away confused, but quiet. He’d booked the entire floor and the amount of money this trip cost would make her uncomfortable, so he didn’t want her to know.

  The car stopped and the privacy window slid down an inch. “We’re here, Mr. Davies.”

  “Thank you, James. I apologize for being an ass.”

  The middle-aged man smiled in the rear view mirror. “Not a problem, sir. Have a fun evening. I will be parked around back when you’re ready to leave. Let me get the door.”

  In his peripheral vision, she demanded answers from the men with her gaze, but no one spoke. James extended his hand to help her out of the car, followed by him, eager to provide a tip of reasonable compensation for his moodiness.

  Security stood at the door, waiting as he’d asked. The night was improving. Every detail caught her attention. A line-up to gain access to tonight’s entertainment stretched a mile long down the city street. Her pace slowed with each step, until she paused with her hands on her hips. “Grand Performances. What is this place?”

  He glanced back at Zander, who took the backpack from James. “Thanks, man.”

  “No problem.”

  With furrowed brows, she accepted his hand when he extended it to her. “Well. Sometimes it’s nice to sit back and watch others perform for a change. Zander’s buddies are playing here tonight, they’re pretty good.”

  He tipped her chin up with his hand and kissed her
lips. The gloss she wore tasted like strawberries. His mind raced with ideas, flavors he could use on her body that would go well with strawberries.

  Zander hurried ahead of them, shook hands, and gave a backslapping hug to the large man at the door. They were ushered inside. People roamed the modern bar and there were many open tables for them to relax, but they wouldn’t. The best was yet to come. They continued forward, through another set of doors and outside once again. Her face lit up when what seemed like a typical bar transformed into a small, outdoor concert venue. His heart swelled at the sight of her enchanted gaze. Tall buildings closed the area in, created a space with its own unique presence, and privacy. Not that they’d need much of the latter tonight.

  ****

  She squeezed his hand and stopped just outside the door. The excitement of the incredible site before her and the intensity of the loud music pumped through her veins. People were everywhere; but the clouded night sky dimmed the energetic atmosphere so you couldn’t tell what kind of trouble was taking place, unless you really focused.

  They stood on a veranda that circled the lower half, overlooking the stage. Hundreds of people crowded the band, as close as the space allowed, just like one of the Scandals shows. The upper tier held a fair amount of people but the roped-off section they were brought to could have accommodated ten times their group.

  A stocked mini bar along the wall allowed them to make themselves at home, and not have to fight through mobs while they enjoyed the show. She scanned the area and never would have envisioned from the exterior of the building this exquisite ambiance existed behind it. An illuminated canal of water separated the stage from the crowd. The band played on an open concrete platform with vertical, meshed, metal towers that held spotlights. Their meticulous placement allowed only the band to glow. Very few pyroglyphics, smoke or beams of light commonly used to enhance the energy of the crowd filled the empty spaces, not necessary anyway given the boisterous crowd’s ability to make the smaller rock group appear well known and large. ‌She paced her steps, took her time up to the railing, not able to focus on any one thing. She held on to the cold metal, absorbed the vibrations from the guests below. People danced to the music and simply enjoyed life.

  A warm chest brushed up to her back and the scent with it, spectacular. Cole.

  “Like what you see?”

  “It’s incredible.” She smiled, still occupied with the hundreds of people who laughed and socialized like they’d spent many nights there before.

  “I planned for us to be here for the opening act.” He wrapped his body around hers and placed his hands on top of hers; they were warm. He rubbed his erection into the hollow of her butt and she let her head drop back to his chest with her eyes closed.

  Without sight, every other sense heightened her awareness. The loud music, the vibrating bass, his scent, him. “But, the detour this evening will never be regretted, or forgotten.”

  She hummed with delight as a similar desire built once again. She blocked out their current whereabouts, could still recall the waves that crashed outside on the beach. The ones that hit her while inside the car.

  “Here darlin’, you’re going to need this.” She opened her eyes at the sound of Drew’s voice. He held a shot glass with amber liquid up to her lips.

  She opened her mouth and let him tip the liquor in. It burned, but also warmed every tissue in her chest as it traveled its course. Cole took his hand off hers for a brief moment while he downed the two shots Drew brought for him as well. He didn’t linger, just returned to the group of men, and girls by the sound of the giggles that blended into the background.

  “Mmm” She swayed to the music; he followed suit, still in contact with as much of her body as possible. “They’re good. I had no idea places like this existed.” She twisted her head to the side and caught his gaze fixed on her.

  Her presence appeared to be the only thing in existence for him, and even though it thrilled her, it scared the shit out of her. He leaned in and kissed her, forced his tongue inside her mouth and massaged every inch. Her stomach fluttered at their public display. He drew away slowly, left them both in a desperate pant for more.

  “Oh, baby, I would love to show you the world. There are so many places I would…” He hugged her tight and leaned into her ear. “Take you.” She could feel the smile in his whispered words.

  Zander stepped up beside them and held out another shot. “Last one sweetie.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m sure you won’t need anymore.”

  She raised her eyebrows but didn’t ask. Like Drew, he too held out the drink, and waited for her to let him feed it to her. It seemed awkward, all this attention. She caught sight of Cole’s headshake, refusing his shots.

  She admired the crowd and the band, found it hard not to join in and get all fan girlish, and dance like an idiot. She shivered. The temperature dropped a little; she should’ve gone back to the room for a sweater. Goose bumps broke out over her skin, not from the chill alone, but also her memories of the hotel room filled with inked men.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  He didn’t wait for her to respond, just left. A cold breeze replaced his absence. She wrapped her arms around herself and ignored the nightlife to peek behind her. Drew, Zander, and Brett stood in front of the bar, each held a pretty woman and a beer, but still paid more attention to the band than the girls.

  The smile on her face withered as she considered the excitement in the strange women’s eyes. Did they want more out of life than just the one night? But her own lack of adventure was what started this rollercoaster, so who was she to judge.

  Cole tugged a large, dark blanket out of the backpack Zander carried in and brought it back to her with a smile that made the bumps on her arms multiply.

  He draped the blanket behind his back first. When he threw his arms around her, still holding the blanket, he enclosed them and huddled close. She repositioned herself back toward the stage and held the blanket closed around her shoulders. His fresh, earthy scent surrounded her.

  He leaned forward, used his chin to clear the hair from her neck and kissed below her ear. “Warm now?” He nuzzled her ear with his nose and continued to kiss and lick her neck.

  She shuddered. Without hesitation, she rubbed the cleft of her backside over his hardened length. She meant to relieve the ache that developed between her thighs, but it only fueled the sensation more.

  Anticipation clawed at her the second his hands roamed from her sides. She swayed with weak knees.

  “Hold the blanket with one hand, baby, and hang onto the railing. Spread your legs.”

  As she followed his direction, her pulse sped and she scoured the crowd with wide eyes.

  “Don’t worry, no one can see us,” he whispered in her ear and the music faded like background noise to her beating heart. “I want to make you come.”

  She closed her eyes and let her head fall back on his chest. He smoothed his hand over her butt and lowered to the hem of her dress. He eased the material up in slow motion. She bit her lip. Her arousal heightened with the unhurried glide of the soft fabric up her thighs, and her knees weakened further. He clutched her hip with his free hand to steady her and continued to explore under her dress. He touched her mound and she moaned.

  “Scream all you want baby, you’ll just blend in. When my dick is deep inside you, you’ll have no choice.”

  She wanted to. God did she ever. His words added fuel to the fire that burned in her. When he touched her swollen lips, she came undone.

  “Fuck. Isabelle. You’re so wet. I wish I could taste you right now.”

  The heat of his breath in her ear and his roaming hands snapped all the restraint she’d maintained. She angled her head to meet his lips for a kiss, bit his bottom lip with her teeth. He growled and used his fingertip to trace around her opening, teased her swollen nub with light flicks. She broke away but kept her eyes closed. “I want to come. Please.”

  She pictured his satisfied smile at
her bold request. He inched the hand at her hip up to her breast and pinched her sensitive peak through the thin material, dipping his finger into her heat at the same time. “Come on my hand, and then I’m going to fill you. If you have any doubts about this, speak now. I want you right here, in front of everyone.”

  She opened her eyes. With her body still to the stage, she glanced back to meet his gaze. “I’m not stopping you. Fuck me.”

  He dropped his forehead to her temple with a pant. “No Isabelle. I want to make love to you.”

  The warmth in his words hit her in the chest.

  He smiled, used her own sleekness to tease her. “Come for me, baby,” He took his time, studied her body, and lingered on every inch when she whimpered in response to his touch. He tormented her, traced feather-light patterns around her swollen nub, dipped inside her only enough to gather more juices and continue.

  She seized the railing with a rigid arm, and opened her mouth to yell at him when he flicked it. He played her with both hands, much like the strings of a guitar. One pinched and flicked her nipple while the other strummed her bud to the beat of the music. When a loud guitar solo screamed, he shoved two fingers inside her, curled them, and stroked her sensitive spot. Her juices flowed with the firm pressure, over his hand, and down her inner thigh.

  “Oh God. I’m gonna come.”

  He brushed his tongue along her earlobe, kissed beneath it and whispered, “Ride my hand, baby. Get yourself there. Let me see you fly.”

  She tightened her singlehanded grasp on the blanket and pumped her hips, rode his hand. Within seconds, all noise faded and she struggled to keep her half-lidded eyes open. Every muscle in her core contracted as the blood in her body raced for that delicious spot. The tension wound so tight, she feared its release and fought against it. She couldn’t. Warmth exploded within her. His hand slid in and out with ease and she drenched him with her arousal.