by C. J. Thomas
I lifted her leg and she hooked her ankle around me.
Her tongue thrashed and my hips thrust hard against her pelvis. When I pulled back she snapped her teeth like a crocodile, hungry for more. I fell into her, pressing more of my weight against her as my mouth fell to her neck, nipping and sucking her sweaty flesh.
She shoved her hands in my hair, clawing and digging, tipping her head back to open up more of her neck for my tongue to explore. Slowly, I peppered open-mouthed kisses over her jaw until locking on her mouth once again. “Shit. This is what I was waiting for all night,” I growled.
Kendra’s fingers clamped on my skull and pulled me back to her mouth where she kissed me furiously. Our tongues dueled, starving for more.
When my hand grabbed her tit, roughly squeezing it, I was so painfully hard I couldn’t take any more. This needed to happen. It couldn’t wait. If we didn’t get inside now, I was surely going to fuck her here, in the hallway, up against this wall. “I could fuck you here,” I said as my fingers closed over her neck.
“Why don’t you?” she tempted me.
I pulled my keycard from my back pocket and swiped it in the door, opening it up to smells of freshly cut flowers. “Because I plan to torture you slow tonight. And a hallway is no place to sex up a queen.”
Kendra pushed me off of her with a force that didn’t match her small size. “Holy shit. This is your place?” Her head swiveled on her shoulders, taking in the spacious entry way.
“My home away from home.” The door closed behind me and I watched Kendra stop in front of a large mirror, fluffing her hair and checking her makeup. “Make yourself at home.”
She pulled herself away from the mirror and continued perusing the place. “Kelly, this is incredible.” Her eyes shined like a woman buying shoes.
I knew it was. The place was over-the-top and filled with the luxury only men like me could afford. Expensive, and furnished with state-of-the-art technologies, stuff that made a statement. It was all here.
There was a large living area, a chef’s kitchen, and floor-to-ceiling windows that boasted a perfect view of LA’s skyline. It was sexy, modern, and the perfect pad to fuck.
Kendra kicked off her heels, pranced around barefoot on the exotic stone floor, and twirled around to the song playing inside her head.
I stood back, observing how she moved fluidly without a hint of hesitation.
My lips curled upward as I watched her rake her fingers over the sectional couch before coming to a dead stop in front of the bottle of champagne I had waiting in a bucket of ice.
She studied it, and from the look on her face, I knew what it was she was thinking. Instead of two glasses, there was only one. “Go on. Pour yourself a drink,” I said, walking to her.
She reached out and touched the one and only glass. “Kelly,” her voice was soft, “about earlier.” She turned to meet my gaze. “I’m sorry for pressing you to drink.”
My shoes clacked over the marble flooring as I closed the gap between us.
Her eyes fell to the floor with embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Once I was an arm’s length away, I dropped my chin to my chest, hid my hands inside my pockets, and sighed.
Her eyes found my face and she softly said, “I know people who have struggled with the disease.”
With my gaze cast at my feet, I nodded. But what I couldn’t say was that I wasn’t an alcoholic. My reasoning for not drinking was so much worse than anything she would ever want to hear. When I finally lifted my head, she was staring at me with the most compassionate eyes. “Let me pour you a glass.”
“Kelly, really—” Kendra’s hands hovered over her midsection, “—I don’t need to drink.”
“Nonsense,” I said, stepping forward and popping the bottle open. She watched me pour a glass and hand it over to her. She accepted it without a fight and I plucked a fresh strawberry off the platter of fruit, bringing it to her mouth. “Fruit tastes so much better with a little bubbly.”
She opened her mouth, holding my gaze, and sliced her teeth through the soft fruit. Her eyes closed and her lips curved. “It certainly does.” She swallowed the bite down, laughing as she covered her mouth. “Shit, that was good.”
I tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in to press my lips against hers. She tasted sweet and sugary, just like the strawberry I’d fed her. “I told you.”
“So you don’t lie all the time then,” she teased.
“Only when it benefits my pursuit.” I leaned in and kissed her again.
“Tell me this, then,” she said, plucking another strawberry from the plate. “Do all attorneys get their dates through the Madam?”
My lips pressed together. “Let’s not talk about her,” I said as my hands ironed down her sides before coming to rest on her ass.
Her ass was beautifully round with hips that would be perfect to grip as I slammed into her. I couldn’t stop touching her. She was so receptive and I could only imagine how she’d be once I had her naked.
She took a sip and set her glass down.
“What kind of law did you study?” I asked.
“Corporate.” Her face was stoic and full of strength.
It was clear to me that she would have made a fantastic lawyer. “And why aren’t you pursuing a career in corporate law?”
“Because it’s boring.” Her eyes flickered like a candle in the night.
I laughed. “And working for the Madam is more exciting?”
“Only after I met you.” She smiled and pinched a third strawberry between her fingers.
My hand traveled up her body, grazing the side of her boob before reaching behind her back and tugging on her hair. There was a glimmer in her eye that spoke volumes to what it was she was thinking. “You want me to fuck you, don’t you?”
Her tongue traveled across the front of her teeth. “You have no idea.”
I took her face in the palm of my free hand. “But?”
Her eyes fell to my flexed abs. “The Madam—”
“—won’t let you.” My thumb brushed over the pink in her cheek.
She shook her head and I could only imagine what it was she was feeling. Like she was forbidden from doing the one thing her body was screaming for her to do. “But she didn’t say I couldn’t do this.” She unzipped me, reaching her hand inside to pull my steeled rod out.
Every single muscle in my body tensed at the sensations of what it felt like to have her hand pumping me. “You can do whatever you want to me,” I said, pushing her down to her knees. “I won’t tell.”
Kendra adjusted herself until she was comfortable and I watched her mouth go round just before she hid my pulsing shaft under her thick, soft lips.
My eyes rolled to the back of my head as bolts of lightning flashed behind the lids. “Fuck,” I growled. “That feels amazing.”
She knew what she was doing and I liked that she had experience. That would make her progression into my world move quicker than if she didn’t. It was perfect. She was perfect.
My fingers worked to undo my belt, letting my pants fall down my thighs so I could widen my stance and expose all of the areas I wanted her to touch.
Kendra kept one hand at the base of my shaft, stroking me tight and hard between cupping my balls. Her other hand reached around my body and she dug her nails into the muscles of my ass, positioning herself for me to charge to the back of her throat with each lap of her tongue.
“That’s it,” I murmured as heat spun at the base of my spine. I was close but I grinded my teeth, fighting back the urge to come, wanting instead to watch her work.
She popped me out of her mouth. “You’re so big.”
And her mouth was small, tight, and totally hot. “You have a sexy little mouth.”
I didn’t give a fuck what the Madam said Kendra could or couldn’t do. I’d dictate that. Shatter Kendra’s expectations and destroy Madam’s silly rules. Nothing was going to stop me from taking what I wanted so badly
tonight.
My hips bucked forward as her teeth grazed over a sensitive area.
But before any more fucking occurred, there was something I needed to check on. “Did you bring the contract with you?”
Kendra closed her eyes as she pulled me out, tortuously slow, from the back of her throat, stopping at the tip to slurp up her saliva. And when I thought maybe she was ready to answer, she looked up at me and circled her tongue over my purple tip as if to show me she had the power to unravel even a man like me. “I have it.”
“Good.” I plunged my cock back into her mouth, twitching as it slid over her hot tongue.
She hollowed her cheeks and bobbed her head, taking my full length like we’d done this thousands of times before. When she spit me out, she looked up at me behind doe eyes. “But here’s the thing …”
“Excuse me?” My brows furrowed.
The lines of her forehead twisted. “I didn’t sign it.” She bit her cheek and looked at me, ashamed.
My fingers tangled in her hair as anger and disappointment filled my head. I thrust my cock back into her mouth, plunging hard and fast, furious to hear that the contract hadn’t been signed.
She gagged and chocked as I continued my assault.
Kendra had told me it was signed. That all she needed to do was deliver it. I’d come into tonight with that expectation and she’d failed me.
I thrust hard until I felt my body begin to spasm. When the first hot ropes of semen streamed from the tip I released my grip and shot it across her face, pushing her off of me.
Kendra tumbled back onto the floor and said, “I can explain.”
I took my cock in my hand and squeezed it tight. My head shook as my spine bent forward. What the hell did I just do? And why didn’t I check that all the paperwork had been signed?
“I had questions I needed answers to.” She breathed as her tongue circled the rim of her mouth. A white pool of my desire dripped down her cheek, but she didn’t seem to care.
“Like what?” My chest heaved.
“That club we were at.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “What was that?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I snapped, hardly able to look at her.
“It does matter.” She pushed herself up onto her feet and smoothed down her dress. “Because I’d like to know what you want to do to me.”
My eyes narrowed as I gave her a questioning look.
“Kelly, people say that you’re dangerous.”
I stroked my cock. It was still painfully hard and I knew that there was only one way it was going down tonight—after I fucked that tight pussy of hers and let her know she was my possession and she’d do what she was told.
“Even the Madam has warned me to stay away.” She slowly inched her way back to me.
I laughed. “Of course she would say that.”
Kendra stepped back, clearly wondering why the Madam would warn her to steer clear of me.
“Don’t you see what’s happening here?” Kendra’s eyes fell to my raging cock. “It’s a ploy. We’re Madam’s game.”
Recognition flashed across her eyes and I knew that she was starting to see the bigger picture of what was actually going on.
“You were a bargaining chip to get me to do something for Madam.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I wanted you. She wouldn’t let me have you.”
“And what did you have to do to have me?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I stepped toward her, the sudden need to touch her pulling me closer in her direction. “All that matters now is that I have you.”
“I want to sign your contract.” She took one step closer to me. “And I’m aware that it will strip my voice away once it’s complete. But I have no intention of hurting you.”
“Once you sign it, your lips will only open for me.” I tugged her bottom lip before nipping at it. I pressed my tongue against the seam of her mouth and she welcomed my kiss without a fight. “I don’t want you even thinking about being with another man.”
“I still need to know what you want to do to me.” The palm of her hand smoothed down the side of my face. “What has you so worried that I might discover?”
“Sign it—” my hand reached between her legs, finding her hot, damp mound, “—and I’ll show you.”
17
Kendra
I held my breath, too afraid to breathe.
My heart thudded hard against my chest as I shut the door to Kelly’s penthouse suite as quietly as humanly possible. I couldn’t afford to have him hear me leave. Because if he did—
The door slid into place, latching as I winced.
Then I turned on bare feet and padded silently on the tips of my toes, hurrying down the hall to the elevator to make my escape.
With each step I took, my face pinched and my shoulders cringed, thinking that I was being too loud—that somebody would hear me and stop my pursuit.
I turned to glance over my shoulder.
It was still just me—all alone in a narrow hallway that closed in on me.
Another stride and I reached out to hit the button that requested a cart to come and retrieve me.
My hair swished across my face when I snapped my head around, looking to see if he was coming.
The hallway was still empty.
His apartment door, still closed.
“C’mon. C’mon.” My thumb was relentless in the pressing of the elevator button. “Fucking, c’mon,” I pleaded under my breath.
Then I heard a noise.
I froze.
My ears perked.
But it was nothing more than my fears making up sounds, keeping my nerves rattled.
I paced back and forth in front of the closed metal doors, debating whether I should seek the stairs or not. They might be faster to reach but surely they would be slower in taking me to the lobby on the ground floor. So I stayed and impatiently waited for my chance to flee.
I didn’t have much time. The clock was ticking. It would only be a matter of minutes—maybe even seconds—before Kelly noticed that I was gone.
My jaw clenched as a primal scream ripped inside my head.
I splayed my fingers and slammed the palm of my hand hard against the closed metal doors. A deep thud filled the shaft as I spit through a series of curses under my breath.
My throat tightened and I wanted to cry. And I would have, too, right then and there, if it wasn’t for the renewed hope I felt expand in my chest when I heard the elevator cart approaching my floor.
I took one step back, glancing once again toward Kelly’s front door, and scrambled inside the elevator as soon as it arrived.
When the doors closed I crumbled to the floor. Hugging my knees to my chest, my face twisted in humiliated pain as I refused to cry.
The cool tile floor spread over my bare feet and traveled up to my head, causing me to shiver. I felt so cold. So afraid. Realizing that my ride could stop on any floor, I forced myself back to my feet, slipping my heels over my toes, collecting my thoughts.
Kelly was going to be pissed.
He’d come after me.
That much was for sure.
After all the promises he whispered in my ear, the feelings of ecstasy that jolted my heart alive, everything gone in a flash.
I breathed and rubbed my hand over my face. Circling my tongue around the rim of my mouth, I could still taste him on me. Coating me with his masculinity and everything that made him the dark and complicated man that he was.
I didn’t expect to run, but a trigger set something off inside me. A dark secret that should have been snuffed out long ago—something that hadn’t surfaced in a very long time. It was up to me to leave before Kelly saw the truth that hid inside me. I couldn’t let him see me like this. Because if he did, it would change everything.
The floor numbers seemed to go down impossibly slowly. This was turning into the longest elevator ride of my life.
I crossed my arms, the
n let them fall to my sides as I couldn’t find comfort in any stance.
I twisted the rings on my fingers, constantly shifting my weight from one foot to the other. My palms were sweaty as fears that Kelly would catch me before I had a chance to leave the building rolled through me.
I closed my eyes to memories of tonight flashing across the forefront of my mind.
When Kelly said he needed to freshen up, I saw my chance. Leaving me in his apartment, alone, I felt the vulnerability and pain bubble up inside me and I knew that I had to leave. It wasn’t worth saying goodbye. And even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.
That stupid contract had pushed us too far. Our relationship hadn’t even rounded first base and we were already broken. Maybe he’d realized it, too. If not then, maybe now, and certainly once he recognized that I might not have it in me to come back. But after what happened, he would have come to the same conclusion—that me leaving was what he would have wanted, too.
I smoothed down the front of my dress, ironing it out over my thighs, and shivered with the reminder of how his hands felt on me.
This was for the best.
My lungs expanded in my chest as I inhaled a deep, calming breath.
It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know. Hell, even I didn’t see this one coming.
I caught my blurred reflection in the chrome wall, stepped close, and fluffed my hair. “Get your shit together, Kendra,” I mumbled to myself, understanding that I would soon be facing a lobby full of strangers.
The doors opened as soon as the cart stopped on the ground level. I stepped out with as much confidence as I could muster and walked with long strides, my head held high.
But inside I was breaking down as my nerves were aching and raw.
My head turned to the right. A young man lifted his head from behind the front desk he was working.
I gazed to my left. A couple strolled casually from the hotel restaurant, holding hands and laughing.
It seemed as if people stopped to stare, like they knew what had just happened and why I left Kelly Black’s place in such a hurry. Their accusatory looks were enough to make me want to run.