by Kennedy Fox
I shoot him an irritated look. “No. Go. Just make sure to check your phone or text me if you head back to the room. I don’t need to see your white ass again.”
“You got it.” And with that, he turns around and heads out.
Relieved I finally have him off my back, I step inside. The live music is loud as fuck, but within a few minutes, my ears adjust, and it’s not so bad. I can’t help it, but I glance around with hopes that my luck changes.
I head up to the bar and order another drink, and just as I turn around to face the band again, I see her. Blinking several times to make sure I’m not imagining it, I take a few steps closer to confirm.
She’s in a short, tight black dress and her beautiful blonde hair is down around her shoulders in loose waves. I only got a glimpse of her side profile, but I’m damn certain it’s her. After a minute, I realize she’s not alone. Natalie and Adam are next to her, and a guy I don’t recognize has his arms around her waist. My heart races and my feet gravitate toward her before I can stop myself.
“River,” I lean down and shout, hoping she can hear me over the music.
Startled, she quickly turns and when she realizes it’s me, her eyes and smile widen.
“Alex!” she shouts back. “Hey!”
Natalie, Adam, and the other guy all turn around at the same time.
“Alex! Yay!” Natalie shouts. She attacks me and wraps her arms around my neck. “Where have you been?”
“We’ve been out exploring and partying,” I respond. “Haven’t seen you guys around in a few days,” I say, hoping I sound casual, but I can feel the energy buzzing between River and me. Lowering my eyes, I keep them locked on her. “What have you guys been doin’?”
“Beachin’!” Natalie offers in her tipsy voice.
I grin and nod. “Can I buy you a drink?” I ask River, keeping my attention on her. The guy’s grip tightens as he pulls her to his side, and my teeth clench.
“She’s with me,” the guy speaks up, his voice weak and pathetic.
Blinking, I take one look at the dweeb before bringing my eyes back to River. She lowers her head as if she’s not sure what to say or do.
“River,” I drawl, grabbing her attention. “Is that right?”
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth and bites down.
“Dude, what’s your problem? I said she’s with me, so back the fuck off.” The guy’s voice gets louder, and River visibly cringes.
Taking that as a sign, I grab River’s hand and pull her out of his grip. “Not anymore. Get lost, asshole.”
I lead her the other direction before the guy can even respond. She clings to me as if her life depends on it and when we reach the bar, I swing her around until she’s facing me.
“Who was that?”
“Brant…something,” she answers with little confidence. “We met earlier, a few hours ago, I guess.”
My brows raise. “And he already held his claim on you?”
She sighs. “I guess, I mean…I was dancing, and he just started getting closer and closer, and because Natalie demanded I have fun tonight, I was trying to let loose.” She shrugs almost as if she’s embarrassed about it, and I feel bad for asking.
“Well, we can still have fun tonight.” I grin, and she flashes a wide, genuine smile up at me.
“Sounds good to me.”
I order us a round of drinks, a beer for me and a cocktail for her. We sit at the bar and chat for at least thirty minutes before Natalie and Adam find us. River is tipsy from already having a few drinks tonight, but Natalie is past the point of tipsy.
“You two are so damn cute together!” she squeals, wrapping her arm around River and squeezing. “Seriously!”
“Okay, Nat.” River laughs. “Time for you to be cut off,” she says, eyeing Adam.
“Guys, I mean it!” Her tone is so serious, it’s hard not to laugh. “River’s been talking about you nonstop,” she directs toward me, and River’s face immediately turns red. “Alex this and Alex that. It was getting to the point where I was about to send her to rehab.”
“Oh my God.” River’s eyes squeeze tight before she opens them.
“Is that so?” I grin.
“I maybe mentioned you a couple of times,” she admits, the red deepening on her cheeks.
Leaning down to her ear so only she can hear me, I whisper, “It’s really fuckin’ adorable when you blush.”
She sucks in her lower lip, shaking her head up at me. “Don’t be getting a big head now,” she teases.
Thank God Dylan isn’t with me because I know he’d be telling her the same damn thing right now.
“I’m going to take Natalie home,” Adam interrupts. “River, do you want to ride with us in the cab?”
“Um…” she contemplates while Adam looks up at me, giving me a warning look.
“If you want to stay, I’ll make sure she gets back safely,” I promise, making sure Adam can hear my sincerity.
“That okay with you?” Adam directs the question to River, making sure she’s comfortable with staying.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She smiles.
“You two would make the most beautiful babies.” Natalie hums, wrapping her arms around River’s neck and lazily dropping her head on her shoulders. “Just don’t have babies before I do, okay?”
“No worries,” River says, confidently. “You two can make all the babies you want.”
Natalie giggles, and Adam carefully wraps his arms around her and leads her away.
I chuckle as we both turn back around. “That girl knows the definition of having a good time, doesn’t she?”
River laughs, nodding. “She’s drunk so much, she’ll still be drunk when we get home.”
We continue chatting, and I order us another round because I don’t want this time with her to end. The live band is still jamming, and the crowd fills in even more.
Just as the band starts singing a John Mayer song, I notice River’s eyes light up.
“Oh my God, I love this song!” she gushes, and it takes me less than five seconds to decide to pull her out on the dance floor.
“Come on,” I say, grabbing her hand and helping her off the stool.
She lets me lead her to the middle of the room, and soon our bodies are fused together as our hands wrap around each other.
“‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’ is my absolute favorite,” she tells me as we rock back and forth.
“I can’t say I’m familiar with it, but I can see why you like it.”
“He gets a bad rap in the tabloids, but he’s talented as hell,” she says, her chest moving more rapidly against mine. She looks up at me with bright green eyes filled with lust, and I know she’s thinking the same thing I am.
“Maybe he’s just one of those misunderstood types.” I grin.
She smirks. “Aren’t all musicians?”
The longer I listen, the more I understand the meaning behind the lyrics. The guitar acoustics are rad as fuck, but it only adds to the melancholy of the song. The steadiness of the beat really gives me that visual of two people being together, yet they know their relationship is coming to an end, and it’s only a matter of time before it burns out.
“The lyrics are kind of depressing,” I say, moving her closer to me.
“They really are,” she agrees. “You can hear the heartbreak in his voice.”
“It’s tragic,” I add.
She blinks, giving me those sultry eyes again, and I can no longer hold back. I cup her face in my hand and watch her for a moment, just staring into her eyes before I lean down and press my mouth to hers.
Her lips move against mine, parting so I can slip my tongue through and kiss her the way I’ve been dying to since the first time I saw her. My other arm tightens around her waist, holding her possessively as I inhale her scent and taste her.
River moans against my lips, encouraging me even more. My hand slips around to the back of her neck, and when her head tilts up, I deepen the kis
s further. She tastes sweet and fruity, like the drinks she’s been ordering, but that’s not all. She has a fresh and clean scent that I inhale as my tongue twists with hers.
She grips my shirt in her fists, pulling me against her as close as we possibly can be. Taking control, she runs her hand up my body until it reaches my hair and tugs, eager to feel and taste me with the same fervor I have.
The song is ending, and I know people will soon notice us making out hardcore on the dance floor. It’s not that I really care about people seeing us, but I want to do so much more than kiss her. So much more.
“River…” I whisper against her lips. “We should…”
“Yeah,” she interrupts before I can finish. “Want to come back to my room?” she asks, and I don’t know why, but I’m a bit shocked. I was going to say we should stop so we don’t give the entire bar a show, but she has something much better on her mind.
“Uh, yeah.” I step back slightly just as the song ends and notice how red and swollen her lips are. Yeah, I like that look on her. “I’ll close out our tab if you want to grab us an Uber?”
“Sure, I’ll schedule one right now.”
Taking her hand, I lead us off the dance floor and get the bartender’s attention and pay. Once it’s settled, I grab my phone to let Dylan know I won’t be coming back to the room tonight. As soon as I unlock my phone, I see he’s already texted me.
D: REVERSE COWGIRL, BITCH!! Don’t even think about coming back here, asshole!
Shaking my head, I laugh at his message. Guess going back for Jessica paid off.
Poor Liam.
A: I’m not even surprised, you fucker! I’ll be at River’s for the night anyway.
* * *
A: P.S. You’re paying housekeeping to do an extra thorough cleaning tomorrow.
“Ready?” River asks, grabbing my hand. “The Uber is here.”
Shit, if she only knew. I was fucking ready days ago.
Chapter Eight
RIVER
I’ve barely scanned my keycard and opened the door before Alex’s mouth and hands are on me. The moment I saw him tonight, something inside me ignited, a deep desire I’d been fighting to acknowledge. Perhaps getting some of that liquid courage helped me realize I wanted him as much as he wanted me.
I cling to him as he kicks the door shut and pushes us deeper into the room. He’s pulling at my dress while I undo his belt buckle and tug at the button of his jeans. Soon I’m standing in just my bra and panties while he kicks off his boots. As he cups my breast, our mouths crash together. Strong arms wrap around my waist as he pulls me up and my legs instinctively wrap around him.
“Alex!” I squeal with laughter as he walks us closer to the bed.
He plants my ass on the mattress, and I lean back just as he stands and wraps his hands around my knees. Flashing me a mischievous smirk, he pulls my body toward him until my ass is on the edge of the bed, nearly hanging off.
Leaning over me, he closes in and presses another kiss to my lips. “I hope you don’t mind, but tasting you earlier has me dying to taste another part of you.” He winks, making me melt at his words.
His large hand slides down my stomach and cups my pussy over my lace panties. Just the sensation of him touching me has my back arching, and I’m already desperate for more. I want anything this man is willing to give me, but I have a feeling I won’t have to beg. He wants this just as much as I do.
“I can feel how wet you are already.” He teases my clit with the pad of his thumb. “You want it, don’t you?”
I bite my lip and nod—wanting him is an understatement at this point.
“Say it, River,” he demands, his eyes locked on mine. “I won’t do anything without your permission.”
“Yes,” I whisper, my hand reaching out to wrap around his forearm. “Yes.” I dig my nails into him, showing him just how badly I do.
The corner of his lips tilts up, satisfied with my answer. He kneels, spreading my legs wider until they wrap around his neck. Kissing along my inner thigh, he continues rubbing circles on my clit as his mouth moves closer to where I need him. His moans are turning me on so fucking badly, I’m ready to combust.
“You liked me that day we first met, didn’t you?” he asks, my mind spinning and unable to concentrate. “You pretended not to.”
“No,” I disagree. “I thought you were an egotistical ass.”
He smiles against my leg, and I know he’s amused.
“I seriously doubt that,” he mocks, reaching closer to my clit. His tongue replaces his thumb, and soon, he’s sucking on it through the thin fabric of my panties.
My hand fists the sheets as my eyes roll to the back of my head. I feel the strokes of his tongue along my slit and back up to suck my clit, then he repeats it several times over. The fabric just adds to the intensity, but I want to feel him against me.
I reach down with one hand and pull my panties to the side, letting him know exactly what I want. He takes my cue and wraps his hands around my ass and squeezes before sinking his tongue deep inside me.
Moaning, I use my free hand to fist his hair and keep his head anchored.
The last time I had a guy pay me this kind of attention was…hell, I don’t even know how long. That’s how long it’s been. Most guys don’t believe in foreplay, or maybe they just don’t care to put in the effort. Not Alex. He’s already devouring me, and I’m seconds away from exploding.
“Oh my God,” I moan, the muscles tightening around his tongue. “Yes, right there!”
He flicks his tongue, swirls it around my clit, and inserts two fingers inside. Oh God. This guy is too fucking good. There’s no way I’m going to survive him. No fucking way.
I’m on the edge when he increases his pace and pushes in deeper, his lips flicking and sucking and when he curls his finger and reaches that spot, everything tightens, and I scream.
My entire body rocks and shakes, and I’ve never felt anything like it from a guy going down on me. He keeps up his pace as I ride out my release, and once my body relaxes, he presses a quick kiss to my thigh. When I finally peel my eyes open, he’s sucking on his fingers. Those two fingers. Holy fuck, that’s hot.
“I knew you’d taste good, but goddamn. That should be the flavor of the fucking day.” He winks, and it’s hard to hold back my laughter.
As he stands looking like a Greek God, I watch him lower his jeans and kick them off along with his shirt. He’s just in his boxer shorts, and my eyes lower to the very noticeable tent he’s sporting. I’m staring at it so hard that I’m completely taken aback when he grabs my waist and flips me over on the bed. My legs are still hanging off the edge, so I crawl forward until I’m centered and on my elbows. He waits until I’m situated but then slaps a hand across my ass cheek.
“These aren’t needed,” he tells me, pulling my panties down my legs and tossing them aside. “And I think you’d be more comfortable without this.” He reaches for my bra, and I chuckle a little when he starts cussing. “The fuck?”
I laugh again at how puzzled he sounds.
“The hook’s in the front,” I finally explain.
“Ahh, I was just about to find some scissors and cut the damn thing off.”
“Figured you’d be a pro at ripping off bras,” I tease as he leans down and wraps his arms around my chest.
“You’re kind of damaging my ego here.” I can tell he’s smiling as he struggles to find the hook. Moments later, he finally unlatches it.
“Good. It could go down a few notches,” I quip as I help him slide it off my arms.
“Ooh, you’re even sassier when you’ve been drinking.” I turn my head just in time to see him smirk. “Or have you just been holding back on me?”
“Get off your high horse, cowboy.”
“Really? A cowboy joke?” He arches a brow as he cups my bare breast and squeezes. He begins to massage and flicks the nipple, getting it hard. My eyes close, and before I can stop myself, a moan releases. “That’s wh
at I thought, city girl.”
He slaps my ass again, making it tingle. Lowering his body, he brings his mouth down to the small of my back and presses light kisses up my spine. I moan at the contact and the way his erection presses against my ass. He rocks his body against mine, letting me feel how hard he is, and it’s pure torture because I want him. All of him.
“Alex…” I plead, his mouth sucking on my earlobe. He brushes my hair to the side and devours my neck.
“Yes?” he whispers.
“Fuck me. Please,” I beg. I fucking beg because that’s how worked up he has me.
Pathetic. But I can’t help it. Between the alcohol buzzing through my veins and the heartbreak I’m trying to get over, I’m desperate to feel him inside me.
Desperate for him. Desperate to forget.
He smiles against the flesh of my neck. “How do you like it, baby?”
I hadn’t expected him to ask me that, but if I was honest, it was nice to actually be asked. Lord knows, Asshole never did or put my needs and wants first.
“Hard,” I answer, hoping I don’t sound pathetic in my plea. “And rough.”
“Fuck, River…” he growls in my ear. “That’s the hottest damn thing I’ve ever heard. You sure you’re up for that?”
I turn my head and grin. “You sure you are?”
He presses his lips to mine briefly before pushing off the bed and reaching for his jeans. I hear him digging for a condom in his wallet, and thank God he came prepared. I’m on the pill, but I’d rather be safe than sorry and bring an STD back home.
Looking over my shoulder, I wait in anticipation as he slides his shorts down and sheaths himself. Placing a knee on the bed, he spreads my legs before grabbing my hips and pulling me up slightly until our bodies meet. Once I feel the tip at my entrance, I arch my back and rest up on my elbows as he rocks his hips and thrusts inside. I inhale sharply as I feel him inch by inch.
“Goddammit, River,” he growls, gripping my hips with both hands.