The Bar Scene

by Ginny Frost

  As her sweet mouth first kissed, then engulfed his shaft, Drew was struck dumb and completely immobile. The whole world existed in her mouth, in her hand—a dream come true. To be here, in the cave, with her lips wrapped around his cock, he could die happy.

  Terese worked him slow and methodical, flicking her tongue over the tip on the down stroke. He tried to stay propped on his elbows, watching his cock disappearing into her molten mouth. Her cheeks stretched. Her lips burned red as she bobbed up and down on his shaft. It took every ounce of strength in him not to pump into her throat.

  As he watched her movements, visions of the visit to her office danced in his head. Being in the cave with Terese was something he’d only dreamed about. But her mouth on his cock…that was beyond fantasy. His eyes crossed with the effort of holding back as he stared at her lips, her eyes, her hair. Pulling on his reserves, he reached down to touch her dark mane, running his fingers over the twists of the braid. As he did so, her gaze met his, her blue eyes blazing. That was it. His need rushed over him, with hardly a second to warn her. He levered himself and tugged her braid before the torrent of his orgasm overwhelmed him. She took it all. And when he heard the gulp, a shiver ran through his body.

  Her blue eyes glinted in the afterglow as if she’d completed some taboo act. She kinda had. More importantly, they’d connected again and not merely in a carnal way. His fingers skimmed over her cheek, but in his mind she teased, calling him “college boy.” His happy bubble popped.

  Guilt poured into his chest. She assumed she was having an affair with some twenty-year-old. Why didn’t he tell her he was Andrew Drake, Vice-President of Finance, private counselor and only son to the head of Drake Industries? No rational reason held him back anymore. They’d slept together. They were on a real date.

  He gazed into her eyes, ready to confess when a sharp pain hit his chest. He might lose her. He’d carried her off to a cliff-side cave and lied to her. Enforcer Terese wouldn’t stand for it. Not for a second. She’d bounce him down the mountain.

  Licking his lips, he smiled at her.

  “Good?” she asked, with more than one question implied in her word.

  He ran his fingers over her hair, savoring the feeling. “So good,” he lied and let the shame punch him in the gut.

  Chapter Six

  At the base of the waterfall, Terese caught Drew’s hand. They walked back to the trailhead in a comfortable silence. Earlier the climb up had been a little hairy, but Drew’d played the gentleman perfectly and pulled her through it. She liked being spoiled.

  “So how did you find that spot?”

  Drew shrugged. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I like climbing. Two plus two.”

  “Oh, you live here in Iverton? I thought you were here for school.” He said nothing, his eyes focused on something off in the distance. A long silence followed. Terese’s palms itched to fill the void.

  She tried again. “I came here about eight years ago for school and fell in love with the town. I adore the mix of the historical buildings at the college and the modern architecture of downtown.”

  “Yeah, this place has a lot to offer.” His gaze darted around, then he flashed a stunted smile. She almost huffed at him. How could he not react to the sheer power of the water pouring down from a hundred feet above them? Or the sprinkling of autumn colors twinkling out from between lush, green pines?

  Terese swallowed hard, muscles tightening in her stomach. She pressed on. “It’s amazing how you can be on a bustling downtown street one minute and drive out a mile or two and end up here.” Gazing at the waterfall, she zlet the serenity of the flowing water calm her doubts.

  “Yeah, it’s nice.” He sounded distant.

  Terese frowned. She wasn’t interested in an extended one-night stand. If this was a date, and it was, then time for small talk. Whether he liked it or not. Hundreds of questions formed in her mind. Where did he go to school? Did he have family in the area? The purpose of the outing was to learn about each other. Drew shared a minimal amount. Maybe he wasn’t a talker, or maybe she imagined things about the date that weren’t there. Unsure if her questions annoyed him, she dropped the conversation.

  When they reached the bus stop, Drew pulled out his phone. An epiphany hit her and she chuckled aloud.

  Brow furrowed, he asked. “What?” His tone defensive, his eyes wary.

  “It’s nothing.” She slipped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

  “You know, not everyone’s an iSheep.” He twisted the phone back and forth showing her both sides.

  She laughed harder, holding her stomach. “No, no. Your phone is fine. It hit me. Neither of us checked our cells for the last…what? Two hours?”

  A smile slowly formed on his lips. He glanced at his cell and then held it up for her. “Three hours.”

  “Even better.”

  His attention focused back to the screen. “Next bus to your place is due in about five minutes.”

  “Good timing,” she said, a tinge of sadness floating in her stomach. Why did it have to end so soon? She wanted to spend time talking, hanging out, learning details about each other. College student or not, Drew gave her the warm fuzzies. Maybe he’d ask her to dinner or back to his place or something better.

  “Yeah.” He flicked a finger across the screen. His lips twisted into an ugly scowl.

  “What’s up?” Judging by his grimace, nothing good.

  After turning off the screen, he shoved the phone in his pocket. “Being unplugged sometimes has consequences.” He reached out and grasped her hands, drawing her close. “Not that I would’ve answered, anyway.” He pressed his lips to hers, and some her doubts fluttered away.

  “Sorry if it’s bad news. Can I help?”

  “Nah, it’s just…you know, some people can’t give you a day off.”

  Terese chewed her lip. Her mind speculated, turning down corners it shouldn’t. “People like…?” Like your ex-girlfriend? Like your current girlfriend? Seeing the green monster wasn’t a good sign. It meant she liked him already. Damn, pull back, woman. Nursing a broken heart did not fit into her schedule.

  The bus arrived, and Drew bowed at the waist, holding his hand out for her to enter first. Swatting at him for the silly gesture, she climbed inside and plopped down in the first seat available, a little worried he’d forget her question. Her mouth twitched as she tried not to pout.

  Drew slid into the seat next to her, saying nothing. She waited, not tapping her foot or grilling him. One date, two hot nights. He doesn’t owe you and you don’t owe him. Be patient, dammit.

  Nope.

  “Did I keep you from something today?” Someone? She wanted to smack herself for asking. She shoved the jealous feelings down again. Drew might share in good time or not at all. Hell, she hadn’t talked much today either.

  Chewing her lip, she waited for an answer. When nothing came, she reflexively filled the silence, compensating for her own lack of communication. “Monday’s my usual day off. The bar’s open, but Alan, the owner, comes in and manages it.” Oh, brilliant. Terese pressed her lips together to stop babbling. She wasn’t some teenager on her first date.

  Take ahold, T. It’s just a man.

  “Uh, well…” Drew scrubbed a hand through his curls. “To be honest, I bailed on some stuff today.” He smiled tightly with an ounce of awkward. “Gotta pay the piper at some point.”

  Feeling a bit guilty, she stroked his arm. “We could’ve rescheduled—”

  Drew cut her off with a kiss. “Don’t. I’d blow off a hundred things for another afternoon like today.”

  Terese stared into his eyes. A raw swell of emotion rose in her chest. She was falling for him, seriously falling. “So,” she said, dipping her head to hide the burning blush on her cheeks. “I guess you have to get back.”

  “Yeah, I do. I’m sorry to cut it short, but if I don’t squash the problem now, it’ll get huge.” Absently, he raised one shoulder and let it drop.

  She
nodded, convinced even more of another woman and not a skipped class. A wobbly sensation danced up and down her legs, like she’d experienced on the tiny trail. She inhaled quickly, annoyed he’d made her feel like a squishy girl already.

  He tilted his head down to catch her eye. “You pissed?”

  She shook her head. “No, of course not.”

  “Because the Terese I’ve seen at the bar would rip me a new one if she was pissed. So what’s wrong?” He nudged her shoulder.

  Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. He had her pegged. She wasn’t the kind of woman who shrank from or fretted at a problem. She hit it head on and solved the fucker, one way or another. A new man in her life was no different from her financial crisis. She’d conquer both.

  Clearing her throat, she met his eyes. “What did you miss? School? Work? Another woman?” She inclined her head, trying to be all business, not bitch.

  The asshole laughed. His lips curved into a wide grin as his eyes danced with mirth. “Work. No other women, I swear.” He squeezed her hand.

  Relief flooded over her, but she hid her reaction, not allowing him to see her weakness. Crossing her arms, she narrowed her eyes. “Oh, it’s ‘women’ now?”

  He followed her lead, eyes wide, mouth slack, his words decaying into a whine. “Oh, no, Terese, I swear. No other women. No one but you.” He batted his eyelashes, and she strained not to chuckle.

  “So says you.”

  Then the idiot slid down off his seat, clasped his hands together, and pleaded. Sarcasm pouring from him. “Please don’t be mad at me. Please. I’d hate it if you were angry. I’ll do anything. Anything. Say you aren’t mad.” His eyes pleaded. His lips twitched, and she pressed a hand over her mouth to hold in the laughter.

  She loved these over-the-top antics and hoped he had more in store for her later. But right now, giggles bubbled up in her chest, threatening to ruin his gag. Working hard to frown at him, she said, “I’ll forgive you this time, but you better be careful. You could lose me.”

  Still on the floor, he grabbed her hands and kissed her fingers between his words. “Yes. I promise. I’ll be good. Anything for you.”

  “All right.” She repressed the guffaw building in her throat. “You may get back in your seat now.”

  “Thank you. Thank you,” he groveled, sliding beside her once more. Laughter rumbled inside her, fighting to escape. A guy who wasn’t afraid to be silly in public, awesome. His thumb brushed her wrist, sending tingles up her arm.

  A tap on her shoulder grabbed her attention. An elderly woman behind her beckoned her closer. A mask of wrinkles marked her face, her mouth drawn down in a frown. Narrowing her eyes, she crooked a finger at Terese. Swallowing hard, Terese leaned in.

  “That’s the way to handle those young punks. Make him beg for it.”

  ****

  Standing in front of Terese’s building, Drew debated what to do next. Part of him hungered to follow her upstairs and finish their picture-perfect day. His logical mind demanded the date end and he respond to his father’s texts and emails—now.

  He sighed, watching Terese head to the door. She walked confidently like a professional dancer, a skater skimming across ice. A stark contrast to the vulnerability she showed on the rocks. He wanted to spend every hour with her, not just for the sex. The whole truth would come out after he had her hooked. His job, title, name would be meaningless once she knew the real Drew.

  She paused in the doorway. “You coming up?”

  Oh, God, yes.

  Running his fingers through his hair, he couldn’t meet her eyes. “Uh, no. I can’t.” Her frown caused his stomach to drop. “I have to take care of something.” He gestured to his phone. Her lips trembled slightly, still in a firm line.

  Fuck, you didn’t ditch a girl right after she blew you in a cave. He scrubbed his feet on the bottom step. “I played hooky from work today, and now I’m in a little hot water.” He held his fingers up showing an inch of space. “I gotta fix it.”

  The storm in her expression cleared, and she tilted her head. “All right then.” She turned to go.

  “Wait.” He reached out and clasped her arm as she entered the building. She glanced down at his hand on her arm, then back up. The corners of her mouth descended into a frown. She was pissed, all right. “It won’t take me long. Can I see you again?” She stared at him, and he remembered to release her arm. The tension between them dropped from ten down to five.

  Leaning against the doorframe, she pursed her lips. “Look, Drew.” Shit, here it comes. “You’re super sweet and today was great.” She paused, studying him. His stomach flopped, waiting for the killing blow. “Let’s put our cards on the table. I like you. You’re cute, goofy, and sexy. But I’m not into one-night stands. If you want to be with me, be with me.”

  He smiled, loving her directness, her attitude. “I’m in. Really, I am. Give me a day.”

  She nodded curtly. “Sure.” She spun to leave.

  “Tomorrow night, you and me.” A statement rather than a question. He’d played the fool, now he needed to be the alpha again. On their next date, he’d spill everything and ease the tension between them. Then she’d be his.

  Cocking her head, she studied him. After a few seconds, her brow smoothed. “I don’t have your number.” The corners of her mouth twitched, almost a smile, almost a laugh. Phew, they were cool.

  Taking a quick breath, he withdrew his phone from his pocket and looked at her expectantly. As she rattled off her number, he texted her immediately. Giving him a side-long glance, she pulled out her cell and tapped the screen. She nodded.

  “That’ll do.”

  “All you demand and more, m’lady.” He bowed deeply with a flourish of his hand.

  “You’re an ass. Go save your job.” She started inside, then paused. “And let me give you some advice.” Her blue eyes flashed. “Nookie is no excuse for bailing on work. Even if it is nookie with me.”

  He bit his lip, halting the laughter building in his throat. “If you say so, though I thoroughly disagree.”

  “Whatever,” she said, throwing her hand up, dismissing him.

  Grinning, Drew headed toward his car. Terese was as funny and smart as he’d thought. Relax, bud. Winning Terese had never seemed as if it would be an easy task. And it certainly wasn’t.

  But in the end, he emerged triumphant. She would be his. Bet on it.

  As his father always said, “Over, under, around, or through.”

  Chapter Seven

  Drew proceeded straight for the Drake building. Face-to-face confrontations always worked best with his father. The back elevators helped him avoid the walk of shame in his hiking clothes. A few whispers circulated as he ducked through the seventh-floor cubicle maze. He paused when he reached the assistant’s desk. Dark-haired Maura studied her screen with a frown.

  “Hey, Mo. Is he in?”

  The sophisticated assistant slowly raised her head, as if she’d been deep in thought. Her mouth dropped open wide when her gaze finally met his.

  Damn, should’ve changed. Pressing his lips, he rocked back on his heels, his cheeks aflame as he waited for her answer.

  “Andy?” she whispered. “What the hell?”

  Running a hand through his hair revealed his true mistake. No glasses, no beard, and the crazy blond hair. He’d planned to display his new style paired with a tailored Brooks Brother’s suit.

  Oops.

  Dipping his head, he turned his face aside to hide his embarrassment. “Yeah, it’s me. What do you think?” He shrugged, hating the spectacle he was making.

  “Damn, Andy.” She covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes glittering with mischief. “You look about five years younger. What’s going on?” She leaned forward, her bottom lip caught in her teeth. Maura, queen of office affairs, eyed him as if he were lunch.

  “Trying something new.” He waved her comments away, but her stare slowly became more and more predatory. Her eyes narrowed to slits as a hungry exp
ression crossed her face.

  “It looks good. Really good,” she purred, putting her fist under her chin. Her raking gaze left him feeling raw and exposed. A light sweat broke out over his skin. His father’s superhot secretary practically molested him with her eyeballs. Holy shit. He should’ve changed the way he dressed years ago.

  Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, “Yeah? Thanks.” She stared at him like a piece of meat, a wicked smile forming. Swallowing hard, he cleared the lump in his throat. “Is my dad in?”

  Blinking rapidly, Maura returned to herself. She straightened in her seat, touching her hair. “What? Oh. Yes, go right in.”

  Drew sighed with relief, glad the awkward ended. “Uh, thanks.” He curved around her desk in a wide berth. Entering his father’s office with a quick rap on the door, he glanced back to see Maura streaking from her desk. There goes the gossip train. Well, fuck.

  “Andrew?” Spencer Drake rose from his desk, stretching up like a bear on two legs. His perfectly tailored Gucci suit moved with him, not a wrinkle in sight. The suit, paired with his athletic frame, crew cut, and silver goatee, drew a picture of a formidable man.

  “Hey, Dad. How’s it going?” Drew lingered by the door, assuming a pose of nonchalance. “Sorry I missed today. I took a three-day weekend.”

  “What the hell is this?” Spencer remarked. Drew thought of his father by his first name when he cloaked himself in the role of dutiful accountant rather than adoring son. Strolling out from behind the desk, he motioned up and down at Drew. “Who are you and where is my son?”

  “Dad…”

  “We are a business, Andrew. Explain yourself.” He sat on the edge of the desk, his arms crossed, brow furrowed, a look Drew knew well.

  “I met a woman.”

  Throwing his hands up, Dad paced back and forth behind the desk. “You couldn’t wait? I’ve been hoping for years to hear those words, and you choose now? Just when the conference center is getting off the ground? It’s vital you’re in the office. Everyday. You can’t be wandering off with some chickie”—he held a hand out to Drew, indicating the hiking outfit—“doing who knows what.”