Barb moved off, fake veil pinned with little phallic objects swaying in the air behind her. The rest of the group followed the bride to be over to the dance floor and started doing awkward, jerky movements to the blaring techno beat.
God this was corny. Julia couldn’t say why she had agreed to come. Maybe it was because everyone at work seemed to be going. To not go when she was asked would probably only lead to problems down the road. Besides, Julia hadn’t done anything exciting in her life in a very long time.
Taking a job as a receptionist at Schuster, Schumer & Donton, a high profile law firm in Chicago, didn’t exactly guarantee for a life of wild excitement. Julia’s personal life was no better. She was twenty-five with no boyfriend to speak of. She had dated a couple guys but they had been boring and the relationships fizzled out. Julia hated to admit it but she kind of gave up on trying.
She filled her nights instead with yoga, painting lessons, reading, even tutoring. Julia was tall at 5’9” and all her yoga classes had given her a rocking body. Her long brunette hair, dark eyes, full lashes, and heart shaped face added to her curvaceous form complete with narrow waist and long legs would have made her a catch for any man, and yet, somehow, she was still single.
It had been over a year since she even had a date. When Barb, one of the blonde paralegals at the firm, announced she was going to be married, Julia never imagined being invited on the stagette, or to the wedding. But it turned out most of the firm had been invited to the Vegas affair. Though she thought it a ludicrous way to get married, Julia had booked her flight and hotel with the rest of them.
As a result, Julia was now full on drunk. The prospect of sobriety was not in the immediate future, as far as she could tell. With shaking hands she pulled her phone out of her purse. It was just after one but the parties in Vegas probably went until morning. When they were done here, she wondered where the group would move to.
Julia put her phone away and glanced up. Her heart beat sped up a thousand times when she noticed a stranger looking at her from across the bar. He was leaning against the wall, muscular arms crossed over his thick chest. His dark hair was cut close to his head and styled fashionably. He wore tight jeans and a plain black t-shirt which showed off his broad shoulders, defined chest and muscular stance to perfection.
Because she was drunk and, if truth were told, lonely, Julia didn’t look away. Instead she challenged the stranger’s stare with a bold look of her own. He clearly considered it an invitation. Julia’s mouth went dry as she watched Mr. Hunky cross the club. Oh god. What was she supposed to do now? Wracking her brain with something to say, Julia came up blank. This was so not how she imagined her night going. She thought about a quick escape but her feet remained rooted the floor.
Trembling, Julia could only remain rooted to the spot. Somehow she had the sense her whole night was about to go terribly off course.
Chapter 2
The stranger stopped a few paces in front of her. Julia’s mind went blank. She could think of nothing but the fact she would term him a hunk.
Mr. Hunk took her in, his dark eyes raking over her form. His casual perusal only made Julia more nervous. She felt like she should say something, do something, but her body seemed to be frozen.
Mr. Hunk uncrossed his arms and Julia now saw that they were both covered with dark ink. Sleeves? Is that what they were called? Yes, she was sure that was it. He was taller and much more imposing up close. Despite the sweaty odour that pervaded the club, he smelled fresh and clean. His cologne tickled her nostrils when she breathed in. She hadn’t been able to make out his features well from the distance, due to the poor lighting, and the amount of drinks she had consumed, but up close he was devastatingly handsome. His face was the stuff women dreamed of… strong jaw, straight nose, high cheekbones, hooded brow. His eyes were a dark brown, his jaw covered in a thick layer of stubble. His face, hell his entire body, looked to have been chiseled from stone.
He was muscled in a way that spoke to hours in the gym. Broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist. Through his jeans his legs Julia could tell his legs were equally as well muscled as his chest. He had a powerful, masculine air that drew Julia to him despite her shyness. He was probably not that much older than she was, maybe thirty. He could be older but she doubted it.
“You look out of place here.”
It was not what Julia had expected him to say. She didn’t know whether to be offended by his statement or not. She had thought, in her tight black mini dress and pumps she fit right in with the rest of the clientele.
“You fit right in,” she countered. She had made it to sound like he was of no consequence to her. She turned around back to the bar, giving him her back to contend with. Let him face that if he was so smart.
Instead of being rebuffed he leaned up against the sticky bar beside her. “What are you drinking?” His voice was thick, as if he too was well into the evening. His face was so close to hers Julia could smell whisky on his breath. On another man it would have repulsed her but not on him. No, on him it made her stomach clench.
His dark eyes settled on her face and his lips parted slightly. The action sent a shiver of desire running through Julia’s body. Heat pooled in her legs, spreading to a tight ache deep in her core. God, she wanted him. He was the type of man she would be sure to avoid back home. She didn’t like men who were handsome and knew it.
“Whatever you’re buying.” Was she really playing coy with him? Julia had no desire to flirt. She didn’t even know if she could do it properly, but here she was, looking at him through her long lashes, waiting for him to make the next move.
“Two whiskeys.” Mr. Hunk took out his wallet and paid for their drinks. He handed one to Julia, his dark eyes raking over her body again, finally coming back to rest on her face. It took her a second before she could compose herself enough to reach out and take the glass he offered. Her heart was pounding so heard she was sure he could hear it above the music. He smiled; his perfect lips curling back to reveal white teeth. The middle two were slightly crooked, she noticed. So he was not so perfect after all. Noticing this small flaw gave Julia an irrational ounce of courage.
Julia took a sip of her drink and found she liked it. Funny, the drunker she got the more she enjoyed alcohol she normally would have gagged over. She was a one wine type of girl, not a beers, shots, and whisky in the course of a couple hours type but here she was, sipping away, not taking her eyes off of the stranger’s handsome face.
He titled his head and poured his drink back then set his empty glass on the bar.
“So, miss….”
“Julia,” she volunteered. “And you are?”
“Travis.” He lifted an eyebrow when he looked at her. Julia was going to laugh but then she noticed the way he stared at her, as if he wanted to consume her, and her laughter died. She would have been terribly offended had she been sober but his gaze only raised her already elevated temperature another couple degrees. She imagined those perfect lips on her own, on her body, covering her breasts, her thighs….
Oh god. She cut that thought right off. What was she thinking? She certainly would never sleep with a man like him, and not in Vegas. If she thought a wedding here was cheesy, that was the ultimate cheese. No, she tended to gravitate towards the level headed, commitment minded type. What was the point otherwise?
“You look like you’re here on vacation Julia,” Travis said, her name like butter on his tongue. His gaze was unnerving. He looked at her like she wasn’t wearing any clothing. The glimmer in his eyes told her he liked what he saw.
“I… I am… I’m with a stagette.” She pointed over to where Barb and the other girls were dancing away together on the club’s floor.
“I see… you poor girl. I could show you a much better time…”
“Oh.” Julia was struck dumb. What was she to say to that? The way he spoke, as if the words were honey on his tongue, she got the impression he wasn’t talking about going to see a show or walk down the strip.
“What will it be Julia? Experience Vegas as it was meant to be… or stay with bridezilla over there?”
She was about to object that Barb wasn’t a bridezilla but then she understood he was joking. His eyes glinted with mirth but there was something else there as well. Taking another sip of her drink she stared into his face for a moment before she realized what it was. Desire. He wanted her.
Julia’s hand shook. The ice in her drink knocked together and she quickly set it down on the bar. Her legs suddenly felt too weak to hold her up. How could a man that looked like he did, desire her?
“Yes.” She said it without thinking. She didn’t specify whether she meant yes she wanted to go with him or yes she wanted to stay here. He knew what she meant.
Travis reached out and took Julia’s hand. His fingers were warm and solid against her own. A surge of electricity shot up her arm at the contact. He pulled her into him and kissed Julia soundly. His mouth was warm and wet and tasted of the sharp tang of whisky. Travis’s strong hands roamed over the bare skin of her back, the skin her dress did not cover, caressing Julia in a manner which promised more to come.
He pulled away, his dark eyes flashing. It took her a moment to catch her breath, to still the rapid pounding of her heart. Her blood surged hot and wild underneath her skin. God, she wanted this man. His large, capable hands had caressed her in such a way that she knew he was very skilled. Skilled beyond her limited knowledge. Instead of making her nervous, the thought detonated an explosion of lust in Julia’s belly. The fire spread, consuming her, the force of her need a driving, painful thing.
“Did you like that Julia?” Travis bent his head to her ear. His voice was silky smooth, his expression straight. He could have been asking her about the weather for all she could tell.
“Y… yes…” she stammered.
“And you would like to experience more… more of a Vegas, am I right?”
“Yes, you’re… you’re right.” She blushed just saying it, her delicate pale skin lighting up.
“Alright then, let’s go.” Travis took Julia’s hand again but this time he led her swiftly and deftly through the club out the side entrance, onto the street. She blinked into the darkness of the warm night. The pounding music of the club seemed to be embedded in her brain. All the drinks she had consumed made her shaky and more than a little dizzy.
Travis gripped her, pulling her in against him. He wrapped a strong, supporting arm around her waist and propelled her forward to a line of Taxis. Opening the door, he glanced at her, as if to say that if she wanted to turn back now was the time. She said nothing, only looked into the velvet blackness of his eyes. He nodded once then helped her into the back of the car.
A second later he slipped in beside her and told the driver where to take them. Was she going to his condo? His hotel? She knew nothing about him. God, he could be a murderer for all she knew. Perhaps this was the last time she was going to be seen alive.
Julia glanced around in panic.
“Relax Julia. I told you I was going to show you the best of what Vegas has to offer, and I will. I promise I will drop you at your hotel tomorrow, alive and well.”
She actually giggled. She felt her panic fade, replaced by the heady desire his eyes promised her. Tomorrow. He had said tomorrow. She supposed it would be dawn in a couple hours. She closed her eyes, images of what he would do to her in those hours flashing behind her closed lids. Her heart again pounded in her chest, the ache from the club was back, spreading up her legs, pooling in the pit of her stomach.
She jumped a little when Travis leaned in, nuzzling her neck, his warm breath and the stubble of his jaw burning her sensitive skin. “That’s right Julia,” he whispered in her ear. She leaned into his mouth, craved the feel of it on her body. Was she really doing this? Was she really in the back of a cab with a man she had known for all of half an hour? She was going to his place, she was sure. He was going to strip her naked and make her scream and writhe in pleasure. She knew it was crazy but she had never wanted anything more in her life.
For once, just this night, Julia was going to take a risk. She was going to live… besides, what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, right?
Chapter 3
The cab pulled up in front of a tall condo complex. It was a nice building, illuminated with overhead lights. It had a gently sloping sidewalk and flowers adorning the front of it.
Travis helped her from the cab then paid the driver. Julia watched the tail lights fade into the dark. She had a sudden urge to run after it but then Travis placed his hands on her hips and turned her to face him.
“You won’t forget this night Julia,” he whispered thickly. Bending down his lips covered hers, plundering her mouth, taking her breath away. She arched into him, set her hands on his chest. He was all muscle, hard and warm even through his clothing. Julia swayed a little when he broke off the kiss then giggled nervously.
“How drunk are you?” Travis asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh… very.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry. I have something that will sober you up.” It could have been sinister, what he said, but it wasn’t. It was a promise, gentle and thrilling. “Do you trust me Julia?” Travis whispered.
She leaned further into him, pressing the curves of her pelvis and breasts into his body. He didn’t make a sound but she felt his heart beat quicken under her fingers. The knowledge that she affected him as well wasn’t lost on her. It gave her a feeling of power. She became, for one of the first times in her life, keenly aware of her own sexuality.
In one swift move Travis swept her up into his strong arms. He carried her into the building and down a long hallway. He didn’t set her down when he punched a number into the keypad on the door he stopped in front of, just shifted her and swung it open when the pad beeped and the door lock disengaged.
Julia glanced around the entrance of Travis’s home. It was dark but she could tell it was neatly kept. She could make out the shapes of furniture in the living room, a TV in one corner. Appliances glowed in the kitchen which faced the large living area. There was a dark hallway that went by the kitchen and Travis took her down that. He pushed open the second door on the right and clicked on the light.
Julia blinked, her eyes protesting against the harsh light. Travis fixed it immediately, hitting the switch to dim it. The room looked quite ordinary. A large king size bed stood in the middle surrounded by a nightstand and a dresser off to the side. There was a large mirrored closet to the right. There was nothing strange, no trappings of torture, no bonds or chains, no weapons. Noting to indicate she was in any danger.
Julia breathed a sigh of relief. Travis set her down and leaned into her. His eyes flashed when he looked into her face.
“Don’t think you’re safe yet Julia,” he whispered. It sent a shiver racing up her back, a shiver of pure, heady desire.
Travis took a step over to the nightstand and pulled out a candle from the bottom drawer and a pack of matches. He lit it quickly and placed it on top the stand. In another stride he had shut the light off. Julia stared at him, his raw masculine body outlined by the shimmering candlelight. He was probably the most frighteningly handsome man she had ever met. She closed her eyes for a second, imaging what he would look like naked. Like a god. Blinking, she realized she didn’t have to imagine. She was going to find out. Her palms started to sweat and a hot molten heat pooled in between her legs.
“Julia,” Travis said thickly. “I want you to stand in front of that mirror.” He pointed to the floor length mirror on the closet door. “I want you to take off your dress… slowly. I want you to look at yourself.”
“Al… alright.” She wished she could do something other than stammer. He never ceased to surprise her with the things he said. Yet what had she expected? To fall into bed? For it all to be over in ten seconds? No. Certainly not. She knew instinctively that Travis wasn’t that kind of man. No, he was the kind that would bring her to the depths and breadths of pleasure. H
e would show her sex like she had never known it before.
Julia walked awkwardly over to the mirror. She stood there staring at herself. It was quite dark in that corner of the room. The drinks she had consumed earlier gave her a courage she wouldn’t had had sober. She reached up and undid the zipper at the top of her dress. Slowly she eased the straps over her shoulders and down her breasts. She had chosen not to wear a bra because her breasts were firm and on the small side and because, in her vanity, she hadn’t wanted ugly straps sticking out of her dress.
“Continue,” Travis said huskily, voice raw and all male.
Julia glanced at him, saw the naked desire and appreciation on his features. Never had a man looked at her like that, as if she were a queen, the only woman in the world, and boundlessly beautiful.
Hands trembling, Julia worked the tight fabric lower, over her belly and down her hips. With a swish the dress hit the floor and she stepped from it, still wearing her pumps. She stood completely, gloriously naked in front of the mirror. She didn’t glance at Travis. Instead she looked at her reflection. The darkness and shimmering candlelight turned her into something she had never seen before. Long creamy legs turned into gently curved hips. Her stomach was flat and muscled from hours of yoga. Her torso was long, topped by pert breasts that were really not as small as she sometimes thought. Her nipples stood out, reflecting the state of her arousal.
Travis took a step forward. Julia felt no urge to cover herself. He was aroused. She could see his jeans straining, smell the musk of male desire covering him. His arousal stirred her further, fed the terrible need that was growing in her.
“What do you taste like Julia?” It was the last thing she expected him to ask.
“I…. don’t know…” There was a pulsing that began in her core at his question.
“I want you to taste yourself Julia. I want to you taste yourself and tell me.”
Oh god. She would never have done such a thing in the past. At his command the ache in her grew to a roar. She slowly moved her hand, ran her fingers over her hips, down to the juncture of her thighs. Her skin was smooth as velvet. She parted her flesh, felt the pooling moisture. Julia looked at Travis, whose mouth had parted slightly. His eyes blazed with a barely controlled passion.
MC Romance: Gravel A Motorcycle Bad Boy Obsession (Untamed Rider Forbidden Temptation Book 1) Page 14