His eyes dropped to her mouth. “And do you want to?” he asked softly.
The simple question jarred her into losing some of the sass. “Maybe,” she said, looking away from him.
“Great.” Chance sat back. “Now can we talk about the business I actually wanted to speak to you about?”
Her face grew warm. Son of a bitch did it to me again. She kept her eyes averted as she picked up her beer. “What’s that?” she asked tightly.
“There are some things I need to get you up to speed on before we leave tomorrow. I would have told you earlier, but you scurried out of the office like a—”
“I do not scurry, asshole.”
Chance narrowed his eyes. “So...about this blowjob thing...”
Stephanie groaned before guzzling some of her beer.
Chance gave her a smirk. “Do you spit or swallow?”
Right then, she did neither—Stephanie choked.
Chapter 13
Love was something else. She looked good enough to eat—again—in those tight jeans, and that top that only showed one shoulder and nothing else. Just spotting her across the room, looking at him, had been enough to make his dick come to life.
And she actually thought he’d found her in order to demand a blowjob? This woman was just...yeah, something else. Even now, choking on her beer, she was sexy.
“You okay?” he asked, knowing his earlier question had been the reason for her little coughing spell.
She sputtered a bit before managing to speak. “I’m fine,” she muttered. After a few moments, she moved her head to the loud, eighties song that had started to play.
“You like this?” Interesting. She didn’t strike him as the type of woman who enjoyed music. Hell, she didn’t strike him as enjoying much at all.
She glanced at him. “Problem?”
He shook his head. “I just didn’t peg you as a music lover—and definitely not this decade.”
She widened her eyes. “Are you kidding? The eighties were amazing.”
Chance chuckled. “Yeah, amazingly tacky. Amazingly cheesy.”
“Please, that’s exactly why it was awesome.” She sat back. “Let me guess. You’re some classical music lover who may venture out of his comfort zone every now and then for something wild like jazz or new age?” She scoffed.
“The best music came out of the sixties, Love. End of story.”
She looked at him blankly.
“You have heard of the sixties? Hendrix, Joplin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Temptations, Sam Cooke—”
“Who?”
Chance scrunched up his face while he tried to come to terms with the fact that Love was truly clueless. “My God, woman. What the hell have you been listening to? Sam Cooke was great.” He counted off on his fingers as he listed several songs. Expressionless, she continued to stare at him. “This is what happens when all you listen to is A Colony of Seagulls,” he said with a sigh.
She laughed.
His exasperation faded. He’d never heard a genuine laugh from her. It sounded like the best music of all. He realized he was staring, and he cleared his throat. “What?”
She arched an eyebrow. “A Colony of Seagulls? It’s flock, dude. ‘A Flock of Seagulls’.”
“Whatever.” His lips twitched before he suppressed his smile.
She laughed again and shook her head as she picked up her bottle of beer. “And I’ll have you know that ‘I Ran’ is a fucking classic.”
He shook his head. “Nothing from that decade is a classic, Love.”
“Asshole,” she said before taking a drink of beer.
Smiling, Chance stood. “Let me show you a bit of what you’ve been missing while you were busy listening to Madonna’s early albums.”
“What are you doing?”
“You’ll see,” he said before making his way to the DJ booth. A minute later, he returned and held out his hand. “Shall we?”
She looked up at him. “Shall we what?” Just then, the music began to play. Love took a deep breath before placing her hand in his.
He led her to the small dance floor and pulled her close.
“Is this the wonderful Mr. Cooke?” she asked, peering up at him with those amazing blue eyes.
Nodding, he smiled. “This is my favorite song of his.” To his surprise, she didn’t make any smart-ass remarks. Actually, she didn’t make any further remarks at all as they slow danced. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rested her head on his chest as they swayed.
She felt good. No, she felt way past good. She felt as incredible as she’d tasted. Chance almost groaned, but caught himself in time. Having her writhing beneath him in ecstasy had been one of the hottest things he’d ever experienced in his life. He wasn’t much for giving, but the mere thought of going down on her had made him so hard, he’d had to try it. Now that he had, he was hooked.
Her pussy called to him as no other ever had before—the scent, the taste...he couldn’t get enough. Instead of becoming infatuated with fucking her, he had to stay focused. His objective was still there, it was still clear: Make her fall for him and then crush her to dust.
After all, it seemed she was planning something along the same lines.
Her friend’s little performance piece about vibrators, though entertaining as hell, wasn’t even remotely up to snuff. So what had Amber called her about? It had to be something to do with him. Why else would Love have shut the answering machine off so fast?
He sighed, pulling her body closer to his as they continued to dance. If only she weren’t the biggest, most evil curmudgeon he’d ever run across, maybe they could have a good thing going—sexually, of course.
Chance Valentine did not do relationships.
The song came to an end and she dropped her arms from around his neck.
He smiled. “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”
She cleared her throat and stepped back. “That was...nice.” She shrugged. “It’s still got nothing on A Colony of Seagulls, though.”
Chance leaned down close to her face. “Fuck. You.” He smiled when she gave him a hint of one before wiping it off her face.
She bit her lip and squinted at him. “Have you ever had to deal with a huge pain in the ass, boss?”
“Right now, I’m looking at the biggest one ever.”
She laughed. “Okay, that was smooth, Valentine. I’ll give you that.”
All traces of humor left his mood as the topic of earlier conversation entered his thoughts again. “And what else will you give me?”
She sobered and looked away. “What else do you want?”
Chance shrugged. “Does it matter? Do I always get what I want?”
That blue gaze collided with his again. “Seems that way.”
“Okay, you got me there,” he said lightly.
She sighed. “You’re a big boy, aren’t you?”
“You tell me.”
She ignored his teasing. “Why don’t you come right out and ask for what you want? Or...can’t you admit it?” She smiled sweetly, knowing she was paraphrasing the very words he had spoken to her the night before.
He crossed his arms as he stared down at her. “I’m not shy, Love.” And yet, the thought of actually having to ask for a damn blowjob seemed almost beneath him. He sure as hell had never had to ask before and he didn’t plan to start now.
“You seem a little shy to me.” Shrugging, she held up her hands. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I guess some women might find it cute. Too bad I’m not one of them.” She turned and walked back to the table.
He laughed as he followed her. “I see what this is now.”
“What is it?”
“This is yet again about you not having the guts to ask for what you want.”
Love frowned. “What I want?”
“Yeah,” he said, dropping his voice. “You want to suck my dick and you’re just afraid to admit it.”
“Please.”
He nodde
d. “That’s a start, but you missed a bit in the beginning there. It’s ‘May I suck your dick, please?’” She punched him in the stomach and he laughed again.
“You’re a natural comedian,” she said dryly. Once his laughter died down, she continued. “You asked earlier and I do believe I answered.”
He crossed his arms and she tried not to stare at his biceps. “You said maybe. Maybe’s not an answer.”
“It is where I come from.”
“The pits of hell?”
She smiled. “Shut up. I’m calling it a night since I have to work tomorrow, thanks to some asshole.” She grabbed her jacket off the back of the chair.
Chance looked around. “The asshole may only have you work part of the day and you might not even have to get up all that early.” His gaze came to rest on her face. “I mean, did you ever ask?”
She put her jacket on and narrowed her eyes. “Do I have to get up early?”
Chance smirked. “Maybe.”
She shook her fist in his face. “I’m gonna fuck you up one of these days, Valentine.”
He chuckled. “You do realize I’m technically your boss, right? You should probably tone down the verbal abuse just a hair.” He picked up his jacket. “I could fire you, you know.”
“Then why haven’t you?”
“Are you kidding? You’re the best little assistant a guy could ever want.”
“Kiss my—”
“Yes?” Chance gave her an easy smile.
She licked her lips and his cock stiffened. He could just imagine what she could do with that pretty, little mouth of hers. She was a pro at driving him crazy even when she wasn’t trying to so he couldn’t even wrap his mind around what she would do to him if that were her goal.
Chance had a vision of that sweet tongue of hers running up and down his dick, leaving wetness in its wake, and he damn near groaned. Why wouldn’t she just say that’s what she wanted? “Give me an answer, Love,” he said gruffly, barely recognizing his own voice.
“I did. Now you give me one.” She folded her arms. “What do you want, Valentine?”
My dick in your mouth. Then in your pussy. Maybe even your tight little ass. Chance stood there, staring back at her. He didn’t know what the hell was wrong with him. He’d never been at a loss for words, especially not when it came to matters of a sexual nature.
Then again, no woman had ever made him speak the words. He was used to being catered to without ever having to ask; this was foreign and unsettling territory for him.
“So you are shy. Huh. I never would have pegged you for the meek type, sir.”
He ignored the attempt to goad him into asking. “How are you getting home?”
“Cab.”
“Let me take you.”
“That’s all right.” She turned to go and he gently grabbed her arm to stop her.
“I’ll take you, Love,” he repeated, staring into her eyes.
She pulled her arm from his grasp. “Why do you want to?”
The devil woman was really going to make him do it. Okay, his dislike of her in general was slowly inching its way up to hate. “Why do you think?”
“I don’t know what to think, which is why I’m asking.”
Chance took a deep breath, realizing that hurting her at the end of all this would be even more of a pleasure than he had originally thought. “You need me to say the words, Love? I will.” He leaned down and whispered, “I’d very much like for you to suck my dick. Will you?”
She clucked her tongue. “Valentine, Valentine, Valentine. You didn’t even have to ask.” She gave him a syrupy sweet smile before turning and walking away.
Chance ran his hands down his face. He might kill this brat before this was all over.
Chapter 14
Stephanie tried to focus on the task at hand as they drove to her house. Getting Chance Valentine all hot and bothered was not only fun, it was productive. At the end of this sex rainbow lay the biggest pot of fucking gold yet—a promotion to beat the one she had been in line for in the first place. Having her dirty way with him in the meantime was just the best bonus ever.
She knew she’d pissed him off by making him ask nicely for a blowjob. The cocky bastard was used to women throwing themselves at him. He’d probably never had to work at getting laid a day in his life. She was from the pits of hell?
Well, welcome to the dark side, baby. She may not have cookies, but she had skill enough to make him forget his own name. And she planned to do just that. Not that she had any experience with sucking dick, but he didn’t have to know that.
No man had ever come close to making her want to put her mouth on him there. But Valentine, that schmuck...
The thought of having him in her mouth made her wet. She couldn’t wait to lick every inch of him. She wasn’t sure what had come over her lately, but she was insatiable. She couldn’t get enough of him and, while a bit terrifying, it was also exhilarating.
She was in her thirties, after all. Maybe she was just hitting her sexual peak or something. In any case, she could definitely see riding that cock of his as much as possible.
Until she ditched him after getting that big promotion, of course. Stephanie Love no longer did relationships. And certainly not with the likes of another soulless playboy. Nope. She’d cancelled her membership with the Scum Magnet club, thank you.
She stole a glance at Chance’s profile as he easily maneuvered the Jag to the exit lane on the interstate. What kind of freak of nature didn’t like eighties music? Craziness. Even now, some sixties something or other played in the car, though at low volume. She couldn’t help it—curiosity got the better of her. “What is this we’re listening to?”
He glanced at her. “Do you really want to know?”
“Why else would I have asked?”
“Could have just been your subtle way of asking me to change it.”
“Since when am I subtle?”
Chance chuckled. “Good point.” He glanced at her again. “Do you want to listen to your tacky music, Love?”
“God, yes.” She smiled before wiping it off her face. Damn it. She had been doing that with him lately. She needed to get a grip.
He switched to an eighties station. “There, brat.”
“I think I prefer Love.”
“And I think I prefer not having my ears assaulted, but we all have our crosses to bear.” He grew quiet, frowning as he listened. “What the hell is this? Wham?”
Stephanie laughed before she was able to stop it. Damn it. “You sure know a lot about the music to never listen to it. I mean, everything but the name of a certain band.”
Chance threw her a hard glance before smiling. “Shut up. I have a sister who’s into this stuff, sadly.”
Stephanie nodded. “I like her already.”
“You don’t like anyone, Love.”
She shrugged. “Some more than others.”
“Like Kenny.”
Yeah, the mentor Chance had so cruelly fired instead of promoting. The thought reignited the fire she had in her belly for taking the asshole down. He would pay for everything he’d done. One way or another, she would see to it. She cleared her throat. “I don’t like Kenny.”
Chance frowned again. “What?”
She stared out the passenger window. “I love him,” she said quietly..
He didn’t respond for several moments. Then, “I’m sorry? Did you just say you loved someone?”
“It’s a useless emotion, Valentine, but I do feel it for certain, select people.”
“And he’s one of them.” Chance raised his eyebrows. “Wow.”
“Don’t go getting any twisted ideas in your head. Kenny and I were never involved.”
“He was your boss, after all.”
“He’s happily married,” she said, ignoring the dig. “Unlike most people, he and his wife actually make that work.” She rested her head against the seat as she watched the scenery pass. “And more importantly, even if he weren’t marrie
d, there’s no way I would have ever been involved with him. He’s like a father to me.”
“What about your own father, your parents?” Chance asked quietly.
“What about them?”
“No happy ending there, apparently,” he mumbled.
Stephanie focused straight ahead. “No, not really.” Her parents had divorced after her dad had taken up infidelity as a hobby. Eventually, he’d run off to parts unknown with his very own ‘Donna’, leaving her mother, Victoria, to raise the kids alone.
Under the crushing weight of heartbreak, mounting debt, and the stress of being a single parent, her mother had found a semblance of relief through a steady, ever-growing stream of sedatives and pain pills. Unfortunately, that relief was one that eventually left her children orphaned.
Her death had been ruled accidental. Stephanie had her doubts, occasionally, when she allowed herself to think of that awful time. In any case, only then had her father returned. Unfortunately, even though he’d come back, he still hadn’t been interested in any actual parenting.
It wasn’t the pretty picture Chance undoubtedly had of his own family. It was an ugly, brutal mess. Thankfully, he dropped the subject as he pulled into her driveway. She shrugged off the veil of gloominess that had suddenly settled over her as she readied herself for the next phase of this little operation.
They entered the house and removed their jackets before Chance took a seat on her couch.
Suddenly her inexperience shook her confidence just a bit. The women out there who did this sort of thing, how did they go about it? Stephanie wasn’t sure if she should just tackle him or what. Instead, she opted to change the subject while she thought of the best approach.
“You want something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” he said, staring up at her.
Well, so much for the change of subject. She took a deep breath and looked around the room while he sat there silently. She wished he would take charge again, like he had in his office. Then, in this case, she supposed she would be the one running the show.
She frowned as she thought about it. Since when did she not like being in charge? Chance seemed to bring out a slightly submissive side to her and she didn’t appreciate the fact that she didn’t completely hate it.
Chance on Love Page 9