by Jewel E. Ann
CHAPTER FIVE
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
~Bob Marley
THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY was at a world-renowned independent research library which housed rare books, music, maps, and manuscripts spanning six centuries. I wore an Edun strap dress with a bandeau neckline and horizontal cut out detail. It had a black bust and layered crosshatch cameo print skirt ending several inches above my knees. My black, open-toed, four inch heels were all style and no comfort, but I was willing to endure a little pain for the greater good of looking and feeling amazingly sexy that night. I didn’t get out much, so I welcomed the opportunity to forgo short denim cut-offs and racerback yoga tops for something more elegant.
Entering the gala hall, with its large windows and massive columns, I was stopped by the sight of a Steinway grand piano in the corner of the room. My fingers twitched just at the sight of it.
“I’d love it if you’d play for us tonight,” Gwen spoke, standing beside me wearing a full length, gold lace, and sequined evening gown.
“Gwen, you look lovely.”
“Thank you, dear, so do you. But don’t think for a moment I’m going to let you leave before dazzling us with your musical genius.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve played.”
She gave me a knowing look of shared sympathy then wrapped one arm around me for a tight squeeze while holding a stemmed glass of champagne in the other. “Tonight then. It’s time, you’re ready.”
I nodded, more so in acknowledgment than in agreement.
“Addy!” Mackenzie squealed, shuffling over to me in her tight dress and high heels. “You look amazing! I have no doubt some insanely hot guy is going to snag you by the end of the night and make you forget all about ‘he who shall not be named.’”
I wasn’t planning on keeping my recent developments with Quinn a secret from Mac, but it wasn’t the time or place to share details. The mere thought of him had my body resonating with the tantalizing memories of the night before.
“I don’t think so. You must be confusing me with the pre-Evan Mackenzie.”
“Yeah, well sometimes I think you could learn a few things from her.”
*
The next couple of hours I spent mingling with Richard and Gwen’s friends. Most were strangers but a few I recognized from my past life with Malcolm. They were the ones I went out of my way to avoid.
“Addy, there’s someone you should meet.” Mac pulled me over to the bar and I noticed a tall guy with a bleach blond buzz cut. He was thin with a long distance runner’s build, beautiful, straight, white teeth and dimples. Not my type and I was pretty sure that was because Quinn had ruined me for every other guy.
“Addy this is Raef. Raef, this my best friend Adler Brecken.”
I smiled and shook his offered hand. “Nice to meet you, Raef.”
“It’s a pleasure. Mac tells me you two are in business together?”
“Yes, we own a vegan café in Milwaukee.”
“Addy is a brilliant chef. You should try one of her creations sometime,” Mac gushed, like I was a piece of property she was trying to sell.
“I’d love that. Maybe I could make the drive up some weekend and check out your café.”
A few other people crowded up to the bar pushing us closer together, he placed his hand on the small of my back.
“Raef is an instructor at the Art Institute. I told him you could give him a run for his money with art history trivia.”
I was having trouble registering what Mac was going on about because looking past her I saw a dark figure in the corner near the door.
Quinn.
“Um, that’s interesting, will you two excuse me? I have to go to the ladies’ room.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, Mac, I’ll just be a few minutes.”
Quinn had a dark look on his face as he studied the entire length of my body. Despite the lust it fueled inside me, I was a bit miffed at the idea that he was stalking me. He was wearing a black suit and a white shirt with the top buttons open exposing his flawless olive skin. His jet black hair was a fashionable chaos, and I was itching to run my hands through it.
“I don’t think you were invited, sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
He struggled to pull his eyes up my body to meet mine. I sensed he liked what he saw, and he nodded and wet his lips. “You’re right, let’s go.” He put his hand on my lower back guiding us out of the room.
“Stop, Quinn, I can’t leave yet.”
“Why not?”
“First, my purse is still in there, and second, I haven’t said goodbye to Mac’s parents or Mac. You’ll have to wait to see me later.”
“Not happening.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to a single stall bathroom that I think might have been for employees only. His long strides had me struggling to keep up in my heels. Closing and locking the door, he pushed me up against it. His look was intense and his breathing labored.
“Who’s the guy at the bar with his hands all over you?”
“Nobody.”
Lacing our fingers together, he raised my arms above my head, keeping me pinned to the door. His mouth aggressively worked its way down my neck. “Didn’t look like nobody,” he mumbled over my skin.
Blood surged to my sex leaving my brain a jumbled mess of confusion as to why he was acting so possessive. “Jesus, Quinn, Mac just introduced us tonight, it’s nothing. Let it go,” I breathlessly implored.
He thrusted his hips into me letting me know how hard he was. “So you’re telling me what I saw was nothing with nobody?”
“Yes.”
I froze when I heard a knock at the door. Quinn spun me around so my face was to the door, hands splayed against it above my head.
“Addy, are you in there?” Mac questioned.
The pressure of Quinn’s hard cock straining against his pants as he worked his hips along my ass rendered me speechless. His hands were cupping my breasts while he slipped his thumbs in the cutouts and circled my taut nipples.
“Uh, yes, I—I’m in here.” I’d hoped she didn’t sense the tension in my voice.
“Why are you using this restroom?”
Quinn pushed my hair away from my neck and skimmed his wet tongue along it while his hands traced the curve of my waist to my hips. One hand pulled the skirt of my dress up and the other slipped down the front of my black lace panties.
“It uh … um it was … closer.” My voice was a shaky flustered mess.
He opened my cleft with two fingers and circled them to spread my ample wetness around before he slid them all the way into me. I threw my head back, mouth agape, and fought to hold on to the moan that was so desperate to escape. His palm rubbed over my clit mirroring the grinding movements of his hips behind me.
“Addy, are you okay? You don’t sound so good.”
The all-consuming sensation made it nearly impossible to think. My body was a clash between opposing forces: to arch back and rub against his arousal or to thrust forward into his hand that was working its wicked magic on me.
“Yes! Uh, I’m—I’m good.” I leaned my head forward against the door and bit my lip, praying Mac didn’t hear me panting.
“Fine, but hurry up. Raef’s wondering where you are. I think he might be into you.” I heard Mac’s giggle fade into the distance.
Quinn stopped, his body went rigid and utterly still. I was at the precipice waiting for his next move, my body begging for more.
“Mr. Nobody might be into you?” he growled, clearly not too pleased.
“Ugh, it’s nothing,” I whined while trying to move my hips against his hand. My attempts were futile. He had me braced so tight against his hard body it was like fighting a concrete wall. His fingers pulled out and with the same hand he clenched my panties in his fist. With one swift yank, they were ripped off.
“What the hell, Quinn!” I tri
ed to turn to see him but his hand was at my back keeping me bent over toward the door. I heard him take a deep inhale through his nose.
“God, you smell so fucking good.”
Holy shit, did he just smell my panties?
My first thought was embarrassment at the thought of any man smelling my underwear and being so turned on by my scent, but Quinn doing it made me feel wanton. The next thing I heard was the sound of Quinn’s zipper followed by the rip of a condom packet. He pulled my dress up exposing my bare backside while he reached around and rubbed his fingers between my thighs.
“Jesus, Addy, you’re so wet.”
My hypersensitive body was teetering on insanity. I about orgasmed the moment he touched me. Then he leaned over me with his head next to mine and removed his drenched fingers from me bringing them close to his face so I could see them. He put them in his mouth and sucked. “Mmm, you taste as good as you smell.”
Oh. My. God.
His knee nudged against the inside of my leg pushing out on it.
“Spread those long, sexy legs a little more.”
I felt his erection slide between my legs, my four inch heels putting me at the perfect height. When I pushed back toward him he moved with me, rubbing the head of his erection around my opening but denying me what I was craving. He teased me over and over again, occasionally pushing past my opening to graze my clit, causing my body to buck and spasm in anticipation. His game was so agonizingly frustrating.
“Just because I’m not an only child doesn’t mean I like to share. You know what I think? I think Mr. Nobody is more than into you. I think he wants in you.”
That’s it!
I shook my head in denial and in an attempt to clear my mind of the drunk-on-Quinn sensation that clouded my judgment. Shoving him away, I pulled my dress back down into place, sans panties. He was no longer seducing me, he was robbing me of my dignity.
“What the hell, Addy?” Quinn yelled while trying to pull his briefs over his sheathed erection.
“Listen up, you jealous idiot! I’m not one of your brainless beauties you can fuck around and control by going all alpha male psycho on me. I don’t appreciate being followed or stalked. And if I told you Raef is nobody to me, then you damn sure better believe me. I haven’t had anyone else in my bed since you walked out of my loft six weeks ago. Can you say the same? Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you haven’t screwed some other woman since we were together?”
Initially he looked angry readying his comeback, until my last question. Then his eyes fell to the floor, lips in a straight hard line.
“That’s what I thought.” I spun around, walked out the door, and never looked back.
*
I stopped at the door to the gala hall, taking a moment to fix my hair and gain my composure. Mac spied me as soon as I entered and excused herself from the table where she and Evan were sitting with Raef and another couple.
“Jeez, Addy, you look all flushed. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ve just had too much alcohol. You know what a light weight I am.”
“Well, hopefully you’re not too drunk to play for my mom. She said her one anniversary wish is for you to play something for her.”
“I’m not drunk, but I don’t know, Mac, I haven’t played in over seven years.”
“Whatever, I know the piano is your proverbial bike. You’ll forget your name before your fingers forget how to play.”
I sighed in defeat. “One song, then I’m going back to my hotel.”
“Deal. I’ll tell Mom.”
A Steinway grand piano was as good as it got. I feathered my fingers over the ivory keys without playing them. Mac was right. Sitting behind that beautiful instrument felt like home. There was no music to follow, but I had never required it, I could always just play. Gwen and Mac must have made their way around the room directing everyone’s attention to me sitting at the piano, because the room had fallen silent with just a few soft whispers. I rested my fingers on the keys and closed my eyes. A warm smile graced my face thinking of the last time I closed my eyes and just let my body feel. Quinn had infiltrated my mind in a way that somehow every thought came back to him. From the first note, my body entered a different dimension. I felt one with the piano, as if I had never stopped playing. The music was Clair de Lune, my favorite piano piece and one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. The music transported me to my past, where I’d experienced what would always be my greatest pleasure and my greatest pain. The past seven years with Mac in search of something resembling a life played through my mind. I thought of Quinn and the exhilaration I felt with him and the inevitable pain that would come with it.
When I finished there was a moment of silence until I opened my eyes. Then the room filled with applause. Gwen and Richard were beaming with what looked like parental pride. My lips turned up into a shy smile as I graciously nodded in appreciation.
“Addy, that was amazing. Thank you so much. You’ve made my whole night, sweetie,” Gwen gushed as she hugged me.
“Thank you. It felt good to play again.”
“Must suck being Adler, child prodigy,” Mac teased.
“I was hardly a prodigy.”
“Bullshit.”
“Mackenzie! Watch your language,” Gwen scolded.
“Sorry, but she was. Addy’s had an easy life.”
The instant the words fell from her lips, she had her hand over her mouth in shock and regret. “Oh, Addy, I’m so sorry. That was terrible of me to say that. You know that’s not what I meant.”
“It’s fine, Mac, stop walking on egg shells around me. I’m better, stronger … I’m good, okay?”
She relinquished a sad smile and hugged me as if she didn’t know what else to say.
“Now if you party people don’t mind, I think this maestro is tuckered out and ready to head back to the hotel room to crash.” My carefree response lightened the mood because everyone was all smiles again.
After saying my goodbyes, I made my way out of the building. It was a sticky night out and I hoped I wouldn’t have to wait too long for a cab. That was when I recognized the black Bentley parked by the curb with Mr. Suit standing next to it.
“Good evening, Miss Brecken, may I offer you a ride to your hotel?”
“No, thank you.” I politely smiled, praying a cab would show up soon.
“Mr. Cohen insisted I give you a ride.”
My feet were killing me but not enough to get into the same vehicle as Quinn. The windows were heavily tinted so I couldn’t see if anyone else was in the car. “Is he in there?”
“No, miss.” He opened the back door to prove he was telling the truth.
“Fine, but only to my hotel, no other stops, agreed?”
“Yes, Miss Brecken.”
“It’s Addy, remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
I slid in the car and immediately took off my killer shoes and rubbed my feet as the car pulled away from the curb.
“You said you work for Mr. Cohen?”
“Yes, miss.”
“But he doesn’t live in Chicago?”
“No, miss.”
“So you drive here from New York City?”
“No, miss, I live in Chicago.”
“Do you have a name?”
“Yes, it’s Eddie.”
“Well, Eddie, can you tell me what you do when Mr. Cohen is not in Chicago?”
“I follow instructions he leaves for me.”
I sighed in defeat as we pulled up to my hotel. “Thanks for leaving the water muddy, Eddie.”
He laughed. “Have a good evening, Miss Brecken.”
I didn’t bother shoving my aching feet back into my shoes. Instead, I looped the straps over my hand and headed into the hotel.
*
When I reached my room my key wouldn’t work. After several failed attempts, I trudged back down to the front desk for a new key.
“May I help you this even
ing?” The concierge asked.
“I need a new room key. This one wouldn’t open the door when I swiped it.”
“What is your room number?”
“418”
He typed something into his computer. “Ah, well that’s because you’ve been upgraded to the Presidential Suite for the remainder of your stay.”
“Excuse me? There must be a mistake.”
“No mistake. Here’s your new key and the security code required for the elevators to reach the top floor. Your belongings have already been moved for your convenience. If you need anything else just call down.”
I was so tired I couldn’t even think to protest what was obviously a mistake, so I headed up to the top floor. There were two doors, mine was the one to the right. Sliding the key card through the lock the light flickered green. I stopped before I even stepped in far enough to shut the door. The suite was twice the size of my loft. Floor to ceiling windows draped with elaborate fabric coverings lined an entire wall. What stopped me in my tracks were the glowing candles all around the room. There must have been fifty or more candles and all other surfaces were covered in lavender rose petals. Iron & Wine’s Flightless Bird played over the surround sound. With hesitation I walked into the living area thinking surely I was not supposed to be there, but when I didn’t see anyone I proceeded into the master suite, which was also filled with lavender rose petals and lit solely by candles. The king size four-poster bed was adorned in a deep plum duvet cover and showered with lavender petals. In the middle of the bed was a single long stemmed lavender rose and a note.
Forgive me?
Holding the note I sensed someone watching me. I turned to the door where Quinn was standing with at least two dozen lavender roses tied with a large white satin ribbon.
“I was an ass.” He cautiously made his way to me.
“Yes, you were. How did you know where the anniversary party was? Were you stalking me?”
“Having someone look into your whereabouts because I wanted to see you is not the same as stalking.”
“You’re right. It makes me feel so much better to know you had me followed because that’s not creepy at all.”
“Forgive me?”
“Why should I?” I crossed my arms over my chest.