by Hayes, Piper
“I want to sink my cock inside you, and I want to make you come again and again. I want to see the sweat bead on your chest as I rake my fingers down your back and bring you to completion. I want to hear you moan and shout with delight. I want to show you pleasure beyond anything you’ve imagined.”
I lean my head back against the headrest as Blake kisses my neck. His warm, soft lips send thrills through my body. I reach for his lap. I can feel his erection through his pants. I can’t wait to feel him inside me again.
As soon as we’re in the elevator, Blake slides the silk tie out of his pocket and slips it around my wrists, tying them together in a quick motion before he pulls them above my head. He presses himself against me, and I can feel his need. He kisses my neck, and I let myself moan a loud, throaty moan. It feels so good to let go and enjoy the pleasure. Blake hikes my dress up to my hips and pulls my panties aside. He slides a finger against me. Then he rubs my clit with two wonderfully firm fingers. I don’t think I’ve ever been this wet before. I don’t think I’ve never needed a man this badly.
When he pushes his fingers inside me, I arch my back and curl my toes in delight. I want to reach down, grab his cock from inside his pants and shove it inside me, but I can’t. He’s still holding my hands. “I want to hear you,” he whispers as he rubs against my inner walls. I feel incredible pleasure, and a deep ache to feel more. I feel like the elevator ride will never end.
By the time it does, Blake has me on the brink of climax. He pulls me into his place and lays me down on the floor. I shout as I feel the first orgasm roll through my body, and I bite my lip as Blake continues to work his fingers against me. He looks down at me. I can tell he’s just getting started.
He unzips my dress, pulling it down over my hips. He wastes no time removing my panties. He kisses my chest and my stomach as he works his way down my body, and then he presses his lips against my clit and slides his tongue against me. It feels so good, it almost hurts. I cry out in delight as he brings me back to the edge of climax. I want him inside me. I need him inside me, but he doesn’t relent. He works his tongue against me until another scorching orgasm rocks my body. Every muscle in my body tenses as the world goes blank around me.
Blake gives a little moan of approval as he keeps working against my clit, and soon any satisfaction I felt from climax has been replaced by an overwhelming need to feel Blake deep inside me. “I need you now,” I tell him.
He scoops me up in his arms and carries me into the bedroom. He wraps my silk tie against the headboard, giving himself complete control of my body. He slips my bra off and tosses it aside before beginning to strip himself. He tosses his shirt aside and leans against me as he undoes his belt. He licks and sucks on my nipples. He cups my breasts. “You are so fucking beautiful,” he says.
He pulls a condom out of his nightstand drawer and slips it down his length. Then he presses his tip against me. I tilt my hips up toward him. He seals his mouth against mine as he pushes himself deep inside me. He sinks his fingers into my hips and thrusts hard. I cry out in wordless delight. Wave after wave of bliss crashes through my body as he works himself against me. The bed rocks beneath us. My cries of delight ring through the bedroom. I feel the rush of Blake’s skin against mine and the wonderful pressure of having him inside me. He finds the perfect spot and drives me to completion again. “Blake,” I shout. Breathless and sweating and excited beyond belief, I shout his name again and again.
Any illusion I had of this being a one-night stand is gone, and any idea that this was simply a mutually beneficial arrangement is gone too. It’s hard to believe I’ve only known Blake for two days. I want to stay, I want to wrap myself against him and hold on for as long as I can, but with a man like Blake, how long can that really be? I wonder if another night could be enough, and I know the answer: no.
CHAPTER 6
CATHERINE
The last time I woke up in Blake’s bed, he had already started his day. This morning, he’s still lying next to me, arm wrapped around me as he sleeps. What a difference a day makes. The bright morning sun is warm on my face, and everything feels right. I shift slightly and remember that underneath the covers I’m still naked. I don’t know what time it is, and I don’t care. I wish I could lie like this next to Blake forever. I wish I didn’t have to think about social circles and trust funds or any of that. I wish I could just place my head against Blake’s chest and listen to the rise and fall of his breath. If we were different people. If this were a different life, maybe it would be enough. God, I barely know him, and already I’m trying to turn him into something he isn’t.
Or maybe I’m trying to turn myself into something I’m not. I don’t know. If the past few months hadn’t been disorientating enough, my time with Blake has flipped my whole world upside down. As we lie together, I feel like maybe that’s a good thing. I still don’t know what he really wants from me, if he’s being honest or if he’s using me the same way I wanted to use him. I don’t even know if it matters. One step at a time, I tell myself. Just take it one step at a time.
It’s not long before Blake wakes up. “Hey,” I whisper. I give him a quick kiss, which he savors before smiling back at me. I wish there were something more clever I could say, something sexy or smart, but I’m just glad to see his eyes light up as he looks at me.
“Hey,” he says. “Last night was—”
I place a finger on his lips. “Careful how you end that one.”
“It was incredible,” he says.”
“You didn’t need my help at all,” I remind him.
“Not for the dinner. The part after, on the other hand, I don’t think I could have pulled that off without you.”
“Not unless you’re fond of tying yourself up.”
Blake rubs his hands over his face. “What time is it?” he asks. “I can’t remember the last time I slept in like this. I’m usually up before the sun.”
“Easy,” I tell him. “It’s still early, and, as luck would have it, I’m free all morning.”
Blake pulls his phone off the nightstand, checks the time and starts flipping through his email. “I have to run into the office for a few hours, but what do you say I take the rest of the day off and we do something together?”
“Schmoozing with another client?” I ask.
“I was thinking something a little more intimate.”
I roll on top of him and kiss his neck. “With a client?” I say in mock disgust.
“Just me and you,” he says. He wraps his hands around my hips and pulls me tight, pulling me up against himself until my lips meet his. His kiss takes my breath away, and I feel his arousal rise up against me. He slides his tongue against mine and grinds his hips against me. In an instant, I need him. I ache for him, and I know we won’t stop until we’re both fulfilled. A half hour later, I’m still breathless and dizzy, but I’m completely satisfied. Blake holds me in his arms and I wonder how he came into my life, how he found me now.
“Was that the little more intimate you were talking about?” I ask as I finally roll back onto my side of the bed. I bite my lower lip and hold the sheet over my chest as Blake gets up. I hear a low buzzing sound as he heads to the shower. “I think you’re being summoned.”
He cocks a brow.
“Phone,” I say. “I think your phone is ringing.”
“I think it’s yours,” he says as he gets starts the water. “It started while we were in the middle of things.”
“Let it ring then,” I say. Blake nods and gets into the shower. I wonder who the hell is calling me at this time of morning. I doubt any of my friends have seen the light, and I can’t think of anyone else who would have my number. The phone keeps buzzing, and I can hear it over the low hiss of the shower. Someone really wants to reach me. I realize that it’s one of two people. My father or Ben. I don’t want to hear from either of them, but even more, I don’t want Blake to accidentally answer their call.
I hop out of bed and dart into the living roo
m. I must look ridiculous, running naked through the multimillion-dollar penthouse, grabbing a phone out of my purse. I take a quick look at the number. It’s Ben. Shit. Then I hear the shower stop. Double shit. I click ignore call, toss the phone down and run back into the bedroom, safely diving into bed before Blake gets back.
Blake steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He pauses for a moment to look at me before stepping into his closet to get changed. Before I know it, he’s in a suit and ready to go. “I’ll be back as soon as possible,” he says.
The phone is buzzing again.
Blake stops and looks around. “I have to run. You should get that call.” He kisses my cheek and turns to leave. He steps out into the main space and returns with my phone, tossing it to me without even as much as a glance down at the screen. “Just remember, you’re mine for the day.”
I rub my palm against the spot where his lips touched my skin. I want to ask him not to leave. I want to throw my phone out the window. I want to pull Blake back into bed. I want to forget about everything but the way I feel when I’m with him. I feel like the second he’s gone, the spell will break and I’ll have to face reality. “I’ll see what I can do,” is all I manage to say.
“I will too.” Blake gives me one more kiss and heads out. When he’s gone, I pull on a robe and check my phone. In addition to the missed calls, there’s a message from Ben. I should ignore it. I should turn the phone off. Nothing good can come from reading it, but I can’t help myself. I open the message and read. You’re in danger. Call me now.
***
I wait an hour before calling Ben back. “What is it?” I ask. “I’m not in the mood for games today.”
“We’re close to making a case against Blake, and you need to separate yourself from him as much as possible. I’m trying to help you here.”
“I’m not going to do that,” I tell him. “Blake’s the only good thing in my life at the moment.”
Ben is quiet for a while. I wonder if he’s thinking back to the way things ended between us or wondering what could have been. “Cat, I’m begging you to help yourself here. I’m looking out for your best interests.”
“I am looking out for my own best interests,” I tell him. “There’s nothing you can do to change my mind on this.”
“What if I talk to your property manager about extending your lease for a few months? The bureau tends to have some weight. Hell, if you agree to help us, I could help you—”
I cut him off. “How the hell do you know about my lease?”
“That isn’t important. There are serious charges against Blake, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to get caught up in all of this. All I’m trying to do is help. We think Blake has a paper trail hidden away somewhere that can prove everything we’ve…”
“Just stop,” I say.
“Don’t do this for me,” Ben says. “Forget about us or whatever we were. This isn’t about that. You’re getting caught up in a criminal conspiracy, and you need to do everything you can to protect yourself. At least take a look around and see if there’s anything suspicious, anything that raises red flags.”
“What am I even looking for?” I ask.
“Incriminating files. His credit card records show he bought a very expensive safe a few months back.”
“You’re tracking his credit cards?” I say. “What the hell did he do?”
“No, Cat, but I don’t think it’s the best idea to hang around him for much longer.”
“So it’s fine for me to play detective for you, but if it’s just my personal life then you’re worried? I have to go.”
“Just take a look around. If there’s nothing incriminating, you’ll know. If there is, then you can get out before you get hurt.”
“You mean before I fall for him and he disappears?”
“Cat, you have no idea what I went through for you,” Ben says.
“I have to go. Don’t call back,” I say. As soon as I hang up, I turn off the phone.
I walk through each room of Blake’s place, trying to get a feel for it. If my count is right, there are four guest bedrooms, four bathrooms, a home gym, a second elevator, and an office.
I decide to start with the office. If there is anything here, it would seem like the logical place to start.
I hold my breath as I stand in the doorway, and I listen for any sign that Blake is returning or anyone else would be coming into his place. I can hear the low whir of the air conditioning and what I think could be the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. I listen for footsteps, for the sound of an opening door. When I hear none, I step into the room.
It’s painted stark white, though the entire far wall is filled by custom bookshelves. A desk sits in the middle of the room, facing the door, and it has only a lamp and a sleek laptop on it. It’s in the middle of a lush area rug. I feel the fibers between my toes as I step behind the desk and open the first drawer. There’s almost nothing inside it: a pen, a few rubber bands and a paperclip. In the file drawer, there are a few legal documents. They look like the paperwork for Blake’s place. I pull them out and flip through them.
After realizing that I wouldn’t know an incriminating legal document from any other kind of document, I decide to turn my attention to the bookshelves. I scan the titles. Most of them are thick, hardcover books about economics. I wonder if he’s hidden some kind of clue in any of them. I pull one off the shelf and shake it to see if anything falls out. It would help if I actually had some clue what I was looking for or why I was looking for it. I still can’t decide if I really want to know the truth or if I just enjoy snooping.
On the far end of the bookshelf, the books get less uniform. There are giant art books about the impressionists and the old masters. There are thin paperbacks with worn spines.
There’s a chair next to the bookcase. It’s an Eames chair, one of those ones with the molded wood frame and plush leather. Two books lie on a small table next to the chair. I lean back in it and pick the books up. The first is The Theory of the Leisure Class and the other is The Bonfire of the Vanities. I wonder how any of this is supposed to help find out the truth about Blake, I don’t know. I put the books down and look out the window. I can see most of Blake’s terrace and the buildings beyond it. I swear I hear a noise from the living room, but I know I’m just being paranoid.
A moment later, I hear the elevator doors open. Shit. I jump out of the chair and rush to the desk. I jam the files back into the drawer and shut it as fast as I can. Something clanks inside the desk as I jump back into the chair and pick one of the books up off the floor.
“Cat, you around?” Blake calls. “Turns out it was nothing. I tried calling, but your phone was off.”
My heart is racing. “Down here,” I call. I look around the office to see if anything else is out of place. That’s when I see the key below the desk. I can hear Blake coming down the hall. My heart is in my throat. I tuck the book under my arm and dive down to grab the key. This was a bad idea. He’s going to see that something’s out of place.
“What are you up to?” he says.
I don’t have any pockets, so I slip the key into my bra. I roll over and lift the book up as Blake walks in. Oh, just concealing evidence that I’ve been spying on you, that’s all. I wonder how long it will take to put the key back or for Blake to figure out what I’ve done. “You mean besides waiting for you?” I say, placing the book down. The desk drawer is barely five feet away from me, but I realize now that I’m a million miles from where I was when that key dropped from the desk. I’m no longer a bystander in whatever’s going on with Blake and Ben and the FBI. The only question is whose side I’m on.
CHAPTER 7
CATHERINE
Blake and I have a rhythm. We have a back and forth that I can’t describe. It’s beyond a connection. It’s a craving, a half-manic need for each other, like gravity is pulling us together, and we’re powerless against it’s force. Maybe that’s it. It’s like we�
�re crashing into each other over and over again, and I wonder what will happen if something upsets the balance.
I also know that this balance won’t hold forever. Something has to give. At first, I think it will be the key that undoes us. I think he’ll figure out that it’s missing and connect the dots. I worry that Ben will show up demanding answers or that my father will find some way to tear me away. I’m afraid that Blake will get bored of me. Mostly, I’m afraid of being found out. It never occurs to me that maybe I’ll be the one to knock the world back out of balance, that I’ll be the one to send us tumbling off in a new direction.
But slowly, I begin to realize that I am the one who will undo us, that my need to know more about Blake, my need to have more than some unnamed fling could end up ruining everything, or it could be the one thing to make our relationship something more. I hide the key for days, hoping he won’t look for it. I know I should put it back. I know I should respect Blake’s privacy and return the key and forget all about it. But I can’t. I know I can’t. That need for more won’t let me.The first chance I get, when Blake’s at work and I’m sure no one is following me, I decide to take the key to a hardware store and get a copy made.
This is a harder task than it seems. There are almost no hardware stores in Manhattan, and I don’t exactly have much of an idea where to find one. When I finally do get there, it’s clear I stick out like a sore thumb. I’m wearing a dress and heels, and the guy behind the counter with a three-day beard and bags under his eyes gives me a dead stare as I look around to make sure no one else is watching.
I look up at the stacks of paintbrushes and screwdrivers (and tools I don’t even know the name of) that stretch up to the ceiling. The sooner this is over with, the better. “You in the right place?” the guy at the counter says in a way that (correctly) says I’d be lucky to know the difference between a hammer and a hacksaw.