by Odell, Roxie
“And?”
“And Gil’s very interested in it. I have some stuff to review, but I have to advise him to go through with it. It’s just too good a deal to pass up.”
“Why?” she demanded sharply, her eyes suddenly tinged with anger, as if she’d experienced too many emotional jolts for the day.
“Because it’s a good move,” he said soothingly. “Like I said, I haven’t done all the homework on it yet, but that’s just how these things work. I listen and vet, even if I know from the get-go that it won’t work out. In most cases, I know immediately, and we’d be fools to walk away from this one.”
“But you could advise him otherwise,” she said darkly. “I mean, he’s doing pretty well for himself already, isn’t he? It’s not like he’s struggling to keep the lights on.”
He knew she knew better, but she was only half-kidding. Corrine was very, very manipulative when she wanted to be, and he wasn’t sure he liked it when she tried to manipulate him, at least not outside the bedroom. “I can’t,” he replied sternly. “This isn’t just about my job, Corrine. It affects the jobs of everyone involved in the project.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said dejectedly. “Dang. This is a lot to handle all at once.”
He pulled her into him, completely understanding, and kissed her hair again to let her know that. “You know,” he said, his voice like syrup, “it could really turn out to be a whole lotta fun for us.”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said in a low, seductive tone. “Just think of all the new places and new scenarios we can experience together in Los Angeles.”
“New scenarios, huh?” she repeated with a nod.
“I mean, we’re pretty hot already, exciting beyond belief, but this new page in our lives will add some adventure,” he assured her.
She smiled and elbowed him softly. “Really?” She laughed. “And how is that?”
“Well,” he answered, his throat tightening as arousal stirred within him. “The first thing that comes to mind is the Mile High Club. We’ll have to fly there, right?”
“How do you know I’m not in the club already?” she teased.
“Well, I’m not, and I’d love to fly your friendly skies.”
Their food arrived the second those lewd words tumbled out of his mouth, and Derrick hoped the awkward teenager who served it hadn’t heard him or caught the meaning.
“So, let me get this straight,” Corrine said sensually after the waitress departed. “Even though you and I see each other every day and have the hottest, most unforgettable sex…”
“Yes?” he urged, beaming at her.
“Despite all that, you still think about me that much?” she asked.
Derrick trembled, completely seized with passion for her, something powerful and far, far beyond sexual or carnal pleasure. “Everything makes me think about you,” he gladly explained. “I think about you if I see a piece of paper, walk into a new room, just look at a chair. Hell, I’m jealous of the way you were looking at that stupid Heinz bottle a minute ago.”
She grinned from ear to ear, pleased with herself. “That’s good to know,” she remarked, then casually regarded her food. “Oh, my gosh, I’m starving!”
“So let’s eat, baby,” he murmured.
There was something hot about seeing a lithe, tall, girlie girl dig into her food like a linebacker, and he just sat back and watched as Corrine made short work of her salad.
She was a good way into her meal before she snapped out of her feeding frenzy. She caught him staring and blushed again. “What?” she asked quietly, putting her fork down.
Derrick reached out and gently dragged his knuckles across the softness of her skin. “Don’t be shy,” he whispered. “I like everything about you.”
“Thanks.”
“I take it you’re feeling better,” he said. “You seemed a little stressed earlier.”
“Yeah,” she confessed.
“Was it just because I didn’t call?” he asked in his softest voice.
“Mostly,” she replied.
“Well, don’t worry. I’ll never, ever do that again.”
“That’s good because if you do, I’ll never, ever share pictures with you again,” she said with a wink, then popped a cherry tomato into her mouth in a way that had Derrick squirming in his chair again.
Chapter 16
As they strolled lazily back to the Tresor, hand in hand, Derrick suddenly regretted that his home sweet home was just a hotel room. The non-glitzy atmosphere of the casual eatery was a sense of normalcy he’d missed, and it was nice to eat fresh food that was made by a regular person, not some five-star chef so famous he had his own press agent.
Just as he was beginning to ponder whether his relationship with Corrine could possibly transition into something more normal, more regular and grounded and predictable, she strong-armed him and pulled him through the dark door of a loud club.
“You’ve got time for a few laughs, right?” she asked, pointing to a poster advertising a comedy act.
Derrick smiled. He knew it was a rhetorical question because she almost always got her way, especially with him, but he smiled warmly and answered, “I do.”
“Good, because I’m buying,” she said saucily, drawing him back into the neon fantasy that was Las Vegas.
“Oh?” he practically purred. “So you’re in charge now, huh?”
“More often than you realize,” she replied with certainty and promise in her voice.
They could have taken middle and center seats, but Corrine directed them instead to a more private balcony section. “This will do nicely,” she whispered.
Damn. Such a naughty girl. Derrick’s body hummed with anticipation. “I’m sure it’ll do just fine,” he agreed, “but I don’t think the cocktail waitress came here to watch a show.”
“Neither did we,” she answered.
“Then what did we come here for?” he asked.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” she murmured as she closed the distance between them and kissed him. Corrine said she was five-nine, but Derrick believed she was almost an inch taller than that. She only had to tilt her head, and she was the perfect height for kissing. As a tall man, he liked that a lot.
They were cloaked in darkness, and he was sure they were not the first people who’d ever planned such dirty deeds in that place. In fact, from where they were, he could hear the shadowed whispers of a couple at the other end of the row. He dared not look, but he didn’t have to. Their breathless banter and the rhythmic knocking made it quite clear what they were up to.
Derrick appreciated Corrine’s freakiness and her desire to partake in some rather risqué public displays of affection, but it did set his nerves on edge. Nevertheless, Corrine had brought yet another thrill to their experience, and just the idea of fooling around with her in that place fueled his arousal.
She reached for him in the darkness and quickly found him. “My goodness,” she remarked when she felt how hard he was already. “Is that a hotel key in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
“This isn’t the time or place for goodness, little girl,” he said in a throaty whisper of his own.
They sat, trying to maintain the appearance of two stand-up fans, but Corrine’s hand never left him. The tablecloth allowed her to explore his manhood covertly, but as turned on as he was, he was helpless to reciprocate. He was fully erect, but the rest of him was limp in his chair.
“It’ll be your turn next time,” he promised.
“’Kay,” she responded.
Through lowered lids, he saw a flash of her white teeth as she smiled wickedly. The movement of her hand was slow and torturous, and she expertly applied just enough pressure at just the right pace to keep him going without pushing him over the edge.
When a cocktail waitress climbed the stairs, Derrick had enough presence of mind to head her off. “No thanks,” he said firmly, even though he knew it would be the pict
ure of total decadence to enjoy such pleasure while sipping a bourbon on the rocks. His voice was strained, revealing just how hard he was fighting to hold back.
“All right. Just let us know if you, uh, need anything,” the waitress said, then quickly turned around and shuffled back down the stairs. She obviously knew the drill when it came to balcony service, and there was no doubt she’d been turned away up there before.
He smiled at the thought of the poor woman complaining to her boss that she didn’t want to work that section anymore. “Maybe we should have ordered something,” he said. “I mean, she probably lives on tips and—”
“I’ll give you a tip, mister,” Corrine said, then quietly slipped under the table, giving the appearance that he was there all alone.
He helped her unfasten his pants, only to be seized with a bit of embarrassment that he was now seated in a public venue, partially dressed. He knew if they got caught, he’d lose his legal license for sure, not to mention his reputation, but he was excited already, and the risk only escalated that.
She gripped the base of him with tight, firm fingers, then enveloped him, in a single, careful stroke, with her mouth. He felt the tight heat of Corrine’s mouth wrapping around his shaft, and he sensed that a powerful, raging climax was soon to follow. The head of his cock plunged against the pliant wall of her cheek, resulting in a heavenly sensation that ran throughout his entire body. Her mouth was wonderfully moist, and when she flicked him with her tongue, he could not hold out any longer.
Derrick gripped the seat of his chair as he succumbed to full release. A few seconds later, he quickly handed a cloth napkin down to her, even as his body jerked with ecstasy. It wasn’t easy to disguise what he was doing while he was caught in the throes of such pleasure, but he managed somehow, shuddering every second.
Corrine reappeared and smiled at him victoriously as he adjusted his clothing. “Well?” she asked, playing it cool. “How was that for a tip?”
“Glorious,” he muttered. “Absolutely glorious.”
“Yup,” she agreed, proud of herself.
They sat quietly for a moment as their thrill ebbed. The same thought passed through their brains, and they turned to each other.
“Do you really wanna watch this?” he asked, nodding toward the comedian onstage.
“Not really,” she said with a giggle.
He chuckled back at her. “Me neither. Let’s get outta here.”
Chapter 17
They spent almost every night together, but this time, that was not the case. As much as he hated to admit it, he slept far more soundly when he was alone. The difference was unbelievable, and it was quite pleasant to wake feeling fully rested, without alcohol lingering in his system.
Derrick looked around his hotel room and was no longer impressed. It was convenient to have his every need met, practically within arm’s reach, but he knew it was time to move on. Living at the Tresor was the perfect answer while he transitioned from married to divorced, and he didn’t really care that Lindsay had taken the house, since there were too many painful memories there anyway. Since the hotel was open and busy twenty-four/seven, he never lacked company and never felt lonely. Now, though, he was ready to live somewhere else in a real place of his own. Maybe even in L.A. Maybe if this deal takes shape, I can take my new honey and go house-hunting.
The deal, in fact, was already in play, and Gil Frosh had already texted his orders for Derrick to fly out to Los Angeles within the next day or so to check out the location of the proposed new hotel. Derrick forwarded Corrine the timeframe and asked if she could join him. He hoped she could, though he understood that her current work project was doing a good job of taking up her time.
Fantasies flourished in his head as he considered a whole realm of possibilities with her. It was like a ghost of her was always with him, even when she physically wasn’t. He could almost feel his visions for them coming to life, each filled with passion as they engaged in tantalizing play. Thus, he was thrilled when Corrine agreed to travel with him.
“I’ll have to bring some work with me, though,” she said.
“That’s okay,” he said. “Things look pretty promising on our end, so there will be a lot of meetings I have to attend. These guys wanna move fast, but we’ll steal moments when we can.”
“I understand,” Corrine said.
Derrick hoped she truly did because he couldn’t spend every moment with her, as much as he wanted to. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her behind in Vegas, but he wanted to make it clear that he couldn’t be with her all the time in Los Angeles. There was no use sugar-coating it, and he certainly didn’t want to set her up for disappointment of any kind. Even if he only got to gaze at her face as he drifted off to sleep after a long day of negotiating, it would mean the world because a little time with Corrine was better than none at all.
The day of their departure arrived, and he should have known Corrine would be wearing something sexy for the flight since she never failed to surprise him in the best possible ways. Her knit dress showcased her lean but curvaceous frame.
He sent a car to pick her up and escort her to the Tresor because he loved spoiling her. It was strange because he always resented complying with Lindsay’s wishes, since she was so demanding and expected to be spoiled with luxury. For Derrick, giving Corrine the very best was something he saw as a privilege, something he was happy to do. That included letting her ride in style.
Together, they rode in complete and total smoothness to the airport. He reflexively reached for her thigh and rubbed it possessively. If the driver saw him, he acted as if he didn’t, but Derrick didn’t care either way. While she was almost impossible to resist, he did refrain from mauling her in that luxury back seat, even though his every brain cell was screaming at him to do it.
The very sight of her jacked up his desire. He saw her often, almost daily, but she was so beautiful that he couldn’t help regarding her with new intrigue every time. Whenever she wandered into his day again, it was a refreshing, smoking-hot gift to his eyes and his libido. Not every impulse was sexual, though. She gave him a simple, reassuring connection, and it seemed to be the same for her. It had been less than twenty-four hours since they’d seen each other last, yet her needs seemed just as strong as his, and some of them appeared to come from something other than fleshly desire.
Gil Frosh made sure they had first-class tickets, even though it was a rather short flight.
“You okay?” Derrick asked, knowing she was a little quirky about flying, just as she was about other things like elevators, heights, and driving too fast.
“Yeah, I’m all right,” she said, looking nervously out the window.
He couldn’t help laughing a little as he took inventory of all her strange, neurotic little issues. He was flattered that she was willing to set all of them aside for him, time and time again.
“Maybe a little champagne would calm my nerves,” she suggested.
Derrick considered it for moment. It was a crazy notion, one he never would have even considered before he met her, because he had to walk straight into a business meeting as soon as they landed. Again, he reflected on their relationship, and he wondered how far he could go in just sowing his wild oats. While he knew some people easily crossed lines without thinking much about it, it wasn’t a no-brainer for him.
“Maybe one glass,” he said, smiling over at her before he hailed a flight attendant to make his request.
Derrick really didn’t have time to think about much upon landing because a limo was waiting for them at the airport. It whisked them to their hotel in what seemed like hyper speed, and the driver waited for Derrick to quickly check in, drop off his luggage, and hurry back out to get to his meeting on time.
Disappointment flickered in him for just a moment as they quickly walked down the hall to their room. It was ironic that they traveled all the way to Los Angeles to experience an exciting change, yet he was about to shack up in a suite like the one he�
��d left behind. When they opened the door and pulled back the drapes, though, it was a different story. Las Vegas was bright, but there was something more vivid and appealing about Los Angeles, with all that artful scenery sprawled out on the streets below.
“Wow, this is great!” Corrine squealed, actually jumping in place with excitement. “I can hardly wait to take a look around.”
Now that they were alone, albeit briefly, he pulled her close. “It’s a nice view,” he said, “but my favorite view is you.”
She was far happier than he expected her to be. “I wanna hit the beach,” she announced.
Derrick smiled at the fact that she’d already planned to make the most of her time while she had to wait around for him to finish his business. He pulled out his wallet and handed her a couple hundred in cash. “Then the lady shall go to the beach.”
“What’s this for?”
“You should do a little shopping,” he said. “And make sure to take lots of pictures, especially selfies if you’re wearing a bikini.”
She laughed. “You know, I do work for a living,” she gently scolded. “I can’t just be a beach bum all day.”
“Well, the way I see it, the beach will be lucky to host your bum all day,” he said, giving her a firm pat on the behind.
He shook his head as he looked down at the money in his hand. As much as he tried to avoid it, he couldn’t help comparing her to his ex-wife. Lindsay would have snatched those bills out of his hand so fast, it would have taken a slow-motion replay to determine what happened.
“Please,” he rasped, gesturing toward the cash. “It would give me pleasure.” He felt the dreamy look invading his eyes even as he said the words, as if he was overcome with a sudden case of lovesickness. His face was tight and fixed as he gazed at her. He flexed the muscles of his powerful arms and felt his biceps press into the small of her slim back. “Just no emails during the meeting.”
“Oh, I get it,” she kidded. “This is a payoff.”