by M. S. Parker
For a few hours anyway.
Chapter 4
Nami
I couldn't believe that it actually worked. Getting across to the balcony had taken some balance, but it had been easier than I'd hoped. The maid had left the door unlocked and neither Tomas nor Kai had come out into the hallway when I'd slipped out of the room. I made it down to the lobby without anyone seeing me and then gave the desk clerk a little nod and a wave like I wasn't doing something wrong. Even if he thought to call up to the room, it wouldn't do any good. I'd left the hotel phone off the hook.
I caught a cab without any problem and was then on my way. Free, for a few hours at least.
It was too early for the best clubs to be open, but I didn't care. I'd get there eventually. I was a bit overdressed for regular sight-seeing, but I ignored the funny looks I got when I walked into the bookstore I'd spotted yesterday. It, of course, hadn't been on the list of approved stores for me to visit, but now I could spend all the time I wanted browsing the titles. No one there cared how I was dressed.
It was nearing eight by the time I made it to a restaurant to eat, and I purposefully chose one that wasn't five stars. The food was great and the atmosphere noisy. I loved it. I relaxed in my corner table, enjoying my food, and watching the people. Like most of the people on Saja, I spoke my own native dialect as well as English. I'd also been taught French, Russian, Spanish and some basic Chinese and German. I had a bit of Italian too, but not much. That was one of the things my parents had mentioned I'd be learning when I got back. We might not have had much interaction with other countries, but we were always prepared. Most of the people in the restaurant spoke English or French, so I listened to snippets of conversation, appreciating the banality of it all. Ordinary lives fascinated me.
When I left the restaurant, I finally headed to a club. The driver assured me that this was the hottest place in the entire city, if I could get in. That wasn't a problem. I was fully prepared to flash my passport since it contained my royalty status, but I ended up not needing it. The man working the door immediately waved me through and I stepped into the pulsing chaos.
It took a moment for my eyes and ears to adjust to the lights and the music, but as soon as they did, I was in heaven. No one here was whispering about me. Looks were either admiring or dismissive. A bit of jealousy from a couple women, but I knew it was based on appearance only, nothing more. No one here knew who I was.
At college, I'd wanted to keep a low profile, and since there were a lot of other people from prestigious or famous families, I'd thought it would be possible. Then, during freshman orientation, a cute guy had decided to sit next to me and strike up a conversation. Tomas and Kai had put a stop to that, announcing to the entire group that I was a princess and off limits. After that, Aaron had been the only one with enough guts to talk to me. Even the girls who would've normally tried to suck up to me kept their distance.
I wove my way through the crowd, heading for the bar. I had no intention of getting drunk, but I was strung tight and needed something to take the edge off. Ditching Tomas and Kai had been bad enough, but being here would piss my parents off to no end if they found out. I also had absolutely no clue how to behave. This was so far out of my element that, for a moment, I considered leaving, sneaking back into my room and curling up in bed like I'd told Tomas and Kai I'd intended to do.
“Bonjour, belle. Puis-je vous offrir un verre?”
A deep voice came from behind me and I turned towards it. His French was flawless, but I detected the American accent that marked him as not being a native.
“I already have a drink, but thank you.” The words were out of my mouth before I stopped turning and I immediately regretted them as I found myself staring at one of the most gorgeous men I'd ever seen. Messy golden blond hair, eyes that looked black under the club lights. He was tall, easily over six feet, and lean, but not skinny. Features that were just a hint too masculine to be pretty, but close. Full lips that curved into an easy smile.
“You're not French,” he said, leaning closer so he didn't have to speak so loudly.
I shook my head, but didn't expound.
“You don't sound American either,” he said. His eyes narrowed like he was studying me, trying to puzzle me out.
“I'm not,” I said. “Are those my only two options?”
His smile widened. “Reed Stirling.”
“Nami Carr.” I found myself returning the smile. There was something about him that appealed to me, and it wasn't just his looks.
When I'd first met Aaron, there had been this kind of click between us. I'd never experienced it with anyone before or since, until now.
“Let's dance.”
Reed grabbed my hand and I gasped as a shock ran all the way up my arm. Based on the look of surprise on Reed's face, he'd felt it too. I could've written it off as some sort of static shock, the kind a person got when they touched metal, but I didn't think that was very accurate. Heat burned its way across my skin from the point where our hands touched and I knew I was blushing. I never blushed.
He pulled me towards him as we reached the dance floor and then released my hand. I had a moment to be disappointed and then he was moving to the music. He had the sort of feline grace that sometimes came with someone of his build and I wondered how that translated into the bedroom. My blush turned to flame and I silently scolded myself as I started to sway in time with the music. I'd come here to let loose a bit, not hook up with some random American, no matter how hot he was.
Then he put his hand on my waist and it was like I could feel every cell in my body waking up. His fingers curled possessively around me, pulling me closer to him so that our bodies brushed together as we danced. The music thrummed around us, but despite the sea of people, my world narrowed down to just him and me. His eyes locked with mine, pools of warm darkness, and I couldn't look away. My pulse pounded against my chest, my heart in my throat. I'd never been as aware of someone as I was of him right now.
Without consciously thinking about it, I raised my hand and pushed his hair away from his eyes, the strands damp with sweat. My fingers traced down his cheek and I felt the muscles in his jaw tense. The hand on my waist slid around to my back and he drew me against him until there was nothing between us but our clothes. I felt the swell of him against my stomach and it sent a thrill through me.
Sex with Aaron had been good. He was attractive and had been the kind of lover that most women would want for their first time. He'd made sure I'd climaxed before him and I'd thoroughly enjoyed myself. Afterwards though, I hadn't really had a desire for a repeat performance. In fact, sex hadn't really been something I'd thought much about. If my parents hadn't made such a big deal about me not doing it, I probably wouldn't have even slept with Aaron.
Now, with Reed's body flush against mine, his desire for me clear, I wanted it. I wanted him. Aaron had appreciated my body and he'd genuinely cared about me, but he hadn't wanted me. Not really. Not at a primal level. Reed did. I saw it on his face and my body responded. I knew it was a bad idea. A terrible idea, actually, but I'd never wanted anything as badly as I wanted him right now.
I was teetering on the edge of decision as we continued to move to the music. It didn't have to be anything more than a hook-up. For all I knew, that's all Reed wanted too. I wasn't looking for a relationship. I couldn't. But sex, no matter how many times people said it didn't, always came with strings attached. Both sides had to know what was expected or feelings would be hurt, accusations made. When I'd gone to Aaron to ask him to be my first, I'd laid it all out for him. What it would mean for us, for our friendship. What it couldn't be. I'd known him and trusted him. I didn't know Reed.
Would it be possible for me to have that same conversation with him? Tell him that all I could offer him was one night? Most men wouldn't have a problem with that, I assumed. Especially an American man in a Parisian club. This wasn't exactly the kind of place someone went to find a soulmate.
There was also
the safety factor to consider. I didn't want to even think about it, but I had no way of knowing the kind of man Reed was. I could feel how strong he was, see it in the way he moved. If he wanted to hurt me, he could. I knew a little self-defense, but I'd never really needed to think about it. I'd always had bodyguards to protect me.
I couldn't do it. It would be reckless, irresponsible, dangerous, and a lot of other adjectives I knew my parents would've used.
Even as I opened my mouth to excuse myself before I got caught up in the moment, movement at the corner of my eye caught my attention.
Shit.
They'd found me.
Chapter 5
Reed
I'd fully expected to spend most of my night trying to decide who I wanted to take back to my hotel room, but I'd only been at the club for a few minutes when I saw her. She was beautiful, and not in a stick-figure model kind of way. No, she was all woman. Short, but not petite. Exotic coloring and the sort of confidence that could be spotted across the room. Without hearing her say a word, I could tell this woman was used to holding her own against anyone. Even better, she had a quick wit and the intelligence in her eyes was a welcome difference from most of the women I'd been sleeping with recently.
She wasn't French or American, I realized after she spoke. Her English was flawless, but there was a hint of an accent I couldn't quite place. That was okay though. I only cared what it would sound like when she was moaning my name. When we began to dance, I became more certain that I had to have her. She moved perfectly with me, the kind of instant synchronization that rarely happened and I knew it would transfer to how we'd move together in a far more intimate setting.
I was getting ready to ask her if she wanted to get out of here when she suddenly stiffened. I frowned, following her gaze. Did she have a boyfriend or husband who was going to come after me? Then I saw two absolutely massive men scanning the crowd.
Shit. Who was this girl?
I looked down at her. Myriad emotions ran across her face before she settled on something I recognized quite well: rebellious determination. She grabbed my hand and pulled me after her deeper into the dancing throng. I followed, too surprised by the gesture and how strong she was to argue about it.
We went out the back entrance and found ourselves in an alley that smelled a lot less pleasant than the club had. She made a face, but didn't stop until we stood on the sidewalk behind the club.
“Did you drive here?” she asked. “Rental car?”
I shook my head. “Taxi.”
She looked up and down the street and then up at me. “Do you have a hotel room or are you staying with friends?”
I doubted I was misreading the signals, but I asked just to be sure. “I have a room. Would you like to go back there with me?”
She took a step towards me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling my head down even as she pushed herself up on her tiptoes. I slid my arms around her waist as her mouth met mine. Her lips were soft and pliant, molding around mine. As I traced her bottom lip with the tip of my tongue, her mouth opened eagerly and her tongue came out to meet mine. The two twisted together for a moment and then she was stepping back.
“This can only be tonight,” she said. “I need that to be clear.”
I grinned. A woman after my own heart. “Sounds good to me.” I stretched out my arm and waved down a taxi.
“Where are you staying?” she asked suddenly, as if something had just occurred to her.
“Hôtel Maison Souquet.”
A relieved look crossed her face.
“I'm guessing that's not where you are?”
She shook her head. “Hôtel San Régis.”
My eyebrows went up. I'd known she'd had money just by the way she was dressed, but that was definitely one of the swankier hotels in Paris. It was also one that boasted discretion, more out of the way. People who went to clubs like the one Nami and I had just been at usually didn't stay at places like the San Régis.
She'd tensed again and watched me warily. For the first time, I realized that I wasn't sure what I'd gotten myself into. Huge guys like the ones back at the club didn't come looking for random girls. They were security somewhere or, if she was telling the truth about where she was staying, for someone. I smiled to put her at ease, but I kept watching her, trying to figure out if I'd seen her somewhere before. She was too short to be a model and too curvy, but she could've been an actress. Musician. And there was always the rich family option. As we pulled up in front of the hotel, however, I decided it didn't matter. Like she'd said, it wasn't like we were planning on starting a relationship. As long as she wasn't married, I didn't care about who she was.
As I held out my hand to help her from the car, I discreetly checked out her left hand. No ring, no tan line or faint impression. I supposed she could've taken it off or not have worn it long enough to leave any other mark behind, but short of ruining the mood by straight up asking her, it was all I had to go by.
I kept a grip on her hand as we walked through the lobby to the elevators. She didn't seem impressed by the opulence, lending further credence to my theory that she came from money. When we stepped into the elevator, I pushed all of that aside and concentrated on the only thing that mattered.
I backed her against the wall and claimed her mouth again, exploring it thoroughly. She made a little sound in the back of her throat that went straight to my cock. I grasped her wrists in my hands, pinning them against the wall as I ground my hips against her. The sound turned into a moan. Oh, she was going to be fun.
Before the door of my hotel room closed, we were kissing again, pulling at each other's clothes. I could feel the desperation in her touch and it fueled my own desire. By the time we reached the bedroom, we were both naked, our clothes leaving a trail behind us. It wasn't until we fell back on the bed that I finally moved my mouth from hers.
I leaned on my elbow as I began to kiss my way down her body, my free hand exploring her soft skin as well. She cried out as I flicked my tongue across her nipple, then made a louder sound when my fingers began to tease the other one. Her breasts were amazing. Firm, perfectly shaped and just the right size. Her nipples were a dusky rose color and, if her reaction was any indication, extremely sensitive.
I took one between my lips, looking up at her while I did it. Her eyes were closed and an expression of pure bliss had settled on her face. Damn. Either this woman loved sex or her previous lovers hadn't taken care of her nearly as well as they should've. I scraped my teeth across the tip of her nipple and her entire body jerked, her eyes flying open.
I raised my head. I may have liked things a little rough, but I wasn't about to assume that she did too. “Was that okay?”
“Do it again.” Her pupils were wide, the thin ring of color around them dark.
I repeated what I'd done, a little harder this time, and she watched. Air hissed from between her teeth.
“Yes.” She dropped her head back down onto the bed.
I took that as an affirmative and resumed what I'd been doing. She writhed underneath me as I began to suck on her hardening nipple. The sounds that she made were like nothing I'd ever heard before. Half whimpers, half moans and, mixed in were words in a language I didn't know. I couldn't wait to hear what she did when I was buried inside her.
Reluctantly, I left her breast and moved further down her body. If I'd had more time, I would've loved to see if I could get her to come just from that alone, but I didn't know how long she planned to stay. As I settled between her legs, I looked up and saw her watching me again, something on her face that it took me a moment to place. Uncertainty.
“Do you want to stop?” I hoped to hell she said no because my cock was almost painfully hard, but I'd never forced a woman and I never intended to. For a brief moment, I remembered how I'd felt when I'd learned about my former brother-in-law nearly raping Piper and my stomach knotted.
“No.”
Nami's voice brought me out of the past and back to the p
resent.
“Please don't stop.”
I kissed the inside of her thigh. “I won't until you come.”
Desire flared in her eyes and then I turned my attention to what was right in front of me. She was already wet and I felt a surge of pride that I'd turned her on that much just from the little we'd done. When my tongue flicked out to taste her, she gasped. I used my fingers to hold her open, exposing as much of her as possible to my tongue. She cried out, her hands grasping the bedspread as I teased her clit.
I covered every inch of her, exploring this part of her body as thoroughly as I'd done her mouth previously. I felt her starting to tense and rubbed the flat of my tongue across her swollen clit, coaxing her towards the release I knew she had building. Suddenly, it hit her and her body stiffened. She made a muffled sound and I looked up to see her hand in her mouth, as if she couldn't bring herself to let it all go.
I was determined to see her lose control the next time she came. I wanted to hear her scream my name.
As she was coming down, I slid a finger inside her. Her pussy gripped it tight, still quivering from her orgasm. Damn she was tight. I looked up at her, hoping she'd answer my question in the negative.
“Are you a virgin?”
She gave me a smile that was half coy, half shy. “No. But I'm not very...experienced.”
I nodded. I could work with that. I moved my finger slowly, letting her body adjust to the intrusion before adding a second one. She moaned as I stretched her, preparing her. I put my hand on her stomach, just below her bellybutton, holding her against the bed as I crooked my fingers, searching for that special spot inside her. A sound half like a squeal, and half like a wail came out as I found it. I pressed my fingertips against the spot, rubbing it until she came again. She tightened around me until I swore. I kissed her inner thigh, waiting for her to relax again.