Deciding they both needed to focus on now, she reached out and grasped his shaft in her hand, feeling the silken thickness for the first time. As she wrapped her hand around him and slid her palm up and down, her fingers didn’t meet and she realized she was in for a hard ride. Jesus. Would he even fit? she wondered, her hand stilling.
“Something wrong?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “It’s been awhile and you’re big.” Her cheeks flushed at the admission.
“I promise I won’t hurt you.” He pushed himself up and over her, the flex of his biceps something to see, and laid his big body on top of her. “Now let me have a real kiss,” he said, sealing their lips together.
His kiss was hot and needy, his tongue as silken in her mouth as it had been on her sex, his technique as talented. He knew how to make her forget everything but the touch and feel of him as he rocked his body against hers. His mouth mimicked the sexual act, his body bucking and arching beneath her while his cock pulsed against her lower abdomen.
Need coursed through her veins and kissing him wasn’t enough. As if he read her mind, he rolled over and reached for the nightstand, opening the drawer and pulling out a condom. Before she could react, he’d ripped open the foil and rolled the protection over himself. While he did his thing, she removed her cami and unhooked her bra, tossing them to the floor, where her skirt and panties lay.
Then he was back, his blue-gray gaze wide as he took in her breasts. “You’re a feast for the eyes,” he said, leaning down and licking first one of her nipples, then the other.
She moaned and he settled on top of her, his body poised at her entrance. Those thick arms were braced on either side of her, his eyes serious on hers. “You with me?” he asked.
She nodded, arching her hips to let him know she wanted him inside her. He pushed in slowly but she was wet and ready for him, and despite his thickness and girth, her body accepted him, if not easily, then readily, as he pushed in and retreated, in farther, only to pull out again.
With every thrust, she took more of him, his gaze darkening with each deeper dive inside her until finally he was all the way home. Her eyelids fluttered open and she met his intense stare. His thick cock pulsed inside her, filling her so completely she was seconds from coming again.
If he moved, she’d come apart. Never before had she experienced such an all-encompassing sensation. This man was different than anyone she’d been with. He was setting the bar so high she’d never experience anything like him again. Which meant she was going to enjoy every second.
“We’re good?” He kissed her nose and she melted beneath him.
“We’re good. Now move.”
He chuckled at her demand. But he listened. From the gentleman worried about hurting her, he turned into the dominant man he’d promised he’d be. He pulled out and slammed into her again. And again, picking up a rhythm that immediately had her inner walls clasping around him, tremors taking hold as he hit the sensitive spot inside her he’d already found with his fingers. She started to come, her entire body arching and spasming around him.
Bright lights sparkled behind her eyes and her orgasm hit her hard. It didn’t end fast, either. As he pounded his big body inside her, he kept the tremors coming, overtaking her body, her mind, her soul. And while she came, she called his name over and over again.
* * *
Tanner woke with a start, the vibrating buzzer on his phone startling him. He came to, a soft, sweet woman wrapped around him, and he realized he didn’t want to answer the call. That was a first, since nothing came before the club. His business. His partners.
Priorities that had been beaten into him the night he hadn’t listened to his gut and let Levi lead them into a nightmare. Now? His partners or club needed him? He jumped into action.
He disentangled himself from Scarlett and climbed out of bed naked, pulling his phone from his pants pocket. A glance at the text told him there’d been a dispute downstairs. They needed him.
“What’s wrong?” She sat up in bed, pulling the covers with her, covering the sexy body he’d learned intimately. More than once.
After the first time, they’d been insatiable, discovering each other in different ways, many times over. All of it hadn’t been like him. Normally sex satisfied him and he was done.
A glance at the female with the tousled blonde hair and the wide green eyes staring uncertainly at him and he knew he was far from finished with her. She might be out of his league, something he’d pegged at a glance, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hold on while he enjoyed what they shared.
“There’s a problem downstairs,” he said, reaching for his boxers and pulling them on. They’d only slept for about an hour. His pants came next. “I’ll go deal with the situation. Make yourself at home. There’s food in the fridge or you can rest here. I’ll be back.”
“But–”
Before she could argue, he stalked over to her side of the bed, leaned down, and covered her mouth with his, kissing her until hopefully she forgot any objections she had to staying put.
Pulling back, he took in her dazed gaze with satisfaction. “I’m not finished with you, birthday girl.”
She blinked up at him. “Okay,” she whispered.
He nodded and rose, heading to the closet and pulling out a sweater. He wasn’t going to bother putting on a wrinkled shirt and taking the time to button it. He needed to see what the hell was going on in the club.
But not before he stole one more kiss from the woman in his bed.
* * *
The apartment door slammed shut and Scarlett dove for her phone. Just as she realized on wakening, there were a bunch of texts from Leigh, worried because Scarlett hadn’t checked in. The last one noted that because she knew Scarlett had gone upstairs with Tanner, Leigh assumed she was safe but she was going to kill her when she heard from Scarlett in the morning.
Wincing, she texted Leigh that she was fine but she’d fallen asleep before she could check in. Leigh immediately replied and Scarlett’s guilt dissipated a little.
Now she glanced around, realizing she was naked in a stranger’s apartment. Not really a stranger, considering how well he’d learned her body but a stranger nevertheless. He wanted her to wait for him.
She wanted to be here when he returned. But the truth was, they’d agreed on one night and she liked him. Forget the hot body and gorgeous face, he had a solid strength to him she admired, a generosity in his sexual activities that was rare, and a dominant aspect to him that appealed to her. She wanted to get to know him better, and she had no time in her life for a man or a relationship.
The memory of the caseload of work waiting for her returned, along with the mother she felt responsible for and who she visited on her rare time off. How could she stay and let herself get involved with a man she knew she could develop feelings for?
With a shake of her head and a sad sigh, she reached for her clothes and quickly dressed, not wanting to run into Tanner coming back. That would make for an awkward conversation she didn’t want to have.
She picked up her phone and called for an Uber. And though she debated leaving him a note, that would lead to further contact and that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. One night. No time. She had to go.
Now she just had to hope she could slip out of the club without running into Tanner. She took the elevator down and stepped out into the still busy club. She didn’t know how he kept these hours but he must be used to them. Looking around, she saw him talking to a security guard and a group of unhappy customers in the far corner of the club.
Feeling guilty but determined, she rushed through the club and headed out the front door and into the dark night. Her Uber was waiting, the driver repeating her name to her before she climbed into the back of the car, shutting the door and putting Tanner behind her.
Except during the ride home, she couldn’t forget the night she’d had, the sexy, forceful way he’d taken her, and how much she’d enjoyed every second she�
��d spent with him. She owed Leigh for convincing her to go out or she’d never have had such an incredible night.
Happy birthday to me, she thought, as the car took her farther away from the club and the man she’d never forget.
Chapter Three
Tanner hated dealing with escalating disputes, but that was part of his job. He especially hated leaving the warm, willing woman upstairs in his bed to remind assholes that his club was an upscale establishment and he wouldn’t tolerate bullshit. If his security couldn’t get the people involved to willingly leave, Tanner or one of the other partners came down and banned them from the club for good. Luckily they didn’t need to call the cops in on this one, and eventually the douchebags left the premises.
But he’d been gone over forty minutes by the time he headed back upstairs, and he discovered his apartment and his bed empty. He ran a hand through his hair as he studied the rumpled sheets, the memory of the gorgeous blonde making his dick rise.
Shit.
He’d really wanted to go another round or two. And that wasn’t his typical MO. He ought to be happy she was gone, making the morning after easier on them both. Instead his stomach was churning with disappointment. What the hell was that about?
He pulled off his sweater and stripped naked, sliding between the now cool sheets that still smelled of sex and Scarlett. He had to admit, her disappearing on him had taken him off guard. It stung his ego, yes, because for sure he’d been interested in her as maybe even more than a one-night stand. But obviously she’d been thinking differently. Hell, she’d said as much when he’d admitted to getting bored of the club bunnies who wanted something from him afterwards. So maybe he got what he deserved with her pulling a vanishing act.
He placed his hand behind his head and stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Eventually he must have dozed off because the light streaming through the window woke him in the morning.
He stretched, covered his morning wood with his hand, pissed again that Scarlett had bailed on him. She’d been sassy with how she’d approached him, refreshingly honest in what she wanted, clearly smart, and fun. And he didn’t even know her last name.
He shook his head, further annoyed with himself for how he’d let the night play out. He should have asked more questions in case he wanted to see her again. Of course, he did own the club, and if she’d paid by credit card, he could pull last night’s receipts and search for her unique first name. That would give him her last name.
Not that a last name in a place as big as Manhattan would enable him to find her. Assuming she even lived in the city.
Fuck.
Glancing to the side of the bed where she’d been, his gaze fell on a simple gold chain lying by the pillows. Picking it up, he turned it over in his hand, noticing a small heart that links had broken off of. It wasn’t an expensive item and it was interesting to him that Scarlett wore something so delicate and fragile.
But as he examined the piece, he realized that now she’d have a reason to return to the club, assuming the bracelet meant something to her. Tanner wasn’t a big believer in hope, but it was all he had at the moment. Hope that Scarlett would come back to find her missing jewelry.
* * *
Scarlett came home and showered, then climbed into bed and fell into a deep sleep. She woke up, sore in the best possible ways, thanks to Tanner. She might not make it a habit of sleeping with men she just met but she couldn’t regret her night with him.
Wearing nothing but her robe and a cropped tee shirt underneath, she headed for the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice and drank while she popped a K-cup into the coffee brewer. A few minutes later, she sat with her coffee and a protein bar, staring at her laptop screen.
She needed to check email because her boss didn’t stop working just because it was the weekend, but she was tempted to look up Club TEN29 and see what she could learn about one owner in particular. Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard and she stopped herself, opening her mail program instead. She and Tanner had agreed on one night, and besides, if she learned more about him, she’d only be more curious and want to get to know him better. No time. Not happening.
A peek at her email showed her nothing had come in overnight, so her best bet was to begin to prep the next case. She finished her mug of coffee, rinsed out the cup, and placed it on the counter when her phone dinged. She knew it had to be Leigh, and after a happy birthday exchange, she settled in for a long discussion on last night’s events but found she wanted to keep the details to herself.
What she had shared with Tanner was a night out of time, something special she’d always cherish. She wanted to hold it close to her heart and keep it safe. She didn’t want to talk about it, even with her best friend, so she left things as vague as possible in her texts, but she couldn’t hide the fact that the night had meant something to her.
She placed her phone on the table and glanced at her wrist, realizing for the first time her bracelet was gone. Her stomach twisted and her eyes filled with tears. “Hank.”
She drew a deep breath and rushed around her apartment, checking her bedroom, bed, the floors, the bathroom, and the shower. Assuming it hadn’t gone down the drain, it wasn’t here.
Sitting down on the bed, she forced herself to calm down and think. “When was the last time I saw it on my wrist?”
She recalled looking at it in the office late yesterday. And she’d noticed it when she paid the bill last night, reaching her hand across the counter to give the bartender her credit card. Which meant the bracelet was either in the club or in Tanner’s bed.
She closed her eyes and groaned. With no choice, she Googled Club TEN29 on her phone and dialed the club’s number, avoiding the About page that would tell her anything about Tanner, the man she couldn’t get out of her head.
* * *
Around noon, Tanner pounded downstairs in a pissed-off mood. On top of Scarlett’s disappearance, the security company hadn’t checked the footage from last night yet, setting Tanner off even more.
He bit the head off of the cleaning crew that got in his way, then pulled the credit card receipts just because he could. The stack would take him hours to go through, and Scarlett could just as easily have paid in cash. Then he’d have to find a needle in a haystack, searching for her in every borough.
“Stalker much?” he muttered to himself, wondering how this one woman had gotten to him so badly that the thought of never seeing her again was like a punch in the gut.
“Hey.” Jason joined him at the bar, sliding into the stool beside him. “I heard the staff talking. What bit you in the ass this morning?”
“Yeah, well, they were under my feet and annoying the shit out of me.”
Jason narrowed his gaze. “Why didn’t you just go upstairs and hang in the offices until they were gone?”
“Because I had something to do. What’s with the third degree?” Tanner braced an elbow on the bar and faced his friend.
“What’s with the credit card receipts all over the counter?” Jason asked.
Tanner groaned and swiped a hand over his face. Screw it. If he was going to admit what was bothering him to anyone, it might as well be the friend who was already in deep with a woman, not the one who wouldn’t understand.
“I met a woman.” He didn’t need to say more.
Jason would understand how profound a statement that was. “Yeah? What’s her name?”
“Scarlett.”
“Pretty name. Scarlett what’s her last name? Who introduced you? Why are you in such a piss-poor mood then?” His friend shot off the questions as they came to him.
“I stepped off the elevator last night and I lost my fucking breath. That was it. Stupid cliché but we locked eyes and I was done for.”
Jason shook his head and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Tanner had thought, of all people, Jason would understand.
Jason placed a brotherly hand on Tanner’s shoulder. “I was laughing because it was
Faith’s ass I saw first but forget about me. That’s seriously how it happens. One minute you’re going about your life and the next you’re knocked off your feet. So again, what’s the problem?” He leaned back in his chair and waited for an answer.
“We didn’t exchange last names, we went upstairs, I got a call from the club, and when I came back to the apartment, she was gone.”
“Hence the credit card receipts.” Jason’s gaze scanned the counter. “Any luck?”
“I’m wasting my time. A last name’s not going to get me anywhere in a city this size. I’m just doing it to feel like I’m doing something.”
“Hey, boss! Phone call,” Felicia, their daytime hostess, called. They liked to keep someone at the club to handle calls and schedule parties.
“Which one of us?” Tanner asked.
“You!” Felicia replied.
Tanner headed around the bar and picked up the phone. “Grayson,” he barked into the receiver.
“Tanner?” a familiar voice asked and his entire mood brightened.
“Scarlett?” As he spoke, Tanner caught Jason’s shit-eating grin from across the counter and gave him the finger.
Jason merely chuckled.
“Hi,” she said. “I lost something either at the bar or your apartment, and I was hoping you could keep an eye out?”
“A bracelet?” He’d already put his hand into his front pocket and fingered the delicate chain between his fingertips.
“You found it?” A relieved sigh sounded over the line. “Thank God.”
“Sounds like it’s important to you,” he said, his curiosity definitely piqued.
“You have no idea. If you leave it with someone up front, I can pick it up later today or tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
Just the sound of her voice had his heart rate picking up rhythm. “I have a better idea. Give me your address and I’ll bring it to you. That way you can explain in private why you ran out on me this morning?”
He heard the huff of breath and the deliberate pause she took before answering. “I thought it would be easier. Smarter.”
Sexy Hers Page 3