Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
LANCE
B ernadette blushes profusely when she accepts her award. When she turns to the audience, there’s a stunned look on her face, but she quickly recovers.
“I… I’m not sure what to say, which is funny considering that I’m a copywriter.” She laughs a little, looking at her crystal statue, then continues. “First of all, thank you to everyone for recognizing the work I did on the Blue Valley Project. Secondly, thank you to my entire team. We worked on this together, and your collaboration is why I’m standing here now. Thank you.”
Even from my seat, I can see the tears glistening in her eyes. I’m so fucking proud of her. I knew she was a superstar, even when she so clearly doubted herself. I stand tall and clap for her as she exits the stage, then wrap my arms around her when she returns to the table.
“I’m so proud of you. Congratulations, sweetheart.” I kiss her again, more slowly this time, but not anything like how I want to kiss her. I’m going to spend hours kissing her and every inch of her glorious body.
“Thanks,” she says, blushing again. “I really…I really didn’t expect this.”
“You earned it.”
More awards are presented, and then the music starts and the lights dim.
“May I have this dance?” I ask, standing and offering my hand to her.
“You dance?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” I laugh. “Just because I was a soldier doesn’t mean I don’t have moves.”
Bernadette places her smooth hand in mine and stands, smiling from ear to ear.
“I would be honored.”
On the dance floor, our bodies move like we’ve been doing this for years. Most people are dancing apart from each other, but I have Bernadette in my arms, her luscious body pressed against mine. My body is throbbing with desire for her. She’s so devastatingly sexy, but she has no idea.
One song ends, then a slow song comes on. I pull her tighter against my body, a feeling of ecstasy building in me when her arms tighten around my neck and her fingers stroke my hair.
“This is some first date,” she says, breathless as she looks up at me.
“It sure is. It’s an honor to be here with you, Bernadette. This is the finest Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had.”
“Me, too.” Her voice trembles. She leans her head up and kisses me.
This time, I can’t control my reaction to her. We stop dancing and I kiss her deeply, our tongues moving in time to the music and dancing in each other’s mouth.
“I need you,” I groan, my cock stiff and aching to be released. I need to see Bernadette’s body, watch her as I make love to her. There is nothing more important than claiming her love. I run my finger along her jaw and then down her neck, hovering over the top part of her black dress. “Let’s get out of here.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Fingers trail up my back and I smile, expecting to see Bernadette. Instead, it’s Alicia, smiling at me like a bird of prey.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I ask, fuming at the audacity of her coming up to me and touching me like that. I quickly step away from her, so that she’s more than an arm’s reach away from me.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you. Alone,” she says, batting her eyes and trying to step closer to me. She’s generically pretty, and I know a lot of guys who’d go nuts for her, but she is so far from my type that I wouldn’t engage with her even if I was single and looking.
And I am off the market.
“I’m waiting for Bernadette.”
“Oh, she’s a sweet girl,” she says, her voice arch and clearly conveying that she feels quite the opposite. “But a man like you,” her eyes lower to my chest and then further down, “you need a woman, like me.”
“I have all the woman I can handle and you’ll do well to remember that.” It’s a struggle to contain the fury that’s rising up in me. How is this woman so disrespectful to pursue a man who is with another woman? How does she think she’s appealing enough to tear me away from Bernadette? “If you’ll excuse me.”
I turn on my heel with a precision I haven’t executed since marching exercises with my platoon. Scanning the faces in the crowd, I search for my curvy angel. When I spot her standing with a couple of men, my hackles rise, then calm once I recognize the CEO and a man I assume must be her VP. She’s talking with them, grasping her crystal statuette, then laughing. One thing I’m going to do is help her realize how valuable and talented she is.
“Oh, there’s Lance! Lance, please,” she says, smiling and waving at me to join her.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” I say, smiling at the men and possessively wrapping my arm around Bernadette’s shoulders. She’s mine .
“Absolutely not! We were just telling her what stellar work she’s done this year. We have big plans for her and there are some exciting new projects that we haven’t announced yet. She’s top of our list to lead those, if you’re interested.”
“Oh my God! Yes! Thank you!” Bernadette bursts with excitement and I can’t wait to get her home. “I won’t let you down!”
“Good. Now go and enjoy the rest of the evening. Congratulations on a job very well done.”
Finally, I have Bernadette alone .
“I’m proud of you,” I say, pulling her close to me in the back of the car I hired for tonight. Bernadette fits perfectly under my arm, and I know that I’ll do anything for her, forever. I love her personality and creativity, and her curves waken something primal inside of me.
“Thanks,” she sighs. Having her in my arms is heaven on earth. As she snuggles into me and wraps her arm around me, my cock stiffens to an unbearable level. Even the ten minutes it will take us to get back to the house isn’t enough.
“Come here,” I say, placing my palm on her jaw and lifting her face up to mine. I nearly come from just feeling her sweet, plump lips pressed against mine.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I undo her seatbelt, then lift and move her so that she’s straddling my lap.
“Oh!” She cries out, biting her lip. “That was unexpected,”
“I couldn’t wait to find out what it feels like to have you on top.” I groan as she grinds on my lap, her soft curves bearing down against my body. Fuck. I’ve gone to heaven.
I bite at her nipple through her dress, my cock throbbing even harder when I feel how tight her nipple is, that she’s just as excited as I am.
I know it’s only a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity before we’re in the house and properly alone.
“Now show me your gorgeous body, Bernadette. Let me love you.”