9. Allie #2
“This is mine.” He pushed a finger inside me. He pumped it twice, then slid a second one inside. The stretch made me bite my lip. “It’s been mine for weeks now, hasn’t it?”
I couldn’t speak, all I could do was feel. I thrust against his hand, riding it, feeling the sharp edge of an orgasm growing inside me. “ Caden .”
“Love hearing you say my name, baby.”
My hips moved faster and I clung to him. He worked the swollen nub of my clit ruthlessly.
“ Caden .” I was going to come. It had been so long since I’d had an orgasm that I hadn’t given myself. And this one felt big.
“I want to feel it, Allie.”
I exploded. Coming hard, I sank my teeth into his neck. I heard his low groan, his fingers inside me, and his other hand clenching on my ass. Rocking against him, I rode through the pleasure of the best orgasm I could remember in a long time. Or ever.
Then, it was just the two of us standing there, both of us panting. His fingers were still inside me and I felt his rock-hard cock pressed against my belly.
Swallowing, I gripped his arms to keep myself upright. My legs felt like cooked spaghetti. “Caden?—”
Abruptly, he pulled back. At the loss of him, I almost pitched forward. He grabbed my elbow to steady me, but only for a second, before he took another step backward.
He stared at me, his face completely unreadable. Like he was carved from stone. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
His sharp tone made me flinch.
“Caden—”
“I lost control.” His face twisted, then smoothed out again. “I don’t have an excuse. Did I hurt you?”
“No, you didn’t hurt me.” But I got the feeling he was going to. Not physically, but in a far worse way. “Look?—”
“I’m sorry. This was a big mistake.”
A mistake. My stomach curled up into a tiny ball. I’d lost count of how many times my mother had called me a mistake. Be more ladylike, Allison. Do better, Allison. You’re such an embarrassment, Allison.
“Allie—”
“Don’t,” I whispered. “Don’t say anything else.” I jerked my skirt back into place and pushed past him. Blindly, I found the door to the ladies’ room.
Inside was just as classy as the rest of the bar, but I didn’t give it any attention. I splashed some water on my face. In the gilt-framed mirror, I stared at my reflection.
Shit, I looked like a woman who’d just come and enjoyed it. My cheeks were pink, my lipstick was smeared.
And I was sticky between my thighs.
I took a few minutes to clean up, and I ruthlessly ignored everything that had just happened.
Maybe I could live like this forever. In total denial that Caden Castro had just fingered me to a magnificent orgasm in the hotel bar.
“Get a hold of yourself, Allie.” I dried my hands. I was going to finish my drink, see if I could salvage anything from my botched surveillance of the extreme-sports guys, then go home.
When I headed back out into the Bluff Bar, I was shocked to find Caden leaning against the bar, talking with Ross.
What the hell was he still doing here?
I wanted to turn and hide, but instead, I lifted my chin and marched forward. Ignoring him, I sat on my stool and picked up my drink. I took a hefty sip. It didn’t manage to wash away the memory of that hot, sexy moment.
He leaned in. “Why are you here?”
“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
“I want an answer.”
I huffed out a breath. “I told you, to have a drink.”
“I thought you were going to meet up with him. But that’s not it, is it?”
I studiously kept my gaze on the shelves of bottles behind the bar.
Caden’s voice lowered. “You’re watching him, and asking questions about him and his friends.”
I gaped at him. “How do you know I was asking questions?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I know everything.”
“You do not.” Ross was a tattletale who’d just gotten interrogated.
“In this hotel, I do. Talk.”
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
His mouth flattened. Then he pulled out a stool and moved it close to mine and sat. Suddenly, I found myself inches from him. He was all strength and watchfulness and ruggedness. I tried not to quiver, or stare at the way his muscular thighs pressed against his suit pants.
He thinks touching you was a mistake, remember?
“Allie?”
I blinked and shook off my Caden daze. “Something is off about those guys.” I kept my voice to a low murmur.
He eyed me.
“I don’t have any proof. You seem like a proof guy, so that’s why I didn’t come to you. I wanted to see if I could get something more concrete. They always have people around, and I don’t know why, but they bug my housekeepers too. No one likes them.”
“They cross any lines with the staff? Mouth off? Touch anyone?” His tone was dark.
“No.” I liked that he went instantly into protective mode for the hotel staff. “Something is just…off.”
He was quiet for a beat, and I expected him to tell me to go home.
“I agree.”
I blinked. “You do?”
He nodded. “I’ve been keeping an eye on them. Like you, I have no proof, but Allie, I trust gut-feels a hell of a lot. There’ve been times when they’re the only thing that’s kept me alive.”
My heart bumped against my ribs. I wanted to know what he meant. How many times had he been in a situation where his life was in danger? I wanted him to trust me enough to share those stories.
Stop it, Allie. The man just apologized for kissing you senseless.
“My gut says they could be dangerous,” he added. “Stay away from them.”
Instantly, I felt a sear of annoyance. “You’re not the boss of me.”
He arched a brow.
“I could help. No one pays attention to the housekeeping staff. I could?—”
“No.” This time, his voice was clipped and filled with bossiness.
I looked away.
He touched my arm, and I felt a sizzle of sensation.
He must have too because he quickly dropped his hand. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Oh . No one but my brother had ever done that. I looked into Caden’s dark eyes. So inky black.
I’m sorry. This was a big mistake.
I stiffened. He was just doing his job. “I won’t do anything crazy, but I will keep my eyes peeled.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
I hopped off my stool. The two drinks had caught up with me. “I need to visit the ladies’ room again. Keep an eye on my drink.”
I didn’t walk too close to Blake and his group of extreme-sports guys. The ESG. I was going to call them that for short. Less of a mouthful to say or think. I did glance over, and saw Blake looking at me.
With a nod, I hurried to the ladies’ room. I did my business, and was washing my hands, when the door opened. A woman in her mid-twenties with big, blonde curls and a tiny, blue dress with long sleeves walked in. She was weaving unsteadily.
She shot me a wobbly smile and disappeared into one of the stalls.
I looked in the mirror. Go back and say good night to Caden, then get home to Ollie . That’s what I needed to do.
The toilet flushed, and the woman staggered to the sink. “I love a good party.” Her voice was slurred.
I frowned, but nodded.
I headed for the door and had just pushed it open when the woman followed me out, then she gasped.
Spinning, I had no warning before she staggered into me.
“Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing her arms.
“No. I don’t feel so good.” Her face drained of color. “I’m so dizzy.”
“Too many cocktails?”
“I’ve only had one.” She gripped my arm, her nails digging in. “I was chatting with a cute guy. I hoped he’d ask me out.” She staggered. “I feel… Sick…”
She leaned most of her weight against me and I barely kept us both upright. I found myself with an armful of barely conscious blonde.
“Help me,” she whispered. “Something’s wrong.”
“Hang on. I’ve got you.” I managed to move us a few steps into the bar. The ESG were gone, but Caden was still there. “Caden, help!”
When he spotted us, he launched off his stool and strode toward us.
“It’s going to be okay,” I whispered. “We’ll help you.”