9. Keller
9
KELLER
H oly fuck.
I expected, I don’t know, a peck. More protests and reluctance, and oh, but my poor boyfriend who lives two thousand miles away and is likely balls-deep in some slut right now, whatever would he think , or something. But it seems all she needed was an excuse.
Claire wraps her tiny arms around my neck and kisses me like she’s dying for air and I am the only source of oxygen in the room. Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever bothered to kiss anyone like that. Like I needed it. My arms move around her waist on instinct, pulling her to me. And fuck, she feels so right against me. Like she belongs right there.
I don’t even register when I decide to lift her to the bar and settle myself between her thighs as I explore every inch of her lips, her mouth, and neck, my hands on either side of her, caging her in.
You’re going nowhere, my little prey.
She sucks in her breath when I find a spot right between her neck and shoulder that makes her body tighten, those legs squeezing me a little, and it’s all I can do not to open my zipper and take her right there. No one would bat an eyelash. Tonight’s a public party, so our club events are strictly confined to the second floor and above, but the crowd is still mostly composed of either Heritage members, House occupants, or those we keep around. They’ve all seen far worse. The only thing stopping me is the fact that I don’t want it quick and dirty. Not with her. I want to take my time. I want all of her, for hours, until I’m so painfully intimate with every inch of her skin I grow bored of it. That’s the only way I’ll be rid of her: if I indulge until I’m sated.
I make myself step back, grinning down at her dazed expression. The girl’s a lightweight. Another reason not to push it tonight. “See?” I tell her, thoroughly entertained. “It's easy to make people do what you want. All you need is to know what makes them tick.”
That gets her attention. “How did you find out about my grandmother?” she asks again.
She doesn’t sound pissed off, shocked, or fearful, like she should. Just curious.
“There are only two Claires new in town. It wasn't hard to figure out.” I shrug indifferently. “What? Are we going to pretend you didn't research my name?”
She glances down, biting her lip guiltily.
Don’t do that, little ghost. Let me do it for you.
Claire isn’t tipsy enough to completely miss her wit. “Details about her, about her need for a knee replacement? That’s not on the internet when you type my name in a search bar.”
“So, you did research my name,” I glean. “Find out anything interesting?”
The little firecracker narrows her eyes at me. “Why should I answer any of your questions when you don’t answer mine?”
She’s really going to push this, isn’t she? “You have your trusty friend, Google. I have a full team of PIs on retainer. Nothing personal,” I add. “My father and I check most people who walk into our lives. And especially when they come into contact with Octavia.”
That makes what I did sound positively reasonable. Selfless, even. Somehow, I don’t like misrepresenting myself as the caring, overprotective uncle here.
“You were just so cute, I had to see if you were worth getting to know. Now, I believe you owe me your number.”
“Don't you already have it?” Claire challenges, attempting to conceal a touch of amusement behind a frown.
“Perhaps,” I admit. “But a gentleman still asks.”
“Are you?” One of her eyebrows lifts a little. “A gentleman.”
She truly has me pegged, doesn’t she? Then again, I didn’t mask who I really am around her. I could have. I could have played the wolf in the sheep’s clothing; but that’s frankly exhausting. Besides, I get the feeling she doesn’t mind. The three cocktails aside, she did not react like someone freaked out by casual stalking. She can take a few nips.
“I can wear a lot of masks. But if asking isn't getting me what I need, I'm fine with taking.” I lower my mouth back to hers, smiling against her lips to illustrate my point.
“I have a boyfriend,” she repeats.
Right. That guy. “Oh, my little ghost. You and I both know that if that was relevant, you wouldn't be here.”
She straightens up, offended. “You made me kiss you. And you owe my grandma an awful lot of anonymous money after that.”
Isn’t she adorable? We’re both aware I didn’t make her kiss me like that. Instead of pointing that fact out, I say, “I mean, you’re here in the first place. And in a teeny, tiny little skirt, so I can do this…”
My fingers slide from the counter to her knees, and run up along her thighs. They press together when I reach the apex, but I’m already there. All she does is trap me.
“I didn’t…I’m not?—”
I curve my finger.
“Oh! You can’t!” Claire swallows hard. “You can’t just do…”
My thumb is running circles around her clit while I insert another finger to play with the vise that is her cunt, robbing her of any protest.
“I really do love your skirt, little ghost. Admit it. You wore it for me. You wanted to look gorgeous, and sexy, and irresistible for me tonight.”
“ Please !” she pleads, leaning into my touch, practically bent in two.
“I know what you need. And I’ll give it to you,” I assure her, my fingers moving faster, sliding in and out of her as she tightens. “It’s my prerogative and my privilege. But first, you’re going to tell me you came here to see me.”
“I…” she starts, her hands moving to my wrists, clamping around them. I don’t know if she’s trying to keep me there or move me. “Please, Keller. I’ve never done this. I can’t?—”
“What, come on someone’s fingers?” I guess.
She just shakes her head, hands squeezing even more. Christ, I can feel her nails digging into my skin.
“Come at all?” I throw out.
Her sudden flush is telling.
“Damn, do yourself a favor and dump the moron. You deserve a man who makes you come every day, sweetheart.”
Me. I could do that. I want to do that.
The thought comes unbidden. It’s a first. Shit, I need to fuck her already. Rid myself of this fascination.
“You still haven’t said anything. Tell me, or I stop,” I warn, hearing little delicious moans escape her, while her breathing gets ragged.
She’s so very close.
“I…”
The damn vixen licks her lips.
Oh, I will enjoy that mouth.
“You seemed nice,” she tells me, almost pleadingly. “I thought we could be… friends .”
I see the truth in her gaze, too. She genuinely believed I was a good guy, asking her to some party so we could be besties. Jesus, how did she remain this naive? What I’ve seen about her made it clear she’s sheltered, but that’s another level.
“We can be very good friends,” I assure her. “The best kind.”
That wrangles a sob from her lips, and then she’s screaming as she loses it, drenching my entire hand.
“That’s it, little ghost. You’re such a good girl to come for me like that.” I bring my hand to my lips, tasting her. “So very sweet. You wanna try?”
She just stares at me open-mouthed, so I take it as an invitation, sliding two fingers right to her tongue.
Claire shakes her head, jumping off the bar. “Oh my god, oh my god, I can’t believe we just did that!” she practically screams. “I can’t believe you did that to me! In public! And oh my god, Noah! I have a boyfriend, you idiot!”
I laugh while I watch her lose it. In truth, I’m pretty sure no one looked at us twice; we were pretty discreet, and for those thus inclined, there are far more interesting things happening upstairs. But now her little scene is drawing plenty of eyes.
“You weren’t thinking about Noah when you came for me,” I remind her. “In fact, I think you said Noah never made you come.”
“I’m not a cheat!” she screeches. “I’m not the kind of person who goes behind their boyfriend’s back! You had no right!”
That makes one of you, I want to tell her. But at the same time, it’s not my place to make her see what anyone with eyes can guess.
She doesn’t want her high school sweetheart, and he doesn’t want her either. He prefers sluts who give it up easily. As for her, I’m not quite sure what she wants yet. I am only certain that if it was him, she wouldn’t have moved to the other side of the country.
“You would have been a bit more convincing if you’d said all that before the orgasm,” I tell her with a shrug.
She groans, glaring at me. “I’m not playing this game. Leave me alone.”
Then she hurries her little ass away, and I let her walk. The sway of her hips as she rushes out is enough of a reward. Besides, I’ve had a taste. It’ll do for tonight.