32. JT
jt
THE GENTLE SPLASHING sound of water had my eyes opening the next day, as it washed away the haze of sleep and sunlight crept in through the window to dapple my face.
It wasn’t my usual wake-up call, but as I rolled over and caught sight of the Chrysler Building greeting me, I wasn’t about to complain. It sure as hell beat my alarm clock.
Wow…
I pushed up on my elbow and rubbed a hand over my face as I stared out at one of the most spectacular views in the city—hell, the world, some might argue—and still couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact that West lived here.
It was so outlandish, so pretentious, and while parts of that fit West and the person I’d first met when I started at Astor, last night he’d shown me a totally different side of himself.
The sound of running water found me again, and I glanced over my shoulder to see West’s side of the mattress was empty.
It’d been late last night when we got back to his place, and even later when we finally fell asleep.
But after our delicious dinner date in the park and last-minute packing for my impromptu weekend getaway, I’d passed out the second my head hit the pillow.
Some date I was. I’d barely had the energy to kiss him goodnight. But it was his own fault. He’d filled my belly, walked me through Central Park, and by the time we got back to his place, I’d drifted off into the best damn sleep of my life.
I mean, who wouldn’t? His mattress was so luxurious and soft it was probably made up from royal goose feathers or something just as outrageous.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and realized I was in nothing but my boxer briefs.I glanced around the floor, looking for the clothes I’d stripped out of, and frowned when I couldn’t see them. Maybe West had put them somewhere?
My bag was out in the living room. I remembered leaving it there when he’d given me a tour now that the place had actual furniture, and if I’d thought his condo was impressive the night of the party, with furniture it was like something out of a movie.It didn’t seem real.
He’d told me all about how their group lived in the building—hence the nickname Park Avenue Princes—and how each of them were paired up with another friend because their parents thought it was the best way to keep their kids out of trouble.
Clearly that hadn’t worked, judging by the reputation that seemed to follow West and his crew around.
As I got to my feet to go and grab my belongings, I decided at the last second to take the sheet with me.
West had assured me that East was out of town for the weekend.
But in the unlikely event he decided to cut short whatever jet-setting trip he’d taken, I didn’t want to be caught by West’s roommate wandering around his living room in my briefs.
I wrapped the sheet around my waist and hiked the remaining material up off the floor. I glanced inside the open entryway of the en suite at the marble floor and walls, and saw the wide bathroom vanity up ahead, its full-length mirror running along as much of the wall as I could see.
From the tour last night I knew that there was a shower to the left and a bathtub overlooking the same view I’d woken up to on the right. But judging from the sound of rain falling, I knew exactly where West was.
My cock kicked at the mental image of him standing in the shower all slick and wet, and I stared at my reflection in the mirror, wondering if I was brave enough to go in and see the real thing.
Holding the sheet in place, I stepped inside the bathroom and was immediately hit with the scent of West’s soap or shampoo as it swirled around me.
Damn, that was why he always smelled good.
Whatever he was using in there was crisp yet creamy, sweet and a little spicy, and as it wound itself around me, I felt intoxicated.
It was sexy and sophisticated, just like the man himself, and no doubt helped with the “I get whoever I want, whenever I want” part of his life.
He’d gotten me, hadn’t he? It wasn’t like I stood in naked men’s bathrooms every weekend for fun. But as that delicious scent beckoned me closer, I knew there was no other place I’d rather be.
I walked into the center of the en suite and realized that my imagination had nothing on the reality of West naked and wet, standing under a shower spray. Steam swirled around him, fogging some of the glass, but the peekaboo way it hid parts of his body only added to the sexy overall effect.
West’s head was tipped back and his eyes were closed as he ran his fingers through his hair and the water sluiced down over his neck to his chest. I greedily followed the droplets of water as they ran in rivulets along the hard ridges of his body, and as they disappeared behind the fogged part of the glass and fell to the shower floor, I licked my lips.
Jesus, talk about feeling thirsty. West made me feel as though I’d been in a sexual drought my entire life, and he was a goddamn oasis. He almost seemed too perfect to be true. Like a mirage that was going to disappear from sight, just when I reached the heart of it.
“JT?” West swiped the water from his eyes and moved his head out from under the spray.
“Hi, um, morning.”
“Morning?” While the polite thing was probably to turn away and give him some privacy, he didn’t seem all that concerned I was staring at him. “It’s probably more afternoon at this stage.”
I frowned, wondering just how long I’d slept. “Really?”
“Really.” He slicked a hand through his hair, and dear God, I didn’t think I’d ever seen anything hotter. “When I left you, it was almost noon.”
My mouth fell open in disbelief. “No way.”
“Guess I wore you out last night with my quick wit and conversation. That’s a first—usually it’s with my body.”
My eyes immediately dropped to the body he was referring to, and I didn’t doubt him for a second. Not when I’d been on the receiving end of what he could do with it.
I cleared my throat.“I guess you did. But for the record, I enjoyed every minute of our conversation last night.”
“Me too, but now I’m starting to feel a little self-conscious…”
Shit. Had I overstepped by coming in here? As soon as the thought crossed my mind, West chuckled.
“Not because you’re in here, JT. Because I’m standing here naked, and we’re still just talking.”
“Oh.”
“You’re starting to give me a complex.”
“Yeah, right.”
“It’s true,” West said, turning around so the front of his body took the brunt of the spray. “Here I am, naked and vulnerable, and you still have a…sheet? Wrapped around you?”
“Vulnerable?” I grinned and bit down on my lower lip. That was the last word I’d ever use to describe him.
“Yes.” West swiped his hand across the fog on the glass, and when his thick erection came into view, it was all I could do to keep my tongue from rolling out of my mouth. “I’m at my most vulnerable right now. Can’t you see?”
I could see, all right. It was pretty hard to miss now that he’d cleared things up for me.
“Why does the word ‘vulnerable’ sound a whole lot like ‘powerful’ coming out of your mouth?”
“I don’t know.” He flashed an arrogant smirk as he circled his cock. “You tell me.”
God, if I had one ounce of the charisma West did, I’d feel invincible too. “You’re good looking to the point it’s ridiculous?”
He eyed me through the glass. “How about good looking enough to have you dropping the sheet?”
Knowing I wasn’t naked underneath, I felt the devil on my shoulder urging me to have a little fun with West. It was time for some payback. Time to tease him a little. He was always the one who had the upper hand, so maybe it was time to play with him for a change.
I reached for the spot where I’d tucked the sheet in by my hip. “You want me to take this off?”
West licked at the condensation on his top lip. “More than my next breath.”
I swallowed and moved so I was standing in front of the glass. Then I flattened my hand and slid it down to where my hard-on ached between my thighs. “I can do that.”
“Yeah, you can.”
“And then what?”
West moved in the shower stall until he was leaning back against the marble wall, and when he widened his stance and pumped his shaft, I curled my fingers around the material covering me.
This plan to tease West sure felt a lot like I was teasing myself.
“Then…” West’s voice was gravel rough. “We can see if I can wear you out with more than just my scintillating conversation.”
“Did you really just use the word scintillating while stroking your dick?”
“What can I say, your scholastic ways are rubbing off on me.”
I snorted and reached for the tucked-in edge of the sheet.
“Then maybe you’re right.” I dragged my teeth over my lip as I let my eyes linger on his flexing fingers. “And I’ll find other ways to rub off on you too.”
“Hell yes.” West nodded and pushed off the wall. “Do it. Drop the sheet and get in here.”
“Yeah?” I said, bolder than I’d ever been as I angled my chin up. “That’s what you want?”
I wasn’t sure why, but something was pushing me to get him to admit it. To get West to admit that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. Talk about feeling vulnerable.
“JT?”
“Yeah?”
“Drop the fucking sheet.”
There was that cocky arrogance again, and it was all I needed to decide to follow through with this little game and give him a taste of his own medicine.
I took a step back, and as the sheet fell to the floor and he caught sight of my boxer briefs still covering me, his eyes narrowed.
“You better take them the fuck off.”
I chuckled and ran my thumb inside the edge of my underwear. “What? These? No, you just said the sheet, and, well, anything more and I might start to feel…vulnerable.”
“JT…” West said as I started to walk backward. “Don’t make me chase you.”
My dick lurched at that threat, and I was starting to discover things about myself I never knew.
First: I liked bossy, arrogant men.
Second: I also liked the way West looked at me like he wanted to devour me.
And third: I apparently liked the thrill of the chase.