Chapter 25
How do you tell a man you didn’t know three days ago that you are addicted to the slap of his hand against your ass?
Especially when said man hadn’t spoken more than two words to you since he hauled you off the stage before the last note died?
The shocking realization wouldn’t go away. Nor would the growing inkling that something was wrong.
“I really wanted to thank the band for letting me perform with them,” she said.
“You already did. Many times. Hell, you even blew them kisses as we left. I hope I score for not being a dick about that.”
Although he smiled, his jaw remained tight. She frowned. “Is there something bothering you? Something you want to talk about?”
He reefed stiff fingers through his hair. The corner of his mouth lifted in a mirthless smile. “What I’d like is for the driver to go a little over half a fucking mile an hour.” He started to lower the partition to the limo taking them back to the hotel.
Without pausing to think about the wisdom of her action, she slid onto her knees on the seat and pulled off her panties.
He hit the up button again. “Jesus. What he fuck are you doing?”
Dropping her panties, she straddled him and slid her arms around his neck. “Something’s wrong. You can either talk about it or you can allow me to distract you. But I don’t want it keeping you from me. I’m still buzzing from high number four. I don’t want anything to bring me down.”
“I’m not fucking you in the back of a limo, Leia.”
She squashed the touch of disappointment. “I know. So… talk…” She kissed his firm, delicious mouth. “Or distraction.”
He groaned and dragged her close, pushing her down so her hot center dragged over his rigid erection.
“I’ve never been this hard for this long, sweetheart.
You’re lethal to my mental and physical wellbeing.
” His hands squeezed her thighs, then he slipped one hand between her legs.
His groan morphed into a hiss of disbelief, and his forehead dropped to her chest. “And you’re so fucking wet. ”
“Put your fingers inside me.”
“Put your fingers inside me, what?”
Her fingers gripped his hair. “Please, Noah.”
“Did you forget your manners so quickly, or did you do it deliberately so I’d spank your tight, sore little ass?”
Her blush drew his first genuine smile since the one he’d given her on stage before her performance.
“Are you trying to make me feel better?”
“Yes. Tell me what’s wrong, Noah. Did I do something?” Between the start and end of her backup routine, something had happened. As much as she wanted to brush over it with sex, she couldn’t ignore the layer of unease.
His chin snapped up, a dark frown between his eyes. “Of course not. Why would you think that?”
She shrugged. “If you’re going to punish me for something I’ve done, I’ll take the punishment but I want to know now. I don’t like surprises.”
He didn’t answer straightaway. But he twisted the hand between her legs, rubbed his knuckle hard against her clit. She gasped, her fingers digging into his scalp as she held on tight. He rubbed her roughly for a full minute, then buried two fingers between her legs.
A long kiss later, he raised his head.
His eyes had gone dark and turbulent. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I got a few missed calls. I’ve been trying to reach Gabe. He’s not answering. I’m not sure what the time is in Bora Bora right now?—”
“Minus twelve hours from right now. It’s the middle of the night there.”
He pulled his fingers out slowly and plunged them back in. “You’re a sexy genius. Did I tell you that?”
Her breath hitched. “Maybe. Please don’t stop.”
He repeated the action. “I’m pissed off that he called me four times then doesn’t answer when I call. And he didn’t leave a message.”
“But that’s not all.”
“I got texts from Ashley.”
Leia froze, suspended somewhere between acute arousal and disconcerting anxiety. “I’m not sure how I feel about you mentioning her name while you have your fingers inside me.”
“You asked me what was wrong. I’m telling you because I don’t want you to think you’re the reason I’m in a bad mood.”
Irrationally, she wanted to tell him he could’ve chosen distraction over talking about his ex. She wanted to ask why his ex had his number. But considering her own messed up life, who was she to question his?
“What does she want?”
“Fuck if I know. She wants me to call her.” The disgust in his voice was unmistakable.
“You think Gabe knows?”
“I’m guessing he does. Otherwise, it’s a hell of a coincidence since they called within minutes of each other.” He flexed his fingers and arousal kicked anxiety’s butt, but didn’t knock it out totally.
“Are you going to call her back?”
His jaw tightened but the visceral edge of lust in his eyes didn’t fade, much to her satisfaction.
“We haven’t spoken in two and a half years.
The last time I saw her I made it very clear I never wanted to see or speak to her again.
” His voice was a blade of raw anger. “That position hasn’t changed on my part. ”
But something clearly had changed on Ashley’s.
He pressed a hand into the small of her back, urged her to rock her hips against him. The action forced his fingers deeper inside her while she rubbed herself on his erection. Leaning down, she kissed him, slowly running her tongue over his mouth before sliding it in.
She continued twirling her hips. The tension gradually oozed from his shoulders. Several minutes later, he drew back and leaned on the headrest. His eyes were dark and intense as he watched her. “Lift your skirt. I want to see you.”
She let go of his nape and lifted the front of her skirt. His gaze dropped to where his fingers were lodged inside her. He circled his thumb over her wet clit. Reality took on a definite hazy edge.
“Why don’t you like surprises?” he asked, his eyes intent on what he was doing to her.
“Wh-what?”
“You said that earlier.”
“Oh. My mom was the queen of spontaneity, and not always the good kind. My dad used to say she had a chronic impulsive disorder. Her solution to every problem was throwing a surprise luncheon. I got into a fight with a school bully once. Mom thought it would be helpful to throw an anti-bullying party and make the girl and her parents guests of honor, only she didn’t tell them until they got there.
The week before my sweet sixteen party, I came home from school to find that she’d invited all the boys from my class and paid them each a thousand dollars to make themselves available to escort me to the party. ”
His eyes met hers. “Christ.”
“And those were the lamer ones. Imagine walking into your bedroom to find a full-grown Amur leopard on a leash for you to play with because you’d lost a softball game. It got to a point where I’d call Sonia, our housekeeper, to find out whether it was safe to come home.”
He smirked. “She had exotic animals on tap?” His free hand went to her shirt and unbuttoned her halfway. Exposing her breasts, he caught a nipple between his fingers and squeezed. Her breath hitched.
“She had crazy good connections. If she liked you enough she could get you five minutes with the president with a single phone call.”
“But you just wanted a normal life.”
She nodded. “It got worse the older I got. It took me a while to realize why she was going off the rails.” Leia’s words slurred with the pleasure gathering through her body.
He paused in his ministrations. “Why?”
“She married my stepfather barely six months after Dad died. The marriage got very turbulent very quickly. I think that was the only impulsive decision she ever regretted.”
“You think if she hadn’t, she’d still be here?”
Guilt and sorrow threatened to overtake pleasure.
“I know she would be.” Unwilling to stray into much more painful and disturbing territory, she placed her hand over his on her breast and silently begged him to continue.
He pinched her nipple hard. Pleasure rolled through her.
She threw her head back and pumped her hips.
“Don’t come.”
She gasped. “Oh God! Please .”
“Baby, we’re almost at the hotel. You’re not walking through reception with a just-climaxed glow on your face for every guy out there to see.” Pure possessiveness throbbed through his voice.
She bit her lip and tried to bring herself down a notch. It was one of the hardest things she’d done in a long time. “Are you like this with every woman you date?”
“I don’t date. Ashley was the last woman I dated.”
Once again, his ex loomed large between them and she tried not to think of how much power the faceless woman still had over Noah. “What do you do with your women, then?”
“Catch.” His thumb circled. “Fuck.” Again. “Release.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Are you serious?”
“You’re the only woman I’ve seen for longer than a five-hour stretch in a very long time.”
“Why?”
Blue eyes filled with shadows met hers. “No expectations. No mind games. No attachments.”
“Did that satisfy you?”
He kneaded her breasts. “Up to a point and barely in the last few months. But you… you satisfy me so much more. I’m addicted to you.
I want everything you have to give and more.
I want to give you untold pleasure, push you way out of your comfort zone and make you die with bliss.
I want to make you mine, Leia. And I haven’t wanted that in a long time. ”
Her heart lurched and her sex clenched around his fingers, reacting to the intense words. “Noah…”
He shook his head and that contemplative look she’d seen on his face earlier returned. “It’s a little insane, I know. We’ll work it out when we get back to Miami.”
Either he was too busy lowering his head to her nipple to feel her tense or the unsettling conversation had thrown off his radar.
But even as she lost herself in the pleasure he drew so effortlessly from her, Leia was scrambling for emotional safety. Noah King was slowly drawing her into his orbit. An orbit she was sure she wouldn’t be able to inhabit no matter how much she wished to.
The car pulled to a stop, and he slowly raised his head, pulling his fingers out of her.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’ve avoided answering me about Miami for the second time.
” He traced her wetness over her lips, then licked his fingers.
“It’s happening, Leia. We’re happening. I’m willing to give you another day or two to get used to the idea.
Then I expect to hear that Yes, Noah you’ve become so perfect at saying. ”
He kissed her hard, lapping at her mouth with broad hungry strokes before easing back to button her up. By the time they alighted she was once again respectable, albeit minus her panties, which he’d stuffed into his jeans pocket.
A party going on in one of the hotel event rooms had spilled out into reception. He kept her tucked firmly to his side and hurried them to the elevator. They were stepping in when his phone rang.
He looked at the screen and his jaw tightened. “About fucking time, Gabe. What the hell’s going on?”