Chapter Sixteen
America
Cutting across the road, I skip over the gutter in my favorite heels. The ones with the ankle strap and the four-inch heel. They’re silver and remind me of Christmas. Specifically the Christmas I accidentally ended up under the mistletoe with Gray.
I was twenty-one. Drinking the spiked eggnog Uncle Oz makes every year, but until that Christmas I hadn’t been allowed to drink. Which was for the best, considering halfway through the first glass I was feeling the effects.
Gray walked into the kitchen, his arms full of presents for Indy’s family. He was wearing this forest green sweater with snowflakes on it and hadn’t shaved in a few days. God, he was so sexy I hadn’t been able to avert my gaze.
The present on top was wrapped in glittery silver paper, and it had no intention of staying in place. It skittered closer to falling with every step he took.
So I raced over to help secure it. Only to have Indy shout that we were under the mistletoe.
It was the eggnog that made my cheeks hot. Not Gray’s full bottom lip or how those blue eyes flew to mine. And then he leaned down and kissed my cheek. I fought every instinct to turn my head and seal my lips to his.
As soon as he straightened I got the hell out from under that crazy plant. That naughty present turned out to be these heels, which I had been eyeing for weeks.
EJ got a baseball bat signed by his favorite player. Aunt Sharon and Uncle Oz received floor seat tickets to a Bulls game. And Indy got New Year’s in New York with Gray. And his entire heart.
But maybe that’s changing. These heels feel fateful tonight. Like we were meant to end up here. It just wasn’t time before. Of course that thought brings guilt. It wasn’t time because he had Indy. I never wanted to mess with that. I never wanted to cause a rift.
But the rift is there now, and there is nothing I can do about it.
Loud music escapes the club as I approach a bouncer with short cropped hair and a black on black suit. He smiles as his eyes drift past my face to the showstopper dress that I’m wearing.
My fingers itch to tug on the neckline when his gaze settles on the round swells of my breasts and does not budge. Ugh, I hate that a sleazy look from some creep can ruin my confidence so easily.
When I left the apartment, I felt sensual and bold. I loved the way I looked. The deep V that almost hits my belly button showcased my curves in a sophisticated and sexy way. I knew people would look.
But there is a difference between getting noticed because I look good and some jerk’s tongue practically hanging in my cleavage.
The bouncer barely glances at the list in his hand when I give him Everett’s name. He lifts the rope and lets me and my breasts glide on past. “Have a nice night.”
It’s classy inside. Loud and busy and full of strangers with familiar faces. Celebs mingle with billion dollar athletes. They lounge around tables loaded with glasses and bottles of champagne and top shelf spirits. There’s a throng of them on the dance floor under the lights.
I take a moment to put in my earbuds while I locate Gray. The booth where he waits is engulfed by shadows so I don’t notice him straight away. When I do my heart beats harder and seems to grow in my chest. He looks up as I approach, and that suckable bottom lip hangs lower than usual as he takes me in.
“Rica.” He stands and moves toward me, his gaze dropping to the deep V of the halter neckline with appreciation. He swallows hard before bringing his focus back to my face. “That dress… are you trying to kill every man in here? Because wars have been fought over less.”
The thought of having someone want to fight for me like that… after he handled my jerk of a professor earlier… It has an appeal.
He’s always protected me. Like a friend or like EJ would for Indy. But now it feels like that protectiveness has a territorial edge to it that is so sexy. “You’d go to war for me?”
“I just might.” He frowns, glancing over my head to look for Everett.
He gives me butterflies. Touching his arm, I draw his attention back. “Everett’s not with me. His pops ended up in the hospital this afternoon.”
“Is he—”
“His pops is fine. Stubborn though. They released him and an hour later he was climbing up on the roof to clean the gutters again.”
“I’m happy to hear he’s okay,” Gray says.
“Everett didn’t want to leave his mom to handle his pops on her own. He said he’ll message me when his pops is settled, but he doesn’t think he’s going to make it.”
“Just us then?” Gray’s gaze wanders my face.
I nod. “Is that…”
“Will he have a problem with you being here with me?”
“I… haven’t told him. I’m going to. I wanted to. But then his pops…” I dip my chin as my hands tighten on my clutch. “It didn’t seem like the time to tell him I can’t see him anymore when he already had so much to deal with.”
“You’re not going to see him anymore?” He sounds surprised.
“Well, yeah. Unless…” I’m not sure why he would be surprised after the last few times we’ve run into each other. I cuff my hand around my elbow. “Did I read this wrong?”
Why wouldn’t he be happy about this? He was so adamant that Everett was bad news.
I guess I built it up in my head that he might be happy about it for other reasons. Realizing that he might not be… I’m almost queasy.
“I think I said that we should talk.” His voice softens and the tension leaves his posture.
I lift my chin. “You did.”
Pursing his lips, he glances at the busy hub of the club. “How about I go to the bar and get us drinks?”
“That would help.” Now that we’re talking about talking, the nerves have set in.
“All right. Do you want…”
“Gin and tonic. I’m a G and T girl now.” I smile when he nods, those ice blue eyes looking surer with every word we exchange.
“Be back in a minute.” He squeezes my hip and brushes his lips over my mouth before he heads to the bar.
I slip into the booth and study his broad back in a suit jacket that fits across his wide shoulders and tapers perfectly to his narrow hips. Everything about him is mouthwateringly attractive to me. Is this crazy? Pursuing something with my best friend’s ex?
My phone beeps with a notification. Everett messaging to let me know he won’t be coming and telling me to have fun catching up with Gray. If the idea of ending things via text didn’t make me hate myself more than I already do, I’d tell him right now just so I don’t have to carry any more guilt.
Gray smiles as he returns to the booth with a beer and my G and T. I abandon my phone on the table. It can wait.
Placing the drinks down, he scoots in beside me until our knees touch.
“How did I not notice…”
“What?”
“I feel like I should be having a heart attack right now with how gorgeous you are…” His fingers graze the side of my throat before gripping the back of my neck while he leans in to kiss me.
God, if this is crazy… I don’t want to be sane. After all these years he’s not looking at me as his girl’s best friend. He’s looking at me like I’m a woman and he is a man who wants me. And I wished for that on every birthday between fourteen and eighteen. After that he was with Indy, and I realized wishes didn’t come true.
But maybe they can.
His fingers trail along the material of my halter neck, over my collarbone and down the edge of the V. “You are making me lose my damn sanity. Did you know that? You’ve never been a problem, but now… being this close to you… it’s not enough.”
I’m a problem for him? Because he didn’t want this? Or because now he does? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you need to come over here, Rica. Crawl onto my lap.”
My dress hikes up my thighs as I move to straddle him.
“Don’t think about it.” He stops me from tugging the stretchy material back down before he secures me in place with both hands on my waist.
“I don’t need my ass on display.”
“No one can see. We’re in too much shadow.” His big palms cover both globes while he kisses me. “And you’re hidden by the table. I bet we could fuck right here, and no one would notice.”
“You’re not serious.” My body tingles all over when he grinds against me.
There are people everywhere, but the lights are dim and the booze is flowing and I want him so much that I can’t help but roll my hips to sharpen the contact. It does nothing to ease the ache building in my core.
He catches my jaw with one hand and kisses me. “You want it, don’t you? You’re a dirty girl who likes the idea of being caught while I’m deep inside you.”
My panties are destroyed, my body is addicted. I would do just about anything when he talks to me like that.
“Will you do it, Rica? Will you be my filthy girl, and do what I say?”
“Yes,” I exhale the word on the whisper of a whimper. The way he can come into any situation and take charge has always affected me in a visceral way. But this is next level sexual catnip for a girl who likes a little bossy in the bedroom. “You like to be in control, don’t you?”
“I do.” He kisses me. “Now be a good girl. Stand up and turn around before you sit back on my lap.”
Watching the crowd to see if anyone notices, I climb off him, turn around and slide back onto his lap while he discreetly unbuttons his pants.
His hard cock throbs against my panty-covered pussy when I lower back down. If I’d known we’d end up like this I would have come without them.
Then again, I always seem to end up in the same predicament when it comes to Gray. Perhaps I’ll stash a fresh pair in my purse for next time. Surprise him by not wearing any at all.
“Lean forward,” he tells me. “Pick up your drink. And take a sip, but don’t swallow.”
I pick up the cocktail and lift it to my lips as his hand travels over my thigh and between my legs. He hooks one finger into the lace of my panties and tugs it aside. I almost spill the drink when he thrusts into me.
“Careful.” His voice promises wickedness as I place the glass back down. Under the table his fingers dig into the front of my panties and play over my clit. “Now, I want you to spit it in my mouth.”
Holy shit. I almost inhale the alcohol as I twist my head. He mashes his lips to mine, and I spit the fluid into his mouth. It feels personal. He’s inside me, fucking me so slowly, but this feels more intimate.
He shudders, a groan escaping him. “Rica.”
The way he says my name before he drives his tongue into my mouth to taste every crevice. I can make him feel things that make him lose control. It’s such a power trip. A girl could get addicted to making the man she’s in love with go feral for her.
Eventually he pulls back. “You’re going to finish that drink without spilling a drop, and the entire time I’m going to be inside you.” He nips at my earlobe. “And playing with this.”
He rubs my clit. It’s all I can do not to moan.
The icy liquid does nothing to quench the heat we are creating. He fucks me slow and shallow so that no one notices the way we’re moving together. I get lost in how good and right and dirty and perfect it feels. By the time I finish my drink I’m ready to combust.
Taking the empty glass from my hand, he places it on the table, and then grasps my jaw. His tongue slips between my parted lips and swallows up a whimper I can’t hold back, while his cock scrapes all those places inside me that have me desperate to scream.
His fingers speed up on my clit. “That’s my dirty girl. Come. I want to feel it.”
An orgasm washes through me, making my inner walls spasm around him. He’s right behind me, flooding me with heat a second later while he murmurs, “Rica, what are you doing to me? I can’t get enough of you.”
I can’t get enough of him either.
My phone vibrates on the table and lights up with an incoming call.
Behind me Gray sucks in a wooden breath and turns rigid.
Indy’s timing is always perfect.