Chapter Twenty-Five
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Natalie looked down at their hands, then crooked a smile up at him. “Is that right?”
“Yeah. How about a drink? I know this unique, very quiet, very dark place that plays great music. But you have to be able to keep the place a secret.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“It will be.”
When they got out of the car, Eugene slipped his arm around her and led her down a dark alley. She looked up at him and gave him a skeptical look.
“Is this where I find out you’re a serial killer?”
He laughed. “Trust me.”
“Say all serial killers right before they murder you.”
He cracked a smile, then they headed up a set of stairs along a narrow hallway. She saw couples coming from the other direction, laughing with their arms around each other, and her excitement grew, especially when they walked up yet another set of stairs.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“We’re almost there.”
There was a black door, and Eugene opened it.
Her eyes widened. She felt transported to another time as she was assailed by jazz music, opulence, glittering chandeliers, and amazing jazz music. They found plush seats at a table in the back and Natalie took a moment to catch her breath, her gaze taking in the ambience of this place called The Backroom.
“This is a speakeasy. Or modeled after one.”
He slipped his arm around hers. “It actually was one in the twenties, frequented by all the usual suspects.”
She shifted to face him. “Seriously?”
“Yes. They’d do”—he cleared his throat—“business here.”
“Fabulous.”
“I’ll go get us drinks. What would you like?”
“Hmm.” She thought about it for a few seconds, then said, “Vodka soda.”
“You got it. I’ll be right back.”
He made his way over to the bar, and Natalie took the time to appreciate the tin ceilings, the opulent chandeliers, and the gorgeous art. There was music and some people danced right out in the aisles. She liked that no one seemed to pay attention to what anyone else was doing because they were completely involved in themselves.
Some dressed in twenties attire and others wore casual clothes, while there were some dressed like Natalie and Eugene. No matter what, it was obvious that everyone was having a good time.
Eugene came back holding drinks in teacups.
“Just like in the twenties,” he said, sliding her cup toward her. “Or at least that’s what the bartender told me.”
She lifted her cup and took a sip. “Mmm, delightful. I’m going to have to do some research on these speakeasies. I know several clients who would love a secret bar room in their houses.”
As they drank, she took in every corner of this place and even grabbed some pictures. At least until Eugene took her phone away.
“No work,” he said, handing her phone back to her.
“Fine.” She slipped it back in her bag, then continued to sip her drink. “This place is amazing. I knew speakeasies were out there but I’ve never been to one.”
“I thought you might like it.”
She leaned back against the chair cushion, drink in hand. “Oh, I definitely like it.”
Two drinks later she was vibing to the jazz, watching people dance, and there was no doubt she felt good. Especially since Eugene continually rubbed her thigh, sending tingles of awareness throughout her nerve endings. She lifted her gaze to see him watching the dancers. Straight on, he was devastatingly handsome. But his profile? His straight nose and rugged jaw were things people wrote poetry about.
For her, though, he was simply a turn-on. Everything about him made her insides quiver. Then again, it could be the way his hand moved imperceptibly along her leg. Hardly noticeable to anyone else, really. But every time he shifted his fingers, it made her breath catch and her entire body quivered.
And he knew what he was doing to her because she saw the way his jaw would tighten, and then the corners of his lips would tick up ever so slightly.
Then he surprised her by standing up and holding out his hand. “Dance?”
Wow. “Yes.”
She got up and slipped her hand in his. He pulled her tightly against his body, and she let the slow jazz fill her soul while his hands roamed over her back.
The combination of saxophone and this delicious man’s touch wound around her senses, diving into her desires until all she could feel or sense was Eugene, the way his hands rested at the small of her back, his fingers dipping lower to tease the curve of her butt. And then he snaked his fingers up her spine, sending tingles of sensation throughout her nerve endings, making her nipples tighten, her clit quiver, until all she wanted was naked alone time with him.
She lifted her gaze to his and saw fierce desire in the stormy depths of his eyes. She was glad to know it wasn’t just her.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
“So ready.”
The ride to the hotel took forever, especially since Eugene’s questing fingers teased underneath the hem of her dress. Bare fingers over naked skin, and they weren’t alone, which made her hold in the gasps and moans she so fervently wanted to release.
Release. Yes, she needed that. So incredibly frustrating.
Eugene got out of the car first, held out his hand for her and gave her a once-over with his hot gaze before they made the slow, torturous walk to their room.
Once there, he slipped the key against the lock and opened the door, then closed it. She started to reach for the light, but he caught her wrist, raising her arm and pinning it against the door.
“No lights,” he whispered against her ear, then slid his lips across her throat, using his tongue to blaze a trail down to her jaw, grasping her face gently before taking her mouth in a searing hot kiss she’d waited hours for.
She dropped her purse on the floor and finally let out that moan she’d been holding in, taking in his tongue and sucking on it with all her pent-up fervor. He pushed his body against hers, letting her feel how hard he was, how needy he was, and it drove her wild. He still had hold of her arm, so she tangled her fingers in his hair with her free hand, digging her nails into his scalp. He groaned in response and scraped his teeth along the column of her throat.
“Please,” she said, not even sure what she begged for even though she knew exactly what she wanted.
Eugene kissed her again, a long, hot, mind-numbing kiss that made her legs weaken. He grasped her breasts and teased his fingers over the material of her dress to stroke her nipples. Despite the fabric his touch rocked her, and she wanted more.
But then he slid down her body, drawing one leg over his shoulder as he pulled her panties to the side. Before she could even think, his hot mouth was on her sex, licking and sucking until she thought she might die from the fiery pleasure of it.
This was what her wordless plea had meant. This was what she needed.
“Yes,” she whispered, whimpering with the words that spilled from her lips. “Oh God, yes.”
He hummed in acknowledgement against her as he did magical, delicious things to her with his mouth and fingers, making her writhe and explode against him, barely able to breathe through the cataclysmic explosions sparking through her body. She ached with the fulfillment of it, and yet still wanted more. She wanted Eugene to have more.
When she caught her breath she pushed against him and he released her leg.
And now it was her turn. She kicked off her heels and pushed his jacket off, and it fell to the floor. She lifted up to kiss him, tasting herself on his lips, feeling that desire spark up again as she dragged her nails down his chest and found his erection, rubbing the length of him that was straining against his pants. She undid his belt, his zipper, then dropped to her knees in front of him.
“Natalie.”
Her name spilled from his lips in a hoarse whisper, making chill bumps raise on her skin. She tilted her head back to look up at him, barely able to see his face peering down at her in the dark.
“I like hearing you say my name,” she said as she drew his pants and briefs down. “Let’s see if I can make you scream it.”
She took his cock in her hands, loving the steely hardness of him, the way he pulsed and pushed against her as she wrapped her fingers around the shaft.
And then she put her mouth around the head of his cock, flicking her tongue around the only soft part of him.
He groaned. She smiled and took him, inch by inch, until she had as much of him as she could. Then she pulled back, licked him, and did it all over again, using her hands as well.
She might not be able to see all that well, but she could hear just fine, and his raspy fast breathing told her he liked what she was doing. And oh, did it ever excite her to feel his movements, hear his breathing, to taste him and know that he enjoyed what she was doing to him.
And then he reached down to tangle his fingers in her hair. “Natalie,” he rasped. “I’m gonna—”
He didn’t finish the sentence but she knew from the way he tensed, the way he jutted his hips forward that he was close. She gave him more, all that he needed until he gave her the one thing she’d asked for as he let loose.
“Natalie!”
She held tight to him as he released, then slowly let him go. He held out his hand and lifted her up, kissing her lightly before righting his clothing.
“I don’t know about you,” he said, his voice soft. “But I need a drink.”
“Mmm,” she said, wrapping her arm around his. “Me, too.”
“And then, how about we try out that tub?”
He hit the light above the bar and fixed them both a drink. She took a seat at the bar. “You do have work tomorrow.”
He slid the glass across the bar to her, then smiled at her. “I can function on very little sleep.”
“Good to know,” she said. “Because I have several plans for us tonight. Starting with the bath.”
He tipped his glass to hers. “I can’t wait.”
She took another long swallow of her drink, then slid off the barstool, coming around the bar to take him by the hand. “Then let’s get started.”