Overdose: A British Bad Boy Romance

by Raven St. Pierre

  The conversation felt a little too heavy in Zander’s opinion. Even speaking about Jim only reminded him of work.

  “I tell you what. Let’s make a vow right here and now to only talk about positive things tonight,” Zander suggested, lifting his glass to his lips. Right away, he saw how this declaration relieved Vanessa.

  “I’d say that’s a vow I’m willing to take.” A deep intake of air made her breasts swell for the brief moment Zander stared at them, and then she joined him in a drink, emptying her glass. He was on top of it, filling it with more of the bubbly liquid.

  “Tell me about your day,” he suggested, reclining in his seat just enough to get comfortable, but still poised and ready in case she should need anything.

  Sleek, russet-toned shoulders lifted with a shrug beneath the black and gray stripes of her dress. And it did fit her divinely. In the fleeting moment before Vanessa’s answer came, Zander recaptured the earlier image of her coming up the walkway to meet him—the way the snug material hugged her form just right, accentuating her cinched waistline.

  Oh yes, she was a sight to behold.

  Staring her way, Zander fondled the tiny remote, discreetly slipping it from his suit jacket to his pants pocket. Again, he wondered if she’d played along and slipped into the little gift he placed on the backseat for her.

  “It was just like any other day, I suppose,” came the answer to Zander’s question. In all honesty, he’d nearly forgotten that he asked one. “And yours?” she inquired next.

  A heavy breath left Zander’s lungs before responding. “Business as usual,” he said, adding, “Until this evening, that is.”

  The demure, half-grin he gave made Vanessa’s insides shudder. There was so much devilment behind the expression she found herself wondering how he managed to contain it all. At the thought, she remembered she had a question of her own.

  “I’ve been wondering something,” she started.

  Zander focused on her red-stained lips and imagined their taste against his tongue.

  “I’m all ears,” he replied.

  Heat seeped from her core as the night she gave in to him crept into her thoughts. Although, if she were being honest, the memory was never too distant to recall at any given moment.

  “How did the rest of your date go the other night?”

  The question, one dripping with sarcasm, brought a smile to her and Zander’s faces. His eyes slipped to the side when a chuckle puffed from his lips. “Let’s just say my jaw stung for quite a few hours after it was over.”

  Vanessa covered her mouth to hide her laugh, but it was too late. “Oh, wow! She hit you?”

  Zander nodded, remembering the feel of the woman’s open palm making contact with his cheek as patrons stared. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’d ever been slapped, but it was the first time so much effort had been put into it. He knew he’d earned every bit of it, though. Those few rushed moments of sweating and heavy breathing with Vanessa had been a valid cause.

  “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I got you in trouble,” she said, not meaning the words in the least.

  She wasn’t sorry.

  At all.

  In fact, she’d do it again for an explosion like the one she had with him that night. She knew as well as Zander did, that woman meant nothing to him and was merely a stand in. Acknowledging the fact that she was the one he wanted that night, she crossed her legs, feeling turned on all of a sudden.

  Zander didn’t miss a thing, noting the way she squirmed. His finger moved over the smooth surface of the remote he held and he contemplated turning it on. The only thing that stopped him was the light knock at the door leading to the rooftop.

  “Yes?” Zander called out, staring at Vanessa while thoughts of making her come with the touch of a button ravaged him.

  A man, one Vanessa hadn’t seen when they arrived, joined them. Dressed in a white jacket and black slacks to match his bowtie, he approached the table with a covered platter in his hands.

  “Thank you, Henry. And let Ramone know he’s to prepare dessert now,” Zander said dismissively, never making eye contact with the server. Vanessa knew his impoliteness wasn’t intentional. He was simply too focused on her to worry how his behavior might be perceived by the man who just left them. She knew this was a fact because she found herself staring at him with the same intensity.

  With a heavy sigh, Zander shifted his gaze to the platter. “Shall we?”

  Vanessa took a breath herself. “Absolutely.”

  A large, silver lid was lifted and set aside, revealing a dish that served as a testament as to why Zander had gone to such great lengths to secure Ramone as his chef. Pan-seared foie gras. The aroma was heavenly and now Vanessa’s mouth watered for something other than Zander.

  Like a true gentleman, he served her first, and then himself. He eyed her as she took that first bite and smiled when a look of sheer bliss came over her.

  “Oh my gosh… this might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” she gushed, dabbing the corner of her mouth with her napkin.

  Satisfied with her reaction, Zander took a bite, agreeing with Vanessa’s declaration immediately after. Since he’d been of age to demand such a thing, Zander always had to have the best. He had to attend the best school, had to drive the best cars, had to be the best in his profession. Even now, staring at the beautiful woman seated across the table from him, he knew it was no mistake that she appealed to him from the moment he laid eyes on her. He’d simply never met another like her.

  The pair finished their meal in silence, but picked up light conversation while waiting for dessert. A beautiful lemon tart was brought to the table once the dinner plates had been cleared away and Zander served Vanessa a slice of that as well. She noted how, this time, he didn’t indulge with her.

  “You’re not having any?” she asked, putting a small piece on the end of her fork to taste.

  Zander simply shook his head, watching as she daintily brought the utensil to her lips. His only response: “I’m saving my appetite.”

  The smooth, velvety texture carried her to ecstasy. It melted on her tongue and her eyes closed for a moment.

  Zander smiled, watching her. He sat patiently as she took a few more bites, but that was all he could stand, growing harder and harder as he took in the site of her.

  A gentle, yet persistent, buzzing between Vanessa’s legs startled her as she swallowed, savoring the citrusy sweetness. Her eyes flickered to Zander and, of course, his face was void of any suspicious expression. The only indication that he’d even been responsible for the sudden pulses vibrating against her clit was the hand currently hidden in his pocket. Working to maintain her composure, Vanessa took another bite, ignoring the sensations Zander induced.

  Good… she put them on.

  He wasn’t sure at first, not until her eyes met his, but now he knew his gift hadn’t gone unused. All of a sudden, the small remote in his hand felt so much heavier, knowing the power it gave him to control her. Keeping the setting on low, he pretended not to notice how much slower Vanessa was now finishing her dessert.

  “Coconut,” Zander said, earning himself a glance from Vanessa—one she had trouble maintaining as her lids hung half-mast. Seeing the look gave Zander so much pleasure. She was enduring his torture and he loved it.

  “What?” she asked, unable to string any more words together than that. It was all she could do not to grip the edge of the table.

  “Coconut,” Zander repeated. “Ramone’s secret ingredient,” he explained. “It complements the lemon quite well, wouldn’t you say?”

  The question went unanswered as Vanessa finally gave up trying to finish the portion on her plate. In fact, she pushed it aside altogether. If Zander had to guess, moisture was beginning to pool between her legs and he could imagine the scent of her arousal.

  Taste it on his tongue.

  Long, brown legs crossed, causing her knee to peek above the surface of the table.

  Van
essa took a deep breath, but still did all she could to hide her honest reaction from Zander. In actuality, her entire body was aching for him. It had been bad enough already just being near him. Now, all she kept thinking was how badly she wanted him to take the place of the vibrator currently threatening to make her eyes cross.

  “Do you think about it?” Zander asked without explanation. Immediately after, he increased the setting one notch.

  Her clit throbbed with excitement and each breath came quicker than her last. Still, she wouldn’t let it show on her face.

  “Do I think about what?” she asked nonchalantly.

  Zander knew beyond the shadow of a doubt Vanessa was playing coy as usual. He loved it, though. He hated when things came to him easily and that was one thing Vanessa had not done. Everything he earned from her was a challenge—her conversation, this date, her attention. It seemed fitting she’d make him work for a reaction now, too.

  Deciding to turn up the heat just a little, Zander stared her right in the eyes when responding, making his question more plain, more direct. “Do you think about how good it felt having my cock buried inside you?”

  Right there… her nostrils flared just a bit and he knew he had her.

  Up another notch.

  Vanessa inhaled sharply, but didn’t blink. The pulses were so strong now, sending waves coursing through her as Zander watched calmly from his seat. She knew what he was waiting for. He wanted to see her lose control. While it was becoming harder and harder to maintain her composure, she wouldn’t give in so easily.

  With her eyes set on him, Zander rose from his seat. She watched his tall frame closely as he took the time to first straighten his suit jacket, and then she became confused when he moved to the side of their table. The legs glided smoothly across the roof’s surface as he pushed it out of the way before taking his seat again.

  He wanted a clearer view of her—a realization that made a breath hitch in Vanessa’s throat. It’d be even harder to hide from him now.

  Parting his legs as he sat comfortably, Zander was seemingly unaffected by the now visible signs that Vanessa was turned on. However, when her eyes drifted down to his crotch, the bulge there let her know she’d been wrong.

  He was definitely affected.

  “Now, where were we?” Zander asked, satisfied with the unobstructed visual of Vanessa’s thighs. They were clamped together like a vice grip. He could see that now. The tension in them told him more than she’d ever confess with her mouth.

  “Do you think about it?” Vanessa asked, turning the question back on Zander. While she’d never truly given him an answer, he didn’t hesitate in the least to respond.

  “Every damn minute of every day,” he blurted, donning a smile that sent a jolt through her.

  Much like he’d done the day they met in Vanessa’s office, Zander leaned in, invading her personal space. He zeroed in on her eyes and he loved seeing that they burned for him; loved seeing that, this time, she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.

  “Is that right?” she nearly panted.

  Zander nodded, but didn’t blink. He didn’t want to miss a single thing.

  “You’re the only one I’ve been able to think about lately,” he confessed, which was the honest truth.

  A truth Vanessa felt way deep down in her bones.

  Zander leaned away again and his gaze wandered up from the sexy stilettos cloaking Vanessa’s feet, to the smooth calves he found it difficult not to reach out and touch, and then to her thighs. He had to have her, but dared not rush their game—not when it was getting so good.

  Up another notch.

  Vanessa moaned aloud, letting her eyes close for a few seconds.

  “Something the matter, love?”

  Zander’s question made her aware of how obvious her reaction had been this time. She was determined to lock him out of her head for as long as she could. The anticipation would only build, making whatever happened next that much more powerful, exciting.

  Shaking her head, Vanessa eventually calmed herself and her brow quirked. “Not at all,” she countered. “I’m perfectly fine.”

  Perfectly fine.

  That natural defiance of hers had him rock solid. While she watched, he unashamedly stroked himself through his pants, finding only minimal relief when he did. Nothing would truly satisfy him but her.

  A fact he still hadn’t fully accepted.

  Vanessa stared as Zander gripped his length, seeing the full girth and outline of his cock through his slacks as he massaged himself slowly. The incessant pulsation between her legs became damn-near unbearable. Still, she wouldn’t let on.

  “I’m just waiting for you to say the word,” he breathed, noting that every time Vanessa blinked, reopening her eyes became more of a struggle.

  His words touched her ears, but only now did she really hear them. He said he was waiting for her to say the word, waiting for her to verbalize her need for him…

  Again.

  Just like last time.

  When she realized this was what he was after, her will became even more ironclad. She was a strong woman and, no, not everyone appreciated that quality. This wasn’t news to her. However, it was beginning to feel like Zander got off on weakening her; enjoyed seeing someone as headstrong as she was breaking because she needed him.

  Only… she didn’t need him. Did she want him? Yes, but… she didn’t need him.

  There was certainly a difference.

  The nature of their relationship had been a power struggle from the beginning, but maybe she needed a break from that tonight. Maybe after being wined and dined, after being treated like a lady this evening, she wanted to hear him do the begging this time. However, verbalizing that would be difficult. Again, she wanted Zander, but not at the price of her dignity.

  Not this time.

  Not tonight.

  Zander saw the exact moment Vanessa’s resistance stopped being a game. There was a distinct change in her eyes when it became genuine. He wasn’t sure what had changed—what he’d said or done that carried her thoughts away—but he knew her mind was someplace else now.

  He continued to stroke himself, giving very little care for whether or not they had an audience on that rooftop. It was quite possible that they’d garnered themselves a few onlookers from the tall buildings surrounding them, but right now, in this moment, that didn’t matter. He was positively weak for this woman, which was why he didn’t hesitate to inquire when he saw the change in behavior.

  “Something on your mind?” he asked.

  No answer came right away and Zander watched, waited. Eventually, Vanessa’s lips parted and words came, but her tone was harsh. Nothing like the sweetness he’d heard otherwise tonight.

  “I won’t beg,” she said firmly.

  Zander’s brow twitched, wondering where the sudden coldness came from, but he didn’t address it right away. For now, he only studied her. She was on edge like she’d been during their sessions, closed off. He thought they were well past that now, but… clearly they weren’t.

  Watching her, he thought some more, digging deeper. What was this she said about not begging? When had he said anything about…

  And then it hit him; this was a misunderstanding. His statement wasn’t meant to make her feel she had to debase herself to have him tonight. Yes, before their first tryst, he did want to hear her admit how badly she wanted him, but that was only because she made him work so damn hard for it. Then, he simply wanted her to acknowledge that he wasn’t the only one who felt something.

  Telling her tonight that all she had to do was ‘say the word’ meant just that: at her command, he was hers—the exact opposite of making her beg.

  It wasn’t often that Zander saw through the misty haze of lust once he was this deep within its grasp, but he did now. His thoughts drifted back to their conversation before dinner, the one where Vanessa shared the news of her divorce being final, the one that brought so much sadness to her eyes. Beyond the shadow o
f a doubt, she wasn’t at her best right now. His area of expertise was typically tending to a woman’s physical needs, so he could admit to not knowing much about maneuvering through the emotional very well. But for her, he’d try.

  Maybe there was a way to do both, he thought. A way to show her she didn’t now, nor would she ever, have to ‘beg’ for anything she needed from him.

  Anything.

  His hand slipped inside his pocket again and he turned the device off entirely, deciding enough was enough. Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief now that she was free. Zander didn’t detect anger, but he was sure she wasn’t exactly happy with him at the moment. And with all the trouble he’d gone through to bring this evening together…

  …he would have to do something about that.

  Vanessa’s eyes shot up when Zander left his seat for a second time, watching as he freed his arms from the sleeves of the tailored suitcoat. Knowing it had to have cost him a small fortune, she was surprised to see it tossed to the ground with very little care. There was a wild look in his eyes and it made her breathe heavily.

  When he loosened his tie and moved toward her with slow steps, she blinked those large, inquisitive eyes at.

  “What’re you doing?” she asked, feeling like she’d suffocate as he stepped into her comfort zone, making rubble of the invisible, protective wall surrounding her.

  This man, he came at her like a barbarian.

  Ignoring Vanessa’s question, a direct command ripped from Zander’s throat: “Spread your legs.”

  Before Vanessa could speak another word or do as she was told, Zander knelt before her and uncrossed her shaky knees. She stared down on him as he positioned her body in ways she hadn’t given him permission to do.

  Well… not verbally at least.

  Her thighs were pried apart and her body was tugged down to the edge of her seat. Breathing was nearly impossible as the sound of those delicate, lace panties she’d only been given tonight were ripped from her hips and tossed aside. Warm hands went to the backs of her knees next, encouraging her to drape them over a set of broad shoulders.