by W. Ferraro
Standing so his hand rested casually over the back of CeCe’s bar stool, his fingers grazed her silk covered back, sending a tingle through her body at the contact. Once his blue eyes met hers, she couldn’t look anywhere else. Apparently, he found it humorous because he raised his eyebrow in question.
“Sorry, thought the statement was open for commentary.” When she responded with a quirk of her own eyebrow, he gave an exaggerated smile, before adding, “It would be nice if you introduced me.”
It didn’t go unnoticed by CeCe that both Natalie and Mae were staring at Jarod with goofy smiles on their faces.
“Mae, Natalie, this is Jarod Gates. He’s the Private Investigator.”
“Oh, yes. It is nice to meet you, Jarod.” Natalie was the first to extend her hand, followed by Mae
“Likewise, Mrs. Cross, Mrs. Finn.”
“Oh none of that Mrs. crap! Come, join us, we were just basking in the glory CeCe brings to all womankind.” Mae said, as she moved down a seat giving Jarod the stool next to CeCe.
Flagging the bartender, he motioned for a draft beer then nonchalantly said, “Oh, I agree, she definitely demands attention, but she isn’t the only one. All three of you ladies are very easy on the eyes. Trust me, I’m male…I know these things.”
And so it began; Mae and Natalie were eating out of the palm of his hand. They hung on his every word. CeCe admitted he sold a good game. Complimenting in excess, God, he was almost endearing. CeCe watched sourly as he easily flirted with her friends. Even though she knew it meant nothing, it was just how Jarod operated, it still irked her, and the fact that it irked her, irked her even more.
“Well, I should be getting back upstairs to help Dylan get the girls to bed.” Natalie said, as she reached for her handbag.
“I got it,” Jarod said, quickly pulling his credit card out, and telling the bartender, “for the entire tab.”
“Well thanks, Jarod. Thanks for the drinks. It was nice meeting you,” Natalie said as she hopped down from the stool.
“You know what, Nat, I think I’m going to ride the elevator up with you. Thanks Jarod, you are a sweetie.” Mae said, placing a kiss on Jarod’s cheek before adding, “Cees, we’ll meet for shopping in the AM, okay?” Not waiting for an answer, Mae added, “Have a great night; come on, Natalie.”
Well isn’t that just great!
Suddenly, CeCe was mesmerized by her martini glass, along with everything to the left side of her seat, the opposite direction of him. The unmoving and uninteresting painting her eyes were currently transfixed on was causing her eyes to strain.
Jarod snickered, “WOW! I take it, you are not happy to see me.”
Back to the imperfect martini glass her hazels went, “Happy is definitely not the word I would use.”
“And why is that?”
He wants to hear it then, by God, she will give it to him straight.
“Because what good can come of you being here? Hell, I don’t even know why you are here.”
He searched her eyes, and feeling bold, he lifted his hand and touched her face, caressing her cheek, like it was the most precious of treasures.
God, he smelled good. He smelled of excitement and danger, of memories and of desire. His touch was electrifying, igniting every nerve ending in her face, and throughout her body. Her body was responding to him, ultimately betraying her. She didn’t want to have this reaction to him. She didn’t want him to have this power—any power—over her. She clutched the cord around her neck.
“Is it so difficult to believe that I care about you? That I want to be here?”
“Yes it is.”
His body flinched as if her words cut him.
“What is it going to take to get you to see I’m not the person you think I am? The person you need me to be so badly, so you can ignore the obvious connection we have.”
“What connection?” She asked firmly, knowing the lie was transparent.
His thumb rubbed once more across her cheek, before he removed it. She expected him to place it back on the bar, but he surprised her by placing it on the seat of her chair, pulling it so she sat between his straddled thighs. She could feel his breath on her neck, his smell surrounded her; the musky cologne was intoxicating and clouded her brain. It muddled her desire and ability to keep denying what she knew would ultimately break her. But even as her nipples hardened and her core quickened its already heightened preparations, she clung to the small amount of resolve she still had.
“Notice you didn’t pull away from me. Oh, I’m not denying you want to throw that drink in my face, but your conscience is winning out with the help of your body. You want me here, almost as much as I want something.”
“And what is it you want?”
“Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what I want, but let’s discuss what it is you want.”
Now his hand was resting at her waist, almost like he knew the proprietary touch was igniting a fire she was helpless to fight.
“What. Do. I. Want?” She emphasized every word, trying to focus on her thoughts because honestly, she was imagining scenarios that she shouldn’t.
“Me.” That one simple word was so cocky, so full of assurance, yet so true.
She did want him, more and more with every passing second, and she hated herself for it.
I can’t!
“You think so?” she drained the remainder of her martini.
“Oh, I know so. I’m ready. I’ve been ready. Room 504, your play, Kitten.” He leaned in and grazed his teeth on her earlobe, and lightly flicked it with his tongue before standing and leaving the bar.
CeCe watched his powerful retreating back and that Grade-A ass walk into the lobby and press the button for the elevator. While he waited, he locked gazes with her, and never wavered. When the elevator arrived, he quirked that eyebrow of his in the sexiest of ways, raised his hand and saluted her before stepping in and disappearing from sight.
Fuck me! CeCe squeezed her eyes shut, trying to mute the voice in her head screaming for her to get her ass of the stool, and up the elevator to Room 504.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and grabbed her bag as she said goodnight to the bartender. She walked to the elevator, rolling her eyes as it miraculously opened just as she reached it. Figures. She stepped in and pressed the button to floor five, which coincidentally, happened to be the same floor her room was on.
As she rode the elevator up, even the instrumental music felt sexual in nature. She stepped off the elevator and her body prepped for what was to come. As she walked closer to his room, she could feel the moisture pooling below. Her nipples ached as they strained against the lace of her bra. Her body blushed as warmth covered her skin and sweat began to bead at her temples, her neck, and between her breasts. She stopped just outside his room and looked at the door. She raised her hand to knock then she lowered her hand, turned and ran to the safety of her own room. She could feel the tears building in her eyes, and it just pissed her off even more. Placing the keycard in the lock, she opened the door and stepped into the dark room.
“Six minutes, I’m impressed,” came from the darkness before she was pushed against the closed door.
His mouth hammered down on hers, his hands everywhere. With the door at her back, she felt every line of him. His hardness consumed and thrilled her. He lifted her thigh in his large hand, pressing his throbbing cock to her center. His lips left hers, traveling along her jaw, down her neck, kissing every ounce of exposed skin.
Breathlessly, she confessed, “I don’t even want to know how you got in here.”
Chuckling while his lips still moved erotically around her neck, he said against her skin, “Probably not.”
She pushed his shoulders, causing him to lift his head. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found his. Needing him to know this was only physical, she proclaimed, “This is sex, Gates. That’s it.”
“Whatever you say, Kitten,” his eyes focused on her mouth as his hands covered her br
easts plumping as they went. His tongue invaded and sought no prisoners. He was ruthless in his ability to drown out any thoughts not involving what he was doing to her body. His teeth bit lightly where her neck and shoulder met, followed by his tongue as he ran it along her collarbone, using his nose to move the silk cord and mimicked his movements on the other side. His hand touched her waist, sliding slowly up and touching her bare stomach, ever so lightly with the back of his fingers. But that one moment of gentleness was gone in an instant as he grabbed the hem and pulled up, moving his head just in time, and had it over her head and off in a nanosecond. He dipped his head low, so he could lick the top of her breasts where they spilled out over her demi cup. Nibbling on the soft skin his hand pulled down, freeing them from their lace prison. His mouth seemed to cover her entire breast, but then he tongued her nipple, circling it in expert fashion. CeCe couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips, or the plea for him to continue. Never had she peaked just from her breast, but like her virginity, this moment may be another first, and all because of Jarod Gates. The contact was incredible, even through her clothes. Her moisture flowed freely, confirming he knew exactly what he was doing. She held his head as it moved from breast to neck to breast. If he continued like this, her drought would end in a matter of seconds.
Jarod’s hand ran the width of her thigh, squeezing and moving around to her backside, where it was joined by the other, “God, how I want you,” he breathed. He used his hands to spread her thighs wide lifting her off her feet completely.
“Take me.”
Jarod held her firmly to him, as he walked from the door to the king size bed. He laid her down in the middle, and quickly went to work on the closure of her capris. With a flick of his thumb and finger, he had them undone and pulled down, leaving her in a bra that no longer held her, barely there panties, and stilettos.
He stood in the middle of the room, unmoving just watching her on the bed. CeCe wished she could see his face, to tell what he was thinking, but it was just too dark from this distance.
“I need to do this,” he said quietly in the dark.
CeCe was confused by the way he sounded, were those words for her, or him? Just as she thought he would remain rooted to the floor, he slowly followed her down onto the bed, covering her body with his. This kiss was different, it was sweet and drawn out, as if it could go on forever. His tongue swept in and brushed against hers, communicating without words. He did not touch her except for where he held her face between his palms.
Lifting his head just enough to allow her to look into his eyes, he spoke softly, “This is for you; all for you, with no expectation of reciprocation. Let me do this for you; let me make you feel good.” He leveled himself off her with his strong forearms and kissed his way down her body, giving thorough attention to all that came across his path.
Jarod knelt on the floor; he spread her thighs with ease, maintaining eye contact with her as he pulled her panties down until she was completely bare to him. He positioned his hands under her ass, lifting her to him then he leaned in to her, all the while keeping his blue eyes locked on her hazel eyes.
“Why?” was all she asked, but no other words were needed.
“Because it’s unselfish of me,” he answered, blowing warm air against her stimulated skin. She responded only by biting her lower lip and he added, “I need you to know I’m not the selfish man you think I am.”
He shifted attention from her face, and an instant later she felt his tongue glide in and taste her. With rhythmic sweeps, he licked and devoured her, consuming her essence. Soon, she was pulling on her own nipples to relieve some of the building tension.
“Oh God!” she moaned as she arched her back in pure decadent satisfaction.
His tongue honed in on her clit as two of his fingers entered her, flexing and curling right where she needed them. Tipping her head back, she called out. As if he’d been holding back, everything increased tenfold. The speed of his tongue, the depth of his fingers, and the reaction of her body, she saw the peak just as she crested it, but he had no mercy. He continued his oral assault with a vengeance. Using his strong forearm, he held her hips down as his mouth ravaged her over the first wave, quickly building her to another.
CeCe gripped his hair, hoping to guide him to a halt, but he didn’t take the hint. Her entire body was vibrating with sensation. Everything he did to her center radiated throughout her body, especially her nipples. Her mind was so muddled with immense pleasure she could not be sure of anything. Was the bed still attached to the wall, or like her, was it floating somewhere in the stratosphere, between the clouds.
Her body reached its limit once more, launching her over the edge into complete triumph.
She called out again and again, fully aware there wasn’t a person on the hotel floor that couldn’t hear her screams of ecstasy.
His fingers were no longer moving, only his tongue, twittering back and forth over her clit; just enough to prolong her climax from incredible into my-body-can’t-take-anymore. Finally, he relented, leaving her wasted, no longer with any sense of feeling throughout her nervous system.
CeCe lay spent, motionless except for her heaving chest, covered in sweat from the exertion, and unable to form a coherent thought. She watched as he stood and used his hand to wipe his mouth before taking each one of his fingers in and licking them like they were a dripping popsicle melting in the summer heat.
He walked to the head of the bed, and leaned down. She anticipated the kiss, but it never came. Instead, he studied her face, taking in every pore. This close, she could smell herself on him, and it turned her on.
Fine! He wants me to make the move, I will!
She moved her head the scant few inches that separated them, but he moved away.
What the fuck?
He let out a loud exhale of breath before he kissed the tip of her nose then turned and walked out of the hotel room.
It took CeCe many hours to fall asleep, even after the incredible multiple orgasms, not because she wasn’t tired, but because her brain was running a mile a minute—all because of Jarod. Talk about wham bam, thank you ma’am, I’m outta here. But CeCe wondered why he only pleasured her. He said he wanted her, but yet when she was ready to deliver, he just casually kissed her nose and walked away? She lost count of how many times she picked up her phone looking for a text that never came. Every time she heard motion outside, she would run to the peephole, but there was no tall, dangerously handsome man on the other side. When she finally did find sleep, it was restless laced with vivid memories of the past she tried so hard to keep dormant interlaced with repeats of what happened hours ago. Talk about fucked up!
She had just gotten out of the shower and was towel drying her hair, when her phone finally buzzed with an incoming text. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Oh, now you want a booty call!
Ready to hit Newbury Street in 20? ~ Mae
As she responded back, her disappointment rose! The fact he could disappoint her once again just pissed her off. But as she dressed, applied makeup, and slipped into her flip-flops, CeCe began to contemplate if she was really disappointed at him, or because of him. She wanted him, bad. Even considering her body’s triumphant climaxes minutes apart, she was ready to spend hours acquainting herself with the sensation over and over again, but this time she wouldn’t be alone.
Damn him!
She grabbed her bag, made sure her keycard was in it and headed down to the lobby to meet her friends. Some retail therapy was just what the doctor ordered.
Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that, Cees! She wanted hard and sweaty physical exertion, and not the kind from lugging around boutique purchases.
“So why didn’t you bring something to wear?” CeCe asked a perplexed Natalie.
“Well, I didn’t expect to have any alone time, let alone a putting on the ritz kind of date night.” Natalie answered as she swished metal hangers along the bar, perusing the sixth boutique’s selection. �
��Besides, even if I did, why would I purchase something here when the greatest place is in Appleton? I would have had no problem finding the right dress there.”
No matter how many times she heard her friends’ compliments, it still tickled her that they genuinely felt her store was the best. Natalie, Mae, and their other friend Lola, have become quite the regular clientele at CeCe’s. And to be honest, CeCe adored it. It was like playing dress up, only for adults. Each of her dear friends had amazing, but different bodies that were just so much fun to dress, while remaining true to their styles and personalities, CeCe nailed it, every time, if she did say so herself.
Mae was the epitome of a curvaceous full figure. Some women with her figure would want to hide under layers or frumpy styles, but not Mae; she rocked and embellished every beautiful curve. Natalie was the petite and understated, all over perfect female body. She could carry the classics pieces just as easily as she could the trendy ones; a class act all around and beautiful, no matter what. Their newest friend, Lola, was what CeCe considered a moving muse. She had curves, but the best thing about Lola was she was hard core edgy. She loved to mix things up, like pairing dingy denim with sequins and silk, balancing the opposites perfectly. Or, her go-to attire of vintage concert t-shirts with a flowing lightweight skirt. Lola was toughest for CeCe to wear down as far as just standing still and letting CeCe do her thing, but after months of whining and a roll of duct tape, CeCe finally got Lola to come around.
“Any luck?” Mae asked as she checked the price on a sundress.
Letting out a moan of desperation, Natalie turned away from the rack she’d looked through four times and headed over to a display of camisole and boy short pajamas before saying, “No, I’ll just have to tell him to cancel dinner at the Prudential building, and just take me to one of the bars in Quincy Market. Better yet, room service, so we can hang out with the girls.”
