by Megan Hart
And Cadence rode it. Up and up, higher than she'd ever been, the stop and go stutter of her climax building until she thought she might die. Actually die, stop her heart, burst open the pleasure centers of her brain, but damn, she'd die with a smile on her face.
"You are absolutely beautiful." She came back to earth long enough to hear him say, with something like awe in his voice. "Like you're on fire."
"I am on fire," she tried to answer, but all that came out was a breathy moan.
She became aware of his erection pressing against her thigh. She wanted it inside her. The thought of it, his hard length deep in her core, made orgasm ripple through her again, but again she hovered at the top without quite going over.
She wasn't quite sure how it happened--only that their eyes met and then he was grappling at his belt buckle while she tore his shirt over his head. They wrestled, each striving toward the common goal of getting him naked. He fumbled with the waistband of his boxer briefs and she helped to push them over his muscular thighs.
They'd become a tangle of limbs, a writhing, struggling mass of lust and desire, and the picture they made caused Cadence to laugh, even as her body strained toward climax. Her lover joined her, shaking his head, his chuckle interspersed with short, brief gasps Cadence found incredibly sexy.
He rolled on top of her, his cock a stiff, hot branch between her knees and paused.
"Oh. Ummm," Cadence said, thinking fast. Please, Marnia, let your surprise come with all the accessories. "In the box?"
The larger box that had once contained the butterfly in its packaging still rested on the bed above her head. The man snagged it with a forefinger, his movement bringing his chest deliciously close to her mouth. Cadence took full advantage of it. Yum. Salt and musk, with a hint of something sweet.
Her kiss and the accompanying nibble made him groan. He pulled the box toward them and dumped it out at their sides.
"Thank you, Ms. Attitude," Cadence murmured at the sight of the dozen or so silver foil packets scattered on the comforter.
The man snapped one up, moved off her just enough to tear open the wrapper and slide the thin latex over his erection. His hands were shaking, and despite her super-aroused state, Cadence had the time to find that tiny touch of nervousness endearing. She reached to help him smooth the condom, then kept up the caress to cup his balls. He bit his lip, face twisting into a grimace as she ran her finger along his sweet spot.
"I have to ask," he said, his deep and somehow familiar voice shaking a little, just like his hand. "If you're sure...."
Marnia had told her how the escorts always made very, very certain to get explicit permission before making any moves.
"Hell, yes!"
He didn't ask again. The man slid into her with a shift of his hips assisted by his hand. He filled her completely. His pubic bone pressed on her clit and he rolled inside her, thrusting just enough to move without breaking the contact.
She probably muttered something incomprehensible, but all the words seemed stuck in her throat. She came. Hard. Like flying, like falling. Like cannon fire. Her pleasure erupted inside her, centered in her clit, and tore its way through her entire body from toes to top, so fierce she wanted to, tried to scream, but couldn't.
He ducked his head into the curve of her neck, making his shoulder a too-tempting target for her teeth. She bit him harder than she meant to, then sucked the wound when he yelped and thrust harder in response.
His rhythm changed. He pulled out, thrust in, smoothly. Cadence came again, almost immediately on top of the first orgasm. She clamped her legs around the back of his legs and pushed him closer into her.
Her nails scored his back and he yelped again, but didn't stop. His thrusts got ragged, his breath jumped out of his throat along with a gasp and a moan so sexy it made her come again. Just like that, third time's a charm, something she'd never done or imagined she could do.
He buried himself inside her with a sigh. His cock throbbed, another new sensation for her, and Cadence held him as tightly as she could against her body before her arms became too limp to grip. They fell away.
His weight wasn't unpleasant, just another part of the sex blur she'd just undergone. When, after a minute, he rolled off her, a low noise of protest snuck out of her before she could stop it.
That noise, that sound of pure content, snapped her awake. Her eyes flew open. The post-orgasm languor fled, leaving her with stiff limbs, flushed cheeks and a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
His hand still rested just beneath her breasts. His breath puffed gently on her cheek. He still smelled damn fine, but now his scent mingled with the tang of sweat and satiation.
"Wow."
Cadence closed her eyes. "Yeah."
He got up on one elbow, took care of the condom, then lay back down next to her. "That was unexpected."
The sinking feeling grew worse. Cadence sat up, glad she still wore her bra. It offered only a little coverage, but it was better than nothing. She tugged the coverlet over her bottom half as casually as she could without looking like she suffered from a bad case of after-fuck guilt.
"Marnia didn't send you, did she." It was a statement, not a question.
The man ran a hand through his shaggy dark hair and rolled onto his back, completely unconcerned with his nakedness. "Marnia Disson? The actress?"
"Yes. She didn't send you."
He looked at her with one eye, the other closed as if in contemplation. "No. I don't know her."
"Oh, shit." Cadence sat up, trying very hard not to cry.
The man sat up too and put a hand on her shoulder until she turned to face him. "Bernie didn't set this up?"
Cadence shook her head, her voice stolen by mortification. The man reached over way less subtly than she had and covered his lap with the spare pillow.
"Oops."
The incongruous statement made her laugh even though she didn't feel like it. "I thought...I guess it doesn't matter what I thought."
"I thought something, too," the man admitted. His grin seemed somehow shy, his ears still pink. He looked up at her.
They stared at each other for what seemed like a very long time.
"I've never done that before," Cadence said finally. At his cocked eyebrow, she continued, "Had sex with a stranger."
"Ahh." He bit his lip a bit and looked around the room. "Well, you're pretty good at it."
She knew she was gape-mouthed with surprise, but couldn't help it. "What the hell were you doing, sneaking into my room on a room service cart anyway? Are you insane?"
He frowned. "Did you think I was on the menu? What did you order, dessert with a side of beefcake? What exactly did you think I was?"
"A gift!" she cried. "From my friend Marnia!"
He crossed his arms, elbows on the pillow. "What kind of friend sends a man over to her friend's room to have sex with her?"
"A good friend," Cadence shot back. "What kind of man sneaks into a woman's room on the bottom of a room service cart and then gives her the best sex she's ever had?"
The words hung between them. He gave her another half-shy grin that nonetheless had a sexiness that dove straight between her thighs. "Best ever?"
Cadence covered her face. "This is a nightmare. Please say it's a nightmare."
"Hey," the man said. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Listen, I'm sorry. You said you were sure. I admit I was a little surprised. I thought you were supposed to be talking to me about doing some charity work. I didn't expect you to come on to me like that--"
Cadence groaned. "Do you always leap on top of women who proposition you like that?"
"No." Silence for a moment. "I know I have a rep for it, but the truth is, no. I don't."
She peeked at him through her fingers. "No?"
He shook his head. "Really."
She didn't know why, but all at once she wasn't so embarrassed. "You still haven't explained what you were doing under my cart."
He scratched at his
head and pulled his hair back from his face while he looked over at the cart. His expression turned sheepish and he shrugged. "It seemed safer that way. Keep away from the paparazzi, you know?"
"Am I missing something?"
He sat back a little and stared at her. His grin turned wondering. "You...you don't know who I am?"
Oh, shit. This was La Fleur, after all, haven to all sorts of celebrities. Cadence thought fast, tossed around a few names, then shrugged in admittance of her ignorance. "Not really. I'm sorry."
He laughed. "Get out of here."
Cadence tried to look apologetic and took another stab at it. "Umm...Steve Buscemi?"
Now she'd made him go open-mouthed. She laughed. "Just kidding. Sorry. I really don't know."
Her lover rubbed his forehead. Then he began to sing. "Just for tonight, let me love you right. Two times, baby. Once for what is and once for what might be."
Even without music, his voice was perfectly on key, harmonious, resonant. She'd heard the song, unable to avoid it since it was all over the radio and had been for the better part of a year.
"Jude Camron," he offered. "I'm...I'm kinda well-known."
That was like saying the Queen of England was kinda royal. Cadence gulped. Then she burst out laughing. Jude joined her and they both guffawed until tears streamed from their eyes.
"You must think I'm the most incredible doofus!" Cadence wiped her eyes.
"No. Okay, maybe a little." He shot her that sexy shy grin again. "But mostly not. Mostly I think you're amazingly beautiful."
That stopped her from laughing. "Shut up."
He shook his head. "I have to say, I've had a lot of come-ons in my life. I've had lots of women show up naked in my hotel rooms. I've never had sex like that."
Warmth that was only half embarrassment kindled in her belly. "I thought you said you didn't sleep around like that."
"I don't." That grin again. "But I didn't say I never had. I gave it up. Too many problems."
She nodded like she understood, though she didn't, really. "I bet."
"It's pretty amazing what some people will do to get a piece of you. And once they've had one, it's usually not enough. People think they have the right to own you, just because they're fans. I love my fans," Jude said. "I just decided I wasn't going to love my fans any more, you know?"
Now she did know. "It must be hard to find a relationship."
He nodded. "Yeah."
An insistent ringing jangled through the room. Jude grimaced and got up from the bed, leaving the pillow behind. Cadence looked away to give him the illusion of modesty, but couldn't help taking another peek. Damn, he was built like a god. Long, lean thighs, tight sculpted ass, a back just made for scratching. Her nails had left pink lines.
Jude grabbed up a towel from the bathroom door and flipped open his cell phone. "This is Jude. Bernie, listen...something got messed up. Yeah, I know. I'll bet she is. Listen, just tell her I'll write a check to the foundation, okay? I don't know...an even five?"
A squawk made him hold the phone away from his ear. "Don't bitch, Bernie, or I'll make it ten million. Yeah. And...tell her I'm really sorry I missed the appointment, and that I'll be happy to perform at the benefit. I don't care about that. Bernie, man, I have to go. What? Oh, shit."
Jude went to the window and looked out. "Damn. Yeah." His gaze cut to Cadence. "Bernie, it's all good. Yeah. I know. Later." Jude sighed heavily and disconnected. "My agent."
Cadence's eyes had widened at the numbers being bandied about so casually. "The charity woman is mad?"
Jude shrugged. "I missed the meeting."
"Sounds like you're being more than generous."
Another shrug. "They need it more than I do."
He was getting more interesting by the minute. "What's the charity?"
"Wish Come True." Jude's head tilted as he grinned and shrugged. "It's for kids with terminal diseases. Every year they give a benefit concert to raise money."
"I'm impressed."
Jude looked at her with that odd but endearing one-eyed glance. "My younger brother died of leukemia when I was in tenth grade. I guess I want to give these kids something in his memory."
Cadence took his hand, the calluses warm and scratchy on her palm. "It's a good thing to do."
"My own little mitzvah." Jude laughed. "Hey, I've got a lot. Most of these kids don't have anything. If I can use my voice for something good, well..."
He trailed off, then looked down at their clasped hands. Cadence thought he'd drop the grasp, but instead Jude swung her hand lightly in his and pulled her closer.
"We haven't been properly introduced," he whispered. "You know my name, but I don't know yours."
"Cadence Murphy." Cadence grinned. "So, now you know."
"Now I know." He inched her slowly closer until the heat of his breath caressed her cheek. "It's nice to meet you, Cadence."
Under any other circumstances, this would have been a supremely awkward moment. Staring into Jude's eyes, Cadence couldn't make it so. Everything about him made her feel comfortable.
"I should go."
She nodded. "You're late for your meeting."
Jude didn't let go of her hand. Cadence bit her lip and looked down at their hands, then back up at Jude. He inched her even closer.
"I should go."
"I think you said that already."
He was going to kiss her. The thought made Cadence's toes curl. Jude licked his lips, drawing her attention to the fullness of his mouth, the way his lips glistened....
The jangling of the phone in his other hand made him let out a strangled curse. Cadence laughed, but disappointment flooded her when he let go of her hand to turn and answer the call.
"Bernie, man, listen...they are? Damn." Jude crossed to the window and peered out through the curtains. "I see them. The hotel, too? Oh, man."
Cadence grabbed one of the room's complimentary robes from the back of the door and busied herself with straightening the comforter and pillows while Jude talked. She tried to keep her perusal of him from looking too obvious, but he turned and caught her staring. He grinned and kept talking.
This was far and away the strangest thing that had ever happened to her. Serendipity at its finest. She couldn't let herself dwell overlong on it either, or else she'd freak herself out.
Sex with a stranger was bad enough. Mind-blowing sex with a stranger a bit more redeemable. Mind-blowing sex with a major rock star--that was absolutely insane.
Jude ended the call and tapped the phone against his palm. "Bernie says the Jude-licious Ladies are in the hotel."
"Fan club?"
He nodded. "They're a bit...extreme."
"Is this usually a problem for you?" Sympathy made her frown. Marnia often told her that glamour and fame were offset by the inconvenience of...well, glamour and fame.
"Not usually at La Fleur. Someone tipped them off about the charity meeting." Jude's dark brows knitted. "Probably the charity lady."
"What are you going to do?"
He gestured toward the window. "I just saw a bunch of them in the courtyard outside. Bernie said a couple of them managed to register rooms. Which means they, and their guests, have access to the corridors."
"Want me to look outside?"
His dark eyes lit. "Would you?"
"Sure." Cadence tightened the belt of the robe. "Not a problem."
She spoke too soon. The second she opened the door to the hall and peeked out, three women did a double-take and ran back from the end of the hall.
"Down here, Sylvia!" cried the first, who wore a black t-shirt emblazoned with Jude's name in glittery rhinestone letters.
"Oh, sorry," said Sylvia, when she saw Cadence had opened the door. "We're looking for Jude Camron. Have you seen him?"
Cadence began to reply, but the third woman cut her off. "You're not Amber Daley."
"No."
"Or Marissa Manit."
"Um...no." Cadence bit back a smile. Both the women s
he'd named were super-young, super-cute actresses.
"Are you anyone?" Sylvia broke in, so eagerly Cadence couldn't even find it in her heart to be offended by the unspoken connotation that she was not, in fact, "anyone."
"No, I'm sorry. I'm not."
The woman who'd named the actresses looked at Cadence with suspicious eyes anyway. "Are you a fan of Jude's?"
