My cell phone vibrated and I cursed under my breath as I prepared a few drinks. When I got rid of those, I ignored a girl asking for a beer and grabbed my phone.
Charlotte: Look to your right.
My head whipped so fast to the right that my neck hurt. There she was—wearing a tight black dress that molded around her curves, not too short, but far from being too long either, just enough to have a guy salivating for her delicious legs. A guy like me—entering a VIP area with Tracy by her side, and that Donnie boy behind her.
Jealousy coiled in my stomach and I gritted my teeth.
Me: What’s that guy doing here?
Charlotte: Tracy invited him.
I didn’t answer right away, mainly because I would type some inappropriate words. I tucked my phone back into my pocket and gave a beer to the girl in front of me.
I went to the back and halted before my manager.
“Can I go up to the VIP bar?”
He glanced through the door, to the bar down here and to the bar up there. There were three bartenders here and only one upstairs and now the VIP area was full.
“Yeah, yeah, go,” he said. “Just pay attention. If things slow down there, I want you back here.”
“Sure,” I said, already walking to the back door.
I raced through the hallway that led to the back entrance to the VIP bar, my jealousy and anxiety fighting for a place in my chest. I stopped behind the closed door and took a deep breath. I had to calm myself. I had to behave in here. Punching Donnie boy wouldn’t help Charlotte or me.
I opened the door and stepped into the bar area with Alan. The bar was a like a long counter corridor that ran the entire back wall of the VIP area, reaching each section. Charlotte was in the center one with three girls and five guys. She stood beside Tracy, watching the dance floor, while Donnie boy was seated on a black leather couch, talking to another two guys.
“Oh, good. I need help here,” Alan said as he prepared a Black Velvet and a Buck’s Fizz.
Tearing my gaze from her, I started on a martini when my cell phone vibrated.
Charlotte: Where are you?
Me: At the bar.
Charlotte: I don’t see you.
Me: Look closer.
She stared at her phone with a frown and I bit back a laugh.
Tracy leaned closer to her and said something in her ear, then whirled in her hooker heels and sauntered to the bar. Still with her frown, Charlotte looked back at Tracy. She was turning to the dance floor again when her eyes met mine. Almost instantly, the frown was gone and a bright smile shone on her beautiful face.
I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Hey, can I get a bottle of Dom Perignon Rose and a few flutes, please?” Tracy asked.
I turned half of my attention to her. “Sure.”
I grabbed the expensive champagne bottle and some crystal flutes that only the VIP bar had, and put them on the counter.
“Help me with this,” Tracy said to Charlotte, who now stood by her side. She looked incredible with dark makeup and her long hair brushed back in waves. My body hummed, just thinking that later, she would be in my bed.
“Yup,” Charlotte said, grabbing the flutes while staring at me.
When Tracy headed back to the couches, I pushed the martini to Charlotte.
“You remember,” she said, reaching for the glass.
“Of course I do.”
Her fingers brushed mine as she closed her hand around the stem, and I inhaled a sharp breath, trying to control my thoughts so I wouldn’t sport a hard-on here.
She walked back, following Tracy to their group, and I didn’t do anything more than stare at her.
“Whoa, the governor’s daughter is so fine, isn’t she?” Alan said.
My fist clenched and I counted to ten so that I wouldn’t punch him. “Who?” I asked, pretending I didn’t know who these people were.
“The girl in the black dress.” He tilted his chin to my girl. “Charlotte McClain, the governor’s daughter. Everyone in D.C. knows who she is. Look at her! How would they not?”
I gulped. Fuck. “Yeah, I’m from California. Been here for two months. Still learning everything.”
“Well, learn this. She’s the finest out there. Any man in his good sense would give his left hand to spend one night with her. She’ll probably marry a politician though, or a guy like these ones.” He gestured to Donnie and his friends. “But for now, we can stare without being afraid of being punched.”
Or so he thought. I closed my fingers on the counter, pressing hard until my knuckles turned white, before I ended up punching him.
The intense jealousy and rage in my chest increased when Donnie stood from his spot on the couch and sat beside Charlotte and Tracy. He leaned closer to her, talking to her, staring into her eyes. She leaned back on the couch, trying to get away from him. Her eyes glanced my way, and an urge to jump over the counter and rescue her from him assaulted me.
Charlotte downed her martini and gestured to her glass. Donnie reached for it, but she waved him away, quickly standing. She walked to the bar and I met her on the other side.
“I seriously want to break that guy’s face,” I said, through gritted teeth.
Charlotte passed me her empty glass. “Just forget about him. That’s what I do.” She winked. I started preparing another martini for her. “Where’s the restroom?”
I pointed to our left. “Through that corridor.”
She lifted a delicate eyebrow at me. “Do you think that hallway is quiet up here?”
Blood rushed down and my hard-on was back. “We can definitely check it out.”
With a sexy smile, she sauntered to the restrooms’ hallway. I watched as her legs crossed in front of each other and her ass moved side to side. Christ, that dress hugged her body like it was pure sin.
When she disappeared in the dark hallway, I scanned the crowd. The movement at the bar had slowed and Charlotte’s friends seemed distracted.
“Be right back,” I told Alan, then stepped into the back corridor. I ran the few yards until I was facing the door that gave access to the VIP restroom area. I calmed my breath, but my pounding heart wouldn’t listen to me.
I pushed the door open, stepped into the corridor, and closed the door behind me, being surrounded by darkness. Before my eyes could adjust, hands clutched the collar of my shirt.
“Come here,” Charlotte whispered, pushing me until my back was flush with the door, and her tight body flush against mine.
She ran her tongue over my jaw and I shivered. Christ, this woman would be the end of me. I inhaled deeply, savoring her intoxicating cherry scent. I tilted my head to her and found her lips with mine. Her sweet taste mixed with the martini’s tangy flavor fueled my desire, and I plunged my tongue inside her mouth, earning a sexy moan. My hands slipped around her. I splayed one on her lower back, pressing her hips against my erection, tearing a gasp from her mouth, and the other I slid lower, over her fine ass, and then to the hem of her dress, until my fingertips teased her warm skin.
She lifted that leg, wrapping it around mine and giving me access to more of her skin. I clutched her thigh and thrust my hips forward. With a moan, she bit my lower lip. I groaned, sliding my fingers up her thigh to the edge of her panties.
She broke the kiss and clutched my shoulders with both hands, burying her head in my neck. Through her panties, I pressed my thumb on her clit. She groaned and bit my neck.
The sound of glass breaking made us jump apart. Charlotte stole a quick glance at me before racing to the women’s restroom, and I retreated to the darkness.
“Crap.” Donnie walked into the corridor, waving his hands as if they were wet, and entered the men’s restroom, without seeing me.
I spied out. Just outside the corridor, the remnants of a champagne flute decorated the floor.
A relieved breath escaped through my lips. Thank goodness he dropped his flute or he would have caught Charlotte and me.
Adjusting my pants, I went back to the bar, trying to calm my racing heart. A few minutes later, Charlotte strolled out of the restroom area and flashed me a knowing grin. My heartbeat went through the roof.
She halted beside Tracy and some other chick, who were dancing, and leaned against the metal railing overseeing the dance floor, bobbing her head to the song’s beat. She glanced over her shoulder to me, a slow smile taking over, and she moved her body along with the song. Looking at me every few seconds, she smoothed her hands over her hips, wiggled her ass, rolled her shoulders, and even did some fancy step combination. Man, she could dance. She also could give me a massive, throbbing hard-on without even touching me.
Dancing, Tracy and the other chicks huddled beside Charlotte, and they exchanged a few words. Charlotte laughed, but even from here, I could see it was forced. How could they not see it?
Donnie came out of the bathroom and he halted when he saw Charlotte dancing. He smiled and puffed his chest before approaching her. For the thousandth time tonight, I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, fighting the strong impulse to break his neck.
Donnie rested his hand on Charlotte’s lower back and she gave a wide step to the side, getting out of his clutches. However, the guy was stubborn. He stepped closer and started dancing, his movements jerky and awkward. Clearly, the guy didn’t know how to dance.
Still, he kept going. He reached his hand to her and caressed her arm with his knuckles. Smart, Charlotte moved her arms with the song and away from Donnie. Attagirl. He cupped his mouth around his hand and said something. Her mouth pressed in a tight, thin line before she said a few words to him. Then, she stopped dancing, weaved her way around the group, and approached me.
I sighed in relief. “Can I break his nose?” I asked when she sat on a stool.
“I wouldn’t mind, but then the press would be all over us.” She pushed her locks behind her ears. “How long until we can get out of here?”
I fished my phone from my pocket and checked the time. It was 12:40 a.m. “Almost two hours.”
“Ugh, I’m gonna break his nose myself if I have to endure Donnie for another two hours.”
I chuckled and prepared her a martini. “I have an idea. How about I give you my apartment keys and you can wait for me there.”
Her entrancing green eyes twinkled. I had to stop myself from reaching over the counter, cupping her face, pulling her to me, and kissing her.
“I like that idea.” She took the martini from me. “I’ll just drink this, and then I’ll pretend I’m too tired and vanish.”
I grabbed my keychain from my pocket and gave them to her. She put them inside her purse. “I’ll warm your bed for you.”
My breath caught and my heart sped up. “Don’t tease me.”
“Oh, but it’s so much fun.” She winked, grabbing her drink, and walked back to the dancing group.
Of course, Donnie advanced on her as soon as she was back, but Charlotte practically ignored him. Not really. She was too polite to do that, though I wished she would dump her drink over his head.
Fifteen minutes of torture—aka, watching Charlotte dodging Donnie’s moves—and she left.
I watched as Charlotte descended the stairs to the main dance floor, weaved around the edge, and then disappeared through the archway that led to the main entrance. When she was gone, I turned around and found Donnie watching me.
Chapter Fifteen
Charlotte
My cell phone rang, playing Catch My Breath by Kelly Clarkson, the tune I had selected for Mason, and waking me up.
I stirred, realizing I wasn’t in my bed.
Oh, right. Mason had given me his keys, and I left the club so I wouldn’t have to put up with Donnie anymore. Then I drove to his building, parked my car in the back of the parking lot, where, hopefully, nobody would notice it, and entered his apartment. David’s door was closed, so I assumed he was sleeping. I sat on Mason’s bed and waited. And waited. And I must have ended up sleeping.
I picked up the phone, glancing at the time before answering. Damn, it was past three in the morning!
“Hi,” I said, unable to disguise the heaviness in my voice.
“Hey,” he said. “I’m downstairs. Open the door for me?”
“Yeah. Just a second.” I hung up the phone and tiptoed to the kitchen, where I pressed the open button of the intercom.
I opened the front door and waited for him as he climbed the stairs.
His gaze landed on me and he smiled, embracing me and pushing me inside. He kicked the door closed and gave me a quick peck on my lips.
“Sorry I woke you,” he said, retreating us to his bedroom.
“I’m not.” I wounded my arms around his neck.
He quirked an eyebrow at me. “Aren’t you sleepy?”
“I was, until you walked in.”
He pushed us inside his room and locked the door. “Good to know.”
Mason hooked one finger under the strap of my dress, and pushed it aside, lowering his mouth to my shoulder and raining kisses on my skin. His lips made their way up my neck as his hands pushed my dress down, and I trembled in anticipation. The dress pooled at my feet and I stepped away, coming closer to Mason’s body.
He looked into my eyes. “You have no idea how I missed you. I want you to know … there was no one else since spring break.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, glad he had told me that. I hadn’t expected it and that was what made this special. “Me too,” I said. He leaned back into me and I held his shoulders back. “There’s one more thing I want you to know. The way I was during spring break, that direct, I’m not usually like that, never was until I met you. What I mean is, with the way I acted, you may think I slept around a lot before, but that’s far from the truth.”
“I know. I actually like when you’re more direct and wild … but only with me.”
I stood on tiptoes and stretched my neck so my lips stood only half an inch from his. “Only with you.”
He captured my lips and, as his tongue ravished my mouth, his hands snaked around my bare midriff. With deft fingers, he unclasped my bra. I reached for his shirt, but he held my wrists back.
I pulled back a little and raised an eyebrow at him. He offered me a smug grin before diving into me, trailing his tongue down my jaw.
With a renewed sense of confidence, I turned around and pressed my ass on his hips, feeling his erection. With a groan, he clasped my hips and made his way up, until his palms closed around my breasts. I wiggled my hips, moving in a seductive manner, brushing more and more of me against him. He pushed my hair to the side and I turned my head in an angle, giving him full access to my skin. His hands returned to my breasts and he bit into my neck, drawing a cry from me.
“Christ,” he whispered, his warm breath heating my skin, making me shiver. He pinched my nipples and I cried again. “You’re so fucking perfect, did you know that?” He took a deep breath. “Even your scent drives me crazy.”
I moved my hips side to side and he groaned. I clasped one of his hands and guided it down, from my breast, down to my belly, and lower to my panties.
“What do you want?” he asked, his mouth on my ear.
“Touch me, Mason,” I gasped. “Please, I need you to touch me.”
With a groan, he pushed his hand under my panties, and brushed a finger on my clit. “Christ, woman, you’re so fucking wet.”
“For you.”
Mason nibbled on my earlobe and slipped a finger inside me, while rubbing my clit with his thumb and pinching my nipple with his other hand.
“Oh, God, Mason,” I gasped.
“It’s good, yeah?” he asked, his mouth on my ear. He thrust another finger inside me and pushed them deeper.
“Yeah. Oh, God, yeah.”
“Come for me, baby.”
As if his words were magic, I climaxed, exploding in his arms.
Slowly, he slipped his fingers from me and turned me around. His mouth fell on mine as he pushed me back,
until my legs hit his bed. With my eyes on his, I lay on his bed. He took off my panties and his clothes.
I admired the glimpse I got of his body, enjoying how the muscles of his arms and shoulders and stomach popped and flexed while he crawled over me. He reached to the drawer on the nightstand, grabbed a condom, and put it on.
I ran my nails over his chest as he lowered his body over mine, his lips finding mine and his erection teasing my entrance. He sucked on my lower lip. I grasped his upper arms, my nails digging into his skin.
He pushed an inch inside me and my head lolled back, my eyes closing.
Mason cupped my cheek with one hand. “No, baby, look at me.”
Opening my eyes, I locked my gaze with his and that alone took my breath away, the intensity of his hazel eyes crushing me, caressing my soul, igniting my core as if I wasn’t turned on already.
Holding my stare, he pushed himself inside me, inch by inch, and I moaned, feeling him fill me up completely.
Once fully inside me, he stopped and rested his forehead on mine. “I missed this so much. I missed you so much.”
“Me too.” I lifted my hips to him, urging him to move. “Please, Mason, fuck me.”
With a loud groan, he pulled out and backed in again. “I love it when you talk dirty.” He thrust deep into me.
I cried. “And I love it when you fuck me.”
His movements sped up, and he went deeper and deeper.
On the verge of another orgasm, I held his hips. He looked at me, confused, but I only smiled. Then I flipped him around and straddled him.
“My turn.” I lifted my hips, and then lowered myself slowly, taking him all in.
He gasped. “You can have as many turns as you want.”
I began moving slowly, but increased the rhythm. His hands clasped my hips, pulling me to him. In just a few more thrusts, the fire running through my body spiked and I came with a cry. His body tensed before quavering under mine as his release coursed through him. He clasped my arms and pulled my torso over his, and my mouth to his. He knotted his fingers into my hair and snuck his tongue through my lips.
Playing Pretend Page 12
