Dirty Laundry

by Lauren Landish

  I cringe inside, hating the defeat in her voice. “Did something happen to make you question your confidence in yourself?”

  Roxy nods, looking in her lap. “Well, I’ve never told anyone this. But I did get an interview with this record exec while I was finishing my degree. He said he worked for a subsidiary of one of the major labels. He wanted to hear my voice, said he listened to my demo CD. I borrowed my stepfather’s car and drove five hundred miles to this guy’s office. I thought maybe he’d want to listen to me sing with a band, or maybe in person, so I took the time to work up my best piece in three different genres. I could do fast pop, a ballad, or one of those tearjerker songs.”

  “Sounds like you took it seriously,” I admit. “What happened?”

  “I didn’t even get to sit down before the guy said he’d get me a deal . . . if I gave him head. He said I’d get a Grammy inside of two years if I fucked him.”

  “Son of a bitch!” I half growl, clenching the steering wheel angrily. “I’ve always heard the rumors of shit like that.”

  “So yeah. I told him the only way his dick was getting off was by being jammed in his own ass. I’m pretty sure he spread rumors about my being difficult to work with after that, but I don’t know that for sure. I just know all interest whatsoever dried up after that. I ended up going back to college, then applying for Franklin Consolidated. The rest is history.”

  Roxy falls silent as I drive the rest of the way to her apartment. I know this building. It’s a great place. Not quite as good as my penthouse, but it’s a good building.

  “I guess this is it,” Roxy says, reaching for her purse. “Can you make sure Hannah gets here safely?”

  “I will,” I say. I was gonna go back to the club, but now . . .

  “Goodnight,” she says, getting out. Earlier, she was ready to take me right there in the club. I could see it, but now she’s down and I can’t help but feel responsible.

  “Wait,” I say, getting out of my car. “Roxy, wait!”

  Roxy turns, looking at me suspiciously as I approach, and I know she’s distrustful of me right now. After that story about the record exec, I’m sure she sees me like I’m a snake.

  “Let me walk you up at least?” I ask. I can’t let her leave like this. She needs something to unleash all that emotion on.

  “I don’t know,” she says, but I ignore her, taking her hand.

  I hit my remote on my car, glad I parked in a visitor's slot. Then again, Roxy’s worth a ticket and a tow.

  She grips my hand back, and I tug her gently to come on. “I mean, the place is a mess,” she finally says.

  “I’m not worried about your dirty socks,” I reassure her.

  “And then there’s Mr. Felix . . .” she says, giving me a half smile and a sigh. “My cat.”

  We get to the elevator, and I’m reassured when Roxy hits the button for her floor. She doesn’t let go of my hand when the door opens, and instead, we walk down the short hallway, Roxy fishing her keys out and unlocking the door.

  “Welcome,” she says, and I’m immediately greeted by the yowling of a big orange cat that goes streaking away from me at first sight. “That’s Mr. Felix.”

  “I see he doesn’t like me,” I joke, closing the door behind me.

  “Don’t worry, he doesn't bite. He does scratch, though, so make sure you’re on your best behavior.”

  I laugh, and Roxy smiles. She lets go of my hand to hang her purse on the coat hook near the door, giving me a look before walking over near the couch, which has a great view of the floor-to-ceiling window and the skyline around us. I walk over, admiring the view. “This is a nice place.”

  “Hannah and I make ends meet, but not much more.”

  “You said your stepfather’s got money,” I note, turning around. “He doesn’t help out?”

  “He would in a heartbeat, but I don’t need it,” she declares. “It’s nice to know I have a backup if something ever happened, but I’d rather handle things myself.”

  I don’t respond. Instead, I lean in, kissing her on impulse. It’s deep and soft, not the hot passion of that first night or the seductive intensity of the elevator moment we dangerously shared at work. I’m kissing her because it feels so right, and Roxy kisses me back, her tongue touching mine, feather light.

  “Jake . . .” she whispers, putting her hands on my chest. “You’re my boss. You need to leave. We can’t keep this up.”

  I look into her eyes again, my hands tightening on her waist as I pull her closer. “I know I should . . . but I don’t want to. You’re driving me crazy. You’re all I think about. I don’t know if I care about shoulds and should-nots.”

  Roxy looks like she’s about to protest when suddenly, she melts into my arms, her arms coming up around my neck to kiss me hard. This time, the passion, the need is immediate, and I push her against the window, my hand running under the hem of her dress to cup and squeeze her ass as I trail kisses over her lips and down her neck.

  “Oh, God, this is . . .” Roxy moans as she runs her fingers through my hair.

  “This is right,” I whisper as I tug at her ear with my teeth, pulling her closer. “I need you.”

  “What if Hannah comes back?” Roxy moans, running her fingernails over my neck, pushing my shirt back a little as I squeeze her ass and move back to kissing her lips. “What if she walks in?”

  “We just got here. She’s not going to be home anytime soon,” I growl, pulling her away from the window. “But we can still go to your bedroom . . . or the sofa, if that’s too damn far.”

  I pick Roxy up. She feels like she weighs nothing in my arms as I carry her across to the couch. I set her down, and she lifts her dress for me. I’m stunned to my knees as her beautiful body is exposed to me.

  I lean forward, pulling her into me as I kiss down her neck to her breasts, finding her right nipple and nibbling on it, the light bites making her gasp and moan. “Jake . . . oh, fuck.”

  I let my tongue tease the stiff nub of her nipple. It’s perfect, tender and responsive. My cock throbs and my heart pounds as Roxy moans to every touch of my tongue, and when I start sucking on her nipple, she’s shuddering, her hips bucking in the nearly see-through white panties she’s still wearing.

  “Oh, fuck, Jake . . . don’t stop.”

  I reach down, sliding my hand inside her panties while I suck harder. Roxy throws her head back, gasping as I trace the wet outline of her pussy until I find her clit, lightly rubbing my thumb over it until she cries out. I look up at Roxy as her breasts quiver at the power of her orgasm. “Holy shit.”

  “Just getting started. I need to see you, taste you,” I growl, tugging her panties down. She’s glistening, soaked in the light of the overhead lamp, and before she can even take another breath, I devour her, sucking and licking her pussy. I run my tongue deep inside her, savoring her wetness until I’m moaning even more, ravenous for her.

  “Jake . . . fuckfuckfuck,” Roxy moans incoherently, tugging on my hair as she grinds her pussy into my hungry lips. “That’s it, baby, that’s how I like it.”

  “Mmm, your milkshake is bringing me to the yard,” I half tease as I pull my tongue out to lick her clit. It’s perfect, and at the first flicker of my tongue over the tip, she lifts her hips, letting me slide my hands underneath her ass cheeks and not allowing her any respite.

  There’s something about Roxy that drives me to new levels of passion and hunger. Growling, I suck and nibble at the tender button, my ears ringing with her cries as I push her, squeezing her ass even as my tongue flutters over her clit, circling it and driving her higher and higher.

  My cock throbs in my pants, and I’m glad that I’ve already given her one orgasm, because the way I feel, I don’t know how long I’m going to last once I get inside her. Suddenly, Roxy pulls my head back, almost as if she senses my worry. “Fuck me! Pull your cock out and fuck me!”

  I grin as I hurriedly undo my belt and yank my pants down, my cock standing thick and proud. I pull
again, buttons flying as I tear my shirt off.

  I don’t care. All I see is Roxy as she holds her long, perfect legs open for me, her pussy calling to me as I line myself up. I stop, just before taking her, realizing I don’t have a condom. I hadn’t thought of it. “Roxy . . .”

  “In my bedroom nightstand,” she says, knowing what I’m thinking. “It’s the room on the right. And hurry. If you don’t fuck me now, you’re never getting another chance,” Roxy growls.

  I practically run, grabbing a condom and getting back to her as fast as I can. Who am I to deny a lady what she needs? She’s writhing on the couch, moaning for me to hurry. With a deep growl, I slide it on in one smooth motion. I take a deep breath, then thrust forward, filling her in one long stroke that leaves us both wide-eyed. Her pussy is perfect, gripping me and massaging my shaft as I stay deep inside her, grinding my hips against her as I claim her. Never have I felt anything like it, and I pull back, pausing for a moment before I sink into her again, relishing the sensation. I moan deeply as Roxy wraps her legs around me, both of us lost in a haze as our bodies fall into rhythm.

  I thrust hard and deep, each stroke of my cock making Roxy’s body shake as I pound her into the couch. Reaching up, I grip the back of her head as my lips find hers and we kiss hungrily. My hips stroke over and over into her, slapping against her legs and ass as I abandon myself. She’s perfect, squeezing and clenching around my cock so tightly that it feels like my balls are going to explode.

  With each hard, driving stroke, Roxy’s eyes darken and her mouth drops open, her body overwhelmed by the feeling of what I’m doing to her. There’s no breath for words, just the harsh pants and grunts of two people meeting in deep, intense, passionate sex. My fingers clutch the back of her couch as I give her everything I have, my muscles rippling and the sweat running down our bodies as we hurtle together toward what I know is going to be an earthshaking orgasm.

  “Almost there,” I grunt harshly with the last of my control, my cock throbbing and steely hard within her.

  “Come for me, Jake!” Roxy moans, and I’m pushed over. I thrust deep into her, crying out as I come. She’s right with me, and her body shakes as she comes around my cock. I kiss her, holding her close as I tremble, staying deep within her as I catch my breath.

  I pull back and rip off the condom when we can finally breathe again, looking at her, and she realizes I’m looking for a trash can. “Over there.” She points. As soon as I toss it in, I realize this may have been a mistake. We’re not going to be the same at work after this.

  Who gives a shit? The little voice inside me whispers as I pick up her exhausted body and carry her toward her bedroom. I didn’t even notice before, but looking around, I can see the music posters adorning the walls. And next to her bed sits the pile of demo CDs she told me about earlier. You want her. She’s worth breaking the rules for.

  “I’m going to have to go,” I whisper quietly as I stroke her angelic face. Roxy nods and gives me a hopeful smile. “I don’t think Mr. Felix is happy with me as it is.”

  She smiles, looking at me with those same deep eyes. “Jake . . .”

  “I know,” I whisper, kissing her softly. I’m so tempted to stay, but I have to go. It just isn’t the right time yet, and Sophie will probably wonder what the hell happened if I’m not there in the morning. “I’ll see you Monday?”

  “Monday,” she murmurs, dozing off. I watch her fall asleep, and I slowly make my way out to the living room, where I grab my shirt off the floor and shrug it back on. I let myself out quietly, a new thought coming to my mind.

  Fuck any rules. I don’t care about any of that. All I’m thinking is that she’s got the talent, and she needs to rediscover her heart for it.

  Roxy

  I come awake with a gasp, my heart hammering in my chest. For an instant, I don’t know where I am. I reach for Jake, but I moan in disappointment when I realize he’s not here.

  “It was just a dream,” I mutter. A dream in which Jake stayed the night, then served me breakfast in bed. Followed by the hottest morning cuddlefuck a girl could dream of.

  “What’s the saying?” I yawn, stretching out my arms above my head and hearing my bones pop. “If it’s too good to be true then . . .” An ache runs down my side, bringing my mind back to last night.

  I don’t know how long it was before Hannah came back in. She’d woken me up, but I dropped off again quickly.

  I’ve never felt anything like what Jake and I did last night. It was amazing, the way his lips danced on my skin, the way electricity crackled from every touch. He was powerful, tender, demanding, and giving, all at the same time. I’ve never been driven so wild to demand that a guy fuck me. I blush as I remember telling him to fuck me.

  “Those eyes,” I say to myself, lying back and putting my forearm over my eyes. “The way he touched me, the way he looked at me . . . he almost stopped my heart.”

  There’s that nickname of his again, and as soon as the words come out of my mouth, I feel something I haven’t felt in a long time. Words and a tune start flowing through my head like a river.

  I can’t stand this creep, where is my Superman?

  He’s late, but I don’t give a damn.

  One glance in his eyes, and I know what I need.

  Gimme mouth to mouth, because he’s a total Heartstopper.

  I jump out of bed and grab a pen and notepad from my nightstand, scribbling down some lyrics as I hum the tune that’s running around in my head. It’s been a long time since I had the urge to write a song. I’ve always been more of a performer than a creator. But being with Jake seems to have inspired me.

  “What are you doing?”

  The words pierce my consciousness, and I let out a cry, my pen clattering to the table as I jump and look in the doorway. Hannah is staring at me, clearly hungover, with her hair in a disheveled blonde halo, looking like a crazy cave woman. “Jesus, Hannah, you scared the shit out of me. Ever heard of knocking?”

  “Sorry, I didn’t expect you to be working with Mr. Rabbit,” she half jokes. She comes over and flops on my bed, throwing her arm over her eyes and groaning melodramatically. “Shoot me, would you? I have the worst headache.”

  “So much for being the responsible one,” I tease, closing my notebook after picking up my pen. “Talking shit about me, and you look like you got fucking wasted.”

  Hannah’s mouth pinches as she keeps her eyes covered. “I’m a grown ass woman. I can do what I want. But it won’t happen again . . .”

  The door creaks open, and we both jump and let out bloodcurdling screams. Mr. Felix stops and peers curiously back and forth between us, padding into the room before hopping up on the bed, looking at us both like he’d like to give us a long lecture on duties to the boss . . . namely, him.

  “Jesus.” We both laugh. “Can we get any jumpier?”

  Hannah lies back on the bed, still shading her eyes. “So how did you get home last night?”

  She knows damn well how I got home. That’s not what she’s asking. “Jake drove me home, remember?”

  Hannah lifts her arm, peering at me suspiciously. “And that’s all that happened?”

  I do my best to keep a straight face. “Yes, what did you think might happen?”

  Hannah grins painfully. “I don’t know, maybe you screwed him and actually killed him this time with that hungry pussy of yours? Is his body in the closet?” She gets up off my bed and goes over, yanking the door open and taking a look. “Yoo-hoo! Jake? You in here?” she calls. “If you’re alive, tap your foot. I’ll rescue you!”

  “Oh, stop it!” I laugh. “He’s not here.” I grin, deciding to turn the tables on Hannah. “Speaking of getting hot and heavy, did you get down with Nathan?”

  Hannah closes my closet, turning to look at me like I’m crazy. “You must be out of your damn mind. He’s cute and all, but he’s not my type.”

  “Mmmhmm,” I say, unconvinced. “I don’t know, you were giving him a few looks like you wer
e more than ready to ride his pony.”

  Hannah growls. “I’m gonna kill you.” She starts toward the bed, then stops, nodding at my notebook. “What were you doing, anyway?”

  “Writing a song.”

  Hannah gawks in surprise. “A song? Now I know something’s really going on. It’s Jake, isn’t it? He’s got you seeing stars.”

  “No,” I reply, even as I blush. I’m a terrible liar when it comes to Hannah.

  “Come on, spill it. No teasing, no bullshit.”

  I look at Hannah, who’s got her arms crossed, then roll my eyes. “Okay, maybe he is the reason, but singing at the club last night awakened something in me that I didn’t think was there anymore. Something I buried, and I want to find it again.”

  I expect Hannah to laugh at me, to call me silly or something. Instead, she bites her lip then gives me a sad smile. “Okay, babe. If you need it, then I’ve got your back. Just . . .”

  “What?”

  Hannah sighs. “Don’t fall in love with Jake, okay? I could see it in your eyes, in the way you performed. You weren’t there for the crowd. You were cock teasing him and loving it. But more than that . . . I saw the way you looked at him. Just, be careful.”

  “I am,” I reply, and Hannah sighs again. “What?”

  “Nothing. I’ve got your back.”

  I bite my lip. “I know.”

  At work the following Monday, I try to avoid Jake whenever I can. I don’t know why I’m doing it. I want to see him. I want to talk to him. I want to be with him.

  Even though I try not to, I find myself stealing glances at him when he’s in his office. As he talks, as he gestures, everything he does, he’s sexy. He commands the room like he owns it. His confidence is pure arousal, and I can’t help but rub my thighs together as I try to get work done.

  Also, I can't get the song out of my head, and I find myself scribbling lyrics whenever Jake is around. Not all of them fit in this song, but there are some that do.

  “Keeping a diary over there?” Matt asks out of the blue while I’m in the midst of trying to write the song instead of working.