“A couple of pounds?” Aubrey was amazed at how steady her voice sounded. She needed to get the fuck out of there before she did bodily harm to someone. Grabbing her purse, she slid from the bench and stood up. “You’re right, sis. I do need to shed some weight, starting with a hundred and sixty pounds of asshole.” She marched away, refusing to acknowledge the tears pricking the backs of her eyes. Luckily, she knew exactly where the bathrooms were, and she ducked into a familiar corridor lined with photographs from classic black and white movies.
Refusing to acknowledge the feelings churning in her gut, she focused on her physical surroundings. She held her wrists under the cold water from the tap, studying the dark wood and contrasting white fixtures. The simple, elegant design of the bar had always been something she admired. Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think, she chanted over and over in her head until the roiling in her stomach finally subsided. Taking time to dry her hands, Aubrey tried to figure out what to do. She needed to get out of there. The original plan had been for Marissa and Brock to head to his place in her car while Kenny drove Aubrey home. No chance of that.
Squaring her shoulders, she met her own reflection in the mirror. High color decorated her cheekbones, more than the blush she had applied when making up her face. At least she had kept the tears at bay so the sweeping black eyeliner had stayed intact. Yes, it damn well hurt being spoken to like that, but did she really care what a prick like Kenny Ross thought about her? A little. First things, first. A drink, a cab home and then she could have a pity party with a tub of ice cream and her favorite blanket. After fixing a defiant smile on her face, she exited the bathroom and bumped hard against a wall of muscle. A small shriek escaped her lips, but she clamped down upon it when she recognized Garrett.
His big, warm hands curled around her arms, as he steered her into a dimly-lit alcove off the main corridor. Crowding her up against the wall, he tipped her chin back to stare into her eyes. “What happened?” The tears she didn’t want rushed up her throat, clogging any response she might have made. She held them in, suppressing a sob until it burned in her chest like a brand. He tugged her against him, holding her close until the tension melted from her and she molded around the solid warmth of his body. “Shh, angel, I’ve got you.”
Pressing her cheek against the soft cotton of his shirt, she listened to the steady thump of his heart beneath her ear. The reassuring rhythm lulled her, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, pushing away everything but the feel of the man wrapped around her. Taking a breath, she paused, swallowed down the wavering sensation that threatened to overtake her and tried again. He smelled of citrus and something darker. Turning her head to chase the scent, she nuzzled the bare skin at the neck of his shirt and drew another, calmer breath. Cedar wood; warm and spicy. His fingers stopped tracing gentle patterns over her back and flexed, urging her closer.
A sharp pair of heels clacked on the tile in the corridor, and Garrett eased them further into the shadows until the cool metal of a fire door pressed into her back. Her heart raced at the realization of how close they were to the busy bar. They weren’t doing anything wrong, but a frisson of excitement whispered up her spine. She held her breath, but the steps didn’t pause, their sound fading behind the creak and click of the bathroom door.
Aubrey tilted her head back to stare up into his brilliant blue eyes. Even in heels, she was a good half-foot shorter than him. His height, together with the impressive breadth of his shoulders, made her feel delicate in comparison. A shadow of stubble darkened his jaw. It scraped her cheek, as he lowered his face and pressed it into the point where her collarbone met her shoulder. Surprisingly soft lips skimmed back and forth. “I’ve wanted to taste you for so fucking long, Aubrey,” he muttered into her skin. The heat of his words and their ambiguous meaning turned her liquid. Heavy footsteps sounded on the tile, and she bit back a little growl of annoyance. Why couldn’t everyone disappear and leave them in peace? Garrett, not seeming the least bit bothered, feathered kisses along the bare expanse of her throat, and she forgot everything but the hot trail of his mouth.
“I can’t find her.” Her sister’s voice pierced the haze of desire, and Aubrey ducked further behind Garrett’s broad body, burying her face into his shoulder.
“She must have gone already. Come on.” Brock’s impatient words faded, and she held her breath as she listened to her sister clack after him. Heart racing, she didn’t register the four rapid beeps close to her ear until the door at her back gave way and she staggered into empty space. A steadying hand caught her, and she found herself pressed into a cool plaster wall. The door clicked shut, plunging them into complete darkness. The callused skin of his fingertips skimmed down her arms, raising a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Hot hands grasped hers, lifting them above her head until they were pinned against the wall. The motion arched her back, pressing her breasts more firmly against his chest. A brief flash of doubt faded quickly, as his hot breath skimmed her cheek. She wanted this.
Giving herself over to the moment, Aubrey became a creature of need and hunger.
Chapter Three
It hadn’t been his intention to kiss her when he’d followed Aubrey toward the bathrooms, but now that he had her in his arms, it was all he could think about. His attention had never strayed far from the central booth where the two couples sat, so the bright emerald of her dress caught his eye when she stood abruptly. He didn’t hear what she said over the noisy chatter in the bar, but her stiff body language told him everything he needed to know. He’d told Gina he was taking his break, ignored her raised eyebrow, and hurried down the corridor leading from the center of the bar. And now, here he was, arms, mouth and senses full of hot, willing woman. And not just any woman; Aubrey.
He delved deep, licking and exploring every inch of her mouth as he ground his hips against hers. The thick length of his erection pressed against her soft belly, and he reveled in the way her flesh yielded for him. She stretched on tiptoes, leaning into him, urgent little noises falling from her lips, which he ate into his mouth. He bent his knees at her unspoken demand, pressing the seam of his jeans hard up against her clit. “I’ve got you, don’t worry,” he murmured against her throat. I’ve got you and I’m not letting go, angel.
“Like that, just like that,” she panted, writhing against him. “Please, Garrett, make me come.” There was something beyond sexual desire in her tone, a need for his touch that spoke to the very heart of him. Releasing one of her wrists, he delved under her skirt and brushed aside the damp satin of her panties. His fingers glided easily through her parted flesh, the silken feel made him groan. “Christ, Aubrey, you’re so fucking wet. Is this for me?”
“Yes, yes, only for you,” she moaned, rocking her hips against his hand. A fierce possession gripped him at her admission. He wanted inside her so badly. Releasing her other hand, he fumbled at his waistband. His fly was half-unbuttoned before he caught himself. The stock room might afford them some privacy, but Aubrey wasn’t the kind of woman who deserved a quick knee-trembler in a dusty, dark place. She was special, a prize to be savored.
“Wait, angel, not here, not like this” he panted against her cheek, fingers stilling in the heated dampness of her core. The ache in his balls made him want to scream, but he ignored it.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders, as she rubbed herself against his hand. “Don’t stop, Garrett,” she begged. The huskiness in her voice shattered some of his good intentions. He wouldn’t fuck her, not now, not here, but he could give her what she asked for.
“Brace your weight on me, darling. I’ve got you.” He urged her thighs a little wider, sliding his fingers out and back into her pussy. Gritting his teeth to ward off the demands of his own body, Garrett put all his focus on Aubrey. He rubbed his thumb against her clit, using the hand on her ass to press her deeper into his touch. The slick walls of her sex gripped his fingers, and he wished it was his cock driving into her. He wanted to see her, could imagine the flush on her cheek
s, her teeth biting into her bottom lip as she chased her pleasure, but there was something so intimate about the blanket of darkness around them, he didn’t want to break the spell. “You’re so fucking hot, angel. I can feel you creaming all over me, your pussy is gripping me so tightly.”
She moaned again, a guttural sound deep in her throat. He hadn’t thought anything could sound better to him than her rich laugh, but the noises she made when lost in her pleasure were already addictive. Digging her nails into his shoulders, she used the leverage to rock her hips harder, chanting his name softly under her breath. “Garrett, Garrett, close now.”
“Come for me, darling. I can feel you squeezing my fingers, Jesus, I wish it was my cock.” He thrust harder, flicking his thumb back and forth over her clit. She buried her face into the crook of his neck as she cried out again. The muscles in her pussy clasped tighter. “You want it too, don’t you, Aubrey? You want me to fuck you just like this. Hard. Fast. Deep.” Driving his fingers as deep as they would go to punctuate the hot words spilling from his lips, he grunted in satisfaction when she muffled a scream in his shoulder, and her hips shuddered once and then stopped.
Aubrey turned boneless in his arms, little aftershocks in her core rippling around his fingers. Garrett held her tight, bracing her weight with ease as he waited for her to settle. He tugged free with regret, propping one big thigh between her knees to help her keep her balance. Raising his hand to his lips, he sucked the taste of her pussy from his fingers with relish. She tasted as good as she smelled, creamy and sweet. She was so sexy and responsive; he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to grab the key from his pocket and lead her through the stock room to the stairs to his apartment.
The last shreds of his sense of responsibility edged out the thought, and he sighed regretfully. He couldn’t abandon Gina to a busy bar and play hooky for the rest of the night. “Mind your eyes, I’m going to turn on the light.” He fumbled at the wall behind them until he found the switch, then blinked rapidly as he adjusted to the harsh glare of the overhead light. Aubrey’s eyelids fluttered a couple of times before she finally opened them fully.
She gave him her special smile, the one he adored, only this time, it was even better because he was in on the secret. “Garrett Chase, I feel positively ravished,” she purred. The satisfaction in her voice made him want to beat his chest and roar like a primal beast. He settled for refastening the buttons on his jeans, forcing his miserably aching cock deeper into the confines of the thick material. “I could help you with that.” He glanced up at her words, and his knees turned weak at the blatant need in her eyes, which were fixed on his crotch.
“Christ, Aubrey, don’t tempt me.” He gave a pained groan, and was rewarded with a rolling laugh. Cupping her cheek, he stroked a few wayward curls behind Aubrey’s ear. “Are you okay, darling?”
“I’m more than okay.” She pressed her lips into his palm. Raising her hand to grip his wrist, she leaned into his hold. “Things got ugly for a while back there, but it doesn’t matter now.” Her limpid gaze fixed on him and warmth spread through his chest.
“Can I see you tomorrow?” He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but the urgency to bind her to him, make her a fixture in his life forced his hand. The way she pulled back, an expression of surprise on her face, made him frown. Did she seriously think all he wanted was a quick fumble in the dark? He stroked her cheek softly, before taking a firm grip on her chin. “This is just the start, Aubrey. I’m not the kind of guy who messes around with women in shady corners. Especially not in my place.” The glow of warmth in her eyes at his words sent an unfamiliar sensation fluttering in his gut. Holy hell, she’s adorable.
A sweet smile curling her lips, she reached for the pen in his shirt pocket. Using the lightest touch, she unbuttoned the cuff on his sleeve and slowly rolled it back. He held his breath, as she uncovered the solid black lines of his tattoo, highlighted with shades of red and orange. The stylized flames curled around both his arms from the wrist, stretched across his shoulders and down his back. He wanted to strip the material from his body and display his ink for her. Aubrey would never have struck him as the kind of woman to appreciate it, but he remembered the gleam in her eye at the bar earlier. It surprised him how much he wanted her to like it, to like him. She traced the pattern on his forearm with delicate fingers, sending arrows of need straight into his aching cock. Yielding to the slight pressure of her hand, he let her twist his arm until she found a free space on the underside of his wrist. She wrote a phone number in clear, bold strokes. “This is my private line. If I’m not there, it will automatically route to my cell.”
He smoothed his sleeve down, taking care not to smudge the drying numbers as he fastened the cuff at his wrist. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning,” he promised. Cupping her face in his hands, he drew her closer, nibbling the swell of her lower lip. The desire to dive into her mouth and ramp up the heat rode him, but he needed to show her there could be more to this than fucking.
Flirting with her had become a highlight for him, but the bright hurt he’d seen in her eyes a few moments before showed him there was more to her than the confident rich girl with a sassy mouth. Fuck the differences between them, he wanted to get to know her, to imagine there was a place in her life for him. He broke away from the sweetness of her mouth with a sigh of regret. “We’d better stop before I forget my good intentions.”
He opened the door, spotted her abandoned purse on the floor outside and bent to scoop it up for her. She tucked it her under arm and brushed past him, letting her fingers trail across the rock-hard lump in the front of his jeans. “Witch,” he muttered, and her saucy laugh drifted back to him as she pushed open the door to the ladies’ bathroom. Ducking back into the storeroom, he grabbed a spare apron and tied it around his hips. They were normally only worn by the waiting staff, but he needed something to help disguise his erection. After a final glance around the room, he flipped off the light and returned to the bar. The room was humming now, as diners were joined by the Saturday night social crowd, so it was easy enough to avoid Gina’s inquiring looks.
Taking up his post at the beer taps, he pulled draft after draft, keeping one eye on the corridor opposite. The tension in his shoulders relaxed when Aubrey appeared, not a hair out of place. She strolled toward the bar and perched on an empty stool not far from his position. Dispensing with the waiting patrons as quickly as possible, he worked his way down to where she sat. “What can I get you, angel?” He leaned across the bar toward her, loving the way the flush on her cheeks deepened.
Her lips quirked, but she met his eyes fully, and his heart did a funny little flip-flop in his chest. There was not a hint of embarrassment or regret on her face. “I’d like a glass of water.” Her tongue slicked back and forth across her lower lip. His head followed the movement, swaying like a hypnotized snake before her lethal charms. “My throat is a little dry, but I can’t think why.”
He had no choice but to turn away; it was that or climb over the bar and take her to the floor right there in front of everybody. Taking his time, he poured her drink and slid it toward her. He held onto the glass when she reached for it, held her gaze the same way when she glanced up. “You are fucking glorious,” he whispered, enjoying the deep flush of color that rose on the creamy expanse of her throat. She snatched the water up the second he relaxed his grip, gulping half the contents before pressing the glass to her cheek. A small frown creased her brow, and he had to tuck his hand in his pocket to stop from smoothing it away. “What’s the matter?”
“Oh, nothing really, I just couldn’t find my phone when I checked my purse a few moments ago. I need to call a cab.” She glanced over her shoulder, back toward the bathroom corridor.
“I’ll have a look for it later; it probably dropped out.” He reached into his back pocket and handed her his cell. “Here, use mine.” Nodding to the corner of the display board behind the bar, he indicated the number of the local firm he recommended to his custo
mers. They were reliable, and he wanted to make sure she used a company he trusted. “Ask for Nicky. Give him my name.”
A waved banknote caught his attention, and he moved reluctantly away to serve the waiting man.
By the time he’d sent the last lingering drunks on their way and cleaned up the bar it was nearing midnight. Climbing the stairs to his apartment, he reached for his phone and dialed Aubrey’s number. “Did I wake you?” He propped the handset under his chin so he could unlock the door.
“Not really. I was just lying here in bed thinking about this hot guy I met earlier tonight.” She sounded sleepy and sexy, and he pictured her curled up against a mound of pillows.
Toeing off his boots, Garrett shucked his jeans and crawled into his own bed. “What a coincidence, because I met the most beautiful girl tonight. Let me tell you all about her.”
Chapter Four
From his first unexpected call as she’d lain in bed, Garrett’s sweetness surprised her. She’d expected him to be a little rough, common even. She shuddered at the hated word, hearing her mother’s disapproving tones in her head. Apparently, she wasn’t immune to judging someone on their outward appearance, though she hated when people did the same to her. His ink, the shaved sides of his dark hair, his broad musculature, had all promised a walk on the wild side when she’d fantasized about him. Her shallow dreams of a hot, sweaty encounter didn’t match the steady reality of him. He also had a heart as sweet and soft as marshmallow, which he made no effort to disguise from her. His gentlemanly behavior was starting to wear thin though. They’d been on a series of dates over the past few weeks, mostly during the day to fit around his working hours. Their last date had been to the movies where they’d laughed and smooched through a chick-flick, which he’d chosen. He held her hand, looked at her with such pride in his eyes, her stomach flipped like an Olympic gymnast, but since she’d ridden his fingers to oblivion that first night, he hadn’t done more than kiss her. The doubts hiding in the deepest reaches of her psyche picked at her. Maybe a fumble in the dark was fine with a big girl like her, but in the cold light of day did he find her body a turn-off? So why would he be spending time with me? She stuffed her insecurities down deep, determined not to let them spoil her happiness.
Pretty In Ink: A BBW Novella Page 2
