by Chiah Wilder
In less than fifteen minutes, my Corvette pulled out of the hotel’s driveway, heading to Cierra’s place. She’d gone back in and told Lindsey she wasn’t feeling well and had to leave. Lindsey was more than gracious, and I suspected she enjoyed the opportunity of being in the spotlight. I said my goodbyes to the important figures, winked at Victoria when I saw Daniel’s hand on her knee and his mouth close to her ear, and met Cierra in the lobby. My grandfather would go apeshit if he saw me taking off early with an employee, but it didn’t matter. Cierra was worth it. She wasn’t just an employee.
Cierra wasn’t just an office fling.
She was so much more.
She was someone I had deep feelings for.
Chapter Eighteen
Cierra
Pounding heart, sweaty palms, and quivering muscles consumed me as Trace drove to my place, pulling into a parking space right in front of the building.
“That was luck,” I said, breaking the silence that’d engulfed us on the drive over.
“Yeah.” He winked at me and switched off the engine. My heart beat roughly in my chest.
As I rummaged for the front door key, his hands wrapped around my waist and I paused, feeling his hot breath on my neck.
“This sexy tattoo is killing me,” he rasped, sending chills up my spine. He pulled me against him, his hands slipping around my stomach. Closing my eyes, I tilted my head back as he moved his hands up slowly, his thumbs brushing along the bottom of my breasts, and a small moan escaped through my lips. I pushed back, my ass rubbing against his crotch, and he spun me around, my chest pressed against his. He gripped my hips at the same time I looped my arms tightly around his neck.
“You look amazing. Did you buy this dress for me?” he asked.
Our faces were mere inches apart and our ragged breaths mingled together. I licked my lips and nodded. Muscles deep inside me tightened and arousal surged through my senses. I couldn’t remember ever being so turned on before. He stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, then swept his tongue across my lips, tasting and teasing me. Low guttural moans vibrated in my throat as I parted my lips, giving him greater access.
“So irresistible.” When his tongue twisted with mine, shivers skated over my skin. He drew away, ran a thumb under my bottom lip, and stared at me intently. Desire heated his eyes, and the look sent a bolt of fire between my legs. Jerking me closer so there was no space between us, he took my mouth with a savage intensity as he ground his hips into me, his hardness rubbing against my stomach. My body was in overdrive, and my panties were beyond damp.
As we stood outside kissing like crazy, the sense that someone was watching us washed over me. I pulled back a little and Trace moved his mouth to my neck, nipping and biting, as I looked past his shoulder. Nothing was amiss. The occasional car went by, but no one was out there. I couldn’t shake the feeling we were being watched though.
“Holy shit!” I jumped when Trace’s hand landed on my panties.
“You’re fucking soaked,” he said into my ear before he pulled the lobe between his teeth.
Dragging my gaze from the empty street, I ran my fingers through his hair and whispered, “Let’s go upstairs.”
He kissed me hard and held his hand out for the keys.
On the ride up the elevator, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other, which continued down the hall until he opened the front door. The minute I closed it, he slammed me against it, his mouth hungrily devouring mine once more as his hands slipped under my dress and up the insides of my thighs.
“Trace,” I whispered as I grabbed his hand and pulled it toward me. He flinched his head back and I slipped under his arm, tugging him behind me. As hot as it would be to have sex against the wall, I wanted our first time to be in my bed. Maybe it was cheesy, or I was making what we were about to do more than it was, but I wanted it to be romantic.
When we got to my bedroom, I kicked off my heels and went to the window to close the shutters. Across the street, I saw the silhouette of a man against the glow of the streetlight. I sucked in my breath. I could swear he was looking up at me, but I couldn’t distinguish any features. Then the figure slipped into a black car, started the engine, and drove away. I racked my brain, trying to remember if the black car was there when we got to the building or were kissing out front, but I couldn’t. Why I was making an issue of someone getting into his car and leaving, I didn’t know. I just had the vibe that something wasn’t right and the figure was watching me.
“What’re you looking at?” Trace asked.
Pulling the shutters closed, I turned around and smiled. “Nothing.”
“Then get your ass over here.”
I giggled and went to him, and he drew me close and kissed me deeply. Desire surged through me and I tugged at his suit jacket, trying to slip it past his shoulders. He chuckled and helped me out, then threw it on the chair next to the dresser. I fumbled with the buttons on his dress shirt, dying to see the tattoo that had peeked out of his tight T-shirt that night at the Tipsy Cow. I’d been dreaming about it since then. When the last button popped open, I slid the shirt down his arms and it fell to the floor, crumpled at our feet. I stepped back and gasped: tanned skin stretched taut over corded muscles, his tantalizing V dipped beneath the waistband, and inked tribal symbols flowed with his rising and falling chest. In a word, he was magnificent.
I ran my hands up and down his strong arms, then explored the grooves of his pecs and abs. Stepping closer to him, I pressed my mouth to his chest and kissed him, then traced the lines of his tattoo with the tip of my tongue. A low, guttural growl broke from his lips.
“Fuck, Cierra.”
Rolling off his tongue, my name sounded sweet and nasty at the same time. I looked up at him through lowered lashes and caught his hungry gaze.
“Take your hair down.” His voice had an edge of sternness.
I removed the pins and it cascaded down my back. For several seconds he took me in, his hungry gaze slowly traveling over me, lingering at my bust. Then he placed both hands on my shoulders and gently turned me around. Unzipping my dress, he pushed it down slowly, carefully, to the floor and over my feet. I quivered as his hot breath fanned over the nape of my neck, and goose bumps erupted on my skin. I reached behind me and placed my hands on his hips as I leaned back into him. Very slowly, his fingers trailed from my neck to my shoulders, down my arms, across my stomach, and between my breasts. By the time he placed one hand over my breast, his finger stroking the very tip of my hard nipple, my insides were mush and every part of my body ached for him.
“You like that?” he said thickly.
“Yes,” I breathed, trembling under his touch. The only clothing I had on was black thigh-highs and panties.
As he flicked my other nipple while running his hand down past my rib cage, I squirmed and clenched my legs together. His hand slipped between my thighs, nudging them until I parted my legs. He then cupped my sex, his thumb stroking my sweet spot, and I thought I was going to come right at that moment.
“I bet you taste real sweet, like your lips do.”
I craned my neck and his mouth came crashing down on mine as teeth, tongue, and lips tangled and meshed together to create the sexiest kiss I’d ever had in my life. My whimpering moans were quickly smothered by his commanding mouth, and the way he was touching my clit through my panties had my senses soaring. He squeezed my breasts, then walked me toward the bed, his mouth never leaving mine. Turning me around, he placed his hands on my shoulder and eased me down on the mattress. I watched him peel off my stockings, and then he bent over, kissed me hard, and nuzzled me from my aching breasts to my see-through black panties.
A low grunt rumbled from his throat. “You soaked right through your panties.” His voice was raw, and my hips rose toward his face. Looping his fingers around the waistband, he slipped my panties down my legs before placing a hand on each of my bent knees, spreading me wide. A seductive smile crossed his lips. “Beautiful.” Then he dipped
his head lower and ran his tongue over my core in one long lick. I bucked as desire flooded me. He straightened up and hastily unbuckled his belt. I sat up, trying to help him, but he scooted out of my reach.
“I want to touch you,” I said as I watched him roll off the bed and unzip his suit pants.
He winked at me. “That’s for later. Right now, if you touch me, I’ll blow for sure.” He shrugged off his pants and boxers, and his erection sprang from beneath the elastic band. Taking a packet out of his pocket, he placed it on the nightstand. He came back on the bed and grasped my arms, pinning them over my head. Bending down, he gripped my wrists and kissed me again, this time rougher. My body tingled in anticipation.
“Keep your arms over your head.” His tone was stern and made me clench my thighs together. With my arms like that, the sensitive stretches of skin along the sides of my body were exposed, and Trace kissed and scratched down to my hips, leaving a trail of goose bumps in his wake.
I twisted, aching and raw, trying to clench my legs together to give me some relief, but he’d have none of that. He kept his knees between my legs and continued to lick, scratch, bite, and tease the hell out of me until I was a ball of aching, burning need.
“Keep your legs apart,” he said while his mouth and hands followed the path down to my pulsing sex. Moaning, I thrashed my head on the pillow, and he looked up and caught my gaze. Spreading me wider, he slipped his hands under my thighs and grabbed my butt, bringing me closer to his mouth. I watched as he licked my folds, thrusting toward his face as he flicked my sweet spot. When his finger slipped inside me, I lost it, an atomic blast exploding inside me as my release echoed through me. Holy shit! That orgasm was the most intense I’d ever had.
Trace slid up my body and kissed me tenderly, sweeping away the hair on my damp face. When he grasped my wrists and brought my arms down, I curled them around his back, pressing him close so we were skin to skin.
“That was amazing,” I said breathlessly as my body began to come back to Earth.
“Wait until you feel me inside you.” He ground his dick against me. He leaned over and grabbed the packet, ripping it open with his teeth and rolling the sheath on.
“I can’t wait.” I traced his jawline with my fingernail.
He pushed up and placed my legs over his shoulders, rubbing my sensitive mound with the tip before pushing inside me. It felt so good, but the sound he made when he entered me turned me on more than anything. Soon he was thrusting deep and hard, and my body rose and fell in rhythm with his. I dug my nails into his nape, and he grunted and hissed as he shoved harder and deeper inside me. As he increased his speed, his finger on my clit flicked in unison until a long thrust drove a cry from my throat. He stiffened, then held my gaze as he rasped, “Cierra.” He collapsed on top of me, his chest heaving as I rode the wave of another orgasm.
I ran my fingers through his damp hair and for a long while he lay on top of me, our legs tangled, basking in the afterglow of amazing sex. He rolled off me and sat on the edge of the bed, then discarded the condom. He stretched out next to me and drew me close to him. I snuggled in the crook of his arm, breathing in the tangy, musky scent of sex that filled the room.
“Okay, so you really know how to fuck,” I said.
He chuckled. “So do you. That was incredible.”
I playfully punched his arm. “Don’t act so surprised.”
“I should’ve figured a hot woman like you would be great in bed.”
The truth was I usually couldn’t get into the sex part of a relationship. I’d enjoy it moderately, but the big O never came without a vibrator. So I was surprised I’d come so hard twice with Trace. The man knew his stuff.
I wondered if he was going to spend the night or sneak away after I fell asleep. Our legs entwined under the cool sheets, and the small breeze coming in from the window felt good as it flowed over my sweaty body. From the way Trace was breathing, I knew he’d fallen asleep, so I burrowed deeper into him and closed my eyes.
In my dream, Trace licked my breasts with that wicked tongue of his as he slipped inside of me. Something poked me and I cracked open an eye. Everything was blurry. I blinked and opened both eyes, rubbing them with my palms.
“Good morning,” Trace said as he looked up from my breast.
Am I still dreaming? I blinked, closed my eyes, and blinked again. He was still there doing wicked-delicious things to my body. I smiled and tangled my hand in his hair. “Morning. What a wonderful way to wake up.”
“Agreed.” He bent down and kissed me, and I sank deeper into the mattress as I let him have his way with me.
After a couple of hours, I padded into the kitchen, my wet hair dripping down the back of my terry-cloth robe. Trace was washing up. I still couldn’t believe he’d spent the night. I took him for the type of guy who never woke up beside a woman. I remembered Kelsey had told me that he never wanted to spend the night, even though she’d given him a key to her apartment. It’d pissed her off, but she figured they needed more time for him to get used to being in a relationship.
Kelsey… oh shit! What the hell am I going to do? I turned on the coffee machine, then sat down on the couch, trying to quell the nausea that had invaded my stomach. I couldn’t tell her. Even though she and Trace weren’t together anymore and she was spending the weekend in Santa Clara with Chandler, I knew she’d kill me if she found out. Was it wrong for me to have sex with Trace? We’d both been wanting this for weeks, and even though I was sure Kels would view my actions as a betrayal, I didn’t feel like I’d done anything wrong. Trace wasn’t hers anymore, and she wasn’t his.
“Coffee smells good,” Trace said as he poured some in the cup I left out for him. He took a sip. “Damn good.” He smiled broadly.
I nodded as I twirled a damp strand of hair around my finger. Trace watched me. I kept twirling.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he joined me on the couch.
“Nothing,” I answered, avoiding his gaze.
“Do you want me to leave?”
My heart lurched. “No,” I said quickly. He reached out and took my hand. I put my other one on top of his. “I don’t want you to leave. I’m glad you stayed over.”
“I didn’t plan on it, but I’m glad too.” I picked at a loose thread in my robe. “Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
I inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. “Kels. I feel like she’d think I betrayed her.”
He jerked his head back and slipped his hand away from mine. “Kelsey? How could you betray her? We’re not together anymore.”
“I know, but….”
“Do you feel like you betrayed her?” I shook my head. “Then what’s the problem?” He ran his hand through his hair, looking pissed. “You know we were never serious, right? I don’t know what she told you, but I told her from the beginning that I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend or anything permanent. There was nothing really between us, and then she—”
“She was in love with you,” I said softly.
“I think she was in love with the idea of being in love with me.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m pretty sure she was in love with you.”
He shrugged. “Really? She had a funny way of showing it.”
I looked up at him. “What do you mean by that?”
He put his hands on either side of my face. “Kelsey is over. Let’s enjoy the day without dredging up the past.” He brushed his lips across mine. “I thought we’d drive to Napa Valley and have lunch in St. Helena.”
Joy coursed through me. He wants to spend the day with me. Then my insides twisted and Kels invaded my thoughts again. Was I being a bad friend if I went to Napa with Trace? He was right when he said they weren’t together anymore, and I really liked him. He was different from any man I’d ever been with, and the pull I felt toward him was real. And it was damn strong.
“What do you say? Napa or not?”
“Well… I do have to eat.”
He tugge
d me to him and kissed me hard. “I ought to spank your ass for that.” He laughed and kissed me again, then pushed me down on the couch and slid his hand inside my robe.
“We’ll never get out of the apartment if you don’t behave,” I whispered against his mouth.
“I’ve got an insatiable hunger.” He bit my neck, then sucked at the skin. I’d be wearing scarves for the next week.
After we fooled around for a while, I went into the bedroom and changed into a jean skirt and knit top. Pulling on a pair of boots, I went back into the living room and saw Trace looking out the bay window.
“I’m ready,” I said as I picked up my phone.
He turned around, his face tight.
“What’s wrong?”
Scrubbing his face with his fist, he shook his head. “Nothing. Does someone in your building own a black Lexus?”
“I don’t know. Why?” I went over to the window, looked out, and gasped. The black car I’d seen the previous night was double-parked across the street. “Is that the car you’re talking about?” I pointed at it.
“Yeah.”
“I saw it parked across from my place last night when I went to close the shutters. It looked like a man was standing next to it watching me. It kind of creeped me out.”
“Fuck,” he said. “Stay here.”
“Where’re you going? Come back, Trace.” My words fell on deaf ears as he dashed out of the apartment and ran down the hall to the stairwell. I closed the door and went back to the window. Trace raced onto the sidewalk and the black car sped off. I watched as Trace ran after it for a bit, then turned around and walked back.
I gathered up my things, took his jacket, and closed the door behind me, meeting Trace on the landing of the first floor.
“Who was it?” I asked as I handed him his jacket and took his extended hand.
“I couldn’t get a good look at him. I did get a couple numbers off his license plate though. I’ll see what I can find out.”
