City of Sin

by Ivy Smoak

  I watched him hail down a taxi. I thought he might grab my hand again or drape his arm across my shoulders with an excuse to keep me warm. But he didn't touch me at all.

  A taxi stopped right in front of him and he opened up the door for me. I walked up to him and placed my hand on his forearm. I could feel his muscles beneath his wool coat and suit jacket. "Thank you for a wonderful evening. I'm sorry that I thought you...well, that I suggested that you were..."

  He pulled out his wallet, ignoring me. "I believe you said you wanted my number." He handed me his business card.

  I looked down at the card. His cell phone number was listed at the bottom. "I didn't actually, but thank you." I leaned forward slightly. His cologne was making me slightly dizzy. I wanted him to kiss me goodnight.

  He smiled down at me. "Get in the taxi, Bee."

  I looked up at him. Why isn't he kissing me? I batted my eyelashes in what I hoped was a seductive way.

  "You do realize how hard you're making it for me to take things slow?" he asked.

  "Maybe I don't want you to take things slow with me."

  "Trust me, baby, you do."

  His words made me cold. "Goodnight, Mason."

  "Goodnight, Bee."

  I was sure my facial expression didn't hide my disappointment. I guess I needed to step up my game. Hopefully Kendra could give me a few dating tips. I climbed into the taxi and Mason closed the door behind me.

  He tapped on the front passenger's window and the cabbie rolled the window down. "West 96th Street," Mason said as he slipped the taxi driver some money.

  How does he know my address?

  I turned to look at him as the taxi sped off. He was standing on the sidewalk staring at me. He waved before shoving his hands into his pockets. He had a smug grin on his face.

  Is he stalking me?

  Chapter 31

  Bee

  I looked down at Mason's number in my phone. I didn't want to play games with him. Waiting around to hear from him was awful. So why wasn't I texting him?

  "Are you going to call him or not?" Kendra said and sat down on the edge of my desk.

  "I think I am." I bit the inside of my lip. Why did he have to be so hard to read? I thought I wanted to date a nice, normal guy after Patrick. Mason wasn't either of those things. But I couldn't stop thinking about him.

  "So do it. It's been a day and a half. You've made him wait the proper amount of time. Any longer and he'll think you're not interested."

  I turned my chair toward Kendra. "I'm just not sure if he's what I'm looking for."

  "It's not like you have to marry him. Geez, Bee, you need to live a little."

  "But what's the point of starting something if you don't see a future?"

  "Um...to have fun? What is wrong with you?"

  "I don't want to get hurt again." That's what I was worried about. Mason didn't do relationships. What if I fell for him? What if I ended up wanting more than whatever it was he was offering?

  "Can I see something real quick?" Kendra gestured to my phone.

  "Sure." I handed it to her and looked at the roses on my desk. They really were beautiful. I should at least text him and thank him for sending them. That was innocent enough.

  "Okay, sent," she said and smiled at me.

  "Wait, what? What did you just do?" I grabbed my phone out of her hand and looked down at the message she had just sent Mason: "What are your thoughts on having sex in the office?"

  "Kendra!" I slapped her arm. "What is wrong with you?!"

  She laughed. "I'm trying to get you laid."

  "I was going to text him and thank him for the flowers."

  "Which would not have gotten you laid."

  "But I..." I stopped talking when my phone buzzed. Oh no. I clicked on the message that Mason had just sent me.

  "I was wondering when you'd text me, Bee. Sex in the office? It depends on the partner. If you're suggesting the two of us, I think our sexual chemistry might just be perfect for that. I'm about ready for my lunch break, if that's an invitation."

  I could feel my face flushing.

  "What did he say?" Kendra asked.

  "Nothing really."

  She grabbed my phone again.

  "Give it back, Kendra." She held it out of my reach and began typing again.

  Damn it. Now that I knew what having a sibling would be like, I was glad I never had one. If she wasn't so much taller than me I'd be able to get it back. "Seriously, Kendra. He can't come here."

  "Too late." She dropped my phone on my desk.

  "What did you say to him?"

  "Nothing really." She winked at me.

  "I really hate you sometimes." I picked up my phone and read the text that she had sent Mason: "I think I know the perfect spot. See you soon."

  "So where were you thinking?" Kendra asked.

  "I wasn't thinking anywhere. You're the one that sent him the message. I'm just going to tell him I..." I couldn't even think of an excuse. I couldn't say I sent it to the wrong person. And I had no idea what I could say I meant to say instead. I was screwed. I gulped, thinking of Mason screwing me.

  "How about the mailroom?"

  "I'm not going to have sex with him in the office."

  "But you are going to have sex with him outside the office?"

  "I don't even know yet. He said he wanted to take things slow."

  "Well apparently he doesn't really want that." She nodded to my phone.

  "Maybe he does. He didn't even respond to you. You probably freaked him out."

  "Or he's too busy running over here to respond. Or maybe he's buying condoms. You should unbutton the top few buttons of your blouse."

  "No." I put my hand over my chest. "And when he gets here, I'm just going to tell him you sent those messages."

  "What is so bad about having sex with a super hot guy in the mailroom?"

  "Everything. We could get caught. And I could get fired."

  "So...no protests to the actual sex part? I knew it. You totally want him."

  "That doesn't mean I can't wait until we're alone. In a bed. I'm not a sex addict." Mason had jokingly called me a sex addict. Shit. Am I one? Kendra was right. I did want him. And I was kind of excited that he was coming here.

  "I can't believe you want to have sex with him. I'm so excited for you."

  "You're being weird."

  "I'm not. Please unbutton the top two..."

  "No."

  "Bee, you should flaunt what you have." She reached toward my shirt again.

  "Stop trying to touch my breasts."

  Kendra laughed. "Then move your hand."

  Chapter 32

  Mason

  She was just fucking with me. Besides, asking and begging were two very different things. Jumping the gun too early was counterproductive. Especially if I wanted to have her more than once. And after putting in all the work, it was definitely looking like I'd want to reap the reward for awhile. At least until I found something better.

  "Number 69."

  That's appropriate. "Thanks," I said and grabbed the bag off the counter. I tossed some money in the tip jar and walked out into the cold. There was a gala at the end of the week that I was going to invite Bee to. That would be the night that I'd finally have her. Until then, it was teasing only. If she wasn't begging me by Saturday, I'd just have to give in. Besides, one night with me and she'd be hooked. I would be able to have her whenever I wanted. That was worth a week of hell.

  I opened up the door to the building that Kruger Advertising was located in. Compared to Blue Media, it was a small organization. I used to scoff at them. But now that I wanted to start my own agency, I saw it in a different light. It would be competition to me. And I'd need to crush them. I got onto the elevator and pressed the button for the 14th floor. Bee would lose her job once I ran them out of business. There were other ad agencies in the city, though. She'd be able to find a new job. Besides, I'd be long done with her by then. She wouldn't be my problem anymore.<
br />
  Or I could just hire her to work beneath me. I shook away the thought. That was a lawsuit waiting to happen. I stepped off the elevator and turned the corner.

  Kendra, the woman I had talked to outside of Carter's apartment had her hand on top of Bee's breasts.

  Maybe Bee was even kinkier than I had realized. I wasn't opposed to fucking both of them. Just the thought made me start to get hard.

  "Stop it, Kendra," Bee hissed. "You're going to give him the wrong idea."

  Too late.

  "You asked him here to have sex with you. Stop being so prude," Kendra said.

  "I did not. You did."

  It was a good thing I had brought lunch without the thought of actually fucking her. Otherwise this would have really hurt my plan. I should have known Bee hadn't invited me here to fuck her in a storage closet. That wasn't exactly her style. At least, it wasn't how she wanted people to think of her. I'm sure I could have her coming in just a few minutes if we were alone somewhere on this floor. And now that it wasn't on the table, it made me want it even more. She was good. As much as I liked looking at Kendra fondling Bee's tits, my lunch break was only so long. "Hello, ladies."

  When they turned toward me, Kendra pulled on Bee's shirt, undoing the top few buttons. I could see the top of Bee's perky breasts, just begging to come out. I quickly looked back up at her face, which was bright red. She put her hand on top of her chest.

  "Oh, hi, Mason," she said.

  I lifted up the bag in my hand. "As much as I loved your proposal, I only have thirty minutes until I need to be back at Blue Media. And thirty minutes isn't quite enough time." I winked at Kendra. Her face flushed too. This is too easy.

  "Oh, shucks," Bee said. If possible, her face turned even redder. She was ridiculously cute when she was embarrassed.

  I needed to focus. "I hope you're hungry. I picked up sandwiches from that little bistro down the street."

  "Wait, Quest Bistro?"

  "Mhm. Have you heard of it?" I already knew she had. Apparently it was her favorite lunch spot.

  "It's my favorite. I always order grilled cheese and..."

  "Tomato soup? You're kidding." I handed her the bag. "That's exactly what I always order." Not really. But Vargas was a genius. And I needed this angle.

  "I'm pretty sure our taste buds are soul mates." She smiled shyly up at me.

  "Well, I'm going to leave you two lovebirds alone. But I have heard that quite a few people have hooked up in the copy room," Kendra said before walking away.

  "I'm so sorry about her," said Bee.

  "I guess I'm supposed to assume you're not thinking about having sex with me right now?" I took my sandwich out of the bag and unwrapped the paper from it.

  "Kendra actually sent that text."

  "Oh, yeah I got that," I said and took a bite. I pushed the takeout bag back toward her. "But that doesn't really answer my question, Bee."

  "What can I say? I'm a sex addict remember?"

  I laughed. "I thought you were denying that?"

  "I can't believe you like Quest Bistro too," she said, ignoring my comment. I watched her open up the lid on the soup. There was a faint tan line where her engagement ring once was. For a second I felt slightly guilty. But just slightly, and only for a second. I had done her a favor. And I was going to show her why settling for Patrick would have been a mistake. She needed a man. What she needed was me.

  "I go there for lunch all the time," I lied. But the sandwich was fantastic. Maybe our taste buds were soul mates. Soul mates. There was no such thing as a soul mate.

  "It's weird that we never ran into each other before our blind date."

  "Well, technically we did. You hailed me a taxi."

  "So you admit it?"

  "Of course I admit it. Although, you kind of gave it to me."

  "You're the worst." She took a bite of the sandwich. "Or the best. This is just what I wanted today. So much better than peanut butter and jelly."

  I laughed.

  She just looked up at me.

  "Oh, you're serious?" I asked. "What are you, five?"

  "It's actually pretty good. And cheap." She looked embarrassed again.

  I knew she was low on cash. I had looked up her address. It was a rundown apartment in a not so great area. And she was working as a secretary for a dick. She had to be desperate for a job. Asking her to the gala would be perfect. It would be the best night of her life. She'd fall for the wealth and charm, right on top of me. I wondered if she'd be offended if I paid her afterward. She needed the money. And I wanted to help her out. What am I thinking?

  "Maybe you should pack yourself a peanut butter and jealous sandwich sometime and reminisce about when you were young."

  "I'm not sure that would help me reminisce," I said. "I've never even had one."

  "You've never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"

  "Can't say I have."

  "What kind of kid goes through childhood without trying peanut butter and jelly?"

  "I don't know, it was never in my lunch. Maybe our chef wasn't fond of it." Now I was just rubbing my money in her face. She wasn't going to accept my invitation if I acted like a complete ass.

  She bit her lip. "We have to fix that immediately." She pulled a paper bag out of her purse. "Here."

  "I'm not eating that."

  "I'm a good cook."

  "I'm not sure cooking has anything to do with making that."

  "Which is probably for the best. Because I'm not really a good cook."

  I laughed. "If I try this contraption, do I get anything in return?"

  "The delicious taste?"

  "How about you owe me a favor?" I took a big bite.

  "Wait! I didn't agree to that."

  "Too late," I said, with my mouth still full. Hell, it was actually pretty good. Sweet and savory at the same time. Just like her.

  "I don't owe you a favor."

  "Actually you do, baby."

  "God." She rolled her eyes at me. "You're incredibly immature."

  "Said the girl who just rolled her eyes at me."

  She sighed. "Touché. Did you like it?"

  "It's actually really good."

  "See!" She smiled at me. "There's a break room around the corner if you want to go sit down and eat."

  I was perched on the side of her desk, staring down at her. "This is good. I have to get a feel for your desk anyway."

  "Why?"

  "Well, I'm sure we'll eventually break in here at night and make love on it. Since you're into office hookups and all."

  "Make love?" She lowered her eyebrows slightly. "Have you ever used those two words together?"

  "What, you don't think I'm capable of making sweet, sweet love?"

  She laughed. "You said you were anything but gentle."

  "When I'm fucking."

  "So you don't want to fuck me anymore?" Her face instantly turned red and she glanced behind her to see if anyone had overheard her. They hadn't. Just me. And she looked disappointed. Like the only thing keeping her in the city was the idea of me fucking her.

  Perfect. I couldn't help but smile. "So you do want me to fuck you?"

  "I didn't say that."

  "You implied it."

  "I told you that I was attracted to you."

  I was getting excited by how much she wanted me. I really could take her to the copy room right now. And I wouldn't mind having a printout of that ass. "What happened to taking things slow? Are you making it hard for me on purpose?"

  She glanced down at my lap for just a second. She was trying to see if I was hard. I liked how much she seemed to fight with herself. When she finally unwound it was going to be intense. And I couldn't wait to be on the other side of all that passion. But that had to wait until Saturday night. Not right this second, despite how much the want was written on her face.

  "So am I the worst or the best?" I asked.

  "What?"

  "You called me both earlier. So which is it?"

&nb
sp; "A combination?"

  "Well, is the urge to kiss me or spank me greater?"

  Her lips parted slightly.

  "Or maybe you're the one that likes being spanked?"

  "I don't..."

  "Don't you though?" I leaned down so that my lips were beside her ear. "Do you want me to spank you in the copy room? Or maybe you want to skip the foreplay and go right to the main event?"

  Her throat made a small squeaking sound.

  "Rain check. I have to get back." I placed a kiss on her flushed cheek. It was warm against my lips. And soft. I had to resist the urge to do it again. I wasn't even supposed to be touching her, let alone kissing her.

  Chapter 33

  Mason

  "What about that one?" I pointed to a red dress on a mannequin. The mannequin wasn't nearly as curvy as Bee. She would look absolutely amazing in it. And it was perfect for the gala. It wouldn't look too bad on the floor of my bedroom either.

  "Why the hell are we here again?" asked my brother, Matt, leaning against one of the display cases.

  "I told you."

  "You don't usually do this to get laid. What does she have on you?"

  "Nothing."

  "If you ask me, you like her," he said.

  "I don't like her. I just want her."

  Matt crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You're right. You don't like her. You like her like her."

  "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

  "It's the step between like and love."

  I laughed. I didn't fall in love. And Bee certainly wasn't going to be the girl that made me change my ways. "I have no idea why I asked for your help. She'll look good in anything. This dress is perfect."

  "Do you know her size?" Matt asked.

  "Yeah. I pulled a dress off the rack."

  He frowned at me. "Why exactly do you know her size?"

  "I had Vargas get some information on her."

  "You do realize how creepy that is, right?"

  I shrugged my shoulders. It wasn't creepy. It was efficient. And it was what was winning her over.

  "So what else did you find out about this girl that you almost love?"