City of Sin

by Ivy Smoak

"I think you should let me come up."

  I couldn't help it. I was embarrassed of where I lived. He had basically just taken me to a ball. We weren't supposed to wind up in a rundown old apartment after that. I didn't need him to feel any more sorry for me. I was such a mess.

  But at the same time, I could feel my body caving in. I wanted him. I wanted to know what he'd feel like inside of me.

  He was staring into my eyes.

  The way he was looking at me made me tremble. He was starting to get a 5 o'clock shadow along his chiseled jaw line. His brown eyes seemed to pierce into my soul. He was a better guy than Patrick. But that didn't mean he was a good guy. If I invited him up, I might never hear from him again. Could I live with that? I wasn't sure if I would be able to let him go. But he might not even be asking to come up for sex. Maybe he just wanted a cup of tea.

  "Let me show you how good it can be." His breath was warm against my skin.

  He was talking about sex. And I must have looked a mess. I didn't want our first time to be like this. Or possibly our first and last. "I think maybe we should call it a night." I pressed my thighs together.

  "Your body doesn't agree with you."

  I gulped.

  "You look overheated despite the fact that it's fifteen degrees outside."

  "I...I had too much to drink."

  "Your pupils are dilated."

  "It's dark."

  "You're pressing your thighs together."

  I didn't have a good excuse for that. "So?"

  "It's because you want me. You're dripping wet, and you're trying to hide it from me."

  "I'll let you up if you want to talk." Shit. Why'd I say that? I wouldn't be able to resist him if he came up. I was inviting him into my bed and he knew it.

  Mason's lips curled into a smile. "You just want to talk to me?"

  "Yes."

  "That's a waste of a good evening."

  "Did you want to come up or not?"

  Mason pulled away from me. "Show me the way."

  I took a deep breath and punched in the code to unlock the doors. It made a beeping sound and I grabbed the handle. I walked into my building and started up the stairs. I could feel his eyes on my ass. It gave me a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had already crossed the line. A public bathroom. An alleyway. Why not finish what we had started?

  On the third floor I walked over to my door. I fumbled with the key in the lock. When I stepped in, I turned on the light. I hadn't expected to be bringing him back with me. I was so glad I had spent the afternoon cleaning.

  "Did you live here with Patrick?"

  I turned to look at Mason. He was looking around the apartment. I was so embarrassed. He lived in Trump International. He wasn't used to seeing apartments like this. He was tall, broad shouldered, and muscular, and he made the apartment look even smaller. "Yes."

  "It's...nice."

  I laughed. "It's horrible, I know. And I can't even really afford it. A secretary's salary isn't exactly great money." I leaned against the kitchen counter.

  He walked over to me and ran his hand down the side of my neck. "Is that really what you want to talk about right now?"

  "No." I wanted him to kiss me, but he didn't.

  "So, when that incompetent ex of yours fucked you...did he do it here?" He ran his hand along the edge of the counter.

  I swallowed hard. "No."

  He walked over to the kitchen table. "What about here?" He put his palm down on the table.

  Chapter 42

  Mason

  I watched her look down at the kitchen table and then back up at me. She shook her head.

  "There's something sexy about hard surfaces, don't you think? Most people like a little bit of give. But I like to fuck. Hard."

  I smiled as I saw her glance down at the bulge in my pants. I pulled off my suit jacket and draped it across the back of the chair. I undid my tie and put it on top of my jacket.

  "What are you doing?" Bee asked.

  "We both know that you didn't invite me up here to talk." I unbuttoned my shirt as I walked over to her.

  She stared at my six pack. She couldn't resist me. But she stayed plastered to the kitchen counter.

  "You want this just as much as I do." I ran my hands up the sides of her thighs and over her hips. "No, more. Because you've never had a real man inside of you. After I'm done with you, you'll never be able to scream another man's name."

  "I..."

  "I won't tell anyone what kind of girl you are. Your secret is safe with me." I ran my hands up the silky fabric and tugged on the zipper.

  "Mason?" The tremble in her voice made me smile.

  "You know, the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else."

  Her breathing was accelerating. Her face was flushed. She wanted this just as badly as me. Her dress fell off her shoulders. When I finished un-zippering it, the dress slid down even more, exposing her bra. I ran my hand down her back to her bra strap. Her skin was still cold from the frigid air outside.

  "I thought eating lots of ice cream was the best fix," she said with a laugh and grabbed my arms. She kept her hands on my biceps, stopping me from going farther. But it seemed liked she just liked the feeling of my muscles underneath her palms. Because she had "fuck me" written all over her face.

  "No, having lots of sex is the only way."

  "Lots of sex?"

  I moved my hands to the counter, but she kept her hands on me. I leaned in close so that our lips were only a few inches away. "Tons of sex."

  She gulped.

  "So what kind of stuff are you into? Because you are not as innocent as you're pretending to be."

  "I don't..." She took a deep breath. "I'm not..."

  "That kinky, huh? You like unspeakable things? You know, I'm still trying to decide what I'm going to do with you."

  She gulped again. I had already won her over. Now I wanted her to beg me. I wanted her naked and on her knees, begging for my cock.

  "I was starting to think that you were a good guy."

  "I'm not." I raised my eyebrow. "And I don't think you want me to be."

  A small groan escaped from her lips.

  "Here's what's going to happen, Bee. First you're going to finish getting out of that dress. Keep the heels on. Then you're going to lie down in the middle of your bed and raise your arms above your head. I'm going to tie your hands to your bed post. And then I'm going to fuck you harder than you've ever been fucked." My erection was tugging at my pants just thinking about it.

  Bee bit her lip as she looked up at me. She shook her head.

  What? Girls never said no to me. "Do you need me to repeat myself?"

  "No, I heard you. Do you want some tea?" She ducked under my arm.

  "What? No." I didn't like this dancing around game. I had put in the necessary time. I had come up here so I could finally fuck her and that's what I was going to do.

  Chapter 43

  Bee

  I zipped my dress back up and opened the fridge. My whole body felt overheated. I leaned in to let the cool air hit my face as I tried to stop panting. I had almost lost all my resolve. God, he was so sexy. I looked over my shoulder at him and then quickly turned back to the fridge. The way his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his perfectly sculpted torso, made it hard for me to focus.

  I wanted to sleep with him. Badly. How could I not? He was handsome, and quick tongued, and said all the right things to make me feel alive down there. But he had just admitted that he wasn't a good guy. I wasn't sure if the past week had just been a lie or a game to him, but I didn't want us to become a one night thing. It wasn't just crazy attraction. I was really starting to like him. I just needed more time. I wanted to get to know him. I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.

  I shook my head and grabbed two beers from the fridge. "How about a beer then?

  He eyed me suspiciously. I popped the tops off and handed him one.

  "Okay, we'll do it your way then." He took a long, slow si
p of the beer while he walked over to my bed. He kicked his shoes off and slid under the covers.

  "What are you doing?" I wasn't sure how many times I was going to have to ask him that question.

  "You wanted to talk. Let's talk." He patted the bed beside him. He took another sip of his beer and put his arm behind his head.

  I looked back at the kitchen chairs. It would look ridiculous if I pulled one up next to him. I could control myself. Couldn't I? Besides, the apartment was cold. It would be nice to have the warmth of the covers. Or his arms. Damn it, get a grip! I took a deep breath and walked around to the other side of the bed. I quickly took off my heels and climbed into the bed, keeping my distance.

  "So, Bee, what is it exactly that you wanted to talk about?"

  I sat cross legged and took a sip of beer. I tried to keep my eyes on his face, because his six pack was too distracting. He looked so comfortable in my bed. "I just feel like I still don't know you."

  He frowned slightly. "You're shivering, Bee."

  "What?" The apartment was cold. But I was also excited and nervous. The way he was looking at me made goose bumps rise on my skin.

  "Here." He moved right next to me and put his arms around my shoulders. "Better?" He raised his eyebrow at me.

  "Yes." My voice sounded small. He ran his hand up and down my arm. I took a deep breath, smelling his cologne. He smelled like one of those cologne sample from a magazine. I let my head rest on his shoulder. Even though we were in bed together, it didn't seem like he was being forward. He was actually being a gentleman. Something that he swore to me he wasn't. He was so sexy, but he was also funny and easy to talk to.

  "I can't read you at all. This whole week you were such a gentleman, despite the fact that you like to deny that you are. I just don't understand you."

  "It's easy to be a gentleman around you. I think you bring out the best in me." He frowned again. He clearly wasn't used to saying things like that. He almost looked pissed at himself for admitting it out loud.

  "You're different than other guys in this city."

  "And why is that?"

  "You're actually nice. I don't know anyone else who would have comforted me while I was crying after only knowing me a few days."

  "I didn't like seeing you cry."

  "I really like you." I shifted so that I could look up at him again. "I just want to know that it's more than just physical attraction."

  "It's more than just physical. I promise you, it's more than that for me." He leaned down and kissed me.

  Chapter 44

  Mason

  I looked down at the girl's head on my chest. Bee. Shit. I rarely ever spent the night. And I definitely never spent the night after not even having sex. We had made out a lot. But mostly, we had just talked all night. And laughed. She was so down to earth. So much different than the other women I had been meeting in the city. I ran my fingers through her long hair. I thought I was lying when I said it was more than just physical. But I wasn't. I was falling for this girl. She stirred and sighed against my chest. Shit.

  I unwound her arms from around me and pulled my hand free from underneath of her. I tried not to make the bed move as I climbed off it. I stared down at her as I buttoned up my shirt. We must have fallen asleep talking. What the hell is wrong with me? This girl had crawled under my skin.

  I needed to get out of there. I grabbed my suit coat and tie and headed to the door. My hand lingered on the knob. I turned back around. She was sleeping so peacefully. I couldn't just leave. She'd wonder where I had gone.

  She rolled over in bed and reached out her arm where I had once been. She moaned softly, but didn't open her eyes. I didn't want her to think I was just going to abandon her once I was done with her. But isn't that the plan? I shook away the thought and walked back over to her bed. There was a notebook and a pen on her nightstand. I'd leave her a note, inviting her over to my place tonight.

  The past week didn't matter and neither did the future. All that mattered was tonight. Finally claiming her. And if I could focus on that, and not the tightness in my chest, maybe I could get a grip. I was just messed up from not having sex in a week. The last time I had cum was in her mouth in that alleyway.

  I lifted up the notebook and flipped to a random page. There were a few notes scribbled on the page.

  Jenkins' pitch - Layla's Predictions - guessing penis size. Win a sample if she guesses wrong.

  I laughed. That sounded like something Jenkins would pitch. I had heard of Layla's Predictions. Layla Torrez was a sexy weather girl from Miami. Was that what Kruger was currently working on? It didn't say what account it was for. But having Layla predict penis size was a pretty wild idea. How was she even supposed to do that on T.V.? There were scribbles over the words on the rest of the page. But I was able to make them out.

  Idea - Local, guerilla style campaign. Knicks cheerleaders Central Park performance for selling tickets. Team up - have an actor spray himself with body spray and have the cheerleaders chase him through Central Park. Everyone would see it. No one would know if it was real or not. News stations would inadvertently pick it up. Attention grabbing and cheap.

  That was a really good idea. Had she come up with that? I looked down at her sleeping. Clearly her boss hadn't liked it, or it wouldn't have been crossed out. I suddenly felt dirty. I shouldn't be reading this stuff. I flipped through the pages of notes until I came to an empty one. On the left side were a few more notes. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over them.

  Idea - Fairytale. Get a box in the mail with a dress and a note. Get dressed up and picked up for a romantic evening. Everyone loves a fairytale and the idea of finding your prince.

  I smiled to myself and picked up the pen. She must have written that last night. I was no Prince Charming. But it didn't matter. After one night with me she'd be hooked. Maybe she already was. Which meant tonight would just seal the deal.

  Bee,

  Thanks for an amazing night. You looked absolutely stunning in that dress. I'm making you dinner tonight at my place. And I believe you said I didn't need to control myself anymore. So don't worry about what to wear, because you won't be wearing it for very long. I'll see you at 8.

  -Mason

  I put down the pen and turned toward the door. The apartment was dreary. I didn't want her to be in a place like this. It didn't even feel like her heat was working. I wanted her in my bed, ready for me whenever I wanted. I picked up the pen again.

  P.S. The sleepover is at my place tonight. I can take you to work in the morning.

  I put the pen back down and looked over at her. She looked so beautiful. She was still wearing the red dress, and it hugged every curve. I had the urge to kiss her cheek.

  What the fuck is wrong with me?! I ripped the sheet of paper out of the notebook and placed it on top of it. Without looking back at her, I went over to the door and quickly left before I did anything else stupid.

  Chapter 45

  Bee

  I yawned and stretched my hand out, but all I felt were empty sheets. I slowly opened my eyes. Mason was gone. I looked around the small, empty room. I can't believe he saw my place. I can't believe I cried in front of him.

  I put my hands over my face. God. I had made such a mess of last night. Mason had been so fun and flirtatious and I had just fallen apart when Patrick had shown up. But I was over him. He had asked me for a second chance. And I didn't agree to it. I didn't want him back. I wanted Mason.

  My apartment was embarrassing. But Mason had acted like he was at home. He knew I was upset and instead of trying to sleep with me, he had comforted me. We had talked all night. Technically he had tried to sleep with me right when I had let him in. But he respected my decision. We just snuggled. I liked the way his arms felt around me. And now that he was gone it was freezing.

  I climbed out of bed. Luckily whatever fancy, expensive material the dress was made out of somehow resisted wrinkles, because it still looked amazing.

  My phone buzzed
on my nightstand. I went to grab it when I saw a note with Mason's handwriting. I quickly picked it up.

  Bee,

  Thanks for an amazing night. You looked absolutely stunning in that dress. I'm making you dinner tonight at my place. And I believe you said I didn't need to control myself anymore. So don't worry about what to wear, because you won't be wearing it for very long. I'll see you at 8.

  -Mason

  P.S. The sleepover is at my place tonight. I can take you to work in the morning.

  If that wasn't an invitation for sex, I didn't know what was. My heart starting beating faster. I'm going to have sex with Mason Caldwell.

  I took a deep breath. Was I really going to go have sex with someone that I only knew for several days? Yes!

  I bit my lip. When had I become one of those girls? I sat down on the edge of my bed. Mason made it seem like it wasn't just about sex. If sex was all that he was after, then he would have just slept with a hooker or something. This was more. Last night was more. He seemed to care about me.

  I looked down at my phone. Marie had texted me.

  "I heard you scored tickets to the Silver Gala! Tell me everything!"

  I smiled and wrote back. "Yes, Mason had tickets. It was really amazing."

  My phone started buzzing in my hand. I slid my finger across the screen. "Hi, Marie."

  "You are so lucky," she said. "I would give my left arm to go to that event. Everyone who's everyone goes to that thing."

  "It wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't even recognize anyone beside Mason."

  "Bee, it's a huge deal. Do you even know how much tickets cost for that thing?"

  "I don't know. A lot? It was really fancy."

  "It's $3,000 a plate. And not just anyone can attend. It's crazy exclusive. Mason must have it bad for you."

  $3000 dollars a plate? The food was good, but it wasn't that good. "Why would it be exclusive? It's a charity thing. Wouldn't anyone who donated be allowed to go?"