by Vivian Arend
She was two days away from having to meet her destiny. Two more days to be wild-and-free Lillie with the sexy Jim who sat in the empty auditorium watching her.
Even that thought couldn’t make her nervous as she wrapped her right hand around the pole and stood beside it. Chin lifted high, legs spread shoulder-width apart, she stared straight ahead like Sylvia had taught her and pretended no one was around.
No one who mattered but herself…and Jim.
The music began. Slow and bluesy, with lots of low horn tones that reverberated off the high ceiling of the stage. Lillie worked through the first moves Sylvia had demonstrated, stepping around the pole and concentrating as she wiggled her hips and struck different poses.
But after the first few moments, it was less about exactly duplicating what she’d been taught as she slipped into a happy zone, pulsing to the beat of the music with more than one body part at a time.
She squatted low then spun around the pole, extending her legs and coming back up to vertical with her body close enough she made contact with the cool metal. She added a body arch. Her long hair fell loose over her shoulders as she danced, brushing her skin with a sensual tease.
The lights grew hotter, and the pole warmed under her hands. Now she was glad her outfit had so little material because she was working up a sweat, her feet staying within a one-foot radius of the solid metal shaft.
Everything centered on the pole.
She wrapped one leg around it, dragging her hands up to her breasts and beyond until she was reaching overhead, arched back and held only by the single connection point.
Even with the volume of music pulsing around her, she swore she heard a growl from the audience.
The heat in the room shot sky high.
Jim.
He was out there. And no matter what Sylvia had said about this being a dance for Lillie to celebrate her sexuality, Lillie knew the truth. This was also a dance for him.
A thank-you for having taken the time to protect her and ease her fears. Her entire trip could have turned out so differently. Addie was right about that, and it was only fool’s luck Lillie hadn’t ended up in dire straits.
So she hauled herself back to vertical as she lowered her gaze, guessing where he might be. She loosened another snap on her bra and let more of her breasts show.
The final beats of the song were drawing near, and Lillie put her heart and soul into her motions. Dancing for herself, yes, but dancing for him as well.
When the music stopped and the lights clicked off, Lillie’s heart continued to pound, and she struggled to catch her breath.
No wild applause greeted her from the audience, no catcalls or whistles. In fact, it was eerily silent considering she was certain she’d heard Jim before.
She was too invigorated by her successful venture to be disappointed for long, and she turned to the back of the room, heading for the faint crack of light showing the way off the stage.
That had been absolutely amazing.
She pushed through the curtain, and her feet left the floor.
“You did that on purpose,” Jim rumbled, carrying her rapidly from the stage area and down a dark hall. “You didn’t tell me what kind of dance you were doing. I sat there in the dark thinking you were going to come out and sashay yourself across the stage, or do a cancan, or some such nonsense. But no, you decided to drive me fucking crazy.”
Oops. “Did you like it?”
He growled, and the hair on her arms stood on end.
He pushed through a door, slamming it shut behind them and engaging the lock. “I want to fuck you,” he said.
She didn’t think it was a question, or that he was asking for approval. More like a warning as he kept her in his arms and carried her to the farthest corner of the room.
He plopped her down on something cold and hard, his hands slamming on either side of her hips as he leaned in nose to nose with her. “I want to fuck you right now.”
His hands were on the snap of her bra, pulling it apart and tossing the fabric aside. He caught the bikini bottoms and stripped them away, the shredded material fluttering to the floor as he ripped opened his pants and set his erection free.
The curtains beside them were open a crack, enough to spotlight the dust motes floating in the air as he pushed her knees open and crushed their bodies together.
His lips were on hers, his hands on her breasts, teasing and tugging at her nipples until she gasped into his mouth.
He bent to lick them, one side then the other. Lillie leaned back on her arms as he worked his way down her body. He caught her ankles and propped them beside her hips a second before he put his mouth to her sex.
Dancing had been all the foreplay she needed, but this? There was no way she could turn this down. He ate hungrily, greedily licking until she squirmed. His tongue targeted her clit, and intense pleasure went off like a flaming arrow, igniting the rest of her body.
Orgasm came rapidly. She burnt to a cinder, nothing but ashes left. He blew, and the embers flared as her body jolted through multiple aftershocks.
She was in the air again, briefly. Flipped to her stomach, her feet dangling toward the floor. Her ass stuck out over the edge of the hard wooden surface. For the first time she got a good look at where she was—sprawled over the satiny smooth finish of a baby grand piano.
“Oh dear. What if someone walks into the room?”
His hands were firm on her hips as he tugged her back, the heated length of his erection rock hard against her butt as he leaned over and put his lips near her ear. “If someone comes in, I hope they plan on playing something lively.”
He lined himself up with her pussy and pushed, driving deep as her air rushed out in a gasp. “Oh, God.”
“Just Jim.”
He retreated slowly, so slowly she moaned for a good minute, it seemed. Which was a mistake because that meant when he thrust forward, she had no air left in her lungs and no way to suck any in either.
There was no chance to coordinate her breathing, her lungs starving for oxygen, but she didn’t give a damn because he was moving faster. Driving forward, her legs rocking in midair as his groin slapped her ass. The sounds of sex and their heavy breathing echoed in the silence of the room.
And when he came, it was with a roar that shattered the silence and set her blood pumping all over again.
Her heated cheek rested on the cool wood of the piano, her hair tousled everywhere. The sheen of sweat on her skin was beginning to dry, and as he pulled free, she figured she was pretty much a mess.
She didn’t care one bit, turning eagerly as he helped her sit up on the piano top. His arms wrapped around her, one hand firm on the back of her neck as he took her lips in a final kiss. Tender this time, gentle.
As if their wildness had been consumed until all that was left was sheer pleasure, joyfully shared between them.
Chapter Eight
Splashing noises escaped from the bathroom along with a saucy tune rendered in a surprisingly fine alto. Jim caught himself tapping his fingers to Lillie’s singing, and put aside the newspaper he’d been attempting to read.
It made no sense to be wasting his time in the living room when what he wanted was to spend time with Lillie.
He knocked on the partially open door, and the singing stopped abruptly.
“May I come in?”
More splashing. “Umm, I’m in the bathtub.”
The sheer innocence in her voice only made Jim smile harder. “I had surmised that. It’s part of the reason I want to come in.”
Lillie laughed. “Well, I suppose it is your bathroom.”
He’d begun to move as soon as she’d given the first word of approval, strolling to the edge of the tub and looking down on a vision.
There was something about this woman that pleased him so well. Only hours ago they’d shared the most incredible sex at the dance club, and already he wanted her again. And yet, leaning back on the counter, he was content to fold his arms and simp
ly look his fill.
She’d piled her hair on top of her head, and even in the muted feature lighting, coppery highlights glittered as she moved. The claw-toed tub was filled nearly to the brim, her feet nowhere near reaching the end. Her arms were draped over the sides, probably in an attempt to keep herself from sliding under the surface.
No bubbles blocked the view of paradise relaxing before him. Her breasts bobbed along the water’s surface, her back slightly arched. A perfect artist’s model with one leg bent upward, the other extended. The lean line of her stomach led down to a neat triangle of reddish curls.
Her toenails were painted blue.
He’d seen her naked a number of times already, and every time he enjoyed it more.
Lillie laid her head on the rim of the tub, and her body floated upward. “Did you decide where we’re going for dinner?”
“We’re staying in.” The words burst from him without advance warning. He wasn’t sure where the idea had come from, but it was perfect. “If you don’t have your heart set on something, we can take it easy. Hang out here, maybe watch a movie.”
She blinked her hazel eyes, pulling herself back to vertical and nodding slowly. “Okay. Actually, you know, I would like that very much.”
“Good.” He sank to his knees beside the tub and went to trickle his fingers through the water, snatching them back as the temperature damn near scalded him. “Lord, woman, how can you stand the water that hot?”
Lillie opened her mouth to answer…and paused. Her lashes fluttered, and he wondered if she was avoiding sharing something personal.
The lack of information between them clicked over from a logical necessity to an unwanted burden, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than for her to share. He needed to know more about her. Wanted her to know about him.
Warning, warning. There are only two days until the race. Don’t do anything foolish.
Jim didn’t wait to hear what the other half of his psyche would suggest in response. He wanted…more. Not sure yet what, but they could figure it out as they went along.
His mental ramblings had taken a few seconds, because when he focused, she had turned toward him, all rosy-skinned and smiling. “You’re daydreaming,” she teased.
“I am, and that’s a terrible thing considering I don’t need to dream when you’re right here in front of me.” He caught her fingers in his hand, lifting them to his mouth.
Drops of water fell as he pressed his lips to her knuckles, and Lillie sighed. “I love when you do that. That kiss-the-knuckles thing gets me every time.”
Jim gave her fingers a squeeze. “I like it as well.”
“You are obviously a well-adjusted and bright individual.” She raised a brow. “Are you going to let me out of the tub? Or did you want to join me?”
“Tempting.” And it was… “But I think I’ll go make dinner arrangements. Any requests? You can have anything you’d like—even the finest restaurants in the area deliver.”
She wiggled onto her knees, leaning her hands on the edge of the tub as she pressed her lips to his for a brief, flirtatious kiss. “You’re going to think it’s silly.”
“Try me.”
Lillie bestowed another of those delicately sweet kisses on him before rocking back out of reach. “Pizza? Something with a kick?”
He could do that. “One pizza with a kick, coming right up.” He took a final appreciative glance before leaving her, the singing starting up as if the bluebird of happiness had invaded his suite.
She wasn’t singing when she joined him, but another of his oversized plain white shirts had found its way from his closet onto her petite form. He didn’t mind at all. They looked better on her than they did on him.
Jim held out a hand, and she joined him, curling her fingers around his and curling her body tight as well. “Did you check the movies?” He led her to the couch and seated her, passing over the remote control. “Let me get us something to drink, and you’re in charge of this.”
Lillie gave an exaggerated gasp of disbelief. “Not the remote control. Really? Really?”
She was almost as bad as Damon. “Did you want to pick the movie tonight or did you want me?”
She cradled the remote to her chest and rocked slightly. “I will cherish it forever.”
“You’ve never even watched TV with me. What makes you think I’m a remote-control hog?”
“You’re a guy.”
“Women hog the controls as well.”
A low clicking noise escaped her. “Statistical data would suggest that in nine out of ten cases of remote control obnoxia, the overwhelming majority of sufferers are male.”
She tossed him a brilliant smile and turned to the TV, clicking the unit on then tucking the remote into her cleavage.
“If that’s where the controls are going to be stored, I can see exactly why men want to have their hands on them.”
Too much laughter followed, until Jim’s cheeks damn near hurt from all the smiling. She found them a show to watch. The pizza arrived. The next three hours passed in the blink of an eye. Jim couldn’t remember having as much fun without sex involved in a long time.
She pointed out plot holes in the movie, just like Jim always got in hell for doing with Damon. At one point, the two of them were so busy discussing what exactly had jumped the shark in the show, they had to rewind to get up to speed with the rest of the action.
He’d ordered three pizzas, pleased to see she had no qualms about eating heartily. Every time she opened the box for herself, she picked up a new slice for him and laid it on his plate. She also went to his fridge and rummaged around until she found something green and leafy. That went on his plate as well, and when he made a face, she tapped her foot and refused to give him any more pizza until he’d eaten his veggies.
She blew bubbles in her soda. Tickled him to make him move and give her more room on the couch.
Jim Halcyon wasn’t sure what was happening, but he liked it.
The movie time slipped into talking time, the credits rolling past unobserved as they discussed the cinematography. She was smart and intelligent, and made him think hard when she pointed out inequalities in the casting that he’d completely missed.
They moved in front of the windows, the temperatures having dropped too low to make sitting on the balcony comfortable for Lillie in only his shirt. And no way would he suggest she put on any more clothes.
They could still see the fountain display. She curled up affectionately at his side in the manner he’d grown to crave. Such an honest sensation, all of her shy trepidation evaporated as he’d earned her trust.
“I think my mom would enjoy the fountain,” Lillie shared, “but there’s no way my dad would ever come to Vegas.”
Something personal.
Very personal, talking about family, and Jim worried he might push too far but he needed to take the chance. “He doesn’t like gambling?”
“He doesn’t like…” She frowned, this time not as if she was trying to keep secrets, but as if she was trying to figure out the best way to explain. “Dad likes routine, and being at home. And my mom does too, but she’s more willing to try new things than him. She was the one who moved to be with him. He’s lived his whole life in the same community.”
Typical bear situation. His parents had dealt with the same thing, but then discovered they both liked traveling. Liked each other—which didn’t always happen.
Jim stroked her fingers where they lay on his thigh. “Are they happy?”
She nodded. “Pretty much. Their life is nothing dazzling or thrilling, but you know—it’s not boring, either. It’s what they chose, and because of that, yeah, I guess they are happy.”
Happiness. Such an elusive thing.
Jim knew how to make his bear happy, and how to make his cock happy. He knew how to complete a business deal in a way that made his bank account happy, but he wasn’t sure if he knew how to simply be happy. “You know this ride I’m going on with Damon on Friday?
”
“Your yearly special thingy? It’s not always a ride, is it?”
“Not at all. Every year it’s a bet, though. A chance to win the beautiful coin we purchased together back when we were young.”
Her eyes lit up. “That sounds fun. I’m glad you’ve got something to look forward to.” She sat at attention, turning to face him and stroking his shoulders. “Traditions can be really exciting.”
Between one heartbeat and the next, all the light faded from her hazel-green eyes, leaving them listless and sad. He was about to demand what the hell had happened when she perked up, her usual enthusiastic self back and demanding he finish his earlier comment.
“What about your ride?”
He trailed his fingers over hers, needing the contact. “The coin isn’t worth much, not really. But it’s like a lucky talisman, and whoever wins the race gets to keep her for the coming year.”
Lillie nodded even as concern flooded her expression. “You know there’s not truly anything like a lucky coin, or a magic spell, or anything like that that can swoop in and change your life.”
He laughed. “Damon and you could have rehearsed this. Yes, I know luck is hard work and good timing. And it’s not that I’m looking for luck, not really.”
Or was he?
“Maybe I just need a chance to turn the corner. One moment in time when I say now things will be different.”
“Is your life so terrible now?” she asked, her hands flying up to cover her mouth briefly. “I’m sorry, that’s awfully forward of me. And I’m not trying to snoop, but it seems to me the past few days we’ve had a good time, and you’re a great guy. Why do things need to turn a corner?”
Stroking her skin did more for his nerves than a full-body massage or a gallon of whiskey. It was as if she poured in comfort through osmosis.
“It’s been a rough year. I lost my parents last May.”
She made a low noise, her hands brushing his briefly. “I’m so sorry. An accident?”
