by Helen Cooper
“You can’t just kiss me.” I gasped finally coming back to my senses.
“You didn’t seem too concerned just now.”
“That’s because you, you just, you just...” I sputtered out, not even sure what to say. “I think I need to leave.”
“Do you want to leave?” He ran his fingers through my hair. “Do you really want to leave? Or is a little voice inside telling you that you should leave?”
“Yeah, my common-sense is telling me to get the hell out of dodge.”
“Out of dodge?”
“It’s slang.”
“I know the saying.”
“So why ask me what it means?”
“I wasn’t asking you what it means.”
“You’re difficult.”
“I’m difficult?” He smiled at me. “You’re difficult.”
“I should go.”
“With or without me?”
“I don’t even know what you want with me. So, I’m going to have to say without.” I shrugged and I could see the disappointment in my body reflected in his face. What did he care? He was handsome and obviously rich. He could have any girl he wanted.
“That’s a shame.”
“Why is it a shame?”
“I think we could have a lot of fun.”
“I don’t know what fun you’re talking about Grant Slate.”
“Then why don’t you let me show you Evie Peaches.”
“My name isn’t Evie Peaches.”
“Would you prefer me to call you Peaches and Cream?”
“Ugh no. That guy was gross.”
“Unlike me, right?”
“You’re not gross.” I said honestly and sighed. In any other circumstance, I’d be quite pleased to have met him. I’d be excited that someone so good looking was into me, but this wasn’t a normal meeting or situation. No guy had ever offered me fifty grand for anything. Shit, no guy had even offered me a twenty. I’d been on dates where the guy had expected me to pay.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“So I guess this is when I should get a cab.” I bit my lower lip.
“Unless you just come home with me.”
“I’m not a prostitute.” I shook my head.
“I already told you—”
“I know, I know. You don’t expect sex.” I nodded. “It just feels off.”
“What feels off?”
“What are you expecting for fifty grand.” I shrugged. “I mean, it could be everything, but sex. It could even mean anal.” I shuddered.
“I think that anal is considered sex.” He laughed. “Unless you disagree with that.”
“I’ve never had it.” I made a face.
“You don’t know what you’re missing.” He grinned.
“A whole bunch of pain is all I’m missing.”
“Come back to my place tonight, finish the dance and tomorrow morning, I’ll tell you what I want for the fifty grand.”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head, though a little voice in my head was screaming at me. What do you have to lose, Evie? What’s a dance? Isn’t this the excitement you’ve always been craving?
“Just for one night.” He smiled. “You can leave in the morning. I can call Tyler and he’ll pick us up. You can trust me. And you can trust Tyler. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I don’t know you or Tyler from Adam.”
“Tyler is my driver and he’s an ex cop.”
“So?” I shook my head. “That means nothing to me. Tyler could be the ex-head of the CIA for all I know.”
“He was never in the CIA.” He shook his head.
“Why do you care so much if I come?”
“I just want to get to spend the night with you. I don’t care what we do. We can do as much as you want or as little as you want.”
“What will you be wearing when I dance?” I bit my lower lip. “I’m not doing a naked lap dance.”
“We can wear what we’re wearing now, if that makes you more comfortable.”
“I just don’t understand why you want me to come.”
“I don’t understand many things. Doesn’t mean I don’t do them.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “You can call Tyler. I’ll come over. One dance. And we can watch a movie or something. And then I leave.”
“That sounds like a plan.” He pulled out his phone. “You won’t regret it.”
***
“Why did I do this?” I muttered to myself as I stood in the bathroom in Grant’s bedroom. “Why did I agree to come with him?” I sighed as I pulled out my phone again. There was absolutely no signal in his house. I didn’t even really know where we were. Tyler had appeared ten seconds after Grant had pulled out his phone and I’d been ushered into the back of the limo before I even knew what was happening.
“You okay?” I heard a knocking on the door and I froze still.
“Yeah, coming.” I called back and flushed the empty toilet. What had I been thinking?
“Hey.” Grant nodded at me from the edge of the bed where he sat.
“Hey.” I nodded at him and fiddled with my glasses.
“You can take your glasses off.” He nodded at me as I walked towards him.
“I won’t be able to see if I take them off.” I shook my head.
“That seemed to help loosen you up in the club.”
“I don’t need to loosen up.”
“Okay.” He shrugged and lay back on the bed. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Ready for what?” I stood still as I looked around the room. It was less masculine than I thought it would be with the white bed sheet and cream walls. All the decorations seemed softer than I’d imagined someone like Grant Slate being into. His house was also huge. When we’d driven up the driveway I’d been shocked at how big it was. When Tyler had opened the door for us and then disappeared, I’d been scared. Now, I was unsure and just a little excited. Fear was an aphrodisiac I’d never known existed.
“My dance.” I watched as he loosened his tie.
“On the bed?”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“It’s hard to dance on the bed.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
“You have a nice house.”
“You didn’t come to talk about the house.”
“What do you want me to do for fifty grand?” I spat out and shivered as I walked towards the bed. Grant was lying there with the top two buttons of his shirt undone and a glossy look in his eyes.
“You can do whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” I stopped. “What if I don’t want to do anything?”
“Then you don’t have to.” He sat up slightly and waved me forward. “Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed, embarrassed that I was slightly turned on by him. I didn’t even know him. He was a stranger, yet, my body was craving his touch.
“Too many people worry about what a society that they don’t know will think of them before they do anything. Why are you arguing with your body? Why are you distrusting your base instincts?”
“You don’t know what my body is thinking.”
“I knew the moment you sat on my lap. I knew the second you agreed to come to my home.” He stepped off of the bed and walked towards me, his fingers deftly undoing the rest of the buttons on his shirt. “I knew the moment you popped out of the cake.”
“What did you know?”
“I knew that I wanted you.” He pulled his shirt off and dropped it on the ground. I stared at his chest in amazement. It was as perfectly sculpted as I’d expected it to be, but the scar running down the side of his chest surprised me.
“Where did you get that?” I pointed at the scar and he ignored me. Instead of answering me he turned away and walked to his closet. I watched as he pulled out a thick silver chain.
“What are you doing?” I gasped as he wrapped the chai
n around his chest and arm.
“I like the feeling of the metal against my skin. It reminds me of my strength.” He turned towards me as he pulled the metal along his body.
His muscles bulged with the strength of a hundred men as he gazed at me with soulless eyes. I swallowed as I stared at the thick steel chains slithering across his skin like a snake. There was something so sensual in the movement and I couldn't move my eyes away from his chest.
“What are you going to do?” I whispered as he moved towards me like a panther tracking down its prey.
“Whatever you want me to do.”
“What if I don't want you to do anything?”
“Then we might have a problem.”
“Then we might have a problem.” I repeated as he stopped in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine as he continued moving the chain across his skin.
“Are you scared?”
“What do you think?” My eyes widened as my voice cracked. I took a deep breath. “I’m going to kill Hailey.”
“Who?” He frowned.
“My best friend. I was working for her.” I closed my eyes to avoid his intense gaze as my body shivered. “I would have been at home watching TV right now if it wasn’t for her.” My eyes popped open as his fingers touched my arm.
“What makes you so mad?” He said gently. “The fact that you took the job or the fact that you’re here?”
“The fact that I’m standing in front of a stranger with a big silver chain.” I gulped and licked my lips slowly.
“And does that make you mad or turned on?”
“What are you? A bloody professor or something? What’s with all the questions?”
“Why are you repressing your sexuality?”
“What?” My jaw dropped as I stared at him, my face heating up.
“Why can’t you celebrate being here with me? I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Let me just give you the lap dance and go.” I bit down on my lower lip. “You can keep the five grand. I think I might have given you the wrong impression of me.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“I think you are under the impression that I want to be with you in a way that I don’t.” I mumbled as I stared at his bulging biceps. Shit, he was so cut and built. I’d never seen a man as muscular and fit as him before. I wanted to reach out and touch his muscle to see if it was as rock hard as it looked.
“I see.” He took a step back. “That’s disappointing then.”
“I suppose.” I shrugged and turned away, feeling bereft and alone. Part of me wanted him to beg me to give him a chance. Part of me wanted him to stare at me with lust and desire so profound that I wouldn’t be able to say no. Deep inside, I didn’t want to say no.
“Stop.” His voice was low and gentle, yet commanding and all-consuming and my leg froze in midair. “Look at me.”
I turned towards him slowly, gazing at the look on his face. Gone was the laughing teasing man from the club. In front of me was a man so serious, so immobile that I wondered if he was the same person.
“The chains weren’t to scare you.” He pulled them off and dropped them on the ground. “I’m not going to use them on you.”
“I would think not.” I shuddered as I stared at the mass of steel on his cowhide rug.
“So this isn’t going down as I thought it would tonight.” His lips curled up in a small smile.
“What did you think was going to go down?” I asked curiously and then my phone started ringing. I looked at him and then at my handbag and he nodded at me to answer it. I walked over to my bag and lifted it up quickly and pulled out my phone. “Hello.”
“Evie, where are you?” Hailey’s voice sounded anxious. “Starr and Crystal just called me. They said you just disappeared.”
“I didn’t mean to just leave.” I mumbled, feeling guilty and hoping I hadn’t jeopardized Hailey’s job. “I just had to get out of there.”
“Where are you? Why aren’t you at home? What happened?”
“I kinda met a guy.” I whispered quickly, hoping she wouldn’t really understand what I was saying.
“You what?” She screamed into the phone.
“Hailey.” I turned away from a grinning Grant. He seemed to be enjoying eavesdropping a bit too much. “I’ll tell you more when I get home.”
“Evie Johnson, you come home right now.” She shouted into the phone.
“I thought you were on a date?” I asked suspiciously.
“I am and he’s here, but I’ll send him packing when you get here.” She sighed. “You’re not meant to hook up with the guys. You don’t know them, Evie. He could be a psycho.”
“He’s not a psycho.” I whispered, hoping Grant couldn’t hear me. “I’ll come home as soon as possible.”
“Evie, tell me where you are and I’ll come and get you.” Hailey sounded worried and I was about to turn around and ask Grant for his address when I felt his arms around waist. I froze for a second and looked up at him. “Evie?” Hailey pleaded onto my ear and I was about to speak when Grant grabbed the phone from my hand and ended the call.
“What are you doing?” My jaw dropped as he threw the phone onto the bed.
“Something I should have done as soon as you came out of the bathroom.” He spun me around and kissed me hard, his lips crushing into mine with such vigor that I fell into him. His hands crept up my back until his fingertips were pressing into my neck and the back of my head, pushing my face into his. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth as his fingers ran through my hair, tugging the strands almost painfully. I gasped against him as I felt his erection pressing into me and my hands flew to his back. His skin felt cool and soft and I ran my fingers down his back excited by the magnetic power I felt between us.
“I lied to you earlier.” He pulled back and whispered in my ear.
“About what?” I mumbled as I held onto his shoulders, lust taking over my brain.
“About a dance being enough. I want more than a dance from you, Evie. I want so much more.” He growled and picked me up, carrying me effortlessly to the bed and dropping me before lying down next to me.
“What do you want?” I swallowed as his fingers trailed down my neck.
“I want all of you.” His eyes blazed with passion as his lips replaced his fingers. I closed my eyes as I felt his teeth sinking into my skin, sucking and biting at the same time. A small moan escaped my lips as I felt his hand on my breast. My mind was overcome with thoughts and emotions as my body sang out in sweet bliss. “Is that going to be okay?” He whispered again against my neck.
“Yes.” I nodded, not thinking about anything other than this moment. “Yes, it’s okay.”
“Good.” His voice grew hoarse. “That’s the answer I wanted to hear.”
Chapter Four
“I’m going to take your clothes off now.” His fingers played with my top as his eyes searched mine for permission. I nodded slightly and trembled at the feel of his fingers running across my body.
Grant’s chest grazed against mine as his fingers deftly removed my clothes. I lay on the bed gazing up at him, not quite believing this was happening. Last night I’d been sitting on my couch watching TV wishing I had more of a life and tonight I was in a strange man’s bed. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t what I did. However, I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t want to stop myself. This was exciting and dangerous and Grant was the most handsome and sexual man I’d ever been with. Every pore of his body exuded sex. I trembled with a feeling of shame as I felt myself lying there almost naked. He’d removed every piece of clothing except for my panties.
“You’ll decide when you want to take them off.” He whispered before lowering his mouth to my breast and sucking on my nipple. I closed my eyes at his intimate gesture and cried out as his teeth tugged at the sensitive flesh.
“Open your eyes.” He growled as he transferred his mouth to my other breast. “I want you to watch who’s doing this to you.”
My eyes flew open
at the demand in his voice and he nodded his approval as my eyes found his. He lowered his lips onto my other breast and sucked gently as he continued staring at me.
“Do you like it when a man sucks your breasts, Evie?” He groaned as he kissed up my chest to my lips.
“It feels good.” I nodded, painfully aware that I had to answer him if I wanted the night to continue.
“You tried to make me think you weren’t interested, but you wanted this all along, didn’t you?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I was attracted to you yes, but I’m not the sort of girl that…”
“Don’t tell me, you’re not the sort of girl that has one night stands?”
“That’s right.” I nodded. “I don’t normally sleep around.”
“So what made me the exception?” He whispered against my lips, his breath warming me.
“I don’t know.” I shook my head slightly and ran my fingers down his back as his chest crashed down on my breasts. “Maybe I just couldn’t help myself.”
“Yes, perhaps that’s it.” He nodded before kissing me again, his fingers running up and down the side of me. I ran my fingers down his back and moaned slightly as he moved away from me and pulled off everything, but his boxer shorts.
“I’m ready for that dance now.” He growled and moved to a chair at the side of his bed.
“What?” I frowned, feeling delirious and bereft at the loss of his touch.
“I want my dance.” He grinned at me and pressed something on his nightstand. All of a sudden music started playing and the lights dimmed. I heard Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable playing and I sat up slowly. I laughed at his choice of music. Most men would have gone with some sort of R&B or rock for a strip dance, not an older, much more sentimental song. The room was silent aside from the music as we both sat there. Grant’s gaze was full of desire and patience as I stared at him not knowing what to do. I felt slightly self-conscious. Here I was, sitting almost naked and there he was, looking hot and hard, waiting for me. A part of me wondered exactly how this had happened? Hadn’t this been what I’d been trying to avoid by taking over for Hailey for the night? I’d been worried that a guy was going to expect more with a dance. Now here I was, willingly giving myself to a man I’d met at the party. The man who had been the bachelor at the party. What if he’d been lying? What if he really was getting married? Would that make me a slut and a home wrecker? I bit my lower lip, almost willing him to tell me to hurry up, but he said nothing as the song continued to play. We just sat there staring at each other. Then I remembered my last relationship. How boring and staid it had been. How my last boyfriend had been a five minute and no foreplay sort of guy. How he hadn’t cared about my needs and how I’d wished for a more adventurous mate. How I’d secretly always wanted the job that Hailey had. How I’d wanted to explore my sexuality more. And now, here I was. I had ample opportunity to do something I’d never thought I’d ever do. I knew in that moment that I was going to go through with it. I knew that my body and brain both wanted this. I shivered in excitement as I realized that I was about to have a one-night stand with the sexiest man I’d ever met in my life. A bell rang in my head for a few seconds as I wondered if that meant I was a whore? If he offered me the five grand or more, I was pretty sure I would take it, but not because I wanted the money for the sex, but more for the dance. A part of me wasn’t sure if there was a difference. A part of me wondered if I was just trying to make myself feel better. If I had sex with him and then accepted money, would that make me a prostitute? My body warmed at the thought as I bit down on my lower lip, deep in thought.
