by Stacy Gail
“Come on.” With a reluctance that staggered him, he pulled her out of their temporary private cocoon, only to find the anticipation of being alone with her once more had him shaking like a schoolboy. “We’ll come back down to the club when they’re open for dinner. Right now, though, we have one more elevator to take.”
Becks was fairly certain she was walking on air, and it had nothing to do with being up over a hundred stories above the city.
Tourists milled around the main observation floor of Willis Tower known as the Skydeck. Maps dotted the enclosed viewing area, highlighting points of interest, from Navy Pier to the Loop, to the frigid-looking icy-gray stretch of Lake Michigan. She did her best to take it all in like an attentive guest, but it was impossible. Everything around her was nothing more than a blurry, unimportant backdrop.
All that mattered was Payne.
It was amazing, how completely all her senses were focused on him. Probably because in her mind, he was the only thing worth focusing on. That smirking lopsided grin of his that had pissed her off so much the first time she’d seen it now knocked her sideways with its devilish charm. His gold-green hazel eyes, heavy-lidded and sexy as hell, had a way of drifting over her like he was undressing her in his mind, and he wanted her to know it. He brushed against her whether they were crowded by tourists or virtually alone, as if he wanted to remind her of the sheer magnitude of his physical presence at each and every moment.
He didn’t have to remind her. God, no. She was so intensely aware of him, it was as though her entire nervous system had become electrically charged to the point of lighting up like a Christmas tree. If he wasn’t careful, he could very well blow some vital circuit regulating public behavior, and she’d be throwing him down on the ground before she could stop herself.
No, she told herself firmly, when the random thought painted a vivid picture of trapping Payne beneath her and grinding into him until neither one could remember how to speak coherently. No throwing men on the ground. That wasn’t the kind of sight tourists came all the way up to the observation deck to see.
More’s the pity.
“You’ve gone quiet.” Payne brushed her side once more before he circled his arm behind her. The sweep of his hand down the small of her back to cup her ass was fleeting, but so powerful it knocked the breath right out of her. “Afraid of heights?”
“No.” I’m afraid the prospect of sexing it up with you right here in front of everyone is looking better and better.
“Yeah? Prove it.” That cocky smirk flashed across his handsome face, and it was enough to kick off a hot flash that encompassed her entire body. “Stand out on The Ledge with me.”
The heat enveloping her did a quick fade. “The Ledge?” Of course she knew what he meant. Some years ago, a bright—or twisted—entrepreneur decided that a Plexiglas box jutting out four feet from the side of Willis Tower would be a great idea. Amazingly enough, everyone seemed to agree with him. People from all over the world had flocked to the attraction for a chance to step out onto a see-through floor high above the sprawling, gray cityscape that was Chicago.
With so many people having already gone before her, that probably meant the glass floor had been weakened to the point of collapse. Surely it would be suicide to stand on it now.
“Um…”
“If you’re afraid, I can hold your hand through the whole thing.” As Payne spoke, he moved toward the huge glass enclosure that suddenly looked like a sky-high deathtrap.
“Out of curiosity, how will holding my hand keep us from plunging a hundred-plus stories to our doom?”
“It won’t. But at least we’ll be together.”
“Well, there’s that.” Her breath didn’t seem to want to let go of her lungs the closer they got to the glass enclosure, now filled with the waning light of early evening. Shit, shit, shit… “Have you ever done this before?”
“Believe it or not, no.” He came to stand by a woman set up by a camera on a tripod, reaching for his wallet. “I’m usually too busy to play tourist in my own town, so this is a real treat.”
A treat? Someone needed to hand the man a dictionary. “I’ve never done it, either.”
“We’re natives of this city. We should be ashamed of ourselves.” After a quick discussion with the photographer, he turned his gaze to her and nailed her to the spot as he offered her his hand, palm up. “Okay, it’s our turn. Ready?”
No. Hell, no. Oh, my fucking God, no.
“Sure.”
When was it that she had lost her mind?
Oh, right. The moment Payne came into her life.
“There’s a trick to this,” the photographer offered helpfully as Payne stepped out onto the glass platform, so clear it looked like he was hovering in air. Since he was holding onto her hand, Becks had no choice but to be slowly dragged from the carpeted floor toward seeming nothingness. “Just remember. Don’t look down.”
Immediately Becks looked down.
“Holy shit.” Her stomach dropped like a brick. Or like she thought she was going to, since that was what her eyes were telling her. With no visible ground beneath her feet, her brain insisted she was going to die, most horribly, at the base of Willis Tower a hundred and three stories below. She was an idiot for doing her Wile E. Coyote impersonation, because she wasn’t a cartoon and she didn’t have a sign to hold up that read Help…
“It’s solid. We’re safe.” An involuntary squeak burst out of her when he gave her one final tug to land in the middle of the platform. “I won’t let you fall.”
“News flash, Payne. Gravity is out of your purview.” Seriously, did he think he was immune to the laws of nature simply because he was Sebastian freaking Payne?
Probably.
“Look at me, Becks.” His hand cupped her chin, forcing her eyes up from their feet. The last golden rays of the setting sun spilled over him like a benediction, and it brought out the light in his hazel eyes until they glowed. Almost without her being aware of it, the tension seeped from her, muscle by muscle, as her gaze meshed with his. “I’ve got you. When you’re with me, nothing can happen to you.”
“Nothing, huh?” It was amazing that she could still speak, when having her face tilted up to his was enough to shut down all higher brain function. “I wouldn’t boast about that if I were you. If nothing’s going to happen when you’re around, then I’m thinking you might be too boring to be with.”
“Ah, Becks. You and that smartass mouth of yours.” That crooked grin flashed his approval, and the sight of it had her heart doing barrel rolls even as his head lowered. “Let’s see just how boring I can be.”
Every damn time he touched her, kissed her, giddy euphoria took hold and flung her brain right out the proverbial window. All he left her with was the ability to feel, and what he ignited within her was such a magnificent chaos she could hardly define the emotional tide rising inside.
Lust.
Urgency.
Need.
Pleasure.
Payne.
Flashes went off beyond her closed eyelids, but they meant nothing to her as she reveled in how hungrily his mouth made love to hers. He kissed her as if he hadn’t seen her for a hundred years and wouldn’t see her again for a hundred more. That single-minded determination to wallow in even the smallest intimacies blew her mind, and it made her wonder if he was that way in bed. Or on a desk. In the tub. Against a wall.
Anywhere.
Everywhere.
God, she’d never wanted anyone to be inside her more than she did at that moment.
With the taste of Payne lingering on her tongue and feverish desire pumping through her like a drug, Becks looked up at him as they slowly parted. The world rocked under her feet when she found he was already watching her with such intensity she could almost believe he saw nothing but her. And as far as she could tell, he liked what he saw.
“I think that one was a winner,” the photographer announced.
“Oh, yeah.” Payne’s arms t
ightened, and the hungry possessiveness of it sent a shiver down her spine. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Eight
“The Metro Club.” Becks’s eyes were everywhere as they walked through the brass-accented paneled dining area lit by crystal chandeliers. Breathtaking views of the night-shrouded Chicago skyline glittered beyond the wall-to-wall windows, the city’s lights glowing like a giant’s treasure trove below their perch on the sixty-seventh floor. “I never realized this place was here.”
“The anarchist in me hates the concept of clubs. Too elitist and usually filled with people who have no concept of what it is to really work for a living. But I discovered you have to go where business gets done, so I joined up when the House hit the big leagues. And being a member here does have certain perks that come with it.” Through a set of mahogany double doors, they entered a candlelit room no bigger than a large dining room found in any house¸ with framed black-and-white photos of Chicago monuments on its mellow golden walls. Their hostess seated them next to each other on a tufted leather banquette at a linen-swathed table facing windows that framed views of Millennium Park. Their hostess waited as a sommelier filled fluted glasses with champagne, then closed the doors as they exited. “Perks like private dining, for instance.”
“Are you kidding me?” Payne watched her eyes grow to the size of saucers. She got halfway out of her seat to look around while the faint melody of piano music filtered in from the front of the restaurant. “Holy crap, this is the only table in the room.” She fell back into her seat, her expression chagrined. “And I just said holy crap out loud, which proves I don’t belong in a setting as refined as this. Are you sure you don’t want to just grab a quick bite at McDonald’s?”
“Sounds great, but since we’re here now we might as well take advantage.” He edged closer until their thighs touched. The simple physical contact went through him like lightning. “I’m sure the chef could make you his version of a Big Mac if you asked.”
“I wouldn’t dare. That dude’s got access to sharp knives.” By degrees her smile faded, and she fiddled with the napkin on her lap. “You know you don’t have to wine and dine me, right?”
“And you know that I like to do things up right.” Payne caught that fidgeting hand in his even as the doors opened behind them. He brought her fingers to his lips as the starters he’d ordered—prime rib Carpaccio in truffle oil and prosciutto-wrapped grilled asparagus—were served. “I get such a kick out of surprising you that I want to do it all the time, so you might as well get used to it. I’ve only just begun to spoil you.”
“Spoiling isn’t necessary. You care that I exist.” Her voice was so low he almost missed it as they were left alone once more and he transferred little delicacies to their awaiting plates. “That’s more than enough. That’s everything.”
“Becks.” Payne struggled with the enormity of the emotions she spawned. With just a handful of words, she moved him to the point of speechlessness while at the same time she brought out every protective instinct he had in his arsenal. When she looked at him as if she couldn’t keep her eyes off him, everything that was masculine in his DNA demanded he lock her against him and never let go. “When you say things like that, it makes me want to give you the world.”
“Meh. I don’t want the world. It’s too messed up.”
“Tell me what you do want, and I’ll get it for you.” Whatever it was, he’d find a way.
“You really don’t know?” Her dark eyes lifted to his. “All I want is you.”
Need slammed him, a crazed desperation that ripped through his system like a runaway train. Savoring the sensation, he reached over for a morsel of food and held it to her lips. “If you’re very good, you’ll get what you want. But I want something in return.”
She took the bite into her mouth and sucked the truffle oil from his finger. The feel of her kitten-soft, velvet tongue against the pad of his finger taunted him without mercy. All too easily he could imagine that sweet little tongue sliding up the length of his dick so clearly, it was as though she’d actually done it.
Oh, God…
“You want something from me?” The smile that curled her usually solemn mouth was knowing. Sexy. Destined to snap his will like dry kindling. “Are we bargaining now?”
“Always.”
“What is it that you want?”
“Your panties. Take them off.”
Static-filled silence exploded between them for a heartbeat, and in that moment he could have sworn he heard her heartbeat. Then, with her eyes never leaving his, she slid out of the banquette and bunched up the folds of her long skirt. The teasing glimpses he got of her legs—pale, slender columns that needed to be wrapped around him—were enough to make his stiffening flesh swell to the point that his briefs felt like they’d grown small enough to cut off all circulation. With a grimace of near pain, he shifted in his seat while drinking in the faint shimmy of her hips. God, she was beautiful. The world could have been ending beyond the windows in front of him, and he still wouldn’t have been able to look away as she glided her hands up her thighs before they disappeared under her skirt.
“I wish I’d known this was going to be in my immediate future.” The sound of her voice hit all his happy-buttons. Soft and sultry, it was a purr that was as sensually stimulating as a tangible caress. “I would have worn my royal purple French lace thong. Instead, you get… these.”
A hint of red dropped to the floor. With uncomplicated grace she stepped out of them and scooped them up. When she folded them design side up and handed them over, the edgy hunger that stalked him lightened with a flash of irresistible humor.
“Wonder Woman?”
“Don’t knock the Amazon princess.” Laughter danced in her eyes along with a lush excitement she couldn’t seem to hide, and it had him biting his lip to keep from groaning. This woman getting hot for him was almost too arousing to bear. “That chick rocked. She was my role model as a kid.”
“A woman who appreciates comic books. How did I ever get so lucky?” As she slid back into her seat, she lifted her skirt out of the way, and he caught a hand above her knee before it could once again be covered. Her skin was a fantasy of crushed silk and rose petals and all things that belonged in heaven. Soon he’d find out if she was that soft everywhere. “Though I have to admit, I always preferred Marvel to DC.”
“Are you crazy? Superman and Batman and their multi-layered back stories were better than The X-Men or Spiderman any day of the week.”
“Hey, now. Those are fighting words right there.” It was insane how delighted he was with her, this nerd-girl in disguise. With his hand sliding up her thigh, he gently bit at her neck and wondered what she’d make of the small images of Venom and Spidey fighting it out within the cityscape tattoo he had across the small of his back. “I think you need to be punished for that.”
“Ooh. Scary man.” Her breathing was audible as she angled her body toward him for easier access. “Do your worst.”
The invitation nearly broke him.
Before another move could be made, the doors behind them opened again. Dirty plates were whisked away to make way for entrees of duck breast with cherry compote and skewers of flame-roasted vegetables. Payne barely saw any of it, glancing up only to inform their server that privacy was what they wanted now. When they were alone once more, the thought of sedately eating a meal with her wearing nothing under her skirt was the one sure way he’d lose his fucking mind.
“Becks.” No matter how delicious the aroma was from the dinner they’d been served, all he could smell was her scent. Lust burned in him, all-consuming. It was a fever, and she was his only cure. “Tell me if you’re hungry, and I’ll try like hell to keep my hands off you. But if you’re not…”
“No.” Her breath trembled as she propped a knee on the seat and slipped a hand to his shoulder for balance. “I’m not hungry… for food.”
“Excellent. Because the only thing I want to eat right now is you.” Wit
h that, he cleared the space on the table in front of him so he could set her ass down on it.
Now this was his idea of fine dining.
Becks wasn’t sure if she could faint from a head rush of excitement alone, but she suspected at the very least she was damn close to it. As Payne positioned her in front of him, she dived her fingers into his thick hair and kissed him, her blood heating while he propped her feet on either side of him. The taste of him was now familiar but no less addictive, and she could only whisper his name against his lips as he at last leaned back to coax her knees apart.
Yes.
“I want you nice and wide for me, love.” Tension threaded through Payne’s voice, and the sound of his unmistakable eagerness thrilled her so deeply she shivered. Any woman would become drunk on a man’s arousal when it was as obvious as his. But when that man was Sebastian Payne—a man who had his pick of any woman in the world, from rock stars to royalty—his hunger for her made her all the more giddy. Even if it was only for tonight, he wanted her, a little nobody artist who, amazingly, had the power to make his hands shake as he bunched up the fabric of her skirt to pool in her lap. She could hardly believe this was happening, but she wasn’t going to question it.
She’d simply live in the moment and enjoy it while it lasted.
His tongue smoothed along her inner thigh, making the fine muscles quiver beneath his touch. He’d rolled her skirt back far enough so that she was now fully exposed to him, and his big hands lingered on her hips to tilt her pelvis upward. When his teeth nipped her thigh, she made a sound that was torn between a gasp and a laugh. Desire tautened deep in her belly, so sweetly maddening while her intimate flesh pulsed with an almost savage need to be filled by him.
“Payne.” It took most of the strength she had left to sound coherent. “Do you like tormenting me? Because you’re really good at it.”
“Am I?” Thankfully he seemed as distracted as she was, and as oxygen-deprived. A hand slipped from her hip to boldly invade the slick slit between her legs, exploring her channel until he found the hypersensitive nub of her clitoris. “You know, I think I believe you. I wonder if I can make your torment even… worse.”
