Doubting she could sit and watch them getting more than she’d even read about in months, Caitlin allowed them to enter the train first. When they settled into their seats she continued past them into the next carriage.
The stark, overhead lights flickered and an odd grinding sound had her wincing, but it stopped moments later.
“Bloody universe is out to spook me,” she mumbled, taking a seat near a window. Tugging off her wet coat, she tried to get her now thumping heartbeat under control. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, checking the time and hoping that the train wouldn’t sit too long in the station. Not that she was getting home at any reasonable hour anyway.
She scrolled through her emails, hoping she’d cleared enough of the urgent ones from her inbox before she’d left the office. She would probably have stayed a little longer at work but the lights had begun to randomly switch off, and at one point her computer had rebooted itself. It freaked her out, so she’d left fifteen minutes later. However, walking to the Tube station showed her it wasn’t only her office that was affected. Store front displays were blacked out one moment, then brightly lit the next, streetlights blinked on and off and there was a strange humming sound that came along with all of that.
There was something weird happening in the city tonight and Caitlin didn’t like it. It was creepy.
The train lurched forward, startling her because she wasn’t paying attention. She gasped, dropping her phone onto the dirty, metal floor.
“Today just keeps getting better and better.”
Leaning down, the tips of her fingers brushed against the keypad. At the same time, the train stalled, lifting her from her seat and launching her across the carriage until she fell onto all fours in the middle of the walkway. Her knees stung, the palms of her hands burned furiously. Tears automatically filled her eyes, blurring her vision. Caitlin didn’t need to look down at her legs to know her tights were shredded, the skin probably was too, and her skirt no doubt revealed far too much now.
Lucky for her she was alone.
“Are you okay?”
Caitlin froze. The very male voice had to be imagined. There was no way it was real. She refused to believe she had been caught in such an embarrassing situation.
Maybe he couldn’t actually see her? After all the train was dark and he’d certainly not been seated anywhere obvious because she’d totally missed him.
“Excuse me, but are you all right?” the voice rumbled again, startling her, making her realise she’d been frozen on all fours for the last few moments.
Possibly flashing her knickers.
Hopefully they were a decent pair.
Mortification burning her cheeks, she turned her head slightly and met the greenest eyes she’d ever seen. They were vibrant and lush - the exact shade freshly cut grass became after a shower of rain. She could lose herself in them and never feel the need to come up for air.
“Hello?” he said, wording it like a question rather than a statement.
Caitlin blinked, feeling her skin heating further. She needed to answer him. Remaining silent and staring into his eyes would only have him thinking she was mute, or worse, intoxicated. “Hi,” was all she could croak out, embarrassment constricting her throat and making it difficult to talk.
A smile teased the corners of his mouth and small dimples appeared on his cheeks. His dark hair flopped into his eyes as he lowered his head and reached out to help her to her feet.
“You took quite a tumble.”
Caitlin nodded, lifting one hand and grimacing at the welts marring her palm. The skin stung and pinpricks of blood scattered across her thumb. She was going to have an awful lot of bruises tomorrow.
Reluctantly, she took his hand though wasn’t prepared for the zing of electricity that zipped up her arm from his touch. The hairs stood on end, a strange warmth seeping over her body. The tips of her fingers tingled but she told herself it was due to the fall. However, one glance at her rescuer told her he was feeling something similar. He shifted from one foot to the other, clearing his throat as she stood up…and got a good look at him.
It was him. The him from the lift earlier today. The him that was knicker-dropping sexy and all she could do was stare.
He raised his brows, obviously wanting more of a response. He flicked his head back so that his hair shifted from his eyes but he continued to look at her. She wondered briefly where his glasses were.
“Hmm, thanks,” Caitlin offered, noticing they were still holding hands. “I thought I was alone in here.”
A grin lit up his face, causing his eyes to sparkle and his dimples to flash. At the same time he raised a brow. “That much was very clear, though I can’t complain.”
“Why?” she asked, confused by his statement.
“The view was…very enticing,” he responded, still smiling. “I wasn’t in a rush to help you up, put it that way.”
Her eyes grew wide, shocked by his candour. However, her body began to hum with a very different reaction. She realised her heart had started to race. Her stomach flipped in excitement and her nipples pebbled, pushing at the thin lace of her bra. She could blame the cold, and the fact that the rain had seeped through her mac but it would be a lie.
Dropping her hand, he took a step back, his gaze raking slowly down her body. She felt naked, as though he could see past the satin shirt and pencil skirt. Again, she hoped she wore her good underwear today.
“I’m sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I was rather forward there. Are you really okay? I’m Miles by the way.”
Miles. She liked it.
“Thanks for helping me.” She held out her hand for him to shake, not admitting to herself that she just wanted to touch him again. “I’m Caitlin, and I’m more than a little embarrassed.”
The train lurched, the lights flickering again and a disembodied voice came from the speakers. It announced the journey was about to start and gave details of the next stop.
“Guess you should sit down. Wouldn’t want you falling on your arse again.”
Caitlin opened her mouth, about to deny that she actually landed on her bottom but then second guessed herself and stopped. What did it matter? Arse or hands and knees the man had still seen her knickers.
Fumbling for something to say, Caitlin took the seat facing his. She smoothed down her skirt, quickly darting a glance at her shirt to make sure her nipples weren’t as prominent as she thought. A mirror would have been good too, though she settled for a covert look in the window. There were no mascara streaks down her cheeks and no panda eyes that she could tell, so encouraged, she meet Miles’ rather intense gaze.
“You work in the same building as me,” she stated.
“Is that an accusation or a question?”
“Stating a fact. I saw you in the lift this morning.”
Miles tugged at his black tie, eventually undoing it and slipping it from underneath the collar. After tucking it into the pocket of his suit jacket he released the top two buttons of his shirt, expelling a heavy sigh when he’d finished. “Yeah, I saw you too.”
Caitlin chewed on her lower lip, working out what she could say next to him. She hated small talk but didn’t want to stop the stilted conversation with him.
“But you saw more of me tonight, huh?” she offered, trying to make a joke of the situation.
Miles wiggled his brows. “I did, and you won’t get a single complaint from me.”
“Oh, please!” Caitlin rolled her eyes. “There has to be more seductive meetings than a woman flashing her knickers to you as she falls to the floor.”
“I’m sure there are,” he replied cryptically. “But then that would depend on ones view of seduction, no?”
He winked at her, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees as the train began to leave Knightsbridge station. His shirt gaped, revealing a sliver of collarbone that had Caitlin squeezing her thighs together. She’d always had a thing for nibbling collarbones and his looked perfect. The male scent see
med strongest at that point, and she enjoyed nuzzling the spot, drinking in the deeply male smell. It had been eleven months since she’d had the opportunity. The sexual drought was clearly messing with her head because she was almost drooling as she looked at Miles.
“So, Caitlin, which company do you work for in The Tower?”
The sound of her name on his lips - the way he pronounced it, made her thighs clench that little bit more. Sparks of erotic arousal shot across her abdomen, tightening her muscles. All from the sound of her name. It was ridiculous really, at least she thought so.
Stammering, she finally found her voice. “Erm, Loft and Carson on the fourth floor. You?”
Nodding, Miles took a moment before answering. “What if I said I was only at your office today to get the aid of Loft and Carson?”
“Were you?”
“Maybe.”
Caitlin sighed, crossing one leg over the other. Her skirt rode up a little, showing him an eyeful of creamy thigh. She felt like living dangerously and didn’t bother to cover herself up. He was incredibly attractive, and damn, she was extremely turned on by him.
“Do you enjoy playing cat and mouse?”
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean,” he answered, though his smirk gave him away. The man knew exactly what he was doing. “We’ve just met, so I’m not about to volunteer my life story to you. Am I?”
“I’m not asking for full disclosure.” She skimmed her hand along her thigh, watching his eyes follow the exact same path. “I merely wanted to know where you worked, or what you were doing in The Tower today. I haven’t seen you there before.”
“And you know that how?”
The lights dimmed slightly, the strange whirring noise returning for a moment. Caitlin looked up at the lamps, wondering what was going on in the city tonight. There was a strange atmosphere, an odd electricity. Maybe that was why she was being so forward with this man? It was either that or total sexual deprivation.
“I would have noticed you before. Trust me,” Caitlin replied honestly.
Miles appreciated the truth, she could tell by the way his eyes lit up at her response.
“Really?” he questioned, licking his lower lip.
Good Lord, she wanted to lap at that flesh too, trace the plump swell before slowly dipping her tongue into his mouth. His kiss would bring her to her knees, she could tell.
“Yes, I - ”
The train ground slowly to a halt as the carriage was swamped in darkness. Every light had blinked off, leaving them in complete silence. Caitlin’s heart crashed against her chest as she looked around wildly trying to understand what was happening. There was a crackle from the speaker system but no one spoke.
“Are you okay?”
Caitlin snorted. “You appear to ask me that a lot since we met.”
“I do, don’t I? Maybe it’s because you’re such a damsel in distress?”
“I doubt this is any of my fault. In fact, almost ending up on my arse was down to the train lurching forward. I knew I should have left with Nathan at six.”
“And Nathan would be?”
Though she enjoyed the slight jealous edge to his tone, she was still worried as to what was going on. Trains didn’t just grind to a halt. And what was up with the lighting?
Ignoring his question, Caitlin stood up and walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Miles questioned sharply, his hand wrapping around her bicep a bit too tightly. He pulled her toward him, her entire body sparking into life from his proximity. The fear that grew within her due to their situation mingled with the arousal currently wetting her knickers. It was a bizarre combination but nevertheless utterly exhilarating.
Finding her voice was difficult when all she could focus on was Miles’ touch and the heavy thundering of her own heartbeat.
“The next carriage. I was going to see what’s happening.”
“You’re going nowhere,” he growled. “Wait here. I’ll go and find out.”
Caitlin had no time to argue with him. He left the carriage after tugging roughly on the door a second later.
The darkness closed around her, and to calm her nerves she switched the light on her phone. There was no reception, so the only help it gave was that of a makeshift torch. She shone it against the window, hoping it would illuminate the tunnel outside and reveal the problem but there was nothing. Total darkness.
Her mind spun, remembering all the horror films where the woman is left alone in the dark. “Quit it, Cait. He’s coming back…without the meat cleaver.”
Walking across to the opposite door, she continued to give herself a pep talk. Her stomach churned, the images from the films flashing through her head. The women would almost always end up being scared half to death first as the killer made his entrance -
“Boo!”
Caitlin screamed, her body twisting as her arms lashed out, trying to make contact with her attacker. This wasn’t her end. There was no way she would die on a dirty Tube train without even the smallest kiss from Miles.
“Whoa there! Caitlin, it’s me. Me. I’m sorry.” His arms surrounded her, encompassing her and allowing her a moment to regain her composure. Her gasps for air echoed off the metal walls, punctuated by tiny whimpers of shock. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, stroking her back and tucking his chin into the crook of her neck.
She clung to him, gripping the back of his suit jacket and letting his warmth seep down to her bones. That would wash away the frozen fear she’d felt. He could do that.
“The driver was checking on everyone,” he continued, whispering into her ear. “It looks like there’s been a power cut. Most of this side of London is down. He told me to stay with you. Help will be here soon.”
Caitlin gulped. “H-how many are on the train?”
“Just us and a couple of teenagers. We’re only two carriages from the driver. He knows where we are.”
Miles pulled back slightly. She squinted, trying to see his face but only getting his silhouette. She all but melted when he cupped her face in his hands. It soothed her instantly.
“You going to be okay?”
Caitlin huffed lightly. “You really have to stop asking me that. I’m fine. It just startled me.”
“We were having fun before that, huh?” he asked. It sounded like his was grinning.
“You could say that.”
His thumbs stroked her cheekbones, the right one moving down slowly until it swept across her bottom lip. “I think you could be a lot of fun, Caitlin.”
Understanding what he meant, she tilted her head into his palm, frowning. “I doubt I could muster any kind of excitement right now.”
“I beg to differ. You heart is already racing, your blood pumping as adrenaline floods your system. Excitement isn’t the issue right now.” A strong, muscled thigh slid between hers while he spoke. It caused her skirt to ride up as he pushed a bit further. He lowered his voice until it was nothing more than a whisper and skimmed his lips along her jaw as he continued. “I feel it rolling off you. Sure, you were scared for a moment but before that we were getting somewhere.”
“We were?” she asked breathlessly. The feel of his tongue sweeping across her skin had her breath hitching. “I thought we were talking.”
“Correct, no different than now then. And we have nothing else to fill the time while we wait.”
Apprehension had her throat tightening. However, fighting the attraction was futile, especially when Miles lowered his hands, smoothing them down her back and cupping her bottom. He hauled her closer, rubbing his thigh against her hot mound. Her skirt lifted to her waist, exposing her to the cool air.
“Miles…” she started but her words drifted off. Did she really want to stop this now? Would she live a lifetime of regret if she called time on this interlude?
She knew the answer instantly. She wanted this. She wanted Miles. Even if that meant a quick, sordid fumble on the Tube during a blackout.
Had her life become so dull
that she was willing to risk getting caught in such a compromising situation?
A small voice inside her head screamed a ‘Hell yes’ in response, and needing to take control, she let go of his jacket and gripped the hair on the back of his head. She imagined his eyes growing wide with shock then softening with admiration when she crashed her lips to his. Their mouths fused together, hot, angry and possessive. It became a war, passion swiftly boiling over. Tongues thrust and slid erotically, the air around them crackling with the energy they were giving off.
Miles dipped his fingers into the lacy edge of her underwear, stroking them down the crease of her buttocks. It startled her, but she’d had the feeling he would consume her, taking her to highs she had never experienced. Not that she had the ability to stop him. Every cell in her body was focused on him and she wouldn’t be denied.
Her nails raked his scalp, his hips rocking of their own accord so that she rubbed herself wantonly against his thigh. Gasps filled the air, the carriage feeling suddenly very hot and as she tore her mouth from his to get some air he ripped her damp shirt open.
“Amazing.” He kissed the swell of her large breasts, feasting on them, sucking the mounds of flesh.
Miles made no apology or asked for what he wanted, he simply took and that act alone made her knees weak. Never had she felt so consumed by one person, and definitely not after such a short period of time. He seized, controlled and dominated, leaving her swimming in a sea of lust.
Caitlin moaned when his tongue pushed beneath her bra cup. It lapped across her nipple, circling the surrounding, puckered skin. His hands remained on her buttocks, squeezing and kneading until she was gasping for much more.
“Raise your arms, Caitlin,” Miles demanded, tearing his face away from her chest.
Confused by his request, she scowled and tried to see where he was looking. The dark shadow of his face lifted up. The only things of interest on the roof were the hand loops that hung from the carriage - the ones passengers would hold to keep their balance on a busy train.
“Hold on. Don’t let go.”
Smut in the City (Absolute Erotica) Page 4
