I burst out laughing. "I know, right? How obvious is it?" I took a seat next to him. He smelled really good, like a mix of man and expensive cologne. There went that heartbeat again.
"Well Ben's new to the market; he probably doesn't know how to act in this type of situation."
"Oh yeah? And what type of situation would that be?" I asked, twisting my hair with my finger. That's more like it. I caught his eyes on my chest.
He brought his arm up, putting it on the back of the loveseat behind me. "Where two consenting adults enjoy each other's company."
"Ah, is that what this is then?" I smiled.
"I hope you let me enjoy your company." His eyes darkened with his words. I suddenly felt out of breath at the prospect of being with him. I had a feeling he would be really good in bed.
"Only if you fix that obnoxious collar, will I even consider it," I teased, reaching both hands up, pressing the material down. His deep blue eyes were fixed on mine as my fingers brushed his skin. I suddenly pictured my arms wrapped around his neck with him inside me.
"You don't like?" he smiled.
I brought my hands to my lap. "Um, no."
He grinned again at me. I felt my cheeks start to flush with heat. What the hell was wrong with me?
"Fine, no popped collar. But only for you."
Staring at his perfectly shaped lips, I had the urge to kiss him right then and there. Almost like he was my magnet.
Thankfully, the other two walked in from the kitchen, breaking the tension. We stood as Ben handed me my drink.
"I propose a toast," said Todd. "To a beautiful night with beautiful ladies."
I couldn't wait to start drinking. "Cheers!" I cried, taking a large gulp.
We all took our seats, Todd and I on the loveseat, Lacey and Ben on the couch. Todd put his arm back around me as tingles ran up my spine. All I could focus on was him being so near me. Was he feeling this way too? Surely not. I was just out of my element; that's the only reason I was having these thoughts.
"So how was the rest of your guys' night at work?" Ben asked.
Lacey and I glanced at each other. I answered first. "It was fine."
Lacey nodded in agreement.
Slight pause. Drink.
"You like working at Johnny's?" Todd asked.
Again, Lacey and I looked at each other. I let her answer this time.
"Yeah, he's such a sweet guy," she smiled.
"You girls just seem too pretty to be working at a low key place like that. Have you ever been to Vertigo? That's where I'd picture you working," said Todd. I could feel his finger twisting the straps of my halter top at the back of my neck. I found myself aching for his fingers to actually touch my skin, not just my shirt.
"Yeah, I've been there. But I'm really happy at Johnny's. And it's starting to really pick up. Tonight was crazy," I responded.
"What's Vertigo?" Lacey asked.
Ben shifted in his seat. "Just your typical club scene." He looked visibly uncomfortable. I was guessing it had something to do with his ex.
Slight pause. Drink. Big drink. Finish drink.
"Well, looks like I'm empty," I said, standing up.
"Here, I need one too. I'll join you," said Todd, following me.
Oh god. Alone time. We walked into the kitchen, and stepped over to the bar section. I felt his hand on the small of my back, pushing me toward the counter. I rested my hands on it as his mouth moved to my neck. Holy shit. I had tingles shooting up and down my body. His lips were warm and soft as they traced a line along my shoulder and up my neck. My breathing quickened as his hands slid to my hips. It was as if we didn't have to say any words, we just knew what we wanted.
I reached my hand up behind me, running my fingers through his hair, giving it a slight tug. He pressed himself tighter against my backside, causing me to feel his growing bulge. All I wanted to do was rip off his pants and take him right there on the counter. I turned my head to try to face him, and he brought his mouth to my jaw, kissing and grazing it with his teeth. How on earth was this happening? I turned my whole body around toward him. Our faces nuzzled each other, but our lips didn't meet. His breathing was as harsh as mine. As much as I wanted to kiss him, I wanted it to happen when people weren't waiting for us in the other room to return. He seemed to have the same thought, because he slowly pulled away, resting his forehead on mine.
His hand came up to my face, his thumb resting on my lip. "Later, gorgeous."
I nodded, almost painfully. God, I really wanted him. I felt the anticipation may seriously kill me.
We started to walk back to the living room. "Oh my god, the drinks!" I cried.
He burst out laughing. "Sorry, I got a little distracted. Wouldn't want to forget those."
He started pouring the ingredients for my drink in the shaker.
"So what do you do, Todd?" I asked, sliding my hand up and down the counter. It was cool and felt good against my hot skin.
He glanced sideways at me as he shook. "I'm an investment banker."
Whatever the hell that means. "Ooh, sounds impressive," I giggled.
"I like to think so," he laughed, pouring my drink in my glass. "For you," he said, handing it to me.
"Thanks," I replied. "It's nice to have someone else make the drinks for once."
He grabbed a few ice cubes from the freezer, tossing them in his glass. He held one in his hand between us. "What I would like to do with this ice cube right now," he said, shaking his head.
I suddenly pictured us in bed, me on my back, him above me, running it over my nipples. "I have ideas," I said.
Jesus, we needed to get back out there. Now.
He tossed the idle cube in his glass and poured in a healthy amount of whiskey. "Ready?" he asked.
That was a loaded question.
"Yep, let's go join the party," I smiled.
His hand found my hip again as his mouth neared my ear. "I rather enjoyed the party we started in here," he whispered.
I smiled as we entered the living room. Lacey eyed me suspiciously. I suppose we had taken a little extra time to make the drinks.
We took our seats, and the night continued on. Once we all got a little liquor in our systems, the conversation seemed to flow much easier. I even noticed Ben and Lacey were in constant contact with each other. I wanted them to work out so badly! But not as bad as I wanted to be with Todd in bed. On paper, he should have been my typical conquest. No big deal. He was sexy, presumably a player, and not looking for commitment. But I found myself literally aching to be with him. And his occasional touches and whispers were doing nothing to help the situation.
In all actuality, though, he was pretty funny and quick witted. He made the typical immature sex jokes I would expect from someone like him, but he also had a lot of good smart zingers. He seemed able to keep everyone on their toes: what could he possibly say next? Personally, at this point, I didn't really care as much about what was coming out of his mouth as much as what he could do with it.
Lacey's glass was empty. "Can I get you another?" Ben asked.
"Um, sure," she responded. "I'll come with you."
She grinned at me as they walked toward the kitchen together. I wondered if they would participate in the same activities we had when we got our drinks, but I quickly brushed those thoughts aside as I realized I was alone with Todd again. Oh boy.
I could feel his eyes on me as I finished the last of my martini. I quickly looked at him, then turned back facing forward. His hand reached under my chin, turning my face to him.
"How about we continue our night elsewhere?" he asked, his voice deep and husky.
"Where do you suggest we do that?" I asked playfully.
He tilted his head back toward a back hallway. "Ben's got a few guest rooms."
Oh god. I tried to think for a second. Should I do this here? This was going against everything I usually do. What would I do in the morning? I didn't have my Bag, but at least I drove here. I quickly weighed my optio
ns, deciding, fuck it. He's hot. Let's do this.
Chapter 9
I set my glass down as he stood. I took his outstretched hand as he pulled me up. He continued to hold it, leading me down a hallway. I hoped Lacey wouldn't be mad at me for abandoning her. But honestly, she should probably thank me for forcing them to be alone together.
We walked past a couple rooms as he pushed a door open. It was a typical guest room with a queen sized bed, a TV, and some arm chairs. I wondered if we would get any use out of those. He suddenly jerked my arm forward, causing me to tumble onto the bed. I flipped around, staring at him as he stood above me. His gaze ran up and down my body.
"I knew from the second I saw you tonight that I needed to have you," he growled.
"Oh really?" I smiled. Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend.
He kneeled on the bed, crawling slowly toward me. I felt like I was his prey.
"Yes," he said as he reached me, pressing his lips to mine.
I moaned softly. His kiss was even better than I had imagined. His lips were soft and molded perfectly with mine. I felt my body being gently laid back against the bed; the weight of his body on top of mine was so sexy. I hadn't realized how toned and muscular he was until that moment. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair again. I liked that there was enough length for me to tug. He deepened his kiss in response, his tongue entering my mouth. He tasted good.
One of his hands positioned itself behind my head, while the other traveled up and down my torso. I had never hated wearing clothing more than at that moment. I wanted his hands on me, on my skin. I reached down in an attempt to lift my shirt up over my head, but his mouth refused to leave mine. I only got so far as above my bra. At least I had skin showing and I could feel his fingers dance along my ribs, up to my bra. He reached inside the cup, pulling it down, causing my breast to spill out. His thumb rolled my nipple, round and round, until it hardened. Fuck, that felt good.
Finally, he moved his mouth from mine, breaking our kiss. My lips felt swollen from all the activity. He gave me a sexy smile as he pulled my shirt completely off over my head. He bent down, kissing my neck as his hands reached behind me, unsnapping my bra. I immediately tossed it aside.
"Fuck, Shannon, you have an amazing body."
It was odd, but a total turn on to hear him say my name. I honestly half expected him to call me Holly.
"I want to see yours," I smiled, pointing at him and directing him to take off his shirt.
He grinned, sitting back on his knees, crossing his arms in front of him and lifting his shirt over his head. Fuck. His chest muscles were even more chiseled than his bone structure. They looked so hard and tight; I had the strong urge to run my tongue over them. I brought my finger to my lip, subconsciously.
"Why do you have to do that?" he purred, leaning back over me. I wrapped my arms around him; his skin was so warm and smooth against mine.
"Do what?" I asked.
"Make me look at your mouth like that." He kissed me roughly. "It makes me want to fuck your mouth."
Holy shit.
"Is that what you want?" I asked coyly.
He groaned. "More than anything."
I wasn't sure what it was, but it was exactly what I wanted too. I slid myself down beneath him, starting to unzip his pants. My eyes were level with the "V" cut of his muscles down to his groin. I ran my tongue in the crease as I pushed his jeans down his legs. I was now face to face with a giant bulge expanding from his black boxer briefs. Time to see what he was packing.
I took my index fingers and slid them down his skin, pushing his underwear down his legs. His erection sprang free. Holy Christ. I had agreed to put that in my mouth? My jaw tensed up at the sight of it. Definitely a nine point five. I tentatively wrapped my hand around it, sliding further down to better position myself. I opened my mouth, bracing myself, and guided him in. I heard a quiet, "ah fuck," as he slid across my tongue and hit the back of my throat. I smiled to myself. I wanted to make him feel good. We started moving together, my head bobbing up and down as he thrust himself gently into me. It was really sexy, hearing him groan, knowing I was doing this to him. I reached my hand around him, resting it on his ass, pushing him faster into me. My other hand was still wrapped around his hardness. It was just physically impossible to have the whole thing in my mouth.
"Shannon, wait. I don't want to come like this. I want to fuck you so bad," he said suddenly, pulling back.
I won't argue with that.
I pushed myself back to the head of the bed as he bent down and kissed me, holding my face in his hands.
"That felt incredible," he groaned, taking my lip gently between his teeth. I was hot with anticipation.
He sat back, and unzipped my jeans, pulling them down my legs. His hands immediately reached back up, practically ripping my black satin panties off me.
"It seems only fair that I return the favor," he grinned.
Oh god yes. I laid back, staring up at the ceiling as he settled himself between my legs. His hands gripped my inner thighs, spreading them apart. I looked down, admiring the sight below me. His eyes met mine as he smiled, bringing his tongue right to my clit. God, that was so hot to watch. I laid back, enjoying the sensations building as he licked and sucked me. That felt amazing. My hands clung to the sheets as I writhed beneath his mouth. It felt so good so quickly, it was like it was almost too much to handle. His hands were still gripping my thighs, almost painfully, holding them apart. I heard my moans get louder and louder as his tongue rolled over me incessantly. I hoped I wasn't being too loud, but to be honest, I really at that moment didn't care. He was pushing me to the brink of orgasm quicker than anyone ever had before. His tongue circled me in a perfect rhythm, pleasure building and building until I burst. I cried out as my orgasm rocked through my entire body, leaving me a limp and heaving mess under his eyes.
I ran my hands through my hair, trying to catch my breath. I barely noticed him climb off the bed and grab something from his pants. As I started to recover, I distantly heard the sound of a foil package being torn open. Ooh, I recognized that sound. My breathing finally slowed as he climbed back on the bed, positioning himself above me.
"You tasted fucking amazing," he grinned.
I suddenly felt bashful, bringing my hand to my face.
"See?" he said as he bent down and kissed me deeply. I could certainly taste myself on him.
"I see," I replied. Why was that so sexy?
I bit my lip as he reached down, guiding himself to my entrance. I braced my hands on his shoulders as he shoved himself in. Holy fuck. Ok, a ten. I will give it a ten. I grimaced slightly as I felt my body stretching to accommodate him. His hips started thrusting slowly, allowing me to adjust. I brought his mouth to mine, invading it with my tongue. This felt amazing. It's like he somehow knew my body perfectly; his pelvis rocked right against my clit. There was no need for a hand this time. He was going to make me fucking come again. He was going to do it. Not me. Not my own hand. He was doing incredible things to me. I could hear my volume increase as he picked up his pace, ramming into me. I honestly couldn't even help it. I felt lost in a sea of absolute pleasure.
His mouth found my neck, a hot wet mix of his lips and tongue. Then suddenly, I felt his teeth grazing and sucking my sensitive skin. Fuck. That sent me flying over the edge into another mind blowing orgasm. I gripped his back as I tried to recover from yet another assault. His lips continued kissing and nipping me until it was more biting than kissing. I think that means he's close.
I suddenly heard him shout out, "Ah fuck!" His body tightened beneath my hands and I could feel him throbbing within me. I tried to rub my hands gently up and down his back to slow his harsh breathing. His entire body weight rested on me as he turned his head, planting soft kisses on my neck. I smiled up at the ceiling. That had definitely been well worth it.
He rolled off me, pulling the condom off. "Well, I'd better get rid of this," he laughed.
I giggl
ed. "Yeah, I think Ben might get pissed if he found that laying in the middle of the floor."
He sat up, grinning at me. There was that dimple again. I couldn't help but smile, myself. He threw on his underwear and stepped out the door. I laid there quietly, alone, trying to take in what had just happened. That was the first time "Shannon" had had sex in a long time. And it had been better than any time Shannon could remember. What was it with this guy?
I rolled my head toward the door as he snuck back in.
"So the lights are all off out there. I hope that means those two got busy, too," he laughed, lifting up the covers. "Here, get under here with me."
I smiled as I shifted back, allowing him to pull the blankets back further. He climbed in, settling in next to me. This felt... nice.
"What time is it?" I asked.
He threw his arm over the top of me. "Just about two."
Time to pass out, I thought. Seven would be here soon enough. I closed my eyes, trying to settle down.
"So Shannon, I know I'm doing things a little bit in reverse here, but tell me about yourself. I know you work at the bar, but what else should I know about you?"
I peeked one eye open. Seriously? You shouldn't need to know anything else. "No, you go first," I said. Maybe I could pretend to fall asleep as he talked.
He tightened his arm around me. "Ok, well I already told you what I do for a living. So... my favorite food is burgers. Like a really good juicy burger. My favorite place in town is Jack's. What about you?"
Why was he concerned with my favorite food? I sighed, deciding to indulge him. "I love tacos. Mexican food has always been my favorite."
"I liked your taco," he teased.
"Oh my god! You did not just say that!" I cried. "Don't ever call it a taco again!"
He chuckled. "Well I did. But I enjoy real tacos too. Where's your favorite place to go?"
"Um, Somberitos. Down on Fourth Street. Have you ever been there? It's the most authentic, I think." And they're liberal with their tequila.
"I haven't. But maybe we should check it out sometime," he responded.
Finally, You (The Finally Book Duo 2) Page 8
