BumpnGrind
Page 6
Chapter Six
Garrett pulled her through the door to his dressing room, a ten-by-ten cubicle with no ceiling, and spun her into his arms as he slammed the flimsy door behind him. His lips covered hers hungrily.
Felicia’s pulse shot into the danger zone as she melted against him. His sensual aura enveloped her, pulling her into its addictive core and cocooning them in a world where no one else existed.
On some level she was aware of sounds nearby—doors slamming and the sound of hangers being strung on metal bars—but her body was on fire and it was all she could do to retain an ounce of sensibility.
Garrett reached down to the hem of her little black dress and slid it upward, running his warm palms along her thighs as he lifted it to her waist.
Felicia pulled her lips from his and glanced down. “No Road Runner today?”
“Cowboys don’t wear cartoon characters on their crotches.”
She lowered her head and nuzzled his neck. It was warm and slightly bristly from the shadow of his beard and smelled like man. Inhaling deeply, she swept her tongue from the base of his throat, over his Adam’s apple and up to his chin.
Garrett groaned and captured her lips again.
Felicia slid her hands over his exposed buttocks, enjoying the warm smoothness of his skin. She hooked her fingers in the top of the thong and peeled it down, stepping back so she could watch him spring free.
Licking her lips, she dropped to her knees and pressed her face against the hard length of him.
“You’re killin’ me, darlin’.”
Felicia smiled at the cowboy twang. She decided to play along, adopting her own drawl. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, cowboy.” She parted her lips and slid them over the thick head of his penis, drawing him into the heated cave of her mouth.
Garrett’s head dropped back on a moan, his hands fisting in her hair. Felicia moaned too, thoroughly immersed in the explosive heat of the moment and enjoying the sweet, salty taste of his skin in her mouth.
She buried the thick length of his cock deep in her mouth, working her teeth and tongue gently over the hard flesh as she slid it slowly back out. Her tongue found the tiny hole in the fat head of his shaft and tasted him there. He moaned as her fingers caressed the taut sac of his balls, running along the sensitive skin just behind and to the puckered skin of his sweet ass.
He widened his stance as her finger teased the sensitive, puckered flesh and his cock jumped in her mouth.
Garrett pulled her to her feet. “I can’t take any more of that, Lissy.” Reaching over to where he’d deposited his jeans on the back of a nearby chair, he dug in the pocket for his emergency condom and slipped it on.
He grabbed her under the buttocks and lifted her off her feet, sliding her down over his throbbing flesh.
Felicia gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. She laid her head on his shoulder and lost herself in the incredible sensation of his flesh scraping wonderfully over the sensitized skin of her core and the feel of his hard body against hers.
Her release built steadily and quickly. Pleasure swept over her in waves. Beneath her arms his shoulders were rigid as he lifted and then lowered her hips, plundering her body with deep, toe-curling thrusts. Her body tightened and throbbed as she approached that elusive peak. She savored the mind-numbing rhythm, her breath exploding from her chest in frantic bursts, until finally, she threw back her head and cried out, shuddering into release with his name on her lips.
Garrett buried himself deeply within her and stiffened in his own violent release. As his orgasm gentled to waves of residual pleasure, he found her lips again in a still hungry kiss. When he pulled his lips from hers a moment later, he lowered his head to rest his forehead against hers. His hot breath bathed her with its sweet musk.
“Darlin’, that was incredible. I haven’t had a ride like that since I broke that wild filly with the silver tail and the bad attitude at the ranch last year.”
Felicia, still breathing hard, smacked him on the arm. “Put me down, you ass. I’ll give you wild filly.”
Garrett allowed her to slide to the ground but kept his arms around her waist. “Promise?”
Felicia giggled like a schoolgirl and bit her lip with embarrassment. “You’re a very naughty boy, Garrett Holcomb.”
“Ooh, sugar, I like the sound of that. You gonna spank me?”
“I just might. You never know.”
A fist hit the door hard and they both jumped. “Five minutes, Romeo.”
Felicia felt color swamping her face as she realized the whole damn place had probably heard them making love. Garrett kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t worry about it, darlin’. They won’t tease you. It’s me they’re after.” He waggled his eyebrows and turned away. “Stay with me while I get dressed, then I’ll walk you back out front before I start my set.”
* * * * *
Thursday nights were relatively quiet in the club. Having been there several nights in a row to spend time with Garrett, Felicia was starting to get the pulse of the place. She sat back in the corner at a table by herself to watch Garrett’s show. Bliss and Brad were swaying at the edge of the small dance floor, oblivious to everything and everyone else in the bar.
Garrett had replaced the cowboy outfit with a Roman soldier getup. He wore a short, pleated leather skirt, leather sandals with straps crisscrossing up his legs, and not much else. He brandished a plastic sword in various suggestive ways that made her giggle.
She observed the women, mostly drunk, screaming and throwing themselves at him with decidedly mixed emotions. She was pleased that other women found him irresistible and proud that he seemed to have chosen her above all of them. On the other hand, she wasn’t confident enough in their relationship to sit there smugly without suffering some pangs of worry and fear.
It definitely helped that he occasionally looked her way and smiled.
“Are you saving that seat for me?”
Felicia glanced up at the young man bending over her. He was dressed conservatively, in a black turtleneck and nicely pleated gray slacks. He wore his dark-brown hair very short and he was attractive. Very attractive.
But the smile he offered her didn’t quite reach his dark-green eyes.
“Sorry. I’m waiting for a friend.”
Unbelievably, he pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. “I could be that friend.”
“No. I mean a particular friend.”
“Turns out I’m very particular.”
She glanced toward the stage but Garrett was busy trying to extract the leather tie of one sandal from between the teeth of a tall, attractive, and very determined redhead.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
She kept her gaze fixed on the stage, hoping the guy would get the hint and go away.
No such luck. He leaned close and grabbed her hand off the table. “How about you and I go someplace quiet and talk?”
Felicia jerked her head around, her mouth falling open in shock. “I don’t even know you. I told you I’m waiting for my boyfriend to join me. Please go away.”
The man lifted one eyebrow and smiled again. Felicia shivered slightly from that smile. It was predatory and didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No. You said a friend. A friend could be anyone.” He turned toward the shadows, where Bliss stood alone, leaning against the wall. Brad must have gone to the men’s room. “Like that beautiful black woman for example.”
Felicia gasped and stood up, reaching for her purse.
The man rose too and grabbed her arm. “Now if you’ll just come with me quietly I promise I won’t hurt you. I just want to have some fun. I’ve been told you like to have fun. You do like to have fun, don’t you, Felicia?”
She tried to jerk her hand away from his but he wasn’t letting go. “Stop it! What the hell’s wrong with you! I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I think you are.” Unbelievably the man pulled his fist back like he was going to punch her.
He never got the chance.
His first thought was that she’d gone to the ladies’ room. Then he found her and nearly choked with rage. A man was trying to pull Felicia toward the door.
She was struggling to get her arm free and looked terrified.
Garrett lost awareness of everything else in the place as he leapt off the stage and stormed toward them. He heard Bruno call his name but ignored him, his full attention focused on the tussle still going across the bar.
Suddenly the man cocked his arm as if he would hit Felicia. Garrett lost any semblance of control he might have had left and launched himself at the creep.
The first thing Felicia was aware of was a growling sound. The next thing she felt was a painful tug on her arm as something large slammed into her attacker, sending him flying into the wall.
Garrett grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt with one hand and punched him in the face with the other. She could tell he wanted to keep punching but managed to restrain himself.
Barely.
Bruno arrived with Bliss closely in his wake and wedged himself between Garrett and the dazed-looking jerk who’d accosted her.
“Okay, Garrett, ole’ buddy. That’s enough.”
“He attacked Felicia.”
Bruno nodded. “I got that, man. I don’t blame you for hitting him. But that’s where it stops. This scum isn’t worth jail time, man.”
Two of the club’s dancers grabbed the guy under the arms and “escorted” him from the club. An arm encircled Felicia’s shoulders and she looked over at Bliss. Her friend gave her an understanding smile. “Hey, honey. You okay?”
“Yes.” Felicia cast a worried glance toward Garrett.
Bruno had apparently been successful in calming him down. His shoulders looked more relaxed and he no longer clenched his large hands in fists.
Two times he’d saved her from a questionable situation.
Two times he’d been her knight in shining armor.
She felt her pulse pick up. She was thinking like a romantic teen. The last thing she wanted to do was romanticize her relationship with Garrett.
He turned around and the pain in his eyes almost undid her. She watched him walk toward her with a sense of relief and something else that she didn’t want to examine too closely. He wrapped her in a hug that stole her breath and held on tightly. “You all right, Lissy?”
“I am now. Thanks for saving me…again.”
She felt his warm breath against her cheek. “S’okay.” He didn’t say anything else, but his arms tightened around her even more.
* * * * *
Bliss, Brad, Felicia, and Garrett sat at the bar and watched Bruno close it down for the night. The place had long since cleared out and the doors were locked. They’d been enjoying a companionable chat while waiting for Bruno to finish up. They were planning an early breakfast out before going home.
Except for a couple of short trips to the men’s room, Garrett hadn’t left Felicia’s sight since she’d been accosted. That had been just fine with her. The event had unnerved her.
“Are you sure you’ve never seen the guy before?” It wasn’t the first time Garrett had asked Felicia that question. In fact it might have been the tenth. She forced herself not to sigh, knowing he was just trying to help.
“Never.”
“He was probably just some jerk looking for a good time,” Brad contributed.
“No. He knew my name and he knew Bliss was my friend.”
Brad’s shoulders stiffened at this bit of news, and wrapped his arms around Bliss, pulling her back against his chest.
Garrett reached out and rubbed Felicia’s arm. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Somebody must have sent him.”
All eyes swung to Bliss, who was checking her lipstick in a small mirror.
Brad asked, “Why do you say that?”
She shrugged. “Felicia doesn’t know the guy, but he seems to know us. Which means somebody filled him in on us.”
Felicia felt the blood drain from her face. “Dave.”
Garrett swore quietly. “Had to be.”
Brad fixed an intense look on Garrett. “Sounds like we need to do something about this Dave guy.”
Bruno came out from behind the bar, wiping his hands on a towel. “Time to call it a night, folks.”
They slid off the stools and started toward the door. Garrett’s back and shoulders were stiff with tension. “Don’t worry, buddy. I fully intend to do something about that asshole.”
Alarm bloomed in Felicia’s chest. She grabbed Garrett’s hand. “I don’t want you to put yourself in any danger, Garrett. Obviously there are some mental issues there.”
He opened the door and guided her out with a hand on her back. “Don’t worry, Lissy. I’ve got this under control.”
Felicia doubted that any of them had control over the current situation. Maybe it would just be better if she and Garrett didn’t see each other anymore. Being together was getting so complicated.
The thought made her stomach clench.
Once outside, Bruno locked the door and turned toward his car in the far shadows of the lot. “See you guys later.”
“Later, man.” Garrett watched his friend walk away, frowning. He owed Bruno big time for hanging with him against Felicia’s nutty stalker.
“Where do you guys want to go for breakfast?” Brad stood with his arm thrown over Bliss’ shoulders, looking as if he was afraid to let her get too far away.
Bliss looked pretty happy to have him there.
Felicia leaned into Garrett. “You guys decide, you know this area better than I do.”
They discussed their options for a few minutes and then picked a place.
Garrett walked Felicia to her car before heading to his. Bliss and Brad headed toward Brad’s car.
When they reached Felicia’s car Garrett leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. His gaze on hers was searching, as if he’d heard the doubts in her mind. “We’ll work this out, Felicia. I don’t want you to worry about it.”
She knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but felt reluctant to get into it at that moment. “I know. I’ll try not to worry.”
He stared at her for a heartbeat longer, then stepped away from her so she could open the car door and climb inside. He grabbed the handle of her door and was ready to close it when he heard a shout from the other side of the parking lot.
It was Bruno, calling out to him.
Garrett jogged toward the sound of his friend’s voice. Felicia followed. When he reached them Bruno was bending over something on the ground. Bruno’s car was a few yards away with the door open, the interior light painting whatever was on the ground in a soft light.
Bruno stood up and Garrett could finally see the silent, bloodied form on the ground at his feet. It was the man from the bar and somebody had beaten him badly.
Felicia gasped and threw a hand over her mouth. “Is he…” she swallowed hard.
“He’s still alive. But he’s a mess.”
Sirens split the silence of the night, getting louder as they approached. Garrett looked at Bruno. “Did you call the cops…or an ambulance?”
Bruno’s dark gaze locked on his friend, filled with meaning. “I think we might want to get hold of a lawyer, my friend.”
Garrett swore softly.
Chapter Seven
The police car tore into the parking lot and screeched to a stop beside them. Both doors flew open and the two uniformed officers inside slid out, crouching behind the doors with their guns trained on the three friends. “Hands up where we can see them!”
Garrett moved in front of Felicia, protecting her with his body. “Take it easy, officers. We just walked out here and found this guy. You won’t need those weapons.”
The cop who�
�d spoken jerked the gun toward Garrett. “You let me worry about when I need my weapon, sir. I need you to place your hands on your head and turn around.” He glanced at Bruno. “You too, sir.”
Garrett did as he was asked, but he stayed between Felicia and the cops. Felicia lifted a hand toward him. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Garrett…”
He gave her a smile. “It’s okay, honey. It’ll be fine. I have nothing to hide. We all know I didn’t do this.”
The cop jerked his arms around behind his back and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. Garrett noticed the other cop, a woman, had done the same to Bruno.
“I got him,” the male cop with Garrett’s wallet said.
The female cop checked Bruno’s wallet and then unlocked his cuffs, handing him back the wallet. “What’s this shit?” Bruno asked.
The cop Mirandized Garrett. “You’re coming with us, sir.” He turned to Bruno and Felicia. “Don’t leave town. Give these officers your addresses before you leave.” Then he jerked Garrett’s arm and drew him toward the cop car.
While they’d been cuffing Garrett, two more cop cars had squealed into the parking lot.
He heard Felicia screaming his name and tried to turn around, but the cop holding his arms wouldn’t let him turn. “Watch your head, sir.” He was pushed down and into the cop car. And the door was slammed shut.
His arms hurt and he couldn’t get comfortable sitting with them cuffed behind him. But nothing hurt as much as watching Felicia’s face as they drove him out of that parking lot to take him to jail.
* * * * *
Felicia grabbed Bruno’s arm. “What just happened here, Bruno? Why were they looking for Garrett?”
Bruno jerked his head at the cops. “We’ll talk about this later. As soon as we can get out of here.”
Felicia dug in her purse for her cell. Brad and Bliss had left the parking lot before Bruno discovered the battered man. She called Bliss to warn her that they wouldn’t be joining them at breakfast.
When she hung up she had tears in her eyes. Bruno put an arm around Felicia’s shoulders. “It’ll be okay, Felicia. We know he didn’t do anything. We told the cops that. They’ll have to let him go.”