There's this lightness in my body. All from Nick's smile.
He checks his watch and motions to the backroom. I follow him.
The room is just big enough for three tables. There are about thirty people here. Mostly men. Most of them do double takes when they see me. Their eyes go to my chest, their tongues slide over their lips. The cleavage is a shrewd distraction. Never thought Nick would encourage such a cheap tactic.
Maybe I'm wrong about him being honorable.
The tournament manager directs our attention to a white board with seating arrangements. It's time to get started.
Nick squeezes me so tightly I can barely breathe. God, he feels good like this too. I hug him back, then shift all my focus to the game. Maybe four thousand dollars is nothing to him, but it's a lot to me. I have to try my best to double his money. I don't want to owe him anything else.
I find my seat and take in my opponents. There are seven other players. Five are typical business guys in their forties. One is more of a cocky playboy type, younger. One is an older woman.
At first, I hold back, following the energy of the table. By the fourth round, I have a feel for my opponents. Cocky playboy is, in fact, overly confident. The older woman taps her nose when she has a good hand. Of the five typical business guys, only one is hard to read. The other four wear their cards in their eyes.
My bets get more aggressive. I call three bluffs and end up with more than half the pot. Players go out one at a time, until it's just me and the older woman.
The tournament master rearranges everything. What started as four tables is down to two. I have new opponents. Five this time. I take my time to read them then I get aggressive, bluffing when I have a decent chance, calling anyone who falters or bites his lip a little too long.
Nick is on the sidelines with another dozen or so people. He pulls out his phone, looks at it closely, and frowns. Did his mom really tell him not to frown? He's a chronic frowner. So much weight on his shoulders. I hate that. I hate it when he frowns. I want him to smile, to wrap his arms around me and—
Fuck.
The betting is to me and I have no idea what's happening at the table. My hand is so-so, but it's just me and another business guy. He bets big.
I fold. Not worth risking.
My attention goes back to the game, but it's there, in the back of my mind, trying to distract me. Something is bothering Nick. I don't like that something is bothering him.
Somehow, I play well half distracted. No one can tell if I'm bluffing. After a dozen rounds, we're down to six players and one table.
I've already placed.
No matter what I do, I'm not losing Nick's money. Which means all the risk is mine.
I give myself more leeway to play aggressively. The men at the table look at me like I amuse them. Whatever. I'm used to people underestimating me. I delight in calling their bluffs. It's less wonderful when someone's full house beats my two pair, but what are you gonna do? It's poker.
The table knocks down to four.
Three.
Me and two men. The older one looks at me like he thinks I'm an idiot. He raises, doubling the pot. The other guy folds.
It's just the two of us.
My hand is good. Two kings with a third on the table. I call.
Next card is a queen, also a heart, but the odds of a straight are low. A straight flush is practically non-existent.
I bet high. He calls.
Last card is the ten. Also a heart.
He bets high enough I have to fold or go all in. It's a fuck you play. One that dares me to call him.
I study his expression. It's a bluff. I know it is.
Time to go big or go home. I call.
There’s nothing left to do but to turn over our cards. I go first. He nods, giving nothing away.
Then him.
Fuck me.
He's got the straight flush.
"Good game." I nod and make my way back to Nick. I was sure that guy was bluffing, but my hand didn't justify such a high bet. That's what I get for trusting my gut.
Nick rubs my shoulders. His mouth hovers over my ear. "Don't pout. You'll get wrinkles."
I laugh.
" You just won twenty thousand dollars. Ten thousand if you're only counting your half."
No. That can't be right. I look at his face for a sign he's kidding, but it's not there.
He nods.
I shake my head.
"Third place takes eighteen percent of the pot."
I do the math in my head. He's right. Nerves rise up in my stomach. "What am I supposed to do with all that cash?"
"Spend it."
"On what?"
"There's a safe in your apartment if you want to save it."
"You're not going to offer to help me launder it?"
"No."
"When do I get it?"
Nick runs his hand through my hair. "When did you get so impatient?"
"Phoenix Marlowe, don't play games with me."
He smiles. No more anguish, no more frustration. He's smiling.
"We can collect it before we leave or I can have someone bring it to the office." He runs his fingertips over my neck. "I'm not walking home with a briefcase of cash. If you want it now, we're taking a car."
Fuck. I didn't think about that. It's late enough that the subway is only running every hour or so.
"Are you okay taking a car?" he asks.
I swallow hard. My impulse tells me to play strong. To say yes. But the way he's touching me... he feels safe.
"I don't know," I whisper. "Can we revisit the topic after we have sex?"
He laughs. "I hope you never change, Lizzy. You're perfect the way you are."
The words are sweet, but they're confusing too. I nod like his affection isn't rattling me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I follow Nick through the makeshift casino's lounge area. My gaze is drawn to any place with potential. The booths are too visible. The bathroom gets too much traffic. Every room is in use.
Nick leads me to the stairs in the corner. Oh. The penthouse has a second story.
The staircase is gorgeous. Marble floors, stainless steel railing. The big glass windows look out on two dozen midtown skyscrapers. My attention goes straight to the top of the Empire State Building. It’s lit up in purple today. I’m sure it’s for NYU, but it feels like it’s for me.
For us.
The door clicks shut behind us. There's no one here, but there's nothing preventing anyone from following us.
From catching us.
Nick slides his arm around my waist. "You played well."
"I was cocky."
His fingers trail over the low back of my dress until they find my zipper. "Do you regret your bet?"
"No. It was worth the risk."
"Is this?" He pulls the zipper down. Then the left strap.
The right strap.
I step back until I'm pressed against the wall. I'm facing the door. If anyone walks in, they'll see me. I'm half-dressed at the moment, but soon I'll be naked.
My sex clenches.
"Lizzy, I asked you a question." Nick pulls my bra aside so my breast spills out. His fingertips toy with my nipples.
Every touch sends a pang of need to my core. I'm exposed to him. To anyone who walks in. It's scary but it's exhilarating.
I nod. "Yes, it's worth the risk." Of getting caught. Of falling fast and hard for someone I'm going to lose.
I look into his eyes. The frustration is gone, replaced by anticipation.
My body responds for me, pushing my brain out of the way. I arch my back and press my eyelids together as he teases me.
My lips part. No more thinking. Just this. "Nick," I groan. "Please."
He pulls the other strap of the bra aside, so I'm as good as topless. His lips find mine as he cups my breasts. He kisses me deeply, slowly. It's not the kiss of two people fucking frantically in a staircase. It's one steeped in affection.
Casual. This is casual. I try to remind myself of his terms, but there's so much feeling in his kiss.
His body presses against mine, pinning me to the wall. He's hard. I shift my hips a few inches to grind against him.
He presses his lips into my neck. "Beg me."
I don't hesitate. "Please, fuck me."
"Keep going."
"Please, Nick. I need you. I've been desperate since you got to my apartment. Since you told me you'd fuck me this morning."
He slides my dress off my hips. It tumbles to the floor. Instead of removing my thong, he pushes it aside. His finger teases me again and again.
I kiss him harder. I need more of him. I need to touch him. I reach for his belt.
In an instant, he removes his hands from my body and steps back. His eyes cloud like he's getting pulled somewhere else.
"You don't want me to touch you?" I ask.
His hands wrap around my wrists. "I can only do this on my terms."
His posture hardens. It's an all or nothing proposition. All his way or nothing.
I look into his eyes. "It's okay if you don't want me to touch you. I just want to know."
"I do want that." He presses his palm against my sex. "But not yet." He pushes my thong aside and rubs my clit.
He's doesn't want to talk about it. I can respect that, even if I'm desperate to get my hands around him.
Even if I hate the hint of pain in his eyes.
I press my nails into my palm. "Okay. Your terms. Whatever you want, but please fuck me. I need you inside me. I need to feel you come."
Nick pulls his hand away. "Turn around."
I turn so my back is to him.
He pushes my thong to my knees. "Put your hands against the wall."
His voice commands me. I press my palms against the wall. A shudder passes from my head to my toes. I try to push my concerns aside. I like his terms.
I crave them.
Nick slides two fingers inside me. I gasp from the shock of it. There's no more teasing. He goes deep and hard.
His hand digs into my hair. He pulls my head back, pulling my whole body against his.
There are footsteps outside the door. Voices. They're close. Nick does nothing to slow. He shifts his weight. There's a zipper coming undone, a condom unwrapping. His hands go to my hips as he positions me.
No one opens the door.
We're still alone.
With one swift thrust, he enters me. It's deep. Hard. I gasp. Fuck it. I can't stand keeping my volume down. I do nothing to temper my moans.
One of his arms slides around my pelvis to hold me in place. The other plays with my nipples, one at a time.
There's no more teasing. Nick thrusts into me. His movements are hard and fast, like he's letting down his guard. I do the same, rocking my hips to meet his, pressing my fingers against the wall.
He groans. His nails rake down my back. It's a hard, violent motion. Sure to leave a mark, especially in my backless dress.
He's marking me.
God, I love him marking me.
I turn my head to press my neck against his mouth. He bites me. The pain is so intense it pulls my attention away from the orgasm building in my core. I don't care. I need to feel his release, his desperation.
He bites harder.
I groan.
Harder.
I scream.
I take a deep breath, relaxing my body into his, focusing on every sensation. Nick is here. In this moment, he's mine, and I'm his. In this moment, we only exist to fulfill each other.
He bites me again.
It's too much. I can't take it. "Red."
He stops instantly. His mouth goes to my ear and he sucks on the lobe. His fingers dig into my thighs. His breath is heavy. Erratic.
There are more footsteps. They get closer. Closer. The handle turns. The door opens an inch or two, and it closes. No telling if the person saw and ran off, or if they changed their mind.
We almost got caught.
We can still get caught.
The thought makes my sex clench. I let my eyes close and I surrender to the pleasure building in my body. Nick's hands go to my hips. He guides my movements.
Almost. I groan. There must be someone on the other side of that door. Still, I groan as loudly as I can.
He does the same. The sound of his bliss pushes me all the way to the edge. With his next thrust, I tumble into an orgasm. My world is bright, and warm, the most beautiful shade of purple. My sex clenches around him as I come.
A few more moments and he's there, digging his nails into my thighs, sinking his teeth into my neck. He's here, with me, in this moment.
I never want to lose track of him again.
I never want to lose him.
I shake my head to regain my senses. It's just sex. It makes you feel things sometimes. Clouds your judgment.
But I can't shake the thought.
It’s like something is missing when he pulls out and adjusts his clothes instead of wrapping his arms around me. It makes sense. We can’t exactly linger here.
He brings his mouth to my ear. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
He climbs the stairs and pulls open the door to the second floor. Like he knows something I don’t about an empty place to clean up. Like I’m not the first girl he’s fucked in this particular stairwell.
I focus on the noises outside the door as I slip into my clothes. There are voices, glasses clinking, footsteps, laughter. But it feels far away.
I’m so caught up in the sounds of the room that I don’t notice Nick’s return until he’s wrapping his arms around me.
I don’t feel cold anymore. Nothing is missing.
It must be the sex messing with my judgement. I take a deep breath as Nick slides his arm around my waist and leads me back to the main room.
It’s just sex.
No big deal.
A dozen people look at us. All of them know we were fucking in the stairwell.
My cheeks flush, but the risk of embarrassment feels like nothing compared to the risk of my feelings.
He smiles as he fills out some form to collect my winnings. I melt. All I ever want is to see him smile again.
"Are you sure about the car?" he asks.
I nod. Even that seems less scary.
***
Our ride is a sleek black town car. The driver opens the door for me with a polite nod. I step inside and slide to the end of the bench.
I was wrong. This is too hard. Too terrifying. It's only a ten-minute drive to his apartment. Speeds in the city are low. The chance of a crash bad enough to hurt us is almost nothing.
My hands are shaking as I buckle my seat belt. I can't back out now. I'll disappoint Nick.
He slides in after me. Despite his considerable height, he sits in the middle seat, fastens the belt, and takes my hand.
It's sweaty as hell but he doesn't complain.
The driver slides into the car. "Where to?"
Nick gives him my address. So I'm not invited over. It means something, but my thoughts are in messy squiggles.
Nick runs his fingers through my hair. Leans in close. "If it's too much, tell me. We can walk."
"But what about—" I nod to the briefcase.
"I'll manage." He stares into my eyes. "Promise you won't suffer in silence."
I can't lie to him. I have to mean it. Deep breath. "I promise."
The car turns on. I've been stuck in a car a dozen times or so since the accident, but it has been a while. The movements feel jerky.
We pull onto the main street. I take a deep breath. We're going a reasonable speed. We haven't died yet.
The driver slams on the brakes. I squeeze my eyelids together. Nine minutes to go, give or take. That's too many. I can't do it.
"Lizzy." Nick runs his fingers through my hair. "It's okay."
I squeeze my eyes together. "Right. No big deal."
"Don't bullshit me." He presses his lips against my forehead. "I won'
t let anything hurt you."
I shake my head. "You can't protect me from another car." My body tenses. We're still here. I go to reach for the door handle. I can't be in here anymore, but I can't roll onto the road. We're going thirty miles an hour.
"It's okay." He wraps his arms around me, holding me close. "I've got you."
His touch is so comforting. Not enough to counter being in a car. But enough to keep me from jumping out of the fucking door.
It's the best thing I've ever felt, his arms. His lips. His voice, when it's like this, soft and sweet.
Again, the car jerks to a stop. There are horns honking. All my muscles tense at once.
"I can't do it. I'm not strong enough." I squeeze Nicks arm until his skin turns white.
"You are." He runs his hands through my hair. "You're the strongest person I know."
"You don't mean that."
He pulls me closer. "I only say things I mean."
His words are confusing. No more talking. I tug at his jacket. Not close enough. I tug at his shirt instead. He runs his fingers over my skin with a gentle touch. It calms me just enough to make this bearable.
I lean into his comfort. We'll be done soon. I can manage a few more minutes. Even if I have to do it with my eyelids squeezed together.
Deep breath. I try to forget about everything except Nick's touch, but I can still feel the motion of the car, still hear the whir of the motor.
"We're almost there." His fingertips trail over my neck.
I lean into the gesture. It soothes me. I manage to pry my eyelids apart. We are close. Just a few more blocks on Broadway. The street is empty.
It's going to be okay.
Still, I close my eyes for the rest of the ride. Finally, we park in front of my building. Nick helps me out of the car with a soft touch. His hand slides around my waist as he leads me into the building. Into the elevator.
It's just us, alone. He looks into my eyes like he sees through me. He does. He sees too much.
The elevator arrives at my floor. Nick leads the way. He digs into my purse to find my key, unlocks the door for me.
I grab the purse back as I step inside. He saw too much of me. I can't let him see any more. Not with the terms of this relationship. It's already going to hurt so much when I lose him. If I get any closer...
It will be unbearable.
He steps inside after me. Closes the door.
The Billionaire's Need: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (The Billionaire's Deal Series Book 3) Page 11
