I nodded and cradled my arms around his neck. Max picked me up, his strong arms tensing under my weight. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our lips hovered dangerously close before he bridged the minuscule gap between us and devoured my mouth in a deep kiss.
Our tongues collided, tangling together before coming undone. My fingers skittered up his neck and massaged tiny circles on his scalp. Cupping his head, I pulled him in, deepening the kiss. I moaned into his mouth, unashamed of my need, wishing for nothing more than his cock to come out and play.
A slow groan reverberated up Max’s throat, before he pulled back gasping for air. I sucked on his lower lip, giving a little nip, before letting go.
“You like it rough?” Max rubbed his lip and smiled.
Did I?
My mind could only process one thought: take me. Take me now! Going with the flow of the situation, I bit my lip and shook my head up and down.
Max rubbed his nose against mine and then strung kisses up my neck with fervor. The wetness of his tongue made my panties even wetter. I moaned and closed my eyes, losing myself in the intoxicating sensation of his mouth.
In my carnal daze, I caught a whiff of the same scent I noticed earlier by the bar. My brain didn’t want to focus, to think, it only wanted to feel. My body was one giant neuron, rapidly firing. Every touch threatened to push me over the edge. But, that smell. I forced myself to concentrate, to remember where that heavenly scent originated. Just as the answer hit me, my eyes snapped open.
Reed stood behind Max, staring directly at me, with his hands in the pockets of his designer jeans and his mouth drawn in hard tight line. With rolled up sleeves and the top three buttons of his white shirt hanging open, he looked mouthwatering. Totally fuckable and completely pissed off.
Reed!
I shot out of Max’s grip and flung myself into Reed’s arms. “My dream man. You came for me,” I squealed with delight.
He laughed and spun me around before planting me firmly on the ground. “This is quite the surprise. I thought you were headed to a real estate conference?” The deep timber of his voice turned me on almost as much as his rugged sexuality.
“Are you real?” I pinched him to make sure. He didn’t even flinch.
“I assure you, I’m quite real. What bothers me is that you had to ask.” Reed cast a hard glare at Max, before returning his attention back to me.
Max.
I was with Max.
But now I was with Reed!
“Dance with me!” I grabbed Reed’s waist and started grinding into him as seductively as I could manage. My balance was a little off and I kept feeling dizzy. Probably jet lag. Instead of reciprocating the grind, he stood still.
“What are you on?” He tipped my chin with his forefinger and stared at my eyes.
I stared back into the two dark pools of his eyes and wanted to kiss him. I licked my lips and leaned in.
Reed dodged my attempted kiss and snapped his fingers in front of me. “Eva. Focus. What did you take?”
“Tequila,” I yelled and busted a move to the dub step blaring over the speakers. More foam poured down from the ceiling. I threw up my hands and rollicked in it. “This is ethereal.” Catching some foam, I made a huge ball with it and threw the ball up into the air. “I am an angel up in the clouds,” I screamed.
Reed and Max both looked at me, and not in a sexy way, but more of a fatherly you’re so grounded kind of way.
What’s their problem?
“Do you know what would make this night even better?” I shouted at my two Dads. “If both of you make an Eva sandwich in Suite 707.”
The idea of having both men in my bed made me giggle. I threw my head back and laughed uncontrollably. If it wasn’t for a Lana del Ray remix, I may have never stopped laughing. Mouthing the words to the song, I shimmied over to Reed and then over to Max, enticing them into my boudoir. Boudoir. What a fucking hilarious word.
Max grabbed my hand, “Let’s get you somewhere quiet, so we can talk.” He started to lead me off the dance floor.
I can’t leave Reed.
Not after I just found him!
I planted my feet firmly. “I’m not going anywhere without Reed,” I pouted.
Reed came up behind me and took my other hand. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t leave you alone with him,” he sneered at Max.
Max dropped my hand, but stayed close as we left the dance floor and climbed the stairs. Both men ferried me to a quiet seating area near the lobby. I gripped Reed’s hand tight, using it for balance. The cool air hit my skin, making it feel alive and tingly like the inside of my mouth after eating a strong mint.
“Let’s have a seat here.” Reed pointed to a group of couches in the corner of the room.
“How about we stand,” I offered. I needed to keep my feet moving. Sitting down felt all kinds of wrong.
“Suit yourself.” Reed remained standing next to me.
I could still hear the beat from downstairs and started dancing.
“Eva, I need you to stand still for a second, so I can look at your eyes.” Reed’s voice was soft, yet commanding.
“Okay, Daddy.” I tried to say it with sarcasm, but it ended up coming out all sex covered lollipops. I slowed my body to a gentle rocking back and forth and stood in front of Reed. His dark eyes peered into mine.
Reed turned to Max. “Her eyes are dilated.” His statement was more than an observation. It held an accusation and a threat.
Max stood in silence, his mouth agape.
Reed worked the muscles in his jaw and clenched his fists.
Did I do something wrong? Why was he so angry?
Reed glared at Max. “Did you give her E?” The calm of his voice had a razor sharp edge to it.
“E? Me? No fucking way man.” Max’s face reddened under Reed’s scrutiny. “I would never do something like that. She was already pretty friendly when we started dancing.”
Reed narrowed his eyes and strode toward Max, stopping inches from his face. The two men stood still, facing each other, posturing. Although they were probably in the same weight class, Reed had the advantage of a few inches and years of experience. “So, you thought you would just take advantage of her?” Reed growled.
Max took a step back and raked his hands through his hair. “Jesus man, who the hell are you? I don’t need to explain myself to you.” Turning to me, Max took my hand and said, “Eva, I’m sorry for tonight. I didn’t know you were impaired in any way. I would never do anything to hurt you.”
I gaped at both of them. “Impaired? E? What the hell are you two talking about? I didn’t take any pills.” They were totally killing my buzz. With my inertia gone, I started to shake. “It’s freezing in here,” I said between chattering teeth.
Reed picked me up in his strong arms and threw me over his shoulder. “I’m taking you to your room. I’ll call your red headed friend and get you all settled in for the night.” He reassured.
“Okay, Reedy.” I patted his shoulder and fought to keep my eyes open. “You smell so good,” I sighed.
I thought I heard him say, “So do you,” but then the world slowly faded to black in the blink of an eye.
Chapter 6
My eyes fluttered open like the wings of a butterfly. A hung over butterfly who mourned her shitty interview like it was an Irish wake. In the pitch black, I could only make out the hum of the air conditioner, which let me know I was in my room. At least I thought it was my room.
Forming two small balls with my fists, I rubbed the crud out of my eyes and jogged my memory about last night. Images flitted around my brain, but nothing stuck, nothing that made sense anyway. I remembered foam, dancing, and shots. That’s it.
The idea that something important happened niggled at the back of my brain, but I couldn’t recall anymore details about the night, no matter how hard I pressed myself. Memories had a way of coming back when you least expected them, I was sure last night was no exception. Extending my arms beside me, I felt ar
ound my bed. Empty! I must not have been too bad.
Turning to my side, I eyed the clock on my bedside table. Little red lights flickered: 1:00 P.M. Shit! I wasted half the day in bed and missed the real estate seminar I had planned on attending. Although, after my interview, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to show my face at the conference for the rest of the week. Knowing Blake, he probably already shared his version of events with anybody who would listen.
After propelling myself into an upright position, I tossed the heavy comforter to the floor and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My peach silk dress clung to my skin and my heals were still on. Holy Hell, it must have been some night.
I rubbed my achy jaw and stuck out my tongue. “Yuck!” My mouth had the texture of freshly laundered towels. Some night indeed. I reached out and explored the nightstand with my hand, trying to locate my phone. Instead, I found something even better, a bottle of water. “Thank you Marlowe.” I twisted off the cap and guzzled the entire bottle before coming up for air.
Even though I felt like I could use at least eight more hours of sleep, I resigned myself to having a productive day. First thing on my rapidly forming mental to-do list: take a shower. I reached down and flicked off the pair of insanely high Louboutins Marlowe had lent me. The last thing I needed was to fall and break a leg.
Hoisting myself up with my hands, I jumped out of bed and I took a moment to let my weary feet sink into the carpet. Walking in a zigzag pattern, I found my way to the blinds and yank them open, flooding the room with the beautiful Caribbean sun. My eyes adjusted to the light faster than expected, leaving me staring in awe at a million dollar view of the glimmering ocean.
A deep voice sounded from behind me, breaking the silence and scaring the bejesus out of me. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”
My initial instinct was to scream and run, but my jujitsu training kicked in and overrode my body’s attempt to flee. My body acted on autopilot, almost as if I wasn’t in control anymore. Spinning around fast, I grabbed the man’s wrist, twisted hard and fast, throwing him to the ground. My leg swung back, ready to follow up with a blow to the ribs, but my brain registered a familiar face. I stopped myself just in time.
Reed Baron, Dark Eyes from the airport, lay on the floor with his hands up in a defensive posture and a bemused grin crawling across his perfectly kissable lips. Despite being flat on his back, Reed looked to be in good spirits. But why the hell was he in my room?
He chuckled and sat up. “Now I know your secret.”
“Secret?”
“Your karate training. If I didn’t come over and ‘save the day,’ you would have really kicked that guys ass in the airport.” Reed brushed off his shoulders and grinned up at me.
“It’s jujitsu,” I corrected him. Most people lumped all martial arts together under the umbrella of karate. Jujitsu never got the attention or respect it deserved. “Never mind. Let me help you up.” I grabbed his hands and hoisted him to his feet. He looked even better than I remembered. His white oxford shirt fit perfectly, showing off his broad shoulders and his smell was absolutely intoxicating.
For a moment, my eyes got sucked into the black hole of his glare. Countless hours could be spent exploring the galaxy of his pupil and iris. Then my brain kicked back on. “Reed, what the hell are you doing in my room? Did we…?” Reluctant to finish the sentence, I stopped and put my hands on my waist.
Please don’t let me be drunken one nightstand girl.
“No.” Reed held my gaze. “We did not. I would never take advantage of a woman.”
The sincerity in his voice helped to allay my fears. It also didn’t hurt that I woke up fully clothed, Louboutins and all. “I believe you. It’s just…well…I am surprised to see you, here in my room and in St. John.”
Reed’s hands dwarfed mine as he took them in his firm grasp. His touch made me painfully aware that I slept in the clothes I partied in last night. I needed to brush my teeth and fix my makeup. I didn’t need a mirror to know that I probably looked a raccoon.
“I wish I was here in your room under different circumstances,” he sighed. His posture stiffened, making him appear even taller as he cast a wide shadow. The serious look on his face made my stomach do somersaults. I held my breath and waited for the bad news.
Reed gave my hands a squeeze. “Eva, what do you remember about last night?”
“Not much,” I admitted. Burning hot embarrassment left a scarlet mark across my cheeks. I had made a rookie mistake and had too much to drink.
“Do you remember taking any pills last night? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Some people will take a pill to let loose on vacation — ”
“I don’t pop pills!” I cut him off and yanked my hands from his, completely frazzled by the question. With a raised voice, I continued my tirade while pacing the room. “Hell, I rarely even drink, which you might find hard to believe, given how we met. Listen, you don’t know me, but trust me when I say I don’t dabble in recreational drugs of any kind. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I didn’t even take the entire dosage of Tylenol with codeine.”
Why did I feel the need to explain myself around him?
I stopped pacing and looked back at Reed. He appeared nonplused, with his hands in his pockets, and a half-smile. “What makes you think I took a pill anyway?” Memories of the night still eluded me.
Reed rubbed his hands through his hair and let out a long exhale. “I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you. I had to ask. When I ran into you last night at the rave, your pupils were dilated and you weren’t acting like the girl I met at the airport. And when we came upstairs, you started shaking, so I assumed you took some E.”
E?
Ecstasy?
Oh God!
Reed kept talking, but his words couldn’t penetrate the panic attack rising up in my chest, seizing my limbs, hijacking my senses. The air stopped flowing freely in and out of my lungs. Time stood still. Dust hung suspended in the air. A wheeze sputtered out of my lips as both of my hands found a familiar home clutching my throat.
“Are you okay?” Reed was at my side, guiding me to the bed. Sitting me down, he rubbed my back. “You’re having a panic attack.”
It wasn’t a question, but I nodded in agreement anyway. I didn’t have asthma. There was no physiological reason I couldn’t breathe. This was all psychological. But knowing that I could breathe did little to get precious air into my lungs.
“You’re safe.” With two strong hands Reed brought my shoulders back, opening my chest. Kneading the muscles in my neck and back, he spun a calming narrative. “You’re safe. I found you and brought you home. I stayed here all night in a chair by the door. You’re safe.”
I closed my eyes and let his words soothe my soul.
I was safe.
Nothing happened.
No harm, no foul.
Gradually, the air found it’s way into my lungs and my wheezing subsided. Staring at my hands, I tried not to think about what could have happened. Instead, I recruited all of my effort into staying present.
Reed disappeared for only a moment before returning with a blanket, which he draped over my shoulders. Sinking down into the bed next to me, he continued to stroke my back and my arms.
“Thank you,” I finally said. My voice cracked a little as involuntary tears filled my eyes.
“I did what any gentlemen would.” The deep tenor of his voice was oddly comforting.
I looked down at my hands. I didn’t want to think about it, but I knew from experience, pushing things under the rug was more harmful than getting them out and into the open. “I feel so stupid. I could have been a victim last night. I could have been a statistic. And the worst part, the absolute kicker, I might not have even remembered it.” I kept my eyes downcast, afraid to see the judgment that was surely written across his face. “I can’t believe I was so careless. That I let myself get drugged.”
Reed lifted my chin. I kept my eyes downcast, until curiosity got the best of me. Slowly I
met his gaze and let out a short gasp when I saw the kind lines of his mouth, the openness of his eyes. He reserved no judgment or pity. Only openness and acceptance.
“Someone drugged you. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He gently pulled the covers tighter around me. “You need to drink more water to rehydrate yourself.” He grabbed another bottle of water from the mini fridge and handed it to me.
I took a few sips of the water and paused. “I don’t understand why you’re here, in St. John. I mean we didn’t take the same flight did we?”
“No, we didn’t. I took a private flight. I’m here at the resort for work. I’m a psychologist specializing in couples therapy.”
That explained his reaction to my panic attack. But private jet? I didn’t think psychologists rolled that way.
“I knew you were going to a real estate conference, so I was surprised to see you at the foam party last night?” Reed questioned.
“My assistant booked the wrong hotel. It’s a long story.” I sighed and ran my fingers through the bird’s nest of hair on my head. “I’ll spare you the details.”
“I want to know the details,” he grinned, “but perhaps another time.”
Right.
He just spent the night in a chair. I should let him get going. But I didn’t want to.
“Can you tell me more about what happened last night?” I asked in a small voice.
“Of course.” He stood up and grabbed another bottle of water. “I’ll talk if you drink.”
“Deal.”
By the end of Reed’s recounting of last night’s details, I wished I could hide under my covers and never come out. He didn’t say anything too bad, but there were moments when he paused and was clearly thinking things over. I had the feeling he omitted many details for my benefit.
“I’m so mortified!” I groaned. Grabbing a nearby pillow, I attempted to suffocate myself in a mound of goose feathers.
Reed removed the pillow from my death grip and put his forefinger under my chin lifting my face to meet his gaze once again. “I am going to find out who drugged you and make them pay for it. I need to know what you drank last night or if anyone gave you any pills.”
Coming Undone (Club Voyeur Book 1) Page 7
