“Nah. I just like to set boundaries, since there aren’t that many as it is.” Boundaries she set for every relationship. Wasn’t that the truth? Even with her sister, she’d found a way to drift apart without making it obvious. The unspoken agreement they loved each other and would be there to celebrate Freddy’s anniversary every year…and little else.
He leaned forward, toying with the fork. “When you started as a waitress, did the opportunity arise to do your work on the side? Or was it the other way around? Maybe you heard from someone and all you needed was the cover? Maybe someone from the hotel?”
She sipped her Coke, and tried not to pay much attention to his long tanned fingers running along the silverware. Thankfully, he stopped. “It was a coincidence.”
With both elbows at the table, he rested his chin on his curled fist and watched her closely. “In which way?”
She cleared her throat. Why did it matter? “In a way I don’t want to share.”
“Sorry. I’m just curious. You must have some sort of support system, someone to watch out for you in case a client gets rowdy or doesn’t want to pay.”
“I do,” she lied. Omar certainly didn’t cross her mind, but it was safer to let Ryan believe someone had her back. That would be the right thing to do—to have him believe if he messed up with her or whatever, someone would go after him.
He outlined the rim of his glass, eyes on hers. “Does he work at the hotel?”
“Maybe.” A shrug.
Amusement flashed in his eyes, like he knew she wasn’t telling him much on purpose. “Are there any other girls in your line of work?”
Sucking her breath, she folded her arms. Seriously? What would come next, a suggestion for a threesome? “Why? Are you not happy with me? Are you looking for a replacement?”
He scooted closer to her on the booth, so that she caught a whiff of his soapy scent. His gaze lasered at her widening eyes, her nose, and then it lingered on her parted lips. “No,” he said with eyes half-closed. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
***
The sensual entrancing of his eyes continued throughout dinner. Every time she raised the fork to her mouth, he focused on her, and her self-consciousness reached levels never attained before. Because she didn’t want to be painfully aware of his invasive, if steady, gaze on her. Silence lengthened between them, except for a couple of needless remarks about their food. Hers was great, the lobster creamy and tender. The ravioli rolled down her throat.
Later, he ordered coffee and she, a white chocolate torte with raspberry sauce with a few tiny raspberries garnishing the plate.
“How is it?” His mundane question didn’t distract her from him sliding even nearer, his crossed knee on the seat a mere hair from her hip.
She took a piece to her mouth, enjoying the overwhelming sweetness of the torte with the right amount of tartness from the fruit. “I love raspberries. They’re supposed to be sweet, but there’s that lingering bitterness that makes it all perfect.” For a fruit.
“You make it sound irresistible.” With a smile more enigmatic than his words, he outlined her jaw with his finger, and inclined over her, dipping his head down. With quickened pulse and a rumbling in her body, she parted her lips, which he took with his, exploring the damp corners of her mouth with his insatiable tongue. “You’re right, it tastes fantastic.” The whisper against her lips pebbled her skin.
A violent arousal hummed between her thighs. Her breath came in small gasps, and she lifted her hand to allow some distance between them. The glint in his eyes told her he wanted to devour her. Claim her. Make her succumb to that senseless desire driving all of her nerve endings.
He nipped her upper lip, forehead rested against hers. “Open your legs for me.”
“But we are… This is…”
He slid his fingers down her skirt until he reached the hem, and caressed the inner thigh of her parted leg under the table. She sagged in her seat, her bones melting into that bottomless well of shame.
He deepened the kiss and one finger caressed her trimmed pubis. “You’re so wet, love.” His breath in her ear made her jolt straight and glance around them. With dimmed lighting and a lot more patrons than earlier, no one seemed to notice them. Well, she reminded herself, this was Vegas.
She sucked in all her breath, but her body betrayed her, her trembling legs giving him full access. What was the point? It’s not like they could screw right there, and the bathroom was probably crowded. What would he gain by doing that to her?
“If you don’t stop—”
“You’re going to come,” he said in a voice so firm it was almost commanding. “Isn’t life tough?” He added another finger, making circular movements inside her drenched lips, and she clenched her thighs together, desperate to lock that burgeoning sensation blazing through her. Was this really happening? Sure, she was no naïve virgin, but to be touched like this at a restaurant…
“Let go, Kika.” His voice was soothing, like a hot tea in a winter day.
Let go? How could she? A jolt of pleasure almost brought her undone, and she threw her head back on the leathered booth. He stopped for a moment, letting her catch her breath, and she wondered if this wasn’t some horrible torture for him to control her. To override her. To punish her for being so purposely distant.
Was it? Didn’t matter. Not now. Besides, there had to be worse ways of punishment. She unclenched her thighs, giving him room to tease her clit with his thumb. The up and down movement made her arch her body toward his, and engage him in a kiss tender and sweet.
Chapter Six
“You realize I have to sleep, right?” she asked as they walked into the three-floor sex shop. “Eventually.”
Ryan nodded, and flashed what he imagined was a shameless grin her way. A shade of red spread across her neck and cheeks, and just like that, he assumed she knew just what he was thinking about. Oh, how he had enjoyed seeing her come in the restaurant not long ago. The abandonment in her face, mixed with the clamped lips as if she was trying really hard not to scream.
Phew. He had evoked all kinds of cock-blocking images to be able to walk out of the booth. Politicians. Baby animals. Matronly teachers from his childhood.
Why the hell was she flustered? Wasn’t she used to, well, everything? He jammed his hands in his pockets and let out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding. His lungs got temporary relief, and his heart…was knotted.
He pulled her to him.
She glanced around them and leaned forward, as if scared someone could hear her. “And walk too. I should be able to walk tomorrow morning. That would be ideal.”
“Relax. I brought you here just for shopping.”
“Then, by all means, we’re at the right place.” She gestured with her hands, stepping away from him and contemplating the first floor, cramped with overcrowded shelves displaying vibrators. All kinds of sizes, colors, and shapes.
He scratched the back of his head. For the kind of chemistry they shared, they didn’t need any of that shit. Yet, that had been an excuse he had used to bring her here—somewhere they could talk, out of the bedroom. God. Convincing her to share a meal with him had been a task. She acted skittish at first, as if spending time with him in public was more outrageous than screwing his eyes out.
If he didn’t spend more time with her, and got her to trust him, he would never find out what he needed from the prostitution ring. Which he now knew for a fact existed. But he needed more, to go straight to the source. And she could take him there.
“Let’s check out the second floor,” he suggested, and gestured for her to walk in front of him and up the curvy stairs. Neon lights flickered against the otherwise poor lighting.
A few customers talked in a low voice, and if it weren’t for the amount of whips and BDSM gadgets, they could have been browsing titles at a bookshop. Dressed in jeans and T-shirts, they looked like average people.
Kika pointed at the nipple clamps stacking the racks. “Don’t even think abou
t it. Like I said at first, I’m not into that sort of stuff.”
“Hurting you is not part of my plan,” he said. The irony of his words stung him like a bee. How could he not hurt her, if he planned on exposing the organization she was a part of? He cracked his knuckles. Shit. This was getting more complicated.
“Good.” She gave him a quick glance before heading to the shelves stacked with harmless lotions. She picked up a gold bottle and assessed it. “This glittery shenanigan is supposed to make you come for longer.”
“Is it?” He barely made an effort to pretend interest. Suddenly there was a sizable lump clogging his throat, and he had to swallow twice to push it down.
What if she was telling him the truth that she was new at this? Judging by the way she browsed the sex shop, the peculiar way she frowned at some of the products, this wasn’t her everyday thing. Damn it. Kika was in her mid-twenties, young and smart—except for the stupid decision to sell her body for money. A body…that no amount of money could ever buy. Not even fifty-thousand dollars.
Before he paid attention, he had followed her to the third floor, where a collection of porn DVDs occupied the floor to ceiling shelves. The space was even more narrow than the previous floors, and the only others were a couple, whispering to each other.
He noticed a black velvety drape hanging from an arch that led to a place tucked in where a TV played the week’s featured porn. Low moans and whimpers from the two women in the video sucking the guy filled the space.
“Why are you doing this, Kika?”
She slid her fingers over the glossy DVD. “Picking a flick?”
“Selling yourself.” He tipped her chin so she had to face him. A frown tightened her face for a beat, then she sighed. Her dark eyes flickered with an emotion he couldn’t put his finger on. All he knew deep in his gut was that—whatever it was—he felt it, too. “You don’t need this.”
“You don’t know what I need.” She yanked away from him, and stepped back until he heard a couple DVDs fall to the floor. “I understand we’re having sex, but that doesn’t give you the right to point your finger at me and act all judgy. Last time I checked, you were still paying me for it. What does that make you?”
He raised his hands in surrender. “You’re right. I was stupid.”
She flashed him a smile, and her irises grew with tiny silvery sparks. “Wow. That was easy. You admit your mistakes faster than most.”
Than most people? Than most of her clients? He struggled to avoid asking. He curled his fists and uncurled them, a sense of protection of her claiming him. Did the others hurt her, physically or otherwise? No. They couldn’t. She had to have some safety net, some support system—the one he was trying to discover. Shit. She would hate him afterwards. Despise him.
Kika shuffled her weight from one foot to another. “I need to settle a debt. Once it’s paid, I won’t do this anymore,” she said, her voice softer than a pillow.
He stroked her cheek, and tried to ignore the sizzling charge going throw him, shooting up his arm and short-circuiting his entire system. “Tell me about it. How much is it? I can help.”
“Thanks, but you’re already helping. This involves other people though, and I can’t share anymore.”
He let his fingers trail over her warm skin, his index making a pattern on her smooth neck. The vein pulsed in response, and he smiled. Best not to push it. She wasn’t ready. “Okay. Just promise me while I’m here, if things get out of hand and you need help, you will let me know.”
She worried her bottom lip. “Promise.”
Progress. “Good.” He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, the touch meant to be light and simple. Yet, his fingers hovered over her skin, a part of him uncertain he could be that objective. Damn it, he had to be. How could she learn to trust him, if he jumped her bones at every turn? His gut clenched. What kind of trouble was she involved in? If the woman wasn’t so mysterious and independent, he would—
“Ryan.” She called him, and his gaze slid down. He still had his fingers on her warm flesh, and Kika was leaning into his caress. She tilted her head in the direction of the velvety drapes, and within the couple seconds it took him to read between the lines, his heart raced. “Come on.”
He knew bloody well he shouldn’t do this—the whole idea to bring her here was to talk, to put her at ease and maybe make fun at some elaborate sex toys. His honorable intentions went down the drain when she led him past the drapes. There was an alcove where a couple monitors displayed the employee’s picks of the week, and dozens of dirty movies stacked. She shoved him against the wall, and a few DVDs fell from the higher shelves. His pulse spiked, and the air was gone from his lungs.
They had to be quick. Someone could come up at any moment. The rationalization still didn’t keep him from snatching her into his arms, and kissing her violently. Passionately. Their mouths welded together, without any finesse, and he skated his hand down. The moment his finger touched her soaking wet pussy, he groaned. She still didn’t have underwear on.
If he could have come right there, he would. Being inside her, though, was a lot better. He stroked her clit, and she bit his lip. Hard. The pain shot through him, upping his body temperature one notch higher.
In retaliation, he added one more finger and intensified the rhythm. Low moans flew from her lips, and when he felt her inner muscles clenching around him, he flipped her around so she faced the monitors. “Bend over a bit, love.”
She followed suit, her hips undulating as he grabbed his condom from the wallet, and faster than he thought possible, pulled down his pants and boxers. He fumbled for the condom, with the sense of urgency of a sex deprived teenage boy. What was happening to him?
Too late to wonder. He pulled up her dress, and groaned. She moved her hips again, as if offering them to him, and looked over her shoulder, tossing him a sexy glance. “What’s taking you so long?”
He smacked her round buttocks. “Your gorgeous ass distracted me.” He winked at her, and something warm and dangerous moved through him. Weird. This was just sex. Just, just sex.
She smiled a little. “Remember the rule.”
No back smashing. Just because he couldn’t do it, didn’t mean he couldn’t fantasize, did it? Nudging her legs apart, he thrust into her. She threw her head back, and he could tell from the sounds she smothered, she was on the brink of an orgasm. She pushed her hips against him, and he let his hands caress her buttocks before smacking her again, this time a tad harder than before.
“Yes. Yes,” she hissed.
He put his hands on both of her sides, and started to drive himself inside her deeper, setting a rhythm that was driving them both over the edge. Then, withdraw almost his entire cock, and impaled her one last time. All the way to the hilt.
***
The standing lamp in the living room was off. Kika removed her shoes, and carrying one in each hand, she tip toed into the bathroom, where she planned to wash her face, brush her teeth, and go to sleep. Maybe Luna was in bed. She could just slip onto the bottom part of the bunk bed and dodge her sister’s questions. Phew.
“Where have you been?” Luna asked behind her as she flicked on the unflattering bright light in the bathroom. Kika turned to her sister. Luna’s face was still swollen and the spot around her eye, dark. Outrage consumed Kika every time she saw the wound, but talking about it again wouldn’t take them anywhere. Especially when she was already doing something to change things.
“Out.” Kika bit her lower lip to keep from saying more.
“Out? Besides a quick call to say everything would be okay, you kept me in the dark. I called you, but all you did was text. I was worried.” The delicate planes of Luna’s face tightened, and for a moment Kika realized what it was to step in her sister’s shoes. At least for a while. She had taken the role of concerned older sister in the past, although according to their mother, technically she’d only come out two minutes earlier.
“I’m sorry.” She tried a smile. “I told
you, I talked to Omar and we’ll get him the money. We’ll get you out of here and safe.” New York City was in her plans, but was it a good idea to dive into her professional goals and leave her sister out in the big city to her own devices? She had to come up with a plan, one that would benefit both of them. This time, I’m not screwing things up. Fate was showing her a way, giving her a chance to care for her sister and erase some of the pain from her past. She wasn’t about to let that slide through her fingers.
“How are you going to pay him?” Luna followed her into the narrow hallway and their shared bedroom.
“I ran into someone… This guy. He’ll give me the money in a few days’ time.”
“Someone? What do you mean?” Her forehead creased. “You don’t know anyone in Vegas but me.”
Kika plopped on the bunk bed, with a sigh that translated all her frustration. Lying to her sister wasn’t her plan, but her throat thickened before she worked up the courage to tell her what was going on. Maybe…she wouldn’t have to.
Luna did a slow eye roll, tapping her long red fingernails on her chin as she tried to figure it out on her own. Then her eyes widened with surprise, a hint she’d reached the right conclusion. “No. No. No. Kika…you aren’t…turning tricks, are you?”
It took all the strength in her pounding blood for Kika to raise her gaze to her sister’s. Besides the pale expression, the surprise in her stare, and the semi-opened mouth, there was no judgment in Luna. She’d always been the better half.
“You’re doing this for me?” Luna sat on the chair in front of her. “That’s not right.”
Kika bit her lower lip, and breaking the stare said, “It’s no big deal. This guy I met…he’s in Vegas for a few days and we’re hooking up. He’s loaded, he’ll give me the cash.” She suddenly surged to her feet, stung, burned and scarred by her own lie.
Well, it wasn’t a lie, was it? Why does it sound like one? The way he had stared into her at the sex shop. Her body rumbled, and she clamped her lips to keep herself from spilling anything she could regret. Hell. Even thinking about it was forbidden.
Accidentally Hooked (The Naked Truth Series Book 1) Page 6
