She glared at him but he kept smiling until her expression softened and she started to laugh, too. “Why do I find you attractive again?”
They’d just stepped out onto the sidewalk when she asked. He spun her, backed her against the outside wall of the bar, and kissed her until she was wild in his arms. Then, and only then, did he raise his head and ask, “Because I’m close enough for you to see?”
Her head was tipped back and her breathing was as ragged as his. “Yes, that’s it.”
They both shared a brief laugh then he took her by the hand and hailed a taxi. “Let’s go.”
A few minutes later they were in a taxi speeding off to a hotel Viviana had never heard of. Cuddled against Grant, with her head on his shoulder, she had to remind herself she’d just met him the day before. Shouldn’t it take months to feel so comfortable with another person? She thought about the men she’d dated for much longer and never felt this at ease with.
This has to be something special, doesn’t it? Nothing could feel this good and be meaningless, could it?
Unable to answer the questions that plagued her, Viviana pushed them aside. Some things just need to play out.
“I can’t believe you got a hotel room,” she murmured against his neck.
“I can’t believe it was only fifty bucks,” he said with a proud-of-himself look that made her think he wasn’t joking.
He must be. “I would have brought an overnight bag had I known.”
“It also rents by the hour so we don’t have to stay.”
See, he’s joking. People aren’t serious when they say stuff like that. “Ha ha,” she said, but her confidence started to dip when they pulled up to a tall brick building flanked by a sports store and a hot wings restaurant. She sat up and looked from him to the hotel and back to him.
Hours and Yours.
Hours.
He’s actually taking me to a hotel room that is rented by the hour.
Is this better or worse than a storage closet?
He paid the taxi driver then took her hand and led her through the front door of the hotel. In place of a receptionist there was a security guard. Classy.
“Don’t we need to check in?” she asked as her gut flipped nervously.
He took out his phone. “I checked in online. I have a room number and the code to open the door. Efficient and cheap. You can’t ask for better than that.”
“Efficient and cheap. That’s one way to describe it.”
When they reached the elevator his expression turned concerned. “You hate it.”
Her opinion of the hotel no longer mattered; she saw disappointment in his eyes when she didn’t immediately correct him. This might be the best he can afford. Does it matter how much he spent as long as we’re together in it?
Doing this. She framed his face with her hands and kissed him hungrily.
His arms were around her, lifting her so he could kiss her more deeply. They fell back against the wall and rolled together, neither caring when the elevator door opened and closed beside them. Maybe someone came out of it or maybe not. Maybe someone was there watching them or maybe they were alone. Nothing mattered more than the touch and taste of each other.
Between fevered kisses they made it up to their room, through the door, and fumbled to turn on enough lighting so they wouldn’t trip as they navigated their way to the bed. Viviana was lost to the passion of the moment. She tore his shirt off and made quick work of his jeans. This time she wanted him as bare to her as she’d been to him.
He yanked off her clothing with the same wild haste. His lips grazed each new area he exposed. Her hands hungrily caressed every inch of him. He backed her up until her legs met the edge of the bed. She brought a hand out to steady herself and made contact with a ladder.
She froze.
A ladder?
When his mouth closed around her nipple and his tongue began its magical circling she ceased caring why there shouldn’t be a ladder in their room. His hand traced her stomach then cupped her sex possessively, and she threw her head back, gripping the ladder to steady herself.
She was already wet and ready for his strong fingers. This time he inserted two, steady, rhythmically. She placed one of her feet on the edge of the bed so she could open herself wider to him. His thumb, that fucking amazing thumb, knew exactly how to move against her clit to have her writhing and begging for more.
“Climb up on the bed,” he growled.
She shook her head, confused.
He turned her toward the ladder, and she had her first real look at the beds. A bunk bed? What kind of man rents a hotel room with a bunk bed?
He gave her ass a playful slap. “Go.”
“What are you—?”
He began to kiss her back slowly, caressing every other inch of her while he did. Desire had her climbing the ladder for him without protest or further questioning. Whatever he wanted her up there for, she hoped it felt as good as what he was already doing.
She crawled up onto the top bunk and turned to face him. The side of the bed had one rounded metal railing that was less than two feet wide. “Straddle it,” he ordered.
She held onto the top of it and did. The act pulled her legs wide apart, leaving her sex parted and exposed for him. He ran his hands up and down her legs. She could barely breathe she was so excited.
“I want you to come for me,” he said with his face parallel to her sex. He leaned forward, darted his hot tongue between her folds, then said, “Do it. Make yourself come for me. Show me how you touch yourself.”
At first she thought she wouldn’t be able to. She felt too exposed, too vulnerable to do something so private. Their eyes met, though, and he looked at her with a hunger that matched her own, and suddenly instead of feeling vulnerable she felt daring and sexy. She dug her hand into his hair and pulled his face to her sex. “Start me off and I’ll finish.”
He didn’t hesitate. His tongue. His fingers. Together they worked their magic until she was clutching the rail and shaking. She wanted him inside her so badly.
Then he stopped and stepped back. He took his huge, aroused cock in his own hand and said, “Show me.”
She bit her bottom lip and half closed her eyes as her hand slid to caress her wet sex. Watching him pleasure himself as she touched herself drove her wilder. Soon, too soon, an orgasm rocked through her.
He made a pained face then ordered her to come to him. She started down the ladder and was about halfway when he placed his hands over hers, halting her descent. “Right there,” he whispered.
She heard the rip of a foil package being opened and shivered with anticipation.
“You may have won the condom game; so tell me what you want,” he said in a deep, sexy voice.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “You know what I want.”
His lusty smile sent heat rushing through her. “Then, in case I won, tell me.”
With him there was no shame, only desire. “I want you to fuck me. Hard. Deep. Kiss my neck. Kiss my back. Don’t stop until I cry your name.”
He nodded, giving himself over to the passion. One hand went to her hip, the other covered her hand again. He kissed her gently, up and down her back then slid his tip inside her. Slowly in. Slowly out. Then he placed his hand on her lower back and began to pound into her powerfully.
Harder and faster.
Deeper and wilder.
His grip on her hand pinched, but she didn’t care. Nothing she’d felt before compared to this. Heat built within her until it ravished her senses. She clung to the ladder, begged him to keep going, and finally sobbed out his name when her second orgasm shook through her.
He continued to pump into her, growled her name in her ear, and with a final thrust also came.
Neither moved at first.
He withdrew and stepped away to clean himself off. She made her way down the rest of the ladder.
A moment later they stood, face to face, both breathing heavily, flushed, sweaty and nake
d. He smiled first. “One ladder, two beds and a shower. That’s only four condoms. We’ll have to find something to do with the rest.”
He’s joking.
I think.
No, he’s serious. Holy mackerel. I don’t care if he’s the poorest man on the planet. We’ll figure something out.
She chuckled. “Admit it, you didn’t know about the bunk bed until you saw the room.”
He caressed a finger down her check, her jaw, her neck and the curve of one breast. “It’s the reason I chose the room. Did you like it?”
“Like what?” It was impossible to focus while he lazily traced her areola.
He laughed. “If I had known someone like you existed, I wouldn’t have wasted my time with anyone else.”
Viviana closed her eyes briefly. She wanted to believe him. Did she dare? When she opened her eyes and looked around, the dorm-like feel of it helped her remain realistic. The room probably had cost fifty dollars. There was no coffee pot, no flat screen TV. It was a bed and a cheap metal woven wire chair. Nothing special. Just the bare minimum.
Which is what we have going as a relationship. The bare minimum. Only because she didn’t want to ruin the night by dissecting it, she asked, “What kind of shower does a place like this have?”
“Probably a small one,” he said, looking more pleased with that fact than embarrassed. “Want to find out?” He held out his hand in invitation.
She hesitated. What am I wishing this included? A promise of forever?
Does forever actually ever happen?
Not in my experience. For now, I’m okay with seeing where this goes.
She took his hand and said, “I would love to.”
Chapter Six
‡
Late the next morning, Grant woke to his stomach rumbling from hunger. He’d found a flaw in his choice of hotel accommodation and it wasn’t the snug sleeping quarters of the bottom bunk. No, that was actually quite pleasant. He wasn’t one who normally encouraged women to spend the night because it led to them thinking it meant more than it did.
Waking up with Viviana naked and draped across his chest, however, was something he could get used to. After a marathon of sex that concluded with both of them too sated and too tired to even talk, he was relaxed and didn’t want to move.
His stomach growled again.
What kind of hotel doesn’t have room service?
He checked his watch. It was almost noon. I could ask my assistant to deliver food and coffee.
Bad idea. And I’d still have to get up.
He looked down at Viviana and saw her eyes had opened. He kissed her lips softly. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” she said grumpily. “I’m sorry, I’m not human before coffee.”
He kissed her forehead. “After last night I could forgive you almost anything.”
She blushed and brought a hand up to his temple. “You have a bruise. Does it hurt? I felt so bad when you hit your head on the railing.”
He winced at her touch but more for sympathy than from pain. The move worked. She shifted upward with concern, her bare breasts sliding up his chest. “Do you want me to get some ice for it?”
He rolled her over and under him. The urgency of their passion came second now to the simple pleasure of holding her. He wanted to get dressed and head back to his place with her, and he didn’t care if she took that as a sign that she could leave a toothbrush beside his. Whatever this was between them, it was too good to continue in cheap hotels and public places.
He wanted to tell her that, but the conversation was a complicated one that might be much better had after his trip to Aruba. Come home with me so I can leave you for a week? Or two? Or however long it takes me to find Stiles?
I can’t take her with me. If there is any chance at all I’ll encounter trouble, she belongs here, uninvolved and safe.
He sighed. “I am going out of town for business.”
She searched his face and stiffened beneath him. “When?”
“Tomorrow. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
Her gaze fell to his neck. “Where are you going?”
“I’d rather tell you about it when I return.”
“I see.”
He moved onto his side and turned her face to his. “I may not be able to call you. It’ll depend on the situation. When I get back we—”
She laid her hand across his mouth to stop him from saying more. “Don’t say anything more. I’m okay with what we’ve done. I’m okay with you leaving. Just don’t lie to me. That’s the only thing that could ruin this.”
Grant rolled onto his back and groaned.
Fuck.
When Viviana had told herself she was willing to ride this out, she hadn’t expected it to crash and burn so soon. Grant moved to sit on the edge of the bed with his elbows resting on his knees. He looked like a man deciding between two unsavory options.
She knew the male look all too well. I caught him in a lie, and he doesn’t want to tell me the truth; he’s either married or in a committed relationship.
I shouldn’t have halted his exit speech. His way was less awkward. No accusations. No apologies. We could have parted with a kiss and a promise to stay in touch.
Viviana scooted off the bed and started to gather her clothing. When he didn’t protest, her heart sank. If I push him for the truth there’s a good chance things will get ugly.
Already in her jeans, she fastened her bra and pulled her shirt over her head. He took his cue from her and also got dressed. Their eyes met, and she realized that even if he was married she couldn’t hate him.
Meeting him opened my eyes to how much different my life could be. Someday I’ll find all that passion with a man I love—and that man, whoever he is, will be worth holding out for. I can be sexy, and, in my own way, I’m beautiful. How could I hate a man who helped me discover that?
So maybe I don’t ask. I don’t push. Maybe my gift to him is that I let him leave with a lie. With an awkward, heavy silence they gathered their things and closed up the room. They made it all the way to the elevator before he spoke.
“I can’t imagine that I’ll be gone for longer than a week. Two at the most. We’ll talk when I come back.”
She hitched her purse on her shoulder and forced a smile. “Sounds great.”
They rode in the elevator without a word. He hailed a taxi for her. As she was about to step into it, he pulled her to him and gave her a deep, lingering kiss that would have brought tears to her eyes if she were the type to cry. She returned the kiss, but the passion that had fired between them the night before was tempered by their mutual somber mood.
When they broke off the kiss, he said, “Don’t look at me that way. This isn’t goodbye. I’ll be back in a week.”
“Of course you will,” she said with a small smile. “Have a safe trip.” As she closed the taxi door, she closed down her heart. Had she listened to it, she would have jumped back out of the taxi instead of giving the driver the address of her apartment. She would have thrown herself into his arms and demanded the truth—whatever it was.
Another part of her, the part she chose to listen to, thought this was exactly what she deserved. The harsh reality is that when you fuck a stranger it’s not supposed to lead anywhere.
Audrey was on the couch doing her toenails when Viviana walked into their apartment. It took one look for Audrey to put her polish away and pat the cushion beside her. “I know we’re both adults, but I was worried when you didn’t come home last night.”
“Sorry,” Viviana said as she kicked off her shoes and curled up on the opposite end of the couch. “I should have called. I just wasn’t ready to talk about it.”
Audrey was quiet for a moment, then she said, “One of the things I love about you is that you’ve always supported me. When I said I wanted to move away, you didn’t try to talk me out of it. No matter where my dreams took me, you never judged. I don’t care where you’ve been or who you were with, but I’m
glad you’re safe.”
Viviana scooted across the couch to give Audrey a long hug before sitting back and rubbing her hands over her face. “There is so much to tell you; I don’t even know where to begin. Do you remember that jogger yesterday?”
“The one you tripped then had a drink at a juice bar with?”
“We had more than a drink there.” Viviana took a deep breath and told her friend everything. She didn’t hold back because—hell, this was Audrey. The two of them had researched tampons versus pads when they were teenagers. There was nothing she couldn’t tell her. Viviana wrapped the story up with what had gone through her head that morning as she’d left him.
Audrey nodded and said, “It sounds like it wasn’t all bad, but I’m sorry it ended the way it did.”
“I’m okay with it,” Viviana lied, then added, “I will be. I’m not one hundred percent sure it’s over, but I’m trying to be realistic.”
“What did you say his name was?”
“Grant. Grant Enynaim.”
“Honey, I don’t want to be the voice of doom, but your instincts are right about this one. Enynaim? Any name? That’s a red flag right there. Hey, if the sex was good, does it matter? Men lie. As long as you used protection you can chalk this up to a learning experience.”
He lied about his name, too. Was anything he said true? Viviana looked away and Audrey slapped her thigh. “Tell me you used protection.”
Viviana grimaced. “Every time but the first.”
Audrey rolled her eyes skyward. “Which do you need a refresher lecture on? The birds and bees or STDs?”
“Neither,” Viviana shook her head. “It’s over, Audrey, and I’m fine.”
Audrey picked up her nail polish again and started to apply a second coat to her toenails. “I know I suggested you put yourself out there, but it’s time to reel yourself back in. You have to be careful. This isn’t Cairo, New York. You’re lucky you didn’t get hurt.”
Viviana nodded even though that wasn’t entirely true. She hugged her legs to her chest and tried to block out the images of Grant that kept popping into her thoughts. His laugh. His kiss. The feel of him inside her. The butterflies that filled her chest whenever he looked at her.