“Rebecca's my sister, so I love her, but I don't like her very much.”
“Me either,” I admitted.
“And I have a feeling, if she saw you tonight, she'd be even worse than usual.” He gave me a slow once over, his gaze heated. “You look amazing.”
I flushed, suddenly aware of the electricity racing across my skin from where we were touching. “Do we have to keep talking about your sister?” I asked.
“Nope.” He grinned at me. “I'd prefer we didn't.”
“What'd you want to talk about then?” I regretted the question as soon as I'd asked it. I'd just given him an open invitation to ask about anything, including what my life was like now. Telling him I was a stripper would definitely send him running.
“Didn't you used to work at the trolley car diner?”
I looked over at him in surprise. “Yeah, I did.”
“I thought so.” His eyes sparkled with humor. “They did a whole retro day where you ladies had to wear fifties clothes, right?”
I groaned and shook my head. Of all the ways for him to remember having seen me, a poodle skirt and pink cardigan that clashed with my hair was not what I would've chosen.
“I'd come home for summer break,” he continued. “And I'd been craving those amazing cinnamon buns they had.”
“The ones with the cream cheese icing.” I nodded in agreement. I actually hadn't minded my job, especially the food part. The customers, on the other hand, hadn't always been so delightful. “Your sister used to come in...” I let my voice trail off.
“We're talking about her again,” he said and looked at me, a determined expression on his face. “Let's see if I can do something about that.”
When he yanked me towards him, I gasped and he took advantage of my parted lips to cover my mouth with his, running his tongue along my bottom lip before darting it inside.
There was an edge to the playfulness, a desire that made my stomach warm. His arm slid around my waist as I leaned into him, my fingers gripping handfuls of his shirt. His lips were soft, moving with mine with an unhurried laziness. When he finally raised his head, it was only far enough that we could meet gazes. His eyes truly looked black now and I shivered.
“I can walk you back to the reunion and the kiss stays a kiss.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Or we can go to my place and…” His lips sank into mine, finishing his sentence for him.
Need stroked through me like a knife and I realize the choice wasn’t a choice at all. I would go with him, be with him; I’d be greedy for the first time in my life.
“Yes,” I whispered into his mouth and he moaned, his hands fisting in my hair. Then he turned, pulling me behind him and we walked the quarter mile in silence.
I tried not to think about how his house cost more than my entire apartment building back in Vegas, and then he was shutting the door behind us and leading me towards what I assumed was his bedroom. I quit caring about how rich he was.
We were in darkness for a moment, and then a light came on, filling the room with a soft, warm glow. I registered a bed, nightstand and dresser, but didn't get any details before Reed was pulling me into his arms.
When his mouth came down on mine this time, there was none of the humor that had been there before. This was all wanting. Lust. Need. One hand slid down my spine to the small of my back, his fingers on the swell of my ass. The other hand moved up until he was cupping the back of my head, those fingers buried in my hair. My hands went around his neck and I pressed my body against his. I ran the tip of my tongue along his bottom lip and he opened his mouth wider, letting me slip inside. I could taste the champagne they'd been serving at the reunion mingled with the sharp tang of fruit from the buffet. His tongue curled around mine and I moaned.
As a teenager, I'd imagined what it would be like to be kissed by Reed Stirling. My imagination hadn't done him nearly enough justice. His teeth nipped at my bottom lip and I pulled back. Concern filled his face and I knew he was worried that I hadn't liked it. I slid my hands under his jacket and pushed it off of his shoulders.
“Too many clothes.”
My words washed away the worry and he smiled as my fingers tugged his shirt from his slacks. I quickly undid the buttons, secretly thankful that the one thing my job had taught me was how to undress quickly. Moments later, his shirt was falling to the floor and I was running my hands over his chest.
He had a lean build, but there was nothing thin about him. Every inch was cut and defined muscle beneath tanned skin. I ran my fingers down his flat stomach and hooked them into the waistband of his pants.
If I was going to finally get to sleep with Reed, I was going to make this one to remember. I'd head back to Vegas with at least one positive memory from my reunion and we'd never see each other again. That thought made me sad, knowing this was it, but I refused to let it take root. I hadn't come here looking for anything and I was going to get something I'd dreamed about for years. What came after didn't matter.
I pulled him toward the bed and gave him a gentle push. He looked surprised but didn't say anything as he sat down. I'd spent almost two years taking off my clothes for men I despised. Now, I'd at least put my skills to good use.
There wasn't any music, but I didn't need it. I wasn't exactly dancing, but his eyes watched my every movement as if I was in the spotlight. I slowly pulled off my dress, making a mental note to thank Anastascia for the underwear. When I stepped out of the garment, Reed reached out and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me onto him. We fell back on the bed and he rolled us over, his body pressing down on mine.
“You are so damn sexy,” he murmured as he began to kiss his way across my collarbones and then further down.
He pulled down the cups of my bra, his hands catching my breasts as they came free. His touch was rougher than I'd expected after that first kiss, but I arched into it, loving the feel of his fingers kneading my flesh. He ran his tongue around my nipple and I moaned. When his teeth scraped over it, I hissed, running my nails down his arm. My eyes closed as his lips wrapped around my nipple and began to rhythmically suck. Each time Reed's teeth touched my skin, a new bolt of electricity went through me and I found myself wetter than I'd been before and we'd barely gotten started.
“I could spend hours doing this,” Reed said, looking up at me. “But we don't have a lot of time.”
I nodded, feeling a pang of regret. There was so much I wanted to do, but he was right. Anastascia was bound to get worried if I was gone too long.
He ran his hand over my stomach and slid it beneath the elastic of my panties. I swore as his fingers made their way between my legs and chuckled as he circled my clit for a moment before moving down to where I wanted him most. His laughter died away as he pushed a finger inside me.
I shuddered as a ripple of pleasure washed over me.
“You're so tight.” He pressed his lips against my stomach as his finger moved in and out, preparing me for what I knew was coming next. Suddenly, his head jerked up, something very much like panic on his face. “You're not...”
I shook my head and he relaxed. I wasn't a virgin, but I was pretty close. I'd only had one lover and while Luc been a nice enough guy, he'd never managed to get me off. Now, I was about to come just from Reed’s finger. I could feel the pressure building inside me and it reached the breaking point as he slid another finger in alongside the first. Then he crooked them, and everything exploded.
Dimly, I was aware that my phone was ringing, but I couldn't think of anything but the pleasure coursing through me. I cried out as my pussy tightened around Reed's fingers, stopping their movement and letting me ride out my orgasm without additional stimulation. When my muscles unclenched, Reed removed his fingers and I made a sound of protest, earning a laugh.
I was still blinking the haze away when I heard the sound of a foil packet ripping. That was good. I wasn't entirely sure I was coherent enough to have thought of protection. A moment later, I felt him pulling aside the crotch of my panties and
I forced my eyes to focus, locking with his as he entered me. My thigh muscles trembled as he slowly inched his way inside. He was so thick, stretching me until it was just this side of painful, but I never considered asking him to stop. I didn't know where he was on a size scale, but as he came to rest all the way inside me, I did know I'd never been so full.
He lowered himself over me until our bodies were touching, but his arms kept his full weight off of me. His lips came down on mine as he began to move, drawing whimpers of half-pained pleasure from my throat. He swallowed each one as he thrust into me, each stroke rubbing the base of his cock against my clit until I was writhing beneath him. I was going to come again and my entire body trembled in anticipation.
“I'm not going to last long,” Reed confessed, his voice barely a whisper. I could hear the strain. “You're too tight. Feel too good.”
I slid my hands down his back and over his ass. I hadn't realized until then that he'd taken his pants off, or at least pushed them down. My fingers ran over the firm muscles and I dug my nails in, encouraging him to move harder, faster.
He pushed himself up, grabbing onto my hips. The change in angle dragged the head of his cock across that spot inside me and I cried out. I wrapped my hands around his wrists, feeling the tendons and muscles there moving as he began to slam into me, pushing himself deeper than before. His fingers dug into my flesh and I rode the line of pain and ecstasy as he drove me toward my second orgasm.
He groaned as he buried himself, the muscles in his body twitching as he came. Still, even as he climaxed, he rotated his hips, rubbing against me exactly the way I needed to push me over the edge. I wrapped my arms around him as he slumped down, my body moving against his as I drew out every last drop of pleasure, wanting to savor the moment I knew would never happen again.
When he finally rolled off of me, I felt a pang of loss. But he pulled me close, kissing my hair and whispered, “I’ll be right back.”
I rolled onto my side, curling into a ball of contentment just as the memory of my phone ringing suddenly came back to me. I groaned as I stretched out to snag my purse from the floor. I moved onto my stomach as I pulled out my phone and saw that I had a missed call from Anastascia.
“Shit,” I swore quietly as I listened to the voicemail.
“Piper, where the hell are you? You went out for some air and now I can't find you and you're not picking up your phone? You better hope to hell you've been kidnapped or I'm going to kick your ass.”
I quickly hit the call back button and closed my eyes as I waited for the inevitable scolding. She answered on the first ring and didn't even bother with a greeting, launching into a lecture about how I'd scared the shit out of her and I'd better have a good reason for leaving and not telling her where I was going. I waited until she paused for air before I spoke.
“I went for a walk and lost track of time.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again,” I promised, letting my voice take on a teasing note. As I'd hoped, it defused her anger.
“Well, where are you? I'll come pick you up.”
I stifled a laugh, picturing the expression on her face if I told her I was currently in Reed Stirling's bed. “I'm taking a taxi back. Wait for me. I'll be there in a few.”
“All right.” She sounded reluctant, but I didn't waste time trying to convince her.
I said my good-bye, hung up and shoved my phone back in my purse, pushing myself onto my knees as Reed came back into the bedroom. He slid his arms around my waist and my body hummed from the contact. He pressed his lips against the hollow spot under my ear. I shivered and closed my eyes, resenting the fact that I had to go.
“I have to get back. Anastascia's worried about me.”
“Is that who called earlier?”
“Yeah. I'd told her I was going out for some air.” I reluctantly removed myself from his embrace and set about collecting my clothes. “Needless to say, I've been gone a bit longer than I'd planned.”
I heard a hint of pride in his voice as he said, “I'll call you a cab.”
I managed to get dressed before he finished, but he was still naked when he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. His mouth came down on mine and I was helpless to do anything but kiss him back. My arms wrapped around his neck and I pressed my body against his. He groaned as my hips ground against his cock and I knew he must still be sensitive. The thought made me push my hips harder against him as I tangled my tongue with his. I wanted him to remember this, to remember me.
His hands cupped my ass, squeezing and kneading the muscles and sending a rush of desire through me. I was still wet from before and now I was practically dripping. Just as I was beginning to think it might be worth Anastascia being mad to have another round with Reed, a car honked outside.
I broke the kiss but stayed in his arms a moment longer. “That's my ride.”
He cupped the side of my face. “Are you sure you can't stay longer?” He brushed his knuckles down the side of my face.
“I really have to go.” I took a step back and headed for the door. By the time I reached his front door, he was only a few steps behind me, dressed in a pair of pants, but still shirtless.
“I'd come with you,” he said as he followed me down to the sidewalk. “But I can only take my sister in small doses, and I've had enough today to last a while.”
I smiled, trying not to show my combination of relief and disappointment. Part of me wanted to show back up at the reunion with Reed, just to see the looks on everyone's faces, especially Rebecca's. Another part wanted to keep all this secret, something private just for me. His decision saved me from having to make that choice.
I paused before climbing into the taxi, unsure how I was supposed to end this. He reached out and pushed back some hair from my face.
“When can I see you again?”
My heart twisted and I leaned forward to brush my lips over his. I couldn't tell him the truth, so I settled for a vague lie. “Let's let fate decide.”
I got into the backseat and closed the door before he could respond. As the driver pulled away from the curb, I leaned back in the seat and resisted the urge to turn for one last look. I wasn't planning on another return to the city, so I knew this would be the last time I'd ever see Reed. And I knew it was for the best. I hadn't come back looking for love and I didn't want it. Not with someone from Philadelphia. My life was in Las Vegas now and that wasn't going to change.
Five
As I climbed out of the cab and looked up at my apartment building, I sighed. Everything that had happened in the past few days seemed like some sort of dream.
The rest of the reunion had gone about as well as expected, with me dodging more bitchy comments and hateful stares. Finally, Ana had taken mercy on me and declared it time to go. I’d never been so relieved to exit a room in my life.
The following day was much better, just the two of us enjoying each other, laughing at old times and sharing our hopes and dreams. We’d eaten in, ordering take out since neither of us wanted to cook. We’d shared a bottle of wine, and then another, laughing and talking into the wee hours of the morning.
Next morning, at the airport, I’d been close to tears as I hung onto this beautiful girl. As much as I’d wanted to be home, I hadn’t felt like leaving.
I was definitely glad I'd slept with Reed. Maybe that was the problem, I thought as I trudged up the dark and dingy stairs. Apart from the actual reunion, things had gone so well that coming back here just made my real life seem drab and miserable by comparison.
I opened the door to my apartment and wrinkled my nose. Rosa had been trying to cook again. The stench of burnt something-or-other was still fresh. My roommate was three years older than me and had been stripping in Vegas since she was sixteen. Ten years later, she still worked at The Diamond Club, and it was even more sleazy than it had been when she'd started. She was nice enough, but we weren't close. She hadn't just accepted
her life… she liked it. And she knew I didn't, which could make things a bit tense at times.
“You have messages,” Rosa announced as she came out of her bedroom.
“Thanks, Rosa.” I put my bag down and picked up the first one from Tammy.
As I read, I sat down, unable to believe my eyes. The note after Tammy's was from one of the other girls and said the same thing. Each one, some from co-workers, two from managers, was nearly identical. I needed to come down to The Twilight Room to pick up my last check and then go to the police station to give a statement about whether or not I'd ever been ordered to have sex with a patron.
“What the fuck?” I stared at the stack of papers.
“Sucks.” Rosa adjusted her bra, then reached for a coffee mug. “I heard some girls talking about it. Seems like The Twilight Room was a front for sex trafficking.”
I shook my head, unable to believe it. They didn't even make us get completely naked. How could that mesh with forcing women into being sex slaves?
She shrugged. “We got a couple spots open if you want a job.”
“Thanks, Rosa, but I'll be fine.” Even as I said the words, I wasn't sure they were true. The knot in my stomach said what my brain didn't want to recognize that soon I'd have to take her up on her offer. I cringed, hoping it would never come to that.
Six days, twenty-seven applications and no calls later, I was forced to admit that Rosa's offer was the best I was going to get. Girls willing to take off their clothes were a dime a dozen in Vegas and while I may have had better dancing skills, the clubs were more interested in tits and ass. Desperation finally overcame what little pride I had left and I went in for an interview. With Rosa vouching for me, I got the job and was able to start right away.
If someone had told me I'd miss The Twilight Room, I would've laughed at them, but The Diamond Club made my previous place of employment seem like a dream job. My first indication was the so-called interview where the manager told me to strip down in the middle of the club. Granted, there'd only been a cleaning crew there at the time, but it was still awkward, and it had gotten worse while he'd circled me, not touching but close enough to have made me even more uncomfortable than I'd already been.