Of being anything but a pure animal.
She was supposed to say ‘no.’
She was supposed to push him away.
She was supposed to hit the red “emergency” button and make him stop.
Instead, she pushed her hips against his raging-hard cock and parted her lips, begging for the taste of him. His hands were hot and smooth, hard and raking, touching her body like he was falling and she alone could save him.
Gavin. Gavin Stanton. In the back of her mind a dim recognition rang a bell, but the throbbing of her clit drowned it out. A frantic urgency pushed to the surface as his palm reached down the front of her corset and cupped one overflowing breast, yanking it right out, his mouth warm and teasing on her nipple, making her moan.
I hope there aren’t cameras in here, she thought. And then suddenly, she didn’t care. That mouth, those hands, the scent of something wild and untamed in his skin took over her thinking mind. Pushed aside by something feral, she gave in to the craving for him.
Him.
Mine.
His voice mingled with hers in her head. Impossible, she thought dimly as his hand traveled up the soft contour of her inner thigh, fingers deft and knowing. Her mouth crashed against his as she gave a cry of relief when his fingers found the spot she needed him to find. Lilah’s hearing changed, blood pushing through her veins so fast she heard a low hum, like an oboe beginning to play a long, slow note. A prelude to an orchestra.
The beginning that leads to an explosive finale.
Just as Lilah was on the verge of telling Mr. Gavin Stanton that he could have her right here, right now, if only he would hurry and tear off her clothes and make the agonizing craving stop as soon as possible, he pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice ragged. He rubbed his mouth with both hands, taking a step back, watching her with the piercing blue eyes she remembered from the first time she’d seen him. That perfect British accent made her wet and even hotter, if that was possible. She was panting like she was an animal in heat.
He adjusted his suit jacket and drew up to his full height, which was considerable. “That was inexcusable. I’ll understand if you call the police.”
She lunged at him, one knee between his, her teeth biting his lower lip and catching thick stubble. He groaned against her mouth, the sound untamed and untethered. His own lips captured hers and soon he sucked on her upper lip as his fingers found her slick heat again, thumb circling her clit as his mouth gave her a preview of what he wished to do between her legs.
She pulled at his collar and opened his tie, the top button, the second, her mouth on the strong, musky flesh above his collarbone. She bit as she ground against his hand, her pussy billowing and opening to him, the crest of orgasm so close, so close.
“Lilah,” he murmured, shifting her leg so it rubbed up against his impossibly thick shaft. Her mouth craved it, wanted to suck him, to have that power. But her thoughts shattered as his muscles swelled and she swore he grew. Expanded. Teemed with animal lust as their breath quickened and her hands reached for his chest, finding thick hair and impossibly heavy angles.
The pounding of her heart was almost as loud as his voice. She touched her swollen mouth with the tips of her fingers and ignored his offer to stop.
“What’s happening to us?” she whispered, speaking to him as if they knew each other. As if she had the right to cut to the chase.
As if he felt it too.
At that exact moment, the elevator jerked to a stop and the doors began sliding apart. Lilah quickly turned away from Gavin—his name is Gavin—and tugged down her dress, avoiding his eyes. Luckily, the fabric had clung to the corset, and she seemed to be fairly intact.
On the outside, anyway.
The doors opened fully onto a simple hallway decorated in shades of silver. In front of a pair of ebony swinging doors stood a striking, statuesque fiftysomething woman in a cobalt-blue pantsuit, texting on her phone. When she looked up and saw both Lilah and Gavin in the elevator car, she merely smiled politely and reached out to the door to hold it open. “Hello, Lilah. I’m Eva,” she said. “Welcome to the Platinum Club.”
Chapter 5
Lilah strode out of the car, as much in a hurry to get away from the man behind her as she was to see the legendary club where she was the newest hire.
I hope I don’t smell like sex.
“Will you be coming into the club tonight, Mr. Stanton?” Eva asked, still holding the door.
Gavin kept his gaze fixed on a spot to the left of the older woman as he followed Lilah off the elevator, as if he were avoiding her eyes too. “Yes, Eva. Bit of a work party tonight, I’m afraid.”
His voice sounded lower. Deeper. More like whisky poured over gravel. His fingers stretched as if they ached. The bones of his face seemed...broader? Her eyes swam. She blinked a few times, then realized he was back to normal.
She really was losing it.
“You know what they say, Mr. Stanton.” Eva turned to face the swinging black doors. “All work and no play.”
A dangerous grin split his features. “Come now, Eva,” he said. “Are you saying I’m a dull boy?” He still would not look at her directly.
“Of course not, sir,” Eva replied. “I wouldn’t want to get dismissed.”
“That’s right. Terrible customer service to insult one of the members.”
“Unless you wanted to be dull,” Lilah blurted out.
Both of them stopped walking and stared at her. She felt her face burn, but she continued. “In which case...” Oh God, why had she opened her mouth? This was no time to try to be funny. “Being told you’re all work and no play would be a compliment.”
“I’m not all work.” His voice had dropped an octave. He touched his lips with one hand. The same hand that had touched her there.
To her relief, Eva put an arm through hers and patted the back of her hand. “Of course not, Mr. Stanton. And I’m sure you won’t mind if I steal Lilah away for her orientation, since she’s just agreed to work at the club as our newest waitress.”
Now Gavin looked at Lilah, inflicting her with that wicked smile. She felt it slide down her spine like warm, hungry lips.
Like in the elevator.
“What excellent judgment you have, as usual, Eva.” Then he brushed past Lilah, ducking his head slightly as he passed. “I’ll see you inside.” His breath tickled her ear like another kiss.
He walked through the doorway and out of sight. The sounds of acoustic guitar and muffled conversation poured through the swinging doors as her eyes followed every second he was in range and even a few seconds afterward.
“Molly did a lovely job with your outfit,” Eva said. “Are your shoes all right? You’ll be on your feet for the next eight hours. Gorgeous doesn’t mean a thing if you’re hurting.”
“They’re really comfortable, actually.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Perhaps Molly can find me a similar pair. In blue, of course.” Smiling, she smoothed her hand over her suit jacket. “All right, I think you’ve had enough time to get over your nerves. Let’s go in. There’s a party for Mr. Stanton, but we already have extra staff serving those guests, so we don’t have to worry about them. Your job today is to learn. Just learn. First I’ll take you on a tour of the other areas on this floor.”