I ground my hips against his as I swayed with the beat, relishing the seductive feel of his splayed hands as they slid down my hips to cup my ass. His handsome face, his hard body against mine, the erotic sensation of his skillful fingers as they coasted across my sensitive skin—it all swamped me and sent arousal pouring into my bloodstream.
I was lost in the moment with this handsome, anonymous older man. And for at least a little while, I didn’t want to be found.
Chapter Two
Denton
“Yeah, I thought it looked pretty good.”
I pressed my mobile phone against my ear, listening intently as my new business partner, Clive, ran through some numbers.
“That sounds about right to me,” I said. “The ground floor units could probably be leased out without too much additional work, as long as the HVAC isn’t a total pile of shit. The upstairs units could stay as flats, but duplexes would be a big draw for the high-dollar single professionals and would go fast. Depends on how we can finance the renovations.”
I paced my hotel room as I listened to his reply, stopping when I got to the west-facing windows. The hotel was tall enough that from my room on one of the upper floors, I could see out across the city of Seattle and all the way to the water. The city lights twinkled as evening shadows settled into the streets, and the setting sun had broken through the gray clouds to cast brilliant golden rays across the bay.
“It’s a gorgeous neighborhood and the building is well maintained on the outside,” I said into the phone. “We could put our offices into a second-story unit if we wanted to. There’s a lot of flexibility.”
“The attorneys are ready to start on the due diligence as soon as we give the thumbs-up,” Clive said. “Do you like it well enough for that?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “I really do. Let’s move forward.”
I finished my call and tossed my phone over on the table next to my laptop before returning to the bay window of my hotel room.
I meant what I said to Clive. I had always liked Seattle, even before I was married. Before my divorce. I liked the activity, the energy, the culture, the people—all of it.
Minneapolis was—well,haunted. I had lived there for twenty years, but after Elyse and I broke up a couple of years ago, so many places still reminded me of her. I could get rid of the empty house that we used to share, but I couldn’t bulldoze the restaurant where I walked in to find her having dinner with another man.
Every day, I still drove past her law office on my way into work, and I saw her car parked in the lot. The things and places we enjoyed as a couple—all those things were still there, too. And even though time, friends, a little therapy and the relentless pull of work helped dull the pain while the wound inside me healed, it still ached sometimes because I’d foolishly believed we’d be together forever.
Maybe a big change would be good, I mused as I stared out at the gathering twilight. A fresh start. But for now, I decided, I wanted to get out into the city and do a little exploring. Have a few drinks and enjoy myself a little. Big decisions could wait until tomorrow.
After a quick shower, I threw on some clothes—black slacks and a gray button up shirt—and headed downstairs to the concierge desk.
“I want to have a few drinks,” I told the woman standing there. “What’s a good place in walking distance?”
The concierge, easily twenty years younger than me, a silver nose ring winking from one nostril, studied me carefully. Her eyes raked up and down my attire and hairstyle, down to my unadorned left ring finger. After a thorough assessment, she nodded, her gaze thoughtful.
“Try the King Club,” She pointed toward the door then hooked her thumb to the left. “Across the street and just a couple of doorsthatway. Top-shelf drinks, decent crowd.”
The King Club wasn’t much to look at on the outside—hard to spot from the street, with a nondescript exterior and just a small sign at the door, but inside, the dim bar vibrated with loud music and people. Mostly young professionals, if I had to guess, unwinding after a long week. I slid onto a stool at the end of the bar and ordered a glass of bourbon. The neat alcohol left a pleasant burn in my throat as I swallowed, the warmth spreading through my chest and down into my limbs, warm and syrupy.
She caught my attention as soon as she walked inside the place and strutted up to the other end of the bar with her friend. She grabbed my gaze and didn’t let go—not that I wanted to look away. Bright green eyes, cascading dark brown hair, and a young, lithe body that made my dick ache in my pants. Her silky little dress highlighted her round, firm breasts, narrow waist, and generous hips. When she twisted this way and that, I could just glimpse the outline of a lush ass that I was sure would haunt my dreams until I died of old age.
Jesus.I hadn’t reacted to a woman this quickly since…I thought for a second. Maybeever. Not even my ex-wife had gotten my motor running right away like this. With Elyse, it was more of a slow burn as we got to know each other, and it was always just a comfortable warmth. Until it cooled, then froze.
The other woman’s lips parted slightly as she gazed at me curiously. Full lips painted hot pink, her beautiful mouth open just enough for me to see a line of straight, pearly white teeth. She flashed a brief smile at me and turned away again to laugh with her friend as they leaned against the bar and sipped their drinks.
Goddamn, thoseeyes, I thought as I gulped my bourbon. When those eyes connected with mine, it was like a shot straight into my chest that radiated through all my limbs and left my cock almost painfully hard. It burned hotter than any liquor, and the effect was just as intoxicating. Maybe more.
She grabbed her friend’s arm and pulled her out to the dance floor, and I shifted in my seat to watch them move together. Eyes closed, she swayed to the thumping bass, and drew my eyes irresistibly downward as the hem of her short dress inched up to reveal more of those smooth, shapely thighs. Her legs were long and slender, and the heels she wore fueled more than a few dirty thoughts.
My cock pulsed in my pants, and I shifted on my bar stool to try and relieve the ache, or at least give myself a little room. Icouldtry to talk to this mystery woman tonight, or if I didn’t, I was bound to go back to my hotel room and jerk myself raw. The image of her dancing in her short little dress would probably torment me for months either way. I felt my dick get even thicker as I pictured walking up behind her, pressing my hardness against her plush ass and letting my hands wander up to cup those generous breasts as she leaned back against me.
Jesus. I gulped my drink again as the two of them drifted across the floor, closer to me with every beat, until she was close enough that I could easily reach out to her if I just stood up and took a couple of steps forward.
Her back was toward me as her friend leaned forward, her eyes meeting mine as she pressed a kiss to my mystery woman’s cheek and said something in her ear. Then in one swift movement, she spun her around and pushed.
Right toward me.