The waiter appears with the check, and I slide my card into the folder before he turns and heads off to charge it. When he returns, I pocket my wallet after slipping my card back in.
I’ve been here a few times before, but never with a date. This is the place I bring my business associates when I need something from them. Wine and dine and have them sign on the dotted line. Smirking to myself, I slide out of the booth and offer Hope my hand.
“Come,” I tell her, and she obeys, slipping her delicate hand in mine. I escort her from the restaurant with my fingertips possessively trailing along the base of her spine. Her slight trembles are evidence that I’m affecting her, just like she is me.
Once we’re in the car, I start the engine and pull out onto the road. She doesn’t speak as I make my way through the neighborhood and head straight for my penthouse. The moment I come to a stop in the parking garage of my apartment block, she turns to me, and I know I’m in for a lashing.
“Me coming here with you doesn’t mean anything,” she admits, but once again, it’s a blatant lie. I love watching her try to justify this. Granted, I’m breaking all my rules as well, so I understand where she’s coming from.
“I didn’t ask you for anything,” I tell her honestly. “Perhaps a nightcap, and I can take you home after.” I meet her gaze, hoping she can see the truth in my eyes. I haven’t brought any women back here before. All those one-night stands were transactions done at a hotel where they couldn’t walk into my personal space.
“I’d like that,” she finally tells me, and I watch as she exits the car. I wanted to open the door, but I’m too fucking mesmerized by her beauty. I follow her out, pressing the key fob to lock the doors, and I lead her to the elevator.
The ride up is filled with the shitty classical music that streams through the speakers, and thankfully, we’re quickly stepping out into the hallway which empties into my penthouse. Unlocking the door, I step aside and allow her to enter first.
A soft gasp tumbles from her lips when she takes in the view. My living room is the first thing you see when you walk in, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the city below. Yellow twinkling lights sparkle in the distance, the dark, inky night attempting to swallow them whole.
I’m not sure what to do. Seeing her in my home is different, and I find myself standing rigid at the threshold between living room and kitchen. When Hope turns to me, she smiles, shyly I have to admit, before she steps out of her heels.
“Are you going to stand there staring at me, or would you like to offer me a drink?” she quips. Sassy little tease.
“What would you like?” I ask, finding my voice as she nears me. “Wine, whiskey, beer, or water?” She stops inches from me, and all thoughts of a drink fly out the window when she leans up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my cheek.
She whispers, “I’ll have a glass of chilled white wine, please?”
I make my way to the kitchen, hoping to calm the raging hard-on I’m sporting, but when Hope joins me, I know there’s no way this woman is going to ease my ache until I’m inside her. She settles on the high stool, watching as I fill a glass for her. I don’t need more to drink; all I want is to taste her again.
“Open your legs,” I tell her as she sips her wine. Those beautiful eyes widen at my words, and I offer her an arched brow in challenge.
Silently, she slides her legs wide, and I drop to my knees between them. She’s looking down at me as I nudge her panties to the side and take a deep inhale of her sweet, musky scent. My mouth is watering as I lean in further and press my mouth against her mound. She’s drenched, and her whimpers are the soundtrack to my tongue delving into her heat.
Her fingers are tangled in my hair, and she’s tugging me closer as she moans my name, over and over again. I don’t relent when I feel her pulse. Instead, I suck her clit into my mouth and graze the bud with my teeth.
Her body shudders, and I have to hold her steady to keep her from falling. Her juices coat my tongue, and I revel in her flavor. It’s the taste of her that I want more of, and I know this won’t be the first orgasm I give her tonight.
“I thought you only wanted a drink?” I challenge her.
Her wide, hazel eyes are glossy as she comes down from her high. A small smile taunts her lips and teases me, just like she does every single day since the moment she walked into my office.
“How about you take me to your bedroom, and I’ll have something else to drink instead?” she quips, causing me to chuckle at her brazen, flirtatious comment.
“Oh, darling, you’ll definitely be having much more than a drink in the bedroom.” I carry her bridal-style through my apartment until we reach the bedroom. “I hope you’re planning on calling in sick tomorrow because you’re not getting any sleep tonight.”
She smiles as I set her down on the mattress, and with a laugh, she tells me, “My boss might not like that, but I’ll coax him somehow.” I lean in, needing to claim her mouth. Our lips fuse in a kiss, and her tongue darts out to tangle with mine. My cock hardens, needing more, needing her, but I know I have to take this slow because I want to savor every moment.
And I know my Valentine’s Day has just gotten all the more pleasurable.
About the Author
About Dani René
Dani is a USA Today bestselling author of a variety of genres, from romantic suspense to dark erotic romance and even BDSM romance. She loves to delve into the raw, emotional journeys her characters venture on, and enjoys the dark, edgy, and sensual scenes that fill the pages of her books. Dani’s stories are seductive with a deviant edge with feisty heroines and dominant alphas.
Dani lives in the beautiful city of Cape Town and is a proud member of the Romance Writer's Organization of South Africa (ROSA) and the Romance Writers of America (RWA). She has a healthy addiction to reading, TV series, music, tattoos, chocolate, and ice cream.
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Cocktail
Cocktail
By Lauren Smith
Cocktail
Copyright © 2020 by Lauren Smith
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.