The kisses alone were an incredible dichotomy of sensations. Soft and hard, tender and rough, and wet. Oh, so wet. Memories of the kiss stirred up a familiar sensation; an uncomfortable throb from my lower regions. Parts of me that had lain dormant for the last few months were suddenly aching for relief. There was no way that I could be around him under this pressure. I needed to siphon off a little steam. I closed my eyes and imagined that Garrett was with me, his hands squeezing and kneading my flesh.
I moaned and moved my hands down my stomach to my soaked slit. I imagined Garrett touching me as I opened wide for him, his tongue replacing his fingers.
My fingers made slow circular motions over my bundle of nerves. I inserted a finger, and that wasn’t enough, so I added another. The wet heat pooled at my thighs, the moisture seeping surprised me. I moved my fingers in and out in a rhythm. My breathing became jagged, the increasing pace took me over the edge. After my breath slowed, I drifted off into a satiated slumber.
Garrett
Once I'd held Jasmine in my arms, I couldn't let her go. She'd felt perfect—so soft and warm. Her sighs heated my lips as she drifted away on my kiss.
On the ten-minute walk back to my condo, I'd worried that I'd moved too fast. After we'd kissed in front of the hotel, she'd sobered and cleared her throat. She'd loosened from my embrace and stared at me with wild, questioning eyes. Her chest had rapidly risen while she breathed shallow breaths.
"Garrett. Thank you for walking with me. See you in the morning." She ran into the hotel lobby without looking back.
I'd cursed myself for not coming up with a solid game plan. Jasmine wasn't the type of woman to agree to a quick hookup. A woman of Jasmine's caliber expected dozens of roses, romantic dinners that went on for hours, and tickets to the hottest musicals or plays. Shit. She'd likely appreciate an evening at the opera.
If I wanted to have a shot at her, I needed to step my game up and do it quickly. I had to stop thinking like a bachelor and more like a man seeking a committed relationship.
By accepting my dinner invitation, Jasmine gave me a chance to redeem myself, and I pulled out all of the stops. I planned a perfect dinner at a restaurant located within walking distance to her hotel. We'd have a quiet candlelit dinner. After dessert, we'd take a romantic stroll along the Riverwalk where I would impress her with my knowledge of Chicago landmarks and architecture. Well, my very limited knowledge. At the end of the evening, I would escort her back to the hotel and give her a hot kiss right before returning home in time to catch a late-night talk show or two.
After an eleven-hour workday filled with meetings, a taxi dropped us off in front of S&W Steakhouse. I placed my hand on the small of her back and followed her into the restaurant. We were promptly seated at a small, white cloth-covered table that overlooked the river.
I smoothed the napkin over my lap as I picked up the leather-bound menu. She turned to the window and tilted her head up to take in the skyscrapers towering above.
"Wow. The view is incredible. When I was younger, my sister and I referred to the towers as the 'corn cob' buildings. It stuck. Have you ever been inside?"
"Hunter lived there for a few years. We used to pre-game at his place before we went to concerts or bars." I chuckled at the memories of the two of us in our younger years. "Those were good days, before we became jaded by corporate life."
"How long have you known each other?"
"Six years. He was fresh out of college and new to the city. I'd been here for a year and a half. It made sense that I would take him under my wing." Befriending Hunter was one of the best decisions of my adult life. I knew with one hundred percent certainty that Hunter would remain my friend until the day we died.
Our waiter stopped by to drop off the breadbasket and took our appetizer and wine order. I took the lead and ordered the buffalo-fried oysters along with a bottle of cabernet.
“Yum. Sourdough and pretzel bread? You can tell the quality of a restaurant by the variety of breads offered. Have you decided on an entree?" She peeked over the menu and smiled.
"I have. The bone-in filet and asparagus."
"You're a man after my heart. I'd like the same."
"Well, your heart is the goal." I was pleased when her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of crimson. "How was your day, Jasmine?"
“Busy, as usual. And you? How was your day?"
"I spent the morning daydreaming about you."
"Garrett Hamilton, are you courting me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
The waiter returned with an uncorked bottle of wine and poured the red liquid into our wine glasses. I ordered our entrees and sides and turned my attention back to Jasmine. She swirled the wine glass around, closed her eyes, and inhaled the bouquet. She took her first sip before opening her eyes.
"I find it hard to believe that you aren't actively dating. Tell me about your last relationship," she said.
That statement came out of nowhere. This would be the first time that I talked about dating Colette. I could either lie or tell the truth. Either way, I could look like a simp. I chose the truth.
"We broke up five months ago. It was complicated. I decided that my self-respect was worth more than being a part of a couple."
"Does she have a name?"
Fuck. I don't want to talk about Colette. I want to put that chapter of my life behind me.
"I don't say her name. It's like Beetlejuice. If I say it too many times, I’ll summon her, so she could wreak havoc and make our lives hell. What about your last relationship?"
"We broke up almost a year ago. He wasn't the right man. I'm better out of the relationship than I was in it." She lifted her shoulders, then let them drop. "I shoot from the hip. I performed a Google search on you. The Sun-Times called you the 'King of Dynex.'"
"Yeah, I still catch hell over it. I did not know they would use the photo or call me that. Everyone finds it hilarious. I don't."
"I thought it was funny. And brave."
"Brave? What makes you say that?"
"I admire that you're able to celebrate your successes. If I did it, I'm afraid people would call me a self-promoter."
"Jasmine, no one thinks anything negative of you. You're an incredible woman." She waved me off. "No, I'm serious. I'm happy that you could forgive me."
"I don't make room for enemies, but I'm always happy to gain a friend."
I took her hand and squeezed it lightly.
The chefs prepared our steaks and the sides to perfection. We'd both ate a good portion of our main course and all of the dessert. Afterward, Jasmine's eyes were hooded, and I knew she was tired. Glancing at my watch, I noted the time. "It's ten-fifteen. Let's get you back to the hotel. I don't want you to be late for work."
After paying the check, arm in arm we strolled along the walkways and sidewalks until we stood in front of the hotel. I was determined not to repeat the events of last night, which caused her to run out of my arms like her hair was on fire. We'd have a nice first date kiss, then I would continue to my condo where I would promptly take an ice-cold shower.
Jasmine glided her hand up my arm and turned my face to hers. She leaned in and gave me a slow, intense, and sensuous kiss that went on for an eternity. The kiss sent shivers to my toes and made me tremble. She groaned softly. I adjusted my angle to go deeper and allow my tongue to have its way with her.