Risk Taker Read online

  “You have me in a state as it is.”

  He chuckles. “You would be a bad poker player. All your cards are out for me to see. I haven’t even played my hand, and you’re folding yours.”

  “What’s a girl supposed to do?” I ask. “You kiss me in a way that sets my panties aflame, and then you pull back, only to ignite everything again. Just when I think I’m catching my breath, you run your hand up to my nether regions and make me lose myself once more. I can’t take much more of this.”

  “It hasn’t been easy for me either. Just looking at you makes me hard.” His head lowers, and I follow his gaze to his growing length.

  “Good. I’m glad you’re suffering too.”

  “I can relieve that torment. All you have to do is sit back and relax, and I’ll take that ache away,” he whispers in my ear.

  “What are you talking about?” He rubs my thigh and lets his fingers trail up the inside of my leg.

  He barely touches me, and my body quivers.

  “Let me show you. No one will see.” His tongue lightly flicks my earlobe, sending prickles of awareness throughout my body.

  Oh, my God, what’s he talking about? We’re in a restaurant, in the company of other diners.

  “We’re in a public place, where people can see us.” I hiss under my breath.

  “You asked me what my thing was a while back, and honestly, I like the excitement of it all.”

  Have I lost my mind? I’m in a restaurant booth with a man who obviously has his own kind of kink going on, and he wants to pleasure me right here, right now. What’s crazy is, I’m considering it.

  How far would I go for someone I care about?

  I lean into him, and he whispers, “Relax and enjoy, Angel.”

  With his hand between my legs and his fingers working my body, I do exactly what he says. I lean back and enjoy. The things he does to me sends me over the edge in seconds flat.

  I catch my breath and see his cocky smile.

  He’s not the only one who can play naughty games. I want to straddle this man right now, but everyone would notice, so I reciprocate in kind.

  “Now it’s your turn to just lie back and relax,” I tell him.

  With several strokes of my hand, Damon Noble submits to me.

  I tuck the soiled napkin into my purse, feeling victorious.

  “Can I offer you dessert?” the waiter asks when he returns.

  Damon and I burst into laughter. I respond to the waiter’s question because Damon can’t control himself.

  “No, thank you. We’ve already indulged, but we’d like decaf coffee. One with cream, please.”

  The waiter walks away as Damon continues to chuckle. Within minutes, the waiter is back with our coffee, and we sit and talk.

  “Do you feel better now?” he asks.

  “I’ve never done anything so brazen. It scared me, but it was mind-blowing. What if someone had caught us?”

  “The trick is to act as naturally as you can. Don’t make a lot of noise and keep your body movements to a minimum—or at least concealed by the table. You tucked your face into my chest and buried your moans against my shirt. No one was the wiser. The excitement comes from the possibility of getting caught. You did well.”

  “So, this is your thing? You like to have sex in public places?”

  I ask for clarification because I’m not sure how I feel about the whole experience Did I like it? Would I do it again? I’m not sure.

  “I wouldn’t say it’s my thing, but I do like the thrill of it. I particularly enjoyed pleasing you. Taking care of me came as a pleasant surprise.”

  I remember Em’s advice and say, “I’m not a lazy lover.”

  “I can see that.”

  Damon pays the bill, and we stroll onto the beach, listening to the waves and sitting near the water to watch them break.

  My eyes find his. “Can I ask you a personal question? I wouldn’t pry, but since we’ve moved to a sexual relationship, I need the answers.”

  He looks at me for a minute. “You can ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.”

  At least he’s honest. I can’t expect him to lay his entire life out in front of me after one date—one orgasm.

  “I know you don’t date, but you must relieve your sexual tension somehow. A man like you doesn’t seem like he’d be the celibate type. How do you satisfy your needs?”

  Even in the moonlight, I see a blush rise to his cheeks, and it’s cute.

  “I never wanted to get involved in another relationship, so I hired escorts for business, and I hired others for sex. If I didn’t do that, I took care of myself.”

  “You use prostitutes?” My jaw drops open.

  “I suppose you could think of it that way, but to me, it’s no-strings-attached sex. I don’t drive down to Sunset Boulevard and pull over to ask the corner hooker if she’s free. There are services for sex. You can buy just about anything you want if you have enough money.” He stares out at the sea. “The girls I hire are professionals: they take care of themselves by taking care of me. Does it bother you?”

  “Are you still using their services?” It’s not like we have an exclusive relationship, but I want to know what I’m getting myself into, and if he’s using hookers, I’m out.

  “The minute I met you, I stopped seeing the others.”

  Something warm settles in my heart. “Then it doesn’t bother me.”

  He looks relieved—almost happy. With my hand in his, he helps me to my feet and kisses the air from my lungs.

  “I’ll never cheat on you, Katarina. I’m a one-woman man, and I expect the same from you. I haven’t had good experiences in the past, so it’s difficult for me to trust.”

  “I’m not a cheater either. Infidelity is a deal breaker.”

  “One kiss at a time, then?” he asks.

  “One kiss at a time.”

  “Shall I take you home? It’s getting late.”

  I’m disappointed the date is ending, but we have work tomorrow. “Do you want to stay the night?”

  “I wish I could, but I have an early morning meeting. We can meet for lunch again if that works for you.”

  “Will you kiss me?”

  “Is that all you want?”

  I want it all, but I’m afraid to tell him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I find a dozen red roses interspersed with baby’s breath on my desk. The card attached to the plastic pick says, “Angel” on the envelope.

  Dinner last night was the most amazing and moving experience of my life.

  With Affection,

  Damon.

  A giggle bubbles up from inside me. He signed the card, “With Affection.” That has to mean something.

  “Ooh, flowers! Who are they from?” Trevor is like a ninja; I never hear him approach until he’s beside me.

  “It’s none of your business. Don’t you have something better to do than skulk around my desk?” I feel comfortable teasing Trevor because he dishes out more than he gets.

  We work closely together, and I’ve become fond of him. I’d even call him my friend.

  Trevor laughs. “I’m like a sprite. I don’t walk—I float. It’s a fabulous skill to have when you want to know the inside scoop on something. No one hears you coming.” He reaches for the card in my hand, but I’m quicker and move it out of his reach. “I bet it’s from your lover boy upstairs.”

  “He’s not my lover boy. Besides, why would he send me flowers?”

  “I can read you like a book because your face doesn’t allow you to lie.” He inhales the scent of a rose and steps back. “An entire box of books arrived for you this morning. I put them in the assembly room.”

  The box of books he is referring to is Bound. I thought it would be fun to tie all the books with red scarves and place them in the top of the bag. It’s an unspoken message to Damon and a little fun for the guests.

  “I’m almost finished with the gift bags. What do you want me to help with after that?” The m
ore I learn, the more I can sell myself to my future employer.

  “I need help keeping our headliner happy. Can you make sure the dressing rooms are stocked with everything they need?”

  “Do I finally get to know who the band is? I thought that was a secret.”

  “You’ve earned my trust. If you won’t divulge anything about your relationship with Damon, then I figure I can tell you Reluctant Capitalists is playing for the grand opening.”

  I suck in a breath. “You’re kidding? You don’t have the actual band playing on opening night. It’s a cover band, right?”

  “They’re the real deal, and I’ve heard they’re picky.” He leans against the desk. “They like certain liquor, flowers, and foods. I’ll tell you what I know, but you need to dig deeper. Happy bands mean great shows. The opening experience can make or break a club, so there’s a lot riding on this.”

  “If you get me their manager’s name, I’ll get on it right away.”

  He picks up a sticky note and writes something down. “I’ll make sure you have everything I have.”

  “Perfect, and I’ll make sure they’re the happiest band ever.”

  “Seriously, though, Kat, they better be.”

  Trevor calling me Kat made me think of how Damon only calls me Katarina, and I love the way it sounds, in fact, I think I prefer it.

  “Hey Trevor, can you call me by my full name? I am kind of partial to the sound.”

  “No problem, Katarina. Now, go finish the bags, girl, so you can earn your keep,” he jokes.

  “You’re a hard taskmaster.” I shoo him away.

  “Tell that to my boss, and he can punish me.” Trevor bends over and slaps his own ass. I walk past him and smack him myself. He has no idea how close he is to actually knowing things about Damon.

  “Mr. Noble isn’t your type.” I pinch my chin and look him over. “I see you with a gay version of Ryan Gosling.”

  “Oh, yeah, I’ll do Gosling. I’d also like a piece of Ian Somerhalder.”

  Who wouldn’t? “They’re both straight, but it’s not a bad idea to set your standards high.” I wave over my shoulder and head to the assembly room. “I’ll see you after lunch.”

  Everything I need is here, and the only money I spent was on tissue paper, ribbons, and bows—and the one hundred copies of Bound that cost fifteen hundred dollars out of my budget.

  The retail value is nearly nine thousand dollars per bag. I didn’t hit my goal of ten grand, but I’m proud of my accomplishments.

  These gift bags have everything from designer chocolates to designer watches. They also include music, movies, books, spa packages, kitchen gadgets, and gourmet foods. A piece of all the elements of Ahz is included, and I would love to receive swag like this.

  Why is it the people who can afford everything get stuff for free, and the people who would appreciate it most, never have an opportunity to receive it?

  As I tie the last red scarf around the final book, my stomach grumbles, which means it’s time to eat—time to see Damon.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Cross. Go right in. Mr. Noble is expecting you.”

  “Thanks, Greta.”

  Damon sits behind his desk, talking on the phone. I enter quietly, not wanting to disturb him. With a push of a button, the lock clicks behind me, and I stroll to his seat. He smiles and pulls me into his lap without a break in his conversation.

  The nearness of his body and the smell of his cologne creates an internal frenzy. I skim my fingers over his chest and follow the path of his buttons down to his belt.

  His expression is stern as if warning me to stop, but I feel fearless, and there’s no way I’ll obey. If he wants obedience, he chose the wrong woman.

  Let’s see if I can shock Mr. Noble with something unexpected today. Maybe it’s time I become a risk-taker.

  I spent too many years waiting for some man to give me what I want, but last night, he opened a door I can’t close. I can have what I want as long as I go after it.

  I ignore his stern look and slide down his body to my knees.

  The surprised look on his face is worth the carpet burn I’ll get.

  My hands run up his thighs, slowly hovering, taunting, teasing.

  The hitch of his breath makes me bold. He’s having difficulty concentrating.

  Bold Kat surfaces, and I unbuckle his belt, unzip his pants, and release him. He springs free as if it had been held hostage for an eternity.

  His head falls back, and his eyes close. I know that feeling. It’s complete surrender to all the feels.

  He strains to contain himself but stays on the phone. Hopefully, this is the most memorable call of his life.

  His free hand threads through my hair and guides my head in the rhythm of his choosing, but I’m in charge, and I make the rules. I take control and nip and nibble and suck and lick.

  “Max, I’ll call you back. Something’s come up I need to address immediately.”

  And just like that, Damon is off the phone.

  “What are you doing to me? I can’t work with your lips around me. I can’t concentrate with you on your knees. You’re killing me.”

  I pause and watch his expression change to pure bliss when I refuse to stop, and he finds his release.

  After a few breaths, he lifts me onto his lap. I lay my head on his shoulder and place my hand over his heart. It pounds against his chest only evening out several minutes later.

  “Are you sure my competition didn’t send you to screw up my negotiations?”

  “If they sent someone, they would have sent a professional. I’m an overzealous novice.”

  “I love a girl who’s motivated. That might be the best experience I’ve had.”

  “I can now honestly say I’ve tasted what others have enjoyed.”

  He gives me a strange look, and when I think about what I said, I realize he thinks I’m referring to others who have tasted him.

  “I meant, I’m glad I tried that. I liked it, and I’d do it again.”

  He stands with me in his arms and carries me to the couch. When he sets me down, he devours my mouth like it was his last meal. He pulls away and looks at me.

  “You’re sexy lying here on my couch.” Something animalistic takes over, and he changes from man to predator.

  “I will unleash a storm in you that you can never control.”

  His lips trail down my chest to kiss me where I’ve never been kissed before.

  The storm he spoke of erupts within me. It’s a tsunami or possibly a category five hurricane. Damon is the tide that takes me away and carries me under.

  We’re both half-dressed, and he’s fully aroused. When my eyes latch on to his length, he shakes his head and puts himself together.

  “The first time will be meaningful. On my couch is not where I want that to happen.” He picks up my underwear and tucks them into his pocket. “I’m keeping these. Finish your day without them for being naughty. The thought of you running around my building without panties is a bigger punishment for me than you.”

  “Are you serious?”

  He ignores the question. “Can we meet for dinner tonight?”

  “I can’t.” My stomach sinks with the weight of disappointment. “I promised to spend time with Em. What about lunch tomorrow?”

  He hangs his head. “That won’t work. I’ve got a board meeting that will last most of the afternoon.”

  “Tomorrow night, then. Should I meet you at your place, or do you have something else in mind?”

  He doesn’t look like a man who’s had enough of me. His eyes are heavy and filled with desire.

  “Yes, you can come straight to my place, and I’ll take care of everything. You just show up and bring at least one change of clothes—no pajamas because you won’t need them. I promise to make sure you won’t get cold. Do you remember how to get to my house?”

  “Yep, shall I bring wine or something to eat?”

  “Just bring yourself. The code to the gate is 0615. Come at si
x o’clock.”

  Since Damon and I spent most of my lunch break pleasuring each other, I have a mere ten minutes to gobble up the Caesar salad he ordered.

  As I leave the office, the cool air circulates around me, making me fully aware that my panties are in his pocket.

  “Have a nice afternoon, Ms. Cross.” Every day I see Greta her smile gets bigger. She has to know what’s going on between us because she’s right outside the door, for goodness sake.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Em and I go to a spa called The Four Elements, where we enjoy a hot stone massage, a body scrub, a manicure, and a pedicure, courtesy of Anthony Haywood.

  Every muscle I’ve tensed up over the last few days relaxes under the masseuse’s capable hands. The release today, combined with the spa treatment, turns me to jelly. All I need is a glass of wine, and the world will be perfect.

  After our treatments, we arrive at Anthony Haywood’s Restaurant. It’s standing room only, but there’s a table reserved for us. Em offers to go somewhere else, but I don’t mind coming here.

  She abandons me briefly to say hello to her man, and I take a moment to text Damon and tell him how wonderful the afternoon was.

  He responds immediately, letting me know I rocked his world.

  When Em comes back, she looks like a teenager in love.

  “Anthony made us something special and is delivering it himself.”

  We sip glasses of merlot and talk about all the things we haven’t had time to tell each other. For me, it’s the gift bags and how proud I am of how they turned out. Then there’s our upcoming graduation, which is only ten days away.

  Next week the craziness begins. I have two papers due and two finals to take. Em has one paper and two exams.

  She shares her plans to help Anthony with his marketing since it’s her major, and I’m pleased to see he values her as a woman, a professional, and a person.

  Anthony arrives with two plates, both beautifully presented with lamb chops, rosemary potatoes, and steamed spinach. Everything Em loves. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but it’s the same for Emma.