Page 71 of Business or Pleasure

“I don’t want to move, but…”

“Yeah,” I said. “Give me a second. My legs still aren’t working right.”

Another laugh and this one sent a shiver of pleasure through me. If he kept that up, I would say to hell with the condom and see if I could get him ready to go again right away. Maybe this time with my mouth…

He moved first, picking me up and depositing me on the bed before kicking off his pants and underwear. I watched as he walked away, not feeling the need to say anything, just enjoying the flex of those phenomenal ass muscles. For as uncomfortable as the silence before had become, this one felt natural.

He broke it when he came back. “This feels strangely familiar.”

I raised an eyebrow in question as he settled back on the bed next to me, as comfortable in his nakedness as I was in my own.

“The first time we met and went to a hotel, we didn’t make it to the bed either.”

I laughed. “I seem to recall champagne was involved too.”

“So it was,” he agreed. “I’m hoping the lack of it won’t be the only difference this time.” His expression sobered as he reached over and cupped my cheek. “I don’t want to wake up alone.”

“You won’t,” I promised. After a moment, I asked, “And you’re staying with me until it’s safe for us both, right?”

“Aye.” He brushed hair back from my face. “I’m through running. I’m going to fight for the life that I want.”

“And what is it you want?”

“Right now,” a wicked grin curved his lips, “I want to make you scream my name.”

As he pulled off my shirt and bra, his lips kissed across the exposed skin, teeth scraping and nipping. When he reached my breasts, I moaned, the pull of his mouth a straight line to my still throbbing core. Then his fingers were between my legs, slipping inside me, stroking me, slowly bringing me to the point of climax before backing off.

“Bay,” I whimpered. “Please.”

“Shh,” he murmured as he pressed his lips against the inside of my thigh. “You said I could take my time.”

He was right. “Dammit.”

“I’ll get you there. Trust me.”

“I do.” I gasped as his mouth joined his hand and he worked me back toward orgasm…before stopping again.

And once more.

Only then did he let me tip over the edge, and while I was still shaking with that white-hot pleasure slid back inside me, that feeling of joining like nothing else could ever be.

Home.

Thirty-Three

Baylen

The morning after everything happened, a man came to our room with two bags of clothes, introducing himself as a friend of Alec’s. He didn’t give us a name and I didn’t ask. Anonymity was part of what made Alec’s plan work. As discussed, I handed over the chips and then all Harlee and I could do was wait.

The hotel where we spent the next few days was a decent one, though we barely noticed much about it. We spent most of our time in bed, not even bothering to dress except when the food we ordered was delivered. When we weren’t making love, we watched television and talked, learning about each other.

One thing we didn’t talk about was what would happen when we finally left the hotel.

Then, Monday night, Alec sent a text saying that his ‘friend’ cashed in the chips Baylen won and then gave Alesini what he was owed, with a little extra to emphasize that Franklin and Harlee were now off-limits. Franklin’s loan shark was also paid off with his small bit of interest. At Harlee’s request, the bouncer, Bear, was given a small sum, as well as a job offer from MIRI, which he wisely accepted. The man Alec hired to do all the work was given what was left of the winnings.

We were free to go.

Since we already paid for the night, we stayed, both of us saying that we didn’t want to waste the money, but I suspected Harlee’s motivations were tempered with the same thoughts I had.

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