Page 9 of Just a Little Crush

I gave him a smile. “New York City seemed exciting and filled with possibilities.”

He chuckled. “So people say. And your parents? They still live there?”

I paused, then decided to reframe the truth. “Unfortunately, they’re both gone,” I said, which was honestly my reality. My father, to me, was as good as dead.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he replied, compassion in his tone.

“Thank you,” I murmured, not sure what else to say, but was saved by making further conversation about my parents as the SUV turned, then circled into a valet area under a building.

“Here you are, sir,” his driver announced.

“Thank you, Dylan,” Caleb said as he unbuckled his seat belt, then reached over to my far hip and unclasped mine, bringing our faces close together. “Are you good?” he asked me.

I appreciated his concern, and I knew his question left the door open for me to change my mind about spending the night, but an evening of mindless pleasure was exactly what I wanted, and needed.

“Yeah, I’m good,” I said, and smiled. “So long as you promise to make mefeelgood.”

He grinned. “No worries about that, sweetheart,” he said in deep, husky tones that made me shiver in anticipation. “I’m going to redefine the words ‘feel good’ for you all night long.”

I laughed flirtatiously, ready to enjoy whatever this man wanted to do with and to me. “Then what are we waiting for?”

We got out of the car, and Caleb slipped his hand in mine as we walked into the lobby of the upscale complex. I immediately felt out of my element surrounded by such opulence, and there was no missing the speculative glances of a few women we passed that eyed me like they knew I was an imposter. My face flushed, because I was well aware that I was no match for their sophistication, or the flashy, designer handbags and clothes they wore compared to my polyester dress and worn heels—and they knew it, too. Hell, they probably thought I was a call girl because it was clear I did not belong in this part of the city.

Caleb either didn’t notice the stares, or didn’t care as he greeted the man at the front desk we passed on our way to the elevator. Once we stepped into the lift and he swiped a key card, the door shut and the smooth ride upward began.

He turned toward me, his perceptive gaze taking in my features and clearly seeing my unease. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just a little overwhelmed by…everything,” I said, sweeping a hand around us to indicate the interior of the elevator, which was just as posh as the rest of the building with a marbled floor, the walls in a rich, polished wood, and gold accents that gleamed. “And a little intimidated, if I’m being honest.”

“You have no reason to be either.” He stepped closer and framed my face in his hands, a sinful smile tipping up the corners of his mouth. “But clearly, you need a distraction because I want your mind thinking about only one thing. Tonight is about me and you and nothing else.”

His mouth descended on mine, and seconds later I was lost in his quick and dirty kiss that erased everything from my head but the taste and feel of his body against mine, and the effortless way he made me forget everything but him. His tongue delved deep, his teeth grazed along my lower lip, then gently bit, drawing a moan from deep in my throat. By the time the doors slid open and he lifted his mouth from mine, I was dizzy, thoroughly aroused, and clinging to him.

Satisfaction etched his features. “Perfect,” he murmured, then grabbed my hand once more and led me out of the elevator.

I expected a hallway that would lead to his apartment door, but we walked directly into his luxurious penthouse. The place was like a damn palace. A foyer led to an open-concept area with high ceilings, a spacious living room, and a kitchen off to the side. As we entered, a lamp automatically flicked on, a soft glow of light revealing an interior that was decorated in navy blue and cream colors and accented in gold. For a man who had a six-year-old son, the place was immaculate.

Drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, I slipped out of my heels and draped the jacket I was still wearing over the back of a leather chair, then walked in that direction, impressed and awed because this was a level of wealthy I was unfamiliar with. The glittering nighttime cityscape was jaw-dropping and breathtaking, along with a waterfront view of the Hudson River.

“Care for something to drink?” Caleb asked.

I glanced back at him, watching as he tugged his tie off, then unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, making himself comfortable. “No, I’m good. Thank you.”

I returned my stare out the windows. “This view is spectacular.”

I heard him walk up behind me and my heart rate accelerated when he pushed all my hair over one shoulder, leaving the other side of my neck bare. I shivered as he placed a warm, damp kiss just below my ear, his breath fanning across my skin. “I’m far more interested in a whole different kind of view, but you go ahead and enjoy the city while I enjoyyou.”

Itriedto focus on the glittering city lights as he slowly unzipped my dress, his fingers trailing along my spine as the material parted, all the way down to my hips. He pushed the fabric off my shoulders, and I watched my reflection in the window as the dress slithered down my body to pool around my feet, leaving me in a cream-colored lace bra and panties, while he was still fully clothed.

He unfastened the hooks on my bra, and even though my first instinct was to hold it in place to keep myself covered, I allowed him to push the lingerie off my arms and expose my breasts.

“Can anyone see in?” I asked, not sure how I felt with my body on display.

His big hands came around, cupping my breasts and fondling them. “Would it bother you if they could?”

I gasped as he plucked my stiff, aching nipples, jolting my entire body with that shock of pleasure. “Yes…no,” I whispered, momentarily confused.

“You have a gorgeous body any man would love to watch,” he said in a husky voice as one of his hands left my breast and skimmed down along my stomach. “But if it makes you feel better, there is a privacy film on the windows. At night you can see out, but no one can see in, so relax and enjoy what I’m about to do to you.”

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