Captivate her: Laws of Seduction Book 1 (10 page)

James narrows his eyes even further. “No, it would not be. I don’t care for your insinuations.”

Maybe I shouldn’t poke the bear. Not wanting to meet James’s eyes, I look down at my hands, wondering why I feel the urge to provoke him. “I’d like to get up now.” I glance around looking for my clothes and spot them on the floor.

“Alright. If you want to take a shower, I can bring you something to wear. There’s a new toothbrush in the bathroom.”

A shower sounds heavenly. I look back up at James and say, “Thank you.” He nods his head, stands up, and walks towards the door. At the door he turns back, “I’ll lay the clothes on the bed.” I take a few sips of the coffee he has brought me, which is creamy and sweet. It makes me feel a little more human.

I find everything I need in the bathroom. The shower sprays from two directions, immersing my whole body
 
in hot water. It feels exquisite. I draw out washing for as long as possible, then force myself out of the shower. I wrap myself in a fluffy towel and stand in front of the mirror to brush my teeth with the new toothbrush. He must have a steam-free mirror, because my clear image reflects back at me. I also find a comb and pull it though my wet hair. Going back into the bedroom, I find a worn t-shirt and sweats. They are both much too big for me, and I assume they belong to James. I pull the drawstring at the waist of the sweats as tight as possible and turn it down several times. They aren’t a bad fit after I also turn up the cuffs. The t-shirt comes down to the middle of my thigh, but at least it is comfortable.

James is sitting at his dining room table with his open laptop in front of him. He seems absorbed in his work and doesn’t look up when I come in, so I clear my throat. His eyes come up to meet mine before running down my body. His lips curve up, and I hold my hands out from my sides and twirl in a circle. “You like?” 

His grin broadens. “Very sexy.”

I roll my eyes and glance around the room, not sure of what to do with myself. James stands up from his chair and walks toward the kitchen. “You must be hungry. Let me make you something to eat.”

“You cook?” I ask in surprise.

“Hardly, but I have been known to make a sandwich.” Taking out two slices of bread, he spreads mayonnaise on one
 
and piles slices of tomato on another. Next he pulls open the oven and takes out some bacon sitting on a paper towel-covered plate. My mouth
 
waters as he places the crisp bacon on top of the tomato and covers it with the mayonnaise-slathered slice of bread. He cuts it in half diagonally before placing it on a plate and sliding it in front of me on the breakfast bar. My stomach growls as the smell of bacon and tomato waft up to my nose. As I take a bite, James turns to the refrigerator and pours me a glass of orange juice. “Delicious.” I give James a smile before taking another bite. “I haven’t had a BLT in forever.”

James just shrugs his shoulders. “Glad you like it.” After watching me devour my BLT for a few minutes, James brings up the previous night again.
“Lainey, what is the last thing you remember from last night?”

I set my sandwich down on my plate and absently wipe my hands on a napkin while I gather my thoughts. Thinking back to the night before, I remember dancing with Davis and doing shots of tequila. After the tequila I had gone to the restroom with Sam, and afterwards I remember dancing some more. Or was the dancing earlier? It was all a bit of a jumble after the tequila. “I remember doing shots of tequila, but I can’t be certain of anything after that.”

“Do you think someone could have put something in your drink?”

I flinch back in surprise. “I suppose it’s possible… but why? Why would someone do that?”

James looks at me solemnly for a few moments before reaching over the bar to take my hand. A rush of warmth flows through me as he gently rubs his thumb over the back of my hand. My eyes begin to prickle like I am going to cry. I blink rapidly and take a deep breath, trying to squelch the emotions that have
 
overtaken me. I can’t look at James, afraid that he will see how close I am to a breakdown. Instead, I pull my hand from his and force myself to pick up my sandwich and take another bite. Chewing and swallowing is difficult, but I manage to get it down. “There are a lot of disturbed people out there. You could have looked like someone’s ex-girlfriend, or it could have been some kind of sick joke. Who knows? Maybe it wasn’t even meant for you. Somebody could have made a mistake.”

Playing with the glass of orange juice in front of me, I nod my head, unable to meet James’s eyes. 

“How well do you know that guy you were with?”

Surprised, I snap my eyes back up to his face. “Davis?”

“Did you plan to meet him at the club?”

A flicker of suspicion crosses James’s features.
I remember that I had not mentioned Davis when we had texted the night before. “No,” I state emphatically and then a bit calmer, “No, I didn’t know he would be there. He came with Nick and Brad. Although Nick said he wanted to come because I would be there.” James doesn’t say anything, but his jaw tenses.

A dawning horror takes hold of me. “You’re not suggesting that Davis drugged me, are you?”

Without giving me an answer, James asks, “How long have you known him?”

“I met him last spring sometime. At a party… at Nick’s.” I think back. “It was right after I met you.”

“Is there anything going on between the two of you?” James asks with a complete lack of expression on his face.

No, this isn’t awkward, I tell myself. Not at all. To give myself a few moments to regain my composure, I pick up my orange juice and walk over to the couch. James follows me, but instead of sitting down next to me, he stands in front of me. “Well?” he asks expectantly.

“Please sit down.” I say. “Your hovering makes me nervous.” Without a word James sits down next to me. Turning to look at me, he raises a single eyebrow.

I decide that honesty is the best policy. Although it is
 
awkward to tell one love interest about another, when it came right down to it, there was nothing
 
exciting to tell. “We went out a couple of times last spring, but we never hooked up or anything.” I hurry to add, “I haven’t seen him since graduation. I was gone for a lot of the summer and then starting a new job…” I trail off.

James seems to relax a bit. He leans back, wrapping his fingers around my hand again. “So he likes you.”

“I guess.” I shrug my shoulders. “He is a nice guy and super talented. I just can’t believe he would do anything like that,” I defend Davis. “Besides, you saw him. He doesn’t need to use tricks to get girls.” I start to expand on Davis’s good looks, but then remember who I am talking to and think better of it.

“Don’t be naïve, Elaine. Some guys will do anything to get a woman they want.”

I shudder, wondering why someone would have drugged me. “I’ll
 
never know who did it, will I?” Not knowing who was behind it was the scary part.

James must have heard the fear in my voice. He puts his arm around me, pulling me into his chest. “Hey, you’re going to be okay.”

I close my eyes and rest my head against his chest, breathing in the warm, comforting scent of James. The ringing of a cell phone snaps me out of the comforting cocoon of James’s embrace. I sit up and say, “I hope I haven’t ruined your plans for the day.” It is
 
unlikely that James had anticipated having to take care of a drugged-up girl on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s alright. I don’t have anything important going on.” He ignores his phone and pulls me over onto his lap so that I am looking up into his face. “You are going to the Hamptons with me next weekend.”

“Wh… What?” I stutter.

“You heard me.”

“I thought I still had the week to think about it,” I huff.

“That was before last night, when you couldn’t keep your hands off of me.”

Heat rushes up my neck to my face. “But we didn’t….” I wave my hand between our two bodies.

James lets out a snort of laughter. “Despite your best attempts – no.” A huge grin spreads across James’s face, revealing his dimple. “I loved your striptease though.”

Could this get any worse? “Striptease?” I ask in a weak voice.

“I would love to tell you about it, but I am a gentleman, and I don’t kiss and tell.”

“But you would be telling me about myself,” I declare outraged.

“You are so cute when you get riled.” James starts nuzzling my neck, and I melt.

“Don’t think I am letting this go.” I manage before he slides his hand under my t-shirt. I feel his hand moving up my torso and my breath catches.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t expect anything less.” James responds before kissing me in earnest.

A tide of pleasure washes over me as his tongue duels with mine. Abruptly, he pulls back and looks into my eyes. The burning desire I see in his face makes my already hardened nipples tingle and ache. My groin clenches in anticipation.

“I have been hard for you all night,” James rumbles in a low, husky voice. “If you don’t want to fucked and fucked hard, then you had better say so now.”

In response I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down for another intense kiss. After the kiss has gone on for a while, he rears back and stands up with me still in his arms. I nuzzle his neck as he strides back to the bedroom, where he sets me on my feet in front of the bed. “I want you naked.” I am not wearing anything underneath my t-shirt and sweats, so it only takes a few seconds to strip them off. It is incredibly arousing to stand naked before James as he runs his eyes over me. He is still fully dressed, which just adds to my excitement. 

“Turn around,” he commands, and slowly I turn my back to him. Anticipation builds in me as I stand waiting for what will happen next. “You are so beautiful.” I hear from
 
close behind me. “That ass is incredible.” I want to beg him to touch me but somehow know he wants me to stand there quietly. “Turn back around.” I do and glance down at the bulge straining against his pants. 

He sees the direction my eyes have followed. “Yes, I want you… badly,” he hisses out. Reaching behind him, he pulls his t-shirt off over his head, leaving him only in tight jeans. He steps up closer to me and grips my ass hard, and at the same time he bends down and bites my shoulder. His roughness ratchets up my desire to a fever pitch, and I let out a whimper of excitement. He releases me and steps back. “Sit down on the edge of the bed.” I sit down and watch as James strips off his jeans and briefs.

He steps up to me and places his hand on the middle my chest,
 
pushing me back. I am lying back looking at the ceiling as my legs dangle over the side of the bed. He brushes his hand down over my breast and pinches my nipple, and I give another involuntary groan. I am desperate for more of his touch when I feel his lips on my inner thighs. He moves his warm mouth closer and closer to my aching core, and my breathing becomes faster and faster. Both of his hands are now pinching and stroking my nipples, and I feel like I might explode from that alone. I close my eyes when I feel his warm breath and then his tongue sucking against my clit. It is the most exquisite pleasure, and I cry out. He moves one hand down and pushes two fingers into me. Stars burst against my closed eyelids as I rocket off into an orgasm that goes on and on. 

As I float back to, reality, James turns me over and pulls me up so that I am on my knees. He must have gotten a condom while I was in my post-orgasmic haze, because his rock-hard erection prods at my entrance. It slides in with ease. “Fuck, you feel good,” he groans. Once he is sheathed to the hilt, I move my hips in a circle, luxuriating in the sense of fullness. James groans and starts moving slowly back and forth while gripping my hips. He reaches down and fingers my clit.“Do you like that baby?”

I can only give a hum of pleasure.

“I can’t hear you.” James punctuates every word with a thrust of his hips.

“Yes,” I manage to gasp out. Sweat is making our bodies slick. The sound of flesh hitting flesh is the only sound punctuating the silence of the room.

Without warning, James pulls out and flips me over onto my back. “I want to see you when you come again.” The intensity of his gaze almost takes my breath away. He licks and sucks my breasts and plays with my clit some more until I am burning to feel his cock filling me again. I buck my hips and whimper in pleasure. “What do you want, baby?”

“You,” I beg. “Please, James. I want you inside me.”

He pushes back into me and stares down into my eyes. “Is this what you want?”

“Oh, yes… please.” I arch my back up. James grips my thighs and hikes my legs up behind him. I run my tongue over his lower lip and his raspy jaw down to his warm neck. I lick, kiss, and nibble and hear him groan my name, “Lainey… fuck yes.” I run my nails down his broad, muscular back. “Oh, fuck… Lainey… you feel… so good.” He is pounding into me, and I can feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge. I begin to convulse around him as another orgasm rocks through me. James lets out a loud groan as he comes inside me. We are both breathing hard, and I feel his weight settle down around me. 

After a moment, James shifts off of me to dispose of the condom. Turning back to me, he leans down to kiss my breast. “You are so hot when you come,” he says drowsily before pulling me over so that he is spooning me from behind. Sometime later – it could have been a few minutes or a few hours – I wake up feeling refreshed. The disturbing events from the night before seem far away. I resolutely put them out of my mind, since I know that no good can come from dwelling on them.