Compromising Positions (An Erotic Romance Novel) (15 page)

She knocked on the first door.

A man completely full of tattoos, bushy beard and piercings, popped his head out. “What do you want?”

“Sorry. Wrong room. Do you happen to know where Paul might be?”

“Last door on the left.”

“Thanks.”

He closed the door and she headed down the corridor and knocked.

“Come in.”

She hesitated for a split second while a rush of images flashed through her brain. Women lying prostrate with rings and studs everywhere…

“Come in,” he repeated.

The door opened, revealing Paul…and a desk.

Big relief!

“There’s a woman wanting a body piercing, and your schedule is free. Do you want to take her?”

“Sure. I’ll be there in a minute. Help her select the jewelry. She’ll need at least fourteen gauge.”

She had no clue what he meant, but she’d figure it out. “All right.” She returned to find the woman holding a pair of gold hoops. Just out of curiosity, she took the jewelry from the woman and read the cards in the tiny plastic envelopes. It said fourteen G. Guess that was what he’d meant.

She smiled. “Paul will be with you in just a moment.”

The woman nodded. She looked a little pale.

Fate stepped behind the counter and watched the woman as she wandered the small lobby area. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. A little nervous.”

A little? She looked like she might pass out. And he hadn’t done a thing to her yet. “I would be too.”

“Do you have any piercings?”

“Nope. I’m scared of needles.”

Paul approached, introduced himself and, chattering in a friendly voice, led the ghost-white young woman away. About fifteen minutes later, he rushed up to Fate’s desk. “I need some sugar. Can you hand me a sucker from the bottom drawer?”

“Are you having a sugar fix?”

“No, Tina, the little lady with the nipple piercing, is about to pass out. A boost of sugar’ll bring her ‘round.”

Why would anyone do this to herself? She rummaged through the drawer, finally finding a root beer dumdum sucker. “There you go.”

Moments later the pale girl sat on a chair in the lobby, slurping on that sucker. Her face slowly morphed from grayish to pink. And she left.

Never! Never in a million years would Fate do such a thing. She shook her head.

For the next several hours, she greeted patients—if that was what they were called—of all kinds. Some young kids with altered drivers licenses—she learned real quick how to pick up those. Most of the people seemed to handle whatever procedure they had done well. Fate refused to watch the actual event, knowing she’d never come back if she did.

She wasn’t sure she would anyway. This place just wasn’t her thing.

The final hours passed quicker than the earlier ones, thanks to a rush of people. Before she knew it, it was time to close.

“See you tomorrow?” Paul asked as she removed the cash from the register and put it in a bank bag.

“I don’t—“

The door bell tinkled, and she automatically blurted, “Sorry, we’re closed.” She looked up.

Gabe! Thank God! A familiar face. A bit of sanity in an insane place.

“How’d she do?” he asked Paul.

“Great. Hope she’ll come back.”

“She will.” Gabe tossed an arm over her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “She’s a trooper.”

A trooper? Well, she might be that. But she wasn’t sure she was the body piercing-slash-tattoo-parlor receptionist they needed. “Actually—“

“She’ll see you tomorrow at ten,” Gabe interrupted.

“Would you let me finish?” she whispered.

“No, because I know what you’re going to say. Let’s go get something to eat, and we’ll talk about it.”

More than a little annoyed, she followed him outside. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done, but you’re being too pushy. I like to make my own decisions, thank you.”

“You need the job, right? Where else are you going to make two hundred dollars a week, cash, in two days?”

“Two hundred?”

“Yeah. Didn’t he tell you?”

“No. I figured I’d get maybe seven an hour.”

He kissed her nose, and her insides turned to warm mush. “You’re a cutie.”

She gave him a shove. “No, I’m not. I’m an intelligent, independent woman, and don’t you forget that. But yes, thank you very much, I’m cute.”

They walked to a nearby restaurant so loaded with people it felt like they were standing front row at a crowded rock concert. Music blaring from hidden speakers and the loud chattering of boisterous diners melded into a deafening chaos. “Can we go somewhere quieter?” she shouted.

“Sure.” He took her hand and led her outside.

Much better!

They grabbed an outside table at the next restaurant, a cozy Italian place, and after ordering their drinks, settled into a comfortable conversation. She shared her experiences from her first day on the job, and he encouraged her to continue, reminding her that the first day of any job was always the worst and the pay was great.

“I still don’t get the body piercing thing.” She sipped her diet cola. “It looks so…painful.”

“It doesn’t really hurt as bad as you think. Not if it’s done right.”

She shook her head. There was no way he’d convince her.

He smiled. “Maybe someday you’ll get your bellybutton pierced. I think that’s incredibly sexy.” He licked his lips.

Now, that was a sight. His tongue working on anything sent heat straight to her groin. “I saw a picture. It is cute—if you have a nice stomach.” No way in hell she’d let Paul or anyone else shove a needle through her tummy!

His eyebrows lifted, and an eager smile spread over his face. “Then you’ll do it?”

“Not a chance.” She hated disappointing him. That expression was almost enough to get her to reconsider.

“Damn!” He pouted for a fraction of a second. “Well, at least you’re going to go back tomorrow, right?”

“I don’t know…”

He tipped his head like a puppy. “I’ll write the check for the house…all you have to do is pay me back…one hundred a week is good—“

“Okay! I surrender!” She waved her hands before her. “I’ll go back. But if I hate it, I’m quitting.”

“Fair enough. Now that we have that covered, let’s go to the next subject.” He gave her a crooked grin.

She had an inkling what that meant. “And what subject might that be?”

The waitress delivered their food, and they waited for her to finish doling out the plates before continuing their conversation.

“You were saying?” she prodded.

“Sleeping arrangements?”

Her whole body flamed. “Oh?”

“Your place or mine? In fact, I’m not all that hungry. Do you want to take this home by any chance?”

“Sure, we can do that.” Shit! She was soooo starving, saliva was pooling under her tongue.

He flagged down the waitress and asked for boxes and the check.

She watched him, suspicious. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing. Just want some privacy, that’s all.”

She didn’t believe that for a minute. But she was mildly curious—no, she was very curious—so she played along. She packed her delicate, lonely, scrumptious chicken and pasta into the Styrofoam box and followed him from the restaurant. They held hands as they walked to her car, and he gave her a long, enthusiastic kiss at the curb.

After she got into her car and started it, he ducked down and stuck his head in her open window. “I’ll follow you back to your place, okay?”

“Okay. See you there.”

She drove the short distance home, losing him at a traffic light. But she knew he could find his way. She was in a hurry. The food sitting in her passenger seat was sending tidal waves of saliva into her mouth. She swallowed for the umpteenth time. If he kissed her again, it would be one wet and sloppy kiss.

When she parked, she went into the house, dumped her food onto a plate and nuked it. When the timer chimed, Gabe knocked on the front door.

She shoved a forkful into her mouth and headed to the door.

Good God! He was such a handsome man. And somehow, during that short drive over, he’d gotten almost completely undressed.

Oh yeah, what a sight!…Eek, someone will see him.

She chewed, swallowed, and gripped him by the wrist and yanked him inside. “What are you doing? You’ll get a ticket being in public like that!”

“I’m wearing shorts—“

“Boxers, you moron! Underwear.” Nice ones too. She touched them. “Silk?”

“Only the best for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. Save the clichés. Where’s your dinner? Did you leave it in the car?”

“Oh! Yeah. I’ll go out—“ He spun around and pulled open the door.

“Like hell you will.” She pushed past him. “I’ll get it. You stay put. I don’t want the neighbors getting an eyeful. They’re nosy enough.” She went to his car and opened the passenger side door.

And stopped cold. A huge box sat in the seat. White, tied with a big red ribbon. Flowers. She grabbed it, and the dinner sitting on the floor, and headed inside.

“Damn! I knew I should have left those at home.” Gabe smacked his forehead. “They’re for my next door neighbor. Her mother died.”

He didn’t actually expect her to believe that, did he? His silly grin was a giveaway. Nope. “You’re…sweet.” She carried the box to the kitchen and rummaged in the back of her cupboard for a vase. Then she opened the box. The fragrance alone was something to behold! And the flowers…so many! Beautiful red roses trimmed with green stuff and baby’s breath. “Thanks! They’re gorgeous. What did I do to deserve these?”

“Read the card.”

She picked up the business card-sized envelope and opened it. “Thanks for giving me a second chance. Love, Gabe,” she read aloud. “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“Are you happy?” He stepped closer, and her body reacted instantly. Her heart skittered in her chest. Her face heated. Her mouth went dry.

She thought about his question for a moment.

Despite all the turmoil, she had to admit it: she was happy. Very happy. “Yes.”

He gathered her into his arms and kissed her, soft and seductive at first, and then intense and demanding the next. And she met each thrust of his tongue with one of her own. Her body melded to his form, her legs straddling his, her breasts flattened against his ribcage, her hands exploring his shoulders, chest and stomach.

He broke the kiss. “Now, let’s eat! I’m starving.”

In the next breath, she was left standing in the middle of the kitchen, her head swimming.

He picked up his carton and walked to the living room, forking beef-something into his mouth. She watched him for a moment, mesmerized by the way his muscles moved under his skin. He had one hell of a body.

Fork in mouth, he plopped onto the couch. “Do you have a remote?” His feet rested on the coffee table.

“Yep. On the side table.” She pointed then took up her plate and sat beside him. Together they watched an old black and white flick with Fred and Ginger.

This was it! What life should be like. Never before had the simple things been so much fun. Just sitting there, eating cold food, Gabe next to her, poking fun at the old movie. She could live like this forever.

When she’d crammed as much food as she dared into her stomach, she put the rest away for tomorrow and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. If he was going to spend the night, certain preparations were in order. First, she ran bath water. Hot. Lots of fragrant bath oil. She stripped and eased herself in.

Ahhh…

A knock sounded at the bathroom door. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.”

He opened the door. “You looked lonely. I might be persuaded into taking a bubble bath. Is there room for two?”

“Sure.” She sat forward, and he removed the only remaining garment he was wearing and sat behind her. Then she leaned back and rested against him.

He reached around, took the pink scrubby from her and filled it full of fragrant bath gel then gave her back a friendly shove. “Lean forward. I’ll wash you.”

“Do I stink?” she teased, relishing the way his hands freely explored her body.

“Not at all. But I want to give you the full treatment.”

Those words held such promise. “What would that entail?”

“You’ll just have to wait to find out.” He pressed her again, and she leaned forward.

The slight abrasion of the pink netting felt so good, and the tiny kisses that followed in its wake felt even better. She was getting hot. In a lukewarm tub! She raised her hands to her face.

“Are you all right?”

“Sure. The water’s just a little hot, I think.”

“Are you positive that’s all it is?” He pulled her shoulders back until she was resting against his chest and stomach again. His arms wrapped around her and he paid special attention to her breasts. Fingertips teased each nipple to aching erection. Her knees fell open, when he breathed deeply.

Damn, she wanted him! She wanted to remain in some control, but that familiar throbbing ache settled between her legs.

And then he pushed her forward, stood, stepped out of the tub and swooped her up in his arms. My hero! He was so strong. She loved the feeling of utter vulnerability. It was incredibly sexy. He carried her into the bedroom and dropped her onto the bed. “I don’t want to wait another minute. And I have a surprise for you.”

Lava-hot blood shot through her whole body. “What kind of surprise?”

He pulled her legs until her ass was at the edge of the bed. Then he smiled, parted her knees and…and…Holy shit! She never cursed.

What was that?

Her clit was throbbing. Something was rubbing it in flickering motions. Something hard. Something incredible. What the hell? Her mind went blank. Every muscle in her body tensed as she was swept into a wild orgasm that shook her whole body. It was the most intense explosion. Her inner muscles pulsed as he slid a finger inside. “Oh, yeah.”

And then he thrust his hard cock inside, filling her so completely she could cry. He moved slowly at first, as the last few seconds of her orgasm passed. And then he hammered her. Deep and hard. She felt a second orgasm coming, felt the heat shoot out from her center to every part of her. Felt the overpowering wave.

He groaned low as he came. That extra fullness sent her over the edge again, and she rode him, reached up and clinging to his arms as her body convulsed and twitched and eventually relaxed.