Darlene (2 page)

"
Yessss!" I scream as I start to come, feeling his tongue all over me, licking, sucking … sliding in and out. He nibbles me until my body is limp, overwhelmed by both his mouth and his desire for me.

"I want seconds," Peter says immediately.

My eyes are closed, but I smile. "Me first."

 
"Gladly," Peter replies, his voice husky as he rolls over on the bed.

I play with his balls, gently rolling them in my hands before I kiss them. His hands wrap around my head, caressing my scalp. I lick the tip of his penis, tasting the salty beginning, the first course of my lunch. He tastes so good. Peter pushes my head down, so I take his lead, swallowing most of his shaft in my mouth. I move up and down, slowly at first, still caressing his bulging sacs. I let my hands move all over his body, rubbing his nipples, scraping my nails against his rib cage.

"Oh, Darlene …" Peter's voice trails off as he breathes harder.

I hum lightly as my mouth moves faster. In surprise, Peter grabs my legs to straddle him, and I obey. Soon, his face is buried between my wet thighs again, our momentum more frenzied. He tightens his cheeks, and I know he's about to blow. I welcome it. As I feel my own orgasm starting again, Peter lets go and the warmth of his ejaculation fills my mouth. I gladly lap it up, sucking him until his erection goes limp and I gently collapse beside him.

"That was a wonderful first round," I tell him, now snuggled up to him and licking his ear. Seconds later, I'm covering my own as the fire alarm blares in the hotel.

"Oh, damn!" Peter hops off the bed, red-faced.
"A fire alarm? Can you believe this shit?"

It's a rhetorical question, I know. He's flustered and I'm disappointed. I slip my damp thongs on and hastily pull my shirt dress over my head. I fluff my hair and grab my hobo as Peter tousles his own mane with one arm while pulling his sport coat on with the other. We step into the hallway and file down the nearest stairwell with the other hotel guests, keeping quiet until we're outside. Fire trucks have arrived, the scene is chaotic and I overhear one of the housekeeping staff saying something about a kitchen fire. Great, I think.

I look at Peter. "Well?" I shrug.

Peter runs his fingers through his hair.
"So much for our long afternoon, huh? I suppose I could go file some motions or something." He laughs nervously, looking about the street. It's crowded and he doesn't want to be seen.

"Peter …
," I start, but he grabs my wrist to pull me closer to him.

"Next time, baby?"

"That's the thing, Peter." He clutches my arm tighter, looking confused. "I'm leaving tonight. I won't be back." And that's that.

"What do you mean, Darlene?"

"Peter, I'm sorry," I say, freeing myself from his grip. "It was lovely. I warned you I don't stay in one place for long. I'm sorry."

"But Darlene," he pleads.

I know he doesn't know what to say. Hell, I barely do. I'd really, really grown to like him. "I'm sorry, Peter." I turn and walk away, I have to. I don't want to look into his eyes anymore—the eyes that give away his hopes, his wishes for a future somehow, someday … with me. And I don't have the measure of cruelty it takes to watch his sorrow play out on a street corner.
 

Chapter 3

"Are you sleeping well? Are you eating enough? You were so thin the last time I saw you, Dar."

My mother's on the phone, firing off question after question like a Gallup researcher. She's doing what mothers do best, I suppose. I pull the cell phone down on my cheek a bit so that I can sigh without her hearing. "I'm fine, ma," I respond. "I'm sleeping and eating just fine."

"How's work? When are you coming home?"

"Work is good. I'm in San Diego." I decide to give her a nugget of truth. I do that every once in a while. "I'll be home for Thanksgiving." That's true, too. I planned on going home for the upcoming holiday.

"San Diego! You know your cousin Millie moved there last year."

Damn. Of course I didn't know.
"Oh, yeah?" My reply is dry. "I don't know if I'll have much time for socializing while I'm here. I'm buried with work—plus, I won't be here that long." I have absolutely no intention of looking up Millie, my spinster second cousin once removed, whose last name I can't remember, a fact that I'm not about to share with my mother.

She's still talking. "Your sister …"

My flight was delayed, I'm hungry as hell, and I want to get to that pool right outside my hotel suite and sip a martini. "Ma, ma …," I interrupt her. Luckily, she was drawing a breath. "I gotta go. I need to prepare for a meeting in the morning."

"Okay, Dar. I'll tell everyone you said hello. Love you."

"Love you too, ma." This, of course, is always true.

My makeup is a mess, but I'm not concerned. I slip into a two piece, throw on a pair of terry cotton shorts and head down to the pool. It's quiet, which I like. A few people are milling about. Most of the tourists are probably out visiting the zoo or some other attraction. I take a comfortable seat under a cabana just as a waiter waltzes my way.

"Madam," he acknowledges me with a smile while handing me a menu. "My name is Adam. We have happy hour in about twenty minutes, starting at three. All the drinks on this side are just $6. Would you like to take a few minutes to look at the menu?"

I study him for a few seconds, looking up at his smooth milk chocolate skin and big brown eyes. Adam is clean cut and I can immediately tell he works out. Right now, though, I'm too tired to flirt, so I stick to business.

"Thank you Adam, but I don't think so. I'll take a lemontini and water—with lemon." He smiles at me and I shrug. "I like lemon. Oh … and I think I'll take the warm pretzels with cheese dip and the hummus plate."

"Excellent. I'll have that out for you momentarily."

He strides off and I can't help but take a peek at his the way those form fitting white slacks snuggle his cheeks. I open my novel to the random page where I've tucked the building plans for the Pricewater Convention Center. I study it quickly for now. I have four days to figure this out. Before I know it, Adam's back with my water and martini.

"Here you are," he says, smiling. Your food will be up in just a moment. I'm
sorry, I didn't get your room number."

"Sure," I say while leaning back on the chaise, pretending to adjust myself. Truth is
, I'm just giving him a better view of my cleavage. "It's eight-ten."

"Oh, you have an ocean view in the
suite section. Nice."

"I think so." I laugh. Again, I watch Adam's tight backside as he walks away, presumably to get my food.

Since it's pretty hot out and the pool is both sparkling and inviting, I decide to dip in. I slip my shorts off, revealing my cheeky bottom tied with big gold rings at the hips to match my stringy top. I've been swimming since I was six, so without hesitation, I dive into the six-foot deep side of the pool and make a lap to the end. After a buoy up, I lean my head back into the water and open my face up to the glow of the sun. It feels absolutely wonderful. There are times when I feel guilty for this life. Not because I steal, but because I always have everything I want. Who wouldn't want this kind of life?

I slink through the water and step out of the pool, aware of the way the tiny droplets of water caress my body as I move. After briefly rubbing myself with the fluffy hotel towel, I sit down to enjoy my feast. The hummus is just as delicious as the
lemontini. Adam comes back to check on me every once in a while until I lean back to lie in the breeze. As usual, my brain just won’t shut off, so I pick up my book, this time to read in earnest. When I reach for my lemontini to take the last sip, I finally notice the gentleman occupying the cabana next to me. He flashes a smile and I smile back, which he sees as an invitation.

"Hello," he says, walking toward me extending his hand.

"Hi," I say cheerfully.

"I'm Kevin
MacInness."

Humm, I think to myself, trying to place the accent. "I'm Darlene Haley." That's the name on the fake credit card and ID I'm currently using.
"Jersey?" I ask him, a smirk on my face.

He
smirks right back. "Yes, but by way of Boston."

"Ah
.” That’s all I say just before a silence settles between us. He breaks is rather quickly, however.

"Yes. You seem to be familiar," he says.

"I lived in New York for a while." And other places, but Kevin doesn't need to know anything about that.

"Excuse me," Adam says as he graciously grabs our attention from one another. "Would you like another drink?" His eyes move from my midsection to my empty martini glass.

"Sure," Kevin replies for me. If I weren't so curious, I'd be indignant right now. "You can put it on my tab—it’s five-oh-three."

"Absolutely," Adam replies before walking away. He gives me a side look which I mentally tuck away in my head. I'll be here for a few days and there will be plenty of time for Adam if he proves interesting enough.

"So," Kevin starts up again, diverting my attention from how I can hook up with a fine specimen named Adam. "What brings you to San Diego?"

"Just needed some time to get away from work.
You?" I shoot a question back at him before he has a chance to ask me to elaborate about my so-called work.

"I'm here for a gem show. I'm a dealer."

The sun, the pool, a perfectly mixed martini and a gem dealer. How the hell could my day get any better than this?

Chapter 4

I didn’t expect for it to be less than twenty-four hours, even though I don't play hard to get. I want what I want and when I want it, I get it. It's simple really. So, I can say with all certainty that I wanted to be on the balcony of my suite with Adam pumping me from behind. Yes, I'm certain of that.

"That feels so good," I whisper as he nibbles the side of my neck. Adam grabs my left hip as he reaches between my legs to finger me, the rhythm complimenting
his stroking. I can't take it—I'm about to come hard. I need this to last, though. I pull away slightly, cueing him into a different position. "Over here," I say, leading him with one hand over to a wicker settee.

Immediately, Adam pounces on me, raising one of my legs in the air to wrap it behind him.

"Damn, you're juicy!"

I moan, taking in the sound and smell of our sex and sweat. My wetness creates a sexy sucking sound as he strokes, faster now, working me back up to near orgasm.

"Yeah, give it to me, Darlene." Adam corrals a bouncing tit with his mouth and begins to trace circles on it with his tongue. The wet warmth of his tongue turns me on as I watch his thickness slide in and out of me. I raise my hips and he pulls his mouth away, the night's breeze now caressing my wet nipple. "Yeah, yeah, that's it," he sings, matching my bucking as I orgasm.

"
Ohhh!" I'm screaming as my body tenses. Adam comes too, jerking with me, grabbing my ass into a tight mass of flesh in his hands. Just when I think he's done, Adam quickly kneels between my thighs and starts to kiss them. He works his way upward with his tongue, flicking the insides of my thighs. He flicks his tongue over my navel, traveling upward still until he finally comes to a rest on top of me in a sweaty heap. I smile at his tease.

He looks up at me knowingly and says, "More
later."

"I can't," I reply abruptly, gently pushing him aside. "I'm sorry. I have to get some work done."

"No problem," Adam says as his shoulders drop. He tries not to look disappointed.

He stands up to lean against the railing, taking in the night air. I walk over to him and cradle him from behind, our naked bodies awash with shadows from the moon and the soft lighting inside my room. "Don't worry. Later just means tomorrow."

Adam turns around to embrace me. He kisses my lips sweetly, then forces his tongue in my mouth. The kiss is hot, and I almost want to go at it again. But I resist.

"Promise?" he says playfully. I follow him into the room where he gathers up his clothes, hastily throwing them back on.

"Promise," I say. "What time do you work tomorrow?"

"I come in at two, and it'll be a late night. The hotel's throwing a pool party tomorrow night."

"Sounds like fun."

"It usually is, but most of the fun happens before hotel security pulls some naked housewife out of the pool."

We laugh.

"I'll probably be there with that guy I met by the pool today, just so you know." I am completely transparent with Adam because one, I can tell he's not even yet twenty-five, even though I haven't asked, and two, dick or no dick, he's not getting in the way of what I have to do.

"I understand."

"Do you?" I ask him.

"Yeah. Hell, I don't want to get fired. I'm a law student. I have bills to pay."

 
I sigh. This lawyer thing is getting ridiculous. "Good. Just so we're on the same page. I found out he's here for the same conference I am, so I need to make professional connections."