Handled (7 page)

Somehow we end up walking back out front with his arm around my waist, me tucked against his side. It’s not the
worst
place to be, that is until a nasally feminine whine interrupts my post-rendezvous fog.

“Oh, thank God,
Vaughn
, tell her,” screeches some try-hard hooch standing at the counter, pointing at Harlow, who’s near tears. “Tell her to give me some cash or I’ll have her fired!”

Unsure what I’m walking into, I peel away from Vaughn’s embrace and move behind the counter. It’s supposed to be me at the register right now, bearing the less than scary wrath of this white trash Wilma, so I nudge Harlow to stand behind me.

“Hi, I’m Paige, what’s the problem here?”

“
Paige
,” the bitch foams from the mouth in a “have another unfiltered Camel” tenor,
“I’m Suzanne.”
She draws it out haughtily, like I should recognize her…or give a damn. “Joe’s girlfriend. I want some petty cash. I need things.”

She absolutely does—a teeth whitening, full chemical peel, and a whole lot of sleep. Pretty much one big do over.

“Suzanne, how about you come back tomorrow, when Joe’s here,” Vaughn suggests, trying to reason with her.

She throws him a look, one I can’t decipher because it’s gone as quickly as it appeared. “No, I’m here now. You know I can’t sleep at night.” Her words are more insinuating than rude. “I just need a little.” She turns back to me, waiting with her hand out.

“All right. May I please see your gun?” I tug on a sardonic smile just for her, ignoring the laugh Vaughn coughs to cover and Harlow’s gasp behind me.

Suzanne’s brows pinch in a scowl and she props tight fists on her hips. “
My what
?”

“Gun. A device used to fire bullets, most often made from metal.” To help, I demonstrate a pistol with my thumb and finger and add a cutesy “bang bang.”

I watch as confusion morphs to anger across her aged face. The woman’s gotta be pushing forty, her attempts to hide it an epic failure. Her expression darkens to pissed off when the realization that I’m toying with her finally sets in. “
What?
” she shrieks.

Seriously, that’s all she’s got? Her stupid’s sucking all the fun out of this.
Selfish
.

“Your. Gun. ‘Cause unless you’re robbing the joint, you’re not getting a dime out of my drawer,” I sneer. “I don’t give a shit who you’re fucking.” I fold my arms over my chest, which is thumping fast with adrenaline, and wait for her comeback, which I’m sure will be
un
canny.

“Wh-wha—” She’s seething, speechless, and turns to Vaughn. “Tell her, Vaughn!” She pouts, walking toward him and sliding one finger down his chest.

With that single move, my sneaking suspicion is confirmed; he’s fucked her. Which worries me, because if his dick rots off, I’ll miss it.

Vaughn’s eyes shoot to mine, a hint of shame unhidden in them. “Joe wouldn’t care if you hooked her up.”

Not fucking happening!

“One,” I hold up a finger, “don’t ever say you—
as in me—
hooking up, and that,” I turn the finger to point to her, “in the same sentence again. Two, if she needs money, there’s a perfectly good parking lot out back. It’d be a shame to waste that outfit she
thinks
is working. Everybody wins!” I flash some jazz hands.

His slate eyes shine and the corner of his mouth gradually curves into a devilish grin. “Suzanne,” he says, stare on me never diverting, “not gonna happen. Call Joe or something, but you’ve got your answer.”

Her head snaps back my way, not hard enough to break her neck unfortunately, but so abruptly that the average spectator might be concerned. A malicious glare matches her pursed lips. “You’ll regret this.”

“Doubt it,” I reply, hearing Harlow slip away to the office.

“Walk me out, baby?” This she purrs at Vaughn, rubbing up the front of him as he inches away.

He doesn’t answer her, gaze still locked on mine. “I can stay, hang out.” He’s asking me, pupils flaring in search of a rescue. Also not fucking happening.

“Nope.” I pop my shoulders and up the wattage of my syrupy smile. “We’re good here. Have a
super
night, though! Harlow, you all cashed out?” I call toward the office.

The rapid deflation on his face would be comical if I didn’t,
way
deep down, feel a little sorry for him. But it was him that once told me some things stick…
Have fun with that, buddy.

Chapter 7

“I think you’re supposed to separate the whites.” His ravenous greeting echoes in my ears, scorching through me as thick arms wrap around my waist from behind.

“I think your dick’s mad you know that.” I jest, standing in the tiny laundry room in the apartment’s basement. “Did you bake me a quiche too?”

Vaughn chuckles and spins me abruptly to face him. “Your smart mouth does fascinate me, but you can drop the act. I’ve felt your sweet pussy clamp down on my cock when you come, remember? You have no questions about my sexuality. And you don’t have to goad me into fucking you again, Paige. I’m more than open to an encore.” He winks and lifts me onto the dryer.

“Yeah, well, I’m closed for chlamydia. I’d rather not catch what Suzanne’s serving.” I quirk a brow, daring him to deny it, all the while cursing the female half of my brain for speaking.

“Jealous?” His grin splits wider, arrogant at the possibility.
Saw that coming
, thus the cursing myself.

I scoff. “No, more like disgusted.”

“Long time ago.” He pushes my thighs apart and pulls me forward to the edge, perfectly aligning my traitorous, eager center with the obvious bulge in his jeans. “Hit it once, I was covered, and yours is way better. Which is why…”

Dammit.
I should at least flinch when he drags my shirt off over my head to make my charade believable.

“I’m gonna fuck it again, right now.”

“Ya think so, huh?” Heavy breathing exposes me as he reaches behind me and turns on the dryer, the vibrations barely stronger than I was already feeling.

“Oh, I know so.” He reaches up and pulls his own tight gray t-shirt over his head with one yank. “Want your tits out.” He nods to my bra and flicks open the button on his fly. “Off with it.”

My hands, obedient to his deep, feral commands as though I have no input, do as he says and my bra falls forward, the introduction of cool air piercing my nipples even harder.

“These are better too,” he growls, molding both breasts into his rough hands.

“Enough with the comparisons, I get it,” I rasp out, my head falling back. “Did you lock the door?”

“Nope,” he says without any concern, bending in to glide his hot mouth and tongue down my offered neck, hands kneading my breasts mercilessly. “Lift that ass.”

I do and he’s quick to relieve me of the bottom half of my wardrobe.

“Mmm hmm, dripping for me.” A low, pleased hum rises from his chest. His eyes take in my exposed, aroused state while he retrieves a condom and hands it to me. “Do your thing, babe.”

Too far gone to feign coy any longer, I grab a belt loop and pull him forward, then push his jeans and black boxer briefs down over his trim hips. Licking my lips, I focus all my attention on rolling the rubber over his ample, almost painful looking, erection. We groan together when he’s fully covered and I reach down to fondle his balls.

Anxious, I fidget, curving a hand around his neck and pulling him in for a rowdy and somewhat sloppy kiss. He laughs into my mouth but gives back just how I need it. I tense, feeling him line up the head of his cock with my restless core.

“Yes,” I breathe.

I want it hard and fast, and he knows it, which is why
instead
I merely get the taunting tip as he leans back to look at me, then down, where we don’t quite join, and up again with a smirk.

“You need something?” The provocative spur slides off his tongue.

My eyebrows fold in and I bite my bottom lip, not about to let him win, so I simply shrug.

He laughs, not the sound you want to hear when a guy’s dick is flirting at your pussy, but on him it sounds…sexy, fun, enticing. “Answer me.”

“Fuck me before we get caught,” I snarl, scooting to take more of him in, but he stops me with a hand on the inside of my thigh.

“Try again. I wanna hear it.”

If he wasn’t the hardest, hottest, most reciprocating lay I’ve ever had, I’d spit in his face…or threaten to put a bullet in him. But he’s so damn good and I’ll have time to chastise myself
after
I come multiple times.

I crook my finger, inviting him closer, and whisper in his ear. “Do
your
thing, Vaughn. Fuck me real good, like I want it.”

I cry out as he drives inside me with a feverish howl and bites down on my shoulder, hands shoving under my ass to grip tight, pushing and pulling me along his dick. “Love breaking you,” he heaves, “love fucking your tight little cunt, love hearing you beg for it. Stubborn ass, you’ll do anything for my dick, won’t you?”

Deeper, harder, faster. He sinks in and out of me manically, incensed, and I hold on tight, taking it all, feeling my orgasm start to build.

“Wider,” he grunts. “Spread those legs for me, baby.”

I surrender fully, back arching, palms flat on the dryer, thighs as far apart as they’ll go. “Vaughn, rub it, wanna come.” My plea echoes off the ceiling, my face lifted its direction. “Touch it, please, fuck.”

His thumb finds my clit and I clench, then detonate around his rigid length plunging relentlessly into me. I try to make my way down from climax but he’s there, mouth encasing my entire breast, teeth grazing the nipple. His velvet timbre caresses over me. “One more, I’ll be there,” he moans.

“Take me with you then.” Barely out, I’m hoisted off the shaking dryer—a new exhilarating experience—and held in his arms as he powers up into me. It’s seriously hot, all that strength directed at my pleasure…I couldn’t stop the onslaught of tremors and release if I wanted to. “God, Vaughn, yes! Yes!” I wail, bouncing on his dick.

“Ahh,” he drones, the reverberation traveling along my glistening skin. “You’re so fucking good.” He finds my mouth, attacking it as he gets his, twitching inside me.

I somehow make it to the apartment, sex legs not quite back under me and laundry basket in tow, more than surprised to find Shaw knocking on our door. I thought he and Amelia were attached at the ugly parts, so he should know she isn’t here.

“Hey!” I startle him.

He turns to face me. “Paige, hello there. How are you?” He’s so formal, the polar opposite of his roommate.

“Not bad. What’s up?”

“Let me take that for you.” He moves for my laundry, but I retreat a step.

“It’s fine, really. Shaw, Amelia’s not home.” If he’s here to make a play behind her back, I’ll have a second pair of balls in my grip today…and his won’t get returned.

“I’m aware. I came to ask your opinion on something. If you have a moment?”

A moment?
No wonder my cousin’s smitten. Not only is this guy handsome, but he speaks with a suave intelligence I know she appreciates, since she’s a brainy chick herself.

“Could we step inside?” he asks when I’ve stood awkwardly in the hall just long enough to be rude.

“What do you want my opinion on? If it’s any part of your body, I’ll cut if off.”

His brows knit together at my harshness. “No need for dismemberment.” He holds up his hands and takes his own step back. “I’m as loyal to Amelia as I’m very pleased to see you are. I actually wanted your input on which engagement ring you think she’d like.” He pulls glossy photos from his pocket and offers them to me.

“You knocked her up already?” I shriek, dropping the basket and snatching the pictures from him. “You’ve been together a whole five minutes.”

His subtle laugh is forced and he shakes his head. “While we are not
expecting
, I assure you nothing would make me happier.”

“Me either!” And it’s officially a party, Vaughn chiming in as he strolls up behind me. “I’d make a great uncle. But chill, witchy woman.” He shoulder bumps me. “Shaw’s a good guy and he loves your cousin. Besides, Auntie might be a good look on you. One big, happy family.”