Indulgent Pleasures (26 page)
Read Indulgent Pleasures Online
Authors: Karen Erickson
“I had no idea you had a foot fetish.”
“I didn’t either but that was before I saw yours. They’re the sexiest little feet I’ve ever seen.”
She’d never thought her feet sexy but the way he talked, the way he held them, gently stroking her heels, she believed him.
But then he let go of her foot and continued his search of her body with his tongue, licking her shin, the underside of her knee, the inside of her thigh. Her wet pussy ached for his touch but he teased her, going everywhere but where she wanted and she finally gave a little growl of frustration.
“Something wrong?” The tone of his voice told her he knew exactly what was wrong.
And that he was very, very evil.
She refused to respond, a little huff sounding instead and he actually had the nerve to laugh.
Oh, how she wanted to punch him. Then haul his head in between her legs and command him to lick.
Justin nibbled on one hip bone, then the other, his tongue brushing against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Her legs were already spread wide, she couldn’t move any wider and her pussy was so wet she actually felt a trickle of cream slide down the inside of her thigh.
Finally, he settled between her legs, his breath fanning across her pussy and she shivered. He was killing her, drawing everything out and she lifted her hips, hoping he’d take the hint.
He did. His mouth settled on her pussy, lips sucking, tongue licking down her slit. Searching her folds, circling around her clit, his tongue worked its usual magic, making her writhe beneath him.
Her body tingled, her belly clenched and she was so very close it would only take a little more to send her straight over the edge. As if he knew, he reared back, reining it in, his tongue barely dabbing at the tip of her clit. She whimpered in blissful misery.
“You’re so wet,” he whispered, licking at her clit yet again. “And you taste so good.”
“Suck my clit,” she urged, shocked that the words left her mouth and the low murmur of pleasure that he made in answer told her he liked it.
He also did what she asked. He drew her clit into his mouth and sucked, his tongue playing with it, his teeth nibbling the slightest bit. That was all she needed to fall over the edge, her orgasm taking over in one fell swoop.
Her entire body trembled, limbs shaking, her pussy rippling. She moaned, tugging at the restraints on her wrists and she wished she could touch him. His touch gentled as the shudders slowly left her, though she still trembled from the after-effects of her intense orgasm.
“Was that good?” He sounded far too pleased with himself.
“Yes,” she bit out, hardly able to speak she was so worn out.
“You want more?” He licked her yet again, his tongue doing a thorough search of her pussy.
“No!” He stopped at her sharp tone and she tried to relax. “I mean, I want you. I can’t take the teasing anymore. I need you inside me.”
“All in good time, baby.” He gave one more languid lick to her clit. “All in good time.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Stephanie strode into Zoe’s office without bothering to knock and her boss glanced up when she entered, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Steph, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
Stephanie plopped into a chair opposite Zoe’s desk and shook her head. “I want out. I want to go back to the life and style department. I can’t write the column anymore.”
Zoe’s lips parted, her eyes widening. “What are you talking about? Your articles are more popular than ever. That last one about role playing has been huge. The company inbox exploded, the mailroom exploded. It’s all anyone talks about.”
“I don’t care, I can’t do it anymore.” Stephanie crossed her arms in front of her, trying to appear strong. Firm. Hoping like hell she could do this.
“Stephanie.” Zoe stood and came from around her desk, her face a study in earnest sympathy. Heck, she even reached out and rubbed Stephanie’s arm in comfort. “Are you panicking, afraid someone might figure out who you really are? Because I can assure you that won’t ever happen. Your identity is a complete secret, trust me.”
“I know, I believe you but that’s not my problem. I can’t do this anymore, I can’t put these moments I’m sharing with this man on public display.”
Because they mean something, damn it. Because I’m halfway in love with him and I can’t do this to what we have.
“It’s still the same guy. The perfect, unbelievable guy.”
Stephanie gave a short nod, resentment filling her that Zoe called Justin unbelievable.
Though she’d thought him unbelievable more than once, yes he’d proved to her he was that good of a man.
And Stephanie had finally wised up, realized she couldn’t let that kind of man get away. Not one who was so perfect for her.
“You’re in love with him.” Zoe’s tone was flat, her face expressionless.
Stephanie gave a little shrug. “It’s gotten serious. It doesn’t feel right, sharing these intimate details with so many people.”
“Does he know you’re writing the column?”
“No.” Stephanie sighed. She should’ve told him. She’d had ample opportunity but she’d chickened out every single time.
“Ah.” Zoe clucked her tongue. “So you feel dishonest. As if you’re hiding something from him.”
“I am dishonest. I am hiding something from him. And I can’t do it anymore, Zoe. I’m resigning from the column, give it all to Caleb. I want to be reassigned back to my old position.” Stephanie blinked once, twice, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall.
“Look, I don’t want to lose you. I think you’re talented, a fabulous writer. Your words, your articles bring forth so much emotion and you touch people, Steph. That’s why you get such a huge response.”
“It’s too personal, sharing everything that happens between us in bed. I have to keep some things sacred you know.” Besides, the shit would hit the fan if Justin found what she was doing. If she quit now then he’d never be the wiser.
Dishonest, yes, but at least she wouldn’t keep on fooling him.
“Write one more article.”
Stephanie’s brows drew together. “What?”
“You heard me. One more article. That’s all I ask. Give me one more article, we’ll wish you bon voyage in the column and then it’s over. What do you say?” Zoe smiled, her lips stretching, her extra white teeth nearly blinding her.
“I—I’ll have to think about it.”
“No thinking, I need an answer now.” Zoe slapped the edge of the desk with the palm of her hand. “Come on, Steph, you know you want one last hurrah. Don’t leave your fans hanging, let them know what’s going on. Hell, tell them you fell in love and found your happily ever after. People will eat that shit up.”
Zoe had a point. She could give a small explanation as to what happened and end it. It was actually a pretty good idea.
“Okay, I’ll do it.” Stephanie nodded. “You’re right. I should let the readers know what happened. It’ll make a good story.”
“Of course, it’ll make a good story. Anything you come up with is a good story, Steph.” Zoe stood by her chair and slipped her arm around Stephanie’s shoulders, giving her a little shake. “Come up with something good, sweetie. Really knock their socks off with this last column. I can’t wait to read it.”
Stephanie walked out of Zoe’s office moments later, shocked she made such a complete turn around. This morning when she’d first arrived at work, she’d almost been in tears. After everything she’d experienced with Justin she’d been ready to quit, walk out and forget everything that ever happened at
City.
Then she realized she’d love to have her old job back, though she knew Zoe would protest. And that’s exactly what happened. Heck, she still couldn’t believe Zoe had convinced her to do something she vowed she’d never do again.
One more time. She’d write that stupid article one more time and then she would be done forever.
Then she could focus on Justin. She had a feeling their relationship was about to take a turn for the super serious.
And she was more than ready to embrace it.
* * *
Caleb sauntered into Zoe’s office as if he owned it and she watched him, her left brow arched, her right hand clutching her Starbucks cup. The way he moved reminded her of a sleek animal, a jungle cat who was always ready to pounce on his prey.
Much like the way he pounced on her last night. He’d given her such a good fucking she’d nearly fainted when she came. She couldn’t remember the last time she climaxed like that.
Caleb didn’t lie when he said he was skilled. The man had sexual skills in spades.
“What do you want?”
He shut the door and turned the lock with a quiet click, a cocky smile on his face.
“I have a hunch.”
Her brow went higher if that was possible. “About who?”
Rubbing his hands together, his smile grew even wider. “About Stephanie.”
“Our Steph? What kind of hunch could you have about her?” She’d always assumed they had something going on, Caleb and Stephanie. He’d chased after her for weeks though Stephanie always seemed to pay him no mind.
When he’d made the move on Zoe a couple of days ago and they’d ended up fucking in the supply closet well, she’d realized that maybe he had a thing for
her
instead. Big mistake, fooling around with an employee. She was his boss for God’s sake.
But she couldn’t resist.
Caleb approached her desk, stopping just in front of it. Zoe’s mouth watered at the sight of him in his crisp white shirt, sky blue tie and navy trousers.
He was so good in bed, so dirty, too. She drew the line at the name calling, though.
She had an image to uphold after all.
“I think her mystery man is someone famous.”
“Stephanie doing it with someone famous? Come on.” Zoe laughed, feeling like a bitch but hey. If anyone was going to do it with someone famous, it was going to be her.
“I’m serious. I’ve been watching her for a while, listening in on her phone conversations. It drove me crazy how fucking perfect her anonymous guy is.” Caleb paused for effect. “Now I know why he’s been kept anonymous. I think it’s Justin Hawkins.”
Zoe’s mouth dropped open. “Stephanie’s fucking Justin Hawkins? No way.”
“Yes way. I knew I saw them together on the balcony at the charity event but she blew me off, said it wasn’t her. Then I snooped around her desk, overheard her on the phone and it makes total sense. She’s with The Hawk and he fucking hates the media. I can’t believe he’s letting her broadcast their business all over the magazine.”
“He doesn’t know about the column, her articles.” Zoe clapped a hand over her mouth. She’d always kept that part quiet, as per Stephanie’s request.
Now she’d just blown it.
“He doesn’t know about it? Does he even know Stephanie works here? I wouldn’t think he’d diddle with a reporter, you know? The guy has a reputation for hating the press.”
Zoe shrugged, panic rising within her. Now that Caleb had that bit of information he was going to run with it. “Are you sure she’s with Justin Hawkins? That seems pretty far fetched.”
“I would swear my life on it, Zoe. I’m pretty damn sure she’s with him and they’re boinking all over the place. You know what this means, don’t you?”
No, she really didn’t. “Steph wants to quit the column. She wants to give it to you. She’s done.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
“No, she doesn’t want to do it anymore. She claims she and this guy have gotten awfully serious and she doesn’t feel right blabbing their personal life in the magazine.” Zoe’s mind raced. Could it be true Stephanie was with Justin? She found it hard to believe.
He’d turned Zoe down. What did he see in Stephanie?
“Well, then that makes my idea all the more urgent. We need to break this, Zoe. We need to write an article and expose them as a couple. People will love it, they’ll want to find out more about their relationship and his fans will eat up all of those little sexual details Stephanie has dropped since she wrote her first article. What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Zoe said uneasily. It would be a fantastic scoop, Caleb was one hundred percent right. But what if Justin Hawkins sued the magazine? What if it turned out to be not true? It could turn into a huge mess.
“Ah, come on. This is huge! I mean, Justin Hawkins? I know he doesn’t play anymore but he’s still pretty famous and I just heard he’s starting a new job next week as a correspondent for the Sports Network. He’s as famous as he ever was.” Caleb rounded her desk and stood next to her chair. “This could make you look like a shining star, Zoe. Don’t forget that.”
“It’ll make you look like a shining star too, if your name is on the byline. I know what you’re getting at.” She sighed, stared at the top of her desk. “I’ll look like an idiot if you’re wrong.”
He smoothed back her hair, then reached down and cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I guarantee I’m not wrong. You’d be a fool to let this slip through your fingers.”
Zoe stood, stabbing a finger into his chest. “Don’t start challenging me, asshole. You know I can hold my own.”
“I know you can, ease up, sweetheart.” Caleb held his hands up in front of him, going on the defensive. “I’m just saying this is a mega opportunity. The opportunity you’ve been waiting for that’ll make you look like a superstar. Maybe you could even move on to a New York magazine like you’ve been talking.”