Layers Peeled (3 page)

Holding onto
his ass, feeling it flex in my palms every time he plunged forward,
felt like groping a hot-off-the-parquet Chippendale. But Tristan
was definitely better than an experienced stripper. My fingers dug
into his flesh, wanting him deeper. The concentration swelled each
time he thrust inside me.

“Harder,” I
moaned into him, desperate and wild.

My request was
fulfilled with the next jab. He pulled his mouth away so we could
both catch our breath. Sweat collected between my jiggling breasts
and my head lolled back. Tristan groaned louder, his front pushing
right against my pelvic bone, his hands on my hips, pulling me onto
him, reaching my full depth. His hand slid in between us and his
fingers touched my clit. I nearly screamed because I wasn’t
expecting to be done so quickly. I didn’t want it to be over! But
my needy pregnancy hormones sensitized every inch of my body. With
a few flicks I felt the oncoming orgasm preparing to burst.

Longer,
longer,
I thought.

But the
looming explosion forced my mind to drift toward that one spot on
my body that needed Tristan more than the rest. Every time he moved
his thick cock inside me, my muscles responded with tension, needed
that release to soothe them.

The moment he
kissed me again, my limbs softened and the bliss spread from
between us out my fingers and curling toes. My legs straightened
and stiffened, and I pulled away screaming. God, I hoped his office
was sound proof! But even if it wasn’t, I didn’t care. I had waited
for this for so long. That frenzy finally released from within me
in the form of beautiful sparkles. When his head came down to my
shoulder, at last I felt that moment of relief I’d been
anticipating for three long weeks. Tristan stilled inside me on the
next plunge, filling me with his warmth, his legs shaking
underneath him, jaw tightening and eyes shut closed.

“You know this
is exactly why we’re pregnant,” I whispered. There was no strength
left in me to speak louder.

“Then I guess
one day we’ll have a soccer team.”

He pulled out.
The remnant of his seed covered his pink tip in white cream. I
slowly felt some energy return to my body. And I wouldn’t have been
surprised if I were ready for another round in a few minutes.

“So you’re
really okay with this?” I asked in a serious tone.

“I couldn’t be
happier. Best surprises in life are always the unplanned ones.”

I hopped off
the desk and pulled up my pants. Kissing him on his full mouth I’d
already begun planning my work at Cross Enterprises.

“Where are you
going?” His low raspy voice surprised me. He hadn’t had enough
either, but could I blame him? In truth, I wanted more myself.

“I need to
clean up and start work.”

“You’re still
recovering and need to rest.”

“Hell with
rest. I need to get those girls out.”

“You’re not
going out there with my baby. Not yet at least,” he pulled me in. I
liked the way he said
“my baby.”

“Our baby.” I
stepped up on my toes and kissed him on his scarred lip. “I can’t
sit at home for the next eight months.”

Tristan
buttoned up his shirt and straightened his tie. “I’m fine with you
working, but in moderation. And from your office here, and that’s
only after your doctor clears you and you move back in with
me.”

I hadn’t
thought about living arrangements, and had assumed I’d remain in my
apartment with Laura. “Why?”

“First,
because I never wanted you to move out, and second, because I’d
like to keep an eye on you and our little... Puss?”

“Yeah, by the
way, Emma will be naming our child, and please don’t ask why.”

“Okay, my
sister has been oddly quiet the past couple of weeks.” He lowered
his hand to my belly again. I liked it when he did that. “Has she
scammed you to find out before me?”

“No, she’s
been a great support.”

“For what it’s
worth, I’m glad it’s not a secret anymore. But we still have our
parents to break the news to. I think they’ll be ecstatic.”

My heart beat
in agreement.

“And I’m glad
it’s not a secret anymore as well,” he kissed the top of my
head.

Tristan wasn’t
even upset with me that I hadn’t told him earlier. But that was the
kind of a man he was. Honor, trust, and instinct guided his
actions. I loved that about him. And for the first time in weeks,
actually for the first time since meeting Tristan, I finally
thought my life would settle down.

Boy, was I
ever wrong.

“I should be
in bed!” I screamed over the loud music, peeking at my phone every
five minutes, watching my hours of sleep shorten.

Laura wrapped
her arm around my waist, saying, “The only bed you should be in is
Tristan’s, and since he’s not available, you’re stuck with us.”

Because Laura
and I had left the force, the girls from our squad wanted to throw
us a ‘good luck’ party – otherwise known as an excuse to go out –
and the four of us ended up at Kissed, Tristan’s nightclub. And
since Tristan had left this morning for a business trip to
Washington, the night was all for me and the girls. I couldn’t deny
I wished that Tristan could be here, but how could he be? I’d never
heard him mention the club nor seen him go out to party. He wasn’t
the type. But then why did he own Kissed in the first place? Part
of me suspected there was more to his trips to the capital than he
led on, but I knew he’d tell me about it on his own terms when he
was ready.

The crowd at
Kissed buzzed with life, jumping up and down in a sequence of
waves. Above, half-naked women wearing not much more than body
paint swung overhead. Near the four corners of the dance floor,
metal cages contained pairs of dancers who were grinding their
bodies, twerking, and showing off moves that should have been saved
for the bedroom. I had to say I was curious to see what they’d do
next, which I realized was the whole point of the show. The two
girls closest to us had the largest audience of men, whistling and
gawking, but their enclosures were high enough that no one could
touch them.

Further away,
in the second cage, a sculpted hunk grazed his slick hands over a
girl’s body. Oil dripped off her as she lost herself to his touch.
The bikini top barely covered her nipples, and her bottoms had
found a hiding spot in her ass crack. I imagined the couple as
Tristan and me, minus the crowd of a drooling audience. Although
the idea of having someone watch us felt pretty arousing as well.
His palms would spread the grease over my arms and chest, just the
way this cage master was doing. A deep yearning tightened in my
stomach. I missed Tristan. The girl spread her legs apart and
tilted her ass for him to dig his fingers into, and I pressed my
knees together. What was going on with these sexual urges of mine?
With the hormones roaming my body, the need to see my man swelled
deep in my belly at the mere thought of Tristan.

“They’re hot,
aren’t they?” Laura leaned in, her pink scarf tickling my arm.

“Shit, yeah.
How do you get that job?”

“You should
ask your boss,” she winked. “Although I think you have a better
deal screwing him.”

“Ah, come on.
You know it’s not like that.”

“And you’re so
preoccupied you’ve forgotten when I tease. What’s on your mind,
Allie?”

“I just miss
him.”

“That
much?”

“Yeah, that
much.”

“Do you think
you two are getting serious?”

Boy, if she
only knew!

“I think
so.”

“Well, then
all the more reason to enjoy yourself tonight before he knocks you
up and you’re up to here in diapers.” She motioned with her hand to
her chin.

Laura had no
clue how good she was. Or did she know? No, that wasn’t possible.
No one knew, and I wouldn’t tell her before we broke the news to
the rest of our family.

We sat at the
bar and Laura ordered a round of tequilas.
Shit!
I couldn’t
drink my shot; but if I refused the tequila, my drink of choice,
she’d definitely know something was up. My gaze darted to the
barman who kindly smiled my way and then winked.

What the heck
was that all about? Is he flirting?

He set the
glasses, one in front of each of us. Laura pulled out a bill to
pay, but the barman said, “It’s on the house.”

“Wow, thanks,
handsome.”

Since when did
that happen? Did Tristan know his employees were offering drinks on
the house? Or had he set this up? I narrowed my brows and swung
around on the stool, looking for a light brown head streaked with
blond, but couldn’t see him. Of course I couldn’t. Tristan was only
seen when he wanted to be. Besides, he was in Washington. On a
night when I was out with the girls, all I wanted was to see him.
Just a peek at his gorgeous scarred lip and taut body would be
enough.

Not!

“Come on,
Allie, cheers!” Laura bumped my shoulder with hers as she held up
the shot. I took mine between my fingers, wondering how I could get
away with this. If I dropped it by accident, pretended the glass
slipped, perhaps I could buy some time. But there was no way I was
ready to spill my guts about the pregnancy to any of my friends.
Wasn’t there a rule you were supposed to wait until the first
trimester passed?

Lifting the
glass to my mouth, I took a whiff. But the usual crisp smell of
alcohol wasn’t there. Had they watered it down? I looked to the
barman, who winked at me again and gently nodded to go ahead and
drink. I took another sniff. This was not tequila - and this
couldn’t be a coincidence. Tristan had set this up! Boy, was he
ever good! I threw the shot of water, slightly sweetened with
caramel, and smiled back at the waiter.

“You’re
flirting so quickly? You already have a boy toy, and this was
supposed to be a girl’s night out,” Laura accused.

“Oh, please.
I’m not flirting. Just being polite.”

She rolled her
eyes, “Allie, relax. I’m kidding. But if you think I’m not scoring
tonight, then you’ve invited the wrong friend.”

“Amen.” Jess
raised another shot glass to her lips.

She was the
prettiest bombshell I’d ever seen. The stereotypical Barbie doll
with the unconventional curves, blonde locks, and luscious lips men
died for. Except Jess wasn’t the dumb bimbo her first impression
implied. And even with her looks, just as for any rookie on the
force, the schedule she worked left her barely any time to have
fun. I couldn’t blame her for wanting a fling or two, especially in
a nightclub oozing sexy, available guys. Imagining him in that cage
just wasn’t enough anymore.

“Oh, my God!
Girls, hands off, he’s all mine.” Jess stared past me with her
mouth open. I don’t think she even knew she was doing that. Her
bosom lifted in an instant and her lips pursed.

A distinct
smell of scotch and Old Spice intensified, and I turned in my seat.
At first I didn’t even recognize him, and had I been single and not
pregnant, I was sure I’d curse Jess for spotting him first. The
lifted lip, high cheeks, and hair tossed to the side like he’d just
roamed his fingers through it were only the beginning. Tristan wore
blue jeans, slightly ripped at his thighs to expose enough of his
leg muscle that I could imagine them flex as he held me up. The top
three buttons of his white shirt were open, its sleeves short
enough to show that dangerous thorn tattoo leaking inked blood. My
stomach tightened. I’d hardly recognized him, and I still felt the
drool collect in my mouth. Tristan looked hotter than any time I’d
seen him. He strolled between the crowd like the god of all things
sexy and hot, seemingly to be moving in slow motion. The crowd
parted for him like the Red Sea had for Moses. Every single woman’s
head turned to follow his confidant and panty-dropping walk. Even
some men couldn’t help but stare.

“Hello,
ladies,” he purred.

Some giggled,
others replied with a shy “Hi.” A few girls who were not in our
group just happened to join us like they somehow belonged.

I couldn’t get
a word out. First, because seeing him here like this, the father of
my child, was beyond dreamlike. I felt like I was just seeing him
for the first time. No matter when I looked at him, though, Tristan
Cross became hotter than a burning skillet. Jess was at his arm in
an instant, claiming him with her fingers, digging into his arm
like she wouldn’t let him go, ever.

Tristan gently
removed her slithering hands and kissed the top like a gentleman,
then looked to the group, saying, “And what is the top class of a
beauty school drinking tonight?”

“Is he for
real?” Tessa, our other friend, leaned into me.

“Holy shit,” I
heard Laura gasp, and I guessed she’d just recognized Tristan as
well.

“I’m not sure
that’s on the menu,” he grinned, turning to the bar. “Bartender’s
Wet Dream for the girls, please.”

Jess was back
on his arm. “Dance with me and I’ll make your wet dream come
true.”

Lame,
I
thought, hoping I could come up with a witty one-liner, one that
would scream
get your fucking claws off my man.
But of
course my mouth was still not cooperating, and thankfully my
Tristan put Jess in her place before she shoved her hands down his
pants. In all truthfulness I couldn’t blame her. I wanted to grasp
what I already knew was hiding under that zipper myself. And as
forward as she was, she’d never behave that way if she knew I’d
claimed him.

“With all due
respect, I’m already spoken for.”

For a moment
Jess’s confusion was worthy of an Oscar. Pride swelled in my chest
and I felt my boobs instantly lift in my tight corset.

But Tristan’s
class was higher than those trained at Academy for Sexy Hunks and
Gentlemen. He leaned closer to Jess’s ear and I heard him whisper,
“But the bartender has had his eye on you all night.”