Rumor Has It (Limelight) (22 page)

He gave me an indulgent smile. “Of course. Come on.” He stood up and put his hand out for me to take. I did and we made our way slowly through the crush of the crowd to the dance floor. We made a little spot for ourselves near the edge.

I began dancing and Mason came up behind me with his hands on my waist. Deshawn had joined us and as Amber flitted by the dance floor he grabbed her by the waist and forced her in front of him in a similar position to what Mason and I were in. She looked startled at first, but then relaxed into Deshawn, seemingly having as much fun as I was.

As the Rhianna song ended another one took its place. This one had a slightly slower beat and more sensual feel. Mason’s heat penetrated through the thin fabric at my back. His hand moved from my hip to wrap around me and he palmed my waist and pushed me harder into him. I felt the evidence of his arousal on my lower back and it served to feed my own fire.

I leaned back into him and moved an arm up to wrap around his neck and pulled his head down. His heated breath was warm on the side of my face. His teeth lightly bit down on my earlobe and I groaned and closed my eyes, concentrating only on the sensation. I had no idea if he could hear me or not over the music. Probably not, but he seemed to be able to tell how he affected me because he did it again.

Our hips swiveled back and forth to the music coursing around us and I became less and less aware of our surroundings. People were all around us but I couldn’t have cared less. It might as well have been only the two of us alone in an empty club. Mason kissed my neck slowly. Small kisses at first that deepened to swipes of his tongue and gentle bites. I groaned and ground myself against him. His hands moved along the sides of my body and across my rib cage, brushing the undersides of my breasts to continue down the centre of my stomach.

My breathing was fast and shallow; my body was humming and Mason was the maestro. I turned in his arms and our lips met with fire and passion. He devoured me right there on the dance floor for all to see. It might have been the alcohol, but more likely it was just the effect being in Mason’s presence had on me because my self-consciousness had disappeared.

I was feeling like a temptress for the first time in my life. It was powerful knowing the effect I had on Mason. It felt like forever since Mason and I had first been together in Virginia and I was ready for it to happen again. I wanted to be the aggressor tonight. I had my opportunity moments later when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

It was Amber. “I’m headed downstairs to perform. By the looks of you two I’m not sure how long you’ll be sticking around so I wanted to say goodbye.”

She leaned in and gave me a hug, which I warmly reciprocated. She’d been nothing like I’d thought she’d be. I’d pictured a pampered prima donna but I couldn’t have met anyone sweeter or more down-to-earth.

“Thanks for everything, Amber.”

“Don’t mention it.” She looked from me to Mason. “You take care of this one. I’m pretty sure they don’t come around too often. Especially in our line of work.”

Mason smiled and winked at her before she flitted off toward the stairs.

I looked around and Deshawn was nowhere in sight so I turned back to face Mason and pressed my body to his, wrapping my arms around his neck. “So, what do you think? You ready to head back to the hotel?” I said into his ear and flicked it with my tongue for good measure.

He gave me a quick deep kiss and then pulled back. “Don’t have to ask me twice.”

I took his hand and led him to where I remembered the stairs to be. As I walked in front of him I may have sashayed my hips a little more than normal because of the sexual abandon I was feeling, but who’s to say?

We were halfway down the staircase when I was blinded by the flashbulbs.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

It was like rapid fire lightning with no break in between. I stumbled on the stair a bit when I brought my hands up to cover my eyes from the assault. Mason grabbed my upper arm from behind and steadied me.

“For fuck’s sake. Where are the security guards?” He kept his hand wrapped around my arm and led me the rest of the way down the stairs. He must have spotted our car; when we got off the stairs he headed right for it at as fast a pace we could muster with a crowd of paparazzi swarming us like piranhas feasting on prey.

The photographers all shouted out at the same time. It was difficult to hear exactly what they were saying but I was able to make out a few “is this your new girlfriend?” and “how long do you think she’ll stick around?” directed at Mason.

“Just ignore the leeches,” Mason said into my ear. “You’re doing great.”

Thank God he was taller than most of them; I hadn’t the faintest idea of where we needed to go. Finally they parted in front of us and we came to the black limo. Mason reached in front of me and opened the door, helping me quickly inside. He followed me in and slammed the door shut just as one of the photographers attempted to put his camera in through the door to snap a shot off.

“Get us out of here,” Mason yelled up to the driver. He closed the privacy wall then angled his body to face mine.

“Are you okay?” There was deep concern etched over all his features. His eyebrows were drawn, his normally bright and sparkling eyes were clouded.

I looked at him unable to speak. Was I okay? I’d gone from a sexual high to complete shock in a matter of seconds. It was overwhelming to have a mass of people converge on you out of nowhere, but right then all I wanted was to continue the amazing night I was having with him—not worry what might have been and what was to come. Especially since I had no control over either.

“I’m sorry, Ellie. I don’t know where the bouncer—”

I pressed my lips to his to cut him off. It was avoidance, and I was normally a person that liked to deal with things head on but at that moment it suited me fine.

Mason followed my lead, placing both hands on either side of my face as our tongues tangled. I let out a small moan as the adrenaline in my system dissipated in favor of lust. My skin tingled, hungry for the feel of Mason’s touch all over my body.

He moved a hand to my lower back and pushed against me to get me to lie down on the seat but I still wanted control. I wanted to do what I’d been I’d aching for since the night we’d gotten back from Texas—make him lose his mind the way he made me lose mine on the edge of the pool. I wanted no barriers between us. No celebrity and average girl. No rich and middle class. No man and woman. Just two bodies, two souls delighting in each other above all else.

I pulled my lips away from his and pushed his shoulders back against the seat while I slipped down on to my knees in front of him. Desire-laden green eyes stared down at me while I loosened his belt and pulled the zipper down.

He scrubbed his face with his hands and reached up to press a button beside the window.

A voice came through the speaker. “Yes, sir.”

“Keep driving until I tell you to head back to the hotel.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mason brought his hand to my cheek and stroked it, saying nothing.

I reached my hand in through the hole in his boxers to release him. His shaft was rigid in my hand and sprang out of his pants at the first opportunity. That thing knew how to make an entrance. I licked my lips and began stroking up and down his length slowly. I planned to draw this out.

“Jesus,” he said on a large exhale of breath and closed his eyes.

I leaned down and put him in my mouth, running my tongue in slow circles around the tip of him, then sucked him further in. He placed one hand on top of my head and gripped my hair, the other gripped the edge of the black leather seat.

I moved my mouth back up the length of him sucking in still and circled his tip again when I reached the top. I repeated this process over and over, sucking him fully into me until he breached the back of my throat and then up again, hollowing my cheeks and sucking in. His hand on my head began guiding my ministrations exerting slight pressure. I increased my pace until I was wildly bobbing up and down on his shaft. Mason’s panting was shallow. He moaned and cursed under his breath.

I felt his cock twitch in my mouth and harden further, which I hadn’t thought was possible. I groaned myself when he was at the back of my throat, knowing the vibrations might send him over the edge when suddenly his hands were latched around my arms pulling me up from his lap.

“Christ, Ellie. You’re going to be the death of me…you’re too much.”

I tried to move back down but his arms held me in place. “What are you doing?” I asked huskily.

“I want inside you. Now.”

He’d get no argument from me. I was as worked up as he was. I shimmied my skirt up my thighs, which wasn’t easy given how snug it was.

“Damn. You weren’t wearing underwear all night?” Mason asked and rubbed his hand along the top of his head. Underwear hadn’t been an option with how fitted the dress had been. No girl wants panty lines. “If I’d known that we
wouldn’t
have left the hotel room.”

He pushed himself off the seat a bit and reached into his back pocket for his wallet, pulling out a condom. I grabbed it from him, opened and rolled it down his thick length.

I straddled his lap and our eyes locked but I couldn’t keep mine open as I settled myself fully on top of him. I was still for a moment, reveling in the feel of him. Finally I began moving up and down, my movements slow and languid at first. Mason’s hands came to rest on my body; one at the nape of my neck, the other gripping my waist. I moved faster and with more force, pushing him deep inside as I came down on top of him with full force. Eventually both hands gripped my waist and the only sound that filled the limo was our heavy breathing, intermittent moaning, and the sound of my ass hitting his pelvis.

I could tell he was close. I wanted to watch him climax, wanted to see the look in his eyes when I took it from him. He brought a hand to my core and circled my clit with his thumb. It was all I needed to bring me flailing over the edge. I called out his name as he did the same, finishing with a few last jerks of his pelvis.

I brought my forehead to his. I’m not sure how long we sat there, trying to catch our breath, but it felt like an eternity. Eventually our breathing returned to normal and I moved onto the seat beside him. Mason helped get my dress back down, then disposed of the condom in the garbage.

He brought me into an embrace, squeezing me tight. “You’re incredible.” It was muffled since he was speaking into my neck but I could make it out. He leaned away and instructed the driver to return us to the hotel.

I wrapped myself around him and struggled to stay awake in my post-coital bliss. I must have dozed off because Mason was shaking me gently, trying to get me to wake up. I yawned and smiled up at him thinking it didn’t get much better than this. No matter what happened I would never regret our time together. It was something I’d hold dear in my heart always.

As it turns out, the old adage “never say never” exists for a reason.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

I awoke in bed naked with covers wrapped around half my body and Mason wrapped around the other half. We’d continued our adult wrestling match in the hotel room after we’d arrived.

“Good morning,” Mason murmured into my hair as he snuggled me from behind.

“Mmm.” My body was sore and achy from the night before but in the best way. I’d missed this since he’d had to leave Virginia Beach.

“You know we’re going to have to talk about what happened last night,” he said in serious tone.

“I rocked your world, that’s what happened,” I said cheekily.

“I meant the bad part, not the best part.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said as innocently as I could muster. Mason turned me around to face him as we lay in the bed, his green eyes boring into mine.

“The paparazzi took our photos,” he said in a quiet voice.

I didn’t want to talk about this. I’d managed to avoid the conversation the night before but I wasn’t going to be able to avoid it any longer. I didn’t want things to change. I wanted the two of us to exist in the little bubble we’d created for ourselves in Virginia Beach without the interference of fans, photographers and public opinion. I let out a heavy sigh. “I know.”

“Those photos are going to get out. I’m not gonna be able to stop it from happening again.” I nodded my head. “Say something. Tell me how you’re feeling.”

I sat up and pulled the bed sheet up around me. “I don’t really know what I’m feeling. I knew it was going to happen eventually if we kept spending time together.”

“Knowing it and living it are going to be two different things.”

I looked down and fiddled with the sheet, not knowing what to say to that. “It’s just…”

“What, Ellie? It’s just what?” I could tell he was getting frustrated that I wasn’t being forthcoming but his hand came to my cheek and stroked it delicately anyway.

“After having such a great time with you this weekend it’s hard to be upset about it. It seems worth it if I get to be with you.” I said the last part quietly. This was the first time we’d come close to discussing our feelings for each other. I knew mine had grown stronger for him. I also knew there was nowhere for this to go. He’d be traveling the world again soon and I’d be stuck in Virginia Beach.