Beyond the Velvet Rope (24 page)

She turned slightly, allowing Thandie to view her profile. Thandie recognized her. It was the same woman from Warren’s party, the beautiful dark-haired woman who’d left with Elliot. Who was she? Thandie turned to ask Adam, but he was gone.

Turning back to Elliot, Thandie saw him whisper something in the woman’s ear. The closeness of their bodies looked intimate, and natural. Just as the first time she’d seen them together, Thandie knew this was different from the empty flirtations he usually showered on women visiting the club.

This was personal.

A burst of ridiculous jealousy assailed Thandie. She couldn’t explain it, but it was there all the same. While she was still replaying images of their kiss on the boat, Elliot was back to playing musical beds. Thandie turned her back on Elliot and the mystery woman. As she made her way back to the VIP area, she vowed she would not make the mistake of being lured by Elliot again.

* * *

Thandie staggered into Elliot’s home late. It was five minutes until six o’clock in the morning.

Ruark had been a handful. Even with the dancers to keep him company, he was ever aware of her presence. Even though he had five Babylon dancers on his arm, he still tried to persuade Thandie to join them in his hotel suite. She’d firmly refused, then wished the drunken crowd farewell.

It had been a nightmare, but in the end she had succeeded in creating press for the club and that was all that mattered. She would have to call later this morning to ensure the newspapers mentioned Ruark’s appearance.

She managed to muster enough energy to take a shower and brush her teeth. She looked at the dresser clock and figured she had seven hours before she would have to begin making calls. She set the alarm on her cell phone before easing herself into bed. As soon as she slid beneath the sheets, drowsiness overwhelmed her. She fell asleep soon after.

* * *

What seemed the next moment, Thandie awoke with a jerk. A sheen of sweat covered her, and she felt like she was burning up.

She pulled the sheets away, welcoming the cool air that the overhead fan offered. But it wasn’t enough. Swinging her feet to the floor, she went to the window. Pushing open the plantation shutters, she sighed with relief as a gust of cool air rolled in from the ocean. Her skin cooled immediately, but the relief was momentary.

She pressed her hand to her forehead. It felt clammy, yet her forearms were covered in goose bumps. Feeling her breath quicken, she forced herself to take inhale deeply. The temperature of the room had nothing to do with her discomfort. She was hyperventilating.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she mumbled,
calm down.
She whispered the words over and over until her breathing returned to its normal pace. She sighed deeply, feeling control over her nerves once again. It had been weeks since she’d had a panic attack. They’d only occurred when she was under tremendous stress. Until now, she’d believed she’d had everything under control for the Babylon events. So why was she reacting like this? Had she forgotten something important? Was this her subconscious warning her that something was wrong?

Fear assailed her. She jumped up to search for her binder. For a brief second, she couldn’t find it, but she finally spotted the black monogrammed binder on the dresser. She tore it open and flipped through the pages, scanning quickly over her event plans, agent correspondences, receipts and handwritten notes. At first glance, it all appeared to be in order. Determined that there was an unchecked issue, she went back over her notes. She studied every document, memorizing them. Again, nothing looked wrong.

Convinced she was losing her mind, Thandie snapped the binder shut and pushed it away.
Calm down. Calm down
. She closed her eyes and tried to force herself to continue breathing slowly. Thinking of party plans all day was beginning to overwhelm her. She had to get out of this room.

Quickly pulling off her clothes, she grabbed a swimsuit. It was a bright yellow bikini with a provocative cut. The top bralette could better be called pasties. It offered just enough fabric to cover her nipples. She would have never mustered enough courage to wear the bikini in public. She could scarcely believe she’d even packed it. But she quickly shrugged off her modesty. It wasn’t as though anyone would see her.

Grabbing a towel from the adjoining bath, Thandie padded barefoot toward the indoor pool. The house was silent. No doubt Raja and Len were asleep, worn out from another heavy night of partying. Elliot wasn’t expected home for another few hours. She would have the pool all to herself.

She was grateful for the solitude. She was in no condition to chat. A late-night swim would distract her from the constant planning and, with luck, tire her out.

Thandie opened the heavy oak door that led to the pool. The room was dimly lit. Moonlight filtered in from the oversize widows, reflecting off the water and bathing the room in shimmering crystals. Someone had turned on the pool lights, causing the water to glow with a soft pale blue.

Thandie unwrapped the towel from around her body, tossed it onto a nearby chaise, and dove into the deep end of the pool. After a few seconds, her head broke the surface of the water. She filled her lungs with air, and savored the weightless sensation of floating. The water temperature wasn’t nearly as cold as she’d expected. Dipping her head below the surface, Thandie swam to the opposite end.

Just as she reached the pool’s edge, she was brought up short by a hard wall of flesh. Frightened, she screamed. Forgetting to keep herself afloat, her head went under. She fought to swim, but the sudden shock made her gasp for air while still submerged. Water shot up her nose, and panicked, she flailed her arms, splashing water in every direction.

Without warning, a pair of strong arms encircled her, bringing her up against a muscled chest. Blinking away droplets of water, and coughing, Thandie focused on the handsome face of Elliot Richards.

He grinned down at her. “Hello, pussycat.”

For a moment, she was speechless. He was so handsome, she felt frozen. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead. His long, wet eyelashes shaded those glowing silver eyes which had the power to pierce her soul with a simple glance.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped.

“Where else would I be?” Elliot’s gray eyes danced with humor. “This is my home.”

“You know what I meant.” She tried to push away from him, but his hold was firm. “Shouldn’t you be closing the club?”

“I left early.”

Thandie pushed against him again, and this time he released her. Putting a little space between them, she asked, “Okay, well—why are you in here?”

“I could ask you the same question. Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Elliot gave her a devilish grin. “I have an idea of how to wear you out.”

“Does it amuse you to talk to me like that?”

“Immensely.”

“You have a poor sense of humor.”

“I was about to say the same to you.”

“I’m leaving.”

“You just got here.” His eyes turned a dangerous shade of gray. “And I believe you and I have some unfinished business.”

“About that—”

“I’ve decided I’m going to make you beg for it,” he said conversationally. His gaze skimmed over her. “By the by, I love your bikini. It’s very stimulating.” As if to prove his point, she could feel him grow hard against her.

Thandie gasped. “You aren’t wearing any clothes.”

Elliot flashed her that bedazzling smile of his. “You’re very perceptive.” He moved closer. “Does it give you any ideas?”

“The only idea that comes to mind would involve a great deal of pain for you.” She underlined her meaning by raising her knee just below his groin.

“You’re a very naughty girl,” he said.

“You could say I’ve learned to adapt to my surroundings.”

He tsked. “You’re no fun, pussycat. I mean only to bring you great pleasure.” He tilted his head to the side, in a thoughtful gesture. “And myself as well, of course.” Moving even closer, he brushed a lock of wet hair off her shoulder. “Where is your actor friend?”

She slapped his hand away. “How should I know?”

Elliot lifted his eyebrow. “He isn’t waiting for you in your room?”

Thandie lifted her chin. “Regardless of the answer, it would be none of your business.”

He grinned at her. “I beg to differ.” He moved forward, slowly inching her closer to the pool’s edge. “He was quite taken with you, wasn’t he? Did you oblige him tonight?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think you know damn well what I mean.”

Thandie looked away. “My personal life is none of your concern, Elliot. Besides, I don’t see why it would interest you.” An image of the lovely dark-haired woman flashed before her eyes. “Don’t you have a pretty bed partner waiting for you?”

His brows rose in question.

“Oh, never mind,” she muttered in disgust. “Just stay out of my personal business. My affairs have nothing to do with you.”

“What if I wished to change that?” Elliot inched closer, invading her personal space. He leaned down to kiss her just below her earlobe. His chuckled when he felt her shiver from his touch. “Tell me, Thandie, were you as hot for him as you are for me?” He nuzzled her ear with the tip of his nose. “Did you ache to have him deep inside you, the way you ache for me?” He nipped at her shoulder with his teeth. “Did you give in to him as passionately as you will for me?”

“Elliot—” she said in a shaky breath, unable to think straight with him so close.

“Tell me, Thandie, did you come as loudly and as hard for him as you will for me?” The question lacked the soft pander his earlier quips had possessed. His voice now held an icy edge to it. “Tell me everything you let him do to you.”

“Nothing,” she gasped. “We did nothing.”

“No?”

“No,” she breathed.

His grip on her tightened. “Tell me the truth.”

“I am,” she panted. “We did nothing.” She licked her lips. “Elliot, please.” Her voice sounded distant to her own ears. Her frail plea for him was the last thing she heard before his mouth came down on hers. Her lips gave way under the pressure.

She closed her eyes and let herself be carried away on a cloud of reckless desire. She could feel his cock grow hard against her. She stepped forward to feel his throbbing heat. He groaned at her touch and pulled her against his naked chest. His hands ran along the sides of her legs, caressing her buttocks and thighs. It wasn’t the same as when Ruark had touched her. Elliot wasn’t groping her as if she was simply flesh. No. He worshipped her with his touch, acquainting his body with hers. If this was anything like how he was with his other women, she now sympathized with them.

He was worth chasing after. He was worth begging for.

He pulled her closer, deepening his kiss. Thandie moaned, enjoying the feel of his muscular body against her. Reaching around her, he effortlessly pulled the strings that held her bikini top together. The action was quick and expertly engineered. The sound of her top splashing against the water resonated in her ears and then disappeared into nothing. She could think of little else but Elliot and sensation of her bare breasts against the smooth surface of his chest.

With a strength she didn’t know she had, Thandie managed to wedge her hands against him and push him away. They fell apart easily. Too easily. Horrified, she realized it was not he who held her prisoner, it was she who’d been holding him. She’d been hanging on to him for dear life.

A blush rushed to her cheeks, setting her face aflame. She could feel his gaze on her, intense as ever. She was too embarrassed to look at him. Too frightened at her own reaction when they were this close. And then he took the choice out of her hands. Using his thumb and forefinger, he took hold of her chin, and lifted her face so that her gaze met his. His eyes were the color of smoke. Thandie knew then she was hooked.

Fearful of where this was surely headed, she backed away from him. “Well,” she said nervously, “I guess I’ll be going back to my room—” She attempted to move away from him, but he placed his hands on the pool’s ledge, imprisoning her between his arms.

“And what should I do in the meantime?” he asked.

They both looked down at his engorged cock.

“Umm,” Thandie appeared to give the question serious consideration. “I suppose you could take care of that yourself.”

“You’re suggesting I masturbate?” Elliot smirked. “I haven’t done that since—perhaps high school.” His eyes suddenly turned dark. “Let’s see if I still have the hang of it.”

Elliot pressed her back against the cool surface of the pool wall, trapping her there with his broad form. Lifting her legs, he wrapped them around his waist. Thandie struggled to move away, but she had no leverage. Using his height to his advantage, he’d purposely moved them to a location where her toes could not touch bottom.

With nowhere to swim, she was forced to either grab hold of his shoulders or reach high above her to clutch the edge of the pool. Touching Elliot was a last alternative, but the smooth stone surface of the ledge was slick with water and slippery.

Feeling herself sinking, she clasped her hands onto Elliot’s strong shoulders. She was helpless. Trapped. And he knew it.

Thandie watched in horror as he grinned down at her, satisfied with the turn of events. He reached down between them and took hold of his cock. Pressing the tip of the head against the crotch of her bikini bottoms, he stroked himself. With every thrust of his hand, the head of his cock rubbed intimately against her. Only the thin material of her swimsuit was preventing them from having sex.

She watched his facial features become serious with passionate concentration. He pressed his cheek alongside hers as he pressed forward. His free hand pressed against her lower back, preventing her from moving away.

His hand worked swiftly, stroking his shaft while his head prodded her. The water swished around them, moving to his rhythm. His breath became harder with every thrust of his hand. Unable to keep a good grip on him with the constant movement, Thandie wrapped her arms around his neck, uncertain if she was pulling herself closer or pushing him away. The feel of Elliot’s bare skin against hers was sinfully irresistible. She could no longer deny her desire to feel him plunge deep inside her.