London Bound: New Adult Romance (Chase Brothers) (26 page)

Gemma shrugged, and her brightness suddenly turned somber. “Not sure. She’s fully out of the closet. Her parents, her friends, her colleagues. I’m so fully in the closet that I’ve got a Blahnik shoved up my ass. It’s taking a toll, and I’m not sure how long I can keep it casual.” She smoothed a hand over her hair. “What about your Yank? What’s happening with you two?”

He wasn’t sure how to answer. He wanted to keep Abbie to himself for just a little bit longer. “I’m not sure yet.”

“Be careful there. She makes you happy, so I’m happy for you, but it’s already complicated, and it pays to be careful.”

He knew what Gemma was trying to tell him. He just didn’t particularly feel like listening. He hadn’t been this happy in ages and he didn’t want anything dampening the euphoria. Even if it was temporary. “I am being careful. You do what you need to do and we’ll figure it out.” He didn’t want to push her too much.

Impatiently, he scanned the crowd. Apparently kink didn’t scare off the young, elite, and rich. The usual crowd he’d see at China White were all here trying too hard not to look desperately bored. Through the crowd, he spotted a flashbulb go off, and he stiffened.

Calm down, mate.
Of course the club had hired photographers for the event. But he eyed the shutterbug again. Slight build. Dirty blond hair gelled up into spikes. Lex could have sworn he’d seen him before. The hairs on the back of his next stood at attention, but he couldn’t place the guy. He needed to calm down. The hiring staff would only hire reputable photographers. They knew that Nick and his friends required the utmost privacy. They wouldn’t hire anyone who had ever worked with the tabloids. But still, Lex couldn’t shake the feeling he’d seen the guy before. Maybe he was one of Xander’s students?

“Speaking of complications…” he muttered. He couldn’t have missed Abbie’s entrance with her friends, if he’d been trying.

Sophie squealed, and immediately a flock of women swarmed the models. One of the guys put his arm around Abbie, and Lex had the irrational urge to throw something. She’d texted to let him know she was coming. He’d been nearly humming and vibrating from the anticipation.

As always, she looked stunning. She’d worn her braids piled on top of her head in some kind of bun, with long dangling earrings showing off her slender neck.

Gemma glanced toward the entrance. “Given the electric sparks between you two across a room, I see where you’ve been spending all of your time lately.”

“Leave it, Gem.”

“Just saying be careful, is all.” She gathered up her purse. “I think I’ll go see what Nick’s up to.”

Lex didn’t even see which way she went, his attention was so focused on Abbie. And as if she felt his eyes on her, she immediately looked up.

When their gazes locked, need chased the elation through his veins. He’d only seen her yesterday, but any time he spent away from her felt like eons. But not like he could really complain. She’d had work to do for his brother. He tried not to think about what Xander had said about her. It didn’t matter what Xander thought. He couldn’t stop seeing her.

She climbed the stairs, her soft skirt swishing against her legs as she did. When she reached the landing, she fixed him with a smile. “Fancy meeting you here.” She looked around surreptitiously. “In a sex club.”

“Oh, is it a sex club? I hadn’t noticed.” He grinned. “Nick’s idea.”

“Ahh, he didn’t really strike me as the whips and chains kind of guy.” She shrugged.

For several moments, they stood facing each other, neither moving, forcing anyone who wanted access to the stairs to go around them. Finally, he angled his body a little closer to her to ask, “It’s one of his dad’s clubs. Do you want to go somewhere a little more private…to talk?”

Her eyes flashed. “Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Talking seems like a really good idea, actually.”

He took her hand and led her through the throngs of the VIP section, past the dominatrix with her victim for the night, and past the sex viewing rooms. She held on tight to him as they passed.

“Are they having…”

“Yeah.” As much as he wanted to be with her, he hated having her here in the midst of all the kink that was going on. “Maybe we should leave the club?”

“I—No. It’s okay. We came as a group for Jasper’s gig tonight. Apparently there’s some big promoter here. Jasper’s hoping to get some representation tonight. We’re sort of supporting him. Everyone would notice if I left.”

“Right.”
Jasper
. Jasper might be his friend, but jealousy ate at him. He wanted her there to support him. Of course, he’d have to tell her something real about himself first. He found the private rooms, then after looking around to make sure no one paid them any attention, he dragged her inside. Dim red light illuminated the comfortable-looking couch and bed. Her eyes widened as she glanced around. “This is…cozy.”

He kissed her softly, and for a moment, all the tension ebbed out of his body. “I just wanted to be alone with you for two minutes before things get crazy out there and we don’t have a minute to talk all night.”

“No. It’s fine.” She placed a hand on his chest, and his heart hammered. “I’d rather get a minute with you, even if in a sex room. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

They’d spent a lot of time together over the last week, but they hadn’t been
alone
. Always out in public. Even the photo lab had been occupied when he’d gone to help her. The one night they’d made a date for her to go to his place, she’d had to do some school work for Xander and rescheduled. The prick of guilt stung as he thought of how badly her critique had gone. No matter what he said, he felt partly responsible for dragging her to that party.

“Okay, talk.” He kissed the crook of her neck and inhaled. Her perfume mixed with her unique scent drove him a little crazy. Making his head swim.

“Alexi, I can’t—” She moaned when he licked her. “Think when you’re doing that.”

“Okay, sorry.” He drew back. “What’s up?”

She blinked up at him and inhaled deeply. “I’m starting to worry we’re moving a little fast here.”

He stilled.
What?
“I don’t understand.”

“Have you noticed we’ve been spending every minute we can together?”

Something ominous and slimy squirmed in his gut. “I thought that was a good thing.”

“It is. And with you, I feel, well, it’s obvious how I can’t even breathe when I’m around you. But I feel like my focus is suffering.”

He swallowed hard. She was trying to leave him. “Are you calling this off?”

She frowned. “What? No. God, no! I’m so shit with this kind of thing. I just need to pay a little more attention to school and the apprentice position. Curtail seeing you to maybe once or twice a week. Let’s face it, I’m running out of reasons to why I’ve been out all day. And our friends are going to start to notice.”

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Maybe just pull back a little. I don’t want to give up how you make me feel. I love this feeling, but I came to London for a reason. And if I don’t focus on it, I’m going to miss the opportunity.”

Relief washed over him like a wave. As did panic. He was totally fucked. He was completely in love with her, and she was asking to pull back. Problem was, he’d give her whatever she wanted just to spend
some
time with her.
Any
time with her.

He kissed her forehead. “Whatever you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
Sap
.

Her brows furrowed. “You’re okay with this?”

“Of course.” He pulled her in and kissed her because he couldn’t bear not to. His tongue slid over hers in the familiar pattern, and his blood thickened. She responded by winding her hands into his hair and tugging him close. He’d been half hard from the moment she walked into the club, but now his erection throbbed insistently behind the fly of his jeans.

As his hands slipped under her shimmery top to feel the satin-smooth skin beneath, Abbie moaned into his mouth. His thumbs traced each rib, and she melted against him. Her breath caught when her belly came into contact with the thick length of him.

Fuck
. Lex’s body kept screaming that there was a bed right here and she clearly wanted him. But they didn’t have time for this. Their friends would miss them.

Very deliberately, he placed his hands on her hips. He held her tight for several seconds, wanting to drag her closer and grind his dick into her to show her how much he wanted her. To hint that he knew just what that bed was for and had an idea where all the sex toys might be. Instead, he set her a foot away from him and his stiff erection.

They both dragged in gulps of air. Her eyes were cloudy and hooded as she blinked up at him. “Wh-why’d you stop?”

Lex tried desperately to clear his brain of lust and think clearly. “What?”

“Don’t stop.” She took a step toward him.

He stepped back. If he touched her again, he might not be able to stop himself. “Abbie, we’re not doing this here. As much as I want to be with you. I really don’t want a rushed quickie in a sex room.”

She nodded slowly and inched forward. “So, you still want me?”

He dragged his hands through his hair. “Jesus. I’m trying desperately to be the good guy. I’m trying very hard to not drag you into that bed and peel off your top to see if you’re wearing a bra over those pretty tits of yours. How can you ask if I still want you? I’ve been dreaming about you ever since last Sunday. It’s all I’ve been able to think about the last couple of weeks.”

She reached for him, unbuttoning his top button, then the next, and all the way down until his shirt hung open. When her fingertips brushed his skin, Lex squeezed his eyes shut, trying to manage the deluge of need. She was touching him like she needed him, like she would die if she didn’t have him. So what was his problem?

“Fuck it,” he muttered as he dragged her to him again, melding his lips with hers. He pushed his tongue inside her sweet warmth, desperate to taste her. Needing to know how much she wanted him.

She responded by sucking on his tongue, sliding hers so wet and so hot against his that his knees wobbled. When she pressed her body flush against his, he couldn’t think.

Lex lifted her so she straddled his hips, and he braced her against the wall. He was desperate to bury himself inside her, but he wasn’t going anywhere near that bed. She held onto his shoulders and locked her legs behind his back. Devouring her mouth, he slid his hands back up her torso until his thumbs skimmed across bare breast.

Lex dragged her mouth from hers. “Fuck, Abbie, I was kidding about the no bra thing.”

Her answering smile was feminine and powerful. “You like the look?”

“God, yes.” He hated the idea of any of the blokes she came with getting a peek down her blouse, but it was so sexy. He palmed both of her breasts, and she tossed her head back, baring her neck. Leaning over, he nipped then licked at a sensitive spot on the column of her throat before sucking on it gently, marking her as his.

His thumb and forefinger pinched her nipples, and she moaned his name while rocking her hips against him. “Lex, please…”

“I know what you need.” He placed open-mouthed kisses along her throat until he reached her lips again. He removed one hand from her breast and massaged the back of her neck as he kissed her.

He let her legs fall back to the floor and wedged a knee between her thighs. She moaned at the contact. He knew by now how close she was. Her little mewling sounds were a dead giveaway. “That’s it, Abbie. Help me make you feel good. Show me how you like it. Ride me. Move how you want.” He pinched her nipple again, and she screamed.

Lex lifted the soft material of her blouse, exposing her blackberry-tipped nipples. Unable to help himself, he lowered his head to one of the darkened buds. Right before wrapping his lips over the puckered tip, he whispered, “You are so beautiful.”

The moment he licked her, she trembled, then came apart in wild convulsions. Lex didn’t let up, sucking her nipple, drawing her in need. She rode his leg, and her thigh brushed his groin on every movement of her hips. Each movement was pure torture and he was certain he’d never sleep tonight.

“Oh, God, Lex.” Another orgasm rolled through her, and he watched in wonder. When she came, she was the picture of pure abandonment.

She laid her head against his shoulder, dragging in harsh breaths. When she finally spoke, she whispered, “One of these days, you’re going to need to let me reciprocate.”

He throbbed. He worried he might actually explode in his jeans. “It’s not about reciprocity, sweetheart. But, if you’re offering, then maybe—do you think you can come home with me? I want you to see my place.”

She brought her head back up to meet his gaze. Her fingertips brushed the length of his erection, and he nearly choked. “I want to. I’m not sure I can get away with that though. It’s sort of a girls’ night. And my class is meeting in the morning for an early shoot.”

He squeezed his eyes shut as all blood in his body flowed right out to his burning hard cock. With the last vestige of control, he nodded briskly. “Okay. But this weekend though. I want you in my bed.”

She sighed softly as he readjusted her clothes. “Done, but I’m issuing my formal protest. I don’t care where we are.”

“I do.” He forced himself away from her. “Let’s go back to your friends before one of them comes looking for you.”