Rotten (17 page)

I was surprised he didn’t ask me to open my eyes, but at the same time, every sense was recording the experience even more intensely, forcing me to keep them shut. He leaned in on his forearms, nearly crushing me against the wall as my fingers traced every muscle along his upper body.

Holding my hand out expectantly, my voice was barely above a whisper. “I need more soap, please.”

The fruity body wash pooled in my palms before I lathered up and coated his stomach and hips.

“Trade me places. Turn around and face the wall.”

I expected some bad joke to come out of his mouth, but he silently guided me to the other side and braced himself against the wall. I finally allowed myself to open my eyes and had to keep myself from gasping too loudly as well as giggling a little from the severe tan line across his back where his shorts rested and his ass was lily white. His skin was perfectly smooth with only a small dusting of hair across the base of his spine. My hands prickled against his short haircut as I struggled to reach the top of his head to shampoo it. He really didn’t need it, but I wanted to return the favor.

I wasn’t as agile as he was, and my size worked against me, but I did the best I could and he didn’t complain. His knees buckled slightly when he felt my breasts press against his back while I washed his shoulders. Rinsing off his head, I knew what I was about to do next would cross the boundary, but I couldn’t resist.

Scooping a little more soap off of his back, I reached around and lightly wrapped my hand around his hard cock and pulled gently. Threading my fingers towards the head, I let it slip between my palms before circling and tightening slightly. His large hand covered mine and directed me on how firmly to hold and how fast to go. Using my other hand to cleanse his sack, I tugged slightly while increasing my speed and pressure. I felt every muscle in his back tense and flex against my chest. His breathing grew heavy as he came closer to his release. Squeezing my hand almost painfully around his rigid shaft, I felt it grow a little more just before swelling at the base and vibrating in my palm. He angled it away from his stomach and against the wall as he came hard.

His free hand grabbed my arm and pulled me closer while the other held tight to my palm, which remained gripped to his still pulsing member. In this awkward hug, my cheek rested on his back where I could feel his beating heart. He made no attempt to rush out of the shower, enjoying the euphoric moment. When he finally did turn around, his hands came up to my face and held it softly, kissing my forehead and smiled.

“Unexpected, yet greatly appreciated.”

“You deserved it. I know you haven’t gotten laid since I showed up. If I am rubbing off on you, I might as well be doing it physically to keep your dick from falling off. Isn’t that what the older boys used to tell you? If you don’t use it, you lose it…”

Reaching out to grab a towel, he held it up to wrap me first. Even though I had left to stay at my daddy’s, all of the girlie stuff he bought me was still out.

“Yeah, something like that. So do I get to return the favor? Seems only fair.”

I shook my head. “No, don’t worry about it. I’m okay, but thanks.”

Before he could protest, I bolted into the bedroom and got dressed. His face held a worried expression the rest of the day, making me wonder what he was thinking. My guilty conscious started to plague me, telling me I was moving precariously close to an edge I would plunge off and never return. My heart responded.
She already has.

After a lazy day and a long visit with my daddy who was still in a coma, I told David that we were going out and that he needed to look nice, but to bring something to change into. I whispered my master plan to daddy and imagined he was thrilled we were having a night on the town. David didn’t ask any questions, and made me nearly piss myself when he came walking out in a three piece suit. It was pinstripe black and impeccably cut. He wore a light grey shirt and pewter tie made of fine silk. I wondered how often he had actually worn it since coming back to Sloan. He told me he occasionally attended fights in town or went out, but I was not sure if wearing such a striking suit was required for those things.

He gave a low whistle when I came out in a tight, navy-colored, strapless dress. For the first time in years, I felt I deserved the sign of approval. I managed to tame my hair into an elegant knot and wore only a chunky bangle that Erin had gifted me last year and a pair of glittery, peep-toe stilettos I borrowed from Jodie. I was nervous about walking on the gravel to the car and held on to David for dear life until I was safely inside. The good thing about Vegas was that it was made for high heels.

“So where to?”

With a wink I replied, “The Bellagio for starters.”

David gave me the biggest smile, peeled out of the driveway, and flew into town. Of course, the standard CD went in, and the speakers started blasting the guitar riffs loudly as the members sang crude melodies about having sex and partying hard. It humored me how seriously David took them, because the band was not serious at all.

“Man, these guys are here tonight. I have seen them a few times. If you weren’t such a tight ass, I bet you would like it.”

I snapped my head.
Oh hell no! Tight ass?

“Well, I’m sorry, but I have a nice, relaxing night planned. You can go some other time. You told me to lay off the drinking, and somehow I think I would wake up with a tattoo, wearing bad, leopard spandex after hanging out at one of those shows.”

David just pursed his lips, none too pleased with my jab at his favorite band. Little did he know what the night had in store.

I couldn’t stop from smiling to myself, knowing how surprised he would be. He didn’t like my comment very much – I could tell from the way he shifted towards the door and focused only on the road. I wanted to build this up so when it finally happened, he would be bursting with excitement. After checking into the gorgeous suite, we headed to Caesar’s Palace for our seven o’clock reservations at Guy Savoy.

Walking into the door, I was overwhelmed at how stunning the place was and felt a little out of my element, yet David waltzed right in, feeling at home. These small luxuries were not something I enjoyed often. Because I knew our dinner was gratis, the sticker shock of a ninety-dollar entrée was not too devastating.

The atmosphere caused a shift in both of us as our refinement was able to shine. Never before had we been in such a place together, although separately, time had taught us the rules of etiquette. He held the door and pulled my chair out like a gentleman, ordered for us both and cranked up the charm to calm my nerves. Here, he did not mind being recognized; in fact, he was reveling in the attention. Fingers were pointing, and hushed whispers hidden by hands, but given away by eyes, came from all around.

“I didn’t know we were putting on a show tonight. I will make sure to act extra classy so they don’t think you’re out with a hooker.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing too loudly and was grateful when the first course was placed in front of us. Although the night started out light and effervescent, it became more serious as we approached off-limit topics. How the setting fostered the environment was strange, yet it was ripe for confession.

“She cheated on me while I was overseas. I was having a hard time and being an ass like always. Things were rough between us when I left, and it just compounded. I could never do anything right, and she was always spending my money – that’s all she cared about. The worst part was I saw forever, and boom, like that it was over.”

I felt my heart being ripped out as he bared his. I had shared my struggles with David candidly, but he had never brought up
her
before. I knew there were some public fights they had gotten into, and being David, there was always a camera nearby. He was vilified, and his role as an enforcer on the ice followed him off the ice as well, only to compound the stress.

“Hey, I bet I know something that will turn that frown upside down and restore your hope in things that have vaginas again.” Smiling slightly, his eyes followed my hands as they reached into my clutch and pulled out the two VIP passes on black lanyards and handed them over.

“No fucking way! How did you do this?” David nearly flipped the table over and disturbed the entire restaurant in that moment. Like a bull in a china shop, he was ready to go right then. I was glad I saved them for the right time, and it was perfect.

“You can thank Travis for them; I remembered meeting him in the club and called one of his restaurants to connect to him. He was ecstatic to help; he said you’re hands down one of the best guys he knows, and he’s been looking for a way to return the favor, whatever that meant.”

He continued to shake his head in disbelief. As we finished dinner and walked out the door, David grabbed my waist with one arm and held me behind my head with the other while he kissed me passionately right on the strip. Surrounded by people, suddenly nothing existed as all the air left my lungs, and I fell into space. His tongue urgently pried my lips apart and began to devour every part of me. Women dream of being kissed like this. I never thought it was real – just something written in romance books. His lips were full and soft, pressing firmly into mine, consuming me almost painfully. Any wall I had built up against him now rested as dust beneath my feet. A knot formed in my throat at the thought.
He’s going to destroy me.

After pulling away from the kiss, he nearly ripped my arm out of the socket, pulling me towards the taxi that whisked us off to our next stop. Touching my bruised lips, he leaned over and lightly kissed me once again before whispering, “You are amazing. You know that, right?”

I did not take compliments well, so I smiled back and tried my best to hide the tears that wanted to burst forth.

I cannot do this, what was I thinking? Nothing good can come of this. I am only setting myself up to be devastated, perhaps even worse than before. One night, I can have one night. If that is all the happiness I ever get for the rest of my life, it might be tonight. Fuck!

“Let’s do this, fucking Steel Panther!”

His fist pumped in the air as the cab pulled up in front of the House of Blues. I scooted to the edge near the curb and took David’s hand to help me step out. We looked out of place among the crowd of rockers, bikers and groupies, but I was definitely more comfortable here. Although I couldn’t hear anything during the two hour show since we were so close to the stage, I loved watching David have such a good time. He was so into it and connected to the moment. Afterwards, the band recognized him and came over, greeting him with man hugs and handshakes. I received a few raised brows and smiles once David walked away from me, as well as unwelcome propositions. I stayed seated where I was with my beer, letting him enjoy his time before I realized an hour had passed and he was nowhere in sight. Rather than looking for him, I decided to head back to the hotel.

I packed my bathing suit, dying for a dip in a pool. With the weather growing even hotter during the day, I wished for one almost hourly. Padding down to the surprisingly empty pool, I had left a note for David and swam a few laps before a handsome, older man came near the water, pacing back and forth, holding a drink of some sort as he talked angrily on his phone. Not seeing me resting on the edge, he went on in what sounded like Italian for quite some time. It made me curious what someone could possibly be so upset about on a Saturday night in Vegas, but then again, it was none of my business. He sat down on a lounge chair a few feet away from me before becoming startled, realizing I was there.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He took a long sip of his drink before smacking his lips and pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “There are many things in this world to be afraid of, and you, my darling, are most certainly not one of them.”

I tilted my head and looked at him curiously. He seemed far away and rattled. His foot bounced as nervous energy appeared to radiate out of him. His accent was clear and sultry. He had thick, black hair with a slight wave that fell perfectly into place no matter how many times he ran his fingers through it. I could tell he was wealthy from the watch on his wrist and immaculate shoes. He wore a tie loose over his white button-down Oxford. I guessed him to be early to mid-forties. He was not wearing a ring, but I knew that didn’t mean anything.