Stella in Stilettos (13 page)

“Sorry we’re late, hon. I thought I’d be clever and take a shortcut. All I managed to do though was land us smack dab into backed-up traffic. Must’ve been an accident or something around Third and Broad Streets.”

Stella was blown away. She smiled with complete affection; to her surprise, it wasn’t an act. “No worries. We haven’t been here long.”

A curl fell across her cheek and Alex tucked it behind her ear. He was about to say something, but Jace coughed to nab their attention.

“So you’re the new man in Stella’s life.” He held his hand out to shake Alex’s. “I’m Jace.”

Alex didn’t rush to divulge his name or acknowledge the gesture. “Yes,” he finally said. “Stella’s my woman.”

Stella widened her eyes. Trish crossed hers.

Jace nodded to Stella. “You’ve got a treasure there.”

A treasure?
Stella eyed her ex suspiciously and waited for the slam she knew would come.

Alex clasped her hand under the table and kneaded the top of it with his thumb. He looked at Stella instead of Jace. “I certainly do.”

This was all for show, but his words warmed and calmed Stella.

Jace wasn’t about to let her stay calm. He patted Alex on the shoulder. “I messed up when I let her go.” He raised both brows. “I didn’t realize what I had. She was a little inhibited, and like a fool, I went looking for someone who was open to anything. If you know what I mean.”

Stella was instantly mortified and wished a sinkhole would open up and swallow her. She ventured a shocked look at Trish, who was also stunned by the brainless statement. Everyone knew inhibited meant uptight in bed.

Salty tears burned the back of her eyes.
Do not cry. Do not cry.
She had to repeat that over and over to hold off the tears.

“Inhibited? Are you sure you’re talking about my Stella?” Alex laughed maniacally.

Trish followed his lead. So did Steve. They hooted like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard.

Stella still wanted to cry, but from joy. Alex, Steve and Trish had her back. They were shoring her up and it was the most wonderful thing.

Alex stopped laughing long enough to gather her in his arms. “This woman’s a freak.”

Stella couldn’t believe how she went from being inhibited to a freak, but she couldn’t be happier. She dropped her eyes to her lap to get her emotions under control.
Don’t look up. Don’t look up
. If she caught Trish’s eye, the game was over.

Alex lifted her chin to make her look at him. At the same time, he brought her hand to his lips. “We try something new every day.” He turned her hand over to expose her palm. After a mischievous lift of his brow, he trailed his tongue across it.

Tingles of excitement riveted to every clothed and unclothed part of her body, and an inescapable sound of pleasure worked its way out. Stella felt lightheaded.

The ruse worked. Jace was intimidated. He talked so fast his words ran together. “It was good seeing you, Stella. I have to go.”

He was long gone before Stella came down to earth.

Trish put her hand up to give Stella a high-five. “That moan was priceless.”

That moan was real
. Stella closed her eyes for a second to stabilize. Running into her ex had been a test. She failed parts of it, others she passed with flying colors – like knowing for certain she was completely over him. “Thanks, guys.” She put her hand over her heart. “I don’t know how to repay you.”

“We have a debt settlement all worked out,” Trish said excitedly. She turned to Steve. “By the way, I’m Trish.”

Steve perked with amusement. “Steve Benson.”

Stella looked from Trish to Steve to Alex, and offered a grin. “What are the terms of the agreement?”

Trish winked at Alex. “Could you fellas give us a minute?” She waited until they were at the bar before she leaned across the table. “Here’s the gist of it. We’re hanging out with these stud muffins for awhile.”

It sounded too simple, and easily payable. “That’s it?”

“Yep. You aren’t exactly cozy with Alex, but I had to make a decision. Put up with Jace or put up with Alex.”

“You did good, Trish. Thank you.”

“And damn, Stella. Steve Benson is a hunk.” Trish made a sizzling sound.

Stella turned to see where the guys were. “Be careful, Trish. He’s nice, but he’s also a big flirt. A real womanizer.”

“You’re preaching to the choir, honey. We’d be perfect for each other.” Trish almost fell out of the booth while surveying Steve. “Six feet of pure hotness. Did I mention blond men are the bomb?”

“Every day since kindergarten.” Stella put her hand on Trish’s. “Seriously, be careful.”

Trish sparkled with challenge. “Taming him will be fun.”

Stella giggled at Trish’s lack of fear, and turned to take a good look at Alex. He was the bomb too.

Her pulse climbed a few dreamy notches and her saliva glands kicked into high-gear. She’d been too consumed by Jace’s presence to realize Alex had a casual-look going on. He’d transformed himself from an upward-bound professional to a scrumptious bad-boy with tattered jeans and a slightly worn leather jacket. This less-than-perfect look made him look completely perfect, and Stella decided Trish wasn’t the only one who needed to be careful.

Alex and Steve returned with two drinks for each person.

“Two?” Stella asked, but then mentally thrashed herself for sounding so…inhibited.
Darn
you, Jace.

Alex gave her his full attention. “So, Stella, what brings you out on a snowy night like this?”

Stella downed a gulp of wine. “Trish and I do dinner and a movie on Tuesdays.”

Violet eyes flickered with interest. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

She nudged him with her shoulder. “Sure you will.”

Steve dinged his glass. “I have a question.”

“Uh-oh, ladies,” Alex warned. “Brace yourself.”

“No. No. It’s a serious question.” The mischief covering Steve’s face said otherwise.

Stella swept her lashes across her eyes waiting for Steve’s question. Trish propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin in her hands.

Between bursts of laughter, Steve asked, “Is Trish a freak too?”

Trish pretended to be shocked, for two seconds. She shuttered her eyes while trying to contain a smile. “As a matter of fact…I am.”

The mischief was gone and Steve’s voice sounded strange and husky. “Then I’ve been waiting for you.”

It was a great line and Trish was all smiles. She leaned into Steve and pecked him on the mouth. “I’m glad you waited.”

Trish kissed Steve right off the bat? Then again, Alex had done the same but it was to put off Jace, wasn’t it?

Steve returned Trish’s kiss.

Alex’s thigh brushed against Stella’s, and prickly warmth raced through her as if he had deliberately reached out and touched her. Her eyes shot to his and she found him staring with a roguish smile.

That grin was disturbing on so many levels. For a brief second, it made Stella want to snuggle against him. At the same time, it was powerful enough to make her want to run for cover. Surprisingly, she kept it together and returned the smile.

Alex upped his game by dropping his gaze from her eyes to her mouth and back again. The provocative gesture dizzied her senses and sent tingles of excitement racing through her. Stella tried to ignore them by watching Trish and Steve toy with each other. Steve messed with her hair. Trish ran her finger around the dial of his watch. Steve folded his drink napkin into an accordion and brushed the tip of her nose with it. Trish unbuttoned and re-buttoned the cuff of his shirt.

Alex shouldered Stella. “Would you like to help me pick out some music?”

Yes. No. Yes
. With him so close, she couldn’t think. She blinked at him with acute delight. “Sure.”

“Be right back,” he said to Steve and Trish who were practically oblivious to anything except each other.

Stella hurried toward the jukebox. She felt Alex close in. His hand found the small of her back at the same time she reached the jukebox. When she leaned forward to scan the selections, Alex leaned with her. His breath was warm and sensual against her neck. And a shiver of delight ran the length of her spine.

“Who do you like?” he asked softly.

He was referring to music, yet her thoughts went another direction.
You. I like you
. “I love everything.” That sounded silly.

“Everything?” He leaned closer until his chest practically lay across her back.

The movement went beyond intimate and it forced Stella to take a profound inhale of breath to maintain her equilibrium. Her nostrils filled with his musky scent. She closed her eyes and took another whiff. “Mmm. You smell good.”

Alex mimicked her actions and took a close-to-the-skin sniff. “So do you.”

The blood flowing through Stella’s veins became hot liquid. Oh, God! None of this was real. Any time now she would wake up.

Alex put his hands on her hips and whispered in her ear. “Help me find a song.”

Her finger trembled as she trailed it down the selections. His fingers followed and caught up with hers. Another blast of heat impaled her and she was in danger of melting right then and there.

Alex took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Stella, I’m glad we ran into each other.”

Stella lowered her eyes so he wouldn’t read how affected she was. He lifted her chin so he could see.

A slow smile took over his mouth. The blue sparkle of his eyes said he knew she was defenseless. Weak. Completely his.

Alex crushed his chest against hers, but placed a hand on her lower back to cushion her against the jukebox. His lashes fanned across his eyes. “Stella,” he said quietly.

Kiss me. Please just kiss me and get it over with.

An irritated voice behind them broke the moment. “Stop hogging the jukebox.”

Alex smiled rakishly before moving Stella to give the intruder access to the machine.

A tough-looking woman gave them a haughty-glare. Alex smoothed it over with an apology and persuasive grin. “Sorry.”

The woman’s scowl became an ear-to-ear smile. “It’s okay, sugar.”

Stella was amazed at how smooth Alex was. She’d seen it at work but it didn’t really hit home until now. Her inner-voice fired words of warning. Gah. She couldn’t deal with Alex and her subconscious, it was just too much.

 Alex led her away from the jukebox. Instead of heading back to the booth, he pressed her against the wall.

Shock spiraled through Stella. Warning sirens blared, urging her to play a little harder to get. She didn’t want to comply with the voice of reason. For once in her life she wanted to know what it felt like to be out of control, to throw caution to the wind, to be a little less…inhibited. This was beyond the scope of her willpower anyway, and the more she fought it, the more she wanted it.

Alex held her eyes until she moistened her dry lips with her tongue; then, everything just sort of happened.

He bent down, claimed her mouth for a second, before moving to her ear lobe and grazing it with his lips.

Shivers quaked through her.

Alex kissed her neck and began flicking her skin with his tongue.

The embers he’d been fanning with his eyes and now his mouth, turned into an unmanageable fire. Stella moaned, luckily the jukebox drowned her out; at least she thought so.

Alex laid his forehead on hers. “I feel the same way.” He stepped away when a barmaid came from between a set of double doors carrying a tray of food.

The small separation made reality set in. Even though the bar was dark, they were still in public doing very private things, which was totally out of character for Stella.

Alex pecked the end of her nose with a kiss. “We should probably get back.”

She managed a dazed nod.

They found Trish and Steve clinging to each other like vines on a lattice.

Alex tapped the side of the booth with his foot. “Get a room.”

The statement made them all laugh. But the reference was powerful and took Stella’s thoughts down a lusty path. She wouldn’t mind getting a room with Alex.

The barmaid brought another round of drinks. After she sashayed away, Alex grabbed Stella’s hand under the table, and kneaded her palm with his thumb. The memory of him running his tongue across it earlier elicited another moan, this one only she heard.

Alex sipped his beer without taking his eyes from her.

Stella squirmed because he was looking at her as though he knew she was completely turned on.

The owner of the bar threw a temporary bucket of water on the fire by informing them it was snowing and blowing like crazy outside. “I’m not telling you this to make you leave,” he said. “I just wanted you to be aware of it. Please. Stay as long as you like.”

Fate in the form of Mother Nature stepped in. Good thing too. Stella was so aroused, all Alex would have to do is smile and she’d probably attack him in the booth.