Wicked Innocence (13 page)

Sax

“Where are we going?” she asked curiously.

I smiled as she glanced out the window of the cab, taking in the atmosphere. I slid my arm around her shoulder and kissed her. My lips pressed against hers and she smiled, her cheeks flushed.

“You’ll see,” I replied, wiggling my eyebrows. “You were fantastic up there tonight. Did I tell you that already?”

“Only about a hundred times,” she giggled.

I chuckled, her happiness infectious. Whatever had been bothering her earlier seemed to have disappeared. “Here we go,” I said.

She looked over to where I was looking and gasped. “Holy shit,
that’s
where we’re staying?”

“That’s it,” I grinned. It did look pretty spectacular. And at more than the other four rooms for the guys combined, it would fucking have to be. The cab pulled over and I waited while she climbed out, and then followed her.

“This must have cost you a fortune,” she muttered as I lifted our bags out of the trunk. “Seriously, I thought where the guys are staying was nice, but this? Holy shit.”

I grinned. “Wait till you see inside.”

She followed me through the revolving door, her mouth open. The lobby was pure magic—huge chandeliers, brass and crystal. The place screamed elegance. I strode over to the reception counter and smiled at the woman.

“Welcome to the Palazzo,” she smiled.

“Thanks. I have a reservation in one of your deluxe spa suites on a high floor.”

“And your name, sir?” she asked, tapping at her computer.

“Saxon Waite,” I replied smoothly.

Her eyes widened with recognition. I heard Micah chuckle next to me.

“Mr. Waite, it’s a pleasure to have you at our hotel,” she gushed. “I’m going to upgrade you to our presidential suite, which is located on the top floor. Philippe will assist you with your luggage.” She pushed a key across the counter. “If there is anything else we can help you with, just let us know.”

“Thanks, Mandy,” I said, winking at her. Her blue eyes widened and her hand flew to her nametag. I chuckled and picked up the key, slipping it into the pocket of my jeans.

Philippe took our luggage and followed us to the elevator.

Micah smirked at me. “You love it when the girls throw themselves at you, don’t you?”

“She hardly threw herself at me,” I retorted.

Micah snorted. “Come on. She was ready to jump that counter and mount you.”

“Well, too bad for her the only person I’m interested in mounting is about to step into this elevator,” I mumbled. I grabbed her hands and tugged her closer to me.

“I hope you don’t mean Philippe,” she whispered and I laughed.

“What do you think?” I muttered, kissing her. Philippe shifted uncomfortably next to us. “Sorry,” I said to him.

He smiled and shook his head. “Nothing to apologize for, sir. I’ve seen many things working in this hotel.”

I raised an eyebrow. Philippe had to be in his late sixties. I bet he had quite a few stories to tell.

The elevator doors opened and Philippe ushered us out. I let out a low whistle, taking in the impressive view. Wow. Why had it taken me until now to stay in this kind of luxury?

“God, Sax, it’s beautiful,” gushed Micah.

I slipped Philippe a tip and nodded at him, then followed Micah over to the window. We were on the top floor, overlooking almost all of Vegas. At this time of night, the light show was simply amazing—much like the beauty standing in front of me.

I smiled and slipped my arm around her waist. “It is,” I agreed, “But I’d rather be staring at you all night.”

“Very smooth, Mr. Waite. Does that line work often?” she asked.

“I don’t need lines, Micah. Women just fall into bed with me,” I teased.

She laughed and pushed away from me. “If that’s your seduction technique, I think you need to work on it,” she smirked. I chuckled and watched her walk across the room and into the bathroom. “Oh my God. You have to see the size of this hot tub,” she squealed.

I strode over and walked into the oversized, Italian marble bathroom. The spa sat in the center of the room. It was closer to a small pool in size, with steps leading up to it. Blood red rose petals floated on the surface of the steaming water.

“Nice,” I muttered, nodding my head. “Can I interest you in a nice warm bath?” I mumbled, tugging at her skirt.

Without waiting for her to answer, I kneeled in front of her, running my hands up her smooth legs. She smiled as my fingers dipped under her skirt, curling around the band of her panties.

“What are you doing?” She smiled as I slowly slid them down her legs.

“What does it look like?” I smirked. “Lift,” I ordered, nodding at her foot. She did, letting the white, lacy fabric slide onto the floor. “Move your legs apart,” I said, letting my hand slide up the inside of her thigh. “Wider.”

She did, leaning on the edge of the bath to support herself. Her eyes closed as my hand rested between her legs. With a single finger, I traced along the entrance of her pussy. She whimpered, lifting herself up onto her toes.

“Do you like it when I touch you?” I whispered. “Or do you prefer it when I lick you?” I lifted her skirt, holding it against her stomach as I pulled her against me.

She gasped as my tongue licked her smooth, wet entrance. “Holy shit,” she panted. One hand remained on the edge of the bath, the other moving to my shoulder as she struggled to keep her balance. “Oh my God…”

“Now take your top off for me.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, annoyed that I had stopped. I smirked as one by one she undid the buttons on her shirt. She pushed her shoulders back, letting the silky soft material float down her arms. With one hand, I unclipped her bra and tossed it over my shoulder.

With my head bowed between her legs again, I kissed her lips, my tongue teasing as I tasted her sweetness. I ran my hands up over her stomach and massaged her breasts, teasing her nipples until they stood erect.

“You didn’t answer me,” I said, kissing her slowly. “Tongue.” I plunged my tongue inside her wetness.
God, she is so incredibly soft.
“Or fingers.” Moving to my feet, I thrust two fingers inside of her.

She gasped as I crushed her mouth against mine, my tongue wrapping around hers.

“Can you taste how fucking sweet you are?” I growled.

She gripped hold of my wrist, thrusting my fingers deeper inside of her. I chuckled, exploring her nakedness with my free hand.

“My God, I’m so close,” she panted as my mouth found it’s way to her nipple. I sucked gently, twirling my tongue around it as her fingers gripped the back of my head. Her body clenched as she let out a cry, her leg dropping to the floor. She pressed her thighs together, locking my fingers inside of her as she gently rode them.

I kissed her neck, bringing her mouth up to mine. She smiled, her body relaxing as she slumped against me. Chuckling, I lifted her into the bath, lowering her into the perfectly hot water.

“God, that’s perfect,” she mumbled.

I laughed. “Ah the beauty of temperature-controlled baths,” I teased. I leaned over and kissed her smiling lips. “Soak for as long as you like. I’ll be waiting.”

I looked up and grinned. She stood in the doorway, her wet body wrapped in a thick, white robe. I put away my laptop and motioned for her to join me on the bed.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“Much. I could’ve stayed in there all night,” she grinned. “I’d kill for a bath like that.”

I chuckled, watching her as she slipped out of the robe and under the covers. My cock twitched. God, even the thought of her got me excited. She glanced down and laughed, catching sight of my erection. Not that I was doing too much to hide it. I was naked, except for the thin sheet that was covering me.

“Should I apologize for the fact that I find you attractive?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

She shook her head. Lifting the sheet, she moved one leg over me so she was straddling me. My erection pressed against her pussy, begging for some relief. What was she doing to me?

With a sneaky smile, she reached down, her fingers curling around the base of my shaft. I groaned as she began to ride me, the feeling of her pussy rubbing against my erection almost too much.

“There is a condom on the nightstand,” I mumbled.

“Presumptuous much?” she teased, reaching for the packet. She opened it, rolled it on, and then positioned herself over me.

I groaned, my length driving inside of her. I grabbed her hips and rolled her over until I was on top. Pushing one leg to the side, I thrust deep inside of her as she groaned.

“You’re so beautiful,” I mumbled, my mouth finding hers. I pressed my forehead against hers, not breaking my rhythm. I groaned as blood pulsated through me, pooling in my cock. With my hand on her thigh, my body began to clench. Oh God, I was about to explode.

“God yes,” I growled, releasing, riding her as the feeling of pure ecstasy ravished me. I pulled out, rolling onto my side.

She snuggled into my arms as I kissed her neck. Everything about her was amazing. The great sex—well, that was just a bonus.

The fact that I could barely think about anything but her told me I was falling hard. It was a feeling I wasn’t used to. Saxon Waite didn’t do love and romance.

At least I hadn’t until her.

Micah

I sighed and rummaged for my phone, not lifting my head from under my pillow. I’d been awake for hours, but it was so freaking cold that I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed.

We’d gotten back home late the night before, and while it was good to be sleeping in my own bed again, I was already missing Sax.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” Sax laughed. “Your voice sounds muffled.”

“I’m in bed,” I admitted. I rolled over, clutching the phone to my ear. “And you’re not here to keep me warm, so I have to make do with my electric blanket.”

He laughed. “That’s the only reason you miss me, huh?”

“At the moment, it’s up there,” I grumbled. “Does this call have a purpose?”

He chuckled again. “You’re feisty when you’re cold and tired. Stace actually wanted me to call you. She wants to know if you’re free for lunch.”

“With her?” I asked, surprised.

“No, with Johnny Depp. Of course with her.”

Damn, are you sure Johnny can’t make it? I’d gladly brave the cold for that lunch date,” I giggled.

“What yourself,” he grumbled. “ I can be a jealous, jealous man. No way am I letting you have lunch with any other guy. So, can I tell her yes?”

“Sure. I can meet her at your place at twelve.”

“Then you better hurry up, because it’s five to,” he responded.

Shit. It was that late?

“Okay, make it one then.”

“One? Come on, I spent two weeks living with you. I know how long it takes you to get ready,” he smirked.

“Fine,” I said, gritting my teeth. “Two. Is two okay with you?”

“Perfect,” he chuckled.

***

I arrived at Sax’s place just after two. The whole drive over I was cursing him for being right. It did take me ages to get ready. The worst part was I had no idea why. I wore virtually no makeup, did almost nothing to my hair…I couldn’t figure out where the time went.

Sax met me at the door. He kissed me, his eyes twinkling. “Don’t get up to too much trouble. And don’t listen to half of what she says about me. It’s all lies.”

“That’s why I agreed to this,” I giggled. “To see what kind of dirt I can dig up on you.”

“Oh God,” he groaned. “She’s inside. I’ll see you later, okay?”

I nodded and watched him jog down to his car.

“Micah!”

I laughed as Stace enveloped me in a hug.

“I’m so glad we’re doing this. I really liked meeting you the other day.”

“Me too,” I smiled. I shoved my hands in my pockets, wishing I didn’t feel so awkward. Stace was one of those people you couldn’t help but like. She reminded me a lot of Dee, in a way. “So, where are we going?”

“Do you like sushi? I know this great little place downtown. Come on, I’ll drive.” She grabbed her purse and we walked out to her car. “Glad to be back home?” she asked, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“Yes and no,” I admitted. “I already miss it.”

“The performing, or spending all your time with my brother?” she teased.

I blushed. “Probably a little of both.”

“Ah, I’m so happy for you guys. He deserves to have something go right for once. He’s been through a lot, you know.”

I nodded. “He and Harry don’t get along, do they? The tension between those two is palpable.”

“Yep. They’ve always been like that. As kids they were super competitive. Everything was an opportunity to outdo the other.” She looked at me and smiled. “Do you have any siblings?” she asked.

I shook my head. “I had a brother who died when I was younger.”

“Oh God, I’m so sorry. Fuck. Me and my stupid mouth,” she muttered.

“You didn’t know,” I smiled. “I don’t have much in the way of family. I see how close you and Sax are and I get envious.”

“Were you and your brother close?” she asked.

“Yes. We had the usual brother/sister fights, but I loved him more than anything.”

“I can’t imagine losing Sax,” she muttered, shaking her head.

My heart raced as I forced a smile.

Neither can I.

Lunch with Stace had been great. By the time we got back to Sax’s, I felt like we’d known each other for years. She was one of the funniest, nicest people I’d ever met, and so much of what she did and said reminded me of him.

We parted ways out front, agreeing that we needed to get together again soon. She didn’t come inside, claiming she had to get to work, but I got the feeling she wanted to give us some time alone.

Sax was waiting for me at the door, a lazy smile on his sexy face. I loved that he still made my heart jump every time I saw him. I loved that I couldn’t think straight when I was around him.

“I like your sister a lot,” I admitted as he put his arm around me.

He chuckled as he closed the door. “I had a feeling you two would get along well. She’s great. We’ve always been close. I know a lot of siblings don’t have that connection, so I feel lucky that we do, you know?”

I nodded as we sat down on the sofa. I rested my head on his shoulder.

I did know. More than he realized.

“That’s great,” I said sincerely. Pete and I’d had that same connection, which probably had a lot to do with being left to fend for ourselves so often.

“Are you okay? You look kind of sad.” He lifted his arm and motioned for me to snuggle into him. I did, enjoying the feel of his warm embrace.

“Yeah, I … just hearing you talk about Stace makes me think of my family.”

“I’m sorry, M. I didn’t even think.”

“No, don’t be sorry. I love that you guys are so close. Especially with the issues you have with your dad. Did you always have a difficult relationship with him, or did that start after the accident?” I truly was interested—but a part of me was desperate to steer the conversation away from myself.

“It got worse after the accident.” He sighed and rested his head against the back of the chair. “Stace wasn’t the only one in the car that day. My cousin Kara was in there too. She was left paralyzed because of the accident.”

“Oh no,” I said. That must have been awful for him—and her, of course—but I knew him well enough to know he would be reliving that night every single day.

“Yep. She’s the same age as Stace. Eighteen. She was a state level basketball player with a huge future ahead of her. And because of my stupidity, her whole life was ruined.”

“Is she Harry’s sister?” I asked carefully.

He smiled and nodded. “Harry and I were never that close, but after the accident things got worse, quickly. Kara has moved on. She’s forgiven me for what happened. It seems the only people who haven’t are my father and Harry.”

“Wow, I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you,” I mumbled.

I did understand, though. My mind drifted to Pete. I knew better than anyone how powerful an emotion guilt was.

“I can’t change what happened. All I can do is make myself a better person. I never want to be responsible for hurting anyone ever again.”

He had completely opened up to me. He had exposed himself in the most intimate way, leaving himself vulnerable and at my mercy. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for me to do the same.

The words formed on my lips, but I couldn’t work up the courage to push them out. I hadn’t felt so worthless since Pete had died. Here was this amazing man, with one of the sweetest souls I’d ever stumbled across, and I was going to hurt him. I had the chance to be honest, and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it because I didn’t want to lose him.

I was a selfish, heartless person who didn’t deserve this man.