Dirty Little Lies (3 page)

“Because I’ve been there.”

“Been where?” I ask, my body blazing at the intensity of
his gaze.

“Where you are. Feeling unwanted, unworthy, frustrated. Not
to mention horny as hell.”

I go still, his words coursing through every part of my
body. My mouth goes dry, nipples tighten, sparks fly down my spine, moisture
pools between my legs, and bam!

Is there such thing as spontaneous orgasm?
Because if there is, I think I just had one.

Once I recover, I’m adamant not to let him embarrass me.
Confident and assertive, that’s what I am now.

In a bold move, I glance under the table. There’s no
denying what I see, his arousal strains behind the zipper of his pants. It’s a
sight that ignites every fiber of my being. Still, I try to play it off when I
look up.

 “No,” I say. “I think you have me confused with yourself,
Gabe.”

“Really?” he growls, before swiftly clamping his hand down
on my thigh.

I lose the act immediately, and my eyelids flutter closed
as his hand moves upward, tracing the hem of my dress.

“Let’s see about that, shall we?” Gabe asks, inching his
hand up farther. “I wouldn’t play this game with me. Because you will lose
every time. I’m not good with boundaries.”

I like the sound of that.

“Okay, okay,” I say, reluctantly pulling his hand away.

Gabe makes a few
adjustments
,
and we each go
back to our drinks.

Once the air is no longer crackling with our sexual
tension, Gabe asks, “Are you better now?”

I nod in reply, still trying to cool myself off.

“What’s your last name?” I ask in a desperate move to
change the subject.

“Shannon,” he says, playing along.

“Gabe Shannon,” I repeat, refusing to look away from his perfectly
disheveled face and unable to help wondering what the scruff would feel like
brushing up against my thigh.  

“And yours?” he asks.

“Sinclair.”

“Mmm. Stevie Sinclair. Yes, I think I will help you with
your list, Ms. Sinclair.” He traces a finger along my hand. “In fact, I don’t
think there’s anything I’d enjoy more.”

Gabe takes the paper from my
hand, studying it. He then grabs my notebook and starts a new list. “So what is
the timeline for this little operation of yours?” he asks.

“I want to be finished with my list by this weekend,” I
tell him. “Max will be home by then.”

Gabe shakes his head. “No, that’s not enough time.”

“Well, I don’t have a lot of options. I only have enough
points to cover this place until Sunday.”

“Stevie, listen to me. If you want to take back control,
Max needs to miss you, want you.  And you have a lot of work to do to get to
the end of this list.”

“What do you mean? I only have a few things left. And I’m a
quick study.”

 “Well, I think it’s time to find out.”

“What do you mean?” I can almost hear the air crackle
again.

Gabe tells our server to put my drinks on his bill and then
whispers to me, “What’s your room number?”

Oh wow, he’s serious. He’s going to help me work off my
list. I tell him my room number, and he says he’ll meet me up there in five.

I leave first. Strangely excited and giddy with
anticipation, I nearly run to the elevator.

As promised, Gabe’s there seconds after I reach my door. Still,
I’m a little unsettled by his secrecy. Why couldn’t he walk me out of the bar?

 “So, what’s with the covert meeting?” I ask. “Don’t want
to ruin your rep downstairs?”

“Something like that,” he says.

I slowly start to lose my resolve after his comment; he’s
so cavalier about it, too. I can’t help the tears that prick my eyes. My
emotions are right on my sleeve, and I feel like I could break at any time.

“Shit.” He grabs my key, slides it in the lock, and leads
me inside. “It’s not what you think. I work here, Stevie.”

“Oh,” I say, relieved, but still confused. “So you just
stick around after work, drinking in the lobby and picking up random women?”

“Why are you so quick to think the worst and dismiss
yourself?” he asks, taking my hand and pulling me over to the sitting area in
my hotel room.

“Look, I know I’m not exactly the sexy fling most guys are
looking for. I usually get them with my personality, so I could understand if
you wanted to keep things hush-hush.”

“That really pisses me off,” Gabe says, working his jaw. “I
manage this place, Stevie. And I don’t usually pick up random women. One of my
meetings canceled, and I’m sorry, but I couldn’t take my eyes off you when you
walked in tonight. Now, before I track down your ex and make him pay for making
you feel so insecure, can we please just focus on your list?”

“Okay,” I tell him.

“Good. Now, here, see this last item?” He points to the
line marked:
Have a Sexual Adventure.
“This is where I can help.”

Oh wow. Wow, wow, wow.

“You need to expand it though, get detailed, figure out
what you want you’ve always wanted to do but have never had the guts to go
through with. Something you were too scared to ask your lame ex for.”

“Why?” I ask, trying to hide the panic in my voice as the
mood grows intense again.

“Because that is the one part of your entire list that has
the power, that can make any real change in your life. You want control, power,
a second chance with your ex? Options, as you put it? Then you need to learn
how to make
having a sexual adventure
part of your everyday life. Not
just because you were dumped and need to get your mojo back.”

 “And you’re volunteering for the job?”

 “I would, gladly.” He tips his head toward mine. “But I
won’t know for sure until I know what’s in your head.”  

If I’m being honest, I have thought about this. All the
things I’ve wanted to do, but never had the guts to talk to Max about.

 “I have some ideas,” I tell him, breathless as is body
moves closer to mine.

“Here.” He hands me the pen. “Write them down.”

This has to be the craziest thing I’ve ever done. I have a
stranger in my hotel room, discussing sexual fantasies and how to get my ex
back. Yet, I can’t second-guess it; I am assertive and confident. I look the
part. I can even flirt, when pressed. I’m not stopping now. And for some
reason, I feel safe with Gabe.

“First, though,” he says, leaning in and invading my senses
again with his spicy scent. “We need to get something out of the way.” He tips
his head. “I mean if you’re going to tell me your inner most sexual thoughts.”
His breath tickles my lips. “We should know each other a little better.”

Gabe brushes his bottom lip across mine, and my eyes roll
to the back of my head. Then, he runs his tongue across the seam of my lips. I breathe
him in, getting high on his scent. His arm pulls me to him, and his hand clamps
on the back of my head, holding me in place.

Gabe is forceful. Confident. Incredibly sexy. As I sink
into the kiss, my mind goes to all sorts of dirty places. My body is more alive
than it’s ever been, feeling his every movement. If he can do this to me with a
kiss, what can those lips (and other parts) do to me in other places? I say a
silent prayer of thanks to
Cosmo
for showing me the way. This list is
taking me to places I never thought possible.  

After what seems like hours, he pulls away. My skin
sizzles, on fire, and the throbbing between my legs is almost unbearable.

Gabe taps on my notebook, pulling me back to the real
world. I take the pen and run it across the paper. I have no trouble filling
the page.

“Hand it over,” Gabe says when
I finish writing. His voice is low and throaty and I so want to get started
right now.  

He swipes the notebook from my hands, turns around, and
reads.

“Hmmm,” he says.

“What? What?” I anxiously badger.

“Interesting,” he continues.

I look over his shoulder to see which activity he’s
referring to, but he holds me at an arm’s length.

“Wait.” He slaps my grabbing hands.

And that gives me a zing to my core I wasn’t expecting. I
take a breath and lean back against the couch. He makes me wait it out another
minute, before turning around with a wide grin stretched across his face.

“Now this is a list
I can work with,” he says,
taking my hand.

“Yeah?” I ask.

“Oh yeah.”  

Gabe pulls me up and brings me over to the bed without
another word.

He helps me to lie down, and I comply without a thought—anxiously
waiting for his next move. In this moment, I’d gladly check off every one of
the things on my list with him. Every. Last. One.

“Ready to begin?” he asks.

“I think so,” I tell him honestly. I so want to do this,
but I can’t deny the fluttering of nerves in my belly.

 “Take off your clothes, Stevie,” Gabe says, pulling no
punches. His eyes already stripping me bare.

I don’t protest or question; I simply clear my head and
follow his command. It’s the only way I can do it. To get control, I need to
give up control. My body shudders as I release the tie on my wrap dress. I
slowly open it, feeling his eyes on me. He makes no effort to hide his perusal
as I slip out of the dress and let it pool on the floor.

Standing there in my underwear, I let him drink me
in—hoping he’s pleased, hoping I look as sexy as I feel. I’m wearing my black
lace demi bra and panties, but the way my nipples are peaked at the moment,
they could break through the lace at any time. Goosebumps run up the length of
my body when I hear his loud intake of breath.

“So beautiful,” he says before pulling back the covers and
propping up the pillows. “Now lay down on the bed.”

I brush past him, desperate for his touch on my body, but
he makes no move. I slip into bed the most elegant way I can, enjoying the way
he watches me.

“Close your eyes,” Gabe says. His deep voice does nothing
to help the straining lace situation.

I lean back and close them, but hear him moving around the
other side of the room. Then, something light falls on the bed next to me. I’m
disappointed it’s not him.

“Where are you?” I ask, my voice shaky, unable to hide my
nerves. “I’m not sure how I’m going to get anything out of this with you way
over there.”

I hear the door open and close. My eyes pop open. Then my
phone rings, displaying the name: Gabe Shannon.

“What’s going on?” I ask him, afraid of what he’s going to
say and feeling the beginnings of rejection starting to kick in. “Why’d you
leave?

“Don’t worry, Stevie,” he says, which instantly calms me.
“I’m right here.”

“I don’t get it.”

“We’re starting our sexual adventure,” he says.

Mmmm. He has an amazing phone voice.

 “With what?” I ask.

“With words, Stevie.”

My stomach flips so many times, it’s the Olympics of
stomach flips. I’m sure mine gets the gold.

 Then he continues, “I’m going to show you how I can make a
woman come without even touching her.”

Oh my fucking God.
There
went the lace.

“Where are you?” I ask, missing him already.

“Right outside your door,” he says. His voice might be even
sexier on the phone. “Don’t worry, you are going to enjoy every second of this.
Are you ready?”

“Yes,” I tell him, leaning back on the pile of pillows.

I am confident and sexy.

 I repeat my mantra over and over.

“You look gorgeous in that black lace bra and those tiny panties.”

Gabe’s words make me feel gorgeous.

“Thank you,” I tell him in a soft voice.

“But you know what? I think what’s underneath is even more
beautiful.”

My body is buzzing. Who knew words could be just a turn on?

“Show me,” he demands.

 “Okay,” I say, prepared to shed the rest of my clothes on
his order. “What would you like to see first?”

He blows a gush of air into the phone. I warm with pride,
knowing he’s feeling this, too.

“Take your bra off, baby,” he says.

“Done,” I tell him after undoing the front clip and sliding
it down my shoulders.

“Damn, I knew your breasts would be amazing. I could tell
in your dress tonight. I’m picturing them in my mind right now. Touch them with
me.”

My hands float up to my breasts, my fingertips ghosting
over the tight peaks.

“Feel your soft skin,” he says almost reverently. “Pull on
your tight nipples.”

I follow each command, first touching, then grasping the
hard nubs between my thumb and forefinger. All the while, I’m pretending it’s
Gabe.

“I need more, Stevie. I need to kiss and lick and suck on
those perfect fucking tits of yours.”

I gasp without meaning to. Even pre-Max, no man has talked
to me like this. What he can do to me with his dirty words. I arch my back and
push my breasts into my own touch, imagining his hot, wet mouth on me. And with
each pull of my nipple, I feel an echo of pleasure deep in my core. Soon my sex
begins to clench, aching for release.

“That’s it,” he says. “Feel my tongue glide along your skin
as I suck you into my mouth. Do you like that?”

“Mmmm,” I groan. It’s all I can get out.

“I knew you would.” I hear the smile in his deep, raspy voice.
“Now take a pillow and put it under your bottom.”

“What?” I ask, confused where he’s going with this.

“Just do it,” he growls. “It’s going to make everything
feel better.”

I follow his instructions.

“Put me on speaker, baby. You’ll need both hands for this
next part.”

Ah, the pulsing between by legs is agonizing. I hit the
button on my phone, set it to the side, close my eyes, and listen for his next
order.  

“I’m sliding down your body now, are you still with me?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“I’m trailing kisses along your silky skin as I work my way
down your belly. Follow me with your hands, Stevie.”

My hands obey, gliding along my stomach.

“Are your panties off yet?”

“Yes,” I tell him, pushing them down and kicking them off
in record time.

“Good, this is the part I’ve been waiting for.”

“Why?” I ask, wanting to prolong this moment as my body
hums in excitement.

“Because I’ve wanted to get my head between your legs all
night. Spread your thighs for me so I can have a look.”

Sweet baby Jesus.

My legs instantly fall open, exposing my most private
parts, and I swear I feel his eyes on me.

“Wider,” he says in a low whisper.

I do as he asks, feeling completely in his control and out
of my mind in ecstasy. 

“I need to touch you. Bring your hand down here with me.”

“Ah,” I whimper, letting my fingers run along my slick
folds before settling on my clit with lazy circular strokes.

“Christ, you are so wet. Do you feel it, all that heat?”

“Gabe,” I groan.

 “No, baby.” He chuckles. “Not yet. Let me taste you
first.”

My hands continue to move between my legs, and I begin the
climb, unable to stop.

“You are so sweet,” Gabe purrs. “I could stay here all day.
Your pussy makes me so hard, Stevie. I don’t want to stop.”

“Don’t stop,” I mumble, hoping he understands my incoherent
babble. “Don’t stop.”

I’m hovering over the edge, ready to fall.

“I need to go deeper. Follow me now.”

I take my other hand and move two fingers inside at the
very next moment. My inner walls tighten around my fingers as stroke in and out
of my tight channel. Slowly, I enjoy each delicious pump.

“Gabe,” I yell, unaware of my surroundings—unaware of
anything but his voice and my hands.

“Yes, I’m here. My tongue is pushing inside you. Move with
me.”

My body begins bucking against my hand, all the while I
pretend it’s him.

“I’m going to fuck you, Stevie. Open wider for me.”

I spread my legs farther apart, feeling his weight on me, pushing
inside.

“You feel so fucking amazing. So tight and hot for me. I
don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t stop.”

“Harder,” I tell him, not recognizing my own voice.

“Okay, baby. You asked for it. I’m rocking into you so hard
it hurts. You’re clenching that tight pussy around me, so close. But don’t come.
Not yet. Not until I say when.”

I’m crazed now, feeling him push inside. Rough, hard. My
ragged breaths join Gabe’s.

“Now, baby. Right now. Come for me.”

And that’s all it takes. I push down on my clit and curl my
fingers inside, before exploding in a mass of white light.

***

“Stevie,” Gabe whispers in the phone sometime later. “Are
you alive?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” I mumble, still basking in the
afterglow.

His low chuckle makes me equal parts happy and hot. I have
a feeling this man could be very addictive.

“Get some rest, sweetheart. I have a big day planned for
you tomorrow.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, your list. Remember?”

“Oh yeah?”

“Are you still game?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“I was hoping so, I have a place I want to take you.”

“What kind of place?” I ask, enjoying my descent back to Earth.

“A place that’s perfect for a sexual adventure.”

“Oh no,” I giggle. “Not a frat house.”

“Good one, but no.”

“A BDSM compound?” I ask, somewhat jokingly.

“Try again.”

Whew.

“Strip club?” I guess again.

“Well, it is a club of sorts.”

“And that’s all you’ll tell me?”

“Yes, for now. We’ll talk more in the morning. Good night,
Stevie.”

“Aren’t you going to come in here and kiss me goodnight?” I
so want to get my hands on him.

“And ruin the mystery of the night? No way. But can I tell
you one more thing before you doze?”

“Sure,” I say, disappointed he’s not coming in.

“Max is a fucking idiot.”