Not Looking for Love: Episode 7 (A New Adult Contemporary Romance Novel) (11 page)

He responds by clutching the back of my thighs and lifting me, like he read my mind. He thrusts deep into me as soon as the angle is right, and I lose it again, the bathroom turning to a melting whirl of tile and color.
 

But he's just getting started and my screams echo in the closed space as he thrusts into me, gravity pulling my body down onto his cock each time he withdraws. My orgasms hardly end before a new one begins now, until I'm struggling to hold on, my legs wrapped around his waist like a vice, my fingers clutching the top of the stall. My whole body is pure white heat, and the explosions in my belly reach all the way into my brain, until I have no idea where I am, who I am. All I know is that we're one.

I'm digging my nails into his biceps, shuddering, his cock so huge inside me there's no more room. I might just burst open, disintegrate into pure light. With a final thrust his hot sperm joins my own heat and I collapse against him, his arms the only thing holding me upright. My eyes keep fluttering closed and my throat is sore, but I want to hold on to this soft pleasure for as long as I can. I don't want to sleep.

"You OK?" he whispers, and I nod, because I think I lost my voice.

I wrap my arms around his neck while he carries me to the bed, shudder when his cock leaves my body as he lays me down. I pull him down next to me, rest my head on his chest and wrap my leg around him. Only then do I finally close my eyes. I wish he'd taken his shirt off, but it's OK. I slide my hand under it, so I can feel his heart against my fingertips, and that's the last thing I remember thinking.

When I wake up at dawn, Gail's still lying across my chest in the exact same position she fell asleep in last night. My back is stiff as a board, and I can't believe I actually slept through the whole night too.

I kiss the top of her head, then move as slowly as I can, given that my back feels like it will snap if I make just one wrong move.

She mumbles something then turns over and keeps sleeping. As soon as I regain some feeling in my back and take a piss, I no longer remember why I felt the urge to get up at all. I could just wake Gail up, and she could be a pro for me again. I can imagine the outraged look on her face if I suggested it, so I might, just to see it for real. Though I'm pretty sure we're not done discussing Amber yet.
 

I take off my shirt, and climb back into bed. It's still warm from our bodies, and I wrap my arm around her stomach, pressing my face against her back. Her hair smells of spring flowers, and her skin is softer than the gentlest breeze. I could actually just lie here, just like this for the whole day, and be perfectly happy. But…
 

She stirs as I kiss her back, moans as my lips reach her neck, the spot where her shoulder meets it. She entwines her fingers with mine over her stomach, and pushes her ass back against my cock, so I know she's awake, but just barely.

She's still wet from last night and the head of my cock slides into her easily. And honestly, I could be happy just like this too. Though maybe that's an exaggeration. I push in further, making her gasp and moan at the same time, the sound alone almost enough to make me lose it. She's clutching my hand in a death grip now, rocking her hips, and it's all the go ahead I need to thrust deeper. She gasps again, louder, and I kiss her neck as I begin to slide in and out faster, deeper. Her moans start coming faster, as do the sharp intakes of breath, so I know she’s close. Which is good, because I am too. My balls are so tight I can only last for another minute tops.
 

I extract my hand from her grasp and slide it down to her pussy, her clit like velvet against my fingers. Her moans turn to whimpers as I rub her clit while thrusting into her, and I hope she's ready because I can't hold back any longer. Her pussy clamps down on my cock almost painfully just as I come, her hand clutching mine again. I stop with my cock buried deep and ride it out, let her do the same.
 

"So how's that for professional?" she whispers once her breathing returns to normal. She turns her head to look at me as she says it, smiling, her eyes still half closed.

I stroke her clit some more, gasp as her pussy clenches down on my cock again.

"You're showing real promise, Gail," I manage, and the way my cock's growing hard again, there may be more practice in store soon. Though I'm not sure she's ready for more.

"No, stay," she says as I try to pull out of her, and I'm not about to argue.

"Greg did leave before you came after me last night, right?" she asks.

"Pros can't be prudes, Gail," I tell her, and get an outraged gasp in response.

"Did he?" she asks again, in her strictest teacher voice.

"Yes, he left," I relent, because sometimes she doesn’t get the joke when I tease her too much, and I just want to enjoy her velvety softness for now.

"Good," she whispers, and settles down closer to me. A few moments later, her even breathing fills the room, and it's enough to put me to sleep too.

The phone ringing wakes Gail too, before I can extricate myself from her to answer it.

"Who is that?" she mutters and I just shrug, not about to mention Mike right now, silencing the ringer as I walk to the living room.

"Yeah?" I say, stopping myself just in time from barking ‘What?’

"Vlado's getting all paranoid. He wants another meeting today," Mike says without pausing for breath. "Just us two, at noon. Are you ready?"

"What time is it?" I ask, pain shooting through my chest. Maybe it's just Mike panicking though. Maybe there's nothing to worry about.
 

"Ten thirty."

"Should we even go?" I ask and sit down on the couch, leaning my head against my palm.
 

"We have to go," Mike snarls, his tone screaming 'you fucking coward' even if he's not actually saying it.
 

"I'll meet you there, I guess," I say, managing to at least get my voice back under control, if not my fear.

"No, I'll pick you up in half an hour," Mike says and hangs up.

Gail's standing in the entrance to the living room wearing my shirt, her eyes wide and her mouth open. Her face seems to be screaming in fear, or maybe that's just me.

"I have to go out," I whisper and walk past her to the bathroom. I can't let her see my hands shaking, can't have her know things could go real bad today. Maybe a cold shower will help, maybe there's nothing to worry about at all. But why just Mike and me? It's been weeks since Vlado invited me over for drinks, I suddenly realize. Does he suspect me?

Gail's blowing on a steaming cup of coffee when I join her again, pointing to another one on the table. "I made you a coffee."

My heart might explode if I have caffeine right now, but I can't decline.

"When will you be back?" she asks and her eyes are screaming 'Don't go!' but at least she's not saying it, which makes it easier.

"In a couple of hours," I say. "Don't worry."

My voice actually cracks when I say it. She sets her cup down hard, spilling half of the coffee over the table, and rushes me, wrapping her arms around my waist hard.

"If I ask you to stay, will you?" she mutters into my chest.

I peel her arms away and kiss her, because I can't speak, I can't think, all I can do is be with her right now. Because later is not actually guaranteed.

"I'll be back soon," I manage to say with more conviction after I break the kiss. Conviction she gives me, because she's here and putting up with all my shit. And I'll do everything I can to make it worth it for her.
 

She nods and lets me go.
 

I try to think of absolutely nothing but her lips over mine, her skin pressed against me, my cock buried deep inside her. But it's no good. Denial never worked well for me. The warehouse is where Vlado tortures and kills people. If he wanted to talk we'd be meeting at his apartment, not there. Mike sounded scared too on the phone. So I really don't know why we're both not running. Maybe Mike has a plan. He's always known how to cover his own ass. I'm hoping he's doing that now too. Because if not, this could well be my last day.
 

I go downstairs to meet him fifteen minutes early, because I don't want Gail to see me thinking all this.

Greg was hinting at something last night, mentioning Vlado's not a huge fan of Mike's anymore. But I was too preoccupied with Gail rushing off to the bedroom on the verge of tears to really pay attention. But I think I know Greg well enough that he'd tell me straight out if there was something to worry about. Which he didn't. In the end it was him who suggested I just go after Gail, saying something like, you don't really fall in love twice, but I'm not sure I heard him correctly.

Is this it? Do both Mike and me die today?
 

For Gail's sake I hope not. The thought feels like an iron fist clutching my chest. Because Gail's lost so much. And I have to survive this, for her, or she may never be the steady, sensible, confident girl I know she truly is.

Mike waves me forward impatiently as he pulls up, and I jog to the car.

"What's this about, Mike?" I ask as soon as I'm seated.

"Fuck if I know. Just act cool," he says and turns up the radio, the classical music he’s listening to now blaring.

I don't ask any more questions, just focus on remembering the feel of Gail's silky hair, the sound of her voice, her shimmering, rich brown eyes, which gleam gold when the sun touches them.

I blink and do a double take when I spot Greg's car parked in the shadow of the two trees near the entrance to the warehouse complex. He nods at me and does a salute kind of thing that looks so much like he's saying goodbye my chest explodes in pain.
 

Vlado's black Mercedes is already parked in front of the entrance to the warehouse, his pockmark-faced driver leaning against it.

"Come," he says in his heavy accent as me and Mike approach, then leads us inside the building. My legs are jelly, shaking with every step. I was always sure I'd be braver facing death. I guess I was wrong. After the bright light outside, I feel like I've gone blind as the door shuts behind us.
 

I already see myself hanging off the metal hook in the basement room Mike showed me the first time he brought me here. So it takes me a moment to realize the driver is leading us to the small office just off the conference room.

Inside the office, Vlado is pacing up and down, his tie undone, his tailor made jacket hanging off the back of the chair.

"I do not like this, I do not like it at all," he says as we enter. He's got a gun in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. The driver hovers by the door, his arms wrapped over his massive chest. At a curt nod from Vlado he bows his head and slips out, the door barely making a sound as it closes behind him.

I glance at Mike, but he's glaring at Vlado. "Don't like what?"

"There has been nothing but problems since you brought your brother in. One on top of another," Vlado says to Mike, like I'm not even in the room. All I see now is the gun. Everything else is tiny compared to it.

"All beginnings are hard," Mike says, but I can hear the sour undertone of fear in his voice.

"Look, I was a little reluctant at first, but I'm all in now," I offer, since maybe talking can solve this.

Vlado turns to me and I'm staring down the barrel of the gun. Maybe there'll be no torture, just execution. My spit tastes like metal.

"You two have problems between each other which could ruin me too," Vlado snarls, his accent getting worse as it does every time he's excited.

"We're working those out," I say, hoping he'll believe me. Though it's a slim, translucent kind of hope. And I can already see Gail crying on the other side of it, rivers flowing from her eyes. Who'll comfort her if I'm gone?

"You don't want to do this, Vlado," Mike says, edging closer to him. "Scott's one of your best guys. Don't waste that on some minor annoyance."

Vlado turns to him, but keeps the gun on me. "I can find ten like him tomorrow."

Cold sweat is covering my back now and my hands are shaking. I can hardly breathe over the lump in my throat. Mike better have a plan. Because I can see my own death in Vlado's eyes, and it's a done deal.