Crimson (5 page)

The sharp grate of metal on metal yanked him from his fantasy as the roll-up window beside him rattled and shook. Protective instincts he never knew he had came to the forefront and he pressed Cait’s head against his thigh, shielding her beneath the counter as the metal panels slid up. Mrs. Warren appeared in the opening.

“How’re things coming?” she asked in her breathless, commanding way. Rain’s mind locked onto one word.
Coming.
Damn, a couple of good pumps in Cait’s mouth and, yeah, he’d be coming.

“Fine.” Rain nodded to add power to his answer. He glanced at the room behind him and realized they hadn’t done much to improve the situation since they’d first walked in. But hell, he’d gotten distracted.

By the woman currently kneeling at his feet. Even as he thought it, she flicked her tongue out and lapped at his cock. The dainty caress almost made his knees crumple. As if she sensed that, Cait moved close, resisting his attempts to keep her away. She swirled her tongue along his erection, creating random, wild patterns across the underside of his cock.

His mind zeroed in on the strokes of her tongue, trying to understand the pattern, though he knew it didn’t matter. All that mattered was she was there, ready to suck him off. If only he could get back into her mouth, he could come. Fuck those pretty lips until he spilled inside her.

“You don’t look like you’ve made much progress.”

“Huh?”

Rain knew that wasn’t the appropriate response, but damn, Cait’s tongue was creating too many distractions for him to focus on what was “appropriate” or not.

“Where’s Cait?” Mrs. Warren asked.

“Uh, she’s around.”
Close. So damn close
. He fought to control the words in his head. As if she’d grown confident that she wasn’t going to be seen, Cait eased out of his grip and guided the tip of his cock to her mouth. He didn’t dare look at her, but was sure she was smiling. Then she stopped teasing and took him inside, sliding forward, her hot wet lips closing around his cock. He was thick and she wouldn’t be able to take much, but damn, even just sinking the first few inches into her mouth was pure heaven.

“She’s such a great girl, isn’t she?” Mrs. Warren said, leaning on the counter and chatting as if they were old friends. “So helpful.”

“Helpful,” he repeated, his brain starting to short out as Cait pulled back, sucking lightly, her tongue fluttering along the underside of the head. Damn, she was about to
help
him into collapsing onto the floor.

“But did you see that hideous wedding dress?”

The dress. Fuck.
Casually, he let his eyes dip down. Somehow as they’d moved in their sensual little circle the dress had come with them and was currently bunched up beside his feet.

“Yeah. Pretty hideous.” His words were merely to keep up with the conversation. Cait seemed to take offense and he felt the pressure, the warning of her teeth. She didn’t actually bite him, but the threat made him choose his next words carefully. “But she looks great in it.”
And out of it.

Mrs. Warren nodded and looked down the hall. “That she does.”

Cait’s teeth released their tentative hold and she lashed her tongue across his flesh, rewarding him for his compliment. Taking a chance, Rain glanced down. Bad idea. The sensation of her sucking him was enough to make his head—and cock—explode. But the sight of her lips stretched wide, her eyes sparkling as she looked up, drawing back and taking a breath before she took him deep inside again, made him want to fuck her mouth. Hard.

Rain grabbed the counter, fighting the urge to thrust against her slow sucks.

“Well, I won’t keep you from your work any longer,” Mrs. Warren said. “The others will be here in a few minutes, and goodness, I think this thing might come off.” He nodded—his mind latching onto the fact that she was leaving him. “Oh, there’s Bernie. I’ve got to get her going on the prizes.” With a wave, she stalked away, her focus shifted to her next victim.

Rain barely waited for her back to turn before he grabbed the rolling metal grating and dragged it down. The action pulled him away from Cait’s mouth. He returned quickly, sliding his hand behind her head and realigning them, cock to mouth.

“Take it, Caitlyn,” he commanded as he pressed the head to her lips.

Cait groaned as his fingers tightened on her scalp. She could feel the tension that gripped his body. So much power—at her disposal. Wanting to tease him just a little more, she lapped at the head of his cock, capturing the drop of pre-come that decorated the tip. He nudged the head against her lips, silently asking for entrance, but she only offered another lick.

She smiled when he growled, but something told her he was near the end of his rope and she didn’t want to push him further. She could easily find herself bent over the counter, his cock pounding into her.

She whimpered as the image filled her head, her pussy throbbing with the need to be fucked. Sinking into the sensual feast before her, she sucked Rain back into her mouth. He was thick and would make her pussy ache when he fucked her.

He drove his fingers deeper into her hair, scattering the remaining bobby pins she’d used to hold her bun in place. He began to rock, pumping his shaft in and out of her mouth. She closed her eyes and succumbed to his rhythm, sucking each time he retreated, luring him back in with every lick.

His groan shattered the tentative silence of the room even as his shallow thrusts became erratic. Cait moaned around his cock, loving that she could make him lose a little of that vaunted control.

“I’m going to come.”

It was kind of him to warn her, but she wasn’t worried. She cupped his balls, running her fingers over the softly furred skin. The delicate touch seemed to be enough. He shouted and came, shooting into her mouth.

Cait swallowed quickly, savoring the strong tugs on her hair as Rain rocked his shaft into her mouth one final time.

She continued to suck, teasing him with more.

“Fuck, Caitlyn, you’re going to keep me hard.”

She looked up, feeling a boldness she never would have imagined. She let his cock slip from her mouth, but continued to stroke the thick shaft with her fingers. “And that’s a bad thing?”

Hunger flared in Rain’s eyes.

“No, but—”

Before he could finish with whatever he was going to say, whatever he was going to promise—because the light in his eyes was definitely full of promise—the door handle jiggled.

“Hello? Are you in there? I’m supposed to—”

Cait froze, reality hitting her like a brick.

She was naked, on her knees, with Rain Lucas’ still damp cock right in front of her face.

“Just a second!” Rain called out. He grabbed Cait under her arms and lifted, picking her up and plopping her on her feet. She wobbled for a moment on the high heels. “You okay?” he murmured as he shoved his cock back into his tuxedo pants.

She nodded. Rain picked up her dress, the fluffy skirts overwhelming him.

“Here. Let me do it.”

Between the two of them, they managed to drag the dress over her head. The bodice slumped down, practically revealing her nipples.

Rain reached over and tugged on the stiff material, pulling it into place. The backs of his fingers brushed her skin sending delicious shivers into her pussy. She slapped her hand against the wall, using it to support her wobbling knees. Damn, it would be so easy. She could bend over the counter, Rain could pull her skirt up and—

The dress sagged even further and the pounding repeated on the door.

What the hell are you thinking? she demanded of her self control, but knew the answer. She
wasn’t
thinking.

She slapped at Rain’s hands. “I can do it.”

He raised his arms and backed away, his lips compressing into a thin line.

She pulled on the bodice. This time the material slid up and in place, practically squeezing her.

“Damn.”

The low exclamation rumbled from Rain’s throat. Cait looked up. Rain’s gaze was firmly locked on her breasts, which were once again squished, lifted and blatantly on display.

Cait smoothed her hands down the front of her dress, hoping it looked okay. With no mirror, there was no way to tell. Keeping as much distance as she could between her and Rain, she reached for the doorknob, hoping the tiny room didn’t smell too much like sex.

With a bright smile, she opened the door and almost whimpered with relief that it wasn’t Mrs. Warren on the other side. A young woman, probably still in her teens, stood in the opening.

“Hi! I’m here to take over.”

“Really? Great.” Cait asked. Seemed a bit odd, but anything to get her out of that room and away from Rain.

“You’re doing this? It’s a mess,” Rain said, his voice gruff. Cait didn’t know if it was because this girl was working the coatroom or because Cait had just sucked him off.

He stepped closer. Cait slipped out the door, putting the young woman between them.

“No problem,” the girl said. “We have a service organization at school and we volunteer at these things all the time.”

That was all Cait needed to hear. She smiled her thanks and made a run for it. She couldn’t actually escape because her keys were in her purse, which was in the cloakroom, and Mrs. Warren most likely expected her to stay.

No. Cait couldn’t run, but she could hide.

Chapter Four

Dear Diary,

Arrgh. Why does something seem like a good idea at the time but later, I want to kick myself?

Cait scanned the hall and saw her salvation. She slipped into the women’s bathroom just a few feet away, slamming the door behind her and leaning on it, using her weight to keep it shut.

Not that she thought Rain would force his way in.

But damn, what the hell had just happened? It didn’t seem real. Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe she’d just fantasized about it. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Except she could still taste him on her tongue. And the ache in her pussy hadn’t eased. If she was going to fantasize, she would have made sure that
she’d
gotten satisfied as well.

She licked her lips, remembering his shaft in her mouth, how thick he’d been, how smooth and hot. Damn, he would feel incredible in her pussy.

Pressure rocked the door behind her.

Cait dug her heels into the carpet.

“What the hell?” a female voice demanded.

Shit.

Cait straightened and backed away from the door, pulling it open just enough so the other woman could see it was free now. Then she ran for the stalls.

She stayed hidden as long as she could—well past when that other woman came in, used the facilities and left—until Cait started feeling ridiculous.

Finally, she sighed and straightened.

All she had to do was find Mrs. Warren and tell her she wasn’t feeling well. Which was true, though she wasn’t sure embarrassment qualified as a valid illness.

She left the stall and washed her hands. Her gaze flicked to the mirror and she gasped, putting her fingers to her lips. Her elegant bun was gone. Rain’s fingers had seen to that. Her hair looked sex-tousled, as if she’d been rolling around naked. In a bed. With a hot hunky man.

Well, except for the bed, that pretty much explained what had happened.

She couldn’t leave the bathroom. Not looking like this.

“Oh there you are, dear.”

A whimper escaped her throat before she even knew she was going to make the sound. How had Mrs. Warren found her?

“The doors are opening and I need you by my side.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” She shook her head, needing the added emphasis.

“But of course. You’ve been with me the whole way. I must insist.”

Cait closed her eyes and huffed out a breath. Finally she stood straight and met Mrs. Warren’s direct stare.

“I can’t go out there, not looking like this.”

Surely as a woman, Mrs. Warren had to understand.

The woman in question took a step back and gave Cait a considering stare.

“Well, I can see that you’ve changed the look a bit. The dress is still dreadful but you pull off ‘slutty bride’ very well.” She flipped her hands down at the wrist. “One would think you’d just had sex in the last few minutes.”

Cait garbled out a noise, but it made no difference to the dynamic force that was Mrs. Warren.

“Now, let’s go make sure things are running properly and then I want to grab my man for a couple of slow dances and a snuggle in a dark corner.”

“The chief?” Cait couldn’t keep the question from erupting from her mouth. She’d never thought of him as much of a “snuggler”.

Mrs. Warren stopped. “Who else?” She stared at Cait, her face impassive with just a hint of humor in her eyes. “I would never cheat on the man. He carries a gun.”

“Good point.”

Before she knew it, she’d followed Mrs. Warren out of the bathroom and into the ballroom, standing by her side as she greeted people, directing guests to tables, the bar. The bar was a popular place. From the corner of her eye, she’d seen Rain enter and head straight there.

Hell, she wanted a drink herself, but keeping a clear head at a work function seemed as if it was a good idea.

Unlike sucking off your coworker in the coat closet.

Her stomach dropped as she thought about the incident. She didn’t know what had come over her. She liked to suck cock and secretly loved the idea of being submissive—even now her pussy clenched as she remembered Rain’s voice, commanding her to kneel—but what had happened in the cloakroom was beyond acceptable. She wasn’t a lust-starved teenager who couldn’t control her hormones.

Keeping her chin raised, refusing to let anyone know the turmoil going on in her brain, she smiled and pretended to listen to Mrs. Warren greet the mayor and his wife.

“We need to talk.”

She jumped as the low, masculine voice rumbled next to her ear. For a moment, she thought it was Rain, but he was still over at the bar, determinedly not looking at her. A group of men surrounded him. He didn’t seem to be paying attention to them either.

So, if it wasn’t Rain, it had to be Tanner. Her pounding heart clouded her hearing for a moment, giving her time to shake her head.

“I’m busy,” she replied, not even glancing at Tanner. She tipped her head and greeted the next guest with a wide, fake smile.

“What the hell happened with you and Rain in that coat room?” he murmured, his voice so low only she could hear.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.”

Cait jabbed her elbow back, connecting hard with his gut. He grunted but he didn’t move away. And she
so
didn’t want to explain him to Mrs. Warren.

“Careful, Cait, you don’t want to fuck with me tonight.” The warning sent a spiral of heat into her core and her pussy fluttered.
Damn, what is it with bad, dangerous men tonight?

She took a breath and the tightness around her chest seemed to ease a little bit.

“Now what happened?”

“Why don’t you ask Rain?” she snapped, because there was no way in hell she was going to explain what happened. That she’d done it, that she’d
wanted
to do it, still confused the hell out of her.

“I’m asking you. He’s over there drowning his sorrows.”

She couldn’t stop her gaze from sliding over Rain one more time. The glass of amber liquid in his hand just made the whole “debauched groomsman” look even more intense. He looked as though he’d just gotten laid.

While
she
probably looked as if she was wound tighter than a spring. Her body still hummed with arousal and having Tanner standing beside her didn’t help. The man was sex on a stick. He’d starred in a number of her late night fantasies. They usually involved him naked in her bed and her licking him from top to bottom.

She straightened her spine and pushed her shoulders back. A brisk tingle went through her nipples. She glanced down. The dress was sagging. The “tingle” had been from the edge of the bodice catching on her tight nipples.

She gasped, grabbed the front of the dress and spun around, turning her back to the receiving line and going face to face with Tanner.

“Ready to talk?”

“No. Get out of my way.” She stepped to the side, willing to go around him. Tanner moved directly in her path. “My dress is about to fall off me,” she finally explained.

His gaze dipped down and his eyes widened. Cait didn’t have the courage to look. She could only hope that the bodice was still covering her nipples. It felt as if gravity was suddenly worse around the base of her gown, as if it was being tugged away.

“Damn.”

“Exactly. Now please—”

Tanner’s head snapped up and his jaw set in a determined line. “No. Tell me what happened with you and Rain.” He shrugged. “Then you can go.”

“Fine.” She dropped her voice so no one else would hear. “I ended up naked and I gave him a blowjob. Happy?”

She used Tanner’s moment of “what the fuck” to slip by him and head straight for the side door. With each step, the pull on the dress seemed to lessen, and by the time she hit the hallway, she could yank the bodice back into place.

“What the hell was that?”

She glanced over her shoulder and realized Tanner had followed her down the hall.

“Why would I be happy that you gave some other guy a blowjob?”

There was no one nearby, but Cait could feel her reputation crumbling. She spun on her heel and stalked back to him.

“Keep your voice down.” Even as the words exited her mouth, the sides of the dress loosened. By now, she was familiar with the sensation and wrapped her arms around her waist. Her nipples pressed against the heavy material and a hot rush surged through her body.

“Are you sick?”

“What?” She glanced down and realized she did look a little as if she was someone with a stomach flu. “This dress has something wrong with it. The elastic or—” She shrugged, then grimaced because the movement just made the bodice slide another inch down. “It keeps falling off.”

“Let’s go to my room.”

Tanner hooked his hand in her elbow and spun her around, stalking toward the bank of elevators.

“Wait. I tell you my dress is falling off and you assume that means I want to go to your hotel room?” To the misfiring synapses in her brain, her protest sounded perfectly logical and just a little bit snotty. At least that’s what Cait hoped. It might help hide the fact that getting naked with Tanner sounded really good right now.

Just like getting naked with Rain had sounded earlier.

What the hell is happening to me?
True, it had been a long time since she’d had sex and even longer since she’d had good sex, but nothing should cause this reaction.

Her mind remained clear, announcing in that firm, motherly tone that this was an “unwise choice”, but her body was heading straight for the elevators—and the hotel room upstairs. She could practically hear her hormones chanting, “oh goody, oh goody, oh goody.”

“I’m not taking you to my room to…” He paused. “Ravish you.”

“Ravish?”

“It seemed like the best word since you look like a terrified bride.”

She pushed her shoulders back and planted her hands on her hips. “I’m not terrified. I’m—” The dress slipped.

Tanner’s gaze dropped again.

“Almost naked,” he said completing her sentence. His hold on her elbow tightened and he dragged her into the open elevator door. “There is a sewing kit in my room.”

The doors closed behind her and she groaned.

A sewing kit?
The man was offering her a sewing kit and she was ready to offer him…pretty much anything. How unfair was that?

Cait cupped her hands beneath her breasts, holding the dress in place.

“Yeah, babe, that’s not really helping.”

She looked down. Her pose pushed her breasts up and together, creating the most wicked cleavage. Embarrassment warmed her cheeks, but that wasn’t the only part of her getting warm. Liquid heat flooded her pussy for the second time tonight.

The sane portion of her brain was still in charge, so she turned away, facing the wall and putting her back to Tanner.

“Right, that’s going to help.”

“What now?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Like your ass is any less sexy.”

She blinked and stared at the fake wood paneling. “You think my ass is sexy?”

“So far, I haven’t seen a part of you that isn’t sexy.” Even without looking at him, she could hear the hunger in his voice. Wow, two dates and she’d never seen it. Of course, he’d been distracted both nights.

Before she had to answer him, the elevator door opened. She sighed and followed Tanner off. He moved with the confidence, even arrogance, of a man who was fully in control of his world. That kind of power had always intrigued Cait.

And Tanner had a sexy, hard body and wicked smile to match. This was the man she’d dated, however briefly…but then he’d dropped off the face of the Earth. She knew he’d been busy—Rain had just come home—but a call would have been nice.

She sighed. She didn’t want to get into that tonight and somehow she couldn’t imagine Tanner wanting to discuss it. He was a typical guy and no doubt would cringe at a woman demanding to know why he’d never called again.

It couldn’t have been the sex. They hadn’t
had
sex.

A few hot kisses and maybe a squeeze to her ass, but that had been it.

She’d been newly single. He might have been looking for a quick lay, but she wasn’t ready for that.

Tanner stopped at the door and slid the card-key into the handle. Two quiet clicks and he swung the door open.

She stared into the empty hotel room, her feet frozen for a heartbeat. This had to be a bad idea.

Except she wasn’t afraid of Tanner.

And really, how could her evening get any weirder?

She took a deep breath and walked into the room. Moments later she heard the door shut.

“Listen—”

“Sewing kit’s in the bathroom.” He crossed his arms over his chest and spread his feet wide, making him look huge and blocking the exit. “Fix your dress and then we’re going to talk about Rain.”