Wanting Reed (Break Me) BOOK 2 (63 page)

“Does that mean you like it?” she murmurs worriedly.

“Doll, you look beautiful in anything,” I growl, nipping her neck.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” She pulls away to admire me in my black pants, crisp white dress shirt and skinny black tie.

“Ehh...” I shrug and chuckle as she adjusts the tie around my neck.

“I find you extremely sexy right now. That’s all that matters, right?” she says, sliding her hands down the front of my shirt.

“Well, you know I would do anything for you. Do you think maybe later you can reward me for wearing this getup? I feel like a penguin.”

“Hmm... does there always have to be something in it for you?”

“Kind of,” I say, grabbing her against my chest. “Am I asking too much?”

She trails her eyes up and down my body and smiles wickedly as she bites her lower lip. “I think I can make it really fun tonight,” she replies, pulling me by my tie so that our lips are only inches apart.

“Fun is good, doll,” I breathe over her ruby lips.

“How do red, cuffs and me sound?” she speaks softly over my lips.

“Fucking perfect,” I stammer, thinking how the hell I’m going to get through the night without having my hands all over her and with thoughts of her cuffed to the bed wearing nothing but red lace running through my brain.

It’s a freezing night, eighteen fucking frigid degrees. The moon is out, casting a soft glow on Elle’s skin as I help her out of the cab on Lansdowne Street. She is bundled up in a red coat and black scarf and gloves as she braces herself from the cold. She is all I see and all I care about as I clasp her to my side, trying to keep her warm. The entrance to the House of Blues is quite a scene on New Year’s Eve with search lights, velvet robes and a red carpet. All the acts are being ushered in as we spot Piper cutting through the crowd toward us, pulling Link with her and both dressed entirely in black.

“Holy shit! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!” she yelps as she runs over, throwing her arms around Elle’s neck and almost knocking her over. Thankfully, I’m in position to catch her. I extend my hand to Link and nod in greeting. He shakes his head at Piper’s exuberance and shrugs his shoulders. She must be sipping one of those 5-hour Energy drinks. I don’t get how he keeps up with her.

“I miss you too and all your energy,” Elle replies as she straightens herself against me, chuckling under her breath. Elle and I are here together because of Piper, because she pushed me to do something that I would have never done. I am grateful for her and can never thank her enough.

“You look like a movie star in that red coat and that bling-bling on your wrist.” She quickly notices the ruby tennis bracelet that Elle is wearing and glances up at me. “Christmas gift?”

“Yes,” Elle responds, looking up at me with a sparkle in her eye. She clutches my arm, trembling from the cold.

“Let’s go in. My lady is shivering over here,” I suggest as I pull her against my body.

“Fuck, smartest thing anyone’s said tonight,” Link says as he blows into his hands. “Nice getup by the way, man,” he mocks.

“Thanks, man.” I loosen my tie and crinkle my forehead. “I only have to wear this getup for a few hours. Small price to pay.” I chuckle.

“Sure, dude. I know what’s up.” He snickers. “She’s got you wrapped around her finger.”

“Sounds like someone is familiar with that sort of thing, too.”

“Hmm... I draw the line on what I wear. Anything else is fair game.”

“It’s all for a good cause,” I reply, glancing down at Elle who loops her arm in mine. I love this woman standing beside me. Fuck. Link is right. I’d just about do anything for her.

“It’s called love,” Elle retorts playfully, pressing her trembling body closer to mine.

“Let’s go warm up and get some drinks before my man hits the stage and rocks the house!” Piper spins in her stilettos heels and plants a passionate kiss onto Link’s lips before we head back into the club.

Link flashes his badge at the bouncer, and we slip inside. The crowd is a mixed bag with some dressed casually and others dressed to the nines in jewels, designer dresses and tuxes. We make our way down the colorful lobby and mingle with the rowdy and excited crowd for a few minutes to check out the murals before Link and Piper lead us to Crimzen’s private VIP room, where music is pumping out of the speakers. The hostess takes our coats, and it does not escape my notice when some of the men in the room glance over at my woman in the red dress. She’s a fucking knockout, and I fucking know it.
I make sure that they know she is with me by reeling her in for a kiss.

The VIP lounge is decorated a rustic chic with rich burgundy walls. Sheer panels illuminated by white lights hang from the ceiling, bathing the room in a soft glow. The furniture is top of the line in the lounge area. Brown sofas with large throw pillows and a dark mahogany coffee table sit on top of a plush oriental rug. Nick and the rest of the band are seated at the bar having beers and mingling with other performers and executives from the record label that just signed them.

Piper is giving Elle the grand tour of the place while I sit at the bar. Our eyes find each other across the crowded room, and I take her in, appreciating the curves of her body and the perfect swell of her breasts. My gaze lingers on her face, her perfect ruby lips, her cheeks bones and her simmering hazel eyes. Everything slows down around me when I look at her. I’m captivated by her. She looks coy and sultry, trailing her eyes the length of my body. I would do anything right now to get her alone.

As I finish my beer and order another, my phone signals a text message. I grab it from the breast pocket of my shirt and laugh when I see the text message from Luke telling me he just arrived and is freezing his ass off. I type in a response advising him what VIP room we are in. I invited him to celebrate since he was the one that bailed me out of a huge fucking mess. I know that Elle never got to thank him for what he did for me. She hasn’t been able to catch him at the apartment, so I thought this was the best way.

Luke has no issue getting in at the doors since he is a member of the House of Blues VIP group and definitely knows how to make a grand entrance, showing up with a hot redhead on his arm about five ten in black heels and a tight black dress with tits as big as my head. He strolls over and gives me a “guy” hug and then asks his date to get him a beer. She eagerly concurs and heads to the bar, swaying her curvy hips and catching the attention of every man in the room.

“So, where did you meet her?” I glance back at my old roommate and chuckle. I have a feeling she may be a stripper.

“Centerfolds. You know me.” He laughs, slapping me on the shoulder. “No complications, man. One is enough. I learned my lesson.”

“Really?”

“Fuck, yeah.” He glances around the room and back at me with his signature shit-eating grin. “Protection, man. Never take a woman’s word for it. I mean, your situation is different.” He points out, raising his eyebrow when he sees what I’m wearing. “What the fuck is up with you dressed like a fucking waiter?”

“Shit, don’t get me started,” I say, envious of my friend in a pair of dark blue jeans and a black button-up dress shirt.

“Shit, you’re in love, man.”

“Yeah, that I am,” I say, glancing over my shoulder to see Elle walking over. “Seriously, though, when are you gonna get serious?”

“We’ve had this convo before, motherfucker. Never. No time now. I’m making moves.” He laughs as he takes the beer from his partner and smacks her ass. She giggles and wraps her arm around his waist while he admires her ample cleavage. “Dude, and listen, that money I lent you…don’t worry about it,” he replies, reluctantly averting his eyes from his date’s chest.

“Nah, man. I can’t have that,” I respond as Elle brushes against me, interlacing her fingers with mine and causing currents of heat to course through my veins.

“Hey, Elle, Happy New Year!” Luke says in an exuberant voice.

“Same to you,” she speaks, acknowledging Luke’s date with a forced smile and gradually turns her attention back to Luke. “I wanted to thank you for what you did for Reed.”

“It’s nothing. He’s a friend,” he says, lifting the beer to his lips. “I was telling him that he doesn’t have to pay me back. Your man has too much pride. I told him it’s on me since he had to put up with some crazy shit being my roommate for the past few months.”

“I don’t know...” she stammers. “That’s a lot of money.”

“Yeah, really you guys think about it. No rush. The offer is out there,” he says, throwing his arm around his date’s neck. “Come on. I’m ready to rock!” he bellows, gulping down the rest of his beer. “Let’s ring in the New Year with a fucking bang!”

We are on the second floor balcony, where we have the best view of the band that is playing. The vast audience is a vague outline of figures. This stage is where I laid my soul bare for everyone to hear. They didn’t know it was happening, but the one person I wanted to witness it did. God, my heart soared when my eyes fell on her standing in the crowd. She was a perfect vision, just like she is now standing next to me. I sat on that stage with my heart beating like crazy, and my mind was only thinking about her and hoping to see her again. Once I did, I wasn’t afraid anymore and I sang my fucking heart out for her.

Leaning in, I take a deep breath, grab her, and plant a kiss onto her lips, taking her completely by surprise. Elle instantly melts into me, and I fucking love it. What’s not to fucking love?

Bright lights illuminate the platform, causing a loud cheer to erupt from the crowd below. Soon after, Crimzen appears on stage. The drummer starts to beat the intro to the first song of their set, “Love’s Broken,” and for the next ninety minutes, Elle and I enjoy the rest of the band’s set. By the time they finish playing, it’s past eleven thirty. We decide to head back to the VIP room to ring in the New Year. The room is so crowded that there is barely any space to move. Elle, Piper, and Luke’s date, Kelly, begin chatting at the bar, so I find Luke and the band. Crimzen really rocked the house tonight. From the crowd’s reaction, it is obvious that they’re going to be huge in a short time. I’m glad I was able to experience their memorable concert.

Fifteen minutes to midnight, I turn to Elle at the other side of the room. She’s standing with her back to me as she’s talking to Piper. I need to get close to her; I need to touch her.

Biting on my lip, I’m unable to think about anything else. I had stopped drinking at four beers because when the clock strikes twelve, I want to savor every little bit of her and remember every second of the kiss I am going to share with her. After about ten minutes, I lunge forward, closing the distance between us. I catch Piper’s eye and shake my head at her. Smiling, she quirks her eyebrow up and plays along.

“Excuse me, do you mind if I cut in?” I say in a low voice, wrapping my arm around her tiny waist before resting my chin on her shoulder. I wink at Piper who throws her hand on her hip and pouts and then glances around the room in frustration.

Elle turns, her breath feathering across my cheek as she raises her eyebrows at my question. “I would love it,” she answers with a slow, sexy smile growing on her lips. She spins and throws her arms around my neck.

“I guess I have to go look for my man who doesn’t have one romantic bone in his body!” Piper exclaims.

“He’s at the bar.” I laugh. “He’d better hurry though. It’s almost midnight.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s never on time for anything,” she quips as she kisses Elle and me on the cheek. “Happy New Year, guys. See you in a minute!” She saunters across the room and finds Link at the bar, patiently waiting for her with his tattooed arms crossed over his chest.

“Cute couple,” Elle breathes over my lips. “I think we’re hotter.”

“Yeah, they have nothing on us.” I look deeply into her expressive eyes that are so full of passion, and I instantly lose my train of thought. I don’t even hear when the crowd in the room starts to countdown to midnight until she breathes it over my lips. “Do we have to wait until midnight to kiss, doll?” I murmur hotly into her ear.

“Patience,” she moans. “Three, two, one,” she chants playfully over my lips. Her eyes widen, and she licks her lip. “Happy New Year,” she speaks as the crowd erupts in celebration around us.

“Happy New Year, doll.” She stands on her tiptoes as I clutch her against my body, crushing my lips over hers. All sense of reason and modesty of our surroundings disappear the second my lips capture hers. I don’t give a shit about anything, but her. Her hands tangle in my hair, curling at the back of my neck as she pulls me into her kiss. Our tongues continue frantically searching and tasting each other. Neither one of us is able to get enough. Our hearts pound against each other as we take what is ours, what we fought so hard to find, neither one of us able to get enough. People move around and indistinct sounds pass over my ears. We block out the spinning world around us as ours remains motionless. It’s just her and I. Here and now. This one kiss.