BumpnGrind (10 page)

Appearances were everything to Dave Foust.

Appearances and power.

He heard a small sound and turned away from the window, the
snifter lifted toward his mouth.

He didn’t take that drink.

“Mr. Foust.”

The young man stood in the shadows, his hands held down at
his sides, fists clenched in anger.

Dave glanced toward his desk, where he kept a thirty-eight
special for situations just such as this one. All he needed to do was get it
into his hands and power would shift in an irreversible way.

Dave lowered the snifter and moved over to his desk to set
it down. He slid behind the desk and sat down in his black leather chair. He
never took his gaze from the man at his door. “What the hell are you doing
here?”

The young man stepped out of the shadows and moved toward
Dave’s oversized mahogany desk. “I have a score to settle with you, old man.”

Dave felt his mouth go dry. He yanked the drawer open and
grabbed his gun. He didn’t even have time to lift it toward the man standing
over him. The heavy marble lamp from his desk descended on his head with a
terrible crunching sound and he fell forward with a grunt, his head bouncing
off the surface of his desk as he hit.

The lamp descended one more time just to make sure, and Dave
was still and silent.

As his visitor slid back out of the office, Dave’s hand
slipped from his lap and the thirty-eight tumbled uselessly toward the floor
beneath his desk.

* * * * *

Giorgio caught up with Garrett at Foust’s office building.
His friend was leaving when he arrived. He jumped out of his illegally parked
car and called out to Garrett.

Garrett jerked and looked up. He seemed unsure what to make
of Giorgio’s presence. Finally he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and
walked toward the car. “What the hell are you doing here, Giorgio?”

“I came lookin’ all over for you, my friend. Penelope was
worried you’d do something stupid and get yourself into trouble with the law
again.”

Garrett leaned his forearms on the roof of his friend’s
Jeep. His face held a sad smile. “Penelope’s a good woman, buddy. You should
hold on to her.”

Giorgio narrowed his gaze on Garrett. “I fully intend to, my
friend. What’s the deal? Did you speak with the lawyer?”

Garrett shook his head. “I sat in my car for a while and
then started into the building. I got as far as the lobby and realized I’d
probably kill the guy if I saw him in my present state of mind. I’ll come back
later, when I’ve calmed down.”

Giorgio nodded, looking relieved. “Buy you a drink?”

Garrett shook his head. “I need to see Felicia.”

“Do you need a ride?”

Garrett slapped a hand on the roof of the Jeep. “I’m good,
buddy. I have my car. I’ll see ya tomorrow, okay? I’ll meet you at the studio
and help you get cleanup started.”

Giorgio nodded. “Thanks, Garrett. Penelope will be really
pleased by that offer. We’re gonna do as much of the cleanup and repair as we
can ourselves…save some money.”

Garrett nodded. “See ya tomorrow, buddy.”

Giorgio climbed into his car and drove off. Garrett watched
him go and then turned to look at Dave Foust’s building one last time before he
left.

Chapter Nine

Felicia scrolled through the messages on the KittyKat Club
site, looking for answers to all the doubts and questions spinning through her
mind. She was comforted to learn that her doubts were normal. Most of the women
online seemed to have encountered them at some point in the course of their new
relationships.

Nowhere was there a message about a psycho, rejected lover
who felt threatened by the woman’s new relationship and was trying to ruin
people’s lives as a result.

After giving it some thought, Felicia typed a note to the
group, asking if anyone had ever experienced violence as the result of their
relationships. Maybe it was just something they didn’t divulge unless asked
directly. She chatted back and forth for a while with several of her new
friends on the loop but nobody had any specific experience with the type of
thing she was dealing with because of Dave. Most of the women were very happy
and living satisfied lives with their younger men.

One woman had dated a young man who had anger issues. But
that wasn’t necessarily an age thing.

After an hour of chatting, Felicia shut down her computer
and turned off the desk lamp. She headed toward her bedroom, thinking that
she’d need to confront Dave in the morning. It was one thing for him to go after
her, but getting Garrett fired and possibly torching his friends’ place was
totally unacceptable. She’d threaten him if she needed to. She had dirt on him
that he wouldn’t want out.

Felicia had carried the secret around with her for years,
never intending to use it. But maybe it was true—things did happen for a
reason—and her overhearing Dave and her ex-husband talking about Dave’s illegal
activities had, at the time, seemed like bad luck. She’d felt guilt for years
for not doing anything about it.

He’d taken money from a disreputable businessman once. The
money had been to keep Dave from representing a longtime client against the
businessman.

The firm where he was partner had lost an important client
when Dave had refused to take the case and his partners would be very
displeased to learn the truth.

Maybe Dave’s tacky little secret would come in handy after
all.

The front doorbell rang as she was washing her face. She
walked to the door, drying her face with a hand towel, and peered through the
narrow window at the side to see who was there.

She almost didn’t open the door.

She needed time to think. To decide what to do.

But her heart melted at the look on Garrett’s face and she
found herself reaching for the knob.

Garrett was leaning against the doorframe. “Hey!”

“Hey yourself.”

“Can I come in?”

Felicia bit her lip. Her mind warred with her heart for the
decision. Finally, her heart won. She reached for his hand and pulled him
close. “Always. You’ll always be welcome here, Garrett.”

His kiss was intense and hungry. When he pulled away a few
moments later he laid his forehead against hers and sighed. “I was so worried,
Felicia. I thought you’d run. I’d never see you again.”

“I’m still feeling pretty jumpy. What we’re doing…what we
have…” She stepped away, wringing her hands. “It feels so right when we’re
together, but the world thinks it’s bad.”

He shook his head. “Not the whole world, Felicia. Only a
very small portion of it. The people with closed minds. You need to remember
that.”

“You’re right. I need to focus on that.” She walked away,
wringing her hands nervously. “I’ve made a decision. I’m going to see Dave
Foust on Monday. This has gone way too far. It has to stop.”

“No you’re not! You’re not going within ten miles of that
man. It isn’t safe.”

Felicia bristled. “Don’t take that tone with me, Garrett!”

He stepped farther into the room and pulled the door shut
behind him. “I’m sorry, Lissy. I’m just worried about you. Let me come with you
at least so he won’t be tempted to do anything rash.”

Felicia thought about that for a while. It would definitely
set Dave off if Garrett were there. But it wouldn’t really matter since what
she had to say should put an end to Dave’s manipulations and destructive
behavior. “I think that’s a fair compromise.”

“Good. Now that that’s settled, do you have a cold beer for
a weary ex-yoga instructor slash exotic dancer?”

“I do. But…” She pressed herself against him and took his
bottom lip between her teeth, sucking on it gently. “I was just getting ready
to take a bath. Would you like to join me?”

“Oh god, that sounds wonderful.” Garrett spread his fingers
across her tight, round buttocks and pulled her against his thickening cock.
Felicia wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her mouth to his.

The soft heat of her breath washed his face as she feathered
kisses along his jaw and into his throat. Garrett moaned as she nuzzled him,
grinding his rigid cock against her belly.

As his hands slid beneath the waistband of her soft sweats,
she pulled away with a laugh, grabbing his hand. “Come on. I have something
special in mind for you.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Felicia led him upstairs, to the claw-footed jet tub in the
master bath. The floor around the tub was covered with varying sizes of white
pillar candles. Candles also decorated the two marble-topped tables situated on
either end of the sleek, white porcelain fixture. A slim, crystal bottle sat on
one of the tables too, a pearly pink substance filling it halfway.

Fluffy towels hung nearby on a metal towel warmer.

Garrett shoved his usual wealth-abhorrence reaction away and
smiled down at her. “Very nice.”

“Thanks. This is definitely my haven.” She reached for the
button of his jeans and slipped it open, grabbing his hand when he would have
helped. “This is my turf, Garrett, I’m in charge here.”

She smiled when she said the words, but Garrett could tell
she meant what she said. His cock jumped a little at the thought of being
subjugated, no matter how briefly or gently, by the sexy woman standing before
him. He lifted his hands, palms outward, in surrender. “I’m in your very
capable hands, Lissy. Do with me what you will.”

Her smile was sexy and slightly predatory. “Oh, trust me, I
intend to.”

She started the water in the tub and added a generous amount
of the pink liquid to the steaming water.

Then turning back to him, she stood up on her tiptoes and
captured his lips in a soft, exploratory kiss as her nimble fingers
commandeered the zipper of his jeans.

It was all Garrett could do to keep his hands down by his
sides as her sweet tongue teased its way into his mouth and her warm fingers
enclosed his hard shaft. She stroked her hand up its length a few times, her
tongue dancing playfully against his teeth and tongue. Each stroke of her
fingers along his rigid flesh sent ribbons of pleasure coiling through him,
until his balls rose tight and firm against his body. Felicia’s fingers skimmed
upward, toward the fat head of his cock, and slipped through the silky bead of
pre-cum she’d harvested.

She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled it
gently as she swirled an exquisitely soft fingertip through the slippery bead
of moisture. Garrett’s knees almost gave out from the sensations she created
there.

“I’m not sure I’m going to survive this,” he uttered
huskily.

Felicia’s laugh was equally husky. She dropped his cock and
slid her velvet palms along his hips, skimming his jeans and boxers down to his
ankles in one smooth move. Before he knew what she intended, she was on her
knees and her mouth was covering the head of his cock, sliding downward.

Garrett let loose a groan of sheer pleasure as her nimble
fingers cupped his balls and her wet mouth worked its magic on his cock. Her
rhythm was even and slow, savoring rather than consuming, and he couldn’t stop
himself from sliding his fingers into her soft hair.

As she sucked his cock, she used her fingers to milk him,
pulling another drop of cum from the tip and then, looking up at him as she did
it, lapping at it like a cat licking up the richest cream.

Garrett started to worry that he wouldn’t be able to last
long enough to bury himself deep inside her before his traitorous body found
release without him.

Fortunately for him the water in the tub was ready to
overflow.

Felicia gave him one last lick and stood up, turning off the
water. “You get in. I need to light the candles.”

Garrett climbed into the tub and sat back groaning with
pleasure as his body sank into the hot, silky water. It smelled like roses.
“I’m gonna smell like a girl,” he joked.

“Not when I’m done with you.”

His cock jumped hopefully.

Felicia blew the match out and walked over to the light
switch beside the door, flipping it to plunge them into a dream.

Candlelight flickered over every surface of the large room,
softening it, creating a sensual cocoon filled with promise and intrigue.

Felicia stood in front of him and slowly, deliberately
pulled her skimpy, white tee off over her head, dropping it to the ground at
her feet. She wore no bra. Her breasts were full and heavy. The rigid shadows
of her nipples danced in the flickering candle light.

He licked his lips as her fingers slid into the rolled
waistline of her sweats. She peeled the soft fabric down her silky thighs and
stepped out of them, leaving only the skimpy, white triangle of her thong
behind for him to ogle.

The thong was so sheer he could see the dark curls nestled
behind the fabric and the full folds of her labia. She reached for the strings
at the sides but Garrett stopped her. “Leave them on.” He barely recognized his
voice. It grated against a throat-closing wave of pure lust.

Felicia stepped into the tub and stood over him, between his
spread knees. Garrett wasted no time reaching for her, sliding his hands up her
smooth thighs and over her hips, skimming across her softly rounded belly and
down, to cup her sex through the paper-thin fabric of her panties.

Felicia moaned, her head falling back in pleasure.

Garrett leaned close and covered the moist fabric of the
tiny panties with his mouth. Her warm, musky scent rose up to infuse him,
taking him another notch closer to the point where he would be fighting to
retain control.

He pressed the fabric into her slick folds and found the
hard bud of her clit, sucking it into his mouth. Felicia’s legs slid farther
apart, giving him better access.

He skimmed a finger around the leg of the thong and slipped
it underneath, to slide along the skin of her pussy. “Yes,” Felicia moaned.
“Put them inside me.”