Subway Girl (7 page)

Ethan cupped the side of my face with one hand. The other hand rested on my hip. His fingers dug into my flesh. I wrapped my arms around his neck and threaded my fingers through his hair. He groaned deep in his throat. His chest rose and fell quickly with his fast breaths, matching my own. I knew his heart rate was probably galloping like a herd of wild horses just like mine. Every pounding of my heart sent desire zinging through my veins and straight to my sex. There was a throbbing heaviness between my legs that begged for release.

Ethan kissed across my jaw line to my ear. “You are so fucking sexy. I’m so hard it hurts.”

A little voice in my head told me it was a bad idea to sleep with him. We worked together. We barely knew each other. But another voice—a louder voice—told me I fucked strangers on subways why not Ethan? And it’d been so long. I needed it. I ached for it. My body throbbed for release.

I moved my hands between us and lay them on Ethan’s chest. “Ethan—”

He cut me off with a kiss. He took hold of my wrists and lifted them above my head, pinning them to the wall and holding them there with one large hand.

With his other hand he bunched up the hem of my dress until he could get his hand under it. He scratched his fingers up my outer thigh until he came to my thong. He slipped a finger beneath the strap and yanked it down until it fell around my feet. I let out a half moan, half whimper.

His lips moved to my neck. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he murmured against my skin. He circled my clit with his finger and then rubbed it so slowly it was almost torture. I pressed against his hand. “Like that?”

“Faster,” I panted.

He jerked his hand away and put his mouth right against my ear. “I don’t like to be told what to do.” He sank his teeth into my ear lobe.

“Shit! That hurt.” I tried to push away from the wall.

Ethan took hold of my dress’s zipper. “Hold still. You don’t want to rip this pretty dress. You look hot in it.” I turned my face away from him, but stood still while he lowered the zipper and undid the clasp on the shoulder holding the collar in place. He buried his face in the curve of my neck and nipped at my skin before licking it. When my dress pooled around my feet he stared at me. His gaze started at my feet and scorched its way up my body slowly. “Holy shit. You didn’t have anything but a thong on under your dress. Naughty girl.”

His fingers roamed between my legs again and I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from screaming out for him to rub my clit or let go of my hands so I could. He touched everywhere but there.

“You want to tell me what to do, don’t you?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I don’t take directions well. But just this once I’ll let you tell me what you want. From now on though, you don’t ask for anything unless I tell you it’s okay. Understood.”

“Yes.”

Great. I brought home a fucking Dom. I just wanted someone to screw my brains out. Eh, who knows? Maybe I’ll like this shit.

“What do you want?” His voice deepened an octave and just the sound of it made me wetter.

“Rub my clit, please.”

“Like this?”

I bit my lip and nodded. I pressed into his hand and closed my eyes.

“Do you want me to rub you faster, Julia?”

“Yes,” I moaned.

I was just about to come when his finger left. I let out a groan of frustration and he chuckled. I heard the rasp of his zipper when he lowered it. He used one hand to drop his pants. The other hand still held my wrists above my head.

He kneed my legs apart, coaxing me by rubbing my clit. He inserted a finger in my slit until it was wet and then rubbed my juices over my nub. When he had me deep in the foggy haze of desire…just at the point I thought he was going to bring me to orgasm, he dropped my hands from above my head and put both of his hands under my thighs and lifted me off the floor like I weighed nothing more than a feather pillow.

I wrapped my legs around his waist. “The bedroom’s through there.” I pointed toward the hall.

“Whatever.” He dropped to his knees and laid me not so gently on the floor.

“Wait. The bed—”

“We don’t need a bed to fuck, sweetheart.” Ethan pushed my legs against my chest and leaned over them, holding them in place. He put his arms on either side of my legs and grabbed my shoulders for leverage and rammed himself into me without warning. I cried out. “That’s right. Let me hear you.” Ethan rammed himself into me a second time and a small scream escaped before I could swallow it down. “Yeah, scream for me.” A third hard thrust came so quickly it knocked the air out of me with a moan.

“You’re so fucking small. I can get used to fucking your pussy. Yeah.” He growled and thrust into me once more before his body convulsed with his orgasm. Ethan rocked his hips in and out until the last of his orgasm receded, then pulled out and pushed me away. I slid a few inches across the wood floor.

He didn’t say anything. Just pulled off the condom and dropped it in the wastebasket by the hall table. Then pulled his pants back up. “Thanks for the drink, Julia.” He winked and walked out the door.

I sat on the floor with my mouth hanging open. Then I scrambled up and slammed the locks closed before Ethan decided he was
thirsty
again.

Bastard
.

It was another night of just me and my vibrator.

“
Y
ou can’t let one prick, no pun intended, ruin you, Julia,” Jenny said. “So that Ethan guy was a major ass, he isn’t the only guy out there.”

“Who says he’s ruining me? God, Jen, stop being so melodramatic. I just said I’m not going to date for a while. I’m only twenty-five. I think I can take a few months off to regroup.” I rolled my eyes.

“And if someone great comes along?” She arched a perfectly plucked brow at me.

“I can always change my mind, right?”

“I guess. This is your party, sunshine. I’m just along for the ride.” She smiled wide at me.

“What about this one?” I walked out of the dressing room and stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors.

“Holy shit, Julia. That one. You have to buy that one. You know what? Never mind. I’ll buy it for you because you have to have that one. If you don’t wear that to the New Year’s party it’ll be a crime.”

I stared at Jenny and then looked at myself in the mirrors. “I guess I’m not seeing what you’re seeing.”

“She’s right. It looks great on you,” another lady trying dresses on said when she walked by.

“It makes your hair look amazing and shows off your figure. No one will even know when the New Year hits. They’ll be watching you instead of the New Year’s Ball dropping.” Jenny grabbed the ticket and looked at it. “Oh, you bitch. It’s even on clearance!”

I laughed. “I guess it’s meant to be.”

Jenny grunted and tromped off to try on another dress. We were attending a formal New Year’s party with our friends Frank and Jeff. The problem? We were going as their dates. The bigger problem? Frank and Jeff were gay and deeply committed to each other. The biggest problem? They hadn’t
come
out
at work yet and didn’t know if they were ready to share all their personal information with everyone they worked with. All their friends and family knew and Frank and Jeff were happy with that.

“After all, how many heterosexuals go around telling people they’re
not
gay? So why do we feel like we have to tell everyone we are,” Frank said the night they asked us to go with them to the party.

I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. I can’t imagine being ostracized for something as small as whom I loved.”

“But if we go with you as our dates, aren’t we hiding it? We don’t want to seem embarrassed by our lifestyle either.” Jeff rubbed his eyes with his palms.

“Well, look, you don’t have to make a decision this big tonight. You’ve already asked us to go. And if I know Jenny, she’s already cataloging her wardrobe for what to wear so you can’t get out of taking her.
We’ll all just show up together. We won’t use words like
dates
or
dating
. We’ll just use names and hedge any other questions. Let people think what they want. They will anyway.”

Jeff hugged me. “See, you totally should’ve been a gay guy.”

I laughed. “Why? I can’t even get a straight guy. What makes you think I’d get a gay one?”

“Give it time, sweetie. Give it time.”
Jeff patted my hand. “Now, Jenny, what dresses are we looking at?”

“We’ve lost them.”
Frank shook his head and sighed.

“Okay.” I looked at the saleslady. “I’ll take this one, please. And can I look at some shoes that will coordinate?”

A knock sounded at my door and I opened it to find Frank and Jeff holding hands and looking adorable in their matching tuxedos. “Hey guys.”

“Are we ready to party?” Frank looked at me and blinked a few times. “Wow! If I wasn’t gay I’d totally be all over you like flies on crap.”

“You are such a romantic, Frank.” I rolled my eyes and smiled at Jeff. “Come in while I grab my purse and wrap. Jenny’s not here yet anyway.”

“You do look
awesome. Jenny said you found a great dress, but she didn’t say how great. That emerald green is a great shade with your hair. And the delicate beadwork on the fabric,” Jeff looked closer at the pattern on the fabric, “yeah, that’s something. Very classy. Most women will be decked out in head-to-toe sequin, but no. Your gown. Your gown is gorgeous in its simplicity.”

“I like the whole one shoulder thing. It looks like a toga.”

I rolled my eyes and giggled.

“For God’s sake, Frank, can’t you say something appropriate?” Jeff shook his head.

“What? Togas are cool. I like them. It was a compliment!”

“Dammit, I hate you so much right now!” I jumped at Jenny’s voice. We hadn’t heard her walk through the front door.

“Who?” the three of us asked in unison.

“Julia.”

“What’d I do?”

“You don’t have a damn ounce of fat on your body and that dress makes sure everyone can tell it, too. And you say you’re not dating for a while, but you go around dressed like that. Sure. Okay. Whatever. You could at least be fat so the rest of us had a chance.”

“Um—” Jeff looked at me with wide eyes.

I shook my head at Jeff and Frank. “Don’t worry.” I put an arm around Jenny. “Hey, do you need some Midol?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Gotcha covered.”

“Thank you. And I didn’t really mean the fat comment. Well, not completely.” She smiled at me.

I grinned at her. “Yeah, well, you can’t bitch about the dress. If I remember correctly, it was you who demanded I buy it. No! Actually, you said it would be a
crime
if I didn’t wear it tonight so you were going to buy it for me. That reminds me. I’ll give you the receipt. You owe me some money.”

“Yeah, keep dreaming, Julia. I’ve got my period. Satan has a better chance of eating a Sno-Cone in Hell than you do of getting money out of me this week.”

“Ugh, with that thought, I’m going to flag down the taxi.” Frank made a quick exit. I grabbed my things and we all followed close behind him…after I made sure to stuff some Midol down Jenny.

The hotel’s ballroom where the event was held was beautiful. The ceiling was arched and had intricate scroll work covering it. Sheer, gauzy fabric was draped around the room with white twinkle lights behind them creating a soft glow.

The dinner was served to us by waiters—no standing in line fighting over the last of the potato salad like at my corporate party. No, we were served our choice of a seafood dinner or a steak—filet mignon, yum—dinner. It was an incredible party. And best of all, we didn’t have to sit and listen to someone yammer on about how great the company was and how much better it’d be in the coming year, which was usually the standard speech given at those things. No, we just partied.

After dinner, a DJ started playing and the dance floor was opened. All
different genres of music were played. Frank and I danced to it all and considering I was wearing a floor length gown it made dancing to some of the faster songs interesting, but fun and I spent most of my time laughing rather than dancing—Frank wasn’t a good dancer no matter what he wore.

A slow song started to play and Frank shook his head. “I’m done. If I don’t sit down now I’m going to collapse right here in the middle of the dance floor and people will just pirouette around me.”

I laughed. “Weakling.”

He grinned and then gaze
d over my shoulder. “Ah, well, if you want to keep dancing I think you’re going to get your wish.”

“Why? Is Jeff coming?”

Frank’s gaze dropped to mine and he winked. “Have fun.”

A hand touched my arm, just the tips of his fingers. Goose bumps dotted my skin as his fingers trialed up my arm to my bare shoulder. And then he spoke.

And my heart stopped.

“Dance with me, Julia.” It wasn’t really a question, nor was it a demand.

I turned and looked up at him. It felt like everything in the room slowed. The sounds dulled and the sights blended together until they were just a kaleidoscope of colors gliding by.

“Rivers.”

His hand still rested on my shoulder. He looked the same—amazing, and my eyes drank him in. He wore a black tux. Combined with his black hair, it made his green eyes stand out. He’d untied his bow tie and left it hanging around his neck. The top button of his shirt was undone. It was sexy as hell.

“I’ve been watching you all evening
, trying to get the nerve up to talk to you. I didn’t think it was appropriate considering you were here with someone.” He nodded at Frank who had already returned to our table.

“I’m not here with him. I mean, I am, but I’m not.”

I’m not making any sense. Dammit.

One side of
Rivers’ mouth tipped up in a small grin. “That cleared it up.”

I shook my head slowly. “Frank and I are just friends.”

He nodded. “Then he won’t mind if you dance with me. Please.”

I followed him to the dance floor and he wrapped me in his arms
. We moved together in time to the music, a slow love ballad. We were silent while we danced. The only sounds I heard were the music and the blood rushing behind my ears.

The song ended and I tried to step out of
Rivers’ embrace. “Just one more dance?” His gaze held mine. His eyes were so soft. He bit his full bottom lip with his teeth, and all I could think was that I wish those were my teeth on his lips, my mouth on him.

I nodded
that I’d dance with him again and relaxed into him. I felt safe there. Like I was custom made to fit in his arms. I snuggled closer to him and he tightened his hold on me.

“I called.” I looked at him. He studied my face. “The next day. As soon as my meeting ended I called. I must have written the number down wrong. I know it probably sounds like a lame
ass excuse for a brush off, but it’s the truth. It wasn’t a one night thing for me, Julia.”

My heart raced in my chest. I was sure he could feel it. “It doesn’t sound like an excuse. The number in that phone is wrong.”

He blew out a breath. “Damn.”

“Didn’t Jesse give you my number?”

His hands squeezed my hips. “Why would Jesse have your number?”

“When I got your note and realized you had the wrong number, I went to the restaurant and left my number with Jesse to pass on to you. But he said…” I turned my face away and looked at the other dancers.

Rivers put his finger under my chin and lifted my face to his. “But what? Finish what you were going to say. Please.”

I could feel my face begin to heat and knew it was turning red with a blush. A lump grew in my throat and caused my voice to come out thick and I fought to keep the tears pooling in my eyes from falling. “He said you brought a lot of girls through the restaurant. That it was your thing. I was just another in a long line of one nighters for you. That you didn’t do relationships—you did girls.”

Rivers’ jaw was clenching and a vein throbbed in the side of his neck. He squeezed my hip so hard it began to hurt. “Bastard,” he said under his breath. He cleared his throat. “Ah, no, he didn’t give me your number. He never told me you stopped by the restaurant. And, to be fair, yeah, I’ve had my share of women. I told you I’d given up on relationships. But I need you to hear this, Julia” He tipped my head farther back to make sure I was looking at him. “Fuck, don’t cry. Listen to me, okay?”

I nodded. “I’m listening.”