Page 69 of Seven Night Stopover

He leaned against the stage wall and let his gaze wander over Leia. She was hot, incredibly responsive and a borderline submissive, not that he was into that whole Dom/sub scene. Buthell, he could see the attraction in that, could feel the power in that push/pull control. He craved control in bed, but he loved pain more. Pain reminded him he was alive. It did the same for Leia. He could tell.

They’d barely scratched the surface of their possibilities.

So what the fuck was he doing dwelling on his ex-fiancé, the woman he’d cut out of his life like a cancer two years ago?

Closure.

He shook his head. Fuck, he was screwed if he was hearing his shrink’s voice in his head in the middle of a jazz funk concert in Vienna.

The song ended. The crowd roared. Leia glanced back at him, her face flushed with happiness. He smiled back, and she gave him a little wave.

Fuck Ashley.

Fuck his shrink.

He was living in the now, with the sexiest, most intelligent, most fuckable woman he’d ever met. A woman who had the serious potential to be everything he’d ever wanted, who didn’t flinch from his dark side.

The next song started, an up-tempo one Leia began dancing to. He pulled his phone from his pocket, intending to capture her enthralling movements on his video camera.

He activated his phone and froze. Premonition slid an icy hand around his nape.

You have 4 missed calls and 6 text messages.

The calls were from Gabe.

The texts all said the same thing:

Call Me. Ashley.

25

How do you tell a man you didn’t know three days ago that you are addicted to the slap of his hand against your ass?

Especially when said man hadn’t spoken more than two words to you since he hauled you off the stage before the last note died?

The shocking realization wouldn’t go away. Nor would the growing inkling that something was wrong.

“I really wanted to thank the band for letting me perform with them,” she said.

“You already did. Many times. Hell, you even blew them kisses as we left. I hope I score for not being a dick about that.”

Although he smiled, his jaw remained tight. She frowned. “Is there something bothering you? Something you want to talk about?”

He reefed stiff fingers through his hair. The corner of his mouth lifted in a mirthless smile. “What I’d like is for the driver to go a little over half a fucking mile an hour.” He started to lower the partition to the limo taking them back to the hotel.

Without pausing to think about the wisdom of her action, she slid onto her knees on the seat and pulled off her panties.

He hit theupbutton again. “Jesus. What he fuck are you doing?”

Dropping her panties, she straddled him and slid her arms around his neck. “Something’s wrong. You can either talk about it or you can allow me to distract you. But I don’t want it keeping you from me. I’m still buzzing from high number four. I don’t want anything to bring me down.”

“I’m not fucking you in the back of a limo, Leia.”

She squashed the touch of disappointment. “I know. So… talk…” She kissed his firm, delicious mouth. “Or distraction.”

He groaned and dragged her close, pushing her down so her hot center dragged over his rigid erection. “I’ve never been this hard for this long, sweetheart. You’re lethal to my mental and physical wellbeing.” His hands squeezed her thighs, then he slipped one hand between her legs. His groan morphed into a hiss of disbelief, and his forehead dropped to her chest. “And you’re so fucking wet.”

“Put your fingers inside me.”

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