Page 100 of All In
“Holy shit, that’s Matthew Broderick. Matthew Broderick is King of the Parade.” I tugged on Theo’s arm excitedly, and screamed, “Ferris Bueller, you’re my hero.”
Matthew Broderick didn’t hear me, but some of the krewe did. Teddy and I were immediately showered with ropes of colored beads. He slung a dozen of them over my neck and hauled me to him for a wet kiss.
“Our babies all grown up,” Yvonne sniffed dramatically, her arm around Big E.
The big guy wiped a nonexistent tear from his cheek. “I’m so proud.”
“I’m going to die of jealousy.” Phoebe pouted. She gave her brother a dirty look. “Why do I hang around you so much?”
“Good question,” Grant retorted.
I smiled against Teddy’s lips, basking in happiness. Such a relief to have friends look at us with only joy and affection.
The parade carried on into the evening. I jostled Teddy’s arm as an enormous alligator in bright green made its way down the street. Thousands of strings of brightly colored beads dripped from its open mouth, and its krewe—two dozen people in blue and silver—threw beads and plastic coins at the cheering spectators. Another float called the Bacchawoppa, resembled Moby Dick, if Moby Dick had been kidnapped by drag queens. The giant whale was painted to look as if it were wreathed in colorful seaweed, and its krewe threw beads from within the rolling blue waves surrounding it.
Night fell fast. Big E gave Yvonne a ride home, and Grant and Phoebe took off with other friends. Theo and I watched until the last float passed, then meandered through the Garden District, past groups of revelers in sugar-skull makeup, street musicians playing saxophones and accordions, groups of friends draped in beads and holding sloshing drinks in their hands. The city was intoxicating enough for me, its streets pulsing and breathing. Even the shadows danced.
I felt my pulse quicken, exhilarated by the night and by the man beside me. His eyes met mine, burning with a hunger that made my legs tremble.
Theo took an abrupt turn, heading down an alley between a café and a smoke shop. In the shadows that smelled of sweet cigars, he pressed me against the wall. His body, hard and strong, pinning mine, his hands all over me, his mouth crushing mine.
I moaned into his mouth, my own hands clawing mindlessly at the muscles in his back, crawling up to his soft hair. My legs parted, wanting to wrap around his waist so he could take me right then and there. His hand slipped under the swaying tassels of my flapper dress to cup between my legs. His fingers found the sweet spot through silken material that dampened under his touch. My body undulated against the wall with the force of him, stoking a rising heat. I clung to his neck, astonished at how fast he was driving me to climax.
“God, yes,” I hissed through, then nearly cried out in agony as he took his hand away. Then Theo dropped to his knees, lifting my dress.
“Oh God. Oh God, wait. Teddy…”
“You want me to stop?”
I glanced around the deserted alley, realized the passersby on the street couldn’t see us. “No.”
He went back up my skirt and tugged my panties aside. Then his mouth was on me, and I had to bite back a scream. It took seconds for his tongue to suck and lick me through a titanic wave of pleasure. I flailed against the wall, nothing to hold on to but Theo’s shoulders as the ecstasy flooded me. My head fell back against the bricks, and I stared at the muted stars above my new city.
Still Theo didn’t stop. He delved deeper into me, his tongue and grazing teeth and the deep vibrations of his grunting voice driving me toward another crash. He went at me like he was a starving madman, and I was his feast, the only thing that could satiate him.
A second orgasm ripped through me, and I gasped soundlessly, my voice whispering through the alley when I really wanted to scream. I needed to scream. I needed to have Theo naked, in my bed, where I could ride him until he came. And then make him come again.
Theo came up from under my skirt, his face flushed red in the meager light, his lips and chin wet with me.
“Home,” I whispered. God, it seemed so far away. Too far.
We looked hopelessly for a cab, standing hand in hand on the street, breathing heavily, my wig askew, my lipstick smeared. By some miracle, a cab pulled up near us and we ran for it, diving into the back almost before its passengers had finished getting out. In the slow crawl of traffic, Theo shifted beside me, restless and impatient. His hand landed on my thigh, over my dress. I looked out the window, bit at my thumbnail and spread my legs ever so slightly.
“God, Kace…” he breathed.
His hand was large and rough and warm on my skin. I shifted again, pressing into his touch, and his hand slid higher up my thigh. I tilted my hips, needy and desperate. I bit back a tiny cry, as his palm slid over me, his fingers pressing down in small circles.
My hand crept across his lap, to the bulge in his jeans. He was hard and hot through the dense cotton, and I stroked the length of him.
I bit my lip harder.
The cab ride was maddeningly slow. The keys to my front door wouldn’t cooperate. Too many steps from the door to the couch, where I pushed him down. Just enough light came from the kitchen to see Theo’s eyes dilate with desire. I could tell by the clench of his jaw and the way his eyes raked over me, he wasn’t going to wait much longer.
I tore off my wig and hurled it away, then peeled the dress off my body and let it pool at my feet.
“Take your shirt off,” I said and reached behind to unclasp my black lace bra. Theo grabbed the back of his collar and hauled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to the sight of him shirtless—lean muscle covered in beautiful ink down one pec. The other side glinted with that piercing that made me lose my mind.
I stripped off my panties, leaving me in a garter belt, heels, and a dozen ropes of colorful beads. Slowly, I knelt in front of him. My hands glided down the tops of his muscular thighs, then back up on the inside. I reached for his buckle as he bent to kiss me—a searing kiss, his tongue brazen in my mouth. I unzipped his pants and freed the hard length of him.
