“Come here,” he said, pulling me to a quieter lounge area, elevated in the back where there was a circle of leather club chairs, protected by another bouncer. He nodded at Jude as we took the steps up to one of the chairs. Even though there were clearly two chairs available, Jude pulled me onto his lap, fingers drawing little circles over my stockinged legs.
“It’s getting a little too crowded out there. We should head upstairs soon.”
With a quick glance around the room, my eyes landed back on Jude, who stared directly through me as though he could read every thought I’d ever had. “Is this the VIP area?”
He nodded. “It’s a little more private, but I’d rather not take the risk for much longer.”
As his fingers on my legs moved north, the strip of skin between my thigh highs and skirt tingled and I wiggled in his lap. Damn, that felt good. Too good. I scratched at the base of the wig, making sure it was still in place.
His jaw twitched and he shook his head, muttering a curse. Falling onto his elbow, a hand raked through his sandy brown hair. “Fuck,” that same hand fell to his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.
I tilted my head. “What?” I asked, threading my fingers into his hair. When my nails skimmed across the back of his neck, he gave a violent shiver.
“I just can’t believe I’m here with you. After everything that happened with Layla, I promised myself I would never again get involved with an actress. Especially not one I was acting alongside.” His grip tightened on my hip as he dragged his other hand down his face, a smile curving from behind his fingers. He shook his head and a rueful chuckle parted his gritted teeth. “But with you—Jesus, I dunno. You’re different. I want everything about you. I want to do things to you.” His hands roamed my body, hungrily. Possessively. And it made me shiver as that touch scraped up my body to my ribs.
“I want you to do things to me,” I said. “BDSM things.”
“Don’t you worry, Poppy. I’ll show you the ropes.”
I snorted, laughing at his cheesy joke, but my laughter immediately stopped when he nipped my ear. “I need to get you upstairs to our room immediately,” he growled, the heat of his breath sending goosebumps rippling down my neck.
Using the armrests as leverage, he pushed to his feet, backing me into the wall. It was cool against my bare upper back and Jude’s muscular thigh pressed between my legs, where I throbbed for his touch. He nudged me with his knee to open my legs wider. “Let’s get out of here,” he whispered, and his hot breath breezed across my lips. I couldn’t wait until we made it back to the room. I needed him now. Even if it was just a taste.
Without thinking, I kissed him. Our lips crashed together, and my nails scraped up the back of his neck, tugging his hair while pulling him deeper into the kiss. It didn’t take much coaxing before he was parting my lips, delving his tongue into my mouth, stroking me to widen for him. I whimpered into his lips, collapsing all my weight between his body and the wall.
“I warned you,” he whispered, ending the kiss. His mouth curved into a sexy, devious smile. “I need to get you in private. I don’t share—not inanyway.” I panted, catching my breath, and blinking as the room came back into focus. The music played in my mind louder than before and laughter and conversation flooded my ears. The club was busier now than it had been when we first arrived.
“You’re right,” I said, my voice husky and low. “It’s more crowded now. Too risky—”
Jude’s voice cracked with a laugh. “Look at yourself,” he said, shaking his head. “One week ago, would you have ever believed you’d be here with me? Wearing a leather skirt with no panties. Craving a paddle to the ass. Your mouth watering to call me ‘Sir’…
“No,” I answered quietly, and my eyes were wet with emotion I couldn’t quite explain. “But then again, I never had anyone I was this passionate about. I never had anyone I loved so much.”
He kissed me hard once more and the loud click of a camera shutter came from beside us. I blinked my eyes open to find Jack standing beside us. My ex-boyfriend. Ex-director. And the man who made my career in Los Angeles a living hell for the past year.
And he had his cell phone in hand, taking our picture.
