Requisite Vices Page 4

  Scrolling to the M’s, I select a contact simply labeled as M.L. In the contact info is the first and last initial, description, phone number, and a list of interests. I select the number and type out the text.

  *Busy? *

  *Not tonight.*

  *Want to be? I could use some company while I’m in town.*

  *Oh! You’re in town? Where? *

  *At La Bohème, 5th floor, room 518. Think you can be here in an hour or so?*

  *Sure thing! I’ll see you in a bit.*

  I list the address of the hotel in my last message then shut down the phone; I won’t need it again tonight. Securing the phone, my purse, and other identifying items into a small safe, I hop into the shower, pull on a short black dress, and apply my make-up. Smokey eyes, fake lashes, blue contacts and blood red lipstick make their appearance. As I pull on my heels, I hear a knock at the door, and sneak a peek through the peephole.

  “Cass?”

  Her voice slips through my door, soft and sweet, and as I open the door, my guest glides effortlessly into the room. She turns to face me with a seductive smile as I close and lock the door.

  Her dark, tanned skin is wrapped in a loose fitting white dress with matching sandals on her freshly pedicured feet. Vibrant, almond shaped eyes with a color reminiscent of espresso accent her soft, rounded face. Her hair falls in straight, silken tendrils, framing her face and resting just below her shoulders. It mimics the color of her eyes; a deep, rich brown that draws me in.

  “It’s so good to see you. It’s been a while. Here on business again?” she asks. Her voice teases the air; gentle and sultry, like the feel of velvet against my ears.

  Moving closer, her fingers caress my arm from elbow to fingertip. Her eyes are hungry, and a smile curls against her lips. She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly; her face burrowed against my hair as she inhales deeply, taking in my scent.

  “Yes as usual. You do make these trips worth it though.” I smirk, as I pull back from her embrace.

  I came across my lovely companion for the night, only one time before, and with the same excuse; that I often come to Louisiana on business. We met each other at a local bar in the capitol city, and the lustful look in her eyes was too hard to pass up. She never questioned me about the nature of my trips, where I’m from, or what it is that I actually do. It’s what makes our arrangement work out so well.

  I felt a certain chemistry between us immediately, from the moment I caught the lascivious look in her eye. We knew each other well enough, after the hours spent, speaking of our lives, or at least, the parts of our lives we wished to share.

  I learned her ambitions, her desires, her wishes, fears and needs, and amidst the coy laughter and whispered flirtations, she became mine. We shared her bed that night, and I woke just before dawn. Scribbling a hasty note accompanied by a kiss to her forehead, I left her where she lay, fast asleep. No goodbyes. I’m honestly a bit surprised she was willing to keep me company tonight. Not that I’m complaining.

  She giggles at my comment, her brown hair fluttering in a nonexistent breeze. Placing her hands on my cheeks, she lifts herself on her toes, and brings her eyes level with mine. They sparkle in the dim light of the room, dancing playfully as she cradles my face within her hands and brushes her luscious lips against mine. Smiling against her kiss, my hand slips through her hair, delicately running my fingers through the silken strands.

  Breathing deep, I draw her in, and the light scents of jasmine which coat her skin and hair, soon fill my nose and mouth. Tracing my fingertips along her jawline, I relish in the softness of her supple skin. Her breath catches as my fingers slip to the front of her chest, leisurely unfastening each button.

  Her luscious body is quivering beneath my touch, and she grins playfully as she pulls away from me inch by inch. Dropping her fingers down my arms, her light touch tickles my skin, and she pulls me toward her until the back of her knees hit the foot of the bed. Gripping the front of my shirt, she pulls my body flush against hers. Her petite breasts press against my chest; her hardening nipples pushing through her clothes, begging for my touch.

  Her eyes flutter as I let my hand drop to a hardened nipple, deliberately rubbing it through the thin white fabric. Leaning in, my lips trace along her neck. The smell of her skin is absolutely enchanting, and I can’t help but let the tip of my tongue slide along her flesh to sneak a taste. Lightly blowing on the moistened skin, a visible chill rushes through her body, shuddering through her small frame. Her arms wrap around me, steadily sliding up and down my spine as I bending down, scooping her into my arms.

  Carrying her from the bed, I move toward the love seat just under the window, but the muscles in my arms are screaming. Picking her up definitely seemed like a better idea in my head, than it is in practice, but dropping her would completely ruin the mood. Besides, she seems to be enjoying it. Thank God she’s so tiny.

  She giggles as I rest her on the arm of the couch, and my lips trail down the middle of her chest. My fingers finish unfastening her dress, tugging it off her body. Gripping her shoulders, I turn her to back to me and marvel at the smooth, silken skin of her back. She tosses a glance over her shoulder, a devilish grin on her lips as I press my palm against her back, pushing her forward over the arm of the couch. I inhale sharply at the sight of her naked body; each gentle curve of her body outlined in the moonlight, which peeks innocently through the window. I press my lips against her shoulder, then down her spine in lingering kisses as my hands rub over her smooth backside.

  Her grin haunts my eyes as she wiggles her hips from side to side. I know what she’s waiting for, and I lift my hand, bringing it down hard against her ass. Her head tilts back as she gasps in pleasure, her skin rippling from the impact of my hand. She squirms below me, her hands gripping the couch cushions as I draw my hand back and allow it to collide again against the opposite cheek. Her skin reddens and grows hot beneath my touch. .

  “Such a sweet, dirty girl.” I moan as I press my lips against her lower back and against her quickly heating skin.

  “Harder…” she groans, wiggling against the arm of the couch. “Harder, please.”

  I find it hard to resist such a sultry voice, and so, I give in to her desires. I bring my hand down harder, again and again, in response to her whimpers and moans. The palm of my hand stings against her skin; her nails grip the cushion so tightly, that I fear she may rip them to pieces.

  I slide my tongue lightly over her hips, then the curve of her behind as my fingers slip between her thighs. Pulling her legs apart, I kneel between them and can hear her voice trembling with longing, as she whimpers and moans for me. She begs and I smile, breathing deep and taking in her sweet scent. I tug her panties to the side then push my lips against hers. She writhes against the arm of the couch, her breathing heavy and labored as I slip my tongue from my lips and press it flat against her, drawing it sedately along her slit as my hands hold her thighs spread. Her back arches, and her hand slips down her back till it’s tangled in my hair, tugging lightly upon it from behind.

  Shifting on my knees, my tongue darts between her lips, the top lightly teasing her clit before plunging deep into her. It traces lazy circles inside of her, becoming quickly drenched in her excitement as it deftly works its way around and inside of her. She collapses forward once more, panting and pressing herself back against my mouth as I grip her hips and push my mouth firmly against her. The taste of her floods over my lips and tongue, sparking flames and heated desire through my veins.

  I pull away slowly, my tongue trailing over my own lips in an effort to relish every drop of her. She groans and pleads with me, begging me to continue, and I grin in response. Oh how I love when she begs. Lightly nibbling on her upper thigh, I snap a quick smack against her ass.

  My fingers work down to her ankles as my lips follow their trail, licking and smothering her soft skin with well-placed kisses along her thighs. My lips glide to the other leg, running my tongue slowly along her he
ated flesh as I slip back up her body.

  Pulling her from her position, I hold her in my arms and guide her to the edge of the bed. Her body shifts, writhing in excitement, anticipation, and sexual frustration as my hands trace along the back of her thighs, resting on the underside of her knees and massaging gently. I can feel her pulse through my fingertips, pounding against them as I press my nose between her legs and kiss the dampening cotton. She collapses back on the bed as she feels my tongue probing playfully against her panties, her thumbs hooking into the waist of her panties as she wiggles herself out of them and tosses them playfully at me. She giggles as I catch her panties and place them on the corner of the bed.

  Gripping her hips just above her thighs, I pull her closer to the edge of the bed. Her knees drape over my shoulders as I run my fingers along her damp slit. My lips lightly kiss along her groin, but refuse to move any closer. Not yet, at least, though her scent is intoxicating. It’s enough to make it near impossible to keep myself away, but oh how I love to make her squirm.

  “Please…please don’t make me wait too long” she whimpers; her body twisting on the sheets.

  Her lust-filled voice makes me ache, and after teasing around her sweet spot with the tips of my fingers and tongue, I give in to her begging. One finger slips into her and her back arches, her head pressing back against the bed as her hips rise up to grind against me. I drive my finger deeper as I press my lips between her legs; my tongue dancing its way around her sensitive little clit while my finger curls and twists inside of her. I draw moan after moan from her as she squirms and trembles on the bed.

  Her voice rings out, begging for more, and I find it impossible to hold out against her for long. Her moans draw the ache from hours of pent up unsatisfied desires to the surface. I slip in a second finger, sucking and licking her wet lips. Her moans quickly turn to screams of pleasure, as her head tilts back against the bed, and her body begins to tremble. Her muscles tense; each sound from her lips draws that ache from my body closer and closer to the surface, and I soon find myself wiggling as I kneel down between her thighs, a free hand dipping between my own thighs and forcing its way beneath my soaking panties.

  She’s caught in a beautiful agony, begging for release her and I work with renewed vigor. She’s so close…so close. Her screams of pleasure ring through the room, gaining in volume and intensity until her body falls limp, twitching and trembling against the bed. Her breath comes in short gasps; her body drained of every ounce of energy.

  I crawl onto the bed, my body tingling at every touch from the silken sheets as I wrap her in my arms. Unhurriedly, I place kisses along her jawline and stroke her arm until she gains control over her shuddering body. She smiles up at me, her hand reaching up and gently tucking my hair behind my ear.

  “It’s your turn now…” she whispers breathlessly.

  “Oh, sweetie; I question your strength to accomplish such a task.” I grin. “Don’t worry about me, why don’t we sleep?”

  “Oh I insist…” she growls seductively.

  She presses her palms against my shoulder and forces me onto my back, then straddles my waist as she begins working my dress off my body. I can still feel her thighs shaking as she presses them against my hips.

  “Madalyn…”

  “Shhh…” she whispers, “just lean back and enjoy.”

  Chapter 6

  “Housekeeping!”

  I wake with a start, my heart thumping from my chest as my body trembles in anticipation; fight or flight responses cranked to the very edge. It takes a few seconds to remember that I’m still in my room at the hotel, but who the hell is at my door at this hour?

  “Housekeeping!”

  They’re knocking so hard against my door, I swear I can hear it creaking and splintering beneath the assaulting fist. The voice that rips against my ears is harsh, deep and near deafening. Is it really necessary to be that loud this early?

  *knock knock knock*

  “HOUSEKEEPING!”

  “Okay, okay. Give me a minute!” I shout. Did I forget to put the Do Not Disturb sign on my door? I could’ve sworn I took care of that last night.

  I stumble out of the bed, nearly slamming myself face first against the wall as my feet tangle themselves in the sheets. Freeing myself from my bonds, I make a mad dash for my robe and pull it on hastily. A quick glance around the room, and it’s pristine; no evidence of my activities from the night before, as if she had never existed. It’s easier this way. No good-byes, no follow up calls, and no expectations.

  The smell of her lingers on my skin, on my lips, and all over the bed sheets. Taking a moment, I breathe deep…letting myself drown out the room to reminisce over the memories I’ve allowed to resurface for a single, bittersweet moment.

  The incessant knocking breaks me away from my thoughts prematurely, and the obnoxious voice continues to slam against my ears. I grab the door handle and wrench it open, the full might of every known foul word, and perhaps a few made-up ones, anxious to fly off my tongue.

  Standing before me is Ethan, the man I met on the elevator last night. He’s grinning so widely that his eyes are naught more than two thin slits, and the apples of his cheeks are saddled high on his finely crafted cheekbones. My words die on my tongue, and slip out silently through parted lips. Jostling my mind back from the shock, anger from being woken so unceremoniously now takes the lead.

  “What on earth…how did you…what do you want?!”

  “Well, aren’t you the picture of perfection in the morning. You do realize it’s just past 10, yes? Now, Miss Cass, you mustn’t give in to sloth-like tendencies.”

  A scowl plasters itself upon my face as I stand there barefoot, hair resembling a very large bird’s nest, and with blackened rings under my eyes from the runoff of eyeliner. When you’re exhausted from a night of passion, you often forget to remove your makeup.

  And yet, he’s here, beaming like a child who was just given a puppy for his birthday.

  “Coffee?” he asks innocently as the grin on his face tones down, taking on an amused smirk. “You look like you could use it.”

  Biting my tongue, I resist the urge to slam the door in his face. This is not how I imagined waking up this morning, and to be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever come across this man again.

  “Fine” I relent.

  I really could use the coffee.

  “Give me a few minutes, and you’re buying!”

  “I’d have it no other way.”

  Closing the door, perhaps a little harder than I originally intended, I run to my suitcase and shuffle through the few clothing options in my bag, settling on a pair of jeans from the night before and a grey t-shirt. I douse my hair in the sink to tame it, shaping the curls quickly with my fingers, then grab my purse and am back at the door.

  “Ah! The queen emerges!” he exclaims, a twinkle in his color-shifting eyes.

  “Shut it.”

  Laughing, and obviously far more entertained by his own humor than I am, he leads the way down the hall to the elevator.

  “I’m glad to see you’re still here.”

  “How is that a shock? I told you I’d be here all weekend. And how did you know what room I was in?”

  “Oh. That. Yes, well, I knocked on eighteen other doors before I found yours…”

  “In the same manner?”

  “Of course!”

  What could possibly possess someone to knock on a bunch of strangers doors in an effort to find someone you met for a couple of minutes the night before? It’s kind of creepy. I hope he has no plans to slice me to bits and hide me in the floorboards of some abandoned building.

  “I’m sure the occupants weren’t amused. I’m surprised they didn’t have security escort you out.”

  “Oh, they were a lovely group of people, and I found out that I’m pretty quick! I dodged all but one ice bucket.”

  His hand slips into his hair, rubbing the side of his head and ruffling his waves as if suddenly remembering
the blow.

  “Ah, anyhow. Coffee, yes? It’s a bit too strong for my taste, but I can understand the allure of it. The smell is far better than the taste is, in my opinion.”

  “Yes, please. I could definitely use the extra kick this morning, maybe with an extra shot…or three.”

  We take the elevator to the lobby and exit the hotel, and the air smothers us the minute we leave the doors. It’s already 90 degrees and climbing. Why did I move down here, again?

  Reaching over, he takes my hand and leads me across the street and about two blocks down to a small French country style café.

  It’s a beautiful little place tucked into a nook on the street, and flanked by two larger buildings. The floors are the mixed shades of rustic stone, the walls are covered in brick and the ceiling is a white washed arch with patterned leaves painted along its edges. The tables are quaint, round, and covered with an emerald glass mosaic that shimmers in the light streaming through the large front windows. Each table is paired with a set of worn, white iron chairs.

  The café is fairly empty this morning, with only three other patrons occupying the small, intimate space. He picks a table in the front corner by the street, and pulls out a chair for me.

  “M’lady.”

  He smiles, his eyes sparkling as he holds the chair for me, waiting patiently. Embarrassed by his gesture, I sit down and shoo him off to his own chair as our waitress comes to greet us. Thankfully, the chairs are more comfortable than they originally looked.

  “Peppermint mocha, please, and can you add an extra shot?”

  “I’d love some tea. Earl Grey, if you please.”

  He flashes a smile at the waitress, and she catches his eye, blushes then rushes off to fill our order. Ethan settles in and holds me in his color shifting eyes.

  “Why did you find me this morning?” I’m genuinely curious and wary about his possible stalking tendencies. Does he do this to everyone?