PartyStarter Page 4

  It was impossible. He just couldn’t do it to her. Or himself.

  But he couldn’t just drop out either. That wouldn’t work. His pride wouldn’t let him do that. And besides, Ricky still had the power and could fire him at the drop of a hat if he so desired.

  Jack frowned He’d figure something out. Now, though, he was rock hard, and sweating with the thought of getting close to Julia.

  * * * * *

  This had to be the best she’d ever danced. Surrounded by multicolored partygoers, her entire body damp with perspiration, Julia watched the room spin around her. Heady with lust and the sexual desire permeating the humid air. Bodies brushed against her continuously and her skin tingled with the never-ending stimulation. Stone was out there, she’d seen him watching her. Seen the raw, naked desire in his eyes. Knew every single dirty thought that was scrolling through his mind, aware that the exact same triple-x-rated film was playing in hers.

  Goosebumps appeared on her arms despite the heat in the room and Julia shivered. He was moving closer, she could sense it.

  Yet another hand cupped one of her breasts and flicked a finger over her taut nipple. Julia gasped, grinding her hips into the large masculine frame directly behind her. The scene around her had mostly become a blur, but there were dancers surrounding her, pressed against her on all sides. She had no idea whose body parts belonged to whom, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact that one certain body was missing, and her pussy ached with his absence.

  There was a sudden shift in pressure, and the form behind her disappeared, replaced with a body she recognized instantly, her heartbeat doubling in time. It was insanity, she realized at that moment, that she barely knew Stone at all, yet she was attuned to his whereabouts, his presence affecting her so strongly.

  She pressed back against him, reaching up to coil her arms around his neck. He instantly cupped her breasts. The silky gauze of her top was like sandpaper on her sensitive nipples, and Julia let out a small cry. God, she needed him inside of her at that instant, needed the release he could give her. She rubbed her ass against the ridge in the front of his jeans, rewarded when his fingers gave both nipples a pinch in response. Julia’s back bowed with pleasure and she danced faster, grinding against him as hard as she could. Stone’s body stiffened satisfyingly. His sense of control was rapidly deteriorating, she could tell. It was just a matter of time before she’d bring him down to his knees.

  Just as she reached a fantastic rhythm, Stone startled her by pushing her away and spinning her around to face him. Capturing her wrists in both hands he stared at her for a long moment, his eyes so dark they appeared nearly black in the dim lighting. He licked his lips, his gaze dropping to her mouth.

  Julia’s mouth was immediately dry, her pulse ratcheting up a dozen notches. Her heart thudding in her chest, the thought Oh, God, yes, came through her haze of lust. She had no idea what he had planned, but suddenly she realized she didn’t care very much. It was going to be good, no matter what.

  Her calves bumped into something hard.

  Twisting her head around slightly, Julia perceived that they’d moved over the dance floor without her being aware of it, and he’d backed her up into the front tire of his parked motorcycle. He nudged her farther back, pushing her legs apart with one knee until the tire appeared between her thighs. Guiding her down, her rear landed on the tire itself, her wrists still caught in his grip. Leaning over her, he lifted his arms, pulling her hands up over her head, trapping her on his bike, her back pressed against the small windshield.

  “Nice try, Puss,” he said, his voice a growl she could barely hear. “But you’re going to have to work harder than that to beat me.” And with that, his mouth dropped onto hers.

  Julia’s eyelids closed and she moaned at the firm pressure of his hot lips against her own. His presence was encompassing, overpowering. A wicked, dark thundercloud roiling with restrained fire. His tongue pressed against the seam of her mouth and she opened for him, meeting the tip of his tongue with hers. He tasted faintly of salt, and lemon and mint, the most delicious flavors that had ever collected on her tongue. The intimate contact was electric, the touch of skin to skin sending ripples of current dancing over her body.

  Jack. Oh, Jack.

  Julia’s nipples ached, the inseam of her pants now soaking wet. The rubber tire nubs pressed tantalizingly into her pussy and she squirmed, trying desperately for the best pressure against her aching clit.

  The roar of the crowd faded to a faint whisper. Everything around her shrunk to a tiny circle encompassing her and Jack. He fucked her mouth, raw and rough, his tongue demanding. Julia whimpered, meeting every stroke with one of her own. She could damn well give as good as she got.

  With some slight maneuvering, Jack trapped both wrists in one hand and sent the other down her body. His fingertips were calloused and rough, the sensation electric on her skin. Without preamble, his hand captured her breast, kneading the globe, his palm pressing small circles over her nipple. Julia squirmed more frantically, the combined sensation of motorcycle tire near her clit and Jack’s hand on her breast becoming almost more than she could bear. She gasped in sharp, ragged breaths between kisses, dizzy from a lack of oxygen and the rush of pleasure.

  And then the heat of his mouth was gone, the absence painful. Julia’s eyelids flew open, and she watched him slowly lower his head, bringing his mouth to her breast. She froze as he sucked in a large mouthful of her flesh, his tongue flicking over the nipple deep in the hot cave of his mouth. Julia screamed, the crowd around them echoing the sound. Bodies seemed to melt into each other, blurry in her vision. She saw glimpses of other bare breasts, other hungry mouths and roaming hands. The room caught the fever plaguing Jack and herself. It spurred her on.

  Jack turned his attention from one breast to the other, laving that aching nipple with aggressive strokes of his tongue. Julia moaned incoherently, random sounds of pleasure escaping her lips. An earth-shaking explosion was imminent. The breaking point was on the horizon. Her pussy was hot from the friction against the rubber, and she pressed down harder on the tire.

  The heat of his mouth disappeared. Tendrils of cool air wound their way around her overheated skin and Julia dimly realized that Jack had signaled the security staff to again open the emergency doors.

  His fingers returned to explore her skin, his weight shifting above her. With the loud click of metal against metal, Jack turned the ignition on the bike and the machine rumbled to life. Julia let out a cry of pleasure as the tire beneath her began a quiet vibration, shaking along with the entire motorcycle. Jack’s mouth returned to her neck as he dropped kisses down her throat and into her cleavage, his lips hot through the fabric.

  Jack released her hands and Julia gripped the handlebars instead, certain her knuckles were turning white with the effort of it all. She squirmed atop the tire, seeking surcease from the damned throbbing ache in her pussy. The rubber hummed pleasingly beneath her, the entire wheel acting like an oversized sex toy, and she shifted her weight again, arching her back, trying to find the right position to make best use of the buzz. Jack’s hands again encompassed both breasts. Finding both nipples with his fingertips, he squeezed, pinching her tender flesh.

  The shock of mild pain, along with the frustratingly subtle buzz of the motorbike, combined to send Julia overboard. She screamed as the orgasm struck with the instantaneousness of a lightning bolt and the violence of the same.

  The universe as Julia knew it disintegrated, crumbling into a billion pieces. Her entire body trembled with orgasmic aftershocks. Forcing her eyelids open, she searched for Jack, her vision blurry and unfocused.

  He leaned over her, his eyes nearly black with desire, a sheen of perspiration on his face. Jack’s chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing ragged and uneven.

  He leaned in to kiss her and his mouth was soft, gentle, a direct contrast to the rest of him. Julia returned the action, still slightly stunned. She’d never been so discombobulated i
n her life, and for a long moment floated adrift, unanchored. Jack had rocked her world so violently, so unexpectedly, that she needed time. An escape. Something.

  Jack broke the kiss first. “You’re amazing, Puss. You really are.” His voice was low and strained.

  Julia stared at him, still bewildered, unable to form words in response.

  He raised one hand to her face and slowly caressed her cheek, his eyes unreadable. Then he straightened and helped her to stand on wobbly legs.

  Leaning in close again, he kissed her forehead. “Until next time.”

  Julia could only nod in reply.

  Releasing her, Stone climbed onto his bike as the DJ’s voice cut through the music and noise.

  “Damn, people! Was that hot, or what? Show Stone and Kitty some love, would you?”

  An enthusiastic cry rose from the throng as Stone raised the kickstand and began maneuvering the bike around, turning it to face the door. With a rumble and a rev of the engine, he was gone, vanishing into the night.

  Julia stood motionless, staring at the rectangle of open space. She raised a hand to her mouth, her fingers touching her swollen lips. Emotion flooded her body, confusing and upsetting her.

  What the hell was that?

  It was Jack winning, her traitorous logical brain snarked.

  Whatever. But something else just happened there. Something… I don’t know.

  Even though nothing in the room had actually changed, it seemed to Julia as though the volume suddenly quadrupled. Instantly she was painfully aware of her surroundings and of more than a few curious glances cast in her direction.

  She needed to get out and not just stand there like a freak show exhibit. Shocked at the idea, Julia hurried through the throng toward her exit, most of the partiers so drunk at that point they paid her little heed, even though she imagined every eye on her. Blinking rapidly, Julia tried in vain to clear her vision. But a pair of dark, smoldering green eyes were all she could see.

  * * * * *

  Julia fumbled with the buttons on her cell phone. Her hands hadn’t stopped shaking since she’d returned home from the gig. And it wasn’t just her hands, if she really stopped to think about it. Her knees felt like gelatin, and even her perception of everything around her was completely skewed. Colors were dull. Straight lines bowed and curved. Sounds caused her to jump like a cat on a telephone wire.

  With a growl she dropped the BlackBerry onto her sofa and walked into her narrow galley kitchen. Tea. She’d make a cup of tea and then try dialing yet again.

  With her hands preoccupied, Julia’s mind wandered for the millionth time back to the party. The images from the previous night were still so vivid, so clear, that if she closed her eyes she was right there. Doing it all again.

  With him.

  Damn that man. Julia exhaled loudly. How had he done it? She’d gone from hunter to prey in exactly the space of a heartbeat.

  And you enjoyed every freakin’ minute of it.

  That’s beside the point.

  He was smart. Too smart. He’d gotten under her skin, found her buttons and pressed them. Repeatedly. The rational part of her brain was impressed. He’d been given a challenge and he went in to battle prepared.

  She snorted at the thought. Battle?

  Well, yeah. She supposed it was. A lot was at stake here. For her, anyway. Because people who claimed to be partners lied. They cheated and schemed and did everything they could to control the other half of the team. Well. Julia wasn’t ever going to get caught in that net again. Nobody was ever going to try to tell her what to do, and then toss her to the curb when she refused. Ever.

  She was going to show him. No matter how sweet he talked, or how hot he moved, she wasn’t going to just let him take what was rightfully hers.

  The teakettle’s whistle snapped her out of her reverie, and she poured boiling water into her mug. Tossing a teabag in to steep, she walked back to the living room and picked up her phone. The renewed anger in her veins allowed her to dial the number without a twitch.

  “Jordan. It’s Julia. I need some information from you. What’s the location of the gig on Saturday night?”

  Ricky’s assistant’s voice held the slightest tremor. “Julia! You know I’m not supposed to tell you that until Saturday morning.”

  Julia angled the cell away from her mouth and exhaled loudly. She took a deep breath before returning to the call.

  “I know you’re not. But look, Jordan, I just need a couple of pieces of information. That’s all.” Julia paced the full length of her living room, a twinge of anxiety in her belly keeping her from standing still.

  “But Ricky said—”

  “I know what Ricky said, but this is important.” Julia forced honey into her tone. “You really do have your pulse on what happens in that office, you know. It’s amazing how you keep Ricky so organized and on the ball. We all know that you’re the one doing the grunt work, Jordan. I don’t know where we’d be if we didn’t have you to take care of us the way you do.”

  Silence answered her. Julia could feel the scales tipping in her favor. Time to give the extra nudge.

  “Hey, you know, Jordan, Max DJed last night. He asked about you.”

  “He did?” Jordan’s voice grew breathy. “What did he say?”

  Bingo. “He just wondered how you were doing and what you were up to.” Julia paused for a long heartbeat. “I said you were great, and currently single.”

  “You did?” The admin’s voice rose an octave on the last word.

  “Yeah. I can set up a meet with him and introduce you, if you want.”

  “You can? Really? That would be—” Jordan’s voice broke off. “Julia, I know what you’re doing, and it’s not fair. That’s blackmail, you know.”

  Julia made a noncommittal noise. “Jack had to know details about last night ahead of time, Jordan. It’s the only way he could have arranged the whole motorcycle thing.” Her voice caught and she cleared her throat. The memory of last night’s orgasm threatened to rise and Julia pushed it away. She was trying to have a coherent conversation, dammit. The thought of that orgasm still made her pussy twitch.

  Focus, woman. Focus.

  Slightly guilty-sounding silence answered her.

  “Don’t think of it as blackmail, Jordan. It’s a favor, pure and simple. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

  Jordan grunted. “For the sake of my sex life, you win. It’s a private party at Slick downtown. The whole bar’s closed to the public for the night. Johnny Winter’s hosting the event.”

  An elated giggle rose from her throat. “Johnny? Fabulous! Thanks, Jordan. I’ll call you later today with the details of your meet with Max, okay?”

  “You’d better, Julia. And not a word to Ricky about this, or he’ll have my head.”

  “Cross my heart and hope to die. My lips are sealed.”

  Julia ended the call and did a little happy dance around her coffee table. She’d partied for Johnny Winter more than once before and he’d loved her. And Slick was a perfect venue. Julia’s mind whirled with ideas as she scrolled through her BlackBerry’s contact list, looking for Winter’s number. She pushed the button to connect the call.

  Stone might have had the upper hand last time, but this time he was going to be the one knocked on his ass. She was going to blow his mind if it was the last thing she did. Guaranteed.

  Chapter Four

  Adrenaline coursed through Julia’s veins, making her just the slightest bit jumpy. It was show time, and this gig was the one that mattered. She stopped pacing the length of the private manager’s office where she waited, and crossed to the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the main club area of Slick. She was unconcerned about being seen, even with the subtle office lighting; the one-way glass took care of that problem quite nicely.

  She peered out, scanning the crowd in the massive room below her. Julia didn’t know the reason for the private party, but the guest list was a large one. She guessed the
re were a couple hundred people out there. They seemed to be having a great time, if the line at the bar and the mob in the dance pit were any indication.

  A cocky smile crossed her face. Johnny had been so accommodating when she’d spoken to him, and had gladly made the arrangements to put all of her requests in place. It was her turn to bring the surprise, and Jack wasn’t going to know what hit him.

  The elegant brass wall clock indicated that she had approximately fifteen minutes before showtime, and again, Jack was nowhere to be seen.

  “Figures,” Julia muttered under her breath. Turning away from the window she meandered aimlessly through the large office, weaving around the heavy brown leather furniture, finally standing beside the brass stripper pole that had been permanently mounted in the center of the room. Taking hold of the pole with one hand, Julia twirled around it, letting out a naughty chuckle. She wondered idly just how many dirty private parties had been held here in Johnny’s office. The idea of giving Jack a striptease or lap dance popped into her head, and Julia nearly stumbled mid-turn. Now that would definitely be hot.

  She spun around the pole again and giggled, quite a bit of air tickling her skin. The white peekaboo mini dress had so many cutouts that the material revealed more than it covered, especially when it came to her breasts, and was so short there was no way she could bend over, let alone sit down. Of course, she thought, a wicked smirk curving her lips, the dress also precluded wearing any sort of underwear.

  Releasing her grip, Julia ran her palms down her sides and over her hips, giving a little shimmy. Cool air whispered against her pussy and she giggled. It’d been a long time since she’d gone commando. She’d almost forgotten just how fun it was.

  She stretched her arms up over her head, feeling the slight pull in her muscles, and dropped her hands down into her hair. She primped for a moment, finger-combing the mass of tangled curls, lifting them up and then dropping the locks, the ends brushing the middle of her back. She moved over to the window once again to watch the scantily clad crowd, the frenetic energy the dancers were creating making its way up to her. Idly, she wondered just what Jack was going to be wearing tonight—if he bothered to show up.