Kairos Read online

  A few minutes later I step into the hall and walk toward the stairs. I can hear Tonya blow-drying her hair, so she’ll be a few more minutes. I’ve got a little time to kill, so I go downstairs and search for something light to eat so I won’t get sick when I drink. I quickly round up some lettuce, sliced turkey, cheese, and honey mustard and then spread it out on the bar and start making my dinner.

  After finishing my sandwich and cleaning up my mess, I head to the powder room to freshen my makeup.

  Inside the powder room is a full-length mirror where I check myself out. I look good tonight. My dress is snug where it’s supposed to be and free flowing where it needs to be. My breasts are covered, but the strapless top allows for some cleavage to show. My cute silver flats match my silver hoop earrings and necklace. I’m wearing the white gold watch my dad bought me for my high school graduation. The dark blue of the dress really sets the jewelry off.

  My blue eyes are dark and sultry beneath my smoky eye shadow, and my skin sparkles from my tinted body lotion. I pull my lip gloss from my clutch purse and apply it in smooth, even strokes so that by the time I’m finished my lips look plump and kissably wet. My perfume is in the cabinet beside Tonya’s, and I snatch it up and spray a couple pumps and put it away. I step back and take in my appearance for a final time and smile at myself in the mirror.

  “I clean up pretty damn good.” I smirk.

  Tonya steps into the room and reaches inside the cabinet for her perfume. After a couple of squirts, she sets it back and takes a quick peek at her stunning self before smiling and pulling me out and toward the front door. We emerge into darkness and walk quickly to her Jeep. I slide into the passenger seat, and she fires up the “Beast,” as we have aptly named it.

  Twenty minutes later we have arrived at The Club. They sure went to great lengths to be clever with that name. But it’s the nicest establishment around, and it’s always clean and drug-free for the most part. We pay our cover charge and step into the blaring music-filled hall. All around lights are flashing and spinning, and the first thought that comes to mind is that this would be a nightmare for someone with epilepsy. I chastise myself for always thinking of the negative and follow Tonya as she heads for the bar.

  The music is bumping loud enough for me to feel the vibration down to my bones. The sound calls to my body as I start to sway to the beat with sensual grace. I love to dance, and I tend to come out of my shell when a good beat is involved. It’s one of the few places where I don’t feel inhibited.

  I smile and tip the bartender as I collect my Crown and Coke, my hips swaying to the music as I make my way over to the small circular table with four barstools. I set my purse on the table and wait for Tonya to get her drink from the bar. As I sit and wait, I get the feeling I’m being watched. I look around to see if someone I know has spotted me but don’t see anyone familiar. I shuffle in my seat a little to get a broader range of view and catch a glimpse of blond hair before it disappears behind a couple of girls with glow sticks gyrating and weaving to the music.

  Tonya appears to my left and takes her seat. “It’s packed in here tonight,” she yells so I can hear her over the music.

  “Yeah, it is. Who all is coming to meet us?” We’re leaning in toward each other now so we can hear without screaming. She nods toward the dance floor, and I look to see two large men approaching our table.

  “That is why you will thank me later. Feast your eyes on our prey for the evening. Remember, the blond is yours.” She shoves my shoulder playfully, and I look up to see piercing green eyes staring down at me.

  It’s him. Oh, my God, it’s really him. I blink to make sure my eyes are really seeing him. His full pouty lips pull up into a half smile, and I know he is reading my expression and can see my confusion/recognition. Good lord, he is too damn pretty to be real.

  “Hi.” His teeth show as he shoots his charming grin in my direction.

  “You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” I say sternly. His smile fades, and his eyes scan my face for what I’m thinking. Seemingly satisfied, he steps up to my chair and extends his hand to me, gesturing toward the dance floor.

  I stand up and take his hand. He leads us into a remote corner on the dance floor. The DJ has been switching it up between techno and remixed pop, but I don’t mind. It has a good beat, and I can feel my muscles warming up as I start to work my body with the rhythm. I raise my arms and place them around his neck and scoot closer to him. My body is rubbing against his with blatant carnality. I can play this game too, as long as I don’t have to speak. My body is drawn to his, so it’s no effort to let my wanton moves carry me away with the song.

  “Logan. The name’s Logan Thatcher. No more disadvantages. We’re on a level playing field, and I must say I’m enjoying the game immensely.”

  I turn my back to him and swing my arms back over his head and secure my fingers behind his neck. He hisses between his teeth as my ass bumps his groin. I purposely do it again and nudge his slightly erect penis with the cleft of my ass. A current tingles through my body at the contact.

  I close my eyes and sink into an erotic dance. My body slithers over his like a snake up a tree. I can’t stand any distance between us. I want to touch him, feel his hard muscles beneath his velvety skin, and bask in his growing erection as I brazenly press myself against him. His breathing has picked up, and he begins to run his hands up the sides of my thighs and under the hem of my dress. He goes no farther but teases my senses with feather-light touches, and then he runs a hand up the back of my thigh and squeezes my ass…hard. I gasp in surprise, but the move only heightens my desire.

  “You’re playing with fire, brave one. I may not be an animal, but I’m still a man, and you are provoking a hunger so strong it’s all I can do to keep from driving myself deep within you,” he growls in my ear. His warm breath on my skin sends an electric jolt down my neck and across my belly. My womb clenches as moisture gathers between my legs. His hand is now massaging my bottom, while his other one climbs up my stomach and skims across my breasts, brushing up against my hard nipples, and pulling a strangled gasp from my lips.

  “Logan. What are you doing to me?” I say breathlessly. I’m shocked by my voice. It sounds so husky and leaden with lust. He places both hands on my hips and pulls me into his fully erect cock. He’s thick, hard, and ready for what I would willingly give.

  Blunt teeth graze my neck where it meets my shoulder and work their way back up, nibbling on my sensitive flesh. Masculine hands press into my hips, working down my belly to the apex of my thighs. I inhale sharply at the contact and tremble in his arms. A throaty chuckle next to my ear melts any defenses I have left.

  His warm breath is doing amazing things to the delicate shell of my ear. Hot and moist, his tongue slowly licks up the skin behind my ear and then slowly works back down. A hard shudder works through me as the burn building between my legs mounts to a frustrating peak. I need release, and I want it now.

  His right hand trails a path under my skirt and up around my behind. At the first contact, I nearly jump from his arms, but he has me held securely against his rock-hard body. My back is to him, his arm like a vice around my waist, while the other works its way into my panties.

  My eyes are closed to everything around me. The darkness alludes to a false sense of privacy. I can’t hear anything but his breathing. I can’t feel anything but the rocking motion of my hips as my body strains for contact with his. I feel a sharp tug, and my panties fall, only to be snatched up by his other hand and quickly folded in his fist as he resumes his grip around my waist.

  His fingers part my moist folds and begin a slow but tortuous assault on my clitoris. I moan while pressing further into his eager hand. I am beyond reason now. I am living for the orgasm waiting to burst through the dam. It’s so close. I can feel my body tensing with the need for release. Like a wave building and building before it crashes against the shore. His fingers stroke with masterful precision. I am humming with electrifying sensat
ions throughout my core.

  “Shit. You’re soaking wet and ready for me. So fucking sexy.” His voice is husky with lust, which only serves to turn me on even more. I can feel him rocking his huge erection into my backside. My arms feel heavy as they slide down his delectable body. I place my palms on his thighs and gently massage my way up to his eager sex. At the first touch, his fingers still, and then he hisses loudly and moans into my neck. His smooth fingers plunge deep inside of me. First one, and then a second. The suddenness nearly catapults me over the edge, but he stops and waits while my body comes down again.

  He’s dragging this out, and I am going mindless with the need to come. I work my hands over his steel shaft, up and down with firm but gentle strokes. I feel him stiffen behind me as his own need begins to seize control of his mind and body.

  Tilting my head to the side, I expose my neck for his soft lips to caress. Needing no further explanation, he quickly seizes the moment and thrusts his fingers in time with his tongue as he licks my neck with an expertise I’ve never known the likes of. He gently bites my shoulder, and I squeak at the sensation coursing through my body. I’m so close. So close.

  “Please, Logan. Please. Give it to me,” I pant. I’m begging like a greedy whore, but I don’t even notice, much less care. This man has brought me to the edge, and I feel as if I’m going to combust.

  He chuckles in my ear and begins to whisper something in a foreign language. I can’t understand what he’s saying, but it sounds so damn sexy that I just imagine they’re words of praise, and I rock my hips hard into his palm while his fingers plunge in and out of my hot channel. In and out. In and out. Oh God, I am so close. So damn close. He bites the place on my neck that meets my shoulder…hard.

  “Fuck!” I explode and crumple in his strong arms. His fingers are still milking every last drop of my orgasm from me, and I am lost to the white bliss that has swallowed me whole. My entire body feels as if I’m floating on a cloud of hot satin.

  “That’s it. Come apart for me. Remember who gave you this. Remember this is only a taste of what is to come.” His words caress my skin as he plants sweet kisses over my shoulders and up the back of my neck. He pulls his fingers free, leaving me feeling bereft over the emptiness, but I’m too sated to say anything. That was one of the strongest orgasms I’ve ever had, and we didn’t even have sex. He’s amazing. I want him more now than I ever did.

  The haze of lust begins to clear, and the music begins to play again around me. Other dancers come into focus a few feet in front of us but not looking our way. It’s as if no one sees us over here, or if they do they’re choosing not to look. A warm blush spreads up my neck and across my cheeks. Holy shit, I just let a guy finger me in the middle of a dance floor. What the hell was I thinking? I try to step away from him, but he yanks me back and then turns me around to face him.

  He pulls his two soaked fingers up to his mouth and licks them with his wicked tongue. Then he puts them in his mouth and sucks them clean. This would normally gross me out, but I am finding it to be a real turn-on with him. I’m wet and aching, and it only makes it worse knowing he could ride me with the skill of a jockey at the Kentucky Derby.

  “Where do you think you’re going? I told you that was only the beginning. There’s more to come, much more. Don’t you want to feel me inside of you? I’m dying to feel you sheath my cock as I plunge into your sweet wetness.”

  I am standing speechless, staring up into his gleaming eyes. He gently drags his fingers over my bare back, and with his other hand, he cups my chin and leans down to claim my mouth.

  His lips are soft, full, and rub against mine as if they were made for my pleasure. His tongue bumps my bottom lip, seeking entrance, and I open to him with heady anticipation. His tongue sweeps over mine and takes masterful control, exploring the concaves of my moist mouth and seeking tongue. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and nibbles along its edge and then licks my lips as if they were covered in sugar.

  Two people dancing in close proximity bump into my back, and I’m shoved none too gently into Logan’s chest. I push back against them to regain my footing and look up to find his searing gaze upon me. He looks over my head at the crowd behind us, his expression shifting, eyes narrowed, and brow furrowed—he’s all predator.

  Our erotic bubble pops and fizzles away. It’s like the rope pulling the two of us together has been sliced in half, and I can finally gather my thoughts again. He pulls back to look down at my bewildered expression. The intensity that just a second ago consumed his face has been wiped clean. A sensual smile plays on his lips; he kisses me quickly, then withdraws, and begins to straighten out my dress to tidy up my appearance.

  His instant mood change has left my head spinning, and I’m grasping to figure out what the hell just happened. I sputter out the first halfway intelligible sentence I can think of. “I cannot believe I let you do that. I don’t even know you. Oh my God, you must think I’m some kind of bar whore. I swear to you…” He puts his fingers to my lips and kisses my forehead.

  “Shh. Don’t panic. Your morals are safe with me.” His expression grows serious. “You are not a whore, Sulwen. I am drawn to you. It’s natural to surrender, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He plants another chaste kiss on my forehead and draws me off the dance floor and back to the table, where Tonya and his friend are casually conversing. The two men exchange a glance, speaking to each other without words as I excuse myself to the restroom and beat a hasty retreat to clean myself up.

  I look over my shoulder once to see Thad’s eyes following me. The guy makes me restless as hell. Something about him sets my nerves on edge, yet I don’t fear him. For some unknown reason I feel safe when I’m with him and Logan. Crazy Town, I think to myself as I push my way through the crowd. And yet…a tingle in the back of my brain alerts me that something greater is afoot here. I just need to be patient and let the mystery, that is Logan Thatcher, unravel.

  Chapter

  Two

  On the ride home, Tonya will not quit asking questions about Logan. He sat so close to me the rest of the night that I found it difficult to breathe at times. His hand was always touching me; on my thigh, holding my hand, or on the small of my back. The contact was always there. It was completely unnerving how he could unravel me so easily. The worst part was that I enjoyed his touch, even craved it! He never made another sexual advance, but I could tell his lack of release pained him throughout the night.

  I don’t think I could handle that entire package anyway. To put it bluntly, the man was packing a small python in his pants, and even though I may not be a math major, I can look at the two and tell they don’t add up. He would rip me in two. At least that’s what I keep telling myself every time I have a naughty thought of him plunging deep inside me.

  Shit on a stick…I am so royally screwed. This man has me completely frazzled. Although he is miles away, I can still smell his scent on my dress. It makes my skin sing with erotic bliss. Holy crap, I need to get laid. I’m foaming at the mouth over his fresh and clingy scent. He smells of woods and mint. It’s crisp and sharp and teases my nose like a siren’s call.

  “Have you heard a word I just said?” Her voice is tinged with amusement. “Girl, you’ve got it bad, and you haven’t even had it yet. What are you going to do when you finally get a piece of that sweet candy?”

  I can’t help it; I laugh at her crazy comment. The more I laugh, the more I know she’s dead on with this assessment. I am smitten, and I’ve only seen him twice. Pathetic…I know! But it’s the reality of the situation, and like it or not, my body has plans to mate with his, and it’s not accepting a logic check at the moment.

  She continues to peer at me from the corner of her eye. I know she’s trying to figure out a way to derail this train before I climb onboard, but I’m afraid there isn’t anything anyone can say to me right now that could simmer the fire growing within.

  “I know you’re worried, but there’s no need. I’m a big girl, a
nd I can take care of myself. It’s been over a year since Dad passed, and I’m not on the rebound from Tommy, so quit worrying. You’re gonna give yourself wrinkles prematurely,” I chide her jokingly.

  She knows her skin is the perfect olive tone, and she has dark mahogany hair that is stick straight and looks good no matter what she does to it. Her big brown eyes are so dark at times they look black. She inherits that from her father’s Italian bloodlines. Of course, that’s not the only thing. She’s super tall, thin, and has a complexion that looks like fine suede. I truly envy her skin. Mine has faint freckles in the background, but once you’re up close, you can’t miss them. Insecurities…yes, I have them just like any other woman.

  “All right. All right. I’ll let it slide for now. But you two were hot and heavy on the dance floor. Don’t think I didn’t see you in the corner letting him feel you up. Dang, girl, it damn near made my panties wet to watch it. Did he hit second base? Or did you hold him to a bunt and tag him out before he got to first?”

  “I’d say he was rounding second, fixing to slide into third, and then tagged me out. Honestly…I would have let him screw me right there in that corner and not thought a thing about it. I was that damn horny. It’s shameful, really, but I can’t bring myself to regret it one bit.” I smile at her, and she laughs out loud.

  She has one of those Julia Roberts kind of mouths that shows every perfect tooth when she laughs and pulls you into it whether you want to laugh or not. Gah, why can’t I be more like her? The girl doesn’t possess a single flaw that I’m aware of. Sure, she can be a bit bossy, but that has never bothered me.

  “Do you remember Lucy from the tenth grade? You know, the one who always had a really fat friend because she said they made her look good?” I ask.