Chronicles of a Hot Mess Page 14

  “No, just bring yourself,” Kevin said with a smile that made Amery want to punch him in the face.

  “Great. I’m excited to see your studio,” Lyla said as she smiled sweetly at him. Kevin grinned back at her, totally ignoring Amery.

  “The photos turned out great, Kevin,” Amery interrupted.

  “Yeah, they look pretty good, if I do say so myself,” Kevin agreed with a grin, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Meanwhile, Lyla seemed oblivious to Kevin’s advances.

  As the main course was brought out, Amery watched as Lyla’s gaze traveled over to Nate. He followed it and saw that Nate and Ward were sitting precariously close together. Amery watched a grin form on Lyla’s face.

  “Penny for your thoughts?’ Amery asked her, knowing full well what she was thinking.

  “Just glad Nate’s having a good time,” she said, giving him an innocent look.

  “Right,” he answered.

  The rest of dinner was filled with Kevin asking Lyla questions, Ellen interrupting them with important office-related information, and some kid from the shoot named Stewie stopping over to make sure he wasn’t needed for anything. By the time the live auction started, Amery noticed Lyla was on her third glass of alcohol after Kevin repeatedly asked for more refills at the table.

  He motioned for the waiter to bring water and then set it down next to Lyla’s wine glass. She looked over at him and her cheeks turned red.

  He leaned in so only she could hear him. “You should hydrate,” he whispered, breathing against her earlobe for a moment too long. He inhaled as he pulled back, smelling her perfume. Lyla, he had found over the past few weeks, smelled of roses.

  He noted the goose bumps that covered her skin as he leaned back in his seat. It pleased him that he still was affecting her.

  Amery, Kent, and the other guests of honor were all called up to the stage after the auction to give short speeches. Amery had trouble not looking at Lyla the entire time he gave his short speech about the charity work that Kent and he did.

  After dessert, a band began to play, and Amery held his hand out to Lyla. She nodded and followed him to the dance floor. He caught Kevin giving him the evil eye, and he smiled back. Kevin quickly looked away.

  He took Lyla in his arms, and they began to swirl around the dance floor. She was so petite, he felt like he could lift her and dance like that the entire evening. She smiled up at him and couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that spread across his face.

  “Having fun?” he asked her.

  She shrugged. “I guess so. It’s fun to get dressed up once in a while,” she said.

  “What are you doing after this? Are you staying in the city or going back home?” he asked her.

  “Well, I, uh, hadn’t really planned that out,” she admitted.

  “No?” he asked.

  She shook her head and blushed. “I guess, I just figured we’d get an Uber, or crash at B-Ray’s,” she said.

  He gripped her tighter. He was at a loss with this woman. He wanted her in his bed, but was it too soon, not soon enough? He never contemplated this before, never cared.

  He went to lean in and tell her he wanted her to come back with him when a hand gripped Lyla’s shoulder.

  “Can I cut in?” Kevin asked.

  Amery wanted to shove him on the floor and yell “no,” but he figured Lyla might frown upon that.

  “Sure,” he said graciously and stepped back so Lyla could dance with Kevin.

  Lyla

  Kevin gripped her a little too tightly as they danced.

  “So, it’s been a good night, right?” he said to her.

  “Yeah, it’s been fun,” she said, giving him a small smile.

  “Well, Monday should be exciting,” he said.

  “Yeah, I’m excited. So, this is for the magazine?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yes. It’s for a photo spread that’s supposed to mimic a perfume commercial,” he said. “They want something very basic, simple, black and white; it should be a fun shoot.”

  “Cool,” she said.

  “I’ll send you the details tomorrow,” he reiterated.

  “Right. Are you sure there’s nothing I should work on tomorrow to help you out?” she asked again.

  “No, Lyla. Just bring yourself,” he answered.

  “OK,” she replied.

  The song came to an end and all of a sudden, Nate was by her side. “Hey, can I cut in?” he asked with a sneaky grin on his face.

  “Oh, sure. You’re Nate, right?” Kevin asked.

  “Yes, Lyla’s brother,” Nate said, not missing a beat.

  “Nice to meet you,” Kevin said, relinquishing Lyla to him.

  “I’ll see you back at our table,” Kevin whispered against Lyla’s cheek as he pulled away.

  She nodded and then was swept up into Nate’s arms. She visibly relaxed as they began to dance.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his cheek.

  “You’re welcome, Ly. Can I be honest with you about something?” Nate asked, pulling back so that he could look at her eyes.

  “What is it, Nate?” Lyla said suddenly feeling nervous. Nate was silly and fun. He seldom was serious.

  “Nate?” Lyla urged again as she met his gaze.

  “I don’t like Kevin,” Nate confessed.

  “Oh, Nate, seriously?” she laughed. “He’s nice and he’s been a good boss, so far. He’s very professional.” Well, except for that near kiss in the car, she thought to herself. But she was sure it was a mistake or a misunderstanding.

  “If you say so, just be careful, OK?” Nate urged.

  “I’m always careful,” Lyla moaned.

  Nate laughed. “Right.”

  Lyla swatted Nate playfully on his chest. “Jerk.”

  “Takes one to know one.” He grinned.

  Lyla rolled her eyes and when she focused again, Amery filled her vision.

  “Where were we?” he asked as Nate stepped back and gave him a wink. Amery stepped in, and they picked up where they’d left off.

  “I think we were right here.” She smirked as she clung to him and he twirled them in a circle. He pulled her closer, and she could feel the hard, hot plane of his chest and abdomen. She pressed against him, wanting to feel more of his warmth against her body.

  He tightened his grip on her, almost to the point of discomfort, but not quite. Amery leaned in so his hot breath caressed Lyla’s ear. “Come home with me,” he asked her, his voice an octave lower than normal, and she shivered.

  She looked up at him, his blue eyes sparkled in the ballroom lighting. She wanted to go home with him, to be with him. “Yes,” she whispered, and his face lit up as he ran his lips across her cheek.

  “When can you leave?” he asked her.

  She gave a small laugh. “Soon,” she said. “I need to figure out what Nate is going to do.”

  Amery motioned toward Nate’s table with his head, and Lyla followed his gaze. She gave a small gasp as she saw Ward’s hand on Nate’s knee, the table hid it mostly, but from their vantage point, it was quite obvious.

  “I believe, Nate has a ride,” Amery said with a smirk.

  Lyla giggled. “OK, then,” she said. “Let me make sure Ellen is all set.” Amery grimaced, but Lyla ignored his reaction and went to find her boss’s boss.

  Ellen was several drinks into the evening and had loosened up considerably.

  “You go and have a good night, Lyla,” Ellen said, her words slurring slightly.

  “OK, you sure?” she asked.

  “Yepper. We’re good,” Ellen replied with a wave of her hand.

  “Hey, you leaving so soon?” Kevin asked, stepping up to them.

  “Oh, well, Amery lives near me and offered me a ride home, and he wants to leave, so I’m going to catch a ride with him,” Lyla said.

  “Oh? Well, make sure to get a good night’s sleep and rest up tomorrow, because Monday is going to be very busy,” Kevin said sternly. Lyla could tell his demeano
r had changed when she mentioned the ride from Amery. It made her slightly uncomfortable.

  “Sure. I...I’ll do that, Kevin,” she said earnestly.

  He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you in about thirty-six hours then,” he said quietly as he pulled his head back from hers.

  She nodded and quickly made her way to Amery who was chatting with some of the other gala attendees.

  “Lyla, this is my boss, Derek Hathaway,” Amery introduced when she approached him.

  “Pleasure to meet you, Lyla,” Derek said, extending his hand. “Amery has spoken very highly of you and all of this press around the event has been fantastic for the team. I really appreciate it.”

  “Uh, sure,” she replied. “Happy to do my job,” she added and gave him a smile.

  A woman near the bar motioned for Derek and he smiled politely. “I believe my wife needs me. I hope to see you again, Lyla.”

  “Yes, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Hathaway,” Lyla said.

  “Derek, please,” he encouraged.

  “Derek,” she repeated.

  He leaned in a little. “And watch out for this one. He’s trouble, but don’t let him fool you, deep down he’s one of the best men I know,” he whispered and then gave her a wink.

  She grinned at him. “Noted,” she whispered back.

  “What’s all this about?” Amery asked, with a raised eyebrow.

  “Just sharing insider tips,” Derek said innocently as he shook Amery’s hand.

  “Right,” Amery said. “Shall we?” he asked and held out his arm to Lyla. She slipped her arm through his, and he walked them out to the valet.

  They drove in silence back to his home. The only sound was the music that filled the car. It wasn’t an awkward silence though, it was the type of silence that exists between two lovers when words are useless in the face of desired actions.

  Amery kept his hand on the stick shift, his eyes on the road, but Lyla stole occasional glances at him. She traced the lines of his face with her eyes, memorizing them.

  “We’re here,” Amery murmured as he stopped in his driveway. He turned to her. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

  She was nervous, the most nervous she’d been in a very long time, but she was sure. Amery made her feel safe, confident. He didn’t question her because she was a klutz or because she was small. He respected her, and he clearly had come to care for her. She licked her lips as she studied his body. He was the type of guy that girls dreamed about, that they commented about in a bar or anywhere for that matter. He could have a million different women, but he was choosing her in this moment and that made her brave.

  “Yes,” she whispered. He quickly got out of the car and met her on her side as she opened the door. He took her hand in his, led her inside, and up the stairs to his bedroom.

  She hadn’t seen his bedroom, well at least she didn’t remember seeing it. She blushed thinking about that night.

  “What’s wrong?” Amery asked as his eyes roved over her.

  “Nothing,” she replied as she bit her lip. He stepped toward her, and she felt goose bumps rise on her skin as his eyes got dark with desire.

  “Turn around,” he whispered when he was a hair’s breadth away.

  She complied, and he leisurely ran his hands up her exposed arms before reaching for the zipper of her gown. He slowly pulled it down, exposing her soft skin one inch at a time. When the zipper reached the bottom, he slid the dress from her body. Underneath she was wearing lingerie, lingerie that Nate had required her to wear. She now wanted to kiss Nate and thank him profusely because as she turned back around Amery sucked in a breath.

  “Wow, you look, just wow,” Amery managed.

  She smirked and began undoing the buttons of his dress shirt and pulling his bow tie free. He kept his arms still at this sides and let her have free rein over his body. When he was naked from the waist up, she ran her hand down his washboard abs, tracing the lines they created on his body. The muscles rippled beneath her touch, and she stared in awe at his physique. She slowly lifted her head until her gaze met his.

  He leaned down, grasping her head from behind as he brought his face against hers, but didn’t kiss her.

  “I want to kiss you, and then I want to take that sexy lingerie off and explore every inch of you,” he whispered against her lips.

  “OK,” she answered breathily. He smiled before pressing his lips firmly against hers. His kiss was gentle and probing at first, but within a matter of minutes, it became demanding and frantic. Their tongues tangled as he walked them toward the bed. Lyla could feel Amery fumbling with the dozens of small clasps at the back of her corset.

  “Turn around,” he finally grumbled, as they both came up for air. She giggled and complied. He swatted her playfully on the ass.

  He made quick work of the corset once he had a visual on it and then he slowly pulled the matching lace panties down her legs. She suddenly felt very self-conscious juxtaposed against the lean physique of this athlete. And she worried about the scar on her side. As though sensing her anxiety, he laid a hand on her shoulder and kissed his way up her back before nibbling at her neck and then her ear.

  “Turn back around, sexy,” he said and as though in a trance, she complied.

  “Damn, Lyla, you are beautiful, perfect,” he said as he sucked in a breath of air and examined each inch of her naked body. He didn’t comment on her scar, nor did he make a big deal about it. He reached out and gently ran his finger along it and then up to her breast, where his hand lingered for just a moment before he touched her cheek. She felt truly beautiful for the first time.

  She reached for his pants and undid them, and he pushed them to the floor and then pulled off his socks. He stood before her with only the cotton of his boxer briefs separating them. He looked like a model. She glanced down, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of his erection straining against the fabric. He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head so that he could look into her eyes.

  “Lie down,” he said.

  She sat back on the bed and pushed herself against the headboard, curling her legs beneath her as though she was a scared animal. She didn’t mean to look scared, but she felt a bit anxious.

  Amery sat on the bed and pulled her to him. He held her face in his hands and then crashed his lips to hers. All her anxiety left her in a rush of desire. She moaned into his mouth, her lips separating. He caressed her lip with his tongue before plunging inside her mouth. She was so enraptured by the kiss, she barely was aware that he was rolling them, so she was beneath him. He supported himself on his arms and continued to kiss her, moving inch by inch along her face to her jaw, her neck, her breasts. She wasn’t particularly curvy, and she felt embarrassed that her breasts weren’t larger, but he didn’t seem to mind as he caressed one while lavishing the other’s nipple with his tongue. She squirmed beneath him from the overwhelming sensations he was creating within her.

  Just as she was about to burst, he continued his trail of kisses down her belly, running his tongue along her scar. One of his hands danced along her side and down her leg, and then he gently pushed apart her legs so that he could settle himself in between them. She felt his hand run back up the length of her leg that he had just pushed outward. It skimmed her pubic bone and then slowly his fingers found her folds. He lightly ran a single finger up her slit and back down it. And then he did it again, pressing in just slightly. He was driving her crazy with anticipation. She squirmed again, and he smiled against her clenched stomach muscles.

  “We have all night, Lyla,” he said softly.

  She groaned, and he chuckled, but at the same time he slid his finger inside her and she gave a soft cry.

  “Jesus, you’re so tight but so wet, angel,” he breathed.

  He was gentle with his movements, and he slowly brought his kisses further down until his lips hovered just above his fingers. She could feel his hot breath exactly where she wanted his lips and his tongue. She
was far too shy about stuff like that to admit that out loud.

  “Tell me,” he coaxed.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

  “Say it, Lyla. Tell me what you want,” he encouraged. “I’ll give you anything you want, angel, anything.” His finger didn’t stop moving in and out of her as he spoke, and she was quickly losing her mind with desire.

  “I want you,” she whispered.

  “You want me where?” he asked.

  She groaned as his finger hit a spot deep inside her that made her body shudder involuntarily.

  “I want your mouth on me,” she groaned in desperation.

  She had barely gotten the words out when he lowered his mouth and flicked his tongue rapidly back and forth over her most sensitive spot. And that was all it took for her to fall over the cliff’s edge. It had been so long, and it had never been like this. A silent scream left her mouth as her body convulsed around him. He didn’t stop until her muscles relaxed and then he planted a final wet kiss on her sex as he crawled up her body and reached into a drawer while pushing his briefs down. He was sheathed before she had finished coming down from her high.

  Amery

  He watched her climax as he tasted her. She was beautiful and perfect. Every fucking thing about her was perfect, her skin, her taste, the lines of her body, her eyelashes, hair, nails, and he wanted nothing more than to sink into her. He lined himself up with her entrance and waited until her big, beautiful eyes opened before he slowly inched himself inside her. Her body fought the intrusion and he was forced back out several times before he could slide the entire way inside of her. But when he did, dear God, she felt amazing. He didn’t remember it ever feeling this amazing.

  Her eyes didn’t leave him as he made his way inside of her. He stilled for a moment once he was fully seated.

  “OK?” he asked her, it was taking all his self-control to remain still.

  “Yes,” she murmured.

  “Good,” he replied with a smile as he drew himself nearly all the way out again and plunged back inside of her heat. His eyes rolled back in his head from the intensity of her temperature and grasping muscles undulating around his cock.

  “You feel so good, angel,” he grunted as he began to increase the speed of his thrusts.