Longing for You

  “You’re right, and we saw each other on Saturday. Now we have tomorrow too.”

  Indeed they did, and the closer it grew to tomorrow, the more anxious she grew to see what would happen.

  “I assume Jonah is on board with everything?”

  Theo continued cleaning up his mess. He didn’t look her way when he replied, “Cass, you should know this by now. I could tell Jonah he was meeting Ally five seconds before she arrived and he’d be on board. That’s why we’re doing this, hot stuff.”

  Part of her wanted to call his bluff, but she couldn’t. She was too busy watching him remove his shirt. His muscles rippled as he grabbed the sides and pulled it over his head. After he wadded it into a ball, he tossed it into a black bag under the table and retrieved another.

  Though his personality was the same, the one thing about him that had changed was his body. The muscles entrancing her were twice the size she remembered. There were more of them too. Guess he’d been busy in the gym while he was in New Orleans. The proof had her biting her lip the longer she stared.

  She swept her eyes over each groove separating his abs. Wasn’t she about to ask him something? No… Or did she mean yes? It was hard to concentrate on anything but him. Her mind wasn’t the only thing he consumed. The mere sight of him had her body reacting. She grew wetter the longer she watched him.

  Once he slipped the new shirt over his head and chest, he met her gaze. He didn’t hide the grin that formed shortly after. When his cheeks dimpled, hers burned like a cherry red poker. Reality was such a brutal bitch, and her reality showed in the curl of his lips. He knew she was checking him out.

  As if his ego wasn’t big enough…

  The trance she was under broke. She faced the table and pressed against the edge. A few deep breaths helped her regain her bearings, including the question she wanted to ask.

  “Are you sure Jonah is okay with this? I don’t want to do anything to hurt Ally. It was hard enough convincing her to go out.”

  She noticed him in her peripheral as he walked in her direction. “Are you doubting me, sugar?”

  “Not at all.” Her heartbeat increased when he stopped just behind her. She couldn’t look at him, not without losing herself inside those bright blue eyes. “I’m only trying to protect Ally. She needs a good guy after the last jerk she dated. If there’s any chance I’m wrong and Jonah isn’t that guy, I need to know.”

  “Trust me, Cassie. Jonah is in love with Ally. Nothing will change his feelings. Can you say the same for her? Is she ready to date again?”

  Cassie nodded. She couldn’t say anything else without lying. Ally never said she wasn’t ready to date, but she never said she was either. It was the same regarding their date tomorrow. Ally hadn’t declined the invitation or returned Cassie’s text to set up plans.

  Part of her wanted to confess that Ally hadn’t made up her mind, but Theo stepped beside her. “I get the impression you don’t like Ally’s ex. Why is that?”

  “He’s a self-centered, twat waffle who never put Ally first. I’m talking Class A asshole. The guy is a douche.”

  He chuckled softly. “Wow. You really dislike him.”

  “Yep. Guys like him are the reason I remain single. True love only exists for a few people. The rest of us just deal with life and move on.”

  She didn’t miss the way Theo thinned his lips or the way his gaze fell to the ground. He backed away out of her sight, but she kept focused on the table.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way.” His voice took on a more serious tone and sounded closer than before. The warmth of his body heated her back when he leaned into her. She froze under his touch, but the heat radiating between them chipped away at her resolve.

  She turned her head to peer over her shoulder. Theo’s face hovered just above it. The bold scent of his cologne filled her nose. She allowed it to overtake her senses. When his lips crooked, her body ignited.

  “Women don’t deserve to be mistreated.” He trailed his fingers up her thigh. “They deserve to be caressed”—he continued over her hip, to her stomach, making it quiver—“and touched”—his hand worked under her skirt, down to her panties as he pressed his fingers to her clit—“and worshipped…”

  The heat of his mouth tickled her skin as he nipped her neck. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and swirled his fingers. She couldn’t keep from moaning or leaning back into his chest.

  Her breath quickened.

  He worked his fingers faster and brushed his lips against her ear. “Have you ever had that, Cassie? Have you ever had a guy worship everything about you?”

  The raspy sound of his voice made her knees weak. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything but shake her head and fight against the delicious sensation he was evoking. God, she wanted him.

  When she noticed him breathing harder, she found the strength to turn around and break free of his embrace. He lowered his hands beside him, giving her the opportunity to escape, but she remained in front of him. “What about you, Theo? Have you ever worshipped a girl that much?”

  His throat wobbled. He nodded slowly then dipped his head lower, whispering, “Only once.”

  Her body shifted as he cupped her ass and jerked her forward. His breath beat against her face then disappeared when he covered her lips with his.

  Nothing else existed. There was only Theo, his lips, his tongue, his hands… He squeezed her ass tighter and lifted her atop the table. She was too caught up in the moment to protest. The way his body warmed her inner thighs felt too good to refuse

  Everything was on fire.

  She gripped his arms when he scooted her to the edge of the table. His kiss grew more desperate. So did his hands. They pulled at her body and clothes as he rocked his hips into hers.

  Sweet sins of the South! Was he going to fuck her right here? She could only hope. It’s not like someone would see them. They were the only people in the building. Nothing stood in their way. After a week full of flirting and kissing, her curiosity was about to be settled.

  Theo’s hands slipped higher. He lifted her skirt to her waist then spread her legs wider. She complied. The anticipation of what was next built in her belly. She whimpered against his lips the instant he pushed her panties aside and teased her clit with his thumb.

  A jolt surged through her body. It left one hell of a tingle and thousands of goose bumps in its wake. The intensity increased when his fingers slipped inside her. As wet as she was, they glided in and out with ease. She wished it were his cock.

  Fuck, she needed him inside her…

  He didn’t oblige. Instead, he went to his knees. As she watched him sink, she leaned her hands behind her back and supported her weight. Labored breaths had her chest heaving. It did even more when Theo replaced his thumb with his tongue.

  He flicked it over her clit. Her head fell back and she moaned louder. When he did it again, her eyes fluttered shut. She rocked her hips up, desperate to feel more. This time, he gave her what she wanted. He thrust his fingers as fast as he swirled his tongue.

  Her legs shook.

  No one’s mouth had ever worked so much magic. She gazed lower, submitting to the pleasure she gained at seeing his mouth moving over her. Each time he swirled his tongue, her body twitched.

  When he sucked her clit between his lips and licked harder, her head spun. She fisted his hair in hopes of grounding herself, yet it didn’t help. The ache deepened within her. The more it grew, the more she wiggled her hips.

  Blue eyes shot up from hooded lids. She couldn’t breathe, or speak, or think. All she could do was feel—the deep thrust of his fingers, the rapid flick of his tongue, the way she tightened around him.

  The purest bliss washed over her like a tidal wave. “Oh, God. Theo…”

  Her voice was gritty, guttural. She didn’t silence her cries, couldn’t have if she wanted to. Something inside her exploded. Her body shuddered as wave after wave of exquisite pleasure engulfed her.

  Theo flicked
his tongue even faster. He stared at her as she came hard on his mouth. When he groaned against her, the vibrations sent her over the edge. She contracted around his fingers and squeezed her legs around his head.

  The orgasm seemed to last forever. Maybe it was because they hadn’t stopped staring at each other. Every time he looked at her she fell under his spell. The more attention he gave her, the more she wanted.

  When her orgasm finally waned, Theo withdrew his fingers and face from between her legs. As he stood before her, she lowered her gaze to his crotch. Every inch of him pressed against his jeans. She waited patiently for him to release his cock and plow into her. Her anticipation grew the more he stood silently. What was he waiting for?

  Instead of lowering his jeans, he caressed her leg before he walked away. It didn’t lessen her confusion. Was he finished? He’d taken the time to please her, not himself. She wanted the chance to reciprocate.

  Theo found a box of tissues on a nearby shelf and wiped his hands and mouth. When he returned, he helped her back to her feet and lowered her skirt. He didn’t move away once she gained her balance. His hands remained on her hips as he studied every inch of her face. Then, he flashed her a devious smile.

  Cassie struggled to speak. Her voice felt thick and scratchy, but she finally forced her mouth to cooperate. “I’m, uh…”

  “Speechless?”

  She nodded. “I wasn’t expecting you to… I mean, we’ve never discussed… Why did you do that?”

  Before he could answer her, footsteps echoed from the hall. As they grew louder, the sound of jingling keys and soft whistling accompanied them.

  “Someone’s here.” Theo faced the door. He turned his back and blocked her body with his, as if doing so would keep her safe from whoever had entered the building. She’d never seen this protective side of him, or the side that fucked her senseless with his mouth, but she liked both.

  “Relax.” She curled her hand around his upper arm until he refaced her. “It’s just the custodian. He’s a little early tonight.”

  Her face heated at the thought of the cleaning guy hearing her moaning. Surely he hadn’t been inside the building when she came. She’d have the hardest time facing him if he had.

  A tickle spread across her shoulder when Theo brushed her hair behind it and sighed. “Guess this means I have to let you go home. Oh well. I need to get back to work anyway.”

  “You’re not going back to your hotel?”

  “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’d planned to stay until I finished these songs, but maybe I should go to my room and crash. Let the day be done.”

  Damn. She was hoping his plans included fucking her all night…

  All of this was surreal. How could someone she’d known for so long affect her body the way he did? They never brought up the idea of hooking up when they were teens. Now she wished they had. She’d missed out on something amazing when it was right under her nose. She was either blind or stupid.

  The heat of his body returned when he strolled closer. Her disappointment faded as a twinge of hope resurfaced. Maybe now he’d explain his actions, or he’d suggest they go someplace else and finish what they’d started.

  “It’s near dusk. Maybe I should walk you to your car. I want to make sure you get to it safely.”

  His response wasn’t the one she wanted. She parted her lips to say as much when a series of chirps came from her purse. They both glanced at the floor where she’d placed it, but Theo bent down and lifted the straps.

  “It must be your phone. I left my handbag at the hotel.”

  He winked as she took the bag from him. At least he wasn’t acting weird about what just occurred. She wanted to know why he’d stopped but second-guessed bringing it up. The whole idea of what he did blew her mind. Maybe it did the same to him and now he regretted it.

  Why did she even care?

  Forcing herself to recover from the rejection, she did the only thing she knew to do. Pretend like Theo didn’t affect her. “Let me guess. Your purse is bright pink and blinged out with rhinestones.”

  He didn’t blink when he shot back, “You nailed it.”

  She dug her phone out of her purse but smiled at his sarcasm. There was much to appreciate about a quick, witty comeback. Theo had a lot of good qualities. If he ever settled down, he’d be a keeper.

  Tapping her phone screen, she waited for the full message to load. “It’s Ally,” she announced. “She said she has plans for dinner tomorrow but can meet me later for drinks.”

  “So she’s up for the date?”

  “See for yourself.” Cassie flipped her phone around so he could read the text. He scanned each word as his lips spread wider.

  “Yes.” He pumped his fist victoriously. “It appears as though our little project is getting closer to completion.”

  Feigning the best smile she could muster, she nodded in agreement, yet part of her didn’t feel as excited as he appeared. If they got Ally and Jonah together, would it put an end to them hanging out? She knew he wasn’t staying in Savannah, but now that she’d sampled the pleasure he could give her, she wanted more.

  The thought of waiting for it to happen made her anxious. She wanted to invite him back to her place, but she wouldn’t be so bold. There was a chance he would say no, especially if he was undecided on working late. She had to go about this a different way.

  And she knew just how.

  “I think we should celebrate.”

  His brow arched higher as he looked her up and down. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. You’re not working late or crashing early, Theo. You and I are going out for a drink.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Theo tapped his fingers against the bar as he waited for the bartender to take his order. Of all the places they could have gone, he chose to come back to Midnight Blues. Cassie didn’t seem as keen on the idea at first, but he assured her tonight’s band would be worth hearing.

  Besides, the bar was a few blocks from his hotel. He wouldn’t have far to go if he got plastered. A couple of blocks were nothing. He’d stumbled down Bourbon Street on more than one occasion.

  He peered at the crowd of people and spotted her standing at the edge of the dance floor. Her arm rested against a tall table, but her shoulders swayed with the beat of the drums. So did her hips. She always knew how to move her body. Hell, he used to go to school dances just so he could watch her. She still affected him the way she did back then.

  Yeah right. He couldn’t lie to himself. The effect she had was worse. She consumed his every waking thought. His plan to seduce her wasn’t going the way he wanted, even if it seemed to be working. She was into him, but he was way too into her. His desire for her grew uncontrollable.

  He came close to ruining everything at the studio. The concern she showed him did more than increase his want. It pulled at his heart. He wanted her to care about him, but it wasn’t part of his plan.

  Desire was one thing. He was familiar with it, knew when to give in to its overwhelming power or resist it. Compassion was different. It brought about another level of emotions, ones he’d never experienced, ones he didn’t know how to handle.

  “Thanks for being patient. What can I get you?”

  He faced the bartender who greeted him with a smile. “Give me four shots of tequila and two beers.”

  “You got it.”

  As the bartender backed away, the guy sitting two seats down yelled at him. “Yo, Jimmy, grab me a beer while you’re in the case.”

  “Will do.”

  The man chuckled to himself, then his eyes shot to Theo. “You gotta yell at him from time to time. Don’t worry. He likes his customers heckling him.”

  The slur of the stranger’s words was a clue of how drunk he was. He probably didn’t need another beer, but it wasn’t Theo’s place to judge him. He wouldn’t mind being trashed himself tonight. Maybe then he wouldn’t think about how much he wanted Cassie.

  Just before he turned around to steal anot
her glance of her, the stranger squinted. “You look familiar… Do I know you?”

  “I don’t think so… Unless you were here last weekend when my band performed.”

  The stranger studied Theo, but the scowl on his face didn’t disappear. “Yeah… Maybe that’s what it is.”

  Once he refocused on the bottle in his hands, Theo faced the liquor shelf. Guess he needed to get used to strangers recognizing him, even disliking him. Recognition came from being center stage. Perhaps the jealousy did too. Who knew?

  He didn’t mind being in the spotlight for the most part. At least he had time to work on ways to blend into the crowd. There was no doubt his feelings would change once Southern Scandal hit it big. Yet none of it really mattered right now.

  As he gazed back toward Cassie, his chest grew heavy. In a few weeks, he’d leave Savannah behind. He’d do the same with her. His plan was supposed to leave her wanting him, yet he doubted she’d be the only one left in want. The more time he spent with her, the more he dreaded leaving…

  “Here we go, man. Four shots of ta’kill’ya and two beers.” The bartender regained his attention. “You want me to start a tab, or are you paying as you go?”

  Theo slipped his hand in his pocket and slid the bartender a fifty. “I’d rather pay now. If I start a tab, my friend will try to pay it.”

  “Hell, man, ain’t nothing wrong with that. I wish I had friends that would pay my tab.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Theo nodded. He peeked at Cassie once more then back to the bartender. “But then, I wouldn’t be a gentleman, would I?”

  The cheesy grin fell from the bartender’s lips. He pursed them instead and said, “Oooh… I feel ya. In that case, I’d do the same.” He picked up the money and moseyed toward the register. It didn’t take him long to bring back the change.

  Theo retrieved his money but left a ten behind. “Thanks for the drinks.”

  “No problem. The name is Jimmy.” He extended his hand and shook Theo’s. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Will do.”

  After Theo tucked the beers in his arm, he grabbed the shot glasses, two for each hand, and worked his way through the people watching the band. Cassie didn’t see him approach, but she smiled when he walked up beside her.