Fate Read online

  The lighting inside was dim, but it didn’t prevent me from getting a good look around. The restaurant was intimate and cozy – exactly the kind of place I’d wanted. I smiled as I sat down at the bar, putting my clutch beside me.

  “What can I get you, miss?”

  The bartender was gorgeous, with bright white teeth and dark blonde hair. I batted my lashes at him. “Vodka martini please,” I said. “Extra dirty, with olives on the side.”

  The bartender flashed me a big smile before going to make my drink. I felt a little odd, sitting in the bar alone, without anyone to talk to…but part of it was exciting, too. As I watched the couples and groups around the restaurant, I almost felt like a spy, like I was getting to see a part of their private lives that no one else saw. Was the man in the corner here with his wife, or his mistress? And was the group of people laughing because they were happy, or because they’d had so much to drink they could hardly stand up?

  That was when I saw him for the first time. He was sitting in the middle of the restaurant, at a table with another man, but something about the way they were talking told me that they weren’t together. His bright blue eyes and tousled dark brown hair reminded me of a famous actor, and even though he was wearing a suit, I could tell he was well-muscled underneath. Just looking at him was enough to make my heart thud faster in my chest.

  “Miss?”

  My head snapped up, and I saw the bartender, holding my martini. He didn’t look nearly as handsome as he had before. I passed him my credit card and took the drink from his hands, sipping it slowly as I turned around to get another look at the man.

  He seemed to be in the middle of a very serious conversation, but suddenly, he looked up, and we locked eyes. I flushed and whirled back around, downing my whole drink in one gulp.

  “Another martini,” I called loudly as my cheeks burned with shame.

  The bartender slid me another drink, smirking. “Bad night?”

  “No,” I said, tossing my head. “In fact, I’m just getting started.”

  As much as I wanted to turn around and stare at the gorgeous man again, I knew that I couldn’t. It was creepy and weird, and then what the hell would I do if he came over and explained that he was flattered but married? Or flattered, but gay? This time, I sipped my drink much more slowly. I was feeling buzzed and happy by the time I popped the last olive into my mouth and chewed.

  “This one’s on the house,” the bartender said.

  “Thank you.” I’d just taken the drink in my hands when I saw the gorgeous man sit down at the bar, one stool away from me.

  Be bold, I told myself. This is your chance!

  Biting my lip, I turned to him and smiled. “Hello.”

  The man grinned. “I’m Barnes.” He stared at me, letting his eyes travel the full length of my body. Suddenly, I knew I didn’t have to worry about him being married…or gay.

  “Gianna,” I said softly.

  “Are you waiting for someone?”

  Just you, I thought as I stared into his bright blue eyes. You’re the only one I need.

  --

  Ten minutes later, I couldn’t tell where Barnes’s mouth ended and mine began. We were in the back of a cab, kissing so passionately that I was moaning into his mouth. As he pulled me onto his lap and slipped a hand inside my black silk blouse, I felt a hot pang of lust mingled with embarrassment. I can’t believe I’m about to sleep with a guy I just met in a bar, I thought excitedly as our kisses grew more intense. And we’re practically doing it right here in the cab!

  It was something I’d never done before, and somehow the shamelessness of the act was turning me.

  “Whoa,” I whispered, pulling away and pressing my forehead close to Barnes’s. “Maybe we should wait until we get back to the hotel.”

  Barnes cupped the back of my head in his hand and brought my mouth to his, sucking and nibbling on my lower lip until I felt my resistance melting away. I moaned softly and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself close to his muscular body. Beneath the finely knit material of his trousers, I could feel his hard cock throbbing between his legs. I shivered every time Barnes ground against me – I had no idea how something that huge was going to fit inside me. Just thinking about it was enough to make me scream with lust.

  The cab screeched to a stop and Barnes breathlessly pulled out his wallet, tossing a few crumpled bills at the driver before scooping me into his arms and carrying me inside the Crown Jewel. I knew everyone in the lobby had to be staring at me as Barnes carried me to the elevator bank, but I didn’t care. All I knew was that unless Barnes made passionate love to me, I would die on the spot.

  “Gianna,” Barnes growled, pushing me against the wall as he pressed the ‘up’ button for the elevator. “I want you so badly.”

  Hearing him say it aloud sent my lust spiraling to all-new heights and I shivered, arching my back as Barnes pressed his scorching lips to my neck and kissed a long, wet trail down the sensitive flesh. When I felt his lips rubbing over my stiff nipples through the thin silk of my shirt, I tangled my hands in his brown hair and tugged at his scalp until he moaned.

  When the elevator doors dinged open, Barnes slipped a hand under my knees and picked me up as if I weighed nothing at all. He carried me inside, and his mouth was on mine before the doors were closed again. As we ascended skyward, I felt like my heart was going to burst free of my chest and run away. I’d never felt anything like this before – blind passion and lust. I’d never before experienced how it felt to be desired by such a gorgeous man. It was almost hard to believe that it was really happening. But as Barnes carried me down the hall, I shuddered happily in his arms. This is real, I thought. And god, it’s thrilling!

  We entered my suite in a tangle of arms and legs, mouths searching and kissing and licking and sucking. I knew I was wet between the legs – every time I moved, the wet silk of my panties rubbed against my crotch and sent tiny hot thrills down my spine. Barnes dropped me on the bed and crawled on top of me, pinning me down and covering my mouth with his. He grunted and growled, shoving a muscular thigh between my legs and grinding it against the crotch of my jeans.

  “Oh my god,” I moaned, closing my eyes and arching my back as the pleasure building inside of me grew and grew.

  Barnes put his hands on my waist, pulled my shirt free of my jeans, and yanked it over my head, tossing it to the side. I wasn’t wearing a bra, and he licked his lips as he stared appreciatively at my breasts before lowering his head and taking a hard nipple into his mouth. When I felt his tongue lapping at me, I began to writhe in a lustful frenzy. His teeth scraped against the surface of my nipple, and it hurt, but somehow the pain mingled with the intense pleasure I was feeling and made it even stronger. I put my hands on Barnes’s strong shoulders and soon I found that I was leaning into his kisses and caresses, like I couldn’t live without them. As he sucked one nipple, he took my other nipple between his fingers and began pinching and rolling the swollen flesh. It felt so good that I had to bite my lip to keep from shrieking and crying out.

  “Do you like that,” Barnes growled. He lifted his head from my breasts and looked me deeply in the eyes. “Tell me, Gianna.”

  I nodded my head, aware that my cheeks were bright red with lust.

  “Tell me,” Barnes growled. “I want to hear you say it.”

  “I like it,” I said in a shaky, quiet voice. “It feels so good.” The more words I spoke, the more turned on I could feel myself getting. It was crazy – I’d never imagined that talking dirty would excite me. But suddenly, it was thrilling and dangerous and new.

  Barnes crawled further down, nuzzling my taut stomach. He swirled his tongue in my belly button, and I giggled. As he nuzzled the waist of my jeans, I felt a powerful throbbing between my legs. It felt so good that I was paralyzed on the bed as Barnes expertly unfastened my jeans and put his hands on my slender hips.

  “I want to see you, Gianna,” Barnes growled.

  “I want you to look a
t me,” I said.

  I looked down at Barnes, and we made eye contact as he slid my jeans down my hips and over my legs. A powerful, musky scent filled the room, and I blushed hotly when I realized it was the smell of my own lust. Barnes dipped his head between my legs and inhaled deeply. My first instinct was to push him away – I couldn’t believe that someone would want to smell a part of my body that I’d always heard was ‘dirty.’ But after a few moments, it didn’t feel so strange. I realized that I wanted Barnes to smell my pussy, to lick my clit, to slide a finger inside of me and play with me as he pleasured me.

  A small moan escaped my lips as Barnes hooked his thumbs in my panties and pulled the silk material down my legs. He grinned at me and took the soaked pair of underwear in his hand, lifting it to his nose and inhaling deeply. The sight of him smelling me was incredibly arousing, and my cheeks burned with a mingled blend of lust and astonishment.

  “Your pussy smells so good,” Barnes said in a low voice that made me shiver. He tossed my panties to the floor and slid a hand between my thighs, gently but forcefully pushing them apart. As he crawled between my legs, I closed my eyes and tangled one of my hands in his hair. Barnes licked the inside of my thigh, and I shuddered. When I felt his tongue on my pussy, I gasped. It felt heavenly – better than anything I’d ever experienced, better than I ever thought sex could feel. Barnes wrapped his arms around my thighs and held me firmly as he licked and sucked, finding my clit and wrapping his lips around it. Hot pleasure built in my lower belly and I shivered and groaned, writhing around on the bed as Barnes continued to lap at my skin.

  “God,” I moaned softly. “Barnes, I want you!”

  Barnes lifted his head and smirked at me before wiping his mouth on the back of my hand. He got to his knees, and I realized he was fully dressed. Barnes locked eyes with me as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it to the side, revealing a perfectly sculpted chest and torso. When he unzipped his pants and kicked them aside, I watched his cock spring free. It was huge, and I shivered as he reached for his wallet and took a foil-wrapped square from the interior. Barnes ripped open the packet with his teeth and unrolled the latex condom over his hard manhood before crawling between my legs once again and kissing me. His lips and chin were soaked with my juices, but I didn’t mind, and I eagerly licked them away as our kiss grew more intense.

  “Do you want me,” Barnes whispered, pulling away and nipping gently at my earlobe.

  “Oh, yes,” I moaned softly.

  Barnes steadied himself with a hand against my hip. He looked into my eyes and I swallowed nervously. For the first time since we’d gotten back to my room, I could feel my heart pounding like a drum against my ribs.

  “Gianna? Do you want me?”

  “Yes,” I whispered. “I do.”

  Barnes plunged deep inside of me, thrusting to the hilt. There was a sharp twinge of pain, and I gasped, but after a few seconds, it melted away into a delicious pleasure that filled my whole body. I leaned up and pressed my lips to Barnes’s, slipping my tongue into his mouth and sucking his lower lip until he groaned into my mouth.

  Barnes began to rock back and forth, thrusting in and out of my body. He arched his back, and I gasped as I felt his cock fill me again and again and again. Every time his hips met mine, hot pleasure flooded my body, and I realized that my clit was rubbing against his lower abdomen. It felt so good that I could hardly breathe.

  “Oh my god,” Barnes groaned.

  He grabbed both of my wrists in one of his giant hands and held them over my head, pinning me to the soft hotel mattress as our lovemaking grew more intense. Soon, I was gasping and screaming with lust as a hot wave of pleasure crested over my head. It was my first orgasm, and it left me reeling with passion. Barnes gasped and groaned, bucking and thrusting deep into me. He slid his hands down my body, cupping my breasts and shaking with lust as I felt his body twitching against mine. When he called my name and buried his face in my neck, I knew that he, too, was experiencing the most powerful feeling on earth.

  “God,” Barnes grunted, putting his head on my chest. He gently pulled out of me, and I winced, realizing that I was more than a little sore between the legs.

  The air felt hot and heavy and still. I put an arm around Barnes’s sweaty shoulders and pulled him close, breathing in the fragrant musk of sex that filled the suite.

  “That was incredible,” Barnes said. He flopped onto his back and reached down to peel the condom off his cock. He looked at me and grinned. “What did you think?”

  My heart was still hammering in my chest as I licked my lips and smiled.

  “Incredible,” I agreed softly. I sat up in bed, pulling the sheet over my breasts, and sighed happily.

  “I’ll be right back,” Barnes said. He got up and walked to the bathroom, not bothering to cover his magnificent naked body. Glancing down at the sheets, I gasped when I saw a splotch of bright red blood. Shit, I thought. He can’t see this! I don’t want him to know that I was a virgin!

  “What is it?” Barnes turned around and narrowed his eyes. “Is something wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I lied, smiling sweetly. “Everything is perfect.”

  Chapter 6

  Barnes

  By the time I left the Crown Jewel of Beverly Hills, the sky was beginning to show the first signs of daylight. Purple and pink and orange colors swirled around behind the clouds, and the air felt fresh and clean in a way that felt new to me. Gianna and I had stayed up all night, laughing and making love and talking. I’d asked her for her phone number, but she’d declined.

  “If we’re meant to be, we’ll see each other again,” was all she’d said, giving me a coy smile.

  I didn’t like it, but I figured it was better than nothing. After all, I desperately wanted to see her again. She was young and sexy and lithe…not to mention charming and funny. And she obviously came from money. There had been more than one kneejerk moment when I’d realized that even if she never made it as an actress, she’d be more than fine.

  I headed back to my condo and took a long shower. As reluctant as I was to wash the last traces of her heavenly body off of mine, I knew that I reeked of pussy and I couldn’t exactly show up to meet Thomas smelling like sex.

  That afternoon, I met Thomas at a trendy restaurant with exclusively outdoor seating. A cute waitress in high-waisted shorts and a crop top beamed at me as she showed us to our table.

  “Did you see that?” Thomas complained as soon as she’d walked away. “She didn’t even look at me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s because she knows I’m single,” I said with a smirk. “Trust me, I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Thomas sank down into the wicker chair and sighed. “I need a drink,” he said. “Or like, ten.”

  The waitress reappeared, still smiling. “What can I get you two?”

  “A pitcher of margaritas,” Thomas said. “And that’s just for me.”

  “He’s kidding,” I said. “But that sounds good. I’ll have a glass, too.”

  The waitress nodded. She smiled and winked at me. “We make the best margaritas here,” she said, somehow twisting the words to sound seductive. “I’m sure you’ll love them.”

  “I’m sure we will,” I said drily.

  As soon as she was gone, Thomas gave me an angry look. “See,” he said. “I wasn’t lying. You’re getting so much attention here, damn.”

  “We’re here to talk about you,” I said evenly. I pulled out my favorite notepad and pen – even in the age of paper-thin laptops, I always preferred paper – and flipped it to a clean page.

  “Yeah, and how my life is in shambles,” Thomas grumbled. “Well, I can do that. I just need a drink first.”

  When the waitress came with our drinks, Thomas poured himself a huge glass and took a long sip before sighing contentedly and leaning back against his chair.

  “So,” Thomas began. “How was last night? Did you get that girl’s number?”

  “No,”
I said, looking down at my pad of paper. “Stop getting off topic, Thomas. Tell me about Candy.”

  “She wants over ten million in the divorce settlement,” Thomas said. He sighed moodily. “And I just don’t have that kind of money – not now.”

  I frowned. “Did something happen?”

  “Well, I have the money,” Thomas said. “But not in cash. It’s all tied up in investments. You know how that stupid burrito company went public a few months ago? Well, I bought a ton of stock…and then a ton of people got food poisoning from their lettuce. Stupidest decision I ever made, aside from marrying Candy, of course.”