Why had the security guard been so formal? Did Theo work here? She didn’t have more time to wonder about it because behind the guard, a hidden panel slid open to reveal a door leading into a darkened hallway. They hurried through it to a lobby resplendent in marble and oak with Theo waving to an imposing doorman. Two black glass doors slid open as they approached; it was quite possibly the fanciest elevator Chloe had ever seen. Stepping inside, Theo pressed a button for the top level. She’d expected them to leave the club entirely, not go to a higher level in the same building. Where were they going? Crossing her arms over her chest, she worried she’d read the situation wrong and he really did want to “catch up.”
Theo stepped behind her and pressed up against her back. Reaching around her chest, he held on to her hands. The warmth of his chest, even through his shirt, spread over her bare back. He placed a kiss below her ear and trailed his lips along the curve of her neck.
No, Chloe hadn’t read the situation wrong.Thank God!She dropped her head back onto his shoulder, biting her lip to stop from moaning when he placed wet kisses on her racing pulse. Her body pressed against his.
Theo released her hands, splaying his palms against her stomach to pull her closer. The intimate contact enhanced the impressive erection throbbing against her arse. Reaching her arms over her head, she linked her hands behind his neck and watched in the reflection of the dark glass doors as Theo’s fingers trailed along her ribs. He paused for a second at the curve of her breast, his eyes meeting hers. At her nod, his finger brushed at the crease before floating over a peaked nipple.
A jolt of pure pleasure raced through her at the light touch. She sucked in a breath and arched into his hand. Her skin flushed hot; her panties grew damp. She didn’t recognize the wanton woman she saw reflected in the elevator’s doors. If one touch could do this to her, just imagine what having sex would feel like. There was no way that a strange guy she’d just met in a club could make her feel like this: wanton, uninhibited, unhinged. But this was Theo, she trusted him, and holy hell, he made her body burn.
Arriving at its destination, the elevator dinged, breaking the connection. Oh God, she’d lost herself in the moment. If Theo’d pressed the emergency stop button, she would have been happy to have her first time in the sleek elevator. If being with Theo was this good already, she couldn’t wait for what was to come.
The doors opened into an ornate foyer with a single door visible. Theo reached into his pocket, and the door opened with a slight pop. She stepped inside, her eyes drawn to the wall of windows and the flickering lights beyond. Her heels clicked on the dark timber floors as he led her to the living room. Museum-quality artwork in blue and white tones decorated the walls, complementing the expensive furniture. When they hadn’t left the building, she had assumed he was taking her to some kind of VIP room. She hadn’t expected to be taken to a luxury penthouse overlooking New York City.
“You live here?” Who lived in an apartment over a nightclub?
“I do.” He pulled two glasses from a cabinet behind a bar set up in the corner of the room and opened a fridge stocked with wine and champagne bottles. Selecting a bottle, he poured champagne into the crystal flutes, passing one to Chloe.
“You like the nightlife so much you need to be this close?” She took a sip of Dom Pérignon—a lot fancier than the bubbles she’d had with her friends.
Theo chuckled. “I own the club.”
“Huh.”
“I have offices on a lower floor,” he continued, his eyes intent on her face. “I work long hours, so it makes sense to live as close to work as possible. That way I don’t have to wait to play.” His voice was husky and filled with need.
Drawn to him, she placed a hand on his arm. “You grew up to be a nightclub owner. That’s wonderful. I thought you wanted to be—”
He raised an eyebrow.
Shit!She’d almost let the cat out of the bag. If she wanted to lose her virginity tonight, she couldn’t talk to him like she’d once known him. Because once he learned she was Ethan’s sister, he’d put a stop to it for sure. “I mean, usually kids dream about growing up to be doctors, lawyers, or police officers,” she said, trying to cover her earlier gaffe. “Becoming a club owner is unusual.” She averted her gaze and took a long sip of champagne. She knew there was some kind of bro code about touching your best friend’s sister. She hoped now that they were older, it didn’t matter anymore.
Theo downed the rest of his drink and put it on the white marble counter of the bar, gazing at her through hooded eyes. The time for talking about childhood dreams was over. It was time for her to live hers.
Theo plucked the glass from her hand and put it next to his. He placed a kiss on her shoulder, like he had in the elevator, before trailing his lips to the sensitive spot under her ear. She sucked in a sharp breath when he nipped her earlobe. How could that be an erogenous zone? Unaware of her confusion, he dropped his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. The warmth of his hard body spread over her. Confusion gone, she wrapped her hands around his waist. This was it. This was what she wanted. She could analyze how she felt later; now she was going to live in the moment.
His lips floated from her neck to her jaw before hovering above her lips. Chloe’s chest heaved in and out with anticipation. She’d pictured this moment so many times, but she’d never believed it could happen. Yet, here she was, standing in Theo’s arms, awaiting his kiss. She swallowed hard when he cupped her face with his hand. Eyes never leaving hers, he rubbed a thumb over her bottom lip and lowered his head, claiming her mouth. Her eyes slipped shut as he parted her lips with his tongue and swept it inside. He tasted of sweet champagne and something more that she couldn’t identify. The kiss started slow and sweet, gentle even. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She needed more. As if sensing her impatience, the tempo picked up, turning more erotic. The feel of his firm lips, the taste of his tongue flooded her senses, making her become wanton. His kiss awakened something inside her, something she’d doubted she’d even had, and she couldn’t wait to discover all the ways he’d put his tongue to good use.
Skimming his palms up her waist and around to her bare back, his fingers ghosted over her heated skin. This moment was already so much better than she’d imagined as a kid. Her teenage brain hadn’t been mature enough to really fantasize about being touched like this by Theo. The teenager inside of her wanted to giggle like a schoolgirl and do a happy dance.
Theodore Campbell kissed me! Theodore Campbell is still kissing me.
The kiss deepened, his tongue twirling with hers, and when she thought he’d sucked the oxygen from her lungs, he ripped away from her lips. “Let’s take this to the bedroom.”
Oh yes, let’s take this to the bedroom, the eager part of her thought. But another part of her cautioned that having sex with Theo without him knowing who she was would be wrong. She should stop what they were doing and tell him who he was taking to bed. Even though she wanted Theo, deceiving him didn’t sit right. Maybe he was too old to follow any bro code, and if he knew the truth, he’d still have sex with her. Could she take the risk and tell him, or should she keep it to herself?
Don’t be an idiot, if you tell himyou’ll never see him again. What’s the harm in keeping a little secret?The little voice in her head butted in while her body yelled at her conscience to shut the fuck up and take what she’d always dreamed about. Indecision warred within her. But when he held out his hand once again, she found herself grasping it and letting him lead her to the unknown.
Chandeliers lit the way through the penthouse to the bedroom, which was just as impressive as the living room but with more windows framing the city in different directions. A bedside lamp cast the room in dim golden light. Standing at the edge of the bed, Theo kicked off his shoes and reached for the buttons on his shirt.
“Wait.” Chloe held out her hand to stop him, and his fingers paused at the buttons. As much as she’d love to watch him strip naked, she wanted to get as much as she could from her one night with him. She wanted to undress him herself. She would never have the opportunity again. She stepped closer and even in her six-inch heels, he still towered over her. “Let me do it.”
He dropped his arms by his side, a slow smile drifting across his lips. “Go ahead, I like a woman who takes charge.”
Up to a point, she knew what to do and could be assertive. When it was time for the main event, she’d have to hand over the reins to Theo. The thought excited her.
Her fingers trembled as she worked on the buttons. One button. Two. After what felt like forever, Chloe finally had all the buttons undone and pulled the shirt open. Tugging it from the waistband of his trousers, she pushed it off his broad shoulders. It floated onto the floor with a swish to reveal his magnificent shoulders and chest. She wanted to touch him, so she did. His muscles bunched as she skimmed her hands from his chest and down over his hard six-pack. She flicked open the buttons of his pants, unzipped them, and tugged at them so they fell to his feet where he stepped out of them.
Her insides heated up as she trailed her gaze over him. God, Theo doesn’t look like the boy she used to spy on at the beach. Gone was the slender teenager. Now, a man stood in his place, built strong and hard with a sprinkle of dark chest hair that trailed down and disappeared behind his black boxer briefs where a bulge strained behind the fabric. She wanted to reach out and wrap her hand around his thick cock, feel every inch of him.
