Page 9 of Striping Hot

CHAPTERNINE

REX

Rex sat in his sublime, medieval-style mansion on a sunny Sunday morning. He couldn’t stop ruminating about Gianna’s raven black hair shining under the pulsing neon lights or the devilish curl in her sly smile.

He had never felt his heart beat so remarkably in his chest, and not just for lust, but for something else entirely cosmic.

He ambled back and forth on his terrace, caffeine shooting through his veins and making him extra nasty. He had asked his assistant, Nestor, to find Gianna’s address. He tapped his fingers against the rails and listened to the dead hum reverberate through his fingers.

Rex's phone buzzed just as he felt he was ready to lose his mind. He leapt at it like it was a land mine.

Nestor had sent him information about where she lived and her complete contact information. Rex felt his heart drop when he read where she was from.

That’s hours away.

He gave him a call to clarify if the information was correct.

“She is currently staying at a hotel by the venue,” Nestor said. “I can give you her room number if you desire.”

Rex told him that it wasn’t necessary, as he didn’t want to cross the line into being a creep. As he placed his phone into his pocket, he decided that he would tell her about Voren’s plans being magically canceled.

Perhaps it wasn’t the best way to start a relationship with a fated mate. But if she were staying in a hotel and lived a fair distance away, he wasn’t going to lose his chance at wooing her. As soon as she got what she wanted from Voren, she would be gone in a flash.

Nestor set up a time for Rex to pick her up. He wanted it to appear formal but not so formal that his interest in her was missed. He couldn’t get the taste of Gianna off his lips, a sweet honey nectar with a dash of stinging whiskey.

Rex wore his best plaid dress shirt, one tight enough to emphasize his natural physique. He combed his hair back and did his best James Dean impression, wearing relaxed jeans rolled up at the cuffs.

He chose his flashiest car for the date, a bright purple mustang that revved like a rumbling earthquake. He jumped in and placed on his aviators, feeling cool and sleek as he jetted off to her hotel.

When Rex arrived, Gianna was already waiting. She was wearing a sleek black jumpsuit with lace sleeves and a collar. Her hair was curly and lovely, sitting at her shoulders softly and remaining still as the air rushed past her.

Her eyes were covered with a set of wide sunglasses. She looked chic as hell, and Rex found it hard not to fall all over her immediately.

Gianna slowly removed her sunglasses as Rex rolled down the window. He flashed her a grin and leaned up against the passenger's seat.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Rex said confidently.

Gianna was hesitant, standing away from the vehicle. Rex realized he had missed a key point and leapt out of the car, then reached quickly into the back seat for her welcoming gifts.

He stood next to her as she placed her sunglasses in her purse. She had a serene confidence about her that made his heart flutter in his chest. She smirked at him, that sly little curve forming at one side of her mouth as if she could see right through him.

Rex felt like a little boy as he handed her a stunning bouquet of blood-red roses and a box of golden-encased chocolates. Gianna looked down at them with a bewildered expression.

“Voren has canceled the dinner,” Rex said, trying to cape over his trembling voice. “But I was hoping that you would still be willing to hang out with me today.”

Gianna took the gifts, that tiny, marvelous smirk still lingering on her lips. She held them delicately as if, were she to make one false move, they would explode.

“Are these for me?” Gianna asked.

The question seemed slightly rhetorical, as he had bought them for her. He gave her a debonair smile, then bowed his head.

“Only the best for a dazzling beauty,” he remarked.

Rex immediately felt like an idiot as he raised his head. Gianna was clutching the gifts, unable to balance them with her generously sized purse. Rex stumbled over himself as he took the gifts back from her, then placed them into the back seat.

“That’s very sweet of you,” she said softly.

Rex felt like Gianna wasn’t as excited as he had hoped she would be. She seemed completely willing and enhanced by the idea of a date with him the day before. Their kiss was spellbinding, almost knocking him from his feet.

He held the door open as Gianna climbed in. He hated how disappointed she seemed, but he was going to do all that he could to make her forget about Voren.

They drove for almost half an hour to a winery that Rex had been to before. He had helped contribute to their massive success financially.

Rex felt nervous as he drove on. Gianna was looking smoking hot, merely sitting there in the passenger seat, gazing out the window like a queen looking over her people.

“Have you ever been to a winery before?” Rex blurted out.

Gianna turned to him and smiled.

“I think I went once for a bachelorette party,” she said, her voice smooth and sexy. “I don’t remember much from it, though. Too much sampling.”

Rex felt himself laughing awkwardly.

Christ, I’m already so smitten with her. There’s no way this is simply physical attraction.

There was something else in store for them that the universe had designed. He could feel it deep in his soul.

When they arrived at the winery, Rex jumped out of the car to make sure he opened the door for her. She grinned at him and placed her sunglasses back on, so cool, so natural.

Rex could feel himself sweating, hoping it wasn’t showing through his shirt. It was an average, warm day, with nice, fresh gusts of wind rushing through them now and then, but he still couldn’t regulate his temperature.

He held out his arm to Gianna, and she took it happily. She was standing close to him, so there was no way to avoid her scent. It made his body heat like a boiler, as well as encouraged his cock to twitch slightly.

Rex tried to remain casual as they signed in for their day. First, there would be a tour of the grounds, some sampling, and a seven-course dinner. After the guide described it, Gianna reacted by grasping her chest in surprise.

“Jesus Christ,” she whispered. “This must be so expensive.”

Rex took this opportunity to flirt with her. It had worked the night before, so why not then, under the hot sun of the day?

He leaned into her ear, her intoxicating aroma filling up his lungs like velvet flower petals.

“Money is nothing for me, babe.”

Rex knew that he had taken a risk using that word on her so early. But he was satisfied to see the bare skin on her neck rise in adorable little goosebumps.

She turned to him, quickly flicking her blinding blue gaze in his direction. Her lower lip curved slightly under a flash of a white tooth, then pressed down.

When she turned back to face the guide, Rex felt an ease wash over him. Gianna was into him, and he couldn’t have been more thankful.

Gianna kept her arm curled into his for the entire tour of the grounds, only parting from him to take a few snaps of the stunning landscape. They chatted along the way, helping Rex’s earlier anxiety disappear completely.

“So, this is how the higher-ups live,” Gianna commented.

They were standing on a hillside that overlooked rows upon rows of gorgeous vegetation, bright green leaves flapping in the wind while bursts of red and purple dotted their dangling ends. It looked like a painting had come to life, all placed beautifully upon the background of a twinkling dome of a blue sky.

Having Gianna stand next to him made the experience entirely more surreal. They were both holding samples from the most recent cluster of fine wines, a Cheval Blanc.

Gianna held it in front of her chest and swirled it around. He watched her, noting the increase in her breathing patterns as his plump lips wrapped around the glass and welcomed its streaming delight.

It wasn’t something that Rex did by choice. Shifters had an extrasensory sensitivity, and when honed in, they could detect even the slightest change in temperature, breathing pattern, scent, and pheromones.

Rex had been so far satisfied by her level of attraction that her body was naturally expressing to him.

Rex chuckled and pulled her arm in close, reveling in sarcastic wit.

“It can be. It’s nice to enjoy the finer things sometimes, isn’t it?” he inquired.

Gianna shook her head as she finished off her glass.

“It isn’t something I’m accustomed to, so I wouldn’t know,” she said.

Rex leaned his head down to hers and started to whisper once again. He loved the way the tiny hairs on her neck stood up when he did this, as well as the tiny way her lips parted for him.

“If you hang around me enough, you will get used to it fast,” he said with a wink.

Gianna’s chest began heaving up and down faster, and Rex adored the sight. All at once, he wondered how soft the skin beneath her shirt felt, how floral the natural musk between her breasts must taste.

It looked like she was about to speak again when the guide brought the group back together, taking them toward a barrel almost as tall as Rex himself.

“You’re bad,” she whispered.

She tugged at him playfully, and he chuckled again as they followed the faint voices of their tour group.

They stood at the back of the pack, Rex trying to listen to what the guide was saying. The truth was that Rex already knew a lot about the vine, having had part ownership of the vineyard and another vineyard in France for a lot of his billionaire life. It was something women were very impressed by.

Even if he didn’t know much about wine, he wouldn’t have been able to focus with Gianna there by his side. His mind was clouded with desire and a drive to sit with her and just talk to her all night long.

He desperately wanted to appreciate her with his mouth.

Rex perked up when the guide pointed to the barrel and informed the group about the history of how wine was made. He knew what was coming next and gave Gianna a quick elbow. She turned to him, frowning.

He gave her another wink, then waited for the guide to ask for any volunteers.

Rex shot his hand up into the air without hesitation. The guide spotted him and gave him a recognizable smile. He looked down at Gianna, whose eyes were wide with horror.

“You’ve got to get dirty sometimes,” he whispered to her, then handed her his glass.

Rex sprinted up to the stage, climbed the stairs, and then bent over. He took off his shoes and socks and made sure his jeans were rolled up. The crowd clapped with amusement as he lifted one foot into the barrel. The cool squish between his toes felt nice, plush. He was high on adrenaline.

“Look at this gentleman go!” the guide said with exuberance.

The crowd continued to laugh and chant in approval while Rex looked up from the squashed purple medley to meet eyes with Gianna.

She gave him a fiery “don’t you dare” look without saying a word.

Rex felt a mischievous excitement roaring through him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

“I’d like to ask my date to give me a hand up here,” Rex said, his voice booming over the microphone.

Heads turned toward Gianna, who was grimacing and shaking her head. That grin had wormed back onto one side of her mouth, and Rex thought all at once about biting it.

The crowd tried to encourage her with chanting as she continued to mouth no to him with wide, beautiful eyes. He continued to hold out his hand and curled his lip downward.

Gianna let out a sigh, then handed her empty glasses and purse to a nearby crowd member.

“What the hell,” she said to a satisfied audience.

They erupted in applause as she climbed stairs, removed her heels, then tried rolling up the pant legs of her jumpsuit.

Rex’s body and heart were ablaze with attraction. She climbed into the barrel with a cringe, then let out a sweet yelp as the cool fruit slipped between her toes.

“I’m going to get you back for this,” she whispered.

Rex hoped more than anything that she would.

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