The Seduction 2 (5 page)

“I get along fine on my own.”

He’s a fortress. A sexy, controlled
fortress. And dammit, I need to know more.

“What about your family?” I try. “Are they
still in LA?”

I know right away I’ve said the wrong thing.
Vaughn visibly hardens, a flicker of something dark racing across
his face.

“Can I tell you about our specials?” We’re
interrupted by our waiter.

I let out a sigh of relief as Vaughn turns
away. I’ve barely looked at the menu, but it doesn’t matter. Vaughn
orders for the both of us without asking: a seafood starter, and
the steak as a main course.

“What would you have done if I was a
vegetarian?” I ask, when the waiter leaves.

Vaughn cocks his eyebrow with a suggestive
smirk. “Baby, I know you eat meat.”

I laugh. “Maybe I’m just picky.”

“Then I consider myself a lucky man.” Vaughn
is leaning back in his seat, at ease again, but I can’t stop myself
dragging the conversation back to him, and all the things I don’t
know.

“Where did you grow up?” I ask.

He sighs. “On the east coast. One brother.
Dead father. Mom prays for my soul every Sunday in church. Is that
enough information for you?”

He gulps his champagne, draining the glass,
then pours another.

I feel a stab of guilt.

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “You’re right. I
shouldn’t have pried. My parents are dead too,” I add. “It was a
car crash, when I was eighteen.”

Vaughn looks up. For a moment, his scowl
softens. “That’s tough. My dad blew his brains out when I was eight
years old.”

I gasp.

“Don’t.” He stops me before I can say
anything else. “It’s ancient history. And we’ve wasted long enough
talking about it. No more.”

Regret takes over. I should have known there
was a reason he didn’t want to talk about himself. I just wanted to
get closer to him, to know who he is and what makes him tick. But I
had to push him -- too far.

9

VAUGHN

Dammit, she had to go digging. She couldn’t
just let it slide.

I clench my fist under the table, fighting
to keep back the suddenly flash of memory.

A half-open door. An unfamiliar pool of red.
A young boy who didn’t even realize what he was seeing, not at
first.

And then nothing but the gates of hell.

“Vaughn?”

Keely’s whisper breaks me out of the past.
She’s staring at me across the table, wide-eyed with clear concern.
For a reckless moment, I think about telling her everything.

She sees through me. She would
understand.

In a way, she’s just like me.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell her abruptly,
leaving the table and striding back towards the restrooms. I don’t
go in, I just pace in the hallway, hating the way my heart is
pounding.

The damn weakness that pulls me under, every
time.

What the fuck are you thinking? Get a
fucking grip.

I take a few sharp breaths. Better. It’s
been a long time since I let myself revisit the past, but with the
Ashcroft shit bringing everything to the surface, the demons have
been knocking louder every day.

That bastard tore my family apart, and even
now, twenty years later, I’m still dealing with the wreckage he
left behind.

“Mr. Vaughn?”

A breathy voice comes from behind me.

I turn. It’s the hostess, the brunette with
an epic rack poured into a skintight dress. Now, there’s a
distraction. She’s got legs I can already picture wrapped around my
neck, and a mouth made to suck my dick.

“Is everything alright?” she coos, licking
her lips. She sidles closer, pressing her breasts against my arm.
“I thought I told you, I can help you. Whatever you need.”

She couldn’t be more blatant if she ripped
off all her clothes and spread her legs right here against the
wall.

But I’m surprised to find my cock doesn’t
stir at the invitation. She’s way too obvious. No mystery. No
challenge. She’d be on her knees in a heartbeat, and not because
she likes the surrender. Because she’s too fucking dumb to even
think of resisting me.

Not like Keely.

“I need you to put that shit away and get us
some water refills,” I tell her curtly. Shock crashes over her
face, but I don’t stick around to see. I head back to my table,
determination growing.

There’s one thing that will wipe away the
past right now, and it’s the girl sitting right there waiting for
me. Sipping her champagne, nervously fidgeting with her napkin.

Asking for trouble.

I’ve humored her attempts to get to know me
for long enough. I’m not going to waste a damn fine evening on
chit-chat and useless bullshit.

Not when I have dirtier things in mind.

“Miss me, baby?” I reach the table. Instead
of sitting back down, I grab her face and tilt it up to me,
claiming her mouth with a hard, deep kiss.

Releasing her, I take my seat, watching her
reaction with pleasure. She’s breathing fast, her pupils
dilated.

Damn right, you missed me.

“I didn’t tell you before, you look
beautiful in that dress.” I take a drink of champagne. “Every guy
in this place is wishing he was at this table right now.”

Keely raises an eyebrow. Damn. Any other
woman would be swooning right now over that bullshit line, but not
this one.

She’s too smart for that.

“Thank you,” she says.

I lean closer.

“What color are your panties?”

Instead of looking shocked, she laughs.
“Black.” Keely gives me a flirty little smile. “To match my
garters”

My cock leaps. Damn.

I reach under the long tablecloth, and slip
a hand up her soft thigh until I hit the lacy band. ”Good girl,” I
tell her, already picturing what I’m going to do with them. Bind
her hands behind her back and fuck her brains out, for
starters.

I reach higher. She pushes
my hand away. “Oh no, you don’t.” Keely sips champagne, her eyes
sparkling. “We have a deal. You’re not doing anything like
that
until dinner is
over.”

Her voice is flirty. Teasing. She thinks
she’s got the upper hand.

Big mistake.

“You’re right.” I sit back, placing both my
hands on the table. “I’m not going to touch you.

You’re going to touch yourself.”

10

KEELY

I choke on my champagne.

“What?” I gasp, not believing what he just
said. “No. You’re insane.”

Vaughn just watches me with that sexy,
blue-eyed stare. “The tablecloth will hide everything.” He smirks a
teasing grin. “Nobody’s going to know.”

I can’t believe he’s even suggesting it.
He’s tempted me into doing some filthy things before, but that’s
always been just the two of us. Even when he went down on me in the
library at the office, we were hidden from view. Out of sight and
all alone.

But here...?

I look around. We’re on the edge of the
packed courtyard, with the nearest tables surrounding us just a few
feet away. There’s a steady buzz of activity: new diners being
seated, wait staff bringing food and drink. This is a place to see
and be seen, and half the people here aren’t even paying attention
to their own dining companions, they’re all too busy scanning the
room for some kind of gossip or stars.

I feel myself blushing hot. I don’t want to
back down from the challenge, but this is wild, even for him.

Vaughn leans forwards. “Think about it,” he
murmurs, keeping his voice low. “Your fingers sliding against your
clit, stroking over and over until you can’t stop. Plunging deep
into that juicy cunt.”

My pulse kicks, and I feel a rush of damp
between my thighs. The white linen tablecloth drapes to the ground,
covering my lap. My right side is fully exposed to the courtyard,
but on my left is an ivy-covered wall, strung with tiny lights. If
I was careful and discreet...

Vaughn gives me a smoldering grin. “You want
to. You’re already wet for me, I can see it written all over your
pretty face. So do it, baby, go right ahead. Come your brains out
in front of everyone.” He winks. “I promise I won’t tell.”

I flush, but I don’t back down. He keeps
thinking he can shock me, that I’ll meekly follow whatever he says.
Well maybe this time I’ll be the one to shock him.

“Are you sure you can keep your hands to
yourself?” I ask, teasing.

“Only if you do the work for me,” he
replies.

I bite my lip, feeling a rush of
anticipation. Holy shit, I can’t believe this is happening – and
that I feel so sexy.

I slide my hand under the tablecloth, moving
my napkin in my lap so it’s hidden from view under the table.

I raise my eyebrow at Vaughn. Your move.

“Pull your dress up,” he commands
softly.

He’s taking control. I called his bluff, but
he is calling mine.

I like it.

I tug my skirt higher, until my fingers
touch my bare thigh.

Oh God, I’m really doing this.

“How does your skin feel?” Vaughn whispers,
his voice a whiskey drawl. “Stroke it, soft the way you like.”

I dance my fingertips lightly over my skin.
The sensation shivers through me, so wrong to be doing this in
front of everyone. I’m certain my desire is written all over my
face, that anyone looking over could know in an instant what I’m
doing down there.

But still, I can’t stop.

“Now go higher,” Vaughn orders me softly.
“Stroke yourself through your panties.”

Lust overwhelms my body. My breath quickens
with anticipation. I slowly creep my hand higher, until it’s
nestled between my thighs. Vaughn is watching, enrapt.

Reaching in, I stroke my index finger around
my clit, swollen and aching behind the scratchy lace of my
underwear.

Oh God.

It feels so good. I stroke again, and this
time, I have to bite my lip to keep from moaning.

Vaughn licks his lips, a glazed look in his
eyes. “Are you wet?” He asks softly.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I’m so
freaking turned on right now. I’m soaked through my panties, my
nipples straining at my dress.

And five feet away, a couple is eating their
dinner, completely oblivious to the wicked things I’m doing, right
under their noses.

“Yes, Keely.” Vaughn’s voice is rougher now,
hoarse. “Keep stroking. Harder.”

I do as he says, applying more pressure to
the tight knot of nerves. Pleasure races through my bloodstream,
heat suffusing my whole body.

“Now slide your hand under your panties,”
Vaughn orders me. “Feel how wet you are.”

I’m so conflicted to be doing this right now
-- feeling so damn good, even though it’s bad. But I can’t stop. I
push my underwear aside and slide my fingers underneath them, cool
against my hot, slick flesh.

I’m wet. I’m aching.

“That’s right,” Vaughn murmurs. “You want me
so bad, don’t you? You want my hands right there touching you. My
fingers fucking your dripping cunt.”

I shudder against my hand. I do, I want him
so much. My rubbing isn’t enough, I need more. Possessed by lust, I
angle my hand down, pressing my palm against my clit as I slide a
finger inside my pussy.

God, yes. Right there.

“How are we doing this evening?”

A voice shatters my daze. It’s the waiter,
bringing our food.

Shit.

I freeze, guilty. I have my left hand
trapped between my thighs, one finger curled up inside me.

Shit, shit, shit.

“We’re doing great.” Vaughn smiles broadly.
“Thanks. This looks great. Don’t you think, Keely?”

I murmur a weak response, flushing hot. I’m
certain he can see what I’m doing. It must be written all over my
face, but the waiter seems oblivious. He deposits our plates and
then hovers by the table.

“Can I bring you anything else?”

“Hmm, I don’t know.” Vaughn pretends to
think. His eyes glitter with wicked mischief. “Keely, do you need a
hand with that?”

He’s enjoying this. The bastard.

“No, thank you.” I manage to reply. “I’m
good.”

“We’ll let you know.” Vaughn dismisses the
waiter. When he’s gone, I start to withdraw my hand, but Vaughn
stops me with a commanding look.

“Don’t even think about it.”

I pause.

“You’re not stopping until you come,” he
continues, and it’s clear, this time it’s an order. “Not until that
pussy is clenching around your fingers, hot and dripping, and you
have you bite your tongue to keep from screaming.”

I’m stifling a scream already. This is so
mind-blowingly hot.

He picks up his knife and fork, and slices
into his steak. “Well?” He raises an eyebrow, teasing me. “What are
you waiting for? You better make it fast, your food is getting
cold.”

11

VAUGHN

I lounge back in my seat and take a bite of
my steak. It’s rare and tender, fucking delicious.

Just like Keely’s pussy right now, I’ll
bet.

“Fuck the food,” Keely says, breathing fast.
Her face is flushed. “Let’s go, right now. Your place.”

I pause, torn between watching her come her
brains out for me right here, or claiming that tight cunt once and
for all.

My balls tighten, imagining her dripping
pussy my cock plunging all the way to the fucking hilt. I already
know how tight she is, how perfect and sweet, and now she’ll be
aching for me, desperate for every thick inch.

But that can wait. I’m not going to rush our
pleasure. Not when it’s too much fun driving her wild right now,
this sexy game we’re playing. I never thought she’d go this far,
and I won’t be the one to back down.

“No deal,” I tell her. I slice off another
piece of meat and chew, savoring the rich flavor -- and the epic
climax she’s about to unleash. “I want to see if you can keep it
together when you come.”