Page 42 of Wicked Rush

“Mr. Elliott.” A tall gentleman dressed in a white suit pressed through the drapes. He didn’t offer to shake Lars’ hand but merely nodded. His focus went to Braelynn, who gave a small smile. Considering his attire, she hoped she wasn’t underdressed for the event. A barbeque, he’d told her, but she suspected whatever lay beyond the curtain, it was far from a simple campfire on the beach.

“Willem,” Lars acknowledged, while he brought his hand to the small of her back.

The gentle touch ignited an intimacy that she hadn’t expected to experience in front of a stranger. Her gaze caught his, lingering for several seconds.

“This is Brae Rollins.”

Willem ignored Braelynn, swiping his finger across the glass of a tablet. “She’s not on the list, sir.”

“Ah yes, I know. Last minute invite,” Lars explained.

Braelynn startled as Lars traced a line down her back, resting his palm on her bottom. Her eyes flew open in surprise, making brief eye contact with his, but he continued to speak to the staff member with a nonchalant easiness.

“He doesn’t like surprises,” Willem’s line of vision went to the construction, “especially after the fire.”

“None of us do, but this lovely lady here, is no surprise. She’s my guest.”

Braelynn attempted to ignore the instinct telling her something was about to go wrong. Paranoia swept through her; she strained to see through the waving fabric. Familiar laugher thundered behind the curtain, and her stomach tightened. Garrett Emerson. Her heart beat a staccato rhythm, anticipating his wrath.

“Brae,” Lars stated, and her eyes snapped to his. “Everything okay?”

She nodded, concerned he’d sense her trepidation. Garrett would press her, wondering why she was with Lars. Braelynn took a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable. Keeping the lie burned a hole inside of her, and she wished Garrett would tell Lars everything. But they’d all be in jeopardy if any of them talked about the classified data.

“You’re cold,” Lars noted, rubbing her hands. “Willem, do you see what you’ve done, keeping us here talking? It’s time to go.”

“I take it you’ll tell Mr. Emerson?”

“No worries,” he said dismissively. Wrapping his arm around Braelynn, he brushed a kiss to her forehead. “Gets cool as soon as the sun goes down, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Cuddling into his embrace, she wished she could lose herself within the sexy sandalwood fragrance on his skin. Unable to stop the inevitable, she put one foot in front of the other as the soft wavy drape swept over her shoulder, and they pressed through it.

Braelynn’s eyes blinked open, widening in amazement as she drank in the sight of the astonishing affair. Immediately drawn to the ceiling, she stared in wonder at the hundreds of illuminated balloons glowing a neon effervescence. An illusion of royal blue jellyfish danced within enormous standing lava lamps. A DJ gave a fist pump as the crowd danced enthusiastically to the music. Shimmering flesh sparkled underneath the prism of colors spearing through the darkness. Undulating bodies, adorned in luminescent jewelry, emanated a sensual aura.

Braelynn’s pulse raced as she caught sight of a nude woman, pressed between two fully dressed men. Abandoned to the music, the feminine creature fell back into the arms of one male, while the other knelt before her. Her legs opened to him, allowing him access as he licked along the crease of her inner thigh. Braelynn sucked a breath as the man’s eyes flashed to hers, giving her a devious smile. Caught staring, she should have looked away, but instead her eyes remained fixed on the man as he teased his tongue over the woman’s hip. Braelynn shivered at the sight, heat blossoming between her legs.

The brush of Lars’ palm on her arm caused her to startle, her eyes meeting his in wonder. “I…I…I’m sorry,” she stammered, embarrassed and confused by what she’d witnessed and her reaction to it.

“This is Altura.” He smiled. Cupping her cheek with his palm, he slid his thumb over her lower lip, giving a small laugh as her tongue darted over its tip. “What you see here tonight is for your eyes only. The events here,” his focus perused the room, and he cocked his head, “let’s call them unconventional, shall we? Our small group experiences life hard and fast. And while we do hold business events here at these facilities, this is our private time. I can trust you?”

“Yes.” Her response came effortlessly, yet the lie tasted bitter on her lips.

Braelynn gasped as he took her by the waist, jerking her body to his. Her gaze briefly fell to the oblivious dancers, but quickly returned to his commanding voice which demanded her attention.

“Trust is essential, Brae.” He gave her a sexy smile that brought her to her knees. “Altura is special. You can be free here…free to explore. To enjoy. To be or do whoever you want.”

Her breath caught as his thumb hooked around the spaghetti strap that supported her cami. Her mind seized with the emotions. Arousal. Fear. Helpless to stop him, she locked her eyes on his as he tugged it down, exposing her breast, her taut tip snapping free of the elastic. As he dipped his head to her chest, she burned with desire. Aware of the strangers mingling among them, her pulse raced as his lips fell to her nipple. Delicious pain speared through her as he gently bit at the engorged flesh.

“Lars,” she sighed. Her pussy ached as his fingers slid up the back of her thigh.

As he flicked his tongue over her stiff peak, her eyes followed his to his good-looking friend, Seth, who approached from the side. Her cheeks flushed, and she attempted to pull away, but he held her firmly in place.

“It’s okay. You’re safe here.” Giving her a devious smile, he continued his task.

Releasing her inhibitions and giving Lars her trust, she relaxed into the cacophony around her. Braelynn’s head lolled backward as Lars caressed her ass. Her gaze lingered on Seth, her unease melting under his heated stare. Lars’ fingers teased the cleft of her ass as he made love to her breast. He released her swollen tip, and blew a teasing breath across it.

Holy hell, I could fuck him right here in the middle of this party.In front of everyone. The realization slammed into her that Lars was releasing her shackles without her ever knowing she needed to be freed. For so long she’d happily always done what good girls did. But Lars, he gave her permission to be the very bad, the naughty girl that wanted to learn, to indulge without judgement. Within the safety of his erotic world, she suspected she’d do anything and everything he asked.

“You enjoy being watched,” he commented. This time it was a statement, not a question.