When I didn’t fill in the blank, he staggered a bit as he added, “And it’s not like I wasn’t willing to pay.”
There he went, treating me like some streetwalker again! As infuriated as I was, I could tell that Trip was about to blow his top. His entire body tensed, his eyes turned to ice, and his jaw was clenched so tightly, I thought he must have been grinding his teeth into a fine, white powder inside his mouth. He started to lean in Robert’s direction, but I constricted my hold on his hand as The Lizard finally wised up from the look in Trip’s eyes. He put his hands up in defense and said, “Hey. Whoa, there. Okay, okay. I hear ya. No need to get all up about it.”
Trip took that step anyway, inches from Robert’s face, staring him down with unleashed fury. “If you weren’t such an old bastard, I’d pound your face into a pulp for the way you just spoke to her. Seeing as we may be working together soon, I’m going to refrain from kicking your ass.”
Wait a minute. This was Bert Goldblatt? The director Trip had been meeting with?
Bert’s eyes darted around the room, looking for someone to save him from a well-deserved ass-kicking.
Trip’s voice didn’t even sound like his own as he demanded, “Apologize.”
“Trip. You’re taking this all the wrong—”
“Apologize. Now.”
I wanted to step in and tell him it wasn’t necessary. I wanted to just get the hell away from the guy. But Bert turned toward me, sticking his sagging chin out a bit smugly as he said, “I’m sorry.”
He finally chose to take his leave, but tossed over his shoulder as he did, “I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to taste those tits.”
Trip turned into the Hulk before my eyes. He slammed his glass down on a nearby table and lunged at Bert, but I was in the way. Bert jumped back and smiled, but there was fear in the weasely man’s eyes. I put my hands on Trip’s chest, trying to keep him from killing the guy. “Trip! Stop! Please don’t do this. It’s over, okay? Please!”
Trip looked from the man’s retreating back to me a few times, still practically growling. I knew if he really wanted to go after him, I was no match to physically hold him in place. My words had already halted him, so I continued with that tactic. I put my hands to his face, and turned the focus of his eyes to mine. “Trip! Baby. Please don’t. He’s a pathetic excuse for a man. Please don’t ruin tonight over him, okay?”
Trip’s need to kill Bert was being overshadowed by his need to not destroy our evening. I could see the slight shift in his expression and used that line of logic to my advantage. “It will ruin our night, okay? Please don’t let him.”
He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t go after Bert, either. Instead, he grabbed me by my wrist and practically dragged me around the corner, slammed me against the wall and opened his mouth on mine.
Whoa.
I was caught off guard, but it didn’t take me long to melt into his forceful kiss. Our tongues tangled as he groped at my breast, his other hand gripping my gown at my thigh, lifting and gathering it in his hand until he could slip his palm underneath and grab my ass. His hips jacked into mine, his hardening length grinding against the front of my dress, causing the body parts underneath said dress to clench from the heat he was creating between us.
I should have been more concerned with someone catching us, right there in a shallow alcove, where anyone could turn the corner and find us at any second. But Jesus, the kiss was freaking hot.
I grabbed his lapels in my hands, pressed myself against him, and I could feel how hard he was, that amazing fifth limb of his straining against the fabric of his pants. He let out with a growl and teased his fingers against the edge of my garters, pulling one of the straps away and letting it snap against my thigh.
“You’re mine.”
My brain had shut off, stealing my ability to form actual words. “Mm hmm.”
“You called me ‘baby.’ I like that.”
“Mm hmm.”
“You little liar. You’re still wearing your panties. But not for long.”
That one jogged me out of my trance as I giggled and answered, “Mmm hmm.”
“Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now? Feel this. Feel what you’re doing to me.” He took my hand and pressed it against the front of his pants. “It’s torture, knowing what you’ve got on under this dress. You’re leaving the garters on.”
Note to self: Always, always let Trip see what I’m wearing under my clothes at the beginning of the night.
I was coming unhinged, right there in a restroom alcove in the middle of Chateau Blanco. I mean, the guy wasn’t just sexy. He was sex.
“Jesus,” he hissed, exasperated. “We gotta get out of here. Unless…” He pointed to the restrooms nearby, and I took note of the signs on the door: Men’s Room. Ladies’ Room. Men’s and Ladies’ Room.
“Ewww. Is that one for what I think it is?”
“You didn’t see that yet?”
“No! Do people really…”