“No,” I reply, stopping at a red light.
“I’ve got a stack of demo CDs fifteen inches high. They’ll never be heard.”
I cringe inside, hating the defeat in her voice. “Did something happen to make you question your confidence in yourself?”
Roxy nods, looking in her lap. “Well, I’ve never told anyone this. But I did get an interview with this record exec while I was finishing my degree. He said he worked for a subsidiary of one of the major labels. He wanted to hear my voice, said he listened to my demo CD. I borrowed my stepfather’s car and drove five hundred miles to this guy’s office. I thought maybe he’d want to listen to me sing with a band, or maybe in person, so I took the time to work up my best piece in three different genres. I could do fast pop, a ballad, or one of those tearjerker songs.”
“Sounds like you took it seriously,” I admit. “What happened?”
“I didn’t even get to sit down before the guy said he’d get me a deal . . . if I gave him head. He said I’d get a Grammy inside of two years if I fucked him.”
“Son of a bitch!” I half growl, clenching the steering wheel angrily. “I’ve always heard the rumors of shit like that.”
“So yeah. I told him the only way his dick was getting off was by being jammed in his own ass. I’m pretty sure he spread rumors about my being difficult to work with after that, but I don’t know that for sure. I just know all interest whatsoever dried up after that. I ended up going back to college, then applying for Franklin Consolidated. The rest is history.”
Roxy falls silent as I drive the rest of the way to her apartment. I know this building. It’s a great place. Not quite as good as my penthouse, but it’s a good building.
“I guess this is it,” Roxy says, reaching for her purse. “Can you make sure Hannah gets here safely?”
“I will,” I say. I was gonna go back to the club, but now . . .
“Goodnight,” she says, getting out. Earlier, she was ready to take me right there in the club. I could see it, but now she’s down and I can’t help but feel responsible.
“Wait,” I say, getting out of my car. “Roxy, wait!”
Roxy turns, looking at me suspiciously as I approach, and I know she’s distrustful of me right now. After that story about the record exec, I’m sure she sees me like I’m a snake.
“Let me walk you up at least?” I ask. I can’t let her leave like this. She needs something to unleash all that emotion on.
“I don’t know,” she says, but I ignore her, taking her hand.
I hit my remote on my car, glad I parked in a visitor's slot. Then again, Roxy’s worth a ticket and a tow.
She grips my hand back, and I tug her gently to come on. “I mean, the place is a mess,” she finally says.
“I’m not worried about your dirty socks,” I reassure her.
“And then there’s Mr. Felix . . .” she says, giving me a half smile and a sigh. “My cat.”
We get to the elevator, and I’m reassured when Roxy hits the button for her floor. She doesn’t let go of my hand when the door opens, and instead, we walk down the short hallway, Roxy fishing her keys out and unlocking the door.
“Welcome,” she says, and I’m immediately greeted by the yowling of a big orange cat that goes streaking away from me at first sight. “That’s Mr. Felix.”
“I see he doesn’t like me,” I joke, closing the door behind me.
“Don’t worry, he doesn't bite. He does scratch, though, so make sure you’re on your best behavior.”
I laugh, and Roxy smiles. She lets go of my hand to hang her purse on the coat hook near the door, giving me a look before walking over near the couch, which has a great view of the floor-to-ceiling window and the skyline around us. I walk over, admiring the view. “This is a nice place.”
“Hannah and I make ends meet, but not much more.”
“You said your stepfather’s got money,” I note, turning around. “He doesn’t help out?”
“He would in a heartbeat, but I don’t need it,” she declares. “It’s nice to know I have a backup if something ever happened, but I’d rather handle things myself.”
I don’t respond. Instead, I lean in, kissing her on impulse. It’s deep and soft, not the hot passion of that first night or the seductive intensity of the elevator moment we dangerously shared at work. I’m kissing her because it feels so right, and Roxy kisses me back, her tongue touching mine, feather light.
“Jake . . .” she whispers, putting her hands on my chest. “You’re my boss. You need to leave. We can’t keep this up.”
I look into her eyes again, my hands tightening on her waist as I pull her closer. “I know I should . . . but I don’t want to. You’re driving me crazy. You’re all I think about. I don’t know if I care about shoulds and should-nots.”
Roxy looks like she’s about to protest when suddenly, she melts into my arms, her arms coming up around my neck to kiss me hard. This time, the passion, the need is immediate, and I push her against the window, my hand running under the hem of her dress to cup and squeeze her ass as I trail kisses over her lips and down her neck.
“Oh, God, this is . . .” Roxy moans as she runs her fingers through my hair.
“This is right,” I whisper as I tug at her ear with my teeth, pulling her closer. “I need you.”
“What if Hannah comes back?” Roxy moans, running her fingernails over my neck, pushing my shirt back a little as I squeeze her ass and move back to kissing her lips. “What if she walks in?”
“We just got here. She’s not going to be home anytime soon,” I growl, pulling her away from the window. “But we can still go to your bedroom . . . or the sofa, if that’s too damn far.”
I pick Roxy up. She feels like she weighs nothing in my arms as I carry her across to the couch. I set her down, and she lifts her dress for me. I’m stunned to my knees as her beautiful body is exposed to me.
I lean forward, pulling her into me as I kiss down her neck to her breasts, finding her right nipple and nibbling on it, the light bites making her gasp and moan. “Jake . . . oh, fuck.”
I let my tongue tease the stiff nub of her nipple. It’s perfect, tender and responsive. My cock throbs and my heart pounds as Roxy moans to every touch of my tongue, and when I start sucking on her nipple, she’s shuddering, her hips bucking in the nearly see-through white panties she’s still wearing.
“Oh, fuck, Jake . . . don’t stop.”
I reach down, sliding my hand inside her panties while I suck harder. Roxy throws her head back, gasping as I trace the wet outline of her pussy until I find her clit, lightly rubbing my thumb over it until she cries out. I look up at Roxy as her breasts quiver at the power of her orgasm. “Holy shit.”
“Just getting started. I need to see you, taste you,” I growl, tugging her panties down. She’s glistening, soaked in the light of the overhead lamp, and before she can even take another breath, I devour her, sucking and licking her pussy. I run my tongue deep inside her, savoring her wetness until I’m moaning even more, ravenous for her.
“Jake . . . fuckfuckfuck,” Roxy moans incoherently, tugging on my hair as she grinds her pussy into my hungry lips. “That’s it, baby, that’s how I like it.”
“Mmm, your milkshake is bringing me to the yard,” I half tease as I pull my tongue out to lick her clit. It’s perfect, and at the first flicker of my tongue over the tip, she lifts her hips, letting me slide my hands underneath her ass cheeks and not allowing her any respite.
There’s something about Roxy that drives me to new levels of passion and hunger. Growling, I suck and nibble at the tender button, my ears ringing with her cries as I push her, squeezing her ass even as my tongue flutters over her clit, circling it and driving her higher and higher.