she pulled the outer doors together and pressed the arrow up button. Her nerves were stretched taut as the elevator lumbered and groaned as it rose.
When the elevator came to a halt and the inner doors opened, she pulled back the wrought-iron door and stepped out. Surprised, she looked around.
She knew he lived above the club, but didn’t know it was a loft and that the elevator would take her directly into his home. She walked past the entryway and into the large, open room.
“Hello!” she called out, when she saw no sign of Sweet. “Anybody here?”
Gaby looked around, nervous, but curious about where he lived.
The loft was large, easily spanning the width of the club. She cautiously moved into the room, her gaze wandering over his home.
The design was a continuous flow, one room blending into the next, separated by floor-to-ceiling pillars. From where she stood, she could see a few closed doors that she imagined led to bedrooms, but when her eyes fell on the large four-poster bed in the far corner of the room, raised on a dais, she revised her thoughts.
“Hello, are you here?” Gaby called out, again.
She began to walk farther inside, furtively looking around.
She stepped down a small set of stairs that led her into what must serve as the main living area. The living space dominated the room, simply yet tastefully decorated in muted browns, reds, and cream.
A chocolate-brown suede sofa and matching oversized chair were set in the center of the room, and two crimson occasional chairs flanked a white brick stonewashed fireplace. Gaby’s eyes were drawn to a small statue set on the mantel. She walked into the living room, over to the statue, and carefully picked it up.
It was made of what looked to be pure jade. She turned the smooth, cool figurine over in her hand. At first she’d thought it was a statue of a woman, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was a tightly woven male and female, limbs intertwined. It was highly erotic.
“You came,” a deep, now-familiar voice murmured.
She had been so caught up in the beauty of the jade statue, she hadn’t heard him enter the room.
Spinning around, startled, Gaby almost dropped the statue on the floor. She quickly caught it and replaced on the mantel.
She turned back to face him. He stood several feet away, gazing at her.
Her eyes trailed over his handsome face, to his wet hair that appeared even darker as it lay in thick, wet waves, away from his forehead.
Her gaze ran down the planes of his muscular, bare chest, the light sprinkling of dark hair glistening with moisture, past the low-slung jeans he wore unbuttoned. A thatch of curls was barely visible. Her gaze followed the dusky-haired trail, down to the deep V, lower, until the trail disappeared into his open jeans.
Her tongue snaked out and licked her dry bottom lip, her stomach churning in nervousness. She raised her eyes and met his intent, unblinking stare.
“I-I called your name,” the words emerged in a dry whisper. She cleared her throat before continuing. “No one answered.”
“I was in the shower,” he continued to stare at her, not moving, and Gaby’s gut clenched even more.
She began to fiddle with the buttons on her blouse, nervous, not knowing what to do with her hands.
“Take off your clothes.”
When he spoke, she jumped. She’d begun to think he would continue to stand there staring at her. She didn’t know which she preferred—his intent stare or the demand for her to undress.
“What?”
“You heard me, take them off.” His voice was stern, unyielding…yet coaxing.
Gaby hesitated.
His gaze raked over her, making her feel exposed even though she was fully clothed; the look in his eyes showed lust, yet she detected a certain cool detachment.
The way he was staring at her was almost calculating.
She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, more out of self-protection than because she was cold.
When Gaby was a child, whenever her mother was sober and feeling “motherly,” she’d take her to the zoo.
Although those times were few and far between, Gaby had looked forward to them. Her favorite animals in the zoo had been the cougars. Even caged as they were, they were bold, sinister, fierce…and calculating. As though they were simply waiting for someone to be stupid enough to climb over and enter their lair.
In Sweet’s eyes was the same type of look.
The look of an untamed, caged animal with fresh hot meat placed at his feet. Hot sex on the platter…Gaby repressed a shiver at her own silly analogy.
“You’re still dressed.” His silky voice deepened.
A moan escaped from her lips.
Although the trips to the zoo had been rare, she still remembered how she’d wanted to be that person bold enough to enter the cougar’s lair.
Averting her eyes, she glanced down. Her hands began to fumble with the top of her skirt.
“Look at me,” he murmured and her eyes flew to meet his. He casually walked over and sat in the chair next to where she stood.
Oh, God, he wanted her to strip for him while he watched.
More than that, she wanted to strip for him. Wanted to see the look in his eyes when she shed her clothes.
She wanted to bare her body to him, offer it up for his inspection and for him to do whatever he wanted with her.
Her eyes began to flutter closed until she remembered his demand that she look at him.
She kicked off her heels and reached behind her waist, feeling for the closure before she eased the skirt down her legs.
“Don’t step out of your skirt,” he instructed, as she was raising her leg.
“What? How will we—” her eyes grew round.
“No questions,” he interrupted, one side of his sensual mouth curved, his shuttered eyes lazily surveying her body. “Keep removing your clothes.” She looked away and began to unbutton her blouse.
“Don’t look away from me,” he gently reminded her.
She inhaled a deep breath, and allowed her eyes to drift to his as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse. After she’d unbuttoned the last button, Gaby waited for him to tell her what to do next, surprised at her excitement that she needed to ask his permission before she continued.
His cool eyes assessed her, his smile one of approval.
“First take off your blouse, then your bra. Nice and slow,” he instructed.
She
