The Pleasure Principle Read online

  “Give it to me.” The words echoed in her memory from the woman on the stage and she suddenly understood how desperately someone could need to be satisfied.

  As long as she was fantasizing…Anderson Cain approached her, both drinks in his hand, but he didn’t appear to be shocked by the attention Brax was giving her. Instead his beautiful blue eyes lit up with desire as he put the glasses on a nearby table. He hesitated for a moment while he took in the situation, then he came forward, pressing himself against her as he touched his lips to hers.

  Oh God! Electricity shot through her body, and she urgently returned his kiss with all of her passion. She strained to press her aching nipples against his chest, anything to satisfy their need for attention, and Anderson obliged her, slipping his right hand inside her dress the way the tall dancer had done with his partner on the dance floor.

  “Please,” she whispered, her voice ragged and thick. Alice couldn’t breathe; she couldn’t think. She was so wet she could feel it running down her thighs and she ground against Brax out of instinct alone. He moaned deeply as his teeth grazed the back of her neck.

  Anderson slipped his free hand up the slit of her gown. He had to feel her slick thighs when he did so. He would know what she needed, then. As if he understood, Anderson ran a firm fingertip along her wet slit and circled her swollen clit with rhythmic pressure. It was more than Alice could take and she exploded with the most intense orgasm she’d ever had in her life. She whimpered as she rode his strong fingers, milking the ecstasy for everything she could get.

  Her alarm went off. Oh crap, she was going to be late for work!

  * * *

  What was wrong with her, anyway? It wasn’t as if she’d never experienced sex before. She gave in once or twice to a drunk frat boy who was sweet on her during her freshman year, but it never stirred any feelings in her. Especially not like the ones she had now. He mostly grunted over her a few times with his sweaty, half naked body, then rolled over and went to sleep. At the time, she didn’t see what the fuss was about.

  Alice did her best not to speed as she made her way to Dr. Cain’s house. If she called off two times in a row without a written excuse, she’d be terminated, and her tuition was due any day now. She was nervous about going in. What if he was there? Or worse… What if he was there with someone else?

  She looked down at her cell phone in the passenger seat. He’d asked for her number when he dropped her off the evening before. Would he move on so quickly?

  She pulled into the driveway, conscious that he might have seen her car parked on the street yesterday when he took her home. Even if he did, he had no reason to associate it with her. She snaked around the back to the rear entrance and parked by Johnson’s sedan. If Dr. Cain’s driver was in, so was the man himself. Her stomach fluttered uncontrollably.

  Alice stuffed her phone into her bag and walked to the kitchen door like she had dozens of times before. Only this time, she felt different. She was different. Her best bet was to avoid her employer in any way possible. At least that behavior would appear to be the norm for her.

  She opened the door and saw the bulky figure of Johnson at the table, reading the paper.

  “Yo, Alice.” He turned the corner of the paper down and tossed her his usual greeting.

  She nervously tucked a stray piece of hair into her white cap and turned her face away with a short nod to acknowledge him. But he didn’t go back to his reading. In fact, he stared at her. She was positive he couldn’t see behind her cap and glasses, but the look unnerved her. After a full minute she lifted her head with a frown.

  “What? What is it?” She threw up her hands in exasperation.

  “You seem different. What did you do to yourself?” His thick New York accent sometimes made him seem a little brusque when he wasn’t. She learned early on not to take it personally.

  “Nothing. There isn’t anything different about me.” It was the biggest lie she’d ever told in her life, and her stomach churned with queasiness.

  “Aww, now that ain’t true, girlie.” He put the paper down and gave her a good once over. “There ya go! You did your nails, see? I knew it was something.”

  Alice looked down and realized in horror that her fingernails were still painted bright red from the evening before. That certainly was something different from her usual. She hung her purse on a peg by the door and rushed to the closet that contained her cleaning cart. Some latex gloves would take care of this little oversight.

  Johnson shrugged as she nervously skittered around the room and went back to his reading as though the mystery was solved, because she’d never been that interesting anyway.

  A wheel on the cart squealed in protest as she left the kitchen. It had been that way for a while but it never seemed so loud before. She might as well just announce that she was here throughout the house so that Dr. Cain could spy her and realize her secret.

  She released a long breath once she got to the main room and saw his study door was closed. Perhaps he wasn’t in after all and she could take care of her chores without any interaction. And it wasn’t long before her cleaning routine relaxed her. She often found the repetitive nature of her work to be calming and even began to hum a little as she carried on.

  Alice pushed the cart near the front door and noticed a new vase had replaced the one Beverly had broken. She wondered if he’d had an attachment to the old one. If he’d felt any attachment toward Beverly. Would it be the same with her when she was finished in thirty days? She had no reason to expect otherwise, but her expectations had been pretty low to start with. That he even looked at her twice was more than she could’ve ever dreamed of.

  She had suffered a complete overload of her senses the evening before, when everything came to a head at Damsels. She was frightened, confused, and aroused all at the same time. Her thoughts of desire brought Brax immediately to the forefront of her mind, but when she fled into the safety of Anderson’s arms, she had known she could trust him. Though she couldn’t tell him that, she’d known him for over a year, however remotely. He was the one familiar thing in all of the madness surrounding her and that was why she’d chosen to leave with him.

  But her heart had raced at the sight of Brax standing in front of the car, his jaw clenched and his eyes dark with emotion. What did he want with her? Was he angry with her for assaulting one of his patrons? She desperately wanted to know, but it was possible he wanted her to stay away after last night’s drama. Perhaps if she could see him long enough to apologize…

  A car door slammed in the driveway. She froze for an instant, like a deer caught in the headlights. A second door closed and added to her terror. Anderson was coming to the front entrance and he had someone with him! What if it was another test subject already? She could hear footsteps approaching and knew she didn’t have time to wheel the cart away and get herself out of sight as well. She hastily shoved the cart against the wall as closely as she could and sprinted through the foyer at top speed.

  Alice knew she should go into the kitchen, but she couldn’t help herself as she stowed away in the alcove where she could eavesdrop again. If he caught her, it would ruin everything, but she had to know.

  “I don’t understand why you haven’t called her yet.” A deep voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling as the pair came into the foyer. Her heart contracted painfully at the sound. It was clearly Julian Brax, and though she wanted to see him desperately, she slid down the wall out of sight. What was he doing here? He and Anderson must be better friends than she realized.

  “I want to call her. Believe me, I want to so badly. I need to have my thoughts in order and I must make sure my feelings aren’t spilling all over the place like they were last night. She deserves that much.” Dr. Cain sounded emotional, and Alice was stunned by his words. Who were they talking about? She felt a small pang of jealousy. It couldn’t be her.

  “I have never seen you like this before, Anders.” Footsteps paced evenly across the hardwood floor, and she could f
eel tension in the air.

  “I have never felt like this before.” His voice sounded strained. “And I could say the same to you, my friend.”

  “Dammit, just call her. Or give me the number, I’ll do it myself.” The pacing stopped and though she couldn’t see them, she pictured them squaring off in her mind. She had to get out of there right now.

  Alice heard one of them punching a number into the pad of a cell phone. Good, it was the perfect time to slip out while they were distracted. She drew a deep breath and began to inch away from her hiding place.

  Then she heard the sound from the kitchen. Her phone was ringing! Oh my God, they were calling her right now and she’d forgotten to turn the ringer off before she shoved her mobile in her purse earlier. Could they hear it?

  Alice didn’t know if they picked up on the ringtone from the kitchen or not, but she wasn’t waiting around to find out. She stood all at once and ran as fast as she could through the lengthy corridors of the first floor until she reached the kitchen.

  Johnson was standing by the peg where her purse hung and he jumped when she burst through the door. He looked like someone who was about to get his hand caught in the cookie jar.

  “I think your phone was ringing.” He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “You know, there really is something different about you. Do you want to go get a beer with me after work? We can talk shop if ya want.”

  What? Was he asking her out? She’d seen him almost every day she’d worked the past year and he’d never showed the slightest interest in her before. It was true, then. She was changing and even though she tried to hide her appearance, others could sense a difference.

  “I can’t. I have somewhere I have to be tonight.” She didn’t look him in the eye when she answered, but not because she was too shy. She was afraid that what she might see there would make her uncomfortable.

  “Well, maybe later then.” He sounded hopeful, but she didn’t respond. Alice grabbed her purse, gloves still on, and went out the back door before he could add anything else. She wasn’t any good with situations like that, she’d just never had much experience. Besides, she hoped she did have someplace to be that evening.

  She didn’t pull out her phone until she was far down the road. The voicemail on her cell was short and sweet. Dr. Cain asked her if she’d like to join him that evening at Damsels. He assured her there would be no group activities this time and he apologized for the fact that their evening was cut short before. He was very kind and respectful in his message. Alice wanted to go there again, she wanted to see him, but was Brax all right with her returning to the scene of the crime?

  Somehow, the thought of his disapproval devastated her. She found she wanted him to consider her acceptable in some way. She wasn’t sure why she felt so strongly about it, but she had to admit there were many new feelings she was just learning to explore. And there was only one place she could go to discover the truth about herself. She decided she would go back to Damsels, where it all began.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The taxi dropped her off at the same spot on Toulouse. She slid out of the backseat with a smile to the driver, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her for the whole ride. She thought he spent more time looking at her in his rearview mirror than he did at the road. It made her a little nervous, but nothing like the feeling she had at the thought of entering Damsels again.

  She’d spent way too much time going through her closet before she pulled out a pair of black velvet jeans she’d never worn before, and a low cut T-shirt. Even though she was dressed down from the evening before, the ensemble still looked elegant on her as she zipped up a pair of black leather boots on her feet. It was just too early to put on an evening gown, and she was there too early for a reason. She wanted to make things right between Brax and herself before the meeting with Dr. Cain.

  Alice came to the green-painted door and hesitated. Would anyone be there this early in the afternoon? She remembered the courtyard around the block where the cars were parked. Perhaps if she checked over there she’d be able to see if someone was at the establishment.

  She ran the pads of her fingertips along the rough brick wall as she walked around the corner. Though she knew she should take off the glossy red paint, she hadn’t done it. Something about it made her feel sexy and a little decadent. She came to the wrought iron gate and looked inside. The area appeared to be empty, until she saw something in the far corner.

  A man in tight blue jeans leaned over the side of a large motorcycle. His thighs were muscular and flexed when he reached forward for his helmet. Alice felt a wave of desire pass through her body and she couldn’t believe how she was reacting to a glimpse of some stranger on the other side of a courtyard.

  A hot stranger, she reminded herself.

  He put the helmet on with his back still to her and gracefully swung his right leg over the bike, straddling the powerful machine as he cranked it on.

  Alice was light-headed and she held tight to the curling design on the gate. Butterflies swarmed in the pit of her stomach when she saw him notice her, standing there like a statue. She should probably move, or he wouldn’t be able to get out. But instead of rolling forward like she’d expected, the rider turned off the engine and climbed down. He walked toward her, his fingers unstrapping the helmet as he came closer.

  With one swift movement he removed the helmet and tucked it under his arm, allowing his long black hair to fall over his shoulders. It was Julian Brax and she could tell he was holding back his emotions by the look on his face. He was still angry at her, then, for the part she’d played the evening before. Coming here to face him was probably a mistake. And he was quick to cross the courtyard to let her know about it, too.

  Her fingers gripped the iron grate until her knuckles turned white.

  “Alicia.” The way he said her name was as sexy as she remembered. She shivered. “Why are you here?”

  His eyes searched hers and she pooled all of her will together in order to hold up under the scrutiny. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling, but the sparks of hazel in his deep brown eyes seemed to glow with intensity.

  “I wanted to apologize for yesterday evening. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.” She didn’t mean to run from him either, when given the choice between the two friends, but she couldn’t get that part out. What would he think of her if she said something like that? Her feelings for both men were vastly different, and she was just too inexperienced to sort them out. Alice realized she had a lot to learn about herself and she began to turn away.

  “Don’t leave.” Strong fingers covered hers before she could release her hold on the gate. “Please.”

  His hands were warm, and the feeling spread across her body until her cheeks flushed. She turned to face him again, so close to him, just an inch of iron separating them.

  “I was about to go for a ride. Would you like to come along?” He hadn’t released her. Somehow he came closer still and she could feel the intensity of his gaze as it dominated the space they shared. Alice was literally weak in the knees.

  “I don’t know.” Her voice was breathy with the desire that was building inside her. He had to know the effect he was having; there was no way she could possibly hide it.

  “You don’t know if you want to, or if you should?” He cocked his head to the side and read her like a book. “Would you like me to teach you the difference?”

  Alice was fairly certain the iron clenched in her fist was melting beneath their clasped hands. Would he teach her? Did he mean it? She wanted to explore these new feelings and desires. Julian Brax would be the perfect guide for her passions. But he might be dangerous. Would she be safe with him? As safe as she knew herself to be with Anderson?

  “Yes.” Her answer came out as a whisper and the gate clicked open between them. Brax released her and stepped back. Alice walked into the courtyard and stopped in front of him awkwardly. He came close, his body nearly touching hers as he leaned down and whi
spered in her ear.

  “Now you know what you want. Whether or not you should do it remains to be seen.”

  His hot breath tickled her skin, and she inhaled sharply as her entire body convulsed. Oh my God, he hadn’t even touched her! She was responding to every subtle nuance of his attention like a puppet on the strings of a master. She followed him when he turned to the bike and saw it was a Harley Davidson. All black and chrome, a powerful machine, just like its driver. He reached into a studded leather bag on the side and brought out another helmet. Alice was silently thankful. Now he couldn’t see her blush or get flustered. Maybe she’d have a moment to compose herself.

  He swung himself over the bike and turned to offer her his hand. Her long legs easily cleared the seat and she slid into place behind him. Alice’s thighs cradled him like a glove and when he kick-started the bike, his muscles flexed against her open legs. A deep rumble from the engine spread through her body in the most intimate places and she found herself tightly holding onto his waist before the ride began.

  When Brax pulled out onto the brick street and hit the brakes at the stop sign, she was roughly forced against him. Though she desperately tried to contain it, she was beginning to have an orgasm. As if he sensed it, he revved the engine harder and her muscles contracted, grasping against him for something more. He rolled onto Decatur and she began to moan softly, her fingers tight against his abs. She couldn’t fight it any more. She was coming, right on the back of his bike with her legs spread against him and there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

  Her thighs clenched forcefully against his hips and she knew he could feel her contract as she gave herself over to the throes of her climax. Alice rode it out, her head thrown back in ecstasy, and for once in her life she didn’t care who saw her. Brax didn’t slow down. He went faster and faster, the thrill of the speed adding to her pleasure as she experienced multiple extensions of her first orgasm.