London Soul by Nana Malone

the crowd. Apparently, kink didn’t scare off the young, elite, and rich. The

usual crowd I’d see at China White were all here trying too hard not to look

desperately bored. Through the crowd, I spotted a flashbulb go off, and I

stiffened.

down, mate. Of

course, the club had hired photographers for the event. But I eyed the

shutterbug again. Slight build. Dirty blond hair gelled up into spikes. I could

have sworn I’d seen him before. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at

attention, but I couldn’t place the guy. I needed to calm down. The hiring

staff would only hire reputable photographers. They knew that we required the

utmost privacy, and they wouldn’t hire anyone who had ever worked with the

tabloids. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d seen the guy before.

Maybe he was one of Xander’s students?

of complications…” I muttered. I couldn’t have missed Abbie’s entrance with her

friends if I’d been trying.

squealed when she spotted me, and immediately a flock of women swarmed the

models. One of the guys put his arm around Abbie, and I had the irrational urge

to plant my fist in his face.

texted earlier to say she was going out, but I had no idea she’d end up here.

she looked stunning. She’d worn her braids piled on top of her head in some

kind of bun, with long dangling earrings showing off her slender neck.

glanced toward the entrance. “Given the electric sparks between you two across

a room, I see why the urgency.”

Gem.”

saying. Give me a couple of weeks before you two get cited for public eye

shagging.” She gathered up her purse. “I think I’ll go see what Nick’s up to.”

even see which way she went because my attention was so focused on Abbie. And

as if she felt my eyes on her, she immediately looked up.

gazes locked, need chased the elation through my veins. I’d only seen her

yesterday, but any time I spent away from her felt like eons. But it wasn’t

like I could really complain. She’d had work to do for my brother. I tried not

to think about what Xander had said about her. It didn’t matter what Xander thought.

I couldn’t stop seeing her.

the stairs, her soft skirt swishing against her legs as she did. When she

reached the landing, she fixed me with a smile. “Fancy meeting you here.” She

looked around surreptitiously. “In a sex club.”

a sex club? I hadn’t noticed.” I grinned. “Nick’s idea.”

didn’t really strike me as the whips-and-chains kind of guy.” She shrugged.

moments, we stood facing each other, neither moving, forcing anyone who wanted

access to the stairs to go around us. Finally, I angled my body a little closer

to her and said, “It’s one of his dad’s clubs. Do you want to go somewhere a

little more private… to talk?”

flashed. “Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Talking seems like a really good

idea, actually.”

hand and led her through the throngs of the VIP section, past the dominatrix

with her victim for the night, and past the sex viewing rooms. She held on

tight to me as we passed by them.

having…”

much as I wanted to be with her, I hated having her here in the midst of all

the kink that was going on. “Maybe we should leave the club?”

okay. We came as a group for Jasper’s gig tonight. Apparently, there’s some big

promoter here. Jasper’s hoping to get some representation tonight. We’re sort

of supporting him. Everyone would notice if I left.”

Jasper might be my friend, but jealousy ate at me. I wanted her there to

support me. Of course, I’d have to tell her something real about myself first.

I found the private rooms, then after looking around to make sure no one paid

us any attention, I dragged her inside. Dim red light illuminated the

comfortable-looking couch and bed. Her eyes widened as she glanced around.

“This is… cozy.”

her softly, and for a moment, all the tension ebbed out of my body. “I just

wanted to be alone with you for two minutes before things get crazy out there

and we don’t have a minute to talk all night.”

fine.” She placed a hand on my chest, and my heart hammered. “I’d rather get a

minute with you, even if it’s in a sex room. I wanted to talk to you about

something.”

a lot of time together over the last week, but we hadn’t been alone.

Always out in public. Even the photo lab had been occupied when I’d gone to

help her. The one night we’d made a date for her to go to my place, she’d had

to do some schoolwork for Xander and rescheduled. The prick of guilt stung as I

thought of how badly her last critique had gone.

talk.” I kissed the crook of her neck and inhaled. Her perfume, mixed with her

unique scent, drove me a little crazy and made my head swim.

can’t—” She moaned when I licked her. “I can’t think when you’re doing that.”

sorry.” I drew back. “Sometimes I forget to slow down.”

up at me and inhaled deeply. “Sometimes I don’t want you to.”

“I don’t understand.”

noticed that even after we said we’d ease up on intensity we’ve been spending

every minute we can together?”

ominous and slimy squirmed in my gut. “I thought that was a good thing.”

Maybe we don’t need to take it quite so slow anymore.”

washed over me like a wave. As did panic. I was totally fucked. I was

completely in love with her. And there were things she still didn’t know about

me.