While he tugged her waist close to his body as they waited for the elevator to open, Lake’s gaze went back to the casino’s door where some men were exiting. They didn’t look too thrilled for the party to be over.
“I forgot my bag,” she spoke quietly to him, realizing she had left it in her locker.
The doors flew open, and he pulled her to the back of the elevator. “You don’t need it tonight.”
“Ye—”
“It will be there tomorrow.” Vincent dropped his arm from her waist then stood halfway in front of her body.
Lake stared at his shoulder, which blocked most of her view. Um, yes, I do. My keys are in them!
He reached his hand back to rest his palm on the top of her thigh.
She swallowed the lump in her throat as the doors started to slide closed. He’s not going to take me home, is he?
Chapter Forty
The Penthouses of All Penthouses
Lake had expected to get off the elevator with the other men on the real casino first floor, but when Vincent hadn’t moved, she had no clue where they were going.
Some people had gotten on the elevator right before it closed and clicked some buttons to random floors of the hotel. She did manage to see a few of them, particularly the men, give them a look. She figured that was why Vincent had remained in front of her.
As the elevator closed and started going up again, she felt his fingertips begin brushing the top of her thigh in a soft, up and down motion. The feeling of being on top of him, dancing as his hand had gotten so close to her femininity returned. It was such a tender and soothing touch, which made it all the more erotic for her, especially since she was in a very confined space with total strangers.
Unable to think about anything except how good his hand felt right then, she touched his hand over her thigh then traveled up his arm to his bicep, pulling him slightly closer to her.
Vincent gave her thigh a light squeeze before he returned to the motion, that time slightly higher.
Lake rested her forehead onto the back of his shoulder as she continued to hold his arm, wanting to get closer to him. I was right; we have reached our boiling point.
She heard the elevator close again right before he pulled her from the back and then pushed her against the wall by the buttons. She watched him punch in the code to the top, wondering how in the world she hadn’t noticed anyone getting off.
Her chest began to heavily rise and fall when Vincent’s attention returned to her. She had seen that look in his eye when she had been dancing on top of him.
Vincent’s hand went up to trace her full bottom lip with his thumb. “All I have wanted to do is kiss you since the moment I pulled my mouth off yours the first time, baby.”
Me, too, was her only thought as his lips finally came crashing down on hers. He greedily sucked at her bottom lip while he held her chin up for him to access her mouth completely.
Lake’s lips melted against his, letting him explore her mouth as if it was the first time. His tongue expertly parted her lips, and she found herself opening wider for him. When he caught her tongue, she moaned against his lips as he sucked it into his mouth. It was everything she remembered and more.
She reached up and grabbed his hair, wanting him closer and trying to deepen the kiss, but Vincent suddenly pulled away, running a hand through his hair to smooth the back down where she had roughed it up. Then the elevator door slid open and he took her hand, pulling her out of the elevator without a word.
Lake could have sworn she was having déjà vu as she was pretty sure that was how their first kiss had gone. She didn’t understand what she kept doing wrong. She thought wanting to touch him and kiss him back was how it was supposed to go but every time she did, he ended the kiss abruptly.
Wiping the moisture on her lips away, she couldn’t help feeling a little hurt. I’m obviously a terrible kisser.
She was quickly pulled out of her haze from the fact that he didn’t like kissing her with the realization that they were on the top floor. She had no idea why he was taking her to Dante’s office. Her confusion only increased when he pulled her down the right hall instead of going straight toward the office. At that moment, she had no clue where they were going.
Nerves began to set in when he went to the second to last door on the left side of the hall. She watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a hotel key card.
She bit her lip. “Um, why are we going in here?”
Vincent slid the card into the slot until the light flashed green. Then he opened the door and dragged her inside the darkly lit room.
She jumped when the door slammed shut behind her. “Vincent, w-where are we?” she whispered.
Looking around, she could barely make anything out, but her attention was drawn to a huge glass wall, which looked out over the night city. It was breathtaking.
When the lights flew on she blinked, adjusting to the brightness, and her mouth dropped open as she took in the huge space. Walking farther into the place, she knew it had to be the penthouses of all penthouses.
It was a very dark space. The walls were black along with mostly everything else. There were only hints of dark grays and silvers that came from various mirrored things. It was warm yet cool, inviting yet structured, and contemporary yet Victorian, all while being dark with no light. She never would have dreamed she would have liked something so obscure and free from anything bright, but she found it completely inviting and appealing.