Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Ana hompson was seething as she made her way along the damp Seattle streets.

Gay? Her fiancé was gay? Why in the hell had he waited until now to tell her? When their wedding was just two weeks away? She’d been looking forward to her wedding for almost two years—as long as she and Cole had been engaged. Mostly because he’d insisted on waiting until they were married to have sex, and now she knew why! He probably couldn’t get it up for her!

She looked up in surprise…and turned back around. The restaurant where she was supposed to meet Kate for dinner was a few buildings back. She retraced her steps the short distance back to the restaurant and ducked inside.

“Can I take your coat, Miss?” someone immediately asked.

“Yes,” she said with a phony grin pasted on her face. As the man walked away, she approached the podium where the hostess stood. “I’m meeting a friend,” she informed the young woman.

The young woman nodded. “Kavanagh?”

Ana nodded.

“Right this way.”

“You’re late,” was the first thing Kate said when she slid in across from her. Ana must have been glaring daggers, because her friend cringed.

“Is everything OK?” she asked fretfully.

“You mean except for Cole calling off the wedding? Sure. Everything is perfect!” Ana hissed.

Kate’s eyes widened, and then she leaned forward, grabbing the passing waiter’s sleeve. “Wine. We need wine,” she informed him solemnly. “And keep it coming!”

“Right away, Miss.”

“I think you may have had too much wine,” Kate said as she reached for the half-full bottle of red Merlot, but Ana was too quick for her. She pulled the wine from her friend’s grasp and refilled her glass. “My fiancé is gay,” Ana said with a frown.

“Exfiancé,” Kate reminded her.

“Aaaand…I’m a twenty something year old virgin,” she said as she hiccupped. The surprised glances that came her way escaped her attention. “Don’t you think I deserve all the wine in the world?”

“Yes, Sweetie,” Kate said with a sigh. “Every ounce of it. But…maybe you could eat some of your pasta?” she suggested. “Wine isn’t good on an empty stomach.”

“Don’t you think that might sober me up, though?” Ana asked.

“That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Ana sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said with a pout. “You’re supposed to meet friends tonight, aren’t you?”

“It’s OK,” Kate said with a wave of her hand. “It’s not important, Ana. This is way important than anything going on at the club.”

Ana perked up. “Club?”

Kate nodded.

“Can I come with you?” she asked.

“You…don’t…like clubs,” Kate reminded her with a frown.

Ana sighed. “Well, I didn’t,” she corrected her friend. “But now that I’m single…who knows? I might enjoy a little…bumping and grinding.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “Bumping and grinding is so 90’s.”

Ana giggled—a testament to how intoxicated she truly was. “So I can go with you?” she asked dejectedly.

Between the walk and the rain, Ana had sobered up significantly by the time they made it to the club. She wanted to just turn around and go home—but to what? Her apartment was full of things she’d bought with Cole. She wanted to just go home with Kate tonight…but she was going to have to stay until closing time if that was going to happen.

So Ana headed to the bar…and prepared for a long night.

An hour later, she was sitting in the booth by herself while Kate was on the dance floor with her friends, beer bottle in one hand as she danced against someone Ana was pretty sure she didn’t know. She sighed as she stood, smoothing her skirt. This was not her thing. Maybe she could just get a hotel room and—

Ana was stretching for her purse when she happened to glance toward the bar. Steely gray eyes locked with hers, and she froze mid-reach. As his gaze swept over her Ana shivered. She’d never felt so exposed; she might as well have not been wearing anything! His perusal was deliberate, and Ana felt a heated flood between her thighs.

She watched as he lifted his drink; his gaze never left hers as he tipped his head back faintly to take a swallow.

Ana wasn’t sure what came over her, but she was unable to stop herself as she began moving forward in an almost trancelike state. She walked slowly, her breaths becoming shallow despite her easy stride. She didn’t stop until she was standing before him. Even sitting as he was on the stool, he was much taller than she was; she had to look up into his face. His copper colored hair blazed despite the dim lighting in the club and the longer she looked at him, the darker his eyes became.

He wanted her.

The realization hit her the same time his hand clamped on the back of her head, drawing her face to his. Her lips parted with an ‘oh’ that was drowned out by the deafening music. He seized the opportunity as his tongue thrust forth, stroking the roof of her mouth before her lowered it and dragged it along hers. Her eyes slid closed as she groaned; he tasted like scotch and something else…she wasn’t quite sure what.

His hand splayed over the small of her back, hauling her forward until she was trapped between his thighs. It was a second before she realized the nudge she felt against her lower belly was his erection. So this was what a hard-on felt like. She instinctively swung her hips side to side, stunned when the prodding became more persistent.

His hand travelled over the curve of her ass to the hem of her skirt, lifting it as he grabbed a handful of thigh. “I wanna fuck you,” he whispered raggedly against her lips.

Ana caught his hand and pushed it down, lowering her skirt back down over her thighs.

“Here?” she asked shrilly.

His deep laugh sent a shiver down her spine. “In the back,” he clarified.

It was seedy, it was dirty, and it was everything she thought was wrong with the world. But Ana Thompson swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded anyway.

Every instinct she possessed told her she should run from this man—she should run far, and she should run fast. He’d just told her he wanted to fuck her, and he didn’t even know her name!

But there was another part of her…the part that had been dumped just a few short hours ago…that wanted to feel wanted. That needed to feel wanted. Even if it was only for one night. And even if it was with this handsome stranger.

His hand clasped hers as he stood. They were in such close proximity that his body brushed hers, and Ana felt her nipples strain against his chest in the split second that his body was flush with hers. He led her to the back of the club, and after a few unsuccessful attempts he finally found a door that wasn’t locked.

She hesitantly preceded him inside; the little space was immediately engulfed in light. Before she could get a look at her surroundings, she heard the door close behind her with the resounding echo of finality. His grip made her jump; his hand was warm on her flesh, and he spun her around, thrusting her against the door as he resumed their kiss.

His lips were hungry…devouring, but the taste was too fleeting when his tongue delved forth for just an instant, then retreated again. He repeated the action a few times before frustration took hold of her. She lifted her hands and cupped his cheeks, holding him still as her tongue lurched forth, frantic to taste him.

As soon as her tongue stroked his, his hand tangled in her hair and she heard him growl; the sound sent a charge throughout her entire body, and the familiar rush of warmth returned. She moaned in ecstasy and frustration. This man was an amazing kisser—she knew, because kissing was all she’d done for the past two years.

She gasped desperately for air as his mouth left hers, his tongue tracing a trail from just beneath her ear to her neck. There was a thud as her head fell helplessly backward, hitting the door. “I’m Ana,” she blurted. If she was going to sleep with this man, shouldn’t he at least know her name?

As he pulled his lips from her neck, the cool air brushed over her wet skin and caused her to shiver. His hand splayed over her neck in a gesture that she found strangely sexy and possessive. He straightened, his gray eyes—darkened by desire—fastening on hers. “Miller,” he returned with a smirk before resuming his pursuit.

“Miller,” she repeated in a breathless whisper; his name certainly fit him.

Her eyelids slid closed as his lips made their skillful way down her chest; it was only when the fabric of her white button up hindered his progress that he lifted his head. Agile hands went to work and within moments he’d pushed the material away to reveal her sensible, flesh-colored, cotton bra. Ana felt herself blush as she realized how sexy it wasn’t.

He didn’t seem to mind; a single flick of his finger unclasped the front closure of her bra, and he thrust the cotton aside. His gaze never strayed from her chest. Ana felt her skin heat as her blush travelled down her chest. He lifted his face; there was an amused gleam in his eye as he quirked a brow. She met his gaze with a defiant lift of her chin, refusing to look away.

Bold, Ana! She reminded herself. She should appear bold!

With a chuckle, Miller hands clamped on her waist, and a little ‘oh’ made its way from her lips, her fingertips digging into his shoulder as he lifted her off the floor. He settled her gently on a worktable she hadn’t noticed before, and her thighs parted instinctively for him as he stepped forward.

He lowered his head, and his tongue gently stroked her taut nipple. More! Her mind screamed, but her teeth sunk into her lower lip instead of voicing her thoughts. Her hands flew out to her sides to brace her upper body. She felt like she’d been reduced to liquid when his mouth surrounded her swollen peak and sucked hard. With a whimper she thrust her chest upward. He lifted a hand, using his fingertips to toy with her other nipple.

She was pretty sure it was her second whimper that made him chuckle, especially when he lifted his head and grinned. “No one’s going to hear you if you want to scream,” he assured her. “It’s much too loud in here.”

She bit her lip, stubbornly shaking her head. He must have taken it as a challenge, because his grin widened as she felt his palm caress its way up her thigh. Her breath hitched in anticipation; there was no way she could turn back now—even if she wanted to! She was in much too deep.

He finally reached beneath the middle panel of her panties and pushed it out of the way; she cried as he slipped two of his fingers inside her.

“Didn’t that feel good?” he asked in a teasing tone.

“Yes!” Though she wasn’t sure he meant the screaming or his fingers stroking her inner flesh. Both, she conceded.

As his fingers slid in and out of her, she braced her heels on the shelf beneath the one she was sitting on and lifted her ass up off the table, her hands sustaining her body weight. She rocked her hips back and forth in time with his strokes. “Please,” she begged brokenly, though she was willing to admit she wasn’t quite sure what she was pleading for.

His fingers left her abruptly; he shoved her skirt up to her hips and then reached for his waist. She was mesmerized as he unbuttoned his pants, then bent to slide them down over his thighs. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little foil wrapper, using his teeth to open it. At least one of them was thinking clearly!

Only when he straightened did she get a look at him: he was huge! Ana Thompson was certainly no expert when it came to sex, but she’d seen what Cole had been packing. He had nothing on this man!

She felt her eyes widen as he positioned himself between her thighs and braced herself for the pain. But it didn’t matter.

When he thrust inside of her with a single stroke, Ana cried out in agony.