We last about two songs before we start making out in the middle of the dance floor. I can't remember the last time I let myself this loose with anyone. My moments of reprieve in my dance sessions are nothing compared to dancing with Lucas surrounded by people we don't know. It's categorically electric. We're free to do whatever we please and that's exactly what we're doing.
Lucas' body molded against my backside as we moved with the music. His large hand pressed over my stomach, sending heat everywhere. It wasn't long before his erection pressed up against me.
And then somehow now we find ourselves kissing as if the apocalypse is due any moment. Our hands move over every part of each other's bodies, pressing and gripping. Our lips and tongues move together so intensely, that my knees will likely give out at any moment.
"Okay, I'm ready to go back to the hotel," I say breathlessly as I break away from his lips.
A hint of pink dusts his cheeks and the freckles I can stare at all day long come into focus. He nods before grabbing my hand and leading the way out of the club.
We walk wordlessly back to our hotel. The cool night air provides some relief from the residual heat on my skin. Yet, my heart continues to pump hard in anticipation of what we're about to do.
This day with Lucas is like a dream I don't want to wake up from. This warm, sweet, melt-into-the-ground type feeling I have toward him is growing faster by the second. How could it have happened? It wasn't that long ago that I wanted to see Lucas fail a thousand times over. Perhaps it's the new scenery? A new place to assume new identities. I used to hate Vegas, but now it's the setting for this game of love we're tiptoeing around. Tonight is our last night here. Who knows if we'll ever get a chance to be this open and carefree? We'll be back in our offices, back to normal life, tomorrow.
We stay quiet up to my room, hands still interlaced together. Neither of us seems to want to break out of this bubble we've created for ourselves.
As soon as I open the door, I take in a deep breath while leading him inside. Something is different between us. Something much deeper and intoxicating, fueling me like I'm an addicted gambler at a poker table. I can't fold without seeing what the next card holds.
Lucas turns on the lamp, casting a warm, dim glow over the space, before sitting down on the plush, white blanket of my bed and taking his shoes off.
My heart beats harder and the sound travels up to my ears mingling with the echoes of the club. I've had sex with Lucas before, but the impending moment in this room feels much more intimate. Maybe it's being completely alone with him. There isn't the thrill of someone accidentally walking in. It's just me and him, my enemy turned friend turned who the hell knows what.
"Come here," he says gently as we continue to eye each other from across the room.
I move toward him and place my hands on the sides of his head once I stop in between his legs. Our lips meet in a slow and sensual kiss as Lucas' hands meet my waist.
Lava-like heat travels through my body as I deepen the kiss. All I keep thinking is how much I want this man. Not just in the physical sense anymore. I want more. Yet, whatever 'more' means is still elusive, like an impressionistic painting. I can kind of see a recognizable image from the brush strokes, but it isn't too clear or I need to squint harder. Whatever it is, I'm becoming more and more interested in figuring out what the image holds.
"You can call me Habibti if you want," I say right after breaking away from his lips.
"What?" Lucas' hands pause along my sides.
"Habibti. One of the Arabic words you looked up. It's okay if you say it to me."
A smile cracks through his expression before he gently tugs my chin toward him.
We continue kissing for a moment before I break off again. "So, are you going to say it?" I ask breathlessly.
"Habibti."
Flutters erupt in my stomach, praising Lucas as if he were a world-renowned Arabic poet. I slam my lips back against him and we continue kissing, with slightly more urgency this time.
Lucas' arms wrap tighter around me and soon he lifts me in the air and sets me down on the bed. "Habibti, lie back. I need to taste your pussy."
I fall back, breathing hard. Lucas' hand grips my ankle and holds my leg in the air, causing the hem of my dress to move up to my hip bones. As he takes off my heel, his gaze shifts and locks onto my red lace thong. He moves over to the other leg and takes off the other heel much more quickly.
I close my eyes as Lucas starts trailing kisses down my raised leg, sending zaps of heat through me. As soon as his lips meet my thigh, I lift my hips, hoping he'll take off my underwear soon.
Yet he breaks off and leans back. "Take off your dress, albe. I want to see your tits when I suck on you."
I sit up and turn on my knees so Lucas can help unzip the back of my dress. The top part falls forward and I shimmy out of it, leaving me in nothing but my underwear bottoms.
Lucas' breathing hitches audibly when I turn back to face him. He begins unbuttoning his shirt as I slip off my underwear and lay back down on top of the covers. I'm now fully naked, spreading my legs wide and breathing hard as I wait for Lucas to take his shirt and pants off.
My heart rate doubles as he bends over the edge of the bed, pulling me by my thighs down toward him, and placing my legs over his shoulders. "I can see you dripping for me already, hayati."
I moan and wiggle under Lucas' grip. "Habibi, Lucas. Nikini."
"I don't know what that last word meant but the way you said it was so fucking sexy."
"I said, 'Fuck me'," I manage to breathe out before Lucas' lips meet my center. I moan loudly and grip his soft hair, writhing under his lips at the intense pleasure shooting through me.
I glance down just as Lucas opens his eyes and moves both of his hands over my breasts, squeezing them. The image of his face between my legs, the pressure of his hands on my body, and the humming he started against my clit, is sending my mind and body into overdrive. My eyes weld shut as I near the onslaught of pleasure. "Baehd, Habibi," I moan out, telling Lucas I want more.
Even though he likely doesn't know what I mean, he increases the pressure against me. I pull on his hair, screaming his name, as stars start clouding my vision and euphoria grips my body.
"Such a good girl," he coos as the sounds of a condom wrapper tearing travel to my ears.
As my mind starts scrambling back to my present reality, Lucas moves onto the bed and pulls me up higher, landing my head against a pillow. I open my eyes to find him hovering over me. "Tal, I am so into you," he says softly with a slight crease of his brow.
My heart and stomach flip at the same time as if they're doing a choreographed routine. I smile softly, my body still buzzing from the orgasm he just gave me. "Mmm. Not yet."
Lucas laughs before slowly pushing himself inside of me. I gasp at the sudden fullness of his head pushing past my entrance. My nerves are quickly winding up again.
"Fuuuuck," he groans out as he slides in. "You know what I meant, ya amar."
I do know exactly what he means and it's sending electric currents to prickle intensely over my skin.
"Am I saying these Arabic words right?" he says as he starts thrusting into me.
I open my eyes to find Lucas' cerulean eyes burning into my soul. "Yes!" I pant before continuing. "How did you know what dialect of Arabic to learn? You're saying everything so well, Habibi."
Lucas leans down and his soft lips meet mine briefly before he continues pumping in and out of me. "I read somewhere you were Lebanese so I found an app that had it. They had a 'Romantic Phrases' module."
"Mmm. I don't know anyone who would speak a new language so confidently. It's so hot, Lucas. You're so hot!" The constant friction against me tightens the coil around my nerves.
"They didn't have a 'Dirty Words' module so I had to settle for the romance one," he teases hoarsely.
I laugh before it quickly turns into a moan. Lucas starts pumping harder for a moment before grunting and sliding in raggedly. My nerves burst in rapid succession within me just as Lucas slams one last thrust, reaching his own climax.
Breathing hard, he takes off the condom and pulls down the covers underneath me. After pulling me into his arms, he drapes the blanket over us.
We lay there cuddling, neither saying a word. Even though I'm exhausted from the long day, my time with Lucas is like a drug that makes my tiredness irrelevant.
Soon, Lucas' breathing labors. I glance at his face and lightly graze the freckles on his cheekbones, careful enough not to wake him, before whispering, "I'm so into you, Lucas."
Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.
I reluctantly open my eyes to discover an incessant buzzing coming from my clutch on the nightstand. My eyes adjust, taking in my surroundings. Light filters through the curtains and Lucas' large body lays next to me, his arm draped over me. I smile, my insides filling with warmth as the memories of the day prior flood back.
I feel around for my phone and as soon as I bring it up to my face, three missed calls from Cora stare back at me. With a heavy sigh, I slowly untangle myself from Lucas and tiptoe to the bathroom for a robe.
It hasn't even been four hours since I fell asleep but I won't be able to go back to sleep knowing Cora is trying to reach me. The ear full I'll get if I don't call back soon isn't worth the extra sleep. I wrap the white robe around myself and head to the balcony with my phone in hand.
The sun shines over The Strip below me and the water in the Bellagio Fountain glistens. I take in the beautiful view before settling on the outdoor couch. The feelings from last night still swim in my veins as I click Cora's name on my phone.
After one ring Cora answers. "Where the fuck have you been?"
"Cora, I'm still in Vegas. We're three hours behin-."
"I have bad news!"
My eyes grow wide and my stomach drops. "What? What is it?"
"Tucker is signing with us."
I raise my eyebrows before smiling widely. "Cora, what are you talking about? That's amazing news!"
"Is it if Lucas got the credit for it?" She sighs heavily. "I didn't want to tell you this, but it seems like I have to so you can get off your ass and do something about it. There's talk that Lucas is going to win the CEO position."
My feet move to the ground as my heart rate picks up speed. "What? That's not fair. We haven't even shared our strategies yet."
"Wake the fuck up, Talia! You think it'll just take some PowerPoint presentation with pretty words on it to convince those fuckers? Don't be an idiot."
I shiver. This piece of information is like ice-cold water being dumped over my head. My mind speeds rapidly. Of course Tucker would say it was all thanks to Lucas. But then I think back to the way Lucas managed to get Tucker last night. In reality, it was him who pulled it off. A slight burning seeps through my chest despite my heart growing in admiration for Lucas.
"I'll figure something out," I respond through gritted teeth. I don't know who I'm angry at, but heat still fills my veins.
"You better! We didn't work this hard for nothing! Now I have to try and do some damage control and make up some lie about how it was really you that got Tucker. I'm extremely disappointed in you, Talia."
Before I can respond, a beep signals the end of the call. My stomach ties itself into knots. On the one hand, I'm proud of Lucas, but on the other, jealousy is raking its dirty claws through my chest. What does Lucas have that I don't have? He's amazing. Last night convinced me of that. But my mind is working hard trying to reconcile it all. I am too.
Another buzz from my phone grabs my attention. A new email from Charles pops up in my notifications.
Subject: Headcount Reduction
From: Charles Handler
To: Lucas Handler; Talia Nassar
Again, amazing job last night, Lucas!
I took a look at the list of names and made some edits. Attached is what I sent to HR. I'll need you both to finish the layoffs quickly this coming week.
Thx
CH
I make a face as I open up the attachment. What the hell is Charles doing finalizing this list with HR? I scan the list of names before stopping at the one that shoots ice through my veins. My assistant.
Imani Johnson.