Prologue
I soaked my panties as I stood on my balcony & watched him step out of the pristine white BMW 760Li. He casually moved his tall, muscular body towards the stairs leading to my condo. That’s when I got a good look at his outfit. He looked delicious in his black & red Vlone shirt, black Guess jeans, & black Christian Louboutin Seavaste 2 sneakers. His long locs were styled into rope twists, as they cascaded down his back like a Caribbean bead curtain.
I’ve been thinking about him nonstop this week, so seeing him in the flesh was unfair to my insides. As if he could hear my thoughts, he glanced up & winked at me, completely making me lose my train of thought & soaking these panties some more. I opened the sliding door leading to my bedroom & rushed inside to get the wet panties off. I heard my front door shut & listened anxiously as he maneuvered toward my bedroom. He lightly tapped the door twice.
I adored that after all this time, he still knocked before coming into my room. I felt nothing but butterflies, as I reached for the door knob & turned it slowly to let him in. ”Kitten“, he breathes as he takes in the view of my naked body. ”Hi, Papa“, I managed to say in an attempt to feel less nervous. He’s made me feel this way since the night I met him all those years ago.
See, the thing about Jeremiah Richards is that he’s one of the wealthiest men in Orange County. He’s a thirty-one-year-old, self-made business mogul with five successful business properties in Central LA alone. Somehow, my shy ass managed to grab his attention at his favorite bar. Seven years ago, I was a bartender at Mystic Blu Bar & Lounge. It was the hottest new lounge in Central LA, mainly for wealthy bachelors & bachelorettes to meet & mingle.
It was my second week & I had just finished mastering how to make LA’s best espresso martini. I was cleaning up my bar space when he walked up to the bar & sat down. It took me a while to notice him, since I was facing the opposite way. When I turned around, my soul almost left my body. He was the most breathtaking man I’ve ever seen & here he was, watching my every move like a cheetah watches it’s prey.
He was also the same man I shared the elevator with on my first night working here. He had dark, seductive eyes that resembled mini pools of melted milk chocolate. They bore into my soul as I slowly walked toward his end of the bar, keeping eye contact with him. He had smooth, mahogany skin that smelled of whiskey & toasted marshmallow, just like last time. His long locs rested on his mid back this time & boy, could he wear a suit.
“Do you dance?“ he asked. ”Sometimes. Not that it matters”, I said, instantly feeling like an asshole. ”Why wouldn’t it matter? I just asked you”, he replied with a cocked eyebrow, as he leaned in to hear me better over the bass of the music. He was looking at me in a way that made me want to submit to his every demand. His gaze made me feel small, suddenly. Like prey.
I innocently looked into his eyes & said, ”Because when are you ever going to see me dance, Mr. Business Man?" He chuckled deeply. It was the type of throaty laugh that made my vaginal muscles contract at the very first sound of it. Keep it together, bitch. We just met him. I was enamored, & I was determined not to show him. Somehow, it felt like he could see right through me, though.
He stared at me until I met his gaze again. ”How about I take you on a date & you show me“, he said slowly, as he took in the full length of my body. It was a Friday night & I was in a red velvet leotard that showed off my perky breasts & gave my plump ass a nice lift. My long locs were pulled into a half-up, half-down style that showed off the light makeup look I did tonight. I was in a rush to get to work because I knew it’d be hot in MB due to it being Classics Weekend.
The weekend when all of LA’s wealthy men (& sometimes women) bring out their collectible classic cars & cruise down the Sunset Strip to appease the residents. I wondered if he owned one & if he brought it with him tonight. I was the biggest classic Corvette lover I knew. I always told myself that when I made it big, I’d get myself a royal blue 1967 Corvette Stingray. ”Give me your phone“, I said.
He didn’t hesitate as he quickly slid his unlocked phone across the bar. I keyed my number in & slid it back across the bar to him. ”You didn’t save it. Do you not want me to know your name?“he asked, looking confused. Hopefully, the dim lighting in the lounge hid the fact that I was blushing like a prepubescent teen. ”It’s Nalani“, I nearly whispered. ”Nalani“, he repeated with a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.
“Nalani, may I call you ′Kitten’?“ he asked softly. ”What makes you want to call me Kitten?" I asked, failing at my attempt to hide my arousal. I read a lot of smut on my off days, so being called Kitten was always a fantasy of mine. The men I seem to attract, however, never look like or carry themselves like the type of man I’d allow to call me that. Except for him.
“Your eyes“, he said, looking deeply into them. ”They’re always full of wonder when you look at me. Much like a kitten with its owner." My knees buckled at his words, as he quickly typed something into his phone & locked it. ”Did you just save me as Kitten?“ I asked, skepticism dripping off my tone. I was secretly enjoying it. ”Perhaps”, he said, standing up. ”Come dance with me for a sec“, he said, as he extended his large hand for me to take.
I took in all six feet of him as I tried to ignore that I was now dripping down my leg with a throbbing clit. ”I can’t. I have to finish up here. Let me know when we’re going on that date, though“, I smirked as I backed away & rushed toward the bathrooms. I could feel my heart beating through my chest as I tried to process what had just happened. Did you just give a stranger our number? & flirt with him?? I’m not sure what’s gotten into me tonight, but this isn’t like me.
I walked straight to the sink & turned on the faucet. My amber skin was glistening under the dim lighting of the backlit mirror. I splashed some water on my face before stepping back to examine my outfit. It felt like the temperature in the lounge had risen by ten degrees. To my surprise, there were no visible stains on my leotard. I turned the faucet off & pulled out my phone.
I posed for some selfies before heading back to the bar when a text message from an unsaved number came in:
(323) 497 - 5588: I hope your dancing is as enjoyable as it is to watch you walk away. ;)
I bit my lip as I tried to suppress the goofy smile that was threatening to spread across my face.
Kitten: I hope your dancing is as enjoyable as it is to watch you hide your boner. ;)
Power surged through my veins as I locked my phone, tucking it into my bra. I’m sure he didn’t think I noticed, but I did. On my way toward the bathrooms, I could see him adjusting himself on the bar stool through my peripheral vision. My phone whistled as I made my way back to the bar. To my surprise, he was no longer sitting there & someone else had taken his place.
“What can I get you tonight?" I asked, with a smile. I hid my disappointment well. ”Two lemon drops, please“, the patron said. ”Coming right up!" I turned away to make the drinks when my phone whistled again. I willed myself to stay focused on the lemon drops.
My heart was beating so hard that I could almost hear it over the bass blasting through the speakers in the lounge. I added one slice of lemon to each glass, taking them over to the patron. I walked over to the other end of the bar & pulled out my phone.
(323) 497 - 5588: Damn, got me >.< thought I did a good job hiding that.
(323) 497 - 5588: I hope that doesn’t make you feel any kind of way towards me. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable…
I admired his thoughtfulness. I’m a gorgeous woman. I stand five feet, three inches tall, with 34C breasts that sit up on their own & a wagon to match. I know anyone with good taste in LA would have the same reaction, especially with how I was dressed this particular night.
Kitten: Lol, not good enough, but it’s to be expected. I’m not uncomfortable, though. I appreciate the concern. :)
Three dots danced on my screen for a while. I instantly turned my attention toward my POS to see how many tabs were still open for the evening. Four. It’s just minutes to eleven & I’m ready to go home, but the night’s just getting started. My phone whistles as he texts me back.
(323) 497 - 5588: I love a confident woman, kitten. Much better than that shy charade you tried to pull. I can’t wait to get to know you & all your facets better
Chills ran down my spine as I read his texts. Turns out I’m not the only observant one.
Kitten: What may I call you, Mr. Business Man?
(323) 497 - 5588: Thought you’d never ask. :) my name is Jeremiah Richards, but you can call me Papa.
