After Dark - The Birthday Gift

Amelia glared at the half-naked man who had ambushed her as he walked over to the table on the balcony of her hotel suite.

She was still utterly annoyed with her best friend, May.

“Would you like some champagne, beautiful?”

“Amelia,” she scolded. “My name is Amelia.”

The corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

“Nicolas, or Nick for short.”

He popped open the champagne bottle. “Or you can call me anything you like.”

“Thanks, I’ll stick with Nick.” She grasped the offered glass, filled to the brim with sparkling liquid. “Could you perhaps put on a shirt or something?”

Nick nodded with a bemused smirk and strolled back inside.

Amelia bit her lower lip before draining her glass. She swung around and tried to focus on the view beyond the balcony. She had unintentionally admired the raven-haired, muscled perfection of a man for far too long.

To her horror, she blushed.

He embodied everything she had once told May her dream man would look like.

Tall, dark, and utterly handsome.

She fidgeted with the shoulder strap of her red cocktail dress. The neckline was cut too low, and ever since, at May’s insistence, she had squeezed her curvy body into it, and her breasts had been threatening to spill out.

Amelia jerked when his arms encircled her waist from behind, and the glass slipped from her hand, falling six levels to shatter into a thousand pieces on the stone path below.

“Fuck,” she panicked, stepping instinctively backward into the hard warmth of his chest.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked, glancing over the balcony, deliberately sliding his hands off her body.

Amelia’s breath hitched. “I’m fine. Did—did anyone get hurt?”

“No, I don’t see anyone. I’ll call the lobby to let them know about the broken glass,” he reassured. “Are you sure you are okay?”

“No, yes, I’m sorry. I’m not used to this uh—” Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to gather her chaotic thoughts.

“Look, I know you are getting paid to have sex with me, Nick. And don’t get me wrong, you are very, very attractive. Unfortunately, my experience with this kind of uh—situation is nonexistent, and I was completely caught off guard. So I’m, understandably, very nervous.”

“With me being an escort or with sex in general?”

“Both?” Amelia inhaled deeply. “I guess I don’t know how to handle this, okay?”

Nick studied her intently for a few seconds before returning to the room.

“I’m going to call the lobby about the glass.”

Amelia hurried to the table to grab the other glass of champagne. She kept her distance from the rail and focused on the rapidly descending sunset.

She was going to kill May for this.

Nick dialed the front desk, keeping his eyes on Amelia. Her shock and anger had been palpable earlier when she spoke to her friend on the phone. Still, he had been pleasantly surprised that she was as gorgeous up close as she had been from a distance.

His eyes drifted over the tight-fitting red dress that clung seductively to every curve. His gaze moved slowly back up to admire the highlights in her shoulder-length auburn hair, glinting in the warm glow of the room’s light.

She was among the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

He spoke briefly with reception, then quietly replaced the receiver and walked back onto the balcony.

“Are you a virgin, Amelia?”

“No!” Amelia choked down the champagne and spilled a few drops on the front of her dress. She spun, jerking a few feet into the rail, shocked to find him behind her.

A smile curled at the corners of his mouth as he took the glass from her trembling hand.

“So, I’m guessing it’s been a while since you’ve had sex?” he asked, setting the glass down.

Amelia groaned, “A really long time.”

“No boyfriend? Husband?”

“What? Oh God, no. Men just don’t find me attractive, or interesting, or anything. Why do you think you are here?” Amelia sighed. “Look, does it matter?”

Nick stared at her for a long time, and she absentmindedly rubbed her neck, shifting awkwardly on her feet.

“Do you think I don’t find you attractive?” he asked, suddenly moving closer.

“What? I—I don’t know. No, I—I guess, yes,” she stammered, pressing further into the rail.

Nick stopped a few inches away, a hand settling in the crook of her neck while the other brought her hand to his chest. “Do you feel that?” he asked, flattening her palm over his heart.

Amelia swallowed, her eyes blinking rapidly as she felt the wildly erratic heartbeat that matched hers. The thumb on her throat tightened as he bent to brush his lips against her jaw. Shivers cascaded down her spine, and her free hand clutched the rail.

Nick slid his hand down his chest, over his abs and stomach, pausing just above the rim of his blue jeans. He lifted his head to look at her and, with a deliberate tug, shifted her hand down further.

Her eyes widened in shock as a bulge pressed into her hand.

“Surprised?”

Amelia ducked her head. “It’s your job.”

A chuckle vibrated in his chest.“You think I am aroused on command because it’s my job?”

Her mind raced. It did sound stupendously ridiculous.“Don’t you take—uh, pills to help with things like this?” She cleared her throat as the chuckle erupted into a laugh.

“Yes, I’ll admit there are enhancements available,” he shrugged. “But I rarely need them.”

“Sorry,” Amelia grimaced, trying hard to ignore the throbbing pulse against her palm and the hot breath on her cheek.

“You don’t have to apologize, Amelia. You are a beautiful woman—”

“Please, don’t. I know what I am and what I’m not. You don’t have to play this game of seducing me or even pretend you like me. It’s just sex, right?”

Nick stepped back. “Is that the only reason I am here?”

“Honestly, yes. My friend thought that a night with a professional would be the perfect birthday gift to cure me of my sexual insecurities,” Amelia blurted, biting her lower lip as her cheeks flushed a brilliant pink. “You know, the whole wild, unadulterated sex with a stranger thing.”

She tried to move away, but Nick shifted, pinning her firmly between him and the balcony rail.

“It’s your birthday?”

She nodded.

“Well then, Amelia, let’s discuss what you want or expect from tonight. Since it’s your birthday, you can set the rules. You are in complete control.” He rocked her hand gently against his groin.

Her stomach spasmed, and a tremor shot down to her core, making her clench her thighs together.

“I—I don’t have any expectations,” she replied honestly, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. “I have no idea how this works. What—what rules? What does that mean exactly? I thought we would just go into the bedroom and—and, well, you know.”

“The rules, Amelia, are whatever you want them to be. We can take it slow or as fast as you want. We can do whatever you want.”

“And what if I don’t want to do anything?” she said so quietly that Nick almost didn’t catch it.

His thumb at the base of her neck lightly caressed the delicate skin. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, “Is that what you want, Amelia? I can make your wildest dreams come true.” He brushed his lips along her jaw, and she inhaled sharply.

“I—” she bit her lip.

Was that what she wanted?

Here she was with a gorgeous man who had just practically claimed he would do anything she wanted.

The only problem was that she had no idea what she wanted.

Was she really prepared to throw caution to the wind and jump into bed with a stranger?

“Okay, how does this work? What do I do?” Amelia breathed.

*