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I took one final deep breath and opened the stall and looked at the door. It was time to go home. Curtis could go back to his room, I could go back to mine, and a full night’s sleep could help me come up with a way out of the bullshit he’d started.A knock came at the bathroom door, and a familiar hand popped into view with a glass of champagne. Only one fool would be willing to embarrass himself by coming into the women’s bathroom to check on me: Hugh.Ensuring the other stalls were empty, I walked over and opened the bathroom door.“The coast is clear, you can come in,” I said with a smile before heading to the sink.“You okay? It looked like you needed this.” His voice was like butter, as always. I didn’t reply.Instead, I turned on the water and scrubbed my hands a bit harder than necessary while I sized up the impeccable one-button charcoal gray suit he was wearing in the mirror. It was all angles. He’d paired it with a crisp white button-up sans tie. Always on the daring side, three of the buttons were undone, and a golden jade bar winked against his honey umber skin. A highball glass of whiskey was gripped by his manicured fingers.The word snack came to mind.“Tom Ford?” I asked, making eye contact in the mirror.“Picked it up this morning. I didn't think it was going to be ready in time. Figured it would impress Lucian.”The CEO, Lucian Foxx, was already enamored with the man. Hugh walked into the room and owned that bitch. He turned heads and charmed clients. And with this suit, he’d definitely left some tongues on the floor. Impeccably tailored, it hung on Hugh like a second skin.Hugh had started to grow out his heart-shaped beard, but he kept it shaped and tight. Seeing the fuller beard on him was something. It contrasted a bit with his bald head, but half the people he talked to didn’t even notice because his charisma is what really caught your attention.I dried my hands and grabbed the flute from him, feeling a zap of electricity as our fingers brushed. I shrugged it off and told my hormones to chill before they even got started. It was a one-sided conversation we’d had many, many times before.“It's definitely impressive,” I said, smiling.He smiled back. “And you—you look sensational.”The gown I’d gone with had a taupe collared silk top that connected to a flared-out blue, bronze, and silver metallic feathered skirt with a slit that came all the way up between my thighs. Sexy, but enough material to be a little modest. I’d tied the long sash around my waist to the side and finished the chrome look with equally stunning smoky bronze and blue eyeshadow and a dark brown lip stain.I took a lot of joy in dressing up for these events. Plus-size clothing had changed so much in the last two decades, and I felt like these events finally gave me the opportunity to lean in and try something new and different that didn’t include dressing like a 75-year-old grandmother counting her days.I cleared my throat and sipped from my glass.“Gloria?” he asked.“Well, it wasn't just Gloria,” I said with a sigh.“Curtis?” Hugh asked, walking over to the bathroom door and flipping the lock.Hugh had Charity, I had Curtis. Neither of our partners really understood our work or what it was like to be a person of color in this world. How enraging just existing was in our office or at events like this. But Hugh and I had each other. We’d take a few minutes out of every day to sit and vent—about work, about life. He was steady and grounding.I put the drink down and leaned against the sink to look up at the ornate ceiling.“He shows up so fucking late, he shouldn't have even bothered to come. And then he introduced himself as my fiancé to that woman.”Hugh made an incredulous noise. I continued.
“Imagine! The man hasn't had a job for a year, shows up late to the only event he had planned for weeks, and now he wants to get married all of a sudden.”My voice went from conversational to a whispery screech in three seconds flat. That temporary sanity I’d gained was gone and I was thinking about blood again.“Okay. Okay.” Hugh walked over. Putting down his drink beside mine, he grabbed my shoulders. “Hit me.”
I startled. He gripped my waist, yanking me towards the middle of the room.“Hit me. Kick me. Do whatever, but get it out while we’re in here. You are the worst compartmentalizer I've ever met. Don't even bother trying to calm down. Just hit me.”
Affronted, I gave him a look that I knew said, Sir, you've lost your whole mind.“It'll make you feel better. I mean, obviously don’t hit me in the face.” He crossed his forearms in front of him and peeked around them at me.“Come on, do it. Don't be a candyass,” he said, grabbing my limp arm.A barking laugh came out of my mouth before I could stop it. I bent forward and cackled, feeling the pull from my diaphragm and the pressure in my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I looked up and saw Hugh's offended gaze before I doubled over and hit the ground, cackling.Tears crept from my eyes as I grabbed my cramping stomach and tried to stop the laughter bubbling up. After a few seconds, I looked over to see Hugh crouched beside me waiting patiently for me to finish. His smile was gone and replaced by something else that I couldn’t make sense of. I bit at my cheek and tried to take deep breaths to stop the giggles.“‘Don’t be a…candyass?’” I asked, wiping daintily at my eyes and looking down at the dress pooled around me.“It worked. See, you’re not a rage monster anymore,” he said, holding out a hand to help me up.
I sighed and reached for him, teetering a bit on my heels as I gained my footing.My fingers tightened around his biceps so I wouldn't fall on my face. They were firm, much firmer than I expected, so much so that I may have given them an extra squeeze after I gained my balance.I dragged in a surprised breath and then laughed, trying to cover the fact that arms were apparently a turn-on for me now and his were—yummy.“Oh, I’m a little—” I looked up to see Hugh staring down at me. Staring wasn’t the right word—he was devouring me with his eyes.Whatever words I was going to say caught in my throat, and I leaned back against the sink. It was the alcohol. Hugh was absolutely not looking at me like I had all of the universe’s answers between my thighs.“Denise, can I ask you something?” His voice was huskier than normal. He leaned closer, resting his hands on either side of the sink, caging me in. I could smell the whiskey on his lips mixed with his sandalwood and sage cologne. His scent was a welcoming fog, surrounding me, cushioning me, and pulling me closer to him.“Sure.” The words came out a whisper as I took in eyes the color of driftwood.His finger flirted with the skin of my cheek and my breath caught.Where the hell did this come from? I tried to swallow against the newly formed lump in my throat that mentioned the thumping between my legs.“Tell me you’ve never thought about me.” He moved flush against my curves.Of course, I had. Hugh was temptation. He was everything that made a man irresistible. Successful, impeccable, and polished, right down to his crisply lined beard and jade cufflinks.But he had Char and I had Curtis.Hugh leaned close. His aura, his scent, a heady mix that had me feeling high. I cleared my throat but didn’t look away.“That’s not a question,” I replied with a whisper.He leaned forward. My breath caught as his lips came close to mine. But instead of kissing me, he brought his nose against mine, brushing gently against it. His hand moved to my neck, tracing along the edge of my collar. I let out a gasp as what felt like electricity began to follow his touch.Hugh heard it and chuckled. I felt my face flush. His breath teased my earlobe before he ran his nose softly underneath my jaw. Heat began to course through me and pool in between my thighs. I fought the sudden urge to buck into his warm body.I closed my eyes tight and tried to take a steadying breath to calm the thick air surrounding me. His fingers traced my jaw as he leaned his nose against mine again.“Do you want me to fuck you?”The words were whispered against my lips. There, but not quite there. My heart thudded in my chest, beating hard against my ribs. I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t think, all I could do was feel. And baby, my body was aflame.

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I looked around, surprised that no one could hear the telltale buzzing from the device that was burning me up from the inside out. The pressure on my g-spot pressed up, and if I shifted just right, I would be full-on screaming in front of a lot of eligible men. Hell, they’d probably enjoy it. Wait, would I enjoy it?I was turning into a full-on freak, and I was having the time of my life. My nails were digging into my palms while I tried to focus on the man in front of me. He was attractive enough, but I wasn’t thinking about him. Hell, I couldn’t even remember his name as he got up to move to the next table. I was grateful when it was time for the men to switch, and I could take a few seconds to try and ease the pleasure coursing through me.Again.“Hi gorgeous, what’s your name?”
Hugh’s suddenly melodic voice floated down to me. Goosebumps immediately covered my skin. He was all I’d been thinking about for the last five minutes, and here he was—standing over me, bourbon in hand, and smiling like he was having the most fun he’d had in a while.My face was hot with embarrassment, and my nipples were hard and obvious beneath my thin sweater. He sat in front of me, licking his lips.“This wasn’t the deal,” I wanted the words to come out in a harsh whisper, but I couldn’t help the moan. Pulling my thighs apart, I breathed through my mouth and glared across the table at him. I glanced toward Cleo, whose arms were crossed as she scowled at Lucian.“Was this a part of the deal?” he gestured around us with a smirk. Bastard.“I told you I wasn’t taking it seriously.” I fisted the napkin in my lap as I started to leak past the edge of my panties. Closing my eyes, I grabbed his drink and took a small sip, feeling the soothing burn of the bourbon warming me up.He tutted. The vibration jumped higher, and I slammed the glass down on the table. Liquid splashed across my hand as I fought hard to keep my whimper to myself. I opened my eyes to see his finger on his watch dialing the vibration down a little, but not by much.Heat inflamed my face, but my swollen and dripping pussy was stealing all sense of reason. I wanted nothing more than to lay him out on the table and sit on his hard dick. Two thrusts and I’d squirt all over him. I knew it, and I’m sure he knew it too. That’s probably why he’d been mercilessly teasing me all day. He’d gotten his this morning, and now I had to be a good girl before I was allowed to get mine.I was measuring how worth it catching an indecency charge was when his gravelly voice piped up.“That’s a two-hundred-dollar glass of bourbon. Don’t waste it.” He looked from my hand to my mouth. Two thrusts was generous; I needed one—just one to slide right up to the place that it seemed like only he could touch.Now, I really did want to kick him. Hard. Instead, I slowly lifted my hand to my mouth and licked the bourbon from the space between my finger and my thumb, my eyes burning straight into his.“If we weren’t in a room full of people, you’d be on your knees licking it from the table.” He smirked when I scoffed. Leaning forward, he grabbed my hand, his tongue circling my skin before sucking it into his mouth. The sensation of the vibration made my eyes almost roll back in my head. He used my hand to pull me forward.“You want this. You crave this,” he said into my ear. “That’s why your pussy is so wet. It wouldn’t take much to get you right where you want to be. On your knees, licking this table clean. Gagging around my dick, begging for me to fuck that tight ass. Would you like to know why?” he sat back and bit his lip, his tongue tracing the edge of his mouth.I couldn’t reply, my mouth was dry, and I was lost in his words and the adrenaline coursing through my body as I shifted my hips against the vibrator, delighting in the friction I was creating with each movement of my thighs.“You’re insatiable. And I’m going to make sure you get everything you need.” His finger touched his watch and ramped up the vibrations.My hands gripped the edge of the table, and I squirmed against my clenching walls. Taking a deep breath and then another, I focused hard on keeping my mouth closed and my eyes open. There was no way I was giving him the satisfaction of seeing how close I was to finally getting the orgasm I’d been chasing. I heard clattering to my right, and his hands gripped mine over the table edge.“Look at me.”I brought my focus to him.“All of this. Everything you’re feeling right now. I’m giving it to you because you deserve it. But what you don’t deserve, Little Menace, is to come. Is that clear?” his hand went to his watch, and the vibrations stopped.My jaw dropped as my muscles clenched, chasing the climax they’d been promised over and over. A frustrated scream built in the back of my throat, and I was tempted to flip the entire fucking table. The pleasure stayed on the edge before fading a bit and leaving me unsated and dazed.I barely caught Cleo marching past me, Lucian close behind her. Was he wet? Hugh’s thumb traced the inside of my wrist, and I shuddered.
“Mean,” I panted against his touch.
“Mean?” his mouth lifted in a humorless smile as he snatched me up from the seat and leaned close to me. “I can show you mean.”I grabbed my bag and jacket as he pulled me through the crowd and out the doors. I was stumbling as I tried to keep up with his pace. My thighs were drenched. He flagged a cab and turned to me, his expression ravenous.“None of the men in that room can do what I’m about to.”

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I took one final deep breath and opened the stall and looked at the door. It was time to go home. Curtis could go back to his room, I could go back to mine, and a full night’s sleep could help me come up with a way out of the bullshit he’d started.A knock came at the bathroom door, and a familiar hand popped into view with a glass of champagne. Only one fool would be willing to embarrass himself by coming into the women’s bathroom to check on me: Hugh.Ensuring the other stalls were empty, I walked over and opened the bathroom door.“The coast is clear, you can come in,” I said with a smile before heading to the sink.“You okay? It looked like you needed this.” His voice was like butter, as always. I didn’t reply.Instead, I turned on the water and scrubbed my hands a bit harder than necessary while I sized up the impeccable one-button charcoal gray suit he was wearing in the mirror. It was all angles. He’d paired it with a crisp white button-up sans tie. Always on the daring side, three of the buttons were undone, and a golden jade bar winked against his honey umber skin. A highball glass of whiskey was gripped by his manicured fingers.The word snack came to mind.“Tom Ford?” I asked, making eye contact in the mirror.“Picked it up this morning. I didn't think it was going to be ready in time. Figured it would impress Lucian.”The CEO, Lucian Foxx, was already enamored with the man. Hugh walked into the room and owned that bitch. He turned heads and charmed clients. And with this suit, he’d definitely left some tongues on the floor. Impeccably tailored, it hung on Hugh like a second skin.Hugh had started to grow out his heart-shaped beard, but he kept it shaped and tight. Seeing the fuller beard on him was something. It contrasted a bit with his bald head, but half the people he talked to didn’t even notice because his charisma is what really caught your attention.I dried my hands and grabbed the flute from him, feeling a zap of electricity as our fingers brushed. I shrugged it off and told my hormones to chill before they even got started. It was a one-sided conversation we’d had many, many times before.“It's definitely impressive,” I said, smiling.He smiled back. “And you—you look sensational.”The gown I’d gone with had a taupe collared silk top that connected to a flared-out blue, bronze, and silver metallic feathered skirt with a slit that came all the way up between my thighs. Sexy, but enough material to be a little modest. I’d tied the long sash around my waist to the side and finished the chrome look with equally stunning smoky bronze and blue eyeshadow and a dark brown lip stain.I took a lot of joy in dressing up for these events. Plus-size clothing had changed so much in the last two decades, and I felt like these events finally gave me the opportunity to lean in and try something new and different that didn’t include dressing like a 75-year-old grandmother counting her days.I cleared my throat and sipped from my glass.“Gloria?” he asked.“Well, it wasn't just Gloria,” I said with a sigh.“Curtis?” Hugh asked, walking over to the bathroom door and flipping the lock.Hugh had Charity, I had Curtis. Neither of our partners really understood our work or what it was like to be a person of color in this world. How enraging just existing was in our office or at events like this. But Hugh and I had each other. We’d take a few minutes out of every day to sit and vent—about work, about life. He was steady and grounding.I put the drink down and leaned against the sink to look up at the ornate ceiling.“He shows up so fucking late, he shouldn't have even bothered to come. And then he introduced himself as my fiancé to that woman.”Hugh made an incredulous noise. I continued.
“Imagine! The man hasn't had a job for a year, shows up late to the only event he had planned for weeks, and now he wants to get married all of a sudden.”My voice went from conversational to a whispery screech in three seconds flat. That temporary sanity I’d gained was gone and I was thinking about blood again.“Okay. Okay.” Hugh walked over. Putting down his drink beside mine, he grabbed my shoulders. “Hit me.”
I startled. He gripped my waist, yanking me towards the middle of the room.“Hit me. Kick me. Do whatever, but get it out while we’re in here. You are the worst compartmentalizer I've ever met. Don't even bother trying to calm down. Just hit me.”
Affronted, I gave him a look that I knew said, Sir, you've lost your whole mind.“It'll make you feel better. I mean, obviously don’t hit me in the face.” He crossed his forearms in front of him and peeked around them at me.“Come on, do it. Don't be a candyass,” he said, grabbing my limp arm.A barking laugh came out of my mouth before I could stop it. I bent forward and cackled, feeling the pull from my diaphragm and the pressure in my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I looked up and saw Hugh's offended gaze before I doubled over and hit the ground, cackling.Tears crept from my eyes as I grabbed my cramping stomach and tried to stop the laughter bubbling up. After a few seconds, I looked over to see Hugh crouched beside me waiting patiently for me to finish. His smile was gone and replaced by something else that I couldn’t make sense of. I bit at my cheek and tried to take deep breaths to stop the giggles.“‘Don’t be a…candyass?’” I asked, wiping daintily at my eyes and looking down at the dress pooled around me.“It worked. See, you’re not a rage monster anymore,” he said, holding out a hand to help me up.
I sighed and reached for him, teetering a bit on my heels as I gained my footing.My fingers tightened around his biceps so I wouldn't fall on my face. They were firm, much firmer than I expected, so much so that I may have given them an extra squeeze after I gained my balance.I dragged in a surprised breath and then laughed, trying to cover the fact that arms were apparently a turn-on for me now and his were—yummy.“Oh, I’m a little—” I looked up to see Hugh staring down at me. Staring wasn’t the right word—he was devouring me with his eyes.Whatever words I was going to say caught in my throat, and I leaned back against the sink. It was the alcohol. Hugh was absolutely not looking at me like I had all of the universe’s answers between my thighs.“Denise, can I ask you something?” His voice was huskier than normal. He leaned closer, resting his hands on either side of the sink, caging me in. I could smell the whiskey on his lips mixed with his sandalwood and sage cologne. His scent was a welcoming fog, surrounding me, cushioning me, and pulling me closer to him.“Sure.” The words came out a whisper as I took in eyes the color of driftwood.His finger flirted with the skin of my cheek and my breath caught.Where the hell did this come from? I tried to swallow against the newly formed lump in my throat that mentioned the thumping between my legs.“Tell me you’ve never thought about me.” He moved flush against my curves.Of course, I had. Hugh was temptation. He was everything that made a man irresistible. Successful, impeccable, and polished, right down to his crisply lined beard and jade cufflinks.But he had Char and I had Curtis.Hugh leaned close. His aura, his scent, a heady mix that had me feeling high. I cleared my throat but didn’t look away.“That’s not a question,” I replied with a whisper.He leaned forward. My breath caught as his lips came close to mine. But instead of kissing me, he brought his nose against mine, brushing gently against it. His hand moved to my neck, tracing along the edge of my collar. I let out a gasp as what felt like electricity began to follow his touch.Hugh heard it and chuckled. I felt my face flush. His breath teased my earlobe before he ran his nose softly underneath my jaw. Heat began to course through me and pool in between my thighs. I fought the sudden urge to buck into his warm body.I closed my eyes tight and tried to take a steadying breath to calm the thick air surrounding me. His fingers traced my jaw as he leaned his nose against mine again.“Do you want me to fuck you?”The words were whispered against my lips. There, but not quite there. My heart thudded in my chest, beating hard against my ribs. I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t think, all I could do was feel. And baby, my body was aflame.

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I took one final deep breath and opened the stall and looked at the door. It was time to go home. Curtis could go back to his room, I could go back to mine, and a full night’s sleep could help me come up with a way out of the bullshit he’d started.A knock came at the bathroom door, and a familiar hand popped into view with a glass of champagne. Only one fool would be willing to embarrass himself by coming into the women’s bathroom to check on me: Hugh.Ensuring the other stalls were empty, I walked over and opened the bathroom door.“The coast is clear, you can come in,” I said with a smile before heading to the sink.“You okay? It looked like you needed this.” His voice was like butter, as always. I didn’t reply.Instead, I turned on the water and scrubbed my hands a bit harder than necessary while I sized up the impeccable one-button charcoal gray suit he was wearing in the mirror. It was all angles. He’d paired it with a crisp white button-up sans tie. Always on the daring side, three of the buttons were undone, and a golden jade bar winked against his honey umber skin. A highball glass of whiskey was gripped by his manicured fingers.The word snack came to mind.“Tom Ford?” I asked, making eye contact in the mirror.“Picked it up this morning. I didn't think it was going to be ready in time. Figured it would impress Lucian.”The CEO, Lucian Foxx, was already enamored with the man. Hugh walked into the room and owned that bitch. He turned heads and charmed clients. And with this suit, he’d definitely left some tongues on the floor. Impeccably tailored, it hung on Hugh like a second skin.Hugh had started to grow out his heart-shaped beard, but he kept it shaped and tight. Seeing the fuller beard on him was something. It contrasted a bit with his bald head, but half the people he talked to didn’t even notice because his charisma is what really caught your attention.I dried my hands and grabbed the flute from him, feeling a zap of electricity as our fingers brushed. I shrugged it off and told my hormones to chill before they even got started. It was a one-sided conversation we’d had many, many times before.“It's definitely impressive,” I said, smiling.He smiled back. “And you—you look sensational.”The gown I’d gone with had a taupe collared silk top that connected to a flared-out blue, bronze, and silver metallic feathered skirt with a slit that came all the way up between my thighs. Sexy, but enough material to be a little modest. I’d tied the long sash around my waist to the side and finished the chrome look with equally stunning smoky bronze and blue eyeshadow and a dark brown lip stain.I took a lot of joy in dressing up for these events. Plus-size clothing had changed so much in the last two decades, and I felt like these events finally gave me the opportunity to lean in and try something new and different that didn’t include dressing like a 75-year-old grandmother counting her days.I cleared my throat and sipped from my glass.“Gloria?” he asked.“Well, it wasn't just Gloria,” I said with a sigh.“Curtis?” Hugh asked, walking over to the bathroom door and flipping the lock.Hugh had Charity, I had Curtis. Neither of our partners really understood our work or what it was like to be a person of color in this world. How enraging just existing was in our office or at events like this. But Hugh and I had each other. We’d take a few minutes out of every day to sit and vent—about work, about life. He was steady and grounding.I put the drink down and leaned against the sink to look up at the ornate ceiling.“He shows up so fucking late, he shouldn't have even bothered to come. And then he introduced himself as my fiancé to that woman.”Hugh made an incredulous noise. I continued.
“Imagine! The man hasn't had a job for a year, shows up late to the only event he had planned for weeks, and now he wants to get married all of a sudden.”My voice went from conversational to a whispery screech in three seconds flat. That temporary sanity I’d gained was gone and I was thinking about blood again.“Okay. Okay.” Hugh walked over. Putting down his drink beside mine, he grabbed my shoulders. “Hit me.”
I startled. He gripped my waist, yanking me towards the middle of the room.“Hit me. Kick me. Do whatever, but get it out while we’re in here. You are the worst compartmentalizer I've ever met. Don't even bother trying to calm down. Just hit me.”
Affronted, I gave him a look that I knew said, Sir, you've lost your whole mind.“It'll make you feel better. I mean, obviously don’t hit me in the face.” He crossed his forearms in front of him and peeked around them at me.“Come on, do it. Don't be a candyass,” he said, grabbing my limp arm.A barking laugh came out of my mouth before I could stop it. I bent forward and cackled, feeling the pull from my diaphragm and the pressure in my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I looked up and saw Hugh's offended gaze before I doubled over and hit the ground, cackling.Tears crept from my eyes as I grabbed my cramping stomach and tried to stop the laughter bubbling up. After a few seconds, I looked over to see Hugh crouched beside me waiting patiently for me to finish. His smile was gone and replaced by something else that I couldn’t make sense of. I bit at my cheek and tried to take deep breaths to stop the giggles.“‘Don’t be a…candyass?’” I asked, wiping daintily at my eyes and looking down at the dress pooled around me.“It worked. See, you’re not a rage monster anymore,” he said, holding out a hand to help me up.
I sighed and reached for him, teetering a bit on my heels as I gained my footing.My fingers tightened around his biceps so I wouldn't fall on my face. They were firm, much firmer than I expected, so much so that I may have given them an extra squeeze after I gained my balance.I dragged in a surprised breath and then laughed, trying to cover the fact that arms were apparently a turn-on for me now and his were—yummy.“Oh, I’m a little—” I looked up to see Hugh staring down at me. Staring wasn’t the right word—he was devouring me with his eyes.Whatever words I was going to say caught in my throat, and I leaned back against the sink. It was the alcohol. Hugh was absolutely not looking at me like I had all of the universe’s answers between my thighs.“Denise, can I ask you something?” His voice was huskier than normal. He leaned closer, resting his hands on either side of the sink, caging me in. I could smell the whiskey on his lips mixed with his sandalwood and sage cologne. His scent was a welcoming fog, surrounding me, cushioning me, and pulling me closer to him.“Sure.” The words came out a whisper as I took in eyes the color of driftwood.His finger flirted with the skin of my cheek and my breath caught.Where the hell did this come from? I tried to swallow against the newly formed lump in my throat that mentioned the thumping between my legs.“Tell me you’ve never thought about me.” He moved flush against my curves.Of course, I had. Hugh was temptation. He was everything that made a man irresistible. Successful, impeccable, and polished, right down to his crisply lined beard and jade cufflinks.But he had Char and I had Curtis.Hugh leaned close. His aura, his scent, a heady mix that had me feeling high. I cleared my throat but didn’t look away.“That’s not a question,” I replied with a whisper.He leaned forward. My breath caught as his lips came close to mine. But instead of kissing me, he brought his nose against mine, brushing gently against it. His hand moved to my neck, tracing along the edge of my collar. I let out a gasp as what felt like electricity began to follow his touch.Hugh heard it and chuckled. I felt my face flush. His breath teased my earlobe before he ran his nose softly underneath my jaw. Heat began to course through me and pool in between my thighs. I fought the sudden urge to buck into his warm body.I closed my eyes tight and tried to take a steadying breath to calm the thick air surrounding me. His fingers traced my jaw as he leaned his nose against mine again.“Do you want me to fuck you?”The words were whispered against my lips. There, but not quite there. My heart thudded in my chest, beating hard against my ribs. I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t think, all I could do was feel. And baby, my body was aflame.

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I took one final deep breath and opened the stall and looked at the door. It was time to go home. Curtis could go back to his room, I could go back to mine, and a full night’s sleep could help me come up with a way out of the bullshit he’d started.A knock came at the bathroom door, and a familiar hand popped into view with a glass of champagne. Only one fool would be willing to embarrass himself by coming into the women’s bathroom to check on me: Hugh.Ensuring the other stalls were empty, I walked over and opened the bathroom door.“The coast is clear, you can come in,” I said with a smile before heading to the sink.“You okay? It looked like you needed this.” His voice was like butter, as always. I didn’t reply.Instead, I turned on the water and scrubbed my hands a bit harder than necessary while I sized up the impeccable one-button charcoal gray suit he was wearing in the mirror. It was all angles. He’d paired it with a crisp white button-up sans tie. Always on the daring side, three of the buttons were undone, and a golden jade bar winked against his honey umber skin. A highball glass of whiskey was gripped by his manicured fingers.The word snack came to mind.“Tom Ford?” I asked, making eye contact in the mirror.“Picked it up this morning. I didn't think it was going to be ready in time. Figured it would impress Lucian.”The CEO, Lucian Foxx, was already enamored with the man. Hugh walked into the room and owned that bitch. He turned heads and charmed clients. And with this suit, he’d definitely left some tongues on the floor. Impeccably tailored, it hung on Hugh like a second skin.Hugh had started to grow out his heart-shaped beard, but he kept it shaped and tight. Seeing the fuller beard on him was something. It contrasted a bit with his bald head, but half the people he talked to didn’t even notice because his charisma is what really caught your attention.I dried my hands and grabbed the flute from him, feeling a zap of electricity as our fingers brushed. I shrugged it off and told my hormones to chill before they even got started. It was a one-sided conversation we’d had many, many times before.“It's definitely impressive,” I said, smiling.He smiled back. “And you—you look sensational.”The gown I’d gone with had a taupe collared silk top that connected to a flared-out blue, bronze, and silver metallic feathered skirt with a slit that came all the way up between my thighs. Sexy, but enough material to be a little modest. I’d tied the long sash around my waist to the side and finished the chrome look with equally stunning smoky bronze and blue eyeshadow and a dark brown lip stain.I took a lot of joy in dressing up for these events. Plus-size clothing had changed so much in the last two decades, and I felt like these events finally gave me the opportunity to lean in and try something new and different that didn’t include dressing like a 75-year-old grandmother counting her days.I cleared my throat and sipped from my glass.“Gloria?” he asked.“Well, it wasn't just Gloria,” I said with a sigh.“Curtis?” Hugh asked, walking over to the bathroom door and flipping the lock.Hugh had Charity, I had Curtis. Neither of our partners really understood our work or what it was like to be a person of color in this world. How enraging just existing was in our office or at events like this. But Hugh and I had each other. We’d take a few minutes out of every day to sit and vent—about work, about life. He was steady and grounding.I put the drink down and leaned against the sink to look up at the ornate ceiling.“He shows up so fucking late, he shouldn't have even bothered to come. And then he introduced himself as my fiancé to that woman.”Hugh made an incredulous noise. I continued.
“Imagine! The man hasn't had a job for a year, shows up late to the only event he had planned for weeks, and now he wants to get married all of a sudden.”My voice went from conversational to a whispery screech in three seconds flat. That temporary sanity I’d gained was gone and I was thinking about blood again.“Okay. Okay.” Hugh walked over. Putting down his drink beside mine, he grabbed my shoulders. “Hit me.”
I startled. He gripped my waist, yanking me towards the middle of the room.“Hit me. Kick me. Do whatever, but get it out while we’re in here. You are the worst compartmentalizer I've ever met. Don't even bother trying to calm down. Just hit me.”
Affronted, I gave him a look that I knew said, Sir, you've lost your whole mind.“It'll make you feel better. I mean, obviously don’t hit me in the face.” He crossed his forearms in front of him and peeked around them at me.“Come on, do it. Don't be a candyass,” he said, grabbing my limp arm.A barking laugh came out of my mouth before I could stop it. I bent forward and cackled, feeling the pull from my diaphragm and the pressure in my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I looked up and saw Hugh's offended gaze before I doubled over and hit the ground, cackling.Tears crept from my eyes as I grabbed my cramping stomach and tried to stop the laughter bubbling up. After a few seconds, I looked over to see Hugh crouched beside me waiting patiently for me to finish. His smile was gone and replaced by something else that I couldn’t make sense of. I bit at my cheek and tried to take deep breaths to stop the giggles.“‘Don’t be a…candyass?’” I asked, wiping daintily at my eyes and looking down at the dress pooled around me.“It worked. See, you’re not a rage monster anymore,” he said, holding out a hand to help me up.
I sighed and reached for him, teetering a bit on my heels as I gained my footing.My fingers tightened around his biceps so I wouldn't fall on my face. They were firm, much firmer than I expected, so much so that I may have given them an extra squeeze after I gained my balance.I dragged in a surprised breath and then laughed, trying to cover the fact that arms were apparently a turn-on for me now and his were—yummy.“Oh, I’m a little—” I looked up to see Hugh staring down at me. Staring wasn’t the right word—he was devouring me with his eyes.Whatever words I was going to say caught in my throat, and I leaned back against the sink. It was the alcohol. Hugh was absolutely not looking at me like I had all of the universe’s answers between my thighs.“Denise, can I ask you something?” His voice was huskier than normal. He leaned closer, resting his hands on either side of the sink, caging me in. I could smell the whiskey on his lips mixed with his sandalwood and sage cologne. His scent was a welcoming fog, surrounding me, cushioning me, and pulling me closer to him.“Sure.” The words came out a whisper as I took in eyes the color of driftwood.His finger flirted with the skin of my cheek and my breath caught.Where the hell did this come from? I tried to swallow against the newly formed lump in my throat that mentioned the thumping between my legs.“Tell me you’ve never thought about me.” He moved flush against my curves.Of course, I had. Hugh was temptation. He was everything that made a man irresistible. Successful, impeccable, and polished, right down to his crisply lined beard and jade cufflinks.But he had Char and I had Curtis.Hugh leaned close. His aura, his scent, a heady mix that had me feeling high. I cleared my throat but didn’t look away.“That’s not a question,” I replied with a whisper.He leaned forward. My breath caught as his lips came close to mine. But instead of kissing me, he brought his nose against mine, brushing gently against it. His hand moved to my neck, tracing along the edge of my collar. I let out a gasp as what felt like electricity began to follow his touch.Hugh heard it and chuckled. I felt my face flush. His breath teased my earlobe before he ran his nose softly underneath my jaw. Heat began to course through me and pool in between my thighs. I fought the sudden urge to buck into his warm body.I closed my eyes tight and tried to take a steadying breath to calm the thick air surrounding me. His fingers traced my jaw as he leaned his nose against mine again.“Do you want me to fuck you?”The words were whispered against my lips. There, but not quite there. My heart thudded in my chest, beating hard against my ribs. I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t think, all I could do was feel. And baby, my body was aflame.