SpeakeasySweetheart by Clare Murray

something,” she told him. “Backstage.”

Chapter Seven
     
    Sensing Sasha took this issue very seriously, Blaze didn’t
protest as she led him behind the curtain. He looked around sharply. So this
was where Cornell had made his money. The man had done well for himself over
the years, cheating bootleggers and running facilities for prostitutes.
    It had left him deranged, drunk on power. Not for the first
time, Blaze suspected Cornell was some sort of drug addict. If not, how had his
profits disappeared so quickly?
    “In here.” Sasha’s voice brought him back to the present.
    “A dressing room?”
    “Yes.” Her voice was tense. “This is where I came in.”
    He examined the wall she was pointing at. “Is there a secret
door? I don’t see anything.”
    “You don’t?” Her lips parted in surprise.
    “I see a wall I can fuck you against,” he amended.
    “Blaze!” Blue-green eyes flickered in confusion. “You really
don’t see anything there?”
    “No.” He reached out and patted the smooth wall. Maybe
Cornell had plastered over some sort of secret door. “You ready to go, baby?
Sticking around here is starting to make me nervous.”
    “Speaking of sticking around, do you… I mean, should I stay
with you?”
    “Do you want to go?” The thought of her leaving pained him.
    “Well, we’ve only known each other for a few days….” She
trailed off uncertainly, fiddling with her hair. “I mean, unless you believe in
love at first sight.”
    “I do.” Blaze waited a beat. “Do you?”
    “I didn’t until I met you,” she said.
    “Well then, it’s settled. We can get married in the local
church, if you don’t mind an over-the-top ceremony and my parents getting
involved. Or if you want to wait, we can do that.”
    “Is that a proposal?”
    He grinned. “I’m not going to give you a proper proposal
inside a speakeasy, baby. You’ll get one when you least expect it. Now come on,
we really need to get out of here.”
    Taking one last look at the wall, Sasha slipped her hand
into his. He led her from the ruined club, his breath catching in his throat as
he realized how close he’d been to losing her. He slipped his arm across her
shoulders, relishing her gasp as his hand brushed across her breasts.
    Blaze didn’t let himself relax until they were in a cab
speeding away from Cornell’s club. A small part of him regretted his enemy’s
escape. The rest of him concentrated on cherishing the woman at his side.
    She was recovering from her ordeal, a sparkle returning to
her eyes as she snuggled against him. Were it not for the presence of the
driver, Blaze would take her right then and there. His need for her was
undeniably strong, his erection chafing at each pothole in the road.
    Once they were safely inside, he immediately pinned Sasha
against the wall, luxuriating in the feel of her smooth skin against his palms.
“I wish I could have done this back at the club,” he said.
    She giggled. “We would have fallen through the door.”
    “Your invisible door.” He concentrated on unbuttoning her
blouse. The waiting had become sheer torture.
    “It wasn’t invisible.” She sucked in a breath as he bent to
kiss her breast, lapping one nipple with his tongue. “Oh—that feels good. I
can’t believe you didn’t see the door.”
    He straightened, tossing the blouse aside. “Baby, a purple
elephant could have deposited you in that speakeasy. All I care about is you.
Us.”
    She undid his trousers, providing temporary relief as his
cock sprang into her hand. “I would think a purple elephant might be worth a
lot of money.”
    “I have all the money I need. It’s happiness I want.”
    He bent his head to kiss her, enjoying the heat of her lips,
the way she opened for his tongue. Without breaking it off, he slid her skirt
and underwear down. They fell to her ankles and she kicked the garments away,
completely naked before him. Keeping his eyes on her luscious body, he unrolled
a condom.
    “I