French Connection Vol. 1 Read online

  When we were finally through all of the checkpoints and had our bags, he took my hand and we hurried toward the exit. Vincent had sent a limo to pick us up and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a distinguished looking man holding a sign with Gavin's name on it. He introduced himself as Dave and then insisted on loading our bags while we got into the back of the limo.

  I started to slide across the seat to the opposite door when Gavin's arm wrapped around my waist and he yanked me back against him. The door closed, leaving us with the dim sunlight coming through the tinted windows. Gavin put his mouth against my ear as he pulled me half onto his lap. His hard cock pressed against my ass.

  “I hope you don't have any immediate plans for when we get to our room,” Gavin said. “Because I plan on fucking you senseless the moment the door closes behind us.”

  I shivered with anticipation and hoped the ride would be a short one. I wasn't sure I could handle a long wait.

  “Mr. Paoli has arranged for you to stay in the InterContinental Carlton Cannes,” Dave said as he got into the driver's seat.

  “How far is it from here?” Gavin asked, his arm tightening around my waist.

  “Depending on traffic, Sir,” Dave said. “About ninety minutes.”

  I closed my eyes. I was going to explode, and if I felt that way, I could only imagine how Gavin felt. The string of oaths he uttered in my ear gave me a pretty good idea.

  Dave glanced in the rearview mirror and then pulled out into traffic. “You know, Sir,” he said in a politely conversational tone. “One of the best features about this car is that with the push of a button, I can put up a privacy screen that prevents you from seeing or hearing anything I'm doing. We can still communication through an intercom, but if I want to sing along with the radio, which I do often, it won't bother you.”

  Gavin's hand was already on my thigh, pushing my skirt up, as he spoke. “That would be quite appreciated, Dave. You go ahead and sing along with the radio all you like.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  A moment later, a panel slid into place and Gavin's fingers were pushing their way into my pussy.

  “Fuck.” My head fell forward as he roughly thrust the digits into me. I'd had enough time since my orgasm so I wasn't overly sensitive, but the nerves were still awake enough that it didn't take much for them to start humming again.

  “Yes,” Gavin said. “That is exactly what I'm going to do.”

  He pulled out his hand and half-lifted me. I heard the sound of his zipper and then he was lowering me onto his raging erection. I moaned as he slid inside. I was still stretched from before and he was able to bury himself completely without hurting me. That was a good thing because I didn't think I'd ever felt him so hard.

  “I'm not going to last long,” he warned me. “So if you want to come, you're going to have to help yourself along.”

  I nodded but didn't move. My eyes were squeezed tight, absorbing the sensation of fullness. Of all the things Gavin could make me feel when he touched me, this was one of my favorites. I loved the way we fit together.

  He gripped my hips hard and lifted me up enough that we'd both have room to move. Except, I didn't need to move. Gavin held me in place as he slammed up into me. I cried out, putting a hand on the ceiling to brace myself. His second thrust was stronger than the first, sending jolts of electricity racing through me.

  Neither one of us spoke as he drove into me over and over, each stroke bringing a wail to my lips at the bruising force. I hoped the limo was as sound proofed as Dave had said, otherwise, he was getting quite an earful. The hand not on the ceiling moved between my legs. The pressure inside me was building again and I could already feel Gavin starting to lose control. I began to rub my clit, the friction making my muscles tremble.

  Just before I got there, Gavin pulled me down hard and his cock went deep. I would've screamed if I'd had the air. As it was, my body went rigid, riding that edge between pleasure and pain, waiting for the last push to decide where I would go. I felt him coming inside me and shuddered. Just a little more.

  Gavin's fingers closed around my wrist and I whimpered. I was so close.

  “I should make you stop,” he said. His voice was rough and I could feel his heart thudding in his chest, but he was in control. “Make you go the rest of the way on the edge.”

  My pulse stuttered.

  “What do you think about that? I had all that time with no release. Shouldn't I make you touch yourself the rest of the way to the hotel, but never let you come?”

  He flipped up my skirt and spread my legs so that my pussy was completely exposed. He was still inside me and I could feel our combined juices slick on my thighs. If Dave chose to lower the divider, he'd see everything.

  “Is that what I should do?”

  I shook my head, desperate for release. “Please,” I whispered.

  “Please what?”

  “Please let me come.”

  He paused, as if he was considering it, and then released my hand. “Alright,” he said. “But you only have thirty seconds before I buzz Dave to open the divider.”

  A thrill of fear went through me.

  “Better get started.”

  If he'd waited any longer to let me start, I might've come down too much to be able to make it, but as it was, I was so close that he'd barely made it to fifteen before an orgasm ripped through me. I cried out his name and heard him swear as my pussy squeezed his now-soft cock. He pressed his lips against the side of my neck as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me. And then he slid out of me and a mini-orgasm hit me.

  As he pulled me onto his lap, cradling me against his chest, I realized something. “You didn't buzz Dave.”

  “No.” He sounded amused and I looked up to see his deep blue eyes sparkling. “Just wanted to make things more interesting.”

  “Ass,” I muttered as I buried my face against his chest.

  He kissed the top of my head. “I don't know about you,” he said. “But this was a great way to start our business vacation.”

  I nodded in agreement. Leslie and Dena had been right. Some “us” time was exactly what Gavin and I needed. We'd get through this and come out stronger than ever.

  Chapter 10

  Carrie

  I'd never adjusted well to time changes and the five-hour difference between New York and France was playing havoc with my sleep cycle. Despite being exhausted from the flight and the sex on the car ride here, I hadn't been able to fall asleep right away, and I must've woken several times during the first part of the night. This time when I woke, however, I knew I'd been out for at least a few hours. I was still jet-lagged, but far from non-functioning. Especially if my nose was correctly identifying coffee.

  I opened my eyes and stretched, my hand brushing the empty space next to me. I turned my head. Gavin wasn't there. I sat up and blinked the last of the sleep from my eyes. The light coming through the window seemed wrong until I glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was past nine. And this was why I hated time differences.

  A warm breeze blew across me, drawing my attention to the open French doors on the far end of the room. I climbed out of bed and picked up the thin silk robe lying across the back of a nearby chair. I slipped it on over my nightgown and then followed the smell of coffee and saltwater. As I stepped out onto the balcony, I was torn between the views. On one hand, I was looking out over the ocean and one of the most beautiful beaches I'd ever seen. On the other hand, Gavin was standing at the railing, dressed in a pair of khakis and an open white cotton shirt that showed off his gorgeous body.

  Lust won out and I walked up behind him and slipped my arms around his waist. I rested my cheek against his broad back, letting myself breathe in the scent of him. My hands flattened out on his stomach and the muscles beneath my palms jumped.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” he teased. “There's coffee behind you.”

  I lingered for a moment, but my need for caffeine was too great and I reluctantly
released him. As I moved toward the second greatest smell in the world, I spoke, “How long have you been awake?”

  “A couple hours,” he said. “I'm determined not to sleep away our vacation.”

  I glared at him as he turned to face me. “How are you not jet-lagged?”

  He shrugged. “You know me; I can sleep whenever and wherever.”

  I rolled my eyes and took another long drink of the premium roast. He held out his hand to me and I took it, setting down my cup. I wanted coffee, but I wanted him more. I stepped into his embrace and wrapped my arms around his waist, purposefully staying under his shirt so I could feel his skin against mine. His hands rested on the small of my back and I could feel the heat of him through the thin silk of my robe and nightgown.

  “This is nice,” I said and pressed my lips against his chest. He made a sound that sent a spike of arousal through me.

  “Definitely different than New York spring weather, isn't it?” Gavin said.

  I nodded in agreement. I loved my home, but there was something to be said for the sunshine and near sixty-degree weather at the end of April. Back in New York, we were just finishing up with the cold and snow, and were heading toward the hot and humid days of summer.

  “It'd be nice to get away from the city once in a while, wouldn't it?” he said. “Maybe spend the first couple months of the year over here. Come down after the holidays and not head back until the weather changes.”

  I imagined what it'd be like, waking up like this every morning, and I couldn't say that I disliked the idea.

  “You know,” he said carefully. “If this deal goes through, I might need to spend a couple months here to get things started. Now that your work with the congressman is on hold until after the elections, maybe you could work from here for the summer.”

  I looked up at him. “If you're offering me this every day, I might never want to go back to New York.” I smiled and reached up to push some hair out of his face. He'd need a haircut soon. “This vacation was a brilliant idea,” I said. He beamed and my stomach flipped. I loved that smile.

  “You've been working too hard,” he said. He wrapped a curl around his finger, then tucked it behind my ear. “We both have, and I've missed you.”

  I swallowed hard. “I've missed you, too.”

  He bent his head and brushed his lips across mine. When he pulled away, his expression was troubled. “I feel like we're drifting, Carrie.”

  I felt my breath catch in my throat. He’d been feeling the distance too… “Then let's not.” I put my hand on his cheek. “We're here for a week. Let's focus on each other, not get all wrapped up in other things. Let's work on us.”

  He nodded. “That sounds perfect.” His eyes darted away and he sighed. “Except I have a brunch meeting with Vincent.”

  “We are here for that,” I said, trying not to be disappointed. I'd known coming into this that Gavin had to spend some time working on the club. “But the rest of the time is just us.”

  “Agreed,” he said. “Get yourself from room service brunch and I'll be back by noon.” He cupped my chin and tilted my head up. “We'll go shopping and you can model sexy dresses for me.” A smile played across his lips for a moment before he bent and kissed me.

  My mouth opened under his and I moaned as he slid his tongue into my mouth. It curled around mine and I dropped my hands to his ass, squeezing the firm muscles until Gavin took a step back. His eyes were dark, his breathing heavy.

  “I have to go.” His expression plainly told me that he'd prefer to stay and finish what we'd barely started.

  I definitely wanted him to stay too, but I knew this was important. For Gavin, what had happened at Club Privé hadn't just been business. It was personal. He needed to do this for himself as much as for the business.

  “Hurry back.” I smiled at him as he headed into the room. I took a moment to appreciate the view from behind before following. I was hungry. By the time Gavin had finished buttoning up his shirt and was on his way out, I'd ordered a few things from room service and then gone into the bedroom to change.

  After I was done, I still had some time to kill before the food arrived, so I headed back out to the balcony. I'd been all caught up looking at Gavin before, but now I could appreciate the rest of the view.

  The private beach had the white sand and deep blue water that dreams were made of. It looked like paradise. Only the hotel guests were allowed on this part of the beach, so it wasn't as crowded as I guessed the public beaches were. There'd be room to walk or sit privately and not have to worry about being disturbed.

  Other guests were down there already and I watched them as I waited. It didn't take long for me to notice a few things. First, the bathing suits the women wore often covered less than some of my lingerie; many were even topless. Second, basically every woman I saw was gorgeous. There were tall ones and short ones. Some that were model-thin, others had curves, but every one of them was beautiful. And most looked like they were younger than me. Considering I was only twenty-five, that was saying something.

  Another pattern quickly presented itself and I frowned as I realized it. Other than the occasional man holding another man's hand, every guy down there was either with one of these gorgeous women or being pursued by one. Most of the men were in their fifties and had these twenty-something’s hanging off their arms.

  Back home, I'd been used to women flirting with Gavin and shooting me dirty looks when they realized we were together, but this was different. Even in this short amount of time, I could tell that the women here were going to be more direct in their approach. They wouldn't have any problem telling him what they wanted. And a man like Gavin, rich and gorgeous, would be what every woman wanted.

  I nervously smoothed down the skirt of my sundress. I'd brought it because it was cute, and it had been one Krissy had helped me pick out for Gavin before. He'd always said he'd liked it, but now I felt underdressed. These women were sexy, unashamed of their bodies and willing to flaunt them. Gavin had helped break down some of my inhibitions, but it wasn't until now that I realized how far I had to go. When given the choice, I still dressed like a kid. Not in a “trying to recapture my youth” kind of way, but more in a naïve kind of way.

  Someone knocked at the door and I went back inside to answer it, thoughts still spinning through my head. I'd been taking Gavin for granted, I realized. I knew he loved me and I hadn't even considered that maybe I should be trying to make sure I was worth it. We had sex and we both got off, but had it really been soul deep satisfying? In the car yesterday, that had been the first time in a long time that I'd heard Gavin use that authoritative voice for real. Sure, he'd kind of used it when we'd been role-playing, but he'd never needed to pretend to be someone else before. When had he stopped dominating me, pushing my boundaries? A better question was, why had he stopped?

  I opened the door and greeted the handsome young waiter with a polite smile.

  “Where would you like me to set up?” he asked.

  “On the balcony.” I gestured even though I knew he knew where it was. I didn't miss his appreciative look as he passed me and that made me feel a bit better about my appearance, but I didn't want some waiter flirting with me. I wanted Gavin.

  I needed a plan. A better one than just coming to France and spending time together, hoping that would magically fix whatever was wrong with us. The first step, I decided, would be to take advantage of our shopping excursion this afternoon to get myself a sexy new wardrobe. It wasn't that I didn't like wearing those kinds of clothes. A part of me really enjoyed it. It was just that I still felt awkward, like I was a child playing dress-up. I wasn't going to let that stop me anymore. If I wanted to keep Gavin, I was going to have to grow up.

  And we were probably going to need to talk about why things had changed. That, however, wasn't something that could be done now, so I could turn my attention to the amazing food being set out in front of me.

  “Is this your first time in Cannes?” The young m
an's English was good, but heavily accented.

  “It is,” I answered as I plucked a strawberry from a plate. “It's beautiful.”

  “Yes,” he agreed. “And beautiful places attract beautiful women.”

  I blushed. “Thank you.”

  He gave a little bow. “Is there anything else you need?”

  I shook my head and reached into the bag Gavin had thoughtfully set aside for tips. I handed the young man a bill.

  “Thank you,” he said. “And if there is anything you need at all – a tour guide, companionship – please do not hesitate to ask. My shift ends at five.”

  I stared at him as he left and wondered if he'd seriously just propositioned me. Wow. Apparently, it wasn't just the women who knew what they wanted. Even though I had no intention of being with anyone but Gavin, I had to admit, it was nice to have been thought of in that way.

  I leaned against the railing as I picked my way through my meal. I could definitely get used to this.

  Chapter 11

  Gavin

  It took me more time than I'd thought to get to Gaston-Gastounette from the hotel and I silently cursed myself for not having left before Carrie woke up. As much as I'd enjoyed being able to talk to her, especially since we'd been able to touch on how this part of this trip needed to be about us, I was frustrated that I was now running late. Again. This wasn't the kind of impression I wanted to give Vincent.

  I'd never been at Gaston before but I knew that this was one of the hottest places to go for lunch, so it wasn't a surprise that it was packed. I strained to look over the heads of the people waiting to get in and quickly spotted Vincent. He was at the back with a woman sitting on either side of him.

  As soon as I reached him, I apologized for being late and Vincent waved a dismissive hand. I took a seat in the only chair left and offered polite smiles to both of the women.

  “Gavin, this is Felice, one of France's most popular pop singers.” Vincent caressed the arm of the petite brunette next to him. “Only twenty and already the hottest thing out there. And very talented in many ways.”