Ethan gave an eloquent speech, thanking all the men and woman who had worked their asses off for him and expressing his appreciation to the public for their support in buying his bikes. It was filled with the right blend of humor and sincere gratitude.
Then, suddenly, he turned to me and said, "Finally, I would like to introduce you all to this month's cover-girl for Speed Magazine, Miss Kayla Brandt. This hard-working beauty went through a lot to make the photo spread for the All-American look as effortless as it appears in the pages of this month's issue. She is patient, always ready for another take, and as beautiful inside as she is to look at. Thank you, Kayla. I know that I can attribute most of the sales orders that came in today to you and the fantastic job you did showing off our bike."
"The pleasure was mine," I blushed, hoping I didn't look or sound as nervous as I felt to put on the spot like that.
"You made it look like pleasure. Was the All American as fun to ride as you made it look in the photoshoot?" It was typical P.R. banter and Ethan did it well.
"It really was. I just wish I could do it again," I bantered back. I knew how to play this game from endless advertising gigs I'd done.
"Well, then, let's do it. Come on, hop on." He suddenly climbed onto the seat of the motorcycle standing on display on the stage. The crowd gasped with thrilled excitement, and I had no choice but to play along. My mermaid-style dress was too tight to allow me to join him. Wincing all the while, I grabbed the bottom seem and yanked with all my might, ripping a giant slit up the custom-made garment and destroying it. The crowd hooped and hollered, cheering even more loudly. They were loving it.
I hopped on the back of the bike behind Ethan, wrapped my arms around his chest, and he rode down the ramp, through the ballroom, out into the hotel lobby, and onto the street. People all around us were gasping with surprise, and then cheering. It was an incredible feeling.
"Now, let's get away from this bullshit and have some real fun," Ethan said once we were on the streets.
He pressed on the throttle and the bike jumped up to speed, racing through the city. The wind pulled my hair free of its careful styling to flow behind me like a thick ribbon, and I luxuriated in the feel of it. I closed my eyes and squeezed my arms around his well-muscled chest as he raced through deep curves, onto quiet country-side highways, and up into the hills. The view of the city stretched out below was beautiful with all the lights sparkling, and the California air was quiet and warm, with just a slight breeze blowing.
It was a strange disappointment when the ride was over and Ethan pulled the bike to a stop back in front of the hotel.
"Thanks for the ride." I smiled at Ethan as the valet took the bike and handed him his ticket. "It was a lot of fun, and just what I needed."
"So why do you look so miserable?" Ethan's gaze was perceptive and saw right through the facade of my model's smile.
"I guess I'm not looking forward to going back to the crowded ballroom after this. It was really nice when it was just the two of us."
"Well, just because we're here doesn't mean we have return to the party. I have a suite reserved in the penthouse. What do you say we continue this date there, instead?"
There was no mistaking what he meant. Suddenly, our one-night stand was going to turn into a second night of lovemaking. Was I ready for this? Just thinking about the way his hard abs had felt when I was gripping them on the back of his bike, or the way it had felt to have him holding me when we were one the dance floor, I knew that I was. When he had kissed me earlier, the passion of it had awakened a hunger to feel him inside again, and when I had introduced myself as his girlfriend and he had affirmed it, it had made my body quiver with excitement. Yes, I was ready for this; I just didn't know what I was getting myself into or how deep it would go.
Chapter Eighteen
Ethan
I had booked my usual suite at the hotel. I had brought many women up to the penthouse before, but bringing Kayla up there somehow felt different. She wasn't like the other mindless pieces of eye candy I have been with before. I felt a connection with her. She was someone I could talk to, and I loved listening to the sound of her voice.
When she told Gwyneth that she was my girlfriend, I should have objected immediately. A few of the other models I'd dated in the past had tried something similar and I had put the gold-digging bitches in their place immediately, threatening to kick them out of the party if they stepped out of bounds again. But when Kayla did it, the strangest thing happened: I felt my heart swell with the kind of happy excitement I hadn't felt in years. Ironically, she was saying it to the only other woman who had ever made me want to be in a relationship.
With Gwyneth, our romance had ended badly and I thought I had learned from that mistake. With Kayla, however, I was willing to take the risk and open my heart again. The feelings I thought I had closed myself off to were alive and thriving in my heart whenever I looked at her.
I was certain it was a terrible mistake bringing her up to my hotel suite, she would eventually hurt me and I would regret this decision for a long time. When I looked at her, though, and saw her sexy thigh through the slit she had created, all I wanted to do was take her upstairs and fuck her until we both couldn't breathe.
She was adorably nervous on the elevator ride up, trying not to fidget as she stared at the ornate wallpaper inside the elevator. I could tell she had never been inside a hotel as nice as this one, and I was enjoying seeing the wonder in her eyes as I opened the door to the suite to let her in with a grand sweep of my arm.
"Welcome to my second home," I said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.
"You stay here a lot?" Kayla's blue eyes were large.
"I book this room whenever we hold an event in the hotel. I'm always so damn tired afterwards, it's nice not to have to take the long car ride home," I explained, leaving out the part about it also being an easy way to get laid with whatever date I had brought.
"This room is amazing, and so was tonight. Thanks for bringing me," Kayla said as she sat on the edge of the king-sized bed in the center of the room. Her s
pine was stiff as a board, and although she was trying to play it cool, she was trembling slightly.
I remembered what it was like to be young and poor, just rising up the ranks in this city. Being brought to a lavish suite like this by a CEO was intimidating as hell. I didn't want Kayla to feel so ill at ease, so instead of sitting next to her on the bed, I strolled across to the bar on the far side of the room. I picked out the bottle of Bacardi 551 and poured us each a tall glass.
"I think tonight was a successful debut, not just for the All American, but for you too." I complimented as carried her drink to her and handed it to her with a flourish.
"Do you really think so?" She was so naively innocent and sweet, it was irresistible.