More than Fashion

26

“Julie, love,” he managed to get out as my lips closed around him.

I drew him in, taking him deeper into my mouth, working him over with my tongue. His hands dug into my hair, gripping it hard, pulling until it almost hurt. The slight pain turned me on even more and I wanted him inside me, but that wasn’t going to happen. Tonight was about making him suffer like I had, about knowing him in a way only a lover could, about settling the score between us.

I cupped his balls in one hand and grabbed his ass with the other, digging my nails into his tight skin. His hips jerked, sliding my lips along his length as he moved in and out. I yanked him closer, deeper, pulling him in. His hands fisted tighter in my hair, and even though he tried to direct me, I had all the power in this position. My hand slid up and down his length in time with my mouth, while my tongue swirled around the head. He bucked against me, groaning, but I didn’t let go.

“Love, if you keep that up, I—”

I let him slip from my mouth and glared up at him. “Stop. Talking.”

I took him deep again before he could say another word, and between my lips, tongue, and fingers, he soon lost the ability to speak. Only grunts and groans came from him, along with a few murmurs of my name. I increased my pace, flicking my tongue along him harder, faster, deeper. My eyes trailed up his long, lean body, and I watched as his face twisted, his hands gripped my hair tighter, and every inch of his body seemed to clench up for an instant before he let go, releasing himself into my mouth. I kept going until he was completely done, until he was practically falling over in front of me. Only then, when he was completely spent, did I release him.

His hands slowly extracted themselves from my hair. I stood up, fingers trailing along his bare hips and up his chest. He lowered his head to kiss me, but I turned away, despite the overwhelming urge to meet his mouth with mine. He reached for the hem of my tank top, pushing it up, and his touch sent flurries of lust across my skin.

“Stay with me tonight,” he said.

I moved to the door, even as my body hummed for his touch, aching to feel him inside me. But no matter how much I wanted to turn around, to push him down onto the bed and climb on top of him, I resisted.

“Now we’re even,” I said and walked out.

CHAPTER TEN

There was no phrase that elicited more groans and sighs on Behind The Seams than “team challenge.”

Even as an adult, I had terrible memories of being picked last on teams, and it wasn’t like I’d done very well on the show so far. I didn’t expect anyone to want me as their first or even second choice.

“Gavin, since you won the last challenge, you get to choose your partner first,” Lola said.

He tapped his lips, and I couldn’t help but remember how they tasted. I waited for him to call out Dawn or Trina or even Tom, since the two of them seemed to get along well. I’d overheard them discussing their tattoos during lunch breaks.

“I’ll pick Julie.”

His words didn’t register at first until Trina nudged me forward. I moved to stand beside him, frowning. Why had he picked me? No, how dare he pick me? I had finally evened the score between us, finally taken back some power from him, and now he’d done this. He’d chosen me out of all the other designers, even though he could have picked whomever he wanted.

Yet, as annoying as it was, it was also a relief to be chosen.

Dammit, now I owed him again.

He didn’t look at me as I took my place at his side, but I was already dreading this challenge after what I’d done last night. How awkward would it be, working with him after I’d given him a b*****b and then taken off? Would he bring it up? Or pretend it hadn’t happened?

Lola pursed her lips as I joined Gavin. “Trina, you’re the next team leader.”

“Dawn.”

No surprise there. Dawn gave a little squee and moved to Trina’s side, her flowing dress trailing behind her. I was happy they got to work together, even if I was a little jealous. I’d give my left boob to work with either of them instead of Gavin.

The rest of the designers paired up one by one until finally Derrick chose Nika, who looked particularly sullen at being picked last. Once the teams were settled, Kiara Jones walked into the design room, wearing a short pink dress that hugged her curves. She smiled and waved at all of us. “Hi, everyone!”

We all muttered a “hi” in response. It was strange to see her outside of the runway show, but not uncommon for the judges to sponsor certain challenges.

“My next movie Fear the Reaper comes out October 10, just in time for Halloween. It’s about a reaper who goes on a killing spree at a high school prom. For this challenge, we want you to make a look fit for the movies and perfect for Halloween.”

Ah, the Halloween challenge. Always one of my favorites to watch because the dresses tended to be more fantastical. It was a little weird to be designing something for Halloween when it was the middle of August, but I guess that was how TV worked. They’d film the episode now, but air it in a few months.

Kiara held up one of those black plastic witch cauldrons used to hold Halloween candy. “We have five different movie genres in here. Your team will randomly pick one, and you’ll have to make a costume for the heroine in that kind of movie. Feel free to go big for this one! Make it dramatic, make it fun, or make it scary! As long as it fits your genre and looks good, the judges will be happy. You have two days and two hundred dollars.”