#Mistakes in business and marketing
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10 BUSINESS AND MARKETING MISTAKES TO AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
Unearth the most critical business and marketing mistakes to steer clear of. Learn valuable insights and practical tips to ensure the success of your business while avoiding common pitfalls.
Running a successful business requires making smart decisions and avoiding common pitfalls. In this guide, we’ll highlight 10 critical business and marketing mistakes that you must avoid at all costs. By learning from these pitfalls and implementing effective strategies, you can ensure the long-term success and growth of your business. Let’s dive in! 1. Lack of Market Research Failing to…
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#Business development techniques#Digital marketing#Digital strategy#education#Mistakes in business and marketing#Online marketing
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my least favourite thing from the watcher discourse has been people saying “WE never asked for higher quality” or “your most popular shows are where you just sit around and talk!!” - babes its likely not what THEY want to do for the rest of eternity lol. they’re allowed to want to grow as creatives and make things they are proud of?
#like i absolutely didn’t agree with their move to a paid model platform but this response isn’t the criticism u think it is#that and also the continious shit i saw about steven owning a tesla#like babes its HIS money? he’s allowed nice things and upgrades in his life lol?#AND the stuff about them making 100k from patreon with eat the rich comments#100k per month likely doesn’t cover all operating costs like you guys r thinking it does#they likely didn’t want to keep doing ad reads that interrupted their content structure and how they THEMSELVES percieved its value#as a former business major tho i def think even a little bit of market research could have stopped this lol#respectfully no one wants to pay for another thing#and the communication on it was unfortunately shit#but its not that big of a mistake that we tear em down like this#watcher#ryan bergara#shane madej#steven lim
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Boost Your Online Reputation with Sociocosmos
Are you looking to enhance your brand’s online visibility and credibility? Sociocosmos is your one-stop solution to elevate your Quora presence.
Why Choose Sociocosmos?
Targeted Quora Promotion: Reach a highly engaged audience by promoting your answers, spaces, and questions to the right people.
High-Quality Quora Content: Our team of expert writers can create compelling content that resonates with your target audience.
Increased Brand Awareness: Gain significant exposure and build brand recognition through strategic Quora marketing.
Improved Search Engine Rankings: Boost your website’s SEO by leveraging Quora’s authority and attracting organic traffic.
Enhanced Social Proof: Establish your expertise and credibility by showcasing your knowledge on Quora.
Our Services:
Quora Answer Promotion: Highlight your insightful answers to attract more attention and upvotes.
Quora Space Promotion: Increase the visibility of your Quora spaces and attract more members.
Quora Question Promotion: Generate buzz around your questions and encourage meaningful discussions.
Quora Content Writing: Create high-quality content that engages your audience and drives traffic to your website.
How It Works:
Choose Your Package: Select a package that aligns with your marketing goals and budget.
Provide Your Requirements: Share your specific needs and preferences with our team.
Our Experts Take Over: Our skilled professionals will handle the entire process, from content creation to promotion.
Monitor Your Results: Track your progress and measure the impact of our services.
Elevate Your Brand Today
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to leverage Quora’s powerful platform. Contact us now to discuss your Quora marketing needs and unlock the full potential of your online presence.
#Buy Quora upvotes#Buy Quora followers#Buy Quora views#Increase Quora visibility#Grow Quora following#Get more Quora followers#Get more Quora upvotes#Get more Quora views#Improve Quora engagement#Boost Quora reputation#How to use Quora for marketing#How to promote your business on Quora#How to increase brand awareness on Quora#How to improve Quora SEO#How to write effective Quora answers#How to create a successful Quora space#How to use Quora for lead generation#How to build a strong Quora reputation#How to measure Quora marketing ROI#How to avoid common Quora marketing mistakes
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Top Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Business: Learn from the Pros
<h1>Top Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Business: Learn from the Pros</h1> <p>Starting a business can be one of the most rewarding but challenging endeavors. Unfortunately, many new entrepreneurs fall into common traps that can derail their ambitions. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the top mistakes to avoid when starting your business and glean insights from seasoned…
#Avoid#best practices for brand management#Branding strategies for small businesses#building brand loyalty#Business#business growth strategies#corporate social responsibility#creating a strong brand identity#customer relationship management#digital marketing for startups#e-commerce tips for businesses#how to scale your business.#how to start a successful business#importance of social media for businesses#influencer marketing for brands#Learn#Mistakes#Pros#small business funding options#Starting#Top#top business trends 2024
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Network Marketing Tips: ये 14 नियम बदल देंगे आपकी जिंदगी; Dr. Debi Prasad Acharjya
Network Marketing Tips: जिंदगी challenges और opportunities की एक complex picture है, जो अक्सर uncertainties के साथ आती है। सफलता और happiness की हमारी खोज में, हमें countless obstacles का सामना करना पड़ता है जिनके लिए effective problem-solving, critical decision-making और personal growth की आवश्यकता होती है। पूरे इतिहास में, मनुष्य ने अपने collective knowledge को timeless laws में बदल दिया है –…
#critical decision-making tips#Direct Selling Now (DSN)#Dr. Debi Prasad Acharjya#effective problem-solving tips#Falkland’s Law: Simplicity Over Complexity#how to do direct selling business#how to success in direct selling business#How to suceed in Direct Selling#How to suceed in Network Marketing#Kidlin’s Law: Learn from Mistakes#Law of Polarity: Opposites Give Perspective#Law of Vibration: Energy Attracts Energy#Murphy’s Law: Embrace the Unexpected#Network Marketing Tips#Network Marketing Training#Network Marketing Trends#Pareto Principle: Focus on the Vital Few#Parkinson’s Law: Time is Elastic#Success Life Creation#The Law of Action: Success Requires Effort#The Law of Attraction: Mindset is Everything#The Law of Rhythm: Life’s Natural Cycles#The Vacuum Law of Prosperity: Create Space for Abundance#tips for direct sellers#Wilson’s Law: Manage Expectations#डायरेक्ट सेलिंग ताज़ा ख़बरें#नेटवर्क मार्केटिंग समाचार
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7 Common Mistakes New Independent SEO Consultants Make (And How To Avoid Them)
7 Common Mistakes New Independent SEO Consultants Make (And How To Avoid Them)
Starting as an independent SEO consultant can be exciting—freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to grow your career on your own terms. However, it's not as simple as hanging out your shingle and waiting for clients to roll in. The path to success involves careful planning, continuous learning, and avoiding common pitfalls that can trip up even the most experienced SEO professionals.
Drawing from personal experience and observations of others in the industry, I’ve compiled a list of seven common mistakes new independent SEO consultants make. By identifying and avoiding these errors, you’ll be better equipped to build a successful career.
Let’s dive into the details and see how you can set yourself up for success!
1. Not Building Your Brand First (Your Unique Selling Point)
One of the biggest mistakes new SEO consultants make is neglecting to establish a personal brand. It’s not just about showing your expertise; it's about clearly defining what makes you unique in a crowded marketplace.
Ask yourself: What do I do better than anyone else in SEO? Whether you're a technical SEO expert or a local SEO specialist for small businesses, this distinction will help potential clients understand why they should choose you over someone else.
How to avoid this mistake:
Develop a clear, compelling unique selling point (USP) that highlights your strengths and experience.
Engage in SEO communities like LinkedIn discussions, Google Search Help forums, and relevant Subreddits.
Share your expertise through blogs, social media, or podcasts. By positioning yourself as a thought leader, you attract clients aligned with your strengths.
Personal Experience: I built my personal brand by focusing on SEO auditing. I shared in-depth guides that outlined my approach and demonstrated transparency. Over time, I became known as the go-to expert for SEO audits.
Continue reading and share your thoughts ... https://digitalvanshagr.in/2024/09/12/7-common-mistakes-new-independent-seo-consultants-make-and-how-to-avoid-them/
#books & libraries#seo#marketing#digital marketing#business#smm#business growth#seo staratagies#seo mistake new one do
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How to Succeed in Affiliate Marketing: My Proven Method 💡
#youtube#affiliate marketing#how to succeed in affiliate marketing#why most people fail at affiliate marketing#proven strategies for affiliate marketing#affiliate marketing success#affiliate marketing tips#make money online#best affiliate marketing methods#affiliate marketing secrets#connector business model#avoid affiliate marketing mistakes#affiliate marketing for beginners#generate income online#online business#successful affiliate marketing#affiliate marketing masterclass#affiliate marketing webinar#make money with affiliate marketing#affiliate marketing training#how to make money online#affiliate marketing strategies#affiliate marketing business model#affiliate marketing insights#online income#super affiliates#affiliate marketing journey#lucrative affiliate marketing#online business tips#affiliate marketing systems
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You are not the consumer: 5 tips to battle the frustrating "sample of one" decision making
Apr 30, 2024 As marketers, we’ve all been there – presenting a well-researched product or campaign idea, only to be met with dismissive comments like: “My wife didn’t understand the concept!” “My kid didn’t like the packaging colour…” These “sample of 1” opinions (some call them n=1) can be incredibly frustrating, especially when they come from senior leaders whose personal biases threaten…
#assertiveness#brand#business#influence#influencing#leader#learning#marketing#mistake#presentation#rational#senior leadership
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Crypto Growth Hacks: 2024 Beginner's Guide to PPC Marketing
Effective marketing is paramount in the fast-moving cryptocurrency sector, and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising stands out as a powerful strategy. PPC marketing provides immediate visibility and precise targeting, enabling crypto businesses to reach potential investors and users efficiently. Platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Twitter Ads offer advanced targeting capabilities, allowing for highly customized ad campaigns. By setting clear objectives, conducting detailed keyword research, and crafting engaging ad content, crypto companies can harness the power of PPC to drive traffic and boost conversions.
The crypto market presents unique challenges, including intense competition and shifting regulations, which make PPC marketing particularly advantageous. PPC allows for rapid traffic generation and real-time performance tracking, essential for maintaining a competitive edge. Regular monitoring and optimization, including A/B testing and keyword refinement, are key to sustained success. Additionally, embracing innovative trends like AI, video ads, and blockchain integration can significantly enhance PPC campaign effectiveness. Staying informed about industry trends and prioritizing user experience are also critical components of a successful PPC strategy.
Intelisync offers customized PPC marketing solutions tailored to the cryptocurrency industry. Our comprehensive services include keyword research, ad creation, and performance optimization, ensuring your campaigns are both compliant and effective. By partnering with Intelisync, you can leverage expert knowledge to navigate the complexities of the crypto market and achieve measurable results. Unlock your crypto business’s potential with Intelisync’s expert PPC solutions. Contact us today for Learn more...
#Intelisync can help to grow your crypto business#Intelisync social media marketing services#Intelisync Web 3.0 Marketing Services#Intelisync WEB3 development#Intelisync web3 marketing services#intelisync help optimize my landing pages for PPC campaigns#PPC Marketing for Blockchain#PPC Mistakes to Avoid#Tips for Successful PPC Marketing in Crypto#Top Challenges and Opportunities in Crypto#PPC trends in Crypto#PPC Marketing#What is PPC Marketing for Crypto#What is PPC Marketing?#Why Use PPC Marketing for Crypto?#blockchain development companies#web3 development#metaverse development company#blockchain development services#metaverse game development#web 3.0 marketing#crypto app development#cryptocurrency development companies#build a blockchain and a cryptocurrency from scratch.
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5 Digital Marketing Mistakes Company Does 2024 04 14 07 43 16
#youtube#This video describes how Top 5 digital marketing mistakes companies do. In today's digital age a strong online presence is crucial for busi
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Boost Your Online Reputation with Sociocosmos
Are you looking to enhance your brand’s online visibility and credibility? Sociocosmos is your one-stop solution to elevate your Quora presence.
Why Choose Sociocosmos?
Targeted Quora Promotion: Reach a highly engaged audience by promoting your answers, spaces, and questions to the right people.
High-Quality Quora Content: Our team of expert writers can create compelling content that resonates with your target audience.
Increased Brand Awareness: Gain significant exposure and build brand recognition through strategic Quora marketing.
Improved Search Engine Rankings: Boost your website’s SEO by leveraging Quora’s authority and attracting organic traffic.
Enhanced Social Proof: Establish your expertise and credibility by showcasing your knowledge on Quora.
Our Services:
Quora Answer Promotion: Highlight your insightful answers to attract more attention and upvotes.
Quora Space Promotion: Increase the visibility of your Quora spaces and attract more members.
Quora Question Promotion: Generate buzz around your questions and encourage meaningful discussions.
Quora Content Writing: Create high-quality content that engages your audience and drives traffic to your website.
How It Works:
Choose Your Package: Select a package that aligns with your marketing goals and budget.
Provide Your Requirements: Share your specific needs and preferences with our team.
Our Experts Take Over: Our skilled professionals will handle the entire process, from content creation to promotion.
Monitor Your Results: Track your progress and measure the impact of our services.
Elevate Your Brand Today
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to leverage Quora’s powerful platform. Contact us now to discuss your Quora marketing needs and unlock the full potential of your online presence.
#Quora marketing#Quora promotion#Quora advertising#Quora SEO#Quora strategy#Quora tips#Quora best practices#Quora for business#Quora for brands#Quora for personal branding#Buy Quora upvotes#Buy Quora followers#Buy Quora views#Increase Quora visibility#Grow Quora following#Get more Quora followers#Get more Quora upvotes#Get more Quora views#Improve Quora engagement#Boost Quora reputation#How to use Quora for marketing#How to promote your business on Quora#How to increase brand awareness on Quora#How to improve Quora SEO#How to write effective Quora answers#How to create a successful Quora space#How to use Quora for lead generation#How to build a strong Quora reputation#How to measure Quora marketing ROI#How to avoid common Quora marketing mistakes
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Elevate Your Business with Expert Lead Generation on LinkedIn
Unleash the power of LinkedIn for unparalleled lead generation success. Crafting a strategic approach is pivotal to harnessing the platform's potential. Begin by optimizing your LinkedIn profile with a professional image and compelling headline. Engage authentically with relevant content to boost visibility and credibility. Sidestep common pitfalls such as over-pitching, focusing instead on building genuine connections. Personalize outreach messages to cultivate meaningful relationships. Consistency is key, as success in lead generation on LinkedIn is a gradual process. Follow these tips to refine your strategy and transform your LinkedIn presence into a potent force for business growth.
#Lead Generation on LinkedIn#LinkedIn Strategies#Avoiding Common Mistakes#Professional Networking#B2B Marketing Tips#Social Media for Business#Business Growth on LinkedIn
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Top 7 Social Media Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You Customers
WP Bunch is a social media marketing company that uses the best SMM techniques to help visibly improve your business and create brand awareness. in this blog describe about 7 Social Media Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You, customers, Read in detail and contact us today.
#vcommon social media marketing mistakes#common social media mistakes#media mistakes#mistakes businesses#make on social media#mistakes in social media marketing#mistakes on social media#social media marketing mistakes#social media marketing mistakes to avoid#social media mistakes
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10 Affiliate Marketing Mistakes No Hacker Needs to Make: Build Your Biz, Not Blunders!
Navigate your affiliate journey like a maze master: Avoid common mistakes and reach success! Yo fellow hackers, ready to level up your affiliate game? Whether you’re a seasoned side hustler or a newbie coder diving into the digital gold rush, listen up! Because even the sharpest minds can trip over hidden pitfalls in the affiliate jungle. Don’t worry, though, this blog’s your cheat code to…
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#affiliate marketing tips#affiliate mistakes# make money online#business tips#digital marketing#passive income#side hustle
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made for lovin’ you
older!Eddie Munson x fem!reader
A bad Tinder date gets a whole lot better…
18+ MDNI┃9k
cw: age difference (30s/40s), alcohol, smoking, light choking, softdom!Eddie, face fucking, light hair pulling, fingering, piv sex, finishing inside, and aftercare ‘cos we deserve it ♥️
I’ve been in a Mood and now you all have to suffer.
eddie edit by @eddiemunsons-missingnipple
Holy shit, was this guy boring.
Not terribly surprising, unfortunately. Your expectations weren’t all that high to begin with. Most of your recent forays into online dating had been yielding overwhelmingly middling results and this one was no exception.
He had seemed perfectly nice on the app, when he was nothing but a handful of generic pictures and a smattering of inoffensive text bubbles. But any appeal he held had been in steady decline the moment he took his seat next to you at the bar.
He looked more scared of you than anything—fumbling his words and constantly having to push up his glasses as they slid down the bridge of his sweaty nose. You did what you could to help him relax, coaxing him into the conversation, asking all of those tedious first date questions.
And every single one, he answered with nothing but curt, clipped responses. Making no attempt whatsoever to follow up or ask you literally one single thing about yourself.
Then you made the fatal mistake of asking about work, and suddenly longed for the wall of silence. As soon as he got the chance, he launched into a long and droning explanation of his research on the behavior of crickets.
Acheta Domesticus, not that you asked. And he didn’t so much as smirk at your gesundheit joke.
You might have called it quits entirely by now…if it wasn’t for the guy at the end of the bar.
He had arrived not fifteen minutes after your date did, and slid smoothly onto a stool directly in your eyeline. Which was good, considering you would have snapped your neck trying to get a look at him otherwise.
In a word, he was beautiful.
Slightly older, with long dark hair that was wavy and ruffled. A short and scruffy beard that only further accentuated the hard line of his jaw where it met the thick, muscular column of his neck.
He was quite literally littered with accessories—a silver hoop that glinted in his nose, leather cuff and chains on his wrists, chunky rings on his fingers that rapped rhythmically on the bar.
Then there were the more permanent accessories in the form of black ink tattoos that covered both his arms and scrawled upwards to peek out from underneath the collar of his t-shirt. A mix of all different styles and designs, ranging in quality from the kitchen scratcher bats on his elbow to the larger and more artful pieces clearly woven in later to complete the tapestry.
You’d certainly never seen him here before, and that was sort of a feat for this place.
West End was one of your favorite places for this sort of date. It was close enough to your place to be convenient, yet far enough that there was no chance of a guy trying to invite himself over to “use the bathroom” or “wait for an Uber” or whatever other excuses they dredged up.
It was actually two businesses in one, sharing the same name, running out of opposite sides of the same building. Causing only mild confusion.
To one side was a wine bar with cozy seating nooks furnished with plush loveseats, sofas and overstuffed armchairs, all a mishmash of vintage styles from thrift shops and flea markets.
But the other side was all modern and industrial—a billiards hall with high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and a large, glossy horseshoe bar that surveyed the tables from the center.
You tended to frequent the wine bar with your roommate Robin whenever you found yourselves in need of a moody atmosphere and some low, soft lighting, your evening scored by the crackle of some great vinyl record. But the other side was better for dates because it automatically gave you the out of an activity in case you found the conversation lacking.
And boy was it lacking tonight.
He regarded the pool tables more like they were live alligators and quickly dismissed your offer to play before launching right back into his overly-detailed explanation of the differences in the eating habits of crickets and grasshoppers. You sighed, no longer attempting to disguise your boredom as you propped your elbow on the bar and rested your chin on your hand.
It wasn’t just that his research was boring—though it was. Really, the problem was all of his technical explanations were so dry and devoid of any emotion that it made you wonder if he even enjoyed it. You had more stimulating interactions with the bartender, for crying out loud.
He was new to you too, but he moved behind the bar with such ease it seemed like he’d worked there for years. He’d introduced himself as Steve, a row of pearly white teeth winking at you as he flashed a smile you were sure had won him his fair share of superlatives in high-school.
His look read more upscale mixologist, sporting a dark gray vest over a crisp white button down. Sleeves rolled up to show off his forearms that flexed with the pour of every drink, and the collar left open to reveal the glint of a gold chain resting on the soft down of his plentiful chest hair.
The hair on his head was shorter and lighter than the other man’s, but it was long enough to curl slightly around his ears and along the nape of his neck. The ends of it were kissed with caramel highlights that shone in the light when he flipped his head back or ran his large hands through the feathered locks whenever a piece fell forward into his bright hazel eyes.
Most importantly, he also seemed to be friends with your current fixation.
They had greeted each other jovially, hands meeting in a tight clasp over the bar before Steve grabbed a bottle of whiskey and started to pour without the other man even having to order. You watched with morbid fascination as those plush lips wrapped around the rim of his glass and his eyes fluttered closed as he took his first sip, the tattoo on his neck bobbing with the swallow.
Jesus Christ on a cracker…
Suddenly, as though he could sense you watching, his eyes popped open and immediately locked on yours. You started at the sight of the deep brown, almost black, vortexes in the middle of his face, nearly choking on the sip you were taking of your own drink—an excellent Malbec Steve had recommended when you first arrived.
A rush of warmth exploded on your face and you looked away, doing your best to pretend like he hadn’t just caught you blatantly staring at him.
Or that you hadn’t felt that egregious burst of excitement when he did. Did he care that you were looking? Was he looking at you now?
Doesn’t matter, you reminded yourself, trying to return your attention to the man in front of you.
The one you had made an actual plan to come here and meet; the one who was…still talking.
The next bit of your date felt like it took an entire year. You mostly phoned it in, reluctant to admit defeat too quickly. But over and over again, you found your focus drifting either to the stranger at the end of the bar, or to the bartender. And often, those two went hand in hand.
Again, they were either very old friends or both of them were extremely friendly. They talked and joked back and forth in between Steve helping other customers, bouncing from end to end of the bar with ease, charming smile never faltering as he enchanted every person he served.
As for the other man, you’d caught his eye enough times by now that there was no mistaking he was watching you. Though, you suppose that meant he knew you were staring at him as well…
At the end of your first glass of wine, you excused yourself from the bar—needing a break from this guy’s droning voice more than anything.
He nodded, finally taking a sip of his beer he’d barely made any progress on he’d been so entrenched in his recent soliloquy.
The bathrooms at West End were towards the back, down a long hall that obscured them from view of the rest of the bar. It gave the impression of being in an alleyway with black beadboard paneling that came a little over halfway up the wall and an eclectic gallery of pictures.
There were two bathrooms side by side, just single-room stalls adorned with brass apartment numbers rather than gendered signs, and you slipped into the one with no light coming out from underneath the door. And maybe you took a little longer than you probably needed, milking your break for all it was worth. Not stalling, just…taking care of some things.
Things like touching up your lip gloss that needed no touching up since you hadn’t said more than two words in the past half hour. Or like pulling up Tinder on your phone and setting your location to the absolute minimum distance. You know…just on the off-chance someone in the immediate vicinity happened to also have the dating app installed.
No such luck, you found.
A bit more deflated than you had any right to be, you tucked your phone back into your bag and rolled your eyes at yourself as you reached for the doorknob. You didn’t look up until you were almost at the end of the hall and when you did, you found brown eyes looking back at you.
He was headed for the bathroom as you were coming back and he caught you at the start of the long, narrow hallway leading to them. Your eyes met his as you approached and you paused, already anticipating that awkward shuffle of both of you trying to get out of the other’s way.
There was no awkwardness, though.
Heat pooled low in your belly as he held your gaze, and rather than breezing right by when you came to a stop, he stopped as well and leaned against the wall to let you pass. He was close enough now that you could see his hair was streaked with slivers of silver and more grays tinged the edges of his beard, particularly under his ears behind the hinge of his jaw.
Your shoulder just barely brushed his chest as you passed, eye contact holding until you were looking back at him over your shoulder as you returned to the bar.
He stood there, watching until you’d rounded the corner and were out of sight before he moved. Pulse thrumming, you slid into your seat with his cologne still in your nose, tickling your brain.
By the end of your second glass of wine, you were more than ready to go. Frowning as you took your last sip, you gave Steve a regretful shake of your head when he asked if you wanted another.
And beside you, Dale just requested your checks as he pushed away his beer.
You didn’t bother with feeling annoyed he hadn’t offered to get even one of your drinks. To be fair, you had not been remotely good company as it was, and especially not once the guy at the far end of the bar decided to call it a night.
Your heart sank just a little as you watched him stand and pull on a creased and faded leather jacket. He then headed for the door, his eyes locking with yours one last time as he went.
Beside you, your date cleared his throat loudly to get your attention and your head jerked up as you realized Steve had placed your receipt in front of you to sign. If Dale—wait, was it Dale or Dave?—noticed your fixation, he was too polite (or too chicken) to mention anything about it.
Tabs closed and coats thrown back on, you followed Dale (Drew? Dirk?) outside. The wintry air cut through your tights and you hugged your coat a little tighter around you.
“So, which way are you headed?” you asked, rushing out the words before he could ask the same thing and float the idea of sharing a ride.
“Uptown?” he replied.
“Ahh, I’m the other way.”
A derisive snort made your head whip sideways and your eyes darted to the source, landing first on the glowing orange dot of a cigarette and then on the plush pink lips wrapped around the filter at the other end. The snide comment locked and loaded on your tongue abruptly stalled.
It was him.
He leaned against the brick facade, foot kicked up behind him, watching your whole interaction. It made your cheeks burn with indignation, but the hungry look in his dark eyes made your entire lower half throb. His lips curved like the blade of a knife into a smirk as he stubbed his cigarette out on the wall and dropped it in a planter filled with sand next to him. You stared at him, your mind sort of blank, and his eyes remained fixed on yours as he strode back inside the bar.
“Okay, well…I guess I’m gonna go,” Dale sighed, a little petulantly.
You brought your eyes back to him and plastered on your most professional smile, shaking his hand formally like this was the end of an interview for a job he was never gonna get.
“Sounds good,” you said. “Nice to meet you.”
He frowned as he turned away, but you felt relatively certain you’d navigated that fine.
Surely he hadn’t felt the date warranted any other sort of follow-up or lie about doing it again—you certainly hadn’t been on your A-game. And you shuddered to think that was his.
Once he’d gotten in his Uber, alone, and you had assured him the one you had yet to call was on its way, you tugged your phone out of your coat pocket and checked the time.
Right now, you had two choices. It was still early enough that Robin could probably come pick you up with minimal begging required.
Maybe you two could get fries and milkshakes and watch some garbage reality tv before falling asleep in a little cuddle pile on the couch.
It was the reasonable option.
The logical, safe choice.
But all your dates lately had been so painfully reasonable and logical and safe. There had been no horror stories to regale Robin with at Sunday brunch, nor any explosive sexual exploit the two of you could squeal and giggle over while curled up on your overstuffed sofa.
It was downright boring. And you were growing pretty weary of it.
You glanced down one more time at your phone, still thinking. Your thumb hovered over Robin’s contact info, needing only a single tap to dial, while your index rested on the lock button.
With a subtle flex of your hand, you clicked the screen off and headed back into the bar.
One more drink couldn’t hurt…right?
“Back so soon?”
Steve was already smiling smugly at you as you approached, his eyebrow cocked as you slid back into your original seat and returned his smile with one of your own.
“I decided I couldn’t live without another glass of that Malbec,” you sighed dreamily.
He nodded, amusement still tugging at his lips as he uncorked the bottle you’d been steadily draining all night and took down a clean glass from one of the wire racks suspended overhead. You pulled your card from your bag and held it out for him to reopen your tab, but Steve waved it off as he placed down the newly filled glass in front of you and slid it smoothly across the bar.
“It’s taken care of, honey,” he said.
“Oh, really?” you chuckled. “By who?”
Steve smirked at your incredulous tone, his muscled forearms flexing as he leaned on them.
You leaned forward as well, crossing your arms under your chest, knowing how nicely it propped up your cleavage. It made the bartender’s eyes flash as he lowered his voice to a leading hum.
“The dirtbag at the end of the bar.”
He nodded his head backwards, making those caramel-kissed locks of his flop across his brow. Your gaze followed Steve’s nod, landing on the wild head of hair and all-consuming brown eyes you’d been distracted by all night. The “dirtbag” in question was staring straight back at you, the corner of his mouth curled as he raised his rocks glass of brown liquor and tipped it to you.
“Is he really a dirtbag?” you asked him, your eyes never dropping the stranger’s gaze.
“Nah,” Steve shook his head. “Just looks like one.”
“Good to know.”
You hummed to yourself, feeling almost a little cocky as you brought your glass to your lips and took an excruciatingly slow sip. The eyes of the man across the bar watched you intently, a fire burning in them that ignited your very being.
As Steve moved on to another customer, you pulled your eyes from those of the handsome stranger and let them fall briefly to the empty stool beside you. It was about as bold as you were willing to be at the time, but it did the trick. He promptly swiveled in his seat to slide off it and you smirked to yourself as you looked down, pretending to be fascinated by the garnet liquid swirling in your glass as he came around the bar.
“That’s a great Malbec,” he said.
God, his voice.
It made your cheeks (among other things) tingle, smooth and smoky as the whiskey in his glass you could smell as he placed it down beside your wine. The scent of it mixed with his cologne that was dangerously close to becoming your new favorite aroma—something woodsy and heady with a tinge of lightness like a salty sea breeze.
“It is,” you agreed, brow arching as he took the seat beside you. “You’ve had it before?”
“Nah,” he smirked. “You made it look so good, I had Stevie give me a taste. I told him to put your next one on me.”
Both of your brows raised at that. “And how’d you know I was coming back?”
“I didn’t,” he said, taking a cheeky sip of his drink. “I just hoped.”
You felt a smile burgeoning on your lips and pulled your bottom one back with your teeth trying, unsuccessfully, to fight it. He watched it spreading, the tip of his tongue running over the edges of his teeth as he offered you his hand.
You slid your own into his, feeling the exquisite pressure of chunky silver rings pressing on your fingers as he gave them a gentle squeeze.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m Eddie.”
“Nice to meet you, Eddie,” you purred right back, offering him your name after a beat.
He repeated it once, all low and rumbly, taking his time with the sound of it in his mouth like it was a piece of chocolate melting on his tongue. Holding your hand a bit longer than necessary.
“So I’m assuming Desperate Dan out there wasn’t your boyfriend?” Eddie asked, chuckling into his next sip. The sound of it spiraled down your back, electrifying your spine.
“Nope,” you sighed heavily. “Just another drop in the Tinder bucket.”
Eddie’s dark eyes gleamed with something like mischief and he made a tsking sound with his tongue. “Well, if that’s the case, I sincerely apologize, sweetheart.”
“Oh, yeah?” You smiled at him. “What for?”
His eyes flickered again, this time taking a long moment to do a sweep up and down your body. Landing on your knees in your tights, flitting back up to your face as she shook his head.
“If someone like you has had to resort to dating apps…we’ve clearly failed as a gender.”
You actually shivered at the words, forcing your shoulders still not to show it as you propped your elbow on the bar and swiped the tips of your nails across your chin and along your jaw to play with your earring. Deepening your voice to a sultry murmur he had to lean in close to hear.
“No argument there.”
You rushed into the bathroom, flapping both your hands back and forth to fan your face and then under your arms. Safely hidden behind the door, your air of detachment could fall away and you could finally let out all the patently un-cool reactions you had been fighting the last hour.
With trembling hands, you pulled your phone out of your bag and fired off a text to Robin.
hey, I’m gonna share my location with you the rest of the night.
wait WHAT? Losera Annoyingus is getting a bang pass?
no he left…
…about an hour ago.
A blue bubble with three blinking dots immediately popped up on the thread and you imagined Robin’s thumbs actually smoking she was typing so furiously fast. But she must decide to abandon her message, because within a split second, a picture of you and her with your faces smushed together came up on the screen as she called you instead.
“Hey,” you whispered, praying your voice didn’t echo too much off the tiled walls.
“Explain,” she demanded. “Now.”
The excitement in her voice only increases your own, your cheeks still impossibly hot as you stand over the sink and fan yourself some more before another layer of sweat can form on your face.
“It’s this guy I met at the bar. He was like, making eyes at me while I was on my date and we started talking after and I just—I don’t know for sure, but it feels like he’s gonna take me home.”
“Is he hot?”
“Yes,” you breathed out a heavy, lustful sigh. “He’s so hot I wanna rip his appendix out.”
“Holy shit,” Robin whistled. “What’s he look like?”
“He’s…I don’t know,” you laughed. “He kind of looks like a Harley that came to life.”
“Alright then, you better go ride him.”
Robin’s snorted laugh makes you cover your own face with your palm. It’s searing hot now, your blood pumping furiously beneath the surface of your skin.
“Well, I have to get back out there to make that happen.”
“Go, go, go—have fun, use protection! Wait, hang on, not in that order!”
You laughed at her warning coming through faintly over the receiver as you mashed the button to end your call. With one last steadying breath, you leaned on the sink and nodded decisively.
“Okay,” you exhaled. “Let’s do this.”
Sage and sea salt filled your nose as you yanked the door open and nearly ran straight into the source of the scent. Eddie leaned against the wall across from the bathroom doors, shoulders shifting subtly as he twisted one of the large rings on his fingers.
You stood face to face now, hands hovering at your sides as you edged into the hallway.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, tucking his chin to his chest as he looked up at you from under long lashes. “Someone’s in the other one.”
You glanced suspiciously at the second bathroom door, seeing no light coming from underneath it. Eddie winced, still smirking adorably as you turned the knob and pushed it open to reveal it was empty on the other side. He chuckled, holding up his hands in a mock surrender.
“Fine,” he sighed. “You caught me.”
“Thought I was making a break for it?” you asked, pulling the door shut. Eddie’s tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek, his eyes roving over you slowly.
“I’d hate to think I scared you off,” he said as he kicked off the wall to stand up straight.
You crossed your arms under your chest, giving him a smile. “I don’t scare so easy.”
He nodded at that, his eyes still taking you in, scanning you like he was reading invisible stats. They lingered a few places you expected, like the curve of your hips and the swell of your chest. But then they landed on other things too, things you weren’t used to people noticing.
Things like your shoulders, or your calves in your boots, even your fucking ears.
“So…everything alright?” he asked, his voice lowering as he took a step closer.
“Yeah, I was just letting my roommate know I might be gone a while.” You held up your phone and tucked it back inside your bag with another coy smile. He chuckled.
“A while, huh?” Step.
“Yeah, you know...it’s pretty late.” Step. “Might be tough to get an Uber.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Eddie shrugged. “I live close.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
You were nose to nose now, barely a whisper of space between you, the air thick with the heat radiating off your bodies in the narrow space.
The well worn leather of his jacket sleeve creaked softly as his hand came up to rest on the wall, caging you in with his arm.
“How close?” you asked, breath shuddering as you leaned on the door for support.
“Up the street,” he sighed. “But it’s still too far.”
His warm breath ghosted over your lips as they parted, the smell of the liquor coating his tongue making you feel woozy. Or maybe that was just the effect he was having on you.
He was so close now you could hear the bristly sound his beard made as he scratched at it with blunt fingertips. He’d barely inhaled to ask if he could kiss you when you surged forward to press your lips to his—the roughness of his beard on your chin a welcome abrasion.
Scratching the itch that’s plagued you all night.
It’s a hungry, lawless sort of kiss. Quick and clashing and difficult to tell if it’s actually mean or not—like two dogs play-fighting, both trying to see how much they can get away with before light snarls and soft snaps of their jaws turn to whimpers and whines.
Eddie parried with you for control, his tongue darting in and out of your mouth as he plied you with teasing, playful kisses you fought to deepen, tugging at his shirt. He pushed off the wall and reached down to grab your wrists, pinning them over your head to keep them in place.
The thrill of him trying to restrain you only made you unravel further, straining impatiently against his grasp. Breathless, you stretched out your neck and pushed your face past all his hair to place your lips beside his ear and pant into it.
“Can we go back to—”
“You wanna come back to—”
The both of you chuckled and exhaled with relief as your words and his overlapped, and you felt a sudden rush between your legs from the way Eddie’s eyes blazed with intention.
He released his hold on your wrists and your arms fell limp at your sides. In an instant, he had your hand wrapped tightly in his and was pulling you along as he angled towards the exit.
As you hurried after him out of the hallway and across the bar, you distantly registered music playing, picking out the chugging guitar and bass riffs of some 80s dance song. From behind the bar, Steve caught Eddie’s eye and you saw him offer his friend a two finger salute as the two of you burst through the door, your departure narrated by Paul Stanley’s deep, silky croon.
And tonight, I want to lay at your feet. Cause girl, I was made for you, And girl, you were made for me…
Eddie wasn’t kidding about living close.
Your boots clacked on the sidewalk as he ushered you along under his arm, the quick pace of your walk driven both by the chill in the air and the desire to resume what you started at the bar.
“This is me,” he said, indicating a four-story brick building just a block away from West End.
His place was on the top floor. It was a large studio with high ceilings and many features similar to the bar you’d just left. Half of the space was raised like a platform with a steel wire railing running along the edge. He had his bed up there and what looked like an office, but he’d created a divider of sorts with cube shelves filled with sweats, hoodies and t-shirts.
Promptly, you recalled him telling you he owned a company that designed and distributed merch for independent artists, and how he was constantly receiving samples from suppliers.
The kitchen was simple, sleek cabinetry and stainless steel appliances without a single smudge. A massive butcher’s block with a wooden top and wire racks underneath serving as an island. And a steel rack hanging down from overhead laden with cast iron cookware.
You took a few more careful steps inside, chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath from being kissed stupid in the elevator while Eddie flipped some switches that illuminated the space with recessed lighting. Large black-paned windows revealed a view of the city and the night sky outside, some amber light from the street filtering in and casting across the oak floors.
In his living area was a massive brown leather sectional with extra-deep cushions and a chaise at both ends. It faced a plain wall with a screen you assumed went with the projector hanging down from one of the exposed beams overhead.
Every inch of your skin crackled with excitement as he came up behind you and reached around to grip the lapels of your coat and help you out of it, letting his fingertips skim your bare arms as he did. It made you shiver in spite of the warm air you could feel pumping out of the vents.
He hung up your coat next to his on a hook by the front door and you turned to face him as he sauntered back over. His gait was relaxed and casual, like he had all the time in the world.
Like he wasn’t driving you up the wall with every second you went without his mouth on yours.
“Did you want another drink?”
He gestured in the direction of a liquor cabinet, glass shelves lined with a modest array of wines and spirits, but you shook your head at the offer.
“Not particularly,” you said with a coy grin.
Reaching out and hooking a finger in his belt loop, you whirled yourself into him and slotted your mouth against his, licking into it to taste the smoky remnants of whisky there. He breathed into it deeply, his broad chest expanding with it and chuckling when he felt your hands on his belt.
“Easy there, tiger,” he teased, your lips breaking apart and taking hold of your wrists to still their efforts. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”
“Hopefully the kind that knows how to fuck.”
You smirked, the tip of your tongue flicking out between your teeth as your face veered in again. Your hips pressed with his and you began to sway back and forth, gently grinding them on him, resuming the dance you’d begun. His face came close, his hands settling on your waist.
“C’mon, honey,” he drawled. “Haven’t you heard good things come to those who wait?”
His lips trailed along the column of your neck, sending a riot of shivers down your spine causing you to release a breathy sigh.
“Sorry, what? All I heard was come.”
Eddie chuckled at that and his breath rushed across your neck as he smiled into your jugular.
“You’re funny,” he sighed. “We’ll see how funny you are when I get done with you.”
It was a miracle your knees didn’t buckle on the spot. Your eyes rolled back in your head, almost seeing the inside of your skull as his hand came up and he placed it around your throat.
“You want this?” he asked, his tone cool and precise, his eyes wandering across your face.
“Yes,” you gasped, all desperate and panting now you were so eager for him to start.
His thumb and middle finger pressed the sides of your throat, slowing the flow of blood just enough to make your head go fuzzy and your body to go just barely limp in his arms.
“Yes, what?” he growled. You drew a shuddering breath, unrestricted by his expert hold.
“Yes, I want this,” you answered. “I want you.”
Eddie took his time undressing you, softly kissing the new expanse of skin he unveiled with the removal of each piece of clothing.
He nipped lightly at your collar bones as he shed your blouse, canines catching briefly on the chain around your neck. He dragged his lips torturously slow over your stomach as he undid your skirt and it fell to the floor with a soft plop. His breath rush across your thigh as he kneeled to drag down the zippers of your boots, kissing your inseam though your tights all the way down to your ankles.
Every second was a kind of exquisite torture. Your heart hammered behind your ribs, the bones almost rattling with the force of it. And as much as you were dying to grab him by the back of the head and take over, you let yourself slip steadily under the spell of his affections.
You believed what he seemed to be whispering with his eyes in between every indelible kiss he dropped to your buzzing skin. He had you. He would take care of you. You could trust him.
And once you were totally bare in front of him, he held out his hand for you to take and he spun you in a slow circle like a ballerina in a music box, his eyes feasting on every inch of you.
If it was anyone else, you might have shied away. You might have felt some level of shame or concern about being stark naked in front of him while he was still fully clothed. You might have worried he would see something he didn’t like, some flaw or defect you preferred hidden. But the look on his face was nothing short of rapturous.
He walked you over to the couch and kissed you deeply as he removed his clothes. Showing not an ounce of the kind of care and consideration for his own as he did for yours, he stripped them off hastily and discarded them, tossing them away like they were garbage.
Your naked bodies came together in a full press, his arms curling around your form and his hands stroking your skin like he was trying to make sure not a single part of it went untouched.
At last, he sank down onto the sofa and his knees spread apart, his hard cock standing stiff and ready for you. He took your hands in his like he was going to pull you forward onto his lap, but you dropped to your knees instead, tucking your feet under your ass.
You looked up at him expectantly, your eyes darting between his face and his cock, the corners of your mouth curling upwards in a smile as your brows raised with a silent question.
“You sure?” he asked, circling his base with his thumb and forefinger to give a gentle squeeze. “I can take care of you, you know? Fuckin’ love to.”
“Don’t worry,” you said cooly, lashes fluttering as you scooted closer. “You will.”
You placed your hands on his knees and pushed them further apart so you could lean forward to kiss up the inside of his leg. Trying to give him a taste of his own slow, teasing medicine, you worked your way all the way up to the crease of his thigh and turned your head inward.
Eddie’s breath stuttered as your lips met his shaft, poking your tongue out to run it up the length. His head tipped to the side, his ear touching his shoulder to get a better view of you licking at him, halting grunts and gasps tumbling past his lips as yours puckered to kiss it more.
When you were satisfied you’d gotten him sufficiently worked up, you reached out and wrapped your hands around him fully, your fists stacked and twisting gently.
You stroked him off slow and even, your hands squeezing tight around his shaft, mixing your spit and the beginning of his spend that leaked from his tip. He watched you reverently, eyes hooded as he enjoyed your show. And looking up at him, a gooey sort of warmth filled your entire body.
You felt yourself slipping further into that sort of headspace you craved—all pliant and willing, your knees digging into his plush area rug as your legs tingled with numbness.
Your heart raced as you imagined giving yourself up to him completely.
Letting him take whatever he wanted from you.
As though he sensed it, as though he could read the desperation in your eyes, he cradled your jaw in his large hand and dotingly stroked the side of your face as he tilted his head at you.
“What is it, baby?” he cooed encouragingly. “What do you want? You can tell me.”
“Want you to use me,” you pleaded, fingers still sliding around him. “Use my mouth.”
Eddie gazed at you where you kneeled in front of him, your eyes having gone all big and round and glassy, shining with the tears you were dying for him to make spill down your cheeks.
Begging for it.
“Of course, baby, of course,” he sighed, gripping your chin and swooping in to kiss you deeply.
His firm hold gave you permission to go limp and you let your hands fall from his cock to rest on his muscled thighs, palms coasting over his tattoos and sparse leg hair. He pulled back, keeping your chin grasped in his fingers, holding your face still as he instructed you.
“You slap me three times in a row if you want to stop, okay?” he ordered in a husky rasp. “Do it for me now, so I know you can.”
You obeyed instantly, delivering three strikes to his thigh. His lips curled in a devilish grin.
“That’s it, just like that,” he hummed in approval. “What a smart girl you are, huh?”
The praise rippled down your back, his words making you tingle all over, much like your calves that were starting to go numb from sitting back on them. He reached around the back of your neck, gently guiding you into position so his cock was pointed directly at your lips.
His large hands nearly covered your entire head, holding it in his firm grasp, his fingertips digging into your scalp and causing even more shivers. Eyes locked with his, you let your mouth hang open and your tongue loll out fully, reaching almost all the way to your chin.
Eddie moaned loudly, mesmerized by the pool of spit you’d let collect in your mouth and the way it dribbled past your lips, running down your tongue and dripping onto your chest.
“Fuuuuck,” he chuckled low and rough, touching just the tip of his dick to your wet tongue. “You really want me dead, huh?”
Your eyes danced as you nodded, the motion causing your tongue to brush against his sensitive slit and spread his precum across the flat of it. A sharp gasp punched from his chest, not ready for the sensation, and his whole body shuddered with need. His eyes blazed and his nostrils flared as he gripped tighter around the back of your head and thrust fully into your mouth.
Lewd sounds filled the room as he pushed his cock past your lips, your mouth flooded with spit that poured out of you and pooled in the wiry thatch of hair at the base of his cock. You felt your body going lax and floppy as you gave yourself over to him, letting him hold your head up as you melted into little more than a puddle.
“That’s it, baby. Just let go, let me take what I need,” he drawled in that smoky voice, beginning a gentle thrust of his hips that pushed him deeper still into your mouth. “You’re doing so well…”
The salty tang of him covered your tongue as your jaw slackened to accommodate more of him, the sounds you were making coming out garbled.
“Christ, you sound so fucking sweet choking on my cock” he groaned. “What a good slut you are, huh? Giving me this mouth, letting me ruin it?”
You gagged loudly as his cock pushed in further until his tip met the back of your throat. He held the back of your head and your nose was nuzzling against the hair at his base, breathing in his thick and heady musk. Far earthier than his cologne, this was a smell that could only be him.
His eyes flitted to your hand clutching at him, your nails digging into the meat of his thigh.
But you made no move to tap out. Another tight spasm of your throat had him throwing his head back, his eyes pinching shut and his lips falling open in a desperate gasp.
“Shit, that feels so good,” he whined softly, his domineering mask slipping ever so slightly—the broken sound only making you go more feral.
Bracing yourself on his thighs, you began to push your head down to meet his thrusts, fucking your own face with his cock so hard that his grip on the back of your head was extraneous.
“Okay, okay—okay,” he grunted, chest heaving as he pulled you off him before he could blow.
His fingers held fast in your hair, squeezing it at the roots. You drew in air in great heaving breaths, panting from the effort, your tongue still hanging out of your mouth and head bobbing as you tried to chase the cock he had to drag you off of.
“You’re a greedy fucking girl, aren’t you, baby?” he chuckled, yanking your head back sharply so you were staring at the ceiling, eyes straining to look at him over the curves of your cheeks.
“Yes, sir,” you gasped back, chest still heaving.
“You want my cum that bad?” he teased lowly, pushing his face against yours and smearing the wetness of your tears across your cheeks.
“Yes, please,” you whined pitifully. “I need it.”
“Oh, you’ll get it,” he assured you, reaching down with his free hand to rub between your legs. “But only if it goes in this needy little pussy.”
Your entire body writhed as his fingers toyed with your swollen clit and dripping folds, scalp stinging where he gripped your hair with his other hand.
A pleasurable wail burst out of you as his thick fingers thrust inside your warm, wet hole and started to scissor relentlessly.
“YES, fuck—come in me. Please, please…”
More tears spilled freely down your cheeks as you begged him, drip, drip, dripping off your chin and onto your heaving chest, rolling down your naked body, leaving wet trails in their wake.
Eddie had to fight the urge to lick your clavicle.
He hauled you up onto his lap, scooting down so he could plant his feet properly on the floor. Your knees sank into the worn leather of his cushions on either side of his hips and you used all what little strength you had left to reach down and align yourself with him.
“Don’t you hold back—haah—alright?” he said, hissing softly as you sank down on his length. “I want that fucking loser from Tinder to be able to hear you from here. Understand?”
You nodded, hips beginning to slide back and forth, relishing the way his thick cock prodded at your insides and stoked your desire. Eddie let you keep control for a moment, his hands squeezing at the softness of your stomach, molding it with them. He watched you raptly, mesmerized by the undulations of your body, the way you let it writhe and rock and squirm on him until he thought you might come solely from your own movements.
A loud, exhilirated moan burst out of you as he suddenly thrust his hips upwards, eyes rolling to the back of your head as he slammed into your g-spot on the first fucking stroke—as if he could see straight through your flesh to aim for it.
The room filled with sounds even more lewd than before—the wet clap of his thighs with your ass cheeks, his balls slapping your soaking pussy, your mound squishing into his pelvis.
Eddie threw his head back, overwhelmed by the sight of every part of you bouncing so prettily on him. And as he exposed his neck, everything in the room went hazy except that thick, taught, muscled column. Sending you feeling.
You clawed at it desperately and drew hot, red streaks down it with your nails that trailed all the way to the middle of his tattooed chest.
“That’s it, baby,” he groaned. “Mark me up. Show everybody who owns me—”
He slid his hands back to grip your ass, spreading the fleshy globes wide and stretching your holes further open as he continued to slam his length inside you. He let one side go and delivered a single stinging slap that reverberated throughout your whole body.
The burn made you keen, arching your back until your chest was flush with his. He reached up to grip the back of your neck, taking your earlobe between his teeth and raking them over it.
“Now that that mouth is free, I wanna hear how good you feel,” he growled.
And if you thought you were loud before, it was nothing compared to now. The combination of his words and the perfect pace being set by his cock sent you instantly toppling over the edge, with Eddie’s own release following right behind.
In that moment, you vowed to send a fruit basket to every single one of his neighbors—an apology for making them think that a woman was getting murdered in the middle of the night two or three stories above their heads. The orgasm he brings you to makes you scream, practically sobbing as you cry out in immeasurable relief while searing hot pleasure ravages your entire body.
It’s an ascent you’ve never dreamed of reaching the peak of, the feeling spreading to the tips of every extremity, filling you with fire. It feels so good, it almost makes you sad to know you might never feel like this again. And if your brain hadn’t already turned to mush, you might have cared.
As you dwindled down from your high, you slumped forward limp and spent—your body still rippling with the effects, Eddie’s arms coming up to hold you against him as he peppered your shoulder with soft, sweet kisses.
“That’s it,” he breathed out in your ear. “That’s it, baby, just feel it…such a good girl f’me…”
He ran his fingers slowly up and down the column of your spine, creating waves of shivers waiting for your trembling to subside.
His length grew soft inside of you, but he made no move to slide you from his lap or to rush you in the slightest. He let you cling on to him, your face buried in his sweaty neck, his long hair tickling your face, losing yourself in his touch.
Slowly, your breathing grew deep and even, your racing heart slowing in your chest. Eddie turned his head and spoke to you quietly with his warm breath fanning across your cheek.
“You ready to move?” he asked.
You gave a weak nod.
Wobbling on unsteady legs, you stood and his hands quickly moved to the curve of your waist to keep you steady. He took you to the bathroom which looked more like it belonged in a spa than someone’s house, sitting you on the toilet.
From a hook hanging on the back of the door, he produced two bright white waffle weave robes, offering one to you. And as you wrapped the soft material around your shoulders, he turned on one of the faucets and held his fingers underneath it to test the temperature.
Once he’d deemed it warm enough, he took a fluffy washcloth from a little pyramid of them that were rolled up next to the sink basin. He held it under the stream, saturating the cloth and then giving it a gentle twist. You watched his hands every step of the way, mesmerized by the way his veins bulged under his skin and the muscles in his arms flexed as he wrung out the excess water.
He rubbed the warm cloth gently across your face, wiping off the residue of tears and spit and cum and what little was left of your make-up until your bare face shone in the soft lighting.
Once he had finished, he dropped the cloth into a hamper and cradled your face in his hands, his thumbs gliding easily over your slippery skin.
“So pretty,” he hummed, the words so soft you wondered if you were even meant to hear them.
From one of the drawers in the vanity, he brought out a pot of moisturizer and offered it to you with a smile. You frowned up at him, jutting out your bottom lip in a comical pout, not ready for him to stop taking care of you. It made him chuckle and a bemused smile spread across his lips as he tapped the tips of his fingers in the gel and started to smooth it over your cheeks.
“Come lay down with me?” he asked when he’d finished, head tilting back in the direction of the short set of stairs leading up to where his bed sat.
You nodded and he held out his hand to lead you out of the bathroom. You curled up on top of his dark duvet, your head sinking into the softness of his down pillow that held the faint scent of what you guessed was his tea tree oil shampoo.
The thick mattress dipped as he climbed onto it with you and draped a beige knit blanket over the both of you before he sidled up against your body.
It was…nice. More than nice. Shit, it was as close to perfect as you had felt in a long time.
The feel of his chest expanding and contracting against your back; his steady breath on the nape of your neck; the soft robe wrapped around your body and the comforting weight of the blanket on top of you. Not to mention Eddie’s arm curled securely around your waist.
Your eyes felt heavy, like your eyelashes suddenly weighed a thousand pounds, and you drifted fully into sleep, succumbing to the relief that had washed over you not twenty feet away.
When you woke, it was still dark out.
The street noise had lessened significantly and if you had to hazard a guess, it might have been close to one or two in the morning. Eddie’s place was darkened, lit only by orange street light that filtered through his windows and a half-dimmed reading light in the corner.
It was an arc lamp, suspended over a leather Eames chair where you could see that your coat and all of your previously discarded clothes were arranged in a neat little pile. But laid out at the foot of the bed right next to your feet were a pair of black fleece pants and hoodie, both about your size and emblazoned with the names of bands you didn’t recognize.
You sat up slowly, fingers hovering over the thick material as you debated. Were they for you? They looked a little big for Eddie, but maybe he had laid them out for himself? Was it a sign he was about to go to bed and you needed to get moving?
In the end, you slid out from underneath the blanket still draped over you and redressed in your clothes. After pulling your tights and skirt back on, stepping into your boots and zipping them up your calves, pulling your coat back on, you looked around the loft searching for Eddie.
From up here, you could see the bathroom door was open and the light was off…eliminating the only place he could actually be. And then your eyes fell on one of the windows that was cracked open with a short step-ladder built into the wall that had been pulled down in front of it.
You pulled your coat around you tighter the closer you got to the window and tentatively climbed the steps leading up to it. You pushed the large glass pane the rest of the way open and poked your head outside to find Eddie sitting on his terrace, resting with his back to the brick, head tipped back as he exhaled a cloud of smoke from his lips that drifted up towards the stars.
“Hey,” you said softly. His head turned at the sound and a wide smile spread across his lips.
“There she is,” he said in a gentle cheer.
You climbed through the window and a breeze carried the scent of the joint he was holding. You took a seat across from him, leaning back against the metal railing and letting your legs stretch out alongside his. He dropped his hand to rub your calf and he frowned at the realization you had redressed in your tights and boots. His brow furrowed adorably.
“Something wrong?” you asked.
He shook his head and took another drag of the joint before passing it into your waiting fingers.
“The clothes were for you,” he said. “Y’know, if you wanted something to sleep in.”
You paused, the joint just shy of touching your lips. “Like…if I was staying?”
“Would you stay?” he asked, a ribbon of smoke curling in the air as he exhaled.
Your mouth hung open, clouds of your hot breath escaping. “Oh, um…I mean, only if you—”
He cut you off with his lips, slipping his hand around the back of your neck and pulling you into a long kiss. Tiny embers scattered from the joint, being taken by the wind that blew and made the ends of Eddie’s long hair tickle the sides of your face. You pulled apart and he answered solidly.
“I want you to,” he said.
wasn't expecting this to be so long (that's what she said), but I hoped you liked it if you made it this far 🩷 love you, mean it!
#eddie munson#eddie munson x you#eddie munson x reader#eddie munson x female reader#eddie munson fanfiction#eddie munson fanfic#eddie munson smut#eddie munson oneshot#eddie stranger things#modern!eddie munson#older!eddie munson
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A brilliant content marketing strategy has the potential to raise brand awareness, boost traffic and generate high-quality leads, thus boosting the sales and revenue of your business. In fact, the 12th Annual B2B Content Marketing reveals that a staggering number of marketers have been successful in achieving their business goals of creating brand awareness (80%), building credibility (75%) and educating audiences (70%). Besides, content marketing budgets have catapulted with 69% of businesses planning to increase their content marketing budgets in 2023.
But, devising a content marketing strategy and its tactical execution can be challenging at times, particularly for small businesses. They often tend to make mistakes that could have a huge impact on their brand visibility, and ability to draw in and convert customers.
Listed below are five content marketing mistakes that small businesses should avoid.
Content marketing mistake #1: Not having a master plan
Small businesses tend to dive headfirst into content marketing without a master plan. As a small business owner, if you don’t have one, your efforts will be inconsistent and futile, which could cause your audience to lose interest in the brand.
The master plan needs to be clear with an effective strategy and excellent tactical execution. For instance, you may use community forums or discussion boards to know the pulse of your target audience, gain valuable insight, and figure out how to modify your messaging to suit your audience’s needs.
Devise a plan that specifies objectives, takes the target audience into account, and matches the appropriate formats to those objectives in order to take off. This will assist in producing more targeted and compelling content that appeals to the “ideal” client.
Content marketing mistake #2: Not understanding the target audience
“Understanding what your audience needs and values will be your key to content marketing success in 2023,” states Director of Organic Search Kyle Byers. According to their recent survey, this is one of the key factors determining the success of a content marketing strategy. The survey revealed that 47% of respondents conduct audience research and 44% said improving the quality as well as the value of their content has resulted in success.
Failing to understand your target audience and producing content without considering what is important to your customers or the manner in which it will help them is the second most common mistake you can make with content marketing.
Any content you generate, no matter how good you believe it is, will be of no use if it does not resonate with your target audience. Besides, you will fail to attract and engage new clients if you cannot generate meaningful content for which you must first understand your clients’ challenges and end goals.
Remember, your business success and content efficiency are dependent on your ability to identify and engage with your target audience.
Content marketing mistake #3: Not focusing on SEO
Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) should be a priority for your business as it is a crucial part of content marketing. SEO is how your content will be discovered online principally in search engine result pages (SERPs). According to 2023 HubSpot research , “nearly one-third of marketers use a website to attract and convert leads, while a majority of site traffic comes from search engines.”
Without SEO your content cannot be discovered online which can ultimately result in no traffic. A good SEO strategy will make sure that you are developing content that people are actually searching for.
Content marketing mistake #4: Not limiting sales-focused content
Most businesses end up making extremely promotional or sales-orientated content in order to drive sales, but that’s not how it should be. Sales might be the end objective of your content marketing strategy, but pushing it too hard is likely to drive your audience away resulting in a low success rate.
Instead, you should aim for establishing brand trust and adding value to the lives of your audience through content that is useful, solution-focused, educational, engaging as well as entertaining. This will ignite their interest, create credibility, and increase the likelihood of content shareability.
Content marketing mistake #5: Not reviewing performance
Investing time in reviewing and analyzing your content marketing statistics can provide you with great insights and a database that can be used to drive your future content strategy.
If a content piece does exceptionally well, marketers can remodel it or leverage the strategy which worked with the audience. To know what works for you and what does not, you must evaluate content marketing performance by analyzing the data.
Consider metrics like click-through rates, social media shares, page views, traffic sources, and the amount of time visitors spend looking at a content piece online to gauge whether your campaign performed well or not.
If you choose not to monitor and conduct reviews on a regular basis, your efforts go to waste.
Want more? Escalon has helped thousands of small businesses maximize their potential with our back-office solutions for accounting, HR, benefits, payroll and recruiting, insurance and taxes — and we can help yours too. Talk to an expert today.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. Escalon and its affiliates are not providing tax, legal or accounting advice in this article. If you would like to engage with Escalon, please contact us here
Originally published at https://escalon.services on August 11, 2023.
#content marketing mistakes#content marketing strategy#content marketing tips#small businesses#content strategy#small businesses tips
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