Desired (2 page)

Forgive me
.

Ella’s shoulders slumped and she sighed at her phone. Laughter and joy surrounded her, music and happiness, but her stomach plummeted as she read her husband, Rory Snow’s text. When would he give up? Didn’t a domestic violence protection order say
This relationship is over
?

As the band played a slow song, she ran her fingers over the scar by her right eye. The mark was a constant reminder of Rory. Every day she looked in the mirror she saw it and thought of him.

All she wanted was to forget.
Heck
, she’d been doing exactly that. Rory was the jackass who couldn’t let it go. Ella knew she should probably call the Savannah police department to inform them that Rory was contacting her, but she was so damn tired of it all. She had moved on and put Rory into her past of big mistakes.

She’d hoped Rory would do the same.

That didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon.

With a grumble, she slipped her phone into her dress pocket and zipped it closed. She scanned through the crowd on the dance floor and her gaze landed on the bride. Aidan’s new wife was beautiful. Thin and elegant, Cora belonged on a magazine cover.

Ella’s heart twisted in the midst of memories of her wedding. Her day hadn’t been so lavish. Rory hadn’t rented out an entire resort at Lake Las Vegas for the event, ensuring their guests had a place to stay. Her wedding had cost all of two thousand dollars, but it had been enough for her.

She’d loved the high school sweetheart she’d met when she was fifteen and married five years later.
Had
loved him. Right up until Rory started drinking and drowning himself in booze.

Sober Rory was a good man.

Drunk Rory had a violent side.

That violence had shoved Ella face-first into a table. The night she’d got the stitches was the night she’d walked away from him. Six months later, she had left her life in Savannah. She moved to Vegas for the excitement, landing herself an amazing job at Knight Law Firm, working as the assistant for a highly respected defense attorney.

Ella enjoyed working for Aidan, and actually liked him as a person, too. He paid her almost triple what she had made in Savannah. Her professional life couldn’t get any better. It was the personal side of things that remained murky.

As she watched Aidan twirl his new wife around, dancing proudly for all to see, Ella tried to find her smile, but it remained hidden behind pain. Even if ten months had gone by since the night of the abuse, she couldn’t ignore the dark thoughts and her failed marriage.

It took six months to find the courage to file divorce papers, and another four months since leaving Savannah to pull herself together again, but she was over Rory in every sense of the word. She refused to let him ruin this special occasion. Grabbing her wineglass, she downed the remaining contents.

Tonight she hoped for a little liquid happiness.

When she lowered her glass to the table, a tingling sensation spread across her skin. Lifting her head, she gazed across the patio, and sitting at one of the patio sets was one of Aidan’s groomsmen. She’d never seen him before today, but that wasn’t a huge surprise, since she didn’t know most of the people at the wedding.

Except for a bunch of lawyers from the firm and Aidan’s parents, everyone else was a stranger. Aidan never mixed pleasure with business, and in the four months she had worked for him, she’d never met a single friend of his.
Heck
, she hadn’t known Aidan was dating. One day she’d thought he was single; the next he told her he was getting married.

Oddly enough, she was drawn to Aidan’s groomsman. Staring into his warm blue eyes, pins and needles and other sensitive feelings traveled up her body, settling between her thighs. She squirmed against her seat, avoiding the heat, and the side of his mouth curved. Her heart tripped and she glanced to her high-heeled shoe dangling off her toe.

Geebus
, if he didn’t stop looking at her with those piercing eyes, she would combust. All night he’d been sneaking glances at her. They weren’t simple interested looks, either; they were outright assaults on her hormones. But a man’s attention was the last thing she was looking for.

No, thank you
.

When she still sensed his gaze, she peeked to discover she wasn’t wrong. His intense stare was right on her. The power of it sucked the air from her lungs. Though she’d never believed in lust at first sight, perhaps it was because she had never experienced it.

Whoever he was, he was
hot
!

“More wine, miss?”

Ella gasped, looking up to the waitress standing next to her holding a bottle of white wine. She gave a shaky laugh. “To the top, please.”

The waitress smiled, filling the glass to the rim. “Why aren’t you dancing?”

“I look like a dying fish when I dance,” Ella said with a laugh. “I have two left feet.”

“We’ll need to work on that, won’t we?”

The waitress was looking over Ella’s shoulder with wide eyes. And something in that masculine voice made Ella stiffen in her seat. The tone was low and seductive, but mischievous all the same.

Then
he
was there.

The groomsman who’d been staring at her from across the patio now stood in front of her. Ella’s mind went blank. He smelled of sandalwood, and the rich scent puckered her nipples. From afar she thought he had blue eyes, but up close she realized they were a blue-green color.
Pretty
. In fact, the whole package was beautiful, especially covered in the tux.

He leaned down toward her and offered his hand. His messily styled light brown hair dangled over his forehead. He was tall, much taller than she, and he filled out his tux nicely.

Hell’s bells!

“Dance with me,” he said.

Ella quivered under his clever smile, and a slow heat slid through her. He happened to be one of the hottest guys she’d ever seen. Well, in person and not on some magazine she figured was Photoshopped. Though, hot or not, there was still a problem. “I’m sorry, but I can’t dance.”

“Everyone can dance.” His potent stare held hers and his hand never lowered. “It’s all about who is leading.”

Persistent sexy man
.

Under his intense scrutiny her insides went mushy. The power this man exuded burned through her, reminding her she hadn’t felt this way in a long time. The attraction was intoxicating, and something needy inside her unfurled, yearning to explore it.

No
, her mind argued.

At her pause, one sleek brow arched. “If you wait any longer to take my hand, you might give me a complex.”

The waitress hadn’t moved, watching the exchange. Even if Ella hated dancing and wasn’t looking for a relationship, she couldn’t refuse the urge to be squished up against him. Besides, what was a dance? This hunk was the perfect way to get her mind off Rory and onto something a lot better.

As she rose and slid her fingers into his warm grip, his gaze remained on hers. Heat stormed into her, spiraling low in her body with a wicked thud. She didn’t doubt that smile got him into many women’s beds.

It had power and charm.

He tightened his fingers around hers, and something passed in the air between them, so hot and so damn unforgettable, her body all but liquefied. He tugged her closer and she felt something odd inside awaken, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Something she wanted to lose herself in.

A sensation that made her mind shut off.

He led her into the middle of the crowd on the dance floor, pulling her tight against him as if she belonged right there in his arms. He had no hesitation about placing his hand low on her back, quite close to her bottom, and sandwiching their bodies together.

Ella swallowed and avoided his gaze, staring at the band as they played a classic song. She wasn’t blind to the glaringly obvious fact that the groomsman had an erection. She thought she should be offended or
something
, but found herself fighting against the desire to rub against him.

“Ella, right?”

She cleared her throat, angling her head. His face was chiseled and smooth, but his eyes were what made this man
sexy
. They held mischief with a sense of confidence. “Yes, and you would be?”

“Kyler Morgan.”

Of course, the sexy man came with a sexy name. She swayed her hips, trying to follow his movements, only feeling more uncomfortable. Not a second later, she stepped on his foot. “Oh, shit!”

He chuckled. “It’s a foot. I’ve got two, so it’s okay.” He pressed his hand tighter against her back, erasing the distance. Then he shook their clasped hands. “Stop fighting me. Relax.”

Ella sighed.
I suck at this!

He leaned down, placing his mouth near her ear, and whispered, “So you work for Aidan, yes?”

His voice raised goose bumps across her flesh, and she shivered. “Yes.” She glanced to the others on the dance floor. It pleased her that no one was watching her horrible dancing skills. Then she stared up into Kyler’s handsome face, since he didn’t allow her any room to do otherwise. “Since you’re Aidan’s groomsman, you must be a good friend.”

A low noise hummed in his throat, and the sound spoke to her on a level she couldn’t have anticipated. It warmed her from head to toe, and her muscles went lax. His fingers slid across her lower back, squeezing her against him, and the heat of his touch burned to her core. “Been good friends for a long time now.”

Good grief
, the man seemed not to care they were strangers. He touched her as if they
were well acquainted. In the midst of that confidence, Ella forgot the world around her. Her mind focused on him and the way he moved her across the dance floor.

He continued to guide her movements and never once took his eyes off her. “I didn’t see a date with you tonight. Are you unattached?”

Her insides somersaulted with his question, as he appeared interested in finding out if anyone stood in his way. She pondered whether to spill out the details that she was in the process of getting divorced and not looking for another relationship. Well, she would be if Rory’s lawyer stopped dragging his feet. But why tell that depressing shit to a smoking-hot man sandwiching her against the hard planes of his body? “Nope, not attached.”

His chin dipped, bringing his mouth within centimeters of hers. “A good thing for me, Ella, since I’m enjoying this.” The music soared through the air, and as her hips swayed with his, his erection pressed against her stomach.

Trapped in his intense gaze, her body flushed as desire simmered.
Holy Jesus
, she hadn’t felt
this
aroused in the presence of a man. No one had ever made her burn with a dance, a look, or the sound of his voice.

Ever.

Kyler’s mouth twitched as he ran his thumb over the top of her hand. “See, sweetheart, you can dance.”

She blinked, realizing she had completely relaxed in his hold, and he was moving her around the dance floor, effortlessly. She leaned in to him, consumed by the strength of his hold. “Apparently, you’re a good teacher.”

He winked. “You bet your pretty little ass I am.”

Two songs later, and Ella felt happier than she had in ten months. With Kyler leading, and relaxed in his arms, she stayed in the present. The past and the future far from her mind. The band’s soft music eased her soul. Kyler left no space between their bodies, as if he were afraid to let her go. Secure in his strong arms, his hold warmed the icy parts of her heart. He made her forget all her pain and her objections to being involved with anyone.

After another spin, leaving her laughing, Kyler tugged her against his hard body. His woodsy scent infused the air around her and she rested her cheek against his hard chest, following his movements.

He made it so very easy.

“Looks like the bride and groom are leaving.”

Ella blinked, leaning away. “Pardon?”

Kyler gestured over her shoulder, and she glanced behind her, noticing the crowd following Aidan and Cora toward the pathway leading to the parking lot. “Oh, okay. I guess you have to go, then.” She pulled her hand from his and took a step back. “Thanks for the dance.”

“You made my night by accepting.” He gave that charming grin and winked. “Stepping on my feet and all.”

“I’m glad you found it memorable.” She laughed.

“Will I see you later?” he asked with raised brows. “Not leaving yet, right?”

She had planned to go up to her room once Aidan left the party. Now, looking at sex packaged in a tux, she changed her mind.
Enjoy this, Ella
. “Maybe one more glass of wine before I call it a night.”

“Perfect. I’ll come find you after the lovebirds are on their way.” Then he spun on his heels and was gone.

Ella watched him jog after the newlyweds and her gaze fell to his ass.
Holy shit
, even his ass looked incredible—tight and totally graspable. She chuckled at herself.
A couple of dances and he has you pining after him
.

She shook her head, trying to accept her reality and the fact that those dances had
completely removed her objections. While she didn’t want another relationship, she could have some flirting fun, couldn’t she?

Kyler’s intensity consumed her, and with him no longer invading her space, the fire inside her abdomen slowly extinguished. Had he continued dancing with her, she might’ve invited him to her room.

She deserved that, didn’t she?

One night of blistering-hot sex to wash away the remnants of Rory and to officially move on from her failed marriage. To forget about him, and allow another man to appreciate her. She did. She deserved that.

Ella snorted to herself. Kyler had gotten her revved so high she actually planned a night of sex without him offering it first. He’d danced with her, and while it’d been smoking-hot, an offer for sex hadn’t been on the table.

As Kyler reached Aidan’s new wife, he took her into a hug that lasted awhile. He was close to her—Ella saw that in the way he held her gently and the look of tenderness on his face. Aidan seemed extremely close to all his groomsmen, as well as their girlfriends. During dinner, they had all gotten along really well.