The Wilde Side (5 page)

He inhaled a sharp breath, certain this woman was going to be the death of him tonight. But man, what a way to go.

"One more game," he said, this time determined to be the winner and come out on top –
literally
.

"Are you sure you can handle the possibility of losing again?" she teased as she sashayed back to the pool table to extract the balls from the pockets. "I kinda like choosing the wet spot."

He began racking the balls she rolled his way. "It's a chance I'm just going to have to take, because the wet spot is all mine this time."

Her eyes danced with impudence. "We'll just have to see about that, now, won't we?"

It was his turn to take the opening break shot, which was just about his only saving grace. It gave him the advantage of pocketing a few balls before a combination shot fell short and Ashley was rewarded with a turn to play. She was a ruthless opponent, making for a fun, competitive game with both of them scoring ball for ball until it came down to the eight ball and Scott making the final shot.

"Well, well, well," he drawled delightedly as he rounded the table to line up the cue ball. "It looks like that wet spot is going to be mine after all, so be prepared to surrender, sweetheart."

He called the pocket, made a clean shot, and sank the ball with a solid
thunk
.

She met up with him at the table and absently ran her finger along the rim of the second shot glass of tequila. "I guess congratulations are in order."

He grinned, enjoying his moment of victory. "You don't look very upset about losing."

She shrugged her slender shoulders. "You and I both know this is a win-win situation."

He liked the way her mind worked. "That it is." He directed her to sit down on the flat surface of the table and pushed her legs slightly apart so that her knees bracketed his hips. "Now, where to make the wet spot?"

"I can't wait to find out." The invitation in her eyes was blatant and unwavering as she leaned back on her hands. The sexy position caused her back to arch in a way that drew his gaze to the generous breasts pressing against the stretchy, low-cut fabric of her top and the right, puckered nipples he was dying to taste.

Lifting his hand, he touched the side of her throat. Her skin felt like rich, warmed velvet. "There's the neck, of course, but that's a bit too tame considering how reckless I'm feeling. How about you?"

Her tongue dipped out to moisten her full bottom lip. "Oh, yeah, I'm definitely feeling reckless."

Smiling, he skimmed his fingers down the line of her delicate collarbone and over the upper swells of her breasts, enjoying the way they quivered from his petting. "I wouldn't mind making a wet spot right here where you're so incredibly soft and lush, or I could get even and choose the same place you did on me." He slipped his hand under her top, caressed her bare, silken belly, and she shuddered in response.

"Yes, you could," she said breathlessly, anxiously.

Holding her gaze steadily, he placed his palms on her knees and slowly glided them upward, until his hands disappeared beneath her flirty white skirt. "But in the spirit of being adventurous and reckless and scandalous, I think I might choose right
here
," he said, just as his fingers stroked along the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh.

Her eyes widened in feigned shock, and he felt her legs tighten against his sides in an instinctive attempt to close them – all to no avail. "You wouldn't dare."

He graced her with a grin filled with sinful purpose as he slowly pushed the hem of her skirt up, up, up ... gradually exposing creamy, supple skin that felt softer than thistledown against his callused fingertips. "Oh, yeah, I would dare."

Intending to do things a bit differently but with the same end results, he lifted a lime wedge to her lips to hold for him, then dipped two fingers into the tequila and swathed a path of the amber liquid along her inner thigh, all the way down to her knee. He added the salt to the moistened spot, then leaned down and licked and lapped the sticky tequila from her skin.

Her hands shot to his shoulders as he moved higher, and she uttered a breathy little sound that was half moan, half whimper that shuddered out around the lime caught between her parted lips. Her thighs trembled beneath his wandering mouth and swirling tongue, and as he neared that sweet juncture covered by a thin, nearly sheer scrap of lace, he caught the intimate scent of her, all warm, aroused female that went straight to his head in a dizzying rush.

Reaching for the shot of tequila, he downed the liquor in one gulp and went for the lime between her lips. He bit into the fruit, sucked out the juice, then tossed aside the rind so he had unfettered access to her mouth.

He kissed her with hunger and unadulterated need. His tongue dove deep, wet, and hot, seeking the intimate flavor of her beyond the tequila warming their mouths. His hands went to her ass, gripping her bottom tight, and dragged her to the edge of the table, forcing her legs to widen against his hips so that the thick length of his cock pressed hard, insistent, and intimately against her damp heat.

She slid her arms around his neck and wrapped those long, slender legs around his waist. He leaned more fully into her and instinctively thrust, straining to get closer, just as she arched rhythmically against him in perfect unison. Had it not been for her insubstantial panties and the thick denim of his jeans separating them, the motion would have caused him to slide deep inside of her ... right where he wanted to be.

He groaned at the incredible surge of hot, carnal lust that kicked up his adrenaline a few notches. He felt primal and possessive and ravenous: burning up from the inside out; unable to get enough of this woman who affected him not only sexually, but on a deeper level he'd yet to fully define. All he knew was that he had to have her, and then he'd work on unraveling the mystery surrounding her, the contradictions, and the secrets she seemed determined to keep. He already knew that one night with her wasn't going to be enough for him.

She moaned and panted against his lips, her thighs locking along the backs of his thighs as her hips rocked and gyrated against his shaft. He felt her shudder and was stunned to realize that she was on the precarious verge of coming ... just like this. She seemed to realize it at the same moment, too, and with a soft gasp she pressed her palms against his shoulders in an attempt to push him away and stop the spiraling madness.

But he wasn't about to let such a provocative encounter end without giving her the release her body so obviously needed. Wrenching his mouth from hers, he stared into her bright, startled eyes, all the while keeping up the steady pressure and the illicit friction that was driving her toward that ultimate peak of pleasure.

"Here's your chance to be as bad as you want to be, Ashley," he said, his voice low and just as strained as his control. "Let go of your inhibitions, let it happen, and enjoy your first walk on the Wilde side with me."

His words must have struck a chord with her, because she did exactly that. Her hands relaxed and slid down his chest, and she tossed her head back with a soft, dissolving kind of moan. Her body arched into his one last time before she succumbed to the orgasm she'd been desperately trying to hold at bay.

Muscles wired taut with discipline, he grit his teeth to keep from tumbling over that same edge that promised pure ecstasy. Instead, he focused on her beautiful face as she came, captivated by her sensuality and enthralled by her candid response.

A sigh of contentment escaped her lips, and she drifted back in slow, gradual degrees, her half-mast eyes a languid shade of green. She looked incredibly sexy and fulfilled. "That was very ... one-sided," she murmured.

The wispy tendrils of hair at her temples were damp, and he gently pushed them away from her face. "I wanted you to be greedy and take your pleasure, because I certainly intend to." Later, when they were finally alone and he could take his time doing so.

"Except you're still ... hard. Very hard."

He laughed huskily and rested his forehead against hers, feeling as though he'd known this woman much longer than just an hour. She just felt so ... right, so playful and intriguing, yet so down to earth despite everything else that suggested she led a different kind of life that didn't include one-night stands and drinking body shots in a bar with a stranger.

"It's by choice, sweetheart." He brushed his knuckles down her rosy cheek in a tender, intimate caress. "I want to be deep inside of you when I come."

She shivered. "Then I suggest we leave before we get caught and arrested for public indecency."

Grasping her around the waist, he lifted her off the table and let her soft curves slide down the front of his body before her heeled shoes touched the floor. "Good idea, because the things I still want to do to you definitely run the gamut of indecency."

Her eyes glowed with thrilling anticipation. "Oooh, I like the way that sounds," she teased with a smile. "Let's hurry and get out of here."

He wasn't about to argue. He let Jerry know that they were leaving and the key to the room was on the tray with the empty shot glasses. Then taking Ashley's hand in his he led her down the stairs and out the back door to the parking lot. He was feeling protective toward her and wanted to keep this interlude private and between the two of them. And the last thing he wanted was to deal with stares and speculation, even from his own brothers.

They stepped out onto the graveled lot, the evening air cool against his heated flesh. "Which one is your car?" he asked at the same time he realized the question was unnecessary. There was only one vehicle that stood out among the mix of work trucks and compact cars and a few modest sports cars.

"The silver BMW over there."

The classy, luxurious car fit her, and for the moment he no longer cared about those niggling differences between them. He just wanted this one night with her. Come the morning he'd get the answers he sought about who she was, and they'd take things from there.

Taking the car keys from her, he opened the driver's side door and waited while she slid into the dove gray leather seat, leaving the hem of her skirt hiked high around her smooth, tanned thighs.

Bracing an arm across the door frame, he pulled his gaze from her lithe legs and met her gaze. "I guess this is where the old cliché comes into play," he said humorously. "Your place or mine?"

"Your place," she said without hesitation.

Her choice was exactly as he'd expected – selecting his house kept things uncomplicated for her and also kept her anonymity intact. And he'd grant her that privacy, for now.

"I don't live too far from here, so just follow me. I'll be in that white truck over there," he said, pointing to the company work truck he used for the most part, instead of putting extra miles on his Corvette. "Do you have a cell phone?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Let me give you my number, just in case you need it." Just in case she got lost or separated from him on the way to his place ... just in case she changed her mind about tonight, about them. All applied, and he hoped like hell the latter didn't come into play.

She went through the glove box, the center console, and her purse, and let out a sound of frustration. "I can't find a scrap of paper to write on."

"Just plug my number directly into your cell phone so you'll have it on hand." He gave her the number and watched as she entered it into the digital display. Then he leaned down and kissed her again, reminding her of their attraction, the searing chemistry, and the instantaneous connection between them; and making sure she knew he was ready and willing to give her anything her body, or her heart, desired tonight.

She wanted a birthday to remember – an evening of incredible, anything goes pleasure – and he planned on doing his best to oblige her wish.

Chapter 4

S
he'd found herself a sexy, bad boy beyond anything her wildest dreams could have imagined, and he was all hers for the night. That was the giddy thought drifting through Ashley's mind as she followed the white truck out of the parking lot, a dreamy smile on her face and her body still tingling from the glorious aftereffects of the orgasm Scott had so selflessly given her.

Considering how innovative he'd been with those body shots and how generous he'd been with her satisfaction, she was certain her climax had merely been a prelude to more erotic pleasures to come, and she wanted to experience them
all
with Scott Wilde.

She should have been shocked by her shameless behavior back in that private room, but she hadn't been able to summon even an ounce of embarrassment for enjoying herself, along with a bit of sexual liberation, not when she was beginning to discover just how good being bad felt. If anything, she'd been surprised by how easy it had been to let go of years of decorum and social rules of conduct and embrace the searing passion Scott had evoked. There had been absolutely nothing modest about her response to him, and that, too, had been incredibly enthralling.

There was also the issue of their affair being clandestine – two strangers who were giving in to their undeniable attraction to each other, no strings attached. Other than Scott's name, she didn't know him, and he didn't know her, either, thank goodness. And because of that level of unknown between them, there were no social expectations of the St. Claire name to live up to, no etiquette blunders to worry about that might tarnish her reputation or, worse, her parents' standing in the community.

She was beginning to discover that anonymity made for a powerful kind of aphrodisiac, enabling her to free her inhibitions without the fear of anyone learning what she'd done and with whom. She could do anything she wanted with Scott, be anyone she desired – even that brazen, sensual woman she'd allowed to emerge with him at the bar because she'd never see him again after tonight.

But she also wanted to be a part of Scott's passion, too, and find out what ultimately turned
him
on. And that meant trusting him to direct tonight's seduction and letting him be the one in control of her pleasure ... and his own.

Amazingly enough, the thought of allowing him to be the assertive one didn't make her nervous at all, but rather excited her. They'd already spent an hour alone in a private room, and never once had she felt intimidated by him – quite the opposite, actually. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been so at ease and comfortable with a man – companionably and sexually.

Everything about Scott appealed to her, from his gorgeous features and hot, virile body to the honesty and integrity she'd seen glimpses of. She hadn't been expecting that, either, but she was infinitely glad he was a man she could trust.

Coming to a stop behind his truck at a red light, she decided to turn up the heat between them for the rest of the drive to his place. It was time to let him know what was on her mind and set the stage for a night of unforgettable mutual pleasure. Reaching for her cell phone, she secured the ear-piece and dialed the number he'd given her.

He answered before the second ring. "Whatever you do, don't tell me you changed your mind."

She heard the edge of desperation in his voice and smiled, liking that he was looking forward to the rest of the night together just as much as she was. "How did you know it was me?"

"Gut instinct. And your number was blocked on my display, so I knew it wasn't family or anything work related."

He made a right-hand turn, and she followed, catching sight of the "Nolan and Sons" emblem on the driver's side door. She wondered, just briefly, what he did for a living, then decided that it didn't matter since their affair wasn't about sharing information about their private lives, no matter how curious she was about his.

"I'm not changing my mind," she said, putting his worries at ease.

"I'm glad. And relieved." Then his voice turned low and mesmerizingly deep. "Ever since we left the bar, I've been thinking of all the things I want to do to you, and all the places on your body I want to kiss, and caress, and taste. And now I'm sitting here, harder than I've ever been in my entire life, wishing we were already at my place so I can get you naked, make you come again, then do it all over again."

His frank, explicit comment and undisguised desire caused her nipples to peak painfully and a surge of liquid heat to spiral its way between her thighs. This was exactly what she craved from him, this aggressive, sexual confidence, and maybe even a bit of male dominance.

"I want all that, too," she said, and cloaked in the darkness of her car, she was just as candid about her needs. "I've decided that I want to be someone else tonight. Someone I've never been before."

"Who do you want to be?"

"Your most erotic fantasy come to life." She'd never been that for any man, but Scott inspired her seductive side.

"You already are," he replied, a sexy smile in his voice.

She laughed lightly and followed him into a nice neighborhood of well-kept, custom-built homes. "Good answer."

"It's the truth," he said with so much conviction, she couldn't help but believe him.

He made a few quick turns into the subdivision, and she memorized the names of the streets so she could backtrack her way out in a few hours.

"So tell me what you want, Ashley, so I can be sure to give it to you."

"I don't want polite sex." Once the words were out, she winced, realizing how odd her comment must sound to him.

He chuckled in amusement. "I don't think I've ever had polite sex before."

"No, I wouldn't think so." He was too earthy, too male, too into the delicious buildup of all-consuming foreplay to settle for mundane, run-of-the-mill sex all the time. "Polite sex is boring and predictable, and you don't strike me as being either. I want excitement and thrills, and I want you to be in control of where that provocative adventure takes us. Are you game for that?"

"Oh, yeah." He pulled into a wide driveway and parked his truck. "We're here. Go ahead and park next to me and I'll see you in a few seconds."

The line disconnected, and she did as he'd instructed. It took her a moment to turn off her cell phone and take out the earpiece; then she grabbed her purse and slipped out of the car. She met him by his truck, and he silently held out his hand to her, which she took, not at all nervous about what she knew was going to happen once they were inside his house.

She was ready for this, and she was ready for him.

He led her up a brick walkway to a small porch. He unlocked the door, pulled her inside, then switched on the foyer light. Turning to face her, he glided his big hands up her bare arms, his gaze searching hers, infinitely sincere and caring.

"Any second thoughts?" he asked, giving her one last chance to change her mind.

She shook her head, appreciating his concern, which was what made him such a unique and special man, given a situation where most guys wouldn't give a damn about a woman's feelings once they were alone with her. Besides, if she'd had any worries or doubts, she never would have left the bar with him.

"None at all," she reassured him. "You?"

He grasped her hand, brought it to the fly of his jeans, and cupped her palm around the solid length straining against denim. "What do you think?"

She gave him a gentle squeeze with her fingers and smiled up at him. "I think you're
very
happy that I'm here."

He chuckled. "That's an understatement, sweetheart. I'm
ecstatic
." Reluctantly, he pulled her hand away and wove their fingers together. "Come on, let's take this into the bedroom, because if I so much as kiss you out here, I have no doubt I'll end up taking you up against the wall, and I'd rather us be in a big, soft bed where we can play and enjoy what's to come."

She followed him through the dim one-story structure, until they reached a spacious room at the far end of the house. It was dark and shadowed in his bedroom, with a cool draft wafting across her skin from the ceiling fan circulating overhead. A glass slider led to an open balcony, and she could see a swimming pool that shimmered from the reflection of the moon and the landscaping lights illuminating his backyard.

He turned on the lamp by the bed, chasing away the safe haven of obscurity and opaque shadows that could camouflage everything from physical flaws to emotional reactions. She wasn't at all surprised by the presence of a well-lit room; Scott Wilde didn't strike her as the type to make love in the dark, but rather a man who enjoyed everything about sex – especially the visual aspect of it. And that thrilled her, too.

Suddenly he squeezed his eyes shut, pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, and cursed beneath his breath.

Startled by the abrupt change and not sure what had brought it on, she asked, "What's wrong?"

He dragged a hand along the taut line of his jaw. "I should have stopped at the drugstore for some condoms."

She bit her bottom lip and shifted on her heels. "Would you think any less of me if I told you that I believe in being prepared and have a few with me?" She was also on the Pill; but in this case she wasn't about to leave anything to chance, and she appreciated that he was concerned about protection, as well – another trait that said so much about the man's character.

A relieved grin relaxed his tense features. "No, I'd be damn grateful."

Withdrawing a half dozen from her purse, she tossed them onto the bed. "Then here you go. We're all set."

He whistled low and glanced from the foil packets to her, his brow raised. "You're expecting great things tonight, aren't you?"

She shrugged playfully. "A girl can always hope."

Reaching out, he trailed a finger from the pulse point in her throat all the way down to the deep cleavage between her breasts. "Just so you know, I believe in quality, not necessarily quantity."

Sharp awareness flared in her belly like a ball of fire and spread through her bloodstream, eliciting a slick, erotic warmth between her thighs. "I'll take quality over quantity any day."

He grazed his thumb over a puckered nipple, making it harden even more. "Glad to know we're on the same page."

She stared into his darkening gaze, her entire body trembling in anticipation. "I think we established that on the phone on the drive over."

He took her purse and set it on the dresser next to him. "Along with no polite sex."

The low growl in his voice was enough to let her know that being a gentleman with her, in this bedroom, was the last thing he intended to be. Thank goodness. "Yeah, that, too."

Sliding his hand into her hair, he lowered his mouth to hers and murmured, "Then let's be bad together."

She accepted his kiss, and his tongue slipped between her parted lips, damp and hot and seeking. Immediately, she felt the slow sledding into sensation, the exciting lure of temptation beckoning to her, and the heady rush of wonder and desire that this man so easily evoked within her.

His hands found their way beneath her blouse and skimmed the stretchy fabric upward. Their lips broke apart only long enough for him to remove the top and toss it aside, and then he was back, taking her mouth yet again in a tumble of deepening, darkening kisses that made her mind spin.

Anxious to get him naked, too, she shoved his T-shirt up his torso and over his head, wanting the barrier of cotton between them gone. She touched his bare chest and moaned as she felt the heat pouring off his skin and the tension rippling through his muscles.

She stepped out of her shoes and kicked them out of the way. With amazing ease, he found and lowered the zipper on her skirt. Slipping his flattened palms into the waistband, he tugged the material over her hips and followed the slide of the garment over her bottom and down her thighs, until the skirt fell to the carpeted floor, leaving her clad in only her bra and panties.

Between the most erotic, tongue-tangling kisses she'd ever had the pleasure of indulging in, she managed to unbutton and unzip his jeans, and he helped her to remove them. She caught a quick glimpse of snug boxer-briefs before he was pulling her body to his, aligning them from chest to thighs.

His big hands swept down her spine and over her buttocks, kneading and stroking her flesh through the thin silk and lace of her panties. She twined her arms around his neck to get closer, and he molded her hips intimately to his, letting her get used to the feel of him, the size, the intoxicating scent of sexual heat and fully aroused male.

She was certain that Scott was going to strip off her undergarments next so that she was completely naked, but he didn't so much as try to unhook her bra or slide his hands into her panties. Instead, much to her initial disappointment, he brought their kisses to a stop and pressed his mouth to her ear.

"You ready for that next walk on the Wilde side?" he asked in a low, raspy drawl that made her shiver.

She thought about what he'd told her in the car, of how he'd been thinking of all the places on her body he wanted to kiss, and caress, and taste – especially how he'd promised to take her on a provocative adventure.

"Yes,"
she said anxiously, and taking a step back, she reached behind her to unclasp her bra.