To Tame a Wilde (Wilde in Wyoming) (12 page)

No man had ever found her...spot.

She swallowed deeply, her body no longer hers. It now solely belonged to the man who was making it feel so incredibly good.

Again, she heard his low masculine laughter.

It brought out an answering, very feminine need to respond in kind.

She’d only read about it, but...

She reached down, blindly, and with only a few awkward moves, finally was able to grasp what she wanted.

She held his balls lightly in her hand and feathered caresses over them.

“This will be over before we both want it, if you keep that up.” He growled the words, his voice nearly inhuman it was so low, like sandpaper, it was so gravelly.

“Turnabout and all that,” she laughed softly, barely able to keep it together. What they were doing to each other was something she couldn’t have imagined in her most erotic dreams.

He removed her hand and replaced it with his.

Nick moved his hand around and inserted it between them, finding her clit and rubbing it softly as he rocked her, on and on, until she felt her orgasm hovering.

When he found her clitoris, her soft laugh turned to a moaning scream. He slammed his mouth against hers, grinding against her, and within seconds she released.

Her cries of completion echoed his as he followed her into ecstasy’s path, the tsunami they’d created together, sweeping them both along in its wake.

Chapter 19

“T
he Aloha Keiki, your family’s foundation... How did that start?”

She felt his body tense and immediately regretted asking.

Sinclair knew through her research that not only was the Kealoha ranch the most profitable family-owned-and-operated ranch on the islands, but that the foundation his family ran in his mother’s honor was one of the most successful nonprofit organizations that helped youth on the island.

He’d shown her the fields and orchards, and during her time on the ranch she’d also met some of the adults and young people who volunteered. But she hadn’t heard from him the way it had started.

She had a desire to know as much as she could about him, knowing their time was short together— She shooed that thought aside.

“I...I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”

She felt his body relax, and his hand continue the stroking of her skin, in the way that he’d been doing since they’d come down from the erotic wave their mutual orgasm had taken them to.

It had been a long time before either one of them could speak, and when they’d finally been able to, it had been the talk of new lovers.

Pillow talk. Talk about nothing of any real importance; just enjoying the feel of sated bodies against each other and soft voices spoken in hushed tones.

Whereas before, in her limited experience, Sinclair had always felt a bit uneasy in the moments after sex. Not sure what to say... She’d never known the “protocol.”

Neither of the two men she’d been with had made her feel in the least the way Nick had. To even compare them was a joke.

He was definitely in a league of his own.

Before, what had constituted pillow talk with her two previous lovers, had ended up an aborted attempt at best.

But it wasn’t just her. It had been them, as well. They hadn’t been much more...experienced in post-coital chatter than she had been.

So, she thought she should feel more...intimidated with Nick.

He was so much more experienced than her.

Additionally, he’d definitely been with more partners than she had. There was no way a man as fine as he was hadn’t had plenty of women throwing themselves at him.

Not to mention his sexual skill... What he’d done to her body, how he’d made her feel...

“It started before my mother passed away, as you know. We’ve kept it going, built it and nourished it to see it thrive in the way it is now.”

She forced herself to put her thoughts to the back of her mind so that she could focus on him speaking.

She listened as he, haltingly at first, started to talk about the foundation.

* * *

When she mentioned the foundation, a part of Nick had rebelled. He hadn’t wanted reality to come barging in on the pleasure they’d just given one another. He hadn’t wanted to think of anyone or anything else beyond the incredible, erotic encounter that had just occurred between them.

It was no secret that he was the one considered of the two brothers to be the “clam.”

He’d never been what you would call “comfortable” opening up and baring his soul.

Just wasn’t his thing.

With the exception of with his brother, it was not going to happen. And even with Key, the closest person to him, there were times when he felt more at ease keeping a barrier erected, or at least trying to.

Not that his brother had ever allowed that, he thought, a small smile lifting his mouth. And to that end, most people thought he played it loose and easy.

He’d always been comfortable with folks thinking he either was a player or had no emotional depth. He’d never really given a damn what others had thought of him.

He frowned, recalling the words of one of his partners.

“Nick, you are unable to connect emotionally.” She’d hurled the words and they’d bounced off him like eggs on a non-stick fry pan.

No effect.

It wasn’t as though he didn’t care about other’s feelings; he didn’t like hurting people, and particularly not women. The truth was that he had a very soft spot for the gentler sex. He simply preferred remaining...unattached.

He didn’t need a psychotherapy session to tell him why that was. He knew it was because of his parents, what he’d always known to be true about them: that although they loved each other, there’d been something...missing.

He shoved the thoughts aside.

He glanced down at the top of Sinclair’s head, her soft curls now lying in thick waves on her shoulders. With her, he found himself strangely okay with talking about his family, at least in this limited way.

Nick laughed, remembering his brother’s reaction when the reality show’s film crew had come to the ranch.

“What?” Her soft question brought him out of his thoughts.

“My brother wasn’t exactly...welcoming when they first came. The film crew, that is. But Dad and I knew it was a necessary evil. Eventually, Key saw it the same way. The end justified the means.”

“‘Necessary evil’?” she questioned, tilting her head to the side.

“Not exactly my feelings. Didn’t really want them around, truth be told, but the idea didn’t piss me off like it did my brother. You would have thought the hounds of hell had been loosed on the property with the way Key acted.” He laughed outright. “Yeah, but then he remembered why he’d allowed the TV film crew on the ranch in the first place.”

“And why was that?”

He smiled, thinking of his mother...his father and brother. Their history and love for Hawaii.

He recited the words that were ingrained in his mind, heart and soul.

“Family, ranch and the preservation of Hawaii,” he murmured.

Although it was dark, he could feel her confusion.

“Those were the reasons Key finally agreed to allow the film crew on the ranch. Kinda became the family battle cry,” he said, and she laughed softly along with his low chuckle.

“I remember reading something online that stated the reasons for the show were to make more money for the ranch...and maybe exploit two of Hawaii’s ‘dynamic duo,’” she murmured when their chuckles had died out.

Nick heard the question behind the teasing words.

He groaned. “Please, if you like the fact that my brother likes you...don’t mention that ridiculous nickname,” he advised. “That is a surefire way of getting you escorted off the premises,” he finished.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she laughed. “At any rate, you’re the one with the more...” Her voice trailed off and instead of being offended he laughed outright.

“I’m the ‘player’? Yeah, I know,” he replied.

He was well aware of his reputation as a “player.” Hell, his own brother at times bought into the image he so carefully portrayed. Although he knew that his twin knew him well, and was also aware that behind the player image was a man who loved his family, his ranch and Hawaii as much as he did, and took it just as seriously.

And in reality, he’d carefully built up the playboy image as a way to discourage anyone from trying to get too close to him. Although his mother and father loved each other, had always showed love to him and his brother, a part of Nick had seen something else in his mother’s eyes when she’d thought no one was looking.

“Yeah, a lot of folks think that. I don’t really give a damn, though. By any means necessary.” He paused, considering, before he continued to speak.

“The attention from the show brought in an awareness we couldn’t have paid for—an awareness to the Aloha Keiki foundation our mother started. We wanted to honor her and to see her dream, her desire, to help those who are less fortunate prosper. And if my ‘player’ image helped bring in donations, who am I to complain?”

“Of course. All those beautiful women hanging around the ranch, fawning over your every word, was a sacrifice you were willing to make, huh?”

She surprised yet another laugh from him. “Exactly!”

Her tinkling responding laughter made his smile linger.

He felt an odd little feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He’d been getting more of them lately, funny little feelings in his stomach; his chest would even ache oddly at times. There were even times he felt his heartbeat literally race, times when he wasn’t doing anything extraneous.

He frowned. He’d visited the family doc a month ago and knew he was healthy as a “damn horse,” as Dr. Pedersen had put it. Heartbeat regular. Blood pressure normal. Cholesterol count perfect.

When he felt her snuggle deeper into him, as she burrowed against his side, he felt the smile return to his face, and the odd thought that he was ill passed.

It was such a sexy thing to do, he thought, snuggling into him in the way she had.

“And we have my sister-in-law to thank for the extra publicity for the foundation,” he said, bringing her closer to his body. If that were even possible.

“How so?”

“She made sure that when it came to the PR for the show, it was included that the true reasons we agreed to another season was for the foundation. Initially we kept that within the family—our real reasons. The executive producers thought it made for good PR when Sonia ‘accidentally’ let it slip ‘our real reasons.’”

“Accidentally on purpose?” she said and he grinned.

“Yeah, something like that. We trusted her. And with that, she helped the foundation prosper even more,” he said, pride in his voice for both the foundation and the woman he now called sister.

“It’s an amazing foundation,” she murmured, her words creating a warm spot in his heart. He felt his...feelings...for her grow.

“Thank you. Its purpose is to help disadvantaged youth by bringing in donations to the poorer communities on the island.”

“It’s admirable. Not just that your mother started it, but that her family loved her and their community so much they sacrificed to see it prosper,” she stated simply, the sincerity in her words real, touching.

Nick felt that weird ache in his chest again.

Unconsciously he clutched at his chest.

She reached up, as though she, too, had felt the pang...or felt his pain, and placed her hand over his. Their intertwined hands lay on his chest.

He frowned down at her. The only other person he’d ever experienced that type of mental kinship with had been his brother.

The fact that she knew the information showed that beyond finding out what she needed to to help her Wildes, there had been more to her research than a way to “take care of” the Kealoha problem.

“Yeah,” he began, and she burrowed even closer, bringing an unknown smile to his face.

“The money we get comes from both donations as well as what we generate from the farms,” he told her.

“Farms? Like the one you showed me, the orchard?” she asked, softly interrupting him.

He nodded.

“Yes, like the one I showed you, baby. We have a few other ones. New ones we are creating on other islands to benefit other communities. All the proceeds are designated, targeted and used to help with agriculture for the youth, for them to learn a usable skill. It’s also used for scholarship opportunities for the high school students who want to attend a college or university,” he continued. “But the kids know to tap into the resources they have to help out.”

“Through their volunteerism,” she said, and he nodded. She’d been paying attention.

“Sure do.” He was aware of the pride in his voice. “Most do so in the gardens, but we have a small group who come to the ranch and one of the hands supervises them, gives them tasks to do, to help them learn more about ranching.”

“You’re an amazing man, Nickolas Kealoha,” she murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

Her words caused another kick to his heart.

He didn’t want to think of her in those terms. Soon, she would be leaving the ranch. Soon, she would be leaving him.

The thought brought back that pang in his heart, this one so strong he grumbled. She sleepily laid a hand over his chest.

In the center of his heart.

He bit back a curse.

He was falling in love with her.

Chapter 20

“W
hat a nice way to enjoy an afternoon break,” she breathed, the words fluttering against his chest as soon as her heart had calmed and she could speak again.

She felt more than heard his rumble of laughter.

She groaned. “That sounded so flippant, didn’t it?” she said as she lifted away from him to gaze down at his face.

The smile on his handsome face made her catch her breath.

He was such a beautiful man, and when he smiled, his entire face lit up, making him breathtaking.

He was the perfect specimen of manhood.

“Hey, I like it,” he said and reached up to touch one of the curls that had, as usual, managed to ignore her attempts to keep it restrained.

His vigorous lovemaking had made sure the rest of her hair had followed suit, and now it hung around her shoulders in kinky, curly waves on her shoulders.

It was the weekend, and although a rancher’s workday didn’t preclude the weekend, she was surprised when he’d asked her if she’d be interested in going out with him. She’d agreed and they’d spent the day together.

He’d taken her to one of the floral orchards, as well as one of the small gardens that provided his mother’s foundation with its supply. She’d been touched when he had brought her to the foundation gardens, knowing how much it meant to him, to his family. A part of her heart opened up that much more to him, despite her desire to take it one day at a time and enjoy what they had without bringing too much...
feeling
into it.

She feared it was too late for that.

“Oh, Lord, I must look a mess!” she said with a groan, brushing aside the gloomier thoughts and searching, in vain, for a ponytail holder.

“I like how you smile, laugh...how comfortable you are with me. I also like this,” he said, continuing to finger the curl. “Why don’t you leave your hair down more?”

She smiled over her shoulder at him as she pulled her shirt over her head and continued her search. “Not exactly the image I try to project, at least back home,” she said, distracted.

“And what is that? What kind of image is it you’re trying to maintain?”

He got up and tugged his jeans up the length of his legs. She stopped as the sight of him dressing was nearly as exciting as him undressing. He caught her staring and gave her a knowing look, which made her blush.

“I happen to like the way you look, too,” he said, reading her thoughts. They held glances, mutual smiles on their faces. He leaned over and kissed her softly before patting her naked rear end.

“Finish getting dressed, woman. We have the entire day ahead of us,” he said and her smile returned.

Later.

Later they could talk about what was going on between them. How he made her feel.

She felt the changes within herself, knew that no matter what the outcome of her visit here, on a personal level, she wasn’t the same woman.

“The image I ‘try to project’?” she mimicked, not really paying attention to what she was saying in her vain attempt at finding the band to secure her hair.

She pulled her panties up her legs as she considered the question.

“I don’t know. Just one of a professional woman, I guess, is as good as any way of describing it.”

“I would think that would go with the territory, what with your profession. Don’t your Wilde Boys treat you that way? Like a professional woman? Or do they still see you as the little girl who grew up on the ranch?” he asked.

She turned to look at him, wondering if there was anything in his question besides a simple question.

His look was the same. From his expression it didn’t look as though he was mocking her, or the men. She relaxed yet felt tense, not because of anything on his part, but her own.

Her Wilde Boys.

She hadn’t thought of them in that way in a while. She bit on her bottom lip, uncomfortable with the thought.

He caught the way she was worrying her lip and his head tilted to the side.

“You okay, babe?”

“Um. Yeah. Just thinking, that’s all,” she said as she finished buckling her pink wedge-heeled sandal. “They do. It’s not that the brothers don’t treat me as a professional. They do. It’s just hard sometimes, growing up in the same hometown, with the same people,” she finished.

It wasn’t always easy to voice her feelings to herself, as she’d been struggling with the conflicting feelings she’d been having lately regarding her career, the Wilde Ranch and the feeling that she was ready, in a lot of ways, to leave.

She’d felt a sense of guilt when she realized that for as much as she loved the Wildes, her life on the ranch and in her hometown, since the death of her father she’d found herself ready to move on.

“You know, sometimes change is good. Doesn’t have to be bad, or make you feel guilt-ridden, either. We all need change sometimes,” he said.

Again it was as though he was reading her mind.

Her gaze flew his way with a deep frown on her face. God, had she been that transparent? Had her feelings been that clear to read?

And if he’d guessed, did that mean the Wildes had known, as well? Had that been the reason Nate had encouraged her to fly to Hawaii, and not only that, encouraged her to take a small vacation?

Nick wasn’t even looking at her, she noticed, her body relaxing at the realization. He was busy buttoning the remaining buttons on his shirt.

She exhaled. Despite the sexy sight of his muscled chest exposed to her, the beautiful lightly tanned skin thick and corded with muscle, she closed her eyes.

She thought back over her last conversation with Nate.

* * *

“So do you think this is the best course of action?” she asked as she leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms braced on the granite countertop as she held the mug of coffee between her hands.

The kitchen was the gathering place for the Wildes.

All three of the brothers lived on the ranch, and over the past year they’d completed the construction on the west wing, so that the house—mansion, really—had an extra three thousand square feet added to it overall, as each master suite for the couples had been expanded.

The brothers’ rooms had already been large by most home standards, but now each one was like a home within a home, each room reminding Sinclair of a luxurious suite in an upscale hotel, complete with its own small kitchen area.

It was a retreat, and although they rarely did so, if at any time the brothers and their wives chose to break away from the family for a night or weekend on their own, their private suites allowed them the luxury without feeling stifled or restricted due to size.

There was no expense the brothers had spared. No expense when it came to their new wives and their new lives together. As much as she loved them, there had been a small part of Sinclair that envied them their love.

“I think if
you
feel it is, that’s good enough for me, Sinclair. You know that I—we, the entire Wilde clan, trusts your judgment,” Nate replied.

He brought his own coffee mug in hand over to where she sat perched on one of the stools near the low, circular granite counter they often ate and drank around, in an informal setting.

He eased his long frame onto one of the tall bar-stool-style chairs.

“So... Nate, what you’re saying is, it’s up to me, this decision?” she asked and bit down on the bottom of her lip.

Nate laughed. “Okay, so what’s up?” he asked before taking a drink of his coffee and grimacing. “Told Holt to stay the hell away from the coffeemaker,” he complained.

She smiled, despite her ambivalent feelings, before her face became serious again.

“How do you know there
is
anything wrong?” she asked, putting her own cup to her mouth. She grimaced, as well. Holt really did make the worst coffee she’d ever had.

“Little sis, whenever you bite your lip, I know something is on your mind,” he said with a smile.

For whatever reason, that brought tears to her eyes, tears she fought against.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Something is really troubling you!” he said.

Sinclair could only shake her head.

Smiling a shaky smile, she began to speak. “It’s this whole situation,” she told him.

He frowned. “With the Kealohas? You don’t need to be upset about that. We have confidence in you, and at the end of the day, we’ve had to deal with situations a lot more complicated than this. We’ll survive.”

“It’s not that so much as...one Kealoha, to be exact,” she finally admitted.

And with that, she opened up to Nate in ways she hadn’t even admitted to herself. Telling him that she was confident in her abilities, that it was Nick she was having problems with. Not the Kealohas as a family.

Just one Kealoha.

Nate listened carefully, without interrupting her once.

She poured it all out. The situation with the Kealohas was one she could handle, she assured Nate. In fact she had no issues with anyone in the family. After her initial interaction with Keanu Kealoha, it had been Nick Kealoha with whom she had dealt. And
that
was the problem. How Nick...affected her.

When she finally finished, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

With an odd look on his face, one she didn’t understand completely, he gathered her to his big chest and hugged her. When he set her apart from him and stared so intently into her eyes, she felt the rash of tears return.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just wonderful seeing how you’ve grown into this amazingly wonderful young woman, so confident, so smart and capable...” He stopped, laughing and shaking his head. “And so beautiful, that if I hadn’t grown up with you like a sister, and didn’t have a wonderful woman I love more than life itself, I’d be a little jealous of Nick Kealoha,” he said to her utter astonishment.

“What are you talking about, Nate Wilde?”

He smiled. The smile had been tilted down at the corner, as though he was sad in some way.

She frowned. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn in Nate’s eyes was a mist....

“Nate?” Her voice cracked on his name.

“We have all the confidence in the world in you. Go to Hawaii. Do the Wildes proud as we know you will, baby girl,” he said and hugged her.

They small-talked after that, and when he left her to go to work, she stared after him, a bemused look on her face, wondering what he knew that she didn’t.

It was as though he was saying goodbye...with his blessing.

Unaware, a tear slipped down her face as she watched him walk away.

* * *

Now, as she watched Nick Kealoha get dressed, waiting for her to finish, a part of her wondered what Nate had known that she hadn’t.

“Ready, babe?” he asked, smiling and holding out a hand for her to take. She again brushed aside the odd feelings she got whenever she thought too hard about the Wildes.

With a nod she placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead the way.