by Lori Foster
Two heartbeats passed, and then Becky tackled him to his back. She trembled, and she had a deathgrip on his neck. George, feeling his own throat close with emotion, held her tight. “Don’t cry, Becky. I can’t bear it.”
She sniffed and snuggled closer. “George?”
“Yeah?”
“If I let you stay, you have to let me measure you.”
He laughed and rolled her beneath him. “Deal.”
George woke to an empty bed. He sat bolt upright in alarm, but Becky was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, he realized sunshine filtered through the drapes. When he looked at the clock, he was stunned to realize he’d slept so late. It was nearly ten, when he almost never stayed in bed after eight. Especially when there wasn’t a woman in bed with him.
He frowned—then heard the feminine whispering in the other room. Becky had company, and he could just guess who it was. Asia and that damned Erica. Were they gossiping about him even now?
George grabbed up a sheet, halfheartedly wrapped it around his waist, and slunk to the door to listen. Yep, that strident voice belonged to Erica. Was she trying to talk Becky out of getting involved? She was so damned cynical about men, even when she was being amusing.
Because he couldn’t hear anything clearly, George opened the door and slipped halfway down the hall. He heard Asia say, “You let him spend the whole night? Why, Becky, you little tart.”
The women laughed, so he knew Asia was only teasing.
“Is it love at first lay, then?” Erica wanted toknow, and George thought about storming out and muzzling her.
But Becky’s next words stopped him cold.
“Of course not. Erica. I’m actually amazed that he even wanted to stay the night.”
Both Erica and Asia asked, “Why?”
There was a long expectant moment, and Becky sighed. “There’s something neither of you know.”
George peeked around the corner in time to see Erica bound to her feet. “What did he do to you?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
Asia touched Erica’s arm. “There’s something she wants to tell us. Is that right, Becky?”
“Yes.” But rather than explain, Becky stood. She straightened stiff and proud, and lifted her nightgown, showing her friends her leg.
George wanted to groan. He knew she expected them to be horrified, to be disgusted. If either of them hurt her feelings, he’d …
Asia whispered, “Dear God, Becky, what happened?”
And Erica asked with concern, “Does it still hurt?”
Becky dropped her nightgown back into place. “I was in a wreck when I was young. No, it doesn’t hurt, but you see how ugly it is.”
Erica turned militant. “Did George think it was ugly?”
“He said not. He said it didn’t matter.”
“Of course he’s right.” Asia stood to hug her. “You should trust what he tells you, honey.”
Erica laughed. “True enough. George doesn’tcare about a few scars on your leg, Becky. He probably only cares about what’s between your legs.”
The comment sent George right over the edge. Dressed only in a sheet, he stormed into the room. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Erica.”
Erica stood, too, so that the three women grouped together to stare at him in shock.
Three sets of feminine eyes roved over him, from his naked chest and legs to his tenuous hold on the sheet at his hip.
Asia gulped.
Becky blushed. “George, you’re naked!”
Erica recovered first. She gave a wolf whistle, then said to Becky, “Honey, there are some things a woman never complains about. I think this might be just such an occasion.”
George was too disgruntled to be embarrassed. “I don’t like having you speak for me, Erica.”
Asia raised her brows. “You’re saying she’s wrong? That you do care about Becky’s leg?”
Becky looked horrified. “Asia!”
“Of course I care about her leg.”
In a united front, Asia and Erica flanked Becky. They looked ready to castrate him. Becky looked devastated.
At the ragged end of his emotions, George stomped forward. When he touched Becky’s cheek, his hand shook. “I love your leg, and what’s between your legs, and your heart and your hair and your—”
Becky gulped out a laugh. Her face turned bright pink.
Beside her, Asia beamed. “Well now, this is wonderful.”
Erica snorted. Before she could say anything, George reeled on her. “Isn’t it your turn to go hang out in the porn shop?”
A heavy silence fell. All three women scrutinized him, Asia with a touch of guilt.
Becky breathed in accusation, “You knew.”
George wanted things settled. “Damn right I knew.” He cocked a brow. “Or at least I thought I did. You put a definite spin on things that I hadn’t anticipated.”
Asia and Erica leaned around Becky to look at each other. “A spin? Now that sounds interesting. Do tell.”
George rolled his eyes and ignored them. “I didn’t really give a damn what your so-called fantasy was, because all my fantasies are about you. No matter what, I couldn’t lose.”
Erica rubbed her hands together. “Better and better.”
George growled, “Will you two go? I’d like to propose in private.”
Becky blinked. “Propose? You mean … you mean …”
Knowing he’d just blown any chance for privacy, George groaned. Then, filled with determination, he cupped Becky’s chin and demanded, “Marry me, Becky.”
Asia squealed. Erica laughed. Next thing George knew, he was caught in their circle and they were all dancing and jumping and singing their way around the room like a gaggle of loons.
He damn near lost his sheet, and when he made a grab for it, he stumbled. “Damn it, she hasn’t said yes, yet!”
They stopped bouncing around. Becky coveredher mouth with a shaking hand. She looked at Erica, looked at Asia. Glowed at George. “Yes.”
Satisfaction rolled through George, followed closely by a tidal wave of lust. “Good.” He grabbed her wrist with his free hand. “Let’s go back to bed.”
Erica burst out laughing. “Men. They are so predictable.”
George stumbled to an outraged halt.
Asia said, “Uh-oh. Bad timing, my girl.”
He turned and stalked back to Erica. “You are next, right, Erica?”
She lifted her brows with mock confusion. “Next?”
“To visit the blasted shop.” He had her cornered and they both knew it. He took swift advantage. “So tell us, Erica, what’s your fantasy?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she quipped, but Asia and Becky just crossed their arms, not offering her an iota of help. Asia even tapped her foot.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Why?” George put his arm around Becky, hauling her close. “Because I’m a lowly male?”
Becky said, “He’s very understanding, Erica,” and George couldn’t help but kiss her.
“George will be family, soon,” Asia pointed out. “So tell.”
Rolling her eyes, Erica blurted, “All right, all right.” She put her hands on her hips, thrust her chin in the air, and said, “Prepare yourself, kiddies.” Then she named her fantasy with a taunting smile.
Asia and Becky went wide-eyed. George straightened in surprise. Thinking of what she intended, and what she’d likely get, George started to laugh—until Erica gave him a sloe-eyed, seductive look. He could tell that she expected him to poke fun, to ridicule her. Her opinions on men weren’t overly complimentary.
Well, he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of reacting as she expected.
But he couldn’t resist saying, “I pity the poor bastard who runs into you. He doesn’t stand a chance.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Erica assured him.
Giving up, George turned and dragged Becky back toward the bedroom.
Asia was sti
ll laughing when Becky yelled over her shoulder, “I think it sounds wonderful, Erica! You can start on Monday.”
George pulled her into the room and slammed the door. He dropped the sheet, picked her up, and crawled into bed with her held close to his heart. “Wonderful, huh?”
Becky touched his chest. “Not as wonderful as you.”
George stared into her eyes, watching her reactions as he slid his hands up her thighs, then spread them wide so he could nestle in between. Becky flinched when he touched her scarred leg, but George knew now that she’d get over that in time. In a thousand ways, he’d show her that she was the perfect woman for him. “I love you, Becky.” He stroked her thigh. “All of you.”
Big tears welled in her eyes. “I love you too.”
“Is that right?” He was already hard, but hearing her say that made him burn.
“I’ve been hung up on you for a long time. What you said about me being your fantasy? You’re mine. You’ve always been mine.”
George smiled. “That’s all I ever want to be.” He kissed her. “Yours.”
“George?”
She sounded so serious, George gave up his contemplation of her breasts to give her all his attention. “What, babe?”
“Do you think Erica is going to end up hurt?”
He rolled over and pulled Becky on top of him. “I think Erica is going to learn a very well-deserved lesson. But if you’re worried about her, I can lend a helping hand.”
“How?” Becky groaned as he began fondling her breasts.
“I’ll make sure the right guy knows what she’s up to.” Cameron had helped him along, so George figured it was the least he could do.
Becky smiled. “Ah. And I know just the right guy.”
He scowled, then caught her nipples in a tantalizing taunt. “You wanna rephrase that, Becky?”
She laughed, squirmed, and when he didn’t release her, she groaned. “The right guy for Erica.”
“That’s better. Now enough about Erica. Come here and love me.”
“All right.” She peeked at him. “Can I handcuff you again?”
George’s heart pounded and his cock flexed. Damn, seeing Becky in a frisky, kinky mood was enough to make any man lose the battle. “You know, I believe you can.”
Drive Me Wild
Chapter One
She’d gotten herself into a pickle this time.
Too distracted to work, Erica Lee slouched back in her office chair and blew her bangs out of her face. Who would have thought that uptight Asia and ultra-shy Becky would have followed through on the dares? Erica sure hadn’t. But with only a little prodding both of them had traipsed right over there and done the unexpected.
It boggled the mind, it surely did.
Now her turn had rolled around and hey, it wasn’t that she had anything against porn shops or fantasies or the like. But where the hell did they expect her to find a man who wouldn’t be a pain in the patoot?
Of course, for them it had turned out great. That is, if one considered marriage great. Erica was still undecided on that particular point. Then again, footloose and fancy-free wasn’t really working for her either.
She winced over that sad truth.
In the next second her office door slammed open with startling force. She jumped a foot and almost fell out of her rolling chair. She was alone in the office, and in fact, the entire floor was deserted while employees attended some meeting that she’d managed to opt out of. She’d been so lost in thought she hadn’t even heard anyone approaching.
Holding a hand to her heart and ready to blast the noisy offender, Erica looked up—and up some more until she fell headlong into the mesmerizing midnight gaze of none other than Ian Conrad.
Oh, boy. Her heartbeat didn’t calm with recognition. Nope. If anything, it tripped even faster. Ian was just so … so male.
Hot around the collar and sweaty, clad in blue jeans, a dirty cambric work shirt, and scuffed laceup black boots, Ian epitomized all that was man. He wasn’t particularly handsome, at least not in the classical sense, but that didn’t lessen his impact one bit.
His features were bold with a strong, straight, high-bridged nose, a powerful chin, and high, harshly carved cheekbones. His eyes were the darkest blue and piercing in intensity—the type of eyes that froze a woman to the spot whenever he directed his attention on her. His dark brown hair was more straight than not, a little shaggy and unkempt.
Bracing his long thick legs apart, he filled the doorway—and then some.
Well, well. Quiet, masterful, impossible-to-ignore Ian. Erica raised a brow, wondering what had put him in such a temper when in the past she’d never seen him so much as frown—even when she’d deliberately provoked him.
Unlike most of the men she knew, Ian was always calm and always firmly in control—of himself and everyone around him.
Not that she’d ever let him control her. “I’ve witnessed more polite entries.”
She’d meant to be a smart-ass, of course, but her attitude got snagged in her throat when Ian took two long, heavy strides to her desk, braced strong, lean hands flat on the surface, and bent down—way down—until his nose nearly touched hers.
Good Lord, she could see every eyelash surrounding those mesmerizing eyes, feel his warm breath against her lips, and smell his raw, potent scent.
“I know exactly what you’re up to, Erica.”
Her eyes widened over that gravel-deep voice that seemed to sink right into her bones. Combined with the heat of his gaze, his rough tone was impossible to misunderstand. It was that man to woman tone, and sexual awareness rolled over her. Feeling helpless, she asked, “You do?”
“Damn right” His mouth appeared tight with annoyance, but still sexy. “Your buddy George was more than willing to spell it out.”
Her gaze snapped back to his. “George spoke to you?” With Becky as a best friend, and George as Becky’s fiancé, she supposed he could be considered a buddy. That is, unless he’d done something to irk her—and given Ian’s unusual mood, it sounded like he might have.
In that case, Erica would have George’s hide.
“No, he didn’t speak to me. And that’s most of the problem right there.”
Ian’s disgruntled scowl was dark enough to make grown men tremble. No wonder he kept itunder wraps in polite company. Not that Erica intended to tremble in front of him. Later, when she was away from him and remembering how close he’d gotten and how delicious he smelled, she might shake a little. But no way would she let him know he affected her that much.
“Well, if George didn’t speak to you, then …?” She let the sentence hang, waiting for him to explain.
“He didn’t. But he did tell a couple of other guys what you have planned at that damn porn shop.”
Erica’s mouth fell open. It took a lot to shock her, and this definitely qualified. She sputtered a moment before finding her voice. “Why, that miserable rat!”
Ian straightened, studied her a second more, and then waved away her indignation. “Forget that. Hell, the whole factory knows what you and Asia and Becky have been up to so it’s hardly a secret.”
She’d just gotten her mouth shut when it dropped open again. “They don’t!”
“You’re not naive, Erica. You know something like that can’t be kept quiet. Hell, I’d be surprised if all of Cuther doesn’t know about it.”
Erica shot out of her chair to pace. She, Asia, and Becky had made a deal when the new porn shop, Wild Honey, had opened up in their miserably quiet hometown of Cuther, Indiana. They were each to visit the somewhat titillating establishment with a specific fantasy in mind. As soon as they spotted a man shopping for wares that indicated a similar interest, they had to ask him out.
Asia had gotten off easy when Cameron overheard the initial discussion as well as the fantasy she’d claimed. Without letting on, he’d visited the shop on the right day at the right time and he’d specifically purchased items that would draw Asia to him, as per the dare
. Since Cameron had already been half in love with Asia, one thing had led to another and they’d quickly advanced from making love to making wedding plans.
Then Cameron had played big brother and helped set Becky up so she got exactly what she was looking for too—in both her fantasy and her choice of man. George had been something of a surprise, but Erica liked him. Or at least she had before he let the cat out of the bag. Now she wasn’t so sure.
Becky and George were currently shopping for engagement rings, while Asia and Cameron had just tied the knot. As the only unattached female still in their circle, that left Erica out in the cold. Not that she wanted to be married, because she didn’t. No, sir. Uh-uh.
It didn’t matter that George and Cameron made it look so damn appealing with the way they catered to Becky and Asia and kept them both smiling like lovesick saps. Hell, these days it was downright nauseating to be around any of them, they all walked around in such a vacuous fog of romantic bliss.
Fuming, Erica whirled around to face Ian. “Who did George tell it to?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?” She didn’t exactly mean to screech, but there were only aroundtwo hundred workers at the factory and everyone pretty much recognized everyone else. “What department do they work in?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t see them, Erica. I was in the ceiling wiring the lights when they walked in. They didn’t even know I was there and I didn’t care to announce myself.”
“Never mind, then.” She started to go around him. “I’ll find out.” And when she did, she’d …
Blocking the door, Ian crossed his massive arms over his wide chest and glared at her. “It doesn’t matter who they are because you’re not meeting up with either one of them.”
Erica drew to an indignant halt. She hadn’t planned to go anywhere with either of the men but, oh, boy, Ian’s tone was guaranteed to get her back up. She knew him well enough since they worked in the same company and their paths often crossed. They chatted regularly, too, especially when he’d rewired her office, but then, she chatted with all the men.