Wild in Love

by Bella Andre

  * * *

  For Daniel, their night together had been flawless, dazzling. Tasha was inside him now, part of him. Even while they finished their breakfast outside on his deck, he wanted to pounce on her and have his wicked way with her in the glorious sun and the fresh air.

  He could still taste her on his tongue, seducing his senses with her scent, and relished the memory of how she’d trembled against him. Even better, he understood there was no way Tasha would have allowed herself to make love to him if she hadn’t felt at least an inkling of forgiveness and acceptance. Surely by now a part of her had to believe that not everything about her family’s con was her fault.

  All he could think as she got up to clear their plates was that no one had ever made dishwashing sexy. Until Tasha.

  He was such a goner. And he couldn’t have been happier about it.

  “So,” she said, “what can I help you with today?”

  A good half-dozen naughty responses leaped to his tongue. He was still picking his favorite when she held up her hand, clearly reading his dirty mind. Probably because she had one too—he’d confirmed that last night to the best of his ability, after all.

  “While wearing a tool belt,” she clarified.

  Oh yeah. There were of plenty of fun things they could do together while she had on a tool belt. In fact—

  He leaned forward to tap the bill of her cap. “We need to get you a special ball cap that says I do everything better with my tool belt on.”

  “Daniel.” She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow like a schoolmarm. The sexiest damn schoolmarm on the planet. And she was trying so hard not to smile. “We should work on your house.”

  Yesterday, he’d convinced her to take a little time off, but he obviously wouldn’t get away with it twice. Still, even doing carpentry, he planned on getting away with plenty—teasing her until she begged, touching her on the sly, kissing her until she was delirious.

  “Okay, we can get to work. But let’s head up to your place, since finishing the paneling in your cabin is a two-person job and I’ve only got a day or two left before I need to head back to the office.”

  Tasha paled at his words, and though he never wanted to cause her pain, his heart gave a little kick at seeing her react to the idea of his leaving.

  “I’m amazed you’ve been able to get away for this long.” She was attempting nonchalance, but from where he stood, it seemed like she couldn’t quite take in enough air.

  He hated the thought of leaving her. Then it hit him: What if she came with him?

  He’d spent his whole life looking for perfect, assuming that was where he’d find real happiness. Yet he’d found his greatest joy in the middle of what anyone would call a big fat mess.

  A week ago he’d thought messes were to be avoided at all costs. Yet now he wanted that messiness with everything he was. Maybe the road was supposed to have bumps. Maybe working through those bumps together made you stronger.

  The one thing he knew for sure was that Tasha belonged with him.

  The only question was, how the heck to convince her to go back together?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The fleeting time Daniel had left in Lake Tahoe played around and around in Tasha’s head as they worked on her cabin’s paneling.

  He’d given her a taste of how wonderful they could be together. How good it was to talk, to work side by side, to play with the puppies together. Not to mention the tantalizing, sexy feelings he evoked in her.

  Delicious sensations that bubbled up every time his hand brushed hers when they lifted a panel. Or when his touch lingered after he’d handed her a tool. Or when he stood so close she felt faint from the delicious heat of his body and his spicy scent.

  With his shirt off, his jeans riding low on his hips, and his tanned skin covered in a sheen of sweat, he was the epitome of the sexy construction worker.

  Tasha’s mouth watered.

  “Hold it here,” he directed, and his words, especially his tone, dragged her back to last night in his sleigh bed when he’d given her the most glorious sensual commands imaginable.

  As she held the panel in place against the wall, he shifted behind her, his body sliding against her, the scent of the soap he’d used in the shower surrounding her.

  He was doing it on purpose, touching her like this, the contact making her dizzy. Fifteen minutes ago, he’d kissed her until she nearly swooned like a Southern belle who’d laced her corset too tightly. Then he’d gone right back to hanging the next piece of paneling, a grin playing around the edges of his mouth.

  Needing to cool off a bit—her concentration was so bad at this point she might accidentally cut off a finger—she said, “I’m just going to check the puppies.”

  Of course they were fine. They had plenty of water in their pen, and after they’d scarfed down some kibble, they became so energized that a wrestling match ensued among all three. Tasha was pleased that Darla had grown strong enough to hold her own with her two bulkier brothers. Even better, she was usually the winner with her quick and wily moves.

  Returning to the bedroom, Tasha almost swooned—again. Daniel stood spread-eagled against the wall, hammering a piece high up. The work was seamless as he stepped back to inspect it.

  The paneling be damned—he was all she saw. The play of muscles across his broad back. Lean hips in well-worn jeans. She was speechless. Dizzy with lust.

  Her heart beat wildly as she crossed the room. The clomp of her tool belt hitting the floor should have alerted him, but he didn’t turn. Part of the tease, she was sure, because he had to know how edible he looked, so much so that she was dying to take a bite out of him.

  Gliding her arms around him from behind, she slid her hands along his waist. Without second-guessing herself, she unbuckled his tool belt and tossed it aside with a thunk. Then she popped the button of his jeans.

  She’d never been this bold with a man. But Daniel gave her the courage to do the things she wanted, to say the things she’d always kept inside. With him, she forgot her natural inhibitions. Yet, in all the things they’d done last night, this—giving him the same pleasure he’d given her so many times in the night—hadn’t been one of them. She’d been so fevered and wild, she could think of nothing else but being with him.

  As he turned to face her, the need burning in his eyes made her feel powerful and wonderful and free. And happy enough to wipe out, for another few blissful moments, the turmoil of her past.

  Throwing herself at him, she kissed him with all the pent-up desire he was so expert at building inside her. She ran her fingers down his rock-hard chest, over his incredible abs, down to the zipper of his jeans. He was so hard, so big, she could barely get the zipper down. Her hands shook—all of her shook—with the desperation to feel him, to taste him, to make love to him.

  She curled her fingers around him even as she dropped to her knees and pulled him free. She wet her lips, tingling from head to toe with need. “You really are magnificent.”

  “So are you,” he said.

  She felt magnificent in this moment. What they were doing wasn’t coarse or crude. It was sexy. It was honest.

  And it was beautiful.

  “Just one more thing.” He tossed her ball cap aside and pulled the elastic from her hair, letting the tresses float over her shoulders.

  She couldn’t wait a moment longer, didn’t give herself time to worry she might be bad at it. She could never be bad at something she wanted this much.

  There was the pleasure of his taste, the decadent feel of him against her tongue, and the lovely knowledge of her effect on him. His groans were husky, the words falling from his lips sweet and filthy, his legs shaking as though he could barely stand.

  He shoved his fingers through her hair and held her as his hips took over the rhythm. She reveled in his surrender as much as his taste.

  Then he hauled her up, anchoring her legs around his waist. “I love what you’re doing. But I need more. I need you.” He stalked wit
h her out to the living room, where her air mattress lay in the corner.

  “Wait, we can’t do it there.” She almost laughed at her practical side rearing itself now, of all times. “It’ll burst.”

  “If it does, I’ll get you a new one.” Then he grinned, utterly confident that he had her right where he wanted her. And right where she wanted to be. “Or you can sleep in my bed from now on.”

  They’d never get up if they slept in his sleigh bed. They almost hadn’t this morning. He dropped hot little kisses on her mouth, her cheeks, her nose, her eyes, and the idea blossomed that maybe, oh yes, positively, staying in bed all day with Daniel wasn’t a bad idea at all.

  He knelt, letting her fall back before he came down on top of her, her legs still wrapped around him. “See, it didn’t burst.”

  “Yet,” she said, tossing out her challenge with a laugh. She’d never known making love could be so much fun. But this was Daniel and everything about him was incredible.

  “Do you have any idea what that tool belt and those shorts of yours have been doing to me all morning?” He slid his fingers into the fabric, cupping her hips. “It was like you didn’t have anything else on.”

  She could only moan in response as he touched her in all the right places.

  “I want to take you so slowly,” he whispered, “that you’re panting.”

  She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down, her lips on his. “I’d rather have you really fast and hard.”

  “We’ll do both.” He kissed her into agreement, then came close to ripping her shorts in his haste to get her naked, settling for letting them dangle from one leg.

  Then, with little more than shoving his jeans over his hips, he entered her.

  Fast.

  Hard.

  Perfect.

  She gasped as he filled every bit of her, even the part of her heart she swore had emptied itself out forever that horrible day back in February.

  Then he moved ever so slowly, and she gripped his shoulders, the solid feel of him beneath her fingers keeping her from floating away. It was the stuff of fantasies, the way things felt when you closed your eyes and imagined. Only, this was real.

  He was real.

  “I think…I think…” What was she thinking? Oh God, she couldn’t think at all. “I need to be on top.” She wanted to stretch her arms over her head and ride him.

  “I need you there too.” He rolled with her, and they fell off the bed onto the floor, laughing.

  But even laughing with him was sexy, and soon her eyes were closing as he found just the right spot inside.

  “God, yes,” he growled, “you feel good.”

  Every touch, every kiss, every taste and lick, everything they did was completely delicious. His fingers only made it better as he yanked off her shirt and bra and splayed his hands over her breasts, shooting jolts of pleasure straight down to her center.

  She closed her eyes as she gathered her hair in her hands and curled her arms over her head, her body quivering with every slip-slide over that wonderful spot inside her.

  “Look at you.” She heard the reverence in his voice. “Look at us.”

  She opened her eyes to find him watching the movement of her body as he filled her on every downstroke and revealed his majesty as she climbed up.

  Nothing had ever been more beautiful. Nothing had ever felt so sweet. So good. So right.

  He moved his hand between her thighs, and she gave herself over to sensation. To Daniel. Her breath hitched, her legs quaked, and everything inside her started to shake, contract.

  She felt the build, the rush of sensation to her center, and then finally, the explosion. She cried out, and his hands moved to her hips, helping, grinding her against him—stealing her breath and her heart and her soul as together they shot straight to the sky, to the stars, to heaven.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Come back with me.”

  Daniel and Tasha lay curled around each other on her bed. She felt so warm and sweet against him that he couldn’t keep the request inside a moment longer.

  “Come back with you?” She blinked at him as though he’d just escaped from the nuthouse.

  It was too soon, and he was adding one more layer of complication to her life, but he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her behind. “I want to spend more time with you, and my next trip to Tahoe is way too long to wait.” He stroked her arm, to calm her…and himself. “You can stay with me, if you want. Or you can get a hotel room, stay with a friend, even find an apartment. I just want you close. I want to see you every day like we do now. I want you to meet the guys’ wives and girlfriends, brothers, sisters, mothers.” He paused, wondering how hard to push. But he was already pushing so hard that he might as well go for broke. “I know my parents would love to meet you.”

  The silence beat against his eardrums, her body so still he didn’t think she was even breathing.

  Then finally, she said in a soft voice, “I want to say yes.” His heart leaped with joy, practically doing a jig around the room. “But I don’t know exactly where I’m going to be for a while.”

  “Why?” The mere thought of losing her killed him. “Aren’t you planning to stay here in the cabin?”

  “I was, but after I told you about my family, I realized I need to find my brother and father. I have to confront them. I have to know their criminal career is truly over. I want to believe my father learned something from this final scam—that losing me hurt enough to make him stop. But I won’t know for sure until I see him. Until I talk with him again—this time without the shock of realizing my perfect family life had been a big fat lie. Does that make sense?”

  “Of course it does.” He was so proud of her for taking such a difficult step.

  She breathed in deeply, then let it go on a long sigh. “I should have looked for them before now. You must think I’m a coward, hiding up here in the mountains for so long, and only putting out the first feelers online a couple of days ago.”

  He cupped her face, rubbing his nose against hers, offering all his comfort. “You’re sexy and funny and smart and desirable and capable and honorable and the greatest thing since sliced bread. But never a coward. It was only natural to take some time to process how your family betrayed you. You can’t beat yourself up for needing that, Tasha.”

  “I wish I’d gotten to this point faster.” Frustration ground in her voice. “I desperately want to make sure things are right for everyone who got hurt in the cons. I want them to have justice.” She scrunched her eyes shut. “And I need to see my brother and father again. Not only to hold them accountable for their actions, but to ask them why. Even if I can’t understand, I need to know.”

  Given everything she’d said, he hoped she’d be pleased with what he’d already done. “The day you told me everything”—the day she’d begun to trust him—“I hired an investigator to search for any other victims of your father’s schemes.”

  She clutched him fiercely, her gaze avid. “What have you found out?”

  “The feds have done a lot, but my guy is continuing to follow the money trail.”

  “Which means he hasn’t found anyone.”

  “Not yet. But we already know most of the capital was returned. My guy has learned a few things.” Daniel had talked to his investigator while Tasha took the puppies for a quick walk this morning. “It turns out that while the feds already had an eye on the resort, it wasn’t until they found a wire transfer to your web design company that they started hitting the venture hard, because the name Summerfield had come up in connection with previous scams.”

  “So you’re saying that in a way, I was the one who got my father caught.”

  “Roundabout, yes.”

  His heart throbbed with the aftereffects of an adrenaline rush as he waited for her response. He’d been worried about her reaction, that it would only heap more guilt on her. Yet he had no right to keep the truth from her.

  Finally, she raised her clear
blue gaze to his. “If I blame myself for not seeing the truth and somehow putting an end to the scam, then it doesn’t make sense to blame myself because the money he paid me is what led the investigators to him, does it?”

  Relief whooshed through him. “That’s pretty much what I was thinking.”

  “Thank you for telling me.”

  “I should have told you earlier. And I probably should have let you know about the investigator before I called him.”

  “You don’t want me to beat myself up for needing time to process. And I don’t want you to beat yourself up for being a take-charge kind of guy.” She nestled closer, and the feel of her was like finding total acceptance. “It’s who you are. You do what you think is right and ask questions later.” She paused for a second. “Is your investigator looking for my brother and father too?”

  He shook his head. “I couldn’t take things that far without your permission.”

  “Please help me find them, Daniel.”

  He stroked the hair from her face, trailing a finger down her cheek. “Anything for you.”

  With all his heart, he held her tight. Yet the question weighed heavily between them.

  She hadn’t said whether or not she’d come home with him.

  * * *

  Their time together rewound through Tasha’s brain. They’d laughed. They’d made glorious, sexy love. They’d peeled away layers of the past, layers of emotion. She’d never shared so much of herself with a man and now she knew why—sharing her body was nowhere near as intimate as sharing her thoughts, her feelings, her fears. She’d even told him about Eric. She had no more secrets.

  She adored the Mavericks, and she wanted so badly to meet all the other people who loved Daniel. After hearing his stories, she’d practically fallen in love with his family herself.

  But she’d made such huge mistakes in the past. She’d trusted when she shouldn’t have. She’d seen only the good in people until the bad had been shoved down her throat.

  How was she supposed to know?