But his plan had backfired. Instead of making Deirdre jealous, he’d spent the entire night being reminded of all the reasons Deirdre drew him in like no other woman had before. While his date had irritated him to no end with her insipid comments, he’d watched Deirdre be her most charming, charitable self. She’d constantly put others first, attending to everyone else’s needs.
Theo had never known anyone as generous and giving. He was enamored with her seemingly boundless selflessness. Not to mention those luscious curves that had been displayed to full effect underneath her flowing sundress yesterday.
Deirdre captivated in ways he couldn’t describe, and Theo knew she felt something for him. She would not have bothered spying on him in the bar last night if she didn’t.
So why in the hell were they still tiptoeing around each other?
If Deirdre wasn’t so damn hesitant they could test the chemistry that hummed in the air whenever they were near each other. What was she so afraid of?
Maybe he’d made a mistake leaving the ball in her court last night. The woman had already shot him down three times. With Deirdre’s track record she would just run and hide and they would never get anywhere. But maybe that’s where they belonged: she, in her little hiding place, and he, snuggled up in bed with a woman like Ambria.
Nausea climbed up Theo’s throat. He’d had countless Ambrias in his bed over the years, and after an hour or two of pleasure, he’d always been left with the same sickening feeling: that he had been used and had done some using, too. He was tired of that life. He was ready for something stable, something more meaningful. How ironic that the woman he wanted it with couldn’t make up her mind about him.
Theo headed out of the conference room. He had to get ready for the luau that was being sponsored by Hydration Sports Drinks, which he had endorsed as a player. He had been invited to sit at the head table, along with others who had endorsed their product over the years, including their newest spokesperson: Cedric.
Theo snorted a humorless laugh. He must have done something to piss off the universe. That was the only rationalization he could come up with to explain the way his luck was going lately.
Chapter 5
Theo showered and changed into a pair of slacks and a light blue pullover, grateful to leave the confines of a suit for the night. He slipped on the diamond-encrusted watch he’d received as a gift from Hydration back when he was their spokesperson, took one last look in the mirror, and headed for the resort’s ocean-front lawn where the luau was being held.
The air was thick with the scent of the native vegetation, tropical flowers that colored the grounds in bright pinks, reds, yellows and oranges. As he made his way to the head table, Theo caught the incredible aroma of roasting pork wafting through the air.
He arrived at the head table where several former and current players were seated. Of course, his place setting was right next to Cedric’s. Why wouldn’t it be? Their once rock-solid friendship was known throughout the league.
Theo didn’t bother greeting him; after the day he’d had he wasn’t in the mood for a brush-off. He shook hands with the player on his right, an offensive lineman with the Green Bay Packers he’d gone head-to-head with numerous times.
As he placed his napkin in his lap, Theo leaned to the side and said under his breath to Cedric, “Can we agree to be civil to each other tonight?”
His eyes still trained on the stage, Cedric said, “I told you before, I’m not mad at you, Theo.”
“That’s a load of crap.”
“That what you call being civil?” Cedric drawled.
Theo’s palm fisted. “You need to stop acting like a child. This is business.”
Cedric looked over at him, his eyes glittering with anger, then turned his attention back to the stage without saying a word. Theo cursed under his breath, reaching for his water and taking a sip before he embarrassed both himself and Cedric by telling him how much of an idiot he was being right now.
Servers dressed in grass skirts and bikini tops began delivering trays overflowing with poi, lomi-lomi salmon and chicken. Theo sampled the food without really tasting it. The annual luau was one of the things he most looked forward to when he came to Hawaii, but he wasn’t in a celebratory mood tonight.
Pounding drums announced the ceremonial unveiling of the Kalua pig. The well-choreographed presentation of the cooked pork began, extracting oohs and ahhs from the audience. All around the lawn people stood to watch as native Hawaiians gathered around the underground sand oven, which was surrounded by large stones and covered in wet banana leaves.
Theo glanced over at Cedric and was momentarily caught off guard by the rapt look on his friend’s face. This was Cedric’s first luau experience. Over the years Theo had encouraged him to vacation here, but Ced had insisted that his first trip to Hawaii be courtesy of the Pro Bowl.
Theo couldn’t help the swell of pride he felt now that Cedric had finally made it. They should be celebrating this moment together, not clawing at each other’s throats.
After the pork was served, the artificial lighting was dimmed and dozens of tiki torches were lit around the grounds. The hula dancers soon followed, performing a traditional dance. The emcee walked up to the edge of the stage and peered out over the crowd.
“As anyone who has ever attended a luau at the Ihilani can tell you, our hula is not complete until volunteers from the audience come up on stage and join in the fun,” he said. “Which brave souls will join our lovely dancers?”
Several people rose and started for the stage, including Russell Jones, a three-hundred-pound left tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Theo chuckled in spite of himself; at least his night would end with a few laughs.
His amusement dried up the moment he saw Deirdre walking onto the stage.
He hadn’t even known she was here. When he’d called Torrian to ask if he and Paige would be attending the luau, he’d found out that his friend had been steamrolled by food poisoning. Theo hadn’t considered for a moment that Deirdre would come to the luau without Torrian or Paige.
Was she really going to dance in front of all of these people?
She must have lost a bet or been coerced in some way. The Deirdre he knew would never willingly stand in front of hundreds of people and dance the hula, even with a dozen other amateurs there to take the focus off of her.
As the dance instructor began to lead the volunteers in a modern hula, Theo’s focus zeroed in on Deirdre’s erotically fluid movements. He sat mesmerized, utterly hypnotized by the way her hips swayed back and forth in unhurried, arousing circles. She slowly lifted her arms as she rocked, a self-satisfied smile tilting her lips.
His pulse raced as her seductive dancing weaved a spell around him. She was so sensual, her lower half undulating in a rhythm that was too damn close to the fantasies that had played out in his dreams. How many nights had he imagined Deirdre straddled across his lap, his hands cradling her waist as she rocked back and forth? A desperate moan escaped his throat.
Deirdre moved toward his end of the stage. Her rolling hips abruptly stilled when their eyes connected, and a look of horror flashed across her face as she stared at him with wide, appalled eyes. But just when Theo thought she would run from the stage in a panic, her expression changed.
She seemed to transform right in front of him, her shoulders relaxing and her chin lifting in a confident tilt. Stretching her arms wide, she twirled her wrists as the instructor illustrated, and began to circle her hips. Her eyes never leaving his, Deirdre danced with unabashed eroticism, triggering a tightening in his groin with every brazen sway.
By the time the dance was over, Theo’s heart was pumping so hard he could practically feel it hitting the walls of his chest. He felt lightheaded, his mouth dry, throat aching with desire.
As the volunteer
dancers left the stage amid a round of applause, Deirdre’s eyes briefly locked with his. Theo twisted in his chair, watching her as she made her way back to her table.
He pushed his chair back, intending to follow her, but just then the emcee welcomed Hydration Sports Drink’s VP of Marketing, who in turn invited the occupants of the head table to the stage. Theo was forced to endure a solid ten minutes of banal platitudes about the long-standing relationship between the NFL and Hydration, but it gave him time to come to his senses.
He would not go chasing after Deirdre just because she’d danced the hula as if she was doing it solely for his entertainment. His pride had been tackled one too many times for him to give in so easily.
Once dinner and the performance had ended, people gathered on the teakwood dance floor that had been laid down expressly for the occasion.
Theo started back toward the head table, but when he saw Cedric laughing with another player, he changed course. Now that Ced was finally enjoying himself, Theo didn’t want to spoil it. Instead, he headed toward the left side of the grounds where the Sabers coaching staff was seated.
He spotted Sabers’ head coach Dave Foster, but his steps faltered when he noticed Deirdre sitting next to him, deep in conversation with the woman on her right. He willed his feet to continue forward.
“Theo!” His former head coach stood and greeted him. He noticed Deirdre’s shoulders stiffen, but she kept her head turned.
“Figured I’d see you in Hawaii,” Dave continued. “This place wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“Sorry things didn’t work out this season,” Theo said. “I was hoping this would be the year the team made it to the Super Bowl. It looks as if you all have enough pieces in place to make a good run next year, though.”
“Except for a middle linebacker,” Dave said with a wink. “Give me a few months. I’m going to coax you out of retirement.”
Theo affected a noncommittal grin. “You know me. I never say never, but don’t hold your breath.”
Dave chuckled as he slapped him on the back, and then he bade good night to the rest of the table. Against his better judgment, Theo took the seat his former coach had just vacated, right next to Deirdre.
He knew she was aware of him. Her body had become more rigid, even as she continued to converse with a woman Theo vaguely remembered as the wife of one of the assistant coaches.
Theo nodded at the team’s strengthening coach sitting across the table and asked him about the plans for off-season training, biding his time until Deirdre was forced to acknowledge him. Though, to be honest, now that he was next to her, Theo wasn’t all that sure what to say. He just knew that something had to be said after the way she’d talked to him with her hips.
Injecting monosyllabic responses as the coach droned on, Theo kept one ear on the conversation to his right. When the woman departed, Theo brought the strength-training discussion to an abrupt end and pivoted in his chair.
Deirdre kept her gaze leveled at the dance floor. She picked up her glass and took a long drink. Was she really going to ignore him?
As if she’d heard his question, she turned to him and said in an even, almost pleasant voice, “So, are you enjoying the luau, Theo?”
“I’m having a great time,” Theo answered. “Seems as if you are, too. Nice dancing.”
Her cheeks flushed red. “Thank you,” she said. She plucked a bright yellow flower from the centerpiece and twirled it aimlessly around by its stem.
“I have to admit I was pretty surprised,” Theo continued. “I’ve never seen you so much as bob your head to music.”
“I’m not much of a dancer,” she admitted with a modest laugh.
“I think anyone who saw you on that stage would beg to differ. You should do it more often.”
Deirdre brought the flower to her nose. After several long moments, she asked, “What about right now?”
Theo stared at her, shock rendering him momentarily speechless. He cleared his throat with a deep cough. “Did you just ask me to dance?”
She pushed her chair back and stood, then held her hand out.
The part of him that was still stinging from Deirdre’s past rejections feuded with the part that had fantasized about holding her close while they swayed across a dance floor. As he rose from the table and took Deirdre by the hand, Theo knew he was probably setting himself up for yet another rejection. But he didn’t care. All that mattered was that Deirdre wanted him. Even if it was just this one dance, he would finally, finally know how it felt to have her against him. That was good enough for him.
For now.
* * *
What was she doing?
Deirdre’s heart pumped with the speed of a hundred thoroughbreds racing around a track. Her skin tingled with hyper-awareness as Theo’s strong fingers rested upon the small of her back.
It was the alcohol—that was her only explanation. No matter how empowered she’d felt after she’d danced on stage with all those eyes upon her, she never could be bold enough to ask Theo to dance without this added liquid courage.
When she’d spotted him staring at her from his seat at the head table, she’d been struck by a lightning bolt of mortification. But the embarrassment and shyness had lasted only a few seconds. With her inhibitions freed by one too many mai tais, she had started to move with one goal in mind, to entice him.
As they danced, Deirdre allowed the influence of the tropical beverages to call the shots. A deejay had begun to play more current songs, and everyone on the dance floor was living it up. When she spun around in a flirty twirl, she crashed into Theo’s chest, grabbing onto his broad shoulders to steady herself.
He caught her by her forearms and peered down at her, his eyes narrowing. “Deirdre, have you had too much to drink? Are you drunk?” he asked.
“I’m not drunk,” she said. “Well, maybe a little tipsy. I only had two mai tais.”
“But you don’t drink,” he stated.
“I know. I had no idea what I was missing.” She smiled up at him, and purposely adding a bit of sultriness to her voice, she said, “I’ll bet that’s true about a lot of things, isn’t it?”
“Deirdre—”
She put a finger to his lips. “No more talking. Let’s dance.”
She moved closer to him and rested her head against his chest. Despite the song’s up-tempo beat, they swayed together as if a slow ballad was streaming from the speakers. Theo linked his hands at the small of her back, mere inches from her butt. Just the thought of his hands moving downward caused an excited chill to race along her skin.
She looked up at him and traced her finger along his strong jaw. “What did you like about my hula?”
He regarded her with a reluctant grin. “Everything,” he said.
“That’s not a real answer. What specifically?” Deirdre asked.
“The fact that you were able to stay on beat,” he answered.
Deirdre rolled her eyes. “You know that’s not all you liked.”
“What do you think I enjoyed?” he asked. The husky timbre in his voice drizzled down her spine, causing goose bumps to sprout along her skin.
Deirdre reached behind her back and grabbed hold of his hands. She placed them on her butt. “I think you enjoyed watching this move.”
Theo’s entire body stiffened. In a strained, thick voice, he asked, “Deirdre, what are you doing?”
She had no earthly idea what she was doing. This all seemed like an out-of-body experience, as if she were watching someone else dance with him. Deirdre suspected that she was going to regret her alcohol-aided flirting, but it wasn’t enough to stop her. In fact, she was ready to take it one step further. If she was going to prove that she could step out of her shell, this was the time to do it.
&nb
sp; Fingering the collar of his shirt, Deirdre glanced up at him and said, “Theo, I’m getting sleepy. Would you walk me to my room?”
His eyes sharpened, anticipation and wariness filtering through. “Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked.
Not at all. But she wasn’t letting that get in her way.
“You need to take me to my room,” Deirdre insisted.
His gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth to her breasts, sending a shock of warmth racing through her chest. Without another word he took her by the elbow and marshaled her from the dance floor toward the path leading to the hotel.
“Wait.” Deirdre halted their exit. “My purse.”
“Is it at the table where you were sitting?”
She nodded. “Under my chair. It’s white with little flowers on it.”
Theo left her standing at the edge of the walkway while he went in search of her bag. Just as he returned, a waiter approached with a tray of drinks, offering them a cocktail.
“No, thank you,” Theo said. “I think we’ve had enough.” He turned to her. “Believe me, you’ll thank me in the morning.”
“As long as you promise to be there in the morning,” Deirdre murmured, infusing as much huskiness into her voice as she could.
Theo’s eyelids slid shut and his chest expanded with the deep breath he drew in. “Come on.”
The desire that resonated in those two words caused her stomach to clench with answering need. Lord, how long had she craved this man? She wanted him so bad. And right now.
They made it up to the eighth floor in record time. Deirdre couldn’t recall a single detail about the trip from the luau to her room; her mind was focused solely on getting Theo naked. She knew there would be consequences, but dammit, let the consequences come tomorrow. Tonight, she was going to have Theo Stokes.
Pleasure Rush Page 6