Wilde Thing

by Jannine Gallant

  She scooped salad onto her plate then passed the bowl. “Apparently Monica—you remember who she is?” At his nod, she continued, “Monica dropped off the face of the planet a few days ago. According to my mother, she missed some important meeting with a bunch of bureaucratic bigwigs on Saturday morning, and no one has seen her since the day before that.”

  “Why would your mother think you’d know where she went?” Tripp served himself a heaping spoonful of casserole. “This smells great.”

  “It tastes even better.” She took a much smaller scoop. “Monica was still here in Tahoe when she disappeared. I guess the deal she was involved in had run into complications. When she didn’t show for a second meeting this morning, the people she’s been working with got concerned and reported her missing. Her clothes are still in her hotel room, but she’s not.”

  “How did your mother learn all this admittedly fascinating information?” He blew on a forkful of steaming casserole before poking it into his mouth. “Sounds like a TV drama in the making.”

  “I know, right? I guess the police contacted Lewis this afternoon. Must have been after we left his office, or he would have said something.” She stabbed a tomato then glanced over. “Anyway, Lewis claimed he hadn’t seen his ex-wife since last week but gave the authorities a list of Monica’s friends. My mother was on it.”

  “Ah, that explains it. You mentioned a bender?”

  Hannah nodded. “She and my mom were drinking buddies back in the day. Mom laid off the booze during her stint with husband number four. She swears Monica went on the wagon years ago.”

  “So, no one knows where this woman is?”

  “Apparently not.” Hannah shrugged. “I’m sure she’ll turn up eventually.”

  “Like a bad penny.” He gave her a slow smile. “Let’s talk about something more to the point—us.”

  Her fork clattered onto her plate. “There is no us.”

  “There could be. We have a lot of fun together. If you’d quit being so prickly, a good time could turn into something truly rewarding.”

  “Where, in bed?” She shook her head. “I’m not interested in a fling.”

  “Hannah?”

  “What?” Her voice was soft, almost fearful.

  “Maybe I don’t want a fling, either.” He picked up her hand and held it tight when she tried to pull away. “Maybe I want something more.”

  She stared at him, eyes wide as he bent closer. With great care, he kissed her, enjoying the sweet taste that was uniquely Hannah. Despite the immediate ache in his groin, he resisted the urge to take the kiss to the next level. No matter how badly he wanted to.

  Finally, he pulled away to look into troubled golden eyes. “Just think about it.”

  Chapter 8

  Hannah clenched the steering wheel and pressed harder on the gas as studded snow tires gripped the slippery road on the steep climb to Tripp’s home. Not that she was in a rush to arrive, which was why she’d delayed his therapy session until late afternoon, claiming an urgent need to clean her house and wash a couple loads of laundry. As temperatures dropped with the fading daylight, a morning snow shower had turned to a thin layer of ice on the roads, making driving treacherous.

  Perilous streets weren’t her biggest problem. The drive wasn’t half as frightening as the decision she’d been contemplating ever since she’d kicked Tripp out of her cabin the night before with a grudging promise to mull over his proposition. An intimate dating relationship. She let out a shaky breath, barely noticing when the back tires skidded. Correcting automatically, she asked herself why in the world she’d even consider saying yes when Tripp would undoubtedly wind up breaking her heart. She was far too pragmatic to believe in any other outcome. Still, the evidence of her insanity sat on the seat next to her.

  Winnie pressed her nose to the window, fogging up the glass with her panting. Hannah had brought her dog along to the therapy session—just in case she tossed common sense aside and gave in to an eight-year-old crush. One she’d never completely gotten over. The small bag on the backseat holding a nightgown, change of clothes and a toothbrush confirmed she’d lost her mind.

  Am I really going to do this?

  Turning into his driveway, she stopped the car and shut off the engine, still unsure of the answer. Straightening her shoulders, she opened the door and stepped out onto the slick, snow-covered pavement. “Come on Winnie. We’ll leave the bag in the car…for now.”

  Her dog hopped out and scampered by her side down the shoveled path to the front door. After hesitating a moment, Hannah rang the bell. With each passing second, her anxiety increased until she was a huge bundle of nerves when Tripp finally opened the door.

  He eyed her up and down with a hint of amusement. “You could have just come in when I didn’t answer right away. I was talking to Marco.” He rubbed his arms. “It’s cold out here.”

  “Somewhere along the line, I learned manners. Who’s Marco?”

  “My trainer. He called to check up on me.”

  “Oh.” She brushed past him since he made no effort to move out of the way then fumbled for something else to say. “I brought Winnie with me.”

  Score one for Queen of the Obvious. Get a grip, Hannah.

  “So I see.”

  Her cheeks warmed despite the freezing air that had entered the house with her. “She looked sad when I told her I was leaving.”

  “No problem.” He shut the door behind the dog.

  She tugged off her boots and hung up her jacket then headed straight down the hall toward the workout room. Business first. She glanced back at Tripp who wore athletic shorts and a thin jersey that clung to his broad shoulders and ripped abs in the most distracting fashion. Then maybe pleasure.

  Heat crept up the back of her neck. “Is it hot in here?”

  “I don’t think so. Possibly you’re overdressed.”

  She glanced down at her soft red T-shirt. “Uh, no, that can’t be it. Never mind. Let’s get to work.”

  He dropped a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You don’t want to talk about our relationship status?”

  “Nope. Maybe later.”

  “Fine. Where do you want me?”

  I can think of a few places.

  She took a couple of calming breaths. “Uh, anywhere is fine. We’ll start with some internal range of motion exercises then move on to strengthening.” As she tucked in beside him to position his arm, his body radiated heat, sending her personal temperature up a few more notches. She gritted her teeth.

  After a minute, his voice rumbled above her ear. “My manager called.”

  Breathing steadily was taking an effort, and she wasn’t the one doing the workout. “What about?”

  “The outtakes for the movie they’re currently shooting in the Extreme High series. I was under the impression the producer had all the footage he needed.”

  “A little more to the left. That’s it. Rotate slowly.” She glanced up at him. “I take it he doesn’t?”

  Tripp shook his head and grunted as she stretched out his arm. “No, they need a few more usable minutes from the Tetons in Wyoming. The lighting wasn’t great the day we were heli-skiing. The film crew thought they could piece together enough footage from the hour of sun we had before the clouds came in, but the producer isn’t happy.”

  “Sounds costly to go back and film again.”

  “No kidding.” His grin turned into a grimace as they began another rep. “Could be worse, though. At least it wasn’t the footage from Switzerland or Alaska.”

  “Definitely a good thing. So, they’ll have to replace you with another skier for the retakes?”

  He hesitated for a moment. “No, they want me to do it. Or maybe I should say expect me to follow through on my contract.”

  Her hand stilled on his arm. “Tripp!”

  “The production team still has to organize everything, and since it’s storming in Wyoming right now, the shoot won’t b
e until sometime next week.” He frowned. “Don’t look so appalled. The doc said I can resume normal activity by then.”

  “Normal being the key word. Heli-skiing isn’t normal. The chance of re-injury this soon after your dislocation is extremely high, just like the damn movie.”

  “Good one.” He straightened and faced her with hands fisted on his hips. “As long as I don’t crash hard, I’m not going to hurt my shoulder. So you can rest easy since I rarely fall. Anyway, I need to get in some training before the final Big Air Championship in March.”

  She opened her mouth then shut it and let out a long breath. “Who am I to approve or disapprove? It’s your health and your life. I guess you can do what you want.”

  He slipped an arm around her and squeezed. “Hey, I value your opinion. Honestly. But the doc said I’ve made great progress. Anyway, I’ll have you there to keep my therapy on schedule. If possible, I want to continue improving at an accelerated pace.”

  She stepped back. “What?”

  “I need you, Hannah.”

  “Don’t bat those damn lashes at me and think I’ll cave in to your whims.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not as susceptible to your charm as your usual groupies.”

  “No?”

  His smile set off a swarm of butterflies in her chest. “No.”

  “Not even a little bit?”

  She couldn’t repress a responding grin at his teasing. “Okay, maybe a tiny bit susceptible.”

  “Thank God.” He swiped a hand across his brow in an elaborate gesture. “I thought I’d lost my touch.”

  She laughed outright. “You’re an idiot.”

  “Maybe. Probably. Still, I really do need you. I don’t want to cut my rehab short. Will you think about it? Please.”

  “My brain is already on overload with everything you want me to think about. You’d better watch out, or my head just might explode.”

  “Then relieve the pressure by saying yes…to both dating and traveling with me.” He leaned in close and produced another high-wattage smile. “Problem solved, and everyone is happy.”

  “You certainly would be.” She stepped back, determined to put some distance between them before she agreed to something really stupid. “What am I going to get out of the deal?”

  “My manager said the film company will pay top dollar if you’ll come along and keep me healthy enough to ski. They’re committed to making this happen.”

  She skewered him with a skeptical look. “What’s top dollar?”

  “Twice what I’m paying you now.”

  Hannah reached out to clutch the bar on the elliptical machine behind her. “Seriously?”

  “Yep. Then my sponsors will pony up the big bucks until the Big Air Championship is over. The competition is in Colorado this year, and I’ll need to be there the week prior for training.”

  She dropped down onto the seat of the stationary bike. “Why do I feel like I’m being bought? I still don’t like the idea of you jumping back into such strenuous activity so soon.”

  “My sponsors pay a lot of money to have me out on the slopes wearing their gear. I’m not the only one losing out because I’m sitting at home on my ass not skiing.”

  The frustration evident in his clenched jaw ate away at her resistance. Finally, she nodded. “Since I’m dead certain you’ll head to Wyoming whether I agree to join you or not, I may as well go along. Better to keep your therapy on track than to have you stop altogether.” She rose to her feet. “That being said, let’s finish this session. I’m going to push you even harder now to get that shoulder as strong and flexible as possible before next week.”

  He stepped toward her and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Thanks, Hannah.”

  She rested her cheek against his hard, warm chest. “You’re welcome. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

  “I won’t.” After a moment, he pulled back a few inches. Green eyes darkened from emerald to a deep forest with heat shimmering in their depths. One hand rose to cup her chin as he touched her bottom lip with his thumb. “I don’t suppose this means—”

  “I’m still thinking about that part of the equation.” She pushed his other hand off her hip and moved away. “Back to work.”

  “You’re the boss.”

  By the time they finished the session with a deep tissue massage, she still hadn’t made a decision. Although kneading the hard muscles of his arms and back unfairly enticed her to agree to just about anything he might suggest. She’d touched dozens of men in the same way and was never tempted to let her fingers trail down to a firm—

  “Hannah?” His voice was soft and deep.

  She dragged her gaze upward from his rock-hard ass beneath the nylon shorts. “Hmm?”

  “I’ve had hundreds of massages. Granted, most were given to me by my trainer, who looks a little like Stallone in Rocky, but he sure never made me feel like this.”

  She swallowed. “Probably a good thing.”

  “Yet when you touch me…” He rolled to his side. “I want you. Nothing more or less.”

  Her gaze dropped to the indisputable proof that he wasn’t exaggerating his need. She let out a shaky breath and looked away. Heat glowed in his eyes.

  “I won’t deny the attraction between us. I’m certainly not immune, but—”

  He winced. “Does there always have to be a but?”

  “Probably. I don’t want to get hurt.”

  He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the table then pulled her to stand between his thighs. Heat flamed through her at the contact.

  “Life is a risk. Take this one with me.”

  “And then what? I want to know where I’m headed. I don’t like feeling as if I’m out on a ledge where the ground might crumble beneath me at any moment. You may remember I covet stability. I seek comfort and tranquility in a relationship. Life on the edge isn’t for me.”

  “Maybe we’ll find those things down the road if we give ourselves a chance. True, there aren’t any guarantees. Playing it safe might not break your heart, but it isn’t going to bring you a whole lot of joy, either.” He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her in even closer. “I’m willing to meet you halfway. We’ll find common ground. I promise.”

  Leaning in, he kissed her. Her heart thumped in a painful rhythm as she responded. When he deepened the contact to a slow and thorough mastery of her mouth, her knees nearly buckled, and a little moan escaped.

  “We’ll be good together.” His lips ran down the side of her neck to a spot beneath her ear. “Unbelievably good.”

  She closed her eyes and floated on a sea of pleasure, certain good wouldn’t come close to describing how he could make her feel. In all her twenty-six years, she’d only been with two men. Neither experience had given her half the pleasure she felt kissing Tripp. She couldn’t begin to imagine what making love—be honest and call a spade a spade, Hannah—what sex would be like with this man. One thing she did know. She was tired of playing it safe. Finding out how things could be with Tripp would be the most exciting…and emotionally dangerous…venture she’d ever taken.

  Worth having my heart ripped out and stomped on? That’s what’s sure to happen.

  She pushed the thought into a dark corner of her mind, a place she chose never to visit, and took the leap. “Okay.”

  His warm breath at the wildly beating pulse in her throat stilled. “Was that a yes?”

  She nodded. “Let’s give dating…or whatever this is…a try. I’m not a complete coward. Anyway, what’s the worst that can happen? We both walk away, maybe a little battered, but not beaten.” Her voice caught. “I won’t let that happen.”

  He pulled back to look deep into her eyes. “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “You’re not the only one taking a risk, here. I value the friendship we’ve established and don’t want to mess that up.” He stroked her cheek with his finger. “But, I’m confident we
can build on what we already have.”

  “I hope so.”

  “There’s also the Eden factor to consider.”

  Hannah frowned, doing her best to follow his train of thought when all she really wanted was for him to kiss her again. “What does your sister have to do with this?”

  “She threatened to maim me if I hurt you.” His finger brushed along her jaw, a tantalizing, feather-light touch. “Not in so many words, but that was the gist of the conversation.”

  “When I talked to her, she made it crystal clear I should stay far, far away from you.” Hannah let out a ragged breath as he traced a path down her neck and across her collarbone. “I guess neither one of us is very good at taking orders.”

  His palm cupped her breast. “Not from my little sister.” He gritted his teeth. “Hannah?”

  “What?” Her voice was a whisper.

  “Are we going to do this?” His eyes glazed when her nipple pearled beneath his hand. “Because right now I want to strip off your shirt and kiss every inch of bare skin beneath it.”

  All she could do was nod.

  Without words, he slid down from the table and took her hand to lead her from the room. Behind them, a thump sounded. Hannah took a quick peek over her shoulder. Winnie shook and stretched after her nap in the chair by the window then followed behind them.

  “Uh, we might have an audience.”

  “Not if I shut the bedroom door. I don’t need your dog critiquing my moves.”

  Hannah let out a long breath. “She wouldn’t have much to compare them to.”

  He stopped and pulled her around to face him then tilted her chin to look into her eyes. “No?”

  “I’m not exactly…experienced.”

  His eyes widened. “You’re not a—”

  “No!” Her voice came out in a squeak. “I just haven’t had a lot of relationships that made it as far as the bedroom.”

  He dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. “If all the men you’ve dated were as stimulating as the good doctor, I can understand why. Don’t worry about it. I’m not.”

  “Why? Because you have enough experience for both of us and then some?” Her gaze slid away. “In case you weren’t aware, that’s a bit intimidating.”