Worth the Distraction
Chapter One
Janna Puchina watched as her friend Dani pummeled her fists against the chest of the man who held her small frame in his strong arms. Letting loose a sigh of frustration that blew a low-hanging curl off her forehead, Janna wished her friend luck. Some holiday party this was turning out to be. She'd made a fool of herself in front of her wildly rich and supremely handsome host, downed enough whisky to light a fire with her breath, and now she was watching one of her closest friends have a meltdown all over the guy she loved but couldn't have. Another regret to add to the steaming pile she was creating this evening.
Janna turned away from the window overlooking the balcony and back to the festivities. The crème de la crème of the Pacific Northwest were dancing, hob-knobbing, and sampling the appetizers and champagne their host had laid out for what would be known as the shindig of the year. Janna blushed, remembering her introduction to Brice Masterson, millionaire entrepreneur and owner of the mansion that was currently packed to the gills with partiers.
In true Janna fashion, she'd immediately fucked up. Babbling about the excesses of the rich to Dani, she hadn't realized that Masterson had been standing beside her through the entire diatribe. Now, attempting to banish her embarrassment, she was hitting the bottle like it owed her money. The champagne flute she currently held was drained with no time wasted. Liquid courage imbibed, she headed off in the direction of the kitchen.
Janna smiled as she made her way through the crowd. Moments ago Dean Fischer had burst through the balcony door, his hands cupping a nose that was dripping blood. Masterson noticed his guest's distress and had come to the rescue, leading the dean off to see to his wound. It was Fischer's condition that had led Janna to spy on her friend Danielle. She made her way in the direction she'd last seen Masterson and Fischer heading. After passing down a wide hallway, she poked her head into the kitchen and found the object of her curiosity.
Dean Fischer was sitting on a stool at the granite-topped island, his head back, an ice pack pressed on the bridge of his nose. Tissues were pushed into both nostrils to stop the flow of blood. Brice Masterson stood beside him, flanked by two large men in black suit jackets who had the look of security guards.
Janna couldn't help smiling at Fischer's pain. He was a grade-A asshole, one who had taken advantage of his position to attempt the seduction of Dr. Danielle French, her friend and a professor under the dean's supervision. Before she could hide her inappropriate grin, her host looked up and met her eyes. He shot her a confused half-smile, and a strange bolt of electricity jolted her system.
He really was inordinately handsome. Straight white teeth, wavy blond hair that was mussed just right, and green eyes that seemed to shine with an inner light. Mix in an exceedingly sexy body and a handful of millions, and you had the total package.
Janna tiptoed forward, drawn in by the look in his eyes. She stood close enough to Fischer to hear him groan in pain. "That little Jezebel broke my nose! I demand that she be removed from the party. In fact, call the authorities. I want her arrested for assault!"
Clutching her chest, Janna's mouth dropped open. Dani had done this, and not her forest ranger? Dani had said how worried she was about confronting Caleb, the man she'd fallen for while doing fieldwork in his park. But neither of them had been expecting to see Fischer, and when the dean fled the balcony, Janna assumed his injury was at the hands of the handsome ranger.
For a moment she wanted to laugh hysterically, but she brought herself under control. Brice wouldn't let Dani get arrested, would he? Catching his eyes, she saw reassurance and calmed herself.
"Dean Fischer, I don't believe we need to involve the authorities. I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding."
Fischer's brows shot up at his words. "My nose is broken! What is there to misunderstand?"
Brice put a lean hand on the dean's shaking shoulder. "I'd hate for that story to get around campus. A female professor who isn't even five foot five gets the drop on the esteemed Dean of Sciences. It could make for quite a nasty piece of gossip."
Dean Fischer narrowed his eyes at Masterson but had no ready comeback. "Good," Brice said with a smile. "I'm glad that's settled. Now, if you'll allow my men to escort you to your vehicle, I'm sure you'll feel better after a good night's rest."
"Rest? Masterson, you're trying to hush this up! Afraid I'll make a scene?" Janna had never seen the dean so livid. His normal distant arrogance was gone, burned away by righteous indignation.
"No," Brice said, his smile turning fierce. "Such a well-respected academic like yourself knows better than to air his dirty laundry in public. Consider this purely a financial move. I wouldn't want my insurance premiums to go up if your antics end up provoking a real fight between you and Caleb Hunt. Now, gentlemen, if you would show Dean Fischer the way out...?"
The large men moved to either side of the furious dean, each grabbing an arm and pulling him toward the door on the opposite side of the kitchen. Janna could hear Fischer griping as he was shuffled toward the exit and her smile returned. She glanced over and found that her good mood was mirrored by her host. When Brice Masterson smiled real wide, he exposed a hidden dimple in his chin. For a split second, Janna wanted to lick it. This thought sent a high-pitched giggle through her system that she was unable to stop before it passed her lips.
Brice stepped closer until he was standing in front of her and she had to crane her neck to look up at him. "Something funny?" he asked, his voice slow and sweet like maple syrup.
Janna nodded, not trusting herself to get a word out without slurring.
"You gonna let me in on the joke?"
This time Janna shook her head, her smile saying that she'd take the secret to the grave. "Ah, so it's like that, is it? You're going to make me drag it out of you, huh?"
Suddenly his hands were around her waist, and he was pulling tight against his body. "You're a puzzle, Janna," he whispered, staring into her face with a heated look in his eyes. "One I think I'd like to solve." He lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers.
Her whole body lit up at the contact between him. Her nipples were instantly hard, her body flushed, and a near-painful clenching rocked her feminine core. Damn, this man can kiss, was the last thought she remembered having before his touch washed them all away. Brice's soft lips moved against hers, gently, and he drew her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked on it teasingly. Janna's legs started shaking at the sexiness of it.
He gripped her waist tighter, pressing her against his hard body. One part of his body seemed especially hard, and it was throbbing against her. That realization brought her back to consciousness long enough to pull away.
"Well," Brice said, his green eyes twinkling. "That was interesting."
Janna laughed. Interesting, indeed. Brice smiled and pulled her arm into the crook of his larger one. "I believe you promised me a dance earlier. Don't think the dramatic events of the last half an hour have excused you from your promise."
Masterson led her from the kitchen and back toward the Great Room and the dance floor. He met no resistance when he pulled her into his arms as the band started playing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
* * *
Brice Masterson pulled the woman into his arms closer. She smelled faintly of gardenias, her skin softer than the petals of the alluring white flower. He lowered his head and breathed her scent, her auburn curls tickling his cheeks. She didn't seem to mind his closeness; in fact, her arms rose to circle his neck, and her chin rested lightly on his shoulder. His kiss seemed to have taken away some of her skittishness and Brice was pleased that she was now relaxing in his arms.
Meeting Janna had been a delightful surprise. He'd seen Dr. Danielle French, the professor whose research on amphibian species his organization was funding, standing next to this enchanting creature and hadn't been able to stop himself from heading over for an introduction. Before he could get one, however, he'd heard Danielle's friend ranting abo
ut trust fund babies and the entitlement of rich folks. Instead of rubbing him the wrong way, her words had thrilled him.
This was no run-of-the-mill opportunist or hanger-on, like so many he'd met before. Janna presented a challenge, one that was proving irresistible. Brice found himself wanting to show her how wrong her words were, to prove to her that he wasn't so different from her, despite the near-obscene balance of his bank account.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked her, surprised at how husky his voice sounded to his own ears.
"Mm-hmm," she almost sighed, and a small thrill went through him. The song changed, but luckily it was another slow one, and he continued to hold Janna tight, their bodies moving rhythmically to the music. His hands slid lower, coming to rest on her hips. Her contours were satisfying, gently rounded, but he could tell she was athletic as toned muscles rippled under his palms. The plunging neckline of her white satin gown showed the barest hint of the smooth curves of her high breasts. In that instant, he could see himself paying homage to those breasts. He bet her nipples would be a blushing pink, turning dusky as he sucked them into his mouth. The pressure in his groin returned and he half-hoped she wouldn't feel his rising erection.
Then again, if she did, maybe that would be okay too.
* * *
Janna's head was spinning from too much drink and an overdose of a handsome male. She knew she shouldn't be settling so comfortably into Brice's arms, but something about his touch was soothing. She felt like they were the only two people in the room, and that the music played just for them. The last vestige of her rational brain tried to caution her about the seductive direction of her thoughts. What are you doing? He's a millionaire playboy, and you're a near-elderly college student who hasn't got a chance of keeping a man like this.
Janna smiled, the feel of his hands sliding to her hips causing her to ignore the warning. I don't need to keep him, just to catch him for one night, she thought with a giggle. The old catch and release. Sure, she could handle that.
"Are you still giggling?" he asked, causing her to giggle even more.
"I can't help it. I think I'm hysterical."
"I see," he said with mock seriousness. "I seem to remember the traditional cure for female hysteria requiring a lengthy massage. I advise that we begin treatment immediately."
"What?" The liquor and lust-induced haze were making her confused as he began to lead her from the dance floor. She followed, a bemused smile on her face. As she passed a waiter whose elf hat was tilted jauntily to the side, she grabbed a champagne flute off his tray and drained it quickly, setting it on the bar as they moved past it. Brice led her through the wide archway that marked the entrance to the hallway, then stopped suddenly.
"What is it?" she asked, as he pulled her into his arms again.
"Mistletoe," he said, tilting his head upward. She followed his gaze to the spray of fresh white berries tied together with a red ribbon that hung from the archway.
"It's tradition," he said, lowering his head to hers.
"Who am I to buck tradition?" she asked with a sassy smile.
"Who indeed?" He captured her lips in a fiery kiss. He savaged her mouth like a storm, leaving breathless when he finally pulled away.
"Where are we going?" she asked when he slowed down to escort her up a sweeping stairway.
"The treatment for hysteria requires privacy." He gave her a wink, and she laughed again. She didn't know if it was the drinks or the heady atmosphere, but suddenly she was happy to be swept along in his game. It'd been a long time since Janna had been with anyone. Grad school didn't exactly provide extra time for dating, and since beginning her dissertation, her social life was limited to power luncheons with Dani or the other grad students in which they bitched about their research and lack of a social life. It felt good to spend some time with someone of the opposite sex, someone who wanted to spend more time with her.
They hurried down endless hallways until Brice stopped and pulled open a door. "After you, my lady," he said with a short bow, propelling her into the room with gentle pressure on the small of her back.
She walked into the dark room and immediately bumped her shin on a low table. "Ow!" she yelped, and he was instantly behind her, pulling her into his arms.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice concerned. She couldn't make out his face in the darkness.
"Yes, just bumped something. Maybe you could turn on the lights?"
"Of course." His tone was self-effacing. "How foolish of me." The lights blinked on and Janna finally took in her surroundings. The room was huge, and Janna thought in passing that she could fit about seven rooms the size of the one she had at the co-op within Brice's monstrous bedroom. A white marble fireplace dominated one wall, the dark wood paneling around it creating a stunning contrast. The opposite wall was comprised of floor to ceiling windows and doors that led out onto a long stone balcony. The windows were hung with opulent velvet drapes in a light cream color, like cafe au lait.
Overstuffed sofas and chairs were scattered around, as were several tables. Each table seemed to hold either an antique lamp, a piece of sculpture, or a vase filled with fresh cut flowers. The centerpiece of the room, however, was definitely the bed. It was massive, the headboard made of smooth chocolate leather, the coverings looking soft and inviting. It was a rich man's room, but also a man of taste. Somehow it was both comfortable and refined, and above all seductive, like the man standing before her.
"Well?" he asked after she'd spent a few moments exploring her surroundings without saying anything.
"It's beautiful," she said simply with a shrug of her shoulder.
"No condemnation? That's surprising." He moved over to a chaise lounge near the massive bed and sat down to take off his shoes and loosen his black bow tie. "I'm almost disappointed. Here I expected you to rage about the excesses of the one-percenters, and instead, you compliment me."
"I was complimenting the room," she replied with a laugh then stepped closer to him. "But you're not too bad yourself."
"You're acting hysterical again," he growled, grabbing her hips and pulling her closer to him. It was strange to be looking down at Brice Masterson, who had several inches on her when he was standing. She had the intense desire to run her fingers through his blond hair and thought for a moment that maybe she really was hysterical. Or at least a full three sheets to the wind.
She decided to embrace this feeling, this urge, and she slid her fingers through his unruly hair. It was softer than silk and thicker than it appeared. Brice almost purred beneath her, moving his hands around to cup her bottom and pull her against him. He rested his head against her stomach as he gently held her.
Janna's head fell back, and a soft moan escaped her lips. He felt good, so good, and he'd barely even touched her. This seemed about to change, however, as she felt him tug her dress upward, felt him grab hold of the satin and pull it slowly. It felt soft as a whisper as it climbed her legs. Once it passed her waist, he held it there, keeping his head pressed against her belly as his hands slid around to cup her bottom.
It was a nearly naked bottom, thanks to the white thong panties she was wearing. The gown was fitted, and she couldn't corrupt the smoothness of the fabric with something as gauche as panty lines. His warm hands caressed her, filling her body with electric heat. Soon Brice skimmed his hands upward, rising at the same time so that he could pull the gown over her head.
Janna stood there in only her thong and lacy bra and met the green eyes of her host. She saw a savage light enter those eyes and at that moment she cast away any doubts or misgivings she had about what was happening. He wanted her, those eyes said so, and she'd never felt more desired. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head, bouncing her riotous curls around her. She was all that was a woman, and he was lucky to even be in the room with her.
Brice cupped her cheeks in his large hands and brought his lips down to hers. His kiss ravished her mouth, forcing her lips open to accept his tongue. She
moaned as he bit gently on her lower lip, sighing when his tongue rubbed against hers roughly. "Christ, you're sexy," he growled when they came up for air, then he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her. She wrapped her long legs around his hips as he walked them to the bed. He settled her on the enormous mattress and then began tearing his own clothes off as if they were on fire. At last, he stood before her naked. Glorious.
"Wow," was all she could manage, confronted by this perfect specimen of manhood. He was muscled but not bulky; rather he had the lean muscle of an athlete. His chest was broad and sprinkled with light-colored hair. Janna's eyes slid downward, over a flat stomach with washboard abs and slightly rounded hips to the line that runs inward to the groin, sometimes called Apollo's Belt. Janna thought it was the sexiest line on a man's body and his was very defined, indeed like a statue of the Greek god Apollo. But he wasn't made of marble, the heat of his skin proved that.
She couldn't stop her eyes from straying lower, and she nearly collapsed, her elbows no longer wanting to support her as she leaned back against the mattress. His cock was magnificent. It was long and thick, with just the slightest upward curvature. Janna was struck with the sudden urge to touch it, to taste it, and since it seemed she was giving in to all her masochistic little urges tonight, she decided to enjoy herself fully.
Janna turned herself completely around so that her head was laying at the end of the bed nearest him, slightly off the bed so she could look up at the man standing before her. This position brought her mouth level with his gorgeous cock, and she took the opportunity to grasp it and bring it to her lips.
"Shit," Brice groaned when she swirled her tongue around the head of his cock. After that, all she heard were moans as she pulled him into her mouth. Before she'd decided on graduate school, Janna had been a reality TV nut, and she'd watched many terrible shows, including one featuring a certain notorious "ranch" outside of Las Vegas. The ranch's star attraction had been a former airline stewardess who gave one of the most expensive, and supposedly satisfying, blow jobs in the lower 48 states. This was her position of choice, as it allowed a woman to take a man deeper into her throat than the standard positions. Janna tested the theory now and was surprised by the results.
Worth the Risk: (A Contemporary Bad Boy Romance) Page 25