by Foster, Lori
She stiffened beneath him. “Your turn?”
“You kept shying away from me,” he growled. “I wanted a chance to prove to you how good we’d be together.”
“What did you do?”
The time for truth. “I approached George and Cameron and they agreed to help me.” She didn’t comment on that, so he continued. “I knew just showing up at the right time wouldn’t work with you, Erica, not the way it had with Becky and Asia. You wouldn’t have a single qualm about ignoring me or telling me to get lost so that you could choose some spineless jerk to play with instead. So I challenged you.”
Erica didn’t speak, but like a volcano ready to erupt, he felt the tension building in her.
Damn, her silence hurt almost as much as the lethal look in her eyes. He held her shoulders and gave her one firm shake. “I lied about overhearing George and Cameron. I confronted them, convinced them to go along with my plan, and they . . . well, they did.”
“I see.”
Ian didn’t trust her soft tone. “Don’t be mad at them, Erica. They made me swear I wouldn’t hurt you. Hell, they dogged my heels like two mother hens, worrying about you.”
“What a lovely image.”
“Your sarcasm is misplaced. I told you I love you—”
“And you told me you lied, and that my friends all know it. One big joke on Erica. I bet they thought you’d teach me a lesson, huh? That you’d turn the tables on me—and you did. Did they laugh about it?”
“No.” He hadn’t expected her to be hurt, but judging by her tone and the dampness of her eyes, she was exactly that. It made him feel sick and helpless.
“Have you been giving them blow-by-blow reports on your progress?”
Ian’s own temper started. “You know better.”
Her eyes were solemn, her gaze direct. “Right before you confessed, I was thinking how little I knew. About men, about myself. Now I’m doubly sure that I’m an idiot.”
“The hell you are! You’re an intelligent woman, damn it.”
“Would you mind getting off me?”
Ian drew a breath and reached for control. “Yes, I would mind. I want you to understand. I want you to tell me that you care about me.”
Erica opened her mouth, but a furious pounding on the front door interrupted what she might have said. Ian twisted to stare out toward the hall, cursed, and refused to budge.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“No.”
“Then I will.” She tried to slide out from under him.
“No.” If he let her get away now, she’d go back to avoiding him. He just knew it. “Erica—”
The pounding on the door increased. It sounded like there were a dozen fists hitting it. “God damn it!” Ian exploded, and then to Erica, “I don’t suppose you’d stay put while I go see who’s trying to break down my door?”
“Yeah, right.”
Sounding very put upon, he muttered, “That’s what I thought.” He pushed himself away and watched as Erica scrambled to her feet. In a show of temper, she snatched up the sheet and wrapped it around herself.
Ian sighed, opened a drawer to pull out boxers, and stepped into them.
Erica hustled up beside him when he started out of the bedroom. “You’re going to answer the door in your underwear?”
They went through the hall and into the living room. “No, I’m going to tell whoever it is to get lost in my underwear.”
And then he heard George call out, “Better open up, Ian, before the female battalion knocks it down.”
Ian and Erica looked at each other in surprise.
“Erica! It’s me, Asia. Becky’s with me. Let us in.”
Erica slugged Ian in the stomach, making him grunt. “You told them all we’d be here?”
He scowled right back at her. “Of course I didn’t. They probably figured if you weren’t at home, you must be here. We did have a detailed discussion in the break room, if you’ll recall.”
Looking sheepish, she said, “Oh, yeah.”
Ian jerked the door open. “Did someone plan a party and not tell me?”
Asia gawked at him, her gaze moving over his naked chest and down his body until Cameron cleared his throat. Becky started to look too, but George quickly covered her eyes. He glared at Ian. “Good God, man, put some clothes on.”
“Why? You’re not staying.”
Somewhat flustered, Asia shoved her way past him. “Erica, we had nothing to do with this. George and Cameron didn’t tell us. I can’t believe Ian had them lying to us.”
Ian rolled his eyes while Cameron barked, “I did not lie to you, damn it. I just didn’t tell you about it.”
“A lie of omission!”
Ian gestured to George, who still had Becky’s eyes covered. “Looks like you might as well come in too. I’d like to shut the door to spare my neighbors all this drama.”
George, still blinding Becky, hustled her in and kicked the door shut.
“George?” Becky asked.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“What am I missing?”
He kissed her temple. “Just Ian in his underwear.”
She tried to pull his hand from her eyes.
Erica had gone back into the bedroom, Ian assumed to get dressed. Instead, she returned with a pair of his jeans and a T-shirt. “Try for a little decency, okay?” She tossed them to him.
“You wouldn’t like me decent.” She scowled, but when he winked at her, she actually flushed. Maybe, just maybe this would prove a timely interruption. God knew he’d been floundering on his own.
Ian stepped into his jeans just as Becky got George to turn her loose. “Well, heck. I miss everything.”
“I’ll get naked for you just as soon as we finish this misguided mission.”
Becky turned to George, smiled, and said, “Promise?”
Asia cleared her throat. “Can we all remember why we’re here?”
“I know why I’m here,” Erica said, keeping the sheet tight around herself. “But no one told me we were planning an orgy.”
“Damn,” Cameron said to George, “I don’t think we’re dressed for an orgy.”
Asia elbowed him. “Becky and I were worried all along about you getting tangled up with him.” She glared toward Ian. “And it looks like we were right.”
“You were?”
Asia leaned closer, and in a stage whisper said, “Erica, he set the whole thing up.”
“Yeah, I know.” Erica crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “He told me.”
Asia drew back. “He did?”
Ian threw up his hands. “What do you have against me?”
Very matter-of-factly, Becky said, “You’re big.”
George choked, making Becky blush and swat at him. “George! I didn’t mean that.”
Rubbing his eyes, Ian asked, “God knows I probably shouldn’t ask, but what’s wrong with being big?”
“You’re dictatorial too,” Asia claimed.
They were worried about him being heavy-handed with Erica? He shook his head. “Yeah, so is Erica and you like her.”
Cameron nodded. “He’s got ya there, honey.”
“People are nervous around you,” she insisted.
“Not Erica.” Ian turned to her. “Are you, sweetheart?”
“Certainly not.” Erica sat down on the edge of the sofa, making certain the sheet covered what it should. “I don’t see why you and Becky are all up in arms. It’s not like this is anything new. Cameron lied to hook up with you, pretending he hadn’t overheard your fantasy about spanking.”
Ian’s head jerked around so fast, he almost knocked himself over. Spanking? Asia and Cameron?
He stared, fascinated. The newlyweds both flushed, and said almost in unison, “That was a misunderstanding.”
“And Asia, you hand-picked George when you found out Becky was into bondage.”
Bondage! Ian eyed Becky with new insight. And here he’d always thought her to be sh
y and innocent. Maybe he needed to reevaluate.
“Erica,” George growled while shoving a giggling Becky behind his back. “One of these days . . .”
“Oh, give up, George. Becky’s not fine china. You’re perfect for her, just as Cameron is perfect for Asia.”
Ian stood right in front of Erica. “And I’m perfect for you.”
She peered up at him. “You lied to me.”
Frowning, Asia sat down beside her. She no longer looked so certain in her mission. “But as you said, Cameron lied to me, and I still love him.”
“Yeah. I’m working that part of it out in my head.”
Becky sat on her other side. “George lied to me too, but only for a little while. He admitted to me that it was a setup. And you know what? I remember he said he would help set you up with the perfect guy too. I just didn’t know he’d think Ian was perfect.”
George stepped forward. “I didn’t, but Ian did. And why not? He’s crazy about her. How much more perfect can it get?”
Cameron added, “We are talking about Erica here, remember. She scares most guys to death.”
Erica tossed a throw pillow at him. “I never scared you.”
“That’s because I knew Asia would protect me.”
George nodded.
“It’s heartwarming that you’re all so concerned about her. Really.” Ian looked at Erica. “But I think we can work things out on our own.”
Cameron cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t know about that. I feel rather protective.”
Asia nodded. “Me, too.”
Becky smiled at George. “We all do.”
Laughing, Erica said, “Now why would you all feel protective of me?”
Ian knelt down in front of her. “Because they love you as much as I do. And if you’re still keeping count, that’s three.”
Erica looked small and very uncertain sandwiched between her friends with their men crowding close to their sides.
“Three what?” Becky asked.
Erica’s eyes went soft and dark. “Three times now that he’s told me he loves me.”
Asia and Becky were mute. Cameron said, “I believe him. God knows he’s worked hard enough to get you here.”
“Damn right,” George agreed. “And I think Erica loves him too.”
Ian raised a brow. “You do?”
“Sure. She’s been defending you since we got here. Damned if I’ve ever heard Erica defend a man before. Usually she’s ripping them to shreds.”
Slowly, Ian’s grin spread until he thought he might burst with satisfaction. Erica had been taking his part, defending him to her best friends. The look she gave him now was part wary, part annoyed. She was such a prickly woman sometimes. “Tell me you love me, Erica.”
Cameron and George quickly seated themselves on the arms of the sofa next to their respective women. “I don’t want to miss a word,” Cameron said, despite the way Asia tried to hush him.
George said, “I wish I had my video camera,” and Becky elbowed him hard.
With everyone looking at her, Erica naturally went cocky. “Yeah, sure, I love him.”
Four mouths fell open. Ian just continued to smile.
“I mean, what’s not to love? On top of being gorgeous, the man’s a great cook, a talented electrician, and he plans to build a house off in the woods.” She looked at Asia. “I always wanted to live in the woods.”
“You did?”
Erica nodded. And then to Becky, “And I’ve always had a thing for the big macho guys.”
“You have?”
“Oh, yeah.” She slid off the couch to land in Ian’s lap. He toppled onto his rump, but kept her locked in his arms, near to his heart. “I just didn’t realize it until Ian came along.”
“Does this mean you’re getting married?” George wanted to know.
Erica laughed. “That better be what it means.”
“Great. Then we’re out of here.” He pulled Becky to her feet. “Trust me, love. They want privacy.”
Asia and Cameron stood too. “We’ll go,” Asia told her, “but I expect to hear from you soon with all the juicy details.”
Erica gave a sly grin. “I’m not sure you’re old enough to hear these details, Asia. They’re juicier than most.”
Cameron laughed. “A challenge!” And to George, “You think he’s trying to outdo us?”
“Sounds like. I don’t know about you, but I’m heading home to add to my repertoire on sexual deviations. The way these three gossip, you can’t protect your manhood closely enough.”
Becky snickered.
Asia took Cameron’s hand. “A good idea. Cameron and I will do the same.”
“Such a grand exodus,” Ian noted once the door had closed behind them all. “Should we put out the same effort, you think?”
“I believe you already have.” She toyed with his chest hair and asked, “All that stuff you did . . . it really was wonderful. You’re wonderful.”
“I told you that for the right woman, I’d do whatever I needed to.” He gave her a lecherous smile.
“So it was just to wear me down?”
“No, it was to get you ready.” He kissed the end of her nose. “They call it foreplay.”
“Well, it worked.”
Maintaining his hold on Erica, Ian came to his feet and headed for the bedroom. “Shall we see if it’ll work again?”
“Am I still in charge?”
“For a little while longer. Then it’s my turn.” He entered the bedroom and placed her on the bed. Leaning over, being as serious in his declarations as he could be, he said, “That’s what marriage is all about, you know. I love you, so I want you to be happy. You love me, so you want me to be happy.” Then he asked, “Right?”
A teasing, very sexy grin eased into place. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
She laughed. “Yes. I love you.”
Ian snatched her up for a strangling hug. Laughing, Erica forced him back a bit, then said, “You know, as long as I’m still in charge, where’s the massage oil?”
His expression warmed and his eyes grew dark. “You’re ready for more pleasure, are you?”
“Absolutely.” Erica shoved him to his back, then straddled his hips. “And I figure getting to rub your big gorgeous body all over is probably as much pleasure as any woman deserves.”
“You want to use the oil on me?”
“That’s right. And any man as controlling as you, ought to be able to control himself while I do this. So lie quietly . . . and let me love you.”
Ian smiled. “Well, when you put it like that . . .”
Something Wilde
Janelle Denison
Chapter One
Jill Richardson had the sweetest ass Eric Wilde ever had the pleasure of admiring. Slightly rounded and toned, her smooth, luscious bottom gave way to long, slender legs encased in sheer stockings and three-inch designer high heels he found equally arousing. There was something about a woman’s curvaceous backside that turned him on, and Jill’s pert bottom, along with the slow, sexy sway to her hips, never failed to cause a rush of heated lust to flow through his veins.
And it had been a long time since he’d found a woman so sexually appealing. So damn distracting. Or so challenging.
He watched as Jill disappeared into the copy room, which was across the hall and adjacent to his private office at Massey and Associates, and released a long exhale. Dropping his head back against his chair, he closed his eyes and squeezed the blue rubber stress ball in his fist, welcoming the clench and release of tendons and muscles. Unfortunately, the exercise did little to ease the sexual tension thrumming through him.
No, there was only one cure for that particular ailment—having Jill hot and breathless beneath him, taking him hard and deep, and begging him for more.
Oh, yeah, he thought with a slow, lazy smile as he enjoyed the private fantasy filtering through his mind. Of stripping away the conservative peach suit she wore, along with her pragmatic fa
cade, and discovering the sensual woman he sensed beneath the composed exterior.
“Eric, are you sleeping on the job?”
Startled by the sound of Jill’s voice so close, he blinked his eyes open and found her standing on the other side of his desk. Amusement glimmered in her green eyes, and a matching smile curved the corners of a mouth so tempting he ached to taste her lips, and deep inside. She wore her auburn hair tucked into a tidy twist at the back of her head, and too many times he’d wondered about the length of those strands—the feel and texture against his fingertips and trailing across his skin. From head to toe she looked every inch the corporate professional and damned if the entire sensible package didn’t do it for him in a major way.
Smiling in return, he sat up straighter, kneaded the ball in his hand one last time, then set it next to his computer. “Just taking a rest. It’s been a long day.” Twelve hours for him, to be exact, filled with budget meetings, a three-hour presentation to a client, and half a dozen contracts pored over and approved.
“And a very productive one for me,” she said, her excitement nearly tangible as she slid a glossy color flyer on top of the reports in front of him. “I think I finally nailed the concept and layout design for the Enchanted Cruise Line account.”
He picked up the presentation brochure, taking in the impact of her design and identifiable artwork, unique to the cruise line they were representing. The concept was tied together with the catchy slogan they’d brainstormed together late one night, and he knew without a doubt she’d captured the full effect of what their client was expecting in their final presentation.
She walked around his desk and came to a stop next to his chair. Bracing her hand on the mahogany surface, she bent low to look at the brochure with him, bringing with her the unique but familiar scent of feminine softness and sensuality that wreaked havoc with his mind and body.
“So, what do you think?” she asked, obviously anxious for his approval.
He glanced toward her, witnessing the exuberance reflected in her expression, and felt that jolt of chemistry that was always present between them. Not for the first time he wondered if all that creativity and enthusiasm for her work extended into the bedroom. He wanted to find out in a way that was bordering on obsession.