by Tessa Bailey
Hell. It wasn’t going to happen between them tonight.
Reed practically growled into the darkness. When the hell had he ever cared about being noble? She was a big girl, capable of making her own decisions. Yet he suspected if they slept together tonight, she would regret it in the morning. They barely knew each other. Their only association so far had been him making passes at her at every opportunity and arguing. She’d wake up tomorrow, a little sore and a lot sorry. For some reason, he couldn’t stand the thought of it. Gratification tonight wouldn’t be worth having her look back on him with regret. As the stranger she’d had a hot, sweaty one-night stand with, the one who had nothing in common with her. She would feel cheap and she would associate that feeling with him. No. He couldn’t do it.
Decision made, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to find out just a little more about her. They might part ways at the end of the week, but small talk had never actually killed anyone, right? Besides, he’d been curious about something since he first laid eyes on her. “Last night, when we met outside the restaurant, you looked stressed. Mind telling me what about?”
She moved beside him on the path, flashing him a look. “When you made your gentlemanly hair-pulling offer? I nearly fainted dead away at the sweeping romance of it all.”
“I would have caught you. By the hair, of course.” He circled his hand around her wrist, then fit their hands together as if it were natural for him to do so. It wasn’t, but he felt the ridiculous urge to put her at ease. “Still waiting on an answer.”
Julie merely sighed. “A work meeting that morning had made me late for my flight. There was a big”—she waved her free hand around as she searched for the right word—“hullabaloo over whether or not we should offer One-Eyed Jack at the New Orleans Saints stadium. You know, in those fancy air-conditioned suites? I’m sure you know the Saints are the biggest rivals of our dearly beloved Falcons, and Daddy doesn’t want our whiskey anywhere near them. No, sir. Thinks it’ll put a jinx on the Falcons.”
Reed hid his shock. He’d known Julie came from money, but the heir to One-Eyed Jack Whiskey? Holy shit. He’d had no idea. Not that it changed a damn thing. “And how did you manage to straighten out this little hullabaloo?”
She smirked at him. “I told Daddy I’d have him committed if he fought me on it. Can you imagine? Superstition has no place in the business world.”
“I thought all Southern girls were superstitious.”
“Oh, I am. Within reason. I would never invite thirteen guests to a dinner party. Or eat chicken on New Year’s Day. It’s just plain silly to tempt fate.”
“I see.” Reed realized he was smiling and shook his head to clear it. “So who is Serena?”
When her hand went stiff in his, he wanted to kick himself. Based on the phone call he’d overheard, he knew the subject was likely a touchy one. This is why he never made small talk. They walked in silence for a moment, then she turned to him with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Serena was my older sister. She passed a few years back.”
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded in acknowledgment as if she’d heard the words so many times they no longer held any meaning. He understood that too well. Growing up, he’d heard the same words countless times in reference to his own mother. After she’d died, he couldn’t go anywhere without having pity leveled at him from every direction, from people who’d never given him the time of day before. When the appropriate time limit for grief over her death had passed, they’d begun issuing “sorrys” for different things, as if the pity were transferable. They were sorry about his shabby lifestyle, living in a trailer on the outskirts of town. Sorry about his father’s gambling habit. Everything under the sun. Sorry, boy. Again, he recalled Julie’s words to her mother. The way she’d sounded so dejected as she’d spoken them, as if it were far from the first time. “If Serena was the perfect one, what does that make you?”
Julie kept walking, but the action looked involuntary. As if her legs were moving without her permission. “I think you’re aware I didn’t come out here with you for a heart-to-heart. Stop trying to make this personal. We’re not friends.”
Maybe that’s the problem. Reed banished the unbidden thought as quickly as it appeared. This desire to peel back her layers, to figure out what made her run like the Energizer Bunny, unnerved and confused him. “You came out here with me knowing how badly I want to be inside you. There’s nothing more personal than that.” Jesus. Since when?
She came to a stop, studied him. Her mask slipped just a little and he felt an answering tug in his chest. “Fine. Tell me how you got that horrible scar on your back and I’ll tell you why Serena was the perfect one. The one who never let my parents down. The one who was supposed to take over the business when Daddy retired. The one who died while I was off at college planning Hawaiian-themed dances and ice cream socials.”
Julie’s mouth snapped shut when she finished, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d revealed. When she turned and stomped off ahead of him, Reed quickly followed. Part of him wished for all the world he hadn’t pushed her. The other part, the greedy half, felt satisfaction over being privy to this hidden part of her. She didn’t put on her Princess of Hospitality act around him, didn’t hide her true self. Later, he’d try to figure out why, but right now all he could think of was taking the haunted expression off of her face. Unfortunately, in order to do that, he would have to reveal a part of himself to make them even.
“Bar fight.”
“Pardon?”
“The scar. I got knifed in a bar fight when I was nineteen.” She stopped and turned, meeting his eyes hesitantly. He hadn’t told anyone about the fight in a long time and suddenly the words wouldn’t come quite so easy. “I, uh…had started a fight in the bar over God knows what. It spilled out into the alley. Next thing I knew there were five of them.” He shrugged. “They were young and stupid like me. Didn’t realize what they were doing…so they left me there bleeding and ran off.”
Her gaze caressed his shoulder. “That’s an awful story.”
“Maybe. It’s also the best thing that ever happened to me.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I almost didn’t make it that night. Lost too much blood. I applied to the academy the day I was released from the hospital. If I have to die, I want there to be a purpose behind it.”
Julie looked at him in awe. “This has to be the least romantic moonlight walk in the history of moonlight walks, you know that?”
“Hate to disappoint, but I don’t have a romantic bone in my body.”
“You don’t say.” She sighed. “I know you were trying to make me feel better and it worked.”
“Because you like the idea of me getting stabbed?”
“No, even I’m not that bloodthirsty.” She tilted her head. “Because if you’ll tell that terrible story just to make me feel better, then you’re not half as bad as I thought.”
“I’m worse.”
She smiled, but it faded almost immediately. “Reed, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t understand it either. We’re…attracted to each other. I won’t deny that. But I think we both known that is the extent of what we have in common. Let’s not make this something it isn’t.”
An odd feeling crept over him. He didn’t recognize it, even though her words had a ring of familiarity. Probably because he was usually the one to say them. To someone else. She wanted him for sex and nothing else. He should be backing her against a tree. Instead, he felt more determined than ever to prove her wrong.
…
Julie looked up into Reed’s face, confused by what she saw there. Irritation, conflict, and surprise all took their turn passing over his hard yet intensely handsome features until she nearly got dizzy trying to keep up. She’d actually mustered the courage to follow this potty-mouthed, tattooed stab wound recipient into the dark woods and now he refused to just put the darn moves on her already. Once he touched her, once their mouths met, she wouldn’t have any ro
For one, she’d never had sex for the sake of sex. Usually, basic fondness or even genuine romantic interest was involved. How did one behave after a one-night stand? A handshake? An email address swap?
Two, she could easily be a big fat disappointment to him. She could count her partners on one hand and Reed…she suspected there weren’t enough hands at Beaver Creek Resort to match that impressive number.
Third, she was starting to understand him a little and that simply couldn’t happen. She didn’t want to feel anything for this man. He would chew up her good-girl butt and spit it out. Heck, he’d already bitten her there once, hadn’t he? Hard, too. Absentmindedly, she rubbed the spot on her bottom where he’d bitten her earlier, stopping when Reed arched an eyebrow.
After what seemed like ages, he finally spoke, his gruff tone startling her. “Let me get this straight. You want to skip the small talk and get right to the good stuff?”
She raised her chin, refusing to give in to the urge to turn around and bolt for the hotel. Instead, she inched closer. “I’ve been making small talk all night. I’m ready for something…else. Are you the one who’s going to give it to me or not?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Normally, pixie, I wouldn’t hesitate to give you a nice, thorough pounding for challenging me like that. God knows, we both need it.” He swept her head to toe in a single hot glance. “But it’s not going to happen. Not tonight, at least.”
Her feminine pride took a nosedive. “What did you haul me out here for in the middle of the night? I thought this is what you wanted.”
“You’ve had me hard for days, baby. I want to fuck you more than I want to breathe.”
Scorching heat bathed her head to toe. She tried not to make it obvious when she squeezed her knees closer together. Something, anything to alleviate the ache he’d initiated. But wouldn’t fulfill? It made no sense. “Then I-I fail to see the problem. I came out here with you, despite my better judgment—”
“There.” Reed jabbed a blunt finger in her direction. “Despite your better judgment. Of me. That’s the problem.”
With a confused frown, Julie opened her mouth to question him further, but he cursed and took her arm, leading her into the wooded area, off the beaten path. Mulling over his words in silence, Julie followed behind him for a few minutes before he came to an abrupt stop. A few feet in front of them, what looked like a small pond was nestled among the trees. Soft light filtered through the branches and illuminated the surface, giving it an almost ethereal look. Combined with the soft sounds of the woods and the warm breeze sifting through the trees, the scene before her could only be described as breathtaking.
Their odd conversation forgotten for the moment, she felt Reed’s gaze on her and turned. “What is this place? How did you know it was here?”
He shrugged, but didn’t look at her. “Went for a run this morning and found it. It’s a hot spring.”
As he stared off at some invisible point in the distance, Julie studied his strong profile closely. Proud, stubborn, strong…gorgeous man. And evidently, thoughtful. Whatever his motive, the front-runner being taking her to bed, Reed had thought about her tonight. Made sure she ate a hot dinner. Brought her to this beautiful spot for her enjoyment. She’d wounded his pride by referring to him as a lapse in judgment. Although he would probably wear a blond wig and a push-up bra before admitting it out loud. Julie couldn’t stop the laugh that tickled her throat at the image and only laughed harder when Reed shot her a suspicious glance.
“Something funny?”
With a sigh, Julie slowly shook her head. Her nervous energy had completely fled, she realized. She felt…good, safe, being here with Reed. Unfortunately, by taking sex off the table, he’d only presented her with a challenge. She’d never been able to resist a challenge. And first impressions aside, she wanted him. It wouldn’t go away until she did something about it. Prying her hands from her elbows, Julie reached for the hem of her dress. Heck, she was from the South. She’d gone skinny-dipping before. Seen all ten of her male cousins naked as you please every summer until they all hit puberty one by one. This was an entirely different situation, however. The man watching her with a predatory gleam in his eye, looking so at home surrounded by nature it could be his natural habitat, wasn’t interested in playing Marco Polo.
You made it this far, Julie. Hop to. He’s already seen your butt and he seemed to like it just fine. And if you have to get naked in front of a man, this is the best lighting you could ever hope for. Strip.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she tugged her dress over her head and kicked off her sandals, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“What the hell are you doing?” His raw, slightly startled tone thrilled her, heated her further. She’d surprised him. Good.
When her hands went to unhook her bra at the back, she thought she heard him groan but wouldn’t allow herself any hesitation to find out. The panties came next, tossed onto the pile with the rest of her clothes.
As Julie waded into the water, she cast what she hoped was a sultry look over her shoulder. “Are you going to stand there and look all night?” Strategically, she bit her lip, ran her hands over her hips. “Or are you going to come in here and make yourself useful?”
She sank into the divinely warm water and closed her eyes, focusing on the gentle breeze and night sounds, hoping to take her mind off the possibility that Reed wouldn’t take her not-so-subtle bait. A moment later, when she heard his pants and belt hit the ground, she turned away so he wouldn’t see her victorious grin, but she couldn’t resist looking back to see him in the nude.
Really, it was only fair after she’d given him a close-up of her birthday suit.
Moonlight spilled over his muscular stomach and thighs, so sleek and toned she could do nothing but shake her head as he entered the spring. His long, thick erection demanded her attention next, had her catching her breath on a shudder. She felt a brief resurgence of nerves, but pushed them aside. Her choice. She’d initiated this. Determinedly, she dragged her gaze up his impressive chest to meet hard, lust-filled eyes.
“I don’t say anything without a reason.” Submerged now past his waist, he stalked her. “Once my mind has been made up, it doesn’t change.”
His hypnotic voice vibrated inside her, his deliberate movements battering her with their sensuality. With a mental shake, she tried to focus on his words. When he moved within reaching distance, she inhaled deeply for courage and rose to her full height, causing water to course down her breasts and belly. She ran her hands over his chest and let their damp bodies meet, looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Aren’t you even going to let me try?”
His head dipped toward hers, and he nipped at her bottom lip with a growl. “No. Enough questioning. We both take some relief tonight, but not all of it.” A rough hand smoothed over her bottom, gave it a light slap. “You’ll know the difference when I fuck you.”
Reed’s mouth descended on hers. His fists tangled in her hair and angled her head so he could kiss her hard, tongue sweeping in to claim absolute possession. Julie clung to his wide, slippery shoulders and lost herself in the kiss, moaning as heat slammed through her in pounding waves. She’d been frantic for the taste of him without even realizing just how much. Now, she made up for the achy, restless feeling she’d been cursed with all day and took, took, took. He growled when her fingers slid up into his hair and tugged, her body pressing flush against his simultaneously. Reed fit his hips against the notch between her thighs and surged up, creating a wave around them. With each strategic push, Julie’s throaty cries echoed through the night.
“Do you hurt between your legs, baby?”
“Yes,” she sobbed, writhing on his lap, frustrated by the water hindering her movements. “Reed, please don’t make me wait. It hurts so badly.”
“Who made it hurt?”
“You know you did,” she whispered.
“Ask me.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. “Ask me to take away the pain.”
Julie groaned. “Take it away.” Before the words fully left her mouth, Reed lifted her out of the water, her bare bottom slapping down onto the edge of the smooth rock bed surrounding the spring. His hands gripped her knees and pushed them wide, shoulders wedging between her legs to keep them open as he licked his way up the inside of her thighs.
“You’re only getting tongue tonight, pixie,” he rasped, his breath heating her damp skin. “Your pussy is going to have to wait a little longer to be filled.”
“No,” she moaned, even as she mentally begged for his mouth to make contact. Anything. She just needed something to ease the rapidly growing need. When seconds passed and Reed still didn’t follow through on his sensual threat, Julie realized he’d stopped kissing her completely. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her thighs, helpless anger blanketing his features.
“What are these bruises?” He looked into her eyes. “Who did this to you?” His urgent words confused her for a few seconds, then recognition dawned, followed quickly by mortification. She tried to sit up, but he put a hand on her belly to stay her. “Answer me.”
Her hands came up to hide her face. Of course. This would only happen to her. Two seconds from the most amazing sexual experience of her life, in a moonlit forest, with a man who embodied every woman’s darkest, most secret fantasy, and now she was being forced to reveal something she’d hoped to take with her to the grave. “Ms. Vaughn. She gave them to me. This is all her fault.”
Reed made an impatient noise when she didn’t continue. “I’m waiting.”
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