by Nikki Winter
www.beautifultroublepublishing.com
Copyright © 2012 by Nikki Winter
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright.
This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.
Published by
Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC
PO Box 61
Colfax, NC 27235
www.beautifultroublepublishing.com
Cover Art: Marteeka Karland, http://www.marteekakarland.com/
Editor: Legacy Editing
Proofreader: Novellette Whyte
http://authorgurunovellette.blogspot.com/
Formatter: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/
E-book Conversion: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/
ISBN: (e-book) 978-1-61788-253-1; (print) 978-1-61788-254-8
Let me start off by saying that Jayha made me do it and well…Jayha made me do it. Why? Because El Tyrant De Iron Fist wanted dibs on a whole group of Irishmen that were already promised to others and I didn’t want a riot to commence so… I did it. The best part? I’m glad I did it because this time I pushed myself further than I thought I could go. And I’m so proud of myself for that. Let’s just hope I made you guys proud too—Nikki
NOTE ABOUT EBOOKS
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CAVEAT
This work contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes. This book is intended only for adults, as it is defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.
Chapter One
“Lalani I don’t—”
“If the words ‘want to go out’ leave your mouth next, I’m gonna get really cranky. You remember what happens when you make me cranky?”
Aiyanna King poked out her bottom lip and purposely dragged her feet. Her best friend and business partner—Lalani Noble—was tugging her towards a sports bar in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia that she didn’t want to go to.
“You swore you wouldn’t do that again after the last time!”
“Dude, you stopped itching after a week so suck it up and stop whining about it. You need a break from those damn sketch books and so help me God if I have to strap you down...again and roll you around I will do it.”
Aiyanna dug her feet in harder. “The first time was because your psychotic ass threatened to call my mother.”
Lalani stopped and turned to her with a raised brow. “If you would just obey my will then we wouldn’t have these problems. When you don’t, you force me to take extreme measures.”
“See?” Aiyanna waved a hand. “Psychotic.”
“You call it crazy and I call it caring. Be glad that this is all I’m doing. I could be throwing dick your way seeing as how you need to clean the cobwebs outta your nether regions and use them again. Now come on because I’m starting to get cranky.” Lalani continued tugging her along.
“I’m a grown ass woman. I’m not scared of you...” Aiyanna thought she mumbled that low enough until Lalani stopped again.
“What was that?”
“Uh...I love you and...um you’re the best friend I’ve ever had in forever?”
“So full of shit, you are.”
Aiyanna groaned as they finally reached the doors. “You’re not gonna do the Yoda voice all night are you? I hate when you do the Yoda voice.”
One of Lalani’s brows arched. “Annoy me all night, will you?”
Blowing out a breath, Aiyanna smiled her widest and answered, “You can either stop now or I can show my whole ass in here.”
Lalani rolled her eyes and opened the door. “You show it and I put my foot in it.” She popped Aiyanna on said ass. “Get.”
Some days she really hated her friend.
“Julian, little brother, you need to get laid.”
Julian Almanza stared across the table at his older brother. Well it was more like the laser eyes of death that he was giving him but that was beside the point. “Say it louder, Havan. I don’t think the people in the back heard you the first time.”
Havan shrugged his shoulders, “As you wish.” Then the bastard stood, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “My brother needs to get laid!”
When catcalls and whistles came from other parts of the bar, Julian tried getting up from the booth but Havan blocked him in and continued his little informative announcement. “It has been six months! Count’em! Yes, I said six months!”
Fed up, Julian pulled his fist back and did something to his sibling that he hadn’t done since they were little; he punched him in the balls. When the big bastard crumbled, he smacked him in the back of the head for good measure. “You’re an asshole.” Snatching up his jacket, he weaved his way through the bar and did his best to ignore the pinches on his ass.
Unlike him, his brother would be getting laid tonight so he didn’t need to give him a ride home. He’d find it with some walking advertisement for sex that he met inside the bar.
As depressing as the thought was, Havan was right. Julian did need to get laid. The problem was, he wasn’t interested in risking his groin or wallet with some random chick. Havan said he was acting more like a little girl than a man but then again, his brother was a prick so how much could he really know?
Julian wouldn’t exactly call himself lonely. He had friends and family but it still felt like something was missing. At thirty-four he had ten years in the rodeo circuit under his belt and now as a retired bull rider, he appreciated every accomplishment he’d made. Leaving Argentina to compete in the US had been one of the best decisions he’d ever made. But as of late, he wondered if he’d put too much time into his career and not enough into planning for a family; especially since he’d recently bought a cattle ranch.
Julian couldn’t say what it was that made him do it. It could’ve been the need for some form of stability or the need for solace. The problem was, his home was as empty as his heart. Julian wasn’t sure if it was his very own biological clock ticking or the desire for a warm body next to him at night, either way he’d been contemplating on it more and more.
He’d stop carrying the passion for traveling from place to place, beating out some of the best known bull riders. It was why he’d retired a few years ago. Julian was no longer looking for the confidence boost the competitions had given him as a rookie. Havan enjoyed the fast-paced life competing gave him but that was to be expected when considering where they came from.
His brother wasn’t planning on retiring or slowing down anytime soon. Havan enjoyed the frontier circuit entirely too much. The only reason he was stuck spending time with his sibling was the fact that Havan would be heading up to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania soon. They wouldn’t have the time to spend together being that he’d be in training until then. So much for him being family orientated.
To give himself something to do he’d decided to have the house on his land
remodeled. Maybe he could start looking for an architectural contractor if he could focus long enough.
Already having left his brother to fend for himself, he dug around in his jacket pocket for his keys and was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice the woman walking towards him until she bumped into his chest.
His keys hit the floor at the same time as her bag, the contents inside spilling out.
“Sorry.” They both murmured simultaneously.
Julian bent to help her collect what had fallen and handed it to her.
“Thank you.”
Normally he would’ve nodded and went about his way but the sound of her husky voice felt like silk running over his skin. His head snapped up and what he saw held him hostage as they both began to slowly stand to their normal heights again.
During his ten year stint in the rodeo circuit, Julian had been tossed ass over head and back again more times than he could count. He’d had fractured ribs, sprains and a concussion or two but he’d never had the wind knocked out of him quicker than when he looked up and saw her.
For those few seconds that he let his eyes rake her perfect features before traveling down the bountiful curves of her tall form, he didn’t feel like the self assured grown man that he was. No, he felt like a boy staring into the eyes of his first crush.
And those large, doe shaped, brown orbs veiled behind heavy lids and thick, curly lashes weren’t the only things he was interested in staring at. Jesús, she was beautiful. Native American features battled for dominance in her face by way of high cheekbones along with the curve of her jaw that held a dimple. While the African American side won her full lips, proud forehead, and nose.
Both cultures met in the middle to create the flawlessly deep chocolate skin with red and bronze undertones that made up a gorgeous shade of brown. Her thick, black hair was cut into layers around her heart shaped face, slightly longish bangs stopping just a bit above her eyebrows but framing the beauty there just right.
Yet her body... that is what held his attention captive. Julian bit the inside of his cheek as his heart began to hammer and he gazed at the way her endless, shapely legs and wonderfully rounded hips fit into the skin tight jeans she was wearing.
She had to be five foot eleven at the least in her bare feet but her steel-toe work boots gave her an extra inch or two. Her waist to hip ratio created a coke bottle shape that made him think of at least fifty dirty things he could do to her if she let him. Julian was even a little disappointed that she was wearing a hooded sweatshirt seeing as how he desperately wanted to know what was underneath it.
Julian’s eyes found hers again and locked there. “Le damos la bienvenida hermosa.”
One perfectly arched brow rose. “English please.”
Lips quirking, he repeated himself as she requested, “You’re welcome, beautiful.”
Fuck your reservations, take the panties off and throw them at him! Now! It was a damn shame when a woman had to stand in a room full of people along with one of the most awe inspiring men she’d ever seen in her life and have an argument with her nether regions.
The man was...damn...just damn. If there were ever a time Aiyanna wanted to forget all the shit she’d put up with in past relationships it was definitely when those stormy, blue-gray eyes locked on her. The tone of his voice alone made her feel like she was holding the Nile River between her thighs.
Lightly accented with Southern and deep Spanish inflections, his voice rumbled up from one of the widest chests Aiyanna had ever seen in her life. Being that she was five-eleven and a size eighteen, that was saying a lot. He was so big he was taking up the doorway space, his shoulders blocking the view beyond where they were standing.
And for the first time in a long time, she actually had to crane her neck to look up at a man. He had to be six foot eight at the least and the visual feast didn’t end there. No, there was the shoulder length, wavy, black hair, the full lips, strong jawline, and those piercing eyes that were staring so hard she thought her clothes would melt off in a puddle. Not to mention the adorable slashes in his cheeks from when he’d briefly smiled.
Aiyanna hoped, for his sake, that he would either choose to keep that smile to himself or that she gained some self control in the next few minutes. If not, the whole bar was about to get an education on how to ride a man until he broke.
Shit, if he kept looking at her like that, it might just happen regardless. Lalani wasn’t there to keep her from doing it because she’d headed back out to take a call.
When he licked his lips real slow while staring at her mouth like he could taste the strawberry lip gloss she’d put on just a few minutes before, Aiyanna took a step back. “Okay, the undressing me with your eyes thing has to stop.”
His expression read confused. “Why?”
“Because it’s rude and—”
He stepped closer, eating up the space she’d put between them. “And you don’t exactly like the way I’m making you feel right now?”
The whispered words raked her body and her nerves. “No Captain Ego,” Aiyanna snapped. “It has more to do with the fact that I don’t know if you’re appraising my head to mount it with the rest of your possible collection.”
The frown was back, this time darker than before. “I don’t collect heads and I wouldn’t ruin one as gorgeous as yours.”
Aiyanna withdrew again. He’d said the words that she needed to break the spell. It reminded her of something she’d heard constantly from the time she’d hit puberty. “You have such a pretty face. Now if you just shed a few pounds...”
“Now you’re frowning. I said something wrong.”
Her eyes snapped up to his, noticing the way the dim lighting hit his bronzed skin. She ignored the scent of sandalwood that rolled off of him.
Aiyanna smirked. “It doesn’t really matter now does it? Sorry I bumped into you. Have a nice night.” She started to go around him but his hand reached out and gently gripped her arm as he turned her back around to face him. Her eyes stared up into his once again. “Wanna let go of my arm?”
He shook his dark head. “Not particularly. I’ll buy you a drink.” He smiled again like he’d accomplished something with his little announcement.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Aiyanna peeled his fingers away from her arm. “No.”
“But I want to.”
“Okay,” Aiyanna pointed to her face. “I want you to read my lips very well when I say this. I don’t want you to.”
His eyes glazed over as he stared at her mouth. “I’m sorry hermosa, I was too busy envisioning all the productive things you could do with those lips to notice your blatant refusal to let me be a gentleman and buy you a drink,” he murmured, then focused long enough to stare into her eyes again. “Okay, now explain to me why you won’t let me do this simple task?”
“Because I’m not interested in anything you have to offer. So,” she waved her hands. “Shoo.” That was the truth. Aiyanna was in no way interested in being his bed warmer for the night. She’d had enough of that. He’d probably fuck her long and good. Fuck her until she was sore and hoarse then send her on her way with a pat on the head and a slap on the ass after an explanation of why a long term relationship just wasn’t in the cards for him right now.
And once Aiyanna did the walk of shame, he’d call one of the size two barbies that he had on speed dial. Nope. Not even. She was tired of that. Being that she couldn’t fit into a dress with a single digit, Aiyanna wasn’t the standard of beauty. Her intelligence, her heart, her humor didn’t matter to men like this one; men who had to do no more than wave his hand at a woman and have her fall into his lap.
It was all about the chase. Why should he take a clear rejection from the woman who had to be desperate for some form of affection, right? Wrong! She wasn’t playing this game anymore, trying to conform to what others thought she should be just so they could face themselves in the morning after fucking someone who wasn’t rail thin and had a mind of her own; while she could
barely wipe the fog off the mirror and look at herself after giving in.
Aiyanna had had her self-esteem and confidence diminished enough times to know what would come out of this. Big man wasn’t interested in her, he was interested in adding another notch on his bedpost. If he thought that was happening tonight he could kiss her whole ass and not in the way he wanted.
“Hermosa,” he started in a silky purr but she held her hand up to stop him.
“Look, I said no. I’m not interested so take your request and tuck it into one of those inhumanly sized pockets of yours. Now move outta my way or get knocked on your ass. Which one will it be?” A battle of wills commenced as they stared at one another again. Aiyanna kept her resolve hardened. This man would not get her panties. No, no, no.
Finally, he stepped to the side and waved a hand for her to pass. With a breath of relief, Aiyanna did just that and suddenly felt like lead had just dropped into her stomach the further away she got.
Julian watched her walk away, entranced by the sway of her thick hips along with the way she held her head high moving with the grace of a queen. It made him so hard. With a sigh of regret, he decided not to follow after her although everything in his body was telling him to do just that.
There had been something in her gaze, a vulnerability that had pushed him away and pulled him forward all at the same time. Her fire and that tongue both made him want to throw her over his shoulder and take her back home with him to hole up for weeks on end.
Jesús. What was wrong with him? Julian had never had a reaction like that to any woman. He ran a hand down his face, thinking that he needed to leave now before he gave in to his primal urges and embarrassed them both.
Okay, honestly, he didn’t give two duck shits about embarrassing himself but he knew she wouldn’t take it too well if he did what was on his mind at the moment. He took a step forward heading for the door when he felt something under the toe of his boot. Looking down he saw a business card.