by Leah Brooke
Alison watched in fascination as the sheriff’s expression darkened again. “I thoroughly intend to. I’m going to get that son of a—sorry, ma’am.” He nodded toward her again. “Her name’s Alison Bennett. Take care of her. I’ll check back with you later.”
With an absent nod in her direction, he got back into his vehicle and backed up several yards before making a U-turn in the road and taking off in the direction he’d been heading before he stopped to help her.
Left alone with Dillon and Ryder, she watched them work, becoming increasingly aware that the pain medicine she’d taken had begun to take effect.
She shifted her shoulders experimentally, and pleased to find the pain in her back lessening, she turned from side to side to stretch a little as she watched both men work on her truck. Pretending not to notice the looks they kept sending in her direction, she kept her eyes focused on their movements.
“When do you think you can give me an estimate?”
While Dillon worked to get her truck ready to tow, Ryder came to stand directly in front of her, blocking her view of Dillon, and waited until she lifted her gaze to his before speaking.
His glittering green eyes raked over her, a perfect foil for his olive complexion. They settled a little too long on her wide hips and ample breasts, making her wish she’d worn something other than faded jeans and a turtleneck under her baggy jacket. “Ace said you’re going to Lady Desire. Is that why you came to town?”
She lifted her chin, wrapping her arms around herself again. In an attempt to keep her distance, she took a step back and answered coldly. “Yes. Although it’s really none of your business. I need to have my truck back as soon as possible. Do you think you can fix it soon?”
She sure as hell didn’t want to be caught with no transportation if she needed to flee.
Ryder shrugged, his eyes narrowing, making him look even colder than before. In the blink of an eye, his wild demeanor took on a dark edge, one that reminded her too much of Danny. “Maybe. Maybe not. It’s an old truck. We’ll have to see about parts. So, you’re going to be staying at the hotel?”
Careful not to get too close to the truck, or to Ryder, she stepped aside and watched Dillon work. Ryder’s sharp, watchful gaze put her on edge, and she felt better, safer, standing closer to Dillon.
Which made absolutely no sense at all.
Hoping a no-nonsense attitude would hide her nervousness, she lifted her chin defiantly.
“Yes, I’m staying at the hotel. I don’t have a lot of money, so don’t go padding the bill. I just want the thing to run. No extras.”
Dillon straightened and winked at her, a slow wink that sent a wave of yearning through her. “We’ll work something out.” Not only sexy as hell and soft spoken, Dillon kept his distance, carefully sidestepping to avoid invading her space, the knowledge of her unease with them glittering in his blue eyes.
Ryder stared at her for several long seconds, unmoving, his fierce gaze drawing hers. Taking a step toward her, he smiled, a slow, predatory smile, stopping abruptly when she took a step back.
His smile fell, and without a word, he turned and went back to helping his friend, his watchful gaze lifting to hers with alarming frequency.
Shaken by her unwilling attraction to his bad-boy good looks, she concentrated on watching them work, careful not to meet their eyes.
It didn’t prove to be difficult at all, especially with so many other delightful things to watch. Feeling loose and a little mellow now as the medicines kicked in, she smiled to herself and enjoyed the show.
They removed their jackets, giving her a tantalizing view of the muscles in their arms bunching and flexing as they worked as well as their firm bottoms each time they turned their backs to her. When they bent over the front of her truck, she couldn’t take her eyes from them, fascinated at the most amazing men’s asses she’d ever seen. Her own imagination ran wild as she thought about how it would feel to hold on to Dillon’s wide shoulders and have those slim hips between her thighs and how it would feel to dig her heels into those tight buttocks.
No matter how much she fought it, though, her gaze kept returning to Ryder.
The tattoos on his arms didn’t surprise her at all, the one that disappeared beneath the short sleeve of his shirt fascinating her. She wanted to see the rest of it, her imagination going wild at the thought of seeing him naked. Staring at his tattoo, she finally figured out it was an abstract design and wondered how far over his body it went.
With her fingers itching to explore, she looked up to find he’d caught her staring, and hurriedly looked away.
As soon as he got back to work, her gaze slid to his buns again, willing to bet they would be as hard and unyielding as the rest of him. She would also bet he would take a woman in that primitive, exciting way the look in his eyes promised.
What she wouldn’t give for some of her former courage back and the chance to find out.
He shot another glance at her as they hooked up her truck, his brow going up when he caught her staring again. “So, what did you hope to learn at the women’s club? If you’re looking for volunteers, I’d be happy to let you practice on me. I’m sure I could teach you things you’d never learn there.”
Mortified that they appeared to know about the club she would be visiting, she turned away, looking up and down the deserted road.
“There isn’t much traffic here, is there? I guess I’m lucky the sheriff happened to be passing when my truck broke down.”
Dillon straightened, frowning at her thoughtfully before nodding once. “Guess so. Are you all right?”
“Of course.” She took another step back, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
Ryder brushed off his hands as he straightened and came closer, leaning back against the side of his truck, his gaze narrowing in speculation.
“You don’t like that question, huh? Interesting. You’re shy but going to the women’s club for the seminar this weekend. I happen to know they’re teaching women ways to please their man. But no man worth his salt would let his woman come here alone, which means you don’t have a man, do you? What happened, did some man break up with you because he said you were no good at sex? Did he cheat on you with another woman and now you want to use sex to get him back?”
Aghast that he’d figured her out so easily, she could only stare at him, trying to come up with something to say.
Crossing one booted foot over the other and his arms across his chest, he settled back as if he had all day.
“You know, it’s probably his fault, not yours. Women don’t have to do a hell of a lot to please a man in the sex department.”
Dillon’s steady look never wavered, the deep blue of his eyes sharpening as he studied her.
“Ryder’s a little presumptuous, especially since we just met you.” He gave Ryder a warning look. “He’s too used to women at the club who fall all over him.”
He took a step closer, pausing when she took a step back. The tenderness in his smile reflected in his blue eyes, making them glitter with silver.
“Since you’re alone, we just don’t want you mixing with men who might hurt you. The men’s club is also having seminars over the next several weeks, and when your curiosity kicks in, we don’t want you messing around with strangers.”
Ryder pushed off from the side of the truck. “There’s no ring on your finger, and I’ll bet you’re here because of a breakup with some boyfriend, aren’t you? A woman scorned is careless. And dangerous.”
The look in his eyes told her without words it was a danger he would be happy to face head-on.
He would be a demanding lover, and he exuded the same self-confidence Danny always had, thinking himself God’s gift to women.
She suspected Ryder would be just as selfish as Danny in bed, and no matter how much he tempted her, she wouldn’t subject herself to that again.
Shaken at the surge of lust their attention stirred up inside her, and alarmed at how quickly the fuzziness began to
close in around her, she lifted her chin and planted her feet firmly to keep from swaying.
“It’s none of your business. I’d appreciate it if you’d take me to the hotel, please.”
She had to get there before she fell asleep on them, something that could happen in the next few minutes if she didn’t hurry them along.
Ryder’s grin fell, but his eyes danced with amusement as he opened the passenger door and waved his hand, gesturing her inside. “Sure thing, darlin’. Hop in. We’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
She shot a look at Dillon as she moved toward the truck, holding on to the door to steady herself as her head began to swim. Ignoring his look of concern, she slid inside and to the center of the bench seat on the older, but surprisingly clean truck.
She sucked in a breath when Dillon slid into the passenger seat beside her and closed the door, and watched with hungry eyes as Ryder circled the front of the truck toward the driver’s side. What she wouldn’t give to be the kind of woman who could tame such a man.
“You okay?”
Surprised by Dillon’s question, Alison spun toward him, alarmed to find his face only inches from hers. Hurriedly looking out the front window again, she swallowed heavily, fighting the languid drowsiness that made her limbs heavy and her reflexes slow.
Even though he’d donned his jacket again, she would swear she could feel the heat pouring off of him. How wonderful it would be to be able to lay her head on his strong shoulder, have his heavy arm come around her to hold her so she could relax, warm and secure against him.
Shaken at her thoughts, she bit her lip, hoping like hell she didn’t start blurting them out. Sitting straighter, she blinked her tired eyes, having more and more trouble keeping them open. She’d never had one of the pain pills affect her so quickly before, but taking it on an empty stomach had apparently made it work faster. Being tired when she took them probably hadn’t helped much either.
“I’m fine. Will it take long to get there?”
Ryder slid into the driver’s seat, making her jump when he slammed the door behind him.
“In a hurry to get away from us?”
She turned in her seat toward him, her lethargy making her clumsy as she leaned back to avoid touching him, and inadvertently pressed against Dillon. “I don’t even know you.”
Ignoring his hostile glare, she turned back to look out the front window, doing her best to put as much distance between them as possible without slumping against Dillon.
Ryder probably had women falling all over themselves to get close to him, his dark good looks making him impossible to ignore. Added to that, he had a quick grin, a devil-may-care attitude, and practically oozed erotic charm. That wildness she sensed in him, though, would be the biggest draw, a challenge to any red-blooded female to see if she could be the one to bring him to his knees.
Imagining him on his knees and all that wildness she saw in his eyes breaking free in the bedroom had lust slamming into her battered system with a force that staggered her.
On the heels of that came memories of the way it had been with Danny. She’d considered herself lucky that a man that had his pick of women would choose her.
By the time she walked away, she wondered what she’d ever seen in him.
Not about to let what happened with Danny keep her from having a loving relationship with a man, she’d quickly figured out what she had to do in order to be with one again.
She had to get her confidence back, and coming to Desire had seemed like a good way to do it. Ryder reminded her too much of Danny, but Dillon’s gentleness pulled at her, and she found herself looking to see if he wore a wedding band. Seeing none, but knowing that mechanics sometimes went without them because of their jobs, she found herself hoping he was single.
She’d love to spend time with a man, a real man, before she left town again. The tingling of awareness beneath her lethargy and the way her nipples beaded each time they hit a bump and her arm brushed his proved to her that she could feel desire again, and an idea began to form in her mind.
Could she do it? Was she brave enough, desperate enough, to try?
Uncomfortably aware of their scrutiny, she searched her muddled mind for something to break the tense silence.
“The sheriff asked me which club I’m going to, and when I said Lady Desire, he smiled and said something about it being the women’s club. So the other club is for men, and they’re having seminars, too?”
She wished she had the courage to ask if men went there to learn the same kinds of things she hoped to learn, but figured she’d better not.
Ryder shot her a look of dark amusement. “Yep.”
Something in that look had her shifting restlessly in her seat, alarmed that moisture soaked her panties. Clearing her throat, she stared again out the front window as several buildings and houses came into view. “Then why did the sheriff ask me which club I was going to?”
Ryder shot her a glance, the heat in it making her nipples tingle. “He didn’t know if you were one of the subs that visit there.”
Alison blinked again, wondering if she’d missed something. “Why would they want to do that?”
Jeez, Alison. Just shut up and stop asking stupid questions.
Dillon cleared his throat and shot a warning glance at Ryder.
Smiling tenderly, Dillon lifted her chin, his tender touch a sharp contrast to the intense scrutiny of his stare. “Because they get a chance to live out some of their fantasies in a safe environment with men who appreciate them.”
The fingers holding her chin felt warm and firm, no hesitation or uncertainty in his touch. She felt safe with him, and at the same time a delicious warmth built inside her and made her yearn to discover what it would be like to make love with him.
He would understand. He wouldn’t make fun of her or criticize her shortcomings.
She stared into his eyes, unable to prevent imagining pressing herself against him as he held her in his arms. Those big arms would come around her and hold her close, his touch firm, but gentle as he explored her, hold her while she slept.
With a start, she realized her eyes had closed and snapped them open, knowing she had to get to the hotel soon.
His beautiful blue eyes twinkled with amusement and something else she couldn’t interpret. Lost in his stare, it took her a minute to remember what they’d been talking about. When she did, her face burned, but he wouldn’t let her look away, tightening his hold on her chin when she attempted it.
Swallowing heavy, she lowered her eyes. “Are…are you telling me that women actually go there to meet men who—”
“Fuck them?” Ryder finished helpfully, but with an icy snap that startled her.
When Dillon cursed under his breath and released her, she whipped her head around to face Ryder, frowning in confusion to the underlying anger in his tone.
Ryder nodded once, but didn’t glance her way. “That we do. Make them come until they’re hoarse from screaming. They love it and keep coming back for more. Some spend their vacations in town just to be able to go to the club.”
What would it be like to sit and watch?
Grateful that she hadn’t blurted that out, she bit her lip and stared straight ahead.
The only time she’d ever seen men and women having sex had been in the porn movies Danny watched, but those had always seemed like acting to her. They taught her, though, how to fake an orgasm.
Trying to keep everything but curiosity from her tone, she shifted in the seat again, fighting her jealousy at the mental image of watching Ryder having sex with another woman.
No, she didn’t mean Ryder, she meant Dillon. Staring up into Dillon’s strong, masculine features, she felt herself melting under the tender concern in his eyes.
What would it be like to belong to such a man, if only for a little while?
Would he want her? Did she have the courage to find out?
Ryder shot her a glance, but she could read nothing in his hooded eyes.
“Does anyone ever call you Ally?”
Thinking about the kinds of names Danny called her, she shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping before she could prevent it. “No. My parents always called me ‘little bit’ because I’m so short, and in school, everyone called me Alison.”
After a long silence, Dillon gripped her chin again and turned her face toward his. His gaze slid over each of her features, lingering on her lips, before lifting to her eyes again. “Would you have dinner with us? We’ll eat at the hotel.”
It seemed strange for him to ask her that way, and she fought her lethargy, fighting to stay alert. “Both of you?” Why would he ask her to dinner with both of them? Had she missed something?
Ryder hit the brakes a little harder than necessary at a stop sign, shooting her a cool look when she cried out and grabbed for Dillon, who’d already caught her. “I guess that’s up to you.”
She couldn’t even imagine trying to sit through dinner with Ryder, but she’d love to spend some private time with Dillon.
She’d love to have the opportunity to practice what she learned at Lady Desire on someone, and Dillon seemed to be the perfect candidate.
She’d bet anything she would be safe with him and that he would be a tender and patient lover, one who would treat her with kindness and respect.
It would also be nice to have someone to eat with, and she couldn’t deny that it would also help her moneywise. Now that she had the additional expense of fixing her truck, she simply wouldn’t be able to afford to eat very much while she was in Desire.
But she didn’t want him to get the wrong impression, at least until she could make a decision without the fogginess that surrounded her. She had enough trouble right now just fighting the urge to wrap herself around Ryder…no. Dillon. Ryder reminded her too much of Danny and had to be avoided.
It kept getting harder and harder to keep her head from bobbing and to keep her eyes open, the harsh glare coming in the windshield making her eyes hurt. “Just dinner?”
Dillon smiled, cupping her face and running a thumb over her lips. “For now.”