by Starla Kaye
Aimee walked up next to her and smiled, looking tired. "I couldn't have done all of this without your help. I just hope everyone appreciates it as much as we do."
"They'll love it." Kandee raised her arms over her head and stretched from side to side. Muscles she hadn't worked in too long ached. She needed a nice hot bath and a nap, but the nap wasn't going to happen. She had a little over an hour and a half to go home, get ready, and get back here. "I've got to go."
Aimee's eyes danced with amusement. "I can't wait to see Sean's reaction to that costume you came up with." She giggled. "Okay, probably every man at the party will be dropping their jaws and panting. There will be a lot of annoyed women."
Kandee had been thinking about the pirate lady costume she'd created from pieces and parts of old costumes she'd found in the attic of her parents' home. She was determined to get Sean Masters' full attention and was pretty sure this would do it. But after seeing the way Chad's eyes had all but popped out of his head at seeing the costume without her even wearing it, she was having second thoughts. She wanted Sean's attention...not to be the center of everyone's attention.
She walked into the foyer and grabbed her coat from the halltree. "Maybe I should wear something else. Something less..."
"No! It's perfect!" Aimee protested. "Even if he isn't on my Top 10 list of people I like, the man needs something to pull him out of the doldrums he's been in lately. That will definitely do it."
"You need to lighten up on him. He's your husband's friend and he's here to stay. You've got to forgive his past Mr. Jerk status and give him a chance." Kandee countered, unsure why she seemed to so easily jump on the defense for him. He'd done her wrong, after all. But the leftover crush she still carried apparently meant more than hurtful memories as a teenager.
"Have you forgiven him? Really?" Aimee pinned her with a challenging look. "Aren't you just trying to get even with him somehow now? By teasing him and not actually wanting him for more than some play time. Which is wrong, I remind you."
Why had she ever mentioned to Aimee that she wanted to use Sean to free the wicked woman inside her? Even if the handsome, former pro quarterback was perfect for the job. She really needed to watch how much she drank tonight. Her stupid loose lips had revealed far too much to her old friend already. It still mortified her that she'd admitted she was still a virgin at thirty.
"We need each other," Kandee stated bluntly. When she'd first said that, it had just happened. Now she actually believed they did. "He can help me with my embarrassing little problem. And I can distract him from focusing on his problems: ending his football career and being the rancher he never wanted to be." That made sense, didn't it?
Aimee shook her head sadly. "I'm just worried about you and this crazy plan of yours. Sean Masters is a major playboy, a certified love 'em-and-leave 'em kind of guy. I don't want to see you hurt. Again."
"I appreciate your concern, but I'll be careful. I'll be in charge." Easy to say, but she was certain it wouldn't be as simple as she thought. Manipulating a player like Sean would be one of her biggest challenges.
She shrugged her coat on and avoided looking at Aimee, certain she'd see serious doubt on her friend's face. She was determined, but she had a ton of doubts of her own. For nearly a year now she'd been restless with her life. Her job was no longer a challenge and yet it consumed much of her time, way more than 9 to 5. People around her, though, had lives beyond the job. They had husbands and wives and families. All she had was her work. Not that she wanted a husband, but she did eventually want a child or two. She had already researched about adopting as a single parent. And she'd even considered using a sperm bank. First, though, she wanted some real experience at dating, at having some fun, at sex. Definitely at sex.
"Foolish as it seems to you, I need to do this."
Aimee touched her arm as she reached for the door handle and drew her attention. "There are a number of single men in town that Chad could--"
"I'm not a pity case, Aimee. I don't want you or Chad playing matchmaker, especially since I'm not planning on staying in Cantonville. All I want right now is help with..." Why was she going into this again? Talking about her personal problem.
"Yes, I know, at losing your virginity. But seriously? You really think Sean is a good choice for help with that?"
"Sean never stays interested with a woman for long, so he's perfect for what I want." If I can convince him to help me. "I don't want anything permanent like you have with Chad. Marriage isn't my thing. I don't think I could share an everyday life with someone else. I've lived alone too long. I'm set in my ways." Except I'll adapt someday for adding a child to my life. But she didn't want to share that with Aimee, not yet anyway. Her friend would push her toward marriage because it had worked so well for her. Statistics didn't back up marriage as being reliable.
She opened the door, trying not to focus on Aimee's disappointed look. "All I want is to free my inner wild side, have some fun. I'm more than just the brainiac everyone sees me as."
"I know, but..." Aimee stopped talking when Kandee straightened her shoulders.
"I've worked hard to mold this body into something I'm proud of. I've taken classes in public speaking and can hold my own in any group. I've revamped everything about me in preparation for this next step in my life."
Aimee smiled in reassurance. "Okay, you're ready to let the beautiful butterfly that you are out."
Kandee nodded, even though her stomach churned with unease. "Show the world the pretty swan that the ugly duckling turned into, you mean." She still remembered all the times she'd been overlooked as a teenager, even by her parents.
"You were never an ugly duckling! I'm so sorry that you ever felt that way." Aimee's eyes shimmered with tears. "It makes me want to go punch every one of those people who made you feel that way. Especially Sean Masters."
He hadn't actually made her feel that way. At least he'd never been unkind to her, just uninterested in her. But she hadn't had anything physically then to keep a testosterone-driven young man's attention. Hopefully she did now.
"You're quite the little protective mother hen." Kandee smiled, warmed by Aimee's fierce loyalty. She stepped onto the porch. "Time to go home and finish the transformation from the duckling...into the sexy pirate vixen." She had remembered all night long the way Sean's eyes had darkened, widened in surprise and interest. She also remembered the other rather shocking thing she'd said to him. She'd really pushed the edge with that.
* * *
Sean lined up the cue stick for his next pool shot. Pool had never been his game, but somehow his old teammates had talked him into playing. At least being here in Chad's pool room/den he didn't have to keep struggling not to stare at Kandee. Just the thought of her in that black and pink short--seriously short--dress with its tied corset-like top and fluffy black skirt and flirty pink ruffled underskirt had him losing focus. Again. He sent the stick forward too hard and managed to destroy any possible good shots left for his partner.
"Hey, man, you trying to throw the game to those yahoos?" Tim, his partner in the match, complained.
"I think he's distracted tonight," Don said with a wink at his gay lover, Tony. "If I weren't already involved with someone, I might seek her out myself."
"But you're taken and you don't lean that way anyway." Tony grinned and glanced at Sean. "Who knew your little Kandee O'Connor would turn into such a stunner."
"She's not mine, never has been." No matter how many times he'd said that, his friends continued to tease him. They all knew he'd refused to come to this party until she'd come to see him at the ranch. Evidently his foreman, Barry, liked to gossip. And anything about Sean was gossip worthy in his hometown.
"Riiiight," Don said with a chuckle and lined up his shot.
Sean handed his cue stick to Tim and scowled. "I need another beer." He started to leave the room.
"You just want to catch another look at The Babe. Make sure no one else is getting friendly--too friendly--wi
th her," Don said, grinning.
Sean refused to be drawn into this verbal game any further. And he was tired of them referring to Kandee as The Babe. She was definitely the hottest woman here tonight, but he didn't like them all but drooling over her. Not that these guys were the only men he'd spotted paying far too much attention to her. Hell, a man would have to be blind not to watch every move she made, watch every sexy sway of her hips, drool every time she bent over and flashed way too much breast view.
Damn, damn, damn. He hated the way she was flirting and acting so... Okay, she was acting like most of the women he'd been drawn to in his football-playing days. Why? Why was she acting this way? She'd always been such a sweet, nice, simple girl. He wasn't comfortable with this drastic change in her. What would her parents think of her behavior now? If he were here, her father would probably take her aside somewhere and spank this nonsense out of her.
Spanked. He hadn't spanked a woman in several years and that had been only in play. Foreplay. Just like Kandee had mentioned. But she needed more than that for the way she was behaving tonight. Smiling sinfully at him whenever she caught his eye, a smile that promised wicked pleasures. Flashing her pink-pantied bottom at him in a quick bend over. Winking at him from across the room. Yet she'd kept her distance from him...and he from her.
Frustration thrummed through him as he walked into the great room and glanced around at the couple dozen costumed-people. Halloween music filled the air along with the many conversations and laughter. Some guests sipped on wine or the spiked punch, a few carried long-necked bottles of beer like he favored. Several noticed him and once again tried to draw his attention. He'd pretty much avoided talking with anyone but his friends. He didn't want to talk about his knee, his failed football career, or his move back here. His friends steered away from those sore subjects, which he'd appreciated. But these other people... It was safer to keep his distance and not be drawn into an awkward conversation.
He headed for the kitchen and another beer. Stay focused. Don't look for her.
"Couldn't come up with a costume?"
The soft, sensual question from the woman he'd been avoiding made him freeze. He drew in her scent, something flowery but not overpowering. His pulse raced with awareness of everything about her. Reluctantly, he turned to face her. His gaze immediately dropped to the crown of plump creamy breasts barely contained by the corset. He wanted to free them, to hold them, to suckle them.
Instead he scowled and snapped, "At least I'm not dressed indecently."
She blinked at him; hurt flashing in her blue eyes. Her chin ratcheted up. "I didn't think you'd even noticed."
"Hell yes, I noticed. So did every other man here." It bothered him that he'd hurt her feelings, reminded him, again, how he'd hurt her all those years ago.
Her cheeks grew pink, but she met his gaze and held it. "There is nothing wrong with this costume."
"Other than it barely covers your ass. Barely keeps your breasts from bursting out." He curled his hands into fists at his sides to keep from reaching for her. God, she was tempting.
She gave him that crooked smile she'd flashed him earlier. "You want me, don't you?"
"Damn right." He stepped closer, glanced around to be sure no one was within hearing distance. "I want to take you to the floor right here and drive deep inside you. I want to fuck the hell out of you." He drew in a shuddery breath. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Her eyes widened and he saw a tremble go through her. "Yes," she answered breathlessly.
"Get your coat," he said on a growl. "We're leaving. Now."
"What if I don't want to?" She didn't move, but her nostrils flared.
She wanted him. He knew all of the signs. "You wanted my attention, now you've got it. I repeat, get your coat."
Aimee walked up and looked from Kandee to him and back to Kandee. "Is everything all right?"
Before Kandee could answer, he said firmly, "We're leaving."
"Kandee?" Aimee's expression showed concern.
"We're leaving, just like he said." Kandee hurried off to find her coat.
Aimee focused on him, anger in her eyes. "I don't care if you are Chad's friend or not. I don't care if you're some big ass football player or not. If you hurt her, I'll--"
"I'm not going to hurt her." Okay, he was going to hurt her some. He planned on roasting that sweet ass of hers. "And I'm not a 'big ass football player' anymore."
Kandee hurried up then with her coat, evidently caught the last of what he'd said, and frowned in disapproval at Aimee. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
* * *
Kandee sat beside Sean in his big, dual-cabbed pickup truck as he drove away from Aimee's house. They'd gotten lots of curious looks as he'd led her quickly from the party. No one was more curious about this situation than her, though. He'd avoided her all night and then suddenly he was all "I want to fuck the hell out of you" and insisting they leave together. While she was certainly turned on, she wondered if she hadn't bitten off more than she could chew by pursuing him. He was so far out of her league when it came to anything sexual. She would be such a disappointment to him. He'd probably even laugh at her obvious naivety.
"Maybe this isn't a good idea," she said nervously. Where was the woman determined to find her wild side?
He didn't say anything for several blocks as he clearly headed for her parents' house. Finally he glanced at her. "It's a horrible idea, but it's happening anyway."
"What? The fucking thing?" She felt her face heating and stared straight ahead.
"Don't talk like that," he said firmly. "Ladies don't say fuck."
It wasn't a word she'd ever said before, but she didn't like being told what she could or could not say. Just like she didn't like being told what she could or could not do. She bristled. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." All right, the word was distasteful.
He grumbled under his breath but didn't say another word until they pulled into her driveway. When he switched off the engine and she started to open the passenger door, he snapped, "No! Wait there!"
Of course the order only made her get out faster. But he was at her side almost the second her feet were on the ground.
"You're one irritating woman, Kandee O'Connor." He glowered down at her, towering over her by at least six inches.
"And you're not irritating? All but ordering me to leave with you. Hardly talking to me during the drive." She had a feeling he was trying to be intimidating, but she wasn't. What she felt was a funny sensation in her stomach, her heart racing.
Before she did something stupid like reaching up to pull his head down to her and kissing him silly, she turned and marched toward the house. Motion lights came on as she headed for the front door. Now that she was facing the possibility of finally spending her first night with a lover...with the man she'd long dreamed of...she felt apprehensive. Maybe she needed more time to prepare for this. Needed to read again through those books she'd bought on sexual positions, sexual pleasures.
She unlocked the door and faced him. He was right behind her. His eyes had darkened and she sensed his tension and something else she didn't understand. "Are you okay?"
"No." He sucked in a deep breath, but still looked tense. "Remember what you asked me the other day?"
She shook her head. All she could think about was how much her body wanted this man. That small bud between her legs throbbed, just as she'd read it did when women got aroused. Her breaths were rapid and shallow. Her fingers ached to drive into his thick hair.
"Stop that!" he snapped and made her frown in annoyance. "Stop looking like you want to strip me bare and ride me hard."
That's what she was doing? Well, yes, she'd like to see him all nice and naked. "That would be a bad thing?"
He swallowed hard, closing his eyes for a second. "Very bad."
Then he nudged her into the house, shutting the door behind him. "That's not why I'm here, not why I made you leave the party."
She pulled off her coat with shaking
hands. "It's not?"
His eyes widened and his gaze lowered to her breasts, which made her nipples harden. But instead of reaching for her, he took her coat and hung it on the antique halltree. Then he looked toward the living room, warmed by the lights she'd left on. "This will do." With that, he took hold of her arm and pulled her with him toward the long burgundy and gold plaid sofa.
She had no idea what he was doing, but stumbled along with him. Was her first time going to be here in the living room, on the sofa? She'd always thought it would happen in bed somewhere.
Sean sat down and looked up at her as she stood uncertainly in front of him. "As I said, do you remember what you asked me the other night?"
"The foreplay thing?" She shifted anxiously from foot to foot. She needed to tell him how inexperienced she was.
He shook his head. "No, about the spanking thing. If I had ever spanked someone." He held her gaze. "Yes, I have."
"I..I wasn't serious. I was just...just goofing around." But he looked serious. She'd seen this same grim determination on her father's face when she'd pushed him beyond his limits. It had always led to her sleeping uncomfortably that night.
"Surely you don't..."
"I most certainly do intend to spank your ass." He patted his right thigh. "I assume you know the position to take."
Her face flamed. Did he know for a fact that she'd been spanked growing up? Why was she even standing here? Why wasn't she insisting he leave her home? "No."
One of his thick eyebrows lifted. "You all but asked me to do this the other night. Tonight you've been begging for it."
Her buttocks clenched. "I did not." Well, she'd been curious about getting spanked in foreplay.
Again, he patted his leg. "You need to be taken in hand. Reminded how to behave like the lady you were raised to be. You shouldn't go to a man's house and speak so naughtily to him, tempt him. You shouldn't go around wearing practically nothing in front of a bunch of lust-crazed men. You shouldn't let a stranger take you home and then let him into your house."