To Desire a Wilde

by Kimberly Kaye Terry

  The anger left his eyes, replaced with a look that made Ellie draw in a breath, her eyes widening at the intense way he was staring at her.

  His unflinching gaze trained on her, his focus shifting from her eyes, down to her mouth, and back. She felt herself go still beneath his perusal.

  It was as though he was trying to look into her very soul.

  Ellie felt chill bumps feather along her spine, down her body, and trembled.

  It was as though he sought to discern her every thought, push past every barrier she’d ever erected, barriers she’d worked her entire life to build.

  In that moment, it was as though all the layers of her life came tumbling down. Her breath grew ragged, her chest heaved as she fought a battle she could not see, one that she’d been waging against the world in an effort to keep herself, her emotions, her very self at a distance.

  She pushed against the stonelike wall of his chest to no avail. Angry tears rimmed her eyes, but she stubbornly fought against them, determined to hold them at bay.

  “What—” She stopped, breathed in deeply before continuing. “What do you want from me, Shilah?”

  For long moments he didn’t speak, so long she wondered if he’d heard her whispered plea, or if he had, whether he would answer her.

  She felt his finger beneath her chin, forcing her to raise her eyes to meet his.

  The heated look in his eyes as he stared down at her sent a curl of desire through her body. A deep emotion filled his dark eyes’ depths, so much emotion she turned her head away, unable to believe…accept what she saw.

  She felt his lips touch the top of her head in a soft caress.

  “It’s just you and me, Ellie. Just like it always has been. You don’t have to hide from me.”

  He ran his finger down the side of her face. Before she realized what she was doing, Ellie turned into his hand, rubbing her head softly back and forth against his palm.

  He turned her face so that she was forced to look at him, and she saw a small smile lift the corner of his sensual mouth. Although he smiled, there was no humor in his dark gaze, only simmering desire and something more…intangible, fleeting, so fleeting that she thought she’d imagined it.

  He leaned down and tilted her face to meet his mouth. He simply brushed his lips back and forth over hers in feathery strokes, before slowly lifting his head.

  “I can’t do this, Shilah. I—” She turned away from him, turned away from the smoldering look in his eyes, away from what his eyes were telling her he wanted from her.

  Afraid to see her own need mirrored within his hot gaze.

  “You don’t have to do anything, Ellie.”

  As she began to pull away he grasped the side of her face and placed another kiss on her lips.

  Ellie released a shuddering breath.

  “Just feel.”

  This time when he lowered his head, he did so slowly, as though giving her time to move away, if that was what she wanted. To give her time to deny him…herself, the truth of what was brewing between them. A truth that stretched back years, a connection that went deep and one that left Ellie feeling shaken and afraid.

  Ellie stared up at him, meeting his gaze, unable to move away.

  His minty breath brushed the side of her face, the end of his nose nudged her cheek in a soft back-and-forth motion.

  “The only other thing I want from you is to tell me you want me, Ellie,” he whispered, against the corner of her lips.

  Ellie moaned, softly, trapped in the sensual web he’d created; one she had willingly allowed to capture her. “Tell me this isn’t one-sided.”

  She felt his hands tunnel through her hair, dislodging the band that held it back. Sifting his fingers through her strands, he tugged her close and slanted his mouth over hers.

  In feathery strokes he ran his mouth over hers in easy glides, back and forth, his tongue sneaking out to lick across the seam of her lips.

  The touch of his tongue was electric fire and as Ellie gasped, her mouth opened to allow him entry.

  As soon as she opened her mouth to him, his hungry tongue invaded, swirling around the moist cavern of her mouth, running along the length of her teeth, end to end, before diving deep to leisurely lap and toy with her tongue, in a heated love play that wrung a deep moan from Ellie.

  “Tell me that you want me as badly as I want you,” he said, his breathing heavy as he broke away from her.

  “I—I—” She stopped, unable to voice what she felt in her heart. Confused, tears burned the back of her eyes. She couldn’t put into words something she hadn’t given a name to herself. With a cry, she turned away.

  But, he wouldn’t allow her even that.

  He pulled her tighter, closer, until her breasts pressed hotly against the hard wall of his thick chest. His hands came out to cup her cheeks, brushing away the tears she hadn’t known she’d shed.

  Her hands came out to cover his, trembling.

  She stared up at him with desperate eyes. “I—I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” The admission was torn from her, as emotions crowded in on her. “I just can’t do this, Shilah, I just can’t.”

  “Let me take care of you, Ellie. No questions, no examination of what this is between us.” The ends of his nostrils flared, his gaze going over her, as his hands trailed down from her face, down the side of her neck and over her body, deftly removing the jacket she wore, allowing it to fall on the floor beside them.

  “No expectations, no recriminations.”

  His fingers delved back into the back of her head, pulling her head closer while the other hand moved down her body, past the swell of her hips, and palmed her buttocks.

  She drew her bottom lip into her mouth, her heart pounding when so close to him, their bodies pressed together, she could feel every long hard inch of his arousal as it pressed into her belly.

  Her nipples spiked and she arched her back, as his hands slid up and beneath her sweater, his cool palms sliding against her overheated skin.

  He slanted her head, and brought their mouths together, his tongue immediately invading her mouth again. He tugged at the lower rim of her mouth with his teeth and suckled it until she hissed in pleasure.

  Of their own volition her arms crept up and snaked around his shoulders, tugging him down even closer to her.

  Her body on fire for him, she mewled, rubbing her body against his, silently begging for him to continue his sensual assault.

  One big hand reached for her breast, running his fingers over the silky material, thumbing at her nipple, pinching and toying with it until it pearled beneath his talented fingers.

  Long, drugging kisses later, he wrenched his mouth from hers, his nostrils flaring, chest heaving with each harsh breath he took. When he withdrew from her, her eyes flew open, a soundless cry of denial on her lips.

  When Shilah broke their kiss, his breathing harsh, he stared down at her, his hands trailing over her nearly naked torso, until they came to rest at her breasts.

  Although slender, her breasts were round, high and firm. He trailed his fingers over them, lifting them, cupping them in the palm of his hand.

  Her sexy, lacy red bra was striking against her deep chocolate skin, the lace barely covering the slight swell of her breasts.

  So damn sexy…just looking at them made his mouth water and his shaft thump against the constriction of his jeans.

  He wanted…needed to see them. Feel them in his mouth…taste and caress them. The thought brought his erection to painful proportions.

  He quickly unfastened the front closure of her bra and watched in hot fascination as her breasts bounced free. Her nipples, long and erect, looked like tight little cherries perched on top of a dark, decadent piece of chocolate cake.

  He grabbed her, lifting her and, straddling her legs around his waist, he turned.

  “Shilah, what—” she began, and he slanted his mouth over hers and walked the few steps toward the kitchen table, and placed her down on it. Before she could a
sk anything further, with a groan he leaned down and captured one of the cherry-colored nubbins with his teeth.

  He heard Ellie’s moan, and the feel of her hand on his head, as she tugged his head closer. He bit down on her nipple, not hard enough to hurt, but enough so that he knew she felt the sting.

  She moaned and clutched at his head, dragging him closer as she arched her breast fully into his mouth.

  Shilah glanced up at her through a haze of lust and sweat, watching her, her head thrown back, her fingers digging into his scalp, as he licked her breasts, alternating his attention from one to the other, before suckling one deep inside his mouth. Back and forth he laved her, greedy for her, her taste driving him out of his mind. The sight of her obvious pleasure enflamed him even more.

  Without a word, he dropped down on his knees in front of her. He had to taste…more of her.

  He kept his eyes fixed on hers as his fingers went to the fastening of her jeans, unbuttoning one, two, a third before Ellie came out of her sensual daze.

  “Shilah…no…” she whispered, staring down at him, pushing away the greedy anticipation she felt after reading the clarity of his intent in his dark eyes.

  “Let me do this, Ellie. Just for you.”

  Ellie swallowed deep, her heartbeat thudding an erratic pattern against her chest. Her eyes fluttered closed when she felt the brush of his big hand over the silk of her panties.

  She held her breath, expelling it in one long whoosh of air when she felt his finger pull at the side of her panties and one big finger ease inside.

  When he eased a second finger inside, and grasped her clit, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger, her moans increased, the sound of her cries echoing in the room as he took her own moisture and, separating her vaginal lips, spread it between her moist folds before slowly, God, so slowly, easing a finger inside her clenching heat.

  When she felt his tongue lightly stroke across her mound, her eyes flew open and she stared at the top of his dark head, between her thighs. “No, Shilah…nooo.” Her denial ended in a long cry, as he ignored her pleas, ministering to her body as though he had every right.

  In a slow, easy rhythm he paid homage to her body, licking and stroking her in languid turns, dragging his finger in and out of her core, while his talented, wicked tongue made almost lazy swipes between her drenched folds. He played and toyed with her until her body was at a fever pitch.

  Every muscle tensed and she reared her body up, grabbing his head and helplessly moving her body against his.

  Ignoring her pleas, he continued to minister to her, easing his finger in and out of her, his rhythm slow and easy, as he took his time with her, toying with her, until she could take no more.

  “Shilah!” she screamed as she felt the beginnings of an orgasm unfurl. Her body strummed with pleasure, electrified and on fire…it no longer belonged to her. It belonged to Shilah.

  She moaned, moving against his finger, as his nimble fingers and lips were busy catering to her in ways no man had ever done to her before, gifting her with a pleasure she’d never felt.

  “Ohhhhh,” she panted, her breath coming out in painful gasps.

  “So good,” he murmured, kissing her nubbin, drawing it deeply into his mouth and slowly allowing it to pop out. “So, sweet,” he mouthed the hot words against her pulsing core.

  “Oh, Shilah…” The words were a long hiss of pleasure from Ellie’s partially open mouth.

  The ache between her legs grew tauter, and her heart felt ready to explode from her chest when she felt his big hand press above her mound, at the same time his tongue captured her straining bud and tugged, hard.

  With her eyes tightly clenched, a kaleidoscope of color bursting behind them, she gave in to the mind-blowing orgasm. With feverish abandon she rode the crest of the orgasm, barely feeling the tight hold he now had on her legs as he grasped her hips, his mouth nestled between her thighs as he continued his sensual assault.

  When the last shuddering contraction left her body, she weakly fell back against the table, her body spent.

  Ellie felt him move up her body, felt the tug of her jeans as he closed and fastened them for her, but unable to move, much less assist him, she lay on the table, eyes closed as reality came crashing down on her.

  He rose to his feet, and she felt him near her. Unable to open her eyes and face him…what she’d allowed him to do, she turned her face away. Emotions crowded in on her so tight she felt as though they were choking her, sucking out the very air around her.

  She felt his hands beneath her body and tensed. Lifting her in his arms, he turned and sat down with her, cradling her in his lap.

  “Shilah,” she began to speak, her voice raspy.

  He placed a finger over her lips. “It’s okay, baby.”

  He laid his cheek on top of her head and Ellie felt tears burn her eyes.

  As though he knew the emotions she felt crowding in on her were too much for her to handle.

  She also knew that she wasn’t alone in how she felt.

  With her ear pressed against his chest, she heard the pounding of his heart, felt the hard ridge of his erection against her bottom, but he made no demands on her.

  His kisses, the unselfish way he’d loved her…and now the amazing selfless way he held her, with no demand, made her feel more desired…beyond the physical, than she ever had in her life.

  Later, later she’d think about the ramifications of what she’d allowed to happen. For now, she simply lay against him, cherishing the feel of his chest, and the feel of his body close to hers as her eyes slowly drifted down and she fell asleep.

  Chapter 10

  Ellie returned home to an empty house. Walking into the kitchen, she found a plate of food, covered, waiting for her on top of the stove.

  Next to the plate was a note from her mother, telling her not to wait up for them as they’d decided to go to dinner and a late-night movie with friends.

  “Thank heavens for small favors,” she muttered, grateful to have the house to herself, if only for a few hours. She needed to decompress without having to put on a facade of nonchalance in front of her parents. Wearily she made her way toward her bedroom.

  Not that she would have been all that successful if she’d had to. The type of acting that would require was way above her abilities, and her very discerning parents would have seen right though her.

  Running strictly on autopilot, after taking a brisk shower she rummaged through her chest, hunting out her favorite comfort clothes—flannel lounging pajamas, thermal shirt and the pièce de résistance…thick cotton panties, or what she liked to call her favorite granny panties.

  Before leaving her bedroom she pulled a pair of equally ugly but no less comforting granny socks on her feet to complete the outfit.

  Comfort clothes. Just what the doctor ordered.

  After dressing she made her way back downstairs and headed toward the living room. Her stomach growled, reminding her of the food her mother had left.

  After heating the dish, she lifted the lid and the aromatic smell of the seasoned pot roast and garlic potatoes brought a blissful smile to her face.

  It was as though her mother knew she needed the familiarity of her favorite food.

  Just like the clothes, the food would serve as the perfect comfort and maybe force the image from her mind of Shilah’s dark head buried between her legs as he’d catered to her in the most intimate way.

  “Fat chance that’s gonna happen,” she said with a humorless laugh. She was just thankful she hadn’t had a wreck on the way home, her mind not on the drive but what they’d done…what she had allowed to happen, occupying her thoughts instead.

  With a self-directed growl of frustration, she ruthlessly shoved the heated memories to the side.

  Grabbing a cola from the refrigerator, she placed it along with the plate of food on a tray and walked over to the living room.

  She blew out a long breath and lay back against the back of the sofa. Lifting t
he fork to her mouth, she took a bite of food before reaching for the remote and channel searching, looking for anything that would keep her mind busy, active and away from Shilah.

  She gave up after going through every one of the 200-plus shows, wondering how there could be so many choices and nothing to see.

  With a sigh, she gave up, tossed the remote on the table and lifted the fork, only to move it around the plate, before putting it, and the plate back down on the table.

  As much as she enjoyed her mother’s cooking, tonight even that didn’t seem to give her the comfort she was looking for. She suspected nothing was going to do that for her.

  With a heavy sigh, she lay back against the sofa, mindlessly watching Judge Judy. Even that didn’t seem to give her the comfort she was looking for.

  More than the memory, which seemed to be seared in her brain for all time, were the potential ramifications that could result from what she’d done. As her father was fond of saying, shit could seriously hit the fan after this.

  She settled farther back into the cushions of the sofa, sighing.

  She was going to have to face what she’d done, and move on. That was all there was to it. She could handle it. She was a successful, mature adult. A woman who knew her own mind, and one who didn’t allow her emotions to rule her better judgment.

  Tomorrow she’d face Shilah and explain to him, rationally, that what happened could…would, never happen again. She was there for one reason and one reason only, and that was to complete her investigation, and she wouldn’t allow anything to get in her way of doing that.

  Even if that something came in the form of six feet three inches of smoldering masculinity with enough crazy hot sexuality to make a nun reconsider her vows.

  “Oh, shut up,” she mumbled aloud to her mocking inner voice that promised it would take a heck of a lot more than a few Hail Marys for her to accomplish that goal.