One Winter's Night

by Brenda Jackson

  Alpha swallowed hard. “Yes, of course. I’ve never dyed my hair.”

  As if seeing that part of her bared wasn’t enough, he reached out and touched her, trailed fingers through the curls and all around her feminine folds, slipping one finger inside as if to test her wetness. Her legs automatically parted to give him better access. And he took it, penetrating his finger farther inside of her.

  She heard him draw in a deep breath before he said, “Your scent is killing me.” And when he removed his finger from inside of her and inserted it between his lips to suck on it, she got weak in the knees.

  “And you taste good, too. I’m having you for breakfast in the morning.”

  Before she could figure out if he was serious or teasing, his hands went to her waist and he lifted her off her feet. “Wrap your legs around me,” he instructed huskily.

  She did so and the moment he lifted her body, she felt the head of his erection touch her. Easing her legs apart a little more, she sucked in hard when he thrust inside of her, clutching tight to her hips until he was fully embedded within her. She wasn’t aware a man could go that deep.

  “Now we dance this way,” he said against her moist lips.

  And they did. While the music played, he held her in his arms with her legs wrapped around him, supporting her weight while he was fully planted inside of her. She tightened her arms around his neck, swiveling her hips against him in tiny circles, keeping a sensuous beat with the music. Never had she danced with a man like this before. Rocking his body hard against hers and reminding her of just how buried he was inside of her. The intense penetration combined with the moves of their bodies to stimulate her with searing intensity. She closed her eyes as her nerve endings became more and more charged. Electrified. Intensified.

  And then there was the scent of him, clean and masculine. Whatever cologne he was wearing was a fragrance meant to drive a woman over the edge, and it was definitely doing a number on her. His hold on her thighs tightened even more, and the next thing she knew there was a hard wall against her back. She hadn’t been aware they had moved away from that spot in the center of the room.

  “I can’t take you slow anymore,” he growled seconds before he began thrusting in and out of her hard and fast, working his hips back and forth and side to side. She tightened her legs around him, convinced he was trying to drive her insane.

  When she felt her body about to explode, she moaned his name and was just about to scream when his mouth lowered and planted firmly on hers.

  But that didn’t stop her body from splintering into a thousand pieces. And she knew the moment his detonated, as well. He thrust deeper, harder and she felt him, all the way to her womb. Her muscles squeezed him, were driven to hold him hostage inside of her.

  This was incredible. He was incredible.

  She reveled in the feel of his body in hers, the hardness of his chest against hers and how his firm, muscled thighs felt while keeping her propped up against the wall. She fought not to scream again but couldn’t retain it, and once again his mouth was there to silence her.

  Moments later, when he pulled his mouth away, dark eyes stared into hers and she read what his eyes were saying. I want more.

  She mouthed her response. Get all you want.

  He remained inside of her, staring down at her, until they were both able to breathe normally again. It was only then that he lowered her feet to the floor and leaned down to pull up her panties before rearranging her skirt, smoothing it over her hips and thighs. She then watched as he proceeded to tuck himself back inside his pants.

  After rezipping, he glanced over at her. “Ready to go play Pleasure Games?”

  “I’m more than ready,” she said, as a satisfied smile touched her lips, although she wasn’t sure just where she would find the energy to do such a thing.

  He returned her smile. “I’ll instruct Pierre to bring our coats. The sooner I get you to your house, the better.”

  Funny, she’d been thinking the same thing.

  Ten

  Riley had a tough time maintaining his self-control on the drive to Alpha’s home mainly because she was deliberately making it hard for him. Instead of using his truck, he was driving his Lexus sports car. It was sleek and smooth and perfect for the classy woman sitting beside him. However, the car’s intimacy was almost more than he could handle, especially since her scent was all over the place.

  He glanced over at Alpha, knowing he should be keeping his eyes on the road. But he was finding it hard to do so when she was deliberately inching up her skirt to show a pair of luscious brown thighs. It didn’t take much to remember how it felt being between those thighs, which made his erection hard with the anticipation of getting between them again.

  He had enjoyed sharing dinner with her, had loved sitting across from her and watching her mouth move as she ate. Not for the first time, his head had been filled with thoughts of all the things he would love to see that mouth do to him.

  But he would also admit he had enjoyed their conversation. Although he had pretty much gotten the hint that her past was not open for discussion, and he had told her early on that he didn’t want them to discuss anything about the party, they had managed to find other things to talk about. Mainly movies they had seen, their thoughts about the ongoing war, the recent election and Hollywood scandals. He had been surprised to discover they had the same tastes and opinions about a number of things.

  He’d also told her about his cousins in Atlanta, Texas and Montana, and how excited the family was about his cousin Megan’s upcoming wedding in June, which meant the family would all be getting together again. And he shouldn’t have been surprised when Alpha told him that Megan was considering her as a wedding planner and had interviewed her last week. Megan would be making her decision in a couple of weeks.

  He told her about his great-grandfather, Raphel, and how Megan had hired a private investigator to find information about him, and how the two traveled to Texas to discover Raphel had a child before marrying Riley’s great-grandmother, which meant the possibility of more Westmorelands somewhere.

  He glanced around when traffic slowed down. He had decided to drive through town to hit the interstate, figuring there wouldn’t be much traffic tonight. But that assumption had turned out to be wrong when he got caught up with people leaving a concert.

  To get out of the mad rush he had taken another shortcut that carried him through another part of town known for its boutiques. Thanksgiving was just a few weeks away and already storefronts were all decked out for Christmas.

  Riley glanced over at Alpha’s thighs again. She had hiked up the hem of her skirt another inch or two. He loosened his tie when he brought the car to a traffic light and frowned over at her. “Be forewarned, Alpha. If tempted badly enough I wouldn’t hesitate to pull this car to the side of the road and take you again, here and now.”

  She threw her head back and laughed as if she couldn’t imagine such a thing. The sound flowing from her throat stirred his blood and sent it straight to his groin.

  “That should make interesting reading in the newspapers tomorrow morning if the sheriff or one of his deputies stumbles upon us,” she replied smartly.

  He held her gaze intensely. “Trust me, it won’t make the papers. Dillon is best friends with Sheriff Harper and it wouldn’t be the first Westmoreland he’s come across on the side of the road.”

  She tilted her head. “Do tell. Is it something that runs in the family?”

  He chuckled. “Only with Bane. I can’t tell you the number of times Sheriff Harper brought Bane home after coming across him and Crystal parked somewhere.”

  “Crystal?”

  Riley frowned. “Yes, Crystal Newsome, Bane’s obsession. Maybe I should say they were equally obsessed with each other.”

  He decided to keep talking, figuring it would take his mind off getting under her skirt. “Crystal and Bane have been under each other’s skin since they were kids. It would drive Mr. Newsome bonkers,
not just because Bane was four years older than Crystal but because Crystal told anyone who wanted to listen—and even those who didn’t—that she wanted Bane and vice versa, even when they were too young to think about wanting anyone. Mr. Newsome was totally against a union between his daughter and a Westmoreland.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “Something that happened years ago with our grandfathers, resulting in a grudge that ran deep. It was unfortunate for Crystal and Bane.”

  “What happened?” Alpha asked curiously.

  “Carl Newsome got tired of Crystal climbing out of her bedroom window in the dead of night or cutting school just to be with Bane. Since Crystal was a minor, at fifteen, and Bane was nineteen, old man Newsome got a restraining order against Bane. If Bane came within a mile of Crystal he would go to jail. Well, Bane, being the hardheaded badass that he is, shrugged off the old man’s threat and he and Crystal would sneak around. They did it for years, and then one night when Bane was twenty-two and Crystal not yet eighteen, they eloped.”

  “Eloped?”

  “Yes, but they were found before they could tie the knot.” At least that’s the story Bane had told them. Riley often wondered if that was the case.

  “Anyway,” Riley continued, “they returned home and old man Newsome sent Crystal away to live with some relative, and Dillon talked to Bane about getting himself together by making something of himself instead of being a troublemaker.”

  Riley paused a moment and then said, “Losing Crystal almost destroyed Bane since he didn’t have a clue where she’d gone. Her father made sure of that. We were able to talk Bane into not going after Crystal…at least until he made something of himself and both he and Crystal matured. Bane eventually joined the navy and is working toward being a SEAL.”

  “Do you think he’ll eventually go after Crystal? Find her?”

  Riley’s frown deepened. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he will.”

  She arched her brow. “You don’t seem too happy with the thought of him doing that.”

  He thought she was very observant. “To be quite honest, I’m not. That whole Crystal thing, with her leaving Denver for parts unknown, nearly destroyed Bane. It’s like Crystal is in his blood and he refuses to purge her out of it. She’s a part of him that he can’t let go of.”

  He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “So yes, Bane will go looking for her one day and he will find her. What worries me is the possibility that he will get hurt all over again when he does. For all any of us know, Crystal might have moved on with her life and Bane is just a memory.”

  As he continued to drive, he decided not to talk anymore for a while. He didn’t want anything to ruin his night and thinking of Bane and Crystal would do that for him.

  But then maybe he should think about them and, more specifically, recall his brother’s agony. Doing so would reinforce the reasons why he would never fall in love with a woman. He refused to ever go through that much pain.

  He glanced back over at Alpha. She was quiet, as if she was thinking hard about something. He hoped like hell she wasn’t having second thoughts about tonight. He eased out a deep breath when he turned on her street. His overnight bag was in the trunk. When he walked into her house, he intended to stay.

  * * *

  Thoughts of what she and Riley had done back at the restaurant filled Alpha’s mind. That had been some dance. She doubted she would ever forget it. While in his arms and connected to him that way, it was as if nothing or no one else existed but the two of them. She’d felt as though the two of them were in their own little world. Never had she done anything so impulsive and spontaneous, so scandalous and wild.

  And when they had made love, against the wall of all places, she’d felt sensations take over her body that she’d never felt before. Was this a sample of what she should come to expect from Riley? Anything but the norm? She had a feeling that with him there would never be a dull moment. He had promised her pleasure, and more pleasure, and so far he was right on point.

  No man had ever made love to her that way, with such intensity and completeness. And just to think, there was more where that had come from. A lot more.

  She blinked when she saw they had arrived at her house already and looked over at Riley when he brought the car to a stop in her driveway. She saw dark, penetrating eyes staring at her. She wondered if there would ever come a day when she would look into his eyes and not get turned on, not feel those incredible sensations flowing through her body.

  Without saying anything, he leaned over, unbuckled her seat belt and then reached up and cupped her chin in his hand. “I enjoyed making love to you, Alpha. And I won’t apologize for how it happened or where it happened.”

  She held his gaze. Did he assume the reason she had gotten quiet was because she’d begun having regrets? She held his gaze. “I don’t want you to apologize. I asked for it.” She chuckled. “You definitely gave me what I wanted, Riley.” What I needed, she thought.

  “Happy to please you, sweetheart.”

  She didn’t have time to think about how easily that term of endearment had rolled off his lips before he was kissing her with an intensity that set her loins on fire. What was there about him that could arouse her so easily, to the point where he had her not only throwing caution to the wind, but also flying in the wind? He had her wanting to try things she’d never thought about doing before.

  He slowly ended the kiss, pulled back and stared at her. She felt the intensity of his gaze all the way to the bone. “You had me worried for a minute, when you got quiet on me,” he said.

  She smiled. “I was merely relishing those moments.”

  He seemed pleased with what she’d said. “Then let me give you even more of them.” He opened the car door and trotted around to her side of the car.

  Alpha had a vague memory of him walking her to the front door. And then there was the moment when she’d found it difficult to insert her key into the lock until Riley had eased the key from her nervous hands.

  He opened the door and moved aside for her to enter. When she crossed the foyer to the living room, she removed her coat and hung it on the rack before placing her purse on the coffee table. She glanced across the room and saw the fire still kindling in the fireplace, giving the room a warm, toasty feel. She was about to turn to ask Riley if he wanted something to drink when she felt his heat directly behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back toward him. Immediately, she felt his aroused body pressed against her backside.

  His heated breath touched the side of her face when he whispered, “I want to make love to you in front of the fireplace.”

  He eased his hold on her so she could turn around in his arms and she stared up into his face. “Sounds like a good plan to me.” She leaned forward on tiptoes and slanted her mouth across his.

  She wanted to initiate this kiss, master it the best way she knew how, and she figured if she let her tongue do the work that she would be fine. So she kissed him, trying to recall the ways his tongue had driven her crazy. She wanted him to see just how it felt to be on the receiving end this time.

  So she feasted on his mouth and he stood there, rock solid, legs braced apart with his arms around her waist, and let her have her way with him. Never had a man’s mouth tasted so good. She was enjoying herself so much that she couldn’t help moaning in pleasure.

  Then, suddenly, she found herself hauled against his hard chest as he took over the kiss, plundering her mouth with his demanding tongue. Desire took over her senses and sent fire through her, blazing hotter than the one in the fireplace.

  After that, she couldn’t recall how her clothes were removed. The only thing she recalled was being naked while watching in fervent anticipation as he removed his clothes.

  When he had taken off the final stitch she couldn’t do anything but simply stare. She had seen his erection at the restaurant, but now she was getting a view of the entire picture—the curly strands of dark hair covering h
is broad chest, rock-hard biceps, lean hips, sinewy thighs and muscled shoulders. But still, her gaze returned to his middle and she couldn’t move her eyes away.

  She could clearly see that he’d put on a new condom, and when he moved his powerfully built, masculine, naked body toward her, she couldn’t help asking, “You do that often?”

  “Do what?” he asked coming to a stop directly in front of her, easing his thigh between hers and wrapping his arms around her waist. His action caused her to lose her train of thought for a moment.

  He leaned in close, brushed his lips across hers and asked again, “Do what often?”

  “Carry a condom with you all the time.”

  Riley chuckled. “I don’t carry one all the time, just when I know how the night’s going to end. But in some cases, making love might very well be the beginning. I almost lost my head once and messed up and figured I would never come close to letting something like that happen again. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  She could arrest his concerns and admit to being on birth control but she knew that with some men it wouldn’t matter. They had to have their own form of protection as well, since pregnancy wasn’t the only thing a person had to be concerned with.

  He leaned in close and nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Mmm, you smell good all over.”

  His words reclaimed her attention and she lifted her head so she could meet his eyes. “Thanks. So do you.”

  Riley took a swipe across her lips with his tongue. “You taste good, as well…and I intend to taste you all over, starting now.”

  Then he claimed her mouth again, just as greedy as before, demolishing any and all of her coherent thoughts. Each and every kiss they shared was more powerful, commanding and potent than the one before it and this one was no different. His mouth ravaged hers, and she couldn’t help the moans of pleasure coming from deep within her throat. The man was a great kisser, and he definitely knew how to use that tongue of his.