by Joya Ryan
“So.” He glanced at the pool table before returning that smoldering gaze to her. He looked at her in a way that made her chest hitch and her breasts tingle. “Care for a partner?”
His eyes stayed on her, and she was ready to take him up on that offer in more ways than one.
“Yes, please,” she said.
Her night was suddenly looking up.
Chapter Two
“So you’re from around here?” the sexy brunette asked as she eyed her shot and bent over the pool table again.
Jesus Christ, Ryder needed to get a grip. He couldn’t stare all night at her perfect ass in those insanely short shorts. Her shirt was tied up and gave flashes of her tight stomach, and Ryder had to take a deep breath. Maybe Bass was right. It’d been too long since he’d gotten laid.
“It’s not a hard question, big guy,” she said, snapping his thoughts out of the gutter and back to reality. Where were his manners?
“I’m sorry, sweetness. Run that by me again?” He stood straighter, gripping his pool cue as her big, chocolate eyes flashed up at him with a smile.
“I asked if you were from around here.” She hit the five in the side pocket and straightened.
Was he from around there? Technically, the lodge was in Diamond County, but it wasn’t zoned in the town of Diamond. He’d have to hold onto that technicality. If he so much as gave his last name, the connection would be made and the questions would start. Was he rich? Was he married? On and on.
For now, he wanted to take advantage of what Bass had said. This woman was passing through for just one night, and for one night, he didn’t have to be Ryder Diamond of the founding Diamonds.
“Not exactly,” he finally answered. It was the truth, basically.
She nodded and looked at him. Those roaming eyes gave off what he knew was a look of interest. And damn, it was a mighty fine look.
“You’re a little mysterious, cowboy,” she said, her east coast accent kicking up just a hair.
“Not a cowboy.” He drawled the last word and dropped the vowel just enough to gauge her reaction. Judging by the quick intake of air, and those high perfect breasts pressing tight against that shirt, he’d guess she was toiling with the idea of what getting down and dirty with a country boy was like. And he’d happily show her. “You wanna tell me where you’re from?”
She glanced away. “I move around a lot. Not really from anywhere.”
Huh. So she was playing the part of a mystery as much as he was.
She bent over the pool table again, even though it was his turn. He happily let her have the shot.
“How about this,” he said, and came to stand by her. “Why don’t we skip all the personal questions? You just tell me about yourself, however much or little you’d like.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “The more mysterious, the better?”
He smiled. “You got it.”
With her pool cue perfectly aligned, she winked at him, and then, without taking her eyes off him, she nailed the shot and sank the three ball. She was better than good, and that had him instantly hard. She was young, hot, and stirred his blood in a way it hadn’t been in a while. Maybe ever. Because with her lush mouth and hypnotic eyes, it was hard keeping his manners at the forefront, especially when she represented everything easy, fun, and wild.
And good Lord, he would make sure tonight fulfilled every fantasy he’d denied himself. Just like a diabetic sampling chocolate frosting…only once Ryder had a taste, he’d consume the whole damn cake.
She’s bad for you…
The quiet voice whispered that familiar warning. She was a temptation that he should be struggling to resist, yet every beat of his pulse told him that she’d be worth the sin. A night of lust to scratch this damn itch, then he could go back to his normal life tomorrow.
He’d been burned by a woman before. A woman like the one in front of him. Sexy, wild, and looking for fun, not for serious. And Ryder was a serious guy. Had to be. The second he wasn’t, he lost control and paid the consequences dearly.
Don’t get sucked in… Resist.
“I like personal details,” she said. “But not the boring kind. I don’t want to know where you’re from or what you do.”
Ryder nodded. He could get on board with that. “Details, so long as they’re not boring. And how do we go about that?”
She gave a wicked grin and ran her teeth over her bottom lip. He watched every damn slide, wishing to hell he could taste what she was tasting.
“We play a game,” she said simply.
“What kind of game?”
He took a drink of his longneck, and she picked up her glass of citrus liquor. They were both now on round two, and he was convinced that she had to taste as sweet and tart as her drink.
“It’s called ‘I’ve Never’.” She stepped closer. “You say something you’ve never done. If the other person has done that, then they take a drink.”
He nodded. “I like it. Why don’t you go first?”
“We’ll start easy.” She shook the big barrel curls off her shoulders and glanced at the ceiling while holding her drink out. “I’ve never driven a heavy piece of machinery.”
Ah, shit. Ryder took a drink.
She smiled. “See, I just learned about you without coming up with boring questions. So you are clearly strong.” Her gaze skated down his chest, and he couldn’t help but flex a little. “And you’ve operated heavy machinery. I’m liking you already, big guy.”
All right, he could play this game too.
“My turn,” he said, zeroing in on her. “I’ve never gone skinny-dipping.”
Her eyes shot up like she’d been caught, and then a sly smile stretched her lips as she took a drink. “Nice one,” she said.
“Why, sweetness, you have a wild streak.”
She shrugged. “Maybe…”
Her challenging brow got serious, and Ryder was already finding this to be his favorite game. It was clear she wasn’t staying put anywhere, and though he only had this one night, this one moment, he was actually having…fun.
Another thing he hadn’t experienced in a while.
“I’ve never had a one-night stand,” she said.
Ryder went to take a drink, then stopped. He’d never had a one-night stand either. He’d fallen for a bombshell once, and living fast and loose with her was what had gotten him in trouble. But as fast and loose as it had been, it hadn’t been a one-night stand.
He’d dated his share of girls, and he’d known from a young age to keep his distance. So many of them came to him wanting to tie themselves to his family legacy. But his ex? He’d thought she was different.
He’d loved her, thrived on the thrill she gave him. And he was an idiot that had eloped with her—a secret no one except his closest friends knew. He’d risked everything, including his family’s name and money. Turned out, those were the only things she’d wanted. A couple of days and a quick annulment later, he’d realized he could never give in to that kind of passion again.
He’d been young and stupid, and ever since he’d stayed away from women that got his pulse working and tempted him to let his instincts run wild and give in to the primal lust that boiled constantly beneath the surface. He was responsible now. Had been for years. He dated women, walked them to the door, and after three or four dinners, he got invited in and knew that was the time to cut things off and move on. And so went the routine. Courting. Manners. Polite boundaries. Amicable endings.
“Whoa!” She smiled. “A hot guy like you has never hit it and quit it?” She took a sip of her drink. “So that tells me you’re either celibate or a romantic,” she teased.
He was ready to show her how wrong she was, because there was nothing romantic or celibate about what he was envisioning with her. It was hot, sweaty, rough, and involved the sexy brunette bent over the nearest flat surface.
“You think I’m hot, huh?” He tossed her a wink, and her cheeks took on a pretty pink color. She was trying to rile him, b
ut his control was unshakable. Except for the fact that this sassy woman was shaking it…and he was ready to shake back.
“Are you a flowers and chocolates kind of man, too?” So she was trying to get back to her original line of questioning. Luckily Ryder had a lawyer for a friend and could talk in a circle with the best of them.
“That wasn’t phrased in the form of an ‘I’ve never’.”
She huffed. “Fine. I’ve never gotten flowers from a man.”
He frowned. Never? This woman was way too beautiful and fun to not have men falling at her feet. Not one had ever doted on her?
He took a drink of his beer.
“Hey, you have to be honest,” she said.
“I am being honest.”
She gave him a disbelieving look. “You’re saying you’ve never given a woman flowers?”
“No.” He smiled. “I’m saying I’ve never received flowers from a man, either.”
She laughed. “Looks like I just put my foot in my mouth. Well played, big guy.”
He stepped toward her. “By the way, just because I haven’t had a one-nighter yet doesn’t mean I’m a romantic.” He was practical if anything. And the way this woman was looking at him, like a treat she was ready to sample, he couldn’t bring himself to care about responsibility, manners, or anything but the desire to feel her skin against his.
Maybe it was time to give in to the devil sitting on his shoulder…and the devilishly sexy woman before him.
Whitney had never been so turned on in her life. She didn’t miss the way his gray eyes lit up like molten steel when he said he hadn’t experienced a one-night stand yet. It had her body zinging with anticipation.
She was game for one night with this man, but he was playing by rules she didn’t know, because while Ryder was clearly all things alpha, he was also a gentleman. But there was a buried darkness that she was dying see. Maybe he needed one more nudge to get that calm demeanor of his to break.
Time to initiate Social Engineering 101: talk in a way that gains an advantage and gives you what you want. Right now, she wanted to tap into Ryder, in more ways than one.
“Maybe we should take baby steps,” she said, taunting him just enough to get that silver spark in his eyes to glint. “I wouldn’t want to frighten you with my wild ways.”
He raised a brow. “Me? Frightened of you?”
She shrugged, but the way his body moved made the hairs on her neck perk up and pay attention. He stalked behind her and stood tall so that she was caught in his shadow. His hands moved ever so slightly as if he could snatch her in a single second and do what he wanted with her.
And she’d let him. Because the raw power that dripped from him was engulfing. So that was what it took to bring out his wild side—a challenge he couldn’t refuse. And boy, now she had to wonder if she’d gotten more than she’d asked for. He exuded a dominating presence that refused to be ignored.
“You looking to taunt me, little girl?”
“Just looking to learn you.”
That made him stop. Shit, had she said the wrong thing? This was only for a single night. But she wasn’t going to bore him with her plans for the summer—make some money so she could move on to the next place. This guy wasn’t even from around there. Looking to “learn him” had been a poor choice of words for a man she would never see again. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to back down from her statement. She only had tonight with him, but she planned to learn everything she could about how to give him pleasure.
“What is it you think you’ve learned so far?” he asked.
“You’re polite, but I think you have a wild streak just like I do.” She tapped her chin, revving up that alpha instinct he was keeping a tight hold of.
Push just a bit more.
“I wonder…” she said. “Do you ever get to act on that wildness?”
“What makes you think I don’t?”
“You’ve never even gone skinny-dipping.”
“Maybe because I’ve never gotten the lady out of my bed long enough to make it to the lake.”
That got her attention real quick. He was good. Very, very good. And while she was certain he was also a nice guy, it was becoming clear there was an intensity to him that he rarely, if ever, got to explore. And she wanted to tap into that wicked darkness he was caging up.
Push…just…a…bit…more…
“I’ve never had sex with a cowboy in his truck,” she said.
He unleashed the sexiest grin God had ever gifted a man, and he took one more step until he was toe-to-toe with her.
His breath hit her lips when he said, “Like I said, sweetness, I’m no cowboy. But I do have a truck.”
Done!
She was about ready to scream the word and rip his clothes off. Instead, she finished her drink and tried to keep her body from buzzing out of control. Calm and seductive. Maybe even a bit coy. That wasn’t exactly her game—she preferred being direct—but if that was what Ryder needed, she was all too willing. She was game for anything and refused to cower behind inhibitions. Just looking at Ryder had her thinking that the few interactions she’d had with boys in the past were nothing compared to the man that stood before her.
She finished her drink and set it on the edge of the pool table. His eyes were locked on her, silent and waiting. He didn’t have to pretend at control, he owned it. That much was clear from the stillness in his frame and the confidence in his stance.
There was a back door out of the billiard room. She slipped her hand into his large one and tugged him to follow her. He did, and right when they hit the small hallway, his grip tightened and he spun her around to face him.
“Fuck baby steps,” he rasped against her mouth, then snagged her bottom lip between his teeth, tugging slightly and bringing her in for the hottest kiss she’d ever had.
She parted her lips on a gasp, and he plunged his tongue inside, as though taking a deep taste of her. He pressed her against the wall, tunneled his hands in her hair, and used his knee to kick her thighs apart so that he could take up the space between them.
“What are you doing to me?” he growled against her lips before diving in for more.
She arched her back, rubbed her breasts against his chest, and opened her legs wider to accommodate his larger frame. He surrounded her with his arms, could easily crush her if he wanted. Instead, he brought her close to him, eating her up with a powerful combination of strength and self-control. Not gentle, but not forceful. Just pure, raw lust.
And she wanted to feel all of it.
“Looks like I’m tapping into your wild side,” she whispered between kisses.
She caught flashes of his massive biceps straining against that poor shirt that struggled to contain them. She gripped the collar of his shirt in her fist, then yanked and brought him close, crashing his lips even further into hers. He groaned and, with a flex of his hips, ground against her.
He broke away, breathing hard. He glanced around quickly—as far as she could see, no one was paying them any attention—then without warning, he hoisted her up.
A sharp laugh broke from her as she locked her legs around his waist. He carried her with ease, like she weighed no more than a doll, and bounded toward a single door at the far end of the hallway. With her balanced in one arm, he opened the door and walked them into a dark supply closet. He shut the door behind them, all the while keeping her locked around him, and sank to his knees.
“I can’t see you,” she said. It was too dark, and that was a shame, because Ryder was a delectable sight.
“Your eyes will adjust, and don’t worry about seeing. I’ve got you.”
Her back was against the wall and Ryder against her front. Staying on his knees, he coaxed her to stand. She kept her hands on his face as she did so.
What must it look like to have a man like Ryder kneeling before her? A strange power flooded her. This strong man had chosen to stay kneeling while she rose to her feet.
He unfastened her shorts,
then slid them down her thighs and off. The sound of the denim falling and the metal button hitting the ground with a clink made her heart pick up.
His big finger traced the line of her panties. “Lace?” he asked.
“Yes,” she breathed.
He continued to trail his finger around the band. “What color?”
“Red.”
What sounded like an approving growl broke from his chest as he worked those off of her next.
“I do wish I could see your face,” he said, and hooked her left leg over his shoulder. “Especially when…”
She gasped when his tongue slid along her folds. Her hands flew to the top of his head, and she closed her fists in his thick hair.
“Mmmm,” he moaned against her, sending shivers from her center to her spine. “Should have known you tasted sweet everywhere.” He delivered another long lick from her opening to her clit, and her head lolled back, thumping against the wall behind her. “Like sugar and spice. My own personal candy shop.”
He thrust his tongue inside, and she lost her mind and the ability to breathe. Gone was every other moment or thought beyond Ryder—the strong, sexy man she couldn’t see but wanted to keep tight against her.
She pushed her hips out to meet him. Wanting more. Blindly holding on to him as he delivered wicked kisses to her body.
“You like it deep, sweetness?” he asked.
Her eyes popped open, not that it made a difference since it was pitch black. But she realized she’d been grabbing his hair and throwing her hips into his tongue as if trying to ride him.
“Yes,” she admitted, and she was ready to follow up with an apology for being too rough or demanding, but Ryder spoke first.
“Good,” he growled. He pushed her further against the wall, tossed her other leg over his shoulder, and brought her center flush against his mouth. He was so strong, holding her with his big hands splayed under her ass and the wall for leverage. “Open yourself up for me so I can give it to you deep, the way you like it.”
She’d never felt so tiny or malleable before. He held her like she was nothing more than a delicious drink he was preparing to consume. She reached down and, using two fingers, opened her folds. His mouth was right there to greet her. He buried his entire face between her thighs.