Wild Nights (Jokers Wild)

by Katherine Garbera

“Happy to oblige,” he said, leaning back against the counter half a room away, his long legs stretched out in front of him. She was halfway to him when she realized what she was doing.

  She had needed tequila to help her forget her nightmare and the lingering guilt that plagued her from the past, but she was playing a dangerous game, starting this with Nicholas. He was tied to a world she’d done her best to escape—the world of magic. There was no way he was going to suddenly walk away from being an illusionist.

  Even if she was willing to believe he would, the sigil tattoo on his wrist was glaring proof that illusion was in his blood. He was in the Guild of Ancient Magic—a brotherhood that had a lifetime membership. She found it hard to look at the tattoo without remembering seeing it on her father’s wrist and the one she’d covered up with the black rose.

  Damn.

  She hated magic.

  She should never have opened the Pandora’s box that was the Houdini water chest. She’d known the moment she’d bid on it at the online auction house. But she also hadn’t been able to resist.

  “I think you should go, Mr. Pine, before I do something that we both might regret in the morning.”

  “Why do you keep calling me Mr. Pine?” he asked.

  “It’s your name, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” he said sardonically. “But I sense there is more to your attitude than that.”

  “I’m trying to avoid throwing myself at you. I thought keeping it formal might help.”

  He shook his head and laughed. “Is it working?”

  Not really. But some latent self-preservation warned her not to say that out loud. “Why?”

  “I just wondered if I should start calling you Ms. Quincy.”

  She knew that there wasn’t anything sweet in what he said, but it touched her the same way that him watching Stetson do a magic trick had. She liked him.

  It didn’t matter that he was part of a group of people she’d sworn to never let into her life again. It didn’t matter that he was a magician and was probably more flash than substance. It did matter that he had a smile that made her feel warm and that he smelled like rain and that he’d always followed her lead in conversations, even when she said something over-the-top.

  “No, I don’t think so,” she admitted.

  “So, what should we do about this inconvenient attraction?”

  “Well, I have a ‘no magicians in my bed’ rule.”

  “That is a statement begging for questions that I know you don’t want to answer,” he said. “What about ‘magicians in the kitchen’? Seems like you might be okay with that.”

  She groaned. No, she wasn’t okay with it, but she also had known from the moment she’d opened her front door and let him into her house that she wasn’t going to shove him out before morning unless he’d wanted to go.

  Clearly, he didn’t.

  “I never made a rule about that,” she admitted.

  “Good. Because I have an ‘always with women who run magic collectibles shops in the kitchen’ rule.”

  She started laughing and couldn’t stop. It had been years since she’d felt this kind of joy with anyone.

  …

  Nicholas told himself he was going into this with his eyes fully open. He knew she was hiding something, but that was okay. Right now, they were casual acquaintances. But after this night… Well, who knew? He hoped they would have more, but there were no guarantees.

  But until he had his chest, until his show opened, tequila and kitchens were probably the most he could offer her.

  The chest had been his talisman from the beginning, and those in his inner circle had known it, including Jade. Leo was convinced she’d taken it…but then, where had Zelda found hers? A new wrinkle in the drama. Though he couldn’t have guessed that the person selling the chest would be this quirky redhead.

  “Of course, now that we’ve talked about it…it’s odd, right?” he asked. He didn’t want to assume that they were both on the same page just because she’d said yes to him in the kitchen. He didn’t want her to ever feel pressured to have sex with him.

  But if she kicked him out of her house, he was going to be in a hell of a lot of pain. He might actually have to take care of himself before he drove home.

  “It is odd, but I still want you, Nicholas,” she said.

  He liked the way she said his name. Mr. Pine had sounded very businesslike, but Nicholas… Her tone softened, and she tipped her head to the side to smile at him as she said the word.

  “I want you too, Zelda,” he said.

  He straightened and took a step toward her. He moved carefully, though now that she’d confirmed she wanted him, his mind was fixed on her. He knew how to make his audience wait for the payoff and had learned that most things were better with a little anticipation. But with this woman, he wasn’t sure he could keep his control.

  She chewed her bottom lip between her teeth, reminding him that he hadn’t even kissed her yet. He’d seen her mouth in many erotic dreams, as well as some daydreams during meetings with his partners, but that had been all fantasy.

  He had no idea what she’d taste like or what her lips would feel like under his. Suddenly that was the only thing he could think about. He rounded the corner of the island, putting one hand on the counter to keep himself from hauling her into his arms. He didn’t want to come at her like a Siegfried & Roy tiger.

  She stepped closer and ran her fingertip along his delineated muscle. Her touch sent electricity pulsing through his body, making his nipples and his cock harden.

  He felt her exhalation against his chest and put his other hand on her hip, drawing her closer to him, forcing himself to keep his touch light when what he wanted was to haul her into his arms. But she was still giving off a tentative vibe, so he’d play it cool…for now.

  The fabric of her nightshirt was soft and faded. And up close, she smelled of summer and flowers. He groaned.

  She glanced up, and their eyes met. He saw mystery in her gaze—he had expected that—but also something more. She was making light of this, but obviously, to her, the “no magicians” thing was real.

  He knew he should walk away. He started to pull back, but she curved her hand around his upper arm and took a gliding step toward him, going up on tiptoe and brushing his lips with hers.

  His mind shut down, and his instincts took over. Putting his arm around her waist, he drew her up against him and was blown away by sensations—the fullness of her breasts against his chest, the way her thighs rubbed against his own. She put her free hand on his chest, and her fingers pushed against him as she used him for balance.

  He lowered his head and finally kissed her. Her lips were soft and pliant under his, and he opened his mouth, feeling the rush of hot air before her tongue brushed over his.

  She tasted better than he imagined, and he spread his fingers, cupping her backside and bringing her more fully against him as he deepened the kiss. She angled her head to give him more access and wrapped one of her legs around his. Her other hand slid up his chest, her fingers lightly caressing his skin as they moved upward, reaching around to stroke the nape of his neck.

  He felt his cock jump as her hips rubbed over the ridge of his erection. She moaned, a soft sound that came from the back of her throat, then did it again. The sound seemed to spur something in him, and he lifted her off her feet and onto the island.

  They were eye to eye now, and she wrapped both arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. In her eyes, he saw ghosts and memories, but they were also lit by the same fire that was burning him alive. He leaned forward, claiming her mouth again, then grabbed her waist and pulled her to him until he could feel the heat from her center against his abdomen. Her ankles linked behind his hips, and her hands held his jaw as they both lost themselves in the kiss. He tangled his hand in her thick red hair and suddenly realized how badl
y he wanted to claim her as his own.

  Chapter Five

  She’d had some racy dreams in the past, but in reality, her sex life was as routine as every other part of her life. She’d dated nice guys and even had a few hookups with her accountant because neither of them wanted a relationship but every six months or so they needed sex. She’d never thought there was anything wrong with that, but until now, she hadn’t realized what she’d been missing out on by having sex with Terry.

  She’d avoided anyone like Nicholas because it was tied too tightly to the girl she’d been—a teenager on the verge of blossoming into a woman…who’d suddenly had her world destroyed. After that, she’d rejected everything that reminded her of magic…including charismatic men like Nicholas.

  Nicholas was taking his time, and a part of her cynically thought it was because he was a showman at heart. He knew how to draw out the anticipation for bigger impact at the end.

  His fingers moved slowly down the side of her neck, then pulled back, his bright blue gaze meeting hers. She swallowed, not sure she was going to make it to the end of whatever he had planned. Gooseflesh spread down her arms, making her nipples tighten and her stomach clench in anticipation.

  The nightshirt and boxers she wore hadn’t seemed like much until she was sitting on the counter, touching his warm, naked skin, and wishing she was naked, too. But his chest distracted her. She’d always been a sucker for muscled men. As a child, she’d spent a lot of time poring over industry magazines that had come to their home, looking at the strong men who sometimes were part of the elaborate big shows. Her family had a signature trick that drew crowds with its daring and history, so they’d never needed someone with Nicholas’s build. But she needed him now.

  She drew her finger over the padded muscles, tracing her way from his neck, corded with strength, as he wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her slightly to tug at the hem of the T-shirt that had gotten trapped under her butt.

  She felt the cool, conditioned air on her back as he lifted the hem of the T-shirt up until her waist and her belly button were revealed. She stopped touching him, reveling in the feeling of his fingers sprawled over her stomach.

  “I wanted to see what I was missing. I never got a chance to ask you to remove your shirt before you put the tequila away,” he said.

  She licked her lips as his words sent fire spreading down her body and pooling in her core. She pulled the T-shirt up and over her head, tossing it behind her on the counter. She sat there in front of him, aware of the freckles on her body and the smallness of her breasts. She’d never minded them—it was her body, and she had always refused to see anything negative in something that was her.

  He lifted his hand, cupping her breast and running his thumb around her nipple, which beaded even tighter at the attention. His other hand held her waist loosely, tracing the pattern of freckles on her skin and moving in a seemingly random path up her ribs. “You’re gorgeous.”

  She smiled to herself. “I am.”

  He threw his head back and laughed, and joy spread through her. The shadows that had been in his eyes earlier were gone, and the ones that had lingered in her soul retreated…for now, at least. This was a moment meant for fun, meant for enjoying each other. And she wasn’t going to waste it.

  “I’m glad you know it.”

  “Thanks. And I’m sure you know that you are hot as hell,” she said.

  “Women seem to like it,” he said. “But they aren’t you. I’m glad to hear you…find me pleasing.”

  She nodded, drawing her finger down his smooth chest. She suspected he waxed it but didn’t know for sure. Many illusionists did. It made doing some tricks easier for the performer. He was hot and hard, and the way he shivered under her touch was reassuring. He was as deeply moved by her touch as she was by his. It was exactly the kind of reaction she’d always wanted to find in her intimate partners.

  She let her fingers move lower and realized she wasn’t on the pill. And not every guy would use a condom. Hell’s bells.

  “I’m not on the pill,” she said, scraping her nail over the waistband of his leather pants.

  “Damn! I didn’t come here anticipating sex,” he said.

  She smiled. “I have some condoms.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I’m the one who can get pregnant, not you, so I always take that seriously.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Where are they?” he asked.

  “I’ll go and get them,” she said. Her body was buzzing as she ran to her bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, pulling out the box she kept there. She came back into the kitchen and found him leaning against the counter. She stopped in the doorway, watching him. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and he was quietly waiting for her.

  “Nicholas?” she asked tentatively, knowing that this kind of interruption could make some men change their mind. She desperately hoped he hadn’t.

  “Zelda.”

  “Do you still—” She couldn’t get the words out, which wasn’t like her, and she realized in that moment how much more than sex this was. Damn. She’d wanted it to be a hookup, but hookups were casual—doing it with a partner instead of her vibrator. But now she realized that it wasn’t just a partner she wanted tonight, but Nicholas.

  “Have you changed your mind?” she asked at last.

  “Not a chance in hell,” he said, then came over to her and took the box from her hand, lifting her off her feet and carrying her back to the counter. He set the box next to her hips and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her forward until her naked breasts were pressed against his chest. She wrapped her hands around his neck and tangled her fingers in his thick hair. “I think we were right about here.”

  …

  Her tight, beaded nipples pressed against his chest, making him realize how turned on she was. There was no way he could ever stop wanting her. He hoped that sex would ease some of this obsession with her. Despite the fact that he was an unconventional man, he normally didn’t knock on a woman’s door after midnight.

  Or do shots all night and then have sex on a woman’s counter. But with Zelda, this felt right and normal. Which should be sending alarm bells ringing through him, but it wasn’t. The only thing he wanted was to taste every inch of her freckled body and then take her again and again until they were both fully sated.

  He hadn’t felt this keen desire for a woman in a long time…not since Jade. It was impossible to not think of her, since she was the one who had stolen so much from him. She’d taken the illusions they’d developed together and left him and Leo, claiming the tricks as her own and leaving them with nothing. Jade had cemented his belief that everyone was lying about something. But tonight, there was nothing to worry about. This was hot sex with the redhead who had entranced him from the first moment he’d set eyes on her, across the street from her shop. Her nails scraped down his spine, and he lowered his head to take her mouth.

  Her tongue thrust deep into his mouth, and his erection started to throb. He wasn’t sure he could take the time he wanted with her, but he was determined to try. Life had taught him to savor these kinds of moments. And this was one he wanted to draw out for as long as he could. As the kiss deepened, he drew one hand up her side, cupping her breast with his palm and placing his other on the small of her back to force her to arch her spine.

  She did, and he felt her nipples brush against his chest as he pulled his mouth from hers. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, her lips swollen from their kisses. He’d never seen anything so beautiful, he thought, as he nibbled along her jawline. Her long, curly hair framed her heart-shaped face, and he used his nose to push the long tendrils back so he could kiss her neck. She smelled of lime and summery peaches. Her skin was smooth and dotted with those freckles of hers, and he couldn’t help sucking against the strongly beating pulse at the spot where her neck and shoulder met.

>   She tightened one hand in his hair. He felt the light touch of her nails as she traced her way over his bicep, drawing a pattern on his skin that made his cock jump in anticipation.

  He moved his mouth lower, tracing her collarbone and then her shoulders. He kept the thumb of one hand idly stroking her breast while he caressed her arms, shoulders, and back. But when he got to her wrist, he noticed an old scar, one that looked familiar. But her hand had moved lower on his back, caressing his butt, and he couldn’t think of anything at all but getting her completely naked.

  He circled his finger around her belly button, and she sighed, letting her head fall backward. Her long hair brushed over her back, and he caught it in his fist at the same time he caught the tip of her nipple in his mouth, sucking deeply. The scent of her was stronger here. He knew it was a smell he’d never forget—woman, passion, and tequila. The desire to have Zelda bordered on a craving and he normally didn’t let that type of intensity into his personal life.

  He hadn’t realized how lost he’d been until this moment. She wasn’t his salvation or his destiny, but she made him realize how ungrounded he’d become. She was bringing back desires and needs that he’d told himself he could live without.

  He lifted his head and straightened, looking down at her. Her head was back, her spine was arched, and her eyes were closed. Her thighs parted, and he could see the barest hint of her feminine secrets through the thin fabric of her boxers. He wanted her naked.

  Lifting her off the counter, he tugged at the waistband of her boxers until she realized what he was doing and shoved them down her thighs to her knees. Then he set her back on the marble countertop and pushed her boxers off her legs. She braced herself on her hands, leaning back, her thighs slightly spread. Her lips were opened, and he could only stand there, transfixed by her inherent sexuality.

  She wasn’t hiding any of her desire…and that turned him on more than he’d expected. He fumbled for the fastening of his leather pants and undid them in quick, jerky movements, shoving his pants down and then his underwear a moment later. He felt his cock spring free and, before he could reach for the box of condoms, her hand was on his erection. Her fingers were cool but not cold. She wrapped her hand around his shaft and stroked him up and down.