Текст книги "Chasing Mr. Wrong"

Автор книги: Joya Ryan

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“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.

He licked wildly at the sensitive bundle of nerves until she was shaking on the brink of climax. His clean-shaven jaw felt like tiny grains of soft sand gently scratching against her inner thighs as he worked her over. She spread her legs wide, trapped between his mouth and the wall behind her, while he took on the weight of her entire body and her pleasure.

He thrust inside her so thoroughly with his tongue that she rocked form the force. All she could do was clutch his hair and ride his face as that wicked tongue worked its magic. Her heels dug into his back, and the only thing she could do was chant his name and beg for more.

“Oh, God, yes. Please, please, right there,” she moaned, and Ryder just fucked her with his tongue in a way that defied the laws of physics. His strength surrounded her. His mouth consumed her. And she lost every ounce of self-control and gave it up to him.

He kept his tongue within her and shook his head, causing his firm upper lip to brush back and forth against her clit. Sparks flew behind her eyes and violent tingles shot from her toes to her fingertips.

She didn’t just fall over the edge. She was hurled off the cliff, then snapped back by an invisible rope, only to be thrown off again. Never had anything felt so intensely perfect that it bordered on pain.

“Oh, Ryder!” It was all she was able to gasp before her orgasm sent another wave of pleasure over her, hard and fast. Bright lights flashed behind her eyelids, and her entire body broke out in goose bumps, which then melted away from the heat of his touch. Her inner walls shuddered around his tongue, and he swallowed every ounce of bliss he’d coaxed from her. Her feet stung from the aftershocks and it took several tries to finally breathe right.

He let one of her legs come back down to the ground as he lingered between her thighs and delivered light kisses to her skin. He was slowing down, but she was nowhere near done. Not by a long shot.

When the sweet piece of sugary female was back to standing on two feet, Ryder checked the urge to clamp his arm around her and bring her back for another taste. The woman was pure fire and the sweetest kind of spice he’d ever experienced.

Other women he’d been with only fit the controlled man he presented to the public. They were as restrained in the bedroom as he was in a business meeting.

But Candy? She didn’t hold back. Didn’t stall. Just let him take her and taste her and damn him for wanting more. She represented the drug he couldn’t have. The habit he couldn’t feed. He’d just wanted a taste. But he had to let her go. His control was already flying out the window, and he’d never expect her to—

“Umph!”

A short burst of air left his lungs as his back hit the floor. In a single breath, the sexy brunette had pushed him back and was now straddling him, clawing at his belt.

“What are you doing?” he asked. The jingle of his belt clasp and the zing of his zipper split the darkness. Cool air hit his hot and painfully hard cock as she tugged his jeans to his thighs.

“I’m taking my turn,” she said, and that was all the warning he had before her lush little tongue licked the head.

“Ah, fuck yeah,” he hissed, and his shoulders relaxed against the hard ground.

She slowly worked him further into her mouth, flicking her tongue as she went. His whole body tightened from the amazing feel of her soft lips and hard suction. While his mind grappled for control, his body told him to shut the fuck up and enjoy the beautiful woman.

There was a freedom to her that he craved. He wanted to touch it—to touch her—and feel every humming inch of skin that wrapped up the olive skinned package of fire that she was.

He reached out for her. He just needed to feel her warmth. She was straddling his legs while her long hair swept over his thighs and she bobbed up and down, taking his cock deeper with every draw.

“Jesus, sweetness, you’re so good…” He was going to embarrass himself here pretty quick, because he was already on the verge of coming. Hell, he’d almost lost it when she fell apart right on his tongue and the only thing he’d heard were her sharp breaths and his name on her lips.

The tingle in his spine was picking up, and his stomach muscles strained from flexing so hard in an attempt to keep some kind of rein on this situation. But he was slipping and falling.

Fuck control. He was lost to this woman and her brand of wild. One night. He’d sure as hell enjoy every damn second, because he’d never get it again. That he was sure of. This kind of chemistry couldn’t be sustained. The fire, the heat—if he even tried to hold onto it, he and his life would implode.

So he wouldn’t hold onto it. He’d accept the temporary nature of this rare treasure. Just this once. Just for tonight.

He cupped the side of her face and felt her sink down, then pull up, over and over. Her small fist at the base of his cock pumped, and when her lips skimmed over the crown of his flesh, he saw stars.

“I’m close,” he said. He felt her cheeks hollow beneath his palm as she sucked him once more then let him pop free from her mouth.

She gave the sexiest moan he’d ever heard a woman give. “You’re pretty impressive,” she purred, then kissed the tip of his cock the way she would his mouth. “I could stay right here all night.”

“The feeling is mutual, sweetness.”

Her hands started digging through his pockets. Before he could ask, she said, “Please tell me you have a condom, because I’m dying to feel all of you.”

He was suddenly happy his friends had made him take some. Otherwise, he’d miss out on what she’d demanded.

“Right pocket,” he said.

She found one and tugged it out. He heard the rip, but she didn’t go to put it on as immediately as she’d implied she would.

“Wanna see a trick?” she asked.

“Can’t really see much at the moment, sweetness.” He ran his thumb along her cheekbone. “And it’s a damn shame.”

She smiled against his fingertips. “Well then, you’ll feel a trick.”

With that, she dipped her head and put her mouth back on his cock. Only it was different. Ryder hissed a breath of pleasure when the light skim of her teeth trailed down to the base, effectively sheathing him in a condom…with her mouth.

“How did you…?” He felt the latex covering him when she came back up. This woman was a fantasy come to life.

He gripped her hips and tugged her up, positioning her right over his straining shaft.

“I’ve never had a woman put a condom on me with her mouth before,” he said.

She unbuttoned his shirt, then ran her hands up and down his abs and chest. “I’ve never put a condom on with my mouth before.” She leaned down and kissed along the ridges of his abs to his nipples, biting a little as she went.

“Don’t fib,” he said. “You’re too good at that not to have practiced.”

Her thick hair swayed across his sides as she shook her head. “Saw it in a movie. Wanted to try it.” She sucked one of his pecs.

“Well, then I’m happy I could help,” he groaned.

“Mmmm…” She sucked his other pec. “You help me very much.”

Christ, he’d never been loved on like this. Like she was starving for him. No expectations. No promises. Just passion. Lust. Need. And he let his control slip enough to let her take what she needed.

But he still needed to take a piece of discipline back, even if it meant losing himself to her in another way. At least he could be lost while free-falling through the bliss of her body.

“Since we’re in the business of helping each other out…” He tightened his grip on her hips and lifted her until her knees were off the floor and her slick heat hovered just above his hard cock. “How about I help you to another orgasm.” He lowered her slightly, breaching just the opening of paradise.

Her hands flew to his chest, balancing on him while a cute little giggle left her lips. “Yes, please,” she said, and he could feel her smile against his mouth. “You make me feel so…” When her words trailed off, he lowered her another inch, and she gasped.

“I make you feel what?”

“A lot of things,” she said, wiggling her hips as if trying to take him farther in. Nope. Not yet. He was in control. At least of her body.

“I want your answer.” He lifted her enough to take his cock from her heat. She whined at the loss, and a flare of pride hit him. She wanted him. Just him, for him. “You want it deep, sweetness?” he coaxed.

“Yes.”

“Then answer me.”

He lowered again, just a touch. Just until the tip hit her core.

“You’re so strong. In a way I’ve never known a man to be.”

Now they were getting somewhere. He hadn’t even had to say I’ve never for her to give up that one.

He lowered her another inch.

“You make me feel small,” she said. “Delicate.”

That made him pause. She was sassy, sexy, and wild. Yet just then, with his big hands clamping around her middle, completely in control of her body, her movements, her pleasure, an unfamiliar thrill surged through him.

He made her feel small and delicate? That was welcome since she made him feel powerful. Commanding. And it was a drug all on its own.

“How do you normally feel?” he asked, sliding her down his cock another inch.

“Free,” she whispered.

The word smacked him hard. She’d roamed, traveled, said she was from all over. There wasn’t a rooted thing about this woman. That much was obvious. But in this moment, she was within his grip. He’d roped in the wild side, and goddamn, it felt good.

He hissed as her little claws scratched his chest.

“Now stop teasing me.” She sucked his bottom lip. “Fuck me like you mean it.”

That kicked his blood into molten levels. Gone was any hope he had of control. The woman knew how to push his buttons and tear at his calm.

His grip slackened, his biceps retracted, and he let her fall the rest of the way onto his stiff cock.

“Oh!” she gasped loud, and her fingernails dug further into his chest. “I…you…oh God.”

He smiled and sat up. “Is that good, sweetness? Deep enough for you?” He kissed her neck, and her skin was like its own sugary treat mixed with a faint hint of spice from sweat. Salted caramel at its finest.

“Deep…deepest. So good,” she said with a dazed need in her voice.

Deepest? The bastard in him wanted to hear more.

“That wasn’t framed in the form of ‘I’ve never’,” he growled against the column of her throat. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, sinking just another fraction into her. He was gifted with another one of those sexy gasps, and she threw her arms around his neck.

“I’ve never had anyone so deep in me before,” she said around a lusty whisper.

“Good.” Keeping his grip tight, he tugged her toward him as he surged up, giving short, powerful pumps into her slick heat, over and over.

Sweat dampened their skin as she clung to him and rocked into his every move. He didn’t retreat too far, just enough to hammer back home. He stayed buried to the hilt in the best damn heat he’d ever felt.

Up and down he thrust, keeping her and all those amazing curves clamped around him like his own personal wrapping paper. He could sense that he was losing himself inside her, but he didn’t want to let go. Didn’t want to move.

Using his teeth, he snatched her shirt and tugged up. She caught on and helped by lifting the cotton with her hand. A clicking noise sounded, and Ryder felt her suddenly free breasts subtly bouncing against his chest with every thrust he gave.

He bent his head and sucked on the soft flesh. Since it was dark, he couldn’t see, but he could tell she was full and lush. He licked and sucked again until he felt her hard nipple brush against the edge of his mouth. He fucked her purposefully slow, all while teasing back and forth along the pebbled peak.

She groaned and gripped the back of his head, clutching him closer.

So she likes it deep and hard.

“You want more?” he asked.

“Yes!” she rasped and arched into his mouth.

He opened his mouth wide and took as much of the deliciously plump flesh as he could, and then he closed his mouth around the entire peak of her breast and sucked.

“Oh God!” She whipped her hips in his lap.

He held her tight and flush against him as she rode him hard. He continued sucking and flicking his tongue over her nipples.

With her hand digging into his scalp, he felt her body come apart around him. Her tight sheath spasmed and milked him like a damn dream, and he couldn’t help but groan against her. Feeling her tremble with pleasure in his arms was amazing.

He was helpless not to follow her down.

As her hot core gripped him, he sank his teeth into her skin and fell over the brink of release. Surge after surge of pleasure flew from him and she was right there, wrapped around him to catch every last ounce. Breathing fast and coming down slow, he was certain he’d never felt more alive and relaxed at the same time.

His body was both spent and ready for round two.

“Christ, woman,” he rasped as his chest did its own kind of tremble. “You’re incredible.”

She kissed him and said against his lips, “That wasn’t framed in an ‘I’ve never.’”

Fair enough.

“I’ve never come so hard in my life.” He delivered a little smack on the ass.

She squirmed and laughed. “Well, I’ve never had sex with a cowboy in a storage closet.”

“Still not a cowboy, sweetness. But if it helps…” He thrust his semi-hard cock once more. “Yee-haw.”

Chapter Three

Whitney held two large plates in her hands and balanced another one on her arm. All three plates were piled high with different kinds of food. One had a burger and fries. The other a short stack of pancakes. The third had something covered in gravy. She wasn’t quite sure what it was, but hey, she’d never object to a little adventure.

She wound around the pool table, then several tables scattered throughout the restaurant, until the customer was in sight. So far, her new job waitressing was more about mastering a balancing act than anything else. She reached the table and blinked a few times at the lone woman sitting in the booth.

“Is the rest of your party on their way?” Whitney asked as she set all three plates down. Sure, Whitney had taken her order for all of this food but she assumed the party of one would be joined by more people.

“No,” the woman said. “These are all for me.” She brushed her long black ponytail off her shoulder and dug into the pancakes. She was beautiful and exotic. When Whitney looked closer, she saw that the woman was sporting a pretty big baby bump beneath the table.

“Hey!” a pretty blonde called out as she walked in wearing blue scrubs covered in rainbows. She didn’t waste any time, just slid into the booth with the dark haired woman. “Oh, hello,” Blondie said, looking at Whitney. “I’m Lily. Are you new in town?”

Was she that obvious? She couldn’t really be surprised. It seemed everyone knew each other around here. An unfamiliar face stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Yes. I’m Whitney.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“You too, Lily. Can I bring you something to eat?”

“Oh, no thanks, I only have a minute. Just checking in on my favorite pregnant friend here.” She nudged the brunette, who didn’t stop chewing, or even look up from her food.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” Whitney asked the brunette.

“Yes, a chocolate shake please.”

She nodded and hustled back behind the bar.

“You’re doing a great job,” Penny Diamond said, her red hair bouncing around her shoulders as she walked in from the kitchen and behind the bar. She was very nice, and Whitney couldn’t have asked for a better boss.

“Hey, Auto!” Penny said loudly and waved at the woman Whitney had just served. Auto waved back then stuffed another bite of food in her mouth. Holy crap, she’d already polished off the pancakes!

“Um…she asked for a chocolate milkshake,” Whitney said, looking around. “But I didn’t see a dispenser.”

Penny laughed. “That’s because we make them by hand here.”

Of course. Everything around this small town of Diamond was local and seemed to be made with a little love…and a little crazy. Penny was sunshine and sweetness, but she had a tough streak to her. After the lunch shift took off, Whitney had watched the petite redhead tell off a rude out of towner that made the mistake of pinching her butt as she walked by.

Whitney had also learned that Penny was the granddaughter of the founding Diamonds, which apparently made her a big deal around there. Granted, having a whole town named after you would likely do that.

“So the ice cream is in here,” Penny said, sliding open a freezer to show frosted mugs and ice cream. She reached in and got the chocolate out and set it on the counter for Whitney. “Then the blender is right down there.” She pointed to the corner of the bar on the bottom shelf. “I’ll go get the milk.”

Penny walked back into the kitchen, and Whitney made her way to the blender. She was bending down and wrapping her hands around the big base when a voice from the other side of the bar rang out over the country music blaring from the jukebox.

“Candy?”

She instantly shot up. She recognized that voice. She recalled very well how it had sounded when it had rasped naughty words in her ear last night.

She turned, still holding the blender, and saw…

“Ryder?”

There he was, just as tall and somehow even sexier than yesterday. His white T-shirt clung to his muscles with a little sweat, and his blue jeans were dusty. A worn Stetson rested on the top of his head. Clearly he’d just come from working hard. Construction maybe? Whatever it was had left white paint marks all over his hands and dirt beneath his nails. Damn, the man was fine, and he smelled like sun, cologne, and hot alpha male.

She wasn’t about to question why fate had brought him back to her—hopefully for a repeat performance of last night—but he, however, didn’t look as happy to see her.

“I’m out of candy,” she said and set the blender down on the counter.

“What?” he asked, then shook his head.

What was the big deal? He looked confused, and she was feeling the same. They’d had one night. Make that one incredible night. But apparently Ryder wasn’t too pleased to see her again. Which made her stomach drop.

Not that she cared or anything…

“Hey, brother. I see you’ve met my new waitress,” Penny said, coming to stand by Whitney and putting the milk next to the blender.

“New waitress?” he said, then hit Whitney with a hard look. “That can’t be right. What are you really doing here?”

“Ryder!” Penny said in a horrified tone. “Quit being so rude. What’s the matter with you?”

Whitney frowned. Why was he so pissy? She hadn’t expected to see him again, not to mention… He was Penny’s brother? Crap! She’d slept with her boss’s brother. But he hadn’t exactly been upfront about who he was.

“What am I doing here?” Whitney challenged. “I could ask you the same thing. You said you weren’t from around here.”

A flash of guilt crossed his face. “I said technically.”

“Ah, so we’re being technical now?” She plugged in the blender, then lifted the lid. Let him try to say something else. She’d flip the switch to on and drown him out—

“Wait,” Penny interrupted. “You two have met?”

“Yep,” Whitney said and started scooping some ice cream in the blender. She didn’t know what the hell she was doing, but she needed to pretend to be busy to keep those steely gray eyes off of her. Wasn’t working—because he was staring daggers, and she felt every sharp edge. Which was stupid since he was the one who left out a little detail. But now she was in jeopardy of losing her job. A job she needed so she could get money and move on.

“So you’re Penny’s brother?” She chanced a glance at him. “Which makes you Ryder Diamond, I take it?”

An annoyed frown slid across his face.

“Hey, man,” came a voice from across the restaurant. It was a tall, dark haired man in a suit, walking toward them.

“Bass,” Ryder acknowledged.

Bass made his way to Penny, leaned over the counter to kiss her, then returned his attention on Ryder. “Candy messaged me. She said you never showed for the date last night.”

Whitney’s brows shot up, and Ryder looked at her with surprise. Click. Everything just clicked.

He hadn’t asked her for candy last night. He’d thought she was Candy.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit.

Ryder put both palms on the edge of the bar and leaned over. “Since you’re so keen on my name,” he growled, “why don’t you try telling me yours? The truth this time.”

“I never lied to you,” Whitney said defensively.

“You said your name was Candy.”

“No, you walked in and asked me for candy.”

“Which you happily gave,” he said in a low rasp.

That voice gave her goose bumps. Yeah, she had happily given up a lot last night. But reality was a bitch, because she’d been stupid enough to think he was calling her “sweetness” because he liked her. Even for a night. Nope, he’d thought she was someone else. Awesome.

“Maybe we should give them a minute,” Bass said quietly to Penny.

Penny smacked his chest and whispered, “Are you crazy? I’m not missing this!”

That made Ryder look at his sister, then back at Whitney. “Perhaps we should discuss this in private.”

Whitney lifted her chin. “There’s nothing to discuss. It was one night. It’s over. Clearly you thought I was someone else and I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He leaned over the counter and brought his face close to hers. “I’d say it was the right place at the right time.” Those gray eyes held a spark that she recognized from last night. God, the man was power in its finest sate. “But you weren’t who I thought you were.”

“Obviously,” she scoffed, then backed away enough to grab the milk and put some in the blender. This distraction wasn’t working as well as she’d hoped, but she was still trying.

As if a haze cleared, Ryder stood to his full height and cleared his throat. Whatever reasonable façade he normally donned was back in place. Gone was the Ryder she knew first hand to be dominant alpha sexiness.

“How long are you here for?” he asked bluntly.

“The summer.” She glanced at Penny. “That is, if I still have a job?”

Penny’s auburn brows shot up. “Oh, honey, of course you do. Don’t let this overgrown stick in the mud have you thinking otherwise.”

Ryder glanced at the ceiling as if trying to gain patience. “You said you didn’t stay anywhere too long,” he said, his gaze landing back on Whitney.

“Ryder Diamond,” Penny said, admonishing his manners for the second time.

He nodded once then took a breath, as though looking for a way to rephrase. It would seem Mr. Diamond of the freaking town of Diamond had a code of manners and some kind of reputation to uphold, because as more eyes turned toward them, the straighter he stood.

“Well, it was eventful running into you again…?”

Oh, so now he wanted her name? Normally she’d make a guy like this work for it, but the way he was looking at her, she’d bet knowing her name would rattle him for the rest of the day.

“Whitney,” she said.

“Whitney,” he repeated, and holy hell, her name on his lips made her goose bumps turn nuclear. But the way he looked at her got her hot for a different reason. Why was he mad at her? This misunderstanding wasn’t her fault, damn it. “I don’t suspect I’ll be seeing much more of you,” he finished.

That was the last straw.

No way in hell would this guy brush her off in a way that made her look like the crazy woman. Ryder liked his manners and his little coded language? Fine, she could play. And she would. Because she might not be a local, but she had a feeling she knew the town’s golden boy in a way very few did. Fact number one? Ryder liked to be challenged. It was the first thing she’d learned about him.

“Not interested in seeing more of me?” she asked. “That explains why last night you were so determined to use your tongue on my skin. Since you couldn’t really see and all.”

Penny held back a smile, and so did Bass. Ryder just looked ready to throttle her. Or maybe kiss her. She wasn’t going to think of him either way. He wanted to be a dick? Fine. She would just state facts until he broke.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Ryder said and pushed off the counter.

He was stillness and control, but just beneath the surface she could feel his body hum the same way it had last night when he’d been on the brink of losing that calm. It made her whole body stand to attention and her instinct pipe up, demanding that she push for more. Because the man was beyond more.

He was frustrating and sexy, and if calling him out got him to loosen up, she’d do it. At the very least so he wouldn’t stand there and make this mess her fault. Because it was a mess. She was working for his sister all summer, in a town that was named after him, and judging by the looks and the waves, he was like a damn celebrity around here.

How was Whitney supposed to compete with that? She had no one. No family or real friends. And she had slept with a man that came with those things, plus an entire town.

Not her scene.

Not her forte.

Not her life.

Best to keep the one night just that. One. And it was in the past now. But pushing Ryder’s buttons enough to make him acknowledge the truth wouldn’t hurt anyone. Hell, it might even make her feel better.

“Nothing to talk about,” she said, and sealed the blender.

“Oh, I disagree, sweetness.” The way he slid that word out, like it was meant just for her, made her skin prickle with need and her thighs ache with desire.

Push just a bit more…

“Well, you may want to be careful when it comes to conversing with me,” she said, and rested her forearm atop the blender. Holding his stare, she flicked on the shred button, and the sound of the spinning blades rang out as they cut through the ice cream. “I’m a dangerous wild card, remember?”