Janelle Denison - Born to Be Wilde

"Oh, wow," she said with a shake of her head, which caused her thick, rich-looking hair to settle around her shoulders like a cloud of sable silk. "I didn't mean to get so melancholy on you. It's just that Zach hasn't been the same since he left the service, and I constantly worry about him."

"That's completely understandable." She had good reason to be concerned about her brother, and she didn't even know the half of the kind of trouble Zach was in.

She finished the last of her drink. "It's getting late and I really should get going," she said, regret in her tone.

Figuring they'd covered enough ground for one evening together, he didn't push her to stay longer. Instead, he stood and slipped into his leather jacket while she did the same with her coat. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your car," he said.

"I can't believe that you and I met," Lora mused as they strolled side by side toward The Electric Blue's parking lot. "I mean, what are the chances of that?"

If she only knew. "Very slim, I suppose." Unless a meeting was deliberate, as theirs had been.

They reached her car, a compact red Volkswagon Jetta, and she unlocked the vehicle with a press of her remote. She opened the door before turning back around to face him. "Where's your car?" she asked.

"My ride is right over there." He hooked a thumb back toward the front of The Electric Blue, where he'd parked his Ducati Multistrada, a badass bike that was built for power, speed, and a whole lotta fun.

"Ahhh, a big, black motorcycle. I should have guessed." She gave his appearance a quick, sultry once-over before meeting his gaze once again. "I have to admit, the bike suits you."

Grinning, he rested a hand on the door frame and braced his other arm on the roof of her car, caging her between the open door of the vehicle, and him. Then, he leaned in a bit closer. "Wanna go for a ride sometime?"

She arched a brow, amused by his flirtatious and tempting question. "Is that what you ask all the girls?"

"No, just you. I've never asked another girl to go for a ride on my bike." Without thinking, he reached out and gently wound a strand of her hair around his finger, feeling ensnared by this alluring woman, in more ways than one. And that was a very dangerous thing, he knew. "I promise I'll go slow and easy with you, so long as you hang on tight for the ride."

The innuendo in his reply didn't so much as fluster her. If anything, she rose to the challenge. "What if I like it fast and intense?"

His grin broadened with shameless intent. "Then I'd say that you sound like just my kind of girl." His voice dropped to a low, husky pitch, and a slow hum of arousal infused his veins.

He couldn't help his response to her. He always did enjoy indulging in playful, provocative banter with a woman, and the attraction and sexual tension between he and Lora made it all the more exciting.

Releasing her hair, he dragged his fingers along her jaw and caressed them down the side of her neck. Her skin was silky soft to the touch. So sweet. So tempting.

"I also aim to please, sweetheart," he murmured as his gaze dropped to her captivating, kiss-me mouth. "If you like it fast and fierce, then that's exactly what you'll get."

The parking lot lights illuminated those deep green eyes of hers, which had darkened with heat and acute awareness. He brushed his fingers over the rapid pulse beating at the base of her throat. Her soft lips parted in unmistakable invitation, and her breathing deepened, causing her chest to rise and fall in a way that beckoned him to look and appreciate those fine feminine curves. Her coat was open, enabling him to see her tight nipples pressing against her T-shirt-from the night chill or their provocative exchange, he wasn't certain. Either way, he ached to take those lovely breasts in his hands just to see how well she fit into his large palms.

He curbed the impulse. Just barely. "So, if I give you what you want, does that mean you'll go for a ride with me?" At the moment, it wasn't straddling a motorcycle that he had in mind, but rather having her soft, slender thighs wrapped tight around his hips as he took her on a fast and wild ride of a whole different kind. The erotic thought made his cock twitch and ache between his thighs.

Oh, man. He was in deep, deep trouble with her.

She caught her full lower lip between her teeth as she seemed to consider the implications of his question. Just as he had. "I'm not that easy," she said, her tone light and playful. "But I'll think about your offer and let you know."

He chuckled at her sassy and very unexpected reply. Her ability to make him laugh was yet another thing he enjoyed about her. "You be sure to do that, but don't make me wait for long."

The humorous moment gradually faded, and in its place something more intimate and sensual simmered between them. Her eyes softened with desire, and he knew without a doubt that he could have easily kissed her. Knew she'd let him take her mouth and give them both a small sampling of the kind of carnal pleasure that promised so much more.

He'd always been a man who took what he wanted, especially when it came to women and what was so freely offered. But this time, kissing Lora would be a huge, monumental mistake, because he was certain one taste of her wouldn't be enough to satisfy the gut-level craving he was beginning to develop for her. Not to mention he'd be overstepping boundaries he had no business crossing.

He'd agreed to protect Zach's sister, not dive into a hot and heavy affair with her just to appease their attraction. Because of his job and his carefree way of life that didn't include being tied down to anyone, a short, temporary relationship was all he was willing to offer any woman. And knowing Lora's past history from many conversations with Zach during their time together, he got the distinct impression that she was the kind of woman who'd need a stable, secure man in her life.

So, as difficult as it was, he took a huge step back and shoved the tips of his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans-just as an added precaution.

A flicker of disappointment passed over her features, then she covered it up with a smile. "Well, I guess this is good night, then."

He gave her a nod. "Good night, Lora."

She slipped into her car, and once he heard her lock the door he headed over to his motorcycle, trying to shake off the light buzz of arousal with every step he took. She headed toward home, and as he followed behind at a discreet distance, he wondered how in the hell he was going to spend the next few weeks around Lora, courting her in order to stay close to her, without touching her. Without kissing her. Without taking her exactly where those eyes had all but begged him to go back in the parking lot.

His ripe curse was drowned out by the rumbling of his bike's engine. He was in for a long couple of weeks of excruciating sexual tension with no relief in sight.

At least not with the woman he wanted the most.

"'MORNING, Syd," Lora called out cheerfully, announcing her presence as she walked into her best friend's two-bedroom apartment, which was located right down the hall from her own place. "I brought doughnuts, so come and get 'em while they're good and fresh."

Lora headed into the kitchen, but no one was there. Figuring Sydney and her fifteen-year-old daughter, Cassie, were still in their bedrooms getting ready for the day, Lora went ahead and poured herself a cup of coffee and rummaged through the refrigerator for the cream. She and Sydney had an open-door policy for the most part, and keys to each other's apartments. Most mornings they met for breakfast before Sydney had to take Cassie to school and Lora had to head off to the St. Claire Hotel for work.

"I heard your chipper greeting all the way into my bathroom," Sydney grumbled as she entered the kitchen, wearing a pair of form-fitting jeans and an equally form-fitting blue sweater top. Her naturally wavy auburn hair, which reached the middle of her back, was still damp from her morning shower.