by Scarlett Ray
“I think I didn’t realize how hard they worked because they never complained about it. It was what they wanted to be doing, because it was all going to support something beautiful, something much bigger than any of us individually.” This was supposed to be a conclusion, a point where I changed the subject. But I didn’t. “And believe me, I’m not here to complain either. I want you all to know how seriously I take this job and know your support is not being wasted. I’ll work as hard as necessary to make sure our preserve stays the same beautiful, natural, and safe place it is now.”
The audience applauded again, and it was a little easier to smile genuinely with their encouragement. Will looked a little confused that I was going off-script, but the change was making me feel better already. I followed up by addressing the elephant in the room, Miguel’s attack. But I also pointed out that it was the first wildlife-related injury that severe in the park’s hundred-year history. I explained how we’d had rangers and even police searching the entire public area of the preserve ever since the attacks, and they hadn’t found a single trace of wolves living there. They were only ever seen in the private section.
“What happened to Miguel Wright was terrible, and I won’t try to say otherwise,” I continued. “But the precautions we have in place, if they’re followed, won’t allow it to happen again. The entire point of a preserve is to prevent our actions from interfering with the wildlife already living there. Our visitors’ park is as safe as it’s always been. The only thing we have to do is respect that some things, some places, don’t belong to us.”
There was a beat of silence, and I almost expected someone to start booing, but then there was a rush of applause, even louder than before. Beaming, I caught Will’s eye, and he smiled back at me as he clapped with the others.
In my conclusion, I talked a little more about our conservation efforts and the sort of thing that donations funded—cleanup projects, scientific studies, providing for our guests, that sort of thing. Surprisingly enough, everyone seemed pretty well pleased with what I had to say. Even though it wasn’t as diplomatic as Will’s version. When I finally finished and got back to our table, he was grinning ear-to-ear.
“You were amazing! And after those first few lines, you seemed totally comfortable. See? You were worried for nothing,” he squeezed my hand while I kept my head down to hide my blushing; between him praising me and all that adrenaline from my nerves, I was wound tighter than a spring.
“All right, you don’t have to rub it in my face,” I mumbled, grabbing my wine glass for a healthy drink. Most of the time, I preferred beer, whiskey, even tequila over wine, but wine was apparently the appropriate, fashionable, etc. thing for a lady to drink in these settings. “It went a lot better than I expected.”
“You sort of improvised there for a bit,” he raised an eyebrow at me. “If you didn’t like the script we came up with, you could’ve said so.”
That was the thing. Any time I’d tried to say so, he just kept assuring me that his version was the “right” thing to say, meaning the thing people wanted to hear. But as far as I could tell, the crowd was pretty open to my points too. And I felt a lot better having said it my way.
Now that all the speeches were concluded, dinner was over, and the music changed to some modern rock or rap, whatever kind of music kids danced to. Everyone sort of dispersed, back to their games or for some tipsy dancing. A few people came to tell me they were impressed with my speech or they appreciated me putting nature ahead of human interests. One snooty-looking older man came over with his several-years-younger date and informed me that my “backwards, anti-progress ideology” was the reason he wouldn’t be donating one more cent to the preserve.
Rather than telling him where he could stick his donation, I spread my hands and said that was his right, but it didn’t change how I felt or how I was going to keep running my family’s land. Once he was gone, I muttered into my wineglass, “Prick.”
“You’ve been impressing me all night,” Will leaned back in his chair like he was admiring me. “I know there must have been plenty of times you wanted to snap at these people or argue with them, but your self-control has held the whole time.”
“I told you already: it’s for the preserve, so I’ll do what I have to.” Mostly.
“Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy your dedication is?”
I nearly choked on my wine, “Wh-what? Where did that come from?”
“I’ve been thinking it for a while, I promise. Weeks.”
“And why are you just now saying it?” I took another sip, trying to drain my glass as if that would calm me down.
“I was trying to be a gentleman!”
“Oh, but not anymore?” I laughed.
“Well, you brought it up earlier. And I guess it finally occurred to me that maybe ‘gentlemen’ aren’t your type.”
“Mm, can’t argue there.” Finishing off my wine, I leaned forward against the table and tried to use the cleavage this dress gave me to my advantage, “So what is my type?”
His eyes dipped down to my chest, then back up to my lips, “I’m going to guess ‘scoundrels.’”
“And that’s what you are?”
“It’s what I can be. If you want,” he had a look in his eyes like I hadn’t seen before, almost predatory, and I liked it.
Leaning in closer, I said simply, “Prove it.”
“Right here? In front of everyone?”
“That’s funny, most of the scoundrels I know don’t bother asking questions when a girl wants them to—”
Will sat forward and kissed me roughly, bringing a smile to my lips while I tried to keep up. When I started to pull back, he slipped a hand behind my neck to drag me in again, not stopping until he’d completely had his way with my mouth and left me panting for breath. With a smug, satisfied look on his face, he ran his thumb over my cheek.
“It’s getting late, sweetheart. I think you’ve taken care of all your obligations here. Why don’t you let me take you to bed?” he purred, sending hot shivers through my core. Already he was getting to his feet, taking my hand to pull me up. He didn’t wait for an answer before leading me toward the door, quick, but not quick enough to be conspicuous.
“Hmm, I think I like scoundrel-Will,” I giggled as we reached the elevators. Once he got me in one and the doors closed behind us, he had me pinned face-first in the corner, his lips on my neck, his hand sliding around my hips and down. “Mh, w-wait. There are probably cameras…”
“You said yourself no one’s going to recognize you,” his fingers teased at my hipbones, then slowly trailed down between my legs. “Don’t worry, I’m not taking anything off. Yet.”
“But still! I don’t want anyone…seeing…” my breath caught in my throat as his fingertips rubbed against me through the fabric of my skirt and panties. “God…” Between the sudden shift in his attitude, his forcefulness, the threat of getting caught, and the feeling of him touching me, I was getting hot a lot faster than I expected.
“If you want me to stop, tell me, and I will,” he kept his hand moving as he spoke, and I couldn’t bring myself to answer. “That’s what I thought.” When he bit down on my shoulder, I couldn’t keep back a low moan. But too soon, we reached the twenty-first floor, and he took my hand to lead me down the hall like nothing had happened, asking, “Is my room okay?”
I nodded, a little dizzy, willing to follow his lead for the moment.
Will’s room was every bit as fancy as mine, if not even more so, and it was definitely bigger. More like a suite than just a single room. I didn’t have long to admire it, because as soon as we got in, he swept me off my feet and into his arms bridal-style. Then he carried me into the next room to drop me onto a king-size bed.
“I wonder,” he said as he stripped his jacket and tie, “have you been thinking about this too? Were you hoping I would make a move?”
“I was starting to get a little impatient,” I admitted. After toeing off my shoes, I crawled t
o the edge of the bed and sat up on my knees to help him out of his shirt. And just like I’d assumed since the first time he kissed me, his chest and abs were very nicely toned. Not the sort of tone you get from work but the sort you get from working out. Either way, I definitely approved. Sliding my hands down his muscles to feel every firm inch, I muttered, “Help me out of this damn dress.”
“Gladly.” His mouth went to my throat to cover it with slow kisses while his hands made quick work of my halter straps and zipper. But since I had so few layers, stripping that one item left me in just my strapless bra and panties, a lot more vulnerable than him. Before I could point it out, he caught my lips again and led me onto my back, sliding a hand behind me to unhook my bra. As he knelt over me and kissed me again, his knee slid between my legs to grind against me, and I had to break away to gasp in a breath. “Too much?” he asked, but he didn’t make any moves to stop.
“No,” I panted, distractedly yanking the pins out of my hair so it could come free. Will paused for a second to admire me, running his fingertips down my side and looking over every inch until I could feel my cheeks burning up. “Mh, you have a staring problem?”
“Sorry,” he laughed. “You’re beautiful. Did you not notice me staring all night?”
“Well, now’s the time to do more than look,” I said, trying to encourage him, I reached down to unfasten his pants, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Impatient,” he muttered, grabbing my wrists and pinning them down against the bed so he could grind his hips into mine. I could feel how hard he was getting, and God, he was so hot. “What do you want?”
“Hm?” I looked up at him, bleary-eyed, confused.
“You heard me,” he trailed one hand lightly down my stomach, then pulled my panties to the side to touch me. While I arched and gasped, there was satisfaction written all over his face. His voice came out in a low purr, “Tell me what you want, baby.”
Just when I thought my face couldn’t get any redder. “I…I want you to quit teasing and…ah, hurry up and fuck me,” I groaned as his fingertips circled my clit.
“Oh, I plan to. When I’m ready,” he pressed two fingers inside me, quickly making me lose my breath. “For now, I’m just enjoying seeing you like this.” Enjoying controlling me, more like. But somehow, when it was that good, I couldn’t bring myself to be bothered. I did tell him to prove he could be a scoundrel.
Trying to let myself relax and enjoy it too, I dropped my head back and let out something between a sigh and a whimper. And I vaguely heard Will chuckle as his fingers moved faster, in and out, his thumb rubbing against my clit and making my head spin. He leaned down to kiss along my collarbone, then lower to run his tongue all over my tits and suck on them.
“God. Will…” my fingers combed through his hair, my legs shaking and hips twitching for more. “Wait, I-I can’t. If you don’t stop—”
“Then what? You’ll cum?” he forced his fingers even deeper inside, sending a shock of heat through me. “You’re not giving me much incentive.”
“But I don’t—I wanted to…” I hardly knew what I was trying to say, my willpower to wait getting weaker every second until I was cumming around his fingers, whining and gasping and arching in pleasure.
“Hm. I didn’t expect you to be so easy, Dani,” Will teased mercilessly, pulling his fingers out and sliding my panties off while I was distracted trying to calm my heart. He leaned over me and kissed me slowly, and I sat up a little to meet him. “You still want me to fuck you?”
I leaned back against the bed and nodded firmly, “Mm-hm.”
“Turn over.” Pushy. Still, I wasn’t about to stop him. Even though it was hard and I was a little shaky, I sat up and turned over onto my hands and knees. Sitting up on his knees and rubbing his cock slowly between my legs, Will added, “Say please.” My eyes opened wide in shock, then narrowed as I started getting a little irritated with all his teasing and intentionally embarrassing me. When I shot him a look over my shoulder, he just chuckled again, “Humor me, sweetheart.” When I looked away from him, still resisting, he sighed, “Well, if you don’t want it…” Before he could pull away, I grabbed his hand to hold it against my hip.
“Please,” I muttered, barely audible. Maybe I wasn’t much for being teased, but I still wanted him too bad to stop him for the sake of my pride.
“Was that so hard?” he thrust in all at once, forcing a yelp from my lips. It didn’t quite hurt, since he’d already started with his fingers, but it was still a lot to take in!
“Take it easy,” I groaned, trying my best to relax.
“Sorry. You okay?” he was already starting to move, but slowly. Way too slowly out, then back in at the same pace.
“I’m fine,” I heard myself mumbling as I started to give myself over to the sensations curling through my body. Will quickened our pace slightly. The friction helped a lot, helped get everything hotter and erase any discomfort I was feeling. Will slid a hand slowly up my spine to my neck and pushed my head down against the mattress.
“You really are beautiful,” he said quietly, leaning over me on one hand and watching me while he fucked me faster.
“Oh, God, yes,” I managed, scrabbling at the sheets and arching my back hard. With a deep growl, he picked up his pace even more. “Ooh, that’s it. Fuck me—harder! I—”
He gave my hair a yank, and I took it as a hint to quit giving orders. So I let my voice fall into wordless moans and whines instead, my body getting hotter with every thrust until I finally came again and buried my face against the bed to scream.
“Fuck!” Will gasped, thrusting as deep as he could as he came with me. Heat flooded my insides, and I let out a contented sigh. As Will pulled out, I practically collapsed against the bed, still weak and trembling from getting worked over so thoroughly. It seemed like Will had worked out all his roughness; as he came to lie at my side and gathered me into his arms, he was as gentle as ever. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“I told you…I’m fine,” I mumbled, shaking my head at him. “You definitely proved you could be a scoundrel. But I like this too.” I snuggled up against his side, and he stroked my hair gently.
“Got it. Gentleman in the streets, scoundrel in the sheets.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, even though I was still a little breathless. Will managed to get up and turn the light out, then came back to bed and held me against him while we slept. Well, he slept. I couldn’t yet. No matter how exhausted I was, my mind wouldn’t quit.
Will was a great guy. He was sweet and thoughtful and funny. He was helpful and definitely good in bed. There was a lot to like about him. A lot to love. But something still bugged me. As much as I hated to admit it, there was something missing with him. I didn’t get that sense of rightness from being in Will’s arms. I didn’t feel like I belonged, like I did with Noah. There I was, lying in one man’s arms after enjoying the whole day with him, and I was thinking of someone else.
I’d been trying hard to convince myself that being with Will was better than what Noah could give me. My heart wasn’t playing along. It wasn’t fair. Will was doing so much for me, being there for me in a way someone else couldn’t—or wouldn’t—and I still didn’t love him. Maybe I just needed more time. But the thought was still there. Noah feels right. This doesn’t.
In fact, throughout the day I’d spent with him, I hadn’t felt like myself the whole time. None of it felt right. The setting, the event, the act I had to put on. Forcing down my instincts to do what was “proper.” Letting someone, anyone else make my decisions for me? That wasn’t me. And now that I was realizing it, I was starting to doubt all the decisions I’d made since Will came back.
Trying to go slowly so I wouldn’t wake him, I pushed his arms away and put some distance between us on the bed. I had a lot to think about. And I needed time away from him to do it.
* * *
The next morning, Will suggested we spend some time in Phoenix, make the most of
our trip, but I turned him down. I said it was because I was anxious to get home to Nicky. He was patient with me, like always, and he took me home no questions asked. But when we got to the house, I was surprised to see Noah’s truck out front and Maggie’s station wagon nowhere to be seen. That already spelled bad news.
“Is something wrong?” Will asked, seeing the suspicious look on my face. Parked in the driveway right in front of the house, he looked at Noah’s truck and frowned. “That isn’t yours, is it? Do you recognize it?”
“Yeah. It’s one of our ranch hands.” Technically, that wasn’t a lie. “I should go see what he wants.”
“Do you want me to stay? I mean, are you…safe?” Will insisted, and I tried to keep the bitterness out of my smile.
“I’ve known him for years. He’s not dangerous. Go on home.” I gave him a distracted peck on the cheek and grabbed my suitcase to head inside. After waiting to watch me get in the door, Will pulled down the driveway and left. I shut the door behind me and wandered into the house calling, “Noah?”
“In here,” he called from the living room, and I stepped inside to find him reclining on the couch. “You’re back earlier than I figured. Have fun partying with your little boyfriend?”
“What are you doing in my house?” I asked, ignoring his question.
His dark eyes stayed fixed on mine as he answered, “Maggie invited me over last night to help babysit my son.”
Chapter Eighteen: Noah
“Why didn’t you tell me he was mine?” I demanded, shoving to my feet, furious. “Five years, Dani! And you didn’t say a word to me.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you,” she muttered, crossing her arms tightly.
“Like hell you don’t! You’ve been raising my child and you didn’t even give me the chance to help. You can’t possibly think that’s right.” This was bad. We’d barely started talking, and my beast was already snarling just under the surface of my mind, fangs and claws ready. We were hurt and frustrated and hopeless, and he didn’t care who we took it out on. The fact that I could smell Will on her and see a bite mark on her neck didn’t make things any better.
