by Melissa Kate
Emma washed her hands and twisted her long hair up away from her neck. “Shew, it is hot in here. How about one more dance and we take a walk on the boulevard?”
Brielle nodded her agreement as they left the restroom.
Emma grabbed her hand as she heard Rihanna’s voice through the speakers, crooning about not stopping the music. They reached the dance floor and of their own volition, her hips once again started to swirl ‘n shake. This place really had an effect on her usually slow body. Hands still entwined, Emma spun her around and she could feel the skirt of her dress hike up.
A group of people had joined them then and, as per usual, a hot guy came to dance with Emma. He whispered something in her ear and when she nodded, they too started a sexy dance. He didn’t look like a home-grown Brazilian but there was no hard and fast rule that attention was only to be given by the natives on this vacation. Emma attracted all types of attention. Like bees to honey.
Brielle smiled to herself. The dance floor got crowded and she soon got jostled away from Emma and the hot new guy, but she just went with it, not wanting to cramp her friend’s style.
Brielle closed her eyes and let her body just feel the music, dancing in her own world. When she opened her eyes, she found that one of the club’s patrons was dancing with her. With nowhere to go, she just continued to dance. She turned away from him but then felt his hot, rancid breath as he slurred in her ear, “That’s a sweet set of legs. When do they open?”
Brielle’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. What a cheesy, derogatory pick-up line.
Before she could react, he had grabbed her hips and had started to grind his pelvis into her.
“Hey! Get off me,” she spun around and pushed at him, panic starting to rise. “Stop!”
He was tough for a drunk and reached for her again.
Before she could react, she was faced with a wall of solid muscle. “I believe the lady said back off.”
The drunken idiot didn’t have much brain capacity left and he once again tried to reach for her around the tall wall of muscle.
Her savior put a hand on the brute’s shoulder and said menacingly, “I have had a shit day and will gladly toss you on your ass and beat you into the pavement.”
The drunk looked up—way up—into the face of the wall of muscle and smiled. He actually smiled with his crooked teeth. “Hey! It’s you! Nate Wolfe! I’m sorry, man! I didn’t mean to hit on your girl. Great season.”
The moron actually saluted him and then turned and danced his way to his next unsuspecting victim.
The tall wall of muscle turned and Wow. This creature was gorgeous. He looked down at her with his jade-green eyes and asked, “Are you ok?”
“Yes,” she breathed. She gave herself a mental shake. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for stepping in.”
“Don’t mention it,” he turned around as though looking for someone. “Are you here with anyone?”
“Yeah, my friend Emma.” Brielle gestured toward her friend who was in a very intimate position with her new dancing partner.
The wall of muscle smirked. “Yeah, that’s my friend Luca.” He gazed at her again. “Are you ok? You look a little green.”
“Yeah, I’m fine, just need a little air.” She turned on her heel and started to thread her way through the crowd to get to the door. It seemed like an onerous task as the dance floor was now packed to capacity, and she was getting bumped into every other person. The next thing she knew, the wall of muscle, gently grabbed her upper arm and was clearing a way for her to the exit.
When she got to the open air, she gulped in some welcome oxygen. Between the heat in the club and the scare with the grizzly bear, she was a little out of sorts.
And then there was this wall of muscle.
Nate watched the woman in front of him. No doubt about it, she was smoking hot. Lucky for her, he was trying to get to Luca when that pond scum made a grab at her. In her gold dress she was like a beacon in the crowded club and he’d been drawn to her as she’d swayed to the music alone, as though she were in her own bubble, completely relaxed and content. He’d been watching her and her lithe movements when he’d seen the drunken asshole making his way toward her from aways away and, even though he was not up for it, he knew he had to step in. He loved a soft, beautiful woman like any other man but he preferred them consenting. He had no tolerance for men who forced themselves on women.
The blonde bombshell in front of him took in a deep breath and her full chest heaved in response, giving him a welcome view of her supple assets. She sat down on the low wall ahead of them and flipped her hair over her shoulders.
“I’m really fine,” she said, lifting her gaze and raising her shocking-blue eyes to his. “You can go back in now.”
Nate didn’t understand why he was even here in the first place, he was certainly in no mood to deal with a woman, no matter how amazing she looked. He found himself sitting next to her on the wall, filling up the small space between them. God she smelled amazing. Soft and fresh and womanly.
“Look, I’m just going to find my friend and we’re going to leave, ok? I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Sure, go ahead,” he remarked, making no effort to leave.
She started toward the entrance and then, taking in the thick mass of gyrating bodies, backed up again.
“Ok, I will just send her a text.” She whipped out her phone, quickly typing a message to her friend.
He found it very refreshing that she had no idea who he was and wasn’t the least bit flustered by him. It was a welcome change of pace.
“Where are you staying?”
She narrowed her blue eyes at him. “I’m not going to tell you. Who knows what kind of stalker you might be.”
Nate tilted his head back and laughed, “Wow, you are refreshing.” He shifted toward her and held out his hand, “Hi, my name is Nate.”
She tentatively took his hand in her small one and at the center of their touch, her warmth spread through him, stirring a sexual awareness. “There, now I’m not a total stranger trying to lure you into an alley and have my way with you.”
He grinned his charming for-TV smile that he’d perfected over the years and he sensed her easing up.
“I’m Brielle.”
“Can I walk you home?”
“Um… Ok, as long as your hands are always where I can see them and you don’t try any monkey business.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And I want to make a pit-stop first.”
Nate smiled at her choice of words. “You need to use the bathroom?”
She gave him a dubious look. “No.”
Twenty minutes later, he found himself sitting opposite Brielle in an open street food shack, scarfing down burgers. Nate wouldn’t have pegged her for the kind of girl to eat with such abandon. He liked it. The girls he was used to would munch two celery sticks then claim they were full. He had forgotten what it was like to be around a normal girl with an actual appetite, not the tortoises he usually dated who only nibbled on carrot sticks.
“So, what are you doing down in Brazil, Nate? You’re obviously not a local.”
“What gave me away?” he smiled sideways. “I’m here on business.”
“Oh yeah? What kind?
“I’m a driver.”
“Like a chauffeur? I’ve never seen a chauffeur that looks like you.”
He found himself beaming at her compliment. At least he thought it was a compliment. Hell, for years now women had been throwing themselves at him and making sure his head got very inflated with vanity, so why her simple comment stirred him was beyond Nate. “Not quite.” he weighed up whether he should be honest with her or not. He was actually enjoying the anonymity for a change but then again, that would only last so long with the races being held a few miles away. He settled for a half truth. “I drive for a
team.”
“Is that a sport?”
He looked at her incredulously.
“What?” she squeaked. She at least had the decency to look embarrassed. “I don’t get a lot of TV time.”
He decided to steer the conversation away from himself, not wanting to burst the illusory bubble. “Why’s that Brielle?”
“I study too much.”
“Study? You’re still in school? How old are you?”
“Nate! You cannot ask a woman her age!” she smiled, a wide warm smile that turned her full, supple lips upward. Nate was taken in by the soft curves of her features, her high cheekbones and big blue eyes, half hidden by the thick mass of hair swaying in her face.
“I’m twenty-five. Studying toward my chiropractic license. One more year to be Doctor Woods.”
“That’s impressive. So, what are you doing in Sao Paulo?”
“Taking a break before my life is non-stop work,” she grinned sheepishly and he found himself liking that look. “I haven’t had much of a life for the past seven years, and this is my trip to have my last wild run before I have to grow up.”
“So, what have you done so far to achieve that?”
Brielle frowned and he took in the worry lines at the center of her forehead. “Now that you mention it, not much.” She rolled up the remains of their food and tossed it in the nearest trash can.
Nate stood up and matched his stride with hers as they walked toward the beach ahead. Bending down, she removed her shoes. She started to sway off balance, probably still fighting the effects of her alcoholic buzz, and she reached forward to find her balance on his chest. He firmly grabbed her arm to steady her, liking the feeling of her hand on his chest.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, pulling her hand away.
She stepped onto the still-warm sand, scrunching her toes in it and he thought he heard her sigh. The soft sound had a chill running up his spine. She had amazing feet. He took in her delicate ankles and her amazing calves that led up long, luscious, tanned legs.
This was undeniably a woman he could spend a few hours losing his troubled mind in. Since he’d met her, he hadn’t thought about that phone call once. Definitely progress.
He followed her movements and stepped out of his dress shoes and his sports jacket before bending at the waist to roll up his jeans to mid-calf.
The sand felt amazing beneath his bare feet and he realized how seldom he took in moments like this. Simple pleasures like sand in between your toes.
“Have you ever skinny dipped?”
“What?” she sounded so surprised, Nate couldn’t help but laugh at her.
“You know, swim without your clothes on,” he goaded. “Naked.”
At the mention of the word, she flushed a deep pink and it made him want to see that look when he was deep inside her. He mentally scolded himself for having his mind even go there.
She looked away, embarrassed.
They were on a dark, secluded part of the beach and it was a warm night—he decided to throw caution to the wind.
Brielle turned back to Nate in time to see him unbuttoning his white shirt. “What are you doing?”
“I’m hot, the water is cool, I’m going for a swim.”
“Now?”
“No better time than the present.”
Oh gosh, this man had her running in circles.
She watched as he removed his shirt and she had to remind herself to close her mouth. This man had a chest that would make any adult woman cry ‘Hallelujah.’ Bronzed and toned with a six-pack that could wash a village woman’s clothes, his every muscle was sculpted to perfection. Brielle was not usually one for chest hair, but damn if the sight of the light smattering on Nate’s chest, leading down his torso to parts unknown, did things to her girly parts that got her all excited. She wanted to go on her knees and worship at the muscle altar. Next, his top jeans button popped open and almost in slow motion his zipper went down, mesmerizing Brielle. And there he stood in his nearly naked glory, there with all the confidence of a God.
“Are you pleased with yourself?” she asked
“I will be in about two minutes.” He walked toward the water, “Coming Brielle?”
Oh the way he said her name. She was suddenly aware of the warm moisture pooling between her thighs. This was new.
“Come on, live a little.” He teased, the amusement shining in his beautiful eyes.
She frowned. Was this her life? Actually contemplating getting nearly naked with a gorgeous, ripped man in a foreign country. Screw it.
She tried to get the zipper at the back of her dress but cursed it. Dammit. Emma had helped her get into this skin tight contraption. Great, and now she was going to miss this opportunity because she couldn’t undress on her own.
The next thing she knew, Nate was at the nape of her neck and ever so slowly, started to unzip her dress. The slow and painfully erotic torture. It was almost intimate the way his warm hands barely grazed her skin. She really had gone too long without a man’s touch if this was bringing her to near completion. Seeming to know the effect he had on her, Nate slowly caressed his knuckles down her smooth back in time with the zipper. She thought back quickly to what panties she had on!
Thank God she was wearing sexy black underwear. The gold sheath of fabric fell in a heap at her feet and she suddenly felt very self-conscious and bare. She was about to lift her arms up to cover herself when Nate scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“Heeeeeyyyyyy!! What are you doing?”
“Just go with it, Sweetheart.” And then he smacked her on the ass.
The gall of this man! Brielle surprised herself by laughing. “Let me go, you Neanderthal!” She banged on his bare back playfully and wiggled her feet in front of him. And what a beautifully toned back it was. Her gaze fell down to his ass and she realized that she had never seen a better male specimen in her life. What did he do to get such a sweet tush?
“You sure about that?”
He was already knee-deep in the water and he brought her forward, cradling her in his arms as though she weighed nothing.
“Nate,” she breathed. She leaned into him when suddenly he gave her one big swing and threw her into the water.
Screaming, she landed with a big splash!
She could hear his hearty laugh as she resurfaced. What an amazing sound. When had she ever been attracted to a man’s laugh? It must be something in the Brazilian air. Something was definitely amiss tonight.
She dove beneath the surface and saw his legs in the murky water. Then she decided to be bold and bit him. She heard his muffled yelp and surfaced with a laugh of her own. Oh the look on his face. Now he was out for revenge. She dove beneath the surface again and this time he gave chase.
Nate was fitter and faster than she was and caught up with her in no time. He dragged her ankles toward him and she tried to kick away but he was bigger and stronger than she was. With her hair matted to her head, she let out a childish laugh as he pulled her to face him.
“You’re a squirmy one, Brielle,” his voice had dropped a few octaves and the look in his eyes spoke volumes of a good time. He pulled her toward his chest and his long, hard erection pressed against her belly. She stared into his amazing green eyes that seemed shades darker than the earlier jade.
Her breath caught and Nate used the opportunity to lower his mouth to hers. He wet her lips with his warm tongue and she practically melted in his arms. He took his time exploring her lips and when she let out a small moan, he delved into her mouth with his tongue. The touch of his tongue to hers had her body responding in very exciting ways. He stroked and teased her tongue with his own as his hands explored her sultry curves.
She had never felt fire and passion like this; and with a stranger no less. She knew next to nothing about this man, yet she pushed herself further into his rock
solid body, wanting to feel more of him. He responded by grabbing her ass with both hands and pushing his erection against her.
He groaned in frustration as his lips found their way to her jaw and nipped across her neck. “You’re so beautiful, Brielle.”
His steady fingers unclipped her bra in one deft motion. She had never wanted a man’s hands on her body more than at this moment. He cupped her full breasts in both hands and sucked the skin of her neck. The sensation was mind-blowing.
She wrapped her legs around him and pressed her breasts into his open palms. “Oh baby, you feel so amazing.”
Brielle had no words. She had never been so aroused in her entire twenty-five years. She was ready to come apart with just his merest touch. He looked back into her face and captured her mouth once again, deepening the kiss. Her fingers clawed into his lush, brown hair, deeply wanting every inch of him.
A sound on the beach startled them apart and allowed a few seconds of oxygen to enter her brain, giving her a moment to think rationally. What was she doing? She was not going to have sex with a total stranger in the ocean!
The realization was enough of a mental slap in the face. “This is as much fun as I can manage for one night,” she said abruptly, disentangling herself from him, and waded out of the water, topless. She ran for her dress and realized she couldn’t put it on herself with the high zip so she grabbed for his shirt instead. She quickly slipped it on and before he could get out of the water, she made a dash for it, too mortified to see him face to face.
CHAPTER 2
THE NEXT MORNING BRIELLE AWOKE early. She had too much nervous energy as she recalled the events of the previous night. What was she thinking? She rolled out of bed and snuck around to Emma’s room. Sure enough, there was her friend strewn across her bed with reckless abandon. It was way too early for any sane person on vacation to be up anyway, so she brushed her teeth, slipped on a pair of loose gym shorts and headed down to the beach to do some yoga.
It was the only activity she could think of doing that would give her some sort of calm. The sun was just starting to come out and the beach was deserted. She stretched her arms above her head and started her sun salutations.
