Wilde Rapture

by Taige Crenshaw

  “Because you wouldn’t have me.” He dipped her and kissed her quickly, then set her back on her feet. Cheering from her two loony friends reached her.

  “You are trouble,” Nia sputtered.

  “I so am.” Nick winked.

  “My trouble.” Carmen slid her arm around his waist.

  Nia smiled, watching them. They were perfect together. Carmen glanced at her. Nia backed up. Gabriella was behind her.

  “Nia had a question.”

  “I don’t.” Nia protested, then said nothing further on the subject.

  Darius Wilde clenched his fingers on the curtain as the groom grabbed the woman he had been speaking with. At the kiss, the cloth ripped beneath his fingers. Darius waved his hand, restoring it. The bride and the other woman—Gabe—cheered. He relaxed slightly. The groom and the women seemed friendly. From their conversation, he supposed they were extremely close friends. The camaraderie and playfulness were like what he had with his brothers and cousins.

  He’d had his hearing dampened to normal, not wanting to intrude on the wedding guests’ conversations. But he was tempted to tune in to what was being said by the four people across the room. He didn’t even know the woman’s name, but she was captivating. Her sassy, dark-brown, pixie-cut hairstyle with tinges of gold offset her curly-lashed, slightly slanted catlike eyes—a mixture of green, hazel, and grey. Against her skin, which was the colour of dark, rich maple sugar with a hint of sandalwood, her eyes stood out, making you want to uncover what was hidden beneath the shell of wariness.

  The guarded expression on her face had made him want to change it to passion. For him. He could imagine that broad forehead wrinkled in confusion, her nostrils flaring as she took in the scent of them, lips parted, breathing deeply as he sank into her lush wetness. A slight blush would stain those arched cheeks, and he would lick along it, down across the tops of her ample breasts. Her nipples, he imagined, would be a darker brown than her skin, and he would suckle them for a while, enjoying each gasp or moan from her lips.

  The sound of ripping cloth reached him. He glanced at the curtain and saw that it was shredded again. He took a breath, fighting for calm. With a thought, he repaired it again. The woman whose name he didn’t know was wreaking hell on his usually formidable self-control.

  “What are you doing?” asked a voice much like his own.

  “Keeping an eye out to make sure the wedding party is pleased with our service.” Darius was grateful that his voice did not show his need.

  “More like ogling one particular guest. Why don’t you go and ask her to dance? Or, better yet, go somewhere and do all you are imagining,” Dubrinsky Wilde, his youngest brother, suggested.

  Darius looked at him sharply. Dubrinsky looked a lot like him, as did all the Wilde men. Their eye colour varied depending on their parental lineage. Dubrinsky’s eyes were dual coloured—one blue and the other violet, a mix of their parents’ eye colours. He and Remy had their mother’s eye colour, blue, while Ashton, who was younger than Darius, had violet eyes like their father. All of them had inky-black hair.

  “You are broadcasting even louder than Remy did.” Dubrinsky’s lips twitched.

  Darius knew what he was referring to. When Remy, their oldest brother, had returned from Milan a few months ago, he had been out of sorts. Remy had met a woman whom he’d wanted—badly. The family obligations of being the oldest Garlven from the Quilez clan, and Remy’s stubborn nature, had kept him from her. The things Remy had imagined—some he and the woman, Mia, had done, and others he was planning—had made all of them feel on edge. They had finally convinced him to go and get her. Remy had. He and Mia were now married, living on the top floor of the hotel.

  Like all of the Wilde family around the world, they lived on site. His brothers Remy, Dubrinsky and Ashton, along with himself and their cousins Claudio and Jaxon, had their homes here at the New York Wilde Hotel. Their homes were on the top three floors of the massive hotel, two of them on each floor on either side of the building. On each level, the apartments had a hidden door that gave you access to all the other residences. They were linked by a private elevator that each of them could enter from within his living quarters. There was also a well-lit stairway leading to each of them. Each floor had apartments designed to their specifications—lots of space, a private terrace, and a glass-enclosed solarium. Entry for anyone else, guest or employee, could only be granted by the Wildes as they saw fit.

  His attention returned to the woman. He would give her access to his home. His instincts as a Garlven were screaming at him that she was his. After they had got to know each other and the time was right, he would reveal that he was a Garlven from the Quilez clan. In human terms, she might equate him with the fictional gargoyle. But he was nothing like what she might think from that description. Being a Garlven was a beautiful thing. Once he had shown this human woman who he was, he would take her on a flight to see New York the way he saw it.

  Darius smiled. The woman might deny it to her friends, or even protest, but she would come to him. He would wait. He was a patient man. Having her come to him would heighten the experience. Darius turned back to his brother.

  “She will come to me.” Darius stepped towards him. Dubrinsky moved back.

  They exited the alcove, sliding through the walls, shielded from the eyes of anyone unlike them. Once they were mixing with the crowd flowing across the lobby of the busy hotel they dropped their shielding.

  “Is the video conference still on for eight?” Darius asked.

  “Yes. Claudio said in his last email that things were progressing nicely, that he should be home in a few months,” Dubrinsky replied.

  “Good,” Darius said.

  Claudio was overseeing the reconstruction of their Malta hotel, the one that had burned, which had taken Remy from Mia before they had reunited in New York.

  “See you later,” Darius said.

  They went their separate ways to attend to business. All through the rest of his duties, the meeting, and the days after, Darius’ thoughts were on the woman.

  Many days later, at his desk, Darius stilled, then slowly lowered the pen he had been writing with. Opening his senses, he felt her presence. He stood in a boneless motion and padded to the door. She was a stubborn woman, resisting coming to him for eighteen days. He could have given the time down to the millisecond from the moment they had met until now. She wasn’t inside the hotel yet, but just beyond the doors.

  He walked through the wall and stopped just outside his office, keeping himself shielded as he waited for her. Darius didn’t need to listen to know that there was a debate going on inside her. He hadn’t felt her come near the hotel in all those days. She might think she could change her mind, but she had already decided. She had come to him, and once she stepped inside the hotel she would be his.

  Chapter Two

  Nia stared after the valet as he drove away with her car. She returned her attention to the front of the hotel, again silently cursing herself for even coming here. After some none-too-gentle prodding from her friends, she’d told Nick about the man she’d met. He hadn’t known who he was. At the time, she had been grateful. Yet later that night, going home, she’d wondered about the blue-eyed man. In the days since, at odd times, her thoughts had turned to him. Now, eighteen days later, she was in front of the only place she had seen him.

  “What are you doing, Nia?” she whispered.

  It wasn’t like she could flash her badge and ask to see the hotel footage. Not that she would. There wasn’t any case. And this was personal. She should be home with her feet up, having a beer. Instead, on this early evening at the unseasonably muggy end of May, she was standing outside the Wilde Hotel, debating whether she should go in and ask at the front desk about a man whose name she didn’t even know.

  It was a waste of time.

  Nia strode towards the door anyway.

  Might as well, since I’m here.

  She nodded at the doorman as he opened the
door for her.

  He tipped his hat, a slightly amused look on his face. Nia wondered about it. He probably had been watching her talk to herself. She stifled a chuckle. In the blessedly cool building, she put her hands in the pockets of her short-sleeved blazer, which covered her holster and gun. She took in the opulent yet welcoming foyer. Again the beauty of the hotel impressed her. The warm, inviting colours and seating areas made you want to linger for a while. The chandeliers glittered and the other lighting throughout added to the overall feel of old-world charm.

  Nia strode across the lobby. From the wedding, she knew the ballroom and rooms used for events were up ahead on the right. She observed the bustling activity as she walked, passing on the right what looked to be a beauty place. Probably a spa or something. To the right of that was some sort of dress shop, which seemed to have shoes and everything you could need. Then there was an open area, followed by a check-in desk for guests. After that, there were more spacious places. Then, to her left, she could see a restaurant. On the right was a lounge bar. More space, then she spotted what she was heading for—the main desk. The desk took up the whole wall between two elevators that looked like they were colour-coded, similar to those she had noted at each of the desks she had passed.

  One second her path was clear, the next she hit a firm body. Nia stepped back, hand automatically going to her side. She looked up and was caught by intense blue eyes.

  “It’s you,” she said.

  “You came to find me, I see,” the man from the alcove said.

  “Possibly.” Nia allowed a small smile at his assurance.

  She had to give it to him. He was really sure of himself. Usually, that would have turned her off but, for some reason, in him she expected it—even accepted it.

  “Definitely. Took you long enough,” he purred.

  Nia bit back the moan trying to escape. She scowled at him. The man smiled, a slow curl of his full lips—lips she wanted to bite and suck on. Nia sighed, rubbing her fingers through the back of her short hair. She lowered her hand and enjoyed a long look at him. He looked even more scrumptious in the full illumination of the lobby. The sleek suit he wore fitted his muscular frame perfectly. His inky-black hair was pulled back in what she assumed was a braid. This time, the tail wasn’t over his shoulder. She clenched her fists, wanting to pull the end of his locks into her view. His soft chuckle made her pussy gush. Nia shook her head. The things this man did to her should be deemed illegal.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  “I’m not going anywhere unless I know where we’re going. And certainly not with someone whose name I don’t know.” She looked at him coolly.

  “To have dinner, so we can get to know each other. I’m Darius Wilde,” he said, that deep voice seeming to caress hidden places within her.

  Nia blinked and glanced around the lobby, then back at him. “Of Wilde Hotels?”

  “Yes. I’m part owner, with the rest of my family,” he answered.

  Nia bit the inside of her cheek. Looking for him, she hadn’t realised this was actually his place of work. She’d planned to get what information she could, then decide if she was going to contact him and ask him to dinner. His asking was pushing up her timetable for the progression of things. She liked to plan, not be taken off guard.

  He’s been taking you off guard since you first saw him. Go with it.

  Nia went with her gut and nodded once.

  Darius smiled. The colour of his eyes deepened. He made a graceful go-ahead motion with one hand. Unconsciously, her gaze was drawn to his slender fingers. Her nipples hardened, imagining them on her. Nia pushed the thought away. It was just dinner. No matter how much she wanted him, she wasn’t prone to jumping into bed with any man she barely knew.

  She walked in the direction he had bidden her. When they reached the restaurant, she turned in at the door. It took her a few steps before she realised he was not with her. She glanced back at him in question.

  “Dinner in my apartment. It’s here at the hotel,” he said.

  Nia watched him, then returned to his side. They went the rest of the way to the receptionist desk together. Darius punched a code into a panel next to a door that wasn’t noticeable unless you were close to it. It slid open, and they entered a long hall. The door closed behind them. She walked beside him, hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket. They passed, from her count of the doors on either side, eight offices. At the end of the hall, he stopped before an elevator and entered a code on the pad next to it. It opened soundlessly, and they entered. Nia stood on the far side of the elevator. Darius leaned against the other, watching her. His scent surrounded her. The elevator started its ascent.

  Nia worried the inside of her cheek. Thoughts of having him filled her. She couldn’t, but that didn’t stop the thoughts. Darius’ look got hungrier. She recognised it—it was the one a man had when he desperately wanted a woman.

  You want him the same way. Look at him, looking so sexy. Lickable.

  I can’t. I don’t even know him, Nia argued with herself.

  Darius didn’t say a word. His look said it all. Nia’s mouth watered, her palms damp and her pussy clenching.

  “Fuck it.” She closed the distance between them.

  Darius met her in the middle of the elevator. He covered her mouth with his. His kiss was possessive and thorough. Moaning, Nia opened her mouth. He stroked his tongue along hers. All her nerve endings went on high alert. She pushed at his suit jacket. The whoosh of the fabric falling to the floor registered even as she went to work on his buttons. Darius’ hands raced over her body. He pushed at her jacket. Nia wrenched away.

  “My gun,” she whispered.

  She unhooked the holster, then wrapped it in her jacket, moving to set it on the floor away from them. Firm hands cupped her ass. Nia moaned at the touch. She pushed back against it. He slid his hand over her hip, then her stomach. She shivered. His hand continued its journey. He pulled her back against him and his hard length pressed against the cheek of her ass. Straightening, Nia put her hand behind her, cupping the side of his neck. She widened her stance. Darius stepped back, pulling her with him. Moving in time with him, she backed up.

  She felt his hand unbuckle her belt, then heard the snap of her jeans, the lowering of her zip. He pushed at the sides of her jeans and they fell down her legs. He slid his hand over her rounded belly, then between her legs. Moaning, Nia rolled her panty-clad ass against his still cloth-covered shaft. He cupped his hand between her legs. Long fingers played along the seam of her drenched underwear.

  “What’s your name?” he whispered.

  Nia stiffened, realising she was half naked with a man who didn’t even know her name.

  “Shhh…it’s okay. Tell me your name. I want to say it when I take you.” His dark whisper made her flood even more.

  “Nia…Nia Hudson,” she whimpered.

  “Nia. I like it. I’m going to have you once, then again. Maybe later we’ll have dinner. Then I’ll have you again for dessert. Will you give me a sweet treat?” he asked.

  “Yes, and have you as mine,” Nia moaned.

  “Good. I want to be yours,” he promised.

  His words seemed to mean more than that he wanted her now. She pushed the thought away and rolled her hips. His fingers rubbed against her, but not enough. Darius moved his fingers in maddening circles over her wet panties. His other hand worked open the buttons of her shirt. Once it was open, he held the front of her bra and it snapped in his hands, spilling her breasts out. Nia gasped. She wondered how he could break her bra so easily. A tingle filled her, then her panties fell away in two pieces.

  What the hell? I just bought those. They can’t be worn out enough to break like that.

  “They aren’t. I’ll buy you more,” he stated.

  “Did I say that out loud?” Nia asked.

  “Does it matter?” he asked.

  She frowned, turning to look at him. Darius’ eyes were swirling, seeming to flash with lightni
ng. Her mouth dropped open.

  “Wha—?”

  His fingers filled her aching wetness, scattering her thoughts. She moaned loudly. Darius stroked in and out of her, setting a fast rhythm. She groaned, pressing forward against the fingers inside her pussy. Nia pushed the side of her face against his chest. His heartbeat filled her mind. She rocked back and forth on his hard fingers. Wetness gushed out of her. In moments, tension balled in the base of her stomach. Shivers went up her spine. Darius murmured words she didn’t understand against the side of her face. She clenched down on his digits, then shuddered as she came hard. Darius pulled out his fingers, then turned her. He lifted her, filling her in one sure thrust.

  When the hell did he get naked?

  He moved, pressing her back. He went deeper. A whimper flowed from her. Nia blearily glanced to her right, where plush furnishings were visible. Darius raised her hands, pressing them over her head where he had her pinned against the open elevator doors. Darius stroked in and out of her. Nia gripped him tightly with her legs, riding his cock. Wild growls and sounds bubbled out from him. Foreign words fell from his lips. He kissed her hungrily. Gripping his shaft tightly inside her, Nia met him thrust for thrust, stroke for stroke.

  His cerulean eyes glowed, getting brighter and brighter. Nia frowned, not sure what she was seeing. A blast of pleasure filled her. Her lids closed as she put her head back and moaned, clenching around his cock.

  Darius stroked deep within Nia. She constricted around him, arching against him. Her fingers, pinned under his against the opening of the elevator, laced with his and held on tight. Her pussy tightened around him. He continued his deep thrusts.

  I hope he’s wearing a condom.

  Nia’s thought filled him.

  Although he couldn’t pass anything on to her because of what he was, he sheathed his erection. It pained him to do it. The bare feel of her around him was so much better than a condom between him and his woman. Yes, Nia was his. They still had to get to know each other, but he already knew she would be with him for a long time. Moaning, he murmured to her in the old Garlven language. Nia’s whimpers drove him on. Each motion into her was met with the delicious friction of her tightening around him. She was a passionate match for him, the fire he had sensed inside her scorching as she let it go.