“Thought you’d given up the club scene since settling down with Joanne. Married life already chafing, Mike?”
Andrew could imagine the goofy grin on his friend’s face at hearing the name of his wife. Since getting married, Mike had adopted the annoying theory that Andrew needed to take a walk down the aisle too if he ever planned to be happy.
“I’d just be going for a drink. Joanne trusts me. Although knowing my sexy girl, she’d probably insist on coming with me.”
Mike had met Joanne at Velvet Chains. There’d been no doubt the moment the two laid eyes on each other they were meant to be together. Though Andrew felt twinges of jealousy over his friend’s newfound contentment, there was no way he’d admit it.
Andrew released a weary sigh. “I’m not going out tonight.”
Mike was silent for just a moment. “Good.”
Andrew felt his temper spike again. Mike had subjected him to too many lectures about his bachelor status, insisting it was time Andrew gave up his one-night stands with strangers and started looking for a serious girlfriend. Mike could be relentless when he got an idea in his head. As it was, he’d tried to set Andrew up no less than a dozen times the past few months with friends of Joanne’s who would be “perfect for him”. So far Andrew had refused every date.
“Don’t start,” Andrew warned, well aware of where the conversation was going. He’d rather hear what a fool he’d been to hop on a flight headed straight for a monsoon than be subjected to more haranguing about settling down.
“Hear me out. There’s this friend of Joanne’s we’d like you to meet.”
Andrew gritted his teeth. “Mike—” he started.
“Before you start making excuses, I really think you should agree to a blind date with Amy. She’s exactly your type. Pretty, submissive, sexy as sin. You’ll love her.”
“Not interested.”
Mike released a long, slow breath.
If there was one thing Andrew and his friend were perfectly matched in, it was stubbornness.
“Fine.” Mike’s tone told Andrew he was far from finished, but at least his friend knew him well enough to leave it alone tonight. Even so, he wasn’t sure Mike had ever relented so quickly. Andrew must sound more exhausted than he thought.
Andrew turned into his driveway and felt a sense of relief. He was home. His own bed was close. All he needed was to sleep twenty-four hours or so, and then he’d be back in fighting shape. “Listen. I’m home now. I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can get together this weekend and take in a White Sox game or something.”
“Sounds good. Get some rest.” Mike clicked off with a quick goodbye.
Andrew grabbed his suitcase from the trunk and tiredly walked to the front porch. The house was dark. Harper had left town shortly after he’d taken off for his ill-fated trip, attending some sort of teachers’ conference in Minneapolis over spring break. He hoped her mini-vacation was faring better than his had. He couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to spend their time off doing what was the equivalent of more work, but Harper was nothing if not a devoted teacher. He felt the same sense of pride that filled him whenever he thought of his baby sister. She was the only family he had left in the world and he adored her.
Locking the door behind him, he climbed the stairs in the quiet house, not bothering to turn on a light. He’d grown up in this place, knew it by heart. He treaded lightly on the third step to avoid the creak, even though he knew he was the only one home. Some habits were so tightly engrained they never left.
He glanced through the open door to Harper’s bedroom as he passed, the room bright with moonlight. As expected, her bed was empty. He paused briefly, missing her. She seldom went anywhere, so when she wasn’t home, he felt her absence deeply. It was going to be a lonely week here without her bubbly, energetic presence. He’d considered going on to L.A. to stay in his own apartment, but he’d felt the urge to spend some time in his hometown.
Continuing down the hallway, he didn’t stop until he reached his own room. The second he crossed the threshold, the hair on the back of his neck stood up.
Something wasn’t right.
He quietly placed his luggage on the floor, forcing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The curtains in Harper’s room had been open, but his were drawn. The lack of moonlight left him blind.
Taking a few cautious steps into the room, he made his way to the window. Someone was here. He could feel it. Reaching toward the wall, he found his baseball bat. He’d played third base on his high school team, but he’d hung up his mitt shortly after heading to college. However, he’d never gotten rid of the bat, the hard wood now serving as the weapon he’d kept in the corner of his room for years.
Once he wrapped his hand around the bat, he drew it up, ready to swing. There wasn’t any movement in the room, but he could definitely hear someone breathing near the bed. Approaching slowly, he almost tripped over something on the floor. As his gaze adjusted to the dark, he noticed the pile of clothing at his feet, then he managed to make out a lump in his bed.
What the hell?
Someone was in his bed, and given their deep, relaxed breathing, they were sound asleep. Turning back to the window, he quietly parted the curtains, anxious for some light. The person never stirred. Andrew kept the bat raised as he returned to the bed.
With the moonlight shining in, he could see much clearer—and was shocked at the image of a naked woman in his bed.
He glanced around to confirm they were alone. The rest of his room looked normal, nothing touched or disturbed. The only thing out of place was the beauty who’d taken up residence between his silk sheets.
Andrew stood for several moments trying to figure out his next move. The rest of the house was quiet, but part of him wondered if the woman was here as a ruse, a distraction. Shit. He needed to lighten up on the murder-mystery books. He’d read two stories in the past three days as he killed time waiting in airports because of delayed flights.
He wasn’t even supposed to be here. The only people who knew he was in Chicago were Mike and Tom.
The woman rolled from her side to her back, treating him to an unhindered view of her left breast as the sheet drifted lower.
His cock responded, stealing much-needed blood from his brain.
This woman had broken into his home. Somehow she’d known the house was empty. He fought down his arousal and decided to take action, to get some answers. He carefully put the bat down, leaning it against the nightstand in case he needed to grab it again quickly.
Then he slowly reached behind the headboard, silently searching for the straps he knew were there. He hadn’t brought a woman back to the house in years out of respect for his sister, but he also hadn’t bothered to remove the restraints he’d had installed when he was younger. Once the strap was freed from its hiding place, he walked to the other side of the bed, looking for the mate.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He wasn’t sure exactly what was causing the sudden racing of his heart—the anticipation of a fight or rock-hard, pulse-pounding arousal.
Moving ever so carefully, he reached for one of the woman’s wrists, dragging it toward the first restraint. If he could fasten the straps before she woke, it would make his job of questioning her easier.
Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. The woman’s eyes snapped open at his touch. She started to scream, so Andrew covered her mouth with his hand as she began to fight him in earnest. While he had to have her by almost a hundred pounds, the petite woman waged one hell of a battle. She scratched his face as he struggled to reclaim his grip on her hand. Despite her naked state, she kicked off the covers, freeing her legs to pummel his thighs with blows strong enough to leave bruises.
Forced to keep her mouth covered, lest she wake up the neighborhood with her screaming, he tried to subdue her one-handed. When that attempt failed, he released her mouth. The woman started to scream again, so he quickly grabbed her blouse from the floor and stuffed some of the material
into her mouth, muffling her cries.
Her initial shock at being gagged gave him the precious seconds he needed to snap a restraint around one of her wrists. When she realized what he was doing, she doubled her efforts. With one of her hands out of play, it was easier to capture and restrain the second.
For the first time, desperation and fear crept onto her face.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” His words sounded ridiculous even to himself. He’d gagged her and was now straddling her naked body, holding her legs to the mattress with his own after tying her to the bed. Regardless of who she was or why she was there, she’d be insane not to be afraid of his intentions.
She twisted her head, trying to dislodge the shirt from her mouth.
“If I take it out, do you promise not to scream?”
She blinked rapidly then nodded her assent.
He pulled the material away, ready to replace it if she broke her vow.
“Untie me.”
“No.” Andrew reached up to touch his tender cheek, his fingers finding the raised welts she’d put there with her long nails. “Who are you?”
Her breathing was labored, coming in hard pants after their fight. Even so, her gaze hardened and he knew she wouldn’t talk.
Something inside him cracked. He’d been traveling for days, stealing only a couple hours sleep here and there. This woman had broken into his house. She had some nerve acting like he was the villain. By God, he’d make her talk.
“I’ll give you one more chance to answer my question. Tell me who you are or you won’t like the consequences.”
She stilled beneath him, her intelligent gaze sizing him up. He should climb off the bed and call the cops. If he was in his right mind, that’s exactly what he’d do. Having her arrested would certainly be the kinder response. As it was, he wasn’t in the mood to be merciful.
Instead of answering, she threw his question back at him. “Who are you?”
“None of your business. Give me your name. Now.”
She bit her lip nervously. “I’m Amy.”
Amy? Mike’s Amy?
Andrew leaned back on his haunches, his mind whirling. Had Mike set this up? Past experience had obviously convinced his friend he’d never consent to a blind date. But would Mike actually go so far as to throw this woman into his bed?
Andrew knew the answer. It was more than possible. It was actually quite probable. Mike had the extra key to the house. He knew Harper was away and Andrew was back in town.
Andrew recalled a lifetime of little surprises his best friend had tossed his way. The high-class call girl who’d shown up at his door on his twenty-fifth birthday. The so-called conference that had really turned out to be an impromptu weekend trip to Vegas, complete with nonstop gambling and a private show with five of the hottest strippers Andrew had ever seen. Or this past year when Mike had managed to score tickets to the Super Bowl, but told Andrew they were headed to Indianapolis for his cousin’s bachelor party. He’d let Andrew bitch for three hours in the car about missing the big game, only letting him in on the surprise when they’d reached the entrance to the stadium.
Mike was the master of the unexpected, so it wasn’t farfetched that his friend would go to this extreme in a hookup. It would also explain his friend’s easy capitulation when he refused to go on a date with the woman earlier. Mike didn’t push the issue because he knew Amy was already here.
He grinned as his annoyance lifted. Amy was beautiful and feisty, with a hot accent. Australian, if he wasn’t mistaken, though he’d need to hear her say more before he could be sure. His best friend knew he was a sucker for a girl with an accent. For the second time in one night, it looked like Mike was going to be able to say, “I told you so.”
And since Mike had gone to so much trouble, far be it from Andrew to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Chapter 2
Amy frowned as the expression on the stranger’s face morphed from anger to one of pure desire.
When she’d first woken up to discover the man in her room she’d struck out without a thought to the fact she was completely naked. Now, she was feeling far too exposed and vulnerable. If she couldn’t figure a way out of this predicament, she was in trouble. Big trouble.
“I answered your question. Now answer mine. Who are you?”
The man no longer seemed quite as menacing as he had earlier. In fact, his eyes had softened, giving him an almost friendly look. “You know who I am. You and I have a mutual friend. One who’s fond of surprises.”
Amy blinked rapidly. Surprises? She recalled Harper’s comments on the phone earlier. Harper had promised her a surprise, but this? What the hell was this?
The truth began to collapse in on her. It was her sexual fantasy.
Sex with a stranger.
Oh my God. There was no way Harper would set up such a thing. Was there?
Amy struggled to take a breath, her chest constricting with fear. She’d told Harper about her desire to be captured and taken by a stranger, but it was just something she dreamed about. Masturbated to while imagining the scene in her mind. Not something she ever intended to do.
You’re in America, Amy. It’s your time to go wild. Experience it all.
Of course, there was wild and then there was completely batshit.
Is it mental? What about the trip to a sex club you included on your Chicago itinerary?
She wished her inner voice would shut the hell up. She wanted to have a proper panic attack, not deal in common sense, however twisted.
“What are you planning to do?” She wasn’t stupid. Maybe her love life had been stagnant lately, but she’d been around the block enough to recognize lust when she saw it.
“I think that’s obvious, Amy.”
She swallowed heavily as his gaze drifted lower, taking a leisurely tour of her body.
“You’re very beautiful.”
Reality tried to rear its ugly head, but she was running on empty. She was so tired, she felt numb…and receptive. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. And she’d never, ever had sex with anyone remotely as gorgeous as this stranger. She had to hand it to Harper. She’d managed to set this surprise up when Amy’s resistance was low. Her friend had also managed to find the hottest guy on the planet.
The man rose, leaving the bed, and for a foolish minute Amy thought he’d changed his mind.
She barely managed to refrain from demanding he return. Her mouth opened, then closed quickly. She’d gone crazy, lost her mind. A stranger had snuck into her room, chained her to the bed and now she was all but begging him to fuck her.
She cleared her throat, attempting to dislodge the lump that had formed there. “Where are you going?” She needed time to get her bearings, clear her mind and free herself from these straps.
The stranger studied her face. “I’m not leaving. I thought you might need a second to catch your breath.”
At his suggestion, Amy sucked in some much-needed air. Then the man sat down on the edge of the mattress. Amy’s heart began to race. And not exactly in a bad way.
He smiled as he reached up to brush a stray tendril of hair away from her face. “We can slow down, but we’re not stopping. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want this too.”
She wanted to contradict him, explain that she was here to see Chicago, and that was it. But it was hard to deny his words when her body had begun to flush with arousal, her nipples going tight despite her better judgment. “This is going a little too fast for me.” She tugged against the bonds once more. Maybe if she weren’t so defenseless. “Would you untie me?”
He shook his head. “No. I love the way you look right now. Completely at my mercy. You know, breaking and entering is against the law. I should punish you.”
There was something about the way he said the word punish that made Amy go completely wet. She squeezed her legs together and tried to ignore the tingles in her pussy.
“I didn’t break in. I had a key.”
His grin grew at her admission. “Then maybe I should reprimand you for fighting me.” He touched the scratches she’d left on his face once more. She recalled the way his hard cock brushed against her hip as she struggled for her freedom. He’d enjoyed the rough play.
“You scared me. I wasn’t expecting you.”
He smiled, ran his fingers along her cheek in a way that was more friendly than sexual. “Yes, you were.”
Harper had warned her. Told her to expect it. She just hadn’t anticipated the surprise would be something so…so…shocking.
Exciting.
Harper had urged her to keep an open mind. Obviously her friend had known she’d balk. What sane woman wouldn’t?
She studied the stranger’s handsome face and her anxieties melted away. He had kind eyes and somehow she felt he wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe she was being an idiot of epic proportions, but something about his face seemed almost familiar, though she knew she’d never met this man before in her life. The tension in her body loosened and she smiled.
“Beautiful,” he whispered again. Leaning closer, he pressed his cheek against hers, his breath hot in her ear. “I won’t hurt you, Amy. I promise. Just relax and let it happen. We’ve got all night.”
Her eyes drifted closed when he kissed her. His lips traveled over her sensitive places, her ears, her neck, leaving no part untouched. As far as kisses went, her midnight stranger was a master.
He reached for her breasts as he continued to worship her face. He hadn’t kissed her lips and she found herself wishing for a taste of him. It was as if he’d been pulled from her dirtiest daydreams and she felt helpless to resist.
“Kiss me.” She hadn’t intended to issue the request, but now that the words were out, she wasn’t going to pretend she didn’t want him.
He lifted his head “No. You’re my captive. Tonight, I’m the one who’ll be giving the commands. And you’re going to obey me. Completely.”
Her stomach flipped over. Jesus. Her stranger was playing the dominant card. She didn’t consider herself submissive during the waking hours, but there was a part of her that had always longed to be dominated in bed. She struggled to remember if she’d admitted that desire to Harper. She didn’t think so, but then again, she’d consumed a lot of wine prior to the sex conversation. Perhaps she’d told her friend more than she thought.
Outback Cowboy Page 16
