Wild With You

by Layla Hagen

  "Sorry I kept you waiting. Captain wouldn't shut up," he said, kissing us each on the cheeks and pushing the elevator button.

  "No problem. We've heard some interesting rumors," Val said.

  "Which you failed to mention this morning," I continued. Will was glancing from Val to me, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

  "Or Friday at dinner. I don't remember him mentioning he's going to be promoted,” Val said.

  "Hey, maybe promotion is a bad word and we don't know it."

  Will was grinning openly now. "You two going to ride my ass during the entire lunch?"

  "Maybe," I conceded as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

  We walked inside the elevator, and Will waited until the doors closed to speak.

  "Captain's trying to persuade me. I don't think it's for me."

  "Why not?" Val asked.

  "I don’t like deskwork, and the promotion would come with a lot of handshaking and paperwork."

  The elevator opened, and we all remained silent as we walked through the station.

  When we stepped out in the blinding sun, Will continued. “I like the work in the field, catching criminals, so they’re not a danger to anyone anymore. It still eats at me that the culprit in Mom and Dad's hit and run was never caught."

  Val straightened up, expelling a breath. I'd always known this was what partially motivated Will to join the police force.

  No one spoke on the way to the Mexican restaurant we'd chosen as our lunch spot. I had no idea what to say, and by the looks of it, neither did Val, which was worrying. My older sister always knew what to say.

  We sat in a corner of the restaurant, and a waiter took our order right away. I wanted chili con carne. Will and Val went for beef burritos.

  "How was the school event today?" she asked after the waiter left.

  "Same as usual," Will replied. "By the way, I overheard a conversation between Milo and another kid. Milo asked him how it felt to have a dad and said that his had left when he was little because he didn't love him and his mother."

  "What?" Val and I asked at the same time. I never badmouthed Jeff in front of him. Never. Whenever he asked about his father, I was vague on why he wasn't part of our lives.

  "He must have heard us talk," my sister muttered, mirroring my thoughts. Damn it! How had I been so careless? What was going through my boy's mind? Or heart? I had half of my chili con carne left, but I all of a sudden lost my appetite.

  "Jeff has sent me a couple of e-mails," I said. I shared everything with my siblings. They'd always been my rock, and I valued their advice.

  "You mean beyond the yearly booty call?" Val asked through gritted teeth.

  "Yes. I ignored the first e-mails, but then he said he had rights and wanted to do this amicably.”

  "One of these days, I'm going to find something to charge that bastard with," Will grumbled. "Or take matters into my own hands and give him another black eye."

  "He abandoned Milo. What rights exactly does he think he has?” Val asked through gritted teeth.

  "I replied and asked him just that. But he didn’t reply back.”

  “Typical of him,” Val said. "Don't lose any sleep over this. We're here for you, okay? Anything you need, tell us." Val took one of my hands in hers, as if feeling that anxiety was gnawing at me. I couldn't explain why I was nervous—legally, I had the upper hand. But a pit formed in my stomach every time I thought about the semi-threatening e-mail. After finding out Milo had overheard me insulting Jeff, I couldn't help but feel like I was failing at parenting.

  "Let's circle back to the promotion," Val suggested, smiling sweetly at Will. I knew her effort was partly so she'd take my mind off my troubles. "Where the captain fails, we can succeed."

  "Yeah, unlike him, we know what works on you. Also, we're related, so we have a have an ace up our sleeve—we can pull out the emotional card."

  "You girls give yourselves too much credit," Will informed us.

  "Might we remind you that we have a documented history of talking you into things? Remember when we convinced you to play laser tag with us after you swore you'd never do it? And we beat you?"

  He slapped his forehead theatrically. "Not that again. You've been holding that over my head for too long, so I've got to come clean. I let you win that one."

  I'd suspected that might have been the case for years now, but hearing it out loud still stung. I took great pride in our one and only victory.

  Val chose the path of denial. "He's trying to save his own ego. We'll let him think we've bought it."

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lori

  "Wait, why are we getting into your car? Are we driving somewhere? Why didn't you tell me to meet you there?" I asked when I met Graham the next day. He'd asked me to drive to the stadium, only to now inform me we were driving in his car to another location.

  "Because I'm whisking you away."

  "Oh." I fidgeted with my thumbs behind my back, smiling sheepishly. "Well, whisk me away, Frazier."

  He pulled me flush against him, kissing me until I tingled in intimate places. Did he not know what danger an under-sexed and under-kissed woman was? He couldn't kiss me like that in public, or he was risking me jumping him like I had in that tent and my kitchen.

  As we climbed into the car, I wondered if we were heading to the beach, or if he had a restaurant in mind. The truth was, it didn't matter. I was just happy to spend some time with him. We'd talked on the phone every day this week, but nothing beat admiring those fine muscles, that sculpted jaw.

  "We're going to a park I love," he informed me. I beamed, looking out through the window, at the people, the cars. I was being whisked away to a midday date in a park. Could life get better than that?

  "How did it go with the new wedding location?" he asked.

  "Joanna replied this morning. She agreed to my prices." I'd told him about Joanna's restaurant on the phone, and now I filled him in on the details.

  "I like seeing you so excited. You light up."

  I relished his compliment. We talked a little about everything until he pulled the car in front of Griffith Park.

  We climbed out of the car, and he headed to the back, opening the trunk and retrieving two blankets and a huge lunchbox.

  "What's in the box?" I asked.

  "Our afternoon snack."

  "You... prepared this?" My voice was high-pitched, but I had the strangest feeling I was actually dreaming all of this. Maybe I'd dozed off at my desk researching groom costumes for Chihuahuas.

  "I did."

  Graham took my hand and gave it a small squeeze, kissing my forehead. Not a dream, then. He led me through a narrow passage flanked by greenery. The smell of patchouli was thick in the warm day. The path opened up in a beautiful clearing. Enormously old California oak trees lined the other end of the clearing. This was one of my favorite parks. Central Park in New York had nothing on it. Griffith Park was five times bigger and contained some of my favorite landmarks: the Hollywood sign, Batman's cave, and even an outdoor theater.

  "Let's go under those trees," Graham said.

  "Sure."

  He didn't let go of my hand as we crossed the clearing. I loved the feeling of my hand cocooned in his warm, much larger one. The grass was high, tickling my ankles. The only sounds surrounding us were birds chirping and the rustle of leaves. It was a sunny end of February day, which caused a conundrum. If we sat in the shade, it could become chilly, but if we sat in the sun, we'd start sweating. When we reached the trees, he laid out the blanket in the shade, pointing out that we could cover ourselves with the second blanket if needed.

  "My lady, if you please."

  "Why, thank you."

  I sat on the blanket, stretching my legs. Graham lowered himself on his haunches, unloading the box.

  "I made grilled cheese sandwiches and French pancakes with peanut butter and raisins."

  "You made them?"

  "Yeah."

  I wouldn't hav
e cared if he'd bought our snack from a fast food joint, but knowing he'd taken his time to prepare this made everything even more special—and surreal. Was I really here with this handsome man? Could this really be my life?

  "What are you thinking about?" he asked, sitting next to me.

  "That this doesn't seem like my life," I said honestly.

  "It is." He kissed the side of my head, then moved his lips lower, feathering them on my cheek before resting them on my neck. I shifted my position until my back was flat against his front.

  The grilled sandwiches were delicious.

  "Where did you learn to make these?" I asked after my third one. I wasn't even that hungry, but they were addictive.

  "Nana's recipe."

  "I'm already in love with Nana," I declared, munching happily.

  "She loved showing me her recipes. Said she hadn't managed to teach my dad, but wanted to do things differently with me."

  "Is she close to your dad now?"

  I felt him go a little rigid, and regretted the question. I wanted him to open up to me, but in his own time.

  "Not exactly."

  "And your mom?"

  "She passed away a few years ago. I wasn't too close to her either. My parents divorced when I was two years old. I lived with Dad, except summers, which I spent with Nana. Mom had visitation rights, and I saw her every other month. She remarried and had two more kids, but I’m not close to them. I’ve seen them a couple of times in my life.”

  My heart clenched for Graham the boy. I couldn't imagine what that must have felt like.

  "I'm sorry."

  "I got used to her not being in my life. I missed her, but I got used to it. I overheard Dad tell Nana once that he wasn't equipped to be a single dad. I actually believe he just didn't know how to handle it. I told you not everyone was a great parent like you." He wrapped his arms a little tighter around me. Graham threaded his hand through my hair, moving it to one side and planting a kiss at the back of my neck. "I like how strong and independent you are."

  "Thanks."

  After finishing the sandwiches, we dug into the pancakes.

  "Oh my God. You're a wizard, not a cook. Pancakes can't be this good."

  Five minutes later, the pancakes were gone, and my belly was about to explode. We cleaned up with some wet wipes from my purse, and then I rested my hands on Graham's thighs, moving my palms in small circles. The sun had shifted in the sky, and so had the shade, so my feet were now lying in the sun. A gentle breeze swayed through the trees. This was heaven.

  "Do you want ice cream? I hear there's a joint somewhere in the park," he said.

  "Mmm, no space. Thanks to a gorgeous man, I'm already full."

  Graham laughed softly in my ear. "I see. Tell me more. You like him?"

  "Oh, yeah. He's quite something."

  "Does he make you smile?"

  "Often."

  "Good. If I ever stop making you smile, I want you to tell me, okay?"

  I stilled. "Why would you even say that?"

  He didn't respond, so I turned around, trying to gauge his expression. His lips were set in a thin line. "Does it have to do with your divorce?"

  Something flickered in his eyes, and I knew I was right. "Want to tell me about it?"

  For a brief moment, I thought Graham might brush me off, but then he said, "When we divorced, Elizabeth threw it in my face that her happiness wasn't a priority for me. We were married for three years and didn't see eye-to-eye on anything. She was an aspiring actress, and I think she believed marrying me would be more glamorous. She wanted us to attend every movie-related event in town, travel constantly. I tried, in the beginning, because I knew networking was key in the industry. But I couldn’t keep up with all the events, all the parties she wanted us to attend so we’d be seen by key people. And as for traveling, it started to wear me out at some point.

  Eventually, she attended more and more events on her own, travelled alone. I don’t blame her; it’s what she wanted. But we spent more time on different continents than together. I flew to visit her every other weekend, but it wasn’t the same. We were married for three years, and during the last two, I think we didn’t spend more than a couple of months together.”

  “So things... fell apart?”

  “Yes.”

  "Sounds like you were too different to compromise."

  "You could say that. We wanted different things in life, and neither of us realized it until a few years into our marriage. Or maybe I just don't know how to do relationships right."

  "I don't think that's true. You're close to Amber and Matt. You've charmed me and Milo like a pro."

  I was humbled by his openness. I also didn't know what to say to reassure him. These were early days, and I didn’t know him that well. Plus, I had fears of my own. Graham kissed up and down the side of my neck, but where the kisses had been light and playful before, they were more sensual now. His lips lingered longer, and when the tip of his tongue came in contact with my skin, a current of awareness zipped right through me.

  "This wasn't my best idea," Graham said. It gave me immense pleasure that his voice was rougher. "Should've taken you somewhere private. We can do that now."

  "I knew it. You've lured me here under the pretense of a date, when all you want is to have your wicked way with me."

  "No pretense, sweetheart. I like spending time with you—talking to you, holding you. But I also like to sink deep inside you, and I won't apologize for it."

  I was officially on fire. Using nothing but words, he'd transformed me into a bundle of need. I shifted on the blanket, turning so I could look at him. His gaze was molten.

  "You cannot do this," I informed him.

  "What?"

  "Turn me on, just like that. I could teach you a lesson, you know." I moved my hands upward on his thighs, so he'd get the message. "But I'm not that cruel. I can't send you back to work with blue balls."

  He threw his head back, laughing. "You're something."

  "I can be a little devil," I confirmed. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

  "Is that a threat?"

  "Yes. Yes it is." I added a scowl to drive my point home, but Graham merely laughed again. Then he pulled me even closer in his lap, kissing me, the heat of his body seeping into mine.

  Kissing like this, slow and deep, felt incredibly intimate. It was also arousing as hell. I felt every stroke of his tongue against mine between my legs.

  "I cleared my afternoon," he said.

  "You did?"

  "Yeah. When you said you had time until five, I cleared my schedule too."

  "Just for me?" I asked.

  "Just for you."

  Ah, hell. That made me ridiculously happy. He gave me a sexy kiss, pulling my ass farther into his lap until we were grinding against each other. I was so hot for him that I felt I was going to break out of my skin. He was hard, and his fingers kneaded my ass cheeks possessively over my dress. He skimmed his fingers up my body, laying them at the sides of my neck. He kissed one corner of my mouth then moved to the other.

  "How about we move this party to my house?" I whispered, shuddering.

  "I love your ideas, baby."

  ***

  Graham

  "All for us!" Lori exclaimed when we stepped inside her house, twirling once. I loved her energy. I loved everything about this woman. I tucked her to my side and kissed her neck, inhaling her subtle citrus smell before descending to her shoulder.

  "I could do this all afternoon." I traced her collarbone with my fingers, then skimmed my palm down her arms, feeling her skin turn to goose bumps under my touch.

  "I think some other parts of me need your attention too."

  "I think you need to learn the value of patience." I moved on to her other side, nuzzling her neck with my nose, then repeating the movement with open-mouthed kisses.

  Lori cinched her dress up, revealing more of her legs... and then garters. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She was wearing garters all this time? I swallowe
d, fighting the urge to tear off all her clothes right this instant.

  "You were saying about patience?" Lori whispered seductively, pressing her ass against my erection.

  "I'm starting to think you planned to seduce me from the get-go."

  Lori laughed softly, then yelped as I scooped her into my arms. "Oh, I like this."

  I carried her to her bedroom, setting her back on her feet at the side of the bed. I pushed away her dress straps, pressing my thumbs over her bare shoulders. I wanted her bad. I wanted her now. She stepped out of my reach, lowering the zipper on her side. A growl tore from me.

  "You're driving me crazy."

  "You're responsible for making me rediscover my inner seductress. Now you have to suffer the consequences."

  "Lori..." I said warningly, but she held up her finger.

  "I want to show them to you. Sit on the bed."

  I growled again, more desperately, but sat.

  She pushed her dress down as slowly as she could, revealing a sexy outfit one inch at a time. She was fucking out-of-this-world sexy in those stockings.

  "Come closer," I beckoned. When she didn't move, I said in a gruffer voice, "Come here. I need to touch you."

  I opened my legs wide, and she stepped between them. I ran my fingers up and down her thighs.

  "You bought these for me?"

  "Well... I liked them. And I thought you'd like them too."

  I moved one hand between her thighs, stroking two fingers over the scrap of fabric covering her entrance. Her knees buckled. She was aroused. I could feel it through the panties.

  "You're beautiful, Lori." A black scarf hanging from the open door of her dresser caught my attention. It looked like silk. “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?”

  “Just close them.”

  I rose from the bed, taking the scarf in my hands, coming up behind Lori. I pushed her hair to one side, running the scarf along her spine. She arched forward.

  “What is that? What are you—”

  “Shhh... enjoy it. And keep your eyes closed.”

  I ran my hands over the cups of the bra, then undid the clasp in the center. I lavished her breasts with attention as soon as I freed them, all the while teasing her skin with the scarf: her forearms, her chest. Between her thighs. She didn’t know where I’d touch next, or where I’d lick. Her chest rose and fell with labored breathing, not only from arousal, but also anticipation.