by Cathryn Fox
A casual shrug curled his shoulders. Shutting out the din of the crowd, he lowered his voice and nestled closer. He pressed his body against hers and put his mouth near her ear. “Yes, well, I guess I’m not like most men.”
A doubtful expression crossed her face but she didn’t respond. Breaking contact, she twisted sideways, pursed her lips, and took another long suck from her straw.
Hell, those plump lips of hers looked like they were begging to be kissed.
His dick sprang higher, as though hoping to glimpse the woman who was causing all the southern commotion. Fuck. His twenty-one-gun salute had just blown his ability to stand for the next ten minutes or so. Unless he wanted everyone in the room to know he was sporting the mother of all boners, he’d have to remain seated. He closed his eyes in distress and muttered curses of sexual frustration under his breath.
Before his control completely obliterated, he redirected his thoughts and called on a cock-taming trick he’d learned back in junior high school. He thought of football, basketball, soccer, anything with balls. Damn, that wasn’t working. He had balls. And right now they were in a goddamn uproar.
As his mind drifted back to the gorgeous woman beside him, his dick refused to cooperate. Step aside, Houdini, and make room for the amazing Kale Alexander and his gravity-defying jacket.
The groom, Jay, came up beside Laura. Kale adjusted his coat, thankful for the distraction. He cleared his throat and shook his head, hoping to lift the fog from his lust-filled mind.
“Time to toss the bouquet,” Jay said, wrapping his hands around Laura’s waist in a protective manner that had Laura’s eyes brimming with the love she felt for him.
Laura planted a warm kiss on Jay’s mouth and slid from her stool. Kale still found it hard to believe that “Wildman” Jay Cutler had finally settled down and gotten married. Although, in all honesty, he had to admit that he’d never seen his best friend happier.
As Kale watched the loving couple for a moment longer, he acknowledged the pang of envy that rushed over him and sat heavy in his heart. It left a hollow, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Six months previous, a surprise phone call from his best friend, Jay, announcing his engagement and asking Kale to be his best man, had acted as a catalyst for Kale, causing him to pause and consider the path of his own future and his playboy lifestyle.
Now, being back in his hometown, around his family, old friends, and familiar surroundings, made him realize how truly discontented he was with living in Los Angeles. Years ago a university scholarship had sent him west with promises of happiness and financial success. He’d found only the latter. Becoming the head of the research and development wing at Castech Research Center, Iowa Research Center’s parent company, had given him the financial security he’d strived for, but his playboy, bachelor lifestyle no longer brought him happiness. In fact, it left him feeling restless and unfulfilled.
Kale’s gaze swept across the room, acknowledging all the familiar faces. Packing up and leaving everything behind to journey to the coast hadn’t been easy for him, but he knew he had no choice. His father’s death fifteen years before had left him shouldering the responsibility of his younger sisters. Since his mother’s secretarial job barely put food on the table, Kale knew the position in Los Angeles would afford him the funds needed to help take care of her household finances and put his two younger sisters through college.
Although Kale enjoyed his position at Castech, he’d come to understand Los Angeles wasn’t a place where he wanted to settle down for a lifetime and raise a family. And he definitely wanted a family. Now he was just waiting for the right woman to come along. One who stirred him physically and emotionally, and who shared the same values and beliefs. Up until a week ago, he had begun to question whether such a woman existed.
Laura slipped her arm around Erin’s shoulder. “Come on. Time for you to catch a bouquet.”
“No way,” Erin protested, shrugging away. She sliced one hand through the air, her voice elevating an octave. “There are plenty of single females here who’d die to catch it. I’m not one of them.” She planted her feet on the rung of her stool. A spirited fire burned in her dark brown eyes as a pink tinge colored her cheeks.
When Erin spotted the determined look in Laura’s eyes, she angled her chin in defiance. “Forget it, Laura—” Her words died away when Jay swiftly removed her drink from her hand.
Laura winked at Jay. “Thank you, honey.”
Giving her no reprieve, Laura hauled Erin from the stool and dragged her to the dance floor. Kale grinned and watched the action with mute fascination.
Where the hell was an arena full of mud when you needed it?
“What’s the matter with you?”
The sound of Jay’s voice broke his concentration. “What?” Kale twisted sideways to face his best friend and wiped the smirk from his mouth.
Furrowing his brow, Jay scrutinized Kale and signaled the bartender. “If your tongue hung any lower you’d be tripping on it. I’ve never seen you so distracted by a woman before.” Jay accepted two cold beers and handed one to Kale.
Kale rolled his tongue back into his dry mouth, grunted something incoherent, and drained half the bitter liquor in one gulp. Much better. Now if only he could soak one other body part in the amber elixir.
Ignoring the discomfort pulling at his ever-tightening groin, he took another long haul from the bottle. Fuck, he needed a cold shower. Either that or he was going to find himself in a tug-of-war with the palm twins when he got home. His palms. A home remedy guaranteed to relieve tension and reduce swelling.
“She’s a ball breaker, Kale,” Jay warned. “Not your type at all.”
Kale’s bottle hit the bar with a thud. “Yeah? You think so?”
Jay scoffed. “I know so,” he said with certainty. “I’ve seen her in action.”
Kale had his suspicions. There was something about her that led him to believe otherwise. He sensed a vulnerability about her that she took great pains to guard. Gut instinct told him the bad-girl act was just that. An act. A facade. One he suspected she was interested in exploring further. Damned if he, and only he, was going to be the one to help her along with that journey. And in the process he was going to get to know her on a deeper level and show her that sex between them would be anything but casual.
“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” Jay shook his head and patted Kale on the back. “She’s a man-eater. She’ll chew you up and spit you out, pal.”
A slow grin curled Kale’s mouth. “That’s what I’m counting on.”
Chapter 2
Erin reluctantly gave up struggling and let Laura escort her to the dance floor. “Okay, Laura you win. You can let go of me now,” she blurted, seconds before her breasts popped out of her tight bodice.
Laura released Erin’s arm, leaned close, and whispered into her ear, “Are you and Kale going to test Pleasure Prolonged on yourselves?”
Erin’s mouth curved. Wouldn’t that be the perfect opportunity to take a stab at being the bad girl she pretended to be and give her libidinous body the action it craved? Shame they already had test subjects lined up for Monday morning’s experiment.
She looked at her friend, hoping her face conveyed nonchalance about the whole issue.
“No. We never discussed it.” Her gazed moved across the room and settled on Kale. A fine tremor rippled over her flesh as she watched him watching her.
“Why not?” Laura probed. “I hear he’s into casual sex.” Laura winked at her. “Just your type.”
Erin held out her index finger and puckered her lips. “First, he’s not my type.” Liar. She’d have to be comatose not to stand up and take notice of him. Even then, she wasn’t so sure that would stop her. His mere presence would likely rouse any woman from a coma. Probably a few men too. Her middle finger joined the first. “And second, I really need to concentrate on this assignment. As you know, my career advancement depends on it.”
Concentrate! Ha! Like that was going to happen. There’d be no concentrating going on with him around. Maybe she should just have sex with him. Casual sex. Uncomplicated sex. To get him out of her system, or into her system, she mused, depending on which way you looked at it. Perhaps then she’d be able to get her mind off her libido and back on her job.
She paused to give that last thought further consideration. She’d never had a one-night stand before. Would it be possible for her to indulge in a frivolous affair with a gorgeous, smart playboy like Kale, a guy who stirred all her senses, without threatening her emotions?
Some deeper instinct warned her that sex with him would be anything but uncomplicated.
“And third,” she continued. “After you and Jay secretly tested the libido suppressant on one another without consent, Kale and I have been duly warned by the director. If we step out of line, it will cost us our jobs.”
Laura looked far from convinced but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she turned and made her way to the raised platform at the front of the dance stage while Erin padded across the floor to the far back.
Just because she was forced to stand there with all the other eager, single women didn’t mean she had to catch the damn bouquet. She could neatly sidestep it and let Hooker Barbie jump for the coveted flowers. The blond bombshell looked like a crouched tiger waiting to pounce on a gazelle. Scary. Erin gave a mock shiver, and under the guise of fearing for her safety, circled Barbie, keeping a wide berth.
She found a nice, quiet spot in the corner and turned her attention to the man on the other side of the room. Kale and Jay were deep in conversation. From the intent look on Kale’s face, she assumed it was an extremely important topic. As Erin pondered what issue they were discussing, something soft and fragrant hit her square in the chest. Her hands automatically reached out, and before she realized it, she was holding the bouquet.
Erin mumbled curses under her breath. Forget the judge and jury, Laura was headed straight for execution!
Earlier in the evening, Kale had had no intention of participating in the traditional garter toss. Rather interesting that he now found himself standing front and center on the dance floor, the most prominent position for catching the lacy slip of blue material.
He shot Erin a sidelong glance. Perched on a stool, she brushed her silky nutmeg hair from her face as her gaze darted around the room. Nervous anticipation danced in her big, dark eyes as she absentmindedly twirled a wayward lock around her finger.
Kale’s attention drifted back to Jay in time to watch him exchange a look with Laura. A moment later the blue lace sailed right into his open palm. He twisted sideways to glimpse the sexy woman who made him feel like a lustful teenager on his first date. Her sensuous mouth opened and closed in a silent gasp. He could almost hear the air rush from her lungs in a whoosh. Kale widened his stance and watched her for a moment longer. He had to admit, he was looking forward to discovering the woman behind the role she played.
The lights on the dance floor dimmed as Jay came up beside him and patted him on the back. “Play nice.”
Kale raked his hair off his forehead and chuckled. “I always play nice. Hard, but nice.” With the crook of his finger, he motioned for Erin to come to him.
Pulling her dress high on her long legs, she slipped her curvy backside off her seat and met his gaze unflinchingly. His glance left her face and slowly perused the length of her. Languorous warmth stole through him as he envisioned himself sliding the garter over her slim calf all the way up to her shapely, sexy thigh.
With casual aplomb she sauntered closer and accepted a chair in the center of the dance floor.
The soft golden glow of the shadowy overhead light made her skin glisten. Her flowery scent stirred the air around them, leaving him feeling slightly light-headed. Erotic dance music began playing in the background while cheers originated in the crowd.
Shutting out the noise of the audience, Kale dropped to his knees, insinuated himself between her legs, and gripped the hem of her dress. Her body fairly vibrated. He leaned in close. His mouth was mere inches from her ear. “Do you mind?” he whispered.
Her breath stalled as she shook her head. One perfect eyebrow rose a fraction. “Why would I mind?” she asked, her voice deceptively controlled, but her shaky breathing betrayed her emotions.
He shrugged and pitched his voice low. “Just thought I’d ask. I’m not one to presume anything.” He curled the fabric of her dress in his hand and moved in closer. “I’d never touch a woman who didn’t want my touch.”
She opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, swiped her tongue over her bottom lip and then slid it shut. Damn that mouth. So plump. So luscious. This woman got to him the way no other woman ever had.
“Tell me something, Erin.” He pulled her dress up higher, until he exposed the sleek curve of her inner thighs. His nostrils flared as he visually caressed her. “Do you want my touch?”
Slender shoulders lifted. “I…” She stumbled over that one word. He could almost hear her mind racing. Her hesitation lasted only seconds, then something in her expression changed.
His gaze latched on to her breasts as she straightened her back and drew air deep into her lungs. She flung a wayward curl from her forehead and met his gaze straight on.
Even though there wasn’t a trace of uncertainty in her expression, he glimpsed a guarded looked in her eyes before she quickly blinked it away. Kale knew she wanted to test unexplored waters and experiment with another side of herself, and he wanted to help her with that, but he also sensed her unease. A surge of tenderness rushed over him as his protective instincts kicked into high gear. He looked deep into her eyes, letting her know she was in the right hands.
“Yes, I want your touch.”
A primitive growl full of male prowess sounded low in his throat. “Good. Because I want to touch you.”
Oblivious to everyone around him, he removed her satin shoe and eased the lace over her silk stocking. With a feathery light caress, his hand began a lazy journey up her calf. She immediately reacted to his intimate touch. The sound of her indrawn breath pleased him. Her warm and wanting flesh began to quiver as a fragment of her control dissipated.
“Mmmm,” he moaned. “You have beautiful legs, Erin.” His voice dripped with desire. The cheering of the crowd faded into the background as he focused his entire concentration on her.
A light dusting of pink colored her cheeks as she inched her thighs open wider, providing him with easier access. When she moistened her lips, saliva pooled on his tongue. Fuck, did she know how irresistible that mouth was? He became acutely aware of how much he ached to plunder her lush sweetness.
She made a sexy sound and shifted. “Thanks.” There was a slight tremor in her voice.
As his fingers slid over her smooth calf, she took a gulping breath. Her sweet responses urged him on and filled him with raw, primitive desire.
“Something tells me Jay and Laura planned for us to end up together like this.” Lust swamped him, deepening his voice, making it barely recognizable.
Her sexy, nervous laugh seeped into his skin, evoking a shudder from his body. His muscles bunched as perspiration beaded on his forehead.
“I think you’re right.” She dipped her head to meet his glance. Dark eyes brimmed with desire as they met. “Since we’re both into casual sex, Laura thought it would be a good idea to test Pleasure Prolonged on each other,” she said, gauging his reactions carefully.
He mulled over that idea for quite some time. Although the idea sounded intriguing, and it would be the perfect opportunity to ease his painful, week-long hard-on, something told him the tests would be less than accurate. Besides, he didn’t want Erin to have sex with him under those terms. He wanted her to come to him on her own. And he didn’t want it to be casual.
When he didn’t immediately respond, she rushed on. “That way we’d be sure of the results and wouldn’t have to rely on test subjects or machine readouts.”
Frowning intently, he furrowed his brow and pressed his lips into a fine line. “I don’t think that’s such a great idea. We’d never be able to test the drug on each other.”
A crestfallen expression crossed her face. She lowered her gaze to the floor. Kale nudged her chin up. “I’m afraid the formula would be wasted on me, Erin.”
The confusion she felt was evident in her eyes. “What do you mean?” Then suddenly, as if confusion made its way to understanding, she flinched, her mouth forming a perfect circle.
“Are you gay?” she blurted out.
He stifled a chuckle. She was so damn cute.
She closed her eyes and shook her head in dismay. “Why are all the gorgeous ones gay?”
So she thought he was gorgeous, did she? He lifted his lips in a half smile. “You see, Erin, if I buried my cock inside your sweetness, I’m bound to have a prolonged erection and multiple orgasms. No drugs needed,” he said, letting her know exactly how he felt about her.
“Oh,” she mumbled, her voice tight. She bit her lip and flushed darker. He watched her throat work as she swallowed.
Even though they were practically draped in darkness, he wanted to ensure their privacy. He pulled her dress to her calves, obscuring the crowd’s vision and blocking his actions. His hands trailed higher, until they were a hairbreadth away from the heat of her desire. He wondered how she’d react if he grazed her silk-covered cleft. Wondered what kind of sound she’d make if they were alone and he lapped at her with his tongue. Would she purr? Moan? Mewl?
He stroked her flesh and toyed with the wide band on her stockings. The look on her face told him all he needed to know. His touch aroused her. That pleased the hell out of him. He kept a telltale smile from his mouth. Kale knew he’d never wanted a woman to want him as much as he did tonight. He’d certainly felt powerful sexual desire before, but never this potent.
Her breath came in a low rush. “Kale…” she whispered as his fingers feathered over her thighs.
Her hypnotic tone pulled him under. When he met her glance, electricity crackled between them. Plump lips parted as her heat reached out to him.
