Born to Be Wilde

by Janelle Denison

  He didn't disappoint her. "About last night-"

  "Don't." She cut off his apology before it could leave his lips. "Don't you dare say you're sorry for what happened between us last night."

  Even though she now understood why he'd resisted her overtures for so long, there wasn't anything about being with Joel that she regretted. He might have been sent to protect her, but the feelings between them were real.

  "We're both adults, and I knew exactly what I was doing when I asked you to make love to me," she went on before he could interrupt her. "And we've already had the discussion about your position on sex, relationships, and how you don't like messy emotional attachments, so we don't need to go that route again. I get it, Joel, and I'm not going to start making demands or become some kind of clingy female, so don't worry about it." Unfortunately, the dull ache in her chest contradicted those words, made a mockery of what she knew to be true.

  She was falling in love with Joel Wilde, a man who liked things uncomplicated and commitment-free, and truly believed he wasn't capable of giving a woman what she craved beyond physical pleasure. Yet last night he'd been everything she'd ever needed in her life, everything she'd yearned for as a woman, and so much more. The desire between them had been mutual and real, soul-stirring, and deeply, irrevocably emotional.

  And he obviously didn't have a clue. He was a typical, stupid, stubborn man when it came to admitting anything that had to do with his feelings or emotions. And she wasn't one to push or cling to false expectations. She'd learned with her last relationship that you couldn't force someone to love you back.

  "I wasn't going to apologize," he said with a frown, clearly not happy about her tossing his own lecture right back at him. "But it won't happen again."

  She knew exactly what "it" referred to, and though his abrupt about-face didn't surprise her, his steely resolve made her all too curious. "Because?"

  "Because my attraction to you is too damned distracting, and it gets in the way of my job of protecting you," he admitted roughly, and dragged his long fingers through his tousled hair. "I need a clear, focused head, and thinking about having sex with you isn't conducive to maintaining a sharp and alert presence. That's what got you into trouble with those men last night. My mind wasn't one hundred percent on the job, as it should have been, and I'm not about to make that same mistake again."

  She held back the smile threatening to curve the corners of her mouth. At least he'd admitted to their attraction, even if he was now trying to do the honorable thing by establishing a more professional relationship between them in order for him to keep her safe from harm. That he had to physically and mentally remove himself from the temptation of sleeping with her again said a whole lot about Joel and his true feelings-that sex with her hadn't been easy, casual, or forgettable like every other affair he'd ever had. Because if last night had been all about pure gratuitous sex, he'd be taking advantage of the no-strings-attached fling instead of scrambling to put distance between them, as he was attempting to do right this second.

  She could tell him that by not sleeping with her he'd be twice as distracted, but decided to let him figure that out on his own.

  For now, she'd let him have his way, and she'd respect those professional boundaries of his. For now, she'd let him believe that their involvement had been a one-night deal, a result of heated passion and the need for her to replace bad memories with more pleasant sensations.

  And maybe, if she was lucky, when this situation was over he'd realize that there was more between them than just incredible lust, sizzling desire, and one night of sex.

  Chapter Eleven

  "SINCE you've never been to Santori's, I can personally guarantee you're in for a real treat."

  Walking side by side through Little Italy toward the restaurant Daniel spoke of, Sydney smiled at her date, still unable to get over the fact that she was going out with a teacher. Cassie's math teacher to be exact. A man who wasn't nearly as uptight and stuffy as she'd originally pegged him to be. He might not possess those bad boy tendencies she was normally attracted to, but he was definitely hotter and sexier than she'd originally given him credit for.

  Gone were the slacks, dress shirt, and tie he wore to work, replaced by casual, form-fitting blue jeans and a neatly pressed oxford shirt. The tan leather jacket added to his striking good looks and overall appealing package. One she was more and more tempted to unwrap and enjoy.

  She planned to. Later. After an evening of being wined and dined by him. "I'm definitely looking forward to dinner. I was so busy with inventory at The Electric Blue this afternoon that I missed lunch, so I'm absolutely starved." Having taken off a Saturday evening, which she very rarely did, she wanted to make sure she left the bar well stocked and the place fully staffed.

  "Ahhh, a woman with a healthy appetite for food." The tone of his voice was warm and appreciative, with just a hint of flirtatious innuendo, "How refreshing. Women like you who actually eat on a date are becoming a rare breed, you know."

  She laughed lightly. "Trust me, I'm not a salad-with-dressing-on-the-side kind of girl." She pushed her hands into the pockets of her coat and shivered against the cold October evening breeze. "I love carbs. You couldn't have made me any happier than by feeding me authentic Italian food."

  He grinned and his brown eyes sparkled mischievously, as if he'd just discovered the secret to capturing her heart and soul. "I'll be sure to remember that."

  She had no doubt that he would. The man had proven to be far more direct and determined with her than she ever would have anticipated. Much to Sydney's surprise, and a bit of personal, private delight, he'd spent a few nights this past week at The Electric Blue, nursing a drink while she worked behind the bar. She'd given Daniel a good dose of her bold, daring behavior and equally brazen attitude, more than enough to scare him off, and yet here he was, still taking her out to dinner.

  Which just confirmed that he was interested in the same thing that every guy wanted from her once they got a good look at her centerfold figure. Hot, fast, raucous sex. Daniel was just going about his quest in a more considerate and polite manner than all the rest, but the end result would be the same.

  She'd already decided that it was going to be his lucky night, and hers too. Hell, she was as primed and ready as a woman could get, and it had been way too long since she'd been with a guy. She'd spent the past week tempting and teasing Daniel with plenty of naughty innuendo and dirty dances on the bar's countertop, deliberately building that delicious sexual tension that eventually led to a night of hot, satisfying, physical pleasure. Oh, yeah… she was definitely looking forward to getting down and dirty with Daniel tonight.

  A group of young kids was heading toward them, and Daniel settled a large hand at the small of her back to guide them away from the teenagers and keep her near so they didn't get separated on the sidewalk. She was wearing a black winter trench coat, yet his touch, the alluring press of his palm, seemed to sear right though the heavy material and elicited a surge of awareness within her.

  Her hip bumped against his, and he could have easily taken advantage of the opportunity to slide his arm around her waist and pull her closer to his side in a show of male possession, or to accidently graze the full underside of her breast while he was at it. She'd come to expect those not-so-subtle tactics from most guys, but Daniel's hand remained in place at the base of her spine. Protectively. Respectfully. In a way that unnerved her more than if he'd copped a feel.

  Go figure.

  As soon as they reached Santori's, Daniel opened the door for her to enter before him-another gentlemanly gesture she wasn't used to. With a murmured "thanks" she stepped into the establishment, grateful for the rush of warmth that replaced the early evening chill outside. She inhaled the rich, redolent scents of authentic Italian food, and her stomach growled hungrily in response.

  An woman in her mid-sixties made her way through the crowded lobby of customers, her bright gaze focused on Daniel. She was wearing a pretty, flo
wery dress accessorized with a cute i love pasta pin with a fork and spoon twirling strands of spaghetti and a dangling meatball. As soon as she reached him, her lovely face lit up with genuine fondness.

  "Well, look who decided to stop in for a visit!" The woman's lightly accented voice held distinct tones of pleasure and a slight reprimand. "It's been too long."

  "I know. I know." Daniel ducked his head sheepishly, looking far too charming and appealing for Sydney's peace of mind. "I had a craving for some deep dish pizza, and we all know this is the best place in the city for that."

  "You got that right." The woman gently patted his cheek before taking his face in both her hands to scrutinize him closer, as a mother would a young boy. "Just look at you. You keep getting more and more handsome each time I see you." Then she finally dropped her hands back down to her sides and shifted her gaze to Sydney, her curiosity evident in the slight arch of her brow. "Who's your friend, Daniel?"

  "This is Sydney," he said, that clever hand of his finding its way back to her spine to urge her forward. "Sydney, this is Rosa Santori."

  "It's very nice to meet you." Sydney extended her hand courteously toward Rosa.

  "No, the pleasure is all mine," the other woman insisted as she took Sydney's hand and gave it a warm, welcoming squeeze that was far more affectionate and personal than a handshake. "I can't remember Daniel ever bringing a woman friend here before. He must be trying to impress you."

  Sydney laughed. Oh, this woman was sly. And incredibly sweet. "He's well on his way to doing just that."

  Daniel glanced around at the crowd of people waiting to be seated for dinner. "I didn't even think about it being a Saturday night and the restaurant being so busy." He checked the time on his watch then sent Rosa a hopeful look. "Do you have a table open, by chance? We have a movie to catch in about an hour."

  The man obviously wasn't opposed to using his acquaintance with Rosa to pull a few strings and eliminate the long wait for a seat, which led Sydney to believe that maybe he did have a bit of a rebellious streak in him after all. That possibility made him all the more sexy and irresistible to her.

  "For you, I have the best seat in the house available," Rosa said, happy to accommodate him. "Come this way."

  She crooked her finger at the two of them, grabbed a few menus from the hostess stand, then led the way to a quiet, secluded table at the back of the restaurant, which was decorated in traditional, old-world pizzeria style. Here, the lighting was low, with a flickering candle in a Chianti bottle adding to the relaxing and cozy atmosphere.

  Once they were seated in the booth across from one another Rosa handed each of them a menu and gave them the specials for the day. "Now you two enjoy your dinner, and I'll send Tony over with a bottle of wine, on the house."

  She left, and moments later a good-looking man came up to their table, a bottle of Chianti in one hand and two wine glasses in the other. He greeted Daniel with a firm handshake and some friendly ribbing that made it obvious that they'd known each other for a long time. Then another round of introductions ensued for her, and she learned that this man named Tony was one of Rosa's sons.

  Wine was poured, and when their waitress arrived to take their order, Sydney went with Daniel's recommendation to try the deep dish pizza, which was his personal favorite. With that out of the way, he shrugged out of his jacket, and she untied the sash around her waist and did the same with her coat.

  When he'd arrived at her apartment to pick her up, she'd been dressed and ready to go-including wearing her coat. Now, as she peeled off that outer layer and watched his eyes take on a dark, appreciative gleam, she was pleased to see that her outfit had the desired effect on him. Especially her long-sleeved, lace-up, corset-type top, which she'd chosen with pure and deliberate seduction in mind. The dark burgundy fabric molded to her curves, and the low scoop neckline emphasized her best, and most lusted after assets-her breasts.

  Satisfied that her blatant display of cleavage didn't escape his notice, she settled back against her seat and reached for her glass of wine. "I take it that the Santoris are friends of the family?"

  His gaze met hers and he smiled. "Yeah. I've known Mr. and Mrs. Santori since I was a kid. My brother and sister and I went to school with the Santoris. And my mother and Rosa were always involved in the PTA, booster clubs, and that sort of thing, so our families spent time together."

  It sounded as though Daniel had a close-knit family and had grown up in a normal, well-adjusted household. She envied that sort of childhood simplicity, things that most people took for granted. "So, you've lived here all your life?"

  "Yep. Born and raised right here in Chicago." Daniel took a long drink of his wine, his deep brown eyes studying her for a moment over the rim of his glass. "What about you? Where did you grow up?"

  She shrugged, and kept things vague. "I'm from various parts of Illinois."

  He tipped his head curiously as he stroked his fingers along the stem of his wine glass. "I take it your family didn't stay in one place for long?"

  How could she forget that this man had a penchant for asking personal questions, despite her reluctance to answer them? He'd done the same thing after their parent-teacher conference regarding Cassie's math grades, coaxing information out of her about her past that she normally kept to herself-and here he was, doing it again.

  She wanted to tell him that getting to know her on a deeper, more intimate level wasn't a prerequisite for getting laid-she'd agreed to a date, so sex was a given. Wanted to tell him that she preferred a no-strings-attached affair, the kind that didn't require sharing secrets or trading personal information beyond their sexual preferences. A casual, friends-with-benefits type of arrangement, because anything beyond that with a man, any man, just wasn't going to happen.

  The physical connection and attraction between them was one thing, but she wasn't about to let him in emotionally, and she couldn't think of a better way to ensure he backed off than by being completely honest and up front about her past. All of it. Including the sordid details that a nice, blue-blooded guy like Daniel wouldn't want in a future mate. And she was fairly certain that by the time their first date was over and he knew just how scandalous a past she'd had, he wouldn't be chomping at the bit for a second go.

  That worked for her.

  "I never had a family, to speak of," she said, giving him the reply he was waiting for. "Just a string of foster homes from the age of twelve, until I got pregnant with Cassie when I was fourteen. I spent the four years after that in a halfway house for unwed mothers, going to school, working part time, and raising Cassie."

  If she'd shocked him with her blunt response, he had the good manners not to show it. In fact, the interest in his gaze increased, and he didn't hesitate to act on it. "That had to be tough," he said, gentle understanding in his tone. "Are your parents deceased?"

  Sydney's stomach twisted relentlessly. More ugly truths to reveal. If her answer to that question didn't turn him off completely, then she didn't know what would. "My mother died of a heroin overdose in a back alley somewhere, and I have no idea who my father is. I don't think my mother even knew, considering she prostituted herself in order to afford her next fix."

  Daniel watched as Sydney's chin lifted defensively and her eyes flashed fire-the kind that warned him that he'd just trudged onto very sensitive territory and he needed to take a huge step back before he got burned.

  Despite his father's opinion to the contrary, Daniel had always considered himself a smart man, and intelligent enough to know when he'd backed someone into a corner-and that's what he'd unintentionally done to Sydney. He'd hit on a raw and painful topic, and she was lashing out, trying to protect her emotions with a fearless and defiant attitude.

  He could easily understand how that approach would keep other, lesser men at a distance, but Daniel hadn't come this far with Sydney to let her shut him out now. After years of dealing with problematic kids being shuffled through the public school system, he easily recognized he
r behavior as purely a protective instinct. She was no different than some of those students-rough and tough on the outside because life had dealt them a crappy hand, yet vulnerable deep down inside, where it mattered the most.

  Now he knew just how difficult part of Sydney's life had been, and as much as she wanted him to back off and keep things impersonal between them, he wasn't going to. He wanted to know everything about her. Every little detail. Everything that had shaped her into the fiercely independent woman she was today.

  As she finished off her glass of wine, he took in her fiery auburn hair and those sensual green eyes that guarded deeper, painful secrets. She'd intrigued him from the very first time he'd met her, a year ago. At first glance, he'd seen what every other guy saw when they looked at her-a body made for pure pleasure and sin, and one she flaunted to her advantage. She was so unlike the sweet, traditional women his mother was constantly foisting on him. This woman had energy and spirit, and was feisty enough to hold her own in any situation.

  Undoubtedly, she was a man's walking fantasy, but it was the way she cared about her daughter that showed him another side to her personality. A softer, tender side that he suspected she didn't show to the outside world very often. Judging by her past, she had good reason to be cautious, even suspicious of other people's motives, and he hoped that in time she'd come to realize that his interest in her was honest and real.

  Their waitress came by to deliver their order, which helped to relieve the tension that had settled over the table. Daniel served them each a thick slice of the deep dish pizza and refilled their wine glasses, then watched as Sydney ate her dinner with a gusto few women would have the nerve to display on a first date.

  After a few bites, he decided to switch to a lighter, mutual subject between them. One they both could relate to.