by Julie Leto
Kate closed her eyes again, took a deep breath and arched her back, unable to stop the incremental drop in her inhibitions. In the moment in between the song ending and starting again, Shaw exhaled. The sound was loud and ragged and ripe with hunger.
His breath on her neck and the heat of his palm on her wrist jerked her heartbeat until it matched the bass-thrum of the song. Slowly, the pounding in her ears subsided enough for her to make sense of the lyrics.
“Why don’t I know this song?”
“I haven’t played it since that night. I didn’t want my music to remind you of something you’d rather forget.”
Surprised, Kate opened her eyes, but he’d closed his. She watched him lip-synch to his own voice. His shoulders rocked up and down, his rhythm natural, intrinsic, mesmerizing. She leaned in closer and breathed in the scent of him—a heady combination of soap and spice. The aroma was intoxicating, but she didn’t step away. Instead, she surrendered to the sensual assault. She wanted to be here, with Shaw. She needed to be.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Don’t thank me. I wasn’t a total saint. A guy can only work up so much resistance when a gorgeous woman is stripping off her clothes.”
“Please tell me stripping is just an expression.”
“Well,” he said, his blue eyes glossy with need. “There were no poles involved.”
The corners of her mouth betrayed her with a smile. “How much did I take off?”
“First, you let your hair down.”
He slid his fingers through the chignon she often wore on the job. The pins surrendered, sending a shiver sparked by the gentle tugs on her scalp through her body.
“And then?” she asked.
His hand dropped, blazing a path from her throat to the sensitive flesh between her breasts. “You opened your blouse.”
One by one, she released the buttons. His breath hitched with each revelation of skin. “You’ve gone too far,” he warned.
“I’m sober this time,” she reassured him. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you?” He led her to the door, then flattened himself against the wood before pulling her close.
With her nearly bared breasts against his chest, she felt his heartbeat as strongly as she felt her own. His body was hot and hard and glorious. He entwined his hands in hers, then slid them to either side of his head, as if she’d trapped him.
He shifted his hips. Her belly pressed tight against his erection. Nothing separated them but denim, silk and the last vestiges of her reluctance.
“You trapped me,” he told her, “like this, the minute the door was closed.”
She smiled, unable to squelch a saucy shot of pride. “Did you try to escape?”
“Not even a little.”
“Did I kiss you?”
“Oh, yeah.”
She might not remember the night in question, but from the rasp and scrape of Shaw’s voice, his unfulfilled desire was still raw. Still needful.
“Do you want me to kiss you now?” she asked.
When his eyes darkened to the color of a midnight sky, Kate no longer cared about the night she couldn’t remember. She just wanted a night that she’d never forget.
“So much, Katie-gate, I couldn’t…can’t…breathe.”
She smashed her mouth against his, releasing the last of her fear. In one flood of sensation, she ground her pelvis against his. He countered by hooking his leg around hers and pulling her even closer.
“God, Kate,” he said, in between the breathless kisses. “I’ve waited a whole year to relive this moment.”
She swiped her tongue across his mouth and smiled. “It’s only fair, because I think I’ve been waiting my entire life.”
Chapter 10
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shaw remembered there was something he was supposed to be doing. Blind-sided and bursting with need, he could only focus on kissing Kate, feeling Kate, pleasuring Kate.
Her mouth was lush with heat. She tore aside her dress, leaving her body nearly naked except for her insanity-inducing turquoise bra and matching panties. Rhythmically, she danced against him as if her libido drove the music—his music. Grabbing her ass, he lifted her high, wanting more than ever to bury himself deep inside her, the way he’d fantasized about since that night.
That night.
Right. They were supposed to be re-enacting it all. But he no longer wanted to dwell in the past. He wanted to live and breathe and kiss and make love in the here and now.
With Kate. His Kate.
“God, do you know how hard it was,” he said, his words choppy as he explored the flesh on her neck and shoulders, “to restrain myself? You were so hot. You told me, in intricate detail, exactly what you wanted me to do to you. What you wanted to do to me.”
She tore at his shirt, forcing it away from his body. The lace of her bra chafed gloriously against his chest.
“No reason to resist this time.”
He pulled back just enough to shake off a layer of lusty haze. “No reason?”
Her smile was radiant. He lifted her higher. She wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him the leverage he needed to carry her to the bed.
He laid her down on the comforter and took a long moment to drink in the sight of her, all pale flesh, bright blue lingerie, dark red hair and flashing green eyes. Against the gunmetal gray, she was a burst of color and texture and light.
“You take my breath away.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she countered.
Shaw kicked off his shoes, removed his jeans and climbed on the bed. “I probably have,” he admitted, drawing a finger along the curve of her cheek and then into the thick silk of her hair. “But you’re like human Rohypnol. One look at you knocks every other woman in existence from my brain. I haven’t thought about anyone else since I listened to you tell me everywhere you wanted to be touched. Kissed. Tasted.”
She snagged her bottom lip in her teeth and worried the skin until he ran his thumb over the moistened flesh to stop the unfair and unworthy assault. If anyone was going to chew on her lips, it was going to be him.
So he did. He gorged himself on every part of her body, lingering at her sweet center and milking an orgasm as he had last night. Only this time, he lost himself entirely in the flavors and textures and sounds. This time, he had no secret to keep. No bad news to break. Only pleasure to share.
He stopped long enough to put on a condom, but once sheathed, he stretched out beside her and coaxed her on top.
She squealed in delight. She loved to be in control and he loved when her fantasies intersected perfectly with his.
“I’m too tight,” she said, swiveling her hips, her sensitive flesh slow to stretch. “It’s been too long.”
He slid his hands over her hips.
“No, no. You’re just right. Just move. To the left. That’s it. See? Slick and snug. God, you’re killing me, Katie-gate. Killing me dead.”
The song that had played that night continued to loop. That same phrase, embedded in the chorus, was the second reason Shaw hadn’t played the tune since that night. The story, about a man wanting a woman he couldn’t have, would have tortured him.
But now, the words took on new meaning. Once he got her, he couldn’t let her go. He’d never really believed in life imitating art, but now?
He believed.
“If this is dying,” she said, finding a rhythm that defied the confines of lyric and song, “it’s not so bad.”
“It’s amazing.”
Her grin, sinful and sexual, notched his pleasure to what he’d once thought an unattainable height. Just as he’d imagined, just as he’d dreamed, he and Kate were perfect for each other. And like the poor bastard in the song, now that he had her, he was never letting her get away.
He slid his hands around her ass, cupping her and sensually, slowly, adjusting her position until he found just the right angle to bury himself into her until she was full, needy and entirely at his mercy. He tipp
ed up, pleasuring her breasts with his mouth while she rode him to the brink. Once there, she nearly collapsed, but Shaw took over, bucking until they both flew over the edge into blissful, sweaty orgasmic release.
This was good. This was right. This was a night neither one of them would ever forget—he’d make sure of it.
At some point in the aftermath, they ended up underneath the comforter, his condom discarded, the music turned off, entwined in each other’s arms. Shaw had no idea how much time had elapsed before he finally corralled his thoughts and said, “Wow.”
She moaned in contented agreement.
Tucked safely in his arms, she snuggled closer and twisted her fingers into his chest hair.
“How did you know I wanted to be on top?” she asked.
“You told me,” he replied. “You still don’t remember?”
She shook her head. “We can make new memories.”
“I like the way you think.”
Shaw leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. In no rush, he measured his pressure, teasing her with nips and flicks of his tongue until she finally grasped his face and tugged him into position for one, long, drawn-out, mind-blowing kiss.
Their second round of lovemaking was slower, more sensual and after only a little coaxing from her, Shaw revealed a few of his sexual fantasies to even the playing field. He couldn’t remember a woman ever showing so much interest in seduction of the mind and body, but he wasn’t surprised that it was Kate who blazed the path. Nothing about her was ordinary, expected or predictable. It was why she fascinated him so completely—why he was certain they could make this relationship—so new and untested—work for the long haul.
“I can’t believe I finally have you in my bed,” Shaw confessed. “If ever there was a girl less likely to…”
She pressed her fingers over his lips, silencing him. “Less likely? You’ve got it all wrong, Shaw, because I had it all wrong. I thought I had to put everything about my past behind me, including my fantasies and passions. But now, I know what I want. You’ve reminded me.”
“Reminded you to take a chance on a stranger every once in a while?”
Kate pressed her cheek to his chest. He squeezed her tighter, creating a safe haven that he hoped to give her for a long time.
“Not a stranger. Granted, we have a lot to learn about each other, but that’s the fun part, right?
“Oh, yeah,” he agreed. “And that’s a lesson I’m going to make sure you never, ever forget.”
Afterword
Thank you so much for buying and reading this GIRL MOST LIKELY TO… novella! The story is a sequel to my novella, “A Moment Like This,” which appeared in the Harlequin Blaze collection, THE GUY MOST LIKELY TO… which is still available through Amazon.
One of my co-authors, the amazing Janelle Denison, also wrote a sequel to her story, which is called Hard to Resist (A Girl Most Likely novella). It’s a fabulous read! There’s phone sex and real sex and second chances of the most delicious kind. You really should check it out by clicking here.
Since word of mouth is so critical to readers and authors alike, I would really appreciate it if you’d pop back to Amazon and leave an honest review of this story. It just takes a minute or two, but your opinion is priceless!
REVIEW HOW YOU REMIND ME
Other Works by Julie Leto
Dare Me
(Sexy Suspense)
Given the choice between great sex and saving the world…why not do both?
Praise for DARE ME…
“Dante is uber male, sexy, smart, full of himself yet underneath it all he knows he screwed up and wants to get Macy back. Sigh. This is a hot, fun quick read.”
Brenda
Goodreads
“Moved really fast and full of smart characters.”
Elizabeth Brown
Amazon reader
“Steamy hot…”
Diana Ketterer
All About Romance
OVERVIEW
— female James Bond submits to seduction to save the world
— suave super-spy risks everything to win back the woman he betrayed
Buy Dare Me with your e-ink Kindle
Buy Dare Me with your Kindle Fire or Kindle App
Phantom Pleasures
(Sexy Paranormal Romance)
Like a little paranormal with your romance? Check out the Phantom trilogy…
Three über-alpha men, trapped by a Gypsy curse…who can only be saved by the love and determination of three equally powerful women
Praise for Phantom Pleasures…
“Ms Leto is in top form here as she strikes the perfect balance between moving the story along and filling the reader in on details.”
Mrs.Giggles
OVERVIEW
— a powerful nobleman, trapped in time
— a modern woman inherits a haunted castle
— will she submit to the phantom’s dark magic or free him from his prison—and her heart—forever?
Buy Phantom Pleasures with your e-ink Kindle
Buy Phantom Pleasures with your Kindle Fire or Kindle App
Dirty Little Secrets
(Sexy Suspense)
Sex, lies and lethal weapons…
Praise for Dirty Little Secrets:
“Stephanie Who? Readers looking for a genuine and credible bad-ass kick-butt heroine may want to check this book out.”
Mrs. Giggles
“Readers who love a great kickass heroine, propulsive action and plenty of steam shouldn't miss Dirty Little Secrets.”
Leigh Thomas
All About Romance
“Get out the ice and set your fans on high! Julie Leto's Dirty Little Secrets will set you on fire the minute you pick up this steamy, high-speed book of love, action, and adventure.”
Anne Lum
Writer's Unlimited
OVERVIEW:
— A disgraced bounty hunter pursues her sexy ex
— The secret agent on the run catapults her into his treacherous underworld
— Is her super-sexy lover her ticket out of a mundane world--or is he setting her up to crash and burn?
Buy Dirty Little Secrets with your e-ink Kindle
Buy Dirty Little Secrets with your Kindle Fire or Kindle App
About the Author
By all reports, New York Times bestselling author Julie Leto was a sweet child once…somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories rather than running around outside with her three brothers. However, being raised in a loud, Italian/Cuban-American household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. She’s sold over forty books to four publishers—all featuring strong, confident women and the super-sexy men they drive to their knees.
Like Marisela, Julie was born and raised in West Tampa and still lives close enough to the old neighborhood to visit her old haunts from time to time. Most often, though, her life is busy with writing, homeschooling her daughter and catering to the needs of her spoiled dachshund and haughty lynx-point Siamese. Like the intrepid heroine of the Dirty books, Julie also has a wide range of relatives all within driving distance—but that's about where the similarities end.
Readers can find excerpts of her current and backlist books at www.julieleto.com/ or visit her both on Facebook and as @JulieLeto on Twitter.
Contact Information
Website: www.julieleto.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/readjulieleto
Twitter: www.twitter.com/julieleto
Blog: www.plotmonkeys.com
Copyright Information
eBook Copyright Bookgoddess, LLC, 2012
eBook Cover Art EarthlyCharms, 2012
All right reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is
a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Author.
Table of Contents
Main Menu
Start Reading
Afterword
Other Works by Julie Leto
Dare Me (Sexy Suspense)
Phantom Pleasures (Sexy Paranormal Romance)
Dirty Little Secrets (Sexy Suspense)
Another “Girl Most Likely to” Story
About the Author
Contact Information
Copyright Information
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Table of Contents
Main Menu
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Afterword
Other Works by Julie Leto Dare Me
Phantom Pleasures
Dirty Little Secrets
About the Author
Contact Information
Copyright Information
Table of Contents
