“You’ve really done it this time, Alpha. The only reason Eddie called you was because I talked to him that day and told him you would love hearing from him.”
Alpha drew in a deep breath upon hearing her father’s voice. “You had no right to tell him Omega and I weren’t speaking when you know that is not true, Dad. Things are over between Eddie and me. Why can’t you accept that?”
“He’d take you back if you got your act together and did what he’s asking. You shouldn’t let your sister come between you and the man you love.”
Alpha gritted her teeth, trying to hold back from telling her father just how wrong and unfair he was, and had always been, to his other child.
“I’ll let you go so you can think about it, Al.” She then heard a click in her ear. She shook her head. Not for the first time, her father had hung up on her.
Her phone rang. And not for the first time he would call her right back to give her more of an earful, but she had news for him. She clicked on the phone. “Listen, Dad. No matter what you want, Eddie and I are not getting back together. I’m seeing someone else now, and he’s more of a man than Eddie will ever be.”
There was a moment of silence and then a deep, husky voice said, “I’m glad you think so.”
Alpha closed her eyes. Ah, hell.
“Alpha?”
She had gotten quiet on him, Riley thought. He didn’t know what had prompted her to pick up the phone and say what she had, but evidently she and her father had been having quite an interesting conversation before he’d called. And evidently her father was a huge supporter of her ex-fiancé.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay?” he asked with concern in his voice.
“Yes. Sorry about that. I thought you were my father calling back.”
“I see.” He waited to see if she would expound on that. Instead, she changed the subject by saying, “I’m surprised you called. I hadn’t expected to hear from you until the weekend.”
“Yes, that had been my plan but something has come up. I’ll be leaving town on Thursday for Memphis and won’t be back until Sunday.”
“Oh.”
Was that disappointment he heard in her voice? “I was calling to let you know and to see if you wanted to go to Memphis with me.”
There was a pause and then, “You want me to go out of town with you?”
“Yes. I have a meeting Friday morning and will be attending a social event Saturday night. I’d like you to be there with me. However, if you can’t clear your calendar on such short notice, I understand.”
“No, I’d love to go.”
Riley released a breath he’d just realized he’d been holding. “That’s great. We’ll fly out around noon on Thursday. Have you ever been to Memphis before?”
“No.”
“Then I’m going to enjoy showing you around. I’ve been there a number of times.”
“Sounds like fun. I look forward to going.”
There was another reason he had called. One that had concerned him since leaving her. “Are you okay? When I left you this morning you were quite sore.” He, of all people, had been aware of the intensity of their lovemaking, but it was as if they hadn’t been able to get enough of each other.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Good.” For some reason, he wasn’t ready to end the call yet. “So what did you do today?”
He listened as she talked, liking the way she sounded. He had come home, showered and was sitting in his living room on the sofa with his legs stretched out in front of him, alone in the dark, talking to her. He had stopped by his brother Jason’s place for dinner, and had enjoyed the time he spent with Jason’s wife, Bella, and the twins.
“I’m glad you were able to take a long nap,” he said, wishing he could have been there to take the nap with her. He had ended up leaving the office earlier than usual to go to the gym. It had taken a good workout to get his adrenaline flowing again. And talking to her now was a definite boost. There was nothing else he’d rather be doing. Monday Night Football couldn’t even compete.
They talked for a while longer, and she did sneak in information about the favors she’d come across that she thought would be perfect for the party. They continued talking about some of everything, including which NFL team they thought would make it to the Super Bowl.
All too soon he glanced at the clock on the table and saw it was after midnight. “Sorry,” he said, standing to stretch.
“What are you apologizing for?”
“For the third night straight I’ve kept you up late.” He was certain he didn’t have to remind her of what they’d been doing those other two nights around this time.
“No apology needed, Riley.”
He liked the way she’d said his name just now. He liked it even better when she screamed it in the middle of an orgasm. And she’d done that a lot over the weekend. “Well, I’m not going to keep you. I enjoyed talking to you tonight. And I’m looking forward to our trip to Memphis.”
“I enjoyed talking to you as well and can’t wait until we leave on Thursday.”
By the time he had ended the call, Riley knew the one thing was happening that he hadn’t intended to happen.
Alpha Blake was getting under his skin.
Twelve
“Welcome to the Peabody, Mr. and Mrs. Westmoreland.”
Alpha tried to keep a straight face when she heard the hotel clerk’s erroneous assumption. She glanced over at Riley, who was standing beside her, and wondered if he would correct the man. He didn’t. Instead, he smiled and winked at her.
“Thank you,” he said, accepting the passkey.
“I hope your stay here is a great one,” the man added.
“I’m sure that it will be.”
Taking Alpha’s hand in his, Riley led her to the bank of elevators. As they waited, he leaned in close and whispered, “He made an honest mistake.”
She nodded, not saying anything because she didn’t see how the man could have made that mistake when neither she nor Riley had rings on their fingers. When the elevator arrived, they stepped inside along with several others. Every aspect of the hotel was gorgeous, even right down to the spacious and elegantly designed elevator car. She tried concentrating on the small television screen mounted above the door. Everyone’s attention was glued to the commentary. Everyone’s except hers and Riley’s.
Their attention was on each other and had been since he’d picked her up to take her to the airport. He’d carried her luggage out to his truck, but not before kissing her in a way that had made her panties wet.
Now, the elevator stopped on the fifth floor and she moved aside to let a couple off. She immediately felt the warm rush of blood that flowed through her veins when Riley placed his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his side.
When the elevator reached their floor, he led her out. Holding her hand, he walked beside her down the beautifully decorated corridor to their room. Although there hadn’t been a discussion about it, she and Riley would be sharing a room. She hadn’t thought of staying anywhere else.
They came to a stop and Riley let go of her hand to open the door. With an efficiency she wasn’t surprised he had, he opened the door and then stood aside for her to enter.
She walked into the room and looked around. It was a beautiful suite, almost as large as her home. She was about to tell Riley just how beautiful the room was when strong arms encircled her waist and turned her around.
The eyes staring down at her were so full of need and desire that it sent a sensuous shudder through her. It didn’t take much to recall all they’d done the last time they were together. A replay of those vivid erotic images had done a number on her mind all week.
“I missed you this week,” he said huskily.
She couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. It was nice knowing she was missed. She had definitely missed him, as well. “You know where I live,” she said teasingly.
He chuckled softly. “Ye
s, and trust me, not paying you a visit was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But your body needed a time-out. It had quite a workout last weekend.”
“Now that’s an understatement,” she said, her smile widening.
He didn’t say anything and she could have sworn she saw a guarded look in his eyes, but then he leaned in closer and asked, “Have I told you how much I like you?”
“No, I don’t believe you have.”
“Well, let me go on record by saying, I like you, Alpha Blake. Probably more so than I should.”
She was about to ask what he meant by that when he quickly said, “Come on, we need to get out of this room. Let’s do dinner and then a night of blues on Beale Street.”
* * *
A few hours later, while walking down Beale Street, Riley couldn’t help glancing over at the woman walking beside him, the woman whose hand was firmly held in his. When was the last time he and any woman had walked down a street holding hands?
Never.
So why was he doing so now? Sex with no commitment was just what it sounded like. No strings attached. No reason to lie and promise the moon, the stars or the sky. And no drama, since he’d laid out the rules. Why weren’t they up in the hotel room making out since that’s all their relationship was supposed to be?
He drew in a deep breath. And when was the last time he’d gone barhopping? Yet here he was, strolling down Beale Street, going from club to club, bar to bar, while holding hands with a woman he’d confessed to liking.
But what really riled him up was that he’d gotten angry when he’d seen a couple of guys checking her out at one of the clubs. He would be the first to admit she looked damn good in her jeans, but still. Why had he gotten jealous? It wasn’t as if he had a serious relationship going on with Alpha. She was merely his sex partner for six weeks.
“This place is wonderful,” she said, breaking into his thoughts. Excitement and gaiety shone in her eyes. “I’ve really never appreciated the blues until now. Thanks.”
His hand tightened around hers. “I should be thanking you. If you weren’t here I would be up in my hotel room on my laptop getting a start on next week’s work. You’ve turned what probably would have been a boring trip into a fun one.”
She threw her head back and laughed before arching a perfect brow. “Truly you don’t want me to believe that Riley Westmoreland would not have had fun without me?”
Yes, he wanted her to believe it because it was true. Yes, he would have had some degree of fun, but not like this. They had enjoyed some fabulous foods, had taken over the dance floor a few times and he’d even talked her into karaoke, a Billie Holiday number.
He stopped walking, reached out and lifted her chin with his fingertip. “I never say anything I don’t mean, Alpha, and this is the most fun I’ve ever had with any woman.”
She slid her hand up over his chest. “I’m glad.”
He was tempted to kiss her but held back. There would be plenty of time for kisses when he got her back to their hotel room. Tightening her hand in his once more, he began walking again.
He glanced over at her. “So what are your plans tomorrow while I’m in my meetings?”
She leaned up on tiptoe, nuzzled her nose in the side of his face and whispered, “Depends on how well you wear me out tonight. If I’m up to it, I plan to go shopping. Christmas is next month, you know.”
Yes, he knew, and they would have ended their affair by then. “You got a lot of people to buy for?” he asked.
“Umm, just the usual.”
She was being evasive again. “You plan on going home for Christmas or staying in Denver?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“Does your family get together for the holidays?” he asked her, holding tight to her hand and looking both ways before they crossed the street.
“No, not everyone.” Then, as if she wanted to get a question of her own in, she quickly asked, “What about with your family? Will everyone be home for Christmas?”
“This Christmas, yes, mainly because of the holiday party, with it being the fortieth anniversary and all. I believe our parents, aunt and uncle would have wanted us all together, celebrating something that major. Bane won’t be able to make it since he’s on assignment someplace, but Gemma and her family are coming from Australia.”
“Sounds like the Westmorelands will be having a fun time. And as the event planner for the holiday party, I intend to make it a night to remember.” She smiled over at him.
He returned her smile. “I believe it.” And he did. On the plane, she had gone over her decorating ideas with him and he could tell she was a person who was on top of every single detail.
“So what about it?”
He blinked, aware that Alpha had asked him something. “Sorry, what did you say?”
She smiled and the warmth of that smile filled him with something he couldn’t name. She leaned closer to him. “I suggested that we call it a night and head back to our hotel. Are you okay with that?”
Instead of answering her, he stepped off the sidewalk and pulled her into the shadows where two buildings connected. They could still partially be seen but he didn’t care. He pulled her body to his, lowered his mouth and kissed her—long, hard and deep, tangling his tongue with hers.
Moments later, he released her mouth and pressed his forehead to hers. “Did you get the answer you wanted just now?” he asked slowly, trying to catch his breath.
He felt the curve of her smile against his lips. “Most definitely.”
* * *
There was no doubt in Alpha’s mind, as she watched a naked Riley stride out of the bathroom, that he was what any woman would consider a hottie of mega proportions. And speaking of proportions… Her gaze lowered to his middle. He was aroused and had already sheathed his thick erection in a condom. Her gaze stayed glued to that part of him as he approached the bed.
He caressed the side of her face with his finger.
“Why are you staring at me like that? You don’t think what I’m packing is real?”
She looked up at him. “Oh, I know it’s real. I’m just wondering how it tastes.”
She saw the flash of intense desire fill his eyes, making them dark orbs of heated lust and her heart started racing wildly. She’d never been so bold with a man before. It was almost unbelievable how comfortable she felt with Riley, to the point where she would say just about anything.
He held her gaze and then said in a low tone, “Then I guess I’ll let you find out.”
He moved his hand from her face, and she watched as he slowly, methodically, removed the condom and dropped it in the wastepaper basket near the bed. He then looked at her. “Now what do you want me to do?” he asked.
She scooted over in the huge bed and patted a spot. “I want you here. On your back.”
The bed dipped beneath his weight as he joined her, lying flat on his back as she’d instructed. She then eased between his thighs, lifting them up so his knees braced both sides of her head. On her knees, she smiled down at him. “I’m sure there’s a name for this position already, right?”
He swallowed deeply before nodding. “Heels Over Head.”
Alpha nodded. “Sounds appropriate.” She then eased her head down to his aroused shaft. He was huge. Gigantic. And the veins running along the engorged head were so easily visible that she swore she could see the blood rushing through them.
She touched him and appreciated the solid weight she held in her hand. He was so large it took both hands to hold him—definitely a handful—and she figured that he would be a mouthful, as well. She was about to find out.
Alpha opened her mouth over the head of his penis and her tongue swiped across it before fully taking him in. And once her lips locked down on him, she went to work, licking every inch of him, loving his taste. His masculine moans of sexual gratification made her feel totally feminine.
He gripped several locks of her hair but she felt no pain, only pleasure. He had
a unique way of educating her and satisfying her needs at the same time. Describing what he would be doing to her in vivid detail was just as arousing as him actually doing it.
That was one of the reasons she wanted to make this special for him. He probably could tell she was a novice, but hopefully he would see that at least her heart was in it. And the thought that his heavy shaft was fully lodged in her mouth was a total turn-on for her. From the sounds he was making, he apparently liked everything she was doing. Encouraged by his response, she closed her eyes and turned up the heat, intent on satisfying her man.
Her man?
Where had that thought come from? But instead of dismissing it totally, she accepted that for all of six weeks, he would be her man. And then on the night of the holiday party, her fantasy fling would come to an end.
“Alpha…”
Her name, growled from deep within his throat, filled her with intense desire. She knew every long lick of her tongue, and the deep suction she was applying, was sending him over the edge just the way she wanted.
She opened her eyes when she felt a hard tug on her hair, as he tried to get her mouth off him, but she held tight. He finally gave up and let go. She tasted the essence of him as he filled her mouth.
Moments later she released him and before she could say how tasty he was, he rolled over, pulled her down to her stomach and straddled her back. With his legs tucked between hers, he lifted her hips. In one smooth thrust, he entered her, going as deep as he could. He then leaned down close and whispered against the back of her neck, “This is called Inside Out.”
She soon found out why when he began thrusting in and out of her hard, extending as far as her womb and then back again. She felt him in every stroke, and it was only then that she realized he wasn’t wearing a condom.
“Riley, the condom!”
He went still. But she didn’t. At least not on the inside where her muscles continued to clench him, milking him hard. His deep growl sent sensations through her pelvis, electrifying her spine. She expected him to pull out immediately but instead he leaned down so close that she felt his heated breath against her ear. “Please tell me you’re on the pill or something, baby.”
One Winter's Night Page 12
