by Anthology
He tensed at her words. And then she slipped down his body, cupped his balls, and sank her mouth over his hard, throbbing length.
He groaned. Cursed. She took her time, enjoying the taste of his salty skin, licking to the tip and then swirling around in teasing circles. His muscles locked, and her nails dug into his hard thighs. Finally, she opened her mouth wide and sucked, rubbing and stroking the underside of his cock, scraping her finger nails over the sensitive flesh of his balls, while her name rang like music in her ears.
He stiffened and grabbed her shoulders. She knew he was about to explode, but she refused to move. His excitement blended and melded with hers, and her juices flowed as she rubbed herself against his leg like a cat in heat, sucking harder, harder, and....
He exploded in her mouth. She swallowed him as he jerked helplessly under her touch and slowly eased her mouth off of his length. Sheer feminine power surged through her at his response, and in that moment she finally slew all her demons.
“What have you done to me?” he groaned.
She laughed, and resumed licking him. She stroked, rubbed, and caressed. In minutes, his cock was hard again. She fisted his powerful length, enjoying the texture of iron sheathed in silk. He lifted her in one quick movement, and settled her on her hands and knees. A tearing sound echoed.
“Rick, I, oh!”
He grasped her hips and entered her. She moaned and pushed back into his hands as he rubbed her ass. Slow, delicious strokes filled her, driving her higher and higher. Her breasts hung down free, and he played with them as he thrust in and out of her. The erotic abandon pumped through her body, tightening her muscles as she neared orgasm. She circled her hips, searching for it, but he only laughed and kept his strokes shallow enough to tease but not get her off.
His hands pinched her nipples. Slid down her belly, and found the tight nub of her clit. He rubbed, using her juices to coat it, and tapped hard with his fingers. Sharp pleasure grabbed, attacked, and threw her over. She cried out his name and ecstasy shot in waves over her. He came again, and collapsed on top of her in the bed, their limbs entangled. Her heart squeezed with a mingle of raw emotions. Tears pricked her eyes as she held him close and wished dawn had never come.
His lips traveled over her soft skin. The heady scent of sex and musk and strawberries hung heavily in the air. He stroked her lush breasts, her silky hair, the curve of her buttocks. The red digits on the clock flashed with alarming rapidness.
He wasn’t ready to let her go.
He closed his eyes and reached for courage. His one-night stand had become much more. He wanted the chance to date her. Cook her dinner. Make love to her in the daytime. Wash her in the shower.
Would she give him the opportunity?
Since Rebecca, he’d never had a soul connection to another woman like he’d found in a single evening with Tara. He also knew in his gut she was different. He knew by experience, his ex-fiancée had always been selfish in her core. Tara held the soul of a giver, and a man would be safe offering his trust.
So, he ripped down the last barriers of his heart and uttered the words. “Stay with me.”
She stiffened and sat up. Her curls tumbled wildly around her face. Blue eyes held a mixture of emotions at his words. Fear. Hope. Joy. Resolve. “What do you mean?” she asked. “The contract specifically states by dawn we need to walk away.”
“Let’s change the contract.” He reached to take her hand. “Remember when we spoke about not getting caught? It’s too late for me. I know it’s crazy, that we’ve only been together one night. But you caught me. I want to see where this can lead. I want to see you again.”
She flinched. He fought uneasiness at her reaction and waited. It was time to push out of his comfort zone. This woman would walk away if he didn’t try and fight for her. And by God, he would give it his all before he surrendered.
Her voice broke. “I can’t.”
His gaze dared her to speak the truth. “Why? You’re attracted to me. We formed a connection last night. There’s no reason not to take this further.”
Suddenly, he knew. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at him, all the naked emotion and vulnerability and fear on display. “I’m not ready. What you gave me tonight...the things you made me feel...I don’t think another man will ever come close. But I made myself a promise. I’m not ready to commit to someone else yet. You gave me back my body, my mind, my freedom. You changed my life.”
She closed her eyes and one tear leaked down her cheek. When she opened them, a hard resolve glimmered and shattered his heart. “But I’m too afraid. Afraid I’m not ready for a relationship. Afraid I’m not strong enough not to stand on my own. I need time. I need to find my own way.”
He looked at the woman before him and realized he’d fallen in love with her.
She was stronger than anyone he’d ever met. Sexy as hell, sweet as sugar, and not ready to give him everything. Emptiness poured into the spaces of his soul and threatened to stay. But damn, he needed to let her go, needed to give her the time to realize what he did. She had already found her own path. She just needed to trust herself again.
If he didn’t leave, he’d overpower her. Make her have so many orgasms she’d beg him to stay. Force her to accept they were meant to be together, and then she’d always wonder. So, he shoved his need and want to the depths of darkness and locked it tight, bent his head and kissed her. Her sweetness swam in his head and he breathed in her scent one last time. Then rose from the bed and dressed.
“Thank you, Tara Denton.” He paused at the door. “Thank you for giving me the best night of my life.”
He opened the door and left.
Epilogue
Tara rolled her neck in circles and tried to ease the tension from her muscles. She groaned and closed the journal in front of her, pushing her calculator aside. Between school and working more hours at the Castillo Resort, she had a serious case of tired eyes. It may be time to invest in some reading glasses. Getting up from the chair, she stretched her arms overhead.
Now, she’d be able to afford them. Satisfaction thrummed through her veins. Her work had caught the eye of Jackson Castillo, and he’d offered her a full time job, including benefits. She switched to finishing her bachelor’s degree online, which saved her commuting time, and gave her the opportunity to graduate faster. Everything she worked for finally clicked into place. She was finally happy. And almost complete.
Almost.
His face flickered in her vision, never far from her mind. Three months. She dreamed of him every night, and woke up with a fierce need wracking her body. How many times had she picked up the phone to call him? How many times had she walked through the casino, hoping to catch a quick glimpse of him, knowing if she did, she’d never be able to walk away again?
She refused to do that to him. He was probably with a woman now. She pictured him kissing her, caressing her, giving her orgasms that shimmered with ecstasy. She imagined his wicked laugh, the grin on his face as he touched her, the tender way he stroked her wounds.
She swallowed back the pain and straightened her back. It had been her decision. She had needed the time to realize she was strong enough. Funny, she’d finally been convinced that giving herself to another man wouldn’t change who she was. She’d grown up, grown strong, and stood on her own two feet. But now it was too late.
Too late to let him catch her.
She pushed away the sadness and opened the door.
“Hello, Tara.”
She blinked. Then gasped as the figment of her imagination walked into her office and stood before her. Immediately, her body softened and trembled, the intense waves of sexual energy whipping around her. God, he was gorgeous. She soaked up his figure with greed. His long blonde locks tumbled over his brow, framing glittering green-gold eyes. He wore his usual uniform of black shirt and pants, his muscles evident under the thin fabric. She remembered how he’d lifted her that night like she weighed nothing, sprawling her over his th
ighs as he rocked inside of her and....
Hot color flooded her cheeks. His lush lower lip curved upward, as if he knew her naughty thoughts. She squeezed her fingers into tight fists and fought for composure. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion. I ran into Jackson and he told me how well you were doing. Working full time now?”
The casual, polite conversation cut deep. She breathed around the pain, and ached to touch him. She dug her nails into her palms to keep still. “Thank you. Yes, I’m very excited about it.”
“Still in school?”
He paced the small office with deliberate steps, glancing around. Stacks of papers in folders were piled on the desk, all neatly labeled and categorized. Her space was tiny, with only a desk, a few pictures on the wall, filing cabinets and a water cooler. But it was comfortable and clean and she loved every inch of it.
She watched the tight swing of his ass as he moved then bit her lip hard to keep back a moan. “Um, yes. Taking classes online now, which gives me more time.”
“Sounds like a great plan. And the shelter?”
He walked to the water cooler and grabbed a paper cup. She swallowed hard and watched his lips close over the edge as he drank. An image of his lips sucking her nipple blasted her concentration. Heat coursed through her. “Huh? Oh, the shelter. I volunteer on weekends.”
He smiled. Her heart sputtered. “That’s good news. I’m glad you’re doing well.”
Irritation prickled her nerve endings. “Is that why you’re here? To check up on me? Make sure I haven’t fallen apart?”
“Nope. I knew you’d do fine. It’s just that time is finally up.”
She blinked. “What time?”
He grinned, a wicked, bad ass grin that curled her toes and promised all sorts of delights. “Your three months. I figured it would be long enough to convince you.”
“Convince me to do what?”
“To let me catch you, Tara.” He closed the distance between them and reached for her. The sizzling heat of his skin filled her up, made her dizzy, and she clung to him as he towered over her. His breath hit her lips and she moaned. “I wanted to give you time to realize you’re strong enough to handle me, or any man. I want to court you, make love to you, learn all your secrets. I want to know your favorite color and food, the shampoo you use, and what side of the bed you prefer to sleep on at night. I want to support you in every way, watch you graduate, and stand beside you while you fly. And then I’ll be right there to welcome you back. Do you get it now?”
Oh, yeah, she got it. Rick Steele had given her a gift more priceless than diamonds. Time. She choked on a sob and flung her arms around his neck. And kissed him.
His taste swamped her. She thrust her tongue against his, greedy for everything he had, and he held her tight as he gave it all back. “I missed you so much,” she murmured against his lips. She stroked his face, his brow, scattering kisses over him as her heart exploded.
“Missed you too, baby.”
“Thank you for giving me what I needed.”
“Welcome. Now let’s get out of here.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the door.
She laughed. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to do a little catching up. And I have some very wicked plans.”
She followed him out the door and realized he’d caught her heart the moment he’d laid eyes on her in the club. She gave a mental thank you to Madame Eve and went home with the man she loved.
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.
She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons, one 4 and one 6, keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.
She is thrilled to contribute to the 1Night Stand series with her Steele Brothers stories, Catch Me, Play Me, and Dare Me. All of her books are available at her website or Amazon.
You can visit Jennifer at:
http://www.jenniferprobst.com
The Virgin and the Playboy
A 1 Night Stand Story
By
Kate Richards
Also by Kate Richards
One Night on the Beach
Avalon for Christmas
The Virgin and the Playboy
The Virgin and the Best Man
Two Men and a Virgin
Gale Force Passion
Trail of Hearts
Madame Eve’s Gift
Two Men
Virgin Underground
Two Dads for Christmas
The Milkman Cometh
~DEDICATION~
Thanks to Valerie Mann and Olivia Starke, co-developers of this idea, and great and loyal friends.
Chapter One
Julia drew a deep breath and looked around the lobby. This was not only her first trip to Las Vegas, it was going to be her first time—well, her first time. She had managed to make it all the way through college without losing her virginity, and she was sick to death of waiting around for that perfect guy, that prince charming, to give her innocence to as though it were a wrapped present. Finally time to join the rest of the world and take advantage of the sexual revolution. Her heart threatening to hammer its way out of her chest, she clutched the strap of her overnight bag with a sweaty palm and headed toward the registration desk.
Finding 1NightStand online had been like a dream come true. She could fly to Las Vegas, spend one night with a complete stranger, lose that troublesome membrane and come back caught up with everyone else. Ready to have ordinary dates and hop from bed to bed at will, as all her girlfriends seemed to do. Decision made, she contacted Madame Evangeline and provided the required information and her American Express card number. All the arrangements were made. Julia Hooper, virgin at large, was about to give up what had become most inconvenient and embarrassing—her hymen.
***
In the room only fifteen minutes, Mark had already paced back and forth so many times he could see a pattern of his steps in the freshly vacuumed carpet. He couldn’t even believe he was here, about to spend the night with a woman he’d never met. What if she was a dog? Okay, that sounded bad, but still…
His buddies had been merciless in their insistence he try out 1NightStand. It was his own fault—his bragging about dating a different woman every week was probably over the top. When he didn’t want to sign up, the guys dared him. He hadn’t ever been able to refuse a challenge, and they all knew it, damn them. But he figured once the beer wore off, they would see how ridiculous the whole idea was and let him off the hook.
Not.
If anything, they were more persistent the next day, excited and planning the whole thing. He could barely stop them from coming to Las Vegas with him. Finally, his oath to cancel the whole thing had made them back off and promise to wait back in Los Angeles for his return.
After some more persuading from the guys, he’d decided to go ahead and meet the girl. If she looked like Frankenstein, he would just have to make the best of it and try not to gag. He faced a lot of pressure being the playboy in the group, the single dude who dated all the hot women. Those guys hung on his stories, and he liked seeing the envy in their eyes. It wasn’t his fault they'd all let themselves get tied down. Although he was fond of their wives—lovely, sweet women who fed him home-cooked meals and tried to set him up with their friends—he couldn’t imagine picking only one woman from the hundreds crowding the clubs. At least not for longer than a week or two.
So, with his usual strut, he’d boarded the plane and wound up in a luxury hotel room on the penthouse floor of a Las Vegas casino. Pacing back and forth, he stared at the door. Any minute now, she would be here. Dear God, what had he been
thinking?
***
Julia approached the desk and waited while the desk clerk finished checking in an older couple wearing matching Hawaiian shirts.
“May I help you?”
She scanned the young man’s face—was he aware of the nature of her visit?
“Yes, I need Sam Adams’s room number please.” Julia’s voice cracked, her nerves raw.
“Oh, you must be Miss Ross? Betsy Ross?” He looked down at his monitor, and back up at her, his expression pleasant, non-judgmental, she decided. “Mr. Adams is expecting you in Penthouse 4.”
Why had the first flag maker’s name seemed like a good pseudonym to give for the check-in? Her cheeks flooded with heat. That’s what she got for watching Notting Hill the night she made the reservation. Using a famous historical figure’s name for anonymity, as Julia Roberts had in the film, had sounded dramatic and fun…and apparently her date had felt the same. What had Madame Eve said his name really was? Oh, right. Mark.
“Thank you.” She accepted the card key the clerk handed her and turned to look for the bank of elevators. She saw one way at the other end of the casino and another set nearer to where she stood. Which one?
A tall man passing by stopped beside her, smiling. “Are you lost?”
“I’m afraid I am,” she said, her cheeks flushing under his dark-eyed regard. Was this good-looking guy her date? It would be too good to be true.
“I’m with the hotel,” he said, his pleasant expression giving nothing away. “What can we do to make your stay more enjoyable?”
“Direct me to the penthouse elevator?”
He took her arm and turned her to face the closer set of elevators. “Right over there. You’ll need to use your card key to get to the penthouse floor.”
“Thanks,” she began, but he had already given her arm a little squeeze and turned away. Wow, if all the men at the hotel looked like him, she might go there again, just for the view. She watched him walk away, stopping to chat with several other patrons as he went. That was no hotel uniform he was wearing. It was tailored to fit his very cute rear end, and she stared until he went around a corner and disappeared from view. The elevators were past a row of slot machines, and she paused to put a dollar in one, for luck. She pushed the button and came up with three sevens. Fifty dollars! That was more than she had bargained for. She tucked the printed-out winning slip in her purse and faced the elevator just a few feet away.
