Wild

by Jill Sorenson

  She must have been tipsy, because she said, “Okay.”

  “Your sexual fantasies,” he insisted.

  “I get it.”

  He cleared his throat, hesitating a little. “Remember that these are from a fourteen-year-old’s brain.”

  She smothered a giggle, intrigued.

  “Wonder Woman appears in my room,” he said. “She can astrally project and arrive in spirit form, but usually she just flies in the window.”

  “How convenient.”

  He inclined his head. “Sometimes she needs help saving the world and I have the key or the secret code or whatever. Then she embraces me in gratitude and one thing leads to another. Other times she’s under a spell and the only way to break it is by having sex with me. Then there’s the basic horny-for-no-reason scenario.”

  “What does she do to you?”

  “Everything.”

  She laughed at his vague answer. “You don’t turn into a superhero?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know. The part I like is that she’s this extraordinary being with special powers, and she wants me.”

  “That is incredibly geeky,” she said.

  “I told you.”

  Suddenly it was her turn, but she didn’t want to play anymore. His fantasy was cute. What if he thought hers was weird or gross?

  “Go on,” he said. “I won’t judge.”

  “Of course you will.”

  “You could tell me you wanted to fuck an elephant, and I’d think it was hot.”

  She moistened her lips, nervous.

  “Is that it? You want to fuck an elephant?”

  “No!”

  “I’m teasing you. Spill it.”

  “I have one about being abducted by aliens.”

  “Female aliens?”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “They’re sort of unrecognizable monsters.”

  “Where do they take you?”

  “Into a lab where they do experiments.”

  “Sexual experiments?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you resist?”

  “I can’t, really. I’m restrained.”

  He didn’t appear disgusted by her strange fantasy. If anything, he seemed to be filing the information away for future reference.

  Good thing she was never going to sleep with him. She didn’t have to worry about him trying to do some wicked experiments on her, or tying her to an exam table, naked.

  Whew. Was it hot in here? She took off her jacket, forgetting that she was wearing only a thin tank top underneath. He must not have looked his fill earlier, because he perused her body again with interest.

  “You’re a lightweight,” he said.

  “I weigh quite a bit, actually.”

  “How drunk are you?”

  She held her forefinger and thumb about an inch apart. He used his fingers to widen that distance, making her laugh again. She couldn’t stop staring at him. He had a great smile, full of light and mischief. It made a pleasant contrast with his tanned complexion and the dark shadow of stubble on his jaw.

  “What happened to your mustache?” she asked.

  He stroked his upper lip. “Why, did you like it?”

  At the time, she’d found it silly and annoying, drawing too much attention to his mouth. But when she pictured it now, she felt a flutter of feminine curiosity. How would it feel against her throat, her breasts, her inner thighs?

  She tore her gaze away from him and examined the surface of the table, her cheeks hot. Someone had placed a sticker on the edge that advertised a local sports bar. It was popular with zoo employees, Josh included. They called quitting time “beer-thirty.”

  She couldn’t tell him that there was no future for them. If she wanted a casual affair, she wouldn’t have it with a coworker. He wasn’t boyfriend material, either. His favorite saying was hakuna matata: no worries. No responsibilities.

  “I can grow it back for you,” he offered. “I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’d do just about anything you asked me to.”

  She believed him—and she had to get out of here before she took him up on that offer. “I’m going to bed.”

  “Don’t trust yourself around me?”

  Instead of bantering with him, she pushed away from the table. She didn’t sway on her feet as she stood. Squaring her shoulders haughtily, she strode toward the ladies room. Five steps later, she realized it was too dark to see in there.

  So much for her grand exit.

  “Forget something?” he asked.

  “I need a flashlight.”

  “Take the lantern.”

  She picked it up and went down the hall. Inside the bathroom, she placed the lantern on the sink and studied her reflection in the broken shards of mirror. Her eyes were wide and her heart pounded with trepidation. She wasn’t standing tough; she was running scared.

  Josh appeared in the doorway.

  She whirled away from the sink. “What do you want?”

  “The same thing you do, I imagine,” he said, walking into an open stall.

  “What’s wrong with the men’s room?”

  “It’s damaged.”

  He didn’t bother to shut the door behind him. Gritting her teeth, she entered the last stall and locked it. His cheerful whistle and easy stream annoyed her. Even his pee sounded carefree. After she was finished, they returned to the staff room together. She grabbed a bottle of water and continued to the animal hospital. She couldn’t stop him from following her. There was only one place to sleep. Moving her cot would look cowardly, but she contemplated it anyway. She was too agitated to lie down.

  “You’re never going to go out with me, are you?” he asked.

  She set the lantern on the floor, stalling. Once again, she’d misjudged his ability to read between the lines. He hadn’t assumed everything would work out his way. He’d known she was putting him off to avoid confrontation.

  “You won’t take a chance on a real connection. After you break up with Mitch, you’ll date another guy just like him. Another robot in a man’s body.”

  “You don’t even know him.”

  “He’s a cold fish.”

  “He’s mature.”

  “I’ve seen you together. He doesn’t suit you.”

  “And you do?”

  He nodded, confident as ever. “You’re a cool customer. I like that about you, but you need someone hot-blooded to warm you up. That’s why it didn’t work out with Mitch. He’s not the right man for you. I am.”

  She shook her head in disbelief. “Your ego is off the charts.”

  “There’s something special between us.”

  “The only thing between us is physical attraction.”

  “Prove it.”

  “How?”

  “Go out with me.”

  “It’s not a good idea, Josh.”

  “Why?”

  “We work together.”

  “I’ll quit.”

  He was joking, as usual. There was no rule about fraternizing between employees. “You’re too young for me.”

  “I’m twenty-nine, Helena.”

  “Going on twenty-one.”

  “Bullshit,” he said, his eyes glinting with anger. “I was busting my ass in the navy when I was twenty-one. I spent my birthday working an eighteen-hour shift, so fuck you and your insulting misconceptions.”

  “You’re reckless,” she said, grasping at straws. “Life’s a big joke to you. You’ll probably hit your head surfing again and drown.”

  It was a terrible thing to say. She had no idea why she’d said it. She was a terrible person. A scared, small, terrible person.

  “You think I’m like your father,” he said softly.

  Her throat tightened with panic. She felt the falling sensation again, as if the floor had dropped out from under her feet. Her father had been loud, charismatic, playful. Larger than life. Josh was the same type of man, big and bold in his affections. She could picture him thr
owing baseballs all night to win a teddy bear for a little girl. The thought of loving someone like that again, and giving her heart without reservation, terrified her.

  “Has it ever occurred to you that you’re like him?” Josh asked.

  “Me?” she sputtered.

  “Elephants kill more keepers than any other zoo animal. You said it yourself.”

  “That was ten years ago, in the days of free contact.”

  “Before you started?”

  She didn’t answer. The park had been transitioning from free to protected contact the year she got hired. She’d had some close calls. Working with elephants was always risky. They could be incredibly difficult to manage.

  The difference between loving wild animals and loving wild people was simple. She took care of the animals from a safe distance, and never crossed the barrier between them. She also didn’t expect them to return her affections or stay by her side. They had to be free of human entanglements.

  Romantic relationships were more complicated.

  God help a woman who fell for a handsome charmer like Josh. His love would be as all-consuming as his kiss. And he’d leave her with nothing but that cold, empty place inside her.

  “You entered a deadly profession, and you love it,” he said.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “So what?”

  “I’m not reckless. I’m adventurous, and so are you. You’re making excuses not to go out with me because you’re afraid of the way I make you feel.”

  “I feel nothing!”

  He closed the distance between them, bracing his hand on the cage wall behind her. “Liar,” he said, directly to her face.

  Helena saw red. He thought he could crowd her space and insult her? He was lucky they were in a cage, not muck-filled stables. The fact that he was telling the truth didn’t matter. If she didn’t win this battle, he’d take everything. “I won’t go out with you,” she said, grabbing the front of his shirt. “I’ll never go out with you.”

  A muscle in his jaw flexed. He didn’t try to escape from her grasp.

  “But I will fuck you,” she said, her lips inches from his. “Just this once.”

  He put his hand on her throat, brushing his thumb over the hollow. Her pulse throbbed against his fingertips. “I don’t want to fuck you once. I want to fuck you over and over again, until the end of time.”

  “Too bad.”

  He was furious enough to say no. She could see it in his flared nostrils and tense mouth. “You’re going to regret this.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you won’t be able to walk when I’m done with you.”

  An illicit thrill raced down her spine. “Maybe I’ll chew you to pieces first.”

  “You can try.”

  She shut him up with a kiss, relishing the challenge.

  His response wasn’t gentle. Helena gasped as he shoved her back against the cage door, taking control. His tongue plunged inside her mouth, plundering her depths. He tasted like whiskey, hot and wild and desperate.

  She threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back with matching force. She wanted to devour him. Their mouths crushed together, tongues tangling, bodies slamming against perforated metal.

  It hurt. So good.

  His hands dove under the waistband of her pants, groping her bottom. The novelty panties didn’t cover much. He lifted her against his erection with a low groan. She sucked on his tongue and clutched at his hair, rubbing herself along his rigid length.

  He didn’t waste time warming her up. She was already on fire for him, her body screaming for relief. Breaking the kiss, he yanked off his shirt. She removed her tank top, baring her breasts. He cupped both in his big hands, rolling his thumbs over her taut nipples. Her eyes drifted shut and she shuddered, awash with sensation.

  He surprised her by dropping to his knees. In one swift motion, he tugged her pants and panties down her thighs. Then he put his open mouth to her. He kissed her sex with the same hunger and urgency as her mouth. He didn’t seem concerned about tenderness or technique. He just ate her avidly, for his own pleasure.

  She’d never felt anything like it.

  His tongue swept over her clit, warm and wet. She whimpered, widening her stance to encourage him. A little more. Right there. Please.

  He could have brought her off with a couple of well-placed licks, but he didn’t. In fact, he paused, placing a tender kiss on her throbbing clit. Then he slid two fingers inside her. In and out, watching her face.

  Oh, God.

  She braced her hands on the cage behind her, bracing herself. Trembling to come. Again, a flick of his tongue would send her over the edge. Paired with his thrusting fingers, she’d have a screaming orgasm. He didn’t let her.

  Removing his fingers, which were shiny with her moisture, he rubbed them over his lips. Then he rose and kissed her mouth again. His cock jutted at the front of his pants, creating an irresistible diversion. When she reached out and squeezed him through the soft fabric, he groaned. Two could play at teasing. Not content to be a passive partner, she sank to her knees and lowered his waistband.

  He didn’t protest as she wrapped her hand around the base of his shaft and swirled her tongue around him. She didn’t linger over soft licks or nibbling. Angling the tip into her mouth, she relaxed her throat and took him as deep as she could.

  “Fuck,” he panted, fisting his hand in her hair.

  She moaned and sucked harder, lost in the delicious act. She liked being on her knees, getting him off, reducing him to incoherency.

  He didn’t let her pleasure him for long. Withdrawing from her mouth, he gripped the base of his cock and brushed the slippery head over her parted lips. She flicked her tongue over him, welcoming his release. But he pulled away and brought her to her feet. Framing her face with his hand, he swept his thumb across her wet mouth.

  “You could have finished,” she said.

  “We just started.”

  She felt a flutter of trepidation. Maybe he was serious about using her hard. She couldn’t wait.

  He lifted her off her feet and carried her to the exam table, depositing her on the cool surface. Then he stripped her naked and proceeded to explore every inch of her body. She sat with her legs spread and her hands gripping the edge of the table, watching him. He penetrated her with his tongue and fingers, driving her crazy. She made desperate sounds of pleasure as he pinched her nipples and suckled her clit.

  He finally brought her to orgasm with a rough hand. Burying two fingers in her slippery sheathe, he alternated between thrusting deep and strumming her clit. She came in a hot rush, her hips bucking, a raw cry wrenching from her lips. He moved his slick fingers from her body to his, coating his penis with her moisture. She couldn’t believe how wet she was. He stroked fast, bracing his free hand on the surface of the table. With a strangled groan, he bent forward, spurting all over her splayed thighs and swollen sex.

  Whoa.

  He’d just given her the most intense orgasm of her life. She was still humming with sensation when he brought her a clean washcloth. Dampening the towel with bottled water, he wiped himself first. Then he took care of her.

  It was risky of him to come on her that way. Not as risky as coming inside her, but not exactly safe. She wasn’t complaining, though—she’d loved it. She was thrilled by his lack of inhibitions, titillated by his touch. He poured a bit of water directly from the bottle, splashing her tingling flesh. She shuddered at the cool trickle of liquid. She felt like a lush tropical flower.

  He took a drink from the bottle, contemplating her wet folds. “I’m not done with you.”

  She glanced down at the front of his pants. His penis looked heavy and full. She’d like to have it inside her.

  “I don’t have any condoms,” he said. “Do you?”

  “No.”

  “I guess we’ll have to be creative.”

  She drank a sip of water, rehydrating. “I’m ready.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ON
E

  JOSH WOKE TO the sound of Helena sneaking away.

  He lifted his head and squinted at her retreating form in the early morning light. She had a wool blanket wrapped around her nude body, exposing her pale shoulders. Tiptoeing across the floor, she gathered her belongings with one hand. The blanket fell down to her hips as she bent to pick up her zebra-striped panties. Then she slipped through the door, silent.

  Josh knew a walk of shame when he saw one. His stomach clenched with regret. Not because she had a boyfriend, though he wasn’t proud of that fact. His misgivings were more about her mental and emotional state. She’d been a little drunk last night. He’d challenged her to talk about her feelings when she was vulnerable. Instead of agreeing to a date, she’d offered sex. And he’d taken it, thinking with his dick instead of his brain.

  Fuck.

  She’d shared her body without reservations, letting him do anything he wanted. And he’d wanted quite a lot. He’d brought her off with his mouth and hands more than once. She’d returned the favor, sucking him dry. They’d both been voracious. She was the most responsive partner he’d ever had. But she’d also kept her heart guarded.

  He might not get another opportunity to win her over. He’d squandered his time screwing her senseless instead of appealing to her emotions. And in doing so, he’d proved that some of her criticisms were true.

  He had a weakness for beautiful women. His scruples about poaching were a joke. Basically, he was a horny bastard. That didn’t mean his feelings for her weren’t genuine. He just had to try harder to convince her that he was more than a good lay. He was a good man, and she could count on him.

  He tossed aside the blanket and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. Between the fence repair, the honey-badger attack and their late-night activities, he was sore. He swept his shirt off the floor and put on his boots, not bothering to lace them. Then he went in search of food, coffee and Helena.

  He found her in the ladies room. She was standing at the sink, splashing her face with bottled water.

  “Morning,” he said, walking into a stall.

  She didn’t respond.

  He used the facilities quickly and came out, trying to gauge her mood. Her nose was red, as if she’d been crying. He didn’t know what to say. He was sorry, but not that sorry. “How do you feel?”