Daring Her Love Read online

  If I do this, I’ll regret it seven seconds after we’re done.

  He leaned back just enough for his face to come into focus, and her resolve slipped away like silk off skin.

  “Or,” he said, his gaze penetrating and controlling, “I can be gentle, tender, and make it last all night.”

  Yes, please.

  Kat needed to get ahold of herself. “Awfully confident for a guy who’s only said a handful of words to me.”

  A coy, smoky smile curved his lips, bringing as much heat as his hand tightening around her thigh. “I’m a man who knows what I want, and I know how to pleasure a woman. And you”—he lifted his hand from her leg, leaving a wanting ache low in her belly, as he traced the edge of her jaw with his finger—“look like someone I once knew, which makes me a little bawdy.”

  She didn’t know what to make of that comment, but his gaze was too distracting for her to think. His brows knitted together, and even the amber rims of his eyes seemed to darken. God he was beautiful, in an unforgettable kind of way. Kat swallowed past the lust threatening to drown her, and forced words from her lungs.

  “Excuse me for a moment. I need”—room to breathe—“to visit the ladies’ room.”

  “Of course.” His hand sank to her thigh again, then dragged down to her knee as he sat back casually, as if he hadn’t just set her world on fire.

  Kat stood on legs way too wobbly, and as she shimmied her dress down her thighs, he rose beside her. The perfect gentleman. Oh, he is good. Why had she thought it was a smart idea to wear the slinky dress Brianna had sent her? She should have worn jeans or sweats. Something that wouldn’t have gotten her into this position. And why was he standing so close, sending incendiary thoughts about what he’d feel like lying above her, with those muscular thighs pressing down on her?

  “Don’t get lost now,” he said as she took a step away.

  She felt his eyes on her as she walked down a long, dimly lit hallway to the ladies’ room and fumbled for her cell phone. She called Brianna, silently hoping Brianna would tell her to run.

  “Hey, did you get on a flight?” Brianna asked.

  “I’m about to get on something if you don’t stop me,” she said, nearly breathless.

  “What? Kat, are you okay?”

  “No. Yes. Fuck. Bree, I don’t know.” She paced the bathroom floor, her heels echoing off the tile.

  “Okay, slow down. What’s going on? It’s okay if you can’t get a flight. Hugh has a friend coming out from Virginia at some point. I’m not sure when because of the storm, but he can probably come save you from whatever’s going on.”

  “Save me? Yeah, that’d be great if he can get here in the next thirty seconds, because I’m flirting with danger, and danger has never looked so good.”

  Brianna laughed. “Wait. Are we talking about a guy? You’re at an airport—remember, Kat?”

  “No shit. The old Kat is rearing her ugly head. I need reinforcements. It’s been a year, Bree. A year since I’ve felt this turned on, but I know I shouldn’t even consider this—”

  “I’m not sure which this you’re talking about, but if you feel that turned on, go for it.”

  She pictured Brianna’s thinly manicured brows arching with mischief, and she shook the image away. “Who are you? Please put my best friend on the phone, because she’d never tell me to get it on with a guy in an airport.”

  “Kat, when I met Hugh, you pushed me past my comfort zone, remember? You told me to live a little. You’ve been good for so long, and you haven’t met Mr. Right yet. What if it takes another ten years? I’ve learned a lot being your friend, and I say, take your own advice. Go for it. Just this once, then move on.”

  She considered that, eyeing herself in the mirror. Could she be the old Kat for a night and be the new Kat tomorrow? She pushed her blond hair off one shoulder and admired the way her dress clung to her narrow hips and waist, accentuating her breasts. She imagined Eric’s hands on her, and her insides shuddered. Shuddered! It had been way too long. “He is delicious, Bree. Like he walked off Hollywood Boulevard and right into the airport. But I don’t know.”

  “Does he seem safe?”

  “Not by sexual standards. Not by a long shot.” Goose bumps chased up her limbs at the thought of being bad, very, very bad.

  “If you don’t do it, will you make me crazy wishing you had?”

  “Yeah, probably.” Brianna knew her so well.

  “Do him and forget him. You’ll be here by tomorrow and he’ll be wherever he’s going, and you can go right back to finding the right guy. And you won’t drive me crazy.”

  Kat sighed. “Bree, you’re the best friend ever. But this change has been good for me. I like who I’ve become over the past year, and I don’t want to go back to being less discerning.”

  “Oh please. You’ve always liked who you were, and so has everyone else. Please tell me what you need from me, because my incredibly sexy husband is waiting for me in the bedroom. We finally got Christian to sleep, and now Mama wants to play.” Bree had worked so hard, and given up so much, to raise Layla. Knowing she now had a baby boy, too, and a husband who adored her, delighted Kat—and made her long for the same.

  “I wanted you to talk me out of it,” Kat admitted.

  “Okay. Don’t do it. He’s wrong for you. He’s a player. He’s…Wait. I don’t even know him.”

  “Bree!”

  “Okay, okay. Don’t do it. He probably has a disease, or he’s a freak, or he—”

  Kat laughed. “Stop. It’s not working. I still want him.”

  “You’re impossible.” Bree giggled, and Kat heard the low murmur of Hugh’s voice. Jealousy slithered through her. Talk about luck. Hugh looked like Patrick Dempsey and practically defined romance. Kat used to make fun of the twelve-year abstinence plan Bree had sworn to for the sake of her daughter. After all, how many women in their midtwenties gave up sex and dating? But it had paid off for her threefold. She was so in love with her husband that it had driven Kat to reevaluate her own lifestyle and choices. Being more discerning with men hadn’t brought her Mr. Right yet, but that didn’t mean she was giving up.

  Kat ended the call with Bree and took another look in the mirror. Inhaling a deep breath, she was still unsure of what she was going to do. Who knew how long it would be before she caught a flight, and she already had a nice little buzz going. Maybe she should just enjoy the chase and not satisfy the throbbing ache between her legs.

  She shoved her phone back in her purse on the way out of the ladies’ room, stopping cold at the sight of the tall, dark, and infinitely sensual man stepping into her personal space and squashing any hesitations she might have had.

  THE HALLWAY WAS dark, Kat was hot, and although Eric hadn’t been looking to get laid tonight, that had changed the minute he’d first spotted Kat across the bar. Something in the tilt of her head, the way her honey-blond hair fell in front of her eyes, reminded him of a girl whom he’d tucked away in his memory long ago but hadn’t ever been able to forget. A bright light in his otherwise dark past. He’d been unable to look away, riveted by the haunting familiarity and her striking beauty. And now, as he stepped in closer, settling his hands on her supple curves, he saw that up close she was even more riveting.

  There was no denying the heated look in her eyes she was desperately trying to ignore, or the heat pulsing between them as he tightened his grip on her hips and breathed in her feminine scent.

  “What…?” She narrowed her gorgeous blue eyes, and it was there, in her eyes, where he felt himself getting lost.

  “Not what, darlin’.” He pulled her against him, pressing his hard length against her hips, as he did what he’d been aching to do since he’d sat down beside her. He slid a hand to the nape of her neck. Her skin was just as smooth as he’d imagined. Her reaction, a quick inhalation, the pulse point in her neck vibrating, was exactly what he’d counted on. “Where.”

  He gauged her reaction carefully, not wanting to scare her off. J
udging by the sensual vibes radiating from her, he knew that would be hard to do. Her lips parted as he lowered his mouth to hers, hovering a breath away.

  “Tell me no, and I’ll walk away.” He searched her eyes, and as a sweet sigh of surrender left her lips, he nearly took his cue and slanted his lips over hers. But Eric had too much at stake to go into this blindly. Consent went a long way in keeping his wallet away from money-hungry vultures. Most women didn’t follow the Capital Series Grand Prix races, but those who did would see him with dollar signs in their eyes. “Words, darlin’. Give me the okay, or send me away.”

  Her brows pulled together as her hand slid between his legs and cupped his balls. “Clear enough?”

  Their mouths crashed together, tongues tangling for control as she stroked him through his pants, and he backed her up against the wall with a thud. Fuck. He didn’t mean to be so rough, but there was no calming the beast within. Holy fuck, it’d been a while since he’d kissed such a luscious, forgiving mouth. He could only imagine what it would feel like around his cock. Acutely aware of their less-than-private surroundings, he kicked open the men’s room door and tugged her inside. They slammed against the door, kissing and pawing, as he hiked up her dress, needing more of her, and shoved his hand inside her lace panties. She was hot and so damn wet he couldn’t stifle a groan as he dipped his fingers into her heat and settled his teeth on her neck.

  She palmed his cock, rubbing him through his pants as he stroked over her swollen clit. A stream of sexy sounds sailed from her lips, and he sealed his mouth over hers again. Her hand fell away, and he gripped her wrist and held it above her head.

  “Come for me, darlin’. Come on my hand, then my mouth, then my cock.”

  Their mouths came together again in a hot mess of a kiss, filled with greed. She strained against the hand that held her wrist as she gave in to her release, crying out into his mouth as her body pulsed around his fingers. He brought her down slowly, running his tongue over the swell of her lower lip, loving the flush of her skin, her breathlessness, the way her body went soft against him as he dropped to his knees, pushed her panties aside, and buried his tongue in her velvety heat.

  She spread her legs wider and fisted her hands in his hair. “Yes. So good. Harder. Oh, yes…”

  She tasted sweet and hot and so damn good. He took her clit between his teeth, flicking it with his tongue and earning another cry of pleasure as a second climax gripped her. He stayed on his knees, gripping her hips, laving her swollen sex, until the last shudder of pleasure rolled through her. Then he was on his feet, taking her in another punishing kiss as he blindly fished a condom from his wallet, tore his pants down, and sheathed himself. His hands clutched her hips as her eyes came open.

  “I don’t usually do this,” she claimed.

  He searched her eyes, and somewhere behind the lust he saw the honesty in her words, and that chipped away at the ice around his heart.

  “That either makes me a hell of a lucky guy, or a dick for corrupting you.”

  Her lips curved into a smile as she slipped out of her panties and tucked them into his jacket pocket. “Let’s go with lucky. If your performance sucks, then we’ll go with the latter.” She dragged her tongue over his lower lip, then sank her teeth into it.

  He tasted blood, which sent heat searing straight to his groin. Who was this potently feminine woman with an undercurrent of devilish vixen who played him as well as he played her? He’d never been so turned on in his life. He tucked his hand beneath her knee and hiked it up to his hip.

  “What I wouldn’t give for an hour alone with you in a bedroom. Buckle up, darlin’, because you’re in for a wild ride.”

  He drove into her in one hard thrust, causing them both to gasp a breath. Then their hands and bodies took over. She grasped his biceps as he pounded into her and claimed her luscious mouth in another mind-numbing kiss. Gripping her ass, he lifted her from her feet. Her legs wound naturally around him, squeezing him so tightly, it brought him to the brink of release.

  “Fuuuuck, that’s good,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Been a…” She dug her nails into his arms. “Long time.”

  Her head tipped back with a needy moan as her climax claimed her. The sound of her ragged breathing and the sight of her surrendering to him so completely had him giving in to his own intense release.

  Her chin fell to her chest with a heavy breath. “Damn, you’re totally not a dick.”

  He laughed. “And you’re fucking beautiful.” Holding her tightly with one arm, he slid his other hand to the nape of her neck again, brushing his thumb over the delicate hairs there. “What time is your flight? Let’s have another drink.”

  Her eyes turned serious, and she wiggled out of his hands, shimmying her dress down over her hips. “I, um. This was fun, but…” She slipped on her heels, which must have fallen off during their tryst.

  “But?” A sense of urgency gripped him. He wanted to know more about her, to spend more time with her. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d wanted to know more about a woman. He didn’t know what the hell had come over him, but his gut was clenching at the thought of her walking out of that door.

  She nibbled on her lower lip for a moment, her eyes rolling over him, and then she squared her shoulders and said, “This was fun, but now I intend to forget it.”

  Chapter Two

  HOLY SHIT. HOLY shit. Holy shit. Kat hurried away from the lounge and ducked into the first ladies’ room she saw. One look in the mirror confirmed what her body, still vibrating from head to toe, was telling her—that was fucking incredible. She was still catching her breath as she pulled her comb from her purse to try to tame her well-fucked look. She pressed a palm to the counter, needing the stability while her legs regained their strength. What was she thinking? She’d gone a year without amazing sex, and now? Now it was like she’d had a taste of fine chocolate and she had to walk away from it. Walk away! She’d never been good at leaving sweets behind. Even when she hid a bag of M&M’s from herself she knew she might as well put a spring on her ass, because every time she sat down, she popped back up for more. And now…she wanted more.

  She lifted her eyes to the mirror again. Her face was flushed, her lips swollen from the intensity of their wicked kisses, and down below? She didn’t think she’d ever stop humming down there. Lordy, Lordy that man was hung like no other, and damn did he know how to use all those gloriously hard inches.

  She snagged paper towels from the dispenser and cleaned herself up while she tried to calm her racing heart. Her body was still trembling ten minutes later, as his words rolled through her mind. Come for me, darlin’. Come on my hand, then my mouth, then my cock.

  Check. Check. Double check.

  How had she gone so long without feeling the temptation of a real man? Who was she kidding? She’d never felt anything like the power behind Eric…Eric? Ohmygod. She didn’t even know his last name.

  I’m a slut.

  A tramp.

  A two-bit hookup in an airport bar.

  She couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips. He was so worth it! She dug out her cell phone, in need of a little pep talk from Bree, and realized she’d missed several texts from her. Kat scrolled through them, smiling and finally calming down as she read three identical texts, each repeating their secret pep talk, a line from The Help.

  You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

  You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

  You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

  The last text read, 1, 2, 3, click your heels and forget. Poof! You’re a good girl again. Love you!

  “No doubt about it, Brianna, you are the very best friend in the world,” Kat said aloud before sending Bree a thank-you text.

  She left the bathroom feeling edgy and a little dazed, her body still reeling from their encounter. An hour later she was finally seated on a flight to Colorado. The man beside her smelled like cigarettes and looked lik
e he’d slept in his clothes. She closed her eyes and rested her head back, thinking of Eric. She could still feel his fingers pressing into her ass, the coarse hair at the base of his cock against her sensitive skin, and the way his eyes bored through her. Her cheeks heated as his naughty words came back to her again.

  As the plane lifted into the air, she reveled in the weightless feeling, but it was the slow burn in her belly as she revisited the feel of Eric’s tongue taking her to the edge of ecstasy that had her squirming in her seat. God, she must be losing her mind. She could smell his cologne all around her.

  A heavy hand landed on her thigh, and her eyes flew open as she pushed it away—and her chest constricted at the devilish grin smiling back at her. Eric.

  “Hey there, darlin’.”

  “Eric? What are you doing here?” Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Could he tell that she’d been fantasizing about them? That the mere sight of him had her twitching in places that had no business twitching?

  “I offered the kind gentleman who was sitting here a little something to exchange seats with me.”

  “You paid him off so you could sit here? But—” Ohmygod. How would she forget about him now?

  “Don’t you worry yourself over him. I’m sure he’s happy as a clam sitting in first class.”

  “First class?” You gave up first class to sit with me?

  “Some say it’s the only way to travel.” His eyes rolled over her, lingering on her mouth before dropping to her breasts, making her body go ten types of crazy. “I think they’ve got it all wrong. I’ve got the best seat on the plane.”

  Her mind was spinning. “You’re going to Denver?”