Chapter One (24 page)

They rocked the swing in a wild arc as they rode out It’s nasty. I like you a little nasty, Blair. Fuck me harder.”

their orgasms, then crashed together. Blair fell forward and She complied, lifting and slamming down hard against clasped onto Rand’s shoulder, shuddering as the aftershocks of him.

her orgasm continued to rock through her. He stroked her hair,

“Yeah, drop down on my balls. Goddamn, that’s good.”

her back, his motions gentling as they came down from the fury.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Nestled in his embrace like this, Blair realized she had Rand searched for Blair’s warmth, figuring a few more never felt more herself with a man than she did with Rand.

minutes wouldn’t hurt.

And that scared her more than any relationship she’d He reached across the bed, but she wasn’t there.

ever run from.

He flipped over and looked in the bathroom, but the He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom, door was open.

undressed her, and pulled her against him. His cock was still Yawning, he slid out of bed and peeked in the hard.

bathroom. No sign of her.

He didn’t speak to her, just slid his cock inside her and He went into the kitchen. She wasn’t there either.

stroked her, slowly, without words, making sweet, gentle love By the time he walked out the front door, his suspicions to her. He caressed her breasts, kissed the nape of her neck, his were confirmed. Her car wasn’t there.

hands wandering everywhere on her body, finally settling at Blair was gone.

her clit.

Irritation boiled within him. Goddamn it. He stormed It was slow and unhurried, as if he had all the time and into his bedroom and jammed his legs into his jeans, started patience in the world.

coffee and fed Rascal, then tapped his fingers on the counter She didn’t even think she could come again, and when waiting for the coffee to finish.

she did, it was a surprise, her cries of completion a sweet By the time he’d downed a couple cups of the strong surprise as she flew into a climax that left her shaking and near brew, he was awake enough that his anger had passed. And he tears.

wasn’t at all surprised that Blair had hightailed it out of there.

He didn’t even come this time, just left his cock inside He understood her better than she understood herself.

her and rocked against her for awhile, holding her, his cock Blair was afraid of what happened between them, finally softening until he stopped moving. Always holding her, because she enjoyed it. He’d cracked her shell. He knew it, and touching her, kissing her.

she knew it.

It was the sweetest damn moment she’d ever

If she didn’t care, she’d have stayed. And that was a experienced.

good thing. It meant she did care. She’d taken the first step and She’d loved Rand McKay for fifteen years. Tonight had come to him after all these years. What they’d shared had been only made it worse. Her heart was breaking in two.

special, and he wasn’t about to lose her.

She had to get out of here in the morning.

Now he just had to figure out what to do next.

He looked around the kitchen, picked up his coffee and The sun peeked in through the half open shades. Rascal walked into the living room, smiling as the thought occurred to was barking at something. It was time to get up.

him.

He had a plan. A perfect plan.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

112

Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

“There’s gotta be more, honey,” Callie said. “You are a fountain of sexual information. We usually hear in graphic detail about every conquest. You never clam up like this.”

Dammit
. “Fine. It was hot. Beyond hot. It was the best sex I’ve ever had. Are you happy now?” She grabbed a handful of chips and stuffed her mouth to keep from saying any more.

“Dayum. I knew it,” Callie said.

“He was fabulous, wasn’t he?” Abby asked.

Blair blew out a breath and headed to the table where

“Yeah,” she managed with a mouthful of chips.

Abby and Callie awaited her. The two of them were practically

“So did you stay the weekend with him?”

squirming in their seats, anticipatory grins plastered to their She polished off the margarita. “No. I went home after faces as she approached.

one night.”

Honest to God. She wished she’d never started this Callie’s eyes widened. “Why?”

stupid bet.

Blair shrugged.

“Well?” Callie asked before Blair had even planted her

“You’d better start talking or I’m going to call Rand for butt to the seat in the booth at Torinos.

the details,” Abby threatened.

Blair signaled the waitress for a margarita and grabbed Blair’s head shot up. “Don’t you dare!”

a chip from the basket in front of her. “Well what?”

“Then tell us what the hell happened! Because if you

“Don’t play coy with us,” Abby said, her eyes sparkling don’t, I swear to God I will go to Rand and get his side of the with excitement. “You know what. Tell us.”

story.”

“It was fine.” She bit into the chip and started chewing.

Blair gaped at Abby. She’d never known her friend to

“Fine?” Callie looked at Abby and back at Blair. “You be so fierce before. And she really did need to talk this out, and can do better than that. We want details.”

who better to listen than her two best friends? If she couldn’t The waitress set a margarita in front of Blair. She took a trust them, who could she trust?

couple long sips for encouragement, then said, “I went to his

“Okay, but not here. I can’t talk about this here.”

place. I fucked his brains out. Rinse, repeat. I went home.”

“My place,” Callie said, grabbing her purse and Abby frowned. “And?”

signaling the waitress for the check.

“And what?”

An hour later they were settled in Callie’s living room,

“That’s it?”

shoes off and comfortable with a pitcher of home made

“That’s it.”

margaritas and salty snacks spreads out all over the coffee table. Abby and Callie stared at her expectantly.

113

Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

She’d never told anyone about her secret desires before, enough. She didn’t get up on time, she didn’t walk right, she not even her two friends. It was now or never, though, and she didn’t dress right. By the time I was old enough to move out on needed counsel.

my own she was nothing more than a robot following his

“Y’all probably aren’t going to believe this, because commands. She lived a miserable existence her entire life I’ve always been the domineering and controlling type, but in because of a domineering man. She had no backbone, no self the bedroom I’m a complete and total submissive.”

esteem and not enough self worth to walk out on him. He tried

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Callie said with a to do the same thing to me, but I bucked him every chance I soft smile.

could, refusing to allow him to bend me to his will.

Blair’s jaw dropped. “You knew?”

“I vowed I would never, ever fall in love with a man

“I did. Don’t know about Abby.”

like that, that I would never involve myself with a strong Abby shook her head, her eyes wide. “Color me willed, controlling, domineering man.”

clueless. You? Submissive? I had no idea.”

The room grew silent and Blair was afraid to look at Okay, that wasn’t as bad as she thought it was going to Abby and Callie, afraid they’d judge her mother’s failings and be. She looked at Callie. “How did you know?”

somehow find her lacking, too.

“A few things you’ve said over the years. Plus I know Instead, her two friends flanked her on either side of the Rand, I know his type. He’s totally dominant. And he melts sofa and she was sandwiched between them in a fierce hug that your butter in a big way.”

made her eyes sting with tears.

Her pussy clenched just thinking about all the ways.

“You aren’t responsible for your father’s behavior or

“That he does.”

your mother’s lack of a spine,” Callie said after she pulled back

“Now that much I did know,” Abby said. “So why and looked at her.

aren’t you still over there?”

Tears shined in Callie’s amber eyes. And sadness.

“Because he scares me. And my reaction to him scares

“Don’t cry for my mother. She was weak. I’m not.”

me.”

“I know you’re not.”

“Why?” Callie asked, leaning back against the sofa.

Abby squeezed her hand. “And Rand is nothing like Blair tucked her feet under her and focused on her your father.”

margarita glass, feeling ashamed for what she was about to Blair nodded. “The logical part of me knows that. The admit. “I watched my father control every movement my emotional part of me runs like hell every time he comes near mother made. How much money she spent. Who her friends me and always has. It’s what kept me from him all these years, were, where she spent her time. She couldn’t even go the what has drawn me to wimpy men instead of the alpha, take grocery store without him timing her and then accusing her of charge man Rand is.”

cheating on him. And no matter what she did it wasn’t good 114

Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

She shuddered her next breath. “I’ve loved Rand A sharp knife like pain twisted in her belly. “I might.”

McKay since I became aware of the sexual differences between She had a feeling she already had.

men and women. He’s funny, honorable, intelligent, gentle and has a core strength that turns my knees to jelly. I knew then

“We have a new client.”

what he was, and what I was. I knew he could give me what I Blair looked up from her desk in her office and smiled needed. Because I am sexually submissive. In every other at her assistant, Mary. “That’s great.”

aspect of my life I’m strong, capable, in control. In the

“Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.” Mary worried her bedroom I like to submit. And it scares me that if I surrender to bottom lip and clutched the piece of paper in her hand.

him there, he might want me to surrender everywhere else. I

“Let me see it.”

just. . .can’t.”

“You’re not going to like this.”

“Have you told him about your fears?” Callie asked.

Blair rolled her eyes. Her interior decorating business She shook her head. “No.”

was her baby, her life’s blood. She lived for new clients. She

“You should.”

held out her hand. “Hand it over, Mary.”

“I won’t take that chance. I know it’s cowardly of me, Mary slid the paper across Blair’s desk. Blair scanned but I can’t risk losing my soul to a man who’ll want to the request, then frowned.

dominate every breath I take.”

What the hell was he thinking? Another game, another

“You can trust him,” Abby said. “I feel it in my heart.

way to manipulate her? Oh, no. This was not going to happen.

He’s one of the good guys. And I think he’s been waiting for

“Assign it to Sue Ellen.”

you his whole life.”

“He specifically requested you do the work.”

She inhaled, fear making her tremble. “That scares me

“I see that. I’m not doing it. I’m too busy.”

too. That I can’t be what he wants me to be.”

“Your calendar is clear. And it’s a big job. He said the

“I’ve never seen you this way,” Callie said. “You’re entire house.”

one of the strongest women I know. Nothing scares you.”

“I don’t care. I’m not doing it.”

“This does. He does. How I feel about him does.

“He said you either do the job or no deal.”

Everything about the two of us together scares me. I can’t be She shrugged and turned to her computer. “Then I with him.”

guess it’s no deal.”

“So you’re going to walk away rather than figuring out

“We can’t afford to turn away business, Blair.”

if you and Rand could work together,” Abby said.

Dammit, she was right. Goddamn Rand for backing her Blair looked at her and nodded. “Yes.”

into a corner like this. Exactly the reason she would never

“You might be walking away from the greatest love of explore a relationship with him.

your life.”

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Manipulation, pure and simple. Just like her father. It

“You indicated you wanted the entire house redone?”

was all about control.

she asked, glancing around the room and jotting notes on a She tapped her fingers on the desk and contemplated.

clipboard.

The project was huge and would infuse some needed capital

“Yeah.”

into the business. She really couldn’t afford to turn it down, but

“I’ll make a few notes and be right back. I assume it’s she hated to submit to Rand’s ultimatum.

all right if I move around your house.”

“Fine. I’ll do it. Notify Rand I’ll meet him at his place

“You’ve been here already, Blair. I don’t have a tonight at seven o’clock.”

problem with you wandering around anywhere you want to.”

Mary let out a breath. “Great! This is going to be a

“Take a seat then,” she said, not even looking at him.

killer project. I’m so glad you changed your mind, Blair. It’s

“I’ll be right back.”

going to be wonderful for business!”

He flopped on the couch and propped his feet on the
And devastating in so many other ways.

coffee table while she roamed from the living room to the small dining area and into the four bedrooms. He wondered if Rand leaned against the porch pillar and watched Blair she remembered what they did in the bedroom the other night.