Collared for a Night (Crimson Romance) (30 page)

“I think the bumper scratches are minor. Otherwise, my car is fine.” She had to concentrate just to say each word since her composure was off on hiatus.

“It’s nothing to get your panties hitched up on, little lady. I can think of so many other things to get excited about.” His voice was constructed by the devil himself. Nothing short of warm and soothing and enthralling in how he shaped letters into sounds that begged to be captured. It was as if she listened to a message meant only for her ears, a whispered evocation. Carolina’s skin beaded. She stymied a shiver that unfurled inside her body. Must be the remnants of alcohol in her foggy brain, she thought.

“I’m not the one who’s excited. I merely pointed out the damage is minor.” she retorted. She’d be damned if she would make this easy on the guy who couldn’t keep his pants zipped in the middle of the day.

“Just glad there’s no harm done from where I stand,” he replied, not even bothering to inspect the condition of his car. “Are you here for the wedding?”

“Yes, and it’s about to start.” She couldn’t help notice his sensuous lips. Again.

“Then we’d better get a move on. Bride or groom?” he asked while his eyes languidly traced a path down her body.

“Bride,” she said, and moved behind her car, using it as a shield from his perusal.

“Makes sense. I don’t recognize you. I’m Matt.” He shot a thumb back to his chest. “Groom’s side.”

His bowtie was undone, the ends lifting in the breeze. His white tux shirt was partly open, revealing an expanse of tanned skin. Carolina let her gaze follow a pair of long legs housed in dark dress pants that didn’t hide his muscular build and then she frowned. Cowboy boots stuck out from the bottom of his trousers. Black polished ostrich boots that were spread apart in a wide stance.

“Oh, I see what you mean.”

Rob’s family was coming from all over the nation, unlike the bride’s familial hub, which was housed in South Florida. Living in another state would explain this man’s sexy rolling syllables.

“No reason we can’t get acquainted, is there sugar?”

She stopped gawking and tore her gaze from Matt’s face and body convinced he was just another smooth talker. “I’m late and should already be inside getting ready. Well, I’m glad this worked out for you,” she shot him her best
I-don’t-think-so
glare.

“Come again?”

She arched a brow. “Seems you’ve covered all your bases today.” Carolina faced him, wanting to take his puffed-up, self-assured persona down a notch. “I was parked next to you and had to move my car. I didn’t want to interrupt your little … party.” She expected a smidgen of shame. Matt’s unrepentant expression told her otherwise.

“Darlin’, you could have joined us instead of watching. Someone with a mouth as pretty as yours, hell, I might have left my own party and gone AWOL.” His voice and dark good looks stoked her banked sensual embers, igniting a cavernous erotic craving Carolina kept on a back burner turned way below simmer.

Carolina’s hell-raiser tendencies surged to the forefront. This type of man bored holes in her resolution to avoid men who promised to deliver heaven. She reined in her control even though a slight shiver rippled up her spine.

She smirked. “No thanks. I had my share of partying this week. I’ll catch you and your date inside.”

“Suit yourself. There’s a lot two people can do in five minutes. ’Course, I mean
the right two people.”

His smoky gaze made her hair hurt. She faltered, as prey did before deciding to hunker down or break cover, but her resolve surged upward. “I don’t think you could keep up, cowboy,” she replied, her voice dropping into a zone of husky desire. Inwardly, she groaned; that was a dare she hadn’t meant to fling back at him.

Damn it
.

This walking piece of sex in a suit, in the blink of an eye, tore all the veils and walls away she had built to keep her wayward urges from reappearing. He was the exact type of man women found irresistible. He was also a hazard to her because, deep inside, she wanted nothing more than to taste, crash, and combust from passion. Carolina’s cravings were never gone, only kept at bay. She, for one, didn’t need to follow another jackass into a promised liaison that didn’t deliver, or another man accusing her of being frigid, unfeeling and uncaring. Jeff had taught her about lust and lurid decisions until she was burned and broken. An alarm bell tolled in her head, warning her to be wary in the vicinity of sweet-talking men with one thing on their minds. “Nice meeting you, Matt. But it’s bye-bye.”

He paused, lips quirked all but promising a comeback. “Sugar, give me a chance. I’ll show you the way to heaven’s gate, and you won’t need a Bible for the verses that you spill from your … lips.”

His inference struck her harder than if she’d stuck two wet fingers in an electrical outlet. She didn’t respond to his invitation. He looked like the type of man that took his time. At all costs, one to avoid.

“No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I’m good.”

“No argument there.” He touched his head and bent forward with a small bow. “Until we meet again. What’s your name?”

“My name?”

“I’m not asking for your Social Security number. Just your name?”

She stared at him. “Carolina,” she breathed out.

“Carolina, maybe someday I’ll be so lucky to get to know you better.” He winked and walked around the car toward his passenger side.

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, fuming.

Matt had caught her unprepared. She wanted to argue with him on one hand and realized, she also longed to feel his lips crush against her mouth in a savage kiss.

Oh hell … She held and framed her wayward thoughts, including some raunchy images of him holding her head above his lap and guiding her mouth over him. For a second, she delighted in her private fantasy of hot public sex. Definitely way too much alcohol was in those Jell-O shots last night. Carolina pressed fingertips to her brow as she opened up her car door. Matt opened his passenger’s door. Two shapely legs extended, bent, and touched the blacktop. She felt a twang right beneath her breastbone watching the man hold out his hand and receive his date’s fingers.

Judas Priest
. She slipped back into the driver’s seat, floored the gas before she acquiesced and begged him to join her and see what they could do in five minutes.

At least there was one consolation. He wasn’t in the wedding party. Last night she didn’t remember seeing him at the church rehearsal or dinner. Chances were, they’d not see each other more than in passing at the reception amongst the hundred people expected.

No, this would be goodbye to a fantasy come to life. She was safe. Just one day spent in the midst of a family wedding, and then she’d return to her vanilla existence for a couple of days before she started her new job in god-knows-where Texas.

• • •

The chapel dressing area inside was overrun by women in sage green dresses and one exceptionally dressed woman in an ivory wedding dress. “Sam, you’re too perfect,” Carolina whispered.

“Where have you been?” Sam threw up her hands.

“I caught up on my beauty sleep.” Carolina’s cheeks warmed unmercifully, giving her thoughts away.

Sam pulled her into the private dressing room. “Come on. Your dress is over here.” Sam shut the door and turned back. “Tell me. I know something’s up.”

Carolina stepped out of her sundress and sandals. “It’s nothing.”

“Bull,” Sam returned. “You’re as red as a tomato.”

“This is your day. You’re projecting. It must be nerves.”

“Don’t use your medical mumbo jumbo on me. Spill the beans,” Sam walked over toward her. “If you don’t, I’ll go get your mother to help you dress.”

Carolina unzipped the silky green gown on the hanger. She smiled and shook her head. “It was this guy,” she started out as a heat wave billowed over her whole body. “Oh, this is silly.”

“What guy? Rob has so many good-looking relatives. Who’d you meet?”

“No, Sam. I didn’t meet anyone. Not like that.”

“So you did meet a man. Outside?”

“Yes. It’s so screwed up. It’s wickedly messed up.”

“You’re not giving me much to go on … ” Loud knocking broke their conversation.

“Sam, is Carolina in there with you?” Sonya, Carolina’s mother was on the other side of the door.

Carolina’s eyes beseeched her not to open the door. Sam nodded silently. “Yes, Tia. Give me a minute. Please.”

Sonya sighed in exasperation. “A minute. It’s time. Your father is in the receiving room waiting for you.”

“Talk fast.” Sam came over and arranged the gown on Carolina’s shoulders.

Carolina twisted her fingers. “Oh, Sam. It’s crazy. I woke up and there he was in his car.”

“What’s so wicked about that?”

“He had his zipper down.”

“Excuse me. Was he tucking in his shirt?”

“No,” Carolina sucked in her breath. “He was getting a blow job.”

Sam shrieked incoherently, tugging up the zipper of Carolina’s dress. She let go of her cousin so quickly, Carolina stumbled forward. They came together facing one another. “You mean there was a woman in the car with him?” Sam asked.

“Yes. She was over him so I couldn’t see the whole thing. I tried to leave. I never imagined I’d hit his car.”

Sam grabbed her cousin’s hands. “Are you all right?” Sam’s eyes widened, searching her cousin’s face.

“Not a scratch. The bumpers did a face-off with not so much as a dent,” she exhaled. “But, there was definitely … there was something about the man.”

While Carolina spoke, a swarm of confused butterflies took flight inside her stomach. Even after leaving Matt, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about his animal magnetism. It was primal, wordless, and took hold, deep inside her, drawing out a sizzling ache she never imagined actually existed within her body so near to the surface. He was the first man who had sparked something dark and hungry inside her that even now continued to flame.

Maybe that’s why she had held on to her past lover so hard. Believing if
it
could happen with anyone, her chance of discovering an orgasm would be at the hands of Jeff Welch. Sexy, elegant, and an experienced lover. Top vet in his field. She believed if she gave into his every demand, eventually she’d learn to respond, let down her walls, and give in.
It
didn’t.

That part of her — the unfulfilled part — nearly pushed her over the edge with Jeff, the man she dated on and off for two years. He’d left her a vacuum; depleted and empty. It had taken her a year, maybe longer, to wake each morning without questioning herself about being cold, unable to experience what every red-blooded woman felt. An orgasm. In wanting to overcome her hesitance to let go, she gave into every one of his suggestions without letting him into her world, and in the end he’d used her. Nearly up.

Sam’s narrowed her eyes. “Carolina, what are you saying? You know you can’t make rash judgments about any man. What you feel is what you bring to the table. If you think he’s a savior, it’s because that’s what you’re looking for. We both have learned a lesson.”

“What do you mean? You’re about to marry a man you fell in love with on your first date. That’s the absolute opposite of your advice.”

“Wrong. The first time I met Rob, I thought he was a player, a user, and someone who would hurt me. I wasn’t ready to accept him. I saw a monster instead of my soul mate. So, it’s exactly the same thing. Just be careful that it’s not some secret hidden judgment that you’ll try and make come true. The Pygmalion effect is not something I thought up, Carolina. You’re still attached to Jeff.”

“Correction.
Was
. I finally said goodbye. So there. Today is a day of new beginnings; I thought how appropriate it was to finally let him go. I was hoping you’d share in my joy.”

“Hallelujah. But that relationship was toast a long time ago. All I’m saying is keep your eyes open. Listen to yourself. A man who’s having sex in his car. And you’re attracted. That’s wacko coming from you. Sounds like a rebel and we all know you’ve got a soft spot for a bad boy. It’s your libido sparking, nothing else.”

“I’m not just desperate. But I hear what you’re saying. Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m not going to become OCD over the man. Give me a couple of minutes to get my face back on. A mascara moment. You’re so beautiful, Sam. Rob will fall over when he sees you.”

“Let’s hope not. I’ve waited four years to get him up the aisle. Don’t worry, Carolina. Your Prince Charming is on his way. Just keep the faith.”

Sam opened the door, and Carolina’s mom, Sonya, burst through the doors with several other family members. Carolina applied several coats of mascara while the women chatted in
Spanglish
. Isabella, Sam’s daughter came over to the table.

“Hey, baby doll, you look so pretty,” Carolina said. “Give me a
besito
.”

The little girl puckered her lips and kissed Carolina’s cheek. “’Lina, c’mon.”

Carolina joined with the other women surrounding her cousin. A bottle of champagne was going around. Someone pushed a glass into her hand. They all toasted the bride. Carolina came over to Sam, setting down her champagne flute.

“Here, let me straighten your train.” Carolina gently shook the material and settled the gauzy silk over the carpet. “
Mami
, where’s Sam’s bouquet?”

“Right here,” Sonya said.

Sam’s father, Randall Cainwright III, stood at the door. They all walked forward, a cloud of perfume, voices, and laughter. Sonya met Randall’s gaze and lifted her chin. The rivalry between her mom and her uncle had gone on forever and exacerbated when Sam’s mother passed away. Today, a truce was in place. Yes, today was a day of newfound starts.

“You look beautiful,” Randall murmured to his daughter. “A vision. Sam, you remind me of your mother, dear.” He looked over to Sonya. “You’ve done a marvelous job, Sonya. Thank you. Isabella would be so happy,” he said gruffly.

“Yes, I think so.” Sonya blinked and kissed Sam on the cheek. “
Bella
. Cynthia, you’re no longer a girl with large eyes. Yes, so much like my sister. You’re ready,
Mija
.”