Wilder (The Renegades) (24 page)

Leah glanced between Candy and me. “Or maybe you are full up?”

Shit.
I was not going to get into a fight with Leah over this superficial bullshit. Before I could toss Candy out of the booth—cameras be damned—Leah gave me a smile that hit me a hell of a lot harder than that shot.

She arched an eyebrow at me in flirtatious challenge, and I took it. “I think I can squeeze you in,” I said with a serious nod. “If you’ll excuse me?” I said to Candy.

She huffed but moved so I could get out of the booth. Even with the stuffy, heated air of the club, I instantly breathed easier.

“Hey, have you met Justin?” Penna asked Candy, steering her toward one of the new Renegades. God bless her.

I turned back to Leah, who looked up at me and laughed. “I leave you alone for five minutes…”

“This is not what it looks like,” I started.

“You’re not putting on a Wilder act for Bobby?” she asked.

My mouth opened and shut a couple times. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I was doing.”

“Then it
is
what it looks like to me.” She fingered the rolled-up sleeves of the collared shirt I wore. “But you do look ridiculously good doing it.”

I glanced to Bobby, who was shooting me a death glare from where he was set up against the wall. Guess we’d ruined that shot. “You’re not mad?” I asked.

“Not at all.” She moved her hands to play with the buttons on my shirt.

The woman was a saint.

“It’s not like I didn’t know who you were when I agreed to whatever we’re doing.”

What. The. Fuck?
“I’m sorry?” I asked her.

She looked up at me. “We never agreed to exclusivity, and if you’re supposed to keep up your image, there’s nothing I can do about it.” Her eyes lowered, and her forehead puckered. “I mean, I’m hoping it wouldn’t go past that booth—”

“We never…?” I shook my head then gave Bobby the “cut” sign. “We’re dancing.”

“We are?” she asked, but I was already leading her by the hand to the floor.

I pulled her into my arms as the slow song played, my hands a hell of a lot gentler than my tone. “What the hell do you mean we never agreed to be exclusive?”

Her fingers played with the hair at the top of my neck. “Did we?”

White-hot jealousy set my chest on fire when I thought about another guy coming within an inch of her. Touching her. Kissing those soft lips.
Over my dead body.
“We’re agreeing to it now.”

“Okay,” she said, like it was the simplest answer on the planet.

“Good,” I said a little harshly. “Did you honestly think I was going to see other women after what happened on Mykonos?”

Okay, maybe a whine crept in there.

She shrugged, but the wince clued me in that her defense mechanisms were in control. “No, but when Penna suggested we come down, and then you were snuggled up with Blondie… I don’t know. It’s like you’re two different people—Wilder for the cameras, and Paxton for me—and I thought maybe Wilder needed to appear available.”

The way she saw me, cut through every layer I’d built up, was downright scary. “I am both, and I can tell you that both sides of me are crazy about you.” Her lips parted, and it took all of my restraint not to kiss her. “Bobby needed some party shots to layer in, and I agreed. But you and I have never talked about going public for the camera. Everything on Mykonos I can put a lid on, and even what happened in class wasn’t filmed. I wasn’t going to make that choice without you.”

“Oh,” she said, her voice all breathy.

“This is your choice. I would never force it on you—the cameras, the publicity, the press—but I can tell you that no matter what you decide, things will never go further than having a few drinks on camera with fans. I’m with
you
. If you want to go public, I’m all for it. Nothing would make me happier than not having to look for cameras before I kiss you.”

“Really?”

I absolutely loathed the surprise in her voice. “Really.” What was with us and that word? “If you want to keep our relationship private, I’ll respect that, too. I’ll hate it, but I never want you to be uncomfortable. I can watch my hands in public,” I promised, making sure they were currently north of her ass. “Probably not my eyes, but I could try.”

The few heartbeats it took her to answer felt like years. Of course I wanted to go public. I wanted everything about us on film, so when she eventually realized what an asshole I was—and left me—I’d have something of her to hold on to. I wanted everyone on this ship—hell, the world—to know that Eleanor Baxter was mine…for as long as she’d have me.

“Okay,” she whispered. “We can go public.”

“Really?” I asked, ready to crow.

“Really,” she said with a smile I couldn’t wait to kiss off her face.

And she’d given me permission to.

I moved one hand to her ass and gripped the base of her neck with the other, then took her mouth. Deepening the kiss, I used every skill I had to publicly claim her—and lost myself in the process. The dance floor and everyone around us disappeared, until there was only Leah in my arms, her sweet mouth under mine, her whimpers in my ear.

Kissing her got better, hotter, every time, like giving in to the insane chemistry between us only let the fire burn brighter—and that fire was about to burn us both alive in the middle of the dance floor if I didn’t get a grip.

“Take me to bed,” she whispered in my ear, then ran her tongue along the shell.

“Your wish is my command,” I answered, steering my girlfriend toward the door. I waved Bobby off when I heard him calling my name and kept going.

I didn’t stop until I had Leah naked, under me, then on top, screaming my name as she came. I kept going until I had explored every inch of her skin with my hands and tongue, committed every curve and hollow to memory again. Once I found my own release and tucked her in against me, our skin sweaty and our breathing calmed, my body finally stopped moving.

But knowing what was coming for us…well, my mind was a completely different matter.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Leah

Morocco

It wasn’t natural to be this happy. Even when I’d been with Brian for a year, I’d never felt this contentment or the giddy need to see him the way I did Paxton.

On the one hand, it made me feel like utter shit. I’d loved Brian. Maybe not a desperate, soul-consuming love, but a softer version—one that was blurring at the edges with time.

But on the other hand, it gave me the sense that maybe I was finally moving past it in a way therapy hadn’t pulled me through.

I felt free, lifted, and for the first time in forever, morning brought an incredible sense of excitement to see what my day would bring, instead of dread. I especially loved days like today where I woke up in Paxton’s arms, tracing the lines of his tattoos until he opened his eyes.

“You ready?” Penna called from our living room.

“You look good in everything, so let’s go,” Paxton joined in.

I rolled my eyes and looked in the mirror one more time. It was day number two in Morocco, and we’d been anchored at Casablanca for two days. After yesterday’s sweat-fest while we were on the World Religion excursion to the Hassan Mosque and subsequent churches, there was zero chance I was going back out there in pants. When Paxton told me to wear a swimsuit under my clothes, he’d unknowingly solidified my choice.

Well, semi-solidified, otherwise I wouldn’t have been there debating the thigh-length black shorts I’d bought in Mykonos.

“You know, mornings would be so much easier if you’d agree to move into my place,” Paxton said.

I grabbed my floppy sun hat, oversize glasses, and travel wallet before leaving the safety of my room. “As I recall, this whole ship is your place, so really, I already did.”

His eyes swept my frame, the usual heat sparking there, and when they caught my shorts, he looked up, blazing with pride. “You look amazing.”

“Let’s go. I’m not holding up our trip so that you can make out, and the last time someone left you two to your own devices, you ended up off the ship for five days.” Penna pointed to the door.

“It was a good five days,” I argued as Paxton’s arm wrapped around my waist.

“Worth every second, and all that fucking make-up work,” Paxton swore with a kiss on the top of my head.

“Yeah, well, you still took the hit in Physics,” I said as we walked into the hallway.

“A ninety-two is hardly a hit. I’ve got two other solid Bs, so I think we’re okay.”

“We’ll see what happens when your Lit paper’s graded,” I fired back, leaning into him as we entered the elevator.

“I’d have gotten an A if you would have written it for me,” he muttered.

I elbowed him. “Not happening.”

“I was joking.” He laughed, wrapping me in his arms.

“I wasn’t aware that we’d gone from ESPN to Lifetime,” Zoe spat when she got on, rolling her eyes.

“Sheathe your claws before it becomes
Jerry Springer
,” Penna snapped.

“We made it!” Brooke yelled as she pulled Landon in behind her.

I did a few calculations on the weight allowance when Little John squeezed in the elevator next, but sighed in relief when he told the rest of the crew they’d have to catch the next one.

I took the ramp off the ship without breaking a sweat, and we met up with the others at the bus. And by bus…well, at one point it
had
been a bus, I just wasn’t sure that’s what it qualified as now. The top had been sheared off so it looked more like a giant flatbed with benches.

“Mr. Wilder!” the guide driver called out, his accent thick and beautiful.

“Mr. Mantoui?” Paxton shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“I am a big fan! It’s my pleasure to take you to Paradise Valley. It is one of the most beautiful places in our country.” He motioned for us to board the contraption.

“We’re all excited,” Paxton promised, then posed for a picture with Landon and Penna before we climbed on.

The twenty or so seats were all taken by camera crew and Renegades, and I walked down the aisle behind Paxton to find a seat.

“Hey, what happened to your legs?” Zoe asked, stopping me with her arm and openly staring.

I met her stare unflinchingly. “Car accident,” I answered. It was the CliffsNotes version of the truth, but it was all she deserved. Hell, I mostly said it for myself, anyway.

“Nice,” Landon answered across the aisle, lifting his board shorts and knocking Zoe’s arm out of the way as he bared his thigh and the jagged scar that ran from knee to the hemline. “This was the summer I was obsessed with BMX.”

Penna stood behind her and lifted her shirt over her stomach. “This was my first attempt at a backflip,” she said, pointing to the hand-length scar that ran down her left side.

“And you’ve already seen every single one of mine,” Paxton said, turning around. He didn’t shoot Zoe a death glare or even look at her, simply bent, grabbing my upper thighs and lifting me up against him. “But I’ll be happy to give you another show,” he whispered into my ear as he backed us into our seat a few rows away.

He sat in the middle and nudged my legs to straddle him, which I did happily.
I love you.
It was on the tip of my tongue, screaming from my heart, but I couldn’t form the words. It was still too soon, too raw.

“All of us have scars. You fit right in,” he promised. “But I will tell you that these shorts are going to distract me all damn day.”

I kissed him, uncaring that we were on display. He tasted like the mint of his toothpaste, all tangy and fresh, and I couldn’t help but press deeper. His grip was tight on my thighs, his hands warming my skin as his tongue set a fire inside me.

He groaned, pulling away and resting his forehead against mine. “If we keep that up, I’m hauling you back inside.”

“Not this time,” Bobby interjected, taking the seat behind us, his nose covered in a thick layer of zinc. “Your sexcapades are not ruining this. It’s going to be epic. This is one of the primo places to cliff dive in the world.”

“Hey, Bobby,” Paxton called over his shoulder. “Who do you work for?”

“What?” He let that sink in a second and then rolled his eyes. “You.”

“Just checking,” Paxton finished, and I laughed as I slid off his lap, taking the seat next to him.

“Welcome Renegades,” Mr. Mantoui called into the microphone as we pulled out of the port. The breeze nearly stole my hat, and I took it off, turning my face up to the sunshine as the group gave a cheer. “I cannot wait to show you more of my country. Tell me, are you ready for an adventure?” he asked, and Paxton snorted at the use of his line.

Looking up at the strong lines of Pax’s face, feeling my hand safely encased in his, I honestly was.

…

“Okay, maybe the hike was worth it,” Brooke said as we sat on the edge of one of the pools of Paradise Valley.

“It’s spectacular,” I agreed. Sure, my muscles were on fire from the hike, but the price was small compared to the view. The aquamarine pools ran the length of the valley, and ours boasted a waterfall that broke through halfway down the cliff walls that were freakishly tall on one side and terraced on the other, cocooning us in a tiny piece of heaven.

Especially when Paxton stripped off his shirt and dove in. Exactly when was this attraction going to mellow? Knowing I could touch him, kiss him, strip him naked at my whim should have tempered the insane amount of lust that pounded through me when I saw him. Instead it made me want to jump him. Repeatedly.

It made our study sessions way more difficult, yet so much more rewarding. It also helped that he’d made it to all of his classes in the two weeks that we’d been back on board.

“Is it as deep as the reports said?” Penna, already stripped down to her tankini with boy shorts, asked from the shore that had been hollowed out by water about five feet beneath us. Brooke and I waited on the ledge above her, laying out our towels.

“We should be good. It’s definitely a ways down. We need to watch these rocks here.” Paxton pointed to the shelf of boulders that lined the shore on that side. “Landon?”

“Let’s test it!” Landon yelled from another rock ledge about twenty feet in the air, not even midway up the cliff wall. Then he jumped, yelling something as he fell to the water below, landing with a huge splash.

One by one, the Renegades took the skinny path to that ledge and jumped, each one getting braver than the last, flipping, twisting, and landing while the cameras rolled.

“Ready to head up?” Penna asked Paxton.

“Up to where?” I looked down at where he stood on the strip of beach below us.

“We’re jumping from up there,” he said, pointing to the top of the cliff.

My eyes went up…and up. “What? How tall is that?”

“About a hundred feet,” he answered, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand so he could see me.

“Is that safe?” I asked as he climbed his way up to me, his feet sure on the smooth stone surface.

“Eh,” Landon answered, his hands making the so-so motion. “Only those of us who have jumped from pretty high before are trying it.”

“And this isn’t one of your ‘let’s get Leah to do something crazy’ things, is it?”

Paxton shook his head, reaching for me and dripping water onto my thighs as he caged me in with his arms. “Hell no. This is something that could actually hurt you, that I can’t protect you from.”

I wiped a drop of water from his cheek. “Could it hurt you?”

He shook his head. “Nah. I did a jump from about a hundred and twenty feet once. While drunk. Which is probably the only reason I did it. Stupid, but I’ve got this. You could walk up with me, though.”

“Need some courage?” I asked with a grin.

His brow furrowed. “I was more hoping that you’d bring down my shoes.”

I outright laughed. “One of your minions can’t do that?”

“Maybe I just like you being the only one to handle my junk.” He gave me puppy dog eyes.

“Nice. What’ll you give me?”

“Orgasms.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What will you give me that I can’t already have?”

“I will dedicate all of tomorrow to studying. No tricks, no practice, no gym time. Just you, and me, and books. Boring books. Not even
Kama Sutra
books.”

Ugh. Those eyes got me every time. “Promise?”

“I promise.” He leaned in, brushing his lips over mine. “Honestly, though. I heard the view up there is unparalleled. Figured you might like to see it.”

“Well, I guess you’re only in Morocco once, right?”

“Absolutely.” He got up and put on his shoes for the hike.

“Want to come?” I asked Brooke.

“Hell no,” she answered, spreading sunscreen on her skin. “I’m not hiking all the way up there just to hike all the way back down. I’ll cheer you on, though.”

We took off, following a gently worn path to the top of the cliff, scrambling over rocks in a few places that had Paxton giving me a push…more likely giving him an excuse to get his hands on my ass, but I wasn’t complaining.

My breathing was heavy once we reached the top, but he was right, the view was astounding. The falls from the tip of the valley were visible from here, breathtaking and slightly dangerous-looking. I could make out the lower-walled pools from here, too, all the same aqua color that begged for a dip.

“What are you thinking?” Paxton asked, holding my hand as we stepped closer to the edge. He paused before we got too far, knowing there was no way I was willingly looking over the side. Even the pebbled ground felt unstable up here.

“That I should go for a swim when I get down there. Want to go with me?”

“Hell yes. I’ll wait for you at the bottom. He motioned to a member of the camera crew, the others already stationed along the pool. “He’ll walk you back down. Okay?”

“No problem,” I answered as he strapped on his helmet with the GoPro camera for the Wilder view of the jump.

“I’m crazy about you,” he said before he kissed me. “You know that, right?”

I love you.
“You’re not too bad yourself,” I answered. “Now go have a good day at work, dear.”

He kissed me again and went to stand with the others. Paxton, Landon, Penna, and two of the junior members all stood at the edge, ready for their turn.

I sent up a prayer that they’d all make it safely, but I had to have faith that they knew what they were doing.

“Remember to jump out. If you go straight down you’ll bust open on those rocks below,” Paxton ordered, and my nerves crept up a level.

“See you at the bottom!” Landon called out, taking a few steps backward and then running off the cliff face and disappearing.

I heard a splash a few seconds later, and the Renegades cheered. My curiosity got the better of me, and I took a step forward, but not too much. What was the fun if I didn’t see them do it? The two junior Renegades went next, one giving off a high-pitched scream that reminded me of an angry toddler.

Then Penna jumped, and I held my breath until I heard the splash, and then her voice as she surfaced in victory.

“Kind of a rush, isn’t it?” the camera guy asked me. “You should come look from up here. It’s completely safe.”

I inched forward, my stomach dropping when the pool came into view below. I needed to see that he hit the water, that was all.

Paxton winked at me with a Wilder grin, backed up a few steps, and ran for the edge, soaring into the air with a triumphant yell as he flipped once and landed in the water feetfirst, missing the rocks by a good fifteen feet.

Thank you, God.

Landon cheered from the shore, but I couldn’t breathe until Pax surfaced, inhaling at the same moment he did.

“Let’s head back down,” the camera guy said, and I nodded as he turned to leave.

“I’ll be right behind you,” I said, looking back to Paxton. “You okay?”

“Absolutely! Get your gorgeous ass down here so I can get you wet!”

“Paxton!” I laughed.

“Water, of course. Only water,” he promised, but I could see that smile from here.

“Right,” I said with a sarcastic nod. “I’ll be down in a second.” I backed up a couple feet and blew him a kiss, poised to turn.

The rocks rustled behind me—no doubt the camera guy was getting tired of waiting. “Better jump.” A sinister whisper hit me at the same time the blow came to my upper back.