Baiting the Maid of Honor (9 page)

to make them even.

“Bar fight.”

“Pardon?”

“The scar. I got knifed in a bar fight when I was nineteen.” She stopped and turned, meeting his

eyes hesitantly. He hadn’t told anyone about the fight in a long time and suddenly the words wouldn’t

come quite so easy. “I, uh…had started a fight in the bar over God knows what. It spilled out into the

alley. Next thing I knew there were five of them.” He shrugged. “They were young and stupid like me.

Didn’t realize what they were doing…so they left me there bleeding and ran off.”

Her gaze caressed his shoulder. “That’s an awful story.”

“Maybe. It’s also the best thing that ever happened to me.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I

almost didn’t make it that night. Lost too much blood. I applied to the academy the day I was released

from the hospital. If I have to die, I want there to be a purpose behind it.”

Julie looked at him in awe. “This has to be the least romantic moonlight walk in the history of

moonlight walks, you know that?”

“Hate to disappoint, but I don’t have a romantic bone in my body.”

“You don’t say.” She sighed. “I know you were trying to make me feel better and it worked.”

“Because you like the idea of me getting stabbed?”

“No, even I’m not that bloodthirsty.” She tilted her head. “Because if you’ll tell that terrible story

just to make me feel better, then you’re not half as bad as I thought.”

“I’m worse.”

She smiled, but it faded almost immediately. “Reed, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I

don’t understand it either. We’re…attracted to each other. I won’t deny that. But I think we both

known that is the extent of what we have in common. Let’s not make this something it isn’t.”

An odd feeling crept over him. He didn’t recognize it, even though her words had a ring of

familiarity. Probably because he was usually the one to say them. To someone else. She wanted him

for sex and nothing else. He should be backing her against a tree. Instead, he felt more determined

than ever to prove her wrong.

…

Julie looked up into Reed’s face, confused by what she saw there. Irritation, conflict, and surprise all

took their turn passing over his hard yet intensely handsome features until she nearly got dizzy trying

to keep up. She’d actually mustered the courage to follow this potty-mouthed, tattooed stab wound

recipient into the dark woods and now he refused to just put the darn moves on her already. Once he

touched her, once their mouths met, she wouldn’t have any room to think. She required the distraction

from her thoughts. Didn’t want to think of all the reasons she should be tucked safely in her hotel bed,

eye mask firmly in place.

For one, she’d never had sex for the sake of sex. Usually, basic fondness or even genuine romantic

interest was involved. How did one behave after a one-night stand? A handshake? An email address

swap?

Two, she could easily be a big fat disappointment to him. She could count her partners on one hand

and Reed…she suspected there weren’t enough hands at Beaver Creek Resort to match that

impressive number.

Third, she was starting to understand him a little and that simply couldn’t happen. She didn’t want

to feel anything for this man. He would chew up her good-girl butt and spit it out. Heck, he’d already

bitten her there once, hadn’t he? Hard, too. Absentmindedly, she rubbed the spot on her bottom where

he’d bitten her earlier, stopping when Reed arched an eyebrow.

After what seemed like ages, he finally spoke, his gruff tone startling her. “Let me get this straight.

You want to skip the small talk and get right to the good stuff?”

She raised her chin, refusing to give in to the urge to turn around and bolt for the hotel. Instead, she

inched closer. “I’ve been making small talk all night. I’m ready for something…else. Are you the one

who’s going to give it to me or not?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Normally, pixie, I wouldn’t hesitate to give you a nice, thorough

pounding for challenging me like that. God knows, we both need it.” He swept her head to toe in a

single hot glance. “But it’s not going to happen. Not tonight, at least.”

Her feminine pride took a nosedive. “What did you haul me out here for in the middle of the night? I

thought this is what you wanted.”

“You’ve had me hard for days, baby. I want to fuck you more than I want to breathe.”

Scorching heat bathed her head to toe. She tried not to make it obvious when she squeezed her

knees closer together. Something, anything to alleviate the ache he’d initiated. But wouldn’t fulfill? It

made no sense. “Then I-I fail to see the problem. I came out here with you, despite my better judgment

—”

“There.” Reed jabbed a blunt finger in her direction. “Despite your better judgment. Of me.
That’s

the problem.”

With a confused frown, Julie opened her mouth to question him further, but he cursed and took her

arm, leading her into the wooded area, off the beaten path. Mulling over his words in silence, Julie

followed behind him for a few minutes before he came to an abrupt stop. A few feet in front of them,

what looked like a small pond was nestled among the trees. Soft light filtered through the branches

and illuminated the surface, giving it an almost ethereal look. Combined with the soft sounds of the

woods and the warm breeze sifting through the trees, the scene before her could only be described as

breathtaking.

Their odd conversation forgotten for the moment, she felt Reed’s gaze on her and turned. “What is

this place? How did you know it was here?”

He shrugged, but didn’t look at her. “Went for a run this morning and found it. It’s a hot spring.”

As he stared off at some invisible point in the distance, Julie studied his strong profile closely.

Proud, stubborn, strong…gorgeous man. And evidently, thoughtful. Whatever his motive, the front-

runner being taking her to bed, Reed had
thought
about her tonight. Made sure she ate a hot dinner.

Brought her to this beautiful spot for her enjoyment. She’d wounded his pride by referring to him as a

lapse in judgment. Although he would probably wear a blond wig and a push-up bra before admitting

it out loud. Julie couldn’t stop the laugh that tickled her throat at the image and only laughed harder

when Reed shot her a suspicious glance.

“Something funny?”

With a sigh, Julie slowly shook her head. Her nervous energy had completely fled, she realized.

She felt…good, safe, being here with Reed. Unfortunately, by taking sex off the table, he’d only

presented her with a challenge. She’d never been able to resist a challenge. And first impressions

aside, she wanted him. It wouldn’t go away until she did something about it. Prying her hands from

her elbows, Julie reached for the hem of her dress. Heck, she was from the South. She’d gone skinny-

dipping before. Seen all ten of her male cousins naked as you please every summer until they all hit

puberty one by one. This was an entirely different situation, however. The man watching her with a

predatory gleam in his eye, looking so at home surrounded by nature it could be his natural habitat,

wasn’t interested in playing Marco Polo.

You made it this far, Julie. Hop to. He’s already seen your butt and he seemed to like it just fine.

And if you have to get naked in front of a man, this is the best lighting you could ever hope for.

Strip.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she tugged her dress over her head and kicked off her

sandals, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“What the hell are you doing?” His raw, slightly startled tone thrilled her, heated her further. She’d

surprised him. Good.

When her hands went to unhook her bra at the back, she thought she heard him groan but wouldn’t

allow herself any hesitation to find out. The panties came next, tossed onto the pile with the rest of her

clothes.

As Julie waded into the water, she cast what she hoped was a sultry look over her shoulder. “Are

you going to stand there and look all night?” Strategically, she bit her lip, ran her hands over her hips.

“Or are you going to come in here and make yourself useful?”

She sank into the divinely warm water and closed her eyes, focusing on the gentle breeze and night

sounds, hoping to take her mind off the possibility that Reed wouldn’t take her not-so-subtle bait. A

moment later, when she heard his pants and belt hit the ground, she turned away so he wouldn’t see

her victorious grin, but she couldn’t resist looking back to see him in the nude.

Really, it was only fair after she’d given him a close-up of her birthday suit.

Moonlight spilled over his muscular stomach and thighs, so sleek and toned she could do nothing

but shake her head as he entered the spring. His long, thick erection demanded her attention next, had

her catching her breath on a shudder. She felt a brief resurgence of nerves, but pushed them aside. Her

choice. She’d initiated this. Determinedly, she dragged her gaze up his impressive chest to meet hard,

lust-filled eyes.

“I don’t say anything without a reason.” Submerged now past his waist, he stalked her. “Once my

mind has been made up, it doesn’t change.”

His hypnotic voice vibrated inside her, his deliberate movements battering her with their

sensuality. With a mental shake, she tried to focus on his words. When he moved within reaching

distance, she inhaled deeply for courage and rose to her full height, causing water to course down her

breasts and belly. She ran her hands over his chest and let their damp bodies meet, looked up at him

through her eyelashes. “Aren’t you even going to let me try?”

His head dipped toward hers, and he nipped at her bottom lip with a growl. “No. Enough

questioning. We both take some relief tonight, but not all of it.” A rough hand smoothed over her

bottom, gave it a light slap. “You’ll know the difference when I fuck you.”

Reed’s mouth descended on hers. His fists tangled in her hair and angled her head so he could kiss

her hard, tongue sweeping in to claim absolute possession. Julie clung to his wide, slippery shoulders

and lost herself in the kiss, moaning as heat slammed through her in pounding waves. She’d been

frantic for the taste of him without even realizing just how much. Now, she made up for the achy,

restless feeling she’d been cursed with all day and took, took,
took
. He growled when her fingers slid

up into his hair and tugged, her body pressing flush against his simultaneously. Reed fit his hips

against the notch between her thighs and surged up, creating a wave around them. With each strategic

push, Julie’s throaty cries echoed through the night.

“Do you hurt between your legs, baby?”

“Yes,” she sobbed, writhing on his lap, frustrated by the water hindering her movements. “Reed,

please don’t make me wait. It hurts so badly.”

“Who made it hurt?”

“You know you did,” she whispered.

“Ask me.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. “Ask me to take away the pain.”

Julie groaned. “Take it
away
.” Before the words fully left her mouth, Reed lifted her out of the

water, her bare bottom slapping down onto the edge of the smooth rock bed surrounding the spring.

His hands gripped her knees and pushed them wide, shoulders wedging between her legs to keep them

open as he licked his way up the inside of her thighs.

“You’re only getting tongue tonight, pixie,” he rasped, his breath heating her damp skin. “Your

pussy is going to have to wait a little longer to be filled.”

“No,” she moaned, even as she mentally begged for his mouth to make contact. Anything. She just

needed
something
to ease the rapidly growing need. When seconds passed and Reed still didn’t

follow through on his sensual threat, Julie realized he’d stopped kissing her completely. She opened

her eyes to find him staring down at her thighs, helpless anger blanketing his features.

“What are these bruises?” He looked into her eyes. “Who did this to you?” His urgent words

confused her for a few seconds, then recognition dawned, followed quickly by mortification. She

tried to sit up, but he put a hand on her belly to stay her. “Answer me.”

Her hands came up to hide her face. Of course. This would only happen to her. Two seconds from

the most amazing sexual experience of her life, in a moonlit forest, with a man who embodied every

woman’s darkest, most secret fantasy, and now she was being forced to reveal something she’d hoped

to take with her to the grave. “Ms. Vaughn. She gave them to me. This is all her fault.”

Reed made an impatient noise when she didn’t continue. “I’m waiting.”

“Pole dancing,” she blurted. “They’re from pole dancing. Not on a stage, mind you. It’s a class at

the gym, you see. I thought I’d signed up for cardio kickboxing, but when I walked in, I found sweet

Ms. Vaughn, an honest, churchgoing woman if I ever met one, standing there next to a pole. Pretty as