HazardsDare (14 page)

Glad for the diversion, Hazard shed himself of the flannel
shirt he’d put on over a gray tee shirt and took his phone off his hip and his
wallet out of his back pocket. Taking a second to send a quick text to Avery
simply to touch base as promised, he set his things on a coffee table.

The phone buzzed. The responding text was from Avery,
assuring him she was fine and she’d see him later that evening.

Yeah, she would see him. They might be late for dinner. He’d
have to push their reservation back an hour or two. He’d also had a set to
perform at ten and she wanted to see Gabriel’s magic show.

He wasn’t so sure he wanted Avery to meet Gabriel. As good
of friends as they’d become since the club opened, he knew Gabriel had a
magnetism about him that drew women in like hummingbirds to nectar.

Hopefully, Hazard wouldn’t have to worry about that. For the
time being, Avery was his girl. He might let her flirt and dance with his
friends, might being the operative word.

No fucking way was he going to let Gabriel, Jaxon or Sawyer
to take things beyond flirtation. He doubted Sawyer would try. The guy didn’t
date all that much and he didn’t usually engage in ménages or sex games, as far
as Hazard knew.

Joining forces with Jaxon at the biggest window, Hazard
drenched a rag with vinegar water and climbed up the ladder. Pungent as the
vinegar was, the first windowpane was easily wiped clean, no streaks in sight.

* * * * *

Being pampered most of the morning and over lunch was
possibly the best thing to happen to Avery since the invention of sliced bread.

No, that wasn’t true. The invention of sex and a night spent
with Hazard was way better than chocolate wraps and massages.

What she discovered in the middle of the night, after he’d
made love to her and they talked, was his vulnerable side. He’d become so much more
than a big bad football player who could demolish an offense. He’d become a man
capable of great tenderness and care for her well-being.

Somewhere between their conversation at the club and getting
to the hotel room, the no-strings-attached affair she’d proclaimed to have
wanted changed. Her feelings changed, as did his.

She’d not known he’d been married until breakfast. But it
didn’t surprise her to learn why he was gun-shy about relationships. His
ex-wife had hurt him.

He’d also told her about the world of football. How taxing
practices and games were, how physically draining and damaging hits and tackles
could be. Countless times after a game, he’d soak in hot tubs or team trainers
would put him through rigorous physical therapy to help ease sore muscles.

She loved football, knew it wasn’t easy to be a veteran
among younger, hungry, equally fit athletes in a game when one hit or too many
concussions could end a career. Despite that, Hazard’s love for the game
remained.

With her brother as his agent, she believed the direction of
his career and future was well-planned. His talent as a country singer was
definitely there. When he released his first album, she’d be the first in line
to own it or download it.

But all the soul-searching she’d done while wrapped in
chocolate came down to one thing. She was in danger of falling in love with
Hazard.

Foolish though it may be, if there was a chance to make
things work beyond fuck buddies, she’d take it. She’d been wrong to think she
was the kind of person who could have a temporary affair and remain friends
with Hazard after all was said and done.

Fuck buddies had been a term born with a little help of
tequila shots and a secret crush.

Who was she kidding?

The tequila had given her a buzz. Her crush had grown into
something more significant. Despite his comments on the balcony, after they
returned home, it was possible that their need for each other could fade.

If they did nothing and remained friends, she’d mourn the
loss of what could be. All she could do was let it all play out. She was a big
girl. She could handle the aftermath of a holiday romance that wasn’t dictated
by her daddy or ruined by her meddling brother.

As much as she adored Alexander, he really could be an
overbearing pain in the ass. She and Hazard were adults and her brother didn’t
have the right to condemn a man for having sex with her.

If Alexander found out and did something asinine like fire
Hazard as a client or threatened him, Avery would stand up for her guy. Yes,
yes, she would. If Hazard gave their relationship a chance, she’d love nothing
more than to be his girlfriend.

Satisfied with a spa experience like nothing she’d had
before, Avery shrugged out of the soft robe she’d been given to wear and got
dressed in her own clothes. They’d served lunch, gave her an incredible
two-hour treatment filled with chocolate decadence and antioxidants and an
aromatherapy massage.

What she really needed now was about two hours of naptime.
After last night, she could use the rest. Because of last night, she suspected
she’d need the energy for the next round of sexcapades with Hazard.

They’d not even gotten close to scratching off her bucket
list.

Making her way out of the ladies’ changing room, she headed
to the receptionist desk. Rachel, the afternoon receptionist, was a perky
redhead with freckles and a smile.

“You look like someone who’s spent a few hours wrapped in
chocolate,” Rachel said when she looked up from her appointment book. “You’re
glowing.”

“I feel wonderful. The whole chocolate experience was
amazing and a first for me. I want to make certain the massage therapist gets a
huge tip.”

“I’m sure Marcy will appreciate it.”

Avery told Rachel what to add to the bill. Massage wasn’t
easy. Thirty minutes was incredibly taxing for the therapist’s fingers and
joints. Marcy had massaged her for forty-five minutes.

The technicians had wrapped her hair up in a towel to keep
it from getting damp before the massage began. The chocolate wrap had been
decadence incarnate.

“Can the bill be placed on my hotel room’s account?” she
asked after the receptionist added in the amount.

“You bet, makes the whole experience easier and carefree.”

“Thank you.”

“Sign here and add your room number. You’ll see the charges
on your final bill when you check out.”

Avery did as told, returning the pen she’d used to a holder
on the desk. “I have one more appointment at the end of the week.”

“Yes, a facial’s already scheduled for ten o’clock Thursday
morning. When are you leaving?”

“Friday morning, I’ve been away from work long enough. By
then, I’ll be glad to go home.”

“Excellent. We’ll see you Thursday then. Have a great stay
in Dare.”

“I will. I’m going out this evening with a friend and may be
meeting Gabriel Krystiyan. Have you met him?”

The receptionist’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Oh,
you lucky, lucky woman. Whenever Mr. Krystiyan’s in town, the female tourists
come out in droves. Town police are real careful with protecting his privacy
and tickets to the show are difficult to come by.”

“In that case, I hope my chance to see his act comes to
fruition. Thank you.”

Avery headed off. She’d clipped her cellphone to her jeans
pocket and it buzzed with an incoming message. Removing it from her hip, she
saw the caller’s number.

Grinning wide, she waited until she was upstairs in the room
before returning his call. Hazard answered on the second ring. “Hi, baby, how
was the chocolate wrap and massage?”

“It was amazingly decadent.”

“That sounds nice. Tell me more.”

“You have to experience it first to appreciate it, Hazard.”

“Don’t be shy.”

“How’s that shy?” Being certain to lock the door, she looked
around the room to make sure everything was where it’d been when she’d left.
Housekeeping had come in while she’d been gone, which was expected.

“Tell me more about your day,” Hazard urged. “I’m currently
hanging out on a ladder wiping down windows. Thank God for Bluetooth and
hands-free phones. Your day at the spa has to be more interesting.”

“I don’t know, a day with Jaxon sounds anything but mundane.
That man is way more than a bartender and club owner.”

“You’re an observant, intelligent woman. Jax is more than
what he seems and enjoys keeping people guessing.”

“Admittedly, I can’t wait to get to know Jaxon more.” Avery
made her way to the freshly made bed, kicked off the slippers she’d worn to the
spa and nestled down on the cozy covers. “Sorry if I’m not much for
conversation right now. I’m super tired.”

“Me too, a night of great sex does that to you.”

“Until last night, I wouldn’t have known that firsthand.”

“Any regrets?”

“None whatsoever,” she said. “Even if we suddenly discover
last night was a product of tequila, I’m glad I seduced you.”

“You seduced me?” He laughed softly, his amusement kind of
sweet. “I think there was mutual seduction going on. Bet the sheets feel nice,
and you smell nicer.”

“I smell like chocolate.”

“Too bad phones don’t have smell-o-vision.”

“Like chocolate, do you?”

“On you, I’ll love it.”

“When can I expect you back?”

“Couple more hours here,” he answered. “I’ll need a shower
when I’m done. I smell like vinegar.”

“Why?”

“Jax’s window-cleaning formula is all over me.”

Imagining the smell of vinegar, she wrinkled her nose. “Ah,
then I’m glad I can only smell myself.”

“What else can you do yourself?”

“Let’s see, I can brush my teeth, bathe, help patients
continue to heal after Doc puts them together again, give great blowjobs to my
guy,” she answered softly, feeling the aftereffects of pampering, massage and
multiple orgasms.

“You do give great head, baby.”

“Thank you. You’re the only one to know so far.”

“I’m honored.” He started to whisper something else, but a
sudden sneeze overcame his voice.

“Bless you.”

“Thanks, vinegar’s playing havoc with my sinuses.”

“Aw, when you come home, I’ll give you a rubdown…if you
shower first.”

“I’ll be sure to. No deflecting, Avery. What else can you do
by yourself, right now?”

She didn’t think she’d deflected anything. “What is it you
want me to say?”

“I think you know,” he said, whispering again. “What are you
wearing?”

“Umm, are we having phone sex?”

“You are about to. It’s kind of awkward for me, given where
I am and Jax’s proximity.”

“Something tells me he’d like to join in.”

“Would you like that?”

“For Jax to join in with us, you mean?”

“Yes.”

The idea was tempting, yes, yes it was. Jaxon Wynter had
this metrosexual magnetism that hinted that he was superb and sexually dominant
in bed with men and women equally. On some men, the metrosexual style and
attitude didn’t work. Jaxon perfected it.

“I’d be tempted if you were there,” she answered, hoping
that was the response he wanted. “Hazard, have you ever had a ménage?”

Coughing a little, he answered, “Yeah, sorry, baby.”

“Often?”

“More times than I care to admit,” he said.

“What’s it like?”

“Sexy, orgasmic and adventurous if done right, but
complicated and not for the faint of heart,” he answered after a minute. “If
ménage is something you want to try, you need to be up front with me, Avery.
Don’t pursue it on your own, you’ll end up hurt and used.”

“Honestly, I know a few people who’ve tried them, my brother
included until he committed himself to Ryan. They run a BDSM membership-only
club at their castle. What happens there stays within the walls, but wondering
what goes on is intriguing.”

“You ever go to that club without me, Avery Grant, our
relationship is over,” Hazard warned.

“That’s a little hypocritical. We have a week together. What
we do afterward is entirely open.”

“I guess that’s fair. It’d kill me if you got hurt. BDSM
clubs are serious shit. Going into that kind of lifestyle without doing
research or finding the right person is foolish.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve given it consideration. It’s not for me. Bondage,
sure, I’m up for that. The hardcore side I leave to those who truly get off on
it. Creating sex fantasies is more my style. I’ve got a number of them to carry
out with you.”

“Sex fantasies sound promising. There are a number I’d like
to do with you. Honestly, though? I maintain what I said before. I’d not do
them without you.”

“Why is that?”

“You make me feel safe enough to explore my sexuality,
something I’ve never tried to do before. Had I met anyone else last night, I’d
have come back to my room and fallen asleep on the chaise while watching old
movies.”

“You’re always safe with me. That’s what friends are for.”

Friends. He considered them friends. That was a good thing.
Except it felt as if he’d just popped her favorite balloon.

“Avery, talk to me.”

“I was thinking about what you said. I’m glad we’re friends
too.”

“We’re more than that,” he told her a few seconds later.
“We’re not going to be done after this week. Not by a long shot, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Do something for me.”

“Are we back to phone sex again?”

“Only if you reach into that drawer and get the glass
dildo.”

Avery automatically scooted close enough to the bedside
table to open it and retrieve the gorgeous ridged glass penis. It felt heavy
and slick and bumpy in all the right places.

“Do you have it?” Hazard asked.

“It’s in my hand.”

“Get it nice and warm before you put it inside you. First,
remove every stitch of clothing.”

“I could fake it, you know? All you can do is hear what I
tell you.”

“Once you’re naked, put the phone on speaker and adjust the
sound as loud as you need to hear me, then place it real close to your pussy.
I’ll hear when you come just fine.”