Recklessly (18 page)

“Oh, is
that
what I felt the other day? Your self-worth?”

“I think so. You might have knocked it out of place. Coincidentally, though, I won’t ever be able to feel yours…” Lana laughed and shook her head. “
I
really like fucking, but I can’t say it out loud. Ugh. It’s really unfair.”

“Oh, no. You can say it all you want, Lan…” Wes coaxed. “In fact, you should. I love that you love it.”

Lana raised her eyebrows, a quirky smile turning her lips up. “I really like fucking!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Jesus, girl, I said, ‘Say.’
Say
,” he said as she took his hand and led him away. “So, was Brody your first heartbreak?”

“Yeah…but I’m the same way as you…I don’t
hate
love. I just don’t think you always need to be out searching for it. And every guy I’ve dated follows the same pattern. They like who I am when they meet me—I’m the fun girl—and then they try to change me once we’re in an exclusive relationship. They want me to be someone else: my bike is too dangerous, I need to not party so much, I’m too wild, why am I working at a bar with so many guys, why am I living with so many guys, my clothes are suddenly too short or tight…the list goes on and on.
This
Lana…” She touched her chest. “…Is suddenly a liability. They don’t buy that I don’t want to be claimed or possessed or glorified property, so then I become something of a challenge for them. It’s like the opposite of the guys who go after the virgins. They want to be the one she gives it up to. With me, I’m the wild horse. They want to tame me. Break me. Make me submit.” She shrugged with a smirk. “Dudes are weird. And you guys say
we’re
the complicated and confusing ones.”

*

“So, whose house is this?” Wes asked several minutes later when Lana pulled him into a dark backyard with a pool glimmering silver in the moonlight. If she said Brody’s, he was pushing her pretty ass right into it.

But Lana shrugged. “No friggin’ clue. I just know they leave every year when the crazy surfers come to town.” She placed her hands on her hips and stared up at the two-story single-family house. “It’s nice, right?”

“Yeah…picturing it for your future dream home or something?”

“Wes, I can’t even picture what I’ll be doing in six months…much less myself as a homeowner with two point five kids playing out here some time down the line.”

“You don’t think about the future at all?” he asked, surprised. He certainly did. Even for someone whose life went from one thrill, one party, one aerial, to the next, he was well aware that he wouldn’t be able to live like this forever.

“Not when I’m twenty-three and having the time of my life.”

“You won’t be twenty-three forever, though.”

“I know, but I like living in the moment. All those people who plan so much because life is ‘too short’ just end up doing ironic things that shorten their lifespan. They go to schools they can’t afford to get jobs they hate to start paying off those student loans, car notes and mortgages they’ll never actually get out of debt from. They get stuck. I can just hop on my bike and go…whenever and wherever as fast as possible without a worry. I don’t hope to be at my jobs forever, I have very little debt, and I’m not even on our lease, so there are very little attachments holding me here, outside of Sadie. I struggled for a while financially, but I figured it out, and my life is my own.”

“Okay, fair enough. So why are we trespassing then?” Wes asked as he pulled her back flush against him. He pushed her hair aside and rubbed his nose against her ear. “Not to skinny dip, I hope…‘cause that’s for amateurs.”

“We’re not. I might be moving into Kiera territory right now, but kidnapping you was the only way I knew I’d be able to get you to myself, and I figured the water would make you stay. Plus…” Lana stuck her hand into her purse, pulled out a paperback and held it tight against her chest. “It’s trade day.” It had sort of become their thing, and he was glad she remembered. And who didn’t love a chick who carried books in her purse? “
Lord of the Flies
. I know, very elementary school but a classic nonetheless. Not a first edition, but it
is
my copy I’ve had since sixth grade. All my eleven-year-old secrets are noted in the margins. I’m trusting you with it.”

“What kind of lame brings a book to a party?” Wes teased as she tucked it back into her bag. The truth was, though, he had picked one up for her on the way down here. In retaliation for the comment, Lana attempted to push him into the pool, but he had anticipated it, so he grabbed her waist and yanked her in with him.

“Oh my God! Wes! You suck!” she said once she recovered and was above water. “I just bought this dress! The chlorine probably ruined it now.”

“Next time you won’t look so fucking hot when you bring your goddamn boyfriend to one of my parties…” he said with a wink. “…But I think I like you like this…” Wes brushed beads of water off the side of her face. She looked beautiful. Smiling, hair slicked back, fabric clinging to her curves above the surface and billowing around her waist down below.

She rolled her eyes as she locked her legs around his waist. “What? Wet?”

“…Not so done up,” Wes said. “Like that first night at your apartment.”

“When? After I got ready for bed?” Crinkles filled the space between her brows. “In my tiny little t-shirt?”

“I thought you looked amazing. Adorable, even. You can be overwhelming. The bike…the
everything
…I mean I like it, don’t get me wrong, and I think I’m overwhelming, too, but it was nice to see that side of you.”

“Thanks.” She smiled and raked his hair back. “You know when you looked good?”

Wes smirked. “Yeah. I do, actually.”

Lana rolled her eyes. “On that wave tonight. You just charged; you just went for it. And it was awesome! That’s the Wes Elliott who’ll win this year.”

Wes beamed, and the appreciation in her eyes sparked tingles all over his skin. “Did you see me do the Wes Reverse Roll?”

“No one else calls it that, dude,” Lana said, chuckling. “You can’t name a move after you, Wes, but yes, I did. You nailed it.”

“Whoa…no critiques?”

“No…and I’m definitely going to be cheering for you when you’re in Tahiti. I can’t wait to see you get that wildcard position when you break out the…
Wes Reverse Roll
.”

“So…did you get into surfing because of Brody?” Wes asked.

“Is this how things are going to be now?” she said with a groan. “Everything about me you’ll have to run through a Brody filter?”
Yes.
He couldn’t help it. He and Lana had formed this cool connection in his mind. He had wanted something
easy breezy
. He had gotten exactly that. Yet, that the two of them, she and Brody, had this complex and serious past was under his skin, and he hated it. Though he didn’t know if he hated her and Brody’s relationship or that the relationship was getting under his skin. “If I didn’t know any better…”

“…You’d think I was jealous?”

“Yeah…I think a reasonable person might make that assumption…” Lana studied him for a second.

“I’m not jealous in the way you think, Lana. Just seems like he knows you well…and I kinda felt like you were…”

“Yours?”

“Maybe I’m selfish, Lan.”

“What is it with you men and claiming things?” She rolled her eyes and he couldn’t help laughing.

“Look, I really expected you to have second thoughts about our situation by now. You haven’t…and I’m not used to that. I’ve never met anybody like you… I just felt like I’d met someone who got me, who got
this
. Our not-special thing became special, and you two have this even bigger special thing.”

“Does my knowing Brody and having a baby with him change things between us?” The question seemed defiant but momentary uncertainty struck her features. “You’d do a relationship with no strings attached but attach strings to our friendship? I hope not.”

“What would it say about me if I let an ass-wipe—no offense—like Brody Swift come between us?”

“None taken. Good answer.”

“Damn straight. And to show you how serious I am about our friendship, I’ll teach you the Wes Reverse Roll. No one else knows the exact technique. Ready? Put your hands on my shoulders,” he said.

Lana obeyed and Wes lifted her hips into the air until the upper half of her body was nearly horizontal. “And then you turn…kick your feet…and…” Wes released her and caught her in his arms. Her eyes lit up, something twinkled around her irises, and a soft, mysterious smile curved her lips.

After a few more seconds of quiet, she said, “Well, my friend did say this is where I could get surfing lessons…”

“What?” Wes asked, raising his eyebrows.

              “I’m on vacation…I want to learn how to surf…” Lana groaned and gave him a look of disappointment. “
Jesus
, Wes, just play along! I didn’t
just
kidnap you ‘cause I wanted to talk, you know.” She smiled again then winked.

“Oh…
oh,
got it,” Wes said as he set her back down in the water. A tremble of excitement rolled down his spine as her words awakened his erection; his pulse snapped into a faster rhythm. He’d definitely had sex at other people’s houses before, but never a stranger’s backyard. Damn, the girl had ideas. He liked them. And he was about to show her just how much. The water around him seemed to warm as her eager gaze scorched him, and he was anticipating turning that stare into a satisfied, dazed look. He saw it as his duty, really.

“So you think you can help me?”

              “Oh…yeah…you’re definitely in the right place, Miss…” he said with a half-smile.

“Lana Marie.”

“Hi, Lana Marie. I’m—”

“Wes Elliott…I know. I’ve heard
all
about you.”

“Then you know…I can teach you
all
about surfing.” Wes ran his fingers down the sides of her hips, bunched her dress around her waist and let his fingers dance across the front of her underwear. “First step is losing these. They hinder your…uh,
balance
on the
ride
.”

              “Oh yeah?” A sexy grin flexed her lips as she peeled her underwear off and sent them floating away behind her. “Are you sure?”

He reached around and cupped her butt then kissed her just below the earlobe. “Trust me; I’m a surfer.”

She almost burst out laughing, but she held her character; though, her voice fell a sexy, sultry octave. “I don’t have a board, though. I didn’t bring one.” Lana curled her fingers into the front of his jeans and yanked him toward her. “You got something else I can use?”

              “Yup. Right this way, Miss.” Wes gestured at one of the chaise lounges. Lana followed him out of the pool, and Wes lay back on the chair, pulling his soaking boxers and jeans down to his knees and letting his dick spring free. Lana kneeled between his legs and he unfurled a condom down his length, trying to keep calm as he watched her hand vanish beneath the hem of her drenched dress for a few minutes.

              “Now what do I do?” she whispered with faux coyness when he folded the neckline of her dress down.

As the warmth of her body tightened over him, and he rocked up against her, yanking her hips down and releasing ragged breath after ragged breath. She braced her hands on either side of him, clinging to the edges of the chair, and he squeezed her butt, drawing one of her nipples into his mouth.

How am I doing?” Lana asked breathlessly as she bounced and rolled her hips in his lap. Wes cranked out a big grin, digging into her from below and landed a soft palm on her backside. She lowered her mouth to his, flicking her tongue over the contours of his lips. Wes kissed her roughly, wildly, open-mouthed, backed by impatience and lustful desperation. He wanted to savor every fevered moan and taste every sharp gasp. He grabbed her wrists, pinned them together behind her back and pressed up into her, taking over with more powerful thrusts.

“
Don’t
move your hands,” he said as he released her arms, and her muscles grew taut as she locked her fingers behind her back. Wes reached down between her legs, stroking her as she twitched, and her motions soon slowed as her head fell back. She swung it up again and her mouth fell open, shallow breaths escaping. She grew languid on his lap, trembling and writhing for a moment as her orgasm pitched a strangled cry from her throat. Suddenly, one of the inside house lights snapped on, catching both their attentions.

“I thought you said no one was home!” he whispered as he sat more upright.

“May have…exaggerated knowledge…of their…absence…” Mischief was burning bright in her eyes.

“Should we—”

“No.” Nearly breathless, Lana pushed him back against the chair, held him in place with her palms on his chest, and smiled. She dragged her teeth across his earlobe then bit down. “I’m still
taking
what I want…” If she kept talking like that, there would be nothing left to take.

Bearing down on his shoulders with her hands, she ground her hips into him so hard she was clenching her teeth. The thrill of getting caught sent his blood through his veins at the sprint of a bullet; Wes swallowed all his grunts, bit down on his lip to keep as silent as he could as he clutched her butt tighter. He was at Lana’s mercy now, already dangling over the abyss of his climax and powerless to do anything but ache as he waited to fall into it. His body tensed, and his fingers tightened even more over her flesh as she twirled her hips, dismantling his hold on the present. Her demand was silent but clear in her steady stare, and it sent him spiraling into the kind of bliss that ignited every spindly nerve ending in his body.

“
Shhhh…
” Lana said, laughing quietly when his mouth fell open and his muscles quivered before she slammed his face into her shoulder. His teeth skimmed her skin as her tongue slithered along his neck and her fingers slid around the sopping fabric matted to his back.

“
Fuck…
” Wes rasped as his orgasm churned out of him. Lana touched a light kiss to his forehead, but there was no time to recuperate from the high, as they quickly gathered their things and ran out of the yard, both laughing hysterically. They were several blocks away before they finally stopped to catch their breaths, crashing down together in the dark front yard of someone else’s house. He prayed they didn’t have timed sprinklers or motion-sensor lights because he was too tired to make another escape.