Surrounded by Pleasure (7 page)

“It’s your bet, hotshot,” Jack snapped.

Toby sat a little straighter, pulling the cards Krista
was holding into view. “What do you think?” he asked her.

“Hmm. I don’t know. I think we should raise.”

“You don’t even know what the current bet is,” Rob grumbled.

Toby’s head snapped at Rob.
Knock it off!
He picked up a couple of chips and then a few more.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re raising.”

Everyone looked over at Josh for his bet, but he was too
busy kissing his wife. Toby tried to hide his smile but was unsuccessful.
“Josh, dude, it’s your turn, man.”

He pulled away from Mikaela’s mouth and looked at his
cards, but he didn’t seem to be paying much attention since his wife was
kissing his neck and rubbing his chest. “Call.” He threw a bunch of chips into
the pile then slid his hand into his wife’s hair, pulling her mouth back to
his.

Toby chuckled at his brother’s public display of
affection, but his laughter died when he felt Krista’s tongue in his ear. He
groaned, fisting a hand in her hair to hold her close, keeping her mouth right
where he wanted it.

At least for now. Later he’d want her mouth other places.
His dick twitched, seconding that mental suggestion.

“Pair of aces,” Jack grumbled, tossing his cards over.

“Two pair. Jacks high,” Rob said curtly, showing his
cards.

“Full house,” Toby panted, flipping his cards over then
wrapping that arm around Krista’s waist.

“Beats me,” Josh said.

“Fuck, can you two jackasses pay attention for one damn
minute?” Jack said.

Krista pulled away, wiping her lips. She looked at the
other guys, but Toby couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Sorry,” she said sweetly. “I’ll behave. I swear.”

“Yeah, yeah. Me, too,” Mikaela agreed.

“It’s my turn to deal,” Jack said, reaching for the deck
and gathering the cards everyone tossed over to him.

Toby turned his head and nuzzled Krista’s neck. “I take
it you’re not mad at me for leaving last night?” he whispered.

She turned to look at him, stroking his cheek. “Not at
all,” she said, matching his tone. “I think it was a very noble thing you did.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “Unnecessary, but noble.”

He chuckled softly, then gave her a quick kiss, knowing
if he lingered, he’d maul her right here at this table.

“Um, I’d like to keep what was said just between us,” she
murmured. “You know . . . about me.”

He stroked her cheek then rested his forehead against
hers. “Of course. But, er, I think we have some things to clear up.” Like how
the hell her boyfriend agreed to her having an open relationship when that guy
hadn’t even fucked her. That thought hadn’t escaped him. In fact, it’d been the
thought dominating all others since he’d left her last night. He couldn’t find
a reason that made sense. Toby’s jaw clenched at the thought of another man
bedding her, but like he’d been doing all day, he tamped down that possessive
urge. He had no right to it, and if he didn’t want to hurt this woman, he’d
better keep any primal tendencies where she was concerned at bay.

“We can talk all you want.” She smiled softly, leaning a
little closer. “In the morning. Because I have a feeling tonight any talking
will consist of dirty words muttered in the heat of passion while you fuck me
hard.”

He groaned. How the hell was he going to play with her
and not fuck her? His resolve to do the noble thing was wavering, and he still needed
answers. As she kissed his neck he couldn’t help but agree with her. Tomorrow.
He’d get the answers tomorrow.

Chapter Five

Krista sat on Toby’s lap, playing cards with all the guys
and doing her best to stay focused. She knew she felt out of her element last
night. Tonight, she felt like a completely different person.

Not that she was pretending to be something she wasn’t.
She knew she had a sexual side buried beneath her sheltered exterior, but she’d
never embraced it before. So she had to fight her tendencies to run up to her
room, change into some sweats, take out her contacts, put on her glasses, and
read a book. Her little pep talk with Mikaela this afternoon had helped her
muster up the courage to come in this room and walk straight over to Toby, but
within minutes that confidence waned. Biting her lip as she looked at the
cards, she wondered if she was overdoing it. She wanted to be irresistible to
Toby and show the other guys just who exactly she had eyes for, but at the same
time, she didn’t want to throw herself at Toby. What if he rejected her again?

And what if he didn’t believe the story she’d conjured up
about her fake boyfriend? God, why in the world Mikaela was insisting she keep
up that ruse, Krista hadn’t the foggiest idea. But even though Mikaela wasn’t a
senior partner, she did outrank Krista and Krista was here working on her
cases. If she stayed on Mikaela’s good side, then only good would come of that
at the office. But she hated lying to Toby. What if something real developed with
him? He’d be pissed when he found out she’d been lying to him. Of course, he
could also be thrilled to learn she was an available woman.

But they’d never even get to that point without Krista
coaxing Toby since he was obviously some knight in shining armor, allowing her
to maintain her virtue. Which brought her back to her immediate worry—was she
coming on too strong?

He pulled her close and nibbled on her ear. “What’s
wrong, baby?”

She exhaled heavily, not realizing she’d been holding her
breath, his gentle concern giving her renewed hope that she was on the right
course. She had to stop second-guessing herself. She obviously had something
going on that appealed to this man. After turning to him, she smiled, then
leaned her head against his.

“Nothing. Just a long day.”

He kissed her temple. “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your
room.” He started to get up, but Krista put her hands on his shoulders to stay
him.

“No.”
Crap.
She
didn’t want this night to end. She wasn’t tired. She was horny, and the day had
been long because she’d spent a good part of it fantasizing about what Toby
looked like naked. “Um, I, er—”

“Toby,” Mikaela interrupted, and Krista gave her a
grateful look. “Why don’t you take Krista for a walk? We’ve been cooped up here
all day, and I’m sure she’d love to get some fresh air.” She turned to Krista.
“The stars are beautiful out here. Looks like you can reach up and touch them.”

Krista smiled at Mikaela then turned to Toby. “I’d like
that.”

He half-smiled at her, scooting his chair to the side so
they could more easily get up. “Then let’s go. I’ve taken enough of their money
for one night.”

“You were just lucky,” Rob grumbled.

Toby looked at her, and the intensity of his gaze made
her heart beat faster, her tummy tingle. God, she was so head-over-heels for
this man. It didn’t make sense. She hardly knew him, but she couldn’t deny it.

“No,” Toby started, keeping his eyes on Krista, “I
am
lucky.”

She couldn’t breathe. If he wasn’t careful, she’d jump
his bones right here and now.

“C’mon, baby. Let me show you the grounds.”

After she mumbled some good-byes, Toby took her by the
hand and led her out of the room. He complimented her on her outfit and engaged
in other small talk as they walked outside, all the while rubbing soft circles
on the back of her hand. She smiled up at him like some lovesick teenager
facing her first crush, and in some ways that was exactly what he was. She
couldn’t remember feeling this way about another person before.

“Oh, wow,” Krista breathed, looking up at the sky as soon
as they cleared the porch. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Yeah, it really is. I guess I’m just used to seeing it
all the time.”

They took a few more steps, but Krista couldn’t take her
eyes off the sky. It was flooded with twinkling lights, like large diamonds in
the sky. And the moon was huge, too. She could make out the craters with
surprising clarity.

As they walked, Krista asked Toby about the family
business, and he told her about tree farming, not leaving out any of the
strenuous details. She couldn’t help but smile at him when he spoke of his
family and the livelihood that supported their way of life. He loved the
outdoors, but she figured all of his brothers did. As they walked around the
other side of the house and farther away from it, she started to get a little
nervous. Not because of being alone with Toby, but because she was in the
middle of a dang forest. And now they were standing at the edge of the woods.

“Is it safe out here?” she asked, her voice trembling.

He pulled her up against his chest, stroking her hair. “I
won’t let anything get you,” he murmured.

She stared up into his eyes, their sparkle rivaling the
starry sky, and leaned closer, licking her lips.

He groaned, bent down, and brushed his lips against hers.
“I can’t explain what it is you do to me, Krista.”

He didn’t give her an opportunity to respond. He took her
mouth in a heated kiss, and she returned it, pouring all she had to give into
it. She wound her arms around his neck and popped up on her toes to get as
close to him as possible, loving the feel of his body against the full length
of hers.

Hard muscle met soft curves, and it felt like a perfect
match. Toby’s hands slid into her hair, fisting it as he kissed her harder, and
the little sting on her scalp pulsed straight to her pussy. She moaned, her
hands digging into his hair.

Toby growled, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her.
Her back landed against the rough bark of a tree, but she didn’t care. She just
didn’t want him to stop.

It was clear he had no intentions of doing that.

He rubbed his hard cock against her belly, but that
wasn’t where she wanted it. She lifted one leg to hook over his hip, and he
reached down and grabbed her knee to hold her leg up.

It still wasn’t enough.

She started raising her other leg, so Toby took her cue and
grabbed her ass, lifting her right where she wanted to be. She undulated
against his cock as she wrapped both legs around his waist.

“Oh, fuck, baby.” He thrust against her, trailing kisses
along her neck, as the bark bit into her back.

“Toby,” she breathed. She was at a loss for words, too
overwhelmed with every sensation. She wanted him to take her right here, and
the way he was grinding himself against her as he sucked and bit the sensitive
skin where her neck met her shoulder only made her want it that much more.

She shoved her hand between them and pulled his shirt out
from his pants. He hissed when she burrowed her hand beneath his jeans, not
bothering to unbuckle his belt or unsnap his pants. She stroked his cock, and
he thrust his hips, pushing himself against her arm that was between them while
he snaked his hand down her low-cut top, seeking out a breast with one hand and
squeezing her ass with the other. He took possession of her mouth again with a
breathless, frantic kiss.

She worked his cock, jacking him off with a firm, quick
motion while he played with her nipple and ate at her lips. Then his head tore
away from her on a growl. “Oh, shit, shit. I’m gonna—stop, stop, baby.” He
seized her hand. “I don’t want to come like this.” He dug his head into the
crook of her neck, panting.

She rested her cheek against his hair, trying to get
herself together as it seemed Toby was trying to do. She wasn’t sure what she
should say. She definitely wasn’t ready to call it a night. Oh, hell no.

He leaned back, kissing her forehead, his lips lingering
there. “Come with me to my cabin?” He tried phrasing it as a question, but the
look in his eyes was demanding.

“Cabin? I thought you had a room in the main house.”

He kissed her gently, a soft brush of his lips against
hers. “I do. But we all have our own cabins. After Josh and Mikaela got
married, they picked one out and said they needed some privacy, being very
insistent on claiming one particular cabin for some reason, so Dad told us all
to pick one out.” He nuzzled her hair. “I want some privacy with you tonight.”

“Just tonight?”

He chuckled. “No, but it’s a start.”

Why that answer delighted her so much, she couldn’t say.

* * * *

Toby unlocked the cabin with the key that was resting
atop the doorjamb. He didn’t know why he felt so nervous bringing Krista here.

Bullshit.
He knew exactly why he was
nervous. He hadn’t been with a woman in years. He’d been two seconds away from
ripping her jeans off and fucking her against that tree, but now that he’d been
granted a respite, he couldn’t help but wonder if he should go through with
this. Not just because she was a virgin, but because deep down he knew, just
knew, he wouldn’t be able to let her go once they’d taken this step.

And that scared the shit out of him because he wanted her
more than he’d ever wanted another woman.