Unbridled Pursuit (Novak Springs Book 2) (9 page)

Vitoria shook her head in abhorrence—Wes really knew how to push her buttons. Shaking off the ugliness, she turned to Miguel Santiago. Handsome as she remembered but his normal smile and dimples were gone, replaced by a look of displeasure.

“Did that man upset you,
querida
?” he asked.

The last thing she needed was Miguel and Wes to come to blows of some kind. That would make things ten times worse. No, it was best to let it seem completely innocuous. Miguel didn’t need to know how much Wes hated her.

“No, he’s just upset. Don’t give him another thought.” Vitoria waved her hand in an effort to dismiss Wes’s bad attitude. “Don’t worry about him”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded her head, attempting to reassure him. “Yes, let me grab my purse and we can go to dinner.”

“Certainly,
querida
.” Miguel’s dimples made an appearance as he smiled at her.

Vitoria went into her room and grabbed the clutch she’d already packed with her necessities for the evening. She refused to allow anything to spoil her night. It had been a long time since she had the chance to go out with a handsome man. Miguel fit that description more than words described. He had to be one of the most beautiful men she’d ever encountered. Every time she got a glimpse of his dimples, something inside of her melted into a puddle of need. She rushed to exit the room and join him in the hallway. By the time she reached him, she was a little bit out of breath. “I’m ready to go.”

“I hope you enjoy Thai food. I thought perhaps something a little spicy to add some excitement to the evening.”

“Oh, I’m not enough?” she asked with a little laugh.

“Trust me,
querida
, you are more than enough.” He pulled her hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the palm of her hand. “With all the commotion, I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight.” His eyes trailed down to her feet and back up to rest on her face. Miguel made her feel beautiful.

A little flutter swept through her belly at his gesture. Miguel was beyond charming. Vitoria liked him, she truly did, but something about him didn’t feel right. She wasn’t sure what it was and didn’t want to think about it too much either. All she wanted from him and the night ahead was a bit of fun and laughter. She could really use it.

At a loss for what to say, she cleared her throat and said the first thing that came to mind, “Thai sounds fine.”

“Wonderful, then let’s go. We have reservations at a lovely place I can’t wait to share with you.” He placed her hand in the crook of his arm and tapped it as they began to walk to the elevator.

Miguel led her outside and handed his slip to the valet. He came back with a racy sports car in a brilliant cherry-red. Once they were inside, his foot hit the gas pedal, and the car jerked forward in a rush of speed. Vitoria’s body jerked back into the seat, her head hitting the back with a hard
thud
.

So Miguel liked to speed a little. No big deal, right? Except for the fact it terrified her. She hoped he let his foot lighten up on the accelerator soon. She didn’t want to lose the contents of her stomach on the way to the restaurant.

“Could you possibly slow down a little bit?”

“You don’t like fast cars,
querida
?”

“No, not particularly.” She held on to the arm on the door, her hands turning white beneath her tight grip. “I don’t mind it in moderation. Like all things, it has a time and a place. I don’t want to deal with any accidents when we could be enjoying each other’s company instead.”

“True…for you I will slow down.” He eased his foot back of the pedal.

Vitoria let go of the breath she was holding and slowly eased it out. A sense of relief flooded her whole body, goose bumps trailed along her forearm. “Thank you, Miguel.”

“
De nada, fue un placer.
”

Spanish rolled off his tongue, adding to the tingles along her spine. His pleasure indeed—she bet it was. He probably sped down the street so she would beg him to slow down. Just like a man to attempt to get a reaction out of a woman in such a childish way. He pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant, where a large sign displayed the name Hence Thai. It looked like a swank, popular place. The place was booming with people, some waiting outside for a table.

“They look busy. Will we have to wait long for our table?

“No, we have reservations. We will be seated right away.” He got out of the car and circled around to open her door for her. “I know the owners personally.”

He helped her get out of the car and led her to the entrance. The hostess greeted them. “Mr. Santiago, your table is ready. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to it.”

“Of course, lead the way.”

They followed the hostess out to a private balcony. Tiny white lights were sprinkled across the balcony over the outdoor ceiling. The whole scene had a romantic ambiance. Miguel pulled out her seat and gestured for her to sit. She did as he suggested and allowed him to push her chair in close to the table.

Vitoria opened her menu and scanned the items. “Everything looks really good, do you have any suggestions?”

“You should choose whatever catches your eye. If you want to try more than one thing, then order everything.” He set his menu down and folded his hands on the table. “I believe that you should savor all life has to offer. If something appeals to you, you need to at least get a taste of it.”

“It’s a nice philosophy.”

“One I truly believe in and live by. Life is meant to be enjoyed.” His chocolate-brown eyes bled sincerity. “Which is why we are here this evening. Such a beautiful woman should be showered with attention. I intend to make sure this is a night you’ll never forget.”

In what ways? Something about that last statement made her sit up and wonder. It held an underlining meaning she didn’t understand. He appeared harmless and genuine, but she didn’t really know him. Vitoria shook away the inkling of fear that crawled through her gut. Miguel wouldn’t go through all the trouble to wine and dine her if he meant her harm.

“I’m thinking I want to try the drunken pasta.”

“A good choice, a bit spicy, but enough to give a bite.” He tapped his finger on the table and then rubbed the white tablecloth with his thumb. His bottom lip sucked between his teeth. “I do like a nibble and a taste of zing every now and then.”

Sexual innuendo laced every one of his words. “Don’t we all?”

“Indeed, tell me a little bit about yourself.”

“I grew up in a strict environment. My sister and I had a stellar education. Everything a child could ask for—provided they didn’t mind constant classes in foreign language, including Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish. Anything that could enhance our mind and make us think—our parents made sure we were in the class.”

“It sounds like they wanted what was best for you.”

“Perhaps.” Vitoria looked down and considered how much she should share and decided she didn’t want to hold anything back. Sometimes it was best to be forthcoming from the beginning. She didn't like complications. Tori believed in honesty and straight-forwardness. “Personally, I think they wanted showpieces. Something they could point at and say ‘Look at what we made, aren’t they brilliant replicas of excellence?’”

“Maybe you are being too hard on them.”

“We don’t exactly speak these days.”

“You don’t desire to have a relationship with them?” he asked

She shook her head and took a drink of the water in front of her. He didn’t understand. Her parents were emotionless human beings. Limiting their influence on the rest of her life was the best choice she’d ever made. Because of them, she had a strained relationship with her twin sister, one that might never be fully repaired. “No, it’s better this way. I’m fine on my own. It’s how I work best.”

“I’m sure you would know better than I do.” He pulled her hand to him and caressed it with his thumb. “I’m sorry if I upset you in any way.”

“You didn’t.” She didn’t want him to feel he was responsible for the relationship between her parents. No one was accountable for their actions except for them. “My parents have their own brand of love. I accepted it a long time ago.”

They talked for a while, sharing a little bit about their lives. She told him about her business and relocating to Seattle. “I’m looking forward to getting to know this city.”

“I’m looking forward to getting to know you,
querida
.”

She enjoyed his attention, but didn’t know how much time she wanted to actually spend with him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but a tingling feeling of wrongness filled her gut. Something about Miguel was too smooth. Every word out of his mouth seemed rehearsed to achieve a desired goal. She didn’t see his end game, but she didn’t have too in order to pull the plug. “We’ll see. I am going to be busy for quite a while.”

“I’m going to have to keep trying until I find a time when you are no longer too busy to spend some time with me.”

“I can’t make any promises.”

“I don’t expect any.” His dimples made another appearance, his smile oozing out charm.

The waitress brought their meal. The drunken pasta turned out to be a divine combination of angel hair pasta, sautéed with seared chilies, onions, hot peppers, and Thai basil. Miguel had been right—it was the right combination of spiciness burning her taste buds in a good way. Vitoria savored every bite and enjoyed the evening as much as Miguel promised. But she looked forward to the evening’s end.

When they arrived back at her hotel, he walked her up to her room. Outside her door, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It was sweet and savory, with enough bite to sear her tongue, much like the drunken pasta. Exciting and filled with danger with each press of his lips against hers. Miguel’s kiss both dangerous and practiced, designed to build passion and remain unmoved by it.

She pulled away, not wanting to know exactly how treacherous he could be if she allowed him to go further. Vitoria didn’t mind a little risk every now and then, but she knew when it would be too big. Miguel’s attitude screamed out to her
Enormous trouble back away
. Vitoria knew how to read the signs, and she planned on following them.

“Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“Anytime,
querida
.”

He strolled down the hallway whistling as he walked. Vitoria turned and opened her hotel-room door. It had been a long day, and at least it ended well, even if she had no plans to see Miguel again. He’d been polite and respectful, but he wasn’t the man for her.

She would deal with Wes and his hatred another time. Wes needed to let it go and stop his vendetta against her. In order to make it go away she would have to travel on a road she didn’t want to go down. It was time to sit down and make him explain his anger, once and for all, and then put it to rest. For her own peace of mind, and maybe in the process, Wes would finally have some serenity of his own. Whatever demons ate away at him, it was now time to release them to the place they truly belonged. Life should never be the epitome of a living hell.

Light illuminated the room after Vitoria flipped the switch. Wes sat back in the chair and tapped the armrest. She kicked off her shoes and tossed her purse on the nightstand near the bed. He waited for her to notice him in the room. After he stormed away earlier, it occurred to him he was ruining a good chance to understand what motivated her.

He followed them outside and listened to their conversation.

Only after overhearing a few snippets did he realize she had no clue who she was going on a date with or what Miguel Santiago represented. They were still awkward with each other and did the whole get to know each other thing. It confused him. Maybe he’d been wrong about her.

Did he judge her too harshly?

No, he didn’t believe he’d done so. If anything, it was an elaborate ruse to throw him off and make her seem innocent when she, in fact, was very much guilty. Regardless, he decided to lay in wait for her return. They needed to get to the truth before his brother’s wedding. He would not allow her to ruin any part of the special event.

A small gasp filled the room as she came to a halt a few feet away from him. Her hand tapped her chest as she fought to control her breathing. “Wes, what the hell are you doing in my room again?”

“We need to talk.”

“You have the worst timing of anyone I know—and this is getting old.” She flung her arms up in the air in frustration. “I’m tired, and I really don’t want to deal with any more of your histrionics.”

“I do not get hysterical—I’m not some female incapable of controlling my emotions.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?” She looked him over from head to foot and then came back up, stared him directly in the eye. “You could’ve fooled me. I’m not chasing you around demanding answers and behaving like a fool.”

Wes stood up and stalked over to her. He stopped in front of her and did his own appraisal of her appearance. Her sexy champagne and gold outfit clung to her body, her leg slipping through the slit of her silky skirt. He fought the desire to pull her into his arms and strip off her clothes slowly as he trailed kisses over her entire body. Something about Vitoria Miene made him want to touch every inch of her decadent figure.

“At least I didn’t get dressed up expecting sex with a known criminal.”

“First of all, I am not dressed any differently than normal. Second, how I dress or for whom is none of your business.” Vitoria tilted her head confusion filling her eyes. “Lastly, what the hell are you talking about? Miguel is not a criminal.”

“You know him so well then? He shared everything about himself with you?”

“He shared enough. It was only a first date.”

“So you expect to see a lot of him?” Wes asked. “When will you see him again?”

Vitoria threw her hands in the air and screamed. The sound reverberated through his ears at such a high pitch, he covered them with his hands, pain shooting through his head. When she finally stopped screaming, he uncovered them and glared at her. What the holy hell was wrong with her? He didn’t see any reason for her or her dramatic actions.

“How many times do I have to tell you my life is none of your damned business?” she asked.

“If you’re planning on bringing the leader of one of the biggest crime rings to my brother’s wedding, it is definitely my business.”

“Where do you get these crazy ideas? Miguel is a normal business man.”

“So you researched him?”

“Well no, that’s kind of rude. All we did was go out to dinner.” Vitoria rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I planned to run away with him and get married.”

Wes shook his head. It amazed him no one had managed to murder her already. She had so little regard for her own well-being. “So glad you managed some restraint.” Sarcasm dripped in distain laced every word. “I know how difficult holding back is for you.”

“You’re such an ass.”

“You need to quit seeing him.”

“I’ll see any one I damn well want to,” she shouted. “You do not dictate to me who I can and cannot go on a date with.”

He stormed toward her, mere inches separating them. “In this you will listen to me. That man is dangerous.”

“I don’t care what you think about him, Wes. If I want to go on another date with him, I’m going to.”

“You really have so little regard for your own life?” he asked, bewildered.

“My life was never in any danger, no matter what you believe.” Vitoria took a small step back.

Wes stalked forward, eliminating the distance she tried to gain. “You’re a fool.”

“No bigger than you are.”

“You’re right. I’m a complete idiot.” He grabbed her, pulling Vitoria into his arms.

Leaning forward, his lips slid over hers in a heated kiss. Vitoria’s arms wrapped around his head, her fingers pulling on his hair. The back of her shirt had been tied in a bow—he yanked on it, pulling it loose. His hands roamed across the smooth skin of her back and up to her shoulders. Vitoria’s nails raked across the top of his head as she pulled back away from him. Her tongue darted out across her plump lips.

Wes skimmed his hand against her waist and pushed her blouse off. Her lush breasts, hugged by a bit of gold lace, begged him to touch them. He peeled off the material and let it drop to the floor. Her nipples peaked into tiny, hard buds as he glided his thumbs across them. Wes dipped his head and pulled one of her nipples into his mouth, savoring the taste of her. Vitoria moaned as he nipped her other breast between his teeth and grazed it with his tongue.

“This is crazy,” Vitoria’s voice husky with desire.

Wes lifted her leg as he pushed her against the wall. She wrapped it around his waist and leaned her head against the wall. He trailed light kisses on her neck, stopping to suck on her earlobe. Pulling back after a few moments, he blew on her ear, her breathing becoming more rapid with each caress. “Don’t think, just feel,” he whispered in her ear.

Vitoria raised her hands and placed them on both sides of his face and made him look at her. Her blue eyes were twin flames of desire. “Then shut up and kiss me.”

Wes didn’t have to be told twice. This might be one of the biggest mistakes he ever made, but he had to give in. He’d been fighting his need for her for so long he couldn’t think straight. If he gave in and took what he needed, maybe things would finally be clear inside his head. Taking a step back, he stripped off his shirt and threw it over his shoulder. He took the time to savor the view in front of him. Vitoria’s body inclined against the wall, wearing only the gold-silk skirt, one leg slipping through a slit.

He stalked forward and pulled her back into his arms, crushing her breasts against his chest. She clawed at his back as he ravaged her mouth with his. Wes slid his hands down her back and pushed the skirt down, letting it pool at her feet. His hands cupped her behind, and he lifted her up. Vitoria wrapped her legs around his waist and tilted her head back, giving him access to her neck.

As he left a trail of kisses down her neck and shoulders, Wes carried her over to the bed. He set her down and took a step back. Vitoria lay back, resting on her elbows and brought one knee up. She stared at him, waiting. She was so beautiful it hurt to look at her. Her skin was flushed a pretty pink, her blonde hair fell in waves around her shoulders, and her eyes were a blue flame sparked with desire.

Wes flicked open the button of his jeans and unzipped them. He left them open, hanging at his waist as he stalked forward. It was time to sate every one of his desires. He craved her, and he needed to fulfill every fantasy he’d harbored for months in one night. It was the only way to get her out of his system.

“Are you going to stare at me all night?” she asked.

“No, I have plans, so many I’ve lost count. I’m going to do everything in my power to make you scream with pleasure all night long.”

“Promises—”

“Shut up, Tori.” Wes pushed her legs apart and kissed the inside of her thigh. “Or I’ll leave you here to take care of yourself.”

“Bastard.”

“Damn straight—something you should never forget.”

“Please…”

Wes proceeded to lick her clit with slow, precise movements. Vitoria’s breathing became more shallow with each swipe of his tongue against her sensitive flesh. He pushed a finger inside her tight passage and caressed her with careful strokes. She moaned as he pushed another finger inside and pumped them with a rhythm matching the flick of his tongue. A scream filled the room as her channel rippled against his fingers.

Satisfied with the result of his work, he took a step back and kicked off his jeans. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a condom, and stalked toward her.

She was so beautiful—treacherous—and he wanted her as he’d never wanted another woman. Tori was spread out before him as if she were his own personal buffet. He planned on supping on everything she offered. Wes would take so much he’d beg to sample from her table again.

Wes joined her on the bed and flipped her over. He rolled the condom on, lifted her ass up, and pushed himself inside of her. With quick thrusts, he began to fuck her.

Vitoria moaned and pushed back against him. He held on to her and groaned as the pleasure of her heat engulfed him. The feeling of her tight passage hugged his dick—it was almost more than he could bear.

Nothing could ever compare to finally letting himself enjoy the one thing he’d wanted for a long time. His orgasm crested, and he moaned as it erupted. He squeezed her thighs against him as he ground against her ass. For a few brief moments he was blinded by pure pleasure—bliss so enormous he didn’t think he’d ever come close to experiencing it again.

It scared the hell out of him.

Panic welled up inside of him. His heart raced from more than having phenomenal sex. Cold sweat formed on his forehead, and he started to shake.

He pulled away from her and practically ran to the other side of the room.

Wes picked up his jeans and shoved his legs into them.

“Is something wrong?” Vitoria asked.

“This was a mistake—it shouldn’t have happened.”

Wes could see pain seep into her eyes at his words. He couldn’t help it—if he let her, she’d rule him. Vitoria was no good for him. She was the reason his best friend died. Eric would still be alive if she hadn’t betrayed him.

Nothing would change that fact.

He needed to get as far away from her as possible. He picked up his shirt and slipped it on, getting ready to leave. Novak Springs was a couple hours away, and he’d head home—find time to decompress. Once he had some distance, he’d be able to clear his head. It would give him some time to remember why he couldn’t be with her.

After everything she did to Eric, he couldn’t ever have a meaningful relationship with her—even if his desire for her overshadowed his hate. It wouldn’t work.

“Wes, wait—”

Vitoria started to get up off the bed to follow him. Panic filled him as he looked over at her. He couldn’t deal with what happened between them.

“I have to go.”

Wes opened the door and let it click shut. He never did talk to her about Eric and wasn’t sure if he could now. Only one thing about what happened was clear in his mind.

One night would never be enough with her.

What a fool he’d been.

He still craved her, and it would be hell on him to resist her—especially after he knew how it would be with her—fucking amazing.