Naughty Little Wishes (Birthday Dare) Read online

  Chapter Nine

  A faint ache expanded in Drew’s chest from the air hijacked in his lungs.

  Tab skimmed her hand back down his thigh, and his leg bounced with an involuntary jerk. “And in case you’re wondering about yesterday morning, the Fruit Loops were absolutely delicious.” An impish grin pulled at her lips and she winked.

  She was getting back at him over cereal—now? Was she insane? He’d taken the hit of her staying in his home because he’d had no choice. He’d promised her a home base, and when Margo couldn’t find one, he’d delivered. It was a big house, and he had enough work at Bode-Wynn to keep him occupied until she left. Sure, he’d goaded her in the kitchen, but she needed to have better control over her obsessions.

  Tab turned and he homed in on her ass. His cock rose to cast its vote. A rock-solid ten.

  “You made it.” She greeted Bob Harrison. “Good to see you.”

  While Bob and Tab exchanged pleasantries, Drew reeled himself in. He managed to shake Bob’s hand, but the tightness in his throat didn’t allow room for words.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Bob said, “but it looks like I’ve arrived just in time. Our table is ready. Shall we?”

  Tab slipped her arm through Harrison’s, and the two strolled toward the restaurant. Her dress hugged her curves without a line in sight.

  Fuck. Why hadn’t lightning just fried his ass when he’d fallen off his Kestrel on the side of the road? He would have never had sex with her, never included her in the bargain with Bob, never risked his sanity.

  During dinner, polite chit-chat gave way to Bob sharing stories with Tab. The two leaned in toward each other, deep in conversation. As usual, she emphasized points with her hands. Her sounds of agreement had the same low purr as the moans she’d vibrated into their kisses. Hunger for more built inside him. He’d hid the effect from her in the kitchen. A stinging-cold shower and his hand had finally given him relief.

  The server cleared their empty plates, and Tab excused herself from the table. A part of him followed her to the ladies room. He’d lock the door behind them and find out if she was telling the truth. Regardless of what he found, he’d apply the sweetest torture with his mouth, his hands, his cock for what she’d done to him tonight. He’d make her scream with pleasure and wouldn’t give a damn who heard or how long Harrison waited at the table.

  “Stop scowling.” Bob scoffed. “I’m not going to steal your girl.”

  Drew drank coffee, welcoming the burning liquid as it loosened the tightening in his throat. “She’s not my girl.”

  “She should be. A woman like her keeps a man on his toes.”

  The server brought dessert. This was different. Bob knew everything about Shana, but they’d never had a conversation about his personal life. “Wouldn’t work. We’re too different.”

  Bob laughed and stirred sugar into his coffee. “I thought the same about Grace until she started dating another man. When I told her how I felt, Grace said she wanted someone who knew how to enjoy life. I asked her to teach me.” He shook his head. “I still shudder when I think about how my life would have turned out if she hadn’t said yes and stuck by me for thirty-seven years. A man’s damn lucky if he gets a second chance. I know you went through a rough patch, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again.”

  “Rough patch?” Was he kidding? “My fiancée left me and her father tried to destroy me, remember?”

  “But he didn’t succeed.” Bob dropped the teaspoon and it rattled on the saucer. “If you don’t start thinking of more than the past or trying to prove you’re the best, you’ll destroy yourself. Get your head out of your ass and expand the view.”

  Bob’s gaze hardened in the stare-off. Any other person Drew would send packing, but he respected the man like a father. He owed him for sticking it out with Bode-Wynn in the midst of the shit-storm Shana’s father created, but Bob was the one who needed to expand his view. Brazil wasn’t a random occurrence. His enemies wanted to take him out, and by extension Natalie. He wasn’t going to lose this contract and pray another firm did their job.

  Drew leaned in. “You want me to expand my view, renew the damn contract so I can focus elsewhere. Are you ready to cut a deal?”

  Tab returned and Bob gave him a noncommittal shrug. “That depends.”

  Live music filtered in from the lounge.

  “Sounds like they’re starting early tonight.” Bob stood and focused on Tab. “Feel like burning off dinner on the dance floor?”

  “Absolutely.” She took the older man’s hand and gave Drew a quizzical look. “Are you coming?”

  “In a minute.” Drew sat back in the chair and forced a calming breath.

  The stubborn bastard had gone rogue, but he had to tread lightly. He didn’t have to agree with Bob, just tolerate him long enough get a signature. But his ideas about Tab, when did she get thrown in the mix? Unless he planned on keeping her busy with his cock twenty-four-seven, they’d never survive a relationship. Bob had it wrong. His second chance didn’t involve a woman, it was Bode-Wynn International. The company he’d worked his ass off along with Devin to save.

  Drew settled the bill and went to the lounge. Bob twirled Tab in a fast spin. She whooped with laughter, and Bob grinned as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Screw it. If he had to sit by and watch everything go to hell, he needed a drink in his hand. He hailed the bartender. “Give me a shot of Crown. No. Make it a double.”

  …

  The music slowed, and Tab followed Bob’s lead into an easy sway. More people drifted into the lounge as the restaurant grew busier with dinner service. Not bad for a weekday.

  “Our boy looks sad,” Bob said.

  Tab resisted following his gaze over her shoulder. “Believe it or not, that’s his happy face.”

  “You know him well.”

  Beyond the biblical sense, all she knew about were the lows and the losses in his life. She had no idea what made him laugh, what brought him joy, or had the power to change the expression on his face.

  “Well enough.” She brushed nonexistent lint from Bob’s dark-blue lapel. The expensive tailored suit rested easily on his shoulders along with an air of confidence. Not from inherited wealth but money earned in the trenches. “He’s worried about losing you.”

  “Then he’s worried about the wrong thing.”

  “So you’ll sign with him.”

  Bob chuckled. “I didn’t say that. I’m not trying to torture him, but negotiating my contract is the hardest I’ve seen him stretch in a long time.”

  “What?” Her steps faltered. “He’s the most disciplined, driven man I’ve ever met.”

  “I’m not saying he doesn’t work hard. In fact, he works too hard trying to keep everything locked down and under control. Nothing happens that isn’t planned. If it’s not according to his agenda, he refuses to do it another way. Not renewing my contract is one of the most unexpected occurrences in his life. Things aren’t happening as expected, and it’s forcing him to take notice of what’s going on around him. Not signing could be the best thing I’ve ever done for him.”

  If Harrison leaves, it’ll hurt him. That’s what Mitch had said. How could Bob not signing bring any good to the situation? “He doesn’t show it, but he values your approval. If you leave, he’ll think you’ve lost faith in him.”

  Bob’s jaw locked into a stubborn line. “He needs to engage with life, not run it like a hamster on a wheel. I hate to say it, but the last time I saw him with any real fire in his eyes was after the accident.” Bob danced her away from the amps and speakers to a quieter spot on the dance floor. “In the hospital, he’d just taken the blow from Shana and her father when the doctors told him he had two choices, a wheelchair or at best a cane. He never told his family the prognosis or what he was going through over Shana. He kept everyone at a distance, even Devin. He fought to stand all on his own. Eight months later he walked. Four months later, he finished his first race.”

&nb
sp; Her vision blurred, and she stumbled. She couldn’t imagine facing such a heavy loss and so much pain without her friends or family. It made him strong, but what had it cost him in return?

  Bob altered his pace to compensate for her clumsiness and smoothly maneuvered her around the floor. “Somewhere along the line, the fire that pushed him forward after the accident turned into a protective ring he won’t deviate from or let anyone into. Eventually, it will consume him. He needs to allow people who care about him back into his life.”

  They stopped dancing when the music ended. A smattering of applause delayed her response. Bob squeezed her hand. “Don’t let him fool you. He’s resilient and stubborn as hell, but he needs people who won’t toe the line. To truly care about him, challenge him into facing the unexpected. Like you.”

  She wanted to correct him, but the band started playing a popular dance song and the crowd cheered. Bob escorted her off the floor, and they joined Drew, standing at the bar.

  Bob checked his watch. “I hate to spoil the fun, but I’m meeting a friend for drinks. Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a folded paper. “I wanted to give you the updated list of events my daughter’s scheduled to attend. I thought you might need it.” He handed her the list and kissed her on the cheek. Silent, stubborn communication passed between him and Drew. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Drew watched Bob walk away. He turned back to her and gestured to his glass. “Want one?”

  “No. I’m good.” She put the folded paper in her clutch.

  “I don’t get it.” He scrutinized her and she resisted fidgeting under his gaze. “Bob could have emailed the list. What’s going on with him? What did he say to you?”

  You need someone who truly cares. She’d spotted an opportunity to highlight his strengths through a change in his wardrobe. She’d stayed because she didn’t want to see him face failure over losing the contract. Truly caring meant feelings. Unlike the surgeon, the body building auditor, and the rest, she hadn’t considered investing feelings into a relationship with Drew, especially after she’d realized his hang-ups. He wasn’t just a guy with quirks that drove her crazy. Drew pushed her buttons. He had the capability to break her heart.

  “Bob didn’t say anything.” She worked up a smile. “I really have to go, too, or I’ll be late for my appointment.”

  “So that’s how it goes.” The angles of his face sharpened, and he tossed back his drink. “You two get to talk about me behind my back, and I have to live with it.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  His heavy lidded gaze swept over her. Anger, heat, desire—it was all there. “Then how is it? Do you have my back? Does Bob?”

  She took a half step back. “Of course we do. We’re on your side.”

  He laid a possessive hand on her hip. Tab’s heart skittered in her chest. As he leaned in, the light stubble on his face and warm puffs of air brushed her cheek. “Then why does Bob keep yanking my chain and you insist on driving me crazy? Fuck, Tab, no underwear. What are you trying to do?” He smoothed low on her hip and squeezed. “Are you trying to make me break my word or do you get off on tormenting me?”

  She gripped her clutch in front of her but couldn’t resist as he tugged her close. The band launched into the same slow song she’d danced to with the cowboy in Tulsa. Just like then, she wanted to be held, and Drew knew exactly how to hold her. In his arms, she wanted more of his caresses and kisses. She easily imagined tangling in the sheets with him during a long night of lovemaking. Waking up content, safe, and finding every excuse possible to play hooky and ignore the day’s responsibilities.

  Unlike Tulsa, she cared about Drew whether she wanted to or not. Escape didn’t exist at the end of the song. They had two more weeks to get through, and Corey wasn’t around to save her. She had to rely on her own strength.

  Tab backed up and he let her go. The stark need and rare vulnerability filling his gaze reached out to her. She forced her feet to move. “I’m sorry, Drew. I can’t stay.”

  Chapter Ten

  In his dreams, it was always worse. Her screams merging with the squeal of the tires. A desperate reach for the steering wheel. The sound of crushing metal. Stillness and freezing cold. Excruciating pain as he hung helplessly trapped upside down in the car. It all vividly played back along with Shana’s weeping and cries of agony.

  Drew struggled to surface, but he couldn’t find his way out. He woke up, heart pounding, but this time, instead of waking up to raging guilt, he saw mercy. “You’re safe,” he breathed.

  He kissed her hard and deep. Confusion passed and he focused on the angel straddling him. Not Shana. He was holding Tab. Desire overtook remorse, and he plunged his tongue back into her mouth. Warmth and cool mint saturated his tongue and mixed with the faint taste of whiskey in his mouth. Lie awake wanting her, or fall asleep and risk facing demons. He’d come to bed with the bottle, planning to bury both problems in alcohol. He was too damn tired to make it past the first shot.

  Her scent, light and feminine, inspired images of sultry nights in bed, making love until they both needed hours to recover. But was this a new cruel twist to his nightmare? Would he sink back into unrelenting hell only to wake up with the past clawing at him again, trying to tear him apart?

  He made himself pull back. Caresses along her shoulders, the stroke of his fingers against her cheek, wrenched out an exhale of relief.

  Tab’s long lashes lifted above her eyes. Blatant sexual hunger stole his breath. She smoothed her hands up to his shoulders, moved over him, and cradled his cock intimately between her thighs. “Don’t stop.” She kissed him, licking, sucking, teasing, tangling her tongue with his in a way that made his head reel.

  Lust surged through him and his heart tripped wildly in his chest. He threaded his fingers into her hair, deepened the kiss, and exploited every crevice and hollow of her mouth.

  She shifted her weight, pillowing her luscious breasts against his chest, and rocked her hips against him. He smoothed his hands down the satin fabric covering her back, wanting to smooth his palms over her skin. As he moved lower he finally discovered bare, generous curves made to fit in his hands. Drew cupped her ass and ground himself against her. She inhaled a shuddering breath, grabbed on to his shoulders, and arched her back.

  Tamping down what beckoned with each tortuous roll of her hips, Drew focused on her. Head thrown back, eyes closed, giving herself over to pleasure. He slid the thin straps of the nightie down her shoulders and his mouth watered. The fantasy of her covered in strawberry ice cream paled in comparison to her round, rosy tipped breasts. He sucked her bared nipple, and the tight bead scraped over the roof of his mouth. The scent emanating from her skin, her throaty cries, they pushed him close to the edge.

  She tugged the ties on his sweatpants, reached in, and fisted his cock. Tingles rained over his skin as the force of need pinned him to the mattress. She stroked him and he fed himself into her hand. Tab smiled in a way that almost stopped his heart and brushed a trail of soft kisses down his chest. As she moved lower, the muscles in his abdomen pulled, his balls tightened. If she wrapped her lips around him, he’d lose all control.

  He grabbed her wrists, and she gave him a pouty look. He grew impossibly harder at the sight of her. Tousled auburn hair, swollen lips, silken straps hanging low on her arms, her nightie pushed up on her open thighs, revealing a thin strip of auburn curls.

  Tab squeezed her breasts and undulated her hips. “How are we doing this? Am I riding you or are you riding me?”

  Drew flipped her over on the bed and crushed his lips to hers. “I’m into equal opportunity. My turn, then yours.”

  He laved and sucked her nipples, then kissed a trail over her belly as he dragged the nightie past her hips. Lust heightened at the sight of her beautiful, glistening pussy.

  “What’s wrong?” Tab’s throaty whisper stroked over him like fingers brushing his skin.

  He took off her nightie and fit his shoulders
between her thighs. “Just taking in the view.”

  More than enough reasons existed for him to stop. His concerns about where this would take them were lost in the scent of her arousal and the need to taste. He lashed, stroked, teased her with his mouth and tongue. Held her writhing hips as she cried out, gripping and pushing his shoulders as if battling an internal struggle to keep him there or push him away. Tab came and her essence flowed over his tongue. He wanted more. He couldn’t get enough, but his aching cock made the final call.

  He tossed his sweat pants aside, riffled hurriedly through the nightstand and found a condom, then glided into what felt like a dream. One that would banish the demons, the shadows, the nightmares, and allow him a night of peace.

  Chapter Eleven

  Morning.

  Tab adjusted her head on Drew’s shoulder and snuggled closer to his hip. Just a few more minutes. As she squeezed her eyes shut against the rays shining through the window, she embraced glimpses into rare moments in her past of almost domesticated bliss. Almost because the guy at the time never offered the completeness in the moment she’d longed for. Lying with Drew was the closest she’d ever come. No expectations but to stay wrapped in each other. Until reality stormed in.

  She teased Jasmine about her inability to keep her hands off Ethan, but at least Jasmine had a good excuse. She and Ethan were falling in love. She and Drew couldn’t enter into a conversation that didn’t end in a disagreement. Last night, after dinner, she’d wondered if anger and heated words led to some weird Pavlovian-like response that drove them sexually. But that didn’t account for their off-the-charts chemistry or what happened when she woke him from the nightmare.

  His shouts echoing down the hallway had prompted her out of bed. When she’d burst into his room, the bedside lamp had illuminated his eyes squeezed shut and the torment on his face. His legs were twisted in the sheets. His thrashing rattled the bed frame.

  Seeing the bottle of whiskey and the half-full tumbler had frightened her even more. Memories of Corey drunk but still drowning in pain had made her shake when she’d reached for Drew. When his eyes opened, disoriented by the nightmare and not alcohol, she’d collapsed against him because of his strong hold but also out of relief.