RidingtheWaves Read online

  “Hello, Annalee.”

  The timbre of his voice swept across her skin like a soft caress. If he couldn’t see her shivering to the bone it’d be a miracle. “Brent Delaney. Oh my God, I barely recognized you.”

  “It’s been a long time.”

  She dared to visually examine his physique. “You’ve gotten,” her gaze lingered a second longer on his rippled chest, “bigger.”

  The kiss he placed on her cheek ignited sparks in her blood. His body heat wrapped around her tighter than her underpants. Goose bumps rose on her flesh. How could such an innocent, friendly peck transmit so much passion? “I’m sorry I…um, missed your return phone call. I’ve been busy…exceptionally…over the past couple of weeks…they’ve been horrendous.” An extreme case of jitters caused her teeth to chatter.

  He pressed his luscious lips to her ear. “Relax, baby, I’m not going to kidnap you.” Hot breath cascaded along the side of her face, down her neck to the swell of her breasts.

  Good God, she was on fire. She swooned and braced her back against the bar.

  As if to steady her, he reached inside her coat and slipped an arm around her naked waist. She gasped.

  “Not yet, anyway,” he whispered in a sensual, husky voice.

  Her nipples hardened. If she hadn’t felt them transforming into stiff little buds, she’d never believe they could do so without experiencing some form of stimulation.

  Again she gasped when his palm skimmed her waist, adding circular caresses at the curve as if memorizing the detail, before proceeding lower to the flare of her hip.

  Perspiration gathered along the base of her neck.

  The man knew exactly what he was doing, and he took his inquisitiveness a step further by sliding his hand along the outside of her ass. Through the thin material of her costume, fingertips padded her skin. The effect was so intense he may as well have inserted a finger inside her vagina. Juices oozed onto her panties.

  She sucked in a breath of air and took a tiny sip of her drink to regain perspective. “You, um,” she squeezed her thighs together, “look great, Brent. The pirate costume suits you.”

  “Thanks.”

  She stepped aside, away from his roaming hands and body heat. She had to, otherwise she’d be excusing herself to the privacy of the ladies room to partake in a bit of finger action. But Lord, it was the hardest thing she’d ever done. “Are you positive you don’t want to relocate to Ohio?”

  “I gave up the accounting career for a little warfare. I’m riding the high seas these days.”

  “A real-life pirate?”

  “Not quite. I’m one of the good guys who protect Whiltby’s cargo ships.”

  Her eyes widened. “You’re part of Whiltby’s sea crew? You rescued Captain Kobby when he was taken captive?” Just three months ago, pirates had taken control of the sea liner and stolen every box of freight on board.

  The office personnel had constantly gathered around the water fountains and break room to talk about the horrendous crime, not knowing the fate of the captain and crew. Unfortunately two men were bludgeoned to death and tossed out to sea before the rescue team arrived. Brent had been a part of that? Whoa. “I can’t believe you helped save those men.”

  “It’s what I’m hired to do.”

  “Brent, you saved people’s lives.”

  “I don’t work alone. I couldn’t have done it without my men.”

  She stared into his piercing charcoal eyes. He hadn’t changed. Brent Delaney remained the same compassionate man who’d never willingly taken credit for a job well done or put himself above his peers. “Is he one of them?” She nudged her chin toward the front of the room where the other huge guy stood smiling and talking to Mr. Whiltby Sr.

  He snickered. “Yeah. My brother Brody.”

  “I didn’t know you had a brother, let alone a twin.” Unbelievable. Two Brents actually walking the earth should be illegal.

  “There’s quite a bit you don’t know about me,” he said, his voice sultry and controlled.

  Lord, it sounded like he’d dared her to ask his deepest secrets. “You’re right, I don’t.” But she’d love to find out. Back in the day, he never talked about family or his personal life, and she’d feared asking because he appeared very mysterious. Especially his eyes. Oh she loved looking into those eyes, surrounded by thick, dark lashes. At times they turned black as if masking his thoughts from the world.

  “I’ll introduce you.”

  A nervous thrill raced to her tummy. “That would be great.”

  The instant Brent looked at Brody on the opposite end of the room, he glanced back and nodded as if they shared some type of intuitive connection. Because of the distance, Annalee couldn’t hear what Brody was saying to an elderly man, but she knew by his meager grin and a pat to the man’s shoulder he’d politely excused himself.

  She watched as he strode across the room, closing the distance to mere feet. Although he carried himself as confidently as Brent, his eyes were grayish-blue. They danced with so much emotion it momentarily shocked her.

  They also shared the same dark lashes and the same chiseled features. From a distance they appeared identical, but up close, despite resembling each other to an extreme, both brothers’ individuality shined. Brent’s lips were a little fuller and his eyebrows thicker. She’d definitely love to meet their parents—these men looked like they came from top-of-the-line breeding.

  “Who do we have here?” Brody asked, glancing first at Brent then at her from head to toe as if taking inventory of her body parts.

  She shifted her footing uncomfortably, thankful she still wore the coat.

  “Annalee Parschen,” Brent replied. “Annalee, meet my brother Brody.”

  “The Annalee?” Brody asked, raising both brows.

  That rocked her a bit and her hand trembled when she offered it as a kind gesture. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is mine.” He brought her fingers to his mouth and gave them a gentle kiss. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  You have? “All good I hope.”

  “Coming from my brother,” he winked, “I guarantee it’s excellent.”

  It’s excellent. Wow. She’d never been so enlightened or felt so tiny standing in between these two enormous, testosterone-dripping men.

  “Yoo-hoo, Miss Parschen?”

  Oh shit! Annalee glanced in between the brothers at the same time they looked over their shoulders. Sean Whiltby Jr. stumbled toward the bar from twenty feet away.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said.

  “Sorry, but this is where I make my getaway,” Brody chirped. “Annalee, I look forward to seeing you again real soon,” he added, then fled toward a group of people gathered around the dance floor.

  Obviously she wasn’t the only person having issues with the owner’s inebriated son.

  Brent nudged his head toward Sean. “What’s that all about?”

  “He’s been bugging me to remove my coat.”

  A brow rose. “Why haven’t you? It’s quite warm in here.”

  “I don’t know.” She held the drink between both hands and tapped her fingernails against the glass. Her gaze lowered to Brent’s abdomen, which proved to be a huge mistake. The six-pack of solid muscle sent her mind traipsing to her bedroom with him in tow. Unless he ended up in her bed, it was going to be a very long night with her dildo.

  While visualizing her hands running along his chest, a vast amount of heat rushed to her tummy. “I…I guess I’m…feeling a little self-conscious.” She needed forgiveness for the obscene thoughts running amok in her head.

  He took her glass and set it on the bar. Gently he placed a hand on each side of her neck. “Annalee, you’re a gorgeous woman,” he said, stroking her chin lightly with his thumb. “Never hide your beauty.”

  The delicate caress caused a new streak of tingles worming their way to her spine. Beauty? He considered her gorgeous? Why hadn’t he ever said so before? She�
��d thought he perceived her as a plain, no-frills woman. For the first time in her life, she fell speechless. And during the awkward moment, the deep feelings she’d harbored years prior came crashing back, swelling her heart.

  Whiltby Jr. rushed forward, nearly tumbling headfirst into the bar. Brent grabbed him by the arm to intercept the fall. “Easy, Sean, unless your intention is to end up with a head full of stitches tonight.”

  Impressive. Brent held him up with a single hand and didn’t even break a sweat.

  “Miss Parschen, are you ready to let me take that coat yet?”

  “No, Sean, I—”

  “Yes,” Brent interrupted. He released Sean’s arm and placed his hands on her shoulders. “She’s been waiting for someone to ask her to dance.”

  “Why didn’t you just say so?” He hiccupped and grabbed hold of her fingers. “The next one is mine.”

  “Sorry, Sean,” Brent said, breaking Sean’s grasp from her hand. “She’s mine for the rest of the evening.”

  Holy wow. The possession in those words withered her insides to mush.

  With painstakingly slow motions, Brent removed the coat from her shoulders. His fingers caressed her skin as he slid it down her arms one erotic inch at a time, as if removing a gown. Her heartbeat escalated into a thundering drum inside her ears. And while his intense gaze compelled her to do nothing more than comply, she suddenly felt like a puppet whose strings and actions were controlled by the master puppeteer.

  A blanket of warm air wrapped around her when he’d removed the coat and laid it over a barstool. Inch by slow, tantalizing inch, his eyes patrolled her body. Every fraction of her being went up in smoke.

  “Baby, I could nibble on you all night.”

  Her tummy vaulted. Any more vocal seduction and she’d have to call it a night to cure the ache with her showerhead or dildo. Both seemed enticing at the moment.

  Taking her by the hands, he stared long and hard into her eyes. Mesmerized by his aura of confidence, she followed his lead as he began walking backward, drawing her to the dance floor.

  He stopped to pull her gently toward him. He placed one hand on her back. The other cupped her fingers and he held them against a hot, bare section of skin directly above his breast. She whimpered a sigh as their bodies melded together. An unfamiliar feeling of trust lingered and she found it soothing in an odd way. Never had she experienced such comfort and warmth. Like a cub held between a tiger’s paws, so tiny, and protected and shielded from harm.

  He lowered his palm to the base of her spine and pulled her close. So close she felt his erection prod her belly. She pressed into the hard shaft with further assistance from his hand. A soft growl escaped his throat and his fingers tightened around hers. The sound absorbed into her sensual psyche, turning her on to such a degree her pussy ached and warm juice flowed from her body again.

  If the good Lord smiled upon her tonight and granted her one wish, she’d wish the evening would never end.

  Sliding her fingers inside Brent’s shirt, she placed them on his back. Rugged, taut muscles rested beneath her hand. As if touching him were the most natural thing in the world, she began caressing him with a featherlight touch. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek on his breastbone.

  As Willie Nelson’s You Were Always on My Mind flowed from the speakers, Brent led her into step, swaying softly. He began singing the beautiful lyrics, the timbre of his voice quaking inside his chest. The mixture of his lyrical vibrations and the thump-thump, thump-thump ofhis heartbeat caused tremors against her cheek, lulling her into a dream state.

  Within the moment, everyone in the room disappeared from her mind’s eye. He could’ve laid her down on the dance floor in that instant and made love to her until morning.

  “Annalee?”

  “Mmm-hmm?”

  “Look at me.”

  Slowly she lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. His forehead glistened with perspiration and his irises had grown so dark his pupils disappeared.

  “Do you trust me?”

  She nodded.

  “Spend the night with me.”

  Oh the beauty in those few words. Her tummy jumped in excitement while her heart wrapped around the sensuality of his tone. She searched his face, looking for some type of emotion. Honesty? Passion? Reluctance? No, she expected reluctance to be displayed in her expression. Not because she didn’t want to sleep with him, she’d die for the opportunity, but she feared boring him and becoming a regret. Boredom previously cost her a fiancé. How much more could her self-esteem endure?

  But Brent was different. He wasn’t the type of man to clam up and run off. If she couldn’t please him—no, he wouldn’t allow that to happen. “Are you married, Brent?”

  “No.”

  “Dating?”

  “I’ve waited years for you, Annalee.”

  Her heart melted. Although she didn’t understand why he’d waited, it’s exactly what she’d needed to hear. “Then what are you waiting for? Take me home.”

  He lowered their hands and guided her toward the bar. They hadn’t even exited the dance floor when high-pitched laughter assailed her ears. She halted, forcing Brent to stop beside her.

  Holding her breath, she tightened the squeeze on his hand and reluctantly glanced over her shoulder. To her dismay, Willow, dressed as a princess, stood arm in arm with Jared by the entrance. Jared was dressed as…Jared and didn’t seem interested in the party, which was the reason he refused to attend with Annalee. Or so she thought at the time. Willow obviously had a few tricks that made him follow her around like a puppy dog. Had she brought out the whip and beat him into submission?

  Ugh.

  What convinced Willow to buy a costume and show up anyhow? Was she determined to rub Annalee’s nose in the shitty situation she’d created?

  Ironically, as if Jared knew Annalee’s thoughts, he looked directly at her and then his eyes lowered to fondle her bare midsection. Although her hands began to sweat and her body trembled, she smiled and waved. What else could she do? And while she put on the happy face to hide her disdain, Brent’s gaze burned into the top of her head.

  “Who’s the guy?” He laid his hand on her lower back. “Christ, you’re tense. What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. Let’s get out of here.”

  He slid his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face. For a long time he studied her eyes before his lips lowered to hers in a kiss that melted her heart.

  He tasted warm and sweet, and she’d found heaven having just witnessed hell.

  A hand on the back of her head held her in place while he twirled and suckled her tongue deep inside his mouth. Many nights, years ago, she dreamt of this. Holding him. Kissing him. The fantasies confined to her little mind fed her lust, but she’d lived the dream tonight, and passion raced through her blood.

  His penis nudged her stomach and his tongue expertly claimed her mouth. She moaned and tried deepening the contact between their bodies, but it was impossible to get any closer.

  He slowed the kiss, eventually separating their lips, and rested his chin on the top of her head. “Annalee, get your coat,” he growled. But even as he said it, his arms tightened around her back as if not wanting to let her go.

  Not needing to be told twice, she made a swift getaway to the bar. Sean sat on a stool, his head drooped forward and arms crossed on the polished wood, holding a mixed drink.

  “Sean, thanks for the great party,” she said, removing her coat from the nearby stool where Brent had laid it. “I’ll see you Monday.”

  His head bobbed and he mumbled inaudibly. She smiled, patted his shoulder and turned, and nearly bumped into Brent’s huge chest. Without a word, he took the coat and held it while she slipped her arms into the sleeves. “Where are you staying?” she asked, working quickly to button up.

  “At the airport hotel.”

  “Are we taking my car?”

  “I’ve got a loaner out back. I’ll follow you.”

  Placi
ng a hand on the base of her spine, he guided her to the exit. He caught Brody’s attention and nudged his head toward the parking lot. Brody nodded as if he understood they were leaving.

  After they left the building and headed toward her vehicle, frozen slush crunched under their shoes. Regardless of possibly slipping and falling on her ass, in her present sexual fervor her feet moved too slowly.

  Just as they reached her SUV, she pressed the code on the number panel to unlock the door. “Brent, can we leave your car here until morning?”

  He pulled the door open and nudged his head inside. “Get in.”

  She climbed over the console and settled into the passenger’s side. “The keys are under the floor mat.”

  As soon as he started the engine and shifted levers to adjust the area to his size, he reclined against the seat and gazed from her thighs, trembling in their skimpy chiffon fabric, to her eyes. The halogen lights from outside offered dim lighting inside the vehicle and she watched his gaze, dark and intense, explore her face as if memorizing every detail. What a huge man. Two inches came between the top of his head and the roof.

  Her belly stirred. If he didn’t get on the road soon, she just might jump on his lap and fulfill the ache in her pussy.

  “Who’s the guy inside who eye-fucked you on the dance floor?”

  Jared? Ha, he eye-fucked her? It’s more than she’d gotten from him in…who cared. It didn’t matter anymore.

  “Well?”

  Her gaze dropped to her lap where she fumbled with a coat button. “I’d rather not—”

  “Annalee?” He reached across the console, took hold of her chin and lifted her face. “Talk to me.”

  Reluctantly she met his gaze. “Please, Brent, not now. I don’t want to ruin the evening.”

  “That isn’t possible.”

  Despite the delicate restraint he held on her chin, she inhaled a deep, shoulder-lifting breath. “My ex-fiancé Jared. And the princess…ex-best friend Willow.”

  “Recent affair?”

  “Yes.”