Authors: Anne Rainey
In her dream world, Victoria wasn’t afraid to take what she wanted. With total abandon, she flung her arms around his shoulders and kissed with the kind of passion only Rider could provoke. He took over, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue and delving inside. He was so fierce that the kiss was almost punishing. Not an ounce of gentleness. It should have frightened Victoria, but this was Rider, and his demanding touches only made her need grow stronger. Her whole body burned with desire. Her stomach flip-flopped, and her pussy flooded with liquid heat. And just when she thought her legs would buckle, Rider tugged her in closer. He cupped her bottom in both hands and rotated his hips, allowing her to feel every hard inch of his thick cock. Victoria moaned and pressed her breasts against his chest, relishing the feel of his hard-muscled length pressed against her.
Without warning, Rider released her and stepped back. She would have fallen if he hadn’t put out a hand to steady her.
“I’ve ached for this,” he groaned.
“Me too.” She had to work to push the words out past the emotion clogging her throat.
The next instant, Victoria lay on her bed naked. Rider crawled on top of her, staring down at her with a kind of craving she’d never seen on a man’s face. He spoke, but she couldn’t understand the words. All she knew was the way he made her feel. His hands touching her body, drifting over her curves to rest against her quivering breasts. He leaned down and sucked one hardened peak into the heat of his mouth. Victoria jolted with the contact.
With slow, steady strokes, Rider’s cock filled her wet pussy. As he licked and bit at her breasts, using his hands to squeeze and fondle as if testing their weight in his hands, Victoria reached up and touched his sleek, powerful shoulders and upper back. She trailed slowly lower to his tight glutes and squeezed. Her clit throbbed. Victoria wrapped her legs around his thighs and used her hands to pull him in deeper.
She begged the dream version of Rider, and suddenly he lifted up and stared down at her. Long seconds passed, and not a single syllable left his talented lips while he leisurely pushed his hips against her pelvis, driving his huge, throbbing cock into her. He clutched her hips, pulled her lower body off the bed and drove hard, filling her. Her passion burned hotter, and Victoria watched the play of emotions on Rider’s face as he changed from a calm and controlled man to a wild and untamed lover. In this world, Victoria let her inhibitions fall away, and she revealed to him her own impatient cravings.
He started to pump into her. Harder. Faster. Rider slammed his hips against hers. She cried out in surprise when he reached down and pressed his warm palm flat against the giving flesh of her lower belly. His hand touching her in such a possessive fashion brought tears to Victoria’s eyes. In some elemental way, her heart and soul entwined with his in that moment.
Victoria’s aching breasts bounced as Rider fucked her, plunging his engorged cock deep. She moaned long and low when he dipped his head and drew his tongue over her engorged nipples, drawing little circles around her areolas.
It all became too much, and Victoria screamed out her climax. Rider was right behind her, filling her with his hot come and shouting her name over and over.
At that exact moment, a buzzing sound yanked her from her delicious dream. She slammed her palm over the snooze button on her clock. “Damn it,” Victoria muttered as she became painfully aware of the fact that her dream may never come true. If only she had a fairy godmother. She’d so make a few wishes right about now.
Chapter Five
At noon Sunday, Victoria found herself sitting across a table from Rita Williams. The woman had called her and explained that her wedding was back on and she wanted Victoria’s business to cater it. Hesitant about the younger woman’s on-again off-again relationship, Victoria had set up a lunch meeting hoping to politely decline. She hadn’t expected Rita to be so headstrong, though. A shot of pride went through Victoria at the knowledge that such a wealthy family wanted her small catering business. And she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would accept the job. The Williams family was one of the richest families in the state. Losing their business had really put a crimp in her future plans for Victoria’s Catering. But now that love was once again in the air, things appeared to be looking brighter for Victoria’s company.
“Richard and I want you, Victoria. No one else will do,” Rita said as she reached across the table and took hold of her hand. “Oh, please say you’ll do it.”
“While I appreciate your confidence, I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to take on such a large wedding. My plate is already pretty full.” That wasn’t exactly true, but she didn’t want to seem desperate either.
Rita’s spine went rigid. “I simply will not take no for an answer. If you won’t cater my wedding, then I’ll just elope.”
Victoria was flabbergasted. Honored, but literally at a loss. “Seriously?”
Rita nodded. “I’m dead serious. There isn’t a caterer within a hundred miles with your kind of talent. I want the best. You’re the best.”
How could she possibly say no to that? “Well, Rita, you’ve got yourself a caterer,” she said as she allowed a grin to appear. “Let’s celebrate with a glass of wine, then we can iron out the details.”
Rita’s face lit up with glee. “Terrific! I told Daddy that you wouldn’t let us down.”
Lord knew, Victoria didn’t want
Daddy
to be disappointed. After perusing the wine list, Victoria motioned for their waiter. He was a young blond with an earring flashing in his left lobe, and he kept giving her a flirty grin. It was a new and slightly uncomfortable experience to have a man show her interest. And, if she were honest, it was beginning to get on Victoria’s nerves. Usually she preferred Jeanette to serve whenever she brought a client to the upscale eatery, but she was off today, so Victoria was stuck with the grinning Josh.
“Ready to order?” he asked as he stared at Victoria.
“Actually, we’d like to start with a bottle of your cabernet sauvignon.”
Victoria was no wine expert, but she was an expert on this particular restaurant. She brought her clients to Salvio’s quite often, and no one had complained yet. Their food was perfect, the service beyond compare—usually.
Josh raised his eyebrows when she explained which brand of sauvignon she wanted. “Excellent selection,” he replied before hurrying off to fill their order.
Rita clapped her hands together and crooned, “Oh, I’m so excited! We’re somewhat under the gun with the wedding two months away, but I’m sure you’ll get it done.”
Victoria attempted to ignore the heat creeping into her face at the praise, and began to mentally rearrange her schedule instead. “Thanks for your faith in me. And I think you’re going to like what I have in mind.”
“And just in case you’re wondering, money is no object. We want our wedding to be perfect.”
“Of course,” she replied, while her mind began working out the details. Her business had just taken a turn for the better. She could just kiss Rita for insisting on Victoria’s Catering. “So, what made you change your mind about getting married?” she inquired, thinking of Rita’s significant other. “Last we talked, he was giving you fits and you were at your wit’s end.”
Rita rolled her pretty hazel eyes and groaned. “Love is fickle, sweetie. He drives me crazy, but I’m hooked.” She looked down at her lap and shrugged. “When I called off the wedding, I got a taste of life without him, and I didn’t care for it one bit.”
“Well, I’m happy for you.” Victoria wondered what that sort of all-consuming love would be like. Would she ever know?
Rita pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled. “Thank you. Now, enough about me. Let’s talk about you.” She winked. “Love the new look. Is a man the reason for the change?”
And just like that, Victoria’s face burned. She would always be the shy wallflower. “Sort of. He doesn’t really know I’m a woman, to be honest.”
“Well, he will when he gets a good look at you in that pretty red blouse and that shiny, tousled hair of yours.”
They talked for a bit, then got down to the particulars. She mentally stored a few important facts to pull out later. Brenda would need to put a few things on hold, and they’d have to do some fancy footwork to make it all work. But Victoria was determined to wow Rita. And with her referral, Victoria’s client list would expand. Definitely a win-win.
On the way home, she called Brenda, explaining that the Williamses’ wedding was back on and they were back in business. Once she reached her house, she turned the engine off on her red Accord coupe and was about to leave the car when her cell phone chimed, signaling a call. She looked at the number on the screen. Rider.
Her voice shook when she said, “Hello?”
“Hey, Vic.”
Oh God, she loved that he called her that. He was the only person who’d ever called her Vic instead of Victoria. And the smooth tone of his voice did things to her. It seemed so incredibly intimate. She cleared her throat and asked, “What’s up?”
“How would you like to go on a picnic with me?”
That surprised her. Victoria could picture Rider in all sorts of scenarios. A dark movie theater or a loud nightclub, for instance. But a picnic? That wasn’t at all what she would have expected from him. And no way in hell was she turning him down. Not a second time. “I’d like that,” she breathed out before she lost her nerve and changed her mind. Victoria imagined the two of them alone on a blanket, a slow, intimate smile coming over Rider’s face an instant before he leaned in to kiss her senseless. Was that what he wanted? He certainly acted the part of a playful flirt all of a sudden. She cleared her throat and got her mind back on track. “What time should I be ready?”
“I can pick you up at three. Does that work for you?”
Her heart beat faster when she looked at the time. She had an hour. “Is this a d-date?” she stuttered out.
His chuckle sent her temperature into the red zone. “Yes, it’s definitely a date,” he murmured. There was silence for a moment, then he said, “My other line is ringing. I need to go. But I’ll pick you up at your place. See you soon.”
Before she could speak, the line went dead. She blinked several times, wondering what had suddenly come over him. There was only one thing to do. Victoria dialed Reena’s number. Panic began to set in as she hit Send on her cell phone. A picnic? What was Rider up to? A horrible thought struck. Could it be a pity date because he felt bad for the things he’d said about her the day she overheard him and Reena talking? She couldn’t stop the runaway train in her head as the possibilities began to pile up. None of them seemed to weigh in her favor either. Victoria shook her head. “Hell with it. I don’t want to know what prompted Rider’s sudden change of heart.”
“Hello?”
When Reena’s voice came over the line, the soft sound instantly calmed Victoria. “Your brother just asked me on a date,” Victoria blurted out. “A picnic. Just the two of us.”
Reena sighed. “And let me guess, you’re freaking out?”
“A little,” she lied. “One minute he’s seriously not into me, and now we have a date. I’m so confused.”
“He’s hardheaded and he has a big mouth, but he isn’t stupid,” Reena stated, as if that should clear up everything.
“That’s zero help, damn it.”
“I’m saying he might’ve taken a while to see just what an amazing catch you are, but now that he has, he’s not wasting any time.”
“It’s those pictures you took with your phone,” Victoria bit out. “He told me about them. You are such a little sneak.”
Reena’s completely unapologetic laugh was so not what Victoria wanted to hear. “He liked what he saw, yes, but that’s not the only reason he’s attracted to you, Victoria.”
She threw her hands up, more uncertain than ever. “Then why? Please, help me understand, because I’m about to call him back and bail on the picnic.”
“Why is it so difficult for you to believe that a man might see you as an amazing, gorgeous, intelligent and successful woman? You’re the whole package, sweetie. The makeover just made it easier for the male gender to acknowledge that.”
She sighed, feeling as if she’d been through the emotional wringer these last few days. “Thank you,” she replied. “I just don’t want to get hurt, ya know?”
“I’ve seen my brother in action, so I do understand your concern. Still, he knows if he harms one little hair on your head, I’ll clobber him.”
Victoria smiled at the vehemence in Reena’s tone. “I’m lucky to have a friend like you. Thanks.”
“Love you too, dork.”
Victoria looked at the time on her car radio and realized she was going to be late if she didn’t move it along, so she finished her call. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow and let you know how it goes.” She took a deep breath and added, “Wish me luck.”
“Sounds good. Relax and have a good time,” Reena said, “You deserve it.”
As they hung up, Victoria dropped her phone back into her purse and started to open the door of her car. Out of the blue, her dream sprang to mind. Her very erotic and highly satisfying dream. Her face heated as she swallowed back a knot of embarrassment. It was now or never, right? Hadn’t she fantasized about Rider long enough? This was her chance. The man had invited her on a picnic, and she was determined to make it a picnic to remember.