Wild Nights
Titles by Jaci Burton
Wild Rider Series
RIDING WILD
RIDING TEMPTATION
RIDING ON INSTINCT
RIDING THE NIGHT
WILD, WICKED, & WANTON
BOUND, BRANDED, & BRAZEN
Play-by-Play Novels
THE PERFECT PLAY
CHANGING THE GAME
TAKING A SHOT
PLAYING TO WIN
THROWN BY A CURVE
Anthologies
UNLACED
(with Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti)
EXCLUSIVE
(with Eden Bradley and Lisa Renee Jones)
LACED WITH DESIRE
(with Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, and Denise Rossetti)
NAUTI AND WILD
(with Lora Leigh)
NAUTI AND WILDER
(with Lora Leigh)
Specials
The Ties That Bind
No Strings Attached
Wild Nights
Wild Nights
Jaci Burton
H
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B
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THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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“Wild Nights” previously appeared in
Exclusive
, published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
WILD NIGHTS
A Heat Special / published by arrangement with the Jaci Burton, Inc.
Copyright © 2007 by Jaci Burton.
Excerpt from
One Sweet Ride
by Jaci Burton copyright © 2013 by Jaci Burton, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without
permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
HEAT and the HEAT design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-101-60403-8
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Heat Special / May 2013
Cover photograph: “Romantic Evening Date” copyright © tankist276 / Shutterstock Images.
Cover design by Rita Frangie.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
To Charlie—
for wild nights. I love you.
Special Excerpt from
One Sweet Ride
Mike Nottingham cocked a brow at the gold
foil-lined envelope sliding across the table. He glanced up at his friend Denver McKenzie. “What’s this?”
Denver slashed a wicked smile and tipped his glass of scotch in a toast. “A gift. You look tense.”
“Understatement.” Every muscle in his body was wound tight. Getting away from work for four days had helped. The conference here in Las Vegas had been worth attending, and he’d learned a lot. But what he’d really been looking forward to was the vacation he so desperately needed. He glanced down at the envelope. “You got me a present.”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t suppose there’s a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in there.”
Den snorted. “You can get one of those yourself. What’s in that envelope you can’t.”
“So what’s in here?”
“Exclusive club. Invitation only.”
Intrigued, Mike opened the envelope and pulled out the single embossed card, read it and glanced up at Denver. “Wild Nights?”
“Right up your alley. I figured since you had some time to kill while you’re here, you’d want some fun. You’re not really the showgirl or BunnyRanch type. I thought you might want something a little more out of the ordinary, and definitely private.”
Den knew him well. Friends since their college days and through veterinary school, he and Denver went way back. Den knew Mike’s predilection for the wild life. Even the name of the club fit Mike’s personality He did his job as a veterinarian in Oklahoma. He made nice with his customers and he loved his animals. But at night and on his own time, he liked to cut loose, especially sexually. So did Den. Which had a lot to do with why they’d become and stayed such good friends. The only other person he trusted with his secrets was his best friend and partner, Seth Jacobs.
“Present that card at the club entrance and you’re in,” Denver said. “Your name is already on the list.”
Mike traced the raised lettering on the invitation with his fingertip. “I take it they know you well there?”
Den laughed. “I never miss a chance to visit Wild Nights whenever I’m in Vegas. Grace runs a very classy show. And the menu is as varied as your imagination.”
“Grace?”
“Figured you’d zero in on that. Grace Wylde is the owner of Wild Nights.” Den spelled her last name.
“Ah. Intriguing.”
“Intriguing doesn’t begin to describe her. Gorgeous, mysterious, keeps to herself a bit yet always makes you feel at home. And she’s sexy as hell. I’ve never known a woman so comfortable in her own sexual skin.”
“Really.” And she owned a club like Wild Nights? A man’s dream come true.
Den leaned back in the chair and shook his head. “Don’t even think about it. She’s completely untouchable.”
“Happily married or with someone?”
Den laughed. “Not even close.”
“Then she’s not completely untouchable, Den. You and I both know that.” They’d shared enough women over the years, women who at first look seemed like ice queens, but in the bedroom melted all over them.
“This one is. Many have tried. All have failed.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Failure wasn’t in Mike’s vocabulary. There wasn’t a woman he’d set his mind to having that he hadn’t succeeded in seducing. The conference he’d come to Las Vegas to attend had ended and he’d already made plans to take an extra week off.
Wild Nights sounded like a perfect start to his vacation. A place to relax, unwind and see a little bit of the Vegas wild life. And he was intrigued by Grace Wylde. He never could resist a challenge.
He was ready for some action. He’d been good during the conference. Maybe at Wild Nights he’d find a spark, something to alleviate the restlessness that seemed to be a part of his everyday life. Because no matter what he did, no matter who he was with or what sexual games he played, he was never satisfied. He’d been with some amazing women, and he’d played every game in the book. If it existed sexually, he’d done it. He was always searching for the next big thrill, trying to top the last sexual conquest with something even better.
But now it had just become a game—an endless stream of women in and out of his life. Women who couldn’t stand up to his challenges, although plenty had tried. He’d long ago stopped thinking of himself as a pervert or some kind of extremist. He was just looking for satisfaction.
So far, he hadn’t found it. He’d just about decided it didn’t exist, that sexual fulfillment would always lay beyond his grasp. Oh, he got off all right. He had good sex. Sometimes great sex. But he always felt like it lacked…something.
And he hadn’t been able to figure out what that “something” was.
“Mike,” Den said, capturing his attention again. “There will be plenty of others to play with at Wild Nights. You won’t even get a shot at Grace. Don’t even think about it.”
But he was thinking about it. He hadn’t even met her yet and she was already his target for tonight.
Look out Grace Wylde. If there was one thing that got him hot, it was a challenge.
* * *
No matter how many nights the doors opened to
Wild Nights, Grace Wylde still got a thrill as if it were the very first time. Every night was opening night. Each time had to be absolutely perfect.
She surveyed the club, watched her staff behind the bar shine the glassware and inventory the alcohol. Her gaze drifted across the room to the dance floor where the DJ was preparing tonight’s mix. He looked up, his headphones on, head bobbing up and down to whatever song played in his ears while he simultaneously did a light check. He grinned and gave her the thumbs-up sign. She smiled back at him and moved on.
Every table was clean and polished; not a single speck of dirt could be found on the parquet floors. Beyond the bar and dance floor were double doors leading to the private rooms. She greeted everyone. The staff, relaxed and joking around, waved at her as she walked by.
It seemed the only nervous one was her. Then again she had the most to lose. Wild Nights was her baby—had been for the past four years. It was incredibly successful, but she kept waiting for failure to occur, for no one to walk through those doors when the bouncers opened them. So far that hadn’t happened. Lines of the uninvited waited outside, hoping against hope they’d have a chance to get in. But Grace was very particular about her clientele, catering to her
clients but also careful about protecting her staff. She invited the best of the best, only those who could be trusted. She wanted people to enjoy her club, but she wanted it understood that her people must be kept safe. She loved her staff, and if any one of them was ever hurt, she’d never forgive herself.
Wild Nights was a place of fun. For her patrons, her staff and for her. Her clients paid a high price for that privilege, her staff was compensated extremely well to work here, and no one loitering outside was permitted entrance without an invitation and their name on the club list. No exceptions. Ever. And even those invited in were quickly escorted out the door if they didn’t follow the rules. No second chances. The club ran smoothly because of her rules.
And she was proud to say that once in, no one wanted to get the boot. What they found inside Wild Nights was something they couldn’t get anywhere else. Sexual freedom. No rules, no restrictions, only pleasure. If it was mutually consensual, it happened here.
Making her way back to the front entrance, she nodded at the bouncers who flicked open the deadbolts at the door and walked outside, ready to let in the regulars and the select few newcomers who possessed a coveted invitation and a place on tonight’s list.
The games were about to begin.