What She Needs

from the anthology
For Her Pleasure

Now available
from Berkley HEAT

Order from:
Amazon
Borders
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

Ryder headed out to the parking lot and straddled his Harley. A few seconds later, he gunned the engine and roared out onto the highway toward home. He was hungry and restless. If Mac was taking Kit out of town, she must not be working at the Two Step tonight. It should be safe to stop off at and grab a bite.

Then again he could be very wrong. Fifteen minutes later, Ryder stood at the entrance to the Two Step staring across the room at Kit.

It was a hell of a note when he started avoiding a girl he’d considered his best friend for over half his life. She was more than his best friend. And that was the problem.

He shook his head and forced himself to walk in as casually as he used to. When things had gotten so fucking complicated he didn’t know. Had he always felt so deeply for her? He honestly couldn’t separate the way he felt about her now and the way he felt for her even six months ago. It all ran together in one long string.

“Ryder!”

Shit.

He looked up unable to keep from smiling at her. “Hey darlin’,” he said huskily.

She threw herself in his arms and proceeded to wrap herself completely around him. God, she felt good in his arms. He held onto her for a second before lifting her away.

“How you doing?”

She smiled. “I’m good. Hey, did Mac call you?”

An uneasy sensation crept up his spine. “Yeah, he called.”

“And? Are you going?”

Excitement shown in her green eyes, and her lips were split into a wide smile. It was good to see her smiling. She’d been through a hell of a lot in the past months.

“Uh, not this time, darlin’.”

Her lips turned down into a pout. “Why not?”

“You and Mac need the time alone. You don’t need me tagging along like a third wheel.”

Something indiscernible flashed in her eyes. “I want you to come, Ryder,” she said quietly. “You said that me and Mac…that me being with him didn’t change things between us. I’ve missed you.”

“Ah hell, darlin’.”

He dragged a hand through his hair and fiddled with his row of earrings. He didn’t want to disappoint her, and she was right. It was him who’d reassured her that her relationship with Mac wouldn’t change things between the three of them. It was a lie, but not one he’d intended to tell. It was his fault things were changing.

“Will you come?”

The pleading in her eyes was his undoing. Kit didn’t ever ask for a lot, and he’d cut off his right arm before denying her pretty much anything.

“You know I never could turn you down when you pout,” he said by way of concession.

She threw herself around him again, and he felt himself harden instantly. She reached up on tiptoe and brushed her lips across his. He caught her before she withdrew and deepened the kiss, his tongue melting hot against hers.

Her breathing sped up, and her hand tangled in his long hair. Man, he loved it when she got her hands in his hair. Almost as much as he loved wrapping his hands in her hair while she sucked his cock.

“You’ve missed me too,” she whispered against his lips. Her mouth curved into a smile of satisfaction.

Hell yeah, he’d missed her. He’d thought of little else for the last several weeks.

“Yeah, darlin’. I’ve missed you.”

She smoothed a hand through his hair then let it slip until it was centered on his chest. “Mac’s going to be here in a little while to get me. Why don’t you go home and grab a bag and meet us back here? We have to stop by the house to get my things and let Mac change. You could drop your bike there.”

He caught her hand and raised it to his lips. He tasted her palm then kissed it before letting it fall once more. He must be out of his fucking mind to agree to this. He was as hard as a fucking rock, and it was a long-ass drive to Galveston.

“All right, darlin’. I’ll be back in a bit.”

He turned to go but Kit slid into his arms once more.

“I’m glad you’re going, Ryder,” she said softly.

He smiled down at her and tried real hard not to kiss her again. Mac was a reasonable guy, but he might not be pleased that Ryder was putting his mark on his girl in public.

His girl. Mac’s girl. Fuck.

He squeezed Kit’s hand then walked toward the door.

Kit watched him go, her chest tight. She missed him. He hadn’t been around much in the last weeks. Oh, he’d been a steady source of support during the trial of the man who’d raped her over a year ago, but he hadn’t been to Mac’s.

What a twisted mess. She should be the happiest woman alive. She no longer lived in constant fear now that her attacker had been jailed. Mac loved her and they enjoyed a terrific relationship. But she missed Ryder. Missed his big body wrapped around hers, his lips and hands on her skin. Missed the comfort of having the two people she loved most in the world close to her heart at all times.

She headed back to the bar and set her tray down. A quick survey of the room told her the customers were satisfied for the moment. She leaned against the worn countertop and took a breather.

Fifteen minutes later, she headed back into the crowd, her tray full of beers and mixed drinks. Her pulse sped up when she spied Mac standing in the doorway. She grinned and blew him a kiss.

No matter how many times he walked through that door, she got a ridiculous thrill, like it was the first time she’d laid eyes on him.

Tall, big, broad shouldered, looking like the sexiest man alive in his police uniform and Stetson. His blue eyes positively smoldered as he raked his gaze over her.

Oh, this weekend was going to be fun.

He strode toward her, and her pussy tightened painfully. Figures she could get wet, and he was still ten feet away.

“Hey, baby,” he said huskily as he came to a stop in front of her.

She shivered at the raw sexuality in his voice. She reached up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Hey yourself.”

“You about ready to go?”

She checked her watch. “Ten more minutes and I’m yours.”

“I’ll wait for you by the bar,” Mac said.

She nodded and set about finishing her drink deliveries.

A few minutes later, she walked back over to the bar and plunked her tray down. Mac slid an arm around her and began untying her apron for her.

“I missed you today,” he murmured against her ear.

She leaned in against him, resting her cheek on his chest. He smelled delicious. Felt even better.

Suddenly she picked her head back up. “Have you talked to Ryder?” she asked.

“Yeah, he couldn’t make it. Sorry, baby.”

“Oh, he came by here and I talked him into going. He’s headed home to grab a bag, and he’ll be back in a few minutes. I told him he could catch a ride with us. Is that okay?” she asked anxiously.

“Of course it’s all right. I wouldn’t have invited him if I didn’t want him to go.”

She relaxed into a smile. “You’re the best, Mac. I can’t believe you planned this whole weekend. I can’t wait for it to just be us. I’ve missed you both.”

“I know you have, baby,” he said quietly.

“Hey, there he is,” Kit said as she looked beyond Mac to the door.

Mac’s hand tightened at her waist.

Ryder approached them at the bar, and Mac held out a fist. Ryder bumped it with his. “How’s it going?”

“Great now that you’re here,” Mac said lazily. “We can get this party started if Kit’s ready to leave.”

Kit looked between the two men, and her nipples hardened to points. Her stomach clenched with heady anticipation. Oh yeah, she was ready. A whole weekend rocked between the two sexiest men alive? What girl wouldn’t orgasm just thinking about it?