Las Vegas Sidewinders: Jared Read online

  RENEE: I don’t know, let me talk to Daisy.

  He growled in frustration even though she obviously couldn’t hear him.

  JARED: I’m booking something for tomorrow night. If you decide you really can’t go, I’ll cancel.

  RENEE: Okay. Want to meet for breakfast? Daisy and Zio are going out with a group of friends from school, something on the lake, so we’ll have the day to ourselves.

  JARED: Get your sweet little ass over here. RIGHT NOW.

  RENEE: Give me half an hour. I have to finish this chapter before I forget where I am, and then I’ll be there.

  JARED: The clock is ticking.

  With Daisy joining Zio and his parents for an overnight trip to Lake Como in Italy, Renee had no choice but to go to Montreux with Jared. She wanted to, of course, but it had been a long time since she’d spent the whole night with a man and her insomnia issues made her self-conscious. She would inevitably wake up at some ridiculously early hour and after half an hour, she wouldn’t be able to stay in bed. She got restless and needed to move, which would probably wake him. She hated the thought of doing that, but Jared had been insistent about this trip and she genuinely wanted to spend more time with him.

  As they drove to Montreux, she brought it up.

  “You should know something about me,” she said quietly.

  “What’s that?” he asked, reaching for her hand as he drove.

  “I have terrible insomnia,” she admitted. “The last time I slept more than four hours at one time was when I had pneumonia about five years ago.”

  “Really? You sleep four hours a night?”

  “Once a week or so, I might hit five, but many nights it’s more like three.”

  “How come? Sleep apnea?”

  “Nope. They can’t find anything physically wrong with me. It appears to be in my head.”

  “Since your husband died?”

  She nodded briefly.

  “Don’t you get tired? I can function on five if I have to, but then, like once a week, I’ll sleep for twelve, give myself a good rest. I try to get seven normally.”

  “Seven.” She sighed dreamily. “That would be so nice. I’m always tired, running on coffee and adrenaline but I’ve tried everything and even sleeping pills don’t work. I’m not willing to use something addictive like Xanax, so this is my life. Anyway, I want you to know because most likely I’ll wake up and get out of bed long before you. I don’t want you to think I’m uncomfortable or unhappy—I just don’t sleep.”

  “No worries, honey.” He stroked the skin on the top of her hand with his hand. “I’ll see what I can do to lull you to sleep, but you do what you need to and don’t worry about me.”

  “I’ll have my laptop and probably check email and stuff, get some work done so I can focus on you when you get up.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  She felt better after their talk and they kept up a steady stream of conversation as they made the three-hour drive. The scenery was beautiful, so green and mountainous, she was totally enthralled. When her phone rang with Chelsea’s name flashing on her screen, she answered it, curious because Chelsea had said she would only call if it was important.

  “Hey, Chelsea.”

  “Hey! Sorry to bother you, but I got a message today from Theodora Bellamy and she said she saw on Instagram that you were in Switzerland. She wanted to know if you were interested in a book signing near Zurich on Saturday. It’s a small bookstore in a suburb and I guess they have enough of your books on hand to make it worthwhile.”

  “Oh.” Renee chewed her lip thoughtfully. “Daisy and I were going to leave for Italy on Saturday, but I guess I could delay by a day. I’d love to see Theodora. Did she give you her number?”

  “She did. Do you want me to text it to you?”

  “Yes, please. I’ll call her myself and get the details. Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Of course.”

  “Anything else going on I need to know about?”

  “Nope. Your royalties were deposited yesterday on schedule, I wrote myself a check for last month’s hours, and Nate and I are going on vacation starting Monday.”

  “Did you set up the next book for preorder?”

  They talked shop for a few minutes and finally got ready to hang up.

  “I’m actually on my way to Montreux with Jared right now,” she said easily, knowing Chelsea would get a kick out of the fact they were together.

  “Oh, really?” Chelsea’s voice was laced with humor but she was astute enough to know Jared might be able to hear her since he was next to Renee in the car. “Well, tell him we said hello and we’re looking forward to seeing you guys when you get back to Vegas.”

  “I will. Talk to you soon—thanks for all your help.” Renee disconnected and smiled at him. “Nate and Chelsea say hello.”

  “I heard.” He smiled too. “Is she going to grill you for details about us?”

  “Absolutely, but not until I get home and we have a girls’ night.”

  “So who’s Theodora?”

  “Theodora Bellamy. She writes super-hot, kinky dark romance. She’s French but lives in the U.K. Apparently there’s some kind of book signing outside of Zurich this Saturday and when she saw I was in the country, she reached out to see if I wanted to participate.”

  “Are you going to?”

  “I don’t know. I hadn’t planned on it, but it sounds fun and then I can write off part of my trip on my taxes.”

  “I’d go with you. I’m kind of curious how the whole thing works.”

  “You would?” She grinned at him. “The women are all going to fawn over you.”

  He shrugged. “Nah. I’m nothing special.”

  “Oh, you’re a silly man if that’s what you think. Those broad shoulders of yours and cute ass? Yeah, they’ll be all over you.”

  “You think my ass is cute?”

  She smacked his shoulder. “I think all of you is cute.”

  “I think all of you is cute too.”

  She reached across the seat and squeezed his crotch. “Will you kill us if I give you a blow job while you’re driving?”

  16

  Jared briefly cut his eyes to her before focusing on the road. They were on a long stretch of highway, very few other cars on the road. He hadn’t done anything this crazy since he was a teenager, but his dick was already hard just thinking about it.

  He cleared his throat. “Probably.”

  She chuckled, a rich sexy sound that got him even harder. “Let’s see what happens.”

  “You just got the sudden urge to suck my dick?”

  “I have the urge to suck your dick all the time lately.”

  “Well, far be it for me to discourage you from acting on those kinds of urges.” He kept his eyes on the road as she slid her hand into his shorts.

  “You’re already hard,” she said softly, lowering his zipper and gently pulling him free of his boxers.

  “That’s what you do to me, baby.” He looked down and groaned as her wet, pink tongue slid around the tip of his cock.

  “Eyes on the road,” she said firmly.

  “Yes, ma’am.” His grip on the steering wheel tightened as she pressed featherlight kisses along the length of his shaft. She was teasing him, keeping contact minimal as she worked him with her hand.

  The first nip of her lips made him jerk and he inadvertently sped up.

  “You sure you’re okay?” she asked, glancing up with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  “I’m better than good.” He briefly met her gaze.

  She went back to work, this time circling the tip with her tongue and very gently taking the first inch in her mouth. She fisted him with both hands, moved her mouth down his length, and then found one of his balls. Sucking one sac into her mouth, she used firm but gentle pressure until his hips lifted off the seat. She knew exactly how to get him going and her mouth on him was un-fucking-believable.

  He was starting to sweat, eyes on the
road but his heart rate kicking up considerably. He wasn’t going to last long at this rate.

  When she finally sucked him deep into her mouth, he didn’t even try to hide his moan of pleasure. She sucked him expertly, over and over, first shallow then deep, until his knuckles turned white with the exertion of focusing on the road.

  “Damn, baby, that’s good.”

  She hummed around his cock, alternately stroking and sucking until he hit the back of her throat.

  “Fuck, Renee, just like that!” He pumped into her mouth and then shot off as she swallowed around him.

  The car veered slightly to the left and he jerked it back into place, taking short, rapid breaths to get himself back under control.

  Renee lifted her head, her eyes glittering as she licked any remnants of him off her lips. “That was delicious,” she said, sitting up primly and putting her seat belt back on as if nothing had happened.

  Holy fuck, this woman was incredible. She might kill him, but she was incredible and he was more convinced than ever to keep her in his life. Sex aside, her fun-loving nature and quiet intelligence was a huge turn-on. Now he just had to convince her it was a worthwhile risk.

  Montreux was wonderful, a scenic area surrounded by Lake Geneva, vineyards, historic castles, and much more. They wandered hand-in-hand through the Quays of Montreux, enjoying exotic flowers, palm trees and beautiful views. They ate at a quaint café and then retired to their hotel, where they made love for hours. Renee had never felt so sexual, and each passing moment with Jared led her down a path of unfamiliar longing. It had been so long since a man had been attentive in more ways than just sexually. Jared was the whole damn package and the idea of having a relationship with him was equally exciting and terrifying.

  “I’m glad you decided to come with me,” he said softly as she curled against his shoulder after their lovemaking.

  “Me too. It’s beautiful.”

  “You want to stay another night? I’d like to hit one of the vineyards and maybe take that panoramic train ride we read about.”

  “Let me call Daisy in the morning and see what she’s up to, but if she’s good, sure. Let’s stay another night.”

  She closed her eyes, basking in his warmth. How long had it been since she’d slept with someone she really liked? Not just sex, but actual sleeping, all night, beside a man whom she cared about and at the very least liked her in return? Too long. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t missed it. Breathing in the faint scent of his aftershave mixed with a musty post-coital aroma, she dozed off.

  The next time she opened her eyes, daylight was streaming through the windows and she turned over in confusion. Jared was awake, doing something on his phone, and she was sprawled across his chest. Jesus, how long had he been watching her sleep and what time was it? She sat up in alarm, looking around.

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Eight thirty.”

  “I… Are you sure?”

  He rumbled out a soft laugh. “Positive. You slept seven whole hours, darlin’.”

  “Holy shit.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What did you do to me?”

  “There’s something to be said for good lovin’.”

  She laughed. “Apparently. Wow.”

  “And now you’re awake.” He put his phone down and slid into the sheets, pulling her on top of him.

  “I should go brush my teeth and—”

  “No, you shouldn’t. You’re perfect just the way you are.” His lips found hers and she forgot all about how messy her hair must be or what her breath smelled like. She didn’t even notice his, she was too immersed in his hard, muscular body and big, strong hands. She really loved his hands. Whether he was touching her intimately or merely stroking her hair, they were powerful and tender at the same time, something she’d come to crave when it came to him. Multiple orgasms were lovely, but tenderness from a man like him was heavenly.

  After they made love two more times, she got into the shower while he ordered room service for breakfast. He’d wanted to join her but she’d dissuaded him, saying she needed to shave her legs. The truth was she was a little self-conscious. Between the imperfect skin on her face, wet hair and no makeup, she didn’t want him to see her like this. Billy had always told her she looked twelve without makeup so it had been a joke that she needed to wear it when they made love so he didn’t feel like a pedophile, but she was sure he’d only said that because he knew how she felt about the scarring on her face. It was much better now but you could see it without any foundation on, and in her mind, it was way too soon for him to see her completely natural.

  She washed and conditioned her hair, scrubbed off the makeup she’d slept in, and then put her hair up in a towel after wrapping herself in one of the bathrobes provided by the hotel. This room with a view of Lake Geneva had to be costing him a fortune and she realized she had no idea how much college hockey coaches made. Obviously, he wouldn’t have offered if he couldn’t afford it, and from the things he said, he didn’t have a lot of expenses, but she was still curious about what he made. Did he know how much she made?

  Shaking off her usual negative thoughts, she put on some moisturizer and brushed her teeth, the smell of coffee wafting in through the door. Suddenly the door opened and Jared came in holding a coffee cup.

  “Here you go. I—” He looked at her and his voice died in his throat. “Wow.”

  “W-wow?” She froze, positive he was horrified by the skin on her face or what she looked like without makeup.

  “You’re…stunning. I mean, like, really beautiful.” He put the coffee on the cabinet and reached for her, pulling her against him. “Next time I fuck you, I want you just like this.”

  “Wh-what?” She blinked, her thoughts reeling. “What are you talking about?”

  “You. You’re absolutely breathtaking. Big green eyes, pale skin, pink lips… I want you again now. Do you feel how hard I am?” He pressed against her and tears inexplicably pricked her eyelids.

  “Hey…what’s wrong?” He lifted her chin with two fingers and used the thumb of his other hand to brush away an errant tear. “I didn’t mean you don’t always look beautiful, I just really love how you look right now.”

  “I…” She swallowed. “I, um, I had terrible acne as a teenager. It scarred, badly. I’m really self-conscious about the skin on my face.”

  He stared at her intently, frowning. “I see a little, now that you say it, but it’s barely noticeable.”

  “I’ve had all kinds of laser treatments and chemical peels, so it’s a lot better, but I guess I still see it the way it was.”

  “Aw, baby, don’t do that.” He leaned down to press his lips to hers, firm but chaste, his eyes never leaving her face. “I think you’re gorgeous no matter what. You can wear makeup or not, doesn’t matter to me, I just wanted you to know I think you’re stunning this way too.”

  “But I’m so…bland.”

  “Nothing bland about you.” He slid one hand into her robe, cupping her breast and gently squeezing. “Your boobs fit perfectly in my hands. Your mouth is luscious and ripe for kissing all day long. Your pussy tastes like honey on my tongue and just thinking about it gets me so goddamn hard... I’ve fucked you six times in the last twelve hours and I’m about to take you again, right here on the bathroom counter.”

  “You are?” She was so confused.

  “Don’t you get it yet?” he whispered, leaning toward her. “I like you. I want you. I don’t care about fancy clothes or makeup; I just care about you.”

  “You do?” She was having such a hard time analyzing what he was saying and the way he was looking at her, like a hungry wolf, made her a little giddy.

  “Jesus Christ, woman, you make me crazy.” He tugged the robe from her shoulders and set her on the counter. “Open your legs and kiss me back.”

  The coffee and the rest of their breakfast was cold by the time they got to it so Jared called downstairs for another order as she dried her hair. She pulle
d on a pair of capris and an off-the-shoulder top before digging out her makeup kit.

  “Will you go without makeup today?” Jared whispered, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder.

  She frowned. “Jared, really, I…”

  “If you feel uncomfortable without it, you do you. I just don’t want you to do it because you think you have to for me. There’s no patriarchy here.”

  She hesitated. “Light foundation, mascara and lip gloss are for me.”

  He nodded. “Then that’s what you should do.”

  She smiled at his reflection in the mirror. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  She finished getting ready, and even though she felt a little underdressed without her full face of makeup, it was empowering too. She loved makeup, but hearing Jared say she was beautiful without it made her feel special. No one had said that since Billy and she’d be lying to herself if she ignored how happy it made her. Still smiling, she padded into the main room as their breakfast arrived. She sank into a chair and had just poured a cup of coffee when Jared’s phone rang. He picked it up and scowled, frowning before hitting the button to decline the call and stuffing the phone in his pocket.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “My ex-wife,” he muttered. “I haven’t spoken to her in almost five years. I don’t know what the fuck she wants, but I guarantee it has something to do with money.”

  “Did you have to give her a lot in the divorce?”

  He grunted. “Half of everything. Half of everything I didn’t even have anymore, since we knew I was never going to play hockey again.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged. “It was a long time ago and I do well now so I’m over it.”

  “Has she called you for money before?”

  “Once, about five years ago. Her new husband had lost his job and they were in dire straits. She was eight months pregnant and they couldn’t afford the COBRA payments. I paid it for two months, so she would be covered when she had the baby. I don’t love her anymore, but it wasn’t the baby’s fault she blows through money like water.”