Beefcake Read online

  While Noble had zero desire to ever tie the knot, he’d never marry for anything other than love. And he certainly wouldn’t treat his bride like a blow-up doll. No, he’d treat her like a queen.

  “The hookers I hired are smokin’-hot, but they were pretty cheap. So, I’m not really sure how clean they are, but as long as we’ve got condoms, it won’t matter.”

  Noble’s stomach pitched. Fuck that! He had no intention of flying home with a dozen STDs oozing from his dick.

  “Fuck, I can’t wait,” Harvey continued, grinning like an idiot. “My bachelor party is going to be such an epic orgy, I’ll still be remembering it when I’m eighty.”

  Orgy? The unholy visual of Harvey—naked—driving his little trouser worm into some skanky hooker made Noble want to hurl.

  He had to extricate himself from this debacle of a bachelor party, and fast.

  “Sorry, bro, I’m going to have to take a rain check on the hookers. See, I’ve got a sweet gal back home who took such good care of me before I left, the skin hasn’t grown back yet.”

  Noble didn’t like to lie, but if it kept him herpes free, he’d lie his damn ass off.

  “Sucked the skin right off, huh?”

  Noble nodded.

  “What’s her name?” Harvey pressed.

  “Trudy Hanover.”

  “She must be new in town,”

  “Yeah. She moved in a few weeks ago.” Noble nodded. “She’s sexy as fuck. Got the biggest, sweetest titties you’ve ever wrapped your lips around. And an ass so fine it’d make an onion cry.”

  “Damn, man. You just described my Celina.”

  “Seriously?” Noble didn’t believe that line of bullshit for a second, but it gave him the opening he needed. “Then why the hell are you going to risk catching crotch crickets, or worse, by fucking some hooker? Passing a family of crabs to your bride on her wedding night makes for a damn ugly honeymoon.”

  Harvey blanched. “Shit. I didn’t think about that. Maybe I should cancel the hookers. I mean, since you’re not going to give the beef injection to any of them…”

  “Yeah. I’d cancel if I were you. Just to be on the safe side. Besides, if Celina’s like Trudy”—save yourself and eat a bullet now—“you’re gonna need all the stamina you got for the wedding night.”

  “I sure am. But…I’m keeping the party bus. We’ll just go hit some strip clubs, buy some lap dances, and get fuuuuucked up!”

  “I like that plan.” He did only because he wouldn’t get gonorrhea from a lap dance.

  Nate watched his old friend waddle away and realized that the camaraderie they’d once shared was long gone. He couldn’t stand the pompous, egotistical man Harvey had become…or maybe had always been. Swallowing the disappointment staining his tongue, Noble ambled to the front desk and retrieved his card key.

  While he waited for the elevator, a sunburned teen argued with his mom about leaving the pool. The ungrateful little prick didn’t stop whining all the way up to the twenty-second floor, where Noble happily exited the lift. Grateful he’d never be a dad or have to deal with the caustic attitude of a pubescent teen, he rounded the corner to search for his room.

  Focusing on the numbers, he was halfway down the hall before he noticed a petite woman with a curvaceous hourglass figure. He suddenly itched to wrap his fingers around her narrow waist and skim a palm to her full breasts or sink into the thick mop of strawberry-blonde hair spilling down her back in big, fluffy curls. A mound of shopping bags and a couple of pink boxes lay at her feet as she angrily shuttled her card key in and out of the reader.

  “Oh, come on, you miserable piece of…” she grumbled in a husky voice that made his dick stir as she slammed the card into the lock again.

  Noble darted his gaze between the room numbers and the woman as he continued striding her way. To his delight, his room was directly across from hers.

  Kismet. Or so his mom would say.

  A wicked smile tugged his lips as he watched the sinfully sexy damsel in distress. If he was lucky, he might have this sweet little creature beneath him and screaming his name long before he had to meet up with Harvey.

  “Need some help, ma’am?” Noble smiled, setting his duffle bag on the carpet next to her packages.

  The woman snapped her head his direction, sending her pale curls swirling from her face. As she latched her shimmering green eyes framed in thick, dark lashes up at him, the air froze in Noble’s lungs.

  He dragged an awe-struck gaze over the delicate contours of her face, pausing at her plump lips. The urge to slant his mouth over hers and taste all that sweet honey rode him hard. He was helpless to harness his primitive impulses, and his cock grew thick and hard beneath his zipper. He clenched his jaw and inhaled slowly, struggling to keep from pressing her up against the uncooperative door, peeling off her pretty pink shorts, and driving balls deep inside her right now.

  “Did you just call me ma’am?” Her voice was low and sultry and sent his blood surging like lava.

  Unsure if he could speak yet, Noble swallowed tightly and nodded.

  “Are you a good southern boy or something?”

  He cleared his throat as a slow smile spread across his lips. “Well, I am southern, and I’m good at a lot of things.” He leaned in closer, inhaling the scent of clean soap and ripe peaches. “But I excel especially well at others.”

  Her eyes flared briefly and she sucked in a barely audible gasp before her wet, pink tongue peeked from between her lips. She lightly licked them and swallowed as tightly as he’d done a moment ago.

  Turning her attention back to the door, she pulled the card key free and waved it in the air. “I don’t think this thing works. I should probably go down to the front desk and get another.”

  The breathy tone of her voice was even sexier than the first time she’d spoken. Noble wanted to spend hours and hours listening to her sultry hoarse moans and whimpers as he made her scream and shatter over and over again.

  She locked her hypnotic jade-colored eyes on his once more and he bit back a groan as his jeans grew exponentially tighter. He wanted this woman…ached for her in ways he’d never felt before. Quickly dragging his eyes off hers, Noble glanced at her left hand.

  No ring. Thank fuck.

  Unwilling to let what would undoubtedly be the thrill of a lifetime pass him by, he flashed her one of his most seductive smiles and stepped in closer. Even a blind man couldn’t have missed the tiny tremor skipping through her or the way her nipples pebbled under her white cotton shirt.

  Tossing up a mental fist pump, Noble was elated that the earthquake of attraction rocking the ground beneath his feet wasn’t one-sided.

  After dropping his gaze to the packages on the floor, he lifted his head and arched his brows. “Looks like you bought out all the stores.”

  The throaty chuckle rolling off her lips and the megawatt smile lighting up her face nearly stopped his heart.

  “I left a couple of thongs back at Victoria’s Secret, but I don’t think they’re your size.”

  Her sassy retort intrigued him. Oh, he wanted to know this woman in every carnal way. Wanted to spend hours sweating and thrusting in mutual pleasure for sure, but there was something about this girl that made him want even more. He wanted to peel her open inside and out, wanted to know every morsel about her past, her present, and her future. Blindsided by the notion, he quickly shoved it aside. He had no desire to start dissecting these strange and unfamiliar emotions, for fear of what he might find.

  Calm down. Don’t do anything stupid, just keep flirting, a little voice in his head prompted.

  “That’s okay. I’m not a fan of wearing thongs anyway.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise and a brilliant smile stretched over her succulent lips. He’d both surprised and delighted her. Score!

  “How come?”

  He sent her a playful smirk. “Well, the little string separates and strangles the twins something fierce. You ever tried bailing hay wearing those things
? It’s not fun. You’re always stopping to rearrange your junk. Makes it impossible to get any real work done.”

  Her tinkling laughter fluttered over him like a springtime breeze and warmed his flesh like the hot summer sun.

  “I’ve never baled hay, with or without a thong. But it sounds…painful.”

  He leaned in close, lips barely brushing the shell of her ear. Dragging in another breath of her intoxicating scent, he dropped his voice to a feathery whisper. “Excruciating.”

  She trembled and swallowed audibly before easing back and extending her hand. “I’m Ivy.”

  Noble stared at the delicate fingers she offered, fighting the urge to haul her into his arms and kiss her breathless. Instead, he swallowed her hand in his calloused paw and gently squeezed. A tingling static charge surged up his arm.

  Ivy gasped, obviously shocked by the crazy sensation, too, before she tried to snatch her hand back. But Noble didn’t let her go. He held on tight, locked his gaze to her smoldering green eyes, and lifted his other hand. He skimmed the pad of his thumb over her lips, memorizing the soft, warm texture.

  Unable to stop himself, he rested his thumb on her chin and brushed a whisper of a kiss across her mouth. Like sparklers, slivers of energy sputtered over his lips. He’d never experienced such a strange sensation, but he liked it…liked it a lot.

  Still lost in her eyes, he inched back and released her hand. “Noble.”

  “Are you?” she playfully asked.

  “I am,” he murmured. “Especially when I’m tumbling you into ecstasy, darlin’.”

  He didn’t miss the flash of lust that skipped across her eyes or the pulse point at her neck that picked up and hammered in time with each pulsating throb of his cock. As he eased in close to her mouth once more, the scent of succulent peaches surrounded him, stronger this time.

  Suddenly, Ivy flinched backward, quickly banking her arousal and lifting her chin defiantly. “Not when, cowboy… if. If I let you tumble me to ecstasy. But don’t go getting your hopes up. Cocky men turn me off.”

  “No they don’t. You’re just saying that so I won’t think you’re a slutty girl. Trust me, I don’t…not for a single second,” he whispered as he pressed his hungry erection against her soft hip. Her eyes flared. Her lips parted. A beautiful pink blush crawled up her chest and stained her cheeks. “I know you’re not easy, and I also know that if I want the chance to drown you in pleasure—which I desperately do—I’ll have to work hard to earn that honor. Work real damn hard.” Emphasizing the last word, Noble rolled his hips, letting her feel every thick, hard inch wedged in his jeans.

  Ivy shuddered and pulled back.

  Before he could blink, she’d slapped on a look that screamed hands off.

  Suddenly worried she might decide to knee him, Noble stepped back, ready to cover his junk.

  He was quickly learning that city girls weren’t anything like the ones back home.

  He’d have to find a different tactic in order to seduce this fiery temptress. Thankfully, he’d been blessed—or cursed, depending on the situation—with a healthy strand of the stubborn Grayson DNA. He’d find a way to drag this saucy spitfire beneath him. But first he had to figure a way over or under the wall she’d unexpectedly constructed. He had no idea why she’d gone from a soft, pliant sex kitten to a brittle ice queen, but he aimed to find out.

  A sickening thought popped in his head. He lifted his chin and pinned her with a suspicious stare. “You’re not in Vegas to get married, are you?”

  “Me?” She choked on a gasp before vigorously shaking her head. “Not in this lifetime. Are you?”

  “Absolutely not,” he adamantly replied.

  As if she sensed a kindred spirit, her lips twitched, fighting a smile. With a nod, she tried unlocking her door again. The light stayed red and Ivy issued a tiny huff of frustration.

  “Here, let me help you.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll get it open…eventually.”

  “How do you expect me to live up to my name if you won’t let me help you?”

  “Okay, Noble. I’ll let you be noble and give it a try.”

  When she started to lift her hand away, he reached over and cupped his fingers around hers. Once again, that crazy tingle slid up his arm.

  “See, it’s all in the way you do it. You slide it in slowly…then ease it down…all the way down…nice and deep.” The sexual innuendo rolled off his tongue, thick and hoarse, while carnal images of the woman now trembling against his chest filled his brain.

  Noble slowly dragged the card back out of the reader, and the green light began to flicker. He gripped the handle, pinning her between him and the door, and drank in the feel of her lush, warm body before turning the knob and pushing the door open.

  She sent him a surprised smile over her shoulder. “You did it!”

  Ivy hurried into the room while Noble watched the sensual sway of her hips. His grandpa Grayson would say that Ivy had a swing so fine he’d like to park it on his front porch. Noble wanted to park Ivy’s ass, all right…park it in the middle of his bed and drag about twelve hours of orgasms from her sinful body.

  Somehow, someway, he was going to charm this city girl out of her clothes.

  Bending, he gathered up her packages, snagged his duffle bag, and followed her into the room.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ivy sensed Noble behind her, not so much by the sound of rustling packages but by from the strange and unsettling sexual current connecting them. The attraction she felt toward the man sent warning bells and buzzers clanging in her head. The shiver of wanton desire sliding up her spine was another red flag.

  She had to put some space between her and the drop-dead gorgeous cowboy before she did something stupid, like strip off her clothes and jump his sexy bones. Since he’d opened his mouth and that deep, rich voice melted over her skin, she’d been waiting to spontaneously combust. And when he brushed his soft but firm lips to hers, the puddle in her panties grew into a fucking river. She was dripping wet and every cell in her body was screaming for release. That one kiss alone told her that Noble was a skilled lover who’d leave her spineless, sated, and in a damn coma if she’d let him.

  Do it. Good god, the only thing that’s touched your vajayjay for months is your vibrator—which you left at home, by the way.

  Ivy didn’t need the little voice in her head reminding her how long she’d gone without a lover. Hell, McMillian was the last man to kiss her, and that wasn’t even a kiss…it was an assault. She’d sworn off all men after that.

  At least until now.

  Come on! What are you waiting for? You’re in Vegas, baby! What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Remember? Besides, it’s not like you’re ever going to see him again.

  She also didn’t need her riotous hormones encouraging her to bed the sexy beast.

  The spark he’d effortlessly ignited inside her was already burning out of control. It was taking all the willpower she possessed not to beg him to strip her naked and extinguish the flames.

  As Noble placed her packages on the bed, she stared at his big, capable hands. God, what would those long fingers feel like sliding in and out of her slick core? How many orgasms could he drag out of her before he whipped out that massive slab of beef, bulging beautifully beneath his jeans, and started to, slide it in slowly…then ease it down…all the way down…nice and deep?.

  She wanted…no, she needed a long night of sex, badly.

  Disregarding her begging hormones, Ivy tried to curb her hunger. She didn’t want a one-night stand. Only desperate, horny women fucked men they barely knew.

  Uh, news flash, sweetheart—you are desperate and horny, her conscience taunted.

  Yes, but she’d never had meaningless sex with a man for fear she’d feel like a whore…like she had when she’d raced out of McMillian’s office. The mental anguish assailing her after his attack had been brutal. She’d fought too hard to set herself up for another fall, even with a man as scrumptious as Noble�
��Noble what?

  Lord, she didn’t even know the man’s last name.

  He glanced over his shoulder, capturing her gaze.

  Oh, but he was so temp­ting…beauti­ful…arou­sing…

  And a total fucking stranger, she inwardly reminded her eager libido.

  “It’s a cryin’ shame.”

  “What?”

  “That a sexy little woman like you has to sleep all alone in that big ol’ bed.”

  She felt a blush warm her cheeks. “No. It’s actually a good thing. I sleep like a Weed eater…tossing and turning all over the place.”

  He stood and raked a slow gaze up her body. “Oh, darlin’, I would love to make you prove that.”

  The thick sexual undercurrent sizzling through the air arced like lightning.

  Ivy bit her lips together to keep from extending the offer. As Noble moved in close to brush a strand of hair away from her cheek, her resolve melted like butter.

  “Christ, you’re beautiful.”

  His hot breath fluttered over her lips while his stare fixed on her mouth. Oh, hell. He was going to do more than just kiss her. The throbbing of her clit sped up, keeping time with her tripling heartbeat.

  Fissures of lust laid waste to her fears.

  Yet, from somewhere deep in her brain, a fragment of sanity surfaced.

  She was in a strange town and in a strange hotel room with a sensual Roman god she knew nothing about—who could be a freaking serial killer. He was in her room. It was already possible for him to rape her, then kill her and toss her body in a dumpster behind any of the glitzy casinos along the strip. They’d never find her dead body.

  When had she turned into such a stupid, reckless woman?

  Ivy knew the answer to that…the second he’d offered his help unlocking her door.

  Before she could ask him to leave and put an end to this insanity, Noble brushed a ghost of a kiss over her lips, then skimmed them again with the same whispery touch before feathering each corner of her mouth.