Sweet Desire: (A Sinful Nights Short Story)

  SWEET DESIRE

  LAUREN BLAKELY

  A short story in the NYT Bestselling Sinful Nights Series

  Copyright © 2015 by Lauren Blakely

  LaurenBlakely.com

  Cover Design by © Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

  Ebook formatting by Jesse Gordon

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This contemporary romance is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with, especially if you enjoy sexy, emotional, romance novels with alpha males. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Table of Contents

  ABOUT

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Sweet Desire

  By Lauren Blakely

  A Sinful Nights short story about a lucky

  green tie, a sexy lingerie set, and a man and

  woman about to meet the perfect match.

  ABOUT

  Their dirty thoughts are perfect for each other.

  Ryan Sloan is intense, dominant and likes to be in control. Sophie Winston is flirty, sexy and longs to be on her knees. Their fantasies are colliding before they even meet…and when they do, the sparks fly.

  Because each has met the perfect match…

  CHAPTER ONE

  Sophie ran her red fingernails over the black silk, so luxurious to the touch and enticing to the eye.

  She swore angels sang when this glorious pair of panties was crafted. Such a perfect item of lingerie from the sheer front, to the silk back, to those criss-cross ties up the sides that invited strong hands to untie them, yank them off, and demand that legs be spread.

  Whew. Is it getting hot in this boutique or is it just my fantasy?

  “These are simply to die for,” Sophie declared, lifting the plush satin hanger to show the gorgeous piece to her good friend Jenna.

  “Oh, that’s too delicious for words,” Jenna said, her eyes widening as she left the red teddy she was perusing on the rack, and walked over to join Sophie in proper adoration of a glamorous pair of panties.

  Soft music played in the stylish boutique that was Sophie’s absolute favorite in all of Vegas, since it boasted the most tantalizing collection of silk, satin and lace, and all her favorite designers. She was a regular here and the owner often set aside items she knew Sophie would covet.

  Like this black beauty.

  If only Sophie had someone to wear them for. Ideally, the kind of man who would know just what to do with her in this delicious lingerie.

  “I’m pretty sure they’re calling out to me,” she said, lifting the panties to her ear. “Why yes, I hear them saying ‘buy me, wear me, let me snuggle up against you.’”

  Jenna laughed. “Funny, I can hear that too.”

  Sophie held up a finger. “Wait. It’s not the only thing speaking to me,” she said, when she spotted nearby a stunning display of one of the sexiest forms of clothing known to womankind. Mankind too. Because these stockings could bring a man to his knees.

  Though, truth be told, she’d much rather be on her knees for the right man.

  Preferably wearing these stockings.

  “Come to me,” she said, making grabby hands as she reached for a black pair with a seam up the back. They were thigh highs. Also known as — a prelude to sweet desire.

  “These are perfect. I insist you get them as well,” Jenna chimed in.

  Sophie clutched them to her chest. They were criminally soft to the touch. “Then I insist on wearing them tomorrow night to the gala at Aria.”

  Jenna gave an approving nod, then whispered conspiratorially. “And when some gorgeous eligible bachelor wanders into the event, looking all cool and debonair, he’ll see you in your stockings and devise all sorts of wicked ways he wants to tie you up with them.”

  A burst of sparks licked through her veins. “A woman can only hope,” she murmured, because that was a fervent wish of hers.

  Sophie Winston possessed particular fantasies, starting with a strong, confident, wildly intense man raking his eyes over her from head to toe, ownership in his gaze. He’d know just how to touch her, he’d understand precisely how to command her pleasure, and then he’d do naughty things as he restrained her, with his tie, with these stockings, with his hands.

  Any or all.

  She craved that kind of kink with the right man. A man who’d make her cry out in unholy pleasure, in wildly, addictive ecstasy as she surrendered to him. That man would be smart, strong, and good. He’d also be an absolutely filthy, dominating, alpha male who’d fuck her senseless. Take control of her, bend her over the bed, put her on her knees.

  Maybe someday she’d slide on these stockings, then slip into these panties, and meet that man. Have a drink, dance a little, then sneak away for a sensual encounter worthy of all her late-night dirty dreams.

  Yes, it was definitely hot in the boutique.

  She made her way to the counter with the black stockings and the sheer lace panties. “I’ll take both.”

  And a side of Fantasy Male of my Dreams, please.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Johnny Cash led the way, racing to the bottom of the trail. Nothing was going to stop the border collie from beating the two-legged creatures. Ryan’s youngest brother Colin finished next, then Ryan reached the trailhead one second later, breath coming fast from an epic run.

  He tapped the wooden sign. “Forty-four minutes for this trail. Our best time ever,” he said, as his heart beat furiously from the final sprint down the hill.

  “Forty-four minutes for me. Forty-four minutes and one second for you,” Colin corrected, with an arch of the eyebrow.

  “Cocky bastard,” Ryan said with a grin, as a bead of sweat slid down his chest. He headed for the water fountain, pressed the spout, then patted the edge. “C’mon boy.”

  Johnny Cash trotted over, leapt up, and placed his paws on the stone edge of the fountain, lapping up streams of water. Like the rest of them, he’d worked hard that evening on the trail run.

  When his dog was done, he went next, taking a long, cold drink, then headed to the wooden fence at the base of the trail, resting his elbows against the rail. Something had been on his mind for days. Something he kept trying to make heads and tails of with no success yet.

  “Tomorrow’s the big day. I’m going to the principal’s office in the afternoon,” Ryan remarked with a wry tone, trying to make light of the three p.m. appointment on his calendar tomorrow. His dog wandered to his feet and lay down on the cool dirt, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

  “Don’t tell me you got into another fight on the ice?” Colin
joked.

  “Ha. You know I’m the one who breaks up the fights,” he said, referring to his self-appointed role in the hockey games he played – making sure none of his teammates lost their cool. Then, he cleared his throat and turned serious. “I’m meeting with the detective. He called earlier in the week to set up a time. I asked if he had anything in particular he wanted to talk about.”

  Colin arched an eyebrow. “Did he tell you?”

  Ryan shook his head. “Nope. That guy was Fort Knox on the phone. He said the meeting was just for routine questioning. Since I’m a potential witness he wants to talk to me. Is that what he said to you too?”

  “Yup. I’m seeing him on Friday. I tried to get some more details, but he wasn’t giving them up on the phone.”

  Nor had the detective disclosed them in person when he’d appeared at their sister’s post-wedding celebration a week ago to drop the news that their father’s murder investigation had been reopened. Last thing in the world Ryan had ever expected to hear. He’d been shocked to the bones to learn there was new evidence in a crime that already had two people serving life sentences.

  “So you got any new ideas why the case was reopened?” he asked, giving voice to the million-dollar question. “If you had to guess…”

  “Somebody must have come to the cops with new evidence. A new detail. Somebody saw something, heard something, don’t you think?” Colin asked, as he stretched out his quads after their punishing run.

  “Who do you think it was who came forward?” Ryan had his own ideas, but he liked to hear what his siblings thought.

  Colin rattled off a handful of names and possibilities from their mother’s ex-lover, to the gunman’s buddies, to even some of their mother’s seamstress customers from years ago. “But it could be anyone. Could be someone she made a leotard for who suddenly remembered something. And tomorrow you’ll find out. It would be fucking awesome if they find the bastards they think are involved.”

  “That would, in fact, be the definition of fucking awesome,” Ryan said, then held up a closed fist to knock with his brother. “I need to head out. I’ve got a client dinner in an hour. Meeting with these guys in town from San Francisco about doing some security for them. White Box is the name.”

  “What’s their line of work? Sounds like a tech app or something with a name like that.”

  “It does. But they’re very, how shall we say, hands on,” Ryan said, sketching air quotes. “They run a bunch of private clubs where gentleman like to go for entertainment.

  Colin wiggled his eyebrows. “Will they be taking you there tonight to make sure you get entertained properly and give them a sweetheart deal?”

  Ryan laughed and shook his head. While he had nothing empirically against that form of entertainment — he was an aficionado of the female form in all its curves and softness — he didn’t expect he’d find the kind of woman whose company he enjoyed at a place like that. “Not my scene,” he said, and left it at that. He was a private man, and didn’t care to dive into the details of his personal life…or really, his tastes.

  He liked it the way he liked it. Hard, rough, kinky. Call a spade a spade – he was a dirty bastard, and he knew what he wanted when it came to a woman.

  Beautiful. Brilliant. Witty. Sexy. Sweet.

  And someone who wanted to surrender. Who craved giving up control to him. Confident in life, and secure enough to hand over the reins in the bedroom, so he could take charge of her pleasure, and deliver ecstasy beyond her wildest fantasies.

  Ryan Sloan certainly wasn’t on the hunt for someone special. He hardly had time for that. But there was a part of him that longed for that spark of connection – for a woman who had the same sinful desires.

  For his perfect match.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Sophie strolled into her walk-in closet in her penthouse apartment to confirm that everything was in order for tonight. Her outfit hung perfectly with every item she’d need – the black evening dress, the silk stockings and garter, and the new black sheer panties that she’d wear to the gala at Aria. She loved the possibility that such apparel suggested. That intimacy could ignite at any moment.

  Yes, everything was ready for the fete.

  But first, she had an insanely packed day ahead of her — a final meeting with the board for tonight’s fundraiser auction that she’d been overseeing for the new wing at the children’s hospital, a quick run-through with the torch singer she’d hired to croon sexy songs for the ballroom crowd, and a lunch with one of the event’s biggest supporters —a hotel CEO and his lovely wife who’d donated a gorgeous painting for the auction. Then she’d need to visit her brother at police headquarters to give him the transponder for her building’s parking garage.

  Whew.

  Sounded like this day called for one of her favorite pinup dresses. Pressing her finger to her lips, she ran her hand across her vast collection of dresses — the white one with an orange pattern, the sapphire blue number, the red pencil skirt style one.

  So many to choose from, some days it was hard to pick.

  “Ah, this is the dress,” she declared, when she landed on the black pinup dress with the cherry pattern.

  Cherries were just so…tempting.

  She slipped into it, zipped up the back, and struck a pose in front of the mirror. Blond curls, red lips, sexy dress. Why yes. She was indeed ready to tackle the day.

  Besides, today could be the day she’d meet the kind of man who’d stare at her unabashedly. Who’d flirt, and she’d flirt back. Who’d be bold enough to walk right up to her.

  A frisson of excitement raced through her, and she shuddered as she imagined her fantasy man. But she doubted she’d meet him today. Or the next day or the next. That was simply wishful thinking.

  What a wish it was though.

  * * *

  A few more hours.

  The tension in him tightened knowing he’d be seeing the detective later today. But he was determined to get to the bottom of this. When he met with John Winston, he’d do everything in his power to glean the information he needed about the murder investigation, all while keeping his own secrets about the past airtight and sealed.

  “Isn’t that right, Johnny Cash?” he said to his dog, as they headed up the steps to his house after a solo workout — a quick three-mile run as the sun rose.

  The dog didn’t answer him.

  But that was okay. He still liked talking to his pooch about the things he didn’t tell anyone else. Johnny Cash knew everything. His dog was privy to all the details of the past that had been put in lockdown.

  Once inside, he set down a bowl of water for his loyal companion, who greedily slurped it up. “You’re a thirsty guy,” he said, tousling his fur.

  Then he headed to the shower, and stripped out of his workout clothes. As he stood under the hot stream, he concentrated on the day ahead of him. Last night’s meeting had gone well with his new client, and Ryan had a final phone call with the VP at the company this morning to confirm the deal.

  As he scrubbed shampoo in his hair, he ran over the rest of his agenda. Reviewing a contract, lunch with a corporate client who wanted to upgrade his security services, then the detective meeting, and a free evening ahead of him.

  Already, he sensed he’d need that free time. Need it to unwind after discussing an eighteen-year-old murder that still weighed on his family, and probably always would. Perhaps he’d spend the night playing a round of pool solo in his den.

  Though it sure would be nice to have the right kind of company at his pool table sometime. As he pictured landing a shot in the corner pocket, a favorite image flashed into his brain.

  A gorgeous woman, with curves and sexy lips, perched on the edge of his pool table, wearing only stunning lingerie. The come-hither kind that pushed up all her assets. He groaned at the tantalizing vision his dirty mind constructed. She’d be sultry, voluptuous, and willing. So willing to be taken the way he wanted to take her. She’d give herself freely, spread
her legs, run a hand between them, trailing her fingertips sexily across the fabric of her panties.

  Her wet panties.

  Since she’d want him as much as he wanted to have her.

  Yeah, that was a nice image for his shower. He liked that quite a lot. She’d be hot, and ready, trembling with the intense need to be touched, to be tasted, to come.

  She’d be close, so damn close, and then he’d tell her to beg for it.

  And she would, because she wanted that too, wanted to be told what to do. With legs spread, eyes all glossy with desire, and red lips parted, she’d whisper, “Please make me come.”

  He’d heed that call. He’d answer that request. Controlling all her pleasure, whispering filthy words, keeping her bound to him, he’d give her all the bliss she deserved.

  She’d come hard for him. Shuddering, and desperate for more.

  Ryan breathed out deeply, as he washed the suds from his hair, and rinsed off his body. That was his dream woman.

  For now though, he had a busy day ahead of him, so he dried off and dressed, pulling on boxers, charcoal gray slacks, and a crisp button-down. He scanned the neckwear dangling on his tie hanger. A good two dozen ties to choose from, but he grabbed an emerald green one, flashing back to something his brother-in-law’s brother, Clay, had said to him when they’d chatted at a family event a week ago.

  “A man always needs a lucky tie.”

  Ryan couldn’t agree more.

  He stepped in front of the mirror in his bathroom, knotting his tie, and tightening it.

  After one hell of an unlucky past, he could sure use some luck today.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  As he turned into the parking lot at municipal headquarters, the tightness in his chest intensified, like a coil. He took a deep, fueling breath and did his best to narrow his focus to doing everything he could in the next hour to figure out if the guilt or innocence of someone he loved was changing. To protect his secrets even if he was asked to serve them up. To learn what the fuck the detective knew about his family that he didn’t know.