To Desire a Wilde (13 page)

A half grin lifted Nate's face, and he raised his hands, silently promising not to repeat his offense. “What are
you
doing home?” Shilah asked, turning the question back to his brother. “Don't you and Althea have plans?”

“Yeah, later on tonight. She wants to go check out that new Tyler Perry movie,” he said, and Shilah openly smirked at him. “The things a man will do for the woman he loves know no boundaries,” Nate replied with a shrug, before pushing off the stool and heading over to the refrigerator. “Mind if I join you?”

“Suit yourself,” Shilah said with a shrug.

After Nate returned, he sat down next to Shilah again. “So…wanna tell me what the hell is going on with you and why you are at home, in the dark, nursing a beer alone, instead of being with Ellie?” he asked, surprising Shilah.

Nate barked out a laugh. “Uh…yeah, I know about you and Ellie.”

“How? Shit,” Shilah cursed, his response telling. “Does everybody know?”

“No. At least not that I know of. I know because you're my brother, and I know you. And I knew you wouldn't listen to a damn word I said when I warned you not to get involved with her,” he said, reminding Shilah of the moment he'd taken him aside, when Ellie had first arrived on the ranch, and warned him away from her.

“Look, I stayed away from her. We both decided to cool off until after the investigation,” Shilah responded, feeling a moment of guilt for his actions.

Nate lifted a brow. “Both of you decided?”

“Well…Ellie wouldn't have it any other way,” he admitted, sheepishly. “Said she didn't want to compromise the results, have anyone thinking there was favoritism going on.”

Nate nodded his head in approval. “Smart woman.”

The two men drank in silence for long moments before Nate finished his beer and stood, facing Shilah.

“So, now that you're free to see each other, I'll ask you again…. What the hell are you doing at home?”

The question was simple and to the point. And one that brought a smile to Shilah's face.

He rose, finished the remnants of his beer and turned to head toward his suite. Before he left the room he turned back to his brother.

“Enjoy your movie, girlfriend,” he said, his voice pitched unnaturally high, and laughed at his brother's single-finger salute.

W
hen they arrived at the restaurant, Ellie was a mass of nerves, her stomach knotting so badly she wished to God she'd thought to pack a bottle of the pink stuff in her purse.

When he'd picked her up at her parents, she'd been pleasantly surprised to see Shilah dressed to the nines, in casual dark slacks that molded and framed his long legs and thick thighs to perfection and a tailored white shirt, where she'd seen a sprinkling of dark hair at the open V-neck peek through. Although casual, the clothes fit his body as though they'd been tailor-made for him. She'd always known he was sinfully gorgeous, but tonight he gave an all new meaning to the word
fine.

Afraid he'd catch her openly gawking at him, she averted her eyes.

After an awkward attempt at conversation she'd been ready to just give up, when he'd glanced over at her.

“You know, if that waiter looks at you one more time like you're something on the menu, I'm going to knock his teeth down his throat.”

Her eyes flew to his, growing wide. “Shilah!”

“What? I saw him checking you out,” he said, completely straight-faced.

She giggled, despite herself. “Shilah, that man is gay. He ain't
even
looking at me. Maybe you're the catch of the day he's dreaming about, for his own personal menu,” she quipped, laughing harder at the way she turned the tables and the blush that crossed his face.

He scowled as she laughed. “Oh, you got jokes, huh?” Yet she saw the humor that darkened his eyes.

When the waiter returned to the table, Ellie could barely look at the man as she gave her order. He turned to Shilah and took his order, the wattage on the server's smile so bright it could have lit the entire restaurant. He'd barely left before Ellie was again laughing.

By the time their food arrived, the earlier tension was a thing of the past, and as they ate, their topics of conversation ranged from the latest in cattle to sports.

“Yeah, well, your precious Patriots are going down.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Not if the Jets' quarterback can't figure out how to dissect their cover two defense.”

She laughed lightly at the look on his face. “What? Does it surprise you that I like football?” she asked, lifting a brow.

One side of his mouth hitched in a slow grin as he slid a wicked glance over her.

“Nothing about you surprises me, Ellie. You're a woman of many,
many
talents,” he said, and Ellie felt
an answering warmth rush over her body, forcing her to clench her thighs together in response.

“You're a bad,
bad
boy, Shilah Wilde…has anyone ever told you that?”

He looked away for a moment, the smile easing from his face. “Yeah, I've been told that a time or two.”

Immediately the smile slipped from Ellie's face. She reached over and grasped his hand in hers. “Hey…I was just kidding.”

He shook his head, saying, “Baby, I know. You're one of the few people who sees the good in me.”

Ellie frowned, wondering where that came from. “Shilah?” When he drew her hand over, kissing the palm, her frown increased. She refused to allow him to brush it off and not answer her. He had dug enough at her, forced her to admit things to him, disclose things to him she never had to another person.

It was time to turn the tables.

“Hey, I'm serious, where did that come from?”

A flat look entered his eyes, and he allowed her hand to drop. “Just forget it, Ellie,” he said, his expression closed up. Ellie blew out a breath of frustration.

“Fine. Forget I asked.”

She stared down at her plate, pushing her food around, and for long moments there was nothing but silence. But this time it wasn't the easy one of moments before.

When the waiter returned to their table, she nodded her head, allowing him to remove her plate. He quickly returned with the cheesecake they'd ordered, but Ellie had lost her appetite for the dessert.

At that moment, music began to play, and she turned her head toward the miniuscule dance floor set up on the other side of the room. She reached for her glass
of wine, watching couples make their way toward the dance floor.

She heard Shilah sigh, before his hands came out to remove her glass from her hands.

“You know a lot about me, Ellie. I've never kept anything from you. At least nothing important,” he stated, quietly.

She lifted her eyes to look at him across the table, remaining silent.

He sighed. “Okay, shoot. What do you wanna know about me, woman? My life is an open book to you. My thoughts, emotions, feelings…whatever you want to know. Just ask.”

She tilted her head to the side, considering him. “Open book, huh?” she asked, rubbing her hands together. “Ooo-hoo…let me see, so many questions, so little time!” she said, to which he uttered a heartfelt groan.

“Okay, okay. Seriously. Let's see…how about, where were you born? Besides Nate and Holt, do you have any other siblings, natural siblings? Are your parents still alive? Who—”

“Hey, one question at a time!” He laughed, but Ellie heard a nervous edge creep into his tone.

“I was born in Washington State, moved to Oregon, then Cali, and after that Idaho.” He frowned. “No, after California it was Utah, and
then
Idaho. I think after Idaho we headed to Nevada—”

“Wait…haven't you lived in Wyoming from the time you were a child? I mean, I assumed…”

He shrugged, but despite his nonchalant expression, she caught a fleeting look cross his face, too fast for her to catalog the meaning, but enough that she read
his discomfort…almost embarrassment, before it quickly left.

“I traveled with my mother's brother from the time I was around four or so, for about eight years, until we landed in Wyoming.”

“You were raised by your uncle?”

“Guess you could say that,” he replied, uttering a short laugh. “Sometimes I felt like I was raising him.”

He raised his glass to his lips and took a drink, before continuing. “Look, Ellie, there's something I think you should know about me. Before I came to the ranch I used to hustle with my uncle.”

“Hustle? What do you mean….”

“Look, my parents cut out on me before I even took my first steps, and had it not been for my uncle taking me in, well, I would have ended up on the streets or in foster care a lot earlier than I was. We lived on a reservation in New Mexico. Didn't have a lot of money in my family…my tribe. We lived on one of the poorer reservations. Money…resources were tight.” He turned away briefly. “I don't want you to think less of me, Ellie. Your opinion means more to me than the air I breathe.”

Ellie drew in a shuddered breath, reading the wealth of emotion in his eyes.

She knew that whatever Shilah was about to share with her wasn't something that was easy for him to talk about.

It probably wasn't something he even wanted to think about, if his set expression and the way he held his body stiff, tension rolling off of his wide shoulders, was any indication.

She placed her hand over his. Going on instinct, she
lifted it, brought it to her lips and placed a gentle kiss in the palm.

“There's nothing you can say that would make me think less of you, Shilah. Nothing,” she said softly.

He closed his eyes briefly.

“My uncle and I moved around a lot. Ran every scam known, hustled any and everybody, he didn't care. As long as the money was good, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to find a way to get it. He was good-looking, mostly used the way he looked on women.” He stopped and shook his head. “Divorced, married, single, old and young, he didn't care. They were all fair game.”

Quietly Ellie listened as he told her how as his uncle grew older, he'd brought Shilah into the game along with him.

“Finally he got caught by the feds. He got involved in a Medicare scam,” he said. “He didn't know, but they'd been tracking him for a while, and set up a sting. He got busted, and I got sent to juvy and then to the boys' home. You know the rest,” he said. Although he spoke matter-of-factly, Ellie read the shame in his eyes.

Ellie was quiet, digesting the information before she spoke. “Shilah, none of that was your fault,” she finally said.

“I was more than willing to go along with it, Ellie. Yeah, I was a kid, but I could have said something…told someone what he was doing. I knew the score, but I kept silent. I helped him scam hundreds of people, Ellie. But he was family. The only family I had.”

“Shilah, you were a child. There wasn't anything you could have done about what he was doing!”

He was shaking his head as she spoke. “I didn't have to go along with it, El. I knew right from wrong.”

“Listen. I get that. But right or wrong, like you said, he was family. The only family you had. And you were a child, baby.”

At her words, he swung his head around, staring at her so intently she grew uncomfortable.

“What?”

A slow smile crossed his sensual lips. “That's the first time you've called me that.”

She frowned, thinking, and blushed when she realized what she'd called him. She'd never called a man
baby
before. As silly as it would probably sound if she confessed that aloud, the fact that she had called him
baby
brought a blush to her face.

“Well, yeah. Guess I did,” she said, and they stared across the table at each other, both with grins on their faces. Silly grins. “And,
baby,
” she said, elongated it to make him laugh. “Listen to me when I say you're one of the finest men I know. And I don't just mean the way you look,” she said, wiggling her brows up and down, pulling a startled bark of laughter from Shilah.

“You're not that kid you were. And you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing.”

He reached across the small table and brought their lips together.

“You're a special man, Shilah Wilde,” she whispered against his mouth, before he claimed her lips.

When he released her, she sat back in her chair, and smiled across at him.

“So…what exciting thing is next for you, Ellie? Now that you know my life story. What about you? Now that the investigation is over, are you going to stick around for a while? Help your dad at his practice?” Although
the change of topic was abrupt, Ellie felt none of the anger she'd felt before, when she'd felt he was holding back from her.

She lifted her glass of wine to her lips, stalling for time, as she thought of how to answer his question.

She shrugged. “I guess a lot of that depends,” she said, after swallowing.

“Depends on what?” he asked, giving her that heart-stopping, nipple-beading smile of his that always made her insides turn straight to butter.

Taking a mental deep breath, she plunged in. “Depends on if I'm given another reason to stay.”

A
s soon as she said it, Ellie wished to God she could retract the words. The thoughtful look on his face made a deep flush creep along her skin.

God, what had she been thinking, she wondered. What had she been thinking by putting herself out there like that?

“Ellie, baby, I—”

Whatever he'd been about to say, the waiter interrupted to clear their plates, and Ellie was more than happy for the reprieve.

When the DJ put on one of Ellie's favorite songs, she bounced in her chair, placing fake enthusiasm into her voice, saying, “Ohh, I love this song!”

Shilah leaned back in his chair, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth. “Wanna give it a whirl?” he asked, nodding toward the dance floor.

“Oh God, no!” she said, her eyes flying to his.

Without a word, he rose and hauled her to her feet. He ignored her groaning protest and led her to the dance floor. Doing her
best
to “shake what her mama gave her,” as the song suggested, she giggled at Shilah as he danced along with her, grabbing her by the waist and twirling her around until she felt giddy. Breathless, she grinned up at him, the music and dancing easing away the tension.

When the music changed, the upbeat tempo of the last song ended and was replaced by a slower one. Ellie glanced up at Shilah, the laughter still in place.

“Where are you going? If I remember correctly, this used to be one of your favorite songs?” he both stated and asked.

“Yeah,” she said, slightly out of breath from dancing. “It was. But after that, I don't think I have enough energy to keep on dancing—you wore me out!” She laughed.

“Don't worry, El…I have enough energy for the both of us.” The smile eased from her mouth at the look in his piercing dark eyes, the hint of a smile that creased his lean cheeks.

“Dance with me, Ellie?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave and sending electric heat through her body.

One arm remained wrapped around her waist, the other moved lower, casually cupping her buttocks, bringing her flush against his long, hard frame.

As Shilah held her close, Ellie felt that nervous jitter return, the same one she'd felt at the beginning of the date, and took deep breaths, to quell her nervous anticipation. She had put it on the back burner, but now
it returned to blazing life as they moved together, as one, in small swaying motions.

Their bodies moved together as though that's what they'd been created for. She loved everything about the evening, from the way he'd shared a piece of his past with her, to the sensuality of the song, the feel of his body and the way he moved her—it was all magic.

A magic that had been building for the last three weeks since she'd been home. A magic she didn't want to end.

 

She was made for him.

Shilah felt his heartbeat ricocheting around his chest as he held Ellie close.

After a few moments, he felt the tension leave her limbs and her body mold to his, as though they'd danced a thousand times together.

When he felt her head come to rest on his chest, he laid his head lightly against the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. A light, sweet smell, mixed with her own womanly scent, one that was as uniquely intoxicating and beautiful as she herself.

Just like her, it was perfect.

When a particularly energetic couple bumped into them, he deftly moved her, pressing their bodies closer together, loving the way her slight curves felt against his body. As they danced their bodies moved together effortlessly, as one.

Although he'd been surprised at her earlier reticence, the fact that she was obviously nervous about their evening together had made Shilah realize that she was as excited about their being together as he.

It had been so easy to talk to her, easy to share things
with her that he hadn't shared with another. With Ellie, it seemed as though there wasn't anything he couldn't talk to her about, share with her.

He thought back to the look that had crossed her face when he'd asked her what her plans were after the investigation. His heart had crashed against his chest at her response. He'd been about to ask her if he would be reason enough for her to stay when the waiter's ill-timed arrival had prevented it.

Immediately he felt her embarrassment, her need to change the subject, and allowed her a reprieve. For the moment.

He'd hidden his grin, the knowledge that she cared for him as much as he did for her making his steps lighter as he led her to the dance floor.

Since her return home, she'd managed to carve an even deeper wedge in his heart than before. He wasn't ready for what they had…what they could have, to come to an end.

She shifted, her body sliding against his and, glancing down at her, he pulled away enough so that he could see her beautiful face.

Without thought to who was watching, or where they were, he cupped her face, leaned down and captured her full lips with his, hoping that in his kiss she knew the answer to her question.

He had no intention of allowing the magic of what they had to end, anytime soon.

After he released her, she stared up at him, her lids low, droopy, her mouth swollen from his kisses.

She placed her head on his chest, her hand over his heart, as they again moved as one to the searing lyrics.

 

As the song ended, Ellie reluctantly lifted her head from Shilah's chest, her body trembling.

When she would have pulled away, he moved her closer, lifting her hand, kissing the palm in the familiar caress, one that did all the right things for her.

He lowered his head and softly ran his nose against the curve of her cheek. The hand at her waist moved lower, until he lightly held her butt, bringing their bodies flush, and lightly grinding her against the steely length of his erection.

“I need you,” he whispered, his voice deep, gruff with need.

A need that mirrored hers.

Ellie nodded her head, licking her tongue across lips gone dry.

“I—I just need to call home and let my folks know I'm not coming home tonight.”

Her heart seemed to jump from her chest when she saw the wicked gleam enter his eyes, as he took her hand in his and led her away from the dance floor.

After paying the bill, they were leaving the restaurant when Ellie heard her cell phone ring. She would have ignored it, but the special ringtone she'd assigned to her parents had her digging inside her purse to pull the phone out.

With an apologetic shrug, she pressed the small indention on the phone and lifted it to her ear.

“Ellie, honey, I hate to disturb you, but I need you at the Wilde Ranch,” her father said, and Ellie frowned.

“What is it, Dad? Is everything okay?”

Her father hastened to assure her that it was, but that
he needed her to help him in the unexpected twin birth of foals that was proving to be a difficult delivery.

“With this kind of birth, the boys usually are pretty well able to help, but all of them are out, and Jake took the weekend off to visit his folks,” he said, mentioning the foreman. “Baby, I hate to ask you—”

“No, Dad, that's fine! I'm with Shilah now. We'll be there in twenty minutes,” she said, and after a quick farewell ended the call.

“Dad needs me,” she began, hoping he wouldn't be upset. But the strain in her father's voice and his need for her overrode anything else.

“I know. I heard. I can get us there in ten minutes,” he said with a wink, and Ellie smiled at him gratefully as he ushered her out of the restaurant.