To Love a Wilde (6 page)

“You stay here, I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere. We still have a lot to catch up on, Yas,” he said warmly.

“I’ll be here,” she replied with equal warmth.

As she watched him make his way through the crowded throng, Yasmine was helpless not to turn back in Holt’s direction, only to find he was no longer in the same spot. She pushed back the odd disappointment.
What should it matter anyway where he’d gone?
she thought. Obviously her welcome-home party wasn’t all that important. And if it wasn’t important to him, it damn sure wasn’t important to her if he stuck around or not.

The inner mocking laughter in her head was soon drowned out by two baritone voices saying her name.

“Yasmine … good to see you, girl! We’ve all missed you!”

Yasmine spun around, grinning ear to ear when both Nate and Shilah Wilde grabbed her and enveloped her in a group hug.

Squirming, sandwiched between the two big men, she laughed and pushed them away.

Close to Nate was a beautiful woman beaming at his side. Yasmine needed no introductions to know this had to be Althea, Nate’s fiancée, from the look in her eyes as she gazed at him, along with the rock on her left hand that gleamed in the bright light.

After releasing her, he turned, placing a casual yet possessive arm around the woman and bringing her flush against his side.

He turned to Althea and made the introductions. Within moments of talking with her, Yasmine did a swift analysis and knew she was going to like the vivacious, lively woman.

When her aunt had first told her about Nate’s upcoming nuptials, Yasmine had been more than curious to find out who’d won the heart of Nate Wilde, particularly after his disastrous first engagement. The Wildes were family to her, as close as she came to having brothers, and she couldn’t stand the thought of him being hurt again.

After several moments of chatting, that thought was firmly put from her mind. The two were obviously madly in love, she thought, watching them as they stood with their arms wrapped around each other, talking to her.

When she saw the way the woman made Nate laugh, and the small, secret smiles they shared when they thought no one was looking, Nate whispering in her ear, whatever he said making her both giggle and
blush, Yasmine felt a sting of jealousy for the love the two obviously shared before she quickly dispelled the feeling.

As the unofficial head of the household, Nate took his responsibilities seriously, always looking after the ranch, his brothers, as well as those who worked for them, putting their needs first. She smiled. He deserved happiness.

Jake soon returned and replaced her glass. For the next hour Yasmine talked and laughed with everyone, reacquainting herself with those she knew as well as forcing her natural reticence to the side and welcoming new faces.

“Looks like you’re having a fantastic time, baby … So I’m forgiven?”

Yasmine turned and smiled as her aunt approached her.

“You most definitely are forgiven. I’m having a fantastic time,” she replied happily.

Lilly raised one brow, a smile lingering around the corners of her wide mouth. She nodded her head toward Yasmine’s empty glass. “I suppose after four of those, I’d be just as happy, too,” she said, the sides of her mouth quirking.

“Four? I haven’t had …” Yasmine stopped and laughed. She actually had lost count, caught up in the party mood and simply having a good time. “Were you keeping tabs on me, Aunty?”

“Always have. Probably always will” was Lilly’s nonapologetic reply, and they both laughed. It was true.

And Yasmine wouldn’t have it any other way. Her aunt’s love and caring for her was a constant in her life, one she depended on.

“Yeah, I guess I’ve had enough of these. I’m afraid I’ve reached my limit,” she agreed.

“You look beat,” Lilly said bluntly. “Are you sure this isn’t too much?”

“I am. But I’m having a great time.” Although she was tired, having gotten up at zero-dark-thirty to catch her flight, she wasn’t ready for the party to end. Something that surprised even her, as she normally wasn’t the partygoing type.

“I think I’ll just go outside for a bit. Catch some fresh air.”

“Want me to go out with you?” her aunt asked, and Yasmine shook her head.

“No, I’ll just go for a short bit, clear my head from these,” she said and laughed. As much as she was enjoying herself and loved her aunt, Yasmine really did need a break from the festive party. Besides it being a long day, the excitement was starting to take its toll on her.

Her aunt gave her a quick hug. “Okay. You go ahead, baby. I’m sure no one will miss you for a short bit,” Lilly said, and after a second quick hug, Yasmine left.

Lilly saw the minute Holt noticed Yas leave. The entire evening she’d watched the two as they circled around each other like a stallion and a broodmare in
heat. Not coming too close to each other, but both aware of the other’s presence.

Just as she guessed he would, within moments of Yasmine leaving, he quickly ended his conversation with the woman who’d been clinging to him like static the entire night, pawning her off on one of the young ranchers who willingly took the woman off his hands.

A small grin lifted the corners of Lilly’s face. It was going to be one heck of an interesting visit. She just might get her wish after all, and Yasmine would come home for good this time.

T
he cool air hit Holt’s face and he turned up the lapels of the thick corduroy jacket he’d grabbed before making his way outside, following Yasmine.

He’d been aware of where she was at any given time throughout the entire party, and the moment he saw her make her escape out the front door, he was in hot pursuit.

And a pursuit was exactly what it was; he didn’t try and tell himself otherwise. From the moment he’d picked her up from the airport, a growing fascination with her had begun, until now he had to find her. Had to find out …

Find out what?

Hell if he knew. But he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to corner her, now that she was alone.

When Nate casually mentioned that Lilly was throwing an impromptu welcome-home party for Yasmine, he’d at first been tempted to give her warning, remembering the shy girl she’d been and unsure how she’d take such a welcome, no matter the good intentions behind it.

But the minute they’d called out “Surprise,” he’d been taken aback by the ease with which she greeted everyone, grinning widely at the bevy of faces, many of whom she didn’t know.

Throughout the party, although he’d given her space, allowing her to mingle without dogging her steps, he’d found himself smiling, drawn to her ringing laugh. And no matter where he was in the large room, or who he was talking to, he heard her laugh above the others, ringing out, drawing him in like a siren’s call.

He noticed he wasn’t alone in his attraction to her.

His foreman hadn’t left her side for more than a few moments at a time since he’d seen her. Holt had no claims on her, he knew that. Hell, he hadn’t seen her, not for any length of time, for over ten years.

But it didn’t stop the anger from brewing and the need to stride across the room and knock his foreman as well as his best friend’s teeth down his throat.

She’d made it through the crowded door, his eyes tracking her, when Jake had again found her. Holt nearly crushed the can of beer in his hand when Jake casually placed his arm around her waist.

He saw her smile and shake her head no, after several moments of conversation, before leaving the
house. It was only then he released his death grip on the beer can.

Quickly he’d followed her after turning Sheila, the cousin of one of the older men, over to one of his men to keep her company. He ignored her pout, his mind solely on Yasmine as he’d left the house.

Now, as he scanned the porch and front yard, he didn’t see her anywhere. He cursed, wondering where she could have gone, when he saw a small light on in the horses’ shed near the house. Swiftly his stride ate up the distance, and once he reached the barn, he quietly opened the door and closed it tightly behind him.

“Oooh … you are a beautiful one. What’s your name? Don’t remember you here the last time I came home,” he heard her voice croon softly.

He followed the sound of her voice and stopped when he came to Gerry’s stall, the horse his brother Nate had recently purchased.

Casually he leaned against the door, watching her as she ran a hand over the horse’s muzzle, issuing cooing sounds as she fed it a treat from the palm of her hand.

“You’d never know it, but just a couple of months ago you wouldn’t have been able to get near that damn thing,” he said, his voice breaking into the silence.

Yasmine spun around, her eyes widening when she saw him. “Oh God, you scared me to death,” she said, her hand splayed over her chest.

He pushed away from the door and walked farther into the stall toward her. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to frighten you. I saw you leave the party.”

When he said nothing more, she raised a brow. “And?”

“And, I decided to follow you. Is that okay?” he asked, coming farther inside until he stood less than a foot away from her. He reached out a hand and ran it over the horse’s silky mane. Holt felt her tension as soon as he stood near her. She glanced away, back to the horse, continuing to run her hand over it.

“Won’t your girlfriend miss you?” Although her face was in profile, when she asked the question he saw the blush that stained her pretty brown skin.

“So … you did notice me,” he murmured, stopping when he was less than a foot away from her. “I wasn’t too sure of that. You seemed to have your fair amount of … attention,” he replied.

She glanced his way and rolled her eyes, then turned back to the horse, slowly running her hands over its silky nuzzle. When it butted against her hand, she withdrew two more of the sugar cubes and fed them to the questing mouth. “Who wouldn’t, with the way you two were carrying on?”

Holt laughed outright. “Carrying on? Surely that’s a bit strong, Yas,” he said, and purposely allowed his hand to brush against hers as she stroked the horse’s muzzle.

He wasn’t sure if he should be angry or pleased when she snatched her hand away as though his touch burned her.

She shrugged. “Nothing’s changed, I see.”

“Meaning?” She still kept her face in profile, but he saw the tightening of her jaw and frowned.

“Forget it.” She shook her head, blowing out a breath. “Doesn’t matter.”

He stepped closer, placing two fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“No. It does matter. You matter … Now, what did you mean?”

As he stared down into her upturned face, his frown intensified when he noted the way she quickly looked away from him, as though she couldn’t stand to look at him.

“Yas …”

She brushed his hand away, forcing him to drop it at his side.

“Just forget it, Holt.”

More curious than ever, instead of dropping it, he crowded her space even more, forcing her to look up at him.

Yasmine knew she should just shut up, just let him think whatever he wanted to think. But irritation with him was riding high. He was just too damn confident. No man should look as good as he did, have a voice that deep and sexy, and ooze sex with just a few chosen words.

She inhaled a deep breath. No man should smell like he did …

He stepped closer, crowding her space even more. She turned her head to the side, avoiding … him.

“Please …”

She felt his thumb beneath her chin, lifting it and forcing her to look up at him.

“You didn’t answer my question, Yas,” he murmured, his eyes trained directly on her lips.

Her tongue snaked out to lick her bottom rim.

“Meaning you’re the same hotshot lover, the same guy who had time for every other girl but me. The same guy who …” She broke off, wanting to bite out her own tongue.

Damn him. Damn him for almost making her admit that he was the same man who had invaded her dreams in adolescence and hadn’t let up since.

Yasmine was more than disgusted with herself. She thought she had it together. Thought she could handle coming home. Thought she could be the one to turn the tables on him.

She was a certified nutcase. She had to be, in thinking she could ever teach Holt a lesson, make him see her as anything other than what he always had—that little chubby girl she had been so long ago, crushin’ on a boy who barely knew she existed.

She drew in a deep breath, the air caught at the back of her throat when she felt his long, lean fingers thumb her chin upward, forcing her to look at him.

She held the indrawn breath, her heart beating a harsh rhythm against her breast when she saw the look in his eyes … When she saw his head descend toward hers, her eyes fluttered closed.

The first touch of his lips against hers ignited a flame that blew Holt’s earlier conviction that his fascination
with her was a passing thing wide apart, like a pallet of dynamite.

He slanted his mouth over hers, taking nibbling bites from her plush lower rim, pulling it inside his mouth and laving it with his tongue. She whimpered when he released it, only to glide his tongue across the seam of her lips in a sensual seesawing motion until she parted them for him, silently inviting him inside.

When he felt her tentatively reach out and wrap her arms loosely around his neck, Holt brought her closer, flush against his body, her soft curves molding against his hard body, her big, beautiful breasts pressed tightly against him.

With a groan, he tunneled a hand beneath her hair, just below the low chignon she wore, dislodging the pins that held it in place. Her hair tumbled free and he sifted his fingers through the silky strands.

He placed his other hand around the small indenture of her waist, burrowing his fingers beneath the shirt she wore, until he felt the back clasp of her bra. Deftly, he unhooked the snaps.

Before she could let out a feeble protest, just as swiftly he unbuttoned her blouse, ripping one of the buttons from the opening in his haste.

The minute his fingers connected with her breasts, he growled low, deep in the back of his throat. He palmed the underside of the large orb in one hand, his thumb pressing over her tightening nipple.