Out of Her Dreams

Chapter Six

When they were out of sight of the arena crowd and heading back toward the dressing rooms, he dropped her onto her feet and caught her by the waist to keep her from bolting. He ignored her angry attempt to shrug him off and he shook his head slowly. “That was one hell of a performance, Sam. You really should have warned me you were coming to the event tonight.”

She scowled, ineffectually trying to peel his hands off her. Her eyes slid to her excited gaggle of young bodyguards. “A lot of good you guys were. You should have stopped that guy from grabbing me!” It was hard to stay angry with David’s strong hands sliding over her body.

“Stopped the Wolfman? You gotta be joking, Ms. Hastings. We’d be nothing but bloody mush right now if we’d tried.” Greg shook his head. “Besides, we knew they were just making a big show of it. He wouldn’t have hurt you.”

Sam started to disagree hotly but Greg’s suddenly huge eyes and the sound of a deep laugh behind her made her turn her head sharply.

“You’re one tough little gal, you know that?” a deep, gravelly voice said and she looked up to see the bleeding Wolfman grinning at her from his seven-foot height. He was using his fingers to squeeze the bridge of his nose to slow the still oozing nosebleed.

She blushed hotly and swallowed. “I- I’m terribly sorry about that, Mr. Wolfman. You grabbed me somewhere personal. I reacted badly.”

The huge man laughed and held up one hand as if to ward off another attack. “My apologies, dollface. It ain’t often I get to cop a feel off a classy broad. Thought you were part of the show. They usually put someone who knows the ropes out in the audience. Most of the time, I end up with a couple of the divas piling on me.”

Sam tried hard not to smile, still breathlessly aware of David’s hands wrapping even more possessively around her waist as she turned to face the taller man. “From the look of those divas, I’d say you should be thrilled about that.”

“You bet, honey. And he’s damn lucky we don’t take it personally when he says we aren’t classy broads.” The tall blonde who had won the match earlier was walking out of her dressing room, wearing artfully torn jeans and a tight pullover sweater that showed her augmented body to perfection. She reached out to shake Sam’s hand and she gave her a smile. “Nice to meet the woman who finally roped and saddled this asshole.” She gestured with her head toward David. “He’s one of the few remaining virgins in the FPW.”

“Virgins?” Sam blinked, her eyes moving from the statuesque blonde to David’s face. Now there was a word she would never have attached to David Chance-at least since the age of consent.

“Never-married males, honey. He’s managed to evade every noose tossed at him, until now.” The diva grinned at her, waved at the drooling guys and walked off with a sensuous grace, out the door to the street.

David glanced at the guys and he said quietly, “Can you keep her from running off until I go get dressed?”

“You bet!” Greg grinned.

“Traitors!” She frowned as David slowly released her and Joe took her elbow gently.

“It’s worth free front row tickets to the next event here at the arena.” David’s voice floated back over his broad shoulder.

When he was out of sight, Joe released her wrist and said quietly, “Look, if you don’t wanna stay, we’ll get you back to the hotel.”

She rubbed her ribs where she knew bruises were forming. She smiled at him and shook her head. “No, it’s okay. Thanks for the offer. But it’s a brave guy who’s willing to stand up to Chance Braza for a lady’s honor.”

The small brunette diva named Heidi was walking toward them, wearing knee-high spike-heeled boots and skin-tight jeans. She gave the guys the eye then grinned at Sam. “Got yourself a harem, huh? Wanna share the wealth?”

Sam smiled and shook her head. “You took some pretty solid hits out there. I admire you.”

The woman was obviously older than she’d looked in the ring but she was still gorgeous enough to give Sam a pang of envy. She tilted her head and grinned. “One of the hazards of the job. I heard you handed out some nasty shit to the guys. Good for you. These guys get to thinking that women are the weaker sex. You showed them!”

“Yeah.” Sam made a wry face. “I showed them by getting myself thrown around like a rag doll,” she grinned, shaking her head and rubbing her bruised ribs gently.

“But look who caught you, honey.” The dark eyes of the woman were slightly sad. “A lot of us would give our right arm to have him catch us.”

Sam watched the woman walk seductively down the corridor and out to the street and she drew a deep breath. She wondered how many other women had fallen head over heels for David Chance and ended up being left in the dust as he moved on to the next woman who caught his eye. That one most probably had. She wondered how long it would take before he decided Sam Hastings wasn’t what he wanted either. Could she handle that rejection when it finally came? She shuddered and shook herself back to rational thought.

It only took about fifteen minutes for David to reappear in the corridor, dressed in dress slacks, boots and a lush Egyptian cotton shirt. Someone had placed a neat little butterfly bandage over the cut on his face and he looked none the worse for wear. She couldn’t help but stare as he moved toward where they waited in a tight knot in the corridor outside the dressing rooms. He seemed to know exactly how he affected her, as he smiled wickedly and sent a wave of sexual heat streaking along every nerve in her skinny, unsexy, silicone-free body.

“You guys need a ride somewhere?” he asked as they turned to face him, surrounding her protectively.

“We’re staying at the Friendly Motel a few blocks down.” Joe’s dark eyes moved from the wrestler’s face to Sam’s. Her eyes shifted to David’s and she hoped he wasn’t going to rip her young bodyguard’s head from his shoulders.

“No problem.” David didn’t miss a beat and, as he led the way out the street door to where a large crowd had gathered, he caught her elbow and pulled her tightly against his side. As they left the glass doors, he leaned in close and breathed in above her ear, “Got yourself a fan club, I see.”

But before she could make any response to his teasing murmur, they were mobbed by what seemed to be hundreds of fans who waited outside the exit, waving autograph books and various pieces of FPW merchandise, hoping for an autograph. David laughed softly and entered the melee. Security staff kept them moving toward the limo that waited as David paused every other step to laugh and joke and sign and grin at his fans.

“Chance! Sign my shirt!”

A middle-aged woman stuck her ample breasts in front of him and he took her felt-tip pen and said softly, “Hold still now so it won’t smear, okay?” as he scrawled his autograph across the top of her breasts. When he had finished, she grabbed him around the neck and dragged his head down so she could plant a kiss on his smiling mouth. “I love you, Chance!” she shrieked, as a security team member efficiently dragged her away.

“It’s wild!” one of her young companions said as they were escorted slowly through the jostling crowd of autograph seekers, a number of whom attempted to get an autograph from Sam as well but were not allowed to do so.

Once in the safe shelter of the stretch limo that waited at the curb, the young men began to talk all at once, asking David about the FPW stars and if they could get some autographs from the others. He grinned at them and said quietly, “You boys gonna be here for the second show tomorrow night?”

“Nah. We have to fly back to Council Bluffs on the ten fifteen plane.” Joe shook his head and looked disheartened.

“Well, I owe you. Stick around. You’re officially my guests for the event tomorrow night. Backstage passes. And I’ll pay your ticket change fees so you can fly out after the event. You can join the autograph party beforehand and talk to all the guys and gals.”

“Holy shit!” Joe whooped, as all of them started dialing their cell phones to call the airlines.

Sam was oddly touched by his consideration for her new friends and also by the way he had handled the buxom middle-aged lady who asked for his autograph. He was a wild man in that ring but once outside it, he was a totally different person. She found herself leaning into his body as he relaxed back against the leather upholstery of the limo and his arms drew her gently closer. It felt as if she belonged in his arms. The feel of his heart beating behind her shoulder seemed to soothe the deepest part of her soul, even as the feel of that hard, hot body left her insides shivering in anticipation of the coming night.

When the guys had been unloaded at their motel, she couldn’t help but snuggle into his muscular side and lay her cheek against his shoulder.

“That was kind of you. Most celebrities would have signed an autograph and shooed them off,” she whispered softly.

His white grin flashed just before he dipped his head to capture her lips in a brief but scintillating kiss that reminded her just how helpless she was to resist him. Sam blushed and shoved at him. “Which reminds me. Why did you cancel my reservation at the hotel?”

“I canceled yours because I figured you’d be a bit more accessible in my apartment. More cozy that way. I wanted a private place to discuss our business where you can’t just take off on me again.” His eyes slid over her pink face hungrily, leaving her breathless and extremely wet between her legs.

“You’re a very determined man. And a pretty damn pushy one.” She frowned. She needed to let him know he wasn’t all that sexy. Hah!

“I’ve learned that I have to be from time to time. Especially when I want something badly enough.” His lips trailed along the curve of her jaw, sending frissons of need through her. So much for letting him know he wasn’t sexy.

Keep it cool and light, Sam. Cool and light!

David watched the slight blush that tinged her skin and he tugged her closer against him, drawing a deep breath of satisfaction. “Right now, I want a rare steak and a hot woman.”

His voice was so low and soft. She rested her cheek against the rise and fall of his chest, listening to the cadence of his heartbeat. “Sometimes you don’t get everything you want.” She sighed and closed her eyes and inhaled the warm scent of the spiced soap he had used in the shower. And sometimes you definitely do.

“Okay. Then I’ll just settle for the hot woman. The steak can wait.”

“You wish,” she murmured against the delicious velvety cotton of his shirt.

“You telling me you aren’t interested?” His voice was wickedly low.

“Can I think about it?” she murmured sleepily, enjoying the scent of the man who held her.

David settled back into the corner of the seat, resting his chin on the top of her soft red hair as he settled her more snugly against him. “Sure. As long as you don’t say no.”

Sam was feeling particularly languid as his warmth soaked into her and she felt the aches and twinges of her abused body. Her ribs still ached from being grabbed by the Wolfman and she was going to have some gnarly bruises after surviving that full power toss across the ring. She flexed her body slightly and found a more comfy position and murmured wearily, “I reserve the right to say no if I want to.”

“And I reserve the right to ignore your no,” he teased against her hair. He growled softly as she shifted again. “Don’t wiggle too much, or I’m gonna shock the hell out of the driver and heaven help him if he tries to save you from the consequences.”

Sam heard the tone he used and she realized he was not teasing now. He was telling. She sensed that he was about half an inch away from his body taking over, so she pushed away gently and kept a small space between them. It was just too damn easy to forget that this man was not her dream man in all respects. Where her novels’ hero had limitless willpower and high respect for women, this one seemed to run on a shorter fuse and had a far lower melting point. And despite what she told herself, that fact excited the hell out of her.

They left the limo in the underground parking garage of the hotel and took an elevator to the penthouse apartment.

As she heard the door close quietly behind them, she turned to face him and she clasped her hands tightly in front of herself. “All right, David. I’m here. Talk.” Don’t bother talking, kiss me, please.

His black eyes slid over her and he smiled slowly. “Body language tells a lot about a person, Sam. Want me to tell you what yours is saying to me?” He walked slowly into the hallway, crowding her to back toward the open bedroom door.

She swallowed the knot at the back of her throat and let her hands drop to her sides. “Okay, so I’m intimidated. So I’m defensive. I know that already. So tell me how much this is gonna cost me, so I can go somewhere and cry.” What the hell are you waiting for, David Chance? Make me forget my own name, already!

He shook his head slowly and reached out to gently move a tendril of coppery red back behind her left ear with his fingertips. “Your eyes tell me what your voice won’t. You have a little pulse in your throat that tells me that you’re excited, yet you don’t want me to see that. Your breathing is quick and nervous, which tells me that you’re anticipating something happening. Your nipples are at full attention, which tells me you are definitely thinking about sex. Want me to go on?”

“You jerk,” she breathed in shock. “You aren’t supposed to be looking at my nipples. You’re supposed to be discussing business.” She tried hard to look angry and insulted but she didn’t think he believed it.

“Your nipples are hard to ignore.” His voice was a soft purr.

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively and glared up at him. “I should have realized you were a pervert.”

His grin made her nearly swallow her tongue as he caught her right hand and drew it to his own chest. “You like mine. So doesn’t that make you a pervert too?” He pressed her palm over the taut nipple beneath his shirt. He slowly moved her palm over his body and his eyes darkened to coals.

“Okay, so I’m a damn pervert. At least I can admit it,” she snapped, trying not to feel the languid heat seeping along every nerve in her body. Trying not to melt into a puddle at his feet.

“Your legs are shaking and you can’t get a breath. That means you want me.”

“No, that means I am a normal, red-blooded human woman but it doesn’t necessarily mean I want you!” She scowled. His touch was making her lightheaded and shaky.

“Is there somebody else you want?” His breath was warm on her cheek as he moved so close she could feel his body heat.

Oh, he’s so damn inviting.

“Joe’s sorta hunky, in a gangly, skinny way,” she breathed, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of him beneath her palm.

“It would take all five of them to make you feel what I make you feel, and you know it.” His mouth moved across her forehead and down to her jawline.

“Well, maybe I want all five of them!” She gasped as his hands moved over her body so delightfully. “You don’t play fair, David.” Her eyes drooped shut and she actually whimpered. “You know I’m a damn sucker for big muscles. I think I showed you that in the stockroom.”

He drew her hand to his buttons. “I like your hands on me without clothes between us.”

His hands tugged her cardigan sweater and tank top up and over her head.

“You are one horny man.” Her eyes widened as he reached for his own belt, too impatient to wait for her to undress him.

“Guilty as charged. And I want you naked.”

“After you.” Had she actually said that? And she’d just called him horny.

His clothes were on the floor beside them in a pile before she could blink and she was being pushed slowly backward toward the king-size bed behind her, as his hands unfastened her bra and he flung it aside. She inhaled sharply as he unbuckled her belt, opened her zipper and shoved her jeans down to her boot tops. Then he simply picked her up, dropped her onto the bed and grabbed her boots, tugging them both off with one jerk. Then her jeans went flying. And as he crawled over her and urged her back into the center of the now mussed comforter, he dragged her lace panties off and dropped them onto the carpet, his hands exploring her with slow, evident enjoyment.

“Damn you, David. I have the willpower of a flea with you and you know it.” She gasped as he bent to slowly kiss her belly, dragged his tongue over the shivery flesh of her naked hip and lowered his sights to the coppery triangle of damp curls between her thighs. “Oh my God!”

He ran his strong tongue over her inner thigh, and then trailed his fingers and mouth to her core. He slowly spread her folds and she arched upward with a gasp and a little cry, her fingers clenching into his close-cropped hair.

His mouth was the most incredibly sexy thing as he stroked her wet heat with his tongue and swirled it around her throbbing clit in a way that made her whimper and arch upward to give him full access. He pressed his mouth to her pussy and she came with a muffled cry of amazement, and as he continued to drive her body from orgasm to mind-blowing orgasm, she threw her head back and clutched his hair like a mad woman. Could sex kill you?

David’s thoughts went a little crazy as he took her with his mouth, feeling her body throbbing and arching to him like she was made for his pleasure. God, she tasted so fucking good.

He used every skill he possessed to drive her to distraction as he felt her body shudder and tighten, riding the waves of pleasure he was giving her, thrilling to her eager enjoyment of him. He slipped two long, strong fingers deep into her pussy as she lifted her hips and shuddered and he knew she was panting to feel his hard cock buried deep inside her.

He heard her gasp his name as she convulsed once more into a climax that clenched her hot channel tightly about his fingers. The feel of her passionate response nearly made him lose it right on the sheet but he clenched his teeth and calmed himself. He needed to be inside her when he came. He reached for one of the condoms that he’d dumped in the bedside table’s little drawer, and hardly missed a beat as he shredded the packet and rolled the ultrathin latex over his throbbing cock.

Running his mouth and tongue up her belly again to her breasts, he tortured her for several more minutes as he taught her what it meant to feel completely aroused and horny.

David moved up her trembling body slowly, dragging his hungry mouth over her shoulder and throat before claiming her lips once again, his tongue tangling with hers in a heady, sensual kiss that made her feel like she might orgasm again just feeling his lips so wicked upon hers. His hand cupped the wet curls between her legs and she gasped against his mouth as he slid two fingers deep into her soaking cleft. She moaned and met his hand with lifted hips, her body aflame.

“You are so damn ready for me,” he growled against her mouth.

And then he was gently shoving her thighs apart to fit his lean hips between them, guiding his solid cock into her welcoming body. He placed one large hand on her cheek as he filled her with a slow, deep thrust and he rasped huskily, “Am I hurting you?”

She arched hungrily into every slow, devastating thrust, gasping with delight as he filled every empty crevice and valley with his hard, thrilling body. He was so big and she could feel his thickness and length moving deliciously inside her.

“Only when you touch my bruises,” she panted as he drove into her again and again, filling her senses as he filled her hungry body. Pleasure threaded itself through her veins as she matched his ferocity and dragged him even closer.

His mouth sought hers, slanting across her lips with a hunger that sank into her bones as his hips moved perfectly to thrust himself deep into her with every wonderful movement. Her hands clamped over his taut buttocks as he buried himself inside her again and again, until both of them were completely delirious with the sheer pleasure of their mingled bodies.

“Oh David,” she whimpered as she felt the most marvelous orgasm rip along every nerve and through every inch of her trembling body as her senses were shredded.

He lifted her hips and moved like a wild thing, needing to be inside her more than he needed breath itself. As his own climax erupted to fill her, he gave a muffled shout against the curve of her throat and nipped her sweetly scented flesh gently, praying that he wasn’t being too rough with her.

He couldn’t believe her, couldn’t believe how delicious and sexy she was in his arms, under his trembling body. His own dream.

He couldn’t move for a long moment as he lay on her, his legs entangled with hers, his massive weight resting on his elbows to keep from crushing her. He heard her soft little moan of satisfaction as he dragged his tongue along the curve of her throat and reclaimed her mouth for a long, searing kiss, before withdrawing from her to roll onto his side.

He felt her small palms on his perspiring flesh as he drew deep, calming breaths and he pulled her into the curve of his body, burying his face against her fragrant hair. “That was amazing,” he rasped against her damp hair.

He could get too damn used to this really fast, if he wasn’t very careful.

They lay in a sated heap of tangled arms and legs, with her body lying half across his chest. He lay against the pile of pillows in the center of the bed, grinning wickedly as she ran one slim hand over his chest to toy with his nipple. “You trying to get me hot again?”

“Not necessarily. I’m just enjoying touching you.” Liar. Make love to me again.

“Touching me like that will get you another hour of hot and heavy fooling around, so watch your step,” he growled against her copper hair.

“I like hot and heavy.” She snuggled down against his side and ran her fingertips slowly over his chest and the livid bruise left by the sumo’s elbow. “But I don’t like seeing this, and this.” Her fingers trailed over the puffy swelling on his face, below the butterfly bandage on his eyebrow ridge.

“Hazards of the job.” He shifted his body to a more comfortable position and pulled her tighter against him.

His calm statement made her rise up and point to the black and blue marks on her own ribs, below her breasts, and she frowned. “Well, I’m not in the business, so I don’t enjoy these. And there are lots more than just these.”

David gently pushed her down against the pillows and bent to caress the bruises on her ribs with his mouth and tongue, causing her to bite her lip and close her eyes. “That’s much better.”

His mouth moved over the bruise on her shoulder and brushed the one on her hip. “I gave you this one,” he breathed as he kissed a livid bruise on her side, under the swell of her right breast. “I caught you off balance. Your side hit my shoulder.”

“Serves me right for overreacting. I forgot that it was just a show when that behemoth was about to launch himself onto you from the ropes. I didn’t relish the idea of having to scrape you up with a sponge.”

“You were worried about me?” he asked, grinning down into her flushed face.

“Yeah. Why else would I have attacked a seven-foot, three-hundred-pound monster and knocked his ass off the ropes and into the announcers’ table?” She frowned up at him irritably. “You sure missed a lot of the action while you were down there rolling around the mat with sumo-boy.”

“You knocked him off the ropes? What do you weigh? A hundred five?” His eyes were alight with laughter.

She shoved him back and sat up. “I weigh a hundred and fifteen. And if you wanna know what happened, just watch the tapes. I’m sure you’ll be royally entertained.”

“You sure have one nasty temper.” His grin was enough to start her breathing heavily again. “But I would have loved seeing you dump that fathead on his ass. Unfortunately, I was trying to keep Kuruko from grinding me through the mat at that moment. Now I can see why ’Ruko was trying to throw you over the ropes. When I saw him pick you up, I figured you were toast. He loses his mind when he gets mad.”

“What made him turn around and throw me at you?” she frowned.

“I shouted at him and told him if he hurt you, he was a dead man.” He shrugged.

“Well, then, I have you to thank for my continued existence. I suppose that will cost me a few thousand extra when you get finished taking me to the cleaners.” She bit the corner of her lip at the change in his expression when those words left her mouth and she winced inside.

David tilted his head slightly and breathed, “You think all I want is money?”

She flushed. No. But she couldn’t find any way to back down now. “You threatened to sue Phyllis.”

“So you only flew here to save your friend’s ass from financial ruin?” His eyes were quietly thoughtful. There was no amusement in his expression.

Oops. She was treading on thin ice here. Keep your mouth shut, why dontcha?

“Partly.” She shrugged, hoping he would just forget her thoughtless statement. He didn’t.

“And what part of you, if any, wanted to come to be with me again?” His voice was dangerously soft. She noted the tenseness in those broad shoulders.

Sam pulled the sheet up around her body, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “I wouldn’t have come at all if it hadn’t been for your threat.” It was getting so easy to lie. Every damn part of her had screamed to see him again!

He drew a deep breath and nodded. “So, you falling into the sack with me tonight is just to help out your business manager?”

She was getting in deeper with every word. Her defense mechanisms kicked in, hard. “David, you’re being ridiculous. I didn’t come here to fall into the sack with anyone. I came expecting to negotiate some sort of financial agreement.” Anyway, that’s what she’d told herself.

“So what you’re basically telling me is if I’m willing to let you pay me off with great sex, you’d be willing to stick around for a while?”

She frowned in frustration and shook her head, then started to scoot off the bed but he dragged her backward and she found herself flat on her back again, staring up at him as he easily pinned her to the mattress. Her mouth went dry at the look in his eyes. “You aren’t gonna go all crazy on me, are you?”

“No. I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.”

“What offer?” Her breath was ragged as his powerful body gently pressed hers into the mattress.

“If money is all that concerns you, let’s get a deal on the table, shall we?”

“Deal?” Her eyes widened in worry. This was deteriorating fast.

“I will agree not to sue you and your good friend, on one condition.”

Sam bit her lower lip, feeling breathless and hot. “And what is that?”

“I own you for the next six months.”