The women around me start yelling for Lex to take off his clothes as Rachel pushes her way to the front, waving to Lex. “Me, I’m the bride. You’re here to dance for me,” Rachel shouts over the women.
Lex glances down at Rachel with a visible shudder, and I can’t help but smile that he isn’t captivated by her like every other guy, well, except her fiancé. He doesn’t seem to like her much either.
Shifting his gaze to mine, Lex slowly unbuttons the top button of his flannel shirt while thrusting his hips in a circle. They’re not the smoothest moves I’ve seen from a male stripper, but the raw masculinity radiating off him makes up for what he lacks in dance moves.
With each button he unbuttons, I feel the dampness between my thighs intensify to the point it’s running down my leg because the designer dress I’m wearing is too tight to allow wearing a bra or panties. It’s embarrassing, yet exhilarating, that my body is reacting to him this way—it’s never done it before with anyone else.
He pulls his flannel shirt free of his jeans as the last button comes undone, shrugging his shoulders and letting it drop to the stage, never taking his eyes off me. He turns and bends to pick up the shirt, drawing a roar from the crowd of women at the sight of his butt in those tight blue jeans. He spins, his hips gyrating to the rhythm, and throws his flannel shirt at me. I catch it and hold it close to my chest, closing my eyes and bringing it to my nose to inhale his scent—a blend of cedar and grape.
A growl from beside me has me snapping my eyes open to find an angry Rachel staring at me. “You bitch. I told you the stripper is mine.” She raises a hand to strike me, something she’s never done before, and I close my eyes waiting for the blow, but it never comes. One minute I’m standing there waiting for her to slap me across the face, and the next I’m pulled up tight againstLex’s very warm, very strong, naked chest as he uses his body to shield me from her attack.
“Enough, Rachel.” I glance over at Rachel to see her future father-in-law gripping her still-raised arm. “This is no way for the future wife of a Moreno to act—first the male stripper, and now a public fight.” He lowers his voice to a level only the four of us can hear. “You’re a spoiled brat. Someone should have spanked that little ass of yours a long time ago and taught you some manners.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Rachel’s eyes flare with anger.
“Since my son is otherwise occupied, the duty falls to me, Brat.” Mr. Moreno tightens his grip on Rachel’s wrist, dragging her through the crowd of women swooning over him and his silver fox daddy vibes. “Ladies, the bachelorette party is over. Please retire to your cabins to make sure you’re well rested for the wedding tomorrow, while the bride and I have a little chat.” Mr. Moreno says as he drags Rachel out of the room.
For the first time since I met Rachel, she’s speechless, letting Mr. Moreno take charge and shut down the party.
Maybe it’s time I took charge of my life. I don’t want to be a virgin for the rest of my life, or worse, give up my virginity in a business arrangement. There are worse ways to lose my virginity than with a guy I just met. Besides, I know it will be an amazing experience—aren’t male strippers known for being good in bed?
With my mind made up, I turn to face Lex, the drama between Rachel and Mr. Moreno long forgotten. “Do you want to come back to my cabin?” I glance up at Lex through my eyelashes.
“I thought you’d never ask. But first, tell me your name.” He tucks a lock of my unruly hair back behind my ear, making me shudder.
“Talia. My name is Talia.”
Lex picks me up, swings me into his arms, carries me out of the winery’s private room, and into the hot summer night, just like those heroes in romance novels, while the humidity only fuels the fire in my veins at the thought of what I plan to do tonight.
three
Lex
“This is crazy.” Thebeautiful woman in my arms, who I now know is named Talia, wraps her arms around my neck with a giggle. “I’m too heavy for you to carry. You’re going to drop me.”
“You’re light as a feather. I’m not even breaking a sweat,” which is true. I could hold her against my body like this and carry her wherever she wants to go for the rest of my life and never get tired.
“Okay, but don’t blame me when you wake up with a sore back.” Her hand glides down my still-naked chest, my flannel clutched in her other hand.
“But you’ll be there to massage it for me, won’t you?” My plan is to go only as far as Talia wants. We have the rest of our lives to make love—I’m not going to rush her tonight.
Even in the moonlight, I can see her face turn a pretty shade of pink. “Yes.” She sighs, pressing her lips to mine. The kiss ends before it even begins, leaving me craving more. “My cabin is over there.” She points to a cabin off to the right, a little farther from the other guest cabins. I pick up my pace until we are standing in front of her cabin. “Can you put me down?” Reluctantly, I agree, lowering her legs and letting her feet touch the ground, though I keep a tight grip on her shoulders. “Thank you.” She lifts her head, looking me in the eyes. “I want you to know I invited you back to my cabin for me, not because I’m hurt or jealous about my stepsister’s wedding.”
I can see the pain in her eyes, and I hate that anyone hurt her. But I also see determination shining in them. Instead of offeringto fix her pain, I offer her the advice my grandmother gave me when my parents divorced when I was ten. “The only way to truly be happy is to forgive those who have hurt you.”
“Someday,” she whispers against my lips. “But tonight, I want you to make me forget.”
“There’s something I need to tell you.” I lean back and look into her eyes. “I’ve never done this before. I’m a thirty-year-old virgin.”
A soft giggle escapes her lips, surprising me. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you—I’m laughing with you because I’m a twenty-four-year-old virgin.”
“Are you sure you want to do this with me?” I hold my breath, knowing I’m moving too fast. As much as I want Talia for the rest of my life, I’m not sure she’s on the same page as I am.
She rests her hand against my cheek. “I want this. I want you to be my first.”
Without another word, I crash my lips against hers, backing her up until her back hits the front door. I reach around to open the door and silently curse her for leaving it unlocked. Sure, it’s fairly safe here in the mountains, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ll have to spank her luscious ass later for leaving the door unlocked, but for now, it’s a blessing.
I guide her through the door, my lips and hands never leaving her body. I don’t need to turn on the lights to know where I’mgoing. I helped build these cabins, and I know the layout by heart.
