Undefeated

ABC Thrillers “P” is for Pudding Wrestling

www.beautifultroublepublishing.com

Shara Azod Copyright © 2011 by Shara Azod All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright. This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author‟s imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. Published by Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC PO Box 61 Colfax, NC 27235 www.beautifultroublepublishing.com Cover Art: Marteeka Karland http://www.marteekakarland.com/ Editor: Cindy Davis, http://www.fiction-doctor.com/ Proofreader: Novellette Whyte http://authorgurunovellette.blogspot.com/ Formatter: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/ E-book Conversion: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/ ISBN: (ebook) 978-1-61788-147-3; (print) 978-1-61788-148-0

For Julia Landry, thank you for all your support, this one's all for you. —Shara

eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving away eBooks is a copyright infringement. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author or Beautiful Trouble Publishing.

This work of erotica contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes, which are smoking hot. This book is intended only for adults, as it is defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.

“Chauncey, man, you can‟t wrestle that lady.” Chauncey didn‟t reply to his best friend, but he had to agree with Cody this time. There was no way he could wrestle the petite thing standing in an inflatable pool full of pudding on the other side of the ring. When he agreed to this publicity stunt he had been sure he would be paired against some stout, sturdy kind of woman. There was no way in heaven, earth or hell he could get into any kind of real physical contest with the Pocket Venus across the pool of butterscotch creamy goodness. “Seriously, Chaunce, you may break her.” There was real panic in Cody‟s voice and he stared bugged eyed at the woman in the gold lamé bikini standing next to her business partner, Tye Something-or-other. The other woman was fully dressed in jeans and an oversized football jersey, which made Julia looked more bare, if that was possible. “Come on, give me some credit. There‟s no way I‟m really wrestling her.” Which was a damn shame. He‟d like to tussle—just not in a pool of pudding in front of a rapt crowd. Though, he had to admit, Julia “The Jewels” Vernon, undefeated underground pudding wrestler extraordinaire, would look damn good covered in the tan colored pudding. Sure she stood about five foot nothing, coming in at maybe a buck-o-five sopping wet, but the fierce looking tiny doll of a woman sported some serious curvature. Chauncey was seriously not liking the bikini she had on. Oh, he appreciated it, as any heterosexual male would, but he wasn‟t too keen on everyone else in the damn place appreciating what he was seeing. He had the most insane urge to 7

throw his robe over her, then throw her over his shoulder to hide her away from the eyes of the crowd. The notion was insane, seeing as how he didn‟t know this woman, had never seen her before— though he had spoken to her over the phone. A lot. She‟d been damned persuasive trying to get him to do this. He‟d be hard pressed to nail down exactly when he‟d agreed to this travesty of wrestling. In fact, he could have sworn he‟d been dead set against it. It was incredibly hard to deny The Jewels once she got going. By the end of the conversation Chauncey had a hard time recalling why he‟d originally said no. In fact, he had no idea what he had been arguing about the last forty-five minutes. All he knew was when and where to be for a pudding wrestling match. He was also half in love with the voice over the phone. Now that he could connect the voice with the body, the physical results were devastating. Her total effect, live and in person, made his brain alternately sweat, go blank, then start sweating again. Who knew brains could sweat? “You want me to go tell that Tye lady hell no this thing is off so we can get the hell out of Dodge?” Cody offered. Cody sounded so damn jumpy it would‟ve been funny, if only he didn‟t feel like he‟d just been bashed over his common sense—as if it were a physical thing. Pudding wrestling was a new, niche sporting event, if you could call it that. Tickets weren‟t available on the open market as no publicity was done. All events were live. There was no taping allowed whatsoever, which mean no cell phones in the staging area. A person had to be a part of an exclusive club—specifically P.W. Unlimited—to be invited to purchase tickets, at an outrageous price. Every one of the few hundred spectators had paid twice as 8

Shara Azod much as the usual price to see this event. Damn good racket if you asked him. But it was for a damn good cause, he couldn‟t back down. As the current champion of the Federation of North American Wrestling, the only real entertainment wrestlers in the Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, he couldn‟t chicken out. All the proceeds were going to women‟s shelters up and down the Eastern Seaboard. They had netted one and a half million dollars with this event—no way he could walk away. The choice of charity was the reason Chauncey said yes in the first place—well the part of saying yes to the match that he could remember. He‟d been more or less railroaded into this thing, but he really believed in the cause that would receive all the proceeds. If more shelters had been around when he was a kid… “I‟m going in.” It was so not wise. He would have to be extracareful with The Jewels so he didn‟t hurt her. But no way could he back out of the match. “Don‟t worry, Cody. I promise to be careful.” “Yeah, you fucking better,” Cody muttered, shaking his head. “I swear it.” He‟d rather cut off an arm than harm a female. “Wish me luck.” Cody McKnight was the only man Chauncey knew who was more protective of women than he. Both men had been raised in abusive households. After one too many trips to the emergency room, Chauncey‟s mother had eventually divorced his alcoholic stepfather. Cody‟s mother hadn‟t been so lucky. Because of their pasts, both men had protective natures when it came to women, borne of real pain and abiding love. Deep down, Chauncey believed that was the reason Cody had been so adamant on accompanying him to this match.

9

This should be quick. The Jewels had her braids swept up and away, secured to her head. He had to snort at that, like he would really grab her by the hair. Shaking his head he stepped into the pool of pudding. It was cool and squishy under his bare feet. Thank goodness he hadn‟t oiled down as he usually did before bouts. There was absolutely zero concern some female could grab him. Chauncey was conceited when it came to his physical prowess, but fuck it, he‟d earned that right. He worked hard to maintain his physique. To state it simply, he was a six-foot-five, two hundred and ninety-five pound mountain of a man. He could not be moved. No woman, no matter how brawny or strong, could throw him. Maybe that was why, after the bell signaled the beginning of the match Chauncey stood there, feet planted apart, his trademark smirk on his face. It brought out his dimples. Chicks loved that. Unfortunately, The Jewels was completely immune. She dove for him. He stood there ready for the impact. But she never hit. Instead she slid between his spread legs, cleanly hooking his ankle with her foot on her way through. Maybe it was the pudding, but the glide was incredibly swift, there was no way to catch her. Unfortunately, there was also no way to correct his balance after his foot had been jerked upward. It was a long trip down for the mountain of muscle that he was, and there wasn‟t a damn thing Chauncey could hold on to. Surprisingly, butterscotch pudding didn‟t cushion his fall one iota. Because the inflatable pool was inside an actual wrestling ring, Chauncey bounced twice, each time landing hard on his stomach. The wind was knocked out of him. Helpless as he struggled to breathe with pudding in his nose and throat, he felt a weight on his back. Not heavy, but solid. A slick, oh so heavenly feeling body stretched across his back, taking away any aches his 10

Shara Azod clumsy fall might have caused. For a moment, Chauncey lost himself in the sensation. Then the body slid up in a kind of massage, pressing flesh against flesh. Up, up, up…until, were those knees on his shoulders? Why the heck was she holding his arms down? What the— “Ladies and gentlemen, The Jewels has done it again! Give it up for our own undefeated champ-pion of worldwide pudding wrestling—Julia „The Jewels‟ Veerrrrnnnoooon!!!” Before the announcer‟s words faded into the rising roar of the crowd, the lithe figure was gone from atop him, leaving him oddly cold. Then, as he lumbered to his feet, it dawned on him what had just happened. He‟d lost. Pinned by a woman who weighed less than his luggage. Damn. She was good. Really, really good. And that butterscotch pudding looked positively edible on that deep mocha skin. When was the last time he‟d eaten? “Man, you got your ass handed to you by a girl!” Cody cackled, throwing a towel in his general direction. Chauncey looked over to the opposite corner, then bowed low and deep. “Naw, I just got my ass handed to me by a fully grown woman.” Damn. He was in love.

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“Ohmigawd, I still cannot believe you really did it! That dude is huge—and you beat him!” Julia cast a baleful glance at the woman who‟d been her best friend since the womb, even if they had traveled in separate ones at the time, and technically hadn‟t met until they were a few days old. It had been three freaking days since her grand match with the formerly undefeated champion of Federation of North American Wrestling. It had been a takedown of epic proportion. And what did Tye, her homie, her ace, keep saying? I can’t believe you survived. Of course she survived! Not only that, but conquered. Like the hulking wrestler would hurt her anyway; it was for charity. Just a stunt event that he had no idea was real until she pinned him. “Survived? I do believe I won.” Tye was the Queen of Understatement. That was one of the things that made her a damn good partner, and an even better friend. Julia shook her head sadly and returned to the task of accounting. “Okay, I admit it. You beat him. And he was so-so-BIG!” Julia looked up, but not really at Tye. Her mind‟s eye wandered back to the glorious sculpture of muscle and enticement to sin that was Chauncey Cullen, also known as The Dream. He most certainly was that. There was just something about a big strong, solidly built man that did it for her. Chauncey had all that going on, plus he was drop-dead gorgeous. Those green eyes looked capable of burning a chick with one long, intense look. To Julia‟s way of thinking, it might not be such a bad way to go. Especially if 12

Shara Azod she could bury her hands in those glossy midnight locks of his and take a wild ride on that mountain of a man as she went up in flames. “Not—uh, stop it!” Why did Tye have to go and ruin such a lovely fantasy with all that negativity? “You pinned the dude in under three minutes. Given that he is male—and by the looks of him, carrying all kinds of extra testosterone—you probably wounded his fragile male ego. So you might as well stop fantasizing about him right now. It is so not going to happen.” “Uh, I wasn‟t fantasizing!” Julia knew Tye would know it for a lie, but she said it anyway. Being all caught up, she ducked her head and pretended to be engrossed in the receipts from last night, even though the numbers simply swam in front of her eyes. It was better than acknowledging the dreaded “Tye-stare.” That look made priests confess; and Julia was a looooong way from being clergy. “I am going to drop of some checks to the shelters.” Tye got up from behind her own desk. They shared a huge office, their desks facing each other. “Do not call that man, Jewels. I am deadly serious. Do not text him, do not email him either. Let his pride heal.” No way she was looking up at her friend who stood there all patient-like. The stance was a trick designed to get her to immediately confess to having all kinds of dirty thoughts about the man in question. Julia had been down that road far too many times to fall for the patient mother/guilt thing Tye had going on. This wasn‟t something simple like putting sugar in the gas tank of the bastard who thought he was going to date both of them at the same time, then cheerfully giving him a lift when the car broke down. He probably wasn‟t expecting her to drop him off in the worst area in town after dark, but hey, he deserved that shit. And the other time 13

with the hair dye in the shampoo of the chick that was sleeping with Tye‟s ex- in Tye‟s bed—well that was justice. Eventually the chick‟s hair had grown back enough to cut the green out. In Julia‟s honest opinion, if you‟re bleach blonde, you shouldn‟t fool around with other people‟s men—it invites trouble. This whole secret crush on Chauncey thing was very different from confessing a harmless prank or two. Yes, her thoughts about the oh-so-sexy wrestler were all kinds of carnal, but they had an added dose of “Mine!” that Julia wasn‟t ready to share just yet, not even with her best friend. Chauncey made her tingle in way no man ever had before. When she‟d had him under her, all compliant, like a good man should be, it felt so right. Not to mention the wondrous sensation of all those hard, bulging muscles. Lord knows, she hadn‟t wanted to get up. If only they had been alone. “Dammit, Julia will you stop?” Tye turned on her heel and stomped away. “I swear, you‟d think you never saw a man before.” Julia didn‟t say a word as her friend strode from the office like she was Neferteri marching off to war. What could she say? Yeah, she‟d seen men before. However, not a one of them was all arrogant and sexy, and damned clumsy in a pool of pudding. Too bad butterscotch was not one of her favorites. Served on his body though, she just might learn to love it. A little fantasy of some late night snacking danced through her mind now, bringing a smile to her face. It was much too good of a daydream to be bothered with little things like an insistent knock on the office door. Whoever it was could go hang. At the moment she was too busy climbing a seriously fine man-mountain. “You look different in clothes.”

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Shara Azod Now that was psychic karma for your ass. Apparently thinking of this particular slice of eye candy made him appear out of thin air. That was the only explanation Julia came up with seeing as how Chauncey Cullens was standing in front of her desk. Maybe if she concentrated really hard he would drag her across it and have his wicked, dirty, nasty way with her on it. It was hard not to lick her lips at the sight of her fantasy in living flesh. Very nice flesh it was too. Dear heaven, the saints and all the angels above, how could a man look better in clothes than in tight spandex shorts? It invited a woman to strip him down to the natural-born basics. “Excuse me?” Julia was never one to let anyone get the upper hand on her; except for Tye, who took it without permission. Chauncey turned several shades of red. Damn, he was so cute when he was all embarrassed. “I-uh-sorry.” That voice was designed to get women to throw him their panties. It should be illegal, all smooth and suave like a Quiet Storm deejay, only with a Southern twist. “The sight of you, uh…well, you look nice. Seeing you in business wear threw me.” Julia didn‟t respond. She was having way too much fun watching the big man squirm. Truthfully, she looked different in her wrestling bikini than she did in the offices of P.W. Unlimited. Slipping on her professional face, complete with a power suit was a throwback from the days she worked the professional grind as a stockbroker, of all things. She‟d hated her job back then. Starting an underground pudding wrestling enterprise had been a joke between her and Tye designed to blow off steam. To their surprise, the venture took off, becoming way too lucrative not to take advantage of. Plus it was fun.

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“I came to ask for a rematch,” Chauncey ventured after a few minutes of her very best And? stare. “Uh, you know for charity. Please.” Julia had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. So Tye had been right, as usual. His pride was all hurt, the poor thing. “Okay.” There was little point in beating around the bush or play coy. Quite frankly she couldn‟t think of a better place for Chauncey to be than right underneath her—and that was exactly where he would end up. “Okay? Just like that?” He seemed genuinely surprised she‟d said yes so quickly. Oh silly male. “For charity?” For her pleasure, but he didn‟t need to know that. “Sure. I don‟t see why not. It‟s not like I can‟t take you.” Julia threw in a wink with the challenge for good measure. That ought to get him all riled up. “I am undefeated, you know. I aim to stay that way.”

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“Are you ready this time, rock head?” Funny. The first time Cody saw who Chauncey was wrestling, he‟d been all concerned for the woman. Now Chauncey‟s so-called best friend had jokes aplenty—the ass. “Oh, so you‟re no longer concerned about me hurting her?” Chauncey wasn‟t exactly pissed, per se. Yeah, his pride had taken a serious hit, but his best freaking friend losing faith was just wrong. Casting a quick look across the inflatable pool, this time filled with tapioca, he had to seriously question his own judgment. And he had to question whether the woman deliberately chose colors of gooey dessert she knew would look delicious on her skin. Dressed as she was in another gold lamé bikini, staring at her prematch was a serious mistake. That bikini was scandalous, it was way too revealing, it was…so fucking sexy it hurt to look. The inflatable pool wasn‟t deep enough to hide the huge erection he was battling. Thankfully he was wearing a cup. The damn thing pinched something terrible but it kept things all tucked away, for the most part. Now all he needed to do was stop thinking about how badly he wanted her. How much he ached to kiss her, hold her, wrap himself around her. Shit, this was going to be bad. “Hey!” Cody snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Focus, man, focus! The woman has your ass beat before you climb into that ridiculous ass kiddie pool.” Cody scoffing at him like he‟d already been beaten should have pissed him off, but it didn‟t. As sad as it was, Chauncey was afraid it might be very, very true. He couldn‟t concentrate worth a 17

shit. As much as he tried—okay not really tried so much as made a half-hearted attempt—to stop looking in Julia‟s direction, he couldn‟t seem to help himself. So much power in such a small, dynamic package. Being pinned by The Jewels Vernon wasn‟t so bad at all, he found himself thinking. Actually, her body spread across his back was the closest to heaven he‟d ever been. “You are truly pathetic.” Cody shook his head, but Chauncey felt no shame. He had it bad, he knew it. No, no, seriously he had to get it together. He had to win this bout. Not that he couldn‟t take her; he could. Softly, gently, gradually increasing in intensity until she was screaming and clawing his back— Aw, hell. “Get your sorry ass in the pool,” Cody hissed, pushing him into the cream colored goo. It was mushy and cold, causing Chauncey to stumble a little because he was too busy looking at Julia. The woman flashed him a deep, dimpled smile, freezing him where he stood. She didn‟t slide through his legs this time, even though, like an idiot, he had left them wide open again. Guess that would‟ve been too easy. Instead, egged on by the roar of the crowd, Julia stepped up to him and placed her arms around his shoulders. Chauncey was so dumbfounded he didn‟t move. He could hear Cody shouting something about taking her down, but she had moved in real closelike. Their bodies were touching. It felt so damn good. “Are you ready, big boy?” Julia purred, making his cock jerk and slip from the confining cup. Chauncey prided himself on being more than just a dumb jock. Not many people knew it, but he was actually a Rhodes scholar with a PhD in Philosophy, of all things. Not the most macho 18

Shara Azod of degrees, but it was his secret passion and he really didn‟t care what anyone else thought. Despite having a solid head on his shoulders, he didn‟t move a muscle as Julia wrapped him in her spell. Like the mythical Siren, her soft purring voice stole away any lick of sense he ever claimed to have. So when her face rose, those juicy lips parting ever so slightly, he took the kiss. Not the wisest move he‟d ever made, but it made the sheer stupidity of what he did next seem like the move of nuclear physicist. Being all caught up in the decadent luxury of her lips, the wicked temptation of their dancing tongues, Chauncey completely forgot to protect his flank. Her leg coming up and around him was welcome, wanted—hell he even assisted by cupping her hip and lifting her closer. “You dumb bastard, look out!” Was that Cody‟s voice? Chauncey heard it, but didn‟t understand what the hell his friend was talking about. Not at first anyway. That‟s when Julia melted in his arms, becoming dead weight as soon as he lifted her off her feet. Chauncey tightened his grip to keep her from falling, but kept kissing her in earnest. Her heels swung, hitting him in the back of both knees. Even though he knew in an instant he‟d been had, all he could think about was making sure she didn‟t get hurt as he fell. So, as his knees buckled, his feet slipping in the squishy pudding, he didn‟t even try to regain his balance, though regrettably the kiss had to end. Letting gravity take him backwards, he held the woman tightly to his front, hoping to cushion her from their inevitable fall. The thing was Julia didn‟t let go. As he fell, the impish grin on her face morphed into one of triumph. Yep, she got him again, yet he still didn‟t let go. His back smacked in the pool of pudding— hard—with Julia on top of him. This time he was braced enough so 19

the wind wasn‟t completely knocked out of his lungs. At least not because of the fall. He could have flipped them both, reversing their positions, but Chauncey found that once sprawled on his back, he couldn‟t work up the will to move because he liked her on top of him. Loved it really. Pudding—cream-colored thick drops fell across the darkness of her skin creating a delicious contrast that made his mouth water. In the back of his mind, he knew and understood he should move, that he really needed to get up. But the sight of smooth droplets raining down on her looked so damn delicious all he could think about was licking it off. Then she moved. Chauncey hadn‟t been aware his cup had slipped out of place entirely until Julia rocked against his crotch. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head behind closed lids, a moan slipping past his lips before he could call it back. Oh God, that felt so damn good! Without thinking, his hands settled on her hips, not sure if he wanted to lift her off or pull her closer. “Put your hands above your head for me, Chauncey,” Julia whispered in his ear. His reaction was automatic. When a smart, sexy, sassy, woman tells you to put your arms up, you put your arms up. As she stretched her whole body on top of his, he sighed like an idiot, in complete bliss. That delightful body of hers felt like perfection next to him, pressing against him. “Ummm, stay just like that for me.” She had to be kidding. Like he wanted to go anywhere. She didn‟t even have to purr like that, even though it sounded like the sweetest lullaby. “One!”

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Shara Azod Chauncey had no idea where that voice came from. Of course, he could‟ve looked around but he didn‟t want to tear his eyes away from vision on top of him. “Two!” That was something he should remember. There was a reason some anonymous guy was counting like that. What was it again? “Three!” There was a clang of a bell, a roaring crowd, and a Cheshire cat grin from the woman on top of him. “Thanks for the ride, big boy.” With that parting sentence and a quick kiss to his cheek, Julia was gone. Hopping up on her feet to prance around the pool of pudding with her arms extended over her head, she left him lying there feeling oddly cold and alone. Chauncey didn‟t bother to get up at first, letting his head flop down in the sugary muck, closing his eyes against the blobs of pudding that fell against his face. Damn, she was fantastic. It occurred to him he should feel duped, had been used even. The truth was just too sad. He couldn‟t be bothered to give a damn that, in the eyes of most other men, his masculinity took another hit in the gut. Lying under all those soft curves, that beguiling smile from the woman herself, he‟d never felt like more of a man. Sure it stung a little that she beat him again using the gifts God gave her. But damn, it had never been so fun or satisfying to lose.

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“Ya know, I have to admit, I am in awe of your feminine wiles. I don‟t want any of them, but I am in awe.” Tye shook her head as she chuckled. Julia sank into a plush armchair in the little “living room” section of their office. It had been one hell of an exhilarating night. She should go home and curl up in bed with images of Chauncey dancing in her head, but seeing Tye admit to being wrong was something she couldn‟t miss, and she damn sure wasn‟t about to stop in any way. “I thought for sure he‟d take your narrow butt down this time.” Tye chuckled again. “I have to admit you chose your opponent wisely.” At that, Julia had to scoff. Of course she‟d chosen her opponent wisely! There was no way in hell she would get into a pool of freaking pudding with just any man. Being a huge secret fan of Chauncey for years, not only did she know everything there was to know about his wrestling persona, but she‟d devoured any and all information she could find about the man himself. Detailed research had gone into choosing him as the perfect wrestler for this charity event. First and foremost, he gave not only his money, but his time and resources, to women‟s shelters all over the United States. Chauncey was an outspoken champion for the abused and/or neglected. The cherry on top came with the private investigators she‟d hired (a woman can never be too careful). Not only had he never, ever raised his hand to a woman—big, small or otherwise—but he was known to distribute indiscriminate beatdowns to any man that did. Furthermore, all his former 22

Shara Azod relationships ended mutually, without animosity. According to the women the investigator had interviewed, Chauncey was that rare type of guy who wanted real commitment, the kind who didn‟t mess with women looking for fame and money. To put it simply, he was perfect for her. The coincidence about their preferred charity was a plus, and his drop-dead gorgeous face and body sure weren‟t strikes against him, but the fact that he was intelligent and he had a whole female protective thing going on, made him eligible with a capital E. Julia wasn‟t ashamed to admit she wanted him, for keeps. “Did you get what you wanted, Jewels?” Tye asked, looking in her direction. Not even close. And double damn Tye for reading her innermost thoughts in her expression. Honestly, she had to watch her expressions around Tye. “Not really,” Julia admitted, twirling a still-wet braid around her finger. Her body was still humming from the match that had taken place a couple of hours ago. Being in the ring with Chauncey had been a twice in a lifetime treat, especially having all those delicious muscles under her; she hadn‟t been able to resist teasing a bit. Rubbing against him had been a must—what red-blooded woman wouldn‟t? Dude was all kinds of scrumptious. She was still damp and achy from close contact with temptation fruit that had her mouth watering despite having taken a cold shower and a thorough scrubbing to get rid of pudding in unmentionable places. “Oh Jewels.” Tye sighed in sympathy. “I‟m sure he—” Whatever Tye was about to say died in her throat as she stared, mouth agape, at the open office door. Julia froze too. She wanted to turn to see what could‟ve caused Tye—who was never at a loss for words—to go speechless. 23

The thing was, she already knew. Knew it, and was afraid to see for herself. What could she say to him? “Sorry for dick teasing you in the ring. It was more to get your attention than to win by trickery. I swear,” didn‟t sound altogether convincing, as much as it sounded bat-shit crazy. While it was absolutely true, she doubted it would go over well. What was worse, she was horribly embarrassed. Wasn‟t like he hadn‟t seen the way her nipples went rock hard and her breathing hitched when she was on top of him. There‟d been acknowledgement in his eyes, the kind a man got when he knew a woman wanted him. “Excuse me. Am I interrupting?” The deep, delicious, sexy drawl made Julia‟s toes tingle. Who gave a shit if he was interrupting? He could‟ve interrupted in the middle of her shower, which would be far more— Shit, being all kinds of naked around Chauncey Cullen was so not a wise thing to think about. Her clit started to throb, her breasts tightened, growing heavy. And she hadn‟t even looked at him yet. “Why, no Mr. Cullen.” Tye oozed old-fashioned Southern feminine sweetness, which any born and bred Southern man recognized as either imminent death, or one hell of a trap for which there was no escape. Julia knew what was coming and loved her best friend for it. “Have yourself a seat on the chaise.” Tye didn‟t give him a chance to sit—she more or less shoved the man down. Uh-oh, this one wouldn‟t be easy. Many times Tye started by going light on a guy, allowing him to slip into a false sense of security before she stuck the knife—that was no more than honeyed words—deep in his gut. The hair on Julia‟s neck stood up straight. There‟d be no beating around the bush tonight. Julia considered praying Tye‟s little “test” wouldn‟t be that bad, but it would be 24

Shara Azod futile. God was busy all the time. Therefore He made Southern women take care of little things, like men who needed to be taken down a peg or two. Unfortunately, He also tended to overlook their little quirks, which did not bode well for Chauncey. “Just sit back all nice and cozy. You must be a little sore after that tumble you took in all that pudding tonight. Tell me, does your head hurt at all?” Oh no. Julia saw clearly where Tye was going with this. It was a test they teasingly called The Masculinity Test. She never used the exact same tactics, but whenever one of them dated a new man, or had designs on one, it was up to the other woman to push the guy a little, to examine his level of masculinity. While it wasn‟t guaranteed to root out wussies, with dudes on the down-low, or over the top mega-assholes, it definitely helped. If Chauncey freaked out completely, or acquiesced too quickly and Julia got with him anyway, Tye would take it as her personal duty to throw this test back in her face, repeatedly and often. While Julia loved the system they had perfected over the years, she found herself not wanting Tye to test this particular man. Most of the time one could never tell which way any man would break, if at all. However Julia wasn‟t worried about Chauncey breaking at all. Without rhyme or reason, she had complete faith in him, and frankly she didn‟t want to see how he would react when Tye really got going. It was way too soon to have her idea of him marred by anything less than perfection. Crazy, but honest. “I‟m fine, I really don‟t need to, er…recline.” Score one for Chauncey, who sat upright stiff as a board on the corner of the flowery chaise. He looked about ready to jump off at any second. Good sign, although it could mean he was way too manly, which usually meant a thick-ass head or worse—Beta male. A man 25

who tried too hard to be Alpha was almost assuredly a Beta—a low scaled one at that. Sitting back in her chair, Julia let Tye proceed a little longer. This would be interesting, if not downright entertaining. “Ummmm, you poor thing,” Tye tsked as if he‟d declared his head had been cracked wide open. Chauncey shot a confused, pleading look her way, but she ignored it, trying to look as sorrowful as Tye. Hard to while do grinning so hard. “I think we have a cold compress in the fridge.” Tye looked around as if for the office refrigerator. “Do you get hurt in the ring a lot?” Chauncey demanded of Julia, jumping to his feet and nailing her with a half-ferocious, halfconcerned glare. Julia‟s heart melted a little right then and there. While she couldn‟t imagine what he‟d do about it if she did get hurt in the pool of pudding. The protective thing was cute. “I‟m undefeated,” she replied. It was adorable to see the big, burly wrestler flush at the mention of his two defeats by her hands. “Our Jewels is hard as stone.” Tye smiled while shoving Chauncey back down on the chaise. While Julia wasn‟t too fond of her friend‟s hands on her man‟s chest, watching Chauncey trying to decide whether or not he would allow himself to be pushed back down was hilarious. Wait— Her man? Oh, Lord she was a goner! “Let me know if you feel faint.” Tye touched his forehead with the back of her hand while Chauncey sat, looking truly bewildered. Tye set a bottle of aspirin on the small table beside him. “I‟ll get you some water for those in a second. Oh, I know I 26

Shara Azod have some smelling salts around here somewhere, if you start feeling faint.” Chauncey looked downright incredulous at that. “Okay, that‟s enough.” Julia cut off her friend, noting the expression on his face. The man looked as if he was either about to tell Tye off, or run. His eyes kept darting toward the door, strategic retreat written in the way his muscles had bunched up. No way would Julia allow him to escape. She had no idea why he was here, but she certainly didn‟t want him to leave. Vaulting to her feet, she grasped Tye by the shoulders, spinning her toward the door. “See you later, Tye.” For once, she managed to catch her best friend by surprise enough to propel the woman out of the room, closing the door securely behind her. Unfortunately, Jewels hadn‟t thought about what she would do next, what she would say. As soon as she turned back around she became very aware of two things. One, Chauncey had gotten up off the chaise and now stood a few inches away. And two, although he looked all kinds of intense, it wasn‟t anger in his eyes. The physical reaction was immediate; pure need slammed through her with the force of a Mack truck. Moisture gathered between her legs at an alarming rate. Up close and personal, Chauncey was devastating to the senses. “Sorry about that.” Julia made an attempt to move away, she really did. However, her feet refused to move and her traitorous body actually leaned in his direction. She had to fight herself to keep from moving closer to him. “How, uh…can I help you?” Her voice sounded breathless, so not-smooth, disinterest, or even feisty. In fact, she sort of sounded like a phone sex operator. The smile that spread across Chauncey‟s face let her know he was 27

thinking something similar. Lord, that grin should be illegal; probably was in some states. “I find I‟m in need of a rematch.” Chauncey moved in on her as he spoke, looking altogether predatory. It was hot as hell. “Right here, right now.”

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Those words weren‟t exactly what Chauncey meant to say. Honestly, once he‟d managed to duck out on Cody in the locker room, his only thought was to get to Julia, maybe ask her to dinner. Of course, once he laid eyes on her again, a proposal of marriage sprang to the tip of his tongue, forced down by the sliver of sense he had left. He couldn‟t help himself. The woman sapped every lick of sense he ever claimed to have. “You need a rematch?” Julia‟s eyes went wide, her little pink tongue darted across her mouth just before her teeth sank into her bottom lip. Damn that look, the unintentional coquette thing, was sexy as hell. She was part innocence, part devilish vixen and one hundred percent woman. Chauncey wanted the total package. Sensing victory in the air, he eased in close, watching every tiny expression that crossed her face as she moved back until she was pressed against the door. “Oh, I think I‟m going to have to insist on it.” Chauncey braced his hands on either side of her. The scent of the light floral body wash she‟d used after the match inflamed his senses more than they were already. God, he wanted her. It was a battle not to groan from it; not to touch her was pure hell. But he would—and soon. “Well, I can check the schedule…” Julia‟s voice betrayed her. Instead of the business-like, feisty inflection he‟d come to associate with her, she sounded almost as if she were moaning. It was that soft, inviting sound a woman got when she wanted a man. Oh, hell yes! 29

Still, he could take nothing for granted. If she really wanted him, she would have to say it out loud. It might kill him in the interim—he would be wooing her, he would make this woman his in every way for all time. No matter how long it took, he had found his future—no way was he letting go. “I think we both know I‟m not talking about wrestling in a pool of pudding. That is, unless you‟d like one in our bedroom.” Her breathing increased after skipping a beat, her face lifting so close, so damn close it would take the barest movement to capture her lips. But she hadn‟t said she wanted him yet. It didn‟t matter what her body was saying. “You‟re assuming an awful lot, aren‟t you?” Even as she spoke her body shifted enough to brush against his front. Electric sparks danced across his skin. His hands flexed against the rough wood of the door, fighting the urge to pull her closer. “Yep.” No use denying it. He‟d felt the chemistry, watched her reactions. While thoroughly handing him his ass wrestling in a dessert, she had been as affected as he. For a minute she didn‟t speak. Chauncey swore he could hear their collective heartbeats, see each semi-labored breath they took wrap around each other in the scant space between them, doing exactly what each of them wanted to do. Time ticked by excruciatingly slowly, drawing his nerves tight. “Why? Why me? Why do you want me?” How could a woman so completely together, so smart and sexy and sassy seriously ask a question like that? For a second he glimpsed the vulnerable woman underneath, and it was humbling. It was the most precious honor anyone could give him, to see her where she was susceptible even for a second was no small thing, he knew. Being exposed like that to another human being was one of 30

Shara Azod the hardest things a person could be. It was a question that demanded honesty, so that was exactly what he gave her. “Because from the first moment I heard your voice, you‟ve spoken to something inside me I didn‟t know existed. Because the first time you touched me, I felt you down to my soul. Because when you took me down and pinned me, you had me mind, body and soul. I want your strength bred into my children, your voice in my ears when I wake, your feistiness in our grandbabies running around us on the front porch—” Despite being a man of few words, Chauncey found once he got going he couldn‟t stop. The reasons he wanted her went on and on. At least, until she moved so subtly, his mind didn‟t process it right away. Not until she hooked her foot around the back of his knees, knocking him flat on his ass—again. This time when she straddled him, one hand buried itself in his hair, her lips descended on his, taking the kiss he freely gave back, the one he‟d wanted to give her since their very first match. There was nothing tentative, or even gentle about the meeting of lips and tongue. Taking hold of Julia‟s braids he tugged a little, opening her wider for him. Their tongues tangled, swirling, tasting until they were both fighting to breathe. When he sucked on her bottom lip, she bit his in response. When he pulled her hair, her nails scraped his scalp. Hands groped at clothing, tugging, pulling, ripping, until there was nothing between them. Skin pressed against skin. Nothing had ever felt so right while being so frantic. He was lost completely in Julia Vernon, and he didn‟t want to be found. That‟s why it took a few minutes for her next words to really sink in. “Pinned you again.” She purred in his ear, before gliding his erection into her—his—pussy all the way down to the hilt. 31

Oh yes, he was head over heels, hopelessly in love with this woman. Complete and total madness. That was the only way Julia could explain what was happening. While it was absolutely true she‟d fantasized about having Chauncey Cullens underneath her, having her wicked way with him long before they‟d squared off in a pool of pudding—the reality was mind-blowing. She wasn‟t the kind of woman to haul off and attack a man sexually, no matter how badly she wanted him. There was something about this man‟s very presence that dared her to do things she‟d only dreamed of. Then he had to go and spout things every woman with half a brain wanted to hear. That was the point when his clothing began to offend her sensibilities. How dare cloth hide his body from her? Lips that weren‟t busy kissing her were derelict in their duty. To top it off, where the hell did he get off not being an intimate part of her that very instant? What was a woman supposed to do, let him get away with all that? Not in this lifetime! Without thinking, Julia took the path of least resistance. Not that she didn‟t want to hear those lovely declarations. She really did. Later. Maybe in a couple of days, after they had gotten to know each other in every way possible. The first kiss started a wildfire that raced to her core and blaze out of control. Oh God, he touched her so masterfully—like a real man, demanding without hurting, insisting without demeaning. Knocking him off his feet would take him by surprise a bit, but Mr. Cullens was not a man to be flummoxed for long, unlike their experiences in the ring. She‟d finally managed to sink down on that glorious cock when she found herself unceremoniously flipped underneath him. In no more than a blink of an eye, he‟d 32

Shara Azod managed to lift her up to the chaise while reversing their positions. The very same chaise Tye all too recently pushed him down on. Oh, he was good. Too bad she might have to kill him for slipping her prize out of her all-too-ready pussy. Fortunately for him, he‟d replaced his shaft with one very hungry, insistent tongue. “No quickie for you, Julie-baby,” he growled against her quivering flesh. It was so sexy she let the nickname pass this time. “I want it all.” If she could‟ve answered she would have. Smart ass comebacks were her forte. However, given his tongue was curling around her clit while two thick fingers thrust in her pussy, it was hard to think. She finally gave up trying, giving herself over to the sensations he was invoking. Praise Venus, Aphrodite, Isis, Astarte and any other goddess, Chauncey left no part of her unattended. While worshipping her with his mouth, his hand slid all over her body. No clumsy, fumbling grabs for him. No, Chauncey began a slow exploration of her curves, cupping her painfully sensitive breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger with just enough pressure to send tides of sensual delight coursing through her. At the moment when Julia thought she would explode, he‟d backed off, biting her inner thigh for emphasis as he retreated. She knew he wanted her to beg, plead for it. That would give him clear victory in this particular bout. If only Julia could work up enough indignation to give a shit. “Please, Chauncey!” The man was driving her straight up the wall and leaving her hanging within inches of the ceiling. “Please, what?” Well, damn. How had he figured out a way to make a growl sound so erotically seductive?

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“Please let me come!” Julia knew he was not a dense man, so he had to be playing with her. Now was seriously not the time. She needed relief like she needed her next breath. “Please give me your— Oh, holy shit!” Once more his tongue curled around her clit, he sucked the little pearl, hard, while finding and stroking her g-spot with his fingers with deadly accuracy. Julia exploded, screaming his name with absolute abandon. It was good, so powerful. Her body shook from the force of it. As agile as a cat, Chauncey rose in one fluid move, taking her with him, and then settling her on his lap facing him. The burning intensity of his gaze started that fire low in her gut all over again. Julia found herself wanting him even more than before he touched her, or she touched him. Needed him desperately to fill her, be a part of her. “Ride me, Jewels. Show me you want me as much as I need you.” There‟d never been a sweeter invitation. Julia gladly sank down on his cock, her nails digging into his shoulders as he filled her. She was so full she felt him in every corner of her being. For a perfect moment she didn‟t move. Closing her eyes she allowed the feelings to swamp her, luxuriating in him, in his masculinity. It was the mythical exquisite coming together of two halves to make a perfect whole. She could stay like this for a lifetime. That was, until hot, wet suction pulled her nipple. Electric carnal shock shot from her breast to spread with the speed of light through her veins. Her hips moved of their own accord, desperately seeking a deeper connection. His strong hands grasped her hips, hauling her more completely down until they were flush against one another on every down stroke. Try as she might to savor every second, passion demanded to be unconstrained. All holds on 34

Shara Azod control slipped as their bodies crashed together, harder, faster, ever seeking the solace that could only be found in that one person that was born to be a part of the other. They were stripped to the bare essence of man, woman and uncontrollable longing. It was so easy for Julia to open herself completely in a way she had never before with any other man. Although Chauncey took what she gave, he gave the same in return. The way he made love to her body felt like reverence as much as passion. With his body he paid homage to hers, with his words he showed her adoration, all while pushing her to heights she hadn‟t known were possible. Yet, as hot as it was, as much as they pulled, rocked and bit, he handled her with absolute care. It almost brought tears to her eyes how he made love to the whole person she was, not just her sex. Instead of merely having an orgasm to two, Julia became one continuous explosion of bliss; each building on the previous one the climaxes kept coming until she was sure she‟d go mad. “I can‟t take any more,” she said, even though she wasn‟t so sure she wanted him to stop. As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she felt his cock swell inside her, felt him a little deeper inside as his hands grasped the cheeks of her ass, forcing her down against him until they were grinding together. “Look at me, Julia.” Oh God, the green fire of his eyes scorched her to the bone. Her pussy convulsed, tightening all around him as if he commanded that too. “You can and you will take all of me, and only me, for the rest of our lives. I‟ve got you now, baby, and I‟m not letting go.” Insanity, pure and simple, it was those words that set off a nuclear detonation, starting from the heart and taking over every 35

nerve cell in her body. This time there was no scream because there wasn‟t enough air. Lights swam before her eyes as the freaking earth really did move, just like any crappy dime store romance. She felt Chauncey erupting right along with her, heard his own hoarse cry of something that sounded suspiciously like her own name, and then there was nothing. When had nothing ever felt so sweet?

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How long they lay there connected on the chaise, Julia couldn‟t say. She woke to Chauncey rubbing her back, occasionally pausing to lean down and planting kisses against her forehead. “Welcome back,” he murmured as she opened her eyes. “How are you feeling?” Holding back the huge smile that split her face would‟ve been a waste, so she didn‟t. “Perfect.” Her muscles were sore, there was a throbbing ache deep in her core, yet Julia had never felt so right. “Good. I want you to feel like this all the time.” After placing the sweetest of sweet kisses on her lips, he shot her the biggest, goofiest grin. “And I just want to point out that although you took me down this time too, I do believe I won the round. You‟re gonna need a rematch to get back the title.” Another time, another place, Julia might‟ve taken that as a challenge. However, with this man, she couldn‟t see a downside to rematch after rematch. Hell, she was looking forward to it. “Strange.” She grinned as she stretched, flexing her hips and tightening her vaginal walls just enough to feel him go from halfmast to full hard and ready. “I still feel undefeated.” His hand came up to entwine in her braids, pulling her down toward his lips. Oh yeah, she would definitely enjoy bout after bout with this man. But just before their lips met there was a clear, distinct shout through the door. “Let me know if you need those smelling salts, Jewels!” **

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About the Author Shara is the first one to admit she is a little off. Her favorite movies are Steel Magnolias and Apocalypse Now, with a little Godfather and Animal House thrown in for fun. When not planning to take over the world, or re-fighting the world‟s greatest battles in her mind, she can usually be found having deep and meaningful conversations with her kids (11 & 8) about the meaning of life or trying to talk her husband into buying her weapons—just in case of Armageddon. www.sharaazod.com

Tye Madison was tickled pink her best friend and business partner had found the man of her dreams in an inflatable pool of pudding, of all places. That didn’t mean she appreciated the irritating Cody McKnight tagging along, disrupting her peace. There was only one thing she could do—show the arrogant wrestler what it was like to tangle with her in the ring. Just one man, one woman, and several gallons of Jell-o. That’ll show him!