Thorn's Challenge Read online

  A shudder ran through her when she thought that the same hands that skillfully shaped chrome and metal into a motorcycle could also bring a woman to the epitome of sexual release. She shook her head, not wanting to go there, but remembering that the main reason she was here was because she had gone there…too many times lately. There wasn’t a single day that went by that she didn’t think of her and Thorn’s kitchen encounter. She wanted to believe that although he had kept his control, he had been just as affected as she had been.

  With that belief, she had made a decision to show him that he had bitten off more than he could chew and she was more trouble than she was worth. She intended to turn up the heat by tempting him so badly that he would want to break things off with her before their relationship interfered with his race.

  She saw it as the battle of wills, Mr. Experience against Miss Innocence. Thorn’s brothers thought she was his challenge. He thought she was his sweetest temptation. She was determined to become Thorn’s ultimate downfall.

  * * *

  The screwdriver Thorn was using to tighten a bolt on the bike’s fender nearly slipped from his fingers. His nostrils flared and his entire body went on alert. He swore he’d picked up Tara’s scent although he knew that wasn’t possible. But still, the mere thought of her had blood pumping into every part of his body and shoved the beating of his heart into overdrive.

  He couldn’t help but groan under a tightly held breath. Boy, did he have it bad! He hadn’t seen her in three days and already he was imagining her presence and inhaling the essence of her scent.

  He had tried not to think about her; tried not to wonder what she’d been doing since he’d last seen her, and if she’d given any thought to his proposal. A light shudder raced down his spine at the possibility that she would consider it. The very idea of Tara in his bed for a week nearly made it impossible for him to breathe.

  He placed his work tools aside. With her so deeply embedded in his mind, it would be impossible to get any work done. He decided to call it quits for the night and grab a beer. And he may as well spend the night at the shop since there was definitely no one waiting for him at home.

  Thorn had turned and headed toward the refrigerator that sat on the other side of the room when he thought he heard something. He stopped and his gaze took a slow scan of the room, lingering on the area where the hallway led to his office.

  Only his brothers had keys to his shop. He wondered if one of them had dropped by. It wouldn’t be the first time one of them had found refuge in his office to read his latest issue of Cycle World magazine and raid his candy jar.

  He suddenly caught Tara’s scent again. The smell was both alluring and seductive. He narrowed his eyes curiously as he began walking toward his office.

  The air inside the building began to sizzle with each step he took. His skin began to get warm, his hands felt damp and pressure began escalating deep in his chest. Tension within him mounted at the sheer possibility, the inkling of any notion that Tara had stepped into his domain. His shop was more than just his place of business. It was more than somewhere he hung out most of the time. It was his lair. His sphere. His space.

  The sharp edge of that thought cut deep into his brain. But not for one moment did it cut into his increasing desire. If anything, his body was struggling to get back the cool it had lost a while ago. He tried to keep his face solemn as he slowly and quietly rounded a corner. Tara’s scent was becoming more overpowering.

  And then he saw her.

  Tara Matthews. His challenge. His sweetest temptation. Thorn watched as she studied the pictures he had hanging on the wall, not believing she was really there.

  He wondered which one of his brothers had given her a key, not that it mattered. However, they had been with him earlier and knew the state of his mind…and his body. They were very well aware that lately he had been a man on the edge, a man in a state of pure funk with an attitude that was more biting and cutting than they had seen in a long time. Yet they had sent Tara here! At least, they hadn’t tried talking her out of coming. If this was their idea of a joke, then he didn’t see a damn thing funny about it. He just had to keep his mind on the prize. At the moment his mind was slightly foggy about whether that prize was the trophy he sought in Daytona or the woman standing across the room from him.

  He shook his head, not believing he had thought such a thing. No woman, and that included Patrice, had ever come between him and his motorcycle, his desire to win, his need to take risks.

  The corners of his lips quirked upward, as he admitted that Tara came pretty damn close to ruining his focus. His gaze took her in from head to toe, from behind, since her back was to him as she continued to study the pictures on his office wall. But that was okay. Checking out the back of her was just fine. He’d always like the shape of her backside anyway.

  Her head was thrown back as she tried viewing a photograph that was positioned at a high angle. That made her hair fan across her shoulders, and the way the light in the room was hitting it gave the strands a brilliant glow.

  She was wearing a dress. A rather short one but her curves were meant for the dress and the dress was meant for her curves. His gaze roamed down her body to her legs. They were long, shapely and he bet they would feel like heaven wrapped around his waist, holding him inside her real tight while he made love to her with no intention of ever stopping.

  Something made her go still. He could tell the exact moment she knew he was in the room although she didn’t turn around. It didn’t matter to him that she wasn’t ready to acknowledge his presence. Eventually she would have to. What really mattered to him was that she was there. Alone with him and looking sexier than any woman had a right to look.

  But he inwardly admitted that there was a lot more to Tara than her being pleasing to the eyes. There were things about her that went beyond the physical. There was the way she had captured the love, admiration and respect of his family, especially his four brothers. For some reason, none of them had taken a liking to Patrice; however, with Tara it was an entirely different story. Then there was the love and dedication she had for her job as a pediatrician. He happened to be at the hospital one day and had seen first hand what a warm, loving and caring approach she had with a sick child. He had known at that moment while watching her that she would make a fantastic mother to any man’s child…even his.

  A warning bell went off in his head and he got the uneasy feeling that he was losing control and shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts, even if Tara was proving to be the most captivating woman he’d ever met.

  He drew in a deep breath. The coming weeks would test his willpower, his determination and definitely his control. The only thing that would make any of it worth a damn was the possibility of her being his, completely his, in the end. And that was what he needed to know more than anything. He had to know if she would accept the proposal he had offered her.

  “If I’d known you were stopping by, I would have tidied up the place,” he finally said as moments continued to tick by.

  She turned slightly and gestured around the room that all of a sudden looked small and felt cramped. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to go to any trouble on my account. Besides, I don’t plan to stay that long anyway. I only stopped by to let you know of my decision.”

  He pushed away from the door and walked into the center of the room, needing to be closer to her. “And what is your decision, Tara?”

  She turned and met his inquiring gaze. Damn, she looked good, and he fought the urge to reach out and pull her into his arms, to taste her in a kiss that had his mouth watering at the thought of it.

  Awareness flashed in her eyes. They were heated, compelling, and he watched as emotions flickered through them. For a long moment the two of them stood in the center of his office feeding off each other’s needs, wants and desires. And the sad thing about it was that they couldn’t control their reactions to each other. It seemed they were both suffering from a unique brand of animal lust.


  Thorn let out a deep breath and took a step back. Nothing of this magnitude had ever happened to him. He was within a few feet of jumping her bones. He had a mind to take her right there in his office, on his desk. Right then, at that moment, he saw her as a means to an end, a way to get intense pleasure and a way to give pleasure as well.

  He shook his head, reminding himself that he would have to wait another five weeks, until after the race. He cursed inwardly. As far as he was concerned the first week of March couldn’t get there soon enough.

  He then remembered he was assuming things. She hadn’t said she would go along with what he had proposed. For all he knew she could have come to tell him to go to hell and to take his proposal with him.

  He swallowed deeply. The suspense was killing him as much as his lust was. “What’s it going to be?” he had to ask her.

  He watched her study him with dark eyes before saying, “I want to make sure I understand what you’re proposing, Thorn. You will pose for the calendar if I agree to sleep with you in a completely physical, emotional free affair once your race at Bike Week is over. I’m supposed to be at your disposal, your beck and call for a week.”

  He smiled. Everything she had said sounded pretty damn right to him. It had also painted one hell of a tempting picture in his mind. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”

  “And you won’t touch me until after the race?” she said, as if to clarify.

  Thorn crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, I will touch you, I just won’t make love to you in the traditional sense until after the race. As far as I’m concerned, anything else is game.”

  Tara lifted a brow. “Anything…like what?”

  Now it was Thorn’s turn to lift a brow. “A variety of things, and I’m surprised you would have to ask.”

  Tara nodded, deciding to leave well enough alone before he become suspicious about just how much experience she had. Knowing she was a virgin would really scare him off and probably anger him to the point of not posing for the calendar. “I fully understand my part in all of this.”

  Thorn inwardly smiled. He doubted that she fully understood anything, especially her part in it. But her duties would be clearly defined over the coming weeks. “So what’s your answer?”

  Tara prayed things worked out as she had planned. “Yes. I’ll go along with your proposition.”

  Thorn released a deep breath, relieved.

  “So how soon can you be available to do the calendar?”

  Her question broke into his thoughts, just as well, since they were about to go somewhere they shouldn’t be going. “How soon would they want me?”

  “Probably within the next couple of weeks.”

  He nodded. “Just let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”

  She blinked, and he could tell she couldn’t believe he was being so accommodating. “What are your plans for this weekend?” he asked her.

  She raised a brow before answering. “I’m working at the hospital on Saturday but I’ll be off on Sunday. Why?”

  “Chase is having a Super Bowl party at his restaurant Sunday evening. I’d like you to go with me.”

  She blinked again. “Me? You? As a couple?” she asked, as if clearly amazed.

  “Yes. Don’t you think we should let my family get used to seeing us together as a couple? Otherwise, what will they think when we take off for Daytona together?” he asked.

  In all honesty, Thorn really didn’t give a hoot what his brothers thought, since they assumed they had things pretty much figured out to suit their fancy anyway. His main concern was his parents. They considered Tara as another daughter and would give him plenty of hell if they thought for one minute his intentions toward her weren’t honorable. Since his intentions weren’t honorable, he had to at least pretend they were for his parents’ benefit. Then there was Delaney to consider. She definitely wouldn’t like it if she knew his plans for Tara.

  He watched as she nervously bit her bottom lip before saying. “Yes, I guess you’re right. In that case, yes, I’ll go to Chase’s party with you on Sunday.”

  He nodded, pleased with himself.

  “It’s getting late and I’d better go.”

  Her leaving wasn’t such a bad idea considering his body’s reaction to her presence. There was only so much temptation he could handle. “All right. I’ll walk you to your car.” He thought of something. “How did you get in here anyway?”

  “Stone let me use his key. He told me it would be best to come in quietly through the side door and not the front so as not to disturb you.”

  Thorn nodded, knowing that wasn’t the true reason Stone had told her that. He had wanted him to be surprised by her presence; he definitely had been.

  They didn’t talk as he walked her to her car. A couple of times he came close to asking her to stay and let him show her around his shop. But he couldn’t do that. He had to play by the rules he had established to keep his sanity, and at the moment the temptation to bed her was too great. After she left he would spend time working out, getting his blood flowing to all the parts of his body, especially to his brain.

  He had to think clearly and tread lightly with Tara. Now that she had agreed to his proposal, he had to make sure he was the one in the driver’s seat and she was only along for the ride. And in the end, he intended to give her the ride of her life.

  But temptation being what it was, he couldn’t stop himself from inching closer to her as they walked toward her car, intentionally allowing his thigh and hip occasionally to brush against hers. Her sharp intake of breath at each contact sent shivers down his spine. When they did sleep together, there was no doubt in his mind they would go up in smoke. They were just that hot.

  He stood back and watched her open the door to her compact sedan. She turned to him before getting inside. “Thanks for walking me to my car, Thorn.”

  “Don’t mention it.” His gaze was devouring her but he couldn’t help it. He blew out a long breath before taking a step toward her. He could tell that she was ready for his kiss, and he was more than happy to oblige her. He leaned forward and placed his mouth on hers, lightly tracing the tip of his tongue along the line of her lips, repeating the gesture several times before she easily parted her lips and drew his tongue inside her mouth with her own. His heart thudded deep in his chest at the way she was eager for the mating with his tongue, something that seemed a necessity for both of them. At this moment in time, it all made sense. He would probably think he was crazy later, but for now, standing in the middle of his parking lot, devouring her mouth like there was no tomorrow seemed perfectly normal to him. As far as he was concerned, it was the sanest thing he had done in a long time.

  Her taste seduced him. It made his mind concentrate on things it shouldn’t be thinking about this close to competition time. He needed to pull back, but he was steadily convincing himself otherwise.

  He only brought the kiss to an end when he detected her need to breathe and wondered just how long their mouths had been joined. He stared into her eyes, watching the play of emotions that crossed her face. Confusion? Curiosity? Caution?

  He took a step back. They had shared enough for tonight. The next time they were together they would be around family and friends who would serve as the buffer he needed between them.

  “Drive home safely, Tara,” he said, deciding she needed to leave now so he could pull himself together before he was tempted to do something he would later regret.

  She nodded and without saying anything, she got into the car. His heart skipped a beat when he got a glimpse of her thighs. The hem of her dress inched up as she slid into the driver’s seat. Forcing breath into his lungs, he watched as she slowly drove off, all the while thinking, that he had five weeks of pure hell to endure. Five whole weeks he somehow intended to survive.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “Okay, Mr. Westmoreland, I only need a few more shots and then this session will be all over,” the photographer said as she adjusted the lighting.
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br />   Thank God, Thorn thought as he sat astride his bike once again. He had plenty of work to do back at the shop and had been at this photo session for three hours. The photographer, Lois Kent, had decided the best place to shoot the photos was outside to better show the man, his bike and the open road.

  They had taken over a hundred shots already and Thorn’s patience was beginning to wear thin. The only thing that kept him going was knowing that he was living up to his end of the bargain, which meant he could make damn sure Tara lived up to hers. This past week he’d been restless, agitated and moodier than ever.

  “It will only take a minute while I reload the film.”

  Thorn nodded. Things hadn’t gone as badly as he’d thought they would. Lois Kent was strictly a professional, unlike Patrice. To Lois this was a job and nothing more and he appreciated that.

  He glimpsed behind her and saw a car pull up. His heart quickened when he recognized the driver.

  He watched as Tara got out of her car and walked toward them. She was wearing a pair of white slacks and a pullover blue sweater.

  And as usual she looked good.

  It had been a week since he had seen her; a week since he had taken her to his brother’s restaurant for the Super Bowl party. Even surrounded by family and friends, he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her. His interest in Tara hadn’t gone unnoticed by his brothers. And they had been teasing him about it ever since, which only pissed him off even more.

  He raised a brow, wondering why she was here, not that he had any complaints. It was only that he had been trying to keep his distance from her so that he could retain his sanity and his control. He had decided it would only take a week or two to get her primed to the level he wanted her to be. He now had four weeks left.

  He watched as she spoke to Lois, and then she glanced over at him. “Hi Thorn.”

  “Tara,” he acknowledged, taking a deep breath. He had been the perfect gentleman that Super Bowl Sunday, even when he had taken her home. He had kissed her on her doorstep, made sure she had gotten safely inside and left. Doing more than that would have been suicide.