Valentine’s Brawl by Marteeka Karland Page B

businesses in the same town where they’d gone to school.
    Now, Audra was one of the most sought-out accountants in town while Trent raised most of the locally grown beef, as well as supplying many supermarkets and grocery stores in the surrounding areas. Hard work, sweat, tears, and a whole lot of business sense had led him to more money than he could ever spend in a lifetime. Audra had her own money, but she was no way in the same league as Trent Nelson. But, oh, if she were... Well. She’d give the man a run for his money.
    “Don’t you have other women to pester besides me?” She asked the question as indifferently as she could, but something inside her stilled, waiting for his answer. Did she really want the answer to that?
    He paused in the act of swaying to the music, looking as if she’d just grown another head. “Why would you think that?”
    Everything in her screeched at her not to touch that one. This was dangerous ground she didn’t really want to cross. Dancing with the man was one thing. Getting into a discussion about women and what every eligible woman -- and many not so eligible women -- in town wanted to do to him was so not a topic of conversation she wanted to engage in. Unfortunately, Audra was just tipsy enough not to be able to keep her big mouth shut.
    “Well, considering you’ve had every blonde bimbo in town hanging off you at one time or other, I’d imagine you’d have plenty to occupy your time instead of tormenting me. I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day, for crying out loud!”
    He simply looked at her a moment before that maddening grin of his split his face. “Why, Audra Wethington . I do believe you’re jealous.”
    That hit a little too close to the mark. Her crush on him was something she had never been able to shake. Any sane woman would have kneed him in the balls and marched out the front door. Unfortunately, no one had ever accused Audra of being sane. She merely lifted an eyebrow.
    “I doubt jealousy would do me much good. I’m not blonde, and I’m not a bimbo.”
    “Certainly not. You’re far too classy to be a bimbo. As to the blonde thing, I like my women like I like my coffee. Strong and dark. I need a woman who can take all I need to give her and then take what she needs in return.” He stroked her cheek, his eyes filled with greedy need. “I find a women like you more to my liking. All that dark skin and hair... and so intelligent. The few classes we had together in college, I tried everything to get you to notice me.”
    “If you mean the time you burned all my class notes, I definitely noticed.”
    He shrugged but kept her close, swaying to the music once again. “It got you to my apartment for a study date, didn’t it?”
    “You’re a pig, Trent Nelson.” She didn’t really mean it, but it seemed necessary to say it.
    He just chuckled and pulled her closer, pressing her against his hard frame. The thick bulge mashed so pleasantly against her belly promised wonderful delights if she dared to take them. Did she?
    The music continued to encourage the slow dancing. Before long, Audra found herself simply sighing and winding her arms around his neck. She hadn’t consumed much alcohol, and she was certain the buzz had been wearing off, but one whiff of Trent’s unique, musky, male scent and her head was spinning all over again. What would it be like to belong with him? If they were a couple dancing a Valentine’s dance?
    What kind of lover would he be? Would he be slow and gentle? No. Trent was many things, but suave and tender didn’t seem to fit him. Not that he couldn’t be gentle or that he wouldn’t be a giving lover, but he was the kind of man to sweep a woman off her feet and conquer her. Damned if that didn’t make her horny.
    Audra lifted her head to look at him. The harsh angles of his face held a kind of forbidden, masculine beauty she didn’t want to resist. Trent Nelson wasn’t hers, yet, but she had the feeling he could be. Given her