Bonus Epilogue
CHANCE
At the New Year’s Eve party, I stood at the bar, watching Marigold and Scarlett dancing together.
“Can you believe we got so lucky?” Eli asked.
I tipped my drink back. “I’ll never be good enough for Marigold, and you definitely don’t deserve my sister.”
Eli punched my arm. “You need to get over it.”
I grinned as my beer sloshed in the glass. “I just like giving you a hard time.”
Eli groaned. “You’re so annoying.”
“Who would have thought that we’d both get a girl this year.” My vow to stay single so I could focus on my job seemed crazy now. I couldn’t imagine not having Marigold in my life. We spent every night together, and I didn’t want to be away from her.
I wanted to enjoy our engagement, but I didn’t want to wait too long to get married.
“There are going to be fireworks tonight.” Eli gestured at the guests already heading outside to see them. “You want to go on the roof and enjoy them?”
“Are you moving the party to the rooftop?” I asked him.
“We need to stay on the deck to entertain the guests. I set something up for you and Marigold. I thought you could enjoy it by yourselves.”
“That’s generous of you.” Eli felt like a brother to me, especially now that he was dating my sister.
Eli nodded. “Think of it as an engagement gift.”
“I appreciate that.”
“You’d better get up there. We only have fifteen minutes.” He slipped me the key card for the penthouse elevator, and I crossed the room to get Marigold.
“I want to show you something,” I murmured to Marigold.
“Enjoy,” Scarlett said with a wiggle of her fingers.
Eli wrapped his arm around her and guided her outside.
“Where are we going?” Marigold asked when I steered her in the opposite direction.
“Eli offered us the rooftop deck to watch the fireworks.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s nice of him.”
It would be the perfect end to the evening. The elevator opened on the roof. Next to the pool, there were heaters pumping out warmth and a tray of fruit, cheese, and crackers with glasses of champagne resting on a table.
“Eli thought of everything.”
I snagged a cracker and cheese. “He said it was our engagement gift.”
“It’s a good one.”
We ate some grapes before grabbing our champagne glasses and standing by the railing. “We’ll have the perfect view here.”
I’d imagined kissing Marigold at midnight, but this exceeded my expectations.
I glanced at the time on my phone. Then turned to face Marigold as I cupped her cheek and counted down, “Three, two, one.”
I kissed her as the first fireworks exploded in the sky. My heart was thumping hard, the moment feeling huge.
I eased away from our good-luck kiss to watch the fireworks. I shifted so that she stood in front of me, and I braced my hands on the railing next to her.
After a few seconds, Marigold turned in my arms and kissed me. Her kisses were urgent, her hands running over my body, cupping my dick through the thin material of my pants.
We were alone on the rooftop deck. I wasn’t sure when we’d ever get the opportunity to make love outside like this.
Remembering there was a cabana by the food and heaters, I maneuvered Marigold in that direction while continuing to kiss her. It was difficult because her fingers were fumbling with the buttons on my shirt. Then they drifted lower to my belt buckle.
When her legs butted up against the edge of the cabana, she lifted her dress over her head, leaving her with only a thin scrap of lace over her pussy.
I groaned. I’d never seen anyone more beautiful, and she was all mine. “You’re absolutely gorgeous. I want to lick every inch of your skin.”
Marigold swayed on her heels, and I steadied her with a hand on her hip. I took in the soft curve of her hips, the hard peeks of her nipples, the swell of her breasts. She was perfection, and she was mine.
I ducked my head, sucking on a nipple. Her hand eased into the hair at the base of my neck, holding me to her.
I bit her nipple lightly before moving to the second one, giving it the same attention. I eased my thigh between her legs. I felt the heat of her pussy through my slacks as she bared down on my leg.
She was wild for me. I wasn’t sure if it was the champagne, the fireworks, or being outside. I finally eased back, needing to be naked. When she moved to take off her panties, I stopped her with a hand on her wrist. “Let me do it.”
She sat on the cushion and moved backward, spreading her legs for me. With a glint in her eyes, her hands cupped her breasts, and her fingers eased over her nipples.
I tore through the rest of the buttons on my shirt, ripping it off, then unbuckling my pants. I kicked those off, then placed one knee on the cushion, moving over her. “Did I tell you to touch yourself?”
“Mmm.” She arched her hips so that her pussy rubbed against my hard length. “You were taking too long.”
I groaned. “I love this side of you. Wild and carefree. And all mine.”
She bit her lip, her eyes dark with lust. Would it always be like this between us? I couldn’t get enough of her.
I kissed her, then eased back to pull her panties over her hips. Her pussy was already glistening for me. I should have spread her legs and tasted her, but I wanted to be inside of her while the fireworks continued.
I could feel the increasing intensity of the explosions.
I loved the feel of her surrounding me. Her eyes widened as if she hadn’t expected it.
I moved inside her with long, sure strokes, needing to match the tempo of the explosions.
I lowered my head to suck on her nipples, needing to drive her higher. Then I eased my finger between us to circle her clit. She was slick and puffy.
It wouldn’t take much for her to go off. I moved to her mouth, kissing her, while my fingers danced over her clit, and my cock moved inside her. When she spasmed around me, I pulled back so I could see the bliss on her face.
With a grunt, I followed her over, shuddering in time to the last beats of the fireworks. I collapsed on top of her. Then I moved to the side, kissing her bare shoulder.
Marigold moved to her side, a soft smile on her face. “That was amazing.”
“Like every moment with you. Whether we’re playing with Oakley or spending time with my family. Every second is better than the last.”
Her fingers landed in my hair. “You’re sweeter than I imagined.”
I hummed, content to be covered by the cabana but still able to see the night sky. I pulled a thick blanket over us and cuddled her close.
“Move in with me.” We spent most nights together, but it wasn’t enough. “I want to come home to you. I want to see you in my kitchen, my bed, my truck.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
I lifted my head, surprised she’d agreed so easily.
“I love your place, and I want to be with you too.”
“You make me so happy.”
Her hand caressed my cheek. “Same here. I used to dream about the future I now see clearly with you.”
“Our life is a dream.” It was more than I’d ever imagined for myself.
Marigold smiled softly, her eyes shining with tears. “The one that never ends.”
The April Before Wild Love and Wild Dreams
I accepted the drink from the bartender with a smile. As the conference coordinator, I was on my feet all day ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Since it was the last day of the conference, most attendees had already taken a shuttle to the airport and were on their way home. I could finally relax at the resort's bar.
A trio of women sat close to me on the bar stools.
"All the Wilde brothers in one spot. My ovaries can't take it," one woman gushed.
The second woman frowned. "Killian's not here. He's the famous snowboarder."
Another woman openly counted them with her fingers. "That's the rest of them. Eli, Xander, and Oliver."
Her hand was waving so wildly; I couldn't follow it to figure out their names. I only knew Eli, who was the resort manager I worked with when I was scheduling and planning conferences. He was always professional when I'd had to coordinate an event.
One woman fanned herself. "They're wild and reckless. Any one of them will help you to get over your breakup."
One brother was in a long sleeve polo with stitching that read Xander - Wilde Ski Resort Instructor. There was Eli in a suit, and a third brother—presumably Oliver—wore a button-down shirt with the top one undone, his sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms. His hair was dark but shorn closely to his scalp in a military-style. My face flushed when his gaze lifted to meet mine.
There was a sheet of paper on the high-top table in front him that the brothers kept referring to, as if they kept score of their games.
I couldn't seem to take my gaze away from Oliver. It was as if he had me transfixed.
A slow smile spread over his face, and he winked.
I quickly looked away, swirling the ice in my glass. I didn't want to be associated with the women next to me who clearly had too much alcohol in their quest to have a good time. I just wanted to enjoy my drink and head to my room for much-needed rest.
The women settled their bill and proclaimed loudly they were heading to the dance club. When they left, I let out a sigh of relief. I drank my drink, content to be alone at the bar. I was used to traveling by myself, and I was adept at conveying “don't approach me” vibes to any man considering it.
To my surprise, a hand braced on the counter next to my elbow. The scent of something spicy hit my nose a second before he leaned in. "Are you having a good time?"
I raised my gaze to the blue eyes that had only just winked at me a few minutes ago, my heart thumping. "Yes."
A slow smile spread over his face as his hand moved to the back of my stool. "Is there anything I can get you?"
His family owned this place, and he was treating me just like every other guest. "I'm fine, thank you. Did you win your game?"
Oliver chuckled, and I felt the rumble deep in my chest. "I won one and lost one. Xander's the best at pool. I have the spreadsheets to prove it."
I turned slightly so that I was facing him, his arm making me feel like we were cocooned together against the bar. "You keep track of your games, and not just for one night."
Oliver nodded. "My brothers and I are competitive. It's the only way to keep them honest."
There was something about the smooth tone of his voice that struck a chord deep inside me. "Who keeps track?"
"Me. I'm the numbers guy."
Why was that so attractive? I usually gravitated toward the athletic type, the ones who prided themselves on hitting the gym most days of the week. Given the muscles on his forearm, Oliver did the same, but he was an interesting combination of smart and athletic that had my heart racing.
He straightened slightly so he could offer me his hand. "I'm Oliver Wilde."
I tucked my hand into his. "Carolina."
His eyes widened slightly as he held my hand. "That's a beautiful name."
My body heated from his obvious admiration. "Thank you."
He let go of my hand and tipped his head toward my almost empty glass. "Can I get you another drink?"
I pushed the glass away. "I think I'm going to head to my room."
"That's too bad."
I arched a brow. "And why's that?"
His cheeks were tinged pink, and I wondered if he didn't pick up women at bars often. "I was hoping you'd dance with me."
There was zero chance I was going to the lodge's dance club. I wanted nothing to do with that scene. But then he gestured toward the dance floor nearby, where a few couples danced to the live band.
"I don't know if that's a good idea—" I hadn't planned on talking to him or pursuing anything. I lived in Maine and only came to Colorado a few times a year.
Oliver arched a brow. "How do you know if it's a good idea if you say no?"
I laughed despite my reservations. He was charming. Not as outgoing as the brother that led ski lessons, but he possessed a quiet insistence that was attractive.
He turned the stool so that my chair was facing the dance floor, holding his hand out to me. "Carolina, will you dance with me?"
I hope you loved Marigold and Chance’s story! Oliver and Carolina are next in Wild Nights. My days might be boring and predictable, but my nights are spent with a sexy-as-sin tourist. Whoever Carolina’s in town, we indulge in each other. It was the perfect arrangement until one of us wants more...