Wild Desire: A Curvy Girl Steamy Romance (Wild Heart Mountain: Wild Rider’s MC Book 14)

The iron gate slides open silently, revealing the mansion on the other side.

“Well damn,” I mutter to myself as my gaze sweeps over the whitewashed stone buildings that surround the cobblestone courtyard.

Vines grow up the sides of the walls that stretch out on either side of the gate, disappearing into the dusk and the gloom of dark gardens beyond.

I roll my bike over the threshold and cruise across the courtyard. The damn thing’s so big it takes a good half minute to get to the front entrance. There’s a water feature in the middle with a fish standing on its tail spouting water into a round pool.

The entire place has a European feel to it, like I’ve been transported into a casa in Spain. Not that I’ve even been to Spain, but I’ve read books set there.

A second-story balcony provides an overhang where the front door is, and I park my bike next to it and kill the engine.

I slide my helmet off and run my hands over my hair before pressing the doorbell.

I’m expecting a butler or someone in a smart uniform to answer the door, so I’m surprised when it opens and Cassie peers out.

My breath catches at the sight of her wide eyes and round face peering at me.

“Hi…Happy Birthday.” My voice comes out in a nervous stutter, and I clear my throat. “Isabella sent me to pick you up.”

She presses her lips together, still hiding behind the door.

“Are you ready?”

The door opens further, and I get a glimpse of what she’s wearing. Pale pink pajamas with roses on them. The fabric clings to her hips, showing off her curvy figure. The tight pajama top pulls across her chest, and I’m pretty sure she isn’t wearing a bra.

My mouth goes dry, and I pull my gaze away from her chest.

“I need to get changed.” Her voice is soft, like a caress across my heart. “Come in.”

Cassie opens the door, and I follow her into the entryway. It’s as vast as the courtyard and just as sparse. The walls are wider than my entire cabin, and the only furniture is a thin sideboard, with a blue vase and no flowers.

“I brought you this.” I pull a package out of my pocket and hand it to her. It’s plain brown paper wrapped in string, but her eyes light up at the rectangle shape. “For your birthday.”

She takes the package. “Thank you. You didn’t need to get me anything.”

“I know.”

She opens the package, and I watch her eyes as she turns the book over in her hand. The cover is worn at the edges, and some pages are folded over.

She frowns, and then her eyes go wide as she reads the title. “The Art of War. This is the book you were telling me about.” She looks up, and the delight in her eyes lets me know I’ve done the right thing.

We talk about books, Cassie and I. It’s a safe topic, and last time I saw her, three months and two days ago at Luke and Isla’s wedding, we got into a lengthy discussion about my favorite classic. She’s never read The Art of War, so when I learned it was her birthday, I knew the perfect gift.

“This copy was in Iraq with me. There’s probably sand in the pages.”

She holds the book to her chest. “Thank you.”

“I know it’s not what you usually read…”

“I read all sorts,” Cassie interrupts. “My favorite is, um, women’s fiction. But I’ll read anything, especially off a recommendation.”

I smile at her comment. I know for a fact that Cassie loves reading romance, but if she wants to call it women’s fiction, then I won’t contradict her.

She leans against the wall and thumbs through the book. Her earlier self-consciousness about being in her pajamas is forgotten as she stares at the words on the page.

She curls a strand of hair around her finger as she reads.

I could stand here and watch Cassie read all day, especially my favorite book, but Maggie has baked a cake and Isabella’s gotten everyone together. Isla decorated the place, and there are balloons and drinks and good food waiting.

I clear my throat and Cassie looks up, blinking.

“Sorry, it’s…the opening.”noveldrama

“I know, right?”

She’s as into the book as I hoped she would be, and a surge of warmth rushes through me.

“You sure you don’t want to stay here with me and read instead of going out?” She’s smiling as she says it, and I can’t tell if she’s serious.

I’d like nothing better than to spend a night quietly reading with Cassie, but Isabella will kick my ass if I don’t bring Cassie back. And yeah, I’m kind of a little scared of the Prez’s old lady.

“That’s temping. But it’s your birthday, and there will be cake.”

She gives me a smile that pierces straight to my heart. “I need to get ready. Give me ten minutes.”

I follow her through to the living room, which is an open area with large gray couches. One armchair in the corner has a blanket bundled on top of it and a coffee table next to it. Cassie scoops a book from it as she goes past before I catch the title. I get a flash of the cover, which features a muscular male torso that’s tinted green. The man has horns and what looks likes tentacles coming out of his body. I pretend not to notice the ‘women’s fiction’ as she tucks it under her arm.

“Feel free to watch the TV while you wait.”

I pull my Kindle out of my pocket and hold it up. “I’m good.”

She nods, and I settle on the couch with my book.