Crazy for Your Love - Lexi Ryan

by Lexi Ryan

  “Oh, wow. We’re so sorry. Your boyfriend is the reason we came to Jackson Harbor,” the shorter woman says.

  “We live in St. Louis. I actually have a golden retriever puppy just like the one you saved,” the other says. “We’re huge fans.”

  “Jackson Harbor is beautiful this time of year,” Carter says. “Enjoy your visit.”

  The women giggle their whole way out of the bar, and when they’re gone, I scoot my stool right next to Carter’s, close enough that I can lean on him and loop my arm through his. All I want is to ease the haunted ache I see in his eyes.

  I close my eyes and feel him lightly comb his fingers through my hair.

  “I’m sorry you’re so tired.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and the gesture surprises me so much that I pull back to look at his face. His brow is creased with worry. “I should have warned you about the nightmares.”

  I shake my head. “I’m not tired because of that. I’m tired because I’ve had enough beer and bar food that it’s made me sleepy.”

  “You should go back to the hotel and take a nap when we get back.”

  Carter and I both turn to see Saanvi standing behind our stools.

  “Liam and I are definitely ‘napping.’” She makes air quotes around the word then winks before continuing on to the booth where she and Liam have been sitting.

  “I think my sister is trying to get you laid,” I whisper.

  Carter chuckles, and the sound is such a relief after seeing him lock up with those women. I was right. He needs to talk about the warehouse fire, and the shit with the viral photo only made his guilt worse. “I knew I liked her,” he says.

  “I told you she’s good people.”

  “Obviously.”

  “But if I know Saanvi, she’s more worried about my pleasure than yours.”

  He cocks a brow. “Are those things supposed to be mutually exclusive?”

  Heat whips through me, and I swallow hard. “Behave.”

  His gaze drops to my mouth, and the tension simmers between us. “Do I have to? It’s hard when all the beer has gone to my head.”

  “Is that why you’re looking at my mouth like you’re starving?” I’m shocked that I let the thought form into words, but once it’s out, I’m glad for it. This flirtation is a distraction from real worries—from Rich, from the lies, from the way the compliments of two strangers can make Carter look like he wants to disappear.

  His tongue skims his teeth. “Nah. I can’t blame that on the beer. Your lips always make me hungry.”

  “For what, exactly?”

  Chuckling, he takes my hand in his and sweeps his lips across my knuckles. “If you ever really want to know, Teagan, I’ll happily show you.”

  “Of course I want to know.” I slide off my stool and step in front of him, standing between his legs as I lean closer and whisper so only he can hear, “There’s a bar full of nosy people watching us. Make sure you act like my loving boyfriend would.”

  He cups my chin in his big hand. “And what would your boyfriend do right now?” he says, so low I almost can’t make out the words.

  “I’m pretty sure he’d kiss me.”

  “Yeah?” He dips his head and brushes his lips across mine. He retreats a fraction of an inch before saying, “Like that?” I can feel his hot breath on my mouth.

  “No.” Reaching up, I slide a hand into his hair, guiding his mouth back to mine. “Like this.”

  The kiss starts slow. It’s part show for nosy onlookers, part reassurance for me that he’s okay. It starts as no more than a sweep of my lips over his, but the contact sends a rush of need through my blood, and I tug his bottom lip between my teeth.

  Carter angles his head and brushes his tongue against my mouth. When he pulls away, his eyes are dark. He draws in a breath, but before he can say anything else, Rich is sidling up to us, his charming smile in place.

  “Can I buy you two a drink?” he asks.

  Carter

  I’d pay good money for the pleasure of slugging that sonofabitch.

  I pull away from Teagan—just enough to glare at Rich. “Rain check, man. I’m kind of busy seducing my girl.”

  Rich claps me on the back, as if we’re best buds and he’s all about me taking Teagan to bed. “I don’t mean to intrude. I feel like we got off on a bad foot last year, and I wanted to start over. What do you say?”

  I already fucking said it. I’m sure he can see the annoyance in my smile. I don’t try to hide it. “Another time.”

  Irritation flickers in his eyes, and he clenches those beefy fists before he walks away. When he’s gone, Teagan leans her head against my shoulder and exhales. Her eyes were hazy when I pulled back from our kiss, but her body wound tight the second he walked up to us.

  I toy with the hair at her temple. “Sorry about that. I forgot for a minute.”

  She lifts her chin, looking up at me through her lashes. “Forgot what?”

  “Why you had me kiss you. Why we’re even here.” I shake my head, studying her face, trying to decide if maybe for a minute she forgot too. “When I’m kissing you, I forget everything.” I wrap my arms around her, and she leans into me, some of that tension melting away.

  Across the bar, Rich is pretending he’s not staring, but I know he’s watching every move we make. I lean my head down and brush my lips against her ear. “He’s still watching.” At that, she stiffens. When she starts to turn her head, I take her chin in my hand. “Don’t look. It’ll ruin my plans.”

  She arches a brow. “What plans?”

  I brush her hair to the side and lower my mouth to her neck, kissing her in the way longtime lovers might. The way a couple planning to spend their lives together might show affection in mixed company.

  “Is that it?” she asks when I pull my mouth away.

  I tighten my arms around her middle, and I swear the heat in her eyes is real. I chuckle. “Well, your mom and sister are watching too, so I thought it would be best to keep it G-rated. But if you’d like, we could disappear into the kitchen for a while and make them wonder.” I’m totally joking, but she giggles and steps out of my arms, grabbing my hand and dragging me back behind the bar and into the kitchen. And because I can’t resist when it comes to Teagan, and because I’ve felt more alive with her these last few days than I’ve felt in months, I follow.

  The second the kitchen door swings shut behind us, I pull her into my arms, immediately lowering my mouth to hers.

  Behind me, someone clears his throat.

  I ignore my brother.

  He coughs, and I pull my mouth off Teagan’s long enough to give Jake my best glare.

  With a mischievous grin, Teagan points to the stairs at the back—the stairs that lead to Jake’s old apartment. Currently empty save for the couch and the bed.

  The bed.

  I swallow hard, and before I can decide if going up there is a terrible idea or an excellent one, Teagan grabs my hand and rushes for the stairs, flashing me a grin over her shoulder that is both challenge and invitation.

  I practically chase her to the second-floor apartment, pushing the door closed behind us right before she presses me against it. “Are you drunk?” I kiss her mouth, her neck, trying to slow myself down when I want to peel this dress off her and fuck her against the door.

  “No,” she says, breathless. She tilts her head, giving me better access to the tender spot beneath her ear. “Why?”

  “I thought we agreed we were just playing pretend,” I murmur, my hands already all over her—skimming up her sides, gripping the curve of her ass through her jeans, pulling her as close as I can get her.

  “We did,” she says. “I like playing with you.”

  Groaning, I tug her earlobe between my teeth. “We agreed no sex.”

  “Who said we have to have sex?” she murmurs, unbuttoning my pants. She rubs her hand over the length of me, stroking me through my boxer briefs. “Maybe I just want to make you come.”

  “Jesus.” If
I weren’t already hard as hell, those words would get me there.

  “Have you thought about my mouth on you? Because I haven’t stopped thinking about it since Saturday night.” Her words threaten to finish me off before we even start. She tugs down my briefs and wraps her hand around me, and my mind goes blank.

  “Teagan. I . . .” I can’t manage another word. Can’t manage a coherent thought. Because she drops to her knees and takes me into her mouth. She flattens her tongue to the underside of my shaft, and her fingers graze my balls, making my hips buck. I press my palms flat to the door, trying to be still, trying not to shove myself deeper in her mouth.

  She pulls back, releasing me and licking her lips. “Are you okay?” she asks. She grips the base of my cock and squeezes, dragging her tongue across the tip. “Is this okay?”

  “Christ, Teagan.” I swallow hard. “I’m trying not to come in the first sixty seconds of your mouth on me like some teenage boy, but you’re not making it easy.”

  She grins and strokes me again. Harder. “I like you undone, Carter. It’s better than I even imagined.” She keeps her eyes on me as she drags her tongue along the underside of my cock.

  I bark out a curse, and she smiles again. This time when she takes me into her mouth, she sucks and pulls me deep. My hips jerk instinctively, and she moans in approval. I lose my tenuous grip on my control. I let pleasure take over as she licks, sucks, and strokes. Every time I rock into her, fucking her hot mouth, pressing into those perfect lips, she moans, sucks hard, draws me deeper.

  The sight of her—Teagan on her knees, her mouth around me, her eyes dark with lust—is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Looking at her fills me with a tenderness and longing I’ve never quite experienced before. Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this. Maybe Jake’s right, and Teagan is another diversion in my months of dodging the broken pieces inside me.

  No. He’s not. Maybe it was like that at first—the night at the auction—but the other women never made me feel like this. I never felt the weight of the day slip off my shoulders just because I heard their laugh. I never wanted to open up to any of them.

  I want that and more with her. I want to strip off her clothes and lay her out on the bare floor, fuck her so deep that she’s making those sounds right into my ear as we find release together.

  Pleasure coils tighter and hotter down my spine, and I thread my fingers in her hair. “Teagan, baby. Fuck. I’m about to come.”

  She draws me deeper and sucks harder. Pleasure jackknifes down my spine as I spill into her mouth.

  When she stands, she’s a mess of wild hair, swollen lips, and flushed cheeks. I slide both hands behind her back and draw her body tight against mine as I kiss her hard—right as there’s a knock on the door.

  “Hey, sorry . . .” Jake clears his throat. I can picture him shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other. “The bus is ready and they’re asking for you two.”

  Teagan

  Mom stands at the foot of the stairs in the Hayhurst mansion. “Thank you, everyone, for an amazing day. Dinner will be served in an hour, and after that, I understand the bridal party has some plans for the evening.”

  “Hmm, what could we possibly do with an hour?” Carter asks, eyes dancing and all over me.

  “It’ll have to be a quick nap,” Saanvi whispers to us. She grabs Liam’s hand and races up the stairs.

  Carter grins. “What do you say?” he asks, his voice low and husky. “Quick nap?”

  My heart races and my stomach flips. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if Jake hadn’t knocked on the door, but judging by the way Carter was kissing me, I know we weren’t done. I’m realizing that when it comes to him, I’m not done with anything but lying to myself. I’m sick of pretending I don’t want more.

  “We should at least go . . . freshen up,” I say, my voice a little high-pitched. Because hell.

  He winks at me, and we’re halfway up the stairs when my phone buzzes. I almost ignore it except . . . except this is my sister’s weekend, and if she needs me or if my mom needs me to do something for her, she has to come first.

  I pull it from my purse to look at the text. The picture there makes me freeze, one hand gripping the railing as the other grips my phone. Without thinking, I scan the faces in the lobby until I find Rich. He’s grinning at me, and the anticipation that was flip-flopping my stomach moments ago turns to dread. He must have gotten a new number if this was from him.

  Carter grazes his knuckles over my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  No. I’m not okay. Why does Rich even have these pictures? “Excuse me,” I murmur.

  I race up the stairs to our room, fumbling with the key at the door before closing myself in the bathroom. I slide down the wall, put my head in my hands, and try to remember how to breathe.

  The soft rap of knuckles and then: “Teagan?” Carter’s voice. Soft. Soothing. Worried.

  I flinch. “I’m okay. I think maybe I . . . maybe I had too much bar food today.” I bite my lip, hating the lie.

  “Anything I can do?”

  “No. I just need a minute. I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t need to apologize.” He sighs heavily, and I imagine him closing his eyes. He knows me well enough that I’m sure he’s not buying my lie. Hell, a few minutes ago, I was ready to come up here and jump him, and now I’m hiding in the bathroom.

  I was an idiot to think Rich wouldn’t find a way to get to me this weekend. I was an idiot who convinced myself I wanted Carter to save me from Rich, when the real thing I need to be saved from is my own mistakes.

  Carter

  With the exception of those held in honor of my brothers, bachelor parties aren’t exactly my thing. A bachelor party full of strangers is high on my list of activities I’d rather avoid.

  I was hoping I’d get a pass, but Liam found me after dinner and insisted I join them. With a broad smile and a smack on the back, he said he’d be disappointed if I didn’t go. I like the guy, so honestly, that would have been enough, but I also figured that if I were really Teagan’s boyfriend, I wouldn’t hesitate.

  So here I am, at the back of Jackson Brews with a handful of strangers. Teagan’s dad joined us for a drink then excused himself—no doubt wanting to spare himself any inappropriate conversation that might include his daughter and future son-in-law. Liam’s dad is here, but he’s content to sit at the bar and grill Jake on the science behind the perfect IPA.

  The good news is that the party seems to be nothing more than hanging at my family’s bar playing poker. The bad news is I managed to find myself seated right next to Rich.

  “Teagan seemed upset at dinner,” Rich says, eyes on his cards. “Is everything okay?”

  I bite back my scowl. “She’s great. Why would you say that?” Or she was great until someone sent her a text that upset her—a text she wouldn’t even talk to me about. She was distant the rest of the evening, claiming she wanted a shower before dinner and then avoiding my gaze all through the meal.

  Did he send the text? Is that why he has that knowing smirk on his face?

  “Oh, I know Teagan, and she definitely was not fine. In fact, she seemed pretty distressed. I would’ve thought you’d . . .” Rich’s jaw drops, and I turn in the direction of his stare as Myla slides into my lap.

  “Hey, you!” She wraps her arms behind my neck and nuzzles my ear. “How are you? God, I’ve missed you this last week. Maybe I wouldn’t have but that conference was a drag, and I miss our dirty texts, and I’ve been dying to talk to you and here you are. What do you say we get out of here?”

  “Myla.” I push her away gently. “You’re drunk.”

  “Does it matter?” She giggles. Rich is watching everything. She wiggles in my lap, and I scoot my chair back to stand, forcing her to her feet too.

  “We aren’t doing this anymore, remember?” I say softly.

  Myla’s lips curve into a pout, and I can see the moment the memory registers in her drunken brain. Her eyes fill with
tears. “You didn’t really explain. I know this wasn’t supposed to be serious, but it always felt like more than just fun to me.”

  Now the whole damn table is watching us. Rich looks cocky as hell, and Liam’s brow crinkles as his gaze bounces between me and Myla.

  “Can we go outside and talk?” I ask softly.

  Myla nods, her chin wobbling, and I lead her outside.

  The night is cool but still warm enough that downtown is bustling with people enjoying the last weeks of balmy weather before winter comes. “Come back here,” I say, nodding down the alley. We’ll talk in the back where there are fewer eyes.

  “I’m such an idiot,” she says, sniffing beside me. “God, it’s no wonder you don’t want to really be with me if I get drunk and forget important things, like Hey, that asshole dumped you.”

  I tilt my face to the sky and make myself process her words.

  Asshole.

  Dumped.

  Myla knew the score. She knew I was seeing other people. Knew I didn’t want anything serious. But it doesn’t matter, and I should’ve known this would happen.

  “I’m sorry, Carter.” She sniffs and wipes away her tears. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”

  “Myla . . .” I squeeze her shoulder, and she leans into me, placing her head on my chest. “I’m the one who owes you an apology. I should’ve waited until you got back into town to tell you about Teagan and me. I handled it badly, and I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t understand why she gets more and I’m only good for . . .” She sniffs then straightens, wiping her cheeks. “Damn it, I’m so pathetic.”

  “You’re not. And I am sorry.”

  “I really didn’t mean to fall for you.” She lifts her chin as if she’s grappling to find her pride. “We’re friends, and we were never supposed to be more. You never led me to believe otherwise. But I . . . wanted to.”

  “I’m really sorry.” I could repeat myself a hundred times, but the words aren’t enough. I never meant to hurt her, but saying so now makes me sound like a massive cliché. Like I’m just an ass who’s delivering lines to get himself out of trouble.