Seducing Bran
Cade Brothers
Jules Barnard
Contents
Books by Jules Barnard
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Epilogue
REFORMING HUNT
Also by Jules Barnard
About the Author
SEDUCING BRAN
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Copyright © Jules Barnard 2018
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form is forbidden without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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Cover design by Gel at Tempting Illustrations
Cover Photograph © ReginaWamba.com
Digital ISBN: 978-1-942230-86-1
Print ISBN: 978-1-942230-70-0
Books by Jules Barnard
Men of Lake Tahoe Series
Off Limits (Book 1)
Mountain Man (Book 2)
Rebound Roommate (Book 3)
Hookup Master (Book 4)
Cocky Prince (Book 5)
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Cade Brothers Series
Tempting Levi (Book 1)
Daring Wes (Book 2)
Seducing Bran (Book 3)
Reforming Hunt (Book 4)
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Prologue
Looking down at the Persian rug that ran the length of the hallway to Club Tahoe’s ballroom, Bran Cade shook his head at the turn life had taken. No way could he have predicted that he and his brothers would still be running Club Tahoe after their father had passed. Yet here they were, celebrating the first anniversary of taking over the esteemed resort they’d inherited—and had never wanted.
Deep in thought, Bran didn’t notice someone coming from the opposite direction. Not until he nearly ran into the woman he’d been avoiding for months.
Ireland’s arms went up dramatically as though to catch herself. “Oh, Bran… I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Unless she’d been looking down too, no one was that blind.
She wore a long navy gown that accented her porcelain skin. Against his will, Bran’s gaze dipped. Ireland’s red hair fell in waves across her forehead and neck and grazed the edges of her breasts. Breasts that must have filled a push-up bra to maximum capacity, and currently threatened to fall out of her dress.
Bran’s brothers liked to call him a monk, but he was a man—he looked. He also knew fake boobs when he saw them.
Ireland was the type of woman Bran had avoided for over ten years. Fast, seductive…beautiful. He had a weakness when it came to sexy, beautiful women.
“No problem.” Bran moved to walk past Ireland, and her hand fell lightly on his arm.
She’d been sending him looks ever since they’d met, and he wanted none of it. Bran pulled his arm away.
“Have I done something to offend you?” She sounded hurt.
Sure he’d hurt her—her pride, that was. No way a woman as attractive as Ireland had suffered a day in her life. She’d take his rejection and move on to the next guy.
“No.” He strode away, but not before he caught genuine pain in her eyes.
So maybe some of the emotion had been real. It didn’t matter.
Bran entered the celebration at the end of the hallway, glancing around distractedly. Whether he’d hurt Ireland or not, brushing her off wasn’t easy. His brothers thought he didn’t date. They were wrong. He liked women as much as his hound-dog brothers; he simply chose different women. He didn’t date the ladies who came on to him at bars. And he didn’t date flashy, beautiful women. The end.
Women as beautiful as Ireland were trouble, because deep down Bran was still weak where they were concerned. Which was why he did everything in his power to avoid them and live by the rules he’d set. No fast women. And always use condoms. That was, if he trusted a woman enough to get laid.
Bran squeezed his forehead and tried to shake off the encounter in the hallway.
Inside, the party was in full effect, with Bran’s buddy Jaeg standing near the door, along with his fiancée Cali.
Jaeg stepped forward and shook Bran’s hand. “Way to go, man. I figured you guys would have thrown in the towel six months ago and hired a management company.”
“You and everyone else,” Bran said, plastering on a smile. “We’ll see how the next year goes.” He leaned over and gave Cali a hug.
She returned the greeting, but her gaze scanned past his shoulder. “Have you seen my cousin?”
Bran’s eye twitched. Ireland was Cali’s cousin. “We ran into each other in the hallway. Bumped into each other, actually.”
Jaeg chuckled. “Ireland’s vision isn’t the—”
Cali elbowed Jaeg in the ribs, and he flinched.
Goddamn funny to see these two together. Jaeg was the tallest of Bran’s friends, at six foot six, and his fiancée was short. Or maybe she was average height, but she looked short next to Jaeg. Yet Jaeg was a pile of dough in her hands.
Jaeg sent Cali a look, and she returned it. “Ireland is a little clumsy, that’s all,” Cali said. “She’s still relatively new in town and I want to make sure she’s having a nice time. She seemed off when she left for the restroom.”
Bran glanced at the crowd. “Ireland appears social. I can’t imagine her having a hard time making friends.” Understatement. That woman knew what she was doing, running into Bran in the hallway like that. And shooting him interested glances every chance she got.
Yeah, she was one to avoid.
“Oh, good,” Cali said brightly. “I’m schooling her.”
Bran’s gaze shot to the pretty strawberry blonde. “Schooling her?” Cali wasn’t as statuesque as Ireland, but Bran noted the family resemblance. Red hair must run strong in their family. Even Cali’s brother Tyler had a reddish-brown version. Though Ireland was the only true red.
Jaeg groaned. “Cali thinks Ireland needs more excitement in her life.”
“Well, she does.” Cali said.
“Babe, do you remember the last time you helped a friend meet men?”
Bran hid a smile. He’d heard something about that one. Cali had originally tried to set up Jaeg with her best friend Gen.
Instead Cali had ended up falling in love with Jaeg. Cali’s romance radar wasn’t the sharpest.
Cali waved Jaeg off. “This is totally different. Ireland is shy, and she’s been working nonstop to pay off her school loans. She hasn’t had the opportunity to meet people. No good people, anyway, and that’s what we’re working on.”
Bran caught the eye of the waitress he’d been casually talking to for weeks. A light smile flittered across her face. She quickly glanced away.
Now that was a shy woman. And just his type. He didn’t need or want aggressive women in his life. “Will you excuse me? I see someone I want to say hello to.”
“Catch you later,” Jaeg said, as Cali continued to talk about Ireland.
Bran tuned out the conversation and made his way across the room. He didn’t want to hear about the “clumsy” redhead. The waitress he’d been talking to for weeks was pretty and sweet. Simple. Of course, Bran hadn’t made a move yet. Hadn’t mustered up the energy to ask her out. Which was how he knew he was safe.
Bran’s mind didn’t cloud over when he saw the waitress, and his libido was never in control when they talked.
His desires would never rule over him again.
Chapter 1
Thanks to a hard nudge from her cousin Cali, Ireland nearly slipped off the wooden stool of the pizza joint.
Cali lifted her chin toward a table across the way. “Check out who’s here.”
Ireland grabbed glasses from her purse and slipped them on.
And promptly pulled them off, shoving them back in her bag. She continued to peel the edges of her napkin. “I’ve met the Cade brothers a half dozen times. I know who they are.”
Cali blinked at Ireland’s purse. “But you didn’t see them, did you? When I said you should try going without your glasses, I thought you’d wear contacts. You’re going to get yourself killed without them.”
“My new contacts irritate my eyes. And it’s not like I drive without my glasses.”
Cali didn’t look convinced. “You ever think about surgery?”
Ireland frowned. “Do you want someone cutting into your eyeball?”
Cali scrunched her nose.
“Exactly,” Ireland said. “When I muster the nerve to have my eyes lasered, I’ll let you know. Besides, I can’t afford it right now.”
“Well, in the meantime, at least put your darn glasses back on, because two single Cades are in the house, and they’re hot. I think you should go for one of them.”
Ireland rolled her nearsighted eyes. She didn’t need to see clearly. She was well aware of the strapping Cade brothers. “I appreciate you wanting to help me find dates while I’m in Lake Tahoe, because you found Jaeg in this town, and he’s, well, Jaeger, but I don’t have the same luck you do. Besides, I want a relationship to happen naturally. Like things did for you and Jaeg.”
A look crossed Cali’s eyes. “I wouldn’t say things began smoothly with Jaeg, but we figured things out. And yes, my lover is incredible.” She waggled her eyebrows.
Ireland pinched the bridge of her nose. “Too much information, Cali.”
Cali nudged Ireland in the shoulder again. “Speaking of my hot fiancé, he’s friends with the Cades. They’re good guys; you should give one of them a chance. Your let-it-happen-naturally approach sucks. You haven’t gone on a date since you arrived.”
Ireland frowned. “I’ve spent the last half a dozen years around socially inept men while working my tail off. Dating someone isn’t a top priority. Not that I don’t find men attractive from time to time.” Including one Cade brother, who Ireland wasn’t going to mention. It would only rile up Cali.
“Which is why it’s time you get out and date normal guys. Weren’t all the men you worked with techy nerds with no social skills?”
“Not all of them. And if they’re nerds, so am I.”
“You need your nerd card revoked. You’re not even using one of those apps to chat with single men online.”
“So I can go on a date with a stranger who turns out to be a sociopath?”
Cali leaned back. “Damn. You really got burned at that shitty company.”
“What does that have to do with my dating life?”
“Because the guys you worked with were jerks, from the little you’ve shared. I think they scarred you.”
No argument there.
“I want you to forget about that place. It wasn’t normal. You’re in Lake Tahoe now, and things are different here. You can either put yourself out there—like making a move with one of those hot Cade brothers—or you can use a dating app. Whichever works.” Cali grinned. “Because we both know that being cooped up with IT nerds hasn’t helped your dating life.”
“I work at one of the swankiest casino hotels in Lake Tahoe. Some of the guys there are really nice.”
“You told me all the good ones are married.”
Shouldn’t have mentioned that.
“Now, the Cade brothers, on the other hand…” Cali glanced across the room. “That’s prime Lake Tahoe man real estate.”
“Did you just call them man real estate?”
“Your point? They’re hot.”
The Cades were attractive. One in particular. And he had zero interest in Ireland. “They’re not interested in me.”
Cali hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. “Jesus, Ireland. Have you looked in the mirror?”
“I have, actually. Glasses, pale skin, bright hair.” Ireland looked up as though considering. “A little wide in the hip region.”
Cali shook her head. “That’s called curves, and be glad you have them. Some women aren’t so lucky.”
“Physical attractiveness is subjective,” Ireland said. “I personally think I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.”
“Obviously we’re related, because you’re stubborn. Ireland, you’re smart and beautiful. Have you even considered letting a guy in now that you’re away from the Silicon Valley bullshit?”
Ireland thought back to the Club Tahoe anniversary party she’d attended with Cali and Jaeg. And her attempt at talking to Bran. “Yes. And if you’re still on the subject of the Cades, it’s a no. At least on their end.”
Cali’s eyes narrowed. “So you do like them. Which one? A couple have dropped off due to girlfriends and wives and whatnot, but the other two? Like the ones sitting a dozen feet away?”
“Bran’s not interested. He glares at me.”
Cali pursed her lips. “From what I can tell, Bran doesn’t seem much into dating. Which is a damn shame, because he’s delicious. What about Hunt?”
“The player?”
“Player, schmayer—who cares? He’s gorgeous, and he’d be fun. There’s no reason to get more involved than that. You need a warm-up after six years of IT employment prison, and Hunt’s just the guy to heat the coals.”
Ireland stared. “Is that some reference to my ovaries?”
Cali’s lips parted in a silent what. “Think of it as a practice date. How long has it been since you’ve gone out?”
A year? Two? “A while.”
“And therein lies my point. You need to date so you’re comfortable when the right guy comes along and sweeps you off your feet. You can be a little…”
Ireland sighed. “Just say it. I’m awkward.”
“Only when you’re nervous,” Cali said quickly.
“Which is all the time when I’m around people I don’t know.”
Cali’s lips twisted to the side. “It takes practice. Not everyone’s comfortable around strangers.”
Or attractive men, Ireland thought.
“If you go on a few no-pressure dates, it’ll help ease those nerves.”
Sadly, Cali was talking sense. “Fine. I see your point.”
She grinned. But this time, it wasn’t directed at Ireland.
Ireland slipped on her glasses and stared in the direction of Cali’s gaze.
Jaeg had entered the restaurant, and he was making his way over.
Ireland tucked her glasses back. “Your lover is here.”
A purr emanated from Cali’s chest, because clearly Cali’s senses had already tuned into his presence. Her pheromones must have been triggered the moment Jaeg entered the room.
These two. Good thing the guest bedroom of Cali and Jaeg’s place was on the other side of the house. Ireland wore earplugs at night so she didn’t accidentally overhear something she didn’t want to.
Jaeg made his way to their table and bent and kissed Cali on the lips. “Good evening, ladies. How’s everything?” He took a seat next to Cali and draped his large arm across the back of her chair. All the while, Cali grinned at Jaeg like she hadn’t seen him in weeks instead of just this morning.
Cali saw her fiancé more often than most couples, with Jaeg working from home in the woodshop on his property. You’d think the ardor would have worn off by now, but no, they were still setting off fire alarms with merely a look.
Which sounded kind of nice.
Ireland wasn’t jealous. Not one bit.
Okay, she envied the hell out of them.
Ireland had never dated anyone she had that kind of chemistry with. She was happy for Cali, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t want something similar. Which was why she was seriously considering dating this Hunt guy, even if he was a player. And even if it was his brother Bran who drew her attention. Cali was right—Ireland needed to warm up in the dating department, and Bran wasn’t into her.
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