by Becca Dale
Shit! She hadn’t meant to voice that thought aloud. She looked away. Every eye in the place seemed fixed on him. Did he have to be so noisy about everything? “There’s nothing wrong with it.” She dropped her voice in hopes he would follow suit until she could change the subject or bow out gracefully. “I mean if he is—”
“No, there isn’t, except he’s not.” He leaned closer, but his voice continued to carry. “My cousin has taught me more than one thing about women.”
“Well…” She let her voice drift off, hoping he would fill in the blanks. Gay men often liked and even understood women, didn’t they? They just didn’t sleep with them. Then again, Con had never seemed anything except a heterosexual man around her.
Al downed his drink and held up the empty glass for another, smiling when the bartender hurried to get him a refill. “Trust me on this. The man loves women, and I can’t say I’ve ever heard any complaints about how he does it either.” In an unexpected move, he jumped to his feet on the bar top, drawing even more attention as he towered above everyone else.
The bartender glared. “Hey, buddy. You can’t be up there.”
The arrogant bastard simply laughed. “Sorry, I need a stage. I’ll be quick.” The female bartender shushed her partner and shoved him farther away. Al grinned and reached down to pull Kate up beside him. “Hey ladies! How many of you know Connor Wallace?”
Women on the opposite side of the room turned to listen. Did the man have no boundaries?
“Shh. Have you lost your mind?” Did he intend to out his own cousin? Oh crap! He meant to prove her statement wrong publicly, though she already knew it was. Connor didn’t pay any more attention to men than he did women. He simply didn’t date. Maybe he didn’t want a relationship, but he had been looking when they first met. He’d asked her out several times then allowed her to shove him firmly into the friends’ category where he stayed nice and safe and controllable.
Alonso hugged her to his side so she couldn’t escape and laughed his obnoxious laugh again. The crowd joined in. Was everyone nuts? Couldn’t they see what a loud-mouthed jerk the man was? “This little lady here thinks my cousin might not like women. Anyone want to enlighten her?”
The mass of humanity moved closer. She searched desperately for Connor. Was he hearing this? Would he think she judged him? Tears burned at the thought of hurting him. She tried to escape Al’s tight embrace, but he did not yield.
“Stop,” she whispered. “Please, don’t.”
“Don’t what? These people have known my cousin most of his life. Not counting all the relatives, he’s probably dated half the women in the room.” He grabbed the glass the bartender held up to him and lifted it in salute. “Here’s to Con. Gentleman that he is.”
A couple women in the back giggled, and a blonde lifted her beer high and called out her own salute. “Here’s to Connor—definitely a man though I wouldn’t call him gentle.”
A few women around the room grinned or nodded.
Kate willed the bar top to open and swallow her. How had she ended up in this situation? Everyone around her appeared to be having a blast, laughing like fucking hyenas at her and Connor’s expense. They apparently didn’t even know her friend; he couldn’t be less than tender if he tried. She wanted to throw up. Instead, she stomped her heel down on Al’s instep and twisted away from his tight embrace.
“Ow!” He let her go and grabbed for his foot. “What the hell was that for?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She risked stepping close to him again so others wouldn’t hear her. “Maybe because you’re a braying ass?”
She spun to storm off, but Al caught her arm and pulled her back against his chest. “Wait a minute. Don’t go off in a huff. It was all in fun, baby girl.” His breath whispered across her neck, something that ordinarily gave her goose bumps. Anger blocked any sensation beyond the heat of resentment.
“I suggest you move your hands or I’ll remove them for you.” Holding her spine rigid, she waited until he released her then walked toward the end of the bar as far away from him as she could get. Before she jumped down and fell flat on her face like she expected to, she turned and tossed him a glare. “Connor’s worth three of you.”
Alonso grinned and lifted his glass. “Glad to hear you realize it, Ms. Kate.”
The crowd laughed again, but their attention shifted back to Alonso as he jumped to the floor and moved on to another topic to hold his audience enraptured.
“Pompous dick.”
Chapter Three
Connor wove through the crowd to the end of the bar where Kate stood fuming, unsure if he should be pleased she found his cousin insufferable or irritated she’d made him the butt of Al’s jokes. She stomped her foot and called out a last insult to his cousin.
A grin tugged at his annoyance. It was hard to get angry when the whole situation had worked out pretty much as he had planned. Okay, maybe not the gay part, but at least he’d proven she didn’t really want a man who needed to be the center of attention. Two requirements down, one to go.
“Turn around and let me help you before you fall on your gorgeous ass, Katelyn.”
She spun and lost her balance, tumbling into his arms. When he caught her, she blushed rosy pink, and his body strained toward her lush curves.
“Connor…I’m sorry. I never dreamed he would say such a thing.” Tears welled in her pretty blue eyes, and her lower lip trembled despite her efforts to hold back her emotions.
“Do you really think I’m gay?”
Without much hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck, her face snuggled against his shoulder. “No. Of course not.”
Shit! How the hell was a man to carry on an intelligent conversation with a woman like Kate, all soft and warm, in his arms? Holding her close, he strode from the barn’s makeshift reception area and down a dark hallway. Her feminine scent enticed him to bury his face in her hair and breathe her seductive perfume deep into his lungs. Desire flared higher. Fortunately, he found an open office. He slipped inside and kicked the door closed, then set Kate on her feet and stepped back. “Now that we have less of an audience, would you care to explain yourself?”
Her big eyes flashed to his then around the room. Was she looking for a way to change the subject? “Should we be in here?”
Yep, definitely searching for a topic change. With a grin, he maneuvered her into the corner. Her gown clung in all the right places, and his cock threatened to split the zipper on his tux. “Why’d you tell Al I don’t like women?”
“I didn’t—” When he lifted an eyebrow at her, her cheeks darkened further. “I-I mean…I did, but it was a random thought. I don’t really believe that. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“Well, you don’t date. I mean I’ve never seen you with a woman.”
“Have you seen me with a man?”
“No, but….”
God, she was so damned cute all flustered and embarrassed. Catching her chin in his hand, he held her steady and claimed her mouth. Delicate fingers closed over his jacket lapels, clinging to him. Appreciating her uncharacteristically feminine response, he took what he’d fantasized about for far too long. She tasted of sweetened almonds, and her tongue tangled passionately with his. With a groan, he wrapped an arm around her tiny waist and lifted her, deepening the kiss, claiming what should have been his years before.
Her tongue parried thrust for thrust, and his libido shifted into hyper drive. A soft moan slid from her mouth to his, and his balls drew up. Three years of self-inflicted semi-celibacy threatened to destroy his control, but she didn’t want him. She wanted some ideal image of what a man should be instead of the too short, too nice, too stable buddy she saw him as. No other woman had ever frustrated him to the extent his Kate did, and he was sick of being frustrated.
He invaded her personal space, boosting her higher until her feet dangled, his chest against her breasts, his aching cock pressed to the exquisite heat between her thighs. Her slender arms circled his
neck, and her breath came in little puffs as she yielded to his kiss. Bracing her with the weight of his body, he worked her skirt upward until she could wrap her legs around his hips. Hands free to wander over her lush softness, he cupped her breasts and used his thumbs to stroke her nipples to budded peaks. The ready response made him hungry to strip her naked and taste the delicate flavor of her skin.
Kate whimpered and squirmed against him, her mound rubbing up and down on his cock, threatening his ability to think beyond his need to make love to her. He explored her hot mouth, then groaned and broke the kiss to nibble his way down her throat to the tantalizing curves rounding above her dress. Dipping his tongue below the red material, he wormed inside her lace bra to flick her nipple, circling the puckered bud.
“Connor!” His name rode a gasp from her lips, feeding desire, but it also reminded him she didn’t want anything he could offer.
Stepping back, he allowed her to slide to her feet. He kept a hand on her waist to steady her until she found her balance. Her sexy scent filled him. Her lips moist and swollen from his kiss, cheeks flushed with heat, breasts rising and falling with agitated breaths. Even with her sophisticated dress bunched around her hips, she looked the part of an innocent nymph. Once certain she wouldn’t fall over, he released her completely.
She fumbled to right her dress, her hands trembling a bit, lip caught between her teeth. Kate’s vulnerability, something she usually fought so hard to hide, stripped him to raw need. His hands shook. If he shoved her against the wall and claimed her, repeatedly, until she could do nothing but quiver and cry his name, would she admit she wanted him, Connor Wallace, and not some ridiculous fantasy of what a man should be?
He moved farther away. He’d never forced himself on a woman in his life and had no intention of starting with the only one who could shatter his heart. Glossy red-tipped fingers caught his attention as her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides, and his cock jumped. What would those neatly trimmed nails look like sliding between her lower lips or circling his aching cock?
She studied him as though he’d grown an extra head—which apparently he had, or at least one had gotten bigger. If he didn’t leave immediately, he’d say or do something he’d regret. He didn’t care to look the fool. He started to walk away, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Shouldn’t we talk about this?”
“About what exactly?”
“That.” A blush painted her cheekbones. “That kiss.”
He shook his head. “Depends. Are you interested in more or do you intend to remind me of your ridiculous rules?”
Her back stiffened, and he could almost hear her defenses snap into place. “Friendship between a man and a woman requires boundaries. You know the truth as well as I do. I think—”
“Shut up, Kate.” How could she look so damned hot and be so naive? She’d happily regaled him more than once about her sex life. She was no more an innocent than he. Crossing the narrow distance between them, he traced the tempting curve of her throat. “Right at this moment, I don’t give a flying fuck what you think. Unless you want me to shove your pretty ass against the wall and rip that very expensive dress from your hot little body, you’ll zip your lips while I walk away.”
He spun on his heel and stormed from the office, hungry for far more than she was ready to give. Damned woman!
Kate watched Connor leave though her heart screamed to run after him. Next to Savannah, he was her best friend. He made her laugh, dominated her thoughts when they were apart, and helped her out in a hundred manly ways. Make that your only friend besides Savannah, and she has other priorities now. Friendship had never come easily, and she wouldn’t lose it for a romp in his bed, no matter how much she might enjoy the experience. A shiver raced up her spine, and she rubbed her arms while pretending the goose bumps were from a draft.
Enjoy would be an understatement. If she ever allowed Connor into her bed, she’d never survive after he left.
She might as well go home. With the bride and groom gone and Connor angry with her, there would be no point in staying. She slipped out a side door and started for the car when she remembered Connor had her keys. She’d have to find him before she could go. A noise to her left caught her attention.
A step or two off the path, beneath a twisted old elm, a couple danced in the moonlight. The man’s broad shoulders nearly dwarfed the curvaceous woman in his embrace, and a tender sexuality floated around them. When they shifted slightly toward her, she recognized them—Gavin’s sister and her husband. Savannah had shared the tale of how the couple had met and fallen in love almost at first sight. What would it be like to be so certain? To know you were treasured? Protected and cared for like the massive man so obviously cared for his lovely wife?
When a wide palm slipped downward, Kate turned away, desperate to escape rather than get caught staring like a peeping Tom. Her feet crunched on the gravel path.
“Are you looking for someone, Kate?” The giant spoke behind her.
Oh God, had he seen her watching? “No—” Her voice squeaked. She swallowed and tried again. “No, I was just leaving.”
“Do you have to go? We were about to look for you.”
“Me? Why me?”
“We heard you might be up for some fun. My wife and I would love it if you’d join us.” He pulled his pretty dance partner closer with a wink. “We have a cabin down by the water tonight, king size bed, fireplace, and enough privacy to guarantee no one will hear a thing.”
The other woman kept her gaze down, but a blush tinted her cheeks even in the dim lighting. Had they just asked her to join them sexually? What the hell is wrong with everyone tonight?
She shrugged and stepped back, desperate to escape. “I was looking for a friend to say good-bye and then I have to go. Early day tomorrow and all. You know how it is.” Another step away, and she turned only to run smack into a solid chest. The scent of citrus and a faint masculine spice surrounded her. Oh, thank God! She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him. “Connor. I thought you’d already gone.”
He squeezed her tight a second before backing her up. “Is everything all right? You seem spooked.”
“Of course. I mean what would be wrong? You startled me is all.”
“You’re sure?”
She glanced toward the other couple, and the giant held a finger to his lips with a grin and a wink. Unbelievable. “I’m fine. Show me the lake.” She grabbed Connor’s hand and tugged him down the path.
A rich masculine laugh followed them. “Look us up if you change your mind, Kate. We have plenty of room.”
Connor smothered a chuckle, but Kate picked up speed. He owed Darcy and her husband a steak dinner or two. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. The whole world’s slipped into bat-shit crazy mode, but otherwise, everything’s peachy.” Her dress wasn’t made for running, but she stretched the fabric to its limit with her stride.
Steering her toward the water, he steadied her when she tripped in the poor lighting, then helped her down a couple steps to the dock. “Come on. What happened?”
She moved ahead of him to lean on the railing and stare into the night. “Your relatives keep hitting on me tonight.”
“Are you sure you’re not imagining things? I can’t see Marc looking at anyone besides my cousin.”
“Yeah, well, they seem all normal and everything, but they invited me to their cabin with its big bed and privacy. What does that tell you?”
He shrugged, pretending the idea of her stretched out on a bed where no one would hear her cry out in pleasure didn’t amp him up. “They probably worried you’d had too much to drink and didn’t want you to drive. But what would it matter anyway? I thought you wanted a spicy sex life. Weren’t you the one who told me vanilla wouldn’t do?”
“Yeah, well, a ménage with Beauty and her mammoth Beast wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
Good, because I’m done sharing you. His cock sprang back to attention. “Care to
elaborate on what you do want?”
“No.” She turned and rested her pretty ass against the top rail. “I want to forget tonight ever happened.”
“Why?” He placed a hand on either side of her hips and leaned in. The rapid puffs of her breath gave away her agitated state. His adorable, sassy Katelyn flustered by the mere idea of kink. Why did she try so hard to pretend when everyone could see how vulnerable she was, how fragile despite her tough veneer? “It’s been fairly interesting so far. We danced, you tried to out me to friends and family, we kissed, and you actually had your tongue down my throat. Now, you tell me you’re contemplating a three-way with my cousin. It doesn’t get much more interesting, does it?”
“I didn’t even contemplate a ménage!” Kate glared. “And my tongue has been in my head all night.”
Unable to resist, he brushed a kiss over her lips. “Denial won’t alter the fact you want me, Katelyn.”
“I do not. I won’t screw up what we have for maybes.”
“Is that it, darling? You want guarantees?” The curse ensured he would want her all his life, and he had no intention of even attempting to leave her unless she shoved him off. He didn’t share that part though; her stiff body language screamed she wasn’t ready to listen. “I’ll keep all the promises you need if you’ll just take a tiny leap of faith in my direction.”
“Stop it, Connor.” Irritation tainted her voice, but beneath it, longing softened her words. Perhaps it was nothing more than his imagination. He wanted her too much, had needed her for too long to take her protests at face value any longer.
He pulled her against him. The night air teased gooseflesh over her bare arms, and her nipples puckered under the fabric of her dress, reminding him how delicate she was despite her never-ending bravado. He released her long enough to shrug out of his jacket and wrap it over her shoulders. “Shall we go inside where it’s warmer?”
She shook her head, refusing to look at him.
“What are you afraid of? I won’t bite unless you beg me nicely.”
That brought her lashes up. Her hands fisted on her hips, so adorable even in her displeasure. “I said stop it.”