She had to know. Had to realize. There was no way last night was happening again. Ever.
He ignored the vat of lava spitting in his belly and focused on…whatever her name was. Holli. She was talking. About something.
If he had known, hell if he’d had so much as a hint of clue she was Cody’s sister, there was no way in hell, no way he would have— Heat crept up his neck as he remembered what he had done. What they had done.
Shit.
Cody would kill him.
He had to make sure she didn’t say anything. He had to make sure she realized this could never happen again. He had to make her understand. Guys had a code. Oh, sure, it was an unwritten code, but it was a code all the same. Guys didn’t fuck their buddy’s sisters. Guys certainly didn’t tie them to a bed and smack their bottoms and sink into their bodies all soft and sweet and ready—
Shit. He was hard again.
No. No. No. He had to wrangle some kind of control. And he needed to talk to her. To tell her the score. She needed to understand the deal.
He waited until he caught her eye and then notched his head meaningfully toward the door. Wide-eyed, she sent him a moue, making it clear she might, or might not, accede to his unspoken command. He narrowed his eyes and growled a little in his throat. She fluttered her lashes in response. And damn, that sexy, sultry smile on her lips made him want to—
“Dane? Are you all right?” Angie touched his arm in concern.
Quickly, he corralled his wayward thoughts as mortification flooded him. “Beg your pardon, ma’am?”
“You just…” She glanced at Cody. “He just made a noise.”
Dane pinched the bridge of his nose. Holy God. He had. He’d growled. At the breakfast table.
“He’s been having headaches,” Cody explained. “Dane? Dane? Do you have a headache?”
It seemed like a good idea to agree.
It seemed like a good idea to escape.
He glared at Tina.
It seemed like a good idea if she followed him.
Chapter Five
Holy Hanna, he was grumpy this morning. One would think after last night he’d be in a better mood. She was certainly in a good mood. Her body still hummed with pleasure.
She would have stayed, would have loved to taste him again, but she’d left and left for one reason only.
When she woke up, just before dawn, and visited the facilities and glanced at her face in the mirror…it had frightened her. The makeup that had made her so alluring last night resembled something from a bad horror flick the morning after. One eyelash slightly skewed, lipstick smeared in a bloody path across her cheek, and her sultry smoky eyes had morphed into a look a raccoon would be proud of.
So she’d collected her things and snuck out.
She knew he wasn’t going anywhere. At least not for the next couple days. She knew she’d see him again.
It had been priceless witnessing the shock on his face when he noticed her at the table chatting casually with Angie. It had been even more amusing when he finally realized who she was. A snarl of vindication had whipped through her.
But then he’d turned his attention to Holli. That had annoyed her. And the sharp jut of his head as he commanded her—commanded her—to meet him outside…that had annoyed her more. So she lingered, sipping her coffee and listening to the conversation flow around her, smiling to herself…
Until his head poked around the corner and he glared at her.
Oh, all right.
She tossed her napkin on the table and nudged Angie. “I’ll be right back. Gonna run to the ladies’ room.” Angie, enraptured by something Cody was saying, nodded blankly and Tina scooted out of her chair.
A trill of excitement lashed her. Surely not because she was going to see him again, in private, face to face? Lip to lip, maybe? Oh, he probably wouldn’t kiss her. Not judging from the look on his face as he’d glared at her across the table. It was silly to even imagine it.
If he did kiss her, it would he an angry kiss. He was definitely angry about something.
Angry she wasn’t really a hooker?
Angry she’d known who he was and hadn’t said anything?
Angry she’d left without saying goodbye?
She tried not to shudder at the thought, but failed. An angry kiss from Dane? What would that taste like?
Exhilaration rose as she left the restaurant and made her way down the ramp, scanning for him. Maybe not a kiss, but perhaps something—
A hard hand grabbed her arm and yanked her behind a potted palm. She looked up, way up, into Dane’s steamy brown eyes. “Oh,” she said, struggling for a blasé tone. “It’s you.”
“Of course it’s me,” he hissed. His face wrinkled up. His brows locked. “Who the hell else would it be yanking you back here?”
She shrugged. “Some pervert? This is Vegas.”
He winced. “I’m not a pervert.”
“Or some studly man aching for the taste of my kiss.” She blinked at him, a flutter of lashes. “It does happen, you know.”
His mouth worked. A muscle bunched in his cheek. “Do you often kiss random men behind a potted palm?”
“Studly men.” She sidled closer, close enough to feel the heat coming off him in waves. Close enough to feel his humming tension. Damn, he smelled good. She walked her fingers up his chest. “Do you want to kiss me?”
He stared at her lips. “Yes. No. I mean, damn it Tina—” He grabbed her hands as she fondled a nipple. “Stop that. We need to talk.”
She stepped closer and nudged his crotch. He flinched. “We are…talking.”
“Quit it.” He set his hands to her hips and forcibly thrust her away. “I need to focus.”
“So…focus.” Holding his tortured gaze, she drew her tongue slowly over her lips.
He stilled. His face went slack. His lips parted. He made a noise in the back of his throat and yanked her into his arms. His mouth covered hers with a suffocating need. The kiss was wild, wanton, swift.
And over far too soon.
Gasping, he pulled back and held her at a distance, harsh fingers pinching into her shoulders.
She shot him a sly smile. Because he wanted her. He still wanted her. And lord almighty in heaven above, she wanted him.
“We can’t do that again,” he croaked. “We can’t ever do that again.”
“What?” Her heart sank. Not the words she’d expected from his lips. “Why?” It had been magnificent.
“Because of Cody.”
Cody? She gaped at him. “Cody has nothing to do with this. With us.”
His mouth curled in a snarl. “There is no us. There can be no us. Don’t you understand?”
“No.” None of this made sense at all.
He scrubbed his face with his palm, which was awesome, because she easily overcame the other arm holding her off and snuggled in again. To her delight, he seemed to soften. At least, he didn’t push her away. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cradled him, nuzzling his neck. His breath caught. His hands dropped, skating over her shoulders, her back and down to her ass. His fingers flexed, as though he couldn’t resist a squeeze.
“Last night was awesome,” she whispered.
His Adam’s apple worked. “Yeah,” he murmured, pressing a kiss on her forehead. She shuddered, because it didn’t feel like a welcoming kiss. It felt like a kiss goodbye. He eased her back and stared into her eyes and said, “It was incredible. But it can’t happen again.” His frown darkened. “And you can’t ever tell Cody. He would fucking kill me.”
“For what?”
“For what?” His laugh held no humor. “For fucking his baby sister, that’s what.”
Annoyance swirled through her. “I’m not his baby sister. I’m a grown woman.” She deliberately nudged his cock again. It was hard. “A woman with needs.” She undulated, just a little.
His eyes crossed. His pupils dilated. “Jesus, Tina…”
“Call me Bambi…” This she cooed into
his ear, just before sucking on his lobe.
He shuddered and released a sigh that sounded a little like a wheeze. “You’re killing me, baby. Killing me.”
“You want it. I know you do. You want to tie me up and spank my bottom, don’t you, Dane?”
He threw his head back as her teeth grazed his neck, nibbled on his chin. She molded his hard pec, scraped a nail over his nipple. Another shudder. “No.”
“No?” She reached between them, found his cock, squeezed gently. “Imagine how I would squirm as you paddled my behind. Imagine how helpless I would be, tied to the bed.” A stroke. A tease. “Imagine how good it would feel sinking into my hot, wet—
“Well, hey there.” A deep voice intruded into their secluded bower. Well, perhaps not so secluded. Someone pushed through the palm fronds in a rustle and practically plowed into them.
Dane flinched and quickly detangled himself from her and then crossed his arms as though, somehow, that could protect him from her wiles. “Oh, hey Billy,” he said, his voice catching on the words.
“What’cha doing?” The newcomer, a Ranger, tall and muscled like all the rest of them, grinned down at her. “And who is this lovely lady?”
She shot him a grin and thrust out her hand, just because she suspected it would annoy Dane. “I’m Tina.”
“Well, hello there, Tina.” Billy took her hand in both of his and made a great show of kissing it. Profusely.
Dane glared. And then he snatched Tina’s hand away. “She’s Cody’s sister,” he growled, warningly.
Billy’s gaze flicked from one to the other. “Cody’s…sister?” His eyes widened.
Dane tipped his head in a curt nod. “Cody’s baby sister.”
“But…” Billy wagged his finger between them. “Weren’t you just, ah, kissing her?”
“Yes,” Tina chirped.
“No!” Dane snapped at the same time. He glared at her.
Billy whistled. “Oh, brother, Cody’s gonna flay you alive.”
Dane bristled, puffing out his chest and leaning in to hiss in Billy’s face, “You can’t say a word. Not a fucking word.”
Tina blew out a sigh. “Why is this such a big deal?”
In tandem they turned to stare at her.
“Seriously?” Billy asked.
Dane scrubbed his face again. It looked like he wanted to scrub it off. “Tina, honey, there’s—”
Another beefy hunk muscled into their little enclave. “Hey you guys. What’s going on? And why are we skulking behind a plant?” His eyes lit on Tina and raked her up and down. He put his lips together and blew a whistle, but no sound came out. He pushed past the other two—no small feat. “Well, hello there, honey.”
“Don’t, Ennis.” Billy said. “Cody’s sister.”
Ennis lurched back as though Billy had just told him she had the clap. “Oh fuck. I mean, hello.” He thrust out a big hand. “Nice to meet you ma’am.”
Tina ignored it. He eventually let it drop. She crossed her arms. “Oh, I get it. This is some kind of guy thing.”
“Guy thing?” Dane looked befuddled.
“Some stupid guy thing. Because Cody’s my brother, all of a sudden I’m off limits?”
“It’s not stupid,” Billy insisted.
“It’s a code.” Ennis thumped his chest with a fist. Tina was surprised he didn’t grunt like a baboon as well.
She angled at glance at Dane, took in his tight features, the white around his lips, the determination in his eyes.
Determination.
To avoid her.
Fuck.
All the thoughts and dreams and fantasies she’d had of having him again evaporated. They were replaced by a scorching anger. And, if she was being honest, pain.
Oh, he’d wanted her last night. And he wanted her still. But he didn’t want her enough. He didn’t want her enough to sweep all reservations—and stupid codes—aside and yank her into his arms and kiss the shit out of her.
She gored him with a glare. “Well,” she said frostily. “I’d better be getting back…to my brother.” She nodded to his two Neanderthal friends, garbling something like, “Nice meeting you,” and then she whirled on her heel and left, pawing her way through the fronds, blinded by the sudden tears in her eyes.
She didn’t know why she was crying.
Certainly not because he didn’t follow her as she fumbled her way through the casino to the bathroom, which for some reason was far away from the restaurant. Too far away. By the time she stumbled in, tears were streaming down her cheeks and her breath came in sobs.
It wasn’t as though a dream had died just then—she wasn’t as melodramatic as all that. But damn it, she’d loved being in his arms last night. Loved being with him. She’d thought the interaction had sealed something between them. She’d thought it had meant something.
Apparently it had not. At least, not for him.
He didn’t share this amazing sense of discovery. He didn’t feel complete with her, the way she did with him.
It was devastating.
Because she felt all those things…and more.
But apparently, while for her last night had been the culmination of every romantic dream she’d held since high school, for him it had been a hot fuck. With a hooker. Who happened to be related to his best friend.
A hooker he would never hire again. Because she was related to his best friend.
Goddamn him and his stupid, idiotic, Neanderthal code.
Her devastation turned to anger, which, frankly, had never been far away.
So he didn’t want her.
So he didn’t feel it the way she did.
She’d show him. She’d show him good.
By the time she was finished with him, Dane Coulter would be the one weeping in the ladies’ room.
Or the men’s room.
Whatever.
She’d show him.
She’d make him pay.
With this vow, she swiped away her tears and tipped up her chin. And then, with a deep breath, she threw back her shoulders and marched into battle.
Chapter Six
It was hard as hell avoiding Tina because she was everywhere—she was as involved with the wedding party and the planning and the preparations as he was. Whenever he saw her, or smelled her, or heard her voice, he’d ache.
Which was awkward, because in addition to Angie’s family and Cody’s teeming clan, Dane’s family had descended on Vegas for the wedding as well. He was surrounded by siblings and buddies and parents. There were hugs and kisses and casual conversations. There were gatherings, and meetings and fittings. And through it all, he was hard.
He knew he needed to thrust Tina from his mind. Forget they’d ever tangled. Forget how she tasted, how she felt, forget the sweet, slick slide of her body on his. But he couldn’t.
It nearly killed him that she flirted with everyone at lunch. Everyone. Smiles and fluttered lashes for all the Rangers on Cody’s team, who seemed besotted with her—although they respectfully kept their distance. But there were other men there too, including Adam, Dane’s older brother, and Ransom, who was younger by three years. Ransom was clearly infatuated with Tina, though far too shy to respond to her lures.
But Adam? Adam didn’t seem to have any compunction about flirting with Cody’s sister. None at all. It made Dane want to puke.
To make things worse, Angie’s sister, Holli had taken a liking to Dane and shadowed him everywhere, popping up at his side incessantly and ogling him and touching him. All this while he stared at Tina, across the room, smiling at Adam. Or Ransom. Or Ennis, or Kaye, or Taylor, or his dad. In the end, he had to escape to his room, where he could mope in peace. He didn’t come out until his father sent him a text asking where he’d gone off to, and inviting him for an afternoon coffee.
And when Colonel Coulter invited you for coffee, you had coffee.
It was then that Dane realized how stupid he was being. He didn’t get to see his family, his parents, near often eno
ugh. He’d be damned if he’d let her steal this opportunity to spend time with them.
So he made his way down the coffee shop tucked behind the escalators. He saw his parents immediately, sitting at a table in the back, holding hands, and something lifted in his soul. He headed their way. His dad rose to meet him with a hug. He bent to kiss his mother’s cheek.
Damn. It was good to see them.
It would be nice to sit. Talk. Catch up. With no pressure.
“How’ve you been son?” Dad asked, scanning him with a watchful eye as Dane took his seat. Mom slid a white cardboard cup across the table with a smile.
“Great.” Dane sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee. Yeah. Just the way he liked it.
“We heard you were hurt.” Mom leaned forward, a martial light in her eye. Okay. Probably a little pressure. “Why did Cody have to tell us?”
“It wasn’t anything Mom—”
“A concussion is nothing? You were in the hospital.”
Dane covered her hand with his. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
She snorted. Very unladylike, but there you have it. When she was younger, she’d been the perfect military wife. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect manners. Raising four boys and a hellion of a daughter had cured her of all that. “If you didn’t want to worry us you would have become a grocer. Or a dentist. Or a doctor like I wanted…”
“Mom.” He chuckled. “I faint at the sight of needles. Some doctor I would have made. Besides. I love my work. It’s…exciting.” He locked gazes with his dad, challenging him to leap into the fray. Dad had been career military. He knew.
But Dad was no help at all. He sighed and scratched his neck. “Doesn’t last forever, son.”
“What?”
“The adventure.” He waved Dane up and down. “The body. God knows, by your age my knees were shot.”
“You shouldn’t have jumped out of so many airplanes,” Mom said, sotto voce.
“It was my job.”
“Still…”
They lapsed into silence. Everyone sipped their coffees.
After a while Mom piped in with, “I can’t believe little Cody Thompson is getting married.” The way she sighed made a sizzle of warning prickle at Dane’s nape. “I remember when he was in diapers.”
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