Colliding With You

by Kelli McCracken

  He chuckled when Allen flipped him off.

  “So what are going to do about Maggie?” Allen surveyed the area around the church. It wasn’t his first time in Jesse’s hometown of Savannah, but Allen had only left city limits to go to his house. They’d never been in this part of town.

  “I don’t know what to do to get Maggie off my case. I need to talk to Josh or Joel. Then again, Joel is the one who got me into this mess.”

  “He didn’t tell you to put your dick in her, man.”

  Jesse grumbled under his breath as he stared at the doors of the church. He knew Allen was right. Joel had nothing to do with his sex life. He was just the one who insisted that Jesse talk to Maggie. Joel had good intentions, but he needed to stick to his day job. He was a kick-ass agent. When it came to matchmaking, he was horrible.

  “If I had an answer for your question, I wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  “You know what Theo would suggest, right?” Allen waited until Jess shrugged before he continued. “You need to find a new flavor of the month.”

  “I don’t need to get involved with another woman when the last one is still calling me off the hook. No woman in the world would want to be involved with me under those circumstances, especially when I’m not ready to commit.”

  Allen scoffed at his response. “You’d be surprised what some women would deal with. Maybe you need to dip your toe back in the waters of your home state and leave those Cajun girls alone.”

  “You ain’t lying,” Jesse snorted. He’d definitely had no luck with women while he was living in Louisiana, not that he was searching for a special someone. He made sure women knew that upfront, but it didn’t stop them from getting pissy when he ended things.

  Still, Maggie was the only one who wouldn’t let go. How was he to know that the blonde beauty from Beverly Hills was originally from the Deep South—or batshit crazy for that matter?

  Leaning away from the brick wall, Allen slipped his cigarette pack into his jeans and strode closer. “I know you don’t want to think about getting involved with someone else, but another girl on your arm may be the only thing that gets through to Maggie. What do you have to lose?”

  Jesse pointed to his temple. “Nothing but my sanity.”

  Before Allen could comment, screeching tires drew their attention to the little red sports car turning into the parking lot. The engine revved a couple times before it shut off. The bass coming from the radio made the windows shake. They steadied when the volume lowered.

  The moonless night made it difficult to see who was getting out of the car, but the nearby streetlight was enough for Jesse to notice two feminine figures shutting the door. He heard their giggles too.

  “Who in the hell is that?” He muttered the question more to himself than to Allen.

  “I’m not sure, dude. Maybe it’s your future girlfriend.”

  Jesse slanted his eyes and gave his friend a menacing look. “Cute, man. You’re a fucking comedian tonight.”

  Allen didn’t respond. He was too busy laughing. His gaze flashed back to the approaching women, and he attempted to regain his composure. Something must have worked because it wasn’t long before he grew silent. His mouth opened like he was about to say something. The only thing that came out was a grunt.

  When Jesse joined him in looking, he understood why his friend was speechless. Two of the most beautiful women were walking their way. And the craziest part was the fact that he knew one of them.

  Cori Clarke.

  “I’ll be damned.” He mumbled the words while staring in disbelief. No wonder he hadn’t recognized her back in the summer when their band performed at Midnight Blues, or even later when she invited them to party at a different club. If not for Theo explaining what had happened, he still wouldn’t believe it was the same person.

  His baby sister’s longtime friend looked and acted nothing like he remembered. For all he knew, the girl standing next to her was someone he should recognize as well. He’d find out eventually, but for now, he wanted to enjoy the moment.

  Cori was approaching him. The young, innocent girl he once knew had grown up, and she was just as gorgeous as her big sister. Scratch that thought. She was way hotter. He’d never thought about Cassie as more than a friend.

  And Cassie never made his dick twitch the way Cori did.

  Chapter 2

  Cori’s curiosity grew the moment she spotted the two men standing at the corner of the church. She didn’t recognize them from a distance, but if her instincts served her right, she knew who it was. Jesse and Allen.

  Mariah spoke in the same soft voice she had during the drive there, though Cori hadn’t the slightest clue what she was saying. The moment she shut the car door and neared the edge of the parking lot, a train wreck wouldn’t have diverted her attention. Both guys wore long-sleeved button-up shirts that rolled up high enough to show some of their ink.

  Damn, she loved a guy with tats.

  She couldn’t make out what theirs were, but it didn’t matter. It was sexy. So was the way their jeans hugged their asses.

  Heat rose in her cheeks. She’d never admired Jesse’s physical qualities until her freshman year, and even then, it was nothing like she was at the moment. The definition of his muscles, the pout of his lips, the way his eyes roamed over her, it was new. She wasn’t the same shy teenaged girl. Hopefully, he wasn’t the same annoying older brother she remembered from her youth.

  He sure as hell didn’t look the same. Though he still towered over her at six feet, he’d definitely bulked up. He wasn’t that tiny to begin with. Now his biceps were thicker than her thighs. He sported a short stubble beard that outlined his jaw and lips. And that hair . . . The short sides and longer top of brunette strands brought out his gray-blue eyes.

  “Cori Clarke.” Amusement played in his voice as much as his gaze. “I’d say it’s been a long time, but in reality, it’s been a few months.”

  “Touché.” The innocent tone of her voice gained her a grin. He’d called her out for hiding her identity from him and Theo that night at the club. She knew he would, but at least he was humorous about it.

  “Damn, girl.” His husky voice caused her breath to catch, especially when he took in every inch of her body. “You look amazing.”

  “Thanks.” She winked as she smoothed her hand over her skirt. “So, how pissed is my sister?”

  Confusion washed over Jesse’s face. “I wasn’t aware she was upset.”

  “Oh really? Then how long have you been out here?”

  Shrugging, he glanced at his watch. “I don’t know. Ten minutes, I guess. Why?”

  “Because I’m late. Ten minutes is long enough for my sister to lose her shit. Those damn hormones have her acting crazy some days.”

  He chuckled. “Relax, doll. Your sister and Theo aren’t even here yet. He texted me about fifteen minutes ago to say they were running late. They got stuck in traffic downtown. They’ll be here any minute.”

  “Wonder why Cass didn’t text me anything.”

  Mariah stepped next to her as she quipped, “Probably because she knew you’d be late.”

  Cori narrowed her eyes at her friend. She noted the smirk on Mariah’s face before she pressed her lips together and glanced away. Cori knew she had a point, but it didn’t make her less irritated with her sister. At least Cassie would never know she was late now.

  Unless Jesse or Allen mentioned it.

  “I’m glad to hear I made it before her. Would you mind keeping my late arrival between us? The last thing I want is for my sister to transform into Bridezilla.”

  Laughter echoed between Jesse and Allen. They gave each other knowing glances before Jesse refocused on her. “Don’t worry, Cori. I got you covered. Your secret is safe.”

  “Thanks.”

  An awkward silence followed as she and Mariah exchanged glances with Jesse and Allen. For the first time since . . . ever, she was at a loss for words. She always had something witty to say to men. Playing
the whole cat-and-mouse game was her specialty, and yet there she was, dumbstruck from any clever retort.

  Why was she getting worked up? This was Jesse Woods. Despite his charm, she hadn’t forgotten how much he used to annoy her. She and his sister Jamie used to get so frustrated with him for eavesdropping on their conversations, teasing them about anything possible, and just being an overall pain in the ass. He belched, farted, scratched his ass, and did every gross thing a teenage boy does. She had witnessed it too many times, and it sure as hell wasn’t attractive.

  But now . . .

  Mariah tugged on her arm, breaking her thoughts. “Come on. We need to go inside the church. If Cassie and Theo pull up, you’ll look more guilty of being late if you’re out here.”

  “You have a point,” Cori agreed. As Mariah led the way, she regarded Jesse once more. “You wanna come with me?”

  She regretted her choice of words as her mind went totally in the gutter. When she noticed the devious gleam in Jesse’s eyes, a wave of heat consumed her face. His response to her question didn’t help matters.

  “You first, doll.”

  The innuendo didn’t go unnoticed by Allen. His lips curled, and he turned his back to them as if he was giving them privacy. He didn’t need to bother. This had to stop now. She couldn’t flirt with Jesse anymore.

  Before she could talk herself out of it, she spun toward the steps and followed Mariah, who had already opened the door. The heat in Cori’s face began to diffuse once she joined her friend, though guilt still consumed her. At least she was inside the church. It was the best place for her, especially after her last few seconds with Jesse.

  Maybe she needed to say some prayers while she was in there to give her strength to stay away from Jesse. She would need all the help she could get if the rest of the weekend went the way that encounter had. It would be the longest one ever.

  Jesse stood near the second pew from the altar while Theo and Cassie spoke with the minister about the impending ceremony. He caught a glimpse of Cori while she talked with the other women about something he couldn’t hear. At this point, he was glad she wasn’t focused on him.

  Whatever came over him outside, he hadn’t been able to shake it. He knew damn well it hadn’t been six years since he last saw her. Yet in a way, it had. He had no clue she was the infamous Cee Cee that invited Theo and him to a local nightclub their first weekend back in Savannah. He’d paid her little attention once they arrived, especially after the way she and her friend hung all over Theo.

  Strangely enough, the girl she was with that night wasn’t the same one she was with tonight. It took him a few minutes, but he finally recognized Mariah Grant. She’d been to a few of his sister’s sleepovers. Jamie had plenty, and Cori was usually there too.

  They were such brats back then, and he loved every second he agitated them. He did plenty to get beaten by his sister’s fists, as well as her friends’. They yelled, squealed, and complained to his mother more times than he could count. Still, he would have done anything for them, especially Cori . . .

  Too bad she offered herself to Theo over the summer. Thankfully, his friend didn’t follow through. If he had, none of them would be standing inside the church, prepping for a wedding. Theo and Cassie belonged together. They always had.

  Even so, Jesse never imagined being this attracted to Cori. She was his best friend’s future sister-in-law. Messing with her wouldn’t end well, and he didn’t want anything to ruin his friendship with Theo, or Cassie for that matter.

  So why couldn’t he stop thinking about Cori?

  An elbow met his ribs, drawing his attention to Allen. He had a cheesy grin on his face as he leaned closer. “Wanna make a wager?”

  Jesse shook his head. “You can’t bet in church, dude. What’s wrong with you?”

  Allen did his best to stifle his laughter. “I’m just saying, man. We have to walk one of the bridesmaids up the aisle once the ceremony is over. I’d be willing to bet you end up with Cori.”

  “Well, considering it’s just her and Nora as bridesmaids, I’d say my odds are fifty-fifty. Don’t worry. You’ll get your shot with Nora.”

  Waggling his brows at Allen, Jess wasn’t surprised when his friend punched his arm. “All I’m going to say is if I’m wrong and you end up walking with Nora, you better keep your hands in check.”

  Jesse snorted. “Likewise. I’ve known Cori most of her life. Underneath her tough exterior is a sweet girl who loves her family and friends. She doesn’t deserve to be hurt by anyone.”

  Including me.

  He didn’t dare make that confession aloud. Allen would never let him live it down. It was the nature of their friendship. Any opportunity they could razz each other, they did it with a vengeance.

  While he wasn’t a player by any means, he wasn’t interested in any female that came with strings. Relationships of any kind were off the market. He had a band to focus on. Nothing else could precede that.

  The conversation died out a moment later. Not long after it did, Theo and Cassie parted ways. She went to speak with her bridesmaids while Theo strolled their way.

  “Okay, guys, listen up. If we can get through this with no mistakes, we’ll only have to rehearse it twice. Cassie’s a little tired, and neither of us wants to be out late.”

  “You say that like you think we’ll screw off or something,” Allen teased.

  “I can’t imagine why I’d think something like that. It’s not like you guys ever get out of hand.”

  “Who, us?” Allen motioned between himself and Jesse. “Nah. We’d never do something like that.”

  “Watch it, Sayers,” Theo scolded. “The last thing you want is Cassie Clarke on your ass.”

  “Dude, I don’t want any girl near my ass.” Allen retorted.

  “You know what I meant.”

  Jesse ignored their bantering as he noticed the girls walking toward the foyer. His eyes fell on Cori’s waist and hips. He loved the way they swayed when she moved, but when she disappeared from his sight, he felt restless.

  He needed to get himself in check. She was just on the other side of the wall. It wasn’t like she’d left. Even if she had, what was it to him? They weren’t in a relationship. All this wedding stuff with Theo and Cassie was getting to him. That was it. He was happy for his friends. His mind was over-celebrating.

  Theo and their bandmate, Jeff, were happy being involved with one woman for the rest of their lives. Even Theo’s brother, Jonah, was married to Ally, Cassie’s closest friend. Jesse respected them, but he didn’t want the same. There were too many beautiful women in this world to settle down with one.

  Unless it was with someone as fascinating as Cori.

  Cori watched her sister’s mouth moving, but her thoughts drifted back to the moment she and Mariah arrived at the church. She hadn’t missed the way Jesse took in every inch of her or the fact that he picked up on the innuendo within her question. His response had been perfect.

  She’d lost count of how many times Mariah mentioned him looking their way. Each time, she swore he was staring at Cori. For all she knew, he was looking at both of them.

  Cori could recall several occasions when Theo mentioned how women surrounded Jesse and Allen whenever they were on the road. It became so chaotic that they had to find alternate exits everywhere they went.

  Despite how much she enjoyed spending time with a sexy guy like Jesse, Cori wouldn’t do it in the company of other women. She was too selfish to share. If this is what Jesse was interested in . . .

  “No, thanks.”

  “What was that, Cori?”

  Realizing she’d said the words aloud, she met her sister’s gaze and pressed her lips together. How could she explain what she said? It would help if she knew what Cassie was talking about. Instead of listening to her sister, she let her mind run off with Jesse Woods.

  It would be the only thing he ran away with.

  “Sorry, Cass. I think I misunderstood what you were saying. Could yo
u repeat it, please?”

  Her big sister’s brow shot up as she pursed her lips. A moment later, her hand went to her belly. “Oh, the baby kicked.” Excitement grew in her voice. “Feel this.”

  She tugged Cori’s hand as she placed it on her belly. Ally, Nora, and Mariah joined in, each waiting patiently to feel what she had. It didn’t seem like it would happen, but a moment later, it felt as though something rolled under Cori’s palm. Her mouth opened, and for the first time in a long time, her eyes moistened.

  “That’s amazing, Cass. I can’t wait to meet this little guy or girl. I can’t believe you and Theo opted not to reveal the gender.”

  Cassie patted her cheek before resting her hand on Cori’s shoulder. “Life doesn’t give us many surprises. When you’re gifted one, enjoy it for what it is. A gift.”

  Since when had her sister become so wise? It seemed just a few months ago they were hanging out at Cassie’s house, eating pizza, watching scary movies, and sharing secrets about some of the stupid things they’d done. There was never a moment of seriousness in any of it. Now, Cassie was a responsible adult, a soon-to-be-married woman, and a mommy. Cori was proud of her. At the same time, she was jealous of what she was losing—her sister.

  “You okay?”

  Cori was so transfixed on Cassie that she hadn’t noticed Ally, Nora, or Mariah step away. Once she lowered her hand to her side, she took a few steps back.

  “Yeah. I’m fine. Why do ask?”

  Tilting her head to the side, Cassie examined her face. “You don’t seem like yourself today. Something’s on your mind.”

  Her sisterly intuition was spot on, but Cori couldn’t tell her the truth. She felt guilty for thinking about anything besides Cassie’s wedding, especially when that something was her soon-to-be brother-in-law’s friend.

  Thinking of it like that made Jesse sound so much older when there were only three years between them. Still, he was part of her sister’s crowd—the older crowd. They were all seniors the last time they were together, and she’d been a bashful freshman.