Brazen or Bust

by Anara Bella

  He tapped the guy on the shoulder. “I’m cutting in.”

  Without looking up, the guy snarled at Logan to get lost, but he wasn’t put off. He tapped him again. “I guess you didn’t hear me. It’s my turn.”

  The guy pulled back, and shot Logan a look meant to intimidate and chase him off. It might have worked too, except the moment the guy caught sight of Logan, his eyes widened, he dropped his arms and quickly backed away from the girl. “Okay, sure thing. No problem.”

  Logan hid a smile. He was used to this kind of reaction. He was a big guy. Taller than most, not to mention the fact that he worked out. People were often intimated by his size, and he wasn’t averse to using it to his advantage.

  Logan nodded. “Thanks.”

  With the testosterone war over, Logan could finally direct his attention to the tasty female treat in front of him. “Name’s Logan. And you are?”

  With frustration, he realized even though he was now facing the woman of his dreams, he still couldn’t get a good look at her. Not with her standing there with her hand clapped over her mouth as if she was in shock or something.

  Fighting the urge to make sure he hadn’t left his fly open, he tried smiling to put her at ease. This was a damned strange reaction. He was a decent-looking guy but he’d never affected a woman like this.

  He tried again. “I’m Logan. And you are…”

  She blinked a couple of times before finally dropping her hand. “Logan.”

  Her name is Logan?

  And then he realized there was something very familiar about this woman. He looked closer. He knew her. Sort of. Didn’t he? He scanned her face again. He did know her. But something was different. So different he couldn’t quite place her.

  All of a sudden the penny dropped.

  Holy shit! It’s… “Nica. I didn’t recognize you. What happened to you?” Okay, that didn’t come out right. “I mean, you look different.”

  That was an understatement.

  He looked her up and down, still not quite believing his eyes. Could this really be his best friend’s kid sister? Hell, she was as good as his kid sister. He’d watched her grow up and he’d never seen any sign that this little siren lay hidden beneath the shapeless clothes she usually wore.

  Nica blushed. For a moment she looked flustered, but then something in her expression changed. Almost seemed to firm up. She smiled and started to preen. “I do, don’t I.” She peeped up at him. “Do you like it?”

  Hell yeah. He’d be mortified if he liked it any better. Shit, the fantasies he’d been running through his head before he knew it was her were more than a little X-rated.

  Completely thrown by both the shock of finding out the woman he’d just been lusting after was Nica and… Well, there was no and. That was enough. More than enough.

  Disappointment speared through him as it sank in this was Nica and he’d just been wondering how he could get into her pants. “Uh…you look great.”

  She smiled coquettishly. “Thanks.”

  “What brought on the dramatic change?”

  She shrugged and he noticed how the movement did interesting things to her breasts.

  “Oh, I just thought it was time to do something different.”

  She was different all right. And he wasn’t at all sure it was for the better. He glared at several guys who were staring at her, not liking the speculative look in their eyes. “I can see that.”

  She blushed and looked down, then seemed to come to some decision. He watched fascinated as she tossed her head back and straightened her shoulders. “I’m still trying to get used to it myself.”

  Was this the same girl he’d watched grow up from a plain child? Just yesterday she’d been the same old Nica. Reliable. Trustworthy. People like her didn’t change overnight. What had happened to cause this radical transformation? Because it was for damn sure something had.

  “What’s this really all about, Nica? You’re not the type to do something so drastic.”

  Her eyes flashed sizzling blue fire at him. “How would you know what type I am?”

  That struck a nerve. “I’ve known you since we were kids. I think I know you pretty well.”

  She looked him right in the eyes, and he saw a flash of temper there he’d never noticed before.

  “You don’t know squat about me. Not the real me inside. You just think you know me.”

  He took in her flushed cheeks and flashing eyes, her stance screaming her readiness to take him on. Maybe she was right. He certainly didn’t recognize the spitfire in front of him right now.

  Taking in her sparkling eyes and heaving chest, he fought back a grin. Damned if he didn’t like her this way too.

  The grin finally won out.

  She scowled and planted her fists on her hips. “Don’t you laugh at me, Logan Donovan.”

  Oh look. She’s even trying to look tough.

  It was too much. He burst out laughing. “I can’t help it. You’re just so damn cute like this. I think I’m going to like the new you.” Maybe a little too much.

  Just like that her anger dissipated. “Really?”

  “It’ll take some getting used to, but yeah.”

  The smile she graced him with was like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. It lit up her entire face and accentuated the beauty he’d never noticed before. Had it always been there and he’d just not seen it?

  “Thanks.”

  Still busy trying to take in the radical change, he jumped when she put her hands on his shoulders. “What are you doing?”

  Looking confused, she said, “I thought you wanted to dance with me.”

  Shit. He’d forgotten that was why he’d come over here. If he tried to back out now it would hurt her feelings. “Oh right. Of course.”

  Smooth, Logan. Real smooth. He all but rolled his eyes at himself.

  Feeling more than a little awkward and probably looking worse, he hesitated while trying to decide what to do. He knew he should put his hands on her waist, but the fact that he wanted to so much sort of made him feel like a perv.

  She was practically his little sister for crying out loud. Okay, so she wasn’t, but he’d always viewed her that way. Until now.

  Damn it. He couldn’t believe this was Nica. And that she looked so fucking hot.

  He shook the thought out of his head, told himself to snap out of it, reached over and put his hands on her waist. There, that wasn’t so hard. At least not yet. He strove to keep as much distance between their bodies as he could manage without looking too obvious.

  Nica had ideas of her own though, because the next thing he knew she’d draped her arms over his shoulders and clasped her hands behind his neck. In the process she’d pressed her sweet breasts up against his chest until their bodies were so flush against each other a microbe couldn’t have squeezed in if its survival depended on it.

  His groin started to tingle.

  Shit.

  Could this get any worse? She smelled fantastic and felt even better. Now what the hell was he supposed to do?

  She started moving to the beat of the music and whoo-boy, that wasn’t helping to calm his dick down any. What it did manage to do was cause a friction that would incinerate his brain if he didn’t do something to stop it soon.

  With no other option, he started swaying to the music too. At least this way the friction thing had stopped. Problem was now her whole body was pressed up against his from breasts to pelvis. And they were moving. Together. In synch.

  Holy hell. That tingling in his groin was getting worse. What the hell was he going to do? His cock was getting harder by the second and just thinking about the fact that it shouldn’t be happening only made it worse.

  He needed to think about something other than the fact that her soft, sweet body was mashed up against his like a sheet of paper on a telephone pole during a tornado.

  He needed to think about something mundane. Like baseball. Or work. Or multiplication tables.

  Anything other t
han how great she felt in his arms, pressed up against him. Her head resting on his shoulder. Soft hair tickling his chin. Fingers running through the hair on his nape.

  Her luscious ass was so close to his greedy fingers. All he had to do was let them drop a few scant inches to be able to feel it in all its sexy glory. Full, firm, just ripe for his hands. The skin there would be so soft. So smooth. So kissable.

  Shit. Why was he tormenting himself like this? She was totally off-limits. He so could not go there, no matter how much he wanted to. If he could just convince his cock of that.

  Nica sighed and snuggled even closer, making him even more aware of every inch of her lithe body. God, this was pure torture.

  She looked up at him, her eyes hypnotic pools sucking him in. Their gazes locked, awareness and longing flashed between them, silently beckoning the forbidden. The air crackled with the pent-up energy flowing between them. Her slumberous eyes dropped to his mouth, causing his gaze to drop to hers, making him yearn to answer the siren call of her lips.

  Unbidden, he leaned closer as she stretched up until their lips almost touched. So close, her sweet breath wafted across his lips. He wanted to kiss her so badly he could taste her already.

  But this was wrong. Beyond wrong. What the hell was he thinking?

  He snapped his head back. Shit. He’d almost kissed Nica.

  With fearsome determination, he put her away from him and stepped back.

  She blinked and shook her head, looking baffled by his out-of-left-field retreat. “What’s wrong?”

  He raked his hands through his hair to keep from reaching for her. All he wanted was to pull her back into his arms and kiss her senseless. Instead he concentrated on not pulling out his hair. Because agitation over his inappropriate thoughts was quickly driving him to do just that. “Nothing.”

  He looked away from her hurt expression, pained that he’d been the one to put it there. He glommed onto the first excuse he could think of to put more distance between them and get them back on familiar footing.

  Logan nodded towards her brother standing by the table he’d been sitting at before this catastrophe of a dance had happened. “Tony’s looking for me. I’d better find out what he wants.”

  “Mind if I tag along? I haven’t shown Tony my new look.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be appropriately blown away.” I sure as hell was.

  He made sure to lead the way because he really didn’t need the enticement of her delectable ass swaying in front of him like a red flag to a bull. A very horny bull with very little self-control.

  As they got closer, he shouted out to Tony, “Hey, I wondered where you’d gotten to.”

  Tony turned an assessing eye towards Nica. “Who’s the lovely lady?”

  Nica giggled and made an adorable pose. “Hey, big brother.”

  Tony blinked. “Nica? Good God, I didn’t recognize you.”

  She tipped her head to the side as if considering what he’d said. “You know, everyone keeps saying that. I’m beginning to wonder if that’s good or bad.”

  “Come on. You’re my baby sis. You always look good to me no matter what.”

  Nica laughed. “That’s not much of an answer.”

  He threw his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Of course you look good. You look great. I guess Carmen finally got her way and talked you into that makeover she’s been after you about.”

  Her gaze shot to his. “You knew about that?”

  “Are you kidding? She’s been bugging me to get after you too. But I told her you’d do it when you were ready.” He shook his head in wonder. “I guess you were ready.”

  She smiled up at her brother. “I guess I was.”

  Logan watched their exchange, shocked that Tony was taking Nica’s altered appearance in stride. Was he the only one who saw the dangers? She was going to be fighting off guys left and right and she wasn’t used to it. Some guy would end up taking advantage of her.

  Nica waved towards the bar. “Carmen’s flapping her arms at me so I’d better go see what she wants. Talk to you later.”

  Logan watched her head over to the bar. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the same doofus she’d been dancing with earlier making a beeline for her.

  Damn. Nica didn’t know how to handle this kind of attention.

  He looked at Tony. “Maybe we should head over to the bar and keep a closer eye on Nica.”

  Tony put down his beer and laughed. “What are you, her father?”

  Logan scowled. “No, but as you’re her brother I thought you’d want to look out for her.”

  “I’ll always look out for her, but she’s an adult. She doesn’t need me running her life. Besides, how much trouble can she get into? She’s with Carmen and Sam. She’s fine.”

  Unconvinced, Logan took another swig of his beer, keeping his eyes peeled on her, especially now that she was talking to doof-boy who was standing way too close. “Maybe.”

  “Definitely. Come on, relax. Want another beer?”

  Maybe if he had enough to drink this gnawing feeling of unease in the pit of his stomach would go away. Or drown. “Yeah.”

  The waitress came over and Tony ordered their beers. After she left to fill their order he shook his head and grinned. “Nica really does look different, doesn’t she? She’s going to have more male attention than she knows what to do with.”

  And that was so not what Logan wanted to hear. “Remind me why that’s good news?”

  “She needs more fun in her life. She’s stuck at home too much.”

  That stopped him cold. He’d never thought about Nica being alone. “I know she doesn’t date much, but she seems happy enough.”

  “I didn’t say she was unhappy. I just think she’s lonely.”

  Logan had never thought about Nica being lonely either, or that she might want more in her life. Come to think of it, he didn’t think much about her at all, which he now realized was pretty damned selfish of him.

  Their conversation shifted to idle chit chat, but he never took his eyes off Nica.

  After a while Tony decided to go home. “Got the company pool party tomorrow and I have to help the folks set things up, so I’d better head out. You coming?”

  “Naw, I think I’ll stick around a bit longer.”

  Tony glanced over at Nica and laughed. “Yeah, I can see you’re pretty preoccupied.”

  “Shut up. I’m just making sure nothing happens to her.”

  Tony slapped him on the back. “You go ahead and keep telling yourself that.”

  What the hell does that mean? “Later.”

  Logan ordered another beer and turned his attention back to the redhead with the great ass. Hell, he still couldn’t believe it was Nica. She was laughing and flirting. He’d never seen her flirt before. Did she even know what she was doing? He sighed. Probably not.

  He settled back in his chair and brooded while she joked around and danced with a slew of different guys who included the annoyingly close and persistently touchy-feely doof-boy.

  Chapter Three

  “I have a plan.”

  Even Nica could hear the excitement laced with terror permeating her voice. “It’s a bit sketchy, but I think it’s worth a try.”

  Carmen turned away from the dance floor and leaned in with avid interest. “What kind of plan?”

  “I’m going to seduce Logan.”

  Carmen screeched. “No way!”

  Nica gulped, then nodded. “Way. I’m scared shitless. But I’m determined to be brazen. Just like we talked about. I just hope I don’t chicken out.”

  Carmen pushed the tequila shot she’d been about to drink over to Nica. “Here, have some liquid courage.”

  “Good idea. Thanks.” Nica downed the shot in one go, then sucked in a sharp breath as the searing heat scorched its way down her throat. She willed the fluttering in her stomach to go the hell away and banged the empty shot glass down for emphasis. “God, I hope it kicks in soon.”

  “It wi
ll. Especially if you follow it with a few more.” Carmen ordered another round of tequila for them. “What can I do to help?”

  Grateful to have such a great friend, she covered Carmen’s hand with her own and squeezed. “Leave.”

  Carmen blinked. “What?”

  The shots were placed in front of them and Nica downed another one. This one didn’t go down any easier. “Tony’s gone, but as long as you and Sam are here I have a ride home. If you guys leave I’m here all by myself. I figure if I can get Logan just a bit drunk, I can suggest to him that we share a cab home. I’m hoping I can make my move then.”

  Carmen looked thoughtful, then slowly nodded. “That’s not a bad plan. Just don’t get him too drunk or he won’t be of much use to you.”

  Nica frowned. “Yeah, that’s true. He needs to be loosened up, not unconscious.”

  Carmen waved Sam over. “Time to go home.”

  Sam paused with his beer halfway to his mouth. “Now?”

  Carmen rolled her eyes at Nica. “You have to be firm with them.” She looked back at Sam. “Yes, now.”

  Looking from Carmen to Nica and back again, he seemed to realize something was going on. Instead of arguing he threw his arm around Carmen. “Okay, babe. Let’s go. I have plans for you anyway.”

  Carmen giggled and whispered something to Sam that made him grin and kiss her neck. She giggled again and winked at Nica. “Okay, we’re out of here. Call me later and let me know how the battle goes.”

  Nica wiggled her fingers in a playful wave. The tequila must be doing its job because she was feeling much better already. More relaxed, sort of loose. And best of all, the fluttery feeling in her belly had died down to a tolerable tickle. “Will do.”

  Once Sam and Carmen had left, Nica sent a tequila over to Logan’s table. She knew the moment the waitress told him Nica had sent it because his head snapped in her direction.

  He raised the drink in a silent salute and downed it. She grinned to herself with glee. The plan was underway.