Rock It
Page 23
“C’mon,” she murmured, trying it out. “A weekend at the beach, all the sun and surf you can handle, it’s yours for the taking—and so am I.” She sighed a little, liking the sound of the words as they rolled off her tongue. “Wanna run away for the weekend?”
“Well, hell, why don’t we make it a year?”
Anna bolted upright, nearly falling off the bar stool. She caught herself the moment before she crashed into the man—the grinning, square-jawed, leather-jacketed, hunk of man—who had most assuredly not been there thirty seconds ago. A man she sort of knew, dammit, and who Erin had to have seen heading her way.
“Oh!” Anna did an excellent job of looking at the guy without actually looking at him, which was the only reason she could string whole words together. “Um, hi there,” she managed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t hear you come up.”
“Which appears to be in my favor. I’m Jake, by the way. Jake Flynn. I live down the street from you, I think.”
“I know. I mean—I’ve seen you. In your garage, I mean.” Even as she babbled, Anna couldn’t stop staring at Jake’s mouth, and she felt her stomach flip the way it always did when she caught sight of any part of the man’s uncovered anatomy, even the innocuous bits. Steeling herself, she looked up, immediately transfixed by deep brown eyes that studied her from under a shock of black hair. Pull it together, she ordered herself. This man rode motorcycles, for heaven’s sake, and was probably engaged in illegal activities, if the action at the brownstone he’d commandeered at the end of their lane was any indication. But now this motorcycle criminal sex god hottie man was looking at her with definite interest, and … all she could do was stare?
“Well, then we’re practically best friends. And you are?” Anna’s heart skipped as Jake’s smile etched intriguing creases into skin already weathered from years of wind and sun. “If we’re going to run off to the beach together, I think I should know your name.”
“Anna Richardson.” Anna fought and lost the battle against her own blush. “And I’m so sorry about that, again. I was just—practicing. I guess.”
“Glad to meet you, Anna Richardson,” Jake said, his words so smooth that she felt like every inch of her skin had been caressed, standing the fine hairs on end. With a creak of leather, Jake angled his athletic body toward her. He was now within arm’s reach, a smile again teasing the edges of his lips until they pulled taut and held, full and suggestive in the smoky light. “Practicing for what?”
Anna blinked, her mind slewing a little sideways. Jake’s hair was tousled, his eyes heavy and warm. His smile was easy, teasing. Tiny laugh lines radiated from the outer corners of his eyes, pale streaks in the bronzed skin. He was … amazing.
He was also waiting for an answer, Anna realized, as she dragged herself back to reality.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she said, shaking her head again, so assertively that her neck throbbed in protest. “And it’s kind of hard to explain. I need to ask someone out on a date. I mean, it’s a wedding. And I’m in it.”
Jake chuckled then, the sound vibrating through her body. “You need a date to your own wedding?”
“No! I mean—it’s complicated.” The shrill ring of her cell phone cut her off, and she grabbed for it, not caring who was calling—even if it was work, and it was probably work. Because it was always work these days, even on a Friday night in the middle of the summer. Because that’s what work did. It called her. On Friday nights. Like right now, in fact.
“Anna Richardson,” she said, struggling to sound normal.
“Anna! You’re awake!”
Oh, perfect. “Hi, Kristen.” This was ridiculous. She should just end this now and admit she was a colossal failure—maybe even enlist the bride-to-be’s help in getting Todd off her back at the wedding next weekend. She didn’t have time or energy to keep this charade up anymore, and everything was falling to hell.
But as Anna tried to rip her thoughts away from Jake and focus on Kristen, he drifted his fingers across her arm, his touch feather light. She blinked and glanced toward him and—wow. He was looking at her. Smiling, even. At her. On purpose.
“Where are you?” Kristen asked, cutting through her haze. “Are you out? At a real club?”
“Yes, I’m out,” she said. The Danny Mann pub may not qualify as a club by Kristen’s New York standards, but it would have to do. “Dave’s with me, too, actually,” she added, brightening. It was worth a shot, and with a certifiable hunk actually touching her arm on purpose, she felt confidence zip through her. “I think he’ll be able to join me this weekend after all.”
Kristen didn’t hesitate. “You are such a pathetic liar, Anna, but I love you anyway. I’m calling to tell you that Todd has already asked both me and Scott if you’ll be bringing a date, since apparently you two still aren’t talking. I told him yes, just to get him to cool his jets, but I completely support you not wanting to get back with him.”
“Well, thanks, but—”
“However, I do want you to meet my friend Nick at the wedding—he’s super nice, and I think you will love him. I’ve told him all about you, and he can’t wait to meet you.”
Anna pulled her mouth away from the phone and spoke into the air to her right. “Dave, honey, could you get me another drink?” She ignored Jake’s startled glance, and, after a brief pause, she cupped her cell with her left hand and huddled against the bar. For once her corkscrew curls came in handy, and she allowed the blonde mass to shield her face. “Kristen,” she said, her voice becoming an urgent plea. “I’m not kidding. I can handle Todd on my own. And I’m sure Nick is a very nice guy, but—”
“He is, and according to my beloved, he’s got megabucks, and he’s available. And so is Matt. Available, that is. I’m not certain about the other part, yet. He’s one of Scott’s clients we got roped into inviting.”
Anna forced herself to draw a long breath. She reached out, reclaimed her drink, and drained about a third of the glass for good measure. “Who the hell is Matt?”
“The guy behind door number two, if you don’t like Nick. But I’m pretty sure you’re going to like Nick. And that’s if Todd doesn’t steal your heart away again, which he seems kind of intent on doing, between you and me.”
Anna drove the heel of her palm into her forehead, bracing herself against the bar. This was why she lied, she thought. Her college roommate just never knew when to give up. “Kristen, I have a date. More than a date, a boyfriend. A lover. An everything. I am taken. I’ve told you that. And I’m not going to jeopardize that relationship.”
“I’m not asking you to ‘jeopardize’ your relationship, which doesn’t exist. I’m asking you to have a conversation. Nick and Matt are nice guys. Get to know them! Would that be so awful?”
“Yes. Yes, it would, Kristen.” Anna sagged back on her stool. “You’re the bride at this wedding, for heaven’s sake. Shouldn’t you be worrying about the cake or something?”
“But Anna …” As Kristen launched into her usual speech, a fresh vodka cranberry appeared in front of Anna. She blinked up at trusty stand-in bartender Erin, who grinned back at her before literally running away. Then Anna swerved to look at Jake. Jake, who was still sitting beside her, with eyes so dark they looked black. Jake, who looked good enough to eat. Or at least to nibble on a little, every sexy curve of him calorie-free. A wave of hysterical pleasure washed through her despite the insanity of the situation. She smiled at him, raising her new drink in thanks.
He leaned forward, just a little, his eyes intent.
Anna could swear the phone had started smoking, but she couldn’t look away. Kristen’s voice faded into the background as Jake Flynn’s gaze roamed over her face, fixating first on her lips, then back up to her eyes. He looked like he was going to eat her, too, right after he drizzled her with honey.
Oh, boy. That was an image she sure didn’t need.
“Uh, Kristen?” Anna managed. “I really have to go.”
“What? I’m telling you,
you’re really—”
“No, I mean it, Kristen. I’m going now; goodbye.”
She stabbed her phone off, setting it down on the bar top with a thud. She slanted Jake a glance, eyebrows raised. “So, do you always enjoy embarrassing total strangers?”
“You’d be amazed at what I enjoy doing to total strangers.”
Anna’s jaw loosened at the unexpected comment, but she gritted her teeth to hold it still. She picked up her glass, with a hand that shook only a little, and regained her composure as Jake looked around.
“So since when have you started hanging here?” he asked. “I’ve never seen you out anywhere before.”
“I work a lot.” Anna followed his glance and tried to get her bearings as she took in the pub’s back bar and mirrors, the crowded room. Jake relaxed against the bar, shifting toward her again, and Anna fought the urge to lean away from his rough handsomeness. Then she fought a crazy compulsion to lean forward, to press against his warmth even though the room was anything but cool. Idly, she wondered what he would feel like under his worn leather jacket and white T-shirt. Probably like he looked: lean and rugged and hot as hell. And she needed to stop thinking about that right now if she wanted to have an intelligent conversation with the guy.
Jake’s next words startled her out of her reverie. “So tell me about your boyfriend, Dave.”
Anna grimaced, glancing back at him. This guy must think I’m a complete loser. “It’s kind of a long story,” she said, not even bothering to hide the weariness in her voice.
Then Jake smiled again, and she almost forgot her name. “I’ve got all the time you need.”
Love stories you’ll never forget
by authors you’ll always remember
eOriginal Romance from Random House www.readloveswept.com
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