Seducing the Best Man (Wild Wedding Nights #1)

by Sasha Summers

He responded in an instant. His hands gripped her hips, facing him—on his lap. She felt the length of his erection and smiled.

  “Who knew a limo was such a turn-on for you?” she murmured before pressing her lips to his.

  His lips parted, the tip of his tongue tracing her lower lip. He wanted her. He’d wanted her from the minute she’d opened her apartment door. No, he’d wanted her from the moment she sat across from him at that restaurant—that very first night.

  The limo stopped, and they both looked out the window. They were at the restaurant.

  Patton sighed then laughed.

  The driver’s voice filled the cab. “The drive-through is too narrow for the car.”

  “We’ll go in,” Patton said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

  She frowned as she slid from his lap. “You’re no fun.”

  “A man’s got to eat. And sleep,” he argued, helping her from the car. He took her hand in his as they walked across the parking lot to the local gourmet burger joint.

  “Any new leads on your case?” she asked.

  “Looks like the mom is willing to cooperate. Hopefully, it’s enough to keep her family together. I believe she didn’t have anything to do with the fire.” He shrugged. “But without evidence or useful info, what I believe doesn’t matter.”

  She was watching him closely, studying him. “How long can you keep going without sleep?” Cady asked as Patton placed their to-go order.

  “Longest I’ve been up is almost seventy-two hours. But I was only good for about sixty of those, the rest was autopilot.” He paused. “Drink?”

  “No, thanks.” She faced him, exploring every rugged feature of his face. “Only sixty.” She laughed, shaking her head. “What was the case?”

  “A stakeout a few years back. The neighborhood was hot, so we couldn’t leave often. And we were understaffed—like always—someone had to stay. Since I don’t have a family to go home to, I volunteer.”

  No family. She frowned. She’d seen his family. It was gargantuan—and more than a little intimidating. Cady picked back up, “What about Mikey? He’s your family.”

  “He loves my mom,” he shot back. “You’ve seen her yard, it’s big. And she has a pool. Mikey is a true lab, he loves the water. My yard—” he paused, shrugging “—it’s still a...work in progress.”

  “Meaning you bought a fixer? This doesn’t surprise me.”

  “I did,” he agreed, grinning at her. “Probably the biggest mistake I ever made, considering how little time I have for fixing things. But it’s a great house.”

  Once they were back on the road, they chatted about the repairs and remodel ideas he had for his place. She’d never taken the time to invest in her apartment. She had everything she needed, considering how little she was there. Considering the only two rooms she regularly used were her kitchen and her bedroom suite, she could probably downsize and be just as happy.

  Further proof that they were different. He saw his huge extended family as no family. But she knew what it meant to actually have no family. His idea of home was a place to put his stamp on, to renovate and build. Her idea of home was a place to relax in, without worrying about old wiring or bad plumbing. It’s not as if she needed more proof that they weren’t meant to be together. And even though she didn’t want a relationship, she did want—did love—Patton. “I’d like to see your place sometime,” she spoke without thinking, leading him up to her apartment.

  She wasn’t a fan of not knowing. She was a planner. Details and structure with a clear-cut goal in mind. But since she’d met Patton, she’d been in a constant state of confusion.

  She fumbled with the keys in the lock then. The last thing she needed was to get more involved in his life. Any of the Ryans really, as nice as the family was. Once the wedding was over—one way or the other—life would get back to normal. Normal as in without Patton.

  “I’ll take you by tomorrow,” he offered, reaching around her to open the door for her.

  She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his chest against her back. His arm slipped around her waist, his hand closing over hers to turn the key in the lock. She smiled as he pressed a kiss to the base of her neck.

  “I thought you were hungry.” She hurried into her apartment, his kiss lingering at the nape of her neck.

  His eyes followed her, determined.

  She put her hands on her hips. “Since the limo fell through, the only proposition left on the table tonight is eating hamburgers.”

  He closed the door behind him, placed the bag of food on the table and pressed the tabletop with both hands. He stood back, nodding. “The table’s too hard for much else anyway.”

  She giggled—she couldn’t help it. The flare of hunger in his eyes kept her rooted in place. But something changed his mind, because instead of reaching for her, he made himself at home in the kitchen. He pulled out two plates and a couple of napkins.

  “Beer’s in the fridge,” she offered—still a little breathless.

  He grabbed two from the fridge and met her at the table. She put the food on the plates while he opened the beers.

  “Need me to prop you up on anything?” she asked, taking in his heavy-lidded eyes.

  He took a long swig of the beer, his eyes locking with hers. “Define anything?”

  She rolled her eyes, pulling the pickles off her burger.

  He paused, watching her. Then did the same. “Me neither.”

  She was smiling when she took her first bite.

  They ate in companionable silence. She only finished half, but enjoyed every last French fry. He inhaled his food, every bite. And had a second beer.

  “When did you eat last?” she asked.

  “The snack you made me,” he said. “Other than that...at my mother’s house.” He sat back, his gaze searching hers with a fiery intensity. He shook his head—jaw locked and nostrils flared.

  “Done?” she asked, her pulse picking up.

  But he didn’t say anything. Instead his gaze stayed fixed on hers, turning her insides molten. She pressed her legs together, the throb undeniable. His eyes blazed with want. For her. Now.

  “Patton—” she blew out a long, slow breath. It wasn’t just sex anymore. It wasn’t falling into a hotel room or hooking up in a limo and watching him drive away. It was him, here—invading her personal space and making her vulnerable.

  Yes, she wanted him like crazy. But she loved him. Knowing that made her consider the aftereffects of another night in his arms. She didn’t know what to expect—or hope for. If she was smart, she’d help him get his things together, wave him off and lock the door behind him. She should be strong and guard her heart... Instead she stood in front of him. “Stay,” she murmured, the word so thick it was barely decipherable.

  He sat forward, his hands clasping her hips and pulling her between his legs. He pressed his face against her stomach as his hands slid up the back of her thighs. Her fingers ran through his thick black hair, holding him to her.

  “I won’t pretend I don’t want you, Cady,” his voice was thick, “but things are getting...out of hand.”

  He had no idea... Did he?

  Her fingers tightened in his hair, pulling his head back. She stooped, pressing her lips to his and leaning into him. His hands gripped the hem of her dress, tugging it up and over her head. She tossed it aside and unhooked her bra, letting it drop.

  He groaned, realizing she wore no panties. His eyes flashed when they met hers. His hands tugged her closer, cupping one breast and drawing it to his mouth.

  She arched into his touch, loving the stroke of his tongue on her skin. The brush of his breath on her nipple made her quiver. When he sucked her nipple deep into his mouth, Cady moaned. It didn’t take much to make her crazy, to have her aching for all of him. It was...Patton. Just Patton
. She gave in, letting sensation take over. She fumbled with his pants, tugging him free before he pulled her onto him. She straddled him, taking him deep—loving the feel of him, the pressure. He was in no hurry. His hold on her set a slow and steady pace and drove her mad with his leisurely rhythm.

  “Cady.” The word was a broken whisper.

  She opened her eyes, gasping for breath.

  He kissed her, softly. His hands brushed her hair back from her face, but his eyes never left hers. He cradled her face, his gaze holding hers—searching hers—as he moved into her.

  It was too intense, too...much. She wanted to look away, to sever the connection between them. But she couldn’t. Something in his gaze held her captive. Her body responded instantly, shaking with the force of her release. She cried out, her hands gripping his shoulders through the fabric of his dress shirt.

  He kissed her then, wrapping one arm around her waist and holding her to him. His whole body stiffened as he held her tightly in place. She felt the power of his release, the clenching of his muscles, as he muffled his groan against her neck.

  When his hold eased, she sat back. “You must be ready for bed.”

  His gaze was wary. “Want me to go?”

  She frowned, not wanting him to go. “You can.” She swallowed, so nervous she could barely say, “Or you can stay...tonight.”

  She hadn’t expected him to look like that, to smile like that. But it was a thing of beauty.

  * * *

  “SCRAMBLED, FRIED—what’s your pleasure?” Patton asked, sliding a cup of coffee to Cady.

  Her hair was mussed, and she wore an oversize T-shirt with the picture of some band he’d never heard of on the front. “Oh, God, are you a morning person?” she asked, accepting the coffee with a sleepy grin.

  He shrugged. Not normally, but this morning he was. This morning he’d woken up feeling pretty damn good. Maybe it was because he’d needed the sleep. Or maybe it was because he’d woken up to Cady’s head on his chest, her hand resting on his side. He’d lain there for almost an hour, dozing, enjoying the way she fit against him.

  “What time is it?” she asked, wiping her eyes and yawning. She was adorable.

  “Nine.” He grinned.

  Her eyes popped open. “But, we’re supposed to meet them in thirty minutes,” she hurried back down the hallway, carrying her coffee.

  “No breakfast?” he called after her, cracking two eggs into a frying pan.

  “Surprise me,” she called back. “Thanks for the coffee.”

  He scrambled some eggs and fried some bacon, considering his options. Now that he knew Bianca had secrets, he needed to find out how big—and how many—there were. Cady was the best way to do that. But now that this had happened, he didn’t know where to start. Hell, he didn’t even know what this was. Except he liked it. He liked sleeping next to her, touching her in the night—knowing she was next to him. And waking up with her... It was all good. He was beginning to suspect they might be good together.

  But family came first. Stopping this wedding came first. He had to keep his eye on the prize and keep his family safe.

  He sighed, digging through the pantry when she reappeared. He tried not to stare, but it was impossible. She looked soft, touchable, in her light-weight pale pink top and jeans. He watched her slide her feet into some strappy brown sandals so that her bright blue toenails were visible. She looked—was—utterly kissable.

  “What?” she asked, putting sparkly hoops in each ear.

  She was beautiful. It wasn’t hard to say, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead he swallowed, asking, “Tortillas?”

  “Don’t have any. I’ve got low-fat sandwich rounds.” She joined him, moving stuff around on the pantry shelves. “If they’re still good.”

  “Sounds yummy.” His sarcasm was hard to miss.

  She laughed, nudging him with her hip. “Well... How about naan? It’s good.”

  “Let’s try it.” He pulled the package out and crisped up the bread before rolling makeshift breakfast tacos.

  She watched him, not saying a word. “Thanks.”

  He eyed the food. “You might not be all that thankful after you take the first bite.” He inhaled his food and downed another cup of coffee while she finished hers.

  He washed up quickly, still searching for the right way to shift the conversation to Bianca.

  “It was good. Who knew?” she asked, grabbing her bag. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you.”

  She headed toward the door before he could wrap his arms around her. Which was good. He didn’t need any more distractions. And, when Cady was close, she was definitely a distraction. He grabbed his overnight bag and suit and held the door open for her.

  “Thanks,” she repeated, locking the door behind them. She glanced at him as they made their way down the hall and hit the elevator button. “Still tired? Did I keep you up?”

  He glanced at her. He could have a hell of a time turning her words around. But now wasn’t the time to tease or flirt. They didn’t have much time this morning, and he needed answers. “Feeling pretty good this morning,” he said as the elevator doors shut.

  She looked at him, her expression stiffening. “Good.” Her voice was tight. She was upset. Her hands fiddled with the straps of her purse. She shifted from one foot to the other.

  What the hell had he done? Or said? This was why he was no good with women. He didn’t understand them.

  “I ordered the cake,” she said suddenly. “The baby cake?”

  He nodded. “Okay. Kimber is free for the shower, too.”

  “Kimber?” She looked at him.

  “Zach’s ex,” he explained.

  “Oh, right, the stripper.” She grimaced.

  “Anything else we can use?” he asked. “Something or someone from her past we could use—”

  “No strippers in her past,” Cady cut him off.

  “It doesn’t have to be a stripper,” he argued. “We need more to break this up, Cady.”

  She stared at him for a long time. “She...she’s been engaged before.”

  He paused, considering her words. “Once? Or several times?” he tried to keep his voice neutral.

  Her brown eyes bore into his. She was deciding, he could tell. “More than once.”

  “What happened?” he asked.

  The elevator doors opened in the garage. He had to convince her to ride with him, since he was finally getting somewhere. “I’ll drive,” he offered quickly. Before he could change his mind he added, “If we get there early enough, I’ll grill us some steaks. You can see the house... Throw the ball for Mikey.” What was he doing?

  Her brown eyes met his, a rapid-fire shift of emotions crossing her face. A crease formed between her eyebrows then disappeared.

  “You think about it,” he interrupted. “I’ll drive.”

  “Okay,” she answered, following him to his truck.

  He tried to shrug off the hurt her of her hesitation. Eye on the prize. He waited until he’d started the truck before asking, “What happened with Bianca’s other engagements?”

  Cady seemed to deflate in her seat. “You’re going to overreact.”

  He glanced at her. “I am?”

  “You don’t understand her family,” Cady explained. “How important her grandmother is. How they were raised.”

  “Why don’t we start with what happened?” Patton asked, his stomach churning.

  “You know Bibi’s grandmother is a matchmaker?” Cady asked, not waiting for him to answer. “Well, for one thing, GG didn’t match Bibi with any of the others.”

  “Any as in how many?”

  But Cady didn’t say anything.

  He glanced at her. “Cady?”

  “You were engaged. It did
n’t work out but that doesn’t make you a bad person,” she argued. “You thought you were in love with her when you proposed, though, didn’t you?”

  “I never said Bianca was a bad person,” he murmured, hoping to dodge her last question. Had he loved Ellie? Yes, he’d loved her. But had he been in love with her? Did seeing her make him happy? Had being with her filled some void? Had he thought about her when they were apart? Or ached for her the way he ached for Cady? He swallowed. “What does this have to do with anything?”

  “It means people make mistakes, even all-knowing police officers like you.”

  “Cady, you’re twisting things around. My engagement to Ellie is different. Yes, I cared about her, but she broke it off before I could do it,” he explained. “There were extenuating circumstances—”

  “Such as?” Cady prodded.

  “Russ died. My father had a heart attack. I was too busy to think about Ellie or our engagement. But Russ’s death, my getting shot, my dad almost dying...was too much for her. I didn’t blame her for ending it—I understood. Hell, I agreed with her.”

  Cady grew silent. He glanced her way to see her staring at him. “What?”

  She shook her head, opening and closing her mouth. She sighed then said, “What about Bianca’s extenuating circumstances?”

  “You never answered my first question,” he countered. “How many times has she been engaged?”

  “Why does it matter?” she snapped.

  He looked at her. “It shouldn’t. So why aren’t you telling me?”

  “Three,” she murmured.

  “She’s been engaged three times? And she broke it off with all of them because her grandmother didn’t have the dream? The matchmaking thing?”

  “No, Patton, there was more—”

  “I sure as hell hope there is. Otherwise... Three times? We’d better be talking about some serious extenuating circumstances.”

  He saw Cady’s eyes close, saw the furrow that creased her brow. “There are. You need to calm down and listen. I know it sounds—”

  “It sounds crazy?” he asked, shaking his head. “I don’t need to calm down. I need to talk to my brother.”