by Melody Anne
Even if Ace had wanted that, he was on the spot with everyone in the room looking at him. It wasn’t a hard decision to make, though. He liked his brothers’ wives.
“I think the view will be a lot better if we go together,” Ace said. The women beamed at him, making him feel like he’d just won an Olympic medal.
“Ah, thanks, sweetie,” Chloe said, coming up to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Ace didn’t know how to deal with all of this open affection. It wasn’t what he was used to, and it would take him a while before he got the hang of it. Cooper laughed, and Ace looked over at him. He was sure Coop knew just how uncomfortable he was.
“Since the ladies get to join you, I’m insisting on coming,” Sherman said as he stepped into the room. “And since I brought transportation, I don’t think you’ll say no.”
They all turned to see Sherman standing in the doorway wearing a jersey. It was odd to see him in something other than one of his sweaters. Each of them gazed at him in a bit of shock. He sent them a glare.
“I can join the crowd and wear a jersey for my favorite team,” he grumbled. But he plucked at the material as if it was foreign against his skin and he didn’t like it one little bit.
“It wouldn’t be the same without you, Uncle Sherman,” Nick said with a laugh. “And that means you get to join in on the pregaming,” he told Cooper, who immediately grabbed a beer.
“I’m in,” Coop said with a laugh.
Ace looked around at the rowdy group and wondered how he’d managed to survive for so long without them. For years, he’d been an outsider, peeking in the windows as the rest of his family had thrived and grown.
He still wasn’t sure he fit in with any of them. The urge to flee was so intense he felt like he should have his running shoes on standby. But he kept those thoughts to himself. He wasn’t yet sure how long he had until his next mission, and he was determined to enjoy his downtime while it lasted.
They soon piled into the limo, and laughter surrounded Ace like a protective shell as they made their way to CenturyLink Field, where the Seahawks were playing the Raiders. It would be a good game.
“I used to go to the games only to watch the cheerleaders,” Nick said with a grin as he punched Ace’s arm.
“You would, perv,” Ace replied.
“I bet that’s all you’ll be looking at tonight,” Cooper said with a knowing smirk.
Ace was confused as he gazed at the grinning faces looking at him. He had no idea what in the world they were talking about. But he didn’t trust the expressions on their faces, especially when the women laughed in a wicked way.
Not only was he nervous about being in such a large crowd with what he deemed insufficient security, but now there was something wicked going on with his family. This night didn’t seem like it was going to be a hell of a lot of fun anymore.
“I’m not some horndog, only interested in looking at women in short skirts,” Ace said with a scowl.
“I bet there’s one woman you’ll have eyes for . . . all . . . night . . . long,” Coop said, dragging out the words.
The group laughed, and Ace was even more confused. He sipped on his beer and scowled at them. Maybe he’d been gone long enough for his family to have gone nuts. That was very feasible. Besides, the thought of staring at any woman other than Dakota was downright unappealing. He was in more trouble than he was going to admit even to himself.
“Let him be surprised. It’s more fun that way,” Maverick said with an evil glint. Yep, his brother wanted payback.
“Surprised about what?” Ace asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing. We’re just having fun at your expense,” Nick told him.
Ace didn’t trust or believe any one of them. They were showing far too much delight on their faces. But it wouldn’t do him any good to try to extract from them whatever it was they were going on about, so he sat back and let out a relieved breath when they got to the crowded stadium. At least they’d somewhat taken his mind off the dangers of the crowded place.
They entered through a VIP entrance and then moved inside to special field seats. Though Ace hadn’t ever watched a game with this great of a view, he’d been lucky enough to grow up with money and had sat in many of the best seats in the house. But even he was awed by this new experience. Even if he felt too exposed.
“How did you manage this?” he asked as they sat in cushioned chairs while they watched the stands fill up and the teams come out to do warm-ups. Ace tuned into the conversation between his family members, but he also continuously scanned the arena.
“I have connections,” Sherman said with a grin.
Ace sat back and decided to enjoy the show as much as he was capable. A server came to them and presented fresh beers and snacks, and Ace tried to relax. If it weren’t for the stress of being in such a large crowd, he’d actually be enjoying all of this. It certainly was much more fun than sitting in his cramped living room.
The women jumped up when the cheerleaders came running out of the tunnels, shouting and getting the fans on their feet. Ace glanced at them before focusing again on the football players. He was determined to prove his family wrong and not watch the damn cheerleaders—not for a single minute.
“You’re missing out,” Mav said with a nudge in the arm as the cheerleaders ran by in front of them.
“I’m here for the football,” Ace grumbled.
“That’s too bad, ’cause we dance a lot better than they do.”
Ace’s head whipped around as Dakota stopped in front of them, wearing a ridiculously short skirt and bra top that was showing far too much of her beautiful cleavage. Ace’s jaw dropped, and he found he wanted to grab her and cover her up, but as quickly as she’d shown up, she was gone again.
Of course! She was a cheerleader! That explained it all. The perkiness, the confidence, the way she’d drawn him to her. She had to be brainless on top of it. Weren’t all cheerleaders? But . . . Damn it! She hadn’t seemed like that—not at all, not like the cheerleaders at his high school. His thoughts were so muddled, he was beginning to wonder if he had a concussion.
Ace heard his family chortling as he put their teasing remarks together in his mind. No wonder they’d been saying he was going to be staring at the cheerleaders. They were right, but he wasn’t happy about it.
The group of women stood about twenty feet in front of them as they performed a routine, giving Ace an incredible view of Dakota’s luscious body as she kicked her legs high and jumped in the air, her breasts nearly spilling from her ridiculous top. He wanted to jump over the fence, haul her over his shoulder, and take her away.
His brothers were laughing, and he wasn’t sure if they were doing it at his expense or not, but all his focus was on one woman only. Guess he was going to watch the cheerleaders the entire game after all—or at least one of them.
Dakota met his eyes several times over the next couple of hours, and Ace felt his body tense as he watched her do an incredible job of entertaining the huge crowd as the Seahawks pulled out a nice lead over the Raiders. Ace didn’t even give a damn about the score of the game.
His brothers tried engaging him in conversation, but he couldn’t concentrate. Between his awareness of Dakota’s proximity to him, and his eyes constantly scanning the crowd for danger, he was a bundle of nerves, ready to snap at a moment’s notice.
It also didn’t matter how cold it was outside—he was hot and bothered as his eyes swept across Dakota’s curvaceous body. He hated that the entire sporting world was getting the same view he was. Her performance should be for him only. It shouldn’t be in this arena where she could get ambushed, where others were taking advantage of her. His mind was a mess.
When the game finished, Ace let out a breath of relief that they’d survived the event with no one getting injured and without him jumping over the barrier to save a girl who had no need of saving. He stared after Dakota as she passed by them and winked. His brothers called out that she’d done great,
and she blew them a kiss.
Another cheerleader caught Ace’s eyes and smiled at him in a way that assured him she’d be more than happy to go home with him. He turned away, not at all interested. He wanted only one woman right now, and he didn’t see that changing any time soon.
“Let’s get out front. Dakota is going to dinner with us,” Chloe said.
Ace was the first person on his feet. His mood improved greatly at knowing he was about to be with the woman who was consuming entirely too many of his thoughts. He didn’t wait for the rest of his family, just marched through the crowd and out to where the limo was waiting for them. He let out an enormous sigh of relief the minute he stepped through the tunnel. Damn, his muscles hurt—they’d been so tense all night.
His family met up with him a few minutes later, and then he paced as the crowd filed from the stadium. He was waiting for one person only, and she was taking her sweet-ass time.
When Dakota finally came through the private entrance, Ace felt his heart thunder in his chest. She had looked delicious in her cheerleading uniform, but damn if she didn’t look just as amazing in a pair of tight jeans and a sweater that hugged her in all the right places.
He had now seen a lot of her luscious body, and clothes did nothing to hide the visuals that were permanently tattooed on his brain. He needed to strip her down and see the final pieces of her body he hadn’t yet been privileged to view.
Soon, he promised himself. Very soon he would have her naked and sweaty beneath him. He feared if he didn’t, bad things might happen. Could a man go crazy with lust? Yeah, he decided. It was a real possibility. Maybe he should just voluntarily commit himself now.
“You did wonderfully, beautiful,” Chloe said, the first to grab Dakota. “As usual.”
“Thanks, darling. I had fun,” Dakota said. She looked over Chloe’s shoulder and met Ace’s eyes. Hers widened a bit, and he realized his emotions might not be as masked as he’d been hoping.
“Ready for some food after that workout?” Nick asked.
“I’m starving. I think I could eat an entire cow,” she said with a laugh.
“Hey, sugar! Want a ride?”
Ace froze as some dipshit guys in a raised Chevy pickup stopped in front of them, their eyes on Dakota, drool practically spilling from their mouths. He took a step toward them, ready to beat them into a bloody pulp.
“Get out of here, Gary, and go see your wife,” Dakota said with a laugh.
“If you insist,” the man said with a wicked smile before he pulled away.
Ace was shaking with the need to smash something. He turned back and looked at Dakota, who was smiling at him, clearly understanding the rage he was feeling. He didn’t like her seeing his instant jealousy at another man coming on to her.
“That’s just Gary. He’s a dear friend,” Dakota said. But he had a feeling she was thinking she had Ace right where she wanted him—hook, line, and sinker. Maybe she did.
“Let’s get out of here,” Cooper said, laughter in his voice.
Ace didn’t say a word and didn’t dare touch Dakota. Instead he moved to the limo and climbed inside. He had damn well better learn how to get himself under control. If not, he was going to be in for a world of hurt.
He looked down at his feet, but even without seeing her, he felt it the moment Dakota stepped inside the limo—the large space suddenly became suffocating. He wasn’t going to survive this woman. He now knew that, as sure as he knew his own name. She was going to take him on a wild ride, and he wasn’t ever going to get off.
And maybe that’s exactly what he wanted to have happen. If the decision was taken out of his hands, then he would have nothing to feel guilty about.
CHAPTER TEN
Dakota had been cheering for the Seahawks for three years, and never had she had such an intense game as the one she’d just participated in. It was even worse than the first time she’d taken the field, hoping and praying she wouldn’t fall on her ass in front of the tens of thousands of people in the stands, along with the millions of people viewing her from the comfort of their living rooms.
But with Ace’s eyes on her the entire time—and she had felt his gaze burning into her—she’d had to concentrate even harder than normal on not messing up. The man was messing with her in far more ways than she felt she was messing with him. It wasn’t something she was used to, and she was more determined now than ever to get the hell over it.
Stepping inside the limo, she didn’t even give herself a choice of what to do. She swiftly moved through the large seating area and plopped herself down right next to Ace. She felt his body tense beside her, and that gave her a bit of her confidence back. She was certainly affecting him as much as he was her—that helped a lot.
“Did you enjoy the game?” she asked as sweetly as she possibly could.
The intense look he sent her way set her core to boiling levels as she squeezed her thighs together. The man looked as if he wanted to kick everyone out of the vehicle, which slowly began moving, and take her right there on the seat.
Dakota was thinking that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Her hormones were going crazy, and she could use the relief she was sure only he could give her. Of course, with all eyes on them, it might be best to behave—at least for now.
“Yes,” he told her shortly. It took her a moment to even remember what she’d said to him. She pulled herself together quickly, though, and gave him a beaming smile.
“Good. I like happy fans.”
His expression didn’t change, but if possible, his eyes darkened even more as he leaned in closer to her. Dakota’s breathing was coming out in short pants, but she was sure she was covering it up well.
“I aim to please,” Ace told her.
“I appreciate that in a man,” she said, making sure her hot breath whispered against his ear. She saw the shudder pass through him and felt herself on much more level ground again. If they were torturing each other equally, she could consider that a win.
“You know when you play with fire, you usually get burned,” he said, this time his breath rushing across her ear and neck. She was the one shivering. Dakota decided to take it up about a dozen notches.
“I enjoy the fire, Ace. Haven’t you figured that much out about me yet?” she asked as she let her hand trail across his thigh before settling it on her own lap.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and was immensely pleased by the rigid set of his jaw and body. She knew she was going to pay for her torture of him, but she didn’t care. Inflicting the pain was well worth it—at least for this moment.
“When I get you alone . . .” he began, and Dakota laughed, causing several people in the vehicle to turn their way.
“What’s so funny?” Chloe asked.
“Oh, Ace was just telling me a terrific joke. Want to share it?” she asked as she turned to him with big eyes and patted his thigh, letting her fingers trail off close to where she was sure he was pulsing. It would look innocent to anyone watching, but she knew what she was doing to him.
Ace looked up at the group, and she had to choke on the power she felt in being a woman. Looking natural and naive wasn’t as easy as it appeared. But she managed to keep her expression light as she waited to see what he would say.
“Knock, knock,” Ace grumbled.
Cooper burst out laughing. “I think we’ve missed out on an inside joke,” he said as he stared their way.
“Yeah, Dakota has quite the sense of humor,” Ace told them. This time it was his turn to torture her.
He slung his arm around her shoulder, dipping it into her back, his fingers resting on the side of her breast. She sucked in air as she sat stiffly in his embrace. If she pulled away, he won. She decided to squirm just a little bit closer and rubbed her thigh against his.
“Yes, she does,” Chloe said with a smile of affection.
Dakota could always count on her best friend. Whether Chloe knew exactly what was going on or not, she would always side wit
h Dakota and help her make the man suffer. That’s what besties did for each other.
They arrived at the restaurant, and Dakota let out a sigh of relief. As the group began piling out of the limo, Ace’s fingers rubbed along the side of her breast, and her nipples beaded painfully as her core pulsed with heat.
“This night is only just beginning,” Ace warned her as she stood up on shaking knees.
Ace quickly stood behind her and rubbed against her backside. She sucked in air at the feel of his powerful arousal pressing against her. Damn, she wanted to close the limo doors and stay inside with him. She had never wanted to jump into a fire as much as she wanted to right now.
This time it was Ace who positioned them once they were inside the restaurant. He sat in the back of a booth beside her, his leg pressed up against hers. When the group was relaxed, eating appetizers and chatting, he reached over and ran his hand from her knee to the top of her thigh, his pinkie finger nearly brushing against her panties.
She squeezed her legs together and barely managed to keep her moan of frustration and pleasure from escaping. Her forehead beaded with sweat, and she grabbed her water glass and downed the entire thing.
“Guess you get pretty hot doing all those routines,” Maverick said, looking like his comment was innocent, but at this moment she didn’t trust any of the Armstrong men. They surely all had to be as suave as Ace.
“Yes, it gets pretty hot and sweaty,” she said with mock naivety before looking Ace straight in the eyes. “We really do get a workout, twisting and turning in all directions. I’m always famished after a game.”
She blinked her eyes at him and smiled, loving the flare of fire in his eyes and how his jaw tensed even more. He squeezed her thigh in punishment, but she could imagine the sort of images rushing through his mind at her words.
“Don’t worry, darling. I’m definitely going to show you new moves,” he said against her ear.
“What was that, Ace? I didn’t hear you?” Sherman asked loudly.
“Nothing, Uncle,” Ace said as he looked down. Dakota snorted. She was both incredibly turned on and having a lot of fun at the same time. She could honestly say it was the best night she’d had in a while.