It meant she understood more than he’d intended. It meant she’d seen him grab hold of Tina and haul her off like a caveman in the mating season.
Which, with Tina, would be all year long.
God, even now he wanted her. Ached for her.
He was already thinking about tonight, fantasizing about her and him, locked in his room. He’d love to tie her to a chair. Tie her to a chair, with her legs wide, helpless to stop him as he brought her to orgasm with his mouth again and again–
But there would be no tonight with her, if he didn’t talk to Cody first and if Cody didn’t give his…blessing.
Yech. The word gave him the heebie jeebies.
He stalled, with this hand raised over Cody’s door, drumming up his courage, madly thinking of how he could approach this without a fist in the gut before he got the first sentence out.
Okay. Maybe he should just go to his room and practice for a while first–
Before he could escape, the door swung open to reveal Cody, who greeted him with a grin. “Hey buddy,” he said. “Just the guy I wanted to see. Come on in.”
Numbly, Dane shuffled into the suite.
“I need you to listen while I practice.”
“Cody…”
“You know I’m nervous. But I figure, if I just practice, I’ll feel better. Okay? Now sit down.”
“Cody…”
His friend pushed him into a chair and pulled a rumpled piece of paper from his pocket.
“Cody…”
“Wait. Let me do this. Okay. Angie. My darling. My love. From the moment I saw you, standing there in the Chick–fil–A, I knew you were the one–”
“You met her in a Chick–fil–A?”
“She likes Chick–fil–A, now shut up. Where was I? Oh yeah. I knew you were the one. One glance, one smile, one snarky quip and I was hooked.”
“She’s snarky?” She didn’t seem the type.
Cody glared at him. “It hasn’t been easy, this road we’ve traveled, but we are here now and I couldn’t be happier. All I know is I don’t want to live another day without you by my side or spend another night without you in my bed.”
Dane shifted uncomfortably. And not just because Cody was about to wander into bedroom–territory. His friend’s words hit him in an uncomfortable place.
Was that what love was? That overwhelming feeling of need? That ache? The annoying desire that had been burning in his gut since he set eyes on a perky little hooker…who popped her gum?
“When you look at me, I feel alive.”
Yeah. Like a sudden jolt of electricity had just been applied to his soul.
“When you smile, my heart dances with joy.”
A crooked grin, tipped up on one side. Playful. Mischievous. Wicked. But in a good way.
“And when you kiss me I know, I just know…”
“I am complete. The world is complete.”
Cody gaped at him. “Oh yeah. That’s good. That’s good.” He grabbed a pen and scratched some notes on his paper. Then he cleared his throat and continued. “I’m sure we will have challenges ahead of us. No doubt we’ll disagree from time to time. No doubt, from time to time, I’ll actually be wrong.” He paused and chuckled at his own joke, but Dane was no longer listening.
His brain swirled, his thoughts lost in a fog.
He’d just met her. He couldn’t be in love. That was nuts.
But he hadn’t just met her. He’d known her forever. He’d pulled her ponytail when she was eight, laughed at her braces when she was twelve and slugged Ricky Tate for saying nasty things about her when she was fifteen.
Oh holy God. He’d forgotten about that. His fingers closed into fists. Where the hell was Ricky Tate now? He’d like to pummel the shit out of him–
“Dane? Are you listening?”
“Huh? Yeah. Of course. It’s awesome, Cody. Angie will love it.”
Cody set his hands on his hips and blew out a breath. “I’ve been reciting Dr. Seuss for about a minute.”
“I’m sure she loves Dr. Seuss.”
“Did you even hear the part about the babies?”
Dane blinked. “B–babies?”
“Shit. You didn’t. Damn it, Dane. Pay attention. Now I have to start over.”
“Is she…pregnant?”
“No, she’s not pregnant.” Cody paled. “At least, I don’t think she’s pregnant. But that’s not the point.”
“Was there a point?”
“Point was: She wanted babies and I didn’t and we had a fight. And now I’m like, oh, babies. Babies would be wonderful.”
“Yeah. That sounds pretty romantic.”
Cody smacked him. “You should have listened. It’s romantic in my speech.”
“Do you want babies?” Cody? The big bad warrior? The Ranger in camo face with an M–16 slung over one shoulder, charging into the fray?
He plopped down at Dane’s side and threaded his fingers together before him. “Yeah,” he said softly. “Yeah. I do. A little girl with her nose? Or a little boy, a mini me haring around the house?” He laughed. And then the laugh died. “Yeah.”
Dane stared at his friend, barely noting the glimmer in his eyes. His vision was filled with the scene Cody had described. A mini Dane creating havoc, shooting pretend pistols and collecting worms. Or a little princess with long brown hair, poring imaginary tea into delicate cups and making him drink it with her teddy bear. And Tina, entering the room with a beatific smile on her face, holding another, a baby. Fat, bald, perfect. The baby. Not Tina.
Though she was perfect.
Something warm and appealing curled in his gut and then rose into his chest with a powerful ache.
But wait. Hold up.
This was hardly a realistic fantasy.
Tina? With a beatific smile on her face? More likely it would be a cocky smirk or a wicked wink. In all likelihood, she’d be popping her gum.
“Why are you grinning like that?” Cody asked.
“Um, like what?” Dane attempted to wipe the smile from his face.
“Like an idiot?”
Dane shrugged, and decided it was safer to change the topic than to fess up. At least, at the moment. “So what are you going to do? Are you going to stay in the service?”
“Ah,” Cody threw himself back and leaned against the cushions. “Yeah, but most likely I’ll ask for something stateside. Maybe something in training. Angie doesn’t mind traveling, but she’s not crazy about me going on missions…” He glanced at Dane, assessing his reaction. “That changes a lot.”
“That changes everything,” Dane said. Missions without Cody? The team without him? No. Nothing would be the same. And somehow, miraculously, he wasn’t devastated by it.
“Yeah, but we had a good run.”
“Knees don’t last forever.”
Cody barked a laugh. “Have you been talking to my dad?”
“No,” Dane snorted. “Mine.”
“Yeah. Well, they’re probably right. Maybe it is time to settle down and have babies.”
“Hah,” Dane crowed. “Have you been talking to my mom?”
Cody chuckled. “No. Mine.” He sobered. “We’ll always be friends Dane.”
“I know that.”
“I’ll always love you.”
“I know that too.
“You’re like a brother to me…”
A brother.
“Yeah… About that…” Recalled to his purpose, anxiety snarled and popped in his gut. It swirled there, until once again, he brought that vision into focus. Tina. Babies. White picket fence. Maybe a dog.
“What is it, Dane?”
“I wanted to ask you something–”
The door burst open and the whole crew flooded into the room, Ennis and Billy and Kaye, laughing and chattering, a raucous interruption. Dane flinched.
Well, hell.
“What is it?” Cody repeated.
“Never mind. I’ll ask you later.” No way was he broaching the subject of Cody
’s sister with them all here.
“Okay.” Cody shrugged. He leaped to his feet. “Hey guys. Just in time. I need you to listen to me practice,” he said. And he picked up his speech and began again.
This time, Dane didn’t listen at all.
He didn’t even pretend to.
Chapter Eight
The wedding rehearsal was beautiful and heartbreaking. Tina stood at the front of the chapel next to the other bridesmaids, holding a bouquet of fake flowers as she watched Angie walk toward Cody at the altar.
But her attention was fixed on Dane, who she could see out of the corner of her eye. He was so handsome in his jeans and suit jacket. She couldn’t wait to get him out of them. They had to make it through the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner first. And then, after, there would be dancing and dessert.
It would probably drag on for hours.
She gave a great sigh when the rehearsal ended and they were released by their captors for a brief recess before the torture of dinner would begin. It would be an intimate affair, just family and members of the wedding party, but it would be torture, because some genius had decided on assigned seating.
She shot a glare at Angie as the ladies made a run for the restrooms. Angie missed it.
Assigned seating was annoying because it meant she was paired with Ransom–who was nice enough–but Dane, who was the best man, would be paired with Holli, the maid of honor.
Holli was over the moon about it. “I’m so excited,” she squeed, as they rushed into the bathroom. It was surreal, standing there in a neat line, waiting for an open stall, holding plastic bouquets.
“I beg your pardon?” Tina responded, when Holli repeated herself and added a nudge.
“I say, I’m so excited. I get to sit next to Dane Coulter at dinner. Ohmygod. He is so hot, isn’t he? They’re all superhot, but Dane is the hottest.” She shivered. “So tall and muscley. And that steamy expression he always has? God. I bet he’s great in bed. How funny would it be if Angie married Cody and I married Dane? They’re best friends you know. Sisters and best friends…” She gushed a sigh. Gushed.
Tina tried not to snap her plastic bouquet in half. Or whack Holli in the head with it. She’d just met the woman. She seemed nice. Tina liked her. But at the moment she wanted to smack her.
Yes, Dane was superhot. Yes, he had a steamy expression–usually when he looked at her. But Tina didn’t want Holli, or anyone, drooling over him. Thinking about him in bed. Or in a cloak closet. Or anywhere.
She knew she didn’t own him. No one ever owned a man like Dane Coulter. And she had no business feeling all possessive. She had no business wanting to smack all the women who looked at him–and they all did–but she wanted to.
It didn’t get better at dinner.
Tina battled her way through rubber chicken, glaring at Holli and Dane across the table.
It revolted her, the way Holli was leaning into him, batting her lashes and giggling at everything he said. The way he was looking back at her, talking to her…disgusting.
Tina did the only logical thing a girl could do when the man she wanted was not giving her the attention she required. She fixed her focus on Ransom and winked. “So,” she said in her best Joe Peschi. “How you doin’?”
He choked on his wine, then cleared his throat. “I’m, ah, doing well. How have you been, Tina Marie? Long time, huh?” As a skinny teen with a squeaky voice, Ransom had been painfully shy around girls. Now that he was all filled out and had grown into a man, it was funny to find him just as bashful.
“Mmm hmm.” She sidled closer. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dane’s head snap around. She was pretty sure she saw a glower too. “So what have you been up to, Ransom?” she cooed.
He stared at her lips. Swallowed heavily. “Well, I’m in the Army.”
“Oooh. Love a man in uniform.”
He ran a finger around the neck of his shirt. Across the table, Dane’s muscles bunched.
She patted Ransom’s hand. Let hers linger. “Where are you stationed?”
A flush crawled up his cheeks. Really? So hard to believe they were brothers. “I’m at Ft. Lewis, ma’am.”
“Get out.” She smacked his shoulder. “I live in Seattle. We’re practically neighbors.”
It wasn’t fair, flirting with him like this, but damn it all, Dane deserved it. She flicked a look at him. He was staring at her–glaring at her–despite Holli’s attempts to regain his attention.
She shot him a smirk as she picked up her glass, then fixed her attention on his brother again, taking the straw between her lips and taking a slow draw. “So tell me, Ransom. Tell me about all your manly adventures…”
Yeah. Not fair at all. Poor Ransom choked on his indrawn breath, but it had the desired effect. Dane pushed back his chair and launched to his feet.
Goddamn it. He’d had enough. Enough watching Tina talk to other men and flirt with his brother when he couldn’t even get close enough to say hello.
Enough of this shit.
The band was playing a fast dance, but Dane couldn’t wait. Couldn’t wait to hold her again. He sprang to his feet and rounded the table, thrusting out a hand. “Dance.” One word. It was all he could manage. And not an invitation. A command.
Tina’s smile set a fire in his gut. “I’d be delighted.” She shot an apologetic smile at Ransom, who nearly collapsed with relief, and she set her hand in his. Her palm was warm as he led her to the shadowed dance floor.
As though fates were on his side–finally–the song changed, something slow and sleepy. His mood lifted. He pulled her close.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled in, pressing into him from chest to groin. As she swayed to the music, she rubbed against him like a sultry siren. Her movements reminded him of last night, of her on top of him, riding him. His cock hardened. Her perfume surrounded him, blinded him. Lust rose higher.
His hands slipped down her body, skimming over her back, her hips. He cupped her ass and pulled her closer.
It was amazing, having her in his arms again. Having her plastered against him like this. “Ah, I missed you, Bambi,” he said.
Her lips curled. “I missed you too.” She stroked his nape and he shivered. “Today has been crazy. One thing after another.”
It had been. A welter of activity. Dane decided, if he ever married, he would elope.
But now…now they were together. And it was heaven.
Until she said, “Did you talk to him?”
Oh, hell.
Dane gulped. “Not yet.”
Her smile evaporated. Her face scrunched up. “What? Why not?”
“There wasn’t time.”
“Wasn’t time?”
“We were interrupted.”
“Damn it Dane!” She pulled out of his arms and flounced off the dance floor. He followed her, even though she pushed through the double doors into the lobby. The suddenness of the bright lights, after the intimate shadows, startled him. The lobby was crowded, bustling with activity. A herd of Japanese tourists formed a knot by the registration desk and a gaggle of gamblers strode by, on the hunt for a winning machine. Others meandered around, as though lost, gazing into store windows. Hardly the place for a private conversation.
Tina didn’t seem to notice. She whirled on him. “You were supposed to talk to him. Before tonight.” This last bit, she hissed.
“Talk to who?”
Dane flinched as Cody sidled up next to them. Apparently, he had followed them from the room. Dane glanced at his friend and flinched again. Shit. Cody was pissed about something. But Dane ignored him, focusing on Tina instead.
“I told you, there wasn’t time.”
“You had all day.”
“All day for what?” Cody’s voice was silky smooth.
Dane whirled on him. “Did you want something?”
“Yeah,” Cody snarled. “I wanted to know why you had your hands on my sister’s ass.”
“I…what?”
&nb
sp; Tina grabbed Dane by the lapels and yanked his attention back to her. “All day. You couldn’t manage one little conversation?”
“Because they were right there.” Cody made a cupping motion. “On her ass. Right there. For everybody to see. And I do mean everybody.”
Dane glanced from one to the other, unsure who to address first. “It was–”
“All you had to say was, by the way Cody, I’m doin’ your sister–”
“What?“
“Are you cool with that? Because she sure as shit is.”
“For Christ sake. My sister? My innocent baby sister?”
“She’s not your innocent sister anymore.” This Dane shouted at Tina, not Cody. His gaze bored into hers. Hers bored right back. “She tied me up and rode me.”
“She what?” Cody squeaked. They both ignored him.
Tina glared at Dane. Poked him with a sharp finger. “You tied me up first.”
“He…what? He what?”
“Only because you wanted it,” Dane snapped.
“She…”
Tina bristled. “Only because you thought I was a hooker.”
“A hooker!” Cody thrust himself between them, though they were nearly nose to nose. “You thought my baby sister was a hooker?”
“You should have seen her,” Dane roared.
He didn’t expect the fist to the gut. Or maybe he did.
It was hard. Real hard. Dane slumped to his knees, the wind knocked out of him.
He really didn’t expect Tina to haul off and slug Cody. And then fall to her knees at his side. “Are you okay, baby?” she cooed. “Did he hurt you?”
“Did I hurt him?” Cody shook out his hand. “Did I hurt him?”
“I can’t believe you punched him.” She reached up and smacked her brother again for good measure.
“He called you a hooker.”
“He didn’t call me a hooker. He said he thought I was a hooker.”
“Is there a difference?”
Tina set her chin in a way Dane recognized. Cody would be smart to just shut up now. “There’s an enormous difference. Besides, Cody, I’d just come from the Smexy Photo Shoot. I was all dolled up. You all were expecting a hooker and he assumed it was me.”
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