by Brynne Asher
Jen: Shit. Worry.
Jen: No, Sorry! I list track of time.
Jen: Damn. Lust!
Jen: Fuuuuucj. LOST.
Jen: FUCK.
Jen: Nebermind. Are you here>
Jen: ?
I smile and when I turn the corner to enter the biggest tent, I see a display with a mostly demolished wedding cake that was probably the size of the Empire State Building. But beyond that, across a ton of tables that’re decorated to the hilt with flowers and shit, is a woman with her back to me. She’s looking down, but her dark hair is piled on the back of her head and she’s in a tight dress that hugs every curve of her body.
I’d know that ass anywhere.
It’s mine.
I stop and look down at my phone.
Me: Turn around.
It takes a couple seconds, but she whips around, having to steady herself on the back of a chair in the process. When her eyes land on me, they go big and her face falls as if she’s seen a ghost. I widen my stance and lift a hand to crook a finger at her. It’s time to go.
The last of the partiers are paying us no mind and the small group still on the dance floor is hacking up some rap song from the nineties. She narrows her eyes before looking around to see if anyone is watching us. What she does not do is come to me.
Me: Are we leaving or do you want me to take you to the dance floor again?
She looks down at her phone and frowns before shaking her head. Without looking back to me, she turns and picks up a small bag on the table and what looks to be a scarf. When she moves, she doesn’t do it in a straight line, but heads back to the dance floor and straight to a small blond woman whose dress is the same color as Jen’s but shorter. The blonde does everything she can to pull her back into the madness, but Jen talks her way out of it and turns toward me.
She might be walking my direction, but she doesn’t make eye contact. She’s looking down at the phone I gave her and I’m not quite sure I’ve ever seen anyone text so violently. I’ve also not seen anyone look as good in a formal dress as she does. The slit going straight up the front gives me a peek of the same bare legs that straddled me earlier. My cock twitches as I imagine them straddling me in other ways.
Jen: What do you think you’re going?
Jen: doing?
Jen: We can’t be sen tobethr.
Jen: Seen.
I don’t bother texting her back because when she reaches me, I turn as her shoulder brushes my chest. I fall into step behind her and lean in to put my lips close to her ear. “Baby, relax.”
She turns to frown at me and almost shouts her whisper, “How did you get in?”
“Shh.” I smirk at her and she turns away from the parking. “Where are you going?”
“My stuff is in the house.”
I grab her hand to stop her. “You can get it tomorrow.”
“But all my things are in there,” she argues.
I smirk. “I thought you didn’t want to be seen with me. Shouldn’t we just make a run for it before poor Justin has second thoughts about letting me in? By the way, I’m not real impressed with your security.”
Her arms flail before falling to her sides. “How do you get through all the security? My building? The wedding? Do you hypnotize people or something? Does the government really have those Men in Black thingymajigs?”
I shake my head and step closer so my chest brushes her tits. “No, but one of those would make my job a lot easier, trust me.”
We’re between the main house and the meadow that serves as a parking lot. We’re far away from the party and only the moon lights up her face. Her eyes are glassy and, even though I can’t smell anything on her, I can tell she’s been drinking because she sways. I put my arm around her and she leans into me as her words contradict her actions. “Eli. We can’t be seen together.”
Her hands come to my pecs when I pull her up to brush my nose against hers. “No. We can’t.”
“Are you going to kiss me? Because I want you to even though you shouldn’t.”
I don’t kiss her. “I’m glad you want me to kiss you.”
“I’m drunk.”
“Really? I never would have guessed.”
She tips her head and smiles a smile that isn’t her normal one. “I guess you would know. You’re sort of a cop.”
“It was your texting that gave you away. Though, I’m impressed how well you walk in those shoes drunk.”
“I’m really good at walking in heels. I bought these specifically for tonight and they might be my new favorites.”
I lower my voice. “Get your bags tomorrow. Let me get you out of here.”
She sighs and I take that as an affirmative. Not letting go of her, I turn her toward the meadow where I’m parked and grab her hand.
“I feel like I’m in high school, sneaking out of the house with a boy,” she says.
“Yeah?” I glance over at her. “Did you sneak out of the house with a lot of boys?”
“Hell, no.” She hiccups. “With all this security? I was too scared. Ellie, on the other hand…”
“Your sister?”
She nods and widens her eyes. “She wasn’t afraid of anything.”
She trips on the uneven ground and just when I grab her so she doesn’t fall, I tense when I hear from my side, “Pettit? Is that you?”
I turn and can’t believe who I see. What are the fucking odds.
I look down at Jen and she’s wide-eyed when she whispers, “What the hell? Do you know him?”
*****
Jen
“Fuck,” Eli mutters under his breath.
Well, fuck is right.
I watch Paige’s pregnant cousin, Gabby, and her husband walk toward us. For the life of me, I cannot remember his name even though I sat across from them at dinner last night and we talked about everything under the sun. I even remember that he’s from Colorado. It probably didn’t help I drank all the wine last night and—damn Ellie, because of her—I drank all the vodka tonight. How am I supposed to remember names when I’ve consumed this much alcohol in a mere twenty-four-hour period?
This is why I don’t drink at dinner meetings. Obviously, I turn stupid.
“It is you. What the hell are you doing here?” what’s-his-name asks as they make their way to us through the dark. I got to know Gabby because she was a bridesmaid, too. She’s probably sharp as a whip since she’s stone-cold sober.
What Eli should do is push me under his truck, or demand I quit holding his hand, or explain that I mistook him for some other hot guy and latched onto him like he was mine even though we’re complete strangers and he hasn’t ever given me an orgasm. But, like the crazy federal agent he is, he pulls me closer and tucks me under one arm as he extends the other. “Jude Ortiz. Gotta say, this is the last place I expected to see you.”
Jude. That’s his name.
Jude takes his hand and shakes it. “I could say the same about you. I heard you were shipped to the Dallas Division.” Jude’s eyes flick to me and he looks oddly … hmm, I don’t know, curious? Definitely weird when he turns back to Eli. “But I didn’t know you knew the Montgomerys.” Jude turns to his wife. “Sugar, this is Eli Pettit. Remember me telling you about the MacLachlan case? This guy is solely responsible for cracking it. He was under for years. We went through the academy together.”
“Wait. What?” I ask as my vodka-laden brain does everything possible to turn this into something I’m sure it isn’t. Like, the academy was some sort of summer camp in middle school or something. Jude’s a big guy, too. Maybe they played basketball together back in the day.
But no. Gabby confirms my fears that they are definitely not basketball—or even fishing buddies for that matter—when she exclaims, “Right. I saw you on the news. I remember telling Jude he can’t ever go undercover like that. There’s no way I could live without him for that long.” Then her gaze moves to me, her blue eyes light up the night as she smiles. “Are you two dating?”
�
��Oh, shit,” I mumble.
Jude turns to his wife and mutters, “Gabby.”
“Why didn’t he come to the wedding?” she asks further. “Oh, was he working? I get that. I mean, Jude doesn’t work undercover, but they’re always on call, right?”
I look straight at Jude and can’t help my tone when I basically accuse him of lying. “I talked to you all through dinner last night and you never said you worked for the FBI.”
He has the nerve to look sheepish. “Cam wanted me to keep it on the downlow—didn’t want you to know—because of your case. He thought it would stress you out.” He looks at Eli and for some reason his expression turns amused. “But I guess you don’t have a problem fraternizing with federal agents.”
Eli digs into his pockets and before I know it, his truck lights up and beeps. He turns me to him. “Get in. I’ll be there in a second.”
I turn to Gabby and Jude—a man whose name I’ll remember for as long as I live—and start to explain, but Eli interrupts. “Jen. It’s okay. I promise. Get in the truck.”
Gabby grabs my hand and pulls me away from Eli. “I know how busy you are. Cam told us about your job, but keep in touch. We’re family now.”
I give her a hug because she doesn’t give me the choice not to even though her very pregnant belly takes up all the space. “Sure. I’ll, you know … call. Or text.”
“See you later, Jen. I looked into your case after Cam told me about it. It’s shit and I’m sure it’ll be cleared up soon,” Jude assures me.
I stare at him a second, not believing what just transpired, but whatever. I’m tired and need to go home, but still try to give Jude a half-smile and mutter, “Yeah, that’s what they all say. I’ll be glad when it happens.”
Then I turn to Eli’s truck and reach down to pull my shoes off, something I should’ve done earlier so I don’t ruin them traipsing through the grass.
I’m sitting in the truck and have no clue how much time has passed because my eyes are closed and I’m trying my best to quit spinning. When I hear Eli climb in and start up the engine, I let my head roll to the side and open my eyes but don’t say a word.
He puts it in drive but we don’t move because he leans in close over the console. “Jude is cool. It’s all good.”
“I thought he was cool, too, until I found out he works for my archenemy.”
He doesn’t argue, but he does smile. “Am I your archenemy?”
“I don’t know what to think about you.” I sigh and close my eyes.
“Hey,” he calls for me and I drag my eyes open. “How was the wedding?”
I shift but keep my head leaning on the headrest because it’s just too heavy to hold up. “It was beautiful and perfect and I’m jealous.”
He frowns. “I’m pretty sure they’ll throw you a gig just like that or bigger someday.”
I shake my head. “I’d never want all that. I’m jealous of Cam. He’s happy. Not that he doesn’t deserve to be—he does. He deserves everything. They’re in love and are having a baby and going to Hawaii and are going back to live a simple life in the middle of corn fields. There are days I’d kill for simple.”
He raises a hand to cup my face. “Spent my childhood trying to keep myself out of trouble. Had to fight for a scholarship just for a chance at a better life. I competed against some of the best in the academy to finally get placed in a decent position. Then I had to watch my back twenty-four-seven while I was undercover. Now I’m in deep with you, who I shouldn’t even be talking to much less giving orgasms to. I wouldn’t know simple if it walked up and kicked me in the balls.”
This makes me smile, even though it’s a small one, and I reach up to touch his hand on my face. “Simple sucks.”
“Fucking overrated,” he agrees.
I turn his hand in mine. “Yeah. Everyone else is missing out on the fun stuff.”
He leans in and puts his forehead to mine. “I’m going to kiss you now and then I’m going to take you home.”
I nod. “I’ll be asleep before we leave the ranch. There’s no maybe about it. I’m so tired.”
He takes my face in his hands and, just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he says, “Your ass looks good in that dress.”
“I knew you were an ass man.”
“The rest of you looks good, too.”
“Thank you.”
“Fucking beautiful.”
“Are you going to kiss me?” I’m anxious for his lips on me again.
He pulls me close and I get what I want, what I’ve thought about all night, wishing he was with me and not the secret that would get me in trouble with my legal team and possibly get him fired. His lips move on mine and this kiss is different than any other he’s given me. Gentle and seeking, his tongue swipes my lips and I open for him, tasting him like he’s tasting me. He takes his time, as if sitting in a pasture on my parents’ property with cars pulling out around us isn’t the big deal that it is.
When I lean into him for more, he pulls away and looks me in the eyes. “I’m not leaving you tonight.”
I sigh and, even though I’m drunk, I mean it when I say, “I’d kick your ass if you tried.”
He shakes his head. “Baby.”
“I’m going to go to sleep now. Wake me up after you magically get through the security of my building.”
He kisses me one more time and lets me go. “You got it.”
I settle in and look for a button to recline my seat. “I knew you liked my ass.”
“I love your ass.”
I look back over and smirk. “I’ll tell Jase you said thank you for all the glute workouts.”
He frowns before putting it in drive and pulling out of the meadow. “I shit you not, Jen. If anyone but me works on your glutes from now on, there’ll be hell to pay.”
I close my eyes and mumble, “Whatever. I’ll think about it. Just don’t arrest me.”
I hear him mutter something but can’t make it out. I’m asleep before he pulls through the gates.
Chapter 16
Chaos
Eli
I open my eyes when she stirs next to me. When I roll, all I see is her bare back and her hair a mess over her white pillow.
She was not kidding when she said she was tired last night. She slept all the way back to Dallas. When I pulled into her parking garage, I woke her and helped her stumble to the elevator. When she let us in her condo, she went straight to her bedroom—a room that pretty much looks like an extension of the rest of her place. The wall behind her bed is brick from floor to ceiling and looks like it’s a hundred years old the way the paint is chipping. She’s got a shitload of furniture, her bed is fucking huge, and the only reason it doesn’t look like something out of a magazine is because she’s got pictures littered everywhere.
I followed her to make sure she didn’t fall on her face through the nicest bathroom I’ve ever seen and into a closet that’s almost as big as the bedroom itself. She took her shoes and placed them carefully into a see-through plastic container, sliding it back on a shelf with a million others just like it and turned to me. She reached around her back and unzipped her strapless dress, letting it fall to the floor like she strips in front of me daily. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so when she stumbled toward me in only a pair of black lace panties, there was no way I could fight my dick from responding.
She walked straight to me, leaned up on her toes, and put her lips to my jaw, before tripping around me, leaving me in her big ass closet. When I turned to follow, I learned her black panties were a thong, bringing my dick to full attention. She went straight to her bed, threw about ten million pillows onto the floor, and fell in.
She was dead to the world before I could walk across the room to cover her up.
I had no choice but to follow, but only after I powered down her condo and found my way around her bathroom, using her toothbrush. That’s when I stripped down to my boxers and climbed in next to her. It was not the way I thought the day was going to end.<
br />
That said, waking up next to her does not suck.
Not in the least.
She rolls, pulling at the blanket to cover her tits and, when she pushes her hair out of her face, her sleepy eyes that are smeared with makeup focus on me. Her voice is groggy when she says, “You stayed.”
I rip the blanket off of her and grab her by the hips to drag her front to mine. “Told you I would.”
“Oh, yeah.” She puts her hands to my shoulders and her eyes go big. “Are you a naked sleeper?”
“Baby.” I pull her up my body and put my lips on her bare shoulder. “I can be anything you want me to be. Do you have a headache?”
She shakes her head. “No. It’s my only superpower. I can drink all I want without getting a headache.”
I pull back and frown at her. “Never?”
She gives me a sleepy smile. “Never. Ask me if I’m bloated or tired, sure. But never a headache.”
My lips tip on one side. “I’ll add that to the Forbes and People articles on impressive things about Jensen Montgomery.”
She tips her head. “How many times do I have to tell you to quit calling me that? My parents and their stupid family names.”
I ignore her, rolling so she lands on her back and I land on her. I lean down to kiss her quick, adding, “I need to add your closet to that list. More than impressive.”
She spreads her legs to make room for me. “Don’t give me shit about my closet.”
“Jen. You need to quit talking.”
She cranes her head around to look at the clock on her bedside table. “Holy shit. It’s almost ten. I can’t remember the last time I slept this long. I missed the breakfast with the Carpinos.”
“Good.” I put my lips to her collarbone and move down her body. “There was no way you were leaving here for anything. I might not let you out of this bed at all.”
She dips her hands in my hair and I do what I can’t wait to do again. I pull her nipple into my mouth and suck. When she moans, I add my teeth to the mix and she starts to fidget below me. The only things between us are my boxers and her lace.