“Brielle, are you all right?” Matthew ran toward her from the house.
She glanced over and nodded. “Yes, go back inside and find your brother.”
The concern in his eyes turned to blatant amusement.
“Found him,” Matthew stated with a smirk. “You’re sitting on my brother.”
Brielle’s gaze snapped to the intruder pinned beneath her bare legs. Blue eyes, black hair, cocky grin.
“Jack?”
Chapter Nine
Body throbbing with stark awareness, Jack stared at the sexy, wet vixen straddling his groin. That part throbbed most of all. He swallowed, trying to regain control. It wasn’t easy. The woman was nearly naked, and panting, and so damn hot.
“What were you doing, Brielle? Practicing a new dance routine?” He hoped he sounded amused, especially with a dozen pair of eyes and seven hundred cameras on him.
The woman blinked, her mouth still opened in shock. He knew how she felt. Never had he expected to find himself in this position. Well, okay, in his dreams, but not in real life, and certainly not on national television.
It was his own damn fault. His concern should’ve been for his brother, but it hadn’t been. Thoughts of the beautiful, helpless Brielle brought him outside as soon as the power had gone out. Helpless his ass. She’d taken him down like a professional. Apparently her martial arts claim was real.
“Yes, I call it ‘Intruder Takedown.’” She slapped his chest. “Jack? What the hell were you doing? Trying to scare me to death?” She hit him again, realization of the past few minutes dawning in her eyes.
“No. I knew you were alone out here, so I came to make sure you were safe.” He grabbed her swinging hands and gazed into her flushed face. His groin tightened. If she didn’t get off of him, he was going to burst.
He’d thought this afternoon had been trying on his libido when she kept running her hands over her well-rounded bottom. His jeans had tightened to the point of exploding. But, that was nothing compared to having her wet, almost bare bottom on top of him now.
Ranger training had prepared him to handle any situation as soon as it arose. The instructors obviously left out one course—how to deal with sexy bundle of mayhem Brielle Bennett.
He swallowed a groan. “Brielle, you can get off now.”
A wicked look crossed her face, but disappeared so fast he might’ve imagined it. He hadn’t. Hell no. His erection dutifully throbbed in response, pushing him ever closer to blast off.
“Sorry, Jack.” She hesitated, glancing down at him, her gaze stuck somewhere between heated and amused. “But I can’t.”
“What?” He dropped her hands and frowned. What kind of game was she playing?
“I can’t. I’m sorry, but my limbs aren’t responding, thanks to that damn horse.” She clenched her teeth. “Remind me to stick to the wooden ones that go round and round with a pole shoved up—” She cleared her throat. “—through them.”
He would’ve laughed, but her shifting caused something to rise, and it wasn’t her. His jaw cracked. Shit! T minus ten and counting…
“Here, let me help you, Brielle.”
Matthew came to her side and Jack’s aid. Thank God. Now he wouldn’t have to kill his brother.
“I’m afraid it’s going to take more than one of you.” Tears streamed down her face as she laughed.
Her chuckles vibrated through him, fueling his urge to flip them around, rip off their clothes and thrust deep inside her wet, quivering body. Jesus. He always considered himself strong, but not this strong.
“I may be stuck here all night.”
“Oh, hell no,” Jack muttered. He’d be dead by midnight. “Come on, someone grab her other arm.”
She stared down at him, face flushed, mouth opened, eyes gleaming. Jack blinked. It was as if his fantasy had suddenly turned real. Ever since she’d stepped foot on this damn set, he’d thought of nothing else but having his own alone-time with the dancer. That hot kiss hadn’t helped. Or the way she handled a gun. Christ. He should be concerned; instead, her marksmanship was the biggest damn turn on. And now her wet, squirming body straddling his groin was pushing him well beyond his limits.
T minus five…
“I’ll help.” One of the crew rushed to her other side. Jack immediately made a mental note to put that man in his will.
“Okay, on three,” Matthew said. “One, two, three!” They lifted temptation straight up and off him.
She was gone.
Jack closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, then exhaled. The torture had stopped and throbbing slowly ceased. Telling his body it was glad, he opened his eyes and promptly burst out laughing. Matthew and the other man held Brielle by the arms, but her legs were still stuck in a sitting position. His chuckles increased.
“Laugh it up, G.I. Jack.” She glared. “At least I wasn’t taken down by a girl.”
“Oh, good one, Brielle.” Matthew grinned. “Your turn, Jack.”
Rising to his feet, he shook his head. “No. I think the poor girl's been through enough.” He glanced at her bent legs, then back to his brother. “Do you want me to have Rodriguez get the riding mower? Brielle looks like she’s ready to tackle that front lawn.”
“Jack Anderson, so help me!” Amusement and annoyance danced in her gaze. “Just wait ‘til I get my legs straightened, then I’m going to kick your ass—again.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. You just got lucky. Once I realized it was you, I let you pin me.”
“You let me?” Her voice rose as her legs began to straighten. “That’s bull. You’re just trying to save your macho image.”
“Think what you want, Calamity, but—”
“Calamity?” She cut him off, exasperation rounding her beautiful brown eyes.
His pulse hit high gear. The woman was breathtaking, and she was certainly taking his breath.
“Yeah. Think what you want, but I know the truth.” He smiled, noting how the guys backed away as her feet touched the ground. She was standing on her own without realizing it.
Hands on her hips, she stepped toward him, eyes alive with fire. “And what truth might that be, Uncle Sam?”
God, she was so damn beautiful it hurt.
Jack forced himself to keep up the conversation, instead of dragging her close and tasting her heat. “That not even on my worst day could you take me down.”
Chest rising and falling, she stopped in front of him and glared. Desire rushed through his veins and retightened his groin. There was nothing helpless about this woman. Again, he should be concerned, but instead, he was fucking turned on. And if he wasn’t careful, he’d be right back at T minus five.
“You wanna bet?” Her voice dropped to a sexy, low timbre and restarted the countdown.
Matthew stepped between them. “Okay, you two. Play time is over.”
Bill snapped his fingers. “What a great idea!”
Brielle twisted to face the producer and sent him a suspicious look. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d left.”
“I did. I came back when I’d heard the lights went out. The whole block was down, but I’m happy to report, I called the power company and things are back to normal. But anyway, boy, am I glad I came back.” He laughed, writing furiously on his clipboard. “I’m going to schedule a self-defense training session Matthew and Jack can show the girls.”
“Absolutely not!” Jack crossed his arms and stared at the producer. Christ. The man’s ink pen had more brains. “Look, Bill, under the circumstances, teaching these women anything they can use against Matthew is a bad idea.”
“I’d have to agree,” Brielle said. “As much as I firmly believe all women should know how to take care of themselves, considering the threats on this show, I agree with Jack. It’s a bad idea.”
His eyes narrowed. He didn’t need her help on this issue and would’ve told her, but she swung her gaze to his and chewed her lower lip. Damn. He’d just gotten his body back under control. He ope
ned his mouth to reprimand, but nothing came out.
“Something wrong?” Intelligence worked behind her sexy stare. “Surely it’s okay for a woman to have an opinion, especially if it coincides with yours?”
Why did his body perceive everything this woman did as sexy? She was his parents’ choice as a “mate” for his brother, for Pete’s sake. Get a grip!
“I don’t think Jack minds that you have an opinion, Brielle.” Matthew’s gaze ran the length of her body, lingering on her legs before he smiled into her face.
Blood rush through Jack’s ears as some foreign emotion irritated his nerves to the point his fists clenched. “Opinions are good. I’m just surprised you sided with me instead of wanting to show off your other talents.”
Fire replaced her amusement as she glared at him. “And what talents might those be, Ranger Dick?”
Try as he might, Jack couldn’t stop his foot from entering his mouth. “Oh, my instincts tell me you’re a very talented woman, Brielle. Just know that I’m watching you. Don’t even think of trying anything on my brother.”
“Jack, Jack, Jack.” She shot him a smug look, then grimaced with each step she made toward Matthew. “I can promise you, with utter certainty, that I do not want to harm this man.” Her arm slipped around Matthew’s waist, and his grinning brother draped an arm around the beauty’s shoulder before pulling her close.
Jealousy stabbed in several places, stiffening Jack’s spine. She was off limits, and his body was just going to have to deal with it. Christ. It’s not like they had a past or anything.
Matthew squeezed her closer. “I believe you, Brielle.”
Jack wanted to believe her, too. He really did. The thought that he could be attracted to a liar—someone who wished to harm his brother—turned his stomach. But his past dictated caution. Thanks to Caroline, he’d learned the hard way not to trust anybody.
Nothing was ever as it seemed.
“Okay, no self-defense lessons,” Bill said, clipboard down by his side. “That’s all right. We have a full agenda anyway. I’ve no idea where we would’ve fit that in.”
“Great, now that that’s settled, and the drama is over...” Matthew glanced down at the woman still clinging to him. “How about I walk you out?”
“Thanks.”
The warm expression she granted his brother punched Jack’s insides. He swallowed and tried not to listen. He failed. Every movement, every flicker, every nuance that woman made increased his blood pressure.
She turned her gaze on him. “Good night, Jack. Sorry about the tackle.” Her smile, plus his brother’s laughter, did nothing to dispel Jack’s darkening mood.
And it had nothing to do with the fact those two would soon share a goodnight kiss, he told himself as he headed straight for the wet bar in the study. Nope. It had nothing to do with the fact his brother's lips would be tasting Brielle’s sweetness. A sweetness he could still recall with undeniable clarity. He poured a stiff drink.
Ariel’s kiss was the only other that left its mark on his memory. She’d tasted fruity, tropical, where Brielle had tasted like lime cooler. But both had the same heat and intensity. He rubbed his jaw, and not for the first time, wondered if they could be the same woman. They were both dancers, hot, and wrecked havoc on his libido. But, just as quickly, he dismissed it.
Ariel was friendly and French. She had long, wavy red hair that had brushed her sweet ass, and vivid blue eyes that drew him in. Although Brielle did have a sweet ass, her silky, brown hair fell to the middle of her shoulder blades, and her eyes were brown like the straight Kentucky bourbon in his hand. He smiled at the bottle. They produced the same kick, too.
Brielle was curvier. God, she had great curves. So did Ariel, although he wished he’d had longer to enjoy them. Hell, he’d barley pulled out of her warmth when someone had knocked at the dressing room door. He’d had just enough time to dispose of the condom in the trash, and zip up before the redhead had thrust him out the back door.
His smile widened. That whole assignment had been crazy, right down to the sex. But the dancer remained sweet. He closed his eyes and imagined the two women side-by side. Hot and hot. Sweet and…spunky. Ariel was thinner, probably because she was taller, at least he thought so. She’d always had on high heels, even when they’d…
He opened his eyes and let out a breath. What the hell am I doing? Christ, Brielle was getting way too far under his skin.
Holding up the glass, he stared at the dark liquid. Would Matthew send her home at the next eliminations in three days? I couldn’t be that lucky. No. He had to take care of this himself. Jack tossed back the drink. And he had to squelch his growing attraction for the dancer.
Ariel aside, it’d been a long time since he’d felt this way for a woman. In fact, he’d only felt like this twice before—and both times had proven to be a mistake. He wasn’t about to go for round three.
The first time he’d succumbed to a relationship had been just before shipping off to the Gulf, eleven years ago. He’d been a young recruit, buying into the old saying, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ when all it had done was garner him a Dear John letter a year later.
Holly, his childhood sweetheart, had written explaining she had needs he couldn’t fulfill from across the pond so she’d married a local college boy. He remembered feeling like his heart had been ripped from his chest and lay bleeding in the sand next to the engagement ring that had fallen from the envelope.
One would think that experience would’ve cured him for good. Nope. He shook his head at the bottle in his hand before he refilled his glass. Round two was worse.
Caroline.
Blonde, beautiful, and ambitious—the total opposite of Holly, personality-wise. Caroline knew what she wanted and took it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Jack she wanted, it was money. He was just a means to get it. She and her brother had pretended an interest in his business with the intent to procure the very items his company had been paid to secure.
He swallowed the burning liquid. Thank goodness he’d realized and corrected his mistake before it had cost him his business. Caroline hadn’t loved him, just the houses he’d had access to. He and his men had caught her and her brother red-handed, then turned them over to the police. Luckily, the Mastersons hadn’t pressed charges against his company.
That would’ve been icing on the cake. His burnt cake.
Jack slammed his glass onto the bar and watched the remaining alcohol swish in protest. His emotions shared the same turmoil. Brielle wasn't going to be the final nail in the coffin of his screwed-up love life. From now on, all feelings for her were to cease and desist.
Now, he just had to get his heart and body on the same page as his mind. Yeah, like that would happen. He had about as good a chance of that as his brother did of finding true love on the damn show.
Two nights later, the limo stopped in front of Club Terpsichore. Excitement lit Danni’s face, mirroring those of the other two contestants. Bill had sent an empty limo for the girls. Not exactly empty. There were cameramen and two of Jack’s men in attendance. As for the groom and his brother, they were all to meet up at the club. Brielle had to admit, as nice as it was to go male-less, she was a bit uneasy not having an eye on Matthew. She knew the club scene. The place would be jammed, loud and hopping. An absolute horrid scenario for a target.
“This is great.” Mandy nodded, barely refraining from jumping up and down. “But that sure is a strange name for a club. I wonder what it means.”
“Terpsichore is Greek. She was the muse of dance and song,” Brielle explained as she eyed the glittering entrance.
“I can’t wait to dance with Matthew.” Mandy’s expression turned dreamy. “We didn’t get to dance on our one-on-one last night.”
“At least you’ve gotten a one-on-one with him.” Carla sighed, picking invisible lint off her sexy green-haltered dress. “I’d take dinner and a show with him any day.”
Earlier that afternoon, the girls had each received
a box with an identical dress, except for color. The card had said to wear their dancing shoes and be prepared to get down with Matthew and his brother.
Brielle swallowed, her stomach suddenly going hollow. Dancing and Dodger? How would she ever survive the night? It would be trying enough with her still slightly sore muscles, but making her dance in front of Dodger? That wasn’t good. He’d recognize her for sure. Then what?
“Okay, let’s go in. The guys are supposed to meet us here in fifteen minutes,” Carla said, glancing up from her fancy watch. “Let’s check the place out.”
Following the others past the crowd and into the club, Brielle acknowledged her apprehension tonight wasn’t just about Jack. This noisy, public facility screamed trouble for Matthew. The club was the perfect place for anyone to get to him. She needed to acquire a feel for location before his arrival.
Thanks to their television status, they were scooted past the bouncers and ushered into the club within seconds. Pulse-pounding music vibrated around them as they inched further into the hopping joint. Gyrating bodies packed the dance floor from corner to corner while others lounged in circular booths or stood at the twenty-foot glass bar along a side wall.
“Great, this place is a nightmare,” she muttered, not worried the others would hear her over the music. She could barely hear herself think.
Danni leaned in close and said, “Come on. Let’s loosen up before Matthew gets here,” then pulled Brielle onto the dance floor.
She hesitated, ignoring her body’s desire to respond to the beat. The other contestants danced around her. What was she worried about? At the very worst, Jack would recognize her. So what? Her shoulders relaxed as her body began to sway. Big deal. She was a dancer trying to make it in the big city.
Brielle Bennett the dance instructor would dance, while Brielle Chapman the investigator would keep an eye out for threats against the groom.
“May we join you?”
Two heavyset men, dressed in throwbacks from the seventies, smiled at the girls. The four of them stopped dancing and exchanged a look before returning their gazes to the men.
She Does Know Jack Page 14