Falling for the Groomsman (5 page)

“What can I say? You make me poetic.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Sure I do.”

“Want proof?”

“You gonna write me a poem now?”

“Nope. I’m going to sing you a song.”

Her eyes widened. “No, you’re not.” When he opened his mouth, she covered it again. “Don’t you
dare
.”

He pulled free and belted out a few lines of the Taylor Swift song. She punched his arm and looked over her shoulder, making sure no one noticed. Everyone nearby looked over, in various shades of interest, trying to figure out who was singing Taylor Swift.

“Stop it,” she whispered.

He ignored her, and she buried her face in her hands. But when he held a note so long that even the bartender stared…she couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter and waved her hand frantically. “Oh my God, you win. Please. Stop singing to me.”

He cut off instantly. “Are you sure? I could keep going. I know the whole album by heart thanks to a teen I once took care of in Europe.”

She dropped her forehead into her palm. “Please no.”

“Fine. Want me to stop?” He shifted his weight and leaned on his knee. “Tell me about your list.”

He was awfully interested in her little sex list. She grinned and shook her head. “Nope. Not happening.”

“Fine…for now.” His lips twitched and he tugged on her hair again. “I heard a rumor you girls all picked groomsmen to seduce.”

She studied her drink, not sure where he was going with this line of questioning. “Who told you that?”

“Kady, of course.”

“She never could keep a secret,” Christine muttered.

He pressed a hand against her lower back and moved closer. Her stomach tightened at the innocent touch. Tiny little electrical sparks seemed to shoot from her scalp straight down to her belly, setting her on fire. Damn Taylor Swift and her songs. “Did you pick one?”

She didn’t even attempt to pretend not to understand his question. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

His gaze darkened. “Did you? Tell me, or I’ll force it out of you with another kiss, or even worse? A song.”

God, yes. She’d love another kiss. Wait. No, she wouldn’t. He was garbling all her thoughts with those eyes of his, and those soft touches he kept torturing her with. Swallowing hard, she shook her head slightly. “No.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, his voice low and deadly sounding. “No, you didn’t pick one? Or no, you don’t want a kiss or a song?”

“Both,” she said, her throat parched.

“Why not?” He curled her hair around his finger, urging her closer. She didn’t move, even though the pressure hurt a tiny bit. He could tug on her all he wanted. She wasn’t getting any closer. Not until she knew she could handle the close proximity, thank you very much. Which would be…never. “Do you have a man waiting back home?”

Not for over a year, much to her friends’ dismay. They were always pushing her to take more chances romantically. To be more like she was in her job in her personal life…but it just didn’t work that way. It wasn’t as if she could just push a button and fix herself with a flick of her thumb. Hence the sex list. “Why do you care?”

“Because I don’t like the idea of you having another guy in your life. Not after what happened between us last night. Also, if you have a man, I couldn’t do all the things to you I plan to do tonight, either.” He tugged harder on her hair, and she bit down on her lip, still refusing to budge. “Why are you fighting me so damn much?”

She gave him what she hoped was a challenging look. “Why are
you
pulling me closer?”

“Because I don’t want to fight this anymore.” His mouth curved upward into a small smile. She couldn’t help but watch, fascinated by how damn kissable his lips were. “I want to be friends, and more importantly? I want
you
in every possible way. I’m not talking about one time. I have a feeling once wouldn’t be enough for us.”

Heat rushed through her, centering on the wetness between her legs. Really? Was that all it took for her to get turned on by him? Him telling her he
wanted
her? Pathetic.

Well, too bad he couldn’t have her. How cocky of him to think he could, after a single kiss in a hotel foyer. She wasn’t that easy to get. She needed to remember this moment the next time he turned those bright-green eyes her way, instead of turning into a puddle of need. Leaning close, she bit down on her lip, watching as he stared at her mouth. “You want me more than
once
? Really?”

“Yes.” He shifted closer, his grip on her hair getting tighter. He thought he had her ensnared. She could see in his eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I even dreamed about you last night. About how fucking amazing you tasted. How alive you were in my arms. Hell, I even dreamed about the way you cried out my name in Mexico when you came all those years ago. About how tight you felt around me… That’s something I could never get out of my head, no matter how hard I’ve tried.”

She swallowed down the moan that tried to escape and chugged the last of her martini just in time for the bartender to bring the new one Tyler had ordered for her. She slipped her hand into his pocket, took her phone back, and then hopped off the stool. “Well, keep dreaming, because that’s the only time you’ll get to touch me, or hear me cry out in
pleasure
, again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to work on my list.”

New martini in hand, she walked off with her head held high. If her entire body was screaming for her to turn around and straddle him, right here in the freaking bar, well, it could piss off.

She wasn’t giving in.

Chapter Six

Damn it all to hell, that woman was stubborn. He could fucking
see
the desire in her eyes and yet she pushed him away again. Refused to give in to the white-hot passion burning between them.

Tyler downed his drink and handed the empty glass back to the bartender. “I’ll have another, please.”

For a second there, he’d thought he had her. But she’d rallied and held him off, her adorable nose pointed up in the air the whole time. When he’d thought that she had a man back home, an inexplicable rage had filled him. Jealousy, too. Lots of ugly green Hulk jealousy.

After all this time, he
still
ached to have her. Any other woman in his life had trouble holding his attention for longer than an hour, yet with Christine…being back in her company made him feel as if he’d never stopped thinking about her. Never stopped wanting her.

That had to mean something.

“I wasn’t sure if you two would be leaving together or what.” Colton sat beside him. “Fuck, man. What were you up to over here? A battle of wills, sex edition?”

Tyler shook his head and forced a laugh. “Nah. We were just talking.”

“Sure you were.” Colt looked at Christine, as if he was trying to read her.
Good luck with that
.
You’d have better luck reading an ancient, unknown language
. “You guys had a thing before, right?”

Tyler choked on his drink. When he could breathe again, he rasped, “No. Why? Who said something?”

“No one.” Colt shrugged. “Okay, Kady kind of did. But not really.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Tyler said, patience just barely there. “What do you mean?”

Colt grinned. “She told me something happened in Mexico that neither of you would talk about. I think she’s avoiding the answer staring her in the face. It’s not like it takes much to put two and two together.”

Tyler forced a laugh. “Well, maybe you should check your math. There’s nothing going on between us.”

Colt said nothing. Just arched a brow.

Uncomfortable with the silence, Tyler shifted in his seat. Now would be as good a time as any for the big brother talk he needed to have with Colt. Turning the attention away from him and Christine was simply an added bonus. “So, we’ve been friends for a long time.”

Colt scratched the back of his head and leaned on the bar. “Uh, yeah.”

“And you know I like you.”

Colt’s brow lifted. “Yeah…look, if this is about the whole ‘being in love with your sister’ thing, it’s a little late to—”

“No. It’s not that.” Tyler narrowed his eyes on Colt. “Even though I like you, I need to know you’ll take care of Kady. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid, but make sure she’s not scared to take risks. Treat her like a princess, but not so much so that she forgets what it’s like to live. Don’t make her cry. Don’t break her heart. And above all…”

Out of the corner of his eye, Tyler saw Christine cross the room and smile at some tall dude. Why was she flirting with
that
guy instead of him? Was this all part of her “list”? If her list was all about ways to piss him off, or getting him turned on before walking away…well, she was winning. Hands fucking down.

Colt cleared his throat. “If you’re done glowering at Christine, I’d love to hear the rest of that sentence.”

Tyler forced his attention back on Colt. He needed to stop being so damned obvious. “And above all, don’t make me have to kill you. I’m a doctor—I can get creative.”

Colt laughed. “I’ll do my best. But since it is now my goal to make her smile as often as possible, I think I’m safe from your creative ways.”

“Seriously, man.” Tyler forced his attention back to Colt. “I’m not fucking around about this. Make her happy, or answer to me.”

Colt’s smile faded and he locked gazes with Tyler. “I know. I will.”

“Good.” Tyler signaled the bartender, satisfied now that he’d had his little talk with Colt. “I’d hate to have to hurt you.”

Colt clapped him on the shoulder. “Me too, man.”

“Now that we’ve gotten that over with, how about a drink?” Tyler asked. “God knows I need one.”

“Did I hear something about a drink?” Brock, one of the other groomsmen, asked. “Because I could definitely go for one of those.”

Brock sat down, and Logan did the same. Reed trailed behind a little more slowly. His attention was focused across the room, perhaps on…Julie? Hmm. That would make for an interesting pairing. He didn’t know the other three groomsmen very well. Brock and Reed had grown up near where Colt’s dad settled in Tennessee, and Colt had gone to college with Logan. But what he knew of them, he liked.

Reed was a cop and looked more likely to shoot than to ask questions with his dark looks. Brock was a quintessential Southern boy, complete with charm and charisma. And Logan? The guy looked like he’d be equally at home hanging from a rock face or facing down a boardroom. Out of all of them, Tyler related to him the most.

They were both happily married to their careers.

Logan sat on the empty barstool next to Tyler. “Evening, gentlemen. Refresh my memory. What’s on tomorrow’s agenda? Mountain biking, poker…what was it again?”

“Scavenger hunt. Tomorrow afternoon,” Tyler said. “You ready for some outdoor adventure?”

Logan grinned. “What do you think?”

Brock lounged on a barstool on the other side of Colt. “I think you’re both going to win, because Lord knows I’m not about to go traipsing across the mountainside for a prize I can buy myself.”

Reed sat down next to Brock, his attention still across the room and his frown even deeper than before. He nodded at Colton’s glass. “What are you drinking?”

“Whiskey,” Colt said, waving at Kady. “But not for much longer. My bride’s beckoning.”

“Nice,” Brock said, grinning at Kady. He signaled for the bartender to come over. “Not before I buy the first round of drinks, though.”

“Is it from Julie’s company?” Logan asked, grabbing one of those coasters that all bars had and dealing them down the bar like playing cards. “If so, line ’em up.”

“They have that here?” Reed asked, a brow up. From what Tyler could tell, he’d stopped watching Julie, but only because her family’s
business
had come into play. If he needed confirmation of his suspicions—which he didn’t—he’d gotten it right there. “I want to try some, too.”

“Sure,” Brock agreed. The bartender came up, and he smiled at her. “Hey, sugar. Can we get a round of One-Eyed Jack Whiskey?”

“And two champagnes,” Logan added, but the girl had eyes only for Brock.

“Sure thing,” she said, her cheeks flushed. “R-Right away.”

Not a big surprise there. From what Tyler had noticed over the past day or so in the man’s company, women melted into a puddle of goo when Brock turned on the Southern charm. Last night, he’d learned that he’d once charmed himself out of an arrest all because the cop was a woman. No one knew what Brock had done to get arrested.

He hadn’t been so quick to share that part of the story.

Logan shifted a little on his feet. “Next round’s on me, but it’ll have to be tomorrow after the scavenger hunt. Tonight I have to drink and run.”

“Why?” Brock asked, his drawl thicker than usual. “You got a hot date?”

Logan cast an odd look Colt’s way. “Hotter than you four.”

“Speaking of which…” Tyler eyed Logan’s casual gear. All of them were suited up except for him. He wore khaki shorts and a T-shirt, with a pair of brown leather sandals.
“Dude. You realize this is a black-tie event, right? Not a visit to the Outback?”

“Seriously,” Colt said. “What the fuck, man?”

Logan shrugged. “Hey, I wore this for you, big guy.”

“Huh?” Colt frowned.

Logan leaned in and lowered his voice. “Long story, and no reason to get your panties wadded, but I’m dressed like this so your little sister would come tonight. You asked me to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t hide in her room, and this is what it took.”

Colt shook his head and clapped him on the shoulder. “Okay, I’m not even going to ask. But, thanks. You’re the best.”

“It’s nothing.”

Colt shook his head and withdrew his hand. “Actually, no. It means a lot to me.”

Logan looked vaguely uncomfortable with his friend’s gratitude, but he didn’t reply. Interesting.

Without even intending to, his eyes sought out Christine. She’d been staring at him, so their gazes crashed in one hot, scorching collision. He froze, not daring to so much as move. Not when she was looking at him as if she wanted to get him naked
now
. When she turned her back on him, he looked away—only to find Logan watching him.

When the drinks came, Logan looked away. He downed his shot, picked up the glasses of champagne, nodded, and then took off in Sophie’s direction.

“Jesus,” Reed said, his frown back in place. “Is she going to eat anything herself?”

“What?” Colt asked. “Who?”

Reed startled, as if he hadn’t realized he spoke out loud, and picked up his drink. “Never mind.”

Tyler cleared his throat. “Dude, you look like you’re about to drown a fluffy white kitten. Relax.”

Reed snapped himself out of it, frowning even deeper. “I’ve gotta go.” He headed across the room without another word.

Tyler shook his head and sat down beside Colt, who cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “So, uh, that was an interesting show to watch.”

“Who? Reed and Julie? I know. It’s fucking—”

“I wasn’t talking about them,” Colt said, rolling his eyes. “I meant the look you and Christine just exchanged.”

Tyler picked up his drink and took a swig of Julie’s whiskey. It went down smooth. “Okay, maybe your math isn’t
that
far off.”

“You think?”

Tyler stared down at the amber liquid in his glass. “We’re playing a game of hard to get right now. Her more so than me.”

“I bet something’s hard on you,” Colt muttered.

Tyler scowled at him. “Fuck you.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Colt grinned. “Maybe she doesn’t want to be caught. Ever think of that?”

“Oh, she wants to be caught.” He fished out his wallet. Time to pay his tab and socialize before Kady tracked him down and kicked his ass. “She’s just playing a game, but I’m determined to win the war.”

Colt rubbed his jaw and stared across the room. “You might have to try a bit harder to convince her of that.”

“Nah. I just need some more time.” After locating his card, he set it on the bar. “She’ll come around.”

“Will she come around before or after she’s done with
that
guy?” Colt pointed at the door, where Christine was leaving with another man. Another man who looked way too happy to be at her side. Asshole. “Just wondering and all.”

“Son of a bitch.” Tyler lurched to his feet in one smooth motion. “No fucking way.”

Colt stopped him with a hand on his elbow. “Let her go. It’s all part of the game, right?”

Tyler shook free of Colt’s grip but didn’t move. She would be gone before he could catch up to her, and he’d be damned before he
literally
chased her out the door. As she left, she shot him a cocky look over her shoulder, and as the door closed behind her he’d swear he saw her slide her hand into the other guy’s suit jacket.

Tyler turned back to the bar and motioned the bartender over. “I’m going to need another drink or ten.”