The rest of him was equally appealing. Long legs encased in camo pants, strong jaw dusted with stubble, black-brown hair cut in a short military style. Her nipples tightened involuntarily, her core clenching at the sight of all that manly goodness. Lord, the man was sexy as hell.
And shocked as hell, judging by the way those piercing blue eyes widened when he spotted her. Recognition splashed across his face, and his voice came out in a startled rasp. “Oh. Hi.”
She met his gaze, her mouth drier than a desert. “Hi.”
Carson swung his head from her to Cash. “Do you two know each other?”
After a moment of hesitation, during which Jen transmitted a silent warning with her eyes, Cash visibly swallowed and turned to her brother. “No. I was just…I, ah…” He stuck out a hand in her direction. “It’s nice to meet you, Jenny.”
“Jen,” she corrected, moving forward to shake his hand.
The second their palms touched, heat seared into her like a bolt of lightning, spreading through her body and warming every inch of her skin. Their gazes locked again, and the fire inside her burned hotter. Desire pulsed in her veins, making her dizzy and breathless. Holy mother of God. She craved this man on a basic, carnal level she hadn’t known existed.
Sucking in a breath, she jerked her hand back. Touching him was too big a temptation. It only intensified the crazy urge to strip him naked.
“So we’re all cool with this, right?” Carson spoke, oblivious to the tension hanging in the room. “Jenny will stay here until Psycho McGee leaves town?”
Cash’s blue eyes rested on her before turning to Carson. “Yeah, it’s cool. Matt’s room is all ready.”
“Good.” Carson focused on her. “Jenny?”
She sighed. “It’s fine. But only until Brendan is gone.”
Carson nodded in agreement, then picked up her suitcases. “I’ll put these in Matt’s room.”
The second her brother disappeared, Jen cast a slightly embarrassed look in Cash’s direction. “I had no idea you were the one I was coming to stay with.”
“I figured,” he said wryly.
An awkward silence settled between them, bringing a jolt of annoyance. She hadn’t expected him to greet her with a passionate kiss or anything, but did he have to look so unhappy? As he fidgeted with his hands, his chiseled features creasing with discomfort, her self-esteem took a couple of hits. Couldn’t he at least pretend to be pleased to see her?
“Jen—” he started, only to be interrupted by Carson, who sauntered back into the living room as if he had no care in the world.
Well, of course he didn’t.
He
wasn’t the one who had to spend the next three weeks with someone who wanted nothing to do with him. Oh no. Carson just got to drop her off, leave her in the clutches of the man she’d almost fucked, and be on his merry way.
“You’re all set,” Carson said. “I guess I’ll head out now.”
Panic flitted through her. “Now?”
“Don’t worry. McCoy will take good care of you.” He frowned as he turned to his teammate. “Remember what I said—she doesn’t leave the house unless someone is with her. You, preferably, but any of the other guys are acceptable alternatives. Annabelle and Holly, too, since they’ve taken self-defense classes. But not Savannah—I don’t want her corrupting my little sister.”
Jen waved her hand around. “Hello? I’m right here, you know. Quit talking about me like I’m a five-year-old.”
As usual, Carson ignored her. “And make sure she stays away from her usual haunts. Psycho McGee might be lurking around, waiting for her to show up.”
“Got it,” Cash said with a nod.
“Good. Okay, I’m out.” Her brother didn’t rumple her hair again, probably because he could see the murder in her eyes, but he did lean in and plant a loud smack of a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t give Cash any trouble.”
He strode toward the door, then paused to shoot Cash a sharp look over his shoulder. “And remember what I said, McCoy. There’s a pool right downstairs.”
After Carson left, another silence fell over the room. Smothering a sigh, Jen studied Cash’s face, wishing she could make sense of that indescribable expression. He obviously wasn’t happy to see her, but she refused to spend the next three weeks tiptoeing around without clearing the air between them.
Her brows puckered into a deep frown as the silence dragged on. Finally, unable to stand it, she crossed her arms and said, “So why didn’t you call?”
Cash couldn’t fucking believe Jen was actually here. In his apartment. Standing right in front of him. Three steps and she’d be close enough to kiss. Twenty steps and they could be in his bed. Naked.
She’s Carson’s sister
.
Despite the warning bells in his head, he couldn’t tear his gaze off her. Those tight-fitting jeans of hers were damn sexy, but the rest of her outfit was cute and girlie. Bright yellow T-shirt. A pair of flip-flops with yellow daisies on the toes. Her blonde hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she wore no makeup except for shiny pink lip gloss.
Cash gulped. Fuck, he wanted to kiss the gloss right off those sexy lips. To slide his hand underneath the hem of her shirt and stroke her smooth, tanned flesh. Squeeze that firm ass. Undo her ponytail and tangle his fingers through all that golden hair.
Jeez, there were so many things he wanted to do to this woman he didn’t even know which one to focus on.
But…he’d promised her brother he wouldn’t touch her.
Jen’s blue eyes darkened with displeasure. “You’re just going to avoid the question?”
He blinked out of his trance. “What?”
“Why didn’t you call? Not that I cried about it or anything, but I’m curious, especially since you gave me that whole speech about finishing what we started.”
“I lost your number,” he admitted.
She looked dubious.
“Well, technically, the rain washed your number away.” He shook his head in aggravation. “Trust me, I wasn’t too happy about that.”
Her expression relaxed. “So you really planned on calling?”
“I told you I would,” he said gruffly.
“Okay. Next question—why did you lie about your job?”
Discomfort curled around his spine. “Some women go a little nuts when they find out I’m a SEAL,” he confessed. “Like the chick I was hiding from that night. So I don’t always advertise what I do.” He shrugged sheepishly. “Sometimes I like knowing that the woman I’m with actually wants me for
me
, you know?”
She sighed. “I don’t like being lied to, but I get it. I’ve watched girls throw themselves at my brother for years all because he’s a SEAL.”
They both went quiet again.
Cash raked a hand through his hair, wanting to kick something. Fuck. The universe really did hate him. Here he was, standing in front of the woman he’d been fantasizing about for days, and he wasn’t allowed to touch her.
“Why do you look so pissed off?”
Her weary voice drew him from his thoughts. “I’m not pissed, I’m frustrated.”
“Why?”
He bit back a groan. “Because I really want to kiss you right now.”
Those blue eyes widened. “Oh.” She swallowed. “I probably wouldn’t mind if you did.”
He chuckled. “Probably?”
“Fine. I wouldn’t mind at all.”
Their eyes locked. The air between them sizzled.
The groan he’d been holding slipped out as he remembered how good her lips had felt pressed against his own. How sweet she’d tasted.
Jen took a timid step forward.
He took a speedy step back.
“But I can’t,” he said flatly. “We can’t get involved, Jen.”
She frowned. “May I ask why?”
“Because I promised your brother I wouldn’t.”
Her jaw fell open. “Are you joking?”
“I wish I was, but I’m dead serious. Carson made it crystal clear that I’m to keep my hands off you.”
She laughed in disbelief. “And I don’t get a say in it?”
Oh boy. Annoyance and anger had stained her cheeks red and her eyes glittered like bright blue diamonds. She looked really fucking hot when she was pissed off. Then again, it was probably impossible for her to
not
look hot. Hell, she turned him on by breathing.
Fuckin’ universe.
Clenching his fists at his sides, Cash cursed under his breath. “I know, okay? This sucks. Three days ago, I wanted nothing more than to tear your clothes off and—well, and you know. But three days ago, you were Jen, the amazing woman I met at the Tavern.”
She huffed out a breath. “I’m still Jen.”
“Yeah—Jen, Carson’s sister,” he said unhappily. “Which means you’re off-limits now.”
She arched one blonde eyebrow. “You’re seriously going to blow me off because you’re scared of my brother?”
“Yes. And I ain’t too manly to admit it—your brother scares the shit outta me.”
“Wow.” She shook her head in amazement. “You’re breaking up with me and we weren’t even dating.”
He narrowed his eyes as a thought occurred to him. “As I recall, you said you don’t date military men.”
“Date them? No. But I’m not averse to sleeping with them.” She smiled faintly. “Come on, cowboy, you know you want to.”
Hell. He was in hell. No, scratch that—he was in the Garden of fucking Eden and Jen was standing before him, dangling the forbidden apple under his nose.
Cash licked his suddenly dry lips. “I can’t. I promised Carson I’d behave. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s ridiculously protective when it comes to you.”
“He’s
over
protective. And just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean he can dictate who I spend time with.” She went quiet for a beat. “So Carson gets to dictate your life too now?”
“It’s guy code,” he muttered. “You don’t mess around with your friend’s sister, especially when that friend tells you not to. And especially when that friend isn’t just a friend, but also your lieutenant. I made him a promise, Jen.”
“You kind of already broke it. We almost had sex in a coatroom, remember?”
His cock twitched at the memory. He briefly closed his eyes, then opened them to pin her with a firm stare. “I promised Carson to behave,” he repeated. “And I’m a man of my word.”
She smirked. “You really think we can live together and be able to keep our hands off each other?”
No
.
He dismissed that deviant burst of cynicism and gathered up some willpower. Jesus. He was a grown man—surely he could respect his friend’s wishes and keep his goddamn pants zipped. Jen might be appealing as hell, but he’d met her only three days ago. His friendship with Carson trumped three measly days.
Steeling himself against her mocking blue eyes, Cash smirked right back at her. “I’ve got great discipline, sweetheart. I think I can keep my hormones under control.”
“Really.” She slanted her head. “What if I told you I like to walk around naked?”
The appealing image caused saliva to fill his mouth. Swallowing, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Then I’d politely ask you to put on some clothes.”
“What if I sleepwalk in the middle of the night—naked—and wind up in your bed?”
“Then I’d carry you to your bed, tuck you in, and go back to my room.”
“What if I want to sit in the living room and watch porn? Naked,” she added.
He shrugged. “I’d read a book in my room until you’re done, then come out and watch football.”
She looked frazzled. “You sound very confident in your ability to resist my charms.”
“Discipline,” he reiterated.
“Is that a challenge?”
Aw, hell. This entire discussion was treading on dangerous territory.
“I won’t deny I’m attracted to you, but I won’t act on the attraction. That doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, though.”
Friends? Christ, he was grasping at straws here. His dick was so hard it had started to tent in his pants, and Jen’s gaze, of course, immediately dropped to his crotch.
“Friends,” she echoed, her eyes twinkling.
He willed his erection to subside. “Why don’t I show you to your room?” he suggested, desperate for a distraction. “You can unpack, and then maybe we’ll grab some lunch or something.” AKA, get the hell out of the apartment before he jumped her bones.
Her mouth tightened in a resigned line. “Fine. I’ll unpack. But I don’t want lunch. I’m kind of pissed off and the only thing that’ll improve my mood right now is Choctastic Verryberry Swirl.”
He gave her a blank stare.
“It’s an ice cream flavor,” she muttered. “There’s a place a few blocks from here that sells it.”
“You want to go out for ice cream,” he said, perplexed.
“Yes.” Those delicate eyebrows lifted in another challenge. “That’s what friends do, no? Go out for ice cream, have a friendly conversation, walk down the sidewalk while keeping a respectable friend distance between each other.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s what friends do,” he said lightly. “Come on, your new room awaits.”
They were two steps to the hallway when his cell phone rang. Sliding it out of his pocket, he glanced at the display and saw Dylan’s number flashing on the screen.