Into the Fire (Bridge Book 2) (3 page)

“Ladies and gentlemen. It’s the hour you’ve all been waiting patiently for. We’re ready to hear your best karaoke jams. Grab a friend, pick a song. Step up. Don’t be shy.”

Without ceremony, I grabbed the fresh drink out of Eli’s hand. A song I knew pumped out from the bar’s speakers following the announcement. Suddenly, the lyrics seemed to live under my skin. The need to sing bubbled up through my pores, replacing the unexpected feelings Darren had inspired in me over the course of the night. I welcomed the shift and chased it through half of my chilled martini glass.

“Whoa, what’s up?” Eli stared at me wide-eyed.

I pointed to his drink. “Drink up. That’s our cue.”

My face hurt from fake-smiling at the blonde who kept eyeballing Ian’s advances on her friend. I wanted to get back to Vanessa, but I didn’t see that happening anytime soon. Then, as if the universe answered my silent request, she came into view again. Stepping up onto the small stage in the corner of the room, she radiated. Dark auburn hair and soft pink lips. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off of her, and I still couldn’t.

Somehow, she was the last person I expected to be on the stage. With a microphone in her hand, she stood there, twisting and untwisting the cord around her hand. Eli was bouncing beside her like he couldn’t fucking wait to get started.

I stilled, anxious to see how she would perform. I wanted her to see me, but at the same time, I didn’t. I hadn’t fully recovered from the look on her face when I’d seen her moments ago. She wasn’t the first girl I’d had to put on the back burner for one reason or another. But I couldn’t remember feeling like such a jerk for it until tonight. No doubt she thought I’d ditched her for blondie.

And I had.

Thanks to Ian. I could have castrated him for pulling me away. Most nights I didn’t mind being his wingman, but I had blinders on tonight. All I could see was Vanessa. Fittingly, she was on stage, for everyone else to admire the way I was right now.

“Do you know her?” the blonde shouted in my ear.

I winced and nodded, never taking my eyes off of Vanessa. Had I really blown it with her so quickly?

All for the brunette Ian had a hard-on for tonight. Pretty girl, body like a runway model, voice that would peel paint off the wall, but I didn’t figure he was interested in her conversational skills. He just needed me to keep her roommate occupied long enough to make a play.

I shouldn’t have cared either way. Not like Vanessa was the first female who’d had a physical response when I was inches from her. I reveled in the way her cheeks caught color when I touched her. Those small subtle touches that were easy to brush off as casual, but in my world, were tactical as fuck. I knew Vanessa was off-limits, but the second I’d laid eyes on her across the bar, nothing could have kept me from going to talk to her. I’d shown incredible restraint last time we’d hung out. In fact, I couldn’t remember wanting to take a woman to bed so damn bad and denying myself. New York City was my playground, and I rarely denied myself of its pleasures. I worked hard, and I fucked harder.

I grasped my beer tighter in my hand, imagining Vanessa on the receiving end of that mantra.

Meanwhile, she held the microphone close to her mouth and stared at the ground in front of her. She looked different tonight. Not like she was out on the town. No tiny red dress, stilettos, and messy hair from all the dancing we did at the club. Tonight she looked how I imagined she must look any day of the week. Her hair was soft and natural. Dark jeans hugged her hips, and a loose-fitting shirt fell over one shoulder, baring a single black strap. I wanted to grab that little strap with my teeth and…

The noise of the bar died down enough to hear the upbeat melodic intro of the song, and I strained to recognize the tune. A few seconds later, she belted out the first verse, her eyes closed.

Jesus.

It was hot as blazes with all the people jammed in this place, but goose bumps still rippled over my skin. She was incredible. Eli’s off-key chorus wasn’t doing her any favors, but even he couldn’t detract from the raw talent pouring from Vanessa.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stronger!

Every line came through more powerful than the last. She wasn’t making eye contact with anyone except Eli and the ground, but every word that left her lips made me believe she was feeling it. The nervous way she’d been minutes ago had vanished. She was someone else on the stage, and how would I have ever known?

Blondie started to tell me something, but I held up a hand, silencing her until Vanessa finished the last verse and the song faded out to a roar of applause.

“Goddamn, she can sing,” Ian shouted above the hoots and hollers.

Hell, yeah, she could.

I smiled, clapping and whistling as loud as I could.

“
V
anessa
!”

She moved from the front of the line to the ticket counter. I bypassed the train of people waiting and came up beside her. The timing couldn’t have been better, and for some reason, an odd sense of urgency spurred me.

After her karaoke stint the night before, I had tried to find her, to no avail. Ian had totally screwed me on that. Took an hour talking with blondie about her postgrad internship before the brunette finally agreed to take Ian home with her. Took another half hour to convince her roommate to join them in the fun, and by then Vanessa was nowhere to be found.

I went home alone and slept like shit. I should have brought the blonde home to calm my nerves, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t have mattered. I couldn’t get Vanessa’s voice out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her up there singing her heart out. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laid eyes on a woman and hadn’t run her looks through some sort of mental hot-o-meter. Tall, short. Nice body, too much makeup. Sweet ass. The list of assets or lack thereof went on…

Vanessa wasn’t like that. She was more than a list of features. She was…beautiful. Naturally beautiful with a body I couldn’t wait to get my hands on and size up in a much more intimate way. She wasn’t all made up and ready for the club like she’d been when we first met, but for some reason, that made me want to take her to bed all the more. She wasn’t trying to impress me or be more than who she was. She was…real. Real and disconnected enough from the scene that I’d been working for so long that maybe I couldn’t help but be entranced by her.

She widened her eyes when I came up beside her. They were pretty, like the rest of her. A mix of color, pale green the most prominent.

“Do you mind?”

“No, of course not.” She shifted her gaze away from me, setting her passport up on the counter.

“Are there any upgrades for two?” I asked. I shot the woman behind the counter a smile.
Curvy, older bottle blonde.

She blinked a few times before looking down at her computer and tapping keys. “Let me see. Well, actually you’re in luck.”

“Darren, I can’t—” Vanessa shook her head.

“It’s fine. I’ll get it.” I reached for my wallet and tossed the woman my credit card.

Vanessa started fumbling with her own wallet. “I can’t let you do that.”

“It’s four hours to George Town. I need a strong drink and good company. You’ll be doing me an incredible favor by letting me.”

She began to protest again, and I pressed a finger to her lips. Full and the lightest shade of pink, like a dusky sunset.

“I insist,” I said.

I dropped my hand slowly, and when her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth, my dick noticed. Goddamn, I wanted to taste her. I blinked away the brief but potent vision of all the ways I could use those lips. And the soft pink tongue that darted out over them.

The bottle blonde handed us our tickets, and we hurried toward the gate where they were already boarding. I put our carry-ons into the luggage compartment, gave Vanessa the window seat in our first-class row, and we settled in. The flight attendant took a pass up the aisle.

“Can I get you a beverage, sir?”

I offered a tight smile and looked her up and down because I couldn’t fucking help myself.
Killer lips. Stacked. Engagement ring.
Or according to her shiny name tag,
Ann
.

“Bloody Mary, please.”

She lingered until I broke away and she looked to Vanessa.

“Ma’am?” she asked sweetly.

“Coffee, please.”

When she left, Vanessa closed her eyes, resting her head back against the seat. Ann brought our drinks, but still Vanessa stayed quiet. Something had shifted between us, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was. I cleared my throat, trying to figure out how I was going to do this.

“Listen, Vanessa, I’m sorry about last night.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “What are you sorry about?”

I ran my teeth over my lower lip, gauging her words, her mood. She seemed tired, and if I didn’t know better, disinterested. I decided to go with some version of the truth.

“I didn’t mean to ditch you at the bar. Ian wanted to talk to some girl. I didn’t realize—”

“You don’t need to apologize. Seriously.”

She waved her hand, like it meant nothing at all, but I knew better. At least I hoped I did.

“I wanted to stay and talk to you. I looked for you, but you were gone.”

She reached into her purse, grabbing her phone and earbuds. Shit, I was losing this battle a lot quicker than I’d anticipated.

“The truth is I wanted to get to know you a lot better the first night we hung out, but…”

“But what?” She pursed her lips together. Her red hair lit up with the bright morning sky shining in through our window. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was red anywhere else. Now definitely wasn’t the time to tease about cuffs matching the collar though.

I shot her a smile that I hoped would get her to relax. “But the truth is, I was told that you were off-limits.”

That comment earned a small smile, though she tried to hide it by looking out the window. “Really,” she said, though she didn’t sound at all surprised by my admission.

“Cam didn’t think it would be a good idea for me to pursue anything with you if it complicated things with Maya. I respected his wishes, very begrudgingly.”

She turned, meeting my gaze. “And what’s changed?”

I frowned. “They’re getting married. Not an issue anymore.”

“She’s still my friend, and you’re still Cam’s brother.”

I laughed and looked up at the ceiling. The seat belt sign was on. I had her captive for the next four hours. I could do this.

“There’s got to be a statute of limitations on this sort of thing. We’re adults. I think we can figure it out on our own, don’t you?”

She stared down at her hands, picking at her fingernail and ignoring her steaming coffee. “Darren, I’m pretty sure I’m not your type.”

I shook my head. “Completely untrue. Any man with a brain and who isn’t dead below the waist would consider you his type, trust me.”

Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t soften. “I think Maya was probably right to not want us getting involved.”

I nodded slowly, and Cam’s earlier warning to stay away from Vanessa echoed in my ears. For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me that Maya would have issued the same warning to Vanessa. If she knew about me, she knew I didn’t get involved with anyone.

“You know that just motivates a guy like me, right?” I tried to keep my tone light, but the challenge was spurring me almost as much as my attraction to Vanessa. Maybe it was a bad bet, but I didn’t like the idea of my reputation getting ahead of me. “Plus, who’s talking about getting involved? Nothing says we can’t have fun and enjoy each other’s company as friends.”

I’d used that line before. It meant physical benefits with no strings and possibly no future at all, not even as friends. That’s what I wanted, right? Make things a little interesting on the island, and Vanessa was exactly who I wanted to make that happen. Except she wasn’t talking. She could hardly look me in the eye.

She twirled the stir straw through her coffee, staring at the swirls it made instead of me. “I’m sure you’ll make plenty of friends while you’re there.”

I wanted to bristle at the comment, but I had no right. A hint of sarcasm laced her words, but there was something else in her voice that I couldn’t pin. Disappointment, maybe?

The glimmer in her eye when I met her at the bar had vanished the second she saw me with Ian’s twosome, and ever since then, she’d seemed to see right through me. Every line. Every play. Anyone else, I wouldn’t have given it another thought. But for some reason, the guilt niggled at me. I was trying to make a play on a girl who was too smart for that bullshit.

Ten minutes later, Ann took our emptied drinks and Vanessa finally chanced a look my way. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some sleep. I’m always restless the night before a trip. I slept terrible last night.”

My jaw was tight, but I forced a polite smile. “Yeah, me too.”

She crossed her legs, leaning away from me. Reaching for her earbuds again, she put them into place and closed her eyes.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I studied the small movements of her chest. Her breathing had slowed, and her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks every so often. She was falling asleep. That’s how riveted she was with my advances.

Maybe Cam was right and Vanessa had me pegged. Maybe I was incapable of getting to know a girl without the singular motivation of wanting to fuck her senseless.

Goddamn, but for the first time in a long time, I wanted to be someone better than the man Vanessa thought I was.

I switched out my yoga pants and T-shirt from the plane in favor of shorts and a tank top. I fluffed my hair and applied a little makeup, hoping it didn’t melt right off my face when I stepped back out into the heat and humidity. I’m not sure why I bothered, but I wasn’t sure who would be showing up at the beach barbecue.

Still unsatisfied with the vision staring back at me in the mirror, I went through three more outfits before settling on the first one I’d picked. My summer wardrobe had been lacking since I’d left home and moved up north. But that’s not why nothing looked right.

Darren’s handsome face flashed in my mind. I shouldn’t care, but I did. I couldn’t get him out of my head. He’d even crept into my dreams this morning, and waking up flushed next to the object of my unconscious desires was more than a little awkward.

I wasn’t thrilled that he’d ditched me to chat up another girl at the bar, but I was more upset with myself for hoping for a minute that he was a man who would act any differently. His apology sounded sincere, but Darren was a player, and likely a good one. I didn’t want to be the next girl who played right into his hands. I also didn’t want to get hurt.

The truth was that Darren, on the outside, was a dream come true. A woman would have to be blind not to want him for herself. He was gorgeous, charming, and smart enough not to let any of the likely hundreds of women he’d taken to bed tie him down.

The physical attraction was real, no doubt. I could handle that. I hadn’t been living a life of celibacy, but I wasn’t going to be a conquest for someone who got around as much I suspected Darren did.

“Oh my God, I feel a thousand times better.” Eli emerged from the shower in a fluffy white robe that seemed to swallow him up. “You look nice.”

I smiled, grateful because Eli wouldn’t lie to me if I looked terrible. “Thanks.”

He moseyed to his suitcase and riffled through his clothes. “How was first class with Casanova? He indoctrinate you into the mile-high club up there? You’ve been glowing like a candle since we saw him the other night.”

I laughed. “Not even close. I’m sure he wished he could get his money back for the upgrade. I crashed as soon as we took off.”

Eli stood up straight and tossed a black T-shirt and some denim cutoffs on one of the beds. “He seems like a persistent guy. I’m sure he’s not done with you yet.”

I had a nagging feeling that Eli was right, and if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t want Darren to give up on pursuing me either. Crazy as that was…I was rebuffing his advances and wanting them all at once, which wasn’t really fair.

Darren would be Cameron’s best man, and I was Maya’s maid of honor. I was going to have to figure out what I really wanted to have go down with Darren. Especially if I was going to survive the next week opposite him in all things wedding-party related. Before I could get into it any further with Eli, a knock sounded at the door.

Eli disappeared into the bathroom again with his clothes, and I went to the door. The second I opened it, Maya bounded across the threshold. I squealed and opened my arms for a big hug from my beautiful friend. I hadn’t seen her in a few days, and with all the wedding prep, she’d been too busy for our regular lunches. I missed her and was all the happier to be here now, celebrating with her and enjoying some time to catch up.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” she said.

“Me too.” When I pulled away, I noticed she wasn’t alone. “Hi, Olivia.”

If the Bridge brothers were dashing, their sister was the female equivalent. Dark brown hair and striking blue eyes that matched the cold way she treated Maya most days. Maya insisted they’d warmed up to each other the past couple of months, but whenever I was with them to coordinate bridesmaid details, Olivia had been short and to the point. Maybe a few days on a tropical island would loosen the stick up her ass. As long as she didn’t mess with Maya’s happiness and her big day, I’d deal with her frigid attitude and share my time with Maya when I had to. Like now.

Olivia smiled tightly, lifting her shoulders. “You made it.”

“We thought we’d pick you up on our way to the barbecue.” Maya glanced around the hotel room. “Where’s Eli?”

“Present!” He emerged again with a grand sweep of his arm.

I laughed. Eli was somehow even more adorable and out of place than he usually was. His ghostly white legs were stark against his jean shorts. He had a twinkle in his eyes, and I sensed the sarcasm just waiting to break free at the first opportunity.

He hugged Maya, and after a few minutes, our small group made our way toward the beach where the festivities had already started. The sun had set, the air balmy and warm. In the distance, steel drums chimed and a little thrill went through me. The sweet sounds of vacation.

Maya hooked her arm with mine as we walked. “So how does it feel to be a free woman?”

No one knew my work hell like Maya did. Lucky for her, she’d escaped the world of suits and finance.

I took a deep breath, inhaling all the smells of my new environment. Spices and salt air and a hint of chlorine from the clear blue infinity pool we passed. “It feels…pretty awesome.” Truth.

Briefly, I wondered how Reilly was going to survive without me on Monday morning. Then I promptly tossed the thought away. Not now. Not this week.