The edge of his lips twitched as if they might quirk up, but he clenched his jaw, making the muscles beneath his dark scruff jump. He shifted his eyes away just as Niko headed toward them with a warm and inviting smile, making those jaw muscles work double time.
Niko nodded at Jake and offered his hand to Addy. “What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t dance with my sister’s beautiful best friend? Care to join me?”
“I’d love to.” Addy reached for his hand, taking pleasure in the tension rolling off of the man who had yet to ask her for a single dance but had no trouble inviting her into his bed.
IF JAKE HAD to watch one more guy dance with Addison he was going to murder someone. His hands fisted at his sides as yet another of Gabriella’s relatives put his hands around Addison’s slim waist, holding her so close she could probably taste his breath. That thought grated like sandpaper beneath his skin. The only breath he wanted her thinking about was his. Between her thighs, preferably. Which was precisely why he needed to stop watching her.
He loosened his tie, forcing his eyes away from the woman who was seriously screwing with his mind. Jake wasn’t big on weddings, but Duke had gone all out. The ceremony had taken place on a bluff overlooking the ocean, surrounded by their families and what seemed like the entire close-knit island community. Strings of sparkling white lights stretched clear across the bluff, illuminating the dance area, dozens of tables with floral centerpieces, and the awesome gazebo their brother, Blue, had built for the occasion. Hell if something inside Jake hadn’t unexpectedly softened at the sight of his teary-eyed eldest brother pledging his eternal devotion to the woman he loved.
His eyes drifted back to Addison, dancing in a blue halter dress that hugged every inch of her slim, sexy body. Just like Niko is doing. Yet another tall, dark, and built dude to yank Jake’s chain. Not that she was his to drool over. A relationship was definitely not in his plans. But that didn’t stop the woman from sticking in his mind like an itch he couldn’t scratch since the very first time he’d set eyes on her. Maybe it was her full, tempting lips that gave her a starring role in his dirty midnight fantasies. Or maybe it’s your goddamn vehemence about not needing a man in your life.
Or, more specifically, not needing him.
Wanting, he corrected himself. Not wanting him.
Damn that stung.
Over the past several months, she’d met each of his innuendos with one of her own but had no trouble walking away without taking him up on them. That was probably a good thing since she was Gabriella’s best friend, and he knew she was totally off-limits for a one-time hookup. But for some reason, he couldn’t back off.
“You could ask her to dance.”
Jake glanced at his older brother Cash. He’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t even heard him approaching. He took in his serious brown eyes and his I-know-what-I’m-talking-about expression. Cash and his wife, Siena, had two-month-old twins, Charlotte “Coco” Rose and Seth, and somehow, when Jake added father to his brother’s already impressive repertoire—fireman, loving husband, and protective older brother—it gave that look in his eyes even more credence. And that bugged Jake, too, because of his five siblings Cash had always been one of the easier kids. A good one. While Jake was definitely…not. Following in Cash’s shadow had not been easy. His older brother’s good-boy behavior made Jake’s rebellious nature stand out even more. Usually Jake was cool with that, but tonight he was too irritated to be okay with anything short of Addison Dahl lying naked beneath him. Or maybe on her knees. Yeah, that’d do just fine, too.
“I’d ask her to dance if I wanted to dance, but the only kind of dancing I want to do is horizontal.” He wasn’t about to make his attraction to Addy out to be something it wasn’t, despite the way she became tangled in his every thought. She was a hot chick he wanted to bang. An unattainable challenge. Nothing more.
At least that’s what he told himself.
Lucky, Boone’s eighteen-year-old brother, joined them at the bar. He had that bad-boy attitude girls his age dug, and his dark hair and eyes gave him an edgy biker look. The kid was brilliant, too. In the span of a few short hours he’d chatted Duke up about online marketing, told Blue about a software program he could tweak to maximize efficiency for his business, and gave Gage tips on how to fix his computer issues.
“Seriously?” Cash laughed. “Jake, you’ve been drooling over her for months, and you haven’t been with another woman in how long, exactly?”
Long enough that hearing you say it makes me want to throttle you.
“You’ve gotta be talking about Addison.” Lucky smirked. “She is so freaking hot, and man, Jake, if you don’t want her…”
“Back off,” Jake growled.
He never said he didn’t want her. Addy was as frustrating as she was beautiful. He didn’t know a woman alive who didn’t need a man in her life. As an independent search and rescue professional handling rescues all over the United States, he knew all too well that there were times that called for sheer strength. But Addy had something to prove—to herself or to her family, Jake wasn’t sure. She was also the complete opposite of the women he usually went for. Tall, blonde, a nice rack, and a firm ass were pretty much mandatory in his bed. Or at least they had been until he’d set eyes on the petite, small-breasted, sassy brunette who looked like she should be treated like fine china but spoke as though she could hold her own in a biker bar. Her no-bullshit attitude should probably turn him off, but it had the complete opposite effect. He could barely look at her without getting turned on, and Addy knew it. She taunted him as if she were offering honey to a bee—only she was the one with the stinger, and she never hesitated to use it. And now she’d gotten a bug up her sexy little butt about roughing it in the wilderness. She was leaving the day after tomorrow. That gave Jake two days to talk Addy out of her crazy plan so her stubborn, sexy ass didn’t get injured, or lost. Or picked up by a forest ranger.
“That’s how I know you’re not just looking to get laid,” Cash said.
Jake scoffed. “Getting laid is exactly what I’m looking for with Addy, only as Gabriella’s best friend, she’s not exactly fair game for a good time.” Good time? He tried to ignore the voice in his head telling him that he wasn’t fooling himself any more than he was fooling Cash. Addy’s eyes found his, igniting the torch she’d planted the first time they’d met.
Niko’s hand moved south, his fingertips grazing the base of her spine. Jake’s gut knotted. One more inch and I’ll break those fingers.
“She’s only off-limits if she’s not on the same page,” Lucky said with a smirk.
Cash’s pinched expression told Jake he did not agree, but Jake had already latched on to Lucky’s nudge, and his mind was running with it.
“Better think long and hard about it, bro,” Cash said. “If you make a move, don’t make the wrong one.”
Jake’s gaze darted back to the woman toying with his emotions. Addy flashed a coy smile, licking her luscious lips and sending heat straight to his groin. Was she on the same page? After months of flirting to the point of leaving him blue-balled, could this be his lucky night? It was no secret that she talked about sex like she thrived on pushing her boundaries—boundaries Jake would be all too happy to shatter. Was Lucky right? If she was cool with a one-night stand, could he take her friendship with Gabriella off the table? Adrenaline coursed through him with the thought, followed closely by Cash’s comment. Was there a right or wrong move when it came to a one-night stand?
Niko’s hand slid lower. Addy’s narrowing eyes were still glued to Jake. She arched a brow. The little minx. Casting a last taunting look at Jake, she flashed one of her gorgeous smiles up at Niko. Jake should look away, drown his desires in more alcohol, or hit on one of Gabriella’s hot cousins to distract himself from whatever game she was playing. But his eyes were riveted to Addison moving sensually in another man’s arms while she sent him challenging looks.
Fuck this shit. He set his glass on the bar.
“Where are you going?” Cash asked.
“To play librarian,” Lucky answered for him.
“Damn straight.” He was done dicking around. It was time to see exactly what page Addy was on.
Chapter Two
ADDISON WAS PLAYING with fire and she knew it. Her breathing quickened with every determined step Jake took as he crossed the grass with a pissed-off, predatory look in his eyes. And hell if that didn’t practically melt her panties right off. For months she’d done so well at refusing to cross the line between flirting with and fucking Gabriella’s new brother-in-law. He was the last man she should even be thinking about in that way. But inevitably, her mind circled back to the big, brooding hunk who was currently eyeing Niko like he wanted to tear him to shreds. It wasn’t Niko’s fault she was flirting with Jake while dancing with him. God, what is wrong with me?
“Mind if I cut in?” Jake’s deep voice left no room for opposition.
Niko glanced down at Addy. “You okay with that, Addy?”