Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I’ve got the next round,” Cara said, even though she didn’t want another one herself.
She rose from her seat before either friend could argue and made her way through the crowd to the bar. Despite it being busy, Joe refilled her order quickly and placed the drinks on the counter.
Before Cara could turn, Sam came up behind her. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He wedged in beside her. “We’re friends, right?”
Cara bit the inside of her cheek. She thought she knew where this private conversation was going, and she didn’t want to get into it. “Of course we are.”
“And you trust me.”
She nodded.
“Then tell me you know what you’re doing.”
She swallowed hard. “Mike’s your brother.”
“Yeah, he is. And I know him better than anyone.”
“Which is why I can’t talk to you about this.” She picked up the two glasses, but Sam boxed her in, not letting her pass. “I care about you, Cara, and as much as I love my brother, I know him. He won’t hurt you on purpose, but—”
“I know.” Cara met Sam’s gaze and tried to reassure him even though her stomach was twisting at both his words and the reality. “He hasn’t made any promises, okay? I’m in this with my eyes wide open.”
“Getting into my business?” Mike asked, coming up behind Sam.
Uh-oh. “No, everything’s fine. Sam came to help me carry drinks back to the table.” Cara, not wanting to cause conflict between the brothers, shoved one glass at Sam. “Right?”
“Right,” he muttered and took the second drink from Cara as well.
Mike stepped aside to let Sam pass, eyeing him warily the entire time. “I heard the tail end of the conversation, and he wasn’t here to help with drinks.”
“He’s just looking out for me.”
“By warning you away?”
“By making sure I know what I’m getting myself into, and I do. Come on, Mike. You made a public statement with that kiss. Did you really think anyone would let it slide?”
His eyes darkened. “I didn’t think. I did what I wanted.”
Unable to help herself, she ran her hand along his stubbled jaw. “And you live with the consequences,” she told him, liking the feel of his scruffy day-old beard.
“Is this one of those consequences?” he asked, grabbing her wrist and rubbing his thumb along the inside pulse point.
She swallowed hard. “It is.” At their sexual banter, her heart tapped out a rapid beat inside her chest.
“Did you mean what you told Sam about your eyes being wide open?”
She managed a nod. Given a choice between this and not having anything with Mike at all, she’d take this. And deal later.
“Good.” He visibly relaxed but didn’t stop swirling circles on her wrist with his thumb. She felt the pull inside her, causing her breath to catch, her nipples to harden, and pure need to pulse between her thighs. “Ready to go back to the table?”
She thought he would have suggested they head upstairs. “Sure,” she said over her disappointment.
He eased his fingers down and grasped her hand in his. “Don’t worry, honey, we’ll go upstairs later.”
“Honey?” She repeated the word.
“I need an endearment, and baby isn’t going to work.”
“Oh.” He wanted an endearment. For her.
Her mouth went dry. He had her wired and on edge, ready to pull him out back and to his apartment right this second.
He placed his free hand on the small of her back and steered her toward her table. For the rest of the night, Cara heard nothing else except a low buzz of her friends talking and the hum of anticipation in the air as she waited for the time when she could head upstairs and be alone with Mike.
Chapter Eight
Mike liked Cara in uniform. He liked her in jeans and a beat-up faded tee. He liked the cut-off pink sweatshirt that bared one shoulder, her long ponytail hanging down her back, swinging as she walked. Her hips were swinging as well, and as his gaze traveled lower, he decided he really liked her ass.
So why hadn’t he taken her up on the invitation in her eyes to ditch the bar and go upstairs? Because as much as he enjoyed those things, he loved watching her laugh with her friends that much more.
Apparently, he was in deep.
Sam didn’t mention anything about the scene earlier. He also hadn’t spoken to Mike directly ever since. Whatever Mike had with Cara was none of his brother’s business, and Mike didn’t plan on bringing it up either.
Eventually, Alexa yawned and said she was ready to turn in. Liza did the same, which led to Dare pronouncing their night over. He took his wife home, Alexa walked out with them, Sam left with barely a good-bye, and Mike turned to Cara.
“Ready?” He rose and extended a hand.
She grinned and stood. He was happy to see that her buzz had worn off; she was steady on her feet and, from the look in her eyes, as eager to get upstairs as he was.