Page 34 of Always a Bridesmaid

“Sarah isn’t my keeper,” he practically growled.

“But she’s my, um, friend, and I don’t want to betray her trust.”

“Did you use her to get to me?”

“What?” she said, so offended by his line of questioning he had to laugh. “No way. We can barely be around each other and not want to strangle the other.”

“I think that’s our form of foreplay.”

“Dream on.”

“I bet if I were to slide my hands under that pretty dress of yours, you’d be as wet as I am hard for you.” He bit her ear and he felt her entire body shiver beneath his. “How wet are you, love?”

“Like a boiling bath, ready to spill over,” she said so lowly he barely heard her.

That was it. That was all it took. Confirmation from her that she was feeling the heat as fiercely as he was was all he neededfor him to make his move. He took her hand and started pulling her through the crowd.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he zigged and zagged through the maze of people, keeping his eye on the DJ booth like it was his North Star. It took a moment or two to navigate the crowd, and a few excited faces lit up when they recognized him, but for the first time in his career he didn’t stop, he didn’t acknowledge, he didn’t even return the smile. Nope, tonight he wasn’t World Champion Henry Norris. He was just Henry, a guy who was crushing on this beautiful woman who seemed to be crushing back.

He couldn’t remember the last time someone outside his family or buddies made him feel so normal or seen for his truth. But that was what she did.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they broke through the crowd and he led her down an empty corridor to a room. He burst through, thanking the universe it was blessedly empty.

“Where are we?” she asked when he pulled her over the threshold and into his arms.

“Manager’s office.”

Her mouth was in a firm line, but her eyes were locked on his with a boldness that nearly brought him to his knees. “And you brought me here why? To go over your schedule and spreadsheets?”

“No sheets, but there will be some spreading.” To prove his point, he walked her backward into the wall and nudged his knee between her thighs and she moaned. “Lots of spreading.”

Tangling his fingers at the base of her neck he tilted his head down and crushed his mouth against hers in what had to be the best kiss of his life. Her arms didn’t move from her sides, her body didn’t press any further into his, but that mouth of hersworked his as if she couldn’t get enough. It was intense and erotic and finally,finally,happening.

And there was only one place for this to go.

10

Run, do not walk to your nearest exit!

When Jane had asked Henry to dance, it had been a strategic move to get him away from his dad and his mind on something other than a bar fight. But then he’d had to call her a quitter and Jane had taken the bait, dancing on him like he was a pole. And now she was kissing him like it was about to go out of style.

Jane Marie Pearce, what are you doing?

Nothing good, that’s what.

They’d already taken things too far and this needed to stop before hormones took over and rational thinking went out the window.

“Henry,” she whispered against his mouth.

“Mmm,” was all he said back.

“Henry,” she said a little more firmly, and he lifted his head, those beautiful brown eyes hooded.

“We’re asking for trouble,” Jane said, but didn’t stop him as he walked her backward against the desk.

“Love, we were in trouble the moment we met at the airport.”

“So you felt the chemistry before the cocktail party?” she asked, and the heat in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He’d wanted her before she’d been Elle. He’d wanted her when she’d been just Plain Jane in her leggings and sweatshirt, no made-up story, no disguise, no twisted half-truths.

---