Page 31

“W hat’s that?” Ethan throat tightened on the words. He wouldn’t sound like a jealous asshole if it killed him. Riley plucked the hem of her dress, lifting it out to reveal her supple thighs as she looked down.

“This?” Her eyebrows rose.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts and rocked back on his heels. “Yeah, it’s uh… pretty. You look pretty.” He corrected. Fuck. Pretty didn’t cover it.

The light pink linen dress revealed the bronze tone to her sun-kissed skin, the thin straps showed her shoulders and damn, her perky cleavage was barely concealed.

He’d kept his promise last night and had kept his hands to himself until midnight.

After that, he’d made her scream. His body tingled at the memory.

He’d kill Nate. The bastard wasn’t even here yet, and already Ethan wanted to wrap his hands around his throat and shake the salacious smile from his face. If he so much as looked at Riley—

“Thanks, I’m glad you like it.” She beamed and her cheeks flushed. “Ready to go?” She slipped her feet in low-heeled shoes and threaded her arm through his.

“Yeah,” he ground out. Nate would be landing any minute. After they picked him up and brought him to his hotel, they’d go over the plan for tonight. Ethan led her through the door and locked it behind him.

Her hips swayed gently in the short dress.

It took everything he had not to scoop her up and carry her inside for a quickie.

He stepped up behind her as she reached the passenger door of his truck and grasped the handle before she could.

His free hand slid under the material of her dress.

His palm settled over her ass cheek, his fingertips dipping along the thin material of her thong.

“Ethan,” she shrieked and clapped her hand over her dress. She spun around and pressed her back to the truck.

His hand rested on the inside of the door, he cupped his free hand around her waist and drew her up so he could nuzzle his face into her neck.

She squirmed as his lips moved over her satiny flesh. A giggle sounded in her throat. “You’re an animal,” she laughed.

He grinned. “You have no idea. Keep wearing dresses like that if you want to find out.” She shoved at his shoulder and inched her way toward the seat, keeping her butt out of his reach.

One perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. “You’re blaming the dress?” Her fingers trailed a line of fire across his chest.

His hand closed around hers, stopping her. If he didn’t tear himself away from her, they’d never make it out of the driveway.

He scoffed. “Damn right.” He wrapped his hands around her slight hips and lifted her into the seat. “Now buckle up before you lose that dress in the driveway.”

Her mouth fell open. “You wouldn’t dare.” Her eyes sparked with interest. The front of his jeans tightened. Taking Riley in the driveway in broad daylight wouldn’t faze him.

“I wouldn’t test me if I were you…unless of course, you’re game.”

Her eyes drifted away from his. The faintest hint of a smile touched the corners of her mouth.

Every muscle in his body tensed. “You’d better not answer that.”

He shut the door and rounded the vehicle. By the time he’d buckled up and pulled out of the driveway, his need for Riley hadn’t dimmed.

She rested her head against the seat, her hands clasped in her lap, and her knees pressed tightly together.

His hand instinctively moved to her thigh, his fingers sliding over her skin.

Her muscles relaxed under his touch and her hand covered his.

His brain filled with the soft scent of her from their lovemaking last night, her sharp intakes of breath resounded in his head from her climaxes.

His hand tightened on the wheel and his jaw locked as he headed toward the airport.

Riley was intoxicating. Being near her was like an alcoholic on a wine tour. He couldn’t get enough of her.

“Has it been a long time since you’ve seen Nate?”

Her question broke the silence and turned the direction of his thoughts. Nate had no place in his mind where Riley was concerned.

He cleared his throat. “It’s been a couple of months. I should probably warn you about him.” He loosened his death grip on the wheel and rested his fingers at the bottom of it. Riley’s thumb smoothed over his knuckles.

“Warn me?” A glance at her showed her face turned toward him, her brows furrowed with amusement. “About what?”

“He’s an idiot, that’s all.”

She laughed, the movement caused her hand to hitch his palm further up her leg. He stroked his fingers over the inside of her delicate flesh, remembering how she had reacted when he’d kissed the same spot. Her thighs tightened and her laughter faded on a gasp.

His fingers tensed, resisting the urge to trail the remaining couple of inches up her dress. Not now. Not when he’d have to see Nate’s stupid face in a few minutes.

“Why is he an idiot?” Her voice rasped through the interior of the truck.

If it weren’t so damn warm out he’d open his window to cool the heat that had spread across the back of his neck. “Just ignore almost everything he says. He’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong, but he’s an even bigger pain in the ass.”

Riley shook her head on a laugh and reached forward to adjust the cool air.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the airport parking lot.

He rounded the vehicle to help Riley out, but she was already on her feet by the time he reached her.

He extended his arm to her and she moved into his side like a paperclip drawn to a magnet.

She fit nicely under his arm, her hip brushed his and her hair tickled his bicep.

Nate was going to give him hell.

They waited at the luggage belt. Ethan checked his watch; Nate would have landed more than fifteen minutes ago.

“Goddamn, look at you sexy motherfuckers.” Nate came up behind him and nudged him in the back. Riley turned in his arm to face Nate.

She stuck her hand out. “Hi, I’m—”

Nate dropped his bag to the ground and pulled her into a hug. “I’ve heard all about you, honey. It’s nice to meet you.”

A dull throb started between Ethan’s temples as his eyes landed on Nate’s hands.

One rested respectfully on Riley’s shoulder blades, the other on her lower back.

Fuck, why had he thought Nate coming here would be a good idea?

Nate had been here five seconds and already Ethan’s blood pressure had skyrocketed.

Nate backed away from her. “I’d better keep my hands off. Sasquatch looks ready to tear me to pieces.”

Ethan seethed.

Nate grinned, his eyes sparked mischievously and he pulled Ethan into a hug. “Good job, dude.” He mumbled next to Ethan’s ear. Ethan slammed his palm against Nate’s back with enough force to shut him up.

Riley eyed him over Nate’s shoulder, her lips pursed in a shitty effort to keep from laughing.

“Let’s go, we have lots to go over.” Ethan broke away from Nate, and pulled Riley against his side.

Nate sided around him and fell into step with Riley. He talked about his flight on the way out, and roused several giggles from Riley. When they got to the truck, he stopped to open Riley’s door.

Ethan folded his hand around the edge, and narrowed his eyes at Nate. “I got it. Hop in, babe.”

Riley wiggled her way between them and climbed in the truck, Nate was smart enough to keep his eyes off Riley’s ass. She settled in her seat and buckled up as Ethan closed the door.

“You don’t need to mark your territory, bro.

” Nate clapped him on the shoulder with Riley out of earshot.

“I like ribbing you guys. You and Cal get so damn jealous, it’s hilarious.

You’re forgetting I’m like your damn brother.

” Nate smacked Ethan in the chest, opened the rear passenger door, and got in.

Ethan bit back a remark and rounded the truck. The sonofabitch was right, of course. He was being territorial for no reason. Nate would never make a move on a woman who one of his best friends had an interest in. He only acted like a douche to get a rise out of them and did a damn good job of it.

The tension eased from his shoulders as he got behind the wheel and started the ignition. Riley’s warm, soft fingers curled around his as he pulled out of the parking spot and eased onto the road. The hard knot that had formed in his chest loosened under her touch.

“Aww, you guys are so cute,” Nate sang from the back seat.

Riley covered her mouth on a chuckle. Ethan closed his eyes on a breath and opened them. Jesus Christ, he was going to fucking kill him. It was going to be a long week.

***

“Wait, wait, wait—” Nate pressed his hands to the table, and his eyes bore into Ethan’s. Nate’s stony glare translated to: Are you fucking insane?

Ethan pressed his knuckles against his chin, his elbows rested on the table.

They’d just finished the dinner they’d picked up on the way to Nate’s hotel, and now sat around the table, each with a drink.

Riley topped off her glass of wine, oblivious to the silent battle raging between him and Nate.

He agreed with his friend’s unspoken words—the idea of positioning Riley in the house to catch the bastard was reckless.

Ethan shifted his eyes from Nate, back to Riley. She tucked her foot under her and smoothed her dress over her thighs. Ethan curled his fingers against the table to refrain from touching her.

“You don’t think it’s a good idea, Nate?” She sipped from her glass, and the fire in Nate’s eyes dimmed.

“With all due respect, honey. No, I think it’s moronic.”

She set her glass down. Her cheeks tinted and her eyes darkened. “Well, it was my idea.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Ethan opened his mouth to step in before Nate put his neck further on the line, but Riley continued before he could speak.