by Sierra Hill
The V-neck plunged low enough to show off a hint of her cleavage, making her feel sexy, but didn’t make her appear over-sexed. And the clingy material hugged her hips and ass in a manner that could garner attention from the one person whose attention she most desired.
And that person would be downstairs waiting for her right about now. Grabbing her wool wrap and handbag, Sloane walked down the stairs and into the hallway of the already busy bar. The noise and laughter was at a level that indicated things were picking up for a crazy night, and bound to get busier as the night wore on. Which made her feel even guiltier leaving her crew to fend for themselves during the pre-New Year’s Eve dinner rush.
She’d told Staci and Donnie earlier that day that she’d be back by ten o’clock and would help serve the party-goers. She apologized profusely for having to go, but they both waved her off good-naturedly, promising Sloane they’d be fine.
The bar was full of bodies, all the tables taken with those ready to get the night kicked off right, and it appeared to be standing-room-only at the bar. Pulling her phone out of her purse, she confirmed the time again. Dylan said he was already at the bar waiting for her. But her initial perusal indicated he was late.
Good, maybe she’d have time for a quick shot of something strong to calm her nerves. Meeting new people rarely unnerved her, but in this case, she was scared shitless to meet Dylan’s sister and new brother-in-law. Her only real experience with meeting the family of someone she dated was with Blaine’s parents. And they treated her like the daughter they’d never had. And just that sad thought, knowing she probably broke his mother’s heart by calling off their engagement, made Sloane’s heart hurt even more.
What would Rylie and Mitch think of her? Sloane knew from what Dylan had told her, and Dan’s comments about his son’s love life, that Dylan had never introduced them to the women he dated. So she would be the guinea pig. The whole situation between her and Dylan was difficult to explain. Would they understand that she would be leaving soon, to head back to California? Or would it piss them off to know she wasn’t committed to him as a long-term potential?
Sloane was so deep in worried thought that she jumped in fright when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her off her feet. She was met with a hard chest against her back, and warm breath against her ear.
“If I hadn’t promised my sister we’d be there by seven,” Dylan’s low voice announced, his hand brushing down her bare arm. “I’d throw you over my shoulder and carry you upstairs, like the lusting caveman you’ve turned me into. And then I’d rip this dress right off your tight body and do very wicked things to you.”
His open-mouthed kisses peppered down her neck, his lips teasing and sucking as he went, sending shivers of delight down her spine.
“No better time than the present, I say.”
That earned her a growl and a swift pat on her ass, as Dylan pulled back to turn her around to face him.
“Goddamn, don’t tempt me, woman. You are the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.” His compliment was loud enough for a few men at the bar to turn around in their seats to take a peek. Catcalls and whistles erupted from the bar, showering her with unwanted attention.
Feeling suddenly shy, Sloane dipped her chin and wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to calm the ever-present butterflies in her already nervous stomach. Lifting one hand, she waved off his purposeful flattery in denial.
“Oh, come on. You’ve seen hundreds of women. Don’t give me that bull.”
Dylan chuckled, pulling gently at her hand and raising it to his lips.
“No lie. You are hands down the most perfect woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. And don’t you forget it.”
He placed a sweet kiss on her cheek, and brushed back her hair from her face. She loved this aspect of a new relationship. The feeling of being cherished. Adored. Made to feel worshipped. Something she hadn’t felt from Blaine in a very long time.
Not that she would ever excuse or condone his behavior, because he was a dog, but Sloane could see now how they’d pulled away from one another. Maybe he did what he did because he felt pressured into getting engaged. Sloane had talked marriage since they’d first became serious back in college. Perhaps Blaine went along with it just to appease her?
No. Absolutely not. No way would she accept guilt for his philandering behavior. For choosing some elicit, forbidden sexual encounters over a strong, loving relationship. Blaine Holloway was a fucking asshole and didn’t deserve another second of her tears or heartache.
Straightening her spine and drawing her face back up, Sloane nodded in the direction of the bar.
“Mind if we grab a quick shot to calm my nerves before we go?”
Dylan gave her an incredulous look. “You’re nervous? Are you kidding me? This is my sister we’re talking about. She’s gonna be beside herself over the fact that I’m bringing a woman to meet her. Rylie will probably lock you in her closet so you can’t leave once she realizes how perfect you are.”
Donnie placed two shots of whiskey in front of them, Sloane picking one up and handing it to Dylan, and the other she hoisted up between them.
“Let’s make a toast to the end of this year. This one is one of the Irish toasts my uncle taught me when I was younger. Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint – and another one! Slainte!”
Dylan’s short roar of laughter gave her a joyous thrill, as they clinked their glasses together. She smiled as she brought the glass to her lips and threw it to the back of her throat. Coughing at the first sting of the amber liquid as it coated her insides, she wiped the excess from her lips and placed the empty glass on the counter. Before she had a chance to turn around, Dylan was pressed up behind her, his hands skimming her waist before spinning her back to face him.
His face was inches from hers. His breath a sultry mix of whiskey and peppermint. Sloane instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting her eyes to meet his deep-hazel gaze.
“I have another one for you,” he whispered, his head bent to her ear, lips brushing against the sensitive skin. “I have known many, and liked not a few. But loved only one, and this toast is to you.”
Strong hands came up to cup her cheeks, as he tilted her head so their lips could meet. They’d only known each other a little less than a month, but everything with Dylan felt like more. Deep. Consuming. Life-changing.
Lips that devoured her with desire she’d never known before. She parted her lips, allowing entry for his tongue to play a game of hide-and-seek with hers. Everything else around her vanished – her staff, the patrons, the uneasiness over what awaited her back in California, the nagging guilt over leaving the bar, the apprehension over meeting Dylan’s sister tonight. It was all inconsequential when she was enveloped in the arms of this man.
The din of voices that had faded into the background returned into her periphery, as she eased back from Dylan’s kiss. She touched her bottom lip with her finger, feeling swollen from his sensual assault. Her smile quirked up coyly as she admired the cocky smile across Dylan’s masculine face.
“I liked that one.”
He raised his eyebrows. “The kiss or the toast?”
Sloane giggled, her hand darting out to Dylan’s solid mass of chest, the whiskey quickly working its magic on loosening her up, softening her anxiety so that she felt light and flirtatious.
“I think you know which one I’m talking about. In fact,” she spoke quietly, turning her head in both directions before rising on her tiptoes so she could reach his ear. “If you were to check, you just might find my panties a little wet.”
A loud growl erupted from his throat. She could feel the deep rumble emanating through his torso. It made her feel both weak and strong. Bold and timid. It gave her a sense of power to know that she had that kind of control over his actions. She’d never been so fearless – so brazen – before she met Dylan. He brought out the unbridled
lust from deep within her.
“Damn, woman. You can’t say things like that to me when I can’t do anything about it. Now I’m gonna be hard as a rock all night long, thanks to you and your wet panties.” He surprised her by grabbing her hand and bringing it to his crotch. She gasped, peering around to make sure no one could see. When she saw that no one was paying them any mind, she squeezed playfully.
“Fuuuuck.”
“You’ll get your just rewards later on, Mr. Frisky. And maybe something to tide you over on the way there.”
Sloane gave him a flirty wink as she sashayed toward the front door, slipping through the crowds of people trying to get inside. She sighed when she felt his hand against the small of her back as he ushered her outside and toward his car.
A few nerves still fluttered in her stomach about what lie ahead of her tonight, but they were nowhere close to the level of intensity his touch evoked within her.
Sloane was already counting down the minutes to midnight, when she’d be able to leave all the troubles of this year behind her and start off the New Year with this gorgeous man by her side.
But something nagging in the back of her mind reminded her that there was no future here with Dylan. So she might as well enjoy the evening, putting everything else aside for now, and forget about her troubles. Because they would be back upon her soon enough.
For that, she had no doubt.
Chapter Nineteen
Just as he predicted, everyone was enamored with the California beauty in their midst.
Dylan had no doubt that Rylie and Sasha would absolutely love Sloane, and that she would fit right in with the small group of family and friends gathered for dinner even though Sloane was a nervous wreck about meeting everyone.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, a beer in his hand, Dylan watched with pride as Sloane laughed and mingled with his sister and her friend on the other side of the room. They were a trio of gorgeous babes. He smiled as he picked up on part of the conversation they were having – Rylie peppering Sloane with questions about teaching, and Sasha inquiring about all the famous surf spots in San Diego. He thought he also heard something about Navy SEALS and whether she’d dated any of them. That perked his ears up.
“I told Rylie you’d be brought down to your knees someday,” Mitch said, a smirk set across his wide mouth. “I knew it was only a matter of time you’d fall prey like the rest of us.”
Dylan knew his brother-in-law was just giving him some good-natured grief. And honestly, Dylan deserved it. He had given Rylie shit for months when she started dating Mitch. As a big brother, it was his duty to ensure that no one fucked with his sister’s heart or left her heartbroken like they were when their mother left them. But when he saw the amount of effort Mitch gave into chasing her and putting his heart on the line for her, he quickly accepted Mitch into the fold. Mitch wasn’t a rich asshole. He was a good man who loved his sister. And that’s what mattered.
So he allowed Mitch some leeway on giving him shit over his obvious attraction to Sloane.
Mitch’s large hand slapped Dylan on the shoulder, before clamping down and squeezing. “But I had no idea you’d be whipped this quickly. You still got your balls intact, right bro?”
Dylan laughed, ignoring the barb, because honestly, it was all true. He had turned into a pussy over this woman. He’d do anything to make her happy. “I’m not gonna argue with you there. Sloane’s pretty fucking great.”
In all his many years of chasing women, he’d never met one that made Dylan think about his future. About the possibilities of settling down. Living and sharing life with someone who loved you like you loved them. Someone like Sloane, who brought out the best in him. Encouraged him to pursue his passions. Ignited his sexual passions to the point where his concentration was shot, his imagination running wild with the things he wanted to do with her. The things he had done with her.
Like their car ride over to Mitch and Rylie’s house. Sloane wasn’t kidding when she promised to help him take the edge off before they could get some alone time later that night. The minute they were buckled in and on the road, she reached over the center console, unzipped his jeans, and slipped her hand inside to grab his semi-hard dick. But the action that increased his slow burn to a jet-fueled blaze was what she did with her other hand.
From his peripheral view, he watched as Sloane’s right hand slid up her bare thigh, toying with the lacey-edge of her dress, and then disappearing underneath. Keeping his eyes on the road and his focus on driving was near impossible. Every few seconds, his gaze darted over to find her with her legs spread wide, skirt hiked up, and her hips gyrating in short, small movements.
But it was the seductive moans and the sweet scent of her arousal that did him in. His cock sprang to life with her greedy ministrations, which tugged and gripped him tight, stroking him fervently. All he wanted in that moment was to pull over to the side of the road, grab her hips so she straddled him, and sink into her wet heat.
The orgasm nearly blinded him with pleasure, as he shot off in her palm. As if prepared for a roadside emergency, Sloane reached into her purse, pulling out a tissue to clean them both up. He breathed in and exhaled, trying to get his heart rate to return to normal, turning slightly to find her head back against the headrest, eyes closed and a relaxed grin on her face.
In that moment, he knew it was real. There was no doubt that he would do whatever it took to keep this woman from leaving him. The possibility of their fling ending and Sloane running back to California without him had him anxious and sweaty. Didn’t it just figure that the first woman he’d ever fallen for was the one he couldn’t have long-term.
Dylan knew a long-distance relationship couldn’t work. That’s why he remained single when he was in the Marines and overseas. He saw what it did to his buddies, as they were fighting for their country, away for months, even years at a time. The doubt. The unfaithfulness. The distrust that would worm its way into a guy’s mind. It drove some men crazy, driving wedges into relationships that were already fraught with strife.
So, no. Trying to make a go of it with Sloane when she left Boston wasn’t in the cards. Even if her leaving would tear a hole in his heart.
Dylan returned his attention back to Sloane, who was now chit-chatting with Jackson, Sasha’s fiancé. Jealousy stabbed him as he watched her smile blossom over something Jackson had said, her hand lightly touching his arm in conversation. A gesture that had Dylan’s hand tightening into a fist at his side.
“Whoa there, Tiger. Simmer down now,” his sister’s voice commanded, as she sidled up between Dylan and Mitch.
Although Rylie was tall for a girl, Dylan still had to drop his chin a few inches for his eyes to meet hers. When he did, he saw her eyebrows arched in accusation.
“You look like you’re ready to rumble. And with Jax, no less.”
Dylan shrugged his shoulders, taking another sip of his beer. Maybe he was feeling a little possessive over Sloane. But damn, he did not like to see her touching another man, no matter if that man was engaged to his sister’s best friend or that it was just a friendly gesture. He emptied his beer and set it on the counter behind him.
Rylie tilted her head to rest it on Dylan’s bicep.
“I really like her, D. She’s so sweet. And so unlike the girls you normally date. You better keep this one…” A sharp pain lodged in his side, where Rylie’s finger poked into his ribs.
“Owww. Knock it off, baby sis, or I won’t hesitate to give you a noogie right here in front of everyone.”
Throwing his arm around Rylie’s neck, he cradled her head in the crook of his arm, trapping her underneath the weight of his body, messing her hair with his over-sized hand. Smacking at his chest, Rylie wriggled to get herself free, using some of her self-defense moves from the Krav Mag classes she taught.
From beside them, Mitch lowered his head in mock disgust.
“You, two…can’t take you anywhere.”
Rylie wiggled and pushed
away from him, slapping his arm playfully in the process.
“He started it.” She stuck her tongue out and wrinkled her nose up at him.
Dylan imitated her immature response and one-upped her by flipping her off. They both laughed at their sibling bickering. God, he loved his sister. She was the only woman he ever truly loved. She had been his world since the day she was born and he would die to protect her.
When she was confused over her feelings toward Mitch before she married him, he was right there by her side. He never gave her advice – because he was no expert in that department – but he was the shoulder she leaned on. Comforting her when she needed it.
And now in some respect, Dylan felt a little of what she’d experienced when things became serious between her and Mitch. It was an ache in his chest that wouldn’t go away. Sloane was the first person he thought of when he woke, and the last vision he had before he went to bed every night. And she was a constant in his dreams.
In fact, she was his dream. She was exactly what he never knew he needed in his life. But damn his fate, because she wasn’t going to be sticking around for him to fulfill his dreams.
Dylan was still lost in a daze over Sloane when she appeared in front of him, her outstretched hand grasping the top of his shoulder.
She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “Hey, handsome,” she murmured, the sweet perfumed scent from her berry lip gloss clinging to his skin she just marked. “I’m going to need to get back to the bar soon. Are you sure you want to go back with me? I can just take an Uber back and you can stay here with your friends. I don’t mind.”
Dylan looked between Sloane and the rest of the crowd, watching Jason and his date, Jackson and Sasha, and several others mingle and laugh. There was no way he was letting her out of his sight tonight. He’d go anywhere she was going. If he had his way, he’d take her back to his place, fuck her until she couldn’t think straight and make her forget all about the bar. But he knew she couldn’t do that. And he didn’t want to act like a selfish prick just because he was in over his head with her.
