by Elle James
Her business depended on it. Nothing like a little pressure to make her night more complicated. She resisted the urge to pluck the string out of her butt crack and slid into the driver’s seat of the SUV.
Jacob held the door for the groom to drop into the back seat. Then he shut the door and climbed into the passenger seat beside Casey.
She would rather have had him sit with the groom in the back seat. Already, she’d been too close to this man too often that evening. Every time they touched, she felt tingly, like an electric current was coursing through her veins. The more distance between them, the better she could concentrate on what needed to be done to pull off this short-fused wedding.
Yes, distance between her and Jacob was what she needed.
As soon as she saw Hawk to his door, she’d skedaddle back to her own apartment and get a restful night’s sleep. Thankfully, all the preparations were scheduled or done. All she had left to do was a rehearsal and to make sure the bride and groom arrived at the church on time.
She had this wedding in the bag.
What could go wrong?
Jacob sat in the passenger seat wanting to call Casey out on her disguise. He bit down hard on his tongue to keep from doing it in front of Hawk. Kalea had hired Casey to plan her wedding. Did she know Casey was taking on more than wedding planning? Did she know her wedding-planner best friend moonlighted as a stripper?
“You have a ten sticking out of your…” Jacob pointed to her crotch and then sat back, his gaze on the windshield in front of him.
Casey glanced down at the juncture of her thighs, ripped the bill from beneath the shorts and looked like she would fling it at Jacob. At the last second, she retracted her hand and stuffed the bill in the cupholder. She pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main drag in front, headed in the direction of their hotel.
“Don’t you want to know where we’re staying?” Hawk asked from the back seat.
Casey glanced into the rearview mirror. “I know.”
“Good, because I’ve already forgotten,” Hawk said.
Jacob shot a glance over his shoulder.
Hawk leaned back his head and closed his eyes.
Jacob let go of the breath he’d been holding. As long as Casey got them to the hotel all right, the rest of the night should be a slam dunk.
A black cat darted out into the road.
Casey slammed on her brakes in time to spare the cat’s life, but not in time to keep it from crossing in front of them.
She shot a look in his direction. “You’re not one of those people who believes in bad luck, are you?”
Jacob frowned. “No.”
“Good.” She pressed her bare foot down on the accelerator, and the SUV lurched forward.
Though he’d said he didn’t believe in bad luck, he’d been in operations that had gone south for no apparent reason. No matter how much they’d planned and trained, nothing seemed to go right. But a black cat crossing his path? He shook his head. Nonsense. At the same time, a cold chill rippled down his spine. It was just a cat.
A black cat.
The ride to the hotel went smoothly from that point. When they arrived, Jacob got out, opened the back door and woke Hawk, who’d tipped over in the back seat and was snoring louder than a freight train. “Kalea has no idea what she’s getting into,” he murmured.
Hawk sat up and rubbed his hand over his face. “Is Kalea here?”
“No, she’s in her room getting her beauty sleep for your wedding Saturday,” Casey said, hopping on one foot as she pushed her feet into her high-heeled platform shoes. “She has her spa day tomorrow. Come on. Let’s get you to bed, so you can sleep it off.”
“I didn’t drink that much,” Hawk said.
“Sure, you didn’t,” Jacob said. He hauled Hawk out of the back seat, looped the man’s arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own around Hawk’s waist. “Think you can make it to the elevator?”
“Seriously, Jacob. I’ve got this.” Hawk drew his arm away from Jacob and squared his shoulders. “Need sleep. Getting married Saturday to the best girl ever.”
“Yeah, yeah. Tying the knot. But sleep first. You can’t show up to your rehearsal drunk. Kalea would have my hide.”
Hawk grinned. “She’s one tough cookie. You don’t want to make her mad.”
“No, I don’t.” Jacob turned Hawk toward the front entrance of the hotel and gave him a gentle nudge. “Come on, Romeo. It’s time for bed.”
Casey smiled at the friends. “Need a hand?”
Jacob cast a glance over his shoulder at the pretty wedding planner. He liked her better as a brunette. The blond wig did nothing for her. “We’ve got this, if you want to head home.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to see Hawk to his room. I promised to make sure he got back all right.”
“Don’t you trust me?” Jacob asked.
“I trust you.” She smiled. “After all, you rescued me from the cake.” She tipped her head toward Hawk. “It’s him I’m not so sure about. How much did he have to drink?”
“I only had one beer.” Hawk held up two fingers.
“I saw him pour three. But I was a little distracted.” His gaze raked over her body. A little distracted? He’d been more than a little distracted by the wedding planner who’d played stripper for the night. If his hands weren’t full of his best friend, he’d be tempted to take Casey in his arms. “The guys might have helped some more while I wasn’t monitoring.”
She nodded, followed him into the building and past the front desk to the elevator.
The night clerk’s eyes narrowed as she moved past him. “Uh, miss, we don’t…uh…we don’t allow…” He shoved a hand through his wiry red hair. “We’re a family hotel. I can’t let you…you know. You can’t go in with them.”
Jacob shoved Hawk into the elevator and reached out to grab Casey’s hand. “She’s my fiancée. Put your tongue back in your head, boy. She’s taken.” Then he pulled Casey into the elevator with him and punched the button to close the door.
The clerk followed them to the elevator, his brow furrowed, his face a splotchy red. “But, sir, she can’t go with you two. It’s against the rules.”
“I told you, she’s my fiancée. We’ve been to a costume party.” Would the door ever close?
“If you’ve been to a costume party, where’s your costume, sir?” The young man put out his hand to stop the door from closing.
Jacob glared at the clerk. “I don’t do costumes. And she’s with me. Don’t fuck with me, if you know what’s good for you.”
The clerk pulled back his hand. “My manager isn’t going to be happ—”
The door finally closed, and the elevator car moved upward to the fifth floor.
“Whew,” Hawk said. “I thought you and the punk were going to trade fists.” He leaned against the rail and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I was gonna have to leave it to you, this time.”
Jacob frowned. “You feeling all right?”
“I’m fine. Just fine.” Hawk smiled and slid down the wall of the elevator to sit. “I just need a little sleep. Gettin’ married Saturday. Rehearsal’s ’morrow.” He tipped over sideways and closed his eyes.
The bell rang, and the door slid open.
“I’ll get his feet, if you can get his arms,” Casey said. She squatted and grabbed Hawk’s ankles.
“Don’t bother. I’ve got this,” Jacob said. “Just dig his room key out of his pocket and hold the door.”
Casey rummaged in Hawk’s back pocket for his wallet, extracted the hotel room key card and held the elevator door.
Jacob pulled Hawk up by the arm and hauled him across his shoulder. He grunted with the dead weight but held steady enough to get him out into the hallway.
“What’s his room number?” Casey asked.
Jacob gave her the number and followed her to the door. She waved the card in front of the reader, and the light turned green. She pushed the door inward, stepped inside and held it open for Jacob to carry
Hawk inside.
He dropped the man onto the king-sized bed and straightened. “Should we pump him full of coffee?”
Casey shook her head. “No. Let him sleep it off. The wedding isn’t until Saturday afternoon.” She pulled off his shoes and tucked a pillow beneath his head. “He should have plenty of time to work off the hangover.” She walked toward the door. “I’d better get going.”
Jacob followed her out of the room and closed the door behind him, slipping the key into his front pocket. “Wait just a minute.”
Casey stopped with her finger poised over the button of the elevator. “Excuse me?”
He stalked toward her and stopped when he was standing toe to toe with her. “I wanted to say thank you for helping me with a man you barely know.” He leaned an arm against the wall behind her and touched the long strands of blond hair. “You really take your job seriously, don’t you?” His fingers curled around one long strand, and he twisted it up to brush the ends against her cheek.
“Everything I do, I do with purpose,” she said, her voice a little breathless.
“Including pretending you’re a stripper?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she whispered, her eyes widening.
He tugged on the hair, and the wig slipped sideways.
She reached up too late to stop the wig from falling off. Instead, she patted her hair, which was held in place by little pins and clips.
Jacob chuckled. “Well, hello, Casey the wedding planner.” He pulled one of the pins loose, and a lock of dark brown hair fell to her shoulders. “I like you better as a brunette.”
She stared up into his eyes. “You don’t have to like me at all.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “And what if I do, anyway?”
“I…uh…” She shook her head and licked her lips.
The motion of her tongue sweeping across her bottom lip blew his self-control.
He leaned down and brushed his mouth across hers, tasting her. When she put up no resistance, Jacob leaned into her, pressed the length of his body against hers and deepened the kiss.
Her body stiffened, her palms rising to lay flat against his chest.
Jacob continued the kiss, prepared to withdraw if she pushed against him.
Her hands curled into his shirt, her fingernails digging lightly into his skin. Then she raised her hands to encircle his neck and tug him closer.
That was all the encouragement Jacob needed. He swept past her teeth to caress her tongue with his. He bent to run his hands over her buttocks and down to the backs of her thighs, lifting her to wrap her legs around his waist.
Her crotch rested on the ridge beneath his jeans, making him swell even more.
“Do you know what you’re doing to me?” he said, his mouth hovering over hers.
“I kind of have an idea,” she murmured and shifted against his arousal. Her tongue shot out and connected with his, bringing him back into her. What had started as a way to “out” her had moved into more than just a reveal.
He spun, carried her across the hallway to his door and leaned her against the panel. Lifting his head, he stared down into her eyes. “Where are we going with this?”
She held out her hand. “Where’s your key?”
He fished beneath her leg for the wallet in his back pocket and flipped it open. She removed the hotel room key and a foil packet, a smile sliding across her face. “Do you always come prepared?”
“Always,” he said.
She felt for the card reader and ran the key card over it, never once losing eye contact with him.
Jacob saw the light blink green and pushed the door handle down, releasing the latch. “Last chance to change your mind.” He hesitated in the open doorway, holding his breath.
Casey cupped his cheek. “I’m not going to change my mind, but I have conditions.”
His brow dipped. “Conditions?”
She nodded. “They’re easy.” Her finger brushed across his lips. “Never kiss and tell.”
“My lips are sealed.” He captured her finger and sucked it into his mouth.
She met his gaze directly. “And no strings.”
In most situations, Jacob wouldn’t have hesitated a moment with her second condition. Something about this woman and her dedication to the plan made him hesitate for a nanosecond.
Her brow furrowed. “Is there a problem with my conditions?” She smiled. “I would have thought it was a slam dunk.”
“No problem,” he said when he came back to his senses. “I’m on board.”
“Then let’s kiss on it.” Her smile spread across her face. Then she wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss that sealed the deal.
Jacob pushed through the door and kicked it shut behind him.
For a man who wasn’t into weddings, Jacob was well on his way to fulfilling his promise as his friend’s best man. He’d gotten through the bachelor party and brought Hawk back to the hotel unharmed. All he had to do was get the man to the wedding on time on Saturday.
The rest of the night was his, and it was looking up.
Chapter 4
The incessant sound of a phone ringing dragged Casey out of a deep, deep sleep. She reached over to her nightstand for her cellphone only to touch warm skin and hard muscle.
What the—
She blinked and opened her eyes, staring up at a ceiling she didn’t recognize. Where was she?
The phone rang again, the bed shifted beside her, and a deep voice answered, “Fowler.”
Digging her way out of the fog of slumber, Casey looked to her right at a naked back of solid, tanned male.
“Casey?” A female voice came from the cellphone. “Who is this? Where’s Casey?”
Casey shot to a sitting position and reached for the device. “Give that to me,” she demanded.
Jacob handed her the phone and flopped back down on the pillow.
“This is Casey,” she said.
“Casey, where are you?” Kalea wailed. “Why aren’t you with me? I can’t get hold of Hawk. He’s not answering his cellphone. And who was the man who answered your phone?”
Casey pushed the hair out of her face, pulled the sheet up to cover her naked breasts and focused on the question she had the best chance of answering. “Take a deep breath, Kalea. What do you mean Hawk isn’t answering his phone? He could be in the shower.”
“I called an hour ago,” she said. “I thought the same thing, so I gave him time to shower, and then called a few minutes ago. The call went straight to his voice mail.”
Casey’s pulse leaped. “Are you all right?”
“No. I’m a little freaked out.” Kalea paused, inhaled and let the breath out loud enough Casey could hear. “This is a big step, and I needed to talk to Hawk. We should have gone to a JP instead of doing this wedding.”
“Breathe, Kalea,” Casey said. “I’ll check on him. You know everything that needs to be done today. It’s all set up. All you have to do is relax at the spa. The facial and massage will make everything better. I’ll let you know what’s going on. Have a Bellini, the fixings are in the refrigerator along with finger food to keep you from passing out.”
Kalea sighed. “Thank you. I needed a voice of reason. And when you find Hawk, tell him to call me. And after that, you can tell me who the guy is that answered your phone. I want all the details.”
“I’ll talk to you soon,” Casey said, avoiding that particular conversation. She ended the call and looked down at Jacob. Her first urge was to toss the sheet aside and run down the hallway to check on the groom. Being completely naked, she wasn’t comfortable moving about the room in the presence of a man she’d known for less than twenty-four hours, even if they’d made love all night long and into the early hours of the morning. “You’re the best man. Your groom is AWOL and not answering his phone. Go. Check on him.”
“He’s a grown-ass man. I’m sure he’s fine.” Jacob reached out and tugged a strand of Casey�
��s hair. “Meanwhile, we have the whole morning.” His hand slid down her back and around to circle her hip, dragging her backward to lie beside him.
She kissed the side of his neck, not wanting to move from the bed. When Jacob cupped her breast in his palm, her core ignited. “We need to check on Hawk.”
“We will.” His lips found the hollow at the base of her neck and moved lower, over her collarbone to capture a peaked nipple between his teeth. “In a minute.”
Casey arched her back, wanting him to take more.
While his mouth teased her breast, his hand slipped over her belly and down to the tuft of hair over her sex.
She parted her legs and covered his hand with hers, urging him lower.
He obliged, dipping a finger into the slick entrance to her channel.
Casey moaned and lifted her hips to his gentle strokes.
His fingers slipped upward into her folds and swirled around the little strip of highly sensitive flesh, packed with all the right nerves to set her on fire.
She closed her eyes, and her breath hitched in her throat. “Yes,” she gasped. “There.”
He played with her for another minute. Then he lifted his hand.
“Wait,” she said, her eyes opening.
Jacob leaned up on his elbow. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not done yet.” To prove his point, he rolled on top of her and kissed his way from one breast to the other then downward until he came to the juncture of her thighs.
Parting her folds, he thumbed her clit, dipped into her wetness and thumbed her again.
Casey forgot how to breathe, absolutely sure she couldn’t until he touched her there again.
He bent and flicked her with his tongue.
She sucked in a gasp.
Another flick sent her skyrocketing out of the stratosphere. Tingling turned to spasms as she rocked her hips to the rhythm of his tongue stroking her there. She climaxed, crying out his name, “Jacob!”
As she floated back to earth, he climbed up her body and captured her mouth in a crushing kiss.
Casey wrapped her arms around him and parted her legs, eager to have him inside her. “Your turn.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “We have a groom to locate.”
