The Best Man's Bride

by Jamie Dallas

  Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw snapped shut. Seconds later that heat went from tempting to harrowing.

  “You’re a little full of yourself,” she snapped. She threw her shoulders back. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t care who you sleep with or when. I hope you have a long line of beautiful woman waiting for you. That way when the line one day disappears, you’ll realize just how damn lonely you are.”

  He pushed up from the stool. “I hear you. Loud and clear. You’re not interested,” he said with more force than necessary. “I’m heading to the gym and then work.”

  She nodded, her lips pressed together in a flat line. His phone buzzed in his pocket again. “I’ll tell Evan the plan.”

  “Great,” she said, the word harsh as it rolled off her tongue. She rolled her shoulders and neck, as though stretching out muscles that tensed every time she heard Evan’s name.

  It only took a few minutes for Jace to pull himself together. As he closed his bedroom door to leave, he couldn’t help but glance down the hall. Hailey had already holed herself up in the office. The door was closed, and he could hear music playing on the other side.

  He should apologize. Hailey was helping him out, and he was being an ass. No doubt she thought he was the biggest jerk on this planet, second only to Evan.

  At the moment, he couldn’t have agreed more himself.

  *

  When Jace returned hours later, it was still too soon. Hailey’s anger had yet to simmer. The man had endless ego, thinking she was interested in him. She had no claim on Jace, and she didn’t want one. The man was frustrating.

  Too bad it didn’t stop him from being attractive.

  She pressed her palms against her temples. She had zero business thinking Jace was attractive. She’d just ended a relationship, and she was working with Jace.

  “Hey there.”

  Her heart skipped at the sound of his voice.

  She had left the door to her office open while Jace was out. Now he stood just outside the room, his gym bag slung over his shoulder, sweats on, and his hair mussed.

  Her fingers itched to run through those messy dark strands.

  “Hi.” Her voice came out breathy, and she mentally slapped herself. Every time she saw Jace not one hundred percent pulled together, it threw her off her axis. The imperfections made him approachable.

  Kissable.

  Damn him.

  She went back to her computer, hoping he’d take the hint she was concentrating.

  “Still working?” She could hear him move closer to the desk.

  “I have a lot to finish before the big event.” She avoided eye contact and straightened her files and pens on the desktop.

  For the past few days, she’d thrown herself into her work. Not only was she on top of all the details, but she was adding bits and pieces as well.

  Work was far easier than dealing with Evan or Jace. Or her bills.

  “I don’t recall you working quite this much for the other Sun Tech launches.”

  “That’s because I had a life back then.” And she wasn’t trying to distract herself from Jace.

  Her fingers stilled on a folder as the thought hit home. The real reason for her long, steady hours from early morning to late evening. The ugly truth of the matter. It didn’t have as much to do with bills or Evan.

  Jace was so close, she could smell the scent of his musk, and an instinctual urge to tip her head back and expose her throat to him and his lips ran through her.

  This was definitely not good.

  She cleared her throat. “This launch is different. We are trying to get established in another state. This is a big deal, and that requires a different level of coordination and planning.”

  “You’re working more hours than me, and I own the company.” She could feel his eyes on the back of her neck.

  “Do you have a problem with my work habits?” She spun toward him, ready to argue that he was paying her twice as much, and he shouldn’t complain.

  Jace shrugged. “I may. Look, I’m not here to argue your hours. I’m here to apologize for being an ass earlier. I was stressed with work, and I took it out on you.”

  That took the wind out of her sails. She blinked at him, all her anger dissolving.

  “Really?” Evan never apologized to her. It felt weird that Jace would. “What’s your motive?”

  Jace narrowed his eyes like she was completely off her rocker. “Motive? It’s an apology.”

  “Ok.” She licked her lips, trying to process. Years of being with Evan had certainly made her wary of apologies. But Jace was standing there, concern on his face, his hands at his sides, his fingers open and relaxed.

  Open. Honest.

  She cleared her tight throat. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  She glanced up when he didn’t say anything else.

  “That’s all? Just the apology?”

  Jace lifted a dark brow. “The apology isn’t enough?”

  “No, it’s perfect,” she said quickly. More than perfect. “What did Evan think of my idea?”

  “Hated it.” Jace leaned against the desk.

  Of course Evan hated it. It made her feel exhausted just thinking about it. “Did he say why he was against it?”

  “I wouldn’t take it personally.” Jace rubbed his hand over his forehead, as though just talking about Evan was a headache.

  “Of course, I’m going to take it personally. It was my idea.” It shouldn’t have surprised her Evan rejected it.

  “And it’s a great idea.” Jace began to pace in the cramped spaced, moving between the futon and her piles of clothes. His dark gray sweats hung low on his hips.

  “Evan was never happy unless the idea was his.” Hailey grabbed a stack of clothes and began to fold them with quick, jerky movements.

  Jace’s hand settled on her shoulder and squeezed. “Evan’s upset you aren’t answering his calls or working at the office. It’s his way of controlling the situation.”

  “I could call him.” She cringed as she said the words, but Jace was paying her contract, and if Jace wanted her to reach out to him, she would.

  Even if she’d rather swim in shark-infested waters without a cage.

  “You do what’s best for you. If you want to call him, call. If you don’t want to, then don’t bother. I don’t care what you do as long as you do your work.”

  She stopped folding. “Are you sure?”

  Jace pulled a shirt out of her grasp. “Hailey, what are you doing?”

  Her spine stiffened, and she grabbed another shirt off her pile. “I’m helping your company.”

  “We already agreed you don’t need to deal with Evan. On top of that, you’re working too much.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are. Even I know our reception doesn’t need specialty cocktails.”

  Heat flooded her face. Okay, so maybe she went a little overboard with the drinks. “I think the ‘gin and technology’ and ‘virtual reality’ cocktails are cute and creative. Everyone will remember the cocktails.”

  “If the cocktails are what everyone remembers, we’re doing something wrong. You’re working too hard, and for someone who claims she wants to do what is best for her, I think you are going about it wrong.” He tossed her shirt on the futon. “Think about it.”

  Jace left the room without another word, leaving Hailey staring at the spot where he’d stood.

  How on earth did she go from forgiving the man for one thing to wanting to rip his head off for another in under five minutes? She was taking care of herself and doing what she wanted. If she wanted to work crazy hours, that was her prerogative.

  Tossing the shirt aside, she marched out of the office, fists clenched. Her feet slapped against the hardwood floor, echoing in the hall.

  If he thought he could walk into her office and start telling her what to do, he had another thing coming. She wasn’t anyone’s woman to boss around. Not anymore.

  His bedroom do
or was shut. Undeterred, she rapped against the solid wood.

  “I know you’re in there,” she snapped. “How dare you waltz into my life and my job and start ordering me around.”

  “One minute.” He sounded annoyed.

  She crossed her arms and paced until the door swung open.

  She shot Jace her dark glare, and then froze.

  Jace stood in front of her, barefoot and bare chested, with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

  “Hailey, what are you doing?”

  She was asking herself that exact same question as she stared at Jace’s naked chest.

  Wow.

  Her brain fritzed out after that. She’d seen the outline of his chest before. Lord knows she’d thought of his damp white shirt in the rain hundreds of times since he’d picked her up on that fateful wedding afternoon and brought her home.

  However, that memory had not prepared her for the gloriousness of his chest in real life. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his olive skin and dusky nipples. A gnawing sense of jealously tightened in her diaphragm. Other women got to touch that golden skin, taste him, press their lips against the light dusting of hair.

  She could only imagine.

  Energy hummed low in her belly as her eyes drifted down along his body. She couldn’t help herself. It would be like refusing free ice cream. No one in their right mind would turn down free ice cream.

  His broad shoulders tapered through his ribs, along his muscled abs to a narrow waist. The dark sprinkling of hair gathered into a trail that disappeared into the white towel that stood bright against his dark skin.

  A deep, tight yearning spread through her body.

  “Enjoying the view?”

  She snapped her head up, forcing herself to meet his gray eyes, and that sharp, cocky smile that she wanted to smack right off his face.

  Heat flared up her neck like a blast from a furnace. Jace was standing there naked in a towel, and she was ogling him. She didn’t ogle. That wasn’t her thing.

  She pressed her fluttering hands against her sides.

  “I’ve seen better,” she lied. Her face grew a few degrees hotter.

  “Uh huh.” He stepped forward.

  She stepped back.

  “Don’t lie to me, Hailey. Your face says everything. You’re more open than a book.”

  He moved forward, until she was backed against the wall with nowhere to go.

  “Now, why don’t you tell me what is going on in that brilliant brain of yours that would make you hammer down my door in the middle of my shower.”

  Why she’d chased him down fled her mind long ago. Probably when he opened the door practically naked.

  She searched her memory, struggling to think past that moment Jace opened the door.

  Right, she was mad. At him.

  “I’m angry with you.” She forced herself to look into his intense eyes, preparing herself for judgment. Or worse.

  She saw none. Only a heat that matched her own.

  Oh my.

  In an ideal world, she’d be able to play it casual, as though men frequently looked at her with such intensity. But it was impossible to relax with Jace this close and her senses going haywire. The urge to lean into him was growing stronger. She wanted to feel her body pressed against his and allow the weight of her to sink against him.

  “I’m not overworking myself, and you have no right to judge.” The words felt weak as she said them.

  To be honest, she did feel tired. The weight of the past week hung heavy around her shoulders, and the exhaustion of all the work hit like a punch to the chest.

  “Hailey, if you want to work these crazy hours, go ahead. I’m just saying you sacrifice yourself a lot.”

  “That’s weird coming from a guy who paid me double to continue to work on a launch party I wanted to quit.”

  “I’ve kept Evan out of your hair,” he reminded her. “And I clean up all your coffee mugs.”

  He reached out and cupped her cheek. The touch was so light she barely felt it. The pad of his thumb, slightly callused, brushed back and forth, back and forth.

  “Besides,” he added, his voice a low gravel that reverberated in her belly, “I know you love working for me. Admit it.”

  In that moment, she would admit anything he wanted to hear.

  She needed to escape, but it was impossible, trapped between Jace’s body and the wall, his thumb doing impossible things to her senses. Her hips arched toward him, and her gaze turned hazy.

  “It’s not half bad.” Her voice came out low and throaty.

  One corner of his mouth pulled up in that dangerous crooked smirk of his. No wonder women fell for him. “Not half bad? I’m far better than that. Just give me time.”

  The hard line of his lips softened, and he leaned forward.

  He was going to kiss her.

  And she wanted it. Ached for it. Her reaction was automatic as he moved closer. Her eyes closed, and her lips parted. Finally.

  He pushed her hair back and tucked the strands behind her ear. His touch, even on the shell of her ear, was setting her on fire. When was the last time she needed a man this badly?

  Never.

  “Tomorrow night, no work. We’re going out.” His breath brushed over her neck, sending waves of sensation through her.

  His fingers left her hair and he pushed away, leaving her pressed against the wall, aching with a swirling emotion that she didn’t fully understand. An emotion she had never experienced before.

  She opened her eyes and watched him disappear back into his bedroom. The door clicked shut behind him, and she sucked in a shaky breath.

  She was going out with Jace tomorrow. A tremor of thrill and trepidation rolled through her. Years ago, this would have excited her.

  Now when she wanted nothing more than to have him kiss her? This was bad news.

  Chapter Five

  She had a date tonight with Jace.

  Was it a date?

  Hailey drummed the tips of her fingers against the table as she stared at the top of Jace’s head.

  He sipped at his coffee and read the paper, completely unaware her gaze was burning a hole through him. His dark hair, free of product, curled in all directions. In another hour, it would be smoothed back and locked into place, and Jace would take on his business persona. Even on a Saturday.

  She was too nervous to roll her eyes at the thought.

  He hadn’t called it a date.

  The thin sheets of the newspaper crunched as Jace turned the page. He smoothed the creases with long, steady fingers.

  How he managed to be so cool while she was ready to pop out of her skin was beyond her. She couldn’t go on a date after she’d had just run out on Evan. Shouldn’t there be a period of singleness after jilting someone? A week didn’t feel sufficient.

  Hailey grabbed her mug and sipped at the lukewarm coffee.

  “Are you okay?” Jace didn’t look up from his paper.

  “Of course I’m okay.” Her voice came out a pitch too high. She picked up her cold bagel and dried cream cheese and bit into it.

  She just needed to clarify the situation, then set some professional boundaries.

  Right after she finished her coffee.

  And after she refilled it.

  “Please do your dishes for once,” Jace muttered as she got up from the table.

  “I’ll do my dishes when I’m good and ready to do them.”

  Jace must have caught the edge in her voice because he finally looked up from that obnoxious newspaper. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” She gathered her new floral mug. She had gone to a thrift store and bought some colorful dishes to irritate Jace and to add color to his black and white apartment. It was too dull for anyone to live here and be happy. Even if the coffeemaker did start automatically.

  “You aren’t acting like it’s nothing.”

  “I’m fine.” Just worried. She dumped the dishes in the sink and began to load the fancy chrome dishw
asher.

  “You aren’t acting fine.”

  “I’m stressed about our date.”

  The room turned silent. Jace’s mouth opened, then closed. Then he carefully folded the paper into a square, his eyes trained on the task like it was the most important thing in the world.

  She wished that she could take those words and cram them back in her mouth. “Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

  She finished loading the dishwasher at lightning speed. Her stomach churned, and the back of her eyes stung.

  She didn’t want it to be a date. So Jace’s reaction shouldn’t have bothered her.

  But it did.

  What was wrong with her? Jace said he wasn’t interested in her only yesterday, and here she went blowing their dinner together out of proportion.

  When he finally spoke, Jace’s voice was carefully controlled. “Tonight? A date?”

  The least he could do was not sound so stunned. Going on a date with her was not that crazy of an idea.

  “Forget that I said anything. I was shocked that you asked, and then I didn’t know, and…”

  Her chest and face felt like they were on fire.

  “I’m going to go,” she finished quickly, pointing in the general direction of his office.

  “Hailey.”

  She kept moving.

  “Hailey,” he repeated.

  She couldn’t hide from him. Not in his own apartment. She reluctantly stopped.

  Jace’s brows knitted together, and he looked at her as though he were trying to find just the right words that wouldn’t make her run.

  “Look,” he hesitated. “You know I don’t date. You and I both know I’m only good for one thing. If you want a night in the sack, you know where to find me.”

  “That’s honestly the only thing you are good for? What are you so afraid of, Jace? Love?”

  Jace’s face shuttered, and he turned his body away from her.

  She had hit a nerve. Something had happened. Her mind began to race through all the women she had seen with Jace over the years. Who had hurt him?

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”

  Jace’s jaw tightened, and his head bowed in a stiff nod. “No harm. Let me know if you want to cancel tonight. It’s not a date. And if you want more, then you will have to look somewhere else.”