The Best Man's Bride

by Jamie Dallas

  “I feel like I just keep screwing up. I should have known better than to trust Evan.”

  Jace wrapped his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. Not an act of disappointment, like she’d been expecting. Just warmth and understanding.

  “You did perfect tonight. We both made contacts and you stood up for yourself. Let’s call it a night.”

  “But what about our reputation? People will be talking about Sun Tech for all the wrong reasons.” The failure of tonight reverberated through her.

  “Let’s, for one night, forget Sun Tech. Right now, you are more important.”

  She opened her mouth, ready to argue, when Jace’s words sank home.

  For one night, one moment, she was the most important thing on his list. Jace cared when it felt like no one else did.

  She looked around the hall, suddenly noticing that they were having a private conversation in a very public place. Evan would have never allowed for it. Jace didn’t seem to care as long as she felt better.

  They were inches apart, she and Jace. He ran his hands down her arms, ending at the tips of her fingers.

  She wanted more contact than that. Correction, she needed more contact than that. She wanted him and standing fully clothed in a hotel hall wasn’t enough.

  Desire stormed through her as she gripped his fingers and moved closer to him.

  As though understanding, Jace’s gray gaze turned stormy, beckoning her closer.

  “If you want to go home, give me the—”

  “Kiss me.” She blurted the words before she could overthink it.

  Jace didn’t miss a beat. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

  Chapter Nine

  The second his lips met hers, Jace found himself lost in a storm that he never wanted to end. Hailey tasted like sugar and citrus. Warm and bright, with just a hint of tart.

  Her body bowed against his. All thoughts and worries about Evan, Sun Tech, and the launch flew from his mind. In this moment, all he could think of was Hailey and nothing else.

  His hands roamed over her back, along her sides, down her hips—

  A woman laughed as she passed by, and he stopped short.

  He needed somewhere private. Now. A place where he could give her entire body his undivided attention.

  Reluctantly, he pulled his lips away.

  “Time to head home?”

  Hailey touched her swollen lips and nodded.

  Without waiting, he grabbed her hand and headed for the door.

  “Jace, our coats,” Hailey said as he marched straight toward the exit.

  “We’ll get them tomorrow,” he growled. He wanted this woman now.

  Evan could deal with the cocktail party. Jace’s plans for tonight involved only himself and Hailey.

  They stepped outside into the night air. The cool breeze did nothing to quell his desire. He could smell the hint of rain in the air, and the clouds blocked the moon.

  Minutes later, they were in his car on their way to his very tall, very empty building. Which meant Hailey could be as loud as she wanted without any concern about neighbors.

  The trip home was silent and tense. He wanted to pull her close, to taste the sweetness of her lips once again, to feel her body against his hands.

  Hailey fidgeted with her dress.

  “Are you okay?” Jace parked and they got out.

  “Nervous,” she said with a shy smile.

  “Are you having second thoughts?”

  “I don’t want to rush anything. The last person I slept with was that man I thought I’d marry,” she said.

  The elevator carried them up to the top floor, and seconds later, they were back in his condo. The foyer lights turned on, and he flicked them off.

  The click of her high heels followed him into the living room. The room was so dark it was hard to make anything out. A light patter of rain fell against the bay windows.

  “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to.” He pulled her close and ran a finger along her jaw. Every damn inch of him, from his impossibly rigid cock to his fingers wanted her. He wanted to know if her neck, her belly, her breasts tasted as erotic as her lips.

  He dropped his hands to his sides. “You do what’s best for you. If you want to hide in your bedroom, go ahead. If you want a guitar lesson, you know where to find me.”

  Hailey trained those big, dark, tempting eyes on him. “Sex is off the table?”

  “If you want it to be.” He didn’t it want it to be, but he wanted to scare her off even less. He liked her too much to want to chase her off. If he had to take her as a friend and not a lover, he’d do it. With a lot of cold showers.

  “If I wanted to play guitar and pass on sex, you’d do it?” Her voice was soft, seductive.

  The scent of ozone filled the room, and he could feel the attraction, the charge building between them.

  “Yes,” he ground out. And it would be pure torture, sitting next to Hailey, touching her, and knowing he couldn’t have her.

  “If we kept the relationship as it was, would that be enough for you?” Hailey stepped closer and angled her head up at him.

  His cock pulsed.

  “No,” he bit out. “But I would make it enough.”

  Hailey took another step closer and ran a finger along his jaw, her nails tracing his five-o’clock shadow.

  He groaned. It was torture, wanting to touch her, but knowing he shouldn’t. “You’re not helping.”

  “I’m not trying to help,” Hailey whispered. She shifted to the tips of her toes, and her lips met that point between his jaw and this throat, followed by her tongue.

  He clenched his fists. He was a damn saint, not touching her. It took every inch of willpower.

  The first rumble of thunder tore through the sky, quiet yet menacing.

  Hailey stepped back and away from him. He wanted to stop her but knew better than to hold her back. This woman had a mind of her own, and it both intrigued him and scared him.

  How long would a woman like her stick around?

  Turned out, longer than he expected. Hailey pulled her loose strands over her shoulder and presented her back to him. She glanced over her shoulder, a familiar question in her eyes.

  Hailey didn’t even need to ask before his hands were on the tiny zipper pull.

  “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “I’ve never been more certain in my life.”

  The sound of rain echoed in the room as he undid her dress, one endless inch at a time, revealing the smooth curve of her back. Then he pushed the dress over her hips, leaving Hailey in only a dark pair of underwear that emphasized her creamy skin.

  Lightning flashed in the room, as she turned toward him, making her appear ethereal.

  His heart hammered against his ribs as her fingers went for the top button of his shirt. He pushed her hands away.

  “Not yet, honey. Let me worship you.”

  “At least your shirt,” she whispered. Her voice was doing things to him he didn’t think possible. “I want to feel your skin against mine.”

  How could he deny her that? He didn’t stop her when she reached for his shirt again. The buttons where undone and the shirt off his shoulders in record speed.

  Hailey’s hands were all over him, touching him, feeling him. She dipped her head low to taste his skin, her tongue leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.

  Her hands were a delicious torture as they traced down his ribs, over his abs, and to his belt buckle. He yanked the shirt from his wrists and flung it across the room.

  “Easy there.” He trapped her fingers against him, right above his belt. His aching cock twitched, ready for her hands to be on him. “I want to savor this moment.”

  He wanted to make it about her. Once he was naked, all rational thoughts would be out the door.

  Pulling her to her feet, he kissed her hard and quick before sweeping her up in his arms.

  Thunder echoed in his condo, strong and powerful as he carried he
r to his bedroom and set her on the dark comforter.

  Hailey stretched over the bedspread, curvy and elegant before him.

  Her skin was soft and warm under his hands as he traced her endless curves. He leaned down to lick the long column of her neck, loving the gasp of surprise that escaped her lips.

  He continued lower, anticipating the taste of her. He loved how her small breasts fit perfectly in his palms, and she hissed as he latched onto a tight nipple.

  “Jace.” Her soft cry rang out as he moved lower, working his way down her belly to her hot core. Her hips lifted, eager to meet him.

  And he moved past the vee of her legs to lick her lower thigh.

  “That was evil,” Hailey moaned. Her fingers buried in his hair, encouraging him to move higher. “I’m going to get you back for that.”

  He chuckled, making sure his breath hit her drenched center. She was so hot and wet for him.

  Hailey wiggled under him, moving her body lower. “Please.”

  He couldn’t have denied that plea even if he wanted to.

  Softly, with the barest of pressure, he circled her swollen clit with his tongue.

  Hailey rocketed up from the bed, her back and hips arched up into a taut bow.

  Jace held her down as he worked her pussy with his mouth, alternating sucking and licking until she was squirming against him, ready for release. The woman did not hold back.

  And he loved it.

  Her body bucked, and he knew she was on the edge of release, when she grabbed his shoulder. “No, Jace. Not without you.”

  Her hair fell messy and sexy around her shoulders and curled around her breasts. Her eyes were dark with need. He wanted to surrender to that need.

  “You first. My turn will come soon.”

  “Please,” Hailey moaned, twisting her hips under him. “I want you in me. I want to share this with you.”

  He wasn’t going to argue with that. His underwear was off and a condom on in under a second. He settled himself between her parted legs, his rock-hard cock poised right at her entrance. Hailey’s hand wrapped around him, her fingers running along the pulsing vein at the base of his cock. He nearly came right there. Her hips arched to meet his. Then with one slow thrust, he seated himself deep inside her.

  Hailey pulsed around him, squeezing him as her moans fills the air. Her citrus scent mixed with the scent of her sex.

  “You feel incredible,” he breathed.

  He shifted his hips and began to rock. Hailey matched his movements, creating a rhythm all their own. All he could think, all he could see, all he wanted was Hailey.

  He was so close, building higher, but there was no way he was going over without her. He reached between them to circle her clit.

  Her pussy clamped down on him, squeezing him tight, bringing him home.

  Everything flashed white around him as Hailey called his name.

  Dropping his head between her neck and shoulder, he settled on top of her, unwilling to move. The pulse in her neck beat against his lips. Never in his life had he felt so raw and open. Usually after sex, his barriers shot back up, but something about Hailey made him feel safe.

  Vulnerable.

  He rolled onto his back and off the bed.

  “Jace?” He could hear the confusion in her voice as his feet hit the floor.

  “One minute.” He headed into the bathroom to deal with the condom and clean up.

  When he came back, Hailey had the comforter covering her body. Chewing on her lip, she glanced up at him. “Should I go?”

  She should. If he was smart, he’d tell her to go. It would keep the boundaries clear and their emotions from getting tangled. They still had over a week together, and he didn’t need blurred lines.

  “Do you want me to leave?” she repeated. Her hands twisted in the sheets.

  One day, the launch would be over, and Hailey would leave and never return.

  The very thought of it ate at him. It made him want to enjoy the moment even with the threat of tangled emotions.

  “I don’t want you to leave.”

  The tension between her brows eased. “I don’t want to go.”

  So Jace did the one thing he never let himself do.

  Pulling the covers back, he slid in next to her on his crisp cotton sheets. Turning her so her back was aligned to his chest, he pulled her close, her skin warm against his.

  Pushing her silky hair up on the pillow, he kissed the back of her neck.

  Her body twitched against his as she gave way to sleep. He knew he’d be there with her soon, even if he wanted to spend the entire night memorizing the woman in his arms.

  *

  Hailey awoke as the first rays of sun peeked through the curtains.

  Jace’s arm, heavy and secure, circled her waist, and his legs tangled with hers. It felt so natural, his body wrapped around hers, claiming her even in his sleep.

  Whoa, that was not the path she should go down.

  Jace Hartman didn’t became a legend for one nights because he claimed women. He was legendary because, well, they lasted one night.

  Too bad her one night happened to be mind-blowing. Then again, all the women he slept with could probably claim the same. Which was why she needed to get out of here.

  Hailey eased her body away from his and swung her feet over the edge of the mattress when a warm hand on her wrist stopped her.

  “Don’t go.” Jace’s voice was heavy with sleep. He scooted closer and wrapped his arm around her waist. His palm pressed against her belly, and he kissed the dimples at the back of her hips.

  He looked adorable with his rumpled hair and sleep-softened face.

  She hooked her legs around the edge of the bed. If Jace looked adorable, it was even more reason for her to get out of here.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Why not?” He ran his hand over the curve of her hip. “I have a new mission in mind.”

  “Mission?” She allowed him to draw her closer, unable to resist the feel of his touch against her body.

  “I want to count how many freckles you have on your body. They are crazy cute on you.”

  She watched the brush of his thumb against her hip. No one had ever complimented her freckles before. They were light enough that most people didn’t catch them until they were up close, but even then, she’d always been a little self-conscious about the little brown spots that scattered over her body.

  “You’ll be counting for days,” she murmured.

  “Then we should get started immediately.”

  It would be so easy to fall into Jace’s arms. To let him love her, and to let go for a few days.

  “You know this can’t last, right?” She hated the quiver on her voice. Not knowing what to expect. “And what happens if this goes south? We still have a couple weeks working together.”

  Jace sat up and shifted his body until his chest aligned with her back. He grasped both of her hips and dipped his head until his lips grazed the side of her neck. Her body arched into his touch, completely ignoring any rational thought.

  “Are you worried about this being a one-night stand?” He eased her back onto the bed. The sheet was cool against her warm body. Dropping his head, he licked the curve of her stomach, sending a shiver of need up her spine and straight down to her core. “Maybe we can arrange something.”

  “I just left a bad relationship with your business partner. I don’t need to end things on bad terms with you.”

  Jace stretched alongside of her. His hands grazed her side. “I get where you’re coming from, and I’m not going to force you into anything. But I’m also not going to deny I want more.”

  She wanted more as well. Something to make her forget about Evan, and bills, and the launch, even for a few hours.

  Right. It was more than that, and she knew it.

  She turned in his embrace.

  “How about no strings attached? We’ll agree on a date to walk away.” She hated the way her stomach cle
nched at the idea of leaving. She could do this. She was strong.

  Jace’s face shuttered, and his lashes covered his eyes as he traced the curve of her shoulder.

  “Perfect. Neither one of us wants strings. I want you in my bed. Judging by the flush on your body, you want me.” He cupped her breast in his hand and leaned over to kiss the pebbled tip.

  Her body responded instantly, aching for more.

  “After the launch, we can part ways,” she offered.

  “As friends,” he finished, the note flat.

  “Exactly.”

  Jace’s hands moved along her body, flitting across her breasts and abdomen. His fingers moved lower, working their magic as they caressed her inner thighs.

  All she could think was how badly she wanted him. This was what she needed. A little fun over the next week or so, then she’d go home with happy memories.

  And she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life wondering.

  “Deal,” she said, her voice husky.

  “Are you sure?” Jace asked. He punctuated the question with a long lick along her inner thigh that ended tantalizingly close to her core.

  “Positive,” she groaned out. “Now stop talking.”

  “I love when you tell me what to do.” He moved up her body to claim her mouth.

  Hailey had thought he was going to take her fast. Jace, however, took his time, running his hands and mouth over her body until she was tense and quivering for release. Then he rolled her onto her side and pushed in from behind.

  His cock filled her, like two pieces joined as one. She loved the way he moved, giving so willingly.

  Reaching behind her, she grabbed the firm muscle of his butt and began to push her hips back against his, grinding hard against his cock with each rock.

  A hiss of surprise escaped his lips, and he anchored his hands on her breast and hip as they continued their slow spiral upward.

  Her heart pounded in her ears as she thrusted against him. Her body gripped him tighter with each thrust until she was on the very edge. She could feel his cock pulse inside her, and she knew he was close.

  Sparks flashed across her vision as the tension in her body wound tighter, and she shattered around him. Hailey didn’t bother to hold back her cries. Jace should know the pleasure he brought her.