She pursed her lips at him. “Gee, thanks.”
“Baby, that’s not a direct reflection of you—that’s the inner workings of a twenty-year-old kid’s mind,” he reminded her. Yeah, he was going to help her, but not only did he plan on changing her mind, he would teach her how to seduce him instead. Hell, once he got her in his bed, he would never let her out, and he’d make sure she would never want to get out.
This was the chance he’d been waiting for, and he was going to take it. Except…what if he was letting jealousy guide him? What if he was letting a bartender, who had no real idea of his relationship with Sydney, sway his thinking?
They were best friends, and if this went horribly wrong, then they wouldn’t be anything later.
“Can we at least eat first?” she grumbled, adorably disgruntled. “I only had a snack after church.”
“Right after you show me how you would say hello to the man you want to seduce.” His heart slammed against his chest in anticipation of how she would reply.
She pinned her beautiful eyes on him and said, “Hello, Brody.”
His gut clenched. For a long minute, he imagined that he was the man she wanted to seduce. Actually, he would have to pretend he was that man the entire time until she came to her senses. “That’s not how you greet the man you want to get sweaty with.”
“What would you do?”
With a slow smile, he stepped closer to her, taking the flowers and tossing them on the dining room table. He slid his hand around her neck, savoring the feel of her warm, silky skin.
She blinked up at him, slowly. “I’m not sure—”
Dipping his head, he started at the corner of her mouth, effectively cutting her off while teasing the seam of it with little bites designed to make her gasp. But even when her plump lips parted, he didn’t take the invitation to come inside.
Instead, he spent time on her lower lip, worrying it. Sucking it inside of his mouth and nibbling. He used his other hand to cup the side of her face, stroking her cheek.
She pressed herself against him, and he groaned a little. Yeah, he liked the feel of her. No, not liked. He loved the feel of her.
Finally, their tongues met. Slowly, taking their time as they curled around each other, rubbing, and then thrusting. She made a sweet little noise in the back of her throat, and he let go of her face and neck to run his hands down the sides of her body to cup her ass.
He squeezed, enjoying the feel of every delicious curve. “Damn fine ass,” he said against her mouth.
Her hands, before so very passive and gently placed on his chest, stole up to his neck, her fingers going into his hair to massage his scalp.
Panting, she pulled away slightly and he almost spoke, almost ruined the moment, but he waited and he was rewarded for his patience. She gave him the sultriest look he’d ever seen and went back to kissing him, pressing herself more fully against him.
They stood there, for hours or minutes—days—while they made out. Hell, they could have stood there for the rest of time. He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. All he could taste was her. All he could feel was her. It was everything he ever wanted.
Everything he could ever need for the rest of his life was right here in his arms, but he wanted more. He was hard, aching to be inside of her. Aching to taste her.
With a groan, he made himself stop kissing her. Made himself take a deep breath and urge his racing heart to calm. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, “That’s how you greet a man.”
“Oh,” she breathed.
“So, from now on, during our lessons, that’s how you say hello to me.” He stepped away from her. “Think you can do that?”
She frowned a little. “Yes, but I thought that kissing me didn’t do anything for you.”
“I changed my mind. That okay with you?” he asked.
“Yes.” Her frown melted away.
“Good.” He rubbed his hands together and tried to get his body back to friend mode. “Ready for dinner?” He had to be, or he’d sweep her up in his arms and carry her into her bedroom instead.
Her blue eyes were luminous, full of desire, and something else he wasn’t sure of. “Can you give me a minute?”
He nodded, and she practically ran out of the room. He took the opportunity to set up dinner. His hands shook a little as he rummaged through her cabinets to get some plates and glasses.
“Just a kiss,” he reminded himself. But if this was how he’d react to just a kiss…He couldn’t imagine what would happen if she wanted more from him.
For the first time in his adult life, he contemplated saying no to a woman. Though Sydney wasn’t just a woman, she was his best friend.
And he would be an idiot to turn her down. She was grown enough to know what she wanted and to deal with the consequences. They were old enough to go back to being friends once these lessons in seduction were over. Well, he hoped they were.
Hell, he hoped he didn’t kill Kyle when the rookie and Sydney finally went out. If they went out. His plan to seduce her into changing her mind had to work.
He put the DVD in the player, pressed play, and ran a hand over his face.
A few minutes later, when she came back, her cheeks were flushed and her gaze wouldn’t meet his. He’d never seen her look so…nervous.
He gestured to the coffee table. “Thought we could eat in our usual spot.”
The movie came on, blasting the room with the sounds of bullets. She jumped, and he swore while searching for the remote.
“Got it,” he shouted and turned the volume down.
“Well, that’s one way to break the awkward,” she said with a smile.
Nodding, he sat down and waited for her to join him. “I got them to throw in extra breadsticks for you.”
“What is it with you making me have to work out more?” she teased, sitting beside him.
“I like the company.” He didn’t add that he’d missed her company last week.
“How’s this year’s crop of new recruits working out?” she asked around a bite of veggies.
“They’re getting there—some faster than others.” He took a pull of his beer. “Next year’s budget only allows for us to hire one person, but that’s better than shrinking the force.”
She gave him a sympathetic smile. “Must be hard trying to keep up with a growing town and a shrinking budget.”
“It’s my job,” he said.
“Who knew firefighting was so glamorous?”
“Kinda like the banking. I hear y’all make it rain every Friday.”
She giggled, and it was the sweetest sound he’d heard all day. Okay, second sweetest sound. “Gross part coming up,” he said, hurrying to put down his beer and fork to cover her eyes. She hated the gory parts. She couldn’t stand listening to them either.
“You get your ears.”
Her hands clamped over her ears, and he kept one eye on her and the other on the screen. She seemed fine now, like there was nothing wrong and they were just two best friends hanging out like they normally did.
“Is it over?”
He leaned in close to her, his lips purposefully brushing her fingers to see what she’d do. Her breath hitched, and he smiled. “Almost.” Funny how keeping the violent and gory things out of her vision felt just as intimate as kissing her. The scene changed and he let his hand fall away. “You’re in the clear.”
Baby blue eyes caught his. “This is why I picked you to help. You would never hurt me.”
Her confidence in him made his heart pang. “Not intentionally, but I need to know how far you want to carry this.”
If she said no. If she hesitated at all, he would back off and gently let her down, but if she went along…
“All the way,” she said.
Chapter Eleven
‡
“When I came back from the bathroom, all we did was eat dinner and watch a movie, make plans for Tuesday night, and then he went home. It was like nothing had happened,” Sydney grumbl
ed.
Cherry wrinkled her nose. “Nothing did happen.”
“Except that kiss.” That wonderful, heart-pounding, lust-inducing kiss that sent her running for a cold shower.
Cherry smirked. “That good, huh?”
Sydney raised her brows. “You know how good he is.” She made a face. “Maybe I shouldn’t remind you of that.”
“Maybe you should stop worrying about that.”
“Yeah, because ex-girlfriends always help the next one out,” Sydney quipped.
Cherry gave her a haughty look. “I wouldn’t do this for just anyone. Only you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve always been nice to me, even while I dated the man you love. I think it takes real class and self-control not to punch me in the throat.”
Sydney laughed at the visual, and then sobered. “It wasn’t easy—not because you were dating him—but because I never let myself think I could date him. Or maybe it was really because if he could date a goddess like you, then what chance did I have?” she said with a shrug.
“I’d give anything to have a man look at me the way Brody does at you when he thinks no one notices.” Cherry’s expression became wistful.
Sydney flushed. “I think you’re seeing things.”
“While I think you see what you want.”
“Maybe it’s a little for both of us.”
Cherry didn’t answer her. She glanced around Yate’s diner, waving at someone behind Sydney’s shoulder. “Anyway, tomorrow night is lesson number two, right?”
“Yes.”
“Which means what exactly? Did he say?”
“Not really.” Sydney pushed around the peas on her plate. “He asked me to wear my best date-night outfit.”
“That sounds fun.” Cherry’s eyes lit up. “What do you plan on wearing?”
“I don’t know—clothes?”
Cherry shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“You want me to be naked when he shows up?” she hissed.
“Wouldn’t hurt.”
Sydney gasped. “You’re insane. Brody has never seen me nude.”
“Never?” Cherry stared at her in disbelief.
“Never. The closest he’s gotten is me in a two-piece at the beach, but I don’t think he noticed. We played a lot of beach volleyball and went snorkeling.”
“Stupid, stupid man,” Cherry muttered. “May I make a suggestion for tomorrow night’s attire?”
“Suggest away.”
“Less is more.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m serious. Wear your prettiest sundress and nothing else.”
“You mean no shoes?”
“I mean nothing else.” She gave Sydney’s chest a meaningful look before glancing lower. “Nothing that could get in the way.”
Sydney stared at her blankly, and then said, “Oooh.” Lowering her voice, she asked, “That will work?”
“Always did for me.” Cherry popped a tomato in her mouth and smiled.
*
Sydney almost cancelled on Brody twice. Once, while she was at work and his mother, Dinah Lawson, came in to make a deposit and invite her to a pig pickin’ they were having at the end of the month. She could barely look the woman in the eye while she entered in the numbers to look up her account.
All Sydney could think about was what would his mother think of her going after Brody like she was—all blatant and hussy-like. Okay, so she knew Dinah would never call any woman a hussy. Still, she was out to seduce her son. Or, rather, learn how to seduce him. But, honestly, the woman had eight sons, so she had to have done some seducing herself.
And the second time, was right before he was due to arrive.
She held her phone in her hands, his name on the screen. Text him. Tell him you changed your mind. “No,” she said to empty room. “I will go through with this.”
Tossing the phone on the sofa, she made her way to her bedroom and checked her reflection in the mirror. Loose curls. Check. A touch of makeup. Check. Sundress. Check. No Panties.
“I can do this.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she shimmied out of them. The doorbell rang. Her eyes popped open. To be sure, that wasn’t Brody. If it wasn’t, then she needed to change. No, not change. Put on more clothes. Like a sweater, sweatpants, a bra, and five pairs of panties. Maybe even a snuggie for good measure.
Rushing to the door, she called out his name, “Brody?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I forgot my key.”
Air whooshed out of her, and she opened the door. “Are you seri…?” Her words died in her throat.
Brody stood there, dressed like he was ready for a date. His hair was spiked just so, his jeans were dark and hung just right on his lean hips, and the polo shirt…it hit him in all the right places. Everything about him was Just. So. Right.
He smiled. “Are you going to let me in?”
“Huh?” She swayed towards him a little. Now she knew exactly why those tiny gnats went toward the light, they couldn’t help but be drawn. Only, she didn’t want to get burned.
“Inside.” His gaze dropped to her lips and then her chest. “You look a little cold.”
The fabric of her dress rubbed over her sensitive nipples and she whirled around, wrapping her arms around herself. Yep, she should be cold because she was stark naked underneath the flimsy material.
She heard the door shut behind her. Felt him walk up to her and his arms slide around her waist. “How are you supposed to greet the man you want to seduce, sweetheart?” His voice rumbled in her ear, and she shivered.
Twisting slowly in his arms, she faced him and stood on the tips of her toes. She pressed her lips to his, giving him a hot and hungry kiss. Her dress rode up in the back, and the cool air rushed over her bare skin.
The flat of his palm travelled down her back as their kiss deepened. He groaned in obvious appreciation when she rubbed the back of his neck.
A girl could get used to this.
“Lesson number two,” he said, kissing a wet, hot path down the side her neck, “was supposed to be how to dress, but I think you knocked this one out of the park.”
She let her head fall back, her hair brushing her shoulders. “You should see what I’m wearing underneath.”
His hand skimmed up her thigh, abruptly stopping when he got to her bare bottom. “Thong?”
Biting the side of her lip, she whispered, “No.”
He gave her a confused look. “What kind, then?”
“The invisible kind.”
“Ah, hell. How am I supposed to teach lesson three if all I can think about is what you’re not wearing?”
“I could always go put some on.”
He splayed his hand on her butt cheek. “Not a chance.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Are we just going to stand here?”
“As long as I don’t have to move my hand.”
“You don’t have to move your hand.”
He kissed her softly. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re an expert at flirting, Ms. McKnight.”
She batted her lashes at him, something she never thought she’d be doing in a million years. “You make it easy, Mr. Lawson.”
His phone buzzed, and she loosened her hold long enough for him to answer. “Text,” he muttered.
Laying her head against his broad, muscular chest, she simply enjoyed the feeling of being held by him. Of knowing that their date, no matter how contrived, wouldn’t end with a fist bump or an ‘I like you but’…No, their date was already off to an amazing start, full of kisses and touching.
She let out a little sigh and peered up at him.
Catching her staring at him, his lips twisted as he pocketed his phone. “The Rookie won’t stand a chance.”
“Who?” she asked, all breathless and dreamy.
“Kyle.” His voice was sharp, cutting through her haze. “He just texted me. About you.”
Breathless and dreamy gave way to tense an
d awkward. Suddenly, the hot palm on her butt felt strange. Foreign. “I don’t understand.” She pulled away from him. “Are you saying that our lessons are over?”
He crossed his arms. “Do you want them to be?”
She shook her head. “Not unless you do.”
“I need an end date,” he said abruptly.
An end date? Her mind raced frantically. She’d never talked this over with Lemon or Cherry. “One month.”
“Thirty days.” He nodded. “I can handle thirty days.” Exhaling, he scrubbed his hand over his face. “Let’s go over some ways to handle Kyle. Or any man for that matter.”
She liked the way they were handling each other only minutes ago, but he didn’t look like he was in the mood to hear that. In fact, he looked resigned and determined. Not the most flattering of looks on a man when you had dressed up for him.
“I can handle men,” she said. “It’s when they forget I’m a woman that it all goes downhill.”
“I doubt they forget you’re a woman. I’ve always known you’re a woman,” he muttered.
He was so full of it. “Kyle is the only guy in the entire town who’s treated me like I’m this incredibly smoking hot creature from day one.”
“Good for Kyle,” he bit out.
Anger rising, she fisted her hands on her hips. “Yeah, good for Kyle because unlike you, he knows how to talk to me. He knows what to say to make me feel special while all you do is—” She smashed her lips together. This was starting to sound too much like a tirade against him instead of her previous dates.
He moved to her, so quickly that she barely had time to catch her breath before he swept her off her feet. “I’ll make you feel something. Something better than special.”
“There’s something better than special?” she asked faintly.
His mouth kicked up at the corners. “Orgasmic.”
Carefully, Brody placed the woman in his arms in the middle of her bed. Her breasts bounced slightly as his arm slipped out from under her.
She watched him with wide eyes as he pulled his shirt up and over his head. He crawled into bed with her, taking her hand and placing it on his chest.
“Feel how hot you’ve made me,” he said. Her fingers slid through the dark chest hair and curled. He pushed her hand lower. “You’ve made me hard.”
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