“Hunter!” She smacked his arm. “What makes you say that?”
“Remember the woman I was telling you about who wanted to buy Sid and won’t leave me alone?”
Lilli nodded.
“That’s her. I bet she planned this.”
“She didn’t. Honest, she had no idea we were sibs. It never came up in conversation, and I don’t recall giving her my last name.”
“She’s wealthy. She could’ve done her research—or paid someone else to do it.”
“Little bro, you’re way too suspicious.” Lilli laughed.
“Probably. Especially when it comes to her.”
Lilli squeezed his arm. “Let’s just have fun. I want to dance.”
“And dance you will,” he promised, even though he sucked big-time in the dance department unless it was one of the tribal dances he’d been performing since childhood.
Hunter slid onto the limo seat and found himself facing Kate. He fought to keep his eyes off her sexy legs and sinful cleavage, while his dick answered the call once again. What was it with this woman? He didn’t understand. He wasn’t one to lust after every sexy woman who crossed his path. He was a long-term relationship kind of guy. Kate appeared to be the exception to his rule. God knew, she couldn’t possibly be long term.
He sighed and leaned his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. Cam and the women chattered away, thankfully oblivious to his discomfort.
It was going to be a long night.
* * * *
Kate whatever-hyphen-whatever was hotter than hell, even though Cameron suspected she was a ballbuster. Judging by the wary looks Hunter kept casting her way, she may have already busted his buddy’s balls a time or two. There was some good shit there, and Cameron would get to the bottom of it. He never missed an opportunity to gather fodder against one of his guys for use in future pranks or harassment.
Cameron grinned to himself, mentally filing away all the dirt he had so far. He held his arm out to Kate and escorted her into the large ballroom rented by Zeke Wolfe and his bride for this occasion.
He didn’t mind. He liked dressing up, even had his own custom-made tux, complete with a Steelheads lime-green bow tie and a dark blue shirt. Funny, but now that he thought of it, he and Lilli appeared to have consulted each other on what they were wearing. She did look hot in that slinky dress with the slit up the side, which revealed a nice expanse of leg as she walked.
Cameron shrugged, not interested in exploring that weirdness any further. He liked Hunter’s sister, but she wasn’t his type. Not because she was blind, but because she scared him. She was way too smart and together for her own good, while he barely managed to balance his bank account and shop for groceries. Cameron played football and partied. The rest he paid someone to take care of, pawned off to his family and paid them too much to do it, or just didn’t do at all.
“Wanna see my dance moves, baby?” He waggled his eyebrows at Kate.
Kate laughed at him and placed her wineglass on a nearby table. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He guided her to the dance floor. She was a decent dancer but had a hard time keeping up with him. He had to tone it down for her. Hiding his disappointment, he forced a smile. Over Kate’s shoulder, he saw Hunter clumsily attempt to guide Lilli around the dance floor. Cameron was pretty certain Lilli was leading Hunter. He snorted at that.
“What’s so funny?”
He pointed toward his buddy. “McCoy’s having a helluva time keeping up with his sister.”
“Much like I am with you?”
“Uh, yeah.” He grinned at her, flashing his most charming smile. “There are other things we could be doing besides dancing.”
“Like brushing up on your pickup lines?”
“You wound me, babe.” Cameron clutched at his chest and pouted in a look of mock devastation.
Kate laughed. “You’re crazy.”
“Want to go crazy with me?”
She shook her head. “I don’t do crazy. I’m quite boring.”
Cameron stiffened, wondering if she only dated rich white guys, but he wasn’t easily deterred. “I could fix that.”
She put her hands on his lapels and gazed up at him, her eyes dancing with amusement. “Are you asking me out or asking me to get naked with you?”
“Both.”
Kate appeared to consider his offer. “Give me your number. If I need a quickie I’ll call you.”
“It’ll be more than a quickie with me.”
“I’m sure it will, but seriously, Cameron, I’m not interested in going out right now.”
“Let me guess. It’s not me, it’s you.”
She nodded and winked at him. “You got it. Excuse me while I go to the ladies’ room.” She extracted herself from his hold and sauntered off. Cameron licked his lips and watched her go. Being turned down rarely happened to him.
Discouraged, Cameron left the dance floor, got a beer, and slumped down at one of the tables. A few seconds later, Hunter and Lilli joined him.
Hunter leaned forward, big hands wrapped around a longneck. “She shot you down, didn’t she?”
“You could say that.”
Lilli laughed. “Did you come on to her?”
“I tried.” Cameron sighed. “She’s not interested.”
“I don’t think she dates much,” Lilli said. “She never talks about a boyfriend or guys at all.”
“She must be gay.” That would explain it. Cameron felt better. He swigged his beer.
“I wouldn’t know. I only met her recently.”
“How are your feet after your inept brother stomped all over them?” Cameron grinned, encouraged by Hunter’s scowl.
“Bruised, but I’ll survive.” Lilli’s smile was radiant. And that slit in her dress? Damn, but she had a fine set of thighs.
Hunter frowned. “I didn’t step on her feet once.”
“That’s because you stepped on them more than once,” Lilli shot back.
Cameron stood and winked at his buddy, who was still scowling. “Lilli, want me to show you how an expert dancer does it?”
“I’d love that.” Lilli rose to her feet, and Cameron led her to the dance floor. It was a slower dance, but one that utilized those ballroom skills his grandmother had taught him during those long nights his doctor father worked at the hospital and his mother sold million-dollar homes.
He put a hand on her waist and took her other hand in his. “Ready?”
“You don’t have to treat me like I’m fragile. As long as you lead and keep me from getting too close to the other dancers, we’ll be fine.”
He chuckled, admiring the steely confidence in her voice. “Whatever you say, ma’am.”
She was an awesome dancer, and Cameron completely forgot she was blind. As they waltzed around the dance floor, the other dancers made room for them, not because she was blind but because they were so good together the other guests stood back to watch. The song changed to a faster one. Cameron picked up the pace and whirled her around as if they’d been dance partners for years.
When they returned to the table three dances later, both Kate and Hunter gaped at them as if they’d never seen anything like it. Panting, Cameron dropped into his chair and took a long chug from the water glass. Lilli grinned and wiped her brow. Her smile lit up the room, and Cam’s heart skipped a beat.
“Have you two been practicing behind my back?” Hunter glared suspiciously at his buddy.
“Nope, first time ever. We’re just that good, aren’t we, Lill?”
“We are.” Lilli’s broad smile went on for miles, which made Hunter smile in turn. Pretty soon, the entire damn table was smiling like they were at some freaking feel-good seminar.
Cam ran his fingers through his short curly hair and tried to make sense of how this woman could’ve fit him so well, as if their bodies had been waiting for each other for too long. Which was insane. He’d known Hunter’s sister for several years, and he’d never paid much attention befor
e. Good dance partners were hard to find, and she’d been one of the best, which most likely explained his sudden change of heart. Her glossy red lips begged him to kiss her, and he leaned forward, pulled into her spell. He could feel Hunter’s disapproving gaze on him and sat back in his chair.
“I’ve been looking for a dance partner for my advanced ballroom lessons.” Lilli turned toward him, or where she thought he was, which happened to be a spot about three feet to the left of where he sat.
“Sorry, I can’t.” Cameron hedged, not sure he wanted to delve any deeper into this weird attraction between Lilli and him. Yet Hunter’s glare galled him. He wasn’t a bad guy, and Lilli was a big girl.
At the sound of his voice, she adjusted her body to more fully face his. “You have Tuesdays off. I can find a class on Tuesdays.” Lilli pleaded with him, and his heart did several backflips.
“Lilli, Cam doesn’t have time for dance lessons,” Hunter interceded, which irritated Cam.
“I could make time,” he admitted, even as he wished he’d kept his mouth shut. But Hunter’s disapproval annoyed the fuck out of him.
“Oh, please, would you, Cam?”
“I—I—”
“Oh, please.”
Fuck, he couldn’t tell her no when she appeared to be so excited about the possibility.
Kate said nothing but gave him the feeling that he’d rise in her estimation if he did this favor for her friend.
“Yeah, sure,” he said, not looking at Lilli, but at Kate, who was nodding her approval.
Yeah, he’d scored some points with Kate, hopefully enough to score with her, too, and he’d pissed off Hunter, but the guy deserved it. Cam wasn’t going to do anything but dance with his sister.
Hunter needed to get a life.
Cam needed to get laid—by Kate.
Chapter 5—Odds-On Favorite
Hunter sipped his water and tried to come to terms with what’d just happened. He didn’t want a manslut like Cam anywhere near his sister, but Lilli trumped him and blew off his concerns. He tried to convince himself Cam was harmless to his sister, and dancing made Lilli so very happy. Besides, it was obvious Cam’s interest centered on Kate—go figure, the man had skewed taste in women. Not that Kate wasn’t hot as hell in that little black dress barely concealing her nipples.
Oh, yeah, those nipples. What would those nipples look like? How would they taste? Would she moan his name if he sucked on them? He closed his eyes for a moment and attempted to control his runaway imagination. It’d been running too far and too fast lately.
Fuck.
He was getting a semi thinking about a woman he didn’t even like. He’d always been a sexual man, loving a woman’s body as much as the next guy, but he’d never been much for casual sex. He liked the woman he slept with to mean something to him, to be someone he could see a future with. The only future he could see with Kate would be Hades on earth.
Yeah, well, his dick didn’t agree, or it was willing to sell out the rest of him for short-term gain.
Lilli spoke and brought him guiltily back to the present. “Cam, would you dance with me again?”
“Uh, sure.” Cam glanced at Hunter and shrugged. Hunter shot him a warning glare.
The two hustled to the dance floor and left Hunter alone with Kate. She leaned forward and propped her chin on her hand, elbow on the table. She studied him as if he were a scientific experiment gone awry and she couldn’t quite figure out how to fix him. He tried to ignore her, but the attraction was too strong. Their eyes met, and his body shuddered from the sweet caress of her gaze.
Finally, she sighed and spoke. “Do you want to dance?”
With her? Hell, no. The last thing he needed right now was her in his arms. Despite his intentions, his brain mutinied with his body and answered for him. “Sure, I’d love to.”
Together they rose. He put his hand on her back as they walked to the dance floor. That simple touch sent a shock wave through his body to his dick and completely threw him off his game. He stumbled slightly, and she cast him a sly sideways glance, as if she knew exactly what her effect was on him.
Of course they had to pick a slow dance. Hunter pulled her stiffly into his arms and shuffled around the floor with her. Neither of them was a great dancer, but as they warmed up, their bodies moved together, and they glided across the floor with an easy familiarity they shouldn’t have. She felt good in his arms. Too damn good. He kept a careful distance between them, making sure their lower bodies didn’t touch. He doubted he’d survive the evening if they did.
Tanner, dancing with his wife, sidled up close to them. His eyes danced with devilment and he winked at Hunter. In an attempt to put his back to the bastard, Hunter spun Kate around, causing them to trip over each other’s feet. Tanner’s loud laughter could be heard over the music.
Kate frowned up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“One of my buddies is being an ass, as usual.”
“I see. Not very Zen of you.” Her blue eyes sparkled like stars in a clear sky.
“I don’t feel very Zen tonight,” he admitted.
She nodded and glanced over his shoulder before her gaze settled somewhere in the vicinity of his chin. “Your sister is having a great time. Those two move like they’ve been dancing together all their lives.”
So do we, he almost said, but he swallowed the words before they exited his mouth.
“Lilli is a remarkable woman.”
He wished she’d quit trying to make small talk. He wanted to get this dance over with and put as much distance between them as possible.
Hunter frowned as Tanner maneuvered back into Hunter’s line of sight. He smirked and raised both brows. The dickhead actually thought Hunter enjoyed dancing with Kate. He didn’t. Not at all. She wasn’t his type, and Hunter didn’t waste time with women who weren’t his type, at least not on a let’s-get-personal level. Besides, she only wanted his horse, as if she couldn’t afford a few hundred of her own.
Mercifully, the music stopped. Hunter and Kate both hurried back to the table. Kate gulped down her wine, and Hunter threw back the last of his beer.
Kate excused herself to get another glass of wine and promised him a beer. He might just get drunk tonight.
Glancing about for a distraction from Kate, his gaze landed on Cam and Lilli. His sister and Cam were getting a little too close. Cam was a player, and Lilli was still recovering from her fiancé’s rejection. She didn’t need a guy like Cam to kick her when she was down. Hunter’s frown deepened when Cam ran his hand down Lilli’s back and rested his big palm a little too close to her ass.
Kate slid into the chair next to him. “Overprotective big brother?” she guessed.
“Little brother,” he answered absently, not taking his gaze off the dance floor.
Kate laughed, and Hunter shot her a glare. “What’s so funny?”
“You are. Lilli is the most capable woman I know. She can handle herself with your friend.”
Hunter ground his teeth. “He’s not going to be my friend for long if he keeps this up. He’s breaking the wingman code.”
“I’ve heard of the bro code, but wingman?” She was smiling, and she was damn pretty when she smiled. It softened all the hard lines of her face and made her look less formidable and more feminine.
“Me, Cam, and Grady”—he pointed to Grady, leaning over a willowy blonde in a barely there dress—“are Tanner’s wingmen.” He jerked his chin at Tanner. “We’ve been together since our freshman year at U-Dub.”
“U-Dub?” She leaned toward him, and he caught a whiff of wine mixed with some other heady scent that probably cost more than the car he drove. The stuff was potent; it drew him toward her like a Siren’s song.
“University of Washington,” he answered thickly, feeling as if he were in a fog.
She shifted in her chair, inadvertently calling attention to those incredible breasts begging to be freed from the confines of her tight little designer dress. Hunter swallowed, his t
hroat suddenly dry. He reached for the pitcher of water on the table and poured a glass. He could feel Kate’s eyes on him, but he avoided her gaze, not knowing if he’d see censure or amusement.
She did have fine breasts, and Hunter had been minus a girlfriend for too long. He couldn’t keep his gaze away from her, so he concentrated on her hair. Bad idea. He wanted to feel the long, silky strands slide through his fingers. The tiny white lights placed around the room illuminated her skin, making it almost glow. If only he could run his rough palms across her naked body and feel her quiver with his touch.
Hunter balled his hands into fists to keep himself from touching her. His reaction was damned strange. He wasn’t a manslut like his buddies. He had to like the women he slept with. Obviously not this time. His dick was tired of waiting for Ms. Right and was opting for Ms. Right Now.
He made the huge mistake of glancing up and meeting her gaze. Heat burned in those bright blue eyes and warmed his body right down to his soul. She wanted him, and part of him wanted her, but Hunter was stronger than that. He’d resist and maintain his self-respect, even if she had no such scruples. He’d been with women since Talia, but he’d never been affected by them. Not like this. Only Talia had made his blood boil and his heart ache with sweet desire. Until now.
Hunter wouldn’t compromise his beliefs and stoop to a one-night stand, and he wouldn’t defile his feelings for Talia by giving in to his baser needs despite the lust raging through his veins.
Kate licked her bright red lips, and his gaze locked on them. He swallowed hard and tugged on his bow tie. The damn thing was choking him, and her lips were—
Fuck. Damn. Hell.
Her lips were plump and moist, perfect for kissing his mouth or sucking his cock, which had definitely stepped up into the huddle and was waiting for his next play to be called. Tough luck, buddy. He was calling a pass play, as in, he’d pass.
Glancing at his watch, Hunter sighed. Two to three more hours of sensual torture to go. The night was young, and he was done, but his sister wasn’t. She was having the time of her life, and he wouldn’t ruin that for her. She was currently dancing with Brick, the Sockeyes’ goalie. Brick was the player of all players, young, crazy, and uninhibited. Just the type of asshole Hunter’s sister didn’t need in her life. He wanted to rip the guy’s head off.
Game Changer: Seattle Steelheads Football (Game On in Seattle Book 7) Page 4
