Tempting the Best Man

by Tanya Michaels

  “Thank you.”

  He hung up the phone thinking half a dozen things at once—from wondering whether he’d convinced her to attend the wedding to being relieved that hearing her voice hadn’t hurt. But his strongest reaction was disappointment that it hadn’t been Mia on the other end. He made himself a deal as he caught the elevator downstairs: if Mia hadn’t gotten in touch by the time his committee meeting ended, he would call her.

  They’d had a lot of fun during dinner the other night. Yes, he’d screwed up the last twenty minutes of the date, but if Eli was right about flowers smoothing over social gaffes, maybe Mia would be willing to see him again.

  Curriculum meetings were long and boring. Daniel usually resented the intrusion on his schedule. But leaning back in his chair and imagining the best-case scenarios of his upcoming conversation with Mia made it the most enjoyable hour of his day.

  * * *

  AS IT TURNED OUT, Shannon needn’t have worried about what to do if Daniel called the office phone because he called Mia’s cell phone directly. When she saw his name on the caller display, she briefly considered ignoring him to continue the email she was typing. Avoidance is the coward’s way out.

  With a sigh, she hit the accept button. “Hello,” she said flatly.

  “Hi. It’s Daniel. I, uh... Did you get the flowers I sent?”

  “I did.” What she didn’t get was why. What were they supposed to accomplish? “They add a nice splash of color to the office.”

  “Good.”

  A long pause stretched between them, an almost expectant silence. If she’d opened solitaire on her computer, she could be halfway through a game by now. “Thank you for the flowers, Daniel.” Was that why he’d called, to give her the opportunity to express socially mandated gratitude? If so, mission accomplished. Now he could go away. “But I have a lot to do and—”

  “I meant what I said in the card,” he blurted. “I really am sorry.”

  She rolled her chair away from the desk and stood, agitated enough to pace. “Sorry for what, specifically?” If he said he regretted kissing her, she was hanging up on him.

  “For my loss of control. We had a great evening, until I mauled you in a public place. Not even a romantic place—a parking lot overlooking the street.”

  Though she might tout the importance of ambience to her clients, in Mia’s opinion, geography wasn’t what made a moment romantic. She and Daniel had created their own mood.

  When her lap around the office took her by the window, she tugged the blinds closed, not wanting to stare out at the parking lot and relive the pleasure. “It was only a few kisses,” she said, her casual tone belying how aroused she’d been. She’d been feverish with wanting his hands on her body. “Hardly a legitimate mauling.”

  “Still. It was disrespectful to you. I can’t remember the last time I was so furious with myself.”

  Her breath caught as she reinterpreted his expression after Myron left. He’d seemed so full of scathing disdain—but it hadn’t been aimed at her. “None of it was because of me?”

  “Oh, honey, what happened was definitely because of you.” His voice was thick with praise, not blame. “Because of how sexy you are, because of how kissing you made me forget myself.”

  A thrill shot through her, bringing back all the old fantasies about corrupting him. Hypocritical fantasies, she realized now. Because as much fun as it might have been to imagine being a bad influence, lust between two people should be equal. She didn’t want to be an excuse for a man’s actions. It skirted too closely to the memory of her parents’ disapproval. Are you sure you didn’t do something to encourage him?

  She expelled a breath, leaving the past where it belonged. “For the record, you are quite the kisser, too. And you don’t owe me an apology—not for that part, anyway. The way you behaved afterward was a little insulting, though. You were so...”

  “Standoffish? Stern?” He gave a humorless chuckle. “The Keegan DNA at work. I’ve been on the receiving end of it many times. I’m so—”

  “Don’t say you’re sorry again. It’s not necessary,” she added, softening her tone.

  “Then you forgive me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Enough to join me tomorrow night for the campus concert series?” he pressed. “There’s an orchestra—”

  “No, thank you.”

  “It’s not as boring as it sounds. They’re doing a selection of—”

  “I don’t think classical music is boring. Not all of it, anyway. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other again.”

  He’d just pointed out that he was subject to “the Keegan DNA.” Moments of aloof reserve like Monday night’s were hardwired into him. He’d turned out to be a far more entertaining dinner companion than she’d anticipated, but that didn’t mean he would ever be comfortable with public displays of affection or spontaneous acts. She could think of a hundred ways she might offend his sensibilities without even trying.

  “Oh.” He sounded wounded, but only for a split second. Then he rallied, a smile in his voice. “So we won’t see each other, then. Except for at the wedding rehearsal Friday. And again at the ceremony this weekend.”

  “Those are different.”

  “Those are opportunities. Maybe I’ll change your mind about me.”

  “You won’t.” But her tone lacked conviction.

  “I should let you get back to work. See you soon, Mia.”

  Damn if her pulse didn’t pick up at the prospect. “Goodbye, Daniel.”

  Emotions mixed, she disconnected the phone.

  It rang again less than five minutes later, and she forced herself not to grin at his name on the screen. “Weird,” she said in greeting. “I would have thought you were too straitlaced to be a stalker.”

  “I have a birthday coming up,” he reminded her. “How do you know I’m not calling in a professional capacity?”

  “Oh. Is this a business call?”

  “Nah, I’m stalking you—but only for the good of the planet.”

  “What exactly did you put in your coffee today, Professor?”

  “Hear me out. We both have to go to the rehearsal anyway, right? And I know Bex invited you to the dinner afterward.”

  “She did.” Mia had appreciated the generosity, but pointed out that including the wedding coordinator as a guest wasn’t necessary. Bex had teasingly asked since when either of them cared about convention.

  “Well, since we’re both going to the same places, don’t you think we should carpool? It’s the environmentally friendly thing to do,” he said with mock solemnity.

  His playful side was difficult to resist. But which version of him would show up Friday night—Mr. Irresistible or Dr. Keegan?

  “Daniel, Monday night was a lot of fun. Until it wasn’t.” She understood his behavior better now, but it had been such a slap in the face after the heated intimacy they’d shared. “I just don’t know what to expect from you.”

  “Oh, the irony that Mia Hayes could find me unpredictable.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ll let you in on a secret—I’m stuffy and humdrum.”

  His kisses were the fiery opposite of humdrum. Anticipation quickened through her. If you’re his date Friday night, the little devil on her shoulder whispered, you’ll get to kiss him again. With no security guard in sight, who knew where those kisses might lead? There was no counterargument from a shoulder angel; Mia’s angel had gone on a coffee break years ago and never returned.

  “Can you pick me up at my apartment at six?” she asked.

  “No problem. My last class of the day ends at three thirty. And, Mia? You won’t regret this.” His husky tone was even more of a promise than his words, a sensual guarantee that feathered up her spine in tiny shivers.

 
Suddenly she was counting the hours until six o’clock on Friday.

  5

  THE FIRST TIME Daniel had been assigned to work a group project with Mia in college had been excruciating. Not only had he struggled with an unwelcome attraction to her, her flirting with the other group member when they should have been working made Daniel worry she was flighty and a threat to his grade. But no one who watched her now, overseeing the details of the wedding rehearsal, could ever mistake her for flighty.

  She was organized and efficient, cheerful but with an underlying steel that made it clear anyone who didn’t follow instructions would face consequences. Her talents were particularly useful in dealing with Rebekah’s parents, who were divorced and disliked being in the same room. Mia was a polite but firm buffer, keeping their bickering to a minimum and ensuring that no one upset the bride-to-be.

  Bex and Eli weren’t having a church wedding. They were getting married in a solarium that, one hundred years ago, had been a two-building hospital ward for children. Its community history resonated with Bex, and the space was beautiful, with its high ceilings and gleaming hardwood floors. For now, the sun had set, but tomorrow afternoon, light would pour through the many windows. In preparation for the ceremony and subsequent reception, Mia was coordinating with florists, caterers, and the trustees who maintained and rented out the property.

  Daniel was impressed with her ability to juggle it all and a little turned on by her take-charge attitude. Frankly, everything about her was turning him on, from the smile she’d flashed him when she’d opened her apartment door earlier to the leather straps of her shoes peeking out from beneath her slacks. She was in professional mode tonight, wearing a comparatively restrained sweater with her hair secured in some kind of elegant twist, but the high heels and her bold red lipstick added a hint of naughtiness. He found every detail delectable.

  And he didn’t delude himself that he was hiding his admiration from anyone.

  Although Eli and Bex were too caught up in each other and their impending big day to pay much attention, Sean—who was serving as an usher along with one of Eli’s cousins—was openly smirking. And Eli’s mom, who had always been fond of Daniel, had given him an encouraging thumbs-up behind Mia’s back, obviously approving of his good taste.

  He was so preoccupied watching Mia, appreciating the curve of her breasts beneath the filmy knit of her sweater and the curve of her smile as she joked with Bex, that he missed what Mia was saying. When she harrumphed in his general direction, he realized she’d been explaining where he should stand. He quickly took his mark, flashing her a sheepish grin in apology.

  Once the rehearsal ended and they were in his car on the way to dinner, she chided him for his poor listening skills.

  “I hope your students pay better attention than you do.” She crossed her arms in a way that made her cleavage even more stunning, and he fought to keep his eyes on the road. “You completely tuned me out.”

  “Not exactly.” Mia had been uppermost in his mind; he just hadn’t been able to focus on her explanations of musical cues and ceremonial candle lightings. “I was busy imagining all the things I’d want to do to you if we were alone.”

  “Oh.” A slow smile spread across her face. “Do share.”

  But they were already pulling into the restaurant parking lot, so he echoed her mischievous taunt from the other night, “Maybe I’ll tell you. Someday.”

  The Moroccan restaurant had been the site of Eli’s first date with Bex. The location was both sentimental and practical, since it was just a couple of blocks from the wedding venue. A dark-haired hostess in a jewel-toned tunic asked them to remove their shoes, then led them to a private, candlelit dining room.

  About half of the guests had already arrived and were now seated on plump, richly colored cushions. The sensual surroundings made Daniel wish more than ever that he and Mia were alone. As a longtime friend of Eli’s, Daniel knew most everyone here. Mia was theoretically the outsider, yet she was greeted with as many friendly waves and hellos as he was. It was a little surprising that the brash young woman he’d once known had become such a people-person. He’d heard her claim before that she didn’t give a damn what others thought of her, yet she’d developed the enviable skill of putting others at ease.

  As people around them placed drink orders, Daniel murmured, “You are impressive on many levels.”

  Mia beamed. “I like to think so. But just so we’re having the same conversation, what brought on the praise?”

  “The way you interact with everyone, as if you’re genuinely fascinated by them.”

  “I am, mostly. I mean, I once considered faking narcolepsy to get out of talking to a guy intent on selling me insurance, but in general... I’m intrigued by how different we all are while sharing such fundamental similarities. I like being around people.” Her smile was tinged with sympathy. “Whereas you are miserable and have fought the urge to check your watch twice already.”

  Shit, he was a terrible best man. Maybe he should slip the watch off and keep it in his pocket until after dinner. “I am thrilled for Eli and I’m happy to be here—”

  Her grin widened, silently calling him a liar yet giving him credit for the effort.

  “I just don’t like large groups. It’s a minor rebellion on my part. Keegans are raised to be social.”

  “Uh-huh. From the little I know about your family, I can’t imagine they urged you to be some kind of party animal.”

  Political party, maybe. “Oh, I wasn’t supposed to have anything as sincere and straightforward as fun.” He was surprised by the depth of bitterness in his voice. He almost never allowed himself to complain to anyone but Eli about his family—and even that was rare. “I was taught that in a gathering like this, I should network with as many people as possible, quickly identifying how each one might be of use to me.”

  Mia let out a low whistle. “Your parents sound like a hoot and a half. You must introduce us sometime.”

  Imagining his parents trying to handle Mia with their usual tight-smiled superficiality made him laugh out loud. They wouldn’t know what hit them. “That’s a very tempting idea—definite spectator appeal—but I like you too much to inflict them on you.”

  She wiggled on her cushion, scooting closer until her legs brushed his and vanilla-scented lotion teased him, making him want to taste her skin. “I like you, too.”

  Despite his typical unease in group settings, he was grinning like an idiot when the waitress brought their drinks and an appetizer of lentil and chickpea soup. By the time the empty bowls were cleared away, Daniel was actually enjoying himself. He listened as Mia chatted with a woman across from them, a microbiologist with surprisingly funny lab anecdotes. Daniel contributed periodically but mostly relaxed and let himself savor Mia’s company. She’d tucked her legs to the side and was leaning into him as if their closeness was perfectly natural, making his prior existence seem sterile and stilted in contrast.

  Mia was so comfortable in her own skin, comfortable showing physical affection, unlike anyone in the Keegan family. Well, except for disgraced Uncle Truman, who’d lost his senatorial race due to newspaper photos of him being affectionate. With three prostitutes at once. It was that scandal which had spawned the family philosophy of repressing vices and desires.

  Had Daniel, a product of that stifled background, completely overreacted to their make-out session in the parking lot Monday? What had Mia said? Only a few kisses, hardly a legitimate mauling. From her more liberal point of view, his response no doubt seemed ridiculous. Thank God she’d given him a second chance. He desperately wanted to kiss her again. You want to do a lot more than that. He shifted uncomfortably, glad for the napkin that concealed his lap.

  “Mmm.” Mia gave him a knowing look, her eyes twinkling with an answering hunger. “Penny for your thoughts.”

  He leaned c
lose enough to whisper his confession but lightly bit her earlobe first, loving the tremor that ran through her, the catch in her breathing. “I’m sorry I was an uptight jerk about the security guard busting us. If I had it all to do again, I’d wave Myron on his way and go back to kissing you with the attention you deserve.”

  “Really?” Her hazel eyes widened fractionally, as if she were impressed.

  Impressing Mia Hayes was a heady, addictive sensation. He wanted to watch those eyes go heavy-lidded with desire, wanted to hear her voice turn husky with approval over the story he spun. At this precise moment, it felt less like a playful exaggeration and more like the truth. As if he was the kind of man who would kiss her senseless with no care for the rest of the world. There was only him and Mia.

  He kept his voice low, cupping the nape of her bare neck. “I’d remove your top and your bra, watch your nipples grow even harder in the cold.” His gaze fell to her lips, pausing at the delicate hollow of her throat before dropping to her breasts.

  “Careful, Professor.” Her tone was taut with need. “I might just hold you to that.”

  Damn, he hoped so. “They’re sensitive, aren’t they? Your breasts?” Her eager nod was liberating, spurring him on. “I’d trace light circles across them, coming closer and closer to the center, but I wouldn’t touch your nipples. Not until you begged me to. I’d lay you back on the hood of that car and make you crazy for me.”

  Beneath the table, she raked her fingers over his thigh with enough force that he felt the scrape of her nails through his clothes. It took every ounce of self-discipline not to reach for her hand and place it over his throbbing erection. She skated just near enough for him to suck in an audible breath; the couple on his other side probably heard. Daniel didn’t care.

  He slid his hand down her spine. “You are a very dangerous woman.”