Her body won.
She closed the distance this time, leaning forward until her lips brushed against his. Mark’s response was swift and brutal. He groaned at the soft whisper of a kiss before cupping the back of her head, holding her still as his tongue began a new assault on her senses.
Tangling with hers, his tongue stroked her in a way that felt too intimate, a prelude to what was to come.
If she let it go that far. She shouldn’t. She wouldn’t. The little voice that lodged the protest was quickly silenced as his hands moved over her, down her back and to her waist. Her lips moved against his—eager, hungry. She found herself twisting in his grip, trying to get closer, but the hands at her waist held her still.
Yet again, he was the one to break away, this time with a muttered curse.
Elizabeth was gasping, horrified by the way she’d initiated and then responded to the kiss. As if what had transpired was just a kiss. It had been a preview, a sneak peak. And she wanted more.
She shot up from the couch at the deliciously wicked thought. This was not her. She didn’t make out with random men. Her fingers moved to touch her lips, which were still tingling in the aftermath.
She needed space. She needed time. Hell, she needed him out of her home before she did something completely insane….like beg him to stay.
He spoke up then. “I should go.”
Disappointment made her stomach sink even as she told herself this was for the best. It was what she wanted. He was being respectful. Or he was rejecting her….
His next words were a welcome balm. “I don’t want to leave, but I should.”
She turned to face him, studying his expression. Was he just being nice? Her shoulders relaxed a bit. No, that lust was still there—dark and alluring. He really did want her.
She couldn’t stop the silly grin that spread across her face. Ridiculous as it may be, her ego couldn’t have handled another rejection.
He stood and took a step toward her, stopping before he got close enough to touch her. “You have a beautiful smile.”
His words and that sexy low growl had her blood turning to lava. Good Lord, what was happening to her? He hadn’t even touched her and she was ready to rip his clothes off.
He took one step closer. She should back away. His hand reached out and his thumb touched the corner of her lips. “You should smile more often.”
She held her breath until he moved his hand away. She didn’t trust herself to speak. There was a little part of her that feared she would beg him to stay if she opened her mouth.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he took one step back, then another. She watched his chest rise and fall as he inhaled deeply.
Was he as painfully turned on as she was? Oh God, she hoped so. She didn’t want to be the only one experiencing this aching need. His next words dispelled any doubt.
“If I don’t walk out that door right now, I’m going to be on top of you. I’m going to lick your body from head to toe and I’m not going to want to stop until you come in my arms.”
His words were gruff and crude….and holy hell if they didn’t make her panties wet.
He seemed to be waiting for her to respond. Her lips parted but she had no idea what to say to that. Yes, please. She shook her head. No, that wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t do casual sex. She didn’t do flings. Especially not now, when her heart was shattered and her pride bruised. Every bit of reason told her this would be a mistake.
His lopsided smile was cocky as hell. Dammit, why did she find that hot?
He took another step toward the door. “When you and I have sex, I want to know that you’re sure. It has to be your decision.”
He’d said when, not if. That didn’t escape her notice. She probably should have protested his presumptuous arrogance but again words failed her.
He took another step toward the door and her mouth went dry. He was almost gone. He’d be out of her house in a matter of seconds. She had to say something. Make him understand why this couldn’t happen. Her voice came out as a rusty squeak. “I don’t do this type of thing.” She waved her hands in a vague gesture toward the couch—the scene of the crime.
His smirk grew bigger. “You just did.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She had, hadn’t she? She’d all but thrown herself into his arms and, if she was being honest, there was no way she would have been the one to put a stop to it. She’d been too far gone. If he hadn’t stopped this from going any further, she would be naked in his arms right now, there was no doubt about it. A bitter pang of regret snaked through her. Why had he stopped?
Reaching a hand out to the doorknob, he turned back. “If you decide you want to see this through, you know where to find me.”
He was halfway through the door when she startled herself by calling his name.
Freezing halfway out the door, he turned back with a questioning look. Elizabeth forced her legs to take several steps in his direction. It was suddenly imperative that he understand. This was not her. That woman on the couch, the one who’d been in his bed, the one who let him kiss her in front of the restaurant where anyone could see…that wasn’t her.
“I don’t do casual sex.” Her voice came out high-pitched and breathy. She nearly rolled her eyes at how innocent and young she sounded.
His answering grin was mocking. “And I don’t do relationships.”
Clearing her throat, she tried again. “That was nice. It was. But it can’t….” How did he put it? “I can’t see this through.”
His unwavering gaze held her transfixed.
“I just…I only sleep with people I’m in a relationship with.” Oh God, she really did sound like a prude.
Some of the mockery slipped from his expression. “No offense, Elizabeth, but I think the last thing you need right now is another relationship.”
A little laugh escaped her. She couldn’t argue with that. “So what do I need?”
She hadn’t meant it to come out sounding so…suggestive...but it was too late to call the words back.
He tilted his head to the side as if giving her question serious thought. “You need to get laid.” Her lips parted in surprise but before she could come up with a response, he added, “Come find me if you change your mind.”
Chapter Five
Mark sat slumped over in an overstuffed chair in the corner of the tuxedo shop while Robbie paid for the purchases. The film crew that had followed the two of them around for the last two hours was gone, thank God, and Mark was once again back to stewing over Elizabeth’s words from the night before. One word, in particular—nice. She’d glanced over toward the sofa where he’d had the most epically awesome, mind-blowing makeout session of his life…and she’d called it nice. Nice?!
He didn’t notice Robbie standing in front of him until he pulled a necktie out of his hand. “You’re going to tear this thing apart if you don’t stop.”
Apparently he’d been wringing the damn noose while he was stewing. Mark flashed his friend a smile. “You could just buy me a new one.”
Robbie rolled his eyes, like Mark knew he would. “Connie’s going to kill me for buying your tux as it is. Don’t push it.”
Statements like that one right there—reason number six hundred why Robbie shouldn’t marry Connie. But Mark let it go. His friend had circles beneath his eyes and looked like he’d been dragged through a boxing match, thanks to the exhausting time spent acting “real” for the cameras.
So Mark kept his mouth shut on the Connie issue—for the moment—and focused on the tuxedo that Robbie thrust in his hand. “I told you I’d pay you back.”
Robbie sighed and rubbed at his eyes. “I told you. It’s fine. I’ve got it covered.”
Mark bit back the instinct to insist on it. A man had his pride, after all. But then he considered the low balance in his checking account—all of his money these days was going into a savings account so he could buy out the bar’s owner by the end of the year. So he checked the noble
instinct. Instead, he shrugged in defeat. “Well, you are the big, fancy lawyer….”
Robbie plopped down on the seat beside him with a low laugh. “Funny, I don’t remember you offering to buy me clothes when you were the big, fancy lawyer.”
Mark ignored the jab. Robbie had never truly understood why he’d quit the law firm after devoting so many years to law school. If his best friend didn’t understand it by now, one more lecture on the evils of the rat race wouldn’t make a difference. So instead, he steered the conversation to a topic they could both agree upon. “Want to grab a beer?”
At Robbie’s “hell yes,” they hoisted themselves out of the comfy chairs in the chic boutique and headed toward the closest dive bar.
Once they were settled into a booth in the back, Robbie started in. “So, are we ever going to talk about that kiss last night?”
Mark blinked at his friend, his brain temporarily shorting out at the memory of that epic interlude on Elizabeth’s couch. He instantly hardened at the memory. God, that had been hot.
But Robbie was waiting for him to speak so Mark pushed away the memory. Obviously his friend wasn’t referring to that kiss—Mark hadn’t thought it necessary to kiss and tell even though it had been on his mind all afternoon. No, Robbie was referring to the hot-but-harmless kiss in front of the restaurant the night before.
Taking a swig of beer, he met Robbie’s stare. “There’s nothing to talk about. Elizabeth is hot, she was tipsy….” He shrugged, like he made out with insanely hot little brunettes in parking lots every night of the week.
“So you didn’t,” Robbie paused as if looking for the right words. “You didn’t go home with her?”
Mark froze, his glass halfway to his mouth. Robbie was watching him warily, like he was the big bad wolf. Mark knew Robbie was protective of Connie’s sister, but still….
“Are you trying to ask me if I took advantage of your soon-to-be sister?” Mark’s words were clipped and he tried not to think about what a hypocrite he was. After all, he had gone home with her. But his intentions had been good. And he’d left, dammit, despite the fact that walking away from her was the hardest thing he’d had to do in decades. But he’d done it and he shifted with self-righteous anger at the thought that Robbie would doubt him.
His friend had the good grace to look sheepish. He shoved a hand through his hair. “Sorry, it’s just that Elizabeth is really vulnerable right now and Connie—”
Mark set his glass down with a loud thud. So that was it. “Let me guess—Connie asked you to interrogate me and make sure I didn’t take advantage of her little sister.”
The slight flush that spread over Robbie’s cheeks was answer enough. Mark leaned back in his booth and tried to curb the rising wave of anger. Maybe he had gone to her home. But any idiot could see that she was vulnerable. Of course he would never take advantage of that. His parting words echoed in his ears. So maybe he wasn’t that noble. But he was giving the girl a chance to decide for herself what she wanted. It wasn’t up to him or Robbie or Connie to tell her how to live her life or how to get over that dickwad of an ex.
Mark gripped his glass so tightly he thought it might break. He would love to run into that cheating asshole in a dark alley some night. Before his bloodthirsty imagination could go any further, Robbie interrupted his train of thought.
“I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
Mark cut him off with a wave of his hand. He could hardly fault his friend for looking out for Elizabeth. Not when he was sitting here planning a homicide to avenge her pain. Talk about hypocrisy. Focusing on a stain on the wooden table, he admitted, “I did take her home last night.”
“You what?”
Mark’s head shot up at Robbie’s harsh tone and he hurried to continue before Robbie could assume the worst. “I drove her home because she’d had too much to drink. We talked a bit and we kissed—”
Robbie opened his mouth to interject but Mark cut him off again.
“It was just a kiss, I swear.” Okay, that was an understatement, but not exactly a lie. “And then I left. I called a cab and went home.”
That much was true. He’d found himself alone on her porch, hard as a rock and nearly blind with lust, but he’d somehow managed to dial the cab company and get himself home. Walking away had seemed like a Herculean feat. He deserved some credit, dammit.
“That was it?” Robbie asked warily. “One kiss and then you left?”
Mark’s conscience held a short-lived battle over whether he should tell his friend about the challenge he’d thrown out there—how he’d basically propositioned Robbie’s almost-sister and informed her that she needed a lay. Somehow, he didn’t think that would go over so well.
“That was it.” He took another sip of beer.
Robbie gave a little nod. “Good. Thanks.” At Mark’s raised brow, he added, “I mean, I knew you wouldn’t take advantage of her. Connie knows that too. She’s just worried, that’s all.”
Mark gave a grudging grunt of understanding. He was worried about Elizabeth too and he barely knew her. The pain in her eyes when she’d talked about her ex....the hurt, the betrayal. It brought him right back to his own breakup. He’d never forget the ensuing depression or the feeling that the earth was no longer firm beneath his feet. He still remembered with utter clarity the feeling of having his heart ripped out and stomped on.
And the look in Elizabeth’s eyes had brought it all back as if it had happened three days ago rather than three years ago. So yeah, he could understand Robbie’s concern. Hell, he’d even give Connie a pass on this one.
As if reading his mind, Robbie sighed. “I figured if anyone could understand the hell she’s in right now, it’s you.”
Mark summoned up a rueful smile. Robbie had been by his side through it all—the betrayal, the heartbreak, the complete upheaval of his entire life….and of course the ensuing rebound period in which he’d slept with every available woman he could find in an attempt to wash away the pain.
It had worked so well, he’d never stopped. He no longer sought out women like a drug…but he still kept his romantic excursions brief. One night only. If only someone had told him a decade ago that relationships were evil and casual sex was the way to go. But at least he’d figured it out eventually, unlike his best friend, who was currently walking blindly down the path to hell.
But not if he could help it. Robbie was munching on bar nuts and sipping his beer, recuperating from their televised shopping expedition. The whole process had been tedious and Robbie had been obligated to play the starring role of today’s filming since he and Connie were the stars of this episode.
“Thank God that crew is gone,” Mark started, trying his best to sound nonchalant.
Robbie groaned his agreement and rolled his eyes. “That was hell.”
Exactly! “Is the whole episode going to be about our tuxes or something? What was that all about?”
Robbie shook his head. “That’s the way these shows work, I guess. From what Connie says, that whole tux shopping segment will be cut down to seconds for the actual episode.”
Mark didn’t have to feign his horror. “All of that was to get a few frames of us trying on suits?”
Robbie nodded, his mouth pressed together in a “can you believe it?” look.
“For someone who hates to be the center of attention, this whole thing has got to be a nightmare for you,” Mark said. Apparently his nonchalant act wasn’t up to par because Robbie fixed him with a suspicious look.
“It’s not my favorite pastime,” he admitted.
Mark drew in a deep breath. Too late to turn back now. “It sucks that Connie’s making you do this.”
Robbie chewed on his peanuts with no reaction so Mark pushed a little harder. “I mean, it’s your wedding day too, right?”
Robbie’s fist hit the table with a thud. “Don’t.”
That was all he said but the tight anger written all over his face spoke volumes.
Mark debated keeping his mouth shut. But this was his best friend—
there was no way he was letting him make a life-changing, disastrous mistake without a fight. “I’m just saying, she’s clearly not taking your feelings into account—”
“This episode means the world to Connie,” Robbie interrupted. “Which means, it’s important to me as well.”
Mark tried to hide his disgust.
Robbie leaned back with an irritated sigh. “What?”
Mark played dumb. “What—what?”
“Just say whatever it is that you want to say. Get it off your chest and get it over with.”
Robbie’s harsh tone was a slap in the face. His friend never got angry. Ever. He was the most mild-mannered man Mark had ever met. Which was why he had to help him. So he drew in a deep breath and spit it out. “I think you’re being a doormat. You’re too nice and she’s too…” He stopped himself when Robbie’s eyes narrowed with rage. Instead, he said, “She’s walking all over you. I can’t just sit back and watch.”
For a moment Mark thought he was going to witness Robbie’s anger for the first time in their decades-long friendship. But Robbie took a sip of his beer and Mark watched with some fascination as the anger ebbed from his expression and was replaced by….what the hell? Was that pity?
“Yeah, you can,” he said. Mark gave him a questioning look and Robbie continued. “That’s exactly what you’re going to do—you’re going to sit back and watch. You know why? Because you’re my best friend and my best man….” He waved his hand to brush away the protest. “Co-husband, best man….you know what I mean. You’re the only one I want standing by my side when I make the biggest commitment of my life.”
Well, shit. Mark turned his focus to the amber liquid in his glass, unable to meet Robbie’s eyes. But his next words brought his head up with a snap.
The Morning After: Starting from Zero Box Set Page 22
