“He certainly seems to be watching you a lot,” Catherine said, her voice low.
Instinctively, I looked over at the table where Flynn was sitting. I knew the moment I did that I’d made a mistake. I should have looked toward Edward and made a comment about how I stared at him too.
But no.
I had to look at the man I shouldn’t be staring at.
“So you’ve noticed.” She paused, and then added, “Is there something going on there?”
Heat fluttered in my belly. I ignored it. I was tempted to ignore her question, but I knew better than to ignore my sister. I just hoped she wasn’t fishing for personal information because she was interested in him. My stomach twisted. The last thing Catherine needed was another guy who’d leave her.
At least, that’s the excuse I gave for the way I felt when I thought about her and Flynn together.
I managed to keep my voice light. “What do you mean? He’s Edward’s brother and one of the groomsmen, by the way.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Judging by the shrewd look in her eyes, she knew I was dodging her. I took another sip of my champagne and sighed. “Okay. Then what did you mean?”
“Well...” Her heavy drawl drew the word out and she gave me a wicked grin. “Other than the fact that he’s looking at you like he wants to eat you for dinner? Oh, never mind. I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything. Except, oh wait. He’s your fiancé’s brother. And he’s looking at you like he wants to eat you up.”
Her words brought an immediate and vivid image of me on my back, Flynn sprawled between my legs as his mouth moved between my thighs. The pang of longing and want that went through me was so visceral, I felt myself growing wet. My nipples tightened and my hands instinctively clenched.
I needed to close this off. Now. I glared at my sister. “Would you stop? What’s wrong with you? He’s my fiancé’s brother,” I hissed.
I knew I was flushed now, from arousal, not embarrassment, but Catherine didn’t need to know that. But the quiet, speculative look she gave me made me think she already did. If there was one thing my sister knew, it was what it was like to want someone she shouldn’t.
As my blush spread up to stain my cheeks, Catherine’s eyes darted over my shoulder and I pulled myself together as Edward came to stand next to me, his expression concerned.
“Gabriella, are you alright? You’re looking rather flushed.”
“Oh, it’s just the excitement. And my sister.” I glared at her. “She’s always trying to get me riled.” I heard the south come out in that last word.
“That’s what siblings do, isn’t it?” He smiled at her warmly and then held out his arm. “It’s time for the meal to be served.”
Grateful for the change in subject, I accepted his arm. As he led me back to the table, I sought out the clock. How much longer until this was over?
I had told myself I wouldn’t spend the evening drinking, but suddenly I was desperate to get to my bachelorette party. I needed a drink or three and it needed to be a lot stronger than the pale amber liquid in my glass. Something to blank my mind so I wouldn’t keep thinking about Flynn.
Damn Catherine.
***
“Just what is it that you do for a living?” Claire had a polite smile on her face as she looked from my mother to father.
My mother was the one to speak. Dad had always been the quieter sort. They’d always balanced each other well that way.
“Farming.” Mom touched my father’s arm and smiled at him with love and pride. “Fourth generation farmers.”
My dad nodded as he sipped from the pilsner beer one of the servers had brought him. He wouldn’t touch wine or champagne for anything. Cody, and then Flynn had also ordered beer. I’d gotten the impression Cody hadn’t really cared either way what he had to drink, but didn’t want my father to feel out of place. Flynn, however, had probably done it just to get a rise out of his parents. Claire’s mouth tightened more every time she looked at them. I’d almost ordered one myself, but I really didn’t like the taste of beer enough to drink it just to annoy her. That would’ve been taking it a bit too far.
“Farming…” Claire smiled. “How quaint.”
That had my dad’s eyebrows going up, and I knew he was going to break his silence.
“Quaint.” He chuckled and lowered his drink. He was completely polite, but there was no mistaking the steel in his words. “I guess if you think being able to eat is quaint, Mrs. Bouvier, then sure, farming is quaint. Like that salad you’re eating. It’s very quaint.”
I swallowed down a laugh and hid my smile behind my glass. If she thought she was going to make my father feel substandard simply because he worked the land, she was in for a disappointment. My mom might’ve been the more out-spoken one, but I hadn’t inherited my pride and stubborn streak from only one of my parents.
Her gaze drifted to my mother. “And you?”
“Well, I guess you’d call me a first generation farmer. I’d planned to go to school and be a teacher, but life got in the way.”
Duncan raised his hand and gave a rueful grin. It was a common family joke. “Call me life.”
“You are life.” Love shown in my mother’s eyes as she looked at my older brother, then at each of us. “You’re my life—mine and your father’s.”
“Mama,” I said, my voice thick.
“Don’t go getting all weepy,” Dad said, his voice gruff. “She’s been crying off and on all week, Gabriella.” He gave me an awkward pat on the arm from his position next to me. I covered his hand with mine and squeezed.
I almost hugged him, but I thought if I did, I’d definitely start to cry.
Across from me, Claire opened her mouth, but Cody cut her off. “Your farm, sir. How many acres do you own?”
I gave him a grateful look.
“Oh…” With a thoughtful frown, my father put his fork down and rubbed his hand on his cheek. Normally, he’d have some scruff, but he’d gone completely clean-shaven for the wedding. “I guess about four hundred now.” He glanced at my mom and she nodded.
Albert looked up at that. “Did you say four hundred acres?”
“About that.” Dad shrugged. “Used to be larger, but bits and pieces were sold off. We have to hire in help to keep up now. Might be looking to sell off some more later down the road.”
My eyes widened. What was he talking about? “Dad…?”
He glanced at me and shook his head. “It’s nothing, baby. Jackson’s not a farmer, that’s all. None of you are.”
An ache settled in my chest as he covered my hand and squeezed. I rested my head against his shoulder. I’d never even considered what would happen if my siblings didn’t want to take over the farm. It was home and always had been.
Suddenly, I became aware that Claire was frowning at me. I straightened and looked over at Cody with a smile. “You should be careful asking Dad about farming, Cody. He might invite you down and put you to work.”
Cody laughed. “Nobody wants my black thumbs around anything that’s expected to be edible.”
“All it takes is care,” Dad said easily, shrugging. “You got patience and a good eye, you can be taught the rest.”
“I hardly—”
“Mother,” Edward said warningly.
“I bet you’d look really cute riding a tractor, Cody,” Jennifer said, grinning at him. My younger sister might’ve looked more like me and Mom, but she definitely had Catherine’s flirtatious tendencies. Even with Cody. “And just think of all the good-looking farm-boys you could corrupt.”
“Oh man.” Cody’s eyes started to gleam.
Claire sniffed imperiously and snapped her fingers at the waiter, gesturing for more wine.
This time, I didn’t bother hiding my laugh.
***
“Ohhhhh…boy. If Mama was here, she’d be washing our eyes with soap,” Suzanne said, shouting to be heard over the pulsing music.
I wondered how long it had been
since she and Allison had been out on their own. They were clearly enjoying themselves tonight. The guys were with Edward at his bachelor party and since Jennifer was only seventeen, she and our parents were watching all the kids so their mothers could enjoy themselves.
I nodded, staring at the man as he made the most of that bump and grind music, grinding against Kendra as she moved against him with the sexy sensuality that came so easily to her. He’d already come around once and gone to his knees in front of me, but I’d kept my monster margarita between us and he’d moved on.
“Mama would be too busy laughing at him to fuss at us. Look at all the baby oil on him,” Catherine said. Her dark eyes gleamed in a way that told me I’d better keep an eye on her or I’d end up having to get her out of the stripper’s bed tomorrow.
His muscles gleamed with it, but I found myself thinking of another man’s muscles. A body that was just as hard although long and lean. Defined muscles, but not somebody who pumped and flexed in front of a mirror. Not naturally muscular like Cody either, but still strong...
“I don’t mind that baby oil.” Suzanne giggled and waved some dollars at him.
I could have smacked her.
Sure enough, the stripper came back our way and after he’d teased every last bill from Suzanne, he focused his attention back on me. “How’s the bride to be?” he asked with a wide smile. “You want one last dance?” He thrust his pelvis at me suggestively as he held out a hand, but I shook my head.
I was already overheated and tired, and for some reason, this bachelorette party wasn’t as much fun as I’d imagined. Tipping my drink at the gleaming man in front of me, I shouted, “I’ll enjoy the show from down here.”
Bad idea.
I ended up having two of them on either side of the chair, one grinding against the back while the other straddled my legs and gave me a good idea of his body hygiene practices. He waxed.
The thought popped through my head and I had to bite the inside my cheek to keep from giggling.
“Here!”
Kendra appeared at my side and shoved a couple of bills down the G-string. He nodded at her and both he and his partner disappeared. I wilted in the seat and stared up at the ceiling, almost lost in the bright lights that flashed through the place. Strippers had always been fun before…when they were pestering the bride, but tonight…tonight I was the bride.
“I need some air,” I shouted to nobody in particular and stood up, fighting my way through the chairs while still managing to hold on to my margarita. Miraculously, very little spilled and I was able to disappear out the back door onto a patio that was choked with smoke.
This was not better.
Waving a hand in front of my face, I stumbled a little farther off into the dark and took a long, deep drink from the margarita. The cool, tart liquid offered some relief from the late summer heat, but my head was already spinning. I’d eaten at the rehearsal dinner, but I’d drank a decent amount there too.
Sighing, I lifted it to my lips and took another, slow deep drink before I tilted my face up to the sky. I could only see a narrow slice of it overhead, thanks to all the skyscrapers and stars were nothing but a memory here, but I could pretend. Pretend I was back home, standing in the back yard, watching the stars come out.
I knew I needed to get back inside, but I needed just a few more minutes by myself.
Caught up in an internal tug of war, I never heard the footsteps and when I turned, the shadowy form in front of me caught me off guard. I dropped my margarita and the glass shattered, liquid splashing all over my feet and lower legs.
I started to scream and a hand covered my mouth.
Surprise spiraled into full blown terror.
“You lost, Tennessee?”
The sound of Flynn’s voice had my heart speeding up. Over the hand he’d used to muffle my scream, I could see his eyes now, glittering in the dim light.
“What…” My lips moved against his palm and I fought a groan as it gave me the smallest taste of him.
He lowered his hand, but not completely. It slid down to my neck and he moved in closer, standing so close that when I inhaled, the tips of my breasts brushed against his chest.
I so didn’t need this right now.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, taking deep breathes to slow my pounding heart.
His eyes darkened. “We need to talk.”
Chapter 14
His breath washed over my face and I caught the scent of whiskey.
Shit, he was drunk.
As much as I wanted to move in closer, I made myself back up. “No.”
His fingers curled more tightly around the back of my neck, the possessiveness of the gesture freezing me to the spot. Need grew inside me as he crowded my frozen body, my breasts pressing to his chest, nipples chafing against my bra. He caught my hip in his free hand, the other still gripping my neck. His touch burned my skin and it was all I could do not to whimper.
“Let me go, Flynn.”
“I can’t,” he whispered, leaning in so the words were whispered against my cheek. “I’ve been trying and trying and I can’t. I want you, Gabriella. I don’t care that you’re marrying Edward. I want you—I want you more than he ever could.”
I’m in trouble, I thought helplessly. Wedging my hands between us, I tried to push him back, but all it did was drive my lower body closer against him. My nipples were hard and aching, and when he rocked against me, I could feel myself weakening.
It infuriated me and the anger gave me the strength to resist.
“Flynn, let me go,” I snapped, trying again to twist away. “You’re drunk, dammit. Again. Have the club call you a cab and go home before you make an even bigger ass of yourself than usual.”
“No.” He worked his arm around my waist, keeping me locked against him. Face buried in my air, he said, “Please, Tennessee. I need you.”
I needed him to move. Having him this close was making it impossible to think. I was going to do something terribly wrong if he didn’t let me go, and still my body begged me to stay. I clenched my thighs together to keep from rocking against the ridge that nudged my belly and tried to find the words I needed.
The memory of him with the dark-haired woman flashed in front of me and I knew what I had to say. I made my voice as hard and cold as I could, feeding off of the hurt I’d felt when I’d caught him with that other woman. Hurt I didn’t have any right to feel.
“You don’t need me, Flynn. You just want me. Until you don’t anymore and you find some other model to fuck. Now let me go.”
He said nothing for a beat of five seconds, then he shrugged. “Okay.” The hand he’d had on my neck slid down my spine to cup my ass and he pulled me flush against him, our bodies easily lining up. “How’s that?”
I stiffened. His cock was hard, prodding against my belly and I sucked in a breath. My gaze flew to his. I told myself I had to remember what he’d done. All the times he’d hurt me. Pushed me away. Walked away.
His mouth hovered over mine and he whispered against my lips, “Talk to me, Tennessee.”
I could almost feel the kiss, taste it. I remembered the feel of his mouth on mine. I could have it again…
“No!” In desperation, I looked toward the patio where all the smokers were gathered. No one was looking our way. Yet. “Flynn, Kendra and my sisters are in there. They’ll come looking for me.”
“Then you shouldn’t keep interrupting me,” he said, his mouth sliding up my cheekbone, warming my flesh everywhere he touched.
I moaned despite myself and he laughed softly. “You want me too. Say it.”
I wouldn’t, though. I wouldn’t grab for his shoulders. I wouldn’t kiss him…
“You can’t marry him, Tennessee. Not when we’ve got this thing between us.” He moved against me again and for a few brief, burning moments, the heated pleasure of his body pressing against mine made me forget anything and everything.
Then I remembered.
“There
is no us, Flynn.” I had to force myself to say it.
His hand squeezed my ass as he ground his hips against me. When I moaned again, he said, “No? I want you. You want me. Why are you denying it?”
He dipped his head to kiss my collarbone and the skin there was thin. I felt every brush of his lips in exquisite, excruciating detail.
“Say it, Tennessee.” His breath was hot against my skin and he pressed his lips to the side of my throat. “Say you want me.”
Yes…My body sighed it. My mind denied it. Out loud, I said, “No.”
“Your body can’t lie.” Flynn raked his teeth along the curve of my shoulder and I shivered. “Your body doesn’t care that you’re supposed to be Edward’s, that you’re getting married. It wants me. You want me.”
I sucked in a breath. I had to contradict him. Had to tell him that this wasn’t going to happen.
He lifted his head and kissed me.
For a few, brief seconds, I stood there, helpless against him, against the heat…against us.
Then I tore away, finally managing to break free of his embrace. My face was flushed and I could only hope it wasn’t visible in the dim light. If it was, I hoped he’d take it for anger, because that was there too.
When he reached for me again, I took a step back. “No!”
“I felt that. You can’t tell me you didn’t. You can’t expect me to believe you don’t want me!” His eyes glittered, the shadows making them look almost black.
I stared at him, mesmerized. Not want him? Of course I wanted him, but I couldn’t say it. I opened my mouth, something twisting in my chest as I prepared to deny it again.
Flynn jerked his chin. “If you’re not honest, I’m going to show Edward the pictures. All of them. And I’ll tell him you slept with me.”
“You asshole!” I lifted my hand and slapped him. He caught my wrist and jerked me against his chest.