Asqueak escaped her. He nudged her sports bra with his nose, and his tongue andlips continued their onslaught. Her hands snaked under his shirt, over hisslick back; his muscles smoothed and flexed with his movements. She vibratedwith a mind-melting desire to have all his sweaty skin against hers.
Stabbinghis tongue at her sports bra, gaining no purchase, he began tugging at it withhis teeth. “This damn thing doesn’t move,” he growled.
“That’sthe ide—” Her breathless words were cut off by his mouth on hers, demanding andpossessive. Positively toe-curling.
He satup and yanked his shirt over his head. A split second later, his shorts andunderwear joined it. She’d never known anyone who could strip so fast.
“Bridge,”he crooned.
Laughterand lust bubbling in her blood, she thrust her pelvis upward, and he wiggledher yoga capris and panties down her legs, sliding them off her pointed toes.
Shepretended a protest. “What about my workout?”
“This isyour workout—the cardio part.” His mouth traveled down her chest again, landingon her Spandex-covered breast, which he sucked and chewed, turning her nipplesinto tight beads as he grunted an exaggerated “mmmm” from the back of histhroat. Amid her giggles, he plucked at the sports bra and finally gave up. Shesat up to wrestle it off, but he’d moved on, dropping his head between herlegs. Omigod. Her eyes rolled back, and she emitted a groan of pleasureas she reclined, her fingers tunneling in his hair, the bra and workout girlsutterly forgotten.
.~ * * * ~.
When they arrived at Marco’s restaurant several hours later,Paige’s glow from the interlude had faded, and a moth swarm-fest had taken overher stomach.
“Areyou nervous?” Beckett leaned down to her ear as the hostess led them in awinding path to their table.
“Yes. Ihaven’t met anyone’s parents in so long, I can’t even remember.”
“Well,I’ve never introduced my parents to anyone, so we’re even. Don’t worry.They’ll love you.” He squeezed her waist. “You look gorgeous, by the way.”
“So doyou.” She looked him over, trying not to lick her lips, trying not to picturewhat was under the leather bomber jacket, the gun metal-gray button-down, andthe faded jeans. Trying not to let the sexual energy oozing from him fog herbrain more than it already had. If she gave in, she’d be like every other womanwhose eyes were glued to him right now—every other woman ready to pull offevery scrap of his clothing and throw herself on top of him … or under him … oranywhere close to him.
Crap!Why am I with Chris Hemsworth when Eddie Redmayne would do? No one looks athim, but he’s still sexy. Kinda.
Becketthad to know all those fluttering, come-eff-me-eyes were on him. The man movedlike a lion on the plains, being sized up by every lioness ready to kill forhim and give him a litter of cubs, and Paige’s chin lifted a haughty inch ortwo when he didn’t grace his admirers with a glance.
Theywere the first to arrive, and after they took their seats, his eyes devouredher as though she were the only woman left on the entire planet and survival ofthe species rested with their mating. His scorching gaze broadcasted hiseagerness to get started on repopulating the planet right there, right then,dedicated survivalist that he was. The two of them had been doing a bang-up jobof it so far, and if not for her IUD, they might have been on their way. Shewent warm and tingly all over.
They’dspent a dizzying week together since their return from the mountains, their twoworlds orbiting around one another as they reached toward a compatible rhythmin their combined everyday lives. Beckett worked on DeFunked business andtrained, ever hopeful for that call, while she prepared for closings and hernext project. Sort of. Paige’s focus had gone missing, lost in a drunken dazeof carnal bliss. She feasted on Beckett’s attentiveness, his juicy kisses, andhis powerful body, easing in his company while holding her doubts at bay. EvenKatie was growing to accept his presence without threat of fainting.
Was itpossible Paige’s doubts—about him, about another relationship so soon—had beengroundless? Maybe, just maybe, being with Beckett would work.
Hesqueezed her hand under the table, pulling her back to the present. “They’rehere.”
Hereyes snapped up, and she nearly shook her head. A slighter, darker version ofBeckett was headed toward them, the same lopsided grin on his face. Behind himtrailed a very pretty blond woman. Beckett jolted from the table into hisbrother’s embrace, doing the whole man-hug, man-pat thing with vigor.
Theblond extended her hand. “Hi. You must be Andie. I’m Emily, Cooper’s fiancée.”
Sheknows who I am?
Thebrothers broke apart, and Cooper turned to Paige. His eyes widened, and heglanced at Beckett, his grin broadening.
Beckettintroduced them. “Coop, this is Andie. Her real name is Paige Anderson.”
“Youcan call me Andie.” Paige leaned in to shake his hand, but Cooper pulled her infor a hug.
“Hey,that’s enough,” Beckett warned, playfulness in his deep timbre.
Cooperheld her at arm’s length, not taking his eyes from her. “Good job, Beck!” heenthused as if she weren’t there. Okay. Wow. I’m being held—andcomplimented—by Liam Hemsworth. Heat rose from her chest to her eyelashes.
NowBeckett was hugging a broad man with glasses whose gray-fringed head reachedBeckett’s nose. Behind him was a thin birdlike woman with fine russet hair andbright brown eyes that shimmered with tears as she looked on.
The mancuffed his nose while he watched the woman reach for Beckett. Their greetingswere center-stage viewing for the entire restaurant, and whether it was becausethese gorgeous men were dead ringers for movie star brothers, or whether it wasthe charged air of their reunion, Paige couldn’t say.
Beckett’sfather turned to her and clasped her hand in both of his. They were rough andthick, like a farmer’s, and she felt instantly at ease.
“Thisis Andie, Dad. Andie, my father, Woody Miller,” Beckett announced.
Woodysmiled at her, warmth filling bright blue eyes magnified by lenses. They wereas piercing as Beckett’s. “Such a pleasure to meet you, Andie.”
Tearspricked her eyes for some unfathomable reason, and her return greeting came outin a croak. He seemed to understand, chuckling as he patted her hand.
Later, whenPaige finally glimpsed the time, hours had passed. Her sides ached fromlaughing with this family
