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BROCK STIFLED A GROAN as his friend and fellow NYPD officer Jake Madsden and Madsden’s sister stood before them. Although Brock was a detective and Jake part of a K-9 unit, they sometimes worked together on cases. Along with a third friend of theirs, Colton Pierce, the guys had gone through the police academy together. They’d bonded over love of baseball, beer, and women. Which hadn’t been a problem until tonight.
But hell.
He’d been planning on taking Lily home with him. As quickly as possible. After he’d felt her luscious breasts rubbing up against his chest as they’d kissed and her tight little pussy clenching around his fingers as she moaned and bucked her hips against him, it was all he could do not to take her against the wall right then and there. Like some kind of fucking animal.
As it was, he was sporting a major hard on—hopefully his blazer would conceal most of that particular problem. He was dying to sink into her, to feel those silken walls clenching down around his cock. To make her scream out in ecstasy again.
But to find out that the woman he’d been hoping on having a one-night-stand with knew Jake and his sister?
Shit.
That was a complication he hadn’t been planning on.
Lily had stilled beside him as soon as Jake had called out his name. And hell. Lily didn’t exactly look like the kind of woman who had one-night-stands. Especially with guys like him. Guys who were afraid of commitment and were more likely to be with a different woman every week than to have a steady girlfriend. She might have been okay with him being her dirty little secret for the night, but it was unlikely she’d give him the time of day now that they found out they had mutual friends.
Not with all the questions that would inevitably follow if they left together.
Not when there was now the chance they’d run into each other again. Anonymous sex was one thing, but would she still be down with that knowing he had ties to her friend?
Jake flashed him another grin, and Brock realized he was still gripping Lily’s elbow like a possessive jerk. No wonder she hadn’t run the other way. He released her as Morgan held out her hand in introduction. He eyed the pretty brunette curiously, noting how different she and Lily seemed. Morgan looked down-to-earth and laid back with her straight brown hair, jeans, and leather jacket—much more appropriate for drinks at a bar. Jake towered above her, his short, spiky brown hair in disarray.
He briefly wondered what Jake would think of him with his younger sister’s friend, but then decided Jake wouldn’t care at all—not with the goofy grin that was currently spread across his face, as if he’d known exactly what Brock had been up to moments before.
If he’d gone after Jake’s sister though, then he’d have been in deep shit.
“Jake’s better half, I presume” Brock joked, shaking Morgan’s hand. “Jake’s barely even mentioned that he had a sister before tonight.”
“Damn straight. I have to keep her away from you knuckleheads.”
“Well, I’ve heard all about you,” Morgan said with a teasing smile.
“Is that so?”
“No. I’ve pretty much only heard that you’re hot as sin. And those were Lily’s words, not my brother’s. Thank God for that.”
Jake chuckled as Lily flinched. Brock glanced down at her, an uneasy wave of protectiveness washing over him. Just because he’d wanted to have her in his bed tonight and had made her come moments ago as she moaned into his mouth didn’t mean he wanted everyone within earshot to know what was going on between them. Not when she was so obviously embarrassed about it. Although if women talked as much as he suspected, Lily’s friend Morgan would likely be hearing all of the salacious details later on.
And women complained that men were bad with locker room banter.
“I’ve heard worse,” he said with a grin, hoping to reduce some of the unease Lily appeared to be feeling. He hoped like hell she didn’t regret what they’d just done, because his plans for the evening involved her beneath him all night long.
“I’ll just bet you have,” Morgan replied with a smirk. “Please tell me you’re not anything like my brother when it comes to women.”
“I’ll plead the fifth, ma’am,” Brock joked.
Lily stiffened ever-so-slightly beside him, and he bit back a curse. The way to persuade a woman into your bed was not by mentioning other women. Ever.
“There’s a reason you’ve never met any of the guys at the precinct,” Jake interjected. His eyes flickered with amusement. “Nothing but trouble. Myself included.”
Brock’s gaze shifted to Lily, wondering how she’d feel about Jake warning his sister away from his friends. Not that Lily had done a very good job of staying away from him so far. She’d been the one to drag him out onto the dance floor, after all. And she’d put up no resistance as he’d maneuvered them into the darkened hall, away from the crowd. Or as he’d tugged her dress up, ready to discover all of her secrets.
“Jake, you haven’t changed a bit since college,” Lily finally said, speaking up for the first time. “Always the protective big brother.” As Brock glanced down at her, he noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed. No wonder Jake was grinning at them both like the cat that ate the canary.
“Just doing my job. It’s good to see you, Lily,” Jake replied. “It’s been too long.” His brown eyes flashed in amusement, and Brock knew he was shit out of luck later on. Jake was clearly expecting details on what had gone down between them. Although he’d had no trouble bragging about his conquests in the past, something didn’t quite sit right with him in telling either Jake or Colton about Lily. Not when Jake knew her. Not when Lily was already looking flustered.
Even though it had been hotter than hell, that moment in the hallway earlier was theirs alone. She was his to discover and pleasure.
And those sexy-as-fuck cries she’d made were for his ears alone.
“I know; it has been far too long,” Lily said smoothly, finally seeming to regain her composure. “How have you been, Jake?”
“Busy as always. I’m on the night shift now, although I’ve got tonight off. And Morgan doesn’t usually come out with the guys and me.”
“I was in desperate need of getting out tonight,” Morgan said with a groan. “I thought you’d still be busy with family stuff, Lily. Thank God you could meet me here,” she added, flipping her brown hair over her shoulders and glancing around. “Hey, there’s a table over there. Let’s grab it before someone else does.”
“Sounds good,” Jake agreed.
Morgan and Jake led the way over, with Brock gesturing for Lily to go ahead of him. He rested a hand on the small of her back and felt her tense up and then relax into his touch ever-so-slightly. What he wouldn’t do to find out what was going through her head right now. She’d barely spoken a word since they’d found their friends.
Their mutual friends.
Was she hoping to leave with him as quickly as possible? Having second thoughts? He grabbed a chair and pulled it out for Lily, and she sat down, crossing her toned legs gracefully. His groin tightened as he remembered running his hands up the backs of her thighs minutes ago. Of running his fingers through her soft folds. She’d been dripping with arousal, so wet and ready for him, and when he’d sunk his fingers into her molten core?
Fucking heaven.
The only thing better would’ve been burying his cock deep inside her. With her gorgeous body splayed beneath him on his bed.
The slight look of unease on her face made him do a double take.
God, he was so fucked.
He was looking for uncomplicated. A hot night. A beautiful woman. If he was smart he would bail out now. But something about having her—all of her—was too irresistible. She put on this ice princess façade for the world, but when he’d touched her she’d practically melted. And whimpered and moaned, he remembered with a grin.
She’d never agree to leave with him if he didn’t put her worries to rest.
As fast as fucking possible.
Under the premise of helping her slide her chair in, he ducked down, murmuring into her ear. Soft blonde strands brushed against his cheek, and he resisted the urge to groan. Or to throw her over his shoulder and leave immediately. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low.
She nodded, lips pursed, refusing to look at him.
Definitely not okay.
He grabbed the chair next to her, edging closer than necessary. It already felt like she was slipping away even though she was seated right beside him. And hell. Her scent was still on his fingers. He needed to take her home and explore her gorgeous body with his mouth and tongue. Palm those full breasts, kiss her sweet pussy, lap up her arousal, and pleasure her again and again until she had no doubt in her mind.
Maybe she didn’t usually have one-night-stands, but he’d had more than his fair share. And the way she responded to him had practically blown his damn mind.
He was aggressive and assertive, not least of all in the bedroom, and she’d submitted to him whether she even realized it or not.
Which made it that much damn hotter.
He clenched his fist as Lily continued to ignore him, looking instead at her friend. He needed to touch her. Kiss her. Not sit by her side and act like they hadn’t been together moments ago.
“What was so bad that you had to escape?” Lily asked her friend. “It couldn’t have been worse than the shower.”
“Shower?” Jake asked in confusion, raising his eyebrows. Brock shrugged, glancing over at Lily for an explanation.
“She was at her sister’s baby shower,” Morgan replied.
And that explained Lily’s outfit, Brock thought. He wondered what Lily usually dressed like when she went out, and he had a hard time imagining her in anything less prim and proper than the pink dress she was wearing. Morgan had the whole all-American, girl-next-door thing going for her, but Lily looked like she’d be wearing designer clothes no matter what she was doing. Hell, she was probably one of those women that insisted on wearing a full face of makeup to the gym. Who never even broke out in a sweat.
The waitress came over to their table, and they ordered a round of drinks—beers for the guys, a margarita for Morgan, and another gin and tonic for Lily.
“Anyway,” Morgan continued. “Spending the entire day at school setting up my classroom for the new school year was exhausting. It was either grabbing a drink with Jake or crashing on the couch. Alone.”
“What do you teach?” Brock asked.
“Fourth grade. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but the beginning of the year is grueling. I think I need one last hurrah before school begins.”
“So you came out with this guy,” Brock scoffed.
“Hey now,” Jake retorted. “Morgan is newly single, so I’ve got to keep my eye on her.”
“I can manage just fine. And anyway, I meant a weekend away. Drinks at a bar with my brother is not really a ‘last hurrah,’ you know? No offense.”
They all laughed, and Brock noted that it was probably the first time he’d seen Lily really smile all evening. Brock realized he liked seeing her smile. Almost as much as he loved seeing her come. What he wouldn’t do to see more of both later on.
“Let’s go to The Hamptons next weekend,” Lily suggested.
“You have a place in The Hamptons?” Jake asked, looking impressed.
“My parents do,” she said with a shrug. “We should go,” she continued, looking over at Morgan. “It’s a three-day weekend. We’ll hang out there at the house, relax on the beach, and then you’ll be ready to start the new school year. And God knows I could use a break from all the baby shower hoopla this weekend. I’m dying to get away myself.”
“I thought that was this afternoon.”
“The shower was, yes, but my parents are hosting some fancy brunch in the morning.”
“Which you’re expected to attend.”
“Exactly,” she said, taking a sip of her drink.
“Brunch doesn’t sound so bad,” Jake said.
“You obviously don’t know my parents,” she replied with a frown. “It’ll be a huge catered affair with a hundred of their closest friends. They’ll parade me around to all the eligible bachelors in the room.”
Brock glanced over at Lily, frowning at the idea of her parents setting her up with another man. Not that he was looking to settle down, but the idea of another man’s hands on her made his blood boil. She was just so soft and fucking perfect in his arms, he needed her to be his. For his name to be the one on her lips. For his hands and lips and cock to be what was making her scream in pleasure.
“I’ll accept an invitation to The Hamptons,” he joked.
“Hell yeah,” Jake agreed.
“Hello, she was inviting me!” Morgan protested, smacking her brother on the arm.
“Hey, we’re just joking,” Jake said easily. “Brock, Colton, and I already have plans to hit the town next weekend, right bro? There’s bound to be plenty of single, desperate, women looking for a little end-of-summer fling. And The Hamptons crowd is too rich for my blood—no offense, Lily.”
“None taken,” she said lightly.
“Count me in,” Morgan agreed. “I could let some rich, Wall Street type sweep me off my feet.”
“Maybe you should have been at the baby shower this afternoon,” Lily said, looking slightly flustered.
Brock stiffened. He’d be willing to bet none of those guys had wanted to take her right there in a back hallway. They’d wine her and dine her, woo her with expensive gifts. She certainly hadn’t been complaining though when he’d slipped his hand under her dress. Or inside her, he recalled, blood heating at the memory. Somehow he doubted that most people got to see that wilder side of Lily though. Hell, he barely saw it right now. She was back to her prim and proper self.
“What do you say to one more dance, Princess?” he asked, glancing over at her and enjoying the way a hint of pink spread across her cheeks at his suggestion. “I promise to behave myself,” he added with a grin.
Jake laughed. “Yeah right. In the meantime, I’ve got my eye on that pretty little redhead over there,” he said, suddenly standing up. “Catch you guys later.”
“I should go, too,” Lily said, seeming grateful for the interruption and pushing back her chair.
“But I just got here,” Morgan protested. “We’ve only had one drink. What happened to our night out?”
“I, uh, just remembered something I needed to do before the brunch in the morning. Call me tomorrow?”
Morgan glanced between Brock and Lily and laughed. “Sure, talk to you then. Be safe.”
Brock rose beside Lily, trying to catch her eye as she gathered her purse. She certainly had gotten flustered when he’d suggested one more dance. She’d been so close to agreeing to go home with him earlier, and now he felt her slipping away. He could probably find another woman here tonight easily enough. But none of them would be her, he realized. None of them would have that fire in their eye. Or that pent-up lust and desire just waiting to be set free by him.
“Just one more dance,” he said in a low voice, stepping closer, and gently clasping her delicate wrist in his hand.
She startled, glancing up at him, and he noticed the way she slightly trembled at his touch. She could pretend she was unaffected all she wanted, but her pulse was racing. Her lips parted slightly, and Brock resisted the urge to tug on her lower lip with his teeth.
Bending lower, he murmured, “I promise I won’t bite.”
