Destined for Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, Book 2) Contemporary Romance (4 page)

“GIRL, YOU ARE smoking hot,” Riley said. “I have the perfect dress for you next time we go out. I whipped up this gorgeous white backless number, and it’ll fit you perfectly.” Riley had a degree in fashion design, but after college, she hadn’t been able to break into the industry and had also returned to her hometown.

“Running from a stalker definitely agrees with you,” Riley said as she drove toward Fingers.

It was just like Riley to make a joke out of her life-altering situation. “He wasn’t a stalker. Besides, it’s more like not having sex for months on end agrees with me,” Jade said with a smirk. She’d thrown on her sexiest black minidress in an effort to lure a man for a quickie. She wasn’t proud of herself, and she’d be mortified if her father ever found out, but damn it, sometimes you just needed to scratch that itch. After the way Rex raked his eyes over her and then acted like an ass, she deserved a little ego boost.

“Months? Like, plural? Really? Why didn’t I know that?” Riley hadn’t aged a bit since college. She was a curvy woman, and she wore the curves well. She’d never given in to perms or waves, and her straight, shoulder-length brown hair remained the same, with the recent addition of longish bangs, which gave her a playful appearance no matter how she was dressed. Tonight, with her skinny jeans and black blouse with a plunging neckline, she definitely looked playful.

“You knew. Who have I been with since moving here?” Jade asked.

Riley pursed her lips and swished them from side to side. “Hmm.” She held up an index finger, then lowered it. “I think you might be right.”

“I know I’m right.” She laughed.

Riley pulled into the parking lot of Fingers, and Jade’s nerves twinged. It’d been a long time since she’d gone out looking to bed a man.
Have I ever?

“Are you sure I look okay?” she asked.

“Hell yes, woman. Better than okay. What’s with you? You aren’t usually nervous about how you look. You know you’re hot,” Riley said.

Jade blew out a breath. “I can’t tell anymore. I’ve kind of been given conflicting messages lately.”

“From who? Want me to take them down?” She grabbed her purse, and before Jade could reply, she said, “Come on. Let’s get in there and have some fun.”

A neon light read,
Ladies Night, Monday Nights, 6–10p.m
.

Jade tossed a sneer at Riley. “You could have told me.”

“Would you have come if I had?”

Jade weighed her answer. “Maybe. I mean, my whole goal tonight is to get lucky, so…”

Riley was a head taller than Jade. She threw her arm around Jade’s shoulder and rested her cheek on her head. “I’ve got your back, sister. I’m the designated driver, so we’ll liquor you up. I’ll do a sober check of any guy you want—I won’t let you get into a car with anyone drunk, and I’ll personally review their driver’s license and take down name and address in case your body goes missing tomorrow. And if you don’t get lucky, I’ll tuck you in tonight.”

“You’re the best, Ri.”

“Yeah, I know.”

REX SUCKED DOWN his beer, and for the first time in what felt like forever, his body relaxed. He loved music, and his foot bounced to the beat on the hardwood floor. The beat of the music lured the females onto the dance floor, giving him plenty of entertainment.

“So, Rex, Max and I are considering building a house nearby,” Treat said.

Rex enjoyed spending time with Max and Treat. When he’d first met Max, he wasn’t sure she’d be enough for his oldest brother. She was very casual, donning a ponytail and jeans on most days, but once he’d gotten to know her, he realized how smart and warm she really was. Shortly after they’d met, she’d begun to wear more feminine, sexier outfits, and Rex could see the appreciation in Treat’s eyes—the way his eyes drank her in, in the same way Rex knew his eyes drank in Jade. He knew he shouldn’t even look at Jade that way, but no matter how hard he tried not to, his body and eyes had a mind of their own.

 “About time,” Rex teased. Treat could afford to buy half of Allure if he wanted to, so it surprised Rex that he’d remained at their father’s house for so long. Treat had been working out the final details with his new staff and redefining his business infrastructure.
One thing at a time
, he’d told Rex two months ago.

“Not that you’re waiting for me to leave with bated breath or anything,” Treat said with a tilt of his glass.

“Nah, it’s cool. I’m happy for you. Where?”

Treat pulled Max against him and kissed the side of her head. “Wherever Maxy wants.”

“I think we should stay closer to your Dad. You guys have so many family functions, and with Treat helping on the ranch and running his business, it makes sense that he should spend less time in the car. Besides, Weston is less than half an hour from Allure, so it’s not a big deal for me, and Chaz will let me work from home when I want to.” Max had worked for Chaz Crew, the owner of the Indie Film Festival, headquartered in Allure, for the past ten years, and she had no intention of leaving, no matter how much money Treat had.

“I’m all for it. The closer the better. I like having you guys around.” Rex took another swig of his drink, scanning the dance floor. Fingers had opened just a few weeks earlier, and although Rex had been there only once before, he had heard that Monday nights pulled the best-looking women from all of the nearest communities. Not that he would go home with anyone while he was with Treat and Max, but a little eye candy never hurt. He scanned the dance floor, trying to find someone who caught his eye enough to take his mind off of Jade, but no matter how pretty the women were, no matter how tight their clothing was or how curvaceous their bodies were, none of them was as appealing as Jade, and it was starting to piss him off. He had to get that woman out of his head.

The song changed to a slow tune, and Max took Treat’s hand. “Dance with me,” she said with a flirty grin.

Treat climbed from his booth. “Duty calls,” he said with a smile.

Max rested her head on Treat’s chest, and Treat’s hands slipped around her waist. The couples next to them shifted, and there, across the dance floor, sitting at a table with Riley Banks, wearing a tight black dress that barely covered her thighs, was Jade. She had two empty glasses before her, and her cheeks had a rosy glow. The muscles in his arms tensed. He set his beer down, not realizing he’d slammed it until droplets flew over the rim and splattered across the table.

What the hell is she doing here?

A tall, blond-haired guy approached Jade, and Rex sat up straighter, narrowing his eyes, assessing him in one quick glance: too friendly looking, all smiles and—look at him, touching her arm, her shoulder,
sitting down at the table
?

Rex took a slug of his beer, his eyes locked on the trio. Jade was smiling, but her eyes darted around the room. Rex knew women, and any woman whose eyes darted wasn’t interested.
Get outta there, buddy
.

“Rex, you look like you’re ready to kill someone,” Treat said as he sat down. Max squeezed in beside him.

The guy rose to his feet and reached for Jade’s hand. She followed him to the dance floor, then pressed her hands flat against his chest and rested her face between them, moving her body way too close to his.

Rex fisted his hands beneath the table.

“Rex,” Treat said as he touched his arm, “go cut in.”

“With who?” Max asked.

Treat nodded toward Jade.

“Hey, that’s the girl on the horse, the one who rode up when I smashed your car.” She kissed Treat, then said, “The best day of my life. The day you proposed.” She twisted the engagement ring on her finger.

“Yup,” Rex said. “That’s the one.”

“Rex, she’s so pretty, and the way she looked at you that day, I’d say she really liked you. You should ask her to dance, but maybe after they finish,” Max urged.

“Nope,” he answered.

“Why not? You only live once,” she said.

“Our families have been feuding forever,” Treat explained. “Well, our fathers have, and you know how Rex is about family loyalty.”

Max took a sip of her drink. “Well, as far as I’m concerned, all’s fair in love and war. I vote he makes a move.”

For the next hour, Rex watched Jade and the blond guy, just waiting for the guy to make a wrong move. He didn’t mean to count Jade’s drinks, but he was. She’d had four, and that was a shitload of alcohol for someone her size. She had no business drinking that much.

“We have to go,” Max said. “Rex, I’m really glad you came with us, but I have to work early tomorrow.”

Treat purposely blocked Rex’s view of Jade, and in a firm voice, he said, “Rex, let it go. You missed your chance tonight. There’s always tomorrow.”

Rex gave Treat a harsh glare. “Was there always tomorrow for you and Max?” He shook his head at his admission, then tried to cover his tracks. “I’m just going to make sure she doesn’t get herself into any trouble.”

“You okay to drive?” Treat asked.

“Fine. I’ve only had two beers. I think I can handle it.”

“See you when the sun comes up,” Treat said as he and Max left.

By the time Treat moved out of Rex’s way, Riley was gone and Jade was alone with the guy.
What kind of friend would leave her alone?
Rex reminded himself that she wasn’t his to take care of, but as she stumbled to the dance floor again, her dress hiked up her thigh and the guy walking behind her, his eyes trained on her ass, the fact that she wasn’t his didn’t mean squat. He moved to the edge of his seat, ready to step in.

THE ROOM WAS spinning, in a good way. Jade hadn’t thought about Rex in at least twenty minutes, and blondie—what was his name? Tom? Tray? Tim? Tim, that was it—seemed really nice. Riley took down his information before she left and he said he’d take Jade home, but she wasn’t ready to go. Now that she was on the dance floor again, she wanted to dance.

Jade wrapped her arms around Tim’s neck and swayed to the music. His hands felt so nice on her lower back. God, she’d missed being touched. He inched his hand down, and something in Jade sobered. She was going home with this guy. That’s not what she did. But oh, his hand felt warm. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend he was Rex just to get through the night—to get past her desire for that sexy, frustrating man. Just one night to lessen her urges.

“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered in her ear.

She nodded, but her legs stood still as she focused on his face. He wasn’t that good-looking, but he was nice. Too nice. He was kind of a wimp.
I’m going home with a wimp when what I really want is to go back to Weston and figure out how to get Rex to notice me
.
Rex. One-hundred-percent man. Asshole
.
Why do I even want him?
She remembered the way he’d turned her away earlier in the day, with all that anger bubbling beneath his skin. What was that all about? Thinking of his skin brought her back to his body, his muscles, the way he smelled when, so masculine and…hot.

Tim took her hand and led her toward the door. Her legs were moving, but she didn’t want to go. Her brain yelled,
No! Stop!
But her lips weren’t moving. She was too drunk and too conflicted to speak.

In the parking lot, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. His body was so lean. Too lean.

“I’m gonna kiss you now,” he said, putting his thin lips over hers.

Jade pushed him away, but he had too tight of a grasp on her arms. She was trapped between wimpy guy and the car—and he was far too strong to be pegged as wimpy. She pushed at his chest, the smell of his breath making her gag. Against his lips she eked, “Stop!”

He came up for air, and Jade gasped a deep breath. She turned to flee, but before she could get away, he pulled her to him again. His eyes darkened and his hands clenched her biceps so hard it brought tears to her eyes.

“You know you want it, you tease.”

“No!” she finally yelled just before he slammed her back against his car and kissed her again.

She closed her eyes against the sight of him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She flailed, trying to get away, and suddenly his arms released her. Her lips were no longer pressed against his. She snapped open her eyes.

“The lady said no.” Rex held Tim up by his collar, several inches off the ground. His teeth clenched, his bulbous muscles straining against Tim’s weight.

“Okay, okay. She wanted it. She was asking for it,” Tim said.

Rex lifted him higher with one arm and slammed him against his truck.

Jade was too stunned to move. What was he doing there? Why was he helping her again? He was gonna kill that guy. Rex cocked his right arm and her brain kicked awake.

“No, Rex! He’s not worth it,” she screamed in a shrill voice through her tears.

Rex looked between Jade and the guy, then with one snap of his wrist, pulled the guy to his face. Like an angry dog baring its teeth, he seethed, “If I ever catch you treating a lady like that again, I will rip you to shreds.” He tossed the guy to the ground and grabbed Jade roughly by the arm.

“Get in the truck.”

She took one look at Tim writhing on the ground and scrambled into the truck.

Rex started the car, and without a word, drove down the road and then turned into a CVS parking lot, stopping beneath a streetlight. When he turned to face her, anger hovered behind the blatant concern in his eyes.

Jade’s body trembled and shook, and she couldn’t stop the flow of tears that wet her cheeks. She flushed with embarrassment. What would have happened if Rex hadn’t been there?

Rex gently took her face in his hands. They were so big, so strong, lethal when wrapped around that man’s collar, and now his touch was tender and soft.

“You okay?” he asked.

She sniffled, nodded.

“Did he hurt you?” His eyes ran down her arms.

Jade instinctively rubbed where Tim had grabbed her arm, and it hurt to the touch. Rex ran his fingers lightly down her arms. His body visibly tensed with the intimate touch.

“Why did you do that?” she asked. “Why did you grab him like that?”

Rex furrowed his brow. “He was hurting you.”

“But I could have handled it.” She knew she couldn’t have, but the idea of being a damsel in distress again—twice in two days—was too much. She wasn’t weak, and she didn’t need saving—even if Rex Braden made the perfect, handsome knight in shining armor.

“You couldn’t and you didn’t,” he said.

He smelled like warmth and alcohol. His eyes narrowed, and she felt a tug down low. Suddenly, she was leaning forward. Oh God, she was going to kiss him. No, she couldn’t do that. He’d all but thrown her in her car earlier in the day and sent her away. She had to get away before she did something stupid. She flung open the truck door.

“I don’t need saving!” She stumbled from the truck and stood in the dark, clutching her purse. She swiped at her tears as sobs rose from her chest. How the heck could she forget him if he kept showing up and saving her?
What the hell am I doing?

She heard his door slam, and he stalked toward her, slow and determined. His legs were slightly bowed, his arms arced out from his sides from the sheer volume of his biceps. Jade pressed her lips closed tight.

“I’m not leaving you here,” he said in a deep, sexy voice. He might as well have said,
I want to take your clothes off and lick you all over
.

He took another step closer, and she watched the muscles in his chest, straining against his shirt, rising and falling with each breath.

“Please get in the truck, Jade,” he said.

I don’t trust myself.
She shook her head.

Rex let out a loud breath and ran his hand through his thick hair. Jade ached to do the same, to slip her fingers beneath his hair and ease the tension at the base of his skull, to tame the inflamed muscles on his neck.

“Jade, Bradens don’t leave women in dangerous situations. Get in.” His tone was firm, his eyes pleading.

She shook her head again.

“I’m not going to ask again.”

There was the anger. Jade crossed her arms. If she set foot in that truck, she would not be able to keep herself from reaching over and doing God knows what that she’d regret in the morning when she was sober. Her father’s words rang too clearly to ignore:
You know better than to do anything to embarrass this family.

“I can call Riley to come get me,” she said.

“I’m right here. She’s twenty minutes away and probably asleep by now.”

“So what? She’d come.” She sounded like a petulant child when what she really wanted to say was,
Don’t call Riley. I want to go with you.
Her father’s warning held her back.

He stepped even closer. His exhalations became her inhalations as he lowered his face so close to hers she could see the pupils of his eyes deepening. Jade’s heartbeat thundered in her ears, blocking out the noise of the traffic. Her cheeks became warm, and she closed her eyes, thinking he might kiss her. Suddenly she was draped over his shoulder, his muscles digging into her stomach.

“What are you doing?” She pounded his back, her small fists barely making a dent as he opened the truck door with one hand and tossed her onto the seat with a firm command.

“Don’t move.”