The Sweetest Fling (A Stupid Cupid Book) (2 page)

Claire narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips curled mischievously. “Did Tyler send you in for us?”

“No.” But his voice rose too high. “Just love this song and saw you two out here.” He nodded and pressed his lips down to verify the lie.

Millie’s eyes flashed. “Where’s Claire’s drink?”

Whoa. Was she territorial over the cocktail? Had she seen him drinking it? “Tyler has it, maybe?”

Claire’s smiled. Nothing polite about it. Just open. Wide. Tempting. “Well, if he didn’t send you after me, then you came because you wanted to dance.”

She wasn’t stating the obvious. Jace heard a dare in the statement—like, are you
really
going to dance?—and saw no way out of it. “Mmm-hmm. I haven’t danced yet. And my mother always says you have to dance at weddings. At least once. Otherwise, you may insult your host. Or hostess.” He couldn’t have sounded less cool if he tried.

He wasn’t supposed to try anything, though.

Millie looked at each of them, mumbled something about the drink, and stormed away. Jace moved to follow. Claire grabbed his arm.

“Good. So you’ll dance with me?”

Good? “What?” Jace asked, hardly able to concentrate above the sudden thump of his heartbeat and buzz in his veins.

Claire stepped closer, her shoulder—bare and glowing where the spaghetti strap had fallen away—shrugged. She bent close, and Jace’s neck tickled under the warmth of her breath. “Millie’s giving it to Tyler.”

Jace glanced over. Sure enough, the half empty drink was being waved accusingly in Tyler’s face. Tyler went after a replacement.

“Dance with me.”

He swallowed.
Dance with her
? Never in his life had he more wished the world could disappear, and only one other person could exist in a single moment, suspended forever. Claire faced him, her warmth leaving Jace’s skin. The lights above them turned the backyard into someplace suddenly blurry but magical. The three or four other dancers faded into the background. Jace blinked rapidly, trying to clear the sudden
whir
in his head.

The song changed to something current. A remix he couldn’t remember the name of. He couldn’t remember much beyond this moment.

If Claire only knew what she was doing to him.

But, how could she?

How could she know that from the second he’d laid eyes on her, Jace’s world had tipped off center?

Claire’s eyes shone bright in the dim evening lights. Bright with what? Effects of the alcohol? Mischief? Jace wanted that shine to be more, and a small hopeless part of him drank it in.

Those eyes waited for him to take that earlier dare, it seemed. With a gulp, Jace lowered his eyelids, tipped his head and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll dance with you.”

To anyone else, the exchange probably looked innocent enough. They were all family here, and identical or not, no one would mistake Jace for Tyler. And maybe it wasn’t what Claire intended—no dare, no tease. Regardless, the weed of hope inside Jace grew.

Her friend would come back soon. Jace would be able to mask his feelings better.

The euphoria of the night, the drinks, and being this near her ebbed around him. Saying no would be impossible at this point. Thankfully, the DJ stuck with sexy and hip. Slow or seductive would have ruined him. Jace gave in to the beat and danced the night away—a good ten songs, his buzz climbing.

Dancing. Tearing up the dance floor. With Claire.

No Tyler. No Millie. They seemed too busy and not really interested in who was where. Or why. Jace convinced himself it wouldn’t end.

Then the music ended. As the reception cleared of final guests and the bride and groom escaped to their hotel, Jace sagged against a porch column. The Arizona fall night was cooling. Crickets chirped. Car engines receded into quiet. He should help his mom clean up. But his buzz was still strong, and his attention kept going back to her. He watched Tyler kiss Claire, whisper something in her ear, and denied how much it hurt to see.

Those full lips and slender hips. Would she stay the night? Not that it mattered. Wasn’t like he’d see her. Knowing she was in the same house shouldn’t be a comfort. She would for sure be gone tomorrow, back to campus. Safely away.

Jace would be hollow. Until the next time he saw her. Kissing Tyler. Holding hands with Tyler. He released a ragged sigh and considered grabbing a beer. But he was too buzzed. A weird kind of drunk. Sort of high. Did she do that? Get him all stupid and giddy?

Bad. Very bad. He should head to bed.

What was Tyler telling her? Where was Millie? Why wouldn’t Claire look Jace’s way?

“Idiot,” he said to nobody but himself.

There were things you just didn’t do to family. Lines that couldn’t be crossed.

If she stayed, would their mom room Tyler and Claire together? God. To watch her sleep. To rub toes and calves and bodies. Stop!

He lifted his weight off the column and turned to go inside, only to run smack into Millie. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

“No. You didn’t.”

She sounded even more pissed than she looked. Heat rushed over his skin. “Little too much to drink. Sorry.”

“Exactly how much?”

“Huh?”

“How much?” she demanded.

What the hell business of hers was it? A hand on his shoulder stopped him from saying as much out loud. He knew the hand before he saw and heard her. Claire. “Millie, are you up for the drive, or do you want to crash here?”

Millie grimaced, spun on one heel, and left, muttering something about Cupid. Stupid? Yeah, probably calling him the dumbass that he was mooning over Tyler’s girl. Tyler’s! Not some chick in a bar. Not any girl. He looked down at her standing next to him, her hand still on his arm.

“She’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you in the morning, I guess.”

She looked at him oddly, like she had something else to say. Jace waited, glancing at Tyler, who stood a few feet away talking to their mom, shaking his head, giving her a scout’s honor over something. He looked back at Claire.

“I never sleep well at a new place.” Her eyes searched his. “You know?”

A weight slipped over the top of his stomach. “No?”

She shook her head. A lock of hair fell over her eyes. He shoved his hands in his pockets to avoid moving it. Tyler and their mom joined them.

“Claire, we’ll put you and your friend in Ashley’s room. Jace, that means you’re on the couch. Sorry, buddy.”

“It’s cool.” You know? Was he misreading things? Was she trying to say, “don’t go to sleep”? The weight slid lower. He glanced at Tyler, who appeared just a tad too bored. Something was up. Guilt punched him in the exact spot that sweet weight almost slid past. “I’m exhausted.” He kissed his mom good night, gave a wave, and refused to look back.

The living room was dark. Somewhere in the hall, he made out Millie’s voice. Sounded like a phone call. He undressed down to boxers and a T-shirt and eased onto the sofa so as not to alert her to where he was. He could fake a snore with the best of them. As awake as he was, he just might have to. If Millie came over to confront him over stealing drinks, hogging friends, or ignoring her.

Guilty as charged.

But come tomorrow, he’d be paying for it when he sobered up and fully appreciated what an asshole he was for wanting Claire so badly. He couldn’t say how much time had passed when the house fell silent. He’d gotten lost in thought, wondering far too much about the wrong girl.

Someone sat near his feet. His eyes shot open. His heartbeat skidded sideways.

Claire
.

~~

Chapter Two

“Did I wake you?” Claire said, thinking how different he and Tyler looked, identical or not. She shouldn’t be here. She knew. Yet here she was, waking him up, telling herself a pack of lies that her mother would flip for.

Jace shifted. His mouth moved, but he didn’t say anything.

Her toes were a tiny bit cold, but Claire French’s heart was beating so hard that they’d surely warm up fast. She resisted the urge to wriggle them together, despite the nervous energy zinging through her body. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep.” As her eyes adjusted to the dark light, she took in a shaky gasp of air. “Should I go?” She moved to leave.

He reached an arm out. “No. It’s okay,” he whispered. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“Oh.” She sagged back onto the couch and drew a leg up to hug. The borrowed pajama pants were a size too small, and the fabric strained around her hips. “I think I’m drunk. But not. You know?”

He adjusted so that he faced her and drew a leg up, too, sort of mirroring her pose. The hem of his boxers peeked out from the blanket, which inched down, exposing a muscled calf. The dark hair and lines of his leg drew her eye. “What’s your excuse? Scared of the dark?” she asked, and then mentally winced over such a lame question. What was she? Twelve again?

He shrugged one shoulder. “Mind’s just reeling. Can’t slow my thoughts down.”

His gaze flashed to her mouth and back up to her eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

He gave her an odd quirk of a look, then burst out laughing. Claire giggled, too. Wow. Talk about lame with a cherry on top.

“Sorry,” he said, his voice low. “I guess I’m still a little buzzed. That drink Millie made you was potent.”

“I know, right?”

“I think she drugged you.”

Claire guffawed and covered her mouth, embarrassed at her loud laugh in the quiet darkness. “I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s obsessed with getting me a date.” Why that was so funny, she couldn’t say, but she was laughing to tears. “It’s super-weird, but I have a hard time saying
no
to her.”

“Oh no! You’re in on it!” Jace laughed, too, punching her softly in the shoulder.

“In on what?”

“Forcing Millie on me.”

What? Fat chance. Claire shook her head, emphatic. “No way. She’s got a boyfriend. And, no offense, but he’s drop-dead hot.”

“Hey, thanks,” Jace laughed. “I feel so much better.”

“Sorry!” She bit down to try to stop the giggles, but they just wouldn’t stop, and his laughter made it all the worse. What the hell was so funny? “He’s like an Abercrombie model hot.”

“Mmm. Stop, girl, before I steal him,” Jace said in a really bad fake effeminate voice that sent Claire into another peal of laughter.

Damn it! She was twelve again. All butterflies and giggles. Where Tyler was suave, Jace was tousled. Where Tyler was slick, Jace was clumsy. She freaking loved it. She loved the slightly wider set to his eyes, the way his left eyebrow argued about what way the hairs should grow.

Deep down, she knew that sitting here in the dark with Jace, laughing about nothing, was a terrible idea. One of her worst. She couldn’t stop it, though. “Your brother’s almost as persistent as Millie. I think that’s why she likes him so much.”

He stretched his arms up dramatically. “He’s a Hayes. We’re all famous for our charm and persistence. Even our dad, back in the day, according to my mom.”

“Ahhh. So it’s genetic,” Claire said, trying to sound like she was teasing.

“Millie likes Tyler?”

“Yes.” Millie was turning out to be one of those “if I have a boyfriend you need one, too” kinds of friends. Which really hadn’t bothered Claire until today. “She’s the one who got us invited here, in fact. Millie likes Tyler a lot.”

So had Claire. Until she walked into this house, and her heart fell into her glitter-painted toes. Wrong brother. Totally wrong. Tyler was sweet and cute, and sure, he had a reputation, but Claire didn’t care, because she had no plans to get serious.

“But you don’t?”

Claire’s mouth fell open. It was her turn to search for words. “I ... uh ... no, it’s not that I don’t like Tyler. He’s great.”

Jace nodded, giving her a look that made her belly quiver—from nerves or something else, she couldn’t say. Liar. She could say it. At least to herself. She was flat-out attracted to the wrong brother.

Fungoo.

Would he kiss her if she asked him to? No.
No, no, no, Claire.
She couldn’t ask Tyler’s brother to kiss her! For one, he wouldn’t betray his brother like that. She’d bet her mom’s Prada purse collection on it. He wasn’t that kind of guy.

For another, she wouldn’t be able to stop at one kiss.

This was crazy. She should go. Now.

“I’m driving back to campus in the morning.”

He nodded, his gaze sliding over her like silk, naked appreciation showing in it despite the shadows. He licked his lips. God, he had good lips. Full. Soft-looking. Smiling lopsidedly at her.

Claire let a smile curl her lips, too, and soon they were both chuckling again in the sudden awkwardness between them that she wanted so badly to test. What harm would one kiss be?

He’d say no.

She’d want him to say no. That’s the kind of guy she really wanted him to be.

Or, he could say yes.

Not even say yes. Just do it. Just kiss her full on the mouth, his hands on her body, in her hair, supporting the small of her back.

But she was leaving in the morning
, a small voice reminded her, sending a pang through her chest. This was her last, and only real, chance. She would never see Jace again. How could she date Tyler and feel like this about his brother after just meeting him? She couldn’t. And switching brothers wouldn’t be right.

If only she’d met Jace first. If only Millie hadn’t roped her into coming at all.

She didn’t want to wonder, to go insane with wonder what just one kiss would feel like.