9
A
s Dean nudged her lips apart and delved inside, Catherine caved. She should’ve guessed that the man played dirty. Of course, she hadn’t really expected him to ask her to go home with him either. Geez, one minute he acted as if she was a nuisance, and the next he was making love to her mouth. Catherine thought she heard someone whimper. It took her a moment to realize the sounds were coming from her. She knew without a doubt that if she didn’t pull away he’d be able to have her right there on the dance floor. She wasn’t into public displays of affection, so why wasn’t she pulling away? Simple, her mind had taken a leave. Her libido now ruled the show.
She was giving in too easily and she knew it. So much for the thrill of the chase or putting up a little resistance. The knowledge that she was acting completely out of character should’ve had her yanking herself out of his arms. Instead she moved closer, bringing their bodies into full contact. She could smell his strong, masculine scent, and it was delicious. The rigid length of his cock was a heavy weight between them. She wanted more of him. She wanted to know what his muscled chest felt like beneath her curious hands. She ached to run her tongue over his salty skin.
Catherine understood now what it was about a man that made women lose their heads. It was that all-too-enthralling maleness. Dean’s aggressive attitude, the way he’d swooped in and all but ordered her to come home with him, it’d hadn’t been a turnoff. She’d liked it. For the first time in her life, Catherine imagined surrendering to a man. She wondered what it’d be like to let Dean have complete control.
She ran her tongue over his lips and felt his body stiffen. Rising up on her tiptoes, she took a better taste, licking and nibbling at him as if he were a candy bar. Catherine raked her fingers through his hair and groaned. God, she loved his hair, so thick and soft.
When she angled her head, deepening the touch, Dean tore his mouth from hers. “Home,” he growled against her open mouth.
Apparently he’d had enough of the PDA. The idea of being alone with Dean scared her a little though. He was so intense, and Catherine wasn’t sure she could handle him. “I’m scared,” she admitted.
He shook his head and frowned down at her. “You don’t—”
A deep, male voice broke into their intimate moment. When Catherine looked to see who it was, she cringed. It was the stranger that had been staring at her earlier.
“Miss, would you care to dance?” The polite question would normally get a polite rejection, but Catherine was still creeped out by the way he’d watched her. When she started to speak, Dean spoke over her.
“No, she wouldn’t,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.
The man’s eyebrows rose, but his gaze didn’t waver from hers. “The lady can speak for herself, can’t she?”
Catherine squirmed under his scrutiny, but his rudeness didn’t sit well with her Southern manners. “My dance card is full, thanks.”
Dean’s arm tightened around her. It was a possessive move, as if he were staking a claim. Catherine should’ve been perturbed, but she was too busy being grateful for his presence to think about her need for equality and independence.
When the guy still didn’t get the message, Dean said, “The lady’s with me. Get lost.”
Okay, that was going too far. Her anger came rushing to the surface, and she oh-so-casually stomped on Dean’s foot. He simply frowned down at her, completely unfazed. Mental note, the man was made of stone. Still, Dean was a better alternative than the man standing in front of them. So, she stayed silent. For now. She’d have a little talk with him later about his poor choice of words.
Finally, the stranger turned his attention to Dean. “I don’t see a ring on her finger.”
Dean dropped his arm from around her middle and stepped closer to the man who seemed to be itching for a fight. “You really don’t want to push me,” he warned.
Catherine could practically feel the tension mounting. She was about to intervene in the hopes of heading off a fight when Wade and Gracie suddenly showed up by their sides. She felt instantly better at having Gracie there. The stranger, who was clearly a few bricks shy of a full load, appeared not to even notice Wade’s big, menacing form. When he turned to her and smiled, Catherine felt sick to her stomach.
He inclined his head. “Maybe some other time then.”
As he walked off she heard Dean call him a not-so-complimentary name. She poked him in the ribs and he glared at her. “Don’t give me that look,” she said, pointing a finger at him. “What’s with the ‘the lady’s with me’ craip?”
“The ass wasn’t going to stop until he knew you were off limits. I sort of got the feeling you wanted him gone.” He quirked a brow. “Was I wrong?”
Catherine felt a headache coming on. “No, you weren’t wrong,” she gritted out. “That’s why I chose not to dance with him.”
“I—”
“Dean.”
Wade’s tone had them both going silent. Dean looked over at his brother and said, “I’m a little busy, bro.”
Catherine didn’t know Wade well, but even she could see he wasn’t a happy camper. Whatever he had to say, it wasn’t going to be good.
“I can see that.” Wade looked at Catherine for a second before going back to glaring at Dean. “But we need to talk.”
“It can wait,” Dean said, stepping closer to Wade, which effectively cut off Catherine’s view of Wade’s face.
“No, it can’t,” Catherine heard Wade reply, his tone rising.
She could well imagine Dean’s anger in that moment. When she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, Catherine looked to her left to find her sister standing there, concern causing her brows to scrunch together.
“Maybe we should let the guys talk a minute,” Gracie said into her ear.
Catherine nodded. There was simply too much testosterone for her peace of mind. She was about to let Gracie tug her to the other side of the room, back to their table, but Dean stopped her with a hand on the back of her neck. She glanced back at him in question.
“Don’t go too far,” he gently ordered, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. It was the sexiest thing Catherine had ever seen. After she nodded, he released her. When he began walking toward the restrooms with Wade, Catherine found she couldn’t look away from his drool-worthy body. There was something completely wild and untamed about Dean. It turned her on something fierce. She sighed as she realized her night wasn’t quite going to turn out the way she’d hoped.
Catherine turned her attention to Gracie. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“Come on,” Gracie persuaded as she dragged her to the stools they’d vacated earlier. Once they were seated, she said, “Wade thinks Dean might not have good intentions where you’re concerned.”
Catherine rolled her eyes. “Dean asked me to go home with him, if that’s what you mean.” Gracie’s eyes widened. “But I’m a big girl, Gracie,” she rushed to say. “I don’t need Wade’s permission.”
Gracie looked troubled. “No, it’s not that. It’s just that Dean has made it clear how he feels about you being here. Wade is worried that he’s not thinking clearly. He doesn’t want you to get hurt in the cross fire.”
After being an only child her entire life, Catherine wasn’t terribly comfortable with having a pseudo big brother butting into her private life. “If you’re concerned that Dean is using me, don’t be.”
“No, it’s not that. Well, maybe it is.” Gracie threw up her hands. “I’m not sure. It’s just that Dean’s been acting so strangely since you arrived. And then out of the blue he acts like he can’t keep his hands off you.”
Catherine sighed. “Yeah, he’s confusing me too, but I can deal with it. Dean isn’t trying to charm me or anything. He’s been completely honest from the start.”
“But you said yourself he doesn’t trust you. Is it wise to start a relationship with him?”
Catherine didn’t even have to think about the question to know the answer. “No, it isn’t. But I’m sort of tired of being the wise one.”
Gracie crossed her arms in front of her on the table and leaned closer. “What do you mean?”
She thought about her parents’ death and dealing with all the details of their estate. “For the last two months I’ve been working my tush off to get things straightened around since my parents died. There hasn’t been a whole lot of
me
time. I figure I’m due.”
A waiter came over and asked if they wanted another drink. They both declined. After he moved to the next table, Gracie said, “So, this thing is merely a fling between you and Dean? There’s nothing else?”
“I don’t know.”
Geez, that sounded lame.
“But I’d like to find out. Do you think I’m terrible for wanting to go home with him so soon?”
Gracie reached over and took her hand in one of hers. “Of course not. I know all about attraction at first sight, believe me. But what about the trust thing? Doesn’t it bother you?”
“Heck, yeah, it does, but I’m determined to prove him wrong on that score.” Catherine squeezed her sister’s hand. “For the remainder of my visit I plan to whittle down his defenses until he cries uncle.”
Gracie laughed. “Well, my money’s definitely on you.”
Catherine was about to say something else, but Dean and Wade came back to the table, effectively ending the conversation. She looked at them. Neither man was smiling, but they weren’t sporting black eyes either. “Everything okay?”
A muscle in Dean’s jaw twitched. “Dandy.”
His attitude left Catherine more uncertain than ever. Had he changed his mind about her?
Dean reached out and took her hand in his and leaned close. “Ready to go?”
Apparently not, Catherine thought as she allowed Dean to help her off the stool. Like the perfect gentleman, he even helped her into her coat. She noticed Wade’s arm wrapped around Gracie’s shoulders, but when she looked into his eyes, eyes so like Dean’s, he was staring at her with concern. Warmth filled her. He cared about her. Like a brother might care for a sister. Catherine suddenly felt blessed to have him in her corner. She smiled in appreciation, and he gave her a wink. When Catherine saw the worry in Gracie’s expression, though, she went to her and hugged her close. “I’m going to be fine. I’ll call you in the morning, okay?”
Gracie nodded, and a small smile slipped across her face. “You and I have plans, remember?”
Catherine’s eyes lit up at the reminder. “How could I forget? I’ve been dying to see that 3-D movie since they started advertising it.”
Gracie clapped her hands in front of her. “And we’re going to Genji’s restaurant for dinner afterward. I love their yum-yum sauce. I’m buying!”
“Ha!” Catherine snorted. “We’ll see about that.”
Dean tugged on her hand, and Catherine got the hint. He was anxious to leave. Anxious to be alone with her.
Her heart sped up at the notion.
After grabbing her purse and saying their good-byes, Catherine let Dean practically drag her out of the nightclub. When they reached his red four-wheel-drive truck, he unlocked it and held the door open for her. She took a chance and looked into his eyes. The heat she witnessed turned her on like nothing else, but it also sent a bolt of fear through her.
“Here, let me help,” Dean murmured as he reached down and took hold of her waist to lift her onto the seat.
Catherine could feel the heat of his touch clear through her dress. “Thanks.”
His smile was pure sin. “Seat belt,” he gently ordered before slamming the door shut.
Once they were on their way, Catherine decided to lay it all out on the line. “I’m not sure what I’m doing here,” she admitted. “I’m not even sure why I agreed to go back to your place with you.”
He reached across the middle console and took hold of her hand. “Aren’t you?”
She shook her head and looked out the windshield. The streetlights seemed to be going by way too fast. The man was definitely in a hurry. “I won’t deny that I want you,” she softly replied. “But to go home with you when I don’t even really know you. I feel like I’m easy or something. Even though I’m not,” she rushed to reassure. “I mean, I never go home with a man on the first date. Not to imply that what we had tonight was a date exactly, it’s just that—”
“Catherine,” Dean said, stopping the speeding race car of her mouth. “It’s okay. I don’t think you’re easy. In fact, it’s not exactly my MO to take a woman home so fast either.” He spared her a look, one that she couldn’t quite read in the darkness. “How about we just agree to share a nightcap and see what happens from there. Okay?”
She cocked her head, wishing she could see him clearer. “Why are you so sweet one minute and the next you’re looking at me as if I’m the bogeyman? Or in my case, the bogey-woman.” She clutched her purse tighter. “I just can’t figure you out.”
He chuckled. “First, there’s no such thing as the bogey-
woman
. Even if there were, I don’t think you’d resemble her in any way. You’re way too pretty to be something so nasty. Second, I can’t help the way I feel. I’m into you, sweetheart. My head is telling me it’s a bad idea, that I shouldn’t trust you. Thing is, my head isn’t running the show right now.”