Burned out of partying at around twenty-two? Seemed pretty rare. And she knew the local hiking spots, so clearly she’d been up to the Pacific Northwest before.

  “What kind of job are you looking for?”

  “I’m a social worker. Child and family specialist.”

  “That’s impressive.”

  “Is it?” She gave him a searching glance, as if she weren’t quite sure he was actually impressed or just blowing smoke up her ass.

  “I think so.”

  “Some call me crazy to go into this field.” She gave a slight smile and then glanced away. “So, what brings you to this party? Are you friends with the birthday guy?”

  “Yeah.” He took a slow breath in and admitted, “We were in the same fraternity for a while.”

  Her lips parted, and she gave a small nod. “Ah, so you were a frat boy.”

  Memories slammed into him, leaving his throat tight, but he forced a slight smile. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Well, I won’t hold it against you.” Her eyes sparkled with blatant flirtation now. “One of my brothers joined one for a while back in the day.”

  The song ended, and an upbeat dance song came on. What was with the ’80s music? With a grimace, Blake came to a standstill. “Sorry, I can barely manage the slow stuff. I’m out when this type of shit comes on.”

  She laughed and met his gaze.

  Damn, she had great eyes. And that laugh. Husky and feminine. Sexy. It made him want to make her laugh more.

  “Maybe we should try the game room?” she suggested. “Have you been in there yet?”

  “Didn’t even know there was one.”

  “Well now, that’s your downfall. If it’s offered, a cutthroat game of Mario Party is usually where you’ll find me at these things. I have my gamer moments.”

  Kristen was somewhat of a gamer? He suspected this girl had more layers than a snowboarder on Snoqualmie Pass.

  “And I’m not much for dancing either,” she confessed while leading him toward another room, “but I’ve gotta say you made it kind of enjoyable.”

  *

  When they started their second game of Mario Kart, Kristen snuck a glance over and up at the man she’d decided to sleep with tonight.

  Not only hot as hell but he seemed like a fairly nice guy, too. That wasn’t exactly a requirement, and it might’ve been a little troubling considering the don’t get attached rule. Clearly, it would be somewhat easier if he were a man-whoring asshole.

  “Hey, girl, got a fresh beer for you.”

  Tori arrived in Kristen’s line of vision with a red cup in hand. Her friend glanced at Blake and then back at her, raising an eyebrow. A clear question of How’s it going?

  Kristen took the drink, murmuring a quick, “Thanks,” before giving her friend a pointed get lost look.

  The last thing she wanted was Blake intercepting any of their silent conversation. Though he’d have to be oblivious to not realize her interest. Her flirting hadn’t exactly been on the subtle level.

  Though who had time for subtle? The mission was to have a one-night stand. In the morning, she’d hang out at the day spa with Tori, and they’d gab all about it. So much easier said than done.

  With a tilt of the red cup, Kristen drank half the contents in a few swallows. As she set it onto the table beside her, she caught Blake watching her. Maybe it was her imagination, but he didn’t look all that pleased.

  A tiny stab of shame hit, and she shrugged it off as bewilderment replaced it. She had nothing to feel embarrassed about. They were at a party, and everyone was drinking. Even Blake had been holding a drink earlier. Why would he be judging her? And it wasn’t like she was setting out to get lit. This was literally her second beer.

  Since there were more people who wanted to play Mario Kart, they finished up their second game and handed it off to a couple of clearly wasted guys.

  She needed to get things onto a more intimate level. “I need some fresh air. Is there a place we can go outside?”

  Blake didn’t answer right away, and there was a mix of guardedness and interest in his eyes. “Yeah. If we go downstairs, we can slip out to the backyard. Come on, I’ll show you.”

  She followed him downstairs, her pulse quickening as they made their way to the sliding door. Blake pushed it open and gestured for her to step outside first.

  After flashing him a quick smile, she moved past him and stepped out to the patio. She drew in a breath of crisp Seattle air. Used to the dry heat of Vegas, she always welcomed the change.

  As the door slid shut and the sounds of the party became muffled, the realization of just how alone they were sank in.

  Her heart skipped a beat, and her stomach flipped. How did she do this? Should she make the next move? Was he waiting for her to? Or had she been obvious enough that—

  Blake closed the distance between them in an instant, sliding one arm around her waist and cupping the back of her neck with a large hand.

  “I’m liking this fresh-air idea.” His soft words caressed her lips right before his mouth did.

  Well, that answers that question. Her pulse skyrocketed. Clearly, Blake was all over making the first move.

  In a firm and confident kiss, he coaxed her mouth open with a flick of the tongue before he set out on a tender exploration inside.

  While he hadn’t wasted time in deepening the kiss, unlike many of the guys she’d dated, it felt completely natural. Sensual and thrilling. Tingles of awareness raced through her as he sucked lightly on her tongue before stroking his against it.

  His hand, which had been on her waist, slid down to her ass. Cupping one cheek and squeezing lightly.

  Desire, sharp and somewhat unfamiliar, began to grow in her belly. It mingled heavily with her growing nerves. Trying to be more confident, she pressed herself closer to him, laying her palms against his chest.

  Hot damn, he is solid.

  His mouth lifted from hers and down until he pressed an open-mouthed kiss on the pulse in her neck. A small cry of surprise and pleasure escaped her, and she went boneless in his arms.

  Oh God. He is good at this. Like really, really good at this.

  This was heading toward her goal. A runaway train headed straight toward Orgasm Valley. Would they do it in the grass? Against the porch railing?

  A trickle of uncertainty slid through her at those ideas.

  Oh.

  Maybe the first time would’ve been easier in a bed, but right now, with lust at the helm, her body wasn’t really going to protest the exact deflowering location.

  This was exactly what she’d sought out to do tonight.

  Right?

  She wasn’t even going to think about…Paul. Oh God, she’d forgotten his name for a second. Paul. She really liked—

  Oh God.

  The sensation of his hand cupping her breast had a soft moan spilling from her lips. The intensity of her reaction to his kiss—to his touch—was more than a little surprising.

  More. She wanted more. The flesh between her legs ached with need. Maybe it was his confidence. Maybe the sex appeal. But, oh my God, she didn’t want this to stop.

  Acting on instinct, she slid her hands down his chest. His ridiculously solid chest. And then lower. To abs that clearly had definition.

  Wow.

  Guys with abs like this usually didn’t even look her way.

  Her heart pounded, and her mouth dried up as she explored a little bit lower to find a—holy crap—rather large bulge beneath his jeans.

  Her cheeks burned, and a wave of shyness hit.

  Tori had been right about him being large. Just the idea that something that big was supposed to fit inside her had a completely inappropriate laugh spilling past her lips before she could stop it.

  Blake lifted his head and stared down at her; his gaze was heated even as an eyebrow lifted quizzically.

  “Sorry, I just…” she tried to smother it and get back in the moment, but her nerves were just about as high strung as her hormones at the moment. Another laugh escaped. “I just… It’s nothing. I swear. Let’s just keep going.”

  She stood on her tiptoes, trying to kiss him again, but he took a step back.

  “How much did you have to drink tonight?”

  The quiet, steely question had her nervous laughter drying up and her arousal getting a douse of virtual cold water.

  Oh no.

  She shook her head. “Wait, you think I’m drunk?”

  “I know you’re at least buzzed.”

  After opening her mouth to deny it, she closed it again. She might’ve been a tiny bit buzzed. Because, dammit, she was small and more than one beer always made her a little on the happy side. And being buzzed was the only way she’d have the gonads to go through with this plan.

  “I’m fine, Blake. I’m soberer than most people here.” She gave him a tight smile and tossed her hair, touching his chest again. “We don’t need to stop.”

  He sighed and then shook his head. “Yeah, we do.”

  Chapter Two

  Seeing the shock and hurt on her face, Blake flinched inwardly.

  You’re an asshole.

  Maybe. But he was an asshole who didn’t sleep with drunk women. That, hopefully, could be argued to be a good thing.

  “I don’t want you to do anything you’d regret, Kristen. I don’t take advantage of women who’ve been drinking.”

  The hurt on her face turned to mortification. “There would be no taking advantage. If anything, I’d be the one taking advantage.”

  The confidence in her tone had him smothering a laugh. He couldn’t quite manage it, though, and it turned into a cough.

  Her brows drew together, and her cute mouth curled into an adorable frown.

  “Look, you seem like a cool girl. And I’m definitely into what we just had going on, but I think tonight might not be the right time.”

  It sounded like she muttered, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. It has to be tonight.”

  And that just sounded suspicious. Was he some kind of bet? Had Kristen and her friend taken a bet on if she could get him into bed tonight? A dare?

  Wary of whatever she was up to, he sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. While his brain had shut down the road to the bedroom, his dick struggled to get the message.

  The no drunk chicks rule was hard and fast, and he’d never been tempted to break it before. But remembering her soft breast in his hand and the sweet way she kissed, he was tempted to say fuck it. Clearly, she wanted to get laid.

  “Sorry, I can’t in good conscience do this when you’ve had too much to drink.” He repeated the words aloud, through clenched teeth, like a vow.

  “I see.” She nodded, and color surged in her cheeks. “Well, yay me for choosing the damn Boy Scout who looks like a porn star.”

  She spun on her boot heel and strode back to the house, opening the sliding glass and slamming it a little too hard. She clearly realized it because she winced and looked momentarily guilty before glaring at him through the glass and then stalking her way upstairs.

  And with a not-quite-steady walk, he thought grimly.

  Shit.

  Thrusting a hand through his hair, he followed after her. He needed to make sure she was okay and met back up with her friend.

  He found Kristen upstairs wandering around the room. She grabbed another red cup full of beer, downed it in a few swallows, and then set it down, coughing.

  If she hadn’t been drunk before, it seemed to be her goal now. Great, he’d set her off. She scowled and looked around the room.

  He lingered back, giving her space but keeping an eye on her. She started walking again, moving in and out of each room, looking more irritated with each passing moment.

  Her friend seemed to be MIA.

  As he watched, Kristen sent a text on her phone and stared at the screen for at least a minute, clearly waiting for a response. Apparently, none came because she shoved it back into her purse, looking more peeved and striding toward the front door.

  His gut twisted, and his blood quickened.

  Blake sprinted after her.

  “Kristen.”

  She paused halfway down the inclined driveway and turned to glance back up at him.

  “Got a problem, Boy Scout?”

  She really needed to stop calling him that. His mouth tightened as he glanced at her hand, looking for keys.

  “I do if you’re planning on driving.”

  Her frown deepened. “No, I’m not driving. I don’t have a car here. Tori drove us, and apparently, she’s taken off and isn’t answering her phone. So…” She shrugged, turned her back on him, and continued down the driveway.

  So? Where the hell was she going? Relief that she wasn’t going to drive sank in even as he jogged to catch up with her. “So, you’re walking?”

  She didn’t even glance at him. “It seems like my best option.”

  “Doubtful.” He kept pace with her. “It’s ten thirty at night—”

  “On a Saturday. There’s plenty of people still out.”

  “Some of these people you don’t want to run into in the daylight, let alone in the dark.”

  “We’re on Capitol Hill. If you think I’ll be snatched up and dragged off to a gay bar, I promise I’ll like it.”

  Despite his concern, a laugh welled in his chest. Cute and funny.

  “It’s the more sinister things I worry about, Kristen. The Pacific Northwest is practically a breeding ground for serial killers.”

  “Wow, you got really dark, really fast. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good serial killer documentary as much as the next girl, but it’s not something I actively worry about every time I step outside.”

  “I’m cautious. You’re a woman out alone in a city that you don’t know that well.” When she started to protest, he added, “Look, I swear I have sisters I’m equally as protective of.”

  She gave a flat laugh and shook her head. “Awesome. From rejecting me to comparing me to your sisters.”

  Was this alcohol-induced logic?

  “Why don’t you let me drive you back to wherever you’re staying?”

  For a moment, she looked tempted. “I’m staying at Tori’s place, but if she’s not there, I don’t want to bug her roommates. I’m fine. The walk will kill some time and sober me up.”

  At least she was admitting she’d had too much to drink, but there was no way he was letting her walk around alone this time of night.

  When she turned to leave, he caught her arm. “Well, kill some time with me.”

  One eyebrow lifted and she gave him a surprised look, and he could practically hear the thoughts in her head. She was wondering if he’d reconsidered the hot and heavy stuff.

  “Are you hungry? We can grab food.”

  “Food.” Her expression slid back to wry amusement. “I’m not really hungry—”

  “Then let’s catch a movie.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you so determined to babysit me?”

  That wasn’t a question he could easily answer. “How is wanting to spend time with a pretty girl called babysitting?”

  She gave a soft laugh. “Fine. Let’s go to a movie. But if I get in your car, you’d better not turn out to be one of those Ted Bundy types you just warned me about.”

  He smiled and led her toward his truck parked down the hill. “You didn’t seem too concerned about that when we were making out back at the party.”

  A quick glance her way showed her cheeks flushing. “There were people within earshot. I would’ve screamed until your eardrums burst.”

  He’d wanted to hear her scream, but not for that reason.

  “Besides, I’m prepared. Smile.”

  When she clicked a pic of him with her phone, then of his license plate, he couldn’t deny she was smarter than he’d given her credit for.

  “See? Those documentaries are good for something. I’m sending this to Tori.”

  “Good.”

  “And my brother who’s a cop.”

  Cop for a brother, huh?

  She smiled, quickly sent the images, and then pocketed her phone. A moment later, she climbed into the front seat of his truck. Climb being the key word. She was definitely on the petite side.

  He settled behind the steering wheel, turned on the engine, and backed out of the driveway.

  “So.” He glanced her way. “What kind of movie are you up for?”

  *

  Kristen stared out the window at the passing trees and narrowed her eyes.

  Usually, she was all about the action flicks, which would probably have made Mr. Hero here all too happy. But because she was still buzzed and grumpy at having her not-so-subtle advances turned down, she decided to have a little fun with him.

  “Hmm. Let’s see. What’s playing?” She paused. “Isn’t there that new Nicholas Sparks movie out?”

  Silence. Complete silence.

  “You know, the one with the cowboy? Or wait, maybe a Dallas Cowboy football player. I’m probably getting them confused.”

  She cast him a sidelong glance when he still didn’t say anything and noted his jaw was hard and there was a gleam of disbelief in his eyes.

  “So? What do you think?”

  “I, uh, haven’t heard of it. What about that epic natural disaster one? The one where—”

  “Oh, I really can’t stand gratuitous violence.” Lie. She loved the hell out of it. “I guess I’m just in the mood for a good romance.”

  “Don’t people usually die in his movies? Is that romantic?” His words were terse, laced now with desperation.

  “Not everybody.” She forced a sigh and rolled her eyes. “Just enough to make you cry and feel things. Oh yeah, and I can’t promise not to use your shirt and super-hard chest to dry my tears.”

  He cast her a sideways look. His gaze had the resigned, fearsome look of an animal caught in a trap. But there was a glimmer of heat she almost missed.

  Maybe she wouldn’t have noticed the interest at all if she hadn’t been so aware of how wonderfully clean and male he smelled.

  Or the way his T-shirt tightened over those giant biceps when he spun the steering wheel to make a turn. Or just how he was hands down the hottest guy she’d even come close to sleeping with.

 

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