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  Good Lord, there they were, standing in Cassie’s kitchen, trading wet, heated kisses like it was the most natural thing in the world for them to do. And the only thing keeping her from jumping his bones and showing him a few other natural things they could be doing was the audience of two behind them.

  A short while later, Brady inched back and licked his lips. Staring down at her, he gave a slow side-to-side shake of his head, his mussed hair falling forward, cloaking his handsome face. Grinning, he gave a needy, not quite satisfied sigh.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. You were right, Megan. No garlic aftertaste.” She could hear the amusement and arousal in his voice.

  With the sweetness of his mouth still lingering on her tongue, and her body still shaking from that mind-numbing kiss, she gasped for her next breath and worked to recover her voice.

  “Nope, just moist panties and tight nipples,” she blurted without thinking.

  Even though she lacked the censor gene, she really needed to curb her outbursts when Brady was around. She stepped back from the circle of his arm.

  His eyes smoldered like hot lava. “Oh, and just so you know, Megan. If you do decide you need me after all, I don’t plan on getting totally naked.”

  When disappointment crossed her face, he gave a soft chuckle. His warm breath caressed her flesh. A shiver traveled all the way down to her pussy. He angled his head, his hands going to his forehead. Thick fingers brushed back tousled hair and gained her attention.

  “I reserve those shows for private,” he added.

  She sucked in air, her mind drifting. Visions of herself locked away in a secluded room with Brady, while he danced and stripped for her, caused her body to flush from head to toe. A strange noise crawled out of her throat, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

  “And, Megan.”

  “Yeah?”

  “When you’re ready for that, you know the number.”

  * * *

  Maneuvering his body to prevent Megan’s friends from seeing his raging hard on, Brady exited through the back door and made his way to his truck. He knew he had to get the hell out of there before he gave in to his lusty urges, dropped to the floor, and dragged Megan down with him, all the while ignoring the fact that they had two sets of curious eyes locked on them.

  Okay, so he had to admit. It was a little bold and presumptuous of him to just kiss Megan like that, right there in the middle of the kitchen floor with her closest friends watching. Not only was it a little presumptuous, it was downright cocky. Megan easily could have pushed him away. By rights she should have. Although he was damned pleased she hadn’t. But hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

  Normally he wasn’t so aggressive, but he wanted to show her that when their lips met, sparks would fly. And indeed they had. He felt the way Megan had responded to his kisses, the way she’d allowed herself to get lost in his touch.

  When he walked into that kitchen and spotted her sitting there, looking as sexy as sin in her untied, loose-fitting pajama bottoms, it was all he could do to control his urges.

  With his cock thickening to the point of pain, he’d fought the compulsion to draw her curvy body to his, to tug her low-slung pants down farther, and drop a kiss on her lush mouth while his hands dipped into her sweet pussy.

  There was nothing he could do, however, to keep his gaze from wandering to the exposed skin at her midriff. Honestly, he’d never met a sexier woman, or hungered for anyone quite the way he hungered for her.

  His mind shifted through all the things he wanted to do to her body, using his hands, his mouth, and his cock. But the first thing he wanted to do was dip his tongue into her sexy belly button and then trail it lower, until he tasted the sweetness between her legs.

  As he negotiated his car into traffic, he afforded himself one more minute to recall the way she’d quivered when he’d pressed his cock into her hip. Fully aware of his arousal, she moved restlessly against him and moaned. The husky desire in her voice had filled him with need, letting him know that she was as wild about him as he was about her.

  Brady’s cock grew another inch just thinking about her now. He shifted uncomfortably in the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel harder.

  He certainly wasn’t about to apologize for ravishing her either, not when they both had enjoyed it so much. And the truth was, he wasn’t nearly done with her. Oh no, not by a long shot. His parting words made it loud and clear that he wanted her, and that he was leaving the ball in her court.

  Like he’d told his buddy Dean just the other day, he was crazy about a woman, and she was crazy about him, too. She just didn’t know it yet.

  Soon enough she would come to him, when she was ready. He just hoped it was sooner, rather than later - because the last week had been agony for him. Total fucking agony. Every time the special phone in the station rang, his pulse leapt in his throat and heat rocketed through him like a runaway freight train. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, Megan had yet to call.

  Since she wasn’t willing to make the first move, Brady was left with no choice. He’d gone to Nick’s house tonight fully intending to give the sexy spitfire a little incentive.

  Fortunately, Megan had presented him with the perfect opportunity to gather her in his arms and cover her fleshy lips with his. Never one to let an opportunity pass, he took full advantage of the situation and kissed her with all the pent-up lust inside him, proving that the chemistry between them was most powerful, and not to be denied.

  Ever since he’d set eyes on her, he knew he wanted to get to know her better, and not just in the bedroom. Over the course of the week, during the wedding rehearsals and intimate gatherings, it became apparent just how much they had in common, just how good they’d be together.

  Unlike the women from his social circle, this small-town girl shared his love of the outdoors, his love of animals, and his love of cooking. Not only was she feisty, and bright, but her quick wit and smart-ass attitude made him laugh.

  With her well-defined body, it wasn’t hard to tell Megan was athletic. Even though she was toned and tight, she was feminine and soft just the same. She had full, round breasts, a nice sway to her hips, and a lush backside that Brady ached to cradle in his palms.

  Now the trick was to convince her to take him for a test drive. Since she’d yet to call the Hot Line, he knew he had his job cut out for him.

  Soon enough, with the right persuasion, she’d come to him, and when she did, he planned on proving to her how good they could be together. Over and over again, if need be.

  Good thing he was a patient man.

  Leaving the ball in Megan’s court, and biding his time until she made the next move, Brady drove to the station. He found Nick playing a game of solitaire at the card table, Jag asleep at Nick’s feet.

  “Hey,” he said to Nick. After petting his dog, Brady dropped into a chair and asked, “How’s it going?”

  Nick glanced up, studied Brady for a moment, and gave a resigned shake of his head. “Not you, too?” He snatched his water bottle from the table and held it to the light. “Jesus, there must be something in the water.”

  Brady grinned. “And here we all thought Dean was the intuitive one in the bunch. Yet he was the only guy who didn’t know he’d fallen, and fallen hard.”

  Nick arched a questioning brow. “Megan, I presume.”

  Brady moistened his bottom lip, the delectable taste of Megan still alive on his tongue. He took a moment to savor her sweetness and scrubbed his hand over his jaw. Her light floral scent lingered on his skin. He inhaled, dragging air into his lungs.

  “None other,” Brady confirmed, working to marshal his arousal.

  Nick angled his head and made a face that suggested Brady had no idea what he was up against. “I think you’ve got your work cut out for you, pal.”

  “I was thinking the same thing.” He paused and asked, “What do you know about her?”

  Nick shuffled the cards and rolled one shoulde
r. “Probably not a lot more than you do. She’s a sous chef, anxious to open her own restaurant, and she’s divorced.”

  Okay, that one took Brady by surprise. “Divorced?” He took a minute to process the information.

  “Yeah, I thought you knew. It was a couple of years ago, and from what I understand, it was a pretty messy breakup. Cassie said Megan hasn’t dated anyone since.”

  Brady paused for a moment to consider that tidbit of information a second longer. As he mulled things over, he had a sudden epiphany. There was no disputing the fact that he wanted Megan and she wanted him. Tonight’s passionate kiss had proven that. Obviously her failed marriage had left her reluctant to get involved with anyone again, or to call the Hot Line for a night of hot, passionate sex.

  Brady nodded his head. “Megan never mentioned it, but it sure explains a lot.”

  “Such as?”

  “Such as…her reluctance to call the Hot Line.”

  Nick laughed and gifted Brady with an amused look. “Maybe you just don’t do it for her, Brady. Have you ever thought of that?”

  Brady tossed him a cocky grin. “See, that’s just it. She needs to call the Hot Line so she can see just how much I can do it for her.”

  Nick snorted and then divvied up the cards. “Cassie did mention something about Megan’s ex being a real asshole. I think the term she used was house hippo, whatever that means. I guess after the honeymoon stage he turned into a complete jerk, expecting Megan to cater to his every whim. My guess is he destroyed her belief in happily ever after.” Nick shrugged. “It’s obvious she doesn’t want to find herself in that situation again.”

  A burst of anger shot through Brady. “Asshole,” he said under his breath.

  He stared at his cards and took another moment to sort through matters. No doubt after her disastrous relationship, Megan had lumped all men into the same category - lazy guys who wanted to be catered to. He fisted his hands, his blood burning hot. To think her ex would treat her like that infuriated him. A smart, sexy woman like Megan deserved a hell of a lot better. She deserved someone who would appreciate her. He wanted to be the one to show her that.

  His mind raced, crafting a plan to prove he cared about her and her needs – a plan that would also show her he was nothing like her ex. As he settled on the perfect solution, his heart beat in a mad cadence, eager to put his idea into motion.

  He knew exactly what he had to do.

  He’d cater to her every whim.

  The minute he got her alone, he planned on addressing her every desire, her every fantasy, taking his time to pleasure her like she’d never been pleasured before.

  His muscles began to vibrate as he pictured her naked body spread out on his bed, his mouth on her lips, her breast, her clit as his hands traced the pattern of her curves. His cock probing her drenched opening until she begged him to take her, over and over again. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his dick clamoring to do just that.

  When morning came, he’d cater to all her other needs. He’d run her a warm bath and serve her breakfast in bed, followed by a round of dessert, if she was so inclined.

  “Jesus,” he murmured under his breath, his cock swelling to the point of no return.

  Needing to release some tension, he tossed his cards down, climbed from his chair, and grabbed his basketball from his locker. “How about a game of twenty-one?”

  Fuck, he needed something to occupy his hands until Megan’s call came in. Then again, maybe letting off some steam in a hot shower might help him make it through the next few hours. Because if she didn’t call soon, he was going to go off like a goddamn grenade.

  Chapter Two

  With Jenna and Sara off on their dates, and Nick at work, Cassie and Megan were the only two left at home. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on whom you were asking, they’d managed to track down an exotic dancer for Thursday night’s show. Megan could certainly understand why Cassie had no desire to see Nick’s best man naked. But, damn, what about Megan’s desires? Talk about a blown opportunity. How the hell was she going to get a glimpse of Brady’s gorgeous, well-toned body now?

  By calling the Hot Line, of course.

  Megan was yawning and thinking about making her way to bed early when Cassie poked her head into the kitchen. “I have to head over to the station for a minute. Want to come?”

  Megan shrugged, no longer tired. Clearly the thought of glimpsing Brady decked out in his firefighter gear had given her a second wind. She tried to keep the enthusiasm from her voice. “Sure. Why not? I have no other plans.” She waved her hand. “Plus I’d love to see Brady’s dog, Jag,” she said breezily.

  Cassie shot her a knowing look, then rolled her eyes heavenward. “Jag? Oh please, Megan. You’re as transparent as cling wrap.”

  Megan scoffed and shrugged her shoulders. “What? I like animals,” she said, unable to keep the maniacal grin from her face. Not only had she been born without the censor gene, but she’d also been born without the cloaking gene. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

  “Just give me a sec to get freshened up.” Megan took a quick minute to splash on some makeup and fluff her short blond hair. After changing out of her pajamas and into a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved blouse, she met Cassie at the door.

  Once they were on the highway, Megan turned to Cassie, curiosity getting the better of her. “So what’s Brady’s story, anyway?”

  Cassie took a sip of cola and put it back into the dash tray. “He’s one of the nice guys, Megan.” She angled her head and met Megan’s glance. “And, as you and I both know, those nice guys are few and far between.”

  Megan chewed on that bit of information for a minute. So Brady was hot and nice. What a lethal combination - a combination that would attract a lot of women, no doubt. For a minute she wondered if he had his own harem - or if he was a regular participant in the Hot Line. Not that it mattered to her. It didn’t. Because what he did in his free time was none of her business. But still…

  “What does he do for fun?” Megan asked.

  “Well, he loves to cook, loves animals, and loves the outdoors. The four guys often take off on the weekends. They either go fishing, you’ve already heard Mitch’s fish tales,” she chuckled and continued, “or they go mountain biking. Sometimes in the winter they go snowmobiling. Brady has a cottage just north of us.”

  Megan pursed her lips. Sounded like fun. Her kind of fun. “Hmmp, he sounds too good to be true, Cassie.”

  “Maybe. I guess you’ll have to find that out for yourself.”

  Maybe she would.

  Or not.

  Megan mumbled under her breath. “He probably has his mother down in the deep freeze.”

  Cassie laughed out loud. “Such a pessimistic attitude.”

  Megan flashed a smile and folded her arms across her chest. “That is not a pessimistic attitude, by any means. That is an ‘I don’t want to have my ass frozen in anyone’s deep freeze’ attitude.”

  Cassie chuckled. After a quiet moment she said, “Look Megan. I’m not going to tell you what to do, you’re a grown woman. I do know what you’ve been through with your ex though, and trust me, not all men turn out to be assholes like him. Maybe you should give Brady a chance.” She gave Megan a wink and lightened the mood. “He sure seems to want it.”

  With that advice, Megan turned her attention to the radio and flicked through the stations. A short while later, Cassie pulled her compact Honda into the parking lot at the station. When Cassie spotted Nick playing ball outside the big garage doors, a warm loving smile crossed her face. “He’s one of the good guys, too, Megan.”

  Megan’s heart turned over in her chest when she saw the love shining in Cassie’s eyes.

  “So are Mitch and Dean,” Cassie added. “They’re a family. A brotherhood. Where they all look out for each other.”

  A wide smile crossed Nick’s face as he waved to Cassie and made his way to the car. They
were so obviously perfect for each other. Megan felt a pang of envy. She once thought she had fairy tale love like that. But look how that “happily-ever-after” had turned out.

  But still, just because she had no intention of walking down the aisle again, it didn’t mean she wasn’t up for a hot roll in the hay with a sexy firefighter.

  Her gaze drifted to the basketball net in time to see Brady – a bare-chested Brady, that is – go in for a lay up.

  Her thoughts careened off track.

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  Her libido jumped as if it had just struck gold.

  As she took in his broad shoulders, sculpted muscles, and rock hard abs, she had to roll her tongue back into her mouth.

  O-kay…this was way better than seeing him in his firefighter gear. Waaayyyy better. Now how could she go about getting him to remove those low slung jeans?

  By calling the Hot Line, she knew.

  Allrighty then…

  Brady tucked the ball under his arm and started toward her. The floodlights overhead bathed the parking lot in a fluorescent glow, providing sufficient light for her to see the moisture glistening on his bronzed skin. His long legs ate up the cement walkway in record time. Talk about eye candy, she mused. The kind she’d like to pop in her mouth and savor until sunup. A week from Thursday.

  Gaze riveted, Megan watched his hair billow in the summer breeze. With long, even strides, he moved across the parking lot, his body exuding the confidence of a man who knew what he wanted and how to get it.

  He scrubbed a palm over the bristles on his chin. “Mmmm…” Megan moaned and shifted her stance. Moisture pooled in her panties. Brady was pure carnal delight. He did the most interesting things to her libido. She flushed from the top of her head right down to the tips of her toes just from looking at him. For a moment she wondered if her blond hair had turned fiery red from heat and desire.

  “Why don’t you take Nick’s place and go shoot a few baskets with Brady?” Cassie said. “I have to steal him away for a few minutes.”