Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men #9)(3)

And yet she was an irresistible challenge to idiots like me. Not just because she was model-worthy stunning, which she was. Nothing on her was ever out of place. But because her flawlessness always struck me with the urge to mess her up…in the best ways possible. I felt the need to be the exception to the rule, the one who got past her defenses and scaled that impossible mountain of poise and perfection.

“Fuck,” Brandt groaned.

I glanced at him, forcing my brain back to the problem at hand, that being Julianna and her inability to take her eyes off my newly married brother.

“Hasn’t it been months since you and she were over?” I asked, confused.

He sent me a sharp glance. “Over? We never started. There’s nothing to be over. Juli and I didn’t even finish the one date we went on.”

Asher sniffed. “Well, it looks as if she’s still willing to finish it.”

“Dammit.” Brandt glanced toward his wife. “I hope Sarah doesn’t see her watching me. I don’t want anything upsetting her on our wedding day.”

Asher shook his head. “So, why’d you even invite Juli?”

“I work with her.” Brandt moodily tugged at the collar of his tux.

It seemed odd to me that someone so classically beautiful worked in a nightclub as a bartender. To me, Julianna clearly belonged on a runway, displaying the latest fashion, or—

“It would’ve been strange to invite everyone else from the club and leave her out. Besides, we’re still friends. She’s probably my favorite coworker.”

“Hey,” Asher muttered, offended since he occasionally bartended at the Forbidden Nightclub with Brandt too.

Brandt rolled his eyes. “You don’t count.”

But that only seemed to confuse Asher more. “Why don’t I count?”

Ignoring him, Brandt brought his hand up to his mouth so he could chew on his thumbnail. “We need to distract her somehow. Someone needs to...” Trailing off, he turned slowly toward me, and the intent in his gaze was pretty damn clear.

I paused mid-sip. “Wait, what? You can’t possibly want me to distract her?”

“You’re the one who’s always flirting with her,” he hissed.

“Because she hates it,” I muttered right back. “It’s fun to piss her off and watch her blood pressure boil.” And seriously, it was. Knowing I could make such a flawlessly controlled woman like her come unhinged was an adrenaline rush every time.

On any other night, I would’ve loved nothing better than to go bug her and watch her lose her shit. I always felt the need to flirt and smile at her every chance I got. But the truth was I don’t think anyone had ever hated my personable, charming personality or adorable grin as much as she did. And tonight was not a good night for me to take on that kind of abuse. I needed a pick-me-up, so I had other plans, like hot wedding hookups and complete, drunken misbehavior.

Babysitting my brother’s not-even-ex was not on the agenda.

Brandt didn’t seem to care. “Then go piss her off like you do. Just...anything to keep her attention away from me. Shit, I thought she was over me. She said that ship had sailed. Doesn’t that mean the woman’s lost interest?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, you moron. It means she’s trying to save face and make you think she’s lost interest because she knows you already have. Jesus, it’s like you don’t understand women at all.”

“Shut up, *.” He smacked me on the back of the head. “I understand Sarah, and that’s all I need to understand. Now go over there and make Juli forget I even exist.”

I glanced longingly at the opposite side of the room. “But I was going to try to hook up with Remy’s cousin Carmen tonight.”

“What the f*ck ever. You don’t stand a chance with Carmen. Go talk to Juli.”

“And you think I have a chance with Juli?” I snorted.

When pigs flew. If she were a five-star restaurant, then I would’ve been that questionable hot dog stand out back, manned by the greasy dude with sweaty armpits.

“Dude.” Asher shook his head. “You don’t have a chance with either.”

This time it was my turn to say the affronted, “Hey.”

Yes, I was offended, even if it was true.

Brandt sighed. “You’re not trying to score with Juli, dipshit. You’re just keeping her company so she’ll stop staring at me.” When I wrinkled my nose at such a task, my brother grabbed me by the lapels of my jacket and jerked me right up into his face. “Do you want your new sister-in-law starting her marriage with any kind of self-doubt, especially when there is no reason for her to have any?”

Groaning at his over-dramatization, I rolled my eyes. “Sarah knows better.”

“Yes, she does. But I still don’t want to take a chance of anything upsetting her. Anything, got it? Now get your ass over there.” He let me go hard enough that I tripped away from him in Julianna’s direction. I had been going to go, anyway, but then he added, “You owe me.”

Well, shit.

I gulped and nodded before lowering my gaze.

“Fine. All right, I’m going.” I backed away from him, my hands held up in surrender.

I owed Brandt a hell of a lot more than distracting a pretty girl for him. But when I turned away to stalk toward Juli, I paused, nauseous from the whole you-owe-me thing.