No Weddings (No Weddings #1)(44)

Well, if my females wanted to play with fire, they deserved all the heat they got from me.

By the time I reached the group that seemed intent on testing my limits, I’d gone DEFCON 1. With my hands clenched into fists at my sides, I didn’t touch Hannah. Didn’t trust myself to not throw her over my shoulder and run off, hiding her from all the men present…on the planet.

Yep. This was what women did to men. They brought out the caveman in our species.

I did nothing to restrain the fury in my voice. “What are you doing here?”

Innocent eyes blinked up at me, growing wider as she sensed my rage. A warning bell fired off somewhere inside my head, but it was drowned out by the rush of blood pounding past my ears.

She stepped closer, whispering between us as she gazed up with sparkling eyes. “I missed you, Cade. I couldn’t go all night without seeing you.”

Her soft words and sweet expression caused hairline fractures in my steel bravado. I pinched my eyes shut, taking a deep breath and counting to three. When I opened them, I scanned the faces of my three sisters. They all stood behind Hannah, expressions anything but innocent.

I growled, scowling at them. A stunt like this was classic Michaelson-Three harassment. Parade around the one sex kitten Cade couldn’t have in front of him. Sisterly torture at its finest.

Only they had no idea Hannah and I were several steps ahead of them.

A twinge of guilt panged through me at deceiving them, at breaking my promise to them, hell, at fraternizing—the very thing I’d just been bitching about with regard to Cherise and Kyle.

My sisters’ smug expressions obliterated any remorse I might’ve felt.

Holding my patience on a tight leash, I stared down at Hannah. “If you want to stay, if you want me to live through the night, I need you to come with me.” I took her hand as her smile widened.

Okay. She was forgiven.

I looked back at the she-demons, glaring fiery daggers at them. They were not.

On my way back, the crush of the crowd forced us off to the side. I led the way, keeping a tight hold of Hannah’s hand behind me as we crossed the room to my end of the bar. With no empty barstools, I did the only thing I could.

Turning to the two ladies warming the stools on the end, I addressed them. “I need your seats, ladies. How about a round on me?”

Their eyes brightened, and they nodded.

I looked at the sugar-frosted martini glasses with only an inch of yellow liquid remaining. “Lemon drops?”

“Yep. Two, please.”

“Comin’ right up. Give me just a minute.”

They moved off their leather seats, stepping off to the side, and I led Hannah to the stool on the end. As she scooted her ass back onto the seat, my eyes drifted down to the bottom of the slinky black dress she wore.

“Jesus Christ, Hannah. You weren’t kidding about that skirt. You better be wearing something under that.” I forcibly swiveled her body toward the bar, so the only thing that would have a view beneath that dress was rusty metal sheeting.

Her eyes twinkled. “I sure am.”

Great. Now my imagination ran the gamut of possibilities. I dropped my lips to her ear. “Something tiny, I hope.”

She turned her head, her lips brushing against the shell of my ear. A shiver traveled down my spine. “Very.”

Taking a deep breath, I pulled back, staring into eyes that had turned a dark emerald. “You look amazing.”

She blushed. “Thank you. It’s all for you.”

I arched a brow. “No it’s not. You’re here displaying your sexy-as-f*ck body for all to see and enjoy. Please. Protect me and stay here. That way I don’t have to pummel any man stupid enough to touch you. Or look at you.”

She cocked her head, laughing at my words, unaware of the incredible restraint in my tone. But she nodded, sparing me from having an aneurism right in front of her.

“You and I are so going to have a talk later about the birds and the bees.”

On a single coughed laugh, she shook her head. “I’ve already gone way past that talk.”

I leaned in fast, causing her to startle backward to avoid a banging collision of foreheads. “You need a refresher.”

She scrunched her face at me in an adorable way.

I pointed a stern finger, glaring at her. “I’m watching you.”

“That’s the idea.” She smirked.

“Fuck, woman. I’m beginning to think you need a spanking more than a talk.”

Interest glittered in her eyes as she inhaled slowly.

“Orders are backing up! You coming back, Cade?” Lisa’s distress call splashed ice water on the heated flirting.

“Don’t move.” I stared hard at Hannah.

“I promise to not even go pee without your permission.”

I nodded, satisfied. “What’ll you have?”

Her gaze traveled to the empty glasses of the two other girls. “Those looked good.”

“Three lemon drops, coming up.”

In the ninety seconds it took me to sugar dust the rims and mix the three drinks, Hannah had not only involved herself in a laughter-filled conversation with the girls whose place she’d taken, but had also been surrounded by my sisters.

As I slid the three drinks in front of Hannah and her new friends, I shot another frosty glare at my sisters. They’d caused this clusterf*ck to happen. All my life, they’d made it their mission to cause me strife anytime opportunity presented.