Truly, Madly, Whiskey(94)
I SHOULDN’T HAVE come to this wedding. Faith checked her watch for the hundredth time that evening. She’d told herself she had to stay for an hour after dinner. That was the respectable thing to do at her boss’s wedding, even though she’d rather leave right this very second. Work obligations outside of the office were uncomfortable enough, but now she was not only surrounded by people she barely knew, but her stupid hormones were doing some sort of I Want Sam Braden dance. God, she hated herself right now. Look at him, getting all handsy with the town flirt. He’d been dancing all night with every other woman in the place. They practically lined up to be near him. Why shouldn’t they? He was not only nice to everyone, but he was tall, dark, and distractingly handsome. The kind of handsome that made smart girls like Faith forget the alphabet. His arm was the most coveted spot in all of Peaceful Harbor, and damn it to hell, she did not want to be there.
Too badly.
I seriously need to dive into a tequila bottle. Or leave. Since driving home after drinking a bottle of tequila posed issues, she decided leaving was a better option.
She had the perfect excuse to cut out a little early, too. She was hosting a car wash tomorrow to raise funds for WAC, Women Against Cheaters, an online support group she’d started for women who had been cheated on.
By guys like Sam.
Sam glanced up and—Oh God, shoot me now—caught her staring. Again. She turned away, hoping he hadn’t really noticed, even though his eyes were like laser beams burning a hole in her back. Of course he saw her. How could he not? She was practically drooling over him. She didn’t want to have this stupid crush on the man who, if she believed the rumors, had slept with most of the women in Peaceful Harbor. If she took away his devastatingly good looks, he was the exact opposite of the type of man she wanted or needed.
Unable to resist, she stole another glance, and like every other set of female eyes in the place that weren’t related to him, she was drawn in like a fly to butter. He was gorgeous. Manly. Rugged. And that smile. Lordy, Lordy. She fanned her face. His smile alone caused her toes to curl. All the Bradens were good-looking, but there was something edgy and enigmatic about Sam. Dangerous.
Too dangerous for her, which was okay, because she didn’t really want him. Not in the try to keep him sense. A man like Sam couldn’t be kept, and she wasn’t about to be the idiot who tried. She’d be happy with leering and lusting, and pretending she wasn’t.
Except, oh shit, he was coming over. He moved across the dance floor like he owned the place, confident, determined, focused, leaving the blonde, and a dozen other women, staring after him. If looks had powers beyond the ability to weaken Faith’s knees, Sam would have eaten her up before he even reached her. His dark eyes were narrow, seductive, and shimmering with wickedness. His broad shoulders looked even wider, more powerful, beneath his expensive tuxedo. The top buttons of his shirt were open, giving her a glimpse of his tanned skin and a dusting of chest hair. He looked like he should be lounging on a couch with women fawning over him. Godlike.
Godlike? I am pathetic.
Faith was not a meek woman without a man in her life. She was single by choice, thank you very much. She stunk at choosing men, and besides that…men sucked. They cheated, they lied, and eventually they all tried to put the blame back on her. Ever since JJ, her last boyfriend, made good on the unspoken All Men Must Cheat promise their gender seemed to live by, she’d confined her dating pool to include only boring, slightly nerdy men.
“Faith.”
Sam’s deep voice washed over her skin and nestled into her memory bank for later when she was alone in her bed, thinking about him. She hated that, too. Why, oh, why, did he have to be a player? Couldn’t he be like his brothers Cole and Nate? Loyal to the end of time?
He touched her arm, burning her skin.
“Oh. Hi, Sam.” That sounded casual, right? He was so big, standing this close, and he smelled like man and sunshine and heat all wrapped up in one big delicious package.
Great. Now I’m thinking of your package.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Yes. No! Stick to your boring-man rule, Faith.
Sam was anything but boring, taking every outdoor risk known to man and out carousing every night of the week. Nope, she wanted no part of that.
“No, thanks.” She sipped her drink, wishing it were tequila instead of Jack and Coke. Wishing she were home instead of standing beside the human heat wave.
His brows knitted. “You sure? I haven’t seen you on the dance floor all night.”
“Have you run out of girls already?” Holy Jesus, did I say that out loud?
An easy smile spread across his face, like he wasn’t offended, but…amused? He looked around the room and said, “No, actually. There are a few I haven’t danced with.” Those chocolate eyes focused on her again. “But I want to dance with you.”
She downed her drink to keep the word Okay from slipping out and set the empty glass on the bar. “Thanks, but I’m actually getting ready to leave.”
“Now, that would be a shame.” His eyes dragged slowly down her body, making her feel vulnerable and naked.
Naked with Sam Braden. Her entire body flamed, and he must have noticed, because his eyes turned midnight black.
“You look incredibly beautiful tonight, and it’s Cole and Leesa’s big day. You should stick around.” He leaned in a little closer. “And dance with me.”