Baiting the Maid of Honor (Wedding Dare #2)(7)

She prowled down the hallway with renewed determination. A full-grown woman feeling guilty about good old-fashioned sex. Just plain pitiful. That’s all it would be. Two consenting adults blowing off a little steam.

Her head dropped forward as she failed to convince herself. If she’d been comfortable with the notion of casual sex, she would have come right out and asked Logan for it in the lounge, instead of skulking around the resort like some kind of cartoon robber. She’d never been good at this sort of thing. After consuming a bottle of champagne, the idea of sneaking in and out of Logan’s room, remaining hidden in the dark during the entire physical transaction, had seemed like a genius plan. No small talk or awkward attempts at seduction. She wouldn’t have to worry about which way to tilt her head or if she was smiling too much. In the dark, none of that would matter. She’d been so sure of her strategy, but now that the moment grew near, she felt her courage waning.

Well, that was half the reason for her hesitation, anyway.

The other half stood approximately six foot three inches tall and oozed irreverence from every pore. Reed. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her once in the lounge, except to address Regan. She’d liked being the center of his attention. Which didn’t make a darn lick of sense. Their acquaintance so far had been brief, but she was certain of one thing.

She didn’t like him. With the thought came another uneasy glance over her shoulder.

Julie would be the first to admit her life had been easy. She’d grown up privileged and given many advantages. Throughout her life, she’d encountered the look permanently etched on Reed’s face. Disdain. Mockery. He probably assumed he kept every thought hidden, but she could read him like a book. This entire wedding and all its frippery was an inconvenience to him and for some reason, he’d decided to make her the source of his annoyance.

Yet here she stood outside Logan’s door, thinking about Reed instead. All the more reason to knock on Logan’s door and put the giant bastard out of her mind. Involuntarily, she winced at thinking the word “bastard,” even if she hadn’t said it out loud. Her Aunt Sylvie would skin her alive for having such an unladylike thought. Tomorrow she would try to find Reed’s silver lining, Julie resolved with a nod. No sense in holding on to any hostility when she was determined to relax and enjoy the weekend with her rarely seen friends. If she felt any attraction for him, well, that would end tonight. Once she seduced another man in the dark…without any discussion beforehand, Reed would be out of her head. She just needed to go on in and have the sex.

Julie glanced down at the key in her palm, which she’d squeezed so hard, it had left an imprint. Stop being a coward. You’re a good girl every second of your boring life. You wanted to step outside your comfort zone? Here is your opportunity. With a fortifying breath, she slid the key into the lock. Then she hesitated. Did she want to do this? Obnoxiously, Reed’s image swam through her mind once more. It wouldn’t be right, would it? To seduce one man while thinking of another? She started to remove the key, but the door swung open.

A big hand snaked out through the opening and pulled her inside. Before she could utter a single word, the door slammed shut and her back hit the hard wood. In a split second, she’d gone from the bright hallway to complete darkness and it took her a moment to get her bearings. The quick movement made the champagne in her system kick up a bigger fuss than two grannies competing in an apple pie bake-off.

As she attempted to steady herself, she felt warm hands circle her bare ankles. At once, awareness raced up her calves and weakened her knees. Her breath hitched in her throat as those hands stroked higher up the backs of her legs, fingers dragging lightly on her skin and shooting lightning to her core. Higher, until they reached her thighs, which were already flexing in anticipation. Then she felt damp pressure trail over the inside of her knee. A mouth? When the unmistakable sensation of a tongue licked over the flesh of her inner thigh, she slumped back onto the door with a breathy moan.

Briefly, she wondered why this felt so right, when seconds ago, the idea of being with Logan had felt infinitely wrong. Rational thought fled as seeking, greedy hands followed the tongue’s path, kneading and smoothing as they went. They could have only one destination. She needed to be touched there so badly, she ached beyond the barrier of her panties, where she’d grown increasingly wet. Julie’s thighs began to part when it registered how fast they were moving. How, in mere seconds, she’d gone from seducer to seduced. Before the door opened, she’d had every intention of backing out, yet now this man’s touch had transformed her into a willing participant. His roughness felt unfamiliar, but her body responded as though it had been…expecting this kind of treatment from someone.

Just not from Logan.

From Reed, though…yes. Her heartbeat accelerated as the hands, the mouth on her legs became his. Oh, God. Lust twisted in her belly. A man like Reed would move fast, give her one choice only. To receive pleasure. She shouldn’t like it. Shouldn’t need it. And this wasn’t Reed touching her, it was Logan. Logan. Confusion shone through the growing need. They needed to slow down so she could figure out where it was coming from.

She stayed his ascending hand with her own. “W-wait. Aren’t you going to…”

His growl of frustration vibrated against her thigh and she sucked in a breath. Julie’s brow furrowed as she heard the noise. A noise so unlike the congenial best man. Was it possible she’d misjudged him? She thought they were two like-minded people, interested in polite, tidy sex, but maybe she’d been mistaken. That’s what she got for judging a book by its cover. Once again, an image of Reed popped into her mind, but she determinedly stowed it away.