Falling for the Groomsman (Wedding Dare, #1)(5)

Forcing her attention back to the girls, Christine ignored the urge to look at him again. Tyler’s name had come into play again as a potential target. This was ridiculous. What was even more ridiculous? She wanted to publicly claim Tyler just so no one else would. “I agree. He’s definitely the one you should pick, Julie. So that’s settled, right? I vote for a topic change.”

Regan and Julie exchanged glances. “No. It’s not settled,” Julie said as her gaze moved over the men. She lingered on a smiling black-haired man with an athletic build. “That one. Logan. Best man, so he’s obviously trustworthy. I’ll take him.” Colton’s sister, Sophie, choked on her sip of champagne. Julie reached over and patted her on the back. “All right, darlin’?”

“Never better.”

Regan nodded. “Driven, successful, total package. I can see why you’d want to go there. Wish I’d called dibs first, actually.”

“You guys aren’t really picking out conquests, right?” Christine asked, her mind still locked on the idea of claiming Tyler. “Can’t we just have a fun, relaxing girls’ weekend?”

“If you had the equipment, I’d consider it.” Regan waggled her eyebrows as she sipped her drink, then took in the men one more time. “All right, I’m staying away from Mister Danger.”

Christine easily located the groomsman Regan commented on. He glowered off into the distance, looking as approachable as an angry rattlesnake.

“Julie’s got her sights set on the best man.”

Ah, yes, the one who looked as if he belonged on a yacht or something else equally expensive.

“That leaves me with Kady’s big bro. I’ve always found him to be the sweet, strong, silent type.”

No. Just…no. “I don’t think he’s sweet at all,” Christine blurted out.

Crap.

“In that case, I’m definitely going with Tyler,” Regan said, her eyes on Christine. “I think he’s got a certain je ne sais quoi. Sophie? You getting in on this?”

Sophie’s reply was lost on Christine. As was the rest of the conversation.

Regan was going after Tyler, and Christine had no doubt in her mind she could succeed without a whole lot of effort. She’d bet her last dollar that with Regan, Tyler wouldn’t apologize afterward. He wouldn’t regret a darn thing. But would Regan actually go after him? She had always been uncannily adept at reading between the lines, and right now Christine was screaming to stay away from him…

Between the lines, of course.

She shoved her chair back from the table with shaking hands. She wobbled on her feet, trying to keep her balance. The last thing she needed right now was to fall face-first onto the floor. “I-I need some air. I can’t breathe in here.”

Regan reached out and grabbed her elbow. “How much did you drink?”

“Apparently not enough.” Christine offered her a smile. “But I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“You know I was just messing—”

“I know,” Christine said, stumbling away and beelining for the door. Wait. Was Regan saying she knew about Christine and Tyler? But she couldn’t. “W-We’ll talk later.”

Regan let her go, but she watched her with a furrowed brow. Even though Christine knew she was worried, she couldn’t take the time to reassure her right now. She needed to get out, escape Tyler’s overwhelming presence, and start using her spicy romance novel tricks—such as going down on a guy in public—on someone who didn’t make her heart involuntarily stop and her toes curl.





Chapter Three


Tyler ran a hand through his hair and rocked back on his heels, trying his damned best to ignore Christine. The fact that he could feel her eyes on him was not a good sign of how this week was going to go. Not that it came as much of a surprise. He’d spent the last eight years trying to drown himself in his work and in saving the world, one bloody surgery at a time.

It was kind of his thing, taking care of people. He was good at it, too.

But seeing her was hauling his ass back to the time he went down to Mexico with his sister and her friends. Back to the time when he’d taken advantage of the shy but fiery redhead, then ran from her afterward. That? Not so f*cking good of him.

She’d been gorgeous, lonely, and grief-stricken. He’d wanted to help her. Heal her. If he’d known she was untouched, he never would have touched her. He shouldn’t have in the first place, but the whole virgin thing had just been the icing on top of the huge portion of guilt cake he’d been served.

The girls had been eighteen, and in their first year of college. That in and of itself was asking for trouble. He’d been fresh out of med school about to embark on a crazy adventure with Doctors Without Borders. The vacation had been a great chance to get some downtime before his departure, keep an eye on the girls, and spend some time with his sister before he left.

But when Christine had slipped away from the group on the last night, he’d followed her to make sure she was okay. He’d found her alone, sobbing and struggling to open her hotel door, and he hadn’t hesitated. Hadn’t thought. He’d just pulled her into his arms to comfort her. Though his intention had been to offer her a shoulder and dry her tears—maybe say something witty to bring out the smile he’d come to treasure so damn much—she’d looked up at him with those wide blue eyes and he’d…just f*cking broken.