His brother snorted and shoved the mound of chips into his mouth. After crunching them into submission, he took a swig of beer. “Whatever.” He let out a low whistle. “Break Beth’s heart and Claire will take you apart bone by bone.”
“Butt out.”
Something had happened at Juanita’s. She’d staked a claim in his subconscious, the smell of her vanilla
perfume had taken up residence in his nostrils, and the look in her eye when she’d taunted him with that line about carnivores and blow jobs haunted him every night.
Chris rammed an elbow into his ribs. “Get ahold of yourself, you're embarrassing me.”
“I won’t break Beth's heart.”
Because right now she was stomping all over his, ignoring his calls and avoiding him like the plague. Even at the party, she shimmied away anytime he came within ten feet.
Enough of being a wuss. He’d led the University of Nebraska to the BCS championship. If he could take on a defensive line packed with three-hundred pounders, what challenge did one amazingly hot woman pose? Sufficiently psyched, he zeroed in on Beth's location and marched forward.
Like a bunny sensing danger, she spotted him while he still had half the room to go. She slid her fingers through her silky brown hair and her gaze flicked from one side of the crowded room to the other, everywhere but on him.
A third of the way there, his cock twitched in recognition of her being near. His fingers itched to strip the white frilly dress away from her brown skin and lick every inch he exposed.
His quarry clutched at the silver chain around her slim neck that dipped between her pert tits and beneath her dress. She couldn't look away from him now. Her lips parted slightly and her pink tongue darted out, licking her bottom lip.
Two steps and he'd be within touching distance.
The worry lines smoothed from her forehead.
His gut lurched.
Damn, she’d figured a way out. Again.
“Hank, there you are,” she greeted him as if she had no idea of all the things he'd like to do to her delectable body. “Sarah Jane was just telling me about her latest scrapbooking project. It's fascinating. I'm sure she could give you some tips for the Layton family tree your mom has you putting together. Why don't you two chat while I circle to make sure everyone has a drink.”
Whippet quick, she dashed away, leaving him no choice but to listen to a half-hour dissertation about the importance of archival-quality paper.
Oh, she was good, but he had time on his side.
Let the hunt begin.
It took Hank exactly fifty-three minutes to get Beth alone. Actually, he stumbled upon her in the hallway completely by accident, but that's not how he'd tell the story years from now.
She stared at a Layton family photo with intensity and a hint of something else that made him pause before his gaze traveled down her long, lean body to the flimsy white heels strapped to her feet. Her dress covered her legs down to her knees, but he had memorized the curve of her thighs years ago.
“I was wondering how long it would take you.”
So tangled up in observation, her words caught him completely off guard. Hell, he needed to work on his stealth skills. “You were timing me?”
“Yep.” She turned, pushed her glasses up her nose and crossed her arms. “You unwound yourself from Sarah Jane Hunihan with record speed.”
Everything about her stance said stay away, except for her slight smile and the undeniable interest twinkling in her brown eyes that her black-rimmed glasses couldn’t hide. Taking a chance, he closed the distance between them, stopping outside of an arm’s reach. He didn't trust himself not to brush the long strand of black hair away from her high cheekbone.
“How long are we going to play this game?”
Her warm brown skin tinged pink at her cheeks. “What game?”
Fuck it. Another step closer and he pushed the rebellious strand back. The air sizzled around them. “The one where I chase and you run.”
A dozen emotions crossed her face in quick succession and her long fingers picked at one of the frills on her neckline. Her lips parted and he zoned in on her sweet mouth, hypnotized by its luscious promise. Electricity sparked between them stronger than a lightning bolt and for a second he thought he'd won her over. Then, the lust in her eyes retreated behind some inner wall.
“Until you realize the ending isn't the one you want.”