God, her saying my name like that stabbed straight to my guts. I would give anything to get her to say my name again, and again. My insides convulsed in knots. I took a step toward her.
At that moment, Charlie’s voice interrupted me. “Hey, man. I thought I asked you to spot me on a game of Quarters, but you keep running off. What’s going on?”
I turned to answer. Quick as a wink, Victoria darted around me. “Gotta go. See ya later. Have fun with your game.”
I kicked myself, but I couldn’t show Charlie any annoyance. “Can’t it wait, just for a second?”
Charlie stiffened in the doorway. “What’s going on with you, buddy? Every time I turn around, you’re working in on my sister. What’s the big deal?”
I waved my hand. What was the point? She was already long gone. “I’m just trying to talk to her, but she keeps giving me the slip. I haven’t seen her in seven years. I just want to touch base with her, you know?”
Charlie took my arm. “She’s busy. You know how all this bride’s stuff is. Come and have some fun. That’s what we’re here for. You can catch up with her anytime.”
I shook my head. “Sorry, man. I’ll be back with you as soon as I can, but there’s something I gotta do right now. It’s important.”
Charlie frowned. “What could be more important right now?”
I got away from him as fast as I could. He would never understand about Victoria and me. That little tidbit could destroy our friendship worse than seven years of not talking to each other, but I couldn’t let her slip
away from me again. Now that I had her in my sight, I couldn’t let her go.
I raced down the hall, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. Brightly colored dresses glinted in the lights outside the windows. Car doors slammed, and women laughed. Motors roared, and the cars drove out of the driveway. She couldn’t be gone already. She couldn’t.
Then I saw her heading for the closet in her uncle’s office. That’s where everybody hung their coats when they first came in. Her leg flashed under her dress going through the door. Now was my chance.
I darted into the office. It wasn’t much more than a closet itself, with a desk at the far end and coats draped everywhere. They hung on hangers from the curtain rod and piled the desk and chair. I took one step into the room, shut the door, and locked it behind me.
6
Victoria
I spun around when I heard the lock click to find Brady standing right behind me. He stood so close the seething power radiated from him. How did I think I could ever avoid him? His fingers, those magical fingers, trailed off the doorknob when he took a step toward me. He towered over me in all his massive bulk.
He glanced down at my mouth, and the air stuck in my lungs. I couldn’t breathe when he looked at me like that, when he glided toward me on a cushion of masculine energy. He murmured low. “Put your coat down.”
I did my best to smile. “I told you I have to go. I have to help Mandy.”
“Mandy has plenty of people to help her. You’re not going anywhere.”
I opened my mouth to argue back, but my cheeks burned so hot I couldn’t form the words. He stood so close, so impossibly close. If he moved any closer, he would be right on top of me.
He breathed into my face. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. When I got the invitation, all I could think about was seeing you again.”
“Brady...” I stammered.
His midsection contracted the way it used to when I used to touch him in sensitive places. His voice grated through his gritted teeth. “Say it again. Say my name again.”
He couldn’t mean it. He couldn’t think we were going to do it...right here in my uncle’s office.
He took one last step, and his hard chest came up against my cleavage—the cleavage I worked so hard to prepare for him. He smashed me back against the wall and crushed me under his weight. He pressed the air out of my lungs. I would have cried out if I could get my breath at all.
Before I could respond, his lips closed over my mouth. His hot skin touched off a chain reaction. The squirrely melty sensation of him cascaded down my body to in between my legs. My insides went all wet and squishy at the touch of those lips on mine.
Oh, God, I felt myself falling into his dominating presence. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t resist it, but I didn’t want to. I needed this. All these long, lonely years, I wanted him, and he wasn’t there. Now he was here, and I couldn’t walk away. I couldn’t live without this another day.
He sensed my reserve collapsing. His big arms wound around my ribs and lifted me off the floor, so my feet dangled in the air. He hugged my waist against him so hard I couldn’t stand it, but I screamed inside myself, Yes! God, yes! I waited so long for this moment; I wouldn’t let it slip away. If he wanted me again, I would accept it.
Already his hard cock poked my sensitive tissues through my dress. He was just as hard and dangerous as he ever was. His muscles strained under his jacket. He smoldered and burned with raging power and passion.