So did Christine. But it wouldn’t be with a groomsman, thank you very much.
As Julie and Regan sparred back and forth about the best man to pick, Christine tightened her fists in her lap, opening and closing them reflexively. She wouldn’t look. She would not look. Not until she was good and ready.
She scratched her head and without even realizing her intention…she did one of those “not looking” things where you peek over your shoulder nonchalantly as if you’re just curious about your surroundings and not looking for someone.
And she, of freaking course, looked straight at Tyler.
When she glanced back, her gaze latched onto Tyler’s within seconds. Oh my God, had he been watching her? As soon as their eyes locked, he winked at her. Hot damn, he looked good. Way too good. He wore the same suit he’d had on earlier, but if anything he looked even hotter. More irresistible than ever.
Same brown hair. Same green eyes. Same devastating effect on her senses.
She turned around, her pulse leaping at the eye contact. Holy crap. She was so screwed…and not in the literal sense. Why had she looked? More importantly, why had she glanced away like a scared little rabbit when she had? She wasn’t supposed to be nervous.
Bold. Confident. Free.
That was her.
She peeked over her shoulder again. He still watched her with a heat level in his eyes that made her toes curl in her red stilettos and her breath whoosh out of her lungs. This time, she didn’t back down. She held his gaze for so long she couldn’t believe her heart didn’t jump out of her chest like in those cartoons.
And this time? He broke the gaze first.
But the way he’d looked at her? Oh my God. It made her want.
“Looks like Julie’s made her pick.” Regan said while filling up her glass. “You sure about that one? He is tall, troubled, and dangerously sexy. Not your usual type.” She paused. “Although maybe he’s exactly what you need.”
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**king 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.