No Dress Required

chapter one

“Get out of the car, dammit!”

Noelle Gregory stared at the leather covered finger pointing at her through the open car

window. Where had the day gone wrong? A sunny December afternoon in Ohio was
something to be cherished and enjoyed. She’d been doing just that, until she’d stopped at
a deserted intersection four flipping blocks from her apartment and looked up to see a
scruffy guy glowering down at her with his so-not-a-gun pointed her way.

The sun had tricked her into pretending it was spring. Really tricked her since, now, it

looked like it might snow at any second. Which probably wasn’t the most important
consideration.

“I can’t give you my car. It’s practically brand new,” she said, realizing a second too late

she’d said the wrong thing if she actually wanted to keep her car. The carjacker sure
seemed surprised. She didn’t blame him. Most carjackees probably didn’t argue.

Then again, most carjackees weren’t on their way to the most important evening of

their sexual lives.

Maybe she should try to reason with him. In her little podunk town, where everyone

knew everyone else plus their little doggie, what were the chances this guy would
actually hurt her? Very small. She hoped. “I know you really don’t want to steal from me.
It’s almost the new year.”

“I don’t give a shit what holiday it is. Get out of the car!”
“Look, I can be flexible.” He didn’t have a gun, but he had awfully big hands. Maybe

they could compromise. “How about money? I don’t have much, but I’ll give you what I
have.” She reached for her wallet.

“I don’t want your money. I want your damn car!”
“Oh, but I have a twenty—“ Before she could finish, he yanked open the door of her

Hyundai and dragged her out by the arm. She shouted and tried to smack him, but he
moved fast. Before she knew what had happened, he’d gotten in her car, slammed the
door, and roared away on squealing tires.

“Oh, fuck!” She slapped her hand over her mouth as her shiny red baby disappeared

around the corner. Then the rest of what she’d lost sank in and she squeezed her eyes
shut. “Oh, fuck.”

The jerk had stolen her car. A bad thing to be sure, especially since she felt partially

responsible for leaving the door unlocked and the window half-open in the first place. But
there was insurance for the car and police to track him down. Sanderson wasn’t exactly a
sprawling metropolis.

The two things there weren’t insurance for? The sparkly party dress in her backseat,

and the yellowed pictures of her Nana she kept in her purse.

Hot tears pricked behind her eyes. What a month. First, there had been gossip about

Goldman’s closing. The department store had become more than just a temporary job
while she finished up her interior design classes. Then, hot on the heels of Noelle’s
parents’ decision to vacation in Hawaii to “spice up their marriage,” her little sister had
announced she’d be visiting friends over the holidays. Just like that, Christmas went from
a family holiday to a lonely day spent watching sappy movies.

But if things went her way tonight…
She whisked her fingers over her damp cheeks. Who was she kidding? Her chances of

not spending New Year’s Eve alone were dismally low. Alexa’s party was tonight and the
freaking holiday meant the mall was closing in an hour. There was no way she’d be able
to replace the dress in time.

“Miss, are you okay? Miss!”
She blinked at the elderly man who bustled over to her, concern written all over his

craggy features. He’d left the door of his luxury SUV open across the street in his haste. A
good Samaritan.

“Miss? I called 9-1-1.”
“Thank you.” She brushed back her hair and bit her lip at the tightening in her throat.

Her day had already gone to shit and the most important part of it hadn’t even arrived.
How could she seduce her best friend’s brother in the state she was in?

Her shirt had bunnies on it, for God’s sake. Wearing New Year’s tiaras and shaking

noisemakers. Two of them even had puffy tails that stuck out like white cotton balls. Most
reasonably attractive twenty-four-year-old women wouldn’t be caught dead in such a
getup, but no matter how many times Alexa declared her a fashion don’t, Noelle had no
intention of giving the holiday shirts up. She had too many happy memories of her and
her Nana searching for the most ridiculous ones. Buying them now, even years after Nana
had passed on, grounded her in a way she desperately needed.

Oh, screw it. She liked the freaking things. It wasn’t like she stitched cotton balls on her

underwear, for Pete’s sake. Hadn’t she bought something sinfully sexy for tonight? For
Jake?

Dammit.
“Here, why don’t you come sit in my truck?” Her good Samaritan gestured toward her

bare forearms. “I don’t want you to get a chill. Did you forget to wear a coat today?”

She blinked up at him, more dazed than she cared to admit. It was just a car. Just a

dress. Just pictures she couldn’t possibly replace. Pictures she’d almost lost once before,
and had been lucky enough to salvage. She probably couldn’t luck out twice.

At least she hadn’t gotten hurt. That was the important thing, right?
Except…she’d really been looking forward to getting Jake naked. Finally. Holding him

close. And maybe pouring some fine bubbly all over his ripped abs and his—

“My coat is in my car,” she blurted, relieved her numb lips still worked. At least thinking

about Jake nude had warmed the rest of her right up. Maybe if she took the scenario
further in her mind, her knees would stop wobbling. “I went shopping and didn’t want to
carry it with me because I knew I’d be trying on clothes.” Fine idea that had been.

The older gentleman smiled broadly. “I’m Steven Palladone. You might know my family

business, Palladone Funeral Homes. We’re one of the founding families of Sanderson. My
grandfather was actually—“

“Look, Steven, I appreciate you stopping to help and calling the police. But my head’s

kind of messed up right now and I can’t really follow any conversations.” She gave him
what she hoped was an apologetic smile. His take-charge attitude reminded her way too
much of her father. The salt-and-pepper hair the wind dragged across his wide forehead

did, too. “You understand.”

“I do.” He nodded somberly. “That awful man didn’t strike you?”
“No, he didn’t. He just stole my dress,” she muttered.
Among other things, but it was the perfect dress. Small, shimmery, and gold, it hugged

her curves perfectly. She’d even bought a strapless bra that nudged the girls from merely
perky to capable of making a guy’s eyes bug out of his head. There had only been one
left in her size, reason enough to charge it to the card she’d nearly maxed out over the
holidays. Clearly the universe wanted her to hook up with Jake. Or so she’d believed,
since the dress had obviously been waiting for her.

Just like the carjacker.
So she wasn’t great at predicting the wants of the cosmos. No matter. Nothing would

deter her now. Not feast or famine, not cotton tails or snow squalls.

Steven frowned. “Your dress? But what about your car?”
“That, too.” She sighed as he shrugged out of his long camel coat and wrapped it

around her shoulders. Her suddenly shaking shoulders. Either the winter chill had finally
settled in her bones or she was having a delayed stress reaction. “Thank you, but you
really don’t have to stay.”

“It’s fine,” Steven soothed. “The cops will be here shortly.”
Tires squealed and a sleek silver coupe—or “shiny cock-substitute” as Alexa loved to

call them—swung up to the curb. A second later the door opened and out stepped
Noelle’s destiny.

“Nellie?” Jake Conroy pushed his sunglasses on top of his head. “Are you okay?”

…

Jake forced himself not to tap his fingers on the top of his car while he waited for Nellie to
answer. Something she didn’t seem in any rush to do. Who the heck was the guy
propping her up? Was he a friend, or had she suddenly developed a taste for men three
times her age? The longer the silence dragged on, the more tense he became. Why
wasn’t she answering him?

He swallowed the sudden rush of impatience. This so wasn’t his business. His baby

sister’s  best  friend  was  a  grown  woman,  fully  capable  of  strolling  up  the  middle  of  the
street  with  an  older  man  in  a  brown  suit  and  ugly  shoes.  Just…she  looked  so  small
cuddled  against  the  guy’s  side.  Her  long  blond  hair  waved  every  which  way  down  her
back,  caught  and  tossed  around  by  the  cold  breeze.  God,  how  he’d  love  to  tangle  his
hands in all those thick, silky waves.

Ease off, soldier, he admonished himself at the immediate constriction in his groin.

She’s a kid. Hot as hell now, but still six years younger and practically family. That was
the way it had always been. Alexa and Nellie had been friends since elementary school
and had always insisted on tagging along after him, no matter how much he’d tried to
dissuade them. By the time they got the message, the girls were in high school and he’d
been reduced to trailing after them to make sure they didn’t get into trouble. He hadn’t
fully noticed Nellie had turned into a woman until her high school graduation, two short
months before she headed east for college. And he’d been with Maureen.

He grimaced at the thought of his ex.
“Jake? What are you doing here?”
No squealed “Jakey!” as she’d once done, followed by a tight hug that made him laugh

and curse simultaneously. She felt entirely too good in his arms, her compact body made
for holding and kissing.

And other things. Things he wouldn’t consider or fantasize about or wish could happen

just once, so he could get them out of his head. A girl like Nellie wasn’t built for one-
night-stands. If a man started something with her, he should finish it.

“I was heading past. Figured I’d find out what was going on.” He peered closer. “Are

you okay? Where’s your car?”

Her head snapped toward the sound of advancing sirens. Shit, were they coming for

her? What was going on?

“Nellie?”
“Carjacked,” her friend supplied, shaking his head. “Right in broad daylight. Well, it

was,” he added, glancing up. This time of year, dark came early and the pink-hued sky
warned the last of the sun’s rays would be gone soon.

“Carjacked?” Jake echoed, shutting his car door and striding forward to grip one of

Nellie’s icy hands. “Honey, are you okay? Did he hurt you? Was there a weapon?“

“My day’s gone to shit, but I’m fine,” she said. “Don’t I look fine?”
Jake swallowed a retort and took his time looking her up and down. Her hazel eyes

glowed fiery gold in the waning sunlight, and her small mouth had pursed into the mother
of all scowls. But her pink cheeks, mile long eyelashes, and curvy body added up to one
heck of a package.

A package he wanted to unwrap, one fuzzy sock at a time. He grinned at the striped

knee socks slouching down her trim calves. She pulled the coat tighter but he still saw the
fluffy bunnies and glittery noisemakers on her top. It was nice to see that even after
months away, some things hadn’t changed. Thank God.

“You look great,” he said finally, hoping his slightly shaky voice didn’t give him away.

He wasn’t the best at hiding his emotions around her. With other women, yeah, he could
play the role of smooth cat looking to score. At least he’d been able to before Maureen
had swept into his life, made a nest for, oh, five years or so, then swept back out again.

His gaze lasered in on the faint blue and purple splotches on Noelle’s forearm. “The

fucker bruised you?”

She stared at her arm. “I guess he did.”
“He dragged her out of the car,” the guy beside her said, again shaking his head.

“Thank God, the cops are here. They’ll catch that turkey.”

Two cruisers pulled up to the curb, lights flashing. Because he’d immediately inserted

himself into their questioning, the cops talked to the man in the brown suit first. Jake
took the opportunity to pull Nellie aside.

“What the hell happened?”
“I was at a light when the guy came over and told me to get out.” She fiddled with the

lapel of the coat. “I said no, but that I had money and—“

“You said what?” He nudged Brown Suit Guy’s coat off her shoulders and pushed it into

chapter two

Noelle pulled away and scowled at Jake. He towered over her as he always did, but she’d
never seen his light green eyes so alive with anger. Even his stance was threatening.
She’d always thought of Jake as a long, lanky gulp of man licorice, sort of happy-go-lucky,
but friendly and protective, careful to never cross the line between friend’s brother and
more. Even if she did voodoo chants to ensure he would.

Now he was treating her more like an incompetent little sister than ever.
“Miss? You were the one who was carjacked?”
She dragged her attention from Jake’s tense jaw and met the kind eyes of the cop at

her side. “Yes, it was me,” she said, letting him lead her over to his car.

Half an hour later, she’d been questioned and re-questioned. The cops finally left, along

with her new friend Steven. Noelle was pretty sure he’d decided Jake was her boyfriend,
probably because Jake had lingered in the background, ready to jump into action at a
moment’s notice. That he’d returned Steven’s coat as if it were contaminated didn’t help
either.

Steven didn’t know that taking charge was just what Jake did. It was part of his big

brotherly thing. She must’ve been sipping some sort of lust-spiked Kool-Aid to think he
could ever see her as more than little Nellie Gregory, the girl he’d thrown pebbles at the
first time she’d come home with his sister.

She sighed. All in all, the day hadn’t proceeded as planned. She’d lost her car—though

the cops seemed certain they’d find the perp soon—her dress, and her pictures, and now,
her mojo was flagging. She truly didn’t want to abandon her romantic scheme, but this
was Jake. She couldn’t halfheartedly seduce him. It had to be a full out, slay him dead
seduction, or she’d have to try another day. Possibly after alcoholic inducement.

“Are you ready to go now?” Jake asked gently, cupping her elbow.
Noelle shook herself alert. It had finally started snowing, and the streetlights

shimmering on the falling flakes had mesmerized her. Or else her fixation on the man
beside her had finally consumed her brain.

Jake smirked at her, the streetlamp adding a halo of gold to his dark hair. “As warm as

your bunny shirt must be, you’re shaking. Do those cotton puffs help with insulation?” He
tucked his jacket tighter around her. In a minute he’d be pulling up the zipper as if she
were a child.

“I’m fine,” she grumbled. And she would be, once she shed this shitty day via a hot

shower and a cold beer. “I need to go home and make some calls. See if there are any
car rental places still open.”

“The cops think they’ll catch the guy who took your car tonight. You’re lucky it’s such a

noticeable red. Maybe you won’t even need to rent anything.” Jake arched a brow.
“Besides, it’s New Year’s. You can just chill at home. Unless you have a hot date or
something.”

“Who hangs out at home on New Year’s? I’m twenty-four, not ninety-four. I want to

party.” She kicked at the fluffy white snow settling around her clogs. Pretty or not, right
now the white stuff was annoying her. Just like everything else.

“I’m spending New Year’s at home,” he said, voice tight. “So I guess I fit into the

ninety-four-year-old category.”

“No, you’re not. Alexa’s party is tonight. She promised me you’d be there! You just got

back to town and we haven’t had a chance to talk or—“

“Or what?” he asked softly.
Or have really good sex on a number of pieces of household furniture, multiple times.
Ha. Yeah, right. He wouldn’t have sex with her. Heck, he probably figured her lingerie

collection consisted of fleece jammies. She didn’t turn him on. That’s where the dress had
come in. But now she had nothing to wear and Jake thought she was a frump and she
had no transportation to the party Jake had no intention of going to anyway.

God, listen to her. How long had she been waiting for a chance at him? Years. By the

time she’d finally started coming into her own, he’d hooked up with saintly, perfect
Maureen. The woman with pin-straight hair that never frizzed and saucer-sized blue eyes
she loved to bat at Jake. They never argued and had seemed to exist in a state of
synchronistic couple harmony.

Until they’d broken up early this year.
Noelle had done her best to be a good friend to him. A platonic friend. She’d bought lots

of extra buttered popcorn and selected action movies for their occasional Friday nights
together, only too happy to be his sounding board if he felt like talking. He’d said
surprisingly little. Whether that was because he didn’t consider her an appropriate outlet
or because he still viewed her as his kid sister’s pal, she didn’t know.

Then there was the other possibility, that he actually saw her as a woman. That she

hadn’t imagined the kiss she’d been sure he’d been about to plant on her before he’d
taken off last summer. He had zoomed left at the very last second, when she’d finally
been able to taste his breath on her lips.

Giving up wasn’t her style. Not when she finally had the opportunity to go after what

she wanted.

“Why aren’t you going to Alexa’s?” she asked, pressing her cold hands against her hips.

Soon, the tips of her fingers would be turning blue.

“Have stuff to do around the house.” He shrugged and tugged at the lapels of the coat.

His fingers almost brushed the curve of her breasts. Almost. “Your teeth are practically
chattering. Why don’t you put your arms in the jacket?”

She sighed and shook her head. The Jake she knew wasn’t distant and didn’t avoid his

friends and family like this. He also didn’t resist answering questions. Late last year,
shortly after he and Maureen had called it quits, he’d taken a leave of absence from his
pharmaceutical sales job and taken an extended trip up north. As soon as he’d returned
earlier this month, he’d gone right back to work. He hadn’t called her or stopped by to say
hi, and tonight, he’d barely touched her. Maybe his breakup with Maureen changed him?
Normally he gave the best hugs ever.

Well, that didn’t have to stop her from touching him.
“Well, I think you should go,” she murmured, gripping the lapels of his coat together

with one hand and using the other to stroke his forearm. Crisp hair and hot skin singed
her palm, eliciting a shudder. “It’s a tradition. You’ve been going forever. We both have.”

He glanced from her hand to her face as if he couldn’t quite make the connection

between them. Her fingers continued their playful path as if there was nothing the least
bit strange about her caressing his arm.

“Uh, yeah, but that’s because Mo loved it. I like staying home to watch the ball drop

and going to bed. After, I mean. You know, when I’m tired.”

Inwardly, she giggled. His drooping eyelids proved he at least enjoyed her touch. A

good start, indeed.

“You sure that’s what you meant?” she teased. She tipped back her head and hoped he

didn’t hear her self-conscious hiss of breath. “It’s okay. We’re both adults. I know what
usually happens on New Year’s. First comes merrymaking, then comes lovemaking. With
or without the usage of noisemakers and sparkly hats.”

A long moment passed before he cleared his throat and asked, “Are those used during

the revelry or the sex?”

“Both.”
His trademark grin made her hand falter, but she quickly took up the beat again.
“Wow, I think your New Year’s celebrations have been way more fun than mine.” He

stepped toward her, erasing the distance between them, and murmured, “Put your arms
in.”

Yes, sir. If that was the only way she’d get him wrapped around her, she’d definitely

comply. So, why was she trembling?

As soon as she’d pushed her arms through the roomy sleeves, he chucked her chin in

that cute kid way of his that made her want to knee him in the groin. “I’ll give you a ride
home,” he said.

Damn it. Why was he being so stubborn? It wasn’t as if she was asking for forever. She

knew he wasn’t in the place for that, even if he could consider her more than buddy
material. But they could give each other one unforgettable night. It was the holiday
season, after all.

She took a bolstering breath. Time to jump in with both freezing feet.
“I’m not going home. I’m going to Alexa’s. With you.” And without her dress. She and

her best friend wore about the same size, so maybe she could swipe something from
Lex’s closet. Or she could wrap herself in a blanket and try the toga look. There were
always options.

“I already told you,” he said. “I’m not going. Maybe you should just head home. You

can party next weekend. You’ve had a trying day and it’s supposed to snow all night. We
could get six inches.”

“Oh no! Six whole inches?” She slapped her hands to her cold-stung cheeks and he

scowled. “If it’s snowing, I’d better hide inside. Because snow is so scary. I could get
trapped somewhere without milk or bread! Or I suppose I could plan ahead and invite a
guy over. He could stop by the store on the way. But what if he forgets condoms? Then
we’d have to try the cling wrap and butter method.”

Okay, she didn’t know where that had come from. Cling wrap? Butter? Ick. But Jake’s

horrified expression made it all worthwhile.

“You seriously better be joking. If you’ve been taking chances with protection…”
Noelle shook her head. Jake not only thought she was a child, he considered her really

stupid. And possibly weird.

“You’re unreal, you know that? Ever heard of a joke? Besides, I don’t think that’s even

possible. Eww.” She turned and stalked away, only to realize she had no car to stalk
toward.

Figured. She couldn’t even have a proper temper tantrum.
“Noelle, wait.”
She stopped and slid her hands into his coat pockets. The left one was empty. But the

right held a small disk, something that felt awfully like—

She pulled out the foil packet and whirled to face him. Hell, if he could say dumb things,

so could she. “Glad I found this.” She held out the offending item. “Now I know who to
ask if I need a spare condom.”

chapter three

Jake’s gut knotted. Between the bright whiteness of the steadily falling snow and the
glow of the streetlights flashing in her eyes, he could read Noelle’s emotions with no
trouble.

She was pissed.
“I was just kidding about the protection thing,” he said hastily. Maybe he should worry

about his own protection. As in cupping his hands over his suddenly shriveling manhood.
“I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“I’m always safe.”
Always safe? Did that mean she was having a lot of sex? Like maybe monthly or even

weekly? With whom? He hadn’t heard she was seeing anyone lately, but Alexa didn’t tell
him much. Especially since his breakup with Maureen. In fact, she’d avoided everything
relationship related, probably thinking he couldn’t bear to hear about anyone else’s happy
love lives.

But Nellie was different. He needed to know who she was seeing.
Because you want her for yourself? There’s a dream come true, huh? Noelle Gregory

with her lips glossy and wet and her golden eyes shimmering while she waves a condom
in your face and then reaches down to—

Not going there. Besides, there couldn’t be an endless string of nameless men. She

wasn’t like that. A woman who loved it when Goldman’s got in new shipments of tacky
shirts wouldn’t be indiscriminate with her bed partners. Nor would one who’d gotten all
A’s in the interior design classes she’d been taking since last year. She was conscientious
and responsible and determined to be a success—

She stomped over and kneed him soundly in the thigh.
“Christ, you almost clipped my dick!” If he hadn’t moved when he did… “What the hell’s

your problem?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Nothing wrong with you acting like my parent while you’re strolling

around with rubbers stuffed in your pockets. Who is she?” She slapped both hands on his
chest and knocked him back a full step. “Who are you sleeping with now? Is that why you
couldn’t be bothered to tell me you were back in town? Too busy for old friends?” She
punctuated every question with a shove.

Jake let her push him around, mostly because he had no idea who he was looking at.

He’d  only  been  gone  five  months.  How  had  Nellie  turned  from  a  sweet,  cheerful,
predictable  young  woman  into  this  sexy-as-fuck  Loch  Ness  monster?  Even  her  wildly
coiling  hair  resembled  the  sinuous  arms  of  a  sea  serpent.  And  she  definitely  had  the
swallow-you-whole expression going.

“I’m not sleeping with anyone,” he said. She clenched her jaw and folded her arms

across her chest. His too-large jacket dwarfed her, but hell if it didn’t give him a charge to
see her wearing his clothes.

“Then why do you have this?” She waved the shiny silver disk through the air.
“It’s not mine,” he began, holding up his hands when she started forward again. In spite

of the insanity of the situation, he started to laugh. Damn, she was cute. “Seriously, it’s
not. I went to a bachelor party last week and someone shoved one in my pocket, just

messing around.”

“While you were getting a lap dance?”
“Hardly. We didn’t go to a strip club. Just hung out at Kelsey’s downtown.”
“And they gave you a condom, just for the heck of it.” Noelle tapped the package

against her cheek, frowning. “Sure you’re not seeing anyone?”

“No. I’m not.” Why was he explaining this to her? She wasn’t his girlfriend. That couldn’t

happen. She might as well have had an off-limits sign stretched across the glorious twin
beauties that had tortured him since college when he’d made the mistake of checking out
Nellie in her prom dress. She’d been a knockout then and if anything, had only become
more beautiful in the years since.

It wasn’t fair. The one woman who’d stirred his interest—and other parts of him—since

Mo wasn’t a possibility. Not because she wasn’t perfect, but because she was. She’d
grown up into a smart, stunning woman, exactly like he’d always known she would, and
he couldn’t have her.

Fuck, but what if he could? She was acting possessive. Demanding.
Almost jealous.
“Shit,” he muttered, rocking back on his heels. No way. She didn’t want him. They

weren’t about that.

Were they?
She frowned. “What?”
He was just going to say it. If she thought he was a complete loser then, well, he’d take

her to her house—or to Alexa’s, since she seemed determined to go to the party—and
he’d head home to soothe his wounded pride in private. But he had to know.

Jake speared his fingers through his hair and clutched a handful of it against his head,

searching for the right words. Surely he had some finesse somewhere.

“Jake?”
“You want me, don’t you, Nellie?” At her stricken gasp, he groaned inside and wished

he’d bitten his tongue off instead of asking. At least, not like that. “I mean, you’re
interested in me?” Interested sounded better. Less threatening. “You have to be,” he
continued, a little desperately.

She stared at him. Why wasn’t she saying anything? Putting him out of his misery?
“You think I want you? Like sexually?”
She spat out the words with such vehemence, he immediately froze. Even his knees

locked.

She didn’t want him. Of course not. She probably considered the guy in the brown suit a

better candidate for bed boogying.

He shuddered. Damn, a year ago a thought like that wouldn’t have even crossed his

mind. He and Maureen had been happy—or so he’d thought. When she’d left him, he’d
reassessed a lot of things. Apparently his sense of self hadn’t come out of the situation
unscathed.

“Maybe not,” he muttered, his grip tightening on his hair. In a minute, he’d be ripping

out a handful. He’d need to dig deep and find some of his missing swagger. “But…is it so
out of the realm of possibility?”

She tossed the condom at him. It slapped against his chest before flopping like a dead

trout on the snow-encrusted sidewalk. “Yes, I want you. I have for a long time. There,
does that make you happy? Now you can feel bad for me next time you’re with your
friends.”

He let his hand drop from the back of his skull to hang limply at his side. Shock raced

through his veins, firing them with enough heat that his cold skin warmed from the inside
out.

She wanted him? She didn’t sound particularly happy about it but he could work with

this. Could show her he would never toss aside her feelings the way she apparently
expected. He wasn’t that guy. If he was, why would she want him?

His gut clenched. For sex, dolt. She’s attracted to you. Sexually. Not because she thinks

you’re a stand-up guy. Your ex turned to the convent rather than spend her life with you.

“Say something, Jake. I’m getting tired of standing around out here.”
Yeah, this was ridiculous. They’d been standing outside having this insane conversation

for who knew how long in the freezing cold. They could be inside discussing this.
Preferably without their clothes.

“You haven’t been watching late-night cable or something, have you?” he asked. She

glared at him and he took a preventative step back. Tonight he didn’t trust her reactions.
“Isn’t this something girls get into their heads when they want to sow their wild oats?
Doing their best friend’s older brothers, I mean.”

“I thought it was the other way around. That their little sister’s friends turned older

guys on.” He didn’t miss the alluring note of challenge in her voice.

“Well, duh.” His feet moved forward without his conscious help. “Especially ones with

bunny shirts and,” he slid his finger down one of her brightly colored corkscrew earrings,
“holiday-themed jewelry.”

She bristled and started to step back, but he clamped a hand around her waist, holding

her still. “Uh-uh. Stay right there.”

“W-why?”
After her earlier tirade, her quivering lips gratified him more than he could say. “You

know I would never laugh at you. I’m honored that you want me, for whatever reason.”

“Is there more than one reason?” She still wouldn’t meet his eyes, but she also didn’t

attempt to put space between them.

“Sure there is.”
“What difference would it make? You’ve been home for weeks and haven’t bothered to

come see me.”

“I had my reasons,” he muttered. He’d been afraid he would kiss her like he almost did

the last time he’d seen her. Apparently he’d been right to worry. “But I’ll have you know I
was on my way to your place when I came upon you out here.” Couldn’t hide anymore.

“Really?”
“Yes. But if you just want me for sex, I feel honor bound to try to dissuade you.” At

least a little.

Her eyes narrowed. “Why? Because I can’t possibly know my own mind?”
He breathed deep and hoped he wouldn’t say something he’d regret. With his current

level of crotch constriction, he couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t. “Because it’s probably wrong
and I, as the older and wiser one” —he grinned at her sniff— “should shut this down
before it goes anywhere.”

Noelle met his gaze with such intensity that the air sizzled and snapped. Surely that

much blood flooding his previously frozen member couldn’t be healthy. But he wasn’t
about to waste this amazing, absolutely unreal chance.

To hell with shutting down, his body had decided it was all systems go.
“We’re standing on a street corner,” she said quietly, snagging her fingers in his T-shirt

and pulling him closer. Too close. There wasn’t a way for him to deny what she made him
feel when her body fit to his. She boldly rubbed against the obvious proof of his interest,
a surprisingly provocative smile flitting over the lips he ached to taste.

All he needed was one forbidden nibble. A bite. An endless lick that started there and

ended up behind her ear. Enough to last him until he could throw her across her bed and
bare her body to his hands and his mouth. Every part of her, his to cherish.

“It’s snowing,” she added, arching onto her toes. Her heels hit the pavement with a dull

thunk.

“And it’s New Year’s Eve,” he finished, smudging the snowflakes collecting on her

reddened cheeks. In the near darkness only the deep hue of her lips stood out against her
pale skin. Her eyes shone into his, drawing him nearer until her breaths whispered over
his lips.

“A time for new beginnings.”
Jake smiled and let his mouth brush hers, the barest of contacts. Cold and sweet, her

minty flavor beckoned him to take more. She moaned and gripped his shirt harder, pulling
it up until snow snuck into the back of his jeans. He pressed against her, his thumbs
framing her face, and closed his eyes, wanting to savor these last seconds before he
kissed her for real. There wouldn’t be another moment like this between them again.

They were standing on the cusp of something huge. If he did this, Noelle would no

longer be just his little sister’s friend. She would become his lover. It couldn’t be undone
because he wouldn’t let it.

“Jake,” she whispered, the hot blast of her exhalation making him groan. He gave in

and fisted his hands in her hair.

She opened to him at once, her body melting against his, wilting into his embrace so

that it felt like his light pressure on her cheeks was all that held her upright. But her
mouth was a hungry thing, her tongue diving in to tangle with his while her arms wound
around his shoulders. He slanted his head to plunder her as deeply as he could, ravenous
to explore every inch of her mouth.

Forget kissing. They were eating each other alive.
Damn, Noelle was like dynamite detonating through his system. If he’d ever thought of

her as a kid, he definitely didn’t anymore. Her minty flavor, as cool as the night that
surrounded them, consumed his senses. His arms shook with the fierce control he needed
to keep his hands on her face and not on her ass where they longed to be. He wanted to
rock her up and down his cock to relieve the intense ache. Needed to feel more of her in
his palms while he swallowed her moans.

His cell vibrated in his back pocket. He cursed and jerked back. “Sorry,” he panted,

struggling to get his phone out of his pocket. His pants felt too damn tight.

“It’s okay.” Noelle swept a visibly shaking hand over her hair. All the fight had drained

out of her.

He pressed the talk button, not even looking at the caller ID. Nellie had officially

hijacked his world.

“Jake?” It was Alexa. “I’m stuck in Columbus. There’s a monster storm and they’ve been

de-icing the planes, but now they delayed my flight. For like seven hours. I called
everyone I invited a couple hours ago, but I’m nervous I forgot someone. Can you get up
to my house a little early just in case? I’ll owe you one. A really big one.”

As usual, his sister was a chatterbox. What wasn’t usual was that his wires had all gone

on the fritz simultaneously.

“Especially Noelle,” Alexa continued. “I couldn’t reach her. She needs to know the

party’s off.”

He licked the inside of his lower lip, all his focus on the beautiful blonde now staring up

at the sky, her features silvered by the hint of moon glow. “I’ll take care of Noelle, don’t
worry.”

“Jake?”
“Yeah.” His answer came out as a groan as Nellie stuck out her tongue to collect

snowflakes. So. Wrong. When she caught his attention, she rolled her tongue, scooping
up a couple flakes and drawing them inside the honeyed heaven of her mouth.

“Are you okay? You sound weird.”
“I’ve been making out with a chick,” he said, knowing Alexa wouldn’t believe him and

Nellie would shoot him a death glare. He was right on both counts.

Chuckling, he said to his now silent sister, “Kidding. Tell me again what you need me to

do?”

A couple minutes later, he hung up with Alexa, who wasn’t excited about spending the

night in an airport. He, on the other hand, was very excited about who he was about
spend his night with. Even if this only lasted as long as their orgasms, he’d take it. Right
now, he wasn’t capable of walking away.

Were you ever?
“Bad news,” he said lightly, pocketing his cell and tossing back the hank of hair that

kept falling in his face. The two of them probably looked like snow people in the making.

“Alexa okay?”
“Yeah, but she’s stuck in Columbus. Big snowstorm, so the party’s off. She called most

of the guests and told them not to come hours ago, but she couldn’t get ahold of you. Did
you have your phone off?”

“Probably. I turn it off when I go to bed because she likes to text me in the middle of

the night when she hooks up with someone. Though it’s been forever since Alexa’s done
anything but work. She’s way overdue for—“ Jake cringed and she choked back a laugh.
“Sorry. Forget the brother thing.”

“Yeah. Apparently.”
“So the party’s off? That sucks.” He could hear the smirk in her voice. “I wanted to let

chapter four

The ride up to Alexa’s took almost an hour. Noelle’s best friend lived high in the hills
outside Sanderson and on a night like this, traveling the twisty roads that led up to her
incredible log cabin was an exercise in patience.

Jake drove with reckless caution, if the two things could co-exist. He took it easy on

turns and in the places he needed to brake, but hit the gas a little too hard on the
straightaways. She never felt in danger of crashing, though. He knew how to handle the
roads.

And her. Which she hoped he planned on doing soon.
Would they actually have sex? As much as she’d fantasized about him over the years,

the act itself had always been murky in her mind. After the last few weeks, being held by
Jake would feel like nirvana, though some mind-scrambling lovemaking would definitely
be welcome, too. Good thing she’d bought condoms. A whole fresh package waited inside
her boat of a purse.

A purse she no longer had. One that contained all her credit cards and the small

amount of money she had in her wallet. And her pictures. Those were especially precious.
The ones of her Nana couldn’t be replaced.

“Dammit,” she muttered, pressing her fingers against her stinging eyes. Breaking down

in a sobbing fit in front of a potential lover over some photos would put a capper on her
day, wouldn’t it? Being held up hadn’t done it, nor had losing her car. But she just couldn’t
bear the thought of some jerk throwing out the faded picture of her, age three, sitting on
her Nana’s knee.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. This was the first time either of them had spoken during the

ride. He’d probably been trying to find a way out of spending the evening with her. The
trip had certainly been long enough for him to rethink things.

She dragged in a breath and waited for her heart to stop thundering. “I forgot about

everything I still have to handle tonight. All the credit cards I have to cancel and the list I
have to write up for the police of what I lost. I blanked it all out.”

“Honey, you were frightened. Of course you forgot. But don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
“You will?”
He reached over and took her hand, pulling it across the console and onto his thigh. His

really muscled thigh that made her think really dirty thoughts. “Yes, I will. Tomorrow
morning we’ll take care of all of it.”

“Jake, my wallet had my favorite pictures of—“
“Your grandma,” he finished before she could, his grip turning gentler. “Shit. I forgot

you carried those with you.”

“Yeah.” She’d never forget how he’d wrapped her in a blanket that night during

sophomore year of high school when she’d left a sleepover at Alexa’s house and come
home to find most of her life in ruins. He’d seen the pictures of her Nana, the ones that
survived the fire that torched most of her family’s stuff. Luckily her family had been safe,
but so many of her memories had gone up in smoke.

Now some jerk had taken more of them.
“I’ll call the police and let them know where you’ll be tonight. Then we’ll handle

whatever has to be done tomorrow. Together.” He rubbed her knuckles. “All’s not lost, I
swear. But tonight you need to relax.”

“Yes, I do.” She wasn’t going to debate that point. “So do you.”
He glanced her way as a passing car’s lights flashed over his striking profile. “Not

arguing,” he said with a slight smile, his fingers squeezing hers.

How much relaxing they could do without any condoms remained to be seen, so she

forced herself to just enjoy the way his large fingers folded over hers, holding them as if
he wanted to protect her. His thumb stroked the side of her palm, lulling her without
words. He was with her. She was safe.

Right now, that was all that mattered.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Alexa’s cabin and ascertained that no prospective

revelers had gained access through illicit means. No cars were parked on the hidden drive
and the property was absolutely still. The snow cushioning the lawn and fluttering from
the sky only strengthened the realization that she and Jake were totally alone.

Noelle wrapped her hands around the front porch railing, and stifled a shiver. Could she

go through with this? When she’d imagined them finally doing it, she’d pictured them
falling into bed in a frenzy after Alexa’s loud, noisy party.

Now, there was no party. She and Jake were alone in a plush, luxurious cabin with a

thick pad of silence walling them in on all sides. The kiss they’d shared had been fast,
yes, but it had also been deep. Not a surface skim but something that felt big and
important.

“Hey.” His voice poured over her like hot, rich coffee. “You must be freezing. Why’d you

take off my coat?”

Because it smelled like you and I wanted to roll around in it like a dog on the first day

of mating season.

She shrugged, suddenly shy. Maybe she was just a kid. Why else would she want to run

and hide? She trusted him, so that wasn’t the problem. Whatever she’d said during their
condom spat, he was a great guy. He’d always been her friend and one of her staunchest
allies. They could just have sex and that would be that.

Except it wasn’t. She wanted more. Kissing him had proven to her that one night would

never suffice.

He lifted his palm to her cheek. She sighed, memorizing the exact impression of his

fingertips on her flesh. “Why don’t we go inside, Nellie?” he murmured.

“Can you call me Noelle?” Maybe she could get this night back on solid footing if he

stripped away some of the familiarity that made her wish for more. “Please?”

“Sure. Noelle.” His easy smile smoothed out some of her nerves and set off all new

ones when he slid his hand around the back of her neck. “We should probably hang out
for a while. Want to go watch some TV? I know you love the New Year’s specials. I’ll even
make us some eats.”

“Now you’re talking,” she said, smiling back, and pressing a hand to her growling

stomach. Jake was a fabulous cook. From appetizers to four-course dinners, he could turn
out a meal that would impress anyone. Yet another of his many positive attributes.

So why would any woman let him get away?

“Why did you and Maureen break up?” As soon as the question crossed her lips she

wanted to snatch it back. His grimace definitely added to her discomfort. “Sorry, none of
my business.”

“No, hang on. It is your business. If we’re going to…” He blew out a breath that puffed

in the cold air. “Are we going to, Noelle?”

“Yes, we are.” She nodded decisively. “We’re going to have sex. Amazing sex. Except—“
His quick grin faded all too fast. “What?”
“My condoms are in my purse. In my stolen car. You don’t have any?”
“No. You threw the one I had on the ground.”
“Dammit.” Served her right for throwing that pissy little temper tantrum. “I guess we’re

screwed.”

“Not necessarily. You think Alexa has—“ He stopped and shook his head. “Nope, sorry,

can’t do it. I can’t dig through my sister’s condom stash, even for you.”

She giggled and leaned in to brush a kiss over his chin. He had some serious five-o-

clock shadow going on. Sexy. “We’ll work it out.”

“Yeah.”
She loved the way his voice softened on the word. Loved even more how he tugged her

closer and rested his chin on her hair.

“So back to your question,” he said. ”You must’ve heard the stories about why Mo left

town.”

“Something about the Peace Corps. But that doesn’t explain why you guys ended

things. You were together forever. I thought you’d get married.” She’d even cried about it
in weaker moments.

Jake moved back and swallowed hard. “She moved to Omaha and became a nun.”
Okay, she hadn’t seen that coming. “What?”
“My girlfriend of five years ditched me for the one man I could never compete with.” His

short laugh ended with a shake of his head. “Some shot to the ol’ ego, I tell you. I’ve
heard guys lose it when their girls become lesbians. But when they turn to the church? A
guy can’t help wondering if they’ve turned her off sex with anyone.”

She laughed before she could stop herself. Though she immediately sobered, that he

laughed too made her feel better about the lapse. “That’s kind of a backassward way to
look at it. She found a higher calling.” And for this turn of events, she would be sure to
thank God. Repeatedly. “I’m sure it had nothing to do with sex.”

“No, I know. She’s actually really happy in the convent and I’ve gotten over the ego

slam. Mostly. It just knocked me off my stride. We’d been together a long time.”

“You loved her.”
“Yes. I did.” He looked her dead in the eye. Jake would never lie to her. “Then there

was the whole not-part-of-a-couple-anymore thing. That was hard to get used to.”

“I’m sure.” Not that any of her relationships had ever lasted more than a few months,

but she had a good imagination. Especially tonight.

“So.” He rubbed her bare arms. “Let’s go watch some tube and eat some crap.”
She smiled. “Sounds good.”
Four hours passed in a haze of fried food, good conversation, and laughter. He made

fun  of  her  favorite  guy  band,  calling  them  a  bunch  of  pre-pubes.  She  teased  him  about
the  big-breasted  actress  hosting  the  New  Year’s  Eve  special.  All  the  while  he  kept  his
hand  on  her  knee  or  her  shoulder  or  her  back.  Reminding  her,  always,  that  this  wasn’t
just another night spent watching some mindless movie with Jake.

This was the prelude. Next up would be: The. Big. Sex.
He tucked her hair over one shoulder, moving in close on the couch. Her breath caught

and she had a sudden flashback of high school, but the guy at her side was no boy. He
wouldn’t casually skim her arm on his way to her breast. Nope, Jake would just go for the
gold.

Or maybe not, she decided when he didn’t move for the next half hour.
Finally he brushed his finger down the side of her neck. Lightly. Teasingly. She shivered,

angling her head to give him the perfect opportunity. But instead of kissing her, he
remained still.

Freaking hell.
“Almost midnight,” he murmured, his breath cascading over her loose curls. “You know

what that means, don’t you?”

She grinned at him over her shoulder. “That I’m getting more horny with every passing

second?”

“Patience, my sweet.” He rubbed her nose with his own and she giggled. Something

she seemed to do a lot in his presence. Was that how they’d be together in bed, too?
Laughing between the moans?

“It means,” he continued, his hand again finding the back of her neck, “that it’s almost

time for the New Year’s kiss. You know what the legend is, right?”

“That the person you kiss will be the one you kiss all year?”
“Yes.” On TV, the announcer started to count down the big ball’s drop in Times Square.

“I take such legends seriously.”

Her heart pounded loud enough she was sure he’d be able to hear it. “Oh, do you?”

He’s flirting. Just teasing.

“Very.” He leaned in and, keeping his eyes on hers, ran the tip of his tongue over her

upper lip. “So you might want to be sure before you go for it.”

Playfully she let her own tongue sneak out to flick along the underside of his. “Does it

still count if I kiss somewhere other than your mouth?”

chapter five

Noelle didn’t hear Jake’s answer—or the rest of the countdown for that matter—because
he groaned and pulled her onto his lap. Then she couldn’t hear anything at all as he
kissed her thoroughly enough for this year and next.

She clung to him when they finally parted to breathe, afraid to break the spell.
“Can we—can I—“ He panted against her cheek and tried again. “Let me do things to

you, Noelle.”

“Anything.” Everything. Please.
“If you want me to stop, just tell me. I will.” He shuddered when she rubbed the planes

of his chest through his shirt. “It might kill me, but I will. I promise.”

“No stopping.” She grabbed the remote and aimed it at the TV, then slid back into place

on his lap and tentatively brushed against his erection. Judging from the ripple of his
throat as he swallowed, he liked it. She ground harder and reveled in his soft, eager
groan. Her face—and other parts of her—heated with pleasure. “Now where were we?”

Wordlessly, he yanked off her shirt. After he’d tossed it aside, he took another of those

shuddery breaths and went to work on the front clasp of her bra, his fingers so far from
steady, she had to help him.

And, oh God, wasn’t it a thrill to see Jake shaking over her? Average little Nellie

Gregory, formerly classified as “little sister” in his mind.

Not anymore.
“Finally.” He pulled the bra off and sent it flying, his expression nothing short of

reverent as he touched her bared flesh. “You’re so fucking hot. Just like I knew you would
be.”

Before she had time to process that, he closed his lips around one erect nipple and

pulled, nearly upending her onto the floor with the force of his suction. He did it again
and again, shifting his attention between her breasts while he ran his hands up and down
her sides. She clutched his head and moaned, stunned that what she’d wanted for so long
had finally arrived and it was even better than she’d guessed.

His eyes never left hers. Arousal darkened his green irises, tinting them with a passion

she hadn’t ever experienced before. And she knew if she could see her own, the same
expression would be reflected there.

She rocked against him, taking pleasure in every one of his strained pants. His breath

scalded her skin and the zipper of his jeans hit her just right as she leaned closer,
pressing more of her breast into his mouth. Almost there.

He jerked back and shoved his hand into her yoga pants. “Sorry. Can’t wait.” He nudged

aside her saturated panties and groaned. “Oh shit. You’re soaked.”

His long, agile fingers zeroed in on the tight cluster of nerves that throbbed so

insistently. She gasped in time with his rapid circling, strangely proud that she was so
wet. Now he knew without a doubt how much she wanted this. Him.

Jake stretched his fingers lower, probing her damp slit. Without looking away, he

slipped one finger inside, groaning again when she arched and grabbed hold of his
shoulders. Several more thrusts of his finger and strokes of his thumb and she dug in her
nails and gasped. “Jake. You’re going to make me come.”

His fevered “Yes” gave her permission to let go. To soar with him strong and steady

beneath her, his body trembling in time with hers.

“More.” He dragged her pants and underwear down and somehow lifted her without

seeming to move, driving her down into the cushions and racing his hungry mouth over
her quivering flesh. Without preamble, he shifted on top of her, his weight heavy on her
legs, and began nuzzling her breasts and belly. And then lower, finally stopping when he
spread open her thighs and kissed her intimately.

She flew upward, her hips jerking against his lips as if he’d turned on some internal

motor only he controlled. His tongue pierced her, driving deep, while he reached up to
squeeze her breasts, his hands and mouth ruling her with a mastery that made her
whimper.

Dear God, she was going to come again with just a few more thrusts. She’d never

wanted a man with such intensity. Never dreaded and longed for a climax so much.

“Don’t hold back. Scream for me.” Jake slid both hands under her ass, urging her that

much closer to his mouth. “God, Nellie.” He buried his face between her shaking legs,
exploring her while she scraped her nails through his hair and prayed it would never end.

And then it did, in a hot blast of intense pleasure that stole a cry from her throat. She

couldn’t see beyond the pinwheel of exploding stars in her vision. But she didn’t want to
see anymore, not when she could feel his hands squeezing her ass cheeks and his mouth
caressing her in the dark.

Eventually, he asked, “Are you okay?”
Somehow his roughened voice reached her where she’d drifted. She knew she smiled,

heard her own contented sigh, but speaking wasn’t possible.

He brushed more kisses over her mound and chuckled, not needing words to

understand. Soon his kisses turned exploratory again and she stretched her arms above
her head, moving with his mouth as if they’d been doing this for years.

When he nipped her clit, the jolt had her eyes flying open. He was laughing at her, his

beautiful eyes radiant with desire. “There you are. Thought you were going to sleep on
me.”

“Hardly.” She scooted forward on the couch until his body loomed over hers and tugged

up his T-shirt. He helped her remove it, and then together they went to work on his
jeans, shedding them and his boxers in a hurry.

When he was naked in front of her, his cock hard and thick against his stomach, she

fisted her hands and breathed. Here he was, ready for her. So stiff and vulnerable while
he waited for her touch. So why was she hesitating? She should seize this moment—seize
him—with both hands.

“Nellie?”
“Have you ever wanted something so much it scares you?” She knew he’d think she

meant sex but she couldn’t articulate the rest. Her heart felt too fragile right now to lay at
his feet, while everything inside her still throbbed and burned.

“Yes. Right now actually.” His unsteady laugh as he brushed his hand over the back of

her head eased her nerves. Another man might’ve drawn her mouth to his obviously
eager cock, but he just kissed her forehead. “You’re a treasure, you know that? Thank
you for giving yourself to me.”

Don’t cry. Her misty smile vanished when he unfolded his lanky frame from the couch

and stood up.

“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.” He helped her to her feet. “Turn around and put your hands on the back of

the sofa for me.”

She didn’t think to refuse. Whatever he intended to show her, she ached to learn. When

she was in position, he rubbed against her, the full weight of his cock a steady pressure
against her ass. She let out a sigh. “Is it time for the cling wrap and butter?”

Jake chuckled and slid his arm up between her breasts to grip her shoulder. “No. It’s

time for us to get creative.“

She braced herself, unsure of what would come next. “Jake?”
He adjusted his stance so that he could ease his erection between her thighs. At the

first slide of his flesh against hers, she gasped. Something so forbidden shouldn’t feel so
good. “Just trust me.”

“I do.” With everything.
He started to move between her legs, slow and sure. She rocked, providing the

counterpoint to his thrusts as he gripped her hips and slid between her thighs, the most
erotic simulation of sex she’d ever experienced.

“Quick learner.” He trailed kisses between her shoulder blades while he fumbled for her

clit. His ministrations had made her even more slippery and swollen and he made a sound
deep in his throat upon discovering that fact. “So about that cling wrap thing. Does it
really work?”

In lieu of a reply, she laughed and dropped her forehead onto the arm of the couch. His

strokes gained speed, in and out, driving just that much farther each time so that if she
looked down, there he was, teasing her with the endless possibilities finally within her
grasp. Possibilities she’d never let herself consider when the joy and wonder—and, okay,
the innate oh-my-God, I-have-Jake-naked aspect—of ever knowing him this way had
seemed out of reach.

She swiveled her hips and reached down to stroke the head of his cock, her gasps

joining his at the first feel of his hard-on in her hand. Smooth and hot, wide and strong.
She wanted him inside her, filling her, uniting them. It might not be the best timing, but
maybe she could finally express how she felt. Maybe now, after this, he would begin to
open up enough to let her to love him.

Wait a second. Love him? Since when? This was just sex—
His broken groan yanked her away from her disjointed thoughts. Her little

psychoanalysis would have to wait. Her heart and mind distilled to the strip of manic
pleasure between her thighs. If she’d had any sense left, his wild heaves against her
sensitive flesh would’ve destroyed it.

And then he was thrusting harder and faster than before. So fast, she knew he couldn’t

last long. “Nellie, baby, I’m going to—“

Before he could finish, she spun around. She noted his surprised expression with a grin

and dropped to her knees in front of him. Her grip was steady as she brought his erection
to her mouth, extending her tongue for a long lick while she maintained the eye contact
that felt so natural between them. He didn’t grab onto her hair and drag her closer.
Instead he threaded his fingers through her curls tenderly, his touch as light as a caress.
The exact opposite of how she was working his cock with tongue, lips, and teeth.

She sucked him down, his agonized moan triggering her own. God, she wanted to make

him lose it. She focused hard on his strained features as he tensed and finally fisted his
hands in her hair, the bright green of his eyes hazing before he gave himself over to her.

Afterward, she pressed her cheek to his thigh. A tremble moved through his body. “I

think you missed the best part of New Year’s,” he said. The great gulps of air he dragged
in didn’t make him sound any less breathless.

She glanced up, smiling faintly. “What’s that?”

chapter six

Afterward,  they’d  cuddled  up  and  watched  more  TV,  sharing  dozens  of  kisses  in
interesting  places  before  she’d  dropped  off  around  four.  Though  Jake  wished  he  could
take  her  up  to  bed  and  sleep  beside  her,  he  didn’t  feel  right  about  doing  that  in  his
sister’s  place.  They’d  already  violated  Alexa’s  couch,  which  he  was  tempted  to  ask  his
sister to bronze.

He tucked a blanket around Noelle’s shoulders. Her blond hair curved around her cheek

and her long lashes fluttered in sleep, making her look as innocent as he’d always
imagined her to be.

He grinned. The streak of wickedness she’d been hiding was a definite bonus.
Restless without Noelle’s voice and laughter to keep him company, he went downstairs

to his sister’s fitness room. If he was pulling an all-nighter, he might as well make the
most of it. Better to spend those hours working out than turning over how he could
possibly be falling for a woman he’d known most of his life after only a few hours.

Fine, that wasn’t the whole truth. He’d loved Noelle—platonically—since they were kids.

She’d been like another sister to him until, somewhere along the line, he’d stopped
thinking about how to slip garter snakes in her sleeping bag and started wondering how
her soft, generous mouth would feel under his.

Now he knew. And nothing would ever be the same.
He pushed himself through a session on the treadmill and the rowing machine, then did

a long set of reps on the weight bench. Instead of feeling tired, adrenaline pumped
through his bloodstream. And never more than when he heard a creak on the stairs and
looked up to see Nellie standing there in her bra and panties.

Though it couldn’t be later than five a.m., she looked wide awake. And completely

irresistible. “Hi,” she said, toying with the little ribbon between her breasts.

“Hey.” Perspiration poured off his body. He mopped up the sweat on his face, trying not

to think about how he must look. “Get some sleep?”

“Mmm-hmm. You didn’t.”
“No.” As she bounced down the stairs, he willed his eager dick to remain at ease. Lost

cause. She was just too damn pretty and smelled too damn sweet when she sauntered up
to him and slid her hand under his damp T-shirt. One caress and he was as hard as the
iron he’d just pumped.

“You’re hot.” She leaned up and licked his mouth open, her eyes gleaming. “FYI, I stole

one of Alexa’s condoms.”

Jake groaned and stared up at the recessed lights in the ceiling. He wanted, more than

anything, to make love to her. Even though he would’ve wished for something different
for their first sexual experience, preferably something involving a bed and more romance
than the glitter ball on TV, there was no going back. They could only go forward.

But before they did, they had to talk because he wasn’t letting her go. Hopefully, she

felt similarly. If not, at least there would be one barrier not crossed between them. One
thing he wouldn’t have to remember and regret. If that made him a coward, so be it.

Jake took a deep breath. “We can’t do it like this. It’s not right.”
“Sure it is.” Her smile faltered slightly as she pressed her softly rounded breasts against

his chest. It took all his strength not to groan again. “We’re ready to rock and roll…aren’t
we?”

His first inclination was to talk her out of it. He was the older, wiser one. The one who

knew  best,  yada,  yada.  She  didn’t  know  what  she  wanted  and  hadn’t  thought  things
through.  If  they  had  sex,  she’d  probably  be  full  of  remorse  when  she  woke  up  and  it
would  be  his  fault  that  he  hadn’t  realized  she’d  just  wanted  to  do  something  wild  and
daring—

Except her eyelid was twitching, the nerves there as jumpy as the bunnies on the shirt

she’d been wearing earlier. She must’ve figured he’d turn her down, if not for this reason
then five others. But she was still taking the risk. Still putting herself out there.

Tonight wasn’t only some lark to her. The truth of that shone back at him from her

eyes, and if he ignored it, then he would lose a hell of a lot more than his pride.

He cupped her cheek, and the weight of the past year—Maureen leaving, his feelings of

inadequacy, coming back to town to see if it still held a place for him—fell off his
shoulders like the snow still coming down outside. In her hopeful expression he could see
his future, even if he couldn’t quite envision it yet.

They fit together. Though he’d never consciously let himself consider pursuing her,

kissing her tonight had been all the evidence he needed to realize his folly. How could he
have looked everywhere else when where he belonged was right here, in her arms?

“Jake?” she asked, voice wobbling. “Say something. Please.”
“Nellie,” he murmured. He couldn’t call her Noelle right now. She was his Nellie.

Swallowing hard, he feathered his fingers over her face. They kept moving when he heard
his sister’s unintelligible yell upstairs, followed by a succession of slamming doors and
quick steps down the stairs. Both he and Nellie glanced toward the stairwell as Alexa
appeared, looking as model-fresh as if she’d just rolled out of bed after a full night’s rest.
No cushion creases on her face, that was for sure.

“Knew you were here somewhere,” she said triumphantly, her expectant expression

shifting into a frown. “I was going to ask why the cops are in my driveway but now I have
a better question. Where the hell are your clothes?”

…

“You really slept with my best friend.” Alexa shook her head and stared into the guest
room where Nellie dozed. His sister stood ramrod straight, the poster child for a fifteen-
hour energy drink. “You truly are a horndog, aren’t you?”

“We didn’t sleep together.” Jake winced at Alexa’s piercing look. “Not exactly. And it’s

not about sex.”

“Oh really? Then what is it about? I asked you to come up here and make sure none of

my party guests showed. I didn’t ask you to play naked spin the bottle with my closest
friend.”

“Keep your damn voice down,” he muttered, wondering for the millionth time how a

woman who always smelled like flowers could possibly be so overbearing.

“She won’t hear us. She’s out for the duration. You know how she hates talking to

official types.”

“Yeah, I do.” He rubbed his hand over his eyes and tried to erase the hollow-eyed

image of Nellie from the night she’d rushed home to find her family’s house in flames. She
hadn’t looked much different last night or this morning. On top of all the police
questioning, the experience of the carjacking itself had probably shaken her right to
ground.

He shuddered. God, if that guy had had a real gun…
“Well, she’s going to get her car back and they have all her stuff. She’ll be fine.” Alexa

flipped back her long dark hair. “Long as you don’t give her all new problems, Romeo.”

Jake released a long breath. “Give me some credit, would you? I would never hurt

Nellie.” Not intentionally.

“Then why did she keep giving you wounded doe eyes while the cops were here? What

were you talking about when I came into the basement?” Alexa held up a hand. “Never
mind. TMI.”

“I’ll make it right. I just need a couple hours. Can you give us that?”
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest and tapped the toe of her black pumps. Drill

sergeants had nothing on his stickler of a little sister, even after the trip from hell. “You
care about her, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” Jake snapped. He should be talking to Nellie, not his sister. He had to

tell her how he felt, even if he wasn’t sure yet how things would play out. They had time
to decide. But he needed her to understand what she meant to him.

“Okay,” Alexa said finally, nodding and stepping back. “House is yours for the

afternoon. Use it wisely.” She patted his arm, her lips lifting in a smile. “I’m glad you’re
going for it. You think I’m completely clueless as to how you and Nellie look at each
other?”

“We do?”
“Somebody here’s clueless, but it ain’t me.” Grinning, she pivoted and strode away.

“Seriously, Jakey, put on your damn shoes. Your big clown feet won’t win you any points.”

He stared down at his bare toes and shook his head. Leave it to his sister to coax him

right out of a mood. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Quietly, he stepped into the guest bedroom and shut the door. He turned, mentally

reciting what he’d say, but those rehearsed words vanished when he realized Noelle was
leaning up on one elbow, staring at him.

“You’re up,” he said, noting the cell phone beside her on the bed.
She nodded and didn’t speak. Probably a first between them. Conversation had always

happened easily and often. Taking a deep breath, he moved toward the bed and sat
down on the edge. “How’d you sleep?”

“Fine.”
God, he hated seeing her unhappy. Since Jake was pretty sure he was the cause, it was

ten times worse. “You were on the phone?”

“Yeah. Cass from work called to tell me Goldman’s is staying open. Sales this fall were

stronger than ever.” She ran her fingertip along the edge of her phone. “At least I’ll have
my job.”

Hello, self-centered jerk. He should know about the store gossip already. “I didn’t

realize the store was in danger of closing.”

“Well, you haven’t exactly been an active part of my life for a while.”
“You’re right.”
“That’s it?” Frustration leaked from her voice. “Just ‘you’re right’?”
His stomach twisted as he pried the yellowed photo out of his back pocket and handed

it to her. Sometimes tangible proof was all that mattered. “I know you’re getting your
pictures back, but you should have this one, too.”

She gripped the ancient photo of her as a small child holding hands with her Nana and

swallowed audibly. “Where did you get this?”

He shrugged. “You must’ve left it over at our house when you and Alexa were going

through old photos. I found it when Mom and Dad were cleaning out the attic a few years
ago.” And he’d kept it for himself, selfish bastard he was. At least where Nellie was
concerned. “It took me forever to get it out of the little plastic picture sleeve in my wallet.
It’s been in there so long, it basically became part of it.” Part of me.

“I loved this shot. I always figured it had been lost in the fire.” Absently, she fingered

the worn edges. “Why did you keep it?”

For the longest time, they just looked at each other. He would’ve answered, had he had

the ability to speak.

She cleared her throat and looked away. “Guess it’s time to go pick up my car, since it’s

past twelve.” When she started to get up, he reached for her shoulder. She shook her
head and pushed his hand away. “Don’t.”

“Why?”
“You said it wasn’t right for us to sleep together, so it’s not right for you to touch me.

Not yet.” Carefully, she set aside the photo on the nightstand. “Maybe in time we can go
back to the way things were.”

“What if I don’t want to?”
Nellie looked at him, her eyes huge and swimming with emotion. “You don’t want even

that?”

His heart lurched as if she’d slapped him. Rather than answer, he drew her across the

bed and into his arms, covering her mouth with his lips and swallowing her soft cry.
Whether it was in protest or pleasure, he didn’t know. All he knew was she felt like she’d
been meant for his arms.

The less than roomy full bed would barely hold the two of them but he didn’t care. He

had to have her now. “I’m going to undress you. Tell me if you want me to stop.”

She pressed her hand against his chest, holding him back. “What does this mean?”
The words caught in his throat. Words that would likely cause him pain if she didn’t feel

the same. At least he could keep his dignity if he didn’t tell her. But he had to be honest,
with her and himself. “I never expected this. I’m not ready.”

What a cop-out. Worse, it was another quarter-truth between them. Ready or not, he’d

already fallen. Onto big, jagged rocks that impaled his heart.

“Because of Maureen?”
God, no. Because of you. You’re so much and I don’t know if I’m enough.
Mutely, he shook his head and closed his eyes, opening them when her lips molded to

his.  Her  bunny  T-shirt  and  panties  disappeared  quickly,  as  did  his  jeans,  shirt,  and
underwear. Only when he was lying on top of her with his forearms bracketing her flushed
face  did  he  remember  the  condom  that  had  provided  such  an  impediment  the  night
before.  He’d  have  to  get  up  and  find  one.  Eventually.  Right  now,  he  had  all  he  needed
right here.

Languorously, he bent down to suck each of her nipples, continuing until they bloomed

deep red. His fingers took up the rhythm while he trailed kisses up her throat. The
faintest trace of vanilla tickled his nose as she bowed back and pressed her head into the
pillow, thrusting her breasts up with such fervor that he groaned and caressed them with
his tongue. It still wasn’t enough. He slid his hand between her legs and another groan
erupted when her slick heat met his palm. How could he go slow when she felt this good?

“I’ll do better later,” he promised, spying the object he sought on the nightstand. Sitting

right there for anyone to see.

Like his little sister.
His face warmed. Jesus. “Did you—is that—“
“Shh. I put it there right before I fell asleep. She never saw.” Nellie’s husky laughter

made him feel like he was the younger one all of a sudden.

Maybe he was embarrassed, but she wasn’t. She just reached for the latex and slid on

the condom, a single tremor of her hand the only giveaway that she might be more
nervous than she seemed.

He brushed a kiss over her forehead, a habitual gesture he couldn’t shake. Didn’t want

to. “You do realize,” he began, his voice as thick as the lump in his throat, “that once we
do this, I’m going to want to do it all the time. Daily. Maybe hourly, at least until the
cramps set in.”

Nellie smiled up at him, her eyes more golden than he’d ever seen them. In the early

morning light, she looked ethereal and impossibly pretty. “I damn sure hope so.”

Jake pressed her back into the mattress and covered her body with his. She reached for

his hands. Knotting their fingers one by one felt like an oath, and his heartbeat sped up at
the feel of the pulse in her wrist. Trust swelled between them, linking them as surely as
their bodies, when he dragged in a breath and thrust inside her with one long stroke.

She cried out and he dropped his forehead to hers. His thighs quivered with the effort it

took to stay still, and his skin stretched too tightly over nerves that skittered from the
sensation overload. Even his body seemed aware of the significance of this moment.

“Jake.”
“Nellie,” he replied hoarsely, kissing away her wince. He’d been rougher than he

intended but he’d make it up to her.

When he started to move, she hurried to keep up, her hips arching and falling in a

graceless rhythm. No matter how hard he tried to gauge her reactions, he couldn’t match
her movements. The exact opposite of their well-orchestrated kisses, this was awkward
and messy and real. Not some star-dusted love scene, but inept sex.

Ironically, it made him feel miles more confident.
Eventually, he gave in to the laughter dying to escape and released one of her hands to

grip her chin. “Stop thinking,” he whispered, dropping small kisses all around her mouth.

“Just this once, give me the reins.”

“Okay.” She blew out a breath and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, as if

concentrating on loosening her muscles one by one. Almost immediately some of the
tension left her body.

“There’s my girl.” He sucked the underside of her jaw in a way that left no doubt of how

she made him feel. Hot, hungry, wild with need.

Like magic, she relaxed further into the sheets. Letting him take control and guide her

where they both wanted to go.

He didn’t start thrusting again until she softened and heated around his length, every

part of her melting underneath him. Slowly he rocked, the weight of his body a subtle
dominance she would either respond to or fight. Judging by the bloom under her skin and
the drops of sweat that popped up along her hairline, she liked it.

Their fingers locked and she gasped when he pushed in a fraction of an inch, then an

inch more. Fucking heaven. Instead of clenching up, now she opened for him like a tulip
in the sun, taking him so deep that he lost track of giving her pleasure and could only
drown in his own.

There was no stopping the commands of his body as he began to drive into her. Hard.

Fast. One stroke leading to another until his balls began to throb. Again, he’d gotten
there too quickly, just like last night. But he needed to spill himself inside her, to know
that she’d come with him. Later he would take his time.

For once, an orgasm wasn’t the finish line. It was a beginning.
He slanted his mouth over hers and drew in her cries, his cock pumping as she writhed

through her climax. And then it was his, too, spinning out to encompass them both.

Dimly, he felt her wrap her arms around him, her warmth enveloping him like a blanket.

Why had he ever been afraid to reach for something that felt so…safe?

“Jake,” she murmured, ending with a sigh that said everything.
He had no doubts left. He was ridiculously in love with Nellie Gregory.

chapter seven

Noelle drifted on Jake for a good long while. His scent, his weight, his length filling her.
She’d happily die just like that, once she got some of the unpleasantries out of the way.

“Jake?” He lifted his head, his eyes still unfocused all these minutes later. She sifted her

fingers through his hair, wanting to smother his face with kisses. “I’ve got something to
say. You might not like it, but I’m okay with that. Just like I thought I’d be okay with
sleeping with you for only one night.”

That got rid of the cobwebs fast. His eyes cleared. “Yeah, that shocked the hell out of

me. I thought I was the only one whose brain lived in the gutter.”

She tried not to giggle at the irony. With as many wet dreams as she’d had about Jake,

she could’ve charged him rent in her subconscious. “Not hardly. But then we kissed and
you completely changed my plans. Even getting carjacked didn’t screw up my night as
much.”

“Uh, thanks. I think.”
Now she did laugh, so happy that she could with him. Having sex with him had been

wonderful, yes, but it wasn’t what she’d needed deep down. She’d been looking for home.
Security.

Him.
“You made me fall in love with you,” she said, already bracing for his response. Did his

claim of not being ready mean he’d fallen or wouldn’t let himself? “Not just from your kiss,
of course. I think I was most of the way there. But that tipped me over.”

His silence gnawed at her spine. As did his owlish expression. “You’re way too young for

me.”

She’d expected as much, so she didn’t blink. “Six years is nothing. Next?”
“You’re my sister’s best friend.”
“Which means I’m already vetted by the family. Next?”
“You’re a shameless flirt and you drive me crazy with jealousy every time you start

dating some creep who could never deserve you.”

“I do?” The glow of joy couldn’t be squelched. Then she peered closer at his grin. “You

don’t get crazy over anything. You’re as steady as a sunrise.”

“Wrong.” He kissed the tip of her nose and shifted inside her, making her moan. “I’m

crazy about you.”

“Really?”
“So crazy, in fact, that I’m going to break my devout moral code and go get another of

my sister’s condoms so we can immediately have more sex. In her guest bedroom. Like
horny teenagers.”

She giggled as he pulled back. “Wait. So you don’t mind that I’m in love with you? It

doesn’t freak you out? I thought you weren’t ready.”

“I may be more ready than I thought.” His smile grew. “And actually it’s pretty handy

you love me since I’ve already had my heart smashed around like day old potatoes once
this year.”

She waited, her heart chugging in her chest like a runaway train. He wouldn’t just stop

there, would he?

Jake sucked in a breath and reached for her hand, pressing a tender kiss to her palm.

“I’m in love with you, too.”

She went stock still beneath him. “You can’t be. Can you?”
“I sure can.” He forcefully flexed his lower half and she didn’t know whether to whimper

or laugh. “I’ll prove it you by extending our New Year’s celebration just as soon as you let
me get latexed up again.”

“Wait,” she said when he again tried to rise.
Jake rolled his eyes. “What now, woman?”
“I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry.”
His dark brows dipped low over his eyes. “Huh?”
“About your ex going into the convent because you suck in bed.”
He shuddered and passed his hand over his face as if he wanted to wipe away his

thoughts. “Was I that transparent?”

With a smile, she stroked his prickly jaw and marveled at how sexy he looked with

stubble. How sexy it was that she’d feel it on her cheeks and the tops of her breasts…
“Yeah, just a little. But the good news is you’re officially a stud. I should know.”

“Am I going to want to hear this?” he asked, wincing.
“Yes. Because I fantasized about you so damn much I figured there was no way the

reality could measure up. But it did. More than. Better than Christmas, New Year’s, and
the Fourth of July wrapped into one.”

“Oh. So no pressure for next time then.” Laughing, he lowered his head to her breast,

nuzzling the pebbled tip gently until her moan prompted him to claim her mouth. His
kisses drugged her, so sweet and delicious she’d happily stay right there forever.

“None at all. We should pretend it’s the first time, every time. That we just met and fell

in love at first sight. Then we won’t have to think about pesky things like sisters and best
friends and that I really don’t mind that much when you call me Nellie, no matter what I
say.” She spoke against his mouth, thrilled that she could see the same bubbling
excitement she felt shining back at her in his eyes. “So…hello, Jacob. Nice to meet you.
Can we please have sex now?”

Another laugh rumbled through his chest. He rolled off the bed and waggled his brows.

“Absolutely, Nellie.”

“I’m so going to make you pay for that.” She reclined seductively against the pillows.

From the way his expression glazed, the pose had the desired effect. “One of the things in
my car was the dress I bought to wear for you at the party. The cops verified it was still
in the backseat. So unless you get back here fast, I might not ever let you see it. And
Jake? You want to see it.”

Without another glance her way, he dashed out of the room. “Back in under a minute.

Time me,” he called.

She chuckled and stretched her arms over her head. Even though nothing had gone

according to plan, she’d had the most amazing New Year’s ever.

Best of all? They’d created the magic all on their own.
No dress required.