Break the Rules (The Flanagan Sisters Book 1) (10 page)

The
living room was comfortable with big, blue cushy sofas. Hal directed them to
sit while he got them drinks.

Jack
walked in looking incredible in a pair of red board shorts and a black T-shirt.
He was delectable. Bridget looked away before she did something stupid. She was
still on her high from the dive and was likely to make impulsive decisions,
like asking him to show her his room.

Not a
good idea.

“How
did your course go?” Jack asked after greeting them both. “Are you certified?”

Certifiable
was more like it. Bridget gripped the sofa arm.
“Yeah.
I passed.”

“Did
you enjoy it?” He sat down next to her.

It
was too close in her current mood, but she didn’t care. “You were right. It’s a
whole other world down there,” she said. “And being able to stay down, breathe
through the respirator, and experience it without any hurry was such an
incredible feeling.” She couldn’t describe it.

“It’s
freedom,” he said.

“Yes!”
She placed a hand on his thigh. He understood exactly. Down there, under all of
that water, there was no world on the surface, no responsibilities, no plant.
There was just the ocean, the animals, and your dive buddy. All there was to do
was enjoy the dive.

“So
when are you going again?”

“Next
Saturday. The dive shop runs regular dives. The weather’s going to be perfect
and they’re going out to one of the shipwrecks in the Gulf.”

“Mind
if I tag along? It’s been a while since I’ve been diving.”

“Sure.”
Bridget didn’t hesitate. She wanted to experience a dive with him. He knew what
to do and he’d love it as much as she did.

Bridget
turned to include Tanya in their conversation, only to find she wasn’t there.
Sometime during her conversation with Jack, Tanya must have left and she didn’t
notice.

Suddenly
she realized Jack had covered her hand on his leg and was stroking the back of
it. Sensation shot up her arm and through her body. She glanced at him, not
moving her hand.

“Sorry,
I can’t help myself,” he said.

Today
was too good a day for anger, for responsibility. Today she wanted him to touch
her. Today she wanted to experience life. Today she wanted him.

“I
had an idea,” Jack said.

She
waited for him to continue.

“We
can’t date at work – that’s a given.”

She
nodded.

“But what about the weekend?
There’s two whole days when work doesn’t
interfere – as long as neither one of us is on call. It seems a shame to waste
them.” His eyes were cautious, his tone light.

It
was
so
tempting. “What would the conditions be?”

“The
work week ends when we both finish work on Friday. It starts when we arrive at
work Monday. If we’re on call, that’s considered a work weekend.”

Bridget
considered it. The issues with being involved at work were: the distraction,
the gossip, and the potential for blame. But if it was just an occasional
weekend thing then it could be classed more as a fling than a relationship.
They wouldn’t be distracted because there would be no work involved, no one
need to know because they wouldn’t be
seen,
and she
couldn’t be blamed for something that happened outside of work hours.

Who
was she kidding? She wanted him and today she didn’t care about the
consequences.

“Deal.”

They
dove at each other.

Chapter 10

Jack dragged Bridget on to his lap and she
straddled him. Her lips met his and she sighed in pleasure. This was a damn good
idea. She shouldn’t have waited so long. She slipped her tongue into his mouth,
tasting, teasing.

Jack
moaned, caressing her breasts, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. She arched against
him as heat rushed straight to her core. His fingers slipped under her shirt
and brushed her hot skin.

She
tore her mouth away from his and said, “Bedroom.
Now.”
If they didn’t move, things were going to get indecent.

She
followed him willingly down the hall, not registering whatever it was that Hal
said to them as he passed. She didn’t care. All that mattered was Jack.

He
almost carried her into his room, slamming the door behind them and pressing
her up against it.

“Better,”
she breathed before he claimed her mouth again.

Her
hands slid under his shirt and he stepped away, stripping it off, before he was
back, his body hard against hers. It wasn’t enough. She was wearing too many
clothes. She yanked off her top and he unsnapped her bra, finding her breast
with his mouth.

Bridget
gasped. “Yes.” Her body sung in a way it never had before.

Her
hands found his hair again and pulled him up so she could taste his mouth. She
ached, her whole body pulsing with need. He unbuttoned her shorts, sliding them
and her panties off. She stepped out of them as he stepped back.

“You’re
a goddess,” he said, running his hands over her breasts, down to the heat
between her legs.

Sparks
flew through her. She felt like a goddess. “I want you.”

He
stripped off his pants. His naked body was sexy as hell. She reached for him,
pressing her body against his. “Bed,” she said, pushing him toward it and
stalking after him. She shoved him onto the bed and climbed on top of him,
straddling him. She captured his mouth, needing him. She didn’t want to wait.
“Condoms?”

He
gestured to the bedside table.

She
grabbed what she needed and then sat back. Her hand wrapped around his shaft
and his hips jerked. Power surged through her. She sheathed him with rubber and
then sheathed him with her body, every nerve ending in her body tingling.

Bridget
paused, her head back, eyes closed as she savored the sensation. Then she
opened her eyes, met his, and grinned.
“Ready to ride?”

* * *

Bridget
slid off Jack and collapsed on the bed next to him. Every cell in her body was
warm and satiated.

She
hadn’t expected the passion to equal their first night together. She’d only
wanted to scratch an itch but it was so much more than that. His body was
divine, hard and firm, needing to be touched. Her lust had taken control.

Glancing
at Jack, he didn’t seem to mind.

She
smiled as he cleaned up and then slid back on to the bed with her. He pulled
her close and kissed her.

“I
like this new deal,” he said.

She
laughed.
“Me too.”

“Should
I apologize to Hal for missing dinner?”

“We
missed dinner?”

He
laughed, such a warm and happy sound that it made her heart sing. “Yeah, about
the time I was dragging you into my lair.”

So
that’s what he’d said. “In that case, we probably should. I think he’ll
understand.”

“I’m
sure
he will,” Jack agreed. “But he can wait a little longer.”

He
took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Her rapid heartbeat slowed to a flutter
as his other hand lazily drew circles on her hips. This man made her whole body
respond. She wanted him again.

“So
since our new deal doesn’t end until tomorrow morning, you could stay the
night,” Jack said, moving from kissing her knuckles to kissing her breasts.
“I’ll brave Hal’s wrath and get us something to eat, and then we can hide out
here for the rest of the evening.”

It
was far too tempting. Their deal was supposed to be casual, temporary, just for
fun.

Bridget
sat up, keeping her voice light. “That would hardly be polite,” she said. “Hal
went to all the trouble to cook for us.” She climbed off the bed and began to dress.

She
couldn’t get more involved with Jack. This was just sex. She felt his eyes on
her, but she didn’t look at him while she hooked her bra and slipped her shirt
over her head. Finally she heard him move behind her.

“I
hope his lasagna is worth it,” Jack said.

Bridget
breathed out a sigh of relief as she turned to him, buttoning her shorts. He
pulled his T-shirt on and took her hand. Her hand fit perfectly in his.

“Let’s
go face the music,” he said.

* * *

As
they entered the kitchen, both Hal and Tanya grinned at them. Bridget’s face
heated.

“Any
dinner left?” Jack asked, pulling out a chair at the table for her.

“We
saved you some.” Hal indicated the tray in the oven.

As
Jack dished them up some food, Tanya gave Bridget the thumbs up, grinning
widely. Not wanting to discuss it in front of the others, Bridget turned away
and hoped the blush wasn’t showing. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.
It wasn’t as if Hal and Tanya hadn’t been doing the same thing over the last
few weeks.

Jack
placed a plate in front of her. “Wine?” he asked, holding up a bottle they’d
bought at the winery last weekend.

“Sure.”

This
was OK. He was being casual, friendly. There was none of the intensity she’d
felt in his bedroom. There couldn’t be any intensity, not if this weekend thing
was going to work. It had to be casual.

Bridget
tasted the lasagna. “This is good,” she told Hal.

“Glad
you like it.”

They
fell into easy conversation.

When
it was time to go home, Tanya came with her, so they could get an early start on
their girls’ day.

Bridget
stood at the door to her truck and turned to Jack. “Were there any problems on
Friday? Do you need anything for tomorrow?”

He
shook his head. “No work talk, remember,” he said as he pulled her close.
“Just you and me.”

The
idea was so tantalizing. Just forget about work.

He
bent his head, lowering his mouth toward hers. “I’ll see you Friday night?”

She
frowned. He’d see her at work on Tuesday. Then she realized what he was doing.
“That would be great.”

“What
was the name of the dive company? I’ll book a tour on Saturday.”

She
told him and finally he kissed her. It was a slow kiss, long and luscious,
drawing the heat to her core slowly. The fire of earlier was replaced with a
long burn, like a log fire on a cold night.
Comfort and
warmth.

Breaking
the kiss, Bridget looked at Jack, not able to read his expression in the
darkness of night. Did he feel it too?

She
hoped not. She had to get her emotions under control and treat this how it
should be treated.
As a fling.

She
slid into the car, and lowered her window.
“Until Friday.”

She
backed out of the driveway and drove off.

* * *

“I’m
thinking about asking Hal to marry me,” Tanya said as soon as they were on the
road.

Bridget’s
jaw dropped and she glanced at her friend to check if she was kidding.

She
wasn’t.

“Wow.
That’s … quick.”

“I
know, it is, right? But I’ve never been so happy. He gets me. And it’s not
about the sex, which is fantastic. Some evenings we just sit on the couch and
watch television, and others we talk into the early morning. I can talk to him
about anything.”

It
sounded nice.
A companion and a lover.

There
was a tiny part of Bridget that was sad. She would miss being Tanya’s best
friend and confidant. “So what’s your hesitation?”

“It’s
only been three weeks. What if we’re still in the love bird stage?”

“My
parents married a week after they met,” Bridget said. She adored the story of
how it was love at first sight for them. “Can you imagine having kids with him,
buying a house, growing old together?”

“Yeah.”
Tanya’s voice was soft, dreamy. “We both want two kids.”

If
they’d already had that conversation then perhaps Hal felt the same way about
Tanya. Bridget smiled. “Then maybe that’s your answer.”

“We
should look for rings tomorrow,” Tanya said. “Do guys get engagement rings if
the girl asks?”

Bridget
shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t see why not.”

“I
should have checked his size.” She was
fretting,
Bridget could hear it in her voice.

“There’s
no rush, Tanya. You’ve got the rest of your lives together.”

“You’re
right. It doesn’t matter, we can get it resized.”

Bridget
smothered a grin. Tanya heard what she wanted sometimes. She pulled into the
driveway.

“What
have you got planned for us for tomorrow?” Bridget asked.

“Shopping in the morning, followed by a casual lunch at Eat, Drink,
Read, and then facials and massages in the afternoon.”

“Sounds great.”
Well, the facial and massage definitely did. The shopping she’d endure.
Bridget unlocked the door to the house and turned on the light.

“Oh,
and ring shopping,” Tanya added.

“Of
course,” Bridget agreed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

As
she lay in bed she wondered what it would be like to find the one you wanted to
spend your life with, and fell asleep thinking of Jack.

* * *

At
eight o’clock the next morning, Tanya banged on her door.
“Time
to get up.”

Bridget
groaned. The only thing to get Tanya to rise early was shopping or a road trip.
Just her luck.

“I’m
getting up,” she called.

Tanya
was already dressed and ready to go when Bridget came out. She handed Bridget a
slice of toast and a coffee. “I never asked you how it was with Jack last
night,” she said. “I didn’t believe Hal when he said Jack had dragged you to
his bedroom.”

Bridget’s
body warmed as she remembered it.

“So
how was it?”

She
took a sip of her coffee.
“Fine.”

“Fine?”
Tanya sounded disappointed. “I would have thought with a package like that,
Jack would have rocked your world.”

Though
she didn’t want to go into detail she couldn’t prevent the smile from crossing
her face. “Actually I think I rocked his world.”

“You
go, girl!” Tanya hollered. “I’m so glad you two got it together. He’s so nice.”

Bridget
hummed an agreement, hoping it would be enough for Tanya. It was Monday, which
meant Jack was off limits in that way.

“When
are you seeing him next?”

“Friday
night.”

Tanya
frowned. “That’s ages away.”

“We
work together, remember?”

“Yeah.
What made you change your mind?”

“It’s
a weekend thing. During the week we’re colleagues and at the weekend we date.”

Tanya
stared at her. “How’s that going to work? You can’t separate it that way.”

“Sure
we can.” Bridget was still trying to convince herself. “It’s called
compartmentalizing.”

“Bridge …”

She
got to her feet, swallowing the last of her breakfast. “I’ll take a shower and
we can go.” She left before Tanya could lecture her further.

She
had enough doubts as it was.

* * *

Their
day started with shopping. Bridget bought herself a few tops, a cute dress, and
on a whim, some sexy lingerie. Tanya dashed in and out of jewelers before
finally choosing an engagement ring for Hal.

After
an amazing facial and a full-body massage that made Bridget’s bones melt, they
headed home.

Bridget
dumped her purchases on her bed and walked into the kitchen. “What do you want
to do for dinner?”

Tanya
turned from the fridge where she was getting a drink and screwed up her face.
“I was hoping to see Hal tonight.”

Of
course she was. She had the ring burning a hole in her pocket. “Good luck!”

Tanya
beamed at her. “Thanks, Bridge. You’re the best for understanding.” She gave
her a hug and then left the room. “I’m going to get ready.”

Bridget
poured herself a glass of wine and sat on the couch. Things were changing
rapidly. If Hal accepted Tanya’s proposal – and Bridget hoped he would – they’d
probably want to move in together as soon as possible. But Bridget couldn’t
afford the rent on her own. She might actually have to find a new roommate.
Then again, Tanya wasn’t likely to move in with Hal while Jack was still living
there.