Just My Type
Secretly wanting her—no problem. Her not-so-secretly wanting him—big trouble.
The Bradfords, Book 3
There’s only one problem with the woman Jason “Mac” Gordon wants: his best friend’s little sister is off limits. Way off limits, and too young and innocent for the likes of him. From past experience, he’s learned to hide his not-so-nice preferences from the nice girls he seems to attract. That definitely includes the woman he’s always thought of as a sister. At least until recently.
Sara Bradford always gets what she wants—which is partly Mac’s fault. After all, he helped spoil her.
So she has no intention of taking his no for an answer on anything—least of all his refusal to sleep with her.
He thinks she’s too innocent? Fine. She’ll simply get un-innocent and show Mac that she wants him—the good, the bad and the nipple clamps.
When Mac’s plan to drive her away works too well, he’s forced to follow her to a tropical paradise, determined to make sure she doesn’t find her wild side with anyone but him. Once she gets a real taste of what he likes, he’s sure everything will go back to normal.
That’s until he discovers a slight kink, er, flaw in his logic…
Warning: Contains hot sex at the beach, kinky online shopping—and yes, cotton-candy-flavored body powder does exist.
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Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520
Macon GA 31201
Just My Type
Copyright © 2010 by Erin Nicholas
ISBN: 978-1-60928-189-2
Edited by Lindsey Faber
Cover by Scott Carpenter
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Firs
t Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: September 2010
Just My Type
Erin Nicholas
Dedication
To Derek. You’re going to make some lucky heroine a wonderful hero.
Chapter One
This was exactly why she’d decided not to wear panties tonight.
Sara Bradford’s eyes found Mac Gordon sitting where he’d been throughout the wedding reception—
lounging back in a chair at the head table, one ankle crossed over the other, tux jacket off, tie hanging loose, a glass of beer in one hand, his other arm draped across the empty chair next to him.
Lord Almighty, he was gorgeous. Just looking at the tuxedo shirt stretched tight over his chest, his thick fingers wrapped around the glass, the half-amused, half-irritated expression on his face and slight curl to one corner of his mouth made her want to cross the room and climb up onto his lap.
Which was exactly what she intended to do.
Mac wouldn’t know what to do. None of their friends would know what to do. Her brother and sister wouldn’t know what to do. Hell,
she
wasn’t entirely sure what to do after that. But they were just gonna have to figure it out. Because Sara wanted Mac and she was going to have him.
As if she’d scripted it, the second cousin of the fourth usher arrived back at her side with a glass of champagne in one hand and a glass of beer in the other.
“Here you go, sweetie,” he said, handing her the champagne flute.
She gave him a smile. She hated he was calling her sweetie after only knowing her for a few hours, and not knowing her that well, but she would put up with it for a few more minutes. All she needed from him was an excuse to go to Mac. She had a feeling Doug was about three minutes from being just that excuse.
“Thanks, Doug.” She tipped the glass and drained half of the champagne. It was only her second glass, and as she enjoyed the tingles the sweet bubbles gave her, she realized it would have to be her last.
She wasn’t about to approach Mac tipsy. He’d think that was the reason and use it as an excuse to put her off.
“Sara, I’m so glad we got together tonight. After meeting you last night I can hardly think of anything else,” Doug said, leaning close.
“I’m flattered,” she said sincerely, leaning back. Which was true. It was always flattering when men found her attractive, sweet, interesting, cute, beautiful, smart, sexy and any of the other adjectives they used. Flattering, but nothing more.
Mac Gordon, on the other hand, had only to walk into a room and she felt such a crush of emotions she sometimes couldn’t hide it and would have to find an excuse to leave until she got her composure back.
Just My Type
She loved Mac. Plain and simple. What had started out as admiration and gratitude had turned into a crush, which matured into friendship and was now full-blown love. Not to mention the lust. Oh, the lust.
All of which posed a huge problem in her life. Mac thought of her as a little sister. She, on the other hand, compared every man she met to him and found them all lacking.
It had all created a very emotionally—and sexually—frustrating situation.
That was all about to change.
Sara didn’t have to check to see if Mac was looking. He’d been watching her all day. It wasn’t unusual. He always seemed to know exactly where she was and who she was with.
Like a man in love.
Or an older brother.
Unfortunately.
But today had been different and had been what made her decide now was the time. She’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity to convince Mac they belonged together. The way his eyes had barely left her all day meant tonight was that chance. Her brother’s bride, Danika, had chosen gorgeous, sexy dresses for her bridesmaids. The color, a silvery blue, looked good on all of them and the silky material and straight cut was understated but sexy. The backs dipped low, the front came to a V between the breasts and the straight skirt gently caressed the curves of hips, derrieres and thighs before dropping to the floor. It moved with a shimmering elegance and Sara loved it.
She thought perhaps Mac felt the same. The other women’s husbands had verbally and tactilely admired the dresses on their wives. As Ben, her brother-in-law, had slid his hands over the silk and said something in her sister’s ear that made her blush, Sara had snuck a look at Mac. He’d been staring squarely at her. She’d felt her body flush with heat and had forced herself to stay put and not offer to let him feel the material.
He was watching her now too. Time to put her plan in motion.
She leaned in and hugged Doug, careful to keep space between their bodies. Over his shoulder, she mouthed to Mac, “Help me.”
She pulled back and looked at Doug, turning them both so her back was to Mac. “Doug, you’re a nice guy.”
“Thanks.” He moved a little closer, obviously encouraged by her spontaneous hug.
“And I’m sorry.”
He hesitated and frowned. “What for?”
“You’ll see.”
A moment later she felt a big, warm body right behind her. Mac’s heavy hand settled on the nape of her neck. “Dance with me.”
His deep voice made goose bumps trip up and down her arms. As usual. She loved that.
7
Erin Nicholas
“See you later, Sara,” Doug said, turning away without pause.
She smiled, knowing exactly the glare Mac was giving him. She turned to the big man behind her and intentionally stepped close. “Thanks, Mac.”
“You okay?”
That was the way she’d known it would be. He wouldn’t hesitate to come with nothing more than
help
me
from her. He would do anything for her. At least, he always had. There was one big thing she wanted from him that she wasn’t so sure he’d do without question.
“Now I am,” she answered truthfully.
“Do I need to hit anybody?” he asked.
She smiled. She knew he was being sarcastic, yet if she said yes, he’d do it. “No. I’m great.” He still had his hand cupping her neck and she felt his thumb stroke up and down the side of her throat. She looked up into his eyes. His attention dropped to her mouth before his hand fell away.
Dammit.
“I don’t want to dance,” she said.
“No? Cake?” He glanced in the direction of Sam and Danika’s five-tiered white wedding cake with blue and silver accents.
“No. Something else though. From you.”
“You’re old enough to buy your own drinks, princess.”
Sam’s friends had called her princess for as long as she could remember. Was she spoiled? Yes. Was she overprotected? Definitely. Did she always get her way? Pretty much. Was it her fault? Not really.
“Yeah, I am. Twenty-five as a matter of fact.”
“I remember.” He’d been at every birthday party she’d had since she turned thirteen.
“Something else.”
“Ride home I can do too. I’m ready to go.”
“We can’t leave before Sam and Dani,” she protested.
He sighed, very put-upon. Sara thought about the ride-home offer. The thing about it was Mac had given her more rides home than her own brother had. No one would think anything of it, least of all Mac himself.
At least up until right now.
“I need you to kiss me.”
Several heartbeats passed before he said, “Excuse me?”
“Doug, the guy I was talking to a minute ago, thinks
he’s
taking me home. I need you to help me convince him I’m involved with someone.”
Mac frowned down at her. “Tell him no.”
“He’s in town until Tuesday and comes back on business all the time. He’ll keep bugging me.” 8
Just My Type
Mac’s frown turned to a scowl. “Keep telling him no.”
“This is easier,” she insisted, moving closer as Mack leaned back slightly. “If he thinks I’m involved, especially with a big, mean-looking guy like you, he’ll drop it.”
“Mean-looking?”
“When you frown like that.” She moved even closer. “Come on. Just a little favor. One kiss.” He’d kissed her cheek, her forehead, the top of her head and her hand before. And once on the lips.
New Year’s Eve. Two years ago. Which was when the lust had started. She’d never felt like that with even the most passionate kisses from other men and this had been only a New Year’s Eve kiss. It hadn’t been a peck, but neither had it been carnal by any stretch—it had been full, lips slightly open, up against the full length of his body, lingering for a good minute.
All she’d been able to think after was
wow
and
if he ever really turned it on, I’m a goner
.
“Tell him you’re with me,” he said with a growl turning back to his chair at the head table. He grabbed her hand just as she thought he was walking away and pulled her along with him. “Stay with me and you won’t have to tell him anything at all.”
Sara let herself enjoy Mac’s hand, big, warm and strong, for a moment before making herself keep up the argument—even though he was right. She wanted that kiss.
“Someone already told him I’m single. He’ll think we’re just friends sitting together. Even if he doesn’t approach me again tonight, he’ll probably call tomorrow.” Mac settled down into his chair and pushed the chair next to him out for her. “Want me to stay over and answer the phone until Tuesday?”
She swiveled on her chair seat to look at him, gauging the motivation behind the offer. She knew he didn’t mean it like
that
. He’d slept on her couch before.
“Yes,” she said simply.
“I will,” he told her lifting his glass. “But you have to buy Twinkies.” Mac’s favorite food. Normally, she would roll her eyes and joke about his propensity for junk food.
But she was in a mood tonight. She leaned over and put her hand on his hard, flat stomach.
“How do you keep these so tight with all those Twinkies?” She rubbed her hand back and forth over the warm, white linen of his shirt.