Seducing the Best Man

“Whiskey Special.” She didn’t even look up from her menu. “Lots of olives, please.”

Once drink orders had been placed, Bianca spoke up. “Okay, thoughts?”

Patton shifted in his seat, shooting Cady a glare before asking, “Didn’t your grandmother want you to go with your cousin Diandra?”

Cady grimaced. Bianca’s cousin should not be baking anything. The brightly colored, artificially flavored specimens she’d offered up had barely been edible. But, she knew Patton’s angle... She wasn’t sure she was ready to join him.

Patton watched as she took her drink from the waiter. His eyes narrowed as she lifted the toothpick from her drink and smiled at him. Patton scowled, but didn’t look away as she slowly tugged an olive off her toothpick and into her mouth.

“Angela’s were my favorite,” Zach offered. “To be honest, Diandra’s didn’t make my top five.”

Bianca shook her head. “We only went to five bakeries.”

“Exactly.” Zach nodded, taking a swig off his long neck.

Cady nodded. She pulled an olive off the toothpick, ignoring the faint hiss of Patton’s indrawn breath. If she hadn’t been expecting it, she wouldn’t have heard it. As it was, the thrill of power left her grinning from ear to ear.

“Why not take your grandmother to the two bakeries?” Zach offered.

Cady sat back in her chair, crossing her legs and stirring her drink with her toothpick. She knew her thigh was exposed. She knew Patton was watching her, so she didn’t bother smoothing her skirt down. He couldn’t touch her here, the table was too big, but he stared at the exposed length of her thigh. She felt beautiful and sexy...and in control. She liked being in control. Liked it even more if it meant he wasn’t.

Cady shot Bianca a look. “She won’t go if she knows what you’re doing.”

Bianca nodded. “It’s true. Diandra is family. Period.”

“Well, tonight was a giant waste of time,” Zach murmured, clearly unhappy.

“I’m sorry.” Bianca frowned into her wine. “I had no idea it would be that bad.”

“For a minute, I couldn’t feel my tongue.” Zach stuck his tongue out for emphasis. “It would be wrong to subject our guests to that.”

Bianca’s laugh was forced.

Patton’s foot nudged hers under the table. “Is it really that big a deal?”

/> Cady knew this was one of those opportunities they needed, if they were seriously going to go through with their half-ass scheme to break up the wedding. “I kind of agree with Zach here, Bibi, sorry. Diandra’s cakes were bad. But...” She frowned into her drink before murmuring. “GG will be upset. And she has that way of letting everyone know when she’s upset—not exactly what you want either.” Everything she said was true. But she should be telling Bibi to do what she wanted, to stop worrying about everyone else... That’s what a best friend would do.

“I want you to be happy, Zach.” Bianca’s smile disappeared. “But it’s hard to disappoint GG. She raised me. She’s taken care of me—”

Zach drew in a deep breath. “It’s just cake, hon.” He rubbed his thumb along her cheek. “I’m getting what I want—you. Making you happy makes me happy, so we’ll choke down Diandra’s cake.” He shrugged. “We can use the gifts we return to pay off any civil suits that might be filed after they eat the cake.”

Cady watched them, plucking another olive from her toothpick. If he wasn’t trying to ruin her best friend’s life by marrying her, she might actually like Zach. She chose that moment to look at Patton. He was watching them, too, eyes narrowed and intense. But when he turned her way, his intensity turned to hunger. She trailed the toothpick along her lower lip, biting the tip before putting it back in her drink.

“We’ll make sure there’s lots of alcohol to make up for it,” Zach said, trying his best to console Bianca.

The intensity in Patton’s eyes was unbearable, so she forced her attention to Zach and Bianca. While Bianca was dabbing her face with her linen napkin, Zach was looking at her. And from the way his gaze bounced between her and Patton, she knew he’d seen her little performance.

* * *

PATTON IGNORED HIS brother’s questioning gaze. It was his brother’s fault he was in this situation. He hadn’t figured out how to shut her out, not yet... Cady had him stuck on some sort of hormone-fueled rampage. And if she kept it up with the olives, he’d end up giving his brother and Bianca an eyeful. He shifted, his arousal making his pants tight.

Her big brown eyes were staring into her Whiskey Special.

He took a deep breath and said, “You’re not giving me much time to plan a bachelor party.”

“I don’t need one,” Zach argued.

Patton snorted.