Trouble Travels in Threes (Trouble, Tennessee 3)

Ellie waved at Bane and then let herself out the backdoor. Serena smiled at Bane as she unlocked the screen door and pushed it back. “Come on in.”

“Surprised to see me, I guess.”

“Not really,” she said, closing the screen and main doors.

Bane smirked as if he thought the second door closing represented some sort of victory for the man inside. Perhaps she should’ve left it open.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

“Got a beer?”

“Sure.” She disappeared into her cozy kitchen and returned with a bottled beer. “It’s dark. Hope that’s okay.”

“It’s wet.”

She gulped, wondering then if she’d taken him the wrong way. “It’s cold.”

“As opposed to wet, slick, and hot,” he said, his voice laden with lust.

She forced a smile. They’d had some pretty heated conversations. They’d been on the outskirts of phone sex on a number of different occasions, so the provocative talk shouldn’t have surprised her.

“Would you like to have a seat?” She turned to the sofa and waved her arm over the furniture.

Bane set his beer on the coffee table and shrugged off his leather jacket. After he placed it over the arm of the chair, he took a seat on the far end of the couch, practically hugging the end where he’d placed his outerwear.

“I didn’t know if you’d be here.”

“Is that why you came by? To see if I was here or at Draegan’s?”

His lips twitched. “Busted.”

“It took a lot of nerve to walk up to the door. Draegan could’ve been here.”

“And what would’ve happened if he’d been sitting here?” He turned to face her, one knee against the center cushion dividing them.

She glanced down and immediately turned away. The thick bulge in his dress slacks was enough to make her mouth water.

“I would’ve invited you inside.”

“With Draegan here?” He moistened his lips, stared at hers, and then brushed her hair over her shoulder.

A shiver ran up and down her spine. “Yes.”

“And what do you think would’ve happened next?”

“I don’t think Draegan would’ve been too glad to see you.”

“I’m not asking about Draegan. I want to know about you.”

Serena’s head was swimming from the wine and the excitement. She shuddered against the chill and was very much aware then that she was only dressed in her nightshirt. After she’d called Ellie, she’d showered and grabbed the first thing she’d spotted—a printed T-shirt which read “I’m sweet in my sleep. Now? I’m Naughty.”

At that very moment, Bane apparently noticed the words on her shirt. He crooked his finger back and forth. “Come sit beside me.”

“I’m afraid of what might happen if I do.”

“I’m afraid of what might happen if you don’t,” Bane said, reaching for her then and trailing his fingers up her knee and thigh.

Maybe it was the alcohol or perhaps it was just months upon months of waiting on a man to make a move. Either way, she leaned back against the sofa and propped her neck on the small decorative pillows and just stared at him, daring him, perhaps even challenging him.