Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men 9)

Sexy but brutal.

“Why are you sitting on the floor outside the bathroom?” she demanded. “I could find my own way back, you know.”

I glanced around, taking stock of our surroundings. I sat slumped on the corridor floor right outside the bathroom in the reception hall where my brother was having his wedding celebration. Huh. How about that? I must’ve only been out a few minutes.

Meeting Julianna’s gaze, I waved a hand. “Oh, sure. I know.” Then I reclosed my eyes. For some reason, a nap sounded divine.

But Julianna obviously wasn’t feeling the divinity of the moment. “Colton?” She shook my arm again.

I blinked my eyes open, rolled my head to look at her fully. Damn, she was as stunning as usual. But that gray dress, with the slit, and those long, lethal legs that ended in sexy-ass high heels...it was not good for my pure, innocent thoughts I was supposed to be having around her. I suddenly wanted to see her in nothing but those heels.

I frowned at them for turning my thoughts dirty. I was supposed to be helping her, not licking her calves like my stupid brain was encouraging me to do. But my mouth opened of its own accord and asked, “Why are high heels so fucking hot on women?”

I bet she looked spectacular in nothing but them as she wound them around my waist.

“No idea.” She pressed her hand to my forehead as if testing my temperature. Her palm was cool against my heated skin. It felt good. So good. I wanted her to run those cool hands all over my body. “Baby, why are you sitting on the floor?”

Baby. Shit. I liked how she called me baby. And honey, too. She should always call me baby or honey. We should make it an edict. “I fell. This is where I landed.”

“You fell?”

I nodded. I’d fallen. Hadn’t I? Or maybe I’d sat down. Whatever. I was down here now, and it was kind of nice, so I didn’t want to leave.

I’d happily stay here on the floor, chilling, with her…in nothing but high heels.

Julianna gasped as if having a revelation. “Oh my God! You’re drunk!”

Flopping my head up and down with another sloppy nod, I slurred, “Yeah, think so. Aspen’d be pissed if she knew I was this bad off at Brandt’s wedding.”

“Who’s Aspen? Oh God, do you have a girlfriend?”

“What? No.” I tried to shake my head, but wasn’t sure if the coordination matched the command my brain gave it. “Sister. Mom,” I explained. “Noel’s wife. Bo Bo....”

“Huh?” She shook her head and sighed. “I thought you said there was only cola in your cup.”

“Yeah, about that...might’ve lied a little.” After a hiccup, I snickered. “Or a lot.”

“Oh, holy…hell.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I got a minor drunk.”

“No, no.” I lifted a finger to reassure her since she looked a bit too panicked for comfort. Then I grinned. “The minor got himself drunk.”

If anything, my reassurance only seemed to make her look more worried.

“We need to move you before someone catches you like this, and I get into trouble.” She rose to her feet and held down a hand to me. “Come on.”

I had no qualms about getting a little more touchy-feely with the lovely Julianna Radcliffe, so I immediately took her fingers and let her help tug me to my feet, even as I asked, “Why should we move me?”

Were we going to find someplace quiet where she would strip down to nothing but her high heels? I liked the sound of that.

She made an irritated growly sound. “I got you drunk. I don’t want to get in trouble for getting a minor drunk.”

“You didn’t get me drunk. I got myself...wait, didn’t we already discuss this?”

“Oh, Jesus.” With a groan, she tugged on my hand, starting for the closed door closest to us. “I feel like we’re making a cheesy rendition of The Three Stooges.”

My eyebrows perked as she tried the door handle. “You like the Stooges too? Sweet.”

Sexy and good taste in comedy; I really liked this girl.