Wicked Sexy (Men of Discovery Island 1)

Meeting the ex-fiancé wasn’t helping his calm any. This was the man Dani had deemed Mr. All Right. Clearly, the loser toting the ring box had ruined that relationship beyond redemption—or so Daeg sincerely hoped—but there’d been a reason why Dani had been attracted to him in the first place.

Daeg had never sized another guy up before this, but there was a first for everything. He eyeballed his competition and had to admit that Dani had taste. Good-looking, tall, broad shouldered. Yeah, the man wasn’t a slouch in the looks department, and he seemed as if he might have put some thought into his clothes, or, at the very least, employed an iron.

Rick also came bearing gifts, and the ring in the box hadn’t come cheap.

Daeg wanted to hit something—someone—and then he wanted to carry Dani back to bed. For at least a week. He rubbed a hand over his face. Doing something that dumb wouldn’t help his cause any, and there was still enough to clean up for a small army. It meant his courtship of Dani had to wait.

“You come all the way out here to give her that?” He nodded at the ring box. When he’d pulled into the driveway, he hadn’t anticipated this scenario.

“I did.” Rick’s level gaze met his. He scooped the ring box up, tucking it into an expensive leather messenger bag.

Daeg had known Dani had recent history. He just hadn’t expected that history to be standing on Sweet Moon’s front porch bearing jewelry. Or that Rick Lane would look like the complete package.

“You really think she’s happy here?” Rick matched Daeg step for step, clearly unwilling to lose his last connection to Dani. Or maybe he was just lonely, bored or wanting to chat.

Because until Daeg spoke to her, how would he know anything about how Dani felt? He knew he wasn’t sticking around the cabins much longer, though, so he started back to his own. Unfortunately, ol’ Rick tagged along.

“Dani seems fine,” he answered cautiously.

Rick laughed. “I mean, look at this place. You think a woman with her skills would be happy working the check-in desk at a two-star motel?”

Daeg picked up the pace, but Rick didn’t get the hint.

Or wouldn’t take it.

He eyed the other man. “She’s helping out her grandparents. Dani’s got a strong sense of family.”

“She’ll take me back,” Rick announced when they reached his SUV, which was conveniently parked in front of Daeg’s cabin. His battered vehicle seemed muddier and more dented than ever in comparison to Rick’s sleek number.

“You really sure about that?” Daeg asked.

“Pretty sure.” Rick didn’t look worried, just pulled out a key fob and flicked the lock button. Who locked up a car on Discovery Island? “You making a move on her?”

Wow. Daeg hadn’t seen that one coming.

“Because she won’t choose you over me,” Rick continued as if they were discussing menu choices at the local diner. “Dani likes a sure thing. Steady. Predictable. And between you and me? You don’t look like you’re any of those things.”

“People change,” he said, although he had to agree with Rick’s assessment. Dani was a by-the-numbers girl. Problem was, Daeg wasn’t. At all. He liked risk—and she liked certainty. Finding a compromise there was going to be hard. And when had he developed an interest in compromising with Dani? “And it’s none of your business what my interest in Dani is.”

Rick shook his head and popped the trunk. “It is. Dani’s my fiancée.”

“Not yet.”

“She will be.” Rick lifted out an expensive leather duffel bag. “Look. I wrecked my first chance with her. I’m not blowing my second. If I were you, I’d move along now. I’m going to go see if Dani will let me check in. You might want to think about checking out.”

Gritting his teeth, he watched Rick stroll away. This was his second chance and he was blowing it, he realized. He and Dani had shared a really hot night of sex, but had there been anything more? And was he really thinking that he wanted more?

Get in. Get out. Save the day and ride off into the sunset.

That was who he was.

What he’d spent a lifetime training to do.

Except now he wasn’t so sure he wanted to go. And that meant he had no idea what to do next, because sticking around wasn’t something he was good at, or even familiar with.

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