Turbulent Intrigue (Billionaire Aviators 4)

“You’re missing out,” Mav said with a nudge in the arm as the cheerleaders ran by in front of them.

“I’m here for the football,” Ace grumbled.

“That’s too bad, ’cause we dance a lot better than they do.”

Ace’s head whipped around as Dakota stopped in front of them, wearing a ridiculously short skirt and bra top that was showing far too much of her beautiful cleavage. Ace’s jaw dropped, and he found he wanted to grab her and cover her up, but as quickly as she’d shown up, she was gone again.

Of course! She was a cheerleader! That explained it all. The perkiness, the confidence, the way she’d drawn him to her. She had to be brainless on top of it. Weren’t all cheerleaders? But . . . Damn it! She hadn’t seemed like that—not at all, not like the cheerleaders at his high school. His thoughts were so muddled, he was beginning to wonder if he had a concussion.

Ace heard his family chortling as he put their teasing remarks together in his mind. No wonder they’d been saying he was going to be staring at the cheerleaders. They were right, but he wasn’t happy about it.

The group of women stood about twenty feet in front of them as they performed a routine, giving Ace an incredible view of Dakota’s luscious body as she kicked her legs high and jumped in the air, her breasts nearly spilling from her ridiculous top. He wanted to jump over the fence, haul her over his shoulder, and take her away.

His brothers were laughing, and he wasn’t sure if they were doing it at his expense or not, but all his focus was on one woman only. Guess he was going to watch the cheerleaders the entire game after all—or at least one of them.

Dakota met his eyes several times over the next couple of hours, and Ace felt his body tense as he watched her do an incredible job of entertaining the huge crowd as the Seahawks pulled out a nice lead over the Raiders. Ace didn’t even give a damn about the score of the game.

His brothers tried engaging him in conversation, but he couldn’t concentrate. Between his awareness of Dakota’s proximity to him, and his eyes constantly scanning the crowd for danger, he was a bundle of nerves, ready to snap at a moment’s notice.

It also didn’t matter how cold it was outside—he was hot and bothered as his eyes swept across Dakota’s curvaceous body. He hated that the entire sporting world was getting the same view he was. Her performance should be for him only. It shouldn’t be in this arena where she could get ambushed, where others were taking advantage of her. His mind was a mess.

When the game finished, Ace let out a breath of relief that they’d survived the event with no one getting injured and without him jumping over the barrier to save a girl who had no need of saving. He stared after Dakota as she passed by them and winked. His brothers called out that she’d done great,

and she blew them a kiss.

Another cheerleader caught Ace’s eyes and smiled at him in a way that assured him she’d be more than happy to go home with him. He turned away, not at all interested. He wanted only one woman right now, and he didn’t see that changing any time soon.

“Let’s get out front. Dakota is going to dinner with us,” Chloe said.

Ace was the first person on his feet. His mood improved greatly at knowing he was about to be with the woman who was consuming entirely too many of his thoughts. He didn’t wait for the rest of his family, just marched through the crowd and out to where the limo was waiting for them. He let out an enormous sigh of relief the minute he stepped through the tunnel. Damn, his muscles hurt—they’d been so tense all night.

His family met up with him a few minutes later, and then he paced as the crowd filed from the stadium. He was waiting for one person only, and she was taking her sweet-ass time.

When Dakota finally came through the private entrance, Ace felt his heart thunder in his chest. She had looked delicious in her cheerleading uniform, but damn if she didn’t look just as amazing in a pair of tight jeans and a sweater that hugged her in all the right places.

He had now seen a lot of her luscious body, and clothes did nothing to hide the visuals that were permanently tattooed on his brain. He needed to strip her down and see the final pieces of her body he hadn’t yet been privileged to view.

Soon, he promised himself. Very soon he would have her naked and sweaty beneath him. He feared if he didn’t, bad things might happen. Could a man go crazy with lust? Yeah, he decided. It was a real possibility. Maybe he should just voluntarily commit himself now.

“You did wonderfully, beautiful,” Chloe said, the first to grab Dakota. “As usual.”

“Thanks, darling. I had fun,” Dakota said. She looked over Chloe’s shoulder and met Ace’s eyes. Hers widened a bit, and he realized his emotions might not be as masked as he’d been hoping.

“Ready for some food after that workout?” Nick asked.

“I’m starving. I think I could eat an entire cow,” she said with a laugh.

“Hey, sugar! Want a ride?”

Ace froze as some dipshit guys in a raised Chevy pickup stopped in front of them, their eyes on Dakota, drool practically spilling from their mouths. He took a step toward them, ready to beat them into a bloody pulp.

“Get out of here, Gary, and go see your wife,” Dakota said with a laugh.

“If you insist,” the man said with a wicked smile before he pulled away.

Ace was shaking with the need to smash something. He turned back and looked at Dakota, who was smiling at him, clearly understanding the rage he was feeling. He didn’t like her seeing his instant jealousy at another man coming on to her.

“That’s just Gary. He’s a dear friend,” Dakota said. But he had a feeling she was thinking she had Ace right where she wanted him—hook, line, and sinker. Maybe she did.