Fighting For You (The Connor Family 5)

“You’re right. I should find my own nickname for you.” He tugged lightly at his lower lip with his teeth. “I have one. Hot stuff.”

“What? Jace, no. Come on; you can’t call me that when there are others around.”

“So I can call you hot stuff when we’re alone? Like now?”

I licked my lips, acutely aware that I couldn’t take a step back because I’d bump into the cross-trainer. Jace was towering over me, his shoulders slightly hunched, and that glint in his eyes was dominant.

“How about finding a more appropriate nickname?”

“What are you talking about? This is very appropriate.”

I cocked a brow in challenge. If I’d thought this would make Jace back down, I was dead wrong.

“You weren’t the only one looking before, hot stuff,” he went on in a raspier tone of voice. My pulse intensified. I felt it at the base of my neck and pounding in my ears. But since I’d looked, I couldn’t hold it against him that he’d done the same. I rubbed a hand over my face, eager to change the subject.

“Do you want to grab dinner tomorrow before the stand-up comedy?” I asked.

“No can do. Have plans with Milo.”

“Oh, you’re right. I forgot.”

“I’ll meet you in front right before it begins. We’re going to have a blast, hot stuff.”

Chapter Seven

Jace

On Thursday, after dropping off Milo with Lori, I headed straight to the venue of the comedy show. He and I had finalized the grand plans for Lori’s party, which was going to be in a few weeks. We hired a band, and then Milo and his friends were performing a play for her. She’d love it.

I hadn’t seen Brooke today and was looking forward to a relaxed evening. I loved spending time with her. I’d never met a woman I’d clicked with as I did with her.

She was damn cute the way she kept nagging Coach about his diet, double-checking that he was taking all his pills.

My attraction to her hadn’t subsided one bit though. If she wanted to combine our friendship with some benefits, I was all up for it, though for the first time in my life, I thought sex would complicate things, and I liked them the way they were.

The problem was, I couldn’t stop wanting Brooke.

When she got out of an Uber a few minutes after I arrived, I nearly swallowed my tongue. She was wearing a tight beige dress and black heels with thin straps around her ankles. It was that strap that fired up my imagination. I imagined her wearing nothing but those heels, wrapping her long, toned legs around my waist.

“Good evening, gorgeous.”

She gave an adorable shriek because she hadn’t noticed me.

“Sorry for that. You scared me. Am I late?”

“Not at all. Let’s head inside. “

I walked slightly behind her, keeping my hand at that point where the curve of her ass began. I’d studied her closely at the gym, but something about this dress was driving me insane. I couldn’t even say why. It wasn’t too short or too tight or too anything, but I could barely keep my thoughts straight.

I wasn’t the only one. I caught a few guys drooling and knew I was the only reason no one had hit on her yet. My arm went around her shoulders out of pure instinct. It could pass as a friendly gesture to Brooke, but I wanted to send out a signal to everyone else: she was here with me.

I liked having her this close, touching her. She smelled delicious. My thigh was brushing her left hip as we walked, and the desire to touch the bare skin of her legs hit me hard. To grip both her hips, then her ass, and lift her up so she’d wrap her legs around me. Jesus.

Once inside, I led her straight to the front row.

“First row?” Brooke asked excitedly. She seemed a little breathless.

“Course.”