Page 17 of Shattered Hearts
Finn’s there, waiting for me.
His dark, scary eyes are distracted, his impatient mouth pressed down into a firm line. I take in his height and his strapping, brawny body, toned and taut from more violence than I care to know about.
He’s practically a different guy in his unbuttoned tuxedo shirt, a hint of chest hair peeking out from that second button. He’s rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, exposing burly, veined forearms that are too sexy for his own good.
Long story short? He’s so devastatingly handsome that I almost forget to breathe. And that echo of my old weakness terrifies me.
There’s no way I can dance with him. What if he feels my heart racing? What if he notices my trembling arms?
The closer I get to him, the more things I notice. Like the fact that I can tell I’m not the only one who’s taken the edge off. The tension in those rock-hard shoulders has eased some, like he’s had at least a few fingers of whiskey.
The fact that a man this sexy is waiting for me, even though we’re only pretending, is overwhelming in more ways than one.
Having all eyes on me is disconcerting. But having Finn’s attention is something else. An unexpected, mind-boggling, frightening, and exhilarating experience.
I don’t know what to do with myself.
What I do know is I’m in trouble. I’d almost forgotten I’m half-naked until Finn’s powerful, weighted gaze rakes over my body, tracking every inch of me from my forehead all the way down to my toes and back up again.
I swallow so hard, I feel itthere.In that throbbing place between my thighs.
On a scale of one to ten, my self-consciousness is a fifteen as his eyes bore into mine, steady and unflinching. He’s fearless, but hell if I’m not afraid of him. If he has this effect on me from several feet away, what will happen when only centimeters separate our bodies?
Right now, Finn’s noticing more of me than I’d ever want to show off in a room like this. It’s got to be what I’m wearing. Theleaves-nothing-to-the-imagination dress. Why else would he give me those fuck-me eyes?
Yep, it’s the dress. I’m sure of it. Either that, or he’s a damn good actor.
Heart hammering, I force my feet to keep moving toward him, stopping a foot in front of him. “Let’s get this over with.” I keep my voice low. “And don’t even think about putting your hands anywhere they don’t belong.”
His lips kick up in a half grin as he closes the gap between us and leans down to whisper in my ear. “Oh, I’m thinking about it.”
I want to kick myself in the face for the way my body reacts to his words. “You’re engaged to my sister, asshole.”And you’d do well to remember that, too, Riley Brennan.
He swallows, and I track the movement. “Better play nice, or everyone will think the newlyweds are having their first argument as a married couple.”
“Can’t have that, can we?”
“No.” When his dangerous hands settle on my waist, I almost hit the ceiling. “We certainly can’t.”
His sultry scent wafts into my nose, intoxicating me as I attempt to play off my surprise by draping my arms over his shoulders.
Nerves and attraction wrestle each other in my chest. Despite my rising anxiety, my fingers ache to rove over the muscles he’s hiding underneath this crisp tuxedo shirt. The grin is long gone, and his scowling face hovers directly in front of mine, close enough to kiss.
I pray he can’t detect my traitorous body’s attraction. The silk of Harper’s dress is so thin, I might as well be wearing lingerie.
And what song comes bursting to life through the reception hall’s stereo system but Sinead O’Conner’s “I Want to Be LovedBy You”? I close my eyes against the ridiculous nature of this moment, only to be jolted back to reality when Finn tugs me tight against him and whispers in my ear.
“So how far do we go?” His voice is velvety and seductive.
The heat of Finn’s breath against my ear sends my brain spiraling.
“Um…what do you mean?”
He draws back to meet my uncertain gaze.
“How far. Does this charade. Go?” He enunciates like I’m slow, his voice well hidden beneath the volume of the music.
Sucking in a deep breath,I do my best to school my scattered facial expression for the audience eyeballing our performance. “I’m only filling in for today.”