AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Reed winced, leaning on his forearms on the bar top. “I can only imagine. The one perp I was forced to shoot in Denver still bothers me, despite knowing I had no choice.”
Luckily, the closest Brett had come to pulling a trigger on someone had been his last meeting with Gina’s lawyer. He hunted, and on occasion, had to put down an injured steer or horse, but couldn’t imagine his brother’s turmoil over taking a person’s life, regardless of the circumstances that had forced his hands.
“On a brighter subject,” Reed said, straightening and looking past Brett. “Brace yourself. You’re about to get a visitor.”
****
Laughing, Allie eludedthe groping hands of her dance partner and turned her back on him to return to the table and her friends. Unable to help herself, her gaze sought Brett Kincaid again and found him still sitting at the bar. Since her reaction was the same heated rush and frisson of excitement as when she’d first seen him upon entering Casey’s, she gave up the fight and veered toward the bar.
Crap.Why did dress slacks and shirt paired with a Stetson and weathered, five-o’clock shadowed profile do it for her every time? Once she had spotted him at the bar and discovered her reaction to the eldest Kincaid brother was still a strong, irresistible pull, she’d become fixated on him to entertain her for the night. From past experience, she knew once she zeroed in on someone who she found appealing, it was impossible to un-fixate. There went the fun of spending time checking out her options and choosing the best candidate to celebrate her twenty-eighth birthday with.
She’d recognized him right away, her heart fluttering as she’d watched him converse with his brother, her response to seeing him in person the same as when she’d listened to him cut off a reporter’s inquiry about his divorce on television a few months ago. Drawn with unwise, unwilling force, she’d spent time she couldn’t afford to take from her education to search for news about Brett and listened to the local gossip surrounding all three brothers that usually lacked merit. She soaked up every bit of information she could garner about the eldest of the renowned Kincaids and still fell asleep fantasizing about Brett more often than not. The trio had built upon their father’s good reputation as a cattle and oil baron and, thus far, had succeeded in keeping their personal lives more private than Casey Kincaid ever managed. Unsubstantiated rumors still abounded despite their success as reputable businessmen and generous philanthropists, most of them centered around hints of private parties they hosted on the upper floor of this club.
The nightclub was bigger than it looked from the outside, the dance floor in the far corner, away from the bar, taking up a fourth of the space. The crowd had thickened since they’d entered an hour ago, and it wasn’t easy maneuvering between the tables and around people without getting hit upon by cowboys interested in dancing or pushing for more. While she was usually open to flirting for men’s attention, Brett Kincaid was the one she wanted tonight. A loudwhoopcame from behind the bar, and all heads seemed to turn toward the mechanical bull and the woman riding the bucking machine with envious success. Later, Allie planned to try and beat the top score for staying on the gyrating, padded vault.
Having gotten the kinks out from sitting behind a desk all week by spending the last hour dancing, Allie was more than ready to appease her curiosity and approach Brett, the two large margaritas she’d downed boosting her courage. His brother said something to him, and he turned to face her the moment she reached the bar. Dark, brooding, and lust-inspiring barely defined Brett Kincaid’s appeal to Allie.
Sliding onto the vacant stool next to him, Allie’s palms turned clammy, and her pulse spiked as she took in the breadth of his shoulders tapering to a slim waist and the ripple of muscles in his bronzed arm as he lifted a beer to his mouth. He was even more mouthwatering up close and in person. She hit him with a megawatt smile the second he turned toward her and nudged his hat up to reveal moss-green eyes, her heart thumping against her chest with edgy anticipation. “Hi.” Holding out her hand, the rings adorning each finger glinted under the meager light, her bright neon-pink-and-green nails a stark contrast to her pale skin. “I’m Allie Sauer.” Normally she wouldn’t divulge her last name, but what better way to get him to introduce himself?
One look out of that penetrating gaze fired her up on all cylinders, confirming the jolt of lust that had shaken her earlier. Her desire to meet him jumped ahead to wondering if she could talk him into giving her a tour of their private room upstairs. Her friends were always saying her curiosity would land her in trouble one of these days, but heeding their warnings would ruin her fun, and she’d waited too long for this opportunity.
Her celibacy these past six months since ending another relationship wasn’t the reason for her over-the-top reaction to a virtual stranger. After spending way too much time these past months soaking up everything she could find about Brett, she’d picked up enough information to keep stoking the embers of her infatuation. Those penetrating eyes drifted over her face then lowered to her breasts long enough for her nipples to peak before he pinned her with a narrow-eyed glare. Allie wasn’t surprised to find herself craving any crumb of attention he was willing to give her, figuring once he appeased her curiosity, she would be ready to move on.
He was attracted but not happy about it. That wouldn’t deter her as she relished the challenge of changing his mind. She hadn’t come this far to back down without trying to get better acquainted.
“Nice to meet you, Allie. Enjoy your evening.” Brett turned away, the move borderline rude.
Disappointed but far from deterred, she placed a hand on his thick forearm, the heat of his rough skin warming her palm, his muscles bunching under her fingers. “I will if you’ll dance with me,” she answered, liking his five-o’clock shadowed jaw, the strong column of his neck, sensual mouth, and slightly crooked nose. His midnight hair curled around his nape below the hat, the lines bracketing his eyes and corners of his mouth revealing his mature age and that he smiled a lot. She ached to discover if the grim slash of his lips would soften against hers.
“Thanks, but your dancing isn’t my preferred style.”
Allie smiled. “So you noticed me.” Cocking her head, her large silver-hooped right earing brushed her shoulder as she refused to let him off easy. “Come on, Brett,” she cajoled, running a finger over the back of his hand that rested on the bar. His shirt gapped open at the collar, revealing crisp black curls, the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbows, far enough to showcase those strong forearms. She’d fantasized about those arms around her, that chest pressed against hers, crushing her breasts. “Just one little dance, to help celebrate my birthday?” She wasn’t a stranger to lust at first sight, but this, whatever it was, went much deeper than basic urges. If only he would cooperate so she could figure it out, deal with it, and move on.
“Little one, you might be able to wrap young, hormone-driven college boys around your finger with those baby blues and that persuasive voice, but you’re playing with one of the big boys now.” Removing her hand, he gentled his tone, regret filling his eyes as he said, “Go back to your friends. I don’t play with little girls.”
Regret changed to surprise when she laughed at his rebuff, regarding him with a smile. “I’m twenty-eight today, Mr. Kincaid, and it’s been over ten years since I was a little girl. But hey, if you’re that intimidated by your” – her eyes shifted to the obvious bulge in his pants – “attraction to me, then I’ll quit bothering you.”
The hardest thing to do was sometimes the wisest. At least, Allie hoped that was true in this case as she turned her back on him.
****
Brett frowned but,before he could think of a reply, Allie swung around, ordered a drink from Reed then struck up a conversation with the man on her other side. He scowled at his brother’s smirking look. “Shut up.”
“Didn’t say anything.” By the time Reed slid Allie her drink, she’d won the other man over and he followed her back to her table, his tongue practically dragging the peanut-shell-strewn floor. Disgusted more with himself than the poor sap who’d fallen so easily for her charm, Brett signaled his brother for another brew. It was going to be a long fucking night.
Two hours later, Brett’s interest in Allie hadn’t lessened despite every effort on his part to divert his attention elsewhere. Joining a group of friends, he swore when he realized the only empty seat faced the dance floor and Allie’s table. During heated conversations ranging from sports to politics to women, he couldn’t help but catch glimpses of her dancing with a multitude of partners and socializing with her friends, her face pink from exertion. She never seemed to tire from the constant sensuous movements that planted unwanted images of her bound and naked in his head. She certainly wasn’t shy, he thought, watching as she taunted her partners with seductive moves only to back away with a laugh when they made to get closer. Some would call her a tease but Brett labeled her flirtatious actions harmless fun. She was either naïve about her sex appeal or completely indifferent to the reactions she inspired; either way, it seemed his response to the girl was just as strong as the younger guys eating out of her palm. He wasn’t his father, lusting after every female who looked his way with interest, which made his absorption in someone so young and unlike his usual type even more baffling and annoying.
At one point, Allie gazed over at him just as he’d given in to the urge to sneak another peek, a knowing grin curling her lips as she waved her bejeweled fingers before turning her attention back to her dance partner. Cursing under his breath, he made a concentrated effort to ignore her again and was relatively successful until someone else at the table uttered a comment that defused his good intentions.
“Uh-oh, it looks like someone’s getting out of line,” Tom Rawlins said, his hard gaze aimed toward the dancers.
Brett swung his attention to the dance floor in time to see the young punk dancing with Allie grab her arm as she shook her head and tried to move back. From his angry scowl and Allie’s painful wince as he tightened his grip, the jerk wasn’t taking no for an answer to whatever he had insinuated. Brett’s emotions rose with startling swiftness, annoyance and anger gripping his abdomen in a tight knot. Both were expected since he abhorred abusive tactics of any kind toward women, but unwelcome regardless.
“God damn it,” he swore when the bully ignored Allie’s struggles. Shoving his chair back, he stood, muttering, “Excuse me,” to his friends before elbowing his way through the crowd, his thunderous expression helping clear the way.
Brett maneuvered through the dancers, reaching Allie as she attempted to pull her arm out of her partner’s tight grip, but the punk refused to let go. She didn’t notice Brett when she snapped, “Let me go, Stephen. I won’t go anywhere with you, especially someplace private.”
The younger man sneered and tugged on her arm. “That’s not what your body’s telling me, baby. Come on, quit playing the bitchy tease and let’s go out to my car.”
