N. Walters - MacNamaras Lady

“You okay?”

Missy’s concern was like acid in an already festering wound. “Fine.” He could want a woman and still be in complete control. Hadn’t he been proving that fact his entire life? It didn’t have to mean anything. It wouldn’t mean anything.

“Let’s dance.” He took the plate from her hands and set it on the table. Before she could object to his highhandedness, he added, “It would make Candy happy.”

Missy frowned but allowed him to escort her to the area of the floor that had been cleared for dancing. Candy and Lucas were swaying to another slow tune. Sure enough, Candy smiled and waved her fingers at them. “Isn’t this a great song?”

“Wonderful,” he answered.

“I’m glad you asked Missy to dance.” He couldn’t help but smile at Candy’s enthusiasm. She wasn’t fooling anyone. He knew she’d love to have him and Missy become a couple. Wasn’t going to happen. Not in the permanent way that she wanted. But that didn’t mean he and Missy couldn’t have another kind of relationship. A very adult and sexual one.

“Maybe I asked him,” Missy countered, her tone tart.

Candy laughed as Lucas spun her away. “Either way. I’m just glad you’re having fun.”

T.S. decided he wouldn’t mind having some fun, especially if it involved him and Missy and no clothing. Maybe she’d be agreeable to the idea. A man could only hope. He took Missy into his arms and began to move. One of her hands sat on his shoulder, while the other was held in his hand. Her chest brushed against his as he twirled her in a circle before settling down to sway to the music.

Missy didn’t know whether to stamp her foot in frustration or walk away from T.S. She did neither. No way did she want to cause a scene at her best friend’s wedding reception, not when Candy looked so darn happy.

When she’d told Candy she should have an affair with Lucas she’d never dreamed they end up married. But they looked so right together. Lucas held Candy as if she was the most precious thing in his world. Missy ignored the twinge of envy that coursed through her.

There was plenty of time for her to find a man when she was ready. She had a ten-step plan and she was on about step five. She’d gotten her education, left home for good, gotten a job, her own apartment and a car. Her next step was to work up the corporate ladder a bit farther, get her salary where she wanted it to be. That might take a while longer than she’d anticipated. With the economy being what it was she’d been lucky not to lose her job as so many others had. Publishing wasn’t exactly a stable business and, with the cutbacks, editing jobs were in short supply.

She’d thought about looking for a job elsewhere, of leaving Chicago permanently, but in the end, she hadn’t been able to do it. She loved her job and Candy was the best friend she’d ever had.

T.S. put a hand on the small of her back and clasped her fingers with his other one, pulling her back to the problem at hand. And he was a very big problem.

As their bodies slowly moved to the low, bluesy tune she felt herself wanting to snuggle closer to him and that just wouldn’t do. He wasn’t part of her plan.

Like everything else in her life, Missy knew exactly what she wanted in a man. He’d be in business, maybe a lawyer or a banker. He’d make a good salary, own his own home and be established in his career. He’d be cultured and like classical music, the arts and theatre. He’d drink fine wines and appreciate gourmet food. In short, he’d be the male version of her.

T.S. MacNamara did not fit that definition by any stretch of her imagination. The man worked in construction and drank domestic beer from the bottle. Not that she was a snob. Not really. She liked him fine. After all, he was Lucas’ friend.

He was also very easy on the eyes. One thing all that construction work had done for him was build one hell of a body. She let her hand slide down from his shoulder to rest on his biceps. It was huge. She’d seen them plenty while he was working on the downstairs addition to Lucas and Candy’s home. She’d intentionally dropped by to visit Candy several times when she’d known he’d be there.

And there was nothing wrong with looking. Admiring the way his butt filled out a tight pair of jeans or how the well-worn material lovingly cupped his male attributes. But long-term, she wanted a man she had more in common with. Better chance of having a marriage that lasted.

Right now she was doing her best to ignore the fact she was actually in his arms. It wasn’t working. The palm on the small of her back was practically burning a hole through her dress. The man gave off enough heat to send her temperature soaring.

Beneath her dress, her bra and panties felt tight and confining. Her nipples were currently pebbled against the fabric just like they’d been at the chapel. Missy was very afraid they would be visible if she took a step back.

“Everything okay?” His deep, sexy rumble set her skin to tingling. Her stomach fluttered and it wasn’t with hunger. Well, maybe it was hunger, but not the kind that could be sated with a brownie, no matter how divine it was.

He moved his hand, rubbing it in a slow sweep up and down the long length of her spine, sliding it over the nape of her neck, which was exposed by her short hairstyle. Missy swallowed hard and bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning aloud. She nodded. “Fine. Everything is just fine.”

She was proud of the way she held herself together. Then he tightened his fingers around hers and pulled her closer. When her stomach brushed against his, she felt a distinct bulge. A very substantial bulge.

She creamed her panties at the very tangible sign of his arousal and had to fight to keep from throwing herself at him. He might not be her dream man but he certainly pushed all her buttons. No doubt about it. She wanted him. Bad.

He was so close. She could smell his aftershave, something woodsy and earthy. She wanted to bury her nose against his neck and simply inhale him. His lips were inches from hers. His breathing was getting deeper and more ragged.

Usually men were shorter than her when she wore high heels. She did it on purpose, a defensive mechanism. She didn’t want a man in her life right now. It wasn’t part of the plan. She was the one to pick and choose if she wanted to date a man.

But T.S. overwhelmed her.

His breath was warm and moist against the curve of her neck, his lips soft as they grazed the skin beneath her ear. Her fingers tightened reflexively around his. He nuzzled her hair and whispered in her ear, “Let’s get out of here. Go somewhere quiet.”

His words were as effective as a bucket of cold water in the face. She snapped back to her senses, which wasn’t easy considering her wayward hormones desperately wanted to take him up on his offer. Oh yeah, her body was on board with the plan. But her brain was screaming for her to proceed with caution.

“I don’t think so.” She took a step back and was slightly disappointed when he immediately released her.

It wasn’t fair the way this man could overwhelm her senses without even trying. She was no easy one-night stand. She dated men first. They went to dinner. They went to the theatre and popular clubs. If a man lasted three months, she’d consider taking the relationship into the bedroom.

That attitude had given her a reputation. She knew some thought she was cold. She preferred to think of it as smart. Because she dated so much, many of her colleagues at work assumed she was very sexually active. Heck, even Candy thought so. But Missy had always been reserved when it came to her sexuality. Oh, she put up a very believable front. She could talk the talk, but she walked slowly and carefully.

“Thanks for the dance.” She turned away from him and made her way to Candy’s side. Once she’d said her goodbyes to the bride and groom, she’d gather her belongings and leave. It was time to go home.

Well, that had gone well. Not.

T.S. tried his best to ignore his raging hard-on as he watched Missy walk away from him. No, not walk. Saunter. The woman could move like water, flowing around a room, her hips working from side to side as she went. He swore under his breath as she leaned down to talk to Candy.

He hadn’t misread her signals. He knew he hadn’t.

She was as attracted to him as he was to her. Her nipples were poking out from the silky fabric of her dress like soldiers at attention. He’d felt her sway toward him, heard the catch in her breath when her stomach had brushed against his erection.

She hadn’t pulled away then. No, she’d only done that when he’d suggested they leave. He should have kept his mouth shut. If he’d played his cards right they might have left together a little later. But like a callow youth, he’d rushed things.

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath as he stalked to the buffet table and grabbed a soda from the ice chest. He’d already had one beer. That was his limit when he was going to be driving.

He stood in a shadowy corner of the room and did his best to ignore the heavy throbbing of his cock, willing it back into submission. He took a long pull of the fizzy soft drink, wishing like hell it was a double scotch. All the more reason not to drink, he decided. He didn’t like to be out of control. Ever. He’d allowed hormones to control him once in his life and that had led to disaster.

The situation was laughable. He, who did his best to avoid women when he was forced to attend a wedding, wanted to go home with one. But not just any one would do. It had to be Missy.

T.S. raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. Damn, he was acting pathetic. So a woman didn’t want him. No, that wasn’t quite true. She sure as hell wanted him. She just wasn’t willing to act on it. That was okay. He was a big boy and could handle a no. Wasn’t the first time he’d gotten one and probably wouldn’t be the last.