Free The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst Page A

primitive rush of lust? Crap, he felt as if he was falling into frikkin Wonderland and scrambled for escape. “Nice dress.”
    “Thank you.”
    “A bit provocative, don’t you think? You’re not even wearing a bra.”
    She stopped dancing. Tilted her chin all the way up to stare back at him with a shocked glint in her eyes. Spots of pink dotted her cheeks. “You did not just say that to me.”
    He slid one arm down to the base of her spine and flattened his palm against naked flesh. The silkiness of her skin only tightened his temper another dangerous notch. “Do you think Edward is the type not to take that as an invitation? I’m trying to look out for you. Be a friend.”
    She lowered her voice a furious whisper. “Seems you’ve been quite focused on my wardrobe lately, and who I’ve got my eye on. You’re trying to run my life and hate the fact you can’t anymore. What I wear or don’t wear under my clothes is not your concern. Why are you even dancing with me? Where’s Laura?”
    “You’re like a little sister to me.” Max looked up with a touch of guilt. His companion sat quietly, drinking her wine and waiting for him to return. What was he doing? He had a willing female who craved his attention, and he chased after the only one who didn’t want him. “Laura can handle herself for a few moments.”
    Carina snorted. “I bet. Back off, Max. I’m not going to tell you again.”
    “Fine. Don’t come running to me when your date expects more than you’re willing to give.”
    She transformed back into the ice queen he longed to melt. A cool smile curved scarlet lips. “No problem. I’m willing to give a lot.”
    Damn her. The top of her head only hit his chest. Her petiteness should be a complete mismatch to his height, but instead she fit perfectly—a handful of warm, soft flesh. Her full breasts pressed against him, and the length of her legs played a teasing game, scissoring back and forth in between his in sensuous foreplay. He imagined pushing her thighs apart and finding her slick with welcome. Imagined that lush mouth opening in a gasp as he pleasured her with his tongue, making her writhe and scream his name. Imagined—
    “I guess Laura’s getting lucky tonight.”
    Her outrageous comment strangled a laugh from him. Next he’d see the Mad Hatter on the dance floor. Holy shit, he was going nuts. “What?”
    “That look on your face. All intense and sexy. She’s good enough to bed but not go to dinner, right?”
    Direct hit. Her verbal foreplay pissed him off and made him hard. “Wrong. She has everything I want in a woman. Which completely negates your ridiculous theory that I pick the wrong women because I’m afraid of intimacy.”
    She eased her hands around his broad shoulders, slipped her fingers into his hair, and forced his head down to meet her gaze. “Wanna bet?”
    Heat punched deep within and broke open in a rush. Her tongue slid out and wet her bottom lip in a deliberate teasing gesture. “Huh?”
    A husky laugh broke from her throat. The sound poured over his body like creamy butter. “Poor Max, you can’t even see it. Laura has one tiny flaw that’s a deal breaker for you.”
    He snorted. “Okay, what is it, Madame I-Can-See-Your-Future?”
    “She hates animals.”
    He stared at her smug expression and fought the need to kiss it off her face. “Not possible. You’d never know that anyway, you’re just messing with my head.”
    “Believe what you want,” she stated airily. “Ask her later and see what she says. Poor Rocky will be kicked off to the dog shelter. No way is she going near a pit bull.”
    “She won’t have any problem with Rocky. He’s harmless.”
    Her cool, detached tone taunted him until he ached to push her. “When you take her home you’ll find out yourself. Rocky will be in the doghouse.”
    “Cut it out.” Edward began walking toward them. Dance was officially over. He released her as Adele stretched out her last note in a soulful,