Free A Package Deal by Alexa Bond Page A

was twisted up high, a few strands escaping to trail down her regal neck.  
    His daydream of seeing that dress set aside and those sweet long legs wrapped around his back was interrupted by the ripple of male attention that buzzed through the entire room.
    He snapped out of it and strode towards her. The dazzling smile she gave him as he approached made him walk faster.
    “Brad?”
    Grinning, he swept her up into his arms. “Ella. It’s so good to see you.” He set her down reluctantly, taking hold of her hand and giving it a possessive squeeze. “You look incredible.”
    “You don’t look half bad yourself.” He looked quite a bit better than that. Even more handsome than she remembered him. More muscular than he was back then, and was his jaw even stronger now? The dark brown hair that he used to grow long was short, but still long enough to run your fingers through. She gave her head a tiny shake. Where had that thought come from?
    Taking Ella’s hand, Brad led her over to the still-vacant table he and Wes had been standing at. Wes was heading back to it from the opposite direction, drinks in hand.
    “Ella! I can’t believe it’s been ten years. You haven’t changed, not one little bit,” Wes said, his blue eyes sparkling. “I saw you arrive, Ella, and I though you might like a drink.” He offered her a glass of white wine.  
    “Wes. That’s so nice, thank you. You haven’t changed much yourself.” She set the glass down without taking a sip, throwing her arms around Wes instead. His body felt good as she pressed against it, strong and muscled underneath his sexy suit. Just like Brad, his formerly long hair was cut short. A shade darker than it used to be, it was still a dark blond.
    Brad watched the two of them with interest. If he and Wes could play their cards right, was there a chance they could both have this incredible woman? He was determined to make it happen.
    “I can’t believe we didn’t keep in touch. I’m glad we have the whole evening to make up for that tonight.”
    “Sounds good to me. But I’ve got plans to meet up with Kelly and if I don’t find her first, she’ll kill me.”  
    “Promise me a dance later,” Brad said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
    “You got it. Wes, you too. And I won’t take no for an answer.”  
    Wes raised his glass to her and she flashed both of them a huge grin before she walked away.
    “Think she’ll go for both of us?” Brad asked in an undertone as he and Wes watched her cross the floor.  
    “No.”
    “What?”
    “Didn’t you see? She’s wearing a wedding ring, man.” Wes polished off his drink, looking pissed off. “We shouldn’t have expected anything else.”
    Brad frowned, trying vainly to spot her among the crowd as if he could see it now. “I didn’t notice.”
    “Yeah, well. That’s not surprising. You always did see what you wanted to see.”
    Brad shook his head. “She didn’t mention a husband. That’s always the first thing a woman mentions if she want you to back off.”
    “Sure, but she probably figures the ring speaks for itself. I’m taking that as a stop sign until she says otherwise.”
    Brad stared at his friend in surprise. It wasn’t like Wes to give up on anything that easily. “Am I hearing you right? You’re going to take no for an answer? Before you’ve even heard her say it?”
    Wes shook his head. “If I’m going to spend the time to get involved with someone, she’d better be free to do the same. You and I are more than enough for one single woman. As they keep telling us,” Wes said ruefully.
    “I’m tired of messing around with dating. I want someone to be with. Someone who gets us. There’s no point wasting time on anyone who only want to try having a threesome just so she can say she had wild sex once in her life. I want to find someone who’s truly into it. And then I won’t let her go.”
    “My thoughts exactly, friend.” Brad clunked his glass against Wes’s. “But I