Free Fireworks: A Holiday Bad Boy Romance by Claire Adams Page A

Brody's friends. He was
nowhere to be seen, and though a little part of me felt guilty for being such a
class-A bitch to him, it was better that way. "Come over here and
introduce me to Clay. I want to make sure I'm good with him before you let him
sweep you off your feet."
    I lifted my eyebrow as she rolled her
eyes. "Yeah, right. I'm not looking for anything long-term. Life is about
to change drastically for most of us."
    "Not you." I rubbed her back as
we walked toward the group.
    Dedra turned and put her arm over my
shoulders, tugging me against her and smiling down at me.
    "Did you let that big bad hottie run
you off?" She smirked.
    "I sure did." I extended my hand
to the shortest guy in the group, assuming he was Clay by the way Emily moved
over toward him. "I'm Cora."
    "I'm Clay. This is Daniel and Derek.
Forgive us for being friends with Brody. It's an age old issue, but we love the
guy, nevertheless. He's like the black sheep of the group." Clay chuckled
and shrugged as the other guys smirked.
    "Nice to meet you." I shook Derek's
hand and then Daniels. "I'm uber sensitive to bullshit, so forgive me for
running from his lines. I've heard them all before."
    "So has half the country, but he's a
good guy." Daniel spoke up as he adjusted his glasses. "I'm going to
go get some fresh air. You wanna come? We can bash Brody together?"
    I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, that
sounds good."
    Daniel was a good foot taller than me and
beanpole thin. Not at all the kind of guy I'd have given a second look to, but
he was cute in his own way. His messy brown hair and spattering of freckles
across his cheeks and nose made him adorable.
    "Where are you from?" He smiled
as we walked out on the patio and moved to the only corner that wasn't
occupied.
    I leaned against the railing and smiled
over at him. "From just up the road. I just graduated from Arizona
State."
    "Oh, nice. Me, too." He glanced
out at the yard and grew silent. He wasn't at all like his friend, Brody.
Looked like I was going to have to carry the conversation if we were going to
have one.
    "Are you staying here after the
summer or heading off to a new adventure?" I lifted my punch to my lips
and took a long drink. Maybe coming out on the porch with this guy wasn't a
good idea, after all.
    "I'll be starting pre-med at Harvard
in the fall. I just wanted to get my undergrad near home." He shrugged.
"All those guys back there are my buddies from high school. We decided to
go to college together, and honestly, it was the best decision I could have
made. I'm a better man because of them."
    Brody's voice caused my pulse to spike.
"That's sweet, buddy. We feel the same about you, too."
    The sexy frat boy moved up on the other
side of me and leaned against the rails, breathing in deeply.
    "You're like a roach." I turned
my face toward him. "I just can't get rid of you."
    "Awww, come on, Cora. No need to
smash my ego." He licked at his lips subtly as his eyes moved around my
face. He was almost too close. I could hear him breathing, smell the mint on
his breath, see the promise of something wickedly insane in his eyes.
    "Smash your ego? Who in the world
would have a hammer that large?" I glanced over at Daniel as my body
warmed and my nipples tightened thanks to Brody's attention. "Nice to meet
you, Daniel. See you around."
    I turned and walked back toward the house,
shaking my hips just a tad bit more than I would usually.
    Just because I wasn't going to bite the
hook didn't mean I didn't want to tug on it a little.

 
    Chapter
9
    Brody

 
 
    "Goddammit," I grumbled as she
walked away. Every cell in my body screamed for me to follow her, force her to
see me. To hear me.
    "What's up with you tonight,
man?" Daniel moved up beside me, his face filled with concern.
    "I don't know." I looked over my
shoulder as she shook her hips. Her pretty ass jiggled just under her dress,
giving me confirmation that the fox had on a G-string. My cock hardened to the
point of throbbing, and yet