Free Lucky Break by April Angel Page B

him. OK, maybe it was for him. But she hadn’t seen him in two days, and she’d come to the decision, after seeing Nina with Max and Alex with Andrew, that she would take it all in stride.
    He was leaning back on the passenger side of his car, wearing faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off the tattoo on his left arm. She gulped, remembering how sexy it had been to trace the lines of ink with her fingers and then her tongue. His searching gaze met hers.
    “Hi.” She stopped in front of him.
    Her skin warmed with the way he licked his lips and raked his gaze over her. “You look incredible.”
    Tamping down her enthusiasm over his words was harder than she thought. “Thank you. I hope you don’t mind running around with me today.”
    She had yet to tell him what they would be doing. Even after multiple calls and texts, she’d kept him in the dark. Now she wondered if it had been a good idea after all.
    “Not at all. Let’s go wherever you need.”
    He closed the distance between them and wrapped one hand around her waist while the other cupped her cheek. There was passion in his eyes but also something else. Her breath hitched. From where she stood, it appeared he was content. Bursts of joy filled her chest at how light and relaxed he seemed. She slapped her hands around his neck, hauled him down, and attached her lips to his. The intensity of the kiss was explosive. Not because they were ready to tear at their clothes—though she felt as if she could—but because he wasn’t dark and broody today. Instead, his kiss was a soft attack on her feelings and her mouth.
    Their lips and tongues danced; a slow dance of pleasure and teasing that could make the toughest woman weak-kneed. He was still possessive in his swipes, but now there was softness to his touch. She believed he had two different men inside him: the wild lover who could wet her panties with one look, and the smooth charmer who could melt her into a puddle.
    “We need to go, before I decide to kidnap you and hold you at my mercy for the rest of the day.” He pressed his forehead to hers and stared deep into her eyes. “And if I have you to myself, I won’t be letting you go anytime soon.”
    Mind and body in an emotional upheaval at the rough sound of his voice, she pulled away. He opened her door and waited until she had put on her belt before shutting it for her. Curious to see how he’d react, she mentally prepared herself for his excuses on needing to go elsewhere so he wouldn’t have to put up with her to-do list.
    “Where to first?” He started the car and turned to look at her.
    “The venue. I have to go ensure the table setups are according to my e-mails and Nina’s requests.” She gave him the name of the functions facility the wedding was being held at and went back and forth between watching his profile and the road.
    “Sounds good.”
    She gaped at him. Waited for the imminent “you’re on your own,” but it never came.
    He glanced over at her and laughed, a full, booming sound that slid over her skin like warm butter. For the first time, she saw laugh lines appear at the corner of his eyes. Her heart filled with joy. She liked hearing him laugh, and it was clear he didn’t do it very often.
     
     
     
    Jared glanced at Lucky’s shocked face and laughed again. She had the cutest wide-eyed look of surprise; it made him want to stop the car and kiss her lips, which were currently forming an O of surprise.
    “I am guessing you weren’t expecting me to agree?”
    He glanced at her again. A flush covered her cheeks. “I didn’t think you’d be so accommodating.”
    “Why not? I said I wanted to spend time with you. That means any way that I can get it, even if it’s being your Jazz while we’re at the venue.”
    She choked on a giggle. “Trust me, you are no Jazz.”
    “Don’t think I’m good enough?”
    “Oh, you’re good. Too good.” She mumbled and licked her lips.
    Great. He was trying to behave, he