The room erupted into hoots of laughter and excited chatter. Dammit, hell, crap multiplied.
Kade met Mac’s eyes and scowled when his friend raised his glass in a mocking toast. “Welcome to my crazy world, dude.”
* * *
Kade really liked his best friend’s fiancée and thought it wonderful they were having a baby, but his anger over her stunt hadn’t disappeared.
What the hell was she thinking? Had she been thinking at all? He didn’t need anyone to find him a woman! And he certainly didn’t need his current lover to find him a new love!
If he could get past Mac, he had very strong words for Rory. He didn’t allow anyone to play fast and loose with his life and he allowed no interference when it came to his sex life. Rory hadn’t just stepped over the line, she’d eradicated it.
From his seat in his low-slung German sports car Kade stared at the still dark windows of Brodie’s apartment and ran a hand over his jaw. It had taken all his acting skills to breeze through the rest of the evening, to bat away the wisecracks, to laugh at the admittedly good-hearted banter. Well, everyone’s banter except his partners’ had been good-natured. Mac and Quinn had teased him mercilessly.
For that they would pay...
Kade was perfectly capable of finding his own woman and he didn’t want to be in a relationship. Damned women and their meddling. He refused to have anything to do with Rory’s scheme and he refused to feel guilty about her wasting her money. She shouldn’t have pulled such an asinine trick in the first place!
And if he found out Mac had anything to do with this, then he and McCaskill would go a couple of rounds in the ring, no holds barred.
Kade massaged his temples. It was past 6:00 a.m. He’d had no sleep. He hadn’t changed out of his tux. His head was pounding and he wanted nothing more than to climb into bed with Brodie and lose himself in her. He’d done that last night, he remembered. With Brodie the world had disappeared, and for the few hours they were together, he’d relaxed and forgotten. Forgotten about his responsibilities, his past. He’d stopped worrying about his future. With her he’d lived in the moment, something he usually couldn’t do.
He wouldn’t start to rely on her to feel like that, wouldn’t enjoy what they had more than he should. He’d keep it light, he promised himself. This was a one-time, short-term thing. He wasn’t looking for long term and neither was she.
All well and good, he thought, but how was he going to handle this stupid situation Rory had placed him in? He had to tell Brodie. That was why he was sitting in front of her apartment complex at the butt crack of dawn.
Brodie had said this—whatever it was between them—would probably be just be one night. And she’d also said something about sleeping with clients being unprofessional.
But if he didn’t take up Rory’s offer and didn’t allow Brodie to set him up, then he wouldn’t be her client. He knew their chemistry was combustible enough for more than one night. So everything would be fine. Either way, he had to tell her.
Rory Kydd, if you weren’t a woman and if my best friend didn’t love you so much, I would kick your very nice ass all over Vancouver.
Maybe he was overthinking this. Brodie was sensible. Kade felt a bit of his panic recede. There was no way she’d accept the challenge to match him. She’d just laugh off Rory’s bid and the money would go to charity...no harm, no foul.
He’d call Brodie later, he thought, when he was rested and clearheaded. He lifted his hand to touch the ignition button. His finger hovered there but instead of allowing the powerful engine to roar to life, he instructed his onboard computer to call Brodie.
What are you doing, idiot?
Yet he allowed the cell to ring and eventually he heard Brodie’s sleep roughened, sexy voice. “’Lo.”
“I’m outside. Let me come up.”
“Kade? What time is it?”
“Early.” Kade opened the door and climbed out of his expensive car.
He started walking to the front door and his heart jumped when a light snapped on in a corner room on the top floor. She was awake.
Kade flew up the stairs. As he reached her apartment the door opened and Brodie stood in the dark hall, her hair mussed, wearing nothing more than a hockey jersey. His number. Lust and warmth and relief pumped through him. Rory and her machinations were instantly forgotten; his world was comprised of this woman and how desperately he wanted her.
“What’s wron—”
Kade cut off Brodie’s words by covering her mouth with his. Without ending the kiss, he picked her up, kicked the door shut with his foot and carried her to her bedroom.