Flirting With Disaster by Sofia Harper

followed because
this was a ritual for Tate and Peyton. The kissing would go on for
as long as they wanted.
    He tried to prepare himself for the next
part. Reid saw what happened in the town square as inevitable. It
wasn't until Brooke was caressing Dane's hand that the next step,
kissing her, became inevitable. They'd never touched each other,
not really, which seemed improbable because they must have bumped
into each other. Their hands must have brushed when she gave him a
drink while tending the bar as a favor to Peyton.
    He couldn't recall a single time they had
before their handshake in Steeped and Brewed, so he’d sat there
startled at first of the warmth of her touch. Within seconds, that
surprise had turned into an ache for her to explore more than his
hand, and then he had needed to know what she felt like under his
palms. Turned out she was supple in all the right places.
    Shit. His cock hardened just remembering
that and the sound of her moans. Those memories were why he'd stood
outside The Grog. He couldn't be alone with her anymore. He'd lose
his head, because all he wanted was her mouth under his. It
wouldn't be enough until she was beneath him, moaning and touching
him back.
    Reid made headway through the crowd and
reached the bar first. He leaned on it, a smile softening his
fierce expression. He glanced toward Dane and laughed.
    Yeah. If his attraction was that obvious
from one look at his face, he had the right idea that Brooke and he
shouldn't be left unchaperoned.
    He squeezed in beside Reid.
    Brooke's smile didn't dim, but she only
nodded at him before meeting Reid's gaze. “I'm guessing Tate's here
somewhere licking your sister.”
    “ Just give me something
that'll put hair on my chest,” Reid replied.
    Brooke pushed out a breath and looked at
him. His gaze strayed down, and her nipples were tight points
against her low cut dress.
    “ Brooke,” he
said.
    She shook her head. “What can I get
you?”
    “ A Coke.”
    “ Coming up.”
    Reid waited until she went down the bar to
get their orders. “You're a pussy, and I'm embarrassed to call you
my friend.”
    He shrugged at the accusation. “I'm not
going to do this to myself.”
    “ Tatiana.” Reid guessed and
made a noise like he all too well understood about ex-girlfriends
who ripped out your heart.
    After one too many beers when Dane had first
moved into town, the men had somehow gotten on the subject of women
and past relationships. Reid had told Dane about Madison, his high
school and college sweetheart. In turn, Dane had told Reid about
Tatiana. There had been no winner on who had the better story, but
a friendship had grown.
    Reid's gaze held nothing but understanding.
“Brooke is nothing like that.”
    Dane glanced down the bar where she'd gone.
Brooke was flirting with someone. He could tell from the way she
bit down on her lip. She'd done that often with him over the past
few weeks for him to know.
    Dane said, “You're right. She's nothing like
Tatiana. She's worse. She's the kind of woman who's afraid of
needing a man. If she does, she makes him pay for it.”
    Reid frowned, narrowed his eyes and tried to
defend his sister's friend. “Brooke is like a rose. She's
beautiful. She's also covered in thorns, but only to protect
herself. You know that or you wouldn't have that dumb expression on
your face whenever you looked at her. And you keep looking at her.”
Reid gave him a pointed stare, probably in hopes his point hit
home. “Anyway, whatever is in the air seems contagious. Let me be
the first to congratulate you on your new girlfriend. I like her.”
He looked at Dane, his face serious now. “She's my sister's friend.
So...”
    “ Ah. Big
brother.”
    His friend's face flushed. “When Tate
started looking at Peyton like that I gave him the same
warning.”
    Tate pushed in beside Reid. “You told me
you'd shove my balls down my throat, if I'm remembering right.”
    “ I said I should, not that
I would.”
    Brooke was