No Strings Attached Read Free

the other two.” He grabbed the bowl of limes Nate slid over to him and plucked a bottle of tequila from under the bar.
    Hayden’s eyes widened, and she sat up on her elbows. One girl was already laid out at the other end of the bar with her shirt hiked up. “Wait. What are you doing?”
    “A shot.” He leaned close enough to whisper in her ear. “Or would you rather me beat the shit out of some poor guy for putting his mouth on you?”
    Hayden gasped. She should have been pissed off—she’d never taken his caveman crap in the past, and there was no reason she should start taking it now. In fact, she should’ve hopped right off that bar and told him to go screw himself. Instead, all she could think about was the fact that Jace was about to put his mouth on her, even if it was only because he was being overprotective and unreasonable. He nudged her back down, his jaw clenched.
    Music thumped all around, and the light over the bar flashed like a dozen erratic spotlights. The anticipation was almost too much. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest. Jace picked up a lime wedge and held it to her lips. “Open.”
    She parted her lips, and he gently placed the lime between them, then pushed her skirt up her thigh another inch. God, if he went any higher, she was going to lose it. Right here in front of all these people. It was like her body had no idea that it was her best friend with his hands all over her. Well, it might have known, but right now, it didn’t seem to care. The next thought fled from her mind as his tongue made contact with the inside of her thigh. He left a hot, wet stripe of moisture against her skin, then sprinkled salt over it.
    Nate laughed at her expression and slid his brother a shot of tequila. “Better hurry up, bro,” he said. “I don’t think our girl’s cut out for this.”
    Jace’s gaze connected with hers, and there was so much heat in it she squirmed against the bar. “Ready?”
    She nodded, and then he was licking the salt from the inside of her thigh, lingering, kissing every grain from her skin. Heat pooled between her legs, and a familiar ache worked its way down her belly. Jace took one last lick that went a little higher than necessary, then stood and downed the shot. He stared at her, his lids heavy. “Relax, Hayden,” he whispered.
    And then his mouth was on hers.
    Hayden closed her eyes and shuddered as Jace sucked the lime from between her lips, wishing she could taste Jace instead of the lime, drowning with want for something that was inappropriate for about a thousand different reasons. The sound of people clapping and drinks being ordered brought her back. When she opened her eyes he was staring down at her, his hands braced against the bar. Was he shaking?
    He looked away, and for the first time ever, she couldn’t place the emotions that were scrawled across his face. He was still mad she was leaving, obviously. She got that, but didn’t he understand she couldn’t give in? She pushed herself up until she was eye level with him. “I don’t want to leave things like this.”
    His gaze settled on her mouth for a few moments before he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers, as if he were trying to compose himself. “Then don’t leave.”
    He stepped back and made his way to the other end of the bar without looking back.
    Hayden slipped back onto her barstool, feeling dizzy and hot all over. What the hell was that? Was he messing with her? More tricks to try to get her to stay? If that was the game Jace was playing tonight, then one thing was certain. Yes, she definitely needed a drink.

Chapter Two
    Jace Jennings gritted his teeth and reached for a bottle of vodka, trying, and failing, not to watch Hayden and her friend moon over a couple of guys who had sidled up to them as his brother poured them drinks. What the fuck was she thinking, going out dressed like that? Was she trying to get him arrested? Because that was exactly what was going