One Night with a Hero Read Free

book,” a loud—and amused—male voice said.
    Joss looked up into Brady’s smiling brown eyes. “Oh,” she said. “Were you…I didn’t…you’re back.”
    He smiled, and she shook off the story’s hold on her, surprised to see that the sun was much lower in the sky and park grounds more filled with people. “You doubted me?”
    She pushed into a sitting position and drank him in. The gray T-shirt emphasized the hard expanse of his chest and the warmth of his tan, and the khaki cargo shorts allowed her to catch a glimpse of those cut calf muscles again. She worked her gaze up to his face and found him watching her with a smug smile.
    Heat roared over her cheeks. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
    She eyed the pizza box and brown paper bag in his hands, her heartbeat kicking up in her chest. This guy was ten kinds of damn hot. And he came bearing gifts. Kind of an irresistible combination. “So, what did you bring me?”
    “Does that mean I can sit down?”
    She bit back a smile. “I suppose.”
    Brady placed the food on the blanket and settled himself next to her. He flipped open the box lid. “Half cheese, half pepperoni.” From the bag, he pulled paper plates, two bottles of water, two bags of chips, and two sandwiches wrapped in white butcher paper. “One turkey and cheese, one Italian.”
    Forget the food. Joss swallowed the moan she nearly uttered as the breeze kicked up and his scent surrounded her—all fresh soap and clean male. She shook her head and surveyed the feast. “Wow. Thank you. This is enough to feed an army.”
    He shrugged and gave her what was almost a sheepish smile, and Joss’s stomach flipped at the appearance of this aw-shucks-good-guy persona, so different from the cocky bad boy he’d mostly shown her so far. “Wanted to be sure there was something here you’d like.”
    Oh, she was in so much trouble. This guy was not only handsome and dangerously charming, but considerate, too. And going way out of his way, for her. “Well, I like everything I see,” she said, embracing a bit of brazenness even as her heart fluttered in her chest.
    Brady cocked an eyebrow, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief. “Do ya, now?”
    She held his gaze for a long moment, heat and competitiveness roaring between them. Finally, she looked away and reached for a bottle of water. He let out an infuriatingly smug chuckle and leaned forward to get it for her. Their hands touched on the bottle. The warmth of his skin sent tingles up her arm and shot her heart into a full-on sprint. His tongue stroked over his lower lip and Joss was suddenly starving , but not for the picnic in front of them.
    Wow, this guy was like sexual Red Bull.
    Not to mention Ethan had never elicited the wild desire now pounding through Joss’s body, and Brady had barely touched her. Not that there would be touching.
    Right. No touching. Absolutely not.
    He smirked and grabbed his bottle, taking a long drink that made the knot in his throat bob until she had to look away to restrain the urge to feel the movement with her tongue. Geez, even the chunky black watch on his wrist was sexy. She twisted the cap and tilted the water to her lips. The coolness soothed the heat racking her body.
    Get a freaking grip, Joss.
    “So, what’s your pleasure?”
    She cut her gaze to him, forcing a swallow down. He gestured to the food, but that sparkle was there in his eyes again. Her brain raced on the possible ways she might find pleasure with him. “I’ll start with the pizza,” she managed to say.
    They dished out the food, two slices for her, one slice and half of the Italian sandwich for him. As they made small talk, she inhaled the pizza, not realizing how hungry she’d been until she started to eat. The crust had just the right crunch to it, the sauce just the right spice. Delicious.
    “There’s something about having a picnic that makes the food taste better,” she said as she took a small third slice of pizza.
    “I’ve eaten plenty of