Trey's face shot toward me as if my name had triggered the sudden interest. My dad had, no doubt, told him stories about me.
"Raini, of course, your dad talks about you all the time."
"Well, believe everything he says," I quipped. "Unfortunately, it's all true. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to shower and make the rounds or my sister will have me sitting at the kid's table during the birthday dinner. It was nice meeting you, Georgie. Love the name."
"You too," she replied.
I meandered across the patio but stopped briefly to glance back at the man with the copper red hair. He seemed to sense I was looking his direction. Our eyes locked through the crowd for a long moment and then I headed inside.
Chapter Six
Zane
Trey and Georgie had decided to take a walk around the grounds and so they walked along with me as I headed toward the guest cottages.
"I was wondering if we'd ever get to meet the elusive Rainsford," Trey said. "She's cute."
I glanced his way. "I wonder why he told you about her but I didn't even know he had a fourth kid."
Trey shrugged. "I'm a better listener."
"No you're not."
"Yep. I am."
"If you were on a bike ride," Georgie interrupted our usual third grade banter, "why is your hair wet?"
I nodded at her. "Always the investigative journalist, Georgie. We stopped for a swim at a swimming hole."
"Did you?" Trey asked. It was only a two word question, but there was a whole lot of inquiry behind it.
"I did." I decided to counter his leading two word question with a 'let's end it right here' two word answer. But my buddy Trey wasn't into ending things abruptly.
"Carter has told me a few pretty wild stories about his youngest daughter," Trey went on. I decided to ignore the bait, but Georgie with her constantly inquiring mind grabbed right on.
"Really? What kind of wild stories could he possibly tell about her?" Georgie asked. "She looks like a sweet, savvy girl who knows her mind."
"Oh, she definitely knows her own mind. When she was eighteen, she disappeared for a few months, telling her dad she was going on a road trip before college. He eventually had to hire a private investigator to find her. She was shacked up with the president of a motorcycle club and working as a tattoo artist. Fucking hilarious. She has an eleven digit trust fund and she was drawing tattoos for MC club members. She refused to come home, so he hired the PI full-time just to make sure nothing happened to her. Eventually the shine of being part of an MC club wore off, and she came back home. But in between that time and now, she's been on some pretty wild rides. At least according to Carter."
"Sounds like she just wanted to have some fun," Georgie commented.
Trey laughed. "Guess we both have different ideas of fun then." He looked over at me. "You're awfully quiet considering—well, considering you're Zane, a man who has many opinions and is never afraid to blurt them out."
"Maybe I just have no opinion on this subject because it doesn't hold much interest."
"Right." The problem with having a business partner who you've known since elementary school is that they can see right through bullshit. But Trey wisely didn't continue with his questioning. He did, however, feel the need to add more about Raini, which was probably a subtle way of letting me know that he was on to me. "Last time Carter mentioned his daughter in a conversation, he said he doubted she would ever find the right man. He knew exactly the kind of person she needed too. Someone who could tame her without smothering that wild spirit that makes her so special. He is obviously crazy about her. Other dads might have already thrown up their hands in surrender." Trey turned his head my direction. "Which of course makes it extra difficult for any prospective suitor because they'd have to win over Daddy as well."
We reached the cottages. "Are you finished with your narrative because I need to take a shower so I can get back to the party and mingle."
Trey nodded sharply. "All done."
"Great, I'll see you guys later." I had pretended not to listen to the gritty details, working hard to convince both Trey and myself that they held no interest for me. I figured I just needed to get through the weekend and then I'd never see Raini again and she'd be out of my head for good. Or at least that was my plan.
I walked inside the cottage, only to discover that Aidan was having a royal make-out session with someone on his side of the room. "Get out," he yelled.
"Uh. We both packed neckties for dinner, you could have hung one on the door for warning."
"This isn't a fucking frat house." His grunt was followed by a feminine moan.
"I'm taking a shower," I said. "Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm pretending to do." I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. Then I leaned back against the door and shut my eyes and tried to erase the image of Raini standing naked on the bank of the pond. But it was there, clear and concise, as if it had been etched there in permanent marker.
Chapter Seven
Raini
It might just have been the unusual color of his long, thick hair or the way he entered a room with that kick of confidence most people would die for, but my eyes went straight to Zane when he walked into the billiard room. My brother Garrett had tired of the rest of the partygoers and had started a pool tournament in Dad's game room. Since I'd been tired of the partygoers long before I'd even reached the ranch, I joined them. As much as I wanted to think that Zane had wandered into the game room in hopes of seeing me, the surprised look that overtook him when he saw me sitting on the arm of the couch assured me he had entered the room hoping to join in on a game of pool. I wasn't sure why the heck I cared that it was the latter but I did.
Jason, Garrett's best friend since school, walked over. "Raini rain, whatcha been up to?" He picked me up off the arm of the couch. He dropped me over his shoulder, even through my squeals of protest, and told everyone that if they rubbed my butt they'd have good luck.
I lifted my hand to wave off the few guys who had stepped forward. "Think again. You'll need that good luck because after this butthead puts me down, I'm going to break your arms."
They smartly backed off, and Jason dropped my feet to the ground. I pounded his shoulder with my fist.
"Ouch. You got stronger." He rubbed his arm as he plopped down on the couch.
As I headed over to where Zane had positioned himself for a good view of the game, I silently asked myself why the heck I was bothering. He was obviously not interested. And then I assured myself that was exactly why it was bothering me.
I stopped next to him but didn't say a word. We stood in silence, shoulder to shoulder for a good long minute. Zane finally spoke up.
"So is it true about rubbing your ass for good luck?"
It wasn't exactly the ice breaker I was expecting, but I had to give him points for being unique.
"There's only one way to find out." I turned my back toward him.
He looked down at my ass and shrugged. "I'm not in the game right now. I don't want to waste a good luck rub."
It seemed he'd come back from the bike ride and decided to put on some invisible armor. He was much more cool headed as if he had figured me out and was now prepared to meet me head on. Naturally, that made me want to ratchet up the teasing game I'd found myself in with the man.
"Suit yourself but I don't offer the chance often."
Garrett's friend, Abel, missed a shot and surveyed the room for me. "Hey, Raini, I need to rub that ass. My game is shit today."
Zane looked at me from the side of his eye to gauge my reaction. I was up for the challenge. I sashayed across the room, eliciting a lot of loud whistles as I went. I stopped in front of Abel, who was redder than he’d been a few seconds before. His brown eyes were wide with shock as I winked up at him. I turned to the table and pressed my hands against the edge, as I stuck my bottom out toward Abel. My gaze fell directly on Zane, who worked hard not to show any reaction at all. Abel gave my bottom a rub and a pat.
"For fucksake, Raini," Garrett complained between gulps of beer. "You're distracting the players. Get out of here."
"Good luck, Abel," I quipped as I walked back across the room. This time I didn't stop next to Zane because he seemed to be expecting it. I walked to the wet bar and pulled a water bottle out of the refrigerator. I turned around and found Zane standing at the bar.
He placed his bottle of beer on the counter and turned it around in his fingers. "So these are your brother's friends?"
"Grew up with most of them." I placed the water against my lips and dropped my head back for a long drink. I drank with hard swallows mostly to get his attention. It worked.
He leaned his arm up on the bar, and I found myself staring at that arm, wondering just how strong it would feel wrapped around me. "How many of them have you slept with?"
I blinked hard to fight the sting his words had left me with. Anyone else and I would have just said fuck off and walked away, but I wasn't ready to do that. We'd fallen into a competition of sorts, a game where each player was working hard to shock the other into defeat. But I was never one to slip easily into defeat. His question had hurt me, but that only made me fight harder. I was struggling to figure out my opponent, which only made the challenge that much more intriguing.
I reached for an orange slice that was sitting in the tray of drink toppers on the bar. I made sure to suck on it with a flourish, ending the whole scene with a thorough tongue lick on my bottom lip. Zane watched with keen interest. Point for my side.
"Would you be disappointed if I said all of them?"
He stared at me, trying, it seemed, to assess if I was telling the truth or not. Then he shrugged. "Just curious."
My whistle startled him and stopped the conversation and game. Everyone turned my direction. Garrett looked ready to throw the pool cue at me like a javelin. "Show of hands," I started, "how many of the guys in this room have fucked me?"
The guys looked around at each other, making a point of not making eye contact with Garrett. No hands went up because I had never slept with any of my brother's friends. Not that a few of them hadn’t given it the old college try to get into my pants, but none of them were my type. And I was still on the fence about the guy standing at the bar. He might just be my type, or he might just be the last thing I ever needed.
"Carry on, dorks." I grabbed another orange slice and walked around to the front of the bar to stand next to Zane. "There's your answer. Disappointed?"
He shook his head once and took another drink of his beer.
I pushed the orange slice between my lips. "Hmm, these oranges are good. Would you like a taste?"
He reached for the condiment tray, but on his way, I hopped up and planted a kiss on his mouth. I ran my tongue along his lip before dropping back to my feet.
His hazel brown eyes flickered with something that was hard to read. His chest heaved with a deep, steadying breath. I had either pissed him off royally or I'd just sent some major heat to his groin.
"Tasty, right?" I headed out of the room with an exaggerated sway of my hips. I had walked out with confidence but didn't get more than three steps out of the game room when I realized that my lips were still on fire from the short kiss.
Chapter Eight
Zane
I could have just lied to myself and pretended that the kiss hadn't left me standing for five minutes like a stunned fool. But it would still have been a lie. I wasn't sure exactly when the turning point had happened, when this had turned into a game, but I was highly competitive and I wasn't planning on losing to a sassy, smart ass twenty-two-year-old. I needed to regroup and figure out my next move.
Trey and Georgie had decided to head to the theater room where people were gathered to watch the original version of Psycho. Since I'd never seen the flick on the big screen and since I needed some time to devise a plan, I decided to head in and join them.
Carter's home theater was big enough to house fifty people. There were eight rows of plush recliners lined up in the room. There was even a popcorn maker and drink bar on the far side of the room. The sounds system and screen rivaled any commercial theater.
The movie had just started and the room was dark. Trey's tall head was in the second row, but his arm was curled around Georgie's shoulders. I decided not to sit next to them and break up the movie date. The last row was empty. I scooted through to the center seat and sat down. The row in front of me was filled with several of the guys who had been playing pool. I had no idea what had prompted me to ask Raini the totally rude and none of my business question about her brother's friends. I suppose it was just my way of keeping on top of things. She kept getting the upper hand on me, and it was driving me fucking nuts. But then she showed me. Instead of telling me to drop dead or slapping my face, something I deserved, she showed me up by not only acting unfazed but by embarrassing me in front of the guys in the room. Then she topped it off with the unexpected kiss and that was it. I knew I needed to be more on my toes. She was good. Really good.
I leaned back and just started getting into the movie when the door opened. Light poured in and then the door shut, bathing the room in darkness again. I was still staring straight up at the screen when someone plopped into the chair next to me.
I looked over at Raini.
"Oh, was this seat taken?"
"Nope. Be my guest."
"Oh wait, I'm going to need some popcorn." She stood up and moved to stand right between my legs. She was a pro.
I made a point of taking in every inch of her body, which was wrapped nicely in a pair of short shorts and a midriff top. The tattoos trailing along her side and disappearing below the top of her shorts were begging to be touched, and possibly even licked, but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.
"Do you want some popcorn?"
"No thanks." I forced a polite smile, which was the only way I could keep from grabbing her into my lap and kissing her.
She slipped past me and scurried over to the popcorn cart. She filled a bag and as she walked past her brother's friends, one of them reached for her. "Sit here, Raini, and share that popcorn."
She ducked out of reach and sent several kernels of popcorn to the ground. "Get your own bag. Besides, I'm sitting back here with my new friend, who doesn't know it yet but he's secretly in love with me."
My face flashed her direction, and a few of the guys in front of me turned back to check out the sucker in the back row. Seemingly pleased that she'd again earned a point, she sat down next to me. Then climbed up on her knees on the large cushiony chair and faced me. I stared straight ahead at the screen.
She shoved the popcorn bag in front of my face. "Want some?"
I shook my head and continued to watch the movie with feigned interest.
"I don't mind the shower scene, but I hate the screechy music that goes with it." She mimicked the infamous scene and added in sound effects. Someone up front shushed her, but she ignored it.
I leaned my head closer to talk quietly, only to find myself temporarily stunned by the fragrance of her hair. It took me a second to stop thinking about pressing my face into her hair as I fucked her from behind. "Do you always talk in a theater?"
"Only ones where my date is more interesting than the movie." She attempted to whisper, which was an altogether cute and sexy sound. Of course.
She sat forward with her bag of popcorn and stretched her suntanned legs out in front of her, crossing them at the ankles.
I leaned my head her direction again. "I'm not your date. You sat here, remember?"
"Do you want me to move?"
"You're free to sit anywhere you want." The truth was, I wanted her to stay right there next to me, even if she was going to talk through the whole movie. Which, apparently, she planned to do.
She leaned her arm on the rest between us. "So when do you think you'll give me a proper kiss."
I looked over at her. After lobbing that zinger my direction, she pretended to suddenly be inte
rested in the movie. "First of all, there is nothing proper about my kisses, and secondly, who said I had any plans to kiss you?"
She rocked her thin shoulders up and down. "Just a hunch since you're always looking at me when we're in the same room. In fact, I think I know why you keep watching me."
I had no idea where this was leading. She was playing games again, and I needed to get ahead of her next move.
"I'm watching you and thinking is she really twenty-two? She seems more like sixteen or seventeen." I knew my words had stung, but I waited for her response with my guard up.
"Nope." She moved her mouth right next to my ear, and as her warm breath brushed over my skin, my cock stirred to life. That was all it took from her, I thought with annoyance. A breath. Fragrant hair shampoo. Fuck.
"I can see those dirty thought bubbles over your head when you're looking at me," she whispered. "You're thinking, I wonder if she likes it gentle and slow, or fast and furious, or if she just likes to be fucked six ways to Sunday, in every way and every place imaginable."
She sat back and let me absorb the impact of her statement for a minute. The she leaned her head toward mine. "By the way—it's the last one."
The door to the theater opened as she leaned back again. I tried to regain my composure and erase the raging erection she'd just summoned with her words. Raini hopped up suddenly. "Mindy, take this seat. I'm just on my way out." Her sister looked more than a little irritated when she saw who was sitting next to Raini, but she was happy to take her sister's place.
It took all my willpower not to watch Raini walk out.
Chapter Nine
Raini
Crisp suits and neckties weren't normally my thing but the man cleaned up spectacularly. Even his long copper hair didn't take away from the sharp, all-business look he was sporting for the birthday dinner. Something else that wasn't normally my thing was wasting any time on getting ready or dressing for a party. But for this occasion, I had spent a silly amount of time picking out just the right dress, my skin tight, bright blue cocktail dress that was somehow much shorter than I remembered. I'd even taken the time to pin back strands of my hair with glittering rhinestone clips and plaster on an inordinate amount of pink lipstick. Two fussy things I never bothered to do. But my extra effort in getting ready had nothing to do with looking right for the dinner. In fact, I was certain the length of my dress or lack thereof would earn the usual eye roll from Dad and Mindy. My unusual ministrations to my appearance were performed with one goal in mind—drive Zane nuts. And with the way his gaze had whipped my direction the second I walked into the dining room, I was sure my goal had been reached.