Naughty Little Wishes (Birthday Dare) Read Online Free Page A

bull rider, so yeah, I know a lot about injuries. Is there a first-aid kit in here?”
    “No need. I’m good.”
    Good. Right. Of course he was. Her brother used to say the same when he kissed dirt after a bone-thrashing ride on the back of a thousand-pound bull. She looked at him and saw a flash of Corey, wounded, scarred, and holding in the hurt. Soft emotions spread through her chest. Without thinking, she touched the small abrasion on Drew’s cheek. “Let me help.”
    His gaze closed off. “I’m fine.” He dragged his shirt on and went to the door. “Use whatever you need to pull yourself together. Leave your purse in my office.” He reached for the doorknob and paused. “Tab, I—”
    “Don’t. We’re adults.” Tab gathered her belongings. She’d die if Drew said he was sorry for having sex with her. “There’s nothing to apologize about.”
    “I’m not sorry.” His gaze held hers in the mirror. “But it can’t happen again.”
    Heaviness settled in her chest. It hurt to admit it. “I agree.”

Chapter Five
    What had she done? Tab stowed her purse in the cabinet and fussed with her dress. She hadn’t experienced an “oops, we shouldn’t have done that” moment with a guy since college. Luckily, they’d arrived at the same conclusion. Another angry sexcapade couldn’t happen. Like too much salt in a dish, their differences overwhelmed the goodness of hot sex. She’d take her lumps and lessons like a big girl and move on.
    As she patted her hair into place, guilty conscience, the fiendish bitch, stomped on her bravado. But you won’t forget.
    Great. Did this mean she’d have to work on not strangling him and manage the urge to jump his bones at the same time? She should have listened to Jasmine and backed out. Stifling a groan, she walked out of the office and ran into a human wall.
    “Whoa—careful. Hey Tab.” Mitch enveloped her in a hug. Since the barbecue, he’d stopped shaving his head. The close-cut, blond fade and dark suit made him even more devastating to a woman’s pulse. “I didn’t know you were still around.”
    In need of friendly contact, she squeezed him a few seconds longer. “I’m leaving for Jacksonville in the morning. I got recruited to help out. I take it you’re back from somewhere exotic.” Jasmine had told her all of the contractors were required to spend one to two weeks at the Cape or at Bode-Wynn’s training facility in Montana after an extended assignment out of the country. It gave the contractors a chance to normalize before heading home.
    “Yeah.” His expression grew guarded for a moment, but his easy smile returned. “I was supposed to be in Montana. Ethan sweet talked someone into switching the schedule and giving him an early pass so he could have an extra week with Jasmine.” He escorted her to the bar in the corner of the room. “It was also his turn to be here tonight so I got drafted, but I’m surprised to see you. I heard you and Drew went at it again like you did at the barbecue.”
    “We didn’t go at it.” Oh yes, you did. You humped like rabbits. “I’m not here for him. I’m helping Vanessa. Don’t you people do anything other than gossip at Bode-Wynn?”
    “I guess this afternoon is a sensitive subject.” He flashed an all-male smile full of swagger and tease. “Hey. If you need a distraction from your worries, let me know. I’ll take care of you.”
    The tension inside of her evaporated, and laughter bubbled past her lips. She’d liked Mitch from the moment Ethan had introduced them, but she’d never let flirting ease into something more. Mitch had one goal when it came to women, and she’d heard he’d met it enough times to pack a stadium. The day he gave his heart to someone special, women around the world would weep.
    “Save it for the cute server. From the way she’s shooting daggers, you’ve already asked for her number.” He followed her glance across the room. “She looks like a screamer. I guess