Just Between Friends (O'Rourke Family 4) by Julianna Morris

even more than her husband. They deserved each other.
    “I’m so lucky,” Kate continued in a blissful tone. “Dylan is the kind of man you can always count on. Of course, I understand if you’re a bit envious, he is incredibly sexy.”
    The other woman’s lip curled. “Perhaps in a rough sort of way. Personally I prefer more polish in a man.”
    That was it.
    Nobody criticized Dylan, he was the greatest guy in the world, even if he drove her nuts. “Tilly, you’re such a—”
    “I brought you a drink, darling,” Dylan said, sticking a glass in her fingers, then grabbing her elbow as if worried she’d resort to violence.
    Tilly gave them a tight smile and drifted away more quickly than normal. Kate gripped the fluted glass filled with champagne and strawberries, fighting the temptation to go after Tilly and dump it down her silicone-enhanced cleavage.
    “What was that all about?” Dylan asked.
    “Stupidity. I think all that bleach she uses on her hair is frying her brain cells,” Kate said.
    Dylan grinned. He’d heard Katydid defending him, and the sincerity in her voice had given him a warm, foolish feeling around his heart. “You can’t go to war because she thinks you married beneath you.”
    Kate turned, an astonished look on her face. “You don’t understand. Tilly is jealous. She’s dissatisfied with her life and wants everyone else to feel that way, too. Most of the time I feel sorry for her.”
    “But not tonight.”
    “It’s different tonight.”
    She obviously didn’t want to explain, and Dylan wasn’t certain he wanted to know why it was different. He was having enough trouble figuring her out these days.
    Idly, Kate turned the stem of the champagne glass in her fingers, then took a sip. One of her eyebrows lifted. “This is ginger ale, not champagne.”
    “I thought you’d prefer something without alcohol.”
    Her lips pressed together. “You mean I’m not ready for adult beverages. I’ll be twenty-seven next week, not seventeen. When are you going to accept that I’m not a kid any longer?”
    Dylan shifted uncomfortably, the question striking too close to home. Intellectually he knew Kate wasn’t a child, but in his heart she was still that little girl he’d first known, beautiful and elusive and untouched by the horrible things in life.
    “You don’t like alcohol. Remember?”
    “I…oh, never mind.”
    All at once Kate smiled, put her free arm around his neck and gave him a passionate kiss. It took a moment to collect himself, then he glanced around, wondering who she was trying to impress.
    “Who are you looking for?” she murmured.
    “Richard Carter or one of his law associates.”
    “I haven’t seen them.” She tugged on his collar and he leaned down. But instead of explaining, she kissed him again. This time he relaxed into it, tasting the strawberries from Kate’s drink and her sweet essential essence. His blood ran heavy, sinking low into his groin and desire dug claws into his self-control.
    Obviously it was the dress.
    The thing was designed to drive a man off his rocker.
    Kate must have spent a fortune on the gown, which ought to infuriate him since he was certain she hadn’t used his credit card or checking account to buy it. Yet all he could think about was discovering if she really wasn’t wearing underwear or covering her up so he wasn’t tempted by so much skin and innocent sensuality…and no other man was, either.
    “Mmm.” Kate drew back and smiled, the picture of a starry-eyed bride. “Are you okay?” she asked when he didn’t respond.
    “Yeah.” He was okay except for the agony in his groin and the way he still wanted to be kissing her.
    It was a problem that worsened as the evening progressed.
    They ate from a buffet of expensive finger food, when he would have preferred a decent steak. The only good part about the food was seeing Kate eat strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, then lick her lips with delicate swipes of her tongue.
    She