The Wedding Favor by Unknown

hoped we might have a chance to talk.”
    Up close, she was stunning. Deep blue eyes, stylish blond hair, a body like her daughter’s. Beautiful, for sure. But an iceberg. No wonder she’d caught four husbands. And no wonder three of them didn’t stick.
    He hooked his thumbs in his pockets, cocked his head to one side. “I can’t imagine what we’d have to talk about,” he drawled.
    His indolent pose didn’t seem to impress her. “I assume Victoria’s already explained that she’ll be handling the appeal in your case.”
    As a matter of fact, she hadn’t. “Whatever,” he said, putting on a bored face.
    “I’m sure she also mentioned her fiancé.”
    He quirked a brow. “You mean the guy who can’t keep his pants zipped? Yeah, she mentioned him. In the past tense.”
    “Their separation is only temporary, I assure you. Victoria will accept his apology.”
    “His apology? How will that go? ‘Sorry you found out I fucked around on you, Vicky. Next time I’ll do a better job of hiding it.’ ” He wagged his head in disgust. “What kind of mother wants her daughter to marry a creep like that?”
    Adrianna’s eyes frosted over. “You know nothing about me, Mr. Brown. And despite your cozy display with my daughter on the dance floor, you know nothing about her either. She needs a man like Winston.”
    “No woman needs a man who cheats on her. Your daughter least of all. She’s smart, gorgeous, and she’s got a damn fine sense of humor. She can have anybody she wants.”
    “If you believe she’ll want you, you’re mistaken.” She scraped cold eyes from his hair to his boots, twisted her lips into a hard smile. “You’re not her type, Mr. Brown. Don’t let this sham flirtation go to your head. When the weekend is over, you’ll never see Victoria again.”
    Now that just pissed him off. Not that he had any notion of seeing Vicky again. Even if he was having fun tormenting her, that didn’t spell long-term relationship. And anyway, he hated her guts.
    But he wasn’t letting her bitchy mama off that easy. Instead, he curved his lips into his patented bone-melting smile, let his eyes go warm and buttery. Her own eyes widened on cue.
    He gave her a moment to think about it.
    Then he dropped his head, shifted his weight slightly, so all of a sudden he was crowding her. Her breath caught, and he leaned in closer, until his lips almost brushed her hair. In a drawl as thick and sultry as sweaty sex on a summer night, he spoke into her ear.
    “I wouldn’t bet on that, honey, if I was you.”
    I t had to hurt, having a pole up your ass like that. Made for good posture though. Ty had never seen a spine as straight as Adrianna Marchand’s as she stalked away from him.
    It occurred to him that he’d promised to charm her. Well, there were only so many ornery, abrasive women a man could be expected to dazzle in one weekend, and he had his hands full with Vicky. Isabelle would have to find someone else to sweet-talk Matt’s mother.
    He took another look around, not for Vicky. Which was a good thing, since she still wasn’t anywhere in sight.
    Then his ears picked up a whisper beckoning from the pergola. “Pssst. Pssst.”
    Had she snuck in there when he wasn’t looking?
    Casually, like he had no particular destination in mind, he ambled over, stepped underneath. And out of the darkness, two arms pulled his head down and locked around his neck. Pillowy lips vacuum-sealed his mouth. An eager tongue speared inside. And a bolt of lust shot from his brain to his cock.
    Christ, Vicky really did want him! Without stopping to question it, he closed his hands on her ass, yanked her hard against his groin, and plunged his tongue into her mouth with equal abandon.
    He’d lost his mind, and he didn’t care. Pulse pounding in his ears, cock straining for freedom, he dragged her down to the grass, aiming to take her hard and fast before either of them could think it through.
    She tumbled with him willingly,