Frenemies, Part One

Spankos!

Here’s one of my favorite stories you’ve never read called Frenemies and it’s a twelve-parter. It will appear in my tenth book called Pushing Boundaries, out in…um…a while. So here’s a sneak peek at a future book!

I hope you’re all doing well. Hubby is flying off to Germany so I’m home alone this week. How am I starting this week off? With a party, of course! Girls Wine Walk. We’re starting at a neighbor’s house with wine and appetizers and then walking down here to my place for more wine and appetizers. Fun!

So I need to hurry, take him to the airport and then come back and clean my house. Wheee! Par-tay! Hopefully, it will help me feel less lonely. This will be the first week we’ve been away from each other since 1988. Yes, 1988. Scary, huh?

Have a great one, darlings!

Hugs to you all!

Michelle


Zoë sat on her back porch and watched Bryce as he laid in the sun and read on a chaise on the lawn below her. His awesome pecs gleamed in the sunlight. His ripped belly beckoned to her. His tight jeans left nothing to the imagination. The man was packing.

Too bad he was a jerk. And the bossiest man she’d ever encountered. So what if he was trying to keep her alive? He didn’t have to micromanage her every move.

“So can I go to the mall?”

His lips twitched with irritation, but he didn’t look up from the paper. “No. For the twentieth time.”

“Bryce, I have to get some new shoes.”

He finally set down the paper and turned to her, seeming exasperated. “I took you shopping last week and you bought five pairs. Besides, I told you, there have been more threats. Roland’s enemies still think you know where his hard drive is. And they’re willing to torture you to death to find out.”

“Will you stop with the lurid warnings?”

“No. Because they’re the truth. And you seem to keep forgetting that you almost got shot no more than a month ago. And almost kidnapped a week after that and your store was bombed. I don’t restrict your movements for the fun of it, Zoë. I do it because I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“And so you have someone to torment.”

He sighed and returned to his paper. “That’s just an added bonus.” He grinned, and then shot her a cute look.

Her heart beat faster, her body turned to jelly and a zing went through her sex. Immediately following, a spike of anger blazed her. She did not want to want the man. They’d been adversaries for years. Such irony to be thrown together with the guy. Who would have ever thought her enemy would become her bodyguard?

She knew the answer, only through Roland’s death. A twist of grief roiled through her belly. God, she missed him. This had been the longest year of her life.

But she still couldn’t figure out why Bryce was the one protecting her. Out of all of Roland’s associates, how did he get chosen as the point person? While he’d been Roland’s best friend, he’d never liked her. He’d made that clear in the beginning. He didn’t think she was good enough for Roland. Which had pissed her off. And had made Bryce her favorite target. Whenever he came to dinner, she teased him mercilessly. Accidentally spilled things on him. She loved watching his face go red with anger.

And unfortunately, she’d always been attracted to him. With his symmetrical features, quick wit and those delicious mahogany eyes and sinful mouth, during many dinners she’d find herself staring at him, wondering what he’d kiss like. Which always made her feel guilty as hell.

She cracked a peanut shell and popped the contents in her mouth. Why the hell had she fallen in love with a mercenary? Super poor planning. But she had no idea how she could have avoided it, not once she met Roland.

“So how long before I can go out again?”

He didn’t look up. “Soon.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

He pursed his lips and sighed. “Why don’t you read?”

“I’ve read all the books I’ve wanted to, I’ve watched enough TV to melt my brain and I’ve surfed the Internet until my eyes were crossed. I want to run my store is what I want to do but that was firebombed. I’m not used to sitting around.”

“So garden. You keep bitching about the weeds taking over.”

“I hate weeding.”

“I can’t help you.”

“Why can’t we take a walk?”

“Because the other guys aren’t free until tomorrow. I only have one other backup and that isn’t enough. I told you this. I brought you six new magazines this morning, look at those.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I’m ignoring you now.”

“Fine.” She picked up a magazine and thumbed through it, but it didn’t hold her attention. She cracked another peanut shell. Picking out a nut, she glanced over at Bryce. Perfect as always. Man always put himself together so well. Meticulous about his appearance.

An evil thought went through her head. She knew what would entertain her. She tossed the peanut at him and it bounced off his shoulder. She quickly returned to her magazine.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him look at her. She stifled a giggle.

She shelled another peanut. Aiming for his head, she threw it. She got him in the neck. She ditched behind her magazine. She could feel his fiery gaze. A chuckle escaped her lips.

She shelled another nut and perused his amazing body, wondering which part to hit.

Without looking up from his paper, he said, “Before you toss another one of those at me, ask yourself this: Do I want to be chased down and spanked by Bryce? If the answer is no, then knock it off.”

“Assuming you could catch me.”

He angled a dark glance at her. “Assume I can.” He returned to his paper.

She twisted her mouth and considered his warning. Bryce would spank her. Which would be fun but would be inviting sexual play and the tension between them was already high. She’d caught him staring at her boobs and butt in recent weeks. And it wasn’t a brotherly look. She’d always suspected the reason they fought so much was because he was as attracted to her as she was to him.

But she couldn’t think of anything more stupid than to fall in bed with Bryce. He was a dictator. A total control freak. They’d probably have stupendous fun in the sack, but out, they’d annihilate each other.

Zoë needed to forget that little idea. She picked up the magazine, but after a long minute, she realized that she hadn’t read a word of it. As if some evil demon possessed her, she lobbed a peanut at Bryce and nailed him in the side of the head. And immediately regretted it.

He slowly turned towards her, his dark gaze narrowed, his mouth set.

Adrenaline jolted her system, her heart jump-started and she leapt to her feet.

Without taking his eyes from hers, Bryce got up and a wicked grin came over his full lips. He looked like a hungry jungle cat.

© 2011, Michelle Carlyle