Read Worth the Wait (Picking up the Pieces #4) for Free Online

bottle.
    “How did I cheat? You were standing right there!”
    “Well, looks like Mini Luke’s down fifty bucks for his college fund, baby girl,” Luke said casually as he rubbed Emmy’s pregnant belly.”
    “Call him Mini Luke one more time and your P is never getting anywhere near my V again,” Emmy replied as she slapped at his hand.
    Normally, I’d be laughing as I watched the back and forth banter between everyone, but I was I having trouble concentrating on anything going on around me when the heat from Brett’s thigh pressing firmly against mine felt like it was scalding my skin. I’d never in my life felt so in-tuned to another person as I was with Brett. My body was insanely aware of every movement the man made.
    The waitress blessedly chose that moment to show up with my meal. As soon as the beer was placed in front of me, I snatched it up and took a couple hearty gulps.
    “I think you and I started off on the wrong foot.”
    Brett’s warm breath against my ear startled a jolt from me as I spun my head to the side to look at him. He was so close I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the hypnotic pull of those rich brown eyes.
    “What?”
    “The wrong foot,” he repeated. “I’d like us to start over.”
    “And how do you propose we do that?”
    Brett leaned back and extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Brett Halstead. It’s nice to meet you.”
    I felt my lips tip up in a smile at his playful demeanor. “Mackenzie Webster,” I responded, placing my hand in his. As soon as our palms touched an electric current shot straight up my arm. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I murmured, sinking into his gaze. The rough brush of his slightly calloused finger across the pulse point in my wrist caused my breath to hitch. I was certain he could feel its erratic thrum beneath my skin. I couldn’t describe the effect the man was having on me, but the longer I was in his presence, the more difficult it became to resist his pull, and a large part of me—the part that was heating up deep down in my belly—didn’t want to.
    As the evening wore on, the conversation between everyone kept me entertained as I enjoyed my mouthwatering burger and what had to be the best onion rings I’d ever had the pleasure of eating in my life. Before I knew it, I was on my fourth beer and laughing so hysterically at Emmy and Savannah’s antics that my sorely underused stomach muscles ached. My head was fuzzy and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so relaxed.
    “You have a ride home?” Emmy asked me when the night finally wound down. “If you drove, Luke and I can take you home since you’ve been drinking.”
    I opened my mouth, just about to accept her offer, when Brett spoke over me. “No worries, I got her.”
    I whipped my head around to argue but it was too late. “Perfect,” Emmy said with a clap of her hands. It was not perfect. I could barely handle sitting next to Brett for a few hours. Being locked in a car with him, no matter how short a time, was bound to make my head explode. To say the sexual tension between the two of us was stifling was an extreme understatement. It was so damn thick I worried I might choke on it.
    I was so busy trying to formulate a reasonable excuse as to why I needed to ride with Emmy and Luke that I missed my chance. Everyone at the table said their goodbyes, passing out hugs, cheek kisses, and backslaps while I stood there like an idiot, booze and Brett clouding my brain and taking away all rational thinking.
    Chills spread across my skin as he leaned in and spoke softly—almost seductively—into my ear, “You ready to go or you want to stay for another drink?”
    It took an immense amount of willpower to pull my gaze from his soft lips. Staying for another drink with him was a horrible idea. My desire for him was growing with each minute I was in his presence. I craved him to the point of being terrified.
    A quick glance at my watch showed I still had two hours before