Read Online Into the Fire (Bridge Book 2) by Meredith Wild - Free Book Online

than ask someone to stop his advances.
    “Of course not,” I said. I straightened out the collar of Darren’s shirt. “You know Darren. He’s the perfect gentleman.”
    That got Cameron to crack a smile, but the tension between them lingered. I caught a glimpse of Maya chatting with Diane and Olivia again, so I figured I’d get on my way.
    “You two have fun today. Hope you catch lots of fish. Don’t fall off the boat, okay?”
    Darren’s jaw was still tight, but he’d relaxed a little. “Give me a little credit,” he murmured, gently grasping my arm as I passed.
    I glanced up into his eyes. That quickly I was at risk of losing any semblance of control being this close to him. Close enough to feel his energy. An invisible current pulsed between us. I felt it in places I wished I didn’t.
    “You’ll have to earn it,” I whispered, leaving him before my legs failed me.
    DARREN
    “What the fuck was that?”
    Cameron pivoted away. “Stop taking yourself so seriously. It doesn’t suit you.”
    I leaned in. “You think because you’re getting married tomorrow that I won’t bust your nose for being an asshole? Think again, Cam.”
    Cameron smirked and nudged me back a step. “Someone needs to say it. You going after someone like her is like watching a lion go after a gazelle on National Geographic. You know as well as I do she doesn’t have a chance.”
    I couldn’t rightly argue with him. I’d set my sights on Vanessa, and I had every intention of having her. All the signs pointed to success. The physical attraction was real, and the more time we spent together, the stronger it grew. I’d never once considered that we wouldn’t sleep together on this trip. Before long, unless I did something really fucked up and unforgivable, she’d give in to me.
    What business that was of my brother’s was another matter.
    “Why the hell would you care?”
    “Because she’s Maya’s best friend. I told you to back off before. I didn’t expect to have to remind you again.”
    “Listen, I was good.” I jabbed my finger into his chest. “I played nice like you asked. Time’s up.”
    “Not enough pretty girls on this island? You have to go for her again?”
    “She’s a fucking ten, and I want her.”
    He shook his head, glanced over to Maya, and back to the expansive ocean horizon. “You ever ask yourself why? Why does this one mean so much that you need to bed her and leave her more than all the others? Haven’t you played this routine out enough?”
    I ground my teeth down. “I know you love Maya and want to settle down and have a million babies, but fuck, what’s with the judgment? This is my life.”
    He was silent. I wanted him to say more, argue with me some more. But he didn’t give me anything else to work with.
    “I… Listen, I want to be…” I shoved a hand through my hair and closed my eyes. Vanessa was there in my mind, smiling at me with those luscious lips. She was vibrant, a goddamn wet dream for any man. Why wouldn’t I want her? The fact that some guy hadn’t already stolen her heart and walked her down the aisle was a goddamn miracle. The mere thought of someone else claiming her for his own spurred something primal in me, an inexplicable need to make her mine.
    “You want to be what?” Cameron was leaning against the balcony rail, his arms crossed.
    I straightened slowly. “She knows my number, all right? If anything happens between us, she’s going into it knowing I’m a bad fucking bet. And, maybe because of that, I want to show her I’m worth the risk.”
    “You mean she’s more of a challenge now that you’re working with a handicap. Nice.”
    “No!” I growled. I could have sucker-punched him.
    Cameron snorted air through his nose and stared at me in silent challenge.
    “I just want to see where things go. We’re getting to know each other. That’s not something I usually make time for. So who knows? Maybe there’s a chance we’ll see more of each other after