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Right?

Sixteen

DAMN IT," HECTOR CURSED when he spied Noelle He should have left the wedding and stayed gone

He’d left the wedding all right, but he hadn’tfor it had continued to ring inside his head, taunting hiht about Noelle’s red dress on his friend’s bedroo beside a suit other than his He’d pictured two naked bodies straining together on a mattress, had heard pleasure-filledas he reprograotten out, hadn’t gone inside He’d re lot, the tint on his s darkened to the highest setting so that no one could see inside He’d glared at the building, and yes, he’d taken care of hi Noelle With hi in his ar that burned hi in a public place … his stoer zone S he wasn’t sure he’d stay out

One of the agents inside the building was e reception to everyone in her address book, and not two o Hector had opened one of Dallas on the dance floor, his strong ar up at him

Only reason Hector hadn’t stormed inside to rip them apart was that Noelle had still radiated soher, his chest had ached unbearably

He’d told hiic and Noelle would fall under his spell That the two of them would drive to the nearest hotel--they wouldn’t be able to wait until they reached Dallas’s apartment, because God knows, if the situation had been reversed, Hector wouldn’t have been able to wait--and sleep together

And once Noelle had slept with his friend, Hector would stop thinking about her Stop drea her Surely He needed to stop She was a thorn in his side, a torment to his soul, a sickness in need of a cure

He could never be what she needed, never touch her the way she’d want More than that, he wasn’t good enough for her Another man would make her happier Far, far happier

Yet he opened his car door, got out, and walked toward her anyway

Noelle heard the footsteps and opened her eyes, prepared to paste on a smile and hoever had intruded on her personal space inside Then she spotted Hector, and straightened A frown pulled at the corners of her lips His presence was a surprise

His big body was gorgeous, as always, but huht-wild scent reached her before he did, waking every cell she possessed Next she felt the heat of his body, electrifying her And then he was there, just a few feet away Within touching distance, the width of his shoulders practically engulfing her

Bad Noelle No touching "What are you doing here?" she asked, not yet daring to aze She was too afraid of what she’d see Irritation, less

"I’?"

O-kay The snotty attitude wasn’t a surprise "It looks like you’re annoying ed and said, "Well, you look beautiful" Grudgingly offered, as if the compliment had been yanked from his throat

And yet that was the first ti nice to her and she beca the arousal

"Welcome"

Finally, she looked up

Instantly her body reacted as if she’d just run a ten-mile , her lungs refusing to fill Her te to one hundred percent liquefied, her knees weakening, tre lashes nearly fused Hard lips stretched tight over those perfect, bite-so-good teeth, the scowl led stubbornly, and there was no sign of his dione, his suit wrinkled and disheveled His gloves, ht And with those few inches of hair …Beautiful wasn’t a good enough description

"You were sad a o And earlier" His head tilted to the side "Why?"

A cold shoent through her veins He didn’t know He couldn’t At least he hasn’t noticed your reaction to hi belly "What do you "

He did He knew Butb how did he know? "I’m not upset"

"Bullshit"

How dare he call her on her lie! "This is my best friend’s most special day and I have never, ever been happier--"

"--ht now"

"I can’t believe you ever fooled ust in his tone "You’re a terrible liar"

How Did He Know? Dallas hadn’t Ava had suspected, but even she hadn’t realized the depths of Noelle’sher emotions She had to be Otherwise her mother and brothers would have realized how they chipped at her self-esteem and launched a full-scale attack

"What … whatto you?"

He rolled his eyes "Like I’aped up at him "I don’t have a tell"

"Whatever you need to believe to comfort yourself, sweetheart"

Sweetheart He’d just called her sweetheart He didn’t uys saw her But the funny thing? She liked that he’d said it She’d known him a year, and he’d never once called anyone else by a nicknaet aith his attitude so wasn’t happening "You don’t know ritted

"No," he said softly, suddenly more serious than she’d ever seen him "I don’t, do I?"

To Hector’s astonishment, he was as desperate to learn about Noelle’s life and her emotions as he was to have her underneath hierous, so he’d just have to settle for the first "Do you feel like you’re losing Ava or so? Is that why you’re sad?"

A punch below the belt, maybe, but that was just his style No mercy, and no prisoners A motto he lived by A motto life on the streets had drilled into his head

Noelle crossed her ar taut, the pressure shoving her breasts together and creating thethose beaded nipples he longed to tongue

She snapped, "I’ve told you tiain that I’m fine"

"Actually, you’ve told irls aren’t as "

A lick of fire in her eyes, pursed lips "Is that what you’re doing? Playing with irls what you’re used to?"