Page 13 of Seducing Bran
The ice shield she was erecting was exactly what he needed for this crisis, because itwasa crisis. He’d spent too much time with Ireland today. Too much proximity—all because of fucking Hunt and his cold.
Bran never lost control. Years ago, he’d built a mental wall against women who tempted him. He was a good guy now. He’d trained himself to be.
Ireland was different. She was a grown woman, and an intelligent one at that. But Bran was so used to disciplining himself that even if his body didn’t want to listen, his stubborn brain wouldn’t allow things to get out of hand.
But that wasn’t what happened today. Ireland was the first woman in a decade he’d completely lost his head over.
Bran couldn’t let it happen again. He needed precautions. Just what those precautions would be, he didn’t know, but he’d figure it out and enforce them like hell.
He shuffled around in the large custom cooler the boat boasted, and grabbed crackers and cheese the restaurant had prepared. He also grabbed another Corona.
He wasn’t used to being around fiery women. Most women let him take charge of a situation—let him set the pace. So what was he supposed to do now?
Offering kind words might help smooth things over, but he was rusty on that one, so that wouldn’t help. Preparing food as a peace offering was another option. Especially since being trapped on a boat didn’t allow him to run in the opposite direction.
Food and beer it was.
Ireland glared at the tray he handed her.
He deserved that look.
But then she reached for the food and quietly ate while he got the boat ready to return to the club.
Bran sank into the driver’s seat, a pressure in the pit of his chest bothering the hell out of him. He thumped it a couple of times and cleared his throat.
Everything would be fine. He’d drop Ireland off at the dock, apologize—this time for the kiss, not the cock grinding—then stay the hell away from her. For good.
Chapter 4
He—grrr!Bran was the worst, the absolute worst!
Ireland was so angry she couldn’t see straight, which meant she couldn’t see at all because her glasses were still in her bag. She rubbed her eyes to clear them of the glassiness that had formed out of sheer irritation with the man, and shoved a cracker with cheese in her mouth, while Bran drove the boat back to Club Tahoe.
He’d been the biggest ass to her—and then he’d kissed her. And not just any kiss. It was the kind of kiss that made a woman’s belly drop and her bikini bottom wish to go in the same direction.
Bran never showed her any interest. And now he gave her the sexiest kiss of her life?
She wanted to throttle him.
No, justno. She was so sick of asshole men. How did she even get into these situations?
That darn boat wake. They’d been doing fine, until that huge lake wake had hit the boat and knocked her into Bran.
He was tall and built like a wall—a stubborn brick wall. She’d tried to dislodge herself from his person, but there were muscles and strong arms, and she might have taken a tad too long. So what did he do?
Insult her. Make fun of her. And when she’d finally managed a moment of peace, even if it had been in the icy lake water, he dove in and rounded off his insults with the most body-convulsing kiss of her life.
Bran. Was. Evil.
Ireland pulled on her shirt over her bathing suit and slipped on her white shorts. She collected her belongings, ready to leap off the boat as soon as they landed at the Club Tahoe dock. She even pulled out her glasses and shoved them on so she could make a quick getaway without stumbling and killing herself.
Who cared if Bran saw her in her glasses? She had no need to impress this man anymore. No matter what he’d done with his lips and his hands, he thought the worst of her. And she was done with men who treated her like crap. What kind of crazy fool kissed a woman he didn’t even like? Bran made no sense, and that was reason enough to cut him from her life.
Bran eased the boat to the dock, and Ireland prepared to leap off.
“Hold on,” he said. He tossed bumpers over the side of the boat then hitched the boat to the dock.
She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, refusing to look at him.
