HOW TO CATCH A BAD BOY

“You are incredibly sexy, Elena,” he said, his pace picking up.

Her body started to convulse at those words and her mouth opened. Sensing she was about to let out an ear-piercing scream, he clamped his other hand down on her mouth, silencing her. Bliss washed over her as she came, her body pulsing around his. Their bodies were reluctant to calm down and part. Her heart was pounding and Chandler

was still moving his hand slowly, causing little aftershocks to zip through her.

There was a knock on the door and then one of the groomsmen’s voice booming through the walls. “Five minutes until the wedding starts, Chandler. Time to put the cock away.”

Elena’s face flooded with heat. “Oh my God…”

Chandler chuckled. “Ignore him.”

“I’m going to die of embarrassment.”

“No, you’re not.” He kissed her cheek again and then moved his hand once more, causing her to catch her breath. “Damn,” he groaned after several moments passed. He eased his hand out of her panties, kissing her cheek. “Now I need a nap.”

“You and me both.” She rearranged her panties and dress. Then she faced him. “I look like I just had sex, don’t I?”

“Maybe.” Chandler laughed as her eyes widened. He smoothed his fingers through her hair, draping the long, dark locks over her shoulders. “No. You look well-loved.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“Well-loved?” There was that swelling in her chest again, and she wanted to float away right with it. “I like the sound of that.”

“I bet you do.” He kissed her, his lips lingering. “I need to go.”

“I know.” She stretched up on the tips of her toes, bringing their mouths together.

He shuddered. “I really like it when you do that.” He said.

She smiled as she forced herself away. “I’ll be looking for you out there.”

Chandler offered her his hand, and together they left the room. Luckily the hall was empty, and they parted ways when they came upon the rest of the men.

————

It was time to go home, and everyone was already out and ready to leave. Lexi and Elijah would be going on their honeymoon the next day, but they wanted to get home first. Elena walked up to Chandler’s car and heard him mutter a curse under his breath.

“Paul, I have a passenger with me, and she will not like this.” He paused.

“No, it’s not like that.”

Elena tugged on her shirt and walked closer, giving him a questioning look.

He scratched the side of his jaw. “I know, Paul, but I’m sure she’s okay.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, I heard it could be bad, but come on, you have lived by those mountains for how long? You’ve been there a hundred years. Don’t tell me they don’t always exagger-”

Whatever Paul said on the other end of the phone had Chandler letting out a slow exhale. “Does she have food?”

Elena’s hands lowered slowly where she had started putting her luggage into the boot. Oh geez, was someone stranded? Lost? Her mind started racing, her heart hurting for whoever might be in trouble.

“She’s tough, okay? I’m sure Agnes will be fine. Besides, I’m the last person she’d want to have check on her. She hates me.”

Elena would have smiled, if the name Agnes hadn’t conjured mental images of a sweet, little old lady, and now she wasn’t even sure if she had food.

“We can check on her,” she heard herself say.

Chandler’s face dropped in shock. He blinked. “Yeah, Paul, that’s her. But-”

“Tell him we’ll check on Agnes,” Elena said, more firmly this time. She lifted her chin for good measure. For some reason, that made Chandler grin widely. “We can bring supplies…we’ll make sure she has food.”

The person he was talking to said something that made Chandler chuckle. “Yes, she is definitely a better person than me. Though she may regret this when she meets Agnes.”

Elena’s mouth fell open. Everything nice she said about Chandler, she took it back. He was horrible. And rude. And mean to little old ladies without food stuck in the middle of nowhere before a blizzard.

His eyes were glued to her face, full of mischief and fire. “Okay, Paul.

We’ll leave now, but all I can do is check on her, make sure she’s inside with some food, and then turn right back around. I have a precious package to deliver safely back home.”

“Oh geez,” she mumbled, ignoring his unwavering gaze as she closed the boot a bit harder than necessary. “Laying it on a little thick, don’t you think?”

Chandler said goodbye to whoever he was talking to, probably Agnes’s husband or son or grandson who was worried sick about her, and then watched her quietly. She fidgeted with her handbag until she could fidget no longer.

“Who’s Paul, and why does Agnes hate you?” she asked.

He smiled slowly. “Paul is a friend. He should have been here for the wedding but he couldn’t make it because something came up. He has come through a lot for me and I’m very grateful to him, and he damn well knows it, which is why he calls me for this horrific task of checking on Agnes. Which I probably would’ve said no to, if you hadn’t piped up and given the poor dude hope.”

“That’s terrible,” Elena wailed. “You’d leave her out there, completely defenseless?”

Chandler tilted his head to the side. “Yes. Because she’ll be just fine. She always is.”

“Chandler, whatever your middle name is Kendrick, you should be ashamed of yourself.” She propped her hands on her hips. “She’s a little old lady, and she needs supplies. I know you act tough, but come on, even you are not so coldhearted.”

“I almost don’t want to warn you,” he said cryptically and leaned forward.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you are the most frustrating, adorable, mystifying woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and that’s the only reason I’m going to tell you what you just signed us up for.”

It was impossible not to want to reach her hands up and cover her face. She’d never been called any of those things. Okay, frustrating maybe, by her sister.

But she was an open book. Literally. She’d spent her life in open books, trying to absorb everything she found there. But for some reason, this man looked at her and saw a version of herself that she never knew existed.

Something about her drew him in.

“What did I sign us up for?”