HazardsDare (2 page)

Whatever it was, right then Avery was tempted by Hazard in a
way she’d never known before, and they hadn’t even spoken yet.

What were the chances he’d remember her anyway?

The only time they’d met and spoken at length had been when
her father was in the hospital needing a kidney transplant. Like the hero he
was, Alexander donated his kidney to save their father. But the stress of her
father’s illness and discovering that her almost fiancé was a lecherous lout
had taken its toll on Avery.

She hadn’t been herself when she’d met Hazard. He’d been
polite and friendly enough, but then Timothy had returned after taking a
lengthy phone call from a client and started acting like a member of the Grant
family and Hazard withdrew to talk to his friends.

It could have been a few minutes of time that they actually
spoke. She didn’t know. But something had shifted inside her when they shook
hands, a spark had ignited, reminding her that she was indeed female and Trevor
Hazard Osbourne was all male.

Shortly after, her father and brother were taken into
surgery and she didn’t see Hazard again. Once everyone knew the transplant was
successful, the athletes left. And it’d taken several weeks afterward for Avery
to tell her father she’d decided to break things off with Timothy.

Though she’d gone in with evidence gathered by her one of
her brother’s friends, PI Phalen Maddox, the shit had hit the fan. It was the
first and only time she’d done anything against her daddy’s wishes.

All her life, she’d tried to be a good daughter, to make
choices in her career that would never put a negative light on her father or
cause his opponents in the Senate to use her against him. When she’d told her
dad about Timothy’s infidelity, he’d gone so far as to suggest that it was
something she had to deal with, not run away from.

Avery did try again. She and Timothy went on a few dates and
she acknowledged she’d never been in love with him. She’d just been too chicken
to admit it. Once she did, the reconciliation her father wanted never came to
be.

“Ready for that second drink, Red?” Jaxon offered, tapping
her hand and pointing to her almost-empty glass.

“Yes, please.”

“You got it,” he said, flashing another glimpse of that vampire
smile.

She couldn’t help herself. She had to know. “Anyone ever
mention you look a little like a vampire?”

Jaxon froze for a second, his rare violet eyes homing in on
her face. Avery wasn’t sure what she’d said to set him off, but she regretted
upsetting him.

“I didn’t mean to offend you.”

He shook his head and grinned. “You didn’t. I get that a
lot, the vampire thing, I mean. I’m human, and except for a tattoo on my arm
made from invisible ink, I don’t glow or anything.”

“Some friends of mine are tattooists. But I’ve never seen
them do an invisible tattoo. How does it become visible?”

“Black lights,” Jaxon answered, rolling up his white
long-sleeved shirt to reveal a blood-red mouth with iridescent teeth and fangs.

“I’ll get your drink,” he said as he lowered his sleeve and
turned away to grab a new margarita glass.

While she reflected on the tattoo he’d revealed, Avery
realized the music in the club had changed from live to a DJ spinning a mix of
music in booth somewhere.

A man’s hand came out of nowhere, startling her when he
placed it on the bar and wedged himself between her barrel and the person next
to her.

“What do you say, gorgeous? Are you ready to give up waiting
for a stranger and take a chance on Mr. Nice Guy?”

John had just gone from weirdo to asshole in Avery’s book.
“I say that I’m not interested,” Avery told him, shifting around to look him in
the eye.

“Come on, how about a dance? Let me at least buy you a
drink.”

“That’s not necessary,” she said, right as a giant shadow
came up behind her.

John was about six foot even. Judging from the way he looked
up, she’d say her rescuer was about six-five or six-six, big, broad and a total
badass.

She knew exactly who was behind her.

Her body had known seconds ago. Her pussy had unfurled like
a spring flower beneath a ray of sunshine. Her breasts felt heavier, her
nipples tightened. The powerful draw of need deep in her belly was completely
sexual.

“Someone giving you a hard time, baby?” Trevor Hazard
Osbourne asked. Nestling in nice and close to her back, he drew her up off the
barrel and parked his ass in her spot.

Before she could blink, she was sitting in Hazard’s lap and
John Mr. Not So Nice Guy disappeared from sight.

“Hazard,” Avery whispered, shocked that he’d gone to such
lengths to protect her and instantly aware of his steel-hard muscle and size.

Hazard was enormous, with not an ounce of fat.

“Good to see you again, Avery Grant,” Hazard answered, his
baritone whispering right into her ear. “Would you mind telling me why you’re
wearing a smoking-hot dress and killer shoes that make every man in this room
wonder how your fantastic legs would feel wrapped around him?”

“Wearing a nice dress and new shoes isn’t a crime, Mr.
Osbourne.”

“When it comes to you, it is.”

“How do you figure? You’re not my boss. In fact, it’s quite
a shock that you even remembered my name. We met once.”

“I’m not likely to forget that you’re my agent’s prettier
twin.”

“Wow, at first I felt honored to know Hazard Osbourne saved
me from trouble. But saying I look like my brother when we’re not even twins
won’t get you laid as payment for your help, bonehead!”

Offended, she tried to scramble off his lap, but to do so
would only cause damage to her daring dress. Hazard’s unbreakable grip around
her waist made her feel trim and slim and female.

Her C-cup breasts felt bigger, her nipples tighter and in a
constant state of arousal. She was almost five-eight, regarded herself as
reasonably attractive and average. Hazard made her feel as if she was so much
more than average.

“Whoa there, don’t get pissed at me and wiggle that fine ass
of yours like that unless you’re prepared for trouble. I didn’t save you in
order to get laid and you don’t look like a man. You look amazing, Avery.”

“Thank you, I think.”

“You’re welcome. For the record, I know Alex is older. While
the family resemblance between the two of you is uncanny, you are much
prettier. Now answer the question. What kind of trouble were you hoping to find
in Dare?”

“You want the truth?”

“We are in the Truth or Dare Club, baby, might as well go
for broke.”

Hazard’s big hands tightened around her waist. Shifting her
on his lap, he expelled a deep breath, as did Avery. For a heartbeat, she’d
thought for sure the hardness she felt pressed up against her ass had been the
biggest cock she’d ever known.

Not that she’d known many. Okay, that was an understatement.
But her lack of lovers notwithstanding, she’d certainly seen her share of
erotic images. None of the men had a penis that rivaled Hazard’s.

Telling herself she was feeling his hard as hell thigh that
just so happened to get thicker, Avery sat very still.

“I’m not sure you can handle the truth,” she warned.

A big hand came up to her chin, turning her so that she
could look at him without causing damage to her neck muscles or putting a
strain on her back. “I can handle anything. The truth, Avery, what were you
looking for when you came here?”

Caught up in his unusual amber eyes that reminded her of a
lion’s and imagining Michelangelo had a hand in sculpting his cheekbones,
strong chin and chiseled features, she couldn’t look away or take back her
answer.

“I came to find a fuck buddy. Not forever, mind you, just a
friend to have fun with whenever I’m able to go on vacation.”

“Say that again,” Hazard demanded, tightening his fingers on
her chin ever so slightly.

“You heard me, a fuck buddy. That’s what I want.”

“Like hell you are,” he grumbled as he clutched her tighter
in order to stand up.

“Let go!”

Over her shoulder, he said, “Jaxon, my table. Biggest
fucking glass of sweet tea you’ve got and whatever Avery’s drinking, bring it
there.”

“Got it,” Jaxon answered without missing a beat in his
mixology.

With little ado, Hazard let her grab her purse from the bar
and carefully propelled her across the room. Those who hadn’t found a seat or
table stepped aside, because the linebacker was the size of a freakin’
mountain.

Claiming a table that had a fresh deck of cards and a couple
of guitar picks sprawled across the well-worn surface that had nicks, dings and
names of musicians inscribed in the oak, he finally guided her into a chair.

Despite their conversation and the fact when he stepped
backward, he revealed an enormous erection tenting his faded button-fly jeans,
Hazard claimed the seat opposite her.

Unsure what to say or do, Avery waited until Jaxon delivered
their drinks and vacated the coziest spot in a very crowded room. She didn’t
think it wise to speak until Hazard gave her an opening.

He didn’t. He grabbed up the tallest glass of iced tea she’d
ever seen and took a long drink. At the rate he was taking that tea down, it’d
be gone in three seconds.

“Slow down, Hazard. You’ll make yourself ill.”

Hazard glared at her and kept drinking until he was
satisfied. Slamming the ice-frosted glass back down on the table, he broke the
silence. “You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to let
Alexander Grant’s sister come to town to find a fuck buddy.”

“FYI, I’m more than his sister. I’m a woman, dammit! Maybe
I’m tired of being the sensible Grant all the time. Maybe I’m ready for no-holds-barred
sex. I’m on vacation. Why shouldn’t I have fun?”

Hazard growled deep in his throat. Briefly, she thought for
sure he’d roar as loud as any self-respecting lion warning rival males away
from his pride. “Sonofabitch, this isn’t happening. No, I won’t allow it.”

“You don’t even know me beyond my name. Why do you presume
to think you can tell me what I can or can’t do?”

He took another long drink, this time his amber eyes staying
on her face as he crushed some ice with his teeth. In his college days, he must
have been killer at beer pong and quarters.

Fearing her night would end before it began, she swallowed
hard. “You know what? It was obviously a mistake to come here.”

“A huge mistake,” Hazard said, placing his glass back down.
“Not because you don’t have the right to fuck whoever you want. Because
courting that kind of trouble isn’t you, baby. You go through with this asinine
scheme, you’re going to get hurt!”

“Now I’m asinine. Is that what you’re saying?”

“No. Don’t you get it? As beautiful as you look tonight, I
might accept your red dress challenge. And the horrible truth is, I don’t want
the kind of relationship you represent, permanence.”

“What challenge?”

“To be your fuck buddy,” he said, again keeping his eyes on
her face. The look in his eyes warned her not to look away.

Right then, Hazard was all alpha male. With his long
caramel-brown hair running in thick waves to his shoulders that gave him the
appearance of a lion and those compelling amber eyes, she was captivated and
didn’t dare look away.

“I didn’t challenge you to be my anything, much less ask,”
Avery said when she found her voice.

“Didn’t you? You melted when I held you on my lap. I’m
willing to bet my playoff bonus that you were soaking wet from the knowledge
that my cock was hard and ready to sink deep into you from behind. Now your
body’s craving sex with me, Avery. And dammit, I feel like a bastard for
wanting you too!”

“Very well, I will free you of the burden of being a
bastard.”

Taking a huge gulp of her margarita and nearly choking on a
mouthful of salt, she slapped it back on the table and stood to leave. She made
it an inch before his big hand engulfed hers, pinning her right where he
wanted, but not once putting pressure on her more slender fingers or wrist.

“Sit down,” Hazard commanded. “Stay and talk to me. Please.”

It was the please that stopped her. Hastily added though it
was, she sensed he was being sincere. Folding down to the padded seat, she
reached out for her margarita with her free hand.

Even as she sipped at her drink, it dawned on her that
Hazard hadn’t let go of her left hand. Wrapping his fingers with hers, he
picked up his glass with his free hand and sipped the remaining amount of tea.

When the glass was empty except for some ice, he flagged the
bartender. Avery didn’t know how they could be seen from the bar, but Jaxon
returned. “What can I get you two?”

“Tequila, straight up, limes and salt,” Avery said.

“Are you drinking tonight, Trev?” Jaxon asked.

Hazard’s eyes never left Avery’s face, his fingers squeezing
hers. “Just this once. And, Jax…none of that cheap crap that does nothing but
create hangovers touches this table.”

“Patrón it is.” Jaxon left to prepare their shots.

Avery didn’t move. She couldn’t.

Hazard was so compelling and charismatic in person that she
knew that this was the reason for her secret crush.

On the football field, he was larger than life, twice the
size of most men, and his eyes were constantly studying the offense. In the
flesh, he was magnetic, irresistible, uncannily intuitive and so much more
significant than even the best HDTVs could showcase during a big game.

When she’d learned that her brother was taking him on as a
client just before Kyran Black’s career was sidelined by a demented
ex-girlfriend, Avery had been over the moon with excitement. She’d always loved
football, had dreamed of dating football players in high school.

Her daddy nipped that dream in the bud. He’d believed that
his daughter was better than a jock, going so far as to fix her up on dates
with the class politicians and members of the debate team.