Dare to Tempt - Carly Phillips Page 0,62

time to pull herself together.

He studied his brother, whose eyes were red-rimmed and his hair long, probably because he was in the off-season. His baseball team demanded a haircut above the collar and no facial hair. Left to his own devices, Jaxon would look a lot more raggedy.

“Hey, man. Are you hungover?” It was a rhetorical question. Damon knew his brother liked to party.

Jaxon rubbed his eyes. “Just a late night,” he said, his lips lifting in an I got some grin.

Damon shook his head and chuckled. “Okay, who was she?”

Evie stepped out from behind Damon, her hair still messed, but he knew his girl. She wouldn’t care.

“Yeah, Jaxon. Who’s the lucky lady this time?” Evie teased. Because everyone knew Jaxon wouldn’t settle down with just one woman. He’d been burned in the past and hadn’t let it go.

“Just a chick I met at Allstars last night,” Jaxon said.

Damon understood why Jaxon would choose the upscale bar instead of a place where he’d be surrounded by groupies.

Damon put a hand on the back of his brother’s neck and pushed him forward. “Well, let’s go get you some caffeine, bro. You look like you could use some.” He loved his brother even if they were very different.

Grinning, Evie walked along beside them. They almost bumped into Bri and her friend Macy as they reentered the main room.

“Hi,” Macy said, champagne in hand. Her gaze encompassed the three of them.

Bri looked everyone over, his big sister curious as ever.

“Hi, ladies,” Jaxon said. “You’re looking good, Macy. White enhances your tan. Hot.” He’d perked up at the sight of her.

Damon raised his eyebrows at Evie, who merely shrugged. Obviously she didn’t know any more about Jaxon and Macy than he did. Then again, his brother could just be acting like his normal flirtatious self, which all the Prescott men did or had done in their single days.

“Thanks, Jaxon.” Macy didn’t even blush at the compliment.

Damon figured she had his brother and his behavior pegged and didn’t take him seriously. Good. He’d hate to see Jaxon hurt his sister’s friend. Not that Jaxon would do anything deliberately, but he was a player. A good man but one who liked women. Plural.

“So, what were you three whispering about?” Bri finally asked.

“Just asking Jaxon what he’s been doing,” Damon said.

“You mean who he’s been doing,” Bri said, a knowing smile on her lips and loud enough for them all to hear. “Come on, Macy. Let me introduce you to a few people from work. I think you’ll like Adam Martsoff.” She steered her friend away from Damon, Evie, and Jaxon.

“Something I said?” Jaxon asked.

Damon shook his head. “Just protecting her friend from your charms, bro.” Though Damon still hoped the right woman would straighten out his brother’s ass one day.

In the meantime, Damon would celebrate the fact that he’d found the woman of his dreams. The rest of the party passed with Damon and Evie accepting congratulations from their families and, at the end, saying goodbye to each grouping one by one.

Finally, they came to the last couple except for Damon’s family and a few friends who had remained behind.

Ian and his wife, Riley, walked over.

“Congratulations!” Riley, a bubbly brunette with curly brown hair pulled first Evie, then Damon into a hug.

“I wish you all the best,” Ian said. “And if your life is anything like mine, you’ll be one happy man.”

Riley laughed. “He’s happy because all the kids are home with a babysitter. He’s got time to breathe. Then he’ll go home and let them hang all over him and love every minute of it.”

“I’m happy for you as well,” Damon said. From what he understood of his boss and cousin, Ian Dare had become the man of the house when his father revealed he had another family, and as a result, Ian hadn’t believed in love. Then he’d met Riley and become a changed man.

Damon understood. Evie had altered him in every way.

From across the room, they heard yelling, and everyone turned to see what was going on. “We’re going to get going and let you deal with that,” Ian said, gesturing to where Jaxon and Bri were in a heated discussion that had grown loud enough to cause people to look their way.

“Thanks for coming.” Damon shook Ian’s hand.

Then he and Evie headed toward the commotion. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Ask Jaxon.” Bri folded her arms across her chest and glared at their brother.

Macy, who hadn’t left, stood beside Bri and watched in obvious