Chapter 1

He was trouble with a capital T and she would be wise to stay far away from him. If she had learned anything in her twenty-four years, it was that men like him couldn’t be trusted.

Unfortunately, Isabella Montgomery couldn’t stay away from him tonight considering he was the best man at her sister’s wedding and she was the maid of honor. No matter how wary of him she was, she had to hold it together for her sister. Lucy had been in love with Marc for as long as she could remember, and Isabella was glad the two of them had resolved their differences and created the life they’d always dreamed of together.

Isabella smiled softly to herself as she remembered the small part she played in bringing them back together. She remembered what her sister said to her not long ago.

“It’ll be your turn next, Izzy,” Lucy had said.

Isabella snorted. Sure, when pigs fly. Her chance at love had ended horribly. Now she just wanted to run her coffee shop and read her books. That was all. No romance. No lovers. No complications.

“Penny for your thoughts,” said a deep voice behind her. Trouble.

“I’m afraid they wouldn’t interest you very much,” she said with a smile as she turned. Gray eyes studied her from a tan, handsome face. She would make it through this night, then never have to deal with his charming good looks and deep baritone voice ever again.

“I don’t know, you seem interesting enough,” he said with a smirk. Danger, danger!

“Well, thank you, I guess,” Isabella said as she walked back inside, her light blue dress swirling around her knees as she walked. He trailed behind her. She had only left the building for a few minutes, wanting some fresh air and quiet before she finished off her duties as maid of honor and saw the happy couple off for the evening.

“Oh, you found her! Thanks, Jack,” said Lucy as she floated towards them in her white dress that made her look like a fairy princess. She grabbed Isabella’s hand and pulled her along, leaving Jack standing there with Marc.

Isabella had called Marc a year ago to tell him that her dad died and that Marc could come back to town to be with Lucy now. Without that nudge from Isabella, he might not have moved back to Gulls Hollow and fixed things with Lucy.

“He’s handsome, isn’t he?” Lucy asked as she and Isabella sat down in the bridal salon in the Gulls Hollow Inn to have a moment of peace. It was quiet in the room with no people to tug Lucy aside and wish her happiness.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lucy.”

“He’s a good man, Izzy. You don’t have to worry about Jack.”

Isabella heard the absolute certainty in her sister’s voice and knew Lucy wouldn’t let this go until they had talked about it.                            

“Look, my sweet baby sister, I know men have hurt us and let us down in the past, but there are some good ones left in the world. After all, I found Marc again, didn’t I?” Lucy asked with a soft smile on her face.

“With a little help from your favorite sister,” Isabella teased.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but her smile never faded. “You’re my only sister.”

“And therefore your favorite.”

Lucy stuck her tongue out at her sister and Isabella responded in kind. This was a wedding and Isabella didn’t want to ruin the happy day with talk about the past.

“Come on then, we’d best get you off before anyone wants any more photos or speeches. If you let the town take over, you’ll never leave for your honeymoon,” Isabella said as she tugged her sister up and out the door to weave through the throngs of well wishers and revelers as they continued to dance to the music.

The sisters skirted around tables until they found Marc and Jack standing together by the front door. Isabella inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of the imposing men as they stood there tall and handsome in their navy blue suits.

“We’ll see. I have to go back to the office tomorrow and get some things done,” Isabella heard Jack say as she approached them with Lucy.

“Just think about it, okay, Jack?” Marc asked.

“I will. Don’t look now, but I think your bride is ready to leave and get started on the honeymoon,” said Jack with a sly grin.

“We already started on that,” Marc retorted with a smirk.

“Good man. Now, off with you. Go love on your wife and leave me alone.”

Isabella watched as Marc clapped Jack on the shoulder before the two men joined them. After a long kiss with Lucy, Marc kissed Isabella on the cheek and gave her a bear hug, which she happily returned.

“Have a safe trip, you two,” said Isabella with a smile.

“Keep the coffee warm for us, would you, Izzy?” Marc asked with a smile as Jack joined them. Her coffee was famous in their town and was the best in the whole state.

“Always,” she said.

Isabella stood there with Jack as they waved off the happy couple. Isabella was happy, truly happy, that her sister found her prince charming in the man she loved. And Izzy, well, Izzy was happy with her coffee and her books. And if she could make it through the night without succumbing to the six foot four inches of trouble standing next to her then she would be in the clear.

“They grow up so fast, don’t they?” Jack asked with a grin as he looked down at her.

“Kids these days,” she joked with her own grin. Oh no, don’t joke with him!

“Dance with me,” he said, holding out his hand. It was a command, not a question. She was a bit taken aback by his commanding presence but didn’t call him out on it as she put her hand in his. After all, it was part of their duties as heads of the wedding party.

As she slipped her hand into his and let him lead her out on to the dance floor inside the ballroom, she knew she was nearing dangerous waters, edging closer and closer to trouble with every beat of the music, every step of their feet, every press of his hand against her back.

Jack settled his arm more firmly around her waist and pulled her closer to his chest. The hard muscles of his chest pressed against her through their clothes and she felt herself slipping slowly into the madness of desire the longer they danced. She was in trouble and trouble would keep a firm grasp on her as long as she let him.

The music slowed and they swayed together. And for a few moments, she didn’t want to resist anymore. She wanted to feel. Wanted to feel the strength of his arms around her, the warmth of his chest against her own. She stared into his gray eyes and the same lust reflected back at her. Yes, he was trouble. But she seemed to attract trouble like a magnet. And right now, they were very attracted to each other. She couldn’t deny that.

As the music fizzled out, the DJ finished his duties for the night and the guests left the reception hall, one by one, until there was only Isabella, Jack, and the caterers cleaning up. Isabella looked around and smiled once again. It had been a perfect wedding and her older sister was happier than she had ever seen her. And now it was back to the real world. The wedding was over, her official maid of honor duties completed, and she would go back to her coffee shop tomorrow morning ready to serve the masses their much needed caffeine doses. Jack would leave and all would be right in Gulls Hollow once again.

Pep talk completed, she bid the caterers and staff goodnight and turned to find Jack waiting for her at the door, holding her coat. She had hoped to leave by herself to avoid any awkward goodbyes, but it seemed Jack had other plans. You can do it, Izzy. Just say goodnight and go on your way. Simple.

They walked out to their cars together, where Isabella had every intention of saying goodnight and driving off. She would not give in to temptation. She would not. He intrigued her, but she would be careful to avoid anything other than friendship with him. They had chemistry, yes, but chemistry alone wouldn’t build a relationship that would weather the storms of life.

“Well, it was nice meeting you. Thanks for coming all this way for the wedding,” Isabella said as they reached their cars. She stuck her hand out to shake his and bid him goodnight. As his much larger, rough hand clasp her hand, she realized how much smaller than him she was.

“I’ve a feeling we’ll see each other again.”

“Right. Well, have a good night and a safe drive home,” she said and tried to pull her hand back, but he wouldn’t let go just yet.

She looked up and saw him studying her in the pale moonlight, but she couldn’t quite make out his expression since his back was to the lamppost and the moon did little to illuminate his face.

Isabella opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off when he swooped down and placed his lips against her own. She froze, not out of fear but out of shock. Had she been too flirtatious? Certainly, she found him attractive. And yes, they had danced together for quite a while. In the midst of those intrusive thoughts, her eyes fell shut at the sensation of his lips on hers and she knew she was lost.

Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and placed his other hand at the back of her head to hold her still as he deepened the kiss and let his tongue dance with hers. Her heart fluttered and her knees threatened to give out under her, so she wrapped her arms around him for balance.

He gently pushed her back against her car and let his body rest against hers as his tongue delved deeper into her mouth, eliciting a moan from her, which he answered with a low growl of his own.

They were pulled out of their frantic haze by voices coming from the reception hall. A door slammed. Isabella came to her senses and pushed against his chest to get him to move back a bit.

“I wanted to do that all night,” he whispered, his voice low and husky, as she pushed him back a few inches.

Isabella wasn’t sure what to say. She hadn’t meant to do that, hadn’t meant to let him do that. All she had wanted was to say goodnight and go home, but instead she’d had the best kiss of her life, with a man she had only met a few days ago. She was flustered, both from that knowledge and the kiss.

“I have to go. Goodnight, Jack,” she said as she pushed him back a bit more and then jumped in her car. As she pulled out of the driveway, she saw him standing there in her rearview mirror, staring after her. She blew out a shaky breath and gripped the steering wheel tighter in her hands until her knuckles turned white.

She was in so much trouble.