All I Ever Need Is You by Bella Andre Read Free Book Online Page A

sparkling.
    The truth that she hadn’t wanted to admit to herself—but now could no longer deny—was that she was filled to bursting with anticipation and need. Desire for Adam had grown from moment to moment, hour to hour, day to day, until she could hardly stand it. When she’d thought she was going to have to cancel on their night together, she’d practically wanted to scream with frustration. And now he was close. So close that still not being able to touch him was the most frustrating thing of all.
    Combining all of that with nerves that just wouldn’t quit—how could they when she’d never done anything even close to having a one-night stand before?—and she was a total mess. Top to bottom, inside and out.
    Somehow, some way, she needed to tamp it all down until later tonight, when she could finally let herself go for a little while. Just long enough to find out if Adam Sullivan lived up to the late-night fantasies she’d been having about him all week.
    Fortunately, she soon felt settled enough to return to the table. Unlocking the door, she was just stepping out of the hallway and into the restaurant when her phone buzzed in her bag.
    After a lifetime in the wedding business, she was trained never to ignore a call. But it wasn’t a panicked bride texting. It was Adam.
     
    YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL TONIGHT IN YOUR DRESS
     
    Her heart jumped even faster as she stared at the compliment. He wasn’t suddenly turning romantic on her, was he?
     
    AND I CAN’T WAIT TO STRIP IT OFF YOU
     
    She would never have thought it possible for her knees to go weak at the same time as laughter bubbled up and out of her. But Adam, it seemed, was turning everything she’d ever known, or expected, completely on its ear.
    And when she looked up and straight into his intense yet laughing eyes, she realized what he was telling her—that it was okay to be nervous, but that she didn’t have to be.
    Because he would never lie to her or pretend to be someone he wasn’t.
    He would stick to every last part of their agreement to have fun in bed without ruining it with the threat of emotional entanglements that would never, ever work out for the two of them.
    And most of all, he would make sure she had fun tonight, weak knees and all.
     
    * * *
     
    Adam loved Brooke like a sister, but little sisters could be seriously annoying sometimes. Especially when they got an idea in their heads that they refused to shake.
    So while Kerry was in the bathroom clearly trying to regroup from the matchmaking onslaught, he turned to Brooke and Rafe and beat them to saying what were, no doubt, going to be the next words out of their mouths. “Kerry is beautiful. She’s intelligent. She runs a successful business. And I like her a lot.”
    “I knew it!” Brooke exclaimed as she grabbed Rafe’s arm in delight.
    But Rafe was already shaking his head. “I don’t think my brother is done just yet, sweetheart.”
    “One day,” Adam continued, “she’s going to find a guy who is perfect for her. And I really hope she does, because she deserves the kind of relationship that the two of you have found.”
    “That guy could be you!” Brooke insisted.
    But they all knew better, knew that Adam wasn’t anywhere close to looking for forever with anyone. All of his siblings had been ready when true love came. Brooke’s childhood crush on Rafe had turned into a much more mature love when they’d found each other again as adults. Mia had fallen in love with Ford all those years ago, and when he’d come back into her life last year, the love that had never gone away had rekindled, brighter than ever. Their oldest brother, Ian, was clearly meant to be with Tatiana, even if he’d mistakenly thought he was no good at marriage because his first had been such a mistake. And Dylan had taken one look at Grace and her young son and known they were supposed to be his.
    Adam was the odd man out. Which was perfectly okay with him.
    Unfortunately, his family was