Ready or Not by Melissa Brayden Read Free Book Online

as guests trickled in. Most of them were friends from the city who’d steal any chance to break free of the cement jungle when a Hamptons invitation presented itself. Mallory could identify. The city had a way of swallowing you up if you weren’t careful, as much as she loved it with all her heart.
    She turned to greet her newest arrival. “Bentley!” Mallory said, kissing the cheek of Jessica’s assistant and accepting the bottle of wine he presented in token.
    “This place is killer,” he said, taking in the house. “And meet Jolene.”
    “A pleasure,” she said to the rather serious but gorgeous woman attached to Bentley’s arm. Mallory played nice but reminded herself not to get too attached to Jolene. Bentley was a good-looking guy of about six-two with chiseled features, but his stats also included a revolving door of women. She’d yet to see him with the same girl twice. “Please grab a cocktail and something to eat. I think Brooklyn and Jessica are just outside enjoying the weather.”
    Thirty minutes later and the large deck was full of guests mingling and sipping, some standing and chatting, others lounging on the plush arrangement of outdoor couches. Mallory turned out to the water and her breath caught. Right on schedule the sky had put together a beautiful show for them.
    “You’re right about the sunsets here,” Hunter said. She’d pulled her dark-as-night hair back on one side and outfitted herself in dark denim capris and a light denim halter top that showed off her flawless figure. Mallory had to hate her a little bit sometimes for looking the way she did.
    “Told you. Never gets old.”
    “Oh, and I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds, but I invited a friend to join us tonight,” Hunter said.
    Mallory smiled. “Of course not. The more the merrier.”
    “I thought you might say that,” Hunter said, her eyes settling somewhere behind Mallory. “Because she’s here. I’ll grab her.”
    Mallory turned and followed Hunter’s progress to a stunning blonde in black skimmers and a royal-blue tank top, topped off with a long silver necklace. She had luminous, light-blue eyes and a body with slight curves to kill for. Layered blond hair fell to her shoulders and moved gently with the breeze off the water.
    Wow. Okay.
    Warmth gathered in Mallory’s chest and spread, and tingles prickled the back of her neck. Hunter’s friend was beyond striking. In fact, she—and that’s when the woman turned fully in Mallory’s direction and offered a smile.
    Wait. Hold the phone.
    She knew that smile and recognition took hold. She closed her eyes briefly to readjust and began systematically shoving the tingles back in their tingle-box. Of course, the bartender from Showplace—who also happened to be a friend of Hunter’s. Completely out of context, Mallory hadn’t recognized Hope, but there it was, that easy grin that got slightly under her skin for reasons she still couldn’t name. She sighed internally before smiling and moving to greet her new arrival.
    “Mal, you remember Hope,” Hunter said.
    “Of course. I’m so glad you made it to our little party.” Her eyes connected with those ridiculous light-blue ones, and she resisted an eye roll at her own visceral reaction to them. What in the world was wrong with her? She needed to get herself and her unleashed libido under control and direct it somewhere more appropriate.
    Hope stepped forward with a box in hand. “I didn’t quite know what kind of party this was, but I brought you something small as a gesture of thanks for having me.”
    “That’s very thoughtful of you. You didn’t have to do that.”
    Hope gestured at the box. “It’s my favorite rum from this little distillery in the Caribbean. I’m not sure if you’ve been, but—”
    “To the Caribbean?” Mallory said. “I’ve definitely been to the Caribbean.”
    “Oh, that’s great,” Hope said, and Mallory realized how pretentious the comment must have sounded. Why did