Instant Heat: A Whirlwind Romance (Breathing Hearts Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Instant Heat

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Books by A.K. MacBride

  Copyright © 2020 by A.K. MacBride

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the authors' imaginations. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by Roxanne Herman

  Proofread by Magnolia Author Services

  Cover by Timeless Designs

  One night.

  One bet.

  And now my world is turned upside down.

  Apparently, you're not supposed to fall for the rebound guy.

  Guess I didn't get the memo, because the first man I jump into bed with happens to be the one who sparks a flame inside my heart.

  With his rakish charm and Irish accent, he steals my sanity and inhibitions.

  It's not long before I'm dreaming of something more than a quick fling.

  There's just one problem:

  Griffin Gallagher happens to be the one man my brother despises.

  1

  RAELYN

  "Shots. We need shots."

  "Yes!"

  My gaze flitted between my two best friends. "And why exactly do we need shots?"

  "How else are you going to work up the nerve to pick up a guy tonight?" Lacy flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and gave me a look that said 'well, duh.' Next to her, Briana nodded furiously, clearly agreeing.

  I looked down at my t-shirt and jeans. Not only was I not in the mood to bat my eyelashes at a man, I wasn't dressed for it either. And to be completely honest, the situation with my ex-boyfriend had put me off men for a while.

  A long, long while.

  Sensing exactly where my mind had gone, Lacy reached over and squeezed my hand. "Come on, Rae, it's been months."

  Nine months to be exact. But who was counting? A half-smile I knew looked as forced as it felt tugged at my lips. "I know, it's just—"

  Before the words had time to form, Briana cut in, "No, Rae!" She waved her index finger from side to side. "No more excuses. We know this thing with Rob messed you up, but it's time to take control of your life."

  Chewing on the inside of my cheek to keep my smile from spreading, I tried to keep my face straight when I asked, "And I need a man to do that?"

  My friend's brows drew together, and she looked a bit annoyed. "No, silly. You need a man to give you a few toe-curling orgasms until you say: Rob who?"

  "Yes! What she said," Lacy exclaimed.

  "Of course." I nodded slowly. "And this obsession you guys have with my sex life is totally normal, right?"

  It all started three months ago when the two of them decided—without even talking to me about it—that I needed to get laid. They've made it their sole mission in life to set me up on as many blind dates as they possibly could.

  Not that I actually went on any.

  I caught on to their shenanigans pretty early on, and would go along with whatever excuse they cooked up to get me to the bar or restaurant, only to leave almost immediately.

  Still, they didn't stop.

  "Rae." Briana's voice drew my attention. "We are worried about you." She leaned forward, her face deadly serious. "You know," she said with her lips pressed together as if she was about to divulge some secret. "Use it or lose it."

  Laughter bubbled from the pit of my stomach and didn't stop coming until tears slid down my cheeks and my ribs ached. "Are you serious right now?" I managed while I tried to catch my breath.

  "She has a point," Lacy added, her face solemn. "What if you forget how to do it."

  "Oh my goodness." I shook my head in disbelief. "How much have the two of you had to drink?" My narrowed gaze flicked from one to the other. "I'm positive that I will not forget how to have sex."

  Briana's slender shoulder rose and fell in a small shrug. "Only one way to find out." The competitive side of me stood up and took notice of the hint of challenge in her voice. "I'll bet you fifty bucks that you can't pick up a guy and leave with him."

  "Oooooh, I want in on this." Lacy smacked her palm against the surface of the table.

  "You have lost your damn minds."

  Sitting up a bit straighter, Brie smiled sweetly before she said, "Okay, what about this: if you manage to leave with a guy tonight, we'll stop setting you up."

  The smug look on both their faces had me saying, "You're on," before my brain had time to comprehend this was probably a bad idea.

  "Let's make this interesting." Lacy tapped a perfectly manicured finger against her chin. "Brie and I choose the guy." When I tilted my head and eyed her suspiciously, she added, "Oh come on, you know we actually want you to get laid. Besides, our douche-meter is a little more accurate than yours."

  Ouch, that stung. She wasn't wrong, though. Brie and Lacy had hated Rob from the get-go. They'd said he'd been too smooth, but I'd been too smitten to listen.

  "That guy!" Briana jumped to her feet and not-so-subtly pointed toward someone.

  Being as short as I was, I had no hope of spotting whoever she was pointing at from my perch. Pushing out of my seat, I followed her gaze and index finger and almost choked. "Oh hell, no! Are you freaking crazy?" I shook my head vehemently. Somewhere out there, there was a woman who thought the pot-bellied, bald-headed look was sexy as all hell. That woman wasn't me though.

  Brie pressed her hands to her belly and let out a squeal of laughter. The sheer force of it doubling her over on the spot. Narrowing my eyes, I shot daggers at the top of her head until she straightened and I could shoot them at her face.

  "What?" she asked, her voice all sweet and dripping with innocence. My gaze narrowed even further. "At least you won't have to worry about him spending more time in the bathroom than you."

  Another dig at Rob brought with it another bout of laughter. And this time I couldn't help but join in. Rob Sinclair took the whole millennium man thing to an entirely different level. He had more moisturizers and face scrubs for his morning routine than Lacy, Brie, and me combined.

  And don't even get me started on the mini straightener he had with him almost all the time.

  "Him!"

  Wiping the happy tears from my eyes, I turned to face Lacy, who was transfixed on someone. She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and urged me to face the bar. Brows pulled together in confusion, I asked, "What am I looking for?"

  "Dark jeans, black shirt."

  I scanned the patrons until I found one matching her very vague description. All I saw was a guy hunched over his beer. Well, to be specific, I saw a dark head bent over and broad, really broad, shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist.

  My focus shifted back to Lacey. "For all I know he might look like that
guy," my chin jerked in Mr. Pot-belly's direction, "but with more hair."

  Lacey shook her head. "Trust me, he's freaking hot. I thought he was checking me out but his eyes have been on you, Rae. I'm pretty sure you'll only have to smile prettily, and he'll be eating out of your hand."

  My gaze skittered back to the bar. Did I want that? To walk up to a stranger and proposition them for a night of hot sex? Not that I had anything against women who did exactly that. I actually thought they were pretty badass.

  I was not badass. In fact, considering I'd never picked up a guy before, I'd say I was pretty chicken-shit.

  Nibbling on my lip, I eyed Lacy and Brie. "Uhm—"

  Both their heads started shaking at the same time, but it was Lacy who spoke. "No way! You're not backing out!" She cupped my shoulders and stooped to look me in the eye. "You're going to walk up to that hunk of a man, and you are going to flirt your ass off until he offers to take you for a ride."

  My eyebrow quirked. "Just like that, huh?"

  "Yes." She nodded.

  Because I wasn't expecting it, she scared the crap out of me when she started fiddling with my ponytail. Annoyed, I swatted her hand away. "The hell?" But she was too determined to see her mission to manhandle—or was that womanhandle?—me through. Abandoning my hair, she smoothed her hands over my shoulders and then lifted my boobs.

  Yes, to my complete and utter horror and shame, my friend 'fluffed' the girls. I was ready to die while Brie looked like she was having a seizure. A laughter-induced seizure.

  Why was I friends with them again?

  Smacking Lacy's hand away, I pinned her with a stare. "Stoppit! I'm going, okay?"

  Lacy grinned and folded her arms in front of her. Brie made weird snort noises that had me wondering if we might need an ambulance.

  "I thought you said you were going?" Lacy challenged me.

  Scrunching up my nose, I tried my best to look intimidating. "I hate you."

  Lacy snorted. "Oh please, bish, you love us." She waggled her brows. "And tomorrow morning you'll love us even more."

  "I highly doubt that," I muttered under my breath as I turned and headed toward the bar.

  2

  GRIFFIN

  Bloody hell.

  Blonde, long legs, curvy hips, and an ample chest. A very ample chest where I could easily rest me head. Exactly what I needed tonight.

  Or so I thought.

  The moment the blonde bombshell moved aside, I caught sight of a petite little thing laughing next to her. And for a fraction of a second, time stood completely still. The gentle back and forth of her ponytail as she shook her head hypnotized me. The black jeans and white t-shirt that might as well have been painted on to her had me mind running in a million different directions.

  But it was her smile that held me captive.

  It looked genuine and carefree; it made me want to smile with her. Shaking me head, I focused me frown on the beer in front of me. From the moment I could listen, me da had sprouted tales of the first time he'd seen me ma.

  Talked about time standing still and his world shifting into place all in the space of a breath. I'd listened and smiled even though I'd thought it was the biggest load of shite.

  But this feeling inside me chest… No, it was definitely just a lack of sex messing with me brain. The body could only take so much self-love until it all felt rather robotic and unsatisfying.

  In me defense, the last couple of months had been rough at best. I'd spent a lot of time questioning the unfairness of life and whether I still wanted to do a job I was born to do. So sinking into a warm, willing body hadn't been at the top of the list.

  As if under some kind of spell, me head swiveled to seek out the brunette again. Only, she was gone. I'd laid eyes on her just a few minutes ago, so the disappointment that drew me brows together was as strange as it was unwelcome.

  "I haven't seen you here before."

  I turned me attention to the sweet-sounding voice beside me. Almost immediately, me teeth found the flesh of me cheek to keep me twitching lips from spreading into a smile. Up close, the brunette looked even more beautiful.

  Me heart stuttered at the sight of her. Slicking me tongue over me teeth, I grinned at her. "Observant. 'Tis me first time."

  A deep blush stole her cheeks and instantly highjacked me thoughts. In me mind, I could already see her skin turning that particular shade under very different circumstances.

  On top of me.

  Under me.

  What sounds would she make? Would she still sound so achingly sweet when she—

  "No way." Her voice sliced through the lust-fog covering me brain. I blinked once and her pretty face came back into view. The biggest blue eyes I'd ever seen stared at me. Thick black lashes framing them like a piece of art. Shite! Apparently, the lack of sex was turning me into some sort of poet now. "You have an accent."

  "Aye, that I do."

  That smile that stole me attention from across the room was back. Man, it was gorgeous. She was gorgeous. Me goddess rested her elbow on the bar and cradled her face in her palm. A tiny frown pulled her brows together. Her gaze contemplative as it steadily moved down the length of me.

  When her eyes met mine, the tip of her tongue slid along her bottom lip. "I'm Raelyn." She offered her free hand. "Everyone just calls me Rae."

  A lazy smile lifted me lips. I took the offered hand—mine almost swallowing hers whole—and squeezed. "Griffin."

  The instant the touch registered, she sucked in a breath, her gaze darting to our joined hands. I knew then she felt it too. A zip of electricity—that had nothing to do with the two beers I'd had—rushed through me veins, kicking me heart into gear.

  Images of her, of us, flashed in me mind one after the other.

  The two of us tangled in me sheets. Walking on the beach. Her head thrown back in laughter at something I said. Those big blue eyes shining bright as she leaned in to kiss me.

  What the hell?

  I blinked again. Our connected hands the first thing I saw when me vision shifted from blurry to focused. This overwhelming need pulsed through me veins to use the hand tucked inside mine as a lever, yank her forward, and cover those enticing lips with me own.

  To kiss her long and hard until me taste was the only one she knew.

  Swallowing, I carefully pulled me hand from hers, fingers furiously brushing over me palm to get rid of the sensation burning into me skin.

  "Can I get you anything to drink?"

  With her brows still knitted together, she looked between me face and her hand like she couldn't decide where to pin her focus. After a few more rounds of ping pong, our eyes finally locked. Her frown still firmly in place as she shook her head. The action was so subtle if I hadn't been watching her so carefully, I would've missed it.

  Rae blew out a breath, her lips stretching into a smile a second later. "I've got it." Then she twisted in her seat and signaled the bartender. I was still staring at her like an idiot when she cheerily ordered, "Two shots of Sambuca and a beer, please?"

  I didn't care for the taste of Sambuca but I probably would have swallowed down anything this woman offered me. So when the bartender returned with her drink order, I steeled myself for the sharp taste of the liquor, already preparing to knock back the rest of me beer to mask it.

  Completely unnecessary.

  The moment the two glasses were placed in front of her, she knocked them back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Without taking too much of a breath, she reached for her beer and took two big swigs of it before setting it down on the counter with a loud thunk.

  I was intrigued.

  Either this woman was a party animal or working up the nerve to do something.

  She angled her head me way, I was a little surprised to see a hint of uncertainty shine behind her eyes. Her nostrils flared with the deep drag of air she took to her lungs and I did me best not to stare at her chest rising and falling with the action.

  "Here's the deal,"
Rae said. "My friends and I have a bet."

  Me brow arched. "This bet wouldn't happen to have anything to do with me?"

  Deep crimson stained her cheeks as she nodded and looked past me to where I presumed her friends sat. The uncertainty I'd seen in her eyes now evident on her face too. This stunning woman seemed so sure of herself a few moments ago. What changed in the space of a few minutes?

  I was about to ask when she blurted out, "Both of them have money on the fact that I am unable to pick up a guy at a bar… or anywhere else for that matter."

  All I could do was stare. Not because of what she said. No, I had a hard time believing that she couldn't pick up a guy. Hell, I was sure men followed her around like puppy dogs with their tongues hanging out.

  She must've thought me silence meant something it didn't. A small chuckle left her lips just as she mumbled, "This is stupid." Snatching her beer from the counter, she slipped off her stool and started walking away.

  Yeah, I was not having it.

  Reaching out, I curled me fingers around her arm and almost swore at how soft her skin felt beneath me touch. The hairs on me neck lifted as electricity zipped up and down me spine. How in the hell could a simple touch have this effect?

  Concentrating hard on the woman before me and not the sensations wreaking havoc inside of me, I pushed off the stool too. Once I'd straightened to me full height, Rae looked even more petite. This profound feeling of wrapping her up in me arms and keeping her safe slammed into me chest with so much force, it stole the breath right out of me lungs.

  "Don't run away," I said. Big unguarded eyes lifted to meet mine. "Tell me about this bet."

  She studied me for long agonizing seconds. "I just did."

  "No." I shook me head. "You said there was a bet." I leaned in a bit closer. "But you never told me how I fit." Me voice dropped low. "Do you want to pick me up, Rae?"

  "I…" Her throat slowly moved with the swallow she worked down. Her eyes flicking to where I was still holding onto her. For a flicker of a second, I thought she was going to pull away and walk off.