Dog Tired Brewery, 2
Jane Bancroft has built her life around balance—yoga flows, mindfulness mantras, and a studio that feels more like a sanctuary than a business. She's caring, grounded, and just chaotic enough to be irresistible. Especially to Brady Hinckelson.
Broody. Brash. Brady co-owns Dog Tired Brewery with Jane's brother and has a reputation for one-night stands and zero complications. Jane is everything he's not—and everything he's wanted for years. But a promise to her overprotective brother keeps him firmly in the "look but don't touch" zone.
Until Jane decides she's done being looked at.
When she makes her move with the same passion she brings to her practice, Brady finds himself in a position he's never been before: all in. But secrets, stubbornness and a tangled web of loyalty might just cost them both the love they didn't know they were desperate for.
This time falling could be the most grounding move of all.
Excerpt:
He couldn’t stop his gaze from dragging over her—no matter how many times he reminded himself that Rex would skin him alive. She was, hands down, the prettiest woman he’d ever seen—and he’d seen his fair share. She leaned casually against the office doorframe, like she didn’t have a clue what she was doing to him.
“No. I drove. And everyone is gone.”
That startled him. So it was just the two of them? His heart raced. Though he had been alone with Jane many times over the years, there’d always been this underlying sexual tension between them. Sideways glances. Flirtatious smiles. Innuendos. They found each other attractive. No question. Tonight, they’d both had a few drinks and he felt deprived—like he needed to connect with another person.
The holidays had blown through like a whirlwind and even though his friends had included him in all holiday events, he couldn’t help but notice his lack of a biological family to celebrate with. It stung no matter how hard he tried to let it go. His mother left him with his abusive and alcoholic father. And that created feelings that he would never be good enough to love. In the past, this neediness led to meaningless sex, which filled the void temporarily and prevented a slip into depression. Obviously, he couldn’t have sex with Jane.
“No one even swung by to say goodnight.” He shook his head.
“I think you were too deep in the numbers to hear both T and Rex yell it out.”
“You could have headed out with everyone, you know.” He tipped his chin in her direction. “Now you’ll have to wait for me so I can walk you to your car.”
She chewed her bottom lip and watched him through her eyelashes.
That look tied him in knots. He gripped the edge of his desk, his fingers cramping from his tight hold. He wanted to cross the room and back her against the wall before taking that bottom lip between his teeth and nipping it.
She’d always sparked his interest. But tonight, she was smoldering.
She sauntered over to where he sat behind the desk. The hem of her gold dress rode up her thighs when she sat on the edge and crossed her legs. “Can I wait here?”
He stared at her smooth legs. His mouth watered. He could lean forward and press kisses onto her bare skin. He could spread her legs and lick up her inner thigh. He imagined she tasted as sweet as she always smelled. The thought made him so crazy he failed to bite off his growl.
He snapped his gaze up at her. “You’re playing with fire, Jane.”
“I am? Or you are?”
- Series:
- /series-dog-tired-brewery/
