“Brook!” Dylan exclaimed as a sick feeling began to form in the pit of his stomach. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea…”
“I know,” she replied quickly, cutting him off mid-sentence. She reached up and took his face in her hands. “I know you would never hurt me as he has. You meant those words the way they should be meant.”
“I swear if I’d known…” Dylan continued, hating that he had caused her so much pain without even trying to.
“I know,” Brook said once more, giving him another smile. “You said what you said because you love me.”
“I love you so much,” Dylan assured her. “So much, it scares me.”
“Dylan,” she continued, still looking up into his eyes. “I didn’t tell you that to make you feel bad. That’s the last thing I want to do. I told you this because I want to let you in here.”
She reached for his hand and pressed it to her chest.
“I told you because I want us to work,” she smiled at him. “I want you to know that I trust you and that I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replied, giving her the most amazing smile in return before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her.
At first, the kiss was soft and tender. He could feel her warm breath dance across his lips, and he couldn’t hold back.
He slowly slipped his arms around her body, pulling her into his embrace and he kissed her like his life depended on it. Brook melted into Dylan’s arms as she returned his kiss with so much passion, Dylan could barely catch his breath.
But a sudden wave of doubt washed over him. He was so afraid she was doing this for all the wrong reasons. He didn’t want her to feel like she needed to prove something. If she needed time, he was happy to wait.
“Brook!” He exclaimed, breathlessly pulling his lips from hers. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this.”
“I don’t,” she breathed out as she looked up into his eyes. “I want this, Dylan. I want you.”
Dylan stared at her for a moment as every last ounce of doubt he had faded from his body.
He gave her a smile before he leaned forward and claimed her lips once more. This time it was hard and firm, and everything Dylan had longed for.
Easing her back on the bed, he released her lips as his mouth slowly found his way down to her throat, then onto her chest. He could feel her heart hammering so fast inside her, almost as fast as his.
He softly kissed along the swell of her breast as he gently placed his hand on her thigh. He longed to touch her body, to explore every inch of her soft skin with his mouth, but he knew he needed to take his time.
As Dylan continued to kiss her, her hand softly stroked his hair, sending a shiver of excitement down through his entire body. He quickly moved back to her lips, as his hand began to ease her dress up her legs until finally, he reached her soft cotton panties she was wearing.
Lifting his head, he looked down into her eyes. Dylan needed to know that what he was doing what okay. Brook gave him a smile before she leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips.
“Make love to me, Dylan,” she breathed against his lips before she dropped back down onto the bed. Dylan stared down at her, as his finger glided over the outside of her panties, feeling the warmth of her desire through the thin, delicate material. Brook closed her eyes, as a soft moan escaped from deep inside her.
The sound was one Dylan had longed to hear, and now that he had, he needed more.
Sliding his hand up over her panties, he slipped his fingers beneath the soft material, quickly pushing between her soft lips, searching for her sensitive clit. The moment he did, she cried out once more, as her hip tilted up from the bed to meet his fingers.
“Dylan,” she moaned softly before he claimed her lips with his once more, his fingers continuing their work, pushing her higher and higher. Finally, he plunged one finger deep inside her, then another. Brook cried out as her back arched up from the bed.
Her breathing became ragged, as Dylan’s fingers pushed into her deeper until finally, she came apart. Dylan caught her cries with his lips.
Lifting his head, Dylan smiled down at her when he saw the look of utter contentment on her face.
“I’m not done with you yet,” he growled before he kissed her once more. Then he reached for the bottom of the dress that she was wearing, which was now bunched around her waist, making short work of pulling it over her head.
As she lay there before him, wearing just her bra and panties, Brook suddenly seemed less confident. Her hands instinctively covered the scars that were on her body; some from her recent operation, some much older.
“Don’t,” Dylan said as he reached out, taking hold of her hands. “You don’t need to hide from me.”
He slowly pulled her hands back from her body, before he climbed over her, then leaned down and pressed his lips to her stomach.
“I don’t see the scars,” he whispered against her soft skin before he kissed her again. “I don’t see anything but the woman I love.”
He kissed her again as his fingers grasped the rim of her panties.
“I see how beautiful she is,” he continued as he eased her panties down her legs, discarding them on the floor. Then he kissed her again before he reached for her bra. “I see how incredibly hot she is.”
This made Brook giggle.
“And all I can think about,” he growled, as he made short work of her bra. “Is how much I want to make love to her.”
Pushing down his boxer shorts, he pushed her further up the bed, before he slipped between her legs, then quickly found her entrance with his rock-hard cock.
“Dylan!” Brook cried out, at the sudden fullness, but Dylan just claimed her mouth once more. His thrusts were slow and deep, each one making her cry out again.
Dylan loved how responsive she was. For the first time, she had completely let her guard down. All the doubt, all the fear that had been in her eyes moments earlier was gone. Brook looked up into his eyes, and all he could see was love and longing.
His lips found hers once more as he slowly pushed into her over and over again. His pace was slow, but his strokes were deep. Making love to Brook had been everything he’d imagined it would be.
She held on to him so tightly he could hardly breathe, but Dylan knew she was close again. He wanted to feel her come apart again beneath him, so his pace quickened, pushing him closer too.
“Brook,” he groaned as he fought to hold back. He needed her to let go once more first. He needed to feel her come apart.
He didn’t have long to wait. Brook cried out moments later, holding on to Dylan so tightly, pushing him even deeper into her. This was his undoing too. He exploded inside her as he too cried out in sheer pleasure, before he collapsed onto the bed next to Brook, both gasping for air.
“WOW!” Dylan gasped, turning to Brook and giving her a broad smile. “That was….”
He rolled back over, kissing her once more.
“God, I love you so much,” he said, looking down into her eyes.
“I love you too, Dylan,” Brook whispered as she reached out and softly touched his face. “So much that I am terrified.”
“I never want you to be scared of me, Brook,” Dylan sighed, before giving her another smile. “I only want to love you.”
“I know,” Brook nodded, smiling too.
“Brook, I want this to be forever,” Dylan said, knowing that he needed to choose his words carefully, right at that moment. “When I look to my future, I see just you. But I know I can’t ask you to think that far ahead.”
“It’s just hard, Dylan,” Brook whispered, and Dylan knew she wished she could have given him the answer he wanted to hear.
“I know,” he replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “So that’s why I am just going to promise to love you for today. Take it one day at a time. Do you think we could do that?”
“I think so,” Brook smiled, and Dylan could see the relief in her eyes.
“But for t
onight,” he continued, softly kissing her once more. “Tonight, I want to hold you in my arms and forget about the rest of the world.
“You want me to stay here?” She asked, giving him a worried look. “But your parents?”
“My parents know I’m a grown man,” Dylan replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “And you’re a grown woman.”
“But…” she began to protest, but Dylan kissed her once more, stopping her mid-sentence.
“Don’t overthink this,” he begged, holding her gaze with his.
“Okay,” she finally nodded after a moment or two, then gave him a big smile.
“Good,” Dylan replied as he lay back down, pulling her into his embrace before he kissed the top of her head. “Now, get some rest, Doctor’s orders.”
As Dylan lay there, listening to her breathing become slower and deeper, he prayed to God that this would be the first night, of the rest of their life.
Chapter 24
Dylan woke up and smiled to himself as he pulled Brook closer to him. Pressing his face into her hair, he breathed in her beautiful scent, once more asking himself how he had gotten so lucky to have met this amazing woman.
It had been two weeks since the night Dylan came off his motorcycle, and each day that passed, he and Brook had grown closer to one another. Dylan could feel Brook’s walls drop bit by bit, and the more he got to know her, the more he fell in love with her.
Brook was surprisingly funny, very kind and so caring. She was also an amazing cook, and a very talented artist, something that had completely surprised Dylan. She liked to sketch pictures to help her relax. Dylan could have easily sat for hours, watching her lost in her pencils and paper. He loved how calm and still she would become as she worked on her sketches. He also loved how the tip of her tongue would press against her upper lip as she became completely immersed in her drawing. It was just one more thing he found endearing about her.
When Dylan returned to work a few days after the crash, he found his mind was consumed with thoughts of Brook. He wondered where she was all the time, if she was okay, and if she was safe. In his heart, he knew that she was, but still, he hated being away from her. He also hated that she was still afraid of what was going to happen next. Dylan just wished that everything was done and dusted, then maybe he could talk to her about the future. Their future.
It was a conversation he knew he needed to have with her sooner rather than later. He wanted her to become a permanent part of his life, but he knew that wasn’t going to be easy as her life was now back in New York. It was something neither of them had mentioned much about, but Dylan knew that part of Brook was longing to get back to her life in the Big Apple. Part of him believed she could never be happy there in San Francisco, no matter what he did. He knew that there were too many memories of her life with Warren here.
Dylan talked to Liam about his concerns and Liam told him that it was natural for the victim of a violent crime to have trouble moving on, and for someone like Brook, who had been abused for years, letting go was so much harder. But he said that eventually, she would move on. It would just take her some time.
Dylan knew Liam was right. With enough time and a lot of patience, Brook would eventually move on, and they could make a future together. Until then, he would show her, every chance he got that not every man was like Warren. That good men do still exist.
Still, as he lay there watching her sleeping, he wished he could be more certain about their future. He knew it was a conversation that needed to happen soon. Just maybe not today. Today he had other plans for them both.
He’d worked for the last three days. Each one a twelve-hour shift. When he came home each night, he would be so tired, but still knowing he was coming home to Brook made the long day somehow easier.
After their night together, Dylan had wanted Brook to share his bed every night, but he knew she still had reservations, so he didn’t push her. He knew she needed her space, so she remained in her own room, and he in his.
Still, most nights somehow she found her way to his room, or he would find himself in hers, and they would spend the night wrapped in each other’s arms after making love.
When he arrived home the night before, after a long day in the hospital, Dylan found himself in her bed once more. He loved that Brook had been waiting for him. He loved the feeling of her soft, silky skin against his body. The scent of her perfume as he nuzzled against her neck. The sound of her breath quickening as he kissed along her neck while his hands explored her body.
Making love to her had become like oxygen to Dylan. He needed her to survive. It was that simple.
As he lay there watching her, Dylan realised that she’d become the centre of his universe, and he desperately hoped that in some way, she felt the same.
“Good morning,” she said suddenly without even opening her eyes, but still she smiled.
“How did you know I was awake?” Dylan asked as he smiled too.
“I could feel you watching me,” Brook yawned as she slowly opened her eyes, looking up into Dylan’s. “Besides, you watch me sleep every morning.”
“Well,” he said, as he reached out, then pulled Brook closer to him. “It’s your fault for being so damn beautiful.”
Before she could reply, he softly brushed his lips against her.
“Is that the only reason,” she asked finally, gazing up into his eyes once more, giving him a look that said she knew there was something on his mind.
“Well,” Dylan sighed, rolling her onto her back before he climbed above her. “As it happens, there is something I would like to talk to you about. But not right now. Right now, I have other plans for you.”
Brook giggled before Dylan claimed her mouth once more.
“I really don’t know about this,” Brook said, giving Dylan a nervous look. He smiled at her as he reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I don’t know if I can do it.”
“You’ll be fine!” Dylan assured her, with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t do this if I thought you weren’t able to do it.”
“But I’m still a little slow on my feet,” Brook sighed, as she turned and looked out through the windshield at the sea in front of them. “And surfing is not something I’ve ever thought about before.”
“Don’t worry,” Dylan laughed as he reached for the handle of the door. “I’m not expecting you to catch a tube, or anything too crazy…”
“Catch a tube?” Brook exclaimed with a nervous laugh, giving him a questioning look.
“It’s just a…” Dylan stopped, then smiled once more. “Never mind. I promise you; you’re going to have fun. I know it’s been a long time since that’s happened. I just ask that you trust me.”
He held out his hand to her once more. Brook looked at it for a moment, before she smiled too as she reached out and took hold of it.
“Are you ready?” Dylan asked, giving her a hopeful look.
“I guess I am,” she nodded, as she reached for the door handle too.
They both climbed from Sean’s truck and walked to the back. Once there, Brook pulled her summer dress over her head, revealing a black bikini that left little to the imagination. Dylan groaned as his cock twitched. It didn’t matter how many times he made love to this woman; he longed for her more and more as time passed.
But now was not the time. He pushed all thoughts of making love to her from his head as he pulled his t-shirt over his head too, stripping down to just his shorts.
Once they were both stripped, they put on their wetsuits, then they picked up their boards and headed for the water. Dylan had insisted on buying Brook her own board and wetsuit, much to Brook’s displeasure. But it was something Dylan was not backing down on.
Dylan had learned quickly that Brook didn’t like anyone doing things for her, even if it were something as simple as buying a surfboard. She was fiercely independent, and as much as it drove Dylan crazy, he understood why.
“We will start with just getting you used to paddling out in the
water,” Dylan explained to Brook as they walked side by side along the sand. “We will make a surfer of you in no time.”
“I wouldn’t bet the farm on it,” Brook laughed as she glanced over at Dylan. He could see she was nervous, but there was a look of quiet determination in her eyes.
They stopped at the edge of the water, and Dylan crouched down to strap the surfboard to Brook’s ankle, then did the same with his own, before he glanced up and smiling at her.
“We’ll take it slow, okay,” Dylan said as he stood up and he leaned in, kissing Brook on the lips softly. He then picked up his surfboard once more, before he gave Brook one last reassuring smile then he led her into the water.
Dylan instructed her how to get on the board and how to paddle as Brook listened to every word carefully.
“Are you sure I should be doing this?” She asked giving him a worried look as she sat on her surfboard, her feet dangling in the sea. “I mean, what if I open one of my incisions from my operations?”
“It’s been six sweets, Brook,” Dylan assured her, giving her a broad smile. Brook just nodded her response before she took a deep, calming breath. “You’ve been given the all-clear from all your doctors. This is good exercise to rebuild your core strength.”
“If you say so, Doctor Murphy,” Brook said with a cheeky grin, then stuck out her tongue.
“I do say so, Ms. McKay,” Dylan replied with a chuckle. “Are you ready?”
“I guess so,” Brook nodded once more before she began to paddle.
Before Dylan knew it, she was paddling out into deeper water, then heading back towards the shore.
He watched her as she lay on her stomach on her board, a look of pure happiness on her face. Dylan could see that despite her initial reservations, she was enjoying herself. The look on her face was one of complete exhilaration.
Dylan (The Murphy Series Book 5) Page 23