by Addison Cole
He felt his cheeks lift with a smile. “No.” He laughed under his breath. “I know better than to do that. If you’re anything like you were tonight, it wouldn’t have mattered if I had carried you behind the curtains and made sweet love to you.” Great, now he had that image in his head. “You were in a place all your own. Untouchable.” Mack’s words came rushing back to him. She doesn’t love easily. “Teach me how. I’ll do anything for you.”
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
“That wouldn’t have worked. You were too upset. You would have smacked me. Help me help you, Bree. I’m being sincere. How can I break through next time without upsetting you further?”
She unbuttoned his shirt and slid her hand across his chest. Now he was aroused again. She was seriously messing with his equilibrium.
“Next time I do that…” She leaned in close and took his neck in her mouth, sucking lightly. “We need a code word.”
He was still stuck on her tongue on his neck. “Code…”
“Mm-hmm,” she said. “If I get the what-ifs, you say—”
“Sidecar.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Sidecar?”
“Yes. It will remind you of the night we first met.” He pulled her mouth back down to his neck.
“Sidecar,” she whispered before taking his neck in her mouth again.
His broken heart reassembled and slammed against his chest. Her tongue stroked his neck. She came away from his neck with her lips parted, curling into a coy smile as he lowered his mouth to them, filling her with all the love he had. Their mouths fit together perfectly, and their bodies melded together. She looked at him hungrily, and he knew they were once again in sync.
“Bree?”
“Mm?”
“Don’t scare me again, please.” He looked at her, and all the feelings he had for her collided together—the love, respect, lust, worry—and he needed all of her. Right then, right there. Bad idea. He glanced down the hall.
“I promise. Sidecar. Just remember sidecar.” She slid off his lap and reached for his zipper.
“No, not here.” He lifted his chin in the direction of Layla’s door.
She stood and took his hand. He followed her down the hall, past Layla’s door, and into her bedroom, which felt insanely naughty.
“You sure? What if she wakes up?”
“I locked the door. We’ll just have to be very quiet.” She fumbled with his button, and he settled his hand over hers.
“Bree. I can wait.”
“I can’t.”
THERE WASN’T TIME to think or even to breathe. Brianna had made one giant mistake that evening, and she’d never be so foolish again. The fear of losing Hugh intensified her desire to erase what she’d done. As their mouths came together and they fumbled with each other’s clothes, she let her mind go where she had been tethering it from meandering before. To the place that scared her the most. The future.
He laid her on the bed, and laid beside her. She waited for the fear to settle in as it had before, but his voice whispered through her mind. Please do this with me.
As he kissed his way down her body, she closed her eyes, trying to summon the fear she’d felt earlier. She tried to imagine herself at a race, watching as women pawed at Hugh.
Hugh’s hands traveled up her sides, rough and sure, and she tried harder, using the buxom blonde from earlier in the night as a visual. Brianna was testing herself, to see if the fear she’d felt earlier was lingering somewhere deep inside her, like a villain lurking in the dark, ready to upheave their happiness. But no matter how much she tried to conjure images of Hugh advancing toward another woman, his eyes remained trained on her. The fear would not come out to play, and that realization sent elation skittering through her.
“Yes!” she called out in excitement. Her hand flew to her mouth.
Hugh looked at her with amusement in his eyes.
“Sorry,” she said with a giggle. She bit her lip but could not suppress the smile that stretched her lips.
“What was the cheer for?”
She was so happy, the truth tumbled out. “I was trying to envision you with a fan girl.”
He pushed himself up on one hand. “While I was…”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to make sure the fear was really gone.”
“You tried to bring a fan girl into the bedroom with us to make sure it didn’t scare you?” he teased.
“No!”
“Shhh.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I don’t swing that way, sweetheart. I’m a one-woman man. So if you need more than just me to satisfy you, you need to tell me now.”
She shoved him playfully. “Shut up.”
“I’m being serious,” he said as he perched above her.
“So am I. I can’t summon the fear. I’m sure it’s still there, lingering and waiting to attack at the worst time, but I’m going to tattoo sidecar on our wrists. Then we’ll be safe forever.”
He took her hands in his and stretched them above her head, holding them with one hand as he kissed her. “Forever,” he whispered between kisses. “I like that.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, and she lost herself in the man she adored.
Chapter Thirty-Six
IT WAS ALMOST three when Hugh arrived home. He showered and checked his email, then wandered around the house that didn’t really feel like a home. Brianna’s apartment felt like a home. No, that wasn’t right either. Wherever Brianna was felt like home. Yes, that was it.
He picked up his cell and punched in Treat’s speed-dial number.
“You’d better be dying,” Treat groaned.
“Nice welcome for your baby brother,” Hugh teased.
“Hold on,” Treat grumbled. Hugh listened to him walk across the floor. A door opened, then closed. Treat sighed, and Hugh pictured him in his boxer briefs, his enormous body stumbling in the dark house Hugh had yet to see.
“You all right?” Treat was more awake now, with a sharp, irritated edge.
“Sorry for calling so late. I need a favor.”
Treat sighed again.
Hugh ran his hand through his hair. “Treat. I don’t know who else to ask, man.”
“Of course. Whatever you need.”
And just like that his eldest brother, the person who had always watched out for him, taught him, riled him up like no other, and above all else, loved him, was ready to help. That was the kind of man who Hugh was striving to be.
“When you proposed to Max, remember how she rushed to our house and you showed up and she backed into your car?” He spoke fast, anxious to get his point across.
“Like it was yesterday.” Treat yawned.
“Were you guys having trouble? Why was it all so…urgent?” Hugh stood before the glass doors in the living room, one arm crossed over his abs, his other elbow leaning on his wrist.
“Hugh, this is what’s so urgent?”
“Treat, please.”
“Yeah, okay. We were having some trouble, yes, but not trouble because we didn’t want to be together. It was more like trouble because we did want to be together, but it was scary.”
He heard Treat breathing as if he were pacing.
“Hugh, what’s going on?”
“I just needed to make sure I wasn’t crazy. Are you still coming to the race?”
“Planning on it, but still waiting to hear about your plans for that night.”
“I forgot. I’m sorry, man. Listen, I need a favor. It’s a big one.”
“Of course it is.”
Not for the first time, Hugh thanked the heavens above for his family.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
BRIANNA PULLED UP in front of the school Thursday morning, and when she turned to say goodbye to Layla, a knock on her car window startled her. Marissa’s mother, Cheryl, wearing thick eyeliner, red skintight jeans that accentuated her enormous rear and hips, and a thick black belt, stared into the car. She loo
ked like Peg Bundy from Married with Children, complete with the eighties hair and spike heels. Brianna sighed and feigned a smile as she rolled down the window.
Cheap perfume assaulted her.
“Hey there, sugar.” Cheryl peered into the backseat. “Hi, Layla. How’s the birthday girl?”
“Good,” she said, unbuckling her booster seat strap.
“You know Marissa will be there today, right? We left you a message.”
“Yes, we’re looking forward to it.” Brianna glanced at Layla. “You okay, honey? You should get going.”
Layla pushed her face over the front seat and kissed Brianna’s cheek. “I love you.”
“Love you too, princess.” She watched her run out the door and into a pack of classmates, all with bright backpacks strapped to their backs like turtle shells.
“Will he be there?” Cheryl whispered.
“He who?”
Cheryl lifted her eyebrows and looked around, then pushed her head into the window and whispered, “Hugh Braden.”
“How do you know about Hugh?”
“Oh please. Do you really think you can hide a man like that?” She whipped the morning newspaper from behind her back, and on the front page of the Local News section was a photograph of Hugh’s smiling face, Brianna staring up at him like a star-struck groupie.
Holy smokes.
She noticed two of Layla’s other classmates’ mothers heading for her car.
“Um, I don’t know, Cheryl, but I have to get to work. Sorry to be rude.” She rolled up the window and hightailed it out of the school parking lot.
She parked behind the tavern and dug through her purse for her phone. Darn it. She’d left it on vibrate and had three messages from Hugh. Her heart raced as she listened to them.
Hi, beautiful. Don’t freak out, but we’re in the newspaper. Complete with my proclamation of being off the market. Love you. I’ll call you later.
She groaned.
Hey, babe. Just trying to catch you before my appointment. I’ll see you tonight at Layla’s party, and I’ll try to call you later. Love you.
Why wasn’t it Friday night? Getting out of town would be so much easier.
Hey, still trying to reach you. It just dawned on me that you might be freaking out and I wanted to say…Sidecar. Love you. Don’t be scared. Nothing can ever come between us.
A call from Hugh rang through and she switched over.
“Hey there,” she said, thankful that he’d reached her this time.
“Sidecar.”
She let out a breath and felt her lips curl into a smile. “I’m not freaking out too badly.”
“I’m on my way into my meeting, so I can’t talk long, but I wanted to…no, I needed to know that you were okay.”
“I’m good. I’m not going to let my insecurities or fear come between us. How do you usually handle this stuff?” Layla’s lunch was sitting on the backseat. Sigh.
“I don’t pay it any mind anymore. At first it was kind of exciting, then it became a pain in the butt. But to be honest, I’m kind of glad about this picture. Now the world knows I’m with you. That’s a good thing, because I’m ready to shout it from the rooftop.”
She pictured his eyes lighting up and his deep dimples on his perpetually unshaven and way-too-sexy cheeks. Then it hit her like a punch to the gut. “Layla. Oh gosh, Hugh. They’ll be all over her at school. I’ve got to get over there.”
“I wish I were there. I’m sorry, Bree.”
She heard the distress in his voice. “It’s fine. I can do this. I’m not a wimpy weak girly girl.” She touched her locket. “I’m a brave, strong girlfriend.”
“Yeah, you are. Love you, babe.”
“Love you, too. I’ve got to go save my daughter, who is probably drama queening it up for the entire class about Prince Hugh.”
He laughed. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“Oh, wait. I’m sorry. One more thing. I was mobbed at school and they were asking if you were going to be at the birthday party. That was a little freaky.”
“Sidecar, sidecar, sidecar. I’ll leave that up to you. I don’t want to hide, and once your friends see that I’m a regular guy, they’ll get used to me and the excitement will wear off. But if you worry it’ll take the focus off of Layla, I’ll stay home.”
She sighed. “You’re so good to us. I’m not missing a minute with you because of fan girls anymore. I made a promise to myself.”
“Good. I’ve got to run, babe.”
She ended the call and said, “Sidecar, sidecar, sidecar,” as she threw the car into gear.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
THE FIRST THING Brianna did when she walked into the school was go to the principal’s office. Principal Shue was not known for being warm and friendly. Oh, how she’d avoided that office when she was younger. But now, after seeing Cheryl’s reaction to Hugh, the only thing that mattered was Layla’s comfort and safety. Shue had ruled the school with an iron fist when Brianna was younger. Brianna was certain she’d enforce stringent rules when it came to her daughter’s safety.
As she entered the glass doors of the main office, she remembered that Shue required appointments before ten o’clock in the morning. I am not a weak girly girl.
The school secretary, Ann Olephant, smiled when Brianna entered the office. “Brianna, how are you, dear?” She was a sweet gray-haired woman with a slight hunch in her back and silver glasses that hung from a chain around her neck and never seemed to find their way to the bridge of her nose.
“Fine, thank you. How have you been?” Brianna’s stomach clenched when she spotted Shue on the phone in her office.
“Oh lovely, dear.” She leaned across the desk and whispered, “Saw your picture in the paper.”
“That’s why I’m here. I don’t have an appointment, but I’d like to speak with Principal Shue, please.”
“Oh yes. I think she’ll make the time, given the situation. Just have a seat, and I’ll let her know you’re here.” She pushed her stout body from her chair and hurried into Principal Shue’s office.
The situation? Now Hugh and I are a “situation”?
Brianna sat in the plastic chairs by the door. Two of the lunchroom aids breezed into the office. One carried the newspaper, folded to show the photograph of Hugh and Brianna. Luckily, they were so engrossed in the stupid thing they didn’t notice her sitting to the left of the doors. She sank down in her chair.
“Can you believe it? I heard—”
“Brianna. It’s been a very long time.” All six feet of Principal Shue looked over her.
Brianna jumped to her feet. “Yes, it has. Thank you for seeing me.” She followed the clomp, clomp, clomp, of Principal Shue’s black orthopedic shoes into her office and sat across from Principal Shue, separated by a large wooden desk. She still wore her dyed-too-dark hair cropped short above her ears and layered throughout, and she still wore the same style polyester pantsuit that she’d worn when Brianna had been in school. She looked just as manly.
Brianna fidgeted with the seam on her purse, wrestling the same jittery feelings she’d had as a grade schooler.
“I hear Layla is a little celebrity today.” Principal Shue leaned back in her chair and crossed her thick legs.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, her class took a few minutes this morning to discuss what it was like to know someone famous. It was a good lesson for the children. You know, etiquette and such. The teacher did a nice job of handling it.”
“Etiquette?” Brianna gripped her purse in both fists. “That is not at all appropriate for my daughter to experience in school. What our private life consists of is not up for classroom discussion.”
“Oh, Brianna. You always did buck the system.”
“Buck the system?” I’ll buck the freaking system all right.
“The way you used to fight against Take Your Child to Work Day.” She narrowed her eyes at Brianna, and Brianna bristled.
She’d always hated
those days. They had twenty-one children in their class, and on Take Your Child to Work Day, she and the Baker twins were the only children who came to class. The Baker twins’ parents also worked two jobs just to make ends meet. She’d argued the validity of Take Your Child to Work Day every year her mother was unable to take her, and every year Mrs. Shue gave her the same song and dance about the importance of children seeing what it was that their parents did for a living. Unfortunately, she never gave her the answer Brianna had needed. She never told her that her mother’s boss was a jackass or that at the time it had been difficult for a single mother to find employment that paid well enough to provide for them. Or what Brianna had really wanted to hear, even if it was unreasonable—that Take Your Child to Work Day had been canceled. Forever.
“I still think that day is quite silly,” Brianna said. “I came in today to ask that you please monitor Layla’s class and her friends now that…” I’ve been photographed with my boyfriend? My lover? Oh gosh, what do I say?
“Now that the cat’s out of the bag?”
Brianna sighed. “Look, I don’t want Layla to be the center of attention because of Hugh’s career. She’s a six-year-old girl, and she’s here to learn and socialize, not to become a public spectacle.”
“Perhaps you should have considered that before you started dating Mr. Braden.”
Ouch. Brianna stood. “Perhaps, but since this…issue has come about, can I count on you to protect my daughter or not? That’s the only thing that matters at this point.”
“Settle down, Brianna. Sit back down, please.”
Brianna obeyed like one of Pavlov’s dogs.
“Layla didn’t seem to mind talking about her night at the theater, and she was commended for her creativity for writing her own play. We’re certainly not trying to make a spectacle of her. There was a lot of excitement this morning, as two of the children brought the newspaper into class, and it grew from there.” Principal Shue leaned across the desk.