Never Let Go (Brothers From Money Book 9)

by Shanade White

  It took far less time for them to get home, but Brooke was sad to see the day end, knowing that her time with Calvin would be over all too soon. He helped her put their gear away, then they took the extra snowmobile back to Marissa’s and rode back to the farm house. They sat in the truck talking for a long time, the air crackling with sexual tension, before Calvin took her in his arms and kissed her.

  This kiss was unlike anything they’d shared before, it was both sensual and demanding, sending Brooke spinning through space. Calvin threaded one hand into her hair sending shivers down her spine, while his other hand slid up her ribcage to cup her breast. Completely lost to the sensations he was creating, Brooke trembled when his hand slid down her belly and between her legs, then gasped when began to rub her clit through her pants.

  When Calvin slid his hand into her pants and found her clit with his finger, she was already wet, but as he stroked her she felt the moisture grow until she was slippery. Calvin used that moisture, sliding his finger over her swollen nib until she was crying with pleasure, the heat in her belly spreading until with a burst of pure sensation she came apart in his arms.

  Calvin gathered her up in his arms again and kissed her deeply, then said, “Sweetheart, next time I’m home I’m spending the night and I’m not sleeping on the couch.”

  Brooke was still spinning on a wave of pleasure, her body vibrating with a satisfaction that she’d never experienced before. “Oh, I, um...” she stammered, then managed to add, “I think I might like that.”

  “Oh, yeah, you think so?” Calvin asked, a wicked smile on his face. “I can promise you that you’re going to like it and so am I.”

  He kissed her again then and it was a long time before she finally asked, “How long will you be gone this time?”

  “I’m hoping I’ll be able to make it back by Christmas, but if not, New Year’s for sure,” Calvin said, not wanting to talk about leaving.

  Brooke took a deep breath and a risk. “Every time you leave I miss you more.”

  “I know, me too, but I made a commitment to these people and I can’t back out, otherwise I’d stay here with you,” Calvin said, taking a risk too.

  “I wouldn’t want you to change your life for me, Calvin,” she said, looking into his eyes.

  “I’ve been thinking about changing my field of expertise. There is a certain amount of danger in what I’ve been doing,” Calvin said, which was the truth, the memory of being chased though the jungle still fresh in his mind.

  “What would you do instead?”

  “Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about hydropower lately. I think we might be able to produce enough to power the canyon or even some of the local towns,” Calvin said. “And I think Paige is still going to need me this summer on the dig.”

  “So, you won’t be traveling as much during the summer?” Brooke said, her heart lifting at the thought of him being here more than away.

  “No, but I do have several more trips between now and then, so we’ll just have to make do with email,” Calvin said, kissing her one more time.

  Brooke stood at the window watching Calvin drive away with a mixture of sadness and excitement. This had turned out to be one of the best Thanksgivings she’d ever had. She’d miss Calvin more than ever this time while he was gone, but her feelings for him had come on so fast it might be good to get some perspective; it scared her how well they fit together. Never in her wildest imagination had she thought that she’d find that one perfect person. At nearly thirty years old, she’d dated a lot of men, but none of them had ever made her feel the way Calvin did.

  At times, it almost seemed too good to be true that he wanted her the way he did, but then she’d remember the look in his eyes and the way his voice would go all husky and her doubts receded. At the thought of what would happen when he came home for Christmas, a thrill passed through her. Never had she wanted a man like she wanted Calvin. It was a craving deep inside her that she knew only he could fulfill.

  Sex had never been that big of a deal for Brooke; the men she dated had never inspired all that much passion in her, and she’d been fine with that. But with Calvin, the passion was instant and powerful and had been from the first time she’d touched him, that spark that seemed to flow between them had only grown over the last few months. Tonight, in the truck, in his arms, Brooke had finally understood what passion really meant; it was that rush of heat deep inside that signified a deeper connection.

  She could no longer deny that she was falling in love with Calvin, but that thought was so scary that she pushed it to the back of her mind, that little voice still telling her that everyone she loved died. It was a ridiculous thought, she was aware of that, but it was still there haunting her. It didn’t help that she knew Calvin was going to a very dangerous place. She’d done some research one day at the library; it probably hadn’t been helpful, but she like to be informed about the things in her life.

  Turning from the window, she put together some dinner, thinking she’d try to get some work done on the plans for the summer, but once she’d eaten she was so tired she decided to go bed instead. The trip to the cave had been more fun than she’d imagined it would be and she hoped that it would become their place to get away from everyone, a romantic spot that only belonged to them.

  As she fell asleep that night, she realized just how lucky she was that Winter had sent her out here to California. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have met Calvin or all the wonderful people who were now in her life. Coldwater Canyon had been just what she needed to get out of the rut she’d been in; even more importantly, it had given her the gift of the perfect job. That night, she dreamed of the farm, Calvin and the children they would have some day, a dream she’d never permitted herself before.

  Chapter 6

  Calvin drove away from Brooke’s thinking about how much his life had changed since he’d met her. Now what had been a way to put some excitement into his life had changed into a dangerous situation. He was relieved that Brooke hadn’t asked about the danger he was facing because he would have either had to tell the truth or lie to her and neither appealed to him. What he needed to do was find a diamond mine for his client and get out of South Africa.

  When he’d taken this contract two years ago, it had been as a favor for another client. Only after he’d traveled to South Africa had he discovered that his new boss was a drug lord who saw himself as some kind of king. As ridiculous as it sounded, he had the power of a king, at least in his little corner of the world. The problem was that he thought he had that power everywhere, thought that just speaking his name would make the native tribes bow down in supplication.

  He’d gone so far as to promise Calvin that he would be welcomed warmly by the natives which had been untrue. They’d tolerated them, not at first understanding what they were doing, but it wasn’t long before they figured it out and then tensions began to build. The truth was that they’d barely made it out of there before the natives had turned on them, and there weren’t enough men to fight the whole tribe off, no matter how much fire power they were carrying.

  General Santiago had sent them in there unprepared with no claim to the land except his own inflated sense of entitlement. The natives had no fear of him, thus no fear of Calvin and his crew. He’d had to deal with unhappy tribes before, but usually they had a right to be where they were. If he could just walk away he would, he thought for about the hundredth time that weekend. He could work on a hydroelectric dam and play around with Paige at the dig, and Brooke would always need help at the farm.

  It would be a simple life, but since he’d met Brooke, it seemed more and more appealing to him. He was almost thirty years old, old enough to find his entertainment in much safer places, like Brooke’s bed for starters. Just thinking about Brooke in that big bed made him stiffen. She’d come apart in his arms that night, a teasing example of what was to come. His need for Brooke scared him at times, it was so strong it stopped his heart, never had he need
ed a woman the way he needed her.

  It was more than just physical, when he was around her he felt complete. She was everything he’d always wanted in a woman, soft and strong, incredibly brave, but caring and kind. Her intelligence showed in the way she’d approached what was a huge undertaking to get the farm up and running, and he had no doubt that she’d be a huge success. Together they would make a great pair; he wasn’t sure when he’d begun to understand that, but he felt it deep in his bones.

  Life had pitched him a curve ball, but he knew enough to take what he’d been given and make it work. Now he just needed to finish this nasty business with General Santiago, hopefully alive, then he wasn’t leaving Coldwater Canyon again for a long time, maybe never. Brooke was right about one thing, he didn’t need to work to support himself or the two of them. Even if they had ten kids, there’d be enough money for the rest of their lives.

  He smiled at the thought of having kids with Brooke, shocking himself as he’d always thought that he’d never have kids. But now that he’d met Brooke, the thought of their child made him look at things differently. She’d be a wonderful mother, of that he was sure. Shaking his head at the path his thoughts had taken, he pulled into Cooper’s yard, preparing himself for the teasing that he knew was coming.

  When he came through the front door, Cooper was waiting for him. “About time you decided to spend some time with your family,” he said, slapping Calvin on the back.

  “Are you saying that you missed me?” Calvin asked.

  “Huh, I guess I am. So, I take it you showed Brooke the cave?” Cooper said, leading Calvin into the family room at the back of the house, the only room that had a television. There was a football game on the screen, and Paige was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where’s Paige?” Calvin asked, sitting down in one of the overstuffed chairs.

  “She and the boys are upstairs working on a project for Christmas,” Cooper said, handing Calvin a beer. “So, tell me about Brooke.”

  Calvin had expected teasing not the serious tone Cooper had used when he asked the question. “Well, I like her a lot and we had a good time at the cave,” Calvin said, not sure what his brother was looking for.

  “So, is this something serious? I mean you’ve spent the night with her several times. I’ve never know you to spend the night at a woman’s house,” Cooper said, deciding to get right to the point.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but nothing has happened between us. We’ve slept in the same bed but nothing else,” Calvin said, then asked, “Why do you care anyway? You’ve never meddled in my love life before.”

  “I’ve never thought I needed to, but I’m doing it now because Brooke is important to Coldwater Canyon and everyone here. I don’t want to see her get hurt,” Cooper said, hating that he was treating his brother like he was a child.

  Calvin started to get mad, but then realized that Cooper was just looking out for Brooke, “Well you don’t have to worry about me hurting her. I have every intention of marrying her someday,” Calvin said, as shocked as Cooper to hear his words.

  They stared at each other for a second, then burst into laughter. When he finally managed to calm himself, Cooper said, “Okay, then. I guess I don’t have to worry about you hurting her. Looks like you’ve got it bad.” Then seeing that Calvin was still a little shocked, he added, “It’s not the end of the world you know.”

  Calvin seemed to come to his senses and said, “No, it’s the beginning.” A big grin spread across his face, making his brother groan and shake his head and then smile when he remembered his own romance with Paige.

  Brooke had plenty to keep her busy during the month of December which was good because she didn’t have time to worry about Calvin. She missed him every day but pushed through the emotions knowing the he’d be home for the summer. But when she went to bed at night in the big empty house, she couldn’t help but think of his words that night in the truck, his promise to spend the night creating all kinds of interesting fantasies that were both comforting and frustrating.

  She spent the first half of the month trying to teach herself to hang wallpaper, which had seemed like an easy job, but turned out to be much more difficult than she’d anticipated. It hadn’t helped that the wallpaper she and Marissa had picked out was probably the most difficult to hang, matching the print critical and the raised pattern causing more problems that she’d ever imagined.

  But when it was finally up in the first bedroom, Brooke was glad that they’d chosen what they had, even if the assistant in the shop had thought their choice was crazy. “I didn’t think they even made wallpaper like this anymore,” she had said, wrinkling her nose at the busy pattern and raised foliage.

  Marissa had explained, “We’re looking for something like they used to use in the 1930s, and this is perfect.”

  The assistant had looked at them strangely, but had perked up when Marissa placed a huge order for not only that print but rolls in similar patterns for other places in the park. They bought gallons and gallons of paint that day as well, plus brushes, rollers, and a paint gun. Appliances turned out to be more difficult, eventually requiring them to special order what they wanted, a frustrating but not surprising delay.

  She and Marissa spent hours looking through antique catalogs, picking each piece of furniture that would go into the farm house. By the time they were finished, Brooke had become quite an expert on vintage 1930s furniture. By the middle of the month, she’s decided on all the furniture except the table she’d had in mind for the kitchen, which had been impossible to find. She’d been envisioning a table like the one her grandmother had. It sat right in the center of the kitchen at their farm and everyone always seemed to end up there. It was scarred and stained, but it had character. She’d loved sitting at the table making up stories about how the damage had happened. It had been one her favorite games to play with her grandfather, who, after hearing the story she’d created, told her the real story behind the damage.

  They’d put the word out hoping that someone would find just what she was looking for, but she had her doubts about their success; people tended to throw that kind of furniture away. Her next choice was to have a table custom made, but before she decided on that route, they’d give it some time and hope that someone could find just what she wanted.

  When she got Calvin’s last email before he went into the interior, she actually cried for a few minutes, knowing that he was going into danger and she wouldn’t hear from him for weeks. That little voice in her head suddenly awake again and whispering in her ear that people she loved died, but then she dried her tears and got herself over to Marissa’s. When Marissa saw her face, she immediately knew what was wrong and started a campaign to keep Brooke distracted from her negative thoughts.

  Not a day went by that someone didn’t stop by the farmhouse using the excuse that they wanted to see how her renovations were going. Brooke was perfectly aware of what was going on but found that it was actually working so she gladly welcomed guests, always with a smile, a cup of coffee, and something she’d baked. Not only did it keep her distracted, but it gave her a real sense of belonging, something that she’d never felt before.

  In his last email, Calvin had promised to be home for Christmas, so she made her plans based on that promise, hoping she wouldn’t be disappointed. Marissa and Scott were going to Colorado for Christmas, and Cooper, Paige, and their boys were going to L.A. Both had invited her to come with them, but she’d declined knowing that Calvin wanted them to spend this Christmas alone.

  “If something goes wrong, I want you to come down to the city,” Cooper had said, then added, “My mother is dying to meet you. Promise you’ll call me if you need to.”

  “I promise, but if Calvin can’t make it back in time, I have lots of other invitations, I won’t be alone,” she said, then added, “I don’t know if I’m brave enough to meet your parents without Calvin.”

  “They’re going to love you, don’t worry, bu
t I understand,” Cooper had said, then given her a hug. “Just remember the invitation is open.”

  Now only two days away from Christmas she was beginning to get worried. Calvin hadn’t contacted her and time was running out if he was going to make it home in time. But more importantly, she was beginning to get concerned about his safety. She tried not to, but that little voice was always in the back of her head taunting her. She was just thinking about getting some lunch when she heard a truck in the front yard. Assuming it was Tom, who was leaving for his parents’ house that day, she didn’t go to the window to see who it was as she normally would have.

  She heard the front door open, then a silence which stretched on longer than it should have. Knowing that Tom would have already called out to her, she was suddenly wary, so she grabbed a knife off the counter and crept around the corner. When she looked into the entry way, she gasped and dropped the knife and ran down the hall to Calvin who was leaning against the door.

  He looked awful, a heavy beard covering his face, his eyes hollowed out with exhaustion. “I made it home,” he said, when she wrapped her arms around him, not to hug him but to keep him on his feet.

  “What happened? Are you hurt?” she asked, sure that something had happened to him.

  “No, just tired. I’ve been traveling for 48 hours and I don’t think I’ve slept at all,” he said, leaning on her as she helped him to the kitchen. “I probably don’t smell very good either.”

  Brooke helped him into a chair at the table and ran her hands over his body, then said, “The way you smell is the last of my worries.” After she’d assured herself that he wasn’t injured, she stood up and pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around him for just a second, his face buried in her breasts, then asked, “When did you eat last?”

  “Um, I’m not sure,” Calvin said, half-asleep in the chair.

  “Well, then let’s get you something to eat, a hot shower, and then some sleep,” Brooke said, heading to the ice box. She set a big glass of water down in front of him, watched while he drank it, then cooked him a quick meal of bacon, eggs, and French toast.