“She’s better, but Calvin and Carter need to rest,” Paige said, gathering her things to leave. “I’ll leave it to you to make sure they do.”
“I’m not going to fight you on the sleep thing, but wake me in four hours. Brooke needs another dose of antibiotics then,” Carter said, heading for the stairs.
Marissa gave Calvin a hard stare, then gathered the dirty dishes off the table and took them to the sink. “Go get some sleep, Brooke is going to need you later,” she said, turning back to him.
“I’m going,” he said, heading for the living room.
When he got to the living room, he took off his shoes and lay down on the bed next to Brooke and took her hand. He wanted to gather her into his arms, but he didn’t want to disturb the IV in her other arm. He laid next to her for a long time, thinking about how much she’d changed his life for the better.
Before he’d met Brooke, he’d been sure that the one person for him just didn’t exist. He’d dated plenty of women, but none of them could come close to her. At first, he’d thought that his fascination with her was due to the way she’d taken care of him when he’d been hurt. She’d risked herself to save him, taking him in when she didn’t even know him. He’d stayed away for a long time after he’d healed, afraid of the reality that’d he’d find when he met her again. But when he’d seen her again and the electricity had passed between them, he’d known that what he felt was more than infatuation.
The truth was that it had scared the hell out of him to suddenly feel such deep emotions for a woman he barely knew. Emotions he’d never felt or thought he’d feel, their suddenness and intensity almost overwhelming, if he was honest with himself that had been a big part of the reason he’d waited so long to make love to Brooke. Had his attraction to her not been as strong as it was, he might have walked away, run from those feelings.
But once he’d met her, he couldn’t forget her or stop thinking about her. He’d driven himself crazy with fantasies about the next time they’d meet. Even after the time they’d spent together at Thanksgiving, he’d tried to tell himself that what he felt would pass, that his infatuation would lessen with time. But then he’d gone into the jungle and suddenly what had once been a fun adventure had turned deadly; at one point running through the jungle with the natives on their heels, he actually thought that he might die.
They managed to reach a cave that gave them the advantage, but sitting there in that cave, his gun trained on the path below, he realized just how close he was to death and the first thought that popped into his mind was that he’d never get to see Brooke again, hold her in his arms, or kiss her perfect lips. He’d never see her under him writhing with the pleasure he knew they’d share, never get to caress her naked flesh or see the look in her eyes when he told her he loved her.
Sitting in that cave, he realized that Brooke was more than just another woman he was attracted to, more than just a woman who had saved his life. She was his future, his other half, and the only thing in the world that was going to make him happy in a way that he’d never thought he could be happy. He’d watched his brother falling in love with Paige and even helped play a role in their relationship, but he’d never really understood what he was playing with when he’d tried to make Cooper jealous. Only now could he understand how deep his brother’s feelings for Paige were; it was something you could only understand once you’d felt it.
It was then that he’d embraced his feelings for Brooke for what they really were, both terrifying and real. But he wasn’t going to run from them any longer, it was time to grow up and accept what fate had sent him. A woman he could spend the rest of his life with, a woman he could have a family with, and most importantly a woman who was strong in ways he’d never had to be. She’d survived the death of those she loved the most yet still had been able to open her heart to him. As fragile as that left her in some ways, it was also a sign of her strength and faith in the good that life could offer.
As he drifted off to sleep, he felt Brooke squeeze his hand and his heart soared. Whether she was awake or not, she knew that he was here. That knowledge alone was enough to allow him to drift off, only thoughts of their future in his mind. For the first time since he’d found her so sick, what felt like days ago, he was able to relax, hopeful that when he awoke she’d be awake as well.
Brooke stirred and came awake slowly. Her entire body hurt, and although the burning in her throat had improved, it still hurt to swallow. She cracked her eyes open, wincing when the light hit them, shutting them tight again. Trying again, she opened them even slower, finally adjusting to the light to find Calvin sitting in a chair beside the bed.
He looked like he was asleep, but when she shifted in the bed, his eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a croak, her mouth so dry she couldn’t seem to make her tongue work. Calvin grabbed a glass of water next to the bed and slipped the straw into the mouth, letting her take a small sip, then a couple more before taking it away.
She tried again and this time she was able to say, “What happened to me?”
Calvin sat down carefully next to her on the bed and said, “You got really sick and no one found you for a couple of days. I couldn’t get back up the mountain because of the snow, but you’re better now.”
Brooke tried to remember what had happened, but her last memory was of taking a shower and getting into bed exhausted with a sore throat. She searched Calvin’s eyes for any sign that he was lying, but found only relief and love in his eyes, so she closed her eyes exhausted from the effort of trying to remember. When she felt Calvin’s weight on the bed next to her, she sighed, then smiled when took her hand and let sleep take her again.
“Go back to sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up,” Calvin whispered in her ear.
The next time she woke up, it was night and Calvin was once again sitting in the chair next to the bed. This time when she tried to talk, she managed to get out a quiet, “How long have you been sitting in that chair?”
Calvin was on his feet in an instant and sitting on the bed next to her. “Long enough that my butt is beginning to hurt,” he said, then asked, “How do you feel?”
Brooke considered her answer for a second. Her throat was still sore but not like it had been, her body still was sore but again not like before. “I think I feel better,” she said weakly.
Calvin kissed her on the forehead and said, “Good, it’s about time.”
“How long have I been sick? What day is it?” Brooke asked, trying to figure out how many days she’d lost. If Calvin’s beard was any indication, it had been several days.
“It’s Wednesday. You’ve been sick for almost a week,” Calvin said, smoothing the hair back off her face.
Brooke thought about that for a second, then realized that Calvin was supposed to have left days ago. “But you were already supposed to be gone,” she said, confused.
Calvin debated whether or not to tell her just how sick she’d been, but decided that it wouldn’t serve any purpose, so instead he said, “I couldn’t leave you when you were sick. You’re the most important thing in my life. Besides, I think I owed you one.”
Brooke smiled and said, “Well, I guess that makes us even then. I’m glad you’re here, Calvin.”
“I’m glad I’m here too,” he said, feeling tears in his eyes.
“I’m tired again, but will you get in bed with me?” Brooke asked, her voice getting weak as sleep over took her.
“That’s an invitation I’ll never refuse,” he said, climbing in next to her.
Chapter 10
Calvin barely left Brooke’s side for the next few days, afraid that she’d relapse or worse. It was a baseless fear, but one he couldn’t banish from his mind. After so many days in bed, it would take weeks for Brooke to recover completely, but it was no longer a struggle for her to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. Each day, she got a little stronger until Calvin was able to care for her on his own, a cause
for celebration for everyone in the canyon.
Carter left strict instructions for Brooke to take it easy, but knew that Calvin would watch her like a hawk, so he too happily went home with the promise to return in a few days to check on her. It didn’t take long for Brooke to become unhappy with her sedentary lifestyle, so Calvin moved her jewelry-making equipment into the kitchen and solved the problem. Each day, she grew stronger, but they avoided the topic of the trip he’d missed to South Africa, both knowing that it was still looming in their future.
It took almost three weeks, but one morning when Brooke got out of the shower, she knew that she was better. She almost didn’t want to admit it to herself because that meant that Calvin would be able to leave her and go to South America. But the more she thought about it, the better an idea it became for him to just go and get it over with, then they’d be free to begin their lives together since Calvin had promised that his traveling days were over, at least those to South America. He’d talked about still working in Canada and Australia, which she’d actually been in favor of since she’d never been to any of the places he talked about.
When Calvin found her in the kitchen, she was digging though the freezer looking for something special to make for dinner. Calvin deserved a treat, he’d been taking care of her for weeks, and a romantic dinner was exactly what they needed to move past her sickness. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he said as he came into the kitchen.
She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist, then kissed him on the cheek. “Good morning to you too,” she said, then went over and poured him a cup of coffee.
“You look like your old self today,” Calvin said, looking at her from across the room. The natural bloom had returned to her cheeks, which had looked hollowed out from all the weight she’d lost.
“I feel like my old self for the first time in weeks,” she said, digging though the cabinets to see what was there.
“What are you doing?” Calvin asked, reaching around her to get a box of cereal.
“I’m planning a romantic dinner for tonight,” she said, going to the ice box and rummaging around. “You need to make yourself scarce today. Go visit Cooper or something.”
“Are you kicking me out?” he asked, a smile on his face.
“You knew it was going to happen eventually,” she said, her voice teasing. “But only for the day. I expect you back here in time for dinner.”
When Calvin came back to the house late that afternoon, the first things he noticed was the wonderful smell that filled the house, but when he poked his head around the corner, the food was immediately forgotten. Brooke was setting the table, so intent on what she was doing that she didn’t even notice Calvin standing in the doorway. She looked so beautiful it nearly took his breath away. The black dress accentuated all her curves, her hair was loose hanging in a dark silky curtain across her shoulders. Just looking at her made him want to take her right there in the kitchen.
But he controlled his impulses, grabbed some clean clothes, and got in the shower. Brooke had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make a romantic dinner and there would be time enough for sex later. It had been weeks since they’d been together. As much as Calvin wanted her, he wanted her healthy more. He’d been waiting for a signal from her, and she was clearly giving it to him.
Brooke was standing at the counter tossing the salad when Calvin came into the kitchen. Strangely enough, she was nervous, but those nerves quickly disappeared when he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, you scared me,” she said, leaning back in his arms. “How long have you been home? I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Long enough to see that you’ve gone to a lot of work tonight. I assume this is happy cooking since you look amazing,” he said, nuzzling her neck.
Brooke was momentarily speechless as the familiar rush of desire spread through her body. “Thank you, I thought you deserved a special treat for taking such good care of me,” she said, her voice taking on the husky timber it always did when Calvin aroused her. “You smell good.”
“Hmm, so do you,” Calvin said, his hands roaming over her body, making her shiver.
“Dinner is almost ready,” she said, trying to ignore what his hands were doing. Then added, “And if you don’t stop that, I won’t be able to finish it.”
“Would it be the end of the world if you didn’t?” Calvin asked, his hands sliding down her legs then back up, taking the bottom of her dress with them.
He slid one of his hands between her legs at the juncture of her thighs, making her groan when he pushed her panties aside and dipped his fingers between her folds and gently began to stroke her. Calvin answered with a groan of his own when he discovered that she was already wet and ready for him, so he slid her panties down her legs and pushed her legs apart with his knees. He quickly stripped off his pants, then gently bent her forward and slid his erection between her legs across her swollen clit.
Whimpering with the need to feel his fullness inside her, she cried out, “Oh, Calvin, please don’t tease me, it’s been too long,” as she thrust her hips against him.
“Hmm, your wish is my command, princess,” he said, then slid deep inside her with one powerful thrust of his hips.
After only a few thrusts of his hips, Brooke knew that her climax was coming, the pressure deep in her growing and spreading as Calvin continued to fill her over and over again, his cries of pleasure matching her own. All too soon she tumbled over the edge, pleasure leaving her momentarily stunned and breathless. Buried deeply inside her, Calvin felt every muscle in Brooke’s body clench when she climaxed, and he gritted his teeth, barely holding on to his control.
Brooke collapsed against the counter, but Calvin pulled her up and spun her around, his mouth coming down on hers in a demanding kiss. Her dress was bunched up at her hips and he began to pull it off, but she stopped him, suddenly realizing where they were. “Calvin, someone could come in,” she said, leaning against him trying to catch her breath.
“I locked the door when I came in and I made it very clear that we wanted to be alone tonight,” Calvin said, stroking her face with his thumbs. “Don’t you trust me?”
Brooke was instantly lost in his blue eyes, which were simmering with desire, knowing that she’d always trust him to take care of her. She lifted her arms and let him pull off the dress. Then she unbuttoned his shirt while he removed her bra. He gripped her hips and lifted her onto the counter, making her squeak in shock when her butt came in contact with the cold surface.
But that was soon forgotten when he took one of her hard nipples into his mouth and began to suck and nibble, throwing her head back she wrapped her arms around his shoulders when he stepped between her legs. His erection was sliding across her swollen nib, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her, but instead of sliding into her, Calvin slid one finger into her and used his thumb to bring her just to the brink of climax.
Before she could crest, he laid her down on the counter and grabbed her hips and buried himself deep inside her. Both hands on her breasts, his fingers kneading and massaging the swollen globes, he thrust into her over and over while Brooke held onto his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. Releasing one of her breasts, he moved his hand down to where they were joined and found her clit with his finger.
The moment Calvin’s finger made contact with her clit and began to rub, waves of pleasure so intense they left her stunned washed over her. She wrapped her legs around Calvin and drew him deeper inside him, grinding her hips against his. Calvin, wanting to be even deeper, grabbed her legs and put them on his shoulders, opening Brooke even more to him.
Locking his eyes on hers, he said, “I want you to come with me.”
Brooke was captivated by what she saw in Calvin’s eyes, his love for her as clear at that moment as it had ever been. “Oh, yes, please, Calvin. Make me come,” she said huskily, then ground her hips against him again.
Eyes locked on each other, they soared together to the peak of pleasu
re then shuddering came back down to Earth again, their minds united in the pleasure and passion they’d just shared. Calvin pulled Brooke down off the counter and picked her up, heading straight for their bed, thoughts of what he was going to do to her next at the forefront of his mind. His mouth found hers before they hit the mattress and it was a long time before they stumbled out of bed for something to eat.
“Why don’t you make us some plates and I’ll put some more wood on the fire?” Calvin suggested, watching Brooke put on the robe he’d given her for Christmas.
Although it was mid-March and spring had started to make its appearance, the temperature still dropped below freezing at night and they’d let the fire burn down. They sat across from each other at the little table Brooke had set for them in a warm cozy corner of the kitchen, candlelight the only illumination in the room. They said little while they ate, the silence between them comfortable, but every once in a while they’d lock eyes and smile at one another.
When they’d finished eating, Brooke produced a bottle of champagne and some chocolate-covered strawberries. “I was thinking we could take these to bed with us. I didn’t know we’d have already been there,” she said, sitting down in his lap when he pulled her to him.
“It didn’t happen quite the way I’d planned it either, but when I saw you in that dress I couldn’t control myself. But that’s nothing new, when I’m around you I seem to lose all control,” Calvin said, tickling her until she jumped off his lap.
“Well, then let’s go back to bed before you lose control again,” she said, grabbing the champagne and strawberries off the table and leaving the room, throwing Calvin a sultry look over her shoulder.
The next morning, they stayed in bed as long as they could still reveling in the passion of the night before. Calvin didn’t want it to end because he knew that as soon as he got out of bed he’d have to make arrangement to go to South Africa. He wanted to talk to Brooke about his trip, but he didn’t want to ruin the mood. To his surprise, she brought it up first.
Never Let Go (Brothers From Money Book 9) Page 10