Red (A Brett MacLean Duet)

by J. M. Walker

  “Brett.” Kane frowned, rubbing his bald head. “I can pay for it myself.”

  “I know you can,” I said gently. “That’s not what this is about. This situation is my fault. She was here because of me. So, take the money and get tested. Please.”

  He nodded slowly, taking the wad of cash from my hands. “Thank you.”

  I followed him out of the office, locking the door behind me. I didn’t trust Claire. Although I had security watching over every inch of the damn place, she was like a viper and got her teeth into everything. My men would fall victim to her charm.

  As soon as we entered the main area, my body stirred. The tiny hairs on my skin stood on end. The sound of laughter caressed my ears, hitting me straight in the dick.

  Evvie was making drinks for Tatiana, a big smile splaying on her beautiful face.

  I moved behind her, inhaling the scent of vanilla. “Lover,” I purred.

  She turned toward me as I closed the distance between us, but something was wrong. She was stiff, her brow furrowed into a deep scowl, and the previous smile was no longer there.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked her, wrapping my hand around her wrist.

  “Nothing.” She looked away.

  My grip tightened. “Don’t lie to me.”

  She frowned, meeting my gaze that time. “I’m not.”

  My jaw tensed, knowing something was going on.

  Evvie pulled out of my grip and went back to wiping down the counter. What was it about her that made me question everything I believed in? I never wanted a relationship. Not after the first one failed. I didn’t date but I went on one with Evvie the moment she asked. I was losing control and I didn’t like it, but a part of me wondered if maybe I needed it.

  “Talk to me,” I told her gently, needing some reassurance that she wasn’t going to pull away from me for good.

  She stiffened.

  “Hey, Ev.” Jake nodded toward us. “Boss.” He came around the bar, washed his hands, and started making drinks for the never-ending line up of customers.

  “Jake, can you take over?” I asked him.

  He nodded.

  Much to my surprise, Evvie didn’t say anything and headed in the direction of my office. The dominant side of me praised the fact that she submitted without me having to tell her to. In the short amount of time I had known this woman, I was already in tune with her needs. Her desires. Her every waking thought. But the controlling bastard in me wanted more.

  Evvie pushed open the door to my office and headed right to the bar.

  I stood back, clicking the lock into place for fear that Claire would show back up. I needed Evvie to admit her feelings for me. I needed to know that I wasn’t imagining things and that there was something going on between us besides sex.

  Once Evvie reached the other side of the room, she poured herself a shot of a light amber liquid and slammed it back. Turning to me, she let out a soft sigh, her deep blue eyes roaming down the length of me.

  Leaning against the wall, I rubbed the scruff on my jaw. “Is there an issue?”

  Her pupils dilated, her tongue peeking out to lick along her bottom lip.

  “Evvie?” I pushed off the wall and took a step toward her.

  Her gaze snapped to mine. “Stop.”

  Raising an eyebrow, I actually did as she said and stopped. “Something wrong?”

  “Yes. No. I just…” She huffed, backing up until she hit the wall.

  I took that as my chance and closed the distance between us. My dick lengthened, missing the heat of her sweet pussy, but I wouldn’t fuck her. Not yet. I needed to hear those three little words leave her lips before I got back inside her tight body.

  Reaching her, I brushed a finger down her cheek.

  “I can’t talk to you when you touch me,” she said, as she pushed out of my grasp and paced back and forth.

  “Evvie.”

  She took a breath and turned to me. “These past few weeks have been amazing.”

  “I agree.”

  “But…” She looked away and continued pacing my office.

  I didn’t press. As much as I wanted to lash out and demand for her to tell me what the hell was going on, I only waited.

  Suddenly, she stopped, looked at me, and rushed out the door.

  A part of me wanted to let her go. That same part wanted not to chase her down but wait instead. To see if she would come crawling back to me. For her to beg, plead. Demand that I be with her. But then the rational part took over.

  I wasn’t a man who went after someone that didn’t want me but, with Evvie, I knew she felt something for me whether she cared to admit it or not.

  Stomping out of the office that had already held so many firsts, I clenched my hands into fists at my sides. I wouldn’t beg Evvie to stay with me, but I also wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

  “Lover,” I barked.

  She stiffened but continued walking down the hall away from me.

  “Evvie, don’t you dare walk away from me.” Or I’ll spank your ass for doing so.

  Once she reached the end of the corridor, she stopped.

  Closing the distance between us, it took all of my control not to throw her over my shoulder and carry her back to my office. These feelings were powerful and new. They made me rethink everything that I was made of.

  “Don’t walk away from this,” I pleaded, not liking the sound of desperation in my voice. “Evvie.” I took a breath. “From the moment I first saw you, I’ve been attracted to you. Something passed between us and I know you felt it. I fell in love with you after our first night together. The way you looked at me while I was pleasing you, made me realize that I wanted more. With you.” I took another step toward her. “And you’re fucking hot as hell,” I said, brushing a finger down her arm.

  “I haven’t had many relationships,” she explained. “My family scared them away, I guess.”

  “Your family doesn’t scare me.” Although her father and brothers could kick my ass, I wasn’t worried about them.

  She turned to me that time. “You don’t know who my father is, do you?”

  I paused. I knew who he was before Evvie told me more about him. He was a father trying to take care of his kids. After Mathis brought it up to her, I did some digging. Edward Neal was a good guy but caught up with the wrong people. He wasn’t someone I’d want to mess with.

  “I don’t care who he is. This is between you and me.” I grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles. “Come talk to me.” When she hesitated, I pulled her toward me. “Evvie.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to talk but being alone with you will end up with me wrapped around you.”

  I smirked, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She was right but I would behave. “I promise to keep my hands to myself as long as you promise to talk to me.”

  “My dad loved my mom. Even though I was young when she died, I can remember it clearly.” She started pacing in front of me. “When she—” Her voice cracked. “When she died, I saw a part of my father die with her. All of us where affected but my dad was destroyed. It was like his soul shattered. My brother Ethan is the youngest boy. He and my mom were close,” she said, roughly wiping away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. “Ethan rebelled. I remember the police saying he should be in juvie but my dad would have none of that. Didn’t want to separate the kids.” She stopped pacing and leaned against the wall opposite me. Sliding down the wall, she sat on the floor.

  Sitting beside her, I stretched my legs out in front of me. I knew I should give her some information about me. Open up. Be a man and tell her shit, but I couldn’t. Instead, I just listened.

  “I’m not strong enough to go through what my dad did.”

  My chest tightened. Cupping the back of her neck, I rubbed my thumb up and down the side of her throat. “Your dad wouldn’t want you to give up your happiness.”

  “I know,” she mumbled.

  “Your dad loved your mom.” Mine did as well
, even though my mother was a psychotic bitch.

  “More than life itself. But…” Evvie looked up at me. “I’m scared.”

  “I’ve never had a relationship. The one that came close, ended when her ex-boyfriend came back.” I pinched Evvie’s chin, forcing her to look at me. “I’m glad it’s over.” My mouth moved down the length of her jaw. “I wouldn’t be here with you if it wasn’t.”

  “I guess things happen for a reason,” she breathed.

  Rising to my feet, I held out my hand. “Come with me.”

  She let me pull her to her feet but I could still sense the hesitation in her. She thought I would hurt her. I got it. I had a reputation, but I was trying hard to run away from it.

  Before I knew what I was doing, I captured her mouth in a soft, but passionate, kiss.

  Evvie melted into me.

  Gently pushing her into my office, I closed the door behind me, keeping my lips locked with hers. Instead of taking the kiss further like I wanted, I pulled away and placed a peck on her nose.

  “I knew from the first moment you kissed me, that it was going to be more. I even tried fighting it,” I told her, bringing her to the couch, and sat her in my lap.

  “I can’t go through what my dad did.”

  I grabbed her hands, holding them tight in my own. “You can’t stop yourself from being happy. It’s not fair to you.”

  Evvie pushed out of my lap. “I should head back to work.”

  “No.” I pulled her back against me.

  “Brett,” she said, struggling to pry me off of her.

  “Stop fighting it,” I whispered in her ear.

  “I’m not ready.”

  “Evvie.”

  She shoved out of my grip and rose to her feet. “What if I lost him too?” she whispered.

  “You can’t live life on what ifs, lover.”

  She jumped, her cheeks reddening.

  I stood and took a step toward her. “You’re not the only one who’s scared.”

  “I don’t know how to deal with these feelings I have for you.” She closed the distance between us and ran her hands down my chest.

  “What do you feel?” I asked, cupping her nape.

  “I…” She gripped my shirt, pulling me harder against her. “The first time I looked at you, I felt something. Even though I thought you were an asshole, I was still attracted to you.”

  I chuckled, brushing a finger down the length of her jaw. “I felt it too. That magnetic pull that drew me to you. At that point, I knew I had to have you.”

  “Is that why you approached me with your proposition?” She smiled.

  “That and I was also desperate to get between your thighs.” I gripped her chin, forcing her head back. “I was determined to make you mine, lover. At first, I wanted to just fuck you but now, it’s more. Much more.”

  “Brett,” she whispered.

  I kissed her forehead, her nose, her mouth. The feelings I had for her only heightened the more time went on, but I still needed to hear her say how she felt about me.

  Evvie wrapped her hands around my neck, deepening the kiss.

  Sliding my tongue between her lips, a groan escaped the back of my throat. My hands roamed down the length of her body, cupping her ass, and pulling her flush against me.

  She fit perfectly in my arms.

  The kiss hardened, my body heated, and my cock ached to get back inside her. Laying her on the couch, I pushed my hips between her legs as I devoured her mouth.

  Evvie arched beneath me, sucking my tongue, and pulling me tighter against her.

  “Fuck, Evvie.” I wrapped a hand around her throat, trailing kisses down her jaw. “I love kissing you.”

  “Make love to me,” she pleaded, running her fingers through my hair at the back of my neck.

  “Tell me how you feel,” I demanded softly, nipping the tender skin just below her ear.

  “Are you bribing me?”

  “I know you feel something for me.” I lifted my head, staring intently into her eyes. “Tell me.”

  “I did tell you.”

  “You didn’t tell me shit.”

  Evvie huffed, pushing me. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  “Tell me you don’t love me. Tell me you don’t want more.”

  “Of course, I want more,” she snapped, pushing me off of her and sitting up. “But I’m not competing with all of your whores.”

  Pushing her back, I pinned her beneath me. “There is no fucking competition,” I snarled. “None at all. I want you and only you. What the hell do I have to do to make you see that?”

  Evvie struggled beneath me but my hold only tightened.

  “Everyone has a past,” my voice softened. “I want my future to be you.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?” I frowned.

  “Why do you love me?”

  I deserved that. I didn’t like it but I still deserved her hesitation. My reputation didn’t make me the most trustworthy guy.

  “You’re questioning how I feel about you?” I asked, my voice coming out rougher than I would have liked.

  “Well.” She swallowed hard. “We haven’t made our relationship official.”

  “Do you love me?” I demanded, ignoring the idea of fucking her in front of everyone so men knew she was off the market. “Answer me,” I said, my voice firm. “Evvie.”

  “Fine,” she snapped.

  I raised an eyebrow. “I’m waiting.”

  “I am in love with you.” She huffed. “Alright? Happy now, asshole?”

  A smug grin formed on my face. “Say it.”

  She rolled her eyes, grabbing the back of my neck. “I love you.”

  “Again.” I crushed my mouth to hers.

  “I love you,” she breathed against my lips.

  Damn fucking right she did.

  EVVIE WANTED OUR relationship to be official. She wanted everyone to know that we belonged to each other. I wasn’t sure how to do that until I saw her standing at the bar talking to Tatiana.

  “Mr. MacLean.”

  My gaze snapped to an older couple sitting at one of the tables a few feet away from me. “Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. How are you both doing this evening?”

  “Fine, thank you.” The man grinned. “The food is excellent as always.”

  “Thank you. My staff have been working hard to keep up with what’s popular but also make it our own just the same,” I told them. “Anything I can get you both? Another bottle of wine perhaps?”

  The woman nodded. “That would be wonderful.”

  I signaled a waiter. “Please grab whatever bottle of wine this couple wants. It’s on the house.”

  “Yes, sir. Did you want what you’ve been drinking already or something different?” he asked them.

  I politely excused myself and made my way toward Evvie. She had begged me an hour ago to make love to her but I turned her down, needing to get some more work done. I didn’t, but that’s what I told her. The truth was that making love wasn’t something I did.

  Evvie grabbed a cloth and started wiping down the counter. I had come to realize that it was something she did whenever she was nervous or caught me staring at her.

  “Lover, look at me,” I demanded, reaching out to push a strand of hair back behind her ear.

  She did as she was told and, before I could stop myself, I crushed my mouth to hers. Vaguely aware that we were in public, I tried to keep the kiss decent, but every time I touched her I lost control.

  Cupping her cheek, I licked my way deeper into her mouth, igniting a moan from her.

  I chuckled, releasing her.

  “What was that for?” she panted.

  “Making it official.” I trailed kisses down her jaw to her ear. “And letting every man here know that you are mine.”

  “Well then every woman here will know that you’re mine.”

  I grinned, placing a soft kiss on her swollen mouth. “Good. Now get back to work.”

  ***
/>   Gripping the cell tight in my hand, I stood in the lobby.

  “It feels weird being here without you,” Evvie said from the other end of the phone.

  “Whether I’m there or not, my home is yours,” I told her.

  “I would have waited for you in your office.” The sound of a door shutting sent a hot shiver racing down my spine.

  “That would have been too distracting.” I chuckled, taking the elevator up to my floor.

  Evvie thought I was still working but I wanted to surprise her. I was itching for more control and the submissive side of her begged to be taken, so I only let her think I wasn’t close by.

  “And why is that, lover boy?”

  My dick twitched at her nickname for me.

  “You know why.” Once I reached my floor, I waited.

  “Tell me.”

  “We’re playing this game now, are we?”

  “Never,” she whispered.

  “I enjoy knowing that you’re in my apartment, lover,” I purred. “What are you doing now?”

  “Looking for your bedroom.”

  “Second door down the hall on the right,” I said, a hint of amusement coating my voice. The idea that she was in my home without me, stirred something dark inside of me.

  “How long are you going…holy shit.”

  “What?” When she didn’t respond, I frowned. “Evvie?”

  “Your bed is huge,” she exclaimed.

  I chuckled. “What are you doing now?”

  She cleared her throat. “I’m feeling up your bed.”

  “Hmm…now there’s an image.” I headed down the hall, quietly unlocking the door to my apartment.

  “Where are you?”

  “Around,” I said, pausing in opening the door. I had a surprise for her and I didn’t want her to know that I was actually there instead of at the club.

  “Brett, where—”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Fine,” she huffed. “I should go. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  I bit back a laugh. She was more impatient than I was. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” When no response came, I thought maybe she had hung up. “Evvie?”