by Elle Rease
Giving up, she headed to her office and instantly got lost in the books that waited for her there. She adored numbers and had learned to embrace her geeky side very early in life. Thankfully, Brennan didn’t seem to mind that she had a solid head on her shoulders.
“Not that that would’ve stopped him from blowing my mind all the time, anyway,” she muttered to herself.
She remembered how he’d always hung around her, even when she’d been too young to understand that he had less than honorable intentions. Back then, at age eight, she hadn’t found it strange that a teenage boy wanted to talk to her whenever he got the chance. Frankly, it had given her confidence a much-needed boost, since she’d been teased at school for being too tall, skinny and pale.
“There’s nothing wrong with you, lass,” Brennan would assure her, his light blue eyes staring intently. “You’re still growing, so this is a phase. Don’t worry, okay?”
And then, as she’d aged into double-digit territory, he had insisted on taking her out to the movies or for ice cream, often both. She had quickly become infatuated with him, doodling her name and his surname on the back of her textbooks like a loser. She’d been there when he’d got his tongue ring and, as only a cheeky twelve-year-old could, had offered to let him test whether it feels good on her.
To this day, she could recall—with perfect clarity—how his gaze had darkened.
“Be careful what you wish for, lass,” he’d murmured.
“I know exactly what I’m wishing for,” she had retorted, blushing.
“Once I’m healed, I’m taking you up on that offer.”
She hadn’t believed him. She had been convinced that he had a string of other girls he could test that theory on… Why would he want her, anyway? She was way too young for him. He’d almost been on his way out of high school, and she hadn’t even finished primary school yet.
So, when he’d taken her to a local soccer game and pulled her behind the bleachers, she’d assumed that he wanted to divulge some or other secret. Only, Brennan had embraced her, tilting her chin up and pressing his lips to hers.
Cinnia’s brain had ceased functioning as he coaxed her into her first kiss, that piercing rubbing her tongue in such a way that her teenage hormones went on a rampage. She’d grabbed fistfuls of his hair and attempted to climb him.
She would only find this out later, but making out with someone who didn’t have a tongue ring was about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Brennan had stopped, resting his forehead on hers and breathing harshly. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
How had he expected her to be capable of speech? “Uhm, no?”
“You’re mine,” he’d clarified.
“Yours?”
“Yes, mine.” His hands had cupped her young behind, giving it an affectionate—and downright sexy—squeeze. “You’re my girlfriend now.”
And her head had spun for a whole different reason. That had been the start of a mostly successful three-year relationship, which had come to an abrupt halt round about the time Dawn had informed Cinnia about his indiscretions.
Back in the present, Cinnia shook out of her thoughts. She’d been reminiscing for the past half an hour! She couldn’t afford to slack off like this after the previous day’s events.
Sighing, she got up and walked to the front of the workshop to make herself a cup of coffee. The floor was quite busy, every single staff member working on a car or motorcycle, and she gazed at them with a fond smile. These men had all been around when she was younger. She’d grown up knowing they would protect her.
Now that she’s settled down with Brennan, they were slowly learning to trust her again.
“Excuse me.”
She glanced up and frowned at the man in front of her. His face was quite bruised, and he had surgical tape over his nose. “Can I help you?” she asked him.
“I was wondering if anyone can take a look at my car,” he answered, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder to a vehicle that has definitely seen better days. “Car accident.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” His appearance made so much sense now, even though it made her uneasy. “Let me get someone to assist you.”
His perusal of her body was borderline creepy. “Wait, you don’t work here?”
“Not on the floor,” she assured him. Her smile was forced. His mere presence made the hair on her arms stand up, though she had no clue as to why. She grabbed her cup of coffee and turned away from him. “I’ll send someone over, sir.”
“Thank you.”
She suppressed her shudder and got one of the guys’ attention, pointing to the man, who was now looking around the shop with unabashed interest. Deciding to leave him in the capable hands of the men who worked for Reade, she went back to her office to try to get some work done.
Six hours later, she’d had just about enough of accounting. She stretched at her desk and grabbed her cell phone, dialing her mother’s number.
Loraine answered after five rings. “What’s up, honey?”
“I just wanted to check in, make sure you’ve got everything under control for tonight. You know, normal mother-daughter stuff.”
“Sure,” Loraine laughed. “Everything’s fine, thanks.”
“Are you sure I don’t have to bring anything?”
“Positive. Will you stop worrying?”
Cinnia chewed the inside of her cheeks, deep in thought. “Reade seems a bit jumpy about tonight. Is there something I need to know about?”
“Sheesh, living in the city has made you paranoid and egotistical.” Cinnia could basically hear her mother’s eye roll over the airwaves. “Maybe something else is going on with him. Not everything’s about you, you know.”
“Sadly, that’s true,” Cinnia sighed, inwardly cheering when Loraine laughed again. “Okay, so I’ll see you in an hour?”
“You bet. Can’t wait!”
“Me neither.”
Cinnia greeted her mother and hung up, finishing up her work. Her ears twitched at the sound of a Harley arriving and, grabbing her leather satchel, she went to the front of the shop. She smiled, glad that her instincts were right.
Brennan was typing on his phone as he strode over to her, his pants hanging low on his hips and his Guns N’ Roses T-shirt spanning tightly over his muscled chest, under his leather Raptors cut. The tattoo sleeves on his arms had her salivating, wanting to lick every inch of his artwork. He’d taken his auburn hair out of its usual ponytail. The low breeze caused it to lift. He was a sight for sore eyes, that was for damn sure.
She blinked out of her self-induced stupor and cleared her throat. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey,” he said, stuffing his phone in his back pocket and looking at her with a happy smile. “You’re finished early.”
“I needed a break.” She pulled a face. “I haven’t really been able to focus today.”
“Does that have something to do with me?”
“No, this other guy I’m seeing,” she teased.
Those eyes flashed in warning a split-second before he tugged her into his arms. “Remember what I told you about that?” he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.
“But you’ll like this guy,” she went on, wanting to see how far she could push him. Why did she enjoy punishment so much? “Sure, he doesn’t have tattoos like you do, but he had a tongue ring, too. And the most gorgeous ice blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”
Brennan pulled back with a frown. “Okay, now I’m genuinely curious.”
“I was remembering my first kiss.”
The questions in his gaze cleared, leaving a breathtaking smile. “Ah, that guy. Lucky bastard.”
“Opportunistic bastard, you mean.”
“I don’t blame the kid for trying his luck.” He kissed her softly. “Your mouth is very tempting. If only he’d known what else you can do with it.”
“Brennan,” she moaned, holding his face in his hands and trying to deepen their kiss.
He chuckled deeply, hi
s chest vibrating hers. “Come on, we’ve got a dinner to get to. I doubt our parents will appreciate us being late.”
“Spoilsport,” she grumbled.
“On the contrary.” He took her hand and led the way to the SUV. “The sooner we get this over and done with, the sooner I can be balls-deep in you.” He glanced over his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. “If you want that, that is.”
She narrowed her eyes. Why did she have to make that stupid suggestion this morning? Sure, she could back out now… if she was willing to hear him brag about her not even lasting twenty-four hours without sex.
What did I get myself into? she thought mournfully, staring at the flex of muscles in his ass. Why does he have to be so fucking gorgeous all the time?
“I don’t want, actually,” she muttered, getting onto the passenger seat. “You’re going to crack first, Drummond.”
He burst out laughing as he started the car. “We’ll see about that.” He backed out of the parking spot. “Do you want to go home first for a change of clothes?”
“Nah,” she replied. “I want to help my mom with dinner.”
“Okay.”
“How was work?”
“Same old,” he replied. “There’s a tattoo expo coming up, so I’m looking for a model.”
As if it wasn’t bad enough that he still had to finish that privately placed tattoo they’d been arguing about the day before… Cinnia straightened in her seat and glanced at him. “Use me.”
He seemed taken aback. “Are you serious?”
“Well, you’ve been saying that you want to tattoo me,” she reminded him. “I wouldn’t mind getting more. I just don’t know what, yet.”
“Because it’s an expo, it’s got to be a big piece.”
“I don’t mind big,” she teased, resting her hand on his thigh, close to his crotch.
“Careful.” He eyed her and grinned. Then he became pensive again. “I have been working on a design for your back.”
“Wow, you work fast.”
“I’m obsessed with your body, Cin.”
Her face warmed. “Can I see it?”
“I’ll show you once we get home.” He pulled into the Sloane household’s driveway and cut the engine. “Come on, time for the second big dinner of the week.”
She patted her stomach theatrically. “We really have to start planning better. This is messing with my exercise routine.”
“Mine, too, although we can always have sex to make up for it.”
“Nice try,” she laughed.
They got out of the car and walked to the front door. Cinnia could feel his gaze on her ass and added a bit more sway to her gait. She bent to retrieve the spare key from under the doormat and yelped when Brennan slapped her on the back of her upper thigh, dangerously close to her core.
“If you do that, you’re basically gagging for it,” he said as she glared at him.
“Can you behave for one night?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Can you? I know that made you wet.”
Dammit, he was right, but she wasn’t going to admit it. She unlocked the door and went inside, hanging the key along with the others, where they belonged. She was going to tell her parents to be more careful, right after she ignored Brennan for the rest of the night. That was the only way she was going to survive without jumping him.
He, as usual, had other ideas. He blocked her way to the kitchen with a naughty look on his face, those silver studs at the corners of his bottom lip making him irresistible.
“What now?” she asked, annoyed.
“Give me some sugar.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just hearing you say something so… normal proves that you’ve got something up your sleeve.”
“Since when is it a capital offence to kiss my old lady?”
“Brennan, you—”
He interrupted her—like he’s never done that before?—with a heart-stopping kiss, his piercing rubbing her tongue and his teeth nipping at her lips. He raked his fingers through her long hair and pushed her against a wall, shoving her legs apart by using one of his knees.
Cinnia forgot where they were and what her surname was, clinging to him and rolling her hips against his. She wanted to get naked in the worst way, already tugging at his shirt, as if to take it off. She was so wet and eager, she could combust.
And then, just as sudden as his attack began, he stepped away, smirking. “That’s all you want from me, remember?”
She growled, her temper driven by sexual frustration. “You’re a jerk.”
“You still love me.”
“I ask myself why every single day.” She pushed past him and followed the aroma of her mother’s cooking. She found Loraine behind the stove. “Hey.”
“Oh hey, honey,” her mother smiled. “You didn’t have to come over so soon. I’m still busy.”
“I wanted to help.” Cinnia breathed slowly, trying to calm down. Brennan hadn’t followed her, so he was probably off searching for Teagan. “Besides, I really need to talk to you about that damn front door key.”
“Cin, not this again,” Loraine complained.
“We don’t live in the sixties anymore, mom. You have to be more responsible than this.”
“We have a Raptors flag on the front porch. Do you really think anyone in their right mind would try something at this house?”
“Yes, if they’re from a rival club!”
“Well, then they’ll get what’s coming to them.” Loraine handed Cinnia an apron. “If you really want to help, make yourself useful.”
“Everyone here drives me batshit,” Cinnia muttered, tying the apron around her waist. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t come back.”
“Yeah, sometimes I wish I didn’t have kids. They’re such a headache.” Loraine sent her gaze heavenwards. “Life sucks, honey. The sooner you accept that, the sooner it’ll stop sucking. Why are you in such a bad mood, anyway?”
“Brennan.” She sighed. “But it’s my own damn fault.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’d rather not share my sex life with my mother.”
“You’re missing out. I’ve got great advice.”
Cinnia laughed. “Heart-attack inducing?”
“Shut up,” Loraine mumbled, blushing. “That was one time.”
“Apparently, that’s all it takes.” Cinnia dodged the dishcloth heading her way and giggled. “So touchy.”
Mysie and Reade arrived a few minutes later, the President’s old lady joining the other females in the kitchen while the men drank beer and talked about sports. If Cinnia had still been in the city, she would’ve hated this separation, since the Cinnia she’d been saw it as a blatant sexist move. But now, she quite liked that the women had their own little club, and the men theirs. She knew that they could mingle with the opposite sex just as casually and that put her mind at ease.
“Piper graduated high school a while back,” Mysie said as they carried the food to the dining room. “She’s very interested in accounting, Cin, so I was hoping you’d help her out.”
Cinnia frowned slightly. “How can she be done with school? It’s not the end of the academic year yet.”
“She’s home schooled.”
“Oh, right, I didn’t know that. I’d love to help.”
“She needs the job at Drummond’s Tailors, so it’ll have to be on weekends or during the evenings.” Mysie sighed. “That poor girl… Her family hasn’t been around in years and, if not for one of her friends’ parents offering to pay for her education, who knows where she would’ve ended up? Probably in some alley somewhere, giving head for five bucks.”
“I didn’t know that about her,” Loraine said, horrified. “She’s so collected.”
“She doesn’t like it when people feel sorry for her,” Mysie explained, a soft smile curving her mouth upwards. “She’s going to make a great old lady one day.”
“Has she shown an interest in any of the guys?” Cinnia asked.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she has a crush on Teagan. She denies it, though.”
Cinnia grinned. “I’ll get her to talk.”
“So manipulative. Where did you learn that?” Mysie teased.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Cinnia joked back, “probably from one or two women when I was a kid.”
“Hey now,” Loraine protested, giggling.
“Lori!” James rounded the corner and smiled at his wife. “Good, you guys are done. We’re all starving.” He made eye-contact with his daughter. “Hey, Cin.”
“Dad,” Cinnia greeted, walking over to give him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You look good. Have you been hitting the gym?”
He grimaced. “Doctor’s orders.”
“Keep it up.” She waggled her eyebrows. “It’ll save mom the embarrassment of calling an ambulance every time you have sex.”
The women burst out laughing while red slowly crept up James’ neck. “If Brennan doesn’t spank you for that, I will,” he grumbled.
“I spank her plenty, Jim,” Brennan chuckled, entering the dining room with Teagan and Reade in tow.
“He d-doesn’t mean that,” Cinnia stammered, blushing.
Mysie’s eyes glittered with mischief. “Uh-huh.”
“Let’s eat, before I have to listen to everyone’s sex lives,” Teagan commanded, taking a seat. “It’s never fun to be on the receiving end when your family’s doing the talking.”
Cinnia sat down next to Brennan and eyed her brother. “So, have you been dating since we last spoke?”
He rolled his eyes. “Seeing as we last spoke three days ago, no.”
“Anyone caught your eye lately?”
“What’s got you so interested, all of the sudden?”
She tried to look as innocent as possible. And probably failed, if Brennan’s laughter was anything to go on. “What? Can’t a big sister ask her baby brother about his love life?”
A tinge of red stained Teagan’s cheeks. “I vote ‘no’.”
“Too bad,” Mysie chimed in, aware of Cinnia’s battle plan. “Now I want to know, too. You’re protesting too much, so that must mean you’re hiding something.”
Teagan seemed a bit alarmed. “Can we please—”
“Because she’s ma old lady, Ah feel the need tae ask ye tae clarify, lad,” Reade interrupted firmly. He had a killer poker face. “Else Ah’ll never hear the end of it.”