Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook
Page 12
So he hooked his legs around her, pulled her close, and bent to kiss her. A long, deep kiss. A wild kiss. Her torso was pressed hard between his legs, her body brushing his trapped erection. His tongue dived deep, claiming her. Taking her. It was sex, wild and fast and hot, and he wanted to make her come like this. Wanted to take her to the edge with his mouth on hers and his fingers clutching her hair so that there was no question but that she was his.
"Please," she begged when he broke the kiss, needing air. "Take me to bed."
He released her from his legs, then slid down her body, until his back was to the counter and he was looking at her. Hell, yes, his voice screamed in his head. He needed her under him, those sweet noises surrounding him. He needed to bury himself inside her.
But what he said was, "Baby, we can't."
Can't?
Tiffany stared at him. "What do you mean, we can't?"
She watched as Eric dragged a hand through his hair, looking as miserable as she felt. Which was no consolation since she didn't really care about misery loving company. She just wanted him in her bed.
"Eric," she demanded. "What's going on?"
But, of course, she knew the answer even before he said it.
Ben.
"I can't do this--we can't do this--until I've explained everything to my brother."
"What are you talking about? What difference does it make? If he were still in Connecticut we'd be in my bed right now, and I'd be enjoying my fifth orgasm of the evening."
His lips curved up. "Thanks for the compliment."
"Shut up. Explain to me why you're not banging me senseless. And do it in small words and short sentences, because most of my blood is still rushing south." Although she was getting riled up enough now that she'd soon be hyper-coherent.
"Dammit, Tiffany. Don't pretend like you don't understand. He's still in love with you."
"He's in love with the idea of me," she countered, but it didn't matter; he barreled on.
"You know how close we are. Do you really think I can feel good about myself if he's a wreck because of this? If he's not okay with it?"
The words were like a splash of ice water, and she stepped backward until she was opposite him, her back against the kitchen island while his was against the counter. "Wait. Slow down. You're saying this isn't just about telling him what's going on. This is about asking permission? About making sure he's okay with it?" She clenched her fists, then unclenched them, trying to regain some control. "In case it escaped your notice, this is not a menage relationship. Ben doesn't get a vote."
"He's my brother. And he loves you. This will hurt him."
"Him? It's hurting me."
"Tiffany." He took a step toward her, but she twisted away. "So, what if he says he can't deal? Does that mean you just walk away from me?" She was crying now, and she hated that. The taste of salt. The scent of rejection. The confusion that was all churned up inside of her.
"He won't--"
"You don't know that. And what does that say about how you think of me? I'm not his property. He doesn't have the right to claim me and keep me away from you."
"That's not what I'm--"
"Just go."
"Tiffany, please."
But she just shook her head. Too mad and confused and hurt to do anything but push him away. "Please," she said. "Go before I say something I really will regret."
He went, and damn her to hell, she wasn't sure if she was glad he'd obeyed, or pissed off that he hadn't stayed and fought for her.
Chapter Seven
Since Ben was staying at their parents', Eric had called and arranged to have breakfast with them. Which turned out to be one of the most uncomfortable decisions of his life. His parents didn't seem to notice, but there was no way that Ben missed Eric's awkward silence.
He'd never been good at small talk, and sitting through breakfast and not saying what was on his mind to Ben was pure torture.
After, he'd gone out into the backyard. The same yard where he and Ben had played catch for so many years. Where Ben had helped him build a fort. Where they'd played with Muffin, the mutt they'd rescued from the side of the road when Eric was six.
Lots of memories, all good.
Someday, Eric had hoped to get married in this backyard. To say vows under the big oak tree. He still wanted that.
Dammit, he wanted it with Tiffany. Had he really told her it was too soon for her to love him? What kind of an idiot was he? What kind of a person pushed away love?
And what was he doing asking his brother permission to feel?
Shit.
"Hey." Ben leaned against the porch railing, freshly painted as it was every year. And their dad wouldn't let anybody else help or take over the task. "You got something you wanna share with the class?"
"No. Yes. Hell, I don't know."
"Sounds like a yes to me."
Eric sighed. "It's me," he said. "Tiffany's dating me. Or she was. Now she's annoyed with me."
"You?"
Eric lifted a shoulder. "That would be correct."
"Huh." His brother moved to the steps and took a seat. "And now she's pissed? Why?"
"Because I told her I was coming here to make sure you were cool with me and Tiffany going out. But you know what? It doesn't matter if you're cool with it, because I love her. And because she chose me. And I'm really sorry about that, man. I mean truly sorry, but I'm not going to walk away from the best thing to ever happen to me just to keep my brother from having his heart get bruised."
"So you're saying you love her."
"Hell, yeah, I do."
Ben nodded. "And we already know she loves you." He shrugged. "She didn't name names, but I thought the guy was a damn lucky bastard." He met Eric's eyes. "I still do."
"So we're okay?"
"We're golden," Ben said. "I love you both, and I swear I couldn't be happier for you."
"You mean that?" But he could see on Ben's face that he did. "There's someone perfect for you out there, too, you know."
"I know," Ben agreed. "And I'll find her. In the meantime, you should go make up with your girl."
"Explain to Mom and Dad?"
"I'll tell them you had to go see about a girl," Ben said, referencing Good Will Hunting, one of their favorite movies.
Eric would have rolled his eyes, but he was already gone.
"I think I screwed up," Tiffany said to Cam and Mina, who she'd called over for an emergency relationship pow-wow. "I know how close he is with Ben, but I got all bent out of shape when he didn't immediately say that it was all about me. About us. He dragged Ben into it, and--"
"Of course you got upset," Mina said. "You don't want anyone else telling Eric who he can and can't love or who he can or can't be with."
"Exactly. But--"
"But at the same time, maybe you should have waited to see what he did before you got all butt hurt?" Cam looked at her and nodded. "I get it, I do. But the guy was in a bad position. He loves you. He loves his brother. His brother loves you."
"So we've established I've handled this all wrong. What do I do now?"
Cam and Mina exchanged glances. "Go find him? Talk to him?"
She frowned. She hated the groveling part. But for Eric, she'd do it.
"I'm gonna go to his place," she said, but when she opened the front door, she saw that Eric had come to her.
"I was just about to knock," he said.
"And we were just about to leave," Mina said, dragging Cam to the door. He caught Tiffany's eyes, a question in his. She nodded, and he kissed her cheek. "For luck," he whispered, then shut the door behind him and Mina.
"I'm sorry," she said to Eric at the same time he said it to her.
"I should never have suggested I needed Ben's permission. I was just...in a weird place."
"Of course you were. Because I put you there. I shouldn't have done that." She bit her lip. "So are we okay?"
"I think we are."
"Thank God. Not being square with yo
u messes with my head."
He grinned. "Mine too."
She drew a breath. "So what happened, anyway?"
"I told him you were mine," he said simply. "That I loved you, and that we're a couple, and he would just have to get used to it."
"Yeah? What did he say?"
"He said he loves us both and he wishes us well. He really does mean it, you know."
She nodded. "I do."
Those two words hung in the air, and their eyes met, a silent someday floating between them.
As if to emphasize the point, Eric brushed a soft kiss over her lips. "You're mine, Tiffany. Wholly and completely. Body and soul. And you know what else?"
"What?"
"I'm yours, too."
"I know," she said, her body on fire from his words, his touch. "And now I need you to do something for me."
"What's that?"
"Make love to me."
He grinned, then scooped her up and started toward the bedroom. "Baby, I can do that all night long."
Click here to return to the table of contents.
Other Books by J. Kenner
Click to purchase
Click here for an updated Printable Booklist
The Stark Trilogy:
Release Me
Claim Me
Complete Me
Anchor Me
Lost With Me (coming Oct. 2018)
Stark Ever After:
Take Me
Have Me
Play My Game
Seduce Me
Unwrap Me
Deepest Kiss
Entice Me
Hold Me
Please Me (coming August 2018)
Stark International
Steele Trilogy:
Say My Name
On My Knees
Under My Skin
Take My Dare (novella, includes bonus short story: Steal My Heart)
Jamie & Ryan Novellas:
Tame Me
Tempt Me
Dallas & Jane (S.I.N. Trilogy):
Dirtiest Secret
Hottest Mess
Sweetest Taboo
Most Wanted:
Wanted
Heated
Ignited
Wicked Nights:
Wicked Grind
Wicked Dirty
Wicked Torture
Man of the Month: Down On Me
Hold On Tight
Need You Now
Start Me Up
Get It On
In Your Eyes
Turn Me On
Shake It Up
All Night Long
In Too Deep
Light My Fire
Walk The Line
Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook
Also by Julie Kenner
Click here for an updated Printable Booklist
Demon Hunting Soccer Mom Series:
Carpe Demon
California Demon
Demons Are Forever
Deja Demon
The Demon You Know
Demon Ex Machina
Pax Demonica
The Dark Pleasures Series:
Caress of Darkness
Find Me in Darkness
Find Me in Pleasure
Find Me in Passion
Caress of Pleasure
Rising Storm:
Tempest Rising
Quiet Storm
The Blood Lily Chronicles:
Tainted
Torn
Turned
The Protector (Superhero) Series:
The Cat's Fancy (prequel) Aphrodite's Kiss
Aphrodite's Passion
Aphrodite's Secret
Aphrodite's Flame
Aphrodite's Embrace
Aphrodite's Delight (free download)
Other Books by Suzanne McCollum Johnson
Click to purchase
Southern Bits & Bites
Southern Kid Bits & Mom Bites
Southern Bits & Bites: Our 150 Favorite Recipes
Writing with Lexi Blake
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites~The Secret Recipes of Topped
Master Bits & Mercenary Bites~Girls Night
Writing with J. Kenner
Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook
Writing with Larissa Ione
Dining with Angels: Bits and Bites from the Demonica Universe, Coming November 6, 2018!