Caitlin's Hero

by Donna Gallagher

  After showering and changing into a clean, well-worn pair of jeans that fitted his large frame, Brodie pulled on a black V-neck sweater. It was woollen and soft, the feel of it pleasing against his skin. He didn’t mind the way the sweater clung to his muscled torso and arms either. Why should he? Brodie had worked hard to get his body into shape, and still did. He looked at himself in the mirror, his craggy, well-worn face reflected back at him, and remembered how every scar had appeared. His was a rough sport and pretty boys didn’t stay pretty for long. The crooked nose from various breaks was a little larger than he would have liked, but he knew his dark brown eyes, high cheekbones and strong, square jaw were not unattractive to women. Maybe it was the high profile that actually drew the female interest, but it didn’t really matter to Brodie anymore. He was comfortable in his own skin.

  He rubbed his hand over his close-cropped brown hair. He had learnt early on in his career to keep it that way. His naturally curly hair made him appear too soft for the life he led. Brodie thought about spraying on the latest fad in aftershave, supplied to him free of charge from the manufacturer, but decided against it. Brodie preferred natural. If someone didn’t like his smell, they could just take a hike. He hesitated at that thought, hoping that this would not be the case with his angel.

  He strode purposefully from the bathroom and pulled on his crocodile skin boots, a good purchase made whilst in the top end of Australia for an exhibition game held there some years ago. It had been to encourage Indigenous boys to turn to league instead of trouble. There were many Indigenous Australians making a name for themselves playing league, and they were always up for giving something back to their communities.

  He could feel his stomach quiver with anticipation about tonight and how it would go. He was nervous, which was invigorating. Brodie felt alive.

  He knew the road in Ashfield that Caitlin had given him as her address, so it was a quick trip. Ashfield was only a few suburbs away from him. As he turned his black Range Rover onto the street, Brodie noticed that he’d arrived on time for his date. Trying to catch sight of a house number so he could get his bearings, he saw two figures standing on the kerb up ahead.

  “What the hell?” Brodie said, as he realised it was exactly the people he was looking for. Brodie was a little old-fashioned and had expected to collect his date from her door, but as he pulled up next to them and began to climb out of the car, both passenger doors on the left opened and his guests jumped in. Brodie was half out of the door and felt a bit comical just getting back in. This was going to be an interesting night. He turned towards Caitlin and shut his door again.

  “Well, hello, angel,” he said to her, with a big, goofy grin he couldn’t stop from breaking out across his face.

  When he turned to the rear seat passenger he was amused to see another grin—just like his own, he imagined—reflected back at him.

  “You must be Riley. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said enthusiastically. “I’m Brodie James. Glad you could join us for dinner, mate.”

  He saw in the kid’s eyes that he was a fan and completely awestruck. Brodie had seen this look before in young kids. Hell, he remembered feeling just like that when he’d met his hero some twenty years ago. It was quite an honour when you realised you had become a sports idol, and something Brodie never took for granted. He tried to spend as much time as he could with fans. He hated disappointing anyone.

  As Caitlin and Riley fastened their seatbelts, Brodie put the car into drive and headed for the restaurant. The silence was a bit unsettling so Brodie tried to lighten the mood by informing his two dinner companions of his choice of venue. Riley whooped in the back, but a quick glance at Caitlin revealed she was biting at her bottom lip. He took her hand gently and brought it up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.

  “If you don’t want to go there, that’s okay, angel,” Brodie whispered. “We can find somewhere else. I should have thought about it more. Of course you wouldn’t want to go where you work. I’m sorry, angel. What would you like to do?”

  Caitlin had trouble speaking, she was so overwhelmed. She had immediately recognised the car from last night. She was also impressed with the man’s thoughtfulness and easy way of including Riley in their plans. She was relieved to be going to Mia’s because she felt comfortable there. The problem was, Brodie was looking at her with such concern, and his lips sent shivers through her whole body as he kissed her hand. Finally, Caitlin managed to croak out the answer he was waiting for.

  “Mia’s would be wonderful.”

  As she sat back into the comfiest car seat ever, Caitlin finally relaxed. She was going to make the most of this night. It wasn’t every day she and Riley got such a treat.

  Brodie pulled the car up outside the familiar door. Caitlin went to jump out when a big hand came down onto her jeans-clad leg.

  “Relax, angel. Let me come around, get the door for you. It’s what a gentleman should do for a beautiful lady, and have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

  She had never felt so special in her life. Riley was already on the kerb and looked confused as he watched Brodie walk around the car and open his sister’s door, then take her arm. Caitlin heard Riley giggle. She didn’t know what was so funny and would be having words with him later about good manners.

  Caitlin didn’t think she walked into the restaurant so much as floated in. Brodie had booked a table by the window. Angelo warmly welcomed and fussed over them.

  “Ah, it is good to see you again, giovane, bella. Welcome—come this way. I have saved the best table for you.”

  Brodie pulled out a chair for her. He then seated himself next to Riley, directly opposite her.

  “It’s so I can gaze into your amazing emerald eyes all night,” he explained, sounding so sincere she couldn’t help the quiver of excitement from racing over her skin.

  Riley made a gagging sound, then giggled. Caitlin sent a frown at him. It wasn’t long before he was lost for words, though, because Brodie threw his arm around her brother’s shoulders, giving him a manly hug and explaining how Riley would understand one day. He finished off the little talk with a ‘mate’ and a wink for good measure.

  Caitlin thought that Riley would just explode, right then and there.

  I bet he wishes some of his mates from school would walk past and see him now. She smiled lovingly at the two males facing her. She could just see Riley holding court at school, telling all his friends about the evening. She had the classic urge to pinch herself to check if this was real.

  Angelo supplied some of his finest meals to their table—the freshest pasta, cooked to perfection and covered with generous helpings of aromatic sauces. She ate so much that she kept glancing at Brodie just to make sure he didn’t think her a glutton, but each and every time she looked up, Brodie was smiling back at her.

  She even enjoyed her first glass of champagne. Brodie had gently insisted she try the bubbly, slightly pink-coloured drink, which was sweet and very enjoyable. Riley had ordered an orange juice rather than his usual choice of Coke, to her surprise and delight. Riley was obviously trying to impress his hero by ordering a healthier alternative.

  Caitlin declined dessert. She just couldn’t fit it in. She sat back, delighted to watch Riley and Brodie enjoying their gelato and talking easily about football, swimming and the like. The conversation had been so easy and natural between the three of them all night.

  It was good for Riley to have another male to talk with. It made Caitlin a little sad that her brother had no one, now his father was gone. It had been a year since her brother had had a father figure in his life. As if sensing her saddening mood, Brodie pushed a spoonful of lemon gelato to her lips, and without thinking Caitlin pulled the spoon into her mouth and sucked.

  “Mmm,” she moaned, “that’s good.” She licked the remnants from the spoon he held out to her.

  To her surprise, Brodie reached right across the table and dragged her forward to meet his lips. There was no gela
to left after Brodie had explored every inch of her mouth with his tongue. Just as abruptly, Brodie pulled away, muttering something she couldn’t quite hear.

  One look at Riley, and she burst into a fit of laughter. He was open-mouthed, his spoon dripping melted gelato all down his arm as he watched them, his big, green eyes nearly popping from his head. It wasn’t long before the three of them were all laughing together.

  Brodie was having the time of his life. He was relaxed, as the company was more enjoyable than he could have dreamed possible. His angel was breathtaking and she didn’t even know it. Dressed in jeans and a simple long-sleeved black shirt, she was perfection. It appeared to Brodie that she wasn’t wearing any makeup on her pretty oval face, but she didn’t need to. She was stunning au naturel, just as he preferred. To him, nothing could outshine her—his heart was filled with her. The easy way she spoke to her brother and the love they showed towards one another made him almost jealous of the kid.

  He was entranced by the sexy way she twirled strands of her thick auburn curls through her fingers when thinking about something. He had to stop himself, on more than one occasion, from reaching over and touching her hair. He knew it would feel soft. It was an incredible experience being with the Walters family, one he could get very used to—if he were the settling down type, that was, he tried to remind himself.

  Of course, he had lost his head once, and who could blame him? The way Caitlin had taken the gelato from his spoon, her cheeks hollowing in as she sucked, then licked that lucky little silver spoon clean, had driven him wild. And she’d topped it off with that sensual moan! He was a man, after all, not a saint. What could he say? It had been painful with the table edge crushing his cock as he’d leaned over and engulfed her mouth almost into his. She’d tasted cool and tangy. He’d taken his time to lick all remnants of the lemon gelato from her sinful mouth. It was his dessert, after all, he’d mused to himself as he’d consumed her.

  It had taken Brodie a few moments before he’d remembered the kid. The look on Riley’s face was a worry. His eyes were wide and his mouth open, with gelato dripping down his arm. He looked a bit shocked. Brodie resolved to keep himself under tighter control in front of the boy in the future.

  Caitlin’s reaction had been a surprise as well. She’d burst into fits of laughter, the sound like tinkling bells in heaven to his ears. Brodie couldn’t help but join in with his own bellowing laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed so heartily.

  Dinner was over all too soon. Brodie paid the almost embarrassingly small bill, leaving a generous tip. He helped Caitlin back into the front passenger seat of his car by placing both hands around her hips and lifting her. In one smooth motion, he placed her gently on the soft leather seat. He wasn’t ready for the evening to end just yet.

  “So, Walters clan, is there any way I can tempt you into coming back to my place for a bit? The night is still young, and Riley, I think I may have a few of the movies you were talking about on DVD.” Brodie knew there was nothing noble in the way he was using Riley for his own gain, but hey, he would give the kid the DVDs if it worked. Win-win!

  “That’d be great, Brodie. Gosh, I think just being able to say I was at your place is enough. The guys at school will go ape when I tell them! Can we, sis? Ple-e-ase?”

  The eager look on Riley’s face left Brodie feeling of a twinge of guilt, but he just hadn’t spent enough time with Caitlin so wasn’t about to back down.

  “Well, I guess that would be okay, but only for a short time, Riley. It’s a school night so we can’t stay out too late. If you’re sure it’s no trouble, Brodie, that would be lovely.” The smile she gave him almost took his breath away, but the way she fussed over Riley sounded quite motherly.

  Chapter Eleven

  The trip back to Brodie’s home seemed to take no time at all. Riley talked all the way there about his favourite movies and whether or not they were in Brodie’s collection. Brodie was pleased to confirm he did indeed own many of the films Riley mentioned, and offered to loan them to him. All the while, Brodie greedily held on to his angel’s hand. It was warm and so delicate in comparison to his. Caitlin’s fingers were long and slender with short, well-groomed pink nails. Brodie just wanted to suck and lick every single one of those precious digits.

  The image of doing that made Brodie groan, the sound coming out louder than he’d intended. He was truly stunned when his angel dragged his hand towards her lips and kissed each of his fingers tenderly. It was at that exact moment that Brodie knew he was a goner. Would he ever get enough of this woman? He didn’t think he would, even if she was his forever. He just hoped her parents wouldn’t object, or be concerned about the age difference. One thing was certain—Brodie would do everything in his power to win them over, and he already knew he had an ally in Riley.

  He parked the car in the garage. Caitlin stayed in her seat and waited for him to come around and open her door. He was pleased about that. Riley, of course, had jumped from the car the moment it had stopped. The kid was a ball of energy and had taken off to look at the view outside.

  Brodie lovingly lifted Caitlin from the car, brushing his lips gently and quickly over hers. He let her body slide down his, enjoying the feel of her as she made her way over his chest, hips, crotch and thighs. He took her hand and headed up the private outdoor stairway that led to his balcony and door. He was pleased to notice both Caitlin and Riley stopped to admire the spectacular view of the Parramatta River.

  After a few minutes, the pair joined him inside his apartment. Riley went immediately to the large DVD cabinet that held Brodie’s extensive collection, where he emitted various sounds of pleasure. Brodie took the opportunity to show off his living quarters, even feeling a tad nervous at the thought of Caitlin’s impressions.

  Brodie was pleased with his home and was proud at having chosen all the décor himself. The choice of modern furniture was very stylish. Large, comfy, tan leather couches were placed strategically, encouraging visitors to sit and gaze out at the busy waterway. Deep brown, lush carpet that made you want to curl your toes in it covered the floor. Co-ordinated lamps filled the room with a warm, soft glow. A large, flat-screen television was mounted on one wall, complete with the latest in media equipment neatly positioned underneath in a cabinet that matched the DVD housing. Hanging on the other wall were several accolades to Brodie’s extensive and successful career.

  Make no mistake, it was a man’s abode, but it still had a warm and cosy feel about it. Brodie stood staring at Caitlin, wishing he could just take her in his arms and make passionate love to her all night. He wanted to pleasure her as no other man had, so no one else could ever take his place. Brodie was no fool, though. He had Riley’s welfare to think of here as well, and he didn’t think the boy was up for that sort of life lesson. What was more, he was sure the kid’s parents would be horrified. It was okay. Brodie was a patient man. He sat down on one of the tan lounge chairs and pulled Caitlin into his lap.

  Caitlin seemed to melt into his body, and she relaxed in his arms as if she had spent her life there. It pleased Brodie to know she trusted him already. He wanted to put into place a plan to meet her parents, and started to tell her so.

  “Will your parents be at home when I drop you back? I’d love to meet them.” Thinking of Riley and his parents had raised Brodie’s curiosity—not that he overly minded sharing this first date with the kid, but he did wonder what Caitlin’s parents did for a living and why they weren’t around tonight.

  At the mention of her parents he felt Caitlin go rigid. Even Riley, whom he’d thought was absorbed in the DVD collection, stopped and turned towards his sister. He waited for what seemed an age for her to answer him.

  “What the hell is going on, Caitlin?” Brodie asked, confused and slightly angered at the lack of response from either sibling. He could only think that maybe they had something to hide. Perhaps Caitlin thought her parents might disapprove of their daughter dating a footballer, or maybe it was the ag
e difference between him and Caitlin. Whatever it was, Brodie really needed an answer.

  “I hope you don’t think your parents will be put off by my career choice? I know some people think rugby league’s a bit brutal, but there is a lot more to me than just my league career. I’m quite a successful businessman too…”

  Brodie had never felt so insecure—couldn’t believe he was spouting off a bloody résumé to convince Caitlin he was good enough for her, good enough to meet her parents. Then Brodie had another, more appealing thought. Maybe it wasn’t him at all. Maybe it was her folks she was embarrassed by, and she didn’t want him to judge her by parents who were hippies, or something like that.

  But as he sat debating all the angles, Caitlin remained still, with tears in her eyes. Brodie’s heart clenched. He had upset her.

  It was then that he noticed Riley was standing in front of him. Taking his sister’s hand, Riley calmly spoke. “Our mum and dad were killed in a car accident a year ago. It’s just Cate and me now. If it wasn’t for her I’d be in a foster home. Cate left uni and came home to take care of me,” he continued, his pride and love for his sister evident.

  Brodie was in shock. He didn’t know what to say. She really was an angel! So much strength, loyalty and love in one gorgeous little package. He was so proud of her he could have cried. That definitely would have been a sight people would have paid to see. Big, tough, always-in-control Brodie James blubbering. Brodie brought his hand up to cover Riley’s, connecting himself with both of these precious people.

  “Well then, son,” he said to Riley. “So it’s only your permission I need to court your sister?”

  It was a magic moment. They were all full of emotion. So much had happened in such a short time, and Brodie could not wait to become fully involved with the lives of this incredible small family. He could not wait to make them both part of his life as well. Starting tonight.