“Thanks,” Anna says when I set the groceries down on the counter. She gives me a kind smile and a subtle nod. At least I know she’s in my corner.
“You’re welcome.” I start unloading bags and setting their items on the counter for Anna to put away. Kinsley comes in with the final two bags and stands beside me at the kitchen counter. Quietly, we unpack everything, and the two of them put it all away. I can see the tension in her shoulders, and I hate it, but she’s got to understand I’m not going anywhere.
“I’ve got laundry to fold,” Anna says, already walking toward her room.
I make a mental note to do something nice for her. I know what she’s doing, giving us time, and I appreciate it. I’m not sure I could get Kinsley in her room with me again, not yet anyway. “Come here.” Reaching out, I reach for her hand and guide her to me.
“Brantley,” she sighs, exasperated.
I don’t let it stop me as I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her. “How you feeling?”
“Hungover,” she quips.
I can’t help but chuckle. “Let’s go lounge,” I suggest, pulling back and grinning at her.
Reluctantly, she follows me to the living room. I lie on the couch and pat the spot in front of me. “Right here, Kins.”
“I can—” she starts, but I grab her hand and stop her.
“Right here with me. Where you belong. I told you we could lounge, but my idea of lounging is with you in my arms, so let’s make that happen.” I pat the spot again for good measure.
“I don’t—” she starts again.
“Kinsley, get your fine ass on this couch.” I smack her ass gently, and it spurs her to take her spot in front of me on the couch. I think I shocked her. But, whatever it takes to get here where she is, I’ll do it. “That’s better,” I say, my lips next to her ear. Placing my hand on her hip, I pull her a little tighter.
Kinsley reaches out and grabs the remote. She starts surfing the stations, her body stiff in front of mine. “What are we watching?” she asks irritated.
“Anything.” It doesn’t matter because I’ll be watching her. Needing to loosen her up, I place a kiss on her bare shoulder. She shivers at the contact. The air conditioning is cool in here, but my guess is it’s my touch, not the temperature of the room. I grab the throw blanket on the back of the couch anyway. It’s a woman thing, the whole blanket on a chair thing. My mom is always curled up with a book or a movie and her throw blanket. I cover us up, well her, and she snuggles in. I feel the tension leave her body, which is exactly what I wanted.
“You feel good in my arms,” I tell her.
“I’m sure you have things to do today” is her reply.
“I do. This.” I kiss her bare shoulder again, and she has the same reaction as before: a shiver races through her. “Maybe this,” I say, sliding my hand from her hip underneath her shirt. She sucks in a sharp breath at the skin-on-skin contact. “I’m not going to let you fight this, Kinsley. Your body tells me that the spark is there. I know you feel it.”
“Brant.” My name is a breathy moan falling from her lips.
Inching my hand up further, I run my finger under the cup of her silk bra. “Your skin is softer than this silk,” I murmur.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Feeling you. You’re finally where you belong, and I need to make sure I show you how good we are.” My hand moves over the mound of her breast, tweaking her nipple under the silk. She moans. “Let’s take this off,” I say, kissing her neck.
“Anna’s in her room,” she cautions. That’s not a no.
“You’re covered up. Nobody’s going to see this perfect body but me.” She sits up, and I grab her hips. Worried that I’ve pushed her too far too fast, and not willing to let her go even if I have—I can slow down, but I need to be next to her—I watch as she reaches under her shirt and unsnaps her bra. She wiggles around and the next thing I know, she’s removing it from the arm of her tank top. She’s holding it like she’s not quite sure what to do with it, so I reach out and grab it, stuffing it behind me on the couch. Hiding the evidence if Anna wakes up.
Holding up the cover, she snuggles back under, her back to my front. I let the material drape over her and move my hand back under her shirt. I don’t waste any time as I cup her soft breast in the palm of my hand. As gentle as my calloused hands can manage, I caress her. When I pinch her tight little nipple, she moans.
“Roll over.” My voice doesn’t sound like my own, so consumed with desire for her. I’ve waited a long damn time for this. Doing as I ask, she rolls over to face me. “So beautiful,” I murmur, cupping her face in my hands. Slowly, I lean into her, giving her time to stop me. She doesn’t and, if the rapid rise and fall of her chest is any indication, she’s not going to. Eliminating the distance between us, I press my lips to hers.
“Brant,” she tries to speak, and I push my tongue inside, exploring her mouth.
Kissing her.
Tasting her.
Devouring her.
Needing more, I slide my hand under her shirt and lift it to bare her breasts. Breaking away from the kiss, I waste no time taking her pert nipple into my mouth. She moans, arching her back, giving me better access. She throws her leg over mine, trying to get closer.
Exactly how I want her.
“Brant,” she says, her voice low and full of need.
Need for me.
Releasing her nipple with a pop, I look up at her. “What, baby?”
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them once more. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Oh, but we should.” I slowly run my hands up and down her toned stomach. She’s a dream lying here next to me.
“Nothing is going to come of this. I don’t see the point,” she says, gaining strength in her plea, trying to convince me we’re wrong.
We’re not.
“The point is, you feel good in my arms. This is where you’re supposed to be. You enjoy my touch,” I say, slipping my finger under the waistband of her jean shorts.
“That’s a natural reaction,” she counters.
I know better. I see fire in her brown eyes. “Hmmm,” I say, continuing to run my index finger back and forth under her waistband. Her breath hitches in her throat. “You know it’s more than that, Kinsley. I know you’re scared, baby, but I’ve got you. Just feel.” I lean down and press a kiss to her quivering stomach at the same time I release the button on her shorts.
“Here?” she croaks.
“Here,” I confirm, pulling the cover up over us. “Pull your shirt down, if that will make you more comfortable.” I mourn the loss of my view of her perfect tits, but I want her to enjoy this, not be worried about being caught. As it is, even with the cover it will be in the back of her mind. I know my girl.
Chapter 6
Kinsley
Oh, God. Okay, we’re doing this. I’m not strong enough to resist him. He’s right. I feel it… the fire, and it burns deep inside of me. I can’t believe I’m letting this happen with Anna just down the hall in her room. At least I know that if she were in my position, with one of the Price brothers lavishing her with kisses and sensual touches, she wouldn’t fight it either. She’s been telling me all along to give Brantley a chance.
Fear holds me back.
“More silk,” he says, now that my shorts are effectively unbuttoned and unzipped.
“Y-yes.” My words are thick with desire.
All for him.
“I bet your pussy feels like silk,” he says huskily. He’s looking at me, his lips a hairbreadth from mine. “I bet if I were to slide my finger through your folds, I would find you wet, hot… liquid silk,” he says, pressing his lips to mine.
Just from those words in his deep rumble, heat rushes to my pussy, just as he described. I want his hands on me. I can’t fight him, and hell, I don’t want to fight him. Not in this moment, not with his hands caressing me just above where I want him to be. Where I need h
im to be. “Please,” I whisper.
“There’s my girl,” he says against my lips. He doesn’t waste any time as he slides his fingers over my clit, pushing one inside. “Just like I thought,” he says hoarsely, his lips next to my ear. “So hot, and so fucking wet for me.” His thumb finds my clit, and I grab his shirt, needing something to ground me. “I’ve got you.” He pulls me closer to him, allowing me to bury my face in his chest while he brings me to new heights with his fingers.
“I—” I can’t form a coherent sentence. I’m too close to falling over the edge.
“Let go, Kinsley. Let me take you there.”
Biting down on my bottom lip to keep from screaming out, I have one hand clutching his shirt and the other buried in his hair as he kisses my neck. Closing my eyes, I do just as he says and let go. The electricity of my orgasm rushes through me; it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
“Better?” he asks, a few moments later.
Peeling my eyes open, I see him staring down at me, his hazel eyes dark with desire. “That was… intense.” I’m still in too much of a daze to panic about what just happened.
“It was,” he agrees. He’s still running his fingers through my folds. “You really do feel like silk.”
Heat coats my cheeks. That’s when I realize I’m still clutching his shirt and have a firm grip on his hair. “Sorry,” I mutter, releasing him and relaxing against the couch.
“For what? For getting lost in the way I make you feel? For taking what you needed from me? Don’t ever fucking apologize for that, Kinsley. I’m your man. You lean on me, and take from me whatever you need.”
“I can’t believe we just did that.”
“We did,” he says, like it’s not a surprise at all to him.
He removes his hands from my pants, and I moan at the loss of his body heat, the loss of the feel of his hands on me. I focus on what happens next. Now what do we do? I should get up, act like it was no big deal, let him know it’s fine for him to leave, but what he does next shocks me so much that I can’t move from my spot on the couch, from his arms.
“This isn’t enough,” he says, placing his fingers coated with my arousal in his mouth. “I’m teasing myself with this small taste. I’m going to need to do it right, and soon,” he tells me. Before I can form a coherent reply, Anna’s bedroom door opens. I go stiff in his arms. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer, holding me to him. “Close your eyes,” he whispers.
“Hey,” Anna says cheerily.
“Shh,” Brantley says softly. “Our girl’s napping,” he lies.
“Look at you,” she whispers back. “How’d you get her to relax enough to do that? She’s been fighting you off for months.”
I stiffen in his arms, but he just tightens his hold on me, running his hand soothingly up and down my back. “I’m not giving her the option anymore. She’s mine, has been for a long damn time. She just needs to admit it. I know she’s scared. I know why she refuses to date a firefighter, but we have something, and I’m not going to let her refuse it because of fear.”
He’s talking to Anna, but I know his words are for me.
“You’re good for her. She very rarely lets loose these days.” There’s a pause. “Don’t hurt her,” Anna warns him. I want to high-five my best friend for looking out for me, even though she thinks the two of us belong together.
“Never.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head, which is currently buried against his chest. “I’ve waited too long for this.”
“Well, I’m going to go meet Mara and Lacey for lunch. I was going to see if she wanted to come with me.”
“I’ve got her. I’ll make sure she eats when she wakes up.”
“Good. Okay, well, I’ll be gone a few hours. You two behave,” she says with a laugh. I can just imagine her winking at him. Traitor!
“She’s gone,” he says softly, as soon as I hear the door shut.
“How did you—?”
“Last night, you’re chatty when you’re drunk, baby,” he says, tucking my hair behind my ear. “You mentioned your dad missing stuff, and I get it. I do, but Kinsley, this isn’t going away. I can’t just stop wanting you. I’m not capable, so don’t make me even try.”
“I don’t want that life,” I tell him honestly. Not only did my father miss big events, I was always worrying about him when he was at work. “My dad, he was never there, and even if he was, he got called away. It’s not what I want for me or my future children.”
“Kids, huh? How many do you want?” he asks casually, as if this is something he discusses every day.
“That’s not the point. Did you hear anything else I just said?”
“Of course I did. I just chose to touch on the important topics first. I love kids.” He winks, and I resist the urge to groan. “As far as the rest of it, I get it. I really do. But you can’t live your life in a constant state of what if. I’m a firefighter, Kinsley. That’s who I am. That’s what I’ve always wanted to be. I can’t change that. I also can’t change how much I think about you.” He leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth, and my traitorous heartrate spikes. “How much I crave being close to you.” He kisses my cheek. “How much I want you in my bed every fucking night, screaming out my name. I can’t change any of it, and I don’t want to.”
Crazy thing is, I don’t want him to change any of it. I want him to be himself. I also want nothing more than to be in his bed every night. I just can’t seem to get past the fear and the worry. “I know it’s irrational, but he missed so much. I always felt like I was second to his career.”
“I’m sorry you felt that way, baby.” His eyes stay on mine as he continues, “Let me ask you something, did he tell you how much he loved you? Was he there every time he could be? Did he ever try to make it up to you?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t the same. Of course, I know he loves me. I’ve never felt as though he didn’t. I just… wanted him to be there.”
He’s quiet for a few minutes; I assume letting my words sink in. “Baby, what we do, it’s in our blood. I can’t explain it, but it is. Just because I’ve chosen a career that can be dangerous at times, doesn’t mean I’m not worthy of a family, or you. Please don’t fight me on this. I want you,” he says, kissing me slowly.
“Brantley,” I murmur against his lips, but he shuts me up by deepening the kiss. It works. I quickly lose my train of thought.
“Now, what are we doing the rest of the day?” he asks.
“Uh, I’m just going to lounge around. Take a nap, maybe. I need to sleep off the rest of this damn hangover.”
“Nap it is.” He taps my hip, and I take that as my cue to get up. My heart sinks that he’s leaving, but this is for the best. I can’t let today happen again. It was a moment of hangover weakness. I’ll be stronger to resist him next time. I’m about to start the awkward goodbye when he stands from the couch, but he surprises me by taking my hand and leading me to my room, closing and locking the door behind us. I stand still as I watch him strip out of his shorts and pull his T-shirt over his head. “Brant,” I choke out. “What are you doing?”
He turns to look at me over his shoulder. “I thought we were napping?”
“We?”
“We, you and me, in this bed, taking a nap.” He grins.
“Why are you getting undressed?”
He turns to face me, and in one long stride, we’re standing toe to toe. “I don’t like sleeping confined in clothes, and I want as much of your skin touching mine as possible. I’ve wanted that, wanted you for so long, Kins. You’re going to have to pick up the pace to catch up with me.”
“Doubtful,” I say under my breath, but from the gorgeous smile lighting up his face, I know he heard me.
“Let’s get you changed.” He makes quick work of unsnapping my shorts and gliding them over my hips. They fall to the floor. “Raise your arms,” he says huskily. I don’t fight him. Instead, I raise my arms over my head and let him remove my tank top. Braless, I s
tand before him in nothing but a pair of dark red silk panties. “Fuck,” he says, raking his eyes over every inch of me.
“We forgot my bra,” I say dumbly.
“Don’t move.” Leaning in, he kisses my bare shoulder before walking around me and opening my bedroom door. Naked and self-conscious as I wait for him, I climb into bed and pull the covers up over me just as he’s walking back into my room, bra in hand.
Holding it up so I can see, he tosses it on the floor, locks the door, and joins me in bed. “Come here,” he instructs, climbing under the covers. He holds his arms open for me, and I go to him. My resolve is shit. I can’t keep fighting him, not when there is nowhere else I’d rather be. He sighs when I snuggle up to him and rest my head on his chest. Then wrapping his arms around me, he kisses the top of my head.
He doesn’t say another word, and neither do I. Instead, I let the feel of his skin against mine, the warmth of his embrace, and the steady beat of his heart lull me to sleep.
Chapter 7
Brantley
Walking into the station at six in the morning on Sunday is a hell of a lot harder than it’s ever been before. It’s not the early hour that’s getting to me; it’s the soft sleeping woman I had to leave snuggled up in her bed. Kinsley looked so fucking beautiful this morning. I almost said fuck it and called in. If it weren’t for my team, I would have.
After napping yesterday, we ordered pizza for dinner. When Anna got home, the three of us watched a movie. I can’t say what it was, or what it was even about. I was too wrapped up in my girl, while she was wrapped up in my arms. When the movie was over, I couldn’t bear leaving her, so I stood from the couch and led us to her room. We stripped down again and climbed into bed. I held her all night, well, until about an hour ago when I had to sneak out. I had to run to my place to shower before my shift. I’m on for the next twelve hours.
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