by Kym Grosso
Pissed as fuck, Lars climbed the hill into the parking lot, remnant embers crunching underneath his feet. The distant pounding bass dwindled as he moved toward the line of cars. A halo of light morphed into two silhouettes, their laugher spilling into the night. A feminine giggle caught his attention. Braelynn. Seth’s familiar voice followed hers.
A stab of envy pierced his chest, and Lars stopped short, stilling in the darkness. He took a deep breath, questioning not only the jealousy that stirred within but how Braelynn could enjoy another man’s company so easily. He wiped his hand over his hair, disgusted at the existence of his feelings. Exhaling the negative thoughts, he coughed, deliberately drawing attention to his presence.
“Lars,” he heard Braelynn whisper.
“Hey, dude. Nice tonight, yeah?” Seth asked, his reflection shifting in the path of twinkling lawn lights.
“What’s going on?” Lars forced his casual tone.
“Seth,” Braelynn laughed. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Hey, no worries. You’re good to go.”
“What happened? You okay?” Lars’ attention went to Braelynn, whose wide eyes caught his.
“Nothing,” she whispered. Her broad smile faded as her palms flattened down her skirt.
“She took a tumble,” Seth explained. “Rolled down the hill. But it’s all good. I managed to snag her before she took off over the cliff.”
“I was not rolling!” she insisted, a small grin forming on her lips.
“All a matter of perspective, girl. I say rolling. You say rolling.” His laughter died quickly as the tension thickened between Lars and Braelynn. “Hey, you know I just remembered Chase needs some help before the games start.”
“Games?” Braelynn softly repeated, not taking her eyes off of Lars.
“It’s time to go,” he stated.
“Lars…” she began, breaking eye contact.
“Home,” he growled. Lars loathed the seeds of possession that threatened to take root.
“Yeah, okay.” she agreed.
“Get in.” Lars silently cursed.
The anger of the situation with Garrett was replaced with self-doubt, as he wondered how the hell he’d gotten himself in this situation. Emotion swirled like a hurricane vortex. Unable to thwart the storm, he took a deep breath. Soon, he’d help her steal whatever secret she’d refused to tell him about. Then like a feather in the wind, she’d be gone.
Chapter Fifteen
Tight as a spring wire, Lars leaned his forehead onto the granite tiles, letting the hot spray sluice down his hard body. He let the tension wash away as his mind raced with thoughts of the evening. They’d taken the short ride home in silence. When they’d returned, Braelynn insisted on taking a shower. Leaving her alone in the downstairs guest room, he’d locked up the house and immediately retired to his bedroom.
Lars brushed the lather through his hair, and her raw beauty flashed in his mind. His cock thickened and he stroked his palm over it, recalling how her tight pussy had pulsated around him. His little exhibitionist had blossomed in the heat of the night, trusting him to give her pleasure in front of others. Her soft moan as he’d slid into her a final time remained fixed in his mind.
Thoughts of Seth with Braelynn threaded through him, and he considered all the times they’d shared women. None of the girls had been particularly special yet, and perhaps that was why jealousy had never factored into the equation. When he’d fucked Braelynn at Altura, Seth’s interest hadn’t gone unnoticed. Had it been another woman, he’d have invited him to play. But with Braelynn, her induction into his world belonged to him, and him alone.
After they’d had sex, he’d thought putting distance between them had been for the best, but knowing she was downstairs waiting for him, the only thing running through his mind was continuing what they’d started. Lars cursed in frustration and released his erection. He wasn’t going to stroke off when he could be buried deep inside her again.
He switched off the water, and grabbed a towel. As he dried himself, a loud clank sounded from downstairs, and he wondered what the hell she could be doing. Although he’d brought a few women into his home, he’d never left one alone. Lars scrubbed his fingers through his wet hair, considering that he’d lost his fucking mind.
Pulling on a pair of shorts, he stopped short and sniffed. The spicy scent of Italian gravy drifted into the bedroom and his eyes widened. Oh hell no. She’s cooking. He’d been so preoccupied, he’d forgotten about dinner.
He took off down the hallway. As he bounded down the stairs, he slowed his pace. He caught sight of a small figure huddled in front of the gas fireplace. The flickering light flashed onto the bleached brick wall. With her back leaning against the leather sofa, Braelynn sat on the area rug, holding a glass of wine, his oversized robe bunching around her wrists.
Lars glanced to his dining room table where the candlelight from the thick decorative white pillar candles danced over the classic meal she’d prepared. Pasta. Salad. Bread. A bottle of wine sat on the edge, a half-filled glass next to it. Lars brushed his hand over his chin, angry at himself that he hadn’t taken better care of her.
“Hey, you didn’t need to make dinner. I just needed a quick shower before I…” his words faded. As he came around the sofa, he observed the trails of tears down her cheek. “Brae.”
“Lars.” Her voice trembled as she stared at the blazing logs. She sucked a deep breath, her eyes darting to meet his gaze and then quickly focusing back onto the fire.
“Sweetheart.” His voice softened as he knelt down to her. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t do this.”
“Do what?” He couldn’t be sure if she was referring to what they’d done at Altura or tomorrow’s plans to go to Bart-Aqua.
“You, Lars.”
“What about me?”
“Tonight, I…I’ve never done anything like that before. You pushed me to do things, things I wouldn’t otherwise do.”
“I’m sorry if you didn’t want to make lo…” Lars stopped short, rephrasing to avoid that word. There was no love, only fucking, he reminded himself. “It was amazing.”
“It’s not about the sex.” She shook her head, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.
“Tomorrow is going to come fast. Brae…look at me.” His palm caressed her wet cheek. Her reddened eyes went to his. “You’re leaving tomorrow, remember?” The words burned like battery acid on his tongue.
“Tonight… I’d never done anything like that before. We made love,” she whispered.
Lars took a deep breath, forcing an impassive expression as she used the word he’d avoided. Developing feelings for a woman who was leaving was one of the stupidest things he’d ever done.
“You…you…” she stuttered.
“I what?”
“I shouldn’t say it.” She shook her head and glanced to the table. “Dinner’s going to get cold.”
“You need to say it, Brae. We may not have much time…” Lars closed his eyes, emotion creeping into his chest. His gaze met hers, and he continued, “We need honesty. Tonight you gave me your trust and then…”
“And then you backed away.” Her lips tensed. She moved to push onto her feet but he reached for her arm.
“It’s true. I did, but you have to see this from my perspective. Tomorrow this all ends. We had a great time, but Brae…I can’t get attached.”
“I just thought…”
“Just thought what? You told me you’re in serious trouble. And it appears you are. This thing with us. One weekend. That’s what we agreed. If you want to stop all this between us right now we will.” He paused and glanced to the table. “No more making…having sex.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“So we have tonight? Tomorrow morning, we get what you need and you’re off. I’ll make the necessary arrangements and you can disappear, if that’s what you want.”
“I don’t want to go…you don’t understand.”
“You’re
right. I don’t get it at all. And you know what, unless you’re willing to tell me what the hell is going on, none of this is up for discussion. So what is it going to be, Dr. Rollins?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Do I have all of you for the rest of the night? Yes or no?”
Braelynn sighed and sipped her wine. Slowly turning her focus from the fire to Lars, she nodded.
“Yes?” Lars gave a small smile.
“I can’t…” Her voice trembled but her eyes shined with defiance. “I don’t want to give you up. But tomorrow…”
“Tomorrow,” he repeated, not finishing the thought. They both knew the score. Lars pushed to his feet. “I’ll bring us dinner here.”
“But Lars, I made…”
“Stay,” he ordered. He hated the situation, yet he craved her, sought to consume her, knowing full well they had no future.
Piling the ziti onto a plate, he grabbed a few slices of bread, a napkin and a fork. He caught the amused smile on her face as he backtracked, capturing the bottle of wine.
“How hungry are you?” he asked, coming closer. Lars rested the items on an end table, and sat back onto the floor, still easily managing the dish. He raised a playful eyebrow at her, noting how her wild hair looked even sexier than when she’d brushed it.
“Very.”
“Answers for bites, Doctor.” He stabbed at the pasta and held it into the air.
“You like games, don’t you?”
“Not the kind that involve lies. But in general, yeah sure. Games are fun. You didn’t play them as a child?”
“I was busy learning.”
“Now you see, that’s no fun. You need to play.”
“Maybe I don’t want to play.”
“Maybe you do. But you know what would be even more fun…it’s getting warm in here.” Lars glanced to her loose robe, looking forward to untying and retying its sash in a way that best suited him.
“I can turn the fire off. I’m sorry, I didn’t think to ask…I just…”
“I love the fire. Your robe, however…” He gave a broad smile. “Well, we’ll get to that in a minute. Food first, then play, then food. I want the truth. And then you get this delicious food you made.”
“You’re evil,” she said with a flirty smile.
“Why were you really upset when I came down tonight?”
Braelynn blew out a breath and shook her head. “I already told you, but if we really are doing this truth thing, it’s just that Lars…part of me, I don’t know. I like you. I don’t want this to be just a weekend. I want more. But I can’t have that.”
Her confession should have scared him. If it had been any other woman, he’d run fast and far. But he knew she was leaving anyway, both hated and appreciated that it wasn’t going anywhere. Lars teased her lips with the fork, his cock stirring as she bit down onto the food. Her fingers wrapped around the fork, and she tugged it away from him.
“You know you shouldn’t ever mess with a woman’s food. Like ever. If you did that in my mom’s kitchen, you might end up with this fork in your arm.” She smiled, yet Lars suspected she wasn’t kidding. Braelynn scooped up more ziti, and grinned at him. “My turn. What’s the deal between you and the redhead?”
“Jealous?” he challenged.
“I am really, really hungry.” She eyed the food.
“She watches my dog.”
“Wrong answer. Try again.” Braelynn shoved the fork into her mouth, eating with a smile.
Jesus, the woman was fiery and he loved every fucking second of it. The desire to spank her ass pink churned within him but he enjoyed the chase.
“I could eat this pasta all day, Mr. Elliott. Red. What’s the deal?”
“We fuck every now and then.” Lars detected the flash of hurt in her eyes that she tried so carefully to conceal. “It’s nothing serious. She watches Sasha sometimes. That’s all.”
“No girlfriends?”
“That’s two questions.” He gave a sly smile as she brushed the ziti over his lips. Lars licked at the gravy, quickly capturing the treat. With his eyes locked on hers, his fingers slid over her hand. Although he resisted his own confession, the words erupted from his soul. “There’s no one else in my life. You. This weekend. You’re the only one I want.”
The warmth of Braelynn’s smile wrapped around him, and he didn’t regret his revelation. Attempting to shake off the vulnerability he’d exposed, he dug the fork into the pasta once again.
“Tonight,” he reached to cup her cheek, his thumb trailing down her chin, “I want to pretend like it’s just us. My turn. I get two questions now.”
“Hey, that’s not fair.”
“Yes it is. You just had two. First question,” he continued, not giving her a chance to protest further. “Why didn’t you play games when you were a child?”
“My parents. They were very loving, but we moved a lot. My father was a researcher. An entrepreneur. Like you in some ways. Maybe not as successful, but still, he earned his own way. I spent a lot of my childhood in a bubble. It wasn’t as if I didn’t have friends, but my parents…I don’t know. They were what you’d expect of your stereotypical professors…learning was a game for me. The type of games you play, Lars? I’ve never met anyone like you. You…you’re different. You enjoy taking risks. I mean, I haven’t seen you do it, but you skydive a lot, and the other things, Everest…normal people don’t do those things. My parents…well, I suppose their lives weren’t as adventurous. I’m sorry…what was the question?”
Lars noted the sad smile on her face, sensing her parents had passed. Although the topic had brought a somber tone to the conversation, her upbringing perhaps explained why Braelynn had been so conservative. Changing the subject, he fed her the ziti and pressed her further.
“You enjoyed tonight. Watching the threesome in the club?”
“Maybe,” she hedged.
Lars sipped his wine, and continued. “Seth enjoyed watching us, too. I’ve shared women with him. Had threesomes.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Braelynn choked on her food, and blinked her eyes.
“Would you like to have Seth join us?” Lars couldn’t be sure if he’d share Braelynn. Still the fantasy rumbled within him, and his cock hardened.
“I didn’t notice he was watching,” she responded, not directly answering the question.
“No lying, little fox.” Lars reached for her robe. His fingers drifted between her breasts, and with one smooth movement he separated the fabric, exposing her skin.
“I…I…wasn’t sure who saw us,” she continued.
Lars brushed the garment off her shoulders, leaving her completely bared to him. She didn’t make a move to cover herself. As Braelynn struggled with her answer, he brushed the back of his hand over her stiff peaks, and she sucked a breath.
“Do you fantasize about being with two men?”
“What does it matter if I do?”
“Come here,” he ordered. She scooted towards him, but not fast enough for his liking. Lars snatched her ankle, and she giggled in response. Setting the bowl onto the floor, he slid her away from the sofa. Spreading her legs wide open, he guided her back onto her arms, settling her onto the floor.
“What are you doing?” She laughed
“Finishing dinner, of course.” Lars smiled, scooped more pasta and leaned towards her, teasing her lips open until she bit down. He rested the fork back into the bowl, and reached for the glass of wine. Taking a sip, he drank in the sight of Braelynn, his hungry eyes roaming over her body.
“Um…I don’t usually eat dinner naked.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Really? So you’re telling me I haven’t lived?”
“Jump out of a plane with me. Feel the wind. That, Doctor, that exhilaration, it makes you appreciate being alive.”
“Lars.” She smiled, licking her lips. “I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. I know tonight I was, well, it was unconventional. But I d
on’t do heights.”
“You might like it. We could go rock climbing.”
“What is it with you? Don’t you like living? You could die.”
“Sure I could, but it’s a calculated risk. And sometimes…” Lars trailed his fingers over her hip, onto her inner thigh. Her chest rose in arousal, and he continued his lesson. “Take skydiving. I’m less likely to die jumping out of a plane than hang gliding. Base jumping? Far more dangerous. Rock climbing? There’s far less risk of death than base jumping…well, unless you’re doing Everest.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re insane?” she responded.
“Many times.” He laughed, giving a broad smile. “Perhaps deserved. But this isn’t about being rational. It’s about taking life by the balls, not the other way around. It doesn’t matter if you’re flat broke or are a millionaire. No, it’s all about perspective.”
“If you have nothing, how are you supposed to do the things you do?” she challenged.
“Ever jumped off a cliff into the churning ocean? Surfed before the break of dawn? There are plenty of people, some at Altura, who aren’t even close to being rich, but they’re living. They’re experiencing. Savoring life. You fuck the rules and do what you want. Be happy with what you have. Be present.” Lars glanced to the burgundy essence in his glass, “Take this wine. It’s two hundred dollars a bottle.”
“Holy shit.” She choked. “I’m sorry, I just picked a red off the rack in the kitchen and opened it. I had no idea it cost so much.”
“No, worries. It’s not about that. You did good. It goes great with pasta. I keep the more expensive ones in the cellar anyway.”
“But…”
“Brae…it’s not about the cost. You’re missing my point. It’s not about the cost. It’s about perspective.” He held the wine up to the light. “I can drink it properly, smell its bouquet. Taste the notes of berries. Observe the legs. Sip it slowly, savoring the flavor. Now I’m not saying all that fancy shit isn’t worth doing. But I have a beautiful woman in front of me, so it’s not about the wine per se.” Lars moved closer and dipped his fingers into his glass. Withdrawing them, he brought them to her lips. “We can play. Break whatever notions society has set for us.” He slid his thumb over her parted mouth. Blood rushed to his cock as her tongue darted out over his fingertip. He took a deep breath and continued, his voice low and soft. “The wine, it tastes even more brilliant than ever. You’ve let go. And fuck if I’m not enjoying the feel of your sweet little mouth.”