Because I Said So: (A Texas Heroes Crossover Novel) (The Hell Yeah! Series)

by Sable Hunter

  Brodie picked up the reins, guiding the horse back to the path.

  Neither said a word.

  Being grateful for an emergency was so wrong, but both were relieved when the sound of the radio effectively ended their date.

  CHAPTER TEN

  As Brodie wiped the sweat from his brow, he acknowledged that he was sick and tired of feeling like he was being torn in two. Not even the adrenaline rush of saving a life could obliterate the self-reproach he felt at his treatment of Shane and the way he had tarnished Mary’s memory. Every moment of the time he’d spent inside her body, she’d wholly and completely beguiled him. He acceded to the truth that no woman, not even Mary, had ever made him feel the way Shane Wilder did.

  “Is that the last of them?” he asked as the firefighters stepped back from the smoldering building, letting the blaze finish it’s claiming of the historical structure.

  “Yea, we got everyone out, Walton. Thanks for the help.” Chris turned the wheel to wind up the hose as the others gathered their gear. “After the investigator determines the point of origin, we’ll know more.”

  “Yes, it’s a shame.” Brodie acknowledged the loss of the centuries old home. “I’m sure it was an accident. There’s always a risk when you rent out a place like this for events like a wedding.”

  “Are you ready?” Shane asked from behind him. “We made the last run to the E.R.”

  “Yea.” Brodie turned to look at her. “God, you look like hell, Wilder. You aren’t any better are you? I never should’ve let you come.” He berated himself for not seeing she was still sick.

  “I’m fine. I just need to rest.” She didn’t wait on him, heading back to the ambulance. There was a text on her phone from the clinic and she needed to be sitting down when she read it.

  Brodie watched her go. A good boyfriend would go home with her, tend to her needs, make sure she got enough rest. But he wasn’t a good boyfriend. He wasn’t any kind of a boyfriend. Raising his hand in farewell to the crew, he made for the EMT vehicle. Tomorrow, he needed to make sure they got back with their regular partners. He didn’t need to be working with Shane. Things were complicated enough between them.

  Seeing Brodie coming, Shane hurried, closing the door and pulling her phone from her pocket. Hastily, she opened the text and let her eyes rove over the words. What she saw almost stopped her heart.

  Ms. Wilder, it is with pleasure that I inform you that you’re pregnant. What you’re experiencing is nausea and fatigue due to your condition. Schedule an appointment with your OBGYN tomorrow.

  Shane glanced up in time to see Brodie come around the front of the vehicle. Hastily, she hid her phone, doing her dead level best to make her face blank of emotion.

  This was not going to go well.

  “I’ll drop you off at home, then go to the fire station. Since you rode with me, there’s no need for you to go in. This has been a long night.”

  “All right.” Shane understood this was his way of telling her that they wouldn’t be spending the night together. “Thank you.” She was glad, she needed distance and time to think.

  To process her…pregnancy.

  “If you’re not better tomorrow, I think you should go see your regular doctor.”

  “I’ll deal with it,” she said wearily, leaning her head back on the seat.

  Brodie started to argue with her, but for right now, maybe it was for the best. “Shane…about earlier…” Why did his gut feel like it was tied up in knots?

  Shane didn’t want to hear it. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed his concern. “Don’t worry about it, it’s already forgotten.” After all, she had much bigger things to worry about. As much as the thought of a baby thrilled her, she was under no illusions that whatever she and Brodie had would survive. This news would destroy what they shared.

  Her comment should’ve pleased him. Wasn’t this just what he wanted? Nonchalance. Space and distance, only coming together to assuage their mutual hunger for one another.

  So, why was he disappointed that she didn’t fight with him?

  “We’ll discuss it when you’re feeling better.”

  She said nothing more. All the way to her apartment, she stared out into the night.

  Brodie tried to make his mind a blank, but all he could see – all he could hear – all he could taste was her as she ensnared him in the most powerful sexual encounter he’d ever experienced. And now…it was already forgotten.

  Like hell.

  When he pulled up into her drive, she reached for the handle. “Thanks for the ride.”

  He stopped her with a hand on her arm. “We’ll talk about this later. Okay?”

  “Sure.” She gave him a half smile. “See you tomorrow.”

  Brodie sat and watched until she was safely inside the door before driving off.

  Once Shane was inside, she started stripping off her clothes, dropping them on the floor. Inside the stark white bathroom, she flipped on the light and stood in front of the mirror – naked. With a super critical eye, she studied her image. Big eyes. Narrow shoulders. Small breasts.

  Nothing special.

  Shane couldn’t see below her waist. She couldn’t see the place where her child rested. Spreading her hands over her abdomen, she tried to imagine the tiny life within her. Closing her eyes, she held her breath, almost able to imagine a flutter beneath her fingertips.

  Bowing her head, Shane groaned.

  Telling Brodie about the baby would be the hardest thing she’d ever done.

  But he had a right to know. There was no way she would keep it from him.

  Just not today.

  And maybe not tomorrow.

  * * *

  The next day was quiet at the fire station. Brodie took care of some paperwork and Shane made a run into Wimberley with Orion to return a piece of equipment they’d borrowed from Chief Sloan’s crew. With no calls and no emergencies, everyone seemed to try and find excitement by getting on one another’s nerves.

  “Walton, tell me the truth.” Chris leaned back in his chair so far, it was in danger of slipping out from under him. “What’s it like to be so big and have a dick so small?”

  Bucking his hips forward, Brodie cupped his cock through his pants with one hand and shot Chris a finger with the other. “You’d give everything you own to have a cock like mine.”

  Looking behind Brodie, Chris busted out laughing.

  “What?” Brodie turned around just in time to see Shane’s quickly retreating form. “What did she say?”

  “Oh, it wasn’t what she said.” Chris grinned. “She rolled her eyes and laughed at you.”

  “Bastard,” Brodie grumbled at Chris as he turned to follow Shane to her office.

  By the time he caught up with her, she was taking her purse out of the bottom drawer. “Where are you going?”

  “I have a doctor’s appointment,” she answered evenly, not meeting his gaze.

  “Really? You weren’t going to tell me?”

  For a microsecond, she wondered if he somehow knew… “Tell you what? It’s just a checkup.”

  “I am your supervisor.” He needlessly reminded her.

  “Sorry, you were busy when I came in. I told the Chief. Besides, you were the one who kept urging me to go.”

  “Right. I guess you might need some iron or something.” He picked up a paperweight off her desk and began to toss it from one hand to the other. “Do you want to get together later?”

  A sinking feeling hit Shane in the middle. “How about a rain check? I’ve got a feeling I’m going to be pretty worn out.”

  “Pretty worn out, huh? All right.” He laid the paperweight down. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Was he getting the brush off?

  “Yea, sure, tomorrow.” She gave him a vague smile and left quickly, almost as if she was trying to get away.

  “Hell.” Brodie pushed his hands deep into his pockets and stalked off.

  In the car, Shane chewed on her lip as she drove to the gynec
ologist. How was she going to get through this? She couldn’t even look Brodie Walton in the eye.

  The visit to the doctor was a trial and a tribulation. She hated doctors! Which was odd, considering her profession. By the time her session was over, she felt like a pincushion. Every orifice had been probed and she’d given the nurse more samples than she’d wanted to share. The lab results had confirmed what the ER doc had said, she was definitely pregnant, but just weeks. If she wanted to terminate the pregnancy, now was the time to do it. As soon as the idea crossed her mind, Shane rejected it. There was no way she could ever end the life of her child. Somehow, she’d make this work.

  With a prescription for vitamins in her hand, Shane made her way to her car. As she opened the door, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw the caller was Brodie. Great. She started not to answer it, but the chance it could be about work prevented he from ignoring him. “Wilder.”

  “What did the doctor say?”

  A small smile played over her lips. For a scant bit of time, she allowed herself to imagine he was a concerned husband and father-to-be. “You were right. I’m headed to pick up some vitamins.”

  “Ah. Good. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  There a pregnant pause. Pregnant? Jeesh!

  “Can I bring over some Chinese?” Brodie asked.

  Shane’s eyes bugged. He was being so nice. But the thought of Chinese made her stomach roll. What she really needed was a nap…and time to think. “I don’t think so. Could we skip tonight? I’m really tired.”

  “Absolutely. Not a problem.”

  Brodie’s words were clipped. She could tell he wasn’t happy. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’ve got plenty of other stuff I can be doing.”

  Once she hung up, Shane sat in the car for the longest while.

  At the station, Brodie slammed his hand against the wall.

  * * *

  Shane called in sick the next day and the next. By the third day, Brodie was the one who was sick. He couldn’t eat. He couldn’t sleep. And it was all Shane’s fault. He was too worried about her to function. What if she’d come down with some dread disease?

  As soon as he could break away from work, he headed to her place. Without calling to announce himself, he bounded up the steps and pounded on her door. “Shane! Shane! Open the door!”

  Inside, Shane jerked upright from where she’d been lying on the couch. She’d missed two days of work, not so much because she was ill of body but because she was sick at heart. By now, she had worked herself into such a state that she had a headache monstrous enough to kill a small mule. “Stop beating on the door!” she yelped as loudly as she could. Covering her eyes, she stumbled to the door and flung it open. “What do you want?”

  Brodie didn’t know if her brusque tone stemmed from anger or pain. “I was worried about you.” She was so pale and there were circles under her eyes. “You haven’t been answering your phone.”

  He’d called a dozen times. She’d finally put the phone under a sofa cushion so she wouldn’t be tempted to answer. “Brodie.” He looked the same, but better. Solid. Capable. Sexy as sin in a blue long sleeve Henley. Closing her eyes, she fought the impulse to throw herself into his arms.

  Now her voice held tones of resignation. He much preferred the anger. Taking her by the shoulders, he drew her closer. “What is wrong with you?”

  “The flu.” She pulled away. “I’m probably contagious.”

  For some reason, Brodie didn’t believe her. “The flu, huh?” Grasping her by the shoulders, he pulled her close, covering her mouth with his. When she gasped and pulled away, looking at him with shock, he growled, “I’m not afraid of a fuckin’ germ.”

  Brodie looked like he wanted to pick a fight, but Shane didn’t have the energy. She bowed her head. “Maybe you should be.”

  When she turned from him, Brodie grasped her arm, easing her back into him with utmost gentleness. “I just need to hold you for a minute.”

  Shane let him hold her, hope and despair warring within her breast. She loved him, that truth wasn’t in question. The danger lay in her foolish heart’s tendency to grasp onto the least little hint that he might care for her. For the past three days, she’d missed him so much. Sometimes she found it hard to breathe when he wasn’t around.

  Brodie held her, completely aware of the evolution of her emotions. When he’d first pulled her against him, she’d been as stiff as a board. But he’d stubbornly held on, now she was beginning to relax. In a few more seconds, she’d be melting against him like she normally did. At last, her breathing evened out. “Now, that’s better. Can I come in for a little while?”

  “Yes.” God, she was weak. So weak.

  “When was the last time you ate anything?” Brodie guided her to the couch.

  “Earlier, I don’t know.”

  “Sit here. I’m going to make you some soup.”

  She grasped a pillow and held it over her stomach like a shield as she watched him head to the next room, to the small kitchen. “There’s some Campbell’s tomato in the pantry.”

  “Perfect.”

  Shane could hear a pot clanking, then the can opener. His actions made her want to cry. He was being sweet. She buried her head in the pillow. How sweet would he be when he found out the truth? In her fantasies, he wanted the baby, he wanted them both.

  “Crackers?”

  “Yes, please. And milk.”

  “Milk?” he questioned. “Milk usually isn’t good with a fever.”

  “I don’t have a fever.”

  “Okay. Milk, it is.”

  Shane waited another couple of minutes, then tossed the pillow down and padded across the floor in her sock feet to join him. “Have you eaten? There’s a frozen pizza.”

  “Already have it in the oven, hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.” For a big man, he was working fairly efficiently in her small kitchen.

  “Here, sit with me.” He sat down in a chair, then snagged her around the waist and pulled Shane down into his lap. Layering his mouth over hers, he took the time to tangle their tongue and kiss her like he meant it. “I missed holding you.”

  “Me too,” she admitted, knowing how dangerous this was – they needed to talk.

  Brodie cuddled her until he smelled the pizza. “I think dinner’s done.”

  Eating with him, dining together in silent compatibility was almost a religious experience. As they ate their meal, Shane imagined the three of them as a family, sharing a holiday dinner, and birthday parties. How was your day? How was school? Her eyes would meet Brodie’s across the table, making promises they’d keep once the day was done, and they were in bed together.

  After they’d finished, she helped him pick things up, even as he tried to get her to sit down. “I can do this,” he protested.

  “I know.” She’d probably hate herself in the morning – hell he’d probably hate her in the morning. This might be the last time they would be together. “But I’m feeling better and I want to hurry.”

  “Why? Do you have something else to do? Do you want me to leave?”

  Shane had to be imagining things. Did he sound unsure of himself? “No, I don’t want you to leave.” On the contrary, she wanted him to stay.

  “Are you going to accost me like you did in the carriage?”

  His teasing tone confused her. “No, you didn’t like that,” she murmured with her back still to him.

  “How could you tell?” he said lowly as he came close, his arms enclosing her in an embrace, his breath fanning her neck.

  “Because you pushed me away.” Shane frowned, stating the obvious.

  “Maybe I liked it too much,” he whispered in her ear. “Ever thought of that?”

  “No,” she answered honestly.

  “I guess I’ll have to convince you.” He spun her around in his arms. “Are you sure you feel okay?”

  Winding her arms around his neck, she assured him. “I feel like making
love to you.” She winced, aware she’d made a slip of the tongue. Not once had they ever referred to their having sex as ‘making love’.

  “Good,” was his only response, before he slipped his fingers underneath her shirt and skimmed it over her head. “Because my cock is just about to burst.”

  Within the next thirty seconds, clothes were tossed hither and yon. Shane felt as if Brodie had three mouths and six hands – they were everywhere. He licked her neck and pinched her nipples, all while he plunged two fingers deep inside of her, testing her readiness to receive him. “I’m going to apologize ahead of time,” he said, as he picked her up setting her down on the kitchen counter.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m not going to be a gentleman about this.” Fisting his cock, he spread her legs and fit the tip to the tender opening of her vagina. “Wrap your legs around me,” he instructed as he palmed her ass and pulled it to the edge, burying himself to the hilt as he did so.

  “Oh, my God.” She sighed. “Did you grow?” Shane pressed her heels into his buttocks and pulled them closer together.

  “I haven’t cum in three days. What did you expect? I’m addicted to you.” Brodie didn’t address the years he’d spent celibate before Shane. It was only the time since Shane that mattered now.

  Clutching him tighter she just let herself feel, having him deep within her was like being welcomed home. “This feels so good,” she keened as he braced his arms on the cabinet and slammed into her again and again.

  “Holy fuck,” he moaned into her neck as his hips pumped frantically – forward and back, forward and back. Shane strained toward him, scrubbing her clit on his pelvis each time their bodies collided.

  “Oh, Brodie, I can’t…” she whimpered as he plunged harder – faster.

  “Oh, yes, you can,” he said through gritted teeth. “You’ll do this because I said so. Cum for me, Shane. Show me how much you want me,” Brodie demanded.

  As the tension mounted, Shane held his gaze, willing him to see the truth of her feelings, to see her heart. “I want you more than anything.” She belonged to Brodie, even if he didn’t want her, nothing would change that she’d given herself to him, body and soul.