Fireworks: A Holiday Bad Boy Romance

by Claire Adams

  He offered his hand. "Is that a joke? You're the hottest girl on this fucking lake, and I've not slept with everyone on the lake. Almost, but I'm not quite there yet. You showing up kinda thwarted my plans."

  "Whore," I whispered as I took his hand and let him pull me toward him.

  "Help me change that?" He slid his hands over my hips and up my back, surprising me a little. I half assume he would cop-a-feel the minute he got a chance.

  "Something tells me I would only add to-”

  "There you guys are!" Emily's voice pulled me from the moment, stunning me a little. I moved back and turned from Brody, almost grateful for the break. I was ready to forgo my promises to keep away from the sexy bastard and just dive in deep, if even for a night.

  "Now who's being shy?" Derek laughed and moved through the water with the rest of the group in tow.

  "I was hoping to show Cora a different side of my personality. That I'm not just all heat and tension, muscle and manliness." Brody moved up beside me, still keeping his hands to himself.

  "Yeah right. We've heard all your lines before buddy." Clay moved to my left and pulled Emily to rest against his side as he glanced up at the sky. "It's beautiful out here. How did we get so lucky?"

  "I don't know, but someone must be doing something right." Daniel's voice was nothing more than a whisper.

  I reached out and brushed my hand down Brody's arm until I found his palm. I wrapped my hand around his and moved closer as I gazed up. I wanted what everyone else had, I just was choosing the wrong man to have it with. On one hand, it was a good thing, seeing that I wouldn't be breaking tradition, but on the other hand...could I survive a guy like him?

  He squeezed my hand under the water and cleared his throat. "What's the plan for tomorrow night? Are we going to the big bash in town or doing something together, just the eight of us?"

  "Let's do both." Cindy wrapped her arms around Derek's neck and pressed herself to his back. He growled softly, causing all of us too chuckle.

  "I agree. Both sounds fun." Dedra turned to Daniel and smiled. "I'll race you to the dock across the lake?"

  "I'm a good swimmer. You sure about that?" He smiled, looking incredibly handsome without his glasses.

  "Can you see a fucking thing?" Brody asked, smirking.

  "Nope, but there's no need to when I'm swimming, you ass." Daniel moved toward Dedra. "Winner gets to choose where we eat tomorrow night."

  "You're on." They took off as we all watched in anticipation of Dedra smoking him.

  "Why did he offer something like dinner, and you offered-” I started, but Brody cut me off.

  "Because he's a really, really nice guy. I'm just a nice guy." He turned to face me a smiled. "Let's find some place we can talk. Just us."

  "And, by talk he means” Clay started, but Emily cut him off.

  "Alright, you. Let's go back toward the boats and make out. Stop cock-blocking." She pulled him away, and Cindy and Derek followed them.

  "She's gotten a little more ballsy since you guys got here, hm?" Brody turned to me and smiled, pulling me closer.

  I brushed my hands up his chest and stifled the need to sigh at how fucking good he felt against me.

  "She's getting comfortable around you guys, which is always a good thing." I slid my foot down the outside of his leg and brushed my hands up to cup his neck. "I'm not sure them leaving us alone is a good thing, though."

  "I agree." He moved closer and touched the side of my face. "But there's no point in not taking full advantage of it."

  I couldn't think of anything but how good it would feel to have his mouth on mine again, his body pressed against mine.

  His hands tightened on my hips as I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.

  A groan left both of us, and I opened myself up, inviting his tongue deep into my mouth. As badly as I wanted to wrap my legs around his waist and grind against him, I held back. Fucking in the lake sounded hot, but it wouldn't at all be the experience I wanted for us—at least for our first time. I could only hope that somewhere in the recess of his thoughts, he imagined more than one time with me.

  Pull back. You know he's just like Brandon. He even looks like him. He had some chick on his lap a few hours ago.

  "God, you're so damn hot, Cora." He kissed down the side of my neck, his lips soft and tongue warm as he lapped at me.

  A million images rushed through my mind, most of them fantasies I wanted to play out in the closest bedroom with the sexy bastard.

  "I'm not sleeping with you," I murmured and sucked his earlobe into my mouth.

  "You're right. There's not going to be any sleeping." He chuckled and pressed his teeth against my neck, causing goosebumps to break out along my exposed skin.

  "You're so damn corrupt." I almost melted when his hands finally moved down my back and over my ass, cupping it tightly as he tugged at the back of my thighs.

  As much as I promised myself that I wouldn't, I wrapped my legs around him and slid my arms around his neck, gliding along the thickness of his erection as a whimper left me.

  "Mmmm...now we're talking my language." He licked up the long column of my neck and pressed his lips to my ear. "How long has it been since a man took care of you?"

  "Too long." I turned toward him and gripped the back of his head as I pressed my lips against his again. His fingers tightened on my soft skin and tugged me up and down, massaging his cock with the softness of my body.

  "Ouch!" He jerked forward as his expression changed.

  "What?" I glanced around, fear filling me where desire once was.

  "Fuck. Something is in here with us, Cora. Let's go. To the shore. Fucking fast. It's big." He grabbed my hand and waded through the water as I ran beside him, my heart racing as panic filled me.

  I glanced back to see something dark moving through the water and screamed, releasing his hand and hauling ass back up to the shore.

  "Holy shit." He stopped beside me as he walked to the edge of the water. "It's a fucking alligator. I thought they didn't come around people."

  "We gotta tell everyone." I cupped my breasts and ran around the shore, yelling at the top of my lungs. "There's an alligator in the water. Get out. Now!"

  Brody did the same, and by the time we got back to the fire, everyone was covering themselves and laughing nervously.

  "Unbelievable." Clay walked down to the water's edge and peered out as Brody joined him. I took advantage of the opportunity to get dressed, but most of the guys seem to not have a care in the world about walking around naked.

  "Where are Dee and Daniel?" Brody turned to look at me, disappointment flooding his features as I fixed my top and stood up dressed.

  "Across the lake." I moved up beside him and ignored just how incredibly hot he looked standing there completely naked as rivets of water ran down his tanned skin. Now wasn't the time. I cupped my face and looked around to see them sitting on the far side of the lake on the shore. Sitting?

  "Are they making out?" Brody chuckled and moved away from me, grabbing his swimsuit.

  "They sure are." Clay turned and smiled at me before cupping himself. "Shit. Sorry, Cora."

  "It's all good." I walked back over to the fire and helped Emily tie her top back into place. "Well, that was an adventure. Not the kind I'd regularly sign up for, but something to remember the trip, by nevertheless."

  "Remember the trip by? I'm not enough?" Brody pulled his shirt over his head and gave me a sexy smile.

  "That's yet to be determined, mister." I dropped down on a log and pulled out the marshmallows. "Alright. Obviously, we're not supposed to make-out tonight, so back to stories and treats?"

  The resounding grumbles around me were humorous, but the gleam in Brody's eye as he dropped down next to me and turned my way was all-consuming.

  "Let's get out of here. Go back to the house and pick up where we left off?" He leaned in and slid his hand down my back, cupping my butt as if we were a sure thing.

  "Nope. You had your chan
ce, and you decided to let the little alligator scare you off. Puss." I shrugged and pulled out some marshmallows as everyone laughed.

  "Little alligator?" He moved back and took hold of the bag, popping a few of the sugary treats into his mouth. "I don't want to even hear the lies you're willing to tell about me after I give you the best night of your life."

  "Oh Lord. Here we go again." Clay walked behind us and popped Brody in the back of the head.

  "What? I'm capable of that." He licked his lips and glanced toward me. "You don't believe that alligator was little, right? That thing was fucking huge."

  "So were you, but I'm not telling anyone that, either." I licked at my fingers and smiled as he chuckled and moved closer.

  Chapter 22

  Brody

  The night ended pretty soon after that, thanks to Emily getting something stuck in her foot. The poor girl had screamed like an animal with its leg caught in a trap. I almost felt bad for Clay...almost. We made sure the girls got home and piled into the living room to watch a movie, but I never made it past the previews before letting the darkness pull me under.

  I woke up the next morning to someone pushing at my head.

  "Get up. I wanna watch T.V. Go to your bed." Clay.

  Pushing his foot off my face, I pulled myself up to a sitting position and glanced around, realizing that I was still on the living room floor.

  "Shit. Did I sleep here all night?" I groaned as I got up. Everything hurt. I didn't need anyone to answer my question. I could feel the effects of it.

  "Yeah. I guess everyone else made it to their beds but you." He chuckled. "You look like shit. Let me take a picture to send to Cora. Someone needs to warn the girl that you're not all Goldilocks and smiles."

  "Fuck you, too," I grumbled and pulled my shirt off as I walked toward the bedroom. The clock beside the bed showed that it was already past ten, but I didn't care. I was beat.

  After closing my bedroom door and stripping naked, I crawled into the bed and face planted in the middle of the mattress with a groan. I prayed like hell that my overactive imagination would take a break and let me get back to sleep, but it wasn't happening.

  Every moment from the night before danced behind my closed eyes, and I couldn't figure out why in the world I'd been so timid with Cora. I would have normally been balls deep in a hot naked girl with her legs wrapped around me, and yet...

  "Ugh." I rolled onto my back and cupped myself as need drove through the center of me. "So hot."

  Her tight little body had my hormones working overtime, which wasn't good for anyone—least of all her. I gripped my cock and pressed my hips forward as my mind went into overdrive.

  We should have fucked in the lake. A nice, slow fuck that left both of us shaking and needy for more. Her breasts bouncing in my face and the sound of her panting while she took me deep inside of her would have been bliss.

  My phone buzzed as I thrusted again. I tried to ignore it, but the idea of it being her pulled me from the moment.

  "Shit." I grabbed the phone, realizing that it was a call from an unknown number. My body screamed for me to forgo talking to whoever might be trying to sell me something and finish taking care of business. I'd figured out that coming wasn't a problem, at all, as long as I let myself imagine the hands on me to be Cora's. The girl had me wrapped up in wanting her something terrible, and fighting it was a useless waste of energy.

  "What?" I barked into the phone and ran my hand over my erection again as it twitched.

  "Hey. Did I wake you up, playboy?" Cora.

  "No. Yes. Come over and find out." I stroked myself again as my pulse spiked. "I'm masturbating. Come help me?"

  "Ha ha. As if I believe that." Her voice was soft, sexy, drawing. "Come get me after lunch and let's finish our friend date."

  "You wanna go see a movie?" I ran my fingers over the head of my cock, glancing down to watch my need for the girl on the phone manifest fully. I dropped my head back, pressing my teeth into my bottom lip. I had no shame—nor would I ever.

  "No. I want to grab something to eat and go walk along the beach together. I'm thinking maybe I might have misjudged you on a few different levels." She paused. "You are masturbating, aren't you?"

  "I told you I was. I can't stop thinking about last night. You left me needy and aching." I groaned as she laughed into the phone.

  "Are you for real? Who does that?" She laughed, but I could tell she was interested in what was going on with me.

  "Me. Come over." I thrusted again and groaned. "Hurry. You're going to miss the explosion."

  "Did I really call you to ask you to take me to lunch?" Her voice tightened.

  Fuck.

  "I was just teasing with you. Jeez." I scoffed and released myself. "I'll be there at eleven. Is that good enough?"

  "Yeah. I'll let you go so you can continue with whatever you're up to." Another nervous chuckle.

  "I'd rather you stay on the phone with me so I can hear your voice when I-”

  "Brody!"

  I laughed and rolled onto my side. "Alright. I'll see you in a little while. I'm just teasing you—or am I?"

  "You're so corrupt."

  "I am, but you're thinking about me laying here naked, working myself into a frenzy over you, aren't you?" I licked at my lips as pleasure pulsed through me.

  "You know it. Don't be late." She dropped the call, and I rolled over, taking myself back in my hand and doing just as I promised I would: working myself into a frenzy over her.

  *

  "You smell good." She pressed her shoulder to mine as we walked toward town.

  "You look good." I licked at my lips. "Can you believe just a few days ago you wanted to string me up as the town whore? Me. Me!"

  She rolled her eyes and slid her hands into her shorts pockets as she turned to face me at the stop sign. "You're still the town whore, and I still want to string you up."

  "Tie me up? Wow. This conversation took a fantastic turn." I wagged my eyebrows at her and reached over, pulling at her wrist before taking her hand and walking across the street toward the beach. "Does a taco stand sound okay?"

  "What's up with you and Mexican food?" She glanced over at me, and the sunlight played through her chestnut locks. Beautiful wasn't strong enough of a word to describe her.

  "I'm full-blooded Mexican. Hello? How do you not know this?" I tugged her hand and nodded toward the water. "The best stand is right over here. They have this mango salsa that will make you want to slap your mother."

  "What if I already want to slap her?" Cora turned toward the water, keeping me from getting a chance to read her expression.

  "Then, this will only enhance it?" I chuckled and released her hand to wrap my arm around her shoulders. "You really think I'm a whore, still?"

  "Are you?" She slid her arm around my lower back, surprising me a little. The girl was wishy-washy hot and cold with me. Where it should have been aggravating, it wasn't. It was almost entertaining.

  "Nope. I just like women. I love hearing them moan." I shrugged. "There's power in bringing someone pleasure."

  "And, what about your own pleasure?" She moved up to stand in line, but turned to face me. "Isn't that what you're really after?"

  No way in hell I was spilling my issues to her. She'd never understand and would likely make fun of me. Even thinking about her teasing me over my lack of contentment in the bedroom made my stomach sick.

  "There is that, too, but no... I think it's about acceptance, right? We all want to be accepted. I'm no different." I stepped toward her and reached out, turning her with a tight grip on her hips. "Check out the menu and figure out what we're sharing."

  She glanced over her shoulder. "Are you really sharing with me? A big guy like you?"

  "Big? Are you calling me fat?" I pressed my chest to her back and took the risk of sliding a hand around to her stomach.

  "Yep. You should get the skinny tacos." She turned her face a little and took a short breath. "You're going to ruin me, a
ren't you?"

  "Ruin you? Never. I plan on trying to make you better. You're awfully shy, though. We should bring you out of your shell." I nipped at her lips before releasing her and moving up beside her. My whole body was on fire for a long afternoon in the bed with her lips pressed to my skin, her cries filling up my ears.

  She popped me in the chest and turned to order a taco plate from the attendant, leaving me with the opportunity to study her. I pursed my lips and took a subtle step back as she took care of getting lunch. Her white tank top sat against her tanned shoulders and left me wanting to run my fingertips over the pretty spray of freckles that covered her.

  "You want anything else?" She looked over at me, looking far more innocent than she had up to that point.

  "Just you." I licked at my lips as her eyes widened.

  "Stop it." She turned back to the guy and handed him a card. I realized then that she was trying to pay for our lunch.

  "No. I have my wallet.”

  "I got it." She turned to face me. "It's the twenty-first century. I'm good paying. You bought dinner the other night."

  "Yeah, and I fucked up the evening royally." I brushed my hand over the small of her back.

  "Then, make it up to me." She smiled and turned back to the taco cart, grabbing the plate.

  I picked up a few napkins and took our drink from her as we walked toward the sand. "And, what would the lady like for me to do to make it up to her?"

  "You could start by grabbing us two straws." She sat the food down and nodded toward the drink. "Simple enough."

  "Almost too simple." I sat the drink down and tugged my wallet from my back pocket. Girls liked flowers, and the small vendor beside the taco truck had a few, single flowers dancing in the wind from what I could see. I pointed at a pink one and smiled.

  "I'll take that." I paid the cashier, grabbed the straw and walked back to the table.

  Cora glanced up from leaning over to take a bite of the taco and gave me a look as she cleaned up the sauce running down the side of her mouth.

  "What's that for?" She took the flower as I handed it to her and took my seat.