by Tijan
He was there, sleeping. His chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
A part of me was tempted to curl up on the floor. I would’ve been content just to listen to him sleep the whole night through, but then, as if sensing my presence, he woke. His breathing quieted, and he sat up in bed.
“Morgan?”
His voice was alert, as if he hadn’t been sleeping at all, but I knew he had been.
“You wake so alert.”
I couldn’t see his eyes or mouth in the darkness, but I wanted to. I stepped forward, needing to know if he was smiling at what I said.
He murmured, “I was hoping you would come. I must’ve just dozed for a little bit.”
Another step.
This felt right.
One more step. I was by his bed and able to see his eyes. I saw what he said was true. There was a look in them. He had been waiting for me. Silently, still looking into me as I was looking into him, he lifted his bed sheet, and I curled up next to him.
When his lips touched mine, it felt so much like the right thing to do that my heart broke a little.
Something was changing.
I didn’t want it to, but I couldn’t stop it.
Because the thing changing was me.
Matthew
He was at his desk when someone knocked.
“Come in.”
Finn opened the door. “Got a minute?”
“Always for you.” He stood, gesturing Finn to come in. “Close the door.”
His younger brother, who was usually carefree, seemed off. He’d been working as a developer for their father’s company, a new branch for them, but even the high pressure of that job hadn’t seemed to bother him that much. His brother had fallen in love. For the first time in a long time, Matthew had seen his brother truly happy.
That look was gone.
Matthew frowned. Tugging at his cuffs, he ran a thumb over each to make sure his cufflinks were in place. It was a habit he’d acquired years ago.
“What’s going on?”
Finn motioned to his chair. “You can sit for this.”
Matthew’s smile tightened a little, but he tried to joke. “Am I in trouble?”
Finn sat across from him, his legs stretched out toward him and his hands in his lap. Matthew took note of his body posture.
This should be interesting.
“I want to know what’s going on with Morgan.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Where is this coming from?” Abby had been the one who wanted to know about Morgan and always seemed close to tears every time her name was mentioned. He added, “I wasn’t aware Abby had been keeping you abreast of everything.”
“She said that Morgan’s been talking to Asher and that you’ve had cameras installed to watch the actor’s place. It’s been a week since he’s gone on his sobriety stint, and Jennifer is coming to stay until the movie is wrapped. I want in on the loop. She and he have a history and I don’t need any surprises.”
“Ah.”
Yes.
Finn was abreast with everything, except one item.
Matthew said, “I had cameras installed to watch both entrances to his cabin. Morgan hasn’t shown up on any of them.”
“What?” Finn jerked forward. “Abby said she heard Morgan talking to Asher.”
Matthew held up a finger, continuing to speak, “And once I heard that, I added another camera toward the patio on the second level. Morgan’s shown up there every night, and she leaves every morning.”
She left almost every morning, Matthew corrected in his head. There were two days when she remained half the day.
“What?” Finn barked out right before a wide smile spread over his face. He leaned back, relaxing once again. “Hot damn, little sister’s becoming almost human. Nice to know not even she’s immune to the Hollywood bad boy, huh?” He kept chuckling to himself, shaking his head. “I’m happy for her.”
“Yes.”
Matthew wasn’t.
Finn admitted, “I was a little worried about Jen. Logically, I know I shouldn’t be, but you know. It’s ridiculous how girls fall over for him.”
Matthew’s lips thinned. “I’m sure Asher doesn’t even remember it. He’s dipped his dick in a fair share of women, hasn’t he?”
“True.” But Finn wasn’t alarmed.
After they talked and Finn got a call and excused himself, and long after he left the office, Matthew was on edge.
He pulled up the footage again. She was on Asher’s lap, her lips fused to his.
The image froze there.
He stopped it, and he didn’t need to see any more, but it was wrong.
Everything about it was wrong. If Abby were happy for Morgan, if Finn was too, then it would be up to him to stop it. Because that’s what he had to do.
He had to put an end to Brody Asher.
Brody
Morgan slept beside me, her head resting on her arm and the bed sheet pooled over her waist. She was naked with me, and I ran a hand down her arm, knowing it tickled her a little, and snuck around to grab one of her breasts. I cupped it, loving how it fit perfectly in my hand. She was petite, so her breasts weren’t too big, but I loved them. Leaning down, I took one in my mouth, my tongue swirling over the nipple.
I felt her start to awaken, her entire body jerking.
She rolled, her hand coming to my back. Her next sound was a soft groan. “Good morning.”
The sun was starting to peek, but only just, so it was probably before six. It was my first day back to work, and I had a scene in the afternoon. I knew Gayle would be coming to check on me, but until then, I rolled on top of Morgan, my mouth switching to her other breast.
Her hand went to my hip, and her fingers sank into my skin as I positioned myself at her entrance. I went in, pushing all the way.
Goddamn.
She felt so good, every fucking time.
I closed my eyes, loving this feeling of my dick in her. It never got old. Every time I wondered if I’d start to get the “used to” feel, but it never happened with her. I’d never experienced this before—wanting back in as soon as I was out of her.
I felt her body warm to mine, molding against me, and her walls tightening around me.
I dropped a kiss to her shoulder and then began to move.
Her legs went around my waist, and she rocked in tempo with me.
I first worried since I hadn’t used a condom and didn’t pull out, but she laughed when I expressed the concern. She ran a hand down my chest then, saying, “I can’t have children.”
I caught her hand, asking, “What?”
She nodded. “I don’t know why. I don’t have a cycle like normal women. I think it’s because of how I live, but it isn’t something we need to worry about.”
Since then, I’d been raw the whole time, and we’d been having sex on the daily this week. As I slid back out, then right back in, I searched for her mouth. I wanted to touch those lips. I wanted to claim her both ways, and like all the other times, she was eager for me. She opened her mouth, her tongue searching for me right back.
This whole week had been amazing.
It wasn’t just the sex.
It was everything.
She was with me every night. She was beside me every morning, staying on the days I could convince her Shiloh wanted mother-daughter bonding time with Shoal. Morgan laughed every time, knowing I was just bullshitting her, but she’d stay in the bed, her naked body wrapped around mine.
There’d been no other therapist sessions. Gayle checked in a few times, even coming to visit once. I saw the surprise when she looked at me. I hadn’t been lying when I told her I was resting the whole time, and she’d been right. I had needed the week, but it wasn’t because I was suddenly doing meditation and finding myself. It was because of Morgan, all of it was because of her.
I felt my release coming, but I wanted to hold off.
Pausing, I reached down and found her nub. I began rubbing my fi
nger there, applying just enough pressure to drive her wild. It was like a magic button. I touched it, and Morgan started going nuts. I waited, caressing her, and when I felt her starting, I began thrusting harder.
“Brody!” she gasped, her body twitching under my hands. She arched her back, her neck exposed, and I clamped down, tasting her there.
Holding her hip as an anchor, I pounded her harder, going all the way to the hilt and then I felt my release.
Holy fucking shit.
I gasped, keeping myself above her. She ran a lazy hand up my arm, cupping the side of my face. She liked to watch me as I came. I didn’t know why. Her thumb touched the corner of my mouth, and I grabbed it, nipping it with my teeth, rubbing my tongue around it.
She laughed before pulling it out. Her hand went back down my back, her nails lightly skimming. I loved that. I felt like a damned cat, but it felt so good.
Then, as my release left me, I laid down on her, letting her take almost my full weight. I worried about this too in the beginning. I didn’t want to crush her, but she enjoyed it, or that was what she said. I never gave her my full weight, usually shifting to the side so it was mainly my chest and head on her. I wrapped my arms around her, and she began brushing my hair from my forehead.
Those little ministrations? They always relaxed me further. I’d either fall asleep or get drowsy again, like I was this morning.
“You working today?”
I nodded, lifting just enough to look at her. I saw the cloud of wariness and shifted to the side so I was lying beside her. With my head propped up by my hand, my elbow on the bed, I reached out with my free hand to tap her chin lightly. “What’s wrong?”
“Our time will be . . .” She hesitated. “It’ll be different.”
“Yeah.” I caught her hand, lacing our fingers and resting them on her stomach. I began rubbing my finger over her, enjoying how even that small touch had her closing her eyes in contentment. “I’ll just leave at random times, but trust me, I’ll have to go on more runs if you don’t come find me first.”
She groaned. “Don’t ever do that again. I was so mad at you.”
I chuckled. “I enjoyed that night. Best sleep I’ve had for a year.” I meant it. I slept better when she was beside me, and it didn’t matter if we were outside or in this apartment. Though, I liked the clean sheets if I was given a choice.
I reached up and ran my thumb down a wrinkle in her forehead. “What’s really going on? I can tell you’re stressed about something.”
Her eyes shot to mine. She was chewing on the corner of her lip. “You’re going to think I’m stupid.”
“Never.” I stared back at her. I wanted her to see how serious I was. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’ll fix it.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t know if you can fix it. I’ve felt off, like something is wrong.”
“Wrong? You and me?”
“No, not us.” Her eyes shifted. She was staring at the ceiling, but I knew she was lost in her thoughts. “I’ve just been getting this feeling lately. Something bad is about to happen.”
I pulled my hand away and sat up, tugging her with me so she was lying in my arms. “What do you mean something bad is about to happen?”
A fierce need to protect her took over.
This week hadn’t been just amazing; it’d also been terrifying at times. I worried every morning she left that I wouldn’t see her again. And once she came back, I knew she’d go again. It was inevitable. I was relieved when I had her by me, but the horses and the wild really did call to her. She’d be in my arms, and we’d hear Shiloh neighing for her. A part of me didn’t even blame the mustang. She wanted her family with her. She wanted to make sure Morgan was okay.
I would’ve done the same, but I saw that it wore on her.
She wanted to stay with me, but she also wanted to go to Shiloh.
Every time she chose me, a little lost look entered her eyes.
There were times when she wouldn’t know I was watching her, and I saw that look almost overtake her. She was yearning, missing the feeling of being out there. The afternoon trips to Shiloh weren’t doing it for her, but then she would look at me and the look would clear. A hunger would appear in her eyes that matched my own.
We’d start kissing, other times so much more.
I ran a hand over her arm and then down between the V between her breasts before I cupped her. This felt right. Every time I could hold her, touch her, I was fine.
I ran a hand down the underside of her arm, caressing her.
I never brought up her mother or what the pseudo-therapist told me, though it was in the back of my mind. I kept waiting for her to talk about it. She never did. And I was unwilling to push her, but I felt like I had to now. “What about your mom?”
Her body grew heavier again as she turned her eyes to mine. “My mom?”
I nodded. “It’s the whole reason I’m here, Morgan. You never talk about her.”
“There’s nothing to say. She died.”
I cleared my throat. I was about to ask a prodding question, but she started on her own.
Her voice was quiet again, small like she was embodying the little girl she’d been then. “They don’t think I knew what happened when they found me, but I did. I knew that he killed her.”
I went still. “He?”
“The monster.” Her voice went flat, hollow. “I never knew my father. My mom left him before I was born so I didn’t know who he was then, but it wouldn’t have mattered. I still would’ve run. He was there to cause harm.” Her body tensed in my arms.
I’d never felt so useless. How do you protect against a goddamn nightmare?
“My mom told me to hide, so I ran to Shoal.” Her bottom lip jerked, but that was it. “He searched the whole day for me. He left once, but he only moved his car so that they wouldn’t know he’d been there. He parked it farther down the road, pulling off and hiding it behind some trees.”
“He was searching for you?”
She said, almost dully, “He looked until they started looking for me. I heard the search dogs barking, and it wasn’t long after that when his smell left.”
“Jesus, Morgan.” I rested my cheek on top of her head. “I’m so sorry.”
My arms tightened around her. I would’ve held her for the rest of the day, for the rest of her life. I didn’t want to let her go, but she had a different idea. Hunger darkened her gaze, and she turned in my arms. She moved to straddle me, and I knew what she wanted when her lips found mine.
She wanted to forget.
I was sliding into her again moments later, but this time was different. Maybe I was trying to make sure we both forgot our haunts.
Or maybe it was the first time I felt like I was making love to someone.
Morgan
Brody’s manager arrived to drive him to where they were shooting.
I was in his room when she knocked outside, and he dropped a quick kiss to me before going to let her in. As she entered, I exited, jumping down from the patio. Shiloh had been calling for me all morning, so I knew she’d be waiting.
As soon as I climbed over the fence, she was there.
I jumped on, and she tore off.
Our rides had been cut drastically over the last week, but not then. Not today. I wanted to ride with her. I wanted to feel as if we were flying.
I felt her body rippling under me, mirroring my need.
Too much time apart wasn’t good for us, either of us.
I lie against her back and rested my cheek on her neck, my arms wrapping around her, and I closed my eyes. Wherever she took me, I would be fine.
Brody
Gayle had been giving me a weird look since she had shown up at the cabin. After the tenth sneak peek, I sighed and looked over. “What?”
She was pulling into the lot, and I watched as she parked behind a trailer. “Nothing.”
I climbed out, grabbing my bag of extra clothes from the backseat. Shutting my door, I shot her
a look back over the top of the car. “That look doesn’t say nothing. It says something. What’s going on with you?”
She paused, resting her arm on the car. “It’s just . . . you look good, like really good.”
I only shrugged. “I worked out a lot. I went on runs every day, and I did a whole bunch of meditation shit.”
“You weren’t drinking?”
“I already told when you checked on me, and every time you called—no. No booze. I swear. I didn’t even leave the property. You bought me enough food to last the week.”
“No, I know.” She held a hand up, as if she were going to back off. “You look good. I’m proud of you.”
I noted, dryly, “I never had a drinking problem. I just drank too much.”
“Brody!”
Shanna shouted my name. She waved, trying not to drop the clipboard she was holding, and Gayle and I headed her way.
Gayle said, “You drank too much for eight months.”
I wanted to remind her why I started, but bit the words down. It didn’t matter. In her eyes, it was time to get moving forward, and I needed to follow through. I signed a contract. I agreed to do this movie, and I was so damned grateful for it.
“Brody!” Shanna said again, opening her arms and engulfing me in a hug. She clasped me to her, patting my back twice. “It’s good to see you. Shit. You look good, real good.” She held me at arm’s length, holding on to my biceps. “You’re right, Gayle. He looks a hundred percent better. Whatever you did, it worked. You look like the actor we hired for this movie and not a washed-up drunk. Damn time.”
“Thank you.”
There were so many smart-ass comments I could’ve made then, but I refrained.
“No more drinking?”
“No more drinking.”
Shanna glanced to Gayle, who nodded. “That’s what he said, and it seems to be the case.”
I leveled them both with a look. “You guys are so trusting, I’m amazed.”
Shanna laughed, patting me one last time before gesturing back toward the cameras. “We had to rearrange the schedule. Did you get the updated script?”