Moments later, we’re leaving the bar, but his beer is still in his hand. When we reach his car, I stop. “Can I drive?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
He laughs. “What? Why?”
I shift from foot to foot. “It’s just that you’ve had a few drinks, and I just think it would be better if I drove.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not drunk. I’ve only had six beers. Come on. Get in the car.” He reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me to the car. He opens the passenger side door, but I don’t get in. It’s like my feet are stuck in place.
“Brennan, don’t be stupid. Just get in the car.” His voice is louder and has a sharp edge.
“Just let me drive, Nate,” I plead with him.
He grabs my arm and tries pushing me into the car. I let out a yelp as I fall and land in the seat. That’s when I hear a man’s voice. The voice of a man I wasn’t expecting.
Nine
Colton
“COME on. Celeste will keep Milly a little longer. Let’s go grab a beer. We have some things to talk about,” Drake says on the phone as I’m driving back from the shop. An emergency came up after I talked with Brennan earlier. I didn’t want to call her in after I told her to take the day off. Luckily for me, Celeste stepped up and kept Milly so I could go get things figured out.
“Are you sure she doesn’t mind?” I ask.
“No, Milly’s asleep anyway. Meet me at the bar.”
“Alright. But only for one. Got it?”
He laughs. “One beer. Promise.”
I’m not far from the bar so it doesn’t take me long before I’m pulling into the parking lot. There are only a few cars here—a shiny blue one looks out of place. It looks like a city car with its tinted black windows and shiny rims. Most vehicles around here are rusty old trucks or mini vans.
I park the truck and shut off the engine. I’m about to climb out when two people come walking out. Brennan catches my eye. That white summer dress hugs her curves perfectly. Her arms are bare from the strapless dress and her breasts are pressed together nicely. She doesn’t appear to be having fun though.
When I see the guy yank her by her wrist, I get out and start walking over.
“Brennan, don’t be stupid. Just get in the car.” His voice is loud and demanding, his words slightly slurred from drinking.
“Just let me drive, Nate,” she pleads with him.
Then he grabs her arm and pushes her down. She yells and falls into the seat. I can hear the pain and fear in her voice.
“Hey!” I yell, my feet moving quicker now.
The guy turns around with a smirk until he sees me towering over him.
“Nothing’s wrong. We’re fine,” he says, trying to wave me off with the half-empty beer bottle still in his hand.
I push him away from the car and look down at Brennan. “Are you okay?”
She swallows and nods, but quickly gets out of the car. “Can you take me home?” I can see the fear behind those green eyes as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“Yeah, get in the truck.” I motion over my shoulder toward my truck.
The guy drops the beer and rushes toward her, causing her to fall in the muddy gravel parking lot. “Bre, come on. I’m fine to drive. Do you even know this guy?” he asks, grabbing ahold of her arms again and pulling her to her feet. She disappears into the passenger side of my truck.
I grab ahold of his shirt and yank him away from her. “If I ever catch you laying a hand on her again, I will tear them off and beat you with them. Got it?” I shove him back and he stumbles a few steps.
I turn for the truck, listening to make sure he’s not running up on me. He would be fucking stupid to do that. I’m twice his size. He’s nothing but a scrawny punk that needs to be taught a lesson—a lesson I’m more than willing to teach another day, but not today. Not in front of Brennan.
I climb behind the wheel and twist the key. The truck roars to life and I shift into drive. I pull out of the parking lot and hear her soft sniffles. “Are you hurt?” I ask, the familiar feeling of rage burning its way up my throat.
She sniffles again. “I’m fine.” She starts trying to wipe the mud off her white dress.
I rip a U-turn.
“What are you doing?”
“Going to my house. I can’t take you home looking like that. You can get cleaned up and I’ll throw your dress in the wash.”
“Thank you.” She sniffles.
It only takes minutes to get to the house. When we walk in, I turn the light on in the bathroom for her. “Just toss your dress out and I’ll wash it. There’s a robe in there you can put on when you get out.”
She nods, her glassy green eyes meeting mine. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I stand outside the bathroom door and a moment later, her hand is slipping out the crack, her white dress dangling from it.
I take the dress and walk through the living room and kitchen to the laundry room. I spray some stain remover on the mud and toss it into the washer with some detergent. As I’m pushing the start button, my phone rings. Fuck. Drake.
“Hey, man,” I answer.
“Hey, where you at?”
“I ain’t going to be able to make it after all.”
“What? Why?”
I explain the situation and he understands completely. “We’ve got Milly. Just get her taken care of,” he says before hanging up. I slide my phone back into my pocket and pour a glass of whiskey. I toss it back quickly and pour another. This one, I sip. I sit at the kitchen table and wait. I want answers. Who was that guy? Why was she at a bar with him?
Moments later, she’s walking into the kitchen wearing my robe. It swallows her small body. She sits at the table and I toss back what’s left of my drink before standing to pour another. “Want one?” I ask, thinking she could probably use it after the night she’s had.
“Sure,” she agrees. I can tell she’s clearly upset by the tone of her voice.
I refill my glass and pour a little more in another glass for her.
Taking both back to the table, I sit and slide her glass over. She picks it up, smells it, then takes the tiniest of sips.
She coughs and covers her throat with her hand. “Smooth,” she croaks out, causing me to laugh.
“Never had whiskey before?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve never had alcohol before.”
“What? You’re twenty-four years old. I thought you went to college parties?”
“I did. I just didn’t drink. I didn’t like the things people did when they drank. If I make mistakes, I want it to be because I made that decision sober. Kind of like that date tonight.” She rolls her eyes in annoyance.
With the mention of her date, my back stiffens. “Who was that guy?” I ask, raising my glass to my lips.
“Nate, my ex-boyfriend.” She runs the tip of her finger around the rim of the glass as she stares down into the brown liquid.
“This was the guy you were talking about before? The one who had changed?”
She laughs. “Yeah, he really changed, didn’t he?”
“I’d say he’s going to now. Unless he wants me beating his ass.” I lean back and take another drink, welcoming the burn the whiskey brings. “He always like that—handsy?”
She snorts. “Yes, but in more ways than you think.” She takes a deep breath and stands up to pace the kitchen floor. “I was hoping he’d changed. Not because I have any feelings for him or anything, but because my dad asked me to give him another chance and see where things lead.” She tucks her hands in the pockets of the black robe. “He was so sweet and convincing last night. I feel stupid for falling for it again.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at herself.
I toss back what’s left of my drink and stand to pour another. She moves out of my way, leaning against the counter. I pour my drink and turn around to face her. She’s breathtaking standing before me. Her knee is bent and sticking out of the opening in the robe.
It looks soft and smooth, begging me to run my hand up it. Her strawberry blonde hair is wet and hanging around her face. Her green eyes are locked on mine as she bites on her lower lip.
“You need to talk to your dad, tell him how he really is. I’m sure he wouldn’t be happy with a man putting his hands on his daughter. I know I’d kill any son of a bitch that hurt my daughter.” I take a drink, my eyes finding hers again. “Move on from these little boys and find a real man, a man that won’t lay a hand on you, a man that will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” I swallow down the fear the statement brings on.
“Know any?” she teases, looking up at me from beneath her lashes.
She’s fucking tempting me, teasing me. She’s damn near naked and standing in front of me. The way she’s looking at me from beneath her lashes, the way she’s biting down on that lip…the amount of whiskey I’ve consumed. It’s all betting against me.
“I can think of a few,” I reply, trying to talk myself out what I’m about to do.
She lifts her head and looks up at me. She wets her lips seductively. “What makes them any better than him?”
“Can I show you?” She bites her bottom lip and nods. It’s all the confirmation I need before I’m pulling her against me, my mouth finding hers. Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me closer as her tongue demands to tangle with mine. She tastes so fucking sweet, like mint and honey. Her lips are plump and soft and move in sync with mine. Her body fits against mine perfectly. Her fingers lace into my hair, gently pulling as she deepens the kiss. My brain is flooded with her—hell, my entire body is consumed with her. I lift her up and place her on the counter. Her legs part, allowing me to step between them. I break the kiss as my lips trail down to her jaw, her ear, and her neck—kissing, sucking, and nipping her soft skin. She lets out a whimper and that’s my undoing.
My hands start sliding up her thighs, beneath the thick black robe, and they start to shake. I’ve barely even touched her, and she already seems to be coming undone. When my fingers tighten around her hips, preparing to move to the junction between her legs, her voice cuts me off.
It’s shaky, filled with lust and need, but also fear. “I’m a virgin,” she whispers.
I freeze. My hands stop. My mouth pauses against her collar bone. It feels like a bucket of ice water has been dumped over my head.
“You’re a—” I whisper against her skin. I can’t say the word.
“A virgin,” she confirms again with a nod of her head. Now I can feel how badly her legs are shaking on either side of me. How much her hands are quivering on my shoulders.
“I can’t,” I confess, removing myself from her and lowering her back to the floor. “I’m sorry, Brennan.” I turn to leave the kitchen. “Stay as long as you need,” I say, grabbing my keys and leaving the house as quickly as possible. I need out of here. I need away from her before I take something I so fucking desperately want, but something that isn’t meant for me. If I took her, I’d be no better than the guy she left in the parking lot earlier.
Driving through town, I find Drake’s truck still at the bar. I whip in and throw the truck into park. Walking inside, I find him sitting at the bar alone, a beer in hand.
“Hey, I thought you were busy,” he says as I sit at his side.
“Double Jack,” I order.
The bartender pours my glass and hands it over. I quickly drop a twenty onto the bar. I shake my head and take a long drink. Drake just sits and watches me with curious eyes.
“What’s going on, man? You look guilty. Did you just murder that guy?” he asks, looking toward the door and back at me.
“No. He’s fine. I mean, I guess he is. He was fine when I left him here.” The words won’t stop. They just keep coming out in a rambling mess. “I kissed Brennan.” I hang my head and close my eyes.
“What? That’s awesome, man. Why do you look so damn guilty then?”
I take another drink. “I had her up on the counter. I was between her legs and she was wearing nothing but my fucking robe—her dress was in the washer.”
“Yeah, and?” he prods for more.
“My hands were all over her body. I was about to push that fucking robe away and take what I wanted, what’s been fucking teasing me, and then she says, ‘I’m a virgin.’”
“Ohhhh.” Drake sets down his beer and orders a whiskey.
I lift my glass and toss mine back before ordering another.
“So, what’d you do?”
I let out a nervous laugh. “I fucking ran out of there, man. What was I supposed to do?”
His eyes are wide, mouth hanging open with the corners turning upward. “You just ran? No explanation or anything, just…gone?” He’s wearing a wide smile, clearly enjoying my misery.
I rub my hands over my face. “Basically. I told her I couldn’t go through with it. I said I was sorry and that she could stay as long as she needs. Then I ran,” I feel regret boiling up as I say the last part.
“Damn. That’s shitty.”
I nod in agreement. “I’m a complete dick.”
“How was she though?”
I throw my head back, looking at the ceiling. “So fucking perfect,” I confess, even though I’m going to hell for admitting it. “Everything about her was perfect. The way she felt against me. The way she tasted. The way she kissed me. The way her hands and knees shook for me like I was creating magic. Fuck, I’m never going to get it out of my head.” My head falls forward and my fingers lace into my hair, pulling at the root. “How the fuck am I going to get her out of my head? I couldn’t before, but now?”
Drake laughs and shakes his head. “I think you’re done for.” He smacks me on the back.
“I can’t. I can’t allow myself to take it. She deserves better.” I shake my head back and forth. “She definitely deserves more than me.”
Ten
Brennan
I hear the jingle of his keys then the loud slam of the front door. Moments later, the roar of his truck fills the night, tires squealing off the concrete. I can’t do anything but laugh. I’ve heard and seen a lot of things when I dared to utter those words. I’ve seen people give me a double take like I’m some kind of fairy tale come to life. I’ve seen people laugh and wonder how it’s possible I’ve made it this long without combusting. And I’ve seen guys try even harder to get it. But I’ve never seen anyone get scared and run away like Colton just did. I laugh until my eyes sting with moisture and then, somehow, fill with tears. Embarrassment floods my body. For the first time in my life, being a virgin makes me feel dirty, wrong.
I wipe the tears away and scoot off the counter. I shake my head at myself for being so silly. I check the washer and see that it’s stopped. The dress is done washing. I quickly throw it in the dryer and hope it’s done before he returns. I sit at the kitchen table, tapping my foot as I wait. What would I have done if he hadn’t run off? Would I have gone through with it? Losing my virginity to my boss isn’t ideal, but losing it to Colton sounds perfect. Since the day I met him, I haven’t been able to get him out of my head.
His tall, tanned, muscular body is one I’ve lusted over…when he’s not talking, that is. When he opens his mouth, I usually can’t see past how hurt, broken, and angry he is to think about it. Feeling his big hands on my body gives me the chills. Thinking about his mouth on mine, moving down to my neck, causes a shiver to run up my spine. I’ve never in my life felt something more right; I’ve never needed something more. In that moment, I was sure I would die if he didn’t claim me. Honestly, now that he’s pulled away and is gone, my body aches for his touch again. The junction between my legs feels hot and tingly, something I’ve never felt before.
Every hair on my body is standing on end as my blood boils beneath my skin. I feel lightheaded and a little crazy. I barely know this man. He’s much, much older than I am. He has a late wife and a child, and this is the guy my body suddenly decides to crave? It couldn’t be someone like Nate, an asshole who just wants one t
hing, with nothing to tie myself down to?
Suddenly, I’m too amped up to keep still. I walk through the house, picking things up and straightening things that don’t need be to straightened. I grab my phone and call my friend Rose. She answers on the third ring.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“I need a ride. Can you pick me up and take me home?”
“Sure, where are you?”
“I’m at Colton Slade’s house. I’m his daughters’ nanny,” I add on, not wanting her jumping to conclusions.
“Okay, be there in a few.”
I drop the phone onto the table and run to the dryer. I don’t care if my dress isn’t dry. All I care about is getting out of here. I pull the dress on even though it’s still damp. The wet material clings to my body in places that it shouldn’t, but I’m not worried about it since I’m just going home. It’s pushing ten o’clock. I’m sure my parents are in bed already anyway. Looking down at myself, I see that the mud that stained the skirt is completely gone. I was sure it was a goner.
A horn honks outside and I grab my phone and run toward the door, locking it behind me. Rose’s old truck is still running, headlights shining in the darkness. I climb into the passenger side of the truck and she smiles over at me.
“Thanks so much,” I say, pulling the seatbelt over my chest.
“No problem. How’d you get here?” she asks, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.
I tell her about my date with Nate, how he was too drunk and how we got into a fight and Colton rescued me. I leave out the part where I almost gave my virginity away to the man that’s over ten years older than me.
“Well, I’m glad he got you out of there. This Nate guy sounds like a total douche. I can’t believe he followed you home like that…or that your daddy is putting up with his shit.”
I laugh. Rose knows my dad from back in the day. She’s seen him chase off many guys from my high school days. I don’t know why he can’t see through Nate and his games.
The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection Page 27