by Gina Watson
He didn’t really believe that she did. Seeing Parker’s hands on her had him instinctively territorial and he’d acted like an ass. “I never believed you did.”
She held her hand up indicating she had more to say. “After my parents died, I went to live with my uncle and his wife. I was nine. I’d lived in Whisky Cove my entire life. New Jersey was different. Their house was different. It seemed cold and unloving. At nine years old I realized my old life with my parents had been like a really good dream, a dream I could always go back to when things got tough and I needed to feel real comfort and sincere love. I dreamed of them every night for months.”
Her voice lacked inflection and she stared, unfocused, at Eagle. “My uncle is a bastard and a drunk. I would hear him come home late at night and yell and hit his wife. I was afraid of him, so I stayed out of his way. I’d wanted to ask Shelly why she stayed with him and let him abuse her, but selfishly I thought of myself and what would become of me if she were to leave. So I thought it best not to ask.”
Cory joined her on the bed. He placed his arm around her and pulled her tight to his side. He kissed her temple. “You were a child. You can’t blame yourself for her poor decisions.”
“When I was eighteen I witnessed the worst fight they’d had. She was bleeding. To my knowledge, that was a first. I jumped in then, but ended up taking a fist to the face. After that I knew I had to get out of there.
“The one thing that kept me sane through it all was Randy. My aunt and uncle breed and train show collies. I picked up my skills as a handler from them. I met someone—a guy. He promised to make all my dreams come true.” She laughed. “I know. I was a fool to believe him. I left my uncle’s home and moved in with Joey. He had a large family and they all lived together. They accepted me with unconditional love. We lived in his room. We were young. Idiots. It was a mistake but still, it was the happiest time I’d known since my parents died. I loved his family and because of that, because of them, it was easy to overlook the fact that he slept with any and everything that crossed his path.”
She turned to Cory then, her smirk clearly sarcastic. “Seriously, anything. Men and women alike, or both at the same time.”
“The East Coast is a strange place,” Cory murmured.
Her smirk relaxed into a true smile, and Cory hugged her.
“I decided I wanted to come back to Whisky Cove and saw an ad in the Herald for a greyhound handler at the park. I took the job and bought this house. I’ve been happy here.”
She frowned, and Cory watched her jaw tighten.
“I’m not in the habit of lying. I told you all this”—she waved a hand in front of their faces—“to show you that when I said I’d been with one man, it was the truth.” She pulled out of his hold. “Parker and I have made out, but that’s it.”
He pulled her body back against his side and turned her face toward his with his finger. “Brook.” He bent toward her and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. When he released it, he kissed it tenderly. “I’m a dumbass. Of course you weren’t lying.” He shook his head. “I don’t like seeing you with Parker. I especially don’t like him putting his hands on you. I have no right to feel that way and didn’t even know I did.” God, the thought of Parker touching her, making out with her, had him seeing red. He wanted to put a hit on Parker’s head. He’d have to tell her.
He dragged his hand across his lips and chin. “Until today I hadn’t thought I’d ever be monogamous, but I’d like to be with you. The truth is, since that night at the deer stand, I haven’t been able to even think about sex with anyone else. I don’t know how you feel, but would you consider being exclusive?”
Brook smiled her ridiculously large and revealing smile at him. “Are you asking me to go steady?”
“Make sure you share the news with Parker,” Cory said in response to her snarky enthusiasm.
She pressed her lips to his and placed one palm on his cheek as she kissed him tenderly. Cory’s hands slid into her thick nut-brown hair, and his tongue explored her mouth. But he had one more task before they could get lost in one another. He pulled his mouth away from the sweetness of hers.
“Brook, I’m sorry I said what I did about the way you were dressed. I was lashing out after seeing you stand so close to Parker. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He dropped a swift kiss to her mouth. “I rather like the way you dress. It keeps me hot and bothered.”
“Apology accepted. Now kiss me.”
He pushed Teddy aside—he wasn’t sure how the puppy had gotten between them. And then they were kissing in earnest. The sweet moans that came from her throat were his undoing. He wanted to spend every second of the day with her. He’d attempted to distance himself these last weeks, but every time he swore to himself that the day would not end with her in his arms, he’d lost the battle. Truth told, he was tired of fighting his body, and he was tired of fighting his body. Hell, his mind too as it flashed pictures of their intimacy like a closed-loop movie. He cared for her, and the thought crossed his mind that fifty years from now he still would not have had his fill of her. That possibility scared the shit out of him. But God, she felt so right in his arms.
When he was young his parents had taken him to a rain forest conservatory. It had been filled with gorgeous, exotic butterflies. Brook’s beauty and personality reminded him of a butterfly fluttering around. Positive energy poured out of her and into him. He’d been walking around with a dark cloud of moodiness hanging over his head these past few weeks. Now that he knew she was exclusively his, the melancholia immediately abated.
His hand slid under her shirt and moved across her velvet skin, reaching her breast and cupping it tenderly in his palm. As he molded its shape, his thumb and finger pinched the engorged tip. Brook broke free of his mouth and groaned out some mangled version of his name. He laughed, knowing he had her. He loved that he could turn her on, that she responded so eagerly to him. She opened her eyes and bright as sunbeams, they beckoned him like a moth to a flame.
“You’re naturally beautiful but when desire courses through your veins, you are a goddess. I can’t resist you.” And he couldn’t resist the poetic. She was like a muse, encouraging him. He removed her shirt and bra and unfolded their bodies across the bed. He grazed her nipple with his teeth. When she cried out, he soothed her sensitive skin with the flat of his tongue. As he provided the same attention to the other breast, Brook’s delicate hands started to unbutton his shirt. She trembled as she always did once they started exploring each other’s bodies, once they started driving one another toward climax. No woman had ever responded to him like she did, as if his every touch burned her. Her hands shook with the energy coursing through her, and he placed his over hers and said, “Together.”
When his shirt was off, she wiggled a bit, indicating she wanted to shift positions, and Cory gave in to her demands. She sat atop him in just her cutoff shorts. She leaned down and slithered her tongue over the muscles of his chest. Her body sensuously moved left to right as she tasted every inch of his upper body. When she started in on his oblique muscles, he shifted, trying not to laugh. She jerked her head up and offered him a saucy smile. She quirked her brow and then laid into his side using teeth, tongue, and fingers. Cory couldn’t catch his breath from laughing. His erection was harder than it had ever been and when he thrust his hips up at her, she immediately stopped playing games and rocked against his cock with her wet heat.
He unbuttoned her shorts, and she rose on her knees so he could slide her shorts and panties down her legs. When she sat back down, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and pushed her clothes free of her body. Then she undid his trousers and pulled them away from his body. When she finished, she took up her position straddling his lap.
Slick soft heat snuggled his dick. “Do you like cowgirl?” she asked, slanting her head to one side.
“I like it when you do it.”
Her brow furrowed. “Do you have a favorite position?”
“I never r
eally thought about it.” It was hard for him to think coherently about anything when she was spreading her juices all over his erection.
“Hmm. A good project might be to try them all and rank them based on pros and cons.” She kept gyrating over him.
He swallowed. “I like a worthy project; count me in.”
Plump folds of wet hotness engulfed his cock as she lowered herself on him. He gasped at the heat. She clutched him in her tightness like dark grips the depths of the ocean floor. He knew nothing else in that moment but her hypnotic writhing and the fisting, convulsing inner walls of her sex.
On her knees astride him, she arched back and then kept going, her hands sliding to his ankles and her shoulders resting just below his knees. Jesus, she was holding him and open to him at the same time. When she didn’t move, he pushed himself up and bent forward to check on her, wondering if she’d passed out again. Hell no, she was in bliss. He hovered over her body and wrapped his arms around her, just above her hips. Her back bowed and came to rest between his legs. In that position she was laid out before him like a buffet. Her tits were thrust in his face when she started to move. Her hips and thighs pumped her up and down, and he stretched forward to suck at the breasts that were begging to be tasted.
Oh God, he would never last. Not with her under him, over him, riding him. Not with her in his hands and eyes and surrounding his cock. It was too much. They were connected deep within her body, yet he felt as if she was inside him. And when the first quiver shook his sac, he knew he was about to come.
And that’s when Brook breathlessly whispered his name.
In that moment he knew, it was about more than the awesome sex they shared. He knew he would still want her with as much force even if sex were not on the table. He just needed to be with her and he needed to know that she would never leave him.
7
Brook was in love with Cory, that much was certain. She wanted to tell him, felt that he should know, but she didn’t want to spook him. Over the last couple of weeks she’d sensed he’d changed. He was still challenging, which she loved, but there was tenderness and a reverence about him when he touched her or looked into her eyes. She hoped that was due to love.
Due to a huge Louisiana State University ball game, the brewery was hoppin’. She’d been sick to her stomach earlier and now she was exhausted, but she pressed on as the customers emptied the beer taps. When she had a dizzy spell, Logan pulled her to his office and closed the door.
He sat her in a chair and knelt in front of her as he took her pulse. “I heard you were sick earlier. How long’s that been going on?”
“I don’t know. I think it was some old eggs. I really need to throw that carton out.”
“You’ve been tired too.” He stood and placed his palm on her forehead. He pushed her head back and looked at her pupils.
“When was your last period?”
Her eyes went wide. “What? I’m not telling you that.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Why not? I am a doctor.”
“You’re not my doctor,” she said. But she did think about his question. She scratched her head. “I don’t think I had it this month.”
Logan’s eyes squinted to slits as he placed his elbow on his desk and watched her. “Any breast tenderness?”
“Yes!” Brook thought it was strange, but her boobs had been painfully sore. She’d written the pain off to jogging in a regular bra instead of a sport bra.
“You’re pregnant.”
Logan’s demeanor was so matter of fact, she had to recast what he’d said.
She couldn’t hold back a disbelieving laugh. “Not possible; I’m on the pill.”
“It’s very possible; in fact, it’s true. You’re pregnant. I would estimate six weeks. Although you would know better than I would.”
Six weeks. That was when Randy had died. Oh God, this wasn’t happening. Not when things were going so well with Cory. Tears leaked from her eyes.
Warm hands covered hers.
“Hey, I’m here. I’ll help you, but you’ll have to trust and talk to me. I’m assuming from your tears you are aware of Cory’s thoughts about marriage and children.”
She snapped her head up and stared into Logan’s eyes. Her brows drew together. “Our relationship just took a turn for the better. This will throw him for a loop. No, more than that.” Her hands went to her mouth as she inhaled on a gasp. “He will hate me.”
“Are you aware of your options?”
“Options?”
“I’m only sharing the options with you. This doesn’t mean I think you should do any particular one of them. There’s a pill you can take to terminate, up to nine weeks after your last menstrual period.”
She shook her head furiously, one hand on her stomach. “Never!”
“Okay, that’s good. So you want this baby.” Logan caressed her shoulder.
Brook suddenly thought of Cory. Would he want her to abort the child? She wouldn’t do it. Now that she thought about it, this was the best thing Cory could have given her. It was a chance for her to have what she’d always wanted—a family. She would protect the child in her belly with her life. She could leave. The greyhound park in Galveston had called just last week asking if she could fill in for a few months. That would be enough time for her to safely develop the baby in her stomach.
Logan eyed her suspiciously. Then he crossed his arms. Damn, he’d always been too smart for her liking. He inhaled a deep, audible breath. “You’re gonna walk.”
“I have to. I don’t know how much you know about your brother, but Cory’s greatest fear is marriage and kids. I won’t stay here and force him into something he doesn’t want. Or worse, he could talk me into doing something I don’t want. After what happened with your mother, if he were to ask me to stay, I’d never be able to leave. He’ll feel obligated. But I don’t want him to have regrets and think of me and a baby as an obligation. That would kill me.”
“I get it, but please let me help you.”
Brook didn’t know how he could help, but she promised not to do anything without consulting him. And she got him to promise that he wouldn’t say or do anything to tip Cory off in any way.
The next day Brook baked up a batch of blueberry muffins using the berries her neighbor had so kindly given her. She needed to see Cory one more time before she left, wanting to memorize his face, his touch, his voice. She secured the warm muffins in a basket and placed a tea towel over the top, then she rode her bike to the clinic. She walked in and saw three clients waiting, holding their pets on their laps. No one was at the counter, so Brook rounded the corner for Cory’s office.
When she opened the door their eyes met and his smile engaged. He was on the phone speaking to someone about a horse that was evidently very sick. He held his arm out, inviting her to join him. When his call ended, he bent down to kiss her. “I like it when you visit me at work.”
“I brought you some muffins.” She held one out to him.
His blue eyes sparkled like wet ice. “Mmm, still warm.” He took a bite that demolished most of the cake.
Now that she was there, she didn’t know what to say. Before she could say anything, his office door crashed open, and two blond-headed boys stood in the doorway. One was dressed as a superhero, complete with cape. The other carried a plastic sword. The one in the cape took off and ran to hide under Cory’s desk. The other boy ran after him, chasing him out from his hiding place. They crashed into the wall, and Cory’s books and trophies fell to the floor.
“Christ! Where’s your mother?”
Brook winced. She’d never heard Cory yell so loudly before. He grabbed each boy by their collars, as if he were picking up puppies, and narrowed his eyes at them. “Do you know what happens to bad little boys?” Their eyes went wide at his sinister voice. “At night when you lie down to sleep—”
“Come on, let’s see if we can find your mom.” Brook broke in. “She must be around here somewhere.” Their mother was Cory’s r
eceptionist; no one else would allow her children to run wild in a professional setting. Yet even though they were the ones running wild, Brook was appalled at the horrible things Cory had been about to say to them. They would have nightmares for eternity.
She’d seen the glint in his eye, but she knew the boys hadn’t.
Once she delivered the children to Amanda, she returned to Cory’s office. She joined him as he picked up the items that littered the floor. Within moments, strong arms circled her waist.
“Thanks, Brook.”
She turned around, and Cory peppered kisses along her neck. She pulled out of his hold. “You were deliberately trying to scare those children.”
“Those two are Satan’s spawn. I don’t want to fire their mother, but I’m trying to work here. Besides, you know I can’t stand kids.”
Brook’s head shot up, “You can’t stand them?”
He exhaled noisily. “Haven’t we been over this?”
“I thought you didn’t want marriage and therefore wouldn’t have children. I didn’t know you loathed them.”
“Well, I do, the monsters, so it’s just as well I’ll never be in a position to have them.”
So… she’d been mistaken all along. Thank God he’d straightened her out, otherwise she might have been tempted to tell him what was going on. Knowing it was the last time she’d see him, she took her time, sharing muffins with him and then aligning all the knickknacks that had fallen from his shelves after he went to see his next patient. She did it all with a smile, not intending to give anything away, but she felt as if knives were sawing at her insides, slicing at her heart.
Less than two hours later, she had Logan drive her and Eagle to the bus station in the next town. When she exited Logan’s truck and stepped into the hot sun, she felt an overwhelming heaviness settle on her. He helped her carry her stuff inside and he purchased her ticket, all the while trying to convince her to stay. She explained, again, her situation and he finally said he understood how hard it would be for her to stay. Brook hugged him hard, unleashing the emotion she hadn’t been able to give to Cory.