by Roxie Odell
Brodie fished under her shirt and lifted her breasts free from her bra, then covered them with his hands. They were so soft beneath his fingers; it was like holding clouds that he loved kneading and toying with. He shoved her shirt upward, till he could discard it completely. He braced her back, forcing her breasts up in an arch, then leaned down and suckled her nipples.
She patted his shoulders with little slaps, all the while shaking her head from side to side, flipping her shiny, straight hair to and fro. She stretched her leg out and pressed her foot down on the floor for leverage, so she could rock up and down on him with more skill and precision.
Pleased with herself, she took hold of the back of the couch, bracing herself as she pumped him. She moved in a spicy way, swinging her hips up this way and that, boldly and lasciviously.
Brodie sucked his breath over his teeth, and his eyelids fluttered with the feel of her, not to mention the visual pleasure. “You are candy,” he heard himself say.
“I am,” she purred.
“So sweet, so delicious,” he muttered.
“And so…sticky,” she said in a sexy voice.
“Yeah, that too,” he agreed.
She caged him with her body as she continued to ride. He lifted her and laid her on her belly, then climbed behind her, fit her buttocks snugly against his abdomen, and entered her from behind.
He pressed his body over her, pushing her upper body into the pillowy sofa. He kissed her spine, making her spasm with each connection. He loved how sensitive she was and tortured her mercilessly.
Slowing, he moved in and out of her, sending shivers throughout her in a devilish rhythm. She enjoyed taking control, but Brodie liked having things his way, loved being at the mercy of the pleasure he gave her.
Cara’s sweet, curvaceous bottom was in fine form as she bent around the edge of the couch, firm perfection. He bent down to kiss her there as well, and he could not help but drag his tongue atop her smooth skin to taste it.
Brodie straightened his spine and shoved into her, claiming her with a masterful stroke. He spread her knees wide, then lifted her hand and placed it strategically so her dainty fingers could go to work. “Make it hot for me,” he whispered as he leaned near her ear.
His breath and his command melted her, and he was instantly bathed in a surge of molten heat.
“You like when I say things?” he asked softly.
She nodded against the couch cushion.
“You feel so good,” he told her before he placed his hand over hers and tantalized her, all but enveloping her.
The heat emanating from her body baked his arousal and intensified it. She wobbled on her knees, rocking her hips against him as he pumped into her.
Brodie braced himself against the couch and drove into her with no mercy. He gripped her hip and lifted her so they both rested against the base of the couch. Then he peered over her shoulder to watch her touch herself while he worked her thigh to and fro.
Cara threw her head back and let out a cry, gazing at the ceiling as she stiffened. Sweet, clenching ripples rolled through her core and milked him till he could hold off no longer. He was so turned on by the sight of her climax that he succumbed to a major orgasm.
His eyelids pressed tightly as the blood rushed to his belly, rendering him lightheaded in the best possible way. His body rocked from head to toe, electrocuting them both with sweet ecstasy. He released powerfully as he choked back a roar that would have shattered the total heaven he was in. It was such a perfect moment, and he had shared many with that woman. He knew he hadn’t fully appreciated her before, but every second that he was with her, the value and richness she added to his life was renewed.
Chapter Thirteen
Sometime during the night, Brodie awoke in a state of pure contentment, confident that he should travel with Cara and the baby. He didn’t understand the psychic bond he seemed to have with her, but whatever it was and wherever it came from, it was almost as strong as their physical one.
She sensed his alertness and stirred in the bed beside him. “You okay?” she asked. “Is it the baby?”
“He’s fine,” said Brodie, warmed by her concern. “I was just thinking, if we’re gonna take Thomas on this trip, I have a lot to do to ready him for it. Will you help me out?”
In an instant, she was up and flipping on the light, blinding Brodie. When his eyes adjusted, the first thing that came into view was Cara’s sweet face, smiling at him like a child who just got the biggest gift on Christmas morning. The last thing he wanted to do was use his son to gain her favor, to make sure all that was happening between them was organic and not the fruit of a tycoon’s manipulative nature, but he did love how happy the idea made her.
“Yes, of course I will!” she squealed. “I’ll check with the State Department for the requirements right away,” she said joyfully.
“Okay. What about you though?” he asked.
“I’m grown. I don’t think you need permission to travel with me,” she teased.
“I meant your passport and all that. Is it in order for international travel?” he clarified.
“It is,” she said. “I just have to clear it with work, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem. If they bicker about giving me the time off, I’ll just…handle it.”
He looked at her with concern. “Handle it how?”
Instead of answering, she simply batted her eyes innocently at him.
“Miss Rodriguez…” he scolded playfully.
“I’m going,” she insisted. “That’s all there is to it. If they make a stink, I’ll just get another job. I’ve got time off coming to me, paid time off, even if they are a nonprofit.”
“You can’t put your job in jeopardy just to jaunt off with us south of the Equator. Check with them first. If there’s an issue, I’ll sweeten the deal for them, spin it into some sort of business development that will work in their favor,” he said, lacing his fingers together behind her back.
The first chance Brodie got, he took Thomas to the pediatrician for a clean bill of health and travel approval. Always concerned with his son’s well-being, Brodie even suggested that the doctor come along, but the pediatrician offered him a Spanish-speaking nurse as a compromise, someone who could double as a nanny, if need be. It was a perfect arrangement, and Brodie took his good fortune as an omen of good things to come.
Cara stayed with him the night before they flew out, but they were both up at the crack of dawn. Brodie’s trusty driver was already waiting out front, ready to escort them to his jet. He expected to see the pediatric nurse there, for he’d arranged to meet her at the airport.
“What’s up?” Brodie asked as they settled into the plane. “If flying bothers you, feel free to take a nap.”
She shook her head, tossing her long hair around. “I don’t think I can sleep,” she said.
“Sure you can,” he said. “The baby will be fine. He’s in good hands with the nurse.”
“It’s not that,” she moped.
“Then what is it?” he asked.
“It’s just… Well, this is a really big plane,” she remarked, as if his wealth made her uncomfortable.
“Yes,” he said sympathetically. “When it comes to flying, size matters. I feel safer this way. Are you nervous about the trip?”
“No,” she said, obviously struggling.
“Baby, what is it?” he urged, even though he was pretty certain what her issue was.
“Brodie, I guess I didn’t know how well off you really are,” she said cautiously, as if it was some sort of insult. “I knew you have money, and we’ve had this discussion before. I’ve just never really felt it. You seem so…normal.”
His eyebrows nearly flew off his forehead. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it, but it felt upsetting coming from her. “I am normal, Cara,” he promised. “Tell me, if this jet belonged to Project Hope, would you be okay with it?”
“Probably, but they’re a whole organization, not a single individual,”
she said.
“Hmm. Maybe that’s a bad example,” he said. After pausing for a moment to carefully think through his words, he continued, “I started working when I was fifteen. I’m a self-made guy, put myself through school and the whole nine yards. I only have this jet because I earned every penny to pay for it.”
“I’m not criticizing you for being wealthy. I’m only saying I find it overwhelming. I know this is sort of weird, and I’m sorry. Let’s face it though. It’s not really normal to be able to fly your baby’s medical staff around the world.”
He could see that she was genuinely bothered, and he couldn’t stand that, so he did his best to put her mind at ease. “Sweetheart, we’re about to embark on an eleven-hour flight. We’re fortunate that we can go this way, so just sit back and enjoy it. Don’t for a moment think that I ever lose sight of how blessed I am. For me, the best part of this trip isn’t that I’m flying down on my own private jet. It’s who’s on the jet with me that matters. You and Thomas make this moment rich, not this silly old 747.”
“If you say so,” she said with a sheepish smile.
“I do. Now, if you want, I’ll ask my private steward to bring us some fresh-squeezed orange juice and eggs benedict,” he snarked in a purposefully uppity accent.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m fine with yogurt, if you don’t mind. I don’t mean to be a pain, but this takes a whole lot of getting used to for po’ folk like me. By the way, not all nonprofits are in it for the money, you know. Some of us have good souls.”
“I know that,” he said, snaking his arms around her. “I wouldn’t be involved with you if I thought otherwise. You have to admit, though, that organizations disguised as charities get a whole lot of tax breaks. No one should get rich off charity, but I would bet your CEO has gone plane shopping a time or two.”
“Okay, okay,” she said. “Let’s not get political here. I’ll adjust to incredible luxury if I must.”
Thomas was an absolute angel on the plane, especially after Cara followed the advice Brodie had read and fed him a bottle to help his little ears to pop and adjust to the pressure and altitude. This beats a business deal any day, he thought during those moments when he watched her holding his son, his heart elevated to a realm of warmth and contentment he had never known.
A car service met them and drove them to a hacienda owned by one of Brodie’s companies. The countryside scenery was magnificent, a perfect way to decompress after such a long flight.
“Kind of a long way for a hotel,” remarked Cara.
“House, babe,” corrected Brodie.
“House?” she asked.
“Yeah. It’s part of the reason we were so attracted to the deal. Since we already have some holdings here, it just makes sense,” he explained.
“Wow. Do you just happen to have places in other faraway lands too?” she joked.
“Well, technically, this particular place is owned by one of my LLCs. We do have properties all over the world, in the places where we do business. We often rent them out to partners. It’s a far more comfortable way to do business,” he said.
She just nodded in agreement.
The nurse turned out to be a wonderful help, because while the two lovebirds enjoyed their first meal in the dining room, she entertained the baby. The two felt like they were on a real date, but their reverie didn’t last long.
Just when they were creating what felt like a precious family memory, Brodie’s pocket began to buzz nonstop, thanks to someone stateside blowing up his phone. He didn’t recognize the number, but they called so many times that he could no longer ignore it.
“I gotta take this. Sorry,” he said, stepping aside from the bed to glance at the text message. Instantly, Brodie’s face gathered with alarm.
“Quite the storm you’ve got brewing there,” Cara kidded as she changed little Thomas on the huge master bed.
“Yeah, a tsunami,” he replied darkly.
“What is it?” she asked, suddenly very concerned when she heard no humor in his voice.
“It’s a lawyer, says he represents Thomas’s mother. He just emailed me a motion for an emergency child custody hearing.”
“What!? I thought that was already settled,” she said, her voice now trembling as much as his was.
“I thought it was. I need to call this man back and see how much money she wants. I usually don’t cave in to bribes or blackmail, but in this case, for Thomas’s sake, I’d rather pay her off to go away than face her in some drawn-out legal battle,” he said.
“Shouldn’t you send that to your lawyer?” asked Cara.
It was actually sound advice, but Brodie was too pissed off to be reasonable. “How much does she want?” he texted to the attorney.
“That is not what this is about,” the lawyer answered.
“Don’t be coy,” responded Brodie. “You and I both know money is exactly what this is about. Maybe the two of you need a little longer to figure out how much.”
The lawyer didn’t respond.
Frustrated beyond belief, Brodie stepped out on a veranda to call him. As soon as the attorney picked up, he demanded, “If it’s not about money, what is it about?”
“She has decided she wants to be part of her child’s life,” replied the lawyer.
“Then why the emergency?” he asked.
“She is concerned because you took the boy out of the country in the company of someone who…may not have the child’s best interests in mind. I advise you to read the motion, Mr. Rogan,” said the lawyer.
“You know, I’ve never spoken to you before. God, how many people does my ex have to go through, since her bullshit gets stale real fast? Didn’t you see her sworn affidavit relinquishing all rights to our son for a price? The woman practically admitted she fucked me and got pregnant on purpose, for a paycheck!” Brodie shouted.
“I do not appreciate such language, and I’m going to exercise my right to end the call now,” said the lawyer. “You’ve been advised to read the motion, and I suggest you do so.”
“Well, I suggest you shove the motion up your—” Brodie bellowed, but the attorney hung up before he could finish. Completely frustrated and scared that the court would lean the mother’s way, even though he’d taken care of Thomas all along and could bankroll a small city, Brodie just hunched against the patio wall, trying to calm down. He felt like he was about to have a heart attack, and when Thomas began to cry in the other room, he just froze. As much as he wanted to blame the boy’s mother for his distress, he knew the baby was only upset because he was.
“Brodie,” Cara admonished, with an obvious scolding in her voice, “don’t scare the baby.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said and rushed back in to join them. “I’m sorry to both of you,” he assured Cara and Thomas in baby talk.
“What’s up?” she asked with concern.
“I need to call my lawyer, like you said, and I have to forward the texts and that ridiculous motion to him. Can you watch Thomas for a bit while I handle this? I’ll hurry so I can help you out with him before dinner, but I need to—”
“Chill,” Clara said, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder. “Thomas is no trouble, and I’ve always got that nurse if I need her. You just go do what you need to do, Daddy.”
Even in that moment of horrible confusion and agitation, her sweet voice melted his heart, and as he walked into the other room to contact his own lawyer, Brodie counted his lucky stars that she was along for the trip.
Chapter Fourteen
As it turned out, Cara’s advice turned out to be the best thing he could’ve done, and something about that calmed him down a bit. His lawyer agreed to make an appearance on his behalf since the hearing was scheduled while he was out of the country.
“Won’t that look bad to the judge?” Brodie questioned. “Won’t he think I’m shirking my fatherly responsibilities or something?”
“Not at all,” the lawyer said. “The judge will be aware that you are a businessman wh
o often travels.”
“Good, ’cause I’m not about to subject that child to another eleven-hour flight, not after we just got to Argentina,” he said. “That woman is nog gonna get her hands on him. I’ll stay in South America if I have to.”
“We’ll work it out,” his lawyer said. “Don’t worry about a thing.”
After he spoke to his lawyer and once Thomas was quieted and napping, Brodie sat down to talk about the matter with Cara.
“So you called your lawyer, huh?” she said calmly.
“I did,” he answered. “Somehow, my ex learned that I’m with you, and now she suddenly wants to be part of Thomas’s life.”
“Does this ex have a name?” she asked, sounding like the voice of reason.
“Angelique,” he said, shaking his head and hoping Cara would not make the lame suggestion that he should be humane to his baby-mama. He wasn’t sure if he could, not even for Thomas’s sake.
“Well,” she continued, “she may be a lot of things, but this Angelique did give you a son, and she’s only human. Try thinking of her that way. It will help you and, ultimately, Thomas.”
“Damn, you’re smart,” he said.
“How did Angelique find out about you and me though?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, looking her directly in the eyes. “Every once in a while, an odd gossip rag will snap a photo of me, but I thought all that paparazzi nonsense stopped after Thomas was born. As for Thomas’s mother, I haven’t seen or heard from her since the last custody hearing. She literally skipped out of there for joy, free from all responsibilities of motherhood and with a big fat check in her hand. I think she’s just trying to milk more out of me. At this point, if money will make her go away, I’m cool with that, as long as she’s the one askin’. I don’t want my son to grow up one day and think I paid his mother to stay away.”