by Cathryn Fox
Megan spun back around to face Cassie and Nick. “With Brady’s help, I won’t need any other kitchen staff. We’ll just need serving staff at the banquet hall.”
“I already have serving staff in place,” Cassie added. “I just didn’t have any food for them to serve.”
“We can prepare the food ahead of time, and deliver it to the hall,” Brady said.
Megan turned to Brady. “Brady, do you know where we can rent hot and cold chafing dishes?”
“Not offhand, but we can check the rent-all place down on Main Street.”
“Good, we’ll do that this afternoon. We also need to go shopping for food supplies. We can prepare the food the morning before the wedding and drop it off at the banquet hall. The serving staff can take over from there.”
“Then we’ll still have plenty of time to get ready for the wedding,” Brady added.
“Right, because no way am I missing the wedding.”
As Megan and Brady talked out the details, Cassie and Nick just sat there listening, their heads bobbing back and forth between the two, following the conversation.
It suddenly occurred to Megan that Master Chef Lucien Beaufort would be a guest. “Oh my God,” she said.
“What?” all three asked at once.
“I’ll be cooking for Lucien Beaufort.”
Still sniffing, Cassie stood and plugged the kettle in. “That’s right, Megan. You know he’s always on the lookout for new talent.”
A mixture of excitement and nervousness stole through her. “I’ll be cooking for Lucien Beaufort,” she repeated.
Brady’s soft chuckle wrapped around her. So did his arms. “Don’t worry, Megan. We can pull this off. You’re going to impress Lucien so much, he’s going to beg you to come work for him.” He dropped his voice for her ears only. “Then you can move to Chicago, and after a hard night’s work, when you’re all dirty, you can stop by the firehouse for a long, hot, soapy shower.”
Her entire body quaked with the possibility.
His hands cupped her cheeks. “Why don’t you go get some sleep and I’ll stop by later to pick you up? Then we can work out a menu and go shopping. I need to pick up some supplies for the station anyway.” Despite the audience, he dropped a warm kiss on her mouth and then shot Nick a glance. “I’ll see you guys later.”
With that, he made his way out the door. Megan watched him go. Tamping down a sudden riot of emotions, she turned back to Cassie and Nick. When Cassie opened her mouth, Megan held her hands up in a halting motion. “It was a one-night affair, that’s all.”
Cassie didn’t press Megan any further, and for that, Megan was grateful. Instead, Cassie crossed the room and leaned in to hug Megan.
“Thank you, Megan. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you doing this for me.”
Megan hugged her back. “For you, Cassie, anything. But save the thanks until after the food is served. Just knowing Lucien will be dining on my cuisine has my stomach in knots.” And knowing Brady would be in that kitchen with her, helping her every step of the way, had the rest of her in knots.
Even though she was tired, her mind continued to race a thousand miles an hour. She made her way to her bedroom for a quick nap before Brady came back for her.
Brady.
The things that man had done to her last night. And the things he promised to do to her again. Her body ignited with memories.
Okay, so the guy was hot, heroic, witty, charming, and skilled in bed. Qualities she never thought she’d find in a man. But that certainly didn’t mean she was going to go all soft inside and fall for him.
Exhausted, Brady climbed into his truck and drove out of the driveway. He needed to head back to the fire station to pick up Jag before making his way home to crash for a couple hours. Last night he’d gone without sleep, and this morning he was feeling the effects, not that he would have played the night out any other way.
After cooking and talking with Megan until the wee hours of the morning, she’d slept in his cot while he’d spent his time watching her, caressing her, and enjoying every minute of her company.
His heart pounded harder in his chest every time he relived last night’s lovemaking sessions and the frenzied way she wanted him. Her uninhibited responses to his touch had raised his passion to new heights. He loved the way he aroused her until she was delirious with need and the way they were unable to sate their desire for each other. Throughout the night they both continued to take and give until exhaustion finally overtook them.
Brady took a moment to reminisce about the way she gave herself over to him last night, welcoming him into her body. Now he just needed her to welcome him into her heart.
As he flicked on his signal light to pass a slow-moving vehicle, he glanced down and noted she’d left her clothes in his truck. When he picked them up, her unique scent reached his nostrils and aroused all his senses. A sudden rush of emotions made him light-headed and the need to fuck her again filled him with primal possessiveness.
He’d only been away from her for five minutes, but already he missed her heat. Last night when they made love, he knew there was nothing impersonal in the way she touched him. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she just wasn’t ready to come to terms with it yet.
He ached to take her home with him, to share his bed, to sleep with her in his arms, but he somehow suspected that it was too soon to bring her into his territory and share such intimacies. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off.
Last night Brady felt it wasn’t the time to press for more. He had played it slow and played it her way. Soon enough she’d learn to trust him and understand that he was nothing like the man who had destroyed her belief in “happily-ever-after.”
Earlier in the morning, when she’d vowed this was only a one-nighter, he’d seen the emotions churning in her eyes. She was afraid—afraid to get involved again. It was written in her eyes and apparent in her body language. It killed him to think her ex didn’t appreciate her the way she deserved to be appreciated.
His thoughts raced to the day ahead. He was looking forward to spending the afternoon with Megan and advancing their relationship to the next logical stage. Last night she’d opened up to him physically, and today, with a little coaxing, he planned on pressing for more.
Brady pulled into the firehouse parking lot. He spotted Dean near the garage doors, basketball in hand. Ever since Dean had fallen for Jenna, he’d been walking around with a goofy grin on his face.
Brady killed the ignition and climbed out of his truck. After stretching his tired limbs, he slipped his keys into his pocket and walked toward Dean.
“What are you doing back here?” Dean asked, going in for a layup.
Brady nodded toward the entrance. Jag stood at the door, tail wagging. “I just drove Megan home and I need to pick up Jag.”
Dean stopped dribbling his ball. “You mean Megan actually spent the night? Here? With you?” Dean seemed rather surprised by that bit of information.
Brady nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “Yeah. Why is that so hard to believe?”
Dean ignored his question and asked one of his own. “Have you convinced her yet?”
Brady exhaled slowly and gave a quick shake of his head. He rocked back on his heels and clenched his jaw. “Not yet.”
Dean grew serious, the way he always did when he went all Dr. Phil on the guys. He slipped the ball under his arm and rested one hand on Brady’s shoulder. “Listen, Brady. Last night, when Jenna and I were talking, she told me that Megan is in it for the sex and the sex only. Megan swore to her that after her messy divorce, she didn’t plan on ever falling for anyone again.”
Brady paused, absorbing that bit of information. What if Dean was right? What if she really was too scared to try again?
“I know you’ve been waiting for the right girl to come along, and I know you think it’s Megan, but I just don’t want to see you hurt, pal.”
Brady slapped Dean on the shoulder.
“I don’t think it’s Megan. I know it’s Megan. I’m crazy about her, Dean.”
“Then I suggest you’d better hurry up and convince her that you’re the guy for her.”
Brady’s mind raced. Dean was right. He had to somehow convince Megan he was the man for her. It was time to play it his way and break down her defenses with his erotic touch before she went back to Trenton and all was lost.
After grabbing Jag, Brady made his way home. As soon as he stepped inside his small bungalow in the suburbs, he crawled in bed.
Five hours later, he awoke to his alarm, feeling alive and refreshed and ready to play. And Lord help Megan, because when he played, he played to win.
FOUR
Megan awoke feeling more invigorated than she had in ages. Even though her body felt sore, it was a good sore, one that brought back heated memories from last night.
She glanced at the clock and climbed from her bed. Warm afternoon sunshine spilled in through the window. The sound of children playing on the streets reached her ears and toyed with her emotions. At twenty-nine, she thought she would have had her own family and be living in suburbia by now. She thought she’d be living the fairy tale. A pang of regret tightened her heart.
Pushing those thoughts away, she made her way to the shower. She had one hour before Brady came to pick her up. As her mind returned to Brady, her body trembled. She’d never met a man like him. Completely hot, sexy, and giving. And he knew his way around a woman’s body, to boot. Come to think of it, he seemed perfect in every way. But lessons learned long ago taught Megan that when something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.
The house was quiet as she made her way to the shower. The warm spray sluiced over her skin and aroused her body all over again. She took a moment to relive the way Brady fucked her in the shower numerous times the previous night—the way his mouth had touched every speck of her skin, the way his thick fingers brought her to orgasm, and the magnificent way his cock filled her up. She gulped water. Her nipples tightened and her sex quaked with need. After the incredible night they’d had, how the heck would she handle returning to her nonexistent sex life?
After showering, she pulled on a lightweight summer dress. She towel dried her short blond hair, put on a light dusting of makeup, and padded to the kitchen, where she found Brady and Cassie sitting at the kitchen table.
Her insides softened like meringue when his warm hazel eyes met with hers. Her gaze raked over him. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, he looked so goddamn hot.
“Good morning, Megan,” he said in a soft tone, a tone she’d only heard him use with her. She suddenly felt feverish.
He had that appealing disheveled look to him again. With his mussed hair, unshaven face, and lazy gaze, he looked all warm and cozy, like he’d just crawled out of bed.
She glanced at the clock and tried not to show how flustered, how aroused, she felt. “Good afternoon, Brady.” She turned to Cassie and worked to sound casual and light. “Hey, chicky. Where is everyone?”
Cassie finished her coffee and stood. “Jenna and Sara are out shopping. I’m meeting them for a late lunch, and then we have some last minute wedding errands to run.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You and Brady are doing enough as it is.” Cassie hugged Megan and slipped out the kitchen door.
Brady stood up and approached Megan quickly. His scent closed around her while his sexy grin warmed her all over. Her mind raced with indecent thoughts. The urge to haul him upstairs for another quick shower made it impossible to stand.
She cleared her throat, finger-brushed her hair, and sagged against the doorframe. “I didn’t realize you were here. Have you been waiting long?”
“No.” His fingertips touched her cheek. His soft caress left her insides churning. His hazel eyes darkened as they locked on hers.
She exhaled and gave him a slow perusal. Was there something different about him this morning? She found him even more charming and more charismatic than she had before.
Had he turned up the heat? How was it possible for the chemistry between them to feel even hotter?
He ran his thumb over her lips and leaned toward her without speaking. He brought his mouth close to hers and just hovered there. A melee of emotions and sensations erupted in her. Desire and need moved into her stomach.
She moistened her lips and waited for the kiss, but it never came. Damn him.
Before she melted all over him, she locked her knees and marshaled her lascivious thoughts. “We should take a moment to go over the menu.”
His mouth curved enticingly. “Cassie and I already took care of it.”
Her eyes lit with excitement. With so much to do, she was both surprised and delighted that they were one step ahead of the game. “Oh?”
“Yeah,” he said, his hand sliding to her arms and, lower, to her hips. He looked like he was about to devour her. “We came up with a menu that we can prepare early in the morning so we will still have plenty of time to get ready for the ceremony.”
His spicy, freshly showered scent reached her nostrils and brought on a quiver. Needing a chair, Megan waved her hand toward the table. “Great, let’s go over it.”
He pitched his voice low. “Better yet, let’s do it over breakfast. I know this great place that serves breakfast all day.”
Her stomach took that moment to grumble. She forced a chuckle. “Sounds like a plan.”
He guided her to his truck with his hand on the small of her back. Once they were driving, she turned to him. Now that her passion had receded, albeit only a modicum, she felt a bit anxious about taking time out for breakfast. They still had so much to do. “We need to look into chafing dishes and renting extra kitchen equipment before we go grocery shopping.”
“Already taken care of.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I had to drive by the rent-all place this morning anyway, so I stopped in. Everything will be delivered to the station this afternoon.” He met her glance and squeezed her hand. “So relax. With that out of the way, all we need to do is go shopping.”
She shook her head in amusement. “Once again you’re one step ahead of me.”
“And here I’d rather be completely on top of you. Or better yet, underneath you,” he added with a wink.
Passion flowed through her at his words. If he kept this up, they’d never complete any of their errands.
Brady gave her a lopsided smile. “We have everything in place, so after our shopping, we’ll have plenty of time to prepare the main course.” He paused and then added, “And plenty of time for dessert.”
Megan’s body shook with anticipation. She felt her skin suffuse with color.
Brady veered off at the next exit, and Megan took that moment to gather herself. The last thing she wanted to do was walk into a restaurant looking sexually flustered. She glanced forward and noted Brady had driven into a housing district, not a business district. She crinkled her nose. “There is a restaurant here? Right in the middle of suburbia?”
Brady chuckled and pulled into a long paved driveway. Megan arched an inquisitive brow as she glanced at the small bungalow. “Where are we?”
He waved his hand. “Welcome to Brady’s Diner, where the food is good but the company is finer.”
Megan threw her head back and laughed. “And where breakfast is served all hours of the day. I should have known.”
“Come on.” Brady hopped from the car and she quickly followed.
As they approached his door, she heard a dog barking. “Jag?” she asked.
“Yeah, I went back to the station to grab him after I dropped you off.”
Since the dog had spent the previous night sleeping, Megan never really had a chance to play with him.
Before Brady pushed open the door, he positioned Megan behind him. At first she didn’t understand, until Jag came barreling at them like a bowling ball. If Brady hadn’t moved her out of the path, she’d have toppled like
a pin.
“Hey, boy,” Brady said, bending to calm his hundred-pound chocolate Labrador retriever.
Something inside Megan softened as she watched him nuzzle his rambunctious dog. Warmth stole over her and nearly stopped her heart. Megan dropped to her knees beside him.
“He’s so playful, Brady.” She scrubbed her hands under his ears. “I just love him.” Just then Jag swiped his tongue over her mouth. She scrunched up her nose and Brady laughed out loud.
“I think he loves you, too.”
After getting his fill of love, Jag happily followed them into the kitchen, where he snuggled on his blanket and drifted back to sleep. What a life!
Megan glanced around, taking stock of Brady’s house. With its sparse furniture, bare walls, and drab colors, it wasn’t hard to tell it was a bachelor pad. “Nice place. Very homey.”
He chuckled. “Are you mocking me?” he teased.
“Maybe a little,” she said, grinning. “I just think it lacks the female touch.”
“I work. I play. I don’t decorate.” He waved his hand toward the kitchen chair.
Megan cataloged her surroundings a second time. It was a great house smack-dab in the middle of suburbia, which made her wonder why a sexy playboy bachelor lived in the burbs.
“I really do like your place.” It was the kind of house she had thought she’d be living in by now. She took a moment to imagine how she’d decorate his quaint little home. Suddenly she wondered why he was still single.
She arched a brow at him. Curiosity getting the better of her, she cut right to the chase. “Brady, why doesn’t this place have a woman’s touch?”
He shrugged and gave her a sexy wink. “I guess I haven’t found the right woman to touch it.”
For a second she wondered if they were still talking about his house because undoubtedly a skilled lover like Brady would have lots of women touch it. Hmm, that thought put a lump in her stomach.
Brady grabbed the eggs from the fridge. “Quiche okay?”
She nodded and stood. “I can’t just sit here and watch. I need to put my hands to work. Let me help.”