The Only Thing

by Marie Harte

  She was panting from need when he moved her so he could reach her mouth. She let herself slide down his body, over the thick erection prodding her belly. She trailed kisses down his neck and gave his nipples the same attention he’d given hers.

  His moaning and shifting told her he liked her attention. And then she scooted lower, her lips making a path down his tight abs to the solid shaft thick against his belly. He was so big, so handsome down there. She’d never been a huge fan of the male anatomy. Oh, she liked a man in boxers, showing off his upper body. But she preferred some mystery in her lovers.

  J.T. was just so beautiful, everywhere, that she had to know him. She studied him as she explored, first with her hands, then with her mouth. She loved the softness overlying such steely strength. His dark crown was broad and stretched her mouth as she drew him between her lips.

  He arched up into her. “Hope. Oh yeah. Lick me there. Suck me.” He moaned and swore, his entire body locked up as she moved up and down, learning what drove him crazy with each pass of her tongue and draw of her lips. Just as she’d gotten down a rhythm that aroused him to the point of grunts and moans, he stopped her.

  Gasping, he yanked her up off him. “Wait. Condom. Now.”

  He handed her a packet from the nightstand, where he’d placed several earlier. As she put it on him, he shook, and she noticed the moisture beaded there, at his tip.

  The moment she finished rolling it on him, he flipped her onto her back and mounted her. He nudged her thighs wide, and she welcomed him. But he didn’t push inside her.

  “Not yet.” His voice sounded unrecognizable, so low, so gritty. J.T. kissed his way down her body, doing to her what she’d done to him. Her breasts had always been sensitive, but when J.T. bit her nipples, not hard enough to hurt but with enough pressure to stimulate, she felt an orgasm within reach.

  He pulled with his lips, his tongue lashing each nipple until she could do nothing but moan his name and surge up and down in waves of lust. She clasped his head to her, mashing her pelvis against his belly, seeking more.

  He didn’t disappoint. J.T. traveled down her belly before putting an openmouthed kiss over her sex. He thrust his tongue inside her, then sucked her clit without stopping. She was coming before she knew it, and then J.T. had her ankles up on either side of his head while he thrust inside her.

  Their gazes locked, and as he took her, she seized again, the pleasurable agony overwhelming. She would have felt more vulnerable, being open to him as he controlled her pleasure. But watching him come showed he felt the same things she did. His eyes narrowed, his breathing increased, and his chest and arms tensed, the muscles standing out in relief as he groaned and poured himself into her.

  He continued to pump, his cock so thick and long he bumped that part of her that added yet another release. She felt herself let go, and the ecstasy burned into her brain. J.T. and all the best things in life in one glorious moment where she trusted him enough to put herself in his hands.

  As he came down from his high, he slowly eased her ankles off his shoulders and withdrew. She immediately missed him inside her.

  “Damn, Hope. You are the sexiest thing ever.” She felt incredibly wet and worried that perhaps the condom had broken, so she asked.

  But J.T. only smiled. “Nah, baby. That’s all you. Come on. Let’s get cleaned up before we snuggle.”

  “Snuggle?” She felt drained as he lifted her off the bed. Then the big lug carried her into the bathroom. “Wow. I feel boneless.”

  “Because I’m the man.” He looked pleased and started her shower.

  “The man?” she teased. “More like the sexy villain who seduced a poor, innocent girl out of her clothes.”

  He laughed. Hard. “Oh yeah. You’re innocent, all right. About sucked my brain clean out of my head with those lips wrapped around my cock. And maybe I seduced you back, but Lord knows I didn’t start this. It’s not my fault you’re a walking wet dream.”

  “I think that’s a compliment. Maybe.”

  He smiled. “Oh, it is.” He pulled her into the shower with him once the water temperature evened out. Then he did the oddest thing. “Hope?”

  “Yes?”

  He stared into her eyes, as if seeing into her hopes and dreams and worries. He cupped her face in those big hands. Then he kissed her, and she felt their connection in every part of her being.

  When he drew back, she blinked her eyes open and saw what looked like love in his eyes. He turned them so they both felt the warm water cascading over their bodies. Then he hugged her and sighed.

  “Heaven,” he murmured, and she completely agreed.

  They stayed that way until the water turned cold. And when she suggested a way for them to warm up, he was more than receptive.

  * * *

  J.T. didn’t know what to call it, and neither it seemed did Hope. So they enjoyed themselves and refrained from mentioning any more about their pretend relationship. How pretend could it really be when he spent half the night buried inside her?

  With a grin, he decided it didn’t matter. Unlike his sister and half the people around him lately, he didn’t have to label shit to feel good about life. And since he and Hope were on the same page, it was all good.

  At least, until they ran into trouble Saturday evening at a pizza parlor following a slick thrill ride of a movie. While arguing the merits of sex as a diversion versus just using an actual gun to keep the bad buys busy, an overly smiling couple and a little boy interrupted them.

  “Well, well. Lookie who we have here.” Brody Singer, one of those blasted McCauleys—if not by blood, then by association—stood right next to their table. With him were his now-pregnant wife, Abby, and Colin McCauley.

  Colin beamed. “I saw you first and told Ubie and Aunt Abby we had to come. Hi, Hope.” His eyes glowed when they settled on J.T. again. “Hi, J.T.”

  Hope bit her lip, but J.T. saw her grin. She knew how much Colin idolized him. Hell, everyone knew. The kid made no bones about wanting to be just like J.T. when he got bigger. J.T. wondered how Mike slept at night, knowing his kid had aspirations of following in J.T.’s footsteps.

  He grinned, despite the interruption of a fabulous night. “Oh, hey. It’s the coolest kid I know, the professional slacker, and the too-pretty-to-be-his-wife Abby Singer.”

  “Don’t mind if we join you,” Brody said and sat at their table without asking.

  Abby sighed. “Sorry. You’d think I’d be used to this. I mean, I married him.”

  “Hey.” Brody looked affronted, then winked. The family’s con man—no doubt where Colin got it.

  The blond goofball had been instrumental in helping J.T.’s sister hook up with Mike, and of course Colin had been a part of it. Between the three of them, they’d made sure Del ended up with a guy she truly deserved. So though J.T. might tease the guy, he liked Brody.

  “Abby, you look prettier every time I see you.” J.T. stood and moved around the table to kiss her on the cheek. “You’re glowing.”

  She really was. The dark-haired beauty smiled, and he saw her bone-deep contentment. Yeah, every McCauley had hitched up with a woman who fit him. J.T. glanced at Hope, saw her raised brow and pointed glance at Abby, and realized she might not like him kissing another woman.

  Well, how about that. A bit of jealousy on her part didn’t annoy him, the way it had with so many of his past girlfriends. He liked the thought of her wanting him all to herself and told her so. “Don’t worry, Blondie. I’m all yours.”

  “Oh, glad you were looking her way.” Brody let out a relieved breath. “For a minute there, I thought you were talking to me.”

  Colin giggled, and Hope shook her head. “Such a McCauley.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Brody asked and winked at J.T.

  “Yeah,” Colin said. “I’m a McCauley.”

  “It’s not you
r fault, Colin,” Hope explained. “The McCauleys are known as the second best in our family. Except for you. You’re one of us Donnigans, because you were so great at the prank wars.”

  “Prank wars?” J.T. asked.

  Brody groaned. “Don’t ask.”

  Colin gave Brody a thumbs-up. “I am awesome. I helped Gavin prank on his whole family. And then I got all of you.” He gave Abby a sly grin. “Remember when you yelled at Brody for misplacing your papers?”

  “Those were my edits, you little punk.” Abby scowled. “Man, I looked for those forever. Typically I do everything online, but for that book, my editor had mailed my edits to me. I nearly freaked out for an entire day. Then they mysteriously appeared in Brody’s section of the office.”

  “So that was you.” Brody’s eyes narrowed on the boy. “Good to know. Payback’s comin’, little man.”

  Colin snickered. “Yeah, right.”

  Hope looked at him. “You’re seven, right?”

  “Yep.”

  “Well, if you want to make it to eight, you have to learn never to confess what you did. Not until your uncles are old. Well, older than J.T., which is old.”

  “Ha ha.” J.T. shook his head. “Colin, the one who’s old is Hope. She’s got a birthday next week.”

  “I’m three years younger than you, and isn’t your birthday two weeks after mine, old man?”

  He laughed, then stopped when he noticed Brody and Abby staring with fascination. “What?”

  “Oh, nothing.” But the smug look Brody shared with Abby was unnerving.

  Hope frowned at J.T., then nodded at the married couple.

  He shrugged.

  “You know,” Abby drawled, “all that body language isn’t necessary. We’re right here.”

  “Then what’s with all the staring?” Hope asked and handed Colin a slice of pizza. The way she took care of the boy made J.T. feel she’d be a natural at motherhood, and the image of Hope looking after her own son gave his chest an odd pang.

  Brody leaned back in his chair. “Oh, we’re just curious. Dating is so different these days. Back when Abby and I got together—”

  “When I was five,” Colin helpfully added.

  Brody ignored him. “We used to joke around, pretend we weren’t as close as we really are. You see, when you’re new to falling in love, it’s scary to let yourself be vulnerable with another person.”

  J.T. gaped. “This from the same guy who shoved his passed-out brother’s finger up his nose and took pictures he shared at the last family picnic?”

  Abby grinned. “Therapy has helped Brody get in touch with his inner common sense.”

  “Very inner, I’ll bet,” Hope murmured.

  “So anyway, we just wanted to see this special new romance blossom. Close up.”

  Colin narrowed his eyes from J.T. to Hope. “Wait. They’re dating? Like, for real?”

  “You saw them both at the bowling alley.”

  J.T. frowned. “You’re pretty well informed, Brody.”

  “Mike has a big mouth.”

  “He does.” Colin sighed. “We have a hard time keeping secrets with Dad around.”

  Hope laughed. “That’s funny. Landon is the same way. A real stick in the mud about everything.”

  “You got that right.” J.T. still didn’t much care for the way her older brother had treated him. As if J.T. would do something to hurt Hope. Just thinking about her ever crying over something he’d done turned his stomach upside down.

  “So have you met the parents yet, J.T.?”

  “Yeah. It was great. Her dad cooked, then Hope and her mom yelled at each other while her brothers gave me the third degree. I can’t wait to do it again,” he added with a large amount of sarcasm.

  Abby bit her lip. “Um, wow. Sounds like an…interesting…night. I’ve only met your parents a few times, Hope, but they were super nice to me.”

  “Aunt Linda is intense.” Brody shook his head. “I once slipped a whoopee cushion on her seat when I was kid. She sat on it and freaked out. Then she chased me around the house with a wooden spoon to instill some much-needed discipline.”

  Colin laughed. “Awesome.”

  Brody grinned. “It was, actually. I would have gotten away if Landon hadn’t sat on me. The killjoy.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.” J.T. certainly understood the dynamic of bossy mother and bossy son.

  Colin kept squirming in his seat.

  “Okay, buddy.” Abby stood and rubbed her tummy. She had a tiny bump where her baby was growing. “Time to use the bathroom. No more putting it off.”

  “But I want to talk to J.T.”

  “What am I?” Hope asked, biting back a smile. “Chopped liver?”

  “Hope too.” Colin nodded with enthusiasm.

  Abby tugged him toward the restrooms. “I need to go, so we’ll go together.”

  “Aw. I don’t want to use the ladies’ room. That’s for girls.”

  They left, and Brody turned serious. “Okay, gimme the scoop on this stalker that’s bothering Hope.” Hope opened her mouth, but before she could talk, Brody said, “Cam told Flynn, who told me. Any leads yet?”

  “Not yet.” Hope sighed. “And it’s not like I can call the cops. There’s no crime against sending flowers or a cinnamon bun.”

  J.T. reached across the table to hold her hand. “Her brothers are looking into an ex of hers. But other than that, nothing. There was no way to tell where the flowers came from.”

  “Hope? You okay, sweetie?” Brody asked.

  She nodded. “It’s a little weird, but nothing’s happened other than getting little gifts. Probably some kid with a crush. I feel silly for making too big a deal and—”

  “Don’t.” J.T. squeezed her hand again, lending her his strength. He could see the worry darkening her pretty eyes, and he didn’t like it. “You’re smart not to ignore this. Until we find the guy, I’ll stick close.” He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Super close. Like glue. The sexy kind.” He noticed Brody watching with fascination and let go of her hand.

  “Glue can be sexy?” She smiled.

  Feeling good for banishing her worry, J.T. chuckled. “Oh yeah. Glue and me. We’re tight, we don’t let go, and we’re—”

  “White and sticky?” Brody added. “Not seeing the resemblance, guy.”

  J.T.’s thoughts took a dive, remembering a part of him that was indeed white and sticky, and that Hope had been particularly good at lapping it up. He met her gaze with his own and gave her a naughty smile.

  She turned beet-red. Ah, great minds think alike.

  “Well, actually, Brody, the similarity is in my—”

  Hope stood. “Oh good. Abby’s back.”

  Brody, apparently as depraved as J.T., mouthed Nice one, and welcomed his wife and nephew back. “Good news, guys.”

  “Oh?” Abby ruffled the boy’s hair.

  “J.T.’s buying us pizza!”

  “Yeah! J.T. is the best,” Colin exclaimed.

  J.T. shot Brody a dirty look.

  “What? Something I said, sticky man?”

  When Colin asked Brody what the sticky man reference meant, Hope hurried to ask the boy about his summer plans. Colin blathered on about camp, his best friend, and a summer soccer league.

  Brody leaned close to J.T. while Colin held the ladies’ attention. “You need anything for Hope, just ask. Take care of her.”

  “Will do, man. Nothing gets to her.”

  He’d die before he let that happen.

  * * *

  Sunday afternoon, after having spent an hour arguing about what constituted a decent gym—the one they’d attended was all the way in Green Lake but had nice floor mats and good-looking instructors, excluding her brothers—Hope and J.T. were enjoying smoothies from Sofa’s, a popular cof
fee shop near the lake. Hope apparently had some connection to the place due to an in-law of a cousin of an owner, or six degrees of Donnigan, as J.T. liked to say. They sat inside since the wind had kicked up. The place had a decent crowd and killer cookies. With any luck, they could have a date without interruption from a family member.

  Unfortunately, they ran into an even bigger mouth than Brody.

  “Hey, guys. Don’t you look all sweaty and bothered.” Del grinned at him, and he groaned when he spotted Rena not far behind. “Well, well. What have you two been up to?”

  Hope lowered her head to the table and groaned. “God. Our family is everywhere.”

  “No shit.” Glaring into his annoying sister’s smirking face, J.T. scooted over in his chair, leaving no room at the two-person table for guests. “We were working out.”

  “Really?” A lot of innuendo in that one word.

  “At the gym,” Hope snapped.

  “Hey, Rena,” Del said, ignoring their irritation, “let’s pull up some chairs.”

  J.T. shared a sigh with Hope.

  “Hey, guys.” Rena’s smile brightened the day. “What’s going on?” She glanced from him to Hope. “Oh. We’re interrupting. We should go.”

  “No, no.” Del gave an emphatic headshake. “Rena, we both know that J.T. and Hope are just pretending to be involved. This is all an elaborate scheme—”

  “Wow, big words, Del.” J.T. wondered if shoving her off her seat would be considered rude. Then he remembered the baby she carried and figured it would be safer to keep his hands to himself.

  She talked over him. “—to make Hope’s mom mad. They’re not really dating. Remember? You told me that’s what he said.”

  Rena nodded, her innocent expression overdone. “Oh, right. Now I remember.” She smiled at Hope, who couldn’t help smiling back. Rena was like a puppy that way. You couldn’t look into the girl’s big, brown eyes without losing your will to argue.

  J.T. blew out a breath. “Okay, what do you two want? Why are you here, bothering us poor pretenders?”

  Hope shot him a frown, which he returned. As if it was his fault his sister and cousin had broadsided them.