Beefcake & Mistakes

by Fennell, Judi

  His fingers picked up the pace and Jenna moved against them, the ache growing, demanding attention.

  She speared her hands into his hair, loving the silky texture and that it gave her something to hold onto as he trailed fire along her skin and her hormones started dancing like they’d done in the club the other night.

  Oh, God, there was an image she didn’t need. Of him dancing on that stage…

  She slid her hands down over his shoulders, then down the middle of his back where the muscles dipped toward his spine, then followed that curve down to his butt, the one he’d shaken so delectably in front of the audience—and in front of her—while he’d danced. She cupped him, smiling when he moaned as her fingers stroked his sac.

  So she did it again.

  “Yeah, baby, that’s it. Touch me again.”

  She did, her reward being when he thrust his tongue deep into her mouth and she sucked on it just as she’d sucked on him.

  He groaned again and deepened the kiss, angling her head to the side, his fingers slipping inside her folds, and suddenly Jenna couldn’t figure out what was where or who was where; all she knew was that this was where she was supposed to be and this was where Bryan was supposed to be and this was where they were supposed to be, wrapped around each other, inside of each other, and it was so perfect she’d cry if she could take even the smallest breath but she couldn’t because every time she tried to Bryan would do something wonderful/exciting/ spectacular/novel/amazing and steal her breath all over again.

  He stoked her body, he stroked her feelings. He stroked her heart as he gave her pleasure. As he murmured sweet words and promises against her neck, as he promised her things that she’d longed to hear from the man in her life

  “I want you.” I need you.” “I’ll never leave you.”

  His words, his touch, the look in those gorgeous violet eyes… Every sensation whirled through her, spiraling her up towards that peak. Toward that one shining moment where everything hovered, the entire world below them just waiting for them to claim it, the pleasure filling her, surrounding her, teasing her with the promise of what was to come.

  And when he took her over the edge, pounding into her in a rhythm she’d never forget, her name a litany on his lips, the strength of his arms and the hold he had on her, Jenna knew… She was in love with Bryan Lassiter.

  Chapter Thirty –Two.

  “You are so fucked.”

  Bryan picked up his coffee. That wasn’t the first thing he’d been hoping to hear on this, the most perfect morning after the most perfect night that had followed the most perfect dinner he’d ever had in his life.

  But then, given that it was Gage saying it, Bryan shouldn’t be surprised. His oldest friend loved to give him shit, though, seriously? Since Gage had gone through this wild ride a year ago, the guy should have some sympathy.

  “You’re in love with her.”

  Nope. No sympathy. Matter of fact, if Bryan were to guess, he’d say Gage was enjoying the moment.

  Whatever. Bryan wasn’t going to bother answering him, then.

  Of course, given the stupid-ass grin that was on his face, he didn’t have to. And besides, if he was going to admit he loved her, shouldn’t the first person to hear it be the woman he was in love with?

  He’d come close in the wee hours of the morning with her in his arms as she stroked the back of his hand and he’d played with her hair in the sweet aftermath of the… sixth? round of lovemaking.

  The moment had been ripe for it, but he didn’t want to be that cliché. Bad enough they’d brought Trevor into the world in one; he wanted to do this right. He wanted them to have a story they’d be proud to tell their families and grandchildren someday, not some drunken night neither could remember, or a grand moment of passion that had dragged the words from his soul.

  “Any chance you can get your head out of the clouds long enough to have a meaningful business discussion, or are you pretty much toast for the rest of the day?” Gage tapped his desk with the eraser on his pencil.

  Bryan looked up from the cup of coffee he wasn’t sure if he’d put cream in or not.

  Wait. Did he take cream in his coffee?

  He didn’t know. Didn’t care.

  Which didn’t bode well for the discussion Gage wanted to have.

  “Yeah, sure, I’m good.” He was a hell of a damn sight better than good, but he wasn’t sharing that with Gage either. He took a sip of his coffee. Yeah, he took cream and, no, he hadn’t put any in this cup.

  “Well, you look good. Like someone got to you good and thoroughly and, hey, man, I’m happy for you.” Gage tapped the pencil some more, an annoying habit guaranteed to grate on Bryan’s nerves—and it did. Gage loved to egg him on. “So when’s the wedding?”

  Bryan almost choked on the coffee. Oh, his buddy was in rare form today. “What makes you think there’s going to be a wedding?”

  “Experience.” Gage sat back and put his feet onto the desk. He had a goofy smile on his face and was wearing the cowboy boots from the costume he wore only on the rare occasions when they were called on to dance.

  Hmmm… If Gage had worn the boots to work today, that meant he’d had to have taken them home last night, and the only reason for Gage to do that would be to…

  It was Bryan’s turn to smirk. Gage had danced for Lara in that costume on at least two occasions that Bryan knew about—though he didn’t want to know about any other times he didn’t know about.

  But, yeah, Gage knew what he was talking about when it came to weddings and women and goofy smiles.

  “I don’t think this constitutes a business discussion, Gage.” Bryan sat on the corner of the credenza instead of in the chair across from his partner. At least, here, he had the height advantage. Gage’s mocking smile was tough enough to stomach from over here, let alone being condescended to in that low chair in front of him.

  “All right. Whatever.” Gage let out a big, put-upon, suffering sigh and tapped the pencil on the blotter again. “I need you to cover for me tonight.”

  “I can’t. I promised Jenna I’d watch Trevor.”

  “Shit.” Gage flung his pencil at the wall.

  “Whoa. What’s up?”

  “It’s Connor. I promised him I’d take him to a game and the tickets just became available. Right behind home plate with a locker room pass from one of the press guys whose wife went into labor. I already told Connor I’d take him.” He put his feet on the floor and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh well. I guess I’ll get Tanner to close.”

  “Except Tanner’s not here.” Bryan set the coffee down, the afterglow from his night receding in light of the headache that was about to come. Sometimes being in business for himself wasn’t all it was cracked up to be because, ultimately, the buck stopped with him—literally at times.

  “Is he still sick?”

  “No. He took off for parts unknown, no notice. Again.”

  “What’s with him? He’s been doing that a lot lately and he won’t say a friggin’ word about where he’s going.”

  Bryan shrugged, more a frustrated one than a nonchalant one. Tanner’s absences were becoming both a habit and a problem. “His prerogative, but, yeah, it’s weird.”

  “Darryl then.”

  “He’s off tonight. Out of town.”

  “Shit. We need a manager. You sure Jenna doesn’t need the night work?”

  “I don’t want her working here.”

  “Yet you had her dance here.”

  He didn’t need the reminder. One, it did his composure no good to remember what she’d looked like in those lights ,and two, it did his jealousy no good to remember that other men had seen her on that stage in those lights—and not much more. “Yeah, well, that was before.”

  “Before? Or shouldn’t I ask?”

  “You shouldn’t need to.”

  “Ah, right.” Gage coughed, swallowing the laugh Bryan would have to punch him for if he let out. “So, I guess there’s no way you coul
d ask her for a rain check on babysitting?”

  Bryan shook his head. “Her friend called this morning with a last-minute plan to go to some spa thing. Jenna hasn’t had a day off without Trevor since he was born, so I said I’d be more than happy to watch him. She’s gone and they’re not going to be back until late tonight. He’s at a morning camp with her friend’s son until eleven. After that, I’m on kid duty.” And damn glad to be doing it, too. He’d have a whole day and dinner with his son. He was probably more excited than Trevor was about it.

  Gage sighed. “I’d ask Lara but she’s elbow deep in preparations for a client’s wedding this weekend. What about your mom? Would she babysit?”

  It was an option, but… “I don’t know about closing time. My mom’s not as young as she used to be.”

  “So put him to bed upstairs. Use the back entrance so he doesn’t see anything about the club. I’ll run up and make sure it’s kid-friendly and tell everyone it’s off limits tonight. I even have a baby monitor up there for the few times Connor’s been here so he could keep in touch with me.” He rubbed his forehead. “I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important, Bry. Connor’s been looking forward to a game all summer since that last surgery turned out not to be the last.”

  Connor had been the victim of a hit-and-run over a year ago and was still recuperating from the extensive surgeries needed to get the seven-year-old back to his former active self. And Gage had sacrificed so much to help with the bills—almost even Lara. Bryan couldn’t deny either one of them this game.

  “I’ll work it out, Gage. You go.”

  “Seriously?” Gage got to his feet and held out his hand. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

  Bryan shook it. “Nah, you don’t. You’d do the same for me if the situation were reversed.”

  Oh well. He’d have a few hours with Trev at least, and his mom would absolutely love it.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “You have to tell him, Jenna.”

  Cathy’s words came out garbled through the hardening seaweed mask she had on her face as they stared at the beautiful sky above them. Jenna wasn’t all that convinced that half-naked massages and facials in the open air were the best relaxation technique—given that she’d been naked less than five hours ago with Bryan—but it was all part of the spa experience Cathy had said she needed.

  She didn’t, however, need to bring up the one thing that was scaring her more than the acupuncture needles that were next on the agenda.

  “I can’t, Cath. You know that. And weren’t you the one telling me to lie? To take his money and sleep with him?”

  “And look how well you listened. You still got to sleep with him but no money.” Cathy reached across the small space dividing their massage tables and squeezed her hand. “Look, I was wrong, okay? You need to come clean. If last night was anywhere near as wonderful as you said, and judging from the glow you haven’t stopped giving off yet, I’m guessing it was even better, you’re not going to want to start your life together with a lie. He’ll understand. Everyone will. Of course you don’t want to lose Trevor, but if you accept Bryan’s proposal, you won’t have to.”

  It made sense, and it was the fair thing to do, but, hell, Jenna knew first-hand the pain of a parent walking out. Not that she’d leave, but if Bryan ever wanted to push the matter, Trevor could end up without her. She couldn’t risk his life, his stability, for her own selfish reasons.

  “I’ll think about it.” It wasn’t a lie; she’d done nothing but think about it all night. Well, that and make love to Bryan.

  The goofy smile that kept reappearing all morning cracked the mask on her face. The technician hurried over, clucking like a hen as she scooped some more seaweed by the corners of her mouth.

  “Don’t talk,” the woman whispered.

  If only she’d tell Cathy that.

  “I just think that the longer you let this go on, the harder it will be to come clean later on. You were planning to tell Trevor anyway when he was older, so Bryan will eventually find out. Why don’t you rip that bandage off now and tell him? Get it over with. Then you can start a life together for real. With no secrets, no lies, no hidden agendas between you. He deserves that, and so do you, Jenna. Not every man is your dad. Not everyone will walk out on you. Give Bryan a chance. Hell, he had the perfect opportunity to run away—baby daddies aren’t known for staying around, yet yours has. And he wants to do more than just stick around.”

  “We don’t know that for sure. He hasn’t said anything.”

  “Did he revoke his proposal?”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “Exactly. And then he spent last night with you and he’s babysitting your son. Seriously, Jen, grab the man up. Another one like him might never come along.”

  She knew that. She also knew that if she didn’t have the lie hanging over her head, she would have snatched him up. She loved Bryan. It was as plain and as simple and as earth-shattering and profound as that. She loved Bryan. Three words, a wealth of emotion and planning and probable disaster in each one.

  The pedicurist rubbed some oil into her feet, working the muscles. Reflexology had a lot to recommend it as Jenna tried to hold back a moan of pleasure.

  Bryan had caused the same reaction last night, and it hadn’t just been physical. He’d touched her heart. Her soul. That special place inside her where she kept close watch on her wants and dreams and hopes. He’d breached that lock as easily—no easier—as she had the one on the container of condoms.

  She smiled, remembering how many of those condoms they’d used. She should probably pick up another box on her way home.

  Home. For the first time, that word meant something because Bryan was going to be there, waiting for her with their son, when she returned.

  “I’m just worried that if you don’t tell him now and he finds out on his own, he’s going to be even more hurt. You had a reason for not saying anything before he showed up. But now that he has and he’s proposed, you don’t have a defense when this comes out.”

  “I’m not doing this for me, Cath. I’m doing it for Trevor. Whatever happens, I’m willing to deal with it so that Bryan doesn’t find out the truth and tries to take my son from me.”

  “Give the guy some credit. How much more does he need to prove to you, Jen? He’s here, he wants to be here, he doesn’t plan to go anywhere, he babysits, he can toss a ball—and looks damn good doing it—and he wants you. Take a chance, Jen. For all of your sakes.”

  ***

  Cathy’s words stayed with her all day. Meditating during her massages and facials and pedicure had ensured she’d nothing else to think about all day. It’d gotten a bit embarrassing when they’d been wrapping her body in seaweed. Peaked nipples weren’t easy to disguise.

  It didn’t help that Cathy kept talking about it the whole way home. She’d even solicited some of the other guests’ advice during dinner. For a day that was supposed to be so relaxing and taking her away from her daily life, it had only added to her stress.

  “Thanks for the day, Cath. I really appreciate it.” Cathy had meant well and Jenna appreciated her good intentions and genuine caring, but to tell Bryan…

  She just didn’t know.

  She waved as Cathy drove away. She better figure it out soon though because with as close as they’d been last night, she was afraid he was going to be able to read her like a book and know something was on her mind.

  Jenna took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself to see him again. To hide her inner turmoil and put on a good face until she could figure out what she was going to do.

  Except, when she turned around, Bryan’s car was gone.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  He’d taken Trevor.

  Jenna knew it was a ridiculous thought. Bryan hadn’t kidnapped Trevor. Probably just taken him to visit his mom or the movies or out for ice cream…

  Except it was after midnight and there was no note or no phone call.

  The hospital?

&nbs
p; Oh, God, no. The last time she’d talked to him, they’d been at a T-ball game watching one of his friends play. There’d been a lot of cheering, a bunch of “I wove you, Mommy”s and Bryan had told her to enjoy her day. Had something happened at the game? Had Trevor gotten hit on the head with a ball? A bat? Fallen from the stands?

  She pulled out her phone. Maybe she’d missed his call—except the thing was dead. Great. Of all the times for her battery to die.

  She ran back to her bedroom for her charger, passing Trev’s room on the way.

  Mr. Monkey was gone. Trevor wouldn’t have taken him to the ball game, though, so that only upped the odds for a hospital trip. The blue teddy bear was gone, too. As were the dinosaurs and building blocks. Poor Rocco sat all alone on the shelf.

  Jenna did not want to relate to a fish.

  Where could Bryan have taken him?

  She plugged in her phone, counting the interminable seconds until the thing lit up, then punched in his number.

  She got his voicemail.

  “Bryan, it’s me. Where are you? Where’s Trevor? Is everything okay?” She wasn’t successful in keeping the panic out of her voice.

  She dialed his mother next.

  A groggy Mrs. Lassiter answered. “Hello?”

  “Mrs. Lassiter, I mean, Tabitha, it’s Jenna. I’m sorry for calling so late, but is Bryan there by any chance?”

  “Bryan? Oh no. He’s at the club.”

  The club? What was he doing at the club when he was supposed to be watching their son?

  “Is, um, is Trevor with you?”

  “Oh no, dear. I left him with Bryan.”

  She left a three-year-old at a strip club?

  Jenna couldn’t get off the phone fast enough. She couldn’t get in her car fast enough. She couldn’t drive to the club fast enough.

  Well, yes, apparently, she could. At least fast enough for Sarge to see her and pull her over.