I crossed my arms over my chest. “I was seventeen, just out of high school, when she married for the third time. The guy didn’t like me and I couldn’t stand him, so it was for the best that I left. The marriage didn’t last long after.” I shrugged as though I didn’t care, but it had been a nightmare. “Now she’s with Gerald, a guy she met online. She moved to San Antonio…and she seems happy. After working hard for so many years, she’s finally able to stay home and take care of her husband, which is something she’s always yearned for.”
“That has to be a relief for you.” She brushed a wayward curl behind her ear. “That she’s happy, I mean.”
“It is. She deserves to be happy after such a long time.” I cleared my throat. “And what about you? Where do you see yourself in the future?”
It was her turn to look uncomfortable. “I thought I’d already be married and maybe even have a baby by now…but that didn’t work out so well.”
“I’m sorry.”
Taking the steps that separated us, she set the camera on the dresser. “I asked you. It’s only fair you’re able to ask me the same thing.”
I wanted to kiss her so badly. To tell her she was the most amazing woman I knew. “He was a fool to let you go.”
She pressed her lips together, the sides of her mouth lifting just slightly. There was no denying the pain in her eyes. “Thank you. I appreciate that, Brax. As for the future, I want to be happy. Whatever that means. I still want to be married, have children, and live in a house with a white picket fence.”
I could give you all those things. I wanted to say the words. Instead, I kept my mouth shut.
“A job I love would be nice, too,” she said, making it sound like doing what you loved was unattainable.
“You don’t like human resources?”
Shrugging, she dropped her gaze to the ground between us. “It’s a paycheck. That’s it. I don’t know if I was ever really good at it anyway. People say I was too lenient and too nice. I hated firing people. That part of the job tested me in more ways than one.”
“If you could do anything, what would that be?”
She glanced at the camera and hesitated. “Something creative, I suppose.”
Once again I was seeing the more sensitive woman she had become versus the headstrong girl who had left Maple Creek all those years ago. “You should do photography then,” I said matter-of-factly. “Go after what you want.”
She shook her head. “You’re so optimistic.”
“I suppose I am. My mom always said I have rose-colored glasses syndrome. I’m just a firm believer in going after what I want.”
My tone had changed. And if I wasn’t mistaken, she had noticed it since her cheeks had turned pink.
I cleared my throat. “You have your family, you have your friends, and we’re here to help you.”
“It’s nice to be back.”
“I know your brother is elated.”
“Has he told you as much?” she asked, humor clear in her voice.
“Of course. Do you know that he cried when you left Maple Creek for Arizona? Actually, I’m pretty sure we both did. After all, I never had any siblings. You were the closest thing to it.”
She frowned. “So you think of me like a sister?”
I laughed. “You know the answer to that.”
“So you’re happy I’m home.”
With raging emotions, I took the final step that separated us, bent down, and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I had meant for it to be a kiss to comfort, or at least that’s what I told myself. But it wasn’t what it ended up being.
I don’t know which of us turned our face, but our lips met and that was it. I pulled away slightly, looking down at her, waiting for her to push me away.
Instead, she returned the kiss with fervor, her arms sliding around my neck as she arched against me. I deepened the kiss, and her hold on me tightened.
For one second, my mind screamed to put on the brakes. What was I doing? Hadn’t we done this last night?
And yet I couldn’t deny how good it felt to kiss her again. To feel her fingers tighten around the back of my neck, her nails digging in a little.
I knew she had reservations, especially since she was still recovering from her breakup, and therefore, I should be a gentleman and stop while I still could.
The problem was…I didn’t want to stop. Using all the strength I could manage, I put her at arms length, and at once I could see ten different emotions pass over her face. “Come to my house tonight for dinner. It’s just a date.”
She hesitated. “Just a date?”
“I’ll make you dinner, that’s it.” I wanted her to get to know me. To trust me. My stomach tightened as I waited for her answer.
After ten awkward seconds, she nodded. “Alright. Dinner it is.”
CHAPTER 7
Amanda
Brax’s house looked like it could be photographed for a spread in Better Homes and Gardens. Despite the fact that he was a contractor, when I had originally envisioned his home, I had thought along the lines of the typical twenty-two-year-old pad with beat-up, oddball furniture and pictures of beer logos and half-naked women on white, scuffed up walls. Not this house. Dark distressed hardwood flooring ran the length of the downstairs, and there was a cream-colored carpet on the rather elegant living room where pictures of landscapes blended well with earth-tone walls and a dark brown leather couch and recliner. The tables were all in dark wood that matched the wood trim on the doorways and window frames.
If this was an example of his work, I had definitely found the right guy to renovate my house.
“It’s not much, but it’s home,” he said with a proud smile.
“It’s beautiful, Brax. Comfortable yet homey, and a heck of a lot nicer than my place.”
“Pretty soon your house will be nicer than this. I guarantee it.” He ran a hand through his still damp hair. His biceps bulged with the effort, making my insides tighten.
He looked so hot. Dark, low-riding jeans molded to strong thighs, and a black V-neck cotton t-shirt couldn’t hide that wide chest, narrow waist, or the ripped edges of his abdomen.
I smoothed the front of my light blue cotton sundress. I had changed no more than five times, going back and forth on what to wear. The last thing I had wanted was to show up looking too casual.
He took a step toward me. “You look gorgeous,” he said, pulling me into his arms and kissing me until my legs threatened to buckle.
I had promised myself to take things slow. My heart hammered against his hard chest as he pulled me up against him, proving to me just how much he desired me.
I wove my fingers through his silky damp hair while my other hand explored the muscles of his back, the high arch of his ass, and down his firm cheeks. He smiled against my lips even as I pulled him tight against my belly.
“Careful…you might just get more than dinner tonight.”
I could hear my heart pounding. Every muscle in my body was tense with anticipation. It felt so right being in his arms, and I couldn’t deny the simple fact that I wanted him.
Desperately. No more waiting, no more second-guessing myself and worrying about what might happen. I needed to live in the moment and have fun. Look at Kara. She said Brax would be her hall pass. Why not have him be my hall pass? Why not just enjoy whatever this was, no strings attached?
He rubbed his hard cock against me. “Take me to bed,” I whispered.
His brows lifted. “Are you sure?”
Already wet with need, I nodded, and he lifted me up and headed down the hallway.
Kicking the door to his bedroom open, he strode to his bed and laid me down on the all-white comforter.
I sat up on my elbows, watching him, wondering what the hell I had done right to be here. Need coursed through me as he reached behind his neck and pulled off his t-shirt. Next, he unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down his long legs, along with his boxers, and stepped out of them.
Oh m
y God, the rumors were true. He was enormous.
My heart pounded so loud I was positive Brax could hear it. He was so virile, so…naked, and damn, he looked good. My gaze slid from his, over his wide chest, the hard, flat stomach, the happy trail of dark hair that led to his impressive cock. Thick, long, and throbbing.
I swallowed hard.
My breath caught in my throat as he took the steps that separated us and crawled onto the bed. I went on my knees and reached out to him, shocked to find I was trembling. He kissed me slowly, his hands moving down my body one minute, and then pulling my dress up and over my head the next. He lay down, bringing me with him. Laying flat on my back, I watched as he ran a hand over my breasts, his fingers toying with my nipples, making them hard and erect before moving down my stomach, to the elastic band of my white lace thong.
“Beautiful,” he said, kissing my navel as he pulled the thong down my legs, kissing my thighs, knees, shins, and feet before flinging the underwear aside.
When he looked at me in that thick-lashed, slit-eyed way that promised great things ahead, my excitement took on a fever pitch.
He crawled up my body, covering me with his hard length, his cock pressed against my hot core as he smiled down at me. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this,” he said, kissing me again with a gentleness that surprised me.
Impatient, I ran my hands over his hard back, my nails lightly grazing the skin of his broad shoulders.
Gentle fingers caressed my hard nipples, sending a flush of warmth between my thighs. Waves of sensation rippled through me as his lips left mine, making a path down my throat, to my shoulder, to the tops of my breasts. Taking an already rigid peak into his mouth, he sucked slowly, his tongue laving me, tormenting me. I reached for him, wanting to feel his length in my hand, but couldn’t as he moved further down my body, covering my stomach with kisses, his tongue circling my belly button.
His eyes met mine as he moved lower. Starting with the inside of one thigh and moving all the way down to my foot, he slowly made his way up again, continuing with my other foot, working his way to the insides of my thighs. I swallowed hard, recognizing the wicked gleam in his eyes as his tongue flicked over the very part of me that craved him the most.
“Brax,” I whispered on a moan, urging him to continue. He was relentless, his tongue teasing my clit with such expert skill. I reached up and grabbed hold of the wrought-iron headboard for support. My fingers curled around the hard metal as he sucked, licked, and laved me into a frenzy.
My thighs opened wider, and he slipped his hands beneath my ass, pulling me closer. My stomach tensed as the intensity began, pounding within me, demanding release. Still holding onto the headboard with one hand, I grabbed for him with the other, my fingers fisting his thick hair. I looked down at him. His eyes were closed, his long lashes casting shadows against jutting cheekbones, his sweet, oh-so-skilled mouth and his long tongue sliding over my slick, swollen flesh. It was a memory I would never forget.
Sensing my gaze, he looked up then, his eyes dark and so sexy. The stirring that had started coiled hard, hot, and centered at my core when he stroked my slit yet again with his tongue.
“Oh my God,” I said, lifting my hips against him, my heels digging into the mattress as my climax peaked, my heart and body pounding in rhythm, rocking me, leaving me spinning and spiraling.
When my breathing slowed, I opened my eyes to find Brax once again beside me. He was propped up on one elbow looking down at me, an expression of complete possession on his face.
I would never get tired of that look.
My gaze lowered to his rock-hard cock that rested against my hip. I reached for him, my fingers curling around the length. Satin over steel. I bit my lower lip and bent down to taste him, but he stopped me. “I can’t wait, Mandy. I have to have you now.”
The words surprised me. By his expression, it was obvious he couldn’t wait. He wanted me, and the feeling was mutual.
“Are you on birth control?” he asked, reaching for his nightstand.
“I’m on the pill.”
Kissing me again, he settled between my thighs and rested the tip of his manhood against my wet, hot sex. My hands moved to his hips, pulling him toward me, coaxing him to enter me.
He kissed me softly.
“Please, Brax,” I whispered against his lips.
For a long moment, he stared at me, just watching me. Then he thrust inside me with a groan.
* * *
Brax
I went completely still for a moment, wanting to relish the moment of being inside her. Tight, silky, and wet—just as I’d imagined. I looked down at her blue eyes, so dark with passion. Her gaze shifted to my lips, and I smiled before I kissed her, moving slowly.
Her head fell back with each stroke, baring her long neck. I kissed the wildly beating pulse there and heard the soft moan emanate from somewhere deep within her, mingled with my name. I increased the rhythm, and she urged me on with soft whimpers.
Soft thighs clamped around my hips, her ankles locking at my back.
My own need grew with each second.
She reached above her head, grabbing hold of the headboard.
Knowing there would be other opportunities to take our time, I matched her frantic rhythm, and just as I felt her honeyed walls quickening around my cock, I thrust three more times, following her to my own shattering climax.
* * *
Amanda
Freshly showered and once again wearing my cotton sundress, sans thong, I smiled as I sat in Brax’s living room, sipping the glass of wine he’d just poured for me.
“I hope you like chicken,” Brax called from the kitchen.
“My favorite.”
“I thought so,” he replied, appearing at the kitchen entrance holding two plates, looking damn sexy in his jeans and tight t-shirt, his dark hair curling at the collar. “Dinner is ready, madam.”
The tiny eating area off the kitchen was dimly lit by candles; the crisp white cloth of the table was accented by china and crystal. He pulled out my chair, put my napkin over my lap, and bent to kiss my neck. “You look smoking hot.”
I felt myself blush. I’d just had the best sex of my life with the most gorgeous man on the planet. Life didn’t get any better than that.
“Try it,” he said, taking the seat opposite me.
I cut into the moist chicken, prepared to like it even if it was horrible. But it wasn’t. It was wonderful. Of course it was perfect. There seemed to be nothing Brax couldn’t do. Savoring each bite of the juicy meat and light pasta, I watched him watch me. “Who would have known you could cook,” I said, wiping my mouth with the linen napkin.
“My mom worked a lot, so I had to make myself dinner or go without.”
“Or eat at my house.”
He laughed and lifted his glass. “Exactly.”
“Don’t tell anyone I love to cook—I wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation,” he said with a smile that was altogether too wicked and made me look forward to our next round in the bedroom.
I wondered what he knew about his reputation. Did he realize that women coveted him and exchanged notes about his prowess in the bedroom, not to mention his commitment phobia?
Pushing all negative thoughts aside, I instead focused my full attention on him and the great meal in front of me.
We ate in silence for the next few minutes.
“So you said your mom moved to Texas,” I said in between bites. “What about your father?”
He dropped his gaze. “He lives in Portland.”
“Do you see him often?”
“Not if I can help it.”
Toby had always been so close-lipped when it came to talking about Brax. Now I wanted to know everything, but I asked with caution. “I don’t remember him being around when you were younger.”
“He wasn’t.” Brax speared a green bean with his fork and slid it in his mouth. “The only time he comes around is when he needs something from me.”
How devastating. Granted, I didn’t see my father all that much, but he was busy working. He had dropped by just once at the new house, but I did see him on Sundays during dinner at their house. That didn’t mean he didn’t need me, and he certainly didn’t come knocking at my door asking for things. “I guess I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the family I do have.”
He glanced up, the smile returning. “Yes, you are fortunate. Growing up, I envied Toby so much for the life you all had.”
Realizing the mood had become heavy, I slid my foot up the inside of his leg.
He lifted a brow and grinned.
My heart skipped a beat at the sexy look he gave me.
Finished, I set my fork on the plate and glanced at his plate that was nearly empty. Excitement rippled along my spine. I wanted him to finish, wanted to move on to other things—mainly each other. It was a strange thing to desire someone so much that it physically hurt—but those were the emotions racing through me. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him again; to feel his hard body against me, his lips and sweet tongue driving me wild.
My gaze abruptly met his. I lifted my brows. “You look quite nice in that shirt…but I think I like you better without it.”
Wiping his mouth with a napkin that he then tossed aside, he pushed back his chair and stood slowly. Before I could blink, his shirt had gone the way of the napkin. “Better?” he asked, a dark brow raised as his gaze slid to my breasts.
I swallowed and even managed to nod.
He took the candles off the table, followed by the plates, then the glasses. I sat glued to my chair, expectation racing through me.
When everything had been removed, he leaned over the table, his strong arms braced on the thick maple. “Come here.”
I stood so fast the chair hit the floor with a thud. Rounding the table, I was before him in three strides. His hands moved up my thighs, past the hem of my dress. When he felt my naked skin, he smiled wickedly. “You have no panties on, Mandy,” he said, squeezing my ass, pulling me up against him and grinding his erection against my heated core. He slipped the dress all the way off.
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