His Favorite Mistake (Baby Its Cold Out)

by Mary Eason

  Reyna had been both surprised as well as delighted when he’d told her about the house. How he had found it and bought it the same day. He hadn’t been able to tell her everything about his motives that day.

  From the beginning, the house struck him as the place to settle down to raise a family. Not with just anyone, he admitted to himself. To start a family with her. He wanted everything with her, the whole picture; marriage, kids, forever. Six months ago, it had been nothing more than a fantasy. A very crazy expensive dream. In fact, he had started to doubt his own sanity at the time, but now, well now, he believed in miracles again. He loved her. The thought of spending the rest of his life with her was the one thing, the only thing that mattered to him.

  Reyna was still in love with her husband even though Brody knew something hadn’t been right between them. Had Reyna discovered the truth about Cade’s numerous affairs? He almost hoped she had at times, even if it meant she’d be hurt. At least she would finally see Cade for what he was, not the man she’d only imagined him to be.

  He couldn’t keep from wondering what secret she still kept from him. He was convinced now, more than ever before, that it was something of great significance. She wasn’t ready to share it with him.

  She wanted him physically. He had little doubt about that. It was there in the way she responded to him and in her eyes whenever he came near her. He knew she was close to loving him—he sensed it in her. At least that was a start.

  Whatever her secret was and for whatever reason she still held onto it, eventually, no matter how much it might hurt her, he was going to have to force her hand to make her reveal it. Because whatever that secret was, he had a feeling it was far too important to the both of them, to their future to keep hidden any longer.

  Chapter Fourteen

  They left for Denver the following morning to threatening skies that promised more snow.

  As they packed the truck, Reyna found herself wishing they didn’t have to return to Denver. She wished they could stay here forever. She’d never felt more at home before.

  The traffic going into the city was heavy and congested as holiday travelers returned home making the commute longer than ever. By the time they parked the truck in the garage, it was late afternoon.

  Reyna gathered the mail and followed Brody into the house. She watched him toss her bag in her room, before disappearing into his office.

  The mail contained the usual assortment of bills and advertisements. She started toward Brody’s office to drop them off when she spotted the large brown envelope with her name on it. The return address was a medical laboratory in midtown. Reyna opened it slowly, her eyes scanning the text in confusion. At first, she thought there must be some mistake—this couldn’t be for her. She hadn’t had any lab tests run in years. Then the date on the report caught her attention. It was recent. Very recent, in fact. The day she had become ill. She read through the tests results again. They had absolutely nothing to do with the flu. All the tests authorized by Doctor Stephens were drug tests. He’d ordered every type of drug test possible. Heroin, cocaine, amphetamines.

  Suddenly, it dawned on her that the only person who would have any knowledge, or even suspect her of using drugs enough to ask for such tests was Brody.

  Brody, the one person who believed her when she told him that she was not involved in Cade’s drug addiction. Brody, the one person on earth whom she trusted with everything, had in fact, doubted everything she had ever told him about herself.

  She started to cry. She hated herself for such weakness. Reyna brushed an angry hand across her eyes to stop the tears. He didn’t trust her at all. Brody never believed one word of what she had told him. All of that trust and caring had been nothing more than a lie.

  She walked into his office. He was sitting at his desk scanning the computer screen. Even through the blur of tears, Reyna could see the expression on his face at the sight of her tears. He was taken aback. He stood and came toward her, but she stepped back, holding up a hand to keep him away from her.

  “You had me tested for drugs behind my back? How could you do that, Brody? How could you do that to me? I thought you were my friend. I thought you trusted me. I thought you believed me when I told you that I’ve never used drugs before. That was just a lie, wasn’t it? You never believed a word of what I told you, did you, Brody?”

  Reyna held the tests results out to him to see, her anger giving way to heartbreaking sobs.

  She saw him close his eyes before running an agitated hand through his hair. He took a tentative step closer and she stepped back again.

  “Reyna…please, just listen to me. Let me explain.”

  His voice was so soothing. So reassuring. She didn’t believe any of it. She stepped further away, tossing the papers up in the air at him. They fell silently between them.

  “How could you do that, Brody? I believed you when you said you trusted me. I actually believed you. It was all just a lie, wasn’t it? You never ever trusted me at all. I’m such an idiot.” She turned to leave and she heard him call out her name, begging her to stay. She ignored him. Reyna had to get away. She felt physically ill by Brody’s betrayal. She ran from the room leaving him standing there alone with the evidence of his betrayal lying scattered across the floor.

  * * * *

  Brody picked up the papers from the floor and crumpled them, tossing them into the fireplace to burn then he slumped back into the chair he’d just left placing his hands over his eyes.

  Dear God, what had he done? He knew the answer already. He had lost her. The most important thing in the world to him.

  He wanted to go after her. Force her to listen. Make her understand why he’d needed to do what he did. How could he make her understand what he knew had been wrong all along? What could he possibly say to her that would excuse what he had just done to her by violating both her trust and her privacy? Dear God, what had he done?

  Brody sat frozen in his chair, looking unseeingly out the window as the afternoon faded into dusk, defeat in every inch of him. He was afraid to move, dreading the walk to her room. Afraid he would find it empty.

  He saw her enter the room through the glare of the window. At least he could be thankful she hadn’t left without telling him where she was going. He turned slowly to look at her. She had been crying—was still crying. He wanted more than anything to go to her. Comfort her. At that moment, he had no right to her at all and she would not want his comfort.

  She took only a few steps into the room, looking down at the floor. She couldn’t even look at him, he thought bitterly. “I think I need to leave. I…it’s time I found a place of my own. Some other place to…to live.” Her voice broke, her eyes desperately seeking his, looking for comfort, before returning to the floor.

  “I won’t let you do that. I won’t let you go. We need to talk about this. Come here.”

  “I have to. I can’t stay here anymore. Not like this. I can’t.” She took another step closer. At that moment, he knew he had her. She didn’t want to leave. He had no intention of letting her go.

  “Come here.” He held out his hand, she came closer. Close enough to touch, but she didn’t attempt to take his hand.

  Brody leaned forward took her hand in his and gently tugged her onto his lap. “Don’t cry. I’m so sorry. I had no right to do that to you.”

  She was sobbing so much, that he could barely make out her words at all. “How could you, Brody? How could you not trust me enough to go behind my back like that? Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? I told you the truth. Why couldn’t you believe me?” She still held herself rigid in his arms, but he knew there was no way she would leave him now.

  “Reyna, I do trust you, in spite of how this appears. It’s just that I had to…to put it behind us once and for all. I guess I needed proof positive that all of Harvey James’s accusation were just angry words. That was wrong—so wrong of me. It’s gone now. I tossed it in the fire, it’s over. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I never w
ant to hurt you like that again.” Brody knew it was now or never. He had to find out what she wasn’t telling him.

  “I know there’s still something standing between us. Something you haven’t been able to tell me yet. I want you to trust me. I hope that someday, you will trust me enough to tell me the truth about what’s hurting you.” He didn’t tell her that he’d never even bothered to look at the results of the tests. He hadn’t really needed to.

  She shook her head. She wasn’t going to answer him. Tonight would not be when she confided that secret to him. She wasn’t trying to deny its existence any longer, and he couldn’t blame her now for not trusting him now.

  Brody held her close, letting her cry until there were no more tears left inside of her.

  Something changed in her. She moved closer to him. She reached out to touch him, her fingers running lightly across his chest. Slowly she lifted her eyes to his. She couldn’t hide the hunger, the need that clouded hers.

  She wanted him. She was ready to accept him as more than just her friend. She wanted him to be her lover.

  He didn’t know just what brought her to him now, of all times, when he’d hurt her so badly. He didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let her change her mind now. He was taking the decision out of her hands completely.

  His eyes slid over her taking in the indisputable desire in her eyes, her body. Already responding to him. She snuggled closer.

  His arms tightened around her, bringing her closer. His hands roamed restless over her body. She closed her eyes, her breath catching in her throat.

  “Brody.” She wasn’t aware of saying his name, or that she repeated it over and over, but the seductive sound of it sent a primitive response through him.

  He fingers tangled in her hair, forcing her to look at him. She said his name once more. It was lost the second he kissed her. When he pulled away slightly, she opened her eyes and he kissed her once again. His eyes never left hers. God he wanted her. He’d wanted her for so many long nights. He took a deep breath and tried to hold onto that need just a little while longer. He wanted to do so many things to her. Wanted her to scream his name, forget about Cade. Beg him never to stop.

  He stroked her breast through the thin material of her shirt. She couldn’t control the moan that escaped. Brody coaxed her lips apart, exploring the soft recesses of her mouth, meeting hers, touching hers.

  His lips left hers, caressing her throat. She arched closer, crying out in pleasure.

  “Brody, please.” She had no idea the invitation her words gave him. He lifted his head to look at her. He loved the way her body responded to his touch. The hunger in every tortured cry that escaped her lips when his hand slipped upward again to stroke her breast, her throat, then running gently over her swollen lips.

  “Please what, Reyna? Tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you. Tell me you’re ready for me, love. Are you ready for me to love you, baby?”

  * * * *

  She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t answer. Reyna was consumed by him. The searing heat from his body made it easy to feel his need, even through the barrier of their clothes. She wanted nothing more than to touch him. To feel him against her. Inside her. His touch was almost as agonizing as his lips had been.

  She was beyond caring what he might discover about her anymore. Even if it meant proving Cade right. That she wasn’t desirable. She wanted Brody more than she’d ever wanted her husband.

  Reyna shook her head and looked at him with so much passion, that it made words unnecessary but she said them just the same. She wanted Brody to hear how much she needed him. She didn’t want there to be any doubts. “Yes. Yes, I want you, Brody. Please, I need you so badly.”

  He picked her up and carried her into his room. Brody set her on her feet and stood silently looking down at her. His expression took her breath away.

  “Are you sure, Reyna?” His own voice was far from steady. “Stop me now if this isn’t what you want. Stop me now if you don’t want this, because a moment longer will too late. And there won’t be any stopping it.”

  He knew the answer before she found the words. It was there in her eyes. “Yes, Brody, yes—I want this. Please, I want this more than anything else.”

  His gaze never left her face as he slowly undressed her, his fingers brushed over her heated skin sending tremors through her and awakening a primitive need for him deep inside her.

  “Let me look at you, Reyna. I want to see you, all of you, every inch of you.” His voice shivered through her mind. He stepped away from her, his eyes traveling slowly over her body. When she met his gaze, that slow, maddening smile was back, driving her mad with need.

  His gaze held hers, not letting her look away as he undressed before taking her back into his arms, his lips possessing hers once more. Brody lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and then lowered body until their bodies touched. His lips never left hers.

  She heard him whisper words as seductive as a caress against her lips and instinctively, she moved closer to him.

  “I’ve wanted you for so long. So long. That doesn’t matter, because you’re mine now.”

  Reyna’s body moved closer to him. She touched him slowly, her hands running over his taut thighs. Feeling the firmness of his buttocks, then trailing upward to stroke his bare chest. She could feel the tremor of his body as her fingers stroked his tiny nipple feeling it harden against her hand.

  She heard him cry out her name and she wanted more than anything to taste him. She touched her lips to the hardened nipple breathing in the scent of his skin. He reached for her hands pinning them together with one of his before gently pushing her back against the pillows. “No.” She looked at him startled by the sharpness of his tone mistaking it for anger or disappointment.

  “You don’t want me to touch you like that, Brody? You didn’t like it when…” She was immediately embarrassed. She had touched him relying completely on her instincts but she was too inexperienced to understand his reaction.

  He closed his eyes taking a deep shuddering, breath before looking at her once more. “Oh, I like it, love. I like it too much, love. I’m sure not just how long I can hold out when you’re touching me that way.”

  “This is our first time together, Reyna, and I want to make it special. Lie back down and let me love you.”

  He took her lips once more and she clung to him gasping as his hands teased her body, caressing her breasts to arousal before they slid downward. Then his lips left hers, trailing kisses down her throat, then capturing her hardened nipple between his teeth teasing her, exciting her, driving her out of control. He still held her hands together above her with one of his. His other hand was slowly stroking across her belly downward to touch her inner thigh, then parting them before stroking between her legs upward. He could feel her body tense briefly as he entered the soft warm moistness of her and she relaxed a little, accepting him as his fingers stroked gently within her.

  He raised his head to look at her wanting to see just what his touch was doing to her. She’d closed her eyes arching closer to him, to his maddening touch. She was warm and excited and he wanted her more than anything else in his life at that moment.

  He moved over her parting her legs. He took her lips once more as he entered her, thrusting deep inside and Reyna cried out. Something in her voice must have alerted caught his attention. His gaze captured hers. He thought her a woman of experience. The pain was so fleeting, that it was gone before he could understand he’d hurt her.

  He moved slowly inside of her and she was lost within the overwhelming force of feelings she had never known before until that very moment. Reyna felt as if she were being swept away by the sheer power of the raw, emotions washing over her in waves. There were just the two of them and nothing else mattered.

  She clung to him holding her breath, not wanting to return to reality but it was there, straying into her muddled thoughts and reminded her of just what she might have revealed about herself toni
ght. He shifted his weight gently off her taking her with him so she lay on top of him and then he wrapped her in his arms gathering her close and his fingers stroked lightly through her hair and down the length of her.

  Reyna let go of the shaky breath she had been holding painfully inside realizing that for now he hadn’t guessed her dark secret.

  Brody pulled the covers up over their bodies his lips brushing across her forehead. “Are you okay? I…I didn’t hurt you, did I? I thought, well, I don’t ever want to hurt you.”

  Reyna shuddered finding her shaking voice at last. “No, Brody, no, I’m fine; you could never hurt me.” Her voice caught as the tears of her physical awakening by him could no longer be denied. “Just hold me, Brody, please. Just hold me tonight.”

  * * * *

  Brody listened as at last, her tears ended and her breathing slowed knowing that at last she slept. He held her tightly, thankful at least one of them could find peace in sleep. His body as well as his mind cried out for it. Making love to her had been like no other sexual experience he had ever felt with a woman before. She had touched him deeply, far more than just their physical joining. It was as if their souls had connected tonight as well as their bodies and it was a feeling that terrified him unbelievable.

  He had known when they at last made love it would be earth-shattering, but nothing had prepared him for this much erotic intensity, so much fierce, passionate emotion. Brody looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms; touching his lips to hers; hearing her moan softly; responding to his touch even in her sleep and he smiled. Dear God, she was sensual, seductive, heartbreakingly beautiful in every way and everything he could ever want in a woman and he had wanted her for nine long months now. There was no way he would have expected his anticipation of loving her to be out shadowed by the actual act of possessing her. The way she slept in his arms. The way she unconsciously moved against him sent him up in flames. God he wanted her.