by M. S. Parker
As a total science nerd for as long as I could remember, I’d been crushing on Dr. Cai Hunter since I was a teenager, but I’d only recently learned that he’d also been an athlete in high school, receiving scholarship offers from numerous colleges to play basketball or run track. He’d turned them all down. Instead, he chosen to go to the University of California to study medicine.
I suspected its location had held a lot of appeal. Until their grandfather had used his will to essentially force the brothers into making amends, they’d all lived in different states and rarely spoke. Now, things could sometimes still be awkward, but all of us women agreed that the guys wanted to be involved in each other’s lives, and we’d bend over backward to make sure that continued.
I closed the distance between us and slid my arms around him, clasping my hands an inch or two above his bellybutton. Closing my eyes, I rested my cheek on his back, drawing strength from his touch.
I’d always tried to pretend that I didn’t need anyone else, that I was strong enough to do everything myself, and I supposed it would’ve been possible. I was thankful, however, that I’d learned the sort of strength it took to let someone else be in control for a while. When I was with him, touching him, the never-ending commentary that ran through my brain from the time I got up until I finally fell asleep stopped. He was the only person who could give me the peace of a blank mind.
I drew in a deep breath, taking comfort in the familiar scents of him. Of home. Even here, with the rich smell of cinnamon and eggnog permeating the air, I could make out the Irish Spring soap he used and the fabric softener I’d bought a couple weeks ago, converting him from dryer sheets to that sickeningly adorable bear.
He’d made a joke about it when he’d seen the bottle, teasing that no kid of his was going to snuggle with that damn bear. We’d shared a laugh over it on Thanksgiving too, just before Gene and Sandra had made their announcement and completely destroyed any of the day’s levity.
Their announcement hadn’t only been about an unplanned pregnancy. If that had been the case, my family would’ve rallied behind them, no matter how shocked or skeptical we were on the inside. No, it had been their plans that had derailed everything. Plans that involved giving their baby up for adoption.
I’d known that Sandra’s family was highly religious. Her parents had been furious when she and Gene had moved in together without getting married. I doubted a baby born into that ‘situation’ would have made things any better. But they were also against abortion, so terminating the pregnancy was out.
I didn’t know Sandra well, but I’d gotten the impression that the only two choices her family would have been satisfied with would have been a wedding or an adoption. Sandra could have defied them and gotten an abortion anyway, but I suspected she’d spent too many years with her family constantly talking against it to be able to make that decision without a lifetime of unbearable guilt.
I loved my brother, and I got along with Sandra well enough, but I was glad they weren’t going to keep the baby and try to raise it on their own. Gene was twenty-one and had been working in furnace and air conditioning repair since high school. The guy who’d taken him on as an apprentice didn’t have any kids, so Gene was being groomed to take over. Sandra was two years younger than Gene and had been taking online classes to earn a degree in office management. They didn’t have a lot of expendable income, but they were definitely on their way to a comfortable life. Putting their baby up for adoption would protect their future plans and keep them from ever resenting the child for his or her own unplanned birth.
I was just thankful that they were being smart about it and thinking of what was best not only for them but for the baby too.
More than that, an idea had been growing inside me from the moment Gene and Sandra had dropped their bomb at Thanksgiving dinner. An idea that would ensure my brother and his girlfriend wouldn’t have to cut off all ties to their child. That my family could still know the little boy or girl. An idea that could possibly fix the problem between Cai and me.
I wanted us to adopt the baby.
I hadn’t talked to Gene or Sandra about it, but I was confident they’d agree. Since we lived far enough away, it wouldn’t be too difficult to keep from confusing the child. And it would give Cai and me a family that didn’t require a lot of medical procedures.
All I needed now was to figure out how to approach the idea without sounding like I’d either been scheming behind his back or was being too impulsive.
As much as I loved this idea, I couldn’t help but wonder if Cai would want to adopt, let alone adopt from a family member. I wanted to look into my baby’s eyes and see a hint of me, but I would be content to see similarities in things other than physical characteristics. And with Gene being my brother, there was always a chance the baby would look like me anyway. Cai wouldn’t have that bond, and I didn’t know how important it was to him to be able to see himself in our child.
I sighed. Far too many variables and unknowns. I just wanted to curl up in Cai’s arms and let him take care of everything. I didn’t want to deal with this anymore.
Ten
Cai
Evening, December 23rd, Present Day
Hudson Valley, New York
I felt Addison sigh more than I heard her, and my heart twisted painfully. I hated that there wasn’t anything I could do to help her.
Well, almost nothing, because I could – and would – support her. I’d do whatever needed to be done on my end, and then be by her side for every moment of every medical procedure. At least we lived in a time and place where we had medical options. We didn’t know if any of them would work, but I’d use every resource at my disposal, and even go to my brothers if necessary. I wouldn’t give up, no matter how terrified I was of Addison enduring all of those tests and procedures. This wasn’t about me. It was about her.
It was always about her.
I wrapped my fingers around her slender wrists and pulled her around until she was between me and the counter. I put her arms behind her back, bringing her body closer until she was leaning against me. She relaxed into me, and I closed my eyes, breathed in the scent of her. When I kissed the top of her head, she shivered, then tipped her head back, hunger and need stark on her face. Blood rushed south.
“What are you wearing under that skirt?” I asked quietly, keeping my grip on her wrists.
Her pale green eyes darkened. “The red satin panties you gave me for Jax and Syll’s wedding.”
My stomach clenched. “I like those, Little Red.”
She smiled. “I know…Sir.”
Damn, I loved it when she called me that. It reminded me of our first time together, that night at the club when neither of us had known who the other was. I’d been her first, and it hadn’t taken me long to know that I wanted to be her only. That I wanted her to be my only for the rest of our lives.
I hadn’t actually proposed to her yet, but that was because I wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about marriage in general. We’d been talking about kids, and I knew that, for both of us, that meant a lasting commitment, no matter what it was called.
Except now, children might not be possible, and I didn’t know if that changed things for our future.
“Take off your panties,” I said, my voice rough. I needed her…now.
“I need my hands to do that.”
I released her wrists, and a moment later, those red satin panties were hooked on her finger. I pocketed them as I leaned down to take her mouth. Cinnamon and nutmeg, the smooth taste of the expensive rum we’d brought exclusively for the eggnog, all of it coated my tongue, mingling with the taste of her. If anyone ever asked me what my favorite flavor was, I’d have to say Addison. Whether it was her mouth, pussy, ass, skin, it didn’t matter. I just loved the taste of her.
“What should I do to you right now, Little Red?” I murmured against her mouth. My teeth scraped her bottom lip, nibbled at it. “My brothers and their women are only a few feet away, but I don’t want to wait
until we’re in our room. I need to see you come now. Here.”
Another shiver went through her, and I had no doubt that if I put my hand between her legs, I’d find her wet. I’d never share her, and my brothers would never consider asking any more than I’d ask them for Syll, Cheyenne, or Brea. That didn’t mean the excitement that came with a semi-public encounter was any less.
“Tell me, Little Red,” I continued. “Should I slide my fingers inside you right here, finger you to orgasm so that every time you come into the kitchen over the next few days, you’ll think of my fingers in that hot, wet pussy?”
Her tongue darted out to wet her kiss-swollen lips.
“Or should I take your ass? Bend you over the counter right here and push my way inside? Force you to keep quiet.”
She whimpered, and my cock twitched. Damn, I loved when she made that sound.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think we have enough time for the latter, and the first isn’t going to do me any good, is it?”
She shook her head, those wild curls of hers tempting me. One of my favorite things to do was bury my hands in that soft fire, whether it was to pull her hair when I took her from behind or to control her movements when she went down on me.
I didn’t have to ask her if she remembered her safe word even though she’d never used it. She would if she felt like she needed to, but in our relationship, being a good Dom meant keeping her from ever needing it. I also didn’t have to ask if we had any condoms since we hadn’t been using them since only a couple weeks after we started sleeping together. All of that meant that it was a simple thing for me to take her hand and pull her into the small alcove that currently held our boots and coats.
Her hands scrambled between us, tugging down my zipper even as I shoved her back against the wall. My eyes locked with hers, and I grabbed her thigh, lifting her leg to hook around my waist.
I let her feel the tip of me brush against her core, and then I entered her with one deep thrust. Air rushed out of her, and she grabbed my shoulders, nails biting even through my shirt. I reveled in the faint pain. I wasn’t a sadist or a masochist, but I did appreciate the edge that certain types of pain gave pleasure, and I’d found that Addison shared that appreciation. For me, it was her nails, and for her, my teeth. We didn’t always take things far enough to leave bruises or scratches, but we both enjoyed the occasional marks of ownership.
She moaned, and I clamped my hand over her mouth, making a chiding sound even as I put my lips at her ear. “Shh, Little Red. You need to come quietly. Think you can do that?”
She shook her head, little cries muffled against my palm as I drove into her with hard, bruising strokes. We didn’t have much time, not if we didn’t want someone to come looking for us, but I knew how to get us both off quickly. Taking our time was something we both enjoyed doing, but there was something to be said for the power of a fast, near-brutal orgasm.
I released my grip on her leg and buried my hand in her hair, yanking her head to one side. I buried my face against her neck, squeezing my eyes closed as I pushed away thoughts of red-haired children and the future that might never be. For the next few days, we’d live in the moment, talk about the past, but leave the future for conversations held at home.
Her body stiffened, back arching. I felt her scream more than heard it, but I would’ve known she was climaxing anyway by the way her muscles tightened around me. Each spasm that went through her body pushed me closer to the edge until I bit down on her neck to stifle my own cries of pleasure as I emptied myself inside her.
Even as I came, I felt a stab of sorrow at the knowledge that what we’d done, the love we shared, would probably never result in the creation of a child. Even if we went through all of the medical procedures and Addison did get pregnant, this wouldn’t be the way it would happen.
I held her for a long minute, breathing in the scent of her, loving the feel of her. As much as I wanted the physical sensations, I also needed the time to compose myself. I couldn’t let her know how scared I was that, in our quest to have a child, I’d lose her. I would be the rock she needed for as long as she needed.
By the time we made it back into the living room, I was pretty sure everyone knew what we’d been doing, but we’d both cleaned up, and I felt more in control of…well, of right now.
“Do any of you have any other stories about Mom and Dad dating?” Slade asked as Addison and I returned to our seats.
“Actually, I do.” My brothers gave me a surprised look. “I overheard Mom talking one time about what happened the night they first met. I didn’t know about the party in the Hamptons, but I guess this must’ve happened when Dad was taking her home. It started to snow…”
Eleven
Ct
Night, December 23rd, 1984
The Hamptons
The snow was coming down harder now, and the party was slowly moving inside. I’d been standing next to Abigail at the fire for several minutes, trying to understand what it was about her that had instantly mesmerized me, when I realized she was still shivering. I offered her my coat and suggested we find a way to get her out of her wet clothes, but she refused, saying that the fire would dry her off fast enough.
I wasn’t sure if she felt like she needed to prove that what had happened hadn’t shaken her or if she didn’t trust me enough to take care of her like I’d promised I would, but until I knew she was safe at home – wherever that might be – I refused to leave her side. That asshole date of hers had stormed off, but he’d struck me as the sort of guy who’d come back when she was alone to take revenge in some form. I had no doubt Abigail Slade was a fighter, but that didn’t mean I’d let that dick near her as long as she was with me.
“Do you live around here?” I finally asked, needing both to break the silence and to know more about her.
She gave me a wary sideways glance. “Do I look like I’d have a house in the Hamptons?”
I gave her my most charming smile, gratified to see a flash of amusement in her dark eyes. “You don’t not look like you belong here.”
She turned, angling her body more toward me than the fire. I’d never wanted anything more than I wanted to get a better look at her…except to simply know her better. Being a journalist meant I had a natural curiosity and succeeding in my field required a tenacity that I had as well. Once I focused on something – or someone – I didn’t let up until I got what I wanted. And I wanted her. Unless she made it clear that she didn’t want anything to do with me, I planned to pursue her.
The decision came as a revelation to me, something I hadn’t expected when I’d tackled her to the ground to put out the fire, but as soon as I put my thoughts into specific words, they made perfect sense. I considered myself a logical person, not prone to flights of fancy, but I didn’t have any real explanation for the way I was drawn to this stranger.
“I’m a student at NYU,” she said, finally answering my question. “What about you? Are you a Hamptons’ man?” A smile played around her lips.
I couldn’t tell her that my family had one of the biggest houses around here, not when I could see it written all over her face how much she disliked it here. Besides, it wasn’t as if I actually liked the whole Hamptons vibe. Even when I’d still been living at home, and I’d been forced to come here with my parents, I’d never been like the rest of the kids. My parents were rich. I wasn’t.
“I went to NYU too,” I said, “but I graduated. I work for the Times now.”
One eyebrow arched rather quickly. “You’re a reporter?”
“I am.” A strange feeling of pride filled me at the impressed look on her face. I wasn’t used to people reacting positively when I told them what I did. Probably because my parents had been furious when they’d realized I wasn’t going to follow in my father’s footsteps.
“Not what I imagined you’d be doing for a living,” she said.
“What did you think I was going to say?”
“Firefighter, of course.”
“It looks like the snow’s sending everyone inside. Do you want to go in?” I gestured toward the house. The bonfire was already fading, and only a handful of people were still outside, most of whom were pretty plastered.
Abigail shook her head, but she wrapped her arms around herself, tucking her hands under her elbows. “I only came tonight because my roommate is insane and wanted to set me up with her cousin.”
I wanted to offer her my coat again but knew she would refuse. “The dick with the Thunderbird?”
She laughed, but the sound was broken up by her teeth clicking together, and that was more than I could take. I stepped closer and put my hands on her arms, rubbing up and down in the hopes that the friction would give her at least a little heat until I could convince her to let me get her someplace warmer.
“And that’s why I now hate my roommate.”
I laughed this time. “The guy over there talking to a tree is my friend Finn. He set me up tonight too, and there’s a good chance that I’m going to steal his car and strand him here.”
“You didn’t like the girl he set you up with?”
I shook my head, keeping my voice light. “Someone else caught my attention.”
She shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. “Sometimes you have to light yourself on fire to get out of awkward situations.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“CT! There you are!” Finn draped his arm around my neck. “I’ve been talking to that big galoot over there for five minutes, thinking it was you.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s a pine tree, Finn.”
My friend frowned at me, and then looked back at the tree. “Is it?”
“I don’t think you should drive tonight,” I said.