Heather startled slightly. “Oh! Really? Did she say that?” The quiet whisper so no one heard them was oddly charming.
“Yes,” he assured her with a warm smile. “She said Alex was especially going to love you.”
“Why do I get the feeling there’s a hidden meaning in those words?”
Damn. She was good. Note to self … remember she was a counselor.
Step three. Reward her. For no reason other than she deserves to be spoiled. “I’m going to owe you one for being so cool about the dog.”
Heather chuckled. “Yes, well … you’ve made me a convert. And for some reason, animals seem to like me. Even your girlfriend over there.” She motioned with her head.
Brody spared a quick look at Zeus. She was a majestic animal who fit Alex like a glove. When Meghan came along, the black Lab began spending more and more time down at the kennel. In a way, she was almost like an assistant. He used her as a demo all the time. When it came to perfect dog manners and easy behavior, Zeus won hands down.
Heather leaned closer. “Now, about this owing me one. What did you have in mind, cowboy?”
Oh. My. GOD! Had she really? Yes, she had. Brody lit the fuck up like a Christmas tree at her cowboy tag. He was so done with the suit and tie thing. And the conservative haircut. Ugh. Never again. But she liked the cowboy vibe, hmm? Cool. He knew just what to do. “Have you ever ridden a horse?”
He didn’t expect the blush. In fact, seeing the heated color flow into her cheeks was quite startling.
“Including our one giddy-up moment … pony rides, yes. But no to the mechanical bull, the stallion challenge, and any Annie Oakley moves.”
He couldn’t help it. She set it up, and he had to smack it straight down the center and over the wall.
“So … what? No reverse cowgirl for you?”
Her answer was exactly why he was willing to fight for a future together. “Probably not. You know how much I love surprises from behind.” She snorted. “Lessons would definitely be required. But if we’re talking bareback? I like the bareback very much.”
“Do you?”
She squirmed, shifting tentatively on the leather seat—her eyes darting to his then quickly looking away. “Yes.”
Too bad he couldn’t initiate a demonstration, for research purposes. Although there was considerable distance between where they sat and where Calder, Stephanie, and the dog bunched together, it wasn’t private enough for any sort of discreet teasing. Dammit.
Giving back her hand when she tugged, Brody recognized Heather’s urge to control the space she occupied. He had to respect what he knew was a coping mechanism. An out-of-the-blue impulse found him messing with her seat belt, securing it across her hips, and checking the locking mechanism. Would she resist? Well, she didn’t. Not even a smidge.
Leaning against the seatback with his head on the rest, he turned toward her. “I can help you feel comfortable in the saddle.”
The look she gave him was hot enough to boil water.
Speaking slowly in a deep voice, he told her, “It’s all a matter of finding your seat.”
Her eyes flared. Good. He hoped her visual from his suggestive words was as appealing as the one forming in his head.
“When riding, once you know how to sit right, it’s easy to find your center. You know … the sweet spot that helps you move with confidence and makes it easier to grip the animal with your thighs.”
Brody wasn’t at all sure how she’d respond. If she’d shut him down or play along. It could go either way. He was fascinated when she bit off a snicker with a stern frown and a headshake.
“I made this way too easy for you.”
As if! “Oh, so what?” He chortled. “You’re a walk in the park?”
She laughed, and he saw Calder’s head turn and look at them.
“A walk? Probably not. But a brisk run? Definitely.”
“I have great endurance,” he drawled with a wink. “And keeping up with you is my great pleasure.”
Heather reaching for his hand was so unexpected, so out of character, that he felt his chest expand with a burst of emotion. Fearing anything he said would spoil the moment, he stayed silent and let their clasped hands do the talking.
As Sawyer glided them to a smooth landing, Brody said a quick prayer of thanks for a safe flight and silently added his hope that he and Heather were taking the first steps in what would be a long walk through a shared future.
GLANCING AT HER reflection in the front windows of the Four Seasons, Meghan knew she looked fabulous. The white pantsuit was elegantly styled to showcase her best features, and with her red hair piled in a feminine up-down along with the outrageously sexy Louboutin’s she splurged on at Barney’s during her New York shopping spree, she wanted to dance a jig across the lobby floor. The Four Seasons was where Alex proposed. And where she thought wryly, she had a tendency to wear white.
Anxious to beat him to his room as he’d been texting every few minutes since he and Cristián had boarded their train, she was speeding along on a straight line to the front desk when she heard a familiar and wholly unexpected voice call her name.
“Meghan! Meghan O’Brien.”
Stumbling to a graceless halt, she must have resembled a cartoon character with feet skidding and digging in as she stopped and whipped around.
“Brody!” She screeched like a kid in a candy shop, laughed joyfully when he lunged at her across a wide space and swung her in a greeting that was more hug than words. “Such a cowboy,” she jested with a swat on his shoulder as he let go of her. “Look at you. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
He laughed and made that charming half-quirky grin he did so well. “I’m staying at the Copley, but we’re having drinks with Calder and Stephanie, so …”
“The Copley? Why aren’t you here with everyone else?”
Meghan had three brothers. She knew what a fuck my life reaction looked like. What was he hiding?
“Um, Brody?”
Meghan whipped around and was beyond startled to find a smartly dressed woman standing behind them with an expression on her face that swung between concern and something else. Being on the receiving end of a chilly glare, Meghan shivered.
“Oh, fuck,” Brody murmured. Reacting like a man who’d just farted in public, he colored so fast Meghan’s eyes widened with wonder.
“Honey, come here,” he said soothingly to the woman as his hand extended and reached for her. Meghan knew that tone. Alex had it mastered. So did Cameron. And Draegyn. Calder too. It was the sound of a man who gave more than half a shit about the woman it was directed at. Well, this certainly got interesting fast.
Some part of her was hopping up and down and clapping giddily as Brody drew the unexpected woman to his side and slid an arm around her waist. The action was proprietary. Meghan wanted to scream with joy.
She wasn’t at all surprised by the formality of Brody’s introduction. He was that kind of a guy. No wonder he fit in so well at Justice. Manners were in the contract.
“Meghan O’Brien,” he said soberly. Looking into the woman’s eyes, his tone got softer. “This is,” she noted that the hesitation was infinitesimal but there nonetheless, “this is my girlfriend, Heather. Heather Clarke.”
Holy fuck! What? “Girlfriend?” she squealed with utter delight. Without missing a beat, she threw her arms around the stiff woman and gave her a ferocious hug. Brody had a girlfriend. Could things get any better than this?
Took her a good couple of moments to realize she was hugging a pole. An unmoving, unwavering, and rigid-as-fuck pole. Um, okay. Letting this Heather person go, she turned back to Brody and slapped him playfully on the chest. “You dog! A girlfriend?”
Brody laughed, but his companion did not. Meghan got the distinct impression that the dog guru’s woman wasn’t all that keen on his Arizona life. Or friends.
She had less than ten seconds to process what was happening and whatever Brody was rambling on about when she caught sight
of the Major, storming straight for them with an expression that bordered on murderous.
Oh, shit. She’d been caught being friendly to the only real thorn pricking her man’s side. And pricking an alpha was never a wise move. Except … if that was true, how come she thrilled at seeing his jealous, possessive side? Probably because it was sexy as hell.
Brody noted the look on her face and followed her line of vision. She heard him grunt as he took in the fast approaching beast of a man with the less than thrilled or friendly look in his eye.
Without more than a quick glance at her, Alex stepped right between her and Brody, forcing the other man to take a step back. Satisfied for the moment, he wrapped a possessive arm around Meghan’s waist and yanked until she was plastered to his side. Ah, her alpha beast.
“Jensen,” he bit out. Meghan wanted to laugh. Brody was an invited guest to their wedding and was an important part of Family Justice, yet Alex was treating him like an ex-boyfriend caught poaching on private property. And she was the property. Remembering the sexy brand on her ass, she coughed to cover a giggle when the Major frowned.
Ah, fuck it, she thought. Might as well go for the gold and deal with the consequences later. “Baby.” She chuckled with real happiness. “Brody has a girlfriend.”
“What?” Alex grumbled.
For a man as smart as he was, her Major was a clueless mess. He was so focused on Brody hovering near her body space that he completely missed the wide-eyed female standing at the man’s side.
Pointing at Heather, who was looking at Alex with interest, she tactfully laid out the facts. “A girlfriend. Heather Clarke.” With the dig of her elbow, she told him, “Be nice.”
Alex was flabbergasted when Meghan drew his attention away from Jensen to the woman at his side. A girlfriend? Oh yeah, right. He knew that. The guys told him. What the fuck was wrong with him for acting like such a crazy person?
Well, pfft. He knew the answer to that. It’d been too long since he’d seen his woman and finding her chatting up the handsome book nerd struck him like a bolt of lightning.
Brody’s hand shot out. “Alex. It’s good to see you.”
Staring at the hand as if he was doing a threat assessment, Alex stiffened and pulled it together. The proprieties, his mother would say. Always observe the proprieties. Ashleigh Marquez was a stickler for the social graces.
Without easing the hold he had on Meghan, Alex offered up a firm handshake and a grimace that just barely qualified as friendly. “Glad you could make it.” He didn’t miss his woman’s quiet snicker.
And then the most extraordinary thing happened. Brody drew his attention to the elegant woman by his side. How the fuck the canine king bagged such a beauty was a mystery. Tall but falling just short of Meghan’s statuesque height, she was what could be best described as a librarian. A librarian with an account at Victoria’s Secret.
Having become quite the connoisseur of women’s fashion by discreetly paying attention when his fiancée talked about clothes, he instantly noted the conservative notes in her outfit. A straight, dark gray skirt with a wide leather belt and a black top that suggested but did not display her boobs set the tone. Her jewelry was understated. So was the handbag. The shoes? Well, he wasn’t dumb. Most outfits were all about the footwear, and she was wearing a pair of outrageous black pumps that no true librarian would have in her closet.
“Alexander Valleja-Marquez,” Brody pronounced with grave seriousness. “This is Heather Clarke.”
Alex noted the brief squeeze of the woman’s hand for encouragement and then Jensen said, “Heather, honey. This is my boss. He thinks he’s a Spanish don or something, so grade the charm offensive on a curve. And Alex? She’s a psychologist, and I’d bet she’s already putting together a report about you.”
The woman’s soft laugh was charming. A psychologist, hmm? Well, hot damn. Jensen was full of surprises.
“Mr. Marquez. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.”
Taking the hand she offered, Alex went through the motions, giving the new person in their midst a warm and welcoming smile. “Heather, please. Just call me Alex.” Sneering at Brody for good measure, he added, “And don’t believe any of the bullshit this asshole told you about us. We’re surprisingly normal … in a fucked-up kind of way.”
Heather was smiling broadly at him. Just at him. A sense of unease slithered up his spine and prickled across his neck. It felt … odd. Knowing he’d better pay attention, he gave her a careful smile in return and tried to get a fix on the undercurrent.
“Actually, Alex.” She snickered. “He’s not much of a talker. Mostly, it’s beer, baseball, and books.”
At his side, Meghan chuckled. To his complete astonishment, the smiling friendly woman glanced at his fiancée and her look changed completely. Something about her expression reminded him of … himself! Holy shit. She was regarding Meghan with the same grim restraint that he reserved for Brody Jensen. The hilarious irony almost doubled him over with laughter. Karma. She really was a snarky bitch because unless he was losing it, and he was pretty damn certain he wasn’t, Jensen’s girlfriend felt about Meghan the same way he felt about Brody. With possessive jealousy that didn’t have any basis. This was awesome.
“They’re meeting Calder for drinks. Did you know Carmen put Brody at the Copley?”
Oh, right. The Copley. He detected the question in her voice and was careful to school his expression. Brody was handling Zeus, and there was no damn way he could stay at the Four Seasons and keep the dog from going batshit if she picked up their scent. Putting him up in a different hotel was a necessity.
He and Jensen exchanged looks. How in the hell could they explain the odd booking without Meghan getting suspicious? When nothing came to mind, he changed tactics and discreetly palmed her ass. They’d been apart far too long. Fuck Brody, his lady friend, and their hotel arrangements. This was about them.
With a leering smile, he gave Meghan one of his signature grunts and drawled, “Shit. Calder and Stephanie? We’d better clear the lobby in that case before the whole gang appears and our reunion gets shot to hell.”
Heather laughed. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Alex.” The pursed lips and unfriendly vibe when she finally addressed his fiancée cracked him up. “Congratulations, Meghan. I’m sure your wedding will be spectacular.”
Another quick look and a shrug from Brody ended the weird encounter. “We’ll let you go.” Touching the breast of his sports coat, Jensen smirked at Meghan. “Got an entire itinerary to go over. Didn’t leave us much time to chill.”
“Blame Angie,” Meghan teased. “Oh, wait! You haven’t met Alex’s little sister yet, have you?” Her laughter rang out. “Better buckle up and get ready. She’s something.”
“And a half,” Alex added. Taking Meghan’s hand, he started pulling her toward the elevators. “Later, guys,” he murmured before turning away. He had better things to think about than those two. Jensen could figure it out without any help from him.
“All right, baby,” he whispered when they stopped at the elevator. “Let’s take this somewhere private where you can make up for leaving me all by my lonesome.”
Her sweet giggle went straight to his groin. “If I remember correctly, you gave me permission.”
“Doesn’t mean I was on board. Just says I gave in.”
“Shut up,” she smirked playfully as she leaned against his arm.
Really? She wanted to play the ‘shut up’ card? The stirring in his groin turned to a hard-on with ferocious speed. For shits and grins, they kept a tally. Each time she said the forbidden words, she earned some spanks. It was a game, of course. A very sexy, very titillating game that his naughty Irish goddess played with creativity and at times wanton abandon.
Glad they stepped into the elevator alone, he punched the button for his floor and swung her into a fierce embrace. “You’re an evil witch.”
She turned her face up to his. The mesmeri
zing green eyes he could lose himself in flashed with humor.
“Feeling smug, are you?” Alex filled with so much joy and happiness it felt like he might explode. All the tension and worry from their time apart vanished. She was here. Safe. And in his arms.
With a sexy pout, she melted against him and lowered her gaze, eyeing his tie as she stroked the dark green silk. He seriously wanted to haul off and smack her ass for messing with him like this. Sometimes when she went submissive, the coy, playful behavior she laid on with a shovel awakened the primal beast inside him.
She was, as the saying went … playing with fire.
The elevator doors silently opened. Motioning her to go ahead of him, Alex held back a second so he could watch her ass as she walked toward his suite. Slowly bringing up the rear, he thoroughly enjoyed the seductive show Meghan’s sexy ass performed as she rocked on down the long hallway in a pair of, red-soled, sparkly shoes that made her hips sway so perfectly.
Yeah. He was definitely going to remind her who she was dealing with.
Waiting for him at the double doors to the corner suite, she actually posed. Leaning her back against the wall and arching slightly, she twirled one of the loose curls from her upswept hair and bit her lip. He knew her so well. The pose was calculated. The lip bite she couldn’t help.
Instead of immediately opening the door, he went straight to her and pressed her back, hard, against the wall with the force of his body. Pinned to him, breast to hips, she shuddered and let out a hushed squeak.
“Asking for self-denial and requesting that we abstain is one thing. But taunting me when I can’t do anything about it is a very wicked thing for you to do, my dear.”
In all honesty, he couldn’t wait to see what she did next. His pulse picked up, and he could feel his dick throb where it pressed into her soft flesh.
One quick lip nibble and she grinned. “Oh, shut up, you.”
His answering grin was twice as big as hers. “As I said … evil witch.”
Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3) Page 35