Brice laid Brooke on the sofa and stood back admiring her beauty. He wasn’t sure how far he should take things. He didn’t have to decide. Brooke beckoned him forward with her left index finger. The corners of his mouth rose. Brooke sat up and raised her dress over her head, dropping it to the floor, offering a viewing of the black lace underwear she was wearing. Brice’s erection was fighting against its confinement. “Damn...”
Brooke’s eyes dropped to his crotch. She looked up at him and whispered, “Please, baby.”
Brice unzipped his pants. “This might be quick.”
“Quick has never been an issue with us,” she reminded him, licking her lips.
“True, but it’s been a while. Self-service activities can only take you so far,” he explained.
“I agree, so stop talking.”
Brice chuckled and removed his tie and shirt. His pants soon followed, joining her dress on the floor. He’d forgotten how impatient Brooke got when she wanted him. That feeling meant everything to him and he’d missed it. He removed the fine cover over her sex and pushed it into the sofa’s cushions.
“I meant what I said. I haven’t been with anyone since we got together but if you’d like me to use a condom—”
“I trust you. I haven’t been with anyone else either and I’m still on the Pill.”
He came down on top of her. “I—”
Brooke stopped his words from escaping with an explosive kiss as she captured his erection with her right hand, placing it at her entrance. Brice thrust forward and Brooke moaned in his mouth. Her wet, warm walls engulfed him and Brice’s mind cleared. He captured her face in the palm of his hands and devoured her mouth. He pulled back, repeating that thrust motion two more times. Brice stared into Brooke’s eyes and watched as tears formed. Before he could set the pace that he knew would please them both, there was a knock on the door and the doorknob turned.
“Ignore it...please,” Brooke begged softly.
“Brice...” Alexander called out.
“I can’t. If I don’t answer, he’ll use his key,” he explained.
Brooke’s eyes went wide. “Then answer him...quickly.”
“Yeah?” Brice yelled out.
“What’s up? Why is the door locked?”
“I’m busy.”
“Busy? We have to leave in fifteen minutes for Austin. The chopper’s on the way. Open up.”
“I can’t. I’m busy, A. I’ll meet you on the helicopter pad.”
Brice and Brooke stared at the door in silence. “A?”
“See you in fifteen minutes,” Alexander replied. Brice could hear the annoyance in his brother’s voice.
Brice rested his forehead on Brooke’s. “Sorry about that, baby, and I’m really sorry about this.” He grimaced as he slowly pulled out of her.
“No...”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Brice gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “I totally forgot about this trip.”
Brice picked up his clothes and walked into the bathroom, leaving a very dissatisfied-looking Brooke lying on the sofa. He took the fastest and coldest shower he’d ever had. Brice changed into a fresh set of clothes he kept at the office. He returned to find that Brooke hadn’t moved.
“Are you all right?” he asked, adjusting his tie. Brooke looked up at him expressionless, still wearing her bra but naked from the waist down. Brice’s body started to stir, so he tried to focus on her face.
“Do you remember that candy commercial where a kid asked an animal of some kind how many licks of a sucker it took to get to the candy or gum inside? I can’t remember which one it was or the type of animal.”
Brice wasn’t sure where this was going but replied, “Yes, the animal was an owl and the candy was a Tootsie Pop.”
Brooke’s eyes bored into him. She sat up, exhaled and stood. Brooke removed her bra and dropped it on the couch. Brice fought his desire for the woman he loved and wanted more than anything; the woman he’d only briefly just been inside of, who was standing naked in front of him, looking very annoyed, as she said, “You and that kid have something in common now.”
“What’s that?”
“He knows how many licks it took to get to his treat and now you know how many strokes it took to lose yours. Not to mention how to piss off your wife.”
Brice burst out laughing and Brooke shot him a dirty look. She turned toward the bathroom, only Brice stopped her. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you when I get back. I promise.”
Brooke stuck out her lip like an angry child that’d been denied their favorite toy. “When’s that?”
“Tomorrow evening. How about I take you to dinner? We should talk about what this means.”
“Okay, but this is closure for the both of us.”
“I’ll call you when I get back,” he said, ignoring her explanation for what had just happened. The fact that she called herself his wife was all the hope he needed. He gave her another quick kiss. “Take your time. I’ll lock the door.”
* * *
Brooke watched as Brice left the office. She walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. “Closure? What in the hell is wrong with you?” She walked into Brice’s shower and raised her face to the spray, allowing the water to wash over her, hoping to erase the actions of the last several minutes. She could only hope the excuse she’d given Brice was real. Closure was something they both needed. Brooke knew she couldn’t stay married to Brice; she also knew she was not ready to let him go, either. Maybe finding something in between would be possible, at least for a little while.
She stepped out of the shower, dried off and squeezed as much water as she could out of her hair before pulling it back into a tight bun. Brooke returned to the office and re-dressed; only she couldn’t find her underwear. “Brice.” She shook her head, figuring that he must have taken them with him. “Commando it is.”
Brooke unlocked and opened the door to find Brice’s executive assistant, sitting at her desk. She looked up, smiled and said, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Kingsley.”
“Good afternoon,” she replied, hoping her face wasn’t as red as the apple the older woman was eating.
Brooke made her way to the elevator and back to her office. She walked in to find Lori and Damon eating lunch. Brooke returned to the chair she had abandoned nearly an hour earlier and picked up her purse. She tried to ignore the look that passed between Lori and Damon.
“Hungry?” Lori asked, snickering. “Care for a little lunch?”
“Sure, in a bit,” Brooke replied as she started reapplying her makeup.
Lori sat back in her chair. “Has it started raining in the building?” She raised a single brow.
“What?” Brooke pulled out her eyeliner.
“It’s beautiful outside but you return from upstairs with your hair wet sans makeup.”
“I’m going to go...somewhere else,” Damon said, walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Brooke was in no mood for the lecture she knew was coming. She held up her right hand. “Don’t say a word. Please.”
“I just hope you know what you’re doing,” Lori replied.
Me too.
* * *
Brice and Alexander sat back in the limousine as the driver made his way through the Austin traffic, heading toward the state capital. Brice was wishing they could have taken their helicopter from Houston straight to their destination. “We have a good—” Alexander checked his Rotonde De Cartier watch “—twenty minutes before we get to the capitol building where I’m sure we’ll be riveted by all the politicians clamoring for our money and contract extensions. You have until then to tell me why you’ve barely said a word from the time we left the office until now. I assume it has something to do with why you were locked away in your office in the middle of the day. I
’m guessing you were with Brooke.”
Brice pushed out a breath and laid his head back against the seat. He knew better than to try to lie to his brother, and frankly, he really could use his advice right now. Brice sat up and angled his body slightly toward Alexander. “Brooke brought up the first-quarter summaries—”
“Really, how do they look?” Alexander’s face lit up.
“They look great, only a couple of minor recommendations. Do you want to hear about the report or me having an incomplete sexual encounter with my wife? Excuse me, my soon-to-be ex-wife.”
Alexander’s jaw dropped. “Definitely the latter.”
Even after he confessed everything in detail to his brother in the next few minutes, Brice still couldn’t believe what had happened. After months of uncertainty with where things stood with Brooke, not to mention his conflicting feelings, Brice finally had her back. Or did he?
“You got off easy. Well, actually you didn’t.” Alexander smirked.
“Funny...”
“Seriously, most women would be furious.”
“Brooke wasn’t exactly happy.”
“So, what now?”
Brice hands flew up and fell to his lap. “I have no idea. Brooke called it ‘closure.’”
“What do you call it?” Alexander asked, reaching for a buzzing phone and silencing it.
“That’s just it—I really don’t know what it means. I still love and want her but...”
“But what?”
“I can’t deal with the uncertainty,” he admitted.
That was the first time Brice had put words to his thoughts of concern. Yes, he loved her and wanted his wife back, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle it if she just up and left again, especially since he didn’t understand why she’d left in the first place. Brooke was right; they needed to find closure if they were going to move forward, whether with or without each other.
Alexander nodded. “I get that, so allow me to give you some of your own advice.”
The car’s partition descended and the driver said, “Excuse me, sirs, we’ll be at the capitol in five minutes.”
“Thank you,” Alexander replied. Alexander waited for the partition to close before he spoke.
“What’s the advice?” Brice tapped his own Cartier watch. “The clock’s ticking.”
“Give her what she wants.”
Brice turned in his seat to fully face forward. “I did. She’s keeping her name and she got a nice settlement, even though she didn’t want it.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Alexander pulled out his buzzing phone and read the screen. “Looks like Mother won’t be joining us until tomorrow.”
“What? I thought this was one of those receptions we just had to attend. A show of force, as she put it.”
“That’s what she said, so whatever has her detained must be important,” Alexander concluded.
“It had better be. To think...” Brice knew he shouldn’t finish his thought aloud.
“What, so you could have finished what you started with Brooke? Then what? You’d still be struggling with these unresolved feelings.”
“Okay, big brother, let’s hear your fortune-cookie words of wisdom. What should I give Brooke that I haven’t already?” he asked.
“Closure.”
“You’re telling me to have sex with my wife.” Brice frowned.
“No, actually, I think you should do just the opposite.”
Brice’s frown deepened. “Excuse me?”
“We both know how sex can complicate things when you’re not sure where you stand with someone.”
“It worked out well for you and China,” he stated.
“Yeah, but I almost lost her and our baby in the process.”
Brice could see the pain of that memory overtake his brother’s face. “Yet, everything worked out quite nicely for you two.”
The spark returned to Alexander’s eyes. “And I want the same thing for you too, man. Just slow things down a bit and see if you can find out why she really left. We all know there had to be more to it than what she said. I saw you two together. The way she looked at you whenever you were around. She really loved you.”
Brice simply nodded. He was experiencing too many emotions to speak.
“If I’m honest, I thought she might have fooled us all and was only after a big payday when you told me about Paris. But now, we know that wasn’t what it appeared to be. I think there’s more to the story than you know. I think you should find out what it is before you risk your heart any further. That’s it. That’s my fortune-cookie advice.”
“Not bad. China would be proud. Speaking of which, how did you pull yourself away from her this late in the pregnancy?”
“She forced me to go. I think my hovering is driving her crazy. I’m only a forty-minute plane ride away.”
“And how many times have you told yourself that?”
“Only about a hundred times...a minute.”
“Thanks, man.” Brice and Alexander bumped fists as the car came to a stop.
“Let’s go see if Mother’s political contributions have paid off. Time to renegotiate a few contracts. Ready for this?” Alexander pointed at the reporters waiting for their exit.
“Not as much is I’m ready for answers from Brooke,” he proclaimed as he exited the car.
Chapter 8
“It’s nearly six. Why don’t we call it a day?” Brooke offered.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Lori replied, powering down her computer.
“Great. I can’t move forward until we get feedback from Mr. Kingsley, anyway.” Damon packed up his things. “I’ll see you ladies tomorrow.”
Damon walked out of the office and Brooke snickered. “I wonder who he’s seeing tonight, the redhead or the blonde,” Brooke speculated.
“Knowing Damon, both,” Lori said, laughing.
“You’re probably right.” Brooke stood and her legs gave way, dropping her back down into her chair.
“You all right?”
“God don’t like ugly,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
“I’m serious,” Lori said, coming to stand next to Brooke.
“I’m fine. I’ve just been sitting too long.” Lori’s eyes bored into Brooke. “Really, they aren’t numb, just asleep.” My left hand is another issue and so is the pain in my lower back and legs.
“If you say so. Your car is downstairs whenever you’re ready to go.”
“Thanks, Lori.” Brooke smiled, gritting her teeth through the pain, determined to keep her friend from worrying.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Brooke sat and used her right hand to massage her left. She kicked off her shoes and started slowly rotating her legs as if she was riding a bike. After several minutes, Brooke tried to relax as she reached for her phone. She hit two numbers and waited for the call to connect. While Brooke waited, she fought her fear and removed a medicine bottle from her bag, pulled out a pain pill and swallowed it down with water from her glass that sat on the table.
“It’s about time you called me. I was worried. How are you?”
“I’m fine, but I need your help, Lisa.”
Lisa Barrington had been Brooke’s best friend since they’d met in one of the many group homes where she’d stayed. After graduating high school, Brooke and Lisa put themselves through college by working for the same high-end escort service. An escort service that only offered companionship.
“What’s up? How is your health?”
“Fine, thanks for asking. You’ll never guess who’s been calling and leaving me messages.” Brooke took another sip from her glass.
“Who?” Lisa’s voice rose an octave. Brooke knew she was expecting her to dish about Brice. She was always trying to convince her to tell her everythi
ng.
“Shannon Rivers, and I have no idea what she could want.”
“Knowing that cow, she either wants money or more money. You married into a very wealthy family,” Lisa explained nonchalantly.
“Well—”
“What’s she threatening you with?”
“Threatening me... She hasn’t.”
“Hmm...”
“What... What is it?” Brooke could feel the meds starting to work; her pain was easing.
“Blackmailing people for money seems to be her new business plan.”
“Well, she doesn’t have anything to hold over me,” Brooke insisted, trying to convince herself and her friend that was true. The idea that Shannon was coming for her again scared the hell out of her.
“I realize that, but it’s never stopped her before.”
Brooke heard something strange in her friend’s voice. “What did she do to you?”
“Me? Nothing, but she’s hurt others.”
“I guess she’s still scared of you. She remembers that butt whipping you put on her,” Brooke reminded Lisa, and both women laughed.
“That’s really strange. The way I understand it, she usually sends something cryptic before she makes direct contact.”
“Like what?”
“A bouquet of dead roses, cookies made with salt instead of sugar—”
“Seriously, Lisa?”
“Stupid, I know. You sure she didn’t send you anything to announce her presence?”
Brooke’s forehead creased and she shook her head slowly. “No... I don’t think so. Wait...”
“What?”
“I got a package a few days ago, but I never opened it. I thought it was something from Brice. But given her phone calls and what you’ve said it’s probably safe to assume it’s something from her.” Brooke’s curiosity was piqued.
Be My Forever Bride Page 6