A Promise Of Home (A Lake Howling Novel Book 1)

by Wendy Vella

  “Branna?”

  “In here, Mikey.” She heard the sound of his feet running; the boy rarely walked anywhere. He appeared in the doorway, shirt ripped at the shoulder, dirt on his knees, hair standing on end.

  “Good day at school?”

  “It was all right, but Miss. Todd put me in detention because I answered one of her questions with too much detail.”

  “What?” Branna stood and shepherded him out towards the kitchen. History had told her he would demand food in a few minutes.

  “She asked if anyone knew what the word notion meant, and I said I did without raising my hand; she’s real strict on that kind of thing.”

  “I used to be big on that too, to be fair,” Branna conceded.

  “And then I gave her the explanation, because I knew it.”

  Branna had been thinking that she might pay Mikey’s teacher a visit. Just to let Miss Todd know what she was dealing with, and this reinforced it. She’d make the time to call in at the school over the next few days.

  “You want some pancakes? I’m starving.”

  “Yes!”

  They cooked, ate, and she quizzed him about words and numbers, then they did his homework. She’d never had a sibling. In fact, since Belle, Branna had never had to think about anyone but herself. It wasn’t something to be proud of; it was just the way things had evolved after the death of her mother. To cope with their grief, both she and her father had shut themselves away from each other and neither had found their way back, until they’d simply drifted apart permanently.

  She had a pain that was dull and deep in her chest that reared its head when she thought about Declan O’Donnell. She’d had no contact with him since that day he’d come to see her at university, and they’d said horrible nasty things to each other. Well, at least she had. It was funny how they’d both chosen to become teachers, and now wrote crime novels, funny and disconcerting, considering they were estranged.

  Occasionally, memories of the father she’d once had slipped into her head, the man who had spent hours teaching her how to make a page of writing come to life. But Branna usually pushed them back into that dark place as soon as they appeared; she would gain nothing from remembering. She was better off remembering the cold, hard man who had turned his back on the child who had needed him.

  By the time Branna had given Mikey the extra work she’d created for him, and he’d cycled off, she was ready to pull on her and the smells around her. It also gave her plenty of time to think, unfortunately, most of her thoughts were occupied with a dark-haired man, who was far too disturbing.

  CHAPTER NINE

  He arrived on foot; the sound of his shoes crunching on the gravel of her driveway alerted Branna that someone was approaching. Wearing worn shorts and T-shirt, as usual, Jake kept walking until he was at the edge of the garden.

  “Ethan would have come, but he’s star struck now and doesn’t think he could get a word out without stuttering.”

  Branna stayed kneeling in the dirt, which as he’d walked closer, was the wrong move because he was now towering over her.

  “I’d hoped to avoid something like that,” she said. “Him being such a delicate little flower and all.”

  His laugh was deep and unrestrained, which told her he was in a better place than some of the others she’d seen him in.

  “Your arm up to gardening, Rosebud?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you don’t give it the proper rehabilitation, you could be wearing that brace for longer.”

  “I thought you gave up being a doctor, McBride?” She’d touched a nerve, because his left hand fisted briefly, and his good mood started to slip.

  “I still know how to be one.”

  “And yet you choose to work on automobiles.” Why was she doing this? Pushing him? Maybe because she could feel him getting too close?

  The brief silence was thick enough for her to reach out and take a swipe through it. She attacked another weed, because she didn’t want to look at him; he was so gorgeous it was making her eyes hurt.

  “Why did you choose Howling as your last name?”

  Branna’s hands jerked at his question. “Because I did, and it has two L’s” she was not going there, not with him. “Why don’t you doctor anymore?”

  “Because I don’t want to, and for a writer that’s not very good English.”

  “I’m taking a hiatus like you with the car fixing thing,” Branna fired back.

  “Why don’t you and your dad get on?”

  “Because we don’t.” She dug her gloved hands deep into the dirt. If anything made her irrational, it was talking about her father.

  “Why’d you leave the army?”

  “Okay, I’m done with this bullshit.”

  “What bullshit?” She made herself look at him again.

  “This, us, me looking at those long legs of yours and wishing we were both naked with them wrapped around my waist.”

  “I-I ah, thought you were done with all the questions and no answers,” Branna’s body had started to tingle all over as he spoke, and the vision of them both naked made it hard to breathe.

  “We’ll get to those answers, but for now I’m done talking.” He took a step towards her.

  Branna squeaked as he suddenly gripped her arms and stood her upright. He pulled off her hat and threw it to the ground, and then removed her gloves.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Shut up.” Anger clenched his jaw and darkened his eyes, but she wasn’t scared of him; he’d never hurt her…he was one of the good guys.

  “Don’t tell me to shut up,” Branna protested.

  He picked her up after throwing her gloves on top of her hat and carried her inside. Making for the stairs, he took them two at a time, even with her in his arms.

  “Put me down, Jake.” He didn’t and her foolish heart started thumping with excitement as they reached her bedroom. Walking inside, he lowered her slowly down his body so that her front touched all of his and left a trail of heat streaking through her. Then, he kissed her.

  It was savage and messy, and she wanted more.

  “Don’t deny this is where we’ve been heading since you came back, Rosebud.” He pulled her top over her head then put his lips on her collarbone, tracing the edge with his tongue. She was a pool of need and he’d only put his lips there. What would happen when he kissed the rest of her?

  “I-I…this is wrong, Jake,” she sighed as he moved to the top of her breasts above the lace cups of her bra.

  “Nothing this good could ever be wrong, now put that super-sized brain on power save mode and play with me.” He eased the strap down and took her nipple into his mouth, and she moaned long and loud and his laugh was dirty.

  “I-I’m sweaty.”

  “Is that what tastes so good?”

  She gave up after that. Pushing her fingers into his hair, she gripped his head as he licked and sucked her breasts, each stroke making her wet and aching.

  “You’ve filled out some since school, little girl.” His eyes were wicked as he looked at her. “Especially here.” His hands cupped her breasts, running his thumbs over the sensitive peaks, making her moan again.

  “I could spend a long time worshipping your breasts, Rosebud, but there are other parts of you that need my attention too.”

  “Not before you take this off.” Branna grabbed a handful of his shirt and tugged it upwards until she had it off his body. Her hands were on him then, running over the hard planes of skin that covered all those wonderful muscles.

  “You’ve filled out since school, big boy.”

  His laugh was forced as she was playing with his abdomen, stroking each of the defined muscles, her fingers brushing the waistband of his shorts.

  They teased and touched, when his lips were on her, her hands were on him. It was hot, at times rough, and Branna had never experienced sex like this before. The feelings were intense and the need ravenous.

  When he’d stripped off the rem
ainder of her clothing, he stood back and looked at her, which was disconcerting, because she couldn’t remember any of the men she’d slept with wanting to just look at her.

  “Do I get to look at you too?” she asked.

  He started at her feet and traveled upwards, and by the time their eyes met, she was panting and he hadn’t even touched her.

  “You’re beautiful, Rosebud, perfect in fact.”

  Branna snorted, but she didn’t cover herself. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but she knew it wasn’t anything special.

  “Whatever, McBride, now get your clothes off.”

  His smile was gentle as he continued studying her. “You don’t believe me.”

  She closed the distance between them and reached for the zipper of his shorts. He didn’t resist, instead running his hands through her hair and down her body as she worked. When she had the zipper down, she dropped his shorts and cupped the long hard length of him through his boxers, running her hand up and down until the breath hissed in his throat.

  “You’re killing me.”

  This time it was Branna who smiled. Removing the shorts, she then stood back to look at him, and oh my, he was fine.

  Big shoulders, broad chest, and lots of tanned skin over slopes and plains of muscle. The man was a walking fantasy. She touched him again, running her hands down his thighs, then, dropping to her knees, she took him into her mouth.

  “Christ!”

  Branna stroked the hot hard flesh with her mouth and felt the pressure building inside of him.

  “No more, Branna, I can’t take it.” Lifting her to her feet, Jake then carried her to the bed. “I’ve been horny since you arrived in town, and if you keep that up, it’ll be over in seconds.”

  This time it was him who was doing the torturing, his mouth and hands running over her until he parted her legs and the delicious torment really began. His tongue stroked the wet folds, teeth grazing the tight bud. She heard her moans turn to sobs as she begged him to do something about the pressure inside her.

  “Condom?” he groaned. “I don’t have one.”

  “I’m on the pill, had a checkup, and am clean. You?”

  “You kidding me? I was a fucking doctor?” And then he was there, his big body on top of her as he eased inside her.

  Branna could feel the tension build higher with each delicious slide in and out. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he braced himself on his arms and looked down at her as his body continued to take hers higher.

  “God, you feel good, Branna O’Donnell.”

  His head was thrown back as he pushed into her again, this time harder. Branna lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, making the penetration deeper.

  “Sweet Christ, Rosebud, you better come for me soon, I can’t hang on much longer.”

  She felt the delicious tension inside her start to peak, and then he rubbed his thumb over the tight hard bud between her thighs and she shuddered as the sensations hit her. Her cries were loud, and soon his joined hers as they both found their release. He slumped down on top of her, pinning her sweaty body to the bed.

  Her head was spinning, her body lax, and Branna knew she had never felt as she just had with another man. It was a scary thought and one she would tuck away for another time when she could rationalize it.

  Jake rolled sideways taking her with him until it was she that lay on top of him. His arms wrapped around her and held her there as she struggled to get off.

  “Stop fighting me; I’m stronger.”

  She did because she was tired, her body suddenly heavy, lashes fluttering closed. Laying her head on his chest, she heard the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She’d get off in a minute, when she could find the strength.

  Jake opened his eyes as Branna climbed off him. He heard her walk from the room and make her way to the bathroom, and then he heard the shower. Looking out the windows, he guessed they’d been asleep for some time as it was dark. He wondered what thoughts were going round and round inside her head. Rolling onto his back, Jake stared up at the ceiling. She’d blown his mind; it was as simple as that. He’d never felt like this with another woman in all his twenty-eight years. She was awkward, smart, argumentative, and hotter than hell and he wanted her like he did the oxygen that kept him alive. She’d taken and demanded from him in bed and just thinking of how it had felt when he’d pushed inside her had him pulling aside the covers and heading for the shower. Opening the door, he was greeted with steam.

  “You got that water hot enough, Rosebud?”

  “I won’t be a minute, then you can use it, or you could go home and—what are you doing?”

  She stood with her head back against the wall, eyes closed, water running over that sexy body.

  “If I was struck down now, I’d die a happy man. Damn, you’re sexy, O’Donnell.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “I like to share, cuts down on water wastage.” Stepping in, Jake pulled the door closed behind him, caging them both in the steam and spray. Easing her off the wall, he pressed her wet hot body into his. “I look on it as my patriotic duty to my country and to future generations.”

  “Jake, I don’t think—”

  “There you go, thinking again.”

  Cupping one of her breasts, he took the nipple deep into his mouth, which caused her head to fall back on the wall as she moaned loudly.

  “You said something about being sweaty.” Jake reached for the soap when he’d lifted his head. “Let me clean you up a bit.” She tried to stop him as he soaped up his hands and started to run them all over that sweet little body, but he ignored her, and then her hands fell to her sides as she closed her eyes and groaned long and loud.

  “At least I know how to subdue you now.”

  “I’m not subdued.”

  Her eyes were barely open, the green depths filled with sensual heat that made her look like a sex kitten. She arched towards him as he stroked her stomach.

  “Wrap your legs around me.” Picking her up, he drove himself deep inside her as she lowered onto his aching flesh. He took it slower this time, enjoying the hot water cascading over them, the steam shrouding them, but most of all the feel of being inside her.

  “Jake,” her sigh was whispered in his ear as he felt the tremors start to rock her.

  “Let go, baby, I’ve got you.”

  She did and he did, and it was as amazing as the first time, and Jake didn’t think he’d ever get enough of this woman. Lowering her to her feet, he tilted her chin up and kissed her lips before washing off and getting out of the shower. She needed some time, he knew that. Branna O’Donnell was a woman who didn’t get close to people; she hadn’t in school and he’d seen nothing to change that opinion since she’d arrived in Howling. Like him, she’d shut people out of her life, but unlike him, she’d had no one continually hammering at her door to get back in.

  He was attracted to Branna, and maybe that was because she was like him, but he also knew women, and how their emotions tended to eventually get involved. Jake would just have to make sure that never happened here, lay out the facts right from the start about this…whatever it was, between them. Maybe they could be friends with benefits, but without the emotional entanglements? That sure as hell suited him.

  Pulling on his clothes, he made his way downstairs and put on some coffee. Walking through the house, he looked at the changes she’d made. A painting here, a plant there. She’d thinned out some of Georgie’s things, and it looked good. He came to a halt beside a large framed photograph of a woman that could only be Branna’s mother. She had the same hair and eyes, but the smile was different. This woman had no secrets or sadness haunting her; she was happy from the inside.

  “Th-that’s my mother.”

  She was standing behind a chair, her hands resting on the back. Her hair hung around her head; now that it was wet, he could see that it almost reached her waist. She wore a baggy T-shirt and shorts and looked nervous, her eyes filled with shadows again.r />
  “She’s beautiful, like you.” He dragged his eyes from her before he closed the distance and held her, which Jake knew would be a mistake right about now. Branna wasn’t the holding kind. She was the stand and fight type.

  “She was the most beautiful woman I have ever known.” The words weren’t spoken for effect; they were soft and sincere, and came from Branna’s heart.

  “How long has she been gone?”

  “She died when I was twelve.”

  Two years before she came to Howling. He remembered how sometimes she’d looked so sad it had hurt his chest, but at sixteen, he’d not been able to do anything about it, because he didn’t know how to reach out to a girl who was struggling to cope in his town, a girl two years younger than everyone around her.

  “How did she die?” He thought she wasn’t going to tell him, but then she started talking.

  “W-we were in a car and it crashed. I lived and she died.”

  “Tough losing your mother at that age, on you and your father.”

  “It was my fault.”

  The words were whispered, and when he looked at her, she’d turned around and gone. Jake followed, finding her in the kitchen. She was getting down two mugs from the cupboard above her.

  “Why was it your fault, Branna?”

  Her shoulders were hunched, spine rigid.

  “It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Is this another question we’re not going to have an answer for?”

  “Don’t make it sound like it’s just me who doesn’t like answering them, McBride.”

  “Point taken.”

  She messed about with sugar and cream, taking things out of cupboards and putting them on the bench.

  “So, tell me anyway,” he added.

  “This, what’s between us, is about sex, Jake, nothing more. No deep and meaningful, no emotional entanglements. Just sex. If you don’t want that, then walk away now.”

  “Not want it? It’s every man’s dream.” So, why wasn’t he smiling? She’d said the words that he’d wanted to hear. Don’t rely on me, Branna, I’m not a safe bet right now. Those words had been on his tongue, and she’d beat him to it, and that just plain pissed him off and Jake had no idea why.