Blood and Sympathy

by Lori L. Clark

  I leaned into him and rested my head on his shoulder. "Let's go tomorrow. The closest place I know of is Sun and Moon Tattoo. It's about an hour's drive. We'll make a day of it. Unless you already have other plans."

  He snorted. "Right. I'll have to check my schedule." He let go of my hand and put his arm over my shoulder before kissing me on top of the head. "What time do you want to leave?"

  "I think they open around noon, so how about you pick me up around eleven?" What I was really thinking is how about I nudge you awake at ten, have some hot morning sex, and then we'll shower and leave.

  "It's a date."

  Like clockwork, the sprinklers came on at eight. I grinned at him and asked, "So, will you dance naked in the sprinklers with me tonight, Braden?"

  He licked his lips and slowly nodded.

  I stood and peeled off my thin dress. I raised my eyebrows at him as I hooked my fingers beneath the elastic of my lacy underwear and flung them in his direction. He jumped off the swing and dove for me. I squealed and dashed under the pulsing spray. I held up my hand. "No fair. If you're going to play, you have to lose the clothes. Those are the rules."

  "That right?" His hooded eyes darkened and a grin slid over his face. He grabbed the back of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head with one hand.

  I pointed to his jeans. "Those too."

  He threw back his head and laughed. "You drive a hard bargain, Claire."

  I was completely mesmerized by his movements as his fingers dropped to the button of his fly and then worked the zipper down. Like a male stripper, he shimmied out of his jeans, but teased me by leaving on his boxer briefs, which left nothing to the imagination. And speaking of hard ... there was no denying his condition at the moment.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. God he was beautiful. All male, pure muscle and sin, and I didn't want any space between our bodies. I crooked my finger at him. "Dance with me?"

  "There's no music."

  "Use your imagination."

  "I've done nothing but use my imagination ever since I got that first cherry-scented letter from you."

  My eyes rounded. "Seriously?"

  "You have no idea how many sleepless nights you've already caused me."

  We walked into each other's arms, the only thing between us was the thin fabric of his underwear. As the water touched our skin, I swore I heard the unmistakable sound of sizzling, and there was definitely steam.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Braden Sayer

  The freezing droplets of water sliding down my skin combined with the heat from our bodies was electric. The scent of cherries lingered in the air, making me crave the taste of her skin. Was it weird that I wanted to lick her from the curve of her neck all the way down to the backs of her knees?

  Everything disappeared except for Claire and the way she felt pressed against me. My dick twitched, and I was about to give in to the desire consuming me. She kissed me deeply, and it was hard to tell where she left off and I began.

  My hands dug into her hips, bringing her closer. Her icy fingers dipped inside my underwear and wrapped around me. I thought I might blow my load right there. I groaned, breathing against her lips. "I won't last very long, if you keep doing that."

  "Touch me." Her voice was low and throaty. She loosened her hold on my throbbing cock and gently nudged my hand between her thighs.

  Her skin was wet, and the hot slickness between her legs was silky smooth as my fingers tentatively explored with a mind of their own. I was rewarded as a moan of pleasure escaped her lips and she rocked against me. I wanted to make her feel good, but I felt hopelessly inexperienced.

  I wanted Claire to be my first, but I had no fucking idea what I was doing. I closed my eyes and dipped my middle finger into her pussy. With one arm around her waist, I explored her soft, warm inner folds.

  Her head dropped back and she wriggled against my probing fingers. She gently guided my thumb up to a small bud. "Right there, Braden."

  It was a good thing she was such a willing teacher and patient enough to show me what to do. I rubbed small circles, pressing my thumb against her harder while probing deeper with my fingers. Her knees buckled slightly and she gripped my shoulders to steady herself.

  She kissed me hard, sucking my tongue into her mouth. I imagined having those lips wrapped around my dick and began to grind against her leg. She reached between us and began stroking my length; her thumb brushed the skin beneath the head and it was my turn to go weak-kneed.

  "Braden, please," she whimpered. "I need you inside me."

  "I don't have any protection."

  She chewed on her lower lip and pushed my hands away from between her legs. Giving me a wicked grin, she dropped to her knees in front of me.

  I swear to fucking God my eyes rolled back in my head when she parted her lips and drew the length of me into her mouth. "Fu-uck," I managed as I gasped for air. I wrapped her long braid around my fist and held my breath as she brought me to the edge, stopped, paused for a few seconds, and started again.

  The sight of her sucking my dick was more than I could take. "Claire, I'm going to come." I thought my warning would cause her to stop, but it actually spurred her on. The vibration of her moans made my balls draw up, and I knew I was there and there was nothing I couldn't do anything to stop it. A warm tingling in my groin intensified before spreading out from my crotch. Waves of pleasure pushed through me. A deep sense of satisfaction washed over me as the sticky fluid shot out the tip of my penis and into her eager mouth. After several seconds, the intensity of pleasure gave way to a warm satisfied afterglow. The sense of emptiness in my balls was heavenly.

  She swallowed every drop, save for a small bit that dribbled from the corner of her mouth that looked sexy as fuck. I helped her to her feet and stared at her with the adoration of a lovesick puppy, vowing to follow her wherever she went.

  She winked and said, "You owe me one."

  I was okay with that. I was pretty sure if she told me to fucking lasso the moon, I'd do it. "Claire, I'll give you more than one. I promise."

  She giggled and pulled her dress down over her wet hair. I hadn't even noticed that the sprinklers had stopped and the stars were twinkling overhead. After we had both dressed, we sat on the front steps. She leaned against me and said, "I wish you didn't have to go home tonight."

  "I know. But Uncle Jeb has something he needs me to do first thing in the morning." I stood and pulled her to her feet. I kissed her yielding mouth, and my dick stirred in my pants. If I didn't leave right then, I wouldn't have the willpower. "I'll see you in the morning."

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Brogan Sayer

  After thinking about kidnapping my brother's girlfriend, I decided to wait a week or two. I didn't want to rush into doing anything without some kind of iron-clad plan in place. Nabbing the other sister had been a spur-of-the-moment thing and I had been anything but cautious. I needed to make sure I covered my tracks this time. I couldn't count on some homeless bum being around to take the fall for me again.

  "I'm going grocery shopping, you need anything?" Aja twirled her car keys around her finger. Her pert little titties strained against the too-tight tank top she had on making me want to bite her nipples. My dick instantly hardened, and I knew I was busted when she smirked and said, "Hold that thought, baby."

  I thought about bending her over the back of the sofa and tearing off a piece, but she was out the door before I could. There was a phone in the kitchen, and I had a call to make.

  "Hello?" Alistair picked up on the second ring.

  "Listen, about our little deal."

  "I've got your down payment. When you going to do the deed?"

  "That's why I'm calling. I'm not sure right now's a good time."

  "What the hell? You backing out on me?" he barked into the phone. I pictured his face turning blue, his eyes bulging out of his head as I wrapped my fingers around his neck.

  "Chill, douche. I ain't saying never. I'm just sa
ying not right now. Give me some time to work out a plan. I'll be in touch." I disconnected the call and grabbed a Mountain Dew from the fridge.

  By the time Aja came hom,e I was pacing from room to room. I hated being dependent on anyone. She raised an eyebrow at me and sat two grocery bags on the counter. "What's eating you?"

  I ran my hands through my messy hair and blew out a noisy breath. "Nothing. Just hate feeling like I can't do anything. Can't go anywhere. I feel like a fucking animal in a cage here."

  She wrapped her arms around my waist. "I've been saving money. We can get out of this shithole by the end of summer. I promise."

  I pushed her away from me. "When the fuck can we go?"

  "Soon. I promise."

  I grabbed the keys off the counter and stalked out of the house. "Hey, I'm gonna take a drive. Blow off some steam." Before she could open her mouth, the kitchen door slammed closed behind me.

  I couldn't concentrate with her hovering over me, and I needed to think. I had no idea where the preacher's daughter spent her free time. Aja's cell phone was in the cup holder so I grabbed it and called Alistair.

  "Hello?" he answered on the second ring.

  "Yeah, it's me again."

  "What's up?"

  "Listen, go to the lake. There's a shelter at the little park. I'll meet you there. We need to talk."

  "I'm busy. I can't just drop everything and come running whenever you get some wild hair. I can come later, but--"

  "But nothing. Later won't work. Now, or the deal's off. Got it?" I paused, waiting for him to answer.

  "Yeah, what-the-fuck-ever, dude. Give me a half hour."

  He disconnected the call, and I smirked. Control. Power. It was all about having the upper hand. Always.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Claire Copeland

  I got in the truck with Braden and leaned across the seat to kiss him on the cheek. His simple, yet intoxicating scent filled my senses to overflowing. I never tired of seeing him blush, and he blushed a lot.

  "Good morning. So where we headed?" he asked.

  I gave him the directions to Sun and Moon Tattoo. "You sure I can't talk you into getting one?"

  "I want one, but it can wait until I'm legal." He grinned. "What about you? What are you going to get?"

  "Die with memories, not dreams. For Olivia." I turned away from him so he wouldn't see the tears I blinked away.

  We got to the shop just as a dark haired woman was unlocking the door. She flipped the sign from closed to open and we went inside. She grinned broadly at Braden. "How's that tattoo healing for you? Decided to come back for another one so soon?" Her eyes darted from him to me.

  "Ma'am? I don't have any tattoos. You must have me confused with someone else."

  She twisted her mouth and looked me up and down before returning her gaze to Braden. "Hmm. My mistake. You sure as hell have a twin out there somewhere."

  My eyebrows knitted together. "He does have a twin, but the chances he got a tattoo recently are somewhere between slim and none."

  "No skin off my teeth, either way. What can I do for you kids today?" Her eyes studied Braden like he was a blank canvas she couldn't wait to get her ink on.

  Braden had a strange look on his face but shook it off and walked away. I cleared my throat and told the woman that I was the one there for a tattoo.

  ***

  It was late Saturday afternoon by the time Braden and I got back home. Dad's SUV was sitting in the driveway. He wasn't due to be home for another day, and I wasn't supposed to be out getting a tattoo with Braden Sayer.

  "You want me to come inside with you?"

  "No, it'll be okay." Shit was probably going to hit the fan big-time, but there was no point in Braden having to witness it, though Dad would never make a scene in front of someone else and ruin his image. I kissed Braden on the cheek and climbed out of the cab. "I probably won't see you until Monday at work."

  I pulled in a calming breath and mentally prepared myself for the inevitable showdown.

  He was waiting for me at the kitchen table when I walked in. "Hey, Dad, I didn't expect you home until tomorrow."

  "Obviously."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

  His eyes bored into me. "Where have you been?"

  "Just spending some of my free time with Braden." Anger flashed through my body, and I put emphasis on my words.

  He leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him. "I've tried to be patient. Knowing how fast you go through boyfriends, I figured you'd get tired of this one sooner rather than later."

  "Yeah well, get used to it, okay? Braden's going to be around a while, and if you have a problem with that, you really need to get over it." I was shaking. I'd never stood up to my dad. Sure, we'd had our arguments in the past, but I usually let him believe he'd won. I was sick of his shit, and at that moment, I didn't care what my consequences were.

  My dad preferred glares and intimidation over yelling. He leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes at me. His voice was eerily calm when he spoke again. "As long as you live in this house, you will abide by my rules. Given the fact that you have no money, I highly doubt that you'll be going anywhere anytime soon. At least not until this fall when you begin college."

  My fingernails dug into my palms. I laughed bitterly and pounded my fists on the table. "How about I leave right now? Would that make you happy? Because if it comes down to me making a choice between seeing Braden or living here ... guess what Dad? You lose."

  I turned on my heel and flew up the stairs. Tears stung my eyes and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had nowhere to go and no way to get there, but I would be damned if I'd stay in this house for one more night. He was such a fucking hypocrite.

  I blindly stuffed some things into an overnight bag and fled out the front door.

  Braden came to the door wearing his swim trunks. "Claire? What's wrong?"

  Tears ran down my cheeks and I blinked up at him. "Can I come in?"

  He stepped aside and I moved past him.

  "You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

  I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I don't have anywhere else to go right now."

  "Shh." He took my hand and squeezed it. "I was about to go for a swim. Want to join me?"

  "You know I don't swim in that lake."

  "So? Come with me and sit on the dock, then." He brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. "It's going to be okay. Trust me."

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Braden Sayer

  My stomach grew a fist-sized knot when that woman at the tattoo parlor thought I'd been there before. When she said I must have a twin, I felt like throwing up. Was she mistaken, and was it just a coincidence, or had Brogan gotten a tattoo there?

  Claire's daddy was home when I dropped her off, and she was surprised to see his car in the driveway. Reverend Copeland was always polite to me, but I got the feeling he didn't really like me hanging around his daughter much.

  I was home long enough to get out of my jeans and into my swim shorts when someone knocked on my door. For a second, I worried it might be Brogan until I remembered it was broad daylight. Not even he was stupid enough to show up when someone might see him.

  Claire stood on the steps, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy from crying. My eyes darted around for a car, but there wasn't one. She must've walked from her house. It shattered me to see her looking so helpless and broken.

  We walked hand in hand to the docks. She wouldn't swim with me but sat dipping her feet into the murky waters. The lake was warm as bathwater and smelled like dead fish. I only stayed in for a little while.

  I climbed out and plopped down on the dock beside Claire. She was caught up in her own little world, tossing rocks into the lake. She glanced over at me and wrinkled her nose. "You smelled better before you got in the water."

  I couldn't resist planting a big kiss on her lips and making her squirm.

  She smacked m
e on the chest. "Ass." But she giggled, so I didn't think she was too mad.

  I stood and reached my hand out to help her to her feet. "C'mon. Uncle Jeb's cooking supper tonight."

  She stared at our intertwined hands and said, "I'll just wait for you at the trailer. I don't want to impose."

  "Don't be silly. Why would you do that?"

  "I don't want to just barge in uninvited." She stared down at her feet like she was suddenly shy about spending time around me and my uncle.

  "If Uncle Jeb knew I left you sitting alone and unfed, he'd have my hide. Seriously, Claire, I'm not eating without you, and I don't mind telling you, I get kind of grouchy when I don't get anything to eat." I smiled and draped my arm around her shoulder as we made our way back to the house.

  Jeb grinned from ear to ear when he saw her walk inside with me. "Claire, what a pleasant surprise!"

  She relaxed and smiled back. "I'm sorry to just show up like this, Jeb."

  "What? Don't be ridiculous. Braden, go wash the stench off yourself and set the table."

  Claire bit her lip to keep from snickering.

  "Do you want us to pick you up for church in the morning?" Jeb asked as he buttered a slice of bread.

  Claire peeked at me out of the corner of her eye. "Um, no thank you, Jeb."

  His attention shifted between the two of us. "Okay. Which one of you wants to tell me what's going on here?"

  I opened my mouth and snapped it shut. It really wasn't my place to tell. Besides, I didn't even know the whole story. I figured she had gotten into a fight with her dad, but she hadn't said much.

  "My dad and I had an argument. He gave me an ultimatum. I sort of called his bluff, and well, here I am." She pushed the food around on her plate.

  "Maybe it ain't none of my business, but sometimes things get said in the heat of the moment. I'm sure if you reason with him he'll let you come back home."

  Her eyes filled and she blinked up at me. "I'm not going to apologize to him. Ever."