by Jennifer Ann
“Damn, I love that woman,” I tell Hap as Michelle shuts the sliding doors.
“Too bad for you, she’s spoken for. When you gonna find your own woman to annoy?”
I settle down on the retaining wall beside the grill and shrug. “Who the fuck knows? I’ll probably be gray and bat-shit crazy long before the right one comes along.”
“This is coming from the guy who’s spending his free time adopting three-legged dogs, visiting vets at the VA, and willingly spending time with thugs at the juvenile shelter. I’d say you’re already on your way to being bat-shit crazy.”
“Jazz seems to inspire some of the amputees. And some of those thugs just come from a shitty home and need a positive influence.” I look out to where the moon casts a ghostly glow over the water. Too often I feel as alone as that fucking ray of light shining from a distance as everyone else goes on with their lives. “When you can’t spend quality time with a family, you have to create it somewhere else.”
Hap chuckles with a deep, rolling sound. “Shit, Ken Doll. That’s pretty deep, coming from a jarhead like you. If you’re so hard up for quality time, you should sign up for the SMCR. The reserves would be good for you…keep that philosophical mind of yours occupied. Either that or you simply need more pussy in your life.”
I shake my head with his last comment. The idea of any “pussy” that isn’t Katie’s doesn’t hold any appeal, but maybe he’s onto something with the Marine reserves idea.
Anything to make this empty feeling go the fuck away.
Chapter 4
KATIE
Since returning to Brooklyn, I haven’t been able to shake Braden from my mind. And too many of the damn thoughts dangling in my head like a juicy steak involve him posing naked over me in Vegas. At least there’s nothing stopping me from taking that lovely image, along with the secret of what we did, to the grave. No matter how glorious the sex would’ve been, and I’m certain it would’ve been phenomenal, I made the right decision. At least I think.
There’s no doubt about it, my life has been lonely since both boys flew the coop as I haven’t really taken the time to date. Maybe the idea of hooking up with Braden was simply a way to prove to myself that I’m still desirable, even to someone significantly younger. Or maybe I find both his looks and his cocky personality irresistible.
He may be young, but it’s not like he’s fresh out of high school. As he pointed out, he’s already served a tour as a Marine. Other than that, I can’t say I know anything else about him. I’m not even sure what he does for a living. For as much as I know, he spends his days getting high and eating carry-out while playing video games. According to Connor, a handful of his friends spend their days doing exactly that.
And he lives way the hell out in California. I need to continuously remind myself of that fact so I don’t get carried away and continue to dream up scenarios in which I give into my desires and let the beautiful man screw my brains out.
“Love, are you there?” Sharlo asks, tapping a marker against her sketchbook.
Jarred from my perverted thoughts, I look into the pretty blue eyes watching me from across the drawing table. As always, my sweet friend’s dressed in her impeccable style—today’s choice being a black flowing dress paired with a black moto jacket and chunky turquoise jewelry. Between the expert waterfall braid pulling her golden blonde hair away from her face that takes five years off her appearance, and the way she appears completely pulled together, it’s hard to believe she’s the mother of a seven-and-a-half-month-old baby.
But Franklin gurgles happily from the bouncer behind me, proof that she’s a superhero in disguise. I guarantee I never looked anywhere near that collected with either of my boys. I spent most days dragging my feet like a zombie with baby food splattered across my face.
“Yeah, I’m here,” I answer, wiping at my face. “I just…ah…jet-lag! I blame it all on jet-lag. That three hour time difference from Vegas has really kicked my ass.”
Sharlo cocks an eyebrow. “We’ve been back for nearly two weeks. Are you sure you’re feeling well?”
“Who cares about me. What about you? Why are you sitting there looking all cool and collected when you’re getting married soon? Aren’t brides supposed to be all jittery and shit, freaking out about every last detail?”
“I don’t think that’s the norm. Evelyn may have been a bit out of sorts around the time of their nuptials, but I believe it was mostly her fear that the paparazzi would catch on. I have nothing to fear and simply cannot wait to make James Kendall my husband. I feel as if I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day.”
A flicker of jealousy sinks into me, but I push the ugly feeling deep down. Just because I’m nearing middle age and haven’t ever been married doesn’t mean I can’t be ridiculously happy for my dear friend. At least I didn’t ruin the concept of marriage by exchanging vows with the boys’ sperm donor.
“I seriously cannot wait!” I tell her. “You’re going to be the most stunning bride anyone has ever seen. I mean, oh my god! That big ol’ teddy bear of yours will light up brighter than the sun when he sees you in the beautiful dress we designed!”
To be honest, whenever I think of their wedding day, it’s a stark reminder that I’ll soon be forced to spend another weekend with Braden. How can I be expected to stand across from him during the ceremony without recalling what he looks like under the tux he’ll be wearing?
Shar’s phone dings and she plucks it from the table. Her perfectly shaped golden brows furrow as her eyes scan over a message. “Bloody hell. Sandra from production in San Diego is saying the patterns for the jumpers on our spring line have all been cut wrong. They’re trying to pinpoint where the problem started, but it’s mostly just a lot of finger pointing. She says it’s utter chaos.”
“Oh shit,” I grumble, holding a hand over my forehead. I meet her gaze and blow out a deep breath. “We’ll have to order a new batch of material. Do you have any idea how much that will cost us in the end?”
Tossing the phone back on the table, Sharlo laces her fingers behind her head and gazes across her living room to the awe-inspiring view of Manhattan. “Suppose I’ll have to fly out there straightaway to sort this out.”
“No way, sister. You’re still nursing, and you have to stick around in case the wedding planner needs something. And there’s no reason Ev needs to fly this close to her due date. I’ll go—I have nothing going on aside from an endless string of Netflix marathons.”
Sharlo opens her mouth, looking ready to protest until Franklin lets out a quiet whimper. I quickly spring from my chair to retrieve him, bouncing the little cutie in my arms. Until he was born, I had forgotten how much I miss the smell of babies and the adorable noises they make. When his big blue eyes look up at me and his two bottom teeth appear with a wide smile, I swear my ovaries sigh.
Raising the boys essentially on my own as a naive teenager was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There aren’t many fond memories I can look back on without cringing. Money was always an issue, and there was never enough time for me to study or spend time with friends. Franklin will never understand how easy he has it with two loving parents and enough funds that he won’t go a day in his life without the things he wants or needs.
“Tell Mommy she knows I’m right,” I sing to Franklin with a bright smile. “You need her to stay here with you, don’t you, my sweet baby boy?”
Sharlo lets out a long sigh before passing me a bright smile. As she searches for flights on her phone, it hits me that I’ll be mere minutes from where Braden lives.
Dangling. Steak.
But I’m going there strictly on business. There won’t be time for anything else. I have to stick to my guns and steer clear of the youngest Kendall. If I don’t tell him I’m coming out, he won’t even know I’m in the state. So the stupid flutter in my chest can’t be anything more than nerves over the flight. I refuse to acknowledge the feeling could be anything else.
After the Uber car dro
ps me in front of my hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter, I remove the Louboutins Evelyn and Charlie gave me for my birthday, holding them by their straps as I shuffle toward the elevators. The meeting with the production team drained everything out of me, and took much longer than I expected. By the time we ordered the new material and fixed the pattern, I was ready to set my head down on the table and nap right there.
Though it’s been over twelve hours since I grabbed a breakfast sandwich in the Newark airport and my angry stomach sounds downright demonic, I’m too tired to go through the motions of ordering a meal. I simply want to soak in the suite’s giant corner tub and pass out in the king bed. I’ll be amazed if I have enough energy to either throw on pajamas, or even pull back the luxurious bedding.
But the moment I round the corner to my hallway, I’ve never felt more awake.
Braden’s here.
Waiting outside my room.
I almost trip over my feet as I continue toward where he sits on the floor, head tipped back against the wall, eyes closed, thick arms slung over his knees. He’s not wearing anything special—a worn AC/DC t-shirt, faded blue jeans, and canvas flip-flops—but he’s so beautiful that I briefly wonder if I’m hallucinating from lack of sleep and starvation. With the sight of his protruding Adam’s apple and the dark scruff lining his thick jaw, the temptation to lick his neck becomes wicked strong. A bolt of desire strikes between my legs.
Keep your thoughts PG, Katie.
Gently nudging his calf with my bare foot, I call his name. He rouses slowly, wiping a hand over his face before his russet eyes focus on me. A brilliant smile spreads over his soft lips. The same lips that reminded me how it felt to truly be alive.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Face turning hot with his compliment, I fold my arms over my stomach. “What are you doing here? How’d you know I was in California?”
“Ev called a couple of hours ago, said you could probably use some company after what would likely be a hellacious day.” He pushes off his hands to stand. “No offense, but it looks like she was right. Have you grabbed supper yet?”
I nearly roll my eyes with the term supper. He sounds just like his sister. “No, I figured it’s too late. Between work and the long flight, I’m exhausted.”
“There’s a place around the corner that has killer fish tacos. I could grab some while you’re taking a bath.”
His hands disappear in his jean pockets and his chest strains against the cotton of his shirt. How I stop myself from running my hands across the valley of muscles is a mystery more complex than the Bermuda triangle. And when I picture myself naked in the tub with him in the next room, moisture pools between my legs. My body still wants him regardless of whatever my overactive imagination thinks.
Horrible idea.
“I guess I could stay up long enough for tacos,” I decide with a soft sigh. “But I’d rather eat at the restaurant. If I take a bath right now, I’ll be done for the night.”
His adorable dimples pop into place when his smile grows. “You won’t regret it. They’re legendary out here.”
But he’s dead wrong. I’m already regretting any decision that doesn’t involve sending him home and locking myself in the room.
“Braden…what we did in Vegas…” I stop to lick my lips. Why is it so damn hard to tell him it won’t happen again?
Eyes darkened with lust, he steps closer, slowly running his tongue over his lips. “Yeah?”
I’m drawn to him like an industrial magnet. I lean into his warm body, panting with intensified breaths. With the strong scent of his masculine cologne, I’m literally weak at the knees. “It was wrong. If I had slept with you, I don’t know how I would’ve made it through the wedding. Or the birth of Ev and Charlie’s baby. Or any future family function. It’s going to be hard enough the way it is, now that I’ve seen you…all of you.” All at once I feel as if I’m choking when a lump rises in my throat. “And the way you touched me.”
“I’m not going to fucking apologize for wanting you,” he practically growls. “But I am sorry for the way I left things that night.” He watches as his fingers slowly trace twin paths from my elbow to my shoulders. “And I don’t think there’s anything about us being together that would be wrong.”
Ready to drag him into my room and beg him to make love to me, I shiver violently. “Braden,” I whisper, gently pushing on his chest. I’ll be damned if the little shit doesn’t flex his muscles beneath my fingertips. “If you’re offering anything more than tacos, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it has to be.”
Then he’s leaning in, brushing his stubbled jaw against my cheek. His lips stop to hover beside my ear, his warm breaths electrifying my skin. “Have it your way, beautiful. I’ll leave you alone until you’ve come to your senses. We both know this is going to happen, and there’s no stopping it. Just say the word and I’ll gladly continue where we left off.”
When he draws back with a drunken smile, motioning for me to follow before starting for the elevators, the hotel spins violently as my body breaks into a full flush. It’s the only time I’ve been utterly wooed by a man, and I get the sneaking suspicion it won’t be the last as long as I continue to spend time with Braden.
The tacos are every bit as good as Braden promised. And thankfully our conversation takes a much lighter turn, focusing on his brother and Sharlo’s wedding. After downing a few beers with dinner and seeing the historic heart of San Diego all lit up, I’m hit with a sudden burst of energy.
I surprise myself when deciding I don’t want the night to end. The evening air’s so much warmer in California than New York. Breathing in its salty fragrance is downright addicting. And everyone we’ve encountered seems ten times more laid back than most people back home. I could definitely get used to the California way of life.
Spinning around to walk backwards beside Braden, I take in the view of the old buildings and growing evening crowd with a new appreciation. “So if you had only one night of your life to spend in San Diego, and don’t know if you’ll ever come back again, where would you go?”
He gives me an incredulous stare. “You’re leaving already tomorrow?”
I look away. “Shar bought an open-ended ticket, but I took care of everything this afternoon.”
“Stay,” he blurts. When I whip my head back around, balking in reply to his blunt and open-ended request, he lifts one shoulder. “At least through tomorrow. There’s one thing I have to do that I can’t get out of, but it won’t take long, and I have enough vacation days stored up that I can probably take the day off. I’d love to show you around.” His eyes twinkle in the street lights when he adds with a grin, “You can’t fly all the way across the country without a proper tour.”
The hopeful way he’s looking at me literally has my heart skipping a beat. It could be dangerous accepting his offer, but then again, he was a perfect gentleman over dinner. I’d hate to let the rare opportunity to explore the area go to waste. And truthfully, I’d love to get to know him better.
“One day,” I reluctantly agree with a stern point of my finger. “And there will be no funny business, mister. Even though you’re so sure I’ll give in and sleep with you, it still won’t change the fact that it would be nothing more than a one-night stand, and I can’t do that with my sister-in-law’s little brother.”
“You’ve really convinced yourself this isn’t happening, huh?” His lips push together, fighting a smirk.
“Braden,” I warn.
With a deep laugh, he shakes his head and holds the palms of his hands up. “Don’t worry, beautiful. A true gentleman never goes back on his word. I have every intention of leaving you alone…at least until you beg for it.”
My face flushes with the imagery of getting on my hands and knees, begging for him to touch me. Still eyeing him suspiciously, I release a sigh. “Do you have to go back home tonight?”
“Depends. Are you inviting me to share your bed?”
&
nbsp; “Braden!” I mean it to sound scolding, but a nasally laugh slips out. “You’re welcome to take the couch in my room if you promise to remain fully clothed.”
His eyebrows lift. “I get it. You’re worried you won’t be able to keep your hands off me if I sleep without a shirt. It happens.”
Cocky little shit, I think as I shake my head. Anything more I have to say on the subject will only inflate his ego more. “So…what do we do tonight?”
“First I have to call and arrange for my buddy to check in on my dog and put her inside for the night. Then I know exactly the place to pop your southern Cali cherry.”
As he’s slipping his cell phone from his back pocket, I scold myself for being so gullible. I offered to share a room with him…just the two of us. Just how long do I think I’ll be able to continue resisting his adorable charm and sexual implications?
Then he spins around, displaying his perfect ass swathed in tight jeans, and I realize it’s going to take an honest-to-God miracle to stop myself from giving into my body’s needs.
Chapter 5
BRADEN
As soon as the twinkling skyline comes into view on the other side of the bay, I know I’ve made the right decision in bringing Katie to the beach. Her face lights much like it did when she first saw the fountain in Vegas. Not only that, but based on the heated glances she’s been throwing my way since she found me waiting outside her room, I can’t imagine it will be much longer before she’ll beg me to make her come again. My dick twitches excitedly with the idea.
I find a place to plop down into the sand before cracking open a beer from the 12-pack we grabbed at the convenience store down the street. When Katie eventually lowers down beside me, I pass her the open beer and grab one for myself.
“I’m actually jealous you get to live out here,” she says before taking a sip. “Please tell me this view doesn’t ever get old.”