Cherishing Brianna [Fate Harbor 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Caitlyn O'Leary

  They both pulled away in the same moment.

  “I have to think.”

  “And I want you to. But know this, I’m not going to stop pursuing you. So you think, and think hard. I have never, and I mean never, been as drawn to a woman the way I am to you, Brianna. Don’t think I’m going to stop, just because you met one man days before you met me.”

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “I know. But please don’t let this stop you from visiting Beauty. I’ll back off for one week, but after that, the gloves come off.”

  Brianna got behind the wheel of the truck, and rested her head against the steering wheel. “Oh, fluff.”

  Chapter 12

  It was the vet. It was the goddamn vet. Charlie felt Brianna slipping through his fingers. She’d conveniently had plans with her family the last two times he wasn’t working nights. But, God bless her, when he said they needed to talk today, she’d agreed that they did. When he suggested McCann’s pub, she said it would be best at her apartment. Yep, his girl had moxie. She was planning on being up front with him. God bless her.

  He knocked on the door.

  “It’s open.”

  “Damn it Brianna, we’ve talked about this. You need to lock your door.” She was seated on the couch, with her legs tucked under her chin. She wasn’t wearing any makeup and she looked like a teenager. A scared teenager.

  He sat down beside her, and coaxed her legs across his and started massaging her feet. “It’s the vet, isn’t it?”

  “Zac. Yep, you got it in one. You’re a damn good cop, Charlie.”

  “So do you want to break up?”

  “No!” She flung herself at him, and grabbed him around his neck, peppering his face with kisses. “God no, I don’t want to break up. But you have to want to break up with me.” That’s when he felt tears.

  “But you want him?”

  “I don’t know what I want, I’m so confused. I just had to be honest with you, that I have feelings for Zac.” God, it felt like she was kicking him in his chest. But how often had he told a woman that they weren’t going to be exclusive? More times than he had fingers and toes. Okay, maybe only fingers, but still. God, his free-wheeling bachelor days were coming to bite him in the ass.

  “Baby, how many lovers have you had?”

  “Including you?”

  “Yeah, including me.”

  “Four.” She was killing him.

  “I want you and I to be exclusive.”

  “Well of course you do,” she said indignantly. He grinned.

  “But, I also understand what my twenties were like, and what it’s like when you are still experimenting.”

  “I’m not like that, Charlie. I would never betray you.”

  “And you wouldn’t be betraying me, you’re being up front right now.”

  “I just needed you to know I had feelings for him, and I was feeling guilty.”

  “Whatever happens, happens.” God, it would kill him.

  “Make love to me, Charlie.” She yanked at his T-shirt, and he yanked at her tank top. Soon they were in a heap on her couch, all thought of Zac lost amidst their rising passion.

  * * * *

  Three days later damned if Brianna didn’t find herself at Chance and Sam’s house, on their deck, when she got a call from Emily this time, asking if she could come over and watch the clinic. Zac was out of town. At this rate Brianna was thinking about starting to charge. She went over and agreed to spend the night.

  Olivia called her, and she explained her conversation with Charlie.

  “I still say you have an opportunity for a triad. It is Fate Harbor, after all.”

  “It’s totally different. From everything I’ve heard the men have to be long-time friends or brothers or something like that. Hey, wait a minute,” Brianna said, interrupting herself. “I’m not interested in some triad. That makes this sound a whole hell of a lot more permanent. Charlie knows I’m leaving. I’m keeping Zac at arm’s length. And you, missy, know that I’m leaving.”

  “A big sister can try.” Olivia laughed. Brianna felt herself settle down. Maybe Olivia was finally coming to realize that she was going to leave and she was good with it.

  “So how is triad married love?” There was a long pause.

  “Oh, Brianna, I couldn’t be any happier. Every single day just gets better and better. Joshua and Ian are the best men that I could ever imagine spending my life with.”

  Brianna snorted.

  “Seriously, Ian is great. You just haven’t seen him at a good time.”

  “I’m mostly just teasing you. I like anyone who is that protective of you, but he seriously lacks all people skills.”

  “Yeah, people skills are not his strongest thing.” Olivia laughed. Brianna yawned.

  “Isn’t it kind of early for you to sound so tired?”

  “Taking care of these animals is tiring. Plus I went on a run with the dogs. I can’t believe how well Beauty is doing. Even though she can’t put her full weight on her leg, she is really fast.”

  “Are you going to keep her?”

  “Olivia, you know the answer to that. But I am considering fostering animals when I get to San Clemente. I can do that short term commitment, no pun intended, before I deteriorate.”

  “God damn it, Brianna Kay Spencer!”

  “I don’t want to discuss it, okay? Not today, I’m too tired, so it won’t be a fair fight.”

  “Okay little sister, go take a nap. But don’t think this is over.”

  “I never do. I love you, Olivia.”

  “I love you, too.”

  * * * *

  She looked perfect lying in his bed. He hadn’t wanted to wake her, so he’d showered in the bathroom in Emily’s room. God, that woman needed to learn how to pick up after herself. Zac smiled as he noted that Brianna had folded her clothes and left them on the chair in the corner of his room. He wasn’t surprised. He could tell that Brianna liked order in her life, perhaps too much.

  In deference to her presence in his bed, he had put on a pair of briefs, even though he normally slept nude. He pulled back the comforter, and saw that her sleep shirt had was twisted up to just below her breasts. Bloody hell, this was going to be a lot more difficult than he had imagined. Then he grinned. What was he doing, lying to himself? This was going to make it easier. He wanted her, and he was damn sure she wanted him. Charlie be damned. He was also sure that in order to break down the barriers, and the only possible way to get her to consider staying past this ridiculous self-imposed three-month deadline was to provide some motivation to stay. Actually it was now down to seven weeks.

  It was the tickle of her hair under his nose that woke him. He luxuriated in the warmth that she provided. Never had a woman felt better pressed up against him. He had known she was meant to be with him. He had had the connection of the heart, and now he had the unconscious connection of his body. Now to confirm that the connection truly was two-sided. Zac ran his hand from the base of her spine to splay up between her shoulder blades, and was rewarded as she pressed even closer. He repeated the caress, up and down, delighting in the feel of her warm, soft skin.

  She moved her head, and snuggled it so it rested right under his chin, her steady breath blowing softly against his neck. On the next pass, he reached up even higher, his hand caressing the bare skin of her shoulders and neck.

  “Zac,” she moaned, “that feels so good.”

  He felt a sense of satisfaction that she was aware of exactly who was holding her when she came out of a deep sleep. God she smelled wonderful. He let his other hand drift down and cup the rounded cheek of her ass. She relaxed her thighs and surrounded his leg, allowing him the privilege of feeling the heat of her core against him. Her nipples were hard against his chest. Bloody hell!

  “Angel.”

  “Kiss me, Zac.” He couldn’t. He just couldn’t. Goddamn it!

  He tugged at her hair, forcing her to lift her head, so they could look at each other in the light of
dawn. “You have to be sure, Brianna. This means something to me. You mean something to me. I can’t do this lightly.”

  * * * *

  What man said that to a woman? Brianna watched in horror as two tears fell onto Zac’s mouth. She’d just cried on the man! Still holding her head in his grasp, his eyes never leaving hers, she watched as his tongue lapped up the liquid.

  “I want to taste everything your body has to offer, Angel.” She shivered.

  “Zac,” she choked, and started again. “Zac, it does mean something. You mean something. I’m so sorry. I wish I could be more for you. I just can’t.” She pulled, trying to get away, but he held her tightly, gently.

  “Tell me, Brianna.”

  “There’s something wrong with me, and I’ve got to leave. I refuse to be a burden. I refuse to hurt my family, the people I love, like I was hurt.”

  “Tell me, Angel.”

  “No. I can’t, and you’ll have to respect that. You’ll just have to believe me when I say that I don’t take this lightly. But I don’t take Charlie lightly either.” God, he was beautiful. His liquid black eyes seemed to see into her soul.

  “All right, Angel. It’s enough that I know you’re emotionally committed to me.”

  “But I’m not sure that I am.” She worked again to pull away, feeling more tears threatening to spill.

  “But you are, otherwise you wouldn’t be warning me away, trying to protect me.” Again, just as gently, but inexorably, he pulled her down until their lips were a breath apart. “Now, Brianna, now it begins. Say it.”

  He was right. How could he have known. But he did, and it eased something inside her. “Now Zac, now it begins. I want this. I want you. I need you.” She watched as his eyes closed, and then flew open, shining brightly.

  “I need you, too, Angel.” Finally he pulled her down, and it was everything she had imagined, everything she had hoped for. His kiss was tender, but lit a spark deep inside, causing everything to slide into place. Now she was home. Ever so slowly he nudged her closer, his fingers moving up her body to her head, threading through her curls. He was drawing her in, and the thrust of his tongue against hers was so beguiling she whimpered, which was when she noticed that his leg was smoothly sliding up and down between her legs. Her skin was so sensitized she could feel every hair on his leg against her thighs, and it was just one more sensation that ratcheted up her desire. He tugged at her hair, lifting her away from his mouth.

  “No.” He couldn’t be changing his mind.

  “I agree, Angel, we’re not stopping. But you’re killing me. I have to get closer, I can feel your nipples, and I need to see them, taste them.” He began to pull up her sleep shirt, and she brought her elbows up, stopping him. He stopped and looked into her eyes. Brianna couldn’t help the automatic flush that suffused her face, at the thought of being less than, and Zac saw it, damn him. How could he be so attuned to her?

  He put his lips close to her ear. “It’s just us, and you’re safe with me, Angel. Tell me.” Brianna felt her heart melt. She did feel safe with Zac. She wanted to tell him almost everything. But she couldn’t. Not everything. But this, this she could share. And Charlie had proved that she had been wrong, with the right stimulus her breasts were sensitive.

  Damn! She didn’t want to be thinking about Charlie now! She shoved at Zac’s shoulders.

  “Easy, Angel. Tell me what just happened.” He was looking at her, and even in the low light of dawn, she saw a hint of laughter. “Did someone else just join us in bed?”

  “Are you reading my mind? , Zac, you have been a little too in tune with me, and it’s kind of scary.”

  “Angel, you push me away when you’re trying to protect me, when you’re trying to be honorable. There’s something that is making you push all of us away. We’ll get to that. But the reason you’re trying to jump out of my arms right now, is because you feel like you’re betraying me right at this moment by thinking of Charlie. Well you’re not. Now tell me. You weren’t comparing us, I know that, you’re not like that. But you thought of him, and that’s fine, Angel. It was important. Tell me.”

  “Never mind.” Brianna yanked off her shirt and wrapped her arms around Zac’s neck, pressing her breasts against his chest, praying she would find the same kind of pleasure that she had found with Charlie. Zac rolled over and she found herself flat on her back and looking up into dark eyes with his black hair cocooning them into a midnight world of their own.

  “All right, we’ll play it your way.” He kissed her brow, then the tip of her nose, and finally her lips, deepening the kiss until she was mindless. All thought of whether she would respond when he touched her breasts flew out of her head. Heat. Warmth. Silky. Wet. Carnal. Thrusting. A nip. A tweak. A tug. A pinch. A squeeze.

  He lifted his head. “More?” Brianna breathed in once, then again. She was finally able to focus and realized her hands covered Zac’s as he was squeezing her breasts, his thumbs still roughly brushing back and forth across her nipples.

  “Please more.” She wished she could do more than gasp, but it was all she was capable of.

  “More, or harder, Angel?” she couldn’t bring herself to answer. He applied more pressure and she gave a sigh of pleasure. “I guess I have my answer.” He bent down and drew a nipple into his mouth and drew it deeply into the hot cavern of his mouth. He circled the tip with his tongue, round and round and round. Sucking harder, harder and harder. Taking her higher and higher and higher. Then he shoved his leg between hers, and started a sharp rhythm against her clit that had her reaching, she was close. So close. Then he roughly pinched her other nipple, and sent her over the edge.

  When she came back to herself, she realized that she was clenching Zac’s hair. His chin rested on her breastbone and he was smiling gently up at her. His right hand was softly caressing her breast, causing shards of sensations to zing throughout her body. She could feel his erection pressing against her, but as she looked at him, his expression was content.

  “Zac?”

  “Hmm?” He continued to smile up at her, stroking her breast.

  “Don’t you want to? I mean…”

  “If you are asking if I would like to make love to you, the answer is yes. Always yes.” That accent, those eyes. Her panties were already soaked, but at his words she felt pulses of arousal causing even more moisture to leak out of her sex. He must have felt it, because a meltingly slow smile spread across his face.

  “Angel, I don’t think a more responsive, beautiful woman was ever created.” Oh my God, he couldn’t possibly mean what he had just said, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. He leaned up and kissed her chin, and then gave it a gentle nip.

  “You need to trust me, Brianna. I’m not going to say things I don’t mean.” He tilted his hips against her, and the jut of his penis told her that he desired her. “I love how you came apart in my arms. It took everything I had not come with you.” She could feel the rasp of his beard as it grazed against her cheek, and she leaned closer, thirsting for every tactile sensation this man could provide.

  His lips brushed hers. “My Angel,” he crooned, and then he swept in, and delivered a kiss beyond description. His strong arms pulled her up off the bed, clasping her to his chest, and she reveled in the feel of her tight nipples scraping against the soft hair of his chest. She twisted to get more of the erotic feel.

  His body felt so hot and hard, she worked her arms down, so that she could feel the smooth skin of his back. Finally she made it to her destination, her hands slid under his boxers, and she gripped the taut muscles of his ass. She’d been wanting to touch his ass since she’d first seen it, and now that she was she whimpered. Brianna spread her legs so that she could have his erection pressed against her core. As soon as it was she wrapped her legs around his thighs and pulled herself upward, trying to get even closer.

  “I’m not going to last if you keep doing that.”

  “Who asked you to last? I need you inside me, Zac.” She saw him
hesitate, and wanted to hit him. “What did I do wrong?” she wailed.

  “Nothing, baby. You’re perfect.” He looked down at her. She saw him hesitate.

  “Tell me.”

  “I’m worried that I’m rushing you, taking advantage as it were. I shouldn’t have gotten into this bed.” The man made her melt physically and emotionally.

  “I’m glad you did, Zac. This is what I wanted, and I might not have had the guts to reach for it, for you. This is what I wanted. You’re who I needed. Please don’t make me wait, don’t make me beg.”

  “Never, Angel. Never.” He pulled out her arms and she couldn’t help the cry that left her lips.

  “Zac?”

  “Condom.” Brianna relaxed into the bed, watching as he moved off the bed and pulled off his briefs, and started toward the bathroom. She could watch him walk away from her all day. That ass was to die for! She saw something on his back, some kind of ink, but in the low bedroom light she couldn’t make it out, then her eyes were drawn back to his flanks. She was so disappointed as he disappeared into the bathroom. But then he was advancing toward her. His cock jutted out, and she realized this was by far the better view. She was up on all fours before she even realized it. He was absolutely beautiful. His cock curled up a little bit just at the end, he was so long she didn’t know if she would be able to accommodate him, but she wanted to find out if she could. First she had to taste him.

  “No, Brianna, I want to make love to you.” He gently moved her hand away as she went to grip him. She leaned forward and licked the pre-cum from the tip of his cock, his flavor exploding across her taste buds. She closed her eyes so she could savor it, humming in pleasure.

  “Zac, please let me take you inside my mouth,” she begged as he moved away.

  “No, Angel, some other time. I need our bodies to come together. You have been a craving too long denied.” He cupped her cheek, and placed a loving kiss on her lips as he pressed her backward onto the burgundy sheets of his bed. He sheathed himself in one of the condoms he had placed on the nightstand, and despite her eagerness Brianna had a moment of trepidation. She really wasn’t good at sex, let alone good at making love.