“Might I remind you that you were sneaking around in the home I share with your daughter? In an area you were specifically asked to stay out of? At a time when you announced you wouldn’t be here? Maybe I should ask what you were hoping to find by snooping in my studio?”
“How dare you!”
“No, Mother, how dare you? Brett is right. I heard him ask that you respect his privacy and stay out of his studio. You knew I would be giving a lesson. You tiptoed in and headed straight up there with no regard to either of us. You owe Brett an apology for prying at the very least. And for your information, I’m the one who suggested we spend the afternoon in that room. I asked him to wait for me as he was. I think it’s a shame for you if you were truly offended by the sight of my lover’s aroused state. Personally, I find him highly erotic and regret that you took that moment away from me.”
Andie paused. “Brett, can you find someone to take her home? As for you, until you can give us the apology we both deserve and are ready to treat me with some common decency and respect, you are no longer welcome in our home. You can tell Grandmother that the same goes for her since I’m positive it was her idea to leave you here. When you feel capable of expressing your genuine regrets I’ll be more than happy to listen. Now it’s time for you to go get your things.”
Andie stood proudly until her mother swept out of the room before she flung herself in Brett’s open arms. “Don’t let go yet. You have to keep the upper hand,” he encouraged. “Let me call the station so we can get her out of here and then you can do whatever you want.”
Andie took a deep breath and reached to hand him the phone. “You’re right. If I give in and cry, she’ll think she won and I won’t let that happen. But I am so angry!”
“Sh.” He wrapped his arm more tightly around her. “I know. I am too. But neither one of us is going to let it show.”
In ten minutes, one of the station interns was carrying Adele’s suitcase to his car. He had been extremely curious as to why the station manager asked him to drive his almost mother-in-law home and why she looked so unpleasant. He also wondered about their lack of goodbyes but had enough sense not to ask any questions. Brett seemed grateful when he’d agreed so it must be important. When Brett’d quietly advised that he keep the radio volume up and winked, he felt as if they were sharing a secret.
He noticed that the more he smiled as he drove, the more the woman scowled. He decided he was glad he was the one who wound up doing this errand and realized that there was much more to the guys who bought out the old station than everyone thought. He was looking forward to whatever came next, whether it was station-related, like the show Jordan had devoted to the little boy who had died, or something personal, like taking home the sourpuss who was in the car with him.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Andie’s thighs shook as Brett slid his fingers into her drenched pussy, replacing his tongue when he raised his head to look at her face. He would have pushed her over the top if he’d continued to suck on her clit but he wanted to prolong this, at least until she finished the song she was playing for him.
“More.” Andie slid her hips forward on the piano bench.
“Only if you keep playing.”
“More,” Andie repeated as her fingers glided over the keys.
Brett used his other hand to add the stimulation she asked for as he watched her expression reflect the pleasure she found in his touch. Andie moaned and tugged against the restraints that held her legs open on the piano bench.
After working out their anger with wild sex, they had shared a shower. When Brett had slid his heavy terrycloth robe around her and had said he’d be honored if she played some of her own songs for him, she’d quickly agreed. As soon as she’d started playing he’d tied each of her ankles to the legs of the bench. He’d shifted the bench far enough from the piano that she could still reach the keyboard while he’d sat with his head in front of her.
Andie had to be using all her willpower to find the keys as he teased her higher and higher toward her rapidly approaching orgasm. She was fighting to keep the tempo steady, obviously knowing he wouldn’t satisfy her until the last notes of the song.
Brett caught the movement in the doorway and managed not to react. He met Shane’s startled eyes and indicated with a nod that he should back out of the room but not leave. “Keep playing. That’s my girl,” Brett whispered as he made the decision not to interrupt Andie’s pleasure. He hoped the piano would cover most of her moans but realized her orgasm mattered more than any embarrassment Shane’s presence would cause. She’d be equally mortified even if he stopped her now so she may as well enjoy herself. When the song ended and Andie regained most of her composure, Brett removed the straps that bound her and closed the robe, retying it securely so she was completely covered.
“This better be good,” he called as he turned Andie to face the room.
“I’m sorry,” Shane apologized even before he was fully into the room. “The door was open and I heard the piano…”
Andie’s confusion cleared with a groan. The flush on her cheeks was replaced with a deep blush as she hid her face against Brett’s shoulder.
“Don’t.” Brett caught her chin, forcing her to look at him. “There is no need for that. Not after the day we just had. Not when we’re consenting adults in our own home. And especially not when Shane is the one who walked in on us.”
“But…”
“He’s absolutely right, Andie. Never be ashamed of what you share with each other. I’m proud of you for continuing.” Shane grinned at Brett.
“It would have been just as bad, if not worse, if I’d stopped. Your back was to the door, Andie. Shane didn’t see anything.”
“But…”
“But I have a pretty good idea of what he was doing?” Shane finished Andie’s thought as she turned even redder.
“He’s not shocked. I’m willing to bet that he and Alyssa have done the same thing and I’m sure he won’t go around telling people how you play the piano for me.”
“Well, not exactly the same thing.” Shane had to laugh. “Makes me wonder if Lyss needs some piano lessons too. I’d be more than willing to keep her company while she practiced. Honestly, you’re very impressive, being able to finish the song like that.”
“Oh God.” Andie was still horrified.
“Great song, by the way,” Shane added.
“One of her own,” Brett stated proudly. “I’m going to take her down to the station and record Andie playing all her originals so I can listen to them when she’s not available to play for me.”
“Are they all that bluesy?” Andie nodded. “Can I have a copy? Nothing sexier than the blues, especially when I know who’s playing them.” Andie’s blush returned. “Would you feel better if I shared an equally embarrassing moment?”
“You don’t have to,” Andie replied after a moment.
“I think I’d better. I don’t want you to hide from me so we need to make this even. Has Brett ever told you about the morning after Jordan’s wedding?”
“Absolutely not!” Brett exclaimed instantly.
“Okay then I will. At the time Jordan and Kiley got married, Campini and I were still openly hostile with each other. We couldn’t get within twenty feet before one of us found something to gripe about. And we weren’t very tactful or discreet once we started to argue either. Brett can tell you how often he had to remind us to behave so we wouldn’t ruin their celebration.”
“I was afraid they’d kill each other at the reception and Jordan and Kiley would wind up divorced before they managed to leave for their honeymoon,” Brett said sincerely.
“We ended up dancing together to make them happy. You’ve seen the pictures. Campini looked incredibly hot in that dress. It matched her eyes and made them even greener than they usually are. She smelled good and fit perfectly in my arms. But she was bitching non-stop. I was more than ready to strangle her. If we’d been anywhere other than that reception I’m sure I w
ould have. Since we were there, I shut her up by kissing her instead. She was so surprised that she kissed me back before she remembered that it was me with her. By the time we realized what we were doing and with whom, we were both too involved to stop.”
“They were extremely involved,” Brett agreed.
“One thing led to another and we ended up in my apartment. In bed. Handcuffed together around a pipe behind the headboard. With the key on the dresser across the room.”
By this point, Andie was giggling uncontrollably. “So what did you do?”
“Well, first she wanted me to pick the lock and was mad that I don’t keep paperclips next to the bed. Then she suggested I shoot the links between the cuffs since she was certain all cops sleep with their guns under their pillows. Eventually, I managed to hook her purse with my toes and got her cell phone since the one on my nightstand was no longer where it belonged. I called Brett to come over and release us.”
“When I got there he was all stretched out, like he was really relaxed and it wasn’t anything unusual to be handcuffed in his own bed. Lyssa was hiding under the covers like I wouldn’t be able to guess who was on the other end of the cuffs. They seemed to have forgotten the display they put on the night before, not to mention the very recognizable dress in the middle of the floor.” Brett opened a cabinet and pulled out an album that Andie had never seen before. He opened it to the picture he drew of the couple in handcuffs.
“Oh wow.” Andie was sure it was accurate.
“Wow is right.”
“After shamelessly teasing us, Brett finally gave me the key and promised to keep it to himself,” Shane told her so she would know he would do the same.
“But why did you put on the cuffs in the first place?” Andie asked.
“We made a little bet while we were dancing,” Shane answered, much to Brett’s surprise. “I claimed that I could provide twenty-four orgasms in twenty-four hours with one hand tied behind my back. If I did, Campini had to go for a drink in nothing but my tuxedo jacket. When I was undressing her, she saw the cuffs and had us clicked together before either of us thought of the key.”
Brett flipped the album to the sketch of Alyssa in his jacket at the bar. “I can’t believe you told us that part. He always refused before.”
“Yeah well,” Shane shrugged. “I figured Andie should know since I walked in like that.”
“I guess we are even now,” she decided.
“What did you want in the first place, Shane?”
“We were tucking Charlie in and she asked what a sicko pervert was. She told us that Andie’s mom kept screaming that at her Uncle Brett. Lyss and I were afraid something was wrong so I came to check on you. Obviously we shouldn’t have been worried. I take it your mother went home earlier?”
“Yeah, right after I finished telling her off,” Andie stated.
“Really.” Shane raised an eyebrow. “Care to explain the sicko pervert remark?”
“Andie?” Brett let her decide.
She surprised him by answering herself. “She was supposed to be out all afternoon so I sent Brett up to the room in the attic to wait for me while Charlie had her lesson. I, ah…” She was blushing again. “I told him to be ready when I got there. He said he had some inspiring drawings to help him and, well, you can guess what I had in mind for him to be doing when I walked in.” Shane clearly could. “Mom came in without my knowing it and went up there to snoop even though she’d been told the studio was off-limits. She didn’t consider that Brett might be up there and walked right in on him.”
“Oh,” Shane groaned.
“She didn’t appreciate what she saw. I’m not sure if she objected to what I was doing with my hand or the sketches of her daughter engaging in various, ah, activities but she started shrieking. She made it to the kitchen before I managed to remind her that there was a child in the house.”
“After I sent Charlie out to Flynn, I was forced to listen to my own mother telling me that the only way someone like Brett would be interested in such an unattractive woman like me was if he got to do all sorts of deviant things with me. She actually ordered me to pack my belongings and go home with her where I belonged. She said I’d proved I couldn’t manage my life and clearly needed her guidance.” Andie shook as she replayed her mother’s harsh words.
“Andie kept quiet until Adele started attacking my character. She was ferocious with the way she defended me.” Brett was still proud of her.
“And Brett stayed out of it until she was going to slap me,” Andie added.
“Oh man,” Shane groaned again.
“You should have heard her, Shane. She actually told her mother that it was her idea for me to be up there, doing what I was doing and said she felt sorry for her if Adele couldn’t appreciate the way I looked.”
Andie interrupted, saying, “I believe I said something closer to it was a shame that she didn’t enjoy the sight of my lover when he was aroused and how I personally considered him to be very erotic.”
“Wow.” Shane whistled. “I wish I’d seen the look on her face when you said that.”
“Priceless,” Brett assured him. “I got one of the interns to drive her home because Andie didn’t want to be around her any longer than it took her to pack and I wasn’t about to spend two hours alone in the car with her.”
“Especially not after I’d told her she wasn’t welcome until she apologized for the way she treated both of us. I even told her I expected my grandmother to apologize too. I doubt if we’ll ever see either of them again.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it. Your dad was so annoyed with her when I called to let him know she was on the way and bound to be furious when she got there that he might have a few words of his own to say to her. I hope she comes around, Andie. I really do. If not, it’ll be more her loss than yours. Your dad said he would be here for Thanksgiving and you heard Sadie’s reaction. You know my mom and dad love you already and want you to consider them as your family.”
“Don’t forget about my mom and dad too,” Shane added. “Brett has been their third son for so many years that they aren’t likely to treat you any differently than Lyss and Kiley.”
“Thanks. You don’t need to worry about me though. When I heard her screaming at Brett something inside me snapped and I realized that I was done putting up with her, even if it meant I no longer had a mother and grandmother. I feel better about them than I have in years. It’s like I’m finally free. I’m where I want to be, with the only man I could ever be with, doing what I’ve always wanted to do, surrounded by the best group of people imaginable. I’m more than happy with the way my life is turning out and I am no longer willing to let my mother be a black cloud.”
“That’s my girl.” Brett kissed her cheek.
“Well said,” Shane proclaimed. “Just don’t let her catch you off guard when she calls to see if you’ve come to your senses and I agree that she’ll come around eventually.”
“I’m expecting her to but nothing other than a sincere apology will have any effect on me.”
“Thank goodness you didn’t let Andie get away, Brett. I think you’re going to be even more fun to watch than you thought Lyss and I were. I’d better go tell her that you’re both fine and your mother won’t be interfering any time soon. Sorry again for just walking in like that. I’ll be sure to remind Flynn how Jesse told him to make lots of noise before he enters a room where you might be together. I’ll have to keep that in mind myself.”
“And we’ll have to start locking the door,” Brett decided.
“Shane, thanks for telling me about the handcuffs. I don’t mind if you want to tell Alyssa about us or the things with my mother.”
“Thanks. I know she’ll appreciate that. And I assure you it’ll stop with her. I’ll let you get back to entertaining each other.” They heard him chuckling as he closed the door behind him.
* * * * *
Later, as they snuggled in their bed, Andie sighed.
“What are
you thinking?” Brett asked softly.
“About how this is the first night we’re together without all sorts of stuff hanging over our heads. But it also feels as if we’ve been together so much longer.”
“I know what you mean. I’m having trouble remembering that you’ve only been here two weeks. Must be because we were meant to be together.”
“Mm.” Andie snuggled more fully against his side. “It’s so right, being with you. That first night, in the city, I knew how you’d act once you finally let me tell you why I was there. That had me too on edge to let go completely. Then, our first night here, even though we were finally together for real, I was so unsettled with the way you signed over the house and everything. After that, we had my mother and grandmother, so I doubt if either of us could relax entirely. But now, it’s just us. We don’t have to answer to anyone else. I’ve never felt quite like this before.”
“Me either,” Brett confided. “You’re making me see things in myself and feel things that are new to me too. I think we’re in for lots of unknowns.”
She giggled. “Yeah, like just about everything we’ve done so far. I don’t think I ever really had an orgasm before you.”
“I wasn’t referring to sex but, okay, I agree. You’ve brought out a different set of desires there too. I’m looking forward to exploring my instincts.”
“Me too,” Andie agreed rapidly. “Can I ask something? The first night here, why did you call Shane instead of Jordan? I know that you two are closer so I don’t understand.”
“Normally, I would have. But you were afraid of me. Calling Jordan would have added five minutes at least. Shane may have been my second choice but I had no doubt that he’d take care of you. If Jesse hadn’t been with him, Shane would have stayed and done whatever you needed him to do. I saw you with Kiley and Jordan at Max’s memorial. Shane isn’t as smooth as Jordan is but I trust him.”
“So do I. I mean, I have to, right? I can’t imagine sitting and talking with someone who walked in on us like that. And telling him why my mother was screaming at you like she was. I guess his explaining why he and Alyssa needed you to uncuff them really did make me more comfortable with him. He’ll tell Alyssa what happened?”
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