Brianne's Secret

by M. S. Parker

  Tess

  It was over.

  There was always the chance that I’d be asked to testify, but Bri had said that she didn’t think that was going to happen. To protect the identities of the black-ops team members who hadn’t been burned, Sofie was going to do as much as possible to keep things quiet. The details at least. Our names would be redacted so that only a handful of people would know our identities.

  I kept waiting for relief, for some rush of emotion that would be my body’s confirmation that my life could finally move forward again, but all I felt was numb. The rush of adrenaline that had kept me going when I’d gone to confront Kathrine Golding was gone, but it hadn’t been replaced with anything.

  Clay seemed to be struggling with accepting the closure. He hadn’t let go of me since he’d come out of Secretary Munroe’s office. Maybe he’d realized the same thing I had: without this issue requiring us to work together, the decision of whether or not to see each other again rested solely on our shoulders.

  “Ready to go back to the hotel?” he asked as Sofie called Brianne away from us.

  I looked up at him. “You’re not staying with your parents?”

  His eyes met mine. “I’d like to stay with you, if you’re okay with that.”

  “I’d like that.”

  We were tiptoeing around each other, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t say anything here – too many extra ears – but going back to the hotel would give us the chance to sleep and get clear-headed before we discussed where things would go from here.

  It took us another fifteen minutes to extricate ourselves from the melee, and another thirty after that to get back to the hotel. We talked on the drive, but only about our roles in what had just happened. Everything else would wait until we were behind closed doors.

  Except when we were finally alone, I found that I didn’t want to talk. I needed one night of knowing that we were on the same page, that we wanted the same things. We could deal with the complicated stuff tomorrow.

  “We don’t need to talk,” I began.

  Clay caught my hands, his eyes blazing with more intensity than I’d ever seen. The rest of what I’d planned on saying dried up in my mouth.

  “We’ve waited long enough to be together,” he said. “I’m not going to let any other possible craziness keep us apart.”

  My heart lurched, but I kept my expression blank, not wanting him to see the hope swirling inside me. We’d lost so much due to assumptions. I didn’t plan on losing more.

  “I should have told you how I felt about you before that night. I shouldn’t have waited, too scared to make a move.”

  “I could say the same. I’d had a crush on you long before that night.”

  He smiled down at me. “Okay, it’s on both of us. The point is, we lost too many years because neither of us spoke up.”

  “We’re together now,” I said. “Both adults who know their own minds and can make their own decisions.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  Clay took a deep breath and then sank down onto one knee.

  What. The. Fuck.

  “I love you, Tess. I’ve loved you for so long that it felt natural when it progressed from friendship into more. I can’t go back and change the way things played out before, but I can make the right choice now and say that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  I swayed on my feet, only the grip he had on my hands keeping me steady.

  “You’re the only woman I want to be with. The only woman I want to fight with and make up with.” He kissed my knuckles. “I don’t have a ring, but I can’t wait any longer to ask you to marry me. I want you to be my wife, Tess, and I will spend the rest of our lives making sure you know how much I love you, even when I screw up again.”

  This was really happening. Clay Kurth was asking me to marry him.

  “We can have as long of an engagement as you want. I just need to know that my future has you.”

  He wasn’t letting me get a word in edgewise. I went down on my knees, tugging my hands free. “Shut up.”

  His mouth snapped shut, and I read the fear on his face.

  “Yes.” I leaned up and brushed my lips over his. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Any time, any place. I don’t care about any of that. I just want you.”

  He stared at me for a minute, as if he couldn’t quite believe it, and then he had his arms around me and his mouth on mine. He pulled me up his body until my knees were off the floor and my face was even with his. I barely noticed anything but the heat from his kiss and the strength in his arms.

  The tip of his tongue touched mine, then slid across and into my mouth. I made a sound I’d never heard before and wrapped my arms more tightly around his neck. His hands moved under the back of my blouse, burning their way across my bare skin. He settled back on his heels, pulling me across his lap so that my knees were on either side of his hips. My skirt rucked up around my waist, and I ground down on him. He moaned, and the noise jarred me out of my haze enough to realize something extremely important.

  I hadn’t said it back.

  His lips moved down my jaw to my throat.

  “Clay.”

  No response.

  “Clay, babe, look at me.”

  I gave a light tug on his hair, and he raised his head, concern breaking through the lust. “Is something wrong?”

  I put my hand on his cheek, my thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. “I love you too. I just realized I hadn’t said it back.”

  “You said you’d marry me,” he pointed out with a grin. “I sort of assumed the love part came with it.”

  I laughed. “Good point.” I kissed the tip of his nose, his cheek, his chin before pressing my lips to his. “But you deserved to hear the truth stated right out. I love you.”

  Now it was his turn to laugh. I’d heard that sound a million times, but this one was different somehow. Deeper, richer. As if it meant more now. It was like his touch. Before, I’d always felt it whenever we touched, but now, it was as if I was more alive, more aware.

  “Until tonight, I never thought I’d get to hear those words from you.” He kept one hand on my back but dropped the other one to my bare leg. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to hear those words at all.”

  I cupped his face between my hands. “Well, I’m going to make sure you hear them every day, maybe two or three times a day if you play your cards right.”

  “Even when I behave like an ass?”

  I gave him a slow, languid kiss that stoked the fire inside me into an inferno and left me panting. I rested my forehead against his. “Especially when you behave like an ass.”

  “How did I get so lucky?” He slid his hand up my leg and under my skirt.

  “Are you referring to me agreeing to marry you, or the fact that your wandering fingers are venturing into personal territory?”

  “Both?” His voice had that low, husky quality that made my insides turn into goo.

  “How about you put those fingers to good use?”

  I took in a shuddering breath as his index finger pressed against the spot over my clit through my panties. My fingers tightened on his shoulders.

  “You’re soaked, baby.” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the side of my neck. “Want me to make it better?”

  “Please.” I rocked against his hand, the friction making me whimper.

  He moved his hand, knuckles pushing against me for a moment before he freed his cock. He pulled me down onto his thick shaft, both of us groaning as he sank deep. We held still for long seconds, then fell into a familiar rhythm. Back and forth we moved, the friction exquisite, but not enough.

  Before I could tell Clay that I needed more, he surged upward, taking me with him. My back hit the mattress a second later, and then he was pushing my knees farther apart and sinking deeper inside me. I gasped as he immediately pulled back, and the gasp became a cry when he surged forward. Over and over he thrust into me, each stroke jarring and filling a
nd exactly what I needed.

  What I needed more, however, were the words he kept repeating until we came together in an explosion of pleasure.

  “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  Epilogue

  Tess

  The sun would be coming up soon, but I’d drawn the curtains last night in anticipation of the weather forecast for today. Between the upcoming holiday season and the new additions coming soon, I intended to take as much time resting as possible before things went nuts.

  Except I hadn’t been able to sleep much tonight. In fact, I’d spent the last two hours staring at the ceiling and trying not to wake Clay. Not that he’d mind, and any other night, I might’ve been tempted to do just that. We loved spending time together, whether it was doing something we’d planned or just lying in bed talking.

  Just not tonight.

  We’d been living in Denver ever since coming back from our honeymoon, and I loved it just as much now in November as I had in July when we’d moved into the house we’d bought. Now that I knew Rona and Jalen, I felt bad that we’d missed their wedding, but they’d insisted we go on our honeymoon even after we’d had to move up our own ceremony.

  I smiled as I ran my hand over my stomach. I would have been content with waiting until after the twins were born, but Clay had insisted we marry before their arrival. Then he’d gotten Brianne and Sofie on his side, which meant Mom had been on board too. I’d been easily out-voted.

  Not that I minded. Our small, private ceremony had been perfect. Even Mr. and Mrs. Kurth had been pleased. They’d been less pleased with our decision to move across the country, especially since I was carrying their first grandchildren. Still, they hadn’t been angry about the two of us getting married, which surprised me. It might’ve had something to do with the fact that I’d helped their son crack a huge corruption ring and make a name for himself. I was pretty sure they were already planning his run for governor of Colorado.

  Pain shot across my stomach, and I gritted my teeth as I breathed through it. The contractions had woken me up, but they’d been far enough apart for me to not worry about waking Clay just yet. Now, it was down to about five minutes between them, and they hurt…bad.

  After the contraction passed, I reached over and shook Clay’s shoulder. “Babe, wake up.”

  “Hmm?” He rolled over and blinked at me.

  “We need to head to the hospital.” I kept my voice calm and even, knowing that if he had the slightest hint of how anxious I was, it’d just make him nervous.

  He’d been like that from the moment I’d told him I needed to take a pregnancy test. It hadn’t been too long after we’d gotten engaged when I’d finally realized that it hadn’t only been the circumstances that had been wearing me down. Clay hadn’t freaked out, but he had been curious how I’d gotten pregnant when we’d doubled up on birth control. Until he’d remembered that we’d rarely used condoms since we’d been reunited after the car accident…and that’s when I’d also remembered that I’d gone more than two weeks without my birth control while I’d been unconscious.

  “Clay, come on. This isn’t a drill. We need to go to the hospital.”

  “Hospital?” It took about three seconds for it to sink in this time and then he shot up. “Hospital!”

  Ten minutes later, we were in our car heading for the birthing center we’d chosen. Clay was talking, but I let his voice become background noise while I concentrated on breathing my way through the next contraction. He wasn’t really making much sense anyway, but I knew he was doing his best to reassure me that everything would be okay.

  When the contraction eased, I pulled out my phone and texted Brianne. She and Sofie had stayed in DC, but they’d arrived in Denver a few days ago, planning on being here for the twins’ birth and the holidays. Sofie had retired in August, and Brianne hadn’t re-enlisted, which meant that as of September, they were no longer in the military. They were still deciding what they wanted to do now but had held off making any permanent decisions until after their wedding in June.

  A destination wedding in Hawaii that I…

  “Fuck!” I slammed my hand down on the door.

  “Are you okay?” The car swerved slightly as Clay leaned toward me.

  I waved him off. “Just getting ready to give birth to your massive children. Keep your eyes on the road.”

  He didn’t seem to find that as amusing as I did, but considering I was the one about to give birth not once but twice, I thought I deserved to be entertained as much as possible before I lost all time between contractions.

  The pain when I woke up wasn’t as bad as I’d expected, but it faded into the background even more when I saw Clay sitting in the chair next to my bed, each arm holding a wrapped bundle, one pink, one blue. I smiled as I pushed myself up.

  “Good night,” Clay said. He frowned. “That doesn’t really work as a greeting, does it?”

  I smiled at the sight of him and the two tiny bundles. “Not really. What time is it?”

  “Almost ten,” he said, his voice low. “You’ve been sleeping for a couple hours.”

  “How’re they doing?”

  He managed to get to his feet, still holding both of the babies, the move more graceful than I could ever hope to be. He perched on the edge of my bed, leaning down to hand off our son.

  “They’re perfect,” he said with a smile. “Ella May Kurth and Christopher Clinton Kurth.”

  “I’m surprised our family and friends aren’t crowded in here,” I said as I smoothed my fingers across Christopher’s forehead.

  “I sent them home,” Clay said. “They’ll all be back at visiting hours, I’m sure, but I wanted to have my family all to myself tonight.”

  He kissed the top of my head, and I closed my eyes, savoring the love surrounding me.

  “Thanksgiving is in two weeks,” I said softly. “But I already know what I’m most thankful for. What I’ll always be most thankful for.” I put my head on his shoulder. “This life, this family, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

  I knew that life would throw things our way, but Clay and I would continue to face the future the way we’d always been meant to…together.

  Don’t miss the other books in the Pleasure Series. Turn the page for a preview of Forbidden Pleasure, the book that started it all.

  Preview: Forbidden Pleasures

  Pleasure Series Book 1

  One

  It happened during my last session with my court-appointed therapist. She'd given me two pieces of advice that I decided to follow. The first was to not let anyone define who I was, to be an individual who was comfortable in her own skin. The second was to have a healthy sex life. I remember thinking that was kind of strange, considering I was only eighteen at the time.

  Somehow, I doubted this was what she pictured when she'd imparted those words of wisdom.

  The man beneath me moaned as I rode him. The muscles in my thighs were starting to burn with each rise and fall, but I didn't slow. I kept my eyes open, my head down, but I barely registered the pretty-boy features of the young man I'd picked up just an hour ago. My hands splayed on his muscular chest, helping me balance.

  “Fuck, babe, you're so tight.”

  Okay, so I hadn't picked the guy for his eloquence, but he had a nice thick cock and no issues with me calling the shots. That's what mattered.

  I flexed my muscles the way I'd been taught, and he swore again. “I work out,” I said and flexed again.

  I leaned forward, and he pushed himself up on his elbows, his mouth latching on to a pale pink nipple. My eyelids fluttered as he sucked on it, his tongue and teeth teasing, but I didn't close my eyes. I always fucked with my eyes open… always. Lights on. No exceptions.

  “Harder,” I said and ground down, the angle allowing just the right amount of friction on my clit. I was close. The pressure inside me was at the point where I had to come or explode. “Come on... baby.” I almost tripped over not knowing his name, but I caught myself. “Suck
harder. Make me come.”

  Technically, I was doing most of the work, but he deserved a little credit for his nice cock and the wonderful things his mouth was doing to my breast, especially when he followed my directions. Never underestimate the importance of a man who does what he's told.

  “Ah,” I moaned as the suction increased, sending jolts of intense pleasure from my breasts straight to my throbbing pussy. I moved one of my hands to the place where my body joined with his and my fingers found my clit. I rubbed it with quick, rapid circles, the combined friction and pressure making it hurt beautifully. I always needed that edge.

  “Fuck, I'm gonna...” The guy's words turned into a loud grunt as his hips jerked up against me, his final thrusts hard and fast.

  The hand not between my legs moved to my breast. Even as I felt my partner's cock begin to pulse inside the condom, it was my turn. A light pinch and twist to my nipple, and I was there. My muscles tensed and my pussy contracted around the thick shaft inside. The nameless young man swore again, his face a mask of pain-pleasure. As I descended from my high, I rolled off him, and his now-sensitive cock slipped out. I lay on my side, breathing heavily and enjoying the little bursts of electricity racing along my nerves, the aftershocks of a pretty good orgasm. Eight on a scale of ten.

  He moved closer and I immediately stiffened, adrenaline flooding my system. I jerked upright, pushing myself back until I was well out of arm's reach.

  “Easy, babe.” He gave me a smile, showing a set of deep dimples that went perfectly with his baby blues. He leaned on his elbow. “That was amazing.”

  I nodded in agreement and climbed off the narrow dorm bed. College boys were easy, but their beds were generally shit. I picked up my underwear and bra.

  “Leaving already?”

  I glanced at him as I dressed. He hadn't moved, even to cover himself.