Unexpected Heat: An Enemies to Lovers Romance

by Sarah J. Brooks

She leans in to whisper into my ear. “I know how you feel. I was there not too long ago, but I promise they are a friendly bunch and so very loyal.”

  I like Brooke. She’s been through so much, from losing her brother and sister-in-law to raising their son, and yet, she’s managed to fall in love and find happiness. “Thanks, I’ll remember that,” I tell her.

  “Remember what?” a throaty voice says.

  I recall the green-eyed beauty’s name. Marian Stevens. A friend of Jason and Brooke Cooper.

  “None of your business,” Brooke tells her playfully, and Marian pouts.

  “You’re no fun.”

  The other ladies join in on the teasing, and I find myself relaxing and joining in the conversation. It feels good to socialize and to feel like a normal adult. I hadn’t realized how much fun a party can be. Time flies as we chat and eat. Brooke and Jason keep everyone well fed with endless trays of food going around.

  I turn when someone touches my arm. I smile at Brad, but when he speaks, my smile disappears.

  “We have to go,” he says.

  “But we just got here,” I protest.

  “Mila, we’ve been here for two and a half hours.” His voice is tense. Unyielding.

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll go get Isaac,” Brad says.

  “What’s the rush?” Marian asks as she downs a glass of champagne. Her voice is a little slurry, and I stifle a giggle.

  “Brad has some things he wants to do at home,” I tell her, covering up for my new husband.

  “At times like this, I’m glad I’m single,” Marian says.

  However disappointed I feel at being rushed to go home, I can’t agree with Marian. After finding Brad and Isaac, I’d hate to be single again. They’ve filled my life in ways that I never expected. They make me happy, and I can’t imagine life without them.

  I spy Brad and Isaac coming out of the house. Isaac doesn’t look happy either. That makes two of us. I bid the ladies goodbye and hurry up to catch up with my boys.

  Isaac moans all the way home. Brad tries to placate him, but it doesn’t work, and when we get home, he disappears into his room. Brad looks dejected as he stares at Isaac’s disappearing form.

  “We should order pizza for dinner. That will cheer him up,” I say.

  Brad frowns and looks at me as if he has never heard of the word pizza. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. The court evaluator might come around, and we don’t want him thinking that we only feed Isaac junk food.”

  No one would think that I want to say, but I bite back my words. I don’t understand why Brad is in such a foul mood. “Alright then, I’ll defrost some ground beef, and we can have that with pasta.”

  “I’ll cook,” Brad says.

  I had hoped we could do it together. I shrug and decide to use the time to call Jessica.

  “I was about to call you,” Jessica says when she answers her phone.

  My heart lightens when I hear her slightly breathless voice. I love Jessica like a sister. Just hearing her voice is enough to lift my spirits. “We’re in sync.”

  Jessica laughs.

  “You sound happy today,” I tell her.

  “That’s because I’m getting five days off from my normal life. A vacation of sorts.”

  “Will David manage the kids all by himself?” I ask.

  “My mom is coming to stay with them,” Jessica says.

  I’m intrigued. It’s not like her at all to leave her brood. I wrack my mind and can’t come up with one instance where she left them for more than a day. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to LA,” she shouts.

  It takes almost a full minute to understand what Jessica is saying. “You’re coming here?” I shout back and sit bolt upright in bed.

  “Yes, isn’t it exciting?” she says.

  I don’t know what to say. On the one hand, I’m excited to see her, but on the other, I just don’t know. There’s so much going on with the court evaluator. Plus, Brad is not himself. I really want the two of them to meet under favorable conditions. I want them to like each other.

  “Well? I was hoping for a better reaction than that?” Jessica says, sounding hurt.

  I let out a laugh. Suddenly I don’t care about all that. I just want to see my best friend. To be with someone whom I love and who loves me back. “Yes!” I shout.

  “That’s better,” Jessica says.

  “I can’t wait,” I gush. “So, when are you coming?”

  “Is tomorrow soon enough?” she says.

  Just then, the bedroom door opens, and Brad pokes his head in.

  “Are you all right?” he says. He looks adorable in his apron. Just looking at him makes my thighs tingle. I want to jump on him and grind my body against his. That’s what Brad does to me.

  Instead, I grin. “Yes. Jessica is coming to visit.”

  A grin splits his face. “Wonderful, I can’t wait to meet her.” He blows me a kiss and shuts the door behind him.

  Jessica and I wind up the conversation after I get all her travel details. She insists on taking an Uber from the airport, and I give her the address.

  ***

  “Thanks, dinner was delicious,” I tell Brad as I wipe the sides of my mouth. I stand up and carry the dirty dishes to the sink.

  “You’re welcome. I love cooking. It helps me to destress,” Brad says. He helps me carry the rest of the dishes to the sink.

  Isaac goes into the living room to watch some TV while Brad and I clean up.

  “What are you stressed about?” I ask him.

  He doesn’t answer immediately. “The usual life stuff,” he finally says.

  A painful tightness comes over my throat. Brad is shutting me out. It brings back terrible memories of Clay. He liked to play those kinds of games. Insist he was fine, but his behavior indicated otherwise.

  We wash the rest of the dishes in silence.

  “How about a glass of wine?” I suggest afterward. Maybe the wine will loosen him up.

  He frowns. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if the court evaluator comes?”

  My jaw drops, and I stare at him in disbelief. “At night?”

  “We were told he could come at any time,” Brad says. He’s dead serious.

  At that, I explode. All the hurt and resentment I’d been keeping at bay all day pour out. “You’ve been a complete ass all day! You wouldn’t even let Isaac and I have a little fun at the party.”

  “We stayed for three hours!” Brad hisses. “I didn’t want the evaluator to come and find no one home.”

  “Then he’ll come back another time!” I hiss back. “That’s what people do when they arrive somewhere unannounced and find no one home.”

  “Mila, this is important.”

  He fuels my fire further. “You don’t think I know that? But we can’t stop living because of the custody case. Life must go on. We can even have a little fun while we’re at it.”

  Brad looks at me, his jaw clenched. He does not want to understand. “Look, my priority at this time is the custody case. That’s why we got married.”

  His words are like a knife to my chest. I stagger back slightly. Brad moves as if to come to me, but I hold a hand up to ward him off. His words hurt worse than a blow would. I feel used. As if there’s nothing between us at all.

  “Fine. I’m going to my house for the evening. I need time to myself,” I manage to say without bursting into tears.

  Jessica was right, and I’m a fool. It’s true that somewhere inside me, I’m harboring hopes that Brad will fall in love with me and see how perfect we are for each other. Marrying him has had the opposite effect. He doesn’t see me as a person.

  To him, I’m the vessel that will win the custody case for him. What is it with me and men? I hold myself together while I kiss Isaac good night and make an excuse about needing something in my rented house.

  Tears blind me as I leave the house. Outside, it’s quiet, and on the other side of the street, ho
mes are lit up as families spend the evening together. I feel alone and unloved. I belong nowhere.

  I do what I do when in distress. I head to the studio and immerse myself in work. Every so often, the pain forces its way through, and I stop painting to take huge breaths in. I tell myself that I’ve always managed well on my own and that this time will be no different.

  I will do as promised and help Brad win the custody case. He’s a good father and has done an awesome job raising Isaac. No one should take that away from him.

  I can do this, I tell myself. The only problem is that this time I’ve tasted heaven. I now know what it feels like to be part of a loving family. To have a good man in my life. It’s not going to be easy to move on, but I will. I’m tough that way.

  Chapter 23

  Brad

  I give up on falling asleep, roll onto my back, and stare at the ceiling. I’m seething and still can’t believe Mila’s attitude. Why can’t she understand the stakes? I could lose my son! Brenda could end up with Isaac. I break into a cold sweat at the thought of my ex-wife winning custody of our son. She has no interest in him. The only reason she wants him is to please her new husband. Isaac deserves better than that. He deserves to be raised by people who love him. If Mila understood that, she would not be angry that I want to do everything I can possibly do to impress the court evaluator.

  As I lay there seething, a thought works its way through my anger. Mila doesn’t have to do this! She didn’t have to marry me, and she sure as hell doesn’t need to stay married to me. It’s a good thing that I’m in bed because my whole body becomes weak. The only reason Mila agreed to fake marry me was that she’s a kindhearted human being. And what do I do to show my gratitude? I cover my face and groan. What the hell is wrong with me? Shame floods me as I remember my attitude at the party and afterward.

  She must think I’m an ungrateful fool! Which I am. I throw back the covers and get up. Still, in my boxers, I pad to the kitchen where I can see Mila’s rented house. The lights are all off. It’ll have to wait until morning.

  Her words haunt me as I go back to bed.

  But we can’t stop living because of the custody case. Life must go on. We can even have a little fun while we’re at it.

  She’s right. I must loosen up a little. Making life unbearable for Mila and Isaac wouldn’t guarantee that I win the case. If anything, the court evaluator will find tense angry people, and that’s the last thing I need.

  Oh, Mila. She must have gone to bed angry and sad. My lungs constrict, making it hard to breathe.

  Against all odds, I fall asleep and wake up to dawn light streaming in through the curtains. I jump off the bed before I’m fully awake, quickly pull on my trousers, and when I open my bedroom door, I’m hit by the delicious smell of pancakes.

  Mila. I hurry to the kitchen, and when I see her, I stop and just soak in the sight of her. She’s got the most gorgeous legs, and as she turns, my heart stops. And it hits me then how much I love having her in my life. I don’t want to lose Mila. I want to continue with what we have.

  “Good morning?” I tell her.

  “Morning,” she says in a crisp voice devoid of her usual warmth.

  “Can I help?” I ask.

  “Sure. Get the coffee going.”

  I wrack my brain for something to get us talking. “Is Jessica still coming today?”

  She nods. “Yes, in the evening. Are you sure you’ll be comfortable having her stay here?”

  “Absolutely. Any friend of yours is more than welcome to stay with us.”

  We work together for a few minutes, and her curt tone unsettles me. My hands tremble slightly. I’m afraid I am losing her.

  Something else dawns on me. The custody case is not the only reason I’m frightened of losing Mila. It’s because she’s become very special to me. We’ve become like a family. She brings so much joy to our lives.

  “Is it time to wake Isaac up?” she says.

  “Not for another forty-five minutes. I want to apologize for yester—”

  “No need to,” Mila says. “I understand completely.”

  “Would you let me finish?” I say firmly. I know she’s speaking from hurt, and she’s now on defense mode. I must do everything in my power to bring those walls down, and the only way is to be completely open and truthful.

  “Fine,” she says and folds her arms across her chest.

  My hands itch to hold her tight against me. “I’m so sorry, Mila. I was a complete jerk yesterday. I’ve been so scared the last couple of days at the thought of losing Isaac. All I can think about is Brenda and her husband taking him away from me…from us.”

  “Oh, Brad,” Mila says. Tears fill her eyes, and she looks at me with compassion. That’s the kind of person that she is. Sweet and empathetic. “I was wrong to take it out on you and Isaac. I’m sorry. Please forgive me and I promise to chill out.”

  She comes to me then and places her hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry too; I didn’t know how you were feeling. Brenda won’t win the custody case. You’re an awesome dad, and everyone knows that.”

  I encircle her waist and pull her closer.

  “You must promise me something,” Mila says.

  I lower my head and nibble her neck. I missed her last night. I missed her scent, the feel of her soft body against mine, and the kisses I steal whenever I wake up in the night.

  “Brad?”

  “Yes, anything,” I say, and she giggles.

  “You don’t even know what I want to say,” she says, and then she grows solemn. “You must be honest with me when something’s bothering you. Tell me what it is, and we’ll work it out together.”

  “I will,” I tell her.

  I raise my head and capture her sweet mouth into a kiss. She moans into my mouth, and all the blood in my body drops. My hands mold her tits over her T-shirt, and she moans loudly. I love the sound of Mila’s moans. My hands are everywhere. I’ve missed her so much I can’t get enough of her.

  I grip her hips and lift her so that her pussy grinds against my cock. I capture her mouth again and dry hump her.

  “I want you!” I growl.

  “We have fifteen minutes,” she says.

  “That works,” I growl and carry her toward our bedroom.

  I shut the door with my shoulder and gently lower Mila to her feet. I proceed to strip her, taking my time and seeing her as if for the first time. She helps to get the T-shirt over her head and, unable to resist, I trail kisses over the top of her tits and cleavage. Her nipples are visible through the lacy material of her bra, and I tease them with my thumbs.

  With one movement, Mila snaps her bra open and shrugs it off. I inhale at the sight of her big beautiful tits. I fill my hands with them and lower my mouth to nibble on her nipples. Mila tries to hold back her cries, and they come out as soft muffled moans.

  Without moving my mouth from her tits, I pull down her shorts along with her panties, and just to be sure she’s naked, I slip a hand between her legs. Her pussy is soaking wet, and this time, she lets out a scream when my thumb touches her swollen clit.

  I nudge her thighs further apart and make circles on her clit with my thumb.

  “So good,” she cries over and over again.

  I replace my mouth with my hands and drop to my knees. I bury my head in her pussy and inhale her sweet scents. I chuckle as she grips my head and pushes it further in. I don’t need further urging. The first taste of her pussy juices and I almost creamed myself. My cock hardens painfully. She tastes of sweetness. I tease her clit, and then tongue fuck her while my hands play with her nipples.

  “I want your big cock inside my pussy,” Mila says. “Now!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say and get to my feet.

  I take her hand and guide her to the bed. I feast my eyes on her luscious body as I quickly lower my boxers. Her half-closed eyes are glued on my cock, and as I join her on the bed, she raises her legs, and I arrange myself between then.

  Her puss
y is slick with juices, and gripping my cock with one hand, I stroke her pussy with it, teasing her. She raises her hips in an effort to push my cock inside her pussy.

  “Please, Brad,” she pleads.

  “Tell me what you want beautiful.” I love it when Mila talks dirty.

  “I want your big cock pounding my—”

  Before she completes the sentence, I drive my cock into her pussy, and she gasps.

  “Fuck, Brad. Yeah.”

  Her pussy sheathes my cock, and the friction is almost unbearable. I close my eyes to savor all the sensations running through me. I fuck her in hard, slow strokes and use her thighs as leverage. I push them further back, and my cock goes even deeper into her pussy. We become one person as I alternate between slowing down and speeding up. Soon, we’re both groaning and on the edge. Mila screams my name, and I reach out to clamp her mouth with my hand.

  She writhes and twists, her skin coated with sweat. She looks so hot with her eyes closed and her body twisting violently. My woman. I slam into her with quick hard thrusts. It doesn’t take long before her pussy clenches around my cock.

  “Fuck, Brad. I’m coming,” she moans.

  Her words tip me over the edge, and I lose all control. “I’m coming too beautiful.” My voice is ragged. As my cum shoots into her pussy, my body slackens, and I shift to the side and take her with me.

  I arrange her on top of me and wrap my hands around her tightly with my cock still inside her pussy. Our hearts beat in sync. I’ve never felt this close to a woman. Mila is special, and I know what we have will not end when I win the custody case.

  She must feel it too. What is growing between us is special, and I, for one, want to see where it will lead us.

  Chapter 24

  Mila

  The delicious scent of roasting steak permeates the air when I open the oven door. The steaks have a nice brown coating. Just a few more minutes, and they’ll be ready. I’ve been grinning all morning, unable to believe that soon, Jessica will be here.

  It feels like a zillion years since I last saw her. I shut the oven door and put the broccoli on the stove to steam. Just then, the doorbell sounds, and my heart skips a beat. She’s here. Jessica is here.