Chapter Sixteen
Brady
I woke up in the master bedroom, temporarily confused. I had given the master bedroom to Dana. And then everything came back in a rush. Just a memory of it caused arousal. I turned my head on the pillow and watched Dana sleep. She lay on her back, her hair splayed around her head on the pillow, her chest rising slowly in deep slumber. The sheet was pulled up over most of her breasts moving slightly with each breath.
I took my time studying her—the long eyelashes settled against her skin, her nose, rising just slightly near the tip, the delicate jawline and those lips… those soft, pink, very gifted lips… I felt an odd catch in my chest and frowned. I didn’t want to admit it; didn’t want to admit my attraction or growing fondness of her. No, more than fondness.
I was falling for her.
Definitely out of character for me, and actually quite surprising. I had suggested this deal as a strict business arrangement with a specific goal in mind, but I hadn’t taken into consideration the possibility that I might grow emotionally attached to her or her presence in my home. Actually, I had never lived with a woman and had no idea what to expect, but this wasn’t it. Still, with Dana, I felt so comfortable, so much so that I felt like I could be myself around her. No bluster, no arrogance, no pretending I was something that I wasn’t. She was easy to talk to, so very easy.
While I was comfortable confiding some of my innermost feelings with Cassie, I never completely let it all go. Not that I didn’t trust Cassie, it wasn’t that. She was the only woman I’d ever been able to trust since Elise. It was just that I had grown so used to keeping my thoughts to myself and pretending that nothing mattered more than partying and sex that laying here next to Dana in my bed jolted me with the fallacy of my self-absorbed lies.
I liked waking up and finding her next to me, sleeping comfortably, not just a warm body or a receptacle for my amorous intentions, but as a companion, a friend, maybe something even more—
No, don’t go there. I refused to think that this scheme of mine would really work, or that I wanted it to. In a year’s time, she would go her way, and I would go mine. I don’t know what the hell had gotten into me thinking such thoughts, but I stomped them down firmly. No way could I allow myself to become emotionally attached to this woman; this private, kind, yet mysterious woman who had agreed to my ludicrous plan for reasons of her own.
With the mental shrug, I pushed all such thoughts from my mind and leaned up on my elbow, facing her. The bed shifted beneath me, but still not enough to wake her. I leaned closer and kissed her softly on her cheekbone. Her skin twitched, but she still slept. She must be exhausted from our lovemaking last night, and that was another thought that surprised me. It wasn’t just sex. We had made love, several times and in several different ways. She was somewhat inexperienced, but she was game. Passionate game.
I grinned and began to softly kiss her, her jaw, then that soft spot on her neck just under her ear, and then, crooking my finger and tugging the covers back, I made my way slowly down her shoulder, then the mound of her breast, and then, her abdomen.
I wondered how far I would get before she—
“…mornin’,” she muttered sleepily.
I looked up and saw her smile. “I was trying to think of a good way to wake you up.”
She offered a soft moan and shifted her legs. “You found a good one. Feel free to continue.”
And continue I did, until both of us lay side by side, chests heaving, skin shiny with sweat, both of us exhausted from our endeavors. Sex with her was different. It wasn’t just getting my rocks off, it was… I hate to sound lame, but we made a connection. And because of that connection the sex was even better and more fulfilling than I’d felt in a long time. I knew that from this day forward, it would be difficult for me to keep my hands off her. I had awakened a place deep inside me that I had buried for a very long time.
Finally, I rose and playfully slapped her ass. “I’ll jump in the shower real quick and then you can climb in while I’m making breakfast. Work for you?”
She nodded. I quickly stepped into the bathroom and showered, taking care to not use much hot water, saving it for her. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I left the bathroom and glanced at her, still lying in bed, arms crossed behind her head as she watched me. It took every ounce of willpower for me not to drop my towel and pounce on her again. With a chuckle and a shake of my head, I left the master bedroom, softly closing the door behind me. I stepped into the smaller bedroom, where I quickly dressed.
By the time I finished making breakfast, French toast and bacon this morning, she emerged, freshly scrubbed, hair wet, her jeans fitting her like a glove. She wore an oversized linen shirt, the cuffs rolled nearly to her elbow. She looked adorable and sexy at the same time.
“What’s on your agenda today?” I asked as I set her plate of French toast with a pad of butter melting on each piece in front of her, nudging the bowl of powdered sugar and the small jug of syrup toward her.
“One class, and then I’m meeting my brother afterward.”
I wanted to ask, really I did, because I was downright curious, but I didn’t want to ruin the easy camaraderie we had enjoyed the past few days. I kept it simple. “Did you work the thing out with your brother? The fifty grand?”
She cast a quick glance at me and then focused on her French toast.
“Yes, thank you.”
I could tell she wasn’t going to talk about it any further, and I didn’t want to pry, but again, I couldn’t help but wonder. Why did her brother need fifty grand? And how many sisters would do what she was doing to help her brother? I knew that she had her own financial concerns what with school, but the trigger had been her brother. That and because of her insistence that I give her the down payment as soon as our deal was signed caused me to assume that her brother was, or at least had been, in trouble. Who had she paid off? A blackmailer? A drug dealer?
Eventually, she might tell me, but then again, she might not. And since our deal was only for a year, I had a feeling that she would figure it was none of my business, which it wasn’t, really.
Still. After all, I didn’t want to leave myself open for any legal trouble, especially with the wrong crowd. Living in Dallas, I knew that all kinds of troubles came from south of the border. Maybe it would be a good idea after all if I did some checking on my own.