Braden’s lips are suddenly on mine and I can’t process what’s happening. Can’t breathe. He smells like sin and tastes like heaven as his warm tongue strokes past my lips to lap against mine. His eager lips move with blinding strokes of fervency, coaxing me to join in. The citrusy taste of his tongue and the hardness of his colossal muscles render me weak at the knees. One strong hand cradles my head while the other grazes against my lower back with just enough pressure to keep me grounded.

Holy shit, the guy knows how to kiss with passion and purpose. Slipping my hands underneath his shirt, I stroke the smooth skin on his lower back and hum dreamily. My underwear becomes so wet that I’m able to smell my own arousal. Aside from the fact that Braden’s exceptionally skilled, it’s similar to the way my ex would kiss when we were teenagers. Eager. Reckless. Without abandon. The same way that led to me becoming pregnant—twice.

I won’t deny that I’ve made countless bad decisions in my lifetime. Some I still regret, others have molded me into the woman I am today—namely the fact that I did get pregnant as a young teenager with the biggest douchebag in the land. But I wouldn’t go back and change anything. My sons mean everything to me. I’ve structured my life around them, putting the idea of serious relationships with men on the back burner until they were out of the house.

Now that Allen and Connor are both off at college, I finally have time to focus on what I want. What I need. And at the moment, I need to relieve the red-hot ache rocking me to the core.

Finally my mind catches up to what’s really going on.

I’m. Kissing. Braden. Kendall.

The guy who knows how to rock Marine dress blues and make beautiful women faint with a mere flash of his thick eyelashes. The hottie with the highly impressive body who paraded around the Hamptons last summer wearing a pair of low-slung swim trunks like a male supermodel. The same younger man I’ve fantasized over too many times to count. The gorgeous creature with dark brown eyes that all too often makes me forget my own name, or the brutal fact that I’m over a decade his senior.

Evelyn’s little brother.

Holy shit, this is all kinds of wrong. And since I’m his elder, I’m the one who has to stop.

I push myself away from his broad chest, panting heavily. “What the hell was that?”

“I want you, Katie,” he whispers, drawing his thick lips down to my neck. “So. Damn. Bad.”

Did I hear him correctly or is my hearing already starting to go?

“Oh…Braden…” As much as I want to scold him, the tone of my voice comes out pleading for more. My ridiculously horny body even arches into his touch. “This is a bad, bad idea. I’m—”

“Don’t you fucking say it,” he barks, snapping his head back to hold my gaze. Though his expression is hard, his eyes are lidded with desire. And there’s no mistaking the enormous hard-on pressed against my stomach, demanding attention. “I don’t give two shits about your age. I’ve wanted you for a long time now. You’re sexy, and smart, and a helluva a riot to be around. The way you kissed me back, I know you want this too. I say we stop pretending for a change and let it happen.”

My jaw drops. I’m speechless with the sweet declaration. He thinks I’m sexy?

“We deserve to have a little fun,” he whispers. Slowly swiping the pad of his thumb over my tender lips, the cocky smirk he’s known for twists his delectable mouth. “Besides, it’d make for a hell of a memory, this being your first time in Vegas and all.”

“We’ve both been drinking,” I decide, feeling no validation behind the bogus excuse. All I know is I need a legitimate reason to convince myself this is another epic mistake. “If we do this, we’ll only regret it in the morning.”

With a slow shake of his head, he continues to stroke his thumb back and forth across my lips. “Stop lying to yourself. I promise, this is not anything you’d regret in this lifetime.”

“If Charlie and Evelyn found out—”

Another shake of his head. “It’s none of their goddamn business what we do.”

“I’m old enough to be your mother,” I try in a whisper.

This time he lets out a blunt chuckle. “I don’t want to hear that bullshit ever again.” Then he’s somber again, trailing his fingers down the side of my neck and lightly dusting over my breasts. “Sweetheart, I know how to make you feel good. I guarantee I’ll show you a better time than any man you’ve had before.” To accentuate his point, his other hand lifts the hemline of my dress high enough for his fingers to caress the sizzling skin between my legs. Though it’s a light, almost teasing touch, it’s enough to set my world ablaze. “Let’s see how many times I can make you come.”

With a throaty moan, I lean into him with yearning blooming through me like the Bellagio geysers. “Cocky fucker.”

His lips drag across my jaw. “Let yourself have this, Katie. It’ll be our little secret.”

And just like that, I give into the gorgeous twenty-something-year-old man promising me a night of pleasure. I mean, really. What kind of woman has the willpower to turn down an opportunity like this and take herself seriously next time she looks in the mirror? When a strapping young stud offers to make you come, you damn well better take it before your days of being completely undesirable arrive at your doorstep.

Arms looped around his neck, I crush my mouth back to his. Our lips and tongues tangle as we become lost in each other, the urgency and hunger of it all almost too much to take. Wandering hands, heady bodies, stuttered breaths…this shit’s better than the top-shelf champagne served at my rockstar brother’s wedding.

I can’t believe I’ve waited twenty damn years to be kissed this way again by someone uncomfortably close to Connor’s age. I’ve had my share of sex since the boys were born, but none of the men had this kind of drive and sheer determination. My body tingles all over when I realize kissing probably isn’t the only thing he does with fervor. And from the size of his hard length lodged between us…I shiver with anticipation.

My uncertainty from before is nowhere to be seen as he backs me toward the bed and lowers me down to the cool sheets. He hesitates for a moment, lights from The Strip outside my room revealing pupils so large with arousal it would appear his brown eyes have become black. Then he reaches for the back of his t-shirt and yanks it over his head, gifting me with the most spectacular view I’ve ever witnessed. Bulging, defined chest of tanned skin without a single chest hair in sight, a tattooed reminder of his service to this country inked near his heart, rosy nipples tight and perfectly pebbled, six-pack abs leading down to the mystical ‘V’ I’ve heard women speak of but always thought it to be a myth.

A sound that’s something between a sigh and a yelp falls from my lips. Oh, the things I want to do to this beautiful body.

“Sweet baby Jesus,” I mutter to myself, drunk with want as I run my fingertips over the tight ridges of his stomach. Eyes flickering down to the bulge in his jeans, I wet my lips. “If you want to keep going, you won’t hear any complaints from me.”

With that cocky smirk, he gives me the kind of smart-assed look that could get a man slapped in any other situation. “Make me.”

I stutter on a shallow breath. He wants to play? Oh god, I’m really doing this…sleeping with a…kid. A grown man wouldn’t be up for playing games, would he? All the men I’ve slept with after Jason were casual flings, but they were mostly uneventful. Quiet. Missionary style. While there had been instances of strong attractions that led to heated sex, there were never any games of any kind. Does he think I’m settling in for a round of Monopoly?

“Stop thinking so hard,” he tells me with dimples popping into either side of his mouth. His fingers trace the inside of my thighs, making me quiver. “I can feel how bad your body wants me. This is happening, sweetheart.”

Fine. I can play too. Shrugging, I slowly begin to drag my dress up my thighs. “Maybe I was thinking if you’re gong to stay dressed, I can finish myself off. Believe me, I’ve had years of experience in that department.”

A dark, guttural growl vibrates against his throat. He rises to his feet above me on the mattress, eyes locked with mine as he unzips the tight jeans in a teasing way, not unlike a male stripper. A mouthwateringly hot, built stripper with beautiful brown eyes that turn my insides to pudding.

When the top of his underwear comes into view, exposing drawings of Deadpool riding a unicorn, it’s like I’ve been hit with a bucket of cold water. I can’t resist the laugh that bubbles up from my belly.

Braden freezes, his eyes narrowed. “Really? I’m trying to be all sexy here and you’re laughing at me?”

“Hey, I’m not the one wearing a cartoon character on my—”

He tugs the boxer briefs down with his jeans and his thick, heavy cock bobs free.

Whoa.

Game. Changer.

A violent shiver runs through me. Dear God, this man is going to ruin every future date until the end of time. How can I move on when I’ve been with someone who’s body is perfect in literally every way imaginable?

Lowering down to his knees to straddle me, Braden quirks one eyebrow. “You were saying?”

I shake my head as I try to swallow the lump of desire rising in my throat. Chuckling, he bends down to slowly lick a line from the base of my throat to between my breasts. A finger hooks the strap of my dress.

“Your turn.”

Stretch marks. I have stretch marks.

The reminder rings through my head like the wail of an alarm. It’s almost impossible for someone my size to give birth to two nearly ten pound babies without a physical reminder left behind, but I can’t expect someone with Braden’s naivety to understand. Girls his age have tight bodies and smooth skin free of hardcore life experiences.

I clamp a hand around his wrist, stopping him from going any further. “Kiss me, Braden.”

The distraction works. His lips are back on mine in a heartbeat, strong arms braced at my sides. His naked body slowly dips and rises over my very clothed one as he’s hit with another wave of aggression. I keep my eyes open for a moment to witness the sexiest visual of a lifetime. Extreme delight ripples through me. How can it already feel as if he’s making love to me when I’m still wearing my underwear?

My fingers grip his powerful jaw as he effectively ravages me in a way that makes me feel ten years younger. I already know I’m going to walk away from this experience—if I’m able to walk at all once he’s done with me—a changed woman.

My eyes eventually close as I allow myself to live in the moment. I can’t remember ever losing myself this way, feeling this damn good because of another human. The persistent strokes of his tongue and occasional tap of his cock on my belly are enough to create the rare start of a blissful climax. When I hum inside of his mouth, he lowers to his side and repositions himself before nudging my thighs apart. Fingertips repeatedly brush over my tingling warmth and I draw in a sharp gasp. Lord help me, I’m going to come all over his hand before he’s able to show me what he can do with that beautiful cock.

Then he’s slipping the cotton aside to dip a finger into my sopping center and I’m done. It’s so foreign, and unexpected, and blissfully amazing that I buckle beneath him. A second finger joins in, gently thrusting and stroking with enough pressure for my eyes to roll back in my head. A tidal wave of ecstasy pulls me under, burying me deep in a haze of wonderment. Back arched with the intensity, I pull my mouth from his and mewl in a sound I’m certain I’ve never made until now.

“Fucking…Braden,” I pant, digging my fingernails into strong arms as I’m hit with the final shock of the powerful orgasm. The release hits hard and fast, eliciting a loud and desperate cry that starts in the pit of my stomach.

As I float back down from the heavens, Braden peppers my skin with kisses and draws faint circles across my tingling skin. I almost wonder if the sensation from his touch could be the start of another orgasm. As badly as I want to grip the beautiful globes of Braden’s ass, I’m as spent as a rag-doll, arms as useless as wet noodles at my sides.

“God, you should see yourself come…so damn sexy,” Braden says with a growl, kissing his way up the side of my neck. “Think you can handle more, sweetheart?”

My response to his question sounds more like a satisfied grunt. Then his mouth is back on mine, the soft and gentle strokes a stark contrast to the hungry kisses mere minutes ago. As my electrified nerves begin to settle, I’m slowly coaxed back to life by his soft lips. The expert way he slips my underwear down my legs should set off warning bells, making me wonder how many women he’s been with before me, but it’s sexy as hell.

I kiss him back with a renewed spark of desire, momentarily squeezing his gloriously tight ass before rolling him over to straddle him. When I draw back, I gather my long hair to one side and feast my eyes on the beautiful sight beneath me.

“Absolutely stunning,” he whispers, grabbing my hips in his strong hands.

Looking into his eyes, I suck in a sharp breath. This is really going to happen. I’m going to have sex with the youngest Kendall.

After this, there’s no going back. How will I ever face my brother or Evelyn again without drowning in guilt? How can I expect to face Braden at future family gatherings and deny myself the pleasure of having him again? I’ve known him for years and he won’t be exiting my life anytime soon. How can I treat this as nothing more than a one-night stand?

“Stop thinking,” he warns with a grim shake of his head. “Let me make you feel good.”

I’m frozen in place when his deft fingers pull down one strap of my dress before going for the other. Then my dress is around my ribs and his hungry eyes are feasting on my breasts held in place with a strapless bra. I’m all at once grateful that I spent extra money on undergarments for this trip, wanting to give myself a little treat. Little did I know I wouldn’t be the only one being treated.

Braden’s stomach muscles flex beneath me when he moves forward to release the hook in back of my bra. I glance down at his body, distracted by the beautiful sight enough that I don’t dwell on the fact that I’m suddenly topless. Braden sucks in a sharp breath. Hands twin around my full breasts before warm thumbs brush over my stiff peaks in tandem. I tip my head back to bask in the divine sensation as his hands explore my aching flesh. His muscles tense and ripple beneath me when he sits up enough to take a nipple in his hot, wet mouth.

“Oh…hell…yes…” I rasp out, burying my fingers inside his soft hair. “God, yes…please don't stop…”

When’s the last time a man showed me this kind of pleasure? Hell, I can’t even remember the last time a guy cared if I came while using me as a pin cushion. Braden’s mouth caresses my breast with tender, calculated movements. My entire body springs back to life as a tingling warmth grips my belly with a blinding intensity.

Holy shit, I’m seriously about to come a second time.

Digging my fingers into Braden’s skull, I can’t stop thinking about those damn underwear as my body explodes with delight. Two orgasms in a row is as ridiculous as that masked superhero riding a mythical creature.

Another satisfied yowl rips from my lungs, this one more brass than the last. Braden clamps one hand over my mouth, smirking as he watches me. His other hand grazes up and down my side, again coaxing my body back down from the blissful high.

I collapse against his warm chest, mumbling, “Spent…so gleefully spent.”

Chuckling quietly, he runs his fingertips up and down my spine. “Don’t be a quitter. Surely you have another one in you.”

The gentle touch of his fingers are like water on a sizzling hot skillet. It seems unlikely that I can take any more of this without breaking. Still, I’m overcome by the raw need to feel him inside me, to add to the wave of bliss. Having Braden Kendall pleasure me in every way imaginable is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I don’t plan to let go to waste.

But I stop short when I realize he’s not wearing a condom. “Braden, do you—”

Three solid knocks on the door stop me from finishing.

Heart leaping into my chest, my gaze locks with Braden’s. A grin slips over his lips and he shrugs. “Probably another guest wanting a taste of whatever made you scream like that,” he teases with sparkling eyes.

Another knock, then, “Katie? Everything alright in there?”

Charlie.

Ohmygod. Ohymygod! How could I forget my brother’s staying in the next room? Am I too young to have a heart attack? Because I feel like I could be having a heart attack. My brother’s going to find my lifeless body sprawled out on the most beautiful naked man. His brother-in-law.

“Fuck!” I mouth to Braden, whipping the bed sheet over my naked breasts. I spring off him like a jack-in-the-box, but I’m tangled in the sheets and fall face-first to the floor.

Braden immediately scrapes me off the floor and pulls me into his arms. He seems to be biting back either a grin or laughter when he studies my face. “You okay?”

He’s still buck naked, I’m hardly one step above him with a sheet and dress around my waist, and my brother’s on the other side of the door. Of course I’m not okay.

With a whimper, I wiggle away from his reach. “Get your ass in the bathroom and don’t come out until I come—er, I mean…until I get you!” I snap in a loud whisper. My face burns with the faux pas. “You do understand your brother-in-law will murder you if he finds you naked in my room, right? I mean it, Braden! He won’t show an ounce of mercy!”

“I don’t know,” he says, attempting to wrap his arms around me again. With another one of his sly smirks, he wiggles his eyebrows. “He’s always liked me. He might think I’m the best man to take care of his sister.”

He can’t possibly be serious. We both know Charlie’s stubborn and bull-headed and will see red if he walks in on this clusterfuck. Something of this magnitude would have to be broken to my brother gently, maybe even with his pregnant wife at his side to keep him calm.

“Grow up! This isn’t a joke! You have to go!” Violently shaking my head and backing away, I point to the bathroom door. “Now, Braden Kendall! Do as I tell you!”

His demeanor changes right before my eyes. Darkness passes through his gaze, so threatening that I almost take a step back. “Don’t you dare talk to me like I’m your fucking kid.”

He stalks toward the bathroom, pausing to throw me a hard look over his shoulder as his jaw muscles go to work. When a severe pang of guilt settles in my gut, I’m relieved by Charlie’s timing. Yeah I’ve made a ton of bad decisions in my lifetime, but I was about to make the biggest mistake of all. Braden Kendall is still just a kid. I have no business messing around with him.