Brooke

 

I reach over and feel that Owen is gone. Sitting up, I tuck the blanket around myself and look at the clock, seven in the morning.

Running my hands through my wild hair, I blow out a breath. What happened last night, staying the night, can’t happen again. I’ve never done that, ever. It’s as if every time we’re together, the reason I’m here slips my mind. The second his powerful hands touch me I lose all reasonable thought. I become selfish, wanting him to do anything and everything he wants to me. And last night he did...twice.

I tried to talk after we were done the first time. I just couldn’t. In that moment, I didn’t want to know his secrets, I wanted to know him. So I closed my eyes and let sleep pull me under. When I woke up and heard him yelling in his office, I rushed in there to see what was going on so I could tell Pete.

I went in there and a part of me hurt seeing how pissed off he was. It wasn’t a business deal gone bad kind of pissed, no it was something else. Something that made me want to wrap my arms around him and comfort him. When I asked about it, part of me, a huge part of me hoped he wouldn’t tell me. So, when he wanted to fuck his feelings out, I was more than happy to oblige.

Now, sitting here in his bed, I can’t believe what I did. I need to keep my dance studio front and center. If I don’t get what Pete wants, I’m going to lose it all. I can’t lose my dream.

The smell of coffee and bacon hit me and I can’t help but grin. I guess he’s keeping his promise. Climbing out of bed, I grab his dress shirt from last night and put it on. It’s much too big, but having his sexy, sensual scent wrapped around me has me rolling up the sleeves.  

As I head up the stairs, I see him standing in the kitchen. Once again he surprises me with his casual look. Basketball shorts and a T-shirt. He looks so comfortable in the kitchen, like he really has done it a million times before. Flipping the bacon, he picks up his coffee and takes a sip.

“Morning,” I say, leaning against the doorway.

Turning his head, a smile greets me. “Morning.” He puts everything down and stalks toward me. His large hands push my hair off my face and he pulls lightly, angling my head up to look at him. His bright blue eyes search mine for a minute before he speaks and it’s a good thing he does because I’m losing myself already. “Breakfast is almost done. I didn’t know what you liked so I just made a little bit of everything.”

He presses his lips to mine, tightening his hold on my hair. My arms wrap around his waist and I hold onto his shirt. Deepening the kiss, we both let out a soft moan. “Morning to you too, Ace.”

“You look good in my shirt, blue eyes,” he says, letting go of me. “You should keep that on all day.”

Don’t get sucked in, don’t get sucked in. “I don’t think doing my laundry in this would be appreciated,” I joke.

“Oh it would be appreciated by me.”

 

“Damn shame my laundry is in my building,” I say, eyeing up the coffee.

He notices and pours me a cup. “Sugar is over there and milk is in the fridge, I’m not sure how you take it.”

“Just milk, thanks.”

“So that’s your plans today, laundry?” he asks, turning everything off.

He’s made a huge breakfast. Everything from pancakes and bacon to some kind of omelets. He’s even got toast, waffles and fruit. Putting it all on a huge platter, he puts it up on the counter. Grabbing my hand, he leads me to a stool and pulls it out for me.

“Owen, I’m impressed. You make one hell of a breakfast.”

“Told you,” he says, sitting next to me.

“Entitled prick,” I mumble, making us both laugh.

He tells me to take what I want and I do. Biting into it, I really am impressed. It doesn’t just look good, it also tastes amazing.

Sipping his coffee, he glances over at me. “You never answered me.”

“What?” I ask, a bit confused.

“Laundry, is that your only plans today?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

Putting my fork down, I pick up my coffee “That’s part of my plans, yeah.”

“What else?”

“Really? You want a rundown of my day?”

Stroking his beard, he grins. “Yeah I do.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “I have to do laundry, clean up my apartment, and go down to the studio to do some paperwork. I’m sure your day is much more exciting,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

“Well I send out my laundry and have someone clean my place, but I do have some work to do after I hit the gym.”

Of course he sends out his laundry and has someone clean for him. I didn’t expect anything less. However the thought of him at the gym does things to me I need to push deep down. I can’t let him suck me in.

“After breakfast, which is delicious by the way, I’ll get out of your hair,” I say.

“That’s fine, blue eyes. What time will you be back for dinner?”

I nearly choke on my coffee and start to cough. He gently pats my back until I can speak again. “What?”

“Dinner, what time?”

Laughing, I push my finished plate out of the way. “Ace, I’m not coming back for dinner.”

“Why the hell not? You have a date?” he asks, with a bit of anger or maybe it’s jealousy.

“No, relax. I don’t have a date, but I do have things that need to get done and I have to be at the studio early tomorrow. I need to relax, so thank you for the invite but not tonight,” I say.

There’s no way I’m doing this again. If I come back for dinner, I’ll stay again and if I stay again I’m going to fuck up.

“Okay I understand. What time should I be at your place?”

Laughing, I stand up to bring my plate to the sink. “Entitled prick.”

“Leave the plate, Brooke,” he booms out. Looking up at him, he stands crossing his arms. “You don’t want to come out, I get that. But are you not going to eat dinner?”

“Well yeah of course, but..” I start.

“But what?”

I search his face, trying to figure him out a little better. He gives nothing away. No expression, just straight faced staring at me, waiting for me to answer. “But, I didn’t expect company. And what is this, Ace? I thought we were just going to have a little fun.”

“I thought we were having fun,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “Last night was fun.”

I can feel my cheeks heating up and I glance at the floor before looking back up. “Yeah, of course it was fun. But I mean dinners and breakfast and staying the night. It’s not what I want Ace.” It hurts saying it, but it’s becoming too much. Sex and pillow talk, that’s what it needs to be. Nothing more.

“You think very highly of yourself, you sure I’m the entitled one?” He laughs and moves a step closer. “We had dinner and some awesome sex. My world doesn’t suddenly revolve around you. The stars didn’t align bringing me a great love. I mean you’re great, but no one’s that great, blue eyes. I enjoy hanging out with you, it’s fun and easy. But hey, if eating some food, having some laughs and fucking isn’t what you want, that’s fine with me.”

Fuck. He’s right. I’m the one thinking this is more than it is. I feel like a damn idiot now. “Yeah, ok you’re right.”

“Of course I am. Now what time are you feeding me?” he asks with a grin on his ridiculously handsome face.

Rolling my eyes, I start for the stairs to get dressed. “Be there at seven. And I hope you aren’t expecting much because I’m just ordering pizza.”

 

**

 

I’m exhausted. Getting everything done today, cleaning the apartment a little better than I normally would because Owen is coming, has kicked my ass. All I want to do is shower and relax on the couch. But no, now I need to get ready and entertain.

After a quick shower, I get ready and order pizza. Jeans and a tank top are my outfit of choice tonight, because the only thing that is going to happen here, is him giving me some damn information. If I need to do a good old fashioned dry hump to get him talking, I’ll do it. Sitting down on the couch, I blow out a breath. What the hell is wrong with me?

Before I have time to even answer myself, there’s a knock at the door. Seven o’clock on the dot. Of course. Getting up, I open it and he’s standing there in jeans, a black T-shirt and a big ass grin. Probably because he’s holding a container of ice cream.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask, laughing.

“You told me not to expect much, so I figured dessert was too much to ask for,” he says, holding out the strawberry ice cream to me.

Taking it from him, I step out of the way. “That’s really, umm, thoughtful, Ace.”

“I would have brought flowers or picked up dinner, but I didn’t want you to think I suddenly fell in love with you or something,” he says, following me into the kitchen.

“Wow, I’m so glad instead of laying on the couch in my pjs and relaxing, I get to spend my night hanging out with you.”

When I close the freezer, he is standing right there. He grabs me around the waist and yanks me against him, pressing his demanding lips to mine. “I’m glad you’re spending your night with me, blue eyes.”

Resting my head on his solid chest, I let out a sigh. “Smooth talker.”

Having his arms around me, listening to his heart while he gently rubs my back...all rational thinking is gone again. Fuck.