CHAPTER ELEVEN

“So, are you guys going to tell me what’s going on here or not?” Claire asked as the boys sat and ate the delivered pizza in brooding silence.

No one said a thing.

“Okay, fine. Let’s start with direct questions. Travis, where have you been living?”

Travis looked to Chris and Charlie before answering.

“All over. St. Louis most recently.”

Travis looked down, staring into his plate of food and shoving another bite of pizza in his mouth.

“Is it true you’re building a house up here, too?” Claire asked, turning her attention to Charlie.

Charlie nodded. “Well, Chris is building it, but yes.”

“You’re moving back to Sweetbriar?” Travis asked, shooting a look around the room.

Aw, hell. Chris had wanted Travis to find out from him and Charlie, but Claire was determined to get them talking.

“I am. I think it’s time to come home,” Charlie said, looking out the living room windows out into the star-filled night sky.

Travis snorted. “Why in the world would you want to come back here?”

Claire cut him off, moving to Chris for the next question.

“What are your intentions with Tori?” A smug smile spread over her face.

Chris shifted in his seat, aware that all eyes in the room were now on him. Well, they might as well know. Having Claire on his side couldn’t hurt.

“My intentions are to make Tori mine and to keep her safe and happy.”

Travis and Charlie whooped and laughed, a welcome noise, even if it was directed at him.

Claire studied him carefully but remained silent. She was going to be tougher to convince than he’d thought.

“Seems as if you’re all going through some big life changes. Could be nice to have one another during these tough times,” she said, smiling at them as she stood and walked to the door.

The White brothers weren’t good at talking through their feelings or asking for support from one another. If they were, they probably would have bonded over their parents’ death instead of each dealing with it on their own and forging their own way.

“Chris, can I see you outside for a minute?” Claire asked sweetly.

Too sweetly.

Shit. He was going to get his ass handed to him for sure.

Chris shut the door behind him, sealing himself outside of the warm and comfortable house and into the cold night with who he assumed was a pissed-off Claire.

He shoved his hands into his pockets for warmth and walked to her car where she stood waiting for him. He forced his eyes from the ground to meet hers. He needed to make sure she understood he was serious, even if she didn’t believe or like him.

Claire threw her arms around him, catching him by surprise and nearly taking them both to the ground, as Chris stumbled to catch his balance.

“Finally!” she said, stepping back and smiling up at him. “I wasn’t sure if the two of you were ever going to stop fighting long enough to see how much the other cared.”

Chris was shocked. He’d always assumed Tori had filled Claire in on the details of their past, and in doing so, probably hadn’t put Chris in the best light. But Claire had never let on that she knew anything. Certainly, she’d never indicated that she was rooting for them.

“You knew all along?” Chris asked.

Claire rolled her eyes. “I’ve known you two were crazy about one another since the eighth grade. I didn’t know that you’ve had many, many chances and kept screwing it up.”

Chris held his hands up, blocking the punches Claire was throwing his direction.

“Ow, I’m sorry. I know… I was an idiot.”

“Biggest. Idiot. Ever.” Claire continued her onslaught of punches to his arm.

Chris grabbed her wrists to stop her. He wasn’t sure if he’d get this chance again, and he wanted to make sure she knew he was serious before she left.

“I was an idiot, but I will never hurt Tori again. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to her. And you.”

Claire stopped resisting and dropped her hands to her side. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Take care of her, and don’t screw it up again. Or I’ll kill you.” Claire said with a wink and got into her car.

Chris headed back inside the house, a smile plastered on his face. He had Ryan and Claire’s blessings. Now for the fun part, winning over Tori once and for all.

 

 

Tori stripped out of her dress and walked into the massive master bedroom. Hopeful that a shower would calm her and help put out the heat that Chris had left her feeling, she stepped into the white marble shower in the attached bathroom. She cursed under her breath as she fiddled with the controls. No shower should be this complicated. But when the jets and dual showerheads sprayed her body from every direction, the effect was heavenly.

She let the water massage her body, relieving tension she hadn’t noticed she was holding. She relaxed her shoulders, closed her eyes, and let the steady stream wash away all the doubts she had for getting involved with him again.

Maybe she’d always known it would come to this. It had always been Chris against the rest of the male population, and the latter was found severely lacking in every way.

She reached out and grabbed the familiar bottle of body wash before it occurred to her that he’d stocked his shower with all her favorites — right down to her favorite type of razors with a stock of extra blades. She was beginning to expect this from him. He hadn’t been content with just placing her used items in the shower. Oh no, he’d gone out and bought new stuff in mass quantities.

As far as character flaws went, it wasn’t the worst one she could think of.

Tori reluctantly dragged herself out of the shower and wrapped a big, plush towel around her. She was coming down from her tequila high and needing another shot of something strong. Like Chris.

She dressed quickly, eager to see him. Hesitating only a second at the door to reconsider, she slipped down the stairs to the sound of SportsCenter and the faint clanking of metal.

“Where’s Chris and Charlie?” she asked, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Travis was laid back on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, staring at the TV. He nodded toward the garage. Tori, finally understanding the sound was weights, lost a little of her exuberance to see Chris. Plus, Travis looked awful.

She sat adjacent to him in the big matching recliner and kicked the bottom out so she was lounged in a similar position.

“Bulls are having a rough season.”

“I bet five hundred dollars on that game. Don’t think I’ll be seeing that money now that I’m being held prisoner,” Travis huffed, fidgeting with the remote.

“Sweetbriar isn’t so bad. It’ll be fun to have you back. I’m sure Chris and Charlie will be happy, too.”

Travis snorted.

“They just like having me here so they can boss me around. Makes them feel better to have the screw-up brother near.”

Tori nodded. She understood feeling like the screw-up. She’d felt that way for years, growing up behind Ryan. He’d been the perfect athlete, perfect student, all-around good guy. The town had loved and adored him, and she’d resented being the overlooked Calloway kid.

After not quite living up to Ryan’s big footsteps in any aspect, she’d spent years acting out — hanging with the wrong crowd, the wrong boys, dabbling in cheap thrills wherever she could find them.

Claire had been a grounding force, always pulling Tori back, reminding her who she was and what was important.

“Where will you go next?” Tori asked.

He shrugged, not taking his eyes off the TV. “I don’t know yet.”

“You still play Chinese Checkers?” Tori asked, eyeing the game on a shelf across the room.

Travis smiled, the first hint of his old self resurfacing. “Not in years. Why?”

“I noticed Chris had a board on the shelf.” She pointed at the game. “Feel up to it? I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you in your wounded state.”

She set the board up on the coffee table, propping several thick books underneath to make it easier for him to reach without bending, and she pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the table.

They had an ongoing rivalry at Chinese Checkers, dating back to a particularly snowy winter where they’d all spent several days out of school and holed up in her parents’ basement playing board games and eating Doritos and guzzling Pepsi.

Tori studied Travis across the board. He needed a haircut and a shave, his unruly copper hair was falling into his face. But even his long hair couldn’t hide the bags and lines around his eyes. He looked older than thirty-three. She felt bad for him, but not bad enough to let him win Chinese Checkers, though.

“You’re killing me,” he said, after losing a third game. “I give. I need to spend some time strategizing before I try to play you again.”

“Any time. I’m always happy to school you.” She placed the board and marbles back into the box.

When she stood, she found Chris watching her from the entryway.

“I should get to bed,” she said to the room, unsure who to direct it to. “Night.”

She started up the stairs. She could feel Chris’ eyes on her, and she couldn’t resist adding a little extra sway in her hips.

When she reached the top step, she could hear Chris and Travis talking downstairs but couldn’t quite make out the words. Hopefully, Chris was listening instead of throwing his weight around and bossing Travis like he had her.

The bedroom door had barely closed behind her when Chris swung it open and stepped inside.

She turned, watching his large form stand just inside the doorway.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

Chris didn’t move, but she could feel his eyes on her as she walked through the room to the bed. She felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Was he just here to thank her, or was he waiting for an invitation to stay? They’d muddied the line last night, and she wasn’t sure how to move forward.

“No need to thank me. I like Travis, always have,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “He’s a good guy. He’s just lost his way a bit.”

Chris let out a breath and let his shoulders fall. It was the closest she’d ever seen him to looking defeated. A tiny crack in his otherwise impenetrable façade.

He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the ends until they stood straight up. “I don’t know what to say to him or how to help. I feel helpless.”

She stepped closer, surprised by his admission. It felt like an offering of sorts, a glimpse into the emotions of a man who never came across as anything less than in control.

“You don’t have to say anything. Not yet. Just be there for him. When he’s ready for more, you’ll know it.”

“I hope you’re right. I meant to talk to you about him staying here,” Chris said, a guilty looking crossing his face. “If you’re not comfortable with it, I’ll set him up with Charlie.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Tori said more harshly than she’d intended. “Travis is going to need you. He’s going to need both of you, and I’m going to make sure you two hear him out and stay by his side until he figures his shit out.”

He smiled and reached out to her. He ran a thumb over her lips.

“Micromanaging me, huh?”

“If that’s what it takes.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He reached up and grabbed her wrists then held them together with one hand above her head.

She felt his need for control and gave it over to him willingly.

“Slide your feet apart,” he rasped in her ear.

She obeyed him without hesitation, and he rewarded her by crashing his lips down on hers and claiming her mouth.

He moved a leg between hers and pushed her back against the wall. His kiss alone could set her on fire, but she wanted more — needed more.

She arched her body, using his leg to press against her aching core.

He chuckled quietly. “Impatient, sweetheart?”

She answered by rubbing against his leg and deepening the kiss.

Chris slid a hand up under her shirt and teased a nipple through her bra.

She tried to move her hands, desperate to get them on his body, but he tightened his grip. Her strength was lacking when compared to his.

He continued to explore her underneath her shirt, one nipple at a time until she thought she might come just from the sensation alone.

“Open your eyes,” he said.

When she did, she found his gaze hooded and needy, a far cry from the confident and demanding way he commanded her body.

“You belong to me.”

She started to argue, to let him know that she belonged to no one but herself. She’d spent the better part of her adult years proving to everyone that she could take care of herself.

But maybe she wasn’t as autonomous as she wanted to believe. She wanted to tell him yes. To scream it.

He looked at her, obviously waiting for acknowledgment, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know how long this would last, and if she gave even a tiny piece of her heart away, she wouldn’t survive it when she returned to her apartment and life went back to normal.

She did her best to communicate her feelings with a look before she moved her mouth back to his.

They fumbled until the backs of her legs touched the side of the bed. He let go of her hands long enough for her to slide his shirt up over his head, revealing his hard-earned body. She hurried her hands at his jeans, releasing the button and sliding the zipper down around his bulge.

She looped her thumbs into the band of his boxers and pulled both them and his jeans down in one fell swoop as she kneeled before him.

Tori took him into her mouth, feeling oddly liberated on her knees in front of him. He let her take control, only guiding her by the faint pressure he placed on both sides of her temple as he worked his hands through her hair.

He moaned through clenched teeth and pulled her up to her feet. He lifted her onto the bed. He pulled at her pants, one leg at a time, kissing her calf and up to the apex of her thighs.

When he finally reached her soaked panties, she cried out and bucked beneath his touch.

“Say it. Say you belong to me,” he demanded through gritted teeth.

Tori bit down on her lip, afraid of the words that might tumble out of her mouth if she didn’t.

“Say it.” Chris growled, nipping at her inner thigh.

When she still didn’t respond, he moved up and hovered over her. She stared at the gorgeous man surrounding her. He was propped up on two large arms, sweat beading on his forehead. What in the hell was she waiting for? This big, beautiful man wanted her to belong to him. Who was she to deny him? Especially when it was so obvious she did. Every fiber in her obstinate body was his.

“You. I belong to you,” Tori whispered.

He grinned down at her. That mischievous, mocking grin was back. “Don’t you forget it, sweetheart.”

His mocking tone frustrated the hell out of her, but damn, if it didn’t turn her on, too. She reached up with her mouth and clamped down on a nipple, earning a startled yip followed by a deep chuckle. He released his weight down on top of her and took a nipple in his mouth biting down like she had done before easing back and sucking gently.

Tori relaxed into the bed, letting him explore her body. He left a warm trail of hot kisses and bites from her breasts to her navel, drew her legs up and shifted between them.

She was impatient for more, wanting to feel him inside her, consuming her every sensation and thought. She squirmed beneath him as he pushed a finger inside followed by the flick of his tongue.

His pace infuriated her, and she could almost feel the smile on his lips as he kept on at the slow speed that was driving her mad. She was playing a dangerous game with her heart, but her body was pushing forward carelessly, ready to tumble headfirst wherever he was leading.

She cried out his name on the brink of exploding, just as he entered her hard, taking her by surprise.

“Say it, Tori. Tell me again,” he whispered in her ear so faintly she second-guessed whether she had heard him right.

The look on his face was intense. No trace of the sardonic smile.

She no longer hesitated, giving in to his demand as if it was the most natural instinct.

“I belong to you, Chris.” She moaned and shattered beneath him.

They lay in silence afterward, only their ragged breathing filled the room.

He broke the silence first, pulling her against him. “I have to take Travis to the doctor first thing in the morning, so I won’t be here when you wake up, but I was thinking we could go out after work tomorrow.

She nuzzled into his chest, looking up at him. “Like a date?” she asked with a mocking tone.

Chris squeezed her tighter. “Yes, like a date.” He growled in her ear.

“Are you going to bring me flowers and try and kiss me good night?”

“You’re mocking me,” he warned.

Tori placed a hand to the center of her chest in dramatic shock. “I would never.”

Chris brushed his lips against hers and rolled to the side of the bed.

“Get some sleep. I need to go talk with Charlie and Travis. I’ll be home at six tomorrow night to pick you up,” he said as he rose from the bed. “And Tori, I’m gonna try and do a lot more than kiss you afterward.”