Chapter 36
Nathan and Philip had already left, so Cassie and Brody went together to the restaurant. Cassie’s full maid of honor duties would kick in on Saturday, and she knew her friend was on the countdown to the moment she could finally walk down the aisle and start the next phase of her life with Chase. It was especially nice that Cassie had her own special thing to celebrate.
When Brody stopped her outside the restaurant to pull her into his arms and ask if she was completely sure, a special little thrill raced inside. Her answer of yes caused a look of happiness on his face that she knew she’d never forget.
Holding hands, Cassie and Brody walked into the restaurant the wedding party had taken over, and conversations died instantly. More than a few mouths hung lax and wide-eyed friends and family blinked. No one seemed to know what to say as they all stood there. Cassie hadn’t expected quite so strange a reaction and stood frozen with them.
In typical Brody Miller style, he broke the tension by slinging an arm around Cassie and flashing that megawatt leading-man smile. “What’s wrong? Y’all didn’t know we were back together? She took pity on my sad drunk ass.” He turned Cassie into him, and all she could do was look at him, wide-eyed herself, as he framed her face tenderly. Brody smiled at her with nothing but deep affection. “Outside of Chase, that makes me just about the luckiest man in the world.”
“It’s about damn time!” Chase shouted, standing at the head of the table to clap.
After a pause, the entire restaurant broke out in cheers and Cassie buried her head in Brody’s chest, completely overwhelmed with emotion. Chase called for drinks, and soon they were surrounded by friends and family giving them congratulations. Brody’s brothers and parents even pulled Cassie in to hug her and welcome her to the family.
Cassie looked at Brody over Simon’s shoulder as he hugged her again. Her official man raised his glass with a wink. Brody’s announcement had tossed her a curve ball. When he’d said official, she had no idea he meant it so passionately. Raising her own glass, Cassie toasted him back on a smile.
Across the room, Brody watched his woman being passed around and congratulated while he sipped his drink. The halter-style dress in deep green set off her creamy skin and flaming red hair while leaving a long tease of leg that a man couldn’t help but be grateful to look at. The fact that Cassie was all but glowing with happiness made it clearer that whatever they had together, they were each helping to heal the other.
Nathan stepped in front of him — blocking the view.
Deliberately.
“I’d like a word with you, Brody Miller.”
Since the glint in Nathan’s eyes spoke of nothing but fixed intent, Brody knew there was no way to escape gracefully. “Sure thing. What’s on your mind, Nathan?”
“Cassie for one. Your intentions would be the second.” One eyebrow raised in a finely shaped arch of derision. “Consider me filling in for her dad and brother.”
“Protecting her, is that it?”
“Damn straight. Start talking, and if I don’t like what you say in the next thirty seconds, I’ll be kicking your supremely fine ass.”
Even knowing Cassie and Nathan had been friends forever and that Nathan was just looking out for her didn’t make his threat any easier for Brody to swallow. “I feel the need to point out that this is between Cassie and myself.” Nathan’s knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on his glass. Brody sighed and looked Cassie’s defender dead in the eye. He understood the need if nothing else that Nathan wanted only to protect Cassie.“My intentions are real. She means everything to me in this world.”
“You said that before. It still fell apart.”
Brody’s temper spiked up, sharp as a razor. “What we went through was personal and tore both of us apart. None of it is your fucking business. For what it’s worth, I screwed up then and let her walk away from me. I’m telling you the solid truth — I’ll fight for her no matter what.”
“You could have just about any woman you want, being who you are. I know why Cassie is special. Are you sure you do?”
“She’s more than special. She’s the only one worth fighting for. I don’t want any other woman. I want Cassie. None of what I’ve gotten or done is worth having without her by my side. I’ll fight for her no matter what, but I’d much rather have your blessing.” Brody held out his hand to Nathan in a gesture of friendship.
After a long minute as the two men stared each other down, Nathan extended his own hand and accepted. “I’m trusting you with one of the most precious people in my life. Don’t you dare let me down again. I’m a master at anything I choose to do. I promise – they will never find your body.”
Brody had to admit that as threats went, it was a good one, and he somehow had no doubt that the thin, elegant man in front of him would see it done.
“This looks awful serious over here. What are my two favorite men talking about?” Cassie stepped between Brody and Nathan, wrapping an arm around each of them, and saw Brody nod at Nathan.
Her friend looked at her with a smooth smile she recognized instantly as his cover-up look. “A difference in opinion, darling, on the merits of the Cardinals versus the Braves.”
“Liar. Nathan, you hate baseball with a passion. What’s going on here?”
Both men remained a couple of stone statues.
“Fine. They want us all to sit down. Dinner should be coming out soon and toasts are needed.”
Nathan gave Cassie a quick squeeze and said he was happy for her before moving off.
She turned to the man by her side and cocked a hand on one hip. “Explain.”
“Man talk, gorgeous. I’d be breaking a code of honor if I told you.”
“Bullshit.”
Brody sighed and offered a sheepish expression, which looked ridiculous on such a big man, before he shoved a hand in his pocket, and hung his head. “Nathan was just being a good friend and making sure my intentions are good.”
“That’s ridiculous. He doesn—”
Brody cut her off with a finger to her lips. “It’s okay. He absolutely does, and I would have done the same if the situation was reversed. Come on, a whole night’s ahead of us. Let’s celebrate. What are you drinking?” Smiling, Brody walked her to their table and helped her to sit.
Cassie floated thought the night. She felt just like she had while lying on the boat with Brody, except her shoes were dangling in one hand, which was looped around Brody’s neck, and the other was busy with the buttons on his shirt while he carried her. She certainly wasn’t drunk, but she was happily buzzed enough off a couple of cocktails to think that Anna’s suggestion of jumping the very sexy Brody Miller — who just happened to be her man — was an idea of profound excellence that should be acted on immediately.
Since he’d taken the moral high road — there was simply no other choice.
Cassie thought it had been a stroke of brilliance when she’d sweetly mentioned to Brody after dessert that she felt a little tired from the day. He’d whisked her out of the restaurant so fast, she’d barely gotten to say good-bye to anyone.
Then she’d launched her attack while Brody was helping her into the car down in the village while the party was still going strong inside. Catching him in a kiss that made him momentarily lose that precious control he was so intent on maintaining. He’d crushed her to him. Those glorious hands had found her bottom, boosting her up to pin her against the side of the car. Legs locked around Brody, she’d taken advantage of the angle to whisper all sorts of interesting suggestions in his ear while his lips and teeth assaulted her neck. The full heated arousal that pressed between her legs left no doubt what Brody thought about those ideas.
Brody had finally peeled Cassie off him and tucked her in the car, muttering something about long ice cold showers. She let him, figuring it was okay — there was the entire drive back to the house to work on him some more, and she had no intention of losing the debate.
Convertibles had certain… advantages. Letting the wind lift her skirt higher, Cassie didn’t even bother trying to keep it down. She lifted first one leg straight up to ease off her heeled sandal, then the other. Winding her hand over the back of his seat, she let it play with his dark hair as she stretched to make sure he had a good view of her chest. It was a miracle the car stayed on the road, since Brody’s eyes were barely looking at it.
Brody rounded the side of the house with her and Cassie saw the pool laid out in front of them.
“If you jump in again, I will never forgive you,” she teased along his neck.
“You sure? It’s awful hot work carrying you around. Especially since your hands keep wandering.” He shot her a pointed look. “You need to behave.”
That comment was easy to ignore. “I thought I was just a featherweight.”
Success, at last, garnered the fourth button open on his shirt and Cassie slipped her hand inside to splay out in appreciation of the amazing muscles there and explored to her heart’s content. Her low hum of pleasure said it all — Brody felt unbelievable.
“Cassie, stop.”
The warning sounded closer to begging. She was winning.
“Why? I want you.” Lips on his neck, she shifted to dance her tongue around a handily placed earlobe.
Distracted as hell and on the edge of his last known sanity, Brody tripped and almost dropped her, cursing when Cassie’s teeth found his ear, sending a lightning bolt of lust down with it. Only a laugh, low and seductive, tumbled from her as she held on.
“Careful,” she whispered in a sultry voice meant to bring a man to his knees. “If you damage me, you won’t be able to have your wicked way with me.”
That same low, seductive laugh had drifted out when her hand found its way between his legs in the car, and he’d almost wrecked it trying to get Cassie off him. She was trying to destroy him — and she knew it.
“Fuck, woman. If you don’t stop…” Brody could barely walk as it was, his cock rock hard and throbbing like a bass drum. To hell with foreplay, he was ready right now. Any handy surface would do. Hell, he was creative and strong enough. Standing up would work fine as well.
Brody wished instead for a rock-hard surface to slam his head into. He simply couldn’t take her.
They weren’t ready yet.
Cassie needed to heal more.
He could hurt her.
It was too soon.
They should wait longer.
They only just got back together.
Reason after reason rolled through his head. Each one sounded weaker and weaker every time she touched him.
As if reading his thoughts, Cassie, who he was now certain was part mythical siren and part mermaid, shifted to lift her chest closer to his face. She was only trying to reach his ear to whisper more suggestions about what he could do to her, but Brody had to agree that her two main points of argument were winning out over his good sense right now.
Those two main points were beautiful, perfectly round, and so very, very soft. Lifted and perfectly shown off in that green dress. He knew how absolutely wonderful they felt and tasted, since he’d gotten reacquainted with them earlier. That had clearly been a stupid move on his part, since it only made him want her more.
When he stopped to take a breath and steady himself, Cassie twined her fingers into his hair and brought her lips to his. Soft and slick, they moved, and her tongue slid in, seeking his own. When she let go of him, Brody was pretty damn sure he might be cross-eyed. Every remaining drop of blood in his body had drained to his dick, and he could barely focus on her beautiful eyes sparkling in the moonlight. The look on Cassie’s face was pure seduction with a smile that was slow and sure. To think she’d been shy in bed, once upon a time. He was now in the hands of a temptress and losing the battle.
“I’m tired of waiting. I want you, Brody Miller. Take me to bed.”
Fighting himself, Brody prayed for strength as he leaned his head weakly against hers. “Cassie, I’m begging you, baby, please stop. I’m no fucking saint.”
The pleading must have finally gotten through because Cassie’s expression turned serious as she traced down the side of his face. “I’m not asking you to be. I’m asking you to make me yours again. I want to be with you.” She touched his lips with hers, as soft as a feather. “I need you, Brody. Please.”
She needed him.
Those four softly whispered words sent Brody straight over the edge like a madman racing to his doom. The straightforward fact that she needed him undid him. Just as much as he’d always needed her.
Somehow, he found the side of the house. Both of their rooms too damn far away, but their secret patio was handy. When he laid her on the cushioned sofa, Cassie pulled him on top of her. The skirt of her dress was already pooling at her hips. Hands shaky when he shoved it up, Brody settled between legs that were already curling around him like a dream.
He made one last valiant attempt at sanity, bracing above her. “There’s no going back from this. Are you sure?”
“You always take care of me. Just like you’re trying to do now.” Her hands framed his face, drawing him down to share a kiss of tenderness that calmed and reassured him. “Yes, I’m sure. Of you. Of us. Be with me again — all the way.”
Brody searched her face and knew without a doubt that Cassie meant every word. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that what he felt for this one woman could be felt with no one else. Only she made his world everything it could be and more with a sense of rightness that comes just once in a lifetime.
Knowing he was lost to nothing but Cassie, Brody sank in. Taking her lips, he completely let go.
She knew the moment he kissed her that Brody had given in all the way. Every cell in her body flashed to a bright flame then settled into a blazing hum of throbbing need. Unable to think, all Cassie could do was feel. And there was nothing to feel except her lover and what he was doing to her body.
Strong hands. God, how she’d missed his hands. So competent and oh so incredible, they slid up her legs and underneath the dress. When it refused to come off, Brody rolled until Cassie was on top of him, never once breaking his hold on her mouth while he ravished her. Cassie could only appreciate his fine technique. The zipper on her dress caught halfway down, and she felt him hesitate, trying to work it loose and realized he was still holding back, his muscles a little too tight and tense under her hands.
Cassie eased up a little to tug at his bottom lip with her teeth. “What are you waiting for, handsome? Tear the damn thing already.”
Brody paused briefly before a low chuckle rumbled through that huge body and he relaxed so that she knew he was about to destroy her. She felt the tension melt away as Brody’s expression transformed to one of pure mischief. One that assured Cassie her man was well and truly back, at last.
“Never let it be said that I didn’t work hard to keep my woman happy.”
His hands molded across her bare shoulders then slid down her back and underneath the dress to where it couldn’t part any farther. As they curled around the fabric, Cassie felt Brody’s smile underneath her lips before a rending sound split the air and her dress tore straight past the hemline, leaving her entire backside bare. Brody’s hands were on her a split second later, flipping Cassie back underneath him. He raised up to look down at what remained. Hooking one finger in the material, he tossed it away where it floated like tissue paper to the ground.
“Mmmm…I have to say here how much I’ve always appreciated your technique.”
“Let’s see if I can think up some new ones, baby.” Reaching under, nimble fingers flicked open her bra, and Brody took his time easing off the lace, giving a slow smile of appreciation at what lay underneath. He hooked his fingers into her panties and slid those off on a hard exhale of breath. “You’re so beautiful, Cassie. So beautiful.”
His mouth lowered, and Cassie arched with a hiss of pleasure when his tongue swept over and under her nipple. He pulled the tightened bud and breast into the warm heat of his mouth, searing and branding her straight through until she thought she might shatter right then and there. Then he let go and made sure to give equal pleasure to the other side.
Her moans filled the air, mixing with the sounds of the sea below. Fighting his shirt on another wave of need, she finally got it open and pulled off, giving her the freedom to touch the incredible planes and ridges of his broad shoulders, strong arms, and a chest that rubbed so wantonly against her skin.
As Brody explored, pleasure built and built, like a cresting wave that beat against the shore with the rising tide, until he found the center of her, slick with damp heat, and slid a finger within to explore. Cassie sank her nails into Brody’s back as her pleasure spiked tenfold, so much, all at once, she couldn’t handle it. Like a hurricane, the waves took over and threatened to drown her. It had been so long since she felt this way that she tensed against it, fought to control it.
“Look at me,” he whispered above her as her breath changed in rhythm to jagged shards. “Look at me, Cassie.”
His hand never stopped moving. Caught and fighting the peak of the wave that was overcoming her, Cassie opened her eyes only to be fixed in place by the intensity of passionate green.
Breath short and choppy, she could only cling to him. “Brody. Oh, oh, my God.”
“Look at me.”
Caught in the center of that emerald storm, Cassie knew she was safe. Brody had her.
“That’s it, gorgeous. Just for me. Let me feel you come apart.”
His lips and teeth nipped at her own before locking on in a kiss that declared nothing but sheer possession and Cassie came in a thousand bursts of color as the orgasm ripped through leaving her dazed.
She was so wet, so hot underneath his hands. Blood raged inside him like an inferno, twisting and on fire so that all it wanted was to feed on Cassie. Brody left her only long enough to strip off the rest of his clothes. Foil ripped and he barely got the condom in place before coming back to her. Cassie was sprawled out, naked and open. Dropping his head, he pressed a kiss to the curve of her hip. The scent of her sweet arousal mixed with the sea air and flowers planted everywhere on the patio, sending his head spinning. Brody sank his teeth into the soft skin there before he worked his way back up, faster than he should but unable to hold back anymore. All he wanted was Cassie, who called to him like no other.
Eyes that reflected dreams and the moonlight above smiled at him. Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck while he smoothed the hair off her face. His Cassie lay there — his heart. She opened to draw him in, and he braced himself at the entrance of that sweet heat to kiss her tenderly before easing inside, careful to be as gentle as he could.
His name fell on a sob against his lips as she stretched and opened to him, tight, hot and scorching. Desperate and completely lost to that fire, Brody surged forward to bury himself deep. Nails dug into his back, and Cassie arched beneath him like a bow. Eyes wide, she stared up at him, breathless while her body adjusted. Brody fought to hang on to the last ounce of control he had.
Then she smiled. His temptress. His love. Cassie.
“All mine.” She drew him down to kiss him. Lips whispered against his own, slow and sweet. “We’re home again.”
The desperate edge in him eased and settled into a knowing. “Home. You’re all mine, Cassie. Always.”
Tongue tangling with hers, he began to move. Home. Only Cassie. Only the two of them. Brody knew nothing else but her wrapped around him. Of being buried inside the one woman he needed. The only one who made him complete.
Her name fell like worship, and silken legs wrapped around him tightly, encouraging, begging, fighting for more. Lost in each other, their passion raged, spiraling higher and higher until it burst and they crashed together on the shore.
The perfect storm.
Sounds of the surf washed up from below in a rhythm as old as time. Cassie lay pillowed on the shoulder of the most incredible man in the world, their bodies still entwined. He’d shifted to take the heavy weight off her but hadn’t remotely let go of her either. They couldn’t seem to stop kissing or touching each other. Overwhelmed by all she felt for him, a tear slipped out. Brody kissed it away, his lips lingering on the spot.
When he spoke, his voice was deep and filled with tenderness. “I said earlier tonight that I was the luckiest guy in the world. That was a lie. I’m the luckiest man in the universe.” His kiss left her aching. “I love you, Cassie. So very, very much.”
Her breath hitched — not because what he said was a surprise but because it so perfectly mirrored her own feelings. Undone, another tear sparkled down her face “Brody, I love you too. You make me so happy.”
Brushing away the wetness, Brody brought his lips back to hers. His eyes crinkled in the moonlight, creasing at the corners. “If you’re so happy, why are you crying?”
Knowing he was teasing, the words made her smile as she stroked the silky roughness of his beard. “Tears of happiness. I’m so glad we found each other again.”
“I would have come for you. No matter what, I was coming for you. Chase and Anna… when I heard they got engaged, I knew. You were the only one I could see myself being with.”
The idea of it made Cassie smile and tighten her leg over his hip, drawing him closer. “You were coming for me. I like the sound of that. Did you have an actual plan in place?”
“I did. It was simple. Find Cassie. Toss Cassie over shoulder. Kidnap to remote location.” Brody grinned and nipped at her chin. “Have to admit, after that, the plan gets a little thin. Mostly I figured I could just seduce you back to my bed.”
Cassie couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. “Mmmm… I have to agree your plan has some merits. Very primitive caveman.”
“It was. It would have worked. But let me say, your way of seduction was cosmic, baby. You fucking destroyed me.”
“Did I?” Loving the compliment and loving how his hands were playing again across her skin, Cassie knew exactly what her lover had in mind. She arched into his touch like a cat seeking comfort and hoped with everything in her that Brody would keep her up all night — just as he used to do.
“You did. Without a doubt. Destroyed me with this sexy body of yours.” His lips found her neck. “Those hands that wouldn’t stop.” Another seductive caress burned across her backside. “Lips a man dreams of kissing.”
Proving the point, he did just that until Cassie was clinging to him, breathless again and laying on top of him with her hair tumbled down to create a secret space for them.
Brody cupped her and eased Cassie’s legs up on either side of him, the heavy pulsing length of him like velvet fire between them. “Ready for round two, baby?”
Cassie’s kiss was all the answer he needed.
They wound up in Brody’s bed that night. Twined together, Brody finally fell asleep with Cassie curled around him, safe and sound, just where he wanted her to be. Both of them were so sexed into a coma, he didn’t know which of them was which anymore. All he knew was Cassie, being close to her, and how every part of his soul felt complete again.
There was no telling how the future would unfold for him, but she would be in it. Of that, Brody was more than certain. As much as he valued his privacy, he knew it would be a special moment when he announced to the world that she was his forever. As he drifted off, he wondered how soon would be too soon to ask Cassie to marry him.
Unlike before, this time, there was no way he was waiting.