Chapter Three
SOPHIE AND BRETT walked in the direction of her apartment. The city was so alive at every hour, it never failed to excite her. It had been a big adjustment when she’d first come to the city to attend college, going from a small town where almost everyone knew her name and where being stuck in traffic meant she passed ten cars instead of three on the way to the grocery store to a place where cabs weaved through the streets, stopping abruptly and honking their horns at all hours. But she’d craved the change for so long, she saw it as an adventure.
“Is this what we’ve become?” She patted his hand on her shoulder.
He shrugged. “It feels good. Go with it.”
“That sounds like a sexy line to me. Does it work often?” She said it jokingly, but her stomach knotted up with the distressed look in Brett’s eyes.
“You tell me. It’s the first time I’ve used it.”
That surprised her, but she believed him, and it did feel good to have his arm around her, especially after the way he’d held her at the bookstore. She reached up and held his hand, which was draped over her shoulder. “Yeah, I think it does.”
She expected a sexy retort, and when he didn’t give her one, she chalked it up to another surprise for the night.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” Brett said. “Something maybe no one else knows.”
She wasn’t sure if he was fishing for a naughty response, or really curious about her, so she erred on the safe side. “When I was a little girl, I’d dream about coming here. It felt bigger than life and unattainable.”
“Why unattainable?”
“I was a small-town girl. My parents met when they were young, and they’ve been together forever, living in their own hometown, Oak Falls, where I grew up. My grandfather has a farm he inherited from his parents. It just seemed unreal to think that one day I could live a whole different type of life far away from everything I knew.”
He gazed thoughtfully at her. “I’m still surprised you’d think it was unattainable. You don’t strike me as the type of person who would let anything stand in the way of her dreams. It doesn’t surprise me that you made it. Is it all that you hoped it would be?”
“I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that.” And she loved that he had. “People usually ask if I like it here, or how it’s different from back home. I’m not sure I had hoped for anything in particular. I just knew that I wanted more than what Oak Falls had to offer.”
They stopped to wait for a traffic light to change, and Brett’s arm drifted down to her waist. “More opportunities?” he asked.
“Yes, but also…This is going to sound bad, and I don’t mean it to because I love my friends and family. But being around people with bigger ideas, more complex thinking, I guess, was something else I was looking for. That’s why I love working in the legal field. No two cases are the same. The foundation, or processes are similar, which I enjoy, because I do like to know what’s coming. But when you bring in the human elements, there’s a certain amount of critical thinking necessary to be successful. Mick is brilliant, and I love working with him because of that.”
“The feeling is mutual, because he raves about you,” Brett said as they crossed the street.
“That’s good to know. But there’s more about living here that I enjoy, like the masses of people, the noise, and even the exhaust and the smell of life that permeates the air. But one of my favorite things is the lights in the windows of tall buildings. It’s like they’re watching over us, and it makes me feel safe.”
“That’s a false sense of security. It’s the watching over you part that worries me,” Brett said.
“I have to remind myself that you work in the security industry.”
“It’s more about being an ex-cop than working in the security industry. It’s not like I’m working with the dregs of society anymore.”
“I know.” Brett handled all aspects of security, from corporate security systems to cyber security and bodyguards for the rich and famous. “You work for most of Mick’s clients, remember? I’ve got the inside scoop on you.”
“Babe, the work I do is hardly my inside scoop.” He nodded toward a skyscraper. “I know all about what goes on behind closed doors in this city. Trust me, you don’t want the attention of some of those people.”
“You sound like my father when he tried to talk me out of moving here. But I’ve lived here for years, and I’ve never had any trouble.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way.”
As they followed a group of people across another street, she said, “Can I ask you something? Do you really not like to read thrillers? I thought all guys liked thrillers and war books.”
“I spend my time protecting people from harm, whether it’s online or bodily doesn’t make much difference. The last thing I want to do is read about it.”
“So, what do you read?”
He shrugged. “I’m not a huge reader other than the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Business news, mostly.”
They walked around a couple who had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, and Sophie asked, “What do you do for fun?”
His eyes went volcanic.
She laughed and said, “Let me rephrase that. What are your hobbies?”
“Besides you?”
“God, you’ve got all the lines, don’t you?”
“Don’t ask if you don’t want to know the answers, because I won’t lie. It’s not my thing.”
That was the second time he’d mentioned not lying, and it slowed her down for a beat. There were definitely disadvantages to a man who wouldn’t lie, like hearing answers she may not really want. But did they outweigh the advantages? She held honesty in such high regard, she doubted it. “You really have no hobbies?”
“Sure I do. I work out, run. I’m into old movies, plays, musicals, but I don’t have much downtime, and I don’t watch them much anymore.”
“You like plays? Grace and I were in theater throughout high school. We had so much fun. We used to dream about seeing our names in lights. She was going to write and produce plays, which she does, of course, and I thought I wanted to act. But once I got into college, I realized I didn’t really want to be in the arts. I had outgrown it, I guess, and I went into prelaw.” She realized she’d gotten off track and said, “Sorry. I’m rambling. What were we discussing? Oh, movies and plays. That’s the other thing that brought me here. When I was a little girl we watched Miracle on 34th Street every winter, and that spurred my love of New York. But I can’t see you sitting still long enough to watch a television show, much less a musical.”
He gazed out at the road with a faraway look in his eyes and said, “I’m not much for sitting still, but I do have an affinity for the theater…”
They walked for a while, making small talk and going for long stretches without saying a word, sharing heated glances, the brush of their bodies bringing a rush of anticipation. Sophie found herself drawn deeper into him, waiting for the next touch of his hand or a secret smile.
“Hungry?” Brett asked as he took her hand and dragged her into a café. “They have the best slutty pumpkin bars you’ve ever had.” He moved behind her and put one arm around her middle, leaning over her shoulder as he pointed to a layered dessert that looked delicious. “We’ll take one of those please,” he said to the guy behind the counter.
“Only you could find a dessert with the word ‘slutty’ in it,” she said as the guy bagged their treat.
Brett waggled his brows. When they left the café, he took the bar from the bag and held it up. It looked like a colorful brownie with pieces of Oreos and dribbles of caramel over the top. “You haven’t lived until you’ve had one of these. See the layers of pumpkin cheesecake and brownie, the creamy middle? Tell me that doesn’t look delicious.”
Her gaze raked down his body. “You look like you snub carbs and sugar, and anything other than muscle-building protein. Do you actually eat sweets?”
His eyes darkened again.
“Oh my God, Brett. Do you ever not think of sex?”
“Do you ever not think about me thinking about sex?” He drew her closer and moved to the side, letting a couple walk past. Then he pulled her even closer, so she was pressed against him, and said, “I like knowing you think about me, Sophie, and the answer is yes, I think about other things. But I can’t stop thinking about you—with and without sex involved.”
She was captivated by the honesty in his voice. Her insides whirled, and she finally managed, “You’re confusing me.”
“I could say the same to you.” His expression grew serious again. “I like you, Sophie, and I think it’s time you open up and let me in.”
She felt like she was teetering on the edge of reason, wanting to say yes but a little afraid of the emptiness tomorrow would bring.
He lifted the brownie between them and grinned. “Open up, sexy girl.”
“Geez,” she said, realizing she’d taken his words far too seriously. “You are such a pain.” She took a bite, and the decadent sweetness exploded on her tongue. “Mm. That’s amazing.”
“See? I’ll never lead you astray.” He took a bite, and then she went up on her toes and snagged another bite. “I love a woman who’s not afraid to take what she wants.”
“You just love women in general,” she said as they continued walking down the street, sharing the sugary goodness.
“There you go, thinking you know me.”
“Don’t I? You said you don’t lie, and you don’t hesitate to say exactly what’s on your mind.”
“That depends how much you want to know about me.” He lifted the last piece of brownie to her lips, and when she opened her mouth, he set it on her tongue. “I think you want to know me better.”
She was glad her mouth was full, because she just might agree with him.
He kept one hand on her back as they crossed the streets and weaved through the crowds. When his hand slid to the top of her butt, she let it stay there, knowing she was sending a message and not wanting to fight it. A group of teenagers rushed past, and Brett pulled her against him to clear the way for them. He gave them a dark look, and in the next breath, those eyes were on her, possessive and hungry, turning her into a hot and bothered mess. The urge to kiss him was so strong, she felt herself leaning forward.
He lowered his lips toward hers and slicked his tongue along the swell of her lower lip. “Brownie,” he said, leaving her breathless.
And kissless.
He lifted his chin and cocked his head, his brow furrowed. “Do you hear that?”
She made a conscious effort to separate the sounds of the city from the rush of desire throbbing through her, but it was impossible. “The traffic sounds?” she guessed.
“Not even close. Come on.” He took her hand and turned down the street instead of crossing, heading toward a crowd that was gathered in front of a theater. The sound of men singing the song “Sherry” came into focus. Brett swept her into his arms and began dancing.
“Brett,” she said with a laugh, falling into step with him.
He sang every word, changing Sherry to Sophie. They laughed and danced, and when the group started singing “Can’t Take My Eyes off You,” she took a step back, assuming they were done dancing. Brett had other ideas. He gathered her in his arms, pressing their bodies together as he gazed into her eyes, singing every word, though he changed the three he was allergic to, to I need you. The man was addictive, and surprising, and the feel of his strong arms and warm body made her heart race.
“Who are you?” she asked, only half teasing. She didn’t recognize this fun-loving, easygoing guy.
His gaze turned serious. “I’m the guy who’s going to ruin you for all other men.”
Holy. Cow.
When the song ended, Brett kept her close, swaying to a sensual beat all their own, lulling her deeper into him. She’d never met a man who didn’t need to fill the silence, but Brett filled it with a hundred unsaid words. He had a way of moving, of looking at her, that awakened something deep inside her, darker than desire and bigger than lust. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt, and the longer he held her, the more alive it became, until she was sure the people around them could feel it billowing out around them.
Brett’s gaze never wavered from hers, and soon he was all she saw.
“What have you done to me, Sophie?” he whispered.
She swallowed hard, completely lost in him. “Nothing.”
“If by nothing you mean everything, then yeah. You’re right.” He threaded his fingers into her hair, his other hand pressed against her lower back the way he’d held her last night at the bar, igniting the flames that had been simmering inside her ever since. He brushed his lips over hers, then lifted his face, gazing into her eyes as if he were seeking her approval. A needy sound escaped before she could stop it.
His eyes smoldered as he said, “I want to kiss you.”
Yes. Her lips parted, but no words came.
“But once I get my mouth on you, I’m not going to want to stop.”
She went up on her toes, her heart hammering against her ribs, her courage hanging on by a thread, but the words fell freely. “Then you better not kiss me here.”
SOPHIE HAD NEVER run so fast in heels as she did on their way to her apartment. She arrived breathless and giddy, but as they waited for the elevator, a knot formed in her stomach. She’d expected a few stolen kisses on the way, but Brett hadn’t even tried. The man was a master at turning her on without words. Every seductive look seared through her, bringing his promise with it, Once I get my mouth on you, I’m not going to want to stop. She could hardly believe she was really going through with this, and no part of her wanted to put on the brakes, but that didn’t stop warning bells from sounding in her head. Including the one that reminded her that Brett had far more experience than she did. She’d never been particularly creative when it came to sex, although she wasn’t opposed to the idea of it. She just hadn’t been with men she wanted to be creative for.
When the elevator arrived, Brett’s hand on her back urged her inside. As the doors closed, he gently cupped her cheek, putting the tip of his thumb on her lower lip, tugging it down slightly, and holding it there. Good Lord, her entire body pushed forward, wanting more of him. His thumb slid to her chin, moving painfully slowly, erotically, down the center of her neck. She swallowed hard, earning a dark smile, as his thick thumb continued its descent down her breastbone, between her breasts, stopping at the edge of her plunging neckline. She was breathing so hard her body touched his with each inhalation.
“I can promise you one perfect night, Soph, nothing more. If you have any hesitation, tell me now.” His voice was dead calm and full of desire.
She wanted to tell him she didn’t have second thoughts, but she couldn’t get the words out, so she shook her head, earning a wicked smile that filled his gorgeous eyes with even more passionate promises.
He touched his thumb to her lower lip again and said, “The next time that’ll be my mouth.” He lowered his face closer to hers. His hips ground into her so enticingly she could barely focus as he said, “And I’m not stopping there.”
The elevator doors opened on her floor, but neither one of them moved. She was rooted in place, riveted by the way he was looking at her and the things he’d said. The doors began closing, startling her out of her trance. Brett reached behind him with one hand to stop them and took hold of her hand with his other.
The hallway felt smaller with him in it. Every step toward her door made her heart pound harder. Somewhere in her head her rational side warned her to take a step back, but she’d wanted him for too long, had seen too much of the man he was hiding—or didn’t know existed. Whatever it was, even if she was wrong, she didn’t want to back out.
She withdrew her keys from her purse, and as she unlocked the door, that knot in her stomach pulsed harder. She pushed the door open, and he waited for her to walk in, watching her, his jaw tight, as if he was having as much trouble keeping his emotions in check as she was. She knew he was giving her every chance to back out, and as much as she appreciated that, it made her even more nervous. She stepped inside, and when the door clicked shut behind them, she knew there was only one way to get past her nerves.
She set her keys and purse on the table by the door and grabbed him by the collar, tugging him closer. “You need to kiss me now, and you don’t need to stop, or check in, or whatever it is you’re doing, because I want you, Brett. I want everything you have to give, with one condition.”
SOPHIE WANTED EVERYTHING Brett had to give? Clearly she had no idea how much that was. His sexual appetite for her was endless, and giving her everything could take a lifetime. As the thought crossed his mind, he realized with shock that she was his one exception to his once-and-done rule, and that momentarily stunned him as much as her confession had.
He ran his hands along her hips, seeking relief from the shock of his thoughts, and felt her body sway into him. He was anxious to kiss her, to pleasure her, to satisfy the primal urges he felt every time he was near her. He spread his fingers over her ass and wedged one leg between her thighs. Her slinky dress bunched up at the top of her legs. Oh yeah, this dress was quickly becoming his favorite. He couldn’t wait to drop it to the floor.
She pressed her hands to his chest, putting space between them, and said, “One condition, Brett.”
Damn, he was so into her, he’d forgotten she had a condition to their coming together. Her eyes were as dark and wild as a summer storm. “Anything.”
“None of this gets back to Mick.” She was breathing even harder than she had been a minute ago. “Do you agree? You won’t tell him? Because he’s my boss and that wouldn’t be cool.”
Being with Sophie was like a dream come true. He felt like he’d won the lottery, and he wasn’t about to do anything to fuck it up. “I will not speak a word of this night to Mick or anyone else.”
A small smile lifted the edges of her lips. “Then what are you waiting for?”
He lowered his mouth to hers, reveling in its softness and the eagerness of her tongue as it danced with his. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he took the kiss deeper, exploring the recesses of her mouth and earning a series of sexy sounds. His hands moved over her ass, to the back of her bare thighs. He lifted his leg, which was wedged between her thighs, pressing against her center. His fingers moved beneath her dress, slipping under her silk panties, and he filled his palms with her perfect ass. Fuck, he was so hard and wanted her so bad, he didn’t know where to begin. He wanted all of her at once, and he wasn’t going to stop until she was too satisfied to move.
“Bedroom,” he ground out, and lifted her into his arms, unwilling to wait a second longer than he had to. He strode through the living room, taking in the cream couches, brown throw pillows, and pale pink curtains. He passed a reading nook with a tufted pink chair beside built-in bookshelves, which were filled to the gills. It was easy to picture Sophie curled up reading a Kurt Remington thriller.
Holy fuck.
Why was he picturing her anywhere other than on her knees sucking his cock?
He pushed the image of her reading away, then gave it an extra shove to make sure it stayed there as he entered her bedroom. Christ, the entire room was decorated in creams and pinks, with frills and a country flair. She was so different from the women he usually hooked up with, he got a pang of something in his chest, like he had the other night. He tried to escape that feeling with another kiss, but the more they kissed, the fuller his chest became. As their lips parted, he noticed a mirrored headboard.
Things just got more interesting.
He claimed her mouth again, more demanding this time. God, he loved kissing her. She gave each kiss everything she had, and it was hot as sin. She was still in his arms, and he followed the line of her legs down to her sexy high heels, carefully slipping them off. They dropped to the floor, earning a sultry smile as he toed off his shoes.
She clung to him as he stripped the blanket to the foot of the bed, and she kissed him hungrily as he lowered them both down to the mattress. When he touched his mouth to her neck, giving her warm, sweet flesh a good, hard suck, she made a greedy sound that shot straight to his groin.
“Kiss me again,” she pleaded. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long. I don’t want to rush through it.”
Holy fuck did he like knowing that. As their mouths came together, he forced himself to slow down. Women asked him to fuck them, to take them, but never to kiss them. Hearing those words from Sophie made his chest constrict. She moaned into his mouth, and he inhaled that sexy sound, wanting to fill himself up with her. He’d never been a big kisser, not when there were more pleasurable ways to spend his time, but he could kiss Sophie all night long and never tire of it. Her hands moved from his arms to his face. Her fingers were soft and warm, and when he drew back with the need to see her eyes, to see what she felt—another new desire—she grabbed him harder, refusing to let him break their connection, sending bolts of heat darting through him.
His hands skimmed down her sides as he rocked his hips, pressing his hard length against her center and earning another heady sound. He wanted to strip her bare and drive himself into her, but the longer they kissed, the softer her body became. All her lush curves molded to his hard frame, and it was heavenly. Her heart thundered against his chest, and the deeper he took the kiss, the more sensual her sounds became, until she was writhing and whimpering, her hands still on his face. Hearing those sinful sounds, feeling her intimate touch, took him higher, made him want to kiss her longer. He felt himself unraveling, disappearing into her very being.
When they finally came up for air, he buried his hands in her hair and kissed her again. Her eyes fluttered open, making her even more breathtakingly beautiful.
“Fuck, Soph. Your mouth is heaven and hell at once.”
A smile lifted her lips, and with a hand on the back of his neck, she pulled him down. “Kiss me again.”
The ache in her voice pierced his heart, and he took her in a long, slow kiss that wound through him, calming all the restless parts of him.
He traced the swell of her lower lip with his tongue.
“Oh God,” she said in a heated whisper. “Do that again.”
He slid his tongue along the bow of her upper lip, earning a dreamy sigh that was as erotic as it was sweet. He kissed the corner of her mouth, then slicked his tongue across her lower lip, fulfilling her wish. When he nipped at her jaw, she whimpered and trapped her lower lip between her teeth.
He lifted his gaze to hers, and she said, “I want to kiss you more, but I also don’t want you to stop what you’re doing.”
He lowered his forehead to her shoulder and chuckled. “How can you be the sexiest woman I know and the cutest?” He lifted his face, meeting her smiling eyes, unable to remember the last time he’d laughed when he’d been with a woman, or for that matter, the last time he’d said more than a few choice words during a sexual interlude.
Her cheeks pinked up, and she put her finger over his lips, her eyes morphing to pure seductress. “Less talky, more kissy.”
“Oh, I’ll give you more kissy, you little minx.”
He lavished her neck with openmouthed kisses and sank his teeth into her neck, sucking until she was writhing and clawing at his shoulders. He blazed a path across her breastbone, traveling south along the center of her chest. When he reached the fabric of her dress, he sealed his mouth over the exposed swell of her breast.
“Oh God. So good,” she panted out.
Her hips rose off the mattress, and he pressed his cock firmly between her legs, pinning her beneath him as he continued his oral exploration.
“You look gorgeous, baby, but this dress has to go before I tear it off with my teeth.”
He grabbed the neckline between his teeth and her eyes flamed.
“No. Don’t,” she said quickly.
He rose onto his knees as he lifted her dress over her head and tossed it onto a chair by the window, leaving her naked save for her black silk lingerie. He sat back on his heels, drinking in the sight of her. Her long brown hair hung sexily tousled over her shoulder on one side and over her breast on the other. He unbuttoned his shirt, holding her gaze as he took it off and dropped it to the floor. Her eyes moved heatedly down his chest and abs. Being fit was an added benefit of working out the rage that had consumed him after he’d lost his sister. He was solid muscle, and he was used to the appreciative looks it earned him, but seeing that look from Sophie made his chest feel full again.
She ran her fingers over the tattoos on his right upper arm and ribs. Her hand trailed across his chest, down his sternum, and traced the lines defining his abs. Her gaze was sultry and intent as she lifted her eyes to him and went up on her knees. She placed both hands on his cheeks and said, “I bet women go crazy over your body, but as much as I like it, it’s your face that holds me captive. The look in your eyes right now is so much sexier than all those muscles.”
Brett had thought himself impenetrable, but in the space of a few short seconds, Sophie blew through those defenses. His brain told him to annihilate her romantic thoughts by being a prick, but his heart stood in the way. His goddamn heart was taking her words and tucking them away. Fucking heart.
He didn’t know what to do with those new emotions, so he tried to avoid them. “Soph. Less talk, less clothes.” He unhooked her bra and slid it off her shoulders, freeing her gorgeous breasts.
Her cheeks flushed, and he cradled her face in his hands, smiling for the hundredth time since they’d come together. “By the time tonight’s over, you won’t have the energy to be embarrassed.”
He stepped from the bed, withdrew his wallet from his back pocket, and tossed it on the mattress. Sophie’s eyes remained trained on him as he stripped off his pants and socks. Her gaze dropped to his throbbing erection straining against his briefs. He stood proudly, taking pleasure in the widening of her eyes and her ragged inhalation.
As he lowered her to her back, she blinked nervously up at him. His heart took notice again, and he kissed her tenderly. “Don’t be nervous. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
“Oh, I want to,” she said heatedly. Then her gaze turned tentative. “But what will you do now that you’ve conquered me?” she asked innocently, and his heart took another unexpected hit.
“There is no conquering, Soph. Just two people enjoying each other.”
She touched his arm with a shaky hand. He felt like he’d waited a lifetime to be with her, and he knew he’d wait as long as she needed. Those new feelings scared the living hell out of him. He didn’t like feeling vulnerable, and while he’d thought he was just going to be scratching an itch with Sophie, he already knew she had the power to break him.
He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply, and within moments she was melting into him again, her hands traveling up his back.
“That’s it, baby. Be with me,” he said between kisses. Jesus, when did he become such a verbal lover? It was Sophie. He was unable to hold back a damn thing.
She kissed him harder, made more of those addicting sounds, and when he kissed a path to her ear and whispered, “I want to feast on you,” she dug her fingernails into his skin and rocked against his cock. Ah, Sexy Sophie likes dirty talk.
He tasted his way down her body, teasing over the swell of her breasts as he fondled them, earning more sinful moans. “Tell me what you like, Soph. Do you like my teeth?” He grazed his teeth along her tender breast, and she arched beneath him. “Or my tongue?” He dragged his tongue over her nipple, earning another whimper. “Or maybe you like both.” He cupped both hands around one breast and sealed his mouth over her nipple, sucking the tight bud against the roof of his mouth, then nipped at her skin.
“Oh God,” she panted out. “I like it all. I want it all.”
“That’s my girl.”
He licked and sucked and used his teeth, biting and nipping every inch of her flesh from her neck to her ribs, giving extra attention to the areas that caused her to cry out with pleasure, like the undersides of her breasts and the tender skin below her ribs. He palmed her breasts as he devoured her belly, thrusting his tongue into her belly button as he wanted to plunge it into her sweet center. She thrashed wildly as he kissed a path along each hip. Every taste made him ache for more. Every sexy sound she made sent his pulse skyrocketing. He knew she told him not to check in, but he couldn’t help himself. He was too caught up in her to trust his judgment and didn’t want to risk taking them anywhere she wasn’t ready to go.
He moved up her body and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him.
“Kiss me,” she whispered dreamily.
Hypnotized by her sweetness, he kissed her slowly and tenderly, passion escalating with every sweep of their tongues, unleashing years of pent-up desire. Their kisses turned messy and rough, and he forced himself to slow down again, kissing her deeper, longer than he’d ever kissed a woman. And then he continued kissing her, because he’d be a fool to move away from the most alluring mouth on the planet.
But there was only so much a man could take before he came undone, and if Brett didn’t have more of Sophie soon, he was going to lose his mind. He loved his way down her body again, cherishing each and every erogenous zone he’d already discovered, all the way to her promised land. He slid off her panties and kissed his way up her leg, caressing her and learning the curves of her body as he went. He loved her inner thighs and pressed a kiss to the neatly trimmed tuft of hair at the juncture of them, inhaling the sweet scent of her arousal. He was struck by the notion that he’d slowed down to kiss her, to smell her. Was it because he’d waited so long to have her? Because he actually felt like he’d been given a gift to be with her right now? Or was it something more? As those thoughts peppered him, he tried to push them away, to fit them into some recognizable form that made sense. But nothing about the way he felt with Sophie made sense, and as he brought his tongue to her glistening sex, taking his first taste of her, those thoughts fell away. There was only this moment. The sultry sounds slipping from her luscious lips, the rock of her hips as he pushed his fingers inside her and feasted on her at the same time.
“Brett,” she panted out, fisting her hands in the sheets. “Don’t stop, please—”
Like stopping was even an option until she came? Even then he wasn’t going to stop. He was only going to change positions to give her more of what they both wanted.
He intensified his efforts, seeking the spot that would make her lose control, and brought his mouth to her swollen cleft. He reached for her hand, surprising himself again with his need to feel closer to her as they crossed this magnificent bridge. She clung to him, her fingernails digging into his skin as he devoured her. She held her breath, and he worked over the magical spot quicker, sucked harder, until his name flew from her lips and she bucked against his mouth. He stayed with her, soaking in every pulse of her climax until she collapsed, spent, to the mattress. As she lay panting, he showered her inner thighs with kisses, earning several tiny gasps. He splayed his palms across her legs, spreading her wider, and kissed the sensitive area beside her sex before pleasuring her once again. When he felt her body trembling, her climax building, he slowed his efforts, teasing her until she whimpered and begged. Only then did he push his fingers inside her slick heat and send her soaring again. She cried out, buried her fingers in his hair. Seeing and feeling her in the throes of passion, panting out his name, was all too much. He needed more, and he needed it now. He stripped off his briefs and reached for his wallet.
Sophie’s eyes fluttered open, and she rolled onto her side, watching him tear the condom packet open with his teeth. Without a word, she wrapped her fingers around his cock, pulled him toward her, and took him in her mouth. Fireworks exploded in his chest as she sucked and stroked him with masterful precision. She cupped his balls, her gaze locked intently on his as she licked his shaft. She slicked her tongue around the broad head, fisted his cock tighter, and drove him out of his frigging mind. When she pulled him closer and used that talented tongue of hers on his balls, he almost lost it. She sucked one into her mouth, still stroking him with her hand, and his chin fell to his chest with an unstoppable groan.
A satisfied smile lifted her lips as she repositioned herself, sitting on the edge of the bed. She guided his cock into her mouth again, and he fisted his hands in her hair but allowed her to set the pace. She grabbed his ass, using it to direct him and take him deeper. Her mouth was wicked and hot, but it was her baby blues locked on him that did him in.
He grabbed the base of his cock, squeezing tight to stave off his orgasm as he pulled out of her mouth. Her brow furrowed.
“I want to come in your mouth, but not before I bury myself so deep inside you you’ll never forget what we feel like.”
Her eyes narrowed and she said, “Promise? Because if I only get one night with you, I want it all. I don’t want to be left wondering what anything might have been like.”
Damn, he liked hearing that. “You have my word,” he promised, and sheathed his cock.
She rose onto her knees looking sweet and sexy, and his heart stumbled again.
“Kiss on it?” she asked just above a whisper.
“I’ll kiss on it, fuck on it, do whatever you want on it.”
“Kiss.”
She pulled his mouth to hers, and they tumbled to the bed in a tangle of limbs and frantic kisses. Any hopes of taking it slow went out the window with her desperate sounds and that sinful mouth of hers driving him mad. He touched her everywhere at once, her breasts, her ass, her hair, as their bodies aligned. She was right there with him, clawing at his shoulders, his arms, and when the head of his cock pressed against her center, she grabbed his ass and broke the kiss. Her eyes flamed as he thrust his hips, burying himself to the hilt in one swift push.
She pressed her hands to the back of his hips. “Don’t move,” she pleaded. “Just let me feel you.”
Holy fuck. The way she said it, greedy and needful, like she’d waited her whole life for this moment, rattled him to his core. And hell if he didn’t feel exactly the same way. He only wished he could rid himself of the condom and feel all her warmth engulfing him. Remaining still was blissful torture. Her inner muscles squeezed his shaft, and the pressure became so exquisite, he was afraid he’d lose control.
“Gotta move,” he ground out.
His mouth came hungrily down over hers as they found their rhythm. Her legs hooked over his thighs, and he shifted them higher, taking her deeper. He groaned into their kiss with the pleasures of her tight heat and her needy sounds. Gone was the need to find his release, replaced with the desire to experience her for as long as he could. He slowed them down, running his hands along her hips and ribs, brushing the sides of her breasts. He wanted to know every curve, every erogenous area and tender spot by heart. He pushed his hands beneath her hips and lifted them up, pulsing his hips slowly, and broke their kiss so he could hear every sweet sound and see the pleasure simmering in her eyes.
“Don’t stop,” she begged, pulling his mouth toward hers again.
“I want to look at you,” he said, shocking himself for the hundredth time and earning a sheepish smile from her. “You are truly beautiful, Soph.” Stop-my-heart beautiful.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she said saucily, and smacked his butt.
He laughed at how quickly she went from bashful to sinful. “Damn, girl, you are an evil combination of sweet and so-fucking-hot-you-blow-me-away.”
“You stopped me from blowing yo—”
Her words were smothered by the urgent press of his lips. Electricity arced through him with the memory of her luscious lips around his cock and her tongue wreaking havoc with his balls. He pounded into her harder and lifted her hips higher as they ate at each other’s mouths. She dug her nails into his shoulders, crying out into their kiss as she shattered around him. Her sex pulsed so tight, so perfect, he grunted out her name as she coaxed the come right out of him in an earth-shattering release.
Her legs dropped to the mattress, and he cradled her beneath him, both of them panting. Their bodies were covered in a sheen of sweat, and he was still buried deep inside her, experiencing every aftershock as it rattled through her.
He didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to break their connection.
Her eyes fluttered open, soft and sated, with so much emotion swimming in them, the pit of his stomach dipped.
“More kisses,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed again.
Their mouths came together slowly and sweetly, and all those noises she’d made turned into sleepy, spent sighs that made his insides melt. She was warm and soft as she nestled into the lines of his body. He didn’t know how long he lay there soaking in her sleepy kisses and enjoying the feel of her safely cocooned in his arms, but it was long enough for him to note those things, which was too long.
He got up to take care of the condom, and when he came out of the bathroom he picked up his briefs, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirrored headboard. He’d thought those mirrors would come into play during their interlude, but he’d been so entranced by Sophie, he’d forgotten all about them. Until now, as he put on his briefs and mentally prepared his exit speech.
He wasn’t sure he liked what he saw, and he definitely didn’t like the idea of an exit anything with Sophie. He swallowed against the truth of the man he’d become, or the man he always had been, feeling remorse about it for the first time in his life.
Sophie rolled onto her back, resting her arm across her forehead. She looked beautiful, with her eyes at half-mast and her hair a tousled mess from his hands. She made no move to cover herself up, and somewhere in his mind he cataloged that with satisfaction.
“Stay?” she asked sleepily.
“That’s not a good idea,” he answered tightly. Like his father, Brett had turned into a bitter, angry guy after Lorelei died. It wasn’t until he was older and poured that rage into working out that he learned to rein in his temper. Even still, unresolved anger lingered just below the surface, making him agitated and restless. That agitation hit him hardest in the mornings, and the only way for him to get through the day was to run or work out hard enough to settle his ghosts. As a rule, he never spent the night with women, but even if he did, he wanted to keep those morning hauntings away from Sophie.
The slightest frown curved her lips. “Then just hold me until I fall asleep?”
She lifted her hand in the sweetest invitation he’d ever been offered. He knew it was a bad idea, but as he stood beside the bed watching the woman he’d pursued for longer than he’d wanted anything in his life, how could he not accept it? He climbed into bed and gathered her in his arms.
As he drew the covers over them, he told himself the ache he felt at the thought of leaving meant nothing, that the warmth spreading through him was meaningless. But Brett had told Sophie the truth when he said he didn’t lie, and he couldn’t pull it off, even to himself.
She rested her fingers on his cheek and murmured, “You lied to me.”
He froze, wondering what she could possibly mean. He couldn’t remember ever lying to her. “I’d never lie to you.” He respected Sophie and genuinely liked who she was and how she treated people. He’d never risk hurting her.
She sighed again and snuggled in closer. “You said you’d give me everything, and then you wore me out so you didn’t have to.”
“So I didn’t have to?” He tipped up her chin and pressed his lips to hers. “You can’t really believe that. I’m ready to go again if you are.”
“Too tired,” she said with a yawn. “You owe me another night.”
In his heart he knew one night with Sophie would never be enough, but he also knew he wasn’t the white-picket-fence kind of guy Sophie wanted and deserved.
As he lay battling emotions he didn’t want to feel, Sophie dozed off.
A short while later he made his silent escape.