Web of Lies: A Brook Brothers Novel

by Delaney, Tracie

  “Such a revelation,” he murmured, briefly touching her lips with his. “Dex Nolan. My perfect woman.”

  His perfect woman? A lightness spread through her chest, and she wanted to fist pump the air and shout “Yes!” But that would not be cool. Instead, she pretended to faint.

  “Nate Brook, giving out compliments.”

  “Grab ’em while you can,” he said, unfastening the buttons on his shirt. His eyes never left hers as he shucked it from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

  Her gaze inched lower, over his firm chest, the hard ridges of his abdomen, the thin line of hair disappearing behind the waistband of his jeans.

  Nate groaned. “Don’t look at me like that, otherwise this will be over quicker than either of us want.”

  She flicked her tongue out to wet her lips, eliciting another groan from him. He gripped the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head. Her bra went next, then her jeans were peeled down her legs. She kicked off her sneakers so he could remove her jeans completely.

  “Get on the bed,” he ordered.

  She didn’t hesitate. She loved it when Nate bossed her around—at least in the bedroom. If he tried laying attitude on her outside, he’d find his balls in a vise, but in here, where it was just the two of them, she was more than happy to cede control.

  “Open your legs.”

  She complied, but he shook his head. “Wider. Yep, just like that.”

  He slipped off his shoes, and his jeans followed. She swallowed at the sight of his thick erection through his boxers. He crawled on to the bed and lay on his side, his hand propping up his head. His eyes were firmly fixed on the apex to her thighs. He tongued his top teeth. “Pull your panties to one side.”

  Unlike the previous time Nate had asked her to do this, this time, Dex didn’t hesitate. During the last few weeks, trust had developed between them, and now she knew that by pleasing him, she would ultimately please herself.

  “Touch yourself.”

  Oh, this was a step up. She’d masturbated several times thinking of Nate, but never when he’d been present. Her hand crept toward her core, and she glided her middle finger over her folds. Nate remained completely still, his eyes following every move of her hand. Dex touched her clit, the bundle of nerves already so sensitive that her legs writhed of their own accord. Nate sat up and gripped both ankles, holding her thighs apart.

  “Make yourself come.”

  Beset with embarrassment, she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Masturbating herself to climax in the privacy of her own room back home was one thing. To do that with Nate’s ice-blue, unwavering gaze on her was quite another.

  “I-I don’t know if I can. Not with you watching. Not with your family on the other side of that door.”

  His lips curved to the side in a crooked smile. “Forget my family. Close your eyes if it makes it easier.”

  “Why do you want me to do it, rather than you doing it?”

  “Because it’s fucking sexy. It turns me on. Big time.”

  When she chewed uncertainly on her lip, Nate moved between her legs and kissed her.

  A few seconds later, he drew back. “How about I join in?”

  Her eyes widened as his meaning became clear. The thought of Nate stroking himself while she did the same… oh yeah. Now she understood why he might find it a turn-on to watch her.

  She tilted her head in affirmation, and he stood and removed his boxers. His erection bobbed as he climbed back onto the bed. She expected him to lie beside her. Instead, he kneeled up, between her thighs. She wouldn’t be able to close them now, even if she wanted to. Which she didn’t.

  He wrapped his hand around his shaft and moved it in slow, leisurely strokes, but his eyes were on her rather than him. She followed his lead, touching, pinching, rubbing in faster and faster circles. Lost in the moment, she inserted two fingers inside, eliciting a long moan from Nate.

  “Jesus, Titch.” He caught her wrist and sucked on her fingers.

  Dex gasped at the surprise move, and then she giggled. “You’re a bad man, Nate Brook.”

  He gave her a lecherous grin, all the while moving his hand faster and faster. “You fucking love it.”

  I love you.

  The thought came out of left field, and, like a shovel to the side of her skull, it knocked her sideways. She didn’t love Nate. She was in an emotional state, that was all. He was introducing her to a side of herself she hadn’t known existed, and she was feeling extra sensitive. She liked him. She was glad they’d met. She was grateful he was helping her with Mom. But love?

  “I’m close,” he groaned out, sweat gathering on his top lip.

  Dex dragged herself back to the here and now and filed away the little nugget her subconscious chose to reveal for another, more appropriate time. With her eyes fixed on Nate, magnificent in his aroused state, she moved her fingers faster against her clit, brushing her other hand over her erect nipples. Heat grew in her belly as she built to the inevitable climax.

  “I want to come on your tits. Tell me now if you’d rather I didn’t.”

  At his admission, her orgasm broke. “Come wherever you like,” she moaned, her head rolling back against the pillows. She meant every word.

  “Fuck.”

  She opened her eyes in time to see Nate’s seed spill over her chest. Hot spurts of warm, slippery cum dripped between her breasts. She thought she’d be grossed out. She wasn’t. In fact, it turned her on so much, she’d definitely be revisiting this particular fantasy. His abs twitched and clenched as he emptied himself. God, he was beautiful.

  He grinned down at her, still semi-hard. She raised herself and licked the moisture off his tip. His cock jerked in approval.

  “You’re a fucking revelation, Titch,” he said, bending down for a quick kiss. “Don’t move. I’ll get a cloth and clean you up.”

  He disappeared into the bathroom. Dex couldn’t resist a quick taste. She dipped her pinkie into the liquid pooled on her boobs and sucked it off. She grinned to herself. It’d be her little secret.

  Nate returned a few seconds later with a facecloth. God bless him, he’d dipped it in warm water. Thoughtful Nate was also a revelation. He cleaned her up, returned the cloth to the bathroom, and joined her on the bed.

  “Pass me those condoms, Titch. It’s going to be a long, hard night.”

  Chapter 16

  Dex snuggled into Nate’s side as the early morning sun rose over Manhattan, bathing his bedroom in light. He stirred and rolled over, tucking his arms around her.

  “Morning,” he murmured against her ear, sending a shiver of desire down her spine, despite the fact they’d stayed up half the night exploring each other intimately.

  “What are we going to do today?” Dex asked.

  “Fuck,” Nate replied lazily. Dex nudged him in the ribs, drawing a loud groan. “Ow.”

  “Be serious,” she said.

  He rubbed the offending area. “I was.”

  Dex raised her eyes heavenward. “We’re guests here. We can’t spend all day in bed. Plus, I want to see New York.”

  “We’re not guests. I’m a twenty-five percent owner, so if we want to spend all day in bed, we can. However,” he added when she opened her mouth to interrupt, “there are some things I want to show you today that don’t involve the area below my waist.”

  She couldn’t help laughing. “You are so bad.”

  He tickled her until she squealed and tried to scramble away, but Nate soon had her pinned to the bed, both her wrists clamped in one of his large hands, leaving his other hand free to roam.

  “I’m very, very bad, Titch. You don’t know the half of it.”

  He nuzzled between her breasts, and she involuntarily arched into him. And then, as quickly as she’d found herself imprisoned by his lean, firm body, he released her.

  “Let’s shower.”

  He wandered into the bathroom, and seconds later, the sound of flowing water reached her. She eased herself out of be
d and stretched, her body stiff and sore. In a few short weeks, she’d turned into a goddamn nymphomaniac. She couldn’t get enough.

  I love you.

  Last night she’d managed to thrust the thought aside, but here it was again, crashing into her. She’d never been in love, so how could she possibly know whether the feelings she had for Nate were love or some misplaced infatuation with a man who made her body hum with a pleasure so addictive, she wasn’t sure she could survive without it?

  She’d ended up in bed with him too fast, but she knew herself well enough to recognize her feelings as deeper than purely physical. She loved spending time with him. She craved his smile, would do just about anything to make him laugh. When he was happy, she was ecstatic. He was her anchor in the middle of the stormy sea of life, and she’d do anything to cling on, to never let go.

  She wandered over to the window and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Nate wasn’t ready for this. Hell, she wasn’t ready. To fall in love with anyone was scary enough, but an actor, a man expert in playing a part… the road ahead would be paved with pain if she wasn’t careful.

  Was Nate even capable of such deep feelings? If he couldn’t embrace the love of his brothers when they so obviously adored him, what chance would she have of putting a dent in his armor?

  But she couldn’t pull away now. She was in too deep. She’d have to try to protect herself and focus on having fun along the way. Whatever happened, happened.

  “Titch, get in here.”

  Pushing aside the deep thoughts, she obeyed his instruction. The bathroom was filled with steam, and Nate stood, shoulder braced against the glass door as he waited for her. He opened it and gestured for her to go ahead, then followed.

  She stepped underneath the spray and wet her hair, but when she reached for the shampoo, Nate took it from her. He squeezed a dollop in the palm of his hand and rubbed it in her hair. God, it felt good as he massaged the soapy suds into her scalp. She let out a shallow moan of appreciation, drawing a hiss from him.

  “How do you manage to make every little whimper sound so goddamn sexy, Titch?”

  He dug his fingertips in harder, and she moaned again. “How did you learn to wash hair so good?”

  He chuckled. “Tip your head back.”

  She did as he’d asked. He washed out the soap until the water ran clear. Reaching for the shampoo again, he passed it to her. “Your turn.”

  She squeezed the bottle. “You’ll have to bend forward. I’m never going to reach.”

  She expected him to lower his head, but instead, he lifted her and hooked her legs over his hips, bringing them eye to eye, his hands cradling her ass. “Now you can reach.”

  She laughed and began to wash his hair. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

  “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

  Not true. I’ll have you any way I can get you.

  They finished their shower. Nate passed her a huge towel that she wrapped herself in, taking another one to swaddle around her head. He dried off and strolled, fully naked—and fully erect—into the bedroom. She’d expected him to want sex in the shower, but one thing she was learning about Nate was that he often did the complete opposite of what she thought he’d do.

  “There’s a hairdryer underneath the sink in the bathroom if you need it,” Nate called through.

  She joined him in the bedroom. “No wonder you can travel so light. Half your stuff is here.”

  He heaved her suitcase onto the bed, making a big production of its weight. “And you brought half your belongings with you.”

  She nudged him out of the way and opened it. “A girl never knows what she’ll need.”

  Nate peered over her shoulder as she started to unpack. Like a hawk, he pounced on her best set of underwear, a navy-blue lacy number that left very little to the imagination. It had been a birthday gift from Elva a couple of years ago, but Dex had never found a reason to wear it. She’d hummed and hawed about whether to pack it, but in the end, had thrown it in.

  He dangled it in the air. “Oh, Titch, here’s an outfit you’ll definitely be needing. In fact, you could have just packed this and nothing else.”

  She snatched it from his grasp and stuffed it into the nightstand drawer, her face burning. “Get dressed.”

  He laughed and ambled over to the dresser. She gawked at his firm, muscled ass, and when he turned around unexpectedly and caught her peeking, her skin colored up once more. She grabbed her own hairdryer—she was fussy like that—and her curling iron, and scuttled back to the bathroom with Nate’s chuckles ringing in her ears.

  It took thirty minutes to dry her hair, and a further fifteen to add a few waves. When she returned to the bedroom, Nate was nowhere to be seen. She quickly dressed in jeans and a top and shoved her feet into her sneakers. If they were going to be doing a lot of walking around, she’d need comfortable footwear.

  She tentatively opened the door and peeked into the living room, only to find it empty. She’d expected it to be full of people, like last night. The smell of coffee reached her, and she tiptoed over to the kitchen to find a pot already brewed. After opening several cabinets—and feeling more than a little audacious—she found a stack of mugs. She poured a coffee, added a dash of cream, and wandered into the living area. She set her coffee on the table and plunked down on the sofa. A few magazines were haphazardly strewn over the low-level table. She picked one up and flicked through, but it didn’t hold her attention.

  Where the hell was Nate?

  “Oh, you’re up. Sleep well?”

  Dex turned her head to see she’d been joined by Indie. “Um, yeah.” She held up her mug of java. “Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not. Make yourself at home. Do you want some breakfast?” Indie grabbed a pan and put it on the stove. “I’m making an omelet if you’d like one.”

  “I’m okay, thanks.” She scrambled to her feet. “Have you seen Nate?”

  Indie nodded. “He’s upstairs talking to Jax. Asked me to come down and check on you.”

  “Oh.”

  “He’ll be down shortly.” She cracked an egg into a bowl. “Are you sure I can’t make you something?”

  “I’m good.” Dex wandered over to the breakfast bar and slipped onto a stool. “I’m surprised you’re not rushing around like crazy, especially with the wedding being tomorrow and all.”

  Indie smiled. “Luckily, I’m a pretty organized person. It’s all done.”

  “Thanks for letting me share your special day.”

  Indie patted her hand. “I’m glad you’re here. Any friend of Nate’s is always welcome.”

  Dex leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her hands. “How long have you known Nate?”

  Indie briefly looked up. “Four years, give or take.”

  “What’s he like?”

  At that, Indie put the bowl down and fully focused her attention on Dex. “You tell me,” she said, quirking an eyebrow. “You’re the one sleeping with him.”

  Dex blushed, but then she noticed Indie’s teasing expression and laughed. “Doesn’t mean I know a single thing about him.”

  Indie nodded. “True.” She sighed, considering Dex’s question. “Out of all of Jax’s brothers, Nate is the one I know the least, and the one I’m not at all close to.”

  Dex tilted her head. “Why’s that?”

  “Partly because he lives on the other side of the country, but I think it’s more to do with Nate himself. He’s… difficult to get to know. You saw him last night. Not even his brothers can get much from him, and Jax virtually raised him.”

  Dex nodded. “I told him off for how rude he was when we arrived.”

  Indie raised an eyebrow. “You did? Brave girl.”

  “He took it well,” she said, irony lacing her voice.

  Indie laughed. “I can imagine.”

  Dex paused, wondering whether she should push harder. Whether Indie had an insight into why he hated coming to New York so m
uch. Oh, what the hell. In for a penny and all that.

  “Why does Nate hate being here so much?”

  Indie came to sit beside her. “I don’t know. Over the last four years, I can count on one hand how many times he’s visited, and whenever Jax has suggested we go to visit him, Nate always has an excuse.”

  Dex shook her head. “I don’t understand it. If you were all horrible, then yeah, I’d get it.”

  “Have you asked him?”

  “Oh yeah,” she said. “He either responds with brooding silence or a snippy comeback.”

  “I wish I had some insight.” She sipped some coffee. “I’ll tell you one thing, though. He’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”

  Dex frowned. “What makes you say that?”

  “His smile.” When Dex’s frown deepened, Indie elaborated. “I find Nate a little intimidating if I’m honest. I remember when I first met Jax, something made me want to give Nate a wide berth. But upstairs just now, I saw him smile three times. Three. In the space of ten minutes. I don’t think I’ve seen him smile that much in four years. Whatever you’re doing, I say keep doing it.”

  A shot of warmth rushed through Dex. Could she be making a difference in Nate’s life? He certainly laughed with her. A lot. Yet from Indie’s experience, laughter was a rarity. She flashed a quick grin. “I’ll try.”

  “Okay, food.” Indie went back to cracking eggs. “Last chance. Sure I can’t tempt you?”

  “I’m taking her out for breakfast.”

  Dex twisted around to see Nate sauntering casually across the living room. Like a clichéd heroine in a chick-lit movie, her breath caught in her throat, and her heart sped up. His hair was still partially damp from their earlier shower, and the black button-down shirt he’d paired with jeans showed off his muscled physique to perfection.

  He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Shall we go?”

  “Sure.”

  “Enjoy, kiddy-kins. Be good,” Indie said with a grin.

  “Very fucking funny,” Nate said, although his lips tugged upward with a hint of a smile as he caught Dex’s hand in his.