Priceless

by Linda Kage

  There, that set things straight.

  Or so I thought.

  “No,” he boomed right back. “You’re fucking avoiding me. You have never avoided me before. That’s different. Things are changing.”

  “Oh my God, you’re such a pain in the ass.” Why, oh why, couldn’t he have just dropped it? “If you want to see me that bad, then come over and see me already. Jesus Christ.”

  “Fine,” he said. “Be there in ten.”

  I snorted. “Why not make it five, you clingy son of a bitch.”

  “In that case, I’m already outside your window. Open up.”

  I glanced out my window, only to gasp. “Oh my God.”

  He waved at me before stuffing his phone in his pocket. He’d been there the whole time and seen me almost not answer his call. Our entire conversation had been a trap to prove I really had been avoiding him. That kind of irritated me, but mostly because I’d failed his test.

  I jerked up the window. “Really?”

  He didn’t respond, too busy climbing inside. Once the window was shut, he turned, took me in from head to toe, then drew in a deep breath.

  “Let me just get one thing perfectly clear,” he said, holding up a stern finger in reprimand.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and arched my eyebrows, ready to meet his scolding with full-on sass. “Oh? And what’s that?”

  Grabbing a handful of the front of my shirt, he yanked me against him until our mouths crashed together. His tongue roughly sought entrance, wrapping around mine and effectively sucking every thought I’d ever had straight from my brain before he released me and pushed away again, breathing hard.

  I blinked, swaying from the quick, powerful assault. Then I pressed my hand to the side of my still-spinning head before yelping, “What the hell?”

  “I’m sorry,” he growled, eyes flashing with anger...but mostly with heat. “Maybe you didn’t hear me clear enough.”

  And he kissed me again. Just as hard, just as intensely, but maybe a little longer this time.

  When he pulled away slowly, I licked my lips, relishing the taste of him on my tongue. Then I drew in a breath, trying to recover from the punch of arousal he’d ignited.

  “Okay, maybe you should say that one more time,” I was finally able to utter. “Just so I’m perfectly clear I understand what you mean.”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.” This time, the kiss was softer, infinitely longer, and so much hotter. He cupped my face in his hands and coaxed my lips apart before dipping his tongue inside and caressing me from the inside.

  “Did you get all that?” he asked between kisses, working his way from my lips and along my jaw to ease down the side of my throat with featherlike kisses that made my stomach cramp with need.

  Then his fingers crept up the inside of my shirt before he pushed aside the cup of my bra and palmed my breasts that felt suddenly heavy and sensitive.

  My head fell back as I moaned, wanting more.

  But he said, “Sarah? I asked you a question.”

  “What question?” I slurred, reaching for his shoulder, only for him to pull my hand off him and pin my arm against my side while he tortured my nipple over and over between his thumb and pointer finger.

  “You, me, together,” he said, his teeth nipping at my earlobe. “Permanently, being as clingy and possessive, jealous, space-invading boyfriend and girlfriend as we want, because this is happening. We are so fucking happening together. Whether you like it or not, you’re mine...just as I’ve been yours for years. So...do you got all that?”

  I drew in a breath, stunned to hear such promises. It was more than I could take.

  But he’d been mine for years?

  I just...I couldn’t...I loved hearing it as much as it scared the crap out of me.

  One thing was for certain, though. There was no fighting it. No matter how crappy and low I’d let myself feel all week, convincing myself we were wrong together, all it took was five seconds with him, and all that self-doubt shattered.

  Brandt wanted me for real. I was so getting in on that action.

  “Y... yes,” I gasped, aching to touch him the way he was touching me. “I got it.”

  “Good.” He dragged off my shirt before he removed his own. “We’ll finish this discussion later. But right now...it’s been five of the most agonizingly long days since I’ve been inside you.”

  Suddenly feeling like the impatient brat he was already being, I tilted my head back again, allowing him to continue.

  “Proceed then.”

  He chuckled. “As you wish, my goddess.”

  He peeled down the front of my bra, and I gasped when his mouth latched on to me. I wanted to bury my fingers in his hair and clutch his head for dear life, but I settled for gripping handfuls of the blankets under me.

  Unfortunately, neither of us heard my bedroom door open until Reese said, “Hey, Sarah. Do you think you could— Oh my God!”

  Brandt and I jerked apart to find my wide-eyed sister-in-law standing just outside my room with Gracen on her hip.

  As I slapped my hands over my exposed boobies, Brandt scrambled for his own shirt.

  “I, uh...sorry!” She rushed in reverse from the room, hiding her son’s eyes with her hand before she slammed the door closed.

  “Holy shit,” Brandt whispered, glancing at me with wide eyes just I heard Mason from the other side of the door say, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing!” Reese was quick to answer. “Nothing, I just...um... Let’s go to the kitchen. I’m hungry. Are you hungry?”

  “Jesus, she’s an awful liar.” Brandt snickered, and before I knew it, we were both laughing and blushing and hiding our red faces in each other’s necks.

  “I have to say that’s never happened to me before,” he said as he tugged his shirt on.

  “Me neither,” I agreed before grinning. “Obviously.”

  He grinned back. “So, I guess we’d better go out there and, uh, set the record straight before she ends up telling Mason, huh?”

  I looked at him as if he were insane. “What do you mean...set the record straight?”

  “Sarah.” His eyes widened meaningfully. “Your brother’s going to find out eventually. It might as well be from us.”

  “What?” Oh hell no. He wasn’t seriously suggesting I tell my brother I was no longer a virgin, was he?

  But he just kept staring at me with that look and I realized...

  Crap, he was.

  He hopped off my bed to roll my wheelchair to the edge of the mattress where I was sitting.

  “You don’t have to come with me,” I mumbled, realizing, yeah, I should probably be the one to tell Mason, instead of letting him find out through Reese.

  “Like hell,” he growled. “You and I are in this together. If he has to find out, he finds out from both of us.”

  In that moment, I realized how very lucky I was. Not many men would be willing to stand up to a woman’s brother with her. Anyone else probably would’ve let me deal with this by myself.

  Secretly glad I’d been with Brandt when this happened, and no one else, I nodded up at him with trusting eyes.

  He nodded back. When he opened the door for me and sent me a reassuring smile, I rolled into the hallway and heard him follow behind.

  We entered the kitchen seconds later to find Mason sitting at the table with Isabella on one knee and Gracen on the other while Reese grabbed a carton of ice cream from the freezer and carried it to a counter where four empty bowls sat.

  “Babe, I told you I’m not hungry. You don’t have to make me a—”

  He glanced over when we entered, and his voice died when he saw who was standing behind me.

  “Hey, Brandt.” He frowned, obviously confused. “I didn’t know you were here. I didn’t hear anyone at the door this evening.”

  Brandt cleared his throat as he moved out from behind my wheelchair to stop at my side. “I didn’t come in through the door.” Calmly he reached down to take my han
d. “I climbed in through Sarah’s bedroom window.”

  I choked on my surprise, unable to believe he was admitting that.

  All the while, Mason zeroed his attention down to where Brandt was holding my hand. When he looked up, he was scowling suspiciously.” Her bedroom window,” he echoed.

  When Brandt nodded, Mason narrowed his eyes. “Have you done that a lot?”

  “Only a couple times,” Brandt answered. “A week...for the past seven years.”

  “Oh my God,” I whispered, closing my eyes and slapping my hand over my face. “You really plan on telling him every single detail, don’t you?”

  “Tell me?” Mason repeated, glancing between me and Brandt. “Tell me what?”

  “Well...” Brandt blew out a long, slow breath. “Recently, like five days ago—”

  “Oh my God,” I squeaked. He was even going to confess what DAY it happened?

  Brandt’s fingers tightened reassuringly around mine as he continued, “Sarah and I decided to change...the status of our relationship.”

  Mason only wrinkled his brow as if he had no idea what that meant. “The status of your relationship?”

  “Honey, you’re repeating everything he says,” Reese murmured.

  Her husband swerved his attention to her with a wide-eyed look. “What?”

  Without responding to him, she clasped her hands together to her chest and grinned at me, then Brandt. “I for one am very happy for you two. I mean, Brandt...I couldn’t have chosen a better man for our Sarah.”

  Mason zipped his gaze between me and Brandt, waiting for an explanation or more likely for one of us to say we were only joking.

  “She’s an adult now, Mason,” Brandt said. “She makes her own adult decisions. And you know I love her, and respect her and would give my life to protect her. Please do not tell me you have a problem with this.”

  For a moment, Mason appeared to be too stunned to speak. Then he blew out a breath and lifted his hand to rub the center of his forehead. “I just...I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting this. You two have always been close, but you’ve never...I’m just really shocked.” Then he met Brandt’s gaze and asked, “You’re with her exclusively, right?”

  Next to me, Brandt bristled. His eyes went hard as all his muscles tensed. I found myself squeezing his hand in the hopes of calming him. But he still sounded pissed as he gritted out, “I can’t believe you seriously thought you had to ask me that.”

  Mason let both Isabella and Gracen slide off his lap. As they scampered into their own chairs to eat their ice cream, my brother rose to his feet. Reese skipped to his side and took his hand as if she too felt the need to calm her man.

  “You have to admit,” he said, “you’re not exactly known for being a one-woman kind of guy.”

  “That was before Sarah,” Brandt said, making my heart nearly leap out of my chest. I looked up at him, sure I was going to wake any second.

  He looked down, catching my eye, and his gaze was so somber, I wondered if maybe he was sad because he’d just then realized he’d given up all other women to be with me. But then his face lit with a smile, and there was so much joy and pride in his eyes, I think I died a little from the overwhelming bliss that seized me.

  “Well...” Mason cleared his throat, tearing Brandt’s gaze from me. “Not that we all didn’t see this coming for years, but...Jesus, way to spring it on me out of the blue.” He shook his head and sighed. “But all right. I guess I’ll be happy for you two.”

  I couldn’t help it. An elated little squeal of relief left my lungs. With a laugh, Brandt swooped down and scooped me into his arms. Then he dragged me out of the chair to spin me in a circle. If my legs could’ve managed such a coordinated move, I would’ve wrapped them around his waist and given him a full body hug, but he didn’t seem disappointed that I couldn’t. His mouth crashed against mine, and we laughed against each other’s lips...until Mason cleared his throat.

  “Just don’t break her heart,” he warned. “Or I’ll break you.”

  “Deal.” Brandt gently set me back in my chair just as my brother added, “And no sex in my house.”

  Brandt’s smile died. He lifted his head to frown at Mason.

  Mason shrugged, totally non-repentant. “She’s still my little sister. And I have impressionable two-year-olds running around.”

  “Fine,” Brandt mumbled. After easing me back into my chair, he straightened only to announce, “We’re going to go rent a hotel room for the night.”

  “Yeah, I don’t even think so,” Mason growled. “You can’t just dump this on me and then sweep her away for...for that.” He shuddered at the very idea. “Go home and come back some other night for a proper date.”

  “We’ve already been on a date,” Brandt started, only for my brother to lift his hand, stopping him.

  “Then take her on another date. And no more sneaking in through her window either.”

  “Oh, come on, man. We’re not hurting anything by—”

  When Mason lifted his eyebrows warningly, Brandt shut up, huffing out a disgruntled breath. “Whatever.” He turned to me to give me a reluctant goodbye, only to whisper in my ear, “Twenty minutes. Phone sex.”

  I giggled, making Mason narrow his eyes. Brandt ignored him, ruffling the hair of each twin before stamping a goodbye kiss to Reese’s cheek, then he saluted Mason and said, “Warden,” as he strolled from the kitchen and out of my house.

  Even though he’d been forced to leave, I couldn’t stop grinning. “Thank you for taking that...as well as you did,” I told my brother.

  He sighed. “What could I really do? You are twenty-two. And he’s the only guy I know I can trust with you, so...as long as you’re happy...”

  “I am.”

  With a nod, his expression softened into a proud smile. “Then I’m happy for you.”

  BRANDT

  So being cock-blocked by big brother sucked ass, but I liked everything being out in the open now. I liked being certain that Sarah and I were together. Because the entire week before that had scared the bejesus out of me.

  I’d left her place Monday morning, feeling better than I’d ever felt, happier, more secure, just...yeah. Life had been perfect...until I’d realized she was avoiding me. And then everything slid downhill from there.

  But after last night...last night when I’d finally been able to confront her and set some hard limits between us, I felt better again.

  I announced to my family that Sarah and I were together on Saturday morning, and I expected a lot bigger of a response than I got.

  “Well, of course you are, dear,” Aspen said, patting my hand with an indulgent smile.

  Noel frowned and shook his head. “I’m confused. You’re saying you two weren’t together before?”

  I sighed and ground my teeth. “Well, it’s official now. And exclusive,” I felt the need to add since Mason had brought it up.

  “And it’s about damn time,” Colton spoke up, meeting my gaze with some reservation. “I’m happy for you.”

  Glancing away, I nodded. “Yeah.”

  Honestly, it was strange to look any of them in the eye these days. Things had become weird. They treated me as if I was...breakable. I hated that they knew now, and yet these days I was more certain than ever that they loved me no matter what. I just wished we could all relax around each other again. Nothing had gotten stilted and weird between Sarah and me because of it; why did it have to with my family?

  I guess that was why Sarah was so important to me.

  Even though I wished I could’ve taken her on that second date Saturday evening, I had to work again.

  It was karaoke night at Forbidden. Bleh.

  But I got to work it with Knox and some other dude who halfway picked up after himself. I was glad I didn’t have to work with Julianna.

  She’d stopped asking me about making up our date, so I was pretty sure she’d gotten the hint that it was never going to happen. But a part of me still tensed around her,
worried she’d ask again and we’d have to have that talk. Those talks sucked ass, so I usually tried to play our drink-mixing game with her when we worked together to distract her from going there.

  I know, I was a fucking coward. But I did like her, which was why I wanted to avoid telling her I didn’t like her in that way.

  Happy I didn’t have to worry about any of that tonight, I served a couple college girls I swore I had a class with some margaritas. As they were paying, some guy called my name. I glanced up to find Asher carrying his wife Remy piggyback toward the bar.

  “Brandt! How’s it going, man?”

  I grinned at the couple as Asher slid Remy off his back to let her sit on a barstool. “Hey, guys. What’re you doing here tonight?”

  “My lady felt like singing, so we’re going to get in on a little karaoke action.” Asher looped an arm around Remy’s neck so he could kiss her cheek.

  She kissed his cheek right back before offering me a fist bump. “Hey, Bo Bo. Hope your ears are ready for us to sing the house down.”

  I shook my head as I knocked my knuckles against hers. “You two crack me up. You’re freaking rock stars and you still come here to sing karaoke? Man...you could charge for that shit, you know?”

  Grinning, Asher merely shook his head. “Nah. We’re just having fun. Besides—” He glanced at Remy and shared a meaningful gaze with her. “It’s kind of our thing.”

  Damn it. Watching them do that made me miss Sarah.

  “Well, hog as much mike time as you can,” I ordered. “So I don’t have to listen to any sucky tone-deaf amateur drunks.”

  “We’ll see what we can do.”

  After they begged a couple bottles of Angry Orchard from me, they drifted away into the crowd, heading toward the stage.

  Business grew busy for a couple minutes, until I turned to the next customer, only to see my boss Pick waiting for my attention.

  “What’re you doing here?” I asked, blinking in surprise. “Thought you were on paternity leave with the new baby.”