Brother's Best Friend (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Katy Kaylee

  He knelt on the couch between my thighs. “Be sure, honey.”

  “Jake, just fuck me.”

  He yanked my hips to him until his dick was pressing against my pussy. I rocked my hips, needing him inside me. He pressed the head of his cock inside and I arched my body as pleasure radiated from my vagina outward.

  “More, Jake…God I need more.”

  He growled as he withdrew and pushed in again. Each time, he slipped in further until finally he was filling my body. It was like he was everywhere.

  He leaned over and pinched my nipples as he rocked against me. “You like that, Sof?”

  “Yes. More, Jake…more…”

  He felt so good as he moved inside me. He picked up the pace, moving faster, each thrust a little harder.

  A slow growl grew from his chest. “Ah fuck, I’m going to come.”

  I tried to open my eyes to watch him, wanting to see his face when pleasure overtook him.

  “Come on me Sof…I need to feel you come.” His thumb pressed against my clit and it was like my whole world exploded in a hot white light.

  I cried out as my orgasm crashed through me and radiated out to every nerve ending. My entire body convulsed and writhed and rocked.

  “Yes, fuck yes…I’m coming,” His fingers gripped my hips as he bucked and plunged until he threw his head back and let out a long feral, “Fuuuuuuccccckkk.”

  He collapsed on me. A little stunned, I held on to him.

  In the moment, all I’d wanted was him. His touch. His taste. His cock sliding in my body. But now, I realized how this changed everything. Now I’d have to get a divorce when this business marriage was over. Annulment was off the table.

  It was a few minutes before his breathing settled. He lifted his head. “You okay, Sof?”

  I nodded.

  “Don’t shit me, Sof. Are you okay?”

  “Yes. I just… Now we can’t get an annulment.”

  He closed his eyes and moved off of me. “Let me get rid of the rubber.”

  I nodded as he headed back to the bathroom. When he came back, he had two robes. He handed me one and put the other one on.

  He sat next to me on the couch but didn’t touch me. I had a sense of déjà vu and wondered how I’d let myself get in this situation again.

  “About the annulment. We probably wouldn’t have been able to get that anyway.”

  I jerked my head to him. “What?”

  “Not consummating a marriage doesn’t automatically allow for an annulment.”

  I jumped up. “You knew I wanted that and you didn’t tell me?”

  “Sofie.”

  I couldn’t believe he kept that information from me. “You really don’t have a problem betraying people to get what you want, do you?”

  He sighed. “Annulment isn’t impossible. There are still possibilities, if it’s that important to you.”

  “You knew it was. I can’t have a marriage and divorce. My parents’ heads would explode.”

  He stood and put his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “How is it that you always take something that should be really great and end up making me feel like a fool?”

  “Sofie.”

  But I couldn’t handle anymore of his explanations or apologies. I went to the bedroom and shut the door.

  10

  Jake

  I had always had pretty good luck with women, but with Sofia, I couldn’t seem to do anything right, and in the end, she ended up hating me. Not that I didn’t think I bore some responsibility. I should have been stronger in avoiding her the first time I had sex with her five years ago, and handled it better when I failed at avoiding her. I should have explained annulment laws when she mentioned it. But God dammit, both times she was the one always undressing in front of me. What else was I supposed to think except that she wanted me? Granted, both times I got a little carried away with my own desire and probably wasn’t as attentive to her as I should have been, but I wasn’t going to be made the bad guy for taking what she offered.

  I took a quick shower, put on sweatpants and a t-shirt and then found a blanket. I opted not to roll out the couch bed. I suspected, even in an expensive hotel, that they were uncomfortable. I laid on the couch and pushed Sofia and her luscious body out of my head and instead, focused on the next step of this game; getting my partnership.

  The next morning, Sofia was back to acting the way she had at the firm’s anniversary party. Civil but aloof. Just as well. Our arrangement was a business deal and we didn’t need to muddy it up by adding a physical relationship to it. My dick wasn’t happy about it, but he’d just have to adjust.

  On the drive back to the city, I put music on in the car so we wouldn’t have to suffer through small talk. When we arrived home, Sofia checked her Internet sales and started baking, while I changed and headed out for a run. I’d be back at work tomorrow and I wanted to be on my game. First thing on my list was to connect with George Lipman and push for his business. Between this marriage and landing him as a client, the partners would have to promote me.

  Back from my run, I showered and checked on Sofia. She was baking, filling my kitchen with wonderful sweet smells that I’d always associate with her. I had an urge to walk up behind her and nestle my nose against her neck, but knew she’d likely elbow me in the stomach.

  “Smells wonderful in here, Sof.”

  “Thanks.” She switched on her mixer and it whirred, churning together some batter.

  “I’m going to order takeout.” Since my kitchen was otherwise occupied. “Any preference?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  I had to admit that it was nice when Sofia was agreeable, but this was maddening. I missed the woman that liked to poke at and challenge me. Or at the very least, give her opinion on dinner.

  I ordered pizza. When it arrived, I invited her to eat with me, but she said she was in the middle of dipping cake pops, so I took my pizza and ate in my living room. I wouldn’t say it was going to be a long few months, but if Sofia continued to act like this, it would definitely make it less fun than it had been last week.

  Note to self; don’t fuck Sofia anymore, even if she strips naked.

  The next morning, I was up at five-thirty, out at the park for my run by five-forty-five, and in the shower by six-thirty. At seven-fifteen, I was heading out of the apartment to head to work when Sofia stopped me.

  “I made these as a thank you for Val and the others in your firm who came to the wedding.” She handed me a baker’s box.

  I opened them and saw chocolate chip cookies. I knew that because Sofia made them, they were extra special cookies, and I was a little disappointed I couldn’t hog them.

  “Any of these for me?” I asked.

  She turned away and headed back to the kitchen. “You can have one if you want.”

  I sighed and headed out the door. At a quarter to eight, I was exiting the elevator on the floor of my office. I went to the lounge and put the box of cookies on a table. I grabbed a pen and wrote a note on the box saying they were a thank you from Sofia. I wasn’t going to take one, but then at the last second, I changed my mind. I snatched a cookie, putting it in a paper towel, and then headed to my office to get to work.

  Just before nine, Val entered my office.

  “So, how’d the honeymoon go?”

  I sat back in my chair. “Like most.”

  She sat in the chair in front of my desk. “I hope this works out for you?”

  I frowned. “You don’t think the partners will see me as settled?”

  She shrugged. “I think they might. What I meant is with Sofia.”

  I waved away her comment with my hand. “It’s not like that with us.”

  Val quirked a brow. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” I said, thinking about the cool shoulder Sofia was giving me.

  “You two looked pretty simpatico to me.”

  I scoffed. “We talked about annulment on the honeymoon.
”

  “Oh. Well then.”

  “Now, I’m on to getting George Lipman as a client and the partners will have no choice but to take me on.”

  “What will you work on when you reach that goal?”

  I wasn’t sure what she meant.

  “Once you get everything you want, what more will there be for you to strive for?”

  I laughed, “I’ll think of something.”

  “Well, until then, we’ve got a Monday morning staff meeting.”

  I stood and buttoned my jacket. “I’m ready.”

  Val and I were the first to get to the conference room. We each sat in our usual places. I took a minute to go through my case list to reacquaint myself with the status of each.

  “Holy shit, Dunne, can your wife bake,” Al Cramer said, entering the conference room as he wiped cookie crumbs from his shirt.

  “Cookies?” Val said.

  “Sofia baked some as a thank you to you and everyone at the firm for the wedding. They’re in the staff room.”

  “I’ll be right back, then!” Val stood and exited the conference room.

  Al took his usual seat a few chairs down from me. “I’m not kidding. These are the best chocolate chip cookies in the world.”

  I smiled, feeling proud of my wife even though she had me in the doghouse. “She’ll be pleased that you like them.

  “Can I pay her to make more? I need to go to a thing at my sister’s house and I’m supposed to bring a dessert.”

  I nodded. “Yes.” I scrawled down Sofia’s website. “You can order what you want here.” I handed him the paper.

  “She’s got her own bakery?” he asked, looking at the paper.

  “Just online right now, but we’re looking for a place where she can open up her own spot.” Remembering that Al did real estate law I added, “If you see a viable affordable place, let me know.”

  “Will do.”

  Val re-entered the conference room with the cookie box in hand and a line of partners and associates behind her. “I’m like the Pied Piper,” she said.

  She set the cookies in the middle of the table and there was a mad grab by everyone to get one before they ran out.

  “What’s her secret? Val asked as she bit into a cookie.

  I shrugged. I always enjoyed Sofia’s baked goods, but I had no idea what made them good or that they were any better than other bakeries. Then again, I didn’t buy baked goods as a matter of course.

  “It’s probably a secret. She’s hoping to start a bakery soon.”

  “Does she need investors?”

  I looked at Val to see if she was joking or serious. But she’d moved on to her seat at the table so I decided she was mostly joking. It did tell me that I needed to take Sofia’s dream more seriously. Not that I wasn’t going to help her, but I needed to get a good grip on what she had to offer and help her reach the baked-goods-eating public.

  After our morning meeting, I decided to head out to a few bakeries and picked up some chocolate chip cookies. I brought them back and asked Gina to come into my office.

  “I want to do a taste test,” I told her. I cut all the cookies in half, including the one I snatched from Sofia’s box earlier. “You try each and let me know which you like best. Then we’ll switch so I don’t know what cookie is from where and I’ll test.”

  “I like this job.” She closed her eyes as I set out the cookies on napkins with their bakery sources on a piece of paper hidden underneath.

  Gina tasted one. “Not bad.” She took a drink of water as if she was wine tasting and tried the second. “Oh, this one is good.” She repeated the tasting on the two remaining cookies. “Number two is by far the best.”

  I pulled out the slip of paper. “Sofia.”

  Gina grinned. “No doubt. She’s got the magic touch with cookies.”

  “You mix them up and I’ll try.” I turned away.

  “You know, Mr. Dunne, you’ll be in the doghouse if you don’t pick Sofia’s as the best.”

  “Only if you tell her,” I quipped.

  “Okay, ready.”

  I turned to the four cookies, and like Gina, I tasted each one. They were all pretty good, but one stood out. Just the right amount of chewy without feeling undercooked.

  Gina pulled out the slip of paper. “Lucky for you, it’s Sofia’s.

  I sat in my chair looking at the cookies, for the first time realizing that Sofia truly had a gift. Growing up eating her baked goods, I hadn’t known how much better they were because I didn’t have any to compare them too.

  “Thank you, Gina.”

  After Gina left, I called up a commercial real estate agent and set up an appointment to discuss finding a bakery space for Sofia. Since Sofia knew best about what she needed, I made the appointment for that evening back at my place.

  Then I focused on my own career, starting with calling George Lipman and re-invigorating my effort to land him as a client.

  That evening, I arrived home to the smell of baking and Sofia filling my apartment. She’d been off from her job today but clearly had been filling her Internet business orders. She was putting a shipping label on a box when I entered the kitchen.

  “You’ve been busy,” I said as I looked over the boxes.

  “Yep.”

  I sighed as her no-affect, one-word response suggested she was going to continue to be the cool, aloof Sofia.

  “A realtor is coming over at eight to get your specs for a bakery.”

  She stopped and whirled around. “Tonight?” Her eyes were brighter than they had been a few seconds ago.

  “Yep.” I pulled my tie off. “I’m going to change. Do you want to order out?” I headed out of the kitchen.

  “I can make pasta.” Her voice didn’t sound like she despised me anymore, although it wasn’t a loving wife’s either.

  “Sounds good,” I called back. I put on jeans and a t-shirt, then headed back to the kitchen. The boxes were stacked on my hallway table, ready to go out the next day.

  I sat at the kitchen table, which had a salad and basic pasta with red sauce. Made from an authentic Italian recipe though, there was nothing basic about it.

  “Did you get your promotion?” Sofia asked, dipping bread in her sauce and taking a bite.

  “Not yet. You’re stuck with me a while longer.” I supposed my voice was terse, but I was annoyed at her attitude toward me up until the point I’d reminded her how I could help her with her bakery.

  “You don’t have to be pissy.”

  “Pissy? You’re kidding right?” I stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “From the woman who invented the attitude of pissy.”

  “I’m not pissy.”

  “The fuck you aren’t.” I tossed my bread into my bowl. “Look, I take the blame and your hate for what happened five years ago, but you’re the one that stripped naked the other night.” Her eyes flared with anger. “You asked me once how I’d feel if after sex with me, you’d regret it, well now I know. I’d barely finished coming before I could tell you regretted it. And then you turned it around and blamed me.” As I rehashed it, anger grew. I shot up to stand, knocking my chair back, not wanting to delve into this just before we were going to have to play a loving couple for the realtor.

  “You lied to me,” Sofia said, unfazed by my abrupt behavior.

  “I didn’t lie and you regretted fucking me the minute you had your pleasure. You’re not a child anymore, Sofia. You need to take responsibility for your own actions.”

  She looked at me with such menace that if she’d had something more dangerous than a fork in her hand, I would have been worried she might use it on me.

  “I’ll get your fucking annulment.” I walked out, wondering why I was so mad. I’d come home wanting to make peace with her by telling her how I was moving forward on my part of the deal.

  “How? You said you couldn’t,” she called after me.

  I whirled on her. “Well, you can get one for being crazy, which you are.”
/>   “You’re a bastard.”

  “Or for sexual impotence, which your antics have caused me.”

  “Oh, poor Jake.” She scoffed.

  I started to walk off, but then turned and stalked after her, liking the surprise that widened her eyes. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Sof? Twice now you’ve undressed, got fucked, and then turned me into the asshole. Do you think I’m going to do that again? I’m so done with all that, that I’m willing to put in court documents, documents that are public, that I can’t get my dick up because of you, just so you can have your fucking annulment.”

  There was a knock on the door.

  “That’s the realtor. Let him in and tell him what you want in a bakery.” With a final glare, I left the room to take a shower.

  11

  Sofia

  Jake had never been one to hide his feelings, but I was a little shocked at his outburst. At first, I wanted to yell right back at him, but the niggle of guilt in the pit of my stomach had me stopping. That and the fact that we had a guest at the door.

  I opened the door to a middle-aged woman in a bright red skirt suit with jet black hair in a severe cut.

  “Hi. I’m Jane Lawrence.” She held out her card.

  She didn’t look like a Jane, but I took the card and opened the door. “Come in.”

  I offered her coffee and made a plate of cookies and other treats.

  “These are delicious,” she said, taking a bite of a chocolate chip cookie. “Is this the type of thing you’ll be selling in your bakery?”

  “Yes.” A thrill went up my spine at the realization that my dream was coming one step closer. I’d been a bitch to Jake, yet he was following through on his end of the deal. No wonder he was pissed.

  “Your husband gave me the financial specs, but I’ll need to know what you’re looking for. Location? Size? Are you open to places in which you’d need to install the kitchen or do you want me to look at former restaurants and other food establishments? I’m told you’ll be renting, but do you want me to look at potential lease purchase options too?”