by Liz Fox
Instead of answering my question, she asks one of her own. “What happened that night, Grant?”
“Are you asking about the nightmare or the kiss?”
“Whichever you want to answer. I need to understand what happened.”
After my kiss and ditch, maybe that’s deserved. I don’t like to think about it. But I’m starting to realize that my feelings for Violet are more than just physical. The light she brings to my life is something I’d like to make permanent. But that won’t happen if I don’t trust her in return. With a deep breath, I dive in.
“The nightmares aren’t just dreams. They’re memories.” My left hand holds the steering wheel firmly while my right sits limply in my lap. My eyes are fixed on the dark road ahead and everything that appears in the small cone of light ahead of the car. Driving at night always demands the utmost attention. Too many shadows. Too many things you can’t see until they jump out at you. My jaw clenches as I try to keep my emotions in check.
“On one of my last jobs, a buddy of mine got caught up in the fire and died. I hear his screams every time I go to sleep. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay with your brother instead of my family. I needed a break and I didn’t want to worry anyone.”
A quick glance shows Violet with a hand resting on her heart and tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. What was his name?”
“His name was William, but he went by Billy. He was just a few years older than me, and the jokester of the crew. Everybody liked him.”
I clear my throat, ready to be done with this part of the conversation. “Anyway, that’s why I have nightmares.”
“I wish there was something I could do to help.” Violet’s small hand sits on my thigh, patting it gently. “If you ever want to talk about him, share some of your favorite stories and memories, I’m here.”
I’m sure she means for it to be some kind of friendly reassurance, like petting a dog’s head to calm him down. She can’t have any idea what her gentle touch is doing to me, the throbbing that grows with each second that passes. I look down and see her hand just inches away from my thick length.
Every thought of Billy and my nightmares disappears in an instant. All my focus is on her hand resting on my thigh. All it would take is one small bump in the road and she would be touching me exactly where I’ve been desperate to feel her all evening.
Chapter 7
Violet
Grant’s leg feels nice under my hand, his strong thigh muscle tensing and relaxing through his jeans and under his skin. It reminds me of just how strong he is. He could physically dominate me if he wanted to. Just stop the truck and pull me over the center console, claiming my mouth with his own like he did the other night. I wouldn’t stand a chance. The idea is both frightening and arousing.
I keep my hand on his leg for the rest of the trip home. The time seems to both go too fast and take too long. I look out the dark window and pretend to watch the world go by, painfully aware of the way Grant lets me make small circles with my hand on his leg.
When we get back to the house, something has changed. Grant seems more awake and energized, like he’s in a rush to get inside. He takes me by the hand and quickly leads me indoors.
As soon as we’re inside, he pushes me against the door, pressing his hard body against me. I try to say something but his lips cover mine as he kisses me deeply.
I can’t pull back or move away. I’m trapped between him and the door, and… it feels good. My hands come up to his chest, trying to push him away, but it’s like trying to push away a mountain. I can feel his hard pecs and abs through his clothes and all at once, my desire to stop him evaporates. I move one hand to run my fingers through the short hair on the back of his head.
When he breaks the kiss, I gasp sharply. I can still taste him on my lips.
“God, Violet. I want you so much.”
“Not here,” I manage to say before his lips connect with mine again. “Rocky could come home. He’ll see us.”
Grant seems to think for a moment, then effortlessly scoops me into his arms and carries me upstairs toward his bedroom. I wrap my arms around his strong neck, smelling the rich scent of his cologne.
Once inside the relative privacy of his bedroom, he holds me up against the wall and carries on from where he left off downstairs. His lips lock with mine as his hands explore my body, pulling me into him and squeezing my ass firmly in his large hands. Pleasure burns through me. The more he touches me, the more I want him to.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” he mumbles against my throat. “Your brother is going to kill me.” But Grant doesn’t stop kissing me, tasting me, relishing my every gasp.
“I’ve wanted this for so long.” It frightens me to admit my longtime crush. But my fears disappear as he places me gently on his bed.
Lying on my back, I watch him undo the button of my pants and pull them off me, leaving just a pair of cotton panties between him and me.
He moves on top of me. His heavy weight bears down, his strong, masculine form a temptation of smooth skin and firm muscles.
“So good,” he mumbles as he presses wet kisses down my neck.
He yanks my top up and pulls my bra down, exposing my breasts. I barely have time to realize what he’s done before he engulfs my nipple with his mouth, fervently suckling. A shiver of pleasure erupts inside me and forces a moan from my lips.
“God, Violet. I want you so bad.” The vibration of his voice sends delicious tremors rolling toward my core.
My body is on fire. He feels so good. I need more. I want him to take all of me. Wrapping my legs tightly around his waist, I pull him into me, relishing the hardness pressing against my moist heat from behind his jeans.
“Fuck, Violet.” He groans, responding to my needy heat rubbing shamelessly against his cock. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“I know. But I can’t stop.” I whimper as the seam of his jeans finds my hidden bundle of nerves.
“Take them off,” he whispers into my ear. “Take your panties off.”
I don't reply, but quickly obey, removing the final barrier to his gaze. My hot, wet depths finally exposed to him. I run my fingers through his blonde hair as he bites at my neck and shoulder.
“Now, please.” I urge him to hurry.
He stands for a minute, removing his pants and getting a condom from his nightstand. He looks like a fallen Greek god, all chiseled muscles and intricate tattoos. Part of me wants to worship him, but mostly, I crave his body over mine. His thick length thrusting into me, claiming me as his own.
Suddenly, he’s looming over me. I feel his warm, heavy cock pressing against my thigh, just inches away from my needy center. The thought of it makes me shiver with heated desire and I instinctively adjust my hips, desperate for him to enter me.
He does so, slowly. Every moment provides aching, beautiful relief. First the tip aligns with me, wetting itself on my juices. He continues his measured thrust, stretching me as he pushes deeper into my hungry heat.
My fingernails rake across his muscular back. We groan in unison with each new inch of him that moves deeper inside me. Finally, he reaches my depth. He withdraws, then pushes back inside, each motion building a rhythm that threatens to overwhelm all my senses.
I lose myself in the pleasure. Fiery heat fills my body. I moan shamelessly into his ear as he continues pounding into me, hard, fast, and addictive. His tight body works on top of me, sweat dripping as his muscles constrict and relax in rhythm. I give myself over to the pleasure, to my release, and to him. With a final shudder, I reach my delirious peak.
‘Grant!’ I cry as my hips buck and flex uncontrollably. ‘Grant! Gra…’
He slams his lips over mine, silencing me.
Pure, carnal pleasure overwhelms my senses. But not so much that I miss the feel of him reaching his own delirious release. His body shakes and quivers as his cock throbs inside me. His rich seed spills out of him.
&n
bsp; I cry out again, overcome by sheer, erotic passion. This man on top of me, deep inside of me, my hands wrapped around his neck, feeling his muscles, feeling all of him… It’s a dream come true and I wish it would never end.
After cleaning up, we lay together in my bed. Grant is on his back with his arm around me. I’m tucked close on my side, tracing his tattoos with my fingertips. Sex with Grant was better than I ever could have imagined, like a salted caramel cupcake topped with sprinkles and an extra orgasm. But even that doesn’t compare to the feeling of cuddling with him afterward. There’s a peace within me, and it isn’t just the endorphins. It’s Grant and me, finally together.
“I haven’t felt this at peace since my buddy passed away, maybe ever.” Grant whispers into my hair and then kisses the top of my head.
This is it. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t crushing on my brother’s best friend. But now, it’s something more. I’m falling for this sexy, selfless, amazing man. Taking a deep breath, I try to memorize the moment when I realize my high school crush has turned into a deep, adult love.
We both startle as we hear the front door slam.
“Hey, G man!” Rocky calls out to Grant, and we hear his footsteps coming down the hallway. “Want to go out tonight?”
Grant practically shoves me out of his bed. “Hurry! Get in the closet!”
Caught up in his urgency, I race to the closet. Conveniently, it’s one of those built in wall closets with the slotted doors. There’s plenty of space. I guess Grant hasn’t fully unpacked his bags yet.
I watch as Grant picks up my discarded clothes that are scattered around the room and shoves them under the bed. With the speed of an experienced firefighter, he throws on a shirt and a pair of jeans. By the time Rocky opens his door, Grant is lying on his bed scrolling through his phone like he’s been doing it for hours.
“What are you up to?” Rocky asks as he leans on the door frame. “Want to go out tonight? It’s been a long week, and I could use a beer and something nice to look at, if you know what I mean.”
For heaven’s sake. I never needed to know that my brother is one of those dudes that uses, “if you know what I mean,” in his conversations. I can practically hear him wiggling his eyebrows.
It occurs to me that I still wouldn’t know that fact if I wasn’t hiding in Grant’s closet eavesdropping on their conversation. Completely. Fucking. Naked.
“Sure, man. Sounds like a plan.” Grant grabs his wallet from off his nightstand and slips on a pair of shoes. Moments later, I hear the front door slam closed.
He’s gone.
Like, I could almost imagine the last couple hours never happened, gone. Except for the fact that I’m hiding in his fucking closet with no clothes on and soreness between my legs.
Oh, hell no. He doesn’t get to hide me like I’m some dirty little secret. Either he’s ashamed of being with me or he’s not man enough to claim me. Either way, I deserve better.
As I leave the closet and gather up my clothes, I ignore the voice in my head that cries out that Grant is the one I want. I’m not letting myself be hidden. If he wanted me, he should have stayed.
Chapter 8
Grant
“Hey, G man. Did something happen with you and my sister?” Rocky crosses his arms and leans on the red brick wall in the fire station.
Fuck. Did he find out about last night?
“Um, what do you mean?”
“I mean, I just found out she doesn’t want to work with you on this community fair deal.”
That’s so far off from what I thought he was asking about, I barely understand what he’s saying.
“Wait. What the fuck did she do?”
“That’s what I thought, man. She specifically asked to work with Owen.”
“Who the hell is Owen?”
“He’s one of the other guys here.”
My temper rises, and I’m about thirty seconds from punching someone in the face. I need to cool off or I’m going to say something I can’t take back.
“I don’t know what’s going on, man,” I say. “You’ll have to ask her.” Even though I’m trying to keep my voice casual, there’s an undeniable edge to it that I’m sure Rocky recognizes. I need to get out of here.
“Hey man, I’ll see you around. I gotta make a call.” Turning away from Rocky, I speed walk out the back door of the station with one goal in mind.
I speed dial Violet as soon as I’m outside. The fuck is she working with one of the other firefighters on the community project. We haven’t made any commitments, but there’s no way she’s working with anyone but me. Especially after what happened last night.
Straight to voicemail. I redial. She’s going to tell me what the hell is going on. This time it only rings once before going to her answering service. Trying a different tactic, I send her a text demanding that she call me ASAP. Staring at my phone, I wait for a response. Nothing. I try calling again.
“Who are you calling, Grant?” I about jump out of my skin when Rocky speaks up from right behind me.
“No one.”
“Really? Because I’m pretty sure that’s Violet’s number.” His eyes narrow with suspicion. “What’s going on between you and my sister?”
My face must give something away because Rocky’s eyes go wide, his jaw clenches, and his hands turn into tight fists. “Tell me you didn’t.”
Trying to delay the inevitable, I ask, “Didn’t what?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Grant!” Rocky bites off his words, the flimsy grip on his temper loosening until he explodes with rage. “Or don’t you have the balls to admit that it’s not me that you fucked with, but my little sister?”
“I didn’t fuck your sister.” The way he’s talking about last night sparks my own fury. Hanging out at the club, pretending to have fun, was an exercise in patience. The entire time, all I wanted to do was get back to the woman I’d left stranded in my bedroom closet. Being with Violet was the most amazing experience of my life and he’s cheapening it with his words. Or maybe I did that when I asked her to hide. But I’m not letting either of us get away with insulting her. “She’s so much more than that.”
My acknowledgement is the final straw. Before I can blink, Rocky punches me in the face. Then again in the gut. Then once more across my jaw. That’s all I can take without fighting back. I return his hit to the face and follow up by grabbing his wrists, turning him, and slamming him face forward against the wall.
The cat is out of the bag. Not that I ever wanted to keep it there. I just wanted to protect both Violet and her brother for as long as possible. Not that it seems to have done any good. I don’t want to hurt him.
“Give me a chance to explain.”
“Explain what, you bastard?”
I tighten my hold as Rocky squirms to break free. “Explain how I feel about Violet.”
At that, Rocky seems to calm down by two percent.
“Can I let you go and we talk? Or do I need to hold you here while I tell you what’s what?”
“Let me go, asshole. We’ll talk.”
He turns as soon as I let go of his wrists, his eyes still bright with righteous fury. “Explain yourself. Now.”
“Well, it’s like this…” My voice drifts off as I try to find the right words.
“Where are your balls now, Grant? You certainly had them with my sister. ” A strong vein of sarcasm rides along the anger in his voice. It’s enough to rile me back up. We’re even in our fury. “Stop pussyfooting around!”
I snap and yell back. “I care about her!” Running my hands through my hair, I try to release some of the tension and figure out how to explain what’s going through my head. “Violet is special. She’s so goddamn smart, and caring. And beautiful. Fuck. Being around her helps the pain go away... I never meant for it to happen. I knew she was off-limits. But she’s the best fucking thing that ever happened to me.”
It takes all my courage to look Rocky in the eyes. He’s my best friend, but this
is a situation we’ve never been in before.
“Are you serious about her?” His voice is hard and his gaze analyzes me with the intelligence he normally hides with laughter and jokes.
“I can’t give her up.”
“Do you want her forever? Or just for now?” He’s not holding back with his questions. I hadn’t thought about it, but when I imagine life without Violet, it’s a cold, dark future I don’t want any part of.
“Forever. She’s my forever.” With those words, a sense of relief flows through me. Until this moment, I hadn’t realized the amount of tension I’d been holding onto, trying to hide my attraction to Violet from her brother, my best friend. Everything in my body settles when I acknowledge that Violet is mine. My heart. My life. My future.
Rocky still looks pissed, but like he’s coming to grips with this new reality. He shakes his head, grumbling. “I can’t believe I let you stay at my house.” With a hard slap on my back, he adds, “You better treat her right.” Then, as if remembering what prompted the conversation in the first place, he asks, “If you and Violet are a thing, why is she requesting Owen?”
Fuck. I messed up. I made love to the woman of my dreams and then left her hiding naked in the closet like I was ashamed of her or some bullshit. But I can’t tell her brother that.
Rocky watches me closely. Then gives me some words of motherfucking wisdom that I would never expect coming from him. “If you want her forever, you can’t hide her. Own your shit. Now.” He walks back into the fire station, threatening over his shoulder, “Remember, if you hurt her again, I’m putting you six feet under.”
We both know I already hurt her. But it’s up to me to make things right between us. Now I just have to figure out how to do that.
Chapter 9
Violet
“Violet, you have to see this.” Hope stands in front of the window, frantically gesturing for me to join her.
“What is it?” I haven’t been in the best mood the last day or so, since Grant left me stranded and naked in his closet.
