by Gunn, Jenna
Angry heat scorches my face. My breath comes out in a ragged growl. I jerk my hand again, but he just steadily holds on, not even moving as I pull with all my might. “All I ever do is take care of people. And I try to get a job so I can pay off my brother’s debt, and it turns into this…”
I realize I’m yelling now and I don’t care one bit, “And now I have to bow to your inquisition. Well, guess what? Forget it!” I jab him in the sternum again.
His narrowed eyes are unblinking in his hard face.
I snap. “Scowl at me all you want. I don’t give a damn.”
“I’d like an explanation.” He says, voice even and low.
I rise up and try to get in his face, but fail miserably because he is so stinking tall. “You don’t get it, do you? I’ve owed people something my whole life. I’m sick of it. I owed it to my parents to take care of my brother. I owe Cameron time and time again because I’m his sister. There’s nothing left of me to give. I don’t owe you a damn thing, Brandon Archer.”
His eyes flash. But instead of the anger I expect, those blue eyes hold raw hurt. He swallows hard.
Suddenly he snaps his arm and draws me hard against his chest. “You don’t owe me. But I thought you cared enough...that you’d want me to understand why I saw the girl I’m falling in love with, dressed like she was trying to score, at a titty bar with my brother.”
I pull back and his hand drops away this time. My throat stings, my stomach drops all the way to the concrete beneath my feet. “What did you say?”
He sighs, “I think you heard me well enough.”
I rub at my temple. “You’re not falling in love with me. No, don’t say that.”
“It’s true. And it gutted me to see you with Bishop…there especially.”
Suddenly I taste blood in my mouth and I realize I’m pressing my teeth so hard against my lip that I’ve cut myself. “Brandon,” I breathe, “I…”
What do I say?
“You don’t have to say anything. I had just hoped you’d tell me what happened. I’m not angry—anymore. I was—but now I just want to understand you. That’s all I want.”
I feel salty tears working their way up to my lashes.
He glances away. “I understand why a girl like you would get scared off by someone like me saying the L word.”
“A girl like me? Someone like you?”
“Anya, you’re so amazing—beautiful, smart. You’re a strong little determined survivor. You could have any man you want.”
The sting of a tear crosses my cheek. Nothing I do makes words come out of my mouth. Everything is clogged up in my chest.
He shoves his hands into his hair—looks up at the sky. “Anya, we don’t have to beat around the bush here. I’ve known for a long, long time I’m not what other men are. And that women want someone in their life that can...that is more than I am.”
It hits me like a brick to the face. Oh, my god. I know what this is about. Why he thinks he’s not good enough. Brandon thinks he’s broken.
I whisper, “You’re wrong.”
My eyes rove over him, from the tip of his salt swept head down to the perfect masculine feet, and I see what he can’t see. Everything in between and inside. A man who is everything a woman could want.
I reach for him, lay my hand across the bones that cover his great big heart. “You’re wrong.” I repeat with conviction. “You’re so much more than you know.”
His heartbeat pounds beneath my palm, matching my own. Slowly, his eyes drop to mine.
My voice is soft and scratchy with emotion when I speak. “You’re falling in love?”
He nods slowly.
“So am I.” I whisper.
He drops his head, closes his eyes, and sighs.
We stand for a long, long time. Just breathing.
Finally, I stroke my hand around in a circle over his sternum. “I’ll tell you everything… after.”
He places his hand over mine. “After what?”
“After you make love to me.”
18
Our ragged breathing nearly drowns out the click of the lock as I close us in, sealing out the world.
We sprinted back to the house, leaving laughter in our wake.
I lean my back against the door, our eyes locked as our chests rise and drop in rapid cadence— breathless from running and desire in equal parts.
Something inside of me has cracked open and is laid bare now.
I want her more than ever.
When I reach a hand for Anya, she’s on me like she’ll die if she doesn’t touch me. Her mouth lands on mine in a desperate kiss. Feverishly she pulls at my clothes, all of her frustration, need, and emotion spilling out of her in little whimpers.
She’s all fire and passion, and I fucking love it.
Something roars to life inside me.
If it goes unchecked, this will be a conquest, a firestorm so blindingly hot that it will be far too raw for this moment.
No—I want to sip this…
To breathe this moment.
I want everything in agonizingly slow clarity, so I can remember every single beautiful second.
But Anya has something else in mind. She’s like a sexual firecracker, loaded with dynamite.
And if I read her right, she’s about to get me naked, and scale me like I’m a jungle gym.
I grab her wrists, pinning her hands against my chest. “Shhh, slow down.” I smile against her mouth.
“Uh,” she whimpers.
I pull her bottom lip with sweet, slow suction. Her breasts rise and fall against me, pressing into my uniform t-shirt. Tilting her back, I lean her over my arm and suckle her neck where the butterfly wings of her pulse beat. She clings to my biceps, her fingers working in rhythmic kneading as I nip and lick along her collarbone.
“So beautiful. I want you so bad, but I’m not going to caveman this. I’m going to love every single inch of you tonight.”
“I can’t take it.” She shivers. “I’m burning down…”
“Don’t worry, I’m going to get you off soon.”
I march her backward, down into the sunken living room, backward until her legs bump into the built in mega-sofa. I lower her down until she’s sitting. Pushing her hair aside, I trace my fingers over the long, elegant curve of her neck.
“So, so sexy.” I murmur.
My fingers bunch the fabric of her top, pulling it up and up until her bare skin glides under my fingers. She has on a black string bikini beneath it. I growl, pull the strings slowly until it drops free from her neck. With my other hand, I fist her hair, tilt her face up to me so I can dip into her sweet hot mouth again.
Kneeling down before her, I grasp the waist of her leggings and slowly work them down over her hips, over her velvet soft thighs.
My brain shorts and sparks like circuits are breaking, when I see that she’s bare and glistening below those tights. “God, Anya.” my voice is somewhere outside me. My dick tries to take over in the lapse of working brain cells.
Not yet. I’m not letting that happen now.
First—her pleasure.
I wedge myself into the center of her legs, spreading her wide with my palms. My hands rover over her creamy, inner thighs and skim up to the incredibly soft skin of her breasts, working her pearled nipples against my palms.
She arches into me. God… I still can’t believe that I get to have this.
When she moans against my mouth from me just touching her breasts, I know she’s like a rocket, primed on the launchpad, ready to spark and ignite.
Pushing her legs wider, I skim my fingers along her searing hot folds. My hand flexes against her hip. It’s all I can do not to throw her back onto the sofa, slam my pounding erection into her. Claim her, mark her with my flesh, burn my soul into her.
But I don’t. I close my eyes and savor the feel of her skin beneath the pads of my fingers. Savor the heat coming from her. The sound of her breath.
When I move, I glide my fingers o
ver her clit, then sink in first one finger, then a second. I push into her until I’m buried to the knuckles as she clenches around me. So hot. So tight. So incredibly fucking sexy.
Anya bucks, “Brand—, faster, please god.”
Her head falls back. She moves against my fingers.
“Slow.” I remind her.
I use my other thumb to rub her clit, to pull back the hood, to expose the magic bit of flesh to me. When I hit the mark with just the right amount of pressure, she gasps. Rolls her incredibly sweet pussy against my hand.
She trembles. I watch her body blush pink all over.
I growl. “So perfect. Every sweet inch of you.”
Gliding in and out, I match her rhythm as my eyes feast on every dip and curve of her. From the bright red curls spilling over her shoulder, to the way her juices coat my fingers.
Perfection. Like the masters painted. All womanly shades of peach, and pink under the soft light coming through the blinds.
“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur. “God, look at you.”
Her eyes float up to me, her tongue dips out and traces over her swollen peachy pink lip. “I’m all yours.”
“Fuck, Anya. You slay me.” I drop my head to her forehead. Breathe in her aphrodisiac scent. Every inch of my body is alive and present in this incredible moment.
“So...cl..Close.” She whispers on broken signs.
I chase her shuddering words with my tongue and begin to work her clit, mercilessly. Her fingers dig into my shoulders. “Oh, yezzz...”
I push her legs further apart. Tilt my fingers more, angling for her g-spot. “Right there?”
“Uh huh. Oh, god!”
Her thighs begin to squeeze me.
“Baby, show me how good it feels.”
Her hips circle on my hand. “Yes, ah, yes. Right… right there.”
Her core clenches and unclenches around my two fingers. Her pulse pounds in the veins on her neck. Suddenly her head snaps to the side, that fall of red hair draping over my arm. Her breasts thrust up into the air, begging for my mouth.
The instant my teeth tug at her nipple, she detonates.
Every single muscle in her contracts. She spasms, her body gushes heat all over my hand. She yips and cries out a long piercing cry.
I lower her back onto the sofa. Her long strawberry blonde lashes fan across her delicate cheeks. Rising over her, I shed my clothes. Shivers course over her body, little spasms taking flight beneath her skin.
An all-consuming need has hold on me.
Sliding up her body, I pull one of her knees up along my side and angle my long, hard erection into the center of her sweet, wet core.
Skin to skin at last.
Every ounce of my heart is as much outside of my body as it is inside. The hard shell has fallen away, leaving it tender, and exposed, and eager to feel.
Her eyes flutter behind her lids as I slide inside in a smooth, long, slow stroke. Gathering her fingers in mind, I lace us together. Mine.
Anya sighs, welcomes me with every part of her body.
“Look at me,” I say, my voice smoky and low, and full of what damn well feels like heartstrings.
Her green eyes hold everything when they meet mine. Everything I want to say, but can’t.
I want to tell her I love her. But I don’t.
Falling in love… thats was as much as I could say.
But what I feel right now between us is unmistakable. This isn’t trivial. This isn’t a passing thing. My heart has been branded now. And even if we part, I’ll carry that mark to my grave.
Shit. And I wasn't looking for love…
Her little whimpers drive the emotions right into the center of my chest. One thrust at a time.
The rhythm we find is perfect. Long. Slow. Hard. Every glide. Every single damned breath matched in equal return.
She’s climbing again. Squeezing my shaft inside her incredibly hot wet core.
Our bodies are slicked with sweat. Her hair tangled across the sofa. Nothing matters in the world but being right here. Right now. Wrapped up together.
When she goes this time, I’m going right the fuck with her. There’s no way I can hold the volcano that’s been tearing at my balls inside any longer.
Anya curls her face against my neck, breathes my name in a sweet sob. I know that rocket flame is a nanosecond away. Knowing that drives me to go deep. Full mount. I thrust into her hard. My vision sparks white, my balls jack up hard. When she roars against me, a torrent unleashes inside of me that could knock out the whole electric grid.
My dick throbs, empties itself with greedy pulses. I glide a few more strokes in Anya as she holds me tight, panting.
Fuck.
I wrap Anya up in my arms. Kiss her cheek, bury my face against her hair. “Mine.” I whisper. She smiles against me. Her hand rubs down my side. “Mine.” She echoes.
As I soak in the sensation of her hot juices mingled with my cum, smeared all over my—
That’s when it hits me.
I just spilled my seed into her—no condom. No birth control at all.
Shit. Nothing like ruining the moment with that reality.
I’ll let her come down first before I tell her about the condom, or lack thereof. Then we’ll talk about Plan B or whatever they call it.
She burrows into my embrace and sighs contentedly. I want the moment to last forever.
As the air cools our bodies, I decide that the bed would be a much better place for round two. Soft sheets, and some pillows for added fun.
But not before I tell her about the fact that I could have just dropped a load of baby seeds into her already complicated life.
“Hey,” I nudge her ear with my nose. “We need to talk.”
“Talk, now?” She rubs at her eyes? “Huh?”
“I fucked up, big time.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh no, what did you do now?”
“I guess it’s we, but I’m the one with the dick, so it’s my ultimate responsibility. I forgot a condom.”
She smacks her hand over her eyes. “No! We did forget, didn’t we?”
A little of my anxiety eases at her use of the word we, but not much. I’ve never, ever had sex without birth control and my balls are feeling like they could be on the chopping block right now.
“How furious are you?”
Her hand falls away and she just stares at the ceiling for a minute. “I’m not mad. But I’m not thrilled.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, pulling her more into the curve of my body. “We can get Plan B, or the morning after thing, whatever they call it.”
“Yeah, we can. I’ve never had a pregnancy scare.”
I brush the damp curls back from her forehead. “That’s two of us.”
Her eyes soften on me, a little curl tips up the corner of her mouth. “It felt really good,” she says shyly.
“God, did it ever.” I say with a soft laugh.
I’ve had bare sex before, but not many times—it’s hands down a thousand times better.
Anya stretches her arms, then sits up. She shoves a hand into her fuck-tangled hair. “So, here’s what I’m thinking. Since we’ve already slipped up this time, and I’ll have to take the morning after pill, then we should just enjoy ourselves now…” She grins. “You know, condom free.”
I’m stunned silent, but the grin on my face probably says everything that needs to be said.
19
Best freaking night ever. When Brandon confesses his feelings, you better watch out. The man is about to own your body. Melt your soul. And steal your heart.
I luxuriate in the shower, slowly savoring all the places that are sore and tired. Brandon’s so big that just the width of him between my thighs stretches me… not to mention the ahhhhmazing positions he puts me in.
And all that’s just the icing on the cake. My god, do I love what our sex is like, but it’s what’s in his heart that gives me the most pleasure.
He nearly cracks me open with joy.
He’s so protective, brave, and solid—unlike any man I’ve ever known in my life.
It's easy to imagine him as a partner, a forever presence in my life.
But… that’s a lot to ask when things are as complicated as they are, yet, here he is falling in love with me anyway.
I’m smiling like silly to myself as I make breakfast for both of us while he’s stretched out naked across my bed, taking up the whole darn thing. When the food is almost ready, I peek in the door at his sexy as sin body.
He’s lying on his stomach, arms carelessly splayed. The man is one finely honed rope of muscle, from his long calves to the thick cords of his shoulders. His broad, tan back leads down to the most perfect ass I’ve ever seen on a man.
Ooof. I could stand here and look at him all day long.
If only we both didn’t have to work.
I can’t wait until we have a day off together. Breakfast in bed will be to die for.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” I whisper as I brush my lips over his ear. A slow smile curves his mouth. His blue eyes narrow when he focuses on me. “Hello, angel.”
He reaches for me, tugs on my shirt until I’m sliding into the bed with him. “Mmm…”
His arm curls possessively around me, as he throws a heavy tree limb size leg over me. He growls in my ear.
I giggle. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“I want you for breakfast.”
“As much as I like the sound of that, work beckons. And bacon.”
Brandon nibbles on my ear. “Bacon is a sad second to you, but I guess it will have to do for now. We need to have some lazy mornings in bed together.”
I smooch his cheek, and wiggle free. “I could get into that. But right now, I need to attend to the muffins. Come on, or the muffins will be burned, and the bacon will be cold.”
He smacks my ass as I scoot off the bed.
My eyes whip to his, “Hey! You’re gonna pay for that.”
He stretches and rises from the bed. Gloriously naked. Gloriously aroused. “What do you have in mind?”
I tap my chin as I think. “I know… a massage.”
