He tilted his head down for a kiss, and I tried not to think about the irony of him telling me not to be anxious.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
It was Friday afternoon when I boarded the flight to Virginia for Kenzie’s graduation party. Work had been hectic, but at least tension with Vanessa was manageable for the moment. Phase two was well under way with the Tryon Pharmaceuticals commercial set for filming next Thursday.
Several times I’d attempted to pick up the phone to call the attorney about my birth mother. But I’d never gotten through dialing the full number. Was I going to plan a funeral for a woman whose only redeeming quality was to give me up for the right amount of money? Did I want to know how she died? Why should I feel guilty? Putting most of it aside, I was ready for the distraction of a weekend with Brian.
After I landed in Dulles airport, I strode toward the exit, searching for the transportation signs. I’d take a cab to the hotel and hopefully see him later.
When I walked out of the security doors, however, I heard my name and glanced over to see him standing there, looking handsome as ever. Moving faster, I felt my heart fill with emotion. Somehow everything was better just seeing him.
“Hi,” I breathed.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he greeted, clearly not bothered by giving a public display of affection since he lifted me off of my feet and kissed me soundly.
I giggled, and when he pulled back, my breath caught. The way the man looked at me made me feel like I was the only woman in the room. “Tell me this means you’re taking me to the hotel and we have some, uh, time.”
He grinned, taking my suitcase and leading me out to his parked car. “Time for what, pray tell?”
I took out my work phone, turning on the wireless. “Hmm, if you have to ask, then perhaps I’ve lost my touch in inspiring it.”
In the car, he gave me a sideways glance. “Do you think by any chance you can put your work phone away? The hotel is twelve minutes away, and I’ve already checked us in, which means I plan to be deep inside of you in thirteen.” His hand reached over, unzipping my slacks and sliding his fingers into my panties.
Well, then. I shifted my hips to allow for better access and dropped my phone into my purse. Work was already forgotten.
***
It turned out to be fifteen minutes before we were in the room and he was inside of me, but who was counting?
“Christ, I missed you,” Brian murmured.
We were fast and furious, not even bothering with our clothes being all the way off before he buried himself deep inside of me.
His eyes flashed when I didn’t respond, being too caught up in the feel of him.
I wondered if he’d wanted me to say that I’d missed him, too. But that thought was lost the moment my orgasm took over.
We lay there afterward for a few minutes before he kissed my forehead and walked into the bathroom.
The sound of the shower motivated me to get up. I tracked his movements, while leaning against the doorframe as he adjusted the temperature of the water. “Mind if I join you?”
He crossed over to take my hand. “Only if we put an adorable shower cap on you because we don’t have much time before dinner. Can’t get your hair wet.”
Kenzie’s party wasn’t until tomorrow afternoon. I hadn’t known we had plans tonight. “Uh, what are we doing?”
“Dinner. The two of us. I want to take you out to a restaurant that was one of my favorites while growing up.”
“Oh.” I smiled, relieved that I didn’t have to see his mother or Rebecca this evening. I swallowed past the lump of emotion when I thought about him taking me out to a place that was meaningful to him. He tucked my hair up under the hotel shower cap and kissed me tenderly.
“Don’t worry, there will be plenty of the wolves tomorrow, but for tonight, I’d like to spend it with you and forget about the rest of the world.”
“That sounds nice.” I noticed the look of worry on his face. “Is everything okay, Bri? Is something going on with Juliette?” It felt like there was something he wasn’t telling me. If it wasn’t her, there had to be something else causing his expression.
“Juliette is okay. She’s heading back up on Sunday. Can I ask a favor for this weekend, though?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Do you think we can turn off work completely until Monday, put our business phones and laptops away?”
His question was a strange one to ask. Did he think I’d be on my phone during Kenzie’s party tomorrow? “Do I get to ask why?”
He sighed. “Because after working the last couple of weeks nonstop, the last thing I want to do is talk about work or even think about it. Between the big NASCAR pitch I’m doing on Monday and helping Juliette, I’m burned out. Haven’t you ever needed to turn it off for a while?”
I’d needed to turn off my personal life plenty, but never work. However, in looking at his weary face, I could see the burden in his eyes. The NASCAR account was huge. Coupled with the stress of helping Juliette, that most likely put him at his max. Nancy had my personal phone number, and she’d call me if there were any emergencies.
Reaching out, I touched his cheek. “Of course, we can do that.”
He instantly looked relieved and kissed my wrist. “Thank you.”
We washed quickly. While he dressed, I touched up my makeup and slipped on a dress.
“You’re flying to Raleigh on Sunday?” NASCAR headquarters were located there.
“Yeah, pitch on Monday morning first thing. Then I’m flying back up to New York for a meeting with Josh.” The last part was said with a sigh.
I turned, knowing something was definitely off by the resigned tone he’d used about meeting with Josh. “Do you want to talk about it? You sound down and…” I was about to say it was freaking me out, but wasn’t the guy allowed to have a rough day? He’d been dealing with a full plate lately. “I’m here to listen if you want to talk about it.” I wanted to be there for him for a change.
His eyes softened, and he turned me back around so that he stood behind me, both of us facing the mirror. “It’ll all be better hopefully after Monday. And everything that I need is here.” His hands splayed on my waist, and he leaned down, inhaling the scent of my hair. “Come on, let’s go before I have other ideas.”
I met his eyes in the mirror. “What if I’m into the other ideas?”
For the first time since I’d seen him in the airport, a genuine smile reached his eyes. “We’d have to make it quick because I have every intention of taking you out for a romantic dinner.”
I pushed back, feeling him hard already. “Then you’d better get started.”
Turned out we were late for our reservation. But we’d needed the extra time to ground us back into the here and now and let the week fade into the background. Now, if only it would stay there.
***
We had an amazing date last night. True to his word, Brian put our work phones away, even going so far as to lock them up in the hotel safe. We hadn’t looked at them since. I didn’t regret a little downtime from the job, especially since his mood lifted almost immediately. But without the distraction of the job, my mind was fully focused on the upcoming party instead.
“Are you positive you want me to go to this thing with your whole family?” We were in the shower getting ready the morning of when I voiced my worry. I didn’t need a crystal ball to tell me that his mother was going to be none too happy to see me there today.
“Have you changed your mind?”
His voice sounded disappointed, and I instantly felt bad, especially after he’d come to my parents’ anniversary party. “No, I want to go, but you know how I get with meeting new people. I’m just nervous.”
He took my hands in his. “Don’t be. We’ll be there for Kenzie, and everyone will be on their best behavior.”
Oh, sure, don’t be. Such a guy’s response. “What will we tell everyone, though?” This was the question that I kept asking myself. Unlik
e the situation at my family’s event, there was plenty of crossover between our personal and professional lives at the celebration today. As Brian predicted, Josh was up in New York with Haylee, not wanting to travel this close to the baby’s due date. But Josh’s mother would be there for certain.
He grinned. “Hmm, let’s go through the scenarios, shall we?” He pooled shower gel in his hands and began to wash me intimately.
“God—not the advertising strategy again,” I groaned. But with one touch, I was ready to show up naked if it meant he wouldn’t stop. My resolve needed a stern talking-to if ever I could locate it again.
“Option one is that we tell them that we’ve been having incredible sex the last few months, and we thought we’d announce to everyone that we’re friends with benefits.”
I managed a swat as he pinned my hips against the wall and started massaging my breasts.
“Option two is that we tell them we’re only friends while you remember how I’m caressing you and pretend not to want to touch me during the party. I should warn you, though, that I’ll have an old high school flame there, so you may see someone flirting with me the entire time.” He moved me away from the wall and ran his hands over my backside, squeezing before running a hand between my legs again.
My breath hissed.
He leaned back, smiling, allowing me to rinse and catch my breath.
I didn’t like either scenario. “Are those my only two options?”
The amusement that sparked in his eyes told me that he’d been hoping for my question. “There’s one more choice.” He turned off the water, moved me against the wall, and knelt down, eye level with my quickly-becoming-wet sex. He glanced up with a wicked grin. “Option three is we tell them that you’re my girlfriend.” His mouth descended on me quickly, zeroing in on my clit. Then he stopped suddenly. “Which option do you choose, Sasha?” For good measure, he reached out with his tongue and stroked the length of my slit.
“Why do I feel like you’re stacking the deck towards option three?” I croaked out.
He chuckled. “Because your pussy gets a vote, and right now it’s telling you to be my girlfriend so that I can bury my face in it.”
His hot breath blew on my pulsating center, and my knees felt weak. Was I seriously standing in a shower against a wall, letting him use sex to get his way? Uh, yes. Yes, I was. Because evidently I’d been outvoted by the power of pussy. Terrific, now he had me calling it that. “Yes, option three.”
Twenty minutes and two orgasms later, we were on our way to the party with Brian looking very pleased with himself.
***
I started to fidget during the short car ride, feeling my anxiety grow over attending this party as Brian’s girlfriend. I hated that I couldn’t control my irrational thinking especially knowing it was irrational.
“Stop panicking. Everything will be good,” Brian reiterated. We pulled up in front of his childhood house, and he squeezed my hand.
It was a beautiful home, set back with a private drive and gate. We stepped out, Brian handed over the keys to a valet, and then we walked toward the front door.
“Maybe we should wait. Today is about Kenzie, and I don’t want to take any attention off of her,” I reasoned, turning toward him before we made our entrance.
His fingers threaded with mine and he tugged me over to the side of the house. Framing my face in his hands, he met my eyes. “She’ll be thrilled you’re here. And you already agreed.”
“I didn’t agree. My treacherous pussy did. I may be your girlfriend, but to tell your mom, who knows Josh’s mom... Is that what we’re doing now?”
“Sasha Jayne Brooks, did you just say the word pussy?” he drawled.
Heat flooded my face. “That would be what you picked up from that entire sentence. And you’re missing—Wait, what are you doing?” My eyes shifted down where he was using me as a shield to adjust himself.
“We need to stop talking about that particular word or anything having to do with it unless you want to greet my mother with me sporting an erection.”
“Mother and erection probably shouldn’t go into the same sentence,” I pointed out dryly.
He laughed. “You’re right and, poof, the problem has taken care of itself. Now, back to you panicking. What if I tell Josh on Monday?”
My breath left me. “That idea is only increasing my anxiety, Bri. It’s a big step.”
His gaze locked on mine. “I know it is. And this party is a small one towards that. I’m asking you to take it with me.”
My stomach knotted with trepidation. I was moving forward in a relationship for the first time with the one man who I’d always trusted. “Okay, I’ll try.”
His eyes lit up, and he kissed me, not caring who might witness. Pulling back, he grinned and took me by the hand into the house.
***
“You’re late, Brian, and what are you wearing? I specifically requested you to wear a white shirt for family pictures,” his mother griped, coming up to us the minute we entered.
He kissed her cheek. “I prefer the baby blue shirt, Mother. You remember Sasha?” Brian asked, his hand on my lower back.
Her eyes left him for a moment and recognition dawned when they settled on me. “I do remember her. What exactly are you doing here, though?”
I was prepared to answer, but Brian beat me to it. “She’s my girlfriend, and she’s here with me. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have a lot of people to introduce her to, but first we need to find Kenzie.”
Her brows shot up. I could tell by the firm line to her mouth she was taking the news as expected.
He whisked me away in search of his sister and whispered, “That went better than I thought it would.”
I shot him an incredulous look. “Seriously?”
The look in his eyes confirmed that he wasn’t kidding.
Kenzie’s reaction quickly made up for it, though. “Sasha, oh, my gosh. You came.” She engulfed me in a hug and then looked to where Brian’s hand held mine. “Are you guys—? Oh—oh.”
Crap, she was starting to squeal.
Brian chuckled. “If you cry or screech like a girl you’re going to send her for the hills. Do me a favor and play it cool for me.”
She calmed down immediately, still smiling broadly. “Sorry. But you know I’ve never met a girlfriend of his before. Matter of fact, my friends during freshman year of college asked if he might be gay.”
Now it was Brian’s turn to look uncomfortable.
Huh, I liked the turn of this conversation.
“Really, Kenzie, that’s the story you tell her? Is it any wonder I didn’t bring anyone home before now?”
She stuck her tongue out and gave him a big hug.
“Has the fact that you’re now a college graduate sunk in yet?” Brian kissed her on the cheek, looking proud of his little sister.
She beamed. “No, but that’s probably because grad school is right around the corner. Mom’s already pissed, by the way, because I’m not wearing the dress she picked out.”
He chuckled. “She’s ticked because I’m not wearing the white shirt, so there you have it. Per usual, the family bonding is off the charts.”
She giggled. “Seriously, my dad is around here somewhere avoiding her probably sneaking the scotch already. Mom is such a control freak. I’m so glad we’re not like that.”
I stole a glance at Brian. His desire to be in control in at least one aspect of his life was making a lot more sense to me.
Judging from the tight smile on his face, he wasn’t thrilled with his sister giving me this insight.
An interruption from Colby, however, distracted us all. “Hello, Sasha, Brian. Nice to see you both. Hey Kenz.”
We stood around chatting until Brian’s mother interjected, insisting Brian and his sister join the family on the back lawn for pictures.
I was a spectator, along with Colby, watching while Brian’s mother arranged the family in several poses. So far my anxiety in being here
had been manageable. Maybe I could do this after all. I tried unsuccessfully not to laugh at the funny looks both Kenzie and Brian were giving me when my cell phone vibrated in my clutch.
I ignored it, figuring it would go to voicemail, only to hear it vibrate again. Pulling it out, I saw my assistant Nancy’s number flash up. It was Saturday, and since she’d never called me on my personal phone before, I knew it had to be some sort of crisis.
“Excuse me, Colby, I have to take this,” I said, stepping to the side. “Hello.” Looking toward Brian, whose eyes were watching me closely; I smiled before focusing in on Nancy.
“I’m sorry to bother you on a Saturday, Sasha, and on your private number, but I tried to reach you yesterday on your work phone and via email…”
“I’m sorry, Nancy, I turned it off and shouldn’t have. What’s going on?”
“Evidently, Vanessa asked that Logan travel out instead of you on Thursday for the shoot. She told him that she’d taken you off the account after meeting with Brian on Friday morning.”
My eyes immediately flicked towards Brian.
His face looked concerned, probably from the way mine now appeared after getting this news.
“Did you say that Vanessa called Logan to tell him to come in my place because she’d told Brian I was off the account yesterday?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Sasha. You may want to reach out to Brian to discover what might be happening. To find out from the client seems unprofessional. I would’ve thought—”
“Hang up.” Brian’s voice came from behind me, and he snatched the phone from my grasp. “Nancy, she’ll have to call you back.” He pressed the end call button and simply stared at me.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
Brian’s expression let me know immediately that all of what I’d just heard had been true.
The blood drained from my face, and my heart rate skyrocketed.
“Sasha, it’s not what you think,” he began, pulling me further over to the side, out of view of everyone.
Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2) Page 30
