Big Man’s Claim

by Wylder, Penny

  His eyes widen and I see the discomfort wash over his face. His skin goes white, and he's starting to get fidgety. No guy wants to get into this conversation, especially an older brother with his younger sister.

  I know how he feels about Branson. Ryder made it clear. I shouldn't have to hide my personal life. I shouldn't have to pretend at all. But who knows, this whole thing with Bran might end up going nowhere.

  Why cause a rift with my brother for nothing?

  “I'm sorry,” he says awkwardly.

  “Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going out and I'll be home later.” Yanking open the door, I step outside with a hidden smirk on my face.

  One point Melody.

  The sun is starting to go down, but there's at least another hour or so of daylight left. Turning up the road to Bran's cabin, my mind is full of curiosity. I'm not sure where he's taking me for our date, and the anticipation is driving me wild.

  Following the long, winding dirt driveway up to his house, I park my truck. Sitting inside, I can feel my chest tighten. It's so tight it's almost hard to breathe.

  These fucking nerves!

  Taking a few slow breaths, I'm looking at his house when he opens the front door and steps outside. I couldn't breathe when I got here, and now this man just stole all the air from my lungs.

  Bran is wearing a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt. His hair is wild, but perfect. The deep mahogany is styled yet tousled as if he didn't want to remove the mess my hands made earlier.

  He smiles, walking to my door and opening it for me. “Right on time,” he says. Reaching out for me, I give him my hand and he helps me out of the car. With my fingers in his, he takes a step back and looks me up and down. “Wow. You look amazing.”

  “Thank you. So do you.”

  “I do clean up nice, huh?” Chuckling, he flicks his collar.

  “Who knew all this handsomeness was underneath there.” Circling his entire body with my finger, I grin.

  Kissing the top of my hand, he starts to pull me toward his house. “I hope you like seafood.”

  “I love seafood. Where are we going for dinner? Ocean Mist? The Blue Crab?”

  It has to be one or the other, those are the only two seafood restaurants around.

  “Neither.”

  “You know of another place?” I ask, arching a brow.

  “How does Bran's sound?” Pushing his front door open, I almost fall over when I look inside.

  He set his table up with candles and a small vase of flowers. There are candles all around the cabin and soft music is playing in the background.

  “Bran. . .” His name comes out my mouth as my heart halts in my chest. “You did all this for me?”

  Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guides me inside. “I figured that since this town is so small, and we both know how people like to talk, that the best way for us to get to know each other is by not letting other people see us together.”

  “You're so right.”

  He leads me to the table, pulling out my chair for me to sit. Clearing his throat, he lays a towel over his arm and stands pencil straight.

  “For dinner tonight, we have stuffed scrod, with a side of rice and steamed green beans. The green beans are home grown from my garden out back, and the fish is freshly imported from Maine.”

  He's using a terrible French accent and I can't help but laugh. “Sounds delicious.” Giggling, he starts to laugh too. “I don't think you're going to win an Oscar for that accent, though.”

  “Yeah, it's pretty bad.” Chuckling, he walks to the kitchen and pulls a glass dish out of the stove. Plating our food, he brings both to the table and sets mine down in front of me. “I hope you like it.”

  “It smells so good.”

  As we eat and talk, I realize I'm falling for this man. The man in front of me isn't anything like the man my brother described. And the longer I'm with him, the less I care what other people think.

  But I do care about what Bran thinks. We can be a match made in heaven, but if we have different dreams, then we'll never have a future together.

  For now, I'm just going to enjoy this. Dinner with a man who makes me smile and laugh. An evening with a man who holds me in his arms and isn't afraid to take control of me.

  And as he carries me up the stairs for the second time today, I let all my worry and fears drift away.

  Right now I'm happy, and that's all that matters.

  Despite the heartbreak I might feel in the end, it will all be worth it to have him for a little while.

  9

  Branson

  I feel her in my arms before I even open my eyes. It's a feeling I really enjoy. She's been here almost every night since our first date.

  Our first date. . . It's a strange thought.

  We haven't really had an official date. Just little ones at my house or hiking in the woods. I'm afraid of the people in town seeing us together. The rumors about me are enough to drive any sane person away. I want to bring it up, but there's a fear that she won't believe me.

  I don't want to lose her.

  Not yet.

  This feels too good to let it get tainted by the voices I can't control. Maybe I'm reaching for something that's intangible, but all I want is for this to be real. Melody is so full of life and sass and excitement that the thought of losing her hurts.

  I'm hooked. She's my drug. All I want is more and more of her. One more laugh, one more smile, one more touch, one more incredible night of mind blowing sex.

  I tried to force myself to forget her and our night on the mountain, but she came to me, she sought me out, knocking on my cabin door. And she just keeps coming.

  “Good morning,” she says.

  “You're awake,” I say, slightly startled by her voice.

  “I am.” Stretching her entire body from fingers to toes, she curls her body around me. “So, what's the plan for today?”

  “I was actually thinking we should take a hike to Gloster Falls. What do you think?”

  “I think that sounds great. I have my boots in my truck ready to go.”

  Pushing up, I rub her back a little as she rolls onto her belly. “Coffee?”

  “Please,” she says, snuggling deeper into the blanket. Her phone pings on the nightstand. Picking it up, she groans. “It's my brother. He's so nosy.”

  “He's your brother, he's supposed to be nosy.” Chuckling, I smile at her. “Be nice to your brother.”

  “Yeah, easy for you to say. He's not your brother, he's mine.”

  “I know a thing or two about older brothers, I have two of my own. The only difference is they used to beat the shit out me, at least yours is just overprotective.”

  Melody laughs. “True.” Tapping her keypad, she sets the phone back down. “I told him I was working. Hopefully, he'll leave me alone for a bit now.”

  Plucking at my lip, I ask, “Does he know about me?”

  It's a loaded question. I'm not sure what he's heard about me. I'm not sure what she's been told about me. A rumor can live in so many ways, it all depends on who's listening.

  “Yes and no. I told him about how you helped me, but that's it. I haven't told him anything else. He's in my shit enough. Trust me, the last thing you want is him sitting you down and asking you what your intentions are with me.”

  She smiles, but my heart sinks. It's like a double edge sword. I'd love for us to be able to be open with our relationship, but I don't want to reopen the wounds of my past.

  “Well, you ready?” Quickly changing the subject, I hop out of bed and grab some clothes. “I'd like to get to the falls before noon.”

  Her voice changes, and I know she can sense the shift. “Uh, yeah, sure.” Her tone is off, layered with questions she isn't asking, or just doesn't know how to.

  But I don't offer a chance for her to even try. Getting dressed, I stuff my feet into my boots and head downstairs. Putting on a pot of coffee, I pour us each a cup and wait for her at the table.

&n
bsp; She's pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she comes down the stairs. “Smells good.” Taking her cup, she sits in silence and drinks her coffee.

  Her eyes fix out the window, steady and still. Leaning back in the chair, she crosses her arm over her chest almost protectively. The cup is against her lips as she sits in silence.

  “It's going to be gorgeous out today,” I finally say, ending this awkward quiet. “You have a suit to swim?”

  “Suit,” she says with a grin, finally glancing at me from the corner of her eyes. “Who needs a suit?”

  Whatever she's thinking about, whatever was on her mind, seems to disappear.

  Smirking, I lift my coffee cup and cheers the air. “I can't argue with that.” Grabbing an apple from the bowl in the center of the table, I roll one her way, and take one for myself.

  Melody smiles with thin lips, rubbing the apple against her chest and taking a bite. “I'm ready when you are. I've been itching to get back out there for a real hike. No more of these casual walks in the trees. Give me something with a climb.”

  “I think this hike will give you what you want.” Nodding my head, I set my cup in the sink and move for the door. “Let's go.”

  The air is already hot and muggy. It smacks me in the face the second I open the door. A light sweat beads up across the back of my neck as the sun hits me from behind. But it feels so good to be here. To be hiking with Melody for real. Just the two of us, no one else.

  Mel stops after a few minutes, adjusting her boot. She's still wearing a bandage around her ankle, which makes me a little nervous. I know she can handle this trail, but I don't want her to push herself too hard.

  “You all right?”

  “Yeah, I'm fine. Why?” she asks, popping back up and tightening her ponytail.

  My eyes drop to her leg. “Does it still hurt?”

  “A little, but I'm okay.” She gives me a reassuring smile, pressing on ahead of me. Spinning around, she walks backward. “I think you might have a hard time keeping up with me.”

  “Is that right?” My tone drops playfully, and I take off in a sprint, darting past her. “Look who's in the lead now.” Turning to face her, she's laughing.

  “I'm not running,” she says with a shake of her head. “I might feel better, but I'm not stupid.”

  Stopping, I wait for her to reach my side. “Seriously though, this is a bit of a tough hike, you sure you're up for it?”

  Eyeing me, she purses her lips. “Yes, Bran, I can do this.”

  “Good. Don't be afraid to let me know if you need to stop for a break.”

  “I won't.”

  The first half the trail is easy. The path is wide and flat, only sloped uphill a little bit. Once we hit the second part of the trail, it changes completely. It's steep as shit, thinning against the wall of the mountain.

  It's wide enough you don't need to press your back or chest against the mountain, but high enough that one misplaced foot could send you tumbling down into a pretty deep ravine.

  “Careful over her, it's a little rocky and uneven.”

  “I can see that,” she says over her shoulder.

  I follow closely behind her, aware of every step she takes. I don't want to be the reason she gets hurt again.

  “It's a little tighter around this bend, stay closer to the inner edge.” Giving her directions, she shoots me an annoyed glare over her shoulder, but doesn't say anything.

  Pressing herself in closer, she steps on a rock and it wobbles.

  “Careful,” I bark quickly, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her closer to the rock wall.

  “Bran!” she yells, prying herself free. “Stop treating me like I'm made of glass! I don't need you protecting me like this.”

  “I'm sorry, I just don't want you getting hurt again.”

  Looking back at me, her eyes soften. “I know that, and I appreciate it, I really do, but I know what I'm doing here.”

  “You're right.” Holding up both my hands with my palms out. I wave the white flag. “I'll stop. I'm taking a step back.”

  “I know you want to keep me safe, and I love that about you. I just need you to trust me when I say I'm fine. Yes, I fell hiking. Yes, I could have died, but I didn't. I just hurt my ankle and it's much better now. I wouldn't even be doing this if I felt I couldn't.”

  Hearing her say that comforts me. She's right. I need to trust her. She doesn't need me standing over her, hovering like an overprotective brother. She already has one of those.

  “Okay, I totally understand. I won't do it again.”

  She smiles back at me, and we keep hiking.

  It takes another hour for us to reach the falls, but you can hear them long before you see them. The sound of rushing water echoes through the trees, growing louder and louder until we’re almost standing under it.

  The trail opens to a large grassy platform at the base of the waterfall. Everything around us is so green and lush.

  Mel walks right to the water's edge. “Oh my God, this place is so beautiful.” Her eyes are wide and the smile on her face is simply stunning.

  While she's staring at the waterfall, I'm staring at her.

  “You're beautiful,” I say, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her body. Resting my chin on her shoulder, I kiss her cheek.

  Twisting her head, she leans in. Her lips are right there, so close I can already feel them on mine. My eyes start to close and I tip my head ready for her.

  “Uh, you'll have to catch me for a kiss,” she says, pulling away fast.

  Melody kicks off her boots, tearing her shirt off and yanking her shorts down her legs, jumping into the water with a loud splash.

  She pops up from underneath with a huge smirk on her face, splashing water up at me. “Come get me, hero.” She paddles herself deeper into the pool at the base of the waterfall and laughs.

  “You're going to get it,” I say. Untying my boots, I pull them off one at a time, stripping to my boxers and diving into the water.

  It's ice against my skin. My body chills as I swim under water. Kicking my legs, I break the surface right in front of Melody.

  “Gotcha.” Grabbing her wrists, I pull her into my chest.

  She's giggling as she wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. There's black eyeliner running down her face, so I wipe it away with my thumb. Her eyes are on mine, sparkling like the crystal clear water we're floating in.

  Her fingers rake through my hair, and she twirls a thick tight lock to my scalp, only to let it go. My eyes move down her face, stopping at her lips. I don't wait for her permission. I kiss her.

  Coiling her legs tighter, she pulls herself closer and kisses me back. Dipping my tongue into her mouth, Melody moans. She's almost naked, wearing nothing but her bra and panties. I can feel her pussy as it presses against my stomach and her hard nipples as they hit my chest.

  Melody breaks our kiss and pushes herself free. She giggles as she swims under the tumbling waterfall. I like this game of cat and mouse she wants to play. It's turning me on the more she's making me chase her.

  I follow her through the sheet of river rain. It sounds different in here. The water is louder as it creates a bubble just for us, hiding us from the rest of the world.

  Wrapping herself around me again, she brushes her nose over mine, pressing our foreheads together. “I like this place,” she says, her fingers braiding behind my neck. “It can be our secret hiding place.”

  Nodding, we kiss again. Only this time it feels different. I feel different.

  There's a knot in my chest that's alive, breathing and growing. My heart is beating a million beats in this one moment.

  This isn't real. It can't be real.

  It's too soon to feel this way with someone I hardly know. We're still learning about each other. All the quirks and habits, the small things that make us unique.

  I think I. . .

  Pulling her as close in as I can, my eyes dart between hers. Licking my lips,
the words linger in the back of my throat, but I can't find the strength to say them.

  Her head tilts as she arches a brow. “What?” she asks.

  The words move to the tip of my tongue, and that's where they stay. I don't say what I'm feeling. I ask her a question. “What do you want?”

  “What do I want?” she repeats. “With what? My life, my future, my career?” Shifting her gaze around my face, I don't answer and just let her talk. “I mean, to be honest, I don't really know what I want anymore. When my mom got sick, everything got pushed to the back burner. Then my dad died, and now I have no real plans. I've just been living each day as it comes. But. . .” Melody pauses as her eyes drop to the water.

  “But what?”

  Exhaling a slow breath, she lifts her eyes to mine. “The only thing I know I do want one day is a family.” Her words hang in the air, saturated with questions of her own.

  A family. . .

  I can see the vulnerability in her eyes and feel it in her body as she starts to unfurl herself from me. But I don't let her.

  I don't say anything. I say none of the things I should. Like it's okay to now know what you want. That it's fine to not have any plans and take it one day at a time. That everyone dreams of having a family, even me. . .

  Instead, I hold her. I wrap her tightly, letting her bury her face in my neck.

  It doesn't matter what she chooses to do or not do, because living in the moment is far better than living in the shadows of things that could have been.

  Or living under the weight of the things that follow you.

  10

  Branson

  Walking into the bar, I'm holding a giant box. Glancing around, the bartender nods and holds up a finger for me to wait.

  I set the box down and I start to open the lid. The owner, Frank Hamilton, asked me a little while back to make him something unique to hang up in his bar. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, just something eye catching and different.

  Having Melody around has really sparked something inside me. I feel more creative than I ever have. I see colors and shapes in everything now.