by Mia Madison
“This the one I told you to stay away from?”
“Dan -”
“I'll step out so you can have some family time,” Brand says. Every part of me wants to hang on to him and keep him close to me. “I'll be close by,” he adds with a comforting smile.
I glance through the window and see him in the hall, chatting with the doctor that's attending my brother. Then they walk away together and I turn to give Dan my full attention. He's not pleased and I guess the pain he's in isn't helping.
“I told you to stay clear of that guy, Sis,” he snarls.
“I don’t know whats going on here,” Dad says, annoyed to be out of the loop. “But can it wait until this is over.”
“No it can't,” Dan barks. “Look how life can change in a flash. I heard the army doc tell my CO I was likely gonna lose the eye. I wanna at least know she's safe if I'm not around to watch out for her.”
“Oh god, Dan, don't talk like that. You're going to be fine.”
“I guess this proves I’m not. I can face what comes but I wanna know my kid sister isn’t being abused.”
“Is someone gonna fill me in on what's going on?” my dad thunders. “No one abuses my little girl.”
“It's not, I'm not being abused, Daddy I promise.”
At that moment a nurse bustles on in and shoos us out.
“I think that's enough excitement right before surgery.”
We herd out into the hallway and when the nurse emerges, she smiles with overly bright encouragement.
“Nicely sedated,” she says. “He'll be going in soon.”
I can't see Brand anywhere around and his absence is painful. I'm glad my parents are here but having Brand's particular support and strength would be so amazing right now. I can't believe how I miss him. Hours pass and the family tension isn't alleviating. My father glares at me periodically but none of us wants to open up any cans of ugly worms at this moment.
“What's taking so long,” Dad demands of a nurse walking by.
“He'll be going in any moment. The specialist's here now. Nothing to worry about.”
And right after they wheel Dan past us, looking drowsy, toward the OR, Brand appears and scoops me into his arm.
“How are you holding up, Baby?”
“Best I can manage,” I say. “I thought you'd given up on me and my equally combative family.”
“Never.” He strokes my cheek and his eyes bury into me. “I wouldn't have you any other way.”
“I'm sorry,” I murmur.
“I'm glad to see you've got people looking out for you. But no one will ever take care of you like I will.”
His statement leaves me breathless and I want to ask him to expand but my father looks set to start another war here.
“Jolie is home with her family. Thank you for bringing her but she's safe with us now,” my father tells him.
“Daddy -” I gasp, shocked by his unusual rudeness. It can only be the strain of worry causing this. But it's partly my fault for painting a one-sided picture to Dan when I was running on full emotion. “I need to make something clear here and I'll do the same once Dan's better -”
“It's alright, Baby,” Brand says, squeezing my hand to tell me to leave it alone.
“No, it isn't -” I tell him. “I don't want our relationship to start off forever blighted by misunderstanding.”
My heart fills with relief when I see Brand's mouth turn up in pleasure at my use of the word I feared was banned. Pumped with courage, I turn to my parents.
“Mom, Dad, I spoke to Dan when I was upset and led him into a false impression. I'd like you to please accept the man I'm falling in love with on his own merits, without pre-judgement.”
My parents look stunned, then confused at my sudden announcement. My Mom comes to hug me and then Brand too at which point, he slips away. I'm miserable without him all over again, fearful that the parental affection overwhelmed him until he returns with coffee and some healthy nourishment for everyone.
My parents accept the treats with grace and huddle together in one corner to give us some space. Brand wraps an arm around me and leans into the side of my neck.
“Falling in love with me?” he husks.
“Uh-huh,” I nod. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I rather like it. Seeing as I'm falling in love with you too, it seems only fair.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Jolie
I sit with my parents in the airless waiting room. The rain batters the walls and windows, as we hold hands and breath, waiting for news. Through the interminable vigil Brand never leaves my side, although I'm sure he must have stuff to deal with. He allows me to sprawl against his solid shoulder when I can't keep my eyelids open one more instant.
When I wake, he goes to grab us coffee, and not the vile dirty dishwater they sell in the hospital cafe. I can tell that as much as Daddy tries to resist, Brand is beginning to grow on him just a little. Same as with me.
My brother emerges from surgery and the doctor's all smiles saying things went better than they ever expected.
“Dan's fortunate the eye specialist arrived in time. We thought he'd never make it through the storm.”
Now that Dan's out of danger, I notice the huge swell of warmth nestling constantly inside my tummy. If this is love rising up inside me, bring it on. I want all the happiness and security it's imparting to my life. My brother is less sure.
“Has that pretty rich boy gone back to the hole he crawled out of?” Is the first thing out of his mouth when he sees me.
It's kind of weird how Dan refers to Brand as boy, when he's more than ten years younger than my boyfriend, but I guess that's his way. Dan may not have Brand's wealth and power but he's not lacking in the domination department one little bit.
“I don't want to talk about this until you're completely better,” I say.
“I wanna talk about it,” he tells me. “Does that mean he's still sniffing around?”
“I'm really sorry if I overdid the sharing. But if I have anything to do with it, Brand's staying and I'd love it if you'd try to get to know him on his own account.”
“Fat chance.”
“Famous last words,” I joke, landing a punch he barely feels on his solid bicep.
Brand checks into a swanky old inn on the edge of the creek. At night I go home to my parent's house but sneak out to spend the night in his arms. When he needs to, he pilots the plane to the city but always returns each night, sticking by my side until I'm sure Dan's going to be fine. He gets his way over Cedric and my job, make that ex-job. I don't put up a fight on that seeing as I appreciate the time to stay in Starry Creek with my brother.
“I can't believe you fly up and down every day just to spend a few hours with me,” I say one night as the week of recovery draws to a close.
“I'd fly around the world for a few minutes with you,” he says. “Now stop talking so much and take them off.”
“Excuse me?”
He's sprawled on a chair, one leg stretched out looking impossibly confident and impossibly gorgeous. You wouldn't have been able to resist him either, trust me. But I don't wanna make it too easy so I stare him down with mock shock that elicits a grin.
“Panties. As you freely admit I've flown a long way to be with you. I want value for my money.”
“Arrogant bastard,” I say.
Then immediately wriggle my skirt up, having changed out of track pants just to come by Brand's hotel. Very slowly, holding Brand's hooded, lusty eyes in mine, I hook into my underwear and pull them down to reveal what he wants. His eyes track my every move, gazing at my smooth bare slit as I step out slowly out then toss my panties at him.
He catches the sliver of lace in one hand and pockets it before shaking his head slowly.
“You know what happens next?”
“No clue,” I reply with all the innocence I can muster.
He points one finger down at his legs. I know what he means. He wants me ly
ing across his thighs without panties while he spanks me until my ass cheeks are hot and tingling. My pussy is already soaked at the prospect.
*
After almost two weeks, Dan is released from the hospital. I'm there with my parents to help him with the transition. He leans on my Dad to lower into the wheelchair and Mom is fussing around so the task falls to me to respond to the waving from the nurse at the cashier desk.
I feel like I'm signing my life away with the stack of forms requiring a signature.
“And then the extra billing for specialist care,” the nurse slides a much swankier slip in front of me and I have to hold into the ledge when I see the figure in bold at the bottom.
Oh god.
“This is covered by the military too, right?”
“No. This is the specialist you brought in for the surgery and post-care treatment.”
“But, didn't Dan's doctor order the specialist. Can you check please?”
The nurse seated at a desk piled with stacks of paper that can only be billings looks up at the name. She immediately rises from her desk to join us. With one fingertip she slides the form away from me and checks it over.
“That's all in order. All paid up, no co-pay.”
“But -”
“I said it's in order,” she glares at the other woman with loaded meaning.
“Do you mind if I take another look at the invoice,” I say, holding out my hand.
The nurse cannot refuse and slides it back.
There – in the finer print that I missed with the shock from the staggering row of figures – there's his name.
My eyes flick up to meet the senior nurse's gaze. She gives a shrug.
“He didn’t want you to know.”
I smile my thanks at them both and return to help my brother, still insisting his legs are fine for walking and he doesn't require the chair.
Mom's made Dan's favorite meat loaf and mashed potatoes with her special thick gravy as his homecoming dinner. We sit around the dinner table, all in a state of agitated excitement mixed with relief that he's safe. And then the light-hearted talk turns to my love life.
“Exactly how old is Pretty Boy anyways?” Dan takes a slug of his beer then demands out of the blue.
“It's kind of weird you calling him Boy when he's older than you,” I say, making a joke.
My parents eyes are on me so I get the feeling this has been privately discussed between the three of them.
“He's thirty seven.”
“He's too old for you. Not to mention a screwed up asshole.”
“Language at the table, Son.”
“Sorry, Mom, but I mean it. This guy is a rich entitled ass and after what happened with -.”
My eyeballs fly rigid across the table with a glare at my brother that tells him to zip it right now. The painkillers must be loosening his brain matter that he's suddenly forgotten I never wanted my parents to find out how Shay broke my heart and almost broke me.
They're both tennis-balling back and forth between us, waiting for an explanation. I could never tell them. It's over and receding even further, now that Brand is gluing the shattered parts of me back together.
“Well,” my dad eventually cuts into the tension. “Money and power does strange things to a man. Not always good.”
“He is good.”
“Sweetie, rich and handsome are wonderful things when you're young,” my Mom says. “But what really matters in a life partner is kindness.”
“She's still too young to be thinking about life partners,” Daddy tells her.
“I know, Honey, I just mean she should focus on a good one when the time comes.”
“He is good,” I repeat.
“You don’t know anything about him.”
“I know he flew me through a thunderstorm the instant we heard you were injured. I know he paid all the bills for an eye surgeon to come to the hospital and take care of you.”
“That was covered by the military.”
“No, it wasn't. Not that specialist guy from the city. That was Brand when he found out the doctors were talking about you losing sight. And he didn’t even tell me he was doing it. Had the nurses keep it a secret, I only happened to see the bill for excess by mistake.”
My parents and Dan sit quiet now, staring at each other with enough humility and regret to pile on a plate.
“He's still a kinky bastard,” Dan finally says.
“Well, your father and I weren’t immune to a little fun with handcuffs and a tickler,” Mom says, so we both stare at her with our mouths flopped open.
“Euw, Mom. Please.”
“What? You think we're too old to have fun? Age is irrelevant, you guys. No one ever realizes their own age and that's probably a good thing. It puts too many limitations on a life.”
We're all, even Dad, staring at her in shock when she adds;
“Are we finished up? I've got apple pie and I think we should invite Jolie's beau over for a slice.”
Epilogue
Jolie
A Week Later
I walk slowly across the room, unbuttoning his shirt which has become my favorite thing to wear for chilling out. I drop it off my shoulders, holding his half-hooded gaze. I can feel the lust pouring from him. And it's all mine. I get my own power rush from his desire for me and decide to push it all the way to the limits for once.
Brand needs to be in charge. Not only in life but also in the bedroom – over me. I resisted that with all my strength at first but with each small step we take, I fall more under the spell of that. I'm loving it more and more now that I realize I'm an equal partner in these delicious games. Not to mention the climax I get when he finally allows me to is off the freaking charts.
He remains sprawled confidently across the chair, no doubt assuming I'll climb onto his legs, face down with my ass bared for his spanking. His eyes travel slowly across every part of me, stopping at my newly smooth slit before moving up to my swaying breasts. He loves my tits and can't tear his eyes from them.
As I saunter toward him I feel more and more invigorated by his lusty stare. So that when I arrive between his legs, I do a slut drop that surprises the hell out of him. Before he has an instant to react, I've unbuckled his belt, his zipper and released his massive rod. The thing stands up beautiful, proud and – yeah – massive! I don't know how I'm ever gonna get all of it in my mouth but I'm damned sure gonna give it my best college try.
Brand jolts when he finds himself pinned to the chair by my elbows on his thighs. But I sense all the tension rushing out of them the instant I take his head between my lips and trail circles around the salty nectar pooled at the tip. Fuck, how delicious he is. I want to suck up every part of this man. And there's nothing I wouldn’t allow him to do to me.
I was insane to risk what we have by acting scared. And snarky. And all the other silly suppositions I held about who he is before I even knew him. I guess you could say I'm making it up to him now but the pleasure's all mine. Like always. Brand is obsessed in the best way – with giving me impossible over-the-top satisfaction.
Being on my knees between his legs, naked aside from the sky high heels he bought me, is enough of a turn on to make my pussy drench with eager juices. I scrape my tongue up the length of his underside, feeling the nubs and thick vein raze the tip. I tease him around the head, just enough before taking his thick girth in the firm O of my lips.
Now Brand's thighs turn to mush under my forearms and he lets out a husky groan. I slide down the length of him until the head hits the back of my throat. But when my hands curl around the root, I discover I've only managed to consume a little more than half of his solid rod.
“Easy, Babe,” he moans, his palms cupping the back of my head to ease me gently down onto his cock.
I'm a little nervous but when he tells me to 'Relax' I do what he says and my throat opens to receive all of him. Fuck, it feels like he's buried right down my throat but it's so decadent to swallow him down, I firm up my
mouth into a tunnel for him to fuck. My hands and tongue glide up and down in rhythmic unison, rotating and pressing to change up the pressure until I feel Brand's thighs grip. His hands tug my head all the way onto him until my nose buries in the aroma of his hair and hold me there as he groans out his salty climax.
He lifts me up onto his lap where I sit curled in a ball on him while he catches at his ragged breath.
“That was a first,” he grunts, when his heart rate slows back down.
“You've never allowed a woman to suck you off? I can't believe it.” I exclaim, but why would he lie?
I don't probe because Brand likes to divulge his secrets when he's ready and anyways I relish the delight of being his seductress. But it's too late.
“You're questioning my honesty? Okay young lady, now you're in big trouble.”
Suddenly reinvigorated he flips me over so I'm laid across his thighs with my tits shelved over the edge. His hand rests on my bare ass while the other tweaks at my pointed nipple, twisting the hunger and building it to a greater pitch.
“Oh god,” I whimper, twitching with anticipation.
His hand lying on my ass is dampening from the juices flowing from my pussy mouth. I writhe my pelvis against his trousered thigh, ravenous for his fingers thrusting inside me. He makes me wait, reveling in my hunger for more, letting me realize that all the resistance I put up meant nothing in the face of my body's need for him.
Then at last his heavy hand lifts, allowing a wisp of cool air to replace the heat form his palm, before he slams down on my flesh. The loud slap elicits a craving pang in my pussy and he rains down a half dozen slaps until my cheek is glowing with prickling heat and desperate need.
“Fuck me, Brand,” I moan. I know that in Brand's case the pleading is even more essential. “Please, fuck me, baby, I need you inside me. I want your huge cock filling every inch of my pussy.”
“Still the same dirty little mouth,” he rasps, corkscrewing my nipple in his fingers until I gasp.
“Please Brand, you can restrain me, you can tie me in shibari if you want to but please, please fuck me now.”
Brand
A Week Later
