With nothing more to say, Felicia turned and ran up the stairs. She didn’t slow until she stepped into her room and slammed the door. Finally, the tears made their way to her lashes and bounced down her cheeks with just a blink.
Two hours later Felicia was still glad her mother hadn’t followed her up stairs. Things might have gone badly. Not that sliding to the floor of her room and crying had been the highlight of the morning—still it was better than the lecture her mother undoubtedly had waiting for her. The only thing she seriously regretted was not sticking around for breakfast. Her waistline may not appreciate the detail, but both men were wonderful cooks.
She had no idea how Brady and Mickey had dealt with her mom and the nosy town gossip, but thankfully, they had. Felicia sighed heavily, and escaping the confinement of her room, ventured forth. She came down the stairs to find the house quiet. Obviously, the boys were out in the field with the horses.
“No. No. No…uh…come on.” Brady’s groan of protest from the office indicated she wasn’t alone in the echoing ranch house.
Felicia peered around the frame of the office threshold. “Do I dare ask?”
He glanced up and stared at her. “New accounting software. They updated and I swear its more un-user friendly then before.”
She laughed and crossed the threshold. “Let me have a look.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” She shook her head and glanced around the office. “My grandfather would flip.”
Brady darted a look around then met her gaze. “I think his ghost haunts me. I know he was never this disorganized—and I’m not. It just looks that way.”
Felicia wanted to laugh, but didn’t. “If you say so.”
She walked over to where he sat and glanced at the program on the screen. Sure enough, he’d gotten an error code. “What did you do?”
“No idea.” He waved a hand to a stack of papers. “All these need to be entered into the program and I’ve done two.”
The program should be basic and she figured it wasn’t as complicated as Brady thought.
“I swear, we are going to have to get another ranch hand if I don’t get a handle on this. My days will be spent in here.”
She studied the cowboy and smiled. “It would kill you not be with the horses, besides you and Mickey have made some good calls on breeding.”
He leaned back in the chair and grinned. “And made a lot of money in the process.”
Thoughts from earlier filtered into her mind. “Which is good, because I’m expensive.”
Brady chuckled. “That you are, but most definitely worth it.” He raked his blue gaze over her body, taking an extra few seconds on her bare legs under her short denim skirt.
A red flag raised somewhere in her brain. Something different had gotten into the cowboys today. It wasn’t so much the words Brady spoke, but the tone. She shook off the crazy notion and smiled. “Here get up and let me see what you’ve done wrong.”
He reached a strong hand out and tugged at the fabric of her cotton shirt. “Have a seat.” He pulled her into his lap. As soon as her butt settled against his denim-covered thighs, every nerve of her body went on alert. His cologne mingled with his manly scent and the woodsy fragrance of his soap. She remembered Mickey’s earlier comment to her mom about how they would protect her and her slight uneasiness calmed down.
“Comfortable?”
No…yes…too comfortable. Men!
She glanced at Brady whose blue eyes sparkled as they studied her. “Fine, thanks.”
“Good.” He reached up and gently removed a ringlet from her cheek. The simple act carried a strange intimacy. “Damn! You’re pretty.”
What had gotten into him? “And you’re delusional.” She took the comment in stride, but another red flag went up in her mind. “Let’s see what’s going on with your computer skills.” She turned to the computer and reached for the mouse. “You know, if you want, I don’t mind earning my keep and entering these for you.”
“For starters you don’t have to earn your keep.” His voice dropped a bit, and his gaze was clearly fierce.
She turned to face the cowboy. Again, not his words, but his tone suggested something was different.
“Mickey and I love having you here.” His arms slid around her waist. “The help would be appreciated though.”
“I like being here.” She wasn’t sure what happened to her voice but the simple statement took her breath away, and left her with just a whisper. Twice since this morning Brady had put his arm around her. He held her gaze and the room became warmer. She needed to focus on something other than the sexy cowboy whose lap she currently occupied.
Felicia turned to the computer then leaned to grab a few of the papers. Her butt came against something hard. “Okay, new rules Brady Jackson, if I’m going to sit on your lap the cell phone needs to come out.”
Brady’s hold tightened on her as she turned her attention back to the computer monitor. “That’s the second time,” he whispered close to her ear, so close his hot breath teased her skin, “you have mistaken my phone for how hard you make me.”
Her breath stuck in her throat and she jumped out of his arms and distanced herself by a good five feet. She couldn’t breathe and Brady chuckled from his chair behind her.
“Relax”
Relax? Impossible! Considering the bulge in his jeans, she didn’t know what to think anymore. Confusion, doubt and every girlhood fantasy collided inside her head and left her with nothing but all consuming insecurity. She was losing her mind and her feelings were raw and raging.
Felicia met his blue gaze. “What the hell is going on?”
“It’s a natural reaction when a beautiful woman sits on a guy’s lap. Especially in a mini skirt that short, and with legs like yours.”
That was his response. He blamed the bulge in his pants on her fashion choice. What made her clothes so different from her past outfits? She tried to wrap her brain around the scene unfolding and failed. “Um, yeah, if the guy is straight.”
“No, even guys who like both sexes.”
“You’re bi?” The question fell off her tongue before her mind could digest the meaning.
“Mickey and I both are.” He cast a crooked grin and her heart slammed to a stop. The reaction wasn’t only over how gorgeous the cowboy looked, but his words registered in her brain. He shrugged. “Mothers need to cover that more often when they give the sex talk to their daughters.”
They’re bi-sexual. Damn them both.
After all the emotions she had felt for both of them for so long! A lot of heartache had been for naught. Felicia’s temper sparked and she became angry. She had a right to be, but with the time—years even—that had gone by, common sense told her let the past go—to move on.
Yet, something stopped her, possibly the innate and often dormant bitch within. Being alone with Brady made every past hurt come rushing up to the surface.
“Oh, how quickly you forget.” She turned away from him and stared out the office window, willing herself not to cry. “Mom handed me a pamphlet and you and Mickey explained sex to me about a week later because Collin was…” She shook her head and couldn’t recall what in her brother’s life had made him unavailable. “Like usual, never around.”
“I remember. Fast forward a few years and Mickey gave you the full on demonstration.”
Felicia grabbed a hard cover book from the table in front of her, spun around and threw it at Brady with every ounce of force she had. “That wasn’t fair!”
Brady dodged the book. It hit the wall and fell to the floor after leaving a crack in the paint and drywall.
Heavy footsteps thudded into the room as Mickey rushed to her side and took her trembling hand. “Enough!” He glared at Brady. “That really was unfair and uncalled for.”
She turned on her heel and faced Mickey. “And you! I think I hate you just as much for opening your big mouth.”
“You were raised better than to hate,” Brady snapp
ed, though his bitter tone resonated around the room.
“Save the moral and ethics speech, Brady!” Her gaze remained steadfast on Mickey.
An emotion she couldn’t read flickered in Mickey’s eyes. “You were the one who brought it up last night.”
Felicia jerked her hand out of Mickey’s hold. “Yeah, but then you filled him in on all the details I’m sure.”
The desk chair rolled back and boot heels scuffed the floor. She turned and glared at Brady who now stood with his hands on his denim covered hips. “Oh yeah, how you gave up waiting for Mr. Right to make the move and you surrendered your virginity to him just weeks before he and I got together.”
“Oh!” Suddenly betrayal assaulted her system and she shook her head, desperately trying to shake off memories past. She met Mickey’s gaze. “I get drunk one night and after all these years you spill to Brady how it was him I was waiting for.”
Mickey flinched and shook his head. “Oh God! Felicia…”
Tears pricked behind her lashes and she glared back at Brady who winced and took a step back. The sexy cowboy looked like he’d been punched in the gut. She didn’t care and continued before tears weakened her further. “And you were so blind! You were wrapped up with your rich bitch girlfriends. Those perfectly refined, filthy rich, filthy bitches who were already going through Daddy’s money and only saw dollar signs, not what an amazing man you were.” Nausea rose in her stomach like ruthless waves on the shore.
Mickey groaned. “Felicia...” His voice wavered and came across just as upset as she was. Fat chance of that.
Brady glanced up at the ceiling and his expressions changed, rolling through a range of emotions, half of which were unreadable. His normally tanned skin paled to a sickly grey-green.
What the hell? Why are they both reacting like this?
Doubt consumed her. When Brady again met her gaze, sorrow and sadness blinked at her through his sinfully long lashes and he turned to Mickey. “You failed to mention that part—about who she’d wanted.” The pain coating his words wasn’t hard to miss. He inhaled a sharp jagged breath as his wounded expression rested on her. “Thanks, doll, for clarifying—why he had no regrets about that night.”
Realization dawned on her. Mickey had hurt Brady by keeping her secret all these years…until her big mouth removed all doubt and filled in blanks. The knot in her stomach tightened. She practically coughed out an exhale and stumbled back into Mickey who wrapped his arms around her. Her gaze remained on Brady who looked like a man about to come undone.
“Oh, God! You didn’t know…”
“No,” he rasped as if in pain and shook his head.
“Doll, just breathe.” Mickey whispered in by her ear. “You two need to fix this.”
She nodded as grief, remorse, and guilt overwhelmed her entire being.
Slowly Mickey let go of her and immediately she missed the safety of his arms as he stepped over to Brady. “Make this better or it’s never going to work. The regret, fear and bitterness have to end and you need to face the truth—it’s always been us.” He leaned in and kissed the other man’s lips. “I think I’m going to check on the horses and leave you two to talk.” He sent Brady a warm but slightly sad glance and left the office.
Felicia struggled to find her voice. There were no simple answers, at least not ones that made any sense.
He’s right. It was always supposed to be one of them. Her heart raced in a cyclone of emotions. Can I have both?
Brady reached out, captured her wrist in his and gently tugged her toward him. He grazed the knuckles of the other hand softly against her face. “What have we done?”
She still couldn’t speak, but savored the feel of his simple touch.
“You’re right, I was pretty wrapped up and I’m past stupid for not noticing or acting on what has been obvious for a long time.”
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”
“No, it’s not.” His hand slipped from her cheek to the back of her neck. “Forgive me,” he whispered. “I should’ve followed my heart.”
Brady closed the distance between them. The nearness of his solid frame and the intoxicating scent of male, soap, and cologne, hit her harder this time and she gasped for air. Her lashes fluttered shut as his warm breath teased her skin and before his full lips came against mouth. Her knees buckled as fire shot through her body. His strong arms wrapped around her, holding her up as her breasts pressed against his well-muscled chest. His tongue grazed along her lower lip and she parted her mouth, granting him access.
His hand slid slowly from behind her neck and caressed her back all the way down to her ass. He squeezed the flesh and pulled her against the bulge in his pants. She moaned against his mouth while his work roughened fingers slipped gently beneath her skirt. Fingers dipped between her legs and briefly brushed the swollen folds encased in lace, now wet from her arousal. His touch increased the tension across her stomach and her clit ached, needing attention. When his thumb grazed the sensitive spot, she moaned and silently wondered if her legs were still a part of her body.
His lips lifted from hers and she opened her eyes. Brady’s fingers were already working on the lace and the soft wet fabric slid, dropping to the floor. He lifted her onto the edge of the desk and caressed the front of her top. Lowering his mouth again to hers, her heart started to race and she knew she needed to be bolder. Fear always stopped her, and in turn made her boring.
Her fingers reached for the belt of his jeans and made quick work of the buckle, metal button and zipper. Smooth skin and perfectly carved abdomen muscles met her touch. He was in better shape then she imagined and dipped her hand below the elastic waist of his boxer briefs. Heat coursed through her as the tips of her fingers caressed the silky veined skin of his cock. He pressed himself against her touch and growled against her tongue. Trying not to tremble, she slid her hand to his waistband then tugged his underwear and pants down, allowing his thick dick to spring free.
Brady slid his hands to cup her ass. He inched her forward so the tip of his dick teased her wet folds. She whimpered in anticipation wanting to experience all of him. Deepening the kiss, he lifted her then thrust inside her quick and deep. His large size filled her completely and her body stiffened as her bottom returned the surface of the desk.
“Relax.”
She nodded and adjusted to his size then braved rocking her hips. He groaned quietly and reclaimed her mouth in a hungry kiss. Her tongue sought his and mated while he picked up the speed of his thrusts. His fingers dug into her flesh and pressure tightened across her belly. Hard strokes fell into a deep rhythm and she moaned, lacing her arms around his neck for support. Her body trembled—and she gasped—and tore her mouth from his as an intense orgasm washed over her.
Felicia’s pussy twitched and with every clench to his cock more pleasure flooded through her. Brady continued working in and out of her. She threw her head back and a wail escaped her parted lips as he continued thrusting. He slammed into her hard one last time with a feral groan and held her tight against his torso. Her body convulsed with another orgasm as his release spurted inside her still throbbing pussy.
His fingers massaged her neck then worked up and entwined in the hair at her nape. “Oh God, Felicia,” he rasped in an unusually quiet breath by her ear. She wasn’t sure if it was his tone, or the intimacy of his touch, but for the first in years, she felt—well, cherished. Not since her night with Mickey.
Oh No! Mickey.
Reality crashed through her brain. Even though Brady still had his cock buried deep inside her, and the sex tied with the best she’d had in the past, guilt stiffened her muscles and knotted her stomach. What she had just experienced with Brady was amazing and she didn’t want to ruin the moment. But she had just betrayed the other man in her life, who, despite circumstance, still held a big chunk of her heart.
Brady eased back and met her gaze. He frowned, no doubt from the avalanche of emotions invading her mind and etching themselves on her fa
ce for him to read. “Doll, what’s wrong?”
Her breath became ragged as she realized what getting caught up in the moment had just done, not only to her relationship with Mickey, but in turn, his with Brady. Her chest constricted and she fought with every ounce of her being not to break into tears. “What’s Mickey going to say?” She finally choked out, though her last syllable hinted at the wreck she was quickly becoming.
“I hope you both enjoyed it!” He laughed. “Nothing beats make-up sex.”
Her heart slammed to a stop and she turned toward the threshold. Mickey leaned against the door frame of the office with an amused glint in his eye. She noted his devil-got-no-care attitude. She parted her swollen lips to comment, but the words died in her throat when the sexy cowboy chuckled again.
“Nice face, doll. If you want to know what I’m thinking, there’s only two words.”
Felicia tilted her chin and gained strength from within. How she’d never know. “And what would they be?”
The grin he cast would have melted her thong, if she’d been wearing it. His dark eyes danced and his brows lifted. He resembled a very sexy definition of prime evil she dreaded his response. “My turn.”
His what?
As she comprehended what he’d said her eyes widened. She darted a glance at Brady, who tightened his hold, reminding her of their hot sex and for a fleeting second, she was safe. “All bets are off, doll, I wouldn’t plan on walking with your sexy sway anytime soon.”
Sweet loving hell, what are these guys thinking? Who cares?
Her sexy sway when she walked was overrated anyway. Hell, if she had to, she would just stay in bed with one of them. In a perfect world—both. She flashed Brady an unsure grin. “Bring it!”
Mickey snorted in amusement behind her as his boots scuffed the wood, indicating he had just turned away. “Famous last words.”
“He makes a comment like that, and then walks away?” Felicia’s heart picked up speed and she blinked at Brady. “If Mickey thinks for two minutes or even two seconds I’m just going to surrender to him or chase him down like a lovesick school girl, the man has another think coming.”
Bad Bride Good Cowboys Page 7
