“Sorry, I’m sorry. That was, damn, that was incredible and then…” her gasped words dissolved into another round of giggles. Deciding the word incredible was a good enough reason not to be offended, he headed for the bathroom to dispose of the condom and fetch a warm washcloth and a glass of water. He stroked her face and upper chest with the warm cloth, removing the sweat as her laughter subsided into little hiccups. Humor twinkling in her chocolate gaze, she blinked up at him, melting into something infinitely sweeter as she submitted to his care-giving.
“You okay?” He held out the glass of water, and she sat up to take it. Unable to keep his hands off her, Garrett stroked her back while she sipped. Taking the glass when she held it out to him, he drained the rest of it, then nudged her over on the bed so he could lie next to her.
Aubrey curled into his side again, resting her chin and forearms on his chest so she could look at him. “All my life it seems like I’ve been a disappointment.” She placed a fingertip on his lips when he opened his mouth to protest. “Shh, just listen a minute.”
He kissed the tip of her finger and nodded.
“I’ve never been the daughter my mother wanted; although, God knows I tried hard enough when I was little. Too plump, too clumsy, I was never the delicate little lady she could mold into a Mini Me.” A soft sigh escaped her. Garrett gritted his teeth, jaw twitching against the angry words he had to swallow down. How the hell could anyone not be thrilled with this sweet delight of a woman?
“As I got older, I realized the gilded cage she lived in would never be a good fit for me, so I struck out on my own. I think she resents it more than anything, the fact I’ve moved out and started my own business instead of living off Daddy’s money and waiting around for a man who can overlook my faults and take me on.” The wryness of her tone couldn’t quite mask the hurt beneath those words. A fierce need to protect Aubrey, to cherish her the way she deserved, burned brightly in his chest. “Where did you go? You look so cross.”
Gentle fingers brushed the frown from his brow, and he pushed aside his thoughts to focus solely on the woman in his arms. “I’m right here, darling. Tell me the rest.” She nestled her head against his shoulder, tracing a distracting pattern over his chest and abs. His cock began to stir, and he grabbed her hand to kiss the palm and place it safely on his collarbone. Her little hum of satisfaction made him grunt in good-humored defeat. “It’s hard enough to think rationally as it is with all your sweet curves draped over me, have mercy.”
Her throaty chuckle lifted his heart; the shadows clearing from her eyes swelled it even more.
“Anyway. Each disappointment on my mother’s part was invariably met with the same phrase, “Oh, Aubrey”. I’ve grown to hate those words until tonight. To hear them on your lips as you fucked me just now, to hear them as an affirmation instead of a criticism…I don’t know, it’s like you completely destroyed their power to hurt me.”
Garrett rolled them until he held her pinned beneath him, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss as he sought to drive any lingering doubts from her mind. Her lips parted beneath his, and he thrust his tongue hard and fast, reveling in her eager response. Her nails gripped his shoulder briefly before she scrabbled on the pillow beside her. He heard the foil rip, and moaned when her eager fingers slipped between their bodies to slide the condom over his cock.
“In me. I need you in me.” He was more than happy to comply with her breathy demand.
Chapter Six
“Someone’s putting some roses in your cheeks, my girl.” There was a hint of teasing in Amy Jensen’s voice, as she descended the last few steps into the foyer. Aubrey smiled and kissed her great aunt on both cheeks before tucking her hand in the curve of her elbow. They strolled together across the marble floor and into the day room, where a tray of mimosas waited on a walnut side table. Helen Jensen’s Sunday brunch was a summons few ignored, her youngest daughter included. The past week with Garrett had flown by in a flurry of laughter and love making. A low-grade tension still hung around him about the licensing inspection, but the agent had found nothing out of order.
Aubrey gathered two of the long-stemmed glasses, and steered Amy toward the chaise beneath the window, settling them both before turning to study this morning’s crop of guests, including their neighbors and a few couples her parents socialized with at the club. The usual crowd.
Marissa stood with her back to them. The sleeveless primrose yellow sheath dress she wore emphasized the thinness of her frame. Aubrey didn’t like the exaggerated way her sister’s shoulder blades stood out through the thin material. She was talking to Brock and, Aubrey realized with a frown, Kenny Ross. He looked up, catching her eye before she could glance away. With a smile as fake as the caps on his teeth, he crossed the room toward them.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Her muttered comment caught Aunt Amy’s attention.
“I take it this isn’t the source of those blushes.” No one could do dry comments like her great aunt.
“Absolutely not. Hush, I’ll tell you later.” Aubrey gulped half the mimosa, cursing her mother for having them mixed so weakly. “Kenny, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” After his obnoxious behavior at the bar, and that weird scene on her doorstep, she had rather hoped not to see him again. Foolish really with the wedding so close.
“I tried to call you. Left a few messages…” The expectation in his tone staggered her.
Asshole. She held the word in and settled for her best resting bitch face. She owed him nothing more than a kick in the balls. “I’ve been busy.”
Anger twisted his bland handsome features into something ugly. “Slumming it with that barman, no doubt.” How on earth does he know about me and Garrett? A waft of Chanel, and the small yaps of a Pomeranian announced her mother’s arrival, cutting off whatever else he might have been about to say. The easy way his expression shifted from anger to a charming smile stunned her.
“Oh, Aubrey!” Her mother’s perpetual greeting forced her to draw a deep breath.
She mentally scrolled through the list of transgressions she could have committed in the five minutes she’d been in her parents’ home. Deciding it wouldn’t be a good idea to point out the similarity between Helen’s tightly pursed lips and the wriggling butt of the small dog clamped beneath her arm, Aubrey forced a smile and rose to her feet.
“Hello, Mother.” Her lips knew better than to actually graze the surface of her mother’s perfectly powdered cheek. She lifted Turi from Helen’s hold, settling the little golden dog on her lap as she reclaimed her seat.
There had been no irony to her mother naming her pet after a similar dog kept by Queen Victoria of England. Scratching the dog behind her ears gave her the perfect excuse to avoid the matched set of disapproving gazes boring into her. Turi sighed in contentment, shedding hair all over the dark slacks Aubrey had paired with a red silk blouse. Her mother hated slacks.
She glanced up in time to see Helen shake her head before placing a coquettish hand on Kenny’s arm. “I’m so pleased you could join us today, Kenny. Perhaps after brunch, you and Aubrey could take a drive. The redwoods are marvelous this time of year.”
“I have other plans, Mother.” Even if she hadn’t, hell would freeze over before she spent another moment alone with him. Helen had been a little too pleased with the idea of Aubrey and Kenny as a couple. Time to make it clear where things stood. “I have a date with my boyfriend, Garrett Chase.”
The convivial mask slipped from Kenny’s face, revealing contempt, and something darker. “Did Aubrey not tell you she’s thrown me over for a barman?”
Her mother might have been frowning at her, it was hard to tell through the Botox mask. “You’re dating someone you met in a bar?” she said with palpable distaste.
“He owns the bar. We got to talking while I waited for a cab a few weeks ago.” Aubrey glared at Kenny. Just let him push it, and she would make it clear exactly why she’d been waiting.
With a loud sn
iff of disapproval, her mother leaned forward to sweep her dog up from Aubrey’s lap. “We’ll talk about this later. I must speak to the Kline’s about their trip to Europe.” Leaving a heavy cloud of perfume and disapproval trailing in her wake, Helen stalked off to speak to her friends.
With a deft touch on her arm, Aunt Amy drew Aubrey’s attention. “So, tell me about your young man, darling.”
Grateful for the excuse, she turned her body, shutting Kenny out of the conversation. She began to describe her most recent date, keeping the conversation light, until Kenny turned abruptly and marched off. Aubrey raised her glass to her mouth, giving a rueful laugh when she realized she’d already drained it. The encounter with both her mother and Kenny left her tense and uncomfortable. Rising to grab another mimosa for her aunt, and a glass of sparkling water for herself, she settled back beside Amy and told her the edited highlights of how she and Garrett had met.
“What’s this?” Aubrey looked up from her laptop with a smile. Gina nudged a bowl of spicy stew and a plate of crusty, homemade bread across the table.
“You need to eat, Aub. It’s after two-thirty, and Garrett is going to pop a vein if you don’t take a break.” Her spiky blonde hair might be in direct contrast to Garrett’s jet-black, but the brilliant blue eyes watching Aubrey were the same, like the ocean on a midsummer day. Glancing toward the bar, she bit her lip to hide a grin. Her boyfriend glowered at her, brows drawn together. He jabbed a finger at the food in front of her before turning to serve a customer. So bossy. It was wrong how much it turned her on.
The aromatic stew set her stomach rumbling, and she nudged her work away to draw the food closer. She spooned a mouthful up, moaning at the rich flavors on her tongue. “It’s just as well Todd is married, or I might think I’m dating the wrong brother.”
Gina’s raucous laugh split the air, drawing curious eyes towards them. Everything about Gina Chase was big, except her height. She shone with vitality, lighting up every space she entered, and Aubrey adored her. Having taken to each other from the moment they were introduced, Gina had been the one to encourage her to work in the bar when she stayed over with Garrett. He didn’t seem to mind. He took his breaks with her, and brought his own laptop over during quiet periods to catch up on orders and other paperwork.
Things were moving fast between them. Her own apartment had become little more than a place to change her clothes and catch up on laundry. She knew they should put the brakes on, take a breath, a step back, but neither of them showed any interest in starting the conversation. Being with Garrett filled her up, slotted in pieces she hadn’t known were missing until he put his arms around her.
“Hey, Gina, you going to do some work today?” Garrett called out.
His sister kept her eyes fixed on Aubrey’s computer screen. Sneaky witch, when did she turn it around? “I’m talking to my friend, Garrett. Pipe down!” She compounded her insolence with a dismissive wave of her hand. Clapping her hands together, she peeked over the top of the laptop. “This is great, Aub. I love the warm tones.”
Aubrey blushed. She enjoyed her work, and several clients had recommended her to their contacts, but she still found it hard to accept compliments. She tried to imagine her own sister’s reaction if she ever showed her what she did. Sadness settled over her like a fire blanket, smothering the embers of happiness. Marissa had no idea she’d designed a set of custom wedding stationery for her–everything from invitations to table place cards and menus. They had never seen the light of day. Never would. Two more weeks and it will be over.
Warm fingers brushed her cheek. Shaking off her upset, Aubrey stared into two pairs of concerned blue eyes. Garrett slid into the booth next to her, crowding her against the wall. His broad arm curled around her shoulder, drawing her into the comforting solidity of his chest.
“What’s up, angel?” He pressed a kiss to her temple and she snuggled closer.
“Nothing really. Just thinking about the wedding.”
He gave her a sympathetic squeeze. “I’ll be there.”
“It’s going to be ugly.” She rubbed her forehead. “And I’m not just talking about my dress.” Garrett and Gina laughed and she joined in.
Gina pushed herself out of her seat. “There better not be this kind of drama when you two get hitched,” she said with an evil grin. Garrett made a choking noise, and Aubrey buried her face in his chest, not daring to risk a glance at him. Gina laughed again. “And my work here is done….” Her tone changed from teasing to surprise “Hey, Pop, what are you doing here?”
They turned toward the older man who’d just walked through the door. The thick hair on his head shone silver, but there was no mistaking the firm line of his jaw. He was definitely a Chase. Garrett tugged her hand, and Aubrey allowed him to lead her from the booth. Bending forward, he brushed a kiss on the older man’s cheek, no sign of the reticence to display affection so often present between men. The man patted Garrett on the shoulder, then turned his attention to her.
“Now then, lovely girl, you must be Aubrey,” he said with a smile. Not waiting for confirmation, he gathered her close in a quick hug, then stepped back.
“So, what brings you here, Pop?” Gina asked, nestling under his still muscular-looking arm.
The broad smile fell from his wrinkled cheeks. “I wish I could say this is just a social call, but I need to talk to you and your brothers about the mortgage.”
Garrett’s face clouded over, and he took a small step away from Aubrey. “Go and sit down, Pop. Gina, get Todd from the kitchen.” The others moved away, and she waited for him to turn to her, to explain what was going on, but he didn’t. Silence stretched between them and, for the first time, she felt awkward in his presence.
Needing something to do, she grabbed her laptop and bag from the table. “I should go.” She expected him to protest— they had plans to watch NCIS and eat take-out in bed when his shift was over.
Brushing an absent kiss on her cheek, he nodded. “Good idea. This is family business. I’ll call you later.” His casual dismissal sent a chill down her back.
Ducking her head, Aubrey hurried from the bar, fighting back tears. He had every right to privacy with his family, but she had been open with him about her difficulties at home and expected him to do the same. Things had been so good between them and she’d let her heart get carried away. She’d obviously mistaken their sexual chemistry for a deeper connection. With just a handful of careless words, Garrett had proved they were not on the same page at all.
Chapter Seven
Garrett lay on his back, sunlight filtering through the bedroom window of his apartment. He’d had a shitty night, tossing and turning as he tried to get his head around what his grandfather had told him about the mortgage letter he’d received. It didn’t make sense. Money worries weren’t the only reason for his lack of sleep — he’d missed Aubrey lying beside him. Sunday had merged with Monday, rolled easily into Tuesday, and she’d been with him the whole time, working in whatever quiet corner she could find. He liked her being around, even when he was too busy to talk to her, he just plain liked her being there.
What he hadn’t missed was the flash of pain in her eyes when he’d accepted her offer to leave the afternoon before. They were having such a good time together, but he just couldn’t have her around his family shit. She’d ask too many questions he didn’t have the right answers for.
It had been his choice not to put his name on the business, and Gina and Todd had refused to do it without him. Call him paranoid, but he wouldn’t risk his family’s dream if word got out he was a thief. Yeah, he’d been a juvenile, dumb and grieving the death of his parents, but there was no excuse for what he’d done. Gina and Todd had coped without going off the rails. The old guilt beat at him. Needing to push it back, he grabbed his cell from the bedside table and dialed the number at the top of his call list.
“Good morning, I was just thinking about you.” Her sweet voice, edged with the husky note it always carried when
she first woke up, was a balm to his senses. “Is everything okay?”
He threw one arm over his eyes and settled deeper into his pillow. “The fucking bank screwed us over.” He ground his teeth, trying to contain his frustration. None of this was her fault. “I don’t know what’s going on, Aubrey. Everything is fucked up. Between this, and that inspection the other week, I don’t know what the hell is going on.”
A loud buzz sounded. “Shit, hold on a minute. That’s the intercom for the loading bay.” He untangled his legs from the sheets and strode naked into the main room. He tucked the phone under his ear and pressed the intercom response button “Yeah?”
“Thompson’s, got an urgent delivery for you.” What the hell? He’d tallied all the stock paperwork yesterday morning, and they weren’t due anything until Saturday morning.
“Must be a mistake, man. Next order isn’t due until the weekend.”
“Look, pal. I’ve got the paperwork, says we got an urgent email last night begging us for this extra stock for some party. I was in the warehouse at 5 a.m. sorting this shit out.”
Fuck. “Give me two minutes.” He lifted the phone back to his mouth. “Hey, darling, I’ve gotta go.”
“I heard. Will I see you later?” There was a note of hesitancy he’d never heard before in her voice.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Pop and I have an appointment at the bank later, so I’m going to be in and out. My shift finishes at nine, so why don’t you come over this evening?”
“Sure.”
She didn’t sound sure, she sounded sad. What did she want, to sit with him while he begged the bank manager to reconsider? His cheeks heated as he pictured the embarrassing scenario. He bet Aubrey had never had to beg for anything in her privileged little life. Angry with himself at the unkind thought, he bristled. “I’ve gotta go.” He hung up without waiting for a response.
Pretty In Ink: A BBW Novella Page 4
