by Vicki Green
My mind starts racing but suddenly she lets out a quiet sigh, tightening her hold around my waist, and my whole body relaxes, my mouth turns up into a smile. I guess it’s not really breaking my rules. I mean, sure I slept here but on the couch, fully clothed, and no hanky panky. My smile grows. This woman is different. Unique. And she’s totally gotten under my skin.
I’m totally fucked.
Unsure what to do and not wanting to wake her, I lift her limp hand from my waist and start moving it so I can try to get up. What if she gets upset, waking up and finding me still here? I need to try to get out quietly. I still when I look down and see her eyes rolling underneath their lids and she lets out a yawn. Cute. Now I’m stuck. What should I do? The sudden pangs of anxiousness hit me hard. What if she wants nothing to do with me now because I ended up staying the night? How will I win her back? Wait! I don’t really have her. Do I want to have her? I mean, of course I want to have her. But do I want something more with her? Shit! This is making my head hurt. I have to admit, it was kinda nice having her snuggled up to me, my arm around her, feeling her warmth, smelling her unique smell, and her arm around me like I’m the only one that matters. Spending time with her, not having sex but just talking, laughing, and watching a movie together was different for me. Weird but nice. Relaxing.
She lets out another small sigh as I rub my hand over her shoulder then down her arm.
Soft.
Silky.
Smooth.
Her eyes flutter open and her mouth curves into a beautiful smile. She’s adorable when waking up, still groggy with sleep. “Morning,” I whisper. She bolts up into a sitting position, Smoky making a loud sound of annoyance jumping off onto the floor. Shit! She doesn’t like that I’ve been here all night. She grabs her phone off the coffee table and unlocks it and lets out a big breath. “Everything okay?” I’m almost afraid to ask. Afraid she’ll tell me last night was a mistake. That she can’t believe we fell asleep together. How she regrets it.
She turns her head, her hair a mess, looking like we’d had sex. “Oh! I’m sorry. I panicked thinking it was Monday morning and I was late for work.” A small laugh breaks free from that luscious mouth while my body sags in relief. She smiles. God, to wake up like this again would be heaven, even better had we been in a bed. “So. What are your plans today?” She stands and walks to the window, opening the blinds. “It looks like a gorgeous day.”
I look out the window. The sun is shining, everything bright and clear. I shift in my seat, thinking about what I am doing today. Before I have a chance to think further I speak, “I need to get to my truck in a little bit. Sunday morning is family breakfast at my parents. You don’t show, you’d better be dead.” I laugh but by the falling of her face, I stop. Family. “Do you want to go with me?” Uh, where in the hell did that come from? Never, ever did I want to take a woman over to my parents, especially for family time. I wonder if I’m growing up or maybe she makes me crazy.
She turns to me, her face lighting up. Beautiful. “I don’t want to impose.”
I stand and walk over to her, doing something I’ve been wanting to do since I first laid eyes on her. I reach out and cup the side of her face with my hand, my fingers delving into her tangled hair.
Soft.
Supple.
Warm.
“I’d really like you to come with me,” I whisper.
Her eyes close briefly at my touch then when they reopen I see they’ve darkened. I rub my thumb across her smooth skin, relishing in the feel.
Intimate.
Run.
Stay.
“Okay,” she whispers.
We stare into each other’s eyes for more than a moment then she smiles. “I need to go take a shower. You can too, if you want to. Alone. But not that you need to or anything. Only if you want to.” She stops and snaps her mouth shut. Really cute when she’s embarrassed. Flustered. A small pink flush spreads across her cheeks and I rub my thumb against it.
“You go take a shower. I’ll take one after.” I drop my hand and put it in my front pocket, suddenly feeling a little shy myself.
“Oh, I have more than one bathroom. Come. I’ll take you to the guest bathroom. That way we can both be ready to leave at the same time.” Taking charge, she takes my free hand and leads me out of the room, and to the left, up the stairs and to the first door on the right. I like that. “Here. There’s clean towels and wash cloths in the linen closet. Feel free to use whatever you need.” I grin, loving how she makes me feel cared for. Never had that before, someone who just wants to be with me, no sex, just me. She shows me the bathroom and then turns to leave. “Oh! There’s a new toothbrush and paste in the drawer on the right. Feel free to use it. I have a little OCD thing about buying new ones all the time.” She laughs nervously.
Too.
Fucking.
Cute.
She leaves to go take her shower, and I close the door to the bathroom, removing my clothes and turning on the shower. I open the linen closet doors and grab a towel and wash cloth and set them down on the counter then relieve myself. Once done, I press my hands on the counter and look at myself in the mirror. Maybe only being with one woman is really okay. Maybe there’s something to that after all. I’m confused, not sure about anything at this point. What possessed me to have her over on family day?
Because you like her.
You want her for more than just sex.
She’s under your skin.
I think I’m losing my mind. Maybe if nothing else, we could just be really good friends, like she is with Irish, Taren, and Jen. Brock and Caylan seem to like her too. But do friends have the kind of feelings I’m having? Nah. When we first touched as I was taking that beer from her, strange feelings entered my system, traveling up through my hand and up my arm. What the fuck was that? I have no idea. But it must mean something, right? Maybe I’m getting sick? I shake my head. Maybe I’m just fucking crazy standing here looking in the mirror and talking to myself internally. If this is because of these new feelings, I’m a little worried.
After taking my shower, I brush my teeth and walk downstairs, thinking she won’t be ready yet. I walk through the living room and hear sounds coming from the kitchen so I go there to find her filling a cup with coffee. I lean against the door frame and take her in. Her hair is up in a bun, cascades of curls framing her face. She’s wearing a gorgeous black dress, with black high heels. Where does she think we’re going? She really is new to all this, out of her element. I cross my arms and grin. “You might want to rethink your clothes there, Kitten.” She picks up her cup, turns, and her eyes snap to mine. She looks down at her clothes and then back at me.
“Too much?”
I smile and walk over to her, taking her cup and setting it on the counter. Her brows lift in question. I take her hand, rubbing my thumb over her soft skin. Exquisite. “Yeah, just a bit. We’re pretty casual.” I try not to laugh as her face softens, a little flush covering her cheeks. I reach up and place my hand on the side of her face. Her eyes bore into mine, into my soul. “How about you change into some jeans and a nice casual top.” She nods and smiles. I remove my hand and take a step aside and watch her fine ass sway as she starts to walk out of the room. “Oh and, Bria?” She stops, turning her head over her shoulder. “Let your hair down.” Another smile graces her face. She nods and walks out of the room and I’m left looking at the doorway. I turn and open a cabinet door, looking for a cup and have to try another door. Once finding one, I fill it and lean back against the counter taking a sip. Heaven.
A few minutes later she walks back into the kitchen, looking even more gorgeous, if that’s possible. She’d put on a pair of jeans, with a pair of light brown sandals. Her top is a light blue short sleeved blouse, clinging to her shapely curves. Her long hair curls down around her. I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. She becomes self-conscious, looking down at her clothes. She runs her hands down her sides and then looks up at me. “Should I change again?” I
walk over to her and take her hands, those funny sensations traveling through me again.
“No.” My voice is rough from my emotions. “You’re perfect.”
That beautiful flush skims over her cheeks. Beautiful. “Thank you,” she says, lowering her head, shyly.
“Come on. We have a little bit of a walk to get to my truck.” She looks up and smiles.
“Do I need to bring anything? I could whip up something really quick.”
I laugh. “No. We can’t be late. Ma would have my hide. Don’t worry.” I release one hand, while still firmly holding her other one and we start to leave. She stops by the front door to grab her purse then we head back through the kitchen to the back door.
As we drive over, she looks nervous. Watching out her window, her hands in her lap. Quiet. I reach over and take her hand. Her head turns to me and she smiles as I thread my fingers through hers. This is nice. I kinda like the feeling that it’s just her and me.
Together.
One woman.
Okay, now I’m starting to scare myself. What the fuck is happening to me?
I park alongside the curb of my family home. I’ve always loved this house. Memories of growing up, my old room, the laughter, and love filling it. I think about Bria losing her mom and her dad being an unloving father. Makes me sad to think she’s had to grow up that way. I get out and jog around my truck to her door and open it. I reach out my hand and she smiles as she takes it. I help her out and then keep ahold of her hand as we walk up to the door. After opening the front door for her, I lead her through the entryway and into the kitchen. When we walk into the room, everyone stops and looks at us. Pop turns in his chair. Brock looks up with wide eyes, with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Taren sits there smiling full fledge. My eyes scan to Caylan, who’s also smiling wide while Irish has a smile but also a little bit of a smirk. I jump when I hear a crash and everyone’s attention changes to where the sound came from.
“Ma. Are you okay?”
I release Bria’s hand and run over to Ma. She’s bending down picking up pieces from a shattered plate from the floor. “What happened?” I bend down and brush her hands away and start cleaning up the mess. I look up when she stands, a smile splayed across her face. She wipes her hands on her apron, the smile all telling.
“I just thought I’d never see the day that you would bring a girl home.”
I roll my eyes and look down as I finish cleaning, trying not to grin. I stand and take the broken pieces of the plate over to the trash and turn around. Everyone’s still staring. I grin to myself as I walk over to Bria, who’s nervously waiting at the doorway, take her hand and lead her to the table. Pulling out a chair for her, she sits, looking up at me, and smiles. “Uh. This is Brianna. Uh, Bria.” Everyone’s still staring. I look around and cross my arms over my chest. “What?” Everyone startles and starts eating and talking again. I walk over to the cabinet and grab a plate, kissing Ma’s shocked face, and smile all the way back to the table. Sitting down next to Bria, I set the plate down in front of her and grin. “Here you go.” I pick up the large bowl of eggs and start spooning some out and onto her plate. “You have to be quick around here.” I finish hers and start putting some on mine. “Ma makes enough for an army but between Brock and Caylan you’d be lucky to get any.” I set down the bowl and start putting bacon, sausage, toast, and hash browns on her plate as well as mine. When done, I pick up my fork and start eating.
Silence.
I look up, my fork full of food stuck in my mouth, and everyone quickly starts eating and chatting. Weird.
“So, Bria. Nice to meet you. And what is it you do?” Pop asks and then takes a bite of his eggs. Now’s time for the inquisition I expected. I feel a bit sorry for her.
She chews and swallows then smiles at him. “I work for Daniels Corporation.”
His brows raise. “Oh, that’s nice. What do you do there?”
She shifts her eyes to me and then squares her shoulders back. Confident. “I do a multitude of things. Find land for buildings, set up clients and tend to all their needs, write up plans on my visions for buildings, work with our graphic designers, and attend banquets for our potential and current clients.” She smiles. Radiant.
“She also oversees the construction and keeps us on target and in line.” I say as I turn and smile at her. She looks at me, her eyes so bright.
Talking begins all around. Irish contributes to working with her as well as being a friend and even Brock pulling into Bria’s side, saying that she works really hard. It’s actually kind of nice having a woman here, meeting my family. Am I changing into the man like Brock and Caylan? Nah!
Maybe?
Chapter Eight
Bria
Feeling overwhelmed walking into a house full of people, meeting the parents of the man I’m starting to fall for, isn’t what I had planned for my last day off of the week. But here I sit at the breakfast table with everyone talking at once. After breakfast, no one would let me help clean up, so I remained seated next to Kane while he talked to the guys, and Irish and Taren cleaned. I felt bad, Taren being pregnant and me just sitting here.
“Yo! Time to go outside and get our game on!”
I look over at Brock as he stands, play punching Caylan on his large shoulder. Kane turns and smiles at me, putting his hand over mine in my lap. “We always go out and play some football in the backyard after breakfast. Are you okay staying in here with the girls? Or you could come outside and watch, if you’d like, sit on the deck.”
“Well, I….”
“Come on, Bria. You can sit out there with me.” Taren’s sweet voice sounds in front of me. Brock kisses her cheek and picks up a cooler. I watch as they walk to the back door, Taren looking at him like he’s everything.
Love.
Companionship.
I want those things.
I feel Kane tug on my hand and look up at his smiling face. He helps me stand and leads me outside. Taren is sitting down on a deck chair, reaching into the cooler sitting on the ground next to her. Kane takes me to the chair on the other side of the cooler and I sit. “I’ll see you in a little bit.” He grins and I give him a nod then watch him jog to the steps, jumping off and onto the grass, and then running out to the guys.
I look over at Taren. She’s so beautiful and glowing. “I bet you can’t wait until your baby arrives. You must be so excited.” She lifts a bottle of water from the cooler and hands it to me then takes one for herself, closing the cooler lid. Twisting off the cap, she smiles.
“Oh, I’m beyond excited and so ready.” She looks down as she rubs across her stomach, lovingly, looking back up at me. “Well, almost ready. I’ve got her room done but in a few weeks, Brock and I will be married in our backyard. I don’t know which I’m more excited for. You’ll come, won’t you?”
Getting to marry the love of her life and having their baby shortly after. I envy her. I’ve heard how hard it was for her and Brock to finally be together, the events that almost took their lives. It’s almost like a movie. “I wouldn’t miss it. If there’s anything I can do to help, please ask. I have a lot of connections with various things that could help. Florists, bakeries, caterers. Please let me help do something.”
“OMPH! Shit, Kane! Don’t hit so hard! This is supposed to be TOUCH football!”
We turn our heads and see Kane laying half on top of Irish, who is beating on his chest with her fists. A laugh escapes me at the look of them. “Are they always like this?” I laugh again, watching them wrestle.
Taren starts laughing as she watches them. “Oh, yeah. Especially those two. They’re more like brother and sister than I think some are. Just proof that you don’t have to have the same blood to be related or close.” She laughs again as Kane picks up Irish and throws her over his shoulder. “Do you have any siblings?”
I smile. “Yes. I have a brother. He’s my world.”
I look at her and see her still smiling as she looks out at the fun. H
er hand is laying on her stomach, affectionately. “I bet you can’t wait to hold her.” She looks down and then up at me. Such love in her eyes.
“Oh, yes. It’s such a different kind of experience, feeling her in my tummy. I feel her love already.” I can’t imagine feeling a small person inside me. How wondrous. Her face changes, her smile falters. “I’m glad you have your brother, Bria. I’ve heard how your father treats you. I’m sorry for that.”
My smile fades. “Thank you. I’m pretty used to it. I just wish things were different.”
“My father was like that too. Pretentious to the core, only thought about his business and making money. Power hungry.” She sighs and looks down at her hand covering her stomach. I never knew we had so much in common. “But in the end, he tried to help save me. If things had been different, he would have gotten to see his granddaughter. I know he would have been an amazing grandfather. I think maybe it would have put things into perspective for him. Now, he’ll never know her but I’ll tell her about him, keep his memory alive.”
I reach over and put my hand on her arm. She looks up at me with sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Taren.”
“Thank you.” She lets out a sigh and I pull my hand back and take a drink of my water. We both look out at them playing football again. I watch Kane run, holding the football, the muscles in his strong legs and arms flinching with his movements. “He’s a good man, Bria.” My eyes shift to her. “He’s been living his life to the fullest. Got worse after what happened with all of us. We almost lost so many.” Her eyes light up. “All it takes is to find the right person to make us who we are meant to be. I think that’s you for him.” I look down, suddenly a little self-conscious. “Seriously. It happened to Irish.” I look up and out at Irish, who’s running from Caylan with the ball. He catches up to her, grabs her waist, and lifts her, both laughing as he spins around with her in his arms. “He was just like Kane, in so many ways. A different woman every night, living his life like it would end tomorrow, yet, he fell in love and everything changed.”
