The Better Brother

by Rye Hart

  “Did you ever try to photograph it, or capture it?”

  “No, that’s never been my thing. I think I’m content to let it be. It’s always here when I want to see it, and I like the way it fills up all my senses. If you close your eyes, you can smell the dirt.”

  “And the fish.” I let loose a giggle, and he nodded.

  “Exactly. It’s a full experience.” He grinned and put his hands in his pocket as if to keep himself from taking more pebbles from the ground.

  Suddenly, the sky opened up and the rain fell hard and steady in fat drops. I held up my hands and laughed as he shook his head. “Here’s your full experience, Mr. Harrington.” I grabbed his hand, and as the rain grew heavier, we took off for the truck. He lifted me up and into the seat and then hurried in behind me as I scooted over. I situated in the seat, sitting by his side, and once he started the truck and aimed us toward home, he placed his hand on my thigh.

  The rain poured down we ran into the house, both dripping wet. As the cold air hit my skin, I wrapped my arms around myself, and my teeth began to chatter.

  He went to the couch across the room and took the heavy throw off the back and brought it to me. I went to take it, but he wrapped it around me and pulled me close. My face pressed into his chest as he rubbed my arms. “Let’s go upstairs and dry off and then I’ll order lunch.”

  “Sounds good.” We walked upstairs, and I went to my room where I’d left my things, and after I had dried off I decided I better turn on my phone. I wasn’t worried about Gavin as much as I wondered if Kayla had tried to leave me a message about where she and Rick had gone.

  Sure enough, my phone was full of texts and missed calls from Gavin, and I knew that I’d have to talk to him eventually. While in the shower, the phone started ringing and I hurried and shut off the water and wrapped a towel around me. I stepped out to see that it was Gavin, and I had a feeling, by the number of missed calls, that he was going to keep harassing me until I talked to him. I took a deep breath and answered, knowing things would get ugly, but prepared to handle him.

  “Yes, Gavin?”

  “It’s about time you answered your phone. I was about to call the police. I’m worried about you.” His tone was full of anger, and I knew him well enough to know the line about his concern was pure bullshit.

  “I told you I was leaving you. It’s not like I’m a missing person. I’m trying to have some space, so this isn’t more difficult than it already is.” It wasn’t as difficult as he wanted it to be.

  “Difficult? What’s difficult is coming home to find my house cleaned out and my fiancé gone after leaving me nothing but a note. A fucking note, Bella!”

  “I didn’t have time to write a letter, Gavin. I’m sorry I didn’t end things to your satisfaction.” My voice was rising so that my throat was starting to tickle. I went to the counter and put the phone down, turning on the speaker so that I could rinse my mouth at the sink.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “Precisely what it sounds like. I am sick to death of you putting me down. You might think you love me, Gavin, but be honest with yourself. You barely like me. Not to mention, I don’t like you when you’re critical of my talents and—”

  “Talents? You point a fucking camera, Bella. It’s not like you’re making a living from that weak attempt at art. You’re making a huge mistake and acting like a little, spoiled bitch. Where are you?” I picked the phone up off the counter, and as I turned to walk out into the bedroom, Reed was standing in the room, his eyes were hard and focused on the phone as if he’d heard every word. His jaw was set and his fists where balled up at his sides.

  I was going to take the call off speaker mode, but he snatched it from my hand as Gavin continued.

  “Bella, I don’t know where you’ve gone, but I suggest you get your fucking ass back here before you regret it. We can still move forward together, and I’ll overlook this.”

  “I’m not coming back!” I held my finger to my mouth as Reed opened his mouth as if to speak.

  “You get your ass back here, Bella. I won’t have you make a fool of me to my family. I’ve defended you and entertained your useless pipe dreams.”

  Reed couldn’t hold back any longer. “Fuck you, man. Bella’s not coming back to your abusive, sorry ass. And if you ever call her again, I’m going to show up on your doorstep and feed you your tongue.” Reed’s voice roared through the room, and his eyes were so red, so hard and focused, that I thought they might bleed.

  “Reed!”

  “Who the fuck is that? So that’s what this is? You’re with someone else, you fucking slut! You’ll pay for this! Where are you?”

  “You come near her, and you’ll be the one who pays. Stay away from Bella and forget you ever knew her.”

  I tried to get the phone away from him so he would stop, but when Gavin hung up, Reed threw the phone on the bed.

  “Why did you do that? Now he’ll think I cheated on him.”

  “Who cares, you’re done with him, right? You’re not thinking about going back?”

  “Of course, I’m not, Reed! I just don’t need him slandering me to everyone because he thinks I was unfaithful.” I hadn’t wanted to hurt him that way, either, but I wasn’t going to tell Reed that. He would take it the wrong way.

  “He’s an asshole, and I can’t believe you expected me to sit there and let him talk to you that way!”

  “You being an asshole too wasn’t going to help anything!” I was near tears from anger and couldn’t believe he’d interfered.

  “I’m the asshole? Then I’ll leave you alone too.” Reed’s glare pegged me hard, and without another word, he shook his head and left.

  Things were getting too intense too soon.

  CHAPTER TEN - REED

  I stormed into my room and sat on my bed thumbing through my phone. I had to do something to get my mind off wanting to kill her fucking ex with my bare hands. The asshole reminded me of my father and the way he’d yell at my mom. Being a kid, I’d sat idly by and let him talk to her that way, and I’d lived with the guilt that maybe if I had done something, anything to help my mother, to stand up for her, that she’d still be with me.

  A moment later Bella walked into the room. “I think it might be better if I go.”

  “Why, because I won’t treat you like shit and let that asshole talk down to you? I’d never treat you that way.”

  A sarcastic laugh bubbled up from her and anger flashed in her eyes. “Because you’re such a saint? You manipulated me to get me to sleep with you by threatening to have my best friend arrested!”

  I tossed the phone aside and stood up meeting her eyes. “Yeah, I made an asshole move but I told you before you climbed into my bed that it was your choice. Don’t act like I had a gun to your head when you sucked my dick either.”

  “You can’t think there’s more to this. I mean, it’s not like you want a relationship and it’s not like I’m ready for one anyway. So, what difference does it make if I stay or go?”

  “Because I want you to stay. And don’t tell me what I want.” I walked back to the bed and took my phone. “If you want to leave I’ll call you a cab. You can wait downstairs so you don’t get soaked.”

  She glanced back to the window behind me and frowned at the sight of the rain. It had grown even worse since we’d been at the creek.

  She raked a hand through her long hair and sighed. “I’ll call Kayla when it stops raining. Until then I’ll be in my room.”

  “Do whatever you want sweetheart.” I breezed past her and headed down to the living room bar and poured myself a drink. I shouldn’t let her go; I should do whatever to takes to make her stay, to make her want to be here.

  It wasn’t that I wanted a relationship either, though with her, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. I shook my head at the thought of it. No, she was a free spirit with a dream, that was best for both of us.

  I threw back the drink and sat near the big front window to watch
the rain.

  Hours passed, and I’d dozed off on the couch.

  A soft voice woke me.

  “The weather isn’t letting up anytime soon.”

  I opened my eyes and I saw that she had her phone to her ear.

  “I understand. I’ll be fine here, no need to worry. You and Rick stay dry. No, he’s asleep on the couch. I was thinking about going back to the hotel.” She paused and turned back to the window. “It’s not like that, Kayla. I just ended things with Gavin; this is supposed to be my time.”

  She turned and glanced over her shoulder, and I met her eyes as I sat up and stretched.

  “We’ll talk about this later, Kayla. I need to go. He’s awake.”

  The light from her phone screen went off, and I realized that the room was too dimly lit. I reached over to turn on a lamp, but she shook her head.

  “The power is out. Has been for a few hours now.”

  “You’re welcome to stay. I don’t want you out in this weather.”

  “Thanks, I wouldn’t want to be out in it. I think your drive is flooded anyway.”

  “I’m sure it is, and the road in. It always floods, which means no one can get in or out.” I walked to the bar and poured myself another drink.

  “Well, Rick and Kayla are staying at his house tonight. She called to check on us.”

  “I hoped you told her that we’re fine.” I took the drink back to the sofa and lay back as she lowered herself into the chair nearest the window. Her silhouette was all I could see, but now and then the lightning lit her features.

  She turned, and the lightning revealed a hard glare. “I didn’t tell her what happened, but are we fine?”

  “I’m sure we will be. You’ll go back to your life soon and so will I, and then we can pretend we never met if you like.” I thought about how I’d tried to knock her up, and hoped that I hadn’t succeeded. As much as I wanted it to be her, that I knew she’d be perfect, she didn’t want me. That realization hit me harder than I’d expected.

  She opened her mouth to say something but a loud crack of thunder and a crash from outside made her jump. She moved away from the window and came to stand near me as I rose from the couch.

  She absently grabbed my arm. “What was that?”

  “I think the wind knocked over one of my planters. I’ll go check it out.” I started for the big French doors in my dining room where I could access my patio, but she held me so tight I couldn’t move without taking her with me.

  “Don’t go.” She was shaking like a leaf, and her eyes were pleading.

  “I’ll be fine.” I pulled away and went to the door where I could already see that there was a branch that had busted a large planter on my patio, but when I opened the door, I realized that a tree had blown down entirely. Thankfully it hadn’t hit the house, but it was a tree my mother had planted.

  “Are you going out there?” I felt another tug on my arm, and I pulled away.

  “You don’t have to act concerned, Bella, but no, a tree fell, I’ll hardly be able to do anything with it.”

  “I am concerned. Aren’t we in tornado country? Are we going to be safe?” Lightning lit the room, and the thunder crackled causing her to stand closer.

  I put my arms around her and pulled her close. “There’s a root cellar from when this house was built; it’s in a small room off the kitchen. If things get ugly, we’ll go down there. You’ll be fine.”

  “I’m sorry about earlier,” she suddenly said.

  I looked into her eyes, and saw that she meant it. “I’m sorry too, but only for not minding my own business. I meant what I said, Bella. I’d never treat you that way.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN - BELLA

  I guess I’d gone and done it. I’d proven to Reed, however slightly, that I did care about him. I didn’t want him to go out into the storm and get knocked in the head by something blowing around or struck by lightning. It had somehow led me back in his arms, and though it was better than arguing, it hadn’t been my intention.

  We took a little time to go into the kitchen and find some food, opting to leave the fridge shut not knowing how long the power would be out. After we’d split a small jar of chunky peanut butter and three sleeves of crackers, and shared more information about our lives than necessary, I headed up to my room. Reed stayed behind to make sure the house was locked up since his security system was down.

  I pulled back the covers of the huge four-post bed and snuggled down against my pillow hoping the storm would be gone by morning.

  I lay there thinking about Reed and how he’d told off Gavin, and while I hated that he’d made Gavin think I had cheated, it was nice to have someone stick up for me. Gavin had never done that. My lids were getting heavy when I heard a knock at the door.

  Reed opened the door wide enough to stick his head in. “Bella? Are you asleep?” His voice was so soft that if I had been sleeping, he wouldn’t have woken me up.

  I lifted my head. “Is everything okay?” I sat up wondering if he was going to suggest going down into the cellar, but instead, he came in and sat at the foot of my bed.

  “It’s fine. I wanted to see if you’d like some company.”

  The very words from his mouth, the suggestion, and knowing that when he said company, he didn’t mean company, sent a delightful ache to my core. It was almost embarrassing how much he affected me.

  “Sure. Would you like to stay in here?” I thought he might prefer his bed, but as I asked he was already crawling his way across mine wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. He pulled back the covers and settled down beside me, tucking me beneath his arm. I faced him, hitching one leg across his hip and feeling the hard cock that rested against his tight tummy. It was too easy to reach over and stroke him, and even though I wasn’t sure I should be instigating sex after what had happened between us over the past six hours, I couldn’t help myself.

  He rocked his hips forward as I ran my hand up his length and then his head turned and instinctively I found his mouth. He pulled me across him, his thick cock pressing hard into my center.

  I had put on an oversized sleep T-shirt and my favorite lace panties, which were now wet as we ground against one another.

  I sat up and straddled him, and he hooked his arms up under my ass and pulled me forward. I let him guide me as I felt him slip down and soon I was straddling his face, and he was working his mouth against my damp lace, sucking the wet spot that had been there. His finger came up and pulled the side of my panties over, and he dragged his tongue between my folds and slipped it inside me.

  I moaned as I threw my head back and pinched my tight nipples. I was going to come all over his face. He slid one finger deep in my slit, and he pushed another against my little star. The pressure made me want him inside me so badly that I moaned and my release built up in my core. As his finger slipped inside my ass, pushing past my tight rim, I came. He gripped my waist and pulled me down hard on his mouth, moaning as he slurped my pussy, which quaked and dripped.

  “Fuck,” he mumbled against me, and then he lifted me up and put me on my back. He buried his face back in against me and then worked two fingers into my pussy. He pumped his arm, his fingers sliding in and out, stroking my walls and grazing against my G-spot. The waves of pleasure didn’t stop with that orgasm, and soon another was making me scream out.

  “I want to fuck you, Bella. Tell me you want that.” He pushed his fingers deeper as if showing me right where he wanted to be.

  “I do. Please, put it in me.” I needed him to fill me up and stretch my walls with his thick member. I loved the way it felt inside me, and he was the only person who could make me come so good. Sex with Gavin had been lackluster at best.

  He pulled his fingers free and centered himself, his bulbous head pressing hard against me before he nudged it in. The thick rim of his cock popped inside me, stroking against my tender spot and causing me to moan with pleasure.

  I could be as loud as I wanted with the only staff staying put inside their
quarters through the storm and Kayla and Rick gone. Reed cupped my breasts and kissed my pebbled nipples, taking special care to give them each equal attention. He pulled away, and found my mouth and kissed me hard. He trailed his tongue down and around up my jawline and to my ear where his breath gave me chills as his cock pumped me steady. All of his mouth work tingled in my mound as he ground against it.

  I could feel that he was close to coming and I knew that I should ask him to pull out but I couldn’t. He felt so damn good inside me and a primal part of me wanted him to fill me up. I was two days off my pill and knew it wasn’t safe, but I still couldn’t bring myself to stop him.

  Instead, I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist and pushed my heels into his muscular ass, forcing him even deeper. He groaned out loud and buried himself to the hilt inside me and it was the most intense pleasure I’d ever felt.

  “Oh God Bella, you are so fucking amazing,” he panted as he thrust.

  Before I could say anything in response, Reed threw his head back and roared loudly as he emptied himself deep inside me. The feeling of his cum filling me so much that it flowed back out of me with him still inside, caused me to clench and scream out as a powerful orgasm shook me.

  Reed collapsed on top of me and we stayed like that until our breathing slowed and our hearts stopped hammering in our ears. When he finally rolled away from me and I realized what had happened, I started to panic.

  He must have seen the look on my face, because he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me, concern in his eyes. “Bella are you ok?”

  I slowly shook my head. “We shouldn’t have done that. I should’ve made you pull out,” she said.

  “I thought you said you were on the pill?” he asked.