by Lori Foster
Without being invited, Nathan followed her down the hall and into her bedroom. From her nightstand drawer she removed a sturdy metal case with a fingerprint lock. Inside it he saw a box of additional ammo, along with pepper spray. He watched her lock it away, put the box back in the drawer and cover it with a book.
“I already showered and brushed my teeth.” She headed out past him, went to the kitchen and grabbed her keys from a decorative hook on the wall. She pocketed her phone and turned to him with a smile. “Ready if you are.”
Very ready. “Let’s go, then. I’ll need five minutes to shower.” And to cool down so I can show some finesse.
She turned on the porch lights outside each door, stepped out and locked up securely.
“You added the extra locks to the doors?”
“Yes.” Her gaze didn’t meet his. “Seemed like a good idea for a woman living alone.”
“I agree.” Putting his arm around her, Nathan led her to the yard. The houses were close together and it took less than a minute to get to his front door. He only had one lock and he got it open quickly. They stepped into darkness.
Brooklin went still beside him until he turned on a lamp.
“I like your house.”
He glanced around. “Thanks. I haven’t done much with it except to make myself comfortable.”
Smiling, she, too, looked around. “The furnishings are a lot like you. Big and sturdy and strong with no fuss.”
He’d never thought of furniture that way, but he did have an oversize recliner, and the couch was twice the size of hers, taking up one entire wall. “I’m a bigger guy, so—”
“Yes, you are.” She reached for the last two remaining buttons on his shirt.
“Brooklin.” He caught her wrists. “I need a shower.”
“Yes, you do.” As she stripped the shirt off him, she looked at his chest and arms and abs. Idly, she touched him, her expression fascinated. When she looked up at him, her golden eyes were glowing. “Think you can make it a very fast shower?”
“Fastest in the history of mankind.”
“Good. I’ll wait in your bedroom.” She peeked down the hall. “This way, right?”
Would she wait for him in bed? “Same setup as yours.” He led her halfway, then detoured into the bathroom while she went on. Since he was already hard, he didn’t bother grabbing clean clothes or waiting for the water to warm. He stepped under the cold spray, scrubbed from head to toe and dried with the speed of light—all while telling himself to get a handle on his lust.
Brooklin had been reluctant enough that he didn’t want to rush her now.
As he lectured himself, he stepped into his bedroom, a damp towel wrapped around his hips. He was just in time to see her climbing up into the bed. Naked. Her back to him.
He’d never seen anything sexier or more exciting.
While he soaked up the sight of her, she settled herself in the middle of the bed, noticed him and smiled. “That was fast.”
“Not exactly what a guy wants to hear the first time with a woman.”
Laughing, she half turned toward him, resting on an elbow, one leg bent. Her thick hair hung over her shoulder, a silky hank loosely curled around her breast.
“Jesus, you’re beautiful.”
She bit her lip, then said, “Drop the towel and I’ll see if I can return the compliment.”
No problem dropping the towel; he wasn’t a modest man. But he snorted over the rest of what she said. “Men aren’t beautiful, especially not with a face like mine.” He sat on the bed beside her.
Slowly her smile faded. She came up next to him, lightly touching her fingertips to his mouth, his nose, then over the scar that cut from his temple to the side of his mouth. “I think your face is amazing.” Leaning in, she kissed him.
Not the way he wanted to be kissed, not on his mouth with lots of tongue and wet heat.
No, she kissed a feathery path down that damned scar. “You’re incredibly handsome, Nathan.”
Ill at ease with the soft talk, he bore her down to the bed and rested over her on his elbows. “If you say so.” He took her mouth the way he’d dreamed of doing it, open and hot, his tongue sliding over hers, deeper and hungrier by the second.
Her breasts against his chest felt indescribably good and he had to touch her, first gently, just learning the shape and feel of her. Her nipples thrust against his palms and he used his fingertips to roll them, to pluck until she was panting and moving against him.
He kissed her jaw, her throat, then dipped down to take her nipples, one by one, into his mouth. He thought he was doing okay, keeping a firm hold on his control, until she reached between their bodies and took his dick in her hand.
Nathan forgot what he was doing. He’d been too long without a woman, plus he’d wanted this particular woman for a while now.
She seemed to understand because she said, “Do you have a condom?”
He had a whole box. “Yeah.” Letting her continue—he didn’t have the strength to stop her—he moved to slide next to her, giving him access to her body, too.
Such a beautiful body, all lean and strong from running, but still soft and supple, too. He bent to her breast, sucking gently on one nipple while dipping his hand between her legs.
Wet. Hot.
“It’s been a while for me,” she said shakily.
He didn’t mind admitting, “Me, too.”
As he worked two fingers into her, her breath shuddered out. “So get the condom.”
Nathan half laughed, half groaned. “Yes, ma’am.”
She touched him, over his shoulders and chest and down to his thighs, while he found the box in the bedside drawer, tore the condom open with his teeth and rolled it on. Soon as he moved over her, she opened her legs and he fitted to her perfectly.
At first, he just rubbed himself against her, his eyes closed as he absorbed the feel of her under him.
Glad that she’d left on the lights, he looked at her, seeing her hair spread out around her on the pillow and her eyes, those amazing eyes, glittering with need.
They both groaned as he pressed into her, the fit at first excruciatingly tight until he got past the initial resistance. Then her body eased to accommodate him.
“A very long time,” he murmured, loving the snug grip around his erection.
“Too long,” she agreed. She shifted under him, groaned softly and said, “I’m so glad you’re my neighbor, Nathan.”
Hell, from his perspective, he was already more. But there was still so much he didn’t know about her, especially about her past.
Right now, at this moment, he really didn’t care. “Me, too.”
Lacing his fingers with hers, he stretched her arms up high over her head and, starting slow, rocked deep into her again and again.
He wanted to savor this first time, to enjoy her to the fullest, but she wrapped her legs around him, lifting her hips to hurry him along. He felt her stiffened nipples against his chest and watched her face twist with pleasure.
When she bit his shoulder, moaning softly, he gave up. Scooping an arm beneath her hips, he lifted her into his heavy thrusts and soon they were both lost.
Fifteen minutes later, with Brooklin held tight in his arms, Nathan was thinking that he’d like to start all over again.
Then Brooklin said, “It’s late.” She kissed his chest, nuzzled her nose against his chest hair and announced softly, “I need to get home now.”
* * *
When Violet rushed into the little boutique on South Street, she almost ran into Brooklin. The two women, narrowly avoiding a collision, stepped back, laughed and greeted each other.
“I’m sorry,” Brooklin said. “I was on my way out, thinking about...” She shook her head. “Obviously I wasn’t paying atte
ntion.”
Thinking about what? “My fault,” Violet insisted. “I was hoping to get to work a little earlier today—” She wanted a few minutes alone with Hogan, enough minutes, hopefully, to have an encore. “But I wanted to come by here first.”
“Busy as you stay, I imagine you’re often in a rush.”
“Very true,” Violet said. “It’s a hazard of running my own business. But I don’t mind.” She smiled. “I came in to buy more jewelry, but I didn’t expect to find you here.”
“Really?” Brooklin gestured toward the display case, now completely filled. “I had a few more necklaces to drop off.”
“That’s what I bought,” Violet said. “I think it’s called a druzy necklace. I’d never heard of that before, but it’s beautiful and unique, so I was hoping to find matching earrings.”
Brooklin gave her a knowing smile. “Dressing up for someone in particular?”
“That’s the plan. So far Hogan has only seen me in work clothes. Mostly because, as you said, I’m always working. And while my shorts and T-shirts aren’t exactly a uniform, they’re not very pretty, either. I can’t get too dressy—it wouldn’t be appropriate and I’d probably end up ruining whatever I wear. But I did have a new pair of skinny jeans and this very pretty top and the blue of the druzy stones goes perfectly with it.”
“You got the natural druzy agate? I hope so. It’d be perfect with your eyes.”
“I did! And it’s beautiful, so I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“That’s exactly how I meant it.” Other ladies sidled in around them, but they didn’t pay much attention as they naturally scooted to the side to get out of the way. “So you and Hogan are a couple? You know, I thought so, but I wasn’t sure—”
Oh crud, Violet thought, knowing good and well that Hogan didn’t want her starting any other rumors. “We’re not a couple. Not the way you mean. Did you know Hogan is a widower?”
“Nathan’s never mentioned anything about it. I only knew he was single.”
Aha. So she was with Nathan. “You didn’t ask?”
“I value my privacy so much that I don’t think it would be fair for me to pry.”
“With me, you don’t even have to pry. I’m an open book.” Hogan, not so much. “The thing is, he’s such a gorgeous guy that I’d like, just once, for him to see me fixed up just a little.”
Proving she was a very nice woman and not at all nosy, Brooklin nodded. “I completely understand.” She hooked Violet’s arm and drew her outside to the sidewalk, saying low, “The earrings in there are overpriced. Why don’t you let me show you some that I haven’t yet brought in? They’ll match the necklace perfectly, and you’ll get them for half the price.”
“Oh, but I don’t want to cheat you—”
“You wouldn’t. I love that boutique, but she marks up all my jewelry by almost fifty percent. It sells, so I’m not complaining. But we’re friends now, right?”
“I hope so,” Violet said. She’d liked Brooklin the moment she met her. The lady was smart, beautiful, talented, and best of all, she hadn’t given Hogan the time of day. No flirting from her. She was as far from Joni Jeffers as a woman could get.
“Good. I met Honor and Lexie, but I haven’t really gotten to know them yet. And I know Nathan, of course, since he’s my neighbor.”
“And he’s been chasing you.”
Brooklin laughed. “True. I wasn’t really running away all that hard, though.”
“So he finally caught you?”
“Yes, and it was pretty wonderful.”
Violet couldn’t help but grin.
“I’m not yet sure what it means, if anything. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time.”
A wise woman. “You know Jason and Colt, too, right? They’re Hogan’s brother and son.”
She nodded. “They came over and installed some security stuff for my house, so I got to know them a little better. So far everyone in the town, even Mr. Westbrook, who’s almost seventy and cuts his grass in his Speedo, has been super nice. But I don’t know... I felt like you and I clicked.”
“I thought so, too,” Violet said. “It helped that you weren’t flirting with Hogan.”
Brooklin laughed. “He overwhelmed me. I was trying to stay low-key, and at the time, I was also dodging Nathan. Hogan wouldn’t let me. He can be... Let’s call it pushy.”
“When it comes to attractive women, he’s very pushy.” Apparently Nathan could be pushy, too. Or maybe persistent was a better word. Whatever, Violet liked Nathan a lot; he deserved to be happy.
“Trust me,” Brooklin said, “every word Hogan said to me was for Nathan’s benefit, and I knew it.” She shook her head. “Your Hogan is funny, very handsome, and I’m betting he’s a handful.”
Your Hogan. Thinking very carnal thoughts, Violet sighed. “He is.” A wonderful, caring, sexy handful.
“He’s also all yours. Anyone with eyes can see it.” She nudged Violet with her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I won’t say anything to anyone. Just let me give you the earrings at cost, okay? I’ll enjoy knowing you have them.”
“Since you insist, that would be wonderful. But then you’ll have to let me reciprocate with some free meals or something.”
“Maybe when you’re taking a break? We could chat more.”
“Deal.” Without having realized it, Violet saw that Brooklin had led her toward a parking lot used for all the kitschy little shops in the strip. “Your car is here, too?”
“Yes.” Brooklin started to point. “I’m that little—”
The loud revving of an engine cut her off, and two seconds later a dark green minivan with tinted windows gunned out of the lot, coming right for them. Violet tried to scream, but nothing came out.
Brooklin grabbed her, and together they fell between parked cars, crashing up against a railing, a brick wall and the concrete floor.
Never slowing down, the van sped away.
Stunned, Violet caught her breath, took one look at Brooklin, and when she saw she was bleeding, she gasped. “Oh my God, are you okay?”
Her elbow was scraped raw, blood trickling down her forearm.
“Yes,” Brooklin said, her voice clipped, almost angry, as she carefully sat up. “You?”
“I’m—” Violet gasped. When she put pressure on her ankle, it hurt. “Oh, hell.” She looked down and saw that her foot and ankle were turning a ghastly bluish purple, already swollen.
“Sit still.” Ignoring the blood on her arm, Brooklin drew out her phone, scrolled through her recent calls, clicked to connect, and a moment later she said, “Nathan. I... This is Brooklin. Are you busy?”
* * *
Nathan couldn’t remember the last time he was so pissed. Brooklin’s elbow had stopped bleeding and Violet was now on her feet and both of them were so damned stubborn, he wanted to howl.
He’d have liked to take them to the emergency room. In fact, Brooklin encouraged Violet to do just that. But they both decided that they not only didn’t need medical care, they didn’t need help of any kind.
For the tenth time, Brooklin said, “I don’t need you to drive me home. I just... I reacted without thinking.”
“We were both pretty rattled,” Violet said, and then she checked the time on her phone. “Seriously, I need to get going now. Mondays are always a little crazy. Actually, lately, every day is crazy.”
Nathan didn’t like it, but what could he do? “You’re sure you’re okay to drive?”
“Yes.” Gingerly, Violet put her weight on her now very swollen, black-and-blue left foot. “If it was my right, I’d be in some trouble. But I promise I won’t cause a wreck.”
“I still think I should call Hogan.”
“There’s no reason. He’s probably already at the diner right now, and the
re’s no one else to fill in for me. Besides, I really do feel fine.” She winced as she took a hobbling step.
“Right,” Nathan growled. “Perfectly fine.” He pointed at her. “I wasn’t talking about having Hogan fill in for you, and you know it. You should call him.”
She turned even more stubborn. “Should I call Jason and Sullivan, too? What about my cook? My next-door neighbor? You’re not making any sense, Nathan.”
Did she hope to hide her relationship with Hogan? Apparently so. “It’s not my place to—”
“No,” she agreed quickly. “It’s not.”
“Fine, then I’ll just...” He looked around and saw that while he’d been debating with Violet, Brooklin had almost slipped away. “Don’t do it,” he shouted to her from across the lot.
With her back to him, she froze, her shoulders coming up in an exaggerated flinch.
“I mean it, Brooklin. Give me one more minute to get Violet in her car and—” He looked back to see Violet sliding behind the wheel. His gaze shifted back and forth between the two women, but Brooklin still stood there, and Violet now waved.
“I’m fine, Nathan, just as I told you I’d be.”
After another quick, critical glance at Brooklin, he went to Violet. “You’re going straight to the diner?”
“Yes. As it is, I might be late, though, so can we wrap this up.”
“Yes, we can.” He bent and kissed her forehead. “Take it easy, okay? Get some ice on that ankle.”
“I will.”
With nothing else to do, he headed for Brooklin. She hadn’t budged an inch, so he stepped around in front of her. She looked guilty, angry and pale. “I suppose you’re fine, too?”
“Of course.”
He nodded. “Come on, then.” He walked the rest of the way with her to her car, but instead of getting inside, she walked around to sit on the fender.
She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t yet trust himself to speak.
“I’m sorry I bothered you.”
That was definitely the wrong thing to say, he decided, when his head nearly shot off his shoulders. “Why did you call me? And so we’re clear, that’s the sheriff asking.”
