by Tess Summers
“You sure you’re okay?” Cassie really was worried about her.
“Just a little bruised and shaken up.”
“Bruised? You’re bruised?”
Brenna took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m bruised. And if you tell Danielle, I swear, I’m never telling you anything again. Now, I have to go, but I will see you later. If you run into Luke, will you tell him I’m going to be home tonight, and he doesn’t have to worry about staying?”
Cassie’s voice sounded odd when she answered. “Um, yeah. If I see him, I’ll let him know.”
****
They spent the rest of the morning in the white fluffy robes the hotel provided. Ron had ordered way too much food from room service, and they sat around the glass-top dinette set in front of a floor to ceiling window in the suite, nibbling, talking, and looking out at the city below them.
Ron seemed very secretive about his work, so after just a few questions that he gave vague and one-word answers to, Brenna decided not to pry and left it alone. She was having second thoughts about him being a drill sergeant. She did learn, however, that he grew up in South Carolina, hence the Southern drawl.
“It’s gotten a lot less noticeable since I moved out here. But you should hear me when I go home.”
“Where do you consider home?”
“Charleston.”
That piqued her interest.
“I have a place on Sullivan’s Island.” Brenna told him–happy they seemed to have that in common, as the island was just outside of Charleston.
The beach house and the house in South Carolina were the only two places she kept after Danny died. The house on Sullivan’s Island had been in Danny’s family for a couple of generations, and she just couldn’t bring herself to sell it. Plus, she really loved the property. It was as old-school Southern as you could get. White plantation-style with columns and wraparound porches on the first and second levels. Mature trees lined the long drive. She sometimes would escape there when the tabloids had sniffed out one of Danny’s new conquests. Since his death, she had only been back a handful of times. The upkeep was costing her a pretty penny, but she liked that it somehow connected Danielle to her dad–whom her daughter missed terribly–so it was money well spent, as far as Brenna was concerned.
Ron grinned. “Sullivan’s Island, huh?”
She knew houses were expensive there, but she passed it off that he somehow knew her maiden name was Sullivan, and that was what he was referring to. “Yes, Sullivan–but no relation.”
He chuckled. “So you were Brenna Sullivan growing up?” he asked as he looked her over. “That suits you,” then quickly interjected, “not that Roberts doesn’t.”
She smiled and cocked her head as she popped a grape in her mouth. “What were you like growing up?”
Ron sat in thought for a moment. “Probably a lot like I am today, only more stupid. I’ve always been a risk taker, pretty much have always known right from wrong–although I sometimes didn’t make the right choices even when I knew better. I’ve always been in charge, ever since I can remember. My younger brother hated that about me,” he said with a laugh.
Risk taker, ethical, leader… she could live with that, although the risk taking thing might turn out to be a deal-breaker down the road.
“Any other siblings?”
“Just my kid brother, Greg. He’s a commercial pilot and also single. My poor mother is beside herself wanting grandbabies.”
“Do you think you’re ever going to give her grandkids?”
“Well, I’m not. When I turned forty-two, I decided there was no way I was going to my kid’s high school graduation when I was sixty–or older–so I took steps to make sure that didn’t happen.”
“Really? You did?” She was genuinely surprised that someone with no kids would undergo a vasectomy.
“Brenna, you didn’t think I would be so careless otherwise, while we were sleeping together, did you?”
“Well, I hadn’t really thought about it, since I had a hysterectomy ten years ago.”
He nodded his head once. “Well, I guess we’re on the same page when it comes to procreation then.”
“I guess we are.”
There was a slight lag in their conversation, and he sat there with his head tilted, looking at her and smiling.
Damn he is sexy.
“Do you want to watch some football in bed?” She hoped he understood that was her forty-four year old version of watch Netflix and chill.
If he did understand, he didn’t let on. Standing up, he offered her his hand, “What game do you want to watch?”
Um, your tongue in my pussy game?
That’d probably be a bit too crass.
Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, “I don’t know, let’s see what’s on.” Or off.
She walked into the bedroom ahead of him and dropped her robe in a heap on the ground. With a knowing smile, she walked naked to the bed.
He didn’t move from the doorway, just watched her slowly crawling toward the headboard on all fours. She glanced over her shoulder at him leaning against the doorjamb with a look of appreciation for what he saw.
She turned onto her back and asked, “Do you have the remote?” as she put her index finger to her lips and gently bit down. She hoped her lack of subtlety was taken in the playful spirit it was intended.
She got her answer when he dropped his robe and pounced on her. At first, he tickled her briefly–she was glad it was briefly because she hated being tickled–then wrapped his arms around her and fell back on the bed with her in a bear hug. Rolling over to straddle her stomach, he then grabbed her two wrists together in one of his large hands and pinned them over her head.
“Let’s see how you like being teased.”
She braced herself to be tickled again, but instead was delighted to learn what his form of teasing entailed.
Hint –it wasn’t tickling.
Her chest was heaving, from the brief wrestling on the bed, but mainly from the excitement she felt as he leaned over her. He focused on her mouth, tracing the outline of it with his middle finger–taking his time doing so before leaning over and kissing her. It was a slow, passionate kiss that took her breath away. The kind that when he pulled away, she whimpered because she didn’t want it to end. He released her wrists, but she left them above her head and savored the moment with her eyes closed.
She opened them and found him watching her–like he was waiting for her to look at him. Brenna was startled at the exchange of unspoken words as they gazed at each other. She drew a breath in; it was like a jolt of electricity shot through her, and she felt her nipples get stiff as goosebumps traveled down her entire body.
What the hell was that? Her stomach felt like it had butterflies in it. That was a feeling she hadn’t experienced in almost twenty years.
Just like she knew last night she should have been offended at how strong he was coming on to her–but wasn’t, she knew these feelings she was having were too fast, too soon, and she should get the hell out of there.
But didn’t.
She reached up behind his head and pulled him back into her for another kiss instead.
Brenna gently sucked on his bottom lip, tugging as she did, before Ron parted her lips with his tongue to seek hers out. As their tongues tangled, their kisses alternated between light and gentle to hard and urgent. They had a twenty minute make-out session where all they did was kiss. Any time she tried to touch him below the waist, he’d pull her hands away and hold them in place. His fingers lightly traced her body as their tongues intertwined, and she remembered how exciting she always found necking to be when she was a teenager. Somewhere along the way, it had gotten pushed aside in favor of other things. She realized what a travesty it had been to do that. Kissing Ron was as intimate, if not more, than anything they had done together so far.
However, she didn’t object when he decided to escalate things.
He began to massage her right breast when they came up for a
ir. “My God, darlin’, I want you so damn badly.”
She knew the feeling.
Brenna pushed him back onto the bed and wasted no time mounting him, sliding his cock inside her. She was so turned on, it had no trouble finding its way in.
He sat up and kissed her more while she started rolling her hips on his. When he bent over to suck on her tits, she leaned back and began to buck a little faster, stimulating her clit against his pubis bone as she clung to the back of his head and pushed her tit further into his mouth. Ron tugged her nipple away from her chest with his teeth then lay back to rub her clit with his thumb. With her hands on her thighs, back arched, and head thrown back, she started to moan.
Soon she was stuttering her words. “Oh-oh my Ga-God! Oh, yes! Oh, please don’t stop. Don’t st-stop, don’t stop, doooonnnn’t stooooopppp!” as she bounced on him faster. She went still and silent, then cried out in pleasure and began to convulse as the orgasm ripped through her. It was as amazing as the first one he gave her. Which was saying a lot, because that was pretty damn awesome.
Actually, they all had been rather fantastic.
Ron kept rubbing her until she fell forward onto his chest.
Flipping her onto her back, he immediately began to fuck her, which only served to heighten her orgasmic sensation, and she knew she was going to come again.
Goddamn he is good!
He started to grunt as he began thrusting into her harder. She was gasping with every push and soon they were both moaning. He seemed to be trying to hold out for her to climax again and once she started to, he let out a long grunt as he came deep inside her; holding her hips tight as he gave short thrusts while emptying his seed in her pussy. He fell forward, to the left side of her.
They both lay there, gasping for breath, swallowing hard.
With his forehead resting on the mattress, he finally spoke. “Oh, Brenna. Sugar, you have no idea what you do to me.”
She had a hand on her stomach, feeling it rise and fall while she gulped for air. Looking at the ceiling she managed, “Oh my God. That was so incredible. You are so incredible.”
He was still inside her and made no effort to remove himself as he wrapped his arms around her and began nuzzling her neck. Brenna gave a contented sigh when he hugged her tight.
She was thinking that her year was off to a wonderful start when her face began to throb. She must have released a lot of endorphins because she did not notice it hurting during their make-out or lovemaking sessions, and she now remembered he was holding her face a lot.
Well, it was making up for it.
He noticed her wincing and immediately began attending to her; cleaning her up and getting the ice pack the hotel had given her last night while insisting she remain lying down.
“I have some pills in my purse to help with the pain.” Actually, they might be expired, but she was willing to try anything at this point.
They were expired, but still worked like a charm, because the next thing she knew, Ron was standing before her fully dressed in last night’s shirt and trousers.
Shaking her gently, he said in a soft voice, “Come on, darlin’. Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Twelve
Brenna
Brenna woke up in her bed and had no idea how she got there.
Was it dusk or dawn?
Another reason the prescription bottle didn’t get emptied before it expired.
She made her way downstairs and found Cassie sitting on the window seat in the kitchen that faced the ocean. Except she wasn’t looking at the water, she was looking at her phone and smiling.
“Hey, Cass,” Brenna said in a shaky voice.
Her sister looked up. “Hey, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?”
“A little disoriented. Um, what time is it?”
“Just after six. You want me to make you some dinner?”
That answered the dusk or dawn question.
“How—how did I get home?”
Cassie smirked. “Your hero brought you home.”
Brenna tried to sound nonchalant. “He did?”
“He did.” The younger girl got up and started toward the fridge. Over her shoulder, she called out, “He’s kind of bossy.”
“Why do you say that?” Brenna chuckled as she slid onto a barstool at the kitchen island and watched her sister pull ingredients from the refrigerator.
Cassie closed the stainless steel door. “I told him to just lay you down on the couch, so he didn’t have to haul you up the stairs. He told me no, he was putting you in your bed. Then he handed me an ice pack to fill and wouldn’t let me put it on you–he did it himself. Then he wanted to make something for you to eat, in case you woke up. Like I wouldn’t feed you or something.”
Brenna tried to disguise her smile. He was looking out for me.
Again.
It was a wonderful, strange feeling.
She’d had people who used to take care of her professionally: an agent, publicist, studio executives, and a part-time assistant to name a few. But, personally, she was the one taking care of everyone else. Danny sure as fuck never took care of her. This was kind of nice. Although she wasn’t sure how comfortable she was being so vulnerable–especially so soon after first meeting him.
She needed to be sure and return the favor, when she saw him again.
Wait. Was she going to see him again?
****
Ron
Ron appreciated the ride back to the hotel from Luke, the guy who was watching Brenna’s dog. He learned Luke was a former Marine and now a SWAT sergeant for the San Diego police department. Ron liked hearing about former Devil Dogs who went on to prosperous careers outside the Corps. Although, he had to remind the guy a few times that he didn’t have to call Ron sir.
He was surprised to learn Luke knew who he was–but Ron had been organizing the Tower Challenge on 9/11 for several years, and a lot of guys from the San Diego emergency services participated so it made sense. It was a big fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project, and something he felt worthwhile to give his time and energy to.
Luke asked as they pulled into The Plaza’s parking lot, “Are you going back to Brenna’s?”
Am I going back? Shit, he wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. He didn’t want to smother her, but he also wanted to make sure she was okay. Plus, he needed to reiterate to her that last night wasn’t just a one-night stand for him.
Luke must have sensed his hesitation, because he put the truck in park, looked down at his phone and said, “Cassie says Brenna’s awake and asked about you.”
That made his heart beat a little faster.
Since he begged off last night’s mission, he would have a few days before he had to be back on base. He’d love to spend them with her.
Slow down, leatherneck. Don’t fuck this up. Play it cool.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel that playing it cool with her would be what fucked it up.
He needed to trust his gut. It had yet to steer him wrong.
Ron hopped out of Luke’s Jeep. “I need to go home and change, then I’ll be by.”
The former Marine grinned. “I’ll let them know.”
“Thanks for the ride, man. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Have a good night.” And with that, Luke pulled away.
****
Ron decided to call Brenna to make sure she was up for his company.
She answered with, “Hey, you.”
He smiled the minute he heard her voice.
“Hey yourself. What are your thoughts about me coming back over?”
“Luke said you were coming back by. Did you still want to?”
“Hell yes, I do.”
He could hear the smile in her voice. “Good. You probably should bring your toothbrush, you know, just in case you need it for some reason.”
Another night holding her? It was his lucky day. He was too busy thinking about how much he was going to enjoy that and didn’t realize he ha
dn’t responded until she said, “I mean, unless you can’t stay over.”
“Oh no, I can stay. I was just thinking how spoiled I am going to get, waking up in bed with you two mornings in a row.”
She teased, “It’ll be rough, but I think I can manage lying next to you all night again.”
He smirked. “Well, at least I don’t hog the bed.”
She feigned offense. “What? I do not hog the bed! Next thing you’re going to tell me is I snore!”
“Well, now that you mention it…”
“I’m told I have a very comfortable guest bed–if I get too loud.”
“Darlin’, it would take a lot more than a little snoring and bed hogging to get me out of your bed. I’ll see you shortly.”
She giggled. “Can’t wait.”
Neither could he.
Chapter Thirteen
Brenna
When Brenna hung up with Ron, she turned to find Cassie watching her.
“What?” Brenna asked as she turned and starting walking around the island–carefully keeping her back to her little sister.
Cassie didn’t answer, so Brenna finally turned around to find the younger girl smirking.
“What?” she questioned a little more emphatically this time.
“Oh nothing.” Cassie pretended to busy herself with rearranging the fruit in the black wire basket on the counter. “I just can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you smile so much while talking to a man.”
Brenna tried to make herself stop smiling. It was impossible. She conceded with a giggle, “He is pretty great.”
“I can see that. So tell me about him. What do you know?”
Leave it to Cassie to rain on Brenna’s parade. She didn’t know much about him–but she could still think he was pretty great.
She tried to sound casual as she answered. “He grew up in South Carolina, graduated from The Citadel, and joined the Marines right after. He’s been in for twenty-four years. No kids.”
“Divorced?”
Brenna shook her head.
Cassie’s eyebrows raised. “Never been married?”
