The thing was she had experienced those things with him, and he’d given them to her willingly, but come Sunday at brunch those experiences would all be memories. And it was her fault.
Blinking the sting from her eyes, she parked in front of her hotel room and quickly brushed the wetness from her face. Stupid tears. Tonight wasn’t about tears. It was about more of those memories, because if Brick really did walk away from her when he discovered her family tree, then she wanted to make as many memories as possible before Sunday. And she already knew tomorrow was out. Between the wedding and the birthday party, Friday was a busy prep day. So that left tonight, and Saturday, which was the wedding day. The majority would be spent concentrating on work, but Beth was determined to fit in many moments with Brick.
Even if, by some miracle, he wanted to continue to see her after her admission, there was still the fact she would be entering college in Austin that fall, and he would someday move to Vegas to work for his friend. Basically, any way she looked at it, their time was limited.
“Hey, angel, you okay?” His handsome face appeared at her window, making her realize she was still sitting in her parked car.
Shaking off her stupid stupor, she smiled and got out. “Yep. Just been a long day.”
“Well, now it’s time for relaxing. Let me take care of you.”
Without warning, he bent and swept her off her feet. Beth gasped. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
He laughed. “You’re light as a feather.” With a smirk, he carried her to her door, where she unlocked it before he proceeded inside and slowly set her feet on the floor.
They stared at each other a beat, then the amusement faded in his eyes, replaced by something warm and strong, too strong for her to resist. She slid her hands up his body, straight into his hair, and pulled his head down for the kiss she’d been dreaming about all afternoon.
He gave her a heart-melting, dimple-glaring smile. “Great minds,” he said against her lips, his hand tightening on her hip while he brought the other up to cup her chin. He tilted her face to suit him and kissed her, soft at first, then deeper, harder, demanding.
She loved when he kissed her like this.
Desire washed through Beth and she gave herself over to the sensations of being held, needed, and a hunger and heat so intense it zapped the strength from her legs. She moved her grip to his shoulders where she clutched tight and moaned as he swept his tongue along hers. Such a great kisser. She never wanted them to end, but just like this one, the kiss had to so they could drag in air.
“Always so good,” he said against her temple.
Thank goodness he had a strong arm around her back, or Beth would’ve ended up a boneless heap of arousal at his feet.
He drew back to hold her gaze. “You’re shaking.”
“Your fault.”
Some deep, primal emotion flashed through his eyes now, and her body tingled in every single solitary direction. “Lift your arms.”
She did as requested and the tingling intensified as he bent down, grasped the hem, then very slowly—so damn slowly—pushed the dress up her body until it cleared her shaking fingertips. A second later, he dropped it to the floor in that heap her body was still considering a viable action.
Approval blazed in Brick’s eyes as he took in her lacy white bra and panties. “God, you’re a sight. Absolutely gorgeous.”
But he didn’t touch her. Just looked, and she stood there trembling, needing so much. Everything. Starting with him naked.
“Have to get rid of some of this.” She reached out, and borrowing his hem-grasping move, she slowly pushed his shirt up the solid muscles and ridges of his abs, over those incredible pecs, where he took over by reaching behind him and yanking the shirt off with one hand.
So sexy she might’ve whimpered.
He pulled off his boots and socks while she unhooked her sandals and tossed them in the corner. Then he was hauling her in close, and she sighed when her skin met his hot, hard chest. His mouth was on hers again, kissing her over and over as he guided them toward the bed, where he followed her down on the mattress.
Her heart rocked in her chest.
She loved the feel of him on top of her. How every inch of his muscular, hard body pressed her into the mattress, making her feel feminine and soft. Suddenly needing to touch him, she brushed her hands down the ridges in his abs, over his sides and around to his back, where she encountered smooth skin, then a few raised areas and patches of…bandages.
Beth stiffened and pulled her mouth from his. “Sorry. I forgot about your back. Did I hurt you?”
“No.” He braced the weight of his body on his forearms, brushed the hair off her face, and kissed her temple. “Only if you stop.” Then he was trailing kisses down her neck, nudging her bra straps down her arms as his lips grazed her throat, her collarbone, and across her chest. “Mmm,” he murmured against her skin, then leaned on his forearms again and drew back an inch to watch as he tugged her bra down and freed her breasts.
Her body shook from the sheer force of his gaze.
He sucked in a breath. “So beautiful.” Reaching around as she lifted slightly, he unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor. The look of raw pleasure on his face as he stared at her nearly made her come.
“Brick,” she breathed, unable to stand him not touching her.
“What, Beth? Tell me,” he said against her lips, teasing her with the feel of his chest scraping her nipples while the hard bulge in his jeans pressed against her, making her eyes cross. “Tell me what you want.”
“You.” She arched her back in an attempt to feel him.
“You’ve got me.” He kissed her then, one of his deep, drugging, hot, wet kisses that had her right on the edge.
Then his callused palm cupped her breast while he captured the peak between his thumb and forefinger. Finally. A needy sound vibrated in her throat. He finally touched her. “Brick.”
“Right here.” He placed open-mouthed kisses over the curve of her breast, closing his warm lips around her other nipple and sucking it hard into his mouth.
With breath clogging her throat, she thrust her fingers into his hair and held him there, lost in the rush only Brick could bring. And he continued to bring, skimming his palm over her belly, his fingers sliding under her panties, hesitating, building the anticipation—making her nuts—before descending to slip inside where she ached for him most.
Beth cried out, her voice echoing off the walls. But she didn’t care, only that he continued to touch her. “Don’t stop.”
Don’t ever stop.
He lifted his gaze to her, and heaven help her, it was searing and naughty and almost did her in. “I won’t. I’m going to take care of you real good.” His finger continued to slide in and out of her in mind-drugging strokes that had her breathing like a lunatic.
She should’ve been mortified at how fast he had her at the edge. But it felt too good. He felt too good. And his mouth, God his mouth. Licking and kissing and nipping her neck and breasts while his thick finger continued stroking her into a frenzie. Her body shook with the need too vast to contain. Then the clever man brushed his thumb over her center.
“Brick…” She bucked wildly and flew completely apart, and he drew out her orgasm until she had nothing left to give.
Chapter Eleven
While aftershocks shook her body, Beth slumped against the mattress and her eyes eventually fluttered open to see his slow, sexy-as-sin smile as he stood. She worked to catch her breath, but watching him strip did the opposite.
A sheen of sweat glistened over his skin, and his eyes, God, those gorgeous eyes were deliciously dark and hungry and fierce. He was magnificent, and whether they were naked or not, he made her feel magnificent. Made her feel with her heart. Especially with her heart.
She was all the way in love with Brick.
No sense in denying it. But she wouldn’t say it out loud. Not until he knew the truth…if he would even want to hear it then. She wa
sn’t going to think about that now. This was probably her last night with him. If she was lucky, they’d have one more. There was no room for anything but enjoyment.
She watched as he grabbed a condom from the box they’d stashed in the nightstand last week and rolled it on. Her insides quivered in anticipation. The man was gorgeous.
He groaned. “Angel, if you keep looking at me like that I’m going to bust.”
“And I need you inside me so I can.”
He walked to the bottom of the bed and sent her a badass grin. “Patience.” Then he began to kiss her all over, starting at her ankles, slowly making his way up her legs, lingering on her inner thighs and in between, seeming to delight in making her gasp, making her desperate for release. That rough stubble of his scraped her skin in delicious torture, and he made her come again before he continued to worship her body, nipping at her hips, swirling his tongue around her belly button, licking her ribs then the underside of her breasts.
“Brick.” She arched, practically begging him to continue.
He did, shifting his attention to both breasts, lingering on her nipples. She held the back of his head, pressing closer to him as the mounting pressure began to make her desperate for release again. Then he was kissing her collarbone, up her neck where, oh God yeah, he nuzzled the hot spot behind her ear. She sucked in a breath and dug her fingernails into his shoulders.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, dragging his lips down her jaw to kiss the corners of her mouth before finally kissing her lips.
Slow and deep with that mind-drugging precision of his, Brick took her apart, not only with his lips but also his gaze. It was open, full of heat and warm emotion, and she caught it all with her heart and hoped to God he could feel her giving him exactly the same. All of her.
He drew back, his gaze intently fierce and warm as he entwined their fingers near her head and slid into her in one long, deep thrust. Twin murmurs of approval mingled in the air as their bodies connected. Hearts connected.
Heaven.
Her eyes drifted shut, but he bent down to nip at her chin. “Stay with me,” he said, and lowered himself on his forearms.
No…this was heaven.
Beth felt his heart beating. Felt him breathe. Somehow felt emotion in each slow, pulling movement of their rocking bodies. Never had she been so close, so linked, so bonded to anyone before. His lips gently brushed her eyes, her cheek, her mouth, as if she were his world.
He was certainly hers. Everything. All she’d dared to dream of. Hope for.
He lifted his head to hold her gaze, his nearly black with hunger and emotion, and as he drew nearly all the way out then pushed in to the hilt, she fought to keep her eyes open. “You feel so damn good.”
She wanted to hold his smoldering gaze, see everything revealed in his eyes, and reveal all she felt in hers, but everything began to fade as the need and hunger took over. She squeezed his hands, rocking her hips to meet his increased thrusts, their breath mingling, hard and ragged.
Nothing else mattered. Nothing. Not the world. Their past. His connection to her brother. None of it mattered. Only the here and now. Their bodies giving and taking, rocking as one.
“Brick…I…” Emotions clogged her throat.
“Right with you, angel,” he said, dipping down to kiss her hot and wet and deep, his tongue mimicking their thrusting bodies, driving her wild.
She wrapped her legs around his hips, forcing him in deeper.
Releasing her mouth, he let out a low, sexy sound and slid his hand beneath her bottom, grinding them together with every stroke. She quivered. She was so close. So deliciously close.
His slid a hand to the back of her thigh, opening her farther as he upped their pace, thrusting long and hard and deep. Then his fingers were back, entwining with hers, holding her hands by her head. They touched in every way possible, and the exquisite sliding friction set her off.
She moaned his name and clenched tight around him as the orgasm ripped through her with startling intensity. Her name was a low, rough groan on his lips as he came right along with her with one more hard, deep thrust.
It was a long few moments before she could feel her limbs, find her brain—release the death hold she had on his hands. “Sorry.”
“What for? That was amazing.” He smiled and brushed a kiss across her damp temple. Lifting his head, he studied her. “You okay?”
“Perfect.” She squirmed happily beneath him.
“Mmm…yes, you are,” he said, and slid out of her. As always happened when he left her, she made a helpless sound at the loss. He kissed her again. “Be right back.” Then he vanished into her bathroom, and true to his word, he was back in less than two minutes. He slid beneath her covers and held them open for her, so she snuggled in close. It was early. They had the whole night ahead of them.
“Will this hurt your back?”
“Nah. It hasn’t been that bad since Monday.” He hauled her in tight against him. “Besides, this is the best medicine.”
She couldn’t agree more. Being in his arms cured all her worries and fears and aches.
He held her close, his cheek resting lightly on top her head. She loved lying like this. Loved lying in his arms, with her face plastered to his bare chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, or reversed with him listening to hers.
What she hated was when he left. He always did. Never stayed the whole night. But it was early yet, so she felt safe giving in to the coma-like sleep beckoning. He would still be beneath her when she woke. She hoped.
…
Brick awoke the next morning, cupping a handful of warm, naked woman wrapped delectably around him. Beth. His chest squeezed tight. The best way to wake up.
Why the hell had he avoided it for so long? Because he needed the right woman. He had the right one. Right where he wanted her. She had one leg tossed over his, an arm slung across his ribs, her ample chest crushed against him while her face rested over his heart.
Which she owned. Irrevocably. Completely.
In a little over a month since they first met at the Roadhouse, she managed to get through all his defenses, known and unknown, breaking barriers, obliterating obstacles without even trying. He was all right with that. More than all right.
At the beginning, their getting together had been purely physical, but very early on it had turned into so much more. He smiled. They hadn’t stood a chance. In that short amount of time, he not only tossed out the no second date rule, but he also got rid of the no bringing a woman back to the ranch rule, no falling asleep with a woman rule, and now, his personal favorite, no spending the whole night rule.
There wasn’t anything left for her to break. Except maybe his heart, but his angel would never do that. She was too sweet. Too genuine. And she cared just as deeply for him. He’d seen it in her eyes last night, all warm and emotional. Felt it in her touch, her kisses, the way she sighed his name.
And God, it made him feel great. If this was what Stone had tried to fight with Jovy, he was a bigger idiot than Brick suspected. But he understood what had spooked him. Brick had never opened up to anyone before. Never took that step, exposed his heart, put himself in such a damn vulnerable position before. But the thing was, he wasn’t afraid. Not with Beth. Never with Beth. She was an angel. His angel, and she’d treat him right.
“Morning,” she said against his chest.
The feel of her lips brushing his skin sent a wave of awareness right through his groin. She was going to be the death of him. Even after their marathon last night, his body still wanted more of her sweet curves.
He twisted them around, loving the feel of her softness underneath him.
A smile curved her lips and twinkled in her gaze. She wiggled, making him see stars. “Mmm…I like the way you say good morning.”
Leaning down, he brushed his lips near her ear. “It’s going to be good. Going to be a very good morning.”
He kissed her then, amazed at how much he wanted her already.
His erection was hard enough to pound nails. Her taste, her touch, her sweet curves, they made him crazy, and hungry, damn hungry. He skimmed his teeth down her throat and she moaned and squirmed when he bit her neck, so he did it again. Then again, smiling against her skin as she called him a not so nice name.
Her fingers skimmed his side, and before he realized her intent that wicked naughty hand closed around his erection and tugged. Ah hell…that felt good. He swallowed a curse and rocked into her touch. But he wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot. He glided his hand down her curves, brushing her tight peak along the way.
“Mmm…” She arched up, and he kissed and caressed and possessed as he slowly crawled down her body on his mission to make her feel good. Every soft, warm inch.
By the time Brick rolled on a condom and was buried deep inside her, he knew two things. One, holy hell, he’d had this morning thing all wrong. Best damn way to wake up. The only way. He couldn’t wait to do it again with her.
The one thing he’d avoided his whole life was now all he was going to think about.
And two, he knew he loved being with the woman trembling in his arms, crying out his name, coming around him. Loved her sweet soul, kind heart, giving and demanding body.
He loved Beth Madison.
…
As predicted, Beth had been too busy to sneak in some Brick time on Friday, after she woke up in his arms and had her some Brick for breakfast. The rest of the day, though, had been scheduled tight right into the night, where she attended the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, then the bachelorette party.
Thank God all Rachel had wanted was pizza and to binge watch season one of Hawaii Five-0. For a minute there, her friend had considered Supernatural, but with one of the leads a spitting image of Cord—right down to his green eyes—Beth had been thankful the bride-to-be had decided on the other because of her upcoming honeymoon in Oahu.
Beth was having a hard enough time trying to put her brother out of her mind the way it was. She didn’t need to watch his doppelganger on television.
Today was no better. Even though it was Saturday, her friend’s wedding day, her mind kept straying to Cord and Brick and how they might react tomorrow at brunch when she showed up as both Beth and Lizzie. Not only had Cord asked, but yesterday morning, before Brick had left, he asked her to brunch, too.
Her Secret Ranger (The Men of at Ease Ranch) Page 15
