by Cora Cade
“Can we do it again?”
A low chuckle greeted her ear as he kissed the lobe and offered a small bite with a soft tug. “Greedy, aren’t we?”
She couldn’t help but grin as he stroked down her body with one hand. He gently loosened his grip on her hip and she fell limp against the wall, barely standing on her own two feet.
Noah gripped Tenn’s hand and pulled her away from the wall. “Bedroom. Now.” As she passed in front of him he couldn’t help himself—he smacked her delectable ass. She swatted at his hand, missing the mark and only catching air.
Tenn stumbled into the bedroom on limp legs and fell into an inelegant tumble of limbs and soft woman. Looking soft and sleepy and well loved, she took his breath away.
She offered up a shy smile and patted the empty space next to her. How he wanted to join her, but Noah wasn’t sure he could keep his hands off of her. Their rough-and-tumble lovemaking earlier had only whetted his appetite for her. He couldn’t take her over and over again. She had to be sore after he had taken her against both the bathroom and hall walls. What had he been thinking? He had lost his mind. And his control. He was a total ass.
He was also a weak man, because he climbed into bed next to her after stripping off his jeans and boxer-briefs. The early morning air was heating up and there was no need to pull a cover over their bodies. Tenn curled herself against his larger frame, resting her head on his shoulder as he circled her shoulders with his arm.
She trailed a finger down the center of his chest and touched lightly on some old scars across his ribs. She knew his history—he had always kept her in the know during his two tour of duties in Afghanistan—but she’d never actually witnessed the full physical aftermath. Earlier she’d noticed the mess of shrapnel wounds that littered his torso down to his hip. They had healed quickly and offered very little long-term pain.
The exceptionally ugly, and still physically painful scars, were located lower down his thigh to his knee. He had put a lot of strain on his leg during their enthusiastic session and at the time hadn’t noticed it, but even now the muscles were pulling tight and starting to cramp. A thick scar ran raggedly down the length of his outer leg, ending at the knee, where an equally angry scar bisected it. There had been many surgeries during his recovery, but none ever improved the look of his leg.
He’d never been a vain man, but as Tenn traced the path of the scars he wondered if his wounds were repulsive to her. It had never mattered with other women, but they weren’t Tennyson.
“Hey, soldier. I thought you were going to feed me some breakfast.”
“I do recall something about food, but that was before a naked woman threw herself at me.” He smiled with the words, trailing a hand across her face gently.
“Yes, I vaguely recall leaping from the shower without aid and launching myself bodily at you.” She was laughing at him as she shifted to straddle him. His body immediately responded, filling his cock and rising to meet her bare pussy. His girth parted her perfectly and her cream coated the underside of his shaft. Their dance was slow and smooth as she pressed down, allowing Tenn to control the pressure and shallow strokes of his cock against her clit.
He watched her move above him and struggled to control his urge to take over and start sliding home, sending them both over the edge instantly. Instead, he put his hands to use and circled her breasts, stroking along the undersides before tugging gently on her nipples. She licked her lips and increased the pace.
Her legs tightened around his hips as she neared climax and he gripped her hips with tense fingers in response. She was magnificent, poised above him with her breasts gently bouncing as she rolled her hips to create friction. For a woman who had given up her virginity only twenty minutes ago, she definitely knew how to find her own pleasure. It was one of the hottest things Noah had ever witnessed.
Tenn’s body tensed in the moment before she crashed over into orgasm. As her body vibrated above his, Noah took the advantage and pressed into her core. Sliding his full length home in one swift movement almost sent him rushing after her into orgasm. Her pussy gripped him rhythmically even as she said, “Fuck me, Noah. Make me come for you again.”
It was exactly the thing to say to send him flying out of control. He reversed their positions in two seconds flat and pressed her down into the soft bedding. She was still in the throes of coming against his cock, and he stayed in place and watched her beautiful face for another second. Then he began an unrestrained pounding. It was wild and rough and she was with him every step of the way.
Sitting back on his heels he pulled her lower on the bed and positioned her where he wanted. She was splayed before him, her bare pussy lips swallowing his cock as he pulled nearly out and slid home, again and again, shaking the bed against the wall.
“Harder. Noah, harder.” She was gasping for air, with her arms gripping the headboard above her head. In this position her entire body was on display and she was gorgeous. As he gripped her ankles and placed them on each side of his face, her body absorbed the fierce and unrestrained movements that caused her breasts to bounce. She dropped a hand down, lightly trailing across a nipple, ending at her clitoris. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
He watched, fascinated, as she worked the distended nub with two fingers. He wanted to taste where his body met hers, lick across her fingers, send her toppling over the edge with his tongue. But he was too late and she was milking his cock with her amazing grip. Abruptly, he plunged into his own sweet release.
He was still throbbing in her pussy, catching his breath when she said, “Food. Now.”
He could only chuckle in response as he collapsed at the foot of the bed. Again, she was a woman who knew how to get what she wanted. He could deny her nothing.
Chapter Six
Noah had a plan. After a blissful deluge of lovemaking with Tenn, they had finally left the bed and headed into town for lunch. Breakfast at the diner was long over by the time they managed to get dressed and leave the confines of her bedroom.
After a morning spent wrapped up in each other, it was time to finally get down to business and start seriously wooing Tenn. Noah had thought their relationship would fall into place. Until Tenn had shot his plan all to hell.
As soon as she slipped on a sundress and pulled her hair up into a haphazard bun, she’d reverted back to the platonic, friends-only Tenn. Not the soft and sated woman he’d spent the better part of the past two hours making love with.
This Tenn was all business, and she patted his chest as she breezed out the bedroom door. At lunch she’d become even more distant, avoiding his gaze and questions. Their conversation had been stilted, bordering on painful. It was obvious to Noah she didn’t want to discuss anything that had happened that morning. It was perplexing and damn confusing.
He wanted more from her than an affectionate hug and a casual peck on the cheek. Noah wanted passionate kisses, naked bodies and a ring on her finger. Tennyson Sharpe was the kind of girl you settled down with. She was a forever kind of girl, and he wanted to be her forever guy. Her only guy.
After dropping Tenn off at her car near Chris’s apartment she’d offered him a quick peck on the cheek and a brief wave as she bolted out of the car. He decided it was time to call out Chris on his asshole behavior from earlier. Punching the speed-dial number for Chris into his cell, Noah told him to be at the pub in fifteen. With no obvious hesitation, Chris agreed.
The pub overlooked the surrounding lake and he found Chris sprawled in a deck chair, enjoying the early afternoon view. He had propped his feet up on the edge of the banister and was sipping a bottle of beer. With his glasses shading his eyes, Noah couldn’t see the expression there, but he could tell his brother was tense by the set of his shoulders.
Sitting beside him Noah matched his brother’s pose and sipped his own beer. “So, what’s bothering you?”
Chris gave him a quick nod of the head and didn’t answer.
“You got some girl problems?”
“You could say that.” As far as responses went, it wasn’t very forthcoming, but that was to be expected out of Chris.
“Bad date last night? What was her name? Lindsey or Leslie…” Noah trailed off. After giving it some thought, all he could remember was long, slender legs and stick-straight blonde hair. Not much else, let alone her name.
“It was Lexie. And no, it wasn’t a date. You know I came with Tenn.”
He waited with a cocked eyebrow. He knew Chris had come with Tenn, but he also knew the blonde chick had scooted out the door right after Chris. Eventually Chris would get around to filling him in on what was bothering him. And it wasn’t a long wait when Chris set his beer down and turned to face him.
“Look, I know you just got home and you probably want to get laid, but could you not put the moves on Tenn? Seriously, man, she’s like family and she doesn’t need you fucking with her right now. Why don’t you take Amber up on her offer? She’s been chasing after you since high school.”
Anger boiled under the surface. Only years of self-discipline stopped him from snatching his brother out of his chair and tossing him over the railing and into the lake. “Care to explain that a bit better?”
“Noah, I’m asking you not to hurt Tenn. Things would never be the same if you guys do the deed and then can’t even look at each other again. Use your damn head, man. She’s idolized you for years, and if you crook your finger she’s going to come running. She is not the kind of girl looking for a booty call.”
“And you think that’s all I want from her? A quick lay? Scratch an itch and toss her out the door?”
“I see the way you look at her.” Before Noah could get well and truly pissed, Chris interjected with, “At least you aren’t denying you’ve got the hots for her.”
“One of two things is going on here. So it’s high time you fill me in here. Are you jealous? Is that what this is all about? Or do you think I’m the kind of guy who uses women like that? Is that what you think of me? Either way, we need to clear the air. If you have a claim on Tenn, I’ll back off. All you need to do is say the word.”
It would kill him, but he would never come between his brother and anyone he loved. If Chris wanted more from Tenn, he wouldn’t stand in the way. But the mere thought of losing her caused a knot of pain to form in his heart, far surpassing any battle wounds he carried.
He might have some explaining to do, but he’d still do the right thing and back off. He loved them both too much to do anything less. It didn’t feel right, this theory, since Tenn had spent the morning wrapped around him, not his brother. Something was going on under the surface, and it was high time he figured it out.
Chris lifted his sunglasses off and placed them in his lap. He peered at Noah’s face long and hard before saying, “I’m not jealous. Not like you think, anyway. You need to understand she’s the most important person in my life and if you fuck this up, you’ll answer to me. She deserves the best. Nothing less. And I don’t think you’re the guy. It needed to be said, that’s all.”
“I want to marry her.”
In the dead silence following that statement, Noah wondered if maybe he had said too much. Chris had spent the last ten minutes warning him off.
And Chris was smiling and putting his sunglasses back on. “Good.”
“That’s it?”
“I suspect you want my help? You want me to sell my best friend out so it’s easier for you? Not gonna happen.”
Now Noah was smiling. “I’m your brother! Don’t you want me happy and settled down?” With a fierce glare he added, “Besides, whatever you said this morning really rocked her. I don’t think you are in any position to be offering or denying me assistance in winning Tennyson Sharpe over right now.”
Now Chris was in the hot seat and Noah was happy enough to turn the tables. Tennyson wouldn’t answer any of his questions on the subject over lunch. He’d finally given up, knowing he’d get the answers from Chris. If he didn’t offer any up, this time he would definitely toss him over the railing into the lake. Whatever worked.
“I need to talk to her. I wasn’t at my best this morning. Obviously.”
“Chris, she wouldn’t even discuss it with me, but when I followed her into the house I found her crying in the shower. So whatever the fuck you said hurt her. You had better make this right with her, or you’ll be answering to me on this one.” Noah punctuated his statement with a sharp look. The kind he normally offered up before he tossed a punch.
Chris watched his normally stoic brother start to look murderous. And he had every right. The things he had said to Tenn were unfathomable. He had been hateful and vicious to her. Something he thought he could never be, especially with her. His best friend. The only real girl in his life.
When his feet had hit the steps of her back porch and he’d taken in an obviously aroused Tenn wrapped around his brother, he had felt hateful. Then the treacherous words had spilled forth.
An aching sense of loss had enveloped him, knowing he’d lost her. Forever. In the space of a moment in time he’d lost his best friend to his brother. In a blink of an eye his entire life had turned upside down. And he’d lashed out.
With his cruel words he’d watched the light die in her eyes. All he knew was a crushing guilt splitting his heart in two. He’d bolted for his car and spent the morning wishing he could take it all back or drink himself into a stupor. Whichever worked.
Now his brother sat beside him telling him he wanted to marry Tenn. It was a beautiful thing, to see his normally calm brother get worked up about a woman. He had pressed his brother in the hopes of scaring him away if he wasn’t serious about Tenn. Instead of scaring Noah off, it had brought his declaration quicker than either of them expected. And as an added benefit, Chris got to watch his brother turn ten shades of red while he reined in his temper. Hell, it was past time Chris accepted the friendship he shared with Tenn was going to change.
Those changes should have happened a long time ago, but she’d never seriously dated anyone. Something he had never bothered to talk to her about. He was happy to have her all to himself. Selfish bastard that he was.
“Noah, I need to talk to Tenn. I was wrong this morning… You probably should beat the hell out of me after what I said.”
“What did you say to her?” And the murderous glint became even deadlier.
“Shit. I can’t even repeat it. It was bad.”
“You make this right with her, Chris. Or I will beat the hell out of you.” And with that bright and sunny statement, Chris watched his brother stalk back into the pub.
Chapter Seven
Tenn had bolted from Noah’s vehicle like her ass was on fire. Now she sat alone in her car with nowhere to go. Not ready to face her own home, with all the reminders of the hours they had spent in bed together, she was at a loss.
She needed advice. Obviously she couldn’t call Chris and beg for his expertise. She’d do the next best thing. Molly was Noah’s pub manager, but she was also the closest thing Tenn had to a girlfriend. Molly had come to town not long after Noah took over the pub, and though she was private and kept to herself, she was also fiercely loyal and quite outspoken once you got to know her.
Assuming she’d be working, since Noah obviously wasn’t, she rang up the pub and got Molly immediately. “Hey, girl!” Tenn tried to sound cheerful instead of completely freaked.
“Hey yourself. What’s wrong?”
“How do you do that? Jesus, I’m trying to keep my shit together over here and you totally call me out.”
“Well, darling, you are the most even-keeled woman I know. When you call me at work sounding like you’re about to burst into tears, it’s not hard to figure out something major is up. Spill.”
“I love you and how you cut completely to the core of the matter.” It made Tenn smile that Molly could be so straightforward and still make her feel comforted. “Are you free tonight? Or are you working late? I could use a bottle of wine and some girl talk if y
ou’re free.”
“Oh, honey, you said the magic words. Noah called me in early, he’s taking my late shift and I’m out of here in about…” she paused for a second, “…in about thirty minutes.”
“Excellent. I’ll swing by your apartment and pick you up.”
“You can pick me up here if you want. It would save us a bit of time.”
Tenn hesitated. The silence on the line was deafening.
“Shit. Is this about whatever Chris and Noah are outside on the verge of coming to blows about?” Molly voice sounded stunned. “Tenn, did you and Chris finally sleep together? Oh my God, Noah is going to be devastated.”
“What? I didn’t sleep with Chris. How could you think that?” It wasn’t lost on Tenn when Molly said Noah would be devastated if she had slept with Chris. Could life get any more confusing right now?
“Wait. What was going on last night? You were decked out and Chris was all over you when I left. I thought Noah was going to plaster Chris’s face with his fist at least ten times.”
“Molly, I think I blew my chance with Noah. I slept with him this morning and then I panicked. Hell, I’m still panicking. I thought it was a casual thing for him and I ran!”
“Are you blind? Noah has been stalking you since the day he got home. I think he was biding his time to make sure you and Chris didn’t have something more going on. I mean, Tenn, he looks at you like he wants to eat you up. Lord, girl, if a man looked at me like that I would eat him up.”
There was a pause on the line and Tenn attempted to catch her breath. Was Molly right? She had no reason to doubt the only woman in her life. Molly was a straight shooter who was hyper aware of her surroundings. She always said it was the life of a bartender making her that way, but Tenn thought there was more to the story. Either way, she could be trusted.
“Tenn, honey, Noah’s right here and says he’ll pay me double time if I cover for him and get you to come to the pub.” Molly barely took a breath before saying, “If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for me. I could use the extra pay. And I’ll owe you the bottle of wine for next time.”
