by Lee, Nadia
He came closer, until she could feel his body heat. “That’s never actually been confirmed.”
“What were you trying to pull?”
“The truth.” She could hear satisfaction in his voice. “And I got it. What’s wrong with that?”
“The way you did it is so…low.”
“Really?” He raised both eyebrows. “You wouldn’t have done it if you were in my shoes?”
She glared at him. Of course she would have done the same if she was curious. But she’d be damned if she would admit it. “The question is irrelevant, since I can’t pull it off.” She crossed her arms. Then something else occurred to her. “Exactly what did you tell Amandine to get her to ask me to decorate her nursery?”
“I said you might be good at it.”
Brooke narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t worry. She doesn’t think you’re going to quit to pursue your dream or something.” His fingertip tapped her tight mouth. “Don’t be angry at the opportunity. It’s a risk-free way for you to try. See if you like it.”
“Whether I like it isn’t the point. Amandine’s the one who has to like the work I do, and frankly, I don’t think it’s nice to use her like this.”
He brushed her hair out of her face and cradled it gently. Her heart hammered, ignoring her instructions to remain unmoved. “If you told her you wanted to try, do you think she would’ve said no?”
“No.”
“Well then.” He gestured at his barren walls. “And you know, I never used my office decoration budget.”
“I noticed,” she said dryly. “This place looks like a jail cell.”
“Yup. And I want you to do something with it.”
“What?”
“It’d be a shame to let all that money go to waste.”
“But—”
“And an office isn’t a nursery, so it’ll be a different type of challenge for you. I think you should go for it.”
“What’s the budget?”
Pete frowned. “I think…around thirty grand?”
“Thirty grand?” Her eyes almost popped out of her head. “For this single office?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know if I should. It’s a lot of money. You should get a real decorator.”
“You seem pretty real to me. Say yes.”
She chewed on her lower lip. She still had her job with Amandine, the assistant gig that paid her bills. “How am I going to explain it to Amandine?”
“What’s there to explain? She won’t care.”
“So you think there’s nothing wrong with me telling her I’m too busy to do my real job because I’m decorating your office?” Oh how she hated people who assumed she was some kind of glorified burger flipper.
Pete considered. “So decorate my office after hours if you want. I’m not in any rush, and Gavin’s started going home early, so you won’t have to live at their house until Amandine has the baby.”
“But…”
“You know you want this, Brooke.” He leaned closer until their breaths mingled. “Say yes.”
She started to drown in his eyes. Oh, what the hell. “Yes.”
Chapter Six
PETE COULDN’T HELP HIMSELF. He dipped his head and kissed her delectable, plump mouth. She moaned softly, her body swaying to his. He pulled her closer, sliding one large palm from her shoulder down to her tight, firm ass.
God, Brooke was all sugar and spice, the perfect combination.
The feel of her in his arms with her mouth locked firmly on his sent his head spinning. It was better than his old memory, better than innumerable fantasies since then.
Eight years ago, he hadn’t had any finesse or restraint. He’d compensated with overabundant enthusiasm, and he’d often wondered if she wouldn’t have left in the middle of it, her face unreadable, if he’d been more skilled.
So he took his time. Learning the contour and the shape of her lips, her body. He tasted her slowly, savoring every nuance. She was all softness and curves, yet there was more than a hint of strength in her lean muscles. Citrus and soap laced her feminine scent, intoxicating him. She was vibrant life and woman, and he pulled her closer to him, fitting her tightly against his body.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, she rubbed slowly along his hard cock, her movement sinuous and mind-destroying.
“Yum,” she murmured. She moved back just far enough for her fingers to trail a hot path down his torso to his crotch. She caressed his erection gently but firmly through his pants.
He groaned. “You’re killing me.”
“Am I?” she whispered, her lips grazing his neck where his pulse throbbed.
“Ahh…” He took her wrist and pulled her hand away from him with a great deal of internal conflict. His mind protested, What the hell, man! Don’t do that!
But he had to. She deserved more than an office quickie for their first time together. When he finally made love to her, it’d be in a bed with all the appropriate props: lit candles, a chilled bottle of her favorite wine, everything else she liked. She would never look at him and see her best friend’s kid brother again. No, she’d remember the things he’d done to her and know he was a man, fully grown and capable.
She breathed in, air shuddering inside. “This wasn’t what I had in mind when I came in.” She licked her slightly swollen lips. “You drive me crazy, Pete.”
A fierce satisfaction rolled through him. “Let’s wait until this evening. I’ll come by with some takeout.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll cook something.”
He blinked. “You will?”
“You took me out twice.” She rested her hands on her hips.
The posture thrust her breasts out, and he could make out the faint outline of her pointed nipples. Waiting until that evening was going to be agonizing.
She was looking at him expectantly. “Well?”
“Huh?”
“I asked if Italian’s okay.”
“Ah. Yeah. I love Italian.”
“Great. I’ll see you tonight.”
“What about the decoration job for my office? I wasn’t kidding about that. I really want you to do it.” When she hesitated, he added, “You gonna let me work in this ‘jail’ for life? Talk about cruel and unusual.”
Finally her face softened. “Don’t worry. I’ll start on it as soon as I’m done with the nursery for your nephew.”
* * *
A little after seven, Pete showed up at Brooke’s apartment. How had he been able to get away from work this early?
The table was already set with a bottle of good Chianti she’d bought, two wine glasses, fresh salad, a basket of warm garlic bread and pasta with a simple meat sauce. Brooke was a big believer in every woman having at least two or three easy recipes they could use to entertain, and she’d taken a cooking class. Basic Italian never led you astray, especially when your guest was a man.
Pete walked in, kicking off his shoes. He’d lost his tie and jacket before coming up. The top two buttons on his dress shirt were undone, fully revealing the column of his strong neck. His face was smooth, so apparently he’d shaved before coming over.
He handed her a bouquet of cheery daisies. Nothing as conventional and predictable as roses from Pete.
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. I thought of you when I saw them.”
“That’s…sweet.” Had any man ever bought her flowers just because they reminded him of her?
She put them in a vase and placed it on the table.
“Everything smells amazing,” he said.
“Thanks. You’re just in time.” She smiled. “Hungry?”
His blue eyes zeroed in on her. “All sorts of hungry.”
“Great.” She took off her lime green apron and tossed it over the back of her chair, fully revealing her sleeveless golden top and azure mini skirt. “Let’s eat.”
“Before we do that…” He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She smiled
, then melted against him as he tasted her with the kind of single-minded determination she associated with foreplay.
Heat pooled in her belly, and her hands came up of their own volition to wrap around his muscled biceps. Christ, he felt incredible, so big and strong. Very different from the Pete from eight years ago. He wasn’t a kid she could push away with ease. He’d fight to get what he wanted, and right now, it was clear that what he wanted was her.
Her body quivered, wanting to get closer, but he nipped her lower lip playfully, then helped her take her seat.
“What was that about?” she asked lightly, trying to cover up how much the kiss had affected her.
“I always like to sample the dessert before the meal.” He smiled.
Her skin felt superheated. So after dinner, they were really going to go for it. Well, of course they would. And finishing what they’d started eight years ago would give them a fitting closure. One that would allow both of them to decide their chemistry was great, but really wasn’t worth risking further awkwardness for.
Right?
Pete spoke briefly of work. She enjoyed listening to him, though she didn’t quite follow everything he said about the financial markets. There was a reason she’d majored in English, not math or finance.
“Wait, so you’re helping Gavin manage his family’s money?” she asked.
“Uh-huh.” Pete bit into the crunchy toast. “This is amazing.”
“I know. I made it,” she said with a grin. Garlic bread was her specialty. “I guess he trusts you a lot. I know things were tough with the Lloyds for a while.”
“Oh I don’t know. Technically, none of them were really in trouble, and Gavin isn’t the type to let them become homeless or anything. But I guess the idea of the youngest brother taking care of everyone felt kind of odd. They always expected The Lloyds Development to keep them flush.” Pete gestured with his fork. “Tell me something. What’s that black fan looking thing?”
Brooke looked behind her and noticed what he was looking at. It was a black stone shaped like an Oriental fan. On it were golden Korean characters. “Oh, just a decoration I got from somebody.” One of the church ladies had given it to her.
“What does it say?”
“It’s scripture.”
Pete tilted his head. “You’re Christian?”
“Of the lapsed variety. I used to go because my grandmother went. She was really into all that, just like other Korean immigrants in the neighborhood, and since she raised us after Mom died we all had to go. Well, except Dad since he doesn’t speak Korean.”
“I didn’t know you could speak it.”
“I do, though only with my sister and her husband these days. They’re the good Christians. My sister’s even trying to drag me there at the end of the month. It’s going to be ‘special’ or something.”
“Special? Isn’t it a little early for Easter?”
“No, there’s this new lady who joined the church.” Brooke made a face. “And she has a son who’s single and a doctor. Supposedly, he’s coming to check out the church.” She twirled the last mouthful of spaghetti around her fork. “My sister thinks I should go check him out.”
Pete chortled as he got up to carry the empty plates to the kitchen. “Seriously? She wants you to go to church to hook up?”
“Oh, you have no idea. It’s the biggest social scene for Korean immigrants.” She joined him in the kitchen and rinsed the dishes as he loaded them into the dishwasher. “No bars or clubs, but church each and every week. It’s a pretty big deal. That’s how people stay plugged in.”
“It’s just a little odd, thinking about church as a…meat market.”
“Tell me about it. Detergent’s under the sink.”
Shaking his head, Pete dumped a generous amount of powder into the dispenser and started the machine.
She sighed. “You can stop laughing.” Then suddenly she peered at him. “Aren’t you jealous at all?”
He straightened up. “I might perhaps possibly be slightly jealous…but I’m not worried.”
“Sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Sure of us.” His eyes were dark, intensely focused. She could see the outline of his erection in his impeccably tailored dress pants. “Besides, Mr. Mystery Doctor can’t do this if you guys are in church.”
He stepped in and cradled her head like she was the most precious, priceless thing in the world and kissed her. She closed her eyes, putting her hands over his. He was so hard and strong, it seemed like he was some kind of polar opposite of her.
She melted against him, her body languid, her limbs heavy and weak. The previous encounter in his office had stoked her need already, and she felt her body respond eagerly. She knew they were going to do it, and suddenly, it felt so right that they’d consummate what they’d started eight years ago.
He raised his head just long enough to murmur, “Bedroom,” and returned to kissing her. She slow-dance turned him around the corner of the counter and led him down the hall, her feet taking small backward steps, never breaking the kiss. When they got to the bedroom door, she reached behind her, fumbled the knob open and dragged him in.
Pete picked her up, cradling her, and moved to her bed where he placed her in the middle with care. She rose to her knees and started pulling away at her top, her eyes holding his.
He watched her strip like she was a goddess he couldn’t stop worshipping. She undid her slim silver belt and tossed it on the carpet. Then she shimmied out of her mini skirt. When only a tiny red thong remained, he groaned. “Fuck, that’s hot.”
She grinned at him saucily. “Your turn.”
He unbuttoned his shirt, front and cuffs, in three seconds flat and tossed it behind him. The pants received the same rough and unceremonious treatment. When he dropped his underwear, his erection sprang forward. She gasped at the size and shape. She’d felt it through his clothes earlier, but seeing it fully unveiled was something else. She licked her lips.
She raised her gaze in invitation, and he came to her, his strong arms wrapping around her torso. The hair on his chest grazed her nipples, and she inhaled sharply at the sensation.
“You are so beautiful and soft,” he whispered against her neck. Her skin tingled. “Even better than my imagination.”
“I’m glad,” she whispered back, pulling him closer, then twisting until he fell on the bed beneath her. She straddled him. “You’re pretty gorgeous yourself.” She traced his torso with the tips of her fingernails, leaving eight slightly reddish lines behind. There was so much power in his body, in all those muscles. He was different from her memory—larger, darker, slightly more polished around the edges, stronger, leaner. She liked the marked difference and the fact that all of it clearly signaled that he was now a fully grown man.
One who wanted her more than anything.
She pressed her lips along the red lines her nails created. His skin had a hint of salt, an arousing scent of musk and wood.
“If you keep teasing me…” he warned.
“Who’s teasing? This is for real.” She moved down. He put a hand on her arm to pull her up, but she shook her head. “Don’t. Let me enjoy you.”
Chapter Seven
PETE HAD EVERY INTENTION of stopping her, to prolong the moment and make her feel as good as she was making him feel, but he let go.
What man could say no to “Let me enjoy you”?
She moved carefully, her lips deliberate and thorough, as she explored his body. He swallowed and reined in himself. He would not lose control. He’d waited eight years for this, and he’d make it good—no, fabulous—for both of them.
Her mouth kissed his inner thighs, gently and softly, while her fingers stroked his shaft. He breathed out and his cock jerked, desperate for more.
She laughed, the sound sultry.
A little dare.
He linked his fingers with hers and flipped her over. She looked beautiful underneath him, her face flushed with passion. He kissed her hard while worki
ng her panties off, wanting to make love to her until both of their minds shattered, but at the same time wanting to make it last forever.
Her breathing grew rough, and her fingers tightened. He kept their fingers linked, spreading her arms out, and trailed kisses along her shoulders and the soft outline of her breasts. They weren’t large, but they were perfect because they belonged to Brooke.
She shuddered a breath as his lips grazed closer to her pointed nipple. He could sense her thundering heartbeat beneath her ribcage. His cheek pressed over her chest, and soon his heart seemed to beat in sync as though they were one. He rounded his lips and blew over her nipple and felt her body tremble. Then he sucked the nipple into his mouth, loving the sweet taste of her flesh.
Her legs spread and wrapped around him. She was so hot and wet, and he groaned, his need for her shredding his control.
“I want you,” she said, her voice passion-sweet.
He pulled away from her nipple. It glistened, and he lavished the same care on its twin until her back arched. Her grip tightened, and he loved the pain her desire brought.
“Pete.”
“Yeah?”
“I have something to tell you, and I want you to listen really, really carefully, okay? Because this is important.”
Pete pulled back slightly and raised his gaze to her eyes. “Okay.”
“I’m on the pill.”
A woman after his own heart. With exquisite slowness, he pushed himself into her. Her head lolled to the side, eyes closed and kiss-swollen lips parted. He looked at her intently as he sank into her without any barrier between them. He wanted to remember this moment forever, commit every line and sigh to memory.
“Look at me, Brooke,” he whispered.
She opened her eyes. Holding her gaze, he moved inside her, wanting to connect to her in the most fundamental way possible. Sex was great—no, fabulous—but he needed more than just physical release from her, from this moment.
Brooke clenched her inner muscles, and he hissed at the unbelievable sensation. He pumped in and out. She angled her hips for maximum penetration, then met him stroke for stroke. She wasn’t coy in the slightest, but demanding, knowing exactly what she wanted from him. He gave it to her, gave her everything he could as a man. He felt her tighten, her face contorted with passion.
