The corners of Brooke’s mouth turned up. “Yes, I have. I just hope Brice still feels the same way.”
* * *
Brice read Brooke’s text message again and shook his head. He still couldn’t believe that she had gone to meet Shannon on her own after everything she’d been through. He didn’t know if he should be proud of her or furious. Right now, he was leaning more toward furious. He spent the next forty minutes taking his frustrations out on his punching bag. With each punch he threw, the less frustrated he became and the more determined to convince his wife that no matter what they had to deal with they could handle it together.
“Enough...” Brice reached for a towel and wiped away the sweat falling from his face. After taking off his boxing gloves, Brice walked upstairs to his kitchen, removed a large bottle of Gatorade from the refrigerator and drank it down, standing in front of the open door. He placed the empty plastic bottle in the recycling bin, made his way up the next level to the master bedroom and tossed his phone onto the bed.
Brice walked into the bathroom and had just removed his clothes when his cell phone rang. He walked naked into the bedroom and picked it up.
“Yes, A?”
“Any word yet?”
“Only that she’s okay and will be home soon. That was about an hour ago.”
“Well, the good news is she’s fine,” Alexander offered.
“Yes, she is,” Brice said, his voice even.
“According to Meeks, Perez is staying put, so at least we know that part of the plan is still on track.”
“There is that,” Brice said sarcastically.
“Let me know if you find out anything.”
“Will do.” Brice disconnected the call and placed the phone on his nightstand. He walked back into the bathroom, turned on the shower and stepped under the multi-headed spray. Brice needed to douse the raging fires of desire and frustration he was feeling toward his wife.
* * *
Lori pulled into Brooke’s driveway. “Home sweet home.”
Brooke looked out of the passenger side window at the beautiful house that Brice had given her and said, “Yes, it is. And to think I nearly let it slip through my fingers.”
“So, you’re still going to tell Brice the truth about everything and fight for your marriage?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Just checking. It’s not like you haven’t changed your mind before.” She gave Brooke the side-eye. Brooke stuck out her tongue. “Oh, that’s mature.”
Brooke opened the door and stepped out of the car. “Thanks for your help today.”
“Anytime.”
Brooke walked into the house, expecting to find Brice waiting in the living room for her; only he wasn’t anywhere around. She walked upstairs and the closer she got to the bedroom the clearer it became as to where Brice was.
She walked into the bathroom and found Brice standing in the shower with both arms extended and his palms pressed flat against the wall. While water rained down on him, Brooke’s eyes roamed his wet naked body and her nipples instantly hardened. She leaned against the door frame and admired his thick thighs and his firm round butt and decided they could talk later. She quickly undressed, dropping her clothes to the floor, and walked into the bathroom.
Chapter 20
Brooke opened the glass shower door and stepped inside. She ran her hands across Brice’s muscled back and snickered when she heard him gasp. “Care if I join you?” Not waiting for a response, Brooke peppered kisses across Brice’s broad shoulders.
“Brooke...”
“Yes, baby,” she replied in a hushed tone. Brooke reached around his leg, gripped his thick erection and started making slow deliberate strokes.
“I... I think...damn,” he whispered. Brooke watched as he flexed his arm muscles. It was as if he was using every bit of his strength to hold up a falling wall. It was his way of maintaining control of himself. The heat from the shower was nothing compared to the desire raging through Brooke’s body.
Brooke released Brice, stooped under his arms and stood in front of him. “I know we need to talk and we will. I promise I’ll tell you everything, but right now I need to make love to my husband.”
Brice gazed down at Brooke. His eyes were dark and filled with a passion that she knew matched her own. He dropped his arms and closed the small space between them. “How do you feel?” His voice was every bit as husky as hers.
Brooke could see that Brice was fighting for control, something she needed him to lose. She placed her palms on his chest and slowly slid them up until they were around his neck and her naked body was pressed against his.
“I’m fine, but I’ll be a whole lot better once you’re inside of me.” Brooke swiveled her hips against his sex and got the response she wanted.
Brice captured Brooke’s mouth in a kiss that sent fireworks throughout her body. He lifted Brooke off her feet and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Yes, baby...”
Brice held Brooke against the wall with one arm and guided his shaft to her entrance with his right, teasing her and allowing himself only a taste. “Damn, Brooke. It’s been too long.”
“Pl-please.” Brooke came down on Brice as he pushed himself deep inside of her. “Yes... Brice... Yes,” she screamed. The pace they set was manic and it visibly tested Brice’s ability to keep them both upright. They held nothing back, allowing them to reach unbridled satisfaction together. After all the additional positions they tried in the bathroom, Brice and Brooke were weak and completely spent. They wrapped themselves in large towels and made their way to the bed where they collapsed in each other’s arms.
“Baby, you sure you’re okay? That last position couldn’t have been too comfortable. That tub seemed bigger.”
Brooke laughed. “I’m fine. It’s not like we haven’t done that before, you know.”
Brice closed his arms around Brooke and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you.”
Brooke leaned back and looked into his eyes and replied, “I love you too. More than I ever thought possible.” Then she yawned. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Get some sleep.”
* * *
Brice heard his phone buzzing as he forced his heavy lids to open. The darkness of the room had him slightly disoriented. He looked down and saw the most beautiful set of eyes filled with yearning staring back at him. “Brooke...”
“Were you expecting someone else?” She rolled on top of him kissing and licking his smooth chest. It didn’t matter that they’d woken and made love once already. Brice could see the overwhelming need she had for him and he loved it. It was like it had been when they first got married.
“Never.”
“Good.” Brooke rose up on her knees and stared down at him. She wrapped her right hand around his bobbing sex and placed his tip slightly inside of her. “I’ll never share you.”
“You won’t have to,” he promised.
Brooke lowered herself onto him, taking him inside. She crossed her arms over her head, closed her eyes and slowly rotated her hips, losing herself in the moment. Brice gripped Brooke’s hips with both hands and followed her lead, matching her stroke for stroke. He watched in awe as she used her hands to pull and squeeze her breasts. Brooke was doing all the things she knew he liked.
Brice fought his instinct to rise up and take them in his mouth but Brooke clearly wanted control and he had every intention of letting her have it. Brooke seemed to be trying to erase the last few months they’d been apart and it was working. The damage she’d caused to his heart was slowly mending. When Brooke’s walls began to contract, Brice’s thin line of control snapped. He sprang forward like a panther after his prey, curved his arms around Brooke’s body and flipped her onto her back. Brooke’s laughter sent chills throughout his body.
“My turn,” he whispered before passionately k
issing Brooke on the lips and setting the pace that had them reaching complete satisfaction simultaneously.
“Wow...” Brice rolled off of Brooke and onto his back.
“Wow...is...right,” Brooke managed between breaths. “You’re...incredible.”
Brice turned his head toward her. “No, baby, we’re incredible...together.” Brooke smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I...” Brooke’s eyes filled with tears.
Brice turned onto his side and held up his head with his left hand while he wiped away Brooke’s tears with his right. She often cried after they made love so intensely. She’d told him once that it was because their love overwhelmed her with joy. Now, he was only hoping that that was the reason for these tears.
“Sweetheart, are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Brice smiled. “Happy tears?”
“Mostly.”
Brice’s heart skipped several beats. “Mostly?”
Brooke moved onto her side and faced him. “Yes, it’s just we have so much to deal with and I don’t want to lose this connection. It’s fragile, and I know that’s my fault, but I want a chance to fix it.”
Brice exhaled a slow sigh of relief as he took his right hand, removed a wayward strand of hair that had fallen in Brooke’s eyes and placed it behind her ear. He needed the small distraction so he could pull himself together. He stared into Brooke’s teary eyes and said, “You’re right. We do have a lot to discuss and several things to deal with and we will. Only we’re doing it together. The love that I have for you—”
“That we have for each other,” she corrected.
Brooke’s declaration made Brice feel like he’d just stepped out of the darkness and into the sunshine. He plastered a wide smile on his face. “Yes, that we have for each other will see us through anything.” Brooke released a fresh batch of tears, nodded and pulled Brice to her, kissing him as if she had something to prove. Brice’s body instantly responded and so did Brooke’s. She pushed him onto his back and captured his erection with her left hand. Brice knew where her next kiss would be but he heard his phone buzzing again. Brice reluctantly said, “Baby, I have to get that.”
Brooke flopped back onto her back. “Fine.”
Brice reached for the phone and checked the time. “Brooke, it’s almost nine.”
“No wonder I’m so hungry.”
Brice looked over at Brooke and cocked his head. “Oh, that’s why you’re so hungry,” he said sarcastically. Brooke covered her face and giggled. It was a sound he’d missed and would never get tired of hearing.
“I’ve missed several calls from Alexander, Morgan and my mother.”
Brooke quickly sat up, bringing the sheet to her chest. “Victoria? How many times did she call?”
“Twice. Why is it that my mother can elicit such responses from you but I can’t?” he teased.
“Because she’s scary.”
“True.”
Brooke dropped the sheet, exposing her breasts and rock-hard nipples. “Only you can do this to me.”
Brice knew they were acting like sex-crazed teenagers, but he didn’t care. He figured his family had waited this long; a few more minutes couldn’t hurt.
* * *
Brooke smelled Brice’s fresh woodsy cologne before she felt his warm lips graze hers. She opened her eyes to find a fully dressed Brice sitting on the bed next to her, holding a large coffee mug. The bright sun rays were being held at bay by the room’s blinds, but she knew it was early the next morning.
“Good morning, baby.” Brice offered her the cup.
“Good morning.” Brooke sat up and wrapped herself in the sheet. Her body ached but not from her MS and that made her smile. She accepted the cup and took a sip. “French vanilla, my favorite.”
“I know. Go take a quick shower and come downstairs.” Brice stood.
“Why? And why are you dressed?” Brooke loved him in blue jeans and a white T-shirt but right now, she wanted him naked and back in bed with her. “It’s Sunday. I thought we could spend the day in bed.” She gifted him with a smile before taking another drink from her cup.
Brice smiled down at her. “That would be wonderful, but we have company downstairs.”
“What...who?”
“My mother and Aunt Elizabeth.”
“Oh, my goodness.” Brooke handed Brice her cup, got out of the bed and sprinted to the bathroom.
After brushing her teeth, Brooke took a fast shower and then clipped her hair high up on her head. She went to her closet and pulled out a set of underwear, a pair of blue jeans and a blue blouse. Brooke dressed quickly and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers. She gave herself one last look in the full-length mirror. “This will have to do.” Brooke made her way downstairs, feeling as if she’d been summoned to the principal’s office.
Brooke walked into the living room where Victoria sat in one of the wingback chairs; dressed in black Chanel head-to-toe, she was looking very annoyed. Brice walked in from the kitchen, holding a tray of plated food followed by his aunt Elizabeth, who was wearing an all-white version of Victoria’s outfit.
“Good morning. Wait...” Victoria checked her diamond encrusted watch. “Yep, it’s still morning...barely.”
“Good morning, Victoria,” Brooke responded.
Brice placed the tray on the coffee table next to a pitcher of orange juice and several glasses. Elizabeth walked around Brice. “Good morning, Brooke. Forgive the intrusion, my dear.” She pulled her into a warm embrace.
“It’s not a problem. You’re always welcome in our home.” Brooke looked over at Brice, who was standing next to his mother, smiling.
“Aren’t you sweet? We brought a Spanish sausage quiche. I’ve already sliced it up. It’s our form of an apology for stopping by unannounced.”
“No, you brought them a quiche and we have nothing to apologize for. Had my calls been answered or returned last night this visit wouldn’t have been necessary.” Victoria scowled at Brice.
“Victoria, please.” Elizabeth sat in the chair that was twin to Victoria’s. “They needed a little quality time together.”
Brooke could feel her face, not to mention other parts of her body, start to warm as her eyes collided with Brice’s. “Brooke...Brice, sit down,” Elizabeth instructed, gesturing toward the sofa. Brice reached for Brooke’s hand and led her to where they could sit facing both women. Brice intertwined their hands.
“You’re both right. We did need time together, but I should have answered your calls, Mother. I apologize,” Brice admitted, his eyes moving from his mother to his aunt.
Elizabeth gave a nonchalant wave and smiled. “It’s fine.”
Victoria’s forehead puckered as she stared at her sister. Brooke bit her bottom lip to keep her laughter from escaping. “Now, let’s have some of this wonderful quiche before it gets cold.” Elizabeth picked up one of the plates.
Victoria rolled her eyes skyward. “Let’s not. We have business we need to discuss.”
Elizabeth’s lips drew back in a snarl and she gave her sister the evil eye. The room fell silent. Brooke felt as if this whole mess was her fault and she needed to do something about it. “We can do both.” Brooke picked up two plates and handed one to Brice. She took her fork, sliced into the quiche and tasted it. “Wow. This is delicious. Brice, take a bite.” Brooke took several more.
Brice did as she asked and nodded. “Good.”
A wide smile spread across Elizabeth’s face as she sat back in her chair and ate her own food. “Now, can someone please tell me what happened yesterday?” Victoria asked no one in particular but leveled her eyes on Brooke.
“Yes, Victoria.” Brooke wiped her mouth with a napkin and placed it on her plate. “I got a call from Shannon yesterday, requesting that I come meet her.” Brooke explained everything that occurred during the me
eting in great detail to a very attentive audience. She could feel three sets of eyes boring into her face.
“So, now she wants you to steal from the money she wants you to steal,” Victoria recapped with a curious look on her face.
“Yes.”
“I assume you agreed?” Victoria asked.
“I did,” she replied.
“Why did you go meet her alone?” Brice questioned, turning his body toward Brooke.
“Those were her terms,” she explained.
“It didn’t mean you had to meet them,” Brice countered, his tone hard.
“She most certainly did,” Victoria defended.
“I knew I had my security, so I wasn’t really alone.”
“The same security you ditched, you mean,” Brice clarified.
“It was necessary,” she murmured.
“Why, because you were afraid I’d find out the truth about you?”
Chapter 21
Brooke’s heart started racing and beating so hard, pushing blood through her veins, that she was afraid they might actually burst. Brice’s jaw tightened and his expression hardened. The room was as quiet as a library. Brooke wanted to break their connection and ask Victoria if she’d told him everything after promising she wouldn’t, but it really didn’t matter how he found out.
Brooke dropped her shoulders, raised her chin and stared back at Brice. “I was going to tell you today.” Brooke’s eyes fell to her hands, which were now intertwined together and resting in her lap as she fought to keep her tears in their ducts.
“Were you now?”
Brooke could hear the doubt in his voice. “Yes.” Her worst fears were coming to life. What if he hadn’t meant it when he said they could get through anything together? Stop it. Remember what Victoria said. He’s going to be pissed, but he loves you so he’ll get over it. “Just a little later. I wanted a few more hours of bliss before we had to deal with everything.”
“Victoria, let’s give these two some privacy,” Elizabeth stated as she rose from her seat.
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