A Devoted Heart (The Heart's Temptation Series Book 2)

by Genevieve Matthews

  “Come in,” I say.

  I hear the door open and my mom walks in. “Oh, you look so nice!” she says.

  “Thank you!” I turn from side to side showing off my outfit. “I’m trying to decide if I should wear jewelry or if that’ll seem like I’m trying too hard.”

  “Well, I have some bad news.”

  I quickly look up and my smile immediately falls. “What’s the matter?” I ask.

  “Brogan called while you were in the shower, he had to cancel for tonight.” She’s hesitant to tell me, hates that she’s the one to deliver the news.

  “Oh.” My mood immediately plummets and I sit down heavily on my bed. “Did he say why?”

  “He didn’t. Just that he’d talk to you soon and he was sorry.”

  “Okay.” I take a deep breath. “I should have known better than to get my hopes up like that.”

  “Oh, honey.” My mom walks over and sits next to me on the bed, hugging me tightly. “I’m sure he has a good reason for having to cancel tonight.”

  “I hope so,” I say. “I guess I’ll change into some comfy clothes and watch a movie around here tonight.”

  “Why don’t you give Bree a call and see if she would want to come over. Make a girl’s night out of it.”

  “Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks mom.”

  “It’ll all work out.” She gives me a kiss and walks out of my room and closes the door. It’s good because I need a minute to feel what I need to feel without an audience. It’s exactly like I told my mom, I never should have gotten my hopes up. I take a moment to feel sorry for myself and then I change back into some comfy clothes and call Bree.

  She sounds so excited when she answers the phone and realizes it’s me. “Are you all ready to go? I’m so excited for you!”

  “Well, don’t get too excited, he cancelled.”

  “What?” she yells. “Why?”

  “I don’t know, my mom took the call when I was in the shower.”

  “Oh man. I’m so sorry Cate. I’m sure something came up and you guys will be able to reschedule.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ll see. Anyway, you doing anything tonight? Wanna come over and watch a movie? Mope with your best friend?”

  “Of course! I’ll be over in a bit.”

  “Okay, see you soon.”

  As I change back into something more comfortable, I try to shake off the disappointment I feel. It felt like something more this time. Maybe I was imagining it, but I finally had the feeling that we were on the same page.

  I didn’t see Brogan at all over the weekend. Didn’t hear from him either. I felt sick to my stomach on Sunday night. Not only did I have to worry about the aftermath of our prom kiss, now I had to worry about what was going on with Brogan.

  He wasn’t at our lockers in the morning. Thankfully there wasn’t anything hanging there, either. I thought of ways to stall but eventually I had to get to class. Math was my first class of the day. Not the best way to start my day but at least I got it over with.

  I stopped at my locker again before going to my Spanish class. Still no sign of Brogan. I am on my way to Spanish when I look up and see Tatianna walking toward me in the hallway. She is with some of her friends, talking and laughing as they walk my way.

  I want to shrink out of sight, the last thing I need is a confrontation in the middle of the hallway. Just before she passes me, she catches my eye, looks me up and down and says, “Pathetic.”

  She looks back at her friends and they all laugh and walk by me.

  I hesitate for a second before I keep walking to class. At the last minute, I turn into the girls’ bathroom and lock myself in a stall. I bury my face in my hands and cry. I’m frantically wiping at my eyes as the tears fall, trying to be quiet in case there’s someone else in the bathroom.

  I make myself take deep breaths to try to calm down, but it isn’t working. I keep replaying the scene in my head. I imagine how many people were around us who heard what she said. How am I ever going to show my face around here again?

  Once I calm down, I make myself leave the bathroom and go to class. I can’t stay in the bathroom forever and I need a distraction right now. I’m late so I sneak in quietly and take a spot in the back of the room.

  Finally it is time for lunch and I meet Bree in our usual spot. I don’t feel like eating, but I force myself to take out my sandwich and choke down the first bite. I don’t say anything to Bree about what happened in the hallway. I will later, but if I bring it up right now, I’ll turn into a blubbering mess again. Instead I decide to bring up Brogan.

  “I haven’t seen him at all today. Do you think he’s sick or avoiding me?”

  Bree is spreading cream cheese on her bagel. She takes a bite before answering.

  “I haven’t seen him either. Maybe he’s sick today.”

  “It seems like weird timing.”

  She’s shaking her head in agreement as she takes another bite of her bagel.

  “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but maybe it’s time to give someone else your attention for awhile.”

  “To make him jealous? Get him to make a move?”

  “Well, yes…but I was also thinking that you deserve to be happy and it seems like Brogan has been stringing you along for such a long time. Maybe if you tried dating someone else for a while it would help put things in perspective.”

  “So you do think he changed his mind and that’s why he cancelled on Friday.”

  “It’s just…I was in my American Lit class this morning and Jake Ballard said he saw Brogan out with Tatianna on Friday night.”

  “That can’t be right. Brogan wouldn’t go out with her again, especially not after what she did to my locker last week.” And now in the hallway, but I’m trying really hard not to think about it.

  “I don’t know. Why would Jake lie about it, though?”

  I’ve completely abandoned my lunch at this point. I feel sick to my stomach imagining Brogan out with Tatianna when he was supposed to be out with me. Is that why she called me pathetic? Because I’ve been pining away after him for all of these years?

  “I don’t know,” I manage to say. “I guess he wouldn’t have any reason to lie about it.”

  “I’m sure there’s a good reason, Cate. Brogan has serious commitment issues, but he has always been a loyal friend to you.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure there’s a good reason.”

  I smile and try to brush it off. At this point I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I have an overwhelming desire to flee the lunchroom and run away for the rest of the day.

  “I better get going, I have to stop by my locker before my next class.” I’m already packing up my lunch, most of it untouched. Bree looks concerned that I’m leaving so soon. I’m sure she’s onto me, but I can’t stay here right now.

  I give her a quick squeeze before I leave to try to reassure her that I’m okay. I do stop at my locker but only to grab my homework. Once I have everything I need, I walk out the door and head for home. I’ll call my mom at work once I get home and tell her I wasn’t feeling well and came home early.

  I walk through the practice fields behind the school to get home. There’s no one around, everyone’s in class, so I take my time. I’m completely lost and unsure of what to do next. It isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way in regards to Brogan. Maybe Bree is right. Maybe I should give someone else a chance.

  If Brogan was out with Tatianna it had to be because he was trying to smooth things over so she’d leave me alone. He isn’t the kind of guy that would bail on me and then go out with someone else. He just isn’t. Even if he had second thoughts about moving our relationship out of the friend-zone, I can’t see him doing something like that to me.

  Still, while I’m walking, reflecting on everything that has happened between us lately, I don’t feel good about it. I feel insecure about myself and that isn’t a feeling I’m used to. For the first time I think I do owe it to myself to try to be happy. And if that me
ans that Brogan and I are destined to be friends, then I’m going to have to make myself accept it.

  The bottom line, it feels good having him in my life and I don’t want that to change.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Cate

  This isn’t the first time I’ve woken up next to Brogan. This happens to be the first time we’ve had a naked sleepover. And amazing, toe-curling sex.

  I stretch and roll over. The first thing I notice is a soft ache between my legs. It has been a while since I’ve been with a man and my body is reminding me of that fact this morning.

  I want to lie in bed all morning, but unfortunately I have to be at work. Without waking Brogan, I slide out of bed and quietly head into the bathroom to get ready.

  A half-hour later I emerge from the bathroom ready for work and Brogan is still sound asleep in my bed. He has always been a deep sleeper and it probably seems strange, but I like the feeling it gives me knowing this about him. It’s a connection to our past together. A reminder of how long we have been important to each other’s lives.

  Work is busy, but I breeze through the day. I’m floating on a cloud with a smile plastered to my face. Every time I think about Brogan I feel a pleasant tingle hum through my body. The sex was amazing and my body is already craving him again.

  I’m in the process of steaming milk to add to a mocha when I hear a familiar voice at the counter.

  “Hey, Abbey!” I say as I finish making the drink. I walk it over and hand it to the woman waiting in the “pick up” section of the counter, along with the blueberry muffin she ordered.

  “Hey!” she says. I walk around the counter and give her a big hug. “You’re looking especially joyful today.”

  “Thanks.” I do feel especially joyful today. “This is totally off topic, but you don’t happen to know of anyone looking for a job, do you? Or maybe you’d like to supplement your hours at the bar with some daytime shifts here?”

  “You need some more help while Bree’s on maternity leave?”

  “Yes! I’m desperate for it.” I walk back around the counter and start making Abbey’s usual latte. “I mean, it’s a good thing because we’re busy. But I could use an extra set of hands around here for sure.”

  “Did you put out an ad?”

  “Of course. There haven’t been any promising leads yet.”

  “Or you might not be able to be so picky,” she says, clearly amused by my employee standards.

  “I don’t know if it’s possible for me to be less picky. I have to be able to keep my sanity.”

  “I’m happy to help you out while you need it right now.”

  “Yay! You’re the best! Thank you!”

  “You’re welcome. The extra money will come in handy.”

  “Yes! And I’ll still work on finding someone to hire.”

  “Well make it a hot guy if we’ll be sharing shifts.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Okay, text me when you know the days you’ll need me and when I should start and all of that good stuff.”

  “Will do. Enjoy your day!”

  “You, too. See you soon!”

  I stop at the store on my way home after work. I don’t have much in the house for groceries and I want to make Brogan a romantic dinner tonight. What I’d really like to do is jump his bones as soon as I get back, but I don’t want to come off as being too easy. I think it’s always a good idea to make a guy wait for it, at least for a little while. Even if it’s until after a meal.

  I google a few recipes on my phone to try to decide what to make tonight. I stand to the side of the store, leaning over my cart scrolling through recipes until I find one that sounds really good. And not too complicated. That’s always an important part of any recipe, the level of complication. I prefer easy.

  Walking up and down the aisles, I fill the cart with things for dinner and much more. I know better than to go grocery shopping when I’m hungry, but sometimes it can’t be helped.

  Brogan isn’t home when I get back. He works really long days. It’s something that came as a surprise to me when I realized that there was more to being a coach than a practice a day and a game every week. He has team meetings, staff meetings, phone calls to recruits, lunch with his players, practice every night, weight training with the players, and more.

  So I get busy making dinner. I pour myself a glass of wine and pull the recipe up on my laptop. It’s a pasta dish tossed with shrimp, garlic, fancy cheese and different herbs and spices. I follow the recipe exactly because I’m not the kind of cook who’s able to add my own flare. Who knows how that would turn out?

  The pasta is simmering in the pan and I’m pulling the bread out of the oven when I hear the familiar creak in the floorboards outside the door. A minute later the lock turns and Brogan walks in. Still the sight of him makes me feel weak in the knees.

  Tonight, however, I feel an instant ache between my legs as soon as his eyes meet mine and he smiles at me with his “come hither” stare. My body knows all too well what pleasures he gave me last night and I’m ready and raring to go again.

  He drops his bag on the floor by the door and walks toward me with a predatory intent. Before I can think it through, I’ve launched myself into his arms. He catches me and wraps his arms around me as my legs wrap around his waist.

  Our lips devour each other as soon as they meet. His tongue is insistent and needy. Somehow he manages to walk me back to the bedroom while completely transfixed on our passionate kisses.

  Without missing a beat we fall together onto the bed. I feel frantic to touch him, my hands glide over his arms and shoulders, down to his amazing butt. I slip my hands under his pants so I can feel his glorious skin on my hands, feel the hardness of his ass as I massage it in my hands.

  There’s another hardness I feel pressing into me while my hands explore. His cock creates a delicious pressure on my clit through our jeans and I know I’m going to come if he keeps rocking against me like this.

  We’re still kissing with a passion that will leave my lips swollen but I can’t stop. It’s like our kisses right now are making up for years of lost time, pent-up love that finally has a chance to breathe.

  Brogan pulls off my shirt and as soon as he pulls it over my head, his lips are back on mine. After another few minutes of kissing, he pulls away with a moan that almost sounds painful and sits up, straddling me.

  He pulls his shirt off and drops it on the floor by the bed. “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” he says as he unbuttons my pants and pulls them off.

  “I’ve needed to feel you on my lips again.” This time he pulls my panties off and adds them to the pile of clothes on the floor. “Take your bra off for me,” he says.

  I quickly oblige. Within a minute I’m completely naked, spread out on the bed underneath him.

  “I don’t know where to start,” he says as he lets his eyes trail over me from my breasts to my sex. “Where do you want to feel me first?”

  I’m so turned on by his passion I can’t find any words to respond. I move my hand to trail down my stomach and let my fingers open my wet folds for him.

  “Good choice,” he says as he pulls my legs over his shoulders and kisses and licks my pussy. I start to moan and grab his hair. I’m afraid that I’m going to come already but I don’t have any control. He sets my entire body on fire.

  I come with my hands fisting his hair and pressing his mouth to me. My legs are trembling and I have small aftershocks shaking through my body with my orgasm.

  He takes his mouth away but uses his finger to continue to massage me where I’m most sensitive right now.

  It makes me moan with agony and pleasure all at the same time.

  The next thing I know, Brogan’s pants are down and his cock is in his hand. He’s slowly massaging it up and down. He’s so hard I can see the veins straining on the sides.

  He moves his head to my entrance and slowly pushes his way inside. He pulls himself out before going any furt
her. He takes my arousal from the head of his cock and rubs it down, coating himself with my juices. Then he puts his cock slowly back inside of me and pushes in a little more before pulling back out again.

  “Oh my God, you’re such a tease!” I say. I try to grab his ass and push him fully inside of me but he smiles and resists.

  “I’m enjoying myself,” he says with a naughty glint in his eye.

  He pushes himself into me one more time, again not all the way, just a delicious taste.

  “No more teasing, Brogan!”

  The next time he pushes himself all the way inside of me.

  “Yes, like that,” I say.

  He pulls out and pushes back in, again and again. Our bodies are completely one, rocking together. My legs are spread wide and I’m completely at his mercy.

  “Just a little harder,” I say. I’m so close, I can feel the pressure building to its peak again.

  “Fuck,” he says.

  He thrusts hard once, twice and we’re coming, together. So hard this time I can barely breathe. I think I’m shouting but maybe it’s the explosion happening in my body right now.

  Without pulling out of me he leans down and kisses me again, tasting me with his tongue. This kiss is sweet and sensual but with as much passion and love as when this frenzy all started.

  He’s supporting himself on his elbows, laying over me and kissing me. When he stops and smiles at me while looking into my eyes I say, “I made dinner.”

  “Awesome, I really worked up an appetite,” he says and kisses me again.

  So much for playing hard-to-get and making him wait until after dinner.

  The air in the bedroom is crisp and cool. Fall is officially here. I haven’t turned the heat on yet, but when the temperature drops at night it cools this old rickety place down. There’s a draft coming in through the window and I’m convinced there are other cracks as well, I can’t see them.

  It’s only my face that’s cold, though. The rest of my body is encased in Brogan’s warm embrace. We’re both naked from our nocturnal adventures last night and our shared body heat acts like our own heated blanket. It’s so cozy that once again I don’t want to get out of bed.