“Okay,” Colleen said. Brad marveled at the easy way kids simply accepted things. Breakfast continued easily, with Colleen asking if she could be excused once she’d finished her food.
“Wash your hands,” her mom told her. “We’ll have to go to the pet store later.”
“I will,” Colleen promised and headed back upstairs.
“She’s a good kid,” Brad observed.
“She is.”
“Todd was a fool.” The words slid out. Brad smacked his hand across his mouth. “Sorry.”
“No, I often feel that way myself.”
“He could have had all this.” Brad gestured around the kitchen. “Should have had all this.”
“Believe me, I know,” Scarlett said. “There are times I get so mad at him for leaving us, you know? For the first six months I yelled and yelled. Waited until Colleen was asleep and punched a pillow and cursed him to the moon and back. But it does nothing. Nothing.” She drew breath. “It’s done. It’s over, and I have to focus on what’s ahead, not behind. I have to let it go or I’ll never move forward. I can get stuck in the moment, or I can pull myself up and live my life. I’m opting for the latter. I can’t wallow any longer.”
He’d stagnated himself. Understood where she was coming from. “I struggle with that. I feel as if I should have done something. I tried. Talked to him. Told him not to reenlist.”
She put her hand on his arm. “You can’t blame yourself.”
“But I do.” He wanted to tell her everything but she was standing. Moving away. His arm cooled as her touch lifted.
“Don’t. We can’t do anything so there’s no reason to rehash it. Our doing so won’t bring him back. All it does is make me sad. So come on. Help me do dishes. Let’s change topics. Lighten things up. Get to know each other like you want.”
“Okay.” They talked about this and that as he brought everything over to the counter by the sink. She scraped the dishes, ran the disposal. Her back was toward him, but suddenly he saw her tremble.
“Hey.” He reached around her and turned the water off. “What’s going on?”
She rubbed the back of her left hand across her left eye. “Nothing.”
He wrapped his arms around her. Cuddled her from behind. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought Todd up. I’m still trying to move past it myself.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s always going to be our reality.” She started the water, picked up a plate and began to rinse. “We have to learn to live with it and move on. We can’t let him come between us. I want an us. We’ll have to make peace with it.”
He slid his arms down hers, took her hands in his. Warm water washed over them. “I don’t want to be making you sad every time I’m here.”
“You don’t.” At this second he was sending other, more powerful feelings through her. He took the clean plate from her hand and set it into the sink. Scarlett trembled as desire shot through her. “I like when you’re here.”
“I like being here. But it scares me. It feels like I’m betraying him.”
Brad let the admission loose, for it was hard to concentrate on keeping secrets when he was pressed up against Scarlett’s backside. He wanted to keep holding her. Concentrate only on them. Luckily she couldn’t look into his eyes that somehow could see into his soul, read his heart’s desire.
Scarlett leaned back more. “You’re not betraying him. Life goes on and I want to feel alive again. I want passion. I don’t want to have died too, you know? I deserve more.”
He understood that. Told her what she wanted to hear. “I want you.”
Scarlett felt his breath hot in her ear, and she could feel the proof of his desire pressed into her backside.
“Touch me.” She swiveled her hand and grabbed his. Moved his fingertips to her lips and kissed his wet skin. She drew his fingers into her mouth so she could suck each digit in turn. Behind her, she heard him groan. She was in the driver’s seat, she knew that, so she took his right hand from her mouth and guided it to the V of her shirt. Directed said hand under the fabric to her left breast. Five fingers caressed her breast and pebbled the nipple.
His leg urged hers open, and he slid his knee in between. The water in the sink ran, providing unheeded background noise. His left hand came to her mouth and she kissed his fingertips. Then he took that hand and plunged it underneath her front waistband, finding her folds. Her head fell back against his chest and she gasped. Wanted his lips on hers. But instead, he kissed her neck. Rolled her nipple between his fingers. Used his other hand to rub slick circles into her heated wetness.
She was going to explode. She spread her legs wider, arched her back so he could slip a finger inside, then another. Her breath grew heavier and faster as an orgasm began to build. She rode his hand hard and she twisted, making him take her mouth in his. He kissed her until she shattered, the orgasm sending waves of pleasure through her. Then the aftershocks added delightful, secondary quivers until her toes slowly uncurled. He slid his hands under the running water. Turned it off. Held her close. “I needed that,” she told him. She wanted to turn, but instead, her backside remained pressed to his front.
“I know.” His lips kissed her neck.
“I want more.”
“I know. Me too. I can’t fight it.” He lowered his lips. Allowed himself to kiss her. “I just don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered in between nibbles. “I’d never forgive myself.”
“I won’t let you,” she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He ran a finger down her throat and across the fabric of the breast he’d caressed.
With a boldness he hadn’t known she possessed, Scarlett reached into her bra and removed her breast. It lay there exposed in her hand, surrounded by the baby-blue fabric of her shirt. When had she become the seductress? She ran her thumb over the nipple and then reached for his head. Brought it to her breast. Gave a small cry that was music to his ears as he took her into his mouth.
He sucked and licked, felt himself harden into a rock. His knees weakened. He wanted all of her. Could feel her sensitive skin tingle under his ministrations. He lifted her up and sat her on the edge of the sink. She wrapped her legs around him and he removed her other breast so he could greedily have them both. They spilled over the blue fabric, glorious mounds of snowy flesh. “You are so beautiful,” he told her, taking his time going between the two as he sucked each nipple to a pebble point. This was all for her. Between his hands and mouth, he wanted her to come. Wanted to give her another earth-shattering orgasm. “Sit back. Spread your legs.”
“Huh?” She complied, finding herself straddling the sink. He grabbed the water hose, turned it on full and brought it to her core. He continued to make love to her breasts as the heated jet soaked her through her pajama bottoms. Water went everywhere, but she shattered immediately in a series of cries and trembles that told him exactly how hard she’d come. Good. He wanted her satisfied. Wanted her molten. Afterward he turned off the water, dropped the hose and readjusted her shirt. He drew her into his arms and held her close.
“Holy hell,” she gasped. “Where did that come from?”
“No idea,” he admitted with a grin.
She flushed. “We made a mess.”
His grin never wavered. “It’s tile. It cleans.”
“Mommy?” Colleen called down the stairs. “Harry pooped. It’s smelly.”
“Reality intrudes,” Scarlett said, her face still crimson from the heat.
He tucked a piece of stray red hair behind her ear. “I’ll take care of it. You go get dry.”
“I have some clean clothes in the dryer.” Scarlett watched him stride off, his step not as steady as normal. Good. She wanted him hot and bothered. Wanted him unsettled. She went to the basement laundry room and stripped down. Realized as she stood there changing that he’d gotten under her skin. She wanted whatever this was—the current reality. The right now.
Wanted it a great deal.
Chapter Nine
By Wednesday afternoon, when Jenni arrived with her kids, Scarlett was a jumble of nerves. Brad had picked up an extra shift, so he hadn’t been around much. But he’d texted, and those little gestures had helped calm her. She’d never been so intimate without actual intercourse. He’d made her come. Even over the phone, he could make her want him.
“This is such a great house.” Jenni took a seat on the second-floor couch. “I’m coveting that bathroom.”
“I admit I didn’t know bathrooms like that really existed.” On the other end of the L-shaped couch, Scarlett stretched her legs out. Jenni’s one-year-old napped in the Pack ’n Play portable playpen and her older children, a three-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl, were in Colleen’s room playing. “That playroom upstairs is going to be fantastic. I see lots of playdates here.”
Scarlett kept an ear tuned. Occasionally she would hear a shriek come from Colleen’s bedroom, but mostly it was good, calm fun. “He worked pretty hard on it. The furniture should be arriving next week.”
“He’s gone above and beyond. If he even sells this place, you tell me first. I’m buying it.”
“Your house is beautiful too.”
“I’m just greedy for more space. We’re actually saving so that we can have a bigger down payment. We’ll stay in the neighborhood. I’m too much of a city girl to leave. But you let me know. Hmm. I could divorce Adam and marry Brad…”
“Don’t you dare,” Scarlett admonished, knowing her friend was joking. “I’ve got dibs.”
“I know. And I do love my hubby. Very much.” Jenni snapped her fingers. “Oh well. Darn. Brad’s all yours.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Who am I going to tell? Adam? He doesn’t want to know any of this. Tell me.”
“He’s confusing. We have great physical chemistry but I don’t know what we have beyond that.”
Jenni’s hazel eyes turned into saucers. “You slept with him.”
Scarlett shook her head quickly. Flushed. “Uh, no. Things have not gone that far. Just some kissing. A few touches.” She blushed. “Some really awesome touches.”
“Really.”
“I’ve never”—Scarlett glanced around. Lowered her voice—“come like that.”
“Ooh,” Jenni said. “Not even with Todd?”
“No, it’s different. What if it’s all fire? What if it burns out?”
“You learn to fan the flames. You learn to keep it hot, like I do with Adam.”
“I failed with Todd.”
“He’s past. You were young. We get better as we get older.”
“But what if it’s only good sex? I feel like he’s holding back.”
“With what?”
“I don’t know. But it’s a feeling. And it worries me. I’ve never been in any relationship besides Todd and I have no idea how these things work.”
“My advice is to follow your own heart. Your own gut. Ask him.”
Scarlett acknowledged that advice with a tilt of her head.
“What about Tommy?” Jenni asked.
“There’s no chemistry there. Brad’s the only man currently on my radar. I’m not comfortable with multiple men, anyway, and I want sparks this time, you know? I want the zing.”
“The zing is nice,” Jenni agreed. She sipped her lemonade. “You and I are going to have to go out for wine one night. We’ll make Adam babysit. Besides, Colleen’s great with Brenna and AJ. We can make a night of it. What are you doing this Saturday?”
“It’s the calendar auction. We’re going.”
Jenni snapped her fingers again, this time because she had an idea. “Let me take Colleen for the night. She’ll sleep at my house and that way your mom won’t act as a chaperone. You won’t have anyone to interrupt you, if you get what I mean?”
“He does walk my mom out to her car to make sure she’s safe.”
Jenni nodded. “Exactly. You need to seduce the pants off the sexy Mr. Silverman. See if there are some really fantastic sparks. Any extreme zing. If not, call it a day and go back to being only good friends. If that’s the case, he’ll make a good T man.”
“T man?” She’d never heard that expression.
“Transition. Your in-between. The one who helps you breach the gap between the love of your life and whoever comes along after. You’ve never dated. So play around. Enjoy yourself. Just be sure to set the ground rules first.”
“I don’t know what those are. And I’m not sure I know how to play around.”
Jenni smiled. “Trust me. You’ll figure it out.”
* * *
The Sexy Public Servants of St. Louis bachelor auction and calendar audition was a semiformal event held in a local hotel ballroom. Most women were dressed in club clothing, which meant lot of tight, short dresses. The men dragged along wore oxford shirts and jeans. The only ones wearing suits were the men participating in the bachelor auction as they vied for a spot in the next calendar.
Brad wore one of those suits and he certainly wasn’t happy about it. He’d found out he’d been added to the charity bill as bachelor number thirty fewer than twenty-four hours prior to the event, after the guy in his house had come down with the flu.
She could tell he wasn’t happy—he drummed his fingers on the table when he wasn’t nursing his beer. However, he looked totally handsome. He’d set off the dark blue material with a red-and-white polka-dotted tie.
“It’s going to be fine,” Scarlett said, reaching over to cover his hand.
“I don’t want to be bought,” he hissed. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
“But you’re filling in. People will understand.” Scarlett shifted, careful not to damage the little black dress, another splurge. She’d been out with Colleen pursuing the winter clothing sales and there it was, practically calling her name. She’d never worn anything quite so scandalous.
Not that the dress was inappropriate. The scooped bodice only hinted at the V of her breasts, allowing her to wear a bra. However, the fabric was stretchy and form fitting, and she’d had to keep pulling the dress down to mid-thigh. Otherwise the whole wide world would see she wore only a little black thong that was really little more than butt floss.
She was seated with the same people as at the Mayor’s Ball. She’d gotten to know Dr. Kat Saunders better, for she was the vet who’d done Harry’s neutering.
After dinner, Brad was called away to join the men being auctioned. “How are things going?” Kat asked.
“Good,” Scarlett said.
“Brad reminds me a little of my Jack,” Kat said. “Tough on the outside but a sweetheart on the inside.”
“He is that,” Scarlett said.
“I hear a but in your voice.”
“We’re just taking things slowly.”
“I was a little reluctant at first too,” Kat confided. “Jack and I saved this dog, and we had that in common, but he also hated Christmas. Worse, we were just fake dating to keep his meddling parents off his back. We had some misunderstandings. So whatever you have going between the two of you, if you love him you’ll work it out.”
“Oh, I’m not…” Scarlett paused. Did she love Brad? He certainly occupied her thoughts. “I wish I could save him from being up there.”
“So bid on him.”
Scarlett shook her head. “I don’t have the kind of money these women are tossing around.” Bachelor number ten had gone for five thousand.
“Maybe they’ll be out of money by that time.”
“One can only hope,” Scarlett said, as bachelor eleven went for three thousand. “I’m going to hit the restroom. Maybe hit the bar for more wine. Think I’m going to need it.”
She wove her way toward the ballroom’s exit doors. The path went by where the remaining men were lined up. Brad reached out and caught her arm. He pulled her to him. “Hey. You have to save me.”
She blinked. “How?”
“Buy me.”
“With what?”
Before Brad could ans
wer, a white-haired lady said, “Brad, you need to queue up. Sweetie, you want him, you need to bid.”
“Virginia, she’s my girlfriend and I’m falling in love with her. You need to let me out of this. Or let me buy myself.”
Scarlett stared at Brad, who held her close and looked into her eyes. “Really? You love me.”
“Really,” Brad told her. “I planned on telling you later tonight. I don’t want you to think I want this date.” He tightened his grip. “All I want is you.”
“Oh,” Scarlett said, and Brad swooped down for a quick, tender kiss. Scarlett’s heart swelled. When Brad broke it off, he turned to Virginia. “I’m only here so you weren’t short a firefighter. Why can’t twenty-nine be enough?”
Virginia appeared peaked. “Oh, this is awkward. We’ll be sure your buyer knows you’re taken. Sorry. Move along.”
By the time Scarlett returned to the table, bachelor twenty-six had reached the stage. Brad was the last one and he strode onto the stage with a scowl. As he passed the woman from before, she must have said something because he schooled his face into a forced smile.
“Last but not least,” she said, “we have this year’s Mr. July, Brad Silverman. He’s a firefighter, a handyman and a jack-of-all-trades and he’s subbing in for the man on your program who was too sick to be here. Bid well.” She walked off the stage.
“It’ll be fine,” Kat said.
“He told me he loved me.”
“What? Oh, not good. Do you want me to bid?”
“Who is offering five hundred?” the auctioneer said.
Fourteen paddles shot up. Scarlett glanced around the room, seeing women of all ages bidding. The bidding went in fifty-dollar increments, and as he reached a thousand, only eight women were bidding. By the time he hit twelve hundred, three more had dropped out. At thirteen hundred, only four remained bidding.
“See, the last one always goes for less. He wasn’t on the program, so no one knew,” Kat consoled. “I’ll bid.”
Fan The Flames (Man Of The Month Book 3) Page 15
