Aviana shook her head. She was fascinated at the rare peek he was giving her into his inner life.
“Nothing,” Hollis said. “They filled up their days with nothing. The girls shopped a lot and got plastic surgeries and tried different diets. One would get all stressed, stressed to the point of breaking down, if her massage ran over and made her late to her manicure. After that she would be late to yoga! And the florist didn’t have the color of flowers she liked to keep in the vase in her entryway! The day was ruined. It was the equivalent of a world crisis in her head, all of these insignificant things. The guys were strumming guitars and making weird art and watching television. Setting up the perfect home sound systems with all the intensity of a doctor performing a dangerous surgery. What is it? You made a face.”
She could almost feel him backing away from her within himself. Soothingly, she said, “I can just see them very well from your description.”
Hollis relaxed and went on. “They were living the dream but all of them were so unhappy. They could do anything but didn’t know how to fill up the time. So they drank. They swallowed pills. They slept around. They gossiped about each other. I didn’t want Wyatt to be right. He had known that a life like that wouldn’t make either of us happy. How did he know that at eighteen? He’s just smart that way. He saw ahead in a way I couldn’t. I went on a bunch of vacations and kept coming back to that apartment, but then I was still on vacation. I felt . . . this is terrible, Ballpunch.”
“Then stop, if it’s too much.”
He shook his head. “I offered, and I’ll answer. I felt like the world was passing me by. Everyone was so busy. I’d drive around aimlessly and be jealous of these burly guys driving trucks, ambulances flashing past, even moms and dads picking up their kids from school. But I had nowhere to be. When you aren’t striving for anything, you stop existing. There’s no point. And then I’d feel guilty. What right did I have to be jealous of these people who would love to have my bank account? I got drunk one night and called up Wyatt, and yelled at him for how screwed up it was. He told me to sober up, move in with him, and get a goddamned job. That was what I did.”
“I want to ask you a question. Just one more.”
Hollis nodded hesitantly.
“Are you happy now?” Aviana asked.
“Happier. But there are some annoying people at work.”
She laughed. “I think that’s normal.”
“I needed the vacation to end. The longer it went on, like I saw with those people, the weirder and more entitled they became. I don’t need to push so hard and shoot up so fast in the business like Wyatt does. I want to do well, but I’m not that ambitious. Still, it tethers me. Now you can tell me what a horrible person I am.”
“No, I’m not going to do that. Why would I, Hollis? I’m happy for you.”
“Mom doesn’t get it. But she’s just an older version of them. What was she doing in those hours when we were at school? She wasn’t working. She wasn’t cleaning up the house or volunteering anywhere.”
“She went to the gym and salon a lot. And shopping. She had so many clothes that she claimed half my closet to keep them in. And she took all of those spur-of-the-moment solo vacations for weeks at a time plus her vacations with Dad.” By high school, Aviana had gleaned that Lynda was having affairs with men at the country club. She never told her father.
“And then she would come home at dinner, toss bags of fast food on the table for us, and either go out God-knows-where or wash pills down with booze and go to bed to watch television,” Hollis said. “All she does now is sleep in, go out to eat, get a pedicure and shop and see a movie, go out to eat again and flirt with the waiter to make Cabott jealous, watch television and write a little check to some cause to feel like a good person, pop a pill or five and drink herself to sleep. Repeat and repeat and repeat. Oh, and fight on the phone with her sisters because So-and-So said something about this or that. It’s just nothing from dawn to dusk. I don’t want a life filled up with nothing.”
“It won’t be that way,” Aviana said.
“So there you go. Hollis McAllister in the raw.”
“I like him.”
“We should go bowling in these outfits.”
She was in her nicest dress and he was in a casual suit. “Why not?”
They sparred playfully over the last spoonful and ended up splitting it in half. The waiter appeared in a shot to take the plate away, like he was afraid they might spend another thirty minutes scooping up the melted drops and crumbs. Hollis tucked cash into the slim black book with the check and stood up to offer his arm. “We can walk there. It’s only a block away.”
When they arrived, it was to discover the bowling alley was closed for League Night. “We can drive to another one,” Hollis said.
“I’m so full that I would rather go home and flop on the sofa,” Aviana said. “I hope you’re not too disappointed.”
“No. It’s been a long week and it’s still not over.”
“A long week full of annoying coworkers?”
She took his arm again and they walked away from the bowling alley. In the restaurant, she had enjoyed the admiring female gazes cast his way. Hollis was hands down the best-looking man there. “That was a question,” he chided.
“It wasn’t about you. Tell me about them.”
He humored her. “Joan is sloppy. Everything has to be done twice because she never gets it right the first time. She’s going too fast. I can tell that she’s only half-listening whenever she’s getting instructions on how to do something. Then when she gets confronted on yet another thing she’s done wrong, she shrugs and squeals my bad! I hate that. And then there’s Ralph. He’s a know-it-all. You can’t tell him anything. The departments pass him around.”
“Why doesn’t Luxure just fire him?”
“Beats me. He must have something good on an upper level manager. He’s fifty years old and bitter when anyone gets promoted over him, but no one is ever going to promote him. His work is fine; it’s just his personality. You’ve got so much to look forward to in the work world.”
“Can’t wait.”
“If my brother is paying you to clean up after me, does that make me your boss?”
“It makes Wyatt my boss.”
“Good luck. He’s a hard-ass. I’d be better for you.”
“Really? Tell me about that.”
“I’m much more laidback. Flexible schedule, free meals, pool membership, vacation time, a very casual dress code.” He paused to enjoy her blush. “What else? Long breaks, telecommuting-”
“I can’t do your laundry by telecommuting.”
They passed a martial arts studio, where four lines of white-swathed teenagers were practicing high kicks. She stopped to peek in, impressed with a younger child in the front row who was keeping up without trouble. None of the P.E. classes at her college had been related to self-defense or she would have enrolled, especially in her senior year when Milan waved goodbye to rationality altogether. Once her leg was totally healed and she had a steady income, she needed to take a class.
“Interested in signing up?” Hollis asked.
“One day,” Aviana said firmly. “I don’t need the fancy stuff, but I do want the basics.”
They resumed walking. “I can teach you that,” Hollis said.
“You can?”
“Of course. I took some classes years ago. It was fun.”
They got to the car and he opened the passenger door for her. Charmed, Aviana got in. Then they were gliding away from the downtown, Hollis darting about the lanes and accelerating once they passed the last of the traffic. She fought the impulse to take his hand. Or touch his thigh and let him know how she was feeling. But it might only have been flirting on his part. Flirting without any intent of taking it farther. She didn’t want to get turned down, so she kept her hands to herself.
At a red light, he opened up the change compartment and removed a penny, which he pressed into her palm. Baffled, s
he said, “Did I pay you too much in rent?”
“No.” The light turned green and Hollis drove on.
“Paying me for being the maid today?” Aviana guessed.
“No. Try again.”
It was a penny for her thoughts. Even with an invitation, she didn’t have it within her to be forthright. “I was serious earlier. I would love for you to show me whatever self-defense moves you know.”
“We’ll be home in a minute. Change into something else and we’ll go at it in the living room.”
That wasn’t the way she really wanted to go at it with him. “Okay.”
“You sound nervous.”
“I’ve never fought physically with anyone. Other than swat-fights with you over the remote when we were little.”
“The most important thing to remember is not to freeze. People panic when a situation gets violent. They’re terrified. They think that they have no hope of getting away. So they freeze when they need to relax.”
“Relax in a fight?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes. Relax. Put aside your fear and focus on tactics to get out. If you can run, then run. If you can’t, you kick and scream and punch. You fight as dirty as you can. Go for the groin. Go for the eyes.” He turned into the driveway and pulled up in front of the house.
She had frozen with Milan, and fled from him, but never fought him. It was out of that sense of hopelessness. Milan was tall and barrel-chested, and had grown overweight in the years since high school. He’d also become much more disheveled, and his eyes had a manic fury whenever he confronted her. Everything about him created a picture of intimidation. He loomed over her when she was only five-five. Even when she’d been fit from jogging, she was not an imposing figure.
As they headed up the walkway, she said, “What if a guy were to get me by the throat?”
“Not a problem,” Hollis said.
In disbelief, Aviana said, “That’s a major problem.”
“It’s not.” Hollis got her by the wrist and turned her. Backing her into the door, he put his hands loosely around her neck. It reminded her of old horror movies, the villain choking the woman as she clawed at his hands before losing consciousness and dying. Although it was just Hollis, a little panic rose within her to be cornered.
“Look at me,” Hollis said gently. “Look how open I am. Do something.”
She pulled at his wrists. It was just as fruitless as it was in the movies. Hollis said, “You’re attacking me where I’m strong. Where am I weak? Chop down on my elbows. Do it as hard as you can.”
She chopped down awkwardly. His arms bent, instantly loosening his grip further from her neck. She raised her knee and Hollis quickly backed off. “See? Don’t freeze. Look for where I’m weak and take advantage of it. And act fast. I’m cutting off your air, and the flow of blood to your brain. But if I’ve got my hands at your throat, I’m not protecting my eyes or my throat or my balls. And you’ve got quite a talent for ball damage.”
“Can we try it again?”
He repositioned himself at her throat. “Don’t freeze up. All that’s on your mind is how to incapacitate me and get the hell away.”
She chopped at his elbows and shoved her knee upwards. Pretending that she’d made contact, he bent over double and demanded, “Now shove me over! Or elbow me hard beneath the shoulder blade! And then go.”
Aviana brought down her elbow on his back with a jarring blow. He grunted, that side of his body dipping down closer to the ground, and she swerved around him to escape. It was just pretend, but her heart raced as she took several running steps away from him. Real and she would have fled back to the car to lock herself inside, or down the driveway, out into the night and to the nearest gas station or supermarket.
Her breath was coming fast. She returned to Hollis, who was straightening and stretching out his arm with a wince. “There are other holds,” he said. “We can work on those, too. But this one, Avvie, this one is simple. No guy is going to maintain his grip on you with your fingers in his eyes, or if you drive your palm into his nose. If you go for his hands at your throat by instinct, then play it smart. Get his thumbs and bend them back. Break them. Just do something and give yourself a chance.”
“What if he grabs me from behind?”
Arms went around her waist. It was a light, intimate hold. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne. Pressing his cheek to her hair, he said, “Stomp on my foot. Elbow me in the stomach. Yank on my fingers. Spin around and slam your fist into my face. You have lots of options. Use them.”
Hollis was holding her so loosely that she turned around within his arms to face him. He didn’t let go. No longer in their roles as attacker and victim, they were now just a man and woman in an embrace. She ran her fingers through the soft strands of his hair, and he bent to kiss her.
When his lips touched hers, she felt it in every cell of her body. She twined her arms around his neck as the kiss grew deeper. He ran his hands down her back and pulled her closer. Goosebumps broke out on her skin, and it wasn’t from cold. It was right to be here with him. Mark had had to put in more effort to warm her up but with Hollis, she was already there. Just these sweet but hot kisses were making her pussy tingle and grow wet.
He broke the kiss and whispered, “Too weird?”
“Not for me. You?”
“No.”
“Then why are you stopping?”
He kissed her once more and pulled her inside the house. They didn’t even make it out of the entryway before they were locked together again in the darkness. She shivered as his kisses changed from soft and gentle to harder and insistent. His tongue slipped into her mouth to touch hers. They circled together.
Backing her into the wall, his tongue darted in and out of her mouth as he massaged her lower back. She hadn’t gotten enough of his kisses when he took them away to trail his lips down her neck. His hands slid to her hips, cupping them with warmth.
She wanted more as he slid up slowly. Moaning and pressing closer to encourage him, a shock went through her when he came to her breasts. He teased at her nipples until her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. When one got caught, she ripped it open and dragged the shirt off his arms. It fell to the floor as she went for his belt.
He got to the zipper of her dress first. The fabric slipped down and he instantly went for the clasps of her bra. She unbuckled his belt and popped open the button of his pants with such vigor that the zipper went down partially on its own. Jerking it down the rest of the way, she shoved down his trousers and stroked his erection through his boxers. His size made her mouth water.
Hollis dropped to his knees and kissed her through her panties. That was all she had left on. His tongue slipped over the thin cotton and she gasped. Then he yanked them down, hitched her leg over his shoulder, and licked her aching flesh.
She undulated against the wall, having never been so wet. Fingers probed at her cleft and she cried out in pleasure. Then he pushed within her, still sweeping his tongue over her clitoris as he did. Fresh lubrication welled from her. Oh God. It was the first time she had ever been handled so expertly, and it made her ravenous for more. The next lick, the next stroke, the next little slurp, but it stopped, it stopped when he withdrew and got back to his feet, and she was almost out of her mind with her need for him to continue.
He picked her up. She wound her legs around him, acutely aware of how close her naked pussy was to his cock. Rubbing against him as they kissed, she was carried into the living room. He didn’t turn to the stairs but the sofa.
Her wildness for sex was matched in his own. Prolonging their separation even with a trip up to his bedroom was more than either of them could stand. He laid her down on the cushions, lost his boxers, and mounted her. She slipped her hand to his cock, blind in the darkness, and welcomed him in.
His first strokes were slow and she churned her hips. Reading the message in her body language, he quickened at once. As he thrust, he kissed her roughly, almost frantica
lly in his need to possess her. She clutched him to her, taking in his tongue, his cock, penetrated thoroughly and groaning.
He leaned back and drove into her harder. Her eyes were adjusting to the lack of light, and dimly she could see the outline of his muscled, powerful frame. Every time he moaned, a thrill went through her. She slipped her fingers between her thighs and circled there. Tingles went through her, stinging and intoxicating. She wasn’t going to have to work hard for an orgasm, no, she was already on the verge of one. He slowed his thrusts to grind against her and she pulled her hand away. Helpless in the blissful sensation, she writhed.
A light went on.
She yelped as Hollis and the living room were suddenly illuminated in a harsh yellow light. It was coming from outside. Hollis slipped out of her and she pushed up, getting to her knees to throw a frightened look out the window. Milan . . . but it couldn’t be! He had no clue where she was.
No one was around the pool or spa, but she couldn’t see into the shadows beyond. “It’s just a possum,” Hollis said, thoroughly unperturbed. “Or a cat prowling around. The light is too sensitive. Happens all the time.”
He put a hand on her shoulder. The light going on hadn’t bothered him; his ease reassured her that it was really nothing more than an animal passing through. She wished that she hadn’t reacted so neurotically to nothing more than a security light.
“Do you want to go upstairs?” Hollis asked.
“No.” The sex had been so perfect and she wanted to keep going. Right here and right now. She was still on the edge.
She turned away from him, offering herself on all fours. Air hissed through his teeth as he smoothed his hands over her buttocks. He probed her lower lips with the tip of his cock, and then he was inside her again. Bending over her, he reached around to circle her clitoris. His thrusts were slower as his fingers went around and around, Aviana gasping as he brought her closer and closer to a climax.
Stepbrother Romance: The Complete Box Set Page 9
