Not So New in Town

by Michele Summers

  Surprising him, Lucy jumped up and planted her palms on the table. Her damp hair had fallen from the loose knot and tumbled around her shoulders in glorious curls. She looked soft and sweet and mad as hell. “Brogan Freakin’ Reese! You listen to me. You are not your dad, and you never will be. When have you ever shirked your responsibilities or run from a challenge? Take Parker”—she gave a huge eye roll—“please, take him. Because of you, he’s walking taller and actually working hard toward something.”

  “That’s the football. Has nothing to do with me.”

  “Moose muffins! You’ve made a difference, whether you see it or not. And you’d make a wonderful dad.” Lucy leaned forward and poked his chest with her finger. “You know, dipweed, your mom was a great woman. She didn’t raise a dummy or a coward. I think she raised a pretty darn good man.”

  Brogan pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her hips. “Did you just call me Brogan Freakin’ Reese?” Lucy wiggled her butt to get comfortable and made his ever-present hard-on ache. He clamped down on his back teeth.

  “Is that all you got from my impassioned speech? I call you that when I’m angry…in my head.”

  Clean soap and warm Lucy, a phenomenal combination. His gaze dropped to her vulnerable neck, where he wanted to plant his mouth. “Is that all you call me?” he murmured as he inched closer.

  “Mostly. I can think of a few other choice names. Want to hear them?”

  He cupped her smooth bottom, making her jump. “You’re not wearing my shorts.”

  She shrugged as she worked the buttons loose on his shirt. “Too big. They kept falling down. Figured you wouldn’t mind.” Storm-cloud gray darkened her eyes as he slid his hands up her waist and along her sides.

  “Are we going to do this, Little Lucy?” His face lowered to the curve of her exposed neck, and he opened his mouth against her hot skin. Her pulse leapt against his tongue, and her hands curled into the fabric of his open shirt.

  She nodded, making her curls bounce on her shoulder. “Yep. No strings attached. I’m not interested in being your girlfriend. And I don’t want the Harmony busybodies chirping and cheeping and picking it apart, morsel by morsel.” What she left unsaid, he still heard. She didn’t want Julia to know. He didn’t either. He didn’t want to be the cause of any more frantic emergency room runs, and he didn’t want to create more friction between Lucy and her sister.

  Small puffs of air escaped her pink lips as he brushed the sides of her breasts covered in lace. “No strings attached. You got it. Let’s make the most of our short stay in town.” Tunneling his fingers through the damp curls at the base of her neck, he slammed his mouth against hers.

  * * *

  Crazy thoughts careened through Lucy’s head as Brogan kissed her like she was his last lifeline and he was dying. No-strings-attached sex? Where had that come from? How was she going to pretend he meant nothing to her after making love? Impossible. She’d already fallen halfway in love.

  “I can feel you thinking,” he murmured against her lips. “Having second thoughts?”

  “No,” she breathed. She cupped his face and swirled her tongue in his hot mouth. No more thoughts. Loco Lucy Doolan was going to have her man…if only for this one perfect night.

  “It’s not too late. We can talk some more or play Parcheesi.” He rained kisses around her jaw and down her neck. Lucy’s head fell back to give him better access.

  “Do you know how to play Parcheesi?” she panted.

  “Heck no. I don’t even own the game.” He lifted his face, eyes glazed with lust. “Please tell me you’d rather have sex than play some stupid board game.”

  Her hands slid to his shoulders, and she nibbled kisses across his strong chin and over his bottom lip. “I want you. Now. Tonight.”

  Brogan suddenly stood with her in his arms. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since the first day I spotted you.”

  He gave her a little toss in the air, and she squealed, clutching his neck. “What are you doing?” He strode through the dark great room and down the even darker hall.

  “Having fun. That okay?” He grinned.

  “Only if you don’t drop me.”

  He pushed open the door with his shoulder to a shadowy bedroom. The open draperies allowed the moon’s glow to illuminate the lone chair, sitting next to a small chest beside the large unmade bed. “At some point, I’ll have to drop you.” He covered the carpeted floor in three strides and then tossed her high in the air.

  “Squeee!” she screamed before landing on his bed with a bounce. “If this is your idea of foreplay, you need some work.” She laughed.

  Brogan crawled on top of her, pushing the T-shirt up and over her head before she could stop bouncing. His hands moved to her shoulders, and he slid the straps to her silver bra down her arms.

  “Damn, you’re pretty.” His fingers skated across the lacy cups, pebbling her nipples and then flicking open the front clasp. Pushing the cups aside, he sat back on his knees and stared. A sudden shyness came over her. Brogan must’ve sensed Lucy’s discomfort, because he snagged her wrists, pinning her arms by her sides. “Don’t hide anything.” His voice was rough. He lowered his mouth to hers, and the kiss grew wild and hypnotic.

  Lucy struggled to stay afloat. She was sinking and drowning in a harsh sea of physical and consuming need. His deep-throated groan matched hers. She pushed him back, panting. “Brogan.” The longing in his dark green eyes made her feel desired and wanted. Something she’d never felt. She loved his nice, caring side, and she loved this side, the sexy, tantalizing, tough guy all concentrated on one thing…her.

  She stroked the stubble on his jaw. “You need to lose some clothes. I want to see you.” Bouncing from the bed as if spring-loaded, he undressed so fast that Lucy started to chuckle. “You’re so easy. I can’t believe the Happy Hookers didn’t have you stripping tonight.”

  He pulled her on her side to face him, stroking her back with his warm fingers. “Don’t bring up Happy Hookers, Harmony Huggers, or Jo Ellen Huggins unless you want my dick to shrivel up like a raisin. Nothing could get me out of the mood faster than those people.”

  Shriveled would not be the word she’d use to describe the hard erection pressing against her stomach. “No. We don’t want that, do we?” she whispered, flattening her palm against his chest and rubbing her fingers through the light dusting of hair. She worked her hand down his spectacular, washboard abs and over his lean hip. Brogan gave a vicious groan and moved her hand to his shoulder. His green eyes burned bright, locking on hers.

  “Not so fast.” He pushed her back on the mattress and followed. “I want to make this last.” He lowered his head and gave her another blistering kiss, claiming her mouth like he owned it. Liquid heat pooled between her legs. She clung to him, begging for more, urging him on with her legs wrapped around his hips. He dragged his hot mouth down her throat, licking her skin, telling her she tasted like juicy fruit, and how she made him hard. He moved lower until the tip of his tongue swirled her nipple before sucking it inside his wet mouth.

  She jolted from the sizzling heat, gripping his shoulder and running her fingers through his soft hair. Her breath grew choppy, and her skin caught fire. “No…no more. Please.” He looked up through sexy, heavy lids, wearing a wicked, carnal smile that promised more. A lot more. Lucy threw her head back and groaned. “I’m not kidding, Brogan. I can’t take it,” she gritted out through her teeth.

  “I’m just getting warmed up.” He trailed kisses down her sternum, around her belly, tickling her navel with his moist tongue. Her head thrashed as she gripped the sheet with her fists. “Do you like that?” His fiery breath heated her oversensitive skin. She swallowed hard, nodding. “Good, because it only gets better.”

  “Oh God,” she moaned and dropped her head. He trailed a row of kisses right above the narrow elastic of her silver panties. He nipped
at her hip and his breath grew labored. “What are you doing?” she panted, watching him slip his fingers underneath the elastic.

  “Getting ready for dessert.” Lucy’s eyes crossed, and she bit her lip. He peeled her panties off and knelt between her legs, leaving her exposed. “I’ve waited forever.” His voice held almost a reverent quality. He lifted her bottom with his big, capable hands as Lucy’s legs shook. Chuckling, he bit the inside of her thigh. And then he brought his mouth down and feasted.

  Lucy screamed his name, jackknifing off the bed. Brogan showed no mercy as he relentlessly teased and sucked until she finally came apart.

  “Oh-h-h! Brogan,” she cried, as a violent orgasm tore through her insides, and a fountain of sparklers blasted from the top of her head. He kept taunting her until she stopped shuddering and collapsed in a puddling heap against his sheets. He kissed his way up her thighs and around her belly. Lucy couldn’t move because she’d melted. “Oh my gosh. What was that?” she whispered.

  “The best orgasm I’ve ever seen,” he answered in a husky voice. She cracked one eye open. Brogan hovered over her, leaning on his side, wearing a cocky smile.

  Lucy tried to flutter her hand. “It’s been a really long time, and I was inspired.” A desire to explore his body, his texture, his scent overpowered her exhaustion. She wanted to know all of him, the way she wanted to own his heart. But since his heart would never be hers, she’d settle for this one night. Her gaze slid down to his impressive cock, and suddenly she felt alive and ready for more. Rolling, she pulled him on top, raining kisses on his solid chest and shoulder. Brogan held her head still, kissing her with a desperation that had been absent before. Desire and greed sizzled Lucy’s nerve endings as her kisses told the same story. Desperate to be one with him, Lucy broke away on a gasp. “Condom. Now. Hurry.”

  Brogan smiled. She tightened her fists on his shoulders and shook him, breaking his close examination of her. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He pressed into her, loving the feel of her nipples stabbing his chest as he reached over her head and fished inside his bedside drawer. “One condom, coming up.”

  “Give it to me.” She snatched the black shiny packet and pushed him off with amazing strength for someone so small.

  “Yes, ma’am. You’re in charge now.” He stretched out, folding his arms behind his head, fascinated by the jiggle of her breasts as she tore the packet with her teeth.

  “No. I’m desperate. Ready?” A sensuous smile curved her lips as she straddled his legs and rolled the condom down his cock.

  His breath hissed through his teeth and his hands slid up her thighs, encircling her waist. He lifted, positioning her over him, and watched in painful pleasure as she took her sweet time sliding down his shaft until she was completely seated. Slowly she rose, rolling her hips. Her head dropped back. Unable to endure the torture, he gripped her waist, moving her up and down as his own hips bucked. Sweat trickled down his temples. With half-closed eyes, he watched Lucy ride him, and his cock grew harder.

  “God, you’re so tight,” he said between clenched teeth.

  “More,” she urged and tried to control the rhythm. “Please…don’t stop.” Her panting grew labored. No way. He lifted and rolled her on her back. Her breasts bounced as he pushed inside her, and her eyes closed as moans purled from her throat. She dug her heels into his back and clutched his shoulders.

  Hard and deep, he drove into her again and again. Clinging to him, she matched each thrust of his pumping hips. He tensed, and her inner muscles tightened around him. “Come for me again,” he growled. “You can do it, love.” Lucy was so close. She shook; her breathing grew choppier. “That’s it,” he urged. The first wave rolled over her and crashed into him, and she screamed his name. With one last powerful thrust, he held himself deep, groaning her name until he shattered. Brogan collapsed on top of Lucy, their bodies slick with sweat.

  After a solid minute of trying to catch his breath, he asked in a rough voice, “You okay? Did I hurt you?”

  “No. But you are now. I can’t breathe.” She shoved against him, and he rolled on his side, his arm still heavy around her waist.

  “I think you tried to kill me,” he said, struggling to draw air into his lungs. “I’ve never come that hard in my life.”

  “Then I’d get to say you died with a smile on your face.”

  “With you, I just might.” Brogan kissed her damp forehead. A rumble from her stomach vibrated his arm. “You still hungry? I have dessert…chocolate mousse.”

  Lucy shot straight up with an amazing burst of energy, as if they hadn’t just had mind-blowing, head-banging, wild-monkey sex. “Chocolate mousse!” She glared, lips swollen from his kisses, body glowing from their lovemaking, and curls sticking up in disarray.

  A beautiful sight. Afraid the roaring noise in Brogan’s ears was the sound of him losing himself to her, a tremor of unease snaked up his spine. Fortunately, the no-strings-attached ultimatum knocked some sense back into his head, and he relaxed.

  “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We could’ve been eating chocolate mousse instead of having sex.”

  “You’d prefer chocolate mousse over sex?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “If your answer is yes, then I must not have done my job right.”

  “Well…before tonight, the answer would’ve definitely been yes. Hmmm, now it’s a toss-up.” She tapped her lip. “Too bad we can’t have both.”

  Brogan yanked her on top of him and gave her a wicked grin. “Who says we can’t?”

  Chapter 23

  Lucy rummaged through the white tissue of her shopping bag and pulled out the new yellow bikini with the peek-a-boo cutouts. She’d hit a few boutiques in Raleigh on a personal shopping spree. It was Friday afternoon, and the oppressive heat hadn’t let up, not that she expected cool temperatures in the middle of August. At least swimming in the lake this afternoon would be a nice change.

  Swimming. With Brogan.

  Her lover.

  Goose bumps prickled her skin. To distract herself, she checked her phone. Crickets. She’d been trying to reach Wanda all day with no luck. Lucy hoped everything was okay between Wanda and Russell. Normally, Wanda would’ve been psycho-texting, calling, or even throwing rocks at Lucy’s window to get the dirt on her night with Brogan. Not that Lucy would’ve disclosed every steamy detail. Like that amazing thing Brogan did with his tongue and cold chocolate mousse and her belly…uh, yeah, she wouldn’t be sharing that. Or the new trick he taught her with his swiveling showerhead. Phew, hot flashes. Must be this heat.

  Guzzling her cold Cheerwine, she accidently spilled half down her shirt. Steamy, hot thoughts of Brogan had kept flustering her all day, and her work had suffered. She’d almost posted pictures of Dottie Duncan and Sweet Tea, posing in front of the Toot-N-Tell on the Keith Morgan Tennis Academy’s website. And this afternoon, she mistakenly handed Julia her new naughty panties, made from a scrappy piece of blue lace, instead of the stretchy maternity undies she’d requested.

  Lucy peeled off her wet, stained shirt and blotted her flushed cheeks, remembering Julia’s bitchy glare-down, followed by the embarrassing lecture. With a straight face, Julia had mentioned she hoped Lucy wasn’t doing anything to embarrass the family. What? Uh, hello? Kettle, it’s me, pot. Tempted to point out the obvious, Lucy had refrained, not wanting to start another argument with Julia over Brogan. Trying to build that bridge of sisterly bonds, one plank at a time, was like trying to build a bridge with toothpicks in a hurricane. But Lucy had no intentions of throwing in the hammer.

  And yet Julia still wanted Lucy to work with Brogan (just not in the buff) and have him help with Parker. Lucy had thrown her hands up in frustration and left Julia to her freshly minted water and her bipolar personality. Besides, Lucy had her own agenda. She would keep seeing and working for Brogan until…well, she didn’t exactly know, but s
he planned to live in the present and enjoy every delicious, heart-throbbing, head-swirling, toe-tingling moment. All those elusive feelings and emotions associated with love and sex coursed through her, giving Lucy an unbalanced sensation so foreign, and yet so right.

  She shimmied into the skimpy bathing suit and turned in front of her mirror. Erp. Risque bikini…oh my. Lucy gulped. Wanda would be so proud. But Lucy had been doing lots of things out of her comfort zone lately. Like telling Brogan she wanted a no-strings-attached relationship. As if the sex meant nothing and she wasn’t the slightest bit affected by his steadfastness, kindness, intelligence, or humor. As if he didn’t treat her…like she was important and made a difference.

  Lucy’s successful marketing for BetterBites had led to even more work. Keith Morgan wanted her to promote the tennis academy and reorganize its entire social media platform. He even arranged for Lucy to meet with a couple of hottie, ranked ATP players, helping them set up their accounts and giving pointers on promoting themselves. Funny, how Loco Lucy, who had left town with her head bowed in shame, was now highly desirable and branding herself as an effective marketer for businesses big and small.

  Everything had changed. Lucy pulled on a pair of white shorts and a silk aqua camp shirt that she knotted over her bikini. She shoved her white cover-up, towel, and yellow flip-flops in her beach bag. She’d changed. Yeah, her reasons for not wanting to come home still existed, but they didn’t choke her air passage like before. Having confidence in one’s own ability was a huge ego booster. Oh, and having sex worked wonders too. She almost tripped, wiggling her feet into orange Toms, remembering the good-bye kiss Brogan had laid on her that very morning. Out in the open. Against the front door. With her legs wrapped around his waist. Who knew being bad could be so good.

  Checking her face in the mirror, she adjusted her sleek ponytail and scooped up her beach bag. She flew down the stairs and into the kitchen to fix Julia’s dinner before heading out with Brogan. Her first date…down by the lake. It only took seventeen years to get there.