Lila's Thunder: The Almeida Brothers, Book One

by Burns, Trevion

  What the hell was he doing here? A devastating conversation with the only person in the world he loved and he’d run straight to the very woman who would kill whatever pathetic scraps remained of their relationship for good. What kind of man was he to steal his brother’s girl? Jack might have come off as an emotional basket case to most, but he knew that Chase was in love with Lila and had been in love with her since he was thirteen. Jack had never planned to feel the way he felt about Lila knowing this—for years she’d been strictly off limits in his eyes. Then Tahoe happened, and it was like she’d taken his world in her hand and shattered it. Everything that used to make so much sense no longer did. After Tahoe, he didn’t look at her as Chase’s Lila anymore, but their Lila. Thinking back, that was around the time when Chase’s attitude towards Jack really began to change for the worst.

  His eyes searched Lila’s face. He just couldn’t stop himself, he couldn’t stay away, and he knew that if he wasn’t sitting here with Lila he would surely be off somewhere doing even more damage to his already shattered relationship with his brother.

  Lila smiled softly, fighting not to roll her eyes when Jack covered her hand with his as she iced his nose. “I didn’t break your nose you big baby. You’re just a big puss-n-boots,” she said, smiling at the couple one table over. The woman was giving her a knowing look; there was no bigger baby in the world than a grown man with a scratch.

  She smiled down at him. “Is that too cold?” she asked, adjusting the ice pack.

  Staring at her intently all Jack could do was shake his head.

  “Can you still taste blood?”

  He shook his head again.

  After a moment’s hesitation she rested her hand on top of his head, tickling his silky soft black strands with the tips of her fingers. “I’m sorry I punched you. I was honestly scared for my life. Why the hell did you get to Dalton so fast, anyway?”

  Jack couldn’t think past his racing mind, so anything but honesty was nearly impossible. “You.”

  Lila rolled her eyes, having no idea how little he was actually joking. “Mmmhmm. Now, why did you really get to Dalton so fast? Was the law firm on fire? Did you sleep with one paralegal too many and now you’re afraid to be there alone for fear of her castrating you in the copy room? What?”

  Jack took a deep breath and shook his head, wincing at the grave pain moving his head in any way caused. After a moment, he opened his eyes to her. “You,” he whispered.

  “We should really go to the hospital; I think you have a concussion.”

  “No,” Jack protested, eyes popping open and turning his head toward her. “No way, we’ve already ordered our food.”

  “Our waiter has been giving us the evil eye all night. I hardly believe he’d be too heartbroken if we left. I think he’s more worried about his white table cloth than your bloody nose.”

  “I don’t want to leave,” he said, nasally, his brown eyes holding hers. The truth was that he was afraid to go home. Afraid that he would open the door to find Chase gone and what that would mean to him. It was a pain he wasn’t willing to face. Not tonight. His eyes searched hers. “I’ve finally got you sitting at a dinner table with me willingly and you’re telling me it’s time to go?"

  “For a man with a broken nose you sure do have a lot to say.”

  “Who knows when I’ll be able to nail you down, again.”

  Lila sat up, grinning as his eyes fell into the open flap of her blouse. “So we’ll just sit here eating dinner while you bleed all over the…” Over the top of the booth she saw Chase come out of the kitchen in the back and had to blink once, twice, three times, just to make sure she wasn’t deluding herself. What the hell was he doing here?

  He was holding a tray with an outrageous amount of dirty glasses and dishes on it and had a white apron tied around his waist. Was he working? Her eyes fell to Jack, who she would have guessed was in a deep sleep from how contented he looked with his head thrown back and his eyes closed. She opened her mouth to ask what the hell Chase was doing here. Then she remembered during their drive to the restaurant he’d said they hadn’t spoken since the day he’d fired her.

  Lila suddenly felt panicked when she saw Chase making his way out into the restaurant with an empty tray and straight towards them. If he shifted his gaze even a foot to the right he would be looking right at them. Lila did the first thing that came to her mind. Dropping the bag of ice on the table, she tugged softly on Jack’s black strands before pressing her mouth to his, her hair fanning around their faces and shielding them from Chase’s view as he walked by.

  Jack was frozen in shock when he felt Lila’s lips on his, unable to comprehend that it was actually happening. As soon as his eyes had flown open in surprise, they were fluttering slowly closed as the taste of her snuck in and took over his senses, sending chill waves down his spine, rendering him defenseless. He slid his tongue between her lips, wrapping an arm around her neck and pulling her to him. Soon, her muscles were relaxing and she was responding to him, as well, parting her lips and deepening the kiss.

  Jack moaned softly when he felt her tongue gingerly brushing against his own, asking permission. He opened his mouth and dove in, kissing her passionately, wildly, and with everything he’d been holding inside of him for years. Pulling away with a smack, his cloudy eyes met hers for only a second. “Lila,” he breathed, closing his eyes as she lowered her face back to his, tasting him once more.

  “Chase!”

  Jack’s eyes leapt open at the sound of Chase’s name being screamed in the restaurant just as Lila pulled her lips from his, holding his cheeks in both of her hands to keep him from moving his head. “Chase just walked right by this booth,” she whispered, her eyes wide in his, chest heaving. “He can’t see us. He can’t know that we’re here together.”

  Jack could feel his heart plummet to his feet. So that was why she’d kissed him? He had half a mind to stand up and scream from the rooftops that he was here with Lila James and if anybody had a problem with it they could kiss his ass, but he knew he couldn’t do that. The idea of Chase being in that room scared him just as much as it was obviously scaring her. It scared the shit out of him, in fact. He couldn’t move, the only thing keeping his sanity intact was the feel of her hips beneath his hands, of her tight stomach rising and falling against his thumbs. He pressed his own thumbs into her heaving stomach, his eyes never leaving hers. Lila was right. If Chase saw them here together there would be hell to pay. He licked his lips, his cock jumping when he could still taste her there.

  “Where is he?” he whispered.

  Lila swallowed deeply and narrowed her eyes but didn’t move her head. “He’s right behind us. Can’t you see him?”

  All he could see were her plump breasts heaving just inches from his throbbing nose. He shook his head no.

  “Good. If you can’t see him then he can’t see you.” Lila leaned into him and looked over her shoulder slyly. Chase had his back to them and was laughing with a co-worker who was pointing right at them. They were obviously making fun of the ridiculous couple who couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. Chase began making his way to the back on the opposite side of the room, shaking his head in dismay. Lila breathed a sigh of relief when he disappeared and turned to Jack.

  “He’s gone.” She touched her lips to the top of his head when he buried his face in her chest, breathing deeply.

  “We have to get out of here,” he said, shaking his head as he began to swell uncomfortably in his pants in spite of himself. He breathed in her intoxicating scent and wrapped his arms around her waist. “God, Lila.”

  Her eyes fell to Jack’s swollen pink lips, her heart begging and pounding for more. “Take me to your place.”

  Jack’s chest heaved and he was surprised by the fear he suddenly felt-- something much different and much stronger than the fear he’d felt at the thought of being caught by Chase. He placed his hand on the side of her face, his fingers dipping into her soft curls. “What do y
ou want?” he asked, desperately.

  Lila ran her hands down the sides of his face and touched his lips with the tip of her fingers, licking her own as she did.

  Jack could have taken her right there in that booth, he was that hard for her, that hungry. “What do you want, Lila?” he asked, again.

  Lila saw it happening, the emotion unfolding on his face, and as she ran her nails up and down his cheeks, she almost called the whole thing off. “I want to forget.” she whispered.

  Jack sat motionless for several seconds, and then slowly began to nod. “Me too.” His gaze moved between both of her eyes like a while scanner.

  “Just for tonight.” Lila dug her fingers softly into his cheeks before wrapping them around his neck. She pressed her lips to his once more, relishing in his passionate response as he took a chunk of her hair in his hand and pulled her lips down to his harder, faster.

  She brushed her hand over the bulge in his pants before pulling her lips from his. “Let’s go.”

  ---

  “Lila, fuck….” Jack struggled to keep his eyes on the road and a bright smile lit up his face as Lila suckled at the sensitive dip at the bottom of his neck, causing him to jolt.

  Lila giggled joyfully when she felt the car swerve, darting her tongue out and licking again at the sensitive spot on Jack’s neck that had caused him to temporarily lose control of the vehicle. She scaled her nails down his white button down shirt, continuing to suck his neck noisily. Her hands grazed the bulge in his pants and she gasped at the size, clutching him through the fabric.

  “Lila,” Jack warned, taking a deep breath as she gripped him through his pants, sending waves of intense pleasure rocketing through his bones and rendering him breathless.

  “Is this what you want?” Lila whispered, holding him through his tented slacks and reveling in the weight and size of him. The valley between her legs gushed with moisture, throbbing pleasantly as she undid the button and zipper of his pants. “Oh god,” she gasped, reaching in and releasing him from the confines of his pants. “Mmmm, Jack,” she purred, bringing her hand to her mouth and wetting it with her tongue, staring up at him as she did.

  Jack watched Lila with his mouth wide open, his cock pressing hard against his stomach. Clutching the steering wheel with one hand, he allowed the other to disappear in the depths of her beautiful thick hair, gripping it gently.

  Lila’s tongue ran languidly up the back of her hand and she looked down at Jack’s hardness hungrily, before gazing back up at him once more. Bending down in the seat, she lifted his shirt and lapped at the skin around his belly button before slowly making her way down. “Is this what you want, Jack?” She took in the sight of him, so hard and ready for her, and wrapped her moistened hand around the throbbing tip.

  “Oh fuck.” Jack groaned deeply, throwing his head back and snapping his eyes open when the car swerved once again.

  Lila pumped her hand up and down, slowly, gripping the sensitive skin of his shaft a little tighter, watching as his face grew helpless with lust. It was as exposed and naked as she’d ever seen him, and he was beautiful. There was nothing in the world she wouldn’t have done to him, or for him at that moment. Lila’s eyes fluttered shut, lashes brushing her cheek as she leaned down and flicked her tongue over his aching tip. A fine lace of precum followed her as she pulled away, looking up at him with a sly smile. “Is this what you want?”

  “Yes, baby. Please…” Jack begged, tugging her hair. “Please, Lila.”

  Reveling in his avid submission, she bent down and took him in her mouth completely, moaning as he filled her until she felt him at the back of her throat. Holding him there for as long as she could—his strangled cries driving her--she slowly pulled her head back up, suckling noisily as she did and letting him fall out of her mouth with a plop. She caught him in her hand, continuing her slow pumps. When she looked up at him he was watching her in awe.

  “I want to make you cum…” he whispered, struggling to breathe as his hand ran down her back and dipping into her pants, clutching her ass. “God Lila, I want you so bad.”

  She smiled up at him before opening her mouth to take him between her lips, again, but instead she screamed in horror when the car came to an abrupt stop, sending her flying into the dashboard.

  “Shit!” Jack screamed.

  “What?” Lila cried, slightly disoriented as she attempted to climb back into her seat.

  Jack reached down and took both of her arms, pulling her back up into the seat until they were face to face. “Are you okay?” He asked, holding her steady.

  Lila gripped his arms right back, unable to answer.

  Jack took several heaving breaths, taking in the shocked expression on her face. “My grandmother’s here,” he said, his eyes jumping over her shoulder.

  Lila’s head flew to the front door of Jack’s brownstone, which she hadn’t even realized they’d pulled up next to, just in time to see a smiling head of gray hair waving to them happily from the stoop.

  “Oh my god,” she stated, dryly, unable to accept that this had already been cut short.

  “I know,” Jack growled, releasing her and tucking himself back into his pants.

  Lila watched regrettably as he dressed and wondered if she could secretly kill Jack’s grandmother without anyone noticing. Her eyes fell to his lips. She could say without a doubt that she’d never wanted anyone or anything more than she wanted him right then.

  Jack’s eyes met hers and they smiled at each other, their shoulders beginning to slowly shake until both of them were full blown laughing. It was a laughter that was so heartfelt and potent that tears came to Jacks amused eyes. He reached out and cupped Lila’s smiling face in his hands, watching her longingly and slowly pulling her in for a kiss.

  But Lila quickly drew away, looking back to Jack’s grandmother, who was now squinting into the car from the brownstone’s staircase while adjusting her bifocals. Thank god the woman was blind as a bat.

  “Jack, not in front of your grandmother,” she said, blushing softly.

  Jack’s hands went from Lila’s cheeks and into her hair. “Lila she can’t see the tip of her nose let alone whether or not we’re kissing through the tinted windows of my truck.”

  “I know, I just… I just don’t want to take any chances.”

  Because of Chase? Jack wanted to ask, but he stopped himself. Instead he stared into her eyes intensely, wondering if it wasn’t a good thing that his grandmother had put a stop to this whole thing before anyone got hurt. “All right,” he said, his eyes falling to her sweet mouth. He could still feel its warmth, its softness, her full lips pumping him. “Let’s go,” he demanded, adjusting himself before throwing open the driver’s side door.

  Lila watched him go, keenly aware of the complete change in attitude that her rejection had brought alive in him. “Damn,” she said to herself, before throwing open her own door and hopping out.

  His grandmother sure did have great timing.

  Chapter 6

  Jack’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he climbed the steps of his brownstone with Lila in his wake. “Grams!”

  Jack’s grandmother, Bitsy Halloway, shook her full head of silver hair and bounded down the steps, screaming the entire time, before leaping into his arms. She placed large, sloppy kisses on his cheeks. As his grandmother attacked him with love all Jack could decipher were her ear splitting screams. ‘I love yous’ and ‘my handsome boys’ all muddled together to create a barely discernible sea of words that not even he could fully comprehend as her bright blue eyes danced with glee. He steadied himself on the steps while wrapping his arms around her and returning her embrace, unable to stop himself from smiling. It had been a long time since someone had hugged him so tightly, so sincerely.

  Lila had followed Jack from the truck and now watched quietly from the bottom of the steps, her arms crossed over her chest. With a hand over her smiling lips she looked to the open doorway with amused eyes and nodded her head at the ma
n she recognized as Frank Halloway, the groom who’d married Bitsy at Lake Tahoe. When their eyes met, Frank stepped away from where he'd been tucked into he corner of the doorway and squeezed past Jack, who was still being held in a chokehold by his grandmother.

  Frank was an abnormally thin man, one of those lucky people who could eat whatever they wanted and never gain a pound, and he had a long sad face that completely contradicted his personality. It was graciously offset by a pair of friendly blue eyes and a shiny bald head. Lila remembered meeting him at the wedding two years ago and he’d been a pleasure to be around.

  “Lila James,” Frank observed, making his way to the bottom of the steps.

  “Well if it isn’t Frank Halloway,” Lila said, opening her arms and giving him a friendly hug. When she pulled away she motioned to him. “I’m surprised you remember me.” She’d been just one of the two hundred and fifty guests that had attended him and Bitsy’s wedding at Lake Tahoe.

  “Well how the hell could anyone forget such a gorgeous face,” Bitsy cried. Sometime during Lila and Frank’s hello Bitsy had unleashed Jack and was now making her way to Lila. The two women shared a hug, both laughing as they pulled away. Jack watched quietly. Bitsy placed her hands on Lila’s arms and sighed dramatically.

  Lila looked between Bitsy and Frank. “Am I mistaken or should I be wishing the two of you a happy anniversary?”

  Bitsy threw her head back in delight. “Two years and counting,” She said. “Can you believe it? We decided to come to the city to surprise my two beautiful grandsons for our anniversary week. It was such a treat seeing them at the wedding but lord knows they never visit, so I’ve taken matters into my own hands.” She stopped talking and smacked her teeth at Lila, shaking her head in wonder. “What a doll you are. What an absolute doll.” Bitsy placed her hand over her heart. “The way you've taken such wonderful care of my grandson. I almost cried when I heard he’d been accepted to Harvard. What a turnaround. That boy was an absolute wreck when he lost his mother, god rest, and you just came along and made it all go away like magic.”