by Amy Gregory
Glancing down to the hollow of her neck, her pulse ticked and she swallowed again. Leaning down, Brody kissed her. Her lips parted, and slipping his tongue past her bottom lip, he grazed just the tip of her tongue. Pulling back, Brody saw the flash of frustration on her face. He snickered to himself, and then slowly began bunching up the silk of her dress in his other hand. He still had a hold on her hip, keeping her in place as she drew in a nervous breath.
In all the years they had been together, he’d never done something like this. If he were to lay his hand across her chest, he knew it would be pounding. Maybe in part from fear, but more because of need. It was in her eyes, the quickening of her breath, the way she pushed hard swallows down her throat.
Reaching the bare skin under her dress, he traced circles on the skin of her hip, waiting her out, seeing who would hold out the longest, wondering how far she would let him push. The circles he was making with his finger inched along, his eyes watching hers as he went.
Suddenly the brown eyes looking up at him went wide, but to her credit, she held perfectly still as his finger grazed the scrap of lace between her legs.
Oh my God.
“You’re wet,” he said, his voice quiet in the cold night.
Erin blinked once and the façade immediately dropped. Her innocence fell back over her. In the sweetest voice he’d ever heard, she whispered back, “For you, Brody…always.”
Where he thought the day had been long, it had nothing on their dinner. That meal had been the most excruciating experience of his life, surpassing not one, but two knee surgeries. He figured he might as well throw in a back surgery just for shits and giggles. Sitting across from Erin at the restaurant had been pure torture. And of course, it had to have been a table for two, because sitting at a booth was what he would have preferred. Make reservations for a romantic dinner for two and the hostess assumes.
Brody would have to give the young girl a pass. After all, she was barely more than a teeny-bopper who didn’t understand what it was like to be a grown man, sitting across from his beautiful girlfriend, having to watch every flutter of her eyelashes, every flush of her cheeks, and the pulse at the little triangle of her throat at the mere hints he dropped of what was to come.
Rushing around their bedroom, Brody dug out the candles he had strategically hidden earlier when he’d started formulating his plan. After he lit the last one, he picked up the small remote on the dresser and pointed it at the iPod waiting in the docking station. Blowing out a breath, he turned off the bedroom light and headed to the living room to the woman he had instructed to wait by the fireplace.
As he led her back to their bedroom, a nervous bit of laughter escaped her. Brody glanced over his shoulder to see her covering her mouth, grinning as she blushed.
“You’re up to something, Brody.”
He winked. “Me? Nope. Not a thing, babe.”
Turning the knob, he opened the door then stepped aside to let her walk into the warmly lit room with a playlist of her favorite ballads softly playing in the background. In the orange light of the dancing flames, Brody saw the astonishment on her face turn to appreciation.
“Brody? You didn’t have to go to all these lengths.” Erin eased toward him and lowered her voice. “I’m sort of a sure thing.”
“Erin…I don’t care. Even after we’ve been married for forty years, I’ll still never believe I’m the guy you chose to spend your life with.”
“I sure wasn’t expecting all of this. Now I wish I had something sexy on under my dress for you. I didn’t know you were planning all the romance complete with bells and whistles.”
“I’ve seen every pair of lace panties and bra you own, sugar. They’re all sexy. Now turn around and let me help you out of this dress.”
He slowly inched the zipper down, past where her bra strap should’ve been—he made a mental note to ask her about that later. His pulse beat faster the lower he got, until the zipper reached the small of her back and—nothing.
No lace waistband, no thong. Nothing.
“Erin?”
“Brody…” she answered in return, her voice growing husky.
“I know you had panties on when we got to the restaurant. Remember? Because, I distinctly do.”
“Um…well. I guess I lost them,” she whispered.
Erin was exceptionally good at a lot of things. Hiding her feelings from him was not one of them. Her voice, although it’d been barely audible, had spoken volumes. Every quiet word was dripping with desire.
“Lost them, huh?”
Brody pushed the sides of the dress apart so it slid off her shoulders, pooling in a puddle of baby blue silk at her feet. Wanting to draw out her anticipation, and wanting to remember this night when he was eighty-two, Brody took his time turning her around to face him.
“This is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen you wear under a dress.”
Holding her hand, he helped her step out of the dress and led her to the bed, sitting her on the side. Bending down, he took off one pump at a time then laid her back against the navy satin, pressing one promising kiss to her lips.
Pulling back, he saw the flush on her cheeks. Her brown eyes went as dark as chocolate syrup and Brody heard her pull in a long, slow breath. Standing by the side of the bed, he undid the buttons of his dress shirt, deliberately taking extra time to slip each button through the hole.
Normally he got turned on when they undressed each other. But seeing her lying there, staring at him like she was ready to explode, had him hard within seconds. The way she was squirming as she bunched the satin comforter below her in her fists, and watching her as he took in long passes over her body, nearly did him in. Hearing her breath shudder every time his eyes dropped to the juncture of her legs, and again with every pause he took as his eyes drifted over her breasts, had his heart pounding. Need radiated from her and the need to tease had him taking his time with each button on his shirt.
Starting with his cuffs, Brody paced himself, drawing out her desire, ramping it higher and higher. He could see the need coiling in her. When he slid off the white button up and moved his hands to the zipper of his pants, she whimpered.
That sound, so soft, so full of need, sent him into overdrive. Taking his time with the gray dress pants he’d worn to dinner was not going to happen. He shucked them faster than a horny teenager—boxers and all—in one swoop.
Crawling in the bed to lay beside her on the cold satin, Brody leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. Breaking the kiss, he propped himself up and ran his palm over her skin, starting at her neck, down the middle of her body to one thigh, until he reached her knee. Bending it with his hand, he curved over her, and with slow kisses, he made his way back up her body with his lips.
“Brody…please.”
Digging the heel of her other foot into the mattress, Erin arched her pelvis upward as his mouth inched closer. If he wasn’t so horny, he’d grin. She loved with her whole heart and soul, and she wasn’t bashful behind closed doors. As he completely passed over what she wanted, Erin pounded a fist into the bed. That time, Brody couldn’t help but chuckle at her frustration. Moving on, he placed an open mouth kiss on the flat part of her abdomen, tickling her with the tip of his tongue.
Erin’s chest was heaving by the time he reached her breasts and a fine dusting of sweat had broken out over her skin. Normally he’d spend his time licking, sucking, biting, and tweaking, but Brody knew her body too well. She was way beyond primed. It wouldn’t take so much as a flick of his tongue to set her off. As much as he wanted her to feel good, they’d both been hurting way too long today, and he wanted to be inside her when she came.
Rolling over her, Erin instantly spread her legs, her palms on his hips, pulling him to her. He held back just a little longer, kissing his way up her neck and to her lips. The hands that had been on his hips, trying to bring him to meet her own arching hips, flew to his neck and up into his hair, attempting to fist the short lengths. As his tongue danced with h
ers, Brody finally slid into her, his mouth capturing the soft moan of relief that drifted from her.
He lowered himself, bracketing her head with his forearms, his own fingers in her hair, holding her where he wanted. Rushing back to the delicate skin of her collar bone, he licked and then sucked. Call him a fool or even childish, but for some reason, the need to leave his mark on her was too big to deny, for old time’s sake maybe, maybe because they were leaving town, he didn’t know. He just made sure it was low enough for her shirts to cover and devoured her until the deep purple was undeniable. Erin’s head had turned, almost like she wanted his claim on her. When his lips broke, he nipped her gently with his teeth. The short squeak of surprise he elicited was what he’d been after.
With much softer kisses, he found his way back to her lips. One was all it took and she exploded around him. Her fingers gripped his upper arms tight as he pushed her higher and higher. Watching her face intently, Brody waited until the last possible second, then thrust in one last time, holding himself still as she continued to clench him. Beads of sweat rolled down the back of his neck and down both temples. With his heart still pounding, Brody lowered himself, none to gently, to the bed, and wrapped himself around Erin. Laying his hand over her chest, he felt her heart beating just as fast.
Erin lay flat on her back, unmoving. He knew it would take her a few minutes to have the strength to be able to move her arms and legs, but as soon as she was able, she’d be tangled up as close as she could get to him.
Nuzzling the side of her neck, he kissed the words into her skin. “I love you, baby.”
Her words in return were slurred. “Love…you…Brody.”
Brody grinned, proud that he’d been able to hold off all afternoon and evening so he could carry out the rest of his plans. Her reaction made it worth the pain of waiting. “Good, huh?”
“Mmm. . .Brody. . .don’t”—she pulled in a long breath, finally catching it—“do that again. I might kill you.”
Laughing, Brody rolled to his back, pulling her practically limp body with him. “Ya, think? I don’t know, babe…I think you rather enjoyed yourself.”
She lifted her hand to swat at him, but only made it a couple of inches, her hand falling like dead weight. “Hurt…too…long.”
“Trust me, I know the feeling.” He kissed her forehead.
“Promise me. . .” She paused for several breaths. “It’ll still be like that after.”
Brody grinned into her hair. “Babe, from what I’ve read, you’ll be worse than a horny teenage boy the whole time.”
Erin pulled in a deep breath, the air tickling his chest as she slowly released it. He’d get them underneath the covers in a few minutes. For now he was content to just lay there with her in his arms for a few minutes longer. Running his fingers over her back softly, she lay nestled in his arms. God, he was going to miss this. All he could think about was four months of missing this moment, the drawn out sex, being able to make her fall apart and not having to worry about anyone walking in the coach or having to be quiet so Molly couldn’t hear them from the other room. Letting out a sigh, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him.
He thought she’d fallen asleep on him, which warmed his heart when she did that, but then her palm moved up his chest to cradle his neck.
“Brody…I love you.”
“I love you, too, Erin.”
“You’re going to be a really good dad, you know that?”
Hearing her faith in him made his heart pound again, but for a different reason. He’d been a jumble of emotions when they found out and, with the timing of the trip, it wasn’t going to be easy on Erin. It was the fatigue and her new best friend the toilet that had clued them in. But it’d been a couple of weeks, and with one doctor’s appointment behind them, armed with books, magazines, and a laptop, they were doing their best through a crash course lesson like all first time parents. There was one thing that calmed him down when he panicked—Erin.
Brody knew with absolute certainty that she would be the best mother in the whole world. And he was lucky to have her by his side.
Twenty six years was a long time. The first fourteen as neighbors, then four years as best friends, and finally when he was smart enough to realize it, eight years ago he’d kissed her and made her his. After Molly got him over his fear, he bought the ring, though he’d still sweated bullets as he combed the town, searching for the perfect diamond. Looking back now, he didn’t know why he had been so scared things would change if they got married. It was Erin. It had always been Erin. She was easy. Easy to love, easy to laugh with, and made his life better with each day.
When they found out she was pregnant, the diamond had already been purchased and hidden away while he figured out the perfect way to ask her. The next thing he’d known, they were sitting on the side of the tub, holding hands as the clock ticked by.
He knew in all his years, he’d never forget the look on her face that evening when he’d peered at the white test, then turned back to her. Her lip was between her teeth, half excited, half scared to death, and he knew he’d never loved her more. She was lit up, her brown eyes dancing with excitement as she blinked and waited him out for the answer. Brody had whispered the word ‘congratulations’ and her arms flew around his neck.
Every day since that first kiss eight years ago, he’d known she was his, but that moment, sitting on the side of the tub in the bathroom of their apartment, with tears of joy running down her face and his—he knew. Ring or no ring, she was his, bonded to him forever.
“God, I love you, Erin. I thought I was the luckiest man in the world.” He slid his palm down to the flat part of her stomach. “But this little one, this is the luckiest one in the world. I can’t wait.”
“When do you want to start telling people? You know this is killing me.” She propped herself up on his chest to smile down at him. “I’m dying to tell Mol.”
Brody reached up, wanting a kiss. “I know. And our parents will kill us too once they find out we’ve kept something this big from them, but there’s something special about it being just our secret, ours alone to enjoy for a little while. We’ll have to share this baby right after it’s born. Right now, he or she is just ours.”
Easing her back to the mattress, Brody leaned over her, placing a kiss on her stomach, where their child was growing inside. Looking up, the smile on Erin’s face was priceless. The happiness he saw was genuine, the love in her glistening brown eyes for him. And for their baby.
Careful to not scratch her with the shadow that the day had left across his jaw, Brody curled himself around her waist, his cheek resting on her abdomen, nuzzling her soft skin. She watched him, her head propped up on pillows. One tear, then another slowly ran down her face as her fingers of one hand drifted through his hair. With the other, she pressed a kiss to her fingertips, then touched his cheek and lips.
Brody had never been more content than at that moment. The woman he loved was in his arms, their baby safe between them. Even with tears pooling in her eyes, the smile reached every part of her face. In that moment, he understood why his parents went through all that they did to have him. He understood why they’d gone through what they did to rescue Molly. He understood now exactly what it meant to love unconditionally. He was holding his own family in his arms. His to love…forever.
A First Look inside Amy Gregory’s full length novel debut,
Racing to Love ~ Carter’s Treasure
Chapter One
Carter stood with the guys from his team in front of Brody Noland’s bike trailer, hoping to get the first look. They’d all heard rumors that George Kapp, the circuit promoter, had set up something special for the rest of the season, something entertaining to draw crowds and even more attention to the races. That something special had turned out to be Molly West. The Molly West. In all of his years of racing Motocross, he’d never had the chance to meet her, but he knew she’d broken about every women’s record out there. He also knew she w
as retired and he, like the rest of the guys, was anxious to know why George had brought her on.
George headed their direction. He was probably in his fifties and kept fit by walking around the stadium and pits week after week. “Hey guys.”
Everyone in the group grinned and said hello.
“I’ve got some people I’d like you to meet,” he said. “I want you to make them welcome around here. They’re going to be with us the rest of the season.” George turned his attention to the couple who were walking their way.
“Morning,” George welcomed them when they made it up to the group. Both waved. “Everyone…you all probably know who Brody Noland is, and this is his girlfriend, Erin.” He turned to gesture to the circle of racers. “This is Eli Hunter, Carter Sterling, Jesse Frost, and one of our rookies this season, Cody Stark.”
“I saw your bike trailer over there,” Eli said to Brody as he took his turn shaking his hand. “I wondered if you were riding or something this weekend.”
“Oh, hell no, not me.” Brody shook his head. “Not anymore. Got a hard enough time being stiff and sore these days.” He shrugged his shoulder at the truth. “Just too many broken bones over the years.”
“What, are you all doing some kind of promo then?” Jesse jumped in to ask.
“He brought in my girl for me.” George grinned.
The guys all chuckled at the older man. It was pretty obvious to Carter that George was just as excited that Molly was there as the rest of them.
Carter was the first to notice the petite girl walking their direction. He’d seen pictures of her in her riding gear over the years, but that couldn’t have prepared him to see her now. In riding gear she was completely covered head to toe, but not today. Today she wore tight jeans, Nikes, and a fitted little tank top. He could tell by her arms alone that she was ripped, definitely athletic, but she had some curves to her, too. They were there, barely, and he couldn’t help but imagine running his hands over them. Long, golden hair hung down in a thick sheet past the middle of her back, and in the sun it glinted with a hint of red.
