by Cora Brent
I adapt in a hurry and move my hips with a low moan. He feels so fucking fantastic and I want him so badly. I love that we’re doing this crazy thing right here and now. I arch my back as I ride him, relishing the tingling sensation of my nipples brushing over his hard chest.
We fit together like we were always meant to do this and we’re good, so good, so exciting and wild and electric.
He’s been on my mind so much lately that I don’t need long to come once I have him. I feel the wave cresting and I ride him harder.
I’m not quiet about taking my pleasure.
No, I throw my head back and make all the noise I want as the orgasm wrecks my senses, retreating with one delicious spasm at a time as I clutch this ridiculously sexy prince and beg for more.
Trent winds my long hair around one fist and lightly pulls until he can see my face.
He’s grinning. “Can’t believe my luck that you’re this dirty.”
“We’re both dirty.” I run my tongue over his stubbled jaw. “That’s why this feels so good.”
“Gretch,” he groans and demands my mouth, kissing me hard as the second wave claims me.
His muscles tighten and he’s so massively hard my thighs quake. Trent stiffens and our mouths remain fastened together as he takes his turn. He continues to hold me close after he releases and I kiss him one final time before climbing off and searching for my clothes.
Trent peels the condom away and I hand him a tissue so he can get rid of it. I know he’s watching me as I dress and I don’t mind. I like to know he’s looking.
Once we’re fully clothed and have found our way back to the main road, I bring something up that might be kind of early to address but will bother me if I don’t.
“Trent, I’m not seeing anyone else. I haven’t really dated at all since last summer. I’ve been too busy with school and with my internship. I just wanted you to know that.”
His sunglasses are back on and he nods. “Good. Because I don’t like to share.”
“Neither do I,” I tell him, very pointedly.
He looks at me quickly and reaches for my hand. “It’s been over six months for me. And now I’m not looking at anyone but you, Gretchen. I swear.”
We spend the rest of the drive smiling at each other like idiots until I warn him that we’d better cool it or Danny will figure out something is up.
Trent shrugs this off. “He’s got to find out sooner or later.”
“I choose later.” I exhale noisily. “When we get home, I’m going to tell him he should go to spring training. It’s what he wants and he might not have many chances left. Jules would never have intended to take that opportunity away from him. He’ll be worried about how I’ll manage with the girls but we’ll be fine. If he asks you, please reassure him.”
“Will do. And you really will be fine, Gretchen. Besides, I’m sticking around. My attitude needs some work and I can never seem to remember the lyrics to cartoon princess musicals but I do have my good points. What I’m trying to say is that if you need anything, I’m here.”
He melts my heart. But I want to make sure I’m being fair to him. “The twins are with me for good, Trent. We’re a package deal.”
“I get it.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “Of course.”
If he wasn’t driving then nothing would stop me from throwing myself into his arms. “Will you stay for dinner later? I’m not a fantastic cook but spaghetti is something I can’t screw up. And the girls love seeing you. I want us all to have a nice meal together before Danny leaves.”
Trent grabs my hand and kisses it. “I’ll stay as long as you want me.”
This boy.
He’s the biggest surprise of my life in the best way.
9
Trent
Danny was going to call a car to take him to the small airport in Albany where he’ll catch a short flight to Philly before going all the way to Phoenix. I offer to drive him to the airport instead. He’s been looking at me kind of funny ever since Gretch and I returned from our trip the other day and we need to have a chat.
Watching him say goodbye to the twins is both sweet and sad. They each cling to one of his legs and make him promise to come back again.
“As soon as I can.” He hugs them gently and I see his chin quiver for a second. He glances at the end table photo of Jules and a shadow falls over his face.
“Do I get a hug too?” Gretchen asks.
Danny swings one arm around her and she stands on tiptoe to embrace him.
“I’ll take care of them,” she murmurs.
“I know,” he nods. “Take care of yourself too.”
“I will.”
He steps back and looks at her. Though they are close in age they never really clicked when they were kids. But there’s nothing Danny wouldn’t do for his sister. He feels shitty about leaving her here under these circumstances. I know he does.
Gretchen knows that too. She tilts her head and gazes up at him wistfully. “Make your dreams come true, Dan-O.”
The twins go to her side and she automatically puts an arm around each of them.
“Goodbye, Uncle Danny.” Caitlin waves the arm of the doll in her hand.
Mara chews on a piece of her brown hair.
“I love you guys,” he says to his family and throws his duffel bag over his shoulder before he gets too emotional.
Danny’s quiet as we leave Lake Stuart behind. He flips the radio around until he finds the sports news and settles back to listen.
“So you’re jumping right back into things?” I ask him because the silence is getting to me and I can’t shake the feeling he’s pissed.
However, his voice is free of anger when he says, “Yeah, I’ve got three days to work out before I need to report. You know, last season I was going to give up on the game. I’d been offered a job as an assistant coach at a Phoenix area high school. Jules knew I didn’t want to take the job. She’s the one who told me not to give up. Jules is the only one who’s ever really believed in me.”
“I believe in you, Dan. Gretch and the girls believe in you.”
He rakes a hand through his shaggy hair. “I’m shit for leaving them.”
“No. Don’t even think that. If it helps at all, I’ll be around.”
He moves in his seat and I can feel him staring at me.
“What’s up?” I ask even though I already know.
“I need to ask you something.”
“I’m listening.”
“What’s going on with you and Gretchen? Don’t even bother denying it. You’re a crappy liar, Cassini, and I’m not fucking blind.”
“I like her.” The words sound inadequate and they are.
“How much do you like her?” he demands.
“A hell of a lot, Dan.”
“Huh.” He nods. “Didn’t see this coming.”
“You mad?”
“Nah. Gretchen marches to her own drummer and she hardly needs my help with making choices.”
“I’m not playing games here. Just so you know.”
“Good to hear. Because Gretch is authentic so you damn well better make sure you deserve her.”
“Doing my best.”
He slugs me in the arm. “Do your best and then do better. I’d hate to beat the shit out of you now that we’re all friendly again.”
“You won’t have to,” I promise.
With that awkward part out of the way, we both relax and switch the talk to baseball.
Danny Aaronson was my very first friend. When I think back over all the connections in my life, I believe he’ll always be my best friend no matter what’s happened before and what might happen in the future. My time at Tavington erased my trust in people, even him. I retreated without even realizing I was retreating.
That was a mistake.
“Call me when you get back to the big leagues.” I wave at him as he climbs out and flings his duffel bag over one
shoulder.
“Count on it,” he answers and his cocky grin takes me back to vanished summers and reckless days, when we both expected that life would always work out in our favor.
I’m not a believer in wishes but right now I’m wishing with all my might that Danny gets another shot at making his dream happen.
I wait until he disappears through the glass doors, then I pull away and head back to Lake Stuart. A call comes in along the way and it’s from Darren Graves but I’m not in the mood to deal with unpleasant business today. I’ve been busy thinking about Gretchen and when I think about Gretchen I don’t have room in my head for much else.
Gretchen Aaronson is proving to be everything I never knew I wanted wrapped into one hot, feisty package.
She’s crazy beautiful. She’s extremely intelligent. She’s got a heart of gold. She stands up to any challenge and doesn’t tolerate bullshit.
I’ve also learned that she’s fantastically filthy and nothing is off limits.
It’s kind of funny how the girl I overlooked when we were kids is now my fantasy come true.
I’m very aware that her life isn’t simple. There are two four-year-olds who now depend on her for everything. I never saw myself as a guy who would ever become attached to a situation that included kids. Then I remember when Mara offered to let me hold her favorite doll or when Caitlin gave me a cute picture she drew of something with large ears that might be a dog.
I’m not fooling myself that I’m ready to dive into instant fatherhood but I also won’t be looking for an exit. For a very long time I’ve been without a family and I never counted on that changing.
I’m beginning to see that it could.
The ping on my phone means Darren left a voicemail. He’s already given me a heads up that Liam’s cash flow situation is getting desperate. Liam is all out of credit and his vendors are balking about extending more when the bills aren’t getting paid in a timely manner. Unbeknownst to Liam, a shell company I set up has already purchased some of the shares he farmed out to investors, all of them eager to unload their interests in a dying company. I now own thirty five percent of Cassini Brewery. I’m currently negotiating to purchase another twenty percent, which will leave Liam with a minority share. Then there’s nothing he can do to stop me from kicking his ass out and seizing the reins. Liam has done nothing but trash my father’s legacy and I’m going to bring it back. I’ll enjoy leaving him with nothing.
I should have explained all of this to Gretchen already. She’s too smart to have no curiosity about my plans. It’s just that when I’m with her I don’t want to focus on ugly themes like revenge.
Or my asshole brother.
Or Tavington.
Especially that last subject, which includes details I’ve kept locked up for a long time.
When I was released from Tavington I felt like a caged animal who’d finally been set free. After freezing my ass off for two years I didn’t want to freeze my ass off anymore so I went to Florida. I would have been on the streets if not for the comfortable cushion of my mother’s life insurance policy. I knew that was the only chance I was going to have so I needed to figure shit out pretty fucking quick. I watched dozens of online real estate seminars. I struck at the right place at the right time and cashed out when the market was hot. In the beginning, much of my success was luck, however luck can be a lucrative building block. I turned one million into two. It multiplied from there.
As for the guys who suffered through that nightmare alongside me…
Well, it’s not like making friends at summer camp where you all want to keep in touch.
I want nothing to do with anyone linked to that place.
One evening roughly a year ago I was in the middle of a business dinner when I heard my name, looked up and saw a man waving from the bar. He was already at Tavington when I arrived and after faking friendly overtures, he and three other guys ambushed me in the middle of the night. I’ve always been a scrappy fighter but four against one will never be good odds and the beating was ugly. They were looking for shit to steal but I wasn’t allowed to pack any shit so the joke was on them. I didn’t let much time go by before I cornered them one by one to extract my revenge and came away with the lesson that friendship doesn’t exist there.
It wasn’t the worst thing that happened to me, not even close, but I wasn’t about to have a drink with anyone who carried the stink of Tavington. I tossed some cash on the table and left without acknowledging him.
Gretchen was startled by my scars and for once I wished they weren’t there. Being with Gretchen is a new feeling. I can almost believe that it’s a better idea to chase away the bitterness I’ve been holding.
I’d much rather hold her.
The sight of Lake Stuart is a welcome one. When I first returned after eight long years away, I didn’t have that calming sense of coming home.
Now I do.
I make a stop at a small bakery on Mill Street, run into a woman who used to be a friend of my mother’s and buy a dozen sugar cookies shaped like Easter bunnies. It’s a little early for Easter but the girls will love the cookies.
I think I can be that kind of man, a man who goes out of his way to buy bunny cookies in the hopes of making two little girls smile.
It’s a short drive back to my street and I was planning to go straight to Gretch’s house. However I’ve been slacking on putting out a few fires on the Miami front so I need to take an hour or two to deal with business.
I’m not expecting to turn a corner and find a red Porsche squatting in the driveway.
A blizzard of F-bombs rolls through my mind as I brake beside the curb. I take a cautious look around for the shadow of my evil sibling but there’s only that damn car.
Feeling like I ought to be wearing a bullet proof vest instead of being armed with only a paper bag of bunny cookies, I approach my own house with caution. When I reach the front door I flash back to the day I was taken through it in handcuffs while that bastard who calls himself my brother stood by grinning like a comic book villain.
The door is locked, just how I left it. I meant to install a security system with cameras but haven’t found the time yet. If Liam’s inside then he’s trespassing.
Fuck him.
This is my house now.
I push the door open and Liam waves at me from the kitchen. His mouth is full and he’s helped himself to the salami and cheese in the fridge.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I don’t feel the need to be polite.
He picks up a salami slice, rolls it into a tube and pops it in his mouth.
“I’ve been waiting for your call. I knew you wouldn’t mind if I hung out here and waited so we could have a one on one brotherly talk.” He takes another salami slice. “Everything looks the same. I guess the last two owners didn’t touch a thing.”
“How the fuck did you get in?”
He chews and swallows. “You left the back door open.”
“I’m sure I didn’t.”
He sweeps some crumbs onto the floor. “You’re still careless. You did leave the back door unlocked. And you didn’t cover your tracks as well as you thought.”
I won’t give him the satisfaction of showing any surprise. I set the bag of cookies on the counter and say nothing.
Liam sighs. “If you wanted to buy your way into the business you could have just asked. I would have sold you a little piece, even let you have a desk at the office if it means that much to you.” He snaps his fingers. “Like when you were a kid and Dad would take you to work and let you play with the stapler. Hell, I’ve got an extra stapler you could have, Trent.”
“I don’t want a fucking thing of yours.”
He smiles and the sight is hideous. “Could have fooled me. Seems like you want to take something of mine badly enough to turn your own life upside down on a mission to get it.”
“Fuck you. I don’t take guidance from a lying, two-faced, thieving sack of shit.”
He wags
a finger. “There’s that temper of yours. If memory serves, it’s gotten you in trouble before. Good thing I was around to stop you from taking your anger out on a helpless old man who couldn’t even remember what year it was.”
I could strangle him. I really could. All that old rage and injustice threatens to explode into violence.
I clench my fists at my sides and breathe.
I think of Gretchen.
No, Liam won’t get what he wants today.
“How did you think this was going to go?” I ask him. “You know, you’re not very smart. You never were. This is my house you broke into. And now I’m telling you to fucking leave.”
Liam is unimpressed. “Pipe down, junior. We’re just two brothers reminiscing. There’s no chance you’re going to make any legal trouble stick simply because I walked in and ate your lunch. As for the brewery, you’re wasting your time and your cash. I would take it apart and burn the pieces before you get your trashy hands on it.”
“Then I guess you’ve got nothing to worry about. Might as well take your fat ass out of my house.”
He cackles and then gestures to the huge front window. “He loved to sit there. You remember? No, I guess you don’t. That was after you left. But yeah, he would sit there and say your name over and over again. He didn’t give a shit that I was here. He just cared that you weren’t.”
In another second I won’t be able to stop myself from tackling him. I return to the door and throw it open. “Get the fuck out.”
He takes two more slices of salami on his way out the door. “Your mother had too much input designing this place. It’s boring as hell.”
I cross my arms and rage in silence.
He whistles as he strolls to his car and I keep watch to make sure he leaves.
It’s unfortunate that Gretchen and the twins are passing the house right at this moment. The girls are pedaling their tricycles while Gretch follows, looking as exquisite as ever in black boots, leggings and a green sweater. She waves at me with a brilliant smile.
