Chapter Fifteen
I have an “immense dong.” No, no, that’s not my ego talking—that’s what SHE said.
Brody
I needed to stop this before it went too far. There wasn’t a chance in hell I was taking this woman to bed when I had even the smallest doubt about her sobriety or ability to consent.
Then she’d whispered, “Let me get lost in you.”
As much as I wanted her, I knew she’d regret it later. No, I wouldn’t be her regret. I also couldn’t help the flash of disappointment I felt.
Sure, I got what she needed. Whatever was bothering her—sometimes you just wanted to blow off steam and Lily wanted to use me to that end.
But that’s not us. We’re already more.
We weren’t one-night-standing this. Lily wasn’t some chick I could screw tonight and watch her go out with someone else tomorrow. No, I’d rip some poor fucknut’s head off before I let that happen.
I liked this woman. I enjoyed spending time with her. We were friends and I wanted to get to know her better. To understand how experiences like being Billy Costello’s kid had shaped her. When I took Lily to bed, it would be when I knew she wanted me . Not number 58, not the celebrity, not to blow off steam with a guy she could trust, and not her friend whose help she needed to find a puppy mill.
I’d know she was in it for me alone.
Until then, I had no intention of letting this get any more hands-on .
Picking up on the shift in me, she studied my face. “Something wrong?”
Stroking her cheek with a finger, that violet hue hit me right in the gut. “Lily...” Instead of answering, I settled my forehead against hers, breathing in her intoxicating scent. Warm sugar cookies, and some exotic bloom. Cupping the side of her neck, I brushed my thumb over her swollen bottom lip. I wanted to be inside her. To know if that scent intensified when her most sensitive skin was damp from my lips. Yet, when she started to move against me—all that warm and soft against my hard and straining—I knew I couldn’t give her what she needed. Not tonight. “Shit.”
If I continued to stay under her in that chair, I’d cave. I’d arch into her and put the pressure on, letting her slide against me until she found the oblivion she was searching for. Instead, I gripped her waist and stood, letting her legs fall away from my lap, but holding her off the floor to set her against the kitchen wall. When a helpless sound escaped her throat, the ache at the base of my spine took on a life of its own. I knew she’d make that sound when she came for me.
The things this woman did to me... Setting an arm above her head, I wiped my forehead with my shoulder, trying to get a grip. Lily had other ideas. When she met my look with all the shades of violet and plum swirling in her gaze... Heat. So much heat, I nearly broke. I wanted my mouth on hers so damn bad. That look was too raw, too full of the need I felt, too.
Lips parted, she angled her head, waiting for me to drop my mouth to hers, and nothing in my life had ever been prettier, or harder to deny. “Fuck.” Even on her toes she couldn’t reach my mouth if I didn’t meet her partway. And I didn’t. Not that I didn’t want another of those drugging, drawn-out kisses of hers that tasted like sin come to life. But there was a chance she wouldn’t remember this.
I’d be damned before I’d let her forget another kiss that singed my very soul.
“Lily...” Why was doing the right thing so damn hard?
“Brody...” Her voice was like silk.
As I pried my eyelids open, she shifted her focus to my neck and brushed her lips over the hollow at the base of my throat, her little pink tongue slipping out to dip inside.
In all my life, I hadn’t realized that would be such a turn-on or how perfectly a woman’s tongue filled that unassuming little spot. Not a woman’s tongue. This woman’s tongue.
The sound that came out of me was somewhere between a moan and a caveman grunt. Just one more kiss. Sliding my hand into the hair at her nape, I tilted her head back and sank my mouth to hers.
And I took. Slipping into her soft warmth, I ran my tongue through every inch of her mouth. Over tongue and teeth and every dark, damp crevice. In and out, back and forth. Each time I’d withdraw she’d chase, every new sensation uncovered, and she’d gasp, letting me swallow her sighs. Damn, we were good together. Lily Costello gave as good as she got.
Step by step, I was moving backwards, this woman who was so tiny compared to me pushing me back where she wanted me.
It was when she wobbled to the side as my ass hit the kitchen counter and her stomach pushed against my throbbing cock that I pulled up.
I tugged at her nape to find her wet lips parted and plum-colored irises heavy with barely banked heat. I’d never seen anything so sexy in all my life. When she spoke, I realized how drunk she was.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Brody. You have an immense dong. Whoops.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
A guffaw worked up my throat. Damn, the woman was cute.
My cock jerked against my jeans and her eyes widened before she collapsed onto my chest with a snort.
“Christ, you’re not making this easy,” I said, rubbing a hand over my face. But I hadn’t missed the way she leaned against me. “Lily, how much did you drink?”
“Dunno, wasn’t countin’. Had kind of a shitty day.”
Aww, hell. “Let’s get you to bed, darlin’.”
An innocent look crossed her face that I wasn’t buying for a minute. “Comin’ with?”
After a steadying breath, I slid an arm around her back and another behind her knees, scooping her up. “I’m putting you to bed. That’s all. Now, where’s your room.”
“End of the hall on the right. Wish you’d come with me.” Her head dropped against my chest.
I felt the wave of sadness wash over her. “What happened today?”
Her eyes turned watery and she spilled words I knew she’d wish she could take back. “Today’s my daddy’s birthday. I was supposed to have lunch with my mom, but...”
Halting my gait, I felt my heart crack wide open. “I’m sorry, Lil.”
Running a hand over her face, she immediately looked embarrassed.
I shouldn’t have asked. Not because I didn’t want to know her—I did—but I hated that I’d made her say the words out loud.
I toed the door open. “But?”
“Huh? Put me down.”
Doing as she said, I asked, “Why didn’t you have lunch with your mom?”
“She, umm...she, she blindsided me with Dick.” She snorted, laughed hard, forcing a grin out of me as I popped her feet under the covers. “I mean her husband. Not cock.”
“I figured,” I said, pulling the blanket over her shoulders.
“Oh, I gotta let the dogs out.” She started to sit up.
“Shh. I got ’em.”
“Mmm, thank you, sugar.” With that, she snuggled in, drifting off at record speed.
After letting let the dogs out, I gathered up supplies for the night. I set the dishwasher to run, wiped down the table, washed the wineglasses. Nothing sucked more than cleaning a dirty kitchen with a hangover.
The entire time, all I could think about was the little peek into what it must have been like for her, being Billy Costello’s daughter. How that would have shaped not only how she saw football, but what she thought of me, and I didn’t blame Lily for wanting to stay away.
The sad thing was, now I wanted her more with every piece of herself she let me see. I didn’t just like her. I was risking a hell of a lot more than just my job with Lily. I wanted her to see me for who I was, not just what I did for a living or who’d I’d been in the past. I needed her to understand I wasn’t her dad. Because I cared about her.
You think Andra caused trust issues. Imagine what Lil would do.
I harrumphed.
I’d thought I could love Andra.
With Lily, I knew I could.
Yet, did I want to go down that road again? It wasn’t until after Andra had left that I’d become that guy—the one Lily didn’t want to have anything to do with. The guy who chased tail and slept his way through the Metroplex because it was easy to avoid attachment that way. The guy that didn’t trust anyone because he didn’t trust his own ability to judge character.
After hunting around the house, I found a trash can in her bathroom that I sat next to the bed, then let the dogs in. Jet and Mack disappeared into Lily’s bedroom.
Leaving her door cracked, I went out to the couch, where I tossed a decorative pillow to one end before I toed off my shoes and lay down, pulling a throw off the back.
CC took it upon herself to climb halfway on top of me. On Lil’s small couch. Suffice it to say, sleep was fitful with monster dog half on top of me, blue balls, and thoughts of the woman in the next room.
But at least if she needed anything, I’d be here.
And I didn’t even want to contemplate the implications of that thought.
Lily
When my alarm went off the following morning, the first thing I noticed was a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin. Next to me on the bed, Mack continued to saw logs while Jet jumped down to stretch. Before I reached for the lamp my head started to pound.
Fun.
Kicking my legs over the edge, I found my feet next to a trash can.
Damnit. Why did he have to be so thoughtful?
What happened between us crashed over my brain and oh, how I wished I didn’t remember. At least I hadn’t slept with him. I’d wanted to. Like, really, really wanted to. I wanted to grind up on his pole like a stripper. His enormous pole. I could still remember the feel of that thing against my stomach. “Jesus H, Lily.” I slapped a hand over my eyes.
Downing the water and aspirin, I made use of the bathroom before stumbling into the kitchen for more water. It for damn sure wasn’t in this state last night.
Brody didn’t just put my drunk, loose-lipped ass to bed. He’d cleaned up my kitchen, too. Even my dog’s food bowls were washed and sitting on the counter. The smell of coffee hit my nose. Brody had left a clean mug sitting in front of a freshly brewed pot with a note propped against it.
Morning, darlin’,
Figured you might want some of this first thing. I wanted to stay last night in case you needed anything, so I slept on your couch. I fed the dogs breakfast and took them out. Promised I’d meet Hayes for an early run before it gets hot, but I’ll be home after that. Call me later, okay? Lord knows I’ve been where you are this morning, and I don’t envy you one bit, but we’ve got things to talk about, Lil.
Thinking about you,
Brody
One of my throw blankets had been folded neatly and placed next to a throw pillow on the couch.
Seriously? Is this dude even for real?
Despite the hangover, I felt more hopeful than I had in a long time.
Perhaps I’d sold him short. Maybe Brody Shaw was the real deal...
Or is he too good to be true?