Chapter Fifteen
I already had dough made in the fridge, so I grabbed it and got to work throwing a pizza together. Once it was in the oven, I grabbed a head of romaine and started to chop.
“You’re doing too much,” Brady said after he made a call to update Ron’s friends on what had happened.
“You’re a six-foot-three, two-hundred-plus pound man who is surviving on a Kind bar. You need a proper meal.”
“Six-four,” he corrected.
“Another inch that needs food.”
“I can give you a few inches,” he said, and a smile cracked at the edge of his mouth.
I didn’t want to laugh, but one slipped out. “I stepped into that.” I had four brothers; I knew better.
“You did.” He sat on one of the stools around my island, Jack lying at his feet. The cat was eating a can of tuna I put out for it. Hopefully, it would give Jack a nice reprieve. Fanny wasn’t his biggest fan, and he didn’t like her much, either.
Brady grabbed the bottle of whiskey and glass I put out for him. He poured and held up the glass. “You want any?”
I held up my own glass and smiled. “Already started. You need to catch up.”
“I didn’t know you were such a whiskey drinker.”
“Like a good red wine, it has a complex flavor profile. At least, a good whiskey does.”
“And you’re saying mine is a good whiskey?”
“You know damn well it is. You learned all about the aging process from the best.” He spent a lot of time with my grandfather and Franc in the barrel room.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”
“He would say people can only help you so much. You have to be willing—”
“To put in the hard work,” he finished.
“Exactly, and you have. You should be proud of yourself.”
Never being one to take a compliment, he took a sip of his whiskey and darted his eyes toward the oven.
“What made you buy a pizza oven?”
“I like pizza, and we don’t have a good pizza place in town. I was sick of having to travel to get good pizza.”
He laughed as he tilted his glass, the amber liquid rocking up the side.
“Why is that funny?”
“Even when it comes to ovens, you have a logical explanation.”
“What other type of explanation would I have?”
“Have you ever done anything spontaneous? Like buy a pizza oven without researching every make and model?”
“How do you know I did that?” I did. I wanted to make sure I was buying the one that best fit my needs while also being highly rated by others. I didn’t want to spend the money and hate it.
His eyebrow arched. “Have you met you? You’ve never done a spontaneous thing in your life.”
“Having sex with you on the tasting room floor seems pretty spontaneous to me.”
“Okay, so one spontaneous thing in your thirty-eight years.”
“What about that time I snuck out with you and Franc?” We had pushed Dad’s pickup truck down the driveway, so our parents wouldn’t wake up when we started it. We then drove across town to River Birch Park, where we met up with a bunch of friends. I was fifteen and panicked the entire time, afraid we’d get caught. I had set a timer on my watch to make sure we got home before our parents woke up.
“You were a nervous fucking wreck that night until Franc gave you your first wine cooler.”
“It was terrible.”
“But you drank it.”
It was the first time I had ever been drunk. It was the first time I let my inhibitions go. I started flirting with Danny Becker, and as I got more and more flirty…
“Why did you stop me from flirting with Danny Becker?”
“Because he was an asshole.”
“Why did you care?”
“Just like you were trying to protect me, I was trying to protect you. You deserved better than Danny Becker.”
I was amazed at how oblivious I had been. I thought he was being an overprotective and overbearing brother type. Honestly, at the time, I thought he was being a dick. I was having fun, wanting to flirt with a cute guy who had been paying attention to me, and Brady blocked me at every opportunity.
I finished cutting the romaine and tossed it in a bowl before sprinkling a decent amount of shredded Parmigiano Reggiano on top. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“That you liked me.” I held my hand up, cutting him off. “And don’t tell me it was because of what you overheard. If you had a crush on me, that meant you liked me way before that moment. So why not tell me?”
He sighed and took a sip of whiskey. He tipped the glass back and forth as if he was trying to think of a way out of answering. His eyes lingered on the amber liquid before looking up and locking on mine. “When I heard you call me trash that day, the reason it hurt so much, was because I believed it to be true. You deserved better than Danny Becker, but you also deserved better than me. Even if it killed me to see you with any guy, I knew I could never be worthy enough for you.”
“I hate you thought that.”
“Tell me it’s not true.”
“It’s not.”
“You’re full of shit. You just don’t want to hurt my feelings.”
“When have you ever known me to put someone’s feelings over the truth?” It was why I was considered a bitch by many. Some would say I didn’t have a filter, but I was more of a straight shooter. I didn’t believe in bullshitting. I didn’t believe in not being honest with someone.
“Not often.”
“How about never? There is one thing you can always count on with me, and that’s the truth. So when I tell you I never once thought you weren’t worthy of me, I am telling you the truth.”
“Come on. You’ve hated me since high school.”
I squeezed some lemon over the salad and added a generous amount of Caesar dressing. “Hating you and being attracted to you are two totally different things.”
“How so?” he asked.
I grabbed two plates and piled salad on top, pushing a plate toward Brady. We might have been having a conversation, but the man needed to eat.
“If you hated me, then you wouldn’t want to be with me,” he added.
“I’ve had sex dreams about you,” I blurted.
His eyebrows shot up, and his mouth opened slightly as though forming a response but then froze mid-thought. He looked as if he'd forgotten how to breathe. His gaze darted to mine, staring at me like he expected me to confirm he hadn’t heard me correctly. “What?” he finally managed.
“The books I read. They’re vampire books.”
“Vampire? Like Anne Rice?”
“Kind of. I call them my vampire sex books. They’re really explicit, and I might have fallen asleep while reading a few times and dreamed of you as the vampire.”
Realization settled in those green eyes. “That’s why you were ogling me on Halloween.”
“I don’t ogle.”
“Oh, you were ogling.”
“That’s not the point. The point is, I might have disliked you, but subconsciously, it wasn’t so cut and dry. My feelings for you were fueled by how you treated me.”
“I was a dick, so you were a bitch.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I said, stabbing a piece of lettuce with my fork. “But even with all the bickering, you managed to sneak into my dreams. Annoying then. Annoying now.”
“Annoying, but apparently irresistible.” He smirked, leaning closer.
“Don’t push your luck,” I warned, though the heat rising to my cheeks betrayed me. “Eat your salad.”
“As long as you know that when it comes to the bedroom, I’m the boss.”
My thighs quivered, and heat rushed through my entire body. Control was the one thing I desired. It gave me stability in my life. It was a way to control the chaos and make sure I was never caught off guard. Having so many siblings, control was the one thing that kept me grounded in that chaos. It wasn’t a matter of relinquishing my control; it was a matter of trusting someone enough to let me submit.
My night with Brady, I surrendered. I became a subordinate to his domination, and I had never felt more alive or safer.
“If I knew that would have put you in your head, I wouldn’t have said it. What could you possibly be over-analyzing in that statement?” he asked, and the fact he knew that was exactly what I was doing proved I could trust him.
“It’s not easy for me to give up control.”
“I know.”
“But in the bedroom, with you, I’d like that.”
He stood up, the stool making a loud scrape against the floor. He rounded the counter and snaked his hand around my waist.
“No,” I said as his head dipped. “I have salad breath, and the pizza is almost done.”
His finger pressed into my chin, tilting my head until I was looking right at him. “I’m in control, remember?”
“You said in the bedroom. We’re in the kitchen.”
He bent toward me, mouth inches from mine. “Semantics,” he said, then captured my lips. His hands tugged down my pants, and I stood there for a moment as his eyes raked over my lack of undergarments.
His Adam’s apple bobbed with a swallow. “Bare.” The word was a gruff grunt.
“You said you liked me bare.”
He grabbed my thighs and lifted me onto the counter. Before I could protest—I prepped food on this surface!—his mouth was on me. Electric heat shot through me, making any logical reasoning flee. A prisoner to his tongue, I placed my feet on the counter and pressed into his skilled mouth.
The timer for the pizza oven went off, and I flung my hand toward the power cord and jerked it free.
I felt Brady smile against my slick heat just before he slipped a finger inside. A cry tore from my lips, tremors of pleasure devouring me, turning the room black as my eyes slipped shut into sexy oblivion. His thumb found my swollen nub, and just when I thought I couldn’t possibly feel any more pleasure, my entire body exploded in a flash of ecstasy.
A tsunami of vibrations shook my body, and I thrust my hands into Brady’s hair, tugging at the knot at the back of his head.
He shot to his feet, sinking his hand into his pocket, retrieving his wallet, and slipping out a condom. He shoved his pants to the ground, sheathed his rock-solid erection, and dug his fingers into my thighs. Tugging me off the counter, he placed me on the floor, turned me around, and bent me over.
His tongue trailed up my neck, his foot urging my legs apart. “Here,” he said, taking my hands and planting them on the countertop. Heat expanded through my stomach as he gripped my sweatshirt and ripped it off me, leaving me completely nude.
A soft, tender kiss pressed to my shoulder blade just before he thrust into me. I cried out, and he did, too, but his teeth nipped into my shoulder, the noise muffled against my skin. His large hand gripped my waist, his other cupped my breast, kneading the plump mound.
My body curved, ass pressing into him, back bowing and head searching for him. His lips came down on mine, his tongue darting out and slashing violently against my own. Pain and pleasure collided as he pinched the hard tip of my nipple.
I’d never had sex in a kitchen before. Never had sex anywhere but a bedroom—tasting room not included. This was completely out of character for me, yet nothing had ever felt so right.
Brady shifted my left leg, lifting it and placing it on the counter, spreading me wider as he picked up speed. His thrusts became a brutal symphony of skin on skin. A sharp sting radiated from my ass cheek.
“Did you just slap me?” I asked, my words rough and uneven.
He palmed the spot and did it again. “You like it?” he asked against my ear, his breath caressing the sensitive curve just as his finger found my clit.
“Yes!” I cried out.
His grip on my waist tightened, his thrusts becoming harder but slower. His clever finger rubbed circles on my swollen nub. Sensations raced through me, the room a dizzying spiral of color that made it impossible to focus on anything. My eyelids snapped shut, my mind centering on the tingling flesh between my thighs, the slick heat between Brady’s body and mine, the heavy weight of my breast in his hand.
“Come for me,” he said, and I went to laugh at the absurdity. I couldn’t come on demand, but as his words whispered in my ear, my inner muscles tightened. “Fuck, baby.”
He picked up speed again, his finger working my clit, his other rolling my turgid nipple. A fire built inside me, spiraling toward release. Flames raced through my veins, his finger drawing it all to the center, igniting an inferno. My body shook with anticipation. His tongue swiped along the curve of my ear before taking my lobe between his teeth.
The world around me exploded in white as the fire consumed me, rendering me in a pile of limbs. Brady held me up as the tremors rolled through me. As the world came into focus, he spun me around, kissed me hard, and lifted me onto his cock, pounding into me.
Barely able to hold my head up, I wrapped my arms around his neck, clinging to him, nuzzling into the crook. He slammed into me, my body absorbing every delicious thrust.
A groan rumbled up his throat, and I kissed the spot on his neck where his Adam’s apple bobbed.
“Fuck,” he bit off, his fingers digging into the flesh of my ass.
I snaked my tongue along the bulging vein leading to his jaw, and his grip tightened even more. Thrusts became harder, faster, until he cried out his release.
We stood there for a moment, me suspended in the air, hanging onto him, him standing with his pants pooled at his feet. I lifted my eyes and they locked on Jack’s. He stared on in what I can only imagine was horror. A laugh slipped from my lips.
“What’s so funny?” Brady asked in between breaths.
“I think we scarred Jack for life.”
He spun around, one hand on my ass, his cock still inside me. “Sorry, buddy.”
Brady’s hand slid up my back, and he lowered me to the floor. My feet hit, but he held me to him, lifting my chin with his finger. He placed a chaste kiss on my lips. “How about that pizza?”
My legs wobbled when I went to walk. Brady caught me, scooping me into his arms and placing me on the stool. “I need my clothes.” I went to get up, and he shook his head.
“I told you. I like you bare.”
“But we’re eating.” I crossed my arms over my chest, but he gently took my wrist and urged it downward.
“Have you never eaten naked before?”
“No.”
“First time for everything.”
“It’s not sanitary.”
“My mouth was just in between your legs while you were spread eagle on your countertop. Are we really going to talk about it not being sanitary?”
My lips parted, then snapped shut. He removed the condom, washed his hands, took the pizza out of the oven, and placed it between us. At least he washed his hands.
“Plates are in the cabinet above the oven.”
He shook his head again and used the pizza cutter to cut it into slices. “We don’t need plates.”
I narrowed my gaze, giving him my best look of intimidation. He didn’t budge.
“Live a little, Char.”
All I could think about were the crumbs on the island. The potential drips of sauce on the countertop. Not that I couldn’t clean it up afterward. And it would be fewer dishes to deal with. I reached for a slice, feeling rebellious and empowered. Before I could let my brain stop me, I took a bite.
“I knew you had it in you,” Brady said.
He extended for a slice, and I slapped his hand. “If I have to be fully naked, so do you. Why is your shirt still on?” I really just wanted to admire his abs, but also I’d feel more comfortable if he was completely bare.
He reached behind him, gripping his shirt and pulling it over his head. “Can I eat now?”
With a smile, I nodded. My eyes lingered on the hard planes of his chest and down to the ridges of his abs. He just gave me a mind-numbing orgasm, but here I was, horny again and ready for round two.
Brady took a bite, his eyes widening as he chewed. “This is fantastic.”
“Thank you. And it saves me the time to drive to find good pizza.”
“I don’t think anywhere in an hour's drive from here would have pizza this good.”
“If you like my original pie, you should try my white pie. It’s Sherry’s favorite.”
He took the crust and held it out for Jack. “For scarring you earlier.”
“Have you seen Fanny?” I asked, taking a bite of pizza, then spinning around to search the living room.
“Maybe you scared her off with all the noises you were making.”
“ Me ?” I exclaimed. “You were making plenty yourself, buddy.”
“I’m sure she’s around somewhere. Probably plotting my demise.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Fanny’s a sweetheart. Sometimes it takes a little time to see beneath the hard exterior, but when you do, you’ll find a kind soul.”
“Are you talking about the cat or yourself?”
“Both.”
A loud meow echoed through the kitchen and we both looked at each other.
“I hear her,” Brady said. “But where the hell is she?”
Jack walked over to the cabinet and started barking. I had opened that cabinet to get the oregano. I didn’t remember closing it.
Brady reached down, pulling the door open, and Fanny jetted out, running like she was being chased by a deadly predator.
“Fanny, I’m so sorry,” I called, but she was already up the stairs.
“You’re a terrible cat sitter.” Brady laughed.
“Excuse me… This is your fault.”
“My fault! How?”
“You distracted me.”
“How exactly did I distract you?” Brady crossed his arms, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“You exist!” I shot back, throwing my hands up. “How am I supposed to focus around all… this?” I gestured at him, and his smirk deepened, only fueling my irritation—and the explosion of heat in my cheeks.
Brady’s smirk turned into a full-blown grin as he stepped around the island toward me, the heat of his presence overwhelming. “All this ?” he teased, his voice low and infuriatingly confident. His cock standing at attention. “Care to elaborate, Char?”
“Can you go back to your side of the island and eat your pizza?”
“Why? Am I distracting you?”
“No.” I turned my head up. Two could play this game. “Not at all.” I took a bite of pizza and ignored him. Though it was nearly impossible with his dick practically poking my thigh.
He took a bite of his pizza and then another, still standing there. He tossed the crust to Jack, then swept me into his arms. I was still holding my slice of pizza. “What are you doing, you ogre?”
“Finally taking you to bed.”
“I’m not done eating.”
“Bring it with you.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“I’ve never been clearer.”
“I absolutely will not eat in my bedroom.”
“Then you better shove that slice in your mouth before we get there.”
He moved toward the stairs. “What about the pizza that’s on the counter?”
“What about it?”
“It can’t stay there. We need to wrap it and put it in the refrigerator.”
“It can wait.”
“It’ll take me less than sixty seconds.” I tried to wiggle out of his arms, but he had a death grip on me.
“Eat your pizza, baby. You’re going to need the sustenance.”
His words shot an excited jolt through my treacherous body, and once again, I submitted to Brady Noah.