Chapter 17
seventeen
. . .
Brinkley
Lincoln and I drove to my parents’ house after he arrived at my house. He was acting like nothing had gone down last night. Meanwhile, I hadn’t slept a wink. I’d tossed and turned with memories of the world’s best orgasm flooding my mind all night long.
Jesus.
The fact that the most erotic, sexy, amazing moment of my life had happened at my brother’s restaurant in the middle of the kitchen was beyond anything I could comprehend. I’d gone for some pie and left with a whole lot more than that.
Was I sweating now?
We pulled up in front of my parents’ house and he came around to help me out of the car.
“Your cheeks are pretty flushed. Want to tell me what you’re thinking about?” he said with a cocky smirk.
“What? I’m not flushed. It’s hot outside.” I couldn’t look at him.
“It’s seventy-five degrees tonight. Actually, it’s pretty cool with the breeze. I think you’re thinking about that kiss last night.”
“Of course, you do. Because you’re arrogant and cocky and—” I threw my hands in the air because I was flustered. He was right. That kiss was all I could think about.
He wrapped his fingers around my wrist and turned me to face him. “You can’t stop thinking about it because neither can I. It was a good fucking kiss. The best I’ve ever had.”
“Stop,” I whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was watching us because I was suddenly ridiculously turned on.
“The way you rocked up and down my cock like you fucking owned it… Because you do, Brinkley. This can all be yours if you want it. I’ll make you come so many times you won’t be able to see straight, sweetheart.”
The bastard.
My breaths were labored, and desire pooled between my thighs. This was not good.
I pressed my fingers to my temples. “Okay, this stops now. My parents live here. No more talk about last night. Let’s go.”
He chuckled, and we started walking again. “You a little frustrated, baby?”
“I’m fine,” I hissed as we walked up the cobblestone sidewalk toward the front door. I turned around and poked my finger hard into his chest, and I wanted to tear his buttons open and kiss every inch of him. My God. What was happening to me? “Best behavior, Captain.”
“Always.” The back of his hand grazed mine, and goose bumps ran down my arms and legs.
Once we stepped inside, all hell broke loose. Everyone gawked and fawned over the football star.
“Lincoln, I can’t believe you’re really here,” my mother said. The woman didn’t give a damn about football, but she was suddenly very interested in the man.
Maddox and Wyle were there, and of course, they were laughing and talking and telling my brothers that he was coming to guys’ night this week.
Cage introduced Gracie to Lincoln, but my brother could barely form a sentence when he tried to speak.
Hugh and Finn were completely comfortable and acting like they’d been best friends with the guy for years.
“I think he’s having a good time,” Georgia said as we stood several feet away from them, sipping our wine. Lila walked over to join us, as my mom was busy in the kitchen.
“He does. And this can be an overwhelming group.” Lila chuckled.
“Yeah. I mean, they’re all falling all over him. I don’t know why he wouldn’t enjoy that. The man has a big ego.”
Georgia studied me. “It’s okay to say that you like him. He seems like a really good guy.”
“I agree. Don’t fight it, girl. He’s hot. You’re hot,” Lila said, waggling her brows.
“He’s fine. We’re friends.”
“Oh, I know that face. You like him,” Georgia whispered before grabbing mine and Lila’s hands and tugging us toward the hallway. “Tell me.”
“It’s nothing. I’m attracted to him. We accidentally kissed last night.
And then he pretended that he wanted to actually date me.
Give it a real try. See where it goes. It’s ridiculous.
I was on board with a one-time fling—no risk of anyone’s feelings getting hurt.
But he wanted to go and make it complicated. ”
“You’ve never even had a one-night stand. Why are you pushing for that?” Georgia asked.
“I mean, maybe he knows one night just won’t be enough,” Lila whispered.
“I’m not against having a one-nighter. I just haven’t found anyone that I wanted to give it a try with and that I was super attracted to. Plus, he’s not the dating type. He’s a freaking football star. Come on. Am I the only one that sees it? This would never work.”
“Football stars date all the time. It’s not unheard of.” Lila shrugged.
“And he never stops staring at you. Maddox and I both noticed it when you were over yesterday. And you’re always together. Why are you so afraid to give it a try?”
“There are a million reasons why it won’t work.”
“There were a million reasons why your brother and I would never work, and look at us,” Lila said.
Georgia chuckled. “Agreed. And the idea of Maddox and I felt impossible at first. Give me one good reason why it can’t work,” Georgia said, putting her hands on her hips, and Lila stood beside her, waiting, as well.
“I can name several. He’s a freaking football star. He’s moving across the country. We annoy each other daily.”
Georgia studied me for a long moment before she spoke. “You really like him, and you’re afraid of getting hurt. That’s new for you, isn’t it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Brinks. You’ve never dated a man who challenged you. You tend to date really passive guys who you tire of quickly. But there’s no risk there, is there?”
“Yeah, I have to agree. That Kaeran guy had the personality of a snail,” Lila said, and she and Georgia broke out in a fit of laughter.
“What are you talking about? Obviously, I prefer to date guys that I don’t fight with. That’s sort of a good thing.” I chuckled and looked up when Lincoln said my name.
“That’s just the arrogant football player bragging about how you’re getting all these job offers because you’re so talented. He’s such a pig,” Georgia said, making no attempt to hide her sarcasm.
“The nerve of him.” Lila smirked.
Thankfully, my mother called us all to the table for dinner.
“Okay, enough of this conversation. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
We all sat around the table, and my father looked so starstruck it was difficult not to laugh.
Lincoln sat beside me, with Cage and Gracie on the other side of him. Hugh and Lila were directly across from us, and Georgia and Maddox sat beside them with Wyle on the other side of them. Finn was next to me, and my parents were each at the head of the table.
We passed the platters of chicken and mashed potatoes and corn on the cob around the table as Gracie asked Lincoln several questions about football. It was adorable the way he answered each one as she listened intently.
“I want to thank you for what you’re doing for Lionel,” Hugh said as he passed the rolls to Lila. “He worked with me this morning, and he was all excited that you texted him last night.”
“What is he doing for Lionel?” my father asked.
“He’s helping him out with the hope that Lionel can continue his football career in college.
Even if he just walks onto a team, it would be good for him to go away and experience college.
The dude has been working for a long time, and he deserves a chance to just be a normal college kid, and if he got to play for a team, it would be the icing on the cake,” my brother said.
“He’s a good kid. I’m happy to help.”
I glanced over at him. “Did you speak to the coach?”
“Yeah. He’s going to reach out, and he passed his name to a few other programs.”
Wow. He’d really followed through. I was impressed.
I hadn’t realized he’d made the call.
“So, Lincoln, I don’t know a whole lot about you outside of being a football star,” my mother said as she scooped some salad onto her plate. “Are you married or dating?”
Leave it to my parents to make things completely awkward.
“Mom,” I groaned. “We work together. That’s not something you should ask.”
Everyone chuckled, and my mom smiled at me.
“Brinks,” she mimicked me, and there was more laughter. “You spend every day with this man, you just flew across the country with him, and he’s at our home for dinner. This is called small talk, my love.”
“Grammie loves small talk,” Gracie sang out, and I sighed.
“Actually, Alana, it’s funny you should ask. I’m not married, but I am trying to date your daughter. She’s just putting up a big fight because she’s a bit stubborn, which I’m guessing isn’t news to any of you?”
No. He. Didn’t.
The table was silent as they all tried to hide their smiles, which was not the norm for a Reynolds’ family dinner. My eyes probably doubled in size as I gaped at him.
“She is painfully stubborn. I couldn’t agree more,” Cage said, breaking the silence. “But if you do win her over, do we get season tickets for life?”
Hugh and Finn laughed, and I rolled my eyes.
“Maddox already got you all season tickets, so don’t be pimping me out,” I hissed.
“What does pimping mean?” Gracie asked.
Damn it. I couldn’t even have a meltdown without feeling like an asshole.
“I’d be happy to answer this one,” Wyle said, and the entire table turned and shouted the word: No.
More laughter.
“It’s an adult word,” Cage said, shooting me a look. “One your auntie shouldn’t be using. And thank you, Maddox, for the tickets, and Lincoln, whatever perks dating our sister gets us, I’d be down for.”
My hands came down on the table hard, and I shook my head. “You are all a bunch of traitors.”
“Hey, we love you. We just really love Lincoln,” Finn said before chomping down on his corn on the cob.
“You all have been a lot easier to win over than this one.” Lincoln flicked his thumb at me before reaching for his glass of wine.
“She’s never been easy,” Cage said, shaking his head. “The girl has exhausted me most of my life. The other three—piece of cake.”
Everyone at the table lost it as Finn threw his hands in the air. “Hey. We have names. We may be easy, but we have feelings, too.”
“Um, I was called ‘this one’,” I said, elbowing Lincoln in the arm. “And you were far from easy yourself, Cage.”
“All right. Let’s relax,” my father said while still trying to pull himself together.
“Easy or strong or difficult or hilarious… we love you all the same.”
“Wait. What does that mean?” I asked, because not one single person had yet to say that I wasn’t exhausting. “Mom, am I exhausting?”
“Honey. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
“I think that says it all,” Finn said with a wide grin on his face.
“Whatever. You can all side with the football god over here. But I’ve had more successful relationships than he has.”
“I think Mom is best equipped for this one.” Georgia winked. “Lincoln, did you know our mom was a therapist?”
“Yes. Brinkley did tell me that. So, let’s hear it, Alana. Why won’t she date me?”
“I am going to torture you slowly when we leave here,” I whisper-hissed in Lincoln’s ear, and he turned and waggled his brows.
“I’m looking forward to it, sweetheart,” he said, close to my ear.
“So, obviously I don’t know Lincoln’s dating past, but I know Brinkley’s. Three serious relationships. Not one of them was someone any of us thought you’d wind up with. They were all—hmmm… mild in personality.”
“Interesting.” Lincoln chuckled. “I’m guessing she had a lot of control over those relationships. Not a lot of risk there.”
“Bingo,” my mother said.
What the hell was this?
“Are you kidding me right now? Okay, let’s hear it. How many long-lasting relationships have you had, Lincoln Hendrix?” I raised a brow.
“Well, I had a high school girlfriend for two years, and we broke up when we went to college.”
“Let me guess. You became the big man on campus and kicked little small-town Suzie to the curb?”
“Wrong. I went to a small college and hardly anyone knew my name. My girlfriend’s name was not Suzie—her name was Lucy—and she fell in love with her college professor and ended things with me.”
“What a little tartlet,” Georgia said, and everyone laughed.
“It’s fine. The relationship had run its course. I think she married the dude and has a kid or two now. All worked out well.”
“Next?” I asked, arms folded over my chest.
“I transferred to Alabama and met Barbie. We dated for almost a year. She wanted to get married and have kids, and I didn’t. So, she gave me an ultimatum, and I walked away.”
“See? Afraid of commitment.” I glanced around the table, looking for people to back me.
“I was twenty years old. Marriage and kids were not on my radar. I was honest. She was honest. No one got hurt.”
“I mean, I get that. I hardly think anyone at this table wanted to get married when they were twenty years old,” Cage said, obviously siding with Lincoln. “Continue, Linc.”
Linc?
My brother didn’t use nicknames for anyone but his daughter and his siblings.
Clearly, Lincoln had won the man over.
“I got drafted right out of college, and my focus was football.” He glanced at me.
“I’ve had two girlfriends over the last seven years.
Neither lasted more than a year. Lynette couldn’t handle the fact that I traveled so much.
She was jealous, and my lifestyle was too much for her.
Jaqueline was an actress who wanted her ten minutes of fame and sold a story about my mother to the tabloids, and she was also unfaithful.
So, I’ve remained single because it’s easier.
And God knows that Brinkley isn’t easy, but for whatever reason, I just don’t care.
It doesn’t scare me.” He turned toward me.
“You don’t scare me, Brinkley Reynolds.”
“Wow. She scares everyone. This is a first,” Finn said, and Cage agreed.
“Auntie Brinks doesn’t scare me either, Links. Hey, Links and Brinks. That’s a rhyme, Daddy.”
Everyone laughed, but I just stared at the man beside me. “Aren’t you always closed off and guarded? What’s with all the confessions tonight?”
“I like you, and I like your family. Deal with it. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I think he wins this one, honey,” my mother said.
“I say we keep him,” Wyle said, and everyone cheered.
“I say we keep him, too, Auntie.” Gracie came over and climbed on my lap.
I acted annoyed, but they’d all hit a nerve.
Because I wanted to keep him, too.
But wanting someone came with a lot of risks.
And that terrified me.