28. Clover
TWENTY-EIGHT
Clover
I bite my arm to keep from squealing as Brooks’s tongue sweeps up through my seam.
This is the best damned wake-up call I’ve ever had, but I’ll admit to not being totally prepared for him to start going down on me when we were just sleeping a few minutes ago.
He was slipping under the covers and pulling my sleep shorts down before I could properly think, but now, I’m certainly not about to stop him.
Usually, I wake up to my alarm, letting me know it’s time to sneak back over to my room so that Darby doesn’t see me sleeping in Brooks’s bed.
It’s annoying, but I’m willing to sacrifice to enjoy our evenings together. And Brooks has been known to come back to my room on occasion and enjoy his own early-ass alarm—like today.
This is a lot better than a screeching alarm.
Gripping my thighs, Brooks spreads me further, lavishing me with his tongue, and I moan, desperately trying to keep it quiet. The grip he has on me is so fierce—as if there’s nothing in the world that could pry me away from him.
Except, of course, time. But I’m not going to think about that.
Thankfully, the flick of his tongue over my clit has my brain scrambling, and I forget all those silly worries that don’t really matter, at least not now.
He works that needy tip like he’s been starved for me, and I grind against his mouth, unable to stop myself.
“Brooks, oh God…” I tangle my fingers in his hair, right on the edge of a powerful release.
Like my words spur him on, Brooks circles his tongue around my entrance before dipping two fingers inside me. I squeak, chewing on my lip to hold back my sounds.
Brooks was never bad at this, but after the time we’ve spent together, he’s even better. The man has memorized my curves and the spots inside me that make me go wild.
Whoever said that relationship sex is boring didn’t do it right.
My hips lift off the bed some, and Brooks shoves me back down with one hand, slowing his rhythm with the other. He’s dragging this out for as long as he can.
Do I mind?
Sliding out, his two fingers spread me, and these impossible-to-describe sucks and licks glide over every exposed bit of my flesh.
No, I do not.
My underwear is still on, and as Brooks hikes my leg higher, he grabs the fabric in a fist and squeezes on it—hard. The pinch against my skin makes my clit tingle, and then his lips seal around the tiny bud as he sucks at a maddeningly slow pace.
“Goddamn it, Brooks,” I whisper, gripping his hair, “please…”
A muffled chuckle sounds, the vibrations rumbling my lips, and without a word, Brooks begins to flick his tongue over my clit so damned fast.
I buck, the sensations incredibly overwhelming, and then he’s hooking a finger inside me, teasing my entrance with shallow pulses.
Then, his lips and tongue both dance across my tip, sliding back and forth until he sucks again, driving his two fingers entirely inside me again. For as slow and gentle as he was before, now he’s wild and raw.
It’s nearly impossible to keep myself quiet, heavy moans escaping me, and I thank God that my room is down a floor from Darby’s.
Brooks is a damned king, and he alternates between flicking that magnificent tongue and sucking, just as his fingers switch between slow, deep penetrations and quick thrusts.
I’m dragging my fingers through his hair over and over again, needing something to do with my hands—my entire body—because it’s all so much.
We both know I’m close now, and there’s no stopping this freight train. I can’t hold still, the tingling need for release climbing higher and higher into the stratosphere.
Aside from his “work,” Brooks has been so quiet. I mean, he is using his mouth for far better things than talking right now, but right as I’m about to tip over that edge, he pulls back long enough to whisper.
“That’s it, darlin’. Come for me.”
And boy, do I.
Everything rushes forward with a surge of pleasure and heat that has me pulsing around Brooks’s fingers, my hips rocking wildly as I fall apart.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
The crescendo is mind-blowing, and I’m utterly blissed out and spent after one of the best orgasms of my life. I can barely hold my eyes open, re-exhausted even though I had a full night’s rest.
Brooks crawls back up the bed, lying beside me and tucking me against his side. My heart is pounding so damn hard, and I can feel his chest rise and fall rapidly as he catches his breath.
“I sort of…” I have to suck in more air, still coming down from everything. “…bad that I’m not returning the gesture.”
Chuckling, Brooks smooths his hand up and down my arm, kissing the back of my head.
“Eh, don’t. This was about you, and trust me, I enjoyed myself plenty.” He sighs. “I just might have to take care of a few things in the shower.”
I can’t help but giggle at that, and then we’re both quiet, enjoying this moment of peace after our “eventful” morning.
After a while, I roll onto my back, still right up against Brooks, and I look up at him with a smile. He grins back at me, and then my chat with Rosie yesterday pops into my head.
“Oh! I forgot to tell you. Rosie asked me to sing at a pub on Main Street Saturday night.”
Brooks’s grin widens, and he raises his brows. “Hey, that’s awesome. You’re going to do it, right?”
“Well…” I hesitate, the apprehension I felt yesterday coming right back. “I’m a bit nervous. I mean, the fair was one thing, but singing in front of a crowded bar? That’s another.”
Adjusting so that he’s on his side, his body propped up by his elbow, Brooks faces me, taking my chin in his strong hand and getting me to look at him.
“You really should do it. I know how much you love to sing, and you’re amazing. You have nothing to be nervous about.”
“That’s very easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to go up in front of a bunch of people you barely know and warble out some non-country tune.”
He laughs at me, and I get it. I know that my fears are ruling the show right now, but it’s true. I’m not from here. I’m from the city, and I know that the audience is going to keep that hanging over my head.
“That’s fair, but I’ll be right there. You can keep your eyes pinned on me—like before.” He smiles, and I remember the first time he heard me sing and the way that night began all this. “And I’ll bring Darby. He’s the best one-man hype squad you could ask for.”
Laughing, I nod. “That’s true. He is a very good hype man.”
There’s a beat, and I can tell that Brooks sees I’m still questioning things. He tilts my chin up again, and I offer a self-conscious smile.
“Hey, it’s your passion, Lucky. And not many people have the chance to actually go after that. This is your chance. I don’t want you to miss it. If you go, and you wind up hating it, at least, then you’ll know.”
There’s a part of me that still wants to fight him, but Brooks is a damn good negotiator, all things considered.
“You know, you’re sometimes too supportive.” I slide my chin away only to bury myself in Brooks’s arms. “But thanks. You’re probably right.”
His chuckle rocks me where I’m laying my cheek on his chest. “I’m usually right. People keep forgetting that.”
We laugh, and a comfortable silence smooths over the room as we just hold each other.
I like this. I like this so damn much.
As much as I know I shouldn’t, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if I stayed here. This moment is so… nice . It’s a simple joy that I could so get used to, and I have to admit…that I really want to.
This is comfortable. It’s comforting.
Being with Brooks was hardly on the list of things I should do while I was here, but now that I am, now that I’ve known this, I don’t know how I’m supposed to go back to where I don’t.
Rosie, Darby, my dad, they’re all these people that I’m going to miss terribly when…if…I go back. I have a life here now, something else I truly didn’t see coming, and what am I supposed to do about that?
Kyle is still looking for me, still pissed. There’s no rush to go back to NYC.
But that’s not the only thing that’s going on. Dad bought that house. He wants me to move in with him.
I could tell him I want to stay here, but he’s going to ask why. I could tell him because I think it’s easier with Darby, and that would be mostly true.
It would also be another lie, and I really don’t want to do that.
I don’t lie. I don’t do it to my clients. I don’t do it to my family or friends. And the fact that I did, that I lied to my dad, to his face, eats at me every day.
Still, telling my dad the truth could hurt him. It could drive a wedge between us, and there are few things in the world I fear more than losing my dad.
He’s all I have left of my family.
Maybe he would understand eventually, but that’s if I decided I really wanted to do the “relationship” thing with Brooks.
Brooks…
I reflexively squeeze him, and he hugs me right back. I’ve never liked a guy the way I like him. I’ve never felt like long-term was an option with anyone else.
That’s huge, isn’t it?
Home isn’t a place, honey. More often than not, it’s a person.
I hear my mom’s voice in my head as she looks at Dad, knowing that they’re moving, but she’s fine with it because she’ll be with Dad.
I do feel at home here in Red Lodge, so much more than I ever felt in NYC. Is that because of Brooks?
He makes me feel wanted, seen . I’m not just running on survival mode from one emergency to the next. It’s…slower here.
Better.
Knock, knock, knock. “Clover?!”
I jump, clinging onto Brooks, who sucks in a hard breath and then immediately holds it. Fucking Christ, Darby is at the door, and I’m in here naked with his dad.
It takes me a second to find my voice, which I hope plays off like he just woke me up.
“Umm, yeah?”
“Have you seen Dad? I can’t find him.”
Looking up at Brooks, he smirks down at me and all I can do is glare. The jerk knew it was getting late, and he dawdled because he was “hungry.”
Still, I only mildly regret that part.
“Oh, umm, no. Sorry, bud. I’ve been in my room.” The excuse is so pathetic, and I fling my hands over my face as my cheeks burn, Brooks doing everything he can to muffle his chuckle.
“I’m looking again! Hurry up!”
At that, Darby is off, the sound of his footsteps down the hall much louder now as he runs to find his dad.
I let a few seconds pass and then finally release the breath I was holding, sagging against Brooks before whacking him in the arm.
“You suck.” He just laughs. “I almost had a damn heart attack!”
He’s just laughing it up, and then Brooks pulls me into his arms again, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“I’m sorry. Really.” Brooks settles, and I still glare up at him as he offers me an apologetic smile. “But you should probably get down there to help ‘search.’”
“What?” I sit up straighter in a hurried shuffle. “Why?”
“Because he won’t let it go until he’s found me.” Brooks shrugs, and I clench my jaw, narrowing my eyes at him. “I’ll sneak out while you check the barn.”
He kisses me again, then he’s shoving me up and patting me on the ass.
“Hey!”
“Get movin’, Lucky. You’ll want to get dressed fast.” Brooks wears his devilish smirk with pride. “I’ll throw on some clothes, then come in through the back door.”
I stand there staring at him, my mouth open in shock.
“Git!” He hollers—like I’m some fucking sheep or something.
“Oh, you son of a?—”
“Clover! Come help!” Darby calls from down the hall.
Throwing my hands up, I head to the closet to change, yelling, “Coming!” so that Darby won’t come busting in.
When I come out, button-down and shorts firmly in place, I glare once more at Brooks, who’s still just smiling.
“You’ll pay for this, asshat.” I reach for one of the pillows that fell on the floor and chuck it at him. “Bum.”
Brooks catches the pillow and grins. “Consider it tax for my services.”
I won’t laugh at that, no matter how funny it was. Instead, I go to the door, slipping through and offering one final parting blow.
“Better come up with a good reason we couldn’t find you. Because that one is so on you, Ace .”