TWENTY-THREE
“SHE’S NOT THAT BAD.”
Darroch sauntered into his bedroom as she tucked her phone into her purse.
“Who? Your mom? I love your mom.”
“My grandmother. She’s from California, you know what people from the Golden State are like.”
“No, actually,” she said, flashing him a quick smile. “I’ve never been to California.”
“Oh, they’re all drama queens.”
“Isn’t your mom from California?”
He came to plant his ass on the bed by her purse. “More girl talk?” She shrugged. Snagging both her hands, he guided her into the vee of his thighs. “You know more about my mom than you’ve told me about you.”
“You said that was okay. That you would wait until I was ready.”
“And I will,” he said, kissing her knuckles. “You belong here, Cherry.”
“In your bedroom?”
Except he wasn’t playing. “You don’t feel it? How right this is?”
“Says the guy sitting on the bed we slept in together last night.”
“What are you implying, Sweet Cherry?”
“I don’t know,” she said, sliding one knee onto the bed and then the other to straddle him. “That maybe you’re a man with one thing on his mind.”
He grabbed her ass and flipped her to her back. “Always with you around, Cherry.”
The point was to go back to the city, to… did he have to be so good? The heat of his mouth pressed hard. Her tongue begged his and it didn’t disappoint. Bold, broad, he sheltered and seduced her with the deep need of—
“Darroch!”
Shit, that wasn’t an adult voice.
Darroch sighed. “Astor.”
“Are you having sex?” the eager thirteen-year-old asked.
“No, and if we were, you should be backing up fast.”
“Are you touching her boobs?”
Another exhale from Darroch, but she laughed and patted his shoulders, signaling him to let her up.
“Nothing untoward,” she said, turning on the spot. “We’re fully clothed.”
“And in our bedroom, which means we can do what we like.”
“It’s daytime,” Astor said like that meant something.
“People have sex during the day,” she said to no one.
Darroch, at least, heard her. “Not when Astor’s around,” he said. “Whatever you want, Ast, it better be good.”
The boy came over, waving paper in the air. “Need you to sign this.”
“Shit, who can tell Breck spent the night out?” he said and snatched it. “Did Caber say no?”
“He’s on the phone.”
“Oh, he’s on the phone.” Darroch went to a drawer to get a pen and sign before coming back to her side as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I was on Sav.” She socked his thigh. “You’re more important than a call, baby, was my point. He wanted to just happen upon me undressing you, that’s the truth.”
A teenager wandering in…? Could be completely innocent… or not.
“What are you signing?” she asked.
“Good point. Why am I signing a gym pass on a Sunday?”
“Mom will know if I do it in the morning.”
“And Breck’s not here. You’re freaking he won’t be here in the morning.”
“Is he with Sequoia again?”
“I don’t know, buddy,” Darroch said, handing the paper back. “Ask Mom.”
“He’s never here.”
“That’s nothing new.” Darroch dropped onto the bed by her. “Call him.”
“Dad has my phone.”
“Sending dick pics to the seniors again?”
“Darroch!” she chastised.
Color rose in the teen’s cheeks.
“High school seniors,” Darroch said. “Not senior citizens… If you shock someone to death, is that murder?”
Poor Astor just stood there making fish faces.
“I don’t listen to him, honey. It’s okay.”
“Yeah, don’t worry, she’ll be around long enough to tell your future wife about this.”
“I would never—why would you—”
Silenced by Darroch scooping the side of her head under her hair to pull their mouths together, oh, she’d take it. Mm, his tongue slid along hers and her hand rose, hanging there in midair, unsure where to land with a teenage spectator.
Darroch broke the kiss but stayed so close his lips caressed hers as he spoke. “Scram, kid, you’re not getting schooled by my girl.”
After some muttering, the bedroom door closed.
“Your little brother—”
“Isn’t as innocent as you think.”
“I thought your family didn’t keep secrets.”
“We don’t. We only pretend mom doesn’t know about the notes. And it’s not that everyone knows everything, there wouldn’t be enough space in any one head. But someone else, or some people, always know. None of us can keep anything to ourselves. Except women…”
He kissed her again, a long, slow pressure that eased then returned. Guiding his hand down the side of her neck, her shoulder, she kept going until it closed over her breast. His rumble of satisfaction echoed again when she let go to grip his thigh. Without relenting his prize, his fondling grew bold.
Swaying back, she licked her lips and his. “Wouldn’t want to disappoint him.”
“He won’t hear it from me,” he said, coiling his other arm around her. “Let’s stay right here today.”
With a tug on her waist, he got her on her back again, though this time he stayed at her side.
Admiring him as his fingers combed through her hair, she sank into the mattress. A dream was all the moment could be compared to. The flecks of hazel appeared almost gold in the rich cocoa of his eyes, framed by long lashes. The man got the details right, not just the broad strokes.
“You’re a good brother. And a good son.”
“You’re a great girlfriend.” His hand descended to her hip to yank her against his hard form. “My girl.”
“Darroch—”
“I know, the competition, I haven’t forgotten. I never forget.” His loose fingers drifted across her cheek, to her temple, forehead, around her eyes. “I’m fucking jealous of a guy I’ve never met. I’m jealous of this guy we’re meeting tonight.”
“There’s nothing to be jealous—”
“We don’t have to let this guy tonight know you’re keeping your options open, do we?”
And as she opened her mouth to correct him, Jacob came to mind. What a stupid time to think about him. He wasn’t her other man… was he? They hadn’t talked for a while. Maybe that was why she’d had so many moments of insanity. She always had moments of insanity, but with him, somehow, he accepted her and made everything okay.
“I don’t crave male attention, I never have.”
“We can’t help it, baby. You’re a walking wet dream.”
Stilled by a chill, she left the bed. “I have to go.”
“Baby—”
“Will you thank your mom? Please.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ll stay at my place tonight. I’ll pay for whatever she can’t return in the closet.”
“Whoa, something changed there fast.” He swooped in to body-block her route around the bed. “What is it, huh? I hurt you.” His thumb met her jaw. “Tell me how. Tell me so I never do it again.” Except she wasn’t sure the words would come out. “What you feel is real. It’s valid. How will I learn you if you don’t trust me? If you don’t help me, I’ll just keep fucking up until you convince yourself this relationship isn’t real, that it’s broken.” It was like he could see right through her. “You can trust me, baby. Come on. Please.”
Trust? Maybe. But could she humiliate herself?
“Jeremy used to say I was desperate for men to notice me.” She couldn’t meet his eye and fixated straight ahead on his tee-shirt. “That if I talked to a man, I was flaunting myself; I wanted them to take me home. He said I was an embarrassment, to myself and to him.” The thump of her heart inside her chest was familiar territory. And there she was, so embarrassed that it shook her eardrums too. “I didn’t mean to upset or embarrass him—”
“Baby…” He took her head in both hands to align their gazes. “You are beautiful. Men can notice all they want, that’s not on you. You’re kind and gracious and always conduct yourself with class. I told you to erase that shithead from your thoughts, didn’t I?” He kissed her forehead. “I know it’s easier said than done. When he comes to mind, remind yourself he’s feeble and pathetic, beneath you. Kicking his ass to the curb was a mercy because he’d never be worthy of you.”
“And how am I in any way worthy of you?”
“I’m the panting dog over here.” He smiled and bent his knees to stoop lower. “You’re an incredible woman. And I intend to spend the rest of my life treating you like a queen, because you deserve no less.”
Talk of forever. Of spending their lives together. The peculiar thing was…? He meant it. Conviction bled from him. Determination glowed. He wasn’t feeding her lines, his sincerity was absolute.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
When he did, there was nothing but them. He kissed her until Jeremy was gone from her thoughts and Darroch was all that existed. She’d found the medicine to cure her fear and insecurities. Nothing would ever be simple again.