25. Playing with Fire
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Brooke
Playing with Fire
O n Saturday morning, Brooke woke up annoyed.
Annoyed with Dalton, annoyed with herself, and annoyed with her ex for making her feel like she couldn’t date someone.
Why shouldn’t she be allowed to just have a boyfriend? Heck, maybe she’d have a few. But before she could dwell on it they were racing out the door to a morning filled with baseball games. The truth was she didn’t know what a casual relationship even consisted of, and maybe Dalton didn’t even want to really date her. And why should he, when she’d given him permission to keep things casual. In fact, she’d insisted on it. So she was going to have to remember that the time they spent together was just for fun—casual, physical—and not let her childhood crush turn into something more.
“I thought I might find you under my favorite tree.” The deep voice sent a thrill through her body and she could feel the heat pooling low in her belly.
Dalton was standing next to her blanket, where she sat with her latest book and jug of water. He stared out at the field with his arms crossed.
“Did you get your sister to agree to watch Max for us tonight?”
He was all business, but she liked the way he said us .
“Yes.”
“Good. What time can you get away?”
“She said to drop him off around five at her place.”
“Perfect.” He finally turned to face her and lifted his sunglasses. “Try to rest up because you’re going to need your energy.”
She took a sip of her water, suddenly thirsty, and watched as he walked off to stand with the coaches along the fence next to Max’s team’s dugout. If he stayed the entire time she wasn’t going to be able to focus on the game or her book. She kept finding herself admiring Dalton’s muscular back, his strong legs, his gorgeous profile.
“So who’s this friend you’re hanging out with so late tonight you need Max to sleep over?” May asked, plopping down next to Brooke on the blanket.
“No one you know, just my friend from nursing school who still lives in Savannah and has been after me to get together. I figured I’d drive out there if you’re sure you can handle it.”
“You’re overdue for a girls’ night. I’ve got Max covered, video games, gummy bears, and a campout in the living room.”
“Wow, maybe I want in on that instead.”
“You know what else you’re overdue for?” May asked, leaning over to bump her shoulder against Brooke’s.
“Stop.”
“I think I know just the man to take care of it too. And I just overheard a few moms saying Dr. Dalton should be manning the kissing booth this year at the Summer Solstice, so you better stake your claim.”
“I am not making any claims. I’m too busy with Max, and Dr. Dalton is only here for the summer.”
“A long, hot summer. Just how we like it,” May said, sipping an ice coffee from her mobile coffee shack.
She couldn’t help but laugh at her silly younger sister’s ability to make any situation seem playful with a tinge of sexuality.
“Speaking of, I don’t see you taking any of your own advice. You haven’t dated anyone seriously since you started your coffee garden four years ago.”
“Oh, I am fully booked up, dear sister, and it is some of the hottest sex I have ever had,” she said, fanning herself. “And I have no intention of telling anyone who it is because that’s when things get weird.”
“By weird you mean, commitment, marriage, and babies?”
“Exactly, weird. You know I don’t believe in any of that nonsense.”
Brooke let out a sigh. “I’m not sure I do anymore either. It’s more like a Disney fairy tale to think you could fall in love with one person and spend the rest of your lives together.”
“Or maybe we only get to see that one chapter in the book for those princesses’ lives, and they skipped the part where she gets her heart broken and finds herself entangled in a steamy, sex-only relationship,” May joked.
Brooke nearly spit out her sip of water and whipped her head over to look at her sister. “May Garcia, you better tell me who this person is so I can properly thank them for making you so agreeable.”
“Don’t worry, I thanked him all night long last night. Now it’s your turn to get yours tonight. You know, when you’re out with your friend, in Savannah.” May looked at her with a big, knowing grin on her face.
“In all seriousness, is there any chance there’s something to this hookup of yours? How long has it been going on?” Brooke asked.
“No, there is no way I would ruin such a hot no-strings-attached non-relationship by trying to make it something it’s not.”
Brooke waited for May to say more, recalling how when they were kids her sister was so chatty that she would tell on herself. She knew if she waited long enough, May would tell her everything.
May sighed. “No, this man is not settling down with the quirky town barista type.”
“You’re a successful small business owner, endearing, beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have a chance to love you.”
Her sister shrugged. “You forgot killer salsa dancer, and I bake the most delicious chocolate chip scones this side of the Atlantic Ocean.”
“So you must mean you don’t want anything more serious.”
But before she could respond a shadow fell over their blanket.
“Serious about what?” Miles asked, sitting down on the blanket next to Brooke.
Brooke looked from Miles to May, wondering if he might be the secret hookup, but neither of them seemed to flinch.
“Serious about building my sister a tree fort so we can have a better view of the games,” May said with a big smile.
“Well, if anyone could get the city to agree to that it would be you,” Miles said with a kind smile as he watched Max take a step off second base.
“What are you doing back here with us when you could be sitting in your fancy private rooftop dugout box?” May teased, referencing the Banks-sponsored dugouts for the baseball field that each featured private air-conditioned box seats above.
“You see those matriarchs up there just as clear as I do, and we all know that there’s only one reason those ladies are sitting at this ballfield in ninety-degree heat,” Miles said, fiddling with a piece of tall grass and folding it into some kind of shape.
“They’re hunting for suckers to man the booths at the Summer Solstice next weekend,” Brooke guessed.
“Oh, I see, so you’re trying to dodge your duty?” May asked.
“If you mean the duty of any single man between the ages of eighteen and eighty to spend the day setting up booths, hanging banners, and accepting pies for payment, then yes. I am attempting to dodge that draft this year.” Miles tossed a twisted grass ring to May.
“But Max was hoping to get you in the dunk tank again,” Brooke said, looking between them both again and deciding there wasn’t anything going on.
“Yes, I’ll gladly pay good money to see you in that onesie bathing suit again,” May said, and they both started to laugh.
Miles’s grimace only made them both laugh harder. “The librarian said I had to cover up or I’d be too distracting, all wet, in the tank.”
May sputtered and started to choke on her laugh.
“I’m sure there’s a compliment in there somewhere, Miles,” Brooke offered.
“Maybe you’re right; I should go ahead and volunteer for that dunk tank before I get stuck with the kissing booth,” Miles said, standing up.
“I already signed up for the beverage booth,” May said.
They turned their eyes on Brooke. “Oh no, I’m not falling into that trap again. I’ll be manning the first aid tent.”
“Getting off easy,” Miles said.
“Looks like my break is over; I’ll see you tonight,” May said to Brooke as she walked off to the aqua Airstream camper she’d turned into a mobile coffee shop, and where Wes Hart stood waiting for a coffee.
“Looks like the kids are going to need more Gatorade today, I better go too. But I’m glad to get a minute alone with you.”
Her stomach flopped with dread.
“I didn’t know Tyler wasn’t paying any child support, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I told him I won’t support his attempt to shortchange you or Max. And if he doesn’t pay up, then I will.”
“It’s not your responsibility—”
He cut her off. “I don’t see it that way, Brooke. Max is my only nephew and he is a Banks, like it or not. I know you don’t want handouts, and that you like to keep your distance a bit from us. I understand. But we’re your family too, and we take care of our own. I don’t know what happened to make Tyler so selfish, but we’re not all cut from the same cloth.”
Tears pricked her eyes. Miles had always been nice, but he’d never spoken so plainly against his brother.
“Hopefully the judge will decide for Tyler and it’ll be settled.”
Miles nodded. “Just don’t let him bully you into dropping this. Tyler is long overdue for being forced to be responsible.”
Brooke caught Dalton watching as Miles walked away toward the large water thermos with the Banks logo on it. She couldn’t see Dalton’s eyes through his sunglasses but she couldn’t look away. He stood in the sunshine, sweat covering his T-shirt, and his muscles flexed as he clapped for the boys coming off the field as the coach told them to line up for water. But Max bypassed the line and gave Dalton a big hug, then he said something and they both laughed. Max was definitely falling for Dalton, and she couldn’t deny that she might be too. As long as she didn’t let Dalton or anyone else know, she still planned to fully enjoy their summer together.
That evening after getting Max settled at May’s house, she drove out to the Hart estate and eagerly made her way back to Levi’s house, which now seemed to be Dalton’s own. She parked next to his truck in the driveway and took a deep breath. Before she could knock, the door opened, and Dalton stood in front of her, barefoot in jeans and no shirt.
“Hi, am I early?”
“You’re right on time,” he said, holding the door open for her. But his quiet demeanor and lack of a shirt made her hesitate and stop just inside to watch him close the door.
He closed the space between them and his hands landed on the wall over her head as he leaned in, and then his mouth was on her neck.
“Oh” was all she managed before his knee slid between her legs.
“I know it’s unfair, but I didn’t like seeing Miles Banks sitting with you under our tree,” he said, kissing down her throat and then moving back up the other side.
She snaked her hands up his bare chest and felt the power of his hard, smooth muscle under her fingers.
“We only talked about Max,” she stammered before his mouth was on hers in an all-consuming kiss. He was possessive and hungry for her, and it drove her into a frenzy of need. Her hips rocked over his thigh as he rubbed it back and forth against her wet heat. “And I don’t like how every woman in town talks like you’re a man they’re going to try to conquer,” she confessed.
“Too late, you already have.” His eyes met hers and one hand slid off the wall to frame her face. “There’s only you.” He paused to search her eyes before kissing her again as both of his hands roamed over her dress, stroking her body like a musician playing their favorite instrument.
They were in sync as he pulled up the hem of her dress, and she unbuttoned his jeans to then push them down his hips. Next, he pulled her panties to the side as she palmed his thick length, guiding him to her slick entrance.
“You’re mine,” he said, right before he slowly, inch by thick inch, pushed inside to take her.
She gasped and knew with complete certainty that he wasn’t wrong; she was his in every way now. Her arms stretched up to circle his neck as he kissed her in rhythm to every slow stroke. He couldn’t get completely seated at this angle, but he took his time with her, forcing them both to enjoy the buildup, to acknowledge how right they fit together. As much as it thrilled her it scared her too, but there was no way to stop it. She wanted all of him and could already feel the undertow of her orgasm pulling her in.
“Mine,” he breathed into her ear as the next stroke went deeper after he hoisted her up against the wall. Gravity pulled her down to take all of him in, and she was rewarded with a burst of bliss, surrounded by this man who made her want even more. His release followed hers quickly but they stayed linked, both gasping to catch their breath. Then he pulled her away from the wall and carried her to the huge master bathroom.
Setting her down on her wobbly legs, he held her while she found her footing, then lifted her dress up and over her head. He didn’t speak as he unhooked her bra and peeled down her wet panties, tossing them all away. He kicked off his own jeans and briefs to stand in all his naked, coiled, muscular glory for her. When he turned on the water for the large rain shower she spotted several scars that looked like serious injuries.
“I don’t even know what you did in the Navy,” she said, breaking the silence as the water sprayed down over his back, and he pulled her closer to stand in the warm water with him.
His smile was disarming. “Didn’t you hear Max? I was a SEAL ninja,” he said, pumping soap into his hand to lather up before spreading the bubbles over her chest. Her body was relaxed but hummed with excitement for his touch.
“I knew you were a SEAL, but what does that mean? Which countries did you go to, how many times did you get shot, and did you love it? And if so, why’d you get out?”
“So curious.” He moved his hands down her back to continue soaping the rest of her body and over her bottom.
“You’re trying to deflect with your sexiness.”
He laughed again. “I like that you think I’m sexy.”
She sighed as he gently rubbed between her legs with his soapy hand—earning a gasp from her—then pulled one of the other shower heads down to rinse her off.
“During my time at the Academy I was selected for SEAL training and I completed the BUDS program, then attended USU medical school in Maryland for the Navy. My residency was a combination of SEAL missions and being at the base medical unit in Virginia Beach. When I was badly injured during my last mission, I took the medical discharge the Navy offered me, and worked in Virginia as an ER doctor for a few years.”
“That seems like an awful lot of hard training back-to-back.”
Dalton sighed as he stroked the water running up and down her arms. “In retrospect I think I was trying to prove to my father that he was wrong about the Navy, that I belonged there because I was the best of the best.”
“But?” she said, unsure how he was feeling now that he was talking about his father. She remembered in high school how he’d said his dad didn’t want him to go to the Naval Academy even though it had been his dream.
“My father was right to be concerned; I lost friends on the battlefield; their lives just snuffed out. Every year good men and women die for our country and never get to live to old age. Or they get injured in a war and live with those wounds their entire lives.”
She hugged him, pressing the side of her face into his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, and his arms wrapped more tightly around her.
“Maybe you were right too, maybe you needed to experience those years in the Navy, as a SEAL, to be the best doctor and best man you can be.” His arms squeezed her even closer. “I’m sure your father was equally proud of you achieving your dream, even as he was terrified to lose you. Being a parent is all about spending eighteen years trying to keep your kids alive, while at the same time teaching them about the world and protecting them from it. Then you have to let them go one day and hope the world is kind to them. Pray that you prepared them. It’s amazing, but it also feels like your heart is teetering on a cliff at the same time.”
“I can see why my father didn’t want me to go now, and I’m sure you’re right. It’ll probably make even more sense when I have a child of my own.”
She looked up at his somber face, drops of water on his eyelashes, and wondered what lucky woman would get to have children with him.
“I think you’ll make a great dad one day.”
She gathered up the soap and began to wash him, exploring the fullness of his muscles and mounds of well-honed strength over his biceps, forearms, back, and down to his buttocks and thick thighs. He was a masterpiece, but there were more scars she hadn’t seen.
“Is this the one from your final mission?” she asked, stroking her hand over the twisted knot of flesh in his upper thigh.
“The bullet just missed my artery, but it took another fourteen hours for us to get to our pickup site. I packed the wound and had to treat several of my teammates’ injuries before we got out. It was the most painful and stressful day I’d ever experienced—after losing my parents.”
She traced the lines in his forehead before kissing him. Water washed down over them.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Thank you for asking.”
Dalton turned off the water and bundled her up in a huge fluffy towel before wrapping another one around his hips and walking her back into the bedroom.
“Did you bring your suit?”
“Yes, and luckily I brought a change of clothes.”
“Good.” He exited the room only to return with the bag she’d dropped at the front door. “I packed us sandwiches for dinner—I hope that’s okay.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Excitement and curiosity rolled through her along with something else that told her not to get too attached. Dalton was breaking down every wall she’d put up since Tyler betrayed her, but he’d said nothing about them being any more than what they were now. Easy and casual. She didn’t want to complicate her little life with Max, but at this point she hated the idea of not being able to claim Dalton as her own.