18. Brooks
CHAPTER 18
brOOKS
“ W hat?” she asked again, as if she hadn’t heard me offer and explain what I’d just said.
If she was horny, I could take care of that. We’d already been together and she was right, anyone else could put the baby at risk. There was a lot of shit out there and a lot of shit men. If she hooked up with a random guy, she wouldn’t know what she was in store for. It was one thing to put yourself at risk, but another to put your unborn baby there.
It also wasn’t fair that I could go on living my life however I wanted to and she couldn’t. The thing was, with her was how I wanted to live my life. Maybe, if we did this, she’d see that she wasn’t just a one time for me. I hadn’t been with anyone since her, so we were good on all fronts.
“It’s perfect,” I told her. “We’ve already been together, clearly.” I pointed at her stomach. “I’m not putting the baby at risk. You get what you need. It’s a win-win.”
She shook her head. “It’s not a win-win. For it to be that you’d have to get something out of it too. All you talked about is what I’d be getting and protecting the baby.”
Now I grinned. “Oh, baby. Trust me—I’d be getting a lot.”
She snorted and shook her head. “You sound really happy about this, but it’s crazy.” She walked away into her kitchen. I followed to see her take a can of Diet Vernors out of the refrigerator.
“Feeling sick?” I asked, but she shook her head.
“I wanted the bubbles to see if they somehow cleared up the crazy you’re talking about.”
“Vernors won’t wash me away, sunshine. And I’m ridiculously happy with this idea.” I leaned so that my arms were on the counter across from where she was. “Actually, I think it’s the best idea I’ve ever had.” Though I wouldn’t mention that my dick was hardening in my jeans as we spoke.
“Brooks,” she said more seriously.
“Do you think I’m kidding?”
She tilted her head and pursed her lips, which was Harlowe’s way of saying she did think I wasn’t serious. I was, but also wasn’t going to beg.
This thing with her demanded a little walking on the edge . Enough to convince her that I wanted her, not only the one time we’d had together, without scaring her off because she was definitely a woman who would spook easily.
My personal thoughts were that because she’d never had a lot of security or stability with her parents so she thought the only person who could give that to her was her.
Parents could fuck you up.
Harlowe was still standing there with the pinched face when I rounded the corner and pushed my hand into her hair before lowering my mouth to hers. Taking her by surprise was kind of what I’d wanted, but the splash of pop onto the floor hadn’t been intentional at all.
We’d deal with that later.
I trailed my hands down her sides as the can she had been drinking from clanked against the kitchen floor. My hands kept going until I could wrap them around the backs of her thighs and lift, catching her little squeal with my mouth. Her muscles tensed like she thought I might drop her, but there was nothing in the world that would make that happen. Not only did I want to protect her, but that baby she was carrying as well.
Once I had her in my arms, I took her to the counter and set her on the edge, the smell of her cherry perfume surrounding me. Then my lips were on her neck and my mind pushed out everything else as if nothing else in this world existed except her right now. Touching her, feeling her soft skin against mine, my fingers digging into her thighs… I had to convince this woman that I’d never grow tired of any of this.
“Shirt,” I said breathlessly.
Harlowe raised her arms so that I could yank her shirt off and then her bra, exposing her perfect breasts to the cool air that made her nipples harden as I let out a heavy breath.
Fuck. “You’re perfect,” I muttered.
She curled her fingers into my hair and tugged so that I’d look up to her. “Careful what you say,” she said, her skin already flushed. “You might make me fall in love with you.”
The fact that I almost came right there was embarrassing, but at least I was able to hold it together.
I nuzzled against her neck as her arms wrapped around me. “Maybe that’s exactly what I want,” I murmured into her skin as I pressed the long ridge of my cock into her clit.
She groaned and let her head fall back before she braced her hands on the countertop, giving me an even better view. As I gently bit her neck, the soft moan that escaped her lips made getting her naked even more urgent.
When my tongue swept across her hard nipple, her fingers grabbed my hair again. It was tight with a little bite, but nothing would make me tell her to stop. If anything, I wanted more.
Then I dropped to my knees in front of her, yanking her shorts and panties down her legs, which left her naked while I was still fully clothed. Before being enticed by her arousal, I pulled my shirt off. It was going to happen, anyway.
I brushed my fingers over her pussy and glanced up at her. Her lips were bitten together and her eyes were closed, almost as if what I was doing was painful when I knew it wasn’t. “You’re so wet,” I told her.
“Yeah,” she squeaked out. “Raging hormones, remember?”
I snickered then raised her feet to rest on the edge of the counter before pushing them as far apart as they would go. She was open to me. Waiting for me. Now my mission was to get her off as quickly as I could so that I could sink into her.
She tried to tighten her legs around my head when I licked her. She wasn’t kidding. It wasn’t going to take much to get her there. I used one hand to cup her breast and the other to push a finger into her as I lapped at her clit.
I didn’t believe for a second that her responsiveness was strictly due to her pregnancy hormones. Call it wishful thinking, but I just didn’t buy it.
Maybe that was what she wanted me to believe.
I pulled my finger from her to circle her clit then added a little more pressure, stroking her to the edge. But when she came, I wanted my mouth on her. Closing my lips around her clit, I pushed a finger back into her. The waves hit her almost immediately as she came with a whimper, the intensity building until she called out and slapped her hand against the marble countertop.
Then I kissed up her body, sucking the hard nub of her nipple into my mouth. Somehow, I would’ve sworn she tasted like cherries. Then I sucked the skin of her collarbone gently. “I have to go get a condom,” I said, sounding as breathless as she looked. I’d put some in my bag just in case and here we needed one. Though it hadn’t done much good last time, clearly, and I never figured out why. They aren’t one hundred percent obviously but I’d never had one fail before.
Though I kicked myself for not checking for any breakage in the latex.
Her eyes were squeezed shut as her chest rose and fell rapidly. “Wait.” Her hand grabbed my shoulder when I went to move. Then she was peering up at me with those golden eyes that were on fire. “I’m already pregnant.” She ran a tongue over her bottom lip.
That was true. She was already pregnant, so the only reason we needed a condom was something neither of us had to worry about right now.
Instead of answering her, I covered her mouth with mine again. The only thing left between us was my jeans, which I hadn’t taken off. Harlowe reached out for me as soon as I’d ridden myself of those too, but I had to pull back.
“You can explore some other time,” I told her, then I licked her nipple again. “If you do it now, I’ll be cumming in your hands.”
She snickered but drew her hand up to the back of my head to pull me into another kiss. As she slid her tongue into my mouth, I pushed inside her.
I’d never get used to this feeling. Her. The way she fit so snugly around me, as if she’d been made for me. Sex with Harlowe was like a revelation. I’d enjoyed every encounter I’d had in my life, but clearly, there’d been something missing because this right here… Nirvana. All I could think about was her. The aroma of her perfume, the way she tasted.
I pulled back to focus on where our bodies met and watched myself disappear into her. The sight of her stretched around me was almost too much.
As she came again with such a loud whimper that she slapped a hand over her mouth to stop, I was right there on the edge, ready to fall over with her. The base of my spine tingled and I knew it wasn’t going to be long.
I thrust into her, but my movements grew jerky. When she ran a hand down my back, I groaned. It was a light touch that made my body tighten. There was no more fighting this and I let myself go.
“Fuck,” I muttered quietly once I’d stopped moving.
“No kidding.” She sounded as breathless as I did.
Slowly, I pulled out of her. It was almost embarrassing how good sex with Harlowe was. How fucking attached to her I was right now. It wasn’t just the baby, either, because in all that time in the kitchen, I hadn’t thought about him once. Technically she mentioned she was pregnant so we didn’t have to use a condom but I hadn’t been thinking about the baby at all.
She closed her legs quickly as if I hadn’t already seen every part of her. Then she sat up and looked down at the mess she’d created with the pop. “I’ll clean that up,” she said, her cheeks flushed pink and I hoped to hell it was the sex and not the spill.
“I’ve got it. You go use the bathroom.”
I reached out and helped her down off the counter and kissed her one more time before she grabbed up her clothes and hurried to the bathroom down the hall. I watched her ass sway until she was inside the room. Then I pulled my boxers on, tossed my shirt and jeans into the other room, and got to work cleaning up all the messes we’d created.
Harlowe came back as I finished up disinfecting the countertop. We made food there, so it needed it.
She stood shyly at the end of the counter, one bare foot on top of the other as she leaned into it. Then she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and nibbled on the corner of her mouth.
“I’m not sure if I’m supposed to thank you for that or…”
I chuckled and said, “Go with your gut.” Which made her laugh as well.
Then she shrugged. “I did kind of need it.” She shook her head. “All these hormones and obviously, I haven’t been with anyone since you…” She watched me intently and while I wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it, I was going to assure her, anyway.
“I haven’t been with anyone since you, either.” Her mouth formed a soft ‘O’ of surprise. “I kind of needed it too,” I told her as I threw away the paper towels then put the cleaner under the sink.
Shit. I was going to babyproof this place but had no idea what that meant, other than maybe the cleaners shouldn’t be under the sink where a crawling baby could get to them.
Added that to my mental to-do list for the off-season.
“Nobody?” she asked and I shook my head. “You’re ruining the image I had in my head.”
I chuckled and put my hands on my hips, aware that I was in my boxer briefs and nothing else. Her gaze slid down my chest and she swallowed hard.
“What image is that?” I asked her.
“The one Camden and I have had since we were kids. You all… got around.” She cringed. “I don’t know how to say it without it sounding like I’m judging you all when I’m not. You’re young, professional athletes. You have options.”
“We do.” I moved closer to her. “But not options I want right now.” She glanced around nervously, so I knew that was as far as I could go for now. “Remember, anytime you need that.” I pointed to where I’d just fucked her on the countertop. “Let me know. I’m happy to help.”
She snickered and covered her mouth before taking it back and saying, “You want me to use you as my personal sex toy?”
My loud laugh filled the room. “I hadn’t thought of it like that, but yeah.”
She sighed. “I don’t want to do that if you start seeing someone. I don’t want to be the other woman.”
I shook my head. “You wouldn’t be.” Because she was the only woman I wanted. “I wouldn’t do that and you know it.” For the first time since I’d found out she was pregnant, I placed my hand low on her belly where I thought our baby might be. “I wouldn’t put anyone in that position, but you and this baby are my priority. Tell me you understand that.”
She looked up at me with those beautiful eyes. “I understand.”
Even if she was just saying it, I’d convince her otherwise.
Harlowe had been in pajamas when I’d gotten here, so she still was, which meant I was about to be. If she wanted a comfortable night at her apartment, then that was what she was going to get.
Once I’d changed into pajama pants and a T-shirt, I came out of the bathroom to find her all snuggled on the couch with a blanket over her. So I sat at the end with her feet and picked them up to set on my lap then spread the blanket over me as I absently rubbed my hand over them.
“What’re we watching?” I asked her before taking a drink of the water I’d grabbed.
She furrowed her brows. “Are you seriously staying here?” she asked. I nodded. “Brooks. Really it’s fine. I’m fine, as you well know. You can go home.”
“Will you come with me?” I asked. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, which told me she wasn’t coming with me. “Then I’ll stay here unless you kick me out.”
“I’m not going to kick you out.”
“Then I’m staying here.”
“My couch won’t even fit you.”
“I’ll share your bed.”
She sighed. My intention of frustrating her a little was working. In the kitchen, she’d gotten a little spooked. This was the only way I knew to balance that. “You’re not sharing my bed.”
“Harlowe.” I finally looked over at her like I hadn’t realized she’d been there this whole time. “I just had my tongue in your pussy.” Her face flamed red. “I think we can share a bed.”
Her nostrils flared, then she laid herself back down. “Whatever. My bed is small, so don’t be surprised when I push you out of it.”
I snickered. “I’ll take my chances.”
We ended up watching a couple of episodes of the show she was currently binging, though since I hadn’t started it from the beginning, I didn’t know what was going on. I’d ask questions until she sighed, then I’d let it go. Honestly, I didn’t care what was on. I was just happy to be here.
Besides, I’d Wiki the show later so that I was up to date then try to get her to only binge it with me. We only had five more games until the end of regular season and they were all at home, so I wouldn’t be traveling until the playoffs.
Somewhere near the end of the second episode, I glanced over and found Harlowe to be asleep. She was beautiful when she was awake, but also when she was asleep. Worry didn’t wrinkle her forehead because I knew for sure that no matter what she was doing, there was a current of worry under it. Right now, she had the baby—though I hoped that I’d taken some of that worry away. It must have been so stressful knowing she was having my kid but not wanting me to find out from anyone else.
At least for however long she slept, her mind wasn’t racing a million miles per hour.
Then there was the issue of the Cleats & Kegs. Another area that I thought I could help with. Fuck. She might get pissed at me, but I’d work on it.
If she wanted the restaurant, I wanted her to have it.
If it gave her the feeling of independence—that she could take care of herself no matter what—I wanted her to have it. Like a security blanket that if anything went wrong, she wasn’t dependent on another person.
I wanted to give that to her. Wanted her to have it. Because until she felt like she could really take care of herself—which she absolutely could and had been for a long time—she wouldn’t let me fully take care of her.