Chapter One
Reilly
IFEEL like I’m in a furnace. Why is it so damn hot in here? Wait, where is here? As the sleep fog slowly recedes from my brain, and the more alert I become, the more the realisation that I’m not in my own bed sinks in.
My stealthy attempt to roll out from beneath the heavy arm currently draped over my waist is stopped when that arm grips me tighter, pulling my back right up against a chest. I freeze, hoping not to wake whoever that arm belongs to.
Taking a look down at that arm, that very muscular and tattooed arm, a not so silent moan escapes my lips.
The events of last night slowly returning to my mind, I know just who that arm belongs to.
And the body that goes with that arm, comes in the form of a six-foot something with muscle on top of muscle.
Just thinking of what that body can, and did, do to mine has me re-thinking my escape plan.
What can one more round in the hay hurt? One more glorious moment of our bodies fusing together before I make my break and never indulge in this body of sin again. I squirm, rubbing my ass into his crotch. I can feel his hardness as I continue to squirm against him.
The arm around me tightens, somehow pulling my body even tighter against his. His gravelly voice murmurs in my ear, causing goosebumps to rise all over my body.
“You know, babe, if you want junior to come out to play, all you have to do is ask? He’d be willing to be yours anytime.”
Rolling over to face him, I grab his junior in my hand and stroke it up and down slowly.
“Mmm, I think I’d like to have a playdate with junior just one more time before I have to go,” I declare, ducking my head down, not able to make eye contact with him.
I don’t know why but the man makes me freaking nervous.
He causes butterflies, no, not butterflies, more like a hive of bees buzzing around my stomach.
It’s unnerving, and usually I’d be out the door before he could blink.
But his junior, I know what that thing can do, and I want more of it. Just one more time, I tell myself.
“Babe, if you think I’m letting you go after just one more time, think again.
” His voice is so stern and serious, I look up into eyes that are trained onto my face.
Shit, I think he might actually be serious.
Just as I’m about to refute his claims that he can keep me, I’m interrupted by the banging of a door.
But it’s what’s yelled through the house that has my body freezing and my mind in a panic.
“Police, open up!”
More banging ensues and more demands to open up. Bray curses under his breath as he jumps out of bed and makes quick work of putting clothes on. Looking back at me, he says, “Whatever you do, stay here. Do not leave this room. I want you here in this bed when I sort this shit out.”
Well, fuck that. I’m pulled from my dazed and lust- filled brain and chuck on the first thing I find discarded on the floor. Which happens to be the shirt he was wearing last night.
My eyes scan the bedroom and land on my phone. Picking it up, I head for the door. Just as my hand lands on the handle, Bray’s hand closes around mine, stopping my hasty escape.
“Reilly, you’ve lost your damn mind if you think for a minute, I’m letting you walk out of here, especially dressed like that.”
Pulling my hand out from under his, I turn and shove at his chest, his rock-hard freaking chest. Instead of letting my thoughts wander to what I could do with that chest, I let the anger boil up inside of me, the frustration that I put myself into this position.
I can still remember when those knocks and those words were said through the door of my childhood home, only they weren’t looking for some guy I just met. No, they were looking for my father.
I can feel the tears threaten to escape my eyes with the memories, which only makes me madder. I am not this vulnerable. I do not let myself be this vulnerable girl. I’m strong, independent, and I plan to keep it that way.
I push him further away from me, which he obviously allows me to do because, let’s face it, there’s no way I could actually move this hulk of a man.
“No, you don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.
You and I, we had a great time last night, but that’s it.
I’m out. I hope you enjoy your time in handcuffs,” I say as I step back to the door.
Bray goes to take a step towards me and I hold my hand out to stop him. “If you so much as touch me right now, or try to stop me from leaving this room, I will scream bloody murder, and those cops out there will break your door down, I’m sure.”
I watch as he takes a step back, his fists clenching and unclenching as he watches me walk out the door. I can feel him behind me the whole way through the house. I don’t turn back to look though.
Pulling the door wide open, I give the officers my brightest smile. “Officers, I believe the man you’re looking for is right behind me. You all have a nice day now.”
Walking down the path, I don’t stop, I don’t look back, and I don’t let the first tear fall until I’m halfway down the street and out of view.
Swiping the traitorous tears from my face, I straighten my shoulders. I will not let myself go back to that place, back to the memories of my dad being taken away in cuffs. Shit, I have no idea where the hell I even am. How am I going to get home?
“Okay, you can do this, Reilly, just call Holly. She will come and get you.” I know I probably look like an escapee from the mental asylum right now.
I’m currently wearing a man’s t-shirt and nothing else; although said shirt falls down just above my knees.
It doesn’t matter that I’m more covered than I was last night in the club, yet somehow, I feel so much more exposed.
The fact that I’m talking to myself does not make me seem any saner right now.
I call Holly, who, after screeching her way through her holier than thou lecture about yet again having to collect my ass from a strange neighbourhood, agrees to come and pick me up.
So now I’m sitting under a huge shady gum tree, waiting.
As I take in my surroundings of a tree-lined street with huge mansions, I’m in awe as well as shock that this is the street Bray lives on.
It is not what I would have picked for him.
This street screams the family home, wife, husband, 2.
5 kids and a dog. Not the hot as sin, tatted-up bad boy I had last night.
I squeal as I’m swiftly thrown over a shoulder, a big broad shoulder.
Clinging to the back of his shirt, I can feel the muscles clenching underneath as he carries me through his house.
My head upside down, I can’t even get a good look at his home as he makes his way through to what I’m hoping is his bedroom.
“Bray, let me down. I can walk. I’m too heavy and you’ll probably put your back out or something, and I really like this back. I wouldn’t want to hurt it.”
“Not a chance in hell am I putting you down, pumpkin. Well, not until I’m throwing you down onto my bed, which is happening real soon.” He slaps my ass before he adds, “Don’t ever fucking try to tell me that you’re too heavy again. Your body is the definition of perfection.”
Mmm, I can’t help but squirm at the stinging pain on my ass. As hard as I try not to let the moan escape my mouth, it does. Bray takes note of my reaction, groaning and landing another, firmer slap to my butt.
“Like it a little rough, huh? Good news for you, babe, I like to fuck rough and hard. Get ready, because you’re in for a night you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.”
All of a sudden, I’m flying through the air, landing on my back, on what can only be described as a cloud.
Damn, is this his bed? I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything so bloody soft and comfy.
I don’t have time to contemplate the quality of Bray’s mattress and bedding; my mind is immediately drawn to the hulk of a man currently pulling his shirt over the back of his head, revealing one hell of a body.
My eyes travel from his broad shoulders and wide chest down to his—wait, is that an eight pack? My attempts at counting are
interrupted by his commanding voice, snapping me out of my daze.
“Strip, now, Reilly. I won’t ask again.”
Staring up at him, I’m both at a loss for words and confused at the wetness that just pooled between my legs by his demand. Or is that from the sight in front of me? Because let me tell you, the sight of a shirtless Brayden Williamson is enough to have any girl weeping.
The next thing that registers with my brain is the sound of material ripping. Holy shit, I look down to see my dress literally ripped in half. What the hell? Lifting my eyes to meet Bray’s, I momentarily get lost in those emerald beauties.
“What the fuck, Bray? That was one of my favourite dresses!” “I told you to strip. You were too slow.” He lifts an eyebrow at me, just begging for me to argue.
“Well, maybe give a girl some bloody warning next time you plan to just strip your shirt off. I can’t help it if I was momentarily lost in the Bray-effect. You’re replacing this dress, and just so you know, it wasn’t cheap.”
Bray leans down, capturing my lips in his and not so gently parting them to invade my mouth with his tongue.
The argument is literally sucked out of me as he kisses the ever-loving shit out of me.
Man, I thought I’d been kissed before. But this…
this kiss is the one they write movies about.
Grabbing the back of his neck, I pull him closer to me, holding as tight as I can.
Breaking the kiss, Bray trails his tongue down my neck, kissing, nibbling and biting his way down to my breast. With a groan, he grasps both breasts in his hands before taking my right nipple into his mouth.
My body arching off the bed at the contact, I shiver as shots of pleasure shoot straight to my core.