Chapter Thirteen
Wren
”What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath as Malibu Barbie glues herself to Brooks before slamming her glossed-covered lips on his.
Not wanting to make a scene on his opening day—I know I will if I don”t get the fuck out of here this minute—I turn on my heel and race to the backdoor. My eyes connect with a worried Daphne, but I don”t have it in me to stop and tell her what”s going on.
Who the fuck was that woman, and why the fuck did Brooks let her kiss him? Is that the type he usually goes for? If so, what the fuck is he doing with me? I should”ve known not to ignore the fact that we”re so different.
Too afraid he might try to follow me, I know I can”t head to my apartment or the shop. Right now, sitting still is the last thing I want to do. I need to move and get some of this frustration and hurt out, or a fist meeting with Malibu Barbie”s face might become a very real possibility. I mean, who walks up to someone and just plants a kiss on them when they”re obviously in the middle of a conversation?
Unless he”s actually dating her, in which case that would make sense. But how the fuck wouldn”t I have caught on to the fact that he was dating someone else? We spend all of our spare time together. He leaves his phone lying around and has had me answer calls or read texts out to him before. Someone who was cheating wouldn”t do that, would they? Or he has a different phone for that reason, but I”ve never seen one and I”ve stayed with him many nights. If he was seeing someone else, I would”ve noticed at some point if he was texting or talking to them discreetly when I was around.
Why the fuck am I spiraling so much right now? I”ve never needed a guy in my life and have thrived being on my own. I don”t want to admit how fast Brooks came to mean so much to me. Keeping people at a distance has been my specialty since my parents passed. The only people genuinely close to me are the girls and Lark. I don”t fucking need Brooks. Especially if he makes me feel like this and makes me doubt myself so much.
Needing to get out of this toxic downward spiral, I head straight for my car and out of town. I keep a bag with exercise clothes and my good sneakers in my car, in case Meadow puts me to work outside her house or the urge to get lost in the woods strikes me when I”m out and about.
Lark and I have gone hiking together for as long as I can remember. My parents loved being outdoors. They instilled that love in Lark and me before they passed away. I think that”s part of the reason why Sparrow Falls felt like home so soon after I moved here. The town is a million times quieter than the city, and the ability to drive only a few blocks and be surrounded by nature speaks directly to my soul.
Heading north out of town, I drive to the trail that Chayse showed me not long after moving here and us striking up a friendship. She was pumped when she found out I was an experienced hiker. Once she was cleared by her doctors after having the twins, she was ready to hit the trails. But her schedule is erratic, and it”s hard for her and her sisters to find time that works for them all. Being a tattoo artist and in the midst of a shop renovation, I have way more flexibility, so the two of us became hiking buddies. The trail is so good that I took Lark a few times when he”s been able to come and visit.
I pull onto a dirt road and follow it down a winding trail. Unless you are a local, there”s no way you”d find where you”re going. The dirt road narrows the farther you go and has several turns and smaller roads you can take. I made Chayse write down the directions for me after the first time we came here so that I would be able to bring Lark here when he visited.
Making it to my trail, I shut off my car and dig my bag out of the back seat of the car. I make quick work of changing my clothes and then take a minute to French-braid my hair. I know I”m wasting precious time by braiding it instead of throwing it up in a pony, but it is calming for me. Lord knows I can use as much calm as I can get right now. All situated, I sling my emergency bag filled with first aid supplies, water, and food across my back. I”m just about to head up the trail when the urge to grab my yoga mat takes over. I hastily return to my car to grab it before heading off down the trail.
The summer sun is warm as it beats down on my bare shoulders. The air smells of forest and lilac, and I can”t stop myself from taking in a deep breath and holding it before slowly letting it out. The tension seeps from my body as the sun”s rays warm me from the inside out. The exertion of pushing myself up the steep incline has me breathing heavily, but I know it will all be worth it once I clear the next bend.
Pushing my way past some overgrown shrubs, I step out into the hot afternoon sun and take a minute to bask in the gorgeous waterfall crashing down into the pond before me. I walk closer to the edge until I feel the spray of the falls on my face. I couldn”t stop the smile spreading across my face right now if I tried.
On the flattened beach, I unroll my yoga mat, kick off my shoes, and strip my sweaty shirt from my sticky body. I center myself on my mat and start working through some of the moves we do at our yoga class. The little tension left in my body eases out as my mind switches from ”freak out” to ”let”s be rational” mode.
I”m lying on my back, letting the sun warm my face as I do some breathing exercises when I hear a twig snap. In my haste to flee, I didn”t take into account that Lark was standing with Brooks during the incident. I”m not shocked that he followed me as he”s always been my fierce protector.
”Go away, Lark. I”m fine.” I don”t even open my eyes, just wait for him to ignore me like he always does when I tell him that.
A shadow blocks out the sun, but instead of acting like he isn”t standing right beside me, my eyes snap open when Brooks”s cologne hits my nose and a finger gently caresses my jay.
”You might be fine, little minx, but I”m not.” Brooks is squatting down beside me, worry etched all over his face. His hair is a mess as if he”s been running his fingers through it, and his crisp button-up shirt is wrecked as it clings to his sweaty chest.
Slowly sitting up, I tuck my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them. My face is stoney as I try not to let any of my emotions out.
”Why are you here, Brooks? You should be at the store. This is the most important day for it.”
Brooks moves to the other end of my yoga mat, kicks off his shoes, and sits down. His knees are up, and his arms rest on them. Where my position is protective, his is open. He studies me before running a hand down his face and letting out a loud exhale.
”Little minx, I”m sorry.”
”Okay, McSexy. What exactly are you sorry for?”
”A lot of things, but mainly you seeing another woman kiss me.”
”Yeah, and you just stood there,” I cut in.
”If you had waited another second, you would”ve seen me shove Jessa off before chasing after you.”
”Fine, Brooks. Why the hell was she kissing you in the first place when you”ve been with me for weeks?”
”Because Jessa has always been an entitled bitch, which is why I broke up with her over a year ago. I have no fucking clue why she showed up and really don”t know why the fuck she kissed me. I swear I haven”t talked to her since we broke up. She”s texted me and called a few times, but I”ve never responded.”
”I”m just supposed to believe that?” I scoff and roll my eyes, diving right back in before I even give him a chance to answer. ”You”re telling me you ignored Miss Malibu Barbie when she called? Or better yet, that you dated a woman who looks like her but now you”re with me and find me attractive?”
”What the fuck, Wren? Yes, I dated Jessa, and I realize your appearances are vastly different, but when have I made you doubt how attractive I find you for even a second? I can”t keep my fucking hands off of you. You”re sexy as hell, but your personality is even more attractive than your pretty face. Jessa is a ”what you see is what you get”. She”s vapid and shallow and only wanted to be an ornament on my arm. I dated her for a few months before she started showing her true colors. Once I saw how nasty and materialistic she is, I was immediately done.”
I”m trying to keep my defenses up, but it”s so fucking hard when Brooks is sitting right in front of me, and I can see honesty written all over his face. My walls come tumbling down when he scoots closer and slides his hand under my chin, grasping it firmly in his hands so that we”re looking into each other”s eyes.
”You”re all I see, Wren. From the moment I met you, I”ve been under your spell, and I have zero desire to be anywhere else. You”ve demanded my attention with that sassy mouth and the sweet side you keep buried for everyone else. I”m all in with you, but I need you to do the same for me. Can you do that, little minx?”
Searching his eyes, I know there”s no way I can deny him, but I”m not ready to tell him just yet.
”How did you find me, Brooks?”
”Lark. He”s back at the car. He told me good luck and that I”d need it.”
”Oh, did he now?” I quirk my brow and hide my smile.
”Yep. He said that if I needed my ass kicked, you wouldn”t hesitate to do it. He also said he”d wait for you to text him before he stranded my ass out here, which I thought was more than fair considering the situation. So, if you aren”t going to kick my ass and send me on my way, you might want to let Lark know he can head out and we”ll see him for dinner.”
I can”t help but laugh, knowing Lark said and meant every word Brooks relayed to me. Pulling my bag closer, I text Lark that everything”s okay and to head back to my apartment, and we”ll grab dinner later. He quickly responds, so I tuck my phone away and turn my attention to Brooks.
”Okay, McSexy. I”m all in. But I fucking swear… If any other women pull that stunt right in front of me again, I will have your balls.”
”I”d expect nothing less, little minx. Now, get over here.” He makes a ”come here” motion as he smirks, and I couldn”t resist him if I tried.
I get on my knees and move closer until I can straddle his lap. We”re both sweaty from the summer sun, but smelling his musky scent only makes me want him more.
Brooks grasps my hair hard, angling my head exactly how he wants it before devouring my lips. He stiffens between my legs, making me moan as I grind down on his length. My hands are all over him, trying to get to his skin. I get the first few buttons undone before impatience wears out and I rip his shirt open.
He pulls back to look at me, his pupils almost completely black as he raises his brow.
”Was that really necessary?”
I bite my lip and nod.
Using his thumb, he pops my lip from my teeth.
”This is mine. The next time you bite it, your ass will be red from my palm. Understand?”
Oh, silly Brooks. You know how much I love a challenge and defying what you want.
Looking right into his eyes, I smile, making my dimples pop, before biting my lip again.
Before I even realize what is happening, Brooks flips me off my lap and has me on my hands and knees, facing away from him. He yanks my shorts down, his palms slamming down on my ass cheek and ripping a moan from me. He soothes my stinging skin before his hand comes down on the other cheek.
Brooks alternates smacking my ass and smoothing it so well that I lose track of how many times he”s spanked me. At this point, my wetness is running down my thighs and I”m a blubbering, incoherent mess, begging for him to relieve the ache between my legs.
”So dirty, little minx. Your porcelain skin looks amazing with my red palms on this luscious ass.” He grips my stinging cheeks roughly before smoothing his hands over them again.
I lose his touch for what feels like forever when I”m sure it”s only seconds. His tip slides through my slick folds, making me thrust my ass back to get him where I need him.
Crack. His hand comes down on my center, making me scream. Before my scream finishes, Brooks is slamming into me. My arms collapse to my yoga mat, my face landing on them. I”m so overstimulated that I don”t know whether to scream or cry from the pleasure only Brooks can give me.
”Fuck, you take my dick so well. I can feel you pulsing around me. You”re being such a good little slut taking my cock right now.”
Holy. Shit. Dirty-talking Brooks is my undoing, and my orgasm rips through me, not slowing Brooks down a bit. His pace is unrelenting, drawing out my pleasure.
”You think you can give me one more, little minx?”
”I-I can”t, Brooks. It”s too m-much.”
”You can give me one more.” His hand reaches around my front, where he starts playing with my clit.
My hips piston back into him, and it”s not long before my walls start to twitch around him.
”Fuck yeah. Give it to me, Wren.” Brooks smacks my ass one last time, and I explode.
My orgasm is so intense that I see stars and take several minutes to come down. Brooks moves us to our sides and cradles me in his arms on my yoga mat, still seated deep inside me. My walls flutter around him in an aftershock, making Brooks groan.
”Damn, Wren. You”re too fucking sexy.” His voice is gruff in my ears, making me shudder.
Brooks pulls out, his cum slowly leaking out of me. He grabs his shirt and uses it to wipe me off as best as he can. I still don”t feel like my limbs will work as I flop over onto my back.
Brooks helps me get my underwear and shorts back on before he pulls me to my feet and wraps me in his arms.
”I really am sorry for earlier. I never want you to hurt, and I especially don”t want to be the one to cause you pain. Please tell me we”re okay.”
”We”re good, Brooks. I”m sorry I didn”t give you a chance to explain, and even more sorry I took you from the store on opening day. Wanna head back so we can help close up the shop before going out to dinner?”
”That sounds perfect.”
Brooks helps me pack up my stuff. We hike back to my car hand in hand.
When we get back to our buildings, we sneak into my apartment to clean up. We bounce back and forth between both of our places so much that Brooks has enough clothes to put on and look presentable before going back to the bookstore.
I keep my head down and head straight to where Lark and Daphne are quietly talking. As soon as I get close, Lark swings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side. I wrap my arms around him and breathe in his familiar scent.
”Everything okay now?” Lark whispers in my ear.
”Yeah, we”re good. I may have overreacted a little bit.”
Lark laughs, and I squirm far away enough to give him a quick jab in the ribs with my elbow. He grunts, which makes me smile with satisfaction. He”s always complained how much it hurt and should”ve known better than to laugh when I”m this close to him.
The rest of the afternoon seems to drag on as I dodge the concerned glances from Brooks”s family. I”m sure they all know by now that something happened. I just don”t want them to think less of me for causing drama on his big day. That was exactly what I was trying to avoid by leaving earlier. I never thought Brooks would follow me today of all days.
Once the final customer leaves, we all let out a relieved cheer at such a great opening day. From the many times I caught Brooks and his brothers restocking the shelves, to the number of customers the girls and I checked out, I know this was a great first day for the bookstore.
Someone busts out some bubbly, and we all take a minute to celebrate with Brooks before heading out for dinner.
Maverick roped off a section at the bar so that our large party could celebrate and enjoy some great food and brews after a long day.
Walking hand in hand down the main street with Brooks is almost surreal. We”re surrounded by friends and family, which makes me realize I”m happier than I”ve been in a long time.
Pausing until everyone passes, I can”t not tell Brooks how proud of him I am when he looks down at me questioningly.
”Today was amazing, Brooks. You did a stellar job getting the bookstore ready. I”m really fucking proud of you.”
Brooks”s smile lights up his whole face as he pulls me to him. My hands go around his waist as I tilt my head back to look into his eyes. My heart is pounding out of my chest as I feel a shift in our relationship. My hands start shaking, so I fist the back of his shirt to stop the trembling. Brooks lowers his head slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, and kisses me softly. My eyes flutter close as I rise up on my toes and slam my mouth onto his, pressing my body closer. His hands dive in my hair to direct me to where he wants me as he devours me, making me moan.
Brook only pulls away when someone lets out a howl and then a loud whistle. Chayse and Cash are walking hand in hand down the sidewalk, both grinning at us. I”m never embarrassed, but what they just witnessed was so much more than anything I”ve ever experienced.
My heart is still racing as I bury my face in Brooks”s chest, feeling his chuckle throughout my body.
”Come on, little minx, before we cause even more of a scene.” Brooks smirks and tugs my hand, heading towards The Tavern, all the while my mind fights with my heart to convince me that I”m not way in over my head.
It”s been years since I”ve given someone the ability to break me, but I never had a fighting chance when it came to my McSexy.