Chapter 2
CHAPTER
TWO
Brooks
“It worked,” I whisper, in awe of myself. “Holy shit.”
The practically naked blond bombshell, who somehow manifested her way straight from my brain into reality, is even hotter than I envisioned while in the shower. Full, teardrop-shaped tits. A dangerous curve of her hips. Thick thighs, plump lips, and a look so innocent that it’s downright angelic.
But angels usually sing, not scream.
“Is there a reason you’re screaming?” I ask loud enough for her to possibly hear me over her own voice.
She stumbles backward, her chest heaving. A pile of wet clothes falls from her hands and plops onto the carpet. I have so many questions.
“I … I have a taser,” she stammers.
Even if that were true, and it’s not, her sweet voice makes it clear that she wouldn’t use it. She might brandish it and give it a little shake, but she’s not zapping anyone. “Liar.”
“I’m not lying.” She gulps, her bright blue eyes wide. “I have one. You better be scared, buster.”
Buster? My lips twist to keep from laughing. “Well, you must either be a magician or very, very talented. Either way, I’m riveted.”
“What do you mean?”
I smirk, letting my gaze drag down her delicious body. “Because you’re either going to make it appear out of thin air or pull it out of your—”
She shrieks again, one hand stretching across her chest and the other darting across her lower half as if she just remembered she’s essentially naked.
“Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no.” She bends and scoops up her clothing.
Her hands tremble as she grips the fabric and then stands. “This is not happening,” she groans.
Something is most definitely happening. I’m just not sure what it is.
Is she a fight fan with a crush? A lost traveler? Or is she here to rob the place—a burglar with a strange MO?
Those are the only real options. The fight fan situation has happened a few times, and I won’t be mad about it if that’s what I’m dealing with tonight. If she’s a lost traveler, she’s really fucking lost because this cabin is in the middle of Blackbird Ranch. That leaves burglary.
I take another glance at that hot body and hiss a breath.
If she’s a thief, I’m leaving all my doors unlocked from now on.
“Look, if you don’t hurt me and just leave, I won’t tell anyone you were here,” she says, clutching the clothes tightly. Her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths. “You can walk out, and nothing is hurt. You haven’t made any decisions that can’t be undone.”
She swallows as if it’s a task that takes effort.
“Don’t turn this around like I’m the aggressor,” I say, teasing her. Might as well have some fun with it. “You’re clearly here to seduce me.”
She gasps, her jaw brushing the floor. “I am not.”
“It’s okay. Consider me seduced. I can’t promise you’ll be able to walk out after, but I won’t tell a soul you were here.” I make the motion, drawing an X over my chest. “Cross my heart.”
A quick gasp sucks past her lips.
The thought of having her straddle my head and sink her pussy against my lips sends a shock straight to my cock.
It presses against the plush fabric of the towel hard enough to make me wince.
I adjust it, not bothering to hide the fact from her.
Her gaze drops to my hands, so I give my dick a shake.
“I’m happy to let you ride it, if you want,” I say, amused by the shock washing across her delicate features.
Her cheeks flush the deepest, sexiest shade of red. She shifts as if she can’t bear to stand still any longer, as if the idea of riding me has her aching.
“Just … oh, my stars,” she whispers. “What is happening here?”
The words are a mix of a whimper and a plea, as if she’s equally as horny as she is confused. Yeah, well, me too.
Before I can respond, my phone, which I left on the bathroom vanity in the en suite, rings. I have half a notion to let it go to voicemail, but with the weather so shitty, there could be an emergency. With the roads like they are, someone could be in a ditch. Or worse.
Fine time to have a conscience, Dempsey.
“Can you just stay right there for a second?” I ask, reaching around the doorframe and retrieving my device from the counter. If she vanishes into thin air, I’m going to be pissed. “Hey. I’m busy. I’ll call you back.”
“Do you ever check your texts?” Gray asks.
“Occasionally.” I lean against the wall as the mystery woman ducks into the closet. “I’m kind of in the middle of something at the moment.”
“I’m sure it’s incredibly important.”
My eyes roll at the sarcasm dripping from his tone. “Actually, it is important. I’m protecting your house from an intruder, thank you very fucking much.”
Gray groans. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“You know,” I say, as the woman’s arm sticks across the doorway and slides through a sweatshirt. “Hollywood really gives breaking and entering a bad reputation. Not all heroes wear capes, but not all felons wear ski masks. Sometimes they wear lace and—”
“Brooks—”
“—if I’m lucky—”
“Brooks, dammit. Stop talking.” He inhales a deep breath. “You’re at my house? Right now?”
“Yup. And I’d say that you’re welcome, but I have a suspicion that it’ll be me thanking you before the end of the night.” I scratch the top of my head. “It usually winds up that way, though, doesn’t it? That’s kind of bullshit.”
He groans again. Deeper this time. “Stop right there. Who is breaking into my house?”
“I don’t know her name,” I say, fixing my cock so the tip isn’t threatening to poke out of the towel at my navel. “She’s the hottest little bandit that I’ve ever seen, though. Great tits. I haven’t seen her ass yet, but—”
“Nope.”
My brows pull together. “Nope? What do you mean, nope?”
“She’s not your type.”
“You apparently don’t know my type.”
He sighs as if this conversation is killing him. I’m sure he has better things to do than talk to me, but this does concern his house, and I am spending my precious time and energy getting involved. The least he could do is be a decent wingman. God knows how many times I’ve played the role for him.
“That bandit is Audrey Van,” Gray says. “Astrid’s best friend.”
He knows her? This creates a wrinkle in my theory—and not one I love.
“She asked if she could stay there for a while and sort some shit out,” Gray says. “I promised her that she’d be safe.”
“So wear a condom?”
“I’m telling you that she’s not your type,” he says sternly before blowing out a hasty breath. “She’s a good girl, Brooks. Sweet. Innocent as hell. She doesn’t swear, doesn’t drink—nothing. Get the picture?”
“Oh, I get the picture, all right,” I say, smirking.
“Unless that picture is you leaving my cabin, which, by the way, what the fuck are you doing there, then that picture is skewed.”
I sigh. “You used to be so much fun.”
Audrey peeks her head around the corner before stepping back into the bedroom. Baggy sweatpants and an oversized green sweatshirt hang off her delicate frame. The only glimpse of her body is her hard nipples poking against her top. Somehow, I think that might be even sexier than the lingerie.
She watches me with her big blue eyes, and everything that Gray said about her makes sense.
It also explains why she’s here, which, sadly, doesn’t have anything to do with me.
Yet. But if I know anything better than how to throw a right cross, it’s women.
And my experience says that there’s more to this particular woman than virtue and innocence, and my glutton for punishment is too curious for my own good.
“Gray?” I punch the speakerphone button. “Say something so she stops looking at me like I’m the one at fault here.”
“You are,” Gray says with a little more enthusiasm than I appreciate.
“Excuse me?” I make a face like he’s ridiculous, which gets a tiny smile out of her. “I’m here, helping your brother put up a fence in the fucking sleet—”
“Which has nothing to do with my cabin,” Gray says.
I scoff. “So you’d rather me freeze my nuts off before I swing by your place—my best friend’s cabin—and take a hot shower? What a nice guy you are.”
The rigidity hugging her shoulders melts away.
“Fuck off, Dempsey,” Gray says, sighing. “Audrey? You there?”
She clears her throat and nods. “Yeah, Gray, I’m here. I’ve never been happier to hear your voice.”
“I bet,” he says.
“You two are just two rays of sunshine tonight, aren’t you?” I ask, earning the first hint of a smile from Audrey. It’s not much, just the corner of her mouth tugging a smidge, but I’ll take it.
Gray chuckles. “That asshole in front of you is Brooks Dempsey. He’s been my best friend since we were kids. I didn’t know he was going to be there, and he didn’t know you were going to be there. Not that I’m sure that would’ve stopped him. But this is a series of unfortunate events.”
Audrey nibbles on her bottom lip, but the relief settling across her features is undeniable.
“I’m sorry about this, Auddie,” Gray says.
“It’s no problem.” She dips her chin, hiding a grin. “I’m sorry for the trouble.”
“We’ll blame it on Brooks. No worries.”
Of course, we’ll blame it on Brooks. I roll my eyes, clicking the speaker button and bringing the phone to my ear. “Are we good?”
“I’m going to trust you to do the right thing,” Gray warns.
“As you should.”
“Brooks—”
“Gotta go.” I end the call and toss my phone on the bed. Thanks to Gray, that’s probably the only action that bed’s gonna get tonight. “So much for you being here to tie me up and torture me.”
Her mouth twitches despite herself. It takes a full five seconds before she gives in—apparently deciding I’m not a threat—and allows her lips to arch toward the ceiling. Just like that, the tension between us splinters, and a warmth pours into the crevice left in its wake.
“You need to work on your survival skills,” I say, adjusting my towel. “How did you not hear me in the bathroom?”