14. Lindee
LINDEE
We make it in eight.
It would have been five, if the stupid light at the bottom of the mountain had behaved.
Normally I don’t mind catching that light.
It gives me a chance to breathe and watch the water move through the jagged S curve in the creek before it makes its way into the deeper ravine as it moves through town.
Not today though.
My nerves are about as craggy as the rocks in that S curve.
The angel sitting on one shoulder tries to talk me out of this, but her gentle nudges about using my better judgment aren’t powerful enough to overcome the whispers of the devil on my other shoulder, telling me to give in to exactly what my body is screaming for.
Which is Brandt fucking Rawlins.
Slipping the truck into park, it occurs to me that I don’t know his middle name.
Not that I need to know his middle name in order to sleep with him.
The bringer of earth-shattering orgasms does not owe me that information.
It’s not like I’m going to be triple naming him as he’s delivering said earth-shattering orgasms.
But still. I want to know it.
Because I want to know him.
A thought that scares me more than a little.
My Jeep door opens, startling me. I turn, finding Brandt magically next to me, unclicking my seatbelt. How did he get there? Oh, goodness, he’s a vampire, isn’t he? Superspeed, off-the-charts sex appeal, and a pair of eyes that see right through me—that has to be it. He’s otherworldly.
Stop it, Lindee…
“Hi,” I squeak, the single syllable almost drowned out by the click of my seatbelt.
“Hi there.”
Brandt’s brown eyes sparkle, making my insides feel fuzzy. Like TV static. I really can’t be sure that he’s not a vampire. Although, he’s never tried to bite me, so…that’s a point in the against column.
Leaning in, he steals a kiss, arm slipping under my body and lifting me from the Jeep.
Instantly, I ease, the comfort of his kiss smoothing out some of the sharp corners from my nerves.
Being held by Brandt might just be my new favorite thing.
I’ve never felt as light and safe and relaxed as I do when his arms are around me.
Not to mention his kiss.
He moves easily, kicking the Jeep door shut, moving toward my cottage as if he knows exactly where he’s going. Like he’s been here a million times before. Or better yet, like he’s coming home.
Ascending the steps, he stops in front of the door, shifting me in his hold.
“Door’s locked.”
Oh, shit. Yes, yes it is.
“Keys are…” I trail off. Where are my keys?
Brandt gently sets me down, and instantly, I miss his touch. He’s still mere inches from me, but it’s not enough. I need him to hold me again.
I hear the jangle before I see them, Brandt’s hand moving in slow motion to hold up my key ring. The cherry charm on the ring catches the light, making it look shiny and new, rather than the oldest thing on there.
“It’s the purple one,” I tell him, anticipation flooding my veins. Brandt is going to see the inside of my house. The first boy to do so.
Well, not counting my dad, Rylan, and Rodrigo. But they’re different. They were over here to help me move in, hang pictures, and fix the leak under the sink. They weren’t here for purely indulgent purposes.
“Lead the way, beautiful.”
Here goes…
I grab his hand, guiding him over the threshold and into my small cottage. It’s not much—a simple, one-room cabin, with a lofted bedroom and back porch that looks over Troublesome Creek. But more than anything, it’s mine. A space all to myself, where I can be and do whatever I want.
A space I just brought a near stranger to. So I can do him.
This isn’t any different than bringing him to the mining shack…
Except…it is. It feels different. Very, very different. It feels…big. Like this is an important moment—a turning point. That after this, there will be no turning back. Our one-night stand before—using fake names to hide our real selves—was one thing. We didn’t know better. Now we do.
And I still want him more than words can say. I want him with every fiber of my being.
Fuck, does that scare me.
“You seem nervous,” he comments, tugging me into him. He kisses me softly, letting it linger.
“I don’t have a lot of guests.”
“I’m honored.”
The butterflies in my chest spring back to life. Brandt’s presence in a space I’ve held sacred for myself feels natural. Easy. As if he belongs here. Something I can’t let myself think about.
I need a distraction. I also need to get him to my bedroom.
Is it too forward to just take him there?
Pressing his lips to my forehead, Brandt rocks backward, then steps around me into the kitchen. I watch, unable to take my eyes off him. Everything about him is sexy.
He opens a cabinet, then another, clearly looking for something. When he finds it, he mutters an “aha!” piquing my interest.
Spinning back around, he holds up a shot glass and the bottle of Tennessee Trouble I keep sitting on the counter. Wordlessly, he fills the glass, handing it to me.
“A little trouble before we get into some?”
I giggle. Trouble puns don’t usually do it for me—I’ve been the victim of too many bad ones over the years—but this was a good one. Or maybe it’s just Brandt.
I throw back the whiskey, enjoying the familiar taste and sweet burn as it slides down my throat. There is nothing on this earth like it. Sweet, rich, and powerful.
I hand the shot glass back to Brandt, expecting him to pour himself one. Instead, he sets it on the counter, smiling at me like he knows a secret. A really good, delicious secret.
“You’re not gonna have one?” I press.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Taking my hand, he grabs the bottle with the other and leads me out of the kitchen, bobbing and weaving around the furniture like a downhill skier avoiding the gates. “Bedroom upstairs?”
I nod, words escaping me, my heart leaping into my throat. Excitement takes over in the blink of an eye, growing with each stair we climb. My heartbeat moves along with it, beating in time with our feet on the treads, while my mind runs wild, no idea what he’s up to.
We crest the top of the stairs, immediately entering my bedroom.
My duvet is a crumpled mess, the bright sunshine streaming through the windows landing on the bunched-up fabric.
Had I known we’d be coming back here, I would have taken the time to straighten it.
Instead, Brandt gets a front-row seat to my early morning laziness.
“Strip.”
My head whips around, my unmade bed a distant thought thanks to his command. Yes, command. There’s a strength and power to his voice that lets me know the single word was not a suggestion. It was not optional.
“What?”
Brandt steps into me, his single available hand landing on my ass and squeezing. Hard.
“Strip,” he repeats, with as much force and intensity as before. “I want you naked and spread out on the bed. Now.”
Oohhhhh, fuuuuuck…
My insides light up like the Fourth of July. Just the thought of being naked and laid out for him to see me—to do whatever he wants to me—is too much. My pussy clenches and I can feel my own wetness. And he hasn’t done anything but tell me to take my clothes off.
So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Slowly, purposefully, I reach for the hem of my tee, meeting Brandt’s gaze. His eyes are wild, full of fire, giving me the confidence I need. I lift my shirt over my head, maintaining as much eye contact as I can. The fire flickers, letting me know I have all his attention.
Moving to my waistband, I undo my jeans, wiggling them over my hips, making a show of it as I lower them. Once I’m in nothing but my bra and panties, I lick my lips, heat flushing my skin. Brandt breaks our eye contact, skimming me up and down, sucking in a harsh breath.
My skin heats even more from the approval, making my own confidence start to overflow. He likes what he sees, so I’m going to give him more. Lots more.
“Lindee, hurry…” he growls.
“Oh, you don’t like watching me?” I tease.
“I like it,” he says, voice rough and full of gravel. “Too much.”
Well then…
Unhooking my bra, I slide it down my arms, twirling it around a finger as I hold it out and drop it to the ground. Another growl cuts through the air, and I watch as Brandt grips the bottle he’s still holding even tighter, looking like he’s about to lose control.
Over me.
Fuck, yes.
“Panties, now,” he demands.
“I’ll get there…” I bat my eyelashes, trying to look as sweet and innocent as possible.
“Now…”
“So demanding…” I smirk, throwing him a wink.
Looping my thumbs under the lace, I work the fabric down my legs, taking my time. I spin as I stand back up, shaking my ass.
Smack!
Sharp heat hits my backside, radiating through my skin. I gasp, both at the shock and pleasure of it, my heart jumping. Fuck…that was amazing.
I throw a look over my shoulder, not sure what I expect to find.
Sure enough, there’s Brandt, eyes dark and lusty, waggling his eyebrows, looking borderline satisfied.
He should be, because that’s a move that will get him everything he wants.
Eventually. Because I might drag the moment out to earn myself more of that.
“Onto the bed.”
I spin back around, climbing onto the bed. Lying back, I’m thankful I didn’t make the bed, the crumpled duvet acting as the perfect pillow, the soft cotton hugging me as I get comfortable.
Putting a knee on the bed, Brandt spreads my legs.
Cool air hits my core, making my pussy clench in anticipation.
I’m open and exposed, fully on display. In the back of my mind, there is a part of me that thinks I should be self-conscious.
That I should be worried about what he thinks.
But another part, a bigger part, feel comfortable and safe. And turned the fuck on.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous…” he mutters, once again dragging his eyes up and down my body.
His eyes stop and his brow furrows for a second. Dropping the bottle on the bed, he runs his hand up my side, stopping right at my underboob. At my tattoo.