Another night with Gwen in his arms, and Brody wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to go without again. It was too soon to try to talk her into moving in with him. He knew it was. But seeing her toothbrush on his bathroom counter, finding her swimming in his T-shirt and a pair of his socks while she flipped through the paper at the kitchen island, knowing that his sheets smelled like her…it was doing something to him. Something different from what he’d experienced with the women he’d had relationships with in the past.
“Morning, gorgeous,” he greeted, detouring past her on his way to the coffee machine so he could touch her hair and maybe see if he could make her blush once or twice.
“Morning, again,” she replied with a soft laugh, that pretty, pink heat he couldn’t get enough of already pushing into her cheeks.
Mmm, what was she thinking about?
“You snuck out of bed without me.”
His coffee maker was one of those industrial-grade high-end deals, but he’d shown her how it worked the night before and was glad to see she’d been able to work it this morning. A glance at his watch confirmed, yeah, still morning, but barely.
One honey-blond brow arched in his direction. “I thought you might need your rest.”
He would’ve happily survived without it, but the thought was sweet. Besides, he’d gotten to wake with her in his arms earlier that morning. Not that they’d made it out of bed that time. But what a way to wake up.
“I can’t believe you get the actual paper,” she commented absently, flipping through the pages.
When his coffee was ready, he settled in behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist while he read a few headlines over her shoulder. “Guess I’m an old-school kind of guy.”
“That’s not what your coffee maker is saying. It looks like it came off an alien spaceship.” She turned her head, peering back at him over her shoulder. “But now that I think about it, you really do use your phone less than almost anyone else I know. Heck, you don’t even have it with you right now.”
Why would he need it, when the only person he wanted to talk to was right in front of him?
Those whiskey eyes went wide, and one pretty hand covered her mouth. “Wait, is it because of your fingers? Are they so big it makes it hard to use the apps on the phone?”
There was that too. But come on, he wasn’t a gorilla. He could use the damn thing, just not as quickly or as easily as someone with delicate little fingers like she had.
Setting his coffee aside, he held up his hand in front of her and dropped his voice as he whispered in her ear.
“I thought you liked my fingers. In fact I was almost sure of it… But maybe I should check again.”
Then he was sliding his hand between her legs, finding his way beneath the hem of that overlong T-shirt so he could touch the silky bare skin of her inner thigh.
“Brody,” she sighed as he roamed higher, higher, higher…
“Fuck,” he ground out when he discovered she wasn’t wearing any panties. It was nothing but soft, tender, bare flesh. “Open for me, gorgeous.”
Her breath caught, and then she was stepping her legs further apart, giving him what he asked for. Pressing that perfect ass of hers back into him as he teased his fingers over her folds.
So wet already.
He stroked through her slickness, groaning at the feel as he eased one finger inside her heat. “You like that, baby?”
“Yes,” she hissed as he curled the digit forward, stroking over her favorite spot.
Another sweet shudder, and this time when she pushed her ass back, he rocked forward, grinding against her just that much.
He pumped in and out of her and then carefully pressed a second finger in with the first. “Do you like my thick fingers inside you?”
He knew she did, could feel her need and desire spilling over his hand and the clench of her body around him.
“Brody, please.”
Man, he loved the way she said his name. And when he got that breathy, little please tagged on the end, it was nearly enough to push him over the edge.
He wanted to fill her with his body. Tell her to put her hands on the counter and brace as he took her hard and deep. But the condoms were upstairs, so he’d enjoy giving her what he had. Slowly, he wedged another finger inside. Damn, it was so snug, but he knew she liked it, because she was moaning and gasping. Her hips bucked against the heel of his hand as he stroked in and out, again and again. Twisting and spreading, curving and stroking, he played with her until her knees buckled and, shuddering, she cried out his name.
Brody took her in his arms and, kissing her hard, cut through the first floor and took the stairs up two at a time. He needed her in his bed.
Hell, he needed her like he’d never needed anyone before.
When he finally made it to his room, he laid her against the sheets, shucking his clothes and grabbing a rubber while she tossed his T-shirt aside. Then she was inching back, opening her legs for him as he crawled over her. Peering up at him with those gorgeous eyes as he took her body like she’d taken his heart.
There was something primitive and powerful boiling up inside him. Something that hadn’t been there before. Something he didn’t want to fight.
“Never want to let you go,” he growled, rocking inside her, buried as deep as he could get.
It was too soon for promises. His. Hers. But with that warm whiskey gaze still tangled up with his, promises were all he could think about.
* * *
Gwen had known she was going to have to return to the scene of the crime eventually. It was either that or find a new job and a new watering hole and a new place to meet up with her boyfriend. Belfast had turned out to be something of a one-stop shop for all things vital in her life. So yes, she’d been prepared to go back. But apparently, it had been in a deep-denial way, because when she actually found herself standing on the sidewalk that first Tuesday after the new year…no freaking way was she ready to face her coworkers after getting busted making out with the boss the last time she was there. Making out with her boss and then disappearing into his office until after the bar closed.
It was move-to-Canada time.
“Oh no you don’t,” Jill sang in her ear, coming up behind her and all but shoving her through the door.
“Jill,” she squeaked, laughing and burning with shame all at once.
When the other woman released her and walked past, Gwen gawked. “What were you doing out there in your T-shirt…in January?”
Jill shrugged. “You were standing out there for ten minutes, Gwen. Ready to bolt. Figured my best chance was to go around from the alley and sneak up behind you. Get you inside quick, so I didn’t end up having to train a new new girl.”
“Well, thanks for that,” Gwen said, meaning it more than Jill could appreciate.
“Go put your stuff away, and get back here. I can only be cool for so long before I die of lack of details, and Brody says you’re the type to kiss and tell.”
Gwen coughed out a laugh, her eyes going wide. “I am not!”
Tying her apron around her waist, Jill shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Turned out, she totally was the type to kiss and tell. All it took was three and a half hours of Jill shadowing her, making one outlandish guess after another, each more obscene than the last, until the actual events from the previous week seemed so bland by comparison that Gwen cracked and gave up the first detail. And then the next, because Jill’s excitement was over the top, and the truth was, Gwen was dying to talk at least a little bit about the guy who’d turned her world upside down.
After that, it wasn’t so much that she was telling Jill…and Maria and Zari, but that they’d gotten so good at reading the color of her blushes, they were nailing down details she never would have given up. But as if it wasn’t bad enough getting busted making out with her boss, she had to go and get busted by her boss dishing details about it. Though based on the way his arm had circled her waist and he’d pulled her in to whisper a few of his favorite highlights in her ear, she was guessing he hadn’t minded too much.
The only problem was those highlights had made her favorites list too, and now all she could think about was Brody and how hot it had been, watching him prowl toward her as he whipped off his shirt. Or how he’d just picked her up and moved her any which way he wanted when they were in bed. Or what it had been like when he’d skipped a day of shaving and then given her the biggest, longest, deepest kiss of her life…for almost an hour. These were NSFW thoughts. Not even a little bit safe.
And worse yet, she seemed to have developed a sixth sense about when he entered her proximity. It was like a low charge, this subtle pull and aching awareness that had her peeking over her shoulder as she was just then.
Sure enough, Brody was checking in with Rob. Or at least she figured that’s what he was going for. But those sea-green eyes were focused on her, and the bartender must have realized it too, because he laughed and turned away to help a customer. And then Jill was at her ear, amusement in her voice as she nudged. “Pretty sure it’s time for your break.”
Gwen nodded, glancing at the time.
That would be good. Maybe she’d step outside and try to cool off. Except Brody was headed her way.
The butterflies were getting aggressive.
“Break time, gorgeous?” he asked, coming up beside her as she headed down the back hall. His hand was low on her hip, his arm warming the skin across her back.
The employee area was straight ahead, but Brody stopped to turn at his office door on her right.
“Wait,” she said, her feet digging in, suddenly feeling a dozen sets of eyes burning into her back. “Everyone’s going to know what we’re doing if we walk in there.”
Brody hummed, crossing his arms and turning to face her.
“What exactly do you think we’re going to be doing in there?” he asked, coming a step closer so he was looking down into her face and she could feel the heat of his big body and the pull between them that had become almost unbearable to resist.
“You know exactly what I think we’re going to be doing in there.”
The corner of his mouth hitched higher. “Do I?”
She blinked, her mouth dropping open. But before she had a chance to reply, Brody had swooped down and caught her mouth with his. The kiss was brief, possessive, and sweet—and over as quickly as it had begun. She started to turn back to check and see who’d been watching, but Brody’s hand was firm at the base of her spine, urging her forward with him.
“They already know. They’re delighted. And they’re going to see me kiss you like that about a dozen more times tonight alone. So how about we head back into my office? Because if we don’t, I’m thinking they’re going to see a hell of a lot more than that little kiss.”
“Bossy,” she groused under her breath, but there was nothing convincing about it.
Brody grinned, leaning closer to her ear. “Good thing you like it.”
He held the door open and then closed it behind them. The sound of the latch engaging sent a sharp stab of anticipation through her.
Brody stepped toward her, closing the distance between them.
She wanted his kiss. Needed it.
Her hand came up between their mouths.
“Gwen?” he mumbled from behind the press of her fingers.
“Brody, we need to come up with some rules.”
Taking her hand in his, he kissed it and then pulled her toward the couch. “What kind of rules?”
Dropping into the corner, he tugged her down onto his lap and adjusted her so she was exactly the way he wanted her.
God, that drove her wild. “The kind about work.”
“There are lots of rules about work already. I’m pretty sure we’ve got more than enough.”
“I’m talking about the kind where we don’t mess around at work.”
He scowled, and she laughed, shaking her head. “Don’t look at me like I just told you we’re never going to do it again. All I’m suggesting is that maybe we hold off until after hours. You know, so your employees aren’t afraid to knock on your office door if they need something.”
His hand was already on her knee and coasting toward the hem of her skirt. “They text me.”
“Brody, we could talk. Save the rest for tonight.”
“We could,” he agreed. “Did I tell you I’m going to be up in Wisconsin for a couple of days next week? I could tell you about the meetings I’ve got scheduled.”
Then those thick, long fingers were teasing beneath the edge of her skirt, smoothing over the bare skin of her inner thigh without pushing any higher. Her pulse skipped, and her body started heating from within.
What had he been saying?
“If you don’t want me to do something, gorgeous, all you have to say is stop.”
She knew she should tell him to move his hand, that what he was doing was too tempting for her weakening resolve.
His mouth was at her ear, his lips brushing the shell. “By the way, my friends want to grab dinner on Saturday. Come with me.”
Her eyes were fixed on his big hand halfway beneath her skirt. He was wearing that sexy oversize watch and the leather ties around the solid width of his wrist. So hot.
He was doing this on purpose. His fingers were big. Really big. Long and thick and, ooh, she loved what he did with them. He knew seeing his hand like that was nearly enough to make her combust.
“What do you say, Gwen? Saturday?”
She swallowed, trying to focus on his words rather than the shift of bone and muscle with each soft stroke of his fingers against her skin.
Dinner…
Saturday…
Another stroke… Had he inched higher, closer?
His friends… His friends. The man had more than he could probably count, but she knew when he said “my friends,” he was referring to a specific core group. Molly, the guys from college, and Emily and Sarah.
Another stroke… Mmm, that was definitely higher.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly, watching her skirt bunch as it caught on that wide leather band. So sexy.
“Yes to Saturday…” he growled, his thick fingers grazing the lacy edge of her panties once before dipping beneath. “Or yes to this?”
Her breath caught, and need spilled hot through her center.
“YES!”
In the blink of an eye, he had her beneath him, his arm under her hips, holding her up to him as she buried her fingers in his hair and pulled him down to her.
“Just for a minute,” she gasped against his lips.
Teasing her open mouth with his, he gripped her hip tighter. “Anything you want, baby.”
All of him. Everything.
And then he was kissing her in earnest. No teasing. Nothing held back.
She was desperate, panting, her body burning for him. But it was her heart that was out of control.
“Fuck, baby, I’m going to—”
Beep, beep, beep.
They froze where they were. She with her hand down the back of his jeans, her fingers splayed wide over what was most probably the most perfect male ass she’d ever encountered, and his hooked around the damp panel of the panties he’d just pulled aside.
“You’re beeping,” Brody stated, looking down at her with a puzzled expression.
Snapping out of her sensual haze, she started pushing and shoving at his immovable mass.
“It’s my alarm. My break is over in sixty seconds. Brody!”
Climbing off her with a pained groan, he rubbed a hand over his mouth. “Gwen, slow down.”
Reaching for her, he pulled her into his lap with her T-shirt only half on.
“I have to get back. My break is going to be over and… Oh my God, Brody, look at me. Can you tell what we were doing in here?”
She’d really wanted to be better than this today.
That sea-green gaze skimmed over her face, lingering at her mouth before moving on and finally settling on her eyes. “No. No way.”
Her chin jerked back, and she gaped at him. “You are a terrible liar.” Only she couldn’t stop to tease him about it, because apparently sexy times was written all over her face, and she had less than twenty seconds to fix it.
Pulling her T-shirt on the rest of the way, she scrambled out of his lap and then staggered a bit when her knees weren’t quite ready to hold her.
Brody was off the couch in flash, one big hand at her waist as he looked down into her eyes.
“You okay, gorgeous?”
She shook her head. “No way. Not even a little.”
He laughed and ducked, catching her mouth with his for a kiss it nearly killed her to pull back from. Still, somehow, she managed it. “Break’s over.”
And then she was adjusting her ponytail and making sure her boobs were back inside her bra.
“You can take a few minutes, Gwen.”
He reached for her hand, but she danced out of reach.
“I know you’re the boss, and everyone is cool here. But as much as I want to crawl back over you right now, it’s one thing to fool around in here when I’m on my break, and it’s something else entirely for me to leave them hanging when I’m supposed to be on the floor.”
Giving him a meaningful look, she added, “If this is going to work between us, we have to have some boundaries for work.” And clearly, the no-messing-around plan wasn’t going to take.
His brow arched. “If?”
“You know what I mean.”
Shaking his head, he started following her out the door. “Don’t think I do. You should come back and explain it to me. Better yet, show me. I’ve been wrong about us before. Don’t want to chance another misunderstanding.”
Gwen laughed and tried to pull away, but Brody caught her by the side of her hip and pulled her around and into his kiss before she had time to react.
When he let her go, setting her back a step, it was with a smile on his face that matched the one in her heart.
“Have a good shift, gorgeous.”