Braydon (34 page)

“What’s that look for?”

“I guess I don’t need to try out my other cure for a headache if you’re all better.”

“Hold up,” Braydon said, followed by an exaggerated moan. “I feel it coming back. What’d you have in mind?”

Jessie loved Braydon’s playful side. “It consists of a soak in a hot bath.”

“With or without company?” he asked, a smirk on his mouth.

“I think in this case, I should be there to keep an eye on you,” she answered smoothly. “But if you don’t think it’s necessary, we could watch a movie or something.”

“Oh, it’s necessary,” he replied, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers while his hands traveled up the backs of her thighs beneath her skirt. “Definitely necessary.”

“Follow me,” she whispered against his lips, making absolutely no effort to pull away. She loved the way his strong arms felt wrapped around her, the rough rasp of his hands against her bare skin.

“Lead the way,” he told her, not bothering to move, either.

Jessie laughed, finally pulling her lips from his. “Let me at least get the water started,” she told him.

When he released her, she was tempted to jump back into his arms, but she managed to refrain.

In a few minutes, she hoped they’d rectify the distance by being closer than that.

BRAYDON COULDN’T REMEMBER
the last time he’d taken a bath. He certainly couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken one with a woman. But here he was, about to immerse himself in water that was billowing steam from the oversized bathtub. With Jessie.

Naked Jessie.

He had left his boots and socks in the living room but had managed to keep the rest of his clothes on when she’d disappeared down the hallway to the bathroom. It hadn’t been easy, considering he was desperate to get his hands on her again. The feel of her soft, smooth skin was a temptation he couldn’t easily resist, and he was ready to pick up where they’d left off in the kitchen.

Granted, his headache really was gone. Whether it was a miracle or just the combination of the medicine and food, he didn’t know. He didn’t care either, because now his mind was clear and the only thing he wanted was to spend the next few hours with this woman.

“Ready?” Jessie asked as she slid her skirt down her silky-smooth legs, allowing it to pool at her feet.

“Sonuvabitch,” he groaned. She wasn’t wearing panties, and he instantly thought about their little trip to the movies.

He stood there watching her, unable to look away long enough to worry about his own clothes as she pulled off her shirt and removed her bra.

And then there she was, in all her naked glory. Her tan skin glowed beautifully, even in the harsh lights of the bathroom.

“Get undressed while I grab some candles,” she instructed.

Braydon’s jaw nearly hit the floor when she turned and walked out of the bathroom, her delectable ass catching his attention. He groaned loud enough for her to hear. When she chuckled, he made quick work of disrobing, tossing his clothes into a pile on the floor.

He was stroking his semi-erect cock slowly when she returned less than a minute later, two jar candles in her hands.

“This is all I’ve got,” she told him.

“That’ll work,” he answered, not paying any attention to what she was holding up for him. He didn’t give a shit about the candles. At the moment, he couldn’t see much past her breasts.

She had lovely breasts.

With dusky pink nipples that were currently puckered and begging for his mouth.

“If we don’t get in the tub, I’m gonna just lay you out here on the counter,” he said distractedly, continuing to eye her hungrily.

“I’m waiting on you.”

Braydon tore his gaze away from her breasts, looking up to her face. That’s when he noticed she was watching him intently. Or rather she was watching as he continued to stroke his cock, which was now iron hard and aching for relief.

Not wanting to completely ignore her good intentions with the bath, Braydon released his dick and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the tub. He stepped in with one foot, the water making his dick throb even more. Or maybe it was Jessie who was responsible for that.

Either way, he didn’t really care.

Their trip into the tub was uneventful, but somehow Braydon found himself sitting in front of Jessie, per her request. At first he’d been disappointed that he couldn’t get his hands on her, but then she’d started massaging his shoulders and all his concerns fell away.

Now, as he rested against her, her deft fingers continued to dig into the aching muscles of his shoulders and neck, making him moan.

“As good as sex, huh?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he told her. “But pretty damn close. Oh, hell, that feels good.”

Jessie continued to rub him, her hands making a slow journey over the muscles she could apparently reach, including his chest. When she pinched his nipple playfully, he groaned again.

They sat there in silence for several long minutes. Jessie resorted to using one of those bath sponges to soap up his chest as they continued to enjoy the water. It didn’t take long before the heat dissipated, but Jessie resolved that quickly, turning on the hot water to replenish it. Luckily she hadn’t filled the tub full or they’d have been washed out into the bathroom by then. But Braydon didn’t complain.

He didn’t have a fucking thing to complain about.

“How’s Brendon?” she asked softly, bringing him out of his relaxed state instantly.

“As good as can be expected, I guess.”

“What does that mean?”

He really didn’t want to talk about his brother, but he knew Jessie was concerned. Everyone was concerned about Brendon and his fragile state of mind.

“If I tell you that he’s on the mend, will that be enough?” he asked subtly, reaching back and cupping her neck, sliding his fingers beneath the long strands of her damp hair.

“Would it be the truth?” Jessie countered.

“I want it to be,” he admitted, gently massaging her neck the way she had his just a few short minutes ago.

Right now, as much as he was worried about his twin, he didn’t want to think about Brendon. He didn’t want to think about anything. The stress of everything had given him one headache that had nearly blinded him. Jessie had somehow managed to relieve the tension. And even if it was just for a little while, he wanted to enjoy it.

Braydon let go of her and sat up. He reached for one of the towels Jessie had laid on the counter near the tub.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t apologize,” he muttered as he stood and reached for her hand, helping her up. “Right now, I just want to spend time with you. No interference. From anyone.”

Jessie nodded, her eyes smoldering.

He knew just how she was feeling. He was feeling it, too. The sight of her smoking hot body dripping with water made his hands itch to touch her. To slide his palms over every single warm inch of her.

Without rushing, Braydon continued to stare at her as he stepped out of the tub and rubbed the towel over himself. He didn’t do the world’s best job of drying himself, but that really wasn’t his main concern. Once he was satisfied that he wouldn’t leave a puddle on the floor, he tossed the towel and retrieved a dry one. After helping Jessie out of the tub, he took the liberty of drying her too, moving in close and invading her personal space.

They stared at one another for the longest time, neither of them saying anything. At least not with words. But there was definitely a conversation going on. One that they had with their eyes.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered, unable to hold the words back. She could take them however she wanted, but he meant that on so many levels. There was a part of Jessie that he’d connected with so long ago, and to finally have that back, only stronger . . . It was more than he could imagine.

Braydon broke eye contact long enough to run the towel over her long, sexy legs, wiping as much of the water away as he could before he returned to his full height. In a move meant to throw her off balance, Braydon tossed the towel onto the floor with the other one and reached for her, lifting her up off her feet. Just as he had hoped, Jessie wrapped her legs around his waist and wreathed her arms around his neck to keep from falling. He had her. There was no chance he’d drop her. But he didn’t bother to tell her that. Having her wrapped around him was an indulgence he couldn’t deny himself.

“I need you,” he told her as he carried her to her bedroom. “I need to be inside you. I need to feel you up against me, Jess. It’s the only thing I can think of.”

“Me too,” she responded.

Setting her on her feet just in front of the bed, he slid his hands up her arms, cupping her neck and pulling her to him. His hunger had taken on an entirely new element where Jessie was concerned. The other night had been about making love to her. Tonight . . . Tonight was about possessing her. He wanted to own her, body and soul.

When he pulled her in for a kiss, bending down to reach her delectable mouth, his body caught fire, a smolder in his bloodstream that sent him careening out of control. The kiss started out soft but quickly morphed into something potent, combustible.

“Ah, hell,” he groaned when Jessie bit his lower lip, sending his lust into hyperdrive.

Her hands began clawing at him, her leg wrapping around his hip, pulling him against her, his iron-hard cock sliding against her belly.

“Enough of the foreplay, Braydon,” she cried. “There’s time for that later.”

And with that, she pulled him down onto the bed with her. She caught him off guard and his full weight nearly crushed her while she seemed to be wrapping herself around him.

“Hold up, Jess,” he warned. “Baby.”

Jessie’s answer to that was to pull his head down to meet hers, crushing her mouth to his. He didn’t resist her, didn’t try, because she tasted like fire and desire and she made him burn.

When Jessie reached between them, gripping his cock firmly in her hand, he pulled back and stared down at her. He had no choice.

“Condom, Jess,” he whispered. Don’t ask him why he didn’t just bolt up from the bed and grab one from the box in her nightstand drawer. That would’ve been the logical solution.

Something held him back.

Something stronger, fiercer than anything he’d ever known before.

And while he waited for her to make a decision that could change their lives forever, Braydon held his breath.

chapter
TWENTY-TWO

A
s Jessie stared back at Braydon, she contemplated the repercussions of what she was about to ask of him.

No protection.

Something she had never, ever, ever done before. Something she’d never even considered doing, either.

Until him.

Until this moment.

Braydon seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.

“Jess, are you sure?”

She tried to nod her head, but something stopped her. Instead, she opted for verbal confirmation. This was something she felt she needed to say. “I’ve wanted this for a long time. I’ve wanted to know what it feels to have you inside me. Skin to skin,” she whispered. “I’ve never done this before. I’m on the pill and I’ve been tested. But I under—”

Before she could get the words out of her mouth, Braydon placed his finger over her lips ever so gently. “I want this too,” he said, rolling off her and pulling her with him.

When she was above him, he just stared up at her. “This is a big step, Jess. I’ve never had sex without a condom, either.”

She wasn’t sure what to make of this conversation. They’d gone from a full blaze to a rolling boil in a matter of minutes. Granted, this was a critical subject, one she knew they had to have before they took a step like this, but that got her thinking. Were they moving too fast? With her history, would this seal her fate? Would Braydon be the man who she would never get over?

There’d only been a few in her past, but each one she’d felt that she loved. Not that what she’d felt for them was even remotely close to what she felt for Braydon, but still. She had to wonder.

“Jess, I want this. More than anything.”

Jessie nodded her head in agreement. She wanted it, too. Broken heart be damned.

“Oh, God,” she moaned when Braydon lined up with her entrance, slowly pressing inside of her.

He groaned, his eyes closing, and she watched closely. He was so beautiful. This man, this amazing man who’d captured her heart at a time when she thought it couldn’t be captured. And now this . . . They were moving faster than they had agreed, but it just felt right.

So, so right.

“Jess, baby, you’re gonna have to move,” he grumbled, his eyes open and watching her.

This time she smiled. She could feel the heat of him inside of her, the glorious feel of him bare, brushing against nerve endings that had begun to spark and fizz from the intense sensation.

Before she could get her body on board with his request, she found herself flat on her back, Braydon above her.

She laughed.

“No. No, don’t do that,” he groaned. “Oh, fuck, Jess. It’s too good, baby.”

That made her laugh more; knowing that he was suffering from an overwhelming amount of pleasure was amusing.