Breaking Brandon (Fate) (14 page)

He must’ve read her mind because, before she could respond, he added. “I’m free all weekend if you’d rather not tell them about this until you’ve healed a little more.”
Squeezing her hand, he smiled. “I’d be a perfect gentleman. I promise.”

Feeling bad that she’d even mentally questioned his motives, but at the same time completely thrilled that he was offering, she shook her head. “I don’t doubt that you would be.” She
tilted her head. “Are you
sure?
Last night I didn’t want to admit it, and I wasn’t even feeling like I do today, but I feel like a total invalid now. I can barely move. I’d hate to be such an incredible weight on you all weekend.”

“Nah,” he leaned in and p
ecked her. “We’ll just keep you up here all weekend. There’s no need for you to go down until you have to. I can bring up anything you need. The longer you stay off that ankle, the better.”

“But you
have
to let me pay you, Brandon—”

“Hell no!” he said with
a furrow of his brows. Then he smiled again, and, God, she could get used to that smile. “But you can keep thanking me the way you have so far.”

Cradling his face with both hands, she kissed him. “Thank you.” She kissed him again a little longer. “Thank y
ou.” Then she went even deeper, making him as crazy as she was beginning to love feeling him get.

“Thank
you
,” he said, this time with a groan and leaned her back into the pillows piled up behind her, making her giggle against his lips.

Chapter Thirteen

Brandon

Lying there in his bed, reflecting on the day’s happenings, Brandon couldn’t decide if the turn of events had been a good thing or if he’d fucked up royally. He kept asking himself the same questions: What the hell
was he thinking? What was he
doing
?

This went beyond wanting to help someone in need. He couldn’t hide what was happening behind that façade anymore. Taking the day off to help her out for the day was one thing, but offering to continue doing so for the re
st of the weekend, especially knowing how impossible it would be to keep his lips off hers now, was a whole other monster.

He may as well toss his rulebook—the one he’d lived by for years—right out the window. So far he’d broken every last damn rule in tha
t book. He’d gone back for more after last night’s kiss. He’d practically told her she’d been under his skin since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. If memorizing the way she’d ordered her salad way back at the airport didn’t say he’d been putting way too much thought into her, he didn’t know what did. Hell, he even told her about Sofie, something he hadn’t spoken to
anyone
about
ever
. This after spending a day and a half with her?

There was no way he could deny feeling an attachment to her already. When sh
e’d brought up Lansing, reminding him of what she’d asked the guy at the ER, he’d been ready to spit nails. Why? Because just like seeing Rodriguez with her, the thought of her feeling anything for anyone else after just a few kisses had him burning up.

Fo
r someone who for years said he’d never show interest in anyone else’s personal life, he’d been utterly immersed when she’d brought her tablet out tonight to show him photos of her Grandpa Boot. She’d then proceeded to show him all her other photos on her tablet of her family, and he’d been equally engrossed. Seeing photos of her when she was a young high school girl fascinated him. He wouldn’t tell her, but she looked even more like Sofie than he first thought. That wasn’t the fascinating part. While he’d felt a bit envious of her normal and happy upbringing, the only photo he’d seen her in where she wasn’t smiling hugely was the one she didn’t know he’d seen in her wallet. Except for when she’d gotten a little emotional about her grandpa, the girl was nonstop sunshine and happiness. It was contagious, and after just spending a day and a half with her, he’d begun to smile and even laugh a lot more.

Once again, the sirens were going off, but unlike before, he was seriously considering silencing them. He had n
o idea where this might be going. Nor did he know where he
wanted
it to go.

They’d talked for hours tonight. She’d offered to turn on the television, but he passed, preferring instead to talk. He wanted to
talk—
get better acquainted with someone—something that had always made him so uncomfortable before, not because he was in anyway inept at holding a conversation but because he feared enjoying such conversations. That would mean enjoying said company, which in turn would lead to wanting to spend more time with
anyone,
which ultimately meant attachment. But tonight he’d wanted it, and he’d enjoyed every minute of it. It was
insane
. Though, in hindsight, she’d done most of the talking.

At one point, he’d been lying there in her bed with her snuggled up next t
o him, wondering what the hell he was doing there. How the hell did he let this happen? And then she’d kiss him, and all those doubts about whether or not he should get up and run from there as fast as he could, would go away.

He could no longer say he har
dly knew her anymore. Tonight they’d talked in depth about her family, her career, and her friend Janecia, the one he’d seen her having dinner with at Gaslamp. The only significant part of her life she merely brushed over was her late husband, who’d passed away suddenly last year in a motorcycle accident. Brandon picked up on the fact that she hadn’t planned on talking about all that, until he asked her about the last relationship she’d been in.

Judging by how emotional she’d gotten when the subject of her
grandpa was brought up and the fact that she’d admitted to not dealing well with loss, Brandon didn’t push. It was one thing to see her cry over her grandpa, but he wasn’t sure how he’d feel about seeing her cry over a guy she’d obviously been in love with, someone she’d likely still be with if he were still around. Brandon wasn’t ready to deal with something that heavy yet—he didn’t know if he ever would be. This whole attachment thing, to
anyone,
would be completely new to him. If he decided to let it happen, he wasn’t sure how good or bad he’d be at it. Already, he was beginning to feel an unreasonable sense of entitlement to her. Hearing her talk about her feelings for someone else, even if in the past, was not something he’d be looking forward to. So if she chose to never talk about her late husband again, he’d be just fine with it.

He too had been pretty short on subjects he’d rather not talk about. Keeping it as simple as possible, she now knew the basics about him. He had no siblings. Both his parents
had died years ago, one of cancer and one in an accident. Regina was obviously as good as he was at picking up on sore subjects, because she’d let it go, not pushing for details.

Brandon’s phone buzzed, and he was almost afraid to check it. Regina had pro
grammed her number into his phone tonight and texted herself so they’d now have each other’s numbers. He’d just spent the last six or seven hours straight with her and then came home only to think of her nonstop. This could very well be her because no one else ever called or texted this late. He was as afraid as he was anxious to see if it was.

He smiled at the envelope and caption: Text from Regina. Clicking on it, he opened and read it.

Just wondering if you’re having as hard a time as I am sleeping. I CANNOT stop thinking about you! =O

Feeling that now familiar smile spread across his face—the one that hadn’t made an appearance this often until Regina—he let out a small groan, closing his eyes. Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing. Having someone in
your life that made you feel this good couldn’t be that bad, right?

He sat up and texted back.

Thanks for this. I was beginning to think maybe I was nuts. I’ve been lying here since I got home, thinking about everything we talked about today.

Waiting there
in the dark, knowing he was smiling like an idiot, he thought about something. He was living proof that fate could very instantly and very drastically change whatever plans you’d made for your future. Could his life be taking a turn once again—this instantly? And was he really going to let this happen?

His phone buzzed, and he clicked on the envelope.

Well, since it is the weekend, and for the sake of us getting some rest before having to go back to work Monday, maybe tomorrow I can have a sleepover? Popcorn, movies, and junk food until we pass out? No sense in you leaving if you’re just gonna be back the next morning, right? Of course, you’re promise of being a complete gentleman will have to stand. You’re invited to sleep in my bed, nothing else, well, except for what we’ve done already. ;)

Groaning even louder, he brought the pillow over his face and did something even more foreign than his constant smiling now—he laughed out loud. Once again, his subconscious was already deciding for him. Even if he want
ed to stop it, which he didn’t, this was
already
happening.

~~~

After Regina’s late texts last night, thoughts of seeing her again today had kept him awake into the wee hours of the morning. Then later in the morning when he’d woken, the second his brain was awake enough to remember everything that had happened yesterday, he hadn’t been able to go back to sleep.

Knowing the drugstore wouldn’t be open that early, he headed to Walmart for that shower chair, the wrap for her ankle, and the popcorn and junk foo
d she mentioned for their
sleepover
. Among all the things Regina had shared with him yesterday about herself, she’d mentioned some of her guilty pleasures. Chocolate was on top of her list. She said it didn’t matter what shape or form. It was her ultimate weakness, so he grabbed plenty of things with chocolate as well. But there was one other very specific thing he’d immediately thought of when she told him, and with that in mind, he was now headed to the one place he’d vowed never step to foot in again—La Jolla.

It was early enough that he was fairly certain he wouldn’t have any uncomfortable run-ins with anyone from his past there. Still just being in his old neighborhood brought back the bad vibes—vibes he was certain Regina would easily chase away just a
s soon as he saw her. But he’d rethink doing something like this next time. He was pretty sure the chocolate-chocolate-chip waffles from the waffle house he grew up having breakfast at every Sunday were not the only good ones in the area.

As he jumped on t
he freeway, waffles on the passenger seat, he felt an immense relief wash over him. The further he drove away from that city, the better he felt. He made the same vow he’d made long ago, only this time he was sticking to it. He’d never step foot in that neighborhood again. Nothing was worth it. He’d find another damn waffle house.

Smiling the second he walked into Regina’s place, he was glad he’d been right. He hadn’t even seen her yet, and already being this near to her had snapped him right out of the wei
rd mood going into La Jolla had put him in.

He started up the stairs, wondering if she was awake yet. It was early still.

“Is that you, Brandon?”

The question puzzled him again, but he didn’t respond because he was already at the top. She was just walking
out of the bathroom, holding on to the wall, and the second she saw what he held, her eyes brightened. Starbucks was another of her guilty pleasures, and he’d made a stop there as well.

“Oh, yay!” she clapped her fingers together, wobbling a little, then s
topped, her jaw dropping when she got a closer look at the coffee cup. “Don’t tell me,” she said, “you got me a Chocolate Dalmatian?”

He nodded but frowned. “You didn’t tell me it wasn’t on the regular menu. I froze when the guy asked how I wanted it.”

She brought her hand to her mouth and laughed unapologetically as she reached her bed then sat down.

“Lucky for you, the other barista knew what was in it, or you would’ve ended up with a plain coffee. Since I hate coffee, I wouldn’t have had any idea what to
order you.”

He leaned over and kissed her softly before handing the cup to her then put the rest of the stuff down on the bed. Regina scooted back onto her stack of pillows, savoring the coffee, and Brandon sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. “Ho
w you feeling today?”

“Still sore but a little better than yesterday morning.”

He leaned into her and kissed her again a little deeper than he had the first time. He’d been right that first time back on the base when he’d guessed that tasting the coffee on her lips would be delicious. Her mouth tasted damn good. “I’m glad,” he said then bit her bottom lip before asking what he’d wanted to ask yesterday morning and now, only a day later, felt more entitled to. “You wanna tell me why you’ve asked if it’s me walking in here the past two mornings?” He pulled back and peered at her. “Who else would it be?”

She stared at him seriously for a moment then smirked and lifted a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know. One of my other very sexy caretakers maybe.”

He knew she was kidding. Still he went serious, raising an eyebrow, because this was a good lead into something he’d begun to wonder yesterday and even more so after her late night text.

“I’m kidding!” she said suddenly with a laugh. “I don’t know. I guess because I know th
e door isn’t locked. I just want to make sure no one else has walked in.”

“I thought you said because this is a gated community you didn’t have to worry about that?”

“I don’t.” She shrugged, taking another sip of her coffee. “But sometimes I hear other things like the ice machine going off in the kitchen. Makes me wonder if maybe you’re already here and I didn’t hear you come in. So I call out for you.”

He stared at her with a suspicious but playful smirk. “So last
night you said you haven’t been in a relationship in over a year.” The playfulness in her eyes seemed to wane a bit, so he hurried his point along and got past that part. “But are you seeing anyone else? Or is there anyone you go out with even casually?”

L
ifting that cute little brow, her eyes challenged him now, confusing him. “You mean like you casually left the bar with that blonde?”

Okay, he walked right into that one. Damn it. “Well, yeah, something like that, only I’m not seeing her in
any
way.” He paused before saying what he wanted to say next, because it was a risk, but then just being here was a risk, so what the hell? He may as well get this straight now. “Until you, I didn’t do repeat visits, no matter what the circumstances. And I can’t even remember when the last time was that I spent the night with someone or had someone stay overnight at my place. Now I have an overnight bag in my Jeep outside.”