Cowboy Payback (21 page)

By the time Trisha returned to the reception, Brett had made his phone call and sealed his fate. Good or bad, it was done. Fighting the urge to rush to her side, he held fast and stood strong. She was saying good-bye to her parents who were leaving early to head back to Texas.

No. He needed to give her space, not push. Let her come to him.
Christ
, he was not good at giving up control. But he’d learn.

For her.

So, he switched gears and decided now was a good time to track down his A.D. Scanning the room, he found Stacy surrounded by a group of eager males, including Maddog. The squid was nothing if not persistent. Hiding a smile, Brett strode toward the woman and her gaggle of devotees.

“Excuse me, fellas,” she said, straightening her shoulders when he approached, relief evident in her eyes. “I think my boss needs me. Duty calls.”

He nodded, cupping her elbow. “Yes, I need to talk to my activity director.”

The men groaned but dispersed without haste.

Brett released her and chuckled. “I don’t think your admirers are too happy with me right now.”

Color crept into her pretty face, emphasizing her chocolate brown eyes. “There’s just a shortage of single women here, that’s all.”

He smiled. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s you, Stacy.”

Her dress was identical to Trisha’s except light purple and appeared a little shorter, showing off more leg since she was a good two inches taller. Brett’s heart belonged to Trisha, but he knew an attractive woman when he saw one, and Stacy Bradshaw was definitely one of them.

“So.” She cleared her throat. “What did you need?”

Obviously uncomfortable talking about herself, she probably wasn’t going to like his answer.

“I wanted to know your thoughts on Liam Jennings.”

She blinked and narrowed her eyes. “I…Why?”

“Despite what my brother might say to the contrary, I’m not stupid. I can tell you and Liam have a history.”

Her burgeoning smile disappeared; other than that, she had no reaction.

“I take it you’ve heard we’re in the process of hiring him to do the renovations?”

She nodded but remained quiet.

“This means he’ll be living here for a few months. Are you okay with that? Because if you’re not, we’ll find someone else.”

Her brows shot up, then returned as her smile stretched to full capacity. “You’re sweet, Brett. Thanks, but Liam is brilliant and the perfect man for the job. We had a…thing once, a few years ago. It’s in the past. I can suck it up and get along with him. I promise there won’t be an issue.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

He blew out a breath and smile. “Good because we really like his ideas.”

She returned his smile and nodded. “I look forward to seeing them.”

The A.D. had never lied to him before, but her pupils had definitely dilated during their conversation. Still, he didn’t push it. Whatever happened in her past was her business, as long as it didn’t affect
his
business.

“So, was there anything else you needed?”

“As a matter of fact…” He withdrew a small list from his pocket, the one he’d compiled in his office ten minutes ago, and handed it to her.

Stacy glanced at the paper, then met his gaze and smirked. “I’m on it.”

“Thanks.”

As he watched the A.D. disappear from the room, he hoped he wasn’t wasting her time. Hell, he wasn’t even sure where he and Trisha stood right now. But he did know he sure as hell was going to give it all he had and lay it all out on the line with her later tonight, after the bride and groom were off on their honeymoon and the guests were gone.

Now, he just had to bide his time.

“Here, you look like you could use this.”

Liam handed him a scotch, similar to the one he’d set down untouched a half-hour ago.

“Thanks,” he said with a nod, lifting the drink to his mouth, resisting the urge to toss it back in one gulp, because, yeah, it had been that kind of half-hour.

“Give her time. My sister’s worth it.”

He lowered his glass and held the formidable, former SEAL’s gaze. “I agree.” His heart rocked hard against his ribs as his brother’s words flittered through his head. “A wise man once told me nothing good comes easy.”

Liam’s gaze strayed to Stacy, who’d reentered the room. “True.” The man’s intense gaze returned to him. “I’m going to tell you what I told my sister.”

Brett cocked his head, more than a little curious.

“Let her in.”

With a curt nod, the SEAL turned and disappeared into the crowd. Brett stared after him.

Let her in.

Hell, wasn’t that what he’d been doing? Letting her in, letting her share everything?

He’d let Trisha into his cabin. His bed. His ranch. His job. His life. His heart.

Not all of it
, his conscience insisted,
not all the way
.

He inhaled as the realization set in. How could he expect her to open up and share her deepest fears when he held that part of himself back?

He hadn’t let her in all the way. Hadn’t bared his soul. Hadn’t even realized he’d had one. Hell, he hadn’t realized a good many things until Trisha had become more than one of his marines.

Forty minutes later, Brett stood next to his mother and Terry in the crowd gathered in the driveway, waving to the bride and groom as Liam drove them away.

“You done good, hun,” Terry said, kissing his mother’s cheek.

She wiped her face and sniffed. “I just wanted everything to be perfect for them. They deserve it.”

“Then I’d say you delivered,” he told his mom. “It was a good day.”

Except for Trisha’s
episode
. His gut clenched tight, hating not being able to help the woman he loved.

“He’s right,” his
fiancée
said, stepping through the crowd to slip her arm around his waist, shocking him silent with her nearness. “Everything was beautiful.”

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth or question where her anger with him had gone, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side. “Especially you.”

Tears filled her eyes, and
ah, hell
, he wasn’t sure how to fix it. How did he make it stop?

“No.” She shook her head. “I’ve been an ass.”

“Nonsense. You’ve been wonderful,” his mother said, patting Trisha’s arm.

He knew the words were meant to comfort, but somewhere wires must’ve crossed because…
damn it
, the tears and sniffing increased. Her distress had his insides turned upside down and inside out and so muddled he said the first thing that came to his mind.

“I love your ass.”

“And that’s our cue to head inside,” Terry said, ushering the small crowd up the steps. “I wonder if there’s any cake left.”

It took him a moment to realize the woman shaking against him was no longer crying, but laughing.

“Way to clear the driveway.” She giggled against his chest.

He slid his hands down to cup
said ass
and aligned their hips. “It’s the truth. Your posterior is sweet.”

“Thanks,” she said on a sigh as she moved out of his arms. “But I’m not feeling so sweet. I feel like a jerk. I was mean to you, and you were only trying to help. I’m sorry. You deserve better.”

“Come on.” Reaching for her hand, he entwined their fingers and led her across the property to his cabin. Once they stepped onto the porch, he turned to cup her face. “First of all, Trisha, what I
deserve
is you. What I
want
is you. You got that? Are we clear?” He stared into her watery gaze, and after she hiccupped an
okay
, he continued. “Nobody’s perfect. Hell, I’m so far from perfect my middle name should be
Erroneous
.”

This garnered him a laugh and a hug as she burrowed into him and sighed, pressing her soft, warm curves against him, until the rest of his speech dissipated with his ability to think.

She lifted on tiptoe and brushed his ear with her mouth. “Brett?”

“Yeah?” he replied, voice shaky as she tugged his shirt from his pants and slid her hands underneath to stroke his abs.

“Can I get you naked now?”

He sucked in a breath, which left his mouth open for speech, but he was still drawing a blank, except for one thought, he wanted to get her naked, too.

“I want you,” she said, dragging her mouth across his jaw to his lips. “So much.”

Ah…hell
, he had more he’d wanted to say, but couldn’t concentrate, could never concentrate on anything other than satisfying their physical need, whenever she touched him, kissed him.

“Please…”

Begged him.

His control snapped. He brought his hands up to hold her head and kissed her long and deep, sliding his tongue against hers. God, he loved the sexy sounds she made and the way she trembled in his arms, like maybe she couldn’t get enough of him either.

Sliding one hand down her back, he cupped her ass again and fumbled for the door knob with the other. The things he wanted to do to her luscious body were not legal in public. Mouth still devouring hers, he opened the door and brought them inside.

The instant she opened her eyes, she stiffened, then drew back with a gasp. “Oh, wow, Brett…”

Caught off guard, he blinked at her, having not deployed his “oh wow, Brett” tactic as of yet. That’s when the room came into focus, and he remembered the list he’d given to Stacy.

“You did this for me?” she asked in a wobbly voice.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I thought maybe we could do the rose petals and candles—and whipped cream—justice this time.”

“Don’t forget the chocolate syrup and condoms.” She sniffed.

His arousal twitched at her words. “Oh, believe me, I’ve not forgotten them. Nor the champagne. And this time, we have a lot less candles that we have to light ourselves. I didn’t want the place to burn down before we had the chance to heat it up.” He walked to the bottle chilling on the nightstand and proceeded to pour them each a glass.

“We definitely don’t want that.”

Laughing, she locked the door and closed the blinds as he lit the candles, wanting to get back to the part where she was scorching his body with her curves and dehydrating his brain.

“Here you go,” he said, handing her a flute. “To the most beautiful woman in the world, thank you for putting up with me this summer.”

“Are you kidding? Thanks for helping me, pretending to be my fiancé, giving me a place to stay…and multiple orgasms, of which I sure hope there are more to come.”

“Oh, hell yeah, Trisha, you are going to come a lot more. Starting now.”

He clinked his glass to hers, then drank his champagne straight down before setting his empty flute on the nearby fireplace mantel. The need to haul her close was too strong to take his time with the drink. He turned to find her sipping her champagne, watching him over the rim of her glass, desire flaming her eyes a brilliant blue.

He nearly lost it right there.

“You know what I like about that toast, Brett?” she asked, setting her half-empty glass near his on the mantel.

Because he’d lost the ability to speak, he just shook his head, doing his best to remember how to breathe.

“I like the ‘come a lot more’ part.”

Yeah, that was his favorite part, too.

She pushed him back against the wall before outlining his lips with her tongue, zapping brain cell after brain cell with each stroke. “Thank you for this…”

Groaning, he sucked her tongue into his mouth, reveling in her hunger, matching her stroke for stroke. She was hot and hungry, and
ah hell
, so was he, kissing her solid, and frantic, and deep. When they drew apart for air, he realized their hands had been as busy as their mouths.

Somehow, she managed to untie his bow tie and unbutton his shirt, and his hands had been busy, too, because when she stepped back, her dress slid to her feet, revealing the sexiest damn strapless bra and panties he’d ever seen.

Black lace covered light blue satin, the same color as her dress, and when she turned around to grab her champagne, he sucked in air as his erection throbbed at the sight of the lace outlining two beautiful, round, mouthwatering cheeks.

“I take it you like my surprise?” She smiled as she stepped toward him, glass in hand.

“Hell, yeah,” he said, voice rough because his whole body was tight and throbbing. “Thank you.”

Had he known she wore the sexy getup underneath her dress the whole damn day, he would’ve been an
un
functioning idiot, and he hadn’t been too far off that to begin with, not with her sexy glances and touches all day long.

Her smile grew wicked. “I hope this tux isn’t a rental,” she said, and before her words had a chance to sink in, she tipped her glass and emptied the rest of her champagne on his chest.

He had to admit, he was surprised the bubbly hadn’t evaporated on contact; she had him so hot the liquid sizzled as it slid down his torso.

“Mmm…” Grasping his sides, she leaned in and proceeded to lick his body clean, dropping to her knees to pay special attention to his belly button.

Damn…

The sight of her kneeling in that sexy outfit with those high, do-me heels nearly shot off his rocket. He had to have her, had to taste her.

Now.

He hauled her to her feet and cupping those mouthwatering cheeks, drew her in close and thrust against her as he kissed her fast and fierce. She moaned and thrust back, and heaven help him, he could feel the heat between her legs through the tux’s thin fabric.

“Condom,” she rasped out when they drew apart again. “We need a condom, now.”

“No,” he said, lifting her up to set her on the trunk he used as a coffee table. “Not yet. I have to taste you.” Then he dropped to his knees and brushed his mouth down her neck, licking and tasting on his way to the two perky nipples peaking through the lace, trying to escape.

He helped.

Reaching behind her, he unhooked the strapless bra, watching her gorgeous breasts rejoice with a bounce at their newfound freedom.

She leaned back on her hands and arched up in invitation. He was right on board, and cupping both beauties in his hands, he brought one tip into his mouth and rubbed the other with his thumb. A low, needy sound escaped her throat, and he felt it straight through to his groin. Switching sides, he did it again, readily admitting he’d never tire of hearing her moans.