Propositioning Her Brother's Best Friend (9 page)

The door opened, and Paul stood with
a wooden spoon in hand and a towel flung over his shoulder. He wore jeans, like
her, and no shirt.

Glancing down at the floor she
waited for him to invite her inside. She felt shy even though she’d had his
cock in her mouth less than twenty-four hours ago.
 

“About time you showed up.” He
leaned against the door frame smiling at her. She’d never seen him so happy.

“I just finished work. You didn’t
say I had to be fancy or anything.” Tightening her hands into fists, Rachel
waited for him to speak.

“You look perfect.” He reached out,
banded an arm around her waist, and pulled her close. “Are you ashamed to be
seen on my front door, you hussy?” Rachel tapped him on the arm. She didn’t get
chance to refute him as his lips claimed hers, and then she didn’t care what
he’d said. Dropping her overnight bag to the floor, she wrapped her arms around
his neck and gave herself over to the pleasure of his mouth.

“Now that’s what I call a kiss,”
Paul said, breaking away. She allowed him to lead her into his home. The scent
of his famous meatballs permeated the air making her stomach rumble. She’d not
had any food at lunch, and she was starving.

“Wow, I do feel special. Your secret
meatball recipe for me?” she asked.

“Of course.
Only the best for
you.”
He kept hold of her hand, leading her down to his kitchen. Paul
had a nicely fitted kitchen. Rachel recalled helping him redecorate the place
with all up to date furniture and appliances.

“It smells delicious. It has been
years since I’ve had some.” She walked over to the stove, took the lid off the
simmering pot and inhaled. The sweet onion and garlic scents met her, making
her moan.

She smiled remembering the first
time he’d made the recipe. Paul was a huge fan of meatballs, but he hated
always having to order them in. For literally months he tested so many recipes
until he found the right one. The memories of eating some of his disasters were
fond memories.

Paul took her hand and led her to a
candlelit table for two.

“Okay, now I feel underdressed,” she
said. The old nerves started to return.
 

“You’re not. This isn’t some fancy
restaurant food, baby. This is just you and me, and I want us both to be
comfortable.”

He poured her a glass of wine. She accepted
without any argument. Paul helped her into her seat and then made his way over
to the stove.

“So, any home-made pasta to go with
it?” she asked.

“Not today. I’m afraid it’s out of a
packet. Everything else is my own.”

She sipped some of her red wine and
winced. Over the years she’d never developed a taste for wine.

“This is strange,” she said,
watching his nice ass as he moved around the kitchen. His muscles rippled with
each movement.
 

“Why?”

“I’ve never had a man cook for me
before. Even Mitch doesn’t like making his way around the kitchen. Everything
is a sandwich or ordering a pizza. Let me tell you, ham and pineapple pizza can
get old fast.”

He chuckled. “Mitch is mean with a
phone. He can order pizza faster than I can.”

She watched him grab the saucepan
and drain the pasta. Rachel liked being waited
on,
and
she found it fascinating to watch.

A few minutes later he walked to the
table with two plates loaded with spaghetti and meatballs. Rachel laughed at
the size of the meal. “You haven’t eaten either?”

“No, it’s been a long day.” He
handed her a fork and then took the seat next to her. She was shocked when he
reached for her hand.

They sat together, eating and
holding hands. Her heart raced from the small intimate touch.

“Well, how does it taste?” he asked.

Scooping up a meatball and twirling
her fork in some spaghetti, Rachel took a huge bite. Flavours exploded on her tongue.
 

“This is pure heaven,” she said,
scooping more food onto her fork. He laughed.

“I certainly love a woman with a
healthy appetite.”

“Well, you better get used to it. I
love my food, and I’m more than happy to be waited on.”

She burst out laughing as he held
his hands up.

“Baby, I can do meatballs and pasta,
but anything else and you’re on your own.”

He took her hand once again, and she
dug in with relish.

“It’s the only thing I can cook,” he
said, breaking into the silence.

“No, it’s the only thing you’ve ever
tried to cook. I bet you’d be one hell of a cook if you put your mind to it,”
she said.

“What’s wrong with living on a diet
of meatballs and pasta?”

Shaking her head, Rachel finished
her food. She was so hungry, and he really did know how to make this dish.

“Darren knows about us,” Paul said.

Pausing in her eating Rachel glanced
over to him. “I thought you didn’t want to say anything?”

“Erm, I didn’t exactly tell him.”

She frowned. “You better tell me
what’s going on.”

“Tracy came to the garage today and
was pretty much inviting me over for a booty call.”

Rachel listened to him talking while
trying to keep her anger in check. Tracy was a bitch and slept with anything
that walked. Also, Tracy liked to gossip. Rachel listened to what the other
woman had to say, but she hated listening.

“One thing led to another, and
Darren figured out who you were.”

“He knows before Mitch does.”
 

“Speaking of Mitch, I was thinking I
should be the one to tell him. I don’t want him getting the wrong idea, and his
anger can be a little harsh at times,” he said.

She knew all about Mitch’s temper.
Her brother would never hurt her, but he wasn’t known for being a smooth
talker. Mitch would no doubt say stuff he would regret.

“You can tell him whatever you want,
Paul. I love my brother, and I won’t lie to him.”

Paul tightened his hold on her hand.

They talked as they finished their
meal. Rachel had never been so relaxed before. She sensed Paul was doing
everything he could to make her feel at ease.

“So, erm, did you have any feelings
for Tracy when you saw her?” Rachel asked.

****

Paul sensed the uncertainty inside
her. He wasn’t surprised. Up until a few days ago he’d kept Tracy on the short
list to fuck.

Cursing inside his head, Paul
finished the last of his food and pushed his plate away.

“I didn’t feel anything for Tracy. I
never have.”

“But you slept with her. You must
have felt something,” she said.

He was quickly reminded of her
innocent self. “Rachel, babe, you don’t need to feel anything for someone for
sex. I’m not going to lie to you. I got hard for Tracy. She was easy, and I was
horny. That is the extent of it.”

“What about us? What happens if you
get horny again? Will I be pushed aside?” she asked.

“
No, that
would never happen, I promise you. What I have with you is something new and
loving. I’ve never been in love with anyone else.” He took her hand kissing it.

“You’re in love with me?” Rachel
asked. Tears shone in her eyes.

“How could you ever doubt it?”

“You’ve never said so before.”

He took her face in his hands and
pressed his lips to hers. Plundering his tongue into her mouth, Paul moaned
from the touch. “For all my life you’ve been in here.” He pressed her palm to
his chest. “I’ve never wanted anything else in my life than you.”

Tears fell onto her cheeks. He wiped
them away with his thumbs. “I swear to you, Rachel, I mean what I say. I love
you with my whole heart. This has nothing to do with teaching you sex or taking
your virginity, both of which I haven’t done. I’ve always felt this way. I’m in
love with you.”

“Oh, Paul.”
She wrapped her arms around his
neck, holding on tight.

“I love you so much. You’ve made me
the happiest woman tonight. I don’t care about anything else. The food and your
honesty is more than enough for me.”

He held her tightly. Her curvy body
pressed to his hard one. Paul couldn’t stop the physical reaction. He got rock
hard.

“We’ve got to tell Mitch,” she said.
“I’m not hiding my feelings to spare him. I don’t see why he can go around town
sleeping with everything that walks while I have to keep myself pure and
whatnot.”

“The only person you’re going to
have between your thighs, baby, is me.”
 

“Of course.
Why would I want anyone else?”

Looking down into her hazel eyes
Paul was caught once again. She was so damn beautiful.

“Come on. Help me clean up, and then
I’ve got a movie planned.” He picked up their plates and moved toward the sink.
“I don’t suppose you can put the leftovers in those containers? That’s my
dinner for the next couple of days.”

“You seriously eat this all the
time?” she asked.

He kept everything neat and tidy,
and the boxes where he stored his cooked food had labels on.

“What’s wrong with eating the same
thing?”

“Boredom.
I need to teach you how to cook
something else.”

Paul didn’t argue with her. They
finished cleaning the kitchen in no time. He liked having her by his side while
they worked together.

Once they were done with cleaning he
took her hand and led her through to the living room. She took a seat on his
sofa as he went to the DVD and inserted the movie he’d rented out.

“
Paul,
is
there something you’re not telling me?” she asked.

He took the seat next to her and
frowned.
“No, why?”

“I was just wondering what the
meaning of all of this is?” Rachel glanced around her. He’d picked a chick
flick for them to watch.

“I just wondered what was with the
seduction. You know I want you.”

He stopped and watched as she
stumbled over her words.

“I mean, you don’t need to work so
hard. I’m a sure thing when it comes to you.”

Anger spiked inside him. “Oh, so
because you’re a sure thing I shouldn’t be treating you differently or be
seducing you? Next time I’m fucking horny I’ll just phone you up and order you
to come and satisfy the need I have.” Paul stood up. He needed to move away
from her. She’d made him so angry.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said.

“No? Then what the fuck did you mean?
If I just wanted a fuck, Rachel, I would have done Tracy back at the shop. I’m
making an effort. I’m giving you everything you deserve.” Running fingers
through his hair Paul paced his living room. He’d moved the coffee table to the
far side of the room the last time Rachel was at his home, which he hadn’t put
back yet.

Rachel got up to leave. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to make you angry.
 
I’m new
at this.” He watched as she walked toward the doorway of his sitting room.

“Shit, Rachel, sit down.”
 
He was judging her in comparison to his other
women. Paul needed to remember she was still a virgin. He needed to prove to
her that she was different for him and to expect more of a
seduction
from him.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten
angry with you. I don’t want you to leave.” He knelt before her, rubbing his
hands on her thighs.

“No, it’s my fault. I assumed you
were putting in more effort than what you do for other women.”

Taking her hands in his he traced
the lines in the centre of her palm. “I do put the extra effort with you. The
other women didn’t mean anything. You do mean something, and I want to give you
everything I didn’t give them.”

“I spoilt the moment, didn’t I?
Maybe I should leave.” Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“You’re not leaving, Rachel. I’ve
got plans for tonight that go far beyond this movie. Stay with me, and stop
worrying about what I’m doing. This is what I want to do. I want to be the type
of boyfriend that gives you everything,” he said.

“Boyfriend?
You’re my boyfriend?”

“Hell, yeah.
It beats being your brother’s best
friend. I don’t want to teach you about sex, but I want to be with you. I want
you to love me the way that I love
you,
and being your
boyfriend will suit for now.” He hoped he was using the right words.

“You really know what to say to take
me by surprise. All I’ve ever wanted is to have you and to be yours,” she said.
 

Smiling, Paul took the seat next to
her. It was a breakthrough, but he knew he had a long way to go.