Shifting the Night Away (16 page)

Chapter Four

They spent two weeks together, Brooke and Draven, catching coffee or lunch whenever they could. There was really something there and they were getting closer and closer. While they had kissed and touched, they didn't take it any farther.
 

Draven planned a special surprise for her. He wanted to cook her favorite meal and then the two of them wrap up in each other to watch a movie. Ryder assured him he'd be gone that evening, so he'd been in a good mood all that week as he tried to keep it a secret from her until the very evening of the date.

"About 3pm turn off your phone and then when you're out of work come to the house. I gave you directions. I want to surprise you."
Brooke smiled so wide rereading the text message she received. She loved the spontaneity of it and she wondered what that night would bring.

At 3:00 promptly she turned the phone off and spent the next two hours in a haze thinking about Draven and how different he was from other men she had known. He'd spent so much of his time with her the past couple of weeks, never pressuring her for sex, and genuinely got to know her.

"Finally, 5:00. Time for a quick shower and change of clothes at the apartment then over to Draven's" She said under her breath as she dashed back from the dispatch center. She wanted to look her best, and chose a fitted black dress that accentuated all her curves and blended well with her dark features. It fell just above the knee, which showed off her toned calves.

While Brooke was nearly effervescent with happiness, across town Draven seethed from complications arising from his own plan.

"Damnit, I can't contact Brooke to let her know I have to cancel! I hope I'm going to be able to make it up to her whenever she turns her phone back on. Stupid clients and their emergencies. I'm not going to get out of here until at least 8:00 now. Even Ryder isn't answering now. Shit!" Draven paced his office, his wolf raged inside him from the stress he was enduring. Slowly he exhaled and realized he needed to calm down and get through the evening before dealing with the fiasco that surely would unfold.

Brooke had just left her apartment to go to the house when she second guessed having her phone off on the way. She'd always kept in on in case something happened and someone needed to reach her. It had always been a line of defense for her as well, so that she had something to quickly call for help if she needed. A little distressed about it but still not wanting to ruin Draven's plans, she made her way there with her phone off and tucked away in her purse.

As soon as she got there the gates opened and she was able to get to the front door. She knocked. A few minutes later after no answer, she knocked again. This time she saw him in the window waving at her, coming toward the door in a towel.
Christ on a cracker, he looks even better out of clothes.

As he opened the door for her, her eyes couldn't help but trail down from those gorgeous eyes to the perfectly trimmed chest hair that seemed to be a path down to his... oh my, she was staring. "Hello Draven, I can't wait to see what your surprise is." She smiled up at him and tried to disregard the desire she felt.

Ryder's plan was in motion. It was all so simple and easy to get Draven away, too. One fake client booking late at night and Draven would never question in. After hearing all about his "phone off" plan and his dinner idea, Ryder knew all he'd have to do is tell Draven he'd be gone when in fact he'd be here waiting on Brooke. Brooke would never know it was really him instead of Draven, for in Brooke's world Ryder didn't exist. And now, meeting her, he could see why his brother was so enamored with her.
It's really too bad how it has to work out,
he thought,
but at least I'll get to nail her and lord it over Draven.

"Brooke, lovely to see you. Come on in. Just let me dress quickly and I will be right with you."

Ryder played it well for the first hour, setting up dinner, keeping the conversation guided to things that couldn't possibly trip him up and give away who he really was.
Who am I kidding though
, Ryder thought,
she has no idea Draven even has a twin.

"This has been all so nice," she said, "you really are so special, you know." She didn't want to admit the feelings she already had for him just yet.

"Come and let's sit on the sofa and relax" Ryder said, as he grabbed the wine.
 

"Sounds perfect."

They sat together, curled up in each other's arms, and for a moment Ryder almost told her who he was and killed his plan. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her soft lips that tasted faintly of coconut. Kiss after kiss, they pressed into each other, holding each other close. Her ample chest rubbing against his body made Ryder react in ways he never thought a curvy girl would be able to arouse in him. Soon his lust for her started to overtake the hatred for his brother and he lifted her up, laying her back against the cushions.
There is no reason why I can't enjoy this.

"Draven, I..." she began, before Ryder covered her mouth with his again.
Damn, if I don't step it up soon he's going to win and he's not even here.
His hand slid down her side, caressed her hip and thigh, before finding her softness underneath the fabric. Her eyes opened and looked at him as he started to touch her. Each fingertip that slid over her bare skin felt like lightning bolts on her. He seemed hungry for her and it made her feel beautiful.

Brooke was torn between her feelings. She wanted him, oh how she wanted him, but she also knew that she needed to wait this time. Too many times she'd done this too soon with her boyfriends and met with relationship ending results. This time would be different and she knew that Draven would understand.

Still it was hard to say no when her body was screaming yes, yes, yes. His fingers played her expertly and she was fighting a battle to stay in control and not surrender to him. He alternated between the edge of his fingernail and the pad of his finger, giving her delicious chills. There were so many times that she nearly gave in to him.
It's so very hard saying no to him.

"Draven, seriously, NO." She said, a little louder than she'd liked to have spoken. She rose up and adjusted her dress, smoothing it back down where it had ridden up her thighs in the middle of it all.
 

"Come on Brooke, I need you. I need this." Ryder said.
And if you don't, you little bitch, my plan completely fails.

"I just think we should wait until we see where this is headed first." She tried to sound casual but her heart was pounding in her chest, hoping for the best.

"Just get out then. Head back to your cheap apartment and your cheap life." Ryder knew his words were harsh but he didn't care, she'd messed up all his plans.
And damnit, I did want to finish with her.

Brooke looked at him, shocked and saddened. Without a word she grabbed her purse and walked out the door.

Chapter Five

Between the time Brooke had left the house and the time that Draven finally made it home, Ryder had a new plan. Crude, but still functional for what he needed. A few lies added and it would be even better than the one he had in the beginning. He'd tell Draven he was here and that she came on to him, even after telling her she had the wrong brother. With Brooke out of the picture, it'd be a double win; he'd have his strip club partner back and he'd have beaten Draven to her.

"Brother! I see you made it home finally." Ryder said as soon as he came into the doorway.

"It was a serious bitch of a night. A no-show. Why do that and screw with a man's evening, right?" Draven was tired and frustrated but looking at Ryder's beaming face he knew something was up.

"Ok spill it, Ryder, what's up? Get one of Sally's new girls tonight?"
 

"No, not one of Sally's." he said to Draven. He smiled deviously at him.

"Tell me then quickly, okay?
 
I'm really tired and I just want to lie down."

Ryder stuck out his hand to a confused Draven. "Smell."
Ok
, he thought,
it's a childish plan, but one nonetheless
. Draven inhaled and smelled the unmistakable scent of a woman.

"Smell like anyone you know? Oh that's right; you haven't done anything with Brooke yet."
 
Ryder didn't even have the chance to say more before Draven's right hook hit him square in the jaw. Before he could even restrain himself, Draven's wolf emerged, barely giving Ryder time to shift himself. The two wolves fought in the middle of their living room. While it wasn't a fight to the death, the two wanted to make damn sure the other knew of their displeasure. After a few minutes of it, Draven shifted back to human and backed away from his brother. He had never felt such hatred for his brother, even after some of the things Ryder had done in the past in the name of competition. This was too much and Draven was afraid he'd not be able to control his temper if he stayed.

"Pack, get out, and don't come back. I'll send you your 50% of the company's worth, just get the hell out of this house now." Draven said and wiped an embedded claw out of his shoulder as he walked back to his room. Sitting there in his chair, he didn't know what bothered him more. That Ryder was so hell bent on beating him at something, or that Brooke would actually have sex with him. Something was wrong, but he couldn't face either of them at the moment. He just needed some time.

Brooke stared at her cell phone that laid on the nightstand beside her. It had been painfully quiet all night. There hadn't been a message from Draven at all. Her tears still flowed down her cheek and she didn't understand how she could have misread his so badly. He was just like all the others in her life it seemed and she was heartbroken. She vowed not to text or call him until he either apologized to her or gave her some sort of an explanation.

Chapter Six

Nearly a month had passed and Brooke had given up.
Draven was clearly like all the rest.
 

Draven had gone too long in his quest for more time alone and realized that it was now probably too late to call. He still had so many questions about that day.
What really happened? Was it even truly Brooke that Ryder had?
So many things that continued to haunt him with no answers. He needed to talk to Brooke.

The courier service handed over the day's manifest to Brooke, noting special items that went to Steele and Steele Systems that had to be there by noon, no later. A mild panic started in the pit of her stomach and worked its way to her chest. She hadn't bumped into him once since that day. She had finally found a place where she wasn't crying or missing him and wasn't ready to see him again, to start that slippery slope back to wanting him.

"Couldn't one of the other couriers take it, Melinda?" she said to the dispatcher, "I'm really overloaded today and unsure I'll even get there in time."

"No, it's yours. Good luck."

Damnit. Maybe I can just leave it with the receptionist. In and out, I don't even have to see Draven that way.

She got there with five minutes to spare and noticed that there was a small sign on the receptionist's desk:

All packages need to go straight to the office assigned. Receptionist gone for the day
.

What the hell? Who sends their receptionist home this early?
Frustrated and already dreading what lay ahead, she made her way to Suite 307, the office of Draven Steele.

She stood there, staring at the door. Her hand lifted to knock but she couldn't will herself to go through with it and contemplated leaving the package by the door.
You can do this, Brooke
. With a deep breath, she knocked.