Brody (The Bang Shift Book 1) Page 10

  “I’m not done playing,” she purred.

  Oh hell. Neither was he.

  He scooped her up and stalked to his bedroom, needing the space to lay her out and devour her. He set her down by the bed, frantically removing her clothes while she giggled at his single-minded determination. Once she was naked, he shoved off his shoes and socks, pants, and underwear. He zeroed in on her waxed pussy and didn’t even bother stifling his sound of appreciation. She was wet, swollen, ready for him. He sat on the bed and turned her to face him. He dipped his head and swiped his tongue along the seam of her sex. She gasped and he moaned at the taste of her.

  Her hands trailed through his long hair as she rocked up on her toes to get closer to him. He clutched her buttocks, dragging her flush against his face. He licked, nipped, and sucked at her as if she was the sweetest addiction. And she was. He’d never tasted anything more potent than her. She was a drug, a fix he’d never be able to satisfy, especially when her little sounds of entreaty only fueled him more, drove him higher.

  “I love that you’re bare for me,” he groaned. No hair in the way of his delectable treat. But then a sour thought crossed his mind. Maybe she had done this in the past for another man. That thought had him growling like a damn dog with a bone. Maybe she had before, but never again. She was his treat, and he’d be damned if another man even thought about partaking in it. He knew he had no right thinking like that. It only made him an even bigger prick. But at least he could admit that he was a selfish prick.

  “I-I wasn’t sure if you’d like it. I don’t know what men find attractive.”

  He eased back, kissing her mound before looking up at her. What had she meant by that? From the look on her face, she seemed unsure, maybe even a little scared, and he hated seeing that in her eyes. He caressed her thighs as he gathered his thoughts. She’d said it had been a while for her, but it was his experience that women said things like that to stroke a man’s ego. But he was learning Xan wasn’t other women. She’d been tight when they’d had sex, so her inexperience could be genuine. She wasn’t a virgin, though. She had the kid to prove it.

  A big kid she had to parent on her own. And she’d been on the run for over ten years. She probably was selective with men for those reasons alone. He felt thrilled knowing he’d made it into that exclusive club, and he wanted to ease her worry.

  “I can’t say what other guys like, but I think it’s sexy as hell, and if you hadn’t already waxed, I probably would’ve coerced you into it.”

  He gave her a crooked smile and her shoulders relaxed. She threaded her hand through his hair, looking down at him with relief, and he got the sudden urge to wrap her in his arms and do nothing but hold her.

  He had a better idea.

  He stood, gathering her in his arms and laying her on the bed. He grabbed a condom, ripping it open and putting it on before joining her. This time when he took her, he was gentle. He slowly worked himself in, loving the feel of her clasping around his dick. When he was fully seated, he kissed her deeply as he angled her ass for deeper penetration. He pulled back to look into her eyes as he thrust into her, feeling her breath wash across his face with every plunge.

  He fucked her with long, slow strokes as she wrapped her legs around his hips, taking him deeper and throwing him into a mindless pleasure like none other.

  They continued fucking, caressing, kissing, groping, panting for what seemed like hours. She came several times, but he couldn’t hold back on that last one. He squeezed her against him as he exploded, groaning into the crook of her neck as he lost himself to the condom, and part of his soul to her.

  He’d never felt like this before, and that realization had him facing reality like the bitch that it was.

  He could fuck her over and over again, but he couldn’t lose his heart to her, which was exactly what would happen if he continued down this path.

  Sex was fine. Sex would be mandatory. But his emotions were off-limits.

  Chapter Nine

  After Brody and Xan had had the most emotionally connecting sex of her life, she had watched helplessly as he literally closed himself off from her again. It hadn’t been as bad as the first time—at least he hadn’t thrown her out—but it had been a tangible reaction, even if he’d escorted her outside to the car and kissed her goodbye before she’d left his house last night. She didn’t even want to think about his friends hearing them having sex when they’d dropped off the car she’d been driving.

  And, thankfully, that incident had turned out to be nothing. Living a life in hiding, she never assumed anything was just a coincidence, but Bear had called Brody and informed him the Mustang had been stolen by a kid who’d taken it out for a joyride. She hadn’t been the target, just an obstacle.

  Since she didn’t have to worry about that event as impending danger, she’d spent the night wondering if she’d made the right decision to become involved with him, knowing he didn’t want anything more than some dancing between the sheets. But ultimately, she’d decided she was a grown-ass woman who was tired of denying herself the pleasure of a man. Besides, it’d do her some good to gain the experience. She hadn’t been as timid as the first time, but she was still nervous around him last night. Spending time with Brody would help her body and soul. Plus, her vibrator needed a little time off anyway.

  Before she’d left for work this morning, Xan had given Scott his video game. He’d been beyond thrilled, throwing words around like, “You’re the best mom ever,” and, “This is so tight.” The first, she’d reveled in. The second, she’d needed remedial help understanding. But he’d been excited and showered her with hugs and kisses. She’d done her good deed with him.

  Now she was back home, grateful that it was finally officially the weekend. She only had about fifteen minutes to change out of her scrubs and into something comfortable if she wanted to get a good seat at the game. Well, at least that was what she’d thought. This was a small town. Maybe there wouldn’t be a big crowd. She hustled to her bedroom, stripping as she went down the hall since Scott stayed afterschool in preparation for tonight’s game. She threw on some shorts and a t-shirt with the school’s mascot on it that she’d picked up on her lunch break. She was rushing back into the living room, holding her tennis shoes, when the doorbell rang.

  She tossed her shoes over by the couch and walked to the door, smoothing her hair as she checked the peephole to see who it was.

  Her eyes widened at the gorgeous hunk of man standing in her doorway. She unlocked her door and opened it. Her big, strong Viking was already smiling before she managed to greet him.

  “Hi,” she breathed, and he smiled wider.

  “Hey, baby,” he whispered, glancing around her. “Scott home?”

  “Nope, he’s at school. He’s got a game tonight.”

  “Oh.” But his face glowed, showing he wasn’t as indifferent as he was trying to be. “Can I come in?”

  “Er, sure. Only for a minute, though. I’ve got to get to the game.”

  He stepped past her, his hand sliding down the length of her arm and grabbing her hand as he did so. He pulled her behind him, dragging her into the living room. He turned and crushed his mouth down on hers, kissing her passionately, but Xan got the feeling he was holding back. She didn’t think that for long because he ripped his mouth from hers, spun her around, and shoved her shorts and panties down her legs. His actions disintegrated any thoughts she had.

  He pushed her over the back of the couch, lifting her so her feet dangled just above the floor. She gasped as he grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back, his mouth finding her ear.

  “Then we don’t have long,” he growled, and she felt his hand move between them right before she heard the rasp of a zipper. He bent and surged forward, taking her in one powerful thrust, shoving her harder against the couch. “Fuck, yeah,” he said as he pounded into her.

  She was stuck, literally. He had her pinned right where he wanted her and all she could do was submit to his d
emand. She should be scared to feel a man control her like this, but all she could think was don’t stop.

  She tried clutching the cushions to stabilize herself, but with Brody grinding her against the back of the couch as he ruthlessly plowed in and out of her and his hand pulling her head back, she wasn’t going anywhere anyway.

  “Brody!” She was already coming, hard.

  “Fuck, Xan. Like that, baby. Take it!” He grabbed her hip so hard she’d be bruised, and she didn’t care. She wanted him to hold her harder, fuck her harder.

  He growled then shouted, lifting her off the couch, but keeping her pinned, as he squeezed her breast and flooded her with his cum.

  He was panting, easing her back down as she felt his wetness slide down her inner thigh.

  “Shit,” he breathed, but she didn’t need him to explain that. He hadn’t worn a condom. “Xan, baby, I’m sorry, I—”

  “I know.” She extricated herself and went to the bathroom to clean up.

  When she returned, he was sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, and his head in his hands. “I don’t do that,” he mumbled, not looking up at her as she sat down. “Ever.”

  “Well, as long as you’re clean, we’re okay. I’m a nurse, so I’m kinda anal about getting tested for everything under the sun. Plus, I got pregnant at a really young age, so I’m on birth control.” Technically, she was on birth control to regulate her periods, but that was neither here nor there. As long as she was on it, he probably didn’t give a rat’s ass why.

  He nodded, finally looking at her. “I’m good. Clean, I mean.” He took a deep breath and picked up her hand, drawing circles on it while he watched. “I actually came here for a reason.”

  “You mean you didn’t come here to maul me?” She chuckled. “I’m hurt.”

  He laughed and looked at her then. “I have some good news that I wanted to deliver in person.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Uh-huh. Your car’s ready. Finished it today.”

  “Yea!” She clapped her hands like a giddy schoolgirl, which probably wasn’t attractive, but she didn’t care.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know why you’re excited about getting back that piece of shit. It’ll probably end up back at the shop next week. You should really think about getting a new car.”

  “Hey, I resent that. That car has seen me through a lot of years.”

  “And it’s in its golden years now. Time for it to retire.”

  What could she say? Honestly, she’d love to get a new car. She wasn’t picky. She didn’t dream about a brand new Lexus or BMW. A nice, shiny Honda would be a dream come true for her. Problem was she didn’t like to leave a paper trail, so financing one was out of the question. And she didn’t have that kind of money stashed to pay cash.

  “I’ll be driving that thing ’til the wheels fall off.” The truth sucked, but it was what it was. She couldn’t spend her time dreaming of a better car. If she was going to dream, it’d be about not having to run again. “When can I pick it up?”

  “Tomorrow. You can leave your rental at the shop. Colonel will contact Bill Laverty and tell him to come get it.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled and leaned in to kiss him. She barely touched his lips and he barely caressed her cheek when his phone rang. He moaned as he pulled away and fished it out.

  “Brutus,” he barked. His displeasure at being interrupted gave her those warm, tingling feelings. His eyes slid to her as he listened to the caller. “Got it.” He hung up and looked back at her.

  She wasn’t sure what to make of that, but she figured it was rude to ask. Though hearing him use his nickname got her to thinking…

  “Why Brutus? Why not another name?”

  “Umm.” His brow shot up as he considered his answer. “I don’t know for sure. Colonel picks them out.” He shrugged a shoulder as he looked at her.

  “You know Brutus was also who the Romans called Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger, the man who led the attack on Julius Caesar. In Shakespeare’s play dramatizing the event, he quoted Caesar as saying ‘Et tu, Brute?’ upon his death. That phrase basically represents the biggest betrayal.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “Nah, Colonel had a dog named Brutus once. Told me it was fiercely loyal.”

  “Ah, well, I guess that’s good then.”

  “Unless he just liked the idea of naming me after a dog. That could be bad.”

  She smiled and thought about how to respond, enjoying this little banter between them. But then she jumped when someone pounded on her door, propelling her out of her whimsical musings.

  Brody jerked up, grabbing her and pushing her behind him so that he was blocking the door. He stalked over to it and yanked it open before she could even protest. It was her house, damn it.

  She heard a female squeak and rushed up beside him.

  “Hi, Roxie.”

  “Hi, Xan,” she said, her eyes still wide from the shock of Brody glaring down at her. But she visibly relaxed and even smiled a little. “Brutus,” she said with a quirk of her eyebrow. Then she turned back to Xan. “I was headed to the game. Came to see if you wanted a ride. Doesn’t make sense for us to take two cars when we’re goin’ to the same place.” She paused. “That is if you’re not takin’ someone else up on a ride.”

  Xan shut her eyes, faintly shaking her head at her neighbor’s innuendo.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Brody said, walking past Roxie and to his truck.

  “Well, well, well, from the way your cheeks are turnin’ all red, I’d say you already got a ride,” Roxie said as Brody pulled out of the driveway and out of sight. “A more thrilling one.”

  “Gawd, Roxie, can you be any more obvious?”

  “Can you be any less obvious?” Roxie laughed. “Seriously, if you don’t wanna get the town a talkin’ you’ll tone it down a notch.”

  Xan sighed. She didn’t want to be the latest topic at the corner café. She could just see it now. All the retired folk gathered around shooting the shit, gossiping about Brody and the new single mom. Even though her voice hadn’t picked up that little annoying accent yet, apparently, her thoughts had. She almost chuckled at that, then remembered she’d been thinking about what her friend had said about Brody. She probably needed to hide her feelings for him better if she didn’t want everyone talking.

  Feelings? Where’d that come from? Surely it was just that connection virgins got with the men who’d deflowered them. Granted, she hadn’t been a virgin, but she was smart enough to know a bond could be forged because he’d broken her dry spell. Her very long dry spell. Shrugging off that train of thought, she turned to her nosy neighbor. “Yeah, I’ll take that ride.”

  She grabbed her purse and hopped in the car with Roxie. The ride didn’t take very long since everything was within a couple of miles of everything else in this town, but parking had been a nightmare. The lot was small and it seemed everyone and their dogs—yes, actual dogs—were here to see the game. She’d credited it to the lack of entertainment within a fifteen-mile radius.

  They paid for their tickets, but she couldn’t figure out why they were actually selling tickets. Seemed like a waste of a tree to her since the man who took the money and gave the ticket took it right back. They stopped at the concession stand to get some sodas and popcorn and made it to their seats right at kickoff.

  “What number’s Chad?” Xan asked, munching on her snack.

  “Thirty. Scott?”

  “Seventeen. What position does your boy play?”

  Roxie laughed. “What position doesn’t he play? This is a little bitty school, girl. Our boys will be on the field all night, playin’ offense and defense. Even their pride and joy quarterback is also the kicker. It’s funny to watch him switch shoes on the field.”

  “I’m not sure if the coach will put Scott in. He said something about Scott having to prove himself first.”

  “Oh, he’ll get to play. He might even regret it.”

  She’d
been right, Xan thought by halftime. After the opening kickoff, Scott was thrown in, and by now those kids looked exhausted and still had half a game left to play. It’d go easier on them if it wasn’t so freaking hot out here. It should be a sin to be over ninety degrees during football season. At least they were up by ten, and the game had been exciting to watch.

  Not that she got to watch much of it. Roxie talked her ear off and introduced her to everyone in town that was in yelling range of her. It’d been embarrassing at first, but after the first seven or eight times it happened, Xan had started to get used to the attention.

  In fact, there were a lot of men sitting around her, groups of them, and she hadn’t freaked out. Interesting. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around a bunch of men she hadn’t met before and didn’t feel anxious, or even downright sick.

  With the exception of her skin about to melt right off her bones sitting on metal bleachers under the blazing sun, she felt almost fine. She was aware of all the men and felt the need to keep her guard up, but she didn’t feel a panic attack building. Major progress.

  “Ooooh, look. There’s Blade and Hunter,” Roxie said. “Yoohoo!” She stood and wiggled her fingers at them. They were sitting at the top of the bleachers. She sat back down, looking around. “Wonder where Teddy is?” she mumbled, but didn’t sound as excited about the prospect of seeing Bear.

  “Not sure. Maybe he’s off with the other guys.” Xan considered Roxie for a moment, thinking even more that something was either up between her new friend and the bald mechanic or Roxie wished it.

  “So I was thinking,” Roxie said, pulling her out of her reverie. “I know I mentioned something to you about going to a bar. I wanna have a girls’ night tomorrow night. We can go to Hank’s Honkytonk. It’d be a blast!” Roxie’s eyes were bright and Xan wanted to cringe. She was almost patting herself on her back for not running and screaming from all the men around them and these men weren’t focusing on her. If she went to some meat market, it’d be a totally different story.