Beauty And The Brooding Billionaire (South Shore Billionaires 2)

“There’s not a lot of head room,” she whispered, catching her breath when he came up behind her and his body grazed hers.

“I’m not planning on standing up.” His voice was low and seductive, warm at her ear. “Unless you want to.”

Oh, my.

Jess took a deep breath and pulled off her hoodie. She still wasn’t wearing a bra, and the night air made goose bumps rise on her skin. Wordlessly she shimmied out of her yoga pants, and once she was naked, Bran reached out and pulled her close.

She was afraid. Not of him. But of being overwhelmed.

But he took his time, kissing her, touching her with light strokes, lighting her on fire and making her melt at the same time. His skin was warm on hers, and she marveled at the intimacy of the feeling, skin on skin. When her knees grew weak and he laid her down on the mattress, his eyes found hers in the dim moonlight cast through the window. “Okay?” he asked.

Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked them away. He was so considerate. So gentle. So...everything.

“More than okay,” she assured him.

His gaze held hers, his eyes widening for a moment as they came together, key into lock. Jess felt a pang in her heart, the bittersweet knowledge that she’d fallen for a man she couldn’t have, or could have but only for a little while.

But living in the moment meant embracing the moment, and she was determined to do that. So she reached up and looped her hand around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. If she couldn’t have Branson as her love, she could at least have him for her lover. And when their breathing finally slowed and the sweat dried from their skin, she had no regrets.

* * *

Jess shifted beneath the blanket, trying not to wake Bran. The sun was barely up, and the light in the bedroom was watery and dim. But it was enough that she could make out his features completely. The bit of hair that was in a tangle on the pillow. His lips, open slightly as he slept, and the way he linked his fingers together over his belly. She liked that the most, as it seemed like a cute little quirk individual to him. He was a back sleeper. She was usually a sprawler, but sprawling was impossible in a bed this size and shared with a man of his build.

They were both naked under the covers. His clothes were still in the dryer, and she was on the inside of the bed, closest to the wall, and hadn’t gotten up to pull something on after...

After.

Her chest cramped, in both delicious memory and delightful anticipation. He’d been a thorough, attentive lover. There’d been a moment where something threatened to overwhelm her, and maybe him, too. Their eyes had met and their smiles faded. In that moment sex had become more than just sex. It had become his first time since Jennie. She was sure of that. And for her...

It had been connection. Bone-deep, in-the-blood connection with another human being. For all her live-in-the-moment Zen-ness, deep connections, trust...those were rare occurrences. It was why losing Ana had hurt so badly.

People didn’t tend to stay in her life. But this time there was no danger of that. She was going into this with the knowledge and understanding that in a matter of weeks, they’d both be moving on. No surprises, no being blindsided, no one hurt. Bran let out a sigh and something soft and sentimental wound through her at the sound. A smile touched her lips. This summer would be one of healing, for both of them if they were lucky. And they’d be able to look back on this as the summer they made their way back to the living, with fond memories.

Bran stirred and shifted to his side, then his eyes slowly opened. She met his gaze evenly, the smile still on her lips. “Good morning,” she whispered.

“Good morning.” His cheeks colored a little and she loved that he was blushing right now, just a hint of pink above his beard.

“You okay?” Mornings-after could be awkward. Things were different in the light of day. Last night they’d been swept up in each other, but now...now they had to navigate the dynamic.

He nodded slightly, then shifted his arm and said, “Come here.”

She shifted over and curled in next to his side. His skin was soft and warm, and the smattering of hair on his chest tickled her breasts.

His arm tightened around her. “I’m okay. You?”

She nodded, her cheek rubbing against his shoulder. “Me, too. I was afraid it might be...awkward.”

He chuckled, a low sound that moved his chest and made her smile. “It is, a little. I’m very out of practice with mornings-after. But...” He moved his head so that he was looking down at her, and she tilted up her chin. “We’ve been fairly gentle with each other so far. I figure if we can keep doing that, we’re okay.”

“Except, you know, when you kicked me off your property.”

A smile lit his face. “Yeah, except then. And when I saved you with my boat. I didn’t say you weren’t a pain in my ass.”

She laughed, then they grew quiet again. She was thinking about how their friendship had evolved when her stomach growled loudly in the silence.

“Someone is hungry.”

“I have eggs and sourdough bread. Maybe even some bacon. You want breakfast?”