“I can take it for you,” I say.
Rory smiles. “That’s not necessary, but you can walk with me if you want.”
“How far away are Cage and Jesse?”
“I don’t know. They left about fifteen minutes ago.”
So they’ll be fifteen minutes. Nice. A lot can happen in fifteen minutes. I’ve been known to rock a woman’s world several times in fifteen minutes. Just call me the orgasm king.
Rory’s lips are so red. Red and parted and saying kiss me. Her hair—thick, dark, and beautiful—floats around her shoulders and curves over her gigantic breasts. Her high cheekbones are pink with a natural blush, and those eyes…
“I could get lost in your eyes,” I say.
My words surprise even me. Sure, I was thinking them, but I didn’t expect to say them out loud.
She widens her eyes, making them even bigger, deeper, more intense.
“You’re beautiful, Rory.”
“Where is this coming from, Brock?”
“What? Me saying you’re beautiful? Is that a surprise to you?”
“Coming from you it is.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think I don’t have eyes?”
“You know what I mean. You don’t say stuff like that.”
“What makes you think I don’t tell women they’re beautiful?”
“That’s not what I mean. I just know who you are. You’re one of the Three Rake-a-teers.”
“So’s my cousin, and I think he just got engaged to your sister tonight.”
She parts her lips slightly farther. God, I could slip my tongue right between them.
She doesn’t seem to have an answer for that.
Good. Point one for me. Fifteen minutes until her brother and her cousin get back. I reach forward, stroke her soft cheek.
Damn. Her skin… It’s like crushed silk. My groin tightens. Just from touching her.
This isn’t like me. This isn’t like me at all.
She doesn’t back away, so I go for it.
I kiss her.
When her lips remain parted, I take that as an invitation. I slide my tongue between them.
A soft moan escapes her throat, vibrates into me, and I find her tongue with my own.
She’s kissing me back, and boy, can this woman kiss.
I wrap my arms around her as she slides her own around my neck. She threads her fingers through my hair, and I slide one of my hands over her gorgeous ass.
My God, I could kiss her forever. She tastes of honey and peppermint, and I’m hard. Hard enough that I could drop my pants and glide into her right now.
Not enough time for that, though.
We kiss. Hard and raw and passionate.
Until—
She pushes me away, our mouths releasing with a smack.
She wipes her lips.
“You okay?” I ask.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Why not? You’re unattached. I’m unattached.”
“That’s not what I mean. Jesse and Cage…” She gestures.
I turn around. Sure enough, Jesse’s beater Mustang swivels up the drive.
“Meet me later,” I say.
“I have to sing a few numbers. We’re already late getting started for our first set because of the missing cord, which I should’ve gotten to Dragon by now.”
I grab her hand. “Come on. We’ll take it together. That way you don’t have to explain what you’re doing here with me.”
“You read my mind.” She smiles a dazzling smile.
And damn…
I’m afraid I might be a goner.
The clincher is that, for the last several moments, I haven’t given a thought to the predicament my family is in.
Chapter Three
Rory
I can’t believe I’m actually going to vocalize my thought. I hastily look around, making sure Callie and I are alone. Everyone in town is at this party, but the yard is so vast that there are plenty of private enclaves.
“I’m aging here, Ror,” Callie says.
My sister’s cheeks are flushed, and her hair is… Yeah, they were having a quickie.
“Anything you want to tell me?” I ask.
“I’m sure you’ve already guessed.”
“Yeah. It’s pretty obvious.”
“We did something…new.”
I lift my eyebrows. Usually I can read Callie like a book. For example, I knew she let Donny spank her when we were in Denver. And I have a feeling…
“But it’s…intensely personal.”
“We tell each other everything, Cal. I mean, I already told you I made out with Brock.”
“This goes way beyond making out.”
Got it. Spanking isn’t the only thing Callie let Donny do to her ass. But I’m not going to push it. “All right. I’ll let you keep your little secret for now. Are you ready to hear mine?”
“Yeah. Spill it.”
I swallow, gather my courage. Am I really going to say this out loud? “I was thinking… I really want to have a baby.”
“I know that, Ror. That’s hardly a secret. You’ll be a great mom.”
“But I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“Are you sure? With the financial problems that—” She stops abruptly.
“What?”
She shakes her head, laughing softly. “The financial problems of our family. I can help, Rory. I’m marrying Donny Steel. I can help our family.”
I suck in a breath. “Oh my God, Callie. That’s not why you’re marrying him, is it?”
“Of course not! I love him, and he loves me. That’s why I’m marrying him. I haven’t taken any of his money. Not to deal with our financial issues or with Pat Lamone, although he’s offered.”