“Olivia,” I say, surprising her. Beautiful eyes full of innocence meet mine as she clutches a hand to her chest as if catching her breath. A hunger far too unsatiated comes to life.
Chapter Twenty
Olivia
Many emotions swirl in Joel’s eyes—heat, anger, desire, and desperation—as he prowls forward.
“Joel,” I say, unsure if I should fear his turmoil.
“My brother.” His malice is defined with the tense line of his jaw.
I bite my lip before saying, “I swear I didn’t know.”
If I’d hoped that answer could penetrate the deliberate blankness in his eyes, I’m wrong.
“Is it his clean cut?” he asks as if he hasn’t heard a word I’ve said.
I move away from the bookshelf, needing something to lean on.
“No,” I say emphatically.
“With no ink, is he a better fit for your idealistic family?”
“Of course not,” I say, backing into the sturdy wooden desk.
I rest my hands on the edge as if I might need something to grab hold of when Joel finally reaches me.
He stops in front of me. “Is it because he’s thirty-three, closer in age to you?”
My pulse kicks up and I try not to sound breathless. “No. It’s not what you think.”
But he’s far from listening to me. One of his knees wedges between my legs, making room for him to maneuver between them.
“The thing is, he doesn’t know how to touch you,” he says, gliding a hand up my thigh.
I suck in a sharp breath when he strokes a finger over the fabric that covers my center.
“I bet you weren’t even close to getting wet until you saw me.”
He’s right, but I lift my chin stubbornly anyway. I realize too late what access I’ve given him as he leans forward, sending me back to hold myself up by my forearms.
His mouth claims mine in a punishing kiss that sends a solar flare right to my core.
He pulls at the fabric of my dress to free one breast and then the other, sucking and nipping. I grab his ass, wanting more than all his teasing.
Noises of things crashing to the floor barely reach my consciousness. I’m too busy falling flat as I grip his shirt to tug him closer.
Fabric tears and a zipper is set free while I’m tongue fucking him as if my life depends on it.
Then, he’s filling me with the sensations so bright, so perfect, I’m on the verge of coming.
He doesn’t make love to me. It’s far more primal than that. He fucks me senseless. So hard, I’m sure there will be bruises on the back of my thighs.
When he pulls free of my kiss, I want to protest, but his actions are purposeful. He lifts one leg up and goes so deep, I lose track of time. I bite my lip so viciously, I fear I’ll taste blood.
It only takes one stroke of his finger over my clit to send me free-falling over the edge of bliss. My inner walls contract around his cock, milking his orgasm out of him.
Heavy breathing and panting fill the room for several seconds before he’s pulling out of me.
His eyes aren’t filled with the love I’d hoped to see there. Instead, they are flat as if dead, and the cool air upon my sweat-dampened skin makes me want to cover myself.
As he tucks himself away, I go to work putting my clothes right. I’m sitting up, with my breasts recovered and stroking a hand down my dress to the hem, when Craig appears.
Joel is already at the door, passing him as his brother walks in. I want to cry, embarrassment and guilt curling around my spine.
I sit up straight, swallowing. “Are you ready to go?”
He nods. Though he doesn’t say anything, I’m sure he knows exactly what I’ve been doing with his brother.
Chapter Twenty-One
“My brother,” Craig says.
It’s such déjà vu from a short time ago, I don’t know what to say.
“He’s the guy you were referring to when you turned me down.”
I clasp my hands so I don’t fidget. “I’ve known him for a while.”
“Figures. Beautiful woman walking down the street near Joel’s place, I should have known she would be his.”
The silence lingers as he navigates the car down the drive and out onto the road.
“Maybe this is none of my business, were you heading out to meet him for a date?”
He’s referring to our first meeting.
“No,” I say quietly.
“But you were hooking up with him?”
I jerk my head in his direction. “If you’re slut shaming me, let me clarify. Joel is the only man I’ve been with in quite some time.”
“Yet, you’re dating other guys.”
He’s not wrong in his assumptions. Still, it’s pissing me off.
“It’s complicated.”
He glances over at me before returning his eyes to the road.
“Doesn’t seem so. He obviously has a thing for you, otherwise he wouldn’t have nearly broken Rhett’s jaw when he made a stupid comment about you.”