3 Seconds (Time for Love 6)

“Soooo good,” Bronagh said after her first bite.

Deciding I needed to learn as much about her as I could, I asked, “What’s your favorite song?”

“Sugar Magnolia.”

“Wow,” I responded with a chuckle. “You didn’t even have to think about it. A Dead Head, huh?”

“No, I wouldn’t say I’m a Dead Head, but that song speaks to me, you know?”

“Yeah,” I totally did.

“What about you?” she asked, rolling her pasta around her fork.

“Right Here by Staind,” I replied automatically. “They write and play the kind of music I want to make.”

I finished a forkful of Carbonera and decided to delve a little deeper.

“What’s the most serious relationship you’ve ever had?”

Bronagh finished chewing, then answered softly, “I was married.”

“Oh,” I responded, then realized I shouldn’t be surprised. A gorgeous, talented, amazing woman like Bronagh wouldn’t spend her life single. “What happened? If you don’t mind my asking…”

Bronagh sat back from her now empty plate and placed her hands on her thighs.

“No, of course not.” She took a deep breath and replied, “I met my husband in a kitchen. I worshiped him … Not in a romantic way, not at first, but his skill and domineering presence in the kitchen drew me to him. I wanted to learn as much from him as possible, and I did, then it turned in to something else. He called me his muse, and I was flattered ... When he asked me to marry him and work side by side with him, I thought my dreams had come true, but he kept me at arm’s length. Don’t get me wrong, he was doting and affectionate, but that was the extent of our relationship.” Bronagh looked at me, her expression sad, and added, “He put me on a pedestal. He didn’t want a partner, he wanted a showpiece. It was as if I was his signature dish … We were married for ten years when I found out that he’d been sleeping with other women the entire time.”

“What an ass,” I said, disgusted. I may have been a player, but I believed whole-heartedly in the sanctity of marriage. I thought cheaters were the lowest form of life.

“The funny thing is, when I confronted him,

he really didn’t see what the big issue was,” she said with a dry laugh. “He said that as his wife, I deserved to be treated like porcelain, not degraded by his male urges.” Bronagh looked down, as if ashamed to be telling me that her husband hadn’t treated her like the sexual goddess that she was, so I placed my finger under her chin, and raised her face back up to look directly at me. “What we did together … I’d never done that before. I’ve only had three sexual partners in my life, and they’ve all been pretty tame.”

My cock hardened at her admission, the animal in me thrilled that I’d be the one to introduce her to new experiences.

“I’m dying to remedy that situation,” I stated, my gaze falling on her lips when she licked them nervously. “You deserve to be worshiped, Freckles, and I’m happy to be the man that shows you all the things you’ve been missing.”

Chapter Eight ~ Bronagh

“What’s the most serious relationship you’ve ever had?” I asked, going back to our earlier conversation.

We were lying in my bed, our naked bodies haphazardly covered by my pale-yellow sheets. He’d just introduced me to the more positive aspects of the sixty-nine position, and we were both feeling loose and satisfied.

Brendan turned his head and brought his eyes to mine.

“I’ve never really had one.”

“Really?” I asked, unable to contain my surprise at his response. I knew he was young, but still, he was old enough to have had girlfriends. “Not even in high school?”

Brendan shook his head. He brought his hand up and ran it over his face, and I couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed by the fact, or frustrated that I’d asked.

“No, I mean, I hung out with girls in high school, took ‘em to dances and stuff, but I’ve never called anyone my girlfriend. I don’t know … Brock dated off and on growing up, but he came with too much baggage for most women to handle, and I watched Brady get put through the ringer by the girl he loved. I guess I just never thought it was worth it. I didn’t want the stress and heartache. It felt better to keep things casual and always experience the fun side of relationships.” He closed his eyes and added, “And I know that makes me sound like a major asshole.”

I thought about his response, and since I could understand his position, I replied honestly, “No, I get it, you were protecting yourself. You’ve dealt with major loss, Brendan, so I can see why you’d be guarded. I wouldn’t say that makes you a major asshole, maybe just a minor one…” I elbowed him lightly to let him know I was joking, and was pleased when he chuckled.

When he sobered he said, “I was always upfront with the girls I hooked up with, letting them know I wasn’t looking to meet the parents or carry their purse while we’re out shopping for dresses.” He shifted so he was on his side facing me and proceeded to make my heart clench. “I’ve never felt with anyone the things I feel with you, and although I have no experience, and I’ll probably screw this thing up, I’d like to see where it goes.”

“You mean you want to see each other exclusively?” I asked, wanting to make sure we were on the same page.