Tempting Brooke (Big Sky 2.5)

“Whoa, are you mad?”

“No, I’m fucking pissed,” she says, then takes a long, deep breath. “How long did he hurt you?”

“Three years.”

“And you never said anything.”

I shake my head, digging the toe of my shoe in the dirt under the swing.

“You just decided to stop being my friend. Why did you do that?”

“Because I was embarrassed. Hell, I’m still embarrassed.”

“You were a child, Brody. And he was a grown man. There was nothing for you to be embarrassed about.”

“I see that now, trust me. At the time, Glen was hot shit in this town, and I was just a kid. And trust me, I know I was stupid. I thought someone would read my mind and magically help me.”

“Oh, my God.” She digs her fingers into her eye sockets. “All that time, and I thought you just hated me.”

“No, I was worried that you’d think badly of me when you found out that Glen used to enjoy kicking me in the gut until I coughed up blood.”

She shakes her head, watching me with incredulous eyes. “My God, Brody. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. Or anyone else’s. Mom tried to stop him, but he would just do the same to her.”

“Fuck, all that time everyone thought he was such a great man. The whole town mourned him when he died.”

“I didn’t,” I admit. “I fucking danced. And what does that say about me?”

“It says that the man who terrorized you could no longer hurt you.”

I take a ragged breath and nod. “Yeah. I offered so many times to take Mom away over the years before she died. She always refused. Always so damn loyal to him.”

“Maybe she was afraid too, and not strong enough to be as brave as you were.”

“Brave?” I scoff and then flat-out laugh. “Right. I fucking ran away.”

“Exactly. And she never could.”

I think about that for a long moment, then take another breath and look over at the most beautiful woman in the world. It feels like the world has been lifted off my shoulders. “I feel better. I’m glad we talked.”

“Good.” She stands out of her swing, and climbs on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and planting her gorgeous, plump lips on mine. She kisses me until my dick is at full mast.

“We’re in public,” I murmur against her lips.

“I’d take you to my place, but it’s so hot in there that we’d die.” She giggles against me, and my cock throbs.

“Let’s go to the hotel. It’s closer anyway. And I have a great view of the lake.”

“Good idea.”

She hurries to her car, and we drive the short distance to the hotel on the lake. Once we’ve given her car to the valet, and we’re up in my room, she wanders around the space while biting her lip and checking out the view.

She suddenly seems nervous.

“What’s up, sweetheart?”

“Nothing,” she lies, kicking up a shoulder and avoiding my gaze.

“Look at me. What’s going on in your gorgeous head?”

“Okay. I need to say this, just to make sure we’re on the same page.”

“Shoot.”

“I am not having sex with you just to get you to keep the building.”

And just like that, I see bright, flaming red.

“What the hell, Brooke?”

“I’m just saying—”

“Don’t you ever insult yourself, or me, like that ever again. Me being in love with you has nothing at all to do with our business arrangement.”

Chapter Eight

~Brooke~

I stare at him, blinking, certain that I’ve just heard him wrong.

“Um, what?”

He shoves his hand through his hair, in that way he does when he’s especially frustrated, then props his hands on his hips and licks his lips.

“I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“You sure did.” I cock a brow.

I love you too! God, I love him.

“You’re not saying anything.”

“Nope.”

I want to giggle. I want to do a little dance, and then jump in his arms and let him make love to me until we’re both a sweaty, exhausted heap of flesh.

But I really want to hear his words first.

“I do love you,” he says, swallowing hard. “I thought that would be harder to say. I’ve never said it to anyone else, not since my mom.”

I walk to him now and take his hand in mine, linking our fingers.

“You’ve surprised the hell out of me this week,” he says.

“Same.” I lean in to kiss his shoulder, and he presses his lips against my forehead, making me grin.

Forehead kisses from Brody are just the best.

“You’re so damn smart, Brooke. And sweet. So fucking sweet.”

He leads me to the bed and strips me bare, both physically and emotionally as he lists all of the many reasons that he’s nuts about me.

I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

When I’m fully naked and writhing beneath him, he continues to pepper my skin with wet kisses.

“Brody.”

“Yes, baby.”

“You’re making me crazy here.”