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Chapter 18
Lainey eased back in her chair, her stomach full, her gaze on Brody. He took a final sip of his wine, then set the empty glass to the side. He’d offered her a refill when she’d finished her glass, but she’d declined. She didn’t want any of her senses dulled tonight.
“That was a wonderful meal,” she said. “Thank you so much, Brody.” She touched her empty wine glass. “I wouldn’t have minded if you’d had a beer. But I appreciate that you wanted to share the wine with me.”
“I’d do anything for you, Lainey,” he said, leaning toward her from the other side of the table. “I want you to know that.”
“I do know that,” she said, her voice soft. “You’ve taken me in and made me feel like part of the household. Made me comfortable here. Everything you’ve done since I moved in has been thoughtful. Kind. Welcoming.” Her mouth curled into a tiny smile. She loved teasing Brody. “Except for this past week. You were brooding about something. And kind of a jerk about it.”
“I was,” he said, and she saw a flicker of resignation in his expression. “And I’d like to tell you why. What it’s about.”
“And I’d love to hear about it. We have a lot to discuss. But do you really want to waste this empty house on talking? Isn’t there something else you’d rather be doing?” She slid her shoe off and ran her toes over his ankle. Beneath the hem of his jeans and over his calf.
His eyes dilated. Darkened. “I thought I’d screwed things up with you, Lainey,” he said in a low voice. “I was terrified you were through with me. And I want to talk about why I acted that way.”
“We need to talk about that,” she said. “And we will. But it can wait until tomorrow.” She circled his calf with her foot, and he swallowed. Pressed his palms into the table. “Isn’t there something else you’d rather do tonight, Brody?”
“I think you know what I want to do tonight,” he said, his voice a low rumble in the silent house. “But I didn’t know if you’d be interested, after the way I acted.”
Tenderness curled through Lainey as she watched Brody across the table. Yes, she wanted to find out what this past week was all about. But it didn’t have to be tonight.
“You want to explain, and I want to hear it,” she said. “Knowing that is enough for now. Let’s clean up the kitchen, then lock up the house and go upstairs. To your bedroom.”
They sped through the clean-up, then Brody took Lainey’s hand and took the stairs two at a time. By the time they reached his room, Lainey was giggling at his haste. “Slow down,” she said, her fingers fluttering over his chest. “We have all night. Remember?”
“I do,” Brody said, trapping her hands and pressing them against his belly. “Not sure that’s going to be long enough for all the things I want to do with you.”
Hours later, collapsed in a tangle of arms and legs, her head resting against Brody’s chest, Lainey took a deep, shuddering breath. Curled her arms around him and held him tight. His musky scent of clean sweat and aroused man filled her senses, and she breathed deeply, holding it inside her. She’d had no idea lovemaking could be so intense. So all-encompassing. So… so perfect.
Brody had blown her away by his care for her. His attention to what she needed. To what she wanted. And after three rounds of lovemaking, each more wonderful than the last, she admitted to herself she was completely in love with him.
That she’d been in love with him for a long time.
She’d met him when her marriage had been falling apart, and Brody had been the exact opposite of Ron. Everything she’d longed for in a partner.
Despite that, she’d been very careful not to give him a hint of how she felt. He’d been careful, too. But she’d seen the yearning in his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking. Knew the reasons for a lot of his appointments were very thin.
She opened her mouth to tell him she loved him, then forced her lips closed again. She didn’t want the first time she confessed her love to be in the aftermath of lovemaking. Her hormones and pheromones were going crazy. This wasn’t something she wanted to blurt out in the heat of the moment.
She wanted Brody to know she was very clear about how she felt. About how much she wanted him.
Maybe later, when they were dressed, after they’d talked about what was bothering him this past week, she’d tell him how she felt. Smiling to herself, hoping her joy and exhilaration didn’t make her explode with happiness, she snuggled closer, her eyes drifting closed.
“Sleep,” he whispered, brushing his lips over her hair. He eased up on his elbow and drew the sheet and blanket over them both, then tucked her more closely against him. “I have plans for the morning. I want both of us wide awake. Refreshed, before I tire you out all over again.”
“Mmmm,” she murmured, already half asleep. “Can’t wait.” She wriggled against him and felt him tense. “Really, Brody? Already?”
“Always, Lainey.” He kissed her again, then slid his leg between hers. “But no more tonight. In the morning.”
* * *
Brody stirred, smiling when he felt Lainey curled up against him, sound asleep. He glanced at the clock on the night stand and frowned. Two A.M. Why was he awake? Had he heard something?
He breathed Lainey in as he listened, his eyes closed. After a few moments, he heard the tiny click of the front door closing. A footstep on the first stair, exactly where it squeaked.
Adrenaline flooded him, and he eased away from Lainey. Slid out of bed silently and reached for his jeans. His shirt. Then slid open the nightstand drawer and grabbed his Sig Sauer.
Clutching it tightly, he padded to the door on bare feet and edged it open. When it squeaked, he rushed into the hall. A dark figure pounded down the last few steps and ran for the open front door. Brody took the stairs two at a time, but the intruder was outside before Brody reached him.
