AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A train?
“Pop!” Cade shouted at the same time Kase spit beer all over the carpet. Marissa obviously didn’t understand what Jack was talking about, but it certainly got a reaction from his boys.
“What? I wasn’t there. Had to leave earlier, but man—” Jack eyed her. “Heard about it the next day. Seven guys, it broke records. Can’t believe I missed it.” He shook his head in disappointment, and a small smirk played on his lips.
Kase was struggling to hold back what she assumed was hysterics. His hand dragged down his face, and he muttered, “Fuck me.”
Marissa had no idea what train he was referring to, or how it broke records. Playing along would be a little harder with Jack than it had been with her uncle. She sipped her water. “I don’t remember it breaking records. Must have been some night.”
“Well, Christ, taking on seven brothers, darlin’, you were a legendary minx.”
Taking on? As in sex? With seven men?
She choked on her water, which hadn’t quite made it down her throat. Her eyes teared, and she gasped for a breath. Oh. My. God.
“Musta been a sight, huh, Colleen?” Kase lifted his lip.
Caden shoved his hand against Kase’s arm as he passed by. The gesture was returned by Kase flipping him off. Kase was enjoying this too much. Caden, on the other hand, seemed slightly embarrassed. How the hell did this happen? I went from playing a good Samaritan, and in turn, being compared to a legendary club whore.
Heat rose up her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was the temperature in the house or the awkward reference to her as Colleen, but she was too hot to be bundled in her sweatshirt. She leaned forward, rested her water on an old magazine, and gripped the bottom edge, lifting it over her head. She drew in a deep breath as the relief of a chill peppered her arms and neck. Must have been hot in the house. She draped the sweatshirt on the couch and reached for her water. A sharp intake of breath had her eyes dart up and scan the room. As before, all eyes were on her, but Kase and Jack had a glint in their stares; Kase’s included a grin.
Jack laughed, which seemed out of place since no one had uttered a word. She glanced over at him, and his eyes were fixated on her chest.
“Damn, Coll, it’s good to see you, girl.”
“Pop.” The curt warning came from across the room, and her gaze followed his voice. Caden was staring at Jack, and if she read it right, he was silently scolding his father.
What am I missing here?
Kase snickered. “Oh c’mon, man. Can you fucking blame the guy?” Kase leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees. The corner of his mouth curled, and his gaze tapered down from her face to her chest. “I don’t even fucking know her, and I think it’s damn good to see her too.”
The mockery was evident in his tone. She dropped her gaze to her breasts. Her nipples poked through her fitted tee. They weren’t fully erect, but enough to cause a rise in the men in the room. Marissa refrained from rolling her eyes. Nipples, really? She could have put her sweatshirt back on or at least draped it over her chest. She could have. She didn’t. It didn’t bother her. Bras? Now those uncomfortable suckers bothered the hell out of her, which was why she opted not to wear them. She never gave it much thought until moments like this one. She drew in a breath and caught Jack’s stare. She smiled because what else could she do?
Marissa raised her eyebrows and exhaled, scanning the room. Her gaze drew up to Caden. Through his hooded gaze, he watched her. Unlike the others, his eyes were on her face. He’d taken off his jacket, giving her a view of his tight gray tee clinging to his chest and arms. One of his arms was completely tatted up through his sleeve. She’d never given much thought to tattoos, but on Caden, they worked. Too well. She could almost envision, underneath the rest of his clothes, he carried a strong firm body. His arms alone were muscular, dark hair dusting his forearms. There was just something sexy about a man’s arms, especially his. Or maybe only his. Her heartbeat sped up, and through the cotton rubbing against her nipples as she shifted in her seat, they hardened. Time to go.
She pushed herself up from the couch. “I have to get going.”
Jack stood, spilling a little beer on the carpet. “Ya just got here.” It was a protest, and it made her smile. It’d been years since anyone wanted to spend time with her. She was struck hard by the realization. The feeling it was invoking was sweet and gut-wrenching at the same time. Her stomach burned with a fiery acid, and a sense of dread washed over her. Two years of feeling nothing, and then a few hours with feeling everything? Yeah, I need to leave.
“I’m sorry. It’s getting late, and I really need to get back on the road.” She smiled at Jack and stepped closer, taking his hand. She couldn’t recall the last time she had voluntarily touched another before Jack tonight. “It was great seeing you again, Jack.”
Jack rose and pulled her in for a hug, which she allowed. “You too, doll.”
It was an awkward embrace, probably brought on by her, but she went with it. She turned around and skittered past Kase, who was eyeing her suspiciously. She forced a smile and gave a small wave to Jack, who was still focused on her.
****
Caden stepped back to make a clear exit for Marissa. Her sweatshirt hung over her clasped arms, and it took all his focus to not glance down a few inches to her breasts. When she removed her sweatshirt, not a man alive would have been immune to not taking a look at a pair of tits in a tight tee with no bra. Caden included. Even with the quick glance he got, she was fucking perfection. His gaze dipped, and he closed his eyes. Fuck me.
He shot a glare at his older brother when he heard Kase snicker.
Kase smirked and took a swig of his beer.
“Guess I’ll head up now.” The look of disappointment riddled his father’s face as the old man watched her push open the screen door and walk out. Reminiscing, even if it was all an illusion, had put his Pop back in the game. He showed signs of life again. And for that, he owed Marissa.
“Night, Pop.”
Caden didn’t wait for a response and headed out the door and down the steps toward Marissa. “You know how to get outta here?”
