Rett Read online

  She was wearing a silky bathing suit cover up that barely grazed the top of her creamy thighs. She was barefoot and her blonde hair looked even lighter under the sunlight. A basket swung from one arm, and her loyal companion trotted along next to her.

  I leaned against my shovel and watched as she walked down to the cow’s pen. She opened the gate, took a bowl of food out of her basket and placed it on the grass for Some Pig. She went back through the gate and locked it behind her. Then with a perfectly seductive swing of her small hips, she glided over to me. She stopped and rested the basket on the grass.

  I looked over at the pen. The cow and the pig stood next to each other munching away. “Lilly Belle and Some Pig eat lunch together?”

  She glanced back at the animals. “They like to hang out and exchange human horror stories. Some Pig was rescued from a farm where all the animals were starving. That’s why he’s so small. It stunted his growth. I spent the morning at the rescue barn where he was first sent before coming here. I’m volunteering there four days a week. It’s what I’ve been dying to do for a long time. I’m finally well enough to do it.”

  It was always hard to look at the spirited girl in front of me and imagine her as anything but confident.

  “You in the mood for lunch?”

  I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. “Seeing you come over the hill in that flimsy little cover up has definitely made me hungry for something.”

  Her cheeks darkened and she pressed back a grin. “Well, that’s good because . . .” She leaned down, fished around in the basket and held up a condom package. “. . . I brought dessert.”

  “Your own supply?”

  “Hello,” she said, “Nicky King’s daughter, remember? He has every color, size and texture.” Her sweet laugh rolled off into the warm air. “It’s a wonder I grew up with even an ounce of normalcy. And, believe me, it’s a scant ounce.”

  “Anything more would be boring.” The shimmering fabric of her cover-up pressed tightly against the curves of her body as a breeze washed over us. I gazed down at her. “I’m starved. Where can we eat?” I’d been thinking of holding her tight little body against mine since she’d pulled her car out of Jimmy’s driveway, and now the urge to take her into my arms returned with a vengeance. I’d impressed myself with the self-control I’d managed the night before when all I could think of was dragging her naked and willing beneath me. Somehow, I’d managed, but now that I’d had a taste of her it was going to be even harder to maintain control.

  “There’s a small recreation room by the tennis courts. There’s a table and chairs and that’s about it. But I think it will work.”

  “We’re sneaking around and hiding in the rec room? I actually like that idea.”

  “I wouldn’t call it sneaking. Just a precaution. No one’s home, and the housekeeper and chef never step past the pool area.” She bit her soft, pink lips in thought. “I’m going to talk to my brothers tonight. I just thought it would be easier not to have to worry about them coming home.” Her cheeks flushed again, and she seemed to be talking herself into something. Her blue eyes sparkled in the daylight as she looked up at me. “By the way. . . “ She reached up and her fingers trembled slightly as she untied the ribbon on her cover-up. The sides fell away revealing her naked body beneath. “I left my bathing suit inside.”

  I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. I could not stop myself from taking her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. She gasped softly, and the sound of it made me hard. “Can I just say— best damn lunch break ever. But I have to warn you, I’m pretty sweaty.”

  She reached up and dragged her finger down the hollow of my chest. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  My hand went beneath the panel of silky fabric, and my arm curled around her tiny waist. I pulled her against me and I kissed her. Blood surged through my veins, and my erection pressed against the fly of my jeans.

  She pulled away, tied her dress up and glanced back at her pets. “Not in front of the kids.” Then she directed me to pick up the basket, and led me to the tennis courts.

  To say the King estate was impressive was an understatement. It seemed to have endless borders, and all in a town where each square foot was worth a fortune. The tennis courts looked less immaculate and less cared for than the rest of the property. It felt like there was a sort of loneliness hanging over them.

  “Cole told me you are a really great tennis player.”

  She seemed to be weighing her answer. “I guess. I had a coach and everything, but I choked up at the meets.” She opened the gate to the courts and looked across the deserted asphalt. The benches were rusted to the bolts in the ground, and the nets looked worn from weather and time. “I’ve choked up with a lot of things in my life. My dad was so excited. He pictured me playing center court in Wimbledon. I know he was disappointed when I quit.” The sadness in her tone made me drop the subject.

  At the rear of the courts was a small ivory colored building. Finley slid open the glass door and we stepped inside. She waved her hand in front of her face. “Whoa, a little dusty.” She walked over and pushed open a window. “I guess it’s not the most desirable location to down a peanut butter sandwich. But, maybe this will help out with the ambience.” Then she quickly untied the ribbon again as if she needed to move fast before she thought about it too much and lost her nerve. The cover-up slipped to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her breasts and laughed shyly. “I can’t believe I just did that. And I can’t believe I’m standing naked with a man in the recreation room where my friends and I used to have slumber parties.”

  I walked up to her, took hold of her wrists and lifted her arms away from her breasts. Her dark pink nipples hardened beneath my gaze. “Then let’s do some recreational stuff.”

  The round tops of her breasts rose and fell with each breath as she stared up at me. The blush had covered her neck and darkened the color of her lips. “It has never felt so good to be dirty. What is it about you, Rett, that makes me lose every inhibition? I swear I’ve never acted or felt like this before.”

  My cock was harder than ever. “Then it’s about time, Sweetie. Now, my little wanton wench, what shall your pleasure be this afternoon?”

  She pursed her bottom lip for a second and even that small gesture was hot. “Surprise me.” She walked over to the basket, making sure to wiggle her smooth, round ass, and I watched every seductive move. She pulled out the condom and a sandwich. “You might need your strength.”

  “I was having wet dreams about that Brazilian wax job all night. Eating a peanut butter sandwich would take far more effort and concentration than I have right now.”

  I could tell there was a sweet, brief hesitancy about everything she did, but she knew exactly how to make me crazy and my resolve faded with each movement of her supple body. A sliver of shyness clung to her as she hoisted herself up onto the table and then she took a deep breath and spread her legs. As inexperienced as she seemed to be, I took pleasure in the realization that she felt completely at ease with me. She was ready to explore everything about her sensuality with me, and that thought made me fucking delirious with need. She leaned back on her elbows and brought her feet up. Her breath quickened as she once again exposed her pussy to me. Last night I’d taken measured steps to make her come first. I didn’t want to disappoint her, but today it was too much.

  “I think you should take off those jeans,” she suggested.

  I was naked in seconds. Her eyes rounded as I picked up the condom. Then I reached for her arms and pulled them around my neck as my mouth slammed over hers. Our tongues clashed and we could not kiss deep or hard enough to satisfy the hunger.

  She reached down and smoothed her small hand over my cock, and it stiffened even more in her grasp. I took hold of her waist and turned her around. She squeaked with protest for a short second as I bent her body down over the table. She rested on her forearms and her head relaxed as her forehead touched her hands. I rolle
d on the condom and then reached around her. My fingers massaged the hot, wet folds of her pussy, and her squeak of alarm softened to a whimper of pleasure.

  “Spread your legs wider for me, Baby.”

  Her breaths quickened in anticipation. My fingers slid in deeper as her thighs parted.

  I leaned down over her and kissed the skin between her shoulder blades as my fingers pushed inside of her more. She was slick and ready and I knew it, but I wanted her to know it. “Ask me, Baby. No. Beg me, Finley. Do you want me?”

  “Yes,” she cried weakly, “please, Rett, please. Fuck me.” The last words came out on a whisper, and they crumbled my last shred of control. My one hand continued to massage her swollen clit as my free hand tilted her ass higher. My throbbing cock pushed deep inside of her. My free hand now moved between my abdomen and her ass and I slid my finger into her perfectly round ass. She responded immediately by pushing against my probing finger. I wanted badly to grab her hips and push into her pussy fast and hard but I held back. I moved slow and easy against her while my hands massaged every intimate part of her. Her fingers rounded into small fists, and she moved her ass against me with each thrust.

  “Oh God, Rett!” she screamed and writhed under my body as my cock thrust deeper inside. “Yes! Fuck yes,” she said on a breath and then her body shuddered and her pussy clenched around my cock. Her shoulders relaxed and she went nearly limp beneath me. I grabbed her hips and held her tightly as I moved inside her at a hot, frenzied pace. She looked soft and vulnerable and so fucking hot that it took mere seconds before I exploded inside of her.

  I leaned down and dragged a long trail of kisses down her back as I slid out of her. Then I lifted her into my arms and hopped up onto the table. She pressed her face against my shoulder as I cradled her.

  She was silent for a few minutes and then she sighed. “Is this real, Rett?” I tightened my arms around her. “Please,” she said so quietly it was nearly drowned out by our heartbeats. She pressed even harder against me. “Please tell me this is real,” she whispered. “If it’s not then I never want to wake from this dream.” Her words seeped right into my chest and wrapped around my heart.

  I kissed the top of her head. “It’s real, Fin. And it’s fucking amazing.”

  CHAPTER 12

  Finley

  The soreness in my thighs only served to make me miss Barrett more. He’d gone back to work on the trenches, and I’d pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt to help. Cole had returned and his scowl at seeing the two of us working together assured me that I needed to talk to my brothers immediately.

  After dinner, I’d taken Lilly Belle for a walk around the grounds, hoping to come up with the right tact. But all of my brilliant ideas were obliterated when I walked back inside. Jude sat on the couch with what I call his self-important, arms crossed attitude, and Cole didn’t look much more relaxed as he drained a beer can. Eden sat at the opposite side of the couch and ignored both of them. It was always easy to tell when she was pissed at Jude, which didn’t happen often, but when it did, you could sense it from a mile away.

  Jude lifted the remote and muted the sound. “Finley, we need to talk.”

  I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. “I agree.”

  “I don’t know what you’re up to with this Barrett guy, but you need to stop this shit before you get hurt.”

  “Oh, is that what you think?” I looked to Eden for back up but remembered the golden rule of not throwing her between us. She stared down at her lap. I returned my attention to my brother. “Well, Jude, fuck you.” As unimpressive as my retort was, it seemed to have had some impact. Jude’s jaw clenched.

  “Really? After an hour of walking the cow around the yard, that’s the only argument you could come up with?”

  I waved away his biting sarcasm. “I had all sorts of good shit to throw at you, but once I saw the two of you sitting here with your angry scowls, I decided I didn’t need any argument. It’s my life.”

  Cole opened his mouth to speak, but I put up my hand. “Don’t bother, Cole. It will sound even more obnoxious coming from you.”

  Cole relaxed back. “Wish I’d never brought him around here. I just didn’t think he’d be your type.”

  “Uh, at the risk of pissing off my rage-filled boyfriend here,” Eden spoke with that confidence that I’d always envied, “Barrett is every girl’s type.”

  Jude’s massive shoulders tensed, and I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. It was shocking and funny and just perfect coming out of Eden’s mouth.

  Cole leaned his forearms on his thighs. “That’s just it. That’s why I didn’t think Fin would even look twice at him.” He looked up at me. “Why did you have to choose this time to be a part of the mainstream?”

  “He’s just that great,” I said, and then I remembered the real tie that Cole had to Rett. “And if you let him go because of this, Cole, then I swear I will never talk to you again.” My throat cracked as I said it. I’d never said anything like it to either brother, but I so badly wanted all of this to be right. Cole looked stricken by my words, and my throat tightened more.

  “Well, you’ve had your fun,” Jude said in his usual bossy, terse manner. “So end it now.”

  A small laugh of outrage popped from Eden’s mouth. She got up off the couch, walked over to me and took my hand. Jude looked confused and more than a bit worried as she stared down at him. “No, Jude, you need to end this now. Finley is not some little kid you can boss around.”

  “Eden, just stay out of this. You don’t know—” he stopped, and I was sure he wouldn’t continue, but occasionally, Jude spoke before thinking and this was one of those times. “You don’t know her like I do.”

  “Really, well I know you pretty damn well, and right now, you are acting like a total asshole.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Good night, Finley.” She lowered her mouth to my ear. “Hold your ground, Fin.” With that, she swept out of the room with a dramatic flair that only someone as gorgeous as Eden could pull off.

  “Eden,” Jude called after, but she ignored him. “Goddammit, Fin, that was your fault. If you weren’t so fucking spoiled.”

  I stared at him. “Why don’t you want me to be happy?”

  He laughed, and it was the closest I’d ever come to wanting to slap him. “Happy? With that guy? Face it, Fin, it’s just physical.”

  For a fleeting moment I let his words get to me. A sick feeling tightened in my stomach, and I wondered if what he’d said was true. I thought about the time I’d spent with Barrett so far. And then I thought about not seeing him again and the sickening feeling worsened. It wasn’t just physical. I wanted to be in Barrett’s life. I wanted him in my life too. My medication had made it harder for me to cry, but if there was anyone who could bring forth reluctant tears, it was Jude. Tears clouded my eyes. “He makes me feel stuff I haven’t felt in a long time.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about, Doolittle.” He’d softened his voice and stuck in the nickname he’d given me for an added touch. “You don’t need to have your heart broken by someone like him. You’re finally pulling yourself together.”

  “So, that’s what this is all about? You’re worried that your little sister is going to fall apart at the seams. You’re worried that I’m going to come unhinged and get in the way of your life again. I know you hated that I had problems. You hated having to,” I lifted my fingers in air quotes, “tiptoe around me. You made that all too clear that night when I—” I couldn’t finish. I never liked to think about that night. Then, suddenly it dawned on me that I was being completely selfish. The truth was, my brothers had had to walk on egg shells and watch every move I made and I’d never said anything to them about it.

  I sat on the coffee table across from the couch. “Look, I know you two had to babysit me a lot, and at an age when I was well past the nursemaid stage. I appreciate the good care you both took of me. Jude, you watch over me like a guardian angel.” He swallowed hard and I knew I had h
is attention now. “A really bossy guardian angel, but I know how protective you are. Medication and therapy has helped me cope a lot.” I smiled. “Sometimes I can even walk down the stairs and not tap the bottom banister three times. And I don’t even worry about it when I miss tapping it. But while this pharmaceutical cloud helps me staunch any feeling of panic or compulsion, it also keeps me from feeling the usual intense feelings that come with a full life. I really liked Max, but when he walked out of my life, I barely flinched. Max never broke through the haze. Barrett has and I want that. I want to feel vulnerable and excited and overwhelmed by the thought of someone.”

  “That’s why I’m worried,” Jude said. “This might be more than you can handle right now.”

  “I’ve never been stupid when it comes to guys. Throughout my teen years, I was the only girl in my small circle of friends who didn’t go nuts about boys. If this doesn’t work then I’ll be fine. I’ll be heartbroken, but at least I’ll know that I’m capable of feeling emotion.”

  Dad’s Black Thunder ringtone blasted from my phone.

  “Dad is not going to be all right with this,” Cole said as I answered it.

  I put in on speaker. “Hey Dad, we’re all sitting in the living room. Where are you?”

  “Just waiting in the blasted airport for the plane to get ready.” The clamor of airport noises in the background made it hard to hear him. “We’re flying to England. Just wanted to make sure everything was all right there.”

  “Everything is great, Dad. We were just having a nice family meeting.” I flashed a fake smile at Jude, and he responded with a middle finger.

  “What’s the meeting about?”

  I stood and walked around the coffee table to put some distance between me and the couch. “There’s something I really want.” I glanced briefly at my brother. “And Jude doesn’t want me to have it,” I said cryptically.

  “You can have anything you bloody want, Fin,” Dad answered.

  “Thank you, Daddy.” I always added on the second syllable when I wanted to put him securely in my pocket. It made me feel like the spoiled, rich girl everyone always expected me to be, and when it came to my dad, I was fine with that. I stuck my tongue out at Jude.