Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Skylar

Brooks crawled on his hands and knees, back arched, ass in the air. He was shirtless, again. It had taken only two days of living together for Brooks to discard his modesty. Apparently, he ran hot.

He was hot , all right.

"C'mere, baby," he said in a soft, raspy voice.

My mouth went dry. Okay, he was more than hot. He was so, so tempting.

"I won't hurt you," he continued, muscles rippling across the broad planes of his back as he moved. He shifted his right leg forward, and the way his shorts molded to his ass and strong, muscled thighs should be illegal.

I fanned a hand in front of my face, suddenly running a little too hot, too.

Mew.

Freddy peeked around the edge of the ottoman between the living room and the dining room.

"That's it, sweetie," Brooks crooned. "You know you want a taste of this."

I did. I really, really did.

I suddenly understood the story of Eve and that forbidden apple a lot better. Brooks looked unbearably delicious right now. But sadly, even if I was ready to take a bite out of that sexy man, he wasn't trying to seduce me.

He was wooing my damn cat.

Brooks extended his right hand, four cat treats in his palm. With all his weight braced on one arm, his impressive biceps popped. As if I hadn't already noticed that Brooks was as finely sculpted as Michaelangelo's David .

Freddy edged forward, and unbeknownst to Brooks, I crept closer, crouching down and wiggling my fingers to encourage him forward. He took another two steps.

"That's it," Brooks said in a soft voice. "You can trust me."

My heart fluttered. Brooks wanted Freddy to trust him for my sake. Because I'd said I trusted my cat's judgment of people over mine.

But I already knew Freddy would come around. How could he not? Brooks was warm and sweet. He was nothing like Blaize, who'd barely tolerated Freddy's presence, much less shown him any attention that wasn't annoyance.

My cat stood utterly still but for a twitching tail.

"C'mere, Freddy," I said in a soft voice, from where I crouched behind Brooks and slightly to the right.

Brooks whipped his head toward me. "What—"

"Shhh." I crept forward and clasped his wrist, supporting his hand that was filled with treats. "Freddy. Treat?"

My cat darted forward, rubbing up against me before delicately picking the treats out of Brooks's hand one by one. I placed one hand in the center of Brooks's bare back to keep my balance as I perched on my toes beside him, and his skin really was hot under my palm.

I wanted to run my hand up and down his broad back, feel those shifting muscles, but I focused on the cat. Brooks was a gorgeous straight man doing me a favor by staying here. Nothing more.

And he might not even be doing that for much longer.

Blaize hadn't returned since our first confrontation at the pub. I was no longer afraid to be alone at home. I'd left the pub on my own a few times to prove to myself I was still an independent adult.

Maybe my ex had decided I wasn't worth the effort after all. Maybe he'd gotten sidetracked by some new cute thing. I was pretty sure he hadn't been entirely faithful while we were together. He traveled frequently for work, and he was far too distrustful of me to be loyal himself.

Freddy finished his last bite, but he didn't run off. I used my grip on Brooks's wrist to turn his hand and brush his fingers lightly over Freddy's head. Freddy pushed into the touch, and I let go, watching Brooks smile and pet Freddy with gentle reverence.

"Does it still count if you won him over for me?" he asked.

"It counts," I said. "The fact you tried at all counts."

His warm brown eyes met mine. "I'd always try for you."

We were so close I could see the amber flecks in his eyes, feel his warm breath against my cheek.

My heart cartwheeled, and I wanted so badly to lean in even closer. Instead, I pulled my hand away and stood. "We should get ready, huh? Your grandma will want her coffee."

Brooks got to his feet, putting his chest on his display, which was no less devastating than his back. Brown hair curled between his pecs and around each nipple, thinning to a mouth- watering strip that arrowed down his stomach and disappeared under his waistband.

I fought hard to keep my eyes on his face.

"I made some pancakes. They're warming in the oven. You should eat while I get dressed."

Unlike Brooks, I had already dressed for the day. This was how our routine had shaped up over the week. Brooks would get up early, wander around in nothing but shorts while he exercised and made breakfast, and I would take a long shower and dress before emerging from my room so I didn't have to endure the sexy torture of watching him.

Seeing Brooks do planks had been enough to wake up my libido for the first time since leaving Blaize. Even before that, if I were being honest—my sex drive had been comatose. But one morning with Brooks, and I'd had to run to my room to hide my first hard-on in eight weeks.

"You know you don't have to cook for me every morning," I said. "But thank you."

Brooks smoothed back a strand of my hair. "Would you eat breakfast if I didn't?"

"Well, no."

His lips twitched. "I didn't think so. Besides, I want to contribute something while I'm staying here. This is like a luxury vacation."

I scoffed. "A luxury vacation where you still go to work every day?"

He shrugged. "Best of both worlds, right?"

"Right…"

I watched him leave the room, then went to pull the pancakes from the oven. They were blueberry, and he'd made a smiley face with the fruit. This man was a freaking treasure. It'd taken exactly one time for me to mention my love of blueberries for them to appear in my fridge.

I took them and a glass of milk out to my deck—I'd get my caffeine fix at Just the Sip—and enjoyed breakfast with a view of the shimmering lake dotted with boats. It was early enough it wasn't hot yet, but the sun was blazing brightly, and the temperature was sure to hit triple digits within a few hours.

Brooks returned as I rinsed my dishes. "Ready to go?"

"Yep."

We drove to town together, grabbed coffee, and I dropped him off at Silver Cove. I had joined him on a couple of visits to his grandmother, but I didn't want to intrude on all their time together.

Instead, I visited Little Clay Pot and caught up with Poppy, checked in with Hudson Nash about his boat tour company—since my father kept calling for updates—and joined Brooks in getting the pub ready to open.

Then we did it all again the next day and the next.

It had become so comfortable, I almost forgot why Brooks was parading around my house half-dressed so often. Almost forgot that he was my fake boyfriend, there to scare off a real ex.

Until Friday night—a full week after I'd first seen Blaize and panicked.

Brooks and I were on the couch, playfully bickering about what to watch. I liked to tease him by threatening to put on another horror movie. He pretended to be offended and hurt that I'd suggest such a traumatizing thing.

I threw a handful of popcorn at him. "You don't want to deprive me of my horror fix, do you?"

"I would never deprive you of anything you really wanted," he said, tone far too serious.

I faltered. "I know."

"Even if I have to scream and cry like a baby every time you want to watch some creepy possession…"

I laughed. "That would be cruel of me, wouldn't it?"

"Very cruel," he said, eyes catching mine. "If you want to hurt me, there are more fun ways to do it."

My stomach flip-flopped. Was he flirting?

He had to be. But was he serious, and did I want him to be? That was the question.

Before I could think of how to reply, my doorbell sang through the house, a set of echoing chimes.

Brooks's smile dropped. "You expecting anyone?"

I shook my head. "It's probably…"

"Yeah. Want me to get rid of him?"

I chewed my lip. "He'll just come back, won't he?"

"Probably. We could file a restraining order, maybe?"

I sighed, pushing up from the sofa. "Maybe if I talk to him again, I can get the message across. Just…come with me?"

"You can't keep me away," Brooks said.

I checked the peephole before opening the door, and yep, Blaize stood on the porch. He was holding a bouquet of roses while smoothing his hair with one hand.

He wore a silky maroon button-down I'd once said I liked with black jeans, and he looked so much like the guy I'd first fallen for that my heart twisted. Not because I still wanted him or even missed him, but because sometimes I did miss that guy. The one who'd disappeared the minute I'd moved in with him.

I opened the door. "Blaize, what are you doing here?"

He held out the bouquet. "These are for you."

I crossed my arms instead of taking them. "You shouldn't be here."

"Come on, baby, let's just—" He stopped, catching sight of Brooks over my shoulder. "Seriously? This asshole again?"

"Brooks and I are dating. We told you that already."

He scoffed. "Sure, the straight bartender who hooks up with pretty tourists is dating you. Do you think I'm an idiot? I asked around about this guy. He's not gay."

"So what?" Brooks said when I couldn't find the words to reply. "I'm bisexual."

"No one's ever seen you with a guy," Blaize challenged.

"No guy has ever done it for me like Skylar," Brooks shot back. "He's beautiful and sweet, and you didn't treat him the way you should have, so you can just fuck off and let him move on. You owe him that much."

Blaize rolled his eyes. "Beautiful and sweet. He talks about you like you're a woman. Do you wear that lingerie for him, too?"

I flushed, all the times he'd told me I looked too weak and feminine flashing through my mind.

I'm gay because I like men, Sky. I don't want you to dress like a fucking woman.

"If you mean the lingerie that is sexy as fuck, then yes, he does, and I can't get enough," Brooks said.

Blaize's fist tightened around the bouquet. "Why do you keep lying to me, Skylar, huh? Just stop playing games and we can work things out. I don't need you to make me jealous. You made your point. I'm sorry I told everyone we were engaged before asking you—"

"You did what ?" Brooks asked.

"—but you were going to say yes, Skylar, because you fucking love me. Everyone knew it."

"Unbelievable," Brooks muttered.

"We're meant to be," Blaize went on, clearly on a roll. "You don't really want this guy."

"Yes, I do," I said sharply. "Brooks is hot and he treats me like a prince."

"Some straight guy? Stop playing me."

"I'm not—"

"Skylar," Brooks interjected, an intensity to his voice that made me turn toward him. "He doesn't want to believe, so unless he sees firsthand…"

He raised an eyebrow in question.

I remembered what Brooks had said the last time we talked to Blaize. Just kiss me next time.

My heart pounded. There wasn't one lie I'd told Blaize so far. I wanted Brooks, wanted him too much . If we did this, if we kissed to prove a point, I'd only want him more.

Still, the temptation had been prickling through me for days. I itched to touch him. To get closer, to smell and taste.

If I was Eve, and Brooks was the apple, then we'd go to hell together, because I couldn't resist an invitation like this one.

I gave a tiny nod, and Brooks cupped my face in his big hands.

"What are you—" Blaize broke off with a choked sound as Brooks dipped down to kiss me.

Everything melted away the moment his lips met mine.

I'd expected a brief, close-mouthed kiss. Something to show Blaize that Brooks wasn't some straight guy afraid to touch me. But Brooks came in hot, his mouth firm against mine, his tongue teasing along my bottom lip.

I gasped and clutched his sides, pulling his hard body tight against me.

He swept his tongue in to meet mine, groaning as our tastes mingled. His hands slipped into my hair, holding me still as he kissed me again and again.

I was dimly aware of something landing at our feet, at Blaize calling me filthy obscenities, but I was too consumed by the heat of Brooks, the taste of and feel of him, to care about anything else.

"I meant it when I said you were beautiful," he gasped as we parted, his breathing ragged. "It wasn't an insult, Sky."

"I know," I assured him. "You'd never insult me."

"Never," he said, eyes locked on mine. "I don't see you as a woman, either. In lingerie or out. I see you as an incredible man, and even though I've never wanted a man before, I want you. I want you so much it hurts."

My breath caught, and I gently pulled away, my senses beginning to return.

My door still stood open. Blaize was gone.

A bouquet of roses laid at our feet.

"I guess we were convincing," I said in a shaky voice.

"Convincing." Brooks sounded confused for a moment. Then he followed my gaze to the discarded flowers and the empty doorway. "Yeah, but then, it's not hard to convince someone of something that's true, is it?"

My gaze flew to his.

"For me, at least," Brooks said cautiously.

"Brooks…" My voice clogged with emotion, and my chest ached. "I'm all fucked up."

"No, you're not. He's fucked up. Not you, Sky. You're amazing."

I wet my dry lips. He wasn't making this easy, was he?

"I let him twist me up though, and I don't know…The idea of opening up and making myself vulnerable to anyone is terrifying."

The hope in his eyes dimmed, and it killed me a little.

"I understand," he said softly.

I shook my head. "You don't, because I want you too, but I don't… It's scary , you know? To give up control like that again."

"You don't have to give up any control, Sky. I will."

"What?" I whispered.

"Do whatever you want with me," he said in a low voice. "I'll follow your lead. And if that means we never touch again, then okay, but if you want more—"

I grabbed the back of his neck and jerked him into another kiss, unable to hold back with that kind of tacit permission to take what I needed.

And I needed.

I'd been needing for weeks, months, maybe years.

He moaned, going soft and malleable under my mouth and hands, even as he remained bigger and stronger than me by far. He kept his hands at his sides, though his fingers curled and uncurled, as if he wanted to touch and was fighting the urge.

He was hard as iron in his shorts, proof that he wanted me as badly as he claimed. And I was hard too, a novelty these days, something only Brooks could bring out in me.

"You're sure about this?" I asked.

"Yes. You can trust me, Sky. I'm safe. I'll always be safe. I know you're not ready to date. But you can use me. Use me to take what you want. Use me to take everything you deserve."

Oh god. He understood me almost better than I understood myself.

And it was impossible to resist such an offer. Even if I knew he deserved better than a damaged, twisted-up guy afraid to fully give his heart to anyone.