Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Skylar

I woke, achingly hard, with the most delicious dream playing through my head. A naked Brooks on my sofa, begging me to touch him. It had seemed so real—

My eyes snapped wide, and I shot up in the bed. Memories of the night before flooded in, making my arousal burn hotter.

One minute, my ex had been there refusing to believe in our fake relationship and the next Brooks had offered me control over his body.

"Holy shit," I whispered. "That really happened."

My cock throbbed, as if to emphasize that yes , it happened, and yes , it wanted a repeat.

I hadn't been intimate with someone in weeks, and I hadn't enjoyed myself in even longer. My ex had been so controlling, so uninterested in anything I'd wanted that sex had become stressful and uncomfortable. Toward the end, I had detached and gone through the motions—avoiding intimacy whenever possible. Not that Blaize was good at taking not interested for an answer.

I showered and dressed, selecting my lavender camisole and a pair of sheer boy shorts to wear under my clothes. Not because Brooks liked me in lingerie—though that was a nice plus—but because I wanted to feel sexy and strong when I faced him this morning.

Last night, he'd been into the sex and eager for more. But with some processing time and the light of day, he might not feel the same.

He was pretty alpha. Surely, he wouldn't be content to let me call the shots for long. And I didn't think I could deal with another man telling me what to do.

I shrugged on a light blue button-up shirt over the cami, leaving the top two buttons undone—just enough to show a bit of peekaboo lace—and selected a pair of navy blue slacks.

I must have gotten ready faster than usual because when I entered, Brooks was still doing planks. He stretched out, forearms and toes braced on the floor, the rest of him held up in a horizontal line. His biceps bulged, his abs quivered, his calves flexed, and his ass looked hard as rock.

I exhaled softly, breathless at the sight.

Brooks heard me, shifting to hands and knees, which was no less enticing.

"Sky," he said, pushing up to his feet. "Hey."

He wore a ball cap over his hair, no shirt, and basketball shorts like last night. He looked like a straight bro who was more likely to ask me to play a game of hoops than to get naked with me.

But he had. It had happened—at least once. Even if we never went there again, I'd treasure the memory, the feeling of power he'd given me. Not to mention the absolute pleasure of finally touching him.

"Hi," I said quietly, skittish now that I was in his presence again.

Everything we'd done last night loomed between us. It could bring us closer together or it could push us apart.

I wet my lips, nervous. "You're all sweaty."

Okay, not the best start.

Brooks smirked, placing a hand on his chest and sliding it down over his glistening stomach. "I need a shower." He arched a brow. "You could join me?"

My mouth went dry. "Oh. Uh…"

"Or not," he said.

I tried to read his expression, his tone. Was he upset with me? Disappointed? Relieved? I wasn't sure. He just sounded…normal. Like he'd invited me to eat breakfast and I'd said no thanks.

"I already showered." I swallowed. "Sorry."

Brooks came closer, bringing the scent of musk and sweat, and it wasn't a bad smell. Maybe it should have been, but it was so masculine it made my mouth water.

"You don't need to apologize for showering, Sky." He leaned in and inhaled, his face close enough to my neck that I shivered. "You smell great."

"O-kay," I said, off-balance.

"But if you ever want to join me, it's an open invitation."

I bit my bottom lip, my gaze roaming over his body, wondering just how good it would feel under a cascade of hot water.

"You're okay with what happened last night?" I asked.

"Yeah, of course." His forehead creased. "Are you not? I didn't mean to push—"

"No, I'm good," I said quickly, heart fluttering. "I just wasn't sure if you'd have any regrets."

"None," he said firmly.

"And, uh, the whole thing with letting me be in control…"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Whatever you want, Sky," he said.

"I want to kiss you again," I whispered, heat rising in my face.

He leaned in closer. "Then kiss me."

I wrapped my hand around the nape of his neck and brought our lips together. My pulse raced, a mix of nerves and arousal. Brooks sank into the kiss, but he didn't push. He waited for me to prod at his lips with my tongue, then opened for me with a soft sound of need.

The kiss turned hot and dirty in an instant. I swept my tongue into his mouth, nipped at his lips, and drank down his gasps.

When I pulled back, his face was flushed, eyes glazed, and his hat had fallen from his head, his hair a tousled mess. In other words, the man was a gorgeous sex god, and that shower was sounding more enticing.

Something held me back, though.

I wasn't ready for the intimacy of two naked bodies, no boundaries, in a small shower stall.

"Go clean up," I said. "I'll make breakfast today."

"Yeah?" His gaze dipped to my collarbone. "Will I get to see you in only that lingerie at some point?"

I raised my hand to the exposed strap. I'd intentionally left it visible. I'd wanted to test Brooks to see if he was still interested. It hadn't been necessary. The man had asked me to shower with him first thing, as if continuing what we'd started last night was a given.

That was encouraging, but it was even more reassuring that he took no for an answer. I knew I could say no again, I could keep my lingerie for me only, but I wanted to share it with him.

"Tonight," I promised.

He grinned, eyes flaring with heat. "Something to look forward to, then."

After Brooks left for his shower, I went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I wasn't a great cook, but I could manage scrambled eggs and toast.

By the time he returned, I had everything plated up, and we ate on the deck. There was an odd tension thrumming between us. Each time I met Brooks's gaze, his eyes were full of heat. Full of promises for tonight.

He'd make good on those promises now, right here on this deck, if I wanted. And part of me did. Badly. But there was an appeal to the anticipation simmering between us, too.

I ran a finger under the lacy camisole strap just to see Brooks's nostrils flare. He shifted in his seat and his fingers twitched on the table, as if he couldn't hold back a physical response to how badly he wanted to touch me.

"Are you going to leave your shirt like that when we go into town?" he rasped.

"Would that bother you?" I asked, suddenly tense.

Brooks chuckled. "Well, it'd have me hot and bothered," he said. "But it's your body and your clothes."

I relaxed, smiling a little. "Good answer."

Brooks wasn't giving me any of the red flags that I should have noted with Blaize. My ex had told me how to dress, gotten angry and jealous over the littlest things.

"It's just the truth," Brooks said. "I only asked out of curiosity. I didn't mean to sound judgmental or anything."

"I know." I buttoned my shirt. "But this little display was just for you."

His lips hooked up. "Testing me, huh?"

I winced. "I just wanted to see how you'd react. I wasn't sure…"

"What? That I'd still be into you and your lingerie? Let me put your doubts to rest. I'm one hundred percent into you, Sky."

After breakfast, we went into town and I remained at Just The Sip while Brooks visited his grandmother. As I drank my caramel cockiato, Zach called.

I still had a good thirty minutes to kill, so I picked up. "Hey, Zach."

"Are you okay?" Zach asked. "I missed your text last night."

I'd been overwhelmed after leaving Brooks naked on my sofa, and I'd panicked a little over what I'd done. Our morning had reassured me some, but I was still nervous about the change in our relationship and where it might lead.

"I'm good," I promised. "I just… Some things have happened."

"Okay, that's cryptic." He drew in a breath. "Just tell me this isn't about Blaize."

"It's not. Or at least, mostly, it's not. He did show up here, but—"

"Are you serious?" Zach sounded worried now. "He hasn't harassed you, has he?"

"I'm okay. Brooks was with me."

"The surly bartender?"

Clearly, I needed to catch Zach up on a few details. I filled him in on Brooks's offer to be my fake boyfriend, his stay at my place, our kiss to convince my ex to take a hike, and then the sex that had followed.

"Wow, okay," Zach said with a laugh as I finished. "You've been busy."

"I'm kind of freaking out," I admitted. "This is probably a mistake."

"No, don't say that," Zach said. "It's good that you're moving on."

"I'm not really moving on," I said hesitantly. "This is just temporary. You know I don't live here."

"You're still living your life again, and you deserve that," Zach insisted.

"You don't think it's a mistake to start something if it just has to end?"

"Not necessarily. Not if you're both on the same page."

"He said he'd do whatever I wanted."

"I like this guy already," Zach mused.

"I just don't want to be selfish."

"You should be selfish, Sky. Do what you want for a change. If that's something more serious, go for it. If it's not, then that's okay too. This could be good for you. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Live for you. No one else."

"I will," I promised.

The talk with Zach helped. He hadn't said anything surprising, but it had let me work through my reservations. By the time Brooks finished his shift at the pub—ten very long hours later—I was done holding back.

All night long, I'd watched him smile and laugh with customers, watched women put their hands on his forearm, flirting openly. Watched the way his gaze flicked to me each time, his eyes promising I was the one he wanted.

I'd burned for him so strongly I'd nearly dragged him into that stockroom more than once. But finally, Felix came in, and Brooks was free to leave.

The drive home was quiet, filled with anticipation. Brooks was utterly still in the seat beside me, his fingers linked together almost as if he didn't trust himself not to touch me.

"Long day," I said.

"Yeah."

"You tired?"

He slanted a look my way. "Not too tired to pick up where we left off." He paused. "If you still want that."

I smiled. "I do."

The last of my restraint broke as we entered the house. I pushed Brooks against the front door and kissed him where this had all started.

"Want you so much," I panted against his lips. "Undress me?"

He groaned and reached for my shirt buttons. "Fuck, yes, thank you."

Brooks's fingers trembled as he fumbled with my buttons, opening my shirt and revealing the lacy camisole beneath.

"Are you nervous?" I asked.

"Just…fucking wound up." He took a breath. "I don't want to do anything to screw this up, Sky."

I cupped his face, his scruff tickling my palm. "You won't."

Somehow, I knew it was true. My fears were rooted in my past. They weren't logical, not given what I knew about Brooks. He would always respect my boundaries.

His eyes met mine. "You're so fucking beautiful. Do you know that?"

I bit my bottom lip, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "You're not so bad yourself."

He laughed. "Just call me pretty boy."

"Only if you call me your alpha," I teased.

"Yes, Alpha."

We laughed together, and the lightness of the moment caught me by surprise. I wasn't used to sex being fun, but then, I should have known that everything would be better with Brooks.

He pushed my shirt off my shoulders, and it fell to the floor. He bent his head to kiss along the scalloped edges of the lacy top, then lowered his hands to the waistband of my slacks, eyes meeting mine in question.

I nodded. "Keep going."

He flicked open the button, then drew down the zipper with a rasp that sounded loud in the room and served to amp up my arousal even further. Brooks's too, judging by the way his breathing went ragged. With a gentle push, he slid my pants over my sheer shorts and down to the floor.

He crouched in front of me, helping me step out of my shoes and the pants. Then he stayed there, gazing up the length of my body.

I wore nothing but the lingerie. The shorts were dark but see-through, giving him a shadowy view of my hard cock.

Brooks licked his lips as he drank me in. "Can you turn around? I want to see you from every side."

I turned, aware that the shorts didn't entirely cover my ass cheeks.

"Fuck me," he murmured.

I looked over my shoulder. "Would you let me?"

He glanced up, confused. "Let you…" His eyes widened. "Oh."

"It's okay if you say no," I said hesitantly. "My ex never wanted that either."

"What about you?" Brooks asked.

"Me?"

"Did you want to be fucked?" he asked bluntly. "Or did you want to do the fucking?"

I bit my lip. Truth was, I'd never loved bottoming for Blaize, and I'd only had a couple of rushed experiences before him. I didn't really know what I'd like with an attentive partner like Brooks, but I knew what I needed right now.

"I think I'd like to top. But most people don't see me that way."

He nodded. "You can try it with me then."

I turned around to face him. "Really? You'd do that?"

"I'll try anything once. Maybe twice if I really like you." He winked. "If I don't like it, then we'll figure something else out. Blow jobs are awesome. I bet sixty-nining would be hot."

My cock twitched, reminding me that we were in the middle of sexy time before I'd sidetracked us.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things we can do. There's no rush."

"So, you let me undress you. Does that mean I get to touch tonight, or…"

"Yes. I trust you."

He instantly put his hands on my thighs, coasting his palms over the swell of my hips. Then he leaned in and nuzzled my cock, mouthing over the fabric.

"This is so hot, Sky. You're so fucking sexy."

My heart fluttered as I took his hands and guided them to my ass. Brooks was a quick study, and he squeezed my ass just the way I wanted, his fingers slipping under the edge of my briefs, grazing my bare skin.

I buried my hands in his hair and dared to ask for what I really wanted.

"Do you think you can handle sucking my cock?"

Considering he was already mouthing it through the fabric, soaking my dick in his saliva, it wasn't a stretch to think he'd go for it, but it was still a big step.

"Fuck yes."

He reached inside my underwear and drew out my cock, pushing my shorts down only far enough to get access. The fabric was tight around my thighs, constricting my movement, but I didn't feel trapped.

As I buried my fingers in his hair and pushed his head down, Brooks's wet mouth taking me inside for the first time, I was free.

I closed my eyes, leaning back against the door as he worked his tongue along the underside of my shaft. He tried to swallow me whole, gagged, and came back for more.

Brooks sucked me sloppily, his slurps echoing lewdly through the foyer. It didn't matter that this was his first blow job or that he had very little finesse, the man was getting the job done.

"Touch yourself too," I murmured.

He groaned around me, his gaze flicking up to meet mine, pupils blown with lust. Saliva trailed from the corners of his puffy red lips.

"You're the sexy one," I murmured, tracing his lips with a fingertip.

His face reddened, whether from arousal or embarrassment. He reached down with his free hand and fumbled with his jeans until they opened and he could pull his cock out.

"That's it," I encouraged. "I want to see you come with your mouth full of cock."

He sucked me harder, tugging his dick, eyes frantic. The pleasure wound higher and higher. He gave a muffled shout, cum spurting from his dick onto my Travertine tile. I lost it then, flooding his mouth without the warning I'd meant to give him.

He coughed and spluttered, pulling back, only to get a face full of cum for his trouble.

"Oh, shit," I choked out, body still shaking with aftershocks. "I'm sorry."

He swiped some cum from his cheek and gave a hoarse laugh. "I must have done something right."

He wiped his hand on his jeans and stood, tugging them up. Then he gently pulled my shorts back into place. "Mm. You look so gorgeous. Almost makes me not want to get you naked."

I raised an eyebrow. "Almost?"

He grinned. "Well, yeah, because I'm holding out hope for that shower together."

I slid my arms around his neck and pressed close. "You must have some kind of water fetish."

He chuckled. "Nah, it's just the first place I ever jerked off to thoughts of you. I'd kind of like it if you were there, all wet and slick…"

My breath caught. "You thought about me like that before last night?"

"Yeah, Sky. For a while now." He looked down. "It's cool if you didn't feel the same. I know your ex did a number on you, and uh, you thought I was straight, so…"

I lifted his face and kissed him, not even caring that he tasted like my cum. Enjoying it even, because it was a reminder of the pleasure Brooks gave me.

"I've wanted you too," I said. "For a while now."

His lips hooked up. "So, shower with me?"

Last night, I'd been overwhelmed. This morning, I'd been nervous and wary. But right now? I wasn't ready to give up the intimacy we'd begun to share.

"Okay," I said. "Lead the way."