14. Brodie

brODIE

B y nine, most of the customers had left. Peyton and Alex, along with their two servers, were busy washing wineglasses.

"Can I help?" Brodie offered.

"No, thanks," Peyton answered at the same time Alex said yes. They both laughed and tossed him a towel.

"You can dry, but be careful," Alex instructed.

"I've run my own tasting room," he informed her. "With glasses at least as expensive as these."

"You don't have to stay," Peyton said in a low voice. "You and Maddox can take off whenever you'd like."

Brodie leaned forward so Alex couldn't hear him. "Maddox isn't any more ready to leave than I am." He winked.

"I noticed something pass between the two of them. I wonder how long that's been going on?"

"According to Naughton, since high school."

Her eyes opened wide. "Get out."

Brodie shrugged. "I wasn't aware either."

"I guess you have to wait for him to leave. By the looks of it, it may be a while."

"I drove down, too."

"Oh?" Peyton's forehead creased.

"Before you start accusing me of anything, it was Mad's idea."

"I wasn't going to accuse you of anything."

Brodie reached over and ran his finger across her forehead. "Oh, yeah?"

"I guess you can leave whenever you want to, then."

He nudged her, taking any opportunity he could to feel her skin against his. "You kickin' me out?"

"No."

"Hey, I was wondering earlier—where do your boys hang out when you're here at night."

"They spend Friday nights at my parents' ranch. Sometimes Saturday too."

"You up for a nightcap once you're done here?"

Peyton threw her towel on the bar and motioned for Brodie to follow her outside. "Listen, I was thinking about this earlier today, and I think it might be too weird."

He cocked his head. "Weird? Not the word I expected you to use."

"I was involved with your brother. Doesn't that bother you?"

He was catching on. By involved, she meant intimacy. It had crossed his mind for a split second, and that quickly, he got over it. There were things that troubled him more about her relationship with Kade than them sleeping together. "It doesn't bother me."

"It does me."

"Let's do this. Let's go inside, finish up, and then really talk about this. Not only about you and Kade having sex, but all of it."

"I don't know…"

"I do. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Peyton raised a brow, then burst out laughing.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"

"Really stupid." She laughed again.

"Let me try putting it a different way." Brodie cleared his throat. " Pretty please , Peyton."

"Stop. Whining is worse."

"You still haven't answered me."

"We can talk, but that's it. No kissing."

"Got it." He smirked.

"I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." Brodie held the door open and followed her inside. When she got to the end of the hallway that led into the main tasting room, she came to a stop.

"What—"

"Shh." Peyton turned around and pushed him in the opposite direction.

"What's goin' on?" he whispered.

"I didn't want to interrupt."

"Interrupt what?"

"Unlike us, they are kissing."

"I can fix that." Brodie swooped in before she could argue. He held her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers. "Peyton." He groaned when she pulled away. "I've been thinking about that all day. All night, too. Can't I have more? Please?"

She put her hands on his shoulders and reached up, kissing his cheek instead of his lips.

"That isn't gonna cut it, sugar."

She twisted away from him and went out the rear door. When he followed, he heard her giggling.

"Come on. Give a guy a break."

She pulled her key fob out of her pocket and unlocked her car, which was parked on the other side of Mad's truck.

"Where're you parked, cowboy?" she asked.

"'Bout a block down, on the street."

"Hop in."

"You got it." Brodie ran over and climbed in the passenger seat.

Peyton started the engine and put the car in reverse.

"Do you need to let Alex know you're leaving?"

"Nope. If you get caught kissing in the tasting room, you have to finish closing up by yourself."

"Is that a rule?"

"Is now."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh, I like this." Brodie reclined his seat slightly and settled into it.

"Are you comfortable?"

"You know it, baby."

Peyton shook her head then appeared to be lost in thought.

"Whatcha' thinkin' about?"

"You."

"Now, there's an answer I like. What about me?"

"Hmm. Should I tell you, or would mystery be better in this instance?"

"You should definitely tell me."

"Mystery it is."

"Oh, man. You got me. Since I have three brothers, I should've seen that coming." Two. He only had two older brothers, but she knew what he meant. "Come on, Peyton." He touched the side of her face with his fingertips. "Don't lose that smile I've been watching all night long."

She looked over at him and fought it, but then couldn't help herself.

"There it is. There's her smile, ladies and gentlemen, and I think that means she likes me."

When Peyton drove south on Highway One, then took a left, away from the ocean, he asked if she was taking him home.

"Patience, Brodie." She cringed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to turn into your mother."

"I like it. But can we pretend you're my teacher instead?"

"Huh?"

"You know, teacher-student fantasy."

"Ew."

"Guess that's a no."

"Relax and enjoy the ride, Brodie." Peyton turned up the music, and he closed his eyes.

About a mile in, she turned off onto a dirt road and parked where the hill they were on crested. "I love this view," she murmured.

"Me too, especially when there are no clouds and the full moon lights up Morro Bay."

Brodie opened his door when she did.

"You wanna take a walk?" he asked.

"Not really." She popped the trunk of the car, reached inside, and pulled out a heavy fleece blanket. "Mind if we sit?"

Brodie took the blanket from her and spread it out on the grass. She sat down, and he saw her shiver. "Are you cold?"

"A little. There's another blanket in the trunk."

When she started to get up, he put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll get it."

Peyton pulled the fob out of her pocket and used it to pop the trunk. "Thanks."

He brought the blanket over and put it around her shoulders.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Nah, I'm okay."

"Liar." She laughed and held the blanket out so he could sit next to her.

"This, I like, Peyton."

He waited to see if she'd start their conversation. After a few minutes, she rested her head on his shoulder.

"What's running through your pretty head, Peyton?"

"I don't want to keep comparing you and Kade."

"Am I coming out ahead or behind?"

She laughed. "It's a toss-up."

"Ouch! Woman, that was not nice."

"It isn't only Kade. I compare you to Lang, too."

"I know I come out ahead of him."

"Brodie, Kade and Lang are the only two men I've been with, and I took things slow with both of them."

"I can do slow."

"That isn't what I mean. It took Lang a long time to win me over, and ultimately, I think that's all it was. Two babies later, he realized he missed the chase."

"He's a douche, Peyton." He hated to ask, but the conversation was why they were here. "What about Kade? Did it take him a long time to win you over?"

"It was different with him. We were friends. I had no idea he was interested in more."

"And me?"

"What's today? Friday? I have known you five days, Brodie, and I'm sharing a blanket with you. That isn't slow."

"Do you want it to be?"

"Not necessarily."

"Good answer."

"Slow hasn't worked out all that well for me. As hard as I tried to avoid being hurt, in both cases, I was. And not hurt, more like devastated." She leaned forward and looked into his eyes. "Scaring you away yet?"

Brodie smiled. "Not even close."

"You're easy to talk to. That's part of it. It doesn't feel like five days."

"For me either."

"You aren't saying much."

"I'm listening," he told her.

"I'd like to hear what you're thinking."

"I'm not sure you do, Peyton." Talk about being scared off. If he told her what he was thinking, she might get in her car and drive away, leaving him sitting here. Everything he knew about Peyton Wolf, he liked. When he learned something new, he liked that too.

"Brodie?"

"I'm crazy about you, Peyton. If I told you all the thoughts running through my head, you'd think I was nuts."

"Maybe I said too much."

"That isn't it at all. I'm worried I'm going to."

"This was your idea, Brodie. You're the one who said we should talk."

He took a deep breath and blew it out. "Here goes. You ready?"

She nodded.

"When I said I wanted to talk, I didn't mean we should talk about Kade or your relationship with him. I want to talk about you and me, separate from him."

"Okay."

"You asked me if you had been with my brother was too weird, that. I guess if I let myself think about it, it might be. But I don't let myself. I don't believe it's any different than me imaging you in any other relationship. That was then, and them, and this is now, and us."

Peyton nodded. "I get that."

"What about you? Do you think about me and other relationships I've been in?" Brodie asked.

"Not relationships."

He grinned. "Ah. So you picture me having sex with other women."

"I didn't say that either," Peyton responded.

"What is it then?"

"Lang was such a player?—"

He started to argue, but she asked him to let her finish.

"Alex and I talked about this the other night. I asked her how well she knew you. Her answer makes a lot more sense after tonight."

"How so?"

"She talked more about Maddox than you. She said he was ‘charming.'"

"What did she say about me?" he asked.

"We talked about whether you were, you know, like Lang."

"I'm not crazy about where this conversation is going."

"You should be, because I don't see you that way. There is, however, a voice deep inside, screaming at me to be careful, take it slow, and not be so quick to trust you."

"I like being with you, Peyton. When I'm not, I want to be. If I had my way, I'd be with you all the time. Every minute. It's like I can't get enough of you."

"Are you always like this?"

"Never have been before. So, Peyton, would it be okay if we stopped talking now?"

"I guess so."

She moved the blanket off her shoulder, as though she was going to get up. Instead, Brodie eased it off his shoulder too and pulled her down on top of it with him.

"No more talking," he said.

Peyton wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. He cushioned her head from the hard, cold ground under them, held her tight, and rolled so she was stretched out on top of him.

"That's better," he said against her lips.

His hands fisted her hair, and his mouth devoured hers. God, he loved the feel of her on top of him. Her curves melded into his body as though she was made for him. He put both his hands on her ass and pressed his hardness between her legs. If there weren't two layers of clothing between them, he could slide into her warmth so easily. She shifted and rubbed against him like he was doing to her.

When she did, he brought his hands up and held her still. "Peyton, I don't think I've ever wanted someone the way I want you right now."

She slid lower so her head rested on his chest her arms tucked close to her sides and her breasts pushed into him. He could feel her pebbled nipples against him.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go." He sat up and flipped her over so her back was to his front, and then he stood, holding her in his arms.

"How did you do that?"

"Superpowers, remember?"

Brodie carried her to the passenger side of the car, released the arm that held her legs, and slid her down his body. When her feet hit the ground, he pushed her up against the door. "Put your legs around my waist," he said, wrapping his hands under her legs and lifting her.

He ground himself against her sex again and captured her mouth with his feeling her thighs tightening against his splayed hands.

He held her there, trapped between his body and her car, and looked into her eyes. "This isn't slow, Peyton, and it won't be. It'll be hard and fast. Do you understand?"

Her breathing hitched.

"Is this what you want, Peyton?"

She mewled but didn't speak.

"Say it. I need to hear you say it," he demanded.

"Yes, Brodie, I want this."

"What, Peyton? What do you want?"

"I want you."

"That's my girl." Brodie released her thighs and kissed her, probing, pushing as hard as his body was. "Let's go home, Peyton."