Chapter 21 - Max

Sitting outside in the cool night air, with an ice-cold drink in my hand, I was glowing at how well Brooke and Dima were getting along. That shouldn’t have been anything to get worked up about, since Dima was so easygoing that almost everyone got along with him. That is, until it was time to crack some heads, then my younger brother was one to stay away from. But there was no reason for Brooke to ever have to see that side of him, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that she was so charmed by him. And she was clearly charmed by him.

Ah, hell, was I getting jealous of my own brother? I didn’t want to admit it, but that first tense knot in my gut started when she had him peeling his shirt off to tenderly check for bruises. It was getting worse the better they got along, with Dima goodnaturedly drawing her into every conversation and Brooke laughing at all his stupid jokes.

“Enough,” I bellowed, finally snapping when he suggested we turn on some music. My brother loved to party, loved to dance, and just couldn’t take the hint that I wanted him to leave when dinner was over. “You’ve crashed my anniversary long enough. Get the hell out.”

He was as stoic as usual, taking my bluster in stride and making me look worse in comparison when he didn’t fight back as he calmly left.

“What was that about?” Brooke asked as soon as he was gone.

“I was getting sick of him,” I admitted.

“He was almost killed tonight, and he’s probably traumatized,” she huffed, looking at me like I’d just kicked a dog.

I had to laugh at that. “We’ve all been through much worse. You saw for yourself he wasn’t hurt.” I scowled at the memory of her dabbing medicine on the few scratches he got while escaping the blast. Then I forced myself to calm the fuck down. She wasn’t actually flirting with Dima, and he wasn’t doing anything untoward. She just made me so damn crazy. “I don’t want to fight on our anniversary,” I said.

“It’s not like it’s a real one,” she scoffed. “It’s not even a real marriage.” She turned her chin up, and I could see her fighting within herself to hold something back. Being Brooke, she couldn’t do it. “And you need to let me go before the fall semester starts. I have to be able to register for classes and actually go to them, too.”

I heard everything she said but stopped processing after she spit out that our marriage wasn’t real. It nearly sent me to my knees in a way the harshest blow to the gut wouldn’t have been able to.

Taking several steps closer, I crowded her against the deck railing, leaning close until I could smell the sweet strawberries from her homemade margaritas on her breath.

“Tell me again that our marriage isn’t real,” I growled, more heat than menace coming out in my voice.

I hadn’t been this close to her since we’d moved into the new place. Oh, we slept in the same bed, but she was adamant about pretending to be asleep whenever I came home, and it wasn’t as if I wasn’t exhausted from everything I’d been doing to secure this area. The way her eyes gleamed up at me stoked the fire that was never quite out whenever she was near. I ran my hands up her arms to brush her hair off her shoulders. My thumbs stroked across her neck as I leaned even closer.

“Tell me again, it isn’t real,” I repeated. Her eyes flashed with desire, and I ran my fingers through her loose curls, tugging her chin a bit further. Her lush lips parted. “Tell me what I’m doing doesn’t make you want more.”

Because, fucking hell, I wanted more.

She gasped, wrenching away as best she could with the railing at her back. She hauled off to slap me, but I caught her hand as it flew toward my cheek. Tugging her close, I wrapped my arm around her back to pin her to me, taking her mouth with mine.

Clawing at my chest, she shoved away from me, her eyes wild. Not with anger or hatred. With the pure, unadulterated lust that had me yanking her to me again. This time, she melted into my body and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling my head down for another kiss. I pushed my tongue inside her mouth until she was gasping, wrapping her leg around my hip.

My cock strained against my pants as she rubbed her soft heat against me, quiet moans sending puffs of breath between our locked lips.

With strength I didn’t know I possessed, I pulled away, looking down at her with a fever burning through me.

“Do you still want to hit me?” I asked. Breathing heavily, she meekly shook her head. “Do you want me to kiss you again?”

There it was. The fury in her eyes that I’d come to crave. Her chest heaved as she tightened her grip on my shoulders.

“Yes,” she said, throwing herself at me without pause.

“My fierce angel,” I murmured, before sliding my mouth down her neck.

A sharp breeze blew in off the ocean, and she shivered, so I pulled her closer to me, her heat sinking into my flesh and driving me to nip at her shoulder. As she clung to me, I ran my hands down her arms, feeling goosebumps.

“Don’t stop,” she said.

“Not going to happen in a million years,” I answered.

Cupping my hands under her ass, I lifted her, locking my mouth onto hers as she wrapped her legs around my waist. Bursting in through the sliding doors, I left them open, uncaring about anything but getting her to our bed. The breeze followed us to the stairs, where it was forgotten, only the scent of the sea clinging to her hair. Every inch of her smelled divine, and she tasted even better.

I licked her lower lip, grinning as she pulled herself closer. Then I kicked open our bedroom door, and in two strides, she was laid out on the bed, reaching for me.

“Max,” she demanded, hands grasping.

All I could do was stare at her for a moment. So utterly beautiful. And all mine. “I don’t like when you smile at other men,” I growled.

“He’s your brother,” she said, eyes that were heavy with lust flying wide.

“I don’t care. But I don’t want to fight.”

“I think you do.” Her smile was mischievous as she scrambled to her knees. “You certainly love pissing me off.”

She laid her palm across the heaving bulge in my pants, and both of us moaned at the same time. She erupted into a delighted giggle, tugging the zipper down until she had me in her grasp.

“Who’s mad now?” she whispered, stroking slowly.

“Not me, unless you mean out of my mind for you.”

“That’s exactly what I meant,” she said, straightening up until our lips collided once more, her hand still working up and down my shaft.

The new dress I’d bought her for our anniversary was demolished in seconds. I tore it down the front and moved my hands to her ripe tits as the fabric pooled around her knees. Irritated at the feel of lace instead of her creamy skin, I made quick work of her bra as well. Now she knelt before me in only a scrap of silk, sliding her hand down to my balls as my tongue found her pert, pink nipple.

I jolted as if she’d electrocuted me, but it was only the electricity that sizzled between us when we came together this way.

“It’s been too long,” I said, pushing her backward until she was splayed out on the bed.

“Then stop working so late,” she pouted, dragging her fingertips up my chest to grip my shoulders.

“Stop pretending to be asleep when I get home,” I countered, chuckling at her slight gasp. Yes, she was just understanding that she had more control than she realized, and her hands grew still before tangling into my hair.

The only thing keeping me from every inch of her body snapped under my firm grip, and I threw the ripped fabric aside.

“That’s my entire outfit you ruined,” she sighed as I kissed my way down her smooth belly.

“I’ll buy you a new one,” I promised, delving my tongue into her belly button.

Her hips rose, and I pressed them down, continuing my journey to the crux of her thighs. Spreading her legs wide, I plunged my face between them, inhaling her scent as I lapped up my fill of her juices.

Her sounds drove me on until her hips thrashed, and my cock seemed like it might burst, so eager to be inside her. Teasing her was fun, but we were both growing dangerously impatient. I rose a few inches to take her in, utterly gorgeous in her intense need.

The pale places where her bathing suit stood out against her new, golden tan, her muscles leaner and more defined, but not erasing those curves that had me drooling over her like she was a feast. The bedspread twisted beneath her, and her hair spread like a halo from thrashing her head.

The moment my tongue wasn’t on her pussy, her eyes flew open, and her ferocity had me smiling.

“Just had to look at you,” I said, returning to circling her clit until she was writhing again. “How much more can you take?”

Her soft cries rose to echo around the room, and she gripped handfuls of my hair as her hips rose against my mouth. “Max,” she called out, and I was finished.

She commanded me by merely calling out my name, and I couldn’t wait another second. As she was still spasming from the orgasm I gave her, I rose up and drove my cock deep into her slick, tight heat. She cried out again and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me on top of her.

“Yes,” she said, half sob, half demand. “Harder, please.”

There was nothing I wouldn’t have done for her, and we were on the same page. Deep and hard, until I was completely lost except for the feel of her beneath me.

“Brooke,” I said, my voice hoarse from holding back the flood of passion that might have consumed us both.

I dropped my head to the crook of her neck and roared with one final thrust, driving deep and filling her with my seed. “You’re mine,” I gasped. “Say it.”

She bit me hard on the shoulder, another orgasm combining with mine. “Yes,” she said with my flesh pressed against her mouth.

It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it was enough for now. The fact we were tangled in each other’s arms after what felt like a century of going without was more than enough. Her rueful smile when I rolled to the side and dragged her against me was like a gift.

Tucking my arm under her head, I began to stroke up and down her side. No more goosebumps, just smooth, hot skin. I kicked away the mess of covers and flopped my head back on the pillow. It had been a long day, and hadn’t gone to plan, but it just might have turned out better.

“So now you know a little bit more about what I do,” I said, my eyes growing heavy.

It was dangerous to be completely relaxed around anyone I’d only known as long as Brooke, and I’d never fully let down my guard around any other woman. But she was different. She was mine, and she’d almost admitted it.