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He leaned in closer. “And she’s the woman whose lips I longed to lock with mine whenever they came within inches of each other. Like they are now.”
An involuntary moan of desire escaped as a sigh from Cassie’s lips. Brandon’s words had lit a hot torch inside of her and as she gazed into his eyes, she saw the heated look she had become familiar with. And she couldn’t help but take note that they were standing close, so close that the front of his body was pressed intimately against hers, and the warm hiss of his breath could be felt on her lips. Another thing she was aware of was the hardness of his erection that had settled firmly in the lower center of her body.
She shuddered from the heat his body was emitting. Luscious heat she was actually feeling, almost drowning in. And then there was the manly scent of him that was sending a primal need escalating through her. It was a need she hadn’t known existed until she had met him and discovered that he had the ability to take her to a passionate level she hadn’t been elevated to before.
She knew he was about to kiss her. She also knew he was stalling, giving her the opportunity to back up and deny what the two of them wanted. But that wasn’t what she wanted. Although they still had a lot more talking to do, a lot more things to get straight, she felt at that particular moment that they needed time out to take a much needed break from their stress.
And indulge in a deliriously, mind-boggling kiss.
When to her way of thinking he didn’t act quickly enough, she stuck out her tongue, and with a sultry caress, she traced the lining of his lips from corner to corner. She saw the surprise on his face and the darkening of his pupils just seconds before a deep guttural groan spilled forth from his throat. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, and like a bird of prey, he swooped down and captured her lips with his.
He had a way of devouring her mouth with the finesse of a gazelle and the hunger of a wolf, sending shivers all the way through her. And when he began mating with her tongue with a mastery that nearly brought her to her knees, she released a moan deep in her throat.
He tasted of the wine he had drunk and had the scent of man and rain. And he was consuming her with such effectiveness that she could only stand there and purr. His kiss was turning her into one massive ball of desire and she felt a dampness form between her legs.
He pulled his mouth free. His breathing was heavy when he said huskily, “If you don’t want what I’m about to give you, stop me now, Cassie. If you don’t, I doubt I’ll be able to stop myself later.”
She had no desire to stop him. In fact she intended to help. To prove her point, she pulled his shirt from where it was tucked inside his jeans, before freeing the snap and easing down his zipper. And with a boldness she’d only discovered she had last night, she slipped her hand inside his jeans and felt her fingers grip the rigid hardness of him. She cupped him, fondled him and felt him actually grow larger in her hand.
“I want to be inside of you, Cassie,” he whispered hotly in her ear. “I want to feel your heat clamp me tight, squeeze me and pull everything I have to give out of me. I want to make love to you until neither of us has any energy left. And then, when we regain our strength I want to do it all over again. I want to bury myself inside you so deep, neither of us will know at what point our bodies are connected.”
His erotic words sent fire flaming through her body. The dampness between her legs threatened to drench her thighs. “Then do it, Brandon. Do me. Now.”
As far as Brandon was concerned, her wish was his command and he eased her down on the Persian rug with him and quickly began removing their clothes. The logical part of his brain told him to slow down, she wasn’t going anywhere, but another part, that part that was throbbing for relief said he wasn’t going fast enough.
When he had her completely naked he turned his attention to removing his own clothes. And she was there helping him by pulling his shirt over his head and tugging his jeans down his legs after she had removed his shoes and socks.
He made a low growl in his throat when she straddled him and began using her tongue to explore him all over, starting with the column of his neck. She worked her way downward, tasting the tight buds on his chest before easing lower and giving greedy licks around his navel. She left a wet trail from his belly button to where his erection lay in a bed of tight, dark curls.
Cassie paused only long enough to raise her head to look at Brandon before gripping the object of her desire in her hands again. Lowering her head, she blew a warm breath against his shaft before clamping her mouth over him. Then she simply took her time, determined to give him the same kind of pleasure he had given her last night.
His body arched upward, nearly off the floor, and he released a deep groan before reaching down and grabbing hold of her hair. She thought he was going to jerk her away from him. Instead he entwined his fingers in her hair and continued to groan profusely. And then he started uttering her name over and over from deep within his throat. The sound had her senses reeling and made the center part of her wetter than before.
“No more,” he said, using his hands to pull her upward toward him to capture her lips. And then he was kissing her with a need she felt invading her body. And suddenly she found herself on her back, her legs raised over his shoulders, nearly around his neck. He then lifted her hips and before she could catch her breath, he swiftly entered her, going deep, embedding himself within her to the hilt.
And then he began those thrusts she remembered so well, she tried grabbing hold on his buns, but they were moving too fast, pumping inside of her too rapidly. So she went after the strong arms that were solid on both sides of her and held on to them.
Their eyes met. Their gazes locked. The only thing that wasn’t still was the lower part of their bodies as he kept moving in and out of her, filling her in a way that had sweat pouring off his forehead and trickling down onto her breasts. And then she felt her body shudder into one mind-blowing orgasm, the kind that made her go wild beneath him while screaming out his name and digging her fingernails into his arms.
And then he threw his head back and screamed out her name, as well. She felt him explode inside of her and she clenched her muscles, pulling more from him and knowing what had just happened could have very well left her pregnant with his child if she weren’t on the pill. But the thought of that didn’t bother her like it should have because she knew at that moment, without a doubt, that she had fallen in love with him.
“The power’s out.”
Cassie’s head snapped up when she felt a movement beside her. She quickly remembered where she was. On the floor in the living room in her home, naked. She had dozed off after making love to Brandon, several times and then some.
She squinted her eyes in the darkness, missing the warmth of his body next to hers. “I put the candles out. I just need to get up and light them.”
“Can you see your way around in the dark?”
“With this I can,” she said, reaching for a large flashlight nearby. She smiled. “I figured we might lose power so I was ready.”
She turned the light toward him and, seeing his naked body, she deliberately aimed it on a certain part of him. She chuckled. “Does that thing ever go down?”
He grinned. “Not while you’re around.” He walked over toward her. “Where’s your radio?”
“On that table over there.”
“Let me borrow this for a second. I don’t know my way around in your house in the dark as well as you do.” He took the flashlight and slowly moved around the room. When he located the radio he turned it on. It was blasting a current weather report that turned out to be good news. The island had been spared the full impact of Melissa but another tropical island hadn’t been quite as lucky. The worst of the storm was over and everyone without power should have it restored by morning.
Cassie crossed the room. “I want to call to make sure everything is okay at the hotel.”
“All right. I’m going to get dressed and check to see how things are outside.”
By the time Brandon returned he found Cassie in the kitchen. She had put back on her clothes and was standing over a stove … with heat. Seeing his raised brow she said, “Mom preferred gas when it came to cooking, so if nothing else, we won’t starve.”
He nodded as he leaned in the doorway. “How are things at the hotel?”
“Fine. The power went out but the generator kicked in,” she replied. “A few fallen trees but otherwise nothing major. How are things outside?”
“The same. A few fallen trees but otherwise nothing major. And it’s still raining cats and dogs.” He crossed the room to look into the pot she was stirring. “What are you cooking?”
She smiled up at him. “The conch chowder from the other night. I grabbed it out of the freezer. You said you liked it.”
“I do. It’s good to know you plan on feeding me.”
She chuckled. “That’s not all I plan to do to you, so I have to keep your strength up.”
He came around and grabbed her from behind and pressed her against him. “For you I will always keep my strength up. What can I help you do?”
“Put the bowls and eating utensils on the table and pour some tea into the glasses.”
Moments later they sat to eat and Brandon decided to use that time to finish the talk he had started earlier. “So now you know why I did what I did, Cassie. I’m not saying it was right.” At her narrowed eyes he changed his strategy and said, “Okay, it was wrong but you weren’t making things easy for anyone.”
She leaned back in her chair. “Tell me, Brandon. What part of ‘no’ didn’t Parker understand? No means no. He asked to buy me out and I said no, I wasn’t interested. What was the purpose of him calling when my answer wasn’t going to change?”
“The reason he refused to let up is because he’s a staunch businessman, Cassie. Parker is a man who is used to going after what he wants, especially if it’s something he felt was rightfully his in the first place. Besides, you never took the time to hear what he was offering.”
“It would not have mattered. What Dad left me was a gift and there’s no way I’d sell my shares, no matter how much Parker offered me. And if he keeps it up, you’ll be representing him on harassment charges.”
Brandon stared at her for a moment, knowing she was dead serious. He chuckled. She lifted a brow. “What’s so funny?”
“You, Parker and all the other Garrison siblings, but specifically you and Parker. At first I wondered what the hell John was thinking when he put that will into place. Now I think I know, although I didn’t before coming here and meeting you.”
“Well, would you like to enlighten me?”
“Sure. Like I said earlier, you and Parker are a lot alike and I think John recognized that fact. Besides the fact that both of you are stubborn, the two of you have an innate drive to succeed. Apparently John recognized that quality in both of you and felt together you and Parker would do a good job by continuing the empire he’d started.”
She shook her head. “That can’t be it. Dad knew how much I loved it here. He of all people knew how I missed the islands while attending college in London. To do what you’re insinuating would mean moving to Miami and he knew I wouldn’t do that. I told him after returning from college that I would never leave the island again. It’s my home and where I want to stay.”
“Then why do you think he gave you and Parker sharing control?”
Cassie inhaled deeply. “I wished I knew the answer.”
Brandon’s face took on a serious expression before he said, “Then hear me out on my theory. John loved all of his children, there’s no doubt in my mind about that. I also believed that he recognized all of their strengths … as well as their weaknesses. Not taking anything away from the others, I think he saw you and Parker as the strongest link because of your business sense. Parker is an excellent businessman, a chip off the old block. He’s done a wonderful job of running things while John was alive, so John knew of his capabilities. And I understand that you did a fantastic job managing the hotel, so he was aware of what you could do, as well. Personally, I don’t think it was ever John’s intent for you and Parker to share the running of Garrison, Inc. Both of your personalities are too strong for that and he knew it. I think he put you in place to serve as a check and balance for Parker whenever there’s a need.”
She gazed at him thoughtfully before saying, “If what you’re saying is true then it would serve no purpose if I were to sell my share of control to Parker. I wouldn’t be accomplishing what Dad wanted.”
“No, you wouldn’t.”
She studied him for a moment. “You haven’t forgotten that you’re Parker’s attorney, have you?”
He smiled as he shook his head. “No, and I wasn’t speaking as Parker’s attorney just now. I was speaking as your friend … and lover.” After a brief moment, he said, “I’d like to make a suggestion.”
“What?”
“Take a few days off and come to Miami with me. Meet Parker, as well as your other sisters and brothers. I know for a fact that they would love to meet you.”
“I’m not ready to meet them, Brandon.”
“I think that you are, Cassie. And I believe John would have wanted it that way. Otherwise, he would have given you ownership of the hotel and nothing else, but he didn’t do that. He arranged it where sooner or later you would have to meet them. And why wouldn’t you want to meet them? They’re your siblings. Your family. The six of you share the same blood.”
He laughed. “Hell, all of you certainly look alike.”
She raised a surprised brow. “We do?”
“Yes. All of you have this same darn dimple right here,” he said, leaning over and reaching out to touch the spot.
She tilted her chin, trying to keep the sensations his touch was causing from overtaking her. “It’s a cleft, Brandon.”
He chuckled, pulling his hand back, but not before brushing a kiss across her lips. “Whatever you want to call it, sweetheart.”
His term of endearment caused a flutter in her chest and the love she felt for him sent a warm feeling flowing through her. A few moments passed and then she said in a soft voice, “Tell me about them.”
Knowing her interest was a major step, Brandon bit back a smile. “All right. I think I’ve told you everything there is about Parker. He’s thirty-six. No matter how arrogant he might have come across that time when you did speak to him, he’s really a nice guy. He used to be a workaholic but things have changed since he’s gotten married. His wife Anna is just what he needs. She was his assistant before they married.”
He took a sip of his tea and then said, “Stephen is thirty-five. Like Parker, he’s strong-willed and dependable. He’s also compassionate. He’s married and his wife is Megan. They have a three-year-old daughter named Jade.”
Cassie lifted her brow. “Correct me if I’m wrong but it’s my understanding that he got married a few months ago.”
Brandon smiled. “You are right.”
“And he has a daughter that’s three?”
Brandon chuckled. “Yes. He and Megan had an affair a few years ago and she got pregnant. He didn’t find out he was a father until rather recently. Now they’re back together and very happy.”
A huge smile touched Brandon’s lips when he said, “And then there’s Adam. He and I share a very close friendship and I consider him my best friend. As a result, I spend more time with him than the rest. He’s thirty and operates a popular nightclub, Estate. And last but not least are the twins, Brooke and Brittany. They’re both twenty-eight. Brittany operates a restaurant called Brittany Beach, and Brooke operates the Sands, a luxury condominium building.”
Cassie took a sip of her own tea before asking, “What about my father’s wife?”
Brandon glanced at her over the rim of his glass.
“What about her?”
“I’m sure she wasn’t happy finding out about my mom,” Cassie said.
Brandon put his glass down and met her gaze. “No, she wasn’t. But finding out about you was an even bigger shock. A part of me wants to believe she had an idea that John was having an affair with someone, but I think finding out he had another child was a kicker. Needless to say, she didn’t take the news very well.”
Brandon decided not to provide Cassie with any details about Bonita, especially her drinking problem. He would, however, tell her this one thing. “If you decide to come to Miami with me, I want to be up front with you and let you know that Bonita Garrison won’t like the fact that you there. Trust me when I say that it wouldn’t bother her one bit if you decided to drop off the face of the earth.”
Cassie almost choked on her tea. Once again Brandon had surprised her. Now that he had decided to tell her the truth about everything, he was being brutally honest. “If she feels that way then I’m sure the others—”
“Don’t feel that way,” he interrupted, knowing her assumptions. “Their mother doesn’t influence how they treat people in any way. Come to Miami with me, Cassie, and meet them.”
She ran her hands through her hair as she leaned back in her chair. “I don’t think you know what you’re asking of me, Brandon.”
“And I think I do. It’s the right thing to do. I know it and I believe you know it, as well. This bitter battle between you and Parker can’t go on forever. Do you think that’s what John would have wanted?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Neither do I.” He paused, then he asked, “Will you promise that you will at least think about it?” He reached across the table and took her hand in his.
“Yes, I promise.”
“And will you accept my apology for deceiving you, Cassie? I was wrong, but I’ve told you the reason I did it.”
She thought about his words. He had tried telling her the truth last night, and if sex was all he’d wanted from her, he’d had a good opportunity to get it the night she had invited him to her home for dinner. But he had resisted her advances. And even last night, she had been the one to make the first move.
She stared into his face knowing the issue of forgiveness had to be resolved between them. She could tell he was fully aware that he had hurt her and was deeply bothered by it. “Yes, now that you’ve explained everything, I accept your apology.” She saw the relieved look that came into his eyes.
He hesitated a moment. “And another thing. I didn’t use any protection when we made love, so if you’re—”
“I’m not. I’ve been on the pill for a few years now, and I’m healthy otherwise.”
Brandon nodded. “So am I. I just don’t want you to think I’m usually so careless.”
“I don’t.” She smiled, thinking of the way he handled their lovemaking, always making sure she got her pleasure before he got his. “In fact, I think you are one of the most precise men that I know.”
Later that night Cassie lay snuggled close to Brandon in her own bed. She was on her side and he was behind her in spoon position, holding her close to the heat of him. The power had come back on a few hours ago and they had taken a shower together before going to bed and making love again.
He was sleeping soundly beside her, probably tired to the bone. He had taken her hard and fast, and she had enjoyed every earth-shattering moment of it. Her body trembled when she remembered the mind-splitting orgasm they had shared. Brandon was undoubtedly the perfect lover.
And she appreciated him sharing bits and pieces about her siblings, satisfying a curiosity she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge that she’d had. And then he had been completely honest with her about how her father’s wife would probably feel toward her if she decided to do what Brandon had suggested and go to Miami with him.
She inhaled deeply. A part of her wanted to go and resolve this issue between her and Parker once and for all, and then another part didn’t want to go. What if Brandon was wrong and they really didn’t want to meet her like he thought?
Deciding she didn’t want to bog her mind with thoughts of them anymore tonight she let her thoughts drift to the issue of her and Brandon. She knew that true love was more than a sexual attraction between two people. It was more than being good together in bed. It was about feelings and emotions. It was about wanting to commit your life to that person for the rest of your life.
It was about the things she and Brandon didn’t have.
