“Shouldn’t have warned me, baby.” He gripped a hip with one hand and held her wrists above her head with the other. The fact that he was so strong, and nimble enough to do that, just took her closer to the edge.
When he thrust again, this time so fucking hard she saw stars, she came on his dick like he’d wanted. She met his gaze, her mouth parted, her breath escaping her. His eyes darkened, and the veins on the side of his neck stood out as he came with her. Though the condom separated them, she could feel the heat of him.
“Holy hell,” Graham panted, leaning over her. “I think I popped a blood vessel.”
Lazily, she ran her fingers over his sweat-slick back. “I popped something.” She sighed, wanting him close, but knowing if she didn’t escape now, she’d make a mistake.
Like, fall in love with a Gallagher.
She tilted her head and checked the clock, letting out a small curse. “I need to go,” she whispered. “I have things to do at home.” Not a lie, but not quite the truth either.
Graham frowned down at her. “What?”
“I should go.” She pushed at him, and he slid out of her. The fact that he was still semi-hard forced her to wince. She’d be sore in the morning for sure. “Thank you.” She cupped his face and kissed him softly. “That was one fine orgasm.”
He gripped her wrist, still frowning. “You’re leaving? Just like that?”
“I have to,” she whispered, afraid of what she’d say if she stayed. “I’ll…I’ll see you tomorrow. I promise.”
And with that, she grabbed her clothes and ran. Shame consumed her even as she pulled on her clothes in his living room. She needed to tell him about Rowan, needed to tell him about even more. Because what they’d just done wasn’t sex, wasn’t fucking. Even though it had been hot and hard, it had been more than that.
And that, above all else, frightened her.
So she ran.
Again.
9
“Fuck this shit,” Graham shouted as he pulled his thumb away from the wall. He’d been distracted, again, and had smashed the damn thing with his hammer. Thankfully, he’d been out of it and hadn’t been swinging that hard so he didn’t think he’d broken it, but he’d have to watch the nail so he didn’t lose it. Hell.
He’d slept like hell, and hadn’t had coffee at his place because he’d been running late. And, of course, this day of all days, Owen wasn’t on the site yet, so he couldn’t even wheedle coffee out of his ever-organized brother. Owen would be there later, once he’d finished up his work in the office and at their other site, but for now, it was just Graham, Murphy, Jake, and the rest of the crew.
Graham needed coffee.
And ice for his damn hand.
“Having issues?” Murphy asked as he strolled into the room Graham was working in. Murphy wore a tool belt around his hips and had been working hard that day, but it was the damn tablet in his hand that made Graham want to curse.
“I’m not changing shit,” Graham bit out. “We’ve had to do a hundred changes as it is because of the historical society and this damn place. I’m done, Murph. Whatever tiny change you want to make to my job can hold off. I don’t want to hear it.”
Murphy raised his brows. “You don’t want to hear much of anything, do you? Well, dear brother of mine, you’re going to have to suck it up. Because it’s my job to make the plans, your job to follow them. So fucking do it.”
Graham turned on him. “Excuse me? You little shit. You think that’s okay? You think you can just rule over me? Because I don’t fucking think so.”
“Hey, you two, knock it off,” Jake said as he walked into the room. “You’re both lucky the crew is on lunch right now, or you’d have to deal with the people that work for us seeing you two act like little shits.”
Murphy and Graham whirled on Jake, who was on site for the day. Their fourth brother didn’t work on-site much, and tended to do his jobs for the business at home in his workshop, but he still showed up to pound things when he needed a break, or they needed him.
“What?” Graham bellowed, his chest heaving. He was acting like an irrational ass again, but he couldn’t seem to help it. Between the anniversary coming up and what had happened with Blake the night before, he couldn’t think straight.
Murphy sighed and bent down to the cooler to pick out three bottles of water. “Drink this. You’re sweaty, hot, and on the trigger right now.”
Graham narrowed his eyes at his baby brother, but took the bottle and drank down half of it anyway. It might not be caffeine, but he was hot and, apparently, really irritable.
“Jesus,” he whispered, running a hand over his dirty face. “Sorry about that. I smashed my finger and guess I needed to take it out on you.”
“Is that all?” Jake asked. “I know the date is coming up, bro.”
Graham closed his eyes, letting out a breath. “Yeah, it is. But I need to stop acting like I’m a fucking bear who woke up before hibernation was over.”
He opened his eyes as his brothers smiled at him. Murphy laughed and said, “I can see that. You’re as hairy as a bear.”