Brody’s eyes had narrowed, his face turning hard when it was always soft around her. It didn’t make him any less beautiful. If anything, that hard edge sent a thrill through her. “What did you say?”
Her first instinct was to drop to her knees and beg his forgiveness, but he didn’t want that. He’d rejected that part of her. So he got the inner tough chick, the part of her that kept on surviving. “I said, I’m going to check and see if Ezra needs some company since you don’t want any.”
The door slammed and she suddenly found herself with her back against it. Brody crowded in, taking up all the space and staring down at her. His body brushed hers and she found both her wrists captured in one of his. He dragged them over her head, forcing her chest to come out, breasts skimming along his body. “I shouldn’t do this.”
Tough chick was winning. Steph let her take over. It was surely better than the desperate girl who lived inside her. She kept asking for love and affection and getting swatted away. This was the next best thing, possibly the only thing she would ever get. “Then don’t. Let me go and I won’t bother you again.”
“No, you’ll go find Ezra Fain and bother him,” Brody said on a growl.
“Somehow, I don’t think he’ll find me a bother.” She’d barely spoken two words to the man, but she wasn’t going to admit it. It was better to let Brody think she wasn’t a love-starved girl.
“He won’t fucking find you anything at all. If you’re determined to not sleep alone tonight, you can damn well do it with me.” His mouth came down on hers and every inch of her skin came alive. His kiss was overwhelming, hungry. There was no slow meshing of mouths. He took her, his tongue surging inside and dominating her own. He let go of her hands and started to explore her body. His hands were on her hips when he came up for air. “I’m leaving in the morning. I’m going back to London and I can’t come back.”
She’d known that would probably be his answer. She’d known he wouldn’t want to stay and she couldn’t leave.
“One night. That’s all I want.” It was all she could have. It had been foolish to think it could be any different.
His mouth came down on hers again and she let herself get swept away. One night and her life would go back to normal. One night and then she would be alone again. His hands started to roam over her and she tried to forget all the reasons why this was a bad idea.
He stepped back, his entire body set in hard lines. He strode over to the bed and sat down. “Take off the gown. It’s pretty, but I want to see you.”
She hesitated, all her insecurities coming to the forefront. Somehow, she’d thought he would simply take her. “Let me get the lights.”
He was back in her space again, his hand wrapping around her wrist. “I didn’t say turn off the lights. I said take off the gown. How am I going to see you if you turn off the lights?”
“Brody,” she began.
He was having none of it. “You got on your knees in front of me and you said you knew what you were offering me. The first thing you were offering me was obedience. The second was your body. You’re giving me neither right now.”
His voice had gone midnight dark and something about the tone made her soften. He was right. She did know what she’d offered him and now she was trying to have it all her way.
There was nothing wrong with her body. It was feminine and she was healthy. What was she afraid of? “All right.”
He let go of her wrist and sat back down, looking like a damn king waiting on his concubine’s performance. For all his “I’m nothing but a grunt” talk, the man could be incredibly arrogant, and damn if she didn’t find it sexy as hell.
Something about that voice let her know that everything was going to be fine. He was past the point of rejection. He was in and that meant he would play her Dom for the night. He would take care of her. She was as safe with him in the bedroom as she’d been in the field.
At least she was safe for the night. In the morning she would be in a world of hurt, but she wasn’t thinking past tonight.
Steph eased the strap on her right shoulder down, exposing more skin and the top of her breasts. Brody sat and watched, his eyes latched onto the scene in front of him. He wasn’t going anywhere and that meant she needed to make the most of this because he would leave in the morning.
Unless she gave him a reason to stay. Deep down, that was what she truly wanted.
She eased the other strap off and let the gown fall to the floor. Cool air caressed her skin, and she could feel her nipples tighten.
He was silent for a moment, staring at her, but she could feel the heat coming off him. The khakis he wore had tented, so she let go of any silly notion that he didn’t want sex. He wanted it bad, and it was there in the hot glare of his eyes, the rigid erection that threatened to split his pants.
Her heart was beating, sounding out a rhythm she hadn’t heard or felt in forever.
“Come here.” He shifted, spreading his legs and gesturing for her to come closer.
She moved, her feet shuffling across the wooden floor of the cabin. In the soft glow of the lamp, she could almost believe they were somewhere else, in some grand hotel room getting ready to celebrate their…what would they ever celebrate? She let the thought go. There was only the here and the now.
Even seated, his gaze almost lined up with hers. She only had to look down slightly. He was such a big man and she’d always longed to get her hands on all that muscled strength, to feel his skin under hers. But it would have to wait because she was going to be a good sub. It might be her only chance at experiencing this kind of kink, and she wasn’t going to ruin it by going too fast for him. She stood there, allowing him to look his fill.
After a long moment, one hand came up. He covered her breast, the heat making her swell against that big palm of his.
“You’re every bit as beautiful as I thought you’d be.” His voice was a harsh whisper, as though he was trying to be soft with her but simply couldn’t manage it. “I knew you’d be delicate and feminine.”
“I’m not delicate, Brody.” She knew far too well how much damage her body could take. “I don’t need you to treat me like I’m made of glass. I need you to remind me that I’m a woman. I sometimes forget. I can be out in the field for weeks at a time and I don’t even touch myself. I want you to touch me, to let me feel like I’m more than just a doctor.”
It was the one thing she would get out of the night, the memory that once a man as strong and fierce as Brody Carter had wanted her, had needed her.
He leaned over and she felt his lips on her skin, soft kisses that moved from one breast to the other. His hands circled her waist, holding her in place as he nuzzled her. He seemed to breathe her in. She was sure he would take her nipple into his mouth, but then he sat back.
“Turn around.”