Kestrel (Hart Briothers #3) (25 page)

“I really love cooking for you. You appreciate food so
much.”

“I do. I love a good meal and since I don’t cook, I especially
enjoy it. Thank you for doing this for me. Especially today.” Then I tell her
what happened at work. Her excitement for me is palpable.

“Kestrel, that’s so amazing.”

“Right? Kolson is coming a week early.” I tell her our
plans to hire more people and so on. I don’t want to bore her with all the
details.

We discuss the plans for Christmas and how we’ll handle
everything.

“You need to get moved in here and get out of that
rental,” she says.

“Yeah. I’ll get on that.”

“Why don’t I pack your clothes up for you this week?
That’s all it is, right?”

“Pretty much. Other than the food and stuff.”

“I can do that. My workload has calmed down somewhat,
enough so I have my evenings free. At least you can have all your things in one
place and since I’m in the carriage house now, it’ll be easier.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

By the end of the week, Carter has all my belongings
transferred to the house and I’m now officially living here. It is much more
convenient, not having to deal with two places.

Kolson arrives on Monday and the following week we are
covered up with meetings with clients. It’s odd having my brother here, but
Carter stays in the carriage house and I spend the nights with her there a
couple of times.

One morning, Kolson says, “Why don’t you have her move
in here with you? You two seem to have gotten quite cozy.”

“Do you have something against Carter? Because if you
do, let it out now.”

“I have nothing against her. I’m only worried about
you.”

“Thought we covered this.”

“We did. I’m just assuring myself that all is good with
you.”

“Couldn’t be better, big brother.”

He shuts up and only scrutinizes me. I’m okay with this.
It’s one of his things. Well, we all do it. Learned it from the Dragon. I let
him have a go at me for a while,
then
I say, “Satisfied?”

He shrugs.

“What?” I insist.

“Honestly?”

“Yeah.”

“I won’t be satisfied until Gabriella talks to you.”

“So, what? Will this be the Spanish Inquisition?”

He laughs. “Hardly. It will be the Gabriella
Inquisition.”

“Great. That’ll be much worse.”

He shoots me a sour look. “You love my wife.”

“I do. But she will find fault in this relationship and
I’m not going to change a thing.”

“Fine. It’s your life. But remember this. We have your
best interests at heart.”

Staring back at him, I only dip my head once in
acknowledgement.

The day before my mother and Gabby are due to
arrive,
Kolson, Carter and I are seated together at the
kitchen table, eating dinner. That seems to be the time for us when we are all
the most comfortable together. Kolson loves to talk to Carter about what she
does.

“Tell me about what’s happening with your work,” he
says.

She gives him the latest rundown and he grins.

“Maybe I’ll be lucky to know the woman who finds the
cure.”

“Hardly. But maybe you’ll know someone who spurred it on,”
she responds.

“I can’t wait for you to meet my wife. I can already
picture the two of you, heads together, planning things.”

His statement startles me, but I conceal it. I act as
nonchalantly as I can.

Carter stands to clear our plates and I move to lend a
hand, but she stops me. “I’ll get this. You two talk.”

“No. You did the cooking. It’s only fair I should do the
clean up.”

“If you insist.” She laughs as she ruffles my hair. I
laugh back but when I look at Kolson, he has such a look of amazement on his
face I almost choke. He still doesn’t get our relationship, I suppose. Perhaps
he’s beginning to see it in a better light.

***

December twenty-third is mayhem at work. Everyone wraps
things up as best they can. The office will be closed from tomorrow until December
twenty-eighth. We will be reopening then, but only with half of our staff and
close again for New Years. Then it’s full steam ahead on January third.

Gabby and my mom are arriving around five, which means
it’s time for me hit the road since it’s four-thirty. I want to be at home when
they arrive. Mario and Kolson are picking them up from the airport. They are
flying down in one of the corporate jets. On the drive home, I tick through the
list of all the items I purchased for the meals tomorrow and on Christmas Day.
Carter said she’d cook, but I’m sure Gabby and my mom will jump in and help. I
begged Carter to make her shrimp and grits cake dish that I love, so we’re
having that tomorrow. Christmas Day, we’ll be feasting on beef tenderloin and
lobster tails. Carter has a whole host of breakfast dishes planned. She’s
explained to me how Southerners love to do breakfast casseroles, along with
their Mimosas and Bloody
Marys
in the morning. I’m
game for that, so she’s running the food show. I think it will help keep her
mind on something other than her fear of being assessed by my family.

The holidays have never held much meaning for me, other
than a depressing group of days bunched together where I’m supposed to spend
time with family members. For the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to
them. It’s not because of Kolson, Gabby, or my mother. I know
it’s
Carter. When I step out of my car, I can see her moving
around in the kitchen. Guilt pours into me because this should be her kitchen …
her house … her family. Not mine. But the realistic part of my brain tells me
that if it weren’t me, it would be someone else. And what if that someone
launched her out on her ass, leaving her with nothing other than the check? But
it’s time for me to come clean here. It’s more than that. My feelings are
deeper than that for Carter. There’s meaning behind them and I need to face up
to it. I’m not on any damn joyride here. This is a purposeful journey for me.
If it weren’t, I would’ve walked away weeks ago.

“Hey.” I want to stand there and watch her. However, I
know if I do, she’ll get on me about how we have things that need to be done.

“Hey.” The corners of her mouth turn up. She’s dressed
in a knee-length black skirt, black tights, and those cute little tan colored
short boots she wears a lot. She also has on a tan sweater that hugs her body.
She looks like one of my dreams.

“You look extraordinary. Come here.”

“Thank you. And no. I know what you have up your sleeve,
mister.” She sticks her tongue out at me.

“Oh, no you don’t. Don’t you taunt me like that and
expect to walk away without repercussions.” I’m on her like glue. My hands grab
her waist and I pull her close so I can feel the length of her against me. Then
my hands cup her ass and I lift her into me. “Feel that?” I tilt my pelvis
toward her.

“Yeah,” she purrs.

“You want more of that?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“What time is it?”

“Five.”

“Pull up your skirt and pull down those damn tights.”

We both squirm around and I dig into my pocket for a
condom. Then my hand reaches down and slips between her thighs.

“Angel, have you been thinking of me?”

“Uh huh. Why?”

“Because you’re as wet and slippery as ever.” I pick her
up and pull one leg free of her tights and ask, “Hard and fast or slow and
easy?”

“Hard and fast.” The rasp of her sexy voice doesn’t make
me ask twice. In one stroke, I’m inside of her and she’s moaning for more.

“Don’t be greedy,” I murmur in her ear. Pulling her legs
up and over my shoulders, I continue to pump in and out and the sound of her
voice spurs me on. Suddenly, she cries out my name, and I feel her inner
muscles squeeze me. I’m lost in her. Completely.

“Kiss me, Kestrel. Now.”

My mouth is on hers and we consume each other. You would
think we haven’t seen each other in days, when it’s only been hours.

“Beautiful.
Unequivocally gorgeous.
You, my only angel.”

“Kestrel, I’m really nervous.”

“You should be because if we don’t pull ourselves
together, you’ll be caught with your pussy exposed for my family to see.”

That one sentence has the effect I intended. First, her
face reddens. Then her hands quickly begin to rearrange her sweater, which I
have managed to pull up to her neck. But she can’t do more than that because
I’m still firmly wedged between her long and creamy thighs, with my cock implanted
up to its hilt.

“Going somewhere?” I ask.

She sputters, “Trying to, but a certain someone won’t
let me.”

She’s fidgeting around me like crazy now and I finally
put my hands on her hips to still her.

“Angel, look at me.”

Her ghostly grays latch onto mine, and I add, “It’s
fine. They’re going to love you. And we have time. Now one more kiss and I’ll
release you from my sex-hold.”

She finally relaxes and kisses me.

“Mmm, much better.” I step back and help her off the
counter. When I slap her ass I hear her sharp inhalation.

“What the hell!”

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist. You have a great ass. Better
get a move on.”

She tugs her tights back on and pulls her skirt down
while I take care of my own business. Then she says, “Your hair. It’s a mess.”

“Yours is too.”

We both head to the powder room right off the kitchen
and vie for a space at the mirror. Mine only takes a second as I run my fingers
through it. Hers, on the other hand, has been completely dislodged by me.

“Shit. I need to put this up in a bun or something.”

“No you don’t. Shake it out and let it go. It’s fine.”

“Ugh. It’s too unruly.”

The doorbell rings.

“Oh, shit,” she curses.

I say to her calmly, “Angel. You look adorable and
gorgeous. Now do as I say and meet me at the door in a second.”

I leave her to let my family in. They stand there,
huddled, with all their luggage and such, and while we are lugging everything
in, Carter enters the room.

I make the introductions and Gabby immediately says, “I
am so excited and happy to finally meet you, Carter.”

My mother adds, “As am I. We’ve heard so much about you
from Kolson and Kestrel. It’s so wonderful to finally meet you in person. I
feel I know you already.”

“Why thank you so very much,” Carter says.

“And what a lovely Southern accent you have,” my mother
comments.

They chat a bit while Kolson and I drag the luggage
upstairs. Then we mix drinks and Carter brings out a round of appetizers. I
take my mom on a tour while Kolson and Gabby hang back in the kitchen. I wanted
some alone time with my mother so she doesn’t feel neglected.

“The house is lovely, Kestrel. I think you’ll quite
enjoy living here. And Carter, why she’s a fine young lady.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“Oh, Kestrel, you never did need my approval for
anything. You know that. I just want you to be happy. That’s all I ever
wanted.”

“Thanks, Mom. I think I’m finally there.”

When we join the others, they all appear to be having a
nice time. Carter has loaded up a couple of trays with appetizers and asks the
guys to carry them to the small den, where we can sit and chat. Kolson and I
follow orders and then we pour wine and mix drinks for all. After we’ve had a
bit to eat, Gabby asks Carter if she will show her around the house.

Carter looks at her and says, “Wouldn’t you rather have
your brother-in-law show you? It’s his home, after all.”

“Not at all. I want to get to know you, and what better
way than for you to give me the grand tour so we can talk at the same time?” Gabby
answers.

Carter turns to me and I say, “Go and take your time. We’re
in no hurry to eat. Not with all this that you’ve prepared.”

“You’re sure?”

“Uh huh.”

I watch the two of them wander off and hope Gabby takes
it easy on her. This may prove to be Carter’s biggest test of the visit.

Chapter Nineteen

Carter

When Gabby asks me for a tour, I want to shout, “Hell,
no. Let Kestrel do it!” But I can’t do that. Of course I give her the tour. And
when we leave the room, I know what’s about to happen. So I take her straight
up to the second floor and start with the master bedroom. When we get to Ells’
room, she asks all kinds of questions about her, and I don’t hold back at all.
We move from room to room, space to space, and when we’ve left nothing
unturned, she asks to see the carriage house. I lead her out the back door and
to my little nest.

Once inside, she finally breaks the ice of silence.

“Don’t hurt him.”

That’s it. Nothing else.

“What?”

“Kestrel. Whatever you do, don’t hurt him. Because if
you do, I’ll do everything in my power to destroy you.”

Good thing there’s a chair right behind me. My legs go
numb as my ass hits it with a poof. Wow! She didn’t hold back one iota. It
takes me a while to formulate a response, but I do.

“I get it. I do. You love him. He’s a brother to you.”

“No. You don’t get it. He’s been to hell and back.”

I stop her and hold up my hand. “Before you say another
word, you at least owe me a chance to explain myself. As a practicing
psychiatrist, I would think you could see the merit in that.”

She nods, once.

“Kestrel has told me everything.
About
his father.
His horrid life as a young boy.
I
know what he’s been through. We’ve discussed all of this. My goal is not to
hurt him. It was never my intention to get involved with him.”

“Then why did you?”

“Why did you get involved with your husband?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Neither is it your business why Kestrel and I got
involved. But I’ll tell you this much. I have great respect for him and I will
not, under any circumstance, allow anyone to hurt him, including you.”

“Me? Why would I hurt him?”

“By overprotecting him and not allowing him to live on
his own and discover things for himself. He’s a grown man and a highly
intelligent one. He can choose to have a relationship with whomever he wants.”

“Kestrel doesn’t have relationships.”

“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think, because
he’s in one now.”

Then a smile spreads across her face. “That’s all I
needed to hear.”

“What?” I’m incredulous.

“That you consider what’s going on between the two of
you a relationship. That it isn’t one sided.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Like I said, I don’t ever want him hurt. And if
this were just a one-sided thing, then you and I would have a big problem. But
it obviously isn’t. You bared your claws and I like that.”

“You’re a strange woman, Gabby.”

“Nah, I only care about those two guys out there. More
than I can tell you. So, tell me about you.”

I rub the back of my neck. “We don’t have enough time. I
need days to tell you about my shit.”

She shakes her head. “We all have emotional baggage. Our
group—Kolson, Kestrel, you and I—seem to have been given an extra
heaping dose. Ever think that’s how we all ended up together?”

“What do you mean?” Her thought process intrigues me.

“Well, any normal person that hasn’t experienced major
life trauma would run from what we’ve gone through. But you and I know what it
is to deal with heavy duty shit, so we look at men like Kolson and Kestrel and
think that they are extra special because they’ve risen above it all and become
even stronger for it.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. But I wasn’t aware that you
have shit, too.”

“Do I ever. I was raped and abused by my cousin. It
started when I was a teenager and my parents knew about it but buried it under
the carpet. Then the motherfucker stalked me. Kolson was the one who finally
stepped in and saved me.”

My hand grabs her arm as she talks. Then I hug her and
say, “Oh my God. I am so sorry. I didn’t know. Kestrel didn’t say anything, and
of course he wouldn’t. How traumatizing that must have been.”

“Yeah, but like we talked about, here we are, stronger
than ever. We take those pieces of ourselves and create something better, a
bigger force to be reckoned with, if you will. Take your situation. You’ll
always have those memories of your daughter. You build upon them and use them
to anchor you in times when you feel adrift. It may seem like it doesn’t work,
but if you look back and reflect, you know it does.”

I sift through my memories, of how low I was and how miserable
and sad I felt after I lost my parents and Ells. And then how each year it
never seemed to become easier until I met Kestrel.

“I don’t know. It wasn’t until I met Kestrel that the
sun brightened my life again.”

“But don’t you see? He says the same about you?” Gabby
says. “He insists that you’ve helped pull him out of his darkness. He calls you
an angel.”

“I know. But I’m not. I’m just me.”

Gabby pats my arm and says, “And I hope to hell you stay
this way. Come on, we’d better get back or they’ll be sending out a posse to
find us.”

I stop her and say, “Thanks. For a minute there I
thought you were going to hate me.”

“No. I was just testing you. You passed.”

“Jeez. Isn’t that a little harsh?”

Gabby flashes me a smile. “Not in my book. I have a
brother-in-law to look out for. When I came into this family, they took me in
and now I owe them to do the same.”

“But, wait. I thought Langston tried to kill you.”

“Oh, that rat bastard did. But the rest of them are
awesome.”

It’s an awkward moment for me. “I never had any brothers
or sisters so this is kind of weird.”

“Just go with it. It’ll work out.”

We hear laughter when we get back to the main house.
Gabby says to me, “Sylvia never laughed like this when Langston was alive.
She’s a totally different person now.”

“God, that man must’ve been awful.”

“You have no idea. Thank the heavens you never had to
contend with him. He was one scary creep. None of us mourned his death.
Instead, we celebrated it.”

All heads turn our way when we enter the room.

“Well, hello there.” Kestrel stands to meet us. Then he
leans into me and asks, “Everything okay?”

“Sure is.”

His fingers gently close around my wrist and his thumb
rubs a circle on the inside of it. I feel like humming when he does that. We
stand there, like two dolts, staring at each other when we hear Kolson clear
his throat. “Um, are you two going to join us?”

“Yeah,” Kestrel says as he winks at me.

We move toward the others and conversation resumes. Some
time later I rise to start dinner. Kestrel moves to come with me, but Gabby
stops him.

“I’ll help her. Kolson’s bragged about her talent in the
kitchen and I want to see what she’s cooking. Besides, I know you have no
interest in it.”

Everyone laughs, because it’s true.

After dinner is over, we all decide to retire for the
night. Kolson, Gabby and Sylvia are still complimenting me on the excellent
meal as they climb the stairs.

Kestrel walks me out to the carriage house.

“Are you staying with me out here?” I ask.

“Yes, but I need to lock everything up. I’ll be back.”

His absence gives me time to brush my teeth and by the
time I’m ready to undress, he’s back.

“I’ll do that,” he says, pulling my sweater off. “My
family is smitten with you. Just like I am.”

“They are not. They like me okay. Gabby put me through a
test.”

“I imagine she did. Care to tell me about it?”

“Yeah. Later. Right now, I only want you.”

“That can be arranged.”

“Kestrel, your mom.”

“What about her?”

“Gabby says she’s so much brighter now. Happier.”

He nuzzles my neck and his tongue has my belly
contracting.

His voice is raspy when he answers, “Yes. Do you want to
talk about my mother now? Right before I’m getting ready to fuck you?”

I dissolve in a heap of giggles. And he stands up to his
fullest height, trying to intimidate me. Of course, it’s an epic fail.

“Um, yeah. That’s always great bedroom talk, isn’t it?”

A bark of laughter follows my question and he then he
says, “Oh, God, the old Sylvia would’ve had a fit of vapors. She used to take
to her bed all the time. Not the new. I’m sure she did it as escapism.”

“Well, I’d like for a large part of your anatomy to
escape somewhere.”

“I hope you mean it would still be attached to me?”

Now it’s my turn to bust out laughing. “Well, hell yeah.
I could just use my old vibrator if I wanted that!”

“Your old vibrator? You have one of those?”

“Of course I do. What woman doesn’t?”

“I don’t know. Let me see it.”

“I will not. It’s personal.”

“I’m personal. Has it been where I’ve been?”

I sputter out my reply, “Well … yeah.”

“Can it do what I can?”

Actually, it can do more because my vibrator has that
little doohickey that hits all the right places and vibrates exactly right. But
how do I tell him that? My silence alarms him.

“What the hell kind of vibrator do you have?”

I flash him a saucy grin and say, “One with all kinds of
bells and whistles.” Then I turn toward the bedroom and throw him my sexiest
look over my shoulder.

“Oh, angel, don’t you know you’re playing with the devil
here?”

“Maybe this angel wants to be a naughty angel for a
change.”

“Oh, fuck. You do, do you?”

I only smile back with my eyes half-closed. Then I run
my tongue across my lower lip, slowly.

He saunters toward me, undressing as he does. Dark,
dangerous, and desirable is what he is. And I want to lick every square inch of
him.

When he’s face to face with me, he says, “Get that damn
vibrator. I want to see what I’m up against.”

“Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I pull it out of my drawer and hand it to him. He turns
it on and checks the thing out, forward and backward, upside down and right
side up. Then he turns it on the highest speed and says, “I see what you mean.
But I’m a willing competitor. Open that innocent mouth of yours.”

“What?” He wants me to put this in my mouth?

“You heard me.”

I open up and he sticks the thing in my mouth.

“Now suck it. Suck like you would my dick.”

I don’t know if I should spit it out or do what he says.

“You said you wanted naughty, didn’t you?”

I nod and begin sucking. He moves it around, in and out,
and then he plucks it out of my mouth. This whole thing has me quite puzzled.

It’s about to get even more confusing, or so I think. He
takes the palm of his hand and puts it on my chest, forcing me to walk backward.
When the backs of my knees hit the bed, he spins me around and says, “Bend
over, angel, and rest your arms on the bed.”

I do as he asks, and I feel his lips brush up and down
my spine. They tease and taste until I want to writhe. He wedges a leg between
my thighs and spread my legs as far as they will go. Then his hand finds my sex
and he says, “Already so wet. When I’m done with you, you’ll be dripping.” Two
long fingers enter me, and one presses down on my g-spot. I arch my back in
response.

I hear the vibrator; he’s turned it on. His fingers come
out and are replaced by the pulsating object. He slides it in and out, and then
seats it fully inside of me. I moan and want to lie down, but he holds my hips
still.

“Don’t move. Stay still.”

It’s not easy. All I want to do is rock into him. But
it’s not him; it’s the damn vibrator. I feel his lips feathering across my
buttocks and up my back, and one of his hands reaches around and he tugs on one
of my nipples. The vibrator is still inside me, held in place by his knee, but
I want him to take it out and replace it with himself.

“I want you, Kestrel.”

He chuckles. “Not yet.”

What’s his game here?

Then I feel his mouth on my hips, teeth pressing into my
flesh, scoring me. I cry out his name. “More.”

He grabs my flesh between his teeth, tugs, and sucks
simultaneously, and I moan. Between that and the vibrator, I want to wriggle around,
but he still has me in a firm grip.

“I need to come.”

“You will. Patience. Legs together.” He scoots my legs
together, putting more pressure on my clit. But then he flips me over and puts
me on my back.