Tease Me (7 page)

“
I’m not confused.” He
couldn’t tell her what he was thinking right then. That this moment
would be the beginning of the rest of his life…
and
her life.
So, he chose his words carefully.

“
I’m just stunned. I knew
you were beautiful, but I just didn’t know how it would affect
me.”

She rolled her eyes, even as her face
turned the most delicious shade of pink.

“
What?”

“
You don’t need to say
those things. You got me in bed.”

It irritated him that she was blowing
off what he had said to her. “What’s that supposed to
mean?”

He didn’t mean to shout it, but he
couldn’t help it. Even before she said it, he knew what was
coming.

“
It’s just that I know
you’re used to saying things like that to women. You don’t have to
say them to me. I don’t need pretty words.”

He wanted to tell her that for every
day for the rest of their lives he would give her those words. But
he told her part of what he was feeling, to let her know this
wasn’t just about another night.

“
Aw, but Tess, you deserve
them.”

Her face turned pinker and he was
delighted. Bran was pretty sure that Tess kept that softer part of
her hidden for so many reasons. His heart light and his body raring
to go, he slipped her pants and shoes off, dumping them on the
floor behind him.

He climbed back on the bed but she
shook her head. “Nope, Marine. I want you just as naked as I
am.”

Bran laughed. “You do,
huh?”

“
Yep. I want to see the
body all the girls went crazy for at Annapolis.”

Heat filled his cheeks and she
laughed. The sound danced over the air to him and sent a thrill
through his blood. Tess had always had the best laugh but now it
seemed more intimate.

“
Oh my God, I don’t think
I’ve ever seen you blush.”

“
I’m not.” His face turned
hotter and he realized she was right. “Stop laughing.”

“
I’m sorry,” she said,
snorting to keep from laughing at him.

Then, he couldn’t help it. She was
happy, laying there naked in bed waiting for him. A man couldn’t
ask for more in life. So, he joined her laughing as he stripped out
of his clothes. He climbed back on the bed. Taking one of her feet
into his hands, he kissed her ankle then started to make his way up
her leg. Her last laugh came out as a moan, as she closed her eyes
and arched her back. Lord she was a sight. Tess wasn’t a woman who
would hide herself from a man while they were in bed.

Bran wanted to taste every bit of her
flesh. Right now. Urges he had been ignoring for years came roaring
to life. Still, he wanted to take his time and savior the woman
Tess was. So, instead of doing exactly what his body begged him to
do, he took her by the hips and turned her over.

She giggled and looked back over her
shoulder at him. The surprise and desire in her eyes caught him
unawares.

“
What do you think you’re
doing, Bran?”

Her voice had deepened and it sent a
rush of need racing through him. He might be considered a speed
demon, but he knew a thing or two about control. Right now, he
couldn’t figure out why that was so important. Still, Bran forced
himself to take a little time enjoy the treasure he had
unearthed.

He skimmed the back of his fingers
down her delicate spine. He knew she was strong, stronger than a
lot of men he knew. But there was something so fragile about her at
the moment. Leaning down, he kissed the path his fingers had taken.
She squirmed and he gave her ass a playful swat.

“
Settle down,
Keller.”

She laughed and laid her head on the
pillows. “No problem. Just thought pilots were known for their
speed.”

He knew it was a challenge, but he
couldn’t seem to ignore it. He kissed the small of her back,
enjoying the softness of her skin, then he rose, flipping her over
in much the same fashion.

He took one of feet in his
hand.

“
Don’t tickle,” she
warned. Her feet were her downfall. He knew that, but he was ready
to know more. He made his way up those long legs of hers until he
reached the apex of her thighs. Drawing in a deep breath, he hummed
as he exhaled.

“
Damn, you smell
good.”

He said nothing else as he set his
mouth against her golden curls. She tasted of seductive desires and
a need so desperate it almost overwhelmed every good intention he
had. But Bran forced himself to pull back, to control himself. Over
and over he slipped his tongue between her folds, teasing her and
himself to a degree. Soon, it was all too much to take. He was
losing his grip on his control. He kissed his way up her body. The
taste of her on his tongue, the way she shivered each time his
mouth touched her…it was enough to make a man beg.

It was then he realized he’d forgotten
a condom.

“
Shit.”

She laughed. “Way to sweet talk your
lover, Johnson.” Before he could tell her why he was irritated, she
said, “In the top drawer, Marine.”

He gave her a hard, smacking kiss.
“Always love a woman who’s prepared.”

Within moments, he was joining her
back on the bed. He kneeled between her legs, pulling her up by the
hips and entered her in one swift thrust. As he continued to move,
he leaned down and kissed her, not breaking eye contact.

In that moment, he had the thrill of
watching her eyes go blurry as she bucked up against him losing
herself in pleasure. He wanted to watch her again, feel all those
ripples against him as he joined her.

It only took a few more thrusts to
send her up and over that edge one more time. He followed her,
moaning her name as he gave himself over to ecstasy.

* * * *

Tess was pretty sure she was dead. Or
at least half dead. Her brain had melted, along with her bones. She
was a big pile of gooey mess. And she wasn’t sure she would ever
recover.

“
That was…” She couldn’t
even come up with words for the experience.

He laughed and sat up, then rested his
weight on one of his elbows. “If I rendered Tess Keller speechless,
I think it was fantastic.”

He was smiling down at her and in that
instant she knew nothing had changed. She was in love with Bran,
had been forever. This time was different though. Instead of
sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to pay attention, she was
right there with him. It was going to be even more painful when he
slipped away from her, as her heart would break.

Tess knew what she was getting into,
but she really didn’t care. It was her one time to be stupid, and
she was going to ignore all the alarms in her head.

“
Tess?” Bran asked. He was
frowning at her now, and that just wouldn’t do. She had to keep it
light. Bran wasn’t a man who wanted to settle down. True, he wasn’t
a man-whore like a lot of men she knew, but she knew he didn’t
handle serious relationships well.

“
You were always such a
smart ass.”

“
As MJ always said, it is
better than being a dumbass.”

She smiled and patted him on the
cheek. “It is always really sexy to be quoting your sister to a
woman while in bed. That’s usually a huge turn on.”

He snorted and leaned down for a kiss.
The moment his mouth touched hers, her heart skittered to a stop,
then started back up again as quickly. Tess didn’t think she would
ever get used to having him touch her like that. Her mind
definitely couldn’t handle it, and her body…

Suddenly, he surprised her by rolling
them over the bed switching their positions. She sat up and pressed
against him. He was already hard again. He grabbed another condom
and had it on in what she could only term as record
time.

“
Take me in,
Tess.”

She did, slowly sinking down on his
cock. Tess was particularly satisfied when she heard him groan her
name with a mixture of frustration and yearning. She started to
ride him, taking it slowly at first. He skimmed his hands up her
sides and found her breasts. Sitting up, he took one of her nipples
into his mouth. Heat lanced through her blood when she felt the
scrape of his teeth against the tip. She shuddered and slipped her
fingers through his hair.

Slowly, surely, they continued in that
fashion, enjoying each other. But soon, it wasn’t enough. She
increased her movements and before she was ready for it, her orgasm
slammed through her. She gasped then moaned his name as she felt
another one surge through her.

Apparently, Bran had enough. He
reversed their positions again by tumbling them over the bed. He
thrust into her again and again, pushing her further and higher.
Need warred with fear.

“
Tess, baby, come.
Again.”

He was stripping away all of her
shields, and she didn’t think she could take that. She felt so
damned raw.

She shook her head, but he leaned down
and kissed her. Just like that, she felt another orgasm
approaching, taking over her every thought. She bucked up against
him, pleasure and pain coursing through her body.

“
That’s it. Yeah, all
those fantastic little ripples.”

He thrust into her one more time then
stilled, groaning her name again. He collapsed on top of her but
she didn’t care. She wrapped her arms around Bran and closed her
eyes.

It wasn’t forever, but it was enough
for now.

Bran pulled out the carton of eggs,
setting them on the counter next to the stove. One thing about
knowing Tess so well, he knew just how she liked her
eggs.

Tess.

He couldn’t seem to think of anything
else. Bran hadn’t wanted to leave her to shower by herself. It had
been hard because he didn’t want to let her out of his sight.
Partially because the realization that he had fallen for his best
friend was new and exciting. The other reason was because Bran was
pretty sure if they hadn’t been at her house, she might
bolt.

He grabbed the butter, throwing a
couple of pats in the skillet, then cracked the eggs carefully
dropping them in the butter. As the sound of them sizzled, he
started to think of the next step. They were too old to play games
and they knew each other too well.

Not that well, now that he thought
about it. He would have never thought she’d be such a delight in
bed.

“
Earth to
Johnson.”

He shook his head and realized he was
standing at the stove daydreaming about her. When he focused on
her, it took him a second or two to come up with any words. How had
this happened? Tess had always been his best friend, the pal he
could talk to about anything. Now, though, he was at a loss to say
anything to her.

“
You know, I like my eggs
over easy not over hard.”

Her comment brought him out of his
stupor. “Sorry.”

“
But I guess I shouldn’t
complain since you are making breakfast.”

“
And I made you coffee. So
give me a kiss.”

She glanced at him, as if trying to
gauge his mood. He had been right. She was going to try and keep
some distance between them.

Leaning over, she gave him a kiss. He
wanted more, more than just the little peck she gave him, but he
let it go. At least for now.

She poured them both a cup then set
them up on the breakfast bar. He finished cooking and soon they
were eating in silence.

“
So, what are your plans
today?”

“
I think sleeping. That
would be good.”

He chuckled. “Sorry. I should have let
you sleep last night.”

“
You don’t sound sorry,
and you shouldn’t be. I wouldn’t have changed a thing about last
night.”

That made him feel a little better.
“But other than that…what are your plans?”

She set down her fork and looked at
him. “I think we need to talk.”

Okay, that didn’t sound good but Bran
decided to play along. “About what?”

“
Well, last night was
great, but I think we need to make sure that we don’t get too
serious.”

“
What do you mean…don’t
get serious?”

She shrugged and wouldn’t look at him,
which was irritating. “I just think it would be best if we make
sure we don’t get too…involved. We’re both focused on our careers,
and this could get in the way. Not to mention, the issue of our
families.”

He blinked trying to decide what she
was talking about. Then, it hit him.

“
You want to be friends
with benefits?”

Bran didn’t mean to yell the question,
but he couldn’t help it. It was one thing he hadn’t expected her to
say. Granted, he knew she was wary of him, but that shocked him to
his toes. Tess Keller, the girl who always played by the book, was
offering to be his bed buddy.

“
I don’t know why you’re
so mad.”