White Heat (20 page)

“Right.” He nodded agreeably, and walked around her.

She turned in a circle, keeping her face to his. “What does that mean?”

“I know exactly how tough you are. I know you don’t let people close enough to even think about hurting you.” Reaching out, he stroked a cheek. “And when I first met you, when I first felt that zing of heat between us, I worried about that—I worried about leading you on, hurting you somehow in spite of it.”

“Because of what happened in that Idaho fire.”

“Because I knew I was no good to a woman, not in the state I was in. In any case, you were so impenetrable, I decided it didn’t matter.”

Direct hit.

“But then I got to know you.”

“You did not,” she said. “It’s only been a week.”

“I got to know you,” he repeated gently. “And you know what?”

Seeing that heated, affectionate look in his eyes as he stepped close and put his hands on her hips, she started to shake her head. She didn’t want to know, she—

He kissed her, just once, soft and undemanding, but her body flared to life. “You might be fearless,” he whispered. “You might be independent, but on the inside you’re just as in need of love as the rest of us.”

“No—”

He put his finger on her lips, came in even closer. “I know you think you don’t need it. I know love’s hurt you in the past, that you’ve suffered losses, too—” When she started to shake her head at that, he cupped her jaw with his other hand to hold her still. “Your parents, your grandfather…”

“Not like you,” she whispered past the sudden lump in her throat.

“We’ve already been there. Loss is loss, remember? But before that Idaho fire, I’d never experienced such tragedy. My life had been easy and good and filled with warmth and love from every corner.” He stroked an uneven strand of hair from her eyes. “I had that solid foundation beneath me. I don’t think you did.”

“I was fine.”

“Sure. Fine. All on your own, right?”

“Right.”

“Because you don’t like to let people in. That way you don’t have to lose anyone else.”

She went very, very still.

“Anyone would feel that way if they’d had your life,” he assured her very quietly. “They would, but Lyndie, you don’t have to live like that.”

She pulled free. “Says the man who was running out of the party as fast as I was.”

He let out a gust of air. “Yeah. My brother—”

“He’s trying to rush you along in the life department?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, welcome to my world.”

“Tom and Nina and Rosa all have your best interests at heart—” He broke off and let out a low laugh when she gave him a long, knowing look. “Okay, fine. I get the message.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah. They have your best interests at heart. I suppose in the same damn way Brody does mine.”

She smirked. “Doesn’t make it any easier to take, though, does it?”

“No.”

They fell silent, just looking at each other for a long moment. There was something different in his gaze tonight. Something that snagged her breath. “This is our last night,” she whispered.

His eyes heated. “Yeah.”

Her nipples hardened. Her skin tingled in anticipation. “So what do you say we blow this Popsicle stand, Ace?”

His eyes heated again, his hands tightened on her, pulling her flush to his body—a body that already knew hers. “What did you have in mind?”

She arched against the interesting bulge behind the buttons on his Levi’s. “I’m thinking the same as you.”

T
hey ended up in Griffin’s room, which had a nicer bed and a soft, warm Tallulah on the covers, fast asleep. They kicked her out and put a chair in front of the door in lieu of a functioning lock.

Lyndie tried to draw Griffin down to the mattress immediately, her engines revved and roaring to go, but he held her face and kissed her, turning her away from the bed with his body.

“Standing up?” she murmured, game for that, surprised when he let out a low laugh. Pulling back, she blinked up at him. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Are you always in such a hurry?”

She could feel his chest brushing her nipples, his long legs so snug to hers, his impressive erection low on her belly. Hell, yes, she was in a hurry. “I want you,” she said simply, and ran her fingers down his body to cup him. “And you want me.”

“Oh, yeah.” He tipped her face up again, his voice hoarse. “I want you. I just want to take it slow.”

“Why?”

“You know…” He kissed her ear, her jaw. “The confusion on your face is adorable, and bears discussing—” He kissed the tip of her nose, then her chin. “But you taste so good—” And now her mouth for a long, delicious moment, and when he pulled away this time she heard her own little murmur of protest.

He danced his thumb over her wet lower lip. “I just can’t believe I’m here. With you. About to kiss and lick every inch of you.”

“Our bodies work fairly well together, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Yes.” He watched his hand as it grazed her throat, her collarbone, then a breast, which he lifted and cupped and ran a thumb over a tight, aching nipple until her knees nearly buckled. “Our bodies definitely work fairly well together. I just didn’t think mine worked anymore, period.”

Lyndie went still, then covered his hand with her own. “Look,
I’m
a little blown away over all this, so I can only imagine how
you’re
feeling. I can go—”

“No.” He pulled her flush against his body, in an embrace that made her want to burrow in even closer and hold on for dear life. “Don’t move.”

“I won’t.” She sank her fingers into his hair. “I’d say I’m sorry for encroaching on all that sexy broodiness you had going, but—”

He kissed her again, nibbling on her lower lip. “But you’re not?”

“No.” She tugged on his shirt. “What I am sorry about is how many clothes you’re wearing. I’m really sorry about that.”

“I didn’t think you could do it,” he said on a sigh, letting her strip him out of his clothes one piece at a time, while she reveled in his hard, athletic body that made her mouth water.

“Didn’t think I could do what?” Distracted, her fingers ran down his chest, over the belly that made her want to kiss every inch of him, down to the current center of her universe, which was hard and heavy and pointing right at her.

“Stay still.” With mock disappointment, he bent and grabbed her behind her knees, straightening with her in a fireman’s hold, which meant she flopped over his shoulder.

“Hey!” She smacked his bare ass. “Put me down.
What are you doing?
”

He dumped her onto the bed, the expression on his face a mixture of wicked mischief and fierce intent as she bounced. Her heart skipped a beat, then two. “Grif—”

“Shh.” He sprawled out beside her, skimming his fingers down her body, thoroughly engrossed in watching his own hand on her. “You said you wouldn’t move.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I did.” Leaning in, he tugged open her blouse while he kissed her ear. When her hands snaked up to touch his bare, sleek chest, he sucked in a breath and shook his head, his voice thick and heavy, filled with dark promises. “You don’t seem to be able to follow directions.”

“Not very well,” she admitted, but he brought his free hand to the side of her face, holding her cheek in his palm, his fingers running through her hair at her temple.

The gesture felt so tender, so raw, she felt the unexpected sting of tears, and when he kissed her softly, then pulled back to say, “You turn me upside down, Lyndie, like no one ever has,” a little moan stuck in her throat.

“Upside down,” he repeated softly, and swiped at a tear she hadn’t even known she’d let loose.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what to do with you,” she whispered.

“No?” Holding her gaze, he slowly stripped her out of her clothes. “Good thing I know what to do with you.”

“You mean
to
me,” she gasped when he stroked her nipple with his tongue.

“Uh huh.” He kissed her ribs, dipped into her belly button, then slipped between her legs, his broad shoulders holding her open to him. He ran a finger over her, absorbed the helpless little gasp that escaped her, and said, “Am I driving you crazy?”

She arched up into him, and then he lowered his head, kissing her right…
there.
“Y-yes.”

“Good.” He did it again, and her every muscle went on quiver alert. “Because you’re driving me right off the very edge of sanity.” Another mind-blowing stroke of his tongue. “So we’re doing this to each other.”

That sounded a little too relationship-involved to her, and she surged up to her elbows to tell him so, except he chose that moment to bend his head again to his task, and this time he took it quite seriously. She fell back, sinking her fingers into his hair to hold him in place, which turned out to be unnecessary because he wasn’t going anywhere—he promised it in every touch, every kiss, stoking her into one desperate, feverish mass of nerve endings.

When she came, she lost track of all her senses for what might have been an hour, or only a moment, but when she could see again, Griffin towered over her, his big beautiful body poised to take hers. “You back?” he asked.

“I’m not sure.…Did you get the license plate of that truck?”

He placed a soft kiss over her temple, his breath fluttering over her hair like a gentle touch. “No truck, Lyndie. Just me.”

Just him. God, just him. “Well, then, run me over again, could you?”

His low chuckle sounded in her ear. After that, she lost her train of thought because then he was kissing her mouth, a heavy, intoxicating kiss somehow deeper and more exquisite than anything he’d done to her before. Holding on for dear life, she kissed him back, letting herself fall into the moment, into the unrelenting heat and passion in a way she didn’t fully even trust. “Griffin—”

“Don’t worry, I still know what to do—” He broke off on a groan when she slid her hand downward and got a grip of him fully aroused.

“I’m glad,” she whispered, and held up the condom they’d snagged from her room.

He put it on, then sank inside her wet, willing body to the hilt, their twin moans dancing in the air around them.

“Oh, yeah,” he whispered against her mouth as he began to move, began to take them both to the place they desperately needed to go. “I definitely still know what to do.”

At dawn, Nina sat barefoot on the edge of the creek, splashing the water with her toes. She wasn’t usually up at this hour. In fact, she wouldn’t be up now except her body still hummed from all the things Brody had done to it.

Her heart felt full to bursting.

But her stomach…her stomach was dancing with butterflies in tune to the rushing water.

“Hiya, Princess.”

Pasting a confident smile on her face, which had caught her more than her fair share of men in the past, she turned to face a gorgeously rumpled Brody.

He might be just another man…but he was also the first she didn’t want to walk away from.

He hunkered at her side. The day was already hot, and he wore dark blue surfer shorts to his knees, with a wild blue Hawaiian shirt for the flight back, and just looking at him made her want to cry.

“Hey.” He stroked her cheek when her smile crumpled. “You look so…sad.”

She had no idea how to tell him that what had started out as fun had turned to something else entirely.

“Did I hurt you last night?” he whispered.

“No.”
Dios Mio.
“It’s just that…” She had nothing to lose by telling him. “You’re leaving.”

He sighed and sat next to her. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Princess.”

“If I were really a princess, I could come and go as I please. Like you do.”

The water rushing over the rocks was the only sound for a long moment. “And where is it you want to go?”

“The States.”

“To do what?”

“Something. Anything.” She threw up her hands. “I just want out of here.” She closed her eyes. “Wait. That’s not quite true. I
do
know what I want. I want to teach there. I dream about it, it’s my calling. But my father wants me here.” She smiled at him but it didn’t meet her eyes. “I love him but I can’t live my life for him, Brody.”

“Of course not.”

“So…you understand? You think I should do as I please?”

Brody looked into her earnest eyes and didn’t know what to say. He was leaving any moment now. Typically, leaving was something he did extremely well, and yet this time…

He didn’t want to.

“I want to teach kids Spanish in a country that gives so much to most of its population, but forgets others. I want to be a proud American, or half American, anyway. I want to make a difference.”

“You don’t make a difference here?”

“In a cantina?” Her laugh was harsh. “I want so much more than this. I can make a difference there as a teacher, a true difference to help immigrant children.” She went up on her knees, wrapped her arms around his neck. “You helped me forget for a few days, and for that I’m grateful, but now the wanting is back.” She looked deeply into his eyes. “And there is more.”

“More?” He didn’t know why, but his heart started to beat faster.

“I want to be near you.”

“To…practice reading?”

She bit her lush lower lip. Watched him with those expressive eyes that heated him from the inside out. “Not exactly.”

“What exactly?”

“I want to be with you, Brody.” She laid her two small, work-roughened hands on either side of his jaw and looked him right in the eyes, honest and open, daring him to be that way back.

But he wasn’t good at the open, honest thing.

In fact, this was usually where he took off running, but oddly enough, his feet weren’t so much as twitching. His stomach hadn’t even fallen.

His heart raced, though, and it had nothing to do with panic or needing to run.

“I don’t mean I want to tie you up,” she said.

“You don’t mean to tie me down?” He managed a smile. “Because, darlin’, you can tie me up anytime.”

“You are making a joke and I am being serious.” Leaning back, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her lower lip became even fuller and he had the most insane need to nibble at it. “Are you making a joke because I’m scaring you?” she wondered. “Or because
you’re
scaring you?”

Wise beyond her years. And dead-on accurate. Okay, hell. Here came his honesty, though it was rusty. “What I feel for you, Nina, terrifies me.” In another unusual move for him, he pulled her close, cuddling where he’d never felt the need before. “I’m not exactly known for having these conversations while sober.”

“I am not asking for anything from you other than being able to see you again. I like you, Brody. I lust for you, too, but I have lusted for many men. I haven’t liked many men.”

Again with her honesty, leaving him humbled to the core. “I’m not the kind of guy you bring home to meet Mom and Dad.”

“I know.”

“I’m also not the kind of guy to go back for seconds.”

She smiled sadly. “I know that, too. It’s okay—”

“But I would do anything to see you again.” He let out a rough laugh. “And if anyone in my world could hear me say that, they’d fall over in shock.”

“You are telling me the truth?” She looked breathless, and filled with so much expectation it almost hurt to look at her.

“I am telling you the truth. But sweetheart, I’m leaving. This morning. Any minute. I’ll come back when I can, but—”

“But if I was in the States it would be easier.”

“Well, of course it would—oof,” he said when she flung herself at him. He fell to his back on the damp bank of the creek.

“I
will
see you again.” On top of him now, she grinned as her hair fell all around him like a curtain, closing them in together against the rest of the world. “I will see you soon.”

The dew seeping in through his shirt, he stared up at her, then hauled her down to him. “God, I hope so—”

His words were halted by Nina’s hungry, talented mouth, which she used until he’d forgotten about the dew, until his eyes were crossed and his body hard and aching again. Then, all too soon, she stood, calmly brushing off her clothes.

“Nina—”

“It’s time for good-byes,” she said, and held out her hand.

Right. It was. He’d never minded a good-bye in his life, but now, his feet felt like leaden weights as he allowed her to pull him around to the front of the inn, where Griffin and Lyndie were talking to Rosa. Tom was in the Jeep already, waiting to take them to the plane.

Brody watched Rosa engulf first Griffin and then Lyndie in a hug. It occurred to him that Griffin looked far better than he had when Brody had laid eyes on him last week for the first time in a year. Then his brother had been lean, haggard, and edgy. He’d filled out slightly now, and had lost much of his hollowed despair.

Lyndie turned from Rosa and nearly walked right into Griffin, who put his hands on her arms, murmuring something softly in her ear.

In response, she tilted her head up and smiled into his eyes, and whether she knew it or not—and Brody suspected she did not—her entire heart shone through.

When Griffin smiled back, still holding her, it too was with everything he had.

Brody didn’t think he’d seen Griffin smile this entire weekend, and he sure as hell hadn’t seen him smile the weekend before, when he’d blackmailed him into coming here in the first place.

For the first time since then, Brody could see he’d really done the right thing, and it made him almost weak with relief and even hope.

Griffin still had his hands on Lyndie. Things were clearly different between them, and far more…tender.