Brown Siblings - 01 Laid Bare (34 page)

“Yes. And you’re Erin.”

“Ben’s at work.” Erin checked her watch.

“I know. I thought we could talk.”

Erin sighed heavily. “About what?”

“Just things. I thought perhaps it would be good if we talked without Ben.”

“Oh no. I don’t do that. You could have called; you know the number. Instead you’re here in my lobby when you know Ben is at work. That makes me very uncomfortable. I don’t go around Ben.”

“Will you have a cup of coffee with me? I promise to be quick.”

“I’m really not trying to be rude, but what’s your angle here? I’ve had a crappy day and I’m not in any mood to dance around the subject. Ben is mine, I’m not giving him back, and I don’t plan to share him with you. Is that what you needed to know?”

“He said you were blunt.”

“Caroline, I know he cares about you. I know you were together for several years. If you’re trying to be my friend, asking me to do something Ben doesn’t know about isn’t the way to do it.”

“I’m not trying to get him back. I just thought we could be friends.” Erin was so tired. “As I said, you’re going about it entirely the wrong way. How would you feel if you were in my shoes?”

“I’d want to size up the competition.”

Erin laughed. “That might be true if I thought you were competition. But Ben’s not a prize to be won. I’d never play with him like that, and if you would, you weren’t worthy of him. To be quite honest, at this point, I can safely say we’re not friends. Mission accomplished.”

“So you’ll stop Ben from seeing me?”

“Is that what this is about? I haven’t stopped him from doing anything. He’s an adult. What is your deal? Seriously? I mean, Ben cared about you once. He still does, from what he tells me.

There must be some redeeming qualities about you. But I’m really failing to see them right now.”

“Erin? What’s going on?”

She turned to see Ben approach.

“I don’t know. I was just asking Caroline that right now, but she seems unwilling to answer me clearly.”

“Maybe we should all go upstairs.” Ben put his arm around Erin’s waist.

That was the last thing Erin wanted. She just wanted to go and take a bath, not play some passive-aggressive games with an ex-girlfriend.

At the same time, she didn’t want to upset Ben, so she sighed long and tired and walked toward the elevators.

Once inside she turned to Caroline. “Not to be rude, but as I said, I’ve had a very crappy day.

Why don’t you talk to Ben and deal with whatever is bothering you. I’m going to take a long bath.”

She tried to turn and go down the hall, but Ben was on her in three steps. “What is wrong? Did she say something?’

“I’m not having a good afternoon. I don’t want to deal with this. I don’t have the energy. I spent the morning in an assault trial. I got into a fight with Todd. I went to work, dealt with my friend who was upset. Came home and your ex is waiting in my lobby wanting to talk to me behind your back. I’m very tired and I need to be away from people right now. Deal with her and get her out of my house.”

He touched her cheek, drawing his thumb over her lips. “I’m sorry it was a shitty day. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Bring liquor and be naked.”

He grinned. “Of course.”

Ben watched her retreat into their bedroom and close the door. He took a deep, calming breath and turned back to Caroline, who was busily taking in the place.

“What’s going on? I thought you went back home. Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see her. Is that a crime? I’m back in Seattle to check on my dad. They’re taking the cast off his hand and so I was downtown and I had the address.”

“It’s not a crime, but it’s not normal. You’re a bit past the wanting to check out the new woman stage, aren’t you? In any case, I don’t like that you’ve gone behind my back.”

“She said that too. I like her. She puts you first. I’m going to go. I really didn’t mean to upset her. It sounds like she had a bad day. I should have called first. She’s right. Do you think we could have dinner before I go back home? Bring Erin and Todd too, if you like.”

“I don’t know. Caroline, you don’t understand her at all. She’d never stop me from having dinner with you if I wanted, but she takes our relationship really seriously. If she feels you’ve tried to go around that, you may have done permanent damage here.”

“I’m sorry. I was here and I just, I missed you. I wanted to see her with my own eyes, this woman you speak of like you never did of me.” She looked up at him and he shook his head.

“Get out. You don’t get to do this.”

“I wasn’t coming on to you. I wouldn’t do that. Not to you and not to her. We were close once. I miss that.”

He went to the door and opened it. “You need to go. I’m not joking. I understand what you did. I understand why you did it. But it’s not okay. I love her. I love what we have together and she gets me like no one else. Not you, not Todd, not Greg, not my family—
no one
has accepted me and understood me like Erin. I choose her well-being over anything else. You have to go.” She looked sad, but she nodded and went into the hallway. “I am sorry. I really didn’t mean to cause all this upset. I just wanted to check her out, see if I had any competition should I want you back. Stupid, I know. But I’m sorry.” She raised a hand and walked away.

He shut the door, not watching her a moment more. Only seeing the lines around Erin’s eyes.

He knew about the fight. Todd had shown up, really pissed off, and they’d talked it over. Ben had left work in his hands and decided to come home a little early. The workmen would be packing up next door in a few minutes, but they’d leave through there anyway. He and Erin were alone, and that’s what counted.

He grabbed a bottle of tequila, a big bottle of water and a shot glass, and headed toward their bathroom.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and his heart broke. He took his clothes off, settled in behind her in the tub and poured her a shot.

He took one himself and put his arms around her. He didn’t say anything for some minutes. She needed the silence, he knew.

Instead he massaged her shoulders and scrubbed her back. He rinsed her and she turned, on her knees.

“Baby, I hate to see you so sad,” he said before she brushed her lips across his.

“I’m all right. I just needed the silence for a while. I just needed to not be responsible for anyone’s anything. Thank you.”

He stood, helping her out and then drying her off. She patiently let him take care of her before taking his hand and following him into their bedroom.

“How about a fire?”

She nodded as she got into bed and he hit the switch. Instantly, the room lit with a golden glow.

“Takeout?” He looked at the clock. “Todd will be leaving in a few minutes. I can have him stop on his way home.”

She nodded again and he went to the phone. Todd heard the request, asked if she was all right and sounded relieved when Ben said yes. He said he was leaving then and would be home as soon as possible.

Ben turned back to her and slid into bed, holding her.

Finally, he spoke. “I’m sorry you had a shitty day. I’m sorry about the fight with Todd and I’m sorry about Caroline.”

“It was a stupid fight with Todd. He wanted me safe and got all macho. I needed to be alone and pushed him away. He got snitty, I got bitchy. It’s fine, I’m sure. You all wouldn’t stay around if you couldn’t handle bitchy.”

He smiled. “Plucky. Sassy. Independent. Not bitchy. Not most of the time. Although you hog the chocolate gelato when you’re PMSing.”

“As for Caroline, I don’t have a problem with you having dinner with her or whatever. I don’t like this
let’s talk without Ben around
business. She barged into my life at precisely the wrong time and she wouldn’t just spit out why she was here, although I have a good idea.” He kissed her forehead and adjusted his body to look into her face. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

“Ben, Ben, Ben. So very pretty but not very sharp sometimes. Your little Caroline wanted to see me so she could gauge how easy it would be to maneuver back into your life. Now, she may not really want you back. She left you easily enough before. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Stupid cow. But she’s one of those girls who may not really want that piece of cake but they don’t want anyone else to have it either. For all her talk about being poly and oh so progressive and free, she’s full of shit. And I’m in the music industry, I can spot someone who’s full of shit a mile away. She wanted to talk to me to propose a little foursome action. Oh, she’d invite us to a club like the Spot or something, a way to get us all into position, and she’d make her play. Only, the thing she misses is that it takes more than big tits to be yours. If that was the case, you’d
be
hers.” She slid a hand up from his belly to his heart. It was disconcerting to hear her be so frank and be so fucking right all at once.

“You see, I
know
you. I know you deep inside. I care about all of you. I want to understand you.

I’m not with you for your magical cock, although I do enjoy it. I’m with you because you’re like a wish come to life. She didn’t love you. Not really. But I do, and because of that, she’ll never have you the way I do. I’m not jealous, I’m just annoyed she wasted my time and yours.” He kissed her, feeling laid bare before her.

“You have Todd. You’d have been happy without me.” And there it was. She’d pulled his deepest fear from him without asking, without prying. Because he trusted her.

She looked at him carefully, not jumping to answer and deny off the bat. “Yes. I do have Todd, and yes, I’d have been happy without you. I
was
happy without you. But that was before you stepped into our lives and now that you’re here, I
wouldn’t
be happy without you. It’s not Ozzie and Harriet, but it’s us and it works.”

She knew just what to say. He was defenseless. If she wanted to hurt him, she could do so very easily. But he knew she wouldn’t. That last bit he’d been holding back, that small knot of fear, of feeling on the outside, loosened and fell away.

He rolled on top of her and she opened to him easily, wrapping her legs around his waist as he slipped inside.

“Already wet.”

“We’ve established I like you.” She smirked up at him.

“Good. But if this is how you are with everyone you like, I’m concerned.” He set an easy rhythm.

“Ah, but I don’t like too many people. You’re safe. My pussy’s virtue is safe.”

“I love you. It doesn’t matter what Caroline wanted today. She can’t have it.” She arched, rolling her hips to take him deeper. “I love you too. And I know.” He laughed and continued to fuck into her until a pretty flush built from her breasts up her neck.

He bent to lick, tasting salt and woman against the heated column of her throat.

“Would you like to come?” he murmured, kissing up her neck, stopping just below her ear.

“Yes.” She swallowed hard and whimpered when he swirled his tongue in that supersensitive spot.

“Touch yourself.”

She reached in between them, and he felt her forearm muscles cord as she began to work her clit.

He wouldn’t be long once she started this. First it was ridiculously hot and made him want to blow every time she did it, and second, her cunt was utterly irresistible when she climaxed. Hot, wet and tight, those inner muscles rippling around him until he couldn’t take it.

But really, it was the intimacy they’d shared that had pushed him so far to start with.

When she gasped and her eyes went desire-blurred, he felt his own orgasm rush from the tips of his toes and fingers straight to his balls and deep into her body.

He’d just kissed her and rolled off when Todd came home.

“I’m going to clean up really quick,” she said, rolling out of bed. “I’ll be back.” He watched her pretty, naked ass as she hurried into the bathroom.

Todd smelled the sex when he got to the doorway. He was hungry for her, hungry to reconnect and to know she was all right. Hungry to know
they
were all right.

“Hey,” Ben said from the bed, looking every bit as satisfied as he should.

“Hey, yourself.” Todd dropped the pizza and antipasti on the bed. “I’ll grab us something to eat on and be right back.”