Reckless (10 page)

              “Always the protective big brother.” Kelsey countered, further surprising Brianna.

              “Brother?” she asked.

              “Oh! He didn’t tell you about me.” Kelsey narrowed her eyes and punched Andrew in the arm.

              “Brianna and I just started seeing each other. We haven’t spoken about family just yet.” Andrew told her. Kelsey nodded her understanding.

              “I wonder what Lucian will think of you two dating. I mean, especially now.” Kelsey threw back a shot and shook her head.

              “It doesn’t matter what he thinks.” Andrew snorted again.

              Kelsey glanced at her watch and shook her head. “Well, it’s going to be one awkward dinner, then.” She said.

              It was Andrew’s turn to narrow his eyes at his sister. “Why?”

              “He didn’t want Bree to know, but he’s coming to join us for dinner tonight.” Kelsey blushed and turned to Brianna. “Sorry, Bree. He just really wanted to talk to you about something.”

              Andrew pulled her closer to his side and looked down at her. “You know my brother?” he asked.

              “I didn’t know you all were siblings. Kelsey’s last name is Davenport and Lucian is Spenc-“ she shook her head. “Oh.”

              How did she not see this one coming? They looked like brothers now that she’d thought about it. They had the same dark hair, dark blue eyes, and bad boy nature. They were both sexy as all get out, they both loved the taste of her, and they both touched her almost the same way. The only difference between the two was that she’d started fucking one after three days, and the other took a full three weeks to get into her panties, and that was by his own choice.

              “I don’t want to see Lucian. I’m going home.” She said. She turned to leave the restaurant and cursed. The devil walked in, along with his new fiancé. She’d heard about their engagement through Eleanor who was an avid reader of all gossip magazines.

              “Baby,” Andrew pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. She sighed and leaned into his broad chest. He made her feel safe in that moment and she appreciated him. “What did Lucian do to you?”

              “It’s a long story.” She murmured.

              “We’re definitely going to talk about it this weekend.” He told her just as Lucian and Samantha reached them at the bar.

              “Kelsey!” Sam put on her perky act and air kissed both of Kelsey’s cheeks. “And Drew. I haven’t seen you in months.” She purred.

              “On purpose.” He said, giving her the same level of fakeness she was dishing out to everyone else. It made Brianna smile.

              “Oh, Drew. You and your humor.” She hit his arm and looked at Brianna. “And who is this?”

              “This is my friend, Brianna.” He said, pulling Bree so that she stood in front of him. He gripped both of his hands on her waist as she reached out and shook Samantha’s hand.

              “Why do you look so familiar?” Sam asked. Bree shrugged her shoulders without a word.

              “I assume you have a table for us?” Lucian practically growled at Andrew. He was staring between Brianna and Andrew, and he looked extremely pissed off.

              Andrew noticed it and smirked a little. “Are you hungry sis? Sweetheart?” he asked her and Kelsey.

              “Oh, yeah.” They both said in unison.

              He grinned and wrapped his arm around her and Kelsey’s shoulders and led them to the back of the restaurant. Once they approached a thin black curtain, a hostess was standing there in her crisp black uniform.

              “Right this way, Spence.” She said, calling him by his preferred name.

              There was only one table behind the curtain. She could tell by the space that sometimes there was more, but tonight was just for Andrew and his unexpected guests. She could also tell that his staff was watching him and rushed to make sure that everything was ready just in case. Dinner was supposed to be just Brianna and Kelsey. Now they had a group.

              This was going to be really awkward.

Twenty One

              Lucian couldn’t stop staring at her. She was still the beautiful girl he’d seen in his hotel a few months ago. She had that biracial glow to her skin, her green eyes were shining with nervousness, and her usually curly brown hair was straightened. And that dress. He would kill to have an empty room where he could just pull her down so that she was straddling him, and have her ride him until he couldn’t see straight.

              He licked his lips remembering how she tasted. She was the sweetest thing that’s ever been inside of his mouth and he was dying for another taste of her. Samantha grabbed his hand under the table, pulling him from his lustful thoughts.

After taking drink orders, the waiter immediately brought his brother’s favorite bottle of wine to the table and poured a glass for everyone. He watched Brianna carefully. She probably didn’t want everyone at the table to know her condition. He certainly hadn’t. But he didn’t want her drinking either.

Drew had his arm draped casually behind Brianna’s shoulders and every now and then he’d lean in and whisper something intimately to her. He wasn’t supposed to get jealous, he really wasn’t, but he could feel that knot of anger starting at the base of his spine and moving upwards. He was going to be stressed out and angry for days unless he cornered her and finally spoke with her.

Then, she stood up, Drew standing with her to be polite. He pulled out her chair and pointed. She smiled gratefully and walked away from the table.

“Excuse me.” He said, standing abruptly. Both Samantha and Andrew narrowed their eyes at him, but he didn’t dwell. He rushed off to speak to Brianna.

He took a deep breath and walked into the ladies room. It was lucky for him that it was completely empty except for Brianna who was standing at a sink, looking into a mirror. Her face was troubled, and when she glanced over at him, she was horrified.

“What are you doing in here?” she demanded.

He couldn’t help himself, he marched over to her and kissed her. She kissed him back for a moment, and then she slapped him.

“Bree….” She slapped him again. He was about to close himself off to her, he could feel it. “You didn’t cash the check.”

She slapped him again, and that steel door that he used to make himself a bastard at work was starting to come down. Then he looked at her. Really looked at her. She was in tears. He stepped in to pull her into his arms, but she slapped him again.

“I hate you!” she cried, and then the dam burst. He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair.

“I know, baby. I know.” He whispered. She had to be all kinds of emotional with all the hormones happening inside of her.

“I’m just starting to get over you, over that week, and you just walk back into my life like it’s nothing. Like you belong here.” She sobbed.

“We’re connected forever now, Bree. You and me.” He said.

“And Samantha!” she spat.

“Baby-“

“No. Get away from me!” she pushed him away. “I don’t even know why I’m so upset with you. We just had a week together. We had some fun, we talked, you helped me through something really personal, and then your girlfriend comes home and you run off to marry her.”

“We’re not married.” He interjected.

“It’s not like we fell in love or anything. I mean, who falls in love in a week?” she sighed. “I had really strong feelings for you. And then when it was over, I thought I was going to be raising a baby alone.”

“I would never let that happen, Brianna.” He frowned. “That baby is just as much my responsibility as it is yours.”

She glared at him. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I want to be in her life.” He walked over and pressed a hand to her surprisingly flat belly. “I want my son or daughter. I love it already, Bree.”

Something flashed across her face and he saw her go from anger to something else. She softened toward him and he couldn’t help himself. He seized the moment. He kissed her again, his hand flat on her belly. He felt that instant connection he had with her. That spark. He didn’t have it with Samantha, and it was like a drug. He knew right then what he wanted. He wanted Brianna. She was bad for him. She was his baby sister’s friend. She wasn’t even in his class or on his level. But she was something so special that even his brother saw it and wanted it.

“Lucian, I’m-“

“Why are you with my brother?” he asked. “How did you even meet?”

“I work for Andrew. I didn’t know he was your brother.” She said.

“You’re going to quit work and return to Colorado with me.” He said.

“No, I’m not.” She frowned at him.

“Brianna, I don’t want you getting stressed out. My brother can be a real hard ass with his employees and you don’t need that while you’re pregnant.” He told her. “Besides, it’s clear to see that he’s interested in you personally. I don’t need him trying to fuck with you when you’re carrying my child.”

“I’m not carrying your child.” She said.

He wasn’t sure that he’d heard her correctly. “What?” he asked. He needed her to repeat herself.

“I’m not pregnant, Lucian.” She said.

“I don’t understand. There was a test…. You just said….” He stepped away from her, a little distraught.

“There was a test.” She admitted. “I went to the doctor to double check and it was a false positive. I’m not pregnant, and I thank God that I’m not. Life in the middle of you and your fiancé is not where I want to be.”

“I….Shit.” he didn’t know what to say. His heart was breaking.

“I need to get back out there.” She said, heading for the door.

He had no idea what came over him, but he stopped her. He pushed her against the wall and kissed her with everything that he had. She surprised him by kissing him back without slapping him. Before he knew it, he picked her up, slid her dress to her waist, and he was inside of her.

“Fuck!” he moaned. She felt exactly the same. Different from any other woman he’d been with. He wanted to savor her, take his time, but his body wouldn’t let him. He was so close and he didn’t want to be. Not yet. But when she bit her lip and threw her head back on a whimper, he knew that she was already there, her hot tightness milking him dry.

Without a word, she straightened herself out. She checked herself out in the mirror, reapplied her makeup, and ran a brush through her hair. When she was done, he opened the door and held it open for her. As they approached the table, everyone stopped talking and stared at them.

“Are you alright?” Andrew stood up and walked over to Brianna. She looked pale and a little sick. Watching the scene between his brother and his lover pissed him off.

She nodded and leaned into him. “We just needed to straighten out a few things.” She said, looking in his direction. “But, it’s over. For good.” He swallowed hard at her words.

That’s what she thinks.

Twenty Two

              She didn’t feel right about going out with Andrew, but he’d insisted that they talk. He’d picked her up in a beautiful Bugatti and they were speeding out of the city. The speed was exhilarating and when they hit a back road, she stuck her head and half her body out of the open top and let the warm wind hit her in the face.

              Ever since her encounter with Lucian in the restaurant’s bathroom, she felt like a raging slut. She was with both brothers on the exact same day. Within hours of each other. She definitely didn’t mean to, but when Lucian touched her, her body automatically reacted. It wasn’t something that she could help.

              The car slowed for a turn and then they were on a dirt road surrounded by trees. A few minutes later, they parked in a clearing where a helicopter was waiting.

              Rich men and their toys.

              A man opened her door and helped her out of the car before Andrew took her hand and led her to the helicopter. He helped her buckle in before settling into his own seat. Then he motioned for the pilot to take off.

              “Where are we going? I thought we were just going to have dinner.” She said.

              “We are.” He smiled. “I know this quaint little place in Virginia and I want to introduce you to some people.”

              She grinned. He seemed so excited to take her somewhere. He was like a little school boy despite the hip hugging black jeans and black t-shirt he was wearing that made him look like a dark angel.

              When they landed in Virginia, she fully expected for them to head to a restaurant. Instead, the driver pulled into someone’s driveway. The house wasn’t big or fancy at all. It looked like a regular house in a regular neighborhood full of regular people.

              The door opened and a little African American girl ran outside and straight into Andrew’s arms.

              “Uncle Drew!” she screamed and laughed when he growled and surrounded her sweet little face with kisses.