Every Night: Romantic Suspense (The Brush of Love Series Book 1) Read online

  His tongue traveled farther, creeping close toward my entrance as my essence slipped from my body. I heard him swallowing. Eating. Feasting on my body as if it were his last meal. His large, strong hands hooked around my legs, pulling my body closer to him as my back began arching from the bed. I could hear the rain pummeling the roof as my toes began to curl. It was as if I were his bow, and he was restringing my body. His tongue pulled me tighter and tighter, arching my breasts closer and closer to the heavens as lightning streaked across the sky again.

  I felt his tongue slip deep into me, pressing against walls that hadn’t been touched in years. The moment the thunder cracked across the sky my body released itself, pouring years of pent-up frustrations, failures, and emotions out onto his lips as he slurped me up and gobbled me whole.

  I managed to choke out his name as my hands wove tighter into the sheets of my bed.

  My body shook and tightened. My legs convulsed and curled. My toes cramped, and stars burst behind my eyes, and not once did he come up for air until I finally gasped for mine. His hands slid up my ass, digging into my lower back as he helped me lower my body to the bed. I could smell my scent wafting in the electric air around us as the wind whistled by the window.

  I had come undone against this man’s body, and I wasn’t ready to let him go yet.

  His lips were on mine in a heartbeat as my hands flew to his hair. His hips descended between my legs as I felt him fill my body with his presence, my toes curling as his hands wrapped around my body. He pulled me up, situating me on his lap as he sat back and held me close to him, and for a second we both sat there.

  Attached to one another as his fingers slid skillfully up and down my neck.

  “Look at me,” he said.

  My eyes opened and found his gaze as his hands slid to the middle of my back. His eyes drew me in, holding onto my ambitions and my hesitancies as he slowly lowered me back to the mattress. I could feel him pulsing inside of me, pulling from me sensations that caused me to gasp and squirm underneath him.

  I felt his hands run down my arms and interlock our fingers before he sensuously drew them over my head.

  “Bryan,” I whispered.

  “Hailey,” he said.

  Suddenly, I felt him roll his hips. An endless cycle of electricity that could’ve rivaled the lightning crackling the sky. My legs shook for him, spreading themselves wider as they tried to accompany the intrusion my body hadn’t sought out in years. I could feel him moving within me, stoking fires that had long since burned out as his eyes stayed hooked onto mine. Not once did his gaze falter as my lips began to part, panting with a slow-growing pleasure as his forehead descended onto mine.

  Not a word was exchanged between the two of us as his rhythm gradually picked up.

  I met him thrust for thrust, our bodies pushing and egging each other on as we crept toward our end. The thunder crashed and the lightning pierced the sky, threatening to tear down the walls that kept us separated from the world outside.

  Little did that storm know, we’d already torn down the walls that separated us from one another.

  We panted and writhed. Moaned and gasped. His hands pinned my wrists above my head as his lips descended into the crook of my neck. I hooked my legs around him, pulling him closer as he drove deeper and deeper into the wetness my body created for him. I opened my neck to him as he bit down, sucking and licking. His teeth on me made me shiver.

  Skin slapping skin filled the corners of my small apartment as the rain pounded harder and harder. Car alarms were being set off by the thunder as the windows rattled so hard, I thought they would break. My whimpers turned to moans, followed quickly by his grunts as we bucked wildly against one another, no longer caring about what we looked like or smelled like or tasted like.

  My arms tugged at his hands, wanting to hold him close as I approached the end I knew was quickly coming for both of us.

  “Please. Bryan. Please let go,” I said breathlessly.

  And like the gentleman he was, he released my wrists.

  My arms flew around his body, and I clung to his muscles as his arms surrounded my body. I moaned out his name, the thunder drowning us out as he called out for me. I buried my face into the crook of his neck as his sweat started to trickle onto my body, and soon, I felt him trembling, his hips beginning to stutter. Little by little, his feet were digging into my mattress, clawing away from any stability as he drove himself deeper and harder into my body.

  Never in my life had I felt so helpless and so in control all at the same time.

  He sank himself into me one last time, and that was all it took. My back bowed to him, like a guitar being tuned too tightly as my head dropped to the pillow. His name left my lips like a prayer as his mouth wrapped around my nipples, shivering me to a core that was convulsing with pleasure as I felt him fill my body. I could feel his pulsing. Trembling. His entire body pulled taut and his hands pressed into the curves of my back while he ground against my hips.

  Then we plummeted to my mattress, gasping for air as the storm finally began to recede outside. His strong body collapsed onto mine, covering me from the world outside as his chest panted against mine. I wove my arms around his body, drinking in every single inch of his rippling body as my legs slowly slid from around his waist. I felt him nuzzle into the crook of my neck, his body trying to shelter himself from the world in the comfort of my own skin before he slid off to the side.

  “The storm’s breaking up,” he said breathlessly.

  “I can tell.”

  “I think that was the exit moment I was waiting for,” he said.

  But still, he didn’t move.

  “If you’re tired, I mean, I could always just slip to the couch,” I said.

  “Or, I could just do this.”

  He slid his arm around me and pulled me into him as my leg slid in between his. The air around us was heavy with the secret of what had just occurred, and I smiled at him as he brushed the hair from my eyes. I could tell he was exhausted. I felt his arm trembling even as he tucked the hair behind my ear. I reached up and grasped his hand, bringing his fingers to my lips to kiss before I settled his palm against my cheek.

  “I think the storm will be gone for sure by tomorrow,” I said, grinning.

  “I think it might be best to wait until then, I suppose,” he said. “But you’re not moving to the couch.”

  I slithered my arms around him as I tucked my head up under his chin. Already, I could feel our bodies slipping off to sleep as he pressed a lazy kiss on the top of my head. His body was strong, and his arms made me feel safe. His legs kept mine warm, but he pulled the blankets up over our bodies. The thunder rumbled darkly in the distance, foreshadowing another round as I buried my body into his.

  “Then I won’t sleep on the couch,” I said.

  “Good.”

  The last thing I remembered was the wind picking back up and Bryan’s hands tracing designs with his fingertips on the small of my back.

  I could’ve sworn I recognized the pattern as I drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 17

  Bryan

  I had to go check in on a jobsite and make sure things were progressing all right. The string of storms that had drenched San Diego about a week ago left some of the jobsites needing to be dried out before we could work on them again. I got into my truck that morning and was ecstatic when I saw the crew out there getting stuff done. The homeless man I’d employed for this project looked to have cleaned himself up a bit as well, and that put a smile on my face.

  I parked my truck and got out to see if they needed anything. I had a few jobsites I needed to hit today before I could get over to the gallery, and I was secretly hoping no one needed anything today. The homeless man came over and gave me a hug, thanking me for pulling him from his corner a couple months ago. He talked to me briefly about how the money we were paying him helped put a roof over him and his family, and my heart filled with joy.

  The man kept going o
n about how thankful he was and how he wouldn’t have been able to get clean had it not been for the classes I was sending him to. I listened to his story intently as he spoke, and with each word that poured from his mouth, I was reminded of John. My brother could’ve benefitted from something like this if he had just been willing to take the help. But that was the thing about community outreach. You could give them all the tools they needed to succeed, but if they didn’t want to follow the rules or accept your help, there was nothing else you could do.

  I was elated this man who had a family to provide for was accepting the tools I was giving him.

  I walked around the jobsite when he was called back to work. I charted the progress and talked with a few of the workers. Then, I set off for the next one. I checked them all off one by one before I headed back to the office. I needed to drop this information off with Drew, so he could enter it into the system before he went home for the day.

  Then, it was time for me to head on over to the art gallery.

  As I got into my truck and began my trek over there, I couldn’t stop thinking about last week. The evening I’d spent with Hailey had been spectacular. She was easy to talk to, wonderful to look at, and warm to the touch. She was inviting and intense but in a fruitful way. She was passionate to her core and had such a giving soul.

  Waking up with her in my arms had been magnificent, and I’d thought about that many times since it happened.

  Hailey and I were seeing one another more frequently. We went out and had breakfast after waking up together, only for us to turn around and fall into bed again that night. I was officially seeing her more outside of the gallery than within it, and every single time we were around one another, our bodies gravitated toward each other. Never had a woman trembled in my arms the way she did. Never had a woman felt so soft and supple underneath my grasp. When I closed my eyes at night, she sank into my dreams. Every time I saw something pink catch my eye, I wondered if it was her.

  Last week had changed a great deal about our working relationship, and I was enjoying as much of it as I could.

  I got to the gallery and was disappointed when I didn’t see Hailey’s car there. She was probably busy with something in town, or maybe she had been struck with her muse and was furiously painting something in her apartment. Whatever the reason, I was seeing her tonight anyway, and the thought alone made me smile.

  “Round it up, boys. The boss is back!”

  “If you’re trying to make me feel good about this project, Duke, that isn’t how you do it,” I said, grinning.

  “Well, I wasn’t sure if you’d make it out here to check on things, so I figured I’d drop by,” he said.

  “Thanks. How’s everything going over here?” I asked.

  “It looks to be going well. The floor’s completely laid, and I gotta say, the black’s a nice touch. All the stuff for the outside of the building came in this morning, so we piled it up in a little back room right over there.”

  “That’s fine. We still on track for finishing this up by the end of July?” I asked.

  “Oh, yeah. If we keep having decent weather, we could probably wrap this up mid-July,” he said.

  “I don’t want to rush it if we don’t have to. So long as we’re wrapped up by the end of July, I’m good with elongating projects to make sure we do it right.”

  “Fine by me. These artsy types can be picky anyway. Gives us room for the client to change their mind,” he said.

  “Eh, not this client. She’s been with us every step of the way. So long as we paint her vision, she’ll be good.”

  “Whatever you say, boss.”

  “How’s the homeless crew coming? It’s the first time we’ve employed this many on one jobsite at once,” I said.

  “Actually, not so bad. We haven’t had a hiccup since that one you experienced your first day on the job. They’re all lookin’ really good.”

  “No problems? They’re all attending their meetings?”

  “Yep. I see their paperwork crossing my desk like it should.”

  “Wonderful. Well, I’ve got to head back to the office and punch some shit into the system. Call me if you need anything,” I said.

  “Will do, boss. Catch ya later.”

  I hopped back into my truck when my phone rang. I groaned when I saw my mother’s name scrolling across the screen, and then it hit me.

  I was supposed to have dinner with them tonight.

  “Hey, Mom,” I said as I pulled out onto the road.

  “Hello there, Bryan. I was wanting to confirm dinner plans with you tonight. We have a very special menu we think you will enjoy.”

  “Yep,” I said, sighing. “I’ll be there.”

  “Well, don’t jump and shout for joy,” she said mockingly. “We’ll see you at seven.”

  “See you then.”

  I sighed as I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the seat. That meant I wasn’t going to be seeing Hailey tonight. I needed to call her when I got back to the office, but I had a few things I needed to take care of first. I needed to make sure I shut myself down for the day before I dove into any personal plans.

  That was the deal I made with myself. If I struck this thing up with Hailey, work still came first.

  “Hey there, man,” Drew said. “What brings you to the office?”

  “Jobsite checkups,” I said.

  “Oh. Fun. Computer work. Yeah, I got the stuff punched in you sat on my desk this morning. You got more?”

  “Yep. Those were only half the job sites for the day,” I said.

  “Want me to do the rest?” he asked.

  “Nah. I got it.”

  “You remember how we used to pull fourteen- to sixteen-hour days on job sites. All by ourselves?”

  “Don’t remind me,” I said. “Those days were rough.”

  “Yeah. All the basic work was on us before we had the money to employ any help for the details,” he said.

  “How’s that second story project going?” I asked.

  “The house across town? Far as I know, it’s going all right. I’ll check in on it tomorrow. Want me to give ‘em a call, dude?”

  “Nah. Don’t worry about it. And since you’re going out to jobsites tomorrow, I’ll punch in the paperwork. Just drop it off here, and I’ll come in and do it,” I said.

  “Thanks, man. That really helps me out.”

  “Well, you helped me out today. It’s the least I can do.”

  “You know, you’ve been more relaxed lately. More willing to come sit behind a desk, which I know you hate doing. What gives?” he asked.

  “Honestly? It’s Hailey,” I said.

  “Ah, so you’ve seen her again since the night.”

  “Are we really calling it the night?” I asked.

  “Yes. I have it on my calendar. The night you ended your dry spell,” he said, grinning.

  “You’re a dick.”

  “And you gave her some.”

  “Shut up with that shit. Anyway, yes. We’ve seen each other a few more times since then.”

  “A few more times? It’s only been what? A week?” he asked.

  “Yeah. And we enjoy each other’s company. So what?” I asked.

  “Well, I’m happy for you. It’s about time you had something you enjoyed outside of work. Something to help you de-stress and feel like a man.”

  “Because wielding hammers, peeling off sheetrock, and operating heavy machinery doesn't make me feel like one?”

  “First off, your truck isn’t heavy machinery. And second, you know what I mean.”

  “I do, I do. But she’ll get tired of me eventually,” I said.

  “So, ride it out. Have fun while it lasts. It’s about time you took an interest in your personal life again, and I’m glad you’re finally giving yourself permission to do it.”

  “She’s a sweet woman, you know? Loves art. Hellbent on spreading nothing but beauty. Wants to spread that beauty in an area that isn’t already beautiful. She’s not damag
ed, not like I am.”

  “Dude, you’re not damaged.”

  “Dude, yes I am,” I said.

  “You’re really not. You hang onto shit like it’s your job, but you’re far from damaged. Everyone’s got their shit. She’s just really good at covering hers up.”

  “Or letting it go. Either way, she’s a refreshing breath of air,” I said.

  “That you dive into every night,” he said, grinning.

  “Seriously? We’re gonna be like that?” I asked.

  “Oh, come on. When things go south with you two, I won’t be able to get my shots in for another five years.”

  “See, even you think things will go south.”

  “Nope. Just goin’ off what you’re tellin’ me, man. I don’t think things will tank unless you keep telling yourself they will. Self-fulfilling shit and all that.”

  “How waxing poetic of you,” I said.

  “Look, you’re just looking for excuses. Everyone’s damaged in some way. If you stick around long enough, you’ll figure out how she got screwed over in her life and who hurt her somehow that changed her into the woman she is now. Everyone’s damaged. It’s just that those who advertise their damage allowed their issues to sink them.”

  “Or there are some who hide it better,” I said.

  “Whatever. The point is, don’t fuck it up with your bullshit ‘down on your own luck’ talk. You’re relaxed. You’re smiling more. You’re enjoying life. Let yourself enjoy the breaths of air you take.”

  “Speaking of, I have to call Hailey and cancel tonight,” I said.

  “Why? Dude, what the fuck were we just talking about?”

  “Calm down, asshole. I forgot tonight’s dinner with my parents.”

  “Ah, Satan and her husband. Way to go. Maybe you should take Hailey. They might turn into proper angels for an evening.”

  “It’s way too early to subject her to that bullshit,” I said.