All the Broken Pieces: (Broken Series Book 3) (14 page)

“Is it true? Are you leaving?”

She nodded her head, looking around at the room she and Teach had shared. “Yeah, honey, I am. I need to get away from this place for a while, from the memories. I can’t think here. Your uncle’s sweet face greets me at every turn and it hurts so much. I need to be somewhere so I can figure out what I’m going to do.”

“But aren’t you going to stay here and keep working at the realty office?” My voice sounded small, like a frightened child. I didn’t know how to be here alone.

“I don’t know yet, sweetie. Handling the office just seems like too much now, but that may change once I’m back on my feet. I’ve got someone taking over things for a while until I make up my mind.” She sat on the cedar chest at the foot of the bed, motioning for me to take a seat beside her. When I did, she reached for my hand and pulled it into her lap. “Lauren, you know I loved living here with your uncle; this place was everything we wanted. The office, the diner, this house… it was all our dream. But without him…” She sniffed and blinked a few times before squaring her shoulders and looking at me earnestly. “I don’t know if I want those things without him. The office can be handed over to another realtor. The house is paid for, so it’s not going anywhere and you can stay here as long as you like. It’s your home, too.”

“And Teach’s diner? What happens to that?” I understood Mar’s pain, really I did, but the idea of that diner being sold off made my stomach drop.

“That’s up to you, darling girl.” She patted my hand fondly.

“Why me?”

“Because it’s your diner now. He left it to you.”

The enormity of what she said shot through me like an electrical shock. My whole body froze up, my breath caught in my chest, and tears immediately pooled in my widened eyes. “He what?” My voice was an uneven croak.

“He wanted you to have the diner. He said it gave you purpose and made you happy, so it had to go to you. No one else would honor it the way he knew you would.” Her voice cracked as she spoke of her lost husband.

I hugged her so tight I worried I might break her, but she gripped me back just as fiercely, whispering into my hair. “He loved you more than anything in the world, honey. You weren’t his niece, you were his daughter, the only child he ever had and the only child he ever needed. You made him proud. And I know you’ll continue to make him proud even now because, no matter how much any of us loved him, we all knew you loved him most.”

I lay my head on her thin chest and cried for the longest time, stopping only when she spoke to Brant, reminding me of his presence.

“Mr. Matthews, come in here please, so I can see you better.” She called softly, sweetly.

He did as she asked, stepping into the room and immediately coming over to rub a hand over my back. “Yes, ma’am?”

She kissed my forehead as I drew away, wiping at my face in embarrassment. “You take care of this girl for me while I’m away, you hear? I know she can do it on her own, but that doesn’t mean she has to, now does it?”

“No, ma’am, it sure doesn’t.”

“Good. I’m glad we understand each other.” She smiled up at him, motioning for him to help me up. “Now, I’m going to finish packing before my sister has a conniption fit. Heaven forbid we leave five minutes later than she wanted.” She stood behind me and opened her arms, inviting me in for a goodbye hug.

I made it as brief as I could, knowing a moment too much would cause me to break down all over again. When I stepped away, she turned to Brant with the same open arms and wide smile. He didn’t hesitate, just stepped in and gave her a gentle hug, looking concerned that he might break her with those strong arms of his.

Seeing them embrace like that was the most beautiful thing I’d seen in a long time.

•••

Two hours later, Marilee was gone, piled into the granny mobile with Bonnie and on her way to Bonnie’s Kentucky farm for God only knew how long.

I stood on the front porch, waving until the car was out of sight. When they were gone, I turned to find Brant watching me, eyes full of concern.

“You’re coming back home with me.” His tone was firm, brokering no argument.

Too bad for him I intended to argue anyway. “I can’t do that, Brant. I have to stay here.”

“No, you don’t have to stay here. There’s no one here to protect you.”

I waved a hand in the direction Marilee had gone. “And two seventy year old women were like living with the Green Berets?”

“No. I would have taken you home with me whether they were here or not. Are you forgetting that your stepfather was here today? Not just at the diner but here in this house? And now you honestly think I’m going to leave you here alone when that bastard is out there somewhere? Not. Fucking. Happening.”

The hell?

He’d never gotten all bossy on me like that before. It was my nature to bristle at his tone, his assertion that I couldn’t take care of myself. Everything about what he said should have pissed me off and would have if it was anyone else. I couldn’t get mad at him, no matter how much I wanted to. The only feeling I could muster was shame. Because I couldn’t go with him, couldn’t stay at his cabin because I needed those damn locks on the door to sleep.

“I already have a room ready for you, Lauren.” His voice was softer now, more like himself. “I even added locks to the guest bedroom door. The same amount and types you have here.”

Another wave of shame washed over me, accompanying the fresh tears welling in my eyes. “Why? When did you do that?”

“The day after I first saw your room here.” He reached for my hand, looking worried that he’d upset me. “I just wanted you to have somewhere to go if being here with Bonnie got to be too much.”

I stood there for the longest time, just looking into his eyes, trying to figure out how the hell I had gotten so lucky as to find a friend like him. He didn’t expect anything from me, had added the locks without a word and waited to see if I would need him, which it turned out I did. The thought of being in that house, without Teach, without Marilee, and with Isaac’s presence sucking the oxygen from the place… I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be there.

“Okay, Weirdo, you win. I’ll go pack some things. Call Spencer and ask if he and Talia can bring the truck to your cabin, okay? I want to get out of here as fast as possible.” I told Brant, making my way toward my room. I could do this. I just needed a few things first.

“Already on it.” He called behind me. “And Lauren?”

I turned back, brushing my hair from my face to see him better. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for trusting me. I won’t let you down.”

Before I could reply, he stepped onto the porch, phone in hand.

That didn’t stop me from whispering, “No, Brant… thank
you
.”

•••

“You could have brought more stuff than this, you know.” Brant easily pulled my heavy suitcase from the trunk, scowling at the two tiny cases still inside. “Seriously, are you sure you have enough to last at least a week? Because there’s no need to continually have to go back to your place to get stuff. You have a huge closet here.”

I shook my head, laughing. “I’m not moving in forever, Weirdo. Just for a few days while we figure out the Isaac thing.” Just saying his name made me shudder, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“That could take some time. And I don’t want you going back to Teach’s place without me, not even a quick stop to get clothes or whatever, okay?” He phrased it as a question but his tone said it was more of a command.

I snagged my messenger bag from the trunk, slamming the lid closed with a huff. “Whatever you say. But I think you’re being silly.”

He stopped, snaring me with a look. “Do you remember what happened in that parking lot today? And that was just from him showing up and speaking to you. I will
not
see you hurting like that again. I don’t think either of our hearts can take that.” Without another word, he turned and trudged up the walkway toward the entrance located under the carport.

I followed along in silence.

•••

The cabin was gorgeous. The basement housed a small indoor pool and even smaller sauna room. The first floor was the living area, complete with pool table and big screen TV. Both bedrooms were on the second floor, each with en suite bathrooms and king-size beds. All in all, it was perfect.

Brant walked me through the various rooms, commenting on the upgrades he was planning to do while in residence. Kitchen overhaul, repairs to the covered porch off the back of the cabin, replacing the drywall in the living room, lots of little things that he said the owner hadn’t had the time or funds to get repaired. Busy work, he called it. Stuff to keep him from being bored on the days he wasn’t needed on the Milly’s Mountain build site.

When we got to the second floor, he took me into the room to the left, directly across from his room and only separated by a narrow hallway. Once inside, he sat my suitcase on the bed and turned to show me the locks he’d installed. He closed the bedroom door and demonstrated the strength of each one, patiently going through the process of locking and unlocking every single one. When he was finished, he nodded to the dresser to the left of the door and winked. “This one will be easier to move, no carpet to fight against. And I already checked, sliding it won’t scuff the floors, so don’t worry about that.”

Before I realized what I was doing, I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my mouth to his in a searing kiss. Touching him, holding him against me and kissing him ignited a spark of desire so strong it was all I could manage not to tear his clothes from his body and ride him right there.

He moaned into my mouth after a moment, the shock wearing off and morphing into need. His arms locked around my waist and lifted me, crushing me against his chest as my legs instinctively wrapped around him. My hands raked through his hair, tugging and stroking until I was satisfied with my grip. I grasped the hair at his nape and yanked, pulling his head back until he met my eyes, his lips swollen from our kisses. When I was sure I had his attention, I flicked his lower lip with my tongue and muttered against his mouth, “I want you inside me. Now.”

His eyes roved the luggage covered bed for a moment then fell on mine, hooded with lust as he spun us and opened the door, striding across the hall with me still wrapped around him like a cat. He kicked his bedroom door shut behind us and immediately walked us over to the bed. “You sure about this?” His breath came in heavy surges, his voice a low growl. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him but I knew one word from me would stop things there and then, no questions, no argument. He only wanted it if I did.

And damn if that wasn’t the sexiest thing ever.

“Yes. Please, Brant. I need you.”

He lowered me to the bed and covered my body with his, one hand working to pull his shirt over his head. “Okay, baby.” His voice was soothing, sweet even. A stark contrast to the smoldering look in his eyes. “I’m here to give you whatever you need.”

His words should have been sensual, but as he lowered himself over me I found myself wanting to cry.

•••

Sometime later, we lay under the ultra-soft covers of his king-size bed. Brant was on his back, his slow even breathing making me think he was near sleep. I was at his side, not quite lying on his shoulder but close enough that I could touch his skin with my lips with little effort. It wasn’t a snuggle. Just cozy.

And scary.

Something about what had just happened between us was unsettling. Sure, the sex was phenomenal, and I’d enjoyed myself more than I ever had with anyone before, but something in Brant’s demeanor was plaguing me. He was into it, very much so in fact, but there was this look on his face now and then that bothered me. Maybe it was because I didn’t let him make me come. When I knew he was getting close, I had pushed him onto his back, divested him of the condom, and taken him into my mouth to finish him off while I used my fingers to bring myself to orgasm. It had been hot but I knew from his expression that he felt cheated out of making me come. I had never let a man do that for me, never handed that power over to anyone, and I wasn’t sure I could.

This was why I didn’t do repeat performances.

One and done. My motto all these years had served me well.

But with Brant…

Fuck. I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t have done this to him again; shouldn’t have used him this way. And now, on top of everything else, he probably thinks he did something wrong because I didn’t let him get me off.

“You okay?” His husky voice cut through my self-chastising.

“Yeah.” I kissed his shoulder. “Are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” There was something about his tone that said he wasn’t.

I raised up on my elbow, looking down into his flawless face. “Because something feels off between us now. And I feel like it’s my fault. Like I shouldn’t have started this again because it’s not fair to you.”

He reached up and toyed with a strand of my hair as it hung near his face. “I told you before, I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

“But?” I gave him a pleading look. “Please tell me. I can’t stand the thought of something broken between us.”

“Nothing is broken, sweetheart.” He glanced away a moment and I thought he wasn’t going to answer. I waited him out and eventually he met my eye again. “I’d just like this to have happened because you
wanted
to and not in reaction to something else.” He sat up, mirroring my position so that we were face to face. “I understand why it happened, both times you needed to feel in control again and I get that, I really do, but I want you to actually
want
me. I want you to crave
my
touch not just to
be
touched. I want you to let me make you feel good instead of stealing that moment from me and bringing out your own orgasm. I know that you aren’t maliciously using me as some at-the-ready sex toy—though I do make a damn good one of those, too —” he winked, letting me know he wasn’t angry. “And I really don’t mind being used. For a while. But eventually, Lauren…” He searched my face, lifting a hand to graze my cheek with his knuckles. “I’m going to want more. I’m content with touching your body, for now. But I hope to someday touch your heart, as well.” He took my hand and placed it on his chest, covering it with his own. “The way you’ve already touched mine.”