Easton's Claim (Colebrook Siblings Trilogy Book 3) (14 page)

He skimmed his fingertips along her jaw, savoring the softness of her skin. “We both know it’ll be good.”

Her eyes opened, the pupils dilating in the dimness. They dropped to his mouth for a second before coming back to his and the desire and longing burning in them made his gut clench. “But does that make it worth the risk?”

He’d prove to her that it was. “Only one way to find out.” He bent his head and covered her lips with his, her swift intake of breath setting a match to the desire roaring through him. He slid a hand into her hair, his fingers bunching in the cool, silky strands as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.

Instead of pushing him away, Piper scooted up on her knees and gripped his head as she kissed him back, rubbing her tongue against his, her breasts pressed to his chest. The taste of her, the sweet scent of her perfume and the pliant curves of her body surrounded him in a sensual fog.

Giving into temptation for just a moment, he slid his right arm down until his hand met the curve of her ass. He spread his fingers, squeezed as he brought her pelvis flush with his thigh. She gasped into his mouth and shifted her stance, pressing closer. Close enough so that he could feel her heat through his jeans as he twined his tongue with hers.

Yellow light. Slow down.

Much as it killed him to stop and let her go, he had to. She wanted him, at least believed that he loved her, and that was a good start, but she was still fighting the rest of it and he didn’t know what the hell else to do except give her the space to make the choice herself.

If and when she came to him, it would be because she couldn’t stay away any longer. She had to give him her heart freely and on her own, not because of pressure, or it would never last.

And with Piper, he was playing for keeps. All or nothing, simple as that.

Gently disengaging from the kiss, he gazed into her heavy-lidded eyes a moment, then stood and offered his hand. “Come lie down with me so I can hold you.”

She stilled and watched him, all her emotions right there in her eyes. Hesitation, doubt. A need he was dying to satisfy but wouldn’t, not unless she gave him all of her.

He waited, unmoving, holding her gaze until the tension bled out of her shoulders. At last she put her hand in his, allowed him to pull her to her feet. Maybe things hadn’t gone according to his grand romantic plan, but he could still sweep her off her feet better than Greg had.

Sliding one arm around her back, he bent and tucked the other one beneath her knees, swinging her up into his arms. She let out a little squeak and then laughed, the happy sound flowing through him as she looped both arms around his neck and held on. “Don’t drop me.”

He stopped and looked down into her eyes. “I’d never let you fall.”

A slow, poignant smile curved her lips and he couldn’t resist tasting her. He kissed her slowly, heart thudding at the way she turned her face up to him, her mouth parting for the lazy stroke of his tongue.

Leaving her wanting more, he smiled to himself as he carried her through the door into the living room, through the kitchen and down the hall to his room. The covers were already turned back so he laid her down then crawled over her and lay on his side. He wrapped one arm around her ribs to pull her in tight to his body.

He was rock hard and aching but she didn’t wriggle away, and though he wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and slide into her warmth, he loved the feel of her settled against him like this. Soft and trusting.

He’d waited more than a decade for her, and now he was finally on the verge of winning her. No matter how hard it was, he had to be patient and let her come to him. It was the only way to claim her heart as well as her body.

It really does rain when it pours.

Piper sat next to Easton at the lead detective’s desk down at the police station the next morning and suppressed a tired sigh. She’d woken in Easton’s arms with a call saying that her storage unit had been torched sometime last night, so she’d had to come down here again.

“I’m sorry to say that everything in the unit was a total loss,” the detective said.

Piper’s heart sank when he slid an open folder across the desk to her and she saw what was left of her things. Nothing but blackened, charred piles of rubble where the bulk of her belongings had once been.

“They closed the door after setting the fire, and the metal insulated everything, making the fire hotter than normal. Three other units were destroyed as well before the fire crews were able to put it out.”

Most of her clothes, her books, her furniture and photo albums, including the pictures of her and her father. All gone. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed aside the sadness, telling herself it was just stuff, even though her heart didn’t believe it. “Is there any video evidence?”

The detective shook his head. “Whoever set it disabled the cameras at the entrance to the facility and the ones near your unit. It was well-planned. They bribed the security guard on site and broke into your unit, then set it on fire before they left.”

“Maybe they found whatever they were looking for.”

“Maybe,” he allowed, but his tone was doubtful.

“Was the guard charged?”

“Yes, and he’s been fired. After he confessed, he gave details about who bribed him. Description matched Gallant.”

“Any more word about Greg?”

“No, but we’re almost certain Brandon Gallant is behind this. He’s dangerous because he’s unpredictable. He just got out of prison, and he’s looking to make a name for himself. He has everything to gain by escalating the situation and using Greg’s life as leverage.”

Piper nodded. “I just want him found alive.”

“We’ll find him. Did you have a chance to go through the rest of your belongings in storage before last night?”

“Yes, Easton and I checked everything in the unit two nights ago, as well as the things in the shed at his family’s place. We didn’t find anything.”

“And still no idea what it is Greg might have hidden? If we knew, we’d have a better sense of what we’re up against.”

She shook her head. “I have no idea. He did a lot of bad things, but he never involved me directly in any of it. He didn’t tell me what he’d done because he didn’t want me to know what he’d been up to, and he didn’t want me implicated if it ever came to light. I think it was his backward way of protecting me.” She shrugged. “It could be anything.”

“They’ll find him,” Easton murmured, squeezing her hand.

She squeezed back, grateful for his solid, calming presence. This whole thing had exhausted her mentally and emotionally, but at least having Easton at her side made it a little easier to bear.

****

Hours later, she pressed a hand to her belly and took a slow, deep breath to quell the nerves buzzing there. All day long she’d thought about Easton and what tonight might bring.

Sleeping in his arms last night had cemented her decision about them. He’d done nothing but hold her, hadn’t even kissed her or touched her except to stroke her hair and her back. He probably didn’t realize it, but that simple act of intimacy had knocked down most of the wall she’d built around her heart.

She was still set on leaving for Minnesota, that part wasn’t going to change. She would never risk their relationship or her bond with his family over a fling, and he’d made it clear he wanted all or nothing.

And yet, she’d never forgive herself for walking away without giving them a shot. So she’d decided to see what happened if she did.

Taking this next step with him terrified her, but it was also the most exciting thing she’d had to look forward to in her entire life. She trusted him.

If she was honest with herself, she’d fantasized about him for months and she was done with feeling guilty about it. They were both adults, they cared about and respected each other, and there was nothing stopping them from getting together right now except her fears.

Her vivid, deep-seated fears and insecurity.

She pushed the thought aside. “Okay, I think we’re finally done here.” She wiped the back of her sleeve across her damp forehead and wrung out the mop in the bucket then paused to survey their work.

She and Easton had been here for the past four hours, giving everything a thorough deep clean while Wyatt and Austen worked out in her yard, mowing the lawn and tidying the garden beds. Tomorrow she would go through her things stored in the shed at the Colebrook’s and take inventory of what she had left.

For now, everything here was clean and re-staged, ready for showings she would start booking tomorrow.

“Good, because I’m starving,” Easton murmured, walking up to set a hand on her waist and draw her into his body for a slow, melting kiss that made her knees go weak. His clean, masculine scent drowned out the smell of vinegar and lemon that hung heavy in the air.

She nipped playfully at his lower lip, his short beard prickling her softly. “Me too, but I want a shower first, because I’m all sweaty.”

“I think you taste amazing all sweaty.” He raised his head, his eyes going heavy-lidded as he gazed down at her. “How about we eat first, then shower together after.”

She laughed. “I want the first time you see me naked to be slightly more memorable than me standing in the shower looking like a drowned rat.”

He stilled and leaned back a little to study her, his eyes alight with interest and understanding. “I’m gonna get to see you naked?”

“Maybe. If you play your cards right. But not until after I’m clean.”

“The idea of you naked and wet works really well for me. You got something else in mind?”

“You’ll have to see.” If her nerve held up.

The back door opened and Wyatt’s voice called out. “We’re done out here. You guys ready yet?”

“Yeah, we were just saying how hungry we are,” Easton said, holding her gaze. The heat smoldering there set off tingles inside her.

“Great, we’ll grab something to eat before you guys head back to the house.”

Easton raised an eyebrow at her in question. She shrugged and nodded. “Okay,” Easton called back. “Be out in a minute.”

He helped her put the cleaning supplies away then put her in his truck and it struck her again how even with everything that was happening, she felt totally safe here with him.

On the drive back to the house she reached for his hand and twined his fingers through hers. Easton was solid and protective, funny and sweet. He still had a bit of a wild streak and would probably always be an adrenaline junkie, but there was no way she was going to deny them both what they so desperately wanted.

They needed to be together tonight, and for as long as they had left, however long that may be.

Austen and Wyatt stopped on the way to the house to pick up pizza. Piper’s nerves dissipated quickly and by the time they arrived with the food, she was enjoying herself. She even laughed a few times at stories Easton told. It felt so damn good.

After dinner she showered while Easton took one in the house. Standing under the hot spray as she shampooed her hair, however, the nerves hit her all over again. Every doubt she’d ever had about crossing the line with him bombarded her and she fought them off one at a time. Her mind was made up. She was doing this.

She took extra time getting ready, blow-dried her hair, put on a little makeup and perfume before slipping into the one piece of lingerie she’d had at her house—a pale aqua satin slip trimmed with lace that came to her upper thighs.

Staring at herself in the mirror as she smoothed her hands down the sides of the cool, slippery satin, she balked. Every single insecurity about her body came back to hit her full force.

She was almost thirty-six and…rounded and soft instead of firm and taut. Nothing like the thin, fit women she’d seen Easton date in the past. Laugh lines etched the corners of her eyes and the crease in her cheek that had once resembled a dimple was now a definite wrinkle. Could he really want her when in the past he’d dated women who were her physical opposite?

Her heart pounded as she stood there looking at her reflection. If she walked out of here dressed like this, there was no turning back. Sleeping with him would change everything, and maybe not for the better. She refused to give him promises she didn’t intend to keep.

“Piper? You okay in there?” he called through the door.

She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
Just getting cold feet.

“All right.” His footsteps faded away toward the kitchen.

The momentary reprieve allowed her another minute to gather her courage. She tried for logic. They wanted each other and the attraction wasn’t going away. They’d also known each other for damn near twenty years.

No, wait. Don’t think about that.
She cringed as a picture of thirteen-year-old Easton popped into her head. “Not helping,” she muttered. “Not helping at all.”

Okay. She forced herself to meet her gaze in the mirror.
You’re a grown woman and you know what you want. So take it.

Yeah, that was better. This was Easton. She’d known him forever. He would be good to her, and he would never hurt her. At least not the way Greg had.

But what if this ruins everything?
She narrowed her eyes at her reflection. “And what if it doesn’t?” she countered, repeating Easton’s words to her yesterday.

Her heart beat faster as she thought of him out there, waiting. He had to know what would happen when she stepped out of the bathroom. Heat bloomed in her belly and her breasts grew heavy, the nipples tightening beneath the satin.

She’d lived her whole life trying to play it safe, to always maintain control, and look where it had gotten her. She wasn’t the same person as she’d been when she’d married Greg. Dammit, she deserved to be happy and have her needs met by a man who loved her.

Her courage rose and she focused on that thought, and on the man waiting for her outside this door. She was done holding back and letting fear and insecurity rule her life. Easton was out there and she was going after him. She wasn’t sure what would happen between them after tonight but she didn’t care—she needed him too much to turn down this chance.