How to Handle a Heartbreaker (25 page)

“No.”

Her hopes dashed.

“I said
love
. As in, present tense. You writers need to pay attention to that shit.”

“Nice mouth.” Her pulse pounded. “All this decoration, the hot cocoa, the massage. Flynn and Maddie aren’t coming home, are they?”

“Nope.” He grinned, and the wicked look he shot her had her taking a sharp breath. “They’re in Snoqualmie for the weekend. Vanessa’s with friends. It’s just you and me.” He paused. “Well, you and me and Mutt.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll get to that in a bit. You just relax and enjoy this foot rub.”

She was touched he had gone to so much trouble for her. But she didn’t trust his turnaround. “Brody, you don’t have to tell me what you think I want to hear. I want you to be happy. And I’ll miss you, but you need to be—”

“I saw Jeremy the other day. Went for a walk with him and talked.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. He’s changed a lot. He’s not a bad guy. I mean, he was a dickhead for doing what he did to me. But a lot of it was drugs and Alan.” He continued to rub her feet but maintained eye contact. “I told him I’d never forget what he did.”

Her heart sank.

“But I forgave him. And I felt lighter for it.”

She smiled. “I’m proud of you.” When he flushed, she fell deeper in love with him.

“Thanks. But you’re the one I’m proud of. You didn’t take my bullshit excuses. You kept going even when your family dissed you. And you live with Vanessa, which is some scary, scary shit to deal with on a daily basis. I think she might have made Cam cry the other week.”

She laughed. “Brody, stop. No, not the foot rub. I mean, you’re kidding me.”

“Maybe. With Cam, who knows?” He put one foot back and attended to her other one. “So tell me. Are you busy today? What were you planning?”

“I was thinking about a nap and hot chocolate, but this foot rub is so much better. And the hot chocolate was superb.”

“You didn’t finish it all.” He nudged her cup. “Drink up.”

“Why? Is it drugged?”

“For God’s sake.”

She crossed her eyes at him and drank the cocoa as he moved from the couch and neared the tree.

She glanced at it in appreciation. “The tree is gorgeous.”

“It should be. Maddie oversaw the decorations while General Vanessa ordered Flynn, me, and Cam around like monkeys.”

“You did all this for me?” She still couldn’t believe it.

“Well, mostly. I think Maddie did a lot of it for herself as well, because she made sure only the prettiest, classiest decorations were used. We took the good stuff, like the big blinky lights, to Mike’s. Colin’s in heaven.”

She grinned, so happy she wanted to burst. But she couldn’t let him off the hook that easily. “This is so nice. Really special. But—”

“Hold that thought.” He dug behind the tree and pulled out Maddie’s earrings. “This is for you.”

She snorted. “That’s really sweet of you, but I don’t think Flynn’s going to appreciate you giving me Maddie’s gift.”

“Just open it, smart ass.”

“But we haven’t talked about you ditching me. Again.”

“I’m getting to that. Stop being difficult, woman. Open the damn box,” he growled.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Smiling at his anxious face, she unwrapped the package, lifted the lid, and stared down at the glittery diamond studs she’d coveted for some time.

“Put them on.”

She bit her lip and looked into his eyes. “But…”

“Abby, please.”

Not sure she liked this game anymore, she put the earrings on and felt like a million dollars.

Brody whistled. “They sure do sparkle, don’t they?”

“I want to see them.”

“First, read the card.”

Her heart racing, she reached into the box and pulled out the card, one she hadn’t seen when she’d picked up the already wrapped package.

“Read it out loud,” he murmured and moved next to her on the couch.

“Dear Abby.” Her eyes widened. “I’m sure you could write this much better than me. But I wanted you to have this apology along with the earbobs. (Your word, not mine.) I love you, Abby. I have for a while, but I was too scared to tell you. I still think you’re too good for me, but I’m nothing without you. I miss you so damn much, and the thought of not having you in my life makes everything dry as dust. So gray. So blah without you. I see these diamonds, all the color and sparkle, and I think of you. Because you bring this to my life. I may be a cheat, a liar, and a bunch of other things I’m never going to tell you about, but I’ll always be true to you. I love you. And I really, really want you to come live with me. If you play your cards right, you could be the lucky Mrs. Brody Singer. Unless, of course, you strike it rich. Then I’m okay to take your last name. Brody Dunn has a nice ring to it too. Love, Brody.”

She stared at the note, unable to believe what she’d just read.

“You okay? You look pale.”

She glanced at him to see him looking worried.

“What? Was it my grammar? I had Cam help with the wording a little, but he’s better with numbers, you want my opinion.”

“Do you mean this?” she whispered and clutched the note to her heart, the box forgotten.

He pulled her into his arms and smiled. “Every word. Especially the part about you striking it rich. I want it known I’m marrying you for your money and your body, but not in that order.”

He kissed her before she could blink, and she settled into his arms with a long, satisfied sigh.

He broke away, breathing hard, and cleared his throat. “There’s just one or two more things we need to clarify.”

“Yeah?”

“I come with baggage. It’s me and the dog. You take me, you take Mutt. Which leads me to my last gift. It’s upstairs.”

She followed him up, holding his hand, and saw a trail of rose petals at the top of the stairway.

“Oh Brody.” He remembered. All her talk of what she wanted in a romantic gesture. A massage, making her cocoa, the rose petals. She had to blink back tears.

She walked along the trail into her bedroom, where Mutt sat with a bright red bow around his neck. He’d been scrubbed and groomed and looked like a brand-new dog. Almost. He had a sock hanging out of his mouth, which the candles all over the place draped in romantic doggie shadow.

“Damn. Sorry. Thought I’d scrubbed the room for potential disaster. Mutt, drop.” The dog spat out the sock but didn’t look the slightest bit sorry. His tail thumped so hard on the floor she feared he’d damage himself. “Okay, Abby. It’s time. Give him his name.”

She smiled at the dog and the man. “Don’t you want to know if I’ll say yes to everything?”

“I’m not asking. That way you can’t say no.”

She heard the teasing, as well as the anxiety he tried to hide.

“Hmm. How about if I don’t say anything? I’ll name the dog, keep him and you, and after our long engagement, to make sure you know what you’re getting into, then I’ll say yes. On our honeymoon.”

He scratched his chin. “That’s not how I’d planned this. But you throw in a few orgasms and it’s a done deal.”

She laughed and threw herself at him. He caught her and twirled her around, and Mutt danced beside them.

“God, Abby. Don’t do that to me. You can’t say no. I need you like crazy. I’m out of cookies.”

“Big baby.” She kissed him, but before she got lost in the kiss, she pulled away. “I have his name. I’ve had it for a while, actually. It suits his personality.”

“Terrific. But you’ll have to tell me after. Now for the last part of the evening.”

She arched a brow in question.

“Go into your bathroom across the hall. There’s something waiting for you. Put it on.”

She left him and the dog behind, both watching her with love in their eyes, and found a sheer rose-colored nightie on a hanger over the shower bar. It had spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. And to her delight, it fit her like a glove. Had to be Maddie’s doing.

She undressed and put the nightie on, which barely covered her ass when she moved. In the mirror, she saw her bright eyes, her shiny diamond earrings, and her entire body exposed by the see-through lingerie.

Walking quickly back to the room, she entered to find Brody wearing a thick robe. Mutt was nowhere in sight.

“He’s in Vanessa’s room. Don’t worry, it’s okay. I cleared it with Her Highness before today.”

“That must have taken some serious bargaining.”

“Well, I owe her my firstborn. And there was something about spinning bales of straw into gold later on. But I’ll handle that when we get to it.”

Abby laughed, so in love she never wanted the feeling to end. “I love you, Brody. With all my heart.”

“Me too, Abby. I love you.” He came closer and nuzzled her cheek. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m doing my damndest not to stare at your perfect breasts and pussy in that all-but-invisible gown. I’m trying to be romantic, but I can’t help wanting to fuck you until we both pass out.”

He drew her hand to the robe and parted it to expose his thick, heavy erection. When she grabbed him, he groaned. “Get on the bed and lie back. It’s my turn to play.”

***

Brody hadn’t known he could feel like this, so high he wanted to fly. She loved him. She fucking
loved
him. He hadn’t blown it after all. He owed Vanessa and Maddie big time. Their help in showing him what Abby liked made all the difference. She’d bought into the whole romantic setup. But more fool he, so had Brody.

“You look exactly the way you did on Halloween at the party.” He sighed and disrobed, loving her heavy-lidded gaze as it wandered over his body and centered on his cock. “Like a goddess.”

“Your goddess.”

“All mine.” He covered her, no longer able to wait for a kiss. He met her mouth, exchanged a breath, and found heaven in her embrace. The kiss started out sweet, tender, a promise made and kept. Moving in, marriage, everything. And she hadn’t said no.

“God, Brody. I want you so much. Feel.” She dragged his hand between her legs, and he loved her assertiveness. Especially when his fingers slid through warm, wet cream.

“I need a taste.”

“So do I.”

He swiftly turned around, not ready to concede his position on top. He lowered his face and pulled up her dress, in love with the design. Then he kissed her clit, sucking the taut bud and reveling in her gasp and moan as she put her mouth around him.

She sucked and licked his slit, and he fought against embarrassing himself by coming so soon. But Christ, he’d been without her for too long. He gave her less attention than he wanted, but he neared his end too quickly.

Brody pulled away from her and hurried to mount her. “Missionary just this once. Then we get really kinky.”

“Anything for you,” she breathed, then cried his name when he speared her with one smooth, firm thrust.

She felt tighter to him, and he felt harder than he’d ever been in his life. Their coupling was rough, demanding, and thorough. And over too quickly. He came just as she seized around him. Their bodies milked each other of pleasure, setting the room ablaze with satisfying belonging.

“Oh my God.” She panted under him, dwarfed by his size and utterly perfect. “I think you killed me.”

“Now, Abby. You know that’s only round one.” He grinned and nodded to the night stand. “Silk ropes and a blindfold. I figure we’ll save the nipple clamps for when we’re feeling not so romantic and more lusty.”

“Great. I can’t wait to see you wearing them,” she deadpanned, and they both laughed.

She toyed with his hair and after a moment, when he made no attempt to move or withdraw, she said, “I meant it about being engaged. I love you, Brody. I don’t want anyone else but you. Not even Rick.”

He took a moment to process, and then he growled, “Words like that can get you punished, dear fiancée.” He nipped her lower lip. “God, I love you.”

She smiled, beautiful and funny and true.

“How about this deal,” he suggested. “You pick out the ring, then I give it to you on a day I choose. Not Christmas, because everyone but Maddie knows Flynn’s going to propose.”

“Um, she knows too. But don’t tell. He really wants it to be a surprise.”

Brody chuckled. “Women.”

“You have a deal. But only if you agree to a little more research. I’m particularly interested in how men worship breasts, and how the blindfold comes into play.”

“Great questions. And do I have some even better answers…”

Cam thought the engagement went off without a hitch. Maddie gushed over the rock Flynn had bought her, and everyone
oohed
and
aahed
over Abby’s earrings. That and the fact that Brody was smiling again and refusing to stop hugging, kissing, and holding her.

Apparently Mutt had finally found a name. Abby introduced him as “Hyde,” of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
. Because while he’d finally turned into somewhat of a gentleman—her words—the dog continued to eat socks, dishtowels, and anything white. Freaky dog, but everyone seemed to love him. Even Cam approved. Oddly enough, the dog responded to his new name as if it had been his from day one. Weird to think Brody owned an intelligent dog.

Maddie laughed and patted Hyde, acting as if she’d always loved the mutt. Cam stared at the new couples around him with pleasure. He couldn’t have imagined a better woman for Flynn. And Abby seemed to have been tailor-made for the blond McCauley. She’d even managed to pull Brody out of his funk. Would wonders never cease?

Colin zipped around wearing his brand-new Spider-Man pajamas and shrieked at Vanessa, who chased him with his brand-new monster dolls. Mike called them action figures, but come on. The things had hair you could braid as well as toy guns, alien pets, and spaceships. Like alien Barbie on crack.

The sexy blond bane of his existence stopped in front of him and raised a perfectly arched brow. “Cameron.”

God, he loved it when she called him that. Vanessa never shortened his name the way everyone else did. He liked to think of it as a pet name she only reserved for him.

“Vanessa.”

She nodded. “Merry Christmas.”

“I do believe we exchanged our perfunctory greeting when you got here.” An hour ago. She’d been dodging him ever since.

“Yes, well. Since I have nothing
else
to say to you, Merry Christmas seems to work well enough.”

Stubborn little—
big
—witch. She sure knew how to wear her clothing to accent that hot Amazon figure though. Almost as tall as he was, she wore stylish brown boots, camel wool trousers, and a blue sweater that hugged her lean lines and brought out the burning sapphires in her eyes.

“So you’re going to hold the fact that I was sticking up for my brother against me,” he stated as fact when she gave him that look, the one that said she was fast losing patience with him.

Expecting her to forgive him for what he shouldn’t even need forgiveness for, he nodded even as she said, “Yes.”

“Wait. What?”

“I said yes. You clearly took the wrong side.”

“You have to be kidding me.”

“Cameron, just admit you were wrong and all is forgiven.”

He scowled. “Sticking up for Brody wasn’t wrong. Abby shouldn’t have…” He trailed off as he saw his mother and father walk together down the hall toward Mike’s bedroom.

He and Vanessa glanced at each other, then at Mike who stood laughing with Colin and Hyde in the living room, surrounded by the rest of the family.

Together, Cam and Vanessa tiptoed down the hall and lingered by the crack in the door of Mike’s bedroom, where they overheard his mother say, “…so we’ll tell them after the new year. Not now, James.”

“Fine.” His father cleared his throat. “I think this is for the best.”

“I’m sure you do,” she answered in a waspish tone. So unlike his normally pleasant, joyful mother. “We have nothing more to say then. At least pretend you’re enjoying the party. For Colin’s sake.”

“Hell, woman. I’m not an ogre.”

They heard movement near the door and panicked. Vanessa pulled him into Colin’s room, across from Mike’s, and closed the door enough to hide behind it without it clicking shut.

“Did you hear something?” his mother asked, and they heard her step closer.

Vanessa’s eyes widened.

They were about to get caught. So Cameron did what any self-respecting McCauley would do. He kissed the beautiful woman in his arms.

When the door opened, Cam was only partially aware of his father’s chuckle before the door shut behind him, because the rest of him was focused on the cool blond in his arms, who lit up like an inferno when he touched her.

Cam groaned and pulled her closer, deepening the angle of his kiss to better devour her. She tasted so incredibly sweet. Like cinnamon and spice. But Vanessa was anything but nice. And that added edge only heightened her appeal.

When his hands neared her ass to tug her closer to that insistent part of him, she pulled away and tried to catch her breath.

“Cameron?”

She touched her lips and stared.

As did he. His gaze found the hard nipples straining under her sweater, saw the flush on her cheeks and the ripe lips parted for him. Practically begging him for another kiss.

“Wh-what do you think they meant?” she whispered.

“Hmm?” He took a step forward until she stopped him with a hand to his chest.

“They… You really work out, don’t you?” She spread her fingers across his pectorals, and he wondered if she could feel his heart racing.

“Yeah.” He tried to will away his erection. Focusing on Ubie, Colin’s stuffed bear—so named after the scoundrel who’d given it to him—seemed to do the trick. “They said they’d tell us after New Year’s. But I’m betting whatever it is can’t be good.”

“I know.” She swallowed hard. “So, um…”

“I know. You’re sorry, and you want another kiss.” Time to get the upper hand on the woman before she took him under again with that slick, heavenly mouth, mean temperament, and amazing body. “Sorry, honey. I know it’s Christmas, but until you apologize for being so wrong about my boy Brody, this body”—he pointed to himself—“is off limits.”

She opened her mouth to retort when Colin burst in the room, Mike on his heels. Mike took a good look at them and tried not to smile.

“Hey, there’s my Gooberon,” Colin said with a smile and grabbed his alien from the floor. “Thanks for finding him, Vanessa.”

“That’s Major Campbell to you, recruit,” Cameron corrected.

“Try General, you lowly alien scum,” she said to Cam.

Figures
she’d make herself the highest ranking officer around.

“Agent Colin,” she continued. “We’ve found a traitor. Take the lackey behind you—”

“Hey,” Mike grumbled.

“—and rid our world of this ugly beast.” She pointed at Cameron.

“Ugly? I think not. I—
oomph
.”

Mike tackled him to the floor. Then Colin jumped on him and started tickling him, which Cam absolutely hated, because he couldn’t stop laughing. He cried out for help, but no one but Vanessa was nearby. She watched his helpless agony as his bastard bulldozer of a brother pummeled him unceasingly. Colin’s war cries didn’t help his dignity either.

“Oh fine. Hold on.” Vanessa yelled for backup, and Brody and Flynn entered with Maddie and Abby following. Hyde barked incessantly behind them. “Help the young one! Those two are trying to kill the young earthling!”

Colin, quick on the take, cried for help. Then Brody and Flynn jumped on them and elbows started flying once they’d rescued the boy. But while they played, Cam noted that neither his mother nor father joined in the fun.

He wondered what to make of that. Then Vanessa gave him her trademark sneer, and he ignored a potential family disaster in favor of getting even. And trying to figure out how to get the woman to be less right about everything and more interested in being wrong about him. Because he had to figure out a way to get another kiss. And maybe a hug. Followed by a date…or three…