Love and Other Games (22 page)

She knew it was a line people used, but Lia never did anything like this. She wondered if she should tell Brandon that. Would he believe her? Would he care?

Did
she
care?

Brandon's smile as he motioned for Lia to enter ahead of him brought back the buzz she'd already gotten rid of from the wine and beer at the party. He placed a hand on her lower back as he followed behind her.

She decided she didn't care. Since the second her eyes met those gorgeous blue ones, each look from him had made every cell of her body feel like it might explode. She'd never wanted another man as much as she wanted Brandon James in that moment. And there was no shame in that.

Unless …

Her brow creased as she frowned. Suddenly, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't look Brandon in the eyes.

"What is it?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Her only response was a deepening of the flush on her cheeks. She didn't even know how to bring up the subject, it seemed so awkward.

He touched her elbow, then withdrew it as though he thought better of it. "We don't have to … we can go down to the lobby if you don't want to … if you're not comfortable."

She loosed a nervous laugh and moved further into the room, but avoiding the bed in the center. "No, it's not that. I still … want to." She shot him a sidelong glance. "Very much."

He seemed to let out a heavy breath before wrapping one arm around her waist and using the other to lift her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. She was half tempted to just let the matter drop. One kiss from him and she'd forget all about it. Until tomorrow, anyway.

"I just don't want you to think that I'm doing this because," she paused, licking her lips, "for any kind of, how do Americans say it? Special consideration?"

He laughed and kissed her hard on the forehead. There was something about the gesture that comforted her to her core.

"You had me worried for a minute," he said. "I didn't think that at all." A strange look flashed across his face but it disappeared before she was sure it was there.

He used his free hand to tilt her chin up further.

"It's just you and me here, tonight. That's all this is about."

Their eyes locked in a searching gaze, staying that way until he bent down and met her lips with his own. Her eyelids fluttered closed, like she couldn't stand the sensation of his lips and gaze on hers at the same time. His hand tickled her neck and down her side, hooking around her waist to pull her tight against him. Every thought that didn't have to do with his lips and his hands fled from her mind. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her chest into his. Brandon's barely-restrained groan vibrated against her lips, and she couldn't help but smile against his.

Not without protest from Lia, Brandon pulled away from the kiss. He smirked dangerously, making her feel like she needed to sit down before her knees went out beneath her.

He leaned down further and kissed her neck, pressing against her skin with his hot tongue. Her pulse hammered against his tongue and she couldn't quite catch her breath.

"So, why are you doing this?" he murmured against her skin. His voice danced with amusement.

"Hmm?" she said, the only answer her muddled brain could come up with.

One strong hand went to the zipper of her jacket, gripping it between his finger and thumb. "Is it because you're attracted to me?"

Lia was glad he couldn't see her face, focused as he was on her neck. "Is it that obvious?"

He tugged the zipper down and the soft "zzzz" sound filled the space between them.

His lips traveled north to her ear. "Maybe it's because you think I'm sexy?" He punctuated his question with a tiny nip of her earlobe.

Sharp pleasure pulsed between her legs. Lia couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips. She didn't have the self-control to return his banter. She barely managed the single word answer. "Yes."

She heard his smile. He slid the jacket from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor, leaving her in a white tank top undershirt. She wore the ones with a built-in sports bra, so that's all that stood between his hands and her flesh. His fingers played underneath the racer-back between her shoulder blades as he nuzzled her ear. "And maybe you think I'm charming?"

Words failed her. Her throat felt tight. She nodded.

"But there are hundreds of attractive, sexy, charming men in the Village. And I'm guessing you didn't give them a second glance." He pulled back to gaze at her, cupping her face in his hands. "Because it's something else, too, isn't it? Something that terrifies you because you don't know how to define it. Something that makes every touch feel more right than you've ever been."

Speechless, she stared at him. Was that a line? If it was, it was a damn good one. Of course, the other option was he was being sincere – and somehow, was feeling the exact same way she was.

He kissed her temple, her cheek, the side of her mouth. "My reasons are the same," he whispered. His breath against her cheek sent shivers down to her toes and through her fingertips.

He kissed her then, starting slow and soft, but building slowly. She slid her hands down his back and underneath his jacket and shirt, digging her fingers into his skin. He breathed in a sharp breath, and the kiss morphed into something more. Something hungry and desperate.

Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his jacket, barely able to concentrate on the task thanks to the fervor of his kiss, but she eventually liberated them all. She tugged the jacket over his broad shoulders and down his arms, to join hers on the floor. She frowned at his thick long-sleeve shirt, making him laugh. If she could make him laugh forever, she thought she'd never need anything else in her life.

"You're wearing too many clothes," she said.

He laughed again. "Look who's talking."

He slid his fingers under the elastic waistband of her track pants and inched it over her thighs and ass, seemingly enjoying her tormented squirming. He crouched as he pulled them down below her knees. He kissed the front of her left thigh and freed her left ankle from the pants leg. She'd heard of girls swooning before, but had never really understand what it meant – until he raised his eyes to hers as he grazed his lips down the outside of her right thigh.

Her knees went weak and she dropped to sit on the bed behind her as he slid the pants leg from her right foot and tossed it behind him.

Standing directly in front of her, he began to unbutton his shirt. Impatient, she began to work on the bottom buttons. Only when she untucked the bottom of his shirt from his pants did she notice the bulge straining against the zipper of his dress pants. The hot wetness between her legs throbbed in response. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down.

Something broke Brandon's obvious carefulness. She could tell he'd been trying to take his time, but he abandoned the buttons of his shirt and yanked the thing over his head, tossing it across the room. Lia smiled, triumphant.

Brandon pushed her shoulders down until her back rested on the white comforter. He crouched over her, shifting her knees with his until she lay on the bed completely. He traced a trail of kisses from her neck down to where her breasts disappeared below the thin, white cloth. Lia crossed her arms at her waist, squirmed, and tugged the shirt over her head.

Brandon's mouth smiled against her skin. "Much better," he said. His lips grazed across the swell of her breast, the soft brush of his breath tightening her nipples into tiny buds. When she thought she could endure no more soft, gentle touches, he pulled one nipple between his lips and sucked.

A wordless cry escaped her lips as her chest heaved towards him.

"What was that, Evangelia?"

She hadn't said anything the first time, not really. But now she knew what it had meant. "Please," she begged.

Without a second's hesitation, he pulled her panties down to her ankles and she kicked them off. He kissed her pubic bone, rubbing his hands up and down her inner thighs. Her hips bucked against his lips. With each trip, his hand approached closer and closer to where she really wanted it. Finally, his fingertips tickled the folds between her legs. He stared at the spot in wonder, seemingly oblivious to her spasms of anticipated pleasure.

"You're so wet."

Desire engulfed her like flames on gasoline.

"Please," she repeated. Her grasp on English was slipping. "Now. I need you inside me."

A grin lit up Brandon's face. "You only needed to ask."

He stood up, unzipped his pants, let them drop to the floor and kicked out of them. Free of its confines, his erection leapt to attention. Lia reached out and took it in her hand.

Brandon growled, but took a step back. Taking a deep breath, he held up one finger. "Hold that thought." He walked to a dresser across the room, a TV sitting on top of it. Her confusion evaporated when she heard the rustle of a condom wrapper opening.

A few seconds later, he crouched over her, his body lightly weighing down hers. Cupping her cheek in one hand, he kissed her. It was slow and sweet and – God in heaven – utterly rapturous. The tip of his erection pressed against her flesh, teasing. She simply could not wait anymore. She slid her hands around his back and grabbed his ass, urging him on. "Please," she repeated one last time.

His eyes were blue flames, an indescribable expression stirring in their depths. Slowly, oh so slowly, he slid into her. He buried his full length deep inside her and held it there.

She cried out in delight and nestled her face in his neck.

"Evangelia," he breathed.

"Brandon," she answered.

It seemed to be all the answer he needed. He rocked against her, increasing his speed with every thrust. Every time he filled her completely, she thought nothing else could ever feel that marvelous. She bucked her hips up, matching his rhythm.

Her moans filled the room, but she didn't care. A tide of ecstasy rose inside of her, growing in strength with every second. She bit into his shoulder, unable to contain the pleasure-pain to her own body.

"Yes, Lia." Brandon's voice was husky, strained.

The tide swelled to a crescendo and rushed over her, leaving nothing but euphoria in its wake. Colors burst behind her eyelids. She was riding the aftershocks of her own orgasm when he came.

"Oh, God," Brandon cried out. His rhythmic thrusting became suddenly erratic. He plunged into her one last time, deeper and harder than any before.

Lia tossed her head back and felt him pulse inside of her. Brandon collapsed on top of her, kissing her lips, her neck, her clavicle with ferocious passion.

Dammit, Brandon was an idiot. He should have told her what he did for a living before they'd slept together. He should have told her the real reason he'd talked to her in the first place. It didn't seem so important before, but now it was all he could think about – and it was ruining what should have been an incredible high. The strongest, most beautiful girl he'd ever met was lying in his arms, basking in a post-coital glow – and he wasn't able to fully enjoy it.

Lia murmured and snuggled closer to his chest. "Are you asleep?" she asked.

"No," he said. "You?"

She shook her head and flipped over on her other side to face him. "Can't."

He kissed her cheek. Sheets tangled around their limbs, the two gazed at each other.

She smiled. "You're staring at me."

"I can't help it." He ran a finger down the side of her face, tickling her ear. "What would you rather do instead?"

"Tell me about Brandon James," she said, tracing her fingertips across the lines of his triceps. "What's your story?"

No one ever asked him about his story. He was just the guy who wrote everyone else's stories. He wasn't even sure where to start.

"It's basically the same as everyone else in my old neighborhood," he said, not sure how much detail she actually wanted. He'd give her all of it. "My father decided he didn't want to deal with kids so my mom raised me and my brother on her own. Worked two jobs just to keep us fed and in clothes. The neighborhood was crap – bullet holes in half the apartment walls, drug deals around every corner, you know the stereotype – but it was all she could afford. She hasn't even finished high school."

"She sounds like an amazing woman," Lia said.

Brandon smiled. "She is. Ruled our little one-bedroom flat with an iron fist, you know? Made sure we both got good grades so we could crawl out of that hole."

I should tell her
, he thought. But he didn't, didn't want to ruin the night. Instead, he told stories about growing up in Hunts Point, being careful to never go past his college days. It was odd. He never talked about himself – especially his childhood, but Lia asked one question and the floodgates holding back his history shattered.

"And what about you, Evangelia Milonas?" He pushed a strand of her dark brown hair off of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Who's the girl behind the gold?"

Her fingers flew to the evil eye necklace resting against her throat. She'd put it back on when she'd changed at her dorm. "I haven't won anything yet."

Brandon shrugged, but didn't push it. She'd explained how people paying compliments or promising good things always seemed to tempt the opposite to happen. The Greeks believed this was the evil eye at work and the necklace she wore was supposed to be protection against it.

"My story's far less exciting than yours," she said. "No drive-bys or hookers passing out on my doorstep. I'm just a farm girl."

He'd overheard her talking to the older Greek woman about her family. He knew there was more to the story. But, he had to ask himself – did he want to know because he wanted to know her better or because he wanted the story? Self-loathing punched him in the stomach when he realized he didn't know the answer.

Brandon looped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Luckily, he hadn't needed to answer his own question, because, without further prompting, Evangelia Milonas started spilling her guts to him. The farm, the recession, her brothers' suffering education. From the way she spoke, it was obvious this put much more stress on her than her sport ever had. In fact, her sport was the thing that allowed her to help them.