Brady's Hellion (3 page)

“Yuck.” She coughed and waved the fumesaway from her
face. She stared at the burned mark on the table’s surface. She dug
through the case and found a tube of a dull yellow colored salve
that smelled just as bad as the flower, but she knew it was
effective for what she needed it for. A smear of the salve on the
wood returned the surface to its usual highly polished sheen.

“It seems some don’t understand what one month of not
contacting Raven means,” she murmured, returning the case to the
closet then viewing the contents. The idea of wearing something
that would catch Brady’s eye was foremost in her mind. “You’re not
here for that, Raven, you’re here for sun and surfing,” she told
herself. Her gaze settled on a white lace dress that didn’t look
the least bit old fashioned or virginal.

Just the ticket.

*****

Brady felt his jaw drop to the floor when he watched
Raven walked into the restaurant. The strapless white lace dress
that looked as if it could slide off her body if she breathed wrong
exposed a hell of a lot of tanned skin. Blue stones dangling from
her ears matched the one that he’d seen in her navel that day. Not
that she needed any jewelry to make her stand out. When she
acknowledged him with a smile, he gestured for her to join him. One
look at her and he knew he wasn’t about to have her sitting by
herself. Some guy would be hitting on her before she could sit
down. He hadn’t missed the lustful looks directed her way as she
crossed the restaurant. It was amazing she still had her clothes
on.

“Take pity on me. I’m not too keen on eating by
myself,” he explained when she took the seat across from him.

“I don’t think anyone has ever pitied you,” she
teased, accepting a menu from the maitre‘d.

As dinner progressed, Brady refused to believe that
this woman who looked as if she was made to spend her days in the
sun was Shar’s stepsister. They were about as opposite as two
creatures could be. He wondered if the mark had made a mistake
because there was no way she wasn’t human. Except while the mark
didn’t burn each time he looked at her, there was a definite
tingle.

“So where are you from, Rae?” Yep, he was getting
better at this small talk.

“The southern hemisphere,” she said with a vague wave
of the hand. “What about you?”

“My birth certificate says Seattle, but my old man
was in the army so I guess you’d have to say I’m from all over. We
moved pretty much all over the world.” He gazed at the creamy
expanse of skin above the band of lace that caressed her tits. The
swell of her breasts rose up just enough to catch a man’s
attention. He noticed he wasn’t the only one.

You’re here on bodyguard duty, bub. You’re supposed
to keep her safe from harm, remember? The brain in his skull
reminded him. I don’t think Shar meant that you could ogle his
stepsister even if she looks like every man’s wet dream.

You can’t tell me you’re not going to jump a sweet
thing like her? The brain in his pants had other ideas.

Brady decided to let them fight it out while he
listened to Raven’s story. He had to admit she was good. She made
herself sound as if she hatched from The Brady Bunch. Considering
what he already knew about her he thought she obviously had no idea
how scary that concept was. But then he’d never been a fan of The
Brady Bunch. In his opinion, they practiced way too much
togetherness.

But he did know one thing. He wanted to be alone with
her and find out just what was under that wisp of lace called a
dress. For now, he’d behave and concentrate on his mahi mahi and
coconut ginger rice and try not to notice that Raven ate with a
sensuality that was downright appealing to his senses.

“Is that why you went into the military? Because of
your dad?” she asked, picking up one of her coconut shrimp.

“They let me play with guns,” he admitted, doubting
the flippant comment would unsettle her the way it had other women.
Judging from her grin, it didn’t. He watched her bite into her
shrimp and had a momentary vision of her biting into him that same
way. He decided there was no way Shar could keep on an eye on what
was happening here. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hired Brady. He
glanced at the tiki torches dotting the pathway to the beach.

“How about a walk on the beach?” he suggested after
taking care of the dinner check. He had never been this attracted
to an assignment before. But then, he’d never been with anyone like
Raven before. If he wasn’t mistaken, that attraction was very
two-sided and he wanted to capitalize on it.

Her face lit up at his suggestion. “I’d love it.”

She’s a job, bub.

Brady muted the volume to that part of his
conscience. Yeah, he planned on keeping her safe even if it
appeared the one he needed to keep her safe from was him.

The moment they reached the beach, Raven slipped off
her sandals and dropped them to the sand. Brady followed suit with
his shoes. Soft giggles escaped her lips as they walked along the
water’s edge with the waves slowly foaming around their bare feet.
Pretty soon they were far enough away from the hotel that the
evening breeze carried hints of the band playing in the resort’s
bar. Raven hummed along to the faint music and executed a few dance
steps that even in the sand looked graceful.

“You act like this is all new to you,” Brady
commented.

Her smile dimmed. “In a way, it is. I’ve never
traveled much.” She moved a step ahead of him and stopped facing
him. “I like you, Brady.”

“Thanks. I like you too.” Finally, he could say
something that wasn’t a lie. He found lying to her burned through
him like an ulcer. She was gorgeous and funny and sexy and he
couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed spending time with a
woman the way he did with her. It was more than the idea of taking
her to bed. He enjoyed talking to her too and that was something
Brady didn’t always consider when he was with a woman.

Raven moved closer until her breasts brushed against
his shirtfront. A rich scent of something that seemed familiar
coupled with a hint of citrus teased his nostrils. Underlying it,
he could inhale the even richer scent of an aroused woman. She was
rapidly becoming an addiction to his blood and that proved
dangerous. He wondered if Shar would insist on a slow and painful
death if he knew Brady was having some pretty wild thoughts about
his baby stepsister.

She fingered one of the buttons on his button-down
print shirt. He’d figured if he were going to a Pacific island he’d
dress the part and picked up a variety of shirts worthy of
Magnum.

He slipped an arm around her waist, bringing her even
closer against him.

“You going to slap my face if I kiss you?” he
whispered, needing to find out just how sweet she tasted.

“Not as long as you kiss me now.” She lifted her
face. With the pearly rays of the moon playing over her delicate
features, she looked like an ethereal goddess. He refused to
believe she could be from the dark side.

Never one to turn down an invitation, Brady kept one
arm around her waist and lifted the other so he could trace her
face with his fingertips. He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip,
feeling the soft plump skin give way under his touch. He followed
it with the lightest of touches of his lips. As their lips met, the
same shock he felt when they first touched hands was stronger this
time. It was as if a soft voice in his head urged him to take it
all when what he really wanted was to take it slow and easy. He
wanted to savor this woman the way he enjoyed a glass of single
malt Scotch. One sip at a time.

He nibbled his way across the slightly open seam of
her lips then delved inside to find her taste headier than the
Scotch he first compared her to. Her tongue danced with his,
mimicking what his body wanted to do with her. His mouth then slid
up to her ear, finding that sweet spot just behind her lobe. Her
soft moan spurred him to nibble further while his hand at her waist
moved upward to cover her breast. He felt her nipple push hard
against his palm. He moved his hand in a slow circle, feeling the
plump contours. Needing more contact, he edged his knee between her
thighs. In response, she rotated her hips, rubbing against him.

“Brady,” she moaned, moving her hand down to caress
the bulge tenting his shorts. That electric shock fairly screamed
through his body. Hell! If it happened just from her touch, what
would happen when they got naked together? Forget Shar. He wanted
Raven in his bed.

“I want to look at all of you.” This intense desire
was new for him and would probably get him in a shitload of
trouble, but he had to know how close reality was to his
imagination. “I want to dance naked with you in the moonlight.”

Her smile sent a wave of heat through him as she
leaned back at the waist and gave a sexy little wiggle. The top of
her dress fell as if by magic. Hell, for all he knew, it was magic.
Her skin gleamed like pure gold under the moon, her tits high and
firm, the peaked nipples a deep pink color with arousal. His mouth
fairly watered for a taste and he was never one to deny himself. He
dipped his head and covered one breast with his mouth, his tongue
curling around her nipple, feeling it harden even more against his
tongue. Her throaty moan was music to his ears.

Then sanity reared its ugly head and while he was
willing to ignore it, he knew he couldn’t do anything that would
embarrass Raven. He was past caring if anyone else was taking an
evening walk on the beach, but why give them a show? He reluctantly
dragged his mouth from her breast. Her sigh of disappointment told
him she felt the same way he did.

“While the idea of dancing naked with you in the
moonlight seems better all the time, I think we’re kind of out in
the open here,” he said in a ragged voice. “No use giving anyone
else a show.”

Her face looked a little darker. Was it possible she
was blushing?

“This isn’t normally me.”

He smiled at her soft-voiced admission. “Me either.”
He looked around and noticed one of the beach cabanas a short
distance away for those who wanted to enjoy the beach without the
sun. Right now, it offered them the kind of privacy they required.
“That’s why I thought we could look for a nice retreat.”

Catching the direction of his gaze, she smiled. “What
a lovely idea.” Pulling herself out of his arms, she spun around
and ran toward the cabana. A flash of white momentarily covered her
back as he realized she had shed her dress along the way.

Before Brady could blink, she was inside the beach
shelter. “Fuck me,” he muttered.

“Only if you get in here!” Her laughter easily
carried to him.

He didn’t need to be told twice. By the time he
ducked inside the covering flaps, a very naked Raven was stretched
out on the double chaise. He left one flap partially open to allow
moonlight inside.

“You’re very overdressed for this venture, Brady.”
She lay back on the cushion, stretching her arms over her head that
thrust her breasts up into two pleasurable mounds. The blue stone
in her navel winked in the darkness.

He didn’t miss that the lady was a natural blonde. As
he walked toward her, he pulled his shirt over his head then
dropped his pants in one easy motion. He was grateful that it was
too dark for her to see the mark on his butt. He had an idea it
would be an instant mood killer.

Raven sat up, one leg extended, the other bent at the
knee in a seductive manner. But it wasn’t his rampant dick her
attention was centered on.

“Oh Brady,” she murmured, reaching forward to trace
her fingertip along the scar on his leg. The newly healed area was
usually sensitive to touch in a painful way but the throbbing he
felt from Raven’s touch was pure pleasure. It was as if she was
healing him from the inside out. She leaned over closer and pressed
her lips against the wound, sending that same electric shock
throughout his system. “When I saw you this afternoon I wondered
where the scar ended.” Her fingers danced along his bare hip where
the red and puckered skin gave way to smooth and tanned. She laved
the wound with her tongue then looked up with mischief in her eyes.
“It appears something else is requiring my attention. My, you’re a
big man all over, aren’t you?”

Before he could say a word, she had her lips covering
the head of his cock, her throat muscles relaxing as she took all
of him in. Brady hissed a curse as he cradled the back of her head
with his hands, steadying her as she slowly moved her head up and
down, using her teeth to add a pleasurable friction to her
action.

He closed his eyes and just allowed himself to savor
the warm wet feel of her mouth on him. When she lifted her lips,
the tip of her tongue swiped across the slit at the top of his cock
then started down again. He felt his balls tighten to the point of
pain and he knew he didn’t want the first time to be like this. He
gently urged her away and pressed her back against the chaise,
following her down.

“I’d like nothing more than to return the favor, but
I don’t think I can wait. I need to be inside you,” he muttered,
nudging her thighs apart. He still tested her readiness, feeling
her dampness before he settled between them. With one thrust, he
was buried to the hilt. Her vaginal muscles contracted tightly
around him, moving in a countermotion to his thrusts. He looked
down at her face, watching her eyes glow with an unearthly blue
light as she raised her hips to meet him. He’d never been with a
woman who was his equal in passion.

He bent his head and fastened his mouth over one
nipple, grazing the tight pink bud with his teeth just as she’d
done with his cock. Raven arched upward and wrapped her legs around
his hips. As he felt her muscles tighten even more around him, he
reached down and flicked his thumb against her clit.