How to Handle a Heartbreaker (16 page)

“Why did you go out with him in the first place?” Maddie asked as they cleaned up.

“He had nice legs.” Vanessa shrugged. “And I wanted to go out. The only saving grace of the night was that we ate at a nice restaurant and he paid.”

“A free meal, but with a catch.”

“Yeah. He’s like a walking timeshare. Suckers you in and makes you suffer endlessly while trying to sell you something you don’t want. Whatever. At least I haven’t been slacking off on my exercise. I feel great.”

The woman did have a sparkle in her eyes. “Hmm. You look energized, I’ll give you that.” But Vanessa also had a spring in her step and a joy that had been missing lately. “You look good.”

“I always look good.” No ego, just truth.

Abby rolled her eyes. “Vanity be thy name.”

“Vanity. Vanessa. Both start with a
van
. Close enough,” Maddie added.

“Your petty jealousies soothe my soul,” Vanessa said with her mouth half full.

“God, Vanessa. Close your mouth when you chew.” Abby grimaced.

“What, like this?” She opened her mouth wide, then finished her food and laughed.

Vanessa was still chuckling as she deposited her plate in the sink. She washed her dishes, dried them, and put them away. “I’m just in a good mood because I’m feeling healthy and energized.”

“Oh?” Maddie winked at Abby. “Wouldn’t have anything to do with your new running partner, now would it?”

“Who’s that?” Abby saw the shutter close over Vanessa’s eyes.

“Cameron McCauley seems to be hitting the gym pretty hard lately, according to Flynn.”

“Oh wow. So you’re into a McCauley too, huh?” Abby teased. “Just your type. He’s a nut about numbers too.”

“He’s intelligent, yes. Attractive, athletic. And he’s
a
friend
.” Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest.

Defensive much?

“Just a friend?” Maddie pressed.

Abby wanted to see Vanessa laughing again. “Leave her alone, Maddie. Cam’s a good guy. And you can see why they’d buddy up.” Personally, she thought Vanessa had a crush, but she didn’t want to get in the way of Vanessa connecting with happiness. It was all too rare an occurrence. “They both like to exercise, and they both think they’re way too smart for the rest of us.”

Vanessa relaxed. “Exactly. Now, my minions, I’m off to shower and get a bit of midweek preparation in with work. Unless you’re on fire, don’t knock.” Vanessa strode out of the kitchen with purpose.

Maddie and Abby turned to each other. “Do you think she likes Cam?”

Abby shrugged. “I don’t know. But she’s been down lately. If she does like him, let’s be supportive, okay?”

Maddie narrowed her eyes. “You’re kidding, right? Do you not remember how many times she’s called me a drama queen? Told me to, and I quote, ‘Suck it up, princess’? Or that she still calls me flighty and says my chances for failure at my new business are growing as fat as my ass?”

“That’s so you’ll exercise more.” Abby tried not to laugh. “You have a tiny butt. You’re good.”

Maddie smacked her playfully. “You’re no fun when I’m trying to dig on Van-zilla. Good one, by the way.”

“I thought so.” She sighed. “Well, I’m going to do a few more pages before I turn in for the night. I have a lot to do if I want to get ready for Thanksgiving. Two weeks is going to go by like that.” She snapped her fingers.

She and Maddie parted to work, but as Abby typed, she couldn’t help wondering about Brody. No matter what she’d said to Maddie, she planned to check up on him. Just as a friend. And what better way to show she cared than to see how he and Mutt were doing?

“Yeah, that will work.” Not too obvious, but enough of an excuse to get a look at him and see for herself that he was okay. She nodded and threw herself back into her book, more than aware of how much she needed to change her new hero so that he stopped resembling Brody.

The next day, she took an early morning break and drove to Green Lake. She parked in front of Brody’s house, hoping he’d be home. She’d checked with Maddie and, without asking directly, had weaseled the fact that the guys had no one scheduled until later that afternoon.

She walked up the sidewalk, but before she could reach the porch, Seth opened the door of his home and stepped out.

“Hey, Seth—” She stopped talking when he put a finger to his lips and frantically motioned her over to his place. Hurrying across the yard to his walk and up the stairs of his porch, she met him. “Are you okay?”

He didn’t answer but hustled her inside his house and closed the door.

“Whoa.” She gaped at the stacks of papers, collectibles, and, well, stuff all over the place. He had clear paths for walking, but criminy, the man had knickknacks everywhere.

“Yeah, yeah. I collect a lot. Come here. We need to talk.”

She followed his shuffle into the living room and sat in one of the two unoccupied chairs. For all that he hoarded, the room looked clean. No dust or cobwebs. Just tons of clutter. She sat and studied him. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s not me.” He scowled. “It’s Brody.” He paused. “It’s not my place to say, but I like the boy. Something happened last week, and he’s been keeping to himself since. Not in a good way. I don’t like it.”

Abby liked Seth. She had from the day she’d met the cantankerous old man. And now, seeing his concern and knowing he cared about Brody, she liked him even more. “I haven’t talked to him since last week,” she admitted. “We were supposed to go bowling Tuesday, and then he canceled. He’s texted a few times but hasn’t responded to my calls since.”

“Yeah, well, if you’d heard what I did, you’d understand.” He exhaled heavily. “I ain’t one for gossip, mind you. But I think he’s hurting. That doesn’t sit right by me. Not at all.”

“I want to help him. I think his situation might have to do with…his family?” she prodded.

His eyes narrowed. “Yeah. Not that bunch he’s always hanging around with. But two who looked a lot like him. A brother and father.” He repeated to her, what sounded like word for word, all he’d heard, and her heart bled for Brody.

“That’s awful.”

“Yep. The brother seemed sincere to apologize, but what do I know? The father though. He was a real piece of shit, excuse my French.”

She nodded, lost in thoughts about what Brody might be going through. She ached for the little boy who had been abused and scared. It didn’t seem to fit with the man she knew at all. And yet some of it did. She couldn’t explain it.

“I bet he’d like some company, especially if a pretty girl were to offer it,” Seth nudged.

“He’s home?”

“Yep. Haven’t heard a peep outta him all morning. Not that I listen,” he rushed to say. “But I normally hear that truck move. Not a thing today.”

“Okay. Thanks, Seth. And I promise not to say anything. I’m worried about him too.” She stood and Seth stood with her.

“Good girl. You let me know if I can help.”

She leaned in and kissed him on his whiskered cheek before he could back away. “Thanks.”

He flushed. “Oh, stop flirting with me, woman. Get yourself to the boy and get him out of that funk. And if he wants to know why you were over here, tell him I had an antique typewriter I thought you might be interested in, you being a writer and all.”

Brody must have told him, because she hadn’t mentioned it. “I will. Thanks again, Seth.”

He nodded, and she saw herself out. She hurried to Brody’s house, hoping he hadn’t noticed her talking to Seth. Composing herself and going with the plan to check on Mutt, she knocked on the door, then rang the bell.

It took a few moments, but she heard Mutt bark. Then footsteps. Good. Brody wouldn’t pretend he wasn’t home. He opened the door, looking fresh, as if he’d just showered. He wore jeans and a sweatshirt, but he seemed as if he’d lost weight, and his eyes had lost that sparkle he normally wore with her.

“Hi, Abby.”

“Hey, Brody.” She smiled. “I hate to bug you, but I hadn’t heard from you in a while.” She glanced at Mutt, who sat and wagged his tail. “I came to check on Mutt.”

“He’s good.” Brody didn’t move from the door.

Uh-oh. She thought fast, remembering the notebook she always carried in her purse with her, and made a new plan. “And I came to talk to you about that web design.” She needed to get inside and feel him out.

“Well, now’s not the best time. I’m kind of busy—”

She shoved past him and entered. “Close the door, would you? It’s kind of cold out there.”

“Come on in, why don’t you?” He shook his head and closed the door behind her.

“Thanks. I could use a cup of coffee if you have any.” She walked into the kitchen and settled at the island, making herself at home. Then she turned and motioned to Mutt. “Come here, Mutt. How are you, boy?”

He barked once, his happy bark, and joined her in a shake. So wiggly, he danced under her hands and licked her face, happy to see her. Unlike his owner.

Brody stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against the counter. He stared with a brooding gaze, and that cautious mien made her want to hug him and tell him everything would be all right. She didn’t feel a sexual pull, but an emotional one, and she knew then that no matter how much she’d been telling herself to keep her distance, Brody had won their contest. She was well and truly hooked.
Hell.

He wasn’t ready to deal with her yet. Brody watched Abby, seeing her innocent gaze and knowing she’d talked to Seth not five minutes ago. He loved the guy, but damn. Seth had probably blabbed about his shitty father and the abuse he hadn’t wanted anyone to know about.

Fuck.

But Abby didn’t look at him with pity. So maybe Seth had kept his big nose out of Brody’s business after all. Flynn had been on his ass at the beginning of the week, urging Brody to tell him what was wrong, but Brody couldn’t explain it to himself, let alone his best friend. Being around his father and brother turned him inside out, made him wonder again why any of the McCauleys had taken a chance on the little piece of shit with dirty hair and hands that took what didn’t belong to him.

He’d never gotten caught, a lucky thing. Because Brody had been a bad, bad boy during his first few years with the McCauleys. And in high school, he’d done a lot of shit he wasn’t proud of.

But none of that mattered with Abby standing so close. As much as he’d tried to stop thinking about her, about how he didn’t deserve to come close to her, he’d dwell on images of her mouth, of how it curled when she smiled. How bright her eyes grew, or how her cheeks lit with red when excited or embarrassed, and how beautiful she was.

“Hello?” Abby clapped her hands in front of his face. When had she moved closer? “Coffee?” She held up a cup he’d had sitting on the table.

He let out an aggravated sigh and started a pot for her. “I’m really not in the mood to talk about the website.”

“Too bad. Because I have clients other than you and Flynn. So get your skinny ass over here and tell me what you want.” She pulled a notebook and pen out of her bag and waited.

You. I want you. To kiss you, touch you, come inside you, and forget about the shit in my life.
God, he hated sounding pathetic. Like a victim. He’d taken his last beating from Jeremy at eleven. Twenty years ago. Would he ever get over the past?

He forced himself to deal with the present, to include the feisty sexpot sitting expectantly at his kitchen island while she petted his dog. Mutt looked like he’d died and gone to heaven as he sat calmly under her touch.

“The website. That’s what you want?” He still didn’t trust her reasons for coming, especially after that visit with Seth. “So, what did Seth want with you?” he decided to ask.

She glanced at the coffeepot, then to her cup, then back to the pot.

“Christ.” He grabbed her cup and filled it, then brought her some cream and a bowl of sugar.

She smiled at him as she fixed it, and damn if he didn’t feel better. “Thanks.”

“Seth?”

“He had an old typewriter he wanted me to see. Apparently
someone
told him I’m a writer.” She frowned at him.

Relieved that Seth hadn’t said anything about his embarrassing situation with his deadbeat family, Brody relaxed. “Not just a writer, a
great
writer. I said ‘great.’”

“Big mouth,” she grumbled and sipped her coffee with pleasure. “Oh, this is good.”

“I can’t cook, but I can do coffee.” He grabbed a cup for himself and sat next to her. “Okay, so what do you need to know?”

An hour later, he surprised himself by having fleshed out a design for the site. With Abby’s skilled help, at any rate. She was all business as she talked about design and spacing and metadata. He ignored her code talk though, and seeing that he had no interest in applets and JavaScript, she left well enough alone.

“Great, Brody. This is just what I needed to get you guys started.”

“Yeah, well, we need that site. Not that business isn’t still great, which in this economy is saying something. But every little bit helps.”

“Yeah, it does.” She fetched herself more coffee. “Now tell me something.”

He tensed.
I
knew
it. She knows about Jeremy. And Alan. And—

“How did you get Mutt to obey?”

“Who—what?”

“Mutt. He’s been calm and totally terrific since I’ve been here.” She looked around. “Although that does look like a brand-new dish towel. He still eating those?”

He relaxed. “Yeah. He and I finally had a come-to-Jesus moment, and now he no longer jumps up on people. Or their crotches.”

“Ouch.”

“Tell me about it.” He chuckled, the first time he’d genuinely done that in a week. “He’s a good guy. But I don’t think ‘Mutt’ is cutting it anymore. He deserves a better name.”

“Thank God. Well? What have you decided to name him?”

“Me? You’re the writer. Give me something good.”

She shook her head. “I’ve tried. You vetoed all my good stuff.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You didn’t like Killer or Death Dog. How about Marvin, Jethro, or Gomer?”

He shook his head. “Not feeling it.”

“Vader? Shaggy? Wolfen?”

“Nah. Those don’t work either.

She sighed. “I’m tapped. So when are we going bowling?”

“Oh, uh. I don’t know.”

“We don’t have to. We could just have sex here instead.”

He had the coffee cup to his lips and could only be thankful he hadn’t taken a sip, or he’d have spit it all over himself. He carefully lowered the cup to the table. “Say that again?”

“Sex. Here. Now. Unless we’re done with that.” She sounded so damn casual about it. “That’s no problem. I admit, you’re really good at it, but I understand if you need something new to spice things up. No problem. And really, it’s okay. No hard feelings.” She smiled at him. “I was thinking about maybe dating again. I think it’s time. But I need someone I can trust. You know people. Rick seems like a good guy. What do you think?”

What the ever-fucking hell was she talking about? He rose, dragged her off her stool, and tugged her with him.

“Wait. Brody? Are you okay?”

“Okay?
Okay?
” he yelled. “No. I am not okay. ‘Unless we’re done with that’? Are you fucking nuts? Yeah, there are gonna be hard feelings. Fuck bowling. Fuck everything. Right now, you and I need to have our own come-to-Jesus meeting.” Over his shoulder, he growled, “Mutt, stay.”

The dog whined but didn’t continue up the stairs. Brody dragged her into the bedroom, closed the door, then pulled her into his arms. She felt right against him, fitting him perfectly and warming all his cold spots.

Then, before she could question why he’d gone all caveman on her, he did what he’d been missing for ten days. He kissed her and swallowed the little moan of pleasure that made him hunger for so much more than her body. He wanted all of Abby. Right here. Right now.

***

Brody kissed her like a starving man, and Abby met him halfway. God, he felt so good. She’d missed this, missed him. He’d somewhat returned to the old Brody in the kitchen. Shaking him up with a request for sex had been sneaky and totally spur of the moment. That it had worked soothed her wounded ego—and hurt feelings—that he might have tired of her so soon when she’d only gotten started on her need to be with him.

“Yeah. Kiss me. I missed you,” he murmured against her mouth, and she sighed into him.

Like a woman who couldn’t think straight, she let him move her and undress her without protest. When he had her completely naked, he looked down on her with fire in his eyes.

He backed her up until her knees hit the edge of the bed. “Lean back,” he ordered in a guttural voice.

She quickly lay down and sat up on her elbows to watch him undress. He took off his sweatshirt but not his jeans. “Tease,” she said, exhaling.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t laugh. Just stared at her until she thought she’d done something wrong. “You are so beautiful, you make me ache.”

She blushed at the compliment. Because he’d said it with such intensity, she knew he believed it to be true. “Brody…”

He joined her on the bed. Leaning over her, he kissed her, brushing his bare chest against her breasts and stimulating her already sensitive nipples. He continued to rub against her while his tongue penetrated her mouth, and he began thrusting in a rhythm begging for sex. She clutched his shoulders, his arms, and reached around his back, urging him for more.

“Yes, please,” she moaned when his lips trailed to her ear.

“You’re so warm. God, I want to bury myself inside you.” He nipped her lobe then thrust his tongue in her ear.

She jolted into him, her breasts plastered to his chest. She loved the way he kissed her, touched her. Like she was precious and desirable. Like she mattered.

He continued to kiss her neck, sucking just below her ear while one of his large, calloused hands cupped her breast.

“Yeah. Gonna fuck you so hard, Abby. All of me inside you.” He trailed a blaze of kisses to the hand holding her breast, then took her nipple in his mouth and sucked.

“
Brody.
” She gasped, threading her hands through his soft hair. “Do that again. Yes. More.” She couldn’t stop herself from moaning and writhing under him. It had only been a little more than a week, but she’d felt so empty without him. Just seeing his smile or his golden eyes soothed her need for him. But this… Their intimacy involved more than bodies touching and seeking pleasure. This caressing, his taking his time. This wasn’t fucking. She might not be as experienced as he was, but she could feel his care in every caress.

He sucked and kneaded her breast while fondling its twin. Then he turned his mouth to her other nipple and gave it the same petting and licking. She was so wet she feared she’d make a mess on his bed before he ever got inside her.

And speaking of that… “I’m—I’m protected. If you wanted to come in me,” she whispered. After their last encounter, she’d made a hasty appointment with her doctor and done her research. Abby knew now to be a safe time for them to forego protection. She’d been all too aware of the fact on her way over this morning, though she’d told herself over and over she hadn’t come for this, but to make sure Brody was okay.

He froze and leaned up from her. “So you’re saying I can come inside you, and it’s okay? No chance of you getting pregnant?”

“No.” She stroked his hair, loving the burning desire in his eyes. “I’m on the pill, and even if I wasn’t, it’s the wrong time for me to be pregnant.” She swallowed, seeing the intensity deepen. “I haven’t been with anyone but you in a long time.”

“Yeah.” He sounded hoarse and caressed her breast, stroking and pinching her nipple while he watched her with an expression she couldn’t read. “Me neither. Not in like six months.”

He returned to her breast and bit her nipple lightly, enough to send a streak of erotic fire straight to her core. “God, you’re too good for me.”

She moaned and tugged him up to kiss her mouth again. “No, you’re too good for me. Out of my league, but I’m batting anyway.”

“Sex and baseball,” he murmured around her mouth. “You are
perfect
.” Then he stopped talking and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe. His hands were everywhere, his knee riding against her clit, stirring her to near orgasm time and time again before he’d back off, then rub some more.

“Brody, please.”

“Not yet. Not rushing this,” he growled and moved slowly down her body, leaving kisses as he went. He spread her thighs wider and paused until she looked down at him. “I love sucking your tight clit. You taste so good. So sweet. And I love it when you come all over my mouth.” Apparently seeing in her face something that satisfied him, he did his best to make her lose her mind.

He sucked her with delicate draws, fingering her folds before easing a finger, then two, inside her. He licked her and nibbled her clit while pumping those fingers into her, at first lightly, then with a more forceful pace until he hit that spot inside her that made her see stars.

“I’m going to come. Oh Brody.”

“Yeah. Come for me, honey. Drench my tongue.” He sucked again and shoved those fingers deep. Then one hand crept over her belly to cup her breast. He pinched her nipple at the same time he drew her clit into his mouth, and she cried out and came in a rush.

He continued to lick her, moaning with her as she released the tension and worry and surrendered to him on every level. After easing her through her climax, he pulled back and kissed his way up her belly to her mouth again.

“So good.” He kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips, an arousing pleasure to know he wanted her as much as she’d wanted him.

Her heart raced, unable to come down gradually off her endorphin high. “Brody, you’re amazing.”

“Not as much as you,” he said, his kisses growing in intensity once more. “I need to come in you. You sure you’re okay with that?”

“Yes. I want you in me. All of you.”

“You’re sure?”

It was as if he was asking something else, and she wanted to share with him the joy she’d just experienced. “Well, only if you let me kiss you.”

He smiled and moved his head closer, but she put a hand over his lips. “Not there.”

His breathing grew shallow. “Yeah? Where?”

“Take off your pants and I’ll show you.”

He moved off her and stripped in seconds.

She chuckled. “You sure can move when you want to.”

He walked back to the bed, but before he could join her, she stopped him. “No, wait.” She pulled herself to the edge and reached for his hips. Then, dragging him closer, she looked at the hard, insistent part of him. “You’re pretty wet yourself.” She licked his slit, taking the moisture into her mouth, loving the light taste of him. Brody smelled like soap and man, clean and fresh and sexual.

“Damn, woman. I nearly came eating you out. It was hard. And still is,” he teased.

She felt her heart crumble before him, loving that he’d lost that tough shell with her, that he’d reverted to the caring lover, the charmer from before. The real Brody.

“I love this.” She looked up at him while she licked him from tip to root.
I
love
you.

He pushed her hair aside and kept his hand on her cheek. “Yeah.” He sighed but didn’t close his eyes. He watched her like a hawk as she licked and sucked the head of him. “All of it. Take me in your mouth, Abby. I want to fuck those lips.”