The Watson Brothers (21 page)

She locked her ankles at the small of Pete’s back, inadvertently sending him deeper, to a spot that was almost pain, the pleasure was so fierce. Sobbing, she tried to pull her mouth away enough to breathe, but he held her too tight, too close. He drove into her faster, harder, and when he stiffened, his hips jerking, Cassidy came with him, swallowing his groan and giving him her own.

Happiness, euphoria, cocooned her. Pete was still atop her body, their warmth sealing their damp flesh together. His breath had finally calmed in her ear and she felt him withdrawing as he lost his erection.

“Mmm.” Lazily, she trailed her fingertips down his spine. His skin was sleek and hot, a little sweaty. “That tickles.”

He didn’t move. “What?”

“Your leaving me.”

“Oh. Yeah, that happens when I get wrung out.” Sluggishly, Pete forced himself up on stiffened arms. Their gazes met, hers a little timid, his triumphant. He smiled. “You’re incredible.”

Warmth flooded Cassidy’s face. “Thank you. You, too.”

His attention drifted from her eyes to her mouth. “Wanna do it again?”

Cassidy felt him growing hard once more. Her eyes widened. “But…”

Laughing, Pete rolled to the side of her. “In a little bit, I mean. Hell, I have to regain my strength.” He reached over and absently patted her thigh. “I know the manly thing to do would be to hightail it into the bathroom to get rid of the rubber, but I’m not sure I’d make it. You got any tissues in here or anything?”

Cassidy stared at her ceiling, astounded by the turn of events. She, Cassidy McClannahan, the
sensible
one, was being queried by a gorgeous man on how to deal with a spent condom. She chuckled and forced herself upright with renewed energy. Pete was sprawled beside her, one hand on his chest, the other near her hip. His eyes were still heavy, a crooked smile still on his mouth.

“I guess I’m stronger than you.” She swung her legs off the side of the bed and stood—then staggered.

Pete chuckled. “Yeah, right.”

“Be right back.”

As she headed into the hall, he said, “You’re always saying that to me.”

It didn’t occur to Cassidy that she was naked until she stepped into the bright light of the bathroom and saw herself in the mirror. Gads. Her once-tidy braid now looked like a frayed rope. Little hairs stuck out everywhere. Cassidy jerked out the rubber band, brushed her hair, and decided against braiding it again. It’d take too long, especially considering she had a naked man in her bed.

She wet a washcloth, wrung it out, and headed back to Pete with the small bathroom trash can in hand. She could feel her hair feathering against the bare skin of her back, reminding her of her nakedness. Now that she’d thought about being naked, she felt more self-conscious. She peeked into the bedroom, saw Pete had pushed himself up against the headboard and knew there was no help for it. At least he was naked, too. A nice distraction, that. Trying not to look embarrassed, Cassidy waltzed in.

Pete leered at her. “I like your hair like that. Last night, I was thinking about all that hair sliding over me while we made out.”

Cassidy drew to a stunned halt. “You were?”

“Yeah. What did you think about me?”

“Ummm…” To give herself time to formulate a safe answer, because after all, she couldn’t tell him she’d been mooning over him forever, she came in and handed him the trash can and cloth. It was an amazing thing, watching Pete peel away a condom and use the washcloth as if having an audience of one very interested woman didn’t affect him at all.

“Cassidy?” He dropped the cloth over the side of the bed and caught her hand, tumbling her onto his chest. “Snap out of it, woman.”

She
had
been watching the process rather fixedly, she realized.

With no real assistance from her, Pete arranged her next to him, pulling one of her legs over his lap, her arm over his chest and tucking her face against his shoulder.

The position was so comforting, but so alien, Cassidy felt stiff. “This is new to me.”

“Yeah?” His hand smoothed her hair, her shoulder. “Do tell.”

Not in this lifetime. “I thought it was crass to talk about stuff like that.”

“I don’t want details.” He shuddered at the thought. “But how come this is new to you? You’re twenty-seven, right? Same as me?”

“Yeah.” Disgruntled, she tangled her fingers in his chest hair and frowned up at him. “I didn’t say I was a virgin. I just haven’t done this much. And usually the guy didn’t stick around asking stupid questions afterward.”

Pete seemed to be chewing that over before coming to his own conclusions. “So you’ve been with the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind? That’s pathetic.”

She sighed and nestled closer. She could stay like this forever. “I know.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean you.” He tugged on her hair to get her face tipped up to his. “I meant the jerk who walked. What an idiot.”

“Idiots. Plural.”

“So how many idiots have you been with?”

This time she gave his chest hair a tug. “That is none of your business and you know it. I haven’t asked how many women you’ve been with.”

“You can if you want to. Like I said, we’re friends. I realized yesterday that we talk a lot. About everything.”

Did he seriously think she wanted to tally up his conquests and converse about them? “No.”

“I’m as comfortable with you as I am with the guys.”

And that was supposed to reassure her? Cassidy thought about slugging him. She pulled her fist back, ready to poke him in the ribs.

“No guys ever kissed you between the legs before, huh?”

Oh God. Her arm fell to her side and she ducked her face against him. Maybe she could just sink into the bedding. Maybe she’d get lucky and disappear. No, Pete was still there. Still waiting.

“Cassidy?”

Beyond annoyed, she sat up and glared at him. “I may be new at this but I still don’t think this is normal after-sex conversation, even between very good friends.”

“I liked it.” He grinned shamefully. “You taste good.”

Cassidy thought her eyes might cross. He had no shame, no modesty, no understanding of the restrictions on polite conversation.

Giving up, she fell backward on the bed and pulled a pillow over her face. Her words muffled by goose down, she said, “You’re outrageous. Will you please stop?”

“No.” The bed dipped and shook as Pete moved. “In fact,” he said, from somewhere near her knees, “I wouldn’t mind doing it again. Right now.”

Hot, moist breath touched her, obliterating all her objections—and someone knocked on her front door.

Pete groaned at the intrusion. Where his palm rested on the inside of Cassidy’s thigh, she was warm and firm and silky. “You expecting company?”

“No.” Cassidy removed the pillow, twisted, and looked upside down at her alarm clock. “It’s nine-thirty already.” She flopped flat again and said to Pete with evident surprise, “I thought we’d only been in here a little while.”

Grinning, Pete squeezed her leg. His fingertips were
that
close to her pubic hair. “Time flies when you’re having fun.” The knock sounded again and he sighed in disappointment. “Want me to get that?”

“Good God, no!”

She scrambled out of the bed, gloriously bereft of clothing. Her ass was round and soft, her waist trim, her legs sleek. That long hair swung around her, caressing her back, sides, shoulders. Pete lounged back and crossed his arms behind his head, enjoying the show.

“It could be my parents.”

Right. June and Ward Cleaver. Pete made a face that she didn’t see. “What do you want me to do?”

She jerked on a shirt and wrangled into her flannel pants. On her way out, she said, “Just be quiet.” She closed the door behind her.

Pete was on his feet in a flash. He pulled the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around his hips. Carefully, not making a sound, he eased out of the room and followed Cassidy down the hall. He had just peeked around the corner when Cassidy unlocked her front door and pulled it open.

Gil stood there on her stoop with Sam beside him. “Morning, Cassidy. Did we wake you?”

Cassidy, poor girl, pressed a hand to her chest and stared. From Pete’s vantage point, she seemed to be in shock. “Uh…”

Next to Gil, Sam stuck out his hand. “I’m Pete’s brother, Sam. Gil thought you might know where he is.”

Cassidy gave a very limp handshake and said again, “Uh…”

Both his brothers were here, looking for him? Pete stepped around the corner. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes so wide they looked ready to fall out of her head, Cassidy turned to face him. Gil gave him the once-over, making particular note of the sheet, and started fighting a grin. He cleared his throat, looked up at the ceiling, shifted his position.

Sam, who apparently saw nothing amiss, didn’t so much as blink. “Everything’s fine. We were just going to head out on Gil’s boat and thought you might like to tag along. Sorry if we interrupted. Gil said you hang out here a lot.”

It struck Pete then, exactly what he’d just given away. He looked at Cassidy, but she was beet-red and mute with incredulity. Damn it, he’d embarrassed her.

Gil cleared his throat again. “We can see you’re otherwise engaged. Later.”

He and Sam started to turn away, but Cassidy said, “No, wait.” Using both hands, she shoved her hair out of her face. “We, ah, I had to go out now anyway.”

Pete reached out and took her upper arms. “Cassidy…”

She wouldn’t quite meet his gaze. “I need to go to the mall. And then I have to visit my parents and…you should go. Go with your brothers. Go on.”

She actually shooed him.

Pete crossed his arms over his chest. “Can I get my shorts first?”

Poleaxed, she laughed too loud. “Yeah. Your shorts. I’ll get them for you.” And she practically ran out of the room.

Sam said, “Am I missing something?”

Gil grinned. “I believe the world just shifted.”

“Ha ha.” Pete walked to the front door and held it open. “If you two hooligans want to wait at my place, I’ll be right there.”

“What, and stand around outside? Your place is locked up.” Gil started for the couch. “We’ll just wait here.”

“No.”

“Yeah.” Sam joined Gil, saying thoughtfully, “Do you remember a certain baby brother making our romantic lives hell?”

“I have a vague memory of that, yes.”

Pete had tussled with his brothers many times. But not in a sheet. Odds were if he tried it now, he’d end up bare-assed and that just wouldn’t do. He didn’t wrestle with certain things flopping about unprotected. “Fine. But you’re only embarrassing her, not me.”

Sam, the only blue-eyed one of the brothers, stretched out his long legs in ragged jeans. “You mean like Ariel was embarrassed when you caught her in my boxers?”

“
That
was funny,” Pete declared.

“Or when you tried to find out which websites featured Anabel on them?” Gil asked.

“I was curious.” Then with disgust: “Come on, Gil. I was just teasing you then and you know it.”

Sam settled in with a grin. “We’ll be waiting.”

With nothing else to do, Pete stormed into Cassidy’s bedroom. She was perched on the edge of the bed, still pink but now dressed in jeans and a knit shirt. As if they could hear her, she whispered hopefully, “Are they gone?”

Pete threw the sheet aside. “Hell, no. They stuck their asses to your couch and they’re not leaving until I leave with them.” He grabbed up his boxers and yanked them on.

“I see.” She licked her lips with her gaze glued south of his navel. “Maybe I’ll just wait in here until then.”

“Coward.” Pete eyed her as he zipped up his shorts and grabbed for his shirt. “You don’t have any reason to be embarrassed, you know.”

“But I’m the sensible one. How sensible is this?”

Oh, now that stung. Eyes narrowed, he stalked to her and, as she hastily leaned back, caged her in with his fists on the mattress at either side of her hips. “What exactly does that mean, Cassidy?”

She swallowed hard. Braced on her elbows, her breath fast and shallow, she hissed, “You know what I mean.”

Her hot breath brushed his mouth, and damn it, he wanted her again. “Explain it to me.”

“You’re a…a carouser.” Once she said it, she warmed to the topic. “A hound dog, a hedonist. You’re never going to settle down.”

Pete went very still. He was…well, hell, he was hurt. And a little confused. Cautiously, he asked, “Did you want to settle down?”

“Yes! You know I do—someday.” Her gaze was defiant. “I have my plans for the future, remember?”

“That’s right.” Plans that didn’t include him. Pete straightened away. If he didn’t put some distance between them, he’d be kissing her again and they both knew where that would lead. “You want a guy in a black tie, a corporate dude who’s just like Daddy.”

“Don’t you dare be snide!” Temper shot her off the bed so she could glare up at him. “At least I have plans beyond getting laid!”

A tap sounded on her bedroom door and Cassidy nearly fell over.

Whipping around, Pete barked,
“What?”

“We can hear you, and since it appears this argument won’t be over any time soon, we’re going to go ahead and mosey over to your place. Don’t keep us waiting.”

Eyes huge, her hand clutching his wrist, Cassidy whispered, “That was Sam?”

“Yeah.” Pete ran his free hand over his face, far too frustrated for a guy who’d just had over-the-moon sex.

“He
heard
me.” She freed her death grip on him to cover her mouth. “Ohmigod.”

“Now don’t faint.” Amusement at her reaction took away some of the sting of her disapproval. “Sam’s heard worse, believe me. And if I had to make a guess, they were cheering you on.”

“But you’re their brother.”

“Exactly. It’s no fun to pick on a girl, anyway.”

“Woman,” she clarified distractedly.

“What?”

“I’m a woman, not a girl.” Then: “This is so embarrassing. I’ll never be able to face them again.”

Pete put his arm around her. “Sure you will. You’re my helper when I babysit, remember? And someday I’d like you to meet my sisters-in-law. They’re terrific.” He led her out of the room and to the couch that Sam and Gil had vacated. He felt safer getting away from the bed, where he could think clearer. Not much clearer, considering she looked well-loved, but at least this room wasn’t scented by their lovemaking, too.

And it had been lovemaking, he realized. Not just sex. He’d had sex. Hell, he loved sex. But what he’d done with Cassidy was something…richer. Only she didn’t seem to know it.

He frowned, trying to figure out what to say to her.

“You should go.”

That pissed him off more. She did her best to rush him out the door. Talk about a wham-bam-thank-you…sir. “Look, Cassidy, we should probably get a few things straight.”

“All right, but make it quick. I don’t want your brothers to come back here.”

His annoyance rose. Why had he never realized what a bossy, irritating woman Cassidy could be? “You want me to cut to the chase? Fine.” He stood over her, forcing her to tilt her head back to see him. “I’m. Not. Done.”

She scooted back on the couch. “Not done with what?”

“Not what, who. One time having you isn’t near enough.” Color flooded into her face until she looked sunburned. “Now don’t start getting wide-eyed on me again. I don’t intend to get in the way of your grand plans. I’m sure your suited Romeo will still be out there after we’ve finished exploring this…connection.”

Her long hair hid her face from him. Her fingers twined together in her lap. Then she nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She looked up, and she was smiling. “I want to explore it, too.”

Well. That hadn’t been as hard as he’d expected. “Great. So from now on, don’t go shoving me out the door.”

“Tell your brothers not to interrupt and I won’t.”

That made Pete smile. “If I told them that, they’d probably hang around as much as possible. It’ll be better if I just don’t say much about you at all.”

Her wry expression told him just what she was thinking.

“Don’t judge me by your own standards. I’m not embarrassed to be sleeping with you. I’m just trying to protect you from them.”

“Why would they bother me?”

“Because I bothered them when they were—” Pete gulped. He’d almost said,
falling in love
. That’d really have her tossing him out the door. She didn’t want anyone like him, not permanently anyway. She wanted a suit, a stuffed shirt.

Maybe he should meet her dad. Hmmm…

“What?” Cassidy gave him a funny look. “What are you thinking?”

“Oh, nothing.” Shaking his head, Pete said, “We just like to rib each other, that’s all.”

“Okay then.” She stood and started ushering him to the door. “Go and let them rib you so they won’t embarrass me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Pete pulled her into a hug first. “Cassidy? You were phenomenal.”

Her grin was cheeky and fun. “Thanks. You, too.”

Pete stepped outside and was just about to close the door behind him when Cassidy said, “Pete?”

Such a cautious voice. Turning back, he raised a brow.

Very softly, she said, “I’m not at all embarrassed to sleep with you.”

“No?” That made him feel better—although he wasn’t sure he believed her.

“No.” She pushed the door almost closed. “In fact,” she said through the narrow opening, “I’m looking forward to sleeping with you again.”

The door snapped shut and the lock clicked into place. Pete stood there, grinning like an idiot, oblivious to his brothers watching from the stoop next door—until Sam said, “Yeah, it’s love. I recognize the signs.”

“Most definitely,” Gil agreed.

Pete jerked out of his daze. There wasn’t anything he could do about his brothers ribbing him, not after the way he’d goaded them back during their courtships, but he could at least move it to someplace private to protect Cassidy. She was embarrassed enough already. Eventually she’d have to get used to his brothers…or would she?

“Eavesdropping?” Pete grouched. “Don’t you two have anything better to do?” Fishing his keys out of his pocket, he strode to them and unlocked his front door.

Sam eyed him in the intimidating way only an older brother could. Given the older brother was a certified bad-ass, intimidation came easily. “You don’t look too worried about being in love.”

Gil bent to see Pete’s face. “He’s not blanching even a little.”

Pete laughed. Yeah, he thought he just might be in love. What to do about it—that was the big question. He pushed his front door open with a flourish. “You might as well come on in.”

Sam snorted. “As if you had a choice in that.”

By rote, all three brothers headed for the kitchen. Didn’t matter where they were, the kitchen was the official meeting place for anything important. Pete assumed this meant they considered his situation with Cassidy important, not just fodder for harassment.

He opened his fridge and tossed Sam a frosty can of Coke, then handed one to his quieter brother. Pete popped the tab on his own and started to drink, but Gil snatched it out of his hands.

“You two are such hillbillies.” He turned to Sam, but Sam had that touch-my-drink-and-you’re-in-trouble look. Sighing, Gil rinsed Pete’s can under the tap and dried it. “Here. If you don’t have enough breeding to use a glass, at least clean the thing.”

So saying, Gil got down a glass and filled it with ice.