"You know it." And then, Brody reached for my panties and gave them a hard yank. As he did, I fumbled for his briefs, pushing them down toward the floor, first with my hands, and then with my foot.
Soon, we were both naked, right there in the brand-new kitchen.
Finally, he reached for my hips and lifted me effortlessly onto the shirt-covered countertop, kissing me as he did.
When his finger grazed my clit, I moaned into his mouth. With one hand, I reached between us, stroking his massive erection. I wanted him inside me, and I didn't want to wait.
I pulled back and breathed, "If you wait one more second, I think I'm gonna die."
"Oh yeah?" He smiled like this was a good thing. "We'll see." And with that, he slid a finger deliberately inside me, making me whimper with desperate need.
My eyelids fluttered as I breathed, "See?"
With honey in his voice, he asked, "Wanna know whatIsee?"
"What?"
"The girl I love." As he spoke, he circled my clit with his thumb, making me squirm with lust while his finger – and thentwofingers – stroked my insides in a way that made my hips surge and my breathing grow ragged.
Everything he did, he did right. And this was no exception. By the time he finally entered me, I was already a quivering, trembling mess.
I swear to heaven, I climaxed on like his third thrust, shuddering against him as he drove into me harder and faster while I wrapped my legs around his waist and held on for dear life.
And what a ride it was.
I could feel the muscles in his back moving in time with every thrust, driving me to distraction as he gave me exactly what I wanted, what I needed, too.
By the time he climaxed against me, I felt like I was floating away to the most wonderful place – a dreamland, where anything was possible – where enemies became lovers, and lovers became something more.
As our breathing subsided, I leaned my head on his muscular shoulder and murmured, "Oh, boy. A girl could get used to this, you know?"
With that familiar smile in his voice, he said, "As long as the girl is you, count me in."
Chapter 77
Arden
We spent the next month traveling back and forth from Michigan to California. We were officially a couple – in privateandin public.
And boy, did Waverly love that.She especially loved it when I was offered another consulting contract, this one for the house in California, which was undergoing a serious renovation.
Speaking of California, I learned from Brody that Waverly's trip to that state hadn't involved him at all. Rather, Waverly had gone to visit her uncle at the production company, where she'd demanded that I be fired.Or else.
Instead, she'd been demoted to general gopher, and Roy had been given the producer job in her place. The new assignments were set to begin with the very next house – a house that I would have a hand in restoring.
I expected grief from Brody's brothers, but for whatever reason – whether because Brody had run interference, or because anyone could see that we were crazy about each other – things went a lot smoother than I might've expected.
During this whole time, Brody and I still debated – sometimes in jest, and sometimes in earnest – who should really own the house on the beach.
Legally, it was mine already. But in my heart, I still felt funny about taking it for nothing. But Brody, stubborn as ever, still absolutely refused to let me buy it.
In the meantime, the house remained vacant – not because we didn't want to move in, but because until we agreed on whose house it actually was, it seemed terribly premature to start filling it with our things.
And besides, somewhere in the back of my mind, I was hoping that a choice wouldn't have to be made at all – that the house could beoursin the most permanent of ways.
Regardless, I was having the time of my life. After my return to Bayside, Brody made another confession. During the past few months, he'd been avoiding travel so we could spend more time together.
I was insanely flattered, but horrified to learn that this had caused a delay with the other houses, including the place in California. In happier news, we were catching up just fine, and this time, we were doing it together.
