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  “She lives with Joey now.” It was more a statement than a question.

  “Yeah. He had his own house up at Winter Ridge so it made sense for them to go there. I miss her, but I know she’s happy.”

  Brady nodded like he understood. I wondered if he had a best friend or group of friends that he hung out with. I wasn’t sure how I could ask without sounding like I needed to know everything about him. Instead I offered him a drink.

  “Just some water is good.”

  He followed me to the kitchen as I teased, “Totally committed to the healthy lifestyle, I see. Do you ever give yourself a day off?”

  “I ate two cupcakes tonight.”

  I laughed. “True. I guess next time we’ll have to have a drink instead of a couple of cupcakes then. I wouldn’t want you getting soft.” I patted his flat stomach and found myself unable to remove my hand. His thin t-shirt wasn’t enough to mask the rippling muscles I found. My hand moved on its own, tracing the lines and skimming over the skin that danced for me.

  “I don’t drink. At all,” Brady ground out, sounding pained and something else. I looked up to question why he didn’t drink. When my eyes met his all thoughts drifted away and were replaced by need. Raw, bare, powerful need. The same need I saw in his eyes.

  “Brady,” I whispered tentatively.

  “Sam…” drifted past his lips as he moved closer. Then his lips were on mine.

  The gentleness of his kiss shocked me. Our other kisses were passionate, aggressive. But this one, oh, this one was better. This one left me feeling loved, worshipped.

  His hand cupped my cheek and kept me frozen under the delicious torture of his kiss. When his tongue brushed against my lips a sigh escaped me as I opened for him. My hands, still on his stomach, rubbed soft circles against his shirt. I lifted the fabric and continued my exploration on his bare skin, loving the feel of his heat and strength.

  Brady yanked his shirt off, leaving his body exposed to me. I saw the scars on his chest, but they were only a part of the man in front of me.

  Unable to stop myself I ran my tongue over one of his scars. He hissed in a breath, but I kept going, kissing and loving the scars that covered his chest and stomach. My hands rested on his hips, as much to steady myself as to feel him. I worked over his body, kissing, touching, enjoying him. He moaned and gripped my arms, pulling me up to kiss him.

  His tongue pushed into my mouth in the needy, controlling way I’d come to equate to Brady. He held me close to him, his warmth heating me up from the outside while his kisses worked on the inside.

  Brady’s fingers toyed with the edge of my shirt, dancing along the bare skin hidden beneath. I arched into him, pressing my body into his warm hands. He ran his palm along my stomach to my back and held me to him. I moaned at the feel of his erection pressed to my stomach, aching between my thighs to feel him there.

  Our interactions had been hot but limited. I wanted him. Kissing Brady turned me on in ways I’d only heard of existing. Having him touch me was something out of a fantasy. But I knew he was cautious, overly so in my opinion. Still, I didn’t want to scare him off.

  “Can I touch you, Brady?” I asked, pulling back from our kiss to taste his skin, trailing my tongue down his throat to circle his small, tight nipple. He hissed in a breath and tugged me tighter against him at the contact.

  “Jesus, I’m not sure I can do this, Sam. I want to rip your clothes to shreds and pound into you.”

  “So do it,” I begged, my panties soaking through with the thought of Brady taking me how he wanted. Hell, as long as we had sex I didn’t really care how it happened.

  “I can’t, Sam. Not until I know I won’t hurt you.”

  “I’m not made of glass, Brady,” I argued, nipping at his skin.

  Brady growled and pressed me against the counter. He tore at my shirt until it was gone, tossed behind him. His eyes dilated when he saw the red lace bra I wore. He closed his lips over the peaks of my nipples straining for his attention. Desperate to feel his lips on me, I fought with shaky hands to unclasp my bra. When I finally managed to remove it Brady brought my nipples together and circled both with the tip of his tongue.

  My head fell back, cracking against the cabinets, but I didn’t care. Brady lifted me onto the counter and positioned himself between my legs, grinding his erection against my core. “I need you Brady,” I moaned, aching for him to touch me.

  His fingers dipped beneath my shorts like a heat seeking missile headed straight for the target. When he brushed against me we both moaned. “I don’t know if I can do this, Sam,” Brady ground out, his voice laced with fear and desire. “I don’t think I can stop.”

  “I want you, Brady. I don’t want you to stop.”

  “We have to go slow,” he said, dragging his thick fingers through my folds to my core. He inserted one slowly, then slid it back out. My eyes rolled back in my head and my core clenched.

  “I’m not gonna last, Brady. Oh, fuck.”

  “Neither am I, baby. I can’t take much more of watching you. Come for me, Sam. Don’t hold back.”

  The slow, torturous glide on his fingers in and out of me created a slow burn deep inside. When his thumb rasped over the tight little nub that was throbbing for his attention, my body coiled and released faster than I thought was possible. I screamed, incoherent babbling falling from my lips as he carried me quickly from one orgasm straight into another. Each was bigger and stronger than the last, my hips moving on their own to work in tandem with his hand, and making me want more and more.

  With the last rush, the fifth, maybe sixth, I knew I was done. My hips stopped pumping, my body slowed and stilled, Brady’s hand following my lead. When my eyes were finally able to focus on him again he looked at me with such awe that I know I blushed.

  “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed. Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are, Sam?”

  Instead of answering I simply pulled Brady in for a kiss. His tongue thrust against mine the same way his hand had moved inside me. He was nearly as out of breath as I was, but neither of us wanted to stop.

  Until I went for the button on his shorts.

  “No, Sam. I can’t have you touch me. I’ll lose it.”

  “I trust you, Brady,” I insisted. “I don’t like know you make me feel so good and I can’t return the favor.”

  “I didn’t do it so you would feel obligated, baby. I wanted you to feel good, and I wanted to see you. I fucking loved watching you.”

  “And I want to make you feel good.”

  “I do, baby, I promise. I should probably go though. The gym opens early in the morning.”

  That stung. Sure, I knew Dave’s Gym opened at five am, but I felt like there was more to it than just being responsible.

  “Okay,” I agreed reluctantly. “Are you okay with going to the wedding Saturday? Did you have other plans?”

  “I’m not saying no forever, Sam. Just not yet,” Brady answered, reading my mind. “And yes, I’m okay with the wedding Saturday. It’ll be fun to watch you in action.”

  I snorted. “I don’t think it’s really that exciting.”

  “Everything with you is exciting, Sam.”

  I smiled even as Brady picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head. He wasn’t a charmer like some guys, but he definitely knew the right thing to say to make me melt.

  I walked him to the door and accepted the sweet kiss he left me with, then locked the door and went to bed, alone.

  ~*~

  “Samantha, where have you been?” my mom asked when I answered her call the next day.

  “Um, working?”

  She sighed loudly. “I’ve been calling you for days. Why weren’t you answering your calls?”

  I finally cracked. “I didn’t want to hear it Mom. I know why you’re calling. You’ve got a job prospect for me, or a guy for me to date, or some criticism about my current job or about Brady. I wasn’t in the mood, Mom.”

  She squeaked in in
dignation. “How dare you speak to me like that?”

  “Mom, I’m not trying to be mean, but every time we talk you’re criticizing one aspect of my life or another. I wasn’t in the mood for it. I know how you feel about Brady. It was written all over your face the other day.”

  “I’m just trying to watch out for you Samantha. Your sister told me you were thinking about moving to a smaller place. I’m assuming that means things aren’t going well with your hobby. I have some opportunities for you to consider. I’ve sent you an email so I know you get it all correct since last time you said you must have written the phone number down incorrectly.”

  I managed to stifle the laugh that threatened to bubble out. I’d forgotten about that one. She was so mad when I admitted I hadn’t called Rose’s daughter, or whoever it was, because the number I dialed was disconnected. Thankfully she was too embarrassed by my ‘lack of professionalism’ to call and get the number again.

  “Thank you, Mom,” I gritted. “I’m not looking for a new job though. I have a job, one I love. I’m simply making some changes.”

  “What changes?”

  “I’m not going to shoot anymore weddings,” I confessed. I knew she’d flip. The weddings were the only part of my business she had any respect for. They brought in the most money and being a wedding photographer was a respected position, in my mother’s opinion.

  “Oh, Samantha, why? You’ll end up homeless and starving.”

  “Thanks for your confidence, Mom.”

  “Just make sure you don’t turn to that Brady when you’re out of a job. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would take care of a woman.”

  “I don’t want to be taken care of, Mom. I’m taking care of myself.”

  “Yes, well, when things fall apart for you I’m sure Brady won’t be around to help. He’s not reliable, Samantha.”

  “You don’t know anything about him,” I argued, defending him even though I didn’t know much more about Brady than my mother did.

  “I know his type, Samantha. Your father has told me too many stories about men who are just like him.”

  “Stop right there, Mom. Brady is not one of Dad’s prisoners. Don’t group him into that category. And if you don’t like Brady, that’s your issue, not mine. I think he’s a wonderful man, and I’m not going to let you destroy what we’re building. For once in my life, Mom, I’d appreciate your support.”

  “I can’t support you when I know you’re making the wrong choice, Samantha.”

  I sighed heavily. “I’m sorry to hear that, Mom. I disagree with you, and if you aren’t willing to respect the choices I make in my life, my career, and my relationships, then I’m not really interested in hearing what you have to say. I need to trust myself, and every conversation with you makes me question myself. That’s not fair to me.”

  “Because you should be Samantha. You’re not making wise choices-“

  “Stop, Mom. I don’t want to hear it. Until you’re willing to accept my life, as is, without needing to correct it, I don’t want to hear from you.”

  I hung up, not giving her another chance to argue. The phone rang again a few seconds later, and I declined her call. It rang again, and I declined that one. With the third call I just shoved my phone in my desk drawer, putting my mother out of my mind. I had more important things to worry about, like figuring out the set up for one of my best friends’ wedding.

  Eighteen

  On Saturday I still hadn’t talked to my mother. She’d called, but I sent every call to voicemail until I heard a message saying she was sorry and she was going to respect me. I hadn’t gotten that yet.

  So I got myself ready for the wedding. They were keeping it small, only family and close friends, so I wasn’t in the wedding. I wasn’t sure how I could shoot a wedding and be in it, so I was grateful I didn’t have to juggle the two tasks, even though a part of me secretly hoped I’d have gotten the chance to be a bridesmaid by now. I was in Heather’s wedding and Addi asked me to be her maid of honor, but I liked weddings a lot more when I was in the bridal party instead of just the hired help.

  Brady was going to meet me there instead of following me all over town for the early shots. Part of me wished he could be there for all of it, but he had better things to do than wait around for me to work, even if he did say he was interested in it.

  I got to Mandy’s parents’ house first. She and Claire were getting ready in Mandy’s old bedroom. Her parents were somewhere in the house too, but it was pretty quiet. Thankfully Mandy was fairly low key so I wasn’t there overly early.

  “Wow,” I whispered when I walked into the familiar room, seeing Mandy in her dress. Even though we didn’t know each other in high school, being in college in Winterville we went to Mandy’s parents’ house a lot during our college years. They had great cookouts all summer and they invited us all over regularly.

  “It’s perfect, isn’t it?” Claire asked.

  “It really is. Xander is going to flip his shit when he sees you.”

  Mandy grinned and I knew that was exactly why she’d chosen the backless dress she was wearing. Triangle pieces fit over her chest with dainty straps that did not look strong enough to hold up her abundant breasts. A band wrapped around under her chest before giving way to a floor length skirt that floated to her feet, barely covering white heels with garnet rhinestones on the toes.

  “I had to have this dress when I saw it. Of course I needed an industrial strength backless bra to go with it, but it’s going to be totally worth it when he sees me. Sam, you’ve got to capture the look on his face.”

  I grinned. “I definitely will. I imagine it’ll be a cross between wanting to drag you out of the church and absolute love.”

  “He really does love me, doesn’t he?”

  “Do you even need to ask?” Claire said. “He adores you.”

  “We’re damn lucky,” Mandy grinned. When she focused on me I was a little shocked by the conviction in her eyes. “And Brady is a lucky man. I think you picked a good one.”

  I laughed. “Brady and I are temporary. He’s gonna wake up one day and realize he can get any woman he wants.”

  “Why would you say that? He adores you,” Claire argued.

  I shrugged. “I just know how men are. We haven’t even slept together. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to.”

  “Sam, you’re wrong. I saw the way he was looking at you the other night,” Mandy said.

  “Was that before or after you interrogated him?” I smirked.

  “Both. And during. He looked like he wanted to eat you alive. He had so much passion in his eyes whenever he looked at you that Xander and I had to go home and have sex for hours to get rid of the burning between my legs.”

  “Ew! I did not need to hear that!”

  “You asked for it. Besides, it’s the truth. That man wants you. I’d be willing to bet he’ll be dragging you off to a quiet corner tonight.”

  Claire laughed. “It’s usually the women who get horny at weddings, not men.”

  “True, but I just think Brady won’t be able to stop himself when he sees Sam in this dress.”

  I rolled my eyes at my friend, but of course I’d been hoping the same thing. I’d carefully selected a black dress so I could blend into the background, but it was fitted over my chest with a super short and flirty skirt that started just below my chest, making my legs look long and my waist look small. I’d added a pair of red sandals that laced up my calf, dangling ruby earrings, and a black pearl and ruby necklace that dipped into my cleavage.

  I knew I looked good.

  And I really hoped Mandy was right.

  “I think we’re all getting lucky tonight,” Claire grinned. I loved hearing Claire talk about sex. When we’d first met she wasn’t a virgin, but after being raped by her high school boyfriend she gave up men and sex. Until Aidan came along and swept her off her feet. She was a completely different person with him, someone full of passion and love and joy. I loved seeing th
at in my friend.

  “I can only hope,” I murmured.

  A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. Mandy’s parents walked in, her mom tearing up when she looked at her beautiful daughter. “Oh, Mandy, you look so gorgeous.”

  “I don’t think we can do this,” her dad said.

  “Why not?” Mandy asked, alarmed.

  “I don’t think he deserves my little girl,” he said, his eyes misting.

  I captured the moment without any of them knowing what I was doing. Mandy hugged both of her parents and thanked them for always being there for her. She touched up her make up, checking that none of it streaked with her tears, and we headed for the church.

  Xander and his best friend, Drew, who we’d met at a Christmas party at Mandy and Xander’s house a few months ago, were dressed and hanging out behind the altar at the church. I hugged them both and asked Xander if he was ready.

  “He’s been flipping out the whole day. He wants to see her so badly he can barely breathe,” Drew answered for him.

  “Well, I just saw her and I promise she’s worth the wait.”

  “I know she is, but I’m starting to wish I hadn’t waited so fucking long to marry her.” Drew smacked his on the back of the head. “What the fuck was that for?”

  “Dude, we’re in a church. Stop saying fuck.”

  “He’s right, you know,” I added, earning a glare from Xander.

  “I knew I liked you,” Drew said, slinging his arm around my shoulder.

  “Have you gotten rid of that horrible girlfriend yet?” I teased him.

  “Nope, she’s still hanging around.”

  “The dumbass even bought a new house and moved her in with him,” Xander stage whispered, earning him another smack. “Ow, shit. What the fuck!”

  “Language!” Drew yelled, raising his hand again. Xander backed away and slugged Drew on the shoulder, thankfully the one I wasn’t pressed against.

  “Dammit!” Drew yelled. “Sam, I might need a massage. Can we add best man massage to the list of your duties for the day.”