A Storm Is Coming (17 page)

“Alex….I can’t.” Braylee was too raw. Her emotions were all over the place.

“Why?”

“You know why. It’s been a traumatic day…we’re emotional because of it. I…just need to rest.”

“It’s more than that. We can rest at my place.”

She gave him a knowing look, “I’m sure we would do a lot of things, but rest probably wouldn’t be one of them. And as much as I know that I’d enjoy it, tomorrow always comes. Not sure I could handle another tomorrow. But…more importantly, Cecily lost her father, and I’m sure she’s beside herself with worry for you. She doesn’t need me crowding her space.”

As much as Alex wanted to argue, Braylee was right about one thing. He needed to go home and comfort his niece. He exhaled deeply, “You’re right. She needs me, but I need you…desperately.” This time he pulled her into his arms and kissed her senseless.

“I’ll accept this answer for now, but so that you know…I won’t accept this answer tomorrow.” Kissing her forehead, “Come on, I’ll carry you inside.”

Chapter 23

After everything Braylee had gone through and as exhausted as she was feeling, she still couldn’t sleep. And, now that the shock of the day was wearing off, her body ached all over.

However, it was nothing she hoped a good hot bath with lavender oils couldn’t solve. Braylee slowly lowered herself into the hot bubble bath and closed her eyes hoping it would relax her enough to fall asleep.

She’d been soaking for about thirty minutes when her cell phone vibrated. Braylee sat up. It was almost three o’clock in the morning. A phone call this late was almost never good. Her hands were still a little shaky when she answered, “Hello.”

“Were you sleeping?”

Braylee expelled a breath, then slowly slid back down under the bubbles. Just the sound of his voice relaxed her, “No, taking a nice little soak. I’m exhausted, but I think I’m still too wired for sleep. What are you doing up?”

“I stayed with Cecily until she fell asleep.”

“I’m sure she appreciated that.”

“Yeah, so did I. She’s been through so much.”

“So have you. You must be exhausted.”

Silence.

“You know…technically, it’s tomorrow.”

Braylee closed her eyes remembering his words from earlier. She nervously chewed on her bottom lip, “I…um…guess you’re right.”

“Think you can let me up?”

Braylee quickly sat up and pulled her knees to her breast sloshing water everywhere, “Wha…what do you mean? Where are you?”

“I’m downstairs.”

Her inner voice screamed YES, but Braylee was only able to manage a whisper, “Yes.” She was pretty sure that her answer was for a lot more than the simple question he’d asked.

She disconnected the call. Then, quickly hopped out of the bath and threw a towel around herself. It only took a second or two for her to run out of the bathroom to buzz him inside.

It would take a couple of minutes for him to get from the first level to her floor. In that time, Braylee ran back to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Oh…my…god. I’m still a mess.” She pulled her hair out of her silk scarf and tried to brush it. It was everywhere. Then she quickly brushed her teeth. Just as she was finishing up, he knocked on the door.

She was still wrapped in her towel, “Oh god. He’s going to think I’m a dog in heat.” Braylee ran to her bedroom to find her terrycloth robe. By the time she’d made it to the door, she was almost out of breath.

“Just a second.”

Breathe Braylee breathe. She took a couple of calming breaths and then opened the door.

Of course, Alexandro was standing there in jeans and a black t-shirt looking all kinds of gorgeous but tired.

He gave her a lazy smile, “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“Can I come in?”

“Oh…of course. Sorry.” Braylee stepped out of the way so that he could come inside her condo.

Alex had barely closed the door behind him before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. All Braylee could do was wrap her arms around him and kiss him back with everything she had.

When Alex pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, “I know you said you just wanted to rest. Honestly, I respect that. I just needed to be near you for a little while.”

Braylee caressed his cheek, “I was just finishing up a bath.”

“Okay, go finish up. I’ll wait for you.”

She took his hand in hers and led him to her bedroom. “You look dead on your feet. Why don’t you relax in here?”

A little mischievous smile crossed his face, “The bedroom…huh?”

She tossed a coy little smile right back at him, “I’m taking pity out on you. Rest. That’s it. I’ll be right back.” Braylee went into the bathroom and let the water out. Then, blew out her candles. By the time she returned, Alex had taken off his t-shirt and kicked off his shoes while laying barefoot across her bed. He was asleep.

Braylee stood at the threshold of the bathroom door just admiring him. There was not an ounce of fat on this man. His athletic body came in handy today. That smooth olive skin was too tempting. She turned off the soft lights and blanketed the room in near darkness.

She let her robe fall to the floor and was about to put on something to sleep in when she heard the low rumble of his voice, “Don’t. You’re beautiful. Let me just admire you.”

Braylee froze and whispered, “I thought you were sleeping.” Feeling exposed but wanting to please him.

“Come here.”

Slowly, Braylee walked over to Alex. She knew this was a mistake but couldn’t help herself.

“I’d planned to come over and just sleep next to you.” He pulled her naked body down into the bed and onto him. She straddled his waist.

Alex touched the side of her face with his fingertips and continued his downward exploration touching the softness of her neck and collar bone.

Braylee’s breathing became uneven as his fingers went lower to touch her breast. His eyes were blazing as he studied her. His fingers were so feather light as they circled the tips of her nipples. She threw her head back from the sheer agony of pleasure of his near touch. It didn’t take much to get her juices flowing when she was around him.

He sat up and that movement rubbed against her core. Involuntarily, she pressed into the fullness of him.

Braylee moaned and gripped his arms for balance, “Alex….”

“I promise, I just want a little taste.” He held onto her back then bent his head low as he captured a needy peak into his mouth.”

She dug her nails into his arms, “Yes!”

Involuntarily rocking into him at the same time he rocked into her. Alex kissed and loved on each of her breasts as the fire continued to build between them.

He stopped abruptly breathing in little short pants. None of this had been in his plans for when he came over. Braylee looked so vulnerable and alone in the car tonight. He couldn’t get that look out of his mind. That was why he’d shown up on her doorstep unannounced. His intent had been to come over and comfort her.

If he continued…it would be impossible to stop. It was already impossible to stop. Slowly, his hands moved to her waist as he laid his head in between her breasts. He did his best to still his movements and hers.

“Braylee…baby…please be still…do not move. I came over here trying to be a gentleman. You’re making it hard. Literally.”

She whispered, “You started this and now…I’m burning up.”

“I promised you…I’d let you rest. This has already gone farther than I intended.”

Braylee was so frustrated she wanted to cry. She wanted him. She didn’t want him. Her body was betraying her. Here she sat naked straddling this man…was he not going to make love to her after all of this?

After a moment of indecision, Braylee decided to take matters into her own hands and pushed him back onto the bed. Their eyes locked onto one another as she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. He lifted his hips off of the bed while she pulled them down mid-thigh.

There was no decision to make. Everything had always been leading them back to this moment. Alex pushed his jeans the rest of way down until he was able to kick them off.

Finally, skin to skin. Nothing she’d ever experienced had felt this good…this intense. Alex was fully aroused. Braylee shifted so that she could stroke her wetness up and down his hardness.

Now it was his turn to close his eyes and moan.

His hands slid up over her rib cage and continued until he cupped her breasts into his hands. Cupping and kneading them with a passion that Braylee had been craving all day. She briefly closed her eyes at the sheer pleasure of just him touching her body.

Braylee refused to be distracted. This was her show. Reaching behind her, she wrapped her fingers around him.

The heady mix of steel wrapped in silk was how he felt as she began to pump him slowly up and down. He arched up into her hands as he moved to grip her hips. Braylee loved to see the passion on his face knowing she put it there.

Her body was screaming for fulfillment, so she wasted no time in taking the head of his member and guided it into the moistness of her body rubbing it back and forth.

Alex bit his bottom lip, “You killing me.”

Finally, she positioned him at her entrance and inch by agonizing inch slid down until he’d completely disappeared inside of her.

“Ahh…umm.” The walls of her sex clenched around him. Braylee braced herself by leaning back and holding onto his thighs as she pressed and rotated her hips. At first the pace was deep and slow but it became more intense and wild.

Every time Braylee came down Alex surged up…over and over again. The pressure was building…for both of them.

Her climax was going to be powerful.

Alex could tell she was close. He was close too. The way her body tightened around him was like nothing he’d ever experienced. He felt every quiver every time she clenched around him. But, he needed to go deeper.

He quickly rolled Braylee off, “Get on all fours.”

She followed his instructions as he lined up behind her and surged inside. This was it. This was home. She fit him perfectly. Alex wasn’t sure if it was his voice or hers that cried out in pleasure.

He couldn’t help but be mesmerized at the beauty of watching himself completely disappear inside of her. And, seeing the evidence of how badly she wanted him glistening on him every time he pulled out.

Alex thrust forward at the same time Braylee pushed back. The pleasure was so intense that he couldn’t help but close his eyes as he was able to achieve the deeper penetration he sought. Their bodies glistened from the sweat of their passionate love making. Alex rotated his hips and continued to plunge deeply into her.

The sound of their bodies coming together seemed to spur them on even more. Then he felt it…the beginnings of his release.

Braylee was close too….so close. In and out. In and out…his powerful strokes came faster and faster as he continued to sink deeply into her.

Alex reached in between her folds. He’d barely touch that hard little bud before Braylee shattered into a million pieces while screaming out his name.

Her convulsing around him pushed him over the edge, and he exploded inside her.

After such an intense orgasm, there was no way Braylee could support herself on her arms. She fell face first into the pillow. Alex was leaning over her back. He kissed her softly down her spine. Not wanting to lose their connection, he rolled over onto his side taking her with him in his arms.

It took a few minutes for their breathing to return to normal, but Braylee was exactly where she wanted to be. Wrapped tightly in his arms basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

This time...she wasn’t going to overthink anything. She was going to live in the moment. She closed her eyes and said, “I love you.” Not realizing she’d spoken her words out loud.

Chapter 24

The next morning, Braylee woke up…alone. She looked over on Alex’s side of the bed, and it was empty. He’d left her. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn’t. Last night was amazing and if that was all there was…then she’d treasure the memory.

She sat up and pulled her knees together. Braylee folded her arms and put them on top of her knees then laid her head on them.

Her phone vibrated. And, of course, her first mind was to let it go to voice-mail but she couldn’t hide from the world because she was broken hearted.

Braylee answered, “Hello.”

“Good morning. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

Her heart stopped.

“No. I was already awake.”

“I wish I could have been there with you this morning. But, I needed to make sure I was home when Cecily woke up.”

Now the tears started to fall, “I thought…it doesn’t matter.”

“You thought I skipped out on you?”

“I didn’t know what to think.”

“I won’t lie…the timing for you and I couldn’t be more off than if I’d planned it this way. And, I don’t know how this is going to work. But, I’d already promised myself that once this lawsuit and Luciano’s case was resolved, I’d go after you. Because, I want you. It’s as plain as that. Fate keeps throwing us together, and I’m tired of running from it. And, honestly, I just don’t think I can keep my hands off of you.”

Relief flooded through her whole body. Braylee laughed softly, “I’m pretty fond of you too.”

He knew that. He’d heard her when she declared her love for him. Alex wouldn’t take it lightly. “Well…that’s good to know.”

Someone was knocking on her door. She looked over at the clock. It was almost one o’clock in the afternoon. “Oh my god! I didn’t know it was this late. Someone’s at my door…I’ve got to go, and I’ve got to get to the office.”

“Are you still naked?”

“Yes.”

“Make sure you put on some clothes before you answer the door. You belong to me now, and I’m pretty possessive.

She giggled like a school girl, “Hold on Alex.”

Braylee hopped out of bed and grabbed her robe. As she rushed to the door, she yelled, “I’m coming.”

She snatched the door open.