All The Way (All Series Book 3) (13 page)

Full of Wonder

“That was the best burger I’ve ever had,” Alec said, wiping his mouth on a napkin. She watched him eye the last two on the plate.

“I made plenty. Have another,” she urged him.

“I’m tempted.”

“They’re good leftovers, too,” she said.

“Then maybe I’ll hold off and have it for lunch tomorrow.”

“You could do that,” she replied, fighting her grin. She watched him looking at her coyly, almost as if he was waiting for her to say, no, he couldn’t spend the night. But she didn’t say a word and wasn’t uncomfortable at all. This weekend was for them, if he wanted it to be.

“Tell me your father’s name.”

She stopped in the process of biting her potato and placed her fork down. “Where did that come from?”

“You talk about your father all the time, and you said I remind you of him, which I think is sweet. You obviously care for your family a great deal, but you’ve never said his name.”

She’d never realized that before. “Andy. Andy Palmer.”

“Is your brother Drew named after him?”

Smirking, she said, “Sort of. My father wanted him to be Andrew Junior. My mother said no way, that everyone deserves his own identity. My mother often got her way, so the compromise was Drew.” She watched the soft look in his eyes when she explained.

“My mother gets her way too. So does Kaitlin. They both know how to wrap us boys around their fingers.”

“You boys and your father love every minute of it,” she said.

“You would be right.” He paused and took a drink, then tilted his head. “Tell me about your mother, if you don’t mind. You never say much, but when you do, there is never any sadness behind it. Lots of love, but no sadness. How long ago did she pass away?”

It didn’t hurt to talk about it, not anymore. She was surprised he asked, but shouldn’t have been. “My mother’s name was Colleen. We looked a lot alike. I took after her in stature too. My father isn’t as tall as you, just under six foot, but muscular.” She stopped and grinned. “Just like you, all those years of construction.”

“I’ve noticed you like that,” he said, laughing at her.

“I do, very much.” She shook her head with a grin, then continued on about her mother. “My mom was a dental hygienist. She was coming home from work one day, about thirty minutes away. There was a snowstorm, bad roads, and a tractor-trailer was going too fast for the conditions. He lost control on the highway. My mother was a few cars behind, and from what we were told, she managed to stop, but several cars around her didn’t. Her small car was sandwiched between two SUVs. She died instantly.” At least Brynn wanted to believe that.

“I’m so sorry, Brynn. How long ago was it?”

“Seven years ago. I’ve said it before, and it bears repeating: she was my biggest champion…but she never got to see me graduate from college. The accident happened a few months before the end of my senior year in college.” She wiped the tear from her eye and forced a smile. “She was the glue that held us together, or so we thought. But we’ve held together pretty well since she left. So I like to think she built a strong enough foundation. You know how important foundations are. I’ve got such wonderful memories of her. Those are the ones I choose to think about.”

He stood up and walked over to Brynn, then pulled her out of the chair and into his arms. “You are the most amazing woman. I bet you take right after your mother.” She almost dissolved into a puddle at that moment. She always thought she was so much like her mother, personality-wise. Her father and her brother often said so. It was nice to hear it from someone else. Someone who didn’t even know her mother other than through stories.

She leaned her head back. “Okay, enough with this talk. It’s not a very good first date with me crying. I bet this is one for the books.”

He knuckled the last tear from her face, then leaned down and kissed her on the cheek and returned to his seat. “It’s not a first date, not even close.”

“Really?” she asked. She hadn’t thought so, but thought maybe it was a good way to broach the subject. Were they dating?

“Hardly.”

“Then what is it?”

“Probably more than either one of us is willing to admit right now.”

He hit the nail right on the head.

***

Alec turned his head to watch Brynn sleeping next to him. She was so full of surprises, so full of wonder.

He didn’t know what possessed him to say that what they had was more than they were willing to admit, but he was glad he did. She’d held his stare for seconds, then finally nodded her head to him. They didn’t say another word after that, not about relationships or her family. Instead they talked about work and then cleaned up dinner.

He had joked with her about wanting to take control of everything. From labeling everything in the office, to all the detailed notes she took. He hadn’t understood the look that came across her face with that comment. At first she laughed it off, but he said it again later on in the night and she turned a bit more serious, almost as in thought.

She finally replied with, “I like to be control. Starting right now.”

Then she’d taken his hand and walked him up the stairs to her room. Mesmerized, he let her have her way. He told her yesterday she could be his fairy carpenter and give him everything without asking. She seemed to take that to heart and proceeded to do just that.

Slowly, she undressed him. Lifting his T-shirt over his head, she tossed it to the floor, then quickly rid him of his shorts and boxers. When he tried to reach for her clothing, she brushed his hands away and knelt in front of him.

He held his breath and she reached forward, trailing one long finger down the length of him, then up again. Another pass with her fingertip, then she gripped him tight and leaned forward. Her tongue came out to taste, then to tease.

She played him like never before. How he remained standing there while she worked him over was beyond him. He only knew it didn’t take long before his hands were in her hair and he was barely holding on.

Then she stood up and undressed while he watched her. Slow and steady, holding his gaze. She knew what she was doing to him, he had no doubt. All her moves were too controlled—too precise.

The tiny lift of her shirt over her stomach, then her ribs, and finally over her head. Wiggling out of her shorts, she was left standing there in a matching lace bra and thong, something he totally didn’t expect to see under her casual clothes. If he’d known she’d been wearing that under her shorts and shirt, he might not have made it through dinner.

Getting this surprise after the fact made it much more enjoyable. She was just the perfect mixture of woman for him. She could hold her own with the crew and with him, and then be every part of a woman at the right times.

He stretched a hand forward to help her out of her bra and she stepped back, then shook her head. “Nope. Not yet. You said I liked to be in control, so tonight is all about me controlling you. Are you up for it?”

He looked down at himself, then back to her with a grin. “I think you know the answer to that.”

She chuckled. “Then get on the bed and wait for me.”

So he did as she instructed and waited for her next move. She didn’t remove any more clothing, but climbed on the bed still in her thong and bra and settled over his hips.

Bracing her hands on both sides of his head, she leaned forward and touched her lips to his, her breasts covered in the lace slightly touching his chest. Just enough to let him know she was going to continue to tease him.

Moving her hands to his face, she held him still and kissed him deeply. Her hips started to press into his, rubbing against him. He could feel her wetness through the tiny piece of fabric she barely had covering her. “Brynn,” he moaned out.

“Yes?” she asked.

“I need to feel you.”

“Then touch me,” she whispered against his lips.

So he did. He slid his hands up over her hips to her waist and then further, covering her breasts. Quickly he discarded her bra. He held her tight, massaged her lightly, then gripped her even tighter when she ground into him again.

His heart was racing, his blood running fast and thick. There was urgency in his body right now, a driving force that was so foreign to him. It wasn’t the act; it was her, always her.

He didn’t know what she was waiting for, but he couldn’t wait much longer. As if reading his mind, she grabbed a condom from the nightstand and covered him. He grasped the tiny strings holding her thong together on the side. Rather than lowering it down, he ripped it right off of her.

Watching her eyes go wide didn’t stop him. No, it only made him move faster. Grabbing her hips, he lifted her and lowered her down, then dropped his hands away. “You want to be in control,” he told her, his voice rough with passion. “Show me what you can do.”

She didn’t disappoint. Up and down, fast then slow. Turning herself around and facing the other way, then back again. Everything she did to him blew his mind. He had all he could to hold onto
his
control. That first time she came, facing away from him, he thought he’d lose it right then and there, but he didn’t, somehow.

When her movements stopped and her breathing slowed, she turned around to face him again, giving him a questioning look. “Keep going,” he urged her. And she did, until the last bit of control was zapped from his body, his shout echoing off the walls, followed quickly by hers again.

He lifted his hand and stroked her hair from her face. He was a goner, but it would be his secret.

Control

Brynn’s eyes flew open with a start. Taking inventory, she realized there was something soft and wet on her hip around her tattoo. She lifted the covers and saw the top of Alec’s head and realized it was his mouth. He was kissing her tattoo.

“What are you doing?” she asked, a grin tugging at her lips.

He stopped and lifted his head, his eyes staring into hers, all heavy-lidded and full of emotion. Passion, maybe? Or something more? She wasn’t sure and it caused her breath to catch in her throat.

“I’m thanking your fairy. She knew what I needed last night and gave it to me without me asking.” He said it so softly, so carefully guarded, almost like he wasn’t sure he should say it but couldn’t help himself.

She ran her hand through his black hair, more of a caress than anything else. He leaned his head into her palm and held her stare. She wasn’t sure what to say or what to do, but she knew beyond a doubt, it was more than passion in his eyes now. “So it was the fairy you needed to thank?” she said, trying to lessen the serious mood.

He smiled, and it seemed to light up the room. There was something about him when he smiled, bright, happy and so full of love. Love. Was that what was behind his eyes? No, it couldn’t be, it was way too soon. She wasn’t even sure how she felt right now. Definitely more than what she’d felt for other men she’d been with in her life, but love? She just wasn’t sure yet. Everything was clouded right now and moving faster than she could keep up.

He always seemed to know what to say and what to do to pull at her emotions. Now she realized he wasn’t even trying, he just did it. She wasn’t sure if it was in his nature, or if it was her that caused it. Either way, she needed to explore it more, but not now.

“You’re right. Maybe it was more than the fairy. I guess I should thank you too.”

She let out a blissful sigh as he lowered his head and showed her how much he appreciated her too.

***

Alec dropped his head under the water, then rubbed his hands over his face fast and serious. He was shattered. All this time. All this time he’d watched his brothers and his friends fall in love, always wondering how it happened so fast, or if he ever would. Now he knew. How it happened so fast, and that it had happened to him.

For once he was at a loss on how to proceed. This was all new territory for him, everything from the first moment on. The dynamics were all different than what he was used to. Lighthearted and fun just flew out the window. Not that he couldn’t or didn’t want that with her, but there was an edge to it now, one that was all-consuming and making him hold back when he hadn’t before.

He was used to saying what was on his mind and never caring. He never said anything harsh or hurtful, and never feared he’d upset a woman, but now he had a monstrous fear of rejection causing him to hold it all in.

He finally found the person he thought could understand him the best—the person who seemed to get him the most—
and she works for me
. So that was the first obstacle he’d had to overcome. He was pretty sure he did.

No, no doubt about it—they
had
overcome it; otherwise, how would they have ended up here? He wouldn’t let anything affect her job or her position with Harper’s. He’d never do that anyway, for anyone. They valued their employees. As long as they did their job and were good people, there was a place for them.

But this was different. She did a good job
and
was a great person. They were going to have to make sure that work didn’t cloud their relationship, or their relationship didn’t muddy up their work. He didn’t think the latter would happen. He was more worried about work messing things up, rather than their relationship affecting work.

He needed to figure it out. They needed to talk. They needed to know the next step. How to even take the next step, but that huge fear of rejection was overriding any reason he had in taking the first step.

So far it was all still a secret to the outside world, at least he thought it was.

It seemed those closest to him were seeing more than he would prefer. They were most likely guessing, nothing more than that.

He finished up with his shower and got dressed. They would find a way—they had to.

***

Brynn was making breakfast for Alec while the last twenty-four hours replayed in her mind.

So many things had been said and done last night and this morning, that her emotions were all over the place.

First was her comment on how Alec reminded her of her father. But he did…so much. Andy Palmer was a class act. He wasn’t the most sophisticated man, he wasn’t the most politically correct either, but he was the most dedicated and loving man she knew. She was so thankful to have had that example in her life.

Maybe that was why she’d had a hard time fully committing to someone before. She’d been in plenty of relationships, but no one ever made her feel like the man was good enough. They never measured up to her father in her eyes. She actually never even realized she’d been comparing them to him until she met Alec.

Then she knew. Wow, there was someone out there that could be just like her dad. Someone who always did the right thing, not because he had to, but because he knew it was the thing to do. Someone who always put others first, someone who always thought of others before he even gave himself any consideration.

She’d seen that time and again with Alec at work. Then with her too.

The second memory of the night came from his control comment. He had no clue why that caused her to frown. She didn’t think he would understand, or maybe he would. Either way, she had never talked about it before with anyone.

She liked to be in control. Not because she had to be, but because she
needed
to be.

She always liked things neat and organized. It was just the way she was—a by-product of her mother, really. But after her mother’s death, she became more controlled.

It took her years to figure out why, but she finally realized that she needed to control everything in her life that she could, because so many things were out of her control, like her mother’s death. The wrong place at the wrong time. In a minute her world was crushed, along with her brother’s and father’s.

She’d had no control over that, but she
could
control how she grieved. How she moved on with her life, how she lived her life…so she did.

That control helped her focus on her career and helped her move forward and up the ladder of her job. It was just too bad that something beyond her control took it all away once again. It didn’t have to. She thought she could handle it. In the end, it didn’t matter.

But that strong sense of control forced her to take the step and move toward the future again.

And finally, this morning, Alec’s statement about her fairy tattoo. The look in his eyes, the sound of his voice, and the way he leaned into her palm. Exposed. He all but opened his chest up and exposed every part of himself to her. She realized that now. She just needed to figure out what to do with it.

She knew what she
wanted
to do with it, and she thought she knew what he wanted too, but how did they get there? It still seemed so messy right now. Where was the next step?
What
was the next step? For someone who liked to have a handle on things, she was clueless right now.

The only thing she was sure of was that her mother somehow had a part in this all along. It was a crazy thought, but could it be possible?

The tattoo was a representation of her mother. Alec seemed fascinated by it, so maybe it was a sign that her mother was telling her, “Don’t let this go. Grab ahold with everything you’ve got.” No one else ever seemed to bother or comment on her tattoo.

Turning with a start, she watched him walk forward. Reaching out, he pulled her close and held her tight, almost like he was afraid to let go. “Good morning.”

She chuckled. “I thought you wished me good morning already.”

“I did, but I wanted to again.”

And she listened to her mother’s voice in her head, like she always did. She held on tight, never wanting to let go.