Brad (Threefold #2) (4 page)

Chapter Five

Brad called his CFO from the car, and the man returned to the office and provided Brad with complete reports on the company’s finances and liquidity, but it was up to Brad to prepare the presentation his mother had requested.

Ordered
. The woman didn’t do requests.

Brad really didn’t want to do this, but it was his job, and he wouldn’t let his mother see how it hurt him to comply with her wishes.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. The artificial lighting gave him a migraine. Or maybe his computer screen was to blame. He’d been looking at it for three hours now.

Nah. The only one to blame was his mother, with her holier-than-thou attitude and her insistence to take away everything that made him happy.

On Brad’s sixth birthday, his father gave him a Golden Retriever puppy. Brad’s mother had looked at the dog like it was the scourge of the earth, and declared it was to be entirely Brad’s responsibility—as  if anyone would trust
her
with a living being. Brad’s nanny offered to walk the pup, but his mother wouldn’t have it. Brad would have to care for it on his own, or lose it.

The first time the puppy had an accident in the house, Brad’s mother gave it to their next-door neighbor. Brad supposed he ought to feel grateful she didn’t have it put down.

The pattern hadn’t been broken since. Every time Brad found something or someone that made him happy, his mother made sure to show him how temporary everything was. She’d done it with his first girlfriend, whom his mother forced to admit she wasn’t a virgin, and then threatened with the fires of hell, if she got Brad into trouble before he’d finished college.

Losing his first love might have stung at the time, but what he lamented the most was the last thing his mother took from him. He loved practicing law, but his mother wanted him to take on the family business. If he didn’t, she’d close it down, and people he grew up around would lose their job.

Once he decided abstinence wasn’t for him, Brad made sure to keep his relationships from his mother. Still, he’d come to believe her version of the natural order of things—that he wasn’t supposed to be happy. And then Becca crashed through his illusions, and brought down the barriers his mother had helped build around him.

He remembered lying next to her that first night, staring at her ceiling and wondering how on earth he’d got to thirty six without knowing sex could be this incredible. Midnight had come and gone hours ago.

“I should be going,” he’d said.

Becca had laughed. “You
shouldn’t
do anything. Your life is your own. Do you
want
to go home?”

He hadn’t. He’d stayed at her place, and they hadn’t slept a wink.

He wanted to be with her now, instead of preparing reports. The spreadsheet blurred in front of him.

His desk phone rang, and jumped at the distraction. Other than his CFO and his mother, Becca was the only one who knew where he was at this hour. “Hello?”

“Becca told me you’d be there.” Colin’s crisp tone sent a shiver down Brad’s spine.

“You talked to Becca?”

“Only to ask for you, when she answered your cell phone.”

His cell phone? “Must have dropped it when”—when he went to tell her he kissed Colin, but chickened out—“I went to see her.”

“I’m coming up.”

“What?”

“I’m downstairs. Coming up. Buzz me in. Got beer.”

Brad could say he was busy, that they’d talk some other time, but even if beer weren’t the great incentive it was, he couldn’t brush Colin off. Not after Brad ran out on him at the gym.

He pressed the buzzer and sat waiting. The familiar chime of the elevator doors opening reached his ears, and moments later Colin pushed his door open.

“You should be the one bringing me a peace offering,” Colin said, “but Becca said you’re swamped, so—”

“So you thought you’d come bug me.” Falling into the familiar banter was easy. As long as they steered clear of dangerous subjects, they’d be fine.

“What are friends for?” Colin sprawled on the leather sofa, took two bottles of beer out of the bag he held, and propped them on the coffee table. His smile didn’t reach his dark-blue eyes.

Brad got up from his chair and joined him on the couch, leaving as much distance between them as the wide two-seater allowed. “I was about to order Chinese from the only decent place delivering at this hour.”

“Don’t feel like Chinese.” Colin’s gaze said he was starving, and Brad felt a lump form in his throat. So much for keeping it safe.

“So…” Brad couldn’t fathom how to finish that sentence.

“You kissed me.”

No preamble, then. No time for him to come up with something to talk about that had nothing to do with the two of them. “I did.” He swallowed, but the knot was still there.

“And then you took off.”

“Yes.”

“I waited for you to call with some lame excuse, but you didn’t.”

Brad sucked in a deep breath. He didn’t care about many people, and couldn’t afford to lose the ones he loved. Colin was still his best friend. Brad could be straight with him. Well, not exactly. He could be honest, in any case. “I probably would have, but I didn’t get to. My mother called to tell me she wants to sell Miller Co., and I’m to help her create a presentation that shows how marketable we are.”

“Huh. I didn’t see that coming. I was expecting something more like you went to see Becca and were too busy fucking her to give me a second thought.”

Brad winced, but tried to keep his voice light. “Yeah, wish that were the case.”

Colin folded a leg under him, and turned to face him fully. “Is she going to go through with the sale?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Brad gave a one-shoulder shrug.

“That sucks.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you staying on, if she does?”

“No clue.”

“What about Becca?”

Brad shook his head. “I really don’t know. It will all depend on the new owner, but we should both start looking.”

“I can help. We work with construction companies and interior designers. I can put in a good word about either of you. I’ll start making some calls in the morning.”

“Thanks, man.” Brad squeezed Colin’s leg. He left his touch linger, until the muscle contracted under his touch. “I think I may try being a lawyer again. I was better at it than I’m at this.”

“Why did you kiss me?” Like a dog with a bone, this one.

Brad hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“I shouldn’t have. I’m with Becca, and I didn’t tell her about it. I will. Tomorrow.”

“Tell her what?” Colin tilted his head, until his gaze found Brad’s.

“About the kiss.”

“You don’t have to. Nothing happened.”

The day had taken its toll on Brad, but now exhaustion was giving its place to irritation. He turned to glare at Colin. “Something fucking happened. I kissed you.”

“We’re talking in circles. If you didn’t want to kiss me and don’t plan on doing it again, there’s no reason to strain your relationship with Becca.” Colin searched Brad’s face.

“I didn’t mean to kiss you—”

“Well, there you go then.” Colin arched an eyebrow, and gave Brad one of his devil-may-care smirks.

“—but I don’t know if I’d do it again.” The admission hurt Brad’s ears, but he had to be true to himself and to Colin.

“Let’s find out.” Colin’s voice was gruffer, and Brad felt a tightening in his groin.

“How?” Was he crazy? He should put a stop to this now. Nothing more could or should happen until he talked to Becca. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to find out what he’d do, given another chance to taste Colin’s lips.

He was still thinking about it, when Colin fisted one hand in his shirt, and pulled him closer. Their faces were a hairsbreadth apart. Colin had shaved since the gym. Pity. He looked even better when he let himself go a little scruffy.

Brad licked his lips. He should pull away. Push Colin away. Throw him out of the office, and get back to work.

Instead, he rubbed his cheek against Colin’s.

“Kiss me.” Colin’s whispered command cracked through the silence in the room.

“I can’t.”

“Then tell me you don’t want to, and I’ll let it go.”

Brad couldn’t do that, either. Colin’s breath in his ear, his cheek cool against Brad’s heated skin, stole away all but the last dregs of Brad’s reason. Instinct and desire reigned over common sense. He inhaled deeply, letting the scent of Colin’s body wash and deo fill his nostrils. Such a male scent, nothing like Becca’s flowery perfumes, and yet now it made Brad’
s
bod
y
react the same way.

His lips tingled, and his nerve endings felt raw with desire. His cock strained against his slacks. What the hell had he started? How was he going to tame this new need that tore him up inside? What was he risking, if he gave in?

“Tell me you don’t want to kiss me.” Any reluctance, any uncertainty Colin had exhibited earlier was gone. He was the master of the game, like usual, and Brad was tempted to turn him down just to throw him off his high horse. He might have, if Colin’s warm hand wasn’t pressing down on his thigh, burning him.

“Shut up.” Brad’s voice sounded horse to his own ears.

“Tell me.”

If Colin asked one more time, Brad would kiss him, and if their lips met again, there was no telling where this would end. But it couldn’t even start unless he talked to Becca. “Becca…”

“Becca’s already slept with me, if that’s all that’s holding you back. If it’s not, tell me you don’t want to kiss me.”

“Shut the fuck up, Colin.”

“Make me.”

“Shit.” Brad dug his fingers at the base of Colin’s skull, and attacked his lips with a ferociousness he didn’t know he had in him. He’d never kissed anyone this way. Never felt the need to. But it was different with Colin. The kiss was as natural as an extension of their verbal sparring, and just as merciless. Teeth clashed together, and tongues fought for dominance. He bit on Colin’s lower lip. His jaw. Then his lip again.

It was one hell of a kiss, and when Colin pulled away, Brad wanted more. He didn’t say so. Didn’t say anything. Just sat there, watching bewildered as Colin trailed his tongue across his front teeth.

Silence. What to say now? Was there some protocol for how to go about making small talk, after locking lips with his best friend?

Colin probably had the same issue, because he didn’t talk either. Just studied him, brow furrowed. Was something wrong? Something other than the obvious? Maybe he felt no chemistry after all. That would solve his problems. If Colin no longer wanted him, he wouldn’t have a problem with the three way. And if Colin was off the table, Brad didn’t have to worry about his own feelings.

He should be relieved.

It felt like a kick to the balls, but it was for the best.

Brad was trying to come up with something sarcastic and cool to say, when Colin nodded to himself, and went down on his knees in the narrow space between the sofa and the coffee table.

“What are you doing?” Brad sputtered.

Colin crawled between Brad’s legs, grabbed Brad’s belt, and tugged. When Brad dug his loafers into the plush carpet to stay in place, Colin just pulled harder until Brad’s ass was on the edge of the cushion.

“Colin…”

Colin didn’t seem to hear. He pursed his lips, his focus not shifting from his work, as he undid Brad’s buckle. Leaving the belt in the loops, he popped the button and lowered the zipper of Brad’s slacks.

Brad tried to grasp the cushion, to anchor himself. The creaking of leather reminded him he should be objecting—maybe batting Colin’s hands away—not trying to find purchase. “Are you drunk?” he asked.

“Not enough. I still care whether you’ll speak to me tomorrow, but I’ve put this off way too long.” Colin closed his fist around Brad’s cock and pulled it out of his pants.

Brad hissed. He should have worn boxer shorts. Another layer of clothing might have delayed Colin enough for Brad’s mind to start working again.

“This was what I meant to do first time we went out for beers.” Colin slid his hand down to Brad’s balls, and up again. “I wasn’t supposed to like you. I didn’t want to be your friend. I wanted to fuck you.”

What was he saying? He didn’t to be Brad’s friend? If he’d been playing the long game, it was a pretty darn long one, since he’d never made a move in six years. Brad’s heart and brain did somersaults, but his cock didn’t mind the attention one bit. It strained and throbbed with every stroke.

“I’m not into sucking cock.” Colin’s voice was matter of fact. “I prefer being on the receiving end. But I’ve been thinking of this since Friday. I wanted to see you pull on your dick for me, and I wanted to taste you.”

Brad groaned. “Colin, what are you doing?”

“If you haven’t figured it out by now, I don’t know how you made it through law school.”