She’d left the door to the master bedroom open and he stepped inside, then set her gently on the bed. He closed the door. She watched him approach in the dim light of the room. Big, muscular. Sexy.
Her breath caught as she flashed back to the first time he’d made love to her. He’d wanted to make their first time special, so he’d taken her to a romantic restaurant in a charming little inn where they’d watched the sun set over the ocean. The fading golden light had shimmered across the water as they’d enjoyed their dinner.
Afterward, instead of dessert at their table, he’d surprised her by taking her to the room she hadn’t known he’d reserved, where he’d had strawberries and champagne waiting for them. But by then, she wasn’t hungry for food. When she’d nibbled his ear and told him so, he’d swept her up and carried her to the bed. They’d tossed aside their clothes and he’d ravished her body with kisses. When he’d finally joined with her, his big, hard erection pushing into her, she’d nearly come on the spot.
Anticipation quivered through her as she watched him approach her now. She longed to feel him inside her again. To feel his arms around her as he made sweet, passionate love to her.
A twinge of guilt flickered through her as she thought about Evan lying in the room next to them. Right now, her body ached for Brent, but could she do this? Could she really just forget about Evan?
Brent knelt on the bed and scooped her into his arms again, kissing her with a heated passion that made her blood boil. Feeling his arms around her, his body settling next to hers … The chaotic confusion within her collided with the intense need for him. She trembled and Brent smiled down at her, clearly taking that as a sign that she wanted him.
And she did. Desperately.
Deep in her heart, she knew she loved him.
He drew away and gazed at her, his brown eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She quivered at what his eyes revealed. It was so clearly there. Love. Filling his heart and overflowing onto her with a warmth that threatened to bring her to tears.
This man truly loved her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him back to her, opening her mouth as their lips joined, gliding her tongue into the warmth of his mouth. This was where she belonged. In his arms. Joining with him in the most intimate way possible.
“Make love to me, Brent,” she murmured.
Nine
Brent’s heart swelled at Crystal’s words. Not just because of what she asked, but because of
how
she asked it. With passion and deep need.
She still loved him. He could see it in her glowing eyes, hear it in her husky voice, feel it in her trembling body.
She loved him.
“Oh, God, Crystal. I love you.”
She stroked his cheek. “I know.” She nipped his lips with hers, then captured his mouth and tugged him to her to deepen the kiss. “Now show me how much.”
He wanted to touch her everywhere, to kiss and nibble every silky inch of her. But right now, with her tongue gliding into his mouth the way he wanted to glide into her, her raspy breathing telling him just how much she needed him, he couldn’t wait.
He stroked down her stomach and slid between her legs, then stroked her folds. Hot. And wet.
He wrapped his hand around his steel-hard, aching cock and pressed it to her slick opening.
“Oh, yes.” She opened her thighs, inviting him in.
Slowly he pressed forward, his face inches from hers, watching her expression as his cockhead pushed inside. Her eyes flickered closed, then opened again, heat simmering in their depths. He continued forward, his shaft pushing deeper, caressed by the soft velvet of her silky sheath. She sighed and squeezed him, sending his heartbeat racing.
Finally, his entire cock filled her. He stayed like that, watching her, reveling in the feeling of being in her hot, tight grip … then slowly he pulled back. Her hands stroked over his shoulders, then she grasped them as he pushed forward again.
“Is this what you wanted, baby?”
She gazed at him through half-open lids as his cock filled her to the base. “Oh, God, yes.”
He smiled and nuzzled her neck, then he drew back again. She wrapped her legs around his thighs as he pushed deep again.
“Oh, God, Brent. Make me come.”
He groaned. “Honey, I could almost come just hearing you say that.”
He drew back and plunged faster this time, then back and forward again. She squeezed him, setting his insides ablaze. He thrust and thrust. She moaned and arched against him. He cupped her behind and pulled her tighter to him.
“Oh, God, yes. I’m so close.”
Her breathy voice against his ear acted like a catalyst. He pumped into her again and again. He wanted to blow right now, but he held back. Priming her. Filling her again and again until …
She gasped, and her hands tightened on his shoulders.
“Oh, yes, I’m…” She let out a long moan. “I’m … coming.”
At those delightful words, he erupted inside her. She moaned and arched against him as he experienced the most intense orgasm he’d ever had.
He thought he’d lost her, and now he had her back. Knowing that had fueled the fire of his desire. Knowing that Crystal still loved him. And now they could have their happily-ever-after.
* * *
Crystal gazed at Brent’s handsome face lying on the pillow beside her in the dark room. His breathing was deep and even. His warm physical presence so close to her and his arm around her waist made her feel loved and protected.
She tucked her hand under her head. But so did being with Evan.
Evan was so much fun to be with. He loved playing board games with her, which he did to keep her company when Brent had to work long hours, which happened a couple of weeks every few months. And Evan ran with her every Sunday. Brent liked to go to the gym and work out, but he wasn’t a runner. So Evan would pick her up every Sunday morning and they’d drive out to the track. They would joke and chat while they did their laps, then they’d go to Winnie’s Diner afterward for the world’s best pancakes.
Evan was always there when she needed someone. Like when she wanted to talk about something that was bothering her. Or to go out shopping for a gift for Brent.
And he had been there when she’d needed him most. When Brent hadn’t shown up for the wedding.
God, how had she gotten into this mess? She’d invited Evan on her honeymoon, and now she’d have to send him away. After all he’d done for her. Guilt washed through her … but was that all it was?
Evan had seen her through the devastation of being left at the altar. With his caring and protectiveness, he’d shown her how much he loved her and how he would always take care of her.
And he’d made her aware of the feelings she’d been denying for him all along. Because deep down inside, she knew she had real feelings for him. Feelings that went deeper than friendly affection or sexual attraction. Maybe it was just infatuation. Or maybe it was something more.
She bit her lip. Could she really be in love with two men?
She loved Brent. She’d always loved him. But did that mean she should just ignore her feelings for Evan?
Her insides ached. Damn, what a mess. What would she tell Evan in the morning? She wouldn’t lie and tell him she hadn’t slept with Brent. She could hope it wouldn’t come up, but that was just wishful thinking. And no matter what, she had to figure out what to do. Brent would expect her to ask Evan to leave. Or he’d do it. No man wanted another man on his honeymoon.
But it wasn’t really their honeymoon, since they weren’t married.
Brent had walked away as soon as something went wrong. Her gut clenched as she remembered how easily her ex-husband, Gary, had walked away after two years of marriage. She never thought Brent would walk away like that, especially on their wedding day.
She needed a man who cared enough to put an effort into making things work. He seemed to be trying to do that now, but was it too little too late? What would happen the next time something went wrong? Would he walk away then, too?
She stroked the hair from his forehead. A quiver raced through her.
She loved Brent, but would he see their marriage through?
* * *
Crystal woke up to bright sunshine washing across her face. Brent’s arm was tucked around her waist, holding her close to his hard, masculine body. Although it felt cozy snuggled against him like this, she felt an overwhelming need to put distance between them. She felt guilty about spending the night in Brent’s arms with Evan in the next room. Evan had feelings for her. He’d come here because she’d invited him after Brent had abandoned her at the altar. He had reasonably assumed they would have time, just the two of them, to explore their newfound relationship.
Then Brent had shown up.
She slid sideways, slipping out from under Brent’s arm. He shifted, then rolled onto his back, still asleep. She pushed herself out of bed and pulled on her robe, then opened the bedroom door. As she headed to the kitchen, she could smell fresh brewed coffee.
Oh, damn. That meant Evan was awake.
“Good morning.”
She glanced across the kitchen to see Evan sitting at the round glass table.
“Oh, hi.” Self-consciously, she tugged the sash of her robe a little tighter as she walked toward the coffeepot. She poured herself a mug of coffee and added sugar and cream, then she leaned against the counter and sipped, wildly searching her brain for something to say.
Evan stood up and walked toward her, his face grim.
“I guess it’s time for me to go.”
Oh, God, he knew. Well, of course, he would figure it out pretty quickly when he saw that Brent wasn’t in the sunroom. Maybe he had even heard them last night. Her cheeks flushed as she realized maybe he’d even seen them. He could probably see the backyard out the window of the guest room.
Okay, so taking Brent out to the pool hadn’t been the best idea. But it was as if she’d been obsessed, needing to make love to Brent there, just as she had Evan.
She wanted to tell Evan he shouldn’t leave, but what sense did that make?
“Evan, I’m sorry. When I asked you to come here…” She hesitated, unsure how to describe what her intent had been. Should she really tell him she’d wanted to explore their feelings for each other with that option now cut off so abruptly?
“It’s okay, Crystal. When we came here, we both thought things were over between you and Brent. Now he’s back and things have changed.” He leaned back against the counter, his face drawn in tight lines. “I guess my coming here was a mistake.”
She rested her hand on his arm. “No, not a mistake.” She didn’t want him to think that. Ever. “What we shared was very special. I’ll never forget it.”
He smiled grimly. “In fact, that’s a problem, isn’t it?”
She understood what he was saying. How could they all remain friends with this between them? Brent would never forget that she had slept with his best friend, no matter the circumstance. How could Brent continue his friendship with Evan? How could she?
He squeezed her hand, then moved away. He poured some of the steaming hot coffee into his cup and took a sip, then placed the mug on the counter. “As soon as Brent gets up, I can pack the rest of my stuff,” Evan said. “Unless you’d rather I go right away.”
Oh, God, the problem was, she didn’t want him to go. And she had a sinking feeling that if he went through that door now, she’d never see him again.
She stared at him, unable to utter a word, her heart tearing in two.
He loved her. And as much as she loved Brent, she knew she was falling in love with Evan, too. She didn’t want him to walk out of her life altogether. Her heart ached at the thought she might never see him again.
Sure, she’d almost married Brent, but he’d walked away and … maybe he wasn’t the right man for her. Maybe Evan was. If she let Evan leave now, she’d never know.
If she let him walk out now, she could be making the biggest mistake of her life.
“Crystal? Do I leave now or later?”
She shook her head and set down her coffee mug. “I don’t want you to go at all.”
She stepped toward him and caressed his raspy cheeks, then pushed up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He hesitated, and she feared he would draw away, but then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight to his body. Although she had initiated the kiss, his mouth claimed hers with passion, his lips hard on hers. His tongue glided along the seam of her mouth, then pressed inside. She opened, welcoming him, her body sizzling with desire for this man.
At the sound of a clearing throat, Crystal dodged back from Evan. Oh, God, Brent stood in the doorway, staring at them. Guilt surged through her as she glanced at Brent, then away.
The ensuing silence grated on her nerves and sent the tension level in the room skyrocketing. God, she didn’t know what to say.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Brent broke the silence.
“You’ll notice I’m not leaving.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I intend to fight for you.”
“No need,” Evan said. “We were just saying good-bye.”
Evan walked across the room and picked up his suitcase, which was sitting by the table.
“I’ll go pack the rest of my stuff and be on my way.”
Crystal glanced from one to the other, her stomach clenching. If she didn’t say something … if Evan walked out that door …
Evan stepped through the kitchen doorway to the hall.
“Wait,” she cried.
Evan stopped and turned around. Brent sent her a sharp glance.
“We can’t let him go,” she said.
Brent’s eyebrow arched. “I have absolutely no problem letting him go.”
At his wry tone, Crystal swallowed. How could she tell Brent she wanted Evan to stay? Of course he didn’t want Evan hanging around. He saw him as competition.
And he
was
competition.
But she had to remember that it wasn’t just Brent’s happiness on the line here. It was hers, too. And Evan’s. And it was important that she get this right. She shouldn’t just fall back into her relationship with Brent because he wanted her to. Maybe she should want to, especially after a two-year relationship and her promise to marry him. But life wasn’t as simple as that. Brent walking out on her opened her eyes to some things. One, that she had strong feelings for Evan. And two, that maybe Brent wasn’t the rock she’d come to believe him to be.