Not So New in Town (20 page)

Lucy screamed his name, jackknifing off the bed. Brogan showed no mercy as he relentlessly teased and sucked until she finally came apart.

“Oh-h-h! Brogan,” she cried, as a violent orgasm tore through her insides, and a fountain of sparklers blasted from the top of her head. He kept taunting her until she stopped shuddering and collapsed in a puddling heap against his sheets. He kissed his way up her thighs and around her belly. Lucy couldn’t move because she’d melted. “Oh my
gosh
. What was that?” she whispered.

“The best orgasm I’ve ever seen,” he answered in a husky voice. She cracked one eye open. Brogan hovered over her, leaning on his side, wearing a cocky smile.

Lucy tried to flutter her hand. “It’s been a really long time, and I was inspired.” A desire to explore his body, his texture, his scent overpowered her exhaustion. She wanted to know all of him, the way she wanted to own his heart. But since his heart would never be hers, she’d settle for this one night. Her gaze slid down to his impressive cock, and suddenly she felt alive and ready for more. Rolling, she pulled him on top, raining kisses on his solid chest and shoulder. Brogan held her head still, kissing her with a desperation that had been absent before. Desire and greed sizzled Lucy’s nerve endings as her kisses told the same story. Desperate to be one with him, Lucy broke away on a gasp. “Condom. Now.
Hurry.
”

Brogan smiled. She tightened her fists on his shoulders and shook him, breaking his close examination of her. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He pressed into her, loving the feel of her nipples stabbing his chest as he reached over her head and fished inside his bedside drawer. “One condom, coming up.”

“Give it to me.” She snatched the black shiny packet and pushed him off with amazing strength for someone so small.

“Yes, ma’am. You’re in charge now.” He stretched out, folding his arms behind his head, fascinated by the jiggle of her breasts as she tore the packet with her teeth.

“No. I’m desperate. Ready?” A sensuous smile curved her lips as she straddled his legs and rolled the condom down his cock.

His breath hissed through his teeth and his hands slid up her thighs, encircling her waist. He lifted, positioning her over him, and watched in painful pleasure as she took her sweet time sliding down his shaft until she was completely seated. Slowly she rose, rolling her hips. Her head dropped back. Unable to endure the torture, he gripped her waist, moving her up and down as his own hips bucked. Sweat trickled down his temples. With half-closed eyes, he watched Lucy ride him, and his cock grew harder.

“God, you’re so tight,” he said between clenched teeth.

“More,” she urged and tried to control the rhythm. “Please…don’t stop.” Her panting grew labored.
No way.
He lifted and rolled her on her back. Her breasts bounced as he pushed inside her, and her eyes closed as moans purled from her throat. She dug her heels into his back and clutched his shoulders.

Hard and deep, he drove into her again and again. Clinging to him, she matched each thrust of his pumping hips. He tensed, and her inner muscles tightened around him. “Come for me again,” he growled. “You can do it, love.” Lucy was so close. She shook; her breathing grew choppier. “That’s it,” he urged. The first wave rolled over her and crashed into him, and she screamed his name. With one last powerful thrust, he held himself deep, groaning her name until he shattered. Brogan collapsed on top of Lucy, their bodies slick with sweat.

After a solid minute of trying to catch his breath, he asked in a rough voice, “You okay? Did I hurt you?”

“No. But you are now. I can’t breathe.” She shoved against him, and he rolled on his side, his arm still heavy around her waist.

“I think you tried to kill me,” he said, struggling to draw air into his lungs. “I’ve never come that hard in my life.”

“Then I’d get to say you died with a smile on your face.”

“With you, I just might.” Brogan kissed her damp forehead. A rumble from her stomach vibrated his arm. “You still hungry? I have dessert…chocolate mousse.”

Lucy shot straight up with an amazing burst of energy, as if they hadn’t just had mind-blowing, head-banging, wild-monkey sex. “Chocolate mousse!” She glared, lips swollen from his kisses, body glowing from their lovemaking, and curls sticking up in disarray.

A beautiful sight. Afraid the roaring noise in Brogan’s ears was the sound of him losing himself to her, a tremor of unease snaked up his spine. Fortunately, the no-strings-attached ultimatum knocked some sense back into his head, and he relaxed.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We could’ve been eating chocolate mousse instead of having sex.”

“You’d prefer chocolate mousse over sex?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “If your answer is yes, then I must not have done my job right.”

“Well…before tonight, the answer would’ve definitely been yes. Hmmm, now it’s a toss-up.” She tapped her lip. “Too bad we can’t have both.”

Brogan yanked her on top of him and gave her a wicked grin. “Who says we can’t?”

Lucy rummaged through the white tissue of her shopping bag and pulled out the new yellow bikini with the peek-a-boo cutouts. She’d hit a few boutiques in Raleigh on a personal shopping spree. It was Friday afternoon, and the oppressive heat hadn’t let up, not that she expected cool temperatures in the middle of August. At least swimming in the lake this afternoon would be a nice change.

Swimming. With Brogan.

Her lover.

Goose bumps prickled her skin. To distract herself, she checked her phone. Crickets. She’d been trying to reach Wanda all day with no luck. Lucy hoped everything was okay between Wanda and Russell. Normally, Wanda would’ve been psycho-texting, calling, or even throwing rocks at Lucy’s window to get the dirt on her night with Brogan. Not that Lucy would’ve disclosed every steamy detail. Like that amazing thing Brogan did with his tongue and cold chocolate mousse and her belly…uh, yeah, she wouldn’t be sharing that. Or the new trick he taught her with his swiveling showerhead. Phew, hot flashes. Must be this heat.

Guzzling her cold Cheerwine, she accidently spilled half down her shirt. Steamy, hot thoughts of Brogan had kept flustering her all day, and her work had suffered. She’d almost posted pictures of Dottie Duncan and Sweet Tea, posing in front of the Toot-N-Tell on the Keith Morgan Tennis Academy’s website. And this afternoon, she mistakenly handed Julia her new naughty panties, made from a scrappy piece of blue lace, instead of the stretchy maternity undies she’d requested.

Lucy peeled off her wet, stained shirt and blotted her flushed cheeks, remembering Julia’s bitchy glare-down, followed by the embarrassing lecture. With a straight face, Julia had mentioned she hoped Lucy wasn’t doing anything to embarrass the family.
What? Uh, hello? Kettle, it’s me, pot.
Tempted to point out the obvious, Lucy had refrained, not wanting to start another argument with Julia over Brogan. Trying to build that bridge of sisterly bonds, one plank at a time, was like trying to build a bridge with toothpicks in a hurricane. But Lucy had no intentions of throwing in the hammer.

And yet Julia still wanted Lucy to work with Brogan (just not in the buff) and have him help with Parker. Lucy had thrown her hands up in frustration and left Julia to her freshly minted water and her bipolar personality. Besides, Lucy had her own agenda. She would keep seeing and working for Brogan until…well, she didn’t exactly know, but she planned to live in the present and enjoy every delicious, heart-throbbing, head-swirling, toe-tingling moment. All those elusive feelings and emotions associated with love and sex coursed through her, giving Lucy an unbalanced sensation so foreign, and yet so right.

She shimmied into the skimpy bathing suit and turned in front of her mirror. Erp. Risque bikini…oh my. Lucy gulped. Wanda would be so proud. But Lucy had been doing lots of things out of her comfort zone lately. Like telling Brogan she wanted a no-strings-attached relationship. As if the sex meant nothing and she wasn’t the slightest bit affected by his steadfastness, kindness, intelligence, or humor. As if he didn’t treat her…like she was important and made a difference.

Lucy’s successful marketing for BetterBites had led to even more work. Keith Morgan wanted her to promote the tennis academy and reorganize its entire social media platform. He even arranged for Lucy to meet with a couple of hottie, ranked ATP players, helping them set up their accounts and giving pointers on promoting themselves. Funny, how Loco Lucy, who had left town with her head bowed in shame, was now highly desirable and branding herself as an effective marketer for businesses big and small.

Everything had changed. Lucy pulled on a pair of white shorts and a silk aqua camp shirt that she knotted over her bikini. She shoved her white cover-up, towel, and yellow flip-flops in her beach bag. She’d changed. Yeah, her reasons for not wanting to come home still existed, but they didn’t choke her air passage like before. Having confidence in one’s own ability was a huge ego booster. Oh, and having sex worked wonders too. She almost tripped, wiggling her feet into orange Toms, remembering the good-bye kiss Brogan had laid on her that very morning. Out in the open. Against the front door. With her legs wrapped around his waist. Who knew being bad could be so good.

Checking her face in the mirror, she adjusted her sleek ponytail and scooped up her beach bag. She flew down the stairs and into the kitchen to fix Julia’s dinner before heading out with Brogan. Her first date…down by the lake. It only took seventeen years to get there.

* * *

Brogan twisted the rope bracelet around his wrist. He could think of a hundred other things he’d rather be doing than sitting in Julia’s creepy pink bedroom. Like skydiving without a parachute or swimming with water moccasins. But he’d put this conversation off too long, and it needed addressing. He could hear Lucy rattling around in the kitchen, preparing Julia’s dinner. He glanced at his watch; he needed to be at the football field in thirty minutes, ready to play ball. What he really wanted was to be back at his place with Lucy in his bed, licking chocolate mousse off her cute belly.

“Is this about Parker or Lucy?” Julia’s troubled voice snapped him back to the reason he was staring down at his athletic socks. No way would he discuss Lucy with Julia or anyone right now. They were two consenting adults, and their “relationship” didn’t need dissecting by the local committee of busybodies.

He hesitated, taking a moment to decide what to say next. “It’s about Parker. It’s about his dad.” Julia’s blue eyes dimmed with worry as she twisted the pink blanket between her fingers. “I’m sorry if this is painful, but you’ve got to understand. I’ve been put in an awkward situation with all the gossip in town. And, Julia, it’s time Parker knew the truth. He’s been disturbed by it too.” He watched her throat work as she swallowed. Brogan continued. “Take it from me…you
don’t
want to do this to your son. Not knowing is way worse than knowing the truth…no matter how bad it is.”

“I’m s-sorry. I know I haven’t been fair, and I never meant to hurt you with everyone speculating about you being Parker’s dad.” Her forced laugh held a bitter tone. “I also didn’t expect you to return.”

Funny. Neither did he. “Why all the secrecy? And what about this baby’s father? Please, Julia, I’m begging you. Don’t do the same thing to this child.”

Julia cleared her throat. Brogan extended her water glass, placing it in her trembling hand. “It’s not something I’m proud of,” she said after a few sips. “Both were accidents, but with Parker’s father, I…uh, really thought I was in love.” Her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed. “Remember Coach Monahan?”

Brogan shook off the dark thoughts swamping his head. “Joe Monahan? Sure. He was a great offensive coach. Attended his funeral when he died about five years ago. Why?” Suddenly, he was afraid of the answer.

Tears leaked down Julia’s face. She swiped at her cheeks. “He’s…he was Parker’s dad.”

Silence filled the room. Brogan had no idea if he and Julia still breathed. Finally, he swayed, hitting the back of the chair with a solid thud. “Damn. I had no idea.”

“Yeah, you and everyone else in town. Lucy knows, because I just told her. I was young, stupid, in love, and handled things very badly. I guess I haven’t changed.”

“Did Coach know?” Joe Monahan had been young and cocky and a helluva good coach, pushing the team further than they’d ever dreamed of going.

“Eventually”—her hand fluttered—“water under the bridge.”

“Okay. I don’t need details.” Nor did he want them; he refused the picture of Julia and Coach Monahan to form in his mind. “But Parker still has a right to know. It’s not fair to keep him in the dark. He’s old enough. He’s a good kid and has talent, and with the right influences, he’s going to be okay.”

Brogan handed Julia a Kleenex. “What about this baby’s daddy? Does he know? Is he in any position to be part of your lives?”

“Yes, but it’s complicated.”

Brogan narrowed his gaze at Julia, willing her to face reality and do the right thing. “What’s it going to be? You better not be waiting another fifteen years.”

Her shiny dark hair caressed her shoulders as she shook her head. “I’m going to settle things in the next few weeks. I won’t keep this baby’s father a mystery. Not this time.” Brogan’s expression must’ve appeared doubtful, because she continued, “I promise. Harper Doolan’s already threatened to take this house away if I don’t come clean.” She snickered. “Not really. But he’s concerned. He only wants me and my kids to be happy.”

“What about your mom?” Mother of the Year didn’t jump to mind when Brogan conjured up Babs Doolan. He remembered her being self-centered and slightly distracted.

“Oh, she’s already bought a tiny NASCAR jumpsuit for the baby. She plans to visit with her latest boyfriend, the new tire specialist with the Richard Petty Motorsports team.”

Brogan chuckled, picturing Babs with her boy toy, wearing an electric-blue-and-black fire-retardant suit. Okay…they were making progress. Maybe Julia would do right by her kids. “Sounds good. You’ve got a lot to look forward to.” He started to rise.

“What about Lucy?” He stopped, and Julia’s blue eyes seared him in his seat. “What’s going to happen to her when you finally leave Harmony?” Brogan clenched his fists. He still had no intentions of discussing Lucy, especially with Julia.

“I want Lucy to stay, and I don’t want you breaking her heart. You know, she’s been in love with you since high school.” Accusation hung heavy in the air. “It’s going to be tough for Lucy to regroup when you leave for good.”

“Look, Lucy knows the score. Hell, she’s the one who set the boundaries. I have no intention of breaking her or anyone’s heart when I leave Harmony.”

Julia’s lips thinned. “Do you plan to keep her at BetterBites? Maybe if she knew she had a permanent position, she’d think twice about leaving.”

“Lucy can keep her job as long as she wants. We plan to offer her a promotion, which would include marketing for all our locations.” Julia’s face brightened. “But Lucy may have different ideas. I can’t force her to stay.”

Julia smirked. “You have strong powers of persuasion. If anyone can get Lucy to stay, it’s you.”

“I’m not making any promises.”