Not So New in Town (22 page)

“Open your eyes,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I want to see your face when you come.”
As
I
make
you
mine, all mine.

Her eyes widened, and she panted, “Yes.” Sinking deeper, he became part of her. An animal-like noise penetrated the sultry night air, except it was really Lucy, thrashing beneath him.

“Ah, there’s the spot,” he said on a throaty moan. He hit her sweet spot and felt electrified. They were both
so
close.

Her legs gripped his thighs, and he bent his head for another kiss. She cried soft little moans, urging him to move faster and deeper. He dropped his head against her neck, gasping for air, fighting his own orgasm, wanting her to come first. Her hands slid down his slick back and grabbed his behind. She stiffened and finally screamed his name on her release.

Brogan’s head snapped back; a gargled sound slipped from his throat. He pumped his hips, gripping her tightly. With a roar, he exploded and came inside her. At that precise moment, Lucy became his salvation. The light to his dark. He sank into the surrendered feeling and the raw passion of their lovemaking. His orgasm wracked every cell in his body until he collapsed on top of her.

She lay limp beneath him, breathing heavily.

“I think you tried to kill me again,” he said between gulps of air.

“So this is what I’ve been missing all this time down by the lake.” Pant, pant. “We started at R and went barreling into triple X,” she said in a husky, sex-satisfied voice.

He slowly pulled out of her and rolled to his side. “Nah, maybe X, but certainly not triple X. I’d need a whip and restraints, and you’d need a naughty nurse outfit.”

Lucy gave a low chuckle, sighing. “In your dreams.”

Brogan’s head hit the blanket with a thud. “Shit! What a fucking idiot.” Stars swirled before his eyes, blinding him.

“What?” Alarmed, Lucy sat up, covering her breasts. “Did someone see us?” Her head whipped around as she scanned the patch of dark woods.

If only. That would be one hundred times better than what they did. “Do you realize we had sex without a condom?”

“Oh. Uh, yeah…that’s bad. Let me think how bad.” She started to count on her fingers. Brogan held his breath, praying. After a beat, she said, “I think we’re safe…maybe.”

“Fuck,” Brogan groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “I haven’t been this stupid since I got drunk and had sex with Kathryn. And we all know how that ended,” he said, refusing to keep the frustration from his voice. He reached for his swim trunks and yanked them up his legs. “When do you expect your next period?” Panic was starting to claw its way up his spine and circle his throat.

Lucy pulled up her bikini bottoms and started to retie her top. “In a few weeks. Don’t worry. You’ll be the first to know.” Anger tinged her voice.

The peaceful calm and rightness of the night just moments ago vanished like a puff of smoke. The wind had picked up, blowing grass and leaves in their path. Brogan felt his whole life being hauled up and tossed around like the dead leaves on the ground. How could something that felt so right…perfect, be so wrong? He shook out the blanket; sand and grass went flying. Horrible scenarios crowded his mind, all ending with another baby not living.
Stop. That’s not going to happen.
He got busy putting out the low-burning embers of the bonfire. Lucy was slipping on her shoes and stuffing things back in her beach bag. Her agitated movements indicated her level of anger.

“Let me help you.” He reached for the bag.

Snatching it away, she said in watery voice, “I can do it.”

Brogan froze. Lucy continued to ignore him. He peered closer at her lowered face. His heart stuttered and stopped pumping blood in absolute fear. “Are you crying?” She swiped a hand across her face. He felt like crying too.

“No. Leave me alone.” She tried to push past him, but he couldn’t let her go. He tugged on her hand and folded his arms around her.

“Please don’t cry.” He brushed the tracks of her tears with his thumb. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just when I’m with you, my head stops functioning, and all the blood rushes to my stupid dick.”

“That’s not all that’s stupid,” she grumbled, snuggling against his chest as he rocked her in his arms.

“I know. It’s just…for some reason.” His mouth had suddenly dried up. How did he say this without baring his soul? Which would be the second stupidest thing he’d done tonight. “It’s just…you mean…a lot to me, and I end up breaking all my self-imposed rules.” Like making love without protection and needing her like needing oxygen.

Lucy looked up with flushed cheeks and spiky, wet eyelashes. “I’m sorry, Brogan. I should’ve stopped you, but…my brain wasn’t working either.” He pressed his lips to her eyes, kissing away the remaining tears.

“I think we’ll be fine. I really shouldn’t be ovulating this early.” Yeah, but he had Olympic swimmers. They’d probably tread water until the time was ripe. Crap.

“Come on.” He smoothed back her tangled hair. “Let’s go back to my place. We both need showers, and I have a drawer full of condoms,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. Nothing he could do now except sweat and wait.

* * *

The unease crawling along Lucy’s skin after realizing she’d stupidly had unprotected sex had almost dissipated. A few more rounds with Brogan, starting with inventive foreplay in the shower, rocking the wall in the dark hallway, and finally ending in bed kept her mentally and physically exhausted and happily sated.

Brogan stretched beneath her, making her cheek rub against his hard chest. The smell of rich coffee and expensive soap filled her head. The best smell ever.

“You doing okay?” he asked, his hand twirling one of her curls around his finger.

Lucy tilted her head up and smiled. “Could be better. Got any chocolate mousse?”

“Yeah, but I’m saving it for later.” His grin was wicked. Lucy rubbed his arm until she reached his thick wrist, and played with the interesting bracelet he always wore. The blue-and-green nautical rope felt soft from many years of wear and tear.

“Why do you always wear this bracelet?” Brogan stiffened beneath her, and Lucy watched as his smile vanished and his lovely green eyes clouded. “Tell me,” she whispered, stroking the stubble covering his strong jaw. For a moment, she didn’t think he would speak, and then he heaved a heavy sigh.

“Back in college, my mom’s uncle contacted me and told me he’d located my dad.” Alarmed by the seriousness of his tone, she wrapped the top sheet around her and sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed. “So I decided to drive to South Carolina, where he was living, and meet him.” He shifted, resting against the headboard.

“Was this the first time you’d ever met him?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t know much about him, except the few stories my uncle had shared.”

Lucy’s heart started to crack in tiny pieces. “What happened?” She feared the answer would not be good.

“He owned a small hardware store in Gaffney.” Brogan fiddled with the bracelet that held all the secrets. “I was a nervous wreck. I sat, sweating in my beat-up Jeep Wrangler,” he added in a subdued tone.

Lucy gave his hard thigh a soft pat, not sure how to comfort him, and hurting all the same. “How long did you sit in your Jeep?”

“Who knows, but it felt like hours. I watched customers coming and going, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of my dad, even though I wasn’t sure I’d recognize him. Finally I manned up and went inside.”

She locked fingers with his and squeezed. “Once inside, I spotted him right away. He was behind the counter, ringing someone up—”

“How’d you know it was him?”

“Looked just like me. Same hair, eyes, height. We could’ve been brothers.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow. He came from around the counter and said,
Hey, I’m Don Reese. Can I help you?
”

Lucy lifted her head, eyes wide. “What did you do?”

“First I froze, and then, I finally shook his hand and said,
I’m Brogan
.” He stopped talking, and Lucy held her breath. With a sigh, he finished. “That was the longest minute of my life. My dad stood there in shock, not speaking. And then he broke down and bawled.”

She gulped, trying to keep from bawling herself. Brogan cupped her face and gave her a soft, poignant kiss, filled with sadness.

“I’m sorry. I know this is painful for you,” she whispered around the tears clogging her throat.

“Yeah, but sharing it with you somehow makes it better.” She kissed him again with heat and heart. “Luce, remember that day back in high school when you waited for me on the bleachers after that big win?”

Flushed, Lucy tried hiding her face in Brogan’s sweet, delicious neck. “Yeah. I remember,” she murmured against his hot skin. She just wished he didn’t remember. Her first failed attempt at seducing her sister’s boyfriend. Lucy preferred to keep that jewel buried under six feet of granite.

“Sometimes even after a huge win, I’d get depressed because the entire game I’d be hunting and watching and looking out for my dad, thinking he’d show up…just once to see me play.” He tangled his fingers in her hair. “And when I saw you that night…somehow you made it all better. Knowing you were always there waiting for me.” He shrugged his big shoulders. “I just remembered that and wanted you to know I appreciated it.”

Lucy cupped his face with her palms and spoke to his somber eyes. “I’m glad I was there too. I never knew what made you so sad, but I’m glad I was a friend to you.”

“You were always a good friend.” His sad eyes crinkled into a smile. “Want me to finish the story?” he murmured around nibbles on her lips. Not to be distracted by his kisses, she urged him to continue.

“Please finish.”

He angled his arm behind his head and sighed. “Anyway, I had no expectations of a relationship. I just wanted to meet him. He finally stopped sobbing and led me to his office. For the first hour, we chatted about business, the Super Bowl…just small talk. The second hour, we talked about me and my life. He asked questions about college and my football career.”

“Did he know you played in high school and at Georgetown?”

“He knew some. I think he kept tabs on me.” Lucy squeezed him tight, hoping to give him strength. “The third hour, we talked about his life, but I could tell he was growing uncomfortable and didn’t want to answer my questions. He’d remarried, but didn’t divulge much else.” His chuckle lacked humor. “When he basically clammed up, I knew it was time to leave. I had a long drive back. My dad promised he’d stay in touch and told me to call him anytime. We man-hugged, and all I wanted was to get out of there fast before I started crying like a baby.” Brogan stopped; his chest heaved with heavy breaths. “When I reached my Jeep, he came running out of the store, holding a brown bag, and said,
Son, I want you to have this
. In the bag was this bracelet.” He turned the bracelet on his wrist.

“What’d you say?”

“Just,
thanks, Dad
.” Brogan swiped at his eyes. A lump in Lucy’s throat kept her from speaking. “That was the last time I ever saw him. And the only thing he ever gave me was this bracelet.”

Lucy was in love with Brogan Reese, and he loved her back. Finally. The gods were smiling down upon her instead of snarling and shaking their fists. She knew this without a doubt, because Saturday morning, Lucy woke early, wrapped around Brogan like a tortilla around a bean burrito. He still slept, breathing evenly, allowing Lucy the glory of studying his peaceful face.

After the heartbreaking story about his dad, he’d proceeded to make love to her as if she were the most precious person in the world and he never wanted to let her go. Thinking of his love made her toes curl. He didn’t exactly shout,
I
love
you
as he climaxed. Those words never passed from his lips. But he didn’t have to say it, because Lucy could read the look in his beautiful green eyes. And he touched her as if she were a fragile Fabergé egg worthy of his utmost care and protection. So, yeah, that had to be love. And Lucy shared those exact overwhelming, heart-swelling, head-flying feelings that made her want to dance and sing down Main Street.

“What are you smiling about?” he rumbled in a rusty morning voice.

“How comfy my human pillow is.”

Undulating, Brogan gave a huge stretch; then he heaved and rolled over, pinning her beneath all his scrumptious muscle.

“Know what I want?” he asked. She had no idea, too busy luxuriating in the nibbles and ticklish kisses he scattered down her neck and along her heaving chest, but she hoped he wanted her. “A huge breakfast with all the fixins’. I’m starved. You wanna go to the Dog?”

“Huh?” Lucy was having trouble focusing, because her throbbing down-under parts were warming up for another round of mattress gymnastics.

“Come on.” He smacked her hip. “I’ve got the morning off.” He planted another kiss on her mouth and slid from the bed.

Lucy flopped against the headboard. “Ugh. You may have the morning off, but my boss is a real hard-ass, and I have to work. I need to get ready for Keith’s tournament today. That food isn’t going to sell itself, you know.”

He pulled a pair of gray Georgetown athletic shorts over his spectacular walnut butt, blocking her view. Lucy sulked, thinking of the unfairness of life.

“Tell your boss to go screw himself,” he called from the hallway as he padded to the kitchen by way of the bathroom.

Lucy sat up in the middle of the messy bed that showed damning evidence of the sexy sport they’d played the night before. What she’d really like was to tell her boss not to screw himself, but to screw her…now! The scent of delicious coffee being freshly brewed wafted to her nose, and Lucy scrambled from the bed. Searching for her panties, she ducked under the bed with her bare tush waving in the cool morning air when she spied an old baseball bat. She reached for it, wondering when Brogan had time for a baseball league. Snatching a T-shirt and pair of shorts from his chest of drawers, she dressed, scooped up the bat, and followed her nose to the kitchen.

“Come to mama,” she purred as she spied hot coffee and banana nut muffins from BetterBites sitting on his makeshift countertop. Brogan had started to blend another one of his noxious smoothies. “Hey, Zeus, god of the Olympics…found your baseball bat. It was hiding under your bed. You playing Harmony league ball now?” He shut off the blender and gave her a questioning stare as she gripped his old wood bat.

“Nope. I always sleep with that bat under my bed wherever I am.” He plopped on the industrial metal barstool next to her with his smoothie in one hand and pulled the bat from her grasp with the other.

Curious, Lucy reached for a muffin. “Why?”

A blanket of sadness darkened his eyes as he peered at the bat. Sorry for bringing it up, she went back to eating her muffin and drinking her coffee, except now they’d lost their delightful flavors, tasting instead like dry tree bark. Brogan drank his smoothie in contemplative silence.

“When I was little, I used to lie awake at night and worry about my mom, about not having much family.”

Lucy slid off her stool and moved between his knees. “What about your mom’s brother?”

He nodded, slipping his arm around her hip and pulling her close. “He was rarely around. And when you’re a frightened kid, logic doesn’t usually reign supreme. I always felt the urge to be protective, so I slept with this bat under my bed, you know…to protect us.” He shrugged his big shoulders, placing the bat on top of the counter. “Been doing it ever since. Old habit.”

“Oh, Brogan.” She sighed, crying on the inside for the frightened little boy he’d been. Lucy rained kisses on his lips, nose, and eyelids. “Childhood sucks.”

His eyes blazed with heated desire and something more…need…love. “Come here.” He claimed her mouth and soul-kissed her silly. Much too soon, he unlatched his lips from hers with a satisfied pop. “Damn, woman. You’re dangerous.” He patted her bottom. “Gather your things, and I’ll take you home before the hard-ass fires you.” He sent her a lusty wink.

She gathered her lake clothes and shoved everything in her beach bag while he pulled on a T-shirt and shoved his feet in some old tan Top-Siders. He picked up her bag and his car keys, and she scooped up her coffee and half-eaten muffin, following him to the car.

“Brogan, is your uncle still living?” Lucy asked once settled inside the car.

“Yeah, but now he’s my aunt.”

“What?”

He grinned. “It’s true. He decided to become a woman.”

Lucy said under her breath, “Sheesh. And I thought my family was complicated.”

* * *

Lucy fanned herself underneath the food tent at the tennis academy where fans gathered to watch the Pro-Am tournament. She’d been selling healthy boxed lunches from BetterBites and Margo’s special desserts, along with Brogan’s healthy granola. Bailey and another girl from the store showed up with more turkey wraps and sandwiches in time to relieve her for an hour.

Brogan had dropped her home that morning, leaving her dazed from his thorough kiss good-bye, and left to run a marathon or climb Mount Everest backward or something. Lucy still hadn’t heard anything from Wanda and was beginning to worry. If Wanda didn’t return her calls today, Lucy was not above breaking and entering her house to check for dead bodies…mainly Russell’s.

Fortunately, she wouldn’t have to break the law. She watched Bertie and Wanda strolling toward her booth. Bertie wore stylish white walking shorts and a halter-top twisted from an orange-and-yellow silk scarf. Very classy. Wanda…oh, Lord. Lucy had to blink to take it all in. Wanda flaunted her cleavage in a fuchsia ruffled top with plunging neckline. She wore very skinny navy-blue capris and navy-and-white striped pumps with five-inch neon-yellow heels…not exactly tennis tournament-approved apparel. They both had on floppy straw hats and Jackie O sunglasses.

“Hey, Luce, you ready to take a break?” asked Bertie.

Lucy ignored Bertie and glared at Wanda. “Where the hoot have you been? I’ve been worried sick.”

“Sick? I highly doubt it, since you were spotted leaving Beefcake Brogan’s house
two
mornings in a row and locking lips with him by your front door.” Wanda flashed a shrewd smile. Lucy glanced over her shoulder, afraid the paparazzi were present, or worse, Miss Sue Percy. How did this keep happening? God, she prayed no one had witnessed the X-rated sex down by the lake.

“Who told you that?” she whispered as she moved away from the booth. “What are you, a slimy reporter for the
National
Enquirer
?”

“Let’s get to the box before I melt in this broiling heat,” Bertie interjected, herding both Lucy and Wanda to one of the sponsor’s luxurious boxes. They all helped themselves to the free beer, and Lucy snagged a cup of M&M’s. Bertie excused herself to check on Keith, and as soon as she exited, Lucy blasted Wanda with both barrels.

“What’s going on with you? You don’t call, email, or text. What did you do to Russell? Did you hit him over the head with an iron skillet and barbecue him like in
Fried
Green
Tomatoes
? Don’t tell me he’s swimming with the fishes at the bottom of the lake.”

Wanda waved her hand. “Calm down, CSI. Russell lives. Although it was touch and go there.” Wanda flopped down on the white leather love seat. Her smile faded as she played with the cocktail napkin shaped like a yellow tennis ball.

“You okay? Anything I can do to help?” Lucy inched closer to Wanda, not liking her subdued personality. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“Have a seat, Luce. There is something you should know.”

Lucy’s knees wobbled. She
really
didn’t like this serious side of Wanda. Sitting down hard on the edge of the Carrera marble coffee table, she said, “Tell me. Is it Fiona?”

“Fiona’s fine, enjoying some of Brogan’s healthy scraps.” Wanda drank her beer and gave Lucy a steady stare. “What do you know about Julia’s baby daddies?”

Thrown for a loop, Lucy stammered, “W-what? What do you mean?”

“Do you know who they are?”

“I know for a fact it’s not Brogan, if that’s what you’re getting at. Please don’t believe all that baloney gossip.” Lucy didn’t feel free to reveal the identity of Parker’s dad. That was Julia’s announcement. But for a town that seemed to know how many times Lucy blinked a day, she couldn’t figure how Julia’s secret was never leaked. Julia had talent for sure.

Wanda continued in a low voice. “Well, that may be true.” She removed her hat and fluffed her brown curls. “Believe it or not, I know who
this
baby’s father is.” Lucy’s jaw dropped open. “You have to give me your solemn promise you won’t breathe a word until I say it’s okay. You swear? Not. One. Word.”

Lucy gulped and nodded. “I swear,” she whispered, crossing her heart with her finger.

Wanda’s gaze darted around the interior of the sponsor box, checking for nosy Harmony residents. Her dark brown eyes landed back on Lucy, frying her to the spot.

“It’s Russell.”

Stunned, it took a moment for her brain to register. “Did you say Russell? As in
your
Russell?”

“That’s right. Russell, the good ole love muscle.” Wanda eased back and struck a casual pose and proceeded to tell Lucy a fascinating tale about how Julia would call Russell regarding construction work on her sale properties. All normal, until Julia started calling him to see about personal repairs on her house. And one weekend, when Parker was out of town visiting his grandmother, Julia invited Russell over for some grilled burgers. And asked him to check out her plumbing…but not the pipes under her sink.

That panicky feeling started to creep its way up from Lucy’s gut, curling its clammy claws around her heart and squeezing. “I just can’t believe it. What were they thinking? Hello? Can we say birth control?”
Snap!
Lucy’s mouth closed on those last two words. Who was she to preach? She and Brogan had been just as careless, caught in their own uncontrollable, smoggy-headed lust. Maybe lust was too harsh. More like unbridled, uncontained, bursting with love. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
she
loved, but Brogan…not so sure.

“The condom broke.” Lucy refocused on Wanda’s story. “I’ve been trying to tell you for years…Russell’s love muscle is a mighty powerful thing.” Humor lit the back of Wanda’s eyes before they quickly sobered.

“Aw, Wanda, what are you going to do?” Lucy slid next to her on the love seat, draping her arm around her best friend’s shoulder. “Did you give Russell the final heave-ho?” Lucy couldn’t remember a time when Wanda and Russell weren’t either jumping each other’s bones or arguing like two flea-bitten alley cats.

Wanda absently smoothed Lucy’s white-and-coral cotton skirt and gave her knee a reassuring pat. “No. Actually, Russell and I are going to give it another shot.” Lucy’s head reared back. “Yeah…I’ve forgiven him.” Wanda cocked one brow. “It’s not like I’ve been a lily-white saint, you know.”

“What about the b-baby? What’s Russell going to do?”

“Be part of his or her life. We both are. I’m not letting Julia take that away from Russell. She’s not going to keep this a mystery for fifteen years and have Russell’s baby grow up without a father. With my guidance, he’ll make a super dad,” Wanda added smugly.

“Good for you. You’ll both be great. What does that make you? My ex-sister-in-law? Parker’s stepaunt? My evil stepsister? Oh, sorry, that’s Julia.” Lucy snickered.

“None of the above. We’ll be Russell, the baby’s daddy, and Wanda, his kick-ass lady wife!”

Lucy jumped in excitement. “You mean it? You and Russell are getting married again?”

“Yep. After I pin Julia like a squirming insect under a microscope. She’s gonna come clean if she doesn’t want Wanda Wonderbust making her life miserable.”

If anyone could scare the truth out of Julia, it would be Wanda.

Lucy threw her arms around Wanda’s neck. “I’m so happy for you. You will make the best parents. The best.”

“I agree.” Wanda returned Lucy’s hug. “Now I want to hear about you and Brogan,” she said, rolling her
R
. “I need all the dirty, naughty, sexy details. I’m looking for size and style techniques.”

Buttered popcorn balls!
Lucy didn’t have a choice but to spill like an undercover spy being grilled by the KGB
because
Wanda’s wonderbust was locked and loaded and had Lucy in its sights.

* * *

The next two weeks passed in a love-filled, hot-air-balloon-floating, fairy-tale kind of blur for Lucy. Parker managed to make friends on the football team, and his hero worship mounted as Brogan continued to watch his practices and give him man-to-man advice. And Lucy’s heart soared over the newfound love she had for Brogan. And he demonstrated the same…okay, not with words, but action. Because whenever she came within two feet of him, he’d reach out and touch her or kiss her or drag her behind his office door, causing her face to bloom hot pink when she’d emerge, straightening her clothes and smoothing her sex-tangled hair. Yep. Life tasted better than a batter-drenched, deep-fried Snickers bar.

One night Brogan surprised her with tickets to the Trace Adkins concert, and even bought a pair for Parker and a friend. In her excitement, Lucy jumped him and almost knocked him on his butt in a bucket full of wet paint.