So much for gentle.

He had the condom on in seconds. Faster yet, he aligned his shaft with her slit and pushed inside.

The display of sensation on her face was fucking beautiful. Wide eyes, parted lips, nostrils fluttering with every shallow breath she took. And then he bottomed out, her tight pussy snugged around him like a glove.

He’d been with lots of women in his thirty years, some he’d even cared about, but being inside Jenny...holy fucking hell. There weren’t words. Just...a million different sensations jolting through his body, promising him that this, right now with this woman, was unlike anything he’d experienced before.

His hands shook. His head spun. His friggin’ chest ached, because Jenny...fuck. She looked at him like he really was Superman. And she really did make him believe that, with time and a whole hell of a lot of self-forgiveness, he might—just maybe—be worthy of the smallest piece of her.

“Brody,” she whispered and he turned into the caress of her fingers along the side of his face. God, the hope she gave him. It was fucking surreal.

“Yeah, sugar?” he murmured back, his chest tight as he slowly moved inside her. With his elbows on either side of her pretty head, they were as physically close as any two people could be, but it wasn’t enough. The urge to connect with her—to consume her and to claim her—built fast and he took her mouth in a hungry kiss that quickly turned explosive.

His name was a breathless refrain on her lips as he pulled out and sank in deep, filling her body over and over again, giving her everything he had to give. If he could make her feel good... If he could show her that she wasn’t just another body to him... If he could make her see that he fucking needed her, then maybe—

“Baby, you’ve got nothing to prove,” she promised, holding his face so they were nose to nose, gasping for the same air. The emotion in her eyes reached in deep and gripped his heart. Just like her body clenched his cock as she came, back arched off the bed with a moan that made him want to beat his fucking chest. He slid an arm beneath her and held her close, pumping hard and letting her orgasm rock him over the edge, too.

He came with a grunt, buried to the hilt in her sweet heat and with only one conscious thought in his head...

He wanted this girl forever, and he’d go to any length to make that fantasy become a reality.

Chapter Fourteen

“You slept with him.”

Ugh. Thank you, Brody and your sexy morning whiskers.

“Why the heck would you think that?” Behind the lid of her Cedar Street Brew to-go cup, Jenny made an incredulous face she had no chance in hell of pulling off.

“Besides the spontaneous case of poison ivy in March, I also have it on good authority that you just rolled back into town.” On the other side of the coffee shop counter, Ally flicked a glance at her watch. “It’s after two, sunshine.”

Jenny blinked at her best friend for five solid seconds. “Tell your husband I just cancelled his haircut appointment. Indefinitely.”

Ally laughed. “Hey, he’s just doing his job. Not his fault he happened to be on the road the same time as you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure it’s not in any sheriff’s job description to report gossip back to his wife.”

Her redheaded friend arched an eyebrow. “The hell it isn’t. Section six, right below ‘Must never give wife’s best friend a ticket for blowing a stop sign’.”

Shit. “He saw that, too, huh?”

“Uh huh. He said you were totally spaced out. Had a stupid, lovesick grin on your face.” Ally tipped her head to the side and gave a smile of her own. “Kinda like the one you’re wearing right now. Damn, you really like this guy.”

Really was an understatement. “His name is Brody. You should probably get used to calling him that, since he’s coming to town in a couple weeks. Continually calling him ‘this guy’ might get a little awkward.”

Ally’s eyes widened. “You mean I actually get to meet Brody?”  She drew out his name, making him sound like some scandalous secret. “How very un-Jenny-like.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. It’s not like you don’t already know who he is. It’ll just be...official now.”

More wide eyes, this time with a gasp. “Official in what way? Like boyfriend official?”

Um... “Maybe?” She gave Ally the abbreviated version of her ‘let’s give this a try’ conversation with Brody, minus the hot ‘I’m going to own your pussy’ reinforcer. “We didn’t really discuss the details.”

“Well, no. You were too busy rubbing all over each other like wild meerkats.”

“As opposed to tame meerkats?”

“Shut up and go with it. I have preggo brain, for God’s sake.” Ally popped a chunk of pistachio muffin into her mouth, moaned like she wanted to leave her husband for it, then flipped Jenny off when she laughed.

“As much as I love the harassment, I’ve gotta run. I have to grab some paperwork from the salon before I meet Heather’s friend Elena for dinner. She seems super excited about the prospect of coming on board and, if we can work out a reasonable salary, I think I’m going to do it.” She’d be strapped for fluid cash, but she’d have more time for her mom, which trumped everything else.

“I actually met Elena last night. Heather brought her out and Luke kept tripping over his damn tongue. Elena didn’t seem to mind.” Ally made her goofy squicked-out sister face and Jenny perked up.

“Luke’s finally coming out of his shell?”

“Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe. Much as I’d love a sister-in-law someday, I don’t really want to watch it unfold, you know? It’s gross. And embarrassing.”

“At least you have a sibling to humiliate you.” Jenny waggled a finger at her friend and smiled ruefully. “I’d give anything to have someone here to help out with Mom.”

Ally wilted a little. “Ugh, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

Jenny winked when her phone chimed in her purse. “No worries,” she said, as she dug it out. “At least I’ve got you—oh, my God.”

Those panties we lost in the kitchen this morning? Sam just found them.

“What?” Ally demanded, leaning over the counter as far as her baby belly would allow. “Something happen with Helen?”

“No! It’s just...” Four hours away and he could still make her blush. “It’s just Brody.”

Ally grinned, her wedding ring sparkling from atop her baby bump. “Be careful, girlfriend, or you’ll end up like me.”

That’s what I’m hoping.

“Mmm-hmm, I see that look in your eye, Jenny Lynn, but the warning still stands—be careful. Take your time. If this guy—Brody—is the real deal, he won’t mind the wait.”

***

“You’re driving this week, by the way.” His back on the weight bench, Sam hefted a solid three-forty into the air with a grunt.

Brody frowned from the spotter’s position above his friend. “No way, dude. Pretty sure it’s your turn. I caught the trip to St. Louis.”

“Yeah, but you got laid this weekend. I didn’t.” Sam brought the bar back down, his arms shaking.

“Since when does that count for anything?” And when did his sex life become Sam’s business anyway?

His buddy laughed as he got to his feet and Brody took his place. Sam took off sixty pounds and Brody did six easy reps.

“So, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. The timing’s kinda shitty now that you’ve got thongs and shit laying around, but...” Clamping another forty back on, Sam winked.

“I’m glad you’re entertained. Now get to the fucking point.” Up, one, down. Up, two, down.

“I’m moving Dani into my place for a while. I can’t have her raising my nephew in that damn slum she’s in now. The guy in the apartment below her got busted for dealing heroin last week.”

Up-three-down. Up-four-down. “That’s brutal. But what’s it got to do with me?”