Page 31 of Hero: Claimed

Thinking of the way she moved against me not that long ago, I smile. The feel of her soft skin rubbing against me. The breathy hitches when I’d done something she particularly enjoyed. Fuck, the reverent way she whispered my name when she was about to come. More than that, the way she held me when we were through, burrowing down at my side, using me as a cocoon of safety. I never felt like more of a man in my life then when holding Brinley after we’d made love.

“Get that pussy-whipped grin off your face, brother.” Blaze interrupts my thoughts. I blink, coming out of my trance in time to see him shudder. “It wigs me out,” he says.

“Seems you could use a little whipping there, brother,” I say, snickering through my nose. “I can’t believe I was lucky enough to…” Shaking my head, I let that thought trail off. He doesn’t need to know that Brinley gave herself to me, thatIwas the man she chose to take her virginity. He doesn’t need to know how much that meant to me, that this fucking awesome woman trusted me enough to handle not just her body, but her heart, too.

“Shit, youreallylike her, don’t you?” Blaze asks.

“That’s the understatement of the century. I think I’m falling for her. She’s funny and smart, she cooks like she went to school for it, and she’s so damn easy to be around. I don’t have to beon. I don’t have to figure out ways to constantly impress her. We have a shit ton in common. And holy shit, when she turns those eyes on me, I can’t catch a breath. Being with Brin is like…” I stop to consider my next words. “Being with Brinley is like hanging with a best friend I also get to fuck.”

“Now you sound like Boss,” he teases, sipping on his drink.

“Maybe. I thought he was an asshole when he and Elise got back together. Like, why would a man want to put himself through all the shit that each of these brothers has gone through for pussy?” Then I look to Butch behind the bar. “Beer, dude,” I order. Butch pulls a beer from the small fridge behind the bar, twists the cap off, and slides it over to me. I take a long pull before continuing. “We got free and easy pussy dropping in our laps nightly, but here’s the thing: Meaningful sex is the fucking best sex you’ll have in your life. Who knew?”

“It’s always meaningful,” he says, sipping another drink of his beer. “Meaning I was full of cum and then unloaded.”

Asshole. I punch his shoulder. “I’m being serious. You’re not ready or haven’t met the right woman, but when you do, shit—then you’ll get what I mean.”

“Speak of the devil,” Blaze mutters and I turn my head to see Brinley walking into the common.

Her eyes light up when she sees me. “Hey,” Brin says and it’s happy, breathy.

“Bird.” I hold my arm out to her until she walks to where I’m sitting and I pull her to sit on my lap. She leans her head on my shoulder.

“Why’d you let me sleep so long?” she asks as she picks up my beer to take a drink.

“Because I wore you out, and I’m not done, so you needed to rest up because what I got planned for you, you’re gonna expend a whole lot of energy.”

She snickers and drinks more of my beer. “Is this much sex normal in a twenty-four-hour period?”

“If it’s not, it should be,” I answer.

“We keep this up, I’m not going to be able to walk into that interview tomorrow.”

“I’ll carry you, then. No sweat off my back—actually, that’s my best idea yet because then I can fuck you one last time before you go in. Calm your nerves and shit.”

Brin buries her face against my neck as she laughs. “You guys hungry? I can whip you up something.”

That gets Blaze’s attention. “I could eat,” he says.

“Baby, you don’t gotta make him food,” I say as I lean in to kiss her.

“Not cool,” he whines. “She doesn’t have to make you food, either.”

“No, she doesn’t. But she offered.”

“She offered to make it forbothof us.”

“Yeah, but of the two of us, I’m the one who’s fucking her, which means I’m the one repaying her kindnesses.”

Blaze pushes up from his stool to unzip his fly. “Hell, if that’s what it takes to get a meal from a woman who cooks like she went to school for it, I’ll fuck her. What do ya say, Brinley? No complaints so far.” Even kidding, that one cuts too close and I ball my fist, punching Blaze in the gut hard enough that he doubles over.

He puffs through a bright red face, “Fuck, what was that for?”

“Hit on my old lady again and I’ll castrate you, brother.”

“Levi,” Brin admonishes. “He was just kidding. I’m pretty sure you’re the only one interested in having sex with me.”

“And I’m pretty sureyou’renot considering how beautiful you are. Half the brothers here drool when they see your tits bounce into the room.”

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