Page 65 of Forever Finds Us
“So, Deputy,” Gina interrupted, and she pegged my date with her hard stare. “You work for Brand’s sister?” She smiled at Abey at the end of the table, but then almost scowled at Roxanne.
Roxanne replied simply, “Yep,” popping the “p” at the end of the word.
Abey seemed confused by Roxanne’s short reply. “Don’t be modest, Rox.” To Gina, Abey explained, “Roxi’s a fantastic investigator. We don’t get a lot of cases needing investigation around here, but when we do, she always comes through, and the community loves her. They’ve taken her in like she’s lived here her whole life.”
Roxanne didn’t reply. She smiled uneasily, and that was the last straw.
Beneath the table, I squeezed her hand hard, even felt her bones strain in my grip. “Please excuse us for a few minutes,” I said, and then I hauled Roxanne out of her chair. Even before we made it into the shade of the house, I spun her in front of me, lifted her, and slung her over my shoulder.
She yelped, and I smacked her ass. She smacked mine in retaliation, which made my hands grip her bare thighs harder under her dress. I hoped my fingerprints would leave marks on her skin.
No one said a word, but I heard my brother laugh, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gina’s scowl. Good. I wanted her to witness the passion between Roxanne and me. Maybe then she’d respect my choice and my date. I had never been possessive with Gina. She’d never inspired that in me. Not once. If another man had tried to take Gina from me, I probably would’ve let him.
If he came for Roxanne, I’d take him out.
I carried Roxanne to the big balsam tree by the barn, dropped her to her feet, and pushed her up against its trunk, facing away from the house.
“Tell me what you need,” I said, my eyes steady on hers.
“What? What do you mean ‘what do I need’? I can’t believe you just did that in front of your whole family and your employees!”
“Why can’t you believe it? Because I smacked your ass in public, or because it was your ass and not Gina Scott’s?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Both.”
“Tell me what you need from me, Roxanne. What will it take for you to feel confident that I want you and only you? Shall I tell you how beautiful you are tonight? That the settin’ sun on your skin makes you glow, and I can’t stop starin’ at you? Do you need to hear me say that yours is the only body I want to be inside of? That it’s all I can think about, gettin’ you alone, strappin’ you to your bed and fuckin’ you till we can’t see straight?”
Her eyes dropped to the dirt beneath our feet. “Maybe.” Insecurity raged inside her. It pulsed around her body like a second skin.
Lifting the skirt of her dress with my fingertips, I leaned closer. When she looked up at me, I slid my hand inside her thong.
“Brand! Not here. What if they see?”
“Let ’em. I don’t give a shit. They’ll see how much I want you.”
Taking her mouth with mine, I cut off her reply, and I slipped two fingers between her pussy lips, intending to rub her till she was wet enough to take me. I planned to fuck her right here, up against the tree.
She groaned, instantly forgetting embarrassment, and ground herself against my hand.
“Good girl,” I breathed into her mouth.
She whimpered into mine, and her whole body went slack when I slid my fingers inside her.
“I’m sorry she’s here,” I murmured against her lips, leaning into her body, my hand pumping, my eyes open and watching her face as I worked her. “I didn’t know she would be, but if you want me to, I’ll tell her to leave. I’d fuck you on the dinner table if it’s what you want. If it’s what you need.”
She moaned.
“Tell me what you want, and when we get home, you can take whatever you need from me.”
“I don’t want you to be rude to her,” she said, her breath speeding as she climbed higher and closer to release.
I added another finger and pounded the heel of my hand against her pubic bone. “Liar.”
Her eyes opened wide. “And my house is not home. I’m embarrassed by it. You’re used to much nicer things. Gina wouldn’t be caught dead in my run-down duplex.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Roxanne
