Page 54 of Mister Cowboy
“He hasn’t?” January looked back at the table and caught Brecken’s eye. There was a flash of concern until she smiled, and then his mouth pulled at the corners into a big grin. Her insides turned to liquid, and she forced herself to concentrate on Sylvie.
“No. Never. How did you two meet?”
“At a bar, actually, on my birthday. We chatted, and then he left and nearly hit me with his car. I think he was afraid I was going to feign a neck injury or something, so he hired me to help organize his late father’s estate.”
“Wow.” Sylvie’s eyes widened.
“How long have you known Brecken?”
“I just met him last year when Martin and I started dating. God, I can’t believe it’s only been a year,” she rattled on, looking to the ceiling as if she were thinking back over it all. “What can I say, when you know,you know. I knew he was the one for me on our very first date.”
She looked back to January with a smile. “Are things serious with you and Brecken? I can only assume they are if he brought you to meet Martin.”
“It’s only been a few weeks.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” Sylvie pointed a finger at her but didn’t wait for her to say more. “Brecken is one of the good ones. He doesn’t take this whole lifestyle too seriously. It was strange for me at first, rubbing elbows with rich people and pretending to care about their second home in Napa or their nanny troubles.” Rolling her eyes, she continued without taking a breath. “In my experience, the ones who spend the most time talking about how they’re spending all their money are usually the ones who are overcompensating for something—a cheating spouse, a company dissolving. Listen to me rambling on. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t scare you off. I’d like to see more of you.”
Surprised by how much she wanted that too, January laughed easily. “Me, too.”
Sylvie got to her feet slowly and let out a breath. “We should probably get back to the men or they’ll spend the entire night talking business.”
* * *
“They liked you, too.” The hum of his words vibrated in her ear as January peeled off her dress and let it drop to the floor. The wine coursed through her body, making her lightheaded and positively giddy.
She reached down to undo the strap of her heels, but Brecken lifted her back up. “Leave the shoes on.”
Body shivering in anticipation, she slipped her hands under his suit jacket and helped him out of it. “Sylvie and I are going to have lunch next weekend.”
“Good. I’ve always liked her. She talks so much I don’t have to worry about carrying the conversation.” His hands made quick work of her bra and panties, tossing them to join the dress and jacket at their feet.
January fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, cursing under her breath, and his hands joined hers, ripping open the shirt and making the buttons fly off and scatter across the floor. Staring up at him in shock, she watched as he smiled back in a predatory way, his bare chest revealed.
Her laughter echoed in the room, and she fought to speak through the gasps. “Oh my God. Did you really just rip off your shirt like the Incredible Hulk?”
Picking her up by the waist, he laid her down on the bed and removed the rest of his clothing. “You were taking too long. I’ve been thinking about sinking deep inside you since the moment you put that tight little cock tease of a dress on.”
The room spun as he palmed her breasts and arranged his heavy weight on top of her. She fought the blackness flashing in front of her as he whispered sweet nothings and kissed her naked body. Her throat burned as she tried to gulp in the air around her, turning her head from side to side.
“Time out!” She threw her hands up in the air as if she were the captain of a football team and desperately needed to huddle up with only seconds left on the clock. Oh, and it was that urgent.
Brecken stilled as she squirmed out from under him and launched herself toward the bathroom.
Damn these heels!
She barely made it to the toilet when the contents of her stomach came back up and out.
Footsteps padded on the bathroom floor behind her as the second round threatened, burning her eyes and sending cold chills over her sweaty body. His hands brushed back her hair as he sat on the floor beside her and she heaved until her stomach ached.
Brecken’s fingers worked at the clasps on her shoes and then gently pulled them free as she took slow, deep breaths and prayed she was done throwing up. Then he reached to turn the shower on, scooped her into his arms, and moved them so they were under the warm spray.
“Can you stand?”
January murmured and nodded as he slid her down his body so her feet rested on the tile floor. “I’m sorry.”
“Shh.”
The sound of a bottle popping open registered above the water streaming around her face and then his hands were on her, sliding the soap over her chilled body. “A quick shower, and we’ll get you in bed. You’re a total lightweight by the way.”
