Another Read online

  “Oh, yeah?”

  She licked her lips, her eyes gleaming. “Yeah.”

  “Maybe someday I’ll play for you.”

  Being done with her in another seat, I reached over, gripping her hips to pull her on top of me. Her knees went on either side of my hips, her skirt riding up, and her hair falling around us like a curtain.

  “God,” I groaned, pushing her skirt up the rest of the way around her waist. “Look at that pretty pussy.”

  Both of my thumbs slid along each of her folds, loving how wet they still were.

  “Ian,” she whimpered, thrusting against my hands. “I need you.”

  I jerked her hard right over my length, sitting up to reach her mouth. “Then take me.”

  Her hands fumbled with the belt buckle and zipper, but she managed to free my cock. A few strokes already had me at my breaking point, and I needed to get inside her before I made a fool of myself.

  “Someone could be watching,” I taunted. Her breath caught, but she didn’t stop. “Do you want them to watch you take this fat cock up your tight little pussy.”

  Instead of answering, she lifted up and held the head at her opening before slowly sliding down. Her back and forth, never fully sliding down all the way, had me grinding my teeth until I’d had enough. I gripped her hips tight and slammed her down, loving the way she cried out.

  Her hands gripped my shoulders and rocked back and forth, her warm heat driving me mad.

  “Look at you,” I groaned, pushing her back so she could see my dick stretching her opening. “Look at all the cream on me—making a mess of me.” I slid her back down slowly, watching myself disappear inside her. “Would you lick it off? Would you suck me clean?”

  Her hands buried in my hair, tugging hard. “Anything. Now shut up and fuck me.”

  “Such a bossy little thing.” I nipped at her chin. “I may let you sass me daily, but like this, when I’m buried deep inside you, you’re mine. And if I want to sit here with you full of my cock and not move, that’s what we’ll do.”

  “Ian, please,” she whimpered.

  “Begging sounds so good from your pouty lips.”

  She rocked, trying to gain more friction. Her warm heat like an inferno.

  “Carina,” I said, holding her steady. “I’m not wearing a condom.”

  Her movements stopped, but she didn’t pull off. “I’m on the pill.”

  “I’ve heard that before,” I said with a smirk.

  She shoved my shoulder. “I’m not on any antibiotics either.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, Ian.”

  “Not that I don’t want to have more babies with you,” I muttered without thinking. That had her pulling back, almost dislodging me.

  “What?”

  I buried my head in her chest and kissed all over her cleavage, pulling her back on me. I needed to distract her because that wasn’t a conversation to have in a baseball stadium when you’re balls deep in a skittish woman.

  “Focus on the feeling, Carina. Focus on how good it feels with nothing between us.”

  She moaned and rocked her hips harder. “I love how you feel inside me.”

  “I’ve never been inside another woman without a condom.”

  As if the admission was the flip to her switch, she lost it. She rocked harder, bouncing up and down, her tits swaying under her dress. I swiped my thumb across her clit and pulled her down so I could feast at her lips.

  “Ian,” she cried. “Ian. Ian.”

  I could listen to that chant until I died. “Come all over me, baby. Milk my cock.”

  Goosebumps broke out across her skin, and then she was crying out, trying to bury her head in my neck to mask her pleasure. Her tight pussy squeezed me impossibly tight, dragging my orgasm right behind her.

  When we were nothing but a panting mess, I did what I did best and made a joke, stroking down to her bare ass. “Whoever is on duty tonight got a hell of a view of this tight ass.”

  She jerked up and tried to tug her skirt down over her bottom, unsuccessfully since my length was still lodged inside her.

  “It’s not funny,” she reprimanded.

  “It’s pretty funny,” I said, dragging the material back up so I could palm each cheek, squeezing her ripe bottom.

  With one last kiss, I lifted her off me and helped her adjust her clothes.

  “Now, I kind of wish I had panties,” she muttered.

  “Why’s that?” I knew why, I just wanted to hear her say it.

  She blushed beautifully and stuttered. “Well, I—I’m kind of—I’m—”

  “Are you a mess with my cum leaking down your thighs?”

  “You’re incorrigible,” she laughed, a smile tugging at her lips.

  “You love it.”

  Needing to feel it for myself, I moved my hand under her skirt and collected the sticky mess dripping down her leg. Just feeling my cum leaking out of her had me hard and ready to go again. But our time was running out. So, I pulled my wet fingers out and brought them to her lips, painting each curve.

  Her tongue snaked out to trace the path before sucking my fingers into her mouth.

  “Goddamn, woman,” I growled, adjusting my cock.

  “I’m going to fucking own you when we get home.”

  “You already do.”

  “Fuck,” I whispered, clenching my fists to keep from ripping her dress off of her. “You’re lucky we have to go, or I’d have you bent over and let whoever came by watch.”

  “Promises, promises,” she laughed, backing away to go.

  “One of these days…”

  She linked her hands with mine, a satisfied smile on her lips.

  The walk to the car was fraught with tension; both of us eager to continue our night. When we’d almost made it to the car, she grabbed my arm, stopping me on the sidewalk, her face filled with a different kind of tension.

  “Hey, I wanted to mention something and kind of hope it doesn’t piss you off.”

  “Okaaaay?” My mind reeled with all the things it could be.

  My nerves that I’d screwed up somehow grew with each second she bit at her lips and stared at the ground. We’d been sparking with sexual energy moments before, and now it felt as if we sat on the edge of a precipice with the chance to crash and burn.

  I was about to come out of my skin when she finally asked, “How much do you and Hanna hang out?”

  If she threw an advanced math problem at me and asked me to solve it, I wouldn’t have been more surprised. “What? Why?” She just stared, waiting for my answer. “I see her at Erik’s sometimes, less since Alex is around. Otherwise, work. An occasional lunch.”

  She swallowed like those few times were hard to hear, and I still didn’t understand where this was going. “I think she’s uncomfortable with us being together.”

  “What? No. She’s happy for me.”

  “Not really. I mean she’s happy you have Audrey, but not us,” she explained gesturing between us.

  I shook my head. “She’s happy for us. You just aren’t around enough to see it.”

  “Ian, she’s in love with you.”

  I couldn’t help it—I laughed. My head fell back, and big bellows of laughter escaped into the night sky.

  When I looked down again, she had stepped back from me with her jaw clenched tight. “It makes me uncomfortable that you’re around her so much.”

  Trying to keep up with what she was saying, I sobered and shook my head. “What? Do you not want me to be alone with her?” I asked like a joke because surely this was nonsense. Hanna wasn’t in love with me. She was like a kid sister to me.

  But it wasn’t a joke because Carina kept staring, not saying anything. She stepped back again, and I didn’t like the distance she was creating. I didn’t like the idea of having to censor myself around my family—of distancing myself from someone who didn’t have feelings for me, just because Carina believed she did. Hell, she’d only been around her a handful of times.


  “I’m not going to stop being around her,” I said rationally. “I work with her. She’s like a sister to me. My family.”

  Carina took an aggressive step forward, her eyes sparking—no longer calm. “I’m your family. We are your family.” She swallowed and collected herself. “You need to make it clear that you’re taken and there’s no chance of you and her.”

  Was Carina doing this to drive a wedge between us? Was she scared about my comment about wanting more babies with her—about what we just shared and was trying to push me away? The thought burrowed under my skin, pricking at my own irritation. She barely acknowledged our relationship, held me at a distance for so long, and here she stood making demands.

  “Am I taken, Carina? Or are we doing this until you want to pretend we didn’t?”

  “That’s not how this is,” she said, her voice cracking.

  “Then, how is it?”

  She swallowed and squeezed and relaxed her hands. The more time I spent around Carina, the more I got to know her tells, and her hands were giving away her nerves. “I—I…care for you.”

  “What a benevolent declaration,” I deadpanned.

  Her shoulders rose and fell on a deep breath, and all irritation was sapped from my body when she lifted wet eyes to mine. “I can’t be cheated on again, Ian.”

  Everything in me softened, and I pulled her into my chest. I was being a dick. We both came into this relationship with our own baggage, and we both were bringing it to this argument.

  She sniffed, and I held her tighter, stroking my hand up and down her back, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “I’ll say something, okay?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes. If it makes you feel more comfortable, then that’s what I’ll do.”

  “Thank you.”

  Maybe Carina saw something I hadn’t because whenever I looked at Hanna, I saw the kid who always hung around Erik and me. I saw the fragile woman who’d suffered too much and needed some kindness her way. But maybe all the hugs and laughs and the way she sat next to me every chance she got meant more to her. I dreaded bringing it up.

  “Just let me do it my way. Hanna is sensitive. She’s been through more than most.” That was an understatement.

  “Okay.” She nodded her head and lifted her wet eyes to mine.

  “You need to trust me,” I ordered.

  Only a moment of hesitation before she finally agreed. “Okay. I do.”

  “Good.” I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “Now, let’s go home and have makeup sex.”

  26 Ian

  Everyone collected their files at the end of another meeting and piled out back to their offices. I tried to smile at Hanna, but she’d barely looked at me for the past week. I can’t help but wonder if Carina was wrong about Hanna and that maybe I don’t need to bother saying anything to her. She obviously wasn’t in love with me. She’d been avoiding me since Thanksgiving.

  Carina’s fears were obviously conjuring things that weren’t there.

  “Hey, Little Brandt,” I called to Hanna. Maybe if I was more direct, I’d get a better feel for her mood. “You want to grab lunch?”

  “Can’t. I’ll already be here late, so I’m working through lunch.”

  She gave a forced smile, her usually vibrant green eyes duller. Was something else bothering her? My protective big brother alarm was going off, and my first instinct was to soothe her. I’d always been there for Hanna. And Sophie when she’d been alive too. The Brandts were my family, and despite Carina’s concerns, I wasn’t going to abandon Hanna when she was so obviously hurting.

  I pulled her into a hug, and it only took a moment before her slim arms wrapped around me. Looking down, I was relieved to find the first genuine smile I’d seen all week. The same smile she’d given me when she was eight. Hanna was definitely not in love with me.

  “Yeah,” I said, commiserating with the late night ahead of me. “I should get some work done too. Next time.”

  “Okay. Definitely next time.”

  She gave me another smile and was about to turn away when I stopped her. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

  It was a coward’s approach, but if Hanna did have anything going on, she could come to me, and I could avoid bringing up a potentially beyond awkward topic. Carina had asked me to talk to her, but if there was nothing to talk about, she’d understand, right?

  A voice told me she wouldn’t, but I shoved it down, giving Hanna the opening to talk to me about any misplaced feelings.

  Hanna’s eyes softened. “Thanks, Ian. You’re always there for me.”

  “Always will be, kid.”

  With a nod, she headed back to her office the floor below, and I headed to mine with a weight lifted off my chest.

  I’d been working non-stop when my cellphone vibrated across my desk.

  “Bergamo,” I answered.

  “Ian?”

  Carina’s soft voice had me sitting back from the computer and smiling. I’d never tire of hearing her say my name.

  “Hey, babe. What’s up?”

  “You coming home tonight?”

  I looked at the time. “Shit. I didn’t realize it was so late. I’m trying to finalize this contract. I can finish it tomorrow though.”

  “It’s okay. Finish it tonight and that way you’re home tomorrow night. No need to stay late two days in a row.”

  “You sure?”

  “Of course. Is Erik staying late too?”

  “Nah. It’s just me, myself, and I shutting down the building.”

  “Poor baby.”

  “I know. Promise to soothe me later with a blow job.”

  She snorted her laugh, and I could imagine her rolling her eyes perfectly. “You wish.”

  “I do wish. I’ll see if I can earn it when I get home.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Bye, babe. Tell Audrey goodnight for me.”

  “Bye.”

  I hung up and let the happiness of my life wash over me. I had a beautiful, smart, caring girlfriend and probably the best baby that was ever created. All waiting for me at home and I couldn’t wait.

  I threw myself into my work so I could get home sooner. I was finishing up a few final details when Hanna knocked on my open door. She had her purse, and coat cinched tight.

  “Heading out?”

  “Yeah. In a bit. I just wanted to see if you happened to still be here.”

  I rolled back my chair and held my arms wide. “In the flesh.”

  Hanna stepped into my office, setting her purse down and taking a deep breath.

  “You said I could talk to you,” she started, fidgeting with the tie around her coat, not meeting my eyes. “Well, there is something I’ve wanted to say for a while and the more time that passes, the more my chance of saying it slips away.”

  Oh, shit.

  Warning bells rang like sirens in my head. They all sounded a lot like Carina telling me I told you so. She was right, and I was fucking dumb.

  I stood from my chair, needing to move and approach this with care. This was Hanna. I couldn’t brush it off from behind my desk.

  I made it around, standing only a few feet from her. “Hanna, you don’t—”

  “I love you,” she said, halting me in my tracks. She looked up at me, her eyes wet, and my heart broke. “I’ve loved you for so long, and I didn’t think I could ever love anyone. I didn’t think I’d ever feel anything like this. Not after what happened. Not after losing Sophie.”

  Each word dropped like a landmine between us. Each word twisted like a vice around my lungs, squeezing them tighter and tighter until I was sure I couldn’t suck in another breath.

  “Hanna,” I breathed. “Shit—Carina…”

  My body ached with thoughts of how this conversation would end. There was no good way out of it, and it terrified me to hurt her.

  “I—I know,” she admitted before swallowing hard. Her cheeks burned red hot, and I hated everyt
hing about this situation. “But you need to know how I feel. Know that there’s someone else who loves you—who’s always loved you.”

  “God, Hanna. You know I love you—”

  Her trembling hands moved with purpose, undoing the sash around her coat before tugging it open to reveal barely-there black lingerie.

  Shooting my eyes to the ceiling, I took the last step toward her, and tried to close the coat, only succeeding in pulling her closer. Her bare skin brushed my hands and I cringed because this was Hanna—the girl who’d been like my baby sister almost all my life.

  “I l-love you, Ian.” I could hear the tears in her voice, and it pierced at my heart. She pressed close, trapping my hands between us, her hands sliding around my neck and pulling me down to kiss me.

  Her lips landed at the corner of my mouth, and I broke my hands free, gripping her hips to push her back.

  Movement over Hanna’s shoulder had me freezing, allowing Hanna to step closer and rub against me, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to my neck.

  “Carina…”

  Her wide eyes filling with tears unlocked my muscles, and I pushed Hanna back, but it was too late.

  She stood there with a paper bag of food in her hands. The other pressed to her chest like she was trying to hold her heart together. Time stood still, slowing down so I could memorialize the biggest mistake of my life. So I could always look back and remember the time I fucked up and lost the best thing I’d ever had.

  Her chest heaved like she was barely holding back sobs, her mouth open over her broken breaths. But then, her eyes slid closed, two tracks of tears sliding down her cheeks and it was like that was it for her—a switch was flipped.

  “Oh, my god,” Hanna gasped, jerking her coat closed. “I-I’m s-so sorry, Carina. I’m so sorry.”

  Carina’s mouth slammed shut, her jaw clenched, and when she opened her eyes again, they were filled with fire. She pulled her shoulders back, dropping the bag before turning and bolting.

  “Ian, I’m so sorry.” Hanna’s tear-filled voice broke through the shock. “I didn’t think. It was impulsive, and stupid and I’m so sorry.”

  I looked down at the girl who I would always care for—who I’d always look out for, and who I hated to leave like this.