Valentine's Dates (6 page)

“Whoa.” Brent’s arm wrapped around her waist and brought her snug against his chest. “I’ve got you.”

For a brief second she held on, but then she came to her senses and steadied herself. With her feet under her once more, she tried to pull away. “You can let me go now.”

His grip tightened as he tugged her closer. “I’m never letting you go again.”

Her gaze darted up to his. She wasn’t prepared for the emotional wallop she received when their eyes connected. Brent’s gaze held nothing back. Fear, need, desire – love. She closed her eyes, but she couldn’t escape the strike to her senses he’d delivered with one look. Denying what she saw only hurt them both, and there’d been far too many hurt feelings between them already.

Opening her eyes, she didn’t hide her sadness. “We can’t keep doing this to each other.”

“Then stop fighting me. Stop fighting us.” Brent brought his forehead to rest on hers. “I need you to hear me say sorry, Vee. Need you to forgive me for being scared and ashamed – guilty.”

“Brent–”

“Please.” He wrapped both arms around her, tucking her in against his body, her head on his shoulder.

She leaned in, soaked up his warmth, and wondered if they would ever find themselves on even ground. Lord knows she wanted to. Whatever had transpired in the past didn’t affect the way she felt in his arms. Safe. Right. Home. He’d been the first person she’d thought to call last night. The only person she’d thought of. With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back.

They stood holding each other on the path, and Vee couldn’t deny the emotional step they’d taken. Was it possible they could move beyond the wreckage of their past and not only repair their relationship, but make it stronger? Hope bloomed inside her and she couldn’t wait a second longer to find out.

“Come on.” She pulled out of his arms and turned towards the house. “You promised me lunch and I recall something about lazing by the pool.”

Without looking to see if he followed, Vee walked down the hall that lead to Brent’s apartment. She hadn’t been inside since she’d first returned to Sydney after university, but she remembered his place being modern. The door was wide open so she went in and discovered he’d changed little except his cleaning habits. Brent’s home no longer looked like a bomb went off. It was spotless, right down to the huge window facing the harbour. That was new.

Drawn to the view, Vee stood in front of the wall of glass and decided she needed to rethink the windows on the north side of her house. She wanted an outlook like this one. And she could have it if she removed the original timber ones currently in place. She’d need to phone the contractor on Monday and let him know he’d been right about replacing the existing windows with bigger ones.

“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” Brent stepped beside her.

“Breathtaking. I didn’t realise this part of the house had such a sweeping view of the harbour.”

“We didn’t either until we had to remove this section of wall due to termite damage. Of course, once your brother and I knocked the wall out and saw this, there was no way either of us wanted to cover it back up.”

“You did this?” She indicated the window.

Brent laughed. “No. We were just cheap labour for the builder.”

“Oh, for a second I thought I’d uncovered another of your talents.” Vee smiled. “Speaking of, let’s get that lunch you keep promising me put together. I’m suddenly in the mood to lie in the sun.”

“Vee.”

She knew what he was going to say. Knew he wanted to talk, but she didn’t want to hash it all out yet. First she wanted to sit and eat, get to know the man he was a little better before they dug into their past and possibly destroyed any appetite she had. “Not yet. I want to enjoy some time together first. Can we do that?”

He stared at her, his gaze searching hers, before he smiled. “Okay. Let’s get this date underway.”

Chapter Four

Brent leaned back and watched Vee sip her drink. They’d eaten lunch and talked. Nothing heavy or serious, just general chit-chat you undertook on any date. Their first date had been a success, even if he said so himself, and he was sure Vee would agree if asked. Not that he planned to. He didn’t want to disrupt the peace between them. She’d opened up and told him about her house. He listened, but got most of his pleasure from sitting with her. Her skin glowed where the sun kissed it. A sprinkling of freckles stood out across the bridge of her nose and Brent wanted to play join-the-dots with his lips. Heat pooled in his groin, his pants growing snug over the erection forming.

He needed to cool down and take his mind off kissing her or he’d be in trouble. “I think a dip is in order.” His voice sounded rougher – deeper – than normal.

“But we’ve not long eaten. You’ll get a cramp.”

“That’s an old wives’ tale.” And even if it wasn’t, he didn’t care right now. Brent pushed his chair back and twisted to the side to hide the evidence of his arousal. He wasted no time stripping off his shirt and diving into the cold water.

He swam underwater to the deep end. When he surfaced he saw Vee sitting on the pool edge, her feet swirling the water. She’d removed her sundress to reveal a miniscule bikini. Any relief he’d received from his dip was instantly reversed. Her breasts were on display, the tiny triangles covering them barely hiding her nipples. The buds he remembered as dusty-brown stood taut against the silky green top, tempting him beyond reason. When had she turned into a seductress?

She’d been hot ten years ago, but now there was an added layer of confidence. Maturity and comfort within her own skin gave Vee an unmistakable aura of assuredness that was mesmerising. He’d seen it at work on others and it certainly worked on him. No one, it seemed, could resist the charm that was Valentine Johnson.

She brought her arms up and crossed them over her chest. “Why are you staring like that?”

Brent swallowed over the lump in his throat. “You know why, Vee.” He flopped back and let the water’s buoyancy keep him afloat. Closing his eyes against the sun, he contemplated how on-display his body’s reaction to her was in this position. If she looked in his direction she wouldn’t miss his hard-on, but he didn’t care. They were past ignoring the attraction between them. And he was past hiding how he felt from her.

A yank on his ankle pulled him under. Unprepared, he sucked in a mouthful of water before he kicked free and came up for air. He hadn’t heard her move, but she’d slipped into the water and delivered a sneak attack. It reminded him of when they were younger and they’d played in the pool for hours. A smile tugged at his lips. Memories of long ago summers, days when Vee and Wade’s parents had been alive, and Brent had just about lived at the Johnsons.

Vee surfaced down in the shallow end. The full length of the pool separated them and he eyed her carefully, debating his retaliation. She’d caught him off guard, but now the element of surprise was gone. For both of them. He’d have to rely on his superior speed and strength to get the better of her. Then again, she moved like a fish in water so being faster might not help him in here. One second he was contemplating his plan and the next he was watching her climb the steps and sprint across the paving towards the stairs.

Damn. She’d surprised him again. He must be getting rusty in his old age. Swimming to the side he hoisted himself out and took off after her, laughter rumbling in his chest. Instead of heading for the house, Vee hit the stairs leading to the lower level. Her only escape from there was the waters of Sydney Harbour, which meant swim or boat. The boat keys were in the house and Vee had never swum in the harbour. He didn’t think she’d start now.

When he reached the bottom, he spotted her lying on one of the sun lounges as if she hadn’t just led him on a merry chase. Slowing to a walk, he took his time reaching her. He bent over her and gripped the edges of her chair on either side of her waist. Lowering his head, Brent placed his mouth next to her ear and blew a stream of air over her skin. She trembled visibly and he couldn’t hold back his smile.

“Still capable of a sneak attack I see.” He dipped his mouth lower and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear. “Do you remember how I used to get payback, Vee? Remember how I’d wait until you least expected it?”

“Y-yes.” Her breath teased his chest and sent a shudder through him.

“You don’t have to worry about that this time,” he said.

“I-I don’t?”

“No. Payback is now.” Before she could think or take a breath he turned his head and slanted his mouth over hers.

He took them deep, pressed into her mouth and stroked his tongue over hers. She moaned and he drew the sound inside. Her hands gripped his head, her fingers twisting in his hair and tugging him closer. Blood rushed in his veins, filled his cock with pounding need, and his senses went into overdrive. Everywhere they touched – and everywhere they didn’t – he burned. His skin felt too tight, stretched over his bones in a layer of blistering sensation that stole his breath.

She tore her mouth from his. “Brent.”

The breathy way his name slipped over her lips sent a jolt of lust through him. He wanted to hear her call his name when she climaxed. But he didn’t want that here. Not outside. Not on the waterfront where anyone could see them. Pulling away, he stood and offered her a hand.

“Come on.”

“What? Where?”

Brent loved the dazed look in her eyes. Loved that he made her not only breathless, but mindless too. With a grin he bent over and scooped her up.

“Brent!”

He chuckled and mimicked her tone. “Valentine!”

“Put me down.” She wiggled in his arms.

“I will.” He tightened his grip and brought her closer to his chest. “As soon as I get my bed under you.”

Vee wrapped her arms around Brent’s neck and buried her face beneath his chin. His skin was warm and the scent of chlorine tickled her nose when she breathed in. He’d kissed her senseless without even trying. The man’s mouth was lethal and she was about to get an even bigger dose of it. He took the stairs two at a time; even with her in his arms he didn’t break a sweat or struggle for breath. They reached the pool level and she remembered their lunch.

“The food–”

“Later,” he growled and kept going.

He bypassed the back of the house and headed around to the side entrance to his apartment. They entered through an office and she had a brief glimpse of computer screens and keyboards as they passed through. His long strides ate up the ground as he manoeuvred them along the hallway and into his room. The first thing she noticed was the bed. It was a huge king that dominated the space. Second were the colours: blues, greens, yellows, all melding together in a kaleidoscope of sensory delight.

Brent walked to the bed and unceremoniously dumped her on it. She bounced once before he pinned her to the mattress with his weight. Like the last kiss, there was no warning. His tongue swept inside her mouth to tangle with hers. He took and demanded more. Their teeth clicked together as she opened wider and sought to quench the thirst building inside her. Her hands roamed his back, mapping the muscles along his spine until she hit damp cloth.

She tugged at his shorts, slid her hands around his hips and shoved them between their bodies to get at the fastening. Yanking hard, she growled into Brent’s mouth when they wouldn’t open. He pulled back, his lips leaving hers and drawing a whimper of protest from her throat.

He chuckled. “Easy, Vee, we’ve got all day.”

All day?
She’d never survive that long. She wanted him now, wanted to feel his body pressed to hers, wanted him thrusting inside her until he eased the ache in her core. “No. Now. I need you now.”

“I don’t want to rush this. I want to take my time and explore every inch of you.” He put action to words and dipped his head to nibble his way along her collarbone.

“Later.” She panted. “We can go slow later.”

“Vee,” he murmured against her skin sending a shiver down her spine.

She arched into him, her breasts pressing into his chest, her sex cradling his. “Please, Brent.”

He didn’t answer. Instead he reached around her neck and undid the bow of her bikini top. The material gave and he pushed up on one elbow while pulling the tiny pieces of triangle out of the way. Her freed breasts snagged his gaze and he trailed a fingertip over the upper swell of her right one before moving his hand underneath to cup the mound in his palm.

“You’re so gorgeous.” He lowered his head and sucked her nipple into his mouth.

Vee moaned, her back bowing off the bed, offering him more. He scraped his teeth over her puckered bud sending a streak of heat into her core. His tongue flicked the tip while his lips pulled as much of her flesh into his mouth as he could. Plumping her breast with his hand, he continued to devour her until her womb clenched and her breath caught.

She needed to touch him. With surprising ease, she pushed him back and flipped them over. Straddling his stomach, she leaned down and kissed his mouth.

“My turn,” she said as she pulled away.

Shimmying down his thighs, she reached for the fastening on his shorts. The button popped and the Velcro ripped open with ease. Curling her fingers around the waistband, she slowly, inch by inch, worked them over his hips. With care, she wiggled them past his protruding erection. His long shaft bounced free as she moved lower. He hadn’t worn underwear. Heat arrowed between her legs when she realised he’d be bare beneath his swim trunks.

Vee glanced up to find his eyes on her. She smiled, her tongue slipping out to lick her lips. Brent jolted. His eyes dilated and his shaft slapped against his stomach, leaving a small, glistening wet patch. The urge to taste him pierced her. She’d never gotten to do that last time. There was so much she wanted to do to him. With him. But first she needed to sate the ache in her sex.

Wrapping her fingers around him, she stroked his length from root to tip and back. She used her other hand to cup his testicles. They sat hot in her palm, his scrotum contracting as she lightly squeezed.

“Jesus.”

His curse made her smile. It was good to know he wasn’t the only one who could torture with pleasure. Before things went any further, they needed to get rid of the rest of their clothes. Letting go of Brent’s flesh, she reached behind her back and snapped open the clasp on her top. She tossed the scrap of Lycra onto the floor and climbed to her feet. Standing over him, she stripped her bottoms down and threw them aside.