Braydon (Alluring Indulgence #6)(96)
Author: Nicole Edwards

They sat there in silence for several long minutes. Jessie resorted to using one of those bath sponges to soap up his chest as they continued to enjoy the water. It didn’t take long before the heat dissipated, but Jessie resolved that quickly, turning on the hot water to replenish it. Luckily she hadn’t filled the tub full or they’d have been washed out into the bathroom by then. But Braydon didn’t complain.

He didn’t have a fucking thing to complain about.

“How’s Brendon?” she asked softly, bringing him out of his relaxed state instantly.

“As good as can be expected, I guess.”

“What does that mean?”

He really didn’t want to talk about his brother, but he knew Jessie was concerned. Everyone was concerned about Brendon and his fragile state of mind.

“If I tell you that he’s on the mend, will that be enough?” he asked subtly, reaching back and cupping her neck, sliding his fingers beneath the long strands of her damp hair.

“Would it be the truth?” Jessie countered.

“I want it to be,” he admitted, gently massaging her neck the way she had his just a few short minutes ago.

Right now, as much as he was worried about his twin, he didn’t want to think about Brendon. He didn’t want to think about anything. The stress of everything had given him one headache that had nearly blinded him. Jessie had somehow managed to relieve the tension. And even if it was just for a little while, he wanted to enjoy it.

Braydon let go of her and sat up. He reached for one of the towels Jessie had laid on the counter near the tub.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t apologize,” he muttered as he stood and reached for her hand, helping her up. “Right now, I just want to spend time with you. No interference. From anyone.”

Jessie nodded, her eyes smoldering.

He knew just how she was feeling. He was feeling it, too. The sight of her smoking hot body dripping with water made his hands itch to touch her. To slide his palms over every single warm inch of her.

Without rushing, Braydon continued to stare at her as he stepped out of the tub and rubbed the towel over himself. He didn’t do the world’s best job of drying himself, but that really wasn’t his main concern. Once he was satisfied that he wouldn’t leave a puddle on the floor, he tossed the towel and retrieved a dry one. After helping Jessie out of the tub, he took the liberty of drying her too, moving in close and invading her personal space.

They stared at one another for the longest time, neither of them saying anything. At least not with words. But there was definitely a conversation going on. One that they had with their eyes.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered, unable to hold the words back. She could take them however she wanted, but he meant that on so many levels. There was a part of Jessie that he’d connected with so long ago, and to finally have that back, only stronger . . . It was more than he could imagine.

Braydon broke eye contact long enough to run the towel over her long, sexy legs, wiping as much of the water away as he could before he returned to his full height. In a move meant to throw her off balance, Braydon tossed the towel onto the floor with the other one and reached for her, lifting her up off her feet. Just as he had hoped, Jessie wrapped her legs around his waist and wreathed her arms around his neck to keep from falling. He had her. There was no chance he’d drop her. But he didn’t bother to tell her that. Having her wrapped around him was an indulgence he couldn’t deny himself.

“I need you,” he told her as he carried her to her bedroom. “I need to be inside you. I need to feel you up against me, Jess. It’s the only thing I can think of.”

“Me too,” she responded.

Setting her on her feet just in front of the bed, he slid his hands up her arms, cupping her neck and pulling her to him. His hunger had taken on an entirely new element where Jessie was concerned. The other night had been about making love to her. Tonight . . . Tonight was about possessing her. He wanted to own her, body and soul.

When he pulled her in for a kiss, bending down to reach her delectable mouth, his body caught fire, a smolder in his bloodstream that sent him careening out of control. The kiss started out soft but quickly morphed into something potent, combustible.

“Ah, hell,” he groaned when Jessie bit his lower lip, sending his lust into hyperdrive.

Her hands began clawing at him, her leg wrapping around his hip, pulling him against her, his iron-hard cock sliding against her belly.

“Enough of the foreplay, Braydon,” she cried. “There’s time for that later.”