Love Restored (Gallagher Brothers #1)(35)

“Thank God for Pilates,” she joked.

He kissed her hard. “You can show me all those moves later. I like that you’re bendy.”

Her body shook in anticipation as she did as he asked. She felt weird, oddly bare and open for him as she lay there. But he was quick with the condom, and for some reason, she felt safe with him. It was probably a mistake, but she didn’t care. Not then.

“You are so f*cking sexy,” he growled. He leaned down over her, licked her * with one long stroke before kissing up her stomach and the valley between her breasts and biting each nipple. She shook more as he licked up her neck and planted a hard kiss on her lips. She could taste herself on him, and she almost came again.

“You ready for me?” he asked, his voice deep. She met his gaze and nodded. She didn’t know what she saw there, but it should have scared her. The fact that it didn’t, scared her even more.

“Graham!” she called out, her back arching, as he thrust into her fully to the hilt. Though she was wet and ready, he was so freaking thick. As she’d hoped, his piercing hit her in the right spot and tears slid down her cheeks. Not in sadness, or even sheer joy, but just everything.

“That’s it,” Graham panted. “Meet me, Blake. Move your hips with me. Let me go deep. You feel me? You like my cock?”

“God, yes. And if you don’t speed up, I’m going to play with my clit and make myself come.”

“Shouldn’t have warned me, baby.” He gripped a hip with one hand and held her wrists above her head with the other. The fact that he was so strong, and nimble enough to do that, just took her closer to the edge.

When he thrust again, this time so f*cking hard she saw stars, she came on his dick like he’d wanted. She met his gaze, her mouth parted, her breath escaping her. His eyes darkened, and the veins on the side of his neck stood out as he came with her. Though the condom separated them, she could feel the heat of him.

“Holy hell,” Graham panted, leaning over her. “I think I popped a blood vessel.”

Lazily, she ran her fingers over his sweat-slick back. “I popped something.” She sighed, wanting him close, but knowing if she didn’t escape now, she’d make a mistake.

Like, fall in love with a Gallagher.

She tilted her head and checked the clock, letting out a small curse. “I need to go,” she whispered. “I have things to do at home.” Not a lie, but not quite the truth either.

Graham frowned down at her. “What?”

“I should go.” She pushed at him, and he slid out of her. The fact that he was still semi-hard forced her to wince. She’d be sore in the morning for sure. “Thank you.” She cupped his face and kissed him softly. “That was one fine orgasm.”

He gripped her wrist, still frowning. “You’re leaving? Just like that?”

“I have to,” she whispered, afraid of what she’d say if she stayed. “I’ll…I’ll see you tomorrow. I promise.”

And with that, she grabbed her clothes and ran. Shame consumed her even as she pulled on her clothes in his living room. She needed to tell him about Rowan, needed to tell him about even more. Because what they’d just done wasn’t sex, wasn’t f*cking. Even though it had been hot and hard, it had been more than that.

And that, above all else, frightened her.

So she ran.

Again.





9


“Fuck this shit,” Graham shouted as he pulled his thumb away from the wall. He’d been distracted, again, and had smashed the damn thing with his hammer. Thankfully, he’d been out of it and hadn’t been swinging that hard so he didn’t think he’d broken it, but he’d have to watch the nail so he didn’t lose it. Hell.

He’d slept like hell, and hadn’t had coffee at his place because he’d been running late. And, of course, this day of all days, Owen wasn’t on the site yet, so he couldn’t even wheedle coffee out of his ever-organized brother. Owen would be there later, once he’d finished up his work in the office and at their other site, but for now, it was just Graham, Murphy, Jake, and the rest of the crew.

Graham needed coffee.

And ice for his damn hand.

“Having issues?” Murphy asked as he strolled into the room Graham was working in. Murphy wore a tool belt around his hips and had been working hard that day, but it was the damn tablet in his hand that made Graham want to curse.

“I’m not changing shit,” Graham bit out. “We’ve had to do a hundred changes as it is because of the historical society and this damn place. I’m done, Murph. Whatever tiny change you want to make to my job can hold off. I don’t want to hear it.”

Murphy raised his brows. “You don’t want to hear much of anything, do you? Well, dear brother of mine, you’re going to have to suck it up. Because it’s my job to make the plans, your job to follow them. So f*cking do it.”

Graham turned on him. “Excuse me? You little shit. You think that’s okay? You think you can just rule over me? Because I don’t f*cking think so.”

“Hey, you two, knock it off,” Jake said as he walked into the room. “You’re both lucky the crew is on lunch right now, or you’d have to deal with the people that work for us seeing you two act like little shits.”