Breathless (Steel Brothers Saga #10)(8)

I was in no condition to begin a relationship, and neither was she.

We could have a fuckfest, but Marjorie Steel wasn’t the one-night-stand type. Instinctively I knew that. Plus, Joe and I had been friends for over thirty years. I couldn’t risk a one-nighter with his baby sister.

I reached toward the doorknob—

“Bryce!” Footsteps sounded behind me.

I turned. Marjorie’s big brown eyes seared me. So beautiful. And that body. And those hands. I chuckled. She was wearing rubber gloves, the long yellow kind that my mom used to use while cleaning toilets when I was a kid.

“What’s so funny?”

“Sorry. The rubber gloves.”

“I just got a manicure yesterday.” She cringed a little. “Crap. That sounded so Steel ranch heiress, didn’t it?”

“My mom gets manicures sometimes, and she’s sure no heiress.”

“Something I learned when I started cooking. Kitchen work is murder on my hands, so I use rubber gloves. They’re hot and sweaty, but my hands stay silky smooth.” She cocked her head. “Why am I explaining this to you exactly?”

“You don’t owe me any explanation. I get the gloves. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Marjorie Steel wearing rubber gloves. It’s like the ultimate paradox.”

She huffed. “I get the feeling that was an insult.”

“Not at all. You’re just so beautiful, so glamorous. The rubber gloves are the ultimate contradiction to that.”

She swallowed. “You think I’m beautiful and glamorous?”

“I have eyes, don’t I?”

She softened and peeled off the gloves slowly. Damn. My groin tightened. Removing rubber gloves, and she made it look like she was on stage, stripping.

Once revealed, her hands were smooth with slender fingers, nails painted red. Classic and perfect.

Long fingers that could so easily wrap around my bulging cock…

Damn.

Her cheeks pinked. Had she read my thoughts? No. She was reacting to my “beautiful and glamorous” comment.

I cleared my throat. “I have to be going.”

“Did you and Talon have a nice talk?”

Did she know what her brothers were up to? Of course she did. She was a quarter owner of the ranch.

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

“I hope you’ll consider their offer, Bryce. We need you here.”

Talon had said the same thing, but it was a lie. The Steels didn’t need me. My son did. My mother did.

“I don’t actually know what the offer is yet. Tal said he wanted to wait until all three of them could talk to me.”

She pulled at the rubber gloves she still held. “Believe me. It’s an offer you won’t be able to refuse.” Again, she echoed Talon’s words. “It would be nice…”

“It would be nice…what?”

“It’d be nice to have you around here more.” She continued to fidget with the gloves. “That’s all.”

I nodded. What could I say?

Her bottom lip trembled a bit. Just a bit, but I noticed. Kiss me. Kiss me. The slight tremble echoed the words.

I tried to hold back. Truly I did.

To no avail.

My lips came down upon hers.





Chapter Five





Marjorie





Talon was around somewhere. Probably close. The boys were out back.

Anyone could walk by and see us making out by the front door.

Anyone.

I didn’t care. Not in the slightest.

Every part of me became hypersensitive and tingly as Bryce swept his tongue into my mouth. He tasted of vanilla, oak, a touch of caramel. Peach Street bourbon. Of course. Talon had given him a drink of his favorite.

I wasn’t a bourbon drinker, but mixed with the essence of Bryce, this whiskey was my new passion. An elixir I wanted more and more of.

When Bryce deepened the kiss, I groaned. It wasn’t the bourbon at all. God, no. It was all Bryce. The intense flavor, the fragrance of cedarwood and spice, the powerful pressure of his firm lips on mine…

All Bryce.

All me.

All Bryce and me.

No wonder I’d yearned to complete our earlier kiss. This was heaven. Pure heaven.

Reality hit me like a brick, and I broke the kiss with a smack. Bryce’s blue eyes widened, but I didn’t explain. I grabbed his hand, looking around quickly, and pulled him out of the foyer, down the hallway to my bedroom. Once we were inside, I closed the door quietly and locked it.

“Marj—”

I quieted him with a touch of my fingers to his lips. “Shh.” Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him toward me, our lips meeting once more.

I’d been ready to take the lead, but I didn’t have to. He thrust his tongue into my mouth and kissed me deeply. Passionately. I eagerly returned his enthusiasm, our tongues dueling and twirling.

I’d dreamed of this for so long. So, so long.

Watching all my brothers find love.

Love?

Why was I thinking about love?

This was just a kiss with a man I was very attracted to, a man I’d known since…

Oh, God…

Stop. Need to stop.