Brazen (Brazen #1)(48)

He slid his hands underneath her ass, cupping her cheeks with his big hands. He cradled her, holding her open to his invasion. Such a sweet invasion.

She moved her legs higher. Clutched him with her hands. Her eyes closed, opened and closed again.

“Don’t stop. Please,” she gasped as the room blurred around her.

“No, sugar, I won’t.”

She clenched her teeth together then sucked her lip between them in an effort to staunch her cry. Her body arched almost painfully into him and then something within her popped, setting her free.

She flew. Knew what it was like to have wings in that precious moment. When she reached as high as she could fly, her body fell back to earth, floating, spiraling downward in a gentle cessation.

“I love you,” she whispered again.

Her eyes fluttered, and she dimly registered him closing around her, his body weighing on hers, his faint but steady heartbeat against her ribcage. He said something, but she was too far gone to hear what it was.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Seth stared down at Jasmine’s sleeping form with a mixture of tenderness, self-loathing and ultimate satisfaction. He felt pulled in twenty different directions, none of which would get him anywhere.

He shouldn’t be here, but the selfish part of him didn’t give a shit. He wanted her. More than he should, but there it was. His guilt wasn’t going to change that fact. Even as he knew he needed to get out of her bed, he leaned down to brush his lips across her temple.

She sighed softly and stirred as he brushed away tendrils of her hair. He stroked her soft skin and traced tiny paths in her hair.

Warm, soft, oh-so-feminine. She was in a word, perfect. But she wasn’t his, would never be solely his, and he knew deep down that he couldn’t accept that, could he?

Carefully, so as not to wake her, he eased away from her. He got up and walked around the bed to retrieve his clothing. His gaze was fixed on her as he pulled on his jeans.

She looked so young and innocent curled up in sleep. Her dark hair framed a delicate face. Her sweet curves beckoned to him. He was tempted to crawl back into bed with her and cradle her close, mold her softness to his and enjoy the feel of her against his skin.

But he didn’t belong there. Zane did.

He winced as he thought of his brother and of the betrayal he’d just handed him. If Zane loved her, and he was obviously sleeping with her, Seth should never have gone back down that path. But he hadn’t thought past his own burning need to make Jasmine his, if only for a short time.

His chest heavy, he turned and walked out of Jasmine’s bedroom. When he hit the bottom of the stairs, he was met by Carmen. Her brow was creased with concern, and her eyes were questioning.

“How is Jasmine?” she asked, her accent heavier than normal.

“She’s sleeping,” Seth said. “You should go up and check on her in a little while. Wake her periodically. I don’t know how hard she hit her head.”

Carmen nodded. “And you, Seth? Are you okay as well?”

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. She wasn’t stupid. She knew what was going on. “I’m fine, Carmen.”

Her gaze softened, and she reached forward to enfold him in a hug. “All will be well. You’ll see. You must follow your heart, eh? It knows the way of things.”

He pulled away and smiled half-heartedly. “I’ll be in the study if Jasmine needs anything.”

Carmen nodded and headed up the stairs, no doubt to check in on Jasmine now. She was very much Carmen’s baby. Seth trudged into the study and flipped on the light.

As he walked to the desk, he noticed several sheets of paper lying in the tray of the fax machine. He frowned. He didn’t remember expecting a fax from anyone.

He picked up the pages and sat down behind the desk. As he flipped through them, his frown deepened. It was a contract. An agreement for Jasmine to sign giving Wildscapes rights to print her photos. Why hadn’t he heard anything of this? He would have thought she’d be excited. She damn near didn’t go anywhere without that camera.

When he read the last page, a letter to Jasmine, he stiffened. It was a request for her to reconsider taking a position that apparently she’d already turned down.

He let the papers drop to the desk as he stared at the opposing wall. Why had she turned down her dream job offer? Even as he asked the question, he knew.

He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back, turning his head upwards, his gaze fixed on the ceiling above. His thoughts filtered to the conversation he and Zane had several days ago. About Jasmine’s past. Her family. All that had happened to her six years ago.

He’d never once considered when he’d taken her home to Sweetwater Ranch, that she’d left behind any family, or at least someone she belonged with. Had he done her any favors by sheltering her so vigorously for all these years?

He’d been very approving when she wanted to move to Paris. It had been important to him that she spread her wings, experience the world outside the isolated West Texas ranch she’d lived on since she was sixteen. Deep down, he’d hoped she’d find happiness away from Sweetwater, even though he’d miss every part of her.

Had he and Zane made a mistake by never delving into her past? Was there someone out there wondering where she was? If she was alive? Zane mentioned a brother. If their sister was out there somewhere in the world, he’d damn sure want to know. But where was this brother when Jasmine had needed him most? What kind of man allowed his sister to fall prey to the worst sort of predator?