Only You (Adair Family #5)(72)

My lips twitched. “Flora gave her an earful before I could. But that’s what living in Ardnoch is like. Everyone in your business and everyone thinking they have a right to it.”

“That’s just the negative parts. Mrs. Waddle isn’t the problem. You not talking about your mum and your dad is the problem.”

“I can’t.” I pleaded, “Please, Brodan, I can’t. Every time I let myself think about it, I feel like something inside me will shatter again.”

Emotion brightened his eyes. “I won’t push. But I want you to promise to come to me the moment you’re ready to face it.”

I looked away, staring out at the water. “Let’s not make any promises to each other.”

Feeling his cool fingers touch my chin, I allowed him to turn my face back to his. “We have a problem here, Sunset. Because I want to make all our promises to each other.”

“How can you be so sure?” I whispered. “About me? I’m not sure of anything, Brodan.”

He shrugged helplessly. “I once convinced a director to let me do my own stunts, including base jumping from one of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe. And yet, nothing has made me feel as alive as I’ve felt the past few months being home … with you.”

The man was determined to make me melt all over him. “Brodan …”

Then his words penetrated, and anger at his recklessness filled me. I smacked him hard across the shoulder.

“Ow.” He rubbed the spot. “What was that for?”

“For throwing yourself off a bloody skyscraper.” I unbuckled my belt in my fury and launched out of the car. The salty, brittle sea air hit me hard, but I needed it.

To my surprise, the bastard got out of the car, grinning from ear to ear, as he rounded the bonnet to get to me.

“What have you got to smile about?”

He bent his head to mine and brushed his lips across my ear. “Because you really like me.”

I jerked away. “Keep those lips to yourself, or I’ll consider the bet over.”

Brodan had a spring in his step as we walked down the harbor street. “You really, really like me.”

“I do not.”

“Do too.”

“I do bloody not. You’re a pain in my arse, Adair.”

“But you care I threw myself off a building.”

“If you want our date to continue, I wouldn’t keep reminding me.”

“You like me.”

“If you don’t stop, I will throw you off another building.”

He grinned boyishly to himself.

I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips.

“I’m going to hold your hand because it wasn’t stipulated in the bet,” he announced.

“Touching was implied.”

“Aye, like my tongue on your clit kind of touching? Not holding hands.”

I swear my clit throbbed at his words. Stopping in the middle of the quiet street, I gaped at him. “You did not just say that.”

Brodan searched my face, delighted by whatever he found there. “Oh … oh, this is good.”

I spluttered a nonresponse.

He practically did a jig. “We never stipulated there could be no sex talk, right?”

“Brodan—”

“And look at those rosy cheeks just at the mention of me going down on you.”

“Brodan—”

“This is going to be fun.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully. “As will fucking you on your hands and knees until you see stars, but that can wait.”

“Brodan!” I glanced around frantically to make sure no one was around to hear his filthy words.

“And you’ll keep saying my name like that every time I thrust into your sweet, tight pussy.”

My whole body flushed hot as I throbbed with need, gaping at him in desire and horror.

“Fuck.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “This is making me hard.”

“Good,” I snapped, stalking toward him. “Then maybe you’ll think twice about talking to me like that in public.”

“I have,” he agreed, hurrying to catch up. “I’ll save it for when we’re alone.”

I squeezed my eyes closed in despair.

This was going to be the most torturous bet of my life.

Brodan reached for my hand, and I glowered at him.

He smiled back. “I think the date is going well so far.”





27





Brodan





Dating Monroe Sinclair was exquisite torture.

We’d only technically been dating for a week, and my self-control had been pushed to its limits. Yet, I was determined I would not be the one who broke. There was too much at stake. Plus, it stung a little that Roe really thought I’d jeopardize our future for a kiss. Did she think I was some prepubescent hound who couldn’t control his hormones, for fuck’s sake?

However, trying to tempt her into breaking first was a form of self-torment. Whispering dirty things in her ear made me long to be inside her, but outwardly, I tried to appear as calm as possible. Mostly because it pissed her off that she was so flustered, and I was cool and collected. And Roe pissed off was a glorious sight. She was like the physical embodiment of fire.