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CHAPTER 55

Author: Shile
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

What was the old saying? Opposites attract?

And in their case, could they possibly be more opposite? She and him were polar opposites. He was strong, invulnerable, courageous, confident. Nothing would ever get him down. He oozed authority and self-assurance and she envied him that. She was weak, a coward, and confidence could never be listed as one of her better qualities.

She sat in her office, staring down at one of the many reports she was supposed to proof and get back to him within the hour. But she was numb, her mind blank. And if she was going to be honest, and she certainly hadn’t held back with herself yet, she was terrified to face him.

They had a date tomorrow night. He’d spent the night in her bed. They’d gone to lunch where he’d asked her on a real date. And he’d made it clear that it would have nothing to do with business.

How was she supposed to act around him? She nearly laughed at the idea that somehow she was living one of those crackalicious category romances she re
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    Sophia shook her head. “I can’t, Karla. I don’t expect you to understand. Hell, I barely understand it myself. But the idea of allowing a complete stranger inside my head scares me to death. I think it would only make things worse, not better.”“You can talk to me, you know,” Karla said quietly. “You know I’d never betray your confidence. I wouldn’t even tell Sandra if you didn’t want me to. And I certainly wouldn’t share anything you told me with Ken.”“I love you,” Sophia said sincerely. “I don’t know what I’d do without you and Sandra. I don’t know why y’all put up with me. I know I’m bitchy and prickly. It baffles me why either of you want to be my friend. I’ve said some horrible things. Just look at how I ripped into Sandra when she and Derrick got together. It still embarrasses me when I think about it. Sandra didn’t deserve my vitriol. I acted like such a hateful shrew.”Karla smiled, her eyes softening with love. Unconditional, unwavering love. Something Sophia had never exper

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    She’d finally opted for jeans and a comfortable top. Casual. Not too desperate. She wanted to appear as though she were comfortable with him. And that wouldn’t be a stretch because she did feel at ease with him even if she hadn’t in the beginning. All of that had changed during the night he’d spent with her.Trust, something she didn’t readily give to anyone, had been formed the night he’d held her through her nightmares and offered her comfort. A part of her recognized that this man wouldn’t hurt her. Her mind protested, used to self-preservation. Her heart, on the other hand, had quickly offered its trust, leaving her brain to wonder if she’d lost what little of her sanity she had left.The doorbell rang, spurring her into action. She nervously gave herself one last glance in the mirror, satisfied that she looked . . . normal. Then she went to answer the door.James filled her doorway the minute she opened the door. He loomed there, larger than life. Tall, muscular. Strong. To her r

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    “Maybe we should wait in the kitchen,” she hedged, uncomfortable with the quiet that had descended.He glanced at her, his gaze indecipherable. It wasn’t warm like she’d become accustomed to. Just seeking. Had she committed some dating faux pas she was unaware of? God, she hated this. Surely there were rules or something.“Look, uhm, you should know I really suck at this,” she said lamely.Amusement glimmered in his eyes. “Breathe, Sophia. Like I told you before. It’s all right. We can go back into the kitchen if that makes you more comfortable. Why don’t you set the table and I’ll check on the progress of the chicken.”Relieved to have something to break the awkwardness, she eagerly rose and headed back to the kitchen. James’s hand on her shoulder stopped her just as she reached the bar.“Relax, okay?”His voice was soothing and as gentle as his touch. Her shoulder sagged beneath his hand and she turned.“Sorry,” she muttered. “I told you I suck at this. I don’t know what I’m suppose

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    Brandt sighed. “Ain’t no talkin’ you out of this?”“Nope.” She buttoned her coat and slipped on her gloves. “Just double check that everything is shut off before you leave. I’ll call you when I get there, okay?”“Okay. But first…c’mere and give me some sugar.” He curled his fingers around her lapels and tugged her closer.Then he proceeded to turn her inside out with one of his long, drugging kisses, chock-full of passion, sweetness and heat. Boy howdy did Brandt’s kisses pack a wallop. Her knees and her will went weak.Until he chuckled against the corner of her mouth. “You sure that didn’t change your mind?”“Nope.” She backed up and he released her. She reached for the duffel bag strap but Brandt firmly knocked her hand away and picked it up. She still wasn’t used to all his gentlemanly quirks, but she really liked them.But you could get used to them, couldn’t you?Yes.She opened her truck door and whistled. Lexie’s furry body was a blur as she leapt into the cab. Her tail wagged

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    “Stay like this.” He slid her hands to the edge of the countertop, slipping his knee between her legs in a signal to widen her stance. “Perfect.”“Brandt—”“Trust me, Jess?”It took about ten seconds, but she nodded.“Good. Close your eyes. Relax.”She let her eyes drift shut, but she was in no way relaxed. His body shifted as he reached for something on the counter. Then his wonderfully rough hand glided down her bare stomach, stopping to cover her mound. His fingers stroked her cleft, teasing her folds until she felt herself growing wet, heavy with need.His fingers vanished. Before she could protest, a cool, round object connected with her clit and she gasped, “What is that?”“No fair peeking. Keep your eyes closed.” Brandt steadily dragged it up and down her slit in a smooth glide that followed the contour of her sex from top to bottom. He whispered, “Does it feel good?”“Yes.”His lips feathered hot, moist kisses across her neck. He circled her clit, never too hard, or too soft,

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    Brandt laughed. Ben always got straight to the point, which was probably why he’d shown up here.He took a long pull off his beer. “To be honest, I ain’t exactly sure why I’m here. I just got done talkin’ to Samantha, Landon’s mom, and she left me with a feeling I can’t shake.”“Like what?”“Like…maybe she’s gotten used to bein’ away from Landon and would like to continue that when they let her out of jail.”Ben whistled. “No shit?”“That’s the thing. Samantha didn’t come right out and say it, I don’t even know if she was hinting around or if I somehow misread it. And it ain’t like I can talk to anybody in my family about it.”“What about Jessie?”“Her stipulation was no information on Samantha for the duration of this temporary situation. So if it turns out to be a longer temporary situation than four months, and if Samantha decides she’d rather let us raise Landon…” He sighed. “Us, meaning me raising Landon with some help from Dalton, Tell and my mom.” When Ben lifted a questioning

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    “Sounds like I have abandonment issues, huh? My ‘real’ dad bailed on me. Billy bailed on me. But with Luke…he mentally checked out of our relationship before he physically left. So I’ll argue it was different with him. He abandoned me before he died.”“Not every man is like that.”“All of them in my experience have been. So that’s all I know.”Another line of logic Brandt couldn’t dispute.“Jess—”Jessie held up her hand. “Please. No more. I have a splitting headache and the glare off the snow is making it worse. I need to close my eyes for a bit.”Brandt didn’t look too happy, but he said, “All right.”And she must’ve been more drained than she’d thought because she slept all the way to Brandt’s house.*****Brandt waited in the visitation room of the women’s correctional facility in Lusk, wondering if he looked calmer than he felt. It seemed a bad sign, Samantha requesting this meeting, especially when she’d indicated that she didn’t want him to bring Landon.The door opened and Sam

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