Page 43 of Break Out

“Fuck. This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you all of that. Now you probably think I only want you because my career is over.”

“No, of course not.” She pulls out of my arms and leans back so she can look up at me. “But now what? I want you. I’ve always wanted you. Except it doesn’t seem fair to say that because I’m not going to be living in Florida soon. I can’t offer you anything serious.”

I don’t like that answer, but maybe I can change her mind. Prove to her that we can work. I feel like my reality has been rocked this season. My goals and dreams are changing, but to what I don’t know. What I do know, is that I want her.

“You can have me. Any way you want me.” I lean forward, trailing kisses along her throat and across her jaw. She hums and sags against me. “You taste so good, Aubs.”

She shivers.

“What was that for?” I want to know what I said or did to make her shiver so I can be sure to do it again.

“You called me Aubs. You’ve never done that until this trip.” She moans, circling her hips. “Why do you always call me Aubrey? I’ve never asked.”

I grip her waist to still her because she’s driving me out of my mind. “It started”—I take a deep breath—“as a way to get a rise out of you. And then it turned into a way to remind myself that we had to keep our distance. That we were just friends.”

“And now?”

“Now I want to kiss you again. Taste you.” I say, searching her face for a sign that she wants the same thing.

“Yes. Please.”

That’s all the permission I need to crash my lips to hers. We get lost in each other for a few minutes. Kissing her feels so damn good.

“Touch me.” Aubrey’s voice is raspy as she pulls away from me. “Please.”

My brain short circuits for a second, but I recover quickly. “Anything you want,” I say, flipping us so she’s flat on her back and I’m hovering over her.

“Hi,” I whisper as I lean down and pepper kisses along her neck, jaw, and down her collarbone. Shifting onto one hand, I palm one of her breasts through her shirt, groaning when I realize she’s not wearing a bra.

“Take off your shirt,” I demand, moving so she can sit up and pull it over her head. She lies back down, covering herself with her arms. “No.” I knock them away gently, wanting to take her in.

“Brody.”

“Aubs, you’re beautiful. Let me look at you.” I gaze down at her, my dick getting hard at the vision below me. Her hair spread out over the pillows, chest flushed, nipples hard and waiting for attention. I salivate at the thought of tasting them but force myself to slow down. Savor the moment. I commit the sight of her half-naked stretched out below me to memory before leaning down and kissing her. Touching her everywhere I can.

It feels so good to finally be able to.

I nip at her bottom lip only to swipe my tongue over it, soothing the pain. I lift my head and meet her gaze. Her pupils are blown out, and her chest is flushed a pretty pink color. I kiss my way down her body, circling closer and closer to her nipples before finally sucking one into my mouth, lavishing it with attention. I make sure to do the same to the other. Aubrey digs her hands into my scalp, pushing my head down. I chuckle against her skin.

“Brody,” she says, her voice breathy and full of need.

My dick gets harder hearing her say my name like that.

“What do you need? Where do you want me to touch you? Taste you?”

I wait for her to answer, but she doesn’t. I lift my head to look at her, and I’m shocked at what I see. She’s got her eyes closed and her eyebrows scrunched down. “Aubrey,” I prompt. “What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing,” she says, shaking her head.

I rock back onto my knees. What the hell is going on? “Open your eyes, Aubrey. What’s going on? Did I do something wrong?”

She does as I ask but diverts her gaze, glancing around the room, anywhere but at me.

I furrow my brows. I don’t like this. “Talk to me. Please.”

“I—I . . .” She crosses her arms over her chest, turning even redder.

I move so I’m sitting against the headboard of the bed and spread my legs out. “Come here,” I say, motioning for her to sit between my legs, her back to my front. She does as I ask.