“Then start fucking me, Brady.”
“As my lady commands,” I said and spread her again before I thrust into her in one stroke.
We both froze, her body stretching to accommodate me as my dick twitched.
I let out a breath, then pulled out again before pressing forward. I slid one hand up, cupping her breast as I fucked her from behind, both of us panting with need.
But this wasn’t only fucking. It was so much more. This was the woman I knew inside and out. I could imagine doing this for the rest of my life.
I wanted this for the rest of my life.
And I was so fucking afraid that I wouldn’t get it.
She moaned and pressed her back to my front. I latched on to her neck, my hands sliding over her wet body as we moved as one, arching into each other.
When she came again, her inner walls clamping around my cock, I pressed my fingers over her clit. I got impossibly harder, both of us panting, no words needed. And then I came, filling her, the bliss a perfect cacophony of both silence and madness.
We fought to catch our breath, and then I pulled out, turning her in my arms so I could kiss her, the water moving over us and bringing us even closer together.
“That was amazing,” she whispered.
“And I’m not even done yet.”
And I wasn’t. I didn’t think I would ever be done with Myra.
Because all I wanted to do was tell her how I felt, what I needed, what I thought I could give her. Only I still didn’t think I was enough for her.
I didn’t say anything, simply captured her lips with mine and did the only thing I could. I cared for her. I washed her hair and her body. I took care of the woman I loved.
And I hoped to hell that she’d forgive me enough to love me back someday.
Chapter 17
Myra
“This one’s stunning,” Arden said from my side as she went over one of my canvases in my studio.
I took a step toward her and smiled. “This is one of my favorites. I painted it rather quickly, the idea coming to me after a rainstorm.” I paused. “That sounds wishy-washy.”
Arden met my gaze and shook her head. “It sounds how you need it to be. There’s nothing wrong with finding inspiration in things around you. Not to mention, it’s a beautiful piece. It’s far more abstract than your others, but I like it.”
I nodded. “Sometimes, I just want to see the mood rather than a portrait or landscape. It all depends on what I’m looking at when I decide I need to paint.”
“I think this one might be my favorite. I can’t decide. And the fact that I can’t tells me this was a perfect idea. Thank you so much for letting me shop in your studio for Liam.”
“Thank you for wanting a piece for the Liam Montgomery.”
Arden snorted. “Oh, yes, make sure you tell my husband that to his face. I don’t think his ego is quite big enough yet.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you’ve stroked his ego as much as needed.” I paused. “You know, if Nate or Liam or any of the other guys were here, or even Paris for that matter, they’d probably make a stroking joke.”
“The fact that you said that at all pretty much makes the reference for itself,” Arden said primly, and then we both broke out into laughter.
“Seriously, thank you. I’ve been trying so hard to think of what to get Liam for his birthday, but the man has everything that he could ever want.”
“I know what you mean. Nate’s birthday’s coming up, and I can’t decide what to get him. He doesn’t want much, and when he does, he buys it for himself. Then I have to be creative, and I’m like, do I want to get him a painting when it’s my work rather than something fun?”
“It can be both, but I completely understand. Do you let others shop in your studio often?” she asked, taking a look at a landscape I had painted the year before.
“No, not really. Or ever. I paint pieces for the girls individually, but you’re the first to shop in my studio when it doesn’t have to do with an art show.”
Arden froze, and looked over at me, smiling big. “Wow, I’m doubly honored. Thank you.” She paused. “Why are you letting me?”
I shrugged and looked over the pieces. “Because you’re Nate’s twin, and because I like you.”
Arden smiled wider, her eyes going kinder if that was even possible. “That’s sweet. I love that you and Nate are back together,” she said suddenly, and I froze.
“It feels weird sometimes to think that we are,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk since the two of you got back together.”
I looked around the room, memories flooding in of the time before. “There isn’t much to talk about.”
Arden snorted. “Okay, well, that was a complete lie.”
I grimaced. “A complete lie.” I sighed.
I didn’t know what else to say.
“It was odd not telling everybody what had happened between the two of you so many years ago. It wasn’t my place to say anything, and I never did.”
I looked at her and met her gaze. “I’m sorry for putting you in that position. You didn’t deserve that stress.”
“It didn’t stress me out. It didn’t hurt me at all. But I hated the idea that either of you was in pain. Because while I know my brother unequivocally believed what he saw in those photos, it didn’t make sense that you would do that to him.”
I pushed back tears and nodded. “Thank you for saying that.”
“He understood, too. That’s probably why he was so blindsided. Why it hurt so much.”
“Perhaps. I’m still so upset with my parents for doing such a thing.”
“I’d be upset, too. Probably more than a little. As it was, I hated you right alongside Nate for a while until I realized it wasn’t my place to cast judgment on anyone.”
Pain ricocheted through me, but I nodded tightly. “You thought I had hurt your brother. Your twin. I’d probably have hated me, too.”
“And that would have been wrong. It was wrong. All because your parents wanted something for themselves.” She paused. “Something I hear is still the case.”
I rubbed my hands over my thighs and gestured for her to join me in my little seating area in my studio. We plopped down on my comfortable couch, and I groaned. “I don’t understand them. My parents are well-off. Far more than I am.”
“And yet, they want more. Maybe they merely want the power that comes from knowing they can lord things over you. But now, you have that power in your hands. You’ve taken something from them, at least in their mind, and it shifted the dynamic.”
I rubbed my temples. “Either way, it’s a mess. And, eventually, I’m going to have to deal with it. Probably in court or in person. There’s only so much I can do through my lawyer.”
“Try not to let them get to you.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“As long as they don’t push their way into your life and break what you have, you’re going to come out the other side stronger.”
I looked at Nate’s sister and smiled. “I hope that’s the case. I hope we can all push this behind us and move on and into whatever our future needs to be.”