“Yeah, but also, Ava ran away at seventeen after her parents made her give me up for adoption, so we have the running away thing in common.”
“Sounds like you come by your courage honestly. Maybe her letter will tell you there’s even more that you have in common.”
“I’m not ready to read it.”
“Okay.” He kissed her forehead, and she was thankful he didn’t push for more. “Do you have nightmares often?”
“No. I haven’t had a nightmare like that in years.” She was surprised he’d circled back to that and didn’t get lost in everything she’d said. But she was learning that Brant really did see more than most people, and he homed in on the important things. “Most of my dreams these days are about a blue-eyed guy. I think I had a nightmare because we’ve been talking about my past.”
“I’m sorry for dredging it all up, but I’m glad you told me.” He brushed a kiss over her lips. “I had a feeling you’d been through something, but I hadn’t realized how bad it was.”
“I don’t know how you did it, but thanks for getting me to open up. Once I got past the embarrassment, it was freeing to tell you what I’ve been through. Holding in those secrets made it feel like they could swallow me up at any moment if someone found out. Now they don’t feel quite so threatening. I don’t think there’s a worse feeling than being afraid.”
“Sure there is. Being afraid and alone.”
Her heart filled up, and she snuggled closer. “How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?”
“You can thank Randi for that one. My sisters were both afraid of the dark when they were young, but Randi used to wake up in the middle of the night and charge into my room and dive under my covers. She’d fall asleep in sixty seconds flat. Sometimes she’d go into my brothers’ rooms, but most of the time it was me she woke up. That went on for a few months. She just needed to know someone else was there, and once she realized we would always be there, she was okay.”
“You’re such a good big brother. What did Tessa do when she was scared?”
“She’d lie in her bed bawling until one of us went in there. But the minute the lights were on, she was totally fine. She’d tell us to turn off the lights and she’d go back to sleep. It only took a couple of days for her to get past her fear of the dark.”
“Why didn’t your parents just give them night-lights? Wouldn’t that have been easier?”
“I asked the same thing, especially since Randi was waking me up all the time. My dad said they needed to realize it wasn’t the dark they were afraid of but the thoughts in their heads. He said once they learned that, they could try to find ways to get over their fears.”
“It sounds like he was always teaching you guys.”
“Both of our parents were. They still do. But that wasn’t all there was to it. Years later my parents told me that they were also teaching our sisters that they could rely on me and my brothers and teaching me and my brothers to put the needs of others ahead of ourselves. It was a good lesson, but we went to school tired for six months.”
She sighed. “Your family is incredible.”
“So are yours—the de Messiéres and the Wickeds.”
“Not a day passes that I don’t think about how lucky I am.”
He slid his leg over hers. “Not quite as lucky as I am that you’re here with me right now.”
“I don’t know about that. I’ve kept you up most of the night, and you have to work in the morning. Do you want to take me home so you can sleep?”
“Have you gone mad? I’ve waited months to have you in my arms.” His brows slanted, and he drew back. “Unless you want to go home.”
“I’d much rather stay. I have lots of past-due kisses to collect.” She couldn’t believe those words had come out of her mouth without leaving a tinge of fear behind. But as his lips came down over hers, she felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.
CHAPTER TEN
WHEN CAIT AWOKE, she was lying on her side fully dressed, with Brant’s warm body pressed against her and Scrappy nestled in the slim space between their chests. She closed her eyes, soaking in the feel of one of Brant’s legs resting over hers, his enticing erection against her stomach, and no anxiety in sight. Opening up to him had changed her, unleashing a part of her that had been locked down for too long. She’d taken his mother’s advice and had grabbed hold with both hands and gone along for the ride, enjoying every delicious kiss, every sensual caress, and wanting so much more.
Brant’s hand spread across her lower back and his hips rocked forward. He made a low, appreciative sound, setting off a five-alarm fire inside her. Lord have mercy. Three months was a long time to hold back. She felt like a racehorse waiting for the starting gate to open. She waited for anxiety to follow that thought, or awkwardness to spike between them, but when his sleepy eyes found hers, all she felt were butterflies—and this time she welcomed them.
“Morning, beautiful.” He brushed his scruff along her cheek, sending tingles all the way down to her toes, and pressed a kiss beside her ear.
“Hi.”
He lowered his chin toward Scrappy. “Is our boy trying to get closer to my woman?”
“I thought you weren’t possessive,” she teased.
“So did I.” He kissed her softly. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Mm-hm. Better than usual. I think telling you everything helped,” she said as his hand traveled over her hip and up her side, stopping short of her breasts, making it hard to think about anything other than how much she wanted him to touch her.
“Either that or my kisses wore you out.” His expression turned serious. “Are you okay this morning?”
“Better than okay. I feel really good, clear-headed.”
“No more bad dreams?”
“Nope.” That serious look morphed into a seductive, heavy-lidded one that made her want to pull him on top of her and make out again.
“Maybe you should sleep with me every night and they’ll stop for good.”
He was like a snake charmer, and she felt like his cobra. “You think that would solve the problem?”
“It’s worth a shot. I’m used to sleeping alone, but I’m a generous guy. I can give it a whirl for the greater good.”
She could think of several generous things she’d like him to take a whirl at. Holy cow. Her mind and body were on a race from zero to one hundred. She told herself to get a grip but couldn’t resist teasing him right back. “Just how generous are you?”
His big body shifted over her, making her feel all kinds of good and drawing a needy sigh from her lungs. She clamped her mouth shut, barely recognizing herself. He was not helping her greedy thoughts, but she liked not being afraid, and she went with it.
His lips curved up. “Stay over tonight after your swim lesson, and I’ll show you just how generous I can be.”
Her overactive hormones came to a screeching halt. “After my what?”
She said it so loud, Scrappy jumped to his feet and barked.
Brant dipped his head beside hers, chuckling. “So much for my stealth moves. I have to take him out before he pees on the couch.” He gave her a quick kiss and climbed off. As he picked up Scrappy, he said, “Little man, did you pee on the floor by the chair or was that Cait?”