"You're a good sport, Shannon Everett. I'm sorry I forced you into this, but, truthfully, I'm not sorry you're here with me. I like being with you." He lowered his voice to a whisper, leaning his mouth toward hers. "Even if you put a bunch of silly pillows between us."

"Brody, please . . ."

He was going to kiss her and that would destroy the tenuous truce they'd established. Still, she was powerless to stop him.

"Please what, Shannon? Please no? Or please yes?"

The only thing she could get through her throat was a sigh.

"That's what I thought," he said before his fingers cupped the back of her neck, drawing her lips in to meet his.

Brody's kiss stole her breath and all of her rational thought. Even worse, it stole her inhibitions. Without thinking, she urged her body closer, dragging her fingers through his hair. Her nipples ached as they rubbed against his tuxedo jacket, her body becoming flushed with need. He slid his tongue along hers and she felt like she might fall. Fortunately, his hand was roving over her backside, supporting her. She couldn't prevent the keening moan of need coming from deep down her throat.

He broke the kiss with a harsh breath. "You should have said please no, Shannon, because once I start, I can't seem to stop kissing you."

His kiss was more savage this time as he hungrily explored her mouth while his long fingers easily found their way into the front of her dress and caressed her breast, his thumb kneading the nipple. Shay's breathing was fractured now, her body trembling with a need for release.

"Brody! Get your hands of her," Julianne cried. "You're eating off her makeup!"

Julianne smacked him on the shoulder and Brody reluctantly released her, his blue eyes looking so despondent, Shay's stomach nearly dropped to her knees. He shook his head briefly and licked his lips.

"I mean it. I'm sorry about all of this," he whispered before stepping away.

"Oh, you crushed your boutonniere," Julianne moaned as she repinned the flower to his lapel. "Now go. The groomsmen are gathering at the pavilion. You're gonna be late."

Brody paused in the doorway as if he wanted to say more, and Shay sucked in a breath as a fresh wave of need washed over her.

"Shoo!" Julianne admonished him with a wave of her hand. "I'll make sure she gets where she's supposed to be."

Then he was gone, his athletic tread echoing down the long hardwood staircase.

"Oh, honey," Julianne said, dragging Shay's thoughts from the man who'd just kissed her senseless back to the present. "Whatever you do, don't give that man your heart before you know he's capable of giving you his."

Tears stung the back of her eyes, but Shay refused to let them fall. She nodded in agreement with Julianne because no words could pa.s.s through the lump in her throat.

The wedding seemed to take an eternity. As Brody stood with the other groomsmen, he tried his best to avoid Shannon's stare, but it was no use. The longing he saw within her eyes ate at him. Especially since he felt the same urgent sense of want within his own body. There was no way they could share a bed tonight without something happening. Not after the kiss they'd shared earlier.

He watched as his sister Tricia kissed her groom with both pa.s.sion and the promise of a lifetime of love. The guests cheered and Brody felt lightheaded. He tried to remember when the last time he'd eaten was, but he knew the issue wasn't his blood sugar; the problem stemmed from another part of his body entirely.

As the ceremony ended and the guests wandered to the c.o.c.ktail hour, Brody contemplated his dilemma. He was pretty sure Shannon wasn't the snitch, but she still held a pretty powerful secret over him. The contract she'd signed gave him leverage over her, but could he trust that was even enough?

It all boiled down to that one word: trust.

Glancing around the room, he watched as Rob kissed his fiancee, blissfully unconcerned whether or not Faith would sell his secrets to the media. Tricia stared all moony-eyed at Garrett, her trust in her new husband practically radiating from her pores. His gaze finally landed on Will and Julianne Connelly. Their relationship had begun on a basis of lies and mistrust, yet here they stood today, rock solid, their hands intertwined as they swayed to the pianist's music. If those two could make it work with all the hurdles they'd had to jump over, surely he and Shannon could enjoy one night of s.e.x without his entire world crumbling around him.

Weaving his way through the crowd of guests, he found Shannon laughing over something with grandpa Gus. Just hearing the sound made his body harden. He wanted to make her laugh. h.e.l.l, he wanted to make her scream.

Her eyes were a little skittish when they met his. Brody wanted to reach for one of her hands, but she was white-knuckling a champagne gla.s.s in one and a small purse in the other. Instead, he slid his palm down her back to rea.s.sure her. She trembled slightly at his touch and his hand slid to cup her a.s.s. The wild-eyed look she flung at him made his body even harder.

"Gramps, can I borrow Shannon for a sec?"

Grandpa Gus gave Brody a knowing smile. "She's all yours, sonny." He headed off toward the bar area.

Shannon spun on her heel, brushing his hand away. "Brody, you have to stop this," she hissed. "I can't take all the touching. Please-no!"

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as Brody backed her into the now familiar butler's pantry.

Depositing her gla.s.s on the counter, she held a hand up to push him away. "I'm serious, Brody. I-"

"I trust you." He practically shouted, thankful that the noise from the party behind them drowned him out.

Confusion swept over her face. "What?"

"I said I trust you." He took it as a good sign that the hand she'd held up to stop him now lay over his heart.

Her eyelids fluttered shut and she took a deep breath.

"I trust you not to sell me out, Shannon," he said, not liking the desperation that was creeping into his voice. But frankly, he thought she'd be a little more excited.

"Are you just saying that because you want to sleep with me, Brody?" A tear leaked from beneath her closed lid.

Brody gently wiped it away. "Technically, Shannon, we've already slept together. I just want to eliminate the chast.i.ty belt of pillows tonight."

Her whiskey eyes were damp as she finally looked at him. "Why?"

His gut clenched. "What do you mean why?"

"Why do you suddenly trust me?" she insisted. "And why do you want to sleep with me?"

That d.a.m.n insecurity was really starting to annoy Brody. If he ever got hold of her sister, he'd strangle her. He traced his fingers along the side of her breast, wrapped so neatly in the pretty dress. Shannon shivered beneath his touch.

"I've told you before, Shannon. You're a conundrum. And I like conundrums."

Fifteen.

Shay had only been to a few weddings in her life-none as elegant as Tricia Janik's. But still, she couldn't help but feel the afternoon and evening went on too long. Brody rarely left her side, the proximity of his body taking a toll on her, making it difficult to enjoy the event. Common sense told her to flee with the daylight; Brody only wanted her because she was a novelty, the one woman who had refused him. But she couldn't deny her own body's attraction to him and she knew she'd never get another chance like tonight.

Anxiety kept her on edge and she barely made it through dinner and dancing. She was surprised she could keep her nerves from showing as she danced with Brody's father and his grandfather Gus, as well as his brother-in-law Skip, who spent the entire time apologizing profusely for his behavior the night before. Shay didn't care if he meant it or not, she just wanted to get the evening over with.

At long last, the newlyweds were headed to the honeymoon suite in a hotel in Burlington. The rest of the guests found their way to the various parlors while others meandered toward their guestrooms. The excuses he made to his family were greeted with knowing grins and winks, as Brody practically tugged her up the stairs. A fire was glowing in the grate, its light illuminating the otherwise dark room. Shrugging out of his tuxedo jacket, he closed and locked the door. Suddenly, Shay's knees were wobbly. Her breathing sounded loud in the small s.p.a.ce. His hands spanned her waist as he pulled her closer.

"Do you need a minute, or do I rip those granny panties off you right here?"

Her fingers shook as they tugged on his bow tie. "Um, I'm not wearing granny panties. In fact, I'm not wearing panties at all. Just a thong. This dress is too clingy."

Brody's nostrils flared and his eyes dilated slightly. "Jeez, Shannon. It's a good thing you didn't tell me that earlier or we would have never made it to the cutting of the cake."

She smiled to herself, his raspy voice steadying her hands as she pulled out the studs in his shirt. He wanted her. Even if it was only for one night. The power in that thought was fortifying.

"Let me see," he commanded.

Placing the studs on the mantel, Shay took a step back, reaching behind her back to lower the dress's zipper. The sides of fabric fell away, revealing her nude push-up bra and a matching thong. His wicked grin bolstered her even further as she let the dress drop to the floor. Brody hooked his fingers into the strings of her thong, drawing her hips flush with his. Shay heaved a sigh, her own fingers tightly gripping his shoulders as his arousal nudged up against the cleft in her thighs.

Brody leaned forward and kissed the sensitive spot on her neck. "Oh yeah, Shannon, just like that," he breathed in her ear as she shifted her pelvis against him. His fingers made quick work of her bra, drawing it down her arms to give his mouth better access. Bending her over his arm, he toyed with her nipple using his tongue. Her heart pounded in her ears when he took the nipple in his mouth, the heat of his kiss spreading across her chest. A slow fever began to burn low in her belly as he sucked and kissed her as if he couldn't get enough. Want took over and her fingers tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his pants. Shay was desperate to feel his hot skin against hers, to spread her hands over the hard wall of muscle pressed up against her.

"Brody," she moaned as she pushed him back, pulling the shirt from his shoulders. His breathing became ragged as her hands explored the smooth sculpted skin on his chest. Leaning into the warmth of his body, she nuzzled his jaw and Brody let out a low growl, before finally taking her mouth in a ravenous kiss. Feverish now, she arched her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s even closer. He groaned, angling his head as both of them nipped at each other's lips hungrily. Somehow, Brody managed to maneuver their tangled bodies over to the bed. The backs of Shay's legs brushed up against the comforter and he gently eased her torso down onto the silky quilt, leaving her legs dangling over the side. Shay whimpered as he broke their kiss. Kneeling between her legs, his mouth slowly explored the terrain of her body as her fingers fisted in his hair.

"Shh." She felt his smile against her skin. "We've got all night, Shannon. There's no reason to rush this."

Restless desire hummed through her, making Shay impatient. They might have all night, but if it was going to be her only night with Brody, she wanted to make every moment count. His tongue found her navel and her body shuddered with antic.i.p.ation. He hooked his fingers into the thong and began dragging it down her legs, his lips trailing hot kisses behind it.

"G.o.d, you're beautiful," he murmured. "I've been dreaming about these long legs wrapped around me for weeks now."

Satisfaction hummed through her along with a little unease, as she began to worry whether she'd measure up to his expectations. He flung the slip of lace onto the floor, hooking her leg over his shoulder as he licked his way back up. All of her anxieties were forgotten as he inserted a finger into the valley between her thighs and slowly stroked. Her eyelids drifted shut on a moan when his mouth joined his thrusting finger.

Shay had never known such pleasure. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she dragged her other leg over the bare skin of his back. He licked her to oblivion, until bright lights formed behind her eyelids and she released a breathy scream of utter satisfaction, her body convulsing beneath his mouth.

A flush heated her skin, as much from fulfillment as embarra.s.sment at her unabashed outburst. Brody grinned that wicked smile as he slowly crawled up her body. He was still wearing his pants and Shay's fingers began tugging at the waistband.

"G.o.d, Shannon, you're amazing. I've never been so turned on watching a woman come like that." His words were raspy as he nibbled on her shoulder. "It was almost as if that were your first time."

"It was," she breathed, her body and mind still in the euphoria of her climax. "That was amazing."

Brody's mouth stilled and he pushed up onto straight arms to look down at her, his eyes quizzical. "First time that way or . . ." He left the question hanging in the air as the fire crackled behind him and the moment of truth crackled between them.

Coherent thought still hadn't penetrated her sated state because, as usual, the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "First time for all of it. I've never had any kind of s.e.x before."

Brody's breath seized in his lungs. He felt like he'd been tackled on the goal line, the ball knocked from his hands. During a blizzard. The look in Shannon's glazed eyes was hard to discern. The pa.s.sion was still there, along with a good dose of uncertainty and maybe some alarm, he wasn't sure. He was getting a little panicked at his own body's reaction to her p.r.o.nouncement.

"Never?" he asked, sounding a lot like he'd taken a kick to the head.

She chewed on her bottom lip, swollen from where his own mouth had nibbled on it. A tear leaked out of her eye as she shook her head slowly from side to side. Her fingers, still tucked just inside the waistband of his pants, weren't as warm as they had been a moment before.

"I need a minute." The roaring in his ears was deafening as he rolled off her and onto his back. Shannon s.n.a.t.c.hed her hands back in an effort to cover herself. He wanted to cover her with his own body, but he couldn't move. Even worse, he had no idea why he was reacting this way. It wasn't as if he hadn't ever been with a virgin before. Sure, it had been way back in high school and maybe college, but, h.e.l.l, Shannon certainly wasn't acting like she had any reservations. Still, he asked anyway.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

With a gulping sob, she was off the bed and headed to the bathroom. Brody was momentarily distracted by the sight of her nicely rounded a.s.s before the door slammed shut and both Shannon and her booty were locked in the bathroom. He swore, punctuating it with a fist to the mattress. Two minutes earlier he was hot and hard for a woman he'd been l.u.s.ting after for weeks. Now, his body was practically limp, a novel situation for Brody.

The sobbing from the bathroom roused him off the bed. He jiggled the door handle, even though he knew it was locked. "Shannon, it's okay. I just needed a minute." Which was a lie judging by the inattentiveness in his groin.

"A minute for what, Brody? To decide I wasn't what you expected?" She cried through the door. "What you wanted!"

"No! h.e.l.l, no." He told himself that wasn't a lie. "I just needed a minute for you to decide if this is was what you really want."

"What part of me being buck naked gave you the clue I was undecided?" Her accent became more p.r.o.nounced the angrier she got.

Brody plowed his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "I just meant that it's a big step. You've obviously waited this long-"

"Oh. My. Stars! Do you think I wanted to wait this long? Did you think I was holding out for you?" Judging by her tone, she'd reached a stage of near hysteria, the scorn in her words causing him to flinch. "I seriously should have given it all to that frat boy after the Texas-Oklahoma game."

And just like that, certain parts of his anatomy were engaged again.

"He was too drunk to care whether or not I was experienced," she sputtered. "I could have gotten it over with and he would have pa.s.sed out none the wiser."

"Like h.e.l.l you would have!" he roared through the door. Suddenly, the thought of another man laying his hands-and any other part of his body-on Shannon made him insane. Taking a calming breath, Brody jiggled the doork.n.o.b again. "Shannon, come out here, so we can discuss this. We can still do this if you want. The night's still young. We'll take it nice and slow. I'll do whatever you want." His body was revving up at the thought. "Please."

The sound that traveled through the door was either a manic laugh or a sob, Brody couldn't be sure. "No. You've had your chance. I'll just have to find some willing prison guard or, better yet, a convict to perform the deed. I'm sure they won't be repulsed by my inexperience."

The doorjamb splintered as Brody stormed into the bathroom. He'd never felt such rage in his life. "No f.u.c.king way!"

Shannon cowered in the corner, one of the inn's big fluffy towels wrapped around her. Eyes round with fear, the makeup Julianne had so artfully applied streaked down her face. For the first time, his Texas Amazon looked fragile, the pain in her eyes searing him to his soul. She'd always been so tough. It was one of the many things he admired about her: her strength and her work ethic. That she had c.h.i.n.ks in her armor didn't surprise him, but he wanted to strangle whoever had put them there. h.e.l.l, he wanted to kick his own a.s.s for bringing her to this point tonight. Most of all, he wanted to hold her in his arms. Kiss her, sure. Make love to her, definitely. But he also wanted to wrap himself around her and shield her from any and all pain.

"Shannon," he croaked, taking a tentative step toward her.

"Go away, Brody," she cried, wielding a flatiron she'd grabbed from the vanity. "This was a mistake. All of it. I never should have come here pretending to be what I'm not. What I'll never be. Get out or I'll tell your whole family about your stupid blood sugar. I don't care what you can do to Mama. She wouldn't want me to go through this."

Brody looked from her wild eyes to the busted door. He swore again and Shannon hissed. Putting his hands up, he backed out of the bathroom. "I don't want to leave you here alone, Shannon. Not like this."

"Go!"

He s.n.a.t.c.hed his shirt off the floor and pulled it on. Shoving his arms into his tuxedo jacket, he almost laughed at the fact he'd been so focused on getting her into bed, he still had his shoes on. Hesitating at the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. Shannon hadn't moved. "You're sure you'll be okay?" he asked.

She nodded fiercely, pointing the flatiron at the door. He quietly slipped out of the room, sheer willpower keeping him from slamming the door instead. Thankfully, the hallway was empty. Taking in a deep breath, he leaned up against the wall and wondered if the better question was whether he was going to be okay.

Brody made his way to one of the unpopulated common rooms of the inn. Gravitating to a dark corner, he slid into a chair by the fire, hoping no one would wander out of the music room where his parent's friends were engaged in a noisy sing-along. With an explosive sigh, he dropped his head into his hands.

"Wow, Brody, is that the sound of a crash and burn I hear?"

Bridgett's voice was like fingers on a chalkboard. Brody sprung from his chair, realizing only too late that he had nowhere to escape to.

Slumping back down, he spied his sister sitting serenely behind him in a large wing chair, her stocking feet tucked beside her, an e-reader in her lap, and a gla.s.s of Baileys Irish Cream on the end table.

"What? Are you a vampire now, hanging out in the dark waiting for your next victim?" he asked, not bothering to filter the anger from his voice.

"Interesting." She closed her tablet, leaning forward to study Brody. "By the way you two skipped out of here a while ago, I'd have thought we wouldn't see you for days. Yet here you are looking very . . . unsatisfied. What gives?"