Secrets & Admirers Read online

Briggs

  Harriet drifted off but I stayed up, holding her, stroking her hair. I twirled it around my fingers and watched her relaxed face in the light from the hall. It was just enough to memorize her. The soft lines of her features had me completely mesmerized. In nothing but a paint-splattered pink night shirt, she was beautiful. Then there was the tattoo on her hip that I was desperate to get a closer look at. I had noticed it but was too caught up to take in any details. It started at the top of her hipbone and covered down to her upper thigh. I hadn’t even taken the time to enjoy her like I should have, but my desperation level hit a high I couldn’t control. It was sick, really. I was so focused on having her, the person my brother wanted, the person I had been longing to touch for weeks, that I wasn’t able to focus on the details. But I was then. I kept myself awake, brushing my fingertips over the smooth skin of her face, arms, and leg. Holy shit, how did I get lucky enough to be in her bed?

  When I had her on the couch, I couldn’t have spoken if I wanted to. I wasn’t the kind to just take, but Harriet made me a different person. I ripped the dress from her, I had to have my mouth on every inch of her flawless skin. There were going to be bruises from my grip on her hips, but hearing her moan my name made me a beast, an animal. I had watched quietly for so long, imagining how Harriet would feel, taste, and sound. Once I had her, I came unglued. Her tits were a perfect handful and her delicate frame took every inch of me like she was made just for me. When I got in the shower, I knew there was no way I was done. With Harriet, I could have kept it up all night and then some.

  Harriet was unfazed by my scar and touched it like she did the rest of me—with delicate passion. Her touch electrified me, made me want more, need more. My girl was my new drug. Not even the woman I was supposed to marry ignited that fire in me. Harriet made me possessive, bordering on crazy, and animalistic. I need to confess that I was her mystery man too, but I had to clear the air and start clean with her, and that confession would have to wait a while longer. The second I saw her alone at The Lost Savant, I knew I had to act. It was a “now or never” feeling that ended in my favor. I looked at her there in my arms and knew I was completely ruined. Harriet ruined me entirely and owned me completely. The reaction to my scar couldn’t have been better. The familiar look of disgust never crossed her face, not even a hint of it. Harriet claimed to have her own scars, but I didn’t see a single imperfection. I knew about her shitty ex and strung-out mother, but there was more to Harriet. She had layers, and I wanted a lifetime to peel them away.

  I wanted to rub it in Beck’s face, tell the bastard that she was mine and he would never touch her, but I silenced the macho bullshit right out of the gate. While Harriet was delicate in appearance, she was not in spirit. I knew that she would shut him up and do it on her terms. I just hoped she continued to feel that way. She curled against me and fell asleep so easily, but I knew how things changed when my brother was involved. I held on to the hope that just once, I came out on top.

  My phone beeped quietly and I stretched to retrieve it from my pants on the floor, keeping her still so I didn’t wake her. In the process, I knocked a stack of tattered papers to the floor. I whispered a string of curses and managed to collect them without moving her too much. In the dim light, I could tell they were lists, but I couldn’t read anything. I stacked them back on the table and turned on my phone.

  Beck: Where are you?

  * * *

  Briggs: I’ll be out all night.

  * * *

  Beck: Holy shit! You get laid? Is she fucking hot?

  * * *

  Briggs: Did you need something?

  * * *

  Beck: Be home by 10am or I’ll leave your ass home. Nick said Harriet will be at the flea market too and I want to take another stab at that fine ass.

  I tossed my phone back on the floor and curled myself back around Harriet, nuzzling into her neck and kissing her softly. I wanted to wake her up, make her talk to me more, but she was so peaceful with her hair spilling out around her head and her shallow breathing. I could have listened to her talk for an eternity. Everything she said was either funny or insanely deep. My girl was smart to say the least, but it was her compassion that struck me. Harriet was open, non-judgmental, and completely accepting. I could love her, maybe I already did, which was more than I could say about anyone ever. She would have thought I was crazy if I woke her up just to talk. To her we had that one day, but in reality, we had weeks of conversations connecting us. Weeks of unspoken words through the notebook. The secret lingering between us would drive me mad. I was instantly pulled to her and had no intentions of ever letting her go, but it didn’t mean she felt the same, or ever would, especially after I told her about my lies. Harriet was a true free spirit, probably not the type to attach to one person, but I was going to convince her. With her there asleep in my arms, gently resting on my chest, I felt like Harriet was all mine. Like every shitty thing in my life was just preparing me to have her, to love her. Instead of waking her up with my unwelcome declaration of love, I stretched out and closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep instead of just revel in her presence.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Harriet

  His alarm woke me the next morning, but Briggs silenced it quickly when I moved to lie on his chest. It was quickly becoming my favorite place to sleep, lie, or just be in general. I could judge his heartrate and feel consumed by him there. His smell was intoxicating and I couldn’t think of a better way to wake up. Maybe I would get more chances to wake up the exact same way. After a beat of silence, his phone rang and he answered it with a groggy, “Hello.” The sounds from the other end made me move off him, but he tugged me back, holding me to him. “I told you I was going to be out. I wasn’t aware I needed to make curfew,” Briggs growled into the phone. “I know, Beck. We talked about it last night and I’ll be there on time. Although I’m not sure why you need me there to accomplish your goal. You hardly need a wingman.” His grip on my shoulder suddenly tightened. “I wouldn’t say that since she turned you down last time, but I know you aren’t one to give up easily. Again, what does this have to do with me?” They were talking about me. I gritted my teeth out of anger for him. Beck was self-righteous but made a point to make his brother look especially inferior around me, even Rae said he wasn’t normally that cruel to Briggs. There was nothing in the world inferior about Briggs, not a damn thing. No matter how damaged he felt, the man was perfect. Morticia hopped up next to me, purring, and laid down against me. “Look, I understand your urgency, Beck, but I’m indisposed. Can we talk about your need to piss on Harriet’s leg later?” He hung up and slammed the phone down on the bed next to him. His eyes closed and the muscles in his jaw tightened.

  “So, am I supposed to pretend that none of this happened?” I stretched, climbing out of bed to get dressed. I didn’t want to pretend; I wanted to do the exact opposite. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to take my shirt off before Briggs pulled me back down, laying me back on the bed, and climbing on top of me. Briggs kicked off his navy boxers and laid flush against me. It all made sense then. The anger came from Beck. He watched me brush the scar on his shoulder with the tips of my fingers.

  “No.” He dipped down to kiss all along my neck and shoulder. “I was hoping you would make a huge show of it for me. I’ve been obsessed with you since the day we met and I want nothing more than to show you off. I’m sure boring men aren’t your type, but I know you feel this too.” He pinned my hands over my head and claimed my mouth, not letting me answer. What is it with men and types?

  I shook my lips free. “It’s difficult to not feel it when it’s hard and pressed against my leg.” He laughed at my daring glare and adjusted to grind himself into me. I whimpered, raising my hips to get more friction. Briggs turned me into a horny teenager. I locked my ankles behind his back when he pushed my night shirt up around my hips, and letting him have his way, again. The way we moved together was like we had been doing it for years, like it was a perfect
ed dance. We simply worked. When he released my wrists, I ran them into his hair and moaned his name. Briggs smirked at my noises and kissed me when my lips parted. Wherever he was drawing his anger from worked in my favor more than once, sending hot jolts of pleasure through every inch of me, and when I thought it couldn’t happen again, it did, and I was practically screaming his name. The man was certainly good in bed and I was more than satisfied with reaping the rewards. Briggs came with me, gripping the blanket on either side of my head and planting his lips softly to my forehead as he trembled above me. He dropped next to me and blew out a harsh breath. I tried to move, but he grumbled something inaudible, pinning me to the bed and kissing my shoulder. I could have stayed there for an eternity, but then the reality crept in for the first time since our dinner. Everyone leaves.

  Once he let me get up, I grabbed a skirt and top from the closet. Unfortunately, going out to a family event meant I had to find a bra and underwear too. Then I retreated to the bathroom, leaving Briggs on the edge of my bed. I twisted half my long hair up into a messy knot and slipped into a very bohemian skirt with a matching top before returning to my room. Briggs wasn’t there.

  “Briggs?”

  “In here.” I followed his voice to my studio where he was studying my new painting. The barely done work was still on the easel and he turned to look at me when I walked in. “I need to step it up if you’re going out like that.” I rolled my eyes. He looked amazing with his hair ruffled from me running my hands through it. “We have an hour, do you want to get breakfast? I figure I need to feed you if I’m going to keep that up.”

  “What happened to the soft-spoken Briggs that I had to pry conversation out of last weekend? The one I couldn’t get a feel on, or even imagine being so incredible.” He jerked me into his lap and hugged my waist while I mussed his hair further.

  “That is public Briggs. This is private Briggs. Is that all right?” I nodded and he went on, “I want to do this right, though, and taking you out to breakfast is part of that.” I eyed the incredibly delicious man under me and brushed the sandy lock from his forehead before kissing him. I could get to know him; I could really enjoy every bit of him. Hell, in twelve hours, I had enjoyed my fill, but it still wasn’t enough.

  “I have a stipulation.” Briggs groaned and leaned his forehead on mine. “You have to eventually tell me about the animosity toward your brother. And you have to not stoop to his level about this. You’re better than that.”

  “How do you know? How do you know I’m not an arrogant ass that’s even worse than Beck? How do you know that I didn’t do all of this out of some fucked-up sibling rivalry?” He clenched his jaw, but his eyes were soft and hurt. I shrugged and climbed off his lap, keeping my hand on his shoulder. “I try not to be an ass, but this pleasant turn of events has me cocky as hell.”

  “I know. You aren’t as hard to read behind closed doors, or when you’re naked.” I started searching for my bag and keys. “You should go change before we go. I’ll take a rain check on breakfast, assuming you’re offering one.” Briggs stalked across the room toward me, snatching me up for a kiss, and obviously struggling to let me go again. He lifted me by my ass and I wrapped my legs around him. He smiled, kissing from my lips to my neck and back. The butterflies in my chest stirred restlessly and I couldn’t fight my smile. Briggs was an amazing turn of events, exactly what I was needing.

  “Yes, please,” he rumbled against my mouth. With a dozen more kisses, I shoved him out of my apartment and sent Rae a text confirming that I would love a ride and would meet her out front in a bit. I took my book and waited on the stoop, half reading and half watching people walk by. The road was fairly quiet, but I did notice a silver car down the block. The hair on the back of my neck stood, but it seemed silly. It was a family car, four doors and nothing strange about it. After a few minutes, the car pulled off, passing my building on the way. My night with Briggs had me all over-emotional.

  Thirty minutes later, I was in the back of Nick’s new blazer with baby George riding toward the flea market that was gathered at an abandoned warehouse. I loved flea markets and yard sales. They always had the best unearthed treasures. Rae and Nick taunted, harassed, and begged me to tell them who I had been with the night before, but I kept quiet. Mostly. I didn’t want them to know anything until I was sure that Briggs was not a casual thing. It would be pretty unfortunate if Briggs decided it was just a one-time deal, because after a taste, I was even more addicted. I didn’t want things awkward with Briggs and Nick at work, either. I took the silent route and kept Briggs to myself.

  “Does Beck always treat his brother that way?” I met Nick’s eyes in the mirror and he grinned before realizing my question hadn’t been amusing. It was almost like he knew something that I didn’t and didn’t want me to know.

  “Mostly. Beck isn’t a bad guy unless Briggs is around. He’s cocky as hell, but something about Briggs being at work now makes him rough to deal with. It must be a jealousy issue or whatever. Is Beck still going after you? I told him to lick his wounds and move on.” Nick offered me a silent apology through the mirror.

  “Yeah, maybe. If he ever asks why I turned him down, you can let him know the way he treats other people speaks volumes.” I let the conversation die after that.

  The sun had been up a few hours, but it was chilly. I quickly tied the rest of my hair up in a knot to get it off my neck and hopped out with baby George on my hip. Nick said Jovie and Ewan would be around somewhere so it was going to be one hell of a flea market party. The crowd was thick, the day was young, and I had some serious trash to sort through. The thought of all the stuff I could find got me excited. I had a new idea for a balcony decoration that involved old door knobs so I couldn’t wait to dig in. Plus, I was counting down days until Christmas and had presents to buy. If Nick knew Beck would be at the flea market, he didn’t let on, so I assumed he was in the dark. Beck, on the other hand, had it all planned out, and I was suspecting that Briggs did as well. Briggs certainly turned out to be a breath of fresh air. He was passionate, sexy, and I was eating it up. Letting him leave had been kind of painful. Was it possible to be that attached after one night together? I had never met a man so gorgeous, but surely it took longer than that to be so smitten. I also had the overwhelming worry that I would get attached and Briggs would leave, just like everyone else. As bad as I wanted to fall head over heels after one night, I couldn’t. I wanted something lasting, something forever, but I wasn’t getting my hopes up.

  We wandered a bit until we met up with Jovie and her family. Jovie and Nick were a comical pair. Nick was taller than all of us, even Ewan, but like a giant teddy bear, and Jovie lived to push his buttons. Rae joined in and the two women had him groaning in exasperation within minutes, accusing them of ganging up on him. The poor guy didn’t stand a chance. Cori and her daughter, Axel, showed up and the little girl gave me a tight hug, shoving her mommy away from me to get her attention in. Amelia dragged me to a table overflowing with old hardback books and Nick got everyone fresh lemonade. The twins gave me sloppy kisses and giggles every time I snatched one up. The whole thing was enough to almost keep my mind off Briggs.

  It was a great time and got even better when I heard my name. “Harriet Jade Wolfe.” I would know that voice anywhere.

  I spun to see the flaming red hair and unkempt beard. His tie-dye shirt stand was bustling, but he pushed through the people to catch me as I launched at him, wrapping my legs around his waist. Lee was taller than I remembered, towering over the crowd, but it was all six-foot-eight of him. His coarse hair and beard were overgrown and his scent of weed and patchouli were exactly what I remembered. I took his face in my hands and planted my lips on his forehead before climbing off him. “Lee,” I breathed his name.

  “Man, how did you end up in beautiful East Tennessee?” He kept my hand in his and smiled like he had finally found his happiness. Lee was always restless, wandering around, switching women on a nightly basis. “Is Miss Kathryn h
ere too?” Lee scanned the crowd for my mother but I just shook my head. “Oh, oh, Harri Jade did you finally do you? She was toxic.” Lee had no idea how toxic my mother truly was.

  “I did, Lee.” I didn’t want to discuss her death, not there, not ever if I could help it. I realized Rae and everyone had followed me, making my face turn a bright red. I hadn’t meant to practically attack the man in public. “I’m rude. Lee, these are my Tennessee people.” I hadn’t expected to see Briggs and Beck as well, not yet at least. Briggs was looking at me like I had committed the ultimate sin, and I had to look away from him. I had just climbed Lee like a tree in front of the man I had sex with just a few hours before—three times, actually. Probably not a good thing.

  “Namaste,” Lee pressed his palms together and bowed his head at them, leaving them slightly speechless. “Whoa, Harri Jade, your aura shifted.” His words made my body shift as well. “Did you mean your people or your person?” Lee gave me a knowing look and I blushed harder. I truly had no idea what was going to happen with Briggs, but I wanted to know him more. I wanted to keep him. Briggs did shift something in me and my oldest friend felt it. I was that easy to read and in that moment, it was not a good thing.

  “Uh, both, I suppose.” I went through everyone, introducing them to Lee. Briggs shook his hand stiffly, glaring at my giant of a friend, but Beck kept his hands shoved in his pockets, refusing to greet Lee and narrowing his eyes. What an ass. “I take it you’re still traveling?”

  Lee nodded. “Your people are not what I expected, but they are taking good care of you. You deserve that after everything you’ve been through.” His eyes looked me over. “I am so happy for you and your peace, Harri.” He quickly exchanged cash for a few shirts and waved the person off. Beck, Briggs, and Amelia stayed with me while the others left me to chat with Lee. “I actually just came back from that place we shacked up in at Orange Beach for a while. Lara still lives down there so I crashed with them a bit and worked with an orphanage. I stopped by the main practice and kept moving. Then I knew I couldn’t miss this market. That and these Tennesseans have good smoke.” He was right.