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  Chapter Four

  Brent

  To say I was apprehensive about being alone again with Jen was an understatement. I’d managed to stay well away from her for two and a half months. Yet now she’d be in the same house as me. Tempting me with her curves and sharp tongue. I wasn’t happy with Liora and Dante for agreeing to let her move back in. I understood why she didn’t like being alone in her flat since Fi had moved in with her boyfriend, but it was safer for me when she wasn’t around.

  I parked up and got out of the car, huffing out a breath as I walked towards Jen’s building. Getting roped into helping her move her stuff was not my idea of a fun evening. The only reason I’d agreed was because of how pale Liora had been looking all day. I knew she needed Dante.

  The doctor had been and gone, telling her everything was fine with the baby, but she needed to rest. I was pretty sure Dante was on the verge of telling her she had to quit work. He didn’t want anything happening to his wife or the baby. That conversation would not go down well with Liora no matter how much she knew he was right about her needing to take it easy. A pregnant Liora was a force to be reckoned with. Almost on a par with Jen and her sharp claws.

  I let myself in the front door with the keys Dante had given me and rode up in the lift. There was absolutely no way in hell I was entertaining a conversation about what happened between us that night she’d arrived crying on my doorstep. As far as I was concerned, it was a subject we should never broach. The implications and consequences weren’t worth discussing. It happened. That was it. It wouldn’t happen again. I might be in love with Jen, but the risk to my friendship with Dante was too great. He trusted me with his sisters and had done so for the past twelve years. If he had any inclination I thought of them as anything but part of my family, then he wouldn’t have allowed me near them.

  I mean that’s what the Bensons were to me. Family. I’d been with them long enough to become an important part of their little clan. Yes, I had my own family, but they were a pain in the arse. Especially my damn sister and her brood of kids from three different fathers. Honestly, I dreaded her phone calls. They always ended up with me running to fix her problems. Cam didn’t care I had a life outside of her. Thankfully Dante understood, but anyone else might think I was taking the piss.

  I unlocked Jen’s front door and walked in. I’d been in the twin’s flat a number of times over the years so I knew my way around. Searching through the rooms, I found Jen in her bedroom bent over a box.

  Well fuck.

  Her pert little arse was sticking up clad in skin tight jeans. My dick wasn’t listening to my head as I told him to settle down. It took a long moment for me to do anything but stare at her.

  I cleared my throat and she popped her head up, looking over at me from her shoulder. She straightened the next moment, twin spots of red appearing on her cheeks.

  “Oh, it’s you.”

  Her words dripped with distain. Something I’d always come to expect from her, but this time it stung far more than it should’ve. My heart fractured. Why the hell did I think I’d be okay with going back to the way things were before we’d had sex? I wasn’t. Not at all.

  The full force of the memory of the way she’d clung to me, begged me not to stop whilst I was deep inside her tight heat slammed into my chest. Locking down those thoughts and feelings took a considerable effort on my part, but I steeled myself against the tidal wave. Dwelling on it wouldn’t help anyone. This situation just plain sucked and it was my fault for letting it happen.

  “You knew I was coming to help you.”

  “Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she muttered, turning away from me again.

  I fought against the urge to retaliate. Jen might still think she hated me, but I knew the truth. She liked what we did a great deal more than she’d ever willingly admit. If she hadn’t initiated the second time in the middle of the night, I might have completely written it off as a moment of madness. But no. I saw all of her emotions as she rode my cock. She knew exactly what she was doing and what it meant. Just because neither of us voiced it out loud, didn’t mean the implications weren’t there. Deep down, Jen’s feelings towards me had shifted irrevocably and there was no going back.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  Concentrating on why I came here was easier than dealing with the tension between us. The ever present animosity, but this time it was laced with a heady mix of potent sexual desire.

  “There’s some boxes in the hall you can take down to the car.”

  “Shouldn’t we pack everything up and then take those down together? It’d be quicker that way.”

  Her whole body went tense at the suggestion. Yes, spending time in the same room might possibly be a hellish experience, but I wanted this done quickly. The less time we were in each other’s company, the better.

  “Fine. As long as you’re careful, you can pack my dresses.”

  She pointed at the wardrobe. I did as she asked, walking over to it, pulling them out and very carefully folding them into the empty box she’d left next to it. They’d only be in there for a short period of time so I hoped they wouldn’t get too creased. Jen wouldn’t like that.

  We worked together to get all of her clothes packed up with Jen directing me. That was the only time we said anything to each other. By the time we were done, I was about ready to get as far away from her as possible. The need to touch her was growing unbearable. She kept looking at me under her lashes as if she couldn’t stop herself. The tension between us had well and truly reached boiling point.

  “Do you want a drink or something?” she asked, fidgeting with the silver ring on her finger.

  “Sure.”

  She disappeared into the kitchen and I sat down on the edge of her bed. Perhaps I should’ve moved into the living room because she faltered on her steps when she arrived back with two beers in her hands. Shaking herself, she walked over and handed one to me. I took it but didn’t raise it to my mouth.

  “We need to talk.”

  “Do we?”

  She gave me a hard stare.

  “Yes. We’re going to be living under the same roof and this,” she waved between us, “is clearly not going to work.”

  I cocked my head to the side.

  “What do you mean?”

  She let out a frustrated huff.

  “Don’t play fucking stupid right now, Brent. I’m not in the mood. I’ve had a shit day and quite frankly having to spend the past hour with you hasn’t done me any favours.”

  This is exactly the type of conversation I wanted to avoid. Her expression made it very clear she wasn’t going to drop this subject until we talked about it.

  “What do you want me to say? It happened. It was a mistake. End of story.”

  Her blue eyes widened momentarily before they blazed.

  “Sticking your cock in me was a mistake, was it?”

  I really fucking hated it when she gave me attitude like this. As if I was the only one to blame for a situation both of us had caused. I stood up and stared her down.

  “Yes. You’re my best friend’s sister. It can’t be anything but a mistake.”

  “Don’t bring Dante into this. What happened has nothing to do with him. This is between you and me.”

  I flinched before steeling myself again. I couldn’t allow Jen to see how much she affected me with her words. It might not have anything to do with Dante, but the consequences if he found out wouldn’t be pretty for either of us.

  “Are you saying it wasn’t a mistake?”

  She opened her mouth and shut it again. Her expression faltered. I had absolutely no idea what that meant. Surely she considered it a complete fuck up on both of our parts to have slept together. Didn’t she? Her feelings towards me might have altered but that didn’t change the glaring obvious fact we’d crossed a line we shouldn’t have.

  “Jen?”

  She searched my face as if she was trying to
work out how the hell I really felt about all of this. Or perhaps she was just stalling.

  “Didn’t you enjoy it?” Her voice came out all quiet and hesitant.

  “What?”

  “Sleeping with me, did you enjoy it?”

  Why on earth would she even ask that? Of course I fucking well enjoyed it. It was the best moment of my life. Being inside her was better than I could’ve ever imagined. Kissing her, feeling her body and having her come all over me was fucking magical.

  “Why does that matter?”

  “It just does.”

  Her eyes told me the reason. The vulnerability in them ripped me a new one.

  “Yes, sex with you was great, is that what you want to hear?”

  She shook her head a little as if she knew I was deflecting.

  “Only if it’s the truth.”

  Her fingers fiddled with the label on her beer bottle but she kept her eyes trained on me. Sighing, I took the bottle from her hand and placed both of them on a dresser a few feet away from us. I didn’t turn back to look at her again.

  “The truth… The truth is I liked it far more than I should’ve. You might have been avoiding me but I’ve been avoiding you too because the thought of it is maddening. Being near you is fucking maddening. You are the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met. It doesn’t stop me wanting you naked beneath me again. But that’s not going to happen and you know exactly why. You might not want to bring your brother into this, but the fact is D is my best friend and you’re his little sister. It was a mistake, Jen, and one I won’t make again.”

  I hoped that would appease her because I couldn’t take her questioning gaze. A full minute ticked by before I felt her behind me. Her hands rested on my back followed by her face pressing between my shoulder blades. I let out a shuddering breath. My skin pricked at the contact.

  “I can’t forget it happened,” she whispered. “I can’t go back.”

  What did that mean? I’d made myself clear. Whatever happened that night was not happening again. Why did the one time we should be shouting at each other instead have her speaking to me in those soft tones which had my heart weakening for her?

  “What are you saying?”

  Her hands drifted from my back around to my front and she held me.

  “Nothing. You’re right. It was a mistake.”

  The lie trickled off her tongue, making me very aware Jen didn’t see it as a mistake.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Her arms around me tightened. Calling her out on her bullshit wasn’t a good idea. I needed to shut my mouth before I made this worse.

  “I don’t believe you either.”

  Well shit.

  I turned around in her arms. Her blue eyes were soft and open. Her emotions pouring out of them. Emotions which gut me. All I wanted to do was comfort her. Make her understand that whilst I wanted her desperately, I couldn’t have her. She didn’t want me for anything more than sex anyway. At least, I didn’t think she did. Jen would always see me as her older brother’s annoying friend. And I would always love her when I shouldn’t.

  “Damn it, Jen,” I muttered, capturing her face in my hand so I could stroke her cheek with my thumb.

  “I still hate you,” she whispered.

  “I know.”

  Her resorting to that statement made my chest cave in all over again. If only she knew how much it hurt every time she said it.

  “I hate that I’m going to let you kiss me right now.”

  I leant towards her. The inevitability of it struck me hard. Who was I kidding? I needed to kiss her. Needed to lay her out on her bed and fuck her senseless. The urge pulsed in my veins, taunting me with its potency.

  “I know.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake.”

  “I know.”

  My lips met hers. She sighed into my mouth. The softness only lasted a moment before my hands banded around her back and I pulled her tight against me, devouring her mouth like I was starving for her. Her fingers dug into my scalp, nails scratching my skin. It only made the need worse.

  Fuck did I want her.

  Fuck did I love her.

  I backed her up against the wall, pinning her there with my body as I took my fill of her sweet, delicious mouth. My hands ran over her sides, one coming up to cup her breast. I ground my cock into her stomach. God I wanted to fuck her so badly. Wanted to feel her pussy clenching around me all over again. I hadn’t been with anyone for a long time before that night with her and I certainly hadn’t touched a woman since. It seemed wrong to taint my memory of Jen with another. Truth be told, I didn’t want anyone but her.

  “Brent, please,” she whimpered against my lips.

  My fingers went to her jeans, unbuttoning them and tugging the zip down. Slipping my hand inside her clothes, my fingers met her wet pussy and I groaned. I slid two fingers inside her. She pulsed around me, bucking as I started to fuck her with them. One of her hands fisted in my t-shirt. The other ran down my front until it met my cock, stroking down the length of it.

  “Not enough. I want this.”

  I rested my forehead against hers.

  “No.”

  Having sex with her again would fucking kill me.

  “Yes. You want me and I want you.”

  Hating she was right. Hating myself for getting in this position again, I pulled my fingers from her and peeled down her jeans, taking her underwear with them. My hands went to my jeans next, tugging them open and pulling out my cock from my boxers. I picked her up, shoving her back against the wall and lined myself up. Her heat scorched the tip of my cock. It didn’t even occur to me to use a condom. Not when I’d already fucked her bare the first time.

  Gripping her hip, I slowly impaled her on my cock inch by inch. I grunted, her tight heat encasing me and driving me fucking wild. Fuck I’d missed this so much. Missed the way she felt. Missed every damn thing about Jen.

  “Fuck,” she groaned, wrapping her legs around my waist as her fist pounded against the wall. “You feel so good. Why do you feel so fucking good?”

  I didn’t even have it in me to wind her up about it. All I could think was how much I wanted to stay buried inside her pussy like this. My cock burnt with the need to slam into her over and over. My hand these past two and a half months hadn’t been enough. Not when I remembered how it felt to be with Jen.

  So that’s exactly what I did. Ignoring all the shit in my head whirling around and around about how fucked up I was for sleeping with her yet again, I thrust into her deep and hard, listening to her moan and gasp. I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her Dior perfume. It only made my need for her worse.

  “Tell me the truth,” she whispered. “Tell me how this feels.”

  “Fucking you?” I ground out.

  “Yes.”

  “Your pussy is so damn hot and tight. I need to be in you even if you make me so fucking mad, Jen. You really do. I hate how you rile me up, but fuck do I need you like this.”

  Those words were damning but I couldn’t care less. Perhaps if we stopped lying to each other she’d stop hating me so much. Isn’t that what I wanted? For Jen not to hate me. For her to just see me for who I was.

  There were no more words as I continued to fuck her, keeping her trapped between me and the wall. The only sounds were our pants and our bodies moving against each other. I promised myself I’d never let this happen again. And here I was breaking that because I couldn’t stop myself from wanting Jen. From needing her. From fucking her.

  You’re a fucked up bastard.

  “Jen,” I practically pleaded as flames licked up my spine and the need to come burnt in my veins.

  She was clutching me so hard, her hands fisted in my hair. Her body trembling and shuddering until she hit that peak and she shattered. My name left her lips along with a string of curses. One last pump upwards had me coming apart too. Bliss radiated across my skin, taunting me with pure and un
adulterated ecstasy.

  How could I ever go back?

  How could I ever want anyone else?

  The sad and crushing truth was I couldn’t.

  When I let her go after we both stopped panting, she didn’t look at me. Instead, she picked up her jeans from the floor and walked out of the room. I heard the bathroom door close a minute later.

  What the fuck just happened?

  I didn’t exactly have time to process it. Tucking myself back away and zipping up my jeans, I grabbed the beer she’d brought me and practically chugged it. It took the edge off how messed up I felt over the whole thing.

  When Jen reappeared, she was dressed and her expression bore no signs of her feelings.

  “Should we take stuff down to the car then?”

  I could only stare at her. She pushed us into talking about what happened. We fucked each other. Now she was acting like it didn’t just occur.

  “Jen…”

  “You made it very clear we shouldn’t have done that and I agree with you. Now can we just do what we came here to… please.”

  Knowing when she got like this it was utterly futile to push her, I nodded.

  By the time we’d packed the car up and I’d driven us home, it was almost ten. Dante met us at the door and helped bring everything in. Jen barely said two words to either of us other than ‘thank you’ before kicking us out so she could go to sleep.

  “She didn’t give you hell, did she?” he asked as we stood outside her door.

  “No.” Yes. “How’s Liora?”

  “She’s sleeping. I don’t know if she’ll be up to doing anything this week. She could barely keep her eyes open long enough to have dinner.”

  I felt bad for her. Clearly she needed to take a step back for her own sake, but Liora was nothing if not stubborn.

  “She’ll be okay if she rests.”