The Right Tool (Bryant Brothers Book 3) Read online

  He stirred the chili, checked the burner, and grabbed two more beers from the fridge. He chugged half of one, hoping it would calm his nerves.

  He headed back into the bedroom, to Madison, to finish packing. And not to think about shoving that suitcase off the bed and falling onto it with her in his arms, kissing him passionately and…

  Chapter Two

  Kyle sure was acting odd. Kind of goofy and awkward, like a kid in high school who’d invited a girl over for the first time.

  To be fair, Madison supposed, he had just confessed that he’d not gone on a date in more than two years. That was a long time to go without female companionship. And knowing Kyle, by “date,” he meant anything at all to do with the opposite sex.

  Whoa, had Kyle seriously not had sex in more than two years?

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked as he returned to the bedroom and handed her a fresh beer and the list of items he needed to pack. Striding over to the dresser, he pulled a stack of shorts out of a drawer and placed them in the open suitcase. Then he grabbed a pile of boxer shorts—he wore the loose-fitting kind, lots of bright colors and what looked like cartoon characters—and added them to the shorts. His cheeks got really, really red, and he wouldn’t look her in the eye while he did it, which was kind of cute.

  “Have you seriously not had sex in two years?”

  He dropped the pile of T-shirts he’d been about to walk over to the suitcase.

  “Sorry,” she said, falling to her hands and knees to help gather the garments and place them on the bed.

  “Why are you asking?” He sounded nonchalant, in that way that people who were trying extra hard to sound nonchalant did.

  She refolded the T-shirts and added them the suitcase. “You said you haven’t gone on a date in two years. You don’t strike me as someone who’s into one-night stands.”

  “I don’t mind one-night stands.”

  “Really? Have you ever had one?”

  He waited a beat. “No.”

  She smiled. “Me neither.”

  “Is it just me, or is this a weird conversation?”

  “It’s pretty weird.”

  He grabbed a couple pair of swim trunks and tossed them to her to add to the case. One by one, he passed her bundles of rolled socks, which he said were for playing golf. Apparently, he intended to play a lot of golf while they were in Florida.

  Then he went to the closet and filled the rest of the case with nicer clothes: golf shirts and slacks and button-down shirts, including the one the groomsmen had been instructed to wear for the wedding.

  “Toiletry stuff and a couple pairs of shoes, and I think I’m good to go,” he announced. “Plus, the chili is probably warm, so come on.” He bolted out of the bedroom while Madison followed at a much more sedate pace. As hungry as she was, her mind was on other things. Dating, sex, attractive friends…

  They sat on the couch with their bowls of steaming chili and bottles of beer, and when Kyle reached for the remote, Madison stopped him. “Let’s talk about this dating issue.”

  He groaned. “For a minute there, I thought we were going to pretend that conversation never happened.”

  She chuckled. “No such luck. Tell me why you haven’t dated in so long.”

  He buried his nose in his bowl. “Working too much, I guess.”

  “I totally get that,” she admitted.

  They finished dinner, and he took their bowls to the kitchen. She wandered into the room and propped her hip against the counter, watching as he cleaned out the fridge, dumping his leftovers in the trash.

  “I have an idea,” she said when he returned from taking the bag out to the dumpster.

  He washed his hands, then leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, facing her. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “We should have a one-night stand.”

  He stared at her for several heartbeats and then burst out laughing.

  She frowned. “Why are you laughing?”

  “Because that is the most ludicrous thing that’s ever come out of your mouth.”

  “Hear me out,” she said, hurrying after him when he strode into the living room. He stopped and turned around, catching her forearms so she didn’t run into him.

  “Madison, where is this coming from?”

  She flapped her hand. “I was just thinking, neither one of us has time for a relationship right now, but, you know, sex is nice once in a while—”

  "Sex is nice?”

  She could feel her face heating. “Well, I mean, I suppose it could be more than nice.”

  He arched his brows.

  “It’s great stress relief.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Well, it usually makes people happy afterward. You know, high on endorphins.”

  “So you want to have sex because it’s good stress relief and it makes you high on endorphins?”

  She frowned. “You make it sound like those are bad reasons.”

  Shaking his head, he said, “No, those are perfectly acceptable reasons. But I think there are plenty of others too.”

  She’d seen Kyle at the pool in his parents’ backyard, wearing nothing but swim trunks, as smooth and elegant as a dolphin as he dove into the water. All those sleek muscles, all that grace. Of course, that didn’t necessarily equate sexual prowess, but it certainly made a girl want to give him a try.

  He was also gorgeous, a great guy, and he didn’t strike her as someone who would brag to all his buddies about getting laid. She’d never considered a one-night stand before, but with Kyle, it suddenly felt like a viable consideration.

  “I think we can handle it. You and I. One time. Just to take the edge off.”

  His eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Take the edge off?”

  “Do you really need to repeat everything I say?”

  He shook his head. “Madison, you’re giving me a sales pitch. You’re making an invitation to have sex sound like…like a business transaction.”

  “I’m not offering to pay you,” she scoffed. “Or asking to get paid.”

  “But you’re all technical. I feel like we should be drawing up a contract right now.” He waved his finger between the two of them. “This isn’t remotely turning me on, and, honestly, that’s saying a lot, because an hour ago I was thinking that you looked hot in your scrubs.”

  She glanced down at the pale blue, shapeless uniform she wore to work every day. “Seriously? Scrubs?”

  “You’re the one who thinks a business transaction is the means to that end.” He started walking toward the bedroom.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To finish packing. And to take a shower. And go to bed. You’re picking me up at 7:30 in the morning, remember?”

  She hurried after him. “Kyle, I’m serious.”

  “So am I.”

  She strode right up to him, grabbed his arm to pull him around to face her, then clasped his cheeks. Puckering up, she squeezed her eyes closed and pressed her lips against his.

  He didn’t do anything for an incredibly long moment, and then he slid one arm around her waist, smoothing his hand up her back until he cupped her neck as he canted his head and opened his mouth. His tongue slid out to stroke against her lips.

  She whimpered.

  “This isn’t fair,” he murmured against her lips.

  She blinked her eyes open. “What isn’t?”

  “This,” he said, his mouth scarcely a centimeter away from her own. “You’re beautiful, and I like you, and I may have fantasized about doing this a time or two, which is why this isn’t fair.”

  “You fantasized about this? About us?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Then why is this not fair?”

  “What happens tomorrow? When we’re all together with our families? And let’s not forget Elliot. It’s pretty obvious he isn’t over you. Don’t you think it’ll be awkward?”

  Madison frowned. She didn’t want to think about Elliot right now,
not while she was getting more and more excited over hooking up with Kyle. “You’re right; he’s definitely still not over us. And next week is supposed to be all about Camila and Tommy, so I wouldn’t want everyone whispering and gossiping about us.” She paused. “I think the best thing is to just not tell anyone.”

  He tilted his head. “I thought you were going to go with we shouldn’t even do this in the first place.”

  She shook her head. “I really want to do this.”

  She’d had precious little experience beyond her relationship with Elliot. She’d been too busy studying to get into nursing school, then studying to pass her exams, and then focusing on working as many hours as the hospital would give her, so that she could get all her loans paid off sooner than later. That didn’t leave much time for relationships. Or even casual sex.

  And yet, something inside her told her she would not regret doing this, tonight. Not with Kyle.

  So she moved closer, slid her arms around his back and pressed her breasts against his chest. “Tell me what a girl has to do to get into your pants.”

  He chuckled, although there was a nervous edge to the sound. “Madison…”

  She rolled her hips and could feel his erection growing. And growing. And growing.

  Oh my!

  He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You know what she has to do? Want it. Not because she wants to scratch an itch and any old pair of pants will do. But really want it. With that particular guy. Want to feel him and taste him and touch him so bad that her knees go weak. She needs to feel like she can scarcely breathe for her desperation to be with that guy. Like she’d do anything, any damn thing, to get to what she wants.”

  “Anything,” she whispered, her voice breathy as she stared into his eyes.

  “Anything,” he repeated.

  She kissed him, hard, bruising, demanding. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, she dragged it up over his torso and tugged it over his head. Then she bent and kissed his pecs, his shoulders, his neck, bit his earlobe.

  He kept his arm around her, his fingers curling tighter and tighter against her back, as he clung to her and let her ravage his body. When she returned to his lips, he responded, greedily, eagerly, while his hands fumbled with her shirt, working to get it off her body.

  “I want it,” she whispered. “Bad.”

  “Damn it.”

  She didn’t have time to wonder if he meant damn it, this shouldn’t be happening or damn it, I can’t get her clothes off fast enough, because he swept her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.

  “What are we doing?” she asked when he placed her on her feet on the cool tile.

  “I need a shower, and I’m guessing you do too, since you came straight from work. So if you’re serious about this, we’re going to shower together.”

  “Oh.” She gasped and stared as he unlatched his belt and then pushed his jeans and boxers down his legs.

  She kept staring. “I’m serious.”

  He turned away, providing her with a glorious view of his tight, muscular ass while he bent to turn on the water. When he turned back around, he said, “Here, let me help you.”

  He hooked his thumbs into the elastic waistband of her pants and pushed them to the floor, delivering a trail of kisses down her thigh. By the time he straightened, her legs were quivering like Jell-O.

  He grinned and tapped her nose, then focused on adjusting the water to the right temperature. “You like it steamy, right?”

  She nodded. She was the one who’d started this game, but somewhere along the line, he’d taken the reins, and she was perfectly fine with that. He was far better at this seduction game than she could have imagined.

  “You could help,” he suggested, peeling off her undershirt and unhooking her bra.

  “Right, sorry.” She shoved her panties off and then danced around as she tugged at her socks. Once she was successful, she glanced up to see him standing there, arms crossed, smirking at her.

  “What?”

  He shook his head. “I still can’t believe we’re doing this.”

  Her gaze dipped below his waist. “I can.”

  With a chuckle and a shake of his head, he waved, toward the bathtub. As soon as she stepped in, he followed, his erection brushing against her hip as he moved to try to get under the spray.

  “My shower’s not really big enough for two,” he murmured close to her ear before nipping at it.

  She shivered. “Feels perfect to me.”

  He pushed her hair out of the way and kissed her shoulder. “Do you want me to soap you up first, or do you want to do me?”

  “I…” She had no idea. Her brain had ceased to function properly. “I…”

  “Got it.” He grabbed the bar of soap and twisted it in his hands, then massaged her shoulders.

  She groaned.

  He moved lower, rubbing his hands over her back, until he reached her backside, where he spent far more time than was necessary ensuring she was clean.

  She had no complaints with his thoroughness.

  He smoothed his hands down the outside of her legs, then back up the inside, until his thumbs brushed her most sensitive area, and she sucked in a breath in anticipation.

  Instead of focusing where she’d hoped he would, he kept moving up, sliding over her belly to her breasts, rubbing them and tweaking the nipples until she whimpered.

  And then he lifted his hand, the bar of soap resting in his palm. “Your turn.”

  She turned around, prepared to protest his stopping when she was so desperate for him to continue, but her indignation dried on her tongue at the lust swirling in his eyes, the thick, heavy erection bobbing against his abs. The tautness of the muscles on his shoulders.

  He was as turned on as she was, and she’d not even touched his body yet. Oh, this was going to be fun.

  “You definitely need a good scrubbing,” she murmured, covering her hands with soap bubbles and then going straight for the jugular, er, his erection.

  She smoothed her hands up and down his length. His hips moved as if they had a mind of their own, and he pressed one hand to the wet tile. She glanced up, saw him watching her with fierce hunger in his eye. She shivered and leaned in for a kiss while continuing her ministrations below the belt.

  His hand came up and cupped the back of her head, while their tongues warred for dominance, and, seriously, this entire experience was worth it for his kisses alone.

  Not that she had any intention of stopping here.

  Kyle’s hand dropped and wrapped around her own, stopping her. “Too much,” he murmured against her lips. “I’m not going to last.”

  She pushed him away and refocused on stroking him. “That’s okay. We’ll make tonight a two-orgasm minimum.”

  He groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, one palm pressed against the wall again, the other twined in her hair, tightening almost painfully on the strands. His body went taut, his dick grew harder, and she increased her pace. His hips bucked wildly, pumping, shoving his cock into the tight ring she’d created, again and again. He made a growling noise that ended on a deep groan as he finally came, and she slowed her movements as he went lax in her hands, although his hold on her hair was still firm.

  When she let him go, he used that grip on her strands to pull her close for a hug, wrapping his arms around her and holding her so tightly she could feel his racing heart beating against her chest.

  “That is so much better with another person involved,” he said against her ear, his voice raspy.

  She giggled.

  His hand smoothed down her back to squeeze her ass. “Let’s get out of here, dry off, and go to bed.”

  “By go to bed, I hope you don’t mean sleep.”

  He released her, dropped a kiss on her temple, and bent to turn off the water. “Not a chance. You promised two orgasms, remember? I’m assuming you meant for each of us.”

  He opened the glass door, snagged a towel, and draped it around her sho
ulders while she sucked in a harsh breath before clearing her throat. “Yes,” she said shakily. “That’s—that’s what I meant.”

  They dried off quickly, and Madison started to leave the bathroom, pausing when she heard a cabinet door open. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Kyle grab a small, black box with gold writing on it. He held a foil-wrapped condom between his forefinger and thumb and grinned. “Still good. I was worried they might have expired.”

  Her heartrate kicking up, she hurried into the bedroom, to his bed. He caught up with her before she could slide under the sheets, wrapping his arm around her waist and turning her to face him.

  “No regrets, right?” He tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear.

  She shook her head.

  Pulling on the towel she held to her chest, he dropped it on the floor and lifted his hands to her breasts. He kissed each one in turn and then her lips, and once again she was drowning in another one of his spectacular kisses. Seriously, the man was the best kisser she’d ever experienced.

  Dragging his lips away, he nibbled his way to her ear and whispered, “I want you to sit on my face.”

  Her knees buckled.

  He wrapped his arm around her waist, catching her, and chuckling. “Too much?”

  She shook her head, wet strands smacking her in the face. “N-no.”

  “Good.”

  He slowly released her, ensuring she could stand on her own, before he moved to the bed and stretched out on his back. His erection was already growing again.

  Her mouth watered.

  “Come here,” he said, motioning with his fingers.

  She knelt on the bed next to his thigh. He cupped it, tugging her toward him, so she crawled up his body until she was hovering over his face. Her legs quivered, her heart was racing, she could scarcely breathe. And he hadn’t even touched her yet.

  His hands smoothed up her legs until he clutched at her ass, and he pulled her closer, until she felt that first hot swipe of his tongue. She gasped, and a groan tumbled from her lips as he did it again,. She grabbed the headboard and held on for dear life while he focused all of his efforts on giving her what she already knew was going to be the best orgasm of her life.