Kathleen Brooks - Secrets Collide

Cy never wanted to move. Gemma felt so perfect in his arms. He spent the short plane ride talking to Ahmed and Cole, all the while perfectly aware of every gentle breath she took. Halfway through the flight, she rested her hand on his stomach and he thought he’d never felt anything so sweet in his whole life.

“Honey, we’re landing,” he whispered into her ear.

“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled and buried her head deeper into his chest. The plane landed with a bump and she tightened her hand on his shirt but didn’t wake up.

“Man, she’s out of it. Want my help getting her home?” Cole asked.

“Nah, I got it. Just make sure I don’t fall down the stairs.” Cy stood up and in one easy motion picked her up. Cole went ahead of him and told him where the steps were as he exited the plane.

“Sleep well. We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night, Ahmed.”

Ahmed nodded to Cole and Cy and took off in his car. Cole gave him one last wave and got into his truck.

“Come on, honey, it’s time for me to get you into bed,” Cy whispered as he put her into the truck.

“Okay,” she mumbled.

Cy felt himself hold his breath. Okay to what? To helping her home or okay to getting into bed with her? Either idea had him pondering quietly as he drove back to Miss Lily’s.

Cy balanced Gemma in his arms as he unlocked her door. He carried her to the large bed and again wondered at her invitation. No. He was a gentleman and gentlemen didn’t take advantage of women. He would do the right thing and get her into bed. Then, tomorrow, he would properly try to earn his way into her bed.

He grinned as he took off her sandals and placed a blanket over her. Gemma’s hair tumbled onto the pillow. She had curled up on her side and was hugging the other pillow when her eyes fluttered and she looked up at him.

“Good night, Gemma,” Cy whispered as he rose to leave.

“Kiss me. Just once?”

Cy felt the invitation instantly. He looked down at her and knew he shouldn’t, but when she smiled up at him and held out her hand, he was done for. He bent forward and brushed her bottom lip with his thumb gently before touching his lips to her. He ran his tongue along her lip as she opened for him. Cy knew it would be like this. He knew that once he got his first taste, he’d never be able to forget her. Now all he wanted to do was worship her.

Gemma hugged the pillow tight and responded instantly to the kiss by moaning into his mouth. Man, this dream was even better than the dream she’d had the night before. She opened her eyes and stared at Cy’s soft face. She ran her hand over his stubble as she caressed him. She wondered if this was what he would look like if he dropped his guard. She sure hoped so because this man was gorgeous.

He ran his hand over her head and brushed back her hair. “You have no idea how badly I want you,” her dream man said to her. Well, it was what she was longing to hear and her subconscious just gave it to her—who was she to deny it?

“Oh God, yes,” she called out as his hands ran up her ribs to cup her breasts. This was definitely better than last night’s dream, she thought as he gently massaged her while he brought his lips to her stomach. He traced a line of kisses from her belly button upward, and when his mouth closed onto her nipple, she decided right then and there she was never going to wake up.

Gemma gasped and ran her hand down his back. This was her dream and there were things she had been dreaming of doing to him since she first met him. She grabbed his shirt and ripped it off before pulling him onto the bed. Straddling him, she slowly raised her shirt over her head, teasingly. Next she stood on the bed and stepped out of her shorts and panties as she swayed above him. His hands tried desperately to reach for her as she playfully pushed them away.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since the night we met. To feel my body against yours,” she confessed.

“By all means, you should do it then.” His voice was different. Deeper, more gravelly as she straddled him again. His hands were on her instantly as she threw her head back and gave into the sensation of his hardness beneath her.

Cy sat up, cradling her in his lap. “But now it’s time for me to show you what I’ve been thinking about since I met you.”

“If you really want to.” Gemma smiled before he flipped her beneath him.

“Oh, I do . . .” And with a ravenous glance at her body, he showed her just what he’d been thinking about.

Gemma knew she had woken up, but the soft breeze coming from the overhead fan and the perfect way her arm was wrapped around her pillow made it hard to open her eyes after such an exhausting day.

The day had been so long and filled with such emotion. She was glad to be back in the quiet of her room and left with the remembrances of her dream last night. Wow. It had been one hell of a dream. She had fallen asleep on the plane after the adrenaline wore off and remembered waking up when Cy carried her into her room. He had said good-night and she had fallen right back to sleep to have the be-all-and-end-all sex dream. In fact, just thinking about it brought a blush to her face.

She squeezed her pillow and then screamed when it turned to her and sleepily smiled. “Good morning.”

Gemma leapt from the bed, kicking at the covers tangling up her feet. “Oh my God!” She panicked as she bounced from foot to foot breaking free of the sheets and moving to the end of the bed.

“Wow. You’re even more beautiful in the daylight. Better than I could've ever imagined. How did I get so lucky?”

Gemma felt Cy’s eyes traveling the length of her body and she looked down and automatically tried to cover her nakedness. “I . . . you . . . you were a dream,” Gemma stuttered as her eyes focused on his bare chest. His lap was still covered, but the top of a tattoo close to the bulge under the sheet caught her eye. What was that?

“I’m very real, sweetheart. Want me to prove it to you again? I’m more than happy to accommodate you.” Cy grinned and Gemma got that flip-flop feeling again. He was so handsome, so sexy when he showed his real self. He was playful but tender. Assertive but giving as she remembered her non-dream. He was everything she wanted and more . . . and completely unavailable.

“But you’re dating every Hollywood bimbo around,” Gemma moaned as she rolled her head up toward the ceiling in distress.

“And . . . you didn’t like me. I think last night proved we were both wrong. In fact, I think we’re pretty perfect together. I mean, that thing you did with your leg and then you moved—”

“I can’t believe I did that.” But Gemma’s worry disappeared and her mouth went dry as Cy pushed aside the sheet and patted the bed next to him. The tattoo was uncovered to reveal a family crest and a very excited Cy.

Gemma ran her eyes over his broad chest, ripped abs, and narrow waist. His legs were long and muscled. Scars marked his body here and there, but somehow they only made him more masculine. And that tattoo. She got hot just looking at it. It was small, maybe only five inches in the crease of his thigh across his pelvic bone. She was drawn to it.

“I love your tattoo. It fits you,” Gemma stepped forward and traced her fingers over the small red shield.  A black lion was in the middle of the shield with a knight’s helmet on top. Plumes cascaded from the helmet around the top of the shield.

Cy patted the bed and the nagging doubt disappeared. “Want to get a closer look?”

“Well,” Gemma smiled as she dropped her arms to her side, “if you insist.”

*     *     *

Cy couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he clasped his hand around her smaller one. He absently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles as he felt more like his real self than he had in years. Being with her, laughing with her, it was like seeing the light at the end of the dark undercover tunnel he was trying to escape.

“If you think the muffins Miss Lily has been giving you were good, you’ll love the food at the café. You should try the biscuits and sausage gravy; they’re my favorite.” Cy felt a smile settle on his face as he looked down at her beautiful face. She wore no makeup and her hair was swept back into a sloppy ponytail. He didn’t think he’d seen anything so sexy before in his life.

“Sounds good,” Gemma smiled back.

Cy opened the door to the café and walked in behind her. The café went quiet and he felt Gemma stiffen.

“It’s like they all know we slept together,” Gemma whispered as she hesitantly smiled at the patrons.

“That’s because they do, sweetheart.” Cy placed a quick kiss on her forehead and the patrons groaned.

“Yee-haw.” Noodle jumped up and pumped his fist in the air.

“I take it you won the bet?” Cy asked, smiling. No wonder he missed this town.

“I sure did. Today was my day. I gotta call Emma. We’re upgrading to a suite for the honeymoon now.” Noodle pumped his fist in the air and reached for his phone.

“They bet on us?” Gemma hissed incredulously.

“They bet on everything.” Cy saw her shoot him a yeah, right look and decided to prove his point. “Miss Daisy, what’s the line on Dani and Mo’s baby?”

“Two to one that it’s a girl. August third is the leading due date. Want in?” Miss Daisy asked as she set down a plate of bacon and eggs at the closest table.

“No thanks, but I do think we’ll have two orders of biscuits and gravy.” Cy pulled out a chair at an empty table for Gemma as she sat.

Gemma tasted the food and felt happy. A fluffy biscuit was smothered in gravy. It was the perfect comfort food. The conversation in the café had resumed to a normal level and she was surprised how easily she and Cy talked. For once, Hollywood wasn't interrupting and she enjoyed hearing about all the residents of Keeneston.