Brothers of Paradise Series

Henry pauses for the laughter, Hayden and Lily’s included. From the way they’re both looking up at him… he’s playing his role so well. Responsible older brother and entertainer. Welcoming and teasing at the same time.

By the time the three of them are finished, they’ve practically brought down the house. I join in on the thunderous applause and watch as they take turns kissing Lily on the cheek. Henry bends to whisper something in Hayden’s ear, and the younger man nods in thanks, his eyes wide and sincere. Curiosity is burning inside me.

When dinner is over, staff clear away the tables and the music changes gear, drifting away from soft and romantic to upbeat. Henry finds me, his body strong and sure behind me, as we watch Hayden and Lily’s first dance.

“You were magnificent,” I tell him quietly. “The speech was fantastic.”

“Thanks,” he says, gently running his hands up my bare arms. I’m glad we’re in the shadows and everyone’s attention is locked on the newlyweds.

“You practiced it this morning?”

He presses a soft kiss to my temple. “Yes.”

“All this public display of affection…”

“You object?”

“Not at all.” I lean against his body and shiver when his arms close around my waist. “Will you dance with me later?”

His arms tighten around my waist. “All night, if you’ll have me.”

“I will.”

FayeExclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Henry is a good dancer. He leads effortlessly, and we spin, each brush of his hand on my waist reminding me of his words earlier. Of what happened last night.

His eyes, darkening with each song, speak of the same emotion. The fire between us burns.

“This is nice,” I murmur, swaying against him. We’re pressed together so close it’s almost indecent.

He bends down to whisper in my ear. “Nice?”

“Yes,” I say, smiling at his outrage, “although I can think of something I’d rather do.”

Henry stills, his eyes closed, an almost pained expression on his face. “Damn it, Faye.”

I thread my fingers through his and pull him away from the dance floor. I’d been aiming for the bar, but his strides lengthen until he’s the one leading me. We’re heading for the door.

“We’re leaving?”

“Yes,” he says. “Or do you want to stay?”

The urgency in his eyes makes something inside me knot darkly, my hand burning in his grip. “Absolutely not.”

It’s a short walk to Lily’s cottage from the chapel, the tension between us rising with each step. “What we spoke about earlier…”

He releases my hand only long enough to unlock the front door. “About the point system being outdated?”

“Yes. And about you wanting me.”

“Very much.”

“And how it would complicate things…”

“We can uncomplicate them.”

I wind my hands around his neck and pull his head down to mine. There’s the faintest, sweetest pause before he touches his lips to mine, when anticipation hangs in the air.

And then he’s kissing me like he’s never done anything else, like we walk home hand in hand all the time, like our bodies already know each other intimately.

His hands flatten on my back and pull me tight against his body, until I feel the hardness of his thighs against mine and the planes of his chest against my breasts.

“This dress,” he murmurs, lips against my neck, “has been haunting me all day.”

“This? It’s modest!”

“Anything on you looks indecent.”

“Are we really doing this?” I pull back, our gazes meeting. Fire against fire, flame against flame. “I don’t want to be someone who sleeps with her boss.”

His hands flex around my waist. “I don’t want to be someone who sleeps with his assistant,” he says softly. “But I do want to sleep with you, very much.”

And it’s the look in his eyes that undoes me-the look that says he’ll make it worth my while, that there are pleasures untold waiting for me. That this is the start of something-not the end. I wrap my arms around his neck and find it hard to think about anything but his lips against mine.

“I’ll send out new CVs on Monday. We’ll figure it out,” I say in between kisses.

“I’ll look for placements in other firms,” he says. “Make a few calls.”

“God, you taste good.”

He grins against my lips and tugs at my zipper. I shimmy out of my dress, standing there in only my underwear. His hands immediately replace the dress-they run along my sides, my back, searing my skin with his touch.

The look in his eyes is nearly feverish. “Fuck, Faye…”

I kiss him, needing to be closer still, and tug at his bowtie. Henry is just as eager as me and we make a good team as we work on the buttons of his shirt. He slides it off and I’m finally running my hands over those wide shoulders. The trail of hair that disappears into his pants makes my mouth dry.

“So hot,” I breathe, unable to stop myself, and he laughs.

“At your service.” He grips my thighs and then I’m lifted up, like I weigh nothing at all, my legs wrapping around his waist of their own accord.

Henry’s arousal is thick through his pants. I grind, and he groans in response. “You’re too much.”

I’m placed on a hard surface. The dining-room table? A kitchen counter? I’m too far gone to notice.

Strong hands yank on the cups of my bra, the fragile lace giving way. His gaze devours me whole-there’s no shyness when he’s staring at me like that. Like we’ve been waiting forever for this. In a way, we have.

He ducks his head and takes one of my nipples in his mouth. I slide my hand into his hair, holding on as waves of arousal roll through me. “Beautiful,” he murmurs, releasing my nipple long enough to switch to the other.