at a party, but he relived it enough that it should count.
"What kind of...? How about the Sal Winters kind?"
He curled his nose up. "She's snotty and spoiled, and way too skinny."
Brinn started to pull away in earnest. "Hey, what did I say?" He asked her in the gentling tone of a man trying to steady a mount.
"She's ridiculously attractive, and you know it!"
He stared, flummoxed, but he continued to hold on to her. Women confused him mightily. "If you like her so much, you kiss her."
Barely keeping her temper, she replied, "Look, men who have access to women like Sal do not notice women like me. She’s been after you for years, and she’s not through with you yet, my friend. Weren’t you waiting for her in the dark at the Solstice Ball, and then, when you couldn’t find her, you settled for me?”
Realization dawned, and he was again completely baffled. She thought she was his second choice. It didn't compute very well in his brain because Sal Winters was a woman he seldom thought about at all. She was brash. He didn’t like brash women.
"You don't think I find you attractive?"
She pulled away with a blush on her cheeks, and the saddest expression he'd ever seen her wear. "Of course not."
Of course not. He pondered that. Of course not. He’d put money down on this being her Mam’s fault. That old harridan found fault with anyone in her sphere.
He didn't actually think about what happened next, just pushed her back against the wall behind them. The one with a door leading down to the main stairs that was always locked. He crowded her body with his, let her feel his desire for her where their bodies met. His big hand wrapped itself into her fiery hair and he pulled her mouth to him in a hot press of soft lips and exploring tongues.
Somewhere in that kiss, he let the fantasy take over, and his hand bunched in that skirt, pulling it up and over his questing left hand. He groaned when his fingers met soft, warm flesh, felt that forbidden line of fabric that were her undergarments. He thought his heart might explode at the thought of actually living his every fantasy of Brinn Lako. But, he knew he couldn't, not tonight. One day, one day very soon, he would. He wanted this woman. Maybe, he wanted her more than he wanted to fly.
She would, however, leave this roof with no doubt of his intentions. He tightened his fist in her hair and dragged her mouth from his.
She whispered, "Stars.” Making him smile against her cheek, he held the word to himself like the prayer she meant it to be. Knowing he'd affected her was more than enough. For now.
He leaned to her ear and said, "I haven't said anything because you weren't ready, but I want you, Brinn. And, I'll have you. Mark my words, Brinn Lako. You're gonna marry me one day."
She started to protest, and he lifted a forefinger to rest against her lips. She closed her mouth. "For once in your life, don't argue with me."
"Why?" She asked it with a tremor in her voice.
He shrugged. "Well, it wasn't from encouragement, I can tell you that. It was just you, from the first moment I saw you on the schoolyard. It’s always been you."
"That makes no sense."
She disentangled from him and slid away, and, for his own sanity, he let her. Still, his eyes tracked her nervous movements.
"Love, men aren't nearly as complex as you seem to believe. It's pretty much, see something, like it, pursue it. We are not complicated."
She threw him a wry glance.
"Hey, I'm not saying that's good. I'm just saying that's what we do. What a woman has to watch is which kind of guy she stops running for. Some men aren't looking for the long haul."
"And, you are?"
"Absolutely. Trouble for you is that I'm that type. If you don't want to marry me, you better start running right now, because I won't give up till you make me."
"I," she began shakily. "I can't get married. I have too many responsibilities. My work, and mother."
He scoffed at that. "A woman like you can do anything."
"Like
"What kind of...? How about the Sal Winters kind?"
He curled his nose up. "She's snotty and spoiled, and way too skinny."
Brinn started to pull away in earnest. "Hey, what did I say?" He asked her in the gentling tone of a man trying to steady a mount.
"She's ridiculously attractive, and you know it!"
He stared, flummoxed, but he continued to hold on to her. Women confused him mightily. "If you like her so much, you kiss her."
Barely keeping her temper, she replied, "Look, men who have access to women like Sal do not notice women like me. She’s been after you for years, and she’s not through with you yet, my friend. Weren’t you waiting for her in the dark at the Solstice Ball, and then, when you couldn’t find her, you settled for me?”
Realization dawned, and he was again completely baffled. She thought she was his second choice. It didn't compute very well in his brain because Sal Winters was a woman he seldom thought about at all. She was brash. He didn’t like brash women.
"You don't think I find you attractive?"
She pulled away with a blush on her cheeks, and the saddest expression he'd ever seen her wear. "Of course not."
Of course not. He pondered that. Of course not. He’d put money down on this being her Mam’s fault. That old harridan found fault with anyone in her sphere.
He didn't actually think about what happened next, just pushed her back against the wall behind them. The one with a door leading down to the main stairs that was always locked. He crowded her body with his, let her feel his desire for her where their bodies met. His big hand wrapped itself into her fiery hair and he pulled her mouth to him in a hot press of soft lips and exploring tongues.
Somewhere in that kiss, he let the fantasy take over, and his hand bunched in that skirt, pulling it up and over his questing left hand. He groaned when his fingers met soft, warm flesh, felt that forbidden line of fabric that were her undergarments. He thought his heart might explode at the thought of actually living his every fantasy of Brinn Lako. But, he knew he couldn't, not tonight. One day, one day very soon, he would. He wanted this woman. Maybe, he wanted her more than he wanted to fly.
She would, however, leave this roof with no doubt of his intentions. He tightened his fist in her hair and dragged her mouth from his.
She whispered, "Stars.” Making him smile against her cheek, he held the word to himself like the prayer she meant it to be. Knowing he'd affected her was more than enough. For now.
He leaned to her ear and said, "I haven't said anything because you weren't ready, but I want you, Brinn. And, I'll have you. Mark my words, Brinn Lako. You're gonna marry me one day."
She started to protest, and he lifted a forefinger to rest against her lips. She closed her mouth. "For once in your life, don't argue with me."
"Why?" She asked it with a tremor in her voice.
He shrugged. "Well, it wasn't from encouragement, I can tell you that. It was just you, from the first moment I saw you on the schoolyard. It’s always been you."
"That makes no sense."
She disentangled from him and slid away, and, for his own sanity, he let her. Still, his eyes tracked her nervous movements.
"Love, men aren't nearly as complex as you seem to believe. It's pretty much, see something, like it, pursue it. We are not complicated."
She threw him a wry glance.
"Hey, I'm not saying that's good. I'm just saying that's what we do. What a woman has to watch is which kind of guy she stops running for. Some men aren't looking for the long haul."
"And, you are?"
"Absolutely. Trouble for you is that I'm that type. If you don't want to marry me, you better start running right now, because I won't give up till you make me."
"I," she began shakily. "I can't get married. I have too many responsibilities. My work, and mother."
He scoffed at that. "A woman like you can do anything."
"Like
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