Chapter 18: Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

I’d phrased my words in such a way that it seemed like I was in love with Brennan. I panicked and quickly withdrew my hand from his.

“I think I’m pretty tired. I might head to bed,” I blurted out.

Brennan opened his eyes and looked at me. “Alright. I might hang out here a bit longer. You good finding your way back inside?”

I nodded and moved to the edge of the hot tub. I climbed out, picked up my dress, and wrapped a towel around my body.

I headed inside, down the stairs, and into the guestroom. I walked into the attached bathroom and turned the shower on to cold. I stripped off my wet underwear and stepped under the icy water.

It was a shock to my system, but it didn’t stop the relentless thoughts of Brennan.

After five minutes of freezing myself, I turned off the shower and stepped out. I dried off and walked into the room. I put on a t-shirt and fresh underwear, then climbed into bed.

I fell asleep easily, even though it was still early. Brennan had been right about the week being stressful; the weekend had really taken a toll on me.

~The hot water lapped at my neck. It felt like a comforting blanket. I felt his hand on my shoulder, his fingers curling into the nape of my neck.~

~In my dreams, I could let go, give in to the temptation. So, I turned, lifting my leg over his lap and lowering my body onto his. Sitting so close, I could feel him beneath me, our thin layers of fabric the only thing separating us.~

~“Tell me what you want,” Brennan murmured, his voice a whisper in my ear, causing goosebumps to rush over me from head to toe.~

~“You,” I replied, because here I could be honest.~

~Brennan’s lips crashed down on mine, his tongue danced with mine, and it felt as real as the last time it had happened.~

~One hand removed my bra and the other cupped one of my breasts as he lifted it, removing his lips from mine and placing them on my nipple, sucking hard.~

~I needed him inside me, I needed to feel full again. I reached down and moved my panties to the side while pulling down his boxers.~

~I lost myself shortly after, moving to a rhythm that my heart was playing. I could feel it building from deep within me, the tension rising until I could no longer hold back.~

~I clutched at Brennan’s back as he bit my shoulder. I began to shudder as my climax rippled right through me. I called his name as I fell. My body slackened into his.~

I woke up with a gasp. The room was pitch black. I looked at the screen of my phone. It was close to midnight. I’d been asleep for a few hours.

I pushed the blankets back and tiptoed out of the room and down the hall into the kitchen. I poured a glass of water and drank it slowly. I rinsed the glass and walked back through the apartment in the dark.

I was still feeling flustered. I’d dreamed about Brennan. The cold shower I’d taken before bed and the early night hadn’t done anything to quell the bubbling lust.

My mind was a whirlwind, and I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I walked right into Brennan’s bare chest.

The collision was awkward. As soon as I realized what I’d done, I tried to jump away, but Brennan grabbed my shoulders to steady me.

“Hey, take it easy,” he murmured. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I lied. I was not okay. I was in over my head, quickly becoming one of the girls I’d had to let down. I needed to get out of here.

“I’m going to stay in a motel until your parents are here,” I whispered. I needed to stop this, and being away from Brennan was the only way I could.

Brennan’s hand slipped into mine, and he led me into the living area. He sat me down on a sofa seat and then walked to another seat on the other side of the room.

I appreciated the distance; my mind was too scrambled to have him close to me.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

I shook my head and pulled my legs up onto the sofa seat and hugged them. I couldn’t tell Brennan I’d just had a sex dream about him. It was laughable, and I was the punchline of the joke.

“Nothing,” I replied. “I just... I think it’s best.”

Brennan stood up and walked into the kitchen. “Juice?”

I watched him as he opened the fridge. The blue light of the fridge illuminated his skin like moonlight, highlighting the body I’d once touched and had just fantasized about. I was thirsty all right, but it wasn’t for juice.

“Yes, please,” I replied.

Brennan took the juice out of the fridge and grabbed two tumblers. He filled them both and then walked over to me. He placed one down on the table beside my chair and walked back to his seat.

“Grace,” he whispered. “You don’t have to go. Stay.”

I frowned, confused, as I looked over at him. Here was a man who’d never stuck around—I could attest to that, I’d seen it myself—and he was telling me to stay.

“I can’t,” I replied with a smile. “But thank you.”

Brennan scoffed and drank his juice like it was whiskey. He placed the cup down on the coffee table in front of him and then looked up at me. Through the darkness of the apartment, our eyes locked.

“What’s going on? Maybe I can help.”

“Nothing is going on, Brennan. I’m fine,” I replied, trying to sound assertive, and I mostly succeeded—or at least I thought so.

“I don’t believe you,” he replied

“What?” I choked out.

“I don’t believe you,” he repeated. “Be honest with me, Grace.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. It was too embarrassing. Brennan was used to one-night stands, I wasn’t. The aftermath had proved to be too much.

I could feel the heat rising in my face. I wanted to run from the room, but then it really would have looked like something was wrong.

“I heard you,” Brennan said softly.

A sinking feeling hit my stomach, and I found myself shaking my head. ~Did he hear me?~