Page 70 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

“Brennen,” I pant, still trying to catch my breath. “Hurry. I need you.”

He chuckles softly against my neck, the rumble of the sound tingling my insides before pulling back slightly to look into my eyes, a gaze filled with lust and promise. “I need you too, Jos,” he whispers, his voice hoarse. His fingers leave my soaking wet folds and he positions himself at my entrance, slowly pushing in. I gasp at the feeling of being filled by him, my womanhood pulsing. He groans as he bottoms out, his eyes never leaving mine as he begins to move inside me. We’re perfectly synchronized with the turning of the wheel; up and down, in and out, our bodies moving together as if we’ve never been apart.

The night air is chilly, but the way he is fucking me is scorching hot. I practically melt as he lifts a lock of hair off my face, giving it a little tug before tucking it behind my ear. We lock lips again, the taste of cotton candy adding sweetness to our tongues as we explore each other’s mouths. His hips begin to move faster, finding a rhythm that has me seeing stars. His thumb finds my clit once more, circling it gently, as his other hand finds my breast, palming it over the fabric of my dress. The sensation of the material of the dress reminds me of the texture of the ropes he uses to bind me, which has me practically floating in ecstasy. With every push into me, he goes deeper, and I can’t get enough.

Thank goodness for the closed car so no one can see us as we lose ourselves in this intimate moment. All that matters now is the connection we share underneath the twinkling lights. As we near the top again, the wheel picks up speed until our cart creaks with each rocking movement. I bite down on my lip to stifle my cries of pleasure when Brennen hits just the right spot overand over again. When my core contracts, my body starts shaking with another orgasm so powerful my whole body trembles.

I try to speak, Brennen’s name lingering on my lips, but it gets lost in the air as the wind carries it away.

I feel the moment he releases inside me, his cock pulsing as he growls like a wild animal. We remain tangled up in each other’s arms, hearts pounding against our chests, until our breathing returns to normal. We break apart reluctantly, both grinning like fools as we fix our clothing. When the Ferris wheel comes to a stop with our car on the ground once more, the operator opens the cage with a wink, and Brennen helps me out.

As we walk away, hand in hand, he leans into my ear and whispers, “that was...unexpected.”

“You started it! How was it unexpected?” I laugh, leaning into his shoulder. “And it was breathtaking, by the way.”

“I wasn’t planning on getting busy with you on the Ferris wheel, but...” He trails off, as if trying to find the right words. “You’re just so gorgeous, I can hardly keep my hands off of you.”

We continue our stroll through the festival grounds, our steps synchronized as we weave in and out of the throngs of people. The smell of carnival food wafts through the air and I can’t help but laugh.

“What?” he asks as he playfully nudges me with his elbow.

“Nothing,” I say, grinning up at him. “I was just thinking about cotton candy and Ferris wheels and how they’ll never be the same now.”

He laughs with me, pulling me into a side hug.

“Would you like to come home with me? I think I know where we can find a nice bottle of wine,” he says with a wink as he leads me back to the Celtic Knot’s booth.

Chapter 12

Brennen

Ever since the night of the festival, Jos and I have fallen into a routine of spending evenings at my place. I’ve got an early flight in the morning to present Sophia’s new creation at a prestigious competition, so she’s heading back to her place.

“Wish me luck in Atlanta. Hopefully, this is going to turn things around for the winery.”

Joselyn rises up on her tiptoes and puts her arms around my neck. “I believe in you. And in Sophia’s abilities. You’re gonna do great.”

She seals her words with a kiss, my lips lingering on hers as long as I dare before saying the hell with it and hauling her upstairs to my bed. As she’s leaving, I hear her speaking with someone just outside the door.What the fuck?I hear the surprise in her voice as she greets the visitor.Ryan?

My mask immediately goes on, my face not giving anything away, as I watch him enter the living room for the first time in twenty-two years. Looking through the open front door, I can see his Indian motorcycle parked near the front porch. Seems we both have a thing for vintage rides.

“Nice bike,” I say dryly.

“Nice vineyard,” he replies, just as sharp.

I wave him in without a word. I knew this day was coming, I just didn’t know when. Even though my head has accepted that we need to reconcile, the fact that he’s now facing me in person brings back unpleasant memories like bile rising in my throat. The silence between us is thick and awkward. What does one say to the brother who walked out the door when we were just teenagers and never looked back?

“We need to talk,” he finally says.

“You think?” I shoot back, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Look, I know this is awkward?—”

I cut him off, my stubborn pride rearing its head. “Awkward? You show up out of nowhere, after years of nothing, and expect me to just roll out the red carpet?”

“I’m here to help, Brennen,” he answers. “Whether you like it or not.”

“Help?” I spit out a bitter laugh. Even though I’m fully aware I need it, it’s a tough pill to swallow. “You mean, swoop in and play the fucking hero? Save the vineyard because you suddenly decided it matters to you?”

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