Brothers in Blue: Matt Read online

  She didn’t even want to wait for him to get naked. But his body was glorious when bare, especially when she could see every line and plane of him, every bunch and ripple of his muscles.

  Carly decided right there and then he needed to be naked. Like yesterday. Why did she ever make him wait?

  She pulled at his T-shirt, yanking it halfway over his head until it got stuck. He quickly helped remove it. When he was shirtless and she could see the contours of his hard muscles under his skin, she practically turned into a puddle. She brushed her fingers over his shoulders, his arms, appreciating his masculinity, and she became wetter, wanting him more than ever.

  “Get those jeans off now, Marine. Double time.”

  He jumped to his feet, snagging his T, beginning to fold it neatly. This time…this time she didn’t have the patience for his OCD. She bit back a frustrated scream. But he noticed her expression and threw the shirt to the side with a stilted smile.

  She could imagine him giving himself a little pep talk, telling himself that he could leave his clothes where he tossed them. That they didn’t need to be in order.

  His fingers clenched and unclenched for a moment, then he tore at his jeans, peeling them down his lean legs. He almost landed on his ass as he hopped from one foot to the other with his jeans bunched around his ankles until he freed himself of his boots and socks. He gave his discarded clothes a quick glance, then shook his head and fell back to his hands and knees above Carly.

  She was proud of him since she knew how he struggled with letting go of his urge to straighten up. She offered him an encouraging smile and he shot her a wide, toothy one back.

  “Two,” she told him, holding up two fingers.

  He gave her a questioning look.

  “At least two more orgasms, Marine. Can you handle that?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”

  No doubt he would. He felt as hard as a rock against her thigh. So close, yet so far. When he took one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip, she figured she could wait a few more seconds for the main event.

  She pushed her breasts together, encouraging him to give them equal attention. He released one nipple from his mouth, catching it between his thumb and forefinger, and tweaked it hard, causing a shock of lightning down to her toes. His fingers continued their pleasurable torture while his mouth moved to the other, the tip of his tongue traced around the outer areola.

  The ache in Carly’s core increased unbearably. She needed him inside her, filling her up. As if he read her mind, he adjusted his hips between her thighs and slowly slid inside her without releasing her sensitive nipples.

  She threw head back with the sensation overload, gasping out his name. One hand grabbed the back of his head, the other clawed at his ass as he entered her at an excruciatingly slow pace over and over. His body moved in a gentle rhythm that caused her to squeeze him tight inside and out.

  He lifted his head, leaving her nipples glistening, to groan. “You’re so wet, so tight. If I wasn’t already there, you’d be driving me crazy.”

  “It’s a good kind of crazy, and I’m feeling it too,” she said, sliding her hand to cup his cheek. “Keep it up, Marine, and you’ll make me come in a second or two.”

  “I aim to please, ma’am.” With a sharper tilt of his hips, he drove himself deep, making her eyes flutter close.

  Each pound of his cock became harder, deeper, but just as agonizingly slow. Gasps escaped her as she dug her nails into his ass and wrapped her legs around his tighter. He filled her completely, and it was true, he drove her mad with his precise movements.

  “First one, Marine,” she said on a ragged breath when her climax exploded outward, causing her fingers and toes to clench, seeking purchase in his flesh as her hips jumped underneath him. “Oh fuck,” she cried out.

  “You only want two?” he asked, his low voice sounding a bit strained near her ear. He stilled, letting her catch her breath for a second.

  “Two is acceptable. Three’s a bonus. More than that would be extraordinary.” She couldn’t believe she could still string thoughts and sentences together.

  “You’re not asking for much,” he whispered against her skin, chuckling softly.

  A random thought hit her. “Do you think anyone might walk in here?” She shot a quick glance toward the door.

  “You’re worried about that now? You’re just about to have another orgasm, do you really care?”

  With a smile, she arched her back under him. “Do your best to make me not care.”

  “Is that an order?”

  “It sure as hell is, Marine.”

  He nodded, grinned, and gave her a heart-racing pounding that made her breathless, boneless, and definitely forgetful. She concentrated on nothing except him and what he did to her. The sounds coming from between his parted lips. The pressure against her sensitive clit as he would pull out of her almost completely, then slam against her. The slapping of their skin on contact made her toes curl, her eyes become unfocused.

  At that moment and the ones to follow, nothing in the world existed but him.

  Her Matt. Her Marine.

  After the second climax rolled directly into the third, she lost count. His endurance was almost more than she could handle. Their bodies became slick, their breathing labored, and their limbs trembled.

  About to cry mercy herself, she realized he waited for her permission to come, for her to allow his release.

  “Matt, come for me,” she urged.

  Between gritted teeth, he said, “Only if it was extraordinary.”

  “Yes, Marine, it was. Now let go.” Though she tried to put some strength behind her voice to give him the command, she failed miserably. She felt too drained to do anything other than murmur the words. But he heard her.

  With a shuddered breath, his hips jerked one final time as he spilled inside her, the root of his cock pulsating against her sensitive, swollen flesh.

  The sense of complete fulfillment overcame her as he carefully lowered his weight onto her, slipping to her side. With a hand propped against his head, he studied her.

  She was sure she looked a mess. Her hair a rat’s nest, her barely-there makeup completely worn away, her eyes glazed with satisfaction, and beads of sweat dotting her forehead.

  The benefit to his cropped haircut was he still looked put-together after their marathon session and more handsome than ever, especially with the sweat over his upper lip and his heavy breathing. If Carly wasn’t so spent, she’d be tempted to climb on top of him and begin all over again.

  But she couldn’t. And checking out his relaxed expression, he didn’t seem capable either. In one way, it was a pity, in another it proved how intense their lovemaking could be.

  Lovemaking.

  She reminded herself their relationship consisted of “just sex.” Pure, unadulterated sex. Mind-blowing S. E. X.

  Her lips curved into a smile.

  “What are you smiling about?” he asked as he brushed her damp hair away from her face.

  “You.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “What about me?”

  “How you react to me giving you orders.”

  “You like that, huh?

  “I like calling you Marine. Though…maybe I should call you Officer instead. You’re no longer a Marine.”

  “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” he stated firmly. “But you can call me Asshole as long as we continue to have sex like that.”

  “Your staying power is impressive.”

  “Yeah, I was pretty close to dying. I think I saw a bright light. I hope you don’t judge my future performances with that one. Remember, I’ve been saving it up for a month.”

  “You and me both,” she said, sighing.

  He flopped onto his back, using his forearm as a pillow. “I missed you.”

  It was her turn to flip onto her side and look down into his face, though he avoided her eyes. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”


  “Just a warning…saying things like that makes me love you even more.”

  He stared up at the ceiling of the barn, quiet. She studied his strong features, the curve of his nose, the jut of his chin, the line of his jaw. She traced the curve of his lips with her fingertip. He parted them, his tongue darting out and in quickly to lick her.

  She yanked her hand back and laughed. “That tongue has some skills, Marine, don’t tempt me to put you back to work.”

  “Mmm. Nothing’s hotter than you tasting yourself on my lips.”

  “I’m glad you’re home,” she said, meaning every word.

  “You’re not the only one.” He sat up abruptly, pulling her up with him. “In fact, let’s go home.”

  She liked the sound of that coming from him. It gave her hope that he would be okay. He just needed to stay the course. Keep taking his meds, show up for therapy. And she would be glad to help him relieve any built-up stress or tension with amazing, mind-numbing sex.

  Yes, she had no problem volunteering for that.

  As he gathered his scattered clothes, she watched him move, completely comfortable in his naked state. He should be, his body was one of the best she’d seen. He kept himself in such good shape, his low body fat showing off each contour of his muscles. As he turned to pick up his discarded boots, her gaze landed on the tattoo that covered his back. The huge, permanent reminder of his sense of loyalty and duty.

  Before she could stop herself, she approached him, running her fingers over the body art, and then laid a kiss in the center of his back.

  He peered over his shoulder at her. “What was that for?”

  “You just being you,” she said before going over to her neatly folded pile of clothes and dressing.

  “It’s a shame,” he said as she pulled on her sandals.

  “What is?”

  “You having clothes on.”

  “No, the real shame is when you have your clothes on. Anytime we’re at the house and you want to walk around buck naked, you won't hear a peep of complaining from me.”

  He snorted. “Remember my mother has a key.”

  “Oh yeah. That could be awkward.”

  When they were both dressed, he held out his hand for her and she took it. He led her from the barn.

  The sun had dropped and dusk crept in. They heard a noise from the direction of the bakery next door.

  Amanda finished locking the back door and turned toward them. “And here I thought we had a herd of in-heat barn cats. Oh yeah. Now all the Brysons have christened that pile of straw,” Amanda said, picking up Hannah’s carrier and heading toward the farm house. Chaos ran circles around her as she walked. “Actually, that’s kind of gross when you think about it,” she called out over her shoulder, still laughing.

  They let her go ahead and strolled hand in hand back to their vehicles to head home.

  Chapter 16

  About time he invited you to dinner,” Mary Ann clucked, squeezing Carly’s shoulder as she leaned over her to place an overflowing dish of homemade mashed potatoes on the already stuffed table.

  “Ma, don’t start,” Matt grumbled.

  His mother put up her hands in surrender. “I’m just saying.”

  “Thanks for having me, Mary Ann. Do you need help with anything?” Carly asked.

  His mother waved her hand absently. “No, you just sit there. The girls are bringing in the rest of the food.”

  As if on cue, Matt’s sister-in-law and future sister-in-law did what Ma said. They bustled into the room, their hands full of steaming dishes and bowls.

  He knew Leah was just as good a cook as his mother and Amanda was almost there. Not quite, but she was still learning.

  Matt leaned over to the woman next to him. “Can you cook?”

  Carly blinked at him.

  “You’re such an asshole, Matt,” Amanda said, placing a green bean casserole in the center of the table. “She’s a freaking doctor. She doesn’t have to cook.”

  “No one has to cook,” Leah pipped in.

  Greg, of course, only picked up on the important words of the conversation and laughed.

  Everyone turned towards him, waiting on bated breath for him to shout out the curse word. When he remained silent with only a crooked smile on his face, everyone’s jaw dropped and they all gave each other questioning looks.

  “Bud, are you feeling all right?” Amanda asked her younger brother.

  “Uh huh,” he answered, his arms flinging wildly as he bounced in his seat.

  “You sure?” Amanda asked again, her eyebrows lifted halfway to her hairline.

  “Yes, asshole!” Greg yelled.

  The whole table relaxed as one. Leah hid her smirk behind her hand.

  “There we go,” Marc muttered, stealing a roll from the bread basket.

  “He had me worried for a minute,” Max said, moving the butter out of Marc’s reach on purpose.

  Matt turned to address Carly. “I know you hate when I apologize. But just hear me out for a sec… I’m so sorry for what you’re about to be subjected to at this dinner table.”

  “Can we not just have a nice peaceful family dinner for once? Can we all be on our best behavior since we have a guest?” his mother asked, clearly fretting at the head of the table.

  “Carly’s not a guest, honey, she’s part of the family,” Ron told his wife.

  “Yeah, they’re practically living together,” Marc chimed in.

  “No, he’s still living in that godda—” Mary Ann’s eyes flicked to Greg. “Gosh darned tent.”

  Just then Menace, Marc’s oversized Mastiff, approached the table, squeezed between Matt and Carly, and released a belch.

  “Holy shit, dude, get your beast,” Matt yelled at Marc, attempting to wave away the toxic fume that escaped the dog’s mouth.

  Menace was almost big enough now to lay his head on the table, but not quite. However, the smell of food was making him hungry apparently, since he had two strings of saliva coming from his jowls that almost reached the floor. Someone call Guinness, because that had to be a world record.

  “So disgusting,” Matt said, glaring at his middle brother.

  “He’s just a baby,” Marc answered, defending his dog.

  “That thing is hardly a baby.” Matt shook his head. He attempted to shoo the dog away. “Go away, Menace.”

  The clumsy Mastiff gave him a look with pity-me-I’m-starving eyes before lumbering off, leaving one long slobber string clinging to Matt’s pant leg. He made a what-the-fuck face at Marc.

  His brother smirked and shoved the unbuttered roll in his mouth.

  “Can we pass the dishes, please?” Ron asked impatiently.

  As if synchronized, everyone grabbed a dish and started filling their plates.

  Carly glanced down the table at the empty chair. “But aren’t we waiting for someone?”

  “Teddy. He’s always fashionably late,” Max said, air-quoting fashionably.

  “Teddy’s a homo,” Greg crowed, then laughed with a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

  A collective groan rose from the table. Amanda covered her eyes while shaking her head. “I so did not teach him that.”

  “That’s homosexual to you, sir,” Teddy said, bursting into the dining room with flair. He patted Greg on the head and pulled out the empty chair. “So, what did I miss? Ooo. Ma made her yummy mashed potatoes. Give me those, handsome.” Teddy accepted the bowl from Marc and slapped a big scoopful onto his plate. When he finished, he looked up and around the table. “I didn’t miss anything? No surprise pregnancies? No shotgun engagements? No drama at all?” His last two words ended up coming out higher pitched than normal. He vehemently shook his head. “No. Impossible.”

  Everyone ducked their head and ate quietly. Teddy shoved a forkful of green beans in his mouth, then sat up straight like he’d been goosed. “Wait,” he whispered. He glanced down the table at Carly. “Hey, Doc! How did I miss you there?”

  She gave him a smile and shrugged.
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  “How’s the vaginas been treating you?”

  “Holy fuck,” Max groaned.

  Ron slammed his hand on the table next to Matt, causing him to just about jump out of his skin. Then his father’s face turned dark red. Matt wasn’t sure if he was laughing or mad… Or choking.

  “You okay, Pop?” Matt asked, patting him on the back.

  He nodded his head in answer and quickly took a gulp of sun tea.

  Matt leaned around Carly, gave Teddy a glare and mouthed, “What the hell?”

  Teddy simply shrugged and gave him a big smile before going back to concentrate on his food.

  “Speaking of vaginas…” Amanda started.

  “Oh no,” Max groaned. “Baby—”

  “Hush.” She waved a hand in Max’s face to shut him up. “Carly, what do you know about vagina rejuvenation?” She leaned forward and added, “Asking for a friend.” And she followed it up with an exaggerated wink.

  Marc snorted. Leah put her fork down and covered her face with her hands, her body shaking uncontrollably. With laughter, Matt presumed, and hoped she wasn’t sobbing with second thoughts about marrying into the family.

  Max wore a horrified expression. Mary Ann sighed. And Ron just shoved another piece of chicken marsala into his mouth, smiling around his food.

  Greg asked, “What’s a vage…vagina?”

  Teddy turned to him and answered, “A scary, scary place.”

  Carly finally responded with a simple, “Umm…”

  Matt placed a hand on her thigh, squeezed, and said, “Don’t even answer that.”

  “Can we please just eat for once like a normal family?” his mother asked, wearing a frazzled expression.

  Max scraped his chair back, starting to rise from his seat.

  Ron jabbed his fork toward his oldest son. “Sit down. No one is leaving the table until after dessert.”

  “I have to check the baby.”

  “The baby is fine. Sit down.”