Briar's Champion by Mahalia Levey Read Free Book Online Page B

importance of showcasing. The centerpiece of the room or hallway is the main decorative piece. ”
    She prattled on while he rubbed the rim of a bottle with the hem of his shirt, before taking a sip. Nothing like a good beer to end an otherwise hectic day.
    “You toning me out already?”
    “I hear you sexy.” He admired her passi onate nature in and out of bed.
    “Hmmph.” He watched her gauge the wall , decid ing if the spot worked. “Now what about that last box?”
    “ What box ? Y ou unpacked everything .” While he’d been content to live among stacked cardboard and strewn furniture , she hadn’t. Not since they spent more time in his penthouse than in her apartment .
    “You know , the one marked Sam.”
    “That’s not going to be unpacked. It’s on the shelf in my closet.”
    “We can go through his things together. You said I was the only one you trusted to talk about him with , ho w he protected our country and paid with his life. Such a man doesn’t belong on a shelf in the dark. His memory belongs in the light with memories that heal in time. ” Briar ran her hands up his chest, and placed a kiss on his lips.
    Sloan set the bottle on the table behind him to thread his hands through her hair, deepening the kiss. He parried and molded her body to his. The need for oxygen abated leaving only a burning desire to taste her, his piece of salvation.
    “Stop distracting me…”
    “You kissed me first.” He winked and slid his hands around her curvaceous ass.
    She swatted his hand away , forcing him to turn her body to face him, with nowhere to go.
    “You gonna leave me all worked up like this baby?” Sloan enjoyed the way her eyes dilated when she was aroused. Yeah , she felt the rock hard part of him against her belly.
    “Let’s tackle Sam and then…I’ll take care of you…Real good care.” With the final breathy order, she grabbed his cock and palmed the length through his jeans. His dick jerked in response.
    “Sex first?”
    “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, thrice and more shame on me. Every time I bring up Sam you distract me with sex. You’ll not be making first or second base this time.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “But you can have a homerun if you cooperate.” She gave one long slow stroke to his dick and dropped her hand.
    He let out a hiss to gain control of his body and stepped toward his room. Briar linked her hand in his and padded down the hallway by his side.
    He led her into his master bedroom and dropped her hand. Briar sat on the edge of the bed as he went to retrieve Sam’s box. “You are good at blackmailing.”
    “Women’s prerogative. ”
    Sloan ignored the pang of grief within his chest and fought the overwhelming guilt that came with outliving a sibling who never had a chance to have a family or a future. H e understood Briar’s need for him to move forward. However, t elling her his most personal hell did n’t mean s he got to take charge and fix him. A man was entitled to his own grief.
    “I love you Sloan Guiterrez. I fell in love with you the moment our eyes connected. We can hardly name our son or daughter after their heroic uncle if you can’t see past your hurt and guilt to tell our namesake why your brother was so special.” Strong with a hint of vulnerable , she put him on notice and shocked the shit out of him.
    “ You’re, we’re , having a baby?”
    “Yes. Didn’t I just say so ? ” He caught the twinkle in her eye as she slid off the bed to meet him, the box resting between them.
    “This is why you’ve pushed this so hard.” As he spoke the words, she nodded in confirmation.
    “Now that I have your total attention …” She pointed to the box. “ This isn’t going to unpack itself and I promised you a homer.”
    “I want more than one. I want a lifetime of them with the woman I’ve loved since first glance .” Raw emotion constricted his vocal cords. Instead of answering right off, she bent down, he followed