She still trembled, unable to speak.
He stroked and soothed her. “My sweet baby, there has to be a solution to our problems. We wouldn’t do these things for anyone else.”
Tears trickled down her cheeks. He didn’t seem to hear himself. In the end, it did come down to the sex for Josh. At least, that’s what he seemed to be saying. If that was the case, he got his rings and his promise back.
“For somebody you brought to spend time with, Brianne seems to be avoiding you,” Josh’s sister, Heather pointed out.
“She’s helping Mom in the kitchen,” Josh defended.
“Since when does Mom need that much help?”
“Bree’s a fantastic cook.”
“Uh-huh. Tell yourself that if you want, big brother. I say, it looks like you’re being avoided.”
Josh knew she was right. Since making love that morning, Brianne had been cool to him. They had made fantastic, mind-blowing love together. Why had that upset her so?
Entering the kitchen, he sought his fiancée. “Mom, can I steal Bree for a while?”
“But I—“ Brianne began to protest.
“Please. She’s a guest and she’s worked as hard as I have.”
Josh grabbed Brianne’s hand. “Let’s go, baby. Let’s take Big for a walk.”
After bundling up for the late fall temperatures, the couple set out with huge dog. “We were going to talk this weekend,” he reminded her.
“You don’t seem to want to.”
“I’m willing to discuss what needs to be done to save us, Bree. I honestly didn’t think there was that much wrong with us.”
”You weren’t paying it very close attention.”
“I wasn’t? I’ve been pretty damn attentive.”
“Josh—“
“No. Now. Hammer and tong.” His voice was firm and determined. “Let’s get it all out right now.”
She shrugged. Like it would do any good. He’d retreat into sullenness and nothing would come of it. “It’s sex to you. It’s what it boils down to.”
“It has never been sex with me. How could you say that about a man who’d give you the moon if you fancied it? I’m confused, Bree. Let me see where I went wrong.” He kept his voice neutral and quiet.
“Do you want the laundry list?”
”I have to have it, don’t I?” He turned her towards him. “But before you start, I need a few things from you.”
She looked up at him with soft, uncertain eyes. “Okay.”
“I need to tell you that I love you so much I ache inside and feel empty when we aren’t together. And if it was ‘just sex’, I might remind you of the times I’ve held you while you slept, because I knew you were too tired or too upset for more. What you needed were my arms around you and I gladly did that for you, baby.”
“I’m sorry. I had forgotten about those times,” she admitted quietly. “But this morning, you made it sound like sex after you drained me of every ounce of energy and then announced we would never do that with anyone else.”
Big pulled insistently at the lead. He wanted more walking and less talking, so the couple continued the walk.
“Bree, what I think we have here is ‘what he said/what she heard’. A man to woman communication gap. We’re going to have to read that Venus/Mars book together.” He sighed heavily. Miscommunication could easily destroy their love. Distance had made it so fragile and delicate. “When I said that this morning, I meant because we love each other, are really committed to each other, that we strive to give each other everything – that includes ultimate pleasure when making love.”
“It felt like a challenge – a one-ups-manship for what I’d done to you.”
“Never, angel! I was thanking you for what you’d done, trying to reciprocate.”
“You over-reciprocated.”
He wanted to smile at that, but he was pretty sure she’d get mad. When had a woman complained of too much pleasure? “How did I do that?”
“You made me feel vulnerable and too out of control. You especially shouldn’t do that after we’ve had a disagreement. It makes me feel – well – conquered. Like you’re saying, ‘I totally devastated you in bed, so I win’.”
“That was totally not what I was trying to do. You said I was selfish and I was trying to be completely unselfish by pleasuring you.”
It made a kind of ‘guy sense’, she supposed. After living most of her life with two males, she could see where they wouldn't look at the situation in the same way. How many arguments had she had with Jeff over their differing slant on any given circumstance? Words could be misunderstood even more so than actions – since men’s vocabulary was even used in their own way.
“We’ll pick up that book tomorrow,” Josh declared. “I love you too much to live without you because of some dumb-ass remark I make.” He pulled her close to his side, nuzzling her hair. “Next issue.”
“Your never coming to see me. Granted you are a very busy man, but you could have spared time if you really wanted to. You know how low that makes me feel on your priority list?”
Hadn’t her friend Denise told him about that? “The honest truth?”
“Of course.”
“I felt intimidated by your family. Two construction workers for God’s sake! ‘Real, manly men’. I knew I wouldn’t stack up by comparison.”
“Josh! That’s ridiculous! “
“Is it? Look at Jeff. He was ready to jump on me if I said anything that could be misconstrued.”
“Jeff is a Neanderthal,” Brianne muttered. “You’re just as much a man as he is. You aren’t having commitment issues.”
Josh had to smile at that. No, wanting to commit was not an issue he had. “Thank you for that much, baby. But then there’s your dad. He may be the strong, silent type, but he kept saying you were ‘his baby girl’. That made me feel like a pimply-faced teenager, taking his daughter on her first ‘car’ date. I’m sure they’re great guys, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time around them without benefit of clergy, if you catch my drift. Especially Jeff. I got the feeling that as far as he was concerned I’ve been ‘doin’ his baby sister and he wasn’t happy about it.”
Brianne had to give him that one. She hadn’t thought of it that way. He hadn’t avoided coming to her; he wanted to avoid the disapproval he knew would be waiting. “I’m sorry, Josh. I never put it together that way before.”
“And my opening my big mouth about you not setting a wedding date opened a whole new can of worms.”
“Yes, it certainly did.”
“What else?”
“Money.”
Now this was a long-standing disagreement between them.
“I guess now is not a good time to tell you the SUV we drove up in is yours.”
“What!”
“Well, actually ours. Brianne Collins and Joshua Chasez own it. I wanted you to take it home for the winter.”
“My Volvo is just fine.”
“Baby, that thing is a hundred years old!”
“It is not – and it’s well maintained.”
“The new one would be great in snow.”
“Keep it. Josh, this is the same argument we always have. You buy me things I don’t want without asking. Gifts are nice, but you have no spending limit. The only time you should be doing that is Christmas and my birthday.”
“I’ll slap a bow on the car and we’ll call it Christmas,” he suggested.
“No. That’s not how it works.” Brianne sighed. “Baby, I realized it’s your generous spirit and your way of making life easier for me, but I don’t deal with it well. I’m used to deciding how money is spent. I don’t want to be given everything, because I admire it or talk about it. You’ve got the means, okay, but don’t do that to me.”
“As long as you understand my only motive all along has been my love for you. I wasn’t trying to buy you. I wasn’t trying to impress you. I’m happy as hell that I’ve never had to do those things with you! I simply love you and want to give you the world.”
“But you’re all I ever wanted.”
“Still?” His smile was thankful. “Angel, you’re all I want, too. Did this help make it better, Bree?”
She nodded. “If we just keep in mind what the other said.”
“I am so willing to try, baby. I don’t want to lose you. I may slip up and you’ll have to give me a nudge. Deal?”
“Deal.” Brianne reached up to kiss him softly. “Shall we set a date to discuss our wedding?”
“Please.” His breath came out in a relieved whoosh.
“New Year’s – if we’re still keeping to our understanding.”
“Indulge me, Bree. What kind of wedding do you want?”
“Small – and I do mean small, Chasez. Family. A very few friends. Some place quiet and private. How does that sound to you?”
“Perfect. I have to warn you though, the only parts I really care about are the part is the ‘I do’ and when we get announced husband and wife.”
She kissed him again. This time, she stroked her tongue between his lips and it soon became a sensual dual.
“Baby, we don’t have enough time for a quickie in the bushes,” he muttered huskily.
“Too cold for my bare butt anyway,” she laughed. “C’mon, Big. Let’s go back.”
With their arms around each other’s waist they headed back to his parents house with lighter hearts than when they had left.
“Why is it men return to their caveman roots on Thanksgiving?” Brianne asked Josh’s mother as they finished cleaning the kitchen.
Everyone had over-indulged in a fantastic turkey dinner, then the men disappeared to watch football.
Karen chuckled. “Want to lay a bet they are watching the game with their eyes closed?”
“That’s a sucker bet. I grew up with two males. And knowing your son, I know Josh will be asleep.”
The two women went to the family room. Roy was asleep in the recliner. Tyler had stretched out on the sofa to snooze. Josh was slumped down in a chair, dozing. Even Big had found a spot for a nap! Karen and Brianne smiled at their men folk.
Brianne went to Josh’s chair and knelt beside it. She stroked his hair back tenderly from his face. Deep blue eyes opened and he gave her a sleepy smile.
“Hiya, baby.”
“Exciting game?”
“I been out a while?” He straightened out his cramped body.
“I’d say so.”
He looked to the television. “Fourth quarter. I don’t remember the second or the third.”
“Then you missed half-time.” She leaned to whisper in his ear. “Wanna miss the post-game show, too?”
Her warm breath and seductive tone caused a shiver down his spine. “It’s not the ‘Skins’.” He rationalized.
Brianne covertly traced his ear with her tongue. “Well?”
With what she was doing to him, he’d even miss the Redskins at the Superbowl! “I take it there’s something you’d prefer me to be doing?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“I’m here for you, babe.”
“I’m going upstairs.” Brianne rose and walked towards the stairs. Her foot had touched the first riser when she was lifted off her feet. She squealed in surprise as Josh threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
“Need a lift?” he asked, chuckling as he strode up the stairs.
“My legs work perfectly fine.”
“I’ve got better uses for them.” Running his hand playfully between her thighs, he received a swat on the rump in retaliation.
Once they got to their room, he closed the door between them and the rest of the world. He unceremoniously dumped Brianne in the middle of the bed and then jumped on top of her. They wrestled and giggled like two children, tickling and poking at each other. When Brianne had finally had enough, she grabbed him by the ears and pulled his head down to hers. She licked at his lips.
“This is not exactly what I had in mind,” she whispered as she continued to nibble at his mouth.
“It’s not?” he asked in mock innocence.
Brianne sucked at his throat, making him groan. “But if you want to wrestle with someone, I can go get Big,” she offered.
“No. Tell me what you had in mind.”
“And here I thought you were such a smart man.”
Josh slid his hands beneath the hem of her sweatshirt, caressing her ribs, before moving up to her unencumbered breasts. “Is this more what you had in mind, baby?”
“Uh-huh.”
The two months of separation and arguments seemed to have made Brianne insatiable – which suited Josh just fine. He’d been more than half-afraid of a cool reception. The long talk they’d had had put a whole new outlook on what they had both felt was a dying relationship. She was much happier and more at ease than she had been for some time since they had aired their differences.
“Josh?” She noticed he’d gone quiet. “Something wrong?”
He shook his head, grinning. “Not a thing. Just planning what part of you to attack next.”
“Decided yet?”
Josh rolled to his back, carrying her along. “I thought I’d let you decide.”
Brianne levered herself up to straddle his thighs, then tugged him to sitting position. With their faces so close she rubbed his nose with hers. “We don’t have to make love, Josh,” she said softly. “I like that we can play together and just talk and be silly.” She put her arms around his neck. “It makes me see a future for us.”
Josh smoothed her hair. “I’m glad, angel. I want that so bad.” Then he had done something right for a change when he brought her in here. He had wanted to prove he didn’t live by his testosterone.
She laid her head on his shoulder with a happy sigh. When his arms closed about her, she murmured, “This feels so nice.”
For a long while, they were content simply to hold each other, and as he had once said, let their hearts do the talking.
“Hey!” Tyler thumped on the door. “Big wants out!”
“C’mon in,” Josh yelled back. He was amused when his younger brother seemed surprised he wasn’t interrupting anything more than a sweet hugging session.
Brianne grinned as she swung off the bed. “If we went at it like you seem to think we do, I could barely walk,” she muttered as she passed the younger man.
“If I had a girl like you, I’d want it twenty-four/seven,” Tyler quipped in return.
“Which is exactly why you don’t have anyone like Bree,” Josh laughed as he rose to follow Brianne. Grabbing her hand, he said, “Let’s go walk our dog, baby.” The sunny smile she gave him made him melt like a snowman in spring.