Laurann Dohner: Brawn

“I just like to take a female hard, fast and deep. Species females are bigger and more durable than most human females and I would hurt a human since they are fragile. There is no pleasure for me in that. It would be pointless to have sex with a female like you because I’d end up accidentally bruising her or taking her too rough. As I said, I’m larger and stronger than your males. When I say large, I am not just talking about my height and weight. I’ve seen your males naked and I’m thicker and longer.” He glanced down his body before meeting her gaze again. “Do you understand or do I need to specify the body part I’m referring to?”

Becca was shocked at how blunt the man had been with his answer but she’d asked for it. She let all that information sink in and hid a shiver of fear. Yeah, he could definitely hurt a woman if he didn’t restrain himself at all . All the sexual attraction she felt for him died a quick death on that note. She wasn’t into pain and that put him off the hot list for her.

“Now I totally understand. Thank you for the clarification.”

“You are welcome. Do you need help stripping?”

Becca laughed suddenly. “I thought you said I wasn’t your type?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, unable not to tease him a bit. “You opened yourself up to that one.”

He sighed. “Stripping the bed.”

“We’re a pair, aren’t we? We keep saying things that just sound wrong.” She laughed again. “I’d love for you to help me strip.”

“What the hell?” her father shouted, his heavy footfalls rushing down the hallway closer to the guestroom. “You’d damn well better not.”

Becca watched her father barrel through the door and come to a screeching halt when his shoulder slammed into the frame. She knew he’d obviously just entered her house and heard the last part of their conversation. “Oh, so you’re going to help me strip? Great, Dad. You go on the other side of the bed and yank out the sheets over there.”

“Sheets? I thought…” He frowned.

Becca arched her eyebrows. “You thought what?” She blinked at him innocently.

“Nothing. Proceed. I just came to check…I mean help you move your things. I’ll go in your room and pull your suitcases out of the closet.” He fled.

Becca winked at Brawn when they were alone. “I love to mess with him. It’s so easy.”

“Why?”

“He is bossy and always treats me like I’m a kid. I have some fun at his expense whenever given the chance. It evens us up a little.”

He nodded but didn’t comment. He helped her strip and redress the bed with white-and-black bedding, the only semi masculine set she had and then she left his room to allow him to unpack.

Her father paced inside her room but paused when she entered. His green eyes narrowed and a frown twisted his features, creating lines around his mouth.

“Close the door.”

She did it and crossed her arms over her chest. “What is your problem now?”

“Were you flirting with him?”

She grabbed her heart. “Me? Flirt? Never.”

“Damn it, Rebecca. This is not a man you want to tease. He’s not anything similar to your husband or any other men you’ve known. Bradley was a pansy. He let you walk all over him and asked for more. The man down the hall would eat you for breakfast and I mean that. He’s half animal and can’t be trusted not to act on ingrained instincts. They look like us but never doubt he’s got a predatory side.”

Rage burned bright, hot and fast. “Don’t you ever,” she ground out, “ EVER speak about Bradley that way. Just because he didn’t kiss your ass or join the military right out of high school doesn’t mean he was a pansy. He was kind, gentle and sweet. He was intelligent and soft spoken. He—”

“Was weak.” He spat the words. “And not good enough for my girl. I raised you to be a strong woman and he couldn’t handle that.”

“Get out of my house right now.” She yanked open her bedroom door.

Her father paled. “I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. I’m just worried, baby. That male down the hall isn’t a house kitten. I think he’s a lion mix or perhaps mixed with panther DNA with his black hair. I know more about them than you ever will and if you tease him, he might not understand that it’s just that. He could attack you.”

“Stop it. The only person in this house in danger of being attacked is you, by me. You always hated my husband because he wasn’t cut from the same cloth as you. I used to be thankful for that every day I had with him. Now get out of my house and if you ever just walk inside it again without my express permission first, I’ll shoot your ass. You taught me how and I still have the gun you bought me. Get out now.”

“I’ll be back in fifteen minutes to help you take your things to the main house.” He stepped closer to the door.

“Don’t bother.”

He eased past her. “Fine but it’s going to take you a few trips to carry all the crap you think you need. I’ve seen you pack and I’m betting you’ll need at least three bags.”

“I refuse to live with you ever again. I’m staying right here with Brawn. He’s a nice man who isn’t interested in me and never will be. He’s fine where he is. You’re the one I want to leave.”

Her father frowned. “You can’t stay here with him.”

“Watch me.” She glared. “Get out of my house. I mean it. I told you to never bring up Bradley but you never listen.”

“I’ll let you calm down. You know where the spare key is. I have a date tonight and won’t be home until late. I’ll be at a meeting in the morning when you wake but we’ll talk after I get home. I’m sorry, Rebecca. It’s just been a stressful day and I let my temper get the better of me. I wanted the best for my baby and you know I had issues with Bradley. I think you made a martyr out of him. Everyone has flaws.”

Becca closed her bedroom door in his face and locked it. She heard her father talking to Brawn for a few minutes before the house grew silent. She was pissed and worse, hurt. She waited another five minutes and then eased her door open.

Becca paused at Brawn’s closed door, heard the sound of running water and knew he showered. She had calmed after the argument with her father and now wanted a stiff drink. That always helped her get over hurt feelings after they had a verbal spat and there was the fact that she had a sexy, yet off-limits stranger living in her home.

The family room contained a fully stocked bar, something she’d appreciated when she’d taken possession of the house and had replaced every bottle of liquor, not sure of how old they’d been. She poured herself straight vodka and guzzled the shot. It burned down her throat all the way to her belly. A breath hissed out when she set the shot glass on the bar, straddled the chair and poured another.

Her father drove her crazy and living on the same estate was a really bad idea. It wasn’t as though she were stuck there though. She had the money to move but the idea of giving up her oasis on the property left her feeling a bit fearful. She’d lived in the outside world with Bradley and that hadn’t gone well. She poured and downed a few more shots when the sound of the doorbell pulled her from her depression.

She yanked open the door expecting her father but instead someone else stood on her doorstep. She gave him a genuine smile. “Well, if it isn’t Trey Roberts. Don’t you look good!”

He grinned. “I brought groceries and uniforms for the new guy.” He held two large bags and had a thick garment bag draped over his shoulder. “Point me to the kitchen. Is he here yet?”

She nodded and led Trey into the kitchen. She assessed the man who was her father’s favorite. If her dad had ever had a son, she knew he’d wish Trey were it and he’d shoved her at Trey for years hoping she’d marry the guy. She flirted with him but wasn’t interested. He was too similar to her father, except Trey was nice and had a sense of humor.