Free Keep Me (Shelter Me #3) by Kathy Coopmans Page B

fuck around, man. If you want her then make her yours, but do not fuck her over or hurt her. And for fuck’s sake, quit acting like a pussy motherfucker. Man the fuck up.”
    Those words felt like a punch in the gut. For seven years I watched my brother yearn for Shayne. It damn near destroyed him. That’s how I knew I had to make the first move, so I shot that text to Shelby. The last thing I expected was for her to answer as quickly as she did. She has no idea whatsoever how I am going to pop all of that bubble wrap she’s swathed her beautiful body in. When I discover what she has hidden within all that plastic she tries to hide under, I will do everything to convince her she is not just another one, she is the one.
    Last night’s rehearsal dinner hasn’t slipped my mind, either. When she saw me standing there with my arm around my cousin, she assumed Sydney was another one of my hook-ups. When she marched past us I saw disgust in her eyes and something else... sadness. Fuck, I had been looking forward to last night all damn week, and when I saw that look, I felt gutted.
    Shelby doesn’t strike me as the type of person to be sad about anything. Even when she was here before and we were fighting and digging and throwing harsh words at each other, she was full of life and spunk. That’s why I nicknamed her bella petardo , even though I never told her that until tonight.
    But there is no fire in her eyes now. Something is troubling her, and whatever it is, it’s big. I am going to dig until I find out exactly what it is and fucking fix it. I have to bring back the woman who puts a fire under my ass and makes me want to light up that firecracker, blowing it up into the sky to burst into a rainbow of colors.
     
    ************
     
    This morning I woke up early after having the same dream I've had for weeks. Only this time, the dream escalated even further. Jesus Christ. I rub my hands over my face and my heavy scruff.
    That fucking dream felt so damn real. I can still feel her tongue on my dick as she swirls the tip with her tongue and slowly eases her mouth down, her eyes never leaving mine. Fucking hell!
    I smash my fist into my mattress. I am one horny fucking bastard for even thinking about going there with a woman as pure as she is. Yeah, I need to get my ass up and relieve my sorry sap of a dick.
    "Stay the hell down today, boy,” I yell at my cock as I step under the spray of my shower.
    Fucker isn’t listening, though, so I take hold of him. Fuck, does it feel good as I think about my dream. My head falls forward in defeat and I explode, wishing I was coming in her lush mouth instead of all over my tiled wall.
    Cleaning myself up and changing into a pair of dark jeans and a sweatshirt, I go downstairs to the kitchen. I pull out all the ingredients I need to make French toast and sausage for breakfast, which I learned from Erin is Shelby’s favorite.
    Placing everything in a bag, I hit the garage door opener and then start my Chevy truck, letting it get nice and warm before I step out into the freezing Michigan winter. I'm not complaining by any means because I love the change of seasons in this state, but just like anyone else, I get sick of winter. I'm ready for the warm air and days spent on the beautiful beaches Lake Michigan has to offer.
    Damn, I love the water. The first thing I did after Adam and his construction crew finished building my house up north was to buy a small yacht. I have spent many nights on it, traveling from here to Chicago and back. The calm of the lake and the rushing sound of the water as I plunge through it is freeing and relaxing. I picture Shelby laid out on the deck, naked and sunbathing, her long blonde hair pooled all around her on my shiny deck boards.
    Yeah, fuck this shit... get your ass over there and quit fucking daydreaming like a pussy ass motherfucker!
    Grabbing my coat and my old college ball cap, I lift the bag off of the counter and off I go to show this woman she