Free BreakMeIn by Sara Brookes Page A

wasn’t boiling her
blood. She swallowed, focusing on the fact she needed to remain calm.
    “Ready for your brother to come home? Hear about all the
stories about their adventure?”
    “God, I hope not.”
    She cringed at the thought of how hard the blatant display
of love had to be on him. “It has to be a painful reminder.”
    “What?” Alex shook his head as he licked a stray drop of
sauce from his finger. “Oh no, I just meant I suspect the majority of their
stories will be how much they didn’t get to see.” He smiled and gestured
with his elbow toward her as he started to walk out of the room. “Grab the
bottle of wine, will you? Thought we’d pull up the coffee table and watch a
movie with dinner.”
    “Sounds great.” She clutched her wine, slowly counting to
ten. The need to talk to Alex before things really got out of hand churned in
her gut. She would be angry with herself if she didn’t say anything. She’d
known him for too long, respected him too much, to keep silent.
    It was all just a matter of timing so he didn’t feel as
though she was attacking him. If he was her submissive she would have taken him
over her knee and left a lasting impression. But such discipline wasn’t the
kind of care Alex needed.
    She wove her way around the wide couch and kicked off her
shoes before kneeling at the low coffee table situated in front of the huge
flat-screen television. “What sort of bloodshed-and-testosterone-laden film
will we be enjoying this evening?”
    “ Die Hard .”
    She nearly snorted. “One of my favorites.” She meant it too.
The more disaster on the screen, the more likely she was to kick back and
forget the world for a few hours. Chick flicks had never been her thing. Though
she held a special place in her heart for a few titles, she’d take a bunch of
explosions over lovesick heroines any day.
    Alex nudged a movie case and a bottle of tequila toward her.
“I have Rambo for later if you want to do some shots.”
    “Last time we did I woke up in the bathtub still in my
clothes with the shower running.” And more liquor is the last thing you
need. “No thanks. I’d rather keep my wits about me this evening.”
    The movie began and they both dug into the meal Alex had
prepared. The noodles were rubbery, the meat dry and overdone. He’d never
claimed to be a world-class cook, but the food he’d prepared before had always
been above subpar. What he’d served tonight was barely even edible.
    Appetite diminished, she curled her legs under her as she
turned her body slightly to face him. Though she kept her eyes on the screen,
she kept up the running commentary with him about the movie they’d watched
together countless times. They’d always found pleasure in dissecting a few
inconsistencies with the plot and characters.
    “Refill?” She held out her wineglass as he gestured toward
her. His hand closed around hers to hold the glass steady and Elena tried not
to notice the fact her nerves jumped at the contact of their skins.
    What the hell was wrong with her?
    Alex’s eyes flashed in the glow of the television set and
before she knew it, his hand slid under her hair as he reached around and
cupped her nape. The contact made her eye flutter closed even as warning bells
went off in her mind.
    She couldn’t do this. They couldn’t do this. Whatever this was.
    But his touch felt so damn good. Especially because she’d
been waiting for it for what seemed like eternity. She may not be able to give
him the lessons he’d asked her for, but this was something entirely different.
    This sort of simple contact was something she could
surrender to.
    Even though it was so, so wrong.
    “Alex.”
    His mouth brushed gently against hers, stealing his name
from her lips. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, fluttering as if they’d been
suddenly released after years of captivity. In essence, they had.
    His fingertips pulled at her neck and she automatically
lifted her face as he kissed her with