Matt & Brooklyn: A Standalone in the "Again for the First Time" Family Saga (AFTFT Book 2) by Raven St. Pierre
Authors: Raven St. Pierre
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what I was experiencing wasn’t typical. I knew these breaks were rare, which was why I wore myself out during the week, trying to be everywhere at the same time. I was hungry for this. My parents taught us that hard work was the only way to achieve greatness, and I believed that, and now it all seemed to be paying off.
I thanked cliff and ended the call. It took everything in me not to wake Brook and tell her the good news, but she looked too peaceful to disturb her. We’d talk about it tomorrow.
I took my seat again and went over my schedule on my phone, looking at what I had planned for tomorrow. Another full day ahead for me, but Brook didn’t seem to mind entertaining herself until I got back. I bought my plane ticket to Albuquerque, sent the itinerary to Cliff like I said I would, and then got up to turn out the light. The sound of Brook snoring had me laughing, quietly so I wouldn’t wake her. She wouldn’t believe it when I told her about it tomorrow, but that wouldn’t stop me from making fun of her.
Lying there with a few feet of space between us, I watched her through what little light managed to make it through the window. She was as beautiful today as the first day I fell for her; maybe even more so. Pretending not to be in love with her was harder than she would ever realize, but it’s like I said; I know deep down she feels something, too.
I had no idea what made her who she was—protective of her heart like a woman who’d been burned before, cold when she felt herself getting too close to someone—but even through all that, I saw who she really was. Brook was the best person I’d ever met. She had drive like I’d never seen before; her heart was big and I couldn’t help but to want her to let me all the way inside it. Maybe that was what kept me holding on; knowing that, when and if she ever gave in, what we’d have would be incredible.
Nothing could make me give up on this woman.
Not time. Not distance. Not the challenge of winning her heart.
Nothing.
She’d had me in knots since day one, and she knew as well as I did, no one could undo that but her.
*****
Brooklyn
It took me a few seconds to get my bearings, but the first thing I saw was Matt lying on his stomach beside me in his bed, stretched out across it sideways.
It was still dark, but how long had I been asleep?
…in his bed. I couldn’t believe I’d done that.
My first thought was to get up and go to my own room because this was inappropriate on sooo many levels, but I didn’t move right away, even knowing I should have. Instead, I lie there staring at him, watching as his back rose and fell with each slow breath he took—smooth, tight skin, tanned by the California sun, covering the contours of muscle that came naturally to him. At the thought of it, I smiled a bit, unable to recall even one time this man had been to a gym. And with the way he ate, it was a miracle he and I could even fit in this bed together. He was just like this all on his own, though. No workout required to achieve this…. this…
When I realized ‘ perfection’ was the word I was searching for, I tore my eyes away from him and sat up straight in the bed.
‘All right, Brook, that’s enough,’ I thought to myself.
I eased my way down to the end of the bed and only managed to place one foot on the carpet when Matt rolled over onto his back. I think I shifted the mattress too much. A heavy sigh left his lips, but he didn’t open his eyes. I finally stood and was just about to finish making my exit, but instead my eyes traveled down his chest, then to the effortless definition in his stomach, and then lower…
…lower to the bulge at the front of his sweats.
‘Quit staring!’ I yelled inside my head, but I didn’t even blink.
His stomach flexed and released when his breathing deepened again and I wet my lips. There, through the material, I could make out details of my best friend’s anatomy that I’d never seen and tried not to
I thanked cliff and ended the call. It took everything in me not to wake Brook and tell her the good news, but she looked too peaceful to disturb her. We’d talk about it tomorrow.
I took my seat again and went over my schedule on my phone, looking at what I had planned for tomorrow. Another full day ahead for me, but Brook didn’t seem to mind entertaining herself until I got back. I bought my plane ticket to Albuquerque, sent the itinerary to Cliff like I said I would, and then got up to turn out the light. The sound of Brook snoring had me laughing, quietly so I wouldn’t wake her. She wouldn’t believe it when I told her about it tomorrow, but that wouldn’t stop me from making fun of her.
Lying there with a few feet of space between us, I watched her through what little light managed to make it through the window. She was as beautiful today as the first day I fell for her; maybe even more so. Pretending not to be in love with her was harder than she would ever realize, but it’s like I said; I know deep down she feels something, too.
I had no idea what made her who she was—protective of her heart like a woman who’d been burned before, cold when she felt herself getting too close to someone—but even through all that, I saw who she really was. Brook was the best person I’d ever met. She had drive like I’d never seen before; her heart was big and I couldn’t help but to want her to let me all the way inside it. Maybe that was what kept me holding on; knowing that, when and if she ever gave in, what we’d have would be incredible.
Nothing could make me give up on this woman.
Not time. Not distance. Not the challenge of winning her heart.
Nothing.
She’d had me in knots since day one, and she knew as well as I did, no one could undo that but her.
*****
Brooklyn
It took me a few seconds to get my bearings, but the first thing I saw was Matt lying on his stomach beside me in his bed, stretched out across it sideways.
It was still dark, but how long had I been asleep?
…in his bed. I couldn’t believe I’d done that.
My first thought was to get up and go to my own room because this was inappropriate on sooo many levels, but I didn’t move right away, even knowing I should have. Instead, I lie there staring at him, watching as his back rose and fell with each slow breath he took—smooth, tight skin, tanned by the California sun, covering the contours of muscle that came naturally to him. At the thought of it, I smiled a bit, unable to recall even one time this man had been to a gym. And with the way he ate, it was a miracle he and I could even fit in this bed together. He was just like this all on his own, though. No workout required to achieve this…. this…
When I realized ‘ perfection’ was the word I was searching for, I tore my eyes away from him and sat up straight in the bed.
‘All right, Brook, that’s enough,’ I thought to myself.
I eased my way down to the end of the bed and only managed to place one foot on the carpet when Matt rolled over onto his back. I think I shifted the mattress too much. A heavy sigh left his lips, but he didn’t open his eyes. I finally stood and was just about to finish making my exit, but instead my eyes traveled down his chest, then to the effortless definition in his stomach, and then lower…
…lower to the bulge at the front of his sweats.
‘Quit staring!’ I yelled inside my head, but I didn’t even blink.
His stomach flexed and released when his breathing deepened again and I wet my lips. There, through the material, I could make out details of my best friend’s anatomy that I’d never seen and tried not to
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