Brawn - Laurann Dohner [113]
He opened his eyes, looked down and studied her beautiful face resting against his chest. She was the sexiest sight ever. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head against his skin.
“Good. You test me to my limit, Becca.”
She bit her lip and tears filled her eyes. It shocked him when she suddenly used his shoulders for support and lifted up, wiggled out of his hold and got off his lap. She stumbled unsteadily toward the bathroom and he climbed to his feet.
“Becca? Where are you going?” Brawn moved behind her, ready to catch her, but she steadied. Confusion gripped him. Why had she gotten tears and why break contact with their bodies? “I want to hold you.”
“I need a shower.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Don’t,” she whispered and refused to turn her head to even look at him. “I need some time alone.”
“Becca,” he growled, alarmed. What had he done? She’d enjoyed the sex. He’d been careful.
Becca walked inside the bathroom and closed the door nearly in his face. He reached for the handle but the sound of the lock being engaged clicked in his ear. He was astonished. She’d locked him out! Anger came next.
“Becca? Open the door!”
She ignored him and turned on the shower. Why wouldn’t she answer? Why did she want to wash away his scent and seed? He breathed fast, pain tore through him and he felt the rejection straight to his soul. She had rushed to bathe to remove all trace of their shared sex.
His fingers gripped the doorframe and clawed at it. He wanted to roar, to kick the damn door in, but he was afraid he’d scare her. She could slip in the tub again and he wouldn’t be there to catch her.
She’d refused to see him after he’d lost his temper before. The last thing he wanted was for her to be terrified of him. He breathed in and out, tried to get control, but the pain remained. He just wanted her to be his, to feel for him the way he did for her and to accept him. Instead she couldn’t tolerate his scent on her body.
His head lowered and tears filled his eyes. He’d made a mess of things, didn’t know how to fix them and could feel his happiness slipping away each time Becca pushed him away.
Brawn paced the bedroom but his attention kept going to the bathroom door. He should break the lock and go get her. He stopped pacing, snarled and knew he had to resist his urges to go get his female. What had happened?
He closed his eyes, remembered looking down at her after they’d had sex and seen tears in her eyes. A horrible thought struck and he rushed for the phone. She’d looked pained. Had he hurt her? Had he been too rough with her? She said he hadn’t but maybe she’d lied. Damn it.
The call was quickly placed and he put on his jeans. He paced until a soft sound reached his ears. His body grew rigid, all thought fled and he lunged toward the bathroom door. His control snapped at hearing her sharp intakes of breath and the soft sound of her weeping. His shoulder hit the door, the wood exploded inward and he moved with all speed to his female.
Becca tried to fight the urge to cry as she sat in the tub with warm water from the shower raining over her. Brawn had slipped up with his explanation. He’d told her how he wanted to have rough sex and he’d had to restrain himself. It just brought everything into focus and she knew she had to end it.
It hurt. She had fallen in love with Brawn too fast, had known better but her heart hadn’t listened. He’d been honest from the beginning when he’d stated that he’d never want a human. He liked his strong, durable Species women. He could fuck them any way he wanted.
Her hands cupped her stomach. The baby was the only reason Brawn was trying so hard to make it work with her but she’d made that mistake before. She’d married a man she’d loved who had wanted her for the wrong reasons. She’d thought everything with her husband would work out, that he