Our Promise

"You know, I really don't do this." Serena tore herself away from their kiss, breathless, heart pounding, every nerve in her body alive and on fire as his skillful hands moved across her body.

"Don't do what?" He growled, nuzzling her neck, hands sliding up to gently caress her breasts.

"Have one night stands with strangers." She gasped as he palmed her sensitive nipples, arching herself against his hands.

"Who says this is a one night stand?" He lifted his head and his eyes met hers, heavy-lidded, his full lips curved into a seductive smile. Serena drew a breath and pulled him down to her into a heated kiss.

They'd met at Andy's, the only bar in town. Serena certainly hadn't been looking to hook up with him, or with any guy for that matter. It was Friday, the start of a glorious weekend off from work, and all she'd wanted was a quiet beer, one of Andy's to-die-for burgers, and maybe to have a conversation with someone that didn't revolve around her job.

He came in after she did and sat down next to her. She nodded at his polite greeting and then he'd turned away, watching the football game on the television mounted above the bar. She'd never seen him before, and in this little town, she sure as hell would have noticed someone as ruggedly handsome as him.

In the subdued light, she studied his profile: straight nose, high forehead, nice mouth. Even when he was relaxed, it was curved into a slight smile. His hair was messed up from the winter wind outside, darker brown near the back, the lighter strands in the front probably leftover summer highlights. She could imagine him, tanned and shirtless, mountain biking or perhaps hiking. She sighed, pushed aside that silly daydream, turned her attention back to her burger, and ate in a blissful haze for several minutes.

"That looks amazing."

She turned, with a mouthful of food, to find him watching her. He pointed to the half-eaten burger she held in her hands.

Serena nodded and he waited while she finished chewing. "It is. Andy's a pretty good cook when it comes to burgers. Ask for one with everything, including the sauce. The sauce is the key; without that, it's just a good burger. With it, it's heaven on a bun."

The guy flashed her a killer smile that she knew she'd never forget and she found herself smiling back. She couldn't help herself. She noticed his eyes. She'd seen many blue eyes over the years, but these drew her in. They were such a clear blue they looked bottomless, like the summer sky reflected on still water. When he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled. She liked that – liked it a lot, actually.

"I'm Serena Daniels." She held out her hand. He took it, holding it firmly for a moment rather than shaking it quickly. A minor tremor raced through her and she drew in a deep breath, feeling her pulse quicken.

"Brody Sullivan." He released her hand, his smile deepening.

She exhaled a nervous laugh. "It's really nice to meet you, Brody."

And so they talked. Serena relaxed, laughing more than she had in a long time. Slowly the conversation subtly shifted to flirting-serious flirting-and then to Serena asking him to come home with her. Maybe her original intent was just to continue talking, to get to know him better, but it really didn't matter; they both knew where this night was headed.

Once inside her house, things escalated pretty quickly, Brody taking control and Serena letting him. The energy between them was charged with breathtaking passion, and she felt herself get lost, immersed in the desperate need to belong to him if only for the night, to let him take her wherever he desired.

They'd started out on the sofa in her living room, hands exploring, touching, clothes coming off slowly at first, then with wild and reckless abandon. She'd found herself distracted by the downstairs windows, which did not have curtains to block the view from curious neighbors. And distracted was the last thing Serena wanted to be, not while wrapped in the muscled arms of such a gorgeous, fiery man.

Finally she'd just grabbed his hand, both of them laughing as she pulled him up from the couch and up the stairs to her bedroom.

The only light came from the moon and the faint glow from the lone streetlight at the corner, casting everything in shades of blue and gray. They stood beside her bed, bodies pressed together, locked in a deep kiss. She suddenly felt anxious, a mix of curious desire and frenzied desperation fusing together, an overpowering grip on her heart that she didn't quite understand. He lowered his mouth to her shoulder, his soft lips tracing the curve, dipping into the sensitive spot on her neck.

"I don't do one night stands either." Brody's voice was now muffled against her heated skin, his fingers woven through her hair. He suddenly straightened, his blue gaze searching her face in the soft, cool light. He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear, his eyes never moving from her.

"I'm not married, if that's your worry. But...it's...a bit complicated. I'll tell you the story...later...after..." His words were lost against her lips and she gave herself up to him, letting him do with her as he pleased,