Needing Nevaeh

by Terri Anne Browning

  I glanced down at the booth, and Braxton finally eased his hold on my hand so I could take a seat. But instead of sitting across from me, he nudged me to scoot over and took the place beside me.

  As soon as he was seated, he retook my hand. Lifting it to his lips, he kissed my knuckles and then pressed it back over his heart. The quiet between us was deafening, and I’d just opened my mouth to ask him if he was okay when the waitress arrived to take our drink order and ask if we would like an appetizer.

  “Just water,” I told her with a tiny smile, and then Braxton ordered the same and an appetizer sampler.

  Moments later, we were alone again, and I couldn’t stand the silence that shrouded us in return. “Braxton—”

  “I know your dad probably told you to cut your losses and move back here. I’ll accept that and won’t make things more difficult for you, Kitten. Just…” He released a heavy sigh, and I watched as a single tear fell from his dark eyes. “Just let me have one more hour with you.”

  I pinched my brows together. “Why would you think Daddy would say that?”

  “I told him everything. If it were my daughter, I would be telling her to dump the douchebag, and then I’d kill the bastard.” His shoulders lifted in a shrug, and my heart twisted with love for him when another tear dripped off the end of his lashes.

  I wiped it away with the thumb of my free hand, then leaned in to kiss his scruff-covered jaw. “Good thing you aren’t Daddy, then. Because that would have been a stupid thing to tell our daughter.”

  He jerked in reaction to my words. “What?”

  I shook my head at the confusion in his tear-glazed eyes. “Daddy didn’t tell me to dump you, but he did mention killing you if you break my heart again.”

  “As he should,” he said gruffly.

  “What he said was that I should give you one more chance, because you have never once broken a promise before.” I bit my lip, thinking just how smart my dad was because he was right. About everything. “That was what hurt the most, Brax. Not so much Darcy, because she is just an attention-seeking bitch. And not the wedding, because I knew you would never actually do something like that to me. But when you kept it all from me… That was what broke me.”

  “Baby.” He cupped my face and pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry. It’s never going to happen again. I never meant to hurt you. It’s killing me that I did. Causing you pain causes me pain.”

  “You better not. I don’t think I could stop my dad from killing you if you do.” I’d meant to tease him, but his face was serious when he stroked his thumb from the corner of my eye down my cheek.

  “If I so much as make a single tear fall from these beautiful eyes again, I’ll let him do his worst,” he vowed. “I love you more than life, Kitten. Because you are my life.”

  The waitress cleared her throat to announce her arrival as she placed our glasses of water on the table in front of Braxton. “Er, sorry. Um, are you two ready to order?”

  I swallowed a laugh at the scowl on Braxton’s face and quickly saved the girl from him. “Salad starter for both of us. Dressing on the side. Chicken parm for me, and he will have the lasagna. And please keep the breadsticks coming.”

  She let out a relieved breath as she scribbled everything down, promised the appetizers would be out shortly, and booked it back to the kitchen.

  Grinning up at Braxton, I kissed his chin. “I’m assuming Mom told you this is one of my favorite restaurants.”

  “She might have said if I wanted back in your good graces, this was the right place to start,” he confirmed. But then his hands were tangling in my hair, and he was angling my head back so he could kiss me hungrily.

  My mouth felt tender and swollen when he finally lifted his head. “I love you so fucking much.”

  Gasping for breath, I pulled his head back down to mine. “I love you too.”

  Chapter 24

  Braxton

  Still kissing Nevaeh’s lips, I scanned the keycard over the hotel room door lock and heard the click before pushing the thing open. Her giggle was sexy as fuck as I ravished her mouth while steering us into the room and trying to avoid the obstacles blocking the direct path to the bed.

  After eating, she’d whispered how hot she imagined make-up sex would be, while caressing her fingers up the inside of my thigh. Two seconds later, I had an Uber ordered and we were making out. I barely remembered the ride to the five-star hotel or even checking in, because she tried her hardest to distract me even as I was handing over my credit card—and she succeeded beautifully.

  Finally, my thigh hit the edge of the bed, and I tumbled backward, taking her with me. She fell across my chest, kissing my neck while her fingers made quick work of my belt and the top snap of my jeans.

  “Missed you so fucking much,” I told her as I tugged her shirt up over her head and tossed it across the room, then filled my hands with her luscious tits.

  “We weren’t even apart for a day,” she reminded me breathlessly.

  “I miss you every minute you’re not beside me,” I told her honestly.

  “Braxton,” she choked out, her chin trembling.

  “No,” I growled and rolled her beneath me. “No tears.”

  She gasped, the sound going straight to my cock, and shook her head. “Happy tears, I swear.”

  “Don’t care. No tears. I’ll lose my mind.” Bending, I attacked her mouth, kissing her until I was sure she wouldn’t cry. When I finally released her, she was clinging to me and mewling like the kitten she was.

  It took me a matter of seconds to get her naked beneath me, and I moved even faster to shed my own clothes. Then I was sliding deep into her tight, wet heat and we were both groaning in relief. Finally, we were one again, and I never wanted to leave the sweet haven of her pussy.

  It was hours before either of us was sated or exhausted. Gasping for breath, she pressed her sweat-dampened brow against my chest, kissing right over my heart. Content, I stroked my fingers down her back, thanking every deity I could think of that I hadn’t lost my kitten.

  But there was one thing I was still curious about.

  “Why did your dad tell you to give me another chance?” I asked her.

  Nevaeh lifted her head, a sleepy look in her eyes. “He said he didn’t want either of us to go through the hell he went through with Mom. They broke up for like seven months once, and he said it was the worst time of his life.”

  “Why did they break up?” I couldn’t imagine Drake without Lana or her without him. The very idea of it felt like some alien, alternate universe.

  Her eyes darkened. “That’s his story to tell,” she said after a slight hesitation. “It really isn’t my past to share. But he regrets it more than anything he’s ever done. And according to him, he fucked up a lot.”

  “Whatever happened with them, I’m grateful to him for convincing you to give me another chance.” I cupped her sweet ass in each of my hands, giving both globes a firm squeeze. “But do you think you can forgive Mia too?”

  Nevaeh snorted and propped her chin up on her hand. “You sweet, lonely only child.”

  My brows furrowed at that. “What does that mean? Is it a yes? Because I really don’t know.”

  Laughing, she rolled onto her back and then sat up. Once she was standing, she walked over to where I’d tossed her jeans earlier and found her phone. I sat up, appreciating her nakedness and the delicious view of her ripe ass as she bent over.

  Pulling out her phone, she waved it at me. “Texts from Mia. And one from Arella.” She frowned. “Fuck, she’s still mad at me.” Then with a shrug, she walked back to the bed and crawled under the covers with me.

  “Nevaeh,” I growled when she started texting. “About Mia.”

  “Braxton,” she laughed, barely looking at me as she texted rapidly. “I have three sisters and a shitload of female cousins—both honorary and by blood—with whom I fight regularly. It lasts like a day most times, a week tops, and then we’re all good again.”<
br />
  “I fight with Barrick and Lyla too, but I don’t toss things like ‘we’re no longer family’ at them.” I tapped her on the nose with my index finger, making her scrunch it up. In the two years I’d known her and Mia, they had never fought, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t in the past. Still, I didn’t like it when either of them was upset. “And you threw that at Mia a shit-ton, baby. I love you so fucking much, but you were killing me with that crap you tossed at her.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s not the first time I’ve thrown that out at one of my cousins, or even one of my sisters. Trust me on this. Mia and I are cool.” To prove it, she shoved the screen of her phone into my face. “See? We’re currently talking baby names.”

  And they fucking were. Mia had texted Nevaeh a list of names she liked for both boys and girls, and Nevaeh had already sent back her top five picks from each. Groaning, I took the phone from her and tossed it to the end of the bed. “Come here, Kitten.”

  Giggling, she shifted away from me. “No way. As it is, I’m going to be walking funny for the next few days. You fucked me so hard, I can still feel you.”

  “My poor little baby,” I murmured, pinning her beneath me. “Don’t worry. I’ll kiss it all better.”

  The moan that left her as I licked her swollen clit, however, sounded anything but pained. She fisted her hands in my hair, holding me to her pussy as I sucked her tenderly until she was begging me to fuck her again.

  Epilogue

  Nevaeh

  Pulling off my cap, I carefully made my way through the masses of other excited college graduates who were celebrating with their friends and family. I already knew where all of mine were, and I was working my way to them so the others in my graduating class weren’t trampled in the stampede.

  I heard my sisters yelling my name even before I’d taken a few steps, and I lifted my hand to wave at them even though I couldn’t see them yet.

  Before I could reach them, however, I was swept off my feet and twirled around. I wrapped my legs around Braxton’s waist, my fingers thrusting into his hair as I kissed him. A growl left him, making me grin as I lifted my head just enough to rub my nose against his.

  “Congratulations, Miss Top of Her Class” he said with a smug grin on his sinfully handsome face. “Your speech kicked ass.”

  “Well, I had this hot Marine vet help me write it, so I can’t take all the credit.” I kissed him again then unwrapped my legs from around his waist, but he didn’t release me. His hands gripped my ass and held me in place.

  Laughing, I shook my head at him. “My dad loves you, but he might murder you on the spot if he sees this hard-on I currently feel pulsing against my core, Brax.”

  “Hold on,” he said and slowly set me on my feet.

  “Nevaeh!” I heard Bliss shouting somewhere not too far away.

  “Nevi!” Arella yelled my name.

  But Braxton suddenly had my full attention as he cupped the back of my head in one hand and brushed his lips softly over mine in a kiss that was so gentle, it brought tears to my eyes. When he lifted his head only moments later, I had to suck in a fortifying breath.

  “I love you,” he rasped. “So fucking much. And before you say anything about your dad or those damn annoying sisters of yours trying to get you to look at them, know that I already told Drake what I’m about to do and got his full support to do it.”

  I lifted my brows at the last part, but before I could say anything, he was suddenly on his knees in front of me. With my left hand secure in his right, he pulled something out of his suit pants pocket and opened a tiny ring box.

  I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t tear my eyes away from his even to look at what was in the box. There were hope and fear in his dark eyes, and even though I saw his lips moving, I couldn’t hear a single word he said because my brain was screaming, “He’s really fucking doing it. He’s really fucking doing it,” on repeat over and over again.

  Then he was just staring at me, the fear completely smothering the hope in those eyes I loved so much. Tears filled them, and I suddenly realized I hadn’t answered him yet.

  “Yes!” I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. The momentum sent us both crashing to the ground, him beneath me, and the ring box in his hand fell beside us. “Yes, Brax. I’ll marry you. Of course I will.”

  A tear was already spilling over his lashes, and I quickly kissed it away, then every inch of his face. “I love you. I love you so much. Please, can we get married tomorrow?”

  His happy laugh vibrated into my chest. “Fuck,” he groaned. “You scared the living hell out of me just now. I thought you weren’t going to say yes.”

  “Dude.” I heard Daddy’s voice from somewhere nearby and looked up to find him and Mom walking toward us, hand in hand. “I knew she would get you on your knees, but I wasn’t expecting you to be on your back quite this soon.”

  I jumped up off the man I loved and threw myself into Daddy’s arms. In the last five months, he’d only gotten healthier. And every time Braxton and I went to California to visit with them, I saw the changes. Daddy was leaner now, but a good lean, and there was a new glow to his skin. It gave me hope that he was going to be with us for a long, long time to come.

  But I missed my family, something Braxton knew and accepted. Which was why he’d been the one to suggest we find a place to rent close to my parents while I went to grad school there.

  “Hold up, Kitten.” Braxton pulled me away from my dad. Taking my left hand back in his, he slid the ring onto my finger, and I finally looked down at it.

  Mom gasped appreciatively as we both admired the huge pear-shaped diamond, surrounded by a dozen smaller ones. The sunlight overhead hit the ring, making it sparkle prettily, and I flexed my fingers, loving the effect.

  Looking up at Brax, I swallowed the tears that were trying to block my throat. “I really do want to marry you tomorrow.”

  “Wait!” Mom shouted. “You are not getting married tomorrow. I’ve been thinking of this ever since your last visit when Brax asked your dad if he could marry you.”

  “Angel,” Daddy said with mock sternness. “The girl wants a quick wedding.”

  “But…all those pretty wedding dresses I’ve been looking at.” She pouted at him then turned it on me. “Nevi, come on. I swear I won’t go crazy with this thing. Something small. Give me two months. Three, tops. We’ll make this wedding so beautiful, and your dad can walk you down the aisle. And—”

  Braxton wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my neck. “Let her have her way, Kitten. She can plan the whole thing while you and I go house hunting.”

  “House hunting?” Daddy repeated, his eyes sparkling with more than a little hope of his own. “Where exactly will you be looking at houses?”

  “Santa Monica?” I murmured with a sly grin.

  “Fuck yeah!” Daddy bellowed and swung me up into his arms. “Emmie!” He yelled, and like magic, my aunt materialized out of the crowd behind us. “Em, find my girl a house. Cost means nothing.”

  “Wait, wait!” I tried to argue. “Daddy, you don’t have to buy me a house. I want to be closer to you and Mom, but that’s too much.”

  “Braxton,” Dad said, his tone serious. “I changed my mind. You can only marry her if she lets me buy her a house.”

  His face paled, but he quickly nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it, sir.”

  “What?” I gaped from one man to the other. “No! We are not letting him buy us a house. Mom, tell him.”

  But Mom lifted her hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, sweetheart, no can do. Daddy’s already made up his mind.” Then she squealed and threw her arms around me, jumping up and down like she was a teenager. “A wedding, house hunting, and getting my baby closer! This is better than Christmas.”

  Seeing how happy she and Daddy were, I finally gave up arguing and let them have their way.

  Braxton kissed my shoulder as we watched my parents talk through everything animatedly with Aunt Emmie,
who was furiously typing all the details into her phone. “Think they would notice if we disappeared for a few hours?”

  I leaned back into him. “Doubtful.”

  “Good. Because I need to make love to you with nothing on but that ring.” Swinging me up into his arms, he carried me off. And not a single one of them noticed.

  Coming Next

  Sweet Agony

  Angels Halo MC Next Gen

  Book 2

  Savoring Mila

  Angels Halo MC Next Gen & Rockers’ Legacy (Crossover)

  Book 3

  Loving Violet

  Rockers’ Legacy

  Book 4

  Surviving His Scars

  Angels Halo MC Next Gen

  Book 4