by J. M. Walker
“That’s the company helping you?”
He nodded once. “You should get ready. As much as I like seeing you with that just fucked glow and sex hair, we have to go.”
I laughed, pulling my messy hair on top of my head and wrapping an elastic around it. “All better.”
Coby raised an eyebrow. “You’re still naked.”
“I am,” I licked my lips. “Is that a problem?”
He chuckled. “Later, little one. Trust me, you’ll thank me after.”
I pouted, rose from the bed and headed to my dresser. “So how did you hear about this place?” I asked, pulling a white tank top over my head.
“I came across the Corps Security website while looking through hundreds of other security companies and found that they were reputable, and located close enough. Brogan,” Coby said, his words taking on that deep tone I had come to crave.
“What?” I glanced at him in the reflection of my mirror.
“I can see your nipples through that shirt. That’s not helping.”
“I was going to put on a sweater,” I told him, flushing as his heated gaze roaming down the length of my body.
“Fuck it. We can leave in an hour.” In two steps, Coby was on me. With his hands on my ass and his mouth against mine, he pulled me hard against him.
I gasped, a flush of heat spreading through me at the contact. My body was sore, even a couple of hours after he proposed and made love to me. But no matter how much pain I was in, I would always be ready for him.
Licking along his bottom lip, I gave it a gentle nip. “I love you, Coby,” I whispered against his mouth.
“I love you, Brogan,” he nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. “More than you’ll ever know.”
BROGAN AND I left an hour later after she put her beautiful tits on display for me. I was never a breast man, but with her, I loved it all. Although, her delicious ass could bring me to my knees any day of the week.
Once we were in my SUV, heading to Hope Town, Georgia, we would pass knowing glances between us.
I smirked.
She giggled.
I growled.
She blushed.
What could I say? Her laugh did it for me. It was such a foreign sound lately that any time I heard it, I wanted more of it.
Hope Town was small, but not too small that it wouldn’t show up on a map. Even though I had an ulterior motive for this weekend away, I was just thankful that our relationship was finally taking a step in the right direction.
Zachary Brenson popped into my mind.
I still hadn’t told Brogan about him. Guilt settled heavily on my shoulders. I wasn’t sure why exactly, but I found that I had to keep him to myself for just a little while longer. I needed to meet him first, on my own.
Brogan’s phone rang, jarring me from my thoughts.
“Hey girl,” she greeted. “Yeah. He is.” She squeezed my hand that was cupping her inner thigh. “We’re heading out of town for the weekend. I know…yes. You sure? It’s not bad timing?”
I squeezed her harder, giving her the reassurance that everything would be fine.
“Okay,” she let out a slow sigh. “Well I do have some news. Coby proposed.”
A loud scream echoed through the phone.
I laughed.
“Holy shit, Meeka,” Brogan giggled over her best friend’s excitement. “Fine, fine.” She placed the phone on speaker, holding it between us. “Go ahead.”
“You mother fucker,” came my Navy brother, Asher Donovan’s, reply. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything to us?”
“I didn’t need your permission,” I threw back at him.
“Fuck no you didn’t but, shit man, seriously?” Asher laughed. “Congratulations, brother. Both of you.”
“Thank you,” Brogan and I said at the same time.
“What’s going on?” Dale Michaels, my other Navy brother and best friend, said.
“This asshole’s engaged and didn’t bother to tell us.”
I rolled my eyes at Asher’s response.
“The fuck?” Dale exclaimed. “It’s about damn time.”
“You all need to watch your mouths once all of those babies are born,” Brogan reminded them.
“We’ll celebrate when we get home on Sunday but right now, I’m taking my fiancée and spending the weekend with her.” I inched my hand up Brogan’s thigh. “Say goodbye, little one.”
She grinned, her eyes glowing with lust and love for me. “Love you guys.” And with that, she hung up the phone before our friends could protest.
“Good girl.” My hand continued to slide up her thigh, reaching the spot that was made for me. Cupping her center, I kept my hand there and didn’t move.
Brogan let out a low hum. “I love the way you hold me. It always makes me feel safe.”
“You are safe, little one.” I released her and placed my hand closer to her knee. “You are always safe with me.”
As much as I wanted to celebrate with my Navy brothers and her sisters from the motorcycle club she was in, I preferred to spend the weekend balls deep inside my beautiful fiancée.
We drove in silence, comfortable in each other’s presence.
A part of me had been worried that Brogan would say no. Maybe she would realize that she didn’t want a broken man. But when the word yes fell from her lips and her tiny fist punched me; that moment would forever be burned into my mind as a favorite.
The spot she had hit tingled, reminding me just how strong she actually was.
“Coby?” Brogan said a moment later while playing with her phone.
“Yeah, baby?” I gripped her inner thigh, the soft skin just beneath the hem of her shorts, giving me the strength I would forever need. But the pale flesh also teased me. A hint of a bite mark peaked up at me, making the alpha caveman inside me roar.
I shifted in my seat, clearing my throat.
“Problem?” she asked, her voice lowering.
“Nope,” I cleared my throat again. “What’s your question?”
“Are you taking me to Dirty Dog?”
“Dirty what?” I glanced at her quickly before shifting my eyes back on the road.
“Dirty Dog,” she repeated. “You said you were going to take me to a club.”
“Yes, I will.” I wasn’t sure exactly what Dirty Dog had to offer, but it was a nightclub and it was popular, so I knew Brogan would be happy.
“I think men dance on bars?”
“Are you asking me?” I teased, inching my hand up her thigh.
She laughed, stopping me. “You’ve done your research on this town. I thought you would know.”
“Hot men dancing on bars means just what I imagine.” I rolled my eyes but if sex sells, it made sense.
“Sounds interesting. Can we go?”
“We can do whatever you want,” I gave her a soft smile. “This is your weekend.”
“No,” she cupped my hand. “It’s ours.”
God, I loved this woman. She always thought of me even when I never asked her to.
“You don’t believe me,” she muttered, brushing her thumb back and forth over a scar on my palm.
“Why do you say that?” I asked, not meeting her gaze for fear she would see the doubt in my eyes. I knew she loved me. I could feel it in the marrow of my bones, but I was an asshole. And if she wouldn’t have been the one to control the sex between us after I proposed, I would have beat her ass like I knew she would enjoy.
“When we made love earlier, did it bother you that I controlled it? Or well…most of it.”
“I…” I let out a hard sigh. “No. It didn’t bother me. It doesn’t. I’m just not used to it and it kind of set me on edge.”
“Coby, pull over.”
Her demand warmed my skin. I did as I was told out of curiosity. Under normal circumstances, I would have spanked her for being demanding.
“Look at me,” she tugged on my arm. “Please.”
I met her gaze, my breath ca
tching in my throat at the beauty before me.
“I love you. Do you know what that means? It means that I’ll do anything to make you happy and I know you would do the same for me,” she said, not waiting for me to answer. “It means that I trust you and I know you trust me. If you would have taken over, I wouldn’t have complained but I knew you needed it. I knew controlling you would get you out of your head.” She cupped my cheek, brushing her thumb along my bottom lip. “It means I love you and would do anything for you. Remember what we’ve done already.”
My body stirred at the memories. My domination. Her submission. Her begging.
“Coby, I’m serious when I say that I would do anything to make you happy and help you. This morning was…” A notable shiver trembled through her. “It was delicious.”
I cupped her nape, pulling her against me and crushed my mouth to hers. “Thank you.”
She sighed, sliding her arms around my shoulders. “You don’t need to thank me.”
I kissed her one last time before releasing her and started the SUV back up.
“Did this morning help at all?”
It did. Probably more than I cared to admit. “Yes.”
“Then why are you doubting me?”
My jaw clenched. “I know what we’ve done. I know we’ve been into kink before but we haven’t done anything of that nature since…” Bile rose to my throat. “I was taken. And submitting to you was not something I ever thought I would do.”
“If it helps any, I would rather you be in control.” Brogan placed her hand on my leg. “I promise that we’ll get through this together. I won’t let you deal with your demons on your own. I’ll be right by your side fighting them with you. They won’t win, Coby.”
I appreciated her words. I lived and breathed them. Now if I could just believe her.
NO MATTER WHAT I said, Coby didn’t believe me. Even with his ring on my finger, he still didn’t seem convinced that I was his. I could see the uncertainty in his eyes when he thought I wasn’t looking. I hoped, no, I prayed that after this weekend away with each other, that his doubt would change.
I loved him. I would spend the rest of my life with him. The ring on my finger proved that. But I wasn’t a fancy girl. I meant what I said when I told him he could have proposed with a piece of string and I would have accepted it. I would have worn it proudly.
“That’s the place we’re staying,” Coby said, squeezing my knee.
I followed his gaze and saw a beautiful house not too far off in the distance in front of us.
“Really? It’s huge,” I sat forward, taking in the sight before me. The house sat on a small hill. It had a modern, but rustic, feel to it. The window shutters were a robin’s egg blue while the brick of the house was a deep red. “I thought bed and breakfasts were smaller houses where people just opened up their bedrooms for the public.”
“In some cases, yes, but I did some research,” Coby handed me his phone. “The website about the place said that the woman who owns this property lost her husband to cancer a couple years ago.”
“That’s sad,” I said, checking out the pictures of the mansion.
“He left her with a small fortune and this big house, so she decided to share its beauty and open up a Bed and Breakfast. It has about fifteen rooms that are rented out to the public. She lives there as does all the staff, except for the people who maintain the grounds. Apparently, this house had been in her husband’s family for over a few hundred years. There’s quite a bit of history there.”
“That’s incredible. Thank you for this, Coby,” I kissed his cheek. “How far is Hope Town from here?”
“A couple of miles. We’re headed there now because you, beautiful girl, have a hair appointment.”
I grinned. “What, you don’t like this mop of curls?”
Coby smirked, rubbing the scruff on his jaw. “Just don’t get it cut too short. I need something to be able to hold onto while I’m fucking you from behind.”
“Geeze, Porter,” I shivered. “Way to leave nothing to the imagination.”
He laughed, the sound booming through the inside of the SUV.
My smile grew. This was the side of Coby I fell in love with. The dark, possessive man that came along with it was delicious as hell, but this fun, carefree part of him was what I lived for. Knowing I was the only one who ever saw it, I wrapped my arms around it and held it dear to my heart.
“What?” he asked, a moment later.
“Nothing.” I couldn’t help but stare at him. He was perfection. He was mine.
(Coby)
“You’re back.”
I jumped, again, at the deep voice coming from only a few feet away. I stood from the chair in the waiting room at Corps Security and locked eyes with Axel. Two other men stood on either side of him. One was a beast and one was younger than both of them.
“I am,” was all I could say.
“You’re nervous,” one of the men I hadn’t seen before, said.
“Fine,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I am. I just proposed to my girl this morning. Thank fuck she said yes. She’s getting her hair done at Sway’s and I’m here wondering what the hell I’m doing.”
“Sway’s a good guy. My daughter works there,” Axel said. “Your fiancée is in good hands. But that doesn’t explain why you keep snooping around our place. You got a problem, son?”
“No. Yes. Fuck. I don’t know.”
The larger of the three men grinned. “The name is Greg Cage,” he stuck his hand out. “You remind me of our kids.” He nods to the third man.
Axel grunted.
“Everyone younger than you reminds you of us, old man,” the younger guy between them joked.
“Axel, you deal with this while I deal with Cohen.” Cage gripped the back of the guy’s neck and led him down the hall.
“Family?” I asked Axel once we were alone.
“Yes,” came his cold reply. “Now I don’t know what you want but this shit has to end.”
“Listen, I usually make smarter decisions than this but that boy, Zachary Brenson…I need to know where he is.”
“Why?” Axel crossed his arms under his broad chest.
“Some shit happened in my life about six months ago. If it wasn’t for my fiancée, I’d probably be dead or neck deep in a bottle, but she saved me and I think that boy could…I just want to meet him. That’s it.” Even if I wasn’t allowed that, I wanted to find out more about him. I needed to know what happened to the step monster who potentially destroyed his life.
“Fine,” Axel walked around the receptionist’s desk. “How long are you staying in town?”
“Until Sunday. I brought my fiancée here to celebrate. She’s never been to a club before so I’m taking her to Dirty Dog tonight. I want to give her the whole Hope Town experience.” Fuck me, I was rambling. I didn’t ramble. Ever. Why the hell did this guy make me nervous?
“What are you hoping to gain by meeting Zachary?”
Raking a hand through my hair, I gave a small shrug of my shoulders. “Honestly, I have no fucking idea. Something about his story calls out to me I guess. It doesn’t make sense. Hell, I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this. I don’t talk to anyone but my woman.”
Axel chuckled. “Yeah, I know how that is.”
“My fiancée and I have been through a lot, together and apart. I think Zach could be that…glue we need.”
“Are you wanting to adopt him?” Axel sat, his hard stare boring into mine.
“I want to meet him first and then whatever happens,” I let out a slow sigh. “Happens.”
(Brogan)
While Coby did business, I played. Having Sway, the owner of the salon, work on my hair was simply an honor. With his gold attire and blond wig, the guy was adorable. He made me feel right at home. After all of the shit that had happened over the past several months, this moment in time was needed.
“So tell me about that man of yours,” Sway said, running a comb and scissor
s through my hair like they were a part of him.
“We’ve been through a lot but he’s perfect.” Both of us had a bad history. We made mistakes, but we were perfect for each other. I just needed to prove that to him, even though I had his ring on my finger.
“You’re engaged?” Sway asked, nodding toward the gigantic rock on my finger.
“Yes,” my smile widened. “He proposed this morning.”
“That’s wonderful news. Just for that, Sway is going to give you a free scalp massage.”
I giggled.
Sway’s fingers rubbed and kneaded at my head. The tension I had been feeling slowly left my body. It wasn’t enough because there was only one person who could ease that tension completely, but it was a start.
As if Coby knew I was thinking about him, his gorgeous self appeared in the reflection of the mirror.
“He yours?” Sway asked, stopping the massage and going back to finishing the trim he had been giving my mess of curls.
“Yes,” I breathed.
Coby caught my eye, giving me a smirk and a slight nod of his head.
My stomach tumbled. No matter how long I had been with him, the guy could still send nervous butterflies racing through my belly.
“Girl,” Sway said as he cupped my shoulders. “Your man is gorgeous.”
“You look beautiful,” Coby said, pulling the SUV into a large gravel driveway and turning off the vehicle. “We’ll get settled and then hit up Dirty Dog after food.”
“That would be wonderful. I can’t believe I’ve never been to a club before,” I confessed, remembering how my brothers stopped me from going to them.
“I’m sure with four older brothers, they wouldn’t have made it easy.” Coby shifted his body toward me. “But isn’t every young girl supposed to go to one of those things?”
“Did you ever attend a club?” I threw back, laughing.
“Hell no. I was busy training, and working my way up in the Navy, and getting dirty, doing all the things you seem to enjoy so much,” he teased, gently poking me in the side.