Be My Always: A BWWM Romance (Make It Marriage Book 1)
Page 19
I turn toward her. Bring my hand to her jaw. Pull her into a kiss.
A hungry, hard forever kind of kiss.
An I love you kind of kiss.
I haven’t said that out loud yet.
I will.
I pull back. Stare into her brown eyes that are turning hazy. “Ariya’s not home.”
“I know,” she whispers, still breathless from my kiss.
I touch her shoulder. Draw a line with my finger down to where the towel is clinging to her chest. Drag the digit across to the other shoulder.
She shudders.
“We could…” I lean down. Watch her cheeks catch fire.
She’s still not good at hiding how much I affect her.
I still freaking love that.
“I did something,” she says just before I kiss her again.
“What?” I ask, more interested in doing away with that towel than making conversation.
She blurts it out in a rush. “I asked Chandra and Ollie to take Ariya for the weekend.”
I freeze. “What?”
“I wanted to surprise you, but I realized maybe I crossed a boundary.”
I tilt my head. “Why?”
“We’re house-sitting.”
“House-sitting?”
“Surprise!” She spreads her hands. Wiggles her fingers.
Adorable.
Then a knot forms between her brows. “Are you mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“I know how protective you are of Ariya. I didn’t want you to think I’d gone behind your back, but you’ve been so heavy lately and I thought a mini-vacation on the beach would be good for you. If you don’t want to, we can just stay here for the weekend or we can bring Ariya along. I’m okay with that—”
“Kayla.”
Her gorgeous mouth stops mid-word. “Yes?”
I reach for her. Slide my arm around her waist. In one quick motion, I pull her to me. “I love you.”
Her eyelashes flutter.
“I’m in love with you.” I exhale loudly. “You’re right, I have been heavy lately, but it would have been much worse if I didn’t have you by my side.”
Those big, brown eyes say she doesn’t believe me.
Or she doesn’t want to.
Stubborn woman.
I tighten my grip. “I’m breathing because of you.” I run my nose down her neck. “I’m existing because of you.” I pause. Look up. “Does that scare you?”
“A little.”
“I’m not your ex.”
“Love made him—”
“Not love.” I take her hand. Kiss the tip of her finger. “It wasn’t your fault. He had a problem. Wasn’t your job to fix it.”
“I’m scared.”
“Don’t be.”
She presses her palm against my cheek.
I lean into the touch.
My eyelids flutter together.
Damn, her skin against mine—
The love in her eyes—
I need that right now.
Need her right now.
Need her tomorrow.
For the rest of my life.
“I love you too.”
My lips brush her ear. Her neck. “I know.”
She pushes me back. “You know?”
“You made it pretty obvious. What with the constant visits, hogging up my bed and calling every night.”
Another shove.
I grin and capture her hand before she can push me again and gesture to the bathroom. “You should have waited for me.”
“Oh?” An eyebrow arches. “Why?”
“Because now you’ll have to shower twice.”
She laughs. “Brendon…”
I tug on her fingers. Lead her to the bathroom. Waste no time unwrapping that towel like it’s Christmas Day and I’m under the tree.
She does the same.
Then we step into the shower and I drink her in like I’ll never get enough.
And I won’t.
Not ever.
Thirty-Two
Kayla
“What do you mean you haven’t seen The Dark Knight yet?”
I look up at Brendon as he balances himself on his elbow and stares intently.
“What?”
He tilts his head. Stares at me like I’m talking in a different language.
“What’s The Dark Knight?” I ask again.
“Arguably the best Batman movie in the history of Batman movies.”
“I don’t watch action movies and I hate superhero movies.”
“Baby, baby…” He sits straight up. Massages his temple. The sheet falls to his waist, leaving his pale chest open for my viewing pleasure.
And it is a pleasure.
We arrived at the beach house about an hour ago.
We christened the bed immediately.
What can I say? We’re both impatient people.
And now we’re having…
I don’t know what this is?
A fight?
“Don’t say things like that,” Brendon begs. “You’re breaking my heart.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“I’d prefer if you lied.”
“There’s no point to those movies. They’re all just super hot, super ripped, super broody guys beating each other up. And of course, the girls in bikinis serve no other purpose than eye-candy. And it’s all strung together by a plot so thin it’s like cheap tissue paper.”
“It’s called suspension of belief.”
“If I suspended belief any harder I’d be straight up hallucinating.”
Brendon grimaces and grabs his glasses from the nightstand. He slides it on, ramping his sex appeal up by a thousand points when he glares at me through the lens.
“Have you ever actually seen a Batman movie?”
I poke a finger into his dimple and smile. “Repeat the question.”
“Kayla…”
“Your face is too distracting.” I grin. Reach for his cheek again.
He snatches my hand.
Tries to frown severely.
It fails thanks to the glimmer of affection in his eyes. “You need to be educated.”
“I do?”
“Those movies are—”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“I thought you were referring to something other than movies.”
He smirks. “Naughty girl.”
“You made me this way. Take responsibility.”
“I’ll take responsibility for all of you.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “And that includes your movie preferences.”
I groan. “You need to calm down.”
“You don’t understand what you’re missing.”
“You sound like my client Eva.”
“She a DC fan?”
“Marvel. And the fact that I know that is a testimony to my exceptional listening skills.”
“You have so much to catch up on.” Brendon shakes his head. “I don’t think we have enough time. Well, maybe if we stay up all night…”
I turn toward him. Delight in the way his lips are curving upward, the brightness in his eyes, the color in his pale cheeks. “I can’t believe all you needed was an action movie marathon to get that spark back.” I shake my head in mock-outrage and start to sit up. “I guess I wasn’t enough.”
He rolls over me. Pins me down with his hips. “Of course you’re enough.” He kisses me. Sucks softly on my bottom lip. Looks tenderly into my eyes. “You’re more than enough.” Another kiss.
A groan tumbles from my lips.
Vibrates against his mouth.
The way he’s looking at me…
The way his hands slide beneath the blanket.
My body melts into the mattress.
My hands grab onto his hair.
Hold on for dear life.
His tongue claims my mouth.
I’m wracked with desire.
Overflowing with need.
I can�
�t get enough.
Never enough.
His kiss is at once over-powering and all-consuming.
Arching my back, I rake my hands against his shoulders, my nails scrambling for purchase.
Closer.
Closer.
He pulls back a little, breathing hard. “You’re right.”
“I usually am.”
The dimple flashes along with the side-eye he throws me.
“What?” I hook my arms around his neck. Kick my legs so the blankets are no longer binding my thighs. “Have it your way. We’ll watch the movie.” I pull him down and growl, “After this.”
We end up watching three action movies.
I see most of the first one.
Half of the second.
None of the third.
I cement my stance that action movies aren’t my thing.
But Brendon Humes?
He’s my thing.
He’s exactly my thing.
And knowing I can distract him from his favorite thing is all kinds of enjoyable.
“Did you like it?” Brendon asks when the screen fades to black and the credits roll.
“Mm-hm.”
“Details.”
“It was nice.”
“What else?”
I tap my chin. Get distracted by how his eyes are lighting up in the late evening sunshine. “The leading man was hot.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
He rolls his eyes to the ceiling like I’m his biggest headache. “I meant what did you think about the story? He’s a masked vigilante out to save his city and get revenge on the man who killed his parents. That’s a great plot.”
“Great is relative.”
“Answer the question.”
“Um…”
He jumps out of the couch. “Come on, Kay. Did you miss everything?”
“Maybe we can watch another one?”
“So you can keep playing footsie under the blankets when it gets to the good part?” He points to the fabric in question.
“Hey, you’re the one who started kissing me when that Joker guy showed up.”
“That’s not my fault.”
I snort. “Then who’s hand was just inside my pants, Brendon?”
His lips twitch. “That’s not what I meant.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “You had one job. Keep me focused on the movie.”
“I tried.”
“You failed.”
“Because you’re—” He tears at his hair. Lets out a sound that’s part-sigh, part-huff. “Because you’re so damn irresistible.”
I chuckle.
He shakes his head. Gives into the smile tugging on his lips. Turns the TV off. “Want some food?”
“That would be lovely.”
The next day, we frolic on the beach—yes, frolic—complete with cheesy walks hand-in-hand, dancing with the waves lapping at the sand, swimming and kissing, eating lunch on the patio overlooking the ocean.
We’re always touching.
Caressing.
His body’s always on mine, even if it’s just our fingers locked at the pinkie.
Here, in this world we’ve created away from everyone else, it feels like we’re the only two people who exist. His troubles and responsibilities are far away.
It’s exactly what I wanted.
Exactly what he needs.
But he’s not the only one being affected.
This weekend exposed a hunger in me that’s approaching depths I never knew existed.
With each second that passes, I fall harder for Brendon.
One could even call it an obsession.
My love for him is like a tidal wave, building and building.
Growing.
Crashing against me with such force I’m blown away.
And then sometimes, it’s quiet.
Like a steady thrum in my chest.
A gentle breeze dancing on the current.
I like that.
I like all of it.
The night before we head back home, we sit on the porch, each in our own whicker chair, our fingers intertwined, enjoying the silence. Marveling at the view.
Brendon stares at the stars. Inhales a deep breath. “Thank you. For this.”
“Of course.” I glance at him. “How are things with your dad?”
He lifts a shoulder. “I’ll always be in a constant tug-of-war with him over the company.”
“Why don’t you just quit?”
“Because I want to turn things around. The business doesn’t just belong to my dad. It belonged to Mom too. It’s her legacy. I want it to last. I want it to be something she’s proud of.”
“She would be.” I squeeze her hand.
“I’m glad she got to meet you before she passed. It kills me to think of what would’ve happened if I’d been stubborn.”
“I’m happy I met her too. She was… amazing.”
“She loved you, you know.” He eyes me with a small, wistful smile. “She kept talking about you. Towards the end.”
“About me or my fertility?”
He chuckles. “Both.”
“She really wanted a grandbaby.”
“We can deliver. I want a brood.”
I snort. “A brood?”
“We’ll make a baseball team.”
“I know absolutely nothing about baseball.”
“Neither do I, but it’s the dream.”
I chuckle. “How about we compromise and name the first kid after her? Victoria if it’s a girl. Victor if it’s a boy.”
Brendon goes quiet.
I sit up. “Bren?”
His voice breaks with emotion. “I’d like that.”
I smile at him.
Just… breathe him in.
“I love you,” I whisper.
His eyes find mine. As silver as the moon. Full of equal promise. “I love you too.”
Always.
Epilogue
Ariya
Dear diary,
Mom died six months ago. It’s hard, being away from her. I don’t know how Brendon does it.
No, I take that back. I do.
Kayla.
She makes him happy.
Or I don’t know…
She makes him whole I think.
At least someone is distracting him so he’s not constantly in my business.
If Bren asks me ‘how I’m doing’ one more time, I’ll clock him.
Straight in the face.
I don’t even care anymore.
But back to Kayla and Brendon…
His tongue is always down Kayla’s throat. I have no idea how she breathes when she’s around him. He never lets her go. He’s always touching her and kissing her and pretending that he wasn’t when I come around, even though I can see her lipstick all over his face.
It’s disgusting.
Cute, but disgusting.
I’m changing schools again. I don’t want to stay at this one. Brendon says he wants me to live with him, but I want him and Kay to have their own space so they can do their own thing.
Bren never signed up to be my father and it’s not fair since Dad’s still alive.
My brother shouldn’t have to look after me like he’s my dad.
I’m going to a private academy.
It’s not too far away that I won’t see Brendon and Kay often, but I think it’s best for all of us. Although Brendon won’t see it that way.
He’s so stubborn.
Gosh.
He thinks I’m a baby.
I don’t know how Kay puts up with him.
But it looks like she’ll have to for a long time because I just saw a ring in the laundry room drawer. The one where we keep the laundry detergent no one ever uses.
My brother’s annoying, but he’s alright, I guess.
I don’t think I’ll be here when they propose, but I’m sure Kay will send me the footage.
Anyway, that’s it for now. I’ll be back later
to tell you all about my new school.
Love, Ariya Humes
THE END
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Love, Nia (& Ariya)
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Also by Nia Arthurs
The Taming Series
Taming Mr. Jerkface
Taming Mr. Charming
Taming Mr. Know-it-all
Taming Mr. Darcy
The Richards Books
Call Me Torn
Call Me Broken
Call Me Lost
Standalones
Chasing Daniel
The Switch
Axle’s Secret
The Good Brother
Something New
Love In Many Shades Series
Cece & David
Cece & David 2
Cece & David 3
Cece & David 4
Lovesick Series
Play
Dance
Trust
Sneak Peek: Be My Forever
Make It Marriage Series
The Make It Marriage Series is a spin off following the matchmakers at the Make It Marriage agency.
Swipe on for a sneak peek of Be My Forever— Venus and Troy’s story.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Troy
Venus grips the table, hands on either side of the cake. Gold bracelets shimmy to her slim wrist. She’s laughing. Her shoulders shake. Thick curls dance across her back.