Brody

by Cheryl Douglas

  “I hope so, babe. I hope so.” Reaching for the box, he said, “So here’s the deal. I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted, with the exception of one thing.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, clenching my hands in my lap when they trembled.

  “A family of my own.”

  My heart surged with hope, happiness, and disbelief. He hadn’t just said he wanted to be my husband. He’d said he wanted a family with me. The one thing I’d always wanted more than anything else. But I needed to know he didn’t have a single lingering doubt. “Are you sure about this?”

  “More sure than I’ve ever been about anything,” he said, his voice thick as he opened the box to reveal a blindingly beautiful ring. “So what do you say, Riley? Will you build a life with me?”

  I fought back tears as I extended my shaky left hand. “Yes.”

  He smiled as he took the ring out of the box. “I feel like maybe I should spell out my terms before we make this official.”

  “Okay,” I said breathlessly.

  “I’m thinking I’d like at least a few kids.”

  My voice cracked, prompting me to clear my throat. “Okay.”

  “And maybe a dog. A big, manly dog I wouldn’t be ashamed to walk.”

  I laughed before covering my mouth. He’d always teased me about my desire to have a little frou-frou dog that followed me around everywhere I went. “How about two dogs?” I countered, since I couldn’t concede on every point. “One big, one small.”

  He seemed to consider my proposal before he said, “Okay, I think I can live with that. And I want a big wedding.”

  Now he was definitely teasing me. He knew I wanted to be a wedding planner because I’d always dreamed of having the fairy tale wedding.

  “I don’t know,” I said, tilting my head from one side to another as I glanced at the ring he was using to entice me. “I’m pretty busy for the next year with my clients. Maybe if you’re willing to wait—”

  “No!” he said fiercely, making me giggle. “I’ve already waited long enough for this. We both have.”

  “I guess you’re right,” I said, extending my hand a little farther. “I’m sure we can work something out. Any more terms?”

  “Just one,” he said, setting the ring at the tip of my finger. “That you promise to love me forever and never, ever leave me. No matter how many bonehead mistakes I make, you’ll never let me go.”

  I grabbed his hand when he would have set the ring in my place. “As long as you make me a promise, and this one is non-negotiable.”

  “Anything, baby,” he said, looking alarmed.

  “Promise that your days of running are over. When we fight, and we will, you have to promise me you’ll stay so we can work it out.”

  Looking relieved, he said, “You have my word. So does that mean you’ll be my wife?”

  “Absolutely.” Because of the tears clouding my eyes, I could barely see him slide the ring on my finger. But I didn’t need to see it. It felt solid and unbreakable. Like us.

  ***

  As Brody moved up my body after treating me to a limb-tingling orgasm, I settled into the knowledge that the man I’d loved for most of my life was going to be by my side every night for the rest of our lives. That thought enveloped me like a warm blanket as he wrapped his arms around me while sliding deep inside me with one powerful thrust. I moaned before kissing him, conveying with my mouth what I couldn’t with words. You are the best part of me.

  He sighed, tearing his lips from mine. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

  “You sure about that?” I teased, clenching him tight as I plunged my hands into his hair. “‘Cause I’m thinking things could get a whole lot better for you with just a little help from me.”

  “Oh yeah?” His blue eyes were sparkling with amusement when he grabbed my wrists and secured my wandering hands on either side of my head. His eyes slid to my engagement ring. “Damn, I love the way that looks on your finger.”

  Not half as much as I did. It told the world how Brody felt about me: that he was mine, he wasn’t going anywhere, and he didn’t want anyone else. Ever.

  “God, I love your body,” he said, releasing me so he could lean back and slide his hands down my ribcage, his admiring and assessing gaze following their path.

  “Is that so?” My breath hitched when his large hands closed over my breasts.

  “Every… thing… about… it.” He lowered his head and licked my nipples until I was a writhing, panting mess who was prepared to beg, if that’s what it took, to make him promise he would never stop pleasuring me.

  He swirled his tongue around the taut peak as he looked up at me. “Hmmm, you like that?”

  My breasts had always been outrageously sensitive. After so many years together, this man knew my body better than I did and often used that intimate knowledge to remind me who was in charge of my pleasure.

  “You know I do.”

  Grinning, he eased back, licking his lips as his eyes scanned every visible inch of me before locking on the sensitive bud screaming for his attention. “I know what else you like, baby.”

  Yes. Please. That.

  “There’s so much I want to do to you, it’s hard to know where to start.”

  I have an idea. Start there.

  He bit his lip, his eyes heavy with arousal as his thumb zeroed in on its target. He watched with satisfaction as I squirmed, panting his name while he circled the track that could result in my head blowing off.

  “Please, Brody.”

  He groaned, his hand picking up speed as he resumed thrusting. “Ah, I love the way you say my name when you’re about to come.”

  “Broooodddy….” As we both let go, I fisted the pillow and used it to absorb my cries, feeling the rush of a simultaneous explosion.

  He collapsed on top of me, his breathing uneven as he chuckled. “Wow. If I’d known engaged sex was like that, I would’ve asked you to marry me years ago.”

  I slapped his back, smiling. “I’ve heard married sex is even better.”

  “Damn.” He glanced at the door. “We are in Vegas. Why wait?”

  I knew he was only joking, but I was equally sure that if I said I wanted to exchange vows now, he would. “You better be careful.” I nipped his shoulder as he pulled out of me. “What if I took you up on it?”

  He rolled onto his side, pushing my hair off my face and staring into my eyes. “When I put that ring on your finger, it was because I’m ready to make you my wife, Ri. I’m not scared anymore. I’m excited. So whether you want to do it now or six months from now, the choice is yours.”

  I grazed his lip with my thumb. “Six months? I can’t possibly plan a wedding in that amount of time. All the good venues are booked out at least a year in advance.”

  “What?” He scowled, rearing his head back. “Just how long do you expect me to wait to make you my wife?”

  The irony wasn’t lost on me. After I’d spent years wanting to marry him, the tables had finally turned and he couldn’t wait for our wedding day.

  “We’ve waited this long,” I said, running my hand over his hard chest. “What’s another year or two?”

  “Are you insane? At the risk of getting slapped, need I remind you that we’re thirty-six? Unless you want to have three kids in three years, I don’t think we should wait too long.”

  He had a point, one I’d been trying to make for years. We weren’t getting any younger. “So maybe we compromise on the wedding—”

  “We’re not compromising on anything,” he said, rolling onto his back. “You’ve been waiting your whole life for this wedding. It’s going to be everything you ever dreamed of and more.”

  And with those few words, he did the impossible—made me fall just a little more deeply in love with him.

  “Come on,” he said, clasping my hand against his chest. “This is your business. Surely you can pull some strings.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” I said, already running throug
h possibilities in my head.

  “Just a reminder,” he said, pulling me close, “money’s no object. Just plan the wedding of your dreams… as long as I don’t have to wait more than six months.”

  “I love that you’re so anxious,” I kissed him.

  “Can you blame me?” He turned my wrist over so he could plant a wet kiss against my pulse point. “You could wake up tomorrow and realize you’ve made a huge mistake.”

  “Agreeing to be your wife is the smartest decision I’ve ever made,” I murmured, my eyes drifting closed as his tongue danced up and down my arm.

  “Hmm, I better make sure of that,” he said, easing me onto my back.

  And because I knew what kind of insurance policy he had in mind… I had no objections.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Brody

  By the time we got home, news of our engagement had already made the rounds and my brothers had already called to offer their congratulations, but there were a couple of people I wanted to see in person, starting with Ryker. If my talk with Jack had reminded me of one thing, it was that I had Ryker to thank for the example he’d set for me, for all of us. I thought it was time for me to tell him.

  None of us had ever been big on sharing our feelings. It was enough that we knew help was only a phone call away whenever we had a problem. But this felt different. Proposing was a milestone in my life, one I didn’t believe would have been possible without my older brother.

  “Hey,” Cole said, pulling me into a hug when he answered the door. “Congrats, Uncle Brody. I heard about you and Riley getting engaged. That’s awesome.”

  “Thanks, kid,” I said, wrapping my arm around his neck as we walked to the kitchen. “I’m pretty stoked about it.”

  “I heard about the coaching job too,” he said, grinning. “You know that means you’re going to be my gym teacher, right?”

  I groaned. “Is it too late to back out? You run like a girl. I’ll be mortified, having to admit I’m related to you.” I could only say that because he and his brother were both stellar athletes who probably would have put me to shame in my prime.

  He laughed, shoving me. “Shut up.”

  “Is your dad around?”

  “Yeah, he’s out in the garage working on his bike. You want me to call him in?”

  “Is your mom still at the shop?” I asked, eyeing the apple tarts under a glass dome on the counter.

  “Yeah.” Cole laughed when he saw me salivating at the sight of his mother’s baked goods. “Help yourself. Mom wouldn’t mind.”

  “Thanks.” I got a small plate from the cupboard, placed the tart on it, and popped it in the microwave for a few seconds before reaching into the utensil drawer for a fork.

  “What’s going on?” Cole asked, sitting on a stool at the island. “You’d normally have inhaled that thing by now. Forget about using a fork. Riley finally got you housebroken or what?”

  “Now that we’re going to be living together, I figure I should start acting more civilized,” I joked, taking the plate out of the microwave. “Maybe Ryker can give me some pointers, you know, help domesticate me.” I cut the tart in half and shoved one piece in my mouth.

  I spotted Ryker walk in behind Cole and lean against the doorjamb, his arms crossed.

  “If you need lessons on being whipped, Dad’s your guy.”

  “Is that right?” Ryker asked.

  Color flooded Cole’s cheeks before he narrowed his eyes at me. That would teach him to mouth off about his old man behind his back. “Uh hi, Dad. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Apparently not.” Ryker walked up behind his son and coiled his arm around his neck before giving him a noogie.

  Cole struggled to break free of his grip. “Hey, watch the hair,” He patted his dark tresses. “I’ve got a date with Sharyl later.”

  “A date, huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I polished off the tart. “I haven’t heard about this girl. Anyone special?”

  “I’d say so,” said Ryker, reaching for one of the tarts. He bit into it, dropping crumbs on the floor. “He’s been after her for months.”

  “Mom’s gonna kick your ass for getting crumbs all over the floor,” Cole said, pointing at the mess his dad was making on the travertine tile.

  “I’m gonna kick your ass if you don’t get out of here and let me talk to your uncle in private.”

  “Okay,” Cole said, backing out of the room, “but can I have the car tonight?”

  Ryker grimaced before shooting me a look. “I guess so.” When Cole left the room, he said, “I’m such a wuss. At his age, I was riding a Harley, but after Zane’s accident, every time one of them leaves the house behind the wheel, my heart’s in my throat until they get back.”

  “That’s ‘cause you’re a good dad,” I said, looking him in the eye. “Those kids are lucky to have you.”

  “Thanks, man.” Ryker rounded the island and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, then handed one to me. “Speaking of fathers, I called ours.”

  I was stunned, to say the least. Ryker was the last one I expected to reach out to Jack, since he was the one most impacted by his vanishing act. “You did? When?”

  “Yesterday.” He took a drink of water. “When you texted me his number in case I ever wanted to call, I was tempted to just delete it. But something told me not to.”

  I waited, hoping he would tell me what changed his mind.

  “I spent a lot of years resenting him, bro. I know I was justified, and I never once felt guilty about it.”

  “You shouldn’t have,” I said, the counter at my back as I crossed my legs. “If anyone has reason to hate him, it’s you.”

  “We all have reason. He abandoned us all.” Running a hand over his face, he said, “But Mac reminded me that people can and do change and that you wouldn’t have been willing to hear him out if you didn’t believe he was a different man than the one who left us.”

  I wasn’t willing to go all in with Jack yet, but I was coming around. “My reasons for going there had nothing to do with him and everything to do with Tanner and Beck. At least at first.” At Ryker’s questioning look, I said, “I’ve had a couple of conversations with him, and they helped me put some things into perspective. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to forgive what he did, but I kind of understand it now, Ryk. He was pretty badly abused as a kid. His old man was a real bastard.”

  “I guess we have that in common then, don’t we?” Ryker asked, smirking.

  “Sounds like our grandfather would have made Jack look like Ward Cleaver.”

  “Jack, huh? You two are on a first-name basis now?”

  “I can’t call him Dad,” I said, trying to explain. “He’s never been much of a dad to any of us. He knows that.” I didn’t want my brothers to resent me for giving Jack a chance, and I didn’t think they would. If it came down to a choice between my brothers and our old man, I’d choose them every time. They were the ones who’d always been there for me, who’d taught me the real meaning of family.

  “He sounded apologetic,” Ryker said, nodding slowly. “I’m not sure that I believe him, but I’m willing to entertain the possibility he might be remorseful.”

  After talking to Jack, I believed he was, but I wouldn’t try to sell Jack to Ryker. My brother needed to make that decision for himself. “Does Mac know you called him?”

  Ryker smiled. “Mac knows everything, little brother. I don’t keep secrets from her.”

  “Smart man,” I said, returning his smile. “How about the kids? Did you tell them?” Since Cole had already questioned me about his grandfather last Christmas, I suspected it would only be a matter of time before he asked about him again, especially now that he knew we were in touch again.

  “I told them,” Ryker said, seeming hesitant. “But they know I’m taking it slow, trying to figure out whether that bridge is worth repairing.”

  “I hear you, man.”

  “So how does it feel to be an engaged man?”
/>
  “Pretty damn good,” I said, unable to contain my smile. “Ri’s packing up the condo. The movers are hauling her stuff over to the house in the morning.”

  “You guys are moving into the house already?” Ryker asked, sitting at the kitchen table. “Wow, that was quick.”

  “Yeah, the house was empty. Apparently the couple who’d lived there split up and were just anxious to dump it.”

  “Huh.”

  “Yeah, so…” I claimed the chair next to Ryker, feeling awkward now that I had to tell him the real reason for my visit. I hated talking about feelings and shit, especially with my brothers, but this conversation was long overdue. “I probably wouldn’t be engaged at all if it weren’t for you, so I figured I should say thanks.”

  Ryker chuckled, scratching his head. “What the hell did I do? Aside from all the times I told you to stop being a dumbass and put a ring on that girl’s finger already.”

  “You showed me it’s possible to have a normal, healthy relationship even if you did have a messed up childhood. When you and Mac broke up, it made me think if there was no hope for you guys, the rest of us really were screwed.”

  With a grim smile, Ryker said, “That was a shitty time, no doubt about it. But Mac and I are stronger than we’ve ever been, so I guess it was worth it, being apart for a while.”

  “I think it was worth it for me and Riley too,” I said, leaning forward as I peeled the label off my bottle. “Being without her taught me I can’t do it.”

  “Sometimes that’s what you need,” Ryker agreed. “A good solid shot upside the head, in the form of the woman you love walking out on you, to remind you how much you need her.”

  I studied him, wondering how the hell I’d gotten so lucky. Lots of kids were abandoned by one or both parents, and most ended up in jail, out on the street, or in the system. But Ryker hadn’t let that happen. He’d somehow managed to keep us all together because he’d promised our mom on her deathbed he would, and he was a man of his word.

  “A girl like Riley wouldn’t even have given a guy like me a shot if not for your influence.” My throat burned when I realized this was the first time I’d ever said these words to him. “You taught me how to be a man.”