by Carrie Elks
It was killing him not to call her, and if he stayed at home he probably would. But he’d made a promise that he wouldn’t take control from her and make any decisions for her, and he intended to keep it. Even if he had to sit on his hands all night.
“Yeah, well I’ll leave you to it. Try not to work too hard.” Breck shot him a smile. “And if you finish working before dinner time, drop over. I’ll be heating up the grill around seven.”
“I might do that.” Anything to avoid his empty house.
As Breck clattered his way down the metal steps leading to the building site below, Aiden picked his phone up again. No new messages. His heart dipped. Right now he’d take any morsel of hope she had to offer.
He pressed on the message icon, wanting to read the one from last night again, when Breck’s footsteps on the metal staircase got suddenly louder. He quickly slid his phone into his pocket and looked up, frowning.
“Did you forget something?” he called out, right as the door to the outer office opened. Five footsteps across the space to his own door, and Breck was pushing it open.
Except it wasn’t Brecken at all.
“Brooke?”
“Hey. I’ve been looking for you all over.” She smiled at him, lingering in the doorway. “I tried the house, and scoured the beach. I was going to give up after trying here and call you.
“You could have messaged.” He raised an eyebrow, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed at his words.
She slowly shook her head. “Not for this. Some things should only be said face to face.”
For a moment he wondered if she planned to give him the brush off. But then he thought of that message. “They should? What kind of things?” He stood up and walked around his desk, resting on the front of it, his long legs stretched out before him. He wanted to walk over to her, to pull her close and drag whatever it was she’d come to say out of her.
Stop. He needed to let her take the lead.
“I wanted to say thank you for keeping Nick last night.”
“That could definitely have been said in a message.” He tipped his head to the side. “Where is he anyway?”
“Ember came over to watch him for a while. He had a good time last night, by the way. Though when I asked him what you did, he told me ‘what happens at Aiden’s stays at Aiden’s.’” She narrowed her eyes in a mock-frown.
“We swam, ate crawfish, and watched The Lego Movie. It was wild.” Aiden winked. “But you know, you could have joined us. You’re always welcome.”
“I wanted to.” She took a tentative step forward. He grasped tightly onto the desk to stop himself from doing the same. Christ, she really was killing him.
“What stopped you?”
“I didn’t know if you were only being polite.”
“Polite? That’s a new one on me. I’m not sure anybody’s called me that before.” He tapped his fingers as they still held the wooden desk. The muscles in his legs flexed, as though they were ready to walk over to her, whether he liked it or not.
“I don’t want to give Nick the wrong idea, either.” Her fingers twisted together. “Though I’m not sure what the right idea is.” She laughed nervously. “Am I making any sense to you? I don’t feel like I am.”
He looked at her for a minute. At her silken hair falling in waves past her shoulders, at her flushed face and her tan skin. She couldn’t be any more adorable if she tried. He was literally clinging to the table right now. “You don’t know what idea Nick might have,” he repeated. “About us.”
“Yeah. Exactly.”
“But you don’t know what the idea is.” His voice was deadpan.
She bit her lip. “When you put it like that, I make no sense at all.”
He stood taller. “One thing I’ve found in business is if you want something you have to be clear. Let the other person know in no uncertain terms.” Was he leading her? Controlling her? He hoped not.
“That sounds like a good idea.” She sighed. “This would’ve been so much easier to do by text message.”
“But this sort of thing can only be said face to face,” he said, reminding her of her own words. “Whatever it is.”
She took another step forward, her eyes wide like a scared colt. “Do you still care for me?” she asked him, her voice trembling.
He nodded. “Of course I do.” It took every ounce of strength he had not to ask her if she felt the same.
“So there’s hope?” she asked him, not quite meeting his gaze. “For us, I mean?”
“I haven’t stopped hoping.” His biceps flexed as he fought against himself to run to her. “And I won’t stop, not until you say there’s no hope.”
Her chest rose as she took a deep breath in. She moved again, the minutest of steps. She was right beyond arm’s reach now. One step and he could have her against him.
Finally she looked up, her eyes scanning his face. “I hope. I hope so much it hurts.”
Damn it. Within a second he’d let go of the desk and took a single stride toward her. Her eyes widened as she saw him approach, her lips opening to take in another gasp of air. He stopped short of her, only inches between them. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and shining – like a piece of green glass rubbed smooth by the sea. “Have you changed your mind?” His voice was rough. “About us?”
“I’ve never changed my mind about you,” she told him. “You were always the one. It was me I needed to work on.” Her smile was as tentative as her voice. “I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past few days. Having Nick at home meant I didn’t have much choice. And I realized something important.”
“What is it?”
She licked her lips, the pink tip of her tongue moistening her plump skin. “There’s a difference between somebody caring for you and somebody wanting to control you. When I walked into the hospital and saw you all there for Nick and me, I knew it wasn’t about control. It’s because you care for us.” She took another fast breath. “And there’s no point in having total control if it means you push away the ones who care for you the most.”
“Caring seems too weak a word,” he told her, reaching out to brush his finger tips along her heated cheekbone. It was the softest of touches, yet it sent a shudder through her. “I love you.”
Her smile grew until it lit up her face. She grabbed his hand, pressing his palm to her face. Closing her eyes for a moment, she kissed his palm, her breath dancing against his rough skin. “Another thing I’ve learned,” she told him. “Control can be overrated.”
“It can? Tell me more.”
She rolled onto her toes, trying to lessen the distance between them. He looked down at her, taking her in. His heart ached at the sight of her.
“For example, if I was to lose control and kiss the hell out of the guy who runs this resort site, in his office, would it be a bad thing?”
He slowly shook his head. “I don’t think so, no.”
She rested her hands lightly on his shoulders, her fingers brushing against his neck. It was his turn to shiver. She inclined her head until her lips were only a breath away from his. He could taste the anticipation in the air, soft and sweet, exactly like her. The next moment she was pressing her mouth to his, her arms around his neck, and he was kissing her back like his life depended on it. His arms circled her waist, pulling her as close as he could, until her body melted into his. Her mouth was warm and welcoming, opening up to him when his tongue slid along the seam of her lips. His hands were moving up, tangling in her hair, and his heart clattered in his chest in response to her boldness.
Control was definitely overrated. He’d had precious little since he met her, and had even less now.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Epilogue
How could she be late today of all days? Brooke ran up the courthouse steps, smoothing her hair from her face, grimacing at the way her hands still smelled of dog no matter how many times she’d scrubbed them. It had been a hell of a morning at the veterinary clinic,
with three emergency cases being brought in, the last involving a sock, a Labrador, and a twisted gut. The Labrador won, thankfully.
If it hadn’t been for this court date looming, she’d have loved every minute of it.
“Can you help me?” she asked the clerk in the main lobby once she made it through the small line at security. I’m looking for Case 2114. Newton vs Black.”
“Courtroom Three. They’re about to start.”
Damn. She flew across the lobby to the door labeled three. Taking a moment to steady her breath, she pushed it open and walked inside, trying to ignore the way the sound of her heels hitting the wooden floor echoed through the courtroom.
Her lawyer gestured at her, and Brooke slid into the seat next to him. She could feel the heat of a hundred eyes searing against her skin. Twisting her neck, she saw her family and friends filling the seats in the gallery, along with a man whose warm, brown eyes were staring at her in question. Slowly he raised his brows.
“Work,” she mouthed. He smiled and shook his head. In the months since she’d graduated and become a veterinary technician, work had made her late more than once. Emergency call outs, surgeries going wrong, and of course there were always animals who needed her attention. Between that, and making sure Nick was always taken care of, she was amazed she’d found time to nurture a new relationship.
“I love you,” he mouthed back, and it made her heart heat up.
“I love you, too.”
“This court is now in session. All rise for the Honorable Judge Lawrence McCafferty,” the clerk called out. The courtroom echoed with the sound of shoes against the wooden floor. Brooke glanced at the table next to hers. The defendant’s table. Only a solitary attorney sat there.
The judge took a seat and everyone else followed. When he’d unfolded his glasses and got them settled on the bridge of his nose, he lifted the paper up before him. “Case 2114, Newton versus Black.” He peered over the rim of his glasses. “I presume you’re Newton?” he said to Brooke.
She nodded. “Yes, Your Honor.” Her heart was beating like crazy against her chest, which was stupid because her lawyer had talked her through every step. Maybe it was the pressure of being in a real live courtroom – she’d never even seen inside one before today. Combined with the adrenaline from this morning’s surgery, she was surprised she was still able to breathe, let alone speak.
“And I see Mr. Black won’t be attending?” This was addressed to the attorney at the other table.
“That’s correct, Your Honor.”
“Okay, well let’s begin. In the matter of Newton versus Black, request to terminate parental rights, how does your client wish to plead?”
“No contest, Your Honor. My client confirms he wishes to rescind his rights.”
It was over in less than twenty minutes. The judge had reviewed their statements, asked a few questions, and granted Brooke’s petition. The fact Jamie was in complete agreement with it hadn’t hurt their case. As far as the law was concerned, he was no longer Nicholas’s father.
As far as Brooke was concerned, he never had been.
“I’ll have the paperwork finished and over to you by the end of the week,” her attorney said as they stood and waited for the court to empty. “Good luck, Miss Newton, not that you need it.”
“Thank you for all you’ve done.” She shook his proferred hand and grabbed her purse, slinging it over her shoulder. The attorney gave her a nod, and headed over to talk with Jamie’s attorney, leaving Brooke alone in the courtroom.
Another deep breath. What a day it had been. She’d saved a dog and protected her son all in the matter of a few hours. Biting down a smile, she headed toward the door to the lobby, pushing it open to see everybody waiting there for her.
Her parents were the first to congratulate her. Though things hadn’t returned to the way they had used to be between them, they were civil enough. Her mom gave her a quick hug, and her father patted her back. She’d had to turn down his offer to fund this lawsuit three times – thank God he didn’t offer again.
“I’m so happy for you both.” Ember was the next to hug her, quickly followed by Ally who was almost jumping up and down with happiness. And as they parted, she saw Aiden waiting for her, wearing a dark blue suit that took her breath away.
“Hey.” He took a step forward, reaching out to cup her cheek. From the corner of her eye she saw her parents leave the lobby. There was still no love lost between them and Aiden, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. They were polite to each other, and that’s all she asked for.
“Hey.” She felt breathless, the way she always did when he touched her. He took another step closer until his body was only inches away from hers. With his stature and build, he dwarfed her, and yet he never made her feel anything less than his equal.
Usually, he made her feel so much more.
“Congratulations,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “How do you feel?”
She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing him in. Her heart skipped like an excited puppy to have him so near. “I feel…” She frowned, trying to think. “The same. Nothing’s changed, really, has it?”
He laughed. “No, it hasn’t.”
“Jamie was never Nick’s father, not really.” She opened her eyes, inclining her head until her gaze met his. “As far as he’s concerned, you’re his father.”
He’d been calling Aiden ‘Dad’ for the past couple of months. Last week, he’d made him a Father’s Day card and given it to Aiden with a beaming smile on his face. Aiden had turned his face away so Nick hadn’t seen the tears forming in them, but Brooke had seen them.
And they’d made her want to cry too.
“Like I said at therapy last week, as far as I’m concerned he is my son.” He ran the pad of his finger across the sharp plane of her cheekbone.
She smiled at the memory. She and Nick had been seeing a family therapist ever since she’d told him the truth about his father, and in the past couple of months Aiden had joined them. They were becoming a family in almost every sense of the word.
“I’d like to make it official, if you’ll both have me,” Aiden murmured, as though he could read her mind.
“Official?”
“Yeah.” For the first time he looked uncertain, and it made her love him even more. She was used to his raw confidence, his strength, but it was his vulnerability which made him complete. “I was going to save this for another time. When we were alone.” He glanced behind her, presumably at her friends. “But I’m not sure I can wait any longer.” He pushed a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box. “I’ve been carrying this around for weeks.”
“What is it?” She was grinning because she already knew. And his smile told her he knew she knew.
He opened the lid, and she stared down at the contents with wide eyes, blinking with recognition. A simple oval emerald set in an elegant yellow gold setting. “This was your Mom’s,” she said, looking up at him. “It’s beautiful.”
“I had it reset,” he told her. “But with the same design. Her fingers were much bigger than yours.”
“I love it. It’s perfect.”
“I wasn’t sure if you would. We can go and look for a different one if you’d prefer?”
“Are you kidding?” she grinned as he slid the ring onto her left finger, and held it up to watch the stone catch the light. “You can’t give it to me and then take it away. And anyway, I love that it was your mom’s. It makes it even more special.” She caught his eye again. “I wish she could have been here.”
“So do I.”
“Maybe she is. And maybe she’s happy for us, too.”
“I forgot to ask you,” he said, an undeniably sexy grin forming on his lips. “Brooke Newton, will you marry me?”
“Um…” She swallowed a laugh. “Okay.”
“There’s something else I want to ask.”
“There is?” This time she was stumped. What else could there be?
“I want us to be a family. A real family. Once we’re married, and if you both agree to it, I’d like to adopt Nick.”
Tears formed in her eyes. “Of course I agree. And although we’ll ask Nick, I know he will too. He loves you so much,” she said, looping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. “And so do I.”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumb, and pressed his lips against her damp skin. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive,” he told her, brushing his mouth against hers and making her shiver. “Thank you.”
It had been ten long years between their first kiss and this last one. Those years of heartbreak had finally led to this moment of pure joy. And as he held her tightly and kissed her until she was breathless, Brooke knew the wait had been worth every minute.
They were partners. Equals in every way. And together, their future looked perfect.
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this story, be sure to look out for Just A Kiss, the next book in the Angel Sands series, featuring Breck and Caitie - and a Christmas wedding!
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
About the Author
Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out.
Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.
You can find Carrie in all these places
www.carrieelks.com
[email protected]
Also by Carrie Elks