Romancing My Love (Love in Bloom: The Bradens) Contemporary Romance (24 page)

“Thank you.”

PIERCE PRACTICALLY HEARD the pieces of his life clicking into place after feeling out of sorts for the last two days. He’d bought the tickets to Punta Allen at the risk of upsetting Rebecca, but what he’d told her about not giving up all of the things he wanted to do for her was true. Rebecca wasn’t the type of woman who wanted to be lavished with jewels or clothing, and Pierce realized that he wasn’t the type of man who was looking to do those things. Maybe on special occasions, but Rebecca had forced him to learn what love was really about—and while material items had their place, they weren’t the things that filled a person’s soul. Those were the things he wanted to do for Rebecca. He wanted her to fall asleep in his arms knowing she was safe, and though he was sure he could afford whatever she wanted, most importantly, he’d be there for her through the most difficult times and, hopefully, the most enjoyable.

He took off his suit coat and wrapped it around her mother’s urn.

“Your jacket.” Rebecca touched his hand.

“It’s fine. That’s why they make dry cleaners.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, then nestled the bundled urn on the floor of her car so it didn’t slide around while she drove. “Where to?”

She furrowed her brow in that adorable way that told Pierce she was debating something; then she ran her finger down the center of his chest. She could do that every day for the rest of his life and he’d never tire of it.

“Would you mind if we kept the urn at your house until we go to Punta Allen?” Rebecca asked. “I’d feel better if it was with us.”

Us
. “I love the way you think.”

They drove separately to Pierce’s house, and it felt like a very big moment as they carried the urn across the threshold. Pierce watched Rebecca walk into the living room and assess where to set the urn. He didn’t say anything, didn’t want to influence her decision. He knew she’d find the perfect spot. She was wearing the same jeans she’d had on the night they’d first met, and at least twice since they’d been together. Even though the fit hadn’t changed, showing off the luscious curves of her hips and her strikingly small waist, she moved easier in them. She’d always been confident, but her confidence had been bound by thorns when they’d first met, and now she moved gracefully around the couch to the mantel. She tilted her head to the right and then to the left in a thoughtful pose. A moment later she went to the table by the window and ran her finger along the streak of sunlight that spread across the center of the cherry wood.

“Do you think it should be in this room?” she asked.

“I think it should be wherever you want it to be.”

She crossed the room toward the library. “This is really my favorite room in your house. It feels warm and inviting.” She sat on the curved couch with the urn in her lap and glanced over the bookshelves. “Did you know that I love to read?”

He sat down beside her. “I did see some light reading by your bed. Business and marketing books.” He raised his brow with the tease.

She leaned against his shoulder. “I am a little obsessive about information. I love learning about all the things that go into a successful business, but I also love fiction. As we were driving here, I was thinking of where we could put the urn, and this room kept coming to mind. I haven’t had time to read for pleasure in forever. I was so focused on Mom and school that the luxuries of life went out the door.”

The idea of books being luxuries made Pierce realize how much he took for granted. He’d had more downtime in the last two weeks than he’d had in the last year, and now that he’d had a taste of it, he wanted more. With Rebecca.

“I have a feeling you’re going to love my brother Wes’s girlfriend, Callie. She’s a librarian.” He smiled thinking of his rugged, dude-ranch-owning brother and sweet, innocent Callie Barnes. He never would have paired Wes with someone so sweet, but they were perfectly suited for each other, just like he and Rebecca. Callie brought out the softer side of Wes, and Rebecca brought forth emotions in Pierce that he only realized this second he’d always
wanted
to feel.

“We’re going to Trusty this weekend, right? For the engagement party? I can’t wait to meet your family.”

“I can’t wait for you to meet them, but you should know that they’ll be surprised about you and me.” After Jake’s reaction, he thought it better to warn her ahead of time, because if there was one thing the Bradens loved, it was giving one another a hard time—always in jest, but always with a touch of truth, too.

“Really?” She arched a brow and flashed a mischievous grin. “Surprised that Good Time Pierce is now a one-woman man? I can’t imagine why they’d be surprised.”

He shook his head and laughed.

She rose to her feet and walked to the window, then turned and faced him with a wide smile. “Don’t worry. I think I can handle it.” She set the urn on the mantel and then lowered herself to Pierce’s lap. “But I know that if I can’t, you can.”

“And I always will.” He brushed Rebecca’s hair away from her face so he could see her more clearly. “Bec, other than the things you want career wise, what are you looking for in life?”

She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. “What I want now and what I wanted before my mom got sick are very different.” She unbuttoned two buttons. “When I was younger, I thought I’d travel and see the world. My mom always talked about visiting Punta Allen, so that was on my list. The Greek islands was another dream, and of course, those places would be wrapped around some magnificent business that I ran, though I had no idea what I would do in that regard.”

“And now?”

She slid her hand inside his open shirt and caressed his chest. “Now?”

She kissed his chest, and she was so close that he couldn’t resist slipping her shirt from her shoulder and kissing the exposed skin.

“How can I think with you doing that?” She arched her neck back, opening up to him.

“You started it.” He kissed the curve of her breast, trailing kisses along the depth of her cleavage. “I missed you, but I can wait. Tell me what you want now.”

She finished unbuttoning his shirt and pushed it from his shoulders, then brought her lips to them, kissing his muscular pecs and then laving them with her tongue.

“Right now? This very second?” she whispered.

He lifted his hips, pressing his arousal against her hips. “No. I know exactly what you want this very second.” He pulled her shirt off, and with one quick flick, he unhooked and tossed aside her lacy bra and then filled his palms with her full breasts.

Rebecca sucked in air as he brushed her nipples with his thumbs, bringing them to taut peaks that he had to taste, inciting a sexy, wanting moan from Rebecca. The desire in her eyes mirrored the lust coursing through him.

“Tell me what you want in life, Bec.” He kissed the tops of her breasts, knowing he was stealing her thoughts second by second and loving it as her eyes fluttered closed and she tangled her hands in his hair.

“To be…” She panted. “Happy. To be…”

He ran his hands along her ribs, sliding his thumbs along the waist of her jeans, then leaned her back and took her belly with openmouthed kisses from hip to hip.

“To be?” he whispered. Her heated skin and heavy breaths were driving him crazy. He brought her back to sitting, and she clutched his shoulders, her eyes closed, her lips slightly parted. Oh, how he wanted to be inside her glorious mouth. He took ahold of the button of her jeans.

“To be?” he urged, desperately wanting to know what she really wanted—wanting to know if
he
was what she wanted. Needing to hear it from her lips. She had opened up to him so much, he felt closer to her by the second and wanted more.

“To love and be loved,” she said in one long breath.

With one yank, the button came free.  “Anything else?” He unzipped her jeans and ran one finger along the edge of her panties, then gripped both thighs, squeezing as he followed them from her knees to the curve near her sex.

“No. I just…” She unbuttoned his pants. “I just want you, Pierce. I don’t care what we have or where we go. I want you. With me. Inside me. By my side. I want you in every way.”

He took her in a hard kiss, swiping her mouth as if he were tasting her for the first time—claiming her and marking her. She clawed at his shoulders, meeting each swipe of his tongue with a fierce stroke of her own.

“Rebecca.” Her name came fast as he kissed her jaw, her collarbone, her shoulders, every bit of flesh he could reach. He took her breasts in his mouth again, loving them, sucking them, as she ground her ass into his lap. He lifted her from his lap, holding her steady as he ripped every stitch of clothing from her body and then tore off his own.

She cupped his balls, and as the shock of pleasure shot through him, she took him in her mouth—deep. Sucking and stroking, loving him until he thought he might explode. In one swift move, he lifted her into his arms, and she slid down, taking the tip of his arousal into her wet center with a moan as she settled her teeth over his neck and sucked—sending a bolt of lightning to his loins. Holy Christ, she felt amazing. They were both lost in a frenzy of need and want. She dug her fingernails into his arms, sparking his brain to function and take a step back. He wanted her to have everything she ever wanted—including peace of mind. It took all of his willpower to lift her higher, off of his thick length before he lost all control and pushed deeper inside her.

“Condom,” he grunted.

“Mm-hm.” She continued sucking the life out of his neck as he carried her into the bedroom. Her legs straddled his waist and her bare breasts pressed against his chest; her heart pounded frantically against his.

“Hold on tight,” he commanded.

She tightened her arms around his neck, her legs around his middle as he adeptly slid on the protective sheath. He clutched her waist and eased her down onto his throbbing heat. She squeezed her thighs around him as he thrust into her over and over again. He backed her up against the wall so he could penetrate deeper; then, buried to the hilt, his balls wet with her juices, he stilled, chest to chest, eye to eye.

“I love you, Rebecca, but I’ve got to fuck you.” There was a time in every man’s life when he had to say those words, and he knew Rebecca was feeling the same consuming obsession of their love.

Her eyes narrowed. “What took you so long?”

With one arm, he swiped everything from the dresser, sending his colognes and other paraphernalia to the floor, and set her down on the top of the dresser, gripped her below the knees, spreading her legs wider, lifting them higher, opening her to him so she felt every deep thrust. She clutched his biceps for balance.

“Deeper,” she urged.

“Holy fuck, Bec.” He drove harder, deeper, then lifted her with one strong arm and spun them around to the bed. She pushed away and turned onto her hands and knees, then cast a hungry stare over her shoulder, sending her hair seductively over one eye. Her glorious ass was there for the taking. No fucking way was he going there right now. He might want to fuck her, but fuck as in love her hard, not break new boundaries.

“I read in
Cosmo
that you can go deeper like this.”

Jesus, she was too hot.
Cosmo?

She arched her back and lowered her shoulders as he entered her again. The first thrust was sheer heaven, pulling a groan from his lungs. He reached beneath her and caressed her breasts, lifting her so they were as close as two bodies could be.

She gasped a breath and he stilled.

“Are you okay?”

“You just feel so good.” She moved up and down, driving him out of his mind.

He squeezed one nipple and slid his other hand lower, teasing her sensitive bundles of nerves. She breathed fast, halted breaths, tightening her thighs, squeezing him inside her as she climbed to the peak and arched against him. Her hand flew up, and she grabbed hold of his hair—exquisite pain heightened his pleasure. She cried out his name as the orgasm sent her hips bucking, her body pulsing around him. He sank his teeth into the back of her neck, wanting to share the mix of pain and pleasure.

“Oh God…Oh God…I’m gonna…” She cried out as she came again.

Need gripped every nerve in Pierce’s body as he worked her over the final wave of her orgasm. Then he flipped her onto her back, lifting her knees to his sides. When their eyes connected, all that urgency came to a screeching halt. He was overcome with the love he felt for her. He kissed her tenderly, a whisper of his lips against hers.

All their talk from earlier in the afternoon came rushing back to him. Their honesty, their fears, their love. He felt like the breath was being sucked from his lungs with the intensity of it all. He lowered his forehead to hers, panting. “I didn’t know it was possible to love as wholly as I love you.”

She shook her head and stroked his cheek. Pierce closed his eyes and pressed his hand to hers, savoring the feel of her palm on his face.

“You asked me what I wanted.” Her voice was thick with emotion.

When he opened his eyes, she smiled.

“You, Pierce. Holding your hand, sitting beside you, talking to you. Making love to you. I want you, Pierce. Just you.”

He settled his lips over hers, kissing her tenderly. He touched her gently, savoring the feel of her beneath him, and brought her right up to the edge again. Holding her there, drawing out her pleasure as much as his own, and then finally—blissfully—they gave into the passion and spiraled over the edge together.

THE REST OF the week passed in a blur with one shining night. They’d celebrated Pierce’s ratification of the deal on the Grand with a romantic candlelit dinner and a walk in the park. He credited the deal to Rebecca’s suggestion of proposing an earn out, and when she’d tried to dispute it, he’d stuck to his guns and forced her to accept the accolade. She was still trying to get used to compliments and recognition for her efforts, but she had to admit that it felt damn good to have come up with a winning solution for something so meaningful in Pierce’s life after how much he continued to do for her.

Pierce reached across the console of the rental car as they drove from the Denver airport toward his mother’s house in Trusty. He squeezed her hand.

“I’m glad you came with me.”

“Me too. I’m kind of getting used to doing everything with you.” They’d been driving into work together, and when Rebecca worked an evening shift last night and Pierce had a late meeting, he made arrangements for a security guard to walk her to her car. She didn’t complain, and it had been a big step for both of them. He worried about her in ways she sometimes felt were unwarranted, but then again, who was she to judge what gave him peace of mind? She’d struggled with gaining her own peace of mind, and he’d been supportive. They were working on that aspect of their relationship—the art of compromising, which was difficult for two people who liked to control, but Rebecca knew that they’d come out on top of that, too.

He pressed her hand to his lips. “Good, because I’m already used to it.”

SHE STAYED AT Pierce’s house each night, and there was no better feeling than waking up beside the man she loved, except maybe falling asleep in his arms.

“Thank you for not wearing the skintight minidress.” Pierce flashed a teasing smile. When they’d woken up this morning, he’d grabbed the calendar by the bed and reviewed the things he’d written the night before. Then he’d handed the calendar to Rebecca with a coy smile. She read his notes—
Turn on phone. Remind Rebecca to wear something homely so my snake brothers don’t hit on her
.
Fly home
—and she’d baited him by saying she’d wear a skintight minidress and four-inch heels.

“I figured I should check out your brothers in person before I go flashing all my hotness around like that.” She knew that he wasn’t worried, and she loved that they could tease each other without worrying about offending each other. There wasn’t a man alive who could take her away from Pierce, but his heart was in the right place.

He rolled his eyes.

Now, as they drove up the long tree-lined driveway toward his mother’s house, her stomach knotted. She smoothed the skirt of her summer dress. It was one of her favorites, and the fact that it was a gift from her mother before she’d gotten sick made it all the more special. She hadn’t had many occasions to wear it. They’d moved most of her clothes to Pierce’s house, and when she’d seen it in his closet, she’d known this was the perfect occasion. The dress was easy to wear, with an empire waist and an A-line skirt. The intricate designs in browns, grays, and beige made it the perfect mix of dressy and casual for an afternoon engagement party. Her favorite part of the dress was the elegant detailing, with contrasting striped piping all over, rose-button placket, and straight neckline. She felt pretty and feminine in the sleeveless dress. Pierce was holding her hand across the console of the rental car, and as always, he read her body like a blind man reads braille.

“Relax, Bec. They’ll love you as much as I do.”

“I’m not nervous about that. I’m nervous about how
much
I love you.”

She stole a glance at Pierce, in his faded Levi’s and black polo shirt. He looked so damn hot that she had been looking at him all morning. Things in the keeping-her-attraction-to-him-to-herself department were easier before they came clean about everything—their feelings, their pasts, their secrets. Those things had given her something else to focus on, even if only subconsciously. With them pushed out of the way, when she looked at Pierce, emotions flooded every inch of her body, and she knew his family would see that.

“Don’t worry. I know people see it written all over my face when I’m around you, too. Kendra said that since we’ve been dating, I’m lighter on my toes, whatever the hell that means.”

“It means—”

Pierce slammed on the brakes, and they both flew forward as a body flipped across the front of the rental car.

“Oh my God.” Rebecca clutched her heart and bolted from the car. She raced around to the front of the car and crouched by the man lying facedown on the pavement, while Pierce moved like he was walking in slow motion with a pinched look on his face. She wanted to smack him. Didn’t he see the man lying on the ground?

Pierce stood with his hands on his hips and an angry look in his eyes.

“Call nine-one-one. Pierce! Oh my God.” She touched the man’s head with a shaky hand. “Are you okay?”

“Get up, you jackass.” Pierce kicked the man’s black leather boot. “This is such bullshit.”

“Pierce!” She couldn’t believe he would treat anyone like that. With her heart in her throat, she lowered her ear to the man’s mouth to see if he was breathing. She couldn’t see his face very clearly, as it was smushed against the pavement. She held her breath and listened for breathing sounds.

“Pretend I’m not breathing,” the man whispered.

Rebecca stumbled backward and fell on her ass. She shot a look at Pierce, realizing finally that she’d been had.

“Rebecca,” Pierce said flatly. “Meet my jackass stuntman brother, Jake.”

Brother?
She didn’t understand. Her heart was racing from the shock of seeing him hit.

Jake jumped to his feet with a shit-ass grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He opened his arms. “Rebecca, what a pleasure to meet you.”

She was still so shaken she was panting. She pushed to her feet. Her eyes darted between them, and in the space of a breath that fear turned to anger.

“Brother?” She smacked Jake’s rock-hard abs, then pushed Pierce’s chest. “How could you do that? I was scared shitless. That’s not funny. That’s…that’s…”

“Hey, it was him, not me.” Pierce reached for her and she pushed him away.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Jake laughed, and Pierce silenced him with a dark stare.

“You’re an ass, Jake. You really scared her.” He looked at Rebecca as she paced, trying to calm her racing heart; then he shot Jake another heated look. “Jackass.”

Rebecca wrapped her arms around herself, and after a few deep breaths, she realized she’d just hit Pierce’s brother.
Shit
. She hadn’t even met him yet.
Shit. Shit. Shit
.

Pierce placed his hands on her arms from behind. “I’m sorry, babe. I should have warned you that he does that stuff. I wasn’t thinking.”

She pulled from his arms and forced herself to turn and face Jake. Great,
now
she saw the family resemblance. 

“I’m sorry I swatted you.” She hated that she couldn’t keep the annoyance from her voice, but damn it—she was annoyed, and still a little frightened.

“You know what? I’m not sorry. That sucked. Jesus, Jake. I’m sure you’re a great guy, but you nearly gave me a heart attack, and you had me thinking that Pierce had lost his flippin’ mind because he stood there calling a dying man a jackass.”

Jake’s brow furrowed, his smile faltered, and he dropped his eyes for a beat. “I really am sorry, Rebecca. Pierce, man, I didn’t mean to freak her out.”

“She should have leveled you.” Pierce draped an arm around Rebecca’s shoulder and kissed her temple.   

“Yeah,” Jake admitted. “You’d have had every right to level me. I am sorry, Rebecca. I didn’t mean to frighten you. This is kind of what I do with my family, but I guess you wouldn’t know that.” He stepped forward, and he looked so apologetic that Rebecca’s anger faded as quickly as it had appeared. “Forgive a stupid man?”

“Of course. I probably overreacted.”

“Like hell,” Pierce said.

Jake opened his arms, and Rebecca smiled up at him and mumbled,
Jackass
, as she met his embrace with her own.

Jake turned to Pierce with open arms. “Bro?”

Pierce faked a punch to his gut, and the two of them feigned punches and laughed. Rebecca couldn’t help but laugh with them. She’d never seen this side of Pierce, and she loved the way their playful taunts enlivened him. A car pulling down the driveway parked behind their rental car. Both men turned as a gorgeous pixie of a woman with long brown hair and dark, unmistakably Braden eyes, dressed in jeans and a glittery gold tank top climbed from the car in black heeled boots and sprinted to them as if she were wearing sneakers. She launched herself into Pierce’s arms, sending him stumbling backward with a laugh.

“I missed you, too, Emily.”

His sister wore a wide smile as she hung on to Pierce for all she was worth.

“You’re here!” She dropped to the ground and fell into Jake’s arms. “I missed you, too, you big lug.” Emily flashed her smile toward Rebecca. “Rebecca?”

“Hi.” Rebecca had the urge to get in on the family fun and hug her. It had been so long since she’d had a family of her own, and Emily’s energy was contagious.

“I love your dress.” Emily embraced her.

“Thank you. I love your top.” Rebecca relished how comfortable she felt with Emily already, and how easy the three of them were with one another. She’d always wondered what it might be like to have siblings. It didn’t take more than a minute for her to see how much they enriched one another’s lives, even with Jake’s prank. The love they had for one another was evident.

Emily looped her arm in Rebecca’s. “Come on. We’ll talk on the way to the house and leave the boys to play in the dirt.” She tossed her keys to Jake.

“Sounds good to me.” She glanced at Pierce. “Do you mind?”

“Yes, but I know better than to argue with Emily. Go. Have fun. I’ll be in in a sec.”

PIERCE WATCHED REBECCA walk away. He was sure that by the time they reached the house, she and Emily would be as close as sisters, and it brought him comfort. Emily would probably share embarrassing stories about Pierce, and he imagined Rebecca would think they were
cute
. When she was safely out of earshot, he pushed those warm, loving feelings aside and turned on Jake.

“You’re an idiot.” He closed the gap between them so they were eye to eye. “Her mother died two months ago.”

“I’m sorry, man.” Jake held his hands up.

Pierce wanted to grab him by his goddamn collar and knock some sense into him, but Jake hadn’t known about Rebecca’s mother, and Jake was just being Jake. He clenched his jaw and fisted his hands, squeezing the fury out of his muscles.

“Grow up, Jake. Christ Almighty.” He spun around and stepped away to walk off the lingering anger. “I love ya, man, but you’ve got to climb out of your own head and grow up.”

“
Tsk
. Hey, whatever.” Jake waved a hand in the air. “I apologized, and I
am
sorry, but let it go already.” He arched a brow.

Pierce turned on him again. Even though he knew Jake had been kidding around, he couldn’t help it. When it came to Rebecca, his claws came out. “Let it go? I love her, Jake. Did you see how scared she was? If you weren’t my brother, I’d have kicked your ass and left your ragged body on the side of the road.”

“Damn, Pierce. It was a joke.” His voice softened.

“Yeah, I get it, okay? But when it hurts Rebecca, it goes from joke to serious pretty damn quick. You hurt her, I hurt you. Got it?” Pierce sucked in a breath to calm his anger.

“Yeah. Got it.” Jake shook his head. “Man, I really had no idea.”

“No shit, you had no idea. You’ve been clueless ever since Fiona fucked you over in high school. Get over it already. Grow up and think of someone else for once.” Jake and Fiona had dated for more than two years in high school, and though they’d planned on going to the same college, after their high school graduation, Fiona had dumped Jake out of the blue. He’d never let anyone get close to him since.

“Shit. My life has
nothing
to do with her.”

The anger in his eyes told Pierce otherwise. Jake would never get over Fiona, and now that Pierce had Rebecca in his life and understood what it was like to love someone so completely, he felt bad for Jake. Pierce shook his head and exhaled loudly before slinging an arm over Jake’s shoulder and muscling his forearm against his neck.

“Come on, asshole. Let’s get inside before Emily messes with Rebecca’s head.”

Jake laughed. “Too late. You know Emily works fast.”

Pierce wasn’t worried. Emily adored each of her brothers, and there wasn’t anything she could say that would upset Rebecca. Rebecca already knew that the Braden men weren’t exactly a monogamous crew—that is, until they fell in love and handed their hearts over to the women they loved.