Brax (18 page)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Nicole

“You sure this doesn’t look like I’m trying too hard?”

I pulled the bodice of the dress up for about the millionth
time. Melinda stood behind me, admiring her handiwork. In the end, I
had
gone with something from her closet. A simple black, strapless sheath dress.
Except my tits were at least a cup size bigger than hers were.

“Well, shit,” she said. “Now I’ll never be able to pull that
dress off again. You look better in it than me, you bitch. And you’re like a
hundred years older than me.”

“I am not. I’m only ten years older than you.”

“Ancient. Ugh. Just don’t shed any of your gray hairs on it,”
she teased. She leaned over and grabbed the black clutch purse that matched the
dress. “Just take pictures. Lots and lots of selfies. Do you know what those
are, old lady, or do you need me to explain it?”

I flipped a finger at her. “You know what that means or do you
need me to explain it?”

We stood in the middle of my apartment. Melinda had been
staying with me to save rent money before she left. Everything she owned was
packed into boxes along my back wall. In two days, I’d drive her to the
airport.

“You’re stunning. Now go and make everyone at the gym jealous.
I still can’t believe that’s where they’re having this shindig. It’s lame. Boys
sweat in that place.”

“It’s nostalgic,” I said.

“Yeah. Well, I bet you’re kicking yourself for turning down
their invitation to have you help plan it. You’re way classier.”

“Thanks, but not by much.”

Melinda gave me a quick, careful hug, mindful of the updo
she’d made me wear. She said it was perfect. I thought it made me look like the
Snow Queen from a Disney movie. But it also made me feel like I had a little
sister looking out for me. So I’d suffered through the hair spray and bobby
pins just for her.

“Off you go, Cinderella,” she said as I gave her a final spin.
Then I headed out the door.

Turns out, Mel was dead-ass right. The gym was lame. God.
They’d decorated it in pink crepe paper and had an enormous paper mache float
in the middle. Someone had donned the school mascot costume. A blue wildcat. He
pretty much assaulted every woman in the place with a groping hug. I managed to
sidestep mine when I saw Principal Miller. He’d long since retired, but he
recognized me and I made a beeline for him and away from the wildcat.

“Look at you!” Principal Miller said. He was maybe five foot
two back in his day and had clearly shrunk. With my heels, he stood a full head
shorter than me. When he leaned in for a hug, it put his head right at my
chest. I was beginning to think ditching the wildcat would have been the lesser
of two evils. But Miller was half blind. He tried to focus on me through his coke
bottle glasses.

“Miss Ridley. You haven’t changed a bit. You going to lead us
in the school fight song later? I hear the band is playing.”

“Sorry, forgot my pompoms this time. But I’ll be happy to
politely clap.”

“Well, good. Good. You know, you were always one of my
favorites. Always had a smile on your face and a kind word. You here with your
husband?”

“Ah, no. It’s just me, I’m afraid.”

“No one’s snagged you yet?  You know, Mrs. Miller passed away
a few years ago. Maybe I’ve still got a shot?”

And . . . we’d crossed over into awkward. I made a few polite
comments then found an opening to extract myself from Miller’s clutches. I made
my way to the punch bowl and hoped the football team spiked this one just like
they did at prom senior year.

I poured myself a cup and ran smack into Derek Moyer, captain of
the football team. I hadn’t seen him since graduation. His eyes went wide when
he recognized me. Oh God. This boy had caused me so much drama back in the day.
Now I couldn’t even remember feeling anything at all. His head alone had gained
probably ten pounds. And he’d shrunk. He lunged forward and pawed at me,
pulling me into a bear hug that crushed my lungs.

“Sweet Jesus. Nic. Look at you! You’re the one I was hoping to
run into more than anyone. Fuck me!”

“Mmm,” I said, sipping my punch. “I think I’d rather not.”

Derek looked me up and down and licked his lips. I threw up in
my mouth a little bit. I took a big gulp of the punch. My eyes started to
water.

“Jager!” Derek beamed. Jesus.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Derek.”

The DJ struck up a slow song and my life flashed before my
eyes as Derek staggered forward again. I think he’d put more Jägermeister in
his gullet than the punch bowl. I was doomed.

Until a shadow fell over Derek’s face and his eyes went up.
And up.

I turned around and my heart fell straight down to my toes.
Brax walked toward me, scanning the crowd. A path cleared for him. Hushed
whispers. No one remembered him. They wouldn’t. He never looked like this to
them. Hell, they never looked at him at all.

But I did.

He stood tall and straight, his hair pulled back into a club.
He wore a black, tailored suit. It made him look even more dangerous somehow.
People in this town understood the leather cut he wore. The Great Wolves patch
commanded respect and fear no matter who wore it. But now, immaculate in his
Armani, all eyes went to the man. He walked with predatory grace, his blue eyes
flashing. He owned the room. Then he stopped as those fierce eyes of his found
mine. God, I wanted to go to him.

And I wanted to fucking murder him.

Hot tears sprang to my eyes as his step faltered for a
fraction of a second. He swallowed hard and his jaw went tight. He was afraid.
Of me. And what I might do. The truth was, I didn’t know what to do.

He was here and there could only be one reason.

He was here for me.

He stood inches from me. I craned my neck to meet his eyes.
“Should we dance?” he said after a long silence.

“I don’t think so.” Derek was drunker than I thought. He
staggered forward and tried to get his arm around my shoulders. I easily sidestepped
him and held out my hand to Brax. Electricity shot through my veins when his
skin touched mine.

I wanted to be angry with him. I wanted him to kiss me. In the
end, we danced.

“You’re beautiful,” he said as he pulled me close to him and
slid his hand around my waist. His feet were nimble as he spun me around the
gym floor. God, when I’d been eighteen, I’d fantasized about this. Brax. It had
always been Brax. Except now, it was so much different. He wasn’t some dream
I’d created. He was real. He was flawed. And I still wanted him to be mine.

We drew stares and I didn’t care. A few people finally figured
out who he was. His arms were steady and strong as he brought me into a low
dip. Then the song ended and we got whistles and catcalls. Oh yes, my Brax knew
how to make an impression.

“We need to talk,” he said as the DJ switched to hip hop.

I nodded. “I know just the place.”

Brax cocked his head and gave me a sly smile that heated my
core. As the dance floor filled with flailing arms and sweaty bodies, we walked
out of the gym together and crossed the parking lot to the football stadium.

It was pitch dark now, the klieg lights were dim, just like
they’d been that night when we were eighteen. Brax picked the lock to the
fence. He’d done
that
before too. I slipped off my heels and walked with
him barefoot under the bleachers.

“I can’t believe you came here,” I said.

He took my hand in his. “I can’t believe I did either. I went
to your apartment. Melinda was still there. She told me this is where I could
find you.”

“And you went home and changed?”

He smiled, that devastating, sultry flash of teeth. “Don’t you
like it?”

“You’re gorgeous and you already know that.”

“So are you. God. I can’t even come close to you.”

“Yes, you can.” My breath hitched as I took a step forward. My
heart beat like hummingbird wings.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I hurt you. But God. Nicole. I
was so afraid of losing you. That I could be the
cause
of losing you. It
would kill me. You have to know that. It would end me.”

“I know.”

“But not having you in my life is killing me even faster. And
I want to stand here and tell you that everything is going to be all right.
That my shit isn’t going to land on you and that it won’t get dangerous from
time to time. But I’m selfish, it turns out. I want you anyway. You’re mine. At
least, if you still want to be.”

Time stopped. I couldn’t breathe.  He said all the things I
wanted him to say two months ago and forever. I could say I love him. I did.
And he could hurt me again. So deeply. But as all those things raced through my
mind, I finally took a breath and answered him.

“What took you so long?”

Brax lifted me in his arms and kissed me slow and deep. “I
love you,” he whispered over and over.

His hands were everywhere. Tearing through my hair. Melinda’s
bobby pins pinged out like little drops of rain. My hair spilled over his
shoulders as he lifted me off the ground. And it was just like it was fifteen
years ago, only so much better.

His kisses were hot and urgent, but more skilled. He knew
where to touch me to make my body sing. I fumbled with his belt. I couldn’t
stand not having him inside of me. The entire student body could have come out
and sang the fight song just then and I wouldn’t have cared. I needed him. My
sex throbbed as Brax pulled my skirt up over my hips. He let out a sultry growl
when he found me bare beneath the dress. I mumbled something about panty lines
that made him laugh. Then he grew serious again.

“Are you sure?” he whispered as he slid down nearly to his
knees, kissing me. Worshipping.

“God, yes. Hurry!”

Later, we would go slow. For now, my need crashed through me.
He turned me, pressing his body against mine as I leaned against his chest. I
braced my hands against the metal girders. He ran his hand along my back,
gently pushing me down so he had me angled just right. Then he entered me. Hard
as a rock and filling me to my deepest core. He was hot and urgent. I was too.
I coated him with my juices as he plunged inside of me. I wanted more. I wanted
it all. Forever and ever.

“Brax!” I gasped as I felt my need rising. So fast. So hot. My
body was tuned to his. Trained for his. He slid his hand around and worked me,
urging me on. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. If someone walked by,
they’d spot us. The thrill of it made me drunker than the spiked punch.

“Let go, baby,” he said. And I did. I squeezed my hands
against the metal beams and went up on my tiptoes as my orgasm tore through me.
Brax worked me, wringing every last wave of pleasure out of me before he gave in
to his own.

And when he did, I saw stars.

Yes. Oh yes. All of it. All of him. He bucked and shuddered
and whispered my name.

Then my Brax folded himself against me. I turned as he
gathered me in his arms.

“I love you.” He said it over and over. We’d been so stupid.
The both of us. Afraid. Guarded. But we were stronger together than we were
apart. I knew that now and so did he. It wouldn’t be easy. I
could
get
hurt. So could he. But I couldn’t imagine trying to live my life without him.
So I took the biggest risk of all and said so.

“Brax,” I said, as we did our best to reassemble our clothes.
Not that we wanted to, but the thought of going back into the gym was out of
the question. We’d be found out in a heartbeat. He took my hand and led me back
into the parking lot. His Harley was parked at an angle near the concession
stand.

“What is it, baby?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“And I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“You won’t. I swear to God. I’m done being an idiot.”

“So am I.”

“I want to make it official.”

“We’ll go to
The Den
right now. They’re worse than a
bunch of gossipy old ladies. They kinda want to know how everything worked
out.”

This got a genuine belly laugh out of me. “Well, then let’s
really give them something to talk about.”

“What do you mean?”

“Marry me.”

Brax froze. He squeezed my hand and slowly turned toward me.
His eyes were wide and glistened. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack. I think we’ve both lived through enough in
our lives to know when something is real and when it isn’t. What do you say?”

His smile lit up the sky brighter than those klieg lights. He
circled his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground. “Isn’t that
supposed to be my line?”

“Well, if it means that much to you, go ahead. I’ll pretend I
didn’t say anything.”

He kissed me, then his face fell. “Well, I mean, now I don’t
know. What if you drool in your sleep or something?”