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“Come for me, baby,” he purrs, and I feel him swell even more inside of me. “I love you so much. Come undone for me. I love watching you let go.”
I press my face into his shoulder, and my eyes roll back as I ride him, giving my body what it so desperately needs as he buries his face in my hair.
And once we both come down from our high, we don’t scramble to get up or to go back to being just friends, like before. Instead, we hold on to each other. Even though it feels like we’ve been holding on to each other since the day we first met.
We’ve both had more pain and loss in our lives than I’d wish on anyone. But right now, for once…I feel whole.
I feel something I haven’t felt in forever.
Healing.
“Brody?” I whisper once we collapse together on the bed, resting my head on his chest. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can, beautiful,” he answers, his deep voice vibrating against my ear. “Ask away.”
“Maybe it was just my brain trying to numb the pain of missing you…but the night I went to Club 83 and got drunk, I vaguely remember seeing you there.” I stop, chewing my lip. “But I had a dream that you were here, with me. And that you took care of me.” I look up at him. “Was it just a dream? Or were you here?”
I wait for him to respond, holding my breath in anticipation. I’m sure it was just my imagination’s way of numbing the pain of him being gone. But, God, it seemedsoreal.
His fingers push my hair away from my face, and he smiles. “I brought you home that night and stayed with you for a bit, Wildflower. I’m sorry I didn’t stay the night. But know that I wanted to. I was just a coward.”
Nuzzling against him harder, I feel his heartbeat against me. “It’s okay,” I whisper. “You’re here now. And knowing you were here then…well, it means something. No, it meansa lot.”
My eyes grow sleepy as I start to doze off. Knowing, this time, without a doubt…he really is here. And I hope he always will be.
25
Brody
The church is stuffy as hell as the pastor finishes the service, and everyone walks by my grandmother’s urn to pay their respects. Aside from a few people here from the church she used to go to and people from the nursing home, it’s an extremely small crowd.
My old man is nowhere to be seen. I didn’t figure he’d show up for his mother. But just because he didn’t come here doesn’t mean I won’t be seeing him. Because I will. It’s been over a week since he beat the shit out of me for the last time. And today, I’m going to leave him behind—for good.
He’s taken up space in my mind and soul for far too long. The only thing holding me back from moving on is that son of a bitch. And it’s time to let go.
People I don’t know walk by, offering me their condolences or a hug. My hand never leaves Bria’s. Not once. She’s quiet beside me, but I know she’s there. And I wish so badly I could have been there for her when her dad died.
Once everyone else is gone, I look at Cam. I told him and Link earlier what I needed to do after my grandmother’s funeral. Surprisingly, they didn’t try to change my mind. They just said they were coming with me and that was final. I told them one of them had to stay in the car with Bria at the end of my father’s road and the other could come with me to see him. I promised it would be short and not so sweet.
As we walk to Cam’s truck and pile in, I direct him to our destination. I sit in the back with Bria, and she rests her head on my shoulder and gives my hand a squeeze.
Today would have been awful if she wasn’t here. And that proves just how much I need her.
“You good?” she whispers, craning her neck to look at me.
“I’m good,” I murmur back, pulling her closer.
Twenty minutes later, I tell Cam to stop at the end of the dirt driveway in the overgrown field.
“I’m going with you,” Cam says, pushing his door open.
“And I’ll stay here and keep you company, Bria. Tell you all of Brody’s embarrassing habits.” Link winks. “Kidding. Don’t beat me up, O’Brien.”
“Don’t hit on my lady,” I warn him. “Or you’ll be walking back to Georgia.”
“I won’t, but only because if I hit on her, she’d suddenly fall in love with me. And seeing as you’re already having a bad day…I can’t do that to you.”
“Yeah, whatever you say, Sterns.” I look at Link before doing a jerk-off motion with my hand and rolling my eyes. Looking at Bria, I give her a small smile. “I’ll be back.”
