Chapter 29
ANNALISE
Minutes later, after helping readjust my clothes, Brody runs his steady, strong hands over my head, smoothing my messy hair. When he presses a kiss to my forehead, I almost purr, so languid and relaxed. Happy .
His declarations flow through my mind on repeat, settling a part of my soul that I didn’t know had been so uneasy.
The silence following the aftermath of hands down the best orgasm I’ve ever had is soothing in a way that reminds me of snuggling beneath a warm blanket after a long day out in the cold.
Add the presence of Brody, and I’m tempted not to leave this bathroom again.
The wedding reception has most likely moved on to dinner while we’ve been away, hiding in our own special place in time. With no way to tell how long we’ve been gone, it’s hard to know for sure. I almost feel bad for keeping the entertainment hidden away with me, but not enough to rush our exit.
This is our time, our moment, and I’m going to be selfish with it.
I lean my butt against the edge of the counter, shifting my weight on my heels as I button his shirt back up.
The short, coarse hairs on his chest brush my fingertips with each button I finish.
It’s disappointing to tuck it away, to hide it from view once more, but I don’t need anyone else gawking at him once we leave.
That’s my job, and I plan on being employee of the month.
Brody watches me closely, his chin tipped and chest rising and falling steadily.
His hat remains on the counter, leaving his messy hair exposed.
The ghost of the strands whispers between my fingers, the memory of tugging them hard still fresh in my mind.
Reaching up, I sweep away the few loose waves that have fallen over his forehead.
His eyes visibly shudder, zeroing in on my mouth.
“If you kiss me again, we’ll miss dinner completely,” I warn him, dropping my hand to finish fixing his shirt.
“I wouldn’t mind eatin’ you instead of whatever they’ve got out there.”
Desire blooms in my belly, turning my cheeks fire-engine red. “Tempting, but when that happens, I don’t want it to be in a public washroom. I’m surprised nobody has tried to break in here yet.”
His gaze remains fixated on my lips for a breath longer before, reluctantly, he lifts it. “I’d rather take my time with you anyway.”
“Ditto, Cowboy.” I toss him a wink before spinning to grab his suit jacket from the counter and moving to his back. The wide expanse of strong shoulders and thick muscle trips a wire in my brain. “Extend your arm.”
“More than capable of puttin’ my own jacket on,” he says, but when he moves his arm for me, I know he actually doesn’t mind the help.
“I know. I just want to do it.”
Sliding his arm into the first sleeve, I guide the jacket over his back and move to the other arm. Once both are inside, I release the material and take a step back. He shrugs the jacket on fully, stretching his arms in front of his body before turning to face me.
“Look good?”
I arch a brow. “Searching for compliments now, are we?”
“From you? Absolutely.”
My chest flutters. “You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on, let alone had as my own.”
“Now you know how I feel every time I look at you. Come here,” he orders softly.
I step into his body, sighing at the immediate comfort that comes with having his arms around me. He strokes up and down my back with a firm touch as I press my cheek to his chest and sigh.
“Tell me how this is going to work,” I whisper.
“What do you mean?”
“Once we walk out of here. How is it going to work? I’ve never been with anyone like you before, and I’m not just talking about your outrageous good looks.
I’m talking about your fame. Your career.
God, I don’t even know why I’m setting myself up for heartbreak when you have to leave in just a couple of weeks. Maybe that makes me a fool.”
He pulls back, expression tight with anger. “You’re not a fool. Don’t talk like that about yourself.”
I reply with a tense nod. “Alright. I’m sorry.”
He blows out a breath and pinches my chin, lifting it until I have no other choice but to hold his gaze.
“It’s too late to worry about turnin’ out as fools.
Been thinkin’ about you daily for weeks now.
Either way, I was fucked. I don’t want to focus on the after right now.
Not when I have you in my arms like this for the first time.
Maybe that’s not a fair thing to ask of you.
But all I know is that you’re my woman now, and I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks about it. ”
“But how do I act out there, Brody? What do I do, and what do I not do? I don’t want to ruin anything for you by doing something wrong in the public eye.
We aren’t still in Cherry Peak, where nobody cares who you are or what you do.
I’ve never cared much about social media or whether or not people like me, but I’ve seen what my sister has dealt with from hockey fans, and while Maddox’s fans aren’t yours, they can’t be much different. ”
I’ve been surrounded by public figures for years now.
Braxton married into a family full of them.
From her husband and father-in-law the hockey superstars, to her sister-in-law the social media influencer, and even to her damn brother-in-law, who just so happens to be one of the biggest names in rock music.
I’m not new to seeing the fans and constant judgment that comes with a high follower count. But I’ve never been nose-deep in it.
“This isn’t a red carpet, sweetheart. The only thing you need to do out there is let me keep you close and be yourself. Everythin’ else will fall into place,” he soothes.
A spark of insecurity slips past my defenses as I blurt out, “And if it doesn’t? If we both wake up tomorrow to see a Twitter thread about the girl you were caught slumming it with at an NHL player’s wedding?”
He shakes his head, smiling so slightly I almost miss it before he’s brushing his lips over my mouth.
“I’ve never cared much for the opinions of others.
Not those outside of my family, and in case you haven’t noticed, Buttercup, my grandparents would damn near adopt you if given the damn chance.
They like you nearly as much as I do, and that’s sayin’ somethin’. ”
The confidence in his words is good enough for me.
Right now, at least. Whether or not it will still be tomorrow or the day after, I’m not sure.
All I am sure of is that I’d rather have Brody for a couple of weeks than not at all.
I’ve fled from important choices in the past, ones that could have held the potential to change my life, and I won’t do it again.
I’ve let others help dictate what I should and shouldn’t do, but this is the new Annalise, the badass that doesn’t cower.
Let the country music fans judge me if it comes to that. Let the potential heartbreak drive me back to the place I was post-Stewart, because this right here, this skip in my heart and warmth in my bones, is so fucking worth it.
“It makes sense now,” I whisper.
His brows tug together slowly, thumb moving back and forth over my chin. “What does?”
“When I heard that you wrote most of your own music. You naturally know just what to say.”
“It’s easier for me to talk to you than it is to write. It’s one of the first things I realized when we first met, both via text and in person. Was easy to talk to you. Easier than it’s been to talk to anyone for months.”
I nip at the inside of my cheek, fluttering my lashes. Pride blooms in my chest. “Good.”
“Good,” he repeats, his voice a breathy, surprised sound, as if he’s in awe of my simple answer.
“Yeah, good. I’m glad we’re on the same page because I could happily talk your ear off every damn day.”
With a low laugh, he kisses me just once, even as I chase his lips for more, and releases my chin, tucking me beneath his arm instead. I catch sight of our reflection in the mirror and feel the rightness of the picture in every thump of my pulse and rise of my chest.
He has a few inches on me, even with the additional height from my heels, his chest lean with hard-packed muscle and hips narrow.
I fit into his side like a missing puzzle piece, the plump curves of my hips and chest evened out with the strong width of his shoulders.
My dress is the colour of his tie, the plum colour the married couple loves so much.
There’s only one thing missing from the picture, and I quickly snap my hand out to grab it.
Brody’s eyes are intense, hot on my skin as I lift his hat between us and push up on my toes to set it atop his head. Once it’s back where it belongs, I tap the front, tipping it slightly before dropping back to my heels.
“There we go,” I say, unable to hide a great big smile.
He tugs me tighter to his side, the arm draped over my shoulder a pleasant, reassuring weight. “Ready to get back out there?”
Taking in the sight reflected back at us one last time, I nod. “Feel up to meeting my sister and brother-in-law?”
He straightens, determination flaring to life in those pretty blue eyes. “Anytime, sweetheart.”
“Then lead the way, Cowboy.”
Braxton’s jaw nearly hits the table when I walk right up to her with Brody’s arm still hanging securely over my shoulders.
I’m all too aware of the curious eyes watching our every move, but I focus on not letting the discomfort that comes with that judgment show on my face.
This is a good moment. The best of the best. Nobody can ruin this for me.
To my surprise, the reception hasn’t moved on to dinner or speeches yet.
The bride and groom are speaking to an older couple near the main stage while the guests chat amongst themselves.
Our table isn’t cluttered by any means, but it’s quite full.
Eight chairs, five of which are occupied by people I’ve never met before.
The only empty seat is mine, but I make no move toward it.
Maddox boldly looks Brody up and down, donning a mask of indifference.
I could cry at the obvious show of protectiveness.
His big-brother sense must begin to tingle because he meets my stare and winks.
I push every ounce of appreciation into my expression, hoping he understands just how grateful I am for him.
Growing up, my sister and I never had anyone other than Maddox to be protective of us.
When it came to my sister, Maddox was protective for his own reasons, most of which stemmed from being in love with her his entire life, but he picked up the responsibilities that came with being my big brother too, warning the boys away and threatening ultimate destruction if they broke my heart.
Dad didn’t really care what we did or who we went out with, so long as we didn’t embarrass him or the family, and Mom .
. . she was too busy not trying to drown in the terrible marriage she was stuck in to worry about our dating lives.
Having Maddox around filled a hole inside of me that I didn’t realize was so gaping.
My sister couldn’t have married a better man.
“You must be Brody,” he says in a no-bullshit tone.
I wait for Brody to tense up beside me the way Stewart had when he met my brother-in-law for the first time, but he doesn’t.
Instead, he extends his free arm toward him, and they shake hands in a rough and tough alpha-male way that usually has me rolling my eyes.
The grip with which they shake has me looking at Braxton to find her hiding a smile.
“Pleasure to meet you, Maddox,” Brody replies.
I twist my body further into his hold, inhaling his woodsy scent as it swarms my senses. “The gorgeous woman beside Maddox is my sister, Braxton.”
Braxton beams. “How’s the hand? My husband has quite the grip.”
“Fuck me, I think he might have crushed my bones,” Maddox groans, shaking his hand out in front of him.
Brody huffs a deep laugh. “I’ve been shaking hands with men used to gripping bull rope since I was a boy.”
“You don’t say?” Maddox retorts.
Braxton lays a hand on her husband’s back and coos, “Poor baby. Will you be okay?”
“Don’t mention this to anyone, and I’ll take it easier on you than I usually do Anna’s boyfriends,” he tells Brody.
My man just nods and slides his hand from my shoulder to the back of my neck, palming it. “Works for me.”
“Where are you sitting for dinner?” Braxton asks.
Good question, sis.
“I have a spot at one of the tables around here, I think,” he answers.
I worry my lip, selfishly wanting to keep him close. I’ve never felt so possessive of a guy before, but I can’t help but want to keep him glued to my side all night. Having him sitting somewhere else tonight while he’s not onstage singing singes my insides.
“We can pull you up a chair at our table,” I suggest, feigning innocence, as if I’m not itching to drag his ass down on my chair and plop myself on his lap. “You know, so you don’t have to go wandering around this busy ballroom and risk missing dinner.”
A deliciously smug grin spreads his lips, one brow arched. “I don’t think it would take me that long to find my spot.”
“Dinner isn’t for half an hour anyway, Anna,” Maddox adds, goading me.
My glare is vicious as I pin him beneath it. The douchebag howls a laugh in response. Even Braxton— my own sister —lifts a hand to hide her mouth and avoids my eyes.
Brody tightens his grip on my nape. The sensation of hot breath in my hair, against my ear, makes me shiver.
“It would be my honour to sit with you tonight, sweetheart. All you had to do was ask,” he purrs, his country drawl thicker than I’ve ever heard it. As if he called upon it just to drive me out of my mind.
Fuck, it works. Suddenly, I ache to rub my thighs together, the throb between them alarming so soon after what happened in the bathroom.
I’m used to it taking me a good few hours after an orgasm to be even remotely interested in having another, but apparently, that’s not the case anymore. At least not right now.
Planting my palm against his solid stomach, I twist and lean up enough that only he can hear as I whisper, “Find a chair, Brody. Before I use your face as mine.”
His following cough has me patting his middle and taking my seat beside Braxton, a wicked gleam in my eyes. The red flush on his cheeks as he rushes to find a chair is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.