16. Braxton

"Today has been a long one," Rowen mumbles between yawns as we get ready to slide into bed. I just had her in the shower. My dick should be tired, but here it is again as I watch Rowen get in bed without a stitch of clothing on. We both seem to always find one another in the middle of the night, and with us both naked, it gives us the access we both need.

"Yeah, it has. You sure you're okay with everything?" I get in beside her and turn off the lamp that's on the nightstand. She's already settling in beside me when she answers, "Yes, but even if Bridger didn't make things right, I still would be."

That wasn't awkward or anything. In fact, after Bridger and I had our talk, I swept it under the bridge. I'm sure if I had a younger sister, I would be protective as hell. Shit, I tried my hardest to watch over Leo. Fat lot of good that did. Slade, Travis, Easton, Leo, and Drake came over to check on our conversation. As if we'd have another issue like Slade and Travis did. I wouldn't allow it. I would have walked away before that happened. There's no way Rowen and her family need any more added drama after today. We shook hands, shot the shit with the guys for a few minutes, then we all decided to grab a bite to eat at the diner across the street. Aspen was already figuring out a way to bring the contraband back to her mom. Something about Robert making sure she only eats healthy food even though this has nothing to do with anything heart or blood pressure related. Peyton rolled her eyes and said to put it in her huge bag she always carries around and to feed their mom when their dad snuck off himself to find something full of sugar. We all laughed at that. That man is a walking contradiction when it comes to what's best for Talia and himself. It was a great end to the evening, something I'm thankful for. I know Rowen needed it after the last few days.

"It would still suck, so I'm glad he did the right thing. Even more glad your mom will be going home in the next couple of days." Her hand moves over my heart, and I place mine on top of hers.

"Me too, though that means Aspen will be going back to Texas. Damn, she's like a tumbleweed blowing in the wind. I'm really going to miss her. Even though this has been her dream all along. Maybe she did the right thing. Where she's at in Texas, it doesn't get blistering cold, which reminds me. I know my car is finished, but I do love driving your truck and sitting up higher. Would you go with me to the dealership to trade my car in for something bigger?"

"First of all,"—I flip her over, wedging my hips between hers, the lights may be off, but the moonlight is shining through, giving us light to see each other—"you can have my truck. Or we'll get you something similar, but maybe a four-door in case we need it later on in life." I thrust my hips, getting my point across to her.

"Oh, well, when you put it that way, we can go and look at them tomorrow, but Braxton, you're not paying for my vehicle. I have money saved up, and I have a more than reasonable boss." She arches into my hard cock. She told me she went on birth control the minute she came back home because she knew I'd only take her bare, but that we wanted to wait a few years before any children came along. I guess my woman had this all planned out well before I did.

"That you fucking do. On one condition though." Her wet pussy is leaking on the underside of my cock, and I want to bury myself to the hilt, deep inside her.

"What's that?" She throws her head back, slides her hips up. My cock meets her entrance, and then I slam home.

"You move in here, you love me for the rest of your life, you marry me, take my last name, and we fill this place up with babies." I groan when her cunt tightens around me.

"Oh God, that's way more than one condition," she moans out loud, her hips already thrusting up when I pull out to slide back inside her.

"Those are my conditions, siren, and you're agreeing to them." My hand fists her hair. I make sure her eyes meet mine when I state those three words that have been on the tip of my tongue for three damn years. "I've fucking loved you a damn long time, Rowen, had dreams of you being in this bed just like you are now. I want my ring on your finger, your belly round with our children, and you by my side every day of the week." Rowen's body clamps down on my cock, and I almost come. I slow down, letting this play out as long as possible.

"Braxton, I love you," she sighs. Her hands cup my cheeks, those beautiful baby blues that seem to capture me every time I look into them on me. Right now, they're filling up with tears, something I've seen one too many times today.

"Thank fuck." Our lips find each other's, my tongue dominating hers, and my hips pistoning in and out of her tight heat until she's clamping down on my cock and pushing me over the edge.

"I can't wait to be your wife and have children with you, Brax." I fall to my back, bringing her with me. Her leg is thrown over my hip, and I can feel the remnants of us between her legs. It's taking everything in me not to flip her onto her back again and watch as it slides out of her, pushing my fingers inside and watching her greedy cunt keep it inside, always.

"Me either, siren." Her hand moves to that beating organ beneath my chest. I reach to the nightstand with my other hand and find the box, somehow maneuvering it and then the ring out of the box. The other day, I met with Rob and Talia at the diner on the pretense I was picking up lunch and then some parts, but really, I was asking for their permission to marry their daughter.

I pick up her hand, looking at her. She has no idea I'm about to slide a ring on her finger. Truth be told, I wasn't sure when I'd ask her to marry me, but tonight feels right.

"Dear God, Braxton. Is that what I think it is?" She moves off my shoulder, her head lifting up, and she watches as I slowly slide on the just over one carat petite round diamond ring. After searching at the local jeweler, he helped me find one that could be made on a rush delivery. I had no idea the number of rings you'd have to choose from, the cut, the clarity. It was something I was very much unaware of. So, I settled on this one. It's modest, but honestly, even though I wanted a huge rock to dominate her finger, it would have looked out of place on her small hand. This one is more her. The small diamonds that are set inside the band only add to the bigger diamond.

"Fuck yes, it is. I'm not saying we get married right away because I know a lot is contingent on your mom's health right now, and that's okay. It doesn't mean we need to rush this process, even if it takes you a whole year to plan it out. This is so you know I mean every word I say to you, and to keep those fucking wandering eyes off you while we're at the grocery store," I grunt out. Last week when we went, I practically had to stake my claim to get the guy in the deli department to keep the drool from running down his chin.

"I know you mean every word, with or without a ring. I promise you this, it will not take me a year to plan our wedding. I can't wait to be Mrs. Rowen Martinez." She's bare in our bed with nothing but a sheet covering us, and now my ring on her finger.

"You will have to promise me one thing until we say ‘I do'," I state.

"What's that?" Her hair is a tangled mess from our love making, but the soft smile on her lips, the way her breasts move with every breath, causing the sheet to slide down, slowly displaying them, it's what my fucking dreams are made of.

"You move in here, fully. We make this place a home, not a house with four walls. I'm not waiting a year from now, or even six months. I'm thinking next weekend," I state.

Rowen's eyebrow cocks up, and her smile deepens before she launches herself in my arms, her mouth meeting mine. I'm taking that as a yes and am running with it. Tonight must be my lucky night because I have Rowen in my arms, my ring on her finger, and if I know without any uncertainty I'll be sinking into her tight heat again in a matter of moments. I was a goddamn fool to make her wait those three weeks while she was home and I was avoiding her. Those weeks we could have been together. One thing I know for sure, though, is I'll never leave her side. Not after waiting for so long to have her right here beside me.

"You have yourself a deal. A proposal though?" she asks, breaking away from our kiss.

"What's that?"

"We go furniture shopping, and soon. I mean, I don't have anything really to contribute besides my things. My apartment was fully furnished and, well, your house is kind of a bachelor pad." She shrugs her shoulders.

"Our house, and we'll do that as soon as your things are here. Not that I care to go from store to store, but we'll get it taken care of." I'm really hoping Rowen isn't a shop-till-you-drop woman like my own mother. Lord have mercy, can that woman do some damage.

"Oh hush, you act like I don't shop online. We'll only have to go to a few stores, if that." Rowen rolls her eyes at me, causing me to laugh.

"Okay, siren. We'll see about that." This time, she rocks her hips up, and I thrust down. That's how we spend our evening, both of us locked in each other's arms and making love throughout the night, and I couldn't be any fucking happier.