Blended (Redemption #1)

by Sasha Brümmer

  “I’m not going to go anywhere.” I place my lips on his chest where the top buttons of his collar are undone.

  His hands move into my hair, and he starts to remove each pin that is holding up my curls while he looks into my eyes until he has them all out. His fingers run through my hair, causing a soft moan to escape my lips as he does so.

  “Let me get you to bed.”

  “Okay, but you have to help me out of this dress first.”

  “Come.”

  He leads me upstairs to the master bedroom and closes the door behind us. We’re veiled in the darkness of the room with only ambient light reflected from the city below. I flinch slightly when I feel his hands move around my waist.

  “I don’t want to be with you to simply pass the time,” he says against my ear.

  “You’re not. You’ve already used that time to find me, as well as yourself.”

  “I have never wanted more than sex in a relationship, but with you, it’s different.”

  I turn in his arms and cup his jaw in my hands. I’m just able to make out the lines of his body from the city lights. “You know that I feel the same way.”

  “Then marry me.”

  I go still in the darkness as his thumb skims the bare skin of my back. “Wade—”

  “You’ve helped me wage war on myself, and through it all, you’ve been the light. The one that I’ve been searching for without even knowing it. You, Hadley Rye, are the most precious thing to me, and if you do me this honor, I will ensure that I am everything you need. I will never go against what we are, and I will love you until I take my last breath. I’ve lived in a world without you, and the thought of going through that again tears my soul into pieces.”

  He places a kiss on my lips before sinking down onto one knee in front of me in the dark. An audible gasp escapes me as he reaches for my left hand, and if it weren’t for the reflected light, I would not be able to see him holding up a ring.

  “Rye, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  “I . . . holy shit,” the words that I want to say refuse to leave my mouth as I struggle with the emotions swimming through my body.

  “Don’t make me wait, baby. I know this is sudden, but—”

  “Yes!” I squeal and lean down to throw myself at him, which causes us both to land on the floor laughing.

  “Yes?” he asks as one of his arms pulls my body down onto his.

  “Yes.”

  In just that one word. That one breath. I’m locked in.

  His lips find mine as he pulls me even closer to him, closing the space between us. “I love you.”

  I bite his bottom lip and pull his shirt from his slacks until I’m able to run my fingers along a line that no longer exists on his waist. “I love you.”

  He reaches for my left hand and slowly slides the cool metal around my finger before placing his lips on it. As much as I want to see it in the light, I want him more. I need to be as close to him as I can possibly get.

  “I need you,” I tell him as he pushes the sleeve of my dress off of my shoulder and then farther down my arm.

  “Then it’s a good thing that you just promised me forever.”

  I blush as his words warm me from the inside out. I don’t think that I have ever been so content in a moment before. This man has truly broken down each and every wall, shield, and piece of armor that I once used to guard my heart. Now, he’s the one protecting it with his own life. He’s shown me what it is to love and exactly how deep that love can run. My heart is more than a mere organ that’s sole purpose is to pump life through my body. It now aches for him and only him.

  He moves us to the bed while we’re still surrounded by darkness as he makes love to me, showing instead of telling me exactly what he feels for me. I do the same in return as we take it slower than we did the night before. It feels different being with him as if I’ve found the perfect match for both my body and soul.

  He’s my person.

  My favorite brand of whiskey.

  “I thought that you were tired, gorgeous.”

  “I was,” she says as the sun starts to rise over Chicago. I glance down at her, and her eyes are focused on her left hand and the ring that I placed on it a few hours go.

  Last night when Isla saw us together, she gave me the ring box that I’d asked her to return to the designer. She didn’t say anything else, but she gave me a look of understanding and support. I’ve known since my accident that Hadley was it for me, but I wasn’t sure if it would ever get much further until a couple of hours ago when she promised to spend the remainder of her life with me at her side.

  I take her left hand and intertwine our fingers together. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I was wondering just how long you’ve had this ring. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “Good. She did a good job then.”

  “Who did?”

  “The woman who designed the ring.”

  She shifts and tilts her head up to face me. “You had this made for me? When?”

  “If I told you when I had it made, you might run for the hills.”

  I watch her maneuver herself until she’s straddling my waist, completely naked. “Tell me, please?”

  I nod, tortured by her carnal supplication. “Two weeks after my accident.”

  “Two weeks? Wade . . . you’ve held onto this since then? How did you know . . . I mean, we were so new . . . I mean, we pretty much still are and of course there’s the fact that everyone will only assume . . .”

  I cut off her rambling by sitting up and moving my lips against hers. “I knew that there would not be a single woman who would be able to compare to you. I knew because of what I feel when I’m in your presence or not. I gave the ring to Isla to return, but the stubborn woman did no such thing. Before we left Blended this evening, she handed me the box. I should have known better than to trust her with the simplest of tasks.”

  The smile she gives me competes with the sunrise behind her. “You’re sure about this? You didn’t have much time to think it over if you just got it back.”

  “Stop speaking, Hadley.”

  She starts to argue but quickly closes her lips.

  “I’ve known that you were meant to be with me since the accident and none of that changed during our time apart. If anything, it intensified my feelings toward you. Each day, I believe that I’ve finally figured out what love is, what it feels like and what it makes me feel when I’m around you. Yet, the next day, the love I feel for you grows again, and a new meaning of the word love comes to mind.”

  “Wade,” she chokes out before burying her face in my chest.

  I lie back against the pillows, pulling her body down with mine. I may be stronger after my accident, but I won’t be able to hold the both of us up for extended periods of time as I used to be able to do.

  “Shh.”

  She shifts off of my chest and lies on her side between my arm and torso. Her head rests on my shoulder while she admires her engagement ring. I watch her carefully as her eyes begin to flutter shut.

  I’m woken by the unremitting ringing of my phone. Hadley grumbles in my arms, and she sits up and reaches for it before placing it on my chest and then once again getting comfortable in her position.

  I clear my throat and slide my finger across the screen without opening my eyes. “What is it?”

  “That certainly is not the best way to greet your mother, Waylon.”

  “It is when I’m asleep.”

  She sighs. “I do not want nor need any further details. Now tell me, did you know that Liam was arriving today? He showed up on my doorstep twenty minutes ago. Anyway, I gave him your address, and he left a little while ago.”

  “Liam?” I try to clear my head of sleep as I register what she’s telling me.

  “Yes, Liam.”

  “I had no idea that he was flying in. I haven’t spoken to him since Hadley left me.”

  “Well, it’s about
time the two of you worked your grievances out.”

  “Very well. I’ll see you in the morning, Mother.”

  “Good. I think that you’ll enjoy my gift this year.”

  I force my eyes to open and look down at Hadley’s left hand on my chest, and grin. “I think that I have outdone you this year.”

  “We’ll see about that. Enjoy your day and Christmas Eve.”

  “You too. Goodbye, Mother.”

  As if on cue, my phone starts to ring again, causing Hadley to moan. I chuckle as I answer and kiss her temple before getting out of bed and pulling the comforter over her.

  “Yes?”

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Brass,” Thomas says. “I have a gentleman by the name of Liam Jensen here to see you.”

  “Let him up. Thank you.” I set my phone down on my nightstand and walk into my closet to get dressed and then make my way downstairs just as there’s a knock on the front door.

  I pull it open and give the asshole a halfhearted smile. “To what do I owe this pleasure, Jensen?”

  “I was in the neighborhood . . .”

  “Good one. Come in.”

  “I hope that I’m not interrupting anything,” he says as he glances at his watch, “it’s not like you to be home at noon.”

  “It’s Christmas Eve. Where else would I be?”

  “In Vegas getting your dick sucked.”

  “Fuck off.”

  He chuckles as I toss him a beer. “On a serious note, I wanted to apologize about messing shit up with that girl you brought to my place. Isla said that you were pretty serious about her.”

  I don’t answer him. Instead, I decide to let him grovel.

  “Fuck, she knew how to get me hard by just being. I’m glad that one of us got some of her before she disappeared from existence.”

  I raise my eyebrow as he describes his lust for my fiancée. I start to walk out of the kitchen area and into the living room where we’re less likely to wake Hadley up if he downs a few more beers. An hour of useless conversation passes, and I haven’t mentioned her to him. I’d rather not stir up the tension that is already between us, one that has never been there before.

  “All right, dude, I gotta take a leak.” He gets up and stretches before walking out of the living room and to the bathroom.

  “I’ll call for lunch.”

  “Pizza. I could do with a good Chicago deep.” There’s a pause before he continues. “Holy fuck,” I hear him say under his breath. I can still see him, and he’s stalled in front of the side kitchen entrance instead of walking farther down the hallway to the bathroom.

  “What is it?” I ask as I rise and walk over to him.

  My eyes widen when I see what he’s gazing at: an incredibly naked Hadley bent over the kitchen island as she fills a glass with orange juice, her pristine ass and piercings giving him a show.

  “Whiskey?” she calls out.

  I stride into the kitchen and wrap my arms around her from behind. She lets out a sigh and leans her head back against my chest as she stares out the windows.

  “Rye, I’ve got company.”

  “What?” she murmurs and tries to turn around in my hold, but I don’t allow her to.

  “As much as I’m enjoying seeing you naked in my kitchen right now, I’d prefer it if Liam didn’t get to see my fiancée like this.”

  Her hand covers her mouth as her other arm goes to cover her bare breasts. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

  “I’ve got you,” I tell her before calling out over my shoulder, “get the fuck out of the kitchen, Liam.” I throw a glance at him to watch him retreat before I let go of her and turn her around to face me. The only thing that she has on is her engagement ring, and fuck, I want to keep it that way.

  “Don’t apologize. I’d appreciate if you did this again when I am able to do something about it,” I tell her as I cup her bare ass cheeks.

  She leans forward and bites on my lower lip. “I make no promises.”

  “Oh baby, you will when you say I do.”

  She blushes and kisses my jaw before stepping out of my hold to go upstairs, but I don’t trust that Liam is out of sight. I grab hold of her wrist before removing my shirt and handing it to her.

  “Put this on and stay.”

  “What?”

  “I want you in my shirt—only my shirt—while we entertain our guest.”

  “Our guest?”

  I help her into my shirt and lean in to nip at the base of her neck. “Yes. You may as well move in if you plan on spending the remainder of your life with me.”

  Her eyes light up at my suggestion, and she nods in agreement with a genuine smile, and the warm glow surrounding her seems to intensify.

  “Come.”

  She allows me to take her hand and lead her out to the living room where Liam is seated on the edge of one of the couches with his hands steepled in front of his lips. He looks up when he hears us and stands. “Listen,” he says and blows out a breath, “I had no idea that you were still with her.”

  “Hi, Liam,” Hadley greets him and gives him a small smile.

  His eyes remain locked on mine in a silent apology until he speaks. “It’s good to see you again, Hadley. I should get going.”

  “To where?” I ask because I know that he doesn’t speak to his family anymore.

  “I don’t know, dude. I’ll get a room here, and I’ll call Isla.”

  “You should stay here, Liam. Wade has a guest room, and you’ve flown so far.”

  His eyes shoot up to mine. “I think that’s a good idea,” I tell them as I lead Hadley to the couch. I take a seat, and as she’s about to sit down I pull her onto my lap, and she gives me one hell of a smile. She’s stunning when she wakes up, a beautiful mess.

  “Are you sure?” he asks as he takes a seat again.

  “Yes.”

  Hadley readjusts herself so her legs and feet are resting on the seat beside me and she wraps her arms around my neck. “Wade didn’t tell me that you were coming back to the States.”

  He takes a long drink of his beer, surely thinking about what he said with regard to her earlier. “I’m referring to it as a Christmas gift from myself to him.”

  She laughs and kisses my jaw. “You two are ridiculous.”

  “Possibly. I’m glad to see that you guys are back together.”

  “Are you now?” I ask, my voice spilling over with cynicism.

  He clears his throat and sets his beer down. “I am, and I apologize for my earlier comment.”

  Hadley scowls as she shifts on my lap, rubbing her ass against my cock. This woman is going to unman me in the most humiliating way. She runs her hand through my hair and rests her head on my shoulder.

  “Apology accepted.”

  He nods once before he speaks. “I’ll call Lou Malnati’s and get a pie. Do you want anything in particular?”

  “Get what you want. It’s been years since you’ve had a slice of heaven. What about you, Rye?”

  “I’m good with anything. I’ll just go shower really quick, though.”

  “I’ll be joining you,” I tell her as she gets up and off of my lap, her long legs calling my attention. “Go get started. I’ll be right up.”

  I watch her as she heads upstairs. I’m drawn to her at all times. If I had to choose between walking again or having her in my life, it’d be her. Each and every time.

  “I don’t mean to pry, Brass, but was that a ring I saw on her finger?” Liam’s voice interrupts my thoughts once she’s out of sight.

  I run my hand down my shirtless torso and stand up. I stretch one and then the other arm before shaking them out. “It was . . . it is.”

  “Fuck. It’s really serious then. Congratulations, man.”

  “More than I’m able to explain, and thank you. Now, call in our lunch and make yourself at home. Thomas, my doorman, will pick it up if you call down to him.”

  “Great. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” I say back to him as I
take the stairs two at a time, knowing that I’ll be feeling it later, but I cannot get to her fast enough.

  When I walk into the bedroom, I lock the door behind me and step out of my sweatpants before stepping into the bathroom. She has music playing on her phone while she washes her blonde locks. I step in behind her and move my fingers into her hair. She turns around and sighs as I start to massage her scalp.

  “That feels good,” she says softly as she closes her eyes; when she opens them again, I’m rinsing her hair out under the spray.

  “How’d you sleep?”

  “Really well, until you left, I think. I missed you—even in my sleep.”

  “I’m glad the craving goes both ways, Rye.”

  She leans up on her tiptoes to kiss me as I step under the water with her. “Are you going to tell your mother today?”

  “I think that we both should. We can tell her tomorrow morning.”

  “I still can’t believe that this is happening, Wade. Surely people will think that it’s all too soon.”

  “I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks, but you. You are the only woman who I want to spend every second with, and you are the one that is going to be with me, no one else.”

  “You’re my favorite person, you know? You are kind of my person, Wade.”

  “Kind of?”

  A smile splits across her lips. “You are.”

  “Always, baby.”

  By the time Hads and I make it back downstairs after I’ve fucked her senseless, Liam is passed out on the couch with a beer in hand. “Should we wake him?” she asks.

  “No. He’s more than likely had a long day,” I tell her as I take a bite of a slice of Chicago’s best pie.

  She takes a seat at the kitchen counter and starts to eat as well.

  “Oh, did you have any plans for Christmas Eve?”

  “I did . . . I do.”

  “Well?” she asks as she gets up to grab us each a bottle of water.

  “I plan on spending it with my fiancée.”

  When she sits back down, she rests her head on my shoulder and holds up her left hand. “I like that idea.”