Authors: Rebecca Brooke

House Rules (31 page)

A small smile played at the edges of my lips as I took in the Hawes family as no one else would ever see them, and felt a pair of lips at my ear.

“What are you grinning about,” Miller asked, running his tongue over the shell of my ear and causing me to shiver visibly. I flushed, wondering what his parents might think if they saw me. To my horror, I caught them both staring. I was about to push Miller away when I saw the look they shared. It didn’t say disgusted—it said happiness. I bit my lips and shrugged.

“Nothing,” I said softly. “Fine.” Miller sat back in his seat but left his arm dangling across the back of my chair. “Keep your secrets . . . for now. But you know I have ways of making you talk.”

“Good heavens, Miller,” his mom snapped. “Could you sound any more cliché? Or perhaps you’d like to put on an Italian accent, make us seem even more like something out of the Godfather?”

The table erupted into laughter and I found myself joining in. For someone who had spent their whole childhood on the periphery of a family, this was beautiful.

It was sweet.

It was mine.

***

After two weeks of being treated as an invalid, waited on hand and foot, assisted bathroom visits, constant monitoring, the only thing that was still a problem was my broken wrist—and I still had four more weeks in the cast. I’d finally returned to school and it felt good to have a somewhat normal routine. Miller still hadn’t let me go back to the bar, but school was a start.

He was being weirdly cautious around me, not wanting to do anything that might prolong my recovery, but I didn’t want to wait four weeks to be in his arms again. If anything, spending this much time in such proximity had only made me want him more.

I searched the house until I found him working in the study. He’d been staying home a lot, taking care of me, but he often shut himself away, trying to keep on top of the ever mounting pile of paperwork.

Right then, I needed him. Work could wait.

“Hey,” I said, stepping fully into the room.

He put down what he was doing and turned to face me. “How was your doctor’s appointment?”

“All clear. I’m in perfect health.” I straddled his lap.

“Oh really? Then why do I still see a cast around your wrist? I said one hundred percent.”

“That will take another four weeks to heal.” I flicked my hips forward, letting the friction of our jeans do the work until I could get him naked.

“Not until you’re better.” His voice was raspy and I knew I had him. I pushed my hips forward again, letting him feel all of me.

He groaned but still made no move to touch me.

“Please, Miller. I love you, and I want to celebrate that.”

His eyes widened on the word love and his mouth swooped down on mine.

Possessive.

Controlling.

Mine.

He broke the kiss and stood with me in his arms. “I love you, too.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, playing dumb.

He smirked. “To celebrate.”

I could have protested. Told him to put me down.

But it sounded like his best idea all day.

We reached the bedroom in no time. I noticed the gentleness with which Miller placed me on the bed. It had been so long, I really needed him to lose control. His words and his actions didn’t line up.

I pushed him back, undoing the button of his jeans and freeing his long, erect cock. From his broad, muscular shoulders to his chiseled abdomen and down, Miller was the definition of sexy. He made need pound through me. Before he could stop me, I dropped to my knees taking him into my mouth.

“Fuck, Tess. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

He tried to pull out, but I dug my nails into his ass cheeks and held him to me. Using my hand, I stroked up and down his length in the same rhythm as my mouth. One of his hands sunk into my hair as there was an increase at the speed which each breath past his lips.

“No more.” He took my shoulders and pulled me to standing. “If I’m going to come, it’s going to be buried deep inside you.”

Our clothing was shed in seconds. Just like our first night together, he spun me around and directed me face down on the bed. My legs quivered in anticipation.

“Miller, please.”

“Damn, I love it when you beg.” He slid himself through my folds and suddenly slammed home.

Deep driving thrusts pulled at me. Tightening my muscles. I reached for the release that teased me with it’s ability to steal my breath. Each stroke pushed me closer and closer until I couldn’t hold on anymore and exploded. His fingers dug into my hips, his pace increasing until his thrust into me one last time.

He dragged himself onto the bed, reaching a hand down to pull me up with him. I curled into the crook of his arm and let the beat of his heart slow my own. My eyes started to close.

“Marry me?”

My eyes snapped open and I looked up at him. I couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

“I said, marry me.” Nope definitely heard him right.

“Are you crazy, we haven’t been together that long.”

“Long enough for me.” Maybe he was so sex deprived he’d lost his mind.

“How do you know I’m the right woman?”

“Just like my mom and dad, I know you’re it for me.” I’d heard the story of his parents’ first meeting a few weeks ago. I thought they’d exaggerated. Maybe I was wrong. That didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t ready to marry Miller. Although I could see myself spending the rest of my life with him, I needed more time to know I was ready.

“I can’t marry you. Not yet, anyway.”

A smirk crosses his features. “I got you to agree to move in with me, let me pay off your loans and get a new car. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to change your mind.”

EPILOGUE

Miller

Eight months later.

“Your parents are going to kill us if we do this.”

“No, they won’t. They’ll think it’s a great idea,” I said, while we waited our turn. “Besides, you thought it was a great idea earlier.”

“That was before we got here.”

“Mr. Hawes and Miss Carner.” The woman at the front of the room called us forward and I shot Tess a wink.

“Too late for second thoughts now.” I gave her a brief kiss, then took her hand and led her forward.

“Looks like we have everything here. Ah, wait. We missed one box. Long or short?”

We gazed at each other. “Short.”

“Perfect. Give me thirty seconds to turn on the camera.”

The woman nodded to the man standing at the front of the room waiting for us to come forward. He looked back and forth between us. “Miller Hawes, do you take Theresa Carner to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both should live?”

I smiled down at the woman who had given me everything I’d tried to avoid my whole life. She’d brought both peace and chaos into my world and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Brock still hadn’t finished the job with Nathan Marcello, so Tess kept a lower profile than before, unless she was with me. She didn’t like the extra security—I even had Charlie or Dean go to campus with her—but until the bastard was dead, she would never be out of sight. There were very few people I trusted nowadays.

Standing in front of Elvis and the other couples waiting to get married, I pledged my life to the one woman who knew how to control the asshole in me. She loved me even when I was being a dick, and I could admit that it probably wasn’t an easy feat. But she did it, for me. She was my everything. And I was hers.

“I do.”

He turned to Tess. “Theresa Carner, do you take Miller Hawes to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both should live?”

“I do,” she answered, the biggest smile on her face.

“By the power vested in me by the state of Las Vegas, and by being the King of Rock ‘n Roll”—Elvis paused and gyrated his hips a few times before continuing. Tess’s attempt not to laugh forever ingrained in my memory—“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

“I love you,” I said, right before my lips caught hers.

She pulled away at the first sign of catcalls.

“I love you, too, but calm yourself down.” My face fell slightly until she added, “There’ll be time for more of that later—with
no
interruptions.”

Brock

For the fourth night in a row, I sat in a car outside a sleazy looking motel.

Marcello.

Not sure how the fucker made a dollar on the place, except for the cheating bastards who brought their mistresses there for an hour or so for a quick fuck, before going home to their wives with lipstick on their dicks.

The front door opened and out he walked, his suit belied the state of the building behind him. He walked to the car that had been brought over flanked by two if the biggest fuckers I’d seen in my life. He seemed to have a small security detail everywhere he went but at his home.

I reached over and grabbed the notebook and pen I’d left lying on the seat. In my own code I wrote down the time he left, before following him to his next location. No matter where it was, his patterns were beginning to become evident.

Soon the prick would be mine.

Brock’s story, coming Fall 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

House Rules was an adventure. I loved Miller Hawes from the moment I wrote his name on the page in Traded. His charm and wit takes the world by storm, but beneath that charm is a man who’s more than willing to go to great lengths to protect the people he loves. I hope you love Miller as much as I do and stayed tuned for Brock’s story coming Fall 2017.

Cassy, thank you so much for the beautiful cover. I knew the moment I saw it that it was perfect for Miller. Your work is amazing and I know we will work together on many covers in the future.

Ryn, you are AMAZING, woman!! Every story I send you comes back magical. You took extra time with Miller and helped focus and bring him to life. I love you for it.

Brandy, thanks for pushing me past my limits. You help me focus and listen to me bitch when things are crazy. I’m so glad for your friendship.

Miranda, what can I say. You understand my crazy and just go with it. You are always there when I need you. I can even express how wonderful you are.

To the ladies of Rebecca Readers, thanks for standing by me and giving me a chance.

And finally to my family, I love you all so much. Thanks for everything you give me. I couldn’t be any luckier.

OTHER BOOKS BY REBECCA BROOKE

Forgiven Series:

Forgiven

Redemption

Healed

Acceptance

Standalone Titles:

Letters Home

Coming Home

Just Once

Beautiful Lessons

Ryder

Second Chances

Traded

The Folstad Prophecies:

Twin Runes

Written with Brandy L. Rivers

Cursed Vengeance

Coming Soon:

Elemental Runes

Vengeance Unraveled

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Brooke grew up in the shore towns of South Jersey. She loves to hit the beach, but always with her kindle on hand. She is married to the most wonderful man, who puts up with all of her craziness. Together they have two beautiful children who keep her on her toes. When she isn’t writing or reading (which is very rarely) she loves to bake and watch episodes of Shameless and True Blood.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Rebecca-Brooke-Author-397664770332282/

Twitter

@RebeccaBrooke6

Website

www.rebeccabrooke.com

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