On Dublin Street (On Dublin Street 1)

I shook my head at him, smiling despite myself. “Baby… with you it’s always fun.”

“Mmm,” he dipped his head towards mine and whispered across my lips before giving me a searing kiss, “Good answer.”

Richmond, Virginia

Three Days Later…

“Oh, baby, don’t stop,” I begged, my hands curling into the sheets in front of me.

Braden gently squeezed my breast before pinching my nipple between finger and thumb. He did that at the same time he circled his hips as he thrust into me and I panted harder.

I’d woken up that morning on my side to feel his heat at my back, his arm around my waist and his c**k already buried deep inside of me.

“Come for me, babe,” he demanded breathlessly, his strokes growing faster. “Come for me.” he slid his hand down my nightie and between my legs, his finger slipping through my sex to circle my clit.

Oh….Goooodddd!

I threw my head back, crying out his name as I came around him.

Braden slammed inside me one last time, burying his shout in my neck as his body shuddered against me as he climaxed.

I fell limpid against him. “Good morning.”

His mouth smiled against my skin. “Morning.”

“If you wake me up like that at least once a week, I will be a very happy girl.”

“Good to know.” He eased out of me gently and I turned around to face him, my hand reaching to cup his cheek so I could pull him down for a deliciously soft kiss.

When Braden pulled back, he was frowning. “No more stalling. Today we do this.”

I swallowed but nodded. We’d arrived in Richmond two and a half days ago and I’d not been able to leave the hotel room, insisting on having sex constantly with my boyfriend. Now this was difficult for Braden because he really, really didn’t mind the constant sex, but was worried that I kept putting what we were here to do off.

Obviously, my time was up.

***

The self-storage facility was just over twenty minutes out from the hotel on a street not too far from Three Lakes Park. I saw Braden taking in the city as we got a cab out—we’d rent a car for the drive to my hometown later—to the facility, but I wasn’t really in the mood to reminisce about the State I’d grown up in. I was about to do plenty of that, and I was pretty scared if I was being honest with myself.

The guy was friendly at the storage place. I gave him my I.D. and storage number and he took us around what looked like normal car garages with bright red doors. He stopped in front of one of them abruptly. “Here you go.” He smiled and left us to it.

Braden rubbed my shoulder sensing my hesitation. “You can do this.”

I can do this. I keyed in the code on the keypad next to the door and the metal doors started to rise. When they’d finally rotated up along the ceiling, I let my eyes take in the sight before me. There were boxes and boxes of stuff. Suitcases. A jewelry box. Trembling, I took a step inside and tried to calm my heart before it rocketed me into a panic attack.

I felt Braden’s cool, large hand slip into mine and he squeezed. “Breathe, babe. Just breathe.”

I smiled up at him, a wobbly kind of smile.

I could definitely do this.

Epilogue

Edinburgh, Dublin Street

Two Years Later…

At the sound of a throat clearing I glanced up into the mirror and saw Braden leaning against the doorjamb of our room. I whirled around, my hands immediately going to my hips. “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.”

Braden smiled softly, his eyes drinking me in, and the look in them made me feel all mushy. Damn him. “You look beautiful, babe.”

I glanced down at the dress and sighed. “I can’t believe you managed to talk me into this.”

“I can be very persuasive when I want to be.” He was grinning smugly now.

“Persuasive is one thing. This… this is a miracle.” I eyed him carefully. “Wait, is that why you’re here? To make sure I leave?” That bothered me. A lot. I actually felt my heart stop.

Braden grimaced. “No. I have every faith that you’re going to walk out that door.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I haven’t seen you in a few days and I missed you.”

“You’re about to see me in half an hour. You couldn’t wait?”

“There will be other people there though.” He made a step towards me, giving me that look.

Oh no. No!

“That can wait.” I held up a hand, holding him off. “Now, you got me into this. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it, but you got all persuasive, and then you got me all into it. And I want it to be kind of perfect—as in… done right. So get your ass out of here, mister.”

He was grinning broadly now as he backed up. “Okay, you’re the boss.” I snorted at that one. “I’ll see you in half-an-hour.”

“Braden!” Ellie fell into the doorway in a champagne, silk floor-length gown. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. Get out!” She pushed him up the hallway out of sight.

“See you soon, babe!” he called back, laughing.

I shook my head, trying to calm the nerves and the warring giddiness as I looked into the cheval mirror. I was almost unrecognizable in my ivory wedding dress.

“Ready, Joss?” Ellie asked, out of breath from beating her brother out of the apartment.

Rhian appeared at her side, wearing a teasing grin, the same champagne dress Ellie had on, and a gold wedding band beside the diamond engagement ring James had given her. They’d been married for eight months. “Yeah, you ready, Joss?”