Brayden (Wild Men Book 6)
Brayden
Melissa Belle
Copyright © 2019 Melissa Belle. All rights reserved.
Published in the United States of America by Autumn Ink Press.
This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. All names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual situations or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form or by any means, except for brief quotes used for the purpose of review, without the prior written permission of the author. Any trademarks, service marks, or product names are the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference.
Cover Art: J. Hunter Designs
Contents
Also by Melissa Belle
ABOUT
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Cameron
Also by Melissa Belle
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Melissa Belle
Boston Boys Series
BOSTON BILLIONAIRE
BOSTON LOVE
BOSTON ESCAPE
BOSTON ROOMIE
WILD MEN Series
WILD MAN
COLTON
DYLAN
AYDEN
JENSON
BRAYDEN
CAMERON
DECLAN
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ABOUT
A contemporary love triangle romance:
Leleila
Brayden Wild was my first kiss. The Montana football star with the cowboy boots and sexy tattoo. He salvaged my heart from a bad choice I wish I never made, on a night I wish I could forget.
But that was twelve years ago. And since then, I’ve been wise enough to play it safe. Certain. Risk-free.
Until I go to the store and spill granola all over…Brayden Wild. He’s still rocking a wild mess of blond hair. He’s still sexy as hell.
My smooth reaction? I trip and fall on him. And then I run off like a frightened deer.
Because I still WANT him.
But I’m getting married in a month.
Brayden
Leleila Wills. The bookish, teenage girl with the sad, beautiful eyes and killer body who electrified me at first sight—is now a grown woman living here in Mountainview. I finally know her name. I finally have a second chance to ask her out. But I can’t.
Because I DON’T go after women who are taken. Ever.
I try to focus on coaching my football team and on taking care of things at the ranch. So why can’t I get her the hell out of my head?
I tell myself it’s because she needs a friend. I mean, what kind of tool stands up his wife-to-be before their wedding dance class? But the truth is…
I like Leleila’s awkward, quirky personality. And I can’t deny how my body’s on fire whenever she’s nearby.
I’ve got one month to get to know her the way I wanted to twelve years ago, even if it’s only as her friend. That will have to be enough.
So what the hell will I do if it’s not?
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For wild Montana
Chapter One
Twelve Years Ago
Leleila
The dark strobe-lit basement is filled with wall-to-wall high schoolers getting wasted at their self-titled Football Is Paradise and Cowboys Are Cool Party, and I don’t fit in. But I push forward through the loud country music anyway, moving away from the bass coming out of the corner speakers and determined to find the center of all the fun. I grab an empty red solo cup at the table, and get in line for the keg.
Since this is the county-wide football party held every Christmas season, teams come from all over the area. And in our part of Montana, that’s a lot of teams.
But I have my sights set on one player in particular. He’s the reason I talked myself into coming tonight. I push my glasses up on my nose and shift awkwardly from one leg to the other as I look around for him. I see Stella waving at me, and I smile in relief when she comes over and hugs me.
“You look amazing, Leleila!” she says as she touches my fitted red knit sweater with the outline of a heart on the front. “I love your top! I couldn’t see it at the game; it was too cold to take off our coats!”
“Thanks,” I say. “It’s like the only thing I could find in my closet that didn’t make me look like a total dork.”
“Did your parents say it was okay to come here?” she says. “Mine think I’m at the movies with Delvin.” She points to her boyfriend across the way. “He’ll cover for me.”
“My parents are so disappointed in me for not acing my science exam that they didn’t really care where I went to tonight,” I say sadly. “As long as they didn’t have to look at me. My A in art class didn’t count for much.”
“You got a B- in science! That’s like perfection in my book.” Stella squeezes my arm. “Let’s just forget about school for a night, okay, and enjoy our junior year for once. Oh look, there’s your cowboy crush,” she adds in a whisper. “Remember our pact; tonight’s all about being sixteen and free. You’re going to follow your heart, and try to ignore that brilliant brain of yours for the night.”
Before I can answer her, Noah appears next to me. “Lei, I’m glad you decided to come,” he says, slinging an arm around me. “Thanks again for letting me cheat off your math test yesterday. Can’t believe you’re only a junior and taking the class with all seniors. You know I can’t afford to get kicked off the team. Who would catch the big passes then, right?”
I smile at him, wishing I were brave enough to reach out and touch the cowboy hat perched over his wavy brown hair. “Sure. Math’s easy for me, so no big deal.”
He offers to fill up my cup. I look underneath his hat at his bloodshot hazel eyes and resist at first, but his smile is focused only on me. I relent and give him the cup. Stella hugs me and says she’s going to make out with Delvin. I watch her go, half-wishing I could turn around and go home.
While I wait on the fringe of the crowd, I nervously fiddle with my hair and glance over at the beer pong contest in the corner.
Two guys in cowboy hats are going at it hard with the winner walking away with his arms in the air victoriously. He looks back at me over all the girls draping themselves on him, and our eyes lock. I freeze when he gives me a quick nod. I have the urge to walk over to him, but I hold my feet where they are and don’t move.
He tosses his cowboy hat onto the nearby couch. His dirty blond hair is messy and he keeps his gaze on me as he peels off his Keep Montana Wild t-shirt, revealing glistening tanned skin and muscles on muscles. The tatt
oo on his bicep stands out even from a few feet away. I can tell from his body and the way he carries himself that he’s a football player, but he’s not from our school. No way I’d forget him. His worn-out jeans hang low on his hips, and I swallow as he pushes the girls away and starts walking in my direction.
I don’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved when Noah returns to my side, and I shift my attention to him.
“Full of good beer,” he says with a grin as he hands me back my cup now filled to the brim. “Drink up.”
I send one last glance at the Keep Montana Wild guy before letting Noah lead me over to a corner where he pushes the cup to my lips and props his arm against the wall over my head. I take a look at him, wanting to feel his arms around me. But then, I glance down at my cup, and I know Stella was wrong. I can’t ignore my brain because all I can hear in my head right now is, “the date rape drug is odorless.” And something about this drink just feels off.
“I don’t think I’m thirsty,” I decide before dumping the cup of beer into the nearby trash can and walking away.
Noah follows me and takes me by the arm as we pass an open doorway. Before I can react, he drags me through the door and slams it shut behind us.
I gasp. “Wha—”
He pulls me toward the bed and throws me onto it. I take one panicked look into his eyes that are glazed over with alcohol or something stronger, and fear hits me so hard I feel sick. I lurch up off the bed and bolt for the door. As soon as I put my hand on the doorknob, Noah twists me and presses my back hard up against the wall. Keeping me still, he shoves his tongue down my throat.
I struggle against his heavy weight, but he grips my waist so tightly it hurts.
“You’re not getting out of here that easy,” he mutters as he pulls back and reaches for the button on my jeans. “I asked you here tonight for a reason, and you know it, you tease!”
“No—”
He tears my pants down to my knees and rips my panties as his fingers reach for the place I never gave him permission to go, a place where no man has been before.
Terror slices through me. I’m way out of my comfort zone without a book or a brush in my hand, and Noah is far stronger than I am.
My panicked mind reaches for something, anything, and I flash back to the self-defense classes my parents signed June and me up for last fall.
“You’re Montana girls!” the instructor would shout. “I’ll make sure you know how to rope a wayward steer!”
I take my right forearm and slam it across Noah’s left, causing him to momentarily lose his grip on me. He grunts, and I take my free right hand and jam the base of it into the bridge of his nose. He cries out and steps backward, his hands finally leaving my body. I hear knocking on the door, and I bring my left knee into Noah’s groin with as much force as I can muster. He topples to the ground, and I kick him in the stomach before I pull up my underwear and jeans and then hurry for the door.
It bursts open as I stumble forward, and I go barreling through the open doorway, landing straight against a solid, masculine chest.
All the adrenaline drains out of me as the truth hits me of what I just narrowly escaped. My legs buckle underneath me, and I start to topple over, grasping at anything to keep me upright.
Strong arms wrap around me, and I raise my head.
Shaking, I come face to face with the Keep Montana Wild guy, cowboy hat back on his head.
“Are you okay?” he asks gently.
I manage a quick nod.
His shirt’s back on his body, and his sparkling blue eyes are feral as he looks past me into the room.
“Stay here,” he says. “I’m going to make sure that asshole doesn’t get up again for a while.”
But I grab at his soft, cotton t-shirt. “No. Just…” Don’t leave me yet.
Without another word, Wild guy lifts me off the ground and carries me a few feet down the dimly-lit hallway until we’re completely shielded from the party.
He slides me back down his body until my feet hit the ground. He reaches out and touches my cheek. “You’re bleeding.”
I shiver at his gentle touch. “I’m okay. I’m sorry for landing on you like that.”
“No apologies. You have nothing to be sorry for.” He hesitates, and then reaches for his cowboy hat. “Here.” He puts it gently on my head, tilting it to the left. “This will help hide your cut.”
“Thank you.” I feel my face flush with shame as I hurry to rebutton my jeans.
He helps me adjust my sweater so that both my shoulders are covered.
I jerk back from him. “I have to go.”
He keeps his hands on my arms to steady me. “Hey.” Concern fills his handsome face.
I need to get out of here.
I step past him and hurry down the hallway, but he follows me.
“What happened in there? Did that bastard do something…”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
I head for the stairs. If I can just get out of here, I can go back to my homework waiting for me in my bedroom, lock this whole night up inside my heart, and never think about it again.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he says quietly from behind me. “I can call the police or take you to the hospital.”
The terror, which had somehow disappeared for a few brief seconds, is back in full tilt, and I spin on him as I reach the front door of the house. “I’m okay, I swear. I can take care of myself.”
He takes a deep breath as he peers underneath the brim of his hat I’m still wearing.
“Your eyes look so sad,” he says softly. His tone is low with an attractive timber to it.
I adjust my glasses nervously. “I hardly know anybody in there,” I say with a shrug. “I never should have come tonight.”
I turn away from him again and step outside the front door. I’m sure he won’t follow me out into the cold in just a t-shirt, but apparently he’s immune to the chilly Montana air because he walks right out with me, and he doesn’t even have goosebumps. I stare at his tanned, muscular arm, wondering what his tattoo means.
A pair of wings with a crescent moon behind them.
“So why did you come?” he asks me as he continues to follow me down the front walk. “You don’t look like you belong here.”
“Thank you,” I say. “I don’t need any more insults tonight.”
“It’s not an insult,” he says. “You just look … like you’re a lot better than that.” He gestures with his thumb to the loud-ass party still raging inside the house.
I stop abruptly by a row of bushes and throw up my hands. “I guess I just…wanted to feel something real for once. Outside of a textbook.”
He nods like he understands even though I don’t see how he can.
“You’re a football god around these parts, right? You probably have tons of friends.”
“People who like you because of what you do on the football field aren’t usually real friends,” he says simply. “I always try to remember that.”
“Oh.”
He touches my cheek again. His hand is warm and comforting. “You should put something on that cut.”
“I will.”
He goes to remove his hand, but I reach up and keep it against my cold skin.
His clear blue eyes trap me in place, but not in a threatening way, and he runs his thumb gently across my jaw.
“Sweetheart, are you hurt anywhere else? Somewhere that I can’t see?” He holds my gaze tight with his, and I can’t possibly look away.
I know what he’s asking me. “No. I’m…” My voice comes out raspy. “I’m okay.”
I swallow hard as I lean into his hand, and he inhales sharply like our connection has surprised him too.
Our gazes lock onto each other like nothing can tear us apart, and I take a step closer to him until our shoes touch. His eyes widen, but he doesn’t move away.
I feel raw and unguarded like I could snap from the intense energy coursing through me.
Without thinking about it, I stand on my toes and press my lips to his.
His hands go to my arms, and he holds me still, almost like he’s trying to stop me. But I cling to his mouth for several seconds before pulling back.
Emotions flicker across his face like he’s warring with himself.
But then, he tugs the hat back so my face is exposed, tilts his head, and brushes his lips to mine. So tenderly, the most tender touch I’ve ever felt.
My first real kiss.
As an introverted girl who puts her studies first, second, and last, this moment feels beyond crazy. I react to his touch by kissing him back with an urgency and a desperation that I don’t understand; I just know I need more of him. I can’t make sense of the way my stomach is clenching and my heart pounding, so I grip at Wild’s shirt like an anchor.
He kisses me slowly like I’m a fragile bird he doesn’t want to hurt, and I let out a soft moan when his tongue lightly touches mine. He’s soothing me and sending away my demons at the same time.