Come Together by Marie Force

Chapter Twenty-Five

“It is strange how often a heart must be broken

before the years can make it wise.”

—Sara Teasdale

Being with Brianna, Emma and Simone helped Noah get through the morning. Brianna and Emma made pancakes and eggs while Simone supervised.

“Why did you stay at our house last night?” Simone asked Noah.

“Simone!” Emma said. “That’s none of your business.”

“It’s fine,” Noah said. “I was upset about something, and Grayson brought me here because my house is full of Colemans.”

“Are you still upset?”

“I am, but Gray’s helping me figure it out.” Noah paused, not sure how much he should say to her. He deferred to her mother. “Is it okay if I tell Simone what’s going on?”

“That’s entirely up to you, but you’re under no obligation.”

“I don’t mind telling her.” Noah smiled his thanks to Emma for the fresh cup of coffee she placed in front of him, squeezing his shoulder before returning to the stove. “I was married, and it ended a few years ago. We never got divorced, so I asked Gray to find her so I could take care of that. The investigator he hired to find her discovered she has a child, and from the pictures the investigator took, we think he might be my son.”

Simone’s eyes went wide when she realized what he was telling her. “And you didn’t know?”

“I had no idea.”

“Wow, that’s really mean for her not to tell you.”

“It sure is.”

“Gray will make her sorry she did that,” Simone said. “He’s an excellent lawyer.”

Noah couldn’t help but smile at her affection for his brother. “You’re right. He’s very good at what he does, and I’m confident he’ll work things out.”

“Will you get to see him? Your son?”

“That’s the plan. I want to see him as soon as I possibly can.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. But like you said, Gray will fix it for me, and you’ll get a new cousin out of it.”

“That’s cool.”

“Simone, go brush your teeth and get ready for dance class. We have to leave in fifteen minutes.”

After she ran off, Noah glanced at Emma. “I hope that wasn’t too much information for her.”

“You handled it well. She’ll have questions. I’ll answer them.”

“She’s very mature for her age,” Brianna said.

“Which is why we have to tell her the truth about things, even when they might be hard for her to understand,” Emma said.

“We’ll do the dishes and get out of your hair,” Noah said.

“You’re not in my hair. You’re welcome here any time. You know that.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the use of your guest room last night.”

“If there’s anything we can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks, Emma. It’s nice to have you and Gray on my side.”

“We’re completely on your side. What she did…”

Noah had never seen such a fierce look on Emma’s sweet face. “I know. Believe me.”

“I’d better go check on Simone.”

Noah got up to do the dishes. He and Brianna left with Emma and Simone and stopped first at his house so he could shower and change. Ally, Nessa and Jackson were in the kitchen, sitting around the table with coffee and breakfast.

“We were just talking about you guys and wondering where you were,” Nessa said.

“We stayed at Gray’s last night,” Noah said.

“Are you okay?” Ally asked, her eyes going from one of them to the other.

“I take it you heard about Mel—”

“Do not say her name in this house,” Nessa said. “She’s dead to us.”

Noah looked to Brianna. “They’ve heard the news.”

“What’s being done?” Jackson asked.

“Gray is on his way to Burlington to see her.”

“I hope he puts the screws to her,” Ally said. “What a shitty thing to do.”

“He’s going to work it out so I can see my son and get a divorce. Those are my only goals here.”

“You’re not going to sue for full custody?” Jack asked.

“No,” Noah said, his teeth gritted, “because that would be awful for the child, who’d end up living with strangers.”

“It’s so fucking wrong,” Ally said.

“I agree,” Noah said, “but all I can do now is everything I can to fix it and make him part of my life. I can’t change the past.”

“That’s very evolved of you, bro,” Jack said. “I’d be ripshit.”

“Believe me, I am, but it’s not about me. It’s about my son and what’s best for him.”

“You have a son,” Ally said. “We have a nephew.”

“Yes, you do.” He extended a hand to Brianna. “I’m going to run up and shower. We’ll be back in a minute.”

They went upstairs to Noah’s room. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be quick.”

She stretched out on top of his bed. “Take your time.”

Wanting to get back to her, he rushed through a shower and shave. He stepped out of the bathroom with a towel knotted around his waist.

Brianna’s eyes heated at the sight of him, and she crooked her finger at him. “Bring that over here.”

Smiling, Noah walked over to the bed and sat on the mattress next to her. “You rang?”

“I did.” Brianna dragged her fingertip over the contours of his chest and abdomen. “I like looking at you.”

“Likewise, my love.”

“Your love,” she said with a sigh. “This is really happening.”

“It’s happening.” He tilted her chin up to receive his kiss. “It can happen right now, in fact.”

“Not until I get to shower, too.”

He took her hand and wrapped it around his hard cock. “You’re going to let a world-class boner get away?”

“I’m afraid so. But something tells me it’ll be back.”

“Now, you’re just being cocky.”

She squeezed his erection. “Literally.”

Noah laughed—hard. Looking down at her dark eyes, alight with mischief and happiness, he felt himself settle somewhat. As long as he had her around to entertain him and keep him sane, he could get through this very long day and whatever came next. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Just for being here and making me laugh and keeping me from losing my mind.”

“That’s entirely my pleasure.”

“Let’s go to your place so you can take this shower you feel you need before we tend to your pleasure.”

Her smile lit up her pretty face. “You’re doing the same for me, you know,” she said, tilting her head so he could kiss her neck. “You’re keeping me from dwelling on the bad stuff.”

“No more bad stuff. Only good stuff from here on out.”

“I’m down with that.”

Twenty minutes later, she came out of the bathroom at her house, wrapped in a towel.

Noah had made good use of the time she was in the shower to remove his clothes and get under the covers of her bed. “Bring that over here.”

Brianna sat, just as he had, on the edge of the mattress. “You rang?”

“I did. Guess what?”

“What?”

“That boner you wasted at my house came back.”

“He’s a resilient fellow, isn’t he?”

“Especially when he has you to inspire him.” He tugged on the knot that held her towel together and invited her to join him under the covers.

She slid in next to him and wrapped herself around him, her skin warm and soft against his.

For the longest time, he only held her tight against him, breathing in the fragrance that was so uniquely hers. “I love you, Bri. I never thought I’d ever say that to anyone again, but then there you were, in my face, not taking my shit and making me want you so fiercely.”

“I love you, too, and I never thought I’d ever say that again either until I met the infuriating contractor with the gorgeous eyes and face who made me rethink my vows to steer clear of all men forever.”

“I’m happy you did.” Noah kissed her, determined to keep her close to him for the rest of his life. He already knew that she’d never hurt him the way Melinda had and that he could trust Brianna with his life and his love. Everything about this was different, and he was thankful to have found her after his terrible ordeal had made him wise enough to know the difference.

She responded to him with eager enthusiasm, making him crazy when she wrapped her hand around his hard cock and pushed him onto his back. When she leaned over him and took him into her mouth, he had to hold his breath to keep from exploding the second her lips brushed against the sensitive head of his cock.

“Bri… shit…”

“Something wrong?” She looked at him with big doe eyes and swollen, sexy lips.

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

“Then I can do this?” she asked as she took him in again.

His hips came off the bed. “Yeah, more of that would be good.”

She added some tongue this time and nearly finished him right off. “Brianna…”

“Yes, Noah?”

“Come here.” He reached for her and arranged her so she straddled him, the heat of her core singeing him. God, he loved her.

“Is this what you wanted?” she asked, her innocent expression nearly making him laugh.

“Almost.”

She flashed a coy smile that fired him up even more. “I might need detailed instructions.”

“I thought you liked to be the boss of me.”

“Only at the inn. Here, I want you to tell me what you want.”

“How about I show you?”

“That works, too.”

He lifted her and gasped as she slid down on his hard cock. “Now that is what I’m talking about.”

“Mmm, you do know how to fill a girl to overflowing.” She sat up straight and gazed down at him, her eyes on fire with desire and what looked an awful lot like happiness. He hoped he was making her happy. She deserved that more than just about anyone he’d ever met.

She tilted her hips and began to move, her breasts bouncing from the enthusiastic pace.

As he grasped her hips and held on for the ride, Noah’s eyes wanted to roll back in his head.

“How am I doing?” she asked, sounding breathless.

“You’re perfect.”

“That doesn’t leave any room for improvement.”

“Absolutely no improvements needed.” When he held out his arms to her, she leaned over to kiss him as he turned them so he was on top. “I love you, and I can’t believe this has happened. I was so determined to avoid anything like this, until you came along and were constantly up in my grill, making me hard as a rock every time you pointed that finger at me.”

“This finger?” she asked, poking his chest.

“That’s the one.” He grabbed it and pretended to bite it as he moved in her. “I wanted to grab that finger and pull you close enough to kiss the sass right off your sexy lips.”

“Like this?” She drew him into a deep, tongue-twisting kiss.

“Just like that.”

Sex had never been fun like it was with her. Everything was fun with her, even arguing. She was so incredibly responsive, and when Noah felt her inner muscles contract around his cock, that was all it took to fire his release right along with hers.

He landed on top of her, and when he tried to move so he wouldn’t crush her, she tightened her arms around him so he couldn’t get away.

“That was…” She sighed deeply.

“Not good?”

Snorting with laughter, she said, “Incredible. You’re making me realize that my definition of good sex needed some serious calibration.”

Noah pushed against her. “Happy to calibrate you any time.”

She smiled up at him as she smoothed the hair back from his forehead. “And it was fun.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” He kissed her, lingering for a second before he reluctantly pulled back. “I want to take you to meet my aunt and uncle and see their barn.”

“I’d love to meet them and see their barn.”

* * *

Grayson waitedoutside Melinda’s home until five minutes past nine. He figured with a small child in the house, they would certainly be up. He took one last moment to gather his thoughts and remind himself to stay cool, no matter what she said or did. It was up to him to help Noah gain access to his child. He needed to remain calm and get the job done.

He walked up to the front porch of a well-kept house, painted dark gray with maroon shutters and window boxes. As he reached out to ring the doorbell, he noticed outdoor toys stashed on the far right-hand side of the porch.

The maroon door swung open, and Noah’s ex-friend Miguel’s face immediately registered shock when he saw Grayson. Tall and muscular, Miguel had light brown skin, dark hair and eyes and stubble on his jaw. He quickly schooled his features to hide the surprise, but it was too late for that.

Miguel opened the storm door. “Help you?”

They’d met a few times in the years that Miguel had been friends with and worked for Noah. There was no way he could pretend not to recognize him. “Let’s not play games, Miguel. You know exactly who I am and why I’m here.”

Melinda came up behind Miguel. “Who is it?” When she looked around Miguel and saw Gray standing on the front porch, she gasped. “Gray.”

“Melinda.”

She glanced at Miguel. “Will you please give us a minute?”

He stared at Gray for a long moment without blinking. “Yeah, sure.”

After he stepped back, Melinda came outside. As she pulled two sides of a long cardigan together, Gray noticed her hands were shaking. “What’re you doing here?”

Melinda had light blonde hair and green eyes. Gray had always thought she was pretty, until he heard what she’d done to Noah. “My brother wants a divorce.”

“You didn’t need to come here for that.”

“And he wants to see his son.”

A whimper escaped from her before she seemed to recall that she shouldn’t give anything away. “He’s my son.”

“And Noah’s.” When she didn’t immediately deny it, Gray knew a moment of relief. “He wants a divorce and joint custody of his son.”

She affected a mulish expression.

Before she had a chance to say anything, Gray said, “He hasn’t ruled out full custody, and after hearing that you denied him his son for more than two years, the courts might give it to him.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Noah told me to go away and never come back. That’s what I did.”

“The second you learned you were pregnant with his child you were obligated to tell him.”

She looked down at the porch. “I… I wasn’t sure…”

“You didn’t know whether the baby was his or Miguel’s.” Gray made no effort to hide his disgust. “But it couldn’t have taken long after he was born to know for certain who his father is. At that moment, you owed my brother a phone call.”

“He wouldn’t have taken my call.”

“You could’ve sent a certified letter, called my mother or me or done something to make this right.”

She swiped at tears.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to give my brother an uncontested divorce. You’re going to agree to joint custody, and within the week, you’re going to make it possible for Noah to meet his son by bringing the child to Butler. You’re going to allow Noah to see him any time he wants to and to be part of every aspect of his life, or we’ll sue for full custody. Is there any part of that you don’t understand?”

After a long pause, she said, “No.”

Gray handed her an envelope. “You’ve been served. I suggest you move very quickly to fix this egregious omission. You’ve got one day to contact Noah and arrange for him to meet his son, or we’ll see you in court.” He started to walk away but turned back. “What’s his name? My nephew?”

“Elliott.”

“I look forward to getting to know him. We all do.” Grayson turned, went down the stairs and was halfway down the walk when she called out to him. Turning back to her, he said, “Yes?”

“Tell him…” She shook with sobs. “Tell him I’m sorry.”

Grayson wanted to tell her to fuck off with her apology, but he didn’t do that. He bit his tongue and continued to his car. When he drove off a minute later, she was still standing on the front porch. “Well,” he said, “that went well.”

He was thankful she hadn’t tried to deny that the boy was Noah’s.

His brother had a son named Elliott.

Grayson was one hundred percent confident that she’d be calling Noah to set up that meeting. A half mile from Melinda’s house, he pulled over to send a text to Brianna’s phone.

I served her with divorce papers and put her on notice that we intend to file for joint custody. She has twenty-four hours to contact you to arrange a meeting with your son, whose name is Elliott. She understands that she has very few options here unless she wants us to sue for full custody. I believe you’ll hear from her sooner rather than later. She said to tell you she is sorry. Congratulations, Dad.