He laughed, keeping his hands moving. Soothing her. Trying to project his love from his palms directly into her body.
"That's right, it is."
"I've never managed anyone, Nick. I'd probably mess it up. And I don’t need the charity.”
"Wait now, you haven't heard my full offer."
She sighed. But she hadn’t smacked him. This was going better than he expected.
"Okay."
"I've been thinking about starting my own label as well. I need someone to run it. And me. Really, that’s what I’m after. I could find another manager. But I need some sorting out on the home front. I’m a bit rough around the edges, don’t you think?”
She gave him a glance.
"What are you asking, Nick?"
"I'm bloody well asking you to marry me, aren't I?"
She stared at him as he pulled out a Cartier box. He'd had the damn thing since Paris. He’d bought the ring the moment he saw it.
"Nick…"
"Hush and let me do this thing properly."
She waited while he lowered himself to his knee. He pulled the ring out of the box. It was a dark blue sapphire that matched her eyes perfectly. It was surrounded by diamonds. He glanced up at her, hoping she'd like it.
"Miss Sabrina Newton, will you be my manager?"
She laughed and covered her face.
"No, sorry, that's not right. Let's try this again. Miss Sabrina Newton, will you run my record company for me? We can base it right here if you want. I don't care where we live. Anywhere you want. Mars. I don't care."
She was crying a little bit while he blundered through the longest proposal in the history of the world.
"Oh, bloody hell. No more joking. Will you marry me, love? Please? I'll do anything."
For a moment, he thought she was going to say no. He held his breath, refusing to exhale until he had his answer. And then she nodded and he scooped her up into his arms and spun her in a circle.
He only set her down when he started to get dizzy. His sweet girl looked a little green around the gills herself. Right, no more spinning then. He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her.
"I thought you were going to say no."
"I thought you were trapped under a pile of groupies."
He threw his head back and laughed.
"No love, those days were over the moment I met you."
"Really?"
"Yes really. I've had no interest in other women since you handed me that first bloody schedule."
She smiled.
"You know, running a record label requires a lot of public appearances…"
"Oh, no you don't. No more appearances until the wedding. That's public enough. Can we do it in London, love? Or maybe just outside the city, in a cute little town. It would mean so much to me mum. Don't worry, we can take the boat over."
She nodded shyly. His beautiful girl. She was finally going to be officially his girl.
Once and for all.
And he wasn't ever going to let her go.
A trail of clothing led up the stairs. Nick was still trying to get his trousers off when he saw her childhood bedroom. It was a soft pink, with floral bedding. It looked like a typical little girl’s room, sweet and fluffy. That’s until you saw the concert t-shirts tacked to the wall, along with posters from some of the tightest bands in rock.
He grinned, seeing two of his posters up with the rest.
Sabrina gave him a look as he maneuvered her onto the bed.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Come on love, let me have my moment.”
She sighed heavily, gasping as their naked bodies collided. He tweaked her nipple, with a whispered ‘please?’
“Fine.”
He nibbled his way down her delicious body, settling his shoulders between her thighs.
“So you were a fan, then?”
He leaned forward to nibble on her gorgeous pussy while she attempted to answer.
“I told you I… oh, Nick!”
He slid his tongue inside her, fucking her with his mouth. He pulled out all the stops, even spelling out ‘I love you’ after he did the entire alphabet. His girl was trembling on the tiny twin bed, everything else forgotten.
He was smiling as he climbed back up her body, kissing every inch of her. But he couldn’t wait to get inside her. He was already using every bit of control just to hold back this long.
The time for holding back was over. It was time to unleash the beast. The jealous, lonely beast who had thought he’d lost her forever. The one person who got him. The only one who could make him a man again.
He gripped the headboard, the thick wood feeling sturdy under his hands. He slid into her sweetness, groaning in ecstasy as her body undulated around him.
Easy does it… go slow… and then he was in. All the bloody way in and it felt incredible. He stared down at his woman, feeling that all was right in the world.
“Nick… oh God… please…”
With a low grunt, he slowly pulled out and thrust back into her. Again. Again. He went from zero to sixty. He could not slow down. Could not tenderly make love to her. Could not stop, even if the walls came down around him.
In the end, it was the headboard that cracked, not the walls.
He was driving into her, pouring all the love and desire and fear in his heart into her with a roar.
Just as they both started to peak, a loud crack filled the room. They’d cracked the bloody headboard.
But he still didn’t stop for a second. Not until his cock had stopped pulsating. Not until her convulsions had slowed.
She was breathless, still shuddering in his arms when she spoke.
“What was that?”
He grinned, rolling them to their sides.
“We finally did what I’ve been wanting to do since the moment I set eyes on you.
“You didn’t even like me!”
“Oh love, you are sorely mistaken.”
She giggled, snuggling closer. Not that he gave her a choice. His arm was locked around her like a vise.
“So, what did you finally do?”
“We broke the bed, love.”
He smothered her startled laugh with his lips.
Next time, they broke the footboard.
Epilogue
Nick
It took three bloody months.
Three bloody months to arrange the wedding, and start work on the new house. And to get Sabrina back in his bed.
Nick sighed. At least she visited his bed a few times. And he visited hers quite a lot. But she didn’t move in with him. She stayed in her house in Colorado, settling her parents affairs. Nick visited, working on the new house between trips to Colorado. He sold off a few of his other homes as well.
He bought another row house in London, though this time it was in Mayfair. He put both their names on the deed.
But it was nothing compared to the place he was building for her.
It wasn’t a house, it was a bloody grand estate. The main house had loads of bedrooms for future spawn, plus a guest wing for his mum, Brina’s aunt and Marley if he came to visit. Family only in the house.
A bit farther off were another two self-contained guest houses, a pool house with an outdoor living room. There was a another building with several offices, a green room and three soundproofed studios.
All overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
They were moving to Capri. The playground of some of the wealthiest people in the world.
Yeah, the scenery didn’t suck.
Now if Nick’s mum or Brina’s aunt wanted to visit, it was closer than California. Plus, Sabrina and Nick both bloody loved it here. They’d gone together to scout out the properties, and ended up meeting a builder instead. They were getting exactly what they wanted with no expense spared.
Capri was a divine place to vacation and an even better place to set up a small music studio, and headquarters for their new label. There were good schools as well.
But for now, they were focused on their first baby.
Reckless Records
As Brina said, it was going to be epic.
But first things first. Today, he was getting married. They’d rented the enormous country estate for two weeks, just so nobody had to run off after the ceremony. Kendall and Bruce were already here, and Marley too, the blighter.
Nick wanted to talk to Sabrina but his mum and all her friends were keeping him away. He groaned, resisting the lure of champagne. He wanted his wits about him today.
He never wanted to forget a thing about this perfect wonderful, extremely frustrating day. He needed his woman in his arms. And now that they were wed, he’d never ever let her go.
“Nick. It’s time.”
He nodded at Bruce. Kendall was laughing, unable to believe that Nick had beat him to the altar. But it was all in good fun.
Anyway, Nick knew that Kendall was next.
Now, they just had to sort out Bruce. He was a bit crabby these days. Staying that sober could do that to a man.
Nick grinned. He barely drank himself these days. And he certainly didn’t drink champagne for breakfast. He tilted his head to the side, considering.
Perhaps on their honeymoon in Bora Bora.
But only if his wife joined him in his debauchery.
“Are you nervous?”
Kendall was watching him do a last minute check of his hair.
“Me? Of course not, mate. I’m only marrying the most beautiful woman in the world. Inside and out.”
He followed them to the small chapel. Sure there were industry people coming to the party, but the ceremony was just for family. These two blokes fell into that category, whether they liked it or not.
“I’m bloody lucky to have three best men.”
Marley, Bruce and Kendall all smiled at him as they took their places. Marley had even forgiven him for the mess he’d made of the last tour. Even for the triplets. Even for Sabrina.