The Girl

DELETED CHAPTER EXERPT: BRIANNA AND LUKE

If there was one thing I liked doing a lot, it was waking up beside Brianna in the morning. I hadn't really thought much on it until I woke up a random morning and found myself wanting to pull her against me, inhale her scent and dance my fingers over the brown of her soft skin. But like I said, it's the morning of my wedding and she spent the night at her mom's house.

But there were two problems. Mia hand her arms wrapped around me and Ella's feet were pressed against my cheek. Brianna had her face in Mia's head, the tip of her fingers just barely grazing the bare skin of my stomach. I exhaled heavily and yawned before single handedly grabbed Ella's body and placing her on the other side of Brianna. Mia shifted herself so her hand was clutching the identical necklace that we shared.

"Good morning," Brianna whispered, lifting her head slowly. I smiled sleepily and pulled reached for Brianna's hand. She licked her lips and watched me press my lips against her knuckles.

"Morning, baby," I exhaled and then managed to get Mia off of me. Brianna pulled the blanket over Ella and then crawled out of bed, following me into the living room.

I took her hand and pulled her to me. She grinned and wrapped her arms around me, pressing her forehead against my chest. I exhaled and kissed the top of her head, ignoring the annoyed groan coming from her because I had kissed her messy head.

"I don't think we've ever had the apartment this quiet," She commented and pulled away. "Or have the girls asleep at the same time."

I smiled softly and stepped over Mia's backpack, following my wife into the kitchen where she started up the coffee maker.

"Their entire lives have been so loud," I admitted and crossed my arms over my chest. "I think they're not used to being home for a while."

Brianna shrugged and came to sit beside me, her head leaning against my shoulder. I wanted to move out of this apartment, to get her a house, give Mia and Ella the backyard I knew they wanted—the dog they had been begging for.

"I'm going to stop touring," I told her and watched the confused look on her face form. She waited for an explanation, and for a few seconds, I didn't have one. I didn't know what to say. "I got a job offer at Stanford because they need one more physics spot to fill and I'm seriously thinking about taking it."

Brianna turned in her chair. "What about the rest of the boys? I mean, you guys have been together for so long and—"

"Ashton and Bryana are already having a hard time figuring out schedules about who has Billy on what days, Calum and Lola are trying really hard for a baby and him being away isn't helping, plus there's the fact Michael has been trying to win back his boyfriend for the past two months and being on the road isn't making him look good," I explained and ran my fingers through my hair as she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to pull the knots out of her hair.

"So just—Everyone has been thinking about leaving?" Brianna asked and I understood why she looked so upset. She didn't want this to end for me because this band has been through it with us all. Our entire relationship. "Luke..."

"I know, baby," I exhaled and rested my elbow on the island, my cheek pressing against the palm of my hand. "It's been nearly ten years. Mia is eight already and doesn't have friends and Ella is about to start kindergarten."

Brianna bit down on her lip. "Are you sure? I just—I don't know how it would be without the band... I just—I want you to be sure that this is what you want."

"I want you and those two little girls," I told her and lifted her from her seat and onto my lap. "It's all I've ever wanted, or needed. I just want to give you the big house, the dog, the family dinner—everything."

"I don't need that. I'm perfectly happy just being your wife and their mom," She mumbled and pressed her mouth softly against mine.

It always felt like the first time. She was in her oversized shirt, blue and purple hair with glitter in it, and those ten seconds that made my entire body ache. I pushed her hair away from her face, tilting her head back and opened her mouth a little wider. Her hands gripped my arms, tongue pushing tenderly against my own as she lifted her hips and ground against me.

"Fuck," I snarled and brought my teeth over her bottom lip, skimming over it slowly. "I love you. So much."

"I love you, too," Brianna exhaled and ran her hands over my chest, nose grazing against mine. She got off of me and stood between my legs. "Let's go take a shower before the girls get up."

Fuck, I'm so in love with her. Every single inch of her.