《Last Minute (Timeless Series Book 3)》 Last Minute: Prologue RIGHT THERE, IN front of me, was all the proof I needed to show me what an idiot I was to let everyone around me talk me into something I¡¯d known wasn¡¯t right from the get-go. My gut had been right after all. My stupid, good-for-nothing boyfriend was cheating on me. In my bed! ¡°Leti, baby, it¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking.¡± He sprung out of bed, reaching for his boxers on the ground. I gave them my back wondering how the hell he was going to try and talk his way out of this all while trying to figure out if I had enough money to buy a new mattress or if I would have to bug my parents. Ugh, my parents. They liked him. They liked his family more than anything, if I was being honest with myself. ¡°Baby, say something,¡± he pleaded, and I turned, looking at his stupid face. ¡°So, you two didn¡¯t just hook up?¡± ¡°No!¡± he eximed, but at least the blonde sitting in bed had the graciousness to look horrified. ¡°Baby, it was just a moment. Didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± The blonde spoke up and shook her head as she got off the bed. Thankfully, she¡¯d already thrown her dress back on and was currently making good time of grabbing her shoes. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know you, you don¡¯t know me. But had I known Jeffrey was seeing someone, I would have nevere back to his ce. Like ever! That¡¯s against the sisterhood, and I genuinely abide by the sister code.¡± She rambled on, ¡°I¡¯m all about women empowering one another, not ying shit on each other, even though it¡¯s totally okay if you don¡¯t believe me, since, well, this.¡± She pointed from him to her. I tried not tough. ¡°This is my ce. He still lives with his parents.¡± One of the biggest reasons my dad liked him. Like living with his parents made him some kind of virgin. I almost wanted tough at the entire situation. ¡°Oh my god,¡± she gasped, her face ashen. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking creep! I didn¡¯t know,¡± she said after slipping her feet into her heels and crossing her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not that type. I don¡¯t even do crazy shit like this. My boyfriend dumped me for his gym buddy, and I was at a bar, trying to cope.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± And I genuinely was. Jeffrey was a skeeze. I knew it; I just couldn¡¯t prove it. I had the proof now to chuck him off my shoe like gross old gum. ¡°Shit happens. He said he didn¡¯t know he was gay until he and Patrick had a fight that ended with them kissing.¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± I knew I¡¯d just met the girl, and not in the best of circumstances, but call me quirky. I felt for her. ¡°Yeah. Then he said he was single, and this was his ce,¡± she said, pointing at Jeffrey, his face turning all shades of red. ¡°Funny, he¡¯s never paid a cent in rent.¡± ¡°Dick.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°And why, I have no idea.¡± ¡°What? Leti baby,¡± ¡°No, Leti baby nothing. You should get your man-whoring ass out of my apartment before I call the cops for trespassing. Oh, but I need the key I lent you to water my nts when I was gone for my sister¡¯s graduation before you go.¡± ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re going to let this get in the way of us?¡± ¡°Jeffrey, let me be very clear. There is no us,¡± I said seriously and looked at the girl. ¡°You wanna go get something to eat?¡± I offered without a second thought. After all, she wasn¡¯t the one who had done wrong. It had been him. ¡°That would be good. Wait, what¡¯s happening? Shouldn¡¯t you hate me?¡± she asked, and I shrugged. ¡°I never fucked him,¡± I bluntly shared. ¡°Maybe if you had, I wouldn¡¯t have to get my dick wet somewhere else,¡± Jeffrey muttered under his breath, and the girl hit him hard against the head. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting!¡± she said to him before turning to me. ¡°You weren¡¯t missing much.¡± She put her thumb and forefinger an inch apart, and I smiled. ¡°Like, not much at all¡­ if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Fucking bitches,¡± he mumbled, and Iughed as he walked out, mming my key on the table next to the door before he left. ¡°So, pizza or Chinese?¡± I asked. That was the day my life changed. Last-minute ns do that to you sometimes. Ast-minute decision to go home and change your shoes might lead to you finding your boyfriend in your bed with a girl. But if your life is anything like mine, don¡¯t worry! That girl might end up bing your new best friend. A new best friend who talks you into a spontaneous Vegas trip, from which you end up having to hitch a ride back home with her sexy-as-sin older brother. The same guy you sorta maybe might have had a drunken Vegas adventure with the night before after your friends and sister left you all alone with a slot machine. Last-minute ns are what make life just a little brighter. Last Minute: Chapter 1 I OPENED MY eyes and groaned. My head was pounding, and the room was spinning. ¡°What the hell?¡± I groaned under my breath. It had been a while since I¡¯d been hungover. Then it came to me. All of it. The huge mess that was my life. I was aplete and utter fraud. My new bestie, Rosalee, and our spontaneous road trip to Vegas to meet up with my older sister and her best friend. Shopping and dancing. Drinking and partying at a club until way toote. That¡¯s when things start to get a little murky. Ast-minute attempt at getting lucky, I¡¯d joked. The club guys had sucked, so a slot machine had been my next choice. I¡¯d been on a losing streak and sober enough to be left downstairs at the casino alone. I¡¯d moved to a different machine, one that I could have been blessed by Lady Luck herself with how much she was giving out! Then there was the sexy stranger with the velvety voice who came to my rescue when a drunk guy tried to kick me off my machine. He¡¯d been sweet. Attentive and funny. One thing led to another, and we¡¯d started to drink; my idea, of course! To celebrate my lucky streak, I¡¯d toasted. We moved from the slots to the roulette table. The first try had been busy, so right before I had to make a choice on the second,pletelyst minute, I¡¯d teased him into kissing me for luck, and I¡¯d won. Once, twice, three times. By the fourth, I went all in; he gave me a kiss I¡¯d felt down to the soles of my feet. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± a way too chipper voice said, and I peeked through my lids to see the all too familiar blonde with a cheerful disposition on the edge of my bed. Rosalee, my new buddy, sat next to me, a water bottle in her hands. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked groggily, my mouth way too dry. My mind trying to reach and remember the guy or what happened after I¡¯d gone all in. ¡°Vegas?¡± she said in a question, shrugging her delicate shoulders, and I wanted tough but couldn¡¯t. Not when I had the hangover to end all hangovers. ¡°How can you possibly be this happy? You went shot for shot with me!¡± I reminded her. ¡°I¡¯m, like, eight inches taller than you and outweigh you by at least twenty pounds, Leti Lets! I also know the key to partying is hydration, while you refused to drink anything that wasn¡¯t four percent alcohol or higher¡­ per ounce.¡± ¡°Funny,¡± I muttered, sitting up and looking around our room. ¡°Did we go to a wedding?¡± I asked, looking at a bouquet on the nightstand by my bed. Her melodic giggle filled the air. ¡°No. Or at least I don¡¯t think we did. Come on, get dressed. Our ride is waiting, and he¡¯s not a happy camper.¡± ¡°Ride?¡± ¡°Remember we tookst minute one-way flights here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I only agreed because I knew how we could get us home.¡± ¡°You did? Wait, we could have hitched rides with Nina and Mace.¡± ¡°True, but they¡¯re all lovey-dovey. No offense, I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m not about to third wheel it with them. Plus, they hardly know me.¡± She had a point, I guessed. ¡°So, who is giving us a ride?¡± ¡°My brother.¡± ¡°The nice one or¡ª¡° ¡°The other one.¡± Her tone was apologetic. ¡°He¡¯s here for one of his old buddy¡¯s wedding.¡± The light in Rosalee¡¯s eyes seemed to dim, but before I could ask, a heavy knock sounded at our door. ¡°Okay, again, remember I¡¯m sorry about this. He¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°A grouch?¡± I guessed, rubbing my face, and she shook her head. I¡¯d heard stories about him from her and her other brother, Ron. ¡°That¡¯s too nice. He means well; he¡¯s just¡­ my older brother. He has ack of¡­¡± She paused, and another knock sounded. ¡°Lack of personality.¡± That made meugh and scowl as my head throbbed. Ugh, why had I drunk so much?! ¡°Let me take some clothes and my water into the bathroom. I¡¯ll get ready quickly.¡± ¡°Take your time.¡± She waved. ¡°He can wait.¡± She winked, and I smiled as I grabbed clothes and jetted into the bathroom. I looked into the mirror and groaned. I looked like a mess. A huge hot mess. My perfectly set makeup from the night before was all over the ce like some kind of Pock painting, and my hair¡­ well, there was no nice way of saying it. It was a rat¡¯s nest. Then something caught my eye and I frowned. I leaned forward, getting closer to the mirror as my hands touched my neck. ¡°What the hell?¡± I whispered, focusing on a reddish-purple mark on my neck. A hickey? I closed my eyes, but as much as I tried, I couldn¡¯t remember anything past winning big at the table. My mystery guy having an amazingugh and suggesting I run away with him. Had we actually run off? Hand in hand,ughing down the halls of a lower level of a different hotel? I started the water as I tried to remember. We¡¯d gone to a chapel. I could see it, and my stomach dropped as I shut my eyes. I lifted my hand and talked myself into taking a look. Relief washed over me as I looked at my ringless left hand. Then a memory hit. A gorgeous arch of fresh flowers, the soft clean scent of roses and jasmine surrounding the room. I could see it like it was happening in front of me. I¡¯d looked up at him, and he¡¯d winked. My breath had hitched, and my heart had squeezed. He was the kind of man who could do serious damage if you let yourself catch feelings. I shook my head and quickly took my clothes off and hopped in the shower. Whatever the hell happened after that was fuzzy. So fuzzy I almost thought that maybe I¡¯d made it up. My hand dropped to my neck, and if that mark hadn¡¯t been left behind, I would have believed it had all been a dream. A big over-the-top dream. I closed my eyes and faced the hot spray of the shower. My hand dropped to the temperature gauge and moved it in the other direction. A tiny squeal escaped my lips as the icy spray beat down. Maybe a cold shower would help my brain spark a memory? I closed my eyes and felt the water rejuvenate me. The memory of dark brown, almost ck eyes shed in my mind¡¯s eye. A dark tense passion-filled gaze I almost seemed to know better than my own. As Ithered up my body, it didn¡¯t go unnoticed how sensitive my skin seemed to feel, and it had nothing to do with the cool temperature. I rolled my neck and shook my head, confused by the way my body felt. Sensitive but sated. My head wasn¡¯t hurting so much anymore by the time I shut off the water, but my mind was too fuzzy. The memories ofst night weren¡¯t clear, and all it left me thinking was, who in the hell was my mystery guy? Max Riley I¡¯d woken up reaching for the girl I didn¡¯t know was possible to dream up, craving to finally have her body and taste her kiss, but I came up empty. To say that had set the mood for my morning would be a fucking understatement. When her side of the bed had met me with nothing but cold sheets, I¡¯d almost wondered if I had somehow conjured her up. I¡¯din in bed with an arm thrown behind my head and thought about her. Dark brown hair that fell like a waterfall and a stare of milk chocte pools swirled with golden caramel that made me feel like a fucking hero. She had been too good to be true. Funny and quick witted. Charming all my friends, even Logan, who had all but been left at the altar by the queen bitch herself, but that wasn¡¯t about my girl. Leticia. Fuck, even her name made me hard. She had everyone eating out of her hand. Every single one of my friends, but I had been the onepletely bewitched. Entranced by her and her no-game-ying, blunt mouth and captivated by a chemical pull I¡¯d never felt. Looking around her, holding her in my arms while sheughed, had been euphoric. Then there was her sense of humor. I don¡¯t think I had everughed as much as I did with herst night. She¡¯d had me all but on my knees. Begging for more attention a mere second after meetingpletely by chance. Some dick had tried to push her off a slot machine, and I¡¯d stepped in. Thinking back, I wasn¡¯t sure if I had done it knowing I¡¯d be looking into the eyes of the woman I would one day marry. Not that I regretted it, but I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready for the one. But fuck it now. It was toote because of how deeply looking into the golden-brown eyes had affected me in such a profound way I knew there would be no one else. It sounded crazy to look into the eyes of a woman and just know she was your future, but that¡¯s what had happened. I¡¯d known. Like a shot to the heart, I had known she was the one. She¡¯d called me her good luck charm. Last-minute luck, she¡¯d said. We¡¯d gambled and she¡¯d won big. I¡¯d taken her to my best friend Logan¡¯s wedding, and when it didn¡¯t happen, we had gone together to the reception. There we had celebrated him and the lucky hand he¡¯d been given avoidingtching himself to his horrible now ex. Leticia had taken it all in stride. Drinking shot for shot with Logan. Coming back to my room had been a blur, but I knew I couldn¡¯t have her with both of us intoxicated with lust and alcohol. Instead we¡¯d made out like teenagers. Necking and grinding with our clothes on until we¡¯d bothe hard against one another. Just as the sun had been rising, sleep imed both of us, our bodes tangled up in the sheets and one another. But time had run out, and so had she. Long gone from my room, without a note. If it hadn¡¯t been for the sexy heel on the floor of my room, I would have thought she had been a fantasy. A drunken dream girl my imagination had made up. Now I had to go get my sister and her friend from their room at apletely different hotel and drive us back home. I hoped like hell they wouldn¡¯t be hungover because the one I was nursing was enough of a bitch. I knocked once at the room door my sister had texted me. Then twice. I double-checked I was at the right ce, rereading the text she¡¯d shot off to me, and knocked a third time. Again with no damn answer. ¡°Rosalee,¡± I huffed under my breath. She had always been on the straight and narrow. A good girl. Great sister. Stable and reliable, so unlike so many of my friends¡¯ own younger siblings. That was until just recently, when she met this new friend of hers. She¡¯d broken up with Patrick, her long-time boyfriend, and going out like the night called to her. She was young; I got that she had to spread her wings and live. But why she was being reckless and unlike herself, I med on this new ¡°buddy¡± of hers. I pulled out my phone and started to text her. She was probably knocked out still, dead asleep to the damn world. ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± she called, and the door swung open. Her hair was up in a messy bun, her eyes bright and awake. Too damn happy for the morning. ¡°Oh! You look cheerful,¡± she teased. I wasn¡¯t a bubbly person. I owned that. In our family I was the ck sheep. Grouchy and serious. ¡°Shut up,¡± I mumbled, stepping into the room. ¡°You look sober,¡± I noted with a brow raised as I looked around the room. ¡°And you look hungover,¡± she smarted off. Again, something she never used to do. I scowled but shook my head as I took in the room. It was mostly clean. A couple of articles of clothes on the floor and shoes kicked off. Unmade beds. Two carry-on bags open on one bed. ¡°You¡¯re driving the first stretch, then,¡± I muttered, taking a seat on one of the chairs, my knees set wide apart as I looked up at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to let me drive her?¡± she gushed, and I winced. My sister was always on me about letting her drive my bright orange Charger. My head was still a little throbby, and if I was honest, my heart ached. Literally ached at the idea of leaving Vegas without my mystery girl or figuring out a way to get a hold of her. ¡°Sure. Just¡­ take it easy on her, okay?¡± I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°I promise!¡± She crossed over her heart, and my lips quirked upward. Her head tilted and she was studying me a little too closely. ¡°Are you¡­ smiling?¡± ¡°Lee,¡± I warned. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Lee¡­¡± I scowled. I usually only called her that to get her to stop bugging me. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, trying to figure out how to get her to stop the Spanish inquisition I knew was just on the edge of going down. ¡°What happenedst night?¡± she asked, too inquisitive for her own good as she picked up the couple of shoes on the ground. ¡°Logan got stood up,¡± I shared, trying to get her off my back. She stilled from picking up the clothes around the room. ¡°He was?¡± ¡°Yup. The she-devil texted him saying she couldn¡¯t marry him. ¡°No!¡± she whispered, her eyes wide. Logan had been my best friend since middle school, so she knew him. He had always been around us. Before Rosalee hooked up with Patrick, I could have sworn she¡¯d had a crush on Logan. ¡°Oh yeah. Get this, she told him she¡¯s been seeing someone else. In a text!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± She sat down, and had I been paying attention, I would have seen she looked like all the wind had been blown out of her sails. But I wasn¡¯t paying attention. My head was hurting too much. ¡°And wanna hear the kicker?¡± ¡°There is more?¡± ¡°She had told him she was pregnant. That¡¯s why he was going to tie the knot. Only to find out it was all a lie.¡± ¡°She lied about being pregnant?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I said with a pop at the end. ¡°She thought he was onto her about cheating and made the whole thing up. But bright side, she moved out of his ce while we were here.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± she breathed. The ck heel in her hand looked awfully familiar to the one my girl had left in my room. ¡°All girls have shoes like that?¡± I asked without thinking, and Rosalee¡¯s brows went high. ¡°Umm¡­ why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± a voice asked behind me but before I could turn. ¡°He asked if we all have shoes like yours.¡± Rosalee grinned, and something hit my gut. ¡°I can¡¯t find your other one though.¡± My sister¡¯s words processed, and all I could think was Shit. Breathing in deep, I took in a slightly familiar note in the air. I turned, and it was like everything moved in slow motion. My eyes were cast down, and I soaked her in from the bottom up. Tiny little feet, cute pink toes, tanned lithe legs, frayed shorty shorts that seemed to fit her a little too loose at the waist. An oversized white hoodie covered the top half of her body and the slight curves I knewy beneath. Curves I had held all night and rubbed against. When our eyes met, I stood up and watched her swallow. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± we both said, taking one step forward toward one another before freezing in ce. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Again, at the same time, and if my heart wasn¡¯t beating against my chest and my dick raging to life, I would have found the moment funny. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rosalee said, breaking the silence, reminding me my baby sister was in the room and if that was the case, Leticia was¡­ Jesus, please don¡¯t say it. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Lee pressed on, and we both looked in her direction. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said just as she denied it. Rosalee¡¯s blue eyes went big and then filled with mischief. ¡°Oh boy,¡± she sighed. ¡°I think things just got interesting.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest, and I turned to look at my girl. She was frowning, little lines forming at her forehead, and fuck me if I didn¡¯t think they were adorable. ¡°You know me,¡± I turned to her and said, my voice rough and deep. ¡°I dreamt you up,¡± she blurted and blushed at her words. ¡°That¡¯s how I felt too when I woke up alone,¡± I pointed out, hating the disappointment clear in my voice. I was giving away too much. ¡°Alone?¡± She scowled and then paled. ¡°Did¡­ did we¡­ I mean¡­¡± She swallowed and took a step back. We weren¡¯t close, not enough for me to touch her, but I felt the loss in my gut. ¡°Hello!¡± Rosalee chimed in. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s your brother?¡± Leticia asked ¡°Leti, what happened?¡± Leti. I liked that. It suited her. Different yet short and sweet. Spunky. ¡°He was myst-minute good luck charm,¡± she breathed, and I grinned wolfishly. I fucking dug that nickname too. ¡°Okay¡­ I don¡¯t know what that means,¡± Rosalee said, her hand out like she was calming a small animal. ¡°What she¡¯s saying is, we met at the casinost night,¡± I rified. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Lee said slowly. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t exin why she would care about you waking up alone in your bed in a different casino.¡± ¡°I took her to the wedding.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t get married, right?¡± The question was so outrageous I almost wanted tough, but I didn¡¯t like the factst night wasn¡¯t as crystal clear for her as it was for me. ¡°No.¡± Not yet. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but the deer-in-headlights look she was sporting was enough of a warning to keep my trap shut. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t my friend remember being with you?¡± Lee asked, getting between Leti and me, and I scowled. ¡°You know I would never put a woman in harm¡¯s way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious she doesn¡¯t remember, Max,¡± she said sternly, ¡°so how about you exin and help clear it up for her.¡± ¡°We drank too much. Look, Leti decided to cheer Logan up, and they went shot for shot with a bottle of Don Julio. We went back to my room and slept.¡± ¡°That was it. Slept?¡± Lee asked. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Leti repeated, peeking at Lee, and I was pretty sure she was standing on the tips of her toes to look over her shoulder. By the look on her face I could see she didn¡¯t remember. Or if she did, she was fuzzy on some things. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡± I omitted making out with her. There was no reason my little sister needed to know the nitty gritty. ¡°Okay, then¡­¡± Lee said slowly, looking at her friend. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Leti shrugged but didn¡¯t meet my eyes, and there was something about that that didn¡¯t sit well with me. ¡°I just need to get my things together and we can go,¡± she said, scurrying around the room and picking up a couple of things tossed around. I took the shoe from my sister¡¯s hand and smiled on the inside. Relief soothed my soul. I¡¯d found her. I would have her in my space and make sure I didn¡¯t ever lose her again. Guess Rosalee¡¯s little rebellious streak, thanks to her new bestie, was going to work out in my favor. I¡¯d found my girl, and there was no way I¡¯d let her slip through my fingers again. Last Minute: Chapter 2 HE HAD LIED. My sexy mystery guy was a big, fat liar! It left me feeling unsteady. He¡¯d said we had fallen asleep and that had been it. But I knew it wasn¡¯t the whole truth. It couldn¡¯t be. Not with the hickey I was sporting and attempting to hide with my long hair. I just wanted to get home and get my memories about the night before ironed out. I hadn¡¯t slept with him. I was sure of that. He wasn¡¯t that kind of guy. Not only was there what I remembered about the night before, but I could see it. He might be serious and grouchy like Rosalee said he was, but he wasn¡¯t a creep. Max was a good guy at the heart of it. Was he embarrassed about making out with his little sister¡¯s friend? Had he regretted it in the light of a new day? While we sat in traffic, Rosalee behind the wheel of one of the sexiest cars I¡¯d ever been in, I sat in the backseat and stared out the window. I tried to get a hold of the bits and pieces from the night before. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling I was forgetting something. Something big. I remembered going back to his hotel room. Feeling protected and safe in his presence. The attention he had given me made me feel like I was floating on air. Probably the tequ, I chastised myself. We had sat next to one another. He had said something, and I touched his thigh as Iughed. Max had grown quiet and tense. The air had started to crackle and snap around us. Deep longing and anticipation coiled around me, and then he¡¯d made his move. With my hand in his, he brought it up to his lips. His dark eyes on mine, never wavering as he kissed the tips of my fingers. His tongue flicked the pad of my middle finger with just enough pressure it had made me shiver. Yearn for more. Crave to know how his mouth would feel on other parts of my body, especially the covered-up parts. I¡¯d said as much, and he had groaned deeply. The manliest sound I¡¯d heard until then. He¡¯d looked tortured. Like he had wanted to take me up on it but couldn¡¯t get himself to go there, and I had known why. Because he might have been known as a grouch, but he was a gentleman. ¡°Not until we are both sober, Spark Plug.¡± He¡¯d winked and I¡¯d whined. Too drunk on lust to question his nickname for me. Begging for something more than him holding my hand. He caved. His firm lips crashed over mine and took them hostage. We had kissed long and hard. mes licked and overflowed. Long past after we were both breathless and gulping for air. I¡¯d never, not once in my entire existence, felt like I had for a man like I had with him. Intense passion had ignited, burning furiously in the pit of my belly. So much so, now that I was sober and a little hungover, anytime I snuck a peek at the man in the passenger¡¯s seat, I had to shift in my seat because the reminder made me squirm. The memory too clear and bright in my mind. ¡°Are you feeling adventurous?¡± Rosalee asked in a whisper, and I met her gaze in the rearview mirror. Her blue eyes sparkled with glee. ¡°Uh oh¡­ what are you thinking?¡± ¡°There is an art instation just off the freeway,¡± she said quietly, and I nced at Max. His eyes were closed, and anyone would have believed he was sleeping, but I wasn¡¯t positive. ¡°The seven magic mountains.¡± I met her eyes and she nodded. ¡°Just a quick stop.¡± ¡°Would he be okay with that?¡± I said softly, pointing in Max¡¯s direction. ¡°He¡¯s snoring. He¡¯ll be fine. He won¡¯t even notice.¡± ¡°If that was true, you wouldn¡¯t be whispering,¡± I pointed out, getting a bad feeling. ¡°Pshh.¡± She shook her head and turned on her turn signal at the exit. ¡°He¡¯s always been a heavy sleeper. Trust me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Rosalee.¡± I hesitated. ¡°Come on, you see this traffic.¡± She waved forward. ¡°A small detour might help us avoid a little of this traffic.¡± She winked and I shrugged. ¡°Why not?¡± I¡¯d seen those rocks on a couple of my cousins¡¯ Insta-pages. They were beautiful and seeing them would be fun. ¡°We can get some great pictures,¡± I added, and she shed a bright smile in my direction before focusing on the road ahead of her. Rosalee drove, and I snuck another peek at him. What could I lose by taking my fill of him while he slept and Rosalee focused on getting us to the middle of the desert? He had long darkshes fanned and resting on his cheekbones. He was beautiful. Handsome. Utterly masculine. Older than me. I knew from Rosalee he was about seven years older. Looking at him, I lost track of time, and before I knew it, we were parking. ¡°Grab your phone; you have the better camera,¡± she whispered before opening the door and sliding the driver¡¯s side open. I grabbed it and slipped out. Max I¡¯d been quick to me my little Spark Plug for my sister¡¯s rebellious streak, but it seemed Rosalee had it all along with her. I¡¯d heard her instigate this little of a pit stop. A damn art instation. I opened my eyes and searched for them from where I was seated. There were enough tourists around to make it difficult to spot them, but when I did, it was Leti who caught my eye. My Spark Plug. I watched her smile andugh with my sister about God only knew what. They took turns snapping away pictures and then Rosalee asked a stranger to take a picture of them together. The stranger gave them their phone back, but my sister started talking to the tall guy, and I frowned. I watched Leti walk away and couldn¡¯t help myself. Without thinking it over, I rushed out and hurried to get to her. ¡°Hey!¡± I called, and she turned around, her pretty gaze widening as I approached. ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± she said cautiously, like she couldn¡¯t read my mood. ¡°I am.¡± I grinned at her and felt her eyes fall to my lips. ¡°And we made a pit stop.¡± I pointed at the colorful mounds behind her. ¡°A pretty one.¡± She shrugged before turning to look behind her. Leti pointed at the giant neon-painted boulders behind her. One stacked over another, it was a miracle that somehow managed to stay bnced. But my eyes weren¡¯t on the art instation when she turned. They were pinned on her. She was fucking incredible. ¡°Very pretty,¡± I said, leaning in closer. Not too close to be weird but enough so only she could hear what I was saying. The blush covering her cheekbones told me she didn¡¯t miss mypliment, and the soft smile and look of amazement in her eyes faded and she shook her head. ¡°You lied,¡± she said, her voice stern but slightly unsteady. ¡°What?¡± I asked, confused by her usation. ¡°Aboutst night,¡± she hissed, looking over her shoulder. It was obvious she didn¡¯t want Lee to overhear anything. ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She stood ramrod straight, her arms crossed over her chest. ¡°I have a hickey on my neck that says we did a lot more than sleep,¡± she huffed, and fuck, that image made the blood head south. I¡¯d marked her. I¡¯d never left a hickey on anyone in my thirty years, but looking at her dark eyes made me want to always leave a mark on her. A primal, caveman-like need washed over me. I wanted to see my mark on her. I wanted others to see it and¡­ ¡°You are something else,¡± she huffed and started to turn, but I stopped her, taking her hand into mine. She looked over her shoulder at me. ¡°What?¡± she snapped, and I grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I did to piss you off, Spark Plug.¡± ¡°Not only did you lie, but you kept information from me. You don¡¯t think I should know we¡­¡± Her words drifted off to silence, and my lips tipped upward. ¡°We what?¡± I raised a brow as I challenged. ¡°We messed around,¡± she puffed, but it was the worry in her eyes that caught my attention and made my smile drop. I got it. She was worried we¡¯d gone further than that and she couldn¡¯t remember. I squeezed her hand to get her attention, and when her eyes met mine, I cleared it up for her. ¡°All we did was make out,¡± I rified. ¡°When I get between those sexy-as-hell thighs, and that¡¯s a when not an if, trust me, Spark Plug, you¡¯re gonna fucking remember every damn moment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a smug mother¡ª¡° ¡°Hey!¡± Rosalee chose that moment to find us. I guess she was done flirting with whoever she¡¯d walked off with. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± She grinned and looked between me and Leti. I was still holding her hand, and when my Spark Plug realized it, she dropped it like it was going to burn her. ¡°And you made a pit stop,¡± I pointed out, crossing my arms over my chest and ring at my sister, trying to ignore the beautiful girl standing next to me. My girl. ¡°You gotta admit it¡¯s a pretty cool pit stop.¡± Rosalee shrugged, and I rolled my eyes putting my hand out. ¡°Keys,¡± I muttered, not missing the way my little sister rolled her eyes while fishing my keys out of her jeans. ¡°Whatever,¡± she said with a huff, then suddenly her face changed. Brightened with a look I knew better than to mess with. ¡°Wait, you need a pic!¡± she whined, and I knew better than to try to change her mind when she had that tone. ¡°Fine. Here.¡± I handed her my phone, a quick idea springing into action. ¡°Take a picture with me,¡± I told Leti. It was more of an order than a request, and the raised sassy little brow of hers let me know she didn¡¯t appreciate being bossed around by men. I sighed. I wasn¡¯t sure why, maybe because I was still nursing a hangover or the fact she was more than likely the one woman on this, other than my mother and grandmother, who could put me in my ce, but I bent. ¡°Please,¡± I added, my voice and face softer than before, and I saw the surprise in hers. ¡°Fine.¡± She stepped forward, and I grabbed her hand and brought her into my space. Close into my space. When she looked up at me, everything around me faded. The dull headache clinging on disappeared. The people around us were nothing but a muted background. The sculptures. All of it. The only thing that existed in that moment was Leti. Leti looking up at me with the prettiest brown eyes with flecks of gold. Me standing next to her, one hand holding hers and the other around her waist, and a small gust of wind that had her hair swaying this way and that. Her presence alone melted everything away from the edges of my mind, and before I knew what the hell I was doing, I was leaning in closer. Her eyes slightly ssy, her pretty mouth parted, I knew she would kiss me back. I bit away a groan when the tip of her bubble gum tongue peeked out and licked her bottom lip. Bubble gum tongue? Who the hell did I think I was? John Mayer? ¡°Okay, smile!¡± my sister yelled, and I shook my head, the thoughts Leti was creating too intense for a girl I¡¯d just met. I was a realist. I nned out every moment possible. This girl was ast-minute curveball I never sawing. ¡°Max!¡± Lee yelled, and I blinked. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked. There was concern and mischief in her gaze, and I swallowed hard. ¡°Yeah.¡± Because as intense and crazy as it was for me and my practical side, having my girl next to me was the one thing that made more sense than anything else in my world. I just had to make her realize that. Last Minute: Chapter 3 ¡°DROP ME OFF first,¡± Rosalee said, and I sat up straighter. The drive had been long. Bumper to bumper, our littlest-minute impromptu road trip had sucked. Not really. I had found ways to keep myself upied. Gazing in Max¡¯s direction when he was focused on the road ahead of him, I¡¯d realized quickly he waspletely out of my league. He wasn¡¯t like the college guys, boys, I was used to. Max was a man. One hundred percent man. I pretended to pop in my ear buds and sleep while they talked softly in the front. He was a mechanic. He owned his own shop and, surprise to me, it was in the same desert town I lived in. ¡°Why?¡± I perked up and asked, and he shrugged. ¡°Whatever you want, Lee,¡± he all too easily agreed in his deep voice. ¡°She lives closer to you,¡± Rosalee exined, and I frowned. That didn¡¯t help my argument. It wasn¡¯t that I felt ufortable around him. It was the opposite. I felt toofortable with Max. ¡°Cool,¡± he muttered, and I felt like a fish out of water. What the hell was Rosalee up to? I looked in the rearview mirror and stared at her silently asking what her deal was. And do you know what she had the gall to do? Smirk. The wench! Her eyes left mine, and they kept on talking about their family and their other brother, the one I had met. ¡°Home sweet home,¡± she sang as Max pulled up to her off-campus apartment building. Rosalee and I both went to the University of the Desert. But where Rosalee lived towards the newer apartments on the south side of campus, I lived on the north end. Older and slightly dated, rent was cheaper. Cheap enough for me to swing living there with only a part time gig at the local coffee shop Daily Grind. ¡°Thank you again, big brother!¡± She smiled, and Max lovingly rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll call you tonight?¡± she said, looking back at me in the backseat. ¡°Sounds good,¡± I agreed, resigned. She slipped out and he followed. I heard the trunk open and close. His deep voice murmured his own goodbye just as I stepped out of the back and stretched. ¡°Let me get the door for you,¡± he rumbled. Heat from his hand hit my lower back, and I looked at him over my shoulder. Max felt good. Really good. He was also close enough for me to breathe in his scent. Familiar but new, and not for the first time since I got in his car, I wished I could remember everything clearly fromst night. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, and I could have sworn his eyes heated up. ¡°Have dinner with me,¡± he said in a low tone, so close to my ear it made me a little weak at the knees. Get it together, Leti! I scolded myself. ¡°Dinner?¡± I repeated before pressing my lips together. ¡°Late lunch, whatever,¡± he rified. ¡°Why?¡± I asked, proud of myself for not letting myself get lost in his smoky stare. ¡°You know why,¡± he challenged, and I licked my top lip. It was weird being around him. There was a quiet strength that called to me like a lighthouse near a shore. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Not to me,¡± he urged, stopping me from saying anything, and I frowned. ¡°This started hazy enough,¡± he added, and I swallowed hard. ¡°Hazy?¡± ¡°Both of us a little more than buzzed. Then there¡¯s the fact you obviously don¡¯t remember every moment.¡± ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he said steadily, and there was something soothing yet unnerving about his tone and sweet touch. Like he knew me. Knew me, knew me. For some crazy-ass reason, he still wanted to be around me. The guys I had dated weren¡¯t like that. Not even close, and I understood it. I was a lot to handle with the slightly wacky shenanigans I found myself in. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°How do you feel about dessert?¡± I asked, and even though I wanted to sound steady, I knew I didn¡¯t have a chance. And judging by the gleam in his eye, he knew it too. ¡°I love sweet things,¡± he answered, and I felt my cheeks warm up at the tone of his voice and under his scrutinizing stare. ¡°Okay,¡± I sighed, not able to find the strength to fight off the attraction that was clearly mutual. ¡°Good answer, Spark Plug.¡± He winked and opened the door further. ¡°Get in, baby.¡± He winked again and dropped a soft kiss on my temple. It wasn¡¯t anything huge, just soft and quick, but I felt it in the center of my being. I slipped in and once again, he took me off bnce. Instead of shutting the door, his strong body leaned in, so close I could smell his skin. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± The words died on my tongue as he pulled the seat belt and clicked it in ce, his eyes never moving from mine. Something about it made me feel all gooey and warm inside and I wanted to ask what he was doing. As if reading my mind, he said, ¡°Precious cargo,¡± in the most tender voice. Precious cargo. My heart? My heart was no longer beating because it wasn¡¯t even in my body. It leaped out to the floor to swoon. Max I rounded my car, my hands flexing into a fist and out t. I needed to rein in everything she was bringing out of me. My reflection caught before I opened the driver¡¯s door, and I couldn¡¯t recognize myself. Like an animal was waking within me. I didn¡¯t know the man Leti brought to life, but holy shit, I felt fucking invincible. She turned and her eyes caught mine, and I grinned. They were the eyes of my forever, and I was going to hold on to everyst minute possible. She¡¯d agreed to go out with me, and I wasn¡¯t going to waste the opportunity. I was going to soak in every damn moment I could get; I just had to y it smart. I couldn¡¯t fuck it up. Settling into the car, I sighed and looked at her. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°For?¡± ¡°For the rest of our lives.¡± It was fucking cheesy but a hundred percent honest. Justying it out for my Spark Plug. ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just being honest.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± She shook her head, herughter tinkering around me. ¡°How about we start with dinner.¡± ¡°Whatever you want, Spark Plug.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the nickname?¡± she asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between us. ¡°Spark Plug?¡± I asked even though I knew that¡¯s what she meant. ¡°Yes.¡± I nced her way and saw the way her pretty lips were twitching, fighting a smile. ¡°You¡¯re sassy.¡± I shrugged, keeping the bigger reason to myself. I didn¡¯t think she was ready to hear the real reason yet. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Why do you think there is more to it?¡± ¡°Maybe because I pay attention,¡± she exined and intrigued me further. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means I¡¯ve been friends with your sister for a minute, and one of her favorite subjects to talk about is her brothers.¡± ¡°She¡¯s told you about us?¡± I asked, my attention on the road. ¡°Ron and me?¡± ¡°Of course, she has! She loves you guys.¡± She smiled easily, and I liked that. I liked how easy andfortable she seemed to be around me now that she knew we hadn¡¯t fucked like rabbits while we¡¯d both been drunk. ¡°What did she say about us?¡± I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. ¡°Oh, see, I can¡¯t do that.¡± The little minx denied me and licked the bottom of her sexy little lip. ¡°Why not?¡± my voice rasped, and I shifted in my seat trying to subtly adjust the hard reaction my body had around her. ¡°Because.¡± ¡°Because isn¡¯t an answer,¡± I challenged and felt the soft sound of herughter in my damn balls. My tiny spark plug was dangerous to my libido. She¡¯d woken it up, and I felt like a damn madman. ¡°It was told during girl talk. Girl talk is confidential, Max,¡± she flirted. A mischievous twinkle shined in her eye. Fuck, she was tempting. ¡°Nothing? Not even a hint?¡± ¡°Why does it matter?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me?¡± I countered with a chuckle. ¡°What do you think she says about you guys?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ ¡° I turned on my turn signal to go right, where I was going to pick us up food. ¡°Knowing Lee, she told you Ron and I areplete opposites.¡± I nced over at her, and by the smile on her face, I knew I was right. ¡°Have you met him?¡± ¡°Ronnie? Yeah, I have.¡± Ronnie. She called him Ronnie? What the ever-loving fuck? ¡°Hmm,¡± I grunted, and I didn¡¯t know why I was suddenly weirdly jealous of my brother. We¡¯d always been close but as different as night and day. I wasn¡¯t stupid. I knew how they saw me. A hard-ass. Grumpy. While Ron was the easy one of the both of us. ¡°I don¡¯t think you two are as different as you guys say though,¡± she observed, and I scoffed. ¡°Right,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°No, really. The way they made you out to seem¡­ I would have never guessed the guy I metst night was the same guy they described,¡± she said, and my jaw clenched. ¡°You mean the guy you remember?¡± I pushed, and she shook her head. ¡°I might not remember every moment in your room, but I remember you.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not as grumpy as you like to have them believe,¡± she observed, and Iughed. ¡°I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re a lot funnier than they could possibly know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go telling on me, Spark Plug.¡± I winked at her, and she blushed. ¡°Your secret is safe with me.¡± Her tone was soft and sweet, like honey, and I liked that. I liked having secrets with her. I wanted a lifetime of secrets, moments that were only about the two of us. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t think they would believe me.¡± ¡°What part?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know? You going up to that drunk guy and threatening to shove his hands down his mouth and out his ass if he got any closer to me.¡± ¡°That they would believe. I can be a little bit of a hothead.¡± ¡°A little?¡± She grinned, her eyes sparkling as I parked. I took my seat belt off and turned my body to look at her, my attentionpletely on her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that guy peed his pants.¡± ¡°What else?¡± She probably thought I was fishing forpliments, but I wanted to make sure she remembered our time together. ¡°What a huge lucky charm you are.¡± She beamed, and I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°Huge, huh?¡± It was my turn to tease, and I didn¡¯t miss the way her eyes scanned my body, making their way down towards myp and back up. ¡°Very huge,¡± she whispered, and I couldn¡¯t keep my hands to myself. I cupped her face, my thumb grazing the apples of her delicate cheekbones. Before I could say anything, she smiled shyly and said, ¡°They sure wouldn¡¯t believe we skipped together to cash out our winnings through a casino.¡± ¡°We skipped, didn¡¯t we?¡± Iughed, the depth of my tone new to my ears. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her eyes warmed, and I knew she was remembering our night. ¡°You¡¯re funny too. Sweet. Kind.¡± ¡°You make it sound like they think I¡¯m a dick,¡± I mumbled, and her eyes sparkled. ¡°More like a hard-ass, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re surprised by that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I admitted, ¡°How would your sister describe you?¡± ¡°I told you about her, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You told me all about your family,¡± I shared, and sheughed softly. ¡°My sister would tell you I¡¯m a little¡­ aloof.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as put together as she is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re young.¡± I shrugged. ¡°You have time to figure shit out.¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± She let the words linger and bounce between us. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about that.¡± ¡°About our age difference?¡± I asked, and she blushed. ¡°Are you calling me old?¡± ¡°No. Not at all. I just¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°Do you usually date younger women?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually date at all.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And in fairness, we kinda ran out of time, and then you ran out on me.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± She scrunched her face, and I leaned in and stole a small kiss. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with it. Do you?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± My hand dropped from her face and took hold of hers. I felt this dire need to touch her in some way. ¡°I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re older. I just worry¡­¡± She licked her lip, and I pushed, needing to know what was bothering her sweet mind. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That I¡¯m too much of a mess for you,¡± she blurted out. I had to clench my hands together to stop myself from pulling her soft, sweet body into mine. ¡°I like messy,¡± I said, and one of her pretty little brows rose up. ¡°Liar,¡± she whispered. ¡°Ronnie and Rosalee both said you were a huge neat freak.¡± They hadn¡¯t lied. I was a huge fan of order in my shop and my home. But when it came Leti? Neat and tidy didn¡¯t seem anywhere as interesting. ¡°Maybe I like your kind of messy?¡± I said, and she opened then closed her mouth and shrugged. ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked, and I stared at her for a beat. She was ying for an out of the heaviness of the conversation, and I was okay giving that to her. For now. ¡°We are at the best Mediterranean food you can get in the desert.¡± I winked. It was also one of my closest buddy¡¯s family joint. ¡°You hungry?¡± I asked, and both our stomachs rumbled right at that moment. ¡°Starving!¡± Sheughed. ¡°Good.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Me too. Let me get the door for you.¡± ¡°I can open my own¡ª¡° I turned, and the look I gave her shut her up immediately. ¡°I know you can, but you don¡¯t have to.¡± I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed it. ¡°Not when I find it my privilege to do it. Deal?¡± I watched as she swallowed hard and nodded. I hurried and got out of my car. Every step I took towards her I knew was towards my future. I just had to figure out how to convince her of it. Last Minute: Chapter 4 MAX WAS INCREDIBLE. So much more than the man I¡¯d met on the casino floor the night before. Every minute I spent with him drew me in a little more. Rosalee had described her oldest brother as a hard-ass with a bad attitude. Where she had said he was broody and grumpy, I saw an easy-going guy with and easier smile. Where she had said he was prickly, I saw funny. She had actually used the words ¡®closed off¡¯, but with me he wasn¡¯t shy about how he felt. I wasn¡¯t sure which Max was the real deal. Was I lucky enough to see a different side to him? I wasn¡¯t sure why he was interested in me. Not when a man like Max could have anyone. ¡°Your house is amazing,¡± I said, taking in the living room. ¡°Thank you. Want anything to drink?¡± he asked with his lips twitching, and I shook my head. Dinner had been incredible. vorful and filling. The exact thing my body had needed after our all-too-quick trip to Vegas. ¡°I¡¯m good. Thank you. That ce was great!¡± I patted my stomach and he grinned. ¡°Good, right?¡± ¡°Amazing! I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t know about that ce,¡± I gushed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell some of my friends when school starts back up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your senior year?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I sighed. ¡°Finally.¡± ¡°Were you local to the area before or¡­¡± ¡°No. I grew up in LA.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°I could tell you of a handful of amazing Mediterranean ces out there. Especially in Glendale.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a date,¡± he said, and Iughed. He sat down on his oversized couch, and I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself. I stayed standing, looking at the pictures on the wall. Some of the photographs were startlingly beautiful. But before long, I had nothing I could look at, so I sat down primly on his recliner. ¡°Hey, Leti?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± My voice cracked. ¡°Why are you sitting all the way over there?¡± his husky voice beckoned to me, and I shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure¡ª¡° ¡°Come here, baby,¡± he ordered gently, and it was like my body had a mind of its own. I stood and walked over to him and sat next to him. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me in. I loved being cuddled into him. ¡°Pick something,¡± he whispered into the shell of my ear, handing me the remote control. ¡°Max.,¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The rumble of his question made me want to swallow the words I was about to say. ¡°Just because I¡¯m in your house, on yourp¡­ it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re going to¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to what?¡± he asked in a low tone, and I trembled in his arms. ¡°You know,¡± I mumbled nervously, wishing I hadn¡¯t said anything at all. I felt his smile against my temple, and it made my body react in a way I didn¡¯t know was possible. It was like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The sweetest d¨¦j¨¤ vu ever. ¡°Look at me, Leti,¡± he ordered again in that sexy deep tone of his, and I turned. He used that to his advantage and lifted me up and onto hisp, my handsnding on his muscr shoulders. ¡°Nothing happens unless you¡¯re on board. Ever. Understood?¡± ¡°Last night¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why I was bringing it up, but my heart was beating double time. ¡°We were three sheets to the wind, baby.¡± ¡°I know, but umm¡­¡± ¡°To be clear, we made out until you got dizzy and I helped you run to the bathroom where I¡­ I held your hair back.¡± I cringed and had a small shback of what he was talking about. ¡°I see you remember.¡± He smiled warmly, his hands cupping my face so tenderly I was surprised I didn¡¯t melt into a puddle of goo in hisp. ¡°Did you wash my face?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Now it was my hands on his face. ¡°And tucked me in?¡± ¡°Right next to me,¡± his voice rasped right over my lips, and it was too tempting to try and keep my distance from him. ¡°What if we make ast-minute adjustment?¡± ¡°Adjustment?¡± His lips quirked up wolfishly, giving me a peek at his boyish side as he shifted, and I felt his thick, solid length between my legs. ¡°Just a small one?¡± ¡°What, Spark Plug?¡± ¡°What if we have our first sober kiss,¡± I whispered just as his nose ran against the outline of mine. His warm, sweet breath fanning over my lips. ¡°I¡¯m always up for anything that gives me another taste of your sweetness, baby.¡± ¡°I love the way you talk,¡± I moaned, leaning in slightly just as he met me halfway. His lips touched mine, and it was sweet. His mouth was firm but soft. Powerful, but I could feel he was holding back as he kissed me softly. Tentatively. Almost like he was giving me an opportunity to change my mind, but there was no way in hell that was going to happen. I opened my mouth and his tongue slid in. Touching mine. Dancing alongside mine. His taste sweet and nutty like the bava we had shared and something fully masculine. All Max. My hands roamed upwards and tangled in his short hair. His hands roamed over my back, but one settled on my lower back while the other cupped my face. He was inplete control of our kiss. Sinfully sexy. The man was incredible with his mouth, and I wanted to know what else he could do. ¡°Max.¡± A strangled moan escaped from my throat, my hips shifted, and he felt incredible at the juncture of my legs. God, I wished I hadn¡¯t said anything. I wished I had kept my mouth shut when it¡¯de to taking things to another level. ¡°I know, baby. Not yet though. You said no, and I¡¯m going to keep my word.¡± ¡°But what if we just¡ª¡° ¡°Shhh¡­¡± He pulled away and rested his forehead against mine, both of us trying to catch our breath. Max I had no idea how I was holding on to the control I was not to flip her and bring my body over hers, caging her in and dry fucking the hell out of her until I had her crying out my name. Her sweet ¡®What if we just¡¯ made me harder than granite, but I was going to hold back. I wasn¡¯t going to go there. Not because I didn¡¯t want to; I was freaking dying to take things to the next base, but she wasn¡¯t. And as I looked into her eyes, her honeyed breath tickling my wet lips, I smiled. A weird sense of calm fell over me. ¡°Shh¡­ we have all the time in the world.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think your sister has any idea you talk like some kind of book boyfriend,¡± she blurted, and I processed what she had just said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Her face all pink and embarrassed, she tried to hide from me by leaning her head into my neck, but I pulled her away so I could look at her. ¡°First, I have no idea what a book boyfriend is, and second, let¡¯s not bring up my sister when I¡¯m in this state.¡± I shifted so she could feel exactly just what state I was in. ¡°Oh.¡± Her face brightened, and I stole one small peck. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she said, and my body shook withughter. Her giggles were like music to my ears. ¡°How about we watch a movie and cuddle together,¡± I suggested, and this time she moved in closer, grazing her nose against mine as we shared the same electric air. ¡°Kiss a little more?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± she whispered so softly I almost missed it. ¡°How about a secondst-minute first kiss?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense,¡± she flirted, but her hand smoothed my hair down. ¡°But I¡¯m game,¡± she said and kissed me. This time, there was no slow buildup. My hands stayed on her waist and hers stayed on my shoulders. Completely innocent, it was like we had gone back in time, both of us horny teenagers too scared to go too far, too fast. Pulling away from her was hell, but I did it. I¡¯d do anything not to scare my little spark plug away. Settled andfortable on my couch, she picked The Fast and the Furious, one of my personal favorites, and it quickly moved to the top of the list. By the time Dom and Bryan were bing buddies, she drifted off to sleep, her breathing easy and steady. Her sexy body warm next to mine, I let my eyes rest for a little while. Just for a minute. But the couch was too roomy, and her body melded to mine just right, and sleep pulled me under like a riptide. Last Minute: Chapter 5 HAVE YOU EVER had a weekday that feels like a Monday? My Wednesday was having hardcore Monday-esque vibes. I was on day three of not having talked to Max, and I thought I was doing good. I mean, sure, from the moment my feet touched the ground, I¡¯d been thinking about the scruffy mechanic who¡¯d thrown a wrench into everything I believed in. All my ns of not having a n seemed off now. But I¡¯d held on and hadn¡¯t called. Nope. I was not that girl. He had my number too. After we woke up almost simultaneously on his couch, he¡¯d given me the sweetest look before leaning over and kissing my forehead and then confusing the hell out of me by saying he was going to take me home. He had my number and knew where I lived. It¡¯d been three days, and he had obviously figured out the hot mess I was. Especially for a guy who had everything all nned out and his life together. No, ma¡¯am, I was not the girl who called. I also wasn¡¯t the damsel in distress type, but my Wednesday hadpletely other ns for me. The most Monday-est Wednesday in the history of time had ced one obstacle after another in front of me. For the most part, I had rolled with the punches and gone with it. For example, when my toaster died mid bagel browning, filling my tiny apartment with smoke, what did I do? I didn¡¯t freak out, that¡¯s for sure! Or when I¡¯d spilt my precious coffee all over my purse, forcing me to move everything from that one to a another, I took a deep breath and kept on moving. Though when my favorite bra fell in the toilet while I had been in the shower, and I had to change up my entire outfit, I started to get a little testy. Though I thought I looked pretty cute in ck skinny jeans, a cagey sports bra, and bright blue tank top. The weather was still warm, and it was totally my silver lining as I drove to do my volunteer hours at the local child daycare center. Then moved on to a double shift at the coffee shop since fall sses hadn¡¯t started yet. It was all going to be fine. Or at least that was what I kept telling myself throughout the day. But the day got even worse. I¡¯d identally left my ATM card at home in themotion of moving everything to a new bag, so I wasn¡¯t able to grab lunch after my time at the daycare center. One of our coffee grinders broke, so we were extra busy, and then the sunshine we¡¯d been enjoying got covered up by dark ominous clouds that matched my day. By the time we closed up at Daily Grind, it was pouring rain outside. I¡¯d lived in the desert city for thest three years, going on my fourth now, and had never seen a summer storm like the one that had rolled in. But even so, I kept pushing forward. I ran to my car and quickly got in. Only to find my engine did nothing. It didn¡¯t make one sound. I tried again, and nothing. With a sigh, I rested my head on my steering wheel and my eyes fixed on my phone. I knew he had slipped his number in there. I¡¯d seen him do it and pretended not to notice. It had been cute. It¡¯s how I knew he also had my number. I had fought the urge to text him thest couple of days, but after the day I had when I sat in my tiny old car that had seen better days and thought about who I¡¯d want to spend my time with, it wasn¡¯t my new buddy Rosalee or my sister, who had just returned from living on the east coast, but Max. Max. Oh, Max. He was put together. A man. I, on the other hand, was a hot mess. Twenty-one, still undered undergrad who had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. Liar, a little voice whispered in my ear. You want Max. I grabbed my phone and scrolled down my contacts until I found Max. I was about to dial when a knock on my window startled me, making me drop my phone on myp, and I looked out. I¡¯d parked beneath a city light post, but it wasn¡¯t the brightest. Arge, wide figure stood there, the light from behind him only making whoever it was seem like more of an imposing figure. ¡°You okay?¡± a deep voice said as he stepped back, and I breathed in. It was the owner of the pawn shop. He was older, probably about my dad¡¯s age but built like a Mack truck. ¡°F-fine,¡± I stuttered, giving him a smile. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°You sure, kid?¡± he asked, shielding his eyes with his baseball cap from the rain pelting down. ¡°Yes.¡± I smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He was nice, but I didn¡¯t know him other than as one of our regrs. ¡°Okay, then. Safe trip home!¡± the man said, waving goodbye as he walked toward his own car. My phone rang, and the shriek that escaped me made me giggle. ¡°Breath, Leti!¡± I said to myself, grabbing my phone. ¡°Hi, babe,¡± I said, focusing on the old man driving away, my voice holding a small tremble. ¡°Hey! Let? Babe, are you okay?¡± Rosalee asked, and I smiled. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°You sound funny.¡± I would. I was distracted and trying to figure out what the hell to do. I could call Triple A. Or my sister. I was sure Nina and Brandon woulde over. But did I want to bug them? I looked out contemting the walk home, but it was raining too much, and the streets were too dark. In the words of my abuelita, that was asking for trouble. Call Max, my inner Jiminey Cricket whispered. ¡°Leti? You okay?¡± Rosalee asked again, and I cleared my throat. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you,¡± I said with a scoff and sigh. I could ask my new bestie for help. ¡°Tell me anyways,¡± she said, and it was weird. Despite how Rosalee and I had met, it was like we were meant to be friends. I opened my mouth and told her all about my day. I vented every moment. Every frustration. My scare with pawn guy and my current situation. ¡°Babe, why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± she said, and she would. Rosalee was sweet and kind. My nose started to sting. ¡°It literally just happened, and I didn¡¯t wanna bug.¡± My voice trembled. I hated feeling weak. As the youngest, everyone babied me, but I¡¯d never needed that. But tonight, tonight was different. It was dark, and I was wet and cold, stuck in the center of the city. Every other building other than the local bar down the street was closed. I had never noticed how terrifying Main Street was in the dark. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I got you,¡± she said, and I believed her. She hung up, and not even ten minutester, a truck approached and slowly parked behind my car, and my heart stuttered. ¡°Oh, Rosalee, what did you do?¡± I whispered to myself. It was darker now, and the rain was stilling down with force. Despite all that, I knew it was him. Hisrge frame nothing but a darkened shadow that grew as he closed in, making its way toward me. I knew it was him like I knew it was pouring outside. My body knew it too. My nipples were in tight, hardened peaks, and it had nothing to do with the cooler temperature. I drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I had to pull up my big girl panties and face him. Grabbing my bag, I tossed my phone in, opened my door, and heard the heavy sounds of his boots speed up. ¡°Jesus, Leti, what are you doing?¡± his voice sounded out just as thunder rumbled as I hurried to lock my car door. ¡°Getting out so you won¡¯t get so wet,¡± I said over my shoulder, trying to keep my teeth from chattering. ¡°So I won¡¯t get wet?¡± he asked, and I looked up at him just as lightning lit up the sky. His expression was fierce yet handsome and gant. Gant? What the hell was wrong with me? ¡°What? It¡¯s raining.¡± I shrugged, feeling off kilter and guilty about not having called him. ¡°You didn¡¯t call,¡± he pointed out like I knew he would. I pressed my lips together to bite away a lie. His gaze on mine, I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I spilled the truth. ¡°I know.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to try and make any excuses. At the end of the day, that¡¯s all they would be. Excuses. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Max¡­¡± I didn¡¯t have any words. I wasn¡¯t sure yet why I couldn¡¯t get myself to call him. How many texts had I typed up and deleted before pressing Send? ¡°I messed up, okay?¡± I confessed, and he opened his mouth to respond, but lightning struck. I jumped and he took me right into his arms. The warmth from his body heat enveloped me, and I feltpletely safe. At home. ¡°Let¡¯s get you warmed up in my truck, okay?¡± His arm draped over my shoulder, drawing me in close to his body. He smelled amazing. Familiar. Masculine soap and motor oil. We rushed to his truck, and he opened my door like a gentleman. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, my body shaking. The cold seeping into my bones. ¡°I¡¯ll go see how if I can fix your car.¡± ¡°Leave it.¡± I sighed. ¡°Leti¡ª¡± ¡°Please,¡± I whispered softly. ¡°Take me home, Max.¡± ¡°Your home?¡± His jaw clenched, and I shook my head slowly, never taking my eyes off his. ¡°No,¡± I said softly, but I knew he heard me. I felt it. His strong, tense body gave slightly. ¡°Yours.¡± I was done trying to keep him at bay. Three days had felt like years. Decades. It sounded dramatic, but it was true. Max ¡°Let¡¯s get you warmed up and dried off,¡± I said, leading her to the bathroom off my bedroom. I could have taken her to the guest bath. I probably should have. But she brought out the primal Neanderthal in me. I more than liked the idea of her nude body in my shower, her body smelling like my body wash. Like me. It¡¯d be as close to marking her as mine as I could. ¡°Max?¡± I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I could smell the rain and her soft perfume. ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, trying not to stare at her and the way her tank top was painted onto her torso. Her scent was driving me crazy enough the visual could drive me right into a straightjacket. I grabbed two towels for her, thankful for my mom¡¯s housewarming gift of good towels and not the ratty ones I used to have before. ¡°Can you please look at me?¡± she asked in such a tender tone I couldn¡¯t notply. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I said, schooling my expression and trying to keep my face emotionless. ¡°You¡¯re mad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Here are two towels; soap and shampoo is in there.¡± I pointed to the blue terry cloth. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you something to wear¡ª¡° ¡°Max, please just¡ª¡° ¡°What?¡± I snapped, but her hand fell on my wrist and I looked into her deep brown eyes; they were like a balm to the crazy intensity rushing through my veins. ¡°I should have called.¡± ¡°You should have.¡± I licked the bottom of my lip and felt her eyes drop down to it. ¡°I should have called, but I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m just confused and a hot mess and¡ª¡° l didn¡¯t want to hear her put herself down. I pulled her into me, her front flush against mine, so I could feel her tightened little nipples were fighting their way through the material of her sports bra. ¡°Let¡¯s get something straight, yeah?¡± There was a huskiness to my voice, and her eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re not a mess. I don¡¯t want to hear that kind of shit again.¡± ¡°Max,¡± she whispered, her tone almost pleading me to shut up, but I wasn¡¯t going to. ¡°You¡¯re fucking fantastic,¡± I told her. I probably sounded crazy to her, but it was the truth. Every moment I¡¯d spent with her proved my point. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that just¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know what you wanna do yet. Fuck, I didn¡¯t know what the hell I wanted to do either. I went into the Army right after high school.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°I did. I was infantry, and one day, Logan¡ª¡° ¡°The guy who was left at the altar.¡± ¡°One and the same.¡± I nodded with a grin. ¡°He got this old beat-up motorcycle, and I started tinkering with the engine, trying to help him restore it,¡± I shared. ¡°Spark Plug, I don¡¯t know, I got hooked. It was like a lightbulb turned on and I suddenly found something that really interested me.¡± ¡°Motorcycles?¡± ¡°Motorcycles. Cars. Honestly? Anything with an engine.¡± My hand did a slow trip up her elbow, tracing the satiny skin of her upper arm until I reached her face and swept a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°You will figure it out. But that isn¡¯t all that makes you, you. Get me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really sweet, Max.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not sweet, just the truth, Leti. Now, let¡¯s get you warmed up before those pretty lips turn blue, yeah?¡± I suggested, trying to get out before adding I should join and help her with the hard-to-reach spots of her back. ¡°Thanks.¡± She blushed, and I took a step back, but her hand touched mine. ¡°Max?¡± she called, and I gritted my teeth. I didn¡¯t know if I was praying she¡¯d ask me to stay or tell me to lock the fucking door behind me. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ Thanks for tonight and for bringing me over.¡± God, I was dying to ask her why my ce, but it wasn¡¯t the time nor the ce. I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything. I shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Do you think you could¡­¡± ¡°Leti,¡± I warned. I was only so strong. ¡°Did you change your mind about us?¡± she asked, the vulnerability shining in her eyes humbling. ¡°Fuck no.¡± My tongue felt almost too thick for my mouth. ¡°Then?¡± she questioned, and I exhaled roughly. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel rushed and feel pressure¡ª¡± Nothing else was said because my little spark plug jumped and attacked me. She bounced up on the tips of her toes, and as a gentleman, I bent to meet her kiss. Her sweet, passionate kiss. ¡°Leti,¡± I groaned against her lips. ¡°You feel right. Everything feels right with you, Max.¡± She moaned, her lips working against mine. Jesus, the woman was a damn dreame to life. Her hands were frantic trying to fight to take my shirt off, but I didn¡¯t miss the way her skin was covered in goosebumps. ¡°We gotta warm you up, Spark Plug.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty capable for the job.¡± She gasped. ¡°You have no fucking idea,¡± I growled against her lips. In a blur, we ripped off our clothes. Every piece of clothing fell on the floor in wet thumps against the tile. She was incredible. Too beautiful for my greased-up hands to touch, but fuck me, I would own her. She¡¯d be mine. Only mine. She was ast-minute curveball I never sawing. No way in hell I could have predicted. I pressed her bare chest against mine, the sensation incredible. Everything we had done up until then had been fully clothed, but Leti Montenegro was absolute perfection. I wanted to take my time with her body. Kissing and licking and teasing every square inch, but I needed to warm her up. I had to take care of her needs before mine. I had one hand on her lower back while the other worked on getting the hot water running. The bathroom clouded around us with steam. We pulled away, breathing heavily, and without a word we stepped into my shower. Warm water sprayed over us, droplets trickling down her body. ¡°Jesus, you¡¯re beautiful,¡± I said, looking down at her naked, wet body. ¡°Max¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, baby. So damn beautiful you make my heart hurt.¡± My hands were on a mission. They went from her waist up the sides of her torso only to end up cupping her perky breasts. They fit perfectly. Her eyes fluttered shut as my thumbs swiped her nipples, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I fell to my knees, just the perfect height to pop one of her beautiful tips into my mouth and suck. Lightly. Teasingly slow, barely-there flicks of my tongue. The sweet taste of her flesh making me harder, her soft cries drew my balls up tight, and when her hands tangled in my hair and pulled me closer, I fought the urge toe. Fuck, I hadn¡¯t done more than suck on her tit and I was ready to blow my load. Leti was trouble with a capital T. I switched sides and continued my attention on her other breast as her sweet pleasure-filled sounds echoed against the walls. She had a filthy little mouth, and I fucking loved it. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Max,¡± she purred, and I dropped her tit out of my mouth and moved lower. I wouldn¡¯t take her in my shower, but I would make here. I¡¯d make here so damn hard she wouldn¡¯t remember anything but my name. My mouth skated down, nipping at her under boob and down to her navel. I circled it with my tongue and continued lower. Right to her sweet pussy. My finger moved through the dark trimmed curls, and I found her puffy little bundle of nerves and she buckled. ¡°You want my mouth here?¡± I asked, slipping my finger in just enough to feel the slick wetness envelope my digit. She was so damn tight I was afraid I¡¯d bust my load before I got her off. ¡°Eat me,¡± she whimpered, and I loved that she wasn¡¯t shy about asking for what she wanted. My nose red and I breathed in her unique feminine scent deeply. ¡°My pleasure, baby,¡± I growled and took my first swipe of her. She tasted amazing. Tangy and clean. Completely Leti and utterly delicious. I was starving. My attention was focused on her and every single one of her sounds. I licked her swollen clitoris; it was all but begging for attention. She was slick and warm and so damn tight. With every lick and nip, I became wilder. Ipped at her like a delirious animal. Her hands clung to my hair, pulling and tugging. The pain ebbing away my need toe. ¡°Max,¡± she gasped, ¡°I need more. Please, Max!¡± Her needy cries had me finger her faster. Harder. ¡°Max, I need you. I need¡ª¡° ¡°I fucking know what you need,¡± I growled, kissing the inside of her thigh as I watched her pussy eat up my finger. ¡°So damn wet.¡± ¡°Max,¡± she cried, pulling my head between her legs opening wider. I kneeled and took my fingers out of her. ¡°What are you¡ª¡° ¡°Shh,¡± I whispered, my hands grabbing her plump cheeks, and I pulled her closer, her legs over my shoulder so I could support her weight against the bathroom wall. ¡°Oh my god!¡± she squealed as my mouth fully covered her sweet pussy. This time I didn¡¯t stop. My tongue worked double time. Firm and strong, I kept savoring her until Leti¡¯s thighs clenched tightly around my ears. Her cries sounded like music in my ears. Loud as they echoed against my tiled bathroom walls. Water gliding down our bodies, she came hard. Her sweet nectar filling my mouth, I didn¡¯t miss a drop of her feminine sweetness. I nced up at her, carefully setting her down, her eyes closed, her gorgeous face washed over with satisfaction. The sweetest smile on her lips. I kissed her knees and the front of her thighs before standing up. She wrapped her arms around me, and I locked mine around her. I wanted to be responsible for that look on her face day after day, year after year, until I took myst breath. Mine, a possessive voice shouted in my head, and I smiled. She rested her head over my heart, and I stroked her hair as we stood under the rain shower head. The water still warm, air surrounding us steamy as our breathing fell in sync. In that moment I knew without a doubt that¡¯s what this was. This maic pull between us was an end game, a for keeps kind of situation. Mine. All mine. She was mine. And I was definitely one hundred percent hers. I just had to make sure she understood that. Last Minute: Chapter 6 HE WASHED MY hair and rinsed it. His touch was gentle and tender as he took care of me, and I¡¯d never felt so cherished. Loved. Loved? God, I sounded like a silly girl, but that was exactly how he made me feel. When the water started to cool, he hurried and rinsed off the soapy body wash he¡¯d used on us. I liked smelling like him. We stepped out of the shower, and he covered me up in a fluffy towel. He wrapped one around his waist and led me out of the bathroom into his bedroom. My heart was beating triple time as excitement prickled up my neck. I wanted him. I wanted him to make love to me. He had just given me the most incredible orgasm I had ever experienced, but I was ready for another. Completely greedy for another. He didn¡¯t though. He handed me a navy tee and a pair of grey sweats then left the room after kissing my forehead. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± he asked after a few minutes, knocking on his own door, and I smiled. ¡°Of course. This is your house, Max.¡± I smiled, and he walked in. He looked good in ck basketball shorts. And nothing else. His broad chest on disy. ¡°I like my clothes on you,¡± he said, looking me up and down, a warmth in his gaze that made my chest tighten. ¡°They¡¯re cozy.¡± I smiled, and he walked over to his bed, where I was sitting on the edge. ¡°Come here,¡± he ordered gently, and I stood only to have him sit me on hisp. ¡°Warm? Need a sweater?¡± he offered, and I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m good. Thank you.¡± ¡°We need to talk.¡± The depth of his voice made my stomach drop. ¡°That¡¯s never a good thing,¡± I joked in an attempt to keep things light. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± He winked and opened his mouth to say whatever it was he was nning on saying, but I lifted my hand and covered his lips with two fingers ¡°Before you say anything, I need to say something,¡± I blurted, and his dark eyes widened. His kissed the pads of my fingers and gave me a nod. ¡°I should have called you. I wanted to. I thought about you¡­ more than I want to admit. As weird and crappy as my day was, I¡¯m d everything happened the way it did, because it means I¡¯m here with you. I like you, Max.¡± ¡°Can I talk now?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s all I had to say, just¡­ sorry. You were amazing in Vegas and kind enough to bring us home, and then our date, and then I messed it up by not calling.¡± I winced. ¡°You didn¡¯t mess anything up.¡± He stroked the side of my face, and I leaned into his gentle touch. ¡°As much as I hated not hearing from you, I get it.¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Hell, yeah.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Babe, Vegas was¡­ a tipsy adventure. Wild and crazy. It could have been a fluke, right? But then the next day with you, when we got back¡­ it was better than I could have hoped for.¡± ¡°It was?¡± I asked breathily, trying to steady my heart rate and failing. ¡°It wasn¡¯t for you?¡± ¡°It was.¡± I smiled shyly. ¡°It was a lot at once, and I get why you needed a moment to think about it and why you didn¡¯t call,¡± Max said, but the softness he¡¯d worn on his handsome face faded into one filled with seriousness. ¡°But I¡¯m about toy something on you, and this is going to be as heavy or heavier, and I can¡¯t have you running away this time.¡± ¡°Uh-oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way about anyone¡­ ever.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t either,¡± I mumbled, and he leaned in, nuzzling his nose against mine like he needed me just that little much closer. ¡°There is this pull to you. Not just physically, though I do want you. I want you so fucking bad, Leti.¡± A stiff growl at the end of his words made me squirm in hisp. ¡°This is where I might scare you off, but you gotta know where I¡¯m at. Where I stand when ites to this thing between us.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I worded slowly, all but ready for him to say he wasn¡¯t in a ce for something steady, for something serious. Guys I had dated in the past did that all the time, right? ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°I understand¡­ wait, what?¡± I had not been expecting that. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he repeated, the confidence in his voice alluring. ¡°All mine.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°Yeah, Spark Plug, you definitely are. But with that it means I have some bad news for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°That means I¡¯m all yours, Leti. Every hard-assy inch of me.¡± ¡°I like the sound of every hard inch of you being mine,¡± I flirted, my hand moving down his bare chest over his muscr abs. The way his muscles twitched beneath my touch had my mouth watering. I wanted to pour chocte syrup all over his abs and lick it up from the ridges. When my hand finally met his thick hardness, I licked my lips. I wanted so much more. My hands went to the stic band of his shorts, but his hand stopped me. ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± My head popped up to meet his sultry stare. ¡°So am I,¡± I teased. ¡°Leti,¡± he warned intensely, and I watched his nose re. The way he was looking at me made me feel like he was about to devour me. Like the little self-control he had was about to break and he was going to im me. Me! ¡°Leti, I can¡¯t take this where I want it to go until you tell me.¡± ¡°Tell you what?¡± I asked, my eyes unable to look away from his beautiful mouth. ¡°That you¡¯ll take a chance on me. That you¡¯ll be mine.¡± Max My lips tingled with the way she was looking at my mouth. Her eyes moved up slightly, stunned yet hopeful. ¡°Take a chance on me, baby. Be mine,¡± I repeated, my tone hoarse with lust. I could see how her chest rose and dropped a little heavier. Her pretty little nipples poking through my tee, and I licked my lips. She wanted to be mine. She wanted me to be hers. Of that I was positive, but no matter how blue in the face I turned trying to convince her of it, it wouldn¡¯t matter unless she jumped in with me. Unless she took a leap of faith. On me. ¡°Max.¡± ¡°What are you scared of, Spark Plug?¡± ¡°Of not being enough for you,¡± she confessed, vulnerability leaking through, and I held her face in both hands, tilting it up so she¡¯d meet my eyes and see the truth behind mine. ¡°Not fucking possible.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°I just am.¡± I leaned in and kissed the center of her forehead before pulling away and her eyes meeting mine. ¡°Take a chance on me.¡± ¡°If I do that, you¡¯re mine too? No other women, no one else, Max¡ª¡° The idea wasughable. She had no idea how she had my balls in a vice. ¡°Just us,¡± I whispered, and the worry in her eyes melted away and they filled with the most beautiful warmth I¡¯d ever seen. God, my girl and her expressive eyes. She was going to kill me. ¡°You for me.¡± I kissed her lips. ¡°Me for you.¡± ¡°Max.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± she gave in, and I smiled against her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m yours, and you¡¯re mine. I¡¯m in, Max. All in.¡± Damn. No sweeter word we¡¯re ever spoken. I kissed her. My self-control leaving nothing but animalistic need behind. She was mine Mine. The word repeated in my head over and over as I sucked her tongue in my mouth. Her taste ingrained into memory as I moved us up. My hands were done being idle. I worked on taking her shirt off. I loved how she looked in my clothes, but right then and there, I needed her bare. For me. Only me. ¡°Fuck, Spark Plug,¡± I growled. ¡°You have the most fantastic tits,¡± I told her before cupping one and taking an elongated nipple into my mouth. ¡°Max,¡± she gasped, but she wasn¡¯t pushing me away. Her hands in my hair pulled me in, and I opened wider, sucking and nipping, moving my attention to her other breast. My hands moved down and pushed down the joggers I¡¯d let her borrow. She was insanely hot. There was a mix of sultry and sweet to Leti Montenegro, and I couldn¡¯t wait to discover every inch. Every side of the woman who would one day wear my ring. ¡°I¡¯m gonna show you exactly who you belong to, Leti,¡± I whispered and turned her around so her back was pressed to my front. Her sweet round ass rubbed against the hardness tenting my shorts, but this was going to be about her. My open-palmed hands moved down her torso, tracing her silky-soft flesh with the tips of my fingers. One stopped at her hip while the other moved to cup her pretty pussy. ¡°You¡¯re wet,¡± I exhaled. I could smell her arousal, and my dick jerked in my pants for his own taste. She shuddered in my arms, and I smiled, loving how responsive she was to my touch. ¡°Tell me, baby. Please, Spark Plug, is this all for me?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but tease her as my fingers worked around her lower lips and slowly slipped through her dewy hairless folds. ¡°You know it is,¡± she whined, her knees almost buckling, but she had no reason to worry. I had her. I¡¯d always have her. I¡¯d never let her fall. ¡°I¡¯m so wet, Max. It¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°Fuck yeah, it is,¡± I whispered along the shell of her ear. ¡°This pussy, this sweet warm honey,¡± I growled, and her pussy clenched like it was dying to be filled up. ¡°All mine. You¡¯re all mine.¡± I didn¡¯t recognize myself as the dirty words trickled out of my mouth. Thankfully, she seemed to enjoy it. ¡°Max,¡± she mewled, squirming in my arms, her ass rubbing just right against my cock. ¡°Stay still, Spark Plug,¡± I warned and lightly smacked one plump cheek, grasping and squeezing her sexy ass. ¡°Oh my god!¡± she squeaked. ¡°You spanked me.¡± She looked over her shoulder with a small pout on her lips, but her eyes were glittering brightly. ¡°You liked it. You like my hands on your body,¡± I told her in a bossy tone, and my eyes fell to the way she bit her lip. ¡°I do.¡± She melted into me, and I grinned before I let my hand smack her ass again, quickly working the sting out. I loved how her sexy booty felt in my hand. ¡°I should punish your sweet ass for not calling. For making me wait to see you again. Making me wait for a sweet kiss.¡± ¡°Max,¡± she purred with my mouth on her neck. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m too damn needy to get in there and im you.¡± ¡°im me? You make me sound like something you can own,¡± she spouted off, and I bit the spot where her shoulder and neck connect, not missing the needy sound she made. ¡°I am going to own you, Spark Plug. Don¡¯t you get it? I don¡¯t fucking function without you,¡± I growled against her skin, my fingers moving to her pussy, rubbing between her folds, dipping the tip inside of her. ¡°Are you all talk, Max?¡± sheined, rubbing her ass against my dick, and I looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re going to take me. Every inch, and I promise you¡¯re going to love every minute of it.¡± I quickly took my pants off as I warned her, kicking them off and away from my feet. ¡°Promises, promis¡ª¡° I mmed into her balls deep and groaned. ¡°Jesus fuck, Leti,¡° I moaned. Her arms moved up and held on to the sides of my face. In that position her pretty tits were out and bouncing as I worked in and out of her. ¡°Max.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered, meeting my now gentle thrusts. I wasn¡¯t arrogant when I said I was thick and long. I needed to give her a moment to adjust. Not to mention a moment so I wouldn¡¯t lose my nut all too quickly and embarrass myself. ¡°Too much?¡± I asked harshly, nipping her lobe, peppering small kisses over her neck. ¡°Not enough,¡± she gasped, and my teeth gritted down. ¡°More. Max. I need more,¡± she begged sweetly, and my hands moved up to cup and pinch her nipples. ¡°Hell yeah, you do.¡± My words were harsh. ¡°Bend,¡± I ordered in a low tone, and she did just that. We moved together, my dick never leaving the sweetness of her tight sheath. She bent over the edge of my bed. ¡°You¡¯re deeper now.¡± She ground against me, taking me even deeper, and my nostrils red. The urge toe hitting hard, I breathed in her sweet need. ¡°Hell yeah, I am. Fuck, baby. You have no idea how damn pretty you look like this.¡± I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off where we connected. The way her pussy opened and stretched for me. Taking it as I gave it to her. It was obscene but fucking mesmerizing. ¡°Max!¡± she growled, and I chuckled. ¡°Too slow?¡± I asked darkly, teasing her, fucking her so damn slowly it made my cock ache. She looked over her shoulder. And if looks could kill, I¡¯d be useless to her. Jesus, I loved her fire. Love. The word left me almost stunned. I loved Leti. I¡¯d fucking gone and done it. I fell in love with a girl I metst minute on a casino floor. Nothing like I had thought it would one day happen, but fuck me, I wouldn¡¯t change it for anything in the world. ¡°Max, if you don¡¯t give me what I want, I swear I¡¯m going to¡ª¡° I sunk in deep and she gasped, her pretty purr echoing against the walls of my bedroom. ¡°You¡¯re going to what, Spark Plug? Huh?¡± I taunted, taking my dick out almost all the way, only leaving my crown in her sopping entrance. ¡°You¡¯re going to what, baby?¡± ¡°Max, please stop messing around. I need¡ª¡± ¡°I got you. I swear to freaking God I got you, baby,¡± I vowed. She had no idea just how honest my words were. I meant them so much more than making sure to work both of us into incredible orgasms. She swiveled her gorgeous hips, and I thought my eyes were going to roll in the back of my head. I focused on her and me. Working her sweet body closer and closer to the edge. Our skin was hot and sweaty as I fucked her. ¡°Rub your clit, Leti. We need to get there,¡± I panted, and I heard the relief in her sigh. She shifted, and I knew she was rubbing that swollen pearl of nerves. The image of me stretching her tiny little hole knowing she was touching herself made my balls tighten up. They drew up, achingly full, ready to fill her pussy. The idea of watching it drip out of me had my spine tingling. ¡°Leti, I need you to get there, baby,¡± I said through gritted teeth as I fought letting the moment end too quickly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± She swallowed and mewled, rolling her hips again. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Oh my¡­ Max. I¡¯m almost¡­ Max!¡± she chanted my name. Her cries were muffled as she hid her face in the sheets of my bed, and I felt it. Her walls clenched around me, squeezing and milking my dick. I lost my mind. I mmed into her. I rutted like a beast. My hands held on tightly. So much, I knew I would leave my mark behind. I liked that. Her pussy squeezed me tightly, her cries calling my name as I lost my control. I mmed into her once. Twice. I was done. I held my body tight as ribbon after ribbon of my release shot out, emptying myself into her. The woman I would spend the rest of my life with. Last Minute: Chapter 7 SLEEP WAS STARTING to take me under, but I was fighting it. I was too happy to sleep, and because of that, I asked something that I¡¯d wondered about despite his exnation earlier. ¡°Why do you call me spark plug?¡± I found myself asking into his chest. He was quiet, but I knew he wasn¡¯t asleep. Not when his hands were ying with my hair, slowly running their way up and down my strands. ¡°I told you.¡± ¡°You told me it was because I was sassy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How about you tell me the whole truth?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you think it¡¯s the truth?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­. something Rosalee said.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, sitting up and bringing me up with him. ¡°She said you were the most poetic of her brothers.¡± ¡°Poetic?¡± ¡°You think things through, that you have a serious depth to you.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he grunted. ¡°She said you were very philosophical. To be fair, we were pretty tipsy.¡± ¡°Is that what the two of you do, drink a lot together?¡± ¡°No,¡± Iughed. ¡°Though I can see why you would think that. No, we¡¯ve drunk twice together. The day we met and Vegas.¡± ¡°Day you met?¡± ¡°It was¡­plicated.¡± I grinned, and he kissed me. ¡°Something tells me I don¡¯t wanna know.¡± Oh boy, was he right about that. ¡°It was right after Patrick broke up with her,¡± I whispered, hoping that was enough information because I really seriously liked him, but he didn¡¯t need to know the details of how I¡¯d met his sister. Especially not when we were naked and in pillow talk mode. ¡°Patrick,¡± he groaned and shook his head. ¡°We all thought she was gonna marry the guy, then he¡­¡± Max shrugged. ¡°I worried about her after that, but¡ª¡± ¡°She met me, so you thought her going a little crazy was all because of the bad influence of a new friend?¡± I guessed with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Now tell me, please?¡± ¡°Fine, but getfortable,¡± he bossed about, and I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder as his arm tucked around me, and I breathed in the scent of his bare skin. ¡°Good?¡± he asked, and I smiled against his flesh. I loved how he always put my needs first. ¡°Really good.¡± ¡°You really wanna know?¡± he asked with a sigh. ¡°Yes,¡± I giggled softly. ¡°Fine,¡± heined yfully. ¡°So, I work on cars, right?¡± ¡°You are beingpletely modest,¡± I interrupted. The man ran his own mechanic shop and worked on all sorts of vehicles. ¡°There are so manyponents in a car, but one of the most important for an engine toe to life is a spark plug; it helps thebustion chamber.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my spark plug.¡± I felt his shoulder rise and drop carefully, and my head popped up to look at him. ¡°What do you¡ª¡± ¡°I met you, Leti¡­ and, baby, it was like an electric current ran through me and you brought me to life,¡± he said in a low tone. His eyes on mine were open and honest. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what was missing in my life before you, but we met¡ª¡± ¡°Not even a week ago,¡± I cut in. ¡°Yeah.¡± His eyes crinkled. ¡°I know how crazy fast it is, but it doesn¡¯t change how I feel, Leti. You brought color to my life when I didn¡¯t know it was missing. Now I want it all the time.¡± I had no words, so I moved in and kissed him. ¡°I like being your spark plug,¡± I whispered against his mouth and felt his lips quirk upward. ¡°Good. ¡®Cause I¡¯m keeping you.¡± ¡°For always?¡± I asked softly, hope floating around me as my eyes felt heavier with every passing second. There was something magical and soothing about being in Max¡¯ arms. ¡°And beyond, baby, and beyond,¡± I heard before I drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Max She slept soundly in my arms. Tucked in tight, her breathing soft and steady on my chest, everything felt right in my life. ncing down at my girl, peaceful and angelic, I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes. I thought about what I needed to do this week and how I had to add picking up and fixing her car to the top of my to-do list. Owning your own business and being your own boss was great as hell, but it was tiring. ¡°Max,¡± she purred, lifting her leg and throwing it over one of my own. ¡°Yeah, baby?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For?¡± ¡°Saving me tonight,¡± she yawned and cuddled in closer, like a cute little kitten. ¡°For taking a chance on me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine, Spark Plug. All mine.¡± ¡°I like that.¡± She sighed sleepily and left me smiling. I fucking liked it too. _______________ I ran my hand through my hair and winced. I smelled like motor oil and looked like a grease-monkey, but I couldn¡¯t stay away. We had only been apart for about eight hours, but I needed my Leti hit. ¡°Max!¡± she called out with a big smile and ran over to me, ignoring the curious stares, and I braced. She jumped into my arms, and I oophed slightly, d as hell I didn¡¯t drop her. ¡°You happy to see me?¡± I asked against her lips, and her smile went wider. ¡°Yes! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Getting coffee. You know a barista who can do that for me?¡± I winked, and she grinned before dropping her lips to mine. ¡°I got you, babe,¡± she said, wiggling out of my arms. I had stopped by Daily Grind before closing. The morning after this time around had been smooth. Beautiful and easy. I¡¯d woken up early and called my shop. I¡¯d made sure to get one of my best guys to run out and pick up her car and bring it into the shop and get started on it. Then I got to work on making her breakfast in bed, thankful as hell for my meddling mom and the fact she¡¯d just restocked my fridge. I owed that woman huge. After we took a long and sensual shower where she showed me how talented she was with her mouth, I made sure to return the favor before the water turned cold. I drove Leti to her ce to change and then to Daily Grind since she had a long shift, which had worked in my favor. New battery, rotated tires, oil change, and a detailingter, I was at Daily Grind to drop off her car to make sure she had a way to get home safe and sound. ¡°The car okay or is it time for a trip to the junkyard?¡± she joked, but I could see the worry in her eyes. I knew what a new car would cost, and she was a college student. ¡°She has a little longer left,¡± I shared, and she squeezed my hand. ¡°She¡¯s outside, ready and waiting for you.¡± ¡°Really? That was fast. How much is the damage?¡± She worried her lower lip, and I chuckled. ¡°How about a cold brew for me and some blended frap things for the guys working overtime at the shop.¡± ¡°Max, that is nowhere close to what the cost would be,¡± she said seriously, and I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m willing to take, Spark Plug.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Max, that feels wrong¡­¡± ¡°Fine, throw in a couple cake pops and we¡¯re good. Trust me. The guys in the shop love cake pops.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her eyes lit up, and I nodded, following her to the counter. ¡°They all have a sweet tooth.¡± ¡°Okay, if you say so, let me get everything ready for you.¡± ¡°No rush.¡± I smiled and walked over to a seat from where I could watch her but let her do her thing. She was beautiful. I loved the way she was with her co-workers and what seemed to be the regrs in the shop. Before I left, she introduced me as her boyfriend. Boyfriend. I wanted tough. I wanted to correct her and tell her I was her man, but I didn¡¯t. Soon enough, she would get just how important she was to me. How fucking in love I was with her. Last Minute: Chapter 8 I LOOKED AT my reflection on the mirror and pressed my lips together. I didn¡¯t look too bad. ck fitted tank top with my good bra and bootcut jeans that were faded just perfectly, I had paired it with ck Chuck Taylors. My hair was blown out and straight, falling over my shoulders. I lifted and dropped my shoulders. It was as good as it was going to get, right? My eyes dropped to my mouth and wondered if I should do a red lip or keep it simple with clear gloss? Light makeup or something a little heavier? I turned and picked up my cell phone. I knew who I could call and ask for advice. I had two possibilities. My sister or Rosalee. Rosalee, who was surprisingly cool with me seeing her brother. Thank God! I could call her and see if maybe her brother let her know where he was taking me on this surprise date after a week of being apart. Not that we hadn¡¯t talked. We had. A lot. We talked every night, ending our days together, his voice in my ear as we got to know one another. Work at his shop had been crazy busy, and the night he was avable, I¡¯d had to visit my parents. But that didn¡¯t stop him from trying. He stopped at the coffee shop, and I stopped at his shop yesterday with lunch. He was amazing. Max had gone around introducing me to all his employees and then, before I left for my shift at Daily Grind, he¡¯d told me to keep my day open because he had a surprise for me. A surprise date! He was so much more than the hot guy with an incredible sex drive. He made meugh and feel wanted. Cherished. Seen. I was falling for Max Riley. I was falling harder and faster than I even thought was possible. Part of me had always thought my sister and Brandon were insane falling in love as quickly as they had. While the other part of me, the small girly side of me, thought it had been the most romantic thing I had ever witnessed. The only thing that hade close to it by that time in my life had been watching Beast give Belle his library on Beauty and the Beast. I had never expected to be someone who fell even faster than my nutty sister, but there I was. Falling so quickly I didn¡¯t know how I wouldnd, but I wasn¡¯t worried about it. I knew he¡¯d catch me. He wouldn¡¯t let me fall. My mind moved back to my sister and Brandon. The way life had brought them back together, and for a mili-second the thought of Max breaking my heart entered my mind. But as quickly as it did, it died. He wouldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know how I knew that to the center of my being, but I did. Just like I knew I wouldn¡¯t hurt him. Sure, things could happen in the future, but it was crazy to have the confidence and trust I had in him as quickly as it was, though it didn¡¯t make it any less real. My phone rang and I smiled. My sister had crazy weird timing. ¡°Hey, Nina¡ª¡± ¡°Busy?¡± There was something about Nina¡¯s tone that had the hairs on the back of my neck prickling up. ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, we bumped into your friend Rosalee at the mall.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°She told us about her brother.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay. Well, Max is¡ª¡± ¡°And grandma now wants to see you,¡± she interrupted and cut me off. ¡°Grandma?¡± my voice squeaked. ¡°She¡¯s in town?¡± I asked in a too loud whisper. ¡°Surprise! She came to visit.¡± I could hear a smile in her voice, and I closed my eyes. I loved my grandmother, but she was a super snoop. Like a spy but snoopier. ¡°She wants you to tell her all about your Max.¡± ¡°My Max?¡± I repeated. What did Rosalee say to her? I loved Rosalee, but she had too big of a mouth. ¡°We are around the corner from your ce,¡± she dropped a bomb, and I closed my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re what!¡± I squeaked, jumping off my bed and rushing my booty to the living room. I had to make sure it wasn¡¯t too messy for my grandmother, or else I would never hear the end of it. ¡°Nina, we have a date. He¡¯s taking me¡ª¡± ¡°She has a date?¡± my grandmothers voice rang out, and I realized I was on speaker. ¡°Hi, Abu,¡± I greeted weakly. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®hi abu¡¯ me!¡± sheined, and I looked up at the ceiling, ¡°You are keeping secrets!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret, Abu.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she grunted. ¡°We will see you in a minute,¡± she said before ending the call. Great. ¡°Knock, knock!¡± Nina said two minutester at my door, and I rolled my eyes at her, not that it made her own smile fade away. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know you were going on a date.¡± ¡°We would know if you¡­ I don¡¯t know, called and talked to us.¡± My grandmother walked in, and I went right to her and hugged her. As annoyed as I knew she was, I knew she was happy to see me. ¡°Hi, Abuelita.¡± ¡°H Chicita.¡± She hugged me tightly, and just like that, all the nerves about my surprise date dissolved. ¡°Hey, Leti!¡± Macie called as she walked inst and closed my front door. ¡°Hey, Mace! You guys thirsty or¡ª¡± ¡°They can get us drinks. You, my beautiful girl, are going to sit and tell me all about this Max.¡± ¡°Abu.¡± ¡°No Abu. Talk,¡± she said, and I sighed. I looked at her wrinkled but still beautiful face and wise eyes and knew there was no holding back. We were close. We had always been close. Both my parents had worked full time jobs and my grams had been the one who had always been around. Nina might have been my first best friend, but my abu had been a close second. So, I found myself tucking in close to her, and she held my hand as I talked. I told her about him. About how we met in Vegas and my first impression of him. How every minute that ticked away afterward, he seemed to get better and better. All while ignoring my sister and Macie as they sat down on the couches and listened in like it was the most amazing story. ¡°Your car broke down! And you didn¡¯t call? I live, like, ten minutes away!¡± Nina cried, and I rolled my eyes. ¡°He fixed it the next day. He picked me up, took me to his ce and¡­ well, he asked me to be his girlfriend.¡± He¡¯d done a hell of a lot more than that, but there were boundaries. Though, by how hot my face felt, I was almost positive they knew a lot more than that had happened. ¡°Novio!¡± my grandma said, butting her hands over her chest, her eyes teary and glittering with overwhelming joy. ¡°Mi chicita has a novio!¡± The excitement she had about her youngest granddaughter having a possible boyfriend sent women¡¯s lib back a couple of years. ¡°Abu,¡± I groaned. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the first.¡± ¡°No mami, I know he isn¡¯t. But¡­ aye mija, you don¡¯t see what I see.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s right,¡± Macie said, moving to the edge of the couch, observing me. ¡°What?¡± I sat up straighter. ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re right,¡± Nina said, tilting her face slightly. ¡°You guys are funny.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m serious,¡± my sister confirmed. I opened my mouth to ask what it was they saw, but my grandma beat me to it. ¡°She¡¯s in love!¡± my grandma announced, and the heat on my face dropped along with my stomach to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s a little too soon for that, Abu.¡± ¡°Mami.¡± She shook her head, her hand cupping my face. ¡°Enjoy the journey,¡± she said, leaving me confused. But before I could talk some sense into any of them, a loud roar sounded out from the street and I didn¡¯t have to look to know it was him. The low sexy rumble of a motorcycle. We were going for a motorcycle ride! ¡°Aye Dios mio, what is that?¡± ¡°The better question is who is that?¡± Nina asked, and just as I was about to close my eyes shut, I saw my grandma move. My eighty-six-year-old grandma got up and moved to the window quicker than I had ever saw her move in my entire life on this Earth. ¡°Aye dios mio, Leti,¡± she whispered, and then, I swear to Buddha, crossed herself. ¡°Abu,¡± I groaned. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping big secrets!¡± she said, ncing in my direction for a second and moving her head back to the sight of Max walking up to the house. So fast I was shocked she didn¡¯t get whish. ¡°He¡¯s cute,¡± my sister added. ¡°That man is more than cute!¡± Macie said, and I rolled my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a double slice of beefcake with a heavy dollop of whipped cream.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one hundred percent fino, mija!¡± my grandma said, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself. Iughed. ¡°You¡¯re all ridiculous. You act like you¡¯ve never seen a guy before.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve seen guys,¡± Macie said. ¡°She¡¯s engaged to a Marine.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve seen the guys you bring home too, eh Leti,¡± my grandma added. ¡°That¡¯s not a guy or ni?o, ch. That is all man.¡± ¡°A man¡¯s man,¡± Nina added. ¡°An older man!¡± Macie chimed in. ¡°You guys!¡± I huffed and stood when the doorbell rang. ¡°Please, will you just be¡­ normal.¡± ¡°No promises,¡± Macie teased, or I hoped she was teasing, at least. ¡°I can¡¯t control what she does.¡± I pointed to my way-too-spirited Abuelita. ¡°But you two, if you guys aren¡¯t not weird, I¡¯m so telling Brandon and Sam,¡± I threatened. I was pretty sure Brandon wouldn¡¯t care. Nina was wearing his ring and everything, and I wasn¡¯t sure what the hell was going on with Sam and Macie. They had been pretty close in Vegas, but now they seemed to always be together but not together together. But I didn¡¯t care. It was the only card I had on them not humiliating me in front of Max, and I was going to y it. ¡°Porta te bien.¡± I pointed at my grandma. ¡°Be good? Pshh¡­ my daddy died a long time ago, thank you very much. Okay, Leti!¡± The door sounded again, and I sighed. ¡°Leti, answer the door!¡± she bombarded, excitement radiating off her. ¡°Abu¡ª¡± ¡°?Apurate ni?a! Hurry up!¡± she cut me off. ¡°This is what is wrong with girls your age! You have a man out there who looks like he could be on a telenov, and you¡¯re just taking your fancy time. He might leave, and then what are you going to do!¡± she said, and I looked up at the ceiling in a silent prayer to whatever God was up there to help me out. ¡°Nina, do you think maybe he¡¯s lost and has the wrong ce? I bet she doesn¡¯t even know him.¡± she added under her breath just as I opened the front door. ¡°Fuck, I missed you, Spark Plug,¡± he rasped. I opened my mouth, ready to let him know I hadpany, but I didn¡¯t have the chance. Not one chance. Not when he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. Not just a soft, sweet hello kind of kiss either. This was one full of passion and need. So much my toes curled in my shoes and everything started to fade away as heat and desire swept over me. There was something about Max and what he could do with his mouth that drove me absolutely crazy. ¡°Oh, I think he knows her really well,¡± I faintly heard Macie say, but I was too caught up in the feel and hurricane that was Max for me to care. ¡°Aye dios mio.¡± My grandma¡¯s prayer snapped me out of the heated frenzy, and I pushed him away slightly, though my eyes were still closed shut. ¡°Sorry, Spark Plug, I lost my head,¡± he breathed, resting his forehead against mine. ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled, opening my eyes and melting into his stare. With a deep breath, I pulled away from him and pointed behind me. ¡°Max, I¡¯d like you to meet my sister, her friend, and my grandmother.¡± His eyes moved over my shoulder, and he smiled warmly. I wasn¡¯t sure how he was able to do things without letting things fluster him, but he did. Whereas I would have been blushing furiously and stuttering if I had been in his shoes, he walked into my ce with all the confidence in the world. His feet taking him boldly and bravely right to my grandmother, whose eyes had grown wide and then serious. He leaned in low and close to amodate her short stature and whispered something in her ear while holding her hand, and I held my breath. I didn¡¯t know what he was saying, not a clue, but I knew my abu. Nothing took her by surprise. The surprise on her face faded and dissolved into something soft and warm. I¡¯d seen a lot of expressions on my abu¡¯s face throughout my life, but nothing like the one she was wearing by the time he pulled away and met her gaze head on. I was expecting her to say something, probably something inappropriate, but she didn¡¯t say a word. Not one peep. She simply hugged him. Hugged him! When she pulled away, she patted his cheek and winked. ¡°You are a charmer!¡± His deepughter filled my ce, and I looked over at my sister, who just shrugged back at me with misty eyes. ¡°I like you for her! I knew Diosito had made someone like you for her. I¡¯m just d you found her before I died.¡± I fought from rolling my eyes. My grandmother had been saying her death was close since I¡¯d turned eight. ¡°Abu,¡± Nina scolded softly, and now Grams was the one who rolled her eyes. ¡°What?¡± She rested a hand at her cocked hip. ¡°At my age, a small fall over a sidewalk could kill me,¡± she said with attitude, and I pressed my lips together to stop myself fromughing. Not at her or her talking about death, but about the whole situation. My grandma was an amazing woman, one of the best ever made, but she was a tough cookie. Especially when it came to the guys we brought home. Yet she was basically giving her blessing to Max, a man she had literally just met seconds ago. Max stepped away and shook Macie and Nina¡¯s hands, introducing himself as Max, Leti¡¯s man. Leti¡¯s man. Holy crap! Hearing that pasted a smile on my face so big it hurt. Leti¡¯s man. That was pretty serious, if I said so myself. ¡°Okay, pues, Nina, I need you and Macie to take me home,¡± my abuelita announced, and now I was the one who was left surprised. ¡°Home?¡± I asked. I would have bet serious money she would have stayed until Max left in an attempt to chaperone me and make sure my virtue wasn¡¯tpromised. ¡°Yes. Max, take care of my ni?a, okay?¡± ¡°With my life.¡± ¡°Asi me gusta.¡± That¡¯s what I like to hear, she beamed, excitement bouncing off her as she turned to look at Macie, Nina, and me. ¡°Come on, pues, shake off the lead! We have a lot to do.¡± She waved, and Macie and Nina looked at each otherpletely confused. ¡°I guess we are leaving. Nice to meet you, Max,¡± Macie said politely, taking my grandma¡¯s hand. ¡°We should have you two over for dinner soon,¡± Nina added. ¡°That sounds great.¡± He nodded. ¡°Okay, enough talking, muchachas! We gotta go. Young love waits for no one. Have fun on your date, ch!¡± She hugged me before waving and making her way to the front door. The three of them all but poofed into thin air, the door closing behind them, and I looked at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked, a gorgeous smile as he looked at me. ¡°How did you do that?¡± The wonder was crystal clear in my voice. ¡°Do what?¡± he chuckled, but I just stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re like magic, you know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where we will agree to disagree, baby.¡± He pulled me in close, his face dropping so his lips hovered right over mine. ¡°If one of the two of us was magic, it¡¯d be all you, Spark Plug.¡± I didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, so I didn¡¯t. I moved up on the tips of my toes and kissed him. Max It took all my will and good intentions to pull away from the sweet kiss my girl had initiated, but I had ns for us tonight. Big ns. The week had been crazy. A busy start to the rtionship we were kicking off, and I knew it was only going to get busier when school started for Leti, but I we could make it work. We would. There was no other option in my mind. ¡°You ready?¡± I asked huskily, cupping her face and stealing one more tender kiss. ¡°Are we taking your bike?¡± ¡°You ever been on one?¡± ¡°Never.¡± She shook her head, her eyes glittering with glee. ¡°You saying I¡¯ll be your first and only?¡± ¡°First for sure. Only? Time will tell,¡± she teased. The little minx. I reached down and squeezed her pretty ass. ¡°That so?¡± I growled and pulled her in. She gasped the moment she felt exactly how much she fucking affected me. ¡°Already?¡± Her eyes twinkled. ¡°When ites to you, I think all you gotta do is breathe and I¡¯m in a state.¡± ¡°Such a dirty man.¡± ¡°You like it,¡± I mumbled against her mouth and saw something in her eyes before it dissolved. ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°For a ride on your bike? Yes!¡± Sheughed. She grabbed her denim jacket from her couch, and we walked out. She held on close as I took us on a ride. I loved the way her excitement radiated off her, teaching me something new about Leti Montenegro. She was fearless when it came to experiencing something new. Her joy was contagious. I could see a lifetime of adventuresid out ahead of us. Each one beautiful and great. And I couldn¡¯t flipping wait. My bike vibrated and roared beneath us as I carefully took every curve as I drove us up to Lake Arrowhead. I slowed as I reached the small-town center and pulled into a parking spot in Lake Arrowhead Vige. ¡°That was amazing, Max!¡± she beamed, shaking her hair out of the helmet covering her head. I turned to look at her and thought she was freaking gorgeous. The prettiest thing I had ever seen, and she was mine. My girl. My spark plug. My everything. ¡°You liked that?¡± I asked,ughing, taking my own helmet off. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s¡­ that was¡­ Thank you.¡± She kissed me, and Iughed, my hand on her shoulder making sure she wouldn¡¯t fall off. ¡°Come on, our adventure is just starting,¡± I said. We got off my bike, and I grabbed her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cute spot. Nice ride back home, and the weather is still good for us to be outside.¡± ¡°Do you think it snows here, like, around Christmas?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably. How about wee back around then to see?¡± Her eyes sparkled, and I knew she got what I was saying. We would be together in a couple of months. ¡°I would like that,¡± she whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder as we walked. Last Minute: Chapter 9 THE DAY HAD been incredible. We checked out cool shops and an art gallery. Then we picked up soft serve ice cream cones and took a boat ride around theke. The entire time was fun and easy. I was no one else but myself with him, and he seemed to like that. A lot. There was a moment as we stood by a dock, hisrge frame behind me, his head resting on my shoulder, when I knew my grandma hadn¡¯t been wrong. I was in love. He was such an incredible man. ¡°Look that way. The sun is about to set,¡± he said into my ear, and I looked at him. ¡°Take a selfie with me.¡± ¡°Yeah? Okay.¡± His lips twitched, and we turned to get theke and sunset behind us. ¡°Say cheese!¡± I said, and we grinned like crazy people as I clicked away, but I couldn¡¯t get too much of the background in our snapshots. ¡°Here, let me get us a little better. My arms are longer, short stack,¡± he joked, and I rolled my eyes. He snapped a couple more, his lips on my cheeks as I smiled big, and then I did the same. He turned to kiss me when something came over me. This incredible need to be honest and vulnerable. Completelyst minute and unnned, but I couldn¡¯t hold back the words. ¡°I love you, Max.¡± I heard the shutter of the cell stop, and warmth flooded his gaze. ¡°I love you, Leti. I love you so much,¡± he whispered, and his free hand tangled with the hair on the side of my head as he kissed me. It was dominating and rough and so damn beautiful I knew I would remember that kiss until the day I died. We separated breathlessly and both turned to look toward the sky. The beautiful colors that filled the sky matched what I felt in my heart when it came to Max. His arms wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me in. I rested my head on his bicep and sighed. I couldn¡¯t imagine being anywhere but where I was with him. ¡°Last-minute good luck charm,¡± I murmured and felt his lips at the top of my head. ¡°Thank you foring to my rescue that night in Vegas,¡± I said as the sky darkened and filled with the brightest diamond-like stars I had ever seen. Or maybe love had a way of making you feel like you were seeing things you took for granted for the first time ever. ¡°Best night of my life, meeting you.¡± ¡°Do you think we would have met anyhow?¡± ¡°With you as Lee¡¯s new bestie? Hell yeah,¡± he said, the smile in his voicepletely evident. ¡°I¡¯m d we didn¡¯t have to wait too long.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± he agreed. ¡°Ready for dinner?¡± he asked, pulling away a little so he could meet my eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s with you, I¡¯m ready for anything!¡± And that was the God¡¯s honest truth. Last Minute: Epilogue I WAS STANDING at the front door of Leti¡¯s childhood home, and my hands were fucking sweating. ¡°Come in, Max,¡± Leti¡¯s father called out just as I raised my hand to knock on the metal screen door. I rubbed the back of my neck before cleaning my feet on the doormat at the front door and entering his home. Gerardo Montenegro was a man¡¯s man. One who had fathered two beautiful daughters¡ª one who was now married and had just announced was expecting his first grandchild, another who had just graduated. ¡°Hey, Mr. Montenegro.¡± I waved. He studied me, and his lips quirked upward before he looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. ¡°How many times do I gotta tell you,¡± he said, looking at me, ¡°Call me Gerardo, yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m, shit¡­¡± I had no reason to be as nervous as I was. Gerardo liked me. Respected me. He was a man¡¯s man, but he was also a dad who had never had sons, and he was very clear about how he felt about the men in his daughters¡¯ lives. He liked how happy and loved Leti was with me. ¡°You know,¡± he started as he walked through his living room, waving at me to follow him. We walked through the house towards the garage, which he had made his space. ¡°When I first met you, I thought this day would havee a lot quicker,¡± he said over his shoulder before rxing into his recliner. The space was decorated in baseball paraphernalia. Los Angeles Dodgers shit all over the ce, and it was the epitome of a man cave. ¡°You owe me twenty bucks, Max.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I lost a bet with my mother. I bet you would show up a year ago.¡± He and I both. But I had to make sure I was doing things right for Leti. Instead of proposing a month after making things official like I would have preferred, I¡¯d waited. I¡¯d waited for her to dere a major and graduate. I knew how important her diploma was to her, and it wasn¡¯t like she had been far from me. We had moved in together shortly after her sister¡¯s wedding. We had been solid all this time, but it was time to make it even more so. ¡°Mr. Montenegro,¡± I cleared my throat, and his deepughter made my eyes snap up to his. ¡°Son, sit down, will you? You look like you¡¯re about to pass out or puke.¡± He pointed to the loveseat across from the recliner he¡¯d chosen, and I nodded and took a seat. ¡°I know why you¡¯re here, Max.¡± ¡°Sir¡ª¡± He put a hand up and silently asked for me to let him talk, so I did. ¡°I know why it took you this long to get here,¡± he said and sighed, rubbing his face before leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes meeting mine. ¡°I thank you for it,¡± he shared, and emotion knotted in my throat. ¡°It was something she wanted to do.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He nodded. ¡°Nina was easy. Calm. Leti though¡­¡±¡ªhe smiled and shook his head¡ª¡°Between us, Leti reminded me a little too much of myself when I was her age. Wild. Untamable. Going where the wind blew, seeking adventures like her next breath depended on it. Then my mom came home talking about you and the man Leti had found, I gotta tell you kid, I was worried. Freaked the hell out. Not only were you older than her, but your life was settled in a way she wasn¡¯t ready for. I was afraid you were going to dim that light for adventure she has.¡± He swallowed, and I opened my mouth to say something, but he shook his head, putting his hand out to give him a minute. ¡°Meeting you for the first time, I knew I would be fucking lucky to call you my son one day, Max.¡± My eyes stung. My dad had passed away when I¡¯d been a punk kid at seventeen. But I knew right then and there my dad was looking down with pride at the man I¡¯d be. ¡°Seeing Leti not only thrive but you help feed and nurturing that side of her, putting her needs above yours, not just any man could do that.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir,¡± I said roughly. ¡°You got the ring?¡± he asked, and I nodded, taking it out of my pocket and handing him the small white box, then and watched Gerardo Montenegro¡¯s face dissolve into genuine joy before meeting my gaze. ¡°She¡¯s is going to love that.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Wee to the family, son,¡± he said, standing, and I stood, meeting him halfway for a man hug. Leti ¡°Max! Hurry up! We¡¯re going to bete!¡± I shouted from the living room as I looked into my backpack, triple-checking we had everything we needed to catch our flight to Ondo, and from there we were going to fly to the Bahamas. He was in our bedroom, a little quieter than usual, but he got like that when it came to his shop. I had assumed it was due to the fact this was the longest amount of time he would be gone since he had opened it. ¡°You know Logan won¡¯t let anything happen to the shop,¡± I called over my shoulder, trying to be as supportive as I could. His best friend, Logan, the groom who had been left at the altar, was going to be taking care of the office part of the shop, and his other two buddies and mechanics would be taking care of all the scheduled cars and drive-ins. Maybe two weeks away was too much? Maybe we could cut our trip to seven days. ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± he said as he walked into the living room. ¡°You look nice.¡± I smiled. He was in a ck tee that clung to his muscr torso. I couldn¡¯t wait to see him in nothing but swim trunks. ¡°You do too, baby,¡± he said, lifting my bag and his in one hand and leaning in to kiss my neck. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Always.¡± We arrived at the airport with more than enough time, and he checked us in. We went to the airport bar and finally got on our flight. The couple of days leading to our trip had been exhausting. What with packing, Max¡¯ weird mood, and my graduation. It felt like I sat down, rested my head on Max¡¯ shoulder, and knocked out. ¡°We will be arriving in Las Vegas shortly. It is a warm eighty-three degrees,¡± the pilot said in the loud speaker just as I woke up. ¡°Vegas?¡± My eyes popped open and my heart tweaked in my chest. Vegas! What the hell? I looked at Max, but he didn¡¯t look surprised. He was calm and cool. ¡°Max! We¡¯re in Vegas.¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He shrugged like the mistake wasn¡¯t huge. Like we weren¡¯t in a whole other state. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it? We¡¯re supposed to be on our way to Florida, Max.¡± ¡°We will be. Trust me.¡± He winked like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world, and I was confused. Utterly baffled. I was the easygoing one when ns changedst minute. Not him! We got off the ne, and with our carry-ons in one arm and my hand in another, Max led us towards the front of the airport. ¡°Max, where are we going? We need to get on another flight. We need to figure out what happened,¡± I said, stopping in my tracks, and he looked at me and licked his lips. ¡°Trust me?¡± ¡°You know I do¡ª¡± ¡°Good,¡± he cut me off. ¡°Come on!¡± He pulled my arm, and I followed him. I mean, who was I kidding? I would follow Max anywhere. We got in a town car, and it took us to the Strip. The casinos were bright, and the streets filled with people walking up and down the streets. He was quiet, and I wasn¡¯t asking questions; I was going to ride this out, and whatever was going to happen would. The car stopped and the driver slipped out and opened the door. Max slipped out, and when I slid down the seat, he was waiting for me with an arm out for me. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°For?¡± ¡°Last-minute change of ns.¡± He winked, and I took his hand trying to process his words. He hatedst-minute changes. He pointed up at the hotel, and Iughed, loud, and covered my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s the hotel!¡± In all the time we had been together, we had been back to Vegas once but stayed off the Strip. Now we were back at the hotel where our paths had crossed. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, and I followed, Hand in hand he rushed us through the casino and to the very spot where he got rid of the drunk creep. It wasn¡¯t the same slot machine anymore, but it was the same spot of the casino floor. ¡°You were right here,¡± he said, so much love shining through his eyes, and I couldn¡¯t believe what he was doing. ¡°I saw you before you saw me, and I wanted to figure out a way to get close and talk to you,¡± he shared, and I was rendered speechless. I opened and closed my mouth, trying to find something, anything, to say. ¡°You did?¡± I asked. We had talked about so much through the years we¡¯d been together, but this was the first time he had shared this with me. I knew something monumental was happening. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± He grinned. ¡°Then that guy came up to you and I lost my mind. I didn¡¯t stop or think I should keep my cool, or anything. It was like a whole other side of me came alive,¡± he said, and a tear trickled out. ¡°Everything seemed brighter. Better. And I lost my head and went at the guy. It was like something was pulling me right to you.¡± I smiled, and my nose stung as I sniffled. ¡°Come on.¡± He tilted his head, and we walked towards the tables. We moved around the crowds, zig-zagging through, but he never let go of my hand. He stopped us and dropped our bags on the ground when we reached the table where I¡¯d won big. The ce I had first called him myst-minute good luck charm. ¡°This is where you sparked me up to life,¡± he said, his voice grave and serious, almost nervous. ¡°I saw how you were. You were like a live wire, and I wanted to live in that force field. I felt so damn alive with you, I felt like everything before that moment had been lived in muted grays.¡± ¡°Max,¡± I whispered, and he held my hands with his as he looked at me. ¡°We were tipsy and high on adrenaline, but fuck me, Leti, I think I fell in love with you right then and there.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yeah, then the rest of the night was just as great, and when I woke up the next day and you were gone¡­ I swear I felt like I¡¯d been punched in the gut.¡± ¡°But our paths crossed anyways.¡± ¡°Thank fuck,¡± he said with so much relief in his voice I felt it. One of his hands left mine, and it moved to the back of my neck. His thumb grazing a sensitive spot, and it clicked. I knew what he was doing. He¡¯d done it before. He was rubbing the spot he¡¯d marked. ¡°I left a hickey on you that night,¡± he whispered low enough I knew it was for my ears only. ¡°I liked that I left it there. I know it sounds barbaric, but I liked knowing I¡¯d somehow imed you.¡± ¡°Perv,¡± I teased with a small smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I mark you again.¡± ¡°You do, huh?¡± I flirted, wagging my brows. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a hickey.¡± ¡°Hmm, I was thinking something a little more¡­ permanent?¡± ¡°A tattoo?¡± I guessed, and heughed, dropping his hand as he pulled me in and hid his face in the crook of my neck. ¡°I love how after all this time I still don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to say.¡± I stilled. ¡°Don¡¯t go there. You know I love that about you. How because of you I get to have a lifetime full of surprises.¡± ¡°Max,¡± I sighed and smiled. There were so many sides to Max, but one of my top favorites was ultra-romantic Max. He didn¡¯t show up a lot, usually because Max didn¡¯t need to. His actions spoke for him and how he felt. Never in the time we had been together had I wondered where I stood with him. Never did I question if I was a priority to him. But when ultra-romantic Max popped up, it was so big, you didn¡¯t know how you hadn¡¯t read it in a book yet. ¡°I know you were worried you were too all over the ce when we first started out, but did you know I was scared too?¡± ¡°Of what?¡± Of fucking shit up between us. Being too rigid and boring. Somehow idently dimming your light and your need for adventure,¡± he confessed, and I pulled away, my own hands reaching up to meet his face. ¡°Baby.¡± I searched his eyes, and he shrugged. ¡°I know it sounds stupid, but I worried.¡± ¡°But you drive a motorcycle any chance you get,¡± I blurted out and felt his body shake withughter. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m as adventurous as you.¡± ¡°I always just thought of us as two different types of¡­ adventure seekers.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°You know I would be scared shitless trying to drive a bike, but I can ride with you. Just like you would hate jumping out of a ne with me, but you¡¯re behind me when we¡¯ve gone ziplining.¡± ¡°Jesus, babe,¡± he exhaled, and it looked like a heavy weight had been removed from his shoulders. ¡°Leti, that¡¯s why this took so long. I wanted you to be ready.¡± ¡°Why what took so long? And ready for what?¡± I asked, and my mouth dropped to the floor when he stepped back and kneeled in front of me. ¡°Shut up!¡± I cried, covering my mouth and jumping up and down. ¡°Are you serious!¡± ¡°This is where it all started,¡± he pointed out, and he became slightly blurry. ¡°Oh my god!¡± I said too loudly, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. Everyone around us seemed to stop and watch what was unfolding, but I didn¡¯t see them. I saw the man of my dreams, the man I loved with every part of my being kneeling in front of me, a small ck ring box in his hand. ¡°You didn¡¯t just bring me to life, Spark Plug.¡± His deep voice was steady, and the happy tears started to roll down my face. ¡°You are my life, Leti Montenegro. Say you¡¯ll be mine forever.¡± ¡°I already am, baby.¡± Didn¡¯t he know that? ¡°That a yes?¡± His lips twitched, and I nodded my head furiously. ¡°You going to marry me, Spark Plug?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I fell to the floor, kneeling in front of him, and hugged him. ¡°Yes!¡± I said into his ear, breathing in the man who got me. Understood me in a way I never thought would happen. The man who showed me how much he loved me every day in a way that made it seem easy. Seamless. I couldn¡¯t believe how life took twists and turns. But I had to say, I lovedst-minute surprises. Especially when they involved Max Riley. Chapter 11 I stared at Abel with wide eyes as the words I killed a child hung in the air. A bird chirped in a nearby tree, but all I could do was stare at the side of his face. Thousands of questions tumbled through my mind. ¡°How?¡± It was the only word I could get out. His shoulders slumped as the weight of the truth bore down on the both of us. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Abel sighed and wiped his hands down his jean-d thighs. ¡°I had been working as a distribution manager for a local distillery near Kmazoo. We were short-staffed, so the owner had asked a few of us to stayte, work an overnight shift to try and catch up. I¡¯d been saving every penny to go toward my dream of opening a brewery and wanted the overtime.¡± Abel¡¯s voice was low and shaky. ¡°We worked all through the night. By the time we finished, I was exhausted. We cleaned up the shop and called it a night. I wasn¡¯t high or drunk. I was just . . . tired.¡± Pain was etched on Abel¡¯s face, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as if he could still feel the fatigue wash over him. ¡°Thing is, I didn¡¯t think twice about climbing behind the wheel. I just wanted to get home.¡± He swallowed hard and struggled to continue. ¡°Somewhere along the highway, I nodded off and struck an oing vehicle.¡± I froze with a sharp intake of breath. I hadn¡¯t meant to react, but I couldn¡¯t help it. My mind whirred. ¡°So it was an ident.¡± Abel shook his head. ¡°No. I killed him.¡± ¡°An ident,¡± I repeated carefully. ¡°Abel, you have to know that you went to prison because of an ident.¡± His jaw flexed. ¡°Mywyer tried to argue that the final positioning of the vehicles suggested I wasn¡¯t who crossed the center line, but . . . the prosecutor didn¡¯t see it as an ident, and neither did the judge. The penalties for drowsy driving are the same as for charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They had to prove that I operated a vehicle intentionally recklessly, with a willful disregard for the safety of others, and they did.¡± ¡°How long did you have to be in jail?¡± My words were barely a whisper. ¡°I could have had up to fifteen years, but the mother testified on my behalf.¡± Abel scoffed. ¡°Can you believe that? A dead child and a broken back, and she¡¯d asked for leniency when I didn¡¯t deserve it.¡± I bit back the tears. Would I have been so forgiving? ¡°I served five years.¡± Abel finally looked at me. His umber eyes were stormy with unspoken emotion. I was sure he was waiting for me to shove him away, maybe scream and run because he saw himself as a reckless killer. My heart ached for him, and I could barely whisper ¡°Okay.¡± He frowned in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean, okay?¡± I nodded. ¡°I asked for the truth, and you gave it to me, even though it was hard for you to do. It¡¯s not my story to tell, so I won¡¯t share it with anyone, but my worry is satisfied.¡± His eyes scanned my face as though he couldn¡¯t believe my eptance was that easy. Truth was, I had about a thousand other questions, but I knew in my bones Abel was a protector. He was a good man. ¡°I still think we can make this work,¡± I said, cing my hand on his forearm. When he shifted, I let my hand slip off and tucked it into myp. Abel¡¯s scowl was locked into ce. ¡°What will you tell the kids?¡± I lifted a shoulder. ¡°Only as much as they need to know. We¡¯re friends, and friends help each other. You¡¯re helping us while we get started on fixing up the farmhouse. They don¡¯t need to know more than that.¡± When I said it out loud, it seemed easy. Simple. I only hoped that was the case. He slowly nodded. ¡°Makes sense.¡± Finally, I tilted my head toward Abel and said, ¡°So are we really doing this?¡± He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, gazing out into the yard with sad eyes. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re really doing this.¡± Holy shit. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this. Five days after Abel rescued me and brought me to his house, I was standing in front of the steps of the Remington County Courthouse. Michiganw required a three-day waiting period after applying for a marriage license before it could be issued and used. We then had thirty days to change our minds. Since this was strictly a business arrangement, we¡¯d wasted no time in deciding to stand in front of a judge and make things official. After dropping the twins off at the library, I¡¯d offered to drive us both, but Abel insisted that he meet me there. Countyw also required that we supply two witnesses. When I saw Sylvie round the corner, my chest pinched. She waved. ¡°What¡¯s with the cloak-and-dagger texts?¡± She offered a quick hug, and her hands stayed nted on my shoulders. ¡°Are you in some kind of trouble?¡± I swallowed hard and looked around. ¡°No, not trouble really. But I do have something to tell you. It¡¯s going to be a shock, and I hope you¡¯re not mad.¡± Sylvie steeled her spine and lifted her chin. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m ready.¡± I offered a wary grimace as I said, ¡°I¡¯m marrying Abel today and need you to be my witness.¡± I hoped my words sounded yful and upbeat, but I was fairly certain I sounded like I was going to puke. ¡°You¡¯re what?!¡± Sylvie shrieked. My hands came together in front of me. ¡°I know. I know. I should have said something sooner, but I was worried you¡¯d freak out or that he¡¯d back out and I would have told you for nothing. Hear me out. I promise it¡¯s not as bad as you think.¡± ¡°I doubt that.¡± Sylvie crossed her arms. ¡°But I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°I have money from my dad that I can¡¯t ess unless I have a significant life event¡ªlike getting married. I need that money. Ergo, I need a husband.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re marrying Abel?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes. In exchange, I am investing in Abel¡¯s Brewery so he can buy your dad out, but we also need him to believe that Abel and I are actually married . . . which means I¡¯m also moving in with him?¡± The end of my sentence rose as if I were asking a question. In reality, I was just hoping Sylvie would still speak to me after all this. She exhaled. ¡°What the hell, Sloane?¡± ¡°I know.¡± My nose scrunched. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Sylvie pulled me into a hug. ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate you. Do I think this is totally out of left field and kind of fucked up? Yeah . . . but who am I to judge? It¡¯s just that . . . wow.¡± Sheughed as the reality of the situation settled over us. ¡°Wow!¡± I smiled at my best friend. ¡°I guess this means we¡¯ll be sisters. At least . . . on paper and for a little while anyways.¡± Sylvie shook her head. ¡°I mean, if you¡¯re really getting married, are you sure you don¡¯t want your grandfather here?¡± I smiled and shook my head. ¡°Definitely not. I¡¯ve got enough on my te without my granddad poking his nose into things. He¡¯s a romantic at heart and wouldn¡¯t understand that this is strictly business. He needs to know as little as possible.¡± Sylvie nodded once. ¡°Got it. Well . . . I guess you¡¯re marrying Abel then . . .¡± I swallowed hard and looked up at the courthouse. ¡°I guess so.¡± Just inside, we waited for Abel, and I tried not to let my nerves get the best of me. I paced across the tile as my fingertips yed with the hem of my shirt. Despite their pleading and open dislike for Jared, my dad and stepmom had once paid for a big, sshy weddingplete with a dress that made me look like a frosted cupcake. I¡¯d grown up and now I knew better. Today was a business arrangement and nothing more. Plus, I was on shift at the breweryter, so I chose to wear a pair of ck jeans and a formfitting ck shirt that I could swap out for an Abel¡¯s Brewery teeter. The outfit was simple and no-nonsense. I¡¯d chosen it in part to keep my brain from thinking things like: Why does Abel smell so good? Will he keep saying my wife in that gruff tone I seem to like so much? What if this feeling isn¡¯t entirely fake? Oh, fuck, am I making a huge mistake? When I saw Abel walking up the courthouse steps, my heart sank. Beside him was his aunt Bug. For the first time in my life, I saw him dressed in a suit that looked as though it had been tailor-made for him. It was nearly ck, but in the sunlight I could see the expensive material was, in fact, a beautiful dark gray. His ck dress shoes were shined, and the white of his shirtsleeves peeked out from his jacket. He¡¯d worn a tie. Shit. I gulped and looked down at my own outfit. Nerves rippled through me, and I sent a pleading look to Sylvie. With nowhere to go and no time to change, I stood my ground. When he opened the ss doors and entered the corridor of the courthouse, I adjusted the strap to my purse and smiled. Thank god I remembered lipstick. ¡°Hi,¡± I chirped. Abel¡¯s eyes floated down my front and back up, snagging on my red lip. ¡°Morning.¡± Nervous, I ran an errant hand down his white dress shirt, noticing he¡¯d even trimmed his stubble. ¡°You sure clean up nice.¡± Abel leaned away from my touch and tugged at his cor. He angled his body away and held his arm out for Bug. ¡°Aunt Bug, I think you¡¯ve met Sloane.¡± Bug King was the standing matriarch of the King family. It wasmon knowledge that she was stern and humorless. Her assessing eyes moved over me, and I tried not to squirm under her stare. I let out a surprised squeak when she pulled me into a hug. ¡°Thank you for doing this for him,¡± she whispered in my ear. I watched Abel over her shoulder as he shifted ufortably. It seemed the story he¡¯d told her left out what I was gaining as a part of the arrangement. After she released me, Bug moved toward Sylvie and started chatting, no doubt about the impromptu wedding they¡¯d both been thrown into. Determined to make the best of this, I smiled up at Abel. ¡°Ready for this?¡± A smallugh escaped him. ¡°Definitely not.¡± I looped my arm into his. ¡°Aw,e on. I told you¡ªI¡¯m going to be the best wife you¡¯ve ever had.¡± When I went to step forward, Abel stayed rooted to the spot, and I nced up at him. His eyes were soft and warm. ¡°Before we go in . . . I have something for you.¡± He adjusted his stance and reached into his pocket, pulling out a simple silver band. He held it between us as I stared. Abel cleared his throat. ¡°It was my mother¡¯s.¡± My hand flew to my mouth. ¡°Oh, Abel . . . no. I couldn¡¯t?¡ª¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t her wedding band or anything.¡± Abel shook his head. ¡°I remember Mom wearing it on her right hand. She never went anywhere without it. For some reason she¡¯d left it on the dresser when she . . . you know, left us.¡± His eyes were steady on mine, but they held a depth of emotion I couldn¡¯t quite read. ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued, ¡°I managed to grab it before my dad burned it with the rest of her stuff.¡± Abel shrugged. ¡°I figured this is probably the only marriage I¡¯m going to get, so . . . it just felt like you should have a ring.¡± My heart thumped and my chest ached for the small, motherless boy he had been. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I held out my left hand and allowed him to slip it on my ring finger. ¡°Huh.¡± I smiled and flipped my hand over. ¡°It fits.¡± His jaw flexed as he stared at my finger. ¡°We should go in.¡± I steadied my shoulders and tried to ignore the weight that slim silver band added to my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Side by side we found our way to the appropriate office, Sylvie and Bug not far behind us. The clerk reviewed our paperwork and gestured toward the seats that lined therge office window. ¡°We¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s time.¡± In near silence, the four of us sat in the stiff wooden chairs and stared ahead. Only the sounds of creaking wood and the shuffling of paper filled the waiting room. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to the judge¡¯s quarters opened, and a woman filled the doorway. ¡°Sloane Robinson and Abel King?¡± We stood before her. Here goes nothing. Just My Luck: Chapter 12 Ten dors plus a few muttered wordster, and Sloane and I would be husband and wife. ¡°Please join hands.¡± The district court judge smiled and gestured for us to face each other. Sylvie and Bug silently stood behind us. I shifted in my shoes as I took Sloane¡¯s delicate hands in mine. Her eyes were a riot of greens and browns, melting into an intoxicatingbination of hues. She stared into me, her gaze unwavering and unafraid. Inside, I was a fucking mess. Was I ruining her life? Are we making the right choice? How am I ever going to let her go? ¡°We are gathered here in the presence of these witnesses to join Sloane Robinson and Abel King together in matrimony. The contract of marriage is a most solemn one, and one not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. If anyone can show just cause why this couple should not bewfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.¡± I nced at my sister and aunt, who only offered supportive half smiles. The judge continued. ¡°Do you, Sloane, take Abel to be yourwfully wedded husband?¡± My heart tripped when she smiled brightly and without hesitation. ¡°I do,¡± she said. ¡°And do you, Abel, take Sloane to be yourwfully wedded wife?¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°I do.¡± The judge smiled and asked, ¡°Are there rings?¡± Sloaneughed and held up her hand, shing my mother¡¯s ring to the judge. The judge nodded. ¡°Very well. Abel, please repeat after me. ¡®I, Abel, take you, Sloane, for mywful spouse, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. With this ring, I thee wed.¡¯¡± My hands sped hers and I repeated the words, never looking away from Sloane¡¯s beautiful eyes. The judge instructed Sloane to repeat the same, minus the ring part. To my shock, she did it all with a bright smile. ¡°By the power and authority vested in me by the State of Michigan and as the district court judge for Remington County, Michigan, I now pronounce youwfully married.¡± She gestured between us and took a single step back. ¡°You may now kiss your bride.¡± The room tilted. I had known this moment wasing. I¡¯d craved it even. Without hesitation, I stepped forward, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her into me as I lowered my mouth to hers. Seconds dragged on as I was overwhelmed and intoxicated by her. Sloane melted into me, epting my kiss with soft lips as her arms wound around my waist. I cupped the side of her face and let my fingers thread into her soft brown hair. My heartbeat throbbed in my skull as I savored her plush, full lips. Her perfume surrounded me and threatened to pull me underpletely. Bug gently cleared her throat, snapping me back to reality, and I immediately broke the connection, stepping back and blinking down at my wife. Her face was flushed with a mixture of desire and slight embarrassment. She nced at my sister, whose wide eyes spoke volumes as to theck of appropriateness of that kiss. ¡°Congrattions, you two.¡± The judge offered a simple shake of our hands, and we shuffled out of her small office. Back in the waiting room, I looked at my aunt. She smiled at me, patted the side of my face, and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get back to the library, but thank you for allowing me to be here.¡± Myshes lowered. ¡°Thank you foring on short notice.¡± Her hand gripped mine and she nodded. ¡°Hey, Bug?¡± Sloane called out. ¡°Tillie and Ben are at camp at the library. Could you pop in and see that they¡¯re okay?¡± She offered a kind smile. ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk out with you,¡± Sylvie called to Bug. My sister wrapped me in an awkward hug. She shook her head and smiled at me before shaking my shoulders. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Her yful tone helped to unfurl the knot of dread in my gut. I watched the twosome leave as Sloane stepped up beside me and leaned her head on the side of my arm. I stiffened at the subtle, carefree gesture. ¡°Wow. We actually did it.¡± I looked down at her. ¡°We sure did.¡± Sloane sighed. ¡°Well, I should get going. I have work today, and my boss is a real pain in the ass.¡± She shot me a pointed look over her shoulder as she took a step toward the door. I forced myself to not look at how her ass filled out those tight ck jeans. ¡°I think if you asked him, he¡¯d give you the day off. I mean . . . since it¡¯s your wedding day and all.¡± A tiny spark that our yful banter remained intact warmed my chest. Her face scrunched. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s a real grouch. He¡¯ll probably dock my pay.¡± ¡°Go home, Sloane,¡± I demanded. ¡°Pack your shit. You and the kids are moving in.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the sly smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth. I also didn¡¯t miss the way my cock enjoyed the flirty bat of hershes. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± She offered a yful salute. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell the kids this afternoon and break the news to Granddad. We¡¯ll be at your ce around dinnertime, if that¡¯s okay?¡± I nodded and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Tonight couldn¡¯te soon enough.
¡°Whoa! Are you freaking kidding me?¡± Ben¡¯s voice echoed from the end of the hallway when he opened the bedroom door. ¡°Benjamin. Language,¡± Sloane admonished. She sheepishly nced my way and mouthed, I¡¯m sorry. I shook my head to let her know it was fine. After following her down the hall, I stood in the doorway to Ben¡¯s new room. The space was painted a soft green. It was open and bright. Arge window provided a view to the side yard, and there was more than enough for the bed, dresser, and room in the middle for Ben to spread out with his belongings. It was a far cry from the cramped quarters of the cabin. His butt bounced on the bed. ¡°This is all mine?¡± Sloane smiled. ¡°Mr. King is letting us stay here for a while. Isn¡¯t that kind of him?¡± Ben flopped on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡± Sloane reached out to pat Ben¡¯s knee. ¡°What do we say?¡± Ben sat up and smiled. ¡°Thanks, Mr. King.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Abel. Just . . . call me Abel.¡± ¡°Mom! You have to see my room!¡± Tillie burst past me and into Ben¡¯s room. She grabbed Sloane¡¯s hand and tugged her past me and out the door. Sloaneughed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it. Isn¡¯t it nice?¡± I followed as Tillie stood by the bedroom window that faced the backyard. ¡°The yard is so big. I can see the garden and the open grass and the trees, and there was a little squirrel that ran right up that tree!¡± Her excitement was infectious. I assumed it would be strange and ufortable having Sloane and her two kids move in with me, but in the few minutes they were there, I found the noise and chaos a wee break from the unrelenting voice in my head. A soft thud against my leg jolted me back to reality. Tillie had mmed into me, hugging me tightly. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± I awkwardly patted her back. ¡°You bet, kid.¡± She giggled and flounced back into her new room to unpack. Sloane exited, and I followed her to the kitchen like an obedient dog. ¡°They love it, Abel. Thank you.¡± My throat was dry and tight, so I only nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡± Sloane stopped and stared up at me. Her eyebrows pitched down as her face scrunched. ¡°My room?¡± When realization dawned on her, she shook her head. ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯ve got the couch. It¡¯s more than fine. I promise.¡± I shook my head, ignoring her ridiculousness, and headed to the primary bedroom. I wrenched open the door but stayed in the hallway. ¡°My clothes are still in here, but the room is yours. You¡¯re not sleeping on the couch.¡± Sloane hesitated, but I knew she was tempted. Her eyes lingered on the king-size bed, and she¡¯d already had a peek at the en suite bathroom. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Abel. I?¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s done. I¡¯ve got the couch.¡± Hoping to divert the conversation, I headed toward the kitchen and was surprised when she stopped in front of the hallway bathroom. She pointed into the room and looked at me. ¡°You keep your shower curtains closed?¡± My brows scrunched. ¡°Yes . . . ?¡± I didn¡¯t know what she was getting at. Sloane smiled. ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡± She moved toward me, walking past and heading toward the living room. ¡°My ex and I used to fight over shower curtains and closet doors.¡± Sheughed in dismissal, but my gut coiled. ¡°Well, not really fight, I guess. He¡¯d open them all up, and I would quietly close them when he wasn¡¯t around. He used to say he liked them open because you never knew who was hiding behind one. I thought he was just being paranoid and nitpicking me. We waged a silent war over the shower curtains and closet doors. It¡¯s the silliest thing, but it irked me so bad.¡± I watched as she dismissed her own feelings so easily. I shrugged. ¡°You can keep the shower curtain however you want it.¡± Her beaming smile stopped me in my tracks. After staring too long, I finally asked, ¡°So how did Bax take the news?¡± Sloane sighed and hiked herself onto the kitchen ind. ¡°Granddad is solitary by nature. I think maybe it¡¯s because his wife died so long ago. He all but shuffled us out the door.¡± My forehead creased. ¡°He wasn¡¯t worried about . . .¡± I gestured inartictely at myself. ¡°You know.¡± Sloane braced her hands on either side of her legs and tilted her head. ¡°You mean about my new husband?¡± Her eyes flicked over my shoulder toward the hallway. She still hadn¡¯t told the kids we were married, but I suspected her grandfather knew the truth. At least, most of it anyway. When I stayed nted on the floor, she continued, ¡°He ims he saw our connection months ago.¡± Sloaneughed and made air quotes, and a knot tightened in my chest. I had started to dismiss her grandfather¡¯s implication when her phone rang. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± Sloane hopped off the ind. ¡°Hey, Granddad, what¡¯s up?¡± She looked at me and frowned. ¡°Um . . . I don¡¯t know about anyone installing a security system. Hang on, let me ask him.¡± Her eyebrows popped up, and she shot me a pointed stare. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s for his safety.¡± She shook her head and smiled. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay. We just wanted to be sure you¡¯re safe out there all alone.¡± I could hear the old man arguing with her through the phone. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long and they¡¯ll be out of your hair. Just . . . be nice, okay?¡± Sheughed at something he said before hanging up. I swallowed hard when her mossy eyes shifted my way. ¡°You arranged to have a security system put in at the cabin?¡± I shrugged it off. The hopeful, wide-eyed look she was giving me was making me ufortable. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I knew you were worried about him being there alone. Plus, if your ex does try something, it¡¯ll be on camera.¡± Worry overtook her face as her eyes flicked back toward the hallway. ¡°Do you think he will?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Only if he¡¯s reckless or stupid.¡± I knew Sloane was worried, but until the police could locate her ex, a security system was the best we could do . . . at least for now. I hadn¡¯t told them about Sloane and me getting married yet, but I did rally my brothers and ask them to be on the lookout for Jared too. This is our goddamn town, and no one was going toe here and scare my wife when¡ªshit. I scraped the heel of my hand across my chest. Thoughts like that had been popping into my head all damn day. Sure, Sloane was legally my wife, but somehow my subconscious didn¡¯t get the message that it was strictly business. I needed space to think. ¡°Are you hungry? I could cook or pick something up?¡± Sloane didn¡¯t mention or pay any mind to my total one-eighty in conversation topics. ¡°I¡¯m spent after today. Maybe we can grab takeout or something?¡± She tossed a thumb in the direction of the hallway. ¡°I¡¯ve got one that will try anything at all and another that thinks in white rice is a delicacy.¡± I offered a t-lippedugh to acknowledge her, though I didn¡¯t really know a damn thing about kids or picky eating habits. All I knew was that my own upbringing was a far cry from healthy and stable. Dad had employed a full-time chef until we hit our teens, and then we were pretty much on our own. ¡°How about Uncle Mao¡¯s in Pullman? I can run out and grab it . . . let you three get settled in here.¡± Sloane paused, looking at me like she was about to say something, maybe about me offering to drive somewhere. Instead, she only smiled softly. ¡°That¡¯s perfect. Anything is fine. And . . . thank you.¡± I nodded, swiped my keys off the counter and hurried out the door before my mind could think of anything else¡ªlike how I had kissed her before and how badly I wanted to do it again. Just My Luck: Chapter 13 Three days living in Abel¡¯s house and I already felt spoiled. In that time, I¡¯d learned that despite his size, Abel was unnaturally quiet. He moved through the house as though he were a ghost¡ªthe shell of a man I rarely caught glimmers of. Abel was tidy, but he also seemed unaffected by Ben¡¯s discarded socks or the pieces of artwork that Tillie hung on his refrigerator. Jared had never stepped up to be an involved parent, which meant all the responsibility hadnded on me. Groceries,undry, meals, nighttime tuck-ins¡ªeverything had been my responsibility from the beginning. It was odd getting used to Abel clearing the table or sweeping up at the end of the night. More than once I caught myself standing around, wondering what to do once the kids were tucked in for the night and there wasn¡¯t a mountain ofundry to be folded. I still feltpletely guilty that the kids and I had taken over every bedroom in his house. I didn¡¯t even see Abel sleeping on the couch¡ªI turned in early and he was up before the sun. Still in bed, I checked my email and was thrilled to see I¡¯d gotten confirmation from the bank that they¡¯d received all the required paperwork. To their shock, I presented the official documents dering Abel King and me legally married. Given thenguage in the trust fund documentation, I met the minimum requirements for a significant life event. I wasn¡¯tpletely draining the trust, but my withdrawal request was still more money than I ever could have imagined, and it would be deposited into my ount within a few business days. A giddy squeal ripped through me. Once that money was freed up, I could officially invest in Abel¡¯s Brewery and begin the hunt for a reputable contractor to assess my grandfather¡¯s house and begin reconstruction. With any luck, I¡¯d even have some leftover money to squirrel away into my savings ount. Staring at therge, unused half of Abel¡¯s king-size bed, I let my mind wonder how much of that space his frame would consume. I curled into the pillow, and a tiny part of me wished it smelled like him¡ªrich and warm and safe. Something had shifted inside me when we¡¯d kissed at the courthouse. I¡¯d be lying if I said I hadn¡¯t imagined kissing Abel once or twice before. Fine . . . maybe several hundred times. Sue me. With lips like his, I figured he would be a decent kisser, but I never expected his mouth to be so assertive, yet soft. Commanding. Hungry. I groaned and rolled to my back, hoping to forget just how much I enjoyed that kiss. Theforting smells of coffee and cinnamon seeped into the bedroom. I quickly dressed and walked out to see Abel in the kitchen and the kids plopped in front of the television. ¡°Whoa. What¡¯s all this?¡± I asked. Tillie grinned. ¡°Abel is making cinnamon rolls.¡± ¡°And not from the can like yours,¡± Ben added. I ruffled his hair as I walked past and yfully stuck out my tongue. My eyebrow shot up as I nced into the kitchen. ¡°Is that so?¡± Abel¡¯s gaze flicked to me before returning to the rectangle of homemade dough in front of him. He was barefoot but dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Aically small ck apron was tied around his waist and dusted in flour. A tiny pull to my heart pinched in my chest. ¡°Morning, boss. What do we have here?¡± Abel tipped his chin toward the coffee maker. ¡°There¡¯s coffee if you want it. Breakfast should be ready in about twenty minutes.¡± I nced at the clock, noting the time. ¡°Chickens,¡± I called affectionately to the twins. ¡°Granddad asked if you would like to visit the marina today. Are you up for it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± they called without looking up from their cartoon. I moved into the kitchen, giving Abel a wide berth as I reached for a coffee mug. He grumbled behind me as he smeared the dough with softened butter. I peered around his massive shoulder. ¡°Cinnamon rolls, huh?¡± He didn¡¯t stop, but generously sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top of the butter. ¡°I asked Ben and Tillie if they wanted eggs, pancakes, or cinnamon rolls, and this is what they chose.¡± ¡°Well, boss¡±¡ªI hopped onto the ind counter next to Abel to get a better view of him working¡ª¡°color me impressed.¡± He grunted and continued to work while I watched. Abel carefully rolled the rectangle into a log and used a sharp knife to cut equal-size disks. An energy buzzed around him as he worked, and his shoulders bunched. I couldn¡¯t help but feel as though something was . . . off. I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He didn¡¯t look me in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± My lips pursed. ¡°You just seem . . . jumpy.¡± The ss pan rattled as he ced it on the oven rack. ¡°I¡¯m not jumpy. I¡¯m just¡ª¡± He blew a stream of breath from his mouth and pinched his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Nerves tittered through me. I lowered my voice so the kids wouldn¡¯t hear our conversation. ¡°Look, if this is too much, you have to tell me. Just say it.¡± His dark eyes whipped to mine. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s not you or the kids. I just¡ª¡± His shoulders slumped. ¡°Sometimes I bake when I feel out of sorts.¡± My eyes went wide as realization dawned on me. ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯re a stress baker?¡± His eyes went t, and he shot me an annoyed re. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± I grinned. ¡°Yes you did.¡± I took a small sip of coffee. ¡°If it¡¯s not us, then tell me why you¡¯re stressed.¡± Abel leaned back against the counter, his arms crossed. ¡°I made an appointment to meet with my father to discuss the brewery. I¡¯d like to officially introduce you two.¡± My face twisted. ¡°You had to make an appointment to talk to your dad?¡± Sadness flickered across his face. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°When?¡± I hid my own nerves by taking another generous gulp of coffee. ¡°Today. I was going to tell you but needed to work up the sack to do it. If you¡¯re too busy or need more notice, it¡¯s fine. I?¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± I interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s totally fine. It¡¯s what we agreed to. I¡¯ll do it. Granddad was eager to take the twins to the marina, so I am free most of the day.¡± The muscles in his jaw flexed, but after a moment his deep-brown eyes met mine. ¡°Thank you.¡± I lifted my eyebrows. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, remember?¡± Abel swallowed hard. ¡°I remember.¡± Russell King had a reputation, and clearly Abel was concerned about how this conversation was going to y out. I hopped off the counter and swiped my mug to get ready for the day. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I can show up, shut up, and wear beige.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± His insistent tone made me pause as his dark eyes raked over me. ¡°Just show up as you.¡± My innards went gooey. I hid a small smile behind my coffee cup and headed toward the bedroom. I had taken over a small section of the primary bedroom¡¯s walk-in closet. Abel¡¯s shirts and jeans hung in tidy rows along one side. My fingers grazed down the sleeve of the suit he¡¯d worn to our wedding, and I smiled. I hadn¡¯t realized it then, but the fact he thought to dress up made me feel special. I nced down at the slim band around my finger. I married him wearing jeans. Scanning my clothes, I considered the fact Abel wanted me to dress as myself. Being friends with Sylvie, I¡¯d been introduced to Russell King, but only in passing. Even I understood that being officially introduced to him as Abel¡¯s wife carried weight. Instead of my go-to denim cutoffs, I opted for a pair of slim tapered pencil cks in a mossy-green shade. For my top, I pulled a sleeveless cream-colored blouse with a high ruffle neck and tone-on-tone cream stripes from the hanger. After tucking my top into the pants and adding a slim belt, I slipped into a pair of sandals and looked in the full-length mirror. It certainly wasn¡¯t all beige. I looked at myself from several angles, and once I was satisfied that I looked like me, but a slightly refined version, I fluffed my hair and went in search of Abel. He hadn¡¯t bothered to change out of his dark denim jeans, work boots, and T-shirt. His eyes moved up my body from my painted toes to my face before stopping. I held out my hands. ¡°I got nervous,¡± I exined. ¡°I opted for Sloane 2.0. You said to be myself, so you get the full Sloane experience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Ready?¡± Abel turned toward the door. I nodded, rounded up the kids, and herded them toward the door. We arrived at the marina, and Abel walked with us while I met up with Granddad. After giving the twins enough hugs and kisses to be embarrassing, I left them with Granddad. He insisted on shaking Abel¡¯s hand and offering his congrattions. Shame stained my cheeks as I hurried the kids along and made them promise to be good for their great-grandpa. As we walked back, thete-morning sun was already warming up, and I took a moment to watch Outtatownere to life. ¡°He likes you, ya know¡ªmy granddad.¡± Abel nodded. ¡°Bax is a good man. He¡¯s never treated me any differently.¡± Warmth and affection for my grandfather filled my chest. ¡°He might be stubborn and he doesn¡¯t listen to anybody, but he¡¯s always been there for us. He opened his home when I needed it.¡± I bumped my arm into Abel¡¯s. ¡°Kind of like someone else I know.¡± His acknowledgment was a deep grumble that settled between my legs. Up the road, I noticed the Sugar Bowl already had a line forming, and other storefront owners were busy cing their A-frame sidewalk signs to wee the guests. In my time here, I¡¯d seen a few storefrontse and go, many catering to the tourists who helped the small town thrive. When I headed toward my car, a new store, Gleam & Glimmer, caught my eye. When I approached my parked car, I paused. ¡°Hey, do we have time to make a quick stop?¡± Abel nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± I smiled and reached for his hand. I didn¡¯t miss the subtle jerk of his wrist, and I shot him a in look. ¡°Seriously?¡± He swallowed. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Just¡±¡ªI motioned to my side¡ªe here.¡± Next to one another on the sidewalk, I looped my arm into his. ¡°Not bad, right?¡± He shifted his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Iughed and yfully rolled my eyes. ¡°Fine? We¡¯re married, or did you already forget that?¡± He glowered down at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget.¡± Satisfied, I smiled. ¡°Good. So we need your dad to believe this, right? So . . . you can¡¯t act like I¡¯m about to bite you anytime I touch your arm.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry.¡± I rounded him and nted my hands on his biceps before shaking them out. ¡°Loosen up . . . and don¡¯t be sorry. You wanted the full Sloane experience, so you¡¯re going to get it.¡± Once his shoulders rxed, I slid my hand into his and tugged him down the sidewalk. When we reached Gleam & Glimmer, I motioned toward the door. ¡°After you.¡± He pulled the door open and waited impatiently for me to step inside. I smiled and slipped past him. The store was simple and clean. ss disy cases lined the edges of the room, with onerge case in the center. A woman stood at the back of the store and smiled brightly as the bell on the door announced our entrance. ¡°Wee to Gleam & Glimmer, Outtatowner¡¯s premier jeweler.¡± She didn¡¯t need to mention it was also Outtatowner¡¯s only jeweler. ¡°What can I help you two find?¡± I straightened and tightened my grip on Abel¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a wedding band.¡± My head jerked toward Abel. ¡°For this big guy.¡± The woman smiled and moved toward a disy case on the side. ¡°Certainly. We have a variety of men¡¯s wedding bands in various styles and materials. When is the wedding?¡± ¡°Already happened! We just couldn¡¯t wait, so I cartwheeled to the courthouse and put a ring on this handsome fe before he could get away. Trouble is, I forgot the ring part.¡± The womanughed with me as Abel shook his head. Despite his surly demeanor, I caught the hint of a smile on his lips. I turned to him. ¡°So, husband. What do you like?¡± Abel looked at the arrangement of men¡¯s wedding bands in the case. ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡± The woman took his hesitance as an opportunity to shine. ¡°We have titanium, wood, ssic white and yellow gold, even rings with diamonds and gemstones if you¡¯re looking for something a little more shy.¡± Abel shifted his stance. ¡°Just something simple. Traditional.¡± A flutter rippled across my chest. I looked down at the case and found a simple band simr to the one I wore, only thicker and more suited for a man¡¯s hand. ¡°What about that one?¡± I pointed to it. The woman followed my finger and plucked the band from its cushion and ced it on a ck mat in front of us. ¡°A ssic choice.¡± I held out my own hand. ¡°I thought it matched mine.¡± Abel stared at the band in stunned silence as if he were staring at another prison sentence. ¡°Do we know your ring size? It¡¯s unlikely it will fit out of the case, but you could try it on and see if you like the style.¡± When he didn¡¯t move, I picked up the ring and slipped it onto his left hand. My eyes went wide. ¡°It fits.¡± Abel flexed his hand and stared at the ring. ¡°Do you like it?¡± I whispered to him. His eyes caught mine and he nodded. ¡°I do.¡± A giddy excitement raced through me. ¡°We¡¯ll take it!¡± Before he could back out, I presented my debit card. Abel stopped me with a brush of his hand against my forearm. ¡°I got it.¡± I smiled, hoping the clerk wouldn¡¯t see our back-and-forth y out. ¡°No, really. It¡¯s the least I could do.¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°Besides, I can take it out of your cut of the trust fund.¡± I winked and Abel softened at my gentle teasing. ¡°I¡¯m paying.¡± A flutter erupted inside my chest at his soft, yetmanding, voice. ¡°Okay.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°Thank you.¡± Once the ring was paid for, we hurried out of the store. In the light of day, we were immediately thrust back into reality. I looked up at the shining sun and exhaled. ¡°Guess we should go break the news to your dear old dad. You ready?¡± Abel looked at his ring and flexed his hand again. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no turning back now.¡± I beamed up at him as a flurry of nerves tickled my tummy. ¡°Nope.¡± Just My Luck: Chapter 14 Russell King¡¯s primary office was miles away in the city of Chicago. When he wasn¡¯t traveling for work or in Chicago, he mainly operated from an opulent office in the King family home. ording to Sylvie, Bug King had taken over the residence when Maryann King abandoned her children and their father was too consumed with business to care. Still, Russell operated out of the home when he needed to. Abel and I bumped along the country roads as we made our way to the King estate. When we pulled down the long driveway, I shielded my eyes from the summer sun. I¡¯d visited Sylvie and her sister MJ at the King home before. It always struck me as out of ce in such a quaint small town, but the Kings never seemed to do anything small. Large steps led to a grand oak door carved with intricate details. I quietly followed Abel as he opened the front door without knocking. As it always was when I had visited Sylvie in the past, the interior was pristine, with floor-to-ceiling windows casting a golden glow over the tastefully arranged furniture. Every corner exuded money and power, with high ceilings and thick drapes. When we reached a closed door, Abel paused before knocking. I took a deep breath. If the whisperings about Russell King were true, Abel would have to appeal to his mercurial temperament and business savvy. ¡°Come in.¡± Russell King¡¯s voice boomed through the thick wooden door. Abel pushed the door open, entering while I followed closely. Sitting behind a grand, opulent wood desk was Russell King. He was dressed in a shirt and tie despite the warm summer heat. Time had not been kind to Russell King. I knew the signs of a drinking problem, with his ruddy cheeks and bloodshot eyes. His paunch and bloated face nearly took away from the striking brown of his eyes¡ªso deep and dark they reminded me of a snake¡¯s. I calmed myself before a shudder involuntarily coursed through me. In a chair beside the desk was JP King. If memory served me correctly, JP was second tost born and only a few years older than MJ, the youngest. Still, he was immactely dressed in a well-tailored suit, tie, and shiny shoes. As if he were cast from an identical mold, I imagined JP was the spitting image of a younger, handsomer Russell. He was tall and lean. His high cheekbones were more angr than Abel¡¯s, and hecked the dark King eyes. Instead, his were an intense shade of blue-green. While Abel¡¯s shoulders carried the weight of the world, JP¡¯s seemed to have a sharp edge to them. Women in town thought him devastatingly attractive, though his icy demeanor was enough to scare off most. As Abel and I approached, Russell stood to shake his son¡¯s hand. ¡°Wee. Please,e in.¡± Russell reached for me, and I slipped my hand into his. His swollen fingers held mine as he brought the top of my hand to his lips. I swallowed a visceral gag. ¡°Pleasure, my dear.¡± Russell¡¯s smile was cautious and questioning, but as slick as oil. ¡°Thank you.¡± I quickly tucked myself next to Abel, hoping to hide my revulsion. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Abel¡¯s re was directed at his younger brother. JP¡¯s hands went wide. ¡°I was told this was a business meeting.¡± Abel scoffed and rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course you were.¡± JP¡¯s lips twitched into a half smile. ¡°Is it not?¡± I watched the odd exchange between brothers. Finally, Abel gestured for me to sit, and he took a seat in the chair next to me. ¡°It¡¯s a family announcement as well as a business meeting.¡± JP smiled widely. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world, brother.¡± Abel cleared his throat. ¡°Sloane and I are married.¡± I nearly coughed on my own saliva at the abruptness of Abel¡¯s announcement. Russell and JP stared at us in shock, though Russell recovered more quickly. ¡°Why, that¡¯s fantastic news!¡± Russellughed and leaned back into his leather chair. He pointed at Abel. ¡°I knew you were up to something. Here you thought you could get one over on me.¡± Ice ran through my veins at his using tone. I slipped my hand onto Abel¡¯s arm. ¡°We tried to keep it between ourselves . . . for the sake of my children. At least initially, but they couldn¡¯t be happier.¡± Abel stared at me and I smiled at him, willing him to stop freaking out and just y along. I squeezed his arm. Russell¡¯s eyesnded hard on the slim silver band on my left hand. The room pulsed as I froze. I managed to grab it before my dad burned it with the rest of her stuff. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t marry this poor girl with that, did you?¡± Russell¡¯s mockingughter filled the office as he pointed to the ring. My fingers curled into Abel¡¯s forearm, and the muscles beneath his shirt rippled. Russell shook his head. ¡°She needs something bigger.¡± He winked at me and my stomach curled. ¡°shier. A woman deserves to show everyone how a King spoils his woman.¡± Abel shifted ufortably in his seat. Tension filled the air. He was about to speak when I cut in. ¡°Actually, I requested something simple. I love that we have matching rings. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Undeterred, Russell scoffed. ¡°Nonsense.¡± He scribbled something down on a pad of paper. ¡°I¡¯ll have my jeweler set something up for you. We can¡¯t have a King woman walking around with that on her finger.¡± My back straightened, and I was ready to speak again when JP cut in. ¡°Maybe we should get on to the business portion of this meeting.¡± He nced at his watch. ¡°I have another appointment.¡± With a curt nod, Russell shifted gears. His fingers steepled as his eyes zeroed in on Abel. ¡°Yes, of course. What is it that you needed to discuss, Abel?¡± Beside me, nerves rolled off his shoulders in waves. I squeezed his arm once and gave him a reassuring nod. ¡°As you¡¯re aware, Abel¡¯s Brewery continues to expand and be more profitable than we initially anticipated. You were an integral part of getting the brewery off the ground, and I will always be thankful for that. Moving forward, I would like to buy out King Equities¡¯ shares and carry it forward on my own.¡± Pride swelled in my chest, and I smiled as Abel stared ahead at his father. JP scoffed lightly to my right. ¡°With what money?¡± I resisted the urge to sneer in his direction. ¡°I¡¯ve been saving,¡± Abel said. ¡°That, in addition to Sloane¡¯s family money, would be enough to outright purchase the brewery.¡± Russell¡¯s index fingers tapped together as Abel¡¯s words settled over him. ¡°I don¡¯t know, son. A total buyout is a bold move. Maybe the firm should stay on for a while as a minority shareholder . . . just in case.¡± Abel tensed beside me. It was clear he didn¡¯t want his father involved with any part of Abel¡¯s Brewery. ¡°When the brewery was purchased, we¡¯d agreed the firm¡¯s money was a loan. As the brewery has grown, those repayments have been made regrly.¡± Russell¡¯s chair groaned as he shifted in his seat. ¡°I understand that. You¡¯ve surprised everyone with what you¡¯ve done with the business, even me. Still . . .¡± ¡°The terms of the loan were clear, Abel,¡± JP interrupted. ¡°King Equities provided the initial loan but remains a partner, even once that loan is repaid.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want King Equities involved?¡± Russell sounded deeply wounded, though I suspected it was simply a guilt tactic. Abel jerked his chin. ¡°It¡¯s not that. Land and business acquisition has been the primary goal of King Equities. Now that Abel¡¯s Brewery is established, there is no residual value outside of profit shares. I would think it would be far more beneficial to use the buyout to acquire other businesses in the future.¡± A light huh escaped JP, and a tiny twirl of victory zipped through my belly. Abel had done his own research, and I couldn¡¯t have been prouder. Russell¡¯s hand moved across the pad of paper as he scribbled more illegible notes. ¡°I¡¯ll have to mull this over, of course.¡± Feeling a skittering of panic, I licked my lips and sat up. I smiled widely at Russell. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± I leaned into Abel, resting my head against his arm. ¡°Owning the brewery with the man I love has been a dream of mine, and Abel has been doing everything he can to make my dreamse true.¡± I blinked up at my husband¡¯s shocked face. ¡°He really is a teddy bear.¡± JP sneered and Russellughed. ¡°My, my. I see you¡¯ve got your hands full with this one, Abel. I¡¯m sure we can work something out. I will think it over and get back to you.¡± I stood, seeing our exit and taking it. Russell, JP, and Abel all stood. Quickly, I rounded the desk, wrapping my arms around my new father-inw. ¡°Thank you, sir. I am so honored to be a part of this family.¡± Russell King¡¯s patronizing eyes looked down on me. I knew a man who liked a pat on the ass when I saw one, and Russell King took the bait. His hand dipped far too low on my back as he returned my embrace, and my stomach soured. Still, I beamed up at him before I retook my position beside Abel, who was frozen in ce. His shoulders bunched, and he didn¡¯t seem to move as he stared at his father. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. My wife and I have afternoon ns.¡± My wife. There it was again. Two words that sent a dull ache straight between my legs. Confused by the sudden darkening of Abel¡¯s mood, I leaned into him. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. He dropped a soft kiss on the top of my head, selling our farce to his father, I assumed. Russell smiled in an oily kind of way that made my skin crawl. He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a good day to be the king.¡± I swallowed back the bile that rose in my throat and clung to Abel as we exited the stuffy, too-dark office. JP followed us out, closing the door behind him. ¡°Abel,¡± he called, stopping us both in our tracks. We turned to see JP frowning and pointing his finger between us. ¡°I don¡¯t buy this bullshit for a second . . . but it seems he does. I¡¯ll talk to him. He¡¯s got his eye on a failingw firm office over in Bloom County. The funds from the brewery buyout would clear up some red tape and make a hostile takeover of the building much simpler. It might take a few days to get everything in order, but if I can make it work, I will.¡± Abel nodded, revealing nothing. ¡°Thank you.¡± The men shook hands, and Abel headed straight for the door with me hot on his heels. Once outside, I exhaled in relief and trotted beside Abel as he walked toward my car. Hoping to break the ice, I said, ¡°Your brother seems a little frosty, but kind of nice.¡± Abel yanked open the driver¡¯s-side door for me. ¡°He¡¯s not. If there¡¯s an angle JP can y, he¡¯ll y it. But our hands are tied. We¡¯ll have to trust him.¡± I scurried into the driver¡¯s seat and waited as Abel climbed into the passenger side. ¡°Where to?¡± I asked. Abel¡¯s brown eyes burned into me as my pulse skyrocketed under his assessment. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Just My Luck: Chapter 15 Watching Sloane embrace my father while his hand grazed the top of her ass drove my fury to an all-time high. I¡¯d lived with him waffling between absent and overbearing my entire life, but the minute his hand was on her, I settled into enraged. I didn¡¯t care that the rest of our small town saw him as a benevolent benefactor or savvy businessman. He touched her, and I didn¡¯t fucking like it. I tightened my crossed arms and focused on the road from the passenger seat of Sloane¡¯s car. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sloane asked from the driver¡¯s seat. I shifted and willed myself to rx despite the bubbles of anger rising from my gut. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Is it . . . am I a bad driver?¡± She gestured between her and the steering wheel. Yes. My mrs ground together. ¡°No.¡± It wasn¡¯t her shitty driving that was making me ufortable. How was I supposed to exin theplexities of the King family dynamic and that the mere brush of his fingertips across the top of her ass sent me reeling? I wanted to snap his fingers and tear apart his office¡ªbut I¡¯m not stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds me. No one crossed Russell King and survived it. Maybe not even my mother. The thought darkened my mood further, and I stayed quiet the rest of the ride back to my house. Sloane gave me space to brood, and by the time she pulled down my tree-lined driveway, I had finally rxed. She parked, and I exhaled before turning toward Sloane. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m . . . in a mood.¡± Sloane smiled softly. ¡°You¡¯re allowed to have emotions, Abel.¡± My chest pinched and she unbuckled. That was precisely the problem¡ªI was having far too many emotions where she was concerned. Ridiculous emotions like possessiveness and contentment. When I couldn¡¯t find the words to respond, Sloane offered a soft smile and disappeared into the house. I found myself twitchy with pent-up energy and had no idea what to do with myself. Do I follow her inside? Head to the brewery and give her space? In less than a week living with Sloane, I¡¯d lost all sense of autonomy and felt like one of those ridiculous dolls with peg legs just aimlessly teetering around. My phone buzzed and I slipped it from my pocket. SYLVIE Bug did a thing . . . don¡¯t be mad. I didn¡¯t need to know what this thing was to know it was definitely going to piss me off. Well, what is it? Three dots popped up and disappeared, then popped up again. I was pretty certain my sister was attempting to find the right words to soften the blow of whatever scheme my aunt had cooked up. Before Sylvie could reply, my phone rang. I closed my eyes in frustration as I answered. ¡°Hey, Bug. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Abel. How are you, dear?¡± I knew her too well to know she dropped her hard-ass exterior only when she needed something. ¡°Fine. You?¡± My tone was unnecessarily clipped. Bug clicked her tongue. ¡°Now, is that any way for a brand-new husband to be?¡± I really didn¡¯t know how a new husband should feel, so I stayed silent. ¡°You should be celebrating. Which is why . . .¡± She paused, letting her words linger in the air. ¡°I have a surprise for you and Sloane.¡± I let out a deep, annoyed sigh. ¡°We don¡¯t need any surprises, Aunt Bug.¡± ¡°Oh, nonsense. First you date the woman in secret and then run off to the courthouse. I suspect if you hadn¡¯t needed a witness, I still wouldn¡¯t know about your marriage.¡± Well, she isn¡¯t wrong. I let out a disgruntled, half-heartedugh. ¡°Exactly,¡± she continued. ¡°So . . . your check-in at the Wild Iris Bed-and-Breakfast is at five p.m.¡± My tongue went thick. ¡°The what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. A cute little B&B in Star Harbor. I could only swing one night with such short notice, but at least it¡¯s something.¡± ¡°Something?¡± I was racking my brain, trying to figure out why my aunt had booked us a stay at a bed-and-breakfast. ¡°Every woman deserves a honeymoon, Abel,¡± she said with a wistful sigh tacked on at the end. I audibly gulped. Honeymoon? It was absurd. I shook my head. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave. Sloane has kids.¡± Her haughtyugh rang through the telephone. ¡°You don¡¯t think I thought of that? It¡¯s taken care of. Bax will be entertaining his great-grandkids for the night.¡± I kicked the dirt with the toe of my boot. ¡°Well, we have work.¡± I could practically hear her eyes roll through the phone. ¡°You¡¯re the boss. Give yourselves the night off.¡± A night alone in some random hotel room with Sloane? No fucking way. I scrambled toe up with another usible excuse, but my aunt cut in. ¡°Sylvie already broke the news to Sloane, and I heard your wife is looking forward to it. You wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint her already, would you?¡± Sloane knew about this? And she was excited? Well, fuck me. I exhaled. Why did it seem that my default was always to be an asshole? Defeated, I lowered myself onto the front stoop and pressed my fingers into my eyes. ¡°Sure. It sounds great. Thank you for doing this for us.¡± ¡°Excellent. Now, try to enjoy yourself, Abel. It¡¯s about time you made some happy memories.¡± I hung up without even saying goodbye. Happy memories? Sure, like that¡¯ll happen. The only memories that would be made tonight were how painfully ufortable I made Sloane while we were forced to share a hotel room. Behind me the front door opened. I looked out onto the frontwn, avoiding her eyes. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got ns tonight.¡± Sloane¡¯s softugh floated over my shoulder. ¡°Yeah, looks like it. I just got off the phone with your sister. She and Bug sure work fast.¡± I pressed my lips together and nodded. Sloane lowered herself next to me, her arms resting on the tops of her knees. ¡°I called my granddad to confirm, and it¡¯s already been decided. He¡¯s nning to take them to a movie in the park and then have a sleepover here. He¡¯s taking them to camp in the morning and everything. The kids will be thrilled.¡± At least someone is. I tipped my face toward her. ¡°Do you really want to do this?¡± Sloane picked at her nails. ¡°We need to be believable, right?¡± Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, and she scrunched her nose. ¡°It would seem kind of weird if a newlywed couple refused a romantic night away, don¡¯t you think?¡± Newlywed or not¡ªany man in his right mind would be a fool to refuse a night away with Sloane. I nodded. Sloane pped her thighs and stood. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll go pack a bag.¡±
I was in hell. My dear, sweet, scheming aunt forgot to mention that the Wild Iris Bed-and-Breakfast was a boutique B&B specializing in romantic getaways for couples with themed amodations. I frowned at the king-size bed in the middle of the room. ¡°Is that leopard-print bedding?¡± Sloane¡¯s wide eyes surveyed the room. ¡°It appears to be . . .¡± She lifted something that strangely resembled a wooden club. ¡°Caveman themed?¡± She moved to the side table and picked up a brochure. ¡°Wild Iris Bed-and-Breakfast,¡± she read. Her eyes flicked up as she tried not to smile. ¡°Adventure suites. The caveman is a much-loved prehistoric figure, and your room is a whimsical glimpse into his existence. The Caveman Suite has a king bed and will amodate two primates.¡± I stomped toward her and pulled the paper from her fingertips. ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± My eyes scanned the brochure, and sure as shit, I was in hell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I stumbled. ¡°I had no idea. I can¡¯t believe this . . .¡± Sloane moved around the room, her hands brushing across the stony cave-like walls. I watched as her fingertips danced under the flowing waterfall in the corner of the room. She circled toward me, but stopped at a small piece of animal hide and lifted it. Her eyes went wide and glimmered with humor. ¡°I think this is your loincloth, husband.¡± Heat red in my cheeks, and I swiped the furry fabric from her hands. ¡°This is not funny.¡± A barkingugh burst from her small frame. ¡°This is hrious. Loosen up a little. Me Jane. You Tarzan.¡± Sloane thumped her chest in rhythm with my clunking heartbeat. My eyesnded on the lone bed in the middle of the room. My hand had reached up to tug at the cor of my shirt when Sloaneughed. I pinned her with a heated look. ¡°Are you clutching your pearls?¡± Sheughed again, and heat sizzled down my back. ¡°Of course not.¡± I looked down at my hand, which was paused at my cor, and dropped it to my side. Sloane walked over to the edge of the bed and hopped into it, stretching her legs before smiling up at me. ¡°It¡¯s just a bed, Abel.¡± The fuck it is. Sloane adjusted, hiking herself up to her elbows. ¡°Look, it¡¯s really rare I get a break from making every single decision in our lives and worrying that I made the wrong one. Most days I feel like a spinning top.¡± She exhaled and flopped t on her back to stare at the primitive art decorating the ceiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how much I needed a little break until we showed up here. It feels good tough without worrying. Can we please just . . . exist here for a little while?¡± It was the please that snagged my attention. All she was asking for was a break¡ªa night where she didn¡¯t have to think or prepare or be strong for everyone else. It was the simplest thing, and I had the power to give it to her. I looked around, and my attention paused on the cave painting with stick figures in very questionable positions. A small chuckle broke free. ¡°There he is.¡± Sloane goaded as she smiled up at me. ¡°Come on.¡± She sat up and grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s see what other trouble we can find at the Wild Iris.¡± That was the thing¡ªI knew trouble, and I was staring right at her. Just My Luck: Chapter 16 Leaving our humble cave behind us, we opted to explore the Wild Iris Bed-and-Breakfast. It was delightfully ridiculous. From the outside, the Victorian-style estate was painted a softvender. The grand turret faced Lake Michigan, and I wondered what type of themed room it held. Damn shame if it isn¡¯t pirates. With a stifled giggle, I wondered if Bug understood where she had booked our stay or if she knew the Wild Iris was exactly the kind of ce that would make me giggle while simultaneously annoying the hell out of her uptight nephew. Knowing Bug¡¯s austere reputation, I suspected thetter. Abel skulked closely behind me as I wound through the lobby and exited out the back onto the wide, open porch. Cozy chairs were arranged in groups of two or three with side tables adorned with flowers. More steps led off the back deck to a small boardwalk that directed guests to the beachfront. Near the shoreline, I spotted a bonfire pit with benches made from tree trunks split in half around it. Waves ebbed and flowed onto the clean, sandy beaches. On the distant coastline, familiar sand dunes rose high above the water, but at our particr stretch of beach, the open shoreline was t and inviting. Content, I sucked in a deep breath of warmke air. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± When he didn¡¯t respond, I turned to find Abel staring at me. He shifted under my attention, clearing his throat. ¡°Yeah. Gorgeous.¡± His gaze fell to my mouth, and heat flooded my cheeks in response. ¡°Hello!¡± An elderly singsong voice called from behind us. ¡°Yoo-hoo!¡± In unison, we shifted to see a woman exiting the french doors, bncing a small tray of what appeared to be a fizzy, cider-colored cocktail in champagne flutes. She waved wildly with her free hand as the sses bnced precariously. The woman was dressed to match the house in a shyvender jacket and flowing purple cks. On top of her silver curls was arge floppy hat trimmed withvender fringe and feathers. ¡°Good evening!¡± she called as she got closer. ¡°Wee to the Wild Iris. My name is dys. Ruby checked you in, but I just couldn¡¯t wait to meet you! We love having newlyweds stay with us. Please, try this.¡± She moved the tray between us. ¡°It¡¯s called Wedded Bliss.¡± Abel and I smiled, and each of us took a champagne flute from her tray. Each ss contained a bubbly drink, featured two slices of fig, and was garnished with a sprig of thyme. ¡°This looks amazing! Thank you,¡± I said as I took a sip. dys grinned. ¡°It¡¯s got champagne, honey, orange liqueur, and apple cider. The Greeks used to prescribe honey for sexual vigor!¡± Her shoulders shimmied as she grinned. I sputtered and choked on my drink. Bubbles fizzed up my nose as I gasped for air through myughter. A hard thumpnded on my back as Abel tried to help clear the drink from my system. dys winked. ¡°Happy honeymoon, you two!¡± Abel awkwardly raised his champagne flute, and I dissolved into another fit ofughter as dys sashayed away, in search of her next unsuspecting couple¡ªof that I was certain. I cleared my throat again as Abel¡¯s hand softly thumped my back once more. ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled and took a more careful sip. ¡°It¡¯s good. You should try it.¡± He eyed the cocktail as though one sip would have us tearing at each other¡¯s clothing. Which, to be honest, wouldn¡¯t have been the worst thing in the world. My eyes dropped to his broad chest. It would be unreal to see himpletely undressed and looming over me. It was almost as if I could imagine hisrge hands gripping my hips, pulling them down the mattress toward him. Tiny muscles fluttered low as a throb settled between my legs and heat spread across my chest. Abel cleared his throat and I blinked up at him, realizing I¡¯d just been caught ogling him and thinking very naughty things about my pretend husband. I stared down at the drink in my hand. Jesus, what is in this? A yful smirk tipped up the corner of Abel¡¯s mouth, and I squared my shoulders to stare straight ahead at the rippling water in the distance. The Wild Iris was fully booked, and slowly dys made her way around to empty her tray. We offered polite nods and tight smiles to other guests as we rxed on the porch or took a walk down the beach. To my surprise, I could actually rx around Abel. He was a man of few words, but the more time I spent with him, the more I realized his silence wasn¡¯t because he was just some grumpy asshole. Instead, he was thoughtful. Considerate. When he decided to contribute to a conversation, he chose his words carefully. Abel had stopped dys, asking for her rmendation for a casual dinner. She pointed up the beach, assuring us that there were a few local restaurants within walking distance. We had eventually found the perfect ce¡ªone that served burgers and beer on the beach. After our dinner, we took our time walking back toward the Wild Iris, the sunset zing against the watery horizon. As the Wild Iris came into view, we noticed a fire had been lit in the pit on the beach. I lifted a shoulder and looked at him. ¡°Want to?¡± His calm eyes looked down at me. ¡°If you do.¡± As we approached, dys¡¯s voice called over the crowd. ¡°There they are. Our newlyweds!¡± I offered an awkward wave at the couples gathered by the fire. Wooden benches were arranged in a semicircle, opening to the pit and theke beyond. dys fussed and dusted sand from her hands. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of room, but, Mr. King, if you sit there, your wife could take yourp.¡± I gulped and my eyes shed to his. He lowered himself to the wooden bench and pped his thigh. ¡°Come on, Jane. Take a seat.¡± I liked the yful side of him and how it always seemed to catch me by surprise. Carefully, I lowered myself onto hisp. His muscr thighs were warm and wide, plenty of room for me to sit and getfortable. His hand settled at the side of my hip, and I draped one arm across his shoulder. He leaned in to whisper in my ear. ¡°This okay?¡± The deep rumble of his voice across the shell of my ear sent shivers down my back. ¡°Are you cold?¡± he asked, but then reached back and grabbed a rolled-up nket from the pile behind him before I could respond. Carefully, Abel unrolled the nnel nket and draped it across my shoulders, tucking it in at the edges to make sure it didn¡¯t slip. I clutched the edge at my chest. ¡°Thank you.¡± The conversation and crackling fire enveloped us. His eyes moved to my lips again, and I wondered if he might do it¡ªkiss me and im me as his wife in front of the group of strangers. Do it. It won¡¯t be fake this time. I wet my lips as I stared at his mouth. Beneath me his body was warm and hard, and I fought the urge to squirm in hisp. In the firelight, I tried to memorize the slope and nes of his handsome face. His fingers drew soft circles at my hip as conversations ovepped around us. ¡°Do you want to go back to the room?¡± His words dripped with dark intention. I lifted my chin in a jerky nod. Abel rose, taking me with him and gently setting me on my feet. I went to remove the nket, but dys stopped me. ¡°No need, dear. Just bring it back in the morning.¡± She winked and my stomach somersaulted. ¡°Have fun, you two.¡± I turned, feeling the blush deepen in my cheeks. As we walked side by side toward the house, Abel¡¯s wide palm slipped down my arm, capturing my hand in his. His palm was wide and warm. I squeezed, loving the strength andfort his touch provided. When I risked a nce at his face, he leaned in. ¡°They¡¯re still watching.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I breathed. When we reached our room, Abel dropped my hand to unlock the door to let us back into the Caveman Suite. I stared at the leopard-d bed as hope and arousal coursed through me. Abel moved behind me and dropped the key on the small boulder-like table beside the door. ¡°I¡¯ll take the floor.¡± Hope squeaked out of me like a leaking balloon. ¡°What?¡± He slipped off his boots and grabbed a pillow from the bed, dropping it to the floor. ¡°I can sleep here.¡± Embarrassment flooded through me. Had a tiny part of me hoped he wasn¡¯t faking everything down by the fire and we mighte back to the room to make a few more bad decisions? Of course I did. Flustered, I swiped a loose strand of hair away from my face. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. The bed is huge. We¡¯ll just take opposite sides. It¡¯s fine.¡± Fully ready to argue, I was shocked when he simply said, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± I looked around. ¡°I¡¯ll change in the bathroom.¡± I scurried away, too embarrassed to even look at him as I dragged my duffel bag into the en suite bathroom with me. Once behind a locked door, I braced myself against the sink and looked into the mirror. What the fuck? I mouthed to myself. I pressed my hands into my eyes and sighed. Get your shit together. I pointed at myself in the mirror to drive home the point that this was entirely ridiculous. I slipped on my pajamas and quickly brushed my teeth and hair. I surveyed the simple floral shorts and matching pajama top. It wasn¡¯t overly sexy, but the shorts cut high on my thighs and made me feel feminine and pretty. Sleep on the floor, my ass. When I reentered the room, the lighting was dim, and I could just make out Abel¡¯s hulking frame beneath the sheets. Light danced on the cave-like walls, wrapping us in a cozy cocoon of soft, glowing light. ¡°I feel like Jane would cartwheel over to the bed or something,¡± I joked. His soft chuckle filled the darkened room. ¡°You can try.¡± I smiled and pulled back the covers. The bed wasrge, but so was he. Abel¡¯s bare chest and ck boxer briefs shed into view. ¡°Oh.¡± I quickly reced the covers in panic. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Yep.¡± I nodded and gulped. I am definitely not okay. Sliding into bed beside Abel, Iy on my back with wide eyes and a pounding heart, and I stared at the cave painting that decorated the ceiling. I didn¡¯t need to think about the fact that Abel had a body like that and he was inches away from me in nothing but a pair of tight boxer briefs. I listened to the rhythmic inhale and exhale of his breathing, painfully aware of the proximity of his body to mine. Iy there, wondering about myplicated, brooding husband. Every time I thought I understood him, he revealed anotherplicatedyer. I sighed as I stared up. ¡°Hell of a honeymoon.¡± He exhaled a tinyugh through his nose. ¡°Good night, wife.¡± I smiled in the darkness. ¡°Good night, husband.¡± There were worse things in the world than lying beside the hottest man on the, knowing he waspletely off limits. Trouble was, I couldn¡¯t seem to think of a single one. Just My Luck: Chapter 17 I could smell her perfume before I even opened my eyes. Hints of warm spice and subtle sweetness flooded my system and sent a throb of heat straight to my cock. Slowly waking to her scent was like being buried under a pile of nkets on a frigid winter¡¯s day and never wanting to leave. I hiked my knees up, curling my body possessively around her and tucking my arm against her belly. My body tingled as her ass pressed against the thick shaft of my morning wood. My eyes popped open. Fuuuuuuck. I couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªsometime in the middle of the night, we¡¯d fused together, and now I was cuddling my fake wife the morning after our sham of a honeymoon. My dick twitched against the perfect curve of her ass, and I bit back a groan. There was no way she wasn¡¯t going to notice that. I stilled, assessing whether Sloane was awake. Her breathing was slow and even. The gentle rise and fall of my arm against her body told me I might be able to sneak away without her noticing the raging hard-on that forgot the whole this isn¡¯t real part of our arrangement. I slowly lifted my head. Her darkshes swooped low on her cheeks. Sloane looked peaceful. Happy. Something pinched between my ribs at how perfectly she seemed to fit, wrapped in my arms. I adjusted myself, shifting my hips back and inching away from her, but not before indulging in onest hit of the smell of her hair. Stop being a fucking creep, dude. I rolled to my back and exhaled. Sunlight streamed through the window on the far wall, peeking through the animal hide curtains. A smile cracked against my cheek and I stretched, wiggling my toes and willing my cock to calm the hell down. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I¡¯d gottenid, and even if I did, I¡¯d bet nothing wouldpare to being buried to the hilt in Sloane. My body hummed for her and my fingers twitched, eager to reach out and feel the softness of her skin. Instead, I sat up and swung my legs off the side of the bed. As I stirred, Sloane groaned and rolled over. I reached for a shirt, but over my shoulder, I didn¡¯t miss the way her eyes went wide as she took in my bare back. Fuck it. Instead of covering up, I stood, not caring about my still-hard cock as I sauntered toward the bathroom. If I had to deal with the torture of being this close to her and not being able to do a damn thing about it, then so could she. I felt her eyes on me the entire walk to the bathroom. By the time I finished, Sloane was up and dressed. Her eyes were bright, and her smile pierced my heart. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Good morning. Ready to head out?¡± I asked. She held up her toothbrush. ¡°Just going to freshen up and I¡¯ll be all set.¡± I nodded, hating that the time in our little caveman bubble was so short. My eyesnded on the loincloth draped over a chair. In another life I¡¯d toss Sloane over my shoulder and take her¡ªleave her begging for more. I gestured weakly around the Caveman Suite. ¡°Was it worth it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sloane swung her legs over the side of the bed and brought a ss of water to her lips. I frowned. ¡°Bug told me that you told Sylvie that you were really excited for a night away. That¡¯s why I agreed toe.¡± Sloane nearly choked on her drink as she sputtered and coughed. ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Her eyes went wide as she studied my face. ¡°I mean, I am . . . d. I had fun.¡± Fun. The word rolled around in my head as I scraped a hand down my face. The pretend honeymoon was a mistake. Every time we entertained the idea that our marriage was more than just a smart business move, it became harder and harder to remind myself that our arrangement had an expiration date. We couldn¡¯t go on faking this forever . . . especially when certain parts of me weren¡¯t getting the hint that she was totally off limits. I nodded, letting the conversation die between us. Without waiting for a response, I grabbed our bags and loaded up the truck. A few minutester, Sloane¡¯s voice carried through the lobby as she gushed over how amazing our stay was, how cozy the fire was, and how we couldn¡¯t wait to return. dys was thrilled at the prospect of repeat guests and slipped her a card to remember our stay by. Like we could ever forget the Caveman Suite. Outside, I leaned against my truck and waited for her to give onest hug to dys before saying goodbye. I stared at my hand as I spun the silver band around my finger. I¡¯d gotten used to its weight, but every time it caught my eye, I got keyed up and didn¡¯t know why. When she was ready, I opened the truck door for her and tried not to stare at her ass as she climbed in. I sat behind the wheel and stared out the windshield before starting the truck. ¡°Want me to drive?¡± she asked. I nced at her but shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± Really fucking good. The trip home was spent inpanionable silence. I watched the road while Sloane fiddled with the radio and rambled on and on about whatever song happened to be ying. By the time we hit my driveway, unused energy was rattling my bones. My thumb drummed a beat against the steering wheel. ¡°I was thinking . . . maybe I¡¯ll make some chocte chip cookies or something for the kids.¡± I parked and slicked a hand down my thigh. Her eyes narrowed in my direction. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scoffed, avoiding the assessment of her striking hazel eyes. My knee bounced. Her pointer finger made an usatory swirl in my direction. ¡°You¡¯re stress baking¡ªor nning to.¡± My jaw flexed. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Of course I was. ¡°I just wanted to do something nice for the kids.¡± Her lips pursed as if she didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Well, let¡¯s try something new. What is something that makes you feel better? Something that¡¯s just for you?¡± I thought for a moment, unsure if anyone had ever asked me what I needed. ¡°Baking.¡± Her yful eyes rolled. ¡°Besides baking.¡± I peered out the windshield and felt the sting of a bright summer sun. ¡°Gardening sometimes helps when I¡¯m . . . I don¡¯t know¡ªworked up.¡± Her eyes shed with delight. ¡°I love to garden!¡± She popped open the passenger-side door. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Before I could stop her, she was out of the car and hustling toward the house. ¡°I¡¯m going to change. I¡¯ll meet you out there!¡± I smiled, shaking my head and wondering how the hell someone with such a happy disposition had hitched themselves to me. I stared down at the ring on my left hand. It was strange to feel as though something that had never been there before somehow felt perfectly right. Instead of stewing over it, I rounded the house and pulled out a bucket of hand tools from the garden shed, along with a baseball cap. The gloves would be far too big on Sloane, but at least her hands would be protected. I dropped the bucket beside one of the raised garden beds and looked over the thriving herbs and vegetables. Momentster, the back doors opened and Sloane bounded down the steps. From the shadow of my ball cap, I watched as her tits bounced and her long, smooth legs gleamed in the summer sun. My tongue went thick and my mouth went dry as I followed the line from her ankle all the way to where her cutoff denim shorts stopped at her hip. ¡°Okay, boss. Where do I start?¡± I had to look away from the sunny smile she shot my way. I handed her my gloves. ¡°Put those on.¡± As I suspected, they wereicallyrge, but she did as she was told. I shifted, trying to decide where to even begin. ¡°I need to weed these beds and then check on the hops.¡± I gestured toward the arch of the cattle panel that had long vines of hops vining up and over the top. The breeze was gentle and the sun warmed my skin. Sloane wasted no time kneeling in the grass and gently examining the nts. ¡°Anything in between the nts can go, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°You got it.¡± Seeing Sloane on her knees in front of me was a fresh hell I wasn¡¯t expecting. Instead of staring at her, ck jawed and drooling, I rounded the bed and kneeled across the corner from her. My fingertips brushed across the pepper nts, checking the leaves and making note of the fresh flower buds that were emerging. ¡°So I recognize the pepper nts. What else is here?¡± Sloane plucked weeds from beds, but the too-long fingers of my gloves were getting in her way. After only a minute, she ditched them and plopped the discarded gloves beside her. ¡°This bed haspact nts¡ªmostly hot peppers like jpe?o and Hungarian wax, but also some herbs. Sage, basil, rosemary.¡± I shrugged. ¡°That kind of thing.¡± Sloane plucked a small piece of rosemary and held it to her nose. ¡°Mmm. I love fresh rosemary.¡± She flicked the stem with her finger. ¡°Kind of smells like you.¡± I harrumphed, and sheughed before pointing to another raised garden bed a few feet over. ¡°What¡¯s growing in there?¡± I looked and said, ¡°Yarrow,vender. That pinkish one is heather.¡± I pointed along a manicured section at the far side of the yard. ¡°Over there are some juniper bushes, and I¡¯ve got some pie pumpkin vines trailing along the edge¡ªthe long vines act as a bit of instion from the summer heat.¡± Sloane sat back on her heels and sighed. ¡°Do you have ns for all these ingredients?¡± Iughed. ¡°Not really. Random ideas mostly.¡± Sloane continued to dig in the dirt beside me. ¡°Tell me some of them.¡± I nced up, heat blooming across my chest as I took in the slight sheen of sweat forming at her hairline. ¡°Share my secrets? Why, so you can steal them?¡± Herugh was quick and bright. ¡°Please. In a matter of days I¡¯ll be half owner of the brewery. I am allowed to know all of your secrets.¡± Heat prickled at the base of my skull. ¡°Am I allowed to know yours?¡± ¡°My secrets?¡± She lifted an eyebrow with a sly smile. ¡°Of course not.¡± Iughed and turned my hat backward. ¡°Figures.¡± Sloane continued to garden with a smile on her face as I watched her from the corner of my eye. A slow, creeping sense of ease washed over my shoulders. Something about digging in the dirt with a gorgeous woman in the summer sun was a balm for my soul. I cleared my throat and decided to offer a small piece of myself to her. ¡°That mint in those containers over there?¡± I used my hand spade to point at therge pots between the craggy juniper bushes. ¡°MJ¡¯s name is Julep, but over time it morphed into Mint Julep, and then just settled into MJ. I was thinking up a beer that¡¯s kind of a y on a mint julep cocktail.¡± I shrugged, listening to how dumb it sounded when I actually admitted it aloud. Sloane clicked her tongue and swiped a hand across her cheek, leaving behind a small streak of dirt. ¡°Aww . . . that is so sweet. I bet she¡¯ll love it.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know,¡± I quietly admitted. Sloane¡¯s big hazel eyes blinked up at me. ¡°I won¡¯t ruin the surprise. I promise.¡± Without thinking, I reached up and brushed my thumb across the peak of her cheekbone, swiping away the dirt. ¡°You couldn¡¯t ruin anything.¡± Sloane swallowed hard but didn¡¯t move away from my touch. My thumb danced across her cheek, and I let my fingertips trail down the side of her neck, where her pulse hummed. Memories of the kiss we had shared in the district court judge¡¯s office flooded back¡ªthe feel of my body wrapped around her in that ridiculous room only hours before. Sloane¡¯s hand followed mine, wiping away the small patch of dirt that had been on her delicate skin. ¡°Thanks.¡± I cleared my throat, desperate to rein in the flurry of emotions I was having. Sloane¡¯s smallugh tittered between us. ¡°You better be careful, Abel. You keep looking at me like that, and I might forget this whole marriage is supposed to be fake.¡± The air around us was hot and sticky. My heart hammered beneath my ribs. ¡°It might not all be fake.¡± Color rose in her cheeks. The secluded yard hid us from the rest of the world as I nearly unraveled before her. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± she finally asked, barely allowing her eyes to catch on mine. ¡°Which parts?¡± I huffed augh. Typical Sloane to call me out on it. I swallowed hard and gathered the guts to share yet another secret. I allowed my eyes to steady on her beautiful face. ¡°The part when I kissed you in the courthouse. I meant every second of that fucking kiss.¡± Without hesitation, Sloane reached forward, gripping my shirt in her fist as she yanked. My mouth mmed to hers. Across the corner of the garden bed I stretched to meet her. We both rose to our knees, damning the edge of the garden bed between us. My hand gripped the back of her neck. Her tits pressed against my chest as my lips pressed against her. She opened for me with a soft moan, and I swiped my tongue across hers. Our kiss was sweet and warm and wet. My cock surged and pressed against the fly of my jeans. Sloane¡¯s hands gripped at my T-shirt as I wound my free hand to her back and pressed her into me. Her kiss was hot and hungry. Our tongues teased and tasted as they slid over one another. My hand moved from her back to her ass, and I squeezed. Sloane broke the kiss, leaned back, sat on her heels, and panted. ¡°Holy fuck.¡± My eyes darted away, ashamed that I had finally snapped and gone too far. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sheughed and my eyes flew to hers. ¡°Sorry? Well, I¡¯m not.¡± Her hand brushed across her corbone as she steadied her breath. ¡°Holy hell that was hot.¡± Sloane stood, slightly dazed from our kiss. She looked down at me, still nted on my knees, and plucked my hat from my head before nting it on her own. ¡°I need a lemonade or a shot of whiskey or something. Want one?¡± Without waiting for my reply, she sauntered up the back steps and disappeared into the house. Just My Luck: Chapter 18 I¡¯d kissed the fuck out of Abel, and my body was screaming to do it again. I¡¯d wanted to do that ever since this morning when I¡¯d awoken to find his rock-hard cock pressed against my ass as he cuddled me. Did I pretend to be sleeping and ever so slightly rock my hips back to feel more of it? You¡¯re goddamned right I did. Bracing my hands against the counter, I hung my head and tried to breathe. What in the actual hell? Sure, I had been tempted and grabbed him for a kiss, but damn. Abel made no qualms about taking control and absolutely owning me with that kiss. My clit thrummed and my nipples ached with unmet need. My legs scissored, and I internally groaned once I realized I would definitely be needing a new pair of panties after that kiss. I nced out the window to see Abel hunched over the garden bed and violently pulling weeds. He sat back with a sigh and raked his fingers through his tousled hair. I giggled and pulled his hat from my head to fan myself. It was his own damn fault. How was I supposed to resist a sweaty, well-built man gardening in a backward hat? I was given zero choice and certainly did not regret that kiss. My only hesitation was that, given the fucked-up state of my life, sleeping with Abel was for sure a terrible idea. But oh my god it would be fun to roll around in the dirt with him. I nced at the kitchen clock and sighed. The twins would be finished with day camp in less than an hour, and thest thing they needed was to be confused about what was happening between Abel and me. As far as they knew, Abel and I were just friends. I toyed with my lip and let myself daydream about his using all that masculine energy to thrust inside me while calling me his wife. My pussy fluttered and I gripped the counter. Seriously. Get your shit together, Sloane. I grabbed a ss from the cab before moving to the sink and guzzling lukewarm tap water. It did nothing to quell the fire that was building in my gut. I wanted Abel. Like, really wanted him. Logically, I knew sex would onlyplicate and confuse things, but it had been so long, and living in his home was harder than I could have imagined. It was torture enough that he was quietly domestic and kind to my kids, but he smelled so damn good to boot. When movement caught my eye, I jumped into action. Before Abel could enter the house, I set my ss into the sink and headed down the hall toward the primary bedroom. I waved and called over my shoulder. ¡°I need to get the kids in a bit. I¡¯m taking a quick shower to clean up.¡± Hurrying, I escaped behind the bedroom door and tucked myself away in the en suite bathroom. Beyond the french doors, the garden mocked me. I pulled the drapes closed and turned on the water in the steam shower. Stripping off my shorts and tee, I then pulled my hair free from its ponytail. With the water barely warm, I stepped under the spray and sighed. In the safety of the shower, I let myself wonder what kind of lover Abel might be. Tender or rough? Demanding or slow and teasing? What would it feel like to have a man his size hover over me? I knew he was a good kisser and could only imagine what it would feel like to have his hands on me. My nipples pinched into sharp points as I closed my eyes and pretended my touch was his. God, I bet his dick is huge. My fingertips brushed across my breasts and down my belly. I imagined Abel on his knees before me, licking his way up my leg to my thigh. His calloused hands would spread me open before his mouth teased and sampled. My breath came out in sharp pants as my fingers slipped between my legs, wishing they were his. I had no doubts Abel King would be a steadfast and thorough lover. I bit back a moan as I brought myself to the edge with thoughts of his mouth and hands all over me. The moment I imagined how my pussy would stretch around his dick, I was done for. Water flowed over my shoulders in rivulets as I came to the memory of our kiss and the picture of him easing his cock deep inside me. Despite the steam and heat from the shower, I was more keyed up than ever. Pushing aside all thoughts of Abel, I made quick work of washing up and slipping into a fresh pair of jean shorts and a T-shirt. Quietly, I slipped out of the house and into my car. I had the time it took to make a quick trip to and from town to figure out how the hell I was going to maintain a responsible, working friendship with Abel when every cell in my body wanted to be reckless.
¡°This is . . . not my favorite.¡± Tillie pushed the roasted broli to the side as my eyes went wide. ¡°Tillie . . .¡± I attempted to employ my best mom look as I stared at her. She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s not okay. I just don¡¯t like this dinner. It¡¯s not my favorite.¡± Beside me, Abel had his elbows on the table, hunched over his te. I noticed that he ate quickly and without looking up. I wondered if his hunched shoulders were a protective way he¡¯d learned to eat in a prison hall. My heart ached for him. He quietly chuckled and shook his head at Tillie¡¯s assessment of his cooking as I gritted through my teeth. ¡°Thank you, Till, for that unsolicited opinion. Please remember that Abel took his time to make this dinner for us, and we should be appreciative of that fact.¡± She pushed a forkful of Rice-A-Roni around her te as her face soured. ¡°Sorry.¡± She looked glumly at her te. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Abel said, dismissing her blunt assessment of his cooking. ¡°I¡¯ve never really cooked for other people, so I¡¯m still learning.¡± Abel sat back and looked around the dinner table. I went to touch his arm, to reassure him, but he moved it. Instead of making contact, I dropped my hand and fiddled with the hem of my shorts. ¡°Where did you learn how to cook?¡± Ben finally asked. ¡°Um . . .¡± Abel shifted in his seat as his eyes flicked to mine. ¡°Actually I learned when I was . . .¡± Both children looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. It was clear to me Abel was avoiding having to say where he learned to cook, when it dawned on me. Prison. My brain scrambled to cover for him when he cleared his throat and crossed his arms. ¡°This guy named Willie Hampton taught me. He was an incredible cook. He could make really good food from the worst ingredients.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d like to know how to cook one day.¡± Ben looked hopefully at Abel, and my heart squeezed. Abel nodded once, and my heart tripped over itself. ¡°I can show you sometime.¡± Clearing the emotion from my throat, I saw my daughter¡¯s eyes brighten, and she looked at Abel. ¡°What¡¯s the best part of your day, Abel?¡± He looked between her and me. I smiled and exined, ¡°This is something we do at the dinner table. We all share one bright spot in our day. If you don¡¯t want to or?¡ª¡± His jaw flexed, and he wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got one.¡± His attention was on my daughter. ¡°Uh, I guess the best part of my day was gardening with your mom.¡± A prickly thrill danced up my back. The ¡°best part of the day¡± conversation was something I¡¯d done since the kids could talk. It was my way of forcing myself to remain positive and think about all the good in our lives. It wasn¡¯t easy sharing that with an outsider. ¡°Now you have to ask someone.¡± Tillie beamed at Abel with an encouraging nod. ¡°Ben, what was the best part of your day?¡± Abel looked at my son and patiently waited for him to answer. Ben pushed around the breaded pork chop before dunking it into apple sauce and stuffing it into his mouth. Around the food, he answered, ¡°Probably that my friend Drew from library camp also likes the same video game and said he would friend me on there. What¡¯s the best part of your day, Mom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exciting.¡± I smiled. ¡°The best part of my day was . . .¡± Waking up next to Abel. Watching him walk to the bathroom with a monster dangling between his legs. Seeing him with a backward hat. Kissing him. Thinking of him while I was in the shower. ¡°Probably having this dinner with the four of us. This is so peaceful, and it makes me really happy.¡± Abel¡¯s dark eyes assessed me as though he was searching for the lie. He wouldn¡¯t find it. I¡¯d always dreamed of a cozy home where family dinners were the norm. It may be Abel¡¯s home, but for now it was a sanctuary where I had quickly found myself at ease. I smiled at my daughter. ¡°What¡¯s the best part of your day, Tillie?¡± ¡°Abbey from camp and I decided that we¡¯re going to put on a y about space dinosaurs, and I am going to make the costumes!¡± ¡°Space dinosaurs.¡± Iughed. ¡°I love that idea.¡± The rest of dinner ebbed and flowed with afortable familiarity. Abel mostly stayed quiet and allowed my rambunctious twins to talk over him¡ªand each other¡ªas they shared about their friends, camp, and the rest of their day. Once supper was over and the kids cleared their tes, I shooed them out of the kitchen and to the backyard with a promise of ice-cream sandwichester if they got along. Abel¡¯s knuckles gently tapped on the table before he rose and started clearing his te. I noted the misced gesture, curious if that was something meaningful, when I went to stop him from cleaning up. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± I swatted my hand toward him. ¡°You cooked . . . again. I can do dishes.¡± He picked up his te. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± I nted my hands on my hips. ¡°Well, I do. I already feel like a little bit of a freeloader living in your house, sleeping in your bed. I won¡¯t have you cooking and cleaning.¡± Abel stepped forward, his chest brushing against my arm as he towered over me. Hisrge hand grabbed the te in mine. ¡°I said I¡¯ve got it.¡± The deep timbre of his voice rumbled over me, sending sparks frolicking down to my core. I swallowed hard. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Though I hadn¡¯t meant for my voice to sound quite so breathy, I reveled in the way his body reacted. His deep eyes moved over my face and down to my mouth. I knew he was thinking about the kiss we had shared, and I loved that I wasn¡¯t the only onepletely upended by it. With a twirl, I extracted myself from his maic pull and moved toward the cupboard. ¡°Wine?¡± Hands full, he gestured toward the pantry. ¡°There¡¯s some in there.¡± Iughed. ¡°I know. I bought it. Would you like a ss?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t really drink.¡± Holding the bottle, I paused. ¡°You own a brewery.¡± Quietly, he walked toward me. In the drawer he dug out a wine bottle opener and pulled the bottle from my hands. Without a word, he opened it and set it aside before moving back to the sink. Abel began rinsing and stacking the dishes, the ring on his left hand glinting in the water. ¡°I like the process of making beer and figuring out new ways to incorporate ingredients, but outside of the asional drink, I just . . . don¡¯t, usually.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t want to drink the Wedded Bliss?¡± He nodded, and a tiny hit of relief surged through me¡ªat least it wasn¡¯t the fact he was with me that had him avoiding the aphrodisied beverage. I eyed him as he moved through the space. His frame was bulky andmanding, but he moved with the ease of a jungle cat. Every move was calcted and graceful. Once I sipped the wine, I closed my eyes and let its vors wash over my tongue. I thought back to ourst few days together. The stress of meeting his father seemed to melt away, and despite the awkward fake honeymoon, we¡¯d survived and had a little fun. I had zero intention of mentioning the kiss we¡¯d shared, especially when he didn¡¯t seem to want to talk about it either. The evening morphed into a cozy family dinner with my kids, and I didn¡¯t need to mess it up by talking about how I¡¯d practically jumped him in the garden. ¡°I know family dinners weren¡¯t really your thing growing up. Thanks for humoring me.¡± He stopped to look up at me. ¡°I enjoy it. Kids are simple. Pure. I like hearing about their day.¡± I swirled my wine in the ss. ¡°It¡¯s funny, Sylvie has told me a lot about your dad, but being in his office the other day was . . .¡± I allowed a dramatic shiver to shake my shoulders. ¡°Gave me the heebie-jeebies.¡± Abel huffed augh through his nose. ¡°Heebie-jeebies? Is that a technical term?¡± For a moment he stared down at the counter. ¡°You¡¯re safer keeping your distance.¡± My brows furrowed. ¡°What is that supposed to mean? Safer?¡± Abel sighed and leaned against the smooth quartz of the countertop. ¡°Has Sylvie told you much about our mother?¡± I kept my eyes on him and only offered the tiniest shake of my head. Sylvie was very private and kept a lot to herself. She hadn¡¯t ever seemed like she wanted to talk about it, so I let it be. Now curiosity was eating me alive. ¡°My mother left my father and us when I was eleven. I was the oldest, so I have a lot of memories of her. JP and MJ hardly knew her.¡± It was hard to find my voice. The dim lighting in the kitchen felt as though we were in a cocoon of trust, and I didn¡¯t want to break it. ¡°What was she like?¡± I expected him to share that she was callous. Detached. How else could a mother get up and leave her six children like that? It was unfathomable to me. ¡°She was everything.¡± The pain was evident in his voice as he stared at the ground. ¡°My mother had the bestugh. She tried to find the good in every situation¡ªeven when my father was home and . . .¡± His eyes lifted to meet mine, and he shrugged. ¡°Somehow it was always harder when he was home.¡± I pressed my lips together, unable to find the words tofort him. ¡°I understand.¡± Abel dragged a hand through his dark hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you this.¡± I smiled at him and took a sip of wine. ¡°Because I¡¯m your wife.¡± He nodded slowly and sucked in a breath. ¡°Then I should probably tell you I have a private investigator looking into the disappearance of my mother.¡± I straightened. ¡°Disappearance? I thought she chose to leave.¡± Tension clenched in his jaw. ¡°My father said she left¡ªthat was always the story he told everyone. We have no proof she did it on her own ord.¡± My stomach whooshed, dread pooling in my gut. ¡°Do you think something happened to her?¡± ¡°I do.¡± He wrung his hands together. ¡°Bug found a box of some of her things tucked away in the basement¡ªthings she wouldn¡¯t have left without¡ªand none of it adds up. I¡¯ve got a PI doing some digging.¡± Disappearing mothers and frightening exes and fake husbands. It was a lot to process, but standing in front of me was a man being open and vulnerable. It was as though logic was irrelevant and everything inside of me was unraveling while Abel held that string and tugged. I stepped forward and tipped my chin to look at him. ¡°Thank you.¡± He frowned and looked down at me. ¡°For what?¡± My hand slid up his stomach to rest over his heart. It clunked beneath my palm. ¡°Being open. Honest.¡± His fingers curled around my hip, and I melted into him. Before I could talk myself out of it, I raised onto my tiptoes. My hand found the side of his face, and I brushed my lips against the corner of his mouth. ¡°Is this a bad idea?¡± I whispered in the soft glow of the kitchen. His fingers flexed on my hip. ¡°I?¡ª¡± A shrill shriek from the backyard broke the spell, and I quickly retreated to see that the kids were okay. Electricity and tension were at an all-time high, and I struggled to get my breath under control as I left Abel standing in the kitchen. This is going to be a very long night. Just My Luck: Chapter 19 I stood in the dimly lit kitchen, thankful that Ben had cried out when Tillie put him in a headlock. Sloane navigated the sibling quarrel with a firm but loving hand. She was a badass and certainly didn¡¯t need my help. Still, I quietly operated in the background, cleaning up from dinner and tidying the rest of the house to keep myself busy. I opted to stay behind when the kids begged to take their ice-cream sandwiches and go for a walk. I needed space to breathe. Space away from Sloane and how her mere presence was making me question everything. I didn¡¯t need her sunny smiles or passionate kisses or fiery looks from across a garden. What I needed was her money. A sick, oily feeling settled in my stomach. Was I using her? Was I the same kind of man my father had be? My track record was far from spotless, and I had made so many mistakes, but I couldn¡¯t imagine ever hurting her. I¡¯d die first. Sloane and I had set boundaries in ce, but we were both all too eager to stomp all over them the second we had a moment alone. Thankfully, with two seven-year-olds, quiet moments alone were few and far between. I made myself scarce the rest of the evening by watering the garden and tidying the mulch around the beds. When the soft glow from the bathroom illuminated the backyard, I safely retreated into the house, assuming Sloane was getting herself ready for bed. From the hall closet, I pulled down the pillow and nket I¡¯d been using and tossed it on the couch. My back was already fucking killing me from the cramped sleeping quarters, but I had slept on worse. The house was quiet when I removed my clothes, slipped into a pair of gray sweatpants, and stretched out on the couch. I stared at the ceiling and focused on my breathing. In for four. Hold. Out for four. My shoulders bunched tight as I shifted on the lumpy sofa. My feet dangled off the end as I tried to adjust and getfortable. With my arms crossed, I stared at the ceiling. I¡¯d give my left nut for that fucking caveman bed right now. Closing my eyes, I tried again. In for four. Hold. Out for four. A creak in a hallway floorboard snagged my attention. My eyes whipped open, but I stilled, listening to whoever might being down the hallway. Soft footsteps padded down the hall toward the main living space. I strained to hear anything over my own heartbeat. In the darkness, I barely made out Sloane¡¯s shape as she came into view. Even in the darkness, I could see her skin illuminated by the moonlight that shone through the back windows. Dressed in only an oversize T-shirt, Sloane¡¯s smooth legs were on full disy. Her hair was up in a messy knot, and my eyes devoured the smooth lines of her skin, from the top of her thighs to her bare feet. She paused just after exiting the hallway. Her shoulders turned toward me. My eyes mmed shut and I leveled my breathing. I could hear her footsteps getting closer as I pretended to be asleep. Her soft breathing was just above me. For a moment I wasn¡¯t sure if I should open my eyes or wait to see what she was up to. Slowly, I felt the nket tug up my chest as Sloane rearranged it on top of me. My feet popped out of the bottom, and Sloane¡¯s soft chuckle was ance to my ribs. With a gentle sigh, she let the nket slip from her fingertips. Before she could leave, I snagged her wrist. Her soft gasp filled the living room as I gently thumbed the thin skin of her wrist. My eyes moved to hers. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled down at me, not pulling away from my touch. Her voice was soft and low. ¡°You look ridiculous on this couch, and that nket isn¡¯t big enough.¡± I continued to stroke her arm. ¡°I make do.¡± In the moonlight, Sloane was luminous. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± A single dimple winked in the low lighting. ¡°Thirsty.¡± I shifted, hoisting myself to sitting as she took a step back. Bare-chested, I adjusted my sweatpants before standing and tossing the nket onto the couch. Sloane¡¯s chin tipped up to hold my stare. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Her shy eyes were downcast. ¡°Anything.¡± She finally looked at me. ¡°At dinner when you were finished . . . Why did you knock on the table before you got up?¡± I studied her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I did that.¡± With a soft sigh, I continued, ¡°Old habit¡ªsomething I learned in prison. You knock to let others know you¡¯re just getting up to leave and not starting shit. It¡¯s also a sign of respect.¡± Her features went soft and she smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± As we stood in silence, I let my eyes wander and soak up the sight of her. Messy hair, sleepy eyes, and her T-shirt¡ªmy T-shirt¡ªstopping dangerously high on her thighs. I smirked. ¡°Nice shirt.¡± Sloane gently tugged at the hem, which barely covered her ass. Her lips rolled. ¡°Busted.¡± Shaking my head, Iughed, stifling it so I wouldn¡¯t wake the kids. I moved past her toward the kitchen. She followed as I pulled down a ss and filled it with ice water. Sliding the cup toward her, I reveled in her beauty. Her slim fingers surrounding the ss, she held it to her lips and took a sip. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look at me like that.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°Like what?¡± I knew exactly how I was looking at her. Sloane slid the ss away, then leaned on the ind. ¡°Like you¡¯re up to no good.¡± I let my smile spread, slow and easy. ¡°I¡¯m just looking at my wife and wondering how the hell I got here.¡± Her hand fidgeted with a stray piece of hair. Goose bumps prickled on her forearm, and I watched as her nipples peaked beneath the loose fabric of my shirt. I moved forward. ¡°You like that, don¡¯t you?¡± I stepped into her space, keeping my voice low. ¡°When I call you my wife?¡± She swallowed and lifted her chin with a glint of mischief in her eyes. ¡°I might.¡± Heat thrummed beneath my skin. My cock ached to feel her. Wanting Sloane the way I did was delusional, but there was no denying that she was standing right in front of me¡ªa willing participant in whatever was developing between us. It¡¯s wrong. So wrong. But what if I want to be selfish? To have her for a little while? My fingertips yed with the hemline of the T-shirt. Her soft thighs moved under my touch. ¡°You¡¯re my wife, Sloane.¡± I drew circles as I indulged in the smoothness of her skin. ¡°You¡¯re mine for as long as I can keep you.¡± Sloane¡¯s head tipped back and her legs scissored. I wanted nothing more than to drop to my knees to see just what waited beneath that T-shirt. Before I could, Sloane¡¯s hands nted against my chest. With a wicked look in her eye, she walked me backward until I was pressed against the opposite countertop. Her nails gently raked across my chest and stomach, sending chills racing through me. My dick throbbed under her touch. Never breaking eye contact, Sloane started to drop to her knees. I gripped her elbow to stop her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I told you¡±¡ªshe licked her lips¡ª¡°I am going to be the best wife you¡¯ve ever had.¡± Sloane sank to her knees. Her fingertips toyed with the hemline of my sweatpants as my breaths sawed in and out of me. I nced down the hallway. ¡°The kids?¡± Sloane smiled up at me, her dimples deepening. ¡°Fast asleep. If you hear oneing, just tap me on the head or something.¡± She quietly giggled as if that was the funniest thing she¡¯d ever heard herself say. My jaw clenched, and I hissed when she pulled the gray tie of my pants with her teeth. Her eyes were full of mischief as she took her time, rubbing my aching cock through the material. Yes. Fuck, yes. My eyes nearly rolled to the back of my head. I shifted my weight, widening my hips and settling into my stance. Achingly slowly, Sloane freed my cock. For a moment she stared before whispering, ¡°Holy shit.¡± I gripped the base, squeezing. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± It nearly killed me to get the words out, but I meant them. Sloane¡¯s hands ran over my hips. ¡°I want it. It¡¯s just . . . wow. I figured it would be big after I saw you walking to the bathroom this morning, but . . .¡± She rubbed her palms together, warming them. ¡°This is going to take a team effort.¡± A spark of humor warmed my chest. Sloane was so different from me, never taking herself or life too seriously. I ached for her lightness. Her positivity. A tingle ran through me when she leaned in, brushing her lips across the side of my cock. She wrapped one hand around the base of my erection and brushed the crown across her lips. Her mouth opened, and I watched intently as she dragged her tongue under the head. My dick twitched as her mouth closed over me, teasing the tip. She moaned as she leaned in, taking more of me. The vibration rattled through me. Sloane stroked and sucked as I watched my cock move in and out of her mouth. Her lips stretched around me, and I had to focus to keep from pumping hard into her. She used her hands to keep a firm grip at my base and set a torturous pace. Wet with her spit, Sloane took me as deeply as she could, and the tip of my cock hit the back of her throat. A rumbling moan seeped out of me. From her knees, Sloane looked up at me with a smile. ¡°Shh.¡± She licked her lower lip and lifted an eyebrow. ¡°If we¡¯re interrupted, then I have to stop.¡± I growled down at her. ¡°Then don¡¯t be so fucking good at this.¡± With a satisfied chuckle, Sloane pulled me back into her mouth. One hand dipped between my legs, teasing my balls as she sucked and stroked. My hands gripped the counter so tightly I thought it might break. I was dangerously close toing as she worked my cock with her hands and mouth. Too soon. It would be over too soon, and I wanted this moment tost. My fingertips tangled in her hair as I palmed her face. ¡°Hey.¡± Her doe eyes looked up at me. Her lips stretched around my cock as she kept me in her mouth. ¡°I want more,¡± I said. She released me. ¡°More?¡± I lifted her by the elbow and pressed her body into mine, holding her close. In her ear, I whispered, ¡°I want you to ride my face while you choke on my cock. I want you to do it all while you stifle your screams into my pillow.¡± She pulled back to look at me, my hard cock pressed between us. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± She took one step back, moving a hand across her chest and disappearing below the hemline of her shirt. ¡°But if you want this, you¡¯ll have toe and get it.¡± Her eyebrow lifted as she took two steps back. With a yful look, she lifted the bottom of her shirt, shing me the tiniest glimpse of her naked body. With a stifled squeal, she took off running down the hallway toward the primary bedroom. Fucking brat. I grinned and stomped after her so I could show her how a real caveman does it. Just My Luck: Chapter 20 I didn¡¯t even make it halfway down the hallway before Abel¡¯s arms scooped me up from behind, flipped me, and tossed me over his shoulder. Upside down, I covered my mouth with one hand to keep fromughing too loudly and watched as his sculpted ass moved beneath the fabric of his sweatpants. Freaking gray sweatpants. Of course they were. Once inside the primary bedroom, Abel quietly shut the door and clicked the lock. It didn¡¯t matter if he¡¯d given the room to me. Once we were inside, it was clear this was every bit his domain. Abel deposited me onto the bed with a plop, but his hands didn¡¯t leave my legs. He gripped me behind the knees and dragged me to the edge. His tawny eyes were nearly ck in the dim bedroom light. A thrill zipped through me at the dark, menacing look on his face. Desire. ¡°Why do you have my T-shirt, Sloane?¡± His eyes roamed over my legs. He settled himself between my thighs before I could close them. I watched as he lifted the hem, exposing my bare pussy. The cool air danced over my skin as I propped myself up on my elbows. ¡°I needed something to sleep in.¡± One hand moved higher up my thigh while the other palmed his cock through his sweatpants. ¡°Try again, wife. You have pajamas. Why did you put my shirt on?¡± My teeth sank into my lower lip. ¡°It smelled like you. After we kissed . . . I wanted more.¡± The deep rumble in his throat sent shivers up my back. ¡°I can give you more.¡± His thumb moved over my pussy, spreading me open to see how wet I was for him. ¡°But first I¡¯m going to take what I¡¯ve been dying for.¡± Abel sank to his knees, burying his face between my legs. He moaned like a starving man getting his first meal. Sparks shot up my back as his tongue tasted and teased. I clenched my teeth and pressed the back of my hand across my mouth to keep from crying out. Abel¡¯s hand reached under the T-shirt to palm my breast while his other held my thigh to stretch me open. I arched into him. My hand threaded through his hair as I tugged and bucked against his mouth. Tension built, low and deep as he drove me closer and closer to the edge. I wanted to ride that wave, to feel his mouth and tongue as he ate my pussy and I came all over his face. ¡°Hey,¡± I whispered. Abel looked up from between my legs, and I grinned. ¡°You said I could have your cock in my mouth while I came. What gives?¡± He sat back on his heels, his cock gloriously jutting up from between his legs. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I nodded and swallowed back a squeal of delight. Abel stood as I righted myself on the bed, scooting to the far side. In one quick movement, he pushed his pants down and stepped from them. Positioning himself on his back, Abel¡¯s frame took up the majority of the bed. I knew it. Anticipation and excitement raced through me as I surveyed his hard cock. He reached for me. ¡°Get that ass up here.¡± I obliged, straddling him and scooting my knees back so they were at either side of his head. I leaned forward, teasing his cock with my hands. My fingertip stroked up the thick vein that ran underneath, and I couldn¡¯t wait to get my mouth on him again. ¡°Goddamn it, wife.¡± Abel¡¯s tongue licked up the side of my thigh toward my pussy. ¡°You¡¯re already dripping for me. Spread these legs so I can taste you again.¡± Sinking down, I pressed my pussy into his face as I sucked his cock. My shirt rode up and my nipples brushed against the soft hair on his toned stomach. I worked him with my mouth and tried to concentrate on what I was doing, but his tongue was so fucking distracting. My legs began to quiver as Abel licked and sucked and teased. His cock filled my mouth as I stroked the base with one hand. My rhythm became erratic, my hips jerking and moving on their own as I barreled toward my orgasm. Popping his cock from my mouth, I panted. ¡°I¡¯m close. I think I?¡ª¡± Abel¡¯s arms mped around my thighs, pulling me down harder against his mouth. He moaned as I finally let go. Waves crashed over me as his mouthtched to my clit. Dots of bright light shed behind my eyelids, and I gave in to the rolling orgasm. I went limp on top of him, panting as his hard cock stood proudly beside me. A wicked grin spread on my face, and my bones turned liquid. Gathering my strength, I lifted myself up and turned, swinging my legs over him so I was straddling his stomach. His face glistened with my cum, and a cocky smirk yed on his lips. I wiggled my ass, and his hands squeezed it. Scooting back, I teased his cock with my pussy, letting it slide between my legs. ¡°I still want more.¡± Heated desire shed across his features before his ever-present frown returned. ¡°I don¡¯t have a condom.¡± I stared, indecisions coursing between us as his cock nestled against my pussy. ¡°I have an IUD. Are you . . . ?¡± There was no polite way to ask someone if they were clean. Already half-drunk on each other was probably not the best time to be thinking about it, but it needed to be said. His intensity was fierce. ¡°I haven¡¯t been with anyone since . . . a really long time. I¡¯ve been tested.¡± I wasn¡¯t at all surprised. I knew he wouldn¡¯t ask, so I offered the information to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been tested too.¡± I lifted the stolen T-shirt, pulling it over my head and dropping it on the floor. ¡°I want you¡ªneed you¡ªto fuck me.¡± My knees lifted, allowing me to rise up and line his cock up with my entrance. ¡°Please,¡± I pleaded as the head of his cock barely pressed against me. His hands flexed on my hips, holding me steady. ¡°How am I ever supposed to say no to you?¡± I grinned and spread my legs, sinking him deeper. I leaned forward to whisper in his ear. ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Slowly, Abel moved his hips upward. Despite alreadying and being primed to take him, my pussy fluttered around the stretch of his thick dick. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. Sink down and let me stretch that cunt.¡± His hands massaged my thighs as I took him. I moaned as his words yed on a loop in my head. I could never have imagined that reserved, quiet Abel was hiding a seriously skilled lover. My body tensed as I adjusted to his size. My hips began to move, setting a pace to grind my clit against the base of his dick while he filled me. Abel plucked my aching nipples, rolling each peak and tugging gently. My head rolled back and Abel adjusted, sitting up and bracing my weight on hisp. I wound my arms around his neck, and his arms banded across my back and held me close. I rocked with him, reveling in how perfectly we fit together. Beneath me, his hips began circling, frantically chasing his own release. I arched back, providing him a full view of my tits as I braced myself behind me on the bed. His mouth came down andved each peak with slow strokes of his tongue. I looked at him, one hand moving to his hair and tugging. ¡°Come for me, Abel. I want you to fill me.¡± On a groan, he buried his face into my neck. With slow pulses, he gave in to his release. I wound my arms and legs around him, holding him close as he finished. He may be sullen and imposing, but I know a man who needs to be held when I see one. I wondered if anyone had ever been soft and gentle with Abel King. For long moments, he held me in the quiet depths of his darkened bedroom. This is going to change everything. His fingers stroked the bumps of my spine, and I toyed with the ends of his hair. Finally, I sat back to look at him and smiled. ¡°What did I tell you? Best. Wife. Ever.¡± My silliness broke the tension and eased the intensity building between us. Abel rewarded me with a rare grin. ¡°Best one I¡¯ve ever had.¡± I stroked the side of his face, trying to read the emotions that flickered over his features. ¡°I¡¯m going to get cleaned up.¡± I shifted, easing off him and relishing the fact I was going to be good and sore in the morning. Disappearing into the en suite bathroom, I washed up, hoping Abel would join me and we could spend the rest of the night ignoring the fact we¡¯d justpletely changed the rules of our rtionship and simply enjoy each other. He didn¡¯te in. Instead, I walked back into the bedroom to find it cold and empty. Just My Luck: Chapter 21 Sloane had utterly rocked my world, and the absolutest thing I wanted to do was walk out that bedroom door. It was as though from the moment we said I do, my primal, lizard brain went into overdrive. My thoughts were consumed by her¡ªanticipating her needs and finding ways to make her life easier. I was a drowning man, lost and without hope, and along came Sloane, offering a solution. She was a life raft¡ªhowever temporary¡ªand I nned to hold on to it for as long as I could. Still, walking out was the right call. Sloane and I hadn¡¯t defined this new phase of our rtionship, but I sure as fuck didn¡¯t need her kids walking in on us and finding us naked. I may not have children, but I could venture a guess that seeing us together without having talked about it would be problematic for her. So I gathered my pride and my clothing and sneaked out the door while she was showering. She didn¡¯t need to know that I¡¯d also lifted the pillow to my face to get onest drag of the smell of her perfume. That night, I¡¯d spent hours staring at the ceiling, recalling how peaceful she looked as she slept¡ªdreaming about what it would feel like to be wrapped around her all night in our home. Our home. Fuck. Unable to sleep, I woke with the sun and started on making Sloane and the kids breakfast. Bleary-eyed, Tillie was the first to walk out of her bedroom and pad down the hallway. I offered a quiet good-morning nod, and she climbed up onto a stool at the kitchen ind. ¡°Morning, Abel.¡± She rubbed her sleepy eyes with the heel of her hand. ¡°Hey, Till. I¡¯m making eggs. I hope that¡¯s okay.¡± I plucked the cooked bacon from the skillet and let it rest on a paper towel. ¡°Fancy breakfast on a school day?¡± she asked. I nced at her and couldn¡¯t help but smile. The small freckles across the bridge of her nose were nearly identical to Sloane¡¯s, and one dimple was the tiniest bit deeper on one side¡ªjust like her mother¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s not all that fancy.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s better than Pop-Tarts. Can I have orange juice too?¡± ¡°You bet.¡± I grabbed a cup from the cab and moved to the fridge to pour her a cup. I could feel Tillie¡¯s eyes on my back as she sized me up. ¡°You¡¯re taller than my dad.¡± I turned slowly, doing my best to remain calm while I navigated the minefield of a conversation regarding the twins¡¯ father. What I knew about him was limited, but based on what knowledge I did have, there was no universe in which he was ever worthy of a life with Sloane or her quirky, wonderful kids. I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m taller than a lot of people.¡± Myments struck Tillie as funny, because she burst into a fit of giggles. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. Ben thinks you must work out a lot to get your muscles.¡± Iughed and kept making breakfast, wondering when the other two might appear and save me. Tillie¡¯s eyes focused on her breakfast instead of me. ¡°I like living here. It made me sad that Mom had to sleep on the floor of the cabin.¡± The floor? Jesus Christ. I busied my hands by stirring the eggs and tried not to think of how long Sloane had spent sleeping on a bedroom floor rather than a bed. When they were finished, I lifted the skillet full of fluffy scrambled eggs. ¡°Eggs?¡± I asked. Tillie nodded and slid her te forward. I plopped a hearty scoop onto the middle. ¡°Bacon, too, please,¡± she said. I smiled and moved the te of bacon onto the ind, close to her reach. Her little eyebrows scrunched. ¡°Abel, if we stay for a long time, will you sleep on the couch forever?¡± I smirked and lifted a shoulder. ¡°Probably.¡± Tillie bit into a piece of bacon and frowned. ¡°Mom said you two are friends, and friends share things, right? Maybe you and her could share the bed.¡± My stomach flipped on itself. It was hard to argue with simple logic, but so far the kids were in the dark about our current arrangement and its most recent developments. ¡°You¡¯re pretty clever. You know that, kid?¡± She smiled, her cheeks full of breakfast. ¡°You should ask her. She takes sharing very seriously.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± The mere thought of openly sharing a bed with Sloane was enough to send me reeling. Lost in thought, I barely heard Tillie¡¯s whispered words. ¡°I really like my bedroom. If you kick us out, I think I¡¯ll miss that the most.¡± Without even thinking, I leaned forward, certain to catch her eye and hold her attention. ¡°Hey.¡± I kept my voice soft, but serious. ¡°That won¡¯t ever happen. You¡¯re always wee here. No matter what.¡± Tillie stared as if she was trying to figure out whether I was simply cating her. When I didn¡¯t break eye contact, she held up her hand with her little pinkie sticking out. ¡°Do you promise?¡± Without hesitation, I hooked my pinkie with hers. ¡°I promise to never kick you out.¡± A grin spread across her freckled face, and my heart nged against my ribs. ¡°Something smells good.¡± Sloane¡¯s warm voice floated into the kitchen, and I tensed, straightening and busying myself with clearing the mess. I knew as soon as I turned to see her, my heart would stop in my chest. ¡°Abel is making eggs and bacon and orange juice,¡± Tillie proudly said. ¡°Ohh, fancy.¡± Sloane hummed. ¡°That¡¯s what I said!¡± Tillie shouted with a giggle. I turned and was hit with the full force of Sloane¡¯s beauty. Her hair was mussed from sleep, and she was wearing another one of my T-shirts, this time with a pair of her pajama shorts on the bottom. My heart fumbled over itself. Sloane moved behind the ind, letting her hand drag across my back as she slid into the space next to me. ¡°Can I help?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Ben this morning. I¡¯ve got the rest handled.¡± Sloane turned to her daughter. ¡°Tillie, can you go make sure Ben is awake?¡± The little girl hopped off the stool and eagerly started down the hallway. ¡°Kindly!¡± Sloane turned to me. ¡°So you left pretty quicklyst night.¡± My jaw worked. She didn¡¯t sound mad, more yful, and it caught me off guard. I¡¯d expected hurt and disappointment but not humor. ¡°I figured you didn¡¯t want to confuse the kids.¡± She hummed and plucked a piece of bacon off the te. ¡°Confuse the kids or confuse yourself?¡± I pinned her with a re. How did she know? Was she aware of the mental gymnastics I¡¯d been performing all night? She raised her hands and grinned around a mouthful of bacon. ¡°I was just asking.¡± I grumbled and she onlyughed. ¡°Let me worry about the kids. I¡¯ll talk to them soon.¡± My eyes went wide. If the kids knew about our arrangement, everything would be out in the open. I cleared the tightness in my throat. ¡°Tillie suggested you share the bed. You know . . . to be a good friend and all.¡± Sloane grinned. ¡°Is that so?¡± I lifted a shoulder. ¡°She says you take sharing very seriously.¡± Sloane hummed around a bite of bacon. ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind.¡± Nerves simmered under my skin as my knee bounced. ¡°How much are you¡ªwith the kids, what are you . . . ?¡± Sheughed again and patted my back. ¡°Rx. I¡¯ve got this. They¡¯ll know enough to not be confused, but I¡¯m not going to tell them everything. Some secrets I¡¯m keeping for myself.¡± She gave my butt a quick squeeze and I jumped. Sloane stole another piece of bacon and walked back toward her bedroom before she shot a hot look over her shoulder. I ampletely fucked.
At the brewery my sister Sylvie¡¯s head popped into my office, and she scowled. ¡°You¡¯re avoiding me, and I want to know why.¡± I pushed back from my desk. ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you.¡± I was absolutely avoiding her. ¡°Bullshit.¡± She moved into the doorway with my nephew Gus propped on her hip. She rubbed her nose on his. ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t tell your dad I said that in front of you.¡± The toddler cooed and tugged a strand of her blond hair. I gestured toward my nephew. ¡°Bringing the kid into this? That¡¯s unfair.¡± Sheughed and handed him to me across the desk before crossing her arms. ¡°I had to do something. It¡¯s been a week since the Wild Iris, and you¡¯re ignoring my texts. Royal even said he hasn¡¯t seen you skulking around town.¡± I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t skulk.¡± She shot me a in look. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± I distracted myself by bouncing Gus on myp. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± She barked augh at the ceiling. ¡°I know . . . you married my best friend, remember? Then moved her and the kids into your house. I need details.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what girl talk is for?¡± When Gus reached for a pen, I tucked it away, earning me a frustrated squeal. Her arms were still crossed. ¡°Maybe I want to know your intentions, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Intentions?¡± I frowned at her. ¡°You know what this is . . . my house is a temporary safe space for her and the twins while the Robinson ce is rebuilt. The marriage helped her get ess to her money, and she¡¯s investing in the brewery. That¡¯s it.¡± The empty words were leaden in my gut. ¡°That¡¯s it, huh?¡± Her eyebrow raised to her hairline, and I knew that she knew it was total bullshit. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing a wedding band?¡± I sighed and bounced Gus. ¡°Things are . . .plicated. I¡¯m just trying to keep it together.¡± She rounded my desk and held out her arms for her son. I hoisted him up. ¡°Maybe don¡¯t try so hard, okay? Sometimes it¡¯s okay to just . . . be. Let things unfold naturally.¡± I let her words sink in and nodded. ¡°I will try to take that advice.¡± Sylvie propped Gus back onto her hip. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not here to see you. I¡¯m kidnapping Sloane.¡± I opened my palms and shot her a what the fuck? look. ¡°She¡¯s working.¡± My sister didn¡¯t need to know that I liked having Sloane around and I didn¡¯t like the fact our time at the brewery would be cut short if she left. Sylvie rolled her eyes. ¡°Figure it out. She needs a new dress.¡± ¡°Dress?¡± My brows pitched down. ¡°For what?¡± Sylvie sighed. ¡°The Bluebirds caught wind of the impromptu wedding. They¡¯re throwing Sloane a bted wedding shower.¡± I nearly choked on my own tongue. The Bluebird Book Club was an unofficial organization of Outtatowner¡¯s meddling women. Ladies from all families¡ªincluding Kings and Sullivans¡ªgot together to gossip and plot. I suspected they¡¯d never discussed a single book. ¡°A what?¡± Sylvie shrugged. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Aunt Bug and I decided it was best to not blow your cover and just go with it. This is happening.¡± My heart raced. ¡°Does Sloane know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I¡¯m breaking the news.¡± She hugged Gus close again. ¡°His cuteness works on her too.¡± My nephew giggled and blew spit bubbles. I sat back, listening to the chair groan under my weight. ¡°Will you be gone long?¡± I asked. She shrugged. ¡°As long as it takes, I guess. Why? Keeping tabs on your girl?¡± I rolled my eyes despite the fact that was exactly what I was doing. ¡°The twins have some kind of library camp thing. Just making sure they¡¯re taken care of.¡± Sylvieughed. ¡°Bug is handling that. She and Bax are going to do a little grandchild trade-off. It¡¯s taken care of, I promise.¡± I grumbled, annoyed that my simple logic of using the twins as an excuse hadn¡¯t worked. With a frustrated sigh, I reached behind me and pulled out my wallet. Resigned, I deposited severalrge bills onto my desk. ¡°Don¡¯t let her pay for the dress herself. You don¡¯t have to tell her it¡¯s from me, but¡±¡ªI gestured toward the money¡ª¡°there you go.¡± Sylvie plucked the bills off the desk with a huge smile. ¡°I knew there was a teddy bear hiding in there somewhere.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not,¡± I grumbled. My sister turned toward the door. ¡°If you say so. Find a different server. I¡¯m stealing her.¡± With a dismissive wave I watched my sister walk away. Behind my desk, I sighed, but couldn¡¯t help the small tug at the corner of my mouth as I thought of Sylvie and Sloane having a fun afternoon on my dime. Thankfully, the afternoon was slow, and the only impact of Sloane¡¯s absence was my crappy mood. Somewhere along the way I started to half enjoy her quippy one-liners and witty banter. Without it, the brewery felt like it was all business. Itcked her sunshine and warmth. Rather than call someone in for her, I covered her shift myself. Forcing myself out from behind the bar, I took orders, bused tables, and genuinely tried to not scare anyone off by my mere presence, of which I was marginally sessful. When my phone buzzed in my pocket and the name John Cannon shed across the screen, I slipped into a nearby storeroom closet to take the call. ¡°This is Abel.¡± ¡°Abel. John Cannon. Do you have a minute?¡± John Cannon was a man I had hired to look into the disappearance of my mother. My siblings and I had had too many unanswered questions after my brother Whip and Bug had discovered a discarded box of her belongings. The mystery only deepened when John uncovered that there was no record of Maryann King after she left. Nothing at all. Unease rolled over me. ¡°I do. What do you have for me?¡± ¡°Well.¡± John sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to like this.¡± He huffed a breath. ¡°Shit, I don¡¯t even know how to exin it.¡± My stomach twisted. ¡°Just say it.¡± ¡°There is still no paper trail for a Maryann King. I haven¡¯t given up, but it¡¯s looking like a dead end. I¡¯m looking into her extended family and seeing if there are any contacts willing to confirm she¡¯d possibly changed her identity.¡± I nodded. ¡°That seems reasonable.¡± John exhaled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the news. Abel, there is no marriage certificate for Russell and Maryann King. There is, however, a certificate of marriage for Russell King to a woman named Elizabeth Peake.¡± My mind raced and struggled to sinctly connect the dots. ¡°So what are you saying? Are you telling me that my father cheated on my mother and then married his mistress?¡± ¡°No, Abel,¡± John continued carefully. ¡°The marriage of Russell and Elizabeth is dated before the acknowledged marriage of him and Maryann. What I am saying is that it seems likely that your mother was the mistress.¡± The small closet closed around me. A whoosh of blood between my ears was deafening. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. My parents were married, and it was no secret. They had six kids together.¡± John sighed. ¡°I understand, and I¡¯m looking into it. Unfortunately, having a second family isn¡¯t something that?¡ª¡± ¡°Whoa, wait. What?¡± I interrupted. ¡°Second family? What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the other piece I uncovered. Russell and Elizabeth have children.¡± My knees wobbled. If what John was saying was true, my father was not only unfaithful to my mother, but he had a whole different family our entire lives. Memories of long business trips, absent weekends, and flippant remarks throughout the years shed through my mind. How was this possible? How could we have not known? My throat was tight. ¡°Thanks, John. I¡ªI have to process this.¡± ¡°I understand. Do you want me to keep digging or is this enough?¡± he asked. Anger churned. ¡°No. Find out everything about this other family . . . and don¡¯t stop looking for my mother.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± John ended the call and I stared into nothingness. For nearly thirty-six years, the life I had known was a lie. Knowing my father the way I did, it was easy to believe he was capable of this. Everything in his life was constructed around optics¡ªbeing the best, looking as though you have it all. It wasn¡¯t a stretch to think he¡¯d carefully crafted that life in order to feed his own ego. My mother leaving him would have been a devastating blow to that ego. Dread pulled at my insides. What other lies was my father hiding? Just My Luck: Chapter 22 ¡°What about this one?¡± Sylvie held out the long skirt of an expensive-looking white chiffon dress on a wooden hanger. After kidnapping me, I rode with Sylvie as she dropped her son off with her husband, Duke, and we¡¯d made our way to a dress boutique in Kmazoo. It was then she broke the news that the meddlesome biddies in town had negotiated a hostile takeover and demanded a wedding shower. I had always been curious about the secretive group of women. It seemed that the Bluebirds were the heartbeat of Outtatowner and were wholly unaffected by the long-standing feud between the King and Sullivan families. I was sure they¡¯d never take credit, but I also suspected they were the reason behind theck of gossip regarding my best friend and her new husband. But still . . . a wedding shower? I had already done the expensive and draining rigamarole of show-stopping wedding events. My shower had been the social event of the season, ording to my then-stepmother. Nothing about it was my own. My fingers brushed along the soft fabrics that ranged from stark white to creamy beiges. Everything screamed demure bridal. Nothing was flirty and fun or . . . me. I tucked my lip between my teeth. ¡°Maybe this was a bad idea.¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Sylvie¡¯s face looked disgusted. ¡°We are having a shopping day to find you the perfect dress. One hundred percent funded by your husband.¡± Sylvie¡¯s eyebrows bounced suggestively on her forehead. ¡°Yes, he is technically my husband, but you know the truth. It¡¯s business.¡± I distracted myself by sliding dresses across the hanger bar. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Sylvie said. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me that business is the reason you moved in with him? Business is the reason you¡¯re walking around like you¡¯ve floated in on a cloud? Business that Abel actually cracked a real smile when I talked to him?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You can try and peddle that bullshit to someone else, but I don¡¯t buy it. I know you both too well.¡± I turned and looked at my friend, unable to lie. ¡°Fine. I think I¡¯m catching feelings.¡± Her eyes went wide and she scurried over to me. ¡°I knew it! Did something happen on your honeymoon? This is so exciting!¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, I assure you . . . the honeymoon was very PG.¡± I nced away as my thoughts wandered to the very not-PG evening we shared. ¡°But it¡¯s not exciting. It¡¯s terrible. This is not supposed to be messy. Business and nothing more. But . . .¡± I buried my face in my hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m telling you this, but I have no one else to tell, and it¡¯s literally killing me.¡± I peeked out from behind my hands. ¡°We had sex.¡± A noise I am certain had never before left the stoic Sylvie King echoed through the boutique, drawing the attention of nearby customers. ¡°Are you serious? Oh. My. God.¡± Iughed, confirming it was true. Sylvie was bubbling with energy. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want the details because that¡¯s my brother and¡ªgross¡ªbut I am really, really happy for you!¡± She shook my shoulders and augh escaped me. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m happy too. But, like, also confused? I don¡¯t know what this means, if it¡¯ll happen again, what exactly I should tell the kids, if he likes me, too, or what. It¡¯s all very chaotic up here.¡± I gestured wildly at my head. There weren¡¯t words to urately describe the toil of emotions rolling through me at any given moment. It was clear Tillie already suspected something was happening between Abel and me, but even I couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what was developing between us. What would happen once the brewery was acquired and the farmhouse rebuilt? The thought of staying married was ridiculous, but anytime I allowed myself to think of life after Abel and I called it quits, my stomach tightened and I wanted to vomit. How had this all gotten so messy so quickly? Sylvie¡¯s hands squeezed my shoulders in reassurance. ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out. You always do. In the meantime, can I make a suggestion?¡± I looked her in the eye and nodded, pleading for the right answers. ¡°Take it as ites. Abe¡¯s been through a lot and doesn¡¯t ever open up to people. If he has, in any capacity, opened up to you, it means he trusts you. If he really is catching feelings, too, that¡¯s a big deal. No matter how this pans out, I know that you¡¯ll be fine, because you¡¯re strong and resilient and a badass. He may not look it, but Abel is much more fragile. Just . . . be careful with his heart, okay?¡± A lump lodged in my throat. I never imagined I would be the one responsible for protecting Abel¡¯s heart, and that responsibility felt massive. ¡°Okay,¡± I squeaked out, and it was all I could manage. ¡°Good. Thank you.¡± My best friend smiled at me. ¡°One more thing . . . you¡¯re going to have to break the news to him that he¡¯s expected to show up at the shower.¡± I squawked. ¡°What?¡± Sylvie¡¯sugh filled the boutique, and she raised her hands. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t shoot the messenger. Aunt Bug told me he needs to be there, and I am certainly not going to be the one to tell him that.¡± ¡°Well, why do I have to tell him?¡± I crossed my arms like a petnt child. She grinned and shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s your husband.¡± I chewed my lip. Abel was not going to be happy about this. Damn it. ¡°Fair enough,¡± I grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him tonight.¡± Sylvie came up behind me and gave my shoulders a quick squeeze. ¡°Thank you. Now let¡¯s find you something that screams I¡¯m a hot wife so he doesn¡¯t stay mad at you.¡± Sylvie¡¯s attention was drawn to a row of short white dresses nearby. I moved with her, hoping to ignore the ache that nestled itself into my chest. ¡°How about this one?¡± With wide, hopeful eyes, Sylvie held out the perfect dress. It was a white mini dress in a fit and re style that nipped in at the waist and red out with a short tulle skirt. The top had a plunging neckline and hadrge, loose bows to tie the straps together. Small pearls along the bodice and skirt added a touch of romance and femininity. The dress was an absolute showstopper. Excited, I smiled and eagerly nodded and headed for the dressing room. Once I stepped into the party dress, I stared at the woman looking back at me from the mirror. Sure, it was me, but she was somehow different. I ran my hands across the delicate fabric. It fit perfectly and was a stark contrast to the sensible jeans and sweaters I¡¯d adopted since bing a single mom. I may have experienced luxury growing up, but making it on my own with two amazing kids relying on me was no easy feat. Escaping life with Jared meant leaving everything I knew behind. I had never regretted it¡ªnot once. Still, standing in a bridal suite with a pretty white dress on, I felt like a little girl ying dress-up. With Abel, I got to be a brand-new version of me. The version where my kids were the center of the universe, and he never questioned that. Instead, he acted as though pretending to be a partner in our day-to-day lives was the easiest thing in the world. He epted my children, epted me, without question. Sure, Abel and I agreed that being husband and wife was nothing more than a business arrangement, but it was downright scary how much I was starting to like being his wife.
Later that afternoon, I¡¯d gotten a text from Granddad that the pickup of Ben and Tillie from Bug had gone smoothly. They nned to get supper together, and I was eager to hug my babies. Pulling down the secluded driveway to the Robinson property was eerie. It no longer felt like home. Instead, I drove past the burned-out shell of the farmhouse and relived the familiar ache of sadness and loss. It was a very real possibility that Jared had either arranged for someone to burn down the farmhouse or done the dirty work himself. There had been no further sign of him, but I hadn¡¯t let my guard down. Not when I had my two kids to worry about. Pulling up to the cabin, I noted the excessive number of security cameras and chuckled. Apparently when Abelmitted to something, he went all in. Without knocking I opened the cabin door and entered. Ben, Tillie, and Granddad were sitting around the table with Uno cards in their hands. I paused, surprised to see Bug King sitting with them. ¡°Oh, hey, Bug.¡± I waved. She smiled and nodded. ¡°Sloane.¡± Then she triumphantly ced a wild card down. ¡°That¡¯s four, Bax.¡± My granddad grinned at Bug and winked. ¡°Ruthless. Just the way I like ¡¯em.¡± Wait. What is happening? Is he . . . flirting? ¡°Uh . . .¡± I moved deeper into the room. ¡°Hey, chickens. Having fun?¡± Tillie nodded, a smear of rogue chocte still staining the corner of her mouth. ¡°Granddad invited Ms. Bug to get hot dogs and ice cream down at the caf¨¦. Then we came here and she is dominating at Uno.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s not letting him win like you do,¡± Ben chimed in. A titteringugh escaped me as my grandfather frowned in my direction. I smiled brightly. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll getfy. Deal me in to the next round?¡± Ben scooted in his chair and patted the spot beside him. ¡°Sit with me, Mama.¡± Affection bloomed in my chest as I ruffled his hair and dropped a kiss on top of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll sit right here.¡± I took the open chair next to Ben and leaned toward him. ¡°That way you can¡¯t look at my cards like the little cheat you are!¡± Benughed and dramatically pretended to peek over at me. I surveyed my grandfather. He looked younger and more content than I¡¯d ever seen him. Moving out had been the right call¡ªthe man needed his privacy, and I was right to assume that a little distance from me and the children meant he had to step outside hisfort zone and be a tiny bit more social. Apparently that included socializing with Bug King. I secretly looked at her and wondered about the mysterious matriarch of the King family. Sylvie adored her, and I¡¯d never heard an ill word spoken about her. She was known to be a bit tough and no-nonsense, but there was no question that she was revered in Outtatowner. She appeared to be a few years younger than my granddad. Her face had aged gracefully, and strands of silver were beautifully incorporated into her soft brown hair. Her eyes were Kings¡¯¡ªa myriad of darks and tans¡ªbut in the presence of my little family, they were expressive and kind. After two rounds of Uno, the kids begged to y outside. I was nervous to let them go alone, but Granddad reassured me that Abel had done more than enough to make sure the cabin was ¡°safer than Fort Knox.¡± I watched as Granddad fussed over Bug, offering her coffee and a few cookies, to which she obliged. While he brewed the coffee, I eyed Bug carefully. ¡°Sylvie questioned my intentions on Abel¡¯s behalf today, but now I¡¯m wondering if I don¡¯t need to do the same with you.¡± Bugughed and fluffed her hair with a dismissive flick of her wrist. ¡°Why, I don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯re talking about.¡± My lips pursed as I hid my amusement. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Bug lifted her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve known your grandfather for a very long time. Bax and I went to school together, though he was a few years older.¡± From across the small kitchen, Granddad whistled. ¡°So you¡¯re . . . friends?¡± Bug¡¯s eyes slid to mine. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re as much friends as you and Abel. I take it your evening at the Wild Iris went well?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the slight tug at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Abel and I are¡ªwe¡¯re¡ª¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°You see, things?¡ª¡± Shit. Somehow Bug knew that my rtionship with her nephew was changing, and given the fact he¡¯d absolutely owned mest night, I didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on. Bug simply lifted an eyebrow. I smiled softly and settled on, ¡°I¡¯m d Granddad has a friend.¡± Bug smiled. ¡°Me too. And I¡¯m pleasantly surprised you¡¯ve been able to wear Abel down. He¡¯s suffered so much by his own hand, and it¡¯s not an easy thing for someone to get to know the real man he hides beneath the surface.¡± I nced down, tingling warmth filling my chest. ¡°That¡¯s funny. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s all that hard to figure out.¡± Her chin dipped slightly. ¡°That¡¯s precisely my point. But I might suggest that whatever happens between the two of you . . . perhaps keep it close to the chest until you know for sure. For his sake.¡± Who was this woman? She was far too insightful to deny my growing feelings for Abel and theplications they brought. ¡°Agreed. I would ask you to please do the same for my grandfather.¡± Bug smiled and offered a small nod. My grandfather ced a small coffee cup in front of her, and I pinched the bridge of my nose to release the sting of emotion building there. ¡°Okay, then. Can we never speak of this again?¡± Confused, Granddad looked between us. ¡°Speak of what?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Bug and I said in unison andughed. Just My Luck: Chapter 23 ¡°How many wedding showers have you ever been to?¡± Sloane¡¯s question was shouted down the hallway from the open door of her bedroom. I looked at my charcoal-gray cks and brown leather shoes. My hand smoothed down the buttons of my shirt. ¡°Exactly zero,¡± I answered. Herugh floated down the hall. ¡°That¡¯s what I figured. So . . . you should know that you¡¯ll be wishing you were fishing with Granddad and the kids. These things¡ªI don¡¯t know . . . they can be kind of boring.¡± I mulled over her unexpected words. ¡°Boring?¡± ttering noises came from the bedroom, and while I wanted to see if she needed anything, I stayed where I was against the kitchen ind, my hands stuffed into my pockets. My thoughts drifted briefly to my mother and whether she¡¯d had a wedding shower, or if she knew my father had already been married. If she were still here, would this have been the type of thing she would attend? None of that matters now. Barefoot, Sloane appeared in the hallway. My heart stopped and my thoughts evaporated. Her hand was nted against her chest, holding up a scrap of a dress. I could see it was white, with delicate bows on the shoulders, but her arms hid much of the rest of it. The short skirtnded high on her tanned thighs. ¡°Can you zip me up?¡± Sloane made it to the end of the hallway and turned around. ¡°I tried and I can¡¯t get it.¡± I moved toward her. Sloane¡¯s hair was done up in a delicate knot, allowing full ess to the smooth skin of her neck and shoulders. Her back was bare, the dress hanging open. My fingers brushed against her soft skin as I worked my way down to the zipper pull. Goose bumps erupted across her skin as I took my time pulling her dress closed. When I closed the button at the top, my hands rested on her shoulders. Sloane turned, smiling at me. ¡°What do you think?¡± Her hazel eyes shone up at me, the milky caramels and greenish browns melting together in the afternoon sunlight. Without looking at the dress, I said, ¡°You¡¯re perfect.¡± Her dimples deepened as she yfully rolled her eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t even look at it!¡± With augh, Sloane stepped back and swished her hips, sending the skirt of her dress in motion. It was perfectly short, showing off her long, tanned legs. The V in the front was dangerously low, and a ripple of desire shot through me. The subtle pearls sewn onto the dress caught the sunlight and added a soft, feminine touch. The corner of my mouth lifted. ¡°Like I said . . . perfect.¡± She held up her finger. ¡°I just have to get my heels and I¡¯ll be ready. Thanks again for doing this. Apparently the groom being at the shower is a thing now.¡± I shrugged. It really hadn¡¯t mattered all that much when Sloane asked me to attend. If it made her happy, I would show up and do what she needed. After more tters and muttered curses from the bedroom, Sloane reappeared in pale-pink pointed-toe heels that made her legs impossibly long. Sandpaper coated my throat as my mouth wentpletely dry. I stared at her and she frowned. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Fine.¡± Her mouth twisted as if she didn¡¯t believe me. Her head tipped. ¡°Are you sure? If this is too much, I cane up with some kind of excuse. I can?¡ª¡± I shook my head to stop her. ¡°It¡¯s not too much.¡± I sighed. ¡°I got news from the PI, and I think I¡¯m still reeling from it a little.¡± Her hazel eyes went wide, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°What did he say?¡± I shook my head. I still couldn¡¯t believe it myself. ¡°He didn¡¯t find out much about Mom, but he did find out some things about my father.¡± Sloane looked at me with expectant eyes, so I continued: ¡°Turns out Russell King isn¡¯t just a ruthless businessman. He¡¯s a liar and a cheat. He was married before my mother. Has a whole family . . . only we are the secret bastard children.¡± Sloane¡¯s mouth dropped into a shocked little O as her hand covered her mouth. ¡°Abel, that¡¯s . . . oh my god.¡± I swallowed hard. It wasn¡¯t any easier saying it aloud. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s . . . a lot.¡± Her eyes searched mine as her questions tumbled out in rapid session. ¡°Did you confront him? Demand answers? What are you going to do? Does Sylvie know? Oh my god, she¡¯ll be so shocked. Did your mom know?¡± Her questions were valid but only intensified the throb at the base of my skull. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot we don¡¯t know.¡± I frowned down at her, my eyesnding on her plush lips. ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve told.¡± Her eyes softened. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t really want to think about any of that right now. Today is about putting on a happy face for the Bluebirds. They really want to celebrate you, and you should let them.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Fuck, why did she have to be so pretty? ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± I nodded with confidence. ¡°If we¡¯rete, I¡¯m sure one of the Bluebirds is going toe pounding on the door in search of us. We should probably get going before we skip over fashionablyte and are justtete.¡± A tendril of soft brown hair slipped from her updo. She sighed and flipped it away, but it dropped right back into ce. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this.¡± I sped my hands in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s part of the show, right? Making people believe this is real?¡± She swallowed and nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seconds stretched between us as we stared at one another. Finally, Sloane gently cleared her throat. ¡°Do you think we should . . . practice?¡± shes of Sloane¡¯s skin, dewy and slicked with sweat, as my cock pumped into her raced through my mind. ¡°Practice?¡± She shrugged. ¡°People expect us to befortable around each other. We are married, after all.¡± Her nose scrunched. ¡°I don¡¯t know . . . don¡¯t you think it will be weird to kiss in front of everyone?¡± I frowned. I hadn¡¯t thought about having to kiss Sloane in public. So far, outside of the actual ceremony at the courthouse, any affection between Sloane and me had been very, very private. Touching her¡ªkissing her¡ªin public seemed extremely dangerous. I managed only a weak, nomittal shoulder jerk. Sloane exhaled. ¡°What if we try once? Right now. Just to make sure we don¡¯t seem awkward around each other.¡± My blood hummed. ¡°You want me to kiss you right now?¡± Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips, and she nodded. I stepped forward, crowding her space as she peered up at me. Even in heels, I towered over her slight frame. Testing the boundaries, I brushed the back of my fingertips down her bare arm. ¡°Is this okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her single-word response¡ªthroaty and full of desire¡ªshot through me. I sped her hand and the wrist. ¡°And this?¡± Slowly I pulled her hand to my mouth, brushing my lips across her knuckles. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Dropping her hand, I traced the lines of her neck with my fingertips before encircling her throat. My hips moved forward, pressing into her as my dick twitched behind my zipper. Sloane melted into my touch. ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡± Her throat moved beneath my hand, and she nodded, her eyshes fluttering down as she closed her eyes. I leaned forward, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will have any issues kissing my wife.¡± Before she could respond, I pulled her mouth to mine. She opened for me with a soft moan, allowing our tongues to tangle and brush against one another. My other arm wrapped around her as I deepened the kiss, delving into her mouth and savoring her. One leg moved against me, desperate and needy for more. Had it not been for remembering how drop-dead gorgeous she looked, I would have hiked that fucking skirt up and railed her against the kitchen ind without a second thought. Sloane deserves more. With a tug of my teeth on her lower lip, I released her before I let that kiss carry us too far. My fingertips toyed with the loose strand of brown hair as Sloane stared up at me with wide, curious eyes. A smile formed on my lips when I realized our kiss had stunned her silent. ¡°Do you think that will do?¡± Her voice was breathy and light. ¡°That should do it.¡± I popped a yful kiss on her lips and walked toward the door, feeling a unique and unfamiliar sense of lightness. ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Wedding showers were a fascinating study in female rtionships. While the Bluebirds had organized it, women from all over town were present. I knew Sloane didn¡¯t have family outside of her grandfather Bax, but you would never have known that. Bug had opened the King family estate to host the afternoon garden party. Sloane had informed me that the bride and groom were supposed to arrive fashionablyte, so by the time we drove up to the house, cars lined the driveway. A massive floral swag with white and pale-pink flowers hung at the front door, weing the guests. From beyond the door, we could hear soft chatter andughter. Sloane stared at the massive oak front door, then turned to me. ¡°Ready?¡± I slid my hand down her arm, twining her fingers with mine. ¡°Ready.¡± Together we walked into my aunt¡¯s home. Music yed softly in the background, and lively chatter grew louder as we made our way through the home. At the back of the house, the srium was nothing but warm, afternoon light streaming through floor-to-ceiling ss windows. Women spilled out of the back entrance and into the beautifullyndscaped backyard. Champagne and juice stood next to a tray of fruit on decorative wood skewers. Bug and the Bluebirds had gone all out for Sloane, and affection for my aunt rolled through me. I ced my hand on the small of Sloane¡¯s back and leaned in. ¡°This is all for you, wife.¡± She smiled up at me, but the edges wobbled. ¡°It feels like too much,¡± she whispered as her wide eyes took in the massive floral arrangements that decorated the tables. ¡°I promise, for you, it¡¯s not.¡± I lifted her hand, and my lips brushed across her knuckles. ¡°Aww! Aren¡¯t you two the cutest!¡± My little sister MJ¡¯s voice broke through the crowd as she moved between two women I didn¡¯t know. Behind her, Emily Ward, my brother Whip¡¯s girlfriend, followed. I offered a small wave. ¡°Hey, MJ. Emily.¡± MJ smiled at me but moved straight for Sloane, wrapping her in a tight hug. ¡°Oh my god. You look so good! Sylvie told me your dress was killer, but this is amazing!¡± She held Sloane¡¯s hand out so she could take in her outfit. ¡°You¡¯re like Bridal Barbie but hot!¡± MJ looked at me, her eyebrows bouncing suggestively. ¡°Nice going, bro.¡± Emily and Sloane embraced. I¡¯d watched their friendship slowly bloom whenever Emily and Whip visited the brewery. She was the local librarian and the perfectplement to my younger brother¡¯s wild streak. Somehow they just fit. I wondered whether people looked at Sloane and me and thought the same thing. I shook my head and sucked a steadying breath into my lungs. Of course they didn¡¯t. People looked at us and wondered what in the hell Sloane saw in a monster like me. Sloane clutched MJ¡¯s hand and allowed her to lead us into the fray. Women oohed and aahed over Sloane. Casual questions tumbled over each other¡ªHow long had we been secretly together? When did we know there was something more between us? How did the kids take the news? My ears buzzed. I found sce in Sloane¡¯s steady and sure answers. We¡¯d been together in secret for a long time¡ªthere was just no fighting those feelings! We knew right away there was something special between us. The kids are thrilled. I moved like a wooden doll, lurking behind Sloane like some dark shadow, hoping no one would actually speak to me. I didn¡¯t want to fuck this up for her. ¡°Here.¡± Sylvie came up behind me with a champagne flute. ¡°Looks like you need this.¡± I grabbed the drink and downed it in one gulp. ¡°Thanks.¡± Sloane was being walked out of the enclosed porch by MJ and Emily and led into the sunny backyard when she turned and caught my eye. You okay? she mouthed. I smiled and nodded. Delight sparkled in her eyes, and the joy that radiated from her made this whole circus worth it. ¡°Abel,¡± my aunt called. ¡°It¡¯s time for the first game.¡± Beside me, Sylvie barked out augh that she tried to cover with a sip of champagne as I nearly growled. ¡°Game?¡± Bug scoffed. ¡°Yes, of course. Come on.¡± She gestured with her hand. ¡°Hop to.¡± Sylvie pushed me forward, and I begrudgingly made my way outside. Two chairs were ced in front of a semicircle of tables. Women from all over my small town sat at the tables with small tes of finger foods and champagne. Sloane sat in one of the two chairs. The walk to the seat next to her felt like a death march. All eyes were on us, and my skin itched beneath my cor. When I sat, Sloane leaned over. ¡°Rx. You look like your head¡¯s about to pop off.¡± I didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°Maybe it feels like it.¡± Her hand patted my thigh, and I warmed at her touch. My eyes lifted to hers as she smiled. ¡°We got this.¡± With her gentle squeeze on my leg, I rxed into the chair. Bug handed each of us a small dry-erase board and marker. ¡°We¡¯re going to y a little game where we ask questions and the bride and groom answer.¡± Well, fuck. Bug smiled at the eager women. ¡°The guest with the most points at the end will win a special ¡®date night in¡¯ basket. It¡¯ll be a fun little game to see how well the couple knows each other.¡± Double fuck. Beside me, Sloaneughed, and the soft tinkling sound helped me rx and lean into the ridiculousness of it all. If this made her happy, I could put up with the charade for her. ¡°First question,¡± Bug called out. ¡°Where did you meet?¡± Easy. I scribbled down my answer. At Bug¡¯smand, Sloane and I turned the boards to reveal our answers. Bug looked at our answers and smiled. ¡°If you said the brewery, give yourself a point. Next question . . . how did the proposal happen?¡± My blood tingled. Do we tell the truth? Do I make something up? My eyes shed to Sloane, but she was already writing something down. Unsure what to do, I scribbled my answer: Sloane proposed to me. After we turned our boards, Bugughed, and I sagged in relief. ¡°That¡¯s right, Sloane proposed!¡± A variety of swoony awws and polite ps moved through the small group of women keeping score. I looked at Sloane and she winked. ¡°What is the bride¡¯s favorite color?¡± Bug asked. I considered my options, my hand hesitating over the white board before scribbling the first answer that felt right. Rosy pinkish. I turned the board over, and Sloane leaned to see my answer. Her face split into a grin, and she tipped her board so I could see. Dusty rose. I winked back at her, feeling more confident as the game wore on. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s a doozy,¡± Bug warned. ¡°What is the bride¡¯s shoe size?¡± Without hesitation, I scribbled my answer. Getting into the game, I found my shoulders rxing. It didn¡¯t matter that eyes were watching us. With Sloane it didn¡¯t feel as though I was on disy¡ªit was more like I was part of the group, celebrating with people who cared for Sloane. Questions varied from my middle name to Sloane¡¯s first job to her favorite band. I nailed them all. When Ms. Tiny was announced as the winner, she epted her gift basket prize with a rare smile. When Ms. Mabel peered over to look at its contents, the ornery old woman snatched it from her view. Sloane was radiant. Elegance shone through her smile and the poised manner in which she carried herself. She was warm and engaging, and I stood in awe of her. At my side, she leaned in. ¡°How did you know all those answers? I didn¡¯t know half of the ones about myself.¡± Sheughed. I wound my arm around her waist, pulling her close. ¡°I pay attention.¡± Her hazel eyes danced with delight as she whispered, ¡°Best. Husband. Ever.¡± With a sense of ease and without an ounce of hesitation, I pulled her into me and openly kissed my wife in front of the whole damn town. Just My Luck: Chapter 24 After the whirlwind of the wedding shower, I was happy to slip off my high heels and trade the elegant party dress for a cozy pair of leggings. I smiled as I slid the white dress onto a hanger and hung it in Abel¡¯s closet. My fingers toyed with a shimmery pearl, and I sighed. It really was a great party. Sometime during the wedding shower, I had stopped worrying about people realizing my marriage to Abel was a farce, and I simply tried to enjoy myself. Outtatowner had such an inviting way about it that it was easy to forget that it was all pretend. With Abel beside me, I found the pretending easy. Too easy. ¡°Mama! Mom! I caught a huge fish today!¡± Ben¡¯s voice bounced down the hallway as the front door mmed open. I cringed as the door rattled the nearby bookshelf. I was sure Abel never expected his life to be so upturned by two small children and their hot-mess mother. ¡°In here!¡± I called, pulling a cardigan around the vintage T-shirt I¡¯d chosen. But when they didn¡¯te to find me, I walked into the hallway to see Ben taking Granddad¡¯s phone and shoving it in Abel¡¯s face. ¡°Do you see how big it is?¡± Abel grabbed the phone and nodded, his attention solely on my son. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s impressive. Paw Paw Springs?¡± ¡°I caught some too!¡± Tillieined. ¡°You did,¡± Granddad agreed. ¡°And, yes, I took them down to Paw Paw¡ªthe creek was hopping.¡± ¡°Hey there, chickens.¡± Loving affection warmed my chest as I watched their conversations tumble over one another. ¡°I missed you today.¡± I walked up to Tillie and pulled her into a hug before ruffling Ben¡¯s hair and dropping a kiss on top. ¡°Your hair is so fancy.¡± Tillie¡¯s eyes moved over my sleek chignon, which I hadn¡¯t yet undone. My hand gently pressed against the twist. ¡°We had a party today, and it took forever to get it right. I didn¡¯t have the heart to take it down yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really pretty.¡± Tillie¡¯s eyes sparkled with feminine appreciation. I cupped my sweet, tenderhearted daughter¡¯s face. ¡°Thanks, baby.¡± I turned to my granddad, who was showing Abel more pictures from the day¡¯s fishing adventures. ¡°The kids were good for you?¡± Granddad scoffed. ¡°Of course.¡± Ben smiled at me, uncontained energy buzzing from his every pore. ¡°We brought a pic, but then Granddad had candies and we got dinner and then ice cream, and he let me get a triple scoop!¡± I shot my granddad a pointed re as my son rattled like a boiling kettle from his sugar high. ¡°What?¡± His hands raised in feigned innocence. ¡°It¡¯s thend of yes when they¡¯re with me. You know that.¡± Unable to argue with his grandfatherly logic, I simply gave up and changed the subject. ¡°I got some news today. The money is officially ready to be spent. We just have to make a decision on which builders we go with to renovate the house.¡± I toyed with the inside of my lip. ¡°Sylvie rmended Kate and Beckett.¡± ¡°Kate Sullivan?¡± Abel grumbled. I knew tensions between the Sullivans and Kings had lessened since Sylvie and Duke got together, but it had never quite gone away. ¡°I think it¡¯s Kate Miller now, but¡ªyeah.¡± Abel grunted a nomittal noise. ¡°I reached out to her, and she was really excited to talk about it. Given the historical nature of the farmhouse, she said they might even consider it for a spot on their show. Isn¡¯t that something?¡± I still couldn¡¯t believe that Kate and Beckett Miller from the popr Home Again show were even considering taking on the farmhouse build. Not only was their love story incredibly hot¡ªhe was Kate¡¯s ex-boyfriend¡¯s older brother and her brother¡¯s best friend¡ªbut they¡¯d made national headlines restoring historic homes all around Lake Michigan. I was positively giddy at the thought of them taking on the renovation. Granddad shrugged. ¡°Whatever you think is best.¡± I frowned at my grandfather. I had expected him to be more enthusiastic about rebuilding his childhood home. ¡°Well, this is for you . . . I only want you to be happy. It¡¯s your home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to live forever, Sloaney.¡± Granddad sighed, and a twinge of emotion pierced my chest. ¡°You do what you think is best.¡± Tears stung behind my eyelids, and emotion clogged my throat. Sensing the tension, Abel¡¯s gaze bounced between my grandfather and me. ¡°Hey, Bax.¡± Abel¡¯s handnded softly on his shoulder. ¡°Can you stay for dinner or do you have ns?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Granddad answered, a sly smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Actually, I do have ns. Your aunt Bug and I are sharing a meal.¡± Relief flooded through me at the swift change of subject, allowing me topose myself. If Abel was surprised that his aunt and my grandfather were getting dinner together, he didn¡¯t let it show. ¡°Next time, then.¡± Abel smiled and patted Granddad¡¯s shoulder. After a few more hugs from the kids, I walked my grandfather to the door, and we said our goodbyes. I turned to Abel and sighed. ¡°Thanks for the assist. I hate when he talks about not being around. Sometimes it just catches me off guard.¡± ¡°I think he just likes to see you happy.¡± Abel¡¯s shoulders always seemed to carry the weight of the world. He offered a quiet half smile. ¡°But you¡¯re lucky, you know.¡± My throat felt tight. I knew enough to know that love like my granddad so freely offered me wasn¡¯t at all what Abel had experienced from his own family. Thankfully, it seemed as though his siblings were trying to stay connected despite theirplicated rtionships with their father. I sped my hands in front of me. ¡°How do you feel about a low-key movie night? After today, I could use some downtime.¡± ¡°Movie night!¡± Cheers erupted behind me as the kids mbered onto the couch. After fighting over the remote control and taking forever to decide what to watch, the kids settled on a fantasy adventure film about a riverboat captain in search of treasure. Abel moved to the kitchen. ¡°Hey, Ben. Want to learn how to make BLTs?¡± My son scrambled to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s a BLT?¡± Abel looked at me and shook his head in disbelief before returning his attention to Ben. ¡°Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, but we can make them fun.¡± He gestured to the sink. ¡°Come on. Wash up and I¡¯ll show you.¡± I sat on the couch, fighting emotion as I watched Abel patiently speak with my rambunctious son. Together they looked through the refrigerator, pulling out options to uplevel the simple sandwiches. Ben giggled through taking our requests¡ªTillie wanted avocado, but no tomato, Ben chose no mayo. Abel and I wanted the works. ¡°Let¡¯s make a quick sd.¡± Abel began chopping lettuce. ¡°Rabbit food? Gross.¡± Ben¡¯s face twisted. Abelughed and continued chopping. ¡°Trust me, kid, with the amount of bacon I¡¯m going to put in this, you¡¯ll barely notice.¡± Heat spread through my chest as I remained a silent observer. Abel smiled with ease andughed when Ben got silly. He redirected him with a firm but kind hand. Ben listened and nodded as though making a BLT was the most interesting thing in the world. When they brought the food to the living room, I quickly reined in my emotions. Tillie and Ben sat on the floor, eating their sandwiches and some potato chips on the living room coffee table. ¡°What¡¯s the best part of your day, Mama?¡± Tillie asked me as we got settled. I smiled. ¡°The party was really lovely. I had fun.¡± My eyes flicked to Abel, and I wondered if he could tell I was remembering our kiss. ¡°What¡¯s the best part of your day, Abel?¡± His eyes flicked to my mouth, and my skin tingled. He licked his lips. ¡°Probably . . . cooking with my new sous chef. How about you, Benny?¡± Ben¡¯s face split into a grin. ¡°Definitely cooking with Abel. Or the big fish. I don¡¯t know. Can I have two best parts?¡± Iughed. ¡°You sure can.¡± I tipped my head toward Tillie to remind Ben to ask her. ¡°What¡¯s the best part of your day, Till?¡± Ben asked. ¡°The pic with Granddad. And ice cream before dinner.¡± I smiled at my little girl, and we all settled in to watch the movie. I sat cross-legged on one end of the small sofa and perched my te in myp. Despite the yful and raucous opening theme music of the movie, I was painfully aware of Abel sitting on the opposite end of the couch. His wide frame took up the majority of the space, his spread legs creeping over to my side. I kept my legs tucked under me and leaned into the armrest as I ate. The living room was dark, except for the shes of lighting from the television. When I finished, I gathered my te, along with Ben and Tillie¡¯s discarded sandwiches. With one arm full of dishes, I reached out for Abel¡¯s te. He immediately started to rise when I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Rx.¡± His brows pinched down, but he settled back into the couch, and I walked toward the kitchen with a grin on my face. Abel was so quick to try to take care of everything around the house that it felt nice to be able to beat him to the punch for once. After quickly rinsing and stacking the tes in the dishwasher, I made my way back to the movie. I stopped short when I saw Ben tucked into Abel¡¯s side. Tillie was standing in front of them. ¡°I wanted to sit by Abel!¡± Her lower lip jutted out in a ferocious pout that never worked on me. Abel looked around at the couch, and then he and Ben scooted over. ¡°You can take this side.¡± Sucker. From the sidelines, I watched as my twins cuddled Abel on the too-small couch. Tightness seized my chest. His arms spread across the back of the couch like it was the most natural thing in the world to watch a silly movie with my kids. This is what Jared has to live without. He may never realize it, but my ex didn¡¯t deserve their love. Abel did. He was patient and kind and epting of them, just as they were. A swell of happy tears threatened to spill over myshes, and I had never been more grateful for the darkness of a living room. ¡°Sit here, Mama!¡± Ben patted the small sliver of couch where my seat used to be. I smiled. ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s room?¡± The kids wiggled, sandwiching Abel between them. I barked augh at the ridiculousness of it. ¡°If you say so.¡± The film was surprisingly heartwarming and fun¡ªat least the parts I could pay attention to. Despite Ben between us, I was painfully aware of Abel¡¯s proximity. His muscr arm stretched across the back of the couch, and the warmth of his hand radiated to the back of my neck. When a well-timed jump scare happened, we allughed, and I felt the soft brush of his fingertips at the nape of my neck. I swallowed hard, leaning into his touch. His fingers twined with the tiny hairs that had fallen from my updo. The pads of his fingers stroked my skin until I felt as if I would burst into mes. I couldn¡¯t think¡ªcouldn¡¯t breathe¡ªfor half the movie. All I could think about was how much warmth andfort I found in his touch. Feeling brave, I peeked across the couch at him. His dark eyes were forward, focusing on the movie as the swashbuckling hero courageously led his team into a dangerous cave. I studied Abel¡¯s strong profile¡ªhis high cheeks, his straight nose, the stubble on his jaw. Tingles rushed through me as I recalled the delicious scrape of that stubble across my inner thigh. His fingertips were toying with me, and my insides began to unravel. Something so simple and wonderfully domestic as a family movie with the kids hit me in the chest. It could always be like this. I swallowed down the ridiculous thought and spent the rest of the movie ignoring the hum of my blood whenever Abel touched me. Just My Luck: Chapter 25 How was it that, even in leggings and a cardigan, Sloane was so damn pretty? I should have kept my hands to myself, but in the cover of darkness in the living room, it felt safe to let my hands wander a bit. Her skin under my fingertips calmed me in a way I couldn¡¯t really exin. The slow, steady breathing of her kids at my side was an unexpectedfort. The twins took pure, unbridled joy in the adventures on screen, and I caught myselfughing with them at the silly puns and obvious jokes. By the time the movie ended, Tillie was out¡ªher mouth open and the sound of soft snores¡ªa strong giveaway that she¡¯d missed the entire ending of the movie. Sloane patted Ben¡¯s back and whispered. ¡°Okay, bud. Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡± Ben gave a slow, bleary-eyed blink. ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± The look she gave Ben was full of maternal affection. I could still remember that same look from my own mother. Sloane smiled at me over Ben¡¯s head, and my heart rolled. It would be so easy to let myself fall for you. She rubbed slow, patient circles on Ben¡¯s back. ¡°I know. Let¡¯s walk that way anyway.¡± Sloane shifted, helping Ben to his feet. She then leaned over me, cing her hand on Tillie¡¯s shoulder. I stopped her as I stood, careful not to jostle the sleeping girl. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can get her.¡± Sloane frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I scooped up Tillie, and when she didn¡¯t seem to notice, I nodded toward the bedrooms. ¡°After you.¡± Sloane guided Ben back to his room, and I quietly followed behind them. His padded footsteps flopped against the hardwoods, and I watched as he tipped forward andnded face-first on top of his bedsheets with a plop. Sloaneughed and began to work him under the covers. I turned and carried Tillie across the few steps toward her bedroom. In the few weeks they¡¯d been there, she¡¯d made it her own¡ªdecorating the walls with doodles. My current favorite was a drawing of a cat with a hot dog body. It was weird and oddly cute. Something akin to pride moved through me. She was a blossoming young artist, and I wondered where she got that talent from. With one arm, I moved her nkets out of the way and gently set her in bed. After tucking her legs beneath the covers, I made sure the nkets were right. Before I turned to leave, I looked down at her sleeping face. She looked so much like her mom. Without thinking, I bent down and dropped a kiss on the top of her hair. I stood and turned toward the door to see Sloane leaning against the doorjamb, watching me. Had I overstepped a boundary? Fuck. I had no right. Nerves raced through me. ¡°I, uh?¡ª¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Sloane smiled. She motioned toward the hallway with her head and whispered, ¡°Come on.¡± Unable to resist her, I silently followed her into the hallway. Racked with unease, I stopped. ¡°Sloane, I¡¯m sorry I?¡ª¡± Sloane¡¯s hand reached out and gripped my shirt, pulling me toward her. Her mouth moved over mine in a quick, chaste kiss that left me aching for more. ¡°Shut up.¡± I nodded. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± A grin spread across her face as her sultry voice filled my head. ¡°Oh, I like that.¡± I moved forward, bracing one hand against the hallway wall and caging her in. ¡°Is that right?¡± Sloane licked her lips and nodded as she smoothed her hands up my chest. ¡°I do like it. I also like that you care about my kids.¡± Her wide eyes searched mine. ¡°Thank you for showing them kindness and affection. I do my best, but sometimes I know it¡¯s not enough.¡± My hand cupped her face. ¡°You are an incredible mother, and they¡¯re lucky to have you. I promise it¡¯s enough.¡± Her eyes flicked down. ¡°Thank you.¡± I stayed where I was, enjoying the way her sweet perfume floated between us. My thumb brushed across her cheekbone as Imitted every line and curve to memory. I leaned down, brushing my lips across her brow, peppering soft kisses around her eye and across her cheekbone. Every kiss was a silent promise to protect her. Her hazel eyes slid to mine. ¡°Abel, what are you doing?¡± I took her face in my hands. ¡°I am giving you the kindness and affection that you deserve.¡± My lips brushed hers. ¡°Is this all right?¡± Her breath was like a whispered promise in the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s more than all right.¡± My mouth crashed to hers, a plea for her to also feel whatever it was that was building inside me. Her soft moan moved through my chest. I pressed my hips against hers, and one leg hitched beside my hip. My palm grabbed her leg, grazing the outside of her thigh, and I squeezed. I lifted Sloane, wrapping her legs around my waist. We fumbled and kissed as I made my way in the darkness toward her bedroom. Behind the closed door, I walked toward the bed and gently set her down. Sloane removed her cardigan and whipped the T-shirt over her head. Her nipples puckered beneath a sheer ck bra, and my mouth watered. I slid her leggings down her thighs and deposited them on the ground beside the bed. My world stopped when her legs spread to show off her bare pussy. I removed my shirt and palmed her breast. Sloane¡¯s head tipped back, and my mouth found the thumping pulse of her heartbeat at her neck. I licked and sucked at her pulse point as my cock hardened in my jeans. At the edge of the bed, Sloane watched me remove my jeans and slide my ck boxer briefs to the floor. My cock jutted from between my legs, hard and ready for her. I slid my fingers into my mouth to wet them. ¡°Look at me,¡± I demanded. Her eyes whipped up as I slid two fingers into her hot, wet cunt. She gasped and spread her legs wide, and her hips began to move. I stepped between her legs, nting a hand at her chest and pressing her back into the bed. ¡°That¡¯s it, beautiful, look at me while I warm you up.¡± She swallowed and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t call me that.¡± I slowly dragged my fingers in and out of her as I stroked my cock. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to call you beautiful?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I just . . .¡± Her eyes flicked away. ¡°I want you to call me your wife.¡± A pink blush swept across her cheeks. I fucking loved that she was shy and unsure, but still willing to tell me exactly what she needed. I pinched her pert nipple through the flimsy fabric of her bra before gliding my hand to encircle her throat. I gently squeezed¡ªa question. ¡°Yes.¡± Sloane squirmed beneath me. ¡°Yes, please.¡± I slid my fingers from her pussy and used my free hand to guide my cock to her entrance. With my hand still around her throat, I leaned down to whisper in her ear. ¡°I will always protect you. You¡¯re mine. My wife.¡± On my wife I slid into her, stretching her open and prompting a moan of pleasure to rip from her throat. I silenced it with a kiss. My cock thickened, and her walls mped around me. With her back on the bed, I reveled in the way her tits bounced as I pounded into her. Sloane¡¯s sleek bun nearly unraveled as I continued fucking her. With muffled moans and stifled grunts, I pounded into her. My thighs burned and my cock ached for release, but I wouldn¡¯t quit¡ªnot until I pulled every ounce of pleasure from her. Her fingers clenched the bedsheets, her jaw mped closed to keep from screaming out. I reached between us, briefly feeling the way my cock disappeared inside her, before using my thumb to circle her clit. She bucked as I drew her closer and closer to the edge. My hips pped against her as I relentlessly drove into her. Her pussy gripped tighter. ¡°That¡¯s it. Come for me. Show your husband whose cock you can¡¯t get enough of.¡± Sensing she was moments away frompletely falling apart, I tightened my grip on her throat, only fractionally. It was enough to send her reeling. Tiny pulses of her inner walls and quivers of her thighs were immediately followed by a rush of her cum. I pumped again, leaning my weight into her as she came on my cock. My own release pumped into her as I moaned. ck and smiling on the bed, Sloane hummed. I left my cock inside her, reveling in her warmth. An entire lifetime would never be enough. Sloane was flushed and slicked with sweat. She beamed up at me. ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled down at her, carefully examining her neck to ensure I hadn¡¯t left marks. While I certainly wouldn¡¯t have minded leaving behind evidence of whom she belonged to, Sloane didn¡¯t need the questioning looks from nosy neighbors. I brushed my fingertips across her cheek. ¡°You really are beautiful.¡± Sloane¡¯s arms stretched above her. ¡°And you are constantly surprising me.¡± I slid out of her and stepped back before helping Sloane to sit up. ¡°Surprising?¡± She stood, wrapping her arms around me, and cuddled into me. My arms wound around her back, and I held her close. ¡°You¡¯re tender.¡± Iughed. I had just had my hand around her throat, and she was calling me tender? ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Sloaneughed with me, batting at my chest. ¡°Not gentle¡ªthank god¡ªbut you have a tenderness. I always feel safe with you.¡± I peered down at her, brushing away the strand of hair that covered her eye. ¡°You are safe with me. Always.¡± Sloane grabbed my hand and led me to the bathroom. When she bypassed the shower, I paused. Sloane pointed at the w-foot bathtub and smirked. ¡°I¡¯m still not convinced you fit in this thing. Care to prove me wrong?¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± After scrounging up some bath salts and lighting a candle, I filled the tub with hot water, and the bathroom quickly filled with steam. I slipped into the bath first, nearly taking up the entire thing as Sloane covered herugh with the back of one hand. I yfully rolled my eyes and held out my hand to her. ¡°Get your ass in here.¡± I let the hot water soak into me as I rxed against the porcin. Sloane was right, of course. I barely fit, and my knees popped above the surface of the water. Despite the close quarters, Sloane leaned her back on my front, and I held her. Using a loofah, I scrubbed her back and shoulders while I listened to her talk. She shared about drama at the brewery between servers that I had no idea was happening, how she worried about her granddad, and her excitement over the farmhouse build. She never seemed to mind that my responses were a mix of nods and grunts and hums. She never once asked me to change or open up or be better for her. Only, she didn¡¯t realize that for her, I would do it. Determined to show her, after washing and conditioning her hair, I wrapped my arms around her and held her once more. I rested my chin on her shoulder. ¡°I noticed Tillie is a really good artist. Does shee by that naturally?¡± Sloaneughed. ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t get it from me, that much I can assure you.¡± I let a water droplet fall from my fingertip onto her shoulder and watched as it slid down her arm and disappeared into the hot water. ¡°She¡¯s talented. I¡¯ve been reaching out to local artists to design some newbels, so I have seen a lot of drawingstely. I think, especially at her age, she¡¯s got skill.¡± Sloane considered. ¡°Maybe I need to enroll her in some art sses or something . . . now that I have the money.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Now that you¡¯re a richdy, you can do whatever you want.¡± My joke didn¡¯t seem tond, and Sloane grew quiet. In the small tub, she maneuvered to face me. ¡°The money won¡¯t change me. I¡¯m still the same person.¡± I studied her face, curious as to where this wasing from. ¡°I know that.¡± Her arms rested on the top of mine, and she looked me in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m serious. Nothing¡¯s changed.¡± I only managed a nod. Nothing¡¯s changed? Are you fucking kidding me? Everything has changed. Just My Luck: Chapter 26 The early summer sun heated my shoulders as I walked across the ckened shell of what used to be my granddad¡¯s living room. Taking it all in was surprisingly cathartic. After all the times I¡¯d driven past the shell of our former safe haven, I had learned to ignore it. I had shoved down the fear and the heartache. Now there was no ignoring the acrid smell of burned stic and wood and the hint of rot after the home had been exposed to the elements. We all need a fresh start. ¡°Be careful of your footing,¡± Beckett Miller warned me and his wife, Kate, as we surveyed the property. Much of the debris had been cleared during the investigation, and only a few walls were still upright. I nodded and carefully stepped over a burned-up lump of something. ¡°The fire department and police cleared the scene, but it¡¯s kind of an explore-at-your-own-risk situation.¡± My toe kicked a partially metal frame that used to contain a picture of me holding the twins. My stomach soured. ¡°The assessment from the structural engineer came back.¡± Based on Beckett¡¯s soft tone, I assumed it wasn¡¯t good news. ¡°Unfortunately, the home is going to have to be considered a total loss.¡± He looked at me with sad eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sloane.¡± I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I wasn¡¯t really surprised by the news, but I¡¯d still held out a shred of hope. ¡°I understand.¡± Kate pointed to a far wall that had remained standing despite the fire. ¡°What about the brick?¡± Beckett nodded. ¡°That¡¯s our silver lining. If we take on the project, I believe there are several aspects of the original structure that we can use in a new build.¡± Excitement built in his eyes as he gestured toward a small table outside on thewn, and we followed him out. ¡°I dug into the archives at the Remington County Historical Association.¡± Once we reached the table, Beckett fingered through a few sheets of paper, bringing forward several ck-and-white photos. He pointed at a picture of my granddad¡¯s farmhouse, only it looked slightly different. ¡°It was an impressive home. For the time, it would have been a gorgeous estate.¡± Kate sighed, her finger sweeping across the covered porch that wrapped around the building. ¡°Look at that porch. It wraps all the way around for a double entrance. And the scallop details on the roof fascia paired with the wood-t soffit? Stunning.¡± I looked closely at the photograph. ¡°The porch wasn¡¯t as big. It had two smaller staircases to the entrances.¡± I pointed to the small crumbling, burned staircase that remained. ¡°That led to a little vestibule or something, and the other led to the kitchen.¡± Kate nodded. ¡°It wasmon in the eighties and nies to separate everything. Split levels were all the rage at that time and, unfortunately, older homes like these were hacked apart to fit the aesthetic. I¡¯m sure the interior was simrly remodeled.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking.¡± Beckett¡¯s evident enthusiasm captured our attention. ¡°We have a real opportunity to return this home to its former glory. While we will never be able to give you back the house that is gone, we can provide a home that feels as though it was built in the eighteen hundreds¡ªonly with updated touches and modern conveniences. Kate and I will work to incorporate any salvageable parts of the original house, but create your family something that ispletely new. Yours. It will be something that will stand the test of time for future generations.¡± I held my breath as his words sank in. I looked out to the burned remains of the farmhouse. The idea that anyone could take something so damaged¡ªso ruined¡ªand see past the rubble to the beauty at its core was arresting. He may not have realized it, but it was the perfect parallel to my own life and what I was desperately trying to do for my children. There was still a chance to take bits and pieces of my past and rebuild them into something magical¡ªsomething better than I could have ever hoped for. Kate gripped her husband¡¯s arm. It was clear they were both excited about the prospect of taking on this job. I took a split second to check in with my gut and grinned. I stuck my hand out between them. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Miller . . . you¡¯re hired!¡± Kate grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug with a delighted squeal. ¡°I am so excited about this! I have so many ideas.¡± Tears pricked my eyes. If it weren¡¯t for Abel agreeing to marry me, I could never have essed my trust fund. I knew I had to find a way to make it up to him¡ªto make the lie worth it in the end. This is really happening. I nced across the yard. The cabin was barely visible down the path and through the trees, but my heart ached. It was going to take work to pick up the pieces after the fire, but I could do this for my granddad and prove to myself that Jared could knock me down, but I would always stand back up. Beckett began shuffling the paperwork on the table as he packed to leave. ¡°If it¡¯s official, I can start drafting ns.¡± Kate wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and my heart clunked. ¡°So, Sloane, how do you feel about being on television?¡±
ABEL You¡¯rete for work. Am I fired? Yes. Fantastic. My boss was the WORST. That¡¯s not what you told himst night. I grinned down at my phone and scrambled through Abel¡¯s house to find my keys and purse. He¡¯d known my meeting with the Millers might make mete for my shift, but it still made my tummy flutter that he cared enough to keep tabs on me. Maybe it meant that he missed me. I missed him too. We were still waiting on JP to draw up the paperwork for the brewery acquisition, and I knew Abel was getting antsy. Neither of us knew why his brother was dragging his feet with the deal. Most days, I didn¡¯t let it bother me, because it meant more time in our little bubble pretending. Nothing¡¯s changed. It had been weeks since those words slipped past my lips, and I still regretted them. Sure, what I had meant was that going from broke and desperate to a literal trust fund baby didn¡¯t change who I was on the inside. The immediate hurt that had shed across Abel¡¯s face haunted me. In the heat of the moment, he¡¯d stuffed it down, but there was no denying that it had been there. Since then, I was still too chickenshit to admit that I was falling in love with my husband. After the deal went through and the brewery was his, there was no need to continue tying himself to me. Once our agreement was satisfied, I didn¡¯t want him to feel guilt or shame or beholden to me in any way. Still, I didn¡¯t know how I was going to ever let him go. Flying through the house, I put those thoughts on a shelf and would have to deal with themter. I was alreadyte. I breezed past the table and into the kitchen. Abel and I had spent another night tangled in the bedsheets, and my ass was dragging. A coffee to go was the only way I was going to make it through my afternoon shift at the brewery without falling asleep in someone¡¯s beer. I yanked open the cab and pulled down a ceramic travel mug and lid. I made quick work of dumping in too much creamer and popping in a new pod of coffee before pressing the button to start the brew. Hurrying down the hallway, I had nned to check my makeup onest time when something in the hall bathroom caught my attention. I stopped, facing forward, unable to make myself look into the bathroom. I swallowed hard and turned my head. My vision narrowed and a whooshing sound filled my ears, my heart thundering. Breaths sawed in and out of me as I stared at the open shower curtain. Isn¡¯t it better to have them open? You never know if someone¡¯s hiding behind it. The hair on my neck stood on end, and my fingertips tingled as I listened to the silence of the empty house. I stepped forward, my eyes never leaving the portion of the tub still covered by the shower curtain. I walked into the bathroom, my pulse thrumming at the base of my neck. My ears pricked, but I heard nothing. My eyes scanned the tub. I prayed it was empty and that my imagination was simply running wild. When I reached the tub, I reached my hand out and gripped the shower curtain, mping my teeth together as I checked to find the tub empty. The scrape of metal across the bar shrieked as I yanked the curtain closed. Surely one of the kids had left it open after their showersst night, and I simply hadn¡¯t noticed. Kids did that shit all the time. Right? Unease rolled through me. Suddenly my safe haven, with itsrge windows and long backyard, felt isted yet exposed. Secluded. Forgetting my coffee, I dashed toward the unlocked front door, then threw it open and yanked it closed behind me. I fumbled with my keys to unlock my car, and I raced toward it at lightning speed. The early-afternoon sun beat down on me as I tugged on my seat belt and peeled out of the driveway. In the rearview, Abel¡¯s sweet little ranch faded into the background. By the time I hit Main Street, my breaths had evened out, and I had almost convinced myself I was imagining things. Surely there was no way Jared would have somehow entered Abel¡¯s house and then left the shower curtain open just to mess with me. It was ridiculous. Still, nerves simmered under my skin for the rest of the afternoon. I dropped a ss, got orders wrong, and searched the faces of our customers¡ªall without being able to shake the feeling I was being watched. Dark clouds seemed to hang over Abel¡¯s head as he grumbled behind the bar, and it assured me I was doing a shit job of holding myself together. I kept myself busy with customers and avoided him as best as I could. Before I could sneak away to the employee bathroom, Abel found me in the back hall. ¡°You okay?¡± I looked around. ¡°Me?¡± He stared at me with a nk look. Of course he meant me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m good. Just a weird day, I think.¡± Softness overtook his grumpy features. ¡°Is it about the farmhouse?¡± I offered a nomittal hum. I wasn¡¯t ready to tell him that my ex may or may not have been in his house. I still wasn¡¯t convinced it wasn¡¯t simply my mind ying tricks on me or a tiny case of misced paranoia. Abel wrapped me in a hug. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. I promise.¡± I wanted to believe him, so I closed my eyes tight and hugged him fiercely. ¡°Okay, lovebirds.¡± Reina wagged a finger in our direction. ¡°Are you going to be disappearing on me all shift?¡± I smiled. ¡°Nope! Someone else is your problem tonight. I¡¯m headed out.¡± I turned toward Abel. ¡°Are you stayingte?¡± His dark eyes softened. ¡°Meatball and I have some work in the back, but I shouldn¡¯t be toote. Wait up for me?¡± I batted myshes. ¡°I guess.¡± When I turned, Abel rewarded me with a smack on the ass. I yelped andughed, our yful banter setting me at ease for the first time all afternoon. ¡°Oh, and Sloane?¡± I turned to see Abel smiling shyly and stuffing his hands into his pockets. ¡°Give the kids a hug for me, will you?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!