by Sam Crescent
He didn’t argue with her. “Feed me, baby,” he said.
She laughed, and he loved her laugh.
“Come on.” She marched him from one stall to another.
He was starting to get the sense she was nervous about something. Now his heart started to race as he thought about the past week. He hadn’t been around her every single second of every single day. Fuck!
What if his absence had made her realize just how much she hated living here? He didn’t even consider that. Work had come first, and now, he could lose her.
Gritting his teeth, he took a bite of the pie she’d handed to him.
Did she intend to stuff him and leave him?
Running fingers through his hair, he stared at the crowd she’d just left him through and couldn’t see her.
“Casey!” He yelled her name.
A couple of people stopped to look at him.
Walking past the booth, he saw she was gone.
Okay, he had fucked up. Royally fucked up.
Walking down the long queues, he knew he could fix it.
Just as he was about to head back and find her parents, someone cleared their throat, and he looked toward the stage where a band had been playing just a few moments ago. It was why he’d been able to shout for her and not be heard.
Looking to the stage, he saw Casey there.
What?
“Hey, everyone. I hope you’re having an awesome time. Don’t worry, I won’t keep you all for long. I know you want the band back on because they are totally rocking it today, aren’t they?”
There were a few cries and agreements.
She chuckled. “So, I’m Casey Jones. Some of you people know me because I grew up here. Sorry, I did have an entire speech prepared, but I left it at home, with my bag. You see, my boyfriend, he didn’t want to come today, but some of you know I really needed him to come.”
People were looking at him, but he kept his gaze right on the stage. What was this?
“After graduating high school, I left for college, and came back a few months ago. My car broke down not too far from here, and none other than Daniel Locke came to get me. Most of you know him as Rusty. Well, Rusty and I, we started dating, and I haven’t been a very good girlfriend to him. I’ve been afraid of commitment. Of failure. You see, I didn’t make anything of myself in the big city, and well, I’m messing up this speech now.” He saw how nervous she was, and he just wanted to go and hold her. “Rusty has been really busy this week. You guys and your cars don’t know when to stop.” She laughed. “Erm, but I got talking to his best friend, Buster, and I realized something. Something really important that I have never said to another human being before in my entire life.” She took another deep breath, and he needed to know what it was that she was going to say. This had never happened to him before. “Rusty, Daniel, I’m in love with you.” She laughed. “I know I’ve been a pain in the ass. I know I’ve not been the best kind of girlfriend because I’ve been afraid and it has made me do crazy things, but I can tell you, in front of the whole town and tourists, I’m not going anywhere. In fact…” She stopped speaking, and right there in front of the town, she got down on one knee. “I was hoping you’d do me the honor of becoming my husband.”
Rusty was speechless.
He couldn’t believe this was happening to him.
“You’re proposing to me?” he asked.
“Yeah, and I was kind of hoping you’d look a little more excited. Everyone’s here. No pressure.”
He glanced around the town as someone handed him a mic.
“What do you say, Rusty? You want to give this crazy girl a chance?”
“No one has ever proposed to me before,” he said. His voice broke up a little. This wasn’t exactly how he pictured proposing. For him, he’d be the one down on one knee, staring at her, wanting her. Loving her.
“I’ve never proposed to anyone before. I’m kind of hoping this will be my first and last time. What do you say?”
“I say … I love you, Casey, more than anything else in the world, and I want to marry you more than anything.” He handed the mic back to whoever was waiting and rushed toward the stage. He had to hold her.
Casey stood up as he approached, and she held out a ring. “I bought it for you.”
He cupped her face, and in front of the entire town, kissed her with a passion no one would ever doubt.
She wrapped her arms around him. He felt her shake within his arms.
“You were scared?” he asked.
“You still haven’t said yes, and I was terrified. I’ve never done anything like this, and with how I’ve been, I wanted to make it up to you. I know I’ve been a bitch and at times really cold, but it’s … I’m crazy. There. I don’t know what I’m doing half of the time. It scares me and I feel sick, but I know I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world, and I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Showing you that I do love you, even if I’ve made it hard showing you how I feel.”
He stroked her cheek.
“Still no answer,” she said.
“Yes, Casey. Didn’t you get it from ‘I want to marry you more than anything else in the world’?” he asked.
“You said that? I didn’t hear. You want to marry me?”
“Yes. The kiss, it was another yes. Yes, yes, yes, I want to marry you.”
She burst out laughing, and he kissed her again. This had to be the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for him. The crowd was going wild, clapping their hands, whistling, howling, and the noise just added to the most incredible moment of his life.
“I really do love you,” she said. “And I totally proved it today. You know, proposing in front of the entire town, and complete strangers.”
“I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life. You’re not even tempted to go back to the city?”
“Nope. No city. No nothing. Just you and me, and whatever babies we make. I have also moved out of my parents’ place. I’ve taken the entire free space of your closet with my things, and I’d like us to start making more memories.”
“Oh, we will.”
He was going to cherish Casey for the rest of his life.
Epilogue
Thirty years later
“And that is exactly what I’ve done,” Rusty said, looking at his three grandchildren.
“Is that what made you the most romantic couple?” June asked. She was their oldest grandchild at twelve.
“Yes, we took over from your great-grandparents in that regard. Not that they minded at all,” Casey said, coming into the room carrying a tray of drinks.
They had been married for twenty-nine years.
During that time, they’d had five kids, one of which still lived with them. They also had four grandchildren of their own.
Their life, it had truly been magical so far.
Casey finally got to finish her book, and it was published. She never became an international bestselling author, but she did make a living out of her writing, and he set her up a permanent desk at the garage. They spent every single available second together.
Some people in town thought they spent a little too much time together, but their love had only gotten stronger.
The garage he’d handed to his second son as his first decided he wanted to become a lawyer. Rusty didn’t care if his children wanted different things out of life, just so long as they were happy with what they wanted.
Two of his kids had moved away and worked in the city. Three stayed in town, but for Christmas, birthdays, or any special event, they came home, and he got to have his big family back together.
Casey handed out the drinks and sat on his knee, passing him a drink.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, which had thickened over thirty years together and five kids. He loved her more now than ever before. Age had only brought them closer together.
“Can I go play outside?” Luke asked.
“Yes, of course. Dinner w
ill be in an hour,” Casey said.
All of the grandkids got up and rushed outside. He’d built a climbing frame and tree house for his kids, and now his grandkids liked to play outside at night.
“Can you believe it has been nearly thirty years since we got married?” she asked.
“Yes. It doesn’t feel like it though,” he said. “Time with you, it’s never going to be enough.”
Casey stroked his face. “I’m the happiest woman in the world. You gave me everything I didn’t even know I wanted, Rusty.”
He chuckled. “That name suits me now more than ever.”
They both laughed. Thirty years together, their love would never falter. He loved her more than anything. Curled up on his favorite chair, drinking some iced tea, he listened to his grandkids outside as his wife sat on his lap.
This was the life he’d always envisioned, and it was one he knew he’d never regret. Falling in love was never something to fear.
The End
www.samcrescent.com
Facebook Reader Groups:
www.facebook.com/groups/466389657105501
www.facebook.com/groups/295030114286077
Other Books by Sam Crescent:
www.evernightpublishing.com/sam-crescent
If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:
Dominic’s Touch by Jenika Snow
Flynn’s Assassin by N.J. Walters
Killian’s Hope by Elyzabeth M. VaLey
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
CRAVE HER CURVES
Curvy Women Wanted, ,14
Sam Crescent
Copyright © 2019
Sample Chapter
Mitch
I never in all my years thought I’d fall in love with a nineteen-year-old virgin, and yet here I am, completely, one hundred percent blown away by her sweetness. Not just how nice she is either, no—her body; damn, she’s so fucking gorgeous. She didn’t have the body of a teenager, but a full-grown woman. Large tits, thick, juicy, fat thighs, curves that I can’t wait to get a hold of. Whenever I’m near her, all I want to do is pin her to the nearest surface and sink my cock so deep inside her. When it comes to Ava, I can’t think straight. I’m the kind of guy who sees a woman, beds her, and forgets her.
Yet with Ava, I can’t stop fucking thinking about her. She drives me crazy with need, and I ache for her. Watching her this past year has been torture. I haven’t been able to touch her because of her father. He’s nothing more than an acquaintance, but he knows how much I want her. David is a grade-A asshole. I fucking hate his guts, but what made me stay close over these three years was Ava. David saw my attraction to her. It’s the only time I’ve ever shown any weakness. David set to exploit it. So much so, he demanded I pay for his debt. Don’t worry, I paid for the debt, but now he has to deliver his daughter to me. She’s not allowed to know any other details. It’s all part of our agreement. He doesn’t have to worry about getting broken bones, and I get Ava. If he interferes at all with my plans, the debts I’ve paid, I can call back in, and his ass will be in the line of fire. He doesn’t care about his daughter. He’s just using her, and once he’s done, he’ll be on his merry way, out of our lives.
Holding onto the doorframe, I watch the gravel path waiting for signs of their arrival. In a few short hours, she’ll belong to me. I don’t want her to know what I’ve done to get her, but at least her father won’t get in my way.
Ava deserves someone a lot better than him. I’m determined to give her a life she deserves, one that won’t be filled with worry about if food is going to be on the table. The summer at my cabin is going to be one of the best of her life. I’m not going to fail her.
The moment I see the car coming up my gravel drive, I feel my heart race. I’m not nervous. I can’t wait to have her in my arms, at my mercy.
David keeps the engine running as Ava jumps out of the truck. She’s wearing jeans two sizes too big and a long shirt to hide all those curves. She was bullied throughout high school. I lost count of the number of times I caught her crying because of it. Assholes. It took every single ounce of control not to hurt those motherfuckers for hurting her.
She tucks her long, blonde hair behind her ear, taking her bag from her father.
I’m not having her lift a thing. Walking down the steps, I take the bag from her, glaring at David. Doesn’t he know how to be a good father? I have learned that his wife had passed away when Ava was no older than ten. Since then, he’s been doing a piss-poor job of taking care of her.
Well, now it’s not his concern, but mine.
“Everything she needs is there,” David says. “Have fun this summer, Ava.”
Without another word, he turns on his heel and leaves.
I watch him go, waiting for the car to leave before devoting my full attention to the beauty at my side. One look at her and I see her nerves kicking in.
“Have you had anything to eat?” I ask.
“No.” Her stomach growls.
“Come on. Let’s get you settled in and fed.”
With a hand at her back, I walk up the steps, heading into the cabin.
Closing the door, I hear her gasp, and I smile. She once told me how she loved the idea of staying in a cabin for a summer, to read, relax, and not have to worry about the world around her. Well, I’ve granted her wish. There’s nothing but the best for my woman. I’m a rich man, and I don’t even have to be at my company to earn money. Just a couple of emails, telephone calls, and my business is done. I’ve devoted twenty years to my technology firm, and now I can reap the rewards of my hard labor.
“This is so beautiful,” she says.
I’ve spent the past year decorating it to meet her requests. Yes, I’m obsessed with this little angel.
“I’m glad. I also purchased some paperbacks from those authors you told me about.” Taking her hand, I lead her to the small library. Again, I’m granted with another gasp. She releases my hand and rushes to the small table I’ve placed the books on.
“Oh my, this is … so much. My dad said you were going to help me lose weight?”
“Excuse me?”
“Yeah, he said you’ve agreed to help me shed this weight. I need to start taking better care of myself because I’m too fat.”
I grit my teeth so hard, I’m shocked they don’t snap. Oh, baby girl, you’ve got no idea what I want to do to you. Making her lose weight is the last thing on my mind.
I crave her curves. I’ve spent the past year working my cock with my hand just thinking about how I’m going to devote myself to exploring every inch of her.
“You’re not here to lose weight, Ava.”
“I’m not?” When I shake my head, she asks, “Then why am I here?”
“You’re here because I want you here. I want to spend time with you, to get to know you.”
“You do?”
I nod. Taking her hand and pulling her close, I rest my hand on her hip. Just from that simple touch I want so much more.
“Your father lied to you, Ava. I think you’re perfect the way you are. Why don’t you get settled in, and I’ll fix us something to eat?”
“I’d like that.”
It takes great effort to let her go. I don’t want to, but there is no way I could keep hold of her just now. When I pop her cherry, she’ll be spread out and ready, dripping wet before I slide my dick inside her.
I can’t wait.
****
Ava
Putting my things away in my room, I’m somewhat overwhelmed by the reason for my being here. My father always had an issue with my weight, and in truth, I was tired of hearing him complain. My mother had been so slender, and seeing as I just seemed to keep on growing, it unnerved him. I don’t get it though. I’m happy. I’ve always been happy. It’s not like I eat for comfort. My size eighteen curves don’t offend me.
So I’ve got a few extra inches. Who cares?
 
; I mean, really, it’s not like I’m going to be living with my father for much longer. Before coming here, I’d already saved up six months’ worth of rent money from working my two jobs, waiting tables and working at the local library. The work isn’t exactly taxing, but I like it.
With my few clothes put away, I tuck my hair behind my ears, wondering if I should get it cut or just pull it back into a ponytail.
Why would Mitch want me to spend time with him relaxing? He and my dad have been acquaintances for a while. Not too long. They met when I was about sixteen, I think. I’d just come home from school after another day of bullies, when Dad introduced us.
I’d never had a crush on anyone in my life. Why would I? All I had known most of my life is guys being dicks.
Mitch, he’d not been mean or cruel. In fact, every single time I saw him, he made me laugh.
He was my first crush, which makes this so hard. I’d not seen him for a couple of months, and during that time, I’d tried to date other men. Men who could replace my crush on my dad’s friend.
Nothing worked.
I mean, seriously, what was Mitch’s deal?
Why did he draw my attention so well? It’s like he saw deep down into my soul, and I know that’s so cliché, but come on, the guy’s like a god! Well, maybe not totally like a god, but he could have any woman he ever wanted. He’s been single for as long as I’ve known him, but in this day and age, that doesn’t really mean anything.
Pulling my hair back, I tie it at the base of my neck, blowing out a breath. I really need to get myself together.
I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. A few days, weeks, months? It could be anything. The drive up here, my father repeatedly told me how important it was to listen to Mitch, to do as Mitch said.