by Mia Pride
Tempting Forever
Baby on Board Series
Book Two
Mia Pride
Copyright © 2021 by Mia Pride
Tempting Forever
Published by: Mia Pride
www.miapride.com
https://www.facebook.com/miaprideauthor
Edited by Vicki McGough and Rachel Tsoumbakos
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: [email protected]
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 9798201074043
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Tempting Forever (Baby on Board Series, #2)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Author’s Note
About the Author
For Matt. I will always tempt forever with you.
Chapter One
Monica
THE ENTIRE ROOM LOOKED like Frosty the Snowman puked all over it, but I had to admit, it was rather elegant and well done. Silver candelabras sparkled in the light of crystal chandeliers hanging above every perfectly set table. The white floral arrangements even glittered, sending rainbows of color all across the room when the light caught them just right. Somehow, the entire room smelled of peppermint, and I took a deep breath as I finally sat down and kicked off my silver heels, glad to be off my feet.
“Monica!” I heard my name for the hundredth time tonight and forced a smile. I was the maid of honor, after all. It didn’t matter that Steve and I had just broken up... again, or that this time it was for good. He had dipped his wick in another woman, and I had no room for men like that in my life. I deserved better, but it still killed something inside of me. The news of our breakup could wait another day, but it did not mean it stung any less as I watched my twin brother marry his high school sweetheart and my best friend. I was happy for them—elated, actually. Theirs had been a rough road full of many sharp turns. Hell, they had driven straight off a cliff at one point. But somehow, they came together again, and this winter wonderland wedding was about as extravagant as I had ever seen. They deserved all of it.
Slipping my four-inch stilettos back on, I apologized to my swollen feet and promised to pamper them tomorrow. Standing up, I tugged down my tightly fitted red strapless dress and turned to see the bride waving me toward her.
Sliding my smile back on I walked over to Crystal and Brent, still in awe of her gorgeous gown covered in lace and classy sequins that caught the light with her every move. The deep plunging neckline somehow looked wholly sophisticated on her, where I was certain I would look like a cheap hooker with my huge boobs shoved into a similar dress. She was stunning, and my brother glowed as he held her hand and grinned like an idiot.
“What can I do for you, Master?” I said to Crystal, giving her a salute. Brent’s best friend and best man, Chris, stepped up beside him and gave a low chuckle, rubbing his strong, freshly shaven jaw and flashing a dimpled smile. Smacking Brent on the back, Chris looked at me and winked. “I think they want us to... dance.” He made a disgusted face at me, and I shivered, scrunching up my nose.
“You want me to dance with Quasimodo over here?” I said and made a gagging sound. “Now, you ask too much. I will hold your dress and wipe your ass... but this?”
Crystal shook her head and raised a brow. “It’s time for the first dance. But we don’t want to dance... alone... in a circle for four whole minutes... like losers.”
“Hey, you’re not the loser who can’t dance,” Chris added, giving Brent an accusatory stare. “You tried to teach this fool how to keep step. I agree that it would be cruel to leave Crystal in the spotlight with this guy for that long. We will have to relieve them,” Chris said to me, sending me a wink. His green eyes were a stark contrast to his dark brown hair, and I did my best not to notice how damned hot he was. I couldn’t blame my breakup; despite my best intentions, it was impossible not to be attracted to the man.
“I suppose you make a fair point,” I sighed. “We will break in mid-way, but don’t be mad when we show you up.”
My brother just stuck his tongue out at me and dragged his wife away as the music began to play. “Real mature,” I snickered and looked at Chris, flashing him a grin. “May I say that you do clean up nicely.”
Raising a brow, he crossed his arms, and I noticed his toned biceps. “Clean up? I wear a suit and tie every weekday.”
“Huh. Never noticed,” I lied. Chris was a type-A sort of man. He owned his own business, worked out regularly, stayed clean-shaven, and was always looking for a new deal to close. Though I knew the lighter side of my brother’s business partner after several encounters over the years, I knew his professional image was essential to him. I also knew that he looked damned fine on most days, but today, he looked downright smoking-hot. He wasn’t hard to look at, but I was newly single and not looking to mingle. Even if I was, my brother’s best friend and business partner was not on the table.
“Well, despite the blatant knock to my pride, there is a compliment hidden somewhere in there, so I’ll take it. You look stunning today, yourself... as always,” he added for effect.
“Always the polite one, Mister Manners.” I winked at him and grabbed him by his coat sleeve when Crystal began to send me side glances, signaling for us to enter the dance floor. “The bride is already tired of her groom. Shall we relieve her?”
Grunting with amusement, Chris nodded and escorted me onto the floor as the crowd began to cheer for us.
“I think they like us better than they like the happy couple,” Chris whispered into my ear.
Looking up to his enormous height, I thought I might get a kink in my neck, but his bright-green eyes were worth the cost of a chiropractor visit. “Who says we aren’t happy?” I grinned and allowed him to twirl me around and dip me back. Even his dance moves were hot. How did he make Ed Sheeran’s music burn me up inside?
“Well, at least one of us is.”
“What does that mean? Are my moves not impressive enough? I could bust out the tootsie roll, but this dress would make my own tootsie rolls flash the crowd,” I said with a wide grin.
Chris pursed his lips and looked at me as if I was insane. “First of all, I doubt there is a single roll on the entirety of your body.” Was he picturing me naked? Lord knows I was suddenly doing the same, but I needed to cool my jets. He was simply saying what all men said to women with the need for flattery. But, I wasn’t the sort of woman who sought compliments or required flattery. I was who I was, and I only shared myself with those I felt deserved it, unlike other women who flashed their goodies all over the internet to lure creepy men to their side.
“Yeah, yeah, Romeo. So, which one of us is the supposedly happy member of our dynamic duo?”
Chris spun me once more before pulling me against him, his large hand gripping my waist, our faces closer than ever befor
e. “I was referring to you. After all, you always wear a smile, have a ‘shmexy’ boy toy, and that restaurant job you love so much.”
Though it had been a week since our split, I had yet to tell anyone. Those whose business it was were far too busy getting married, and it wasn’t my style to steal someone’s thunder with my gray clouds. But, it would feel good to get it off my chest. “Well, you know what they say. Only two things in life are certain. Love isn’t one of them.”
Missing a step, Chris stumbled and stopped on the dance floor, his brow dropping as he gazed down at me. “Steve broke up with you?”
“Is that how you actually see it going down? He dumped all of this?” I spun in a circle, showing off my thin waist and long, sculpted legs, not bothering to pull down this fitted red dress that continuously crept up to my mid-thigh. I was only trying to lighten the mood, always preferring light banter even in the darkest of moments. But the look in his green eyes when he watched my body made me feel red hot inside. I knew that look. I just never expected to see it in Christopher Farrington’s eyes.
“Auntie Mon!” Clearing my throat and breaking the heated gaze I found myself sharing with my brother’s best friend, I tugged my dress down for the hundredth time that night and looked down at Brent’s darling daughter, Grace. Her blonde hair glittered like spun gold beneath the crystal chandeliers, and she looked so much like her mother, Amber, who approached just behind Grace. It had been a rough few years with Brent playing a single father after Amber dropped Grace off on his porch and took off, claiming their daughter’s autism was too much for her to handle. Fortunately, Amber pulled her head out of her ass, begging to be in her daughter’s life again. So far, so good. She seemed at peace with her present but still suffering the mistakes of her past. I could genuinely relate to such demons.
“Hey, Gracie-Girl! How’s my favorite niece?” I said, bending down to her level to make eye contact just like Grace’s amazing new stepmother, Crystal, had taught me to do. Her skills with special children had truly helped their family and helped Grace to blossom.
“I am your only niece, though.” Grace crinkled her brow, still grasping the concept of sarcasm and struggling to process the information.
Smiling, I booped her on the nose. “Of course, you are, silly. Did you want to cut a rug with your awesome Auntie Mon?”
“Monica. Your sayings are confusing the heck out of your niece,” Chris grunted just as Grace pouted and scratched her head.
“No. I don’t want to cut a rug. I don’t think my scissors can do that. I just want to dance.”
“Great! Let’s go!” I said, putting a hand out, slightly relieved to end the awkward... whatever that was, with Chris.
“Not with you. With Uncle Chris.”
“Oh...” Looking over my shoulder, I grinned at Chris and winked. “Be my guest.” Stepping aside, I watched Chris bow to his new dance partner before putting his hand out. Grace took it, and I stepped off the dance floor, immediately flinging my heels off near the closest table, knocking Crystal’s dad in the ankle. “Oops. Sorry!” I grinned and wiggled my fingers. He just shook his head and shrugged. He had known me long enough to be shocked by literally nothing. If my wedding speech hadn’t made him cast me out by now, I knew I was in for life.
“I hope you don’t mind my daughter stealing your hot date,” Amber said, standing beside me.
“Naw, it was only lukewarm anyway, and I’m in need of a cocktail. To the bar?”
Nodding, Amber followed in my desperate wake. After that moment with Chris, I needed to be hosed down with ice water, but a cold drink would do for now.
“I don’t know what happened on that dance floor, but nothing about it was lukewarm.”
“Pray, do tell,” I said, playing dumb.
“Tell you that Chris Farrington was thirty seconds from ripping that dress off your body and taking you to pound town?”
“Pound town?” I stopped and crooked a brow at Amber, laughing harder than I had all week. “Ah, I needed that laugh. Since when does prim and proper Amber Roberts say ‘pound town’?”
She shrugged and sat down at the bar, patting the seat beside her. “I’m trying to loosen up.”
“Well... don’t loosen up too much, there, Am. Last time you did, you got knocked up with my brother’s baby.” Amber pouted, and I flagged down the bartender. “What? Too soon?”
“Ha. You’re right. I will find the in-between. I won’t end up knocked up with anyone’s brother’s baby tonight.”
“Sweet!” We high-fived and smiled when the bartender came over and put a hand on the bar.
“You again?”
“Did you miss me?” I asked, fluttering my lashes. “That last Mai Tai wasn’t strong enough to numb the pain in my feet. Make it a double, good sir.”
“You got it. How about for your pretty blonde friend here?” he asked with a gleam in his eye.
“Pretty blonde friend has a voice of her own and has my permission to order for herself. #MeToo, and all that. Beware, she is avoiding getting knocked up tonight.”
“Monica!” Amber turned bright red and covered her flaming cheeks with her hands. “You are ridiculous!”
Turning to the bartender, she put out a hand. “My name is Amber.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Amber. How do you put up with this one?” He tilted his head in my direction, and I feigned insult. Nothing insulted me these days. I was dead inside, after all.
“Sorta have to. She’s the sister of the last guy who knocked me up.”
The bartender looked at her oddly and cleared his throat. “What will you have tonight?”
“I will have what she’s having.” When he nodded and walked away, Amber looked at me and shrugged. “Was it something I said?”
“Not the best pick-up line I’ve ever heard, if I’m being honest, Am. He probably thinks you have a brood of baby daddies.”
“Crud! I will be single forever,” she sighed, resting her elbow on the bar and watching as Stud-Muffin-McGee made her drink. That’s what I called him in my head—his fault for not wearing a name tag.
“Not true. You will find a man. Besides, this guy hit on me and every bridesmaid one by one earlier. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re sexy as hell, and I am sure he only hits on the hotties. He didn’t hit on Aunt Louise, and she even gave him her best ‘come hither’ look.”
“Then I will try not to count my losses.” Setting down the drinks, Stud-Muffin-McGee wiped his hands on his bar towel, nodded, and walked away.
“Well, he isn’t getting a tip,” I mumbled as I sucked down my Mai Tai and pulled a soggy dollar bill out of my cleavage, slamming it on the bar. “Okay, he is. I lied.”
“Momma!” Grace appeared at the bar with Chris by her side, holding her hand. He was easily more than twice Grace’s height, and I couldn’t help but smile at the absolute cuteness of them side by side.
“Hey, Darlin’! How was your dance?”
“Uncle Chris asked me lots of questions.”
“Hey now... I thought that was our secret?” he said in his deep, resonant voice.
“She sucks at keeping secrets,” I mouthed around my stir straw as I continued to suck down the double dose of rum in my glass.
“Jeez, Mon...” Amber said.
“What? It’s true. She totally rats me out when I come over and eat all of Crystal’s chocolate stash. I mean, hello? I know it’s in your underwear drawer. It’s her fault for not changing it since the eighth grade.”
“I suppose that’s true.” Amber shoved her half-full drink aside and stood up. “It’s late, and I had better get Grace back to the room. I will see you tomorrow at brunch?”
“But, Crys still has to toss the bouquet!”
Amber snorted and shook her head. “You just saw my moves in action. I will be single for quite some time. You, however. Steve had better be putting a ring on it if he likes it.”
“Smooth, Am...” I mumbled, refusing to discuss my breakup with yet another so
ul in this same room. I stood up and gave Grace a hug and a fist bump. “See ya tomorrow morning, Squirt?”
“Yes, Auntie!” Grace hugged me back, and I melted inside.
As they left, Chris took Amber’s seat and signaled Stud for two fingers of the finest top-shelf whiskey. Of course, he would. Neat. Of course, it was.
“So, how was your dance?” I asked, making slurping sounds as I sucked out the very last bit of rum in my Mai Tai.
“It was fun. She is a sweet girl.” Chris tapped his finger on the bar and avoided eye contact with me. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“What questions were you asking Gracie?”
His whiskey slid across the bar, and his hand shot out like graceful lightning, catching it in his huge palm just as he turned toward me and he narrowed his gaze. “Just school stuff. I’m super curious about kindergarten. It’s been years.” Tilting his head back, Chris took the whiskey down in one gulp, not at all how I imagined a man who was as proper as he was would drink a fine whiskey.
“Nice, Farrington. Way to savor that whiskey. And fine, don’t tell me. Not like I care.” Grabbing Amber’s unfinished drink, I chugged it down and slammed it onto the bar beside our other empty glasses.
“Wanna take a walk?” he asked, and I hesitated, wondering why he would want to do such a thing, but curiosity got the best of me.
“As long as shoes are not required. I’m so done with those sadists.”
Standing up from the stool, Chris took my hand, and I obliged, allowing him to drag me away from Stud-Muffin-McGee so I could take a walk with Sexy-McSex-Face. It was my nickname for him. He just didn’t know it yet.
Chris
HOLDING THE DOOR OPEN for Monica, I nodded when she thanked me and walked through to the lounge. I was not sure where we were going. The only thing I was sure about was that I wanted more details about this break up of hers. Yes, she was my best friend and business partner’s twin sister. Yes, she was off-limits. But I had secretly had the hots for her for years, and we were both always in and out of relationships at opposite times.
